Ok...2 weeks later...

Fireworks of all different colors exploded in the sky, music swelled on the night breeze. Hobbits laughed, talked, drank, ate and danced. Juliet looked around her in amazement. What a most marvolous birthday party. She fingered the jeweled 'J' around her neck and set off in search of Frodo so she could say thank you. As she weaved in and out of the thong of happy hobbits, she waved to Rosie who was dancing with Sam, to Merry and Pippin who were up to mischeif of some-sort. But she couldn't find Frodo. Just as she was about to give up, she spotted him. As she walked towards him, a firework exploded right over her head and cast everything in a light as bright as the sun...

Her eyes snapped open and she instantly closed them again. The sun! Too bright! As her eyes slowly adjusted to the sunlight, she looked around the unfamiliar bedroom, wondering where she was. She sat up in bed, looking around at thepink and white room, quite different from her room at home. She saw an open trunk on the floor near an open wardrobe, and saw that it was almost full. She then saw the portrait of her father when he was a boy and remembered: she was at Aunt Heather's. With a groan of dispair, she fell back into bed and lay there a few minutes, hoping that this was just part of her dream. Finally reality sank in, and she got up.

She wandered over to the closet and looked at all the dresses, looking for one that would suit Aunt Heather's taste. She finally chose a light green one, like a lettuce leaf, and slipped it on. She washed her face and pulled her unruly hair back in a white ribbon that Riles had given her before she left. She brushed a few stray curls away from her eyes and yawning, stepped out into the hallway. Her aunt came hurrying around the corner and almost collided with her. Her aunt was small for even a hobbit, neat and prim, she had her grayish hair pulled back in a bun, and her dress was simple, yet elegant in it's design. Her apron was embordered with flowers and leaves.

"There you are, dear! I was coming to wake you up, your brother warned me that you occansionally liked to sleep in."

"Sometimes I do, but I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep."

"Wonderful, my favorite proverb is, 'Early to bed, early to rise, makes a hobbit healthy, wealthy and wise.' Join me in the breakfast nook in thirty minutes, and we shall begin your training."

"Can I take a walk?"

"'MAY I take a walk?' and yes, you may."

"Thanks."

"Thank you. I see we must work on your grammar as well as your manners and decorum."

Juliet gave an involentary shudder. She vanished into her room, and dug through the mound of junk in her trunk still, searching for her dark green cloak. When she found it, she dashed out of her room, snapping the clasp around her neck. By the time she got to the door, she was running.

"No running in the halls!" her aunt's voice called from the room next to the door.

"Okay!" she quickly shut the door so she wouldn't have to hear her aunt's correction. She walked quickly down the path and onto the road that the quiet community of hobbits lived. There were farmers going to market with their goods and younger hobbits returning from who-knows-what. She chatted to one or two hobbits her age, and as she rounded a corner, there was Bree! As she walked down the hill, she noticed that there were more than hobbits and men there. There were a few dwarves wandering the streets. She wandered out onto the road and looked about her with amazment. It..it was so BIG! Why, some of these men were even bigger than Gandalf! She wandered the streets, dodgingBig Folkdoing business with dwarves or hobbits or other Men, horses wandering to find patches of grass, shopkeepers yelling from store fronts, a few of the human children running around, playing games. She smiled and continued down the road, her eyes soaking in every sight that Bree had to offer.

A few minutes later, she turned around and started back, knowing her aunt would be waiting. She went up to a Man and asked him for help to get to the Hobbit's road. He gave her very good directions and a cookie. She giggled as she munched it, better tasting than any she had had in the cheap bakery's close to her old N.C. home. Slowly she made her way through the crowd and got back on the road. But coming out was a wagon and on the wagon was a seedy looking fellow that followed her with his eyes.She gave a shudder and walked quicker. Soon she came to another girl that was coming out of a gate carrying a basket full of eggs. She had brown hair, and blue eyes. She was wearing a deep pink dress and had yellow flowers in her hair. The girl smiled as she approached.

"You're new around here, aren't ya?"

"Is it that obvious?" The girl giggled.

"I'm Myrtle Loamsdown of Deephallow."

"Juliet Hillsoil. Pleasure."

"Enchanted. Wait...Hillsoil? Oh, you're related to Heather Hillsoil, aren't you? Her granddaughter, or something like that."

"Niece, actually. I'm visiting for about five months."

"Wonderful, I live just down the road. Oh, wait, you probably already knew that." Juliet just smiled. "Come to our sewing circle tomorrow, we don't really sew, there's just lots of gossip." she giggled."and food," she added at the sight of Juliet's face. Myrtle's face fell, the smile disappering."You don't like gossip, do you?"

"Oh, I don't mind it, I was just the bunt of some horrid rumor that got me sent out here."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up, and-"

"It's alright! I'll bring a pound cake, okay?"

"Oh, we haven't had a pound cake in a month! Carnation's wasn't the best." They both giggled, and Mrytle's eyes lit up with an idea.

"Why don't you come with me to Bree?" she asked, shifting her eggs from one hand to another.

"I just went," Juliet said, laughing a little.

"Ah, but you didn't have any one to show you the sights! You most likely didn't see the Prancing Pony, or Marvels' Bake Shop, or the best little stall on the corner near the Monkey's Paw that sells the sweetest perfume in the world, or the stalls at the Prancing Pony that house the best horses in this country! I have to show you around!" she exclaimed, a broad grin spreading across her features.

"Umm...I don't really think I should..."

"Oh, come on! It'll be fun! Your aunt won't mind if you're a few minutes late!"

"Wellll...oh, okay!"

They went back down the road, travelling back to Bree, chatting a mile a minute. The autum air cooled the sunbaked road, as the two new-found-friends traveled to a cross-roads of old.

Some time later, Juliet came skipping up the path leading to her aunt's house, singing a song that she had learned. She opened her aunt's door and found her standing right there, in the hallway, somehow looking more intimidating than a bull with a bad attitude who was in a bad mood. Her aunt's dark green eyes were blazing, her nostrils were flaring and her mouth was one thin line.

"Ooopppsss..."

"You are more than thirty minutes late. Where were you?"

"Sorry...I met a nice girl named Myrtle, she lives just down the road, and I'm meeting her later at the-"

"You're not meeting anybody, anywhere! You must learn puncuality, and proper manners. Now, march into the breakfast nook. Your lessons begin instantly!"

Juliet quickly hurried down the passageway into the small room that was connected to the kitchen. Although it was small, it was cozy. A large window was set into a wall and was open to reveal a spectacular garden, birds were singing and bees were buzzing. Julist quickly took a seat at the table that was in the middle of the room.On it was a stack of books, some quills, three inkwells, a bunch of parchment, and a mug of tea, still steaming. Juliet reached for it, but her aunt slapped her hand away, then picked it up.

"Your breakfast is in the kitchen. You may get it in fifteen minutes. Not a minute more, not a minute less."

"But how will I know when fifteen minutes are up?" Her aunt sighed and pointed to a sundial that sat on the windowsill. It was an elaborately carved piece of wood, and held all of the Elvish signs for numbers.

"What shall I do until then?"

"Start on one of those books, or start a letter to your parents. A clever young girl like you can think of something." Aunt Heather then left the room, skirt swishing around the corner. Juliet glared after her, muttering about the unfairness of it all. She sat stewing for several minutes before she picked up a quill and grabbed a sheet of paper. She began to doodle, completely not paying attention to the paper or her drawing.

"Sit up straight!" cried her aunt, from the other side of the table. "What do I have to do, tie you to that chair?"

"That won't be nessecary, Aunt Heather." Juliet said, her eyes impassive as her aunt scolded her about the way you should hold yourself at any time, in other words...No Sloutching. Juliet gave a small, silent sigh. She had been at Aunt Heather's for four months now, and still didn't really follow the manners that her aunt set before her. Today they were practicing how to hold yourself at a dinner. Juliet kept relaxing against the back of her chair, much to her aunt's dismay. Her aunt glanced at the sundial, and sighed.

"That's enough for the day, dear. It's time for you to go meet your friends at the Prancing Pony." Juliet jumped up, and dashed down the hallway.

"No running in the halls! How many times do I have to tell you?" her aunt cried.

"Sorry!" Juliet called as she entered her bedroom. She dashed to her closest, and pulled out a dark green dress, and slipped it on. She accented it with a gold chain that she had gotten in the market not too long ago. She also put on her 'J', but hid it underneath her dress. She pulled her hair up in a braid, with green ribbons running through it. She also put on gold earrings, and a charm braclet that her aunt had gotten for her. She checked her reflection in the mirror and liked what she saw. She then grabbed her dark green cloak from the chair and as she fastened it around her neck, hurried down the hallways, to the front door. Her aunt met her at the front door, a letter in her hand.

"Dear, this letter concerns you..." Juliet took it from her aunt and read it over once. Then she read it over again, and again, and again.

"No..." she whispered. She threw the letter down, and ran out the door into the beginning of the twilight, clouds gathering, and a distant rumble of thunder hurried her on her way. Her aunt looked after her, the letter clutched in her hand, tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. She turned and entered the house, softly closing the door behind her.

Juliet entered the bar, and shook back her hood. Her eyes scanned the happy revelers, seeking her friends. Her eyes caught the glance of a shadowy figure in the corner table, a figure smoking a pipe.

"Hello, Juliet!" cried the barman, Butterbur. "Your friends are over near the fire! Call me ifen you need anythin' allright!"

"Will do, Butterbur!" she called back, starting for the fire and her friends. Myrtle stood up and waved to her. She waved back, the smile almsot fading from her face. As she slid past a bunch of drunken dwarves, a Hobbit grabbed her elbow. She whriled around, to stare into the watery eyes of Bill Ferny, the hobbit that had been hinting about wanting to court her. She had rejected all of his advances and had ignored him for the past month.

"Why the long face, lassie?" His breath stunk of barley wine. "I can make it all better." he said, and gave a short, laughing bark. She slapped him. He seemed stunned.

"What'ja do that fer?" he asked, reeling a little.

"Listen, punk. I'm only gonna tell you this once. If you do anything tonight, or anything at all, you are DEAD!" she slapped him again, and stormed off, to her friends that were waiting for her. She collasped near Myrtle, and looked up into the faces of the friends that she had made here at Bree. A boy named Mavis, another girl, Dragonsnap, another boy, Triton, and another girl, Alona.

Mavis: Sandy hair, brown eyes, easily smiles, a farmer.

Dragonsnap: Strawberry blonde hair, blue-eyes, likes laughing, daughter of the best flower stall keeper in Bree.

Triton: Black hair, really dark eyes, serious boy, likes songs and music, he's a son of the local Sheriff.

Alona: Tall for a Hobbit, green eyes, brown hair, she likes to cook and draw. She's a daughter of the innkeeper of the Monkey's Paw.

"Is something wrong, Juliet?" Alona asked in that quiet voice of hers. Juliet nodded. Triton sat next to her and looked into her eyes.

"You can tell us. We won't tell anyone." he pattedher, a sign of comfort.Juliet swallowed hard, and looked into the friendly faces surrounding her.

"You remember how my papa was ill..?"

"Yes, he had a bad back." Myrtle said.

"It got worse. And I just got a letter saying that...he had...had...had..."

"I'm so sorry Juliet." Alona whispered, putting a hand on her shoulder, as Juliet started crying. And as she started to cry, it began to rain, hard. Dragonsnap looked up, at the roof, as if afraid that the pounding rain would knock it in.

"Hear that, Juliet? The sky is crying, for you and your father." Juliet looked up at her, and Dragonsnap nodded. "It's alright to mourn Juliet. It is how the body is cleansed of the worries of life." Juliet smiled and wiped a hand across her eyes. Triton began to hum. It was a soft, sad tune. He began to sing.

"When the cold of winter comes,
starless night will cover day.
In the veiling of the sun,
we will walk in bitter rain.

But in dreams...
I can still hear your name.
And in dreams...
We will meet again.

When the seas and mountains fall,
and we come to end of days,
in the dark I hear a call.
Calling me there, I will go there,
and back again."

The whole pub was silent, listening to the liting tune of the best singer of Bree. A young barmaid brushed tears from her eyes and sniffed.

"Don't stop now lad." a Hobbit lass said, looking at Triton. "That was so beautiful..."

"A SINGIN' CONTEST!" the dwarves bellowed, launching into a rentition of a favorite drinking song. Soon, they had the pub tapping it's feet and clapping their hands, some even sang along on the chrouses. When they finished, there was much drunken laughter and clapping.

"Your turn, lad!" shouted the dwarf leader, a guy named Grimme. "Knock our ears out!" Triton smiled at his friends and they all gathered around him, humming.

To tell the singers apart, use these signs...

":Triton:"

"'Mavis'"

/"Juliet"/

"Dragonsnap">

?"Mrytle"?

"Alona"+

"All"6

":From the day we arrived on the planet:"

/"And blinking, stepped into the sun"/

"There's more to be seen, then could ever be seen,">

"'More to do than could ever be done,'"

"There's far too much to take in here,"+

?"More to find than could ever be found,"?

/"But the sun rolling high through the sapphire sky,"/

":Keeps the great and small on the endless round:"

"In the circle of life,
And it moves us all,
Through despair and hope,
Through faith and love,
Till we find our place,
On the pathe unwinding,
In the circle,
the circle of life!"6

There was dead silence in the pub for a few seconds, then cheering erupted. Dragonsnap and Alona blushed madly and accepted compliments. Triton and Mavis were laughing and talking to the dwarves, who wanted to learn the song to take back home with them. Myrtle was so embarrassed that she put her apron over her eyes and sat in a corner. Juliet just smiled.

"That was beautiful, Juliet." she whriled around at the familiar voice. Mischievious brown eyes met hers, and the face they were attached to smiled.

"OHMIGOSH! PIPPY!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"Would you please not call me Pippy?" he asked, hugging her back.

"Oh, well! You're Pippy right now! Omigosh, is that Frodo?"

"Yep!" She was away in a flash, dodging everyone and leaping up to Frodo, who stood at the desk with Merry and Sam, she came out of nowhere, like a red and green tornado and threw herself on Frodo.

"Omigosh, what are you doing here!" she cried, hugging him hard.

"Juliet! What are you doing here?" Merry asked, as Frodo hugged her.

"I live with my aunt just down the road, you dolt. Besides, I asked you first." she gave him a hug, and gave Sam a quick one as well.

"We're just, um, traveling. Just wanted to retie bonds between Buckland and Bree." Barilman came up and said, "Now, young masters, we have a few rooms on the east end for ya, if you'll kindly follow me." Frodo, Merryand Sam were off, but Pippin stayed behind to talk more with Juliet. She indroduced him to her friends and they talked until the others came out, and had a drink by the fire. Merry went off for a while, but came back with a larger drink.

"What's that?" Pippin asked, as Merry sat down.

"This, my friend, is a pint."

"It comes in pints? I'm getting one."

"You've had a whole half already!" Juliet called after him, shaking her head in disbeilef. "Stupid Pippin, and stupid Merry!" she bonked Merry on the head.

"Ow!" he squacked. "What'd you do that for?"

"You're older, be a better example!" Merry gave her a look, and she covered her mouth with her hands. "Ooppss...I really didn't mean to say that, Merry. Aunt Heather...she-" Frodo suddenly got up from the table and vanished into the crowd. "Frodo...?"

"-Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins? He's sitting-"

"Pippin, be quiet...!" She heard a collective gasp from the crowd and saw people get shoved aside by an invisible hand (or hands) and saw the man in the corner get up and go over to Frodo who had just reappeared under a table, and shove him up the stairs. Sam gave a cry and followed, Merry and Pippin followed him, Pippin grabbing a stool, and Merry grabbing a candlelabra. Juliet, curiousity written all over her face, excused herself from her Bree friends and dashed after her fleeing Shirefriends. She heard a shout from a room down the hall and flew to it. She arrived in time to hear,

"You have a stout heart, little hobbit, but it will not save you."

Who was this strange man?