Severus was not the first to wake up the next morning. Sleep clung to him desperately, but the soft knocking upon his door kept him awake.
When Severus got up and opened the door, he was only mildly surprised to find Sam waiting in the hall with a candle.
"I don't mean to be rude sir, but it is already half past four and Merrry had sent me to wake you up. He's waking up Mr. Frodo right now and I'm preparing breakfast which is almost ready."
Severus offered him his thanks and watched as Sam scurried off down the hall to the kitchens. Merry soon came out of Frodo's room that was next to his and offered Severus a nod before following Sam to the kitchens.
By five, everyone was finally awake and breakfast had already been served. It was a small breakfast by hobbit means, but there was still plenty of eggs, bacon, fruit, bread, and cheese. By six, all the hobbits were preparing to leave. Sam helped Frodo get on his horse which was a small brown little thing with white streaks. For Severus, Merry brought him a black horse that shimmered with the break of dawn.
Since Merry knew the grounds better than the rest, he led the group while Severus surveyed the back.
They rode for an hour before they came across a hedge to which Merry led them to a hollow where a tunnel had laid beneath it. Here, Fatty wished them well and for safe travels, but not before Severus ordered Fatty to keep guard and to protect the house and gave him strict instructions to not touch any of his things. After a thorough lecture, Fatty nodded his understanding and Severus left with the rest.
On the other side of the tunnel was a black gate of thickset iron bars. Merry got down and unlocked them.
"There!' said Merry. "You have left the Shire, and are now outside, and on the edge of the Old Forest."
"Are the stories about it true?" asked Pippin.
"I don't know what stories you mean,' Merry answered. "If you mean the old bogey-stories Fatty's nurses used to tell him, about goblins and wolves and things of that sort, I should say no. At any rate, I don't believe them. But the Forest is odd. Everything in it is very much more alive, more aware of what is going on, so to speak, than things are in the Shire. And the trees do not like strangers. They watch you. They are usually content merely to watch you, as long as daylight lasts, and don't do much. Occasionally the most unfriendly ones may drop a branch, or stick a root out, or grasp at you with a long trailer. But at night things can be most alarming, or so I am told. I have only once or twice been in here after dark, and then only near the hedge. I thought all the trees were whispering to each other, passing news and plots along in an unintelligible language."
Severus quirked a brow at that and found himself listening in to the whispers of the trees more intently. As Merry said, there was a voice that carried off with the wind. Actually, there were many voices- all faint with age. He couldn't quite make out their words, but there was some level of understanding. It reminded him briefly of when he first came to Middle Earth, but the experience now lacks the original splendor and was instead clouded with something much darker. It reminded him faintly of the Forbidden Forest, but it lacked its gloom and misty haze.
However, that soon changed as they travel deeper and deeper into the forest.
At first, the ground was low and lacked undergrowth, but it rose steadily and the trees became taller, darker, and thicker. They were all in different shapes and sizes, twisting and turning in various forms. All of them were shrouded and covered in a thick moss of blues, greens, and greys.
Merry led the way by Frodo's request but he soon stopped and looked confused. Pippin commented on his lack of direction before Merry looked closer to his left and pointed ahead.
"Well, well!" he said. "These trees do shift. There is a Bonfire Glade in front of us, but the path to it had seemed to have moved away!"
His words were not very reassuring in the least, but Severus sighed in retaliation before following them to a clearing.
As they got closer, there was more light coming their way. They found themselves in a circular space with no trees and light grass. The sun was barely up. The small amount of light was rising with hues of pink, orange, and purple over the treetops. Across from them was a clearing that traveled deeper into the forest.
The hobbits rode ahead of him and were talking to each other of stories and news. Severus almost seem to lag behind them as he kept his ears open for anything odd, but he only heard the soft brushes of the leaves. Sometimes there would a groan and a moan, but the trees here were old and very much alive.
As a passing tree came close, Severus had a sudden urge to reach out and gently touch the bark of the tree. It seemed to be warm and a soft light glowed where his hand laid. For a split second, Severus felt uncontrollable rage, despair, and surrender. Images flashed briefly in his head of trees and fire, but he could barely process what he saw. And just like that, it was over.
Severus blinked away the haze and looked at his hands in surprise. Something like that had never happened to him before. It was a vision, he knew, but Severus was not a seer.
Severus looked at the tree and did not find anything special about it. It appeared to be like any other tree.
Severus rubbed at his forehead feeling a migraine forming. It was frustrating beyond measure. It didn't help that he didn't know what the vision was for or what it was about. Was it a vision of the past or was it a vision of the future? There were so many possibilities and he didn't know where to start.
Severus was so lost in thought that he didn't notice that the hobbits had stopped and had been calling him. It was only when a large tree branch fell behind him did Severus break from the spell that had taken him.
When he did notice, his eye's caught that of Frodo's whose eyes were filled with worry.
"Severus?" he called out.
"I'm fine. Just a bit tired," answered Severus before directing his horse to meet them. Pippin looked confused as Sam did, but Merry looked strangely suspicious.
"Are you sure you are alright? We could take a quick rest if you like," continued Frodo, but Severus declined and told them that they should continue.
Frodo hesitated, but he soon agreed with a stiff nod. They rode for a few more minutes with Frodo sparing Severus a few glances every now and then, but Severus kept his face stoic.
But inside, Severus could not shake off the turmoil that seemed to fill him. There was a heavyweight that filled his heart and with every step he took, Severus felt as if his heart would give out. No matter what he did, the feeling would not leave him and he was sure that the forest would consume him. It only seems to get worse when they seem to only travel deeper into the forest instead of out of it.
They traveled for a very long time and Severus was quite sure that they were almost riding in circles. No matter which road they took, they always seem to find themselves somewhere where they didn't want to be. The hobbits feared that they would get lost, but he was sure that the forest was playing tricks on them.
Eventually, they were able to make out of the forest in a matter of days. The trip was long and hard and they faced many more troubles along the way. Luckily, they were able to make it to Bree-land. The wooden gates were both haunting as they were relieving. They had traveled for weeks in the forest before they were able to trace a dirt road. Both Frodo and Severus did not think it was safe. They had wanted to take a more secrete route, but Merry stood firmly that they could n't take any more shortcuts. They would have arrived here much earlier if they had taken the main roads and they wouldn't have gotten lost. While it might safer to take the long road, Severus could not deny that the faster that they reach Rivendell would be the safest. At least there, they would sanctuary.
However, it was not up for Severus to make the call and they all waited patiently for Frodo to make up his mind. It was hard for him. Severus could see it clearly on his face. The journey here was difficult and Frodo was tired and cold. Yet, Frodo knew that he could pull through if he had to. But with one glance at the other hobbits, Frodo had already made up his mind. Despite their better judgments, Frodo chose to follow the dirt path.
"But!- And I do mean but!- if we catch sight of any Black Riders, we must return to the forest."
The others agreed and they were all in a better mood afterward. As soon as they left the forest, they all breathed a sigh of relief. A great weight was removed and the overgrowing tension was released. It took them a couple days before they found themselves here at the gates and while they did not meet any of the riders on this trail, Severus knew that something was lurking in the dark. Even if appeared that they were in the clear, it did nothing to ease the deep dread inside him.