Hail travellers, and welcome to another chapter!
Great to see you again, thanks very much for coming. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, it's a bit longer than the previous two, but nothin too crazy.
I don't mean to stretch this note, so just remember to relax, maybe put your feet up, and immerse yourselves!

Nelly out..

As I awaken I can feel streams of light landing atop my eyelids where the sun has broken through the cracks in the shed. The hay-covered ground beneath me is no more comfortable than it was yesterday, and my clothes are still cold and damp.

There is a deep humming coming my way, and somebody shifting around right outside the door.

''The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began, -

Finally my senses begin to register their surroundings, and the familiar voice and song hit me like a ton of bricks

I dash up from my sleeping spot and towards the door, almost falling over at the sensation in my muscles which are stiff from sitting in the cold all night. The door almost breaks off its hinges as I pull it open hastily and run out, searching for the source of the humming.

It is early dawn outside, and yet a lot of the horses from yesterday are gone, their owners likely having already departed for their journey after a night at the inn. The smithy looks cool by now as well, and the blacksmith from yesterday is nowhere in sight.

- now far ahead the road has gone, and I must follow it if I can.

Pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins some larger way''

With a sharp turn of my head I look back towards the hitching rails where the voice came from, and this time my eyes land on a pure white horse standing tied to one of the last rails. At first there is nobody in sight, but after a few seconds of staring and listening intently, an awfully familiar tall grey hat emerges from behind the horse.

At this point I can practically hear my heart beating out of my chest.

I take a few hesitant steps forward, passing by some of the other horses, while the figure still stands concealed by the horses's nape.

A few steps later I can't take the silence, interrupted only by the wordless humming, any longer.

''Gandalf?'' I quietly pipe up

''By caves where never sun has shone,

By streams that never find the sea;''

A tad bit louder this time: ''Gandalf?''

''Over snow by winter sown,

And through the merry flowers of June,''

A few more steps forward

''Over grass and over stone,

And under mountains in the moon.''

I am now standing only a mere metre or two from the horse

That's it...

Having regained my voice properly I repeat for a third time: ''Mister Gandalf''

The tall grey hat, as if straightening up at the noise, backs up from the horse, now revealing to me the person carrying it.

And well…..I suppose it is quite needless to mention that I lost my breath entirely for a few moments.

Because standing mere steps away from me, is indeed Gandalf the Grey.

''Yes? What is the matter?'' he responds in that familiarly deep, calm voice

''I'm Nela, and I really need to speak with you, right now….please'' I manage to respond still somewhat casually

''Well it seems you're in good fortune, we are already speaking, are we not?'' Gandalf says with a warm, teasing smile and slightly lifted eyebrows

''That's true, I supposed we are, well, I'm not quite sure where to start. Fact is, I don't know how I got here, at all.''

''Oh why that is not such a grave matter now is it? You're not the first to overdo it in the evening and wake up somewhere strange, in fact I believe a wooden shed is one of the better options.''

''Nono, I'm trying to say that I don't know how I got to this world, Middle Earth. Maybe you know it as Arda. Do you get my meaning?'' I say with more urgency

The smile fades from Gandalf's face, and is replaced by a light frown, his eyebrows furrowed, registering the odd piece of information that I just told him

Oh god, he must think I have gone completely mad, now what on Earth am I going to do

As the silence continues, the fear of Gandalf not understanding my pleas and leaving me here with no idea where to go, what to do, or even how to survive, start to lurk at the back of my mind. And although I should know better, that Gandalf would never leave anyone in my shoes behind, it all comes pouring out of me with not a second of thought or hesitation.

''You see, I just woke up here yesterday, late in the evening. Well, actually I didn't really wake up, I was already up, at least here I was, back home I was asleep. And I just thought it was a dream, but then I got into a fight with a drunk man, Brigan was his name, and I managed to escape outside, and then I was wondering around for quite some time, and I found this courtyard, and that wooden shed over there -

I turn around and point at the half broken-down structure behind me

- so I took shelter there for the night, and then I woke up in the morning to hear you humming Roads Go Ever On, and I know that song, very well in fact, I am very fond of it. And so when I recognized the song, and then I heard the familiar voice singing it, I just ran straight towards it, and then I saw Shadowfax tied to the hitching rail, and I knew for certain that it was you singing it. And then I saw your tall grey hat and I just knew I had to speak with you, because after all you are Gandalf the Grey, and I feel as though I know you very well, which in fact I don't, because I've never met you, and you have not a single clue as to who I am, so I understand I must sound mad, but will you please help me, or at least hear me out?

Gandalf's brows furrow even further. He is now looking off to the side, seemingly lost deep in thought.

I begin to prepare myself for the worst, when he finally looks back at me, his eyes full of sympathy and clear as day once more.

''Well Miss Nela, would you perhaps like to try a little Old Toby first? It helps settle your nerves.''

''Ooh, that really does help, thank you''

I puff out another whiff of the Old Toby from Gandalf's pipe, relishing in the genuine peace and relative calmness that it settles over my nerves.

After Gandalf's offer he suggested that it might be for the best if we sit down, so that I can take my time and explain, to the best of my ability, what was it that really happened.

So I found myself sitting on a wooden bench in the market-square of Bree, clutching onto Gandalf the Grey's beloved pipe, and retelling the events of yesterday, step by step, minute by minute, from the moment I sat down in my armchair with a glass of water, to the dream with a horse in Rohan, to my rousing in The Prancing Pony - thinking it was a dream at the time, and finally my improvised, and quite well at that I dare say, escape from Brigan and eventually into the wooden shed which served as my sanctuary for the night.

And for all of it, every word, every syllable, every hesitation, Gandalf just sat there, listening intently and nodding from time to time.

''So, what do you think?'' I ask after finishing my recount of the day

''Well I must say, it is quite undeniably a very complicated matter we are dealing with here, my friend. And one even I have never come across, not personally''

My friend….by my beard I never expected those words to be uttered from those lips

''But you have heard of it?''

''I have, and I never knew what to think, or how to understand it. And I must say I am no more wise now after meeting you, than I was before. If anything at all, it appears even more intricate.''

''Well, there is another thing I need to tell you, and I don't suppose it will untangle the situation much. In the world where I come from, the one I described at the beginning, well in that world I know about yours, about Middle Earth, and many others do as well. ''

''How do you mean?''

''It exists as a work of fiction, an incredibly detailed account of Arda, created by an author called John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. He supposedly invented this world. What do you think that means?''

''I do not know. I've seen a great many things in my lifetime, but travelling through time, or across worlds in your case, that is something I am a stranger to. I must say it does intrigue me very much'' He says with a mixture of scientific curiosity and wonder

Who can blame him, but if Gandalf doesn't know, then who will?

And then suddenly I remember the question which has been on-and-off at the back of my mind for all my time here.

''I completely forgot about something, I've been trying to find out what date is it since I got here, what age of Middle Earth, it's really important'' I say with urgency

I can't actually be sure whether all the events described in Sir Tolkien's works even occurred here. It could just be that he just somehow saw the world and later created the stories within it himself. Then again Gandalf is here, and so was , so I guess I'll just have to assume that it is the way that it was told back home.

''I can see that Bree has already been settled by the men of Eriador, which means it must be at least the Third Age, so that would mean that Sauron has already been defeated by Isildur. '' I begin my deductions

Except that Gandalf is still dressed in his grey robes, which would mean that the events of Lord of the Rings haven't happened yet

''That is true,'' he says, as though letting me keep on deducing so that he can observe the process

''Where is he now? Isildur I mean.''

''Isildur has passed, slain by orcs at the Battle of Gladden Fields.''

Also known as the disaster of Gladden Fields, I remember, but if he is already dead -

''There is no need to keep guessing, Nela. Isildur's death was near 2940 years ago, in the second year of the Third Age. It is now the year 2941.

hang on, 2941…...oh god but that's the year of -

Suddenly my thoughts are racing again. My heart is beating fast, and my mind is in chaos, trying to somehow convince itself that I can't be sure, that perhaps I just don't know the dates as well as I thought I did.

A few moments later I ask in a shaky voice, millions of emotions dashing through me: excitement, worry…''Gandalf, what about Erebor? Is Smaug still in The Lonely Mountain?''

The second I hurriedly utter those words, urgency apparent in my voice, Gandalf's eyebrows furrow even further, the wrinkles multiplying across his forehead, and this time, a reflection of some intense emotion, hard to tell which, glistening in his eyes.

''You know of the quest for Erebor, then?'' he asks, his voice as deep as a well

''I do, I know everything there is to know about it. Its beginning, the journey, and even the way it ends'' I respond, eyes focused somewhere on the stone pavement in front of my feet

A few deafening moments of silence pass, the frustration building up in me for every second of it

You have got to be joking, has it already happened?

I get teleported to Middle Earth the same year as the journey which I've been raised with takes place, and I arrive just about too late to help.

Out of the blue, Gandalf takes hold of his staff which has been propped up right next to him the whole time, lifts himself up from the bench, fixes his hat and speaks up:

''I feel that my thoughts need a bit of settling themselves, may I have my pipe back please?''

''Of course, here you are, sorry to keep it for so long. So, are you leaving now?'' I ask as the prospect of being alone again dampens my spirits once more

''Leaving, why I suppose I am yes, and so are you. It might be for the best if you go and get your belongings as soon as possible, that is if you have any, and we ought to get you a horse. There is still quite the journey ahead of us''

Huh

''Pardon me, what? I'm leaving too, and where exactly is it that we are going?'' I ask, not attempting to hide my confusion

''To Bag End of course, now hurry on, the sooner we can depart the more time there will be to talk about everything.'

BAG END?

''We are going to see Bilbo? Bilbo Baggins? In Bag End, in Hobbiton, in the Shire?''

''Well yes, I do not believe there are too many Bilbos living in that area, now shall I, the poor, old, frail man offer you a hand in getting up from that bench, or do you think, little hobbit, that you can manage on your own?'' Gandalf asks, his lips quirking up in that warm smile

''Nono of course not!'' I practically shout as I jump up from the bench

''So what about those belongings, have you got any?''

''None at all.''

''We will need to do something about that as soon as possible, there are quite a few stalls here at the market square, hopefully that should suffice for now.'' Gandalf accounts more to himself than anything else

''Well then, I believe you will make a fine addition to the company!" he exclaims excitedly

The company…..does he mean THE company…...as in Thorin Oakenshield's company…...so the Quest for Erebor HASN'T happened yet?!

''Pardon me here, but which company exactly are you referring to?''

''Why the company of Thorin Oakenshield of course, I can't very well leave you here on your own, besides I am confident you will be a perfectly worthy member with your thorough knowledge of the journey. I also must confess I am more than intrigued by your story, and would be very glad to be there to witness the continuation of it. We can discuss any other abilities you might already possess that would serve the benefit of the company on the way to Bag End. Now shall we?''

How sure am I again that this isn't still a dream? Bloody hell of course the Quest hasn't yet taken place, it's only spring, stupid me

''God yes.'' I reply, still in a state of shock to say the least

''Alright then, come this way, first we should find you some proper clothing and supplies for the night, I can see that what you are wearing now has gone through quite the ordeal''

''Sure has.''

We start walking away from the bench, I think towards the other side of the market square, but I am at this point only trailing behind Gandalf, my mind hardly present on the task at hand. And can you blame it?

''There is a vendor here who sells hobbit attire for a relatively good price. I'm certain you will be able to find something suitable for the journey there, and perhaps you can repay me once you have earned your share of the reward -

- We ought to get you a horse as well, though a pony might be - have you been listening at all?''

I finally get broken out of my daze and look up at the wizard who is now looking back down at me with a slightly critical eye.

''I haven't I'm sorry, it's just that MY GOD I can't believe this is happening at all!'' I jump up, the joy and excitement of it all taking over my senses

''You've got no idea how many times I imagined this scenario, always knowing deep down that it likely wouldn't ever happen. And now I am here! It's completely crazy! I don't know what to do with myself!''

''I can see that'' Gandalf retorts with a lighthearted shake of his head

''Alright alright I'm sorry, It's just a lot to take in, I'm good now.''

''It is quite the handful for me as well I must say, I'll give you that.'' says Gandalf

''Let's get going then. We absolutely cannot afford to miss the meeting at Bag End, I've been waiting for this my entire life!'' I say as I begin making my way towards the shops with vigour in my step

Behind me I can hear Gandalf let out a low chuckle, and soon he is walking by my side, staff in his left hand.

About 30 minutes later I am standing in a room in The Prancing Pony, changing into my new attire. The supplying had taken us no more than 15 minutes as we were only buying some travel-worthy clothing and food, mostly for me. At one point Gandalf mysteriously disappeared into the market crowd with nothing more than ''a wizard is always precisely where he needs to be'', so I figured it was for the better to not even bother trying to pursue the topic any further, not that I could win an argument against the old-as-mankind-itself wizard anyway.

After that I simply continued stocking up on some food and a waterskin, and when I was done with that it was time to pick out some clothes. I never was one for fashion or shopping, so it took me only a few minutes to pick out some dark brown trousers and a cape, a darker-beige long sleeve shirt, some leather wrist braces, and to my horror - no shoes (the horror is not in the fact that I wasn't able to buy new shoes, it is in the reality that my feet are large and hairy). I also bought a relatively large brown rucksack to keep all of my food and other possessions in.

My hair I fear is at this point bordering irreversibly tangled from being soaked through by mud and rainwater. My only hope is that either Bilbo or one of the gloriously long haired and long-bearded dwarves will have a beard-brush to maintain their own mane, and I might be able to convince them with a few kind smiles to lend it to me for a minute or two. If that doesn't work, I will just have to resort to a horse brush or just chopping it off. For now, a ''braid''(or at least something that somewhat resembles a braid) will have to do.

Once I am done with the very simple process of getting ready, I leave the room which I confirmed with , who I ran into when reentering the inn, is indeed the one I had ''booked'' yesterday. Nice to know it ended up serving some purpose after all. As I make my way down the stairs, I spot him serving a table near the staircase. I send a simple wave of goodbye and a smile in his direction when our eyes briefly meet, and make my way towards the main door.

''Miss Albern, leavin already are ye?''I turn back towards him as he speaks out

''Aye aye, I sure am. Thank you for everything , you've been a real help'' I say with a smile

''Tis' my pleasure miss, so where ye headin off to?''

Oh man I just gotta say it, I really do

''Well , it seems that I am going on an adventure!''

That felt so good, my god that felt great

''Alrighty then young missy, well truly, I wish ye all the luck with that, and remember yer always welcome here!'' he half-shouts in my direction from the table he is serving

''Thank you very much, I might take you up on that offer some time!'' I shout back, and with a last wave walk out through the door

I only have to look around for a few moments before I spot Gandalf standing off to the side, staff in one hand and Shadowfax's reins in the other.

Lord of all horses, one of the Mearas, yet another thing I can't believe is actually right in front of me

I quickly jog towards them, not sparing the tavern one more glance, my focus now fully on the journey ahead.

''So, where did you go before?, if you don't mind me asking.'' I inquire once I am standing next to them

''Oh nothing too important, merely some acquisitions of my own.'' Gandalf says

''Alright then. Whatever you say, wizard.'' I reply with a joking smile

''There is one more thing we need before we make for The Shire.''

''And what would that be?''

Please be a horse, please be a horse

''Well you can't very well walk all the way to The Lonely Mountain on your two feet, especially not a hobbit like you''

Yes!

''Of course not, that would just be silly. So, where will we get one?'' I try to hide my merry spirits

''There is a fine stable-master in Bree, Bill Rosewood. I'm certain we will be able to find a fine pony for you there.''

Pony…...why on earth a pony. I'm not bloody 5 years old. I understand that being thousands of years old can mess with your perception of time slightly, but a pony that is simply too much

''Gandalf, actually, I have quite a bit of experience in horse riding. I do it regularly back where I come from, so I think I'll be able to handle a regular horse just fine'' I pipe in as we are making our way towards the West Gate and the stables

Gandalf only chuckles under his breath and keeps on walking

''What? What's funny about that, I mean it, I really can ride well!'' I insist

''I'm sure you can Miss Nela, that is not where my concerns lie. It is more in the field of your current stature that I have my doubts'' he looks at me with a mix of humour and sympathy

Oh

''Oh.''

You wouldn't think it would be this easy to forget when one is about 4'4 tall, but considering this is the second time it almost got me in trouble, I've really got to work on it. The feet would be a brilliant constant reminder, that is of course if I weren't scared to even look in their general direction.

''But don't worry,'' Gandalf says '' Perhaps there will be a smaller horse available.''

''Yeah, perhaps there will.''

Soon we are entering the stables, and the familiar smell of hay and fresh oat hits my nose.

I fall behind a little bit, getting a good look at the place while Gandalf passes by all the boxes and straight to the stable-master

There are only 3 compartments in the stables, to be fair it's just a relatively small area, surrounded by a stone wall and covered by a wooden roof with hay on top. The gap between the stone wall and the roof is too small for the horses to jump out, and on the other side of the boxes, the one from which the customers can take a look, a rope stretches from one side of the building to the other, at least slightly preventing them from running off. Although if they truly wanted to they all easily could, so that alone leads me to believe that they aren't too skittish or neurotic, always a good start.

I approach the first horse, from the looks of him he seems just like a regular brown Quarter horse. I lightly pet him on the forehead and sigh.

Beautiful animal, except for the tiny irrelevant little detail that I would break every bone in my body twice-over by just dismounting

Moving on then

The horse next to him in the compartment is an older looking greyish-white Arabian, if I can even judge horses this way here in Middle Earth, considering that there is no such thing as the Arabian Peninsula.

I pass by the next horse relatively fast, seeing that it is once again way too tall for me, at least 16 to 17 hands. Who knew Middle Earth stable-masters had such a scarce amount of ponies.

Before I can move onto the next one, the man, Bill Rosewood, walks over to me.

''Hello there miss, Gandalf told me that you are looking for a pony of some sort.''

Oh here we go again with the pony

''Well as you can see I am but slightly limited in height, however don't let it fool you, I can handle myself in a saddle well-enough.'' I say

He chuckles ''Whatever ye say. Anyhow I only have one horse er' that isn't a full-sized stallion, so it will just have to do''

Not full size?

''Meaning what height exactly sir, how many hands?

''Bout' 14.2 I reckon, maybe 15.2 on a good day, though maybe not so much for ye.'' he winks at me

Bloody hell I sure hope it's 14. My wounded ego aside I slightly fear for my well-being on anything taller than that at the moment.

''Yes yes, now may I see it?''

''Absolutely lady, it's a he, by the way.''

We walk over to the last box. The stable-master is telling me a few specific things about the horse. Apparently he's ''a brave one, considering his smaller size'', but he can be a bit distrustful. Excellent news, so he will bite me, kick me and throw me off a couple times before we can get along.

But when we arrive at the last compartment there is a surprise waiting for me.

The horse all the way on the left looks exactly identical to the one from my dream, down to the smallest detail.

''Well, here you have 'im.'' says, pointing at the horse from my dream

''This one?'' I point at him also, still a bit shocked

''Aye, there anything wrong with 'im?'' the stable-master questions ''I reckon ye should be quite pleased, he's definitely closer to 14 than he is to 15 now that I look at im'.''

''Nono, nothing wrong with him at all.''

''I am curious , where did you find him? He doesn't look like the traditional Bree-land horses you have here.''

In fact he looks almost exactly like an exmoor pony from back home, just taller

''I was on my way back from Archet, I'd been trading horses with one of the local stable-masters, good man. On the way I got a bit carried away and ended up off the road. This little fellow was just grazing on one of the mountain plains, looking like he had been through hell and back''

''That's interesting. And what's his name''

''Well I named 'im Highlander because as I said I found 'im wonderin in from the North. The poor fellow probably came all the way from the mountains around Fornost.''

Fornost, I don't know much about that place, just that it's abandoned now and has some sort of other name, Deadmen's Dike I think. Very cheerful.

''Highlander huh, I like that, it's quite fancy actually, I gotta say I didn't expect a name like that.''

''Well to be fair with you miss, it didn't stick too well, so nobody really calls 'im Highlander. You must admit yourself it is a bit too long and complicated. Mostly we just call 'im Jamie.''

''Jamie? That's a bit of a downgrade from Highlander isn't it?'' I chuckle, still looking at the horso-pony in front of me

Jaime the Highlander, well if that isn't the biggest irony of the century then I truly don't know what is. And people will still try to convince you that there is such a thing as coincidence.

''Look miss, do you want the bloody horse or not, I really would like to get on with my day already.''

''Alright then , my apologies. I'll gladly take him.''

I reach out my hand towards the stable-master. He looks at me, then the pony, and then back at me. He sighs, and proceeds to firmly shake my hand.

''Take good care of 'im Miss Albern, he's a fine horse that one.''

''I will, I promise.''

''Oh and Miss?'' he asks

''Yeah?''

''Will you be needing a box to get on?''

''Oh for God's sake!''

We left the town of Bree at around Midday, the sun was high up in the sky, and the birds were chirping away. The moment we rode through the West Gate I felt an instant sensation of pure, raw freedom.

I could almost hear Gandalf's voice in my head saying: ''Home is now behind you. The world is ahead''.

We rode fast, Gandalf said it is best to cross a bulk of the distance on the first day, especially since the weather seems to be wishing us well. It may not be that way for the following days.

Being on horseback again gave my mind some time to think about all the things that have happened in the past 24 hours while my body switched into autopilot and settled into Jamie's surprisingly comfortable stride. His height ended up being just about right. If anything then he was a bit too tall to prevent some initial apprehension on my side, but within the first hour or so of galloping across the forests and fields of Bree-land, I felt in my element once again.

The scenery was absolutely magnificent. At first I was thinking to myself that New Zealand is even more beautiful than I had ever imagined. I was marvelling at how my life-long dream of visiting the country finally came true, and at how incredible it feels, when I realized it is even so much better than that. Because this is the real Middle Earth. Not New Zealand, not a movie set, but a real world which I am now a part of, for better or for worse.

We rode for most of the day as Gandalf had planned, and when we finally came to a halt under a large tree on a small hill, I was practically falling asleep in the saddle. Even for someone like me who is accustomed to horse-riding and relatively longer rides in nature, a good 8 hour long ride across a strange land properly tires one out.

After I dismounted from the saddle I just wobbled over to the tree and sat down with my back against it, closing my eyes and taking in the brisk, night air. The sounds of the cicadas and the occasional owl were ever-present, however this time around, as opposed to last night, I took great pleasure in getting lost in the soft noise.

You know it is funny, I used to listen to ambient compilations on Youtube all the time back home. They would be titled something along the lines of ''Middle Earth ambience at night'' or ''The Shire at night'', or perhaps ''A midnight stroll through Mirkwood''. And now here I am, listening to those very same sounds, except this time they are as real and tangible as a thing can even be.

''Can you still manage taking care of the horses for today? I will set up a fire while you do that.'' says Gandalf

''I'll get on it right away.''

After I had unsaddled the horses and cleaned off their hooves the best I could with a short wooden stick I found lying nearby, I went back to my spot by the tree. By then, Gandalf had gotten a small fire going, and so I sat down by it, taking out some of the cheese I managed to buy at the market square, and we started discussing the plans for tomorrow and the rest of the ride to Bilbo's. I practically gulped all the food down within 5 minutes, hardly even chewing, and afterwards, when Gandalf had briefed me on the rest of the journey, I happily settled down against the tree once again and let the warmth from the fire calm my tired muscles, sleep welcoming me with open arms soon after.

The next morning Gandalf woke me up quite early, the sun still only coming up from below the horizon in the East. As I had predicted yesterday, my legs were pretty sore, but it didn't compare to the excitement I felt about reaching the Shire, and so before long, we were on our way again, galloping across the vast plains while the sun lit our way forward.

''There is something I ought to speak to you about, Nela. Now although I consider you an invaluable asset, considering all you told me about your origins, Thorin might not see it that way, as I am sure you're already aware yourself.'' Gandalf says once we come to slow down after galloping for a few hours.

''There is always the option of telling him what I told you, isn't there?'' I reply

''Indeed, however I would not recommend it. There is a reason why I did not allow you to tell me any details about the journey, and when it comes to Thorin and the rest of the company, I believe that the best course of action is to refrain from telling them of your origin entirely.''

''You think it could somehow affect the outcome?''

''Absolutely, I am almost certain of it. In the very least, we cannot predict what it could do. So long as you are simply advising based on what you know, and I would weigh even those instances with very, very careful consideration, it should be alright. But any bigger instructions that that, well I do not know what would happen, but it worries me.''

''So I'm not allowed to say that I know what I know? But then what IS the point of bringing me along if I can't change anything anyway?''

''My friend, your story intrigues me to no end. Not many times in my life have I come across something which I could not explain in the least. I think that there is more to you than meets the eye, and I feel you have your part to play in all this, I'm just not yet sure what it is. What I do know, is that prematurely telling the company about their fate is a very poor idea. It feels far too intrusive, and one can never know what events one may alter by doing so.''

I gotta admit he's right. I've never seen a single film or read a book where the people had knowledge of the future, shared it, and it went well.

"You're probably right, but then what will we tell him, that I'm a distant relative?'' I ask with a light chuckle

We've slowed down to a walk after a couple hours of swift travel, letting both us and the horses take a breather before continuing.

I urge Jamie forward, making sure to keep up a lively pace.

''Well I believe it would considerably ease the blow if you had some other more practical capabilities to bring to the table. In fact I have been meaning to ask you this myself.'' Gandalf answers

''Ask me what?''

''Is there anything you can do? Something which the company doesn't have yet, that Thorin could see in a more pragmatic light?''

Ah, at last. A chance for Nelly, the captain of Prague, to show her quality. Hehe. This is going to be a fun ride, I can already tell.

''Well, I'm in pretty good physical shape, I can navigate in nature, I can ride well, so I believe I shouldn't be a burden, but none of this is anything the others can't do. I highly doubt that I'm more competent than a single one of the dwarves, maybe poor Bilbo but that doesn't help us much in this instance. Not to mention they definitely far outrank me in brute force.''

"What about the horses?''

"What about them? I can ride well, as I just said, but that's about it. The others can do just the same''

Gandalf chuckles at this

"My dear friend, you may possess knowledge of this land beyond what seems possible, but there are some things you still don't know. Now dwarves, although they will ride a pony if deemed necessary, strongly dislike the act and complain to no end when it comes to it.''

I can only laugh to myself as I remember Gimli falling of the horse in Lord of the Rings

That was deliberate, it was deliberate! Hah, sure it was Gimli, sure it was. Yeah I remember now, Dwarves and horses aren't the best of friends

"Alright, I see your point Gandalf. So what, I will be the "rider" of the company? That hardly makes much sense."

"No, not a rider. I was thinking along the lines of horse-handler, or horsewoman if you prefer."

"Hm, you mean I'd be in charge of the horses? Feeding, cleaning, all that?''

"Precisely. You'd be making sure they are in good order, take care of them at the start and end of every day.''

"And you think Thorin would buy this?"

"Buy it? Why make it sound like a lie? I am of the honest opinion that the company will benefit greatly from having a person to keep the horses in good shape and help with handling them. I am in fact surprised I did not think of this earlier. My intention is not, and never will be, to lie to Thorin, nor to make decisions which are not truly to the benefit of the company."

"I know that, and I'm sorry it came off the wrong way. It's just that when I picture extraordinary adventures with heroes rescuing their homeland, I don't see 'horse-handlers' playing much of a part, fighting on the front lines and all. "

"That's quite alright. But believe me, there would be no heroes on the front lines without them. Everyone has their role to play, as do you. So, what do you think, will you be able to handle the job?"

"Absolutely" I answer with determination

"Good, now let us continue forward. There is still some distance between us and The Shire, and I believe you were quite intent on not arriving late." Gandalf finishes, urging Shadowfax to dash forward.

"Yes, sir." I answer, and soon I am galloping alongside them, wind rushing past me

Sometime later in the afternoon we arrive at the Brandywine bridge, North of Buckland. It arches over the Brandywine river, which is with a life of its own rushing past us. It's so clear that I can see some of the fish swimming through the currents. It is quite a sunny day too, and the sun rays glisten and reflect off of the river's surface. Beautiful sight. Needless to say there are a lot of those in Middle Earth, and I've hardly been around yet.

Relatively soon after, we at last make it to the borders of Hobbiton, my head spinning merely at the thought.

Arrive in Hobbit, now there's something I thought I'd never say

We continue riding North from there, passing by many Hobbit holes on our way. The first one I saw almost made my fall off Jamie.

It's a Hobbit hole, for Goodness sake, how am I seeing any of this?

Many Hobbits were sitting on wooden benches in their gardens, smoking pipes. Some were simply tending to their flowers, weeding, watering, all the usual activities. I don't think I've ever seen and felt the energy of a more peaceful place in all my life. Most of the Hobbits would spare a glance our way, some with raised eyebrows, some looking slightly irritated, as though we're interrupting their afternoon siesta (which seems to span the entirety of the day, rather than just the afternoon).

I gave a little wave to the first few, then transitioned onto a simple nod with a smile after noticing I wasn't getting much of a response, and finally gave up and decided to reserve all my excitement for the adorable Hobbit children if we ran into any.

Now this is what I call a slightly too-comfortable lifestyle.

Sure enough, about a kilometre later we heard a few excited squeaks, and moments later a group of little curly-haired hobbit kids ran across the path right in front of us. They didn't seem to notice it was Gandalf riding next to me judging by how enthusiastically they reacted in The Lord of the Rings, compared to the adorable, but rushed Hello's and Good Day's they yelled our way as they continued their game of tag, or whatever it was they were indulging on.

''Here we are then.'' Gandalf speaks out, not a trace of tiredness apparent in his voice as we reach a crossroads.

''Here? But we're not even in The Shire yet.'' I ask

''It's only a short distance from this point onwards, I'm sure you'll manage just fine, and you can always ask around if you're lost. Hobbits have never failed me to be very hospitable creatures.''

''Hang on, 'I'll manage just fine'? What do you mean by that, are you not coming with me?''

''There is something I must do before going to Bag End, but there is no reason for you to come along. It is better if you go ahead and I will join you later.''

''I've never been here before, Gandalf, and Bilbo doesn't know about me or the quest. What do I tell him once I find him? That is if I manage to find him at all.''

''Just tell him that you're an acquaintance of mine, it will be perfectly alright, trust me.''

''I do, but won't he ask-

Before I can voice any more of my questions, Gandalf is already turning Shadowfax around and continuing West, leaving me to my own devices

''I will see you in a couple of hours, my friend.'' Gandalf calls out cheerily without turning around

''Um-hum'' I quietly nod off in his direction, soon turning back towards the path in front of me

''Alrighty then, no problem. We'll be fine Jamie, easy peasy. Just go North from here and we should find ourselves in front of Bilbo's door in no time. There's never been an easier task.'' I murmur to myself, lightly urging Jamie forward in the process

Behind me I can hear Gandalf humming to himself as he departs for wherever he's going this time

Who knew wizards were this elusive, honestly. You don't realize how impractical it is until you're being left behind on every second corner.

I continue my way up the stone pavement, giving another go to waving at a couple of the Hobbits as I pass by, this time without the tall wizard by my side, yet still receiving the same strange looks in exchange.

On second thought that just might be courtesy of the horse atop of which I am currently sitting.

As more time passes, I begin to worry that I've lost my way, and will miss the meeting entirely. The sun is slowly beginning to set, leading me to believe that it is sometime after four o'clock.

At one point while we were on our way here I clarified some of the dates with Gandalf. I turned up in Middle Earth on the evening of April 24th. Then I met Gandalf early morning, April 25th, and we departed that same day a few hours before noon. The journey took us the rest of the day, and we spent the night on the road. Today it is April 26th, currently around 16:00 to 17:00 in the afternoon from what I can tell. The same day that the dwarves, along with me hopefully, arrive in Bag End, and the unexpected journey begins.

I get broken out of my thoughts by another group of children laughing and running past me while yelling a couple of their routine 'hellos' as they dash down the hill, throwing pine-cones at each other. I only barely dodge one as I shout a greeting back at them, doubtful that they even heard me over the sheer immersion in their game.

Can't say I'm complaining though. It's nice to see kids happily running around. Sort of makes one feel like everything is alright and the way it should be.

When I turn back around, I'm at last met with a very pleasant surprise. About 20 metres in front of me I can see the side of a Hobbit hole, but not just any Hobbit hole. Bag End.

I think I could recognize this place anytime, anywhere

It's one of those moments which I'm guessing I'll be seeing a lot more of, being here in Middle Earth and all, and the feeling accompanying them is very hard to describe. It's a pretty intense mix of joy, nostalgia (which is quite ironic, considering that the word refers to something in the past, and I have never really been here), and extreme excitement. I suppose I might even get a bit emotional if there was time for it and I were alone here, but now is the time for adrenaline, adventure, and the unknown. The onion-cutting can wait.

I quickly jump off of Jamie, taking the reins in my hand and swinging them over his neck so that I can lead him forward. Soon enough I am standing in front of the small fence gate which Frodo nails the ''no admittance except on party business'' sign to in Lord of the Rings.

At this point I'm really fighting the urge to react somehow. Dance around maybe, or just make a squealing noise under my breath, god knows. Thankfully I'm not 13 anymore and so I just somewhat shake the feeling off and tie Jamie to the fence, hoping that he will continue to be as relaxed as he's been so far and won't break it. That might just be a little too much for poor Bilbo to handle in one evening, combined with the 13 dwarves which are soon to barge in through his door and then wreck his pantry…..well….if it were only the pantry.

After opening the gate and stepping through it, I start towards the stairs and walk up them, my bare feet touching the cold stone. Finally I'm standing in front of the door, nerves tumbling around in my stomach like never before. I raise my hand, simultaneously gathering up the courage to knock at all, while also surpassing the desire to just fervently bang on it.

At last, my fist makes contact with the door, and three deep thuds follow.

I take a few steps back, crossing my arms behind me and biting my lip to somehow release or channel the nerves which are almost completely taking over my senses. The sound of children playing is now far gone, and it's been replaced with the fast thudding of my heart. I hardly register the footsteps coming from behind the door as the person's feet make contact with the wooden floor, and before I can at least make an attempt to steel myself, the door creaks open and fully swings back.

''Good evening, how may I help you?''

Well hello there, long time no see ;)
Hope you enjoyed that one, things are finally taking off! You should've seen me as I was writing this one, I kept marvelling at how incredible it would be to ride through Bree-land, cross the Brandywine river, and finally enter Hobbiton. What would be going through my head, knowing I'm about to meet all the dwarves and Bilbo, and go retake Erebor?
Oh well, we'll have to see in the following chapters, muhahaha, feels great to have this cliffhanger power over readers for once, although in this story I myself don't know what will come next, so we're mostly in it together folks :)

Thank you so much for reading! As usual, I would be over the moon if you could leave me some feedback, kudos, comments, you know the drill, and I'll see you next time around!

Hasta la vista, baby!