Riesha emerged from her room, not having to bend over to get through the door, nor as she walked through the halls to the kitchen. She sat down to the breakfast Luminara and Elaírha had made, lying on a 'normal'-sized table.
Their own smial; built just over the hill north from Tuckborough in the Shire. Of course that was hardly recent news- the five humans had lived in their own 'hobbit'-hole for three years, and in the Shire for a total of five. Peony still played predominantly in their lives, teaching them 'womanly skills' such as proper sewing and cooking, for though they had some idea of how to do both activities, the girls weren't very proficient in it.
They had agreed early on, that a job had to be found for each of them, as it wouldn't be fair if one or more 'leeched' from the ones working.
Elaírha had taken up sewing, aiding the very hobbit-woman who had first made their clothes: Mrs Dilmore. Abigail found employment at the local inn as a servant-maid, or waitress as the humans called it. Luminara's decision to take care of the home had been a much-debated one, but after she made a roster of chores for them all to do, they soon gave way to her line of reasoning.
Demaia, it seemed long ago when Peony still took care of them, was never to get well again, but after Elaírha and Luminara carried her outside one time, frightened that she would die without ever seeing the beauty of the Shire, Demaia had gotten better…until she went back inside for several days to rest. After a series of trials and experiments, it was established that Demaia needed to spend each day outside in the garden if she was to remain in good health. This did not mean she slept outside: but only when the sun rose each morning. They often found Demaia up early outside, tending to the garden she had made for them, growing a variety of vegetables and fruits and flowers. Needless to say, she found occupation as a gardener for the Tooks in Tuckborough.
Riesha had somehow managed to get herself into the mail service. This required her to travel throughout the Shire a lot more than her sister or friends, though on occasion Elaírha had walked with her, on some errand delivering odds and ends from hobbit to hobbit. The scenery was magnificent, more fair than she was likely ever to see again, but of late she had begun to have strange dreams.
"Another one then?" Elaírha asked, pouring tea. She knew what troubled her sister, and what the tired look on Riesha's face meant.
Riesha nodded tiredly. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Always the same image- a man and woman with a young child- they are exhausted and wounded, I think…and…I don't know how I know it, but they're headed for Bree- I'm sure of it, and yet I've never been there!"
"Not yet. Just don't ask the Brandybucks if they have any mail- you could end up there," Luminara advised.
"Anyway, I see them leaving Bree- and then it's all blurry. There are orcs, that's for sure. I see them standing victoriously over the bodies of the man and woman- the child is screaming as they crowd over it maliciously. A sword lies broken on the road where the orcs had somehow managed to cut through it." Riesha shook her head, the memory of it making her shudder. "It means something. It's not random- don't ask how I know, it's like all the rest of it…but I think- maybe…maybe we're meant to help them in someway." Riesha glanced up to see the expression on their faces.
It was worried looks exchanged. Luminara and Elaírha knew a fair bit about Middle-Earth and its history. However, their siblings weren't. Riesha, Demaia and Abigail all knew the movie and the actors who played the roles. They had not gone to study more about Middle-Earth.
"The Sword that was Broken," Luminara said quietly.
"The Dúnedain." Elaírha added softly. "Do you think…?"
"This is a strange world where many things that we were not inclined to understand or perform in our world is common in this world," Luminara replied.
Riesha remembered something else that had stuck in her mind- something not dream related. "It may not be important…but a hobbit called Sméagol left the Shire a while ago. He was outcast because they said he'd gone insane. I find it strange that any hobbit would go insane, much less leave such a wonderful place."
Elaírha paled as Luminara gasped.
"What is it?" Riesha asked quickly.
"Sméagol will sometime in the future be known as Gollum," Elaírha explained.
"The filthy creature who found the Ruling Ring before Bilbo?" Riesha demanded.
"Except Bilbo won't be around for…ooh…let's say another five hundred years." Luminara remarked feigning indifference.
"Shit!" Riesha yelled. "What do we do now?"
Luminara looked to Elaírha, Riesha following her gaze.
It seemed to Riesha that her elder sister's silence seemed to be a struggle of the issue before deciding finally, "If he's already gone, then it's too late for us to follow him. He'd already be into the Misty Mountains and in hiding by now." She sat down at the table. "As for you dream- if it is who we think it is, then it's probably vital that we find them before it happens and warn them- get help somehow."
"Probably vital?" Riesha echoed. "I think definitely vital is what you should be saying."
"Rie, you're assuming these dreams are real," Elaírha reminded harshly. "Now, I'm trusting you and believing you as much as I can, but the fact remains we don't know when this is going to happen, or even exactly where. They were heading for Bree…well that's great, but from which direction? How many orcs are there? Is it possible for us to get out of the situation alive as well as these people? Is there somewhere nearby we can go for help? Are we the ones meant to save these people?"
An angry rage built up in Riesha as Elaírha questioned her dream. Riesha knew the answer to that last question. Yes, it was they, the five human girls from another world who were meant to rescue that small family, most importantly of all- the child. "Shut up! You are such a coward! Are you that scared of losing your life you will not help them in the least bit? Are you afraid of trying to make something work in your life that is worth doing more than any dress or shirt you can sew? I don't know what direction- but can it hurt to spend a little time in Bree? Or is that what you're afraid of, leaving the Shire? I have no idea how many orcs there are- too many for a lone knight defending his wife and child to defeat alone! I don't know and I don't care if we get out alive- so long as we've tried! Bree is the place to get help! And yes, we are the ones meant to save these people!" Riesha paused to catch her breath.
Elaírha looked on the verge of tears as Riesha resumed. "What you do is your business- but I'm going to Bree! Hang my job; I'll find something else to do. Delivering mail is boring anyway." With that Riesha stormed out the door and began in the direction of the roads that would eventually lead to Bree.
She knew it was utterly foolish to go without food, supplies or even a spare change of clothes; Elaírha was going to know it as well and possibly stubbornly wait on the doorstep for her to come back and get it; waiting for her younger sister to make a complete idiot of herself and then convince her to stay. But Riesha was determined this time. She wasn't going to stay in the Shire; the images of those poor people whom Luminara and Elaírha seemed to recognise by description was trapped in Riesha's mind.
As the sun began to set, Riesha sat down beside the road and sighed. She was tired and hungry, and the anger that had inflamed her that morning had all but vanished. Bitterly, she knew she was going to have to go back. She had no money on her, even to buy meagre supplies to suffice a day of walking. Not wanting to go back that same day- if it were possible, for it was getting dark and she would soon be lost in the darkness- Riesha curled up in her spot and forced herself to sleep.
Riesha woke up to the smell of freshly cooked food. She looked around to see Elaírha scooping dirt over the remains of what had been a small fire.
Wordlessly, Elaírha held out a toasted sandwich of melted cheese and bacon before wiping the oil off her utensils and stashing them in one of several packs sitting nearby.
Riesha took a bite from the sandwich, holding it in her mouth as Elaírha threw a large pack at her.
"I thought you might like some clothes for when we get to Bree." Elaírha commented. "Come on, you'll have to eat as we walk if we're to make it to Bree in time." With that, she began walking up the road.
Riesha grinned triumphantly and raced after her sister.