Ruby's Adventure
Chapter 8
An old, gray-bearded man wielding a staff and wearing long robes stepped out onto the road, motioning for someone in the woods behind him to follow.
"You didn't think," he began, winking, "That I would send you off on a great, dangerous, exciting journey, to the great distress of your parents, without giving you as much help as I could? I may have suggested you to your father, but even when I sent Bilbo and Frodo on their quests, I offered aid." The man - quite clearly Gandalf - was joined by another: a Ranger, perhaps. He wore green and brown, and his looks were far too ordinary for an Elf. But Ruby, Daisy, and Primrose were much too shocked to notice him.
"Gandalf!" They cried, all at once. They grinned, and then noticed the Ranger.
"Good to see you, and thanks for coming, but - not to be rude or anything - who is he?" Primrose asked pointedly.
"Unfortunately, I will not be coming with you. I am merely sending Huore with you, for him to help you, as I am needed most desperately elsewhere." True to form, Gandalf refused to say any more. Ruby felt curiosity wriggling inside of her, like a long, thin, hungry worm eating up her insides. Instead, Gandalf introduced Huore.
"Huore is a Ranger," he said, reaffirming their thoughts, "and I have brought him here to accompany you. I do not think less of you," he said, cleverly reading the hobbits' minds, "but I would rather send you to Moria with your father knowing that you were looked after." The hobbits nodded, and looked over at Huore. He was of an average height for a Numenorean, and his brown eyes were obscured by tangled brown hair. His expression was grave, and he carried all his equipment on his back.
"I am happy to assist Gandalf, and you." Huore said, bowing to the hobbits. Awkwardly, unsure of themselves, they bowed back. Gandalf chuckled into his beard.
"I must be off," he said abruptly. "Take care of my friends' children, Huore, and yourself as well. Keep your eyes open, for I doubt not that your road will be wrought with danger." Gandalf looked about at the hobbits with a sigh and a smile. "Faramir Took," he said to the curly- headed hobbit, eldest of the five, "I warn you to not get involved in quarrels. For your quest to succeed, you will need everyone working together.
"Daisy Gamgee," Gandalf told the hobbit lass, "you are just like your father." Daisy smiled up at Gandalf at the unexpected compliment. "Be sure to follow his example in his unwavering loyalty, and his indomitable spirit.
"Primrose Gamgee, I know your attention to detail, your commitment to rules. But know that even if you follow rules, there are Orcs and other such creatures who do not." Primrose nodded solemnly.
"Theoden Brandybuck. Always thirsty for learning, for knowledge, for understanding. Let your knowledge serve you, not the other way around." Theoden's grip on the straps of his bag tightened.
"And Ruby Gamgee." Ruby lifted her bright eyes to meet Gandalf's wise ones. "My dear, you are struggling to prove yourself. Remember that there are things more important. but I am not at leave to say any more." Ruby frowned. What was it that Gandalf did not see fit to tell her? The worm of curiosity started up again.
"I wish you all the best on your journeys, wherever they take you. Keep your courage and your wits about you, and I do not doubt that you all have plenty of both." With one last crinkly smile, Gandalf turned and disappeared from sight.
The hobbits were on an edge with this newcomer in their midst; they were not fond of traveling with someone they knew nothing about. For a long time they walked in silence, mulling over what they had heard.
That night they found a suitable dell to rest in before they started on their way again in the morning. Theoden knew the land very well between here and Bree; and he could find a route that would get them there in just over a week, given that all five - six, now - were on foot.
All set about their new duties, cheerfully bustling about in a dizzy blur of activity. Ruby had shot a rabbit, which Primrose was now dressing and preparing to cook. Theoden was consulting his maps, laying out their course, and jotting down notes in his log. Huore and Daisy had become exquisitely entangled in a long, winding conversation about a subject they both felt a great deal about: tracking. Faramir had gone off into the woods for some firewood, and Ruby now sat beside Primrose at the fire.
"What do you think of this Huore?" Ruby asked. It was always interesting to hear Primrose's views on things, seeing as how Ruby almost never agreed with them.
"From what I remember of my Elvish, it means courage or heart-vigour," Primrose replied, "but this Huore has yet to prove it. I won't know anything about him until I've seen him and heard him for a few days."
Ruby grinned. "You never were one to make snap judgments." She thought for a moment. "But then," she added, as her mind stumbled onto something, "then you'll never be in love at first sight." Primrose blushed profusely and Ruby laughed.
"I don't ever intend to be in love, thank you very much." Primrose retorted tartly. She bent her head over her cooking pot, pretending to pay careful attention to the meal, but Ruby knew she was just trying to hide her scorching red face.
"We'll see about that!" Ruby teased. At that point, Faramir came crashing back, declaring his utter starvation for all of Middle-Earth to hear, and any chance for further conversation was lost. Ruby was thinking later that night. Opposites do attract, she mused, snuggling deep down into her blankets and sneaking a glance around at her sisters, friends, and escort. Difference was what made me want to talk to her in the first place, Ruby concluded. I hope Bree has lots more different people and viewpoints to offer.
Chapter 8
An old, gray-bearded man wielding a staff and wearing long robes stepped out onto the road, motioning for someone in the woods behind him to follow.
"You didn't think," he began, winking, "That I would send you off on a great, dangerous, exciting journey, to the great distress of your parents, without giving you as much help as I could? I may have suggested you to your father, but even when I sent Bilbo and Frodo on their quests, I offered aid." The man - quite clearly Gandalf - was joined by another: a Ranger, perhaps. He wore green and brown, and his looks were far too ordinary for an Elf. But Ruby, Daisy, and Primrose were much too shocked to notice him.
"Gandalf!" They cried, all at once. They grinned, and then noticed the Ranger.
"Good to see you, and thanks for coming, but - not to be rude or anything - who is he?" Primrose asked pointedly.
"Unfortunately, I will not be coming with you. I am merely sending Huore with you, for him to help you, as I am needed most desperately elsewhere." True to form, Gandalf refused to say any more. Ruby felt curiosity wriggling inside of her, like a long, thin, hungry worm eating up her insides. Instead, Gandalf introduced Huore.
"Huore is a Ranger," he said, reaffirming their thoughts, "and I have brought him here to accompany you. I do not think less of you," he said, cleverly reading the hobbits' minds, "but I would rather send you to Moria with your father knowing that you were looked after." The hobbits nodded, and looked over at Huore. He was of an average height for a Numenorean, and his brown eyes were obscured by tangled brown hair. His expression was grave, and he carried all his equipment on his back.
"I am happy to assist Gandalf, and you." Huore said, bowing to the hobbits. Awkwardly, unsure of themselves, they bowed back. Gandalf chuckled into his beard.
"I must be off," he said abruptly. "Take care of my friends' children, Huore, and yourself as well. Keep your eyes open, for I doubt not that your road will be wrought with danger." Gandalf looked about at the hobbits with a sigh and a smile. "Faramir Took," he said to the curly- headed hobbit, eldest of the five, "I warn you to not get involved in quarrels. For your quest to succeed, you will need everyone working together.
"Daisy Gamgee," Gandalf told the hobbit lass, "you are just like your father." Daisy smiled up at Gandalf at the unexpected compliment. "Be sure to follow his example in his unwavering loyalty, and his indomitable spirit.
"Primrose Gamgee, I know your attention to detail, your commitment to rules. But know that even if you follow rules, there are Orcs and other such creatures who do not." Primrose nodded solemnly.
"Theoden Brandybuck. Always thirsty for learning, for knowledge, for understanding. Let your knowledge serve you, not the other way around." Theoden's grip on the straps of his bag tightened.
"And Ruby Gamgee." Ruby lifted her bright eyes to meet Gandalf's wise ones. "My dear, you are struggling to prove yourself. Remember that there are things more important. but I am not at leave to say any more." Ruby frowned. What was it that Gandalf did not see fit to tell her? The worm of curiosity started up again.
"I wish you all the best on your journeys, wherever they take you. Keep your courage and your wits about you, and I do not doubt that you all have plenty of both." With one last crinkly smile, Gandalf turned and disappeared from sight.
The hobbits were on an edge with this newcomer in their midst; they were not fond of traveling with someone they knew nothing about. For a long time they walked in silence, mulling over what they had heard.
That night they found a suitable dell to rest in before they started on their way again in the morning. Theoden knew the land very well between here and Bree; and he could find a route that would get them there in just over a week, given that all five - six, now - were on foot.
All set about their new duties, cheerfully bustling about in a dizzy blur of activity. Ruby had shot a rabbit, which Primrose was now dressing and preparing to cook. Theoden was consulting his maps, laying out their course, and jotting down notes in his log. Huore and Daisy had become exquisitely entangled in a long, winding conversation about a subject they both felt a great deal about: tracking. Faramir had gone off into the woods for some firewood, and Ruby now sat beside Primrose at the fire.
"What do you think of this Huore?" Ruby asked. It was always interesting to hear Primrose's views on things, seeing as how Ruby almost never agreed with them.
"From what I remember of my Elvish, it means courage or heart-vigour," Primrose replied, "but this Huore has yet to prove it. I won't know anything about him until I've seen him and heard him for a few days."
Ruby grinned. "You never were one to make snap judgments." She thought for a moment. "But then," she added, as her mind stumbled onto something, "then you'll never be in love at first sight." Primrose blushed profusely and Ruby laughed.
"I don't ever intend to be in love, thank you very much." Primrose retorted tartly. She bent her head over her cooking pot, pretending to pay careful attention to the meal, but Ruby knew she was just trying to hide her scorching red face.
"We'll see about that!" Ruby teased. At that point, Faramir came crashing back, declaring his utter starvation for all of Middle-Earth to hear, and any chance for further conversation was lost. Ruby was thinking later that night. Opposites do attract, she mused, snuggling deep down into her blankets and sneaking a glance around at her sisters, friends, and escort. Difference was what made me want to talk to her in the first place, Ruby concluded. I hope Bree has lots more different people and viewpoints to offer.