Sorry for the long delay. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. :)

Thanks goes to Adeleidhis for helping me with writer's block. It is much appreciated. :)

*.*.*

Parker whimpered as he woke up. Feeling Eliza's hands leave his waist devastated him. By the time he looked around, his darling wife had vanished, leaving him wondering if it was all a dream.

He looked at himself. Frodo mustn't know that he could transform into a human-hobbit or a hobbit. They looked alike, and so it wasn't the best idea. He would have to transform into his light red dragonoid self, for now.

He huffed and puffed, closing his eyes. The transformation from human-hobbit to dragonoid took less time. By the time he opened his eyes, he was a dragonoid again. Surely, he could wait a bit before showing Frodo he could transform into a human-hobbit, but only if the gentle-hobbit wished for him to transform. For now, this would do.

Besides, Frodo now knew he was a shapeshifter, but he had no idea yet what Parker looked like as a hobbit-human. Parker might as well take that to heart, before he got up, went into the bathroom to change and do his business, and met up with Frodo and Terrence outside his room.

The clothes Parker wore today was a blue tunic, brown suspenders, and blue breeches. He put his dirty clothes in the hamper, knowing the servants would wash them, while he was off doing other tasks for the day.

At last, Parker left his room, turning the corner and entering the corridor. It didn't take him long before he found the same dining room where he, Terrence, and Frodo had been to the other day. Parker jumped upon seeing Terrence and Frodo already dressed and eating breakfast. Parker sighed, grateful to see they were all right and nothing happened to them.

"Parker, sit down and eat something," Terrence said between bites.

Parker joined the two gentle-hobbits, sitting opposite them at one end of the table. He looked up as one of the servants passed to him some hot porridge in a bowl. The porridge smelled good. Parker waited until the servant had dished out his porridge before thanking him and digging into his meal.

"So," Frodo got Parker's attention, "what can you shapeshift into? You must know how to do it, how to shapeshift."

"You want to see me shapeshift?" Parker asked, astonished. "Okay, what form do you want me to take?"

"How about a hobbit?" Frodo suggested, stunning Parker. Parker couldn't believe this! Frodo actually wanted to see him shapeshift into a hobbit! It had to be a mere coincidence. "Why not?"

Parker sighed. There was no turning back. He nodded, closing his eyes and allowing the transformation to take place. By the time he opened his eyes and looked at Frodo, Parker was a hobbit and looking just like him and Terrence. Frodo and Terrence jumped at the sight of Parker being a hobbit. It was almost alarming, and yet here he was.

"You look like me?" Frodo asked Parker, stating the obvious. "How?"

"I suppose we're all lookalikes, now aren't we?" Terrence admitted, returning to his meal.

"Yes, I suppose that's true," Parker said, transforming back into a dragonoid. He waited until Frodo relaxed, before admitting to him and Terrence, "My wife's spirit came to me last night. She wrapped her arms around me, allowing me to get a good night's sleep. It was romantic."

"Sounds fascinating," Frodo said, his mind elsewhere. He asked Parker, curiously, "So, have you shapeshifted into any other form, besides a hobbit?"

"Hobbits are easy to transform into," Parker said. "It's my second form that I usually take. Dragonoid's my first form. I haven't tried anything else. I just… love being a hobbit almost as much as I love transforming into a dragonoid."

"I see," Frodo said, pleased with himself.

"So, Frodo," Terrence got Frodo's attention, "any plans while we're staying here?"

Frodo smiled. "Well, I hear this world called Earth is living in a most precarious time. I say we go and investigate if that's all right with you."

"Sure. When are you leaving?" Parker asked, curious.

"Well, I'll be leaving at dawn tomorrow. If you both wish to join me, it has to be tomorrow," Frodo said. "I suppose you can use this time to explore the manor, unless you have something else to do."

"No, it's fine," Parker said with a smirk. "It really is." He ate some rolls as well as finished his porridge.

"Right. Enjoy your day," Frodo said, ending their conversation.

"We will," Parker said, returning to his meal in silence.

.

Parker spent most of the day wandering through the manor. He couldn't help it. Something about Frodo's words got to him. Frodo was eager to explore Eliza's world, but did he know the risks involved? Well, Parker hoped that nothing bad would happen to them tomorrow morning. Otherwise, the whole trip would be for naught.

At last, Parker entered a portrait room. There was gold furniture spread out throughout the room, while the portraits themselves depicted families from the First World, including the Whills. Parker stared at the portraits in awe, wondering about the families' stories.

What were they like? Would he ever learn their histories?

Parker jumped at the sight of a golden-brown Lion entering the same room as he. It was Aslan. What was he doing?

"You're alone," Aslan said, calmly. "Where's Terrence? You were supposed to keep track of him."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to alarm you! Terrence is fine. Frodo is fine. There isn't anything to worry about," Parker said, worriedly.

"Then why are you troubled?" Aslan said, catching Parker's nervous expression. "It's all right, Parker. Tomorrow, your life will change again. You and Terrence must leave the Chesapeake Manor. It is not your time yet to be here."

"But you said we're supposed to be here," Parker said, troubled.

"I did, but that was before you met Frodo Baggins," Aslan answered. "Tomorrow, you and Terrence will leave the Chesapeake Manor. You will go to where I say, which is back to Kyrria. From there, I will guide you on your quest. But Frodo must stay here for now. Is that understood?"

"You must be joking. After all the trouble of leaving Kyrria, you want me and Terrence to go back?" Parker asked, confused.

"You'll just have to trust me. I know what I am doing," Aslan said, walking away and disappearing.

Parker stared at the spot where Aslan walked away. How could this happen? What sort of goose chase was Parker on? Hopefully, there would be a way to go forward without going around in circles. Or so Parker hoped.

.

The next morning, just before dawn, Parker walked towards the manor's foyer. He greeted Terrence and Frodo, who was ready to go on this trip.

"Are we ready?" Frodo asked, pulling out a grey device with a few buttons. In seconds, a gold-rimmed portal appeared, granting Frodo, Terrence, and Parker access to Eliza's world. Earth. Frodo turned to Terrence and Parker, telling them, "Come on! It's through here!" He zipped into the portal, disappearing.

Parker raised an eyebrow at Terrence, watching the gentle-hobbit travel through the portal, too. Now would have been the good time to tell Terrence they needed to head back to Kyrria, but he was already losing track of him and Frodo.

Oh, woes him!

"Here I come," Parker said, walking through the portal and entering Earth in seconds.

*.*.*

References:

The Whills come from the "Star Wars" galaxy.