Letters to a colleague answers to a friend

by Aria7

Once upon a time a young Hobbit-lass found herself at a loss for information and being assured of her own self importance within the great tales of the world (even if only at arm's length) she decided to do something about it. Once upon a time there was a Queen in Numenor; a lass in the Shire and a researcher in Gondor. This is their tale.

1. Prologue: Wherein a discovery is made

Prologue: Wherein a discovery is made.

Elanor the Fair, eldest child of Samwise Gardner once Gangee and Rose Cotton, was a prolific writer as her children oftentimes knew and her husband had oftentimes despaired. Letters were her lifeblood, she would say as she wrote yet another to a different friend.

Fastred had always joked that his wife was as mercurial as any elf he had ever met, and as curious as any man, not much like most Hobbits at any rate. It was what he had loved most about her (that and her ability to listen to his ramblings about pipeweed while she detested the stuff - just another difference between the eldest daughter of Samwise Gardner and the rest of the Shire). Yet, it had still come as some surprise when Elfstan stumbled upon a great collection of letters in a trunk, tied up with ribbon, silk and cotton of all varieties and colours, tattered in places but all carefully stored where nothing could come near them.

Neither damp nor heat had ever touched the letters while they lay in her care.

But others had been tied much more sloppily, the paper torn and ripped. He had never truly looked through his mother's things, they were hers and for her alone. Not even as a child had he dared to enter his mother's study without permission. Although he knew many of her writings had made their way to the mathom house or indeed to Minas Tirith itself her letters and indeed all her writings had always been viewed as inviolate by the family (unless she cared to show you them). These however were an oddity.

Hidden away like buried treasure. Wrapped and stored with love and care.

The closest he could compare them to were those she had received from her father but they (or at least edited versions) had often been read aloud at suppertime. It was not until Fíriel's curiosity overrode her elder brother's caution at carefully undoing the knots that the papers began to reveal their secrets. But it was not until she had opened both sets of bundles that she began to make sense of the issue before them.

Authors note:

This should update fairly swiftly initially since if you've been following me on ao3 the first few chapters are already published. Sorry guys!