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Chapter Three: How I Lost My New Friends at the Barrow-Downs

That night I had no dreams and in the morning I woke to the sound of Tom whistling outside to the birds. For a second I thought I was back in the Jedi Temple, but that made no sense.

Gazing around the room I remembered were I was and rolled off the bed, literally. I had started this tradition when I was a youngling and took a dare to roll off my bed every morning for a whole standard month and it stuck. So now it was practically instinctual. Stupid, possibility, but I had gotten pretty good at it.

I changed into the outfit that I found in the bag next to my bow. It was very similar to the Jedi robes but a bit simpler. It was definitely the same material but instead of obnoxious robes it was a simple dress that cut off right above the knee and pants. In the bag was another set of clothes identical to the one I was wearing only the material was thicker and the dress had long sleeves obviously meant for colder weather. There was also a dark brown cloak which I quickly clipped over my quiver of arrows, which after a several minutes of messing around with I realized that it was meant to be strapped across my back and not worn as I belt.

After putting my hair into a side braid I went out to find breakfast.

There was no sign of Tom or Goldberry when I came out to breakfast, but the four hobbits cheerfully made room for me at the table. When we we're nearly finished Tom came in and brought us outside. While the hobbits got their ponies ready Tom led me into the barn and showed me what he called a horse. It was a little bigger than the ponies and was a glossy black.

"Sorry about not having a saddle for her," Tom said as I examined the creature. "But I'm pretty sure you can manage. Ever ridden a horse before?"

"No," I responded. "But it can't be any harder than riding a rancor."(I have actually done this and would rather not ever have to again.)

He gave me a confused look and began to ask. "A what?"

"Never mind it's irrelevant"

A few minutes later we set out. All four hobbits were riding a ponies and a fifth one was carrying the luggage.

A little while later when we had dismounted to lead our ponies/horse up a particularly steep slope when for some reason Frodo all the sudden stopped. "Goldberry!" He cried. "My fair lady, all clad in silver green! We have never said farewell to her, nor seen her since the evening!"

A moment later I heard a voice calling from overhead. Looking up I saw Goldberry standing at the top of the hill and smiled. We would not be leaving without saying good-bye after all. We quickened our pace and in no time we were up right next to her.

As soon as we reached the top she motioned for us to look around. I gasped I had seen many wonderful views while traveling across the galaxy but very few of them could even compare to this. For once in a very long time the view was not over whelmed by droid and clone armies and the sky was free of smoke and ships, so that I could simply enjoy the view instead of coming up with battle strategies.

All too soon Goldberry told us it was time to go. "Speed now, fair guests!" she said. "And hold to your purpose! North with the wind in the left eye and a blessing on your footsteps! Make haste while the Sun shines!" She then turned to Frodo and said to him. "Farewell, Elf-friend, it was a merry meeting!"

With that we all remounted our steeds and slowly traveled down the hill and away from Tom Bombadil's house. Soon the Forest was out of sight and when we reached the bottom of the hill we looked back and saw that Goldberry was still on the hilltop. She reached her hands out to us and gave a loud cry. I waved back and with that she vanished behind the hill.

The rest of the morning went by quite uneventfully as we rode amongst the hills. Though nowhere near as fast as speeders our steeds slowly but surely began to eat up the distance. We were content for the most part ride in silence.

Towards midday we came to a hill which's top fell in like a spoon.

Standing on the rim Merry pointed out to us a dark line along the horizon. 'That is a line of trees," Merry said. "and that must mark the road. All along it for many leagues east of the bridge there are trees growing. Some say they were planted in the old days."

"Splendid!" said Frodo. "If we make as good going this afternoon as we have done this morning, we shall have left the Downs before sunsets and be jogging on in search of a camping place." That sounded good to me from what I had heard about the Barrow-down I would rather not have to sleep there for even one night.

After quickly finishing my lunch the hobbits were still eating and the ponies looked like they were enjoying a well-earned rest. So I decided to have a look around from below after all four happy eating hobbit can make quite a racket and it was starting to get on my nerves. I told them that I was going to look around to hill for a few minutes and they all nodded so I deduced that it would be ok, slung my survival pack over my shoulder, and headed down.

A few hours I was stuck in the middle of a sea of fog. I had somehow lost track of time and before I knew it the fog was so thick that if I stuck my sword straight out in front of me it was impossible to see where it ended. Without a clear idea of which direction exactly the hobbits were in I decided to stay where I was for the night and try to find them in the morning. Hopefully by then the fog would have cleared.

I was then glad I had chosen to take my pack with me because I was hungry and the pack also contained a small tent. After setting up the tent and having a small dinner I went to sleep. There would be plenty of time in the morning to search for missing hobbits, but so much for reaching the road by sun down.

As soon as I woke up I knew something was wrong. I hastily packed up my stuff without even stopping to eat breakfast. Now that the fog had cleared I had a pretty good idea where I had left the hobbits and headed off in that direction. Positive that something bad had happened to the hobbits while I was gone I hoped I would get there before it was too late

I had only gone around one hill however when I found Midnight quietly grazing. She whinnied when she noticed me and trotted over to me.

"Glad to see you to," I told her as I got on her back. "Now let's go." She did go, only not in the direction I had pointed her in. "Midnight, what are you doing?" I exclaimed while trying to stop her. But she paid no attention to me and pick up her pace. I had no choice but to hold on.

Shortly after I caught sight of Tom and I gave a short sigh of relief. I noticed that the ponies were also running towards him.

As soon as I reached him he smiled and said. "And where did you go to?"

"Got lost," I answered him.

"Well don't do that again too soon. They will need you nearby when they walk into trouble next time."

"I try not to." He nodded and went down the hill to where the hobbits were waiting.

As it turned out Tom had decided to stay with us until we reach the border of his land so that he would not have to worry about us continuously getting into trouble. We were all delighted by the news and the hobbits thanked him many times over for it.

It also turned out that the road was a good deal further away than we had initially thought and we reached it just as the sun began to set in the distance.

"Well here we are at last!" Frodo said when we had finally reached the road. "I suppose we haven't lost more than two days by my short cut through the forest! But perhaps the delay will prove useful. It may have put them off our trail."

I looked at the four of them and for the first time started to understand how difficult this task was really going to be. The Barrow-downs had only been a taste of the real danger that was hunting these hobbits down. Tom was right I would have to stay nearby and be on alert at all times if they were even going to have a chance at getting to Rivendell safely. There would be no master this time to make sure everything goes according to plan. I was on my own.

They all begged him to come with us but I already knew what his response was going to be so I didn't bother, no.

Tom's country ends here: he will not pass the borders.

Tom has his house to mind, and Goldberry is waiting!

He responded to their pleadings. He did however give us some advice. "Four miles along the road you'll come upon a village, Bree under Bree-hill, with the doors looking westward. There you'll find an old inn that is called The Prancing Pony. Barliman Butterbur is the worthy keeper. There you can stay the night, and afterwards the morning will speed you upon your way. Be bold, but wary! Keep up your merry hearts, and ride to meet your fortune!"

Then he turned and walked away and we looked after him until he disappeared into the distance.

As soon as he was gone I turned to the hobbits and said. "Well we had better get going as it is we'll get there after night fall and it looks like rain." They all agreed that it would be best to get there as soon as possible and we remounted.

After a few seconds Sam started talking. "I am sorry to take leave of Master Bombadil," He said. "He's a caution and no mistake. I reckon we may go a good deal further and see naught better, nor queerer. But I won't deny I'll be glad to see this Prancing Pony he spoke of. I hope it'll be like The Green Dragon away back home! What sort of folk are they in Bree?"

"There are hobbits in Bree," Merry responded. "as well as Big Folk. I daresay it will be homelike enough. The Pony is a good inn by all accounts. My people ride out there now and again."

"What exactly are big folk?" I asked rather confused.

"People just like yourself who are about twice as tall as us," Merry responded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I took this to mean humans.

"Well," Frodo began. "It may be all we could wish for, but it is still outside the Shire all the same. Don't make yourselves too much at home! Please remember –all of you- that the name of Baggins must not be mentioned. I am Mr. Underhill, if any name must be given."

"Shhhh," I said interrupting him. "If you don't want people to hear your name, than do not say it. Let's just hope no one overheard you." And with that we hurried down the road towards Bree.

3rd person

Just behind the hedge on the side of the road the four hobbits and the girl had just past a man sat smiling grimly. It had been foolish of Mr. Baggins to have spoken his name out loud like he had, he thought, but at least one of his companions had enough sense to hopefully keep them alive, but it was always best to be safe. Besides he was very interested in whom this girl was. Gandalf had never mentioned her to him before.

If you can not figure out who the man is I feel very sorry for.

Anyway please review and thank you to jj12 and The Hobbit for reviewing.