Chapter 3 – Adeline

I don't know what to do. Scream, run, hide or scream. I just stare at the freakin' sword. "Where…?"

"Adeline?" Ophelia says softly. "I believe we are in Middle Earth."

"No, shoot, Sherlock," I scramble up. "Why, why, why?"

"Ada," Ophelia says in a commanding tone. "Look in your backpack."

I'm scared. "What? What if there's some freaky thing in there?"

"Just do it," Ophelia says wearily. "Or I will."

My hands tremble as I peer into the backpack and I see a real bow and sheath. "Oh, heck, no."

I pull them out, just like Ophelia did. A beautiful bow comes out. A sheath of sixteen arrows does as well.

"This is… priceless," I find myself saying. "How… I can't use this!"

"You'll probably have too, Ada," Ophelia says grimly. "We're in Middle Earth."

Gandalf's fireworks rock. They burst in colours of green and blue and red, showering the dancing people below, and a huge sign saying 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BILBO BAGGINS'.

"So many people," I hear Ophelia say, shaking her head, "For someone so old."

Truthfully, I agree with her but I grin to myself as so many Hobbits are dancing, like you would do in the part of 'Swing your partner 'round and 'round' in Timber by Pitbull. As we enter the party, many Hobbits stare at us.

"Old friends of Gandalf," Ophelia coughs out. The Hobbits nod to each other, a message probably going through like, Oddities, that wizard.

Music is playing and Frodo is imitating some sort of chicken?

"Hey, Frodo!" I say, cheerfully. "How are you?"

"Very well, thank you," Frodo smiles at us. "I heard from Bilbo, you'll be staying with us."

"We are, if you don't mind, Frodo," Ophelia says. "I hope you don't."

"Mind? Mind, me!" Frodo exclaims. "Never, I would be delighted to have you as company, as Bilbo plans to go somewhere…"

"Can you introduce us to some of your friends, Frodo?" I ask him.

"Why, of course!" Frodo beams. "Come on, then. There's Sam. Oi! He's been dying to dance with Rosie Cotton. Let's give him a shove, shall we?"

Ophelia and I grin. We walk towards Sam.

"Hello, Sam," Ophelia greets herself. "I'm Ophelia, a friend of Frodo's."

"I'm Ada," I smile warmly at him. I lower my voice. "You want to dance with a certain girl, eh?"

Sam blushes bright red. "I think I'll get another ale. She'll never want to dance with me."

"Oh, no you don't!" Frodo exclaims. Ophelia grabs him and Frodo shoves him just in time to catch Rosie.

"Aww," I say. "That is so sweet."

"Have any girl on your mind, Frodo?" Ophelia grins at him.

"No, I don't Miss Ophelia," Frodo says shortly.

"Really?"

"Yes, have you seen Bilbo?" Frodo asks us.

"No, we hav –"

BOOM!

A big, pearly-white, firework explodes and domes around us, and spreads out, sending many cheers.

"Beautiful," I say, awed. "Frodo, you are so lucky."

"For what? Oh, no!"

"Wait, what?" I ask confused.

"Sackville-Bagginses!" Frodo hisses. "They've wanted Bag End forever but I will inherit it after Bilbo… perishes. They've hated us since. I've got to hide him!"

"Go," Ophelia encourages him. "We'll wait for you here."

We watch Frodo scurry to Bilbo, helping him appear casual then Bilbo is going through a… lecture?

"What do you think Frodo is thinking?" Ophelia giggles. His face is first offended, worried, disturbed then confused.

"Good, god," I mutter. "Someone help him."

Suddenly, a tent rips from the ground sending fiery sparks as it pulses through the night sky, creating a thin outline of a dragon.

"What the hell!" Ophelia screams.

Hobbits are panicking as well, knocking over tables.

"It's an EFFIN' firework!" I scream, but the 'dragon' itself drowns out my screams.

The 'dragon' soars just above us, making Hobbits duck, and I can feel the heat of the gold flame.

It soars into the distance until it explodes into gold and red showers of multiple fireworks, lighting the night.

"Awesome!" Ophelia screams.

"Same here!" I scream back.

Many Hobbits agree with us, sending roars of applause.

A few minutes later, many Hobbits start into a chant, Speech! Speech! Speech!

Ophelia gives me a questioning look but I shrug my shoulders like, What the heck, why not? and we join the chant.

"Alright, alright!" Bilbo finally gives in. He stands on a barrel.

"My dear Bagginses and Boffins," Begins Bilbo*. "And my dear Tooks and Brandybucks, and Grubbs, and Chubbs, and Burrowses, and Hornblowers, and Bolgers, Bracegirdles, Goodbodies, Brockhouses and Proudfoots. Also, my good Sackville-Bagginses that I welcome back at last to Bag End. Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday; I am eleventy-one today!"

Ophelia and I cheer for Bilbo. "Go Bilbo!"

"I hope you are enjoying yourselves as much as I am!" Bilbo continues.

I howl, "YES!"

"I shall not keep you long," Bilbo says, after the crowd calms down. "I have called you all for a Purpose. Indeed, three Purposes. First of all, I am immensely fond of all of you. Secondly, to celebrate my birthday. Thirdly and finally, I wish to make an ANNOUNCEMENT."

This word echoes across the field, and everyone starts to listen carefully.

"I regret to announce this is the END," Bilbo exerts himself, trying to emphasize as loudly as he could. "I am going. I am leaving NOW. GOODBYE!"

With a flash of light, Bilbo disappeared in a flash of light, leaving 144 guests flabbergasted.

"Ada! Lia!" I hear Frodo's strangled voice. "Where did he go? Please help me find him before… before… he goes! Please."

"Alright, Frodo, alright," Ophelia tries to soothe the worried Hobbit. "Where do you think he would be?"

"I don't know," Frodo wailed miserably. "Let's do a perimeter of the party, then we'll go check Bag End."

"Sure, Frodo," I nod. "Let's go."

Poor Frodo is all out of breath after twenty minutes. "To-o Ba-ag En-d-d we go-o."

"Frodo, you okay?" Ophelia asked.

"Ju-ust per-fec-t-t," Frodo panted. "May-aybe a-a bi-it of-f re-est?"

"Sure Frodo," I sympathize.

"Okay," Frodo says after a bit of time. "Let's go."

We sprinted to Bag End and Frodo slams open the door.

"My precious…" I hear Gandalf murmur, thoughtfully. "My precious…"

"He's gone, isn't he?" Frodo says in a forlorn tone. He picked up something from the ground. A ring? "He talked for so long about leaving, I didn't think he'd really do it."

"Don't worry, Frodo," Ophelia comforts him. "Don't worry. Bilbo probably had a chance and couldn't pass it up."

Frodo walked to Gandalf. "Gandalf?" Frodo opened his palm to reveal a gold ring.

"Bilbo's ring," Gandalf has a painful smile on his face. "He's gone to stay with the elves. He's left you Bag End."

Frodo doesn't look very happy about this. Gandalf offered him an envelope to put the ring inside, and Frodo slowly obeyed, Gandalf sealed it.

"He also left you all his possessions," Gandalf added.

"Erm, Gandalf?" Ophelia cleared her throat. "Now that Bilbo's gone… I really have to tell you something."

"What is it my dear?" Gandalf says, but his eyes aren't on her. "What is it?"

"Can…" Ophelia's voice fails her. "Can it be somewhere private?"

"Of course," Gandalf rose from his seat, saying to Frodo; "The ring is yours now, keep it out of sight. Frodo, wait here, we will be just but a minute."

We walked into Bilbo's study and locked the door firmly behind us.

"We're from another world," Ophelia said, bluntly. Wow, way to put it gently.

"Excuse me?" Gandalf's only movement is in his eyes, widening in shock.

"We…" Ophelia tries again. "When we woke up…"

She told him the whole tale and showed him our backpack, after receiving them from our rooms. She also told him how I was a human girl before I came here.

"… and that's how we ended up here and we forgot to tell you after a while because we might've forgotten…?"

Gandalf continues to smoke his pipe weed, looking deep in thought. "If what you claim is true, the Valor must've sent you to fix something."

"Of course what we said is true!" I exclaim. "Look at these things!" I wiggled my iPod.

"Yes, yes, of course," Gandalf corrects himself. "I want to you go with Frodo wherever he goes. He might be in danger and you have experience with weapons. I would normally not send women but… desperate situations call for desperate solutions."

"Of course, Gandalf," Ophelia says immediately. Something about the not send women part probably irked her.

"Now, there are things I must see to," Gandalf abruptly stood up and marched out the studies door.

"Gandalf, where are you going?" Frodo asks him.

"I need questions that need answering," Gandalf says in a harsh tone. Frodo looks surprised for a second.

"You've only just arrived, Gandalf!" Frodo protests. "I don't understand."

Gandalf halts at the open door. "Neither do I." Gandalf bent forward to rest an arm on Frodo's shoulder. "Keep it secret. Keep it safe."

Gandalf rushed out the door, leaving Frodo more confused than ever.

"Did you make Gandalf leave?" Frodo asks us, leading us to The Green Dragon**.

"I'm not sure," Admits Ophelia. "Maybe, but you know Gandalf, all he did was smoke his weed."

"Where is The Green Dragon?" I ask Frodo.

"Here," Frodo smiles. "The best weed to smoke, yes."

Ophelia and I look at each other, telepathically speaking, Don't you dare!

We nod at each other, satisfied.

After many burps, ales, beers, farting Hobbits, singing Hobbits, and god, don't make me list everything we finally went out of the Green Dragon, exiting with Sam and Rosie Cotton at the door.

"Goodnight lads and lassies," She smiles at us and Sam blushes.

"Goodnight!" Frodo, Ophelia and I smile back and we walk out.

"Goodnight," Said a croaky voice., behind us. "Sweet maiden of the golden ale."

This was directed to Rosie and she smiled and bid him a goodnight.

"Mind who you're sweet-talking to," Grumbled Sam.

"Don't worry, Sam," Frodo says gaily. "Rosie knows an idiot when she see one."

"She does?" I ask surprised and Ophelia sends me a withered look.

When we reach Bag End, we bid Sam a goodnight and he does the following.

"So… sleepy," I yawn.

"I thought elves were supposed to not be tired," Frodo wondered out loud.

"Just go inside Frodo," I muttered, very unhappily.

When we went inside Bag End, everything was dark and gloomy, and frankly, it scared me. "Frodo, this is creepy."

"I don't remember the window being open…" Ophelia murmured. "Didn't we close it?"

We walk to close the window, I, being the tallest, reaching over to close it –

"Is it secret? Is it safe?"

I let out a shriek and Frodo let out a gasp. Ophelia just stood there.

"Gandalf?" Ophelia says indignantly. You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Frodo, the ring!" Gandalf, looking very haggard, urged.

Frodo drew the envelope from a chest, and Gandalf threw it into the flames.

"Gandalf! What the heck, du -?"

"Shhh…" Gandalf shushed me. He grabbed tonsils, to drag the ring, the envelope all crispy and blackened, out.

"Take it," Gandalf whispered.

Frodo gave him an Are you crazy? look but did as he asked.

"It's quite cool," Gandalf assured Frodo. "Can you see anything?"

"Nothing," Frodo looked disappointed. "There's nothing."

Gandalf let out a sigh.

"Wait," This caught all of our attention. "There are markings."

"Is that some form of Elvish?" Ophelia asked.

"I can't read it," Frodo ignored Ophelia. "Can you?"

"There are few who can," Gandalf said gravely. "The language is of Mordor, which I will not utter here."

"Mordor?" I asked confused. Frodo looks frightened but aw is in his eyes.

"In the Common Tongue it says,

One ring to rule them all/One ring to find them/One ring to bring them all/And in the darkness bind them. This is the One Ring, forged by the dark lord Sauron."

"Sauron…?" Frodo trails his question.

"Yes, yes, Sauron," Explained Gandalf patiently. "This ring was taken by Isildur from the very hand of Sauron."

"Bilbo found it," Ophelia says out loud by mistake. "In Gollum's cave."

Frodo stares at her, but Gandalf pays no heed. "Yes, that is true. Only Gollum knew of Bilbo and I tried to track him down as fast as I could, but it was too late. The enemy had found him first."

Gandalf sighed heavily and said, "I do not know how long they tortured him, but as soon as he uttered the words 'Baggins' and 'Shire' Bilbo can be easily found."

"Shire? Baggins?" Frodo says panicked. I was too.

"That would lead them here!" Ophelia says, horrified.

"Take it, Gandalf!" Frodo says desperately. "Take it!

"I cannot!" Gandalf refused. "I cannot take it!"

"I'm giving it to you!"

"DON'T!" Gandalf says in a dangerous voice. "Do not tempt me, Frodo!"

"But – but –" Frodo flailed for words.

"You must understand, I would use this ring, Frodo, and I cannot keep it, not even to keep you safe," Gandalf says, remorse in his eyes.

"But it can't stay here!" Ophelia says, logically.

"No, no it can't!" Gandalf agreed, heartily.

"Are you saying we must go to Bree?" Frodo says. "That's absurd!"

"You must leave immediately, Frodo," Gandalf says. "And I want you to take Lia and Ada with you, is that clear? Keep them close, they are experienced with weapons."

We hastily packed, ahem Frodo, Ophelia and I just grabbed our backpacks and some water.

"Frodo are you ready?" Ophelia asked softly.

"I will meet you at the end of the Prancing Pony," Gandalf informed me and I nodded to tell him I understood. "Abandon your names, stay off the road and travel only by day. I will speak to the head of our order. Trust me. He will know what to do."

A rustle in the bush caught our attention.

"Get down!" Gandalf hissed at us, and we dropped.

Gandalf crept to the still open window and struck his cane down on… a Hobbit?

Gandalf reached and pulled out –

"Sam?" Ophelia asked, bug-eyed. "What are you doing here?"

"Tr-im-ming the gr-ass, sir! I mean, ma'am!"

"Don't you think it's a bit late to trim the grass?" Gandalf said in a low voice.

Sam stuttered and Gandalf looked at him threateningly. "Were you eavesdropping Samwise Gamgee?

"No, sir!" Sam squeaked. "I have never dropped eaves! All I heard was a good deal about a ring, a dark lord and the end of the world! Please don't turn me into anything unnatural!"

Gandalf looked amused and a smirk went to his lips. "Oh, oh no, Samewise. I have a much better way to deal with you. How about an… adventure?"

Same looked horrified.

"This," Ophelia whispered to me. "Is a wonderful way to start saving the world."

*This speech is from the LOTR book. I decided to clear things up. Also, I may have cut out a bit of the speech. Okay, a lot. Sorry and thank you for understanding.

**Totally made this up, they are in a bar, but I'm not sure if it's the Green Dragon or not.

Disclaimer

I do not own anything you recognize.

Author's Note

Well, here's another chapter! I hope you enjoyed. Reviews are loved!