Chapter 1: A Beginning
A small hobbit lass stepped out the door of her hobbit-hole. Heavy snow pounded onto her, and she pulled a dark cloak over her black curls. With a shrug of her shoulders, she adjusted her satchel on her back. Three blankets and a tarp were rolled up and fastened below her pack. Her small corduroy bag was filled with a small amount of money and food, camping and cooking supplies, medicines, her knife, lots of warm clothes, and a drawing of Rivendell her father had done many a year before her birth.
She let out a small sigh, and kicked the snow on the ground. Wind pushed her hood down, and it forced her to keep it that way. She reached into her apron pocket, pulling out a little piece of paper. She got onto her knees, and slipped the paper under the large door. It read:
Dear Papa and my brothers, I love all five of you with all my heart. This snow has almost killed the whole land. I must get food and seeds to feed us. I want this horrid winter to end. I plan to venture to Rivendell. Perhaps the Elves can cure little Gabriel. You may think that my age of thirty-seven is young, but you have sent thirty and thirty-three years old Boyd and Tolman to Hobbiton. I have more responsibility than they. Samuel can take care of them. I will only return when I have enough food and enough seeds to feed the whole Shire. If I do not return, do not weep for me. I am following my heart. Love, Astrid Gail
She wiped a mixture of snow and tears from her eyes that was clouding her vision. Astrid stood, wiping snow off of her apron and red dress, and walked toward their barn. Her pony, Moonbeam, was eating the scarce grass that was left and visible in the gray and black of night.
"Come 'ere girl. We're going to see the Elves! Elves are magical creatures, according to the stories Mama and Papa told us when we were smaller. Mama and Papa had seen Elves in Rivendell when they went there to get food, just like me. If Mama was still alive, she would be really proud. Before we go to Rivendell, we gotta go to the Green Dragon Inn of Bywater. Maybe some other hobbits would like to help us, and maybe they would know the way there." Astrid rubbed Moonbeam's muzzle softly, and the mare whinnied as if in response.
Astrid climbed onto her pony, and fastened her cloak around her neck with a brooch. At last the wind died down just a bit, but enough for her to put her hood back on. A deep sigh came from the little girl's throat. Tears trickled down her cheeks, some freezing to her face in the cold snow and wind. A small sound came from deep inside of her. 'I love you Papa'. With tears still in her eyes, she glanced back to her home, one lone candle in the den window. She knew that when her family awoke, they would wonder where she was, until they found the letter. Moonbeam let out a short but awaking neigh.
"Shhh, Moonbeam. We don't wanna wake up Papa and the boys!" She patted Moonbeam's withers, and cooed something in her ear. The gray pony stomped one foot on the ground, and started at a trot down the dim road to Bywater.
A small hobbit lass stepped out the door of her hobbit-hole. Heavy snow pounded onto her, and she pulled a dark cloak over her black curls. With a shrug of her shoulders, she adjusted her satchel on her back. Three blankets and a tarp were rolled up and fastened below her pack. Her small corduroy bag was filled with a small amount of money and food, camping and cooking supplies, medicines, her knife, lots of warm clothes, and a drawing of Rivendell her father had done many a year before her birth.
She let out a small sigh, and kicked the snow on the ground. Wind pushed her hood down, and it forced her to keep it that way. She reached into her apron pocket, pulling out a little piece of paper. She got onto her knees, and slipped the paper under the large door. It read:
Dear Papa and my brothers, I love all five of you with all my heart. This snow has almost killed the whole land. I must get food and seeds to feed us. I want this horrid winter to end. I plan to venture to Rivendell. Perhaps the Elves can cure little Gabriel. You may think that my age of thirty-seven is young, but you have sent thirty and thirty-three years old Boyd and Tolman to Hobbiton. I have more responsibility than they. Samuel can take care of them. I will only return when I have enough food and enough seeds to feed the whole Shire. If I do not return, do not weep for me. I am following my heart. Love, Astrid Gail
She wiped a mixture of snow and tears from her eyes that was clouding her vision. Astrid stood, wiping snow off of her apron and red dress, and walked toward their barn. Her pony, Moonbeam, was eating the scarce grass that was left and visible in the gray and black of night.
"Come 'ere girl. We're going to see the Elves! Elves are magical creatures, according to the stories Mama and Papa told us when we were smaller. Mama and Papa had seen Elves in Rivendell when they went there to get food, just like me. If Mama was still alive, she would be really proud. Before we go to Rivendell, we gotta go to the Green Dragon Inn of Bywater. Maybe some other hobbits would like to help us, and maybe they would know the way there." Astrid rubbed Moonbeam's muzzle softly, and the mare whinnied as if in response.
Astrid climbed onto her pony, and fastened her cloak around her neck with a brooch. At last the wind died down just a bit, but enough for her to put her hood back on. A deep sigh came from the little girl's throat. Tears trickled down her cheeks, some freezing to her face in the cold snow and wind. A small sound came from deep inside of her. 'I love you Papa'. With tears still in her eyes, she glanced back to her home, one lone candle in the den window. She knew that when her family awoke, they would wonder where she was, until they found the letter. Moonbeam let out a short but awaking neigh.
"Shhh, Moonbeam. We don't wanna wake up Papa and the boys!" She patted Moonbeam's withers, and cooed something in her ear. The gray pony stomped one foot on the ground, and started at a trot down the dim road to Bywater.