Why is There a Horse in the Room?
Frodo woke in a soft bed, light streaming across his face. The hobbit sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Someone was sitting at the end of his bed, watching him with concern.
"Gandalf?" Frodo asked shakily. The wizard smiled slightly and Frodo began to laugh with delight. It was the first time the hobbit had seen Gandalf since the Istar fell in Moria. Suddenly the door of his room slammed open and Frodo turned to see Merry and Pippin enter the room. His cousins jumped on his bed and hugged him.
"Frodo!" Merry laughed joyfully, slapping away Pippin's hands as the hobbit tried to tickle Frodo. Gimli entered then with a shout, waving his arms around as he approached Frodo's bed.
"Gimli!" Frodo laughed, smiling at the chuckling dwarf. Legolas came in, looking very serene and smiling slightly. Another man, dressed in the rich red of the King, followed the Elf-prince in.
"Aragorn!" Frodo called. The man smiled and came to stand next to Legolas and Gimli at Frodo's bed. The hobbit looked around, realizing someone was missing.
"And Falenor?" he asked. Everyone's face fell slightly and they avoided Frodo's questioning look. A snort came from outside and a horse poked its head around the corner. Frodo stared; he had never seen a blue horse before. The mare seemed to laugh at him as she walked into the room. Hanging on her neck and walking unsteadily came Falenor.
The peredhel smiled at Frodo, limping heavily. The hobbit could see a cast on Falenor's left leg, and the drover leaned heavily on the mare. The horse deposited Falenor on Frodo's bed and the peredhel reached out a hand to ruffle the hobbit's hair.
"Hello, little foal," Falenor laughed. Sam entered last, staring at the horse in the room. Frodo caught the gardener's eyes and gave him a knowing smile, which Sam returned.
"Get that horse out of here!" A woman's voice called. "If I've told you once I've told you a thousand times, Prince Falenor..." A young woman entered the room. When she saw the men, hobbits, wizard, dwarf, and elf standing there she backed out quickly.
"Why is there a horse in the room?" Frodo asked in the awkward silence.
"That is a long story," Aragorn laughed.
