A/N-

Wow! Thank you guys for being so patient with me. I should be home more often starting December the sixth, because the fifth is the last marching band event that I have this year. Believe it or not, band is hard work and very time consuming. (Even now, I should be practicing, but I feel like writing today)!

Also, I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving, and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, you will see what little Juni is thankful for.

So! Since it has been so long, let's recap.

Juniper Bartleby, a four year old from Fairbanks, Alaska, steps into a mirror. She is in the plains of Rohan, more specifically, Edoras, without a family. Theoden King, offers this little girl a place to stay until her family is found. He believes this little girl is from Edoras, but Theodred are not so sure. Theoden has decided to consult Gandalf the Grey the next time he is found.

The year in Middle Earth is roughly TA 2998 (only because Eowyn is three at the time.)


Chapter 3: Giving Thanks

It has been a little over a month since Juniper's adoption into the royal family, which in itself caused a lot of issues. Once it was announced to the streets, by Theoden himself, the citizens seemed to be joyous... for the most part that is.

The majority holds mixed feelings about the adoption. She will be entitled to the same rights and social standing as her brother, Theodred, and cousins, Eomer and Eowyn, have- this is not including both Theoden, and Eomer's and Eowyn's parents. Should anything happen to the family members, she will be named heir to the throne, though she is not of the same bloodline.

Which, in the minds of the royal family, shouldn't be a complete issue. It is unlikely that she would ever be fully responsible for the Rohirrim. The only way possible is if she decided to kill off everyone in the family, but this little girl is too innocent, not only that, but even as she grows older, how in the world will she pull that off?

She wouldn't nor could, and Theodred has strong faith in his new little sister.

When Theoden is busy, and Lavinia has other responsibilities, Theodred takes charge in caring for his little sister... Though, it is more like reading her stories, or playing with her, or even taking her to visit Eowyn, whom she befriended very quickly.

Even today, little Juni and 'big brother' Theodred are going to visit Eowyn and Eomer, that is if their parents allow it. Though, their really shouldn't be any reason in doing so. Now, Theodred and Juniper are headed to their cousins' home by foot.

"The weather is quite fair today, and the ground may still be damp, but it isn't-" Theodred is talking to his little sister as they walk. Little Juni is quiet this morning, something even a deaf man would know to be rare, and he waits for her to say what is on her mind.

"Mushy..." Juni mumbles, but finishes his sentence. Theodred pauses in his steps and kneels down on one knee in order to be eye level with Juni. He keeps a calm and joyous look etched on his face, but deep down, he is terrified of what might be ailing his little sister.

"That's right. The ground is not mushy, so how about we go riding?" Theodred suggests.

The only response he receives from the little girl, is a nod.


"Theodred, has my niece ever ridden a horse before?" Eomer's mother, Theodwyn, asks. Of course she hasn't, she is only four years old, and from the sound of it, horses are not used often where she hailed. "Theodred?" she asks, more stern this time. "Has she ever ridden a horse before?"

"No, she has not," Theodred replies with his shoulders tense. He knew what was coming.

"Did you receive my brother, your father's, permission? She is still quite young," Theodwyn asks. Juniper, in her mind only, calls her a fun sponge. After all, what else can she do today?

"I did not. The thought came to me merely four minutes before we arrived at your door," Theodred says.

Eomer decideds to add on, "It wouldn't hurt to take the little ones out for a ride, as long as we are careful."

"No! Three years old? Four? Maybe in a couple of years..." Theodwyn denies permission, but her husbund, Eomund, also does not think it to be a bad idea. As all of the arguing and persuasion continue before them, Eowyn and Juniper grow bored, and how do two children quench their thirst of entertainment? They sneak away.

Which is exactly what the two girls do. With Juniper leading, they sneak into the kitchen and find it unattended... Actually, there is an adult in the room, but she is fast asleep. This is perfect for little Juni and her best friend and cousin, Eowyn. This isn't the first time they have sneaked into the kitchen searching for sweets, but this is the first time someone didn't know they were there.

Juniper, unable to reach the jar of cookies sitting on the counter, pulls a chair and hoists herself up, but it is in vain. She absolutely cannot reach the jar. Eowyn sits on the floor with her thumb in her mouth as she watches the older girl try and reach sweets for the two. However, Juniper becomes distracted by a flicker of light outside.

The flash of light reminds her of her old home, a place where the sunlight would catch on the metal of a car and become a blinding beauty. A place where the teeter-totters would creak, and the sunlight would smile on her and her siblings. A place where her parents would read her bedtime stories and sing. A place she fears she will never see again.

She fights back the tears, and she pulls Eowyn off the ground. Eowyn doesn't mind, because both girls hear the adults looking for them. They hurry quickly out of the door and into the yard, they will search for the source of the light.

It doesn't take long, and Juniper finds the object that had captured her attention, and she falls in grief and begins to sob. Little Eowyn, though three years of age, still hugs her dearest cousin in confusion. She has no clue as to why Juniper is crying. Didn't she find what she was looking for? These are the thoughts of Eowyn as she hugs Juniper tightly, and she begins crying, too.

Juniper wouldn't have been so emotional, but it is her mother's pin. The pin is of a golden phoenix, a bird that she knows as "the one with a new beginning". It also has much sentimental value, not only having it been her mother's, but also the story behind it. The story of a young woman who loses her way through the labyrinth of life, but finds a hope through her family and finds the happiness and freedom she has longed for.

Something that Juniper now understands.


Theodwyn, Eomund, Eomer, and Theodred are completely relieved when they find the two girls in the garden, but Theodred knows something is up with his little sister. He hurries past his aunt and uncle, Eomer following not far behind, and both men check their siblings for any injury. Why else would they be crying?

"Did someone hurt you?" Theodred asks, pure anger slipping past his voice. Juniper, and Eowyn, shook their heads no.

"Then what ails the two of you?" Eomer asks, but the response he gets is unexpected. Juniper holds out her hand, showing the pin she had found.

"I-it was my mothers," she cries harder. "I-it is a Phoenix, a fire bird that rises from the ashes after death and becomes better than before. My mother always told me that this pin means we can make it safely through the lab-labereenth of life."

"A labyrinth?" Eomund asks from behind Theodred. Juniper sniffles, and Theodred picks her up.

"A bird that rises from the ashes and is better than before... I am thankful that I wasn't left there and I was given a chance to be better," Juniper says as she hugs her brother. "And I'm sorry for sneaking away..." she adds as she avoids eye contact.

"Would it make you feel better to go horse riding?" Theodred asks Juniper, and then Eowyn, "And you, too?" Eowyn nods.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Eomer chuckles, and he picks up Eowyn.

For the rest of the evening, Eomer, Theodred, Juniper, and Eowyn, all rode off into the distance, enjoying the company of each other, and not worrying over what is to come and what gone.


And done! What did you think? Like it? Hate it? Constructive criticism is always welcome. How else will I learn? Ridicule is unaccepted, however.

Sorry again for the delay, and I hope yesterday you gobbled 'til you wobbled( That, by the way, is my absolute favorite saying!) Happy Thanksgiving!