The next morning when I awoke was a bright day. I went to the stables and gently patted Asfaloth.
This was Arwen's horse and I longed to ride him but knew I could not. I went over to my own horse, Earendil, who was as good a horse as any and I did love him dearly. He had been my father's horse. I rode quickly across the Ford and I made my way to Bree. It would take me a day or two but I was eager to hear any news that I possibly could.
It took me a day and a half to reach Bree. I got there right at sunset. I went to the Prancing Pony for a room and a meal. Nob worked there and as I waited for him to get off his shift, I ate the coarse bread of Bree. Around the high moon, Nob got off work. I followed him into his little room and sat on the floor as he refreshed himself with some water. Then he got out his pipe and sat down beside me. 'So,' he said puffing his pipe. 'What do you want to know?' 'Everything.' I said smiling 'That is, if your not too tiered.' 'Oh, I'll be okay as long as I have my pipe, but I should get to bed in about an hour. Well, lets see, hum. A week ago there was another fight at the bar. Nothing very bad. O! There it goes! I'm turning into Master Butterbur! I can't remember a thing! Oh yes. A Hobbit up in the Shire, up in Hobbiton, turns eleventy-one today. There's a big celebration going on tonight, they say. Half the Shire has been invited and you know, for a Hobbit, eleventy-one years is a pretty long time! Why, the Old Took only lived to be one hundred and thirty years old! That chap, what's his name…Baggins. Bilbo, I think. Yes, yes. Eleventy-one years. Can you imagine? Oh, well I suppose you can, you're an Elf and all. O! I'm sorry! I know you don't want anyone hereabouts to know. But how old are you exactly?' Nob looked at me inquiringly. 'Oh, I'm not sure. At least,' I paused, not sure if I should continue or not. I knew I could trust Nob. Why was I so scared? 'I'm at least three thousand years old. Maybe a little more, but in that general area.' Nob gawked at me.'Th-th-three thousand years?' His pipe dropped out of his mouth but he came out of being spellbound and caught it before it hit the ground.
Nob went off to bed soon after that and the rest of my time at Bree was dull. I returned to Rivendell and continued on with my live and for several weeks nothing unusual happened. Then one day in the early morning a Hobbit came to the gates and was brought to Elrond. This Hobbit was older than Nob, much older. He had white hair and seemed bent with old age. Arwen later told me this was Bilbo Baggins, an old friend of Gandalf's. I tried to talk to him once or twice but he always was busy with his book and had no time to talk to me. I got used to him being around and went about my usual day. I only went to Bree three or four times in the next sixteen years. One day Gandalf came sweeping through Rivendell and didn't even stop long enough to say hello. I wanted to go and follow him but Elrond said it was best if we stayed here. For several weeks I waited patiently but I had had enough. I secretly rode off one night to find out what had happened. It surprisingly took me almost a whole week to reach Bree, why I do not know but since I hadn't gone to Bree in the last few years, maybe I lost my way for a while. When I got there I raced to the Prancing Pony and grabbed Nob, who was very glad to see his old friend. I asked him if he had seen Gandalf but he said he hadn't for almost six weeks. Some Hobbits who had been there the night before had asked for Gandalf too. Did I know them? 'Nob,' I said. 'You and Bilbo are the only Hobbits I have ever spoken too in my life!' I then asked him where the Hobbits who knew Gandalf where going. He didn't answer me at first but then he said, 'To Rivendell, I believe.' Rivendell?! 'Why?' I asked? Nob shrugged his shoulders. 'I have to go Nob! I'll see you later!' 'Okay, bye Anodien. Watch out for the Black Riders.' I stopped short and slowly turned around. 'What did you say?' 'Goodbye?' 'No after that.' 'Oh, to watch out for the Black Riders.' A shiver of fear went through my spine. 'Black Riders? Riders dressed in all black?' 'Yes I do believe so.' 'Oh! Nob! Mornie utulie! Mornie atantie!' 'What?' 'O, never mind! It's Elfish! Stay out of sight of the Riders!' My heart was full of dread. What had the Kings, if it was really riders in black, come back and into the west? I ran to Earendil and cried out,'Noro lim, Earendil!' As I swiftly road over the countryside, all I could do is pray that it really wasn't the Black Riders. I knew I had to get back to Rivendell and I had to get there fast.