Chapter Two
Estela groaned and tried to look around. She must have twisted over in the air before hitting the ground and landed on her back.
'That would explain why I'm not breathing dirt,' she thought.
Everything was dark and as soon as she turned her head or moved her body pain shot through her making her immediately lay still.
She instead tried to see with just moving her eyes but the shadow that had covered her sight didn't lift.
'Don't panic,' she said to herself.
Instead of seeing, she decided to listen. She relaxed her body and took deep breaths, calming herself.
She almost screamed when a voice, soft and alarmed, spoke, "What do you think it is?"
She bit her tongue and listened. The voice obviously had a companion. Either that, or it was nuts.
"I reckon it's a she," said another voice, this one older.
'Okay, it's not nuts,'
"Oh, really, Merry, I can see that! I meant what is it?"
"Stop calling her an 'it'. She's a *she*."
"Right, Merry. So what kind of *she* is *she*?"
"The female kind."
"Merry!"
"What?"
"What *type* of she is it?"
"Oh. Let's see...she's to big to be a hobbit...what about and Elf?"
"That would explain why she is so fair when one looks upon her..."
"Stop blushing, Pippin. She also has pointed ears."
"Yes, I saw that too."
"So we know it's a she and we know she's an Elf, but...one thing still puzzles me."
"What?"
"I didn't know Elves could fly."
"It was more of a fall."
"I suppose. But what is an Elf doing in these parts?"
"I don't know, Merry."
"Alright," sighed the voice that belonged to Merry. "Poor Sam. I hope he's alright."
"Me too. He never saw her coming. Poor lad was just walking behind Frodo and boom! An Elf falls on him."
All was silent for a few moments and Estela wondered if they had left. The shadow over her sight still hadn't lifted and she was beginning to wonder if she had gone blind.
One of the voices, she wasn't sure who it was, suddenly started laughing. "I must admit," it was Pippin, "it was kind of funny."
"It was," agreed Merry, a smile evident in his voice.
While they were laughing it suddenly hit Estela like a ton of bricks.
'Maybe you would be able to see if you tried *opening* your eyes!' She screamed at herself.
With effort she managed to pry her eyes open. Her vision was blurred, but soon cleared and she saw two huge light-blue eyes staring down at her.
This time she did scream.
The eyes fell backwards and grew into a small child-like creature that stared at her shocked.
"Ai! She's awake!" cried the owner of the eyes.
'Pippin.'
"I see that, Pippin!" cried another one.
'And that would be Merry.'
"Please don't eat me!" She cried, sitting up, and shielding herself with her arms.
Merry and Pippin stared at her, confused, and she slowly lowered her arms.
"We're not going to eat you!" Pippin suddenly snorted. "We are not cannibals."
"Pippin! Merry!"
'Oh, no, not another one!'
"Frodo's calling," stated Merry.
"J-just a moment!" Pippin replied, still staring at Estela as if she was a monster.
"Where's Adrian?" asled Estela, suddenly remembering the girl. She spotted the girl's navy blue backpack hanging from a tree.
"Adrian? Who is this?" asked Pippin.
"She's a fifteen-year-old girl with brown hair, it's about this long," she said holding her own long hair in her hand and pointing to about where Adrian's came. "She was wearing blue jeans and a teal shirt. Do you know what happened to her?"
"What are blue jeans?" said Merry.
Estela stared at them. "You don't know what jeans are?"
Merry shook his head.
"They're these things," said Estela, pointing to her own jeans.
Pippin and Merry stared oddly at her pants.
"We haven't seen her," said Pippin."
Estela sighed and looked around. The forest hadn't changed. For some strange reason it was a dark night instead of the light mid-afternoon that she remembered it being.
It still had the creek and the trees looked about the same, standing in a half-circle around the...
'Where's the arch?'
She rubbed her eyes and looked again but still the arch didn't appear.
"Where am I?" She wondered aloud, standing up.
"You are on the outskirts of the Old Forest," declared Pippin.
"The old what?"
"The Old Forest," Pippin repeated.
"I've never heard of that forest."
"You haven't?"
"No."
"Where are you from?"
"Maine."
"Where is Maine?" asked Pippin.
"In the United States."
"We know of no place called the 'United States'."
"Very funny."
"What is funny?" asked Merry.
"Everybody knows of the United States!"
"Well, we don't," replied Merry, looking hurt.
Estela turned away from them and gave a frustrated sigh. "What planet am I on?" She said to know one in particular.
"Middle-Earth," replied Pippin.
Estela turned and faced Pippin. "What?"
"You are in Middle-Earth," he repeated.
"Very funny."
"What is funny?" asked Merry, looking very distressed.
"Nothing," She sighed, putting her hands on her hips, and looking around. "So I'm in Middle-Earth."
"Yes," smiled Pippin.
"Oh, wait!" Her sudden outburst made them jump. "Let me guess, you're the fat hobbit people!"
"Oh, that's not very nice," Pippin said, his smile turning into a frown.
"Pippin Took, Merry Brandybuck, Sam Gamgee, and Frodo Baggins!"
Merry looked at her, astonished. "How did you know that?"
"And you're trying to meet this guy, Armorman or something in Blee, right?"
"Bree," Merry corrected. "And we don't know who this 'Armorman' is."
"I'm having a dream! Yeah, that's it, only a dream. A really bizarre dream," said Estela.
"Merry? Pippin?" Another hobbit stepped out of the trees to the left and stared at Estela. "Who are you?"
"Um, I'm Estela Autumn," answered Estela, holding out her hand toward the hobbit. He looked at it oddly and she slowly lowered her hand so that it was resting by her side.
"She's an Elf, Frodo!" explained Pippin.
"No I'm not," said Estela quickly.
"But, how---"
"I'm not."
Pippin stared at the ground silently, a thoughtful look on his face.
"I am Frodo son of Drogo of the Shire," explained the other hobbit.
"Nice to meet you," answered Estela.
"We are headed for Bree, Estela," said Frodo. "You may join us if you wish."
"Okay."
Frodo smiled and walked back through the trees. "Come, Merry, come, Pippin!" He called.
Merry, Pippin, and Estela, who stopped to get the backpack out of the tree, followed Frodo into a little area where packs, five ponies--one brown, a mare, with a white blaze in the middle of his face, two red, one, a mare, with four white socks, a golden colored one, a stallion, with two white socks, on his right front leg and one on his left back leg, and the other, a stallion, with white spots covering his body so that he resembled a cow, and the last one was a beautiful white stallion.
There were cooking pots resting on the ground and there was the remains of a fire with red embers still burning, but fading into black ash in the midst of it all.
"You gave us quite a scare," said Frodo, picking up one of the packs and slinging it onto the white pony.
"We thought you were one of them Black Riders!"
Estela turned toward the new voice, another hobbit, surprised. "You must be Sam," she said with a smile, as she looked at the brown-haired hobbit.
"That'd be me," replied Sam, "Samwise Gamgee."
"Nice to meet you. And I'm sorry about...falling on you."
"No harm done," replied Sam, picking up the pots, pans, and utensils and placing them in a pack that was sitting near-by. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just a bruised elbow and some other things."
"That's nice to hear." With a grunt he hauled the pack onto the brown pony then leaned on it for a moment before trying to get himself up onto the mare. With much effort and time he managed to seat himself on the pony's back.
Pippin and Merry picked up the last two packs and slung them over the red ponies then mounted them as well.
"You may ride that pony over there," Frodo said, motioning toward the golden pony.
Estela looked at the pony then at the hobbits. "You know, I think I'll just walk for a while," she said. "I want to sort this all out."
"If that is what you wish, then let us hurry toward Bree." Frodo pressed the pony's sides with his heels and they all started making their way toward Bree.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Are we there yet?" asked Estela.
"Almost," replied Frodo, a little annoyed.
A few minutes later: "Are we there yet?"
"Almost," said Frodo through gritted teeth.
Estela smiled. "I'm just playing with you, Frodo," she said. "All little kids whine about when they're going to get there on long car rides. If you want me to stop, I will."
"Yes, that would be most appreciated." Frodo smiled. "Are you calling yourself a child, miss?"
Estela opened her mouth then closed it, blushing.
The hobbits laughed and rode on, smiling.
Frodo sat silently for a moment before asking, "What are 'car rides'?"
"When you ride in a car," answered Estela.
"What is a car?"
"You don't know what a car is?"
"I'm afraid that I don't."
"Then I guess you wouldn't know what 'electricity' is either?"
"No, Estela."
"I changed my mind: this is a nightmare! Yes, that's exactly what it is. I fell over a rock, knocked myself out, and poof! I'm in Dream Land...or Pony Land! And it's Adrian's fault for reading that stupid book and telling me about it!"
"Please, Estela, do not yell," Frodo hissed. "We are trying to get to Bree without being noticed by...certain people."
"What? The Black Dressy People?"
"Excuse me?"
"The weird 'dudes' on horses!"
"The Black Riders," said Merry with dread in his voice.
"Please, do not speak of them," said Frodo, glancing nervously over his shoulder. "The thought of their presence plagues are minds enough. I ask you, do not need of speak of them!"
"Aye aye, Captain," she whispered.
They sat silently, coming toward a bend in the road. The rounded the bend and a large hill came before them, a village nestled at the bottom of it's right flank. There were lights down in the village, twinkling and illuminating the darkness.
"Bree-hill," Merry breathed. "And there's Bree down at the base of her! There are hobbits down in Bree, as well as Big Folk. I daresay it will be homelike enough. The Pony is a good inn by all accounts. My people ride out there now and again."
"It may be all we could wish," Frodo said, "But it is outside the Shire all the same. Don't make yourselves too much at home! Please remember--all of you--that the name Baggins must NOT be mentioned. I am Mr. Underhill, if any name must be given."
"Underhill?" asked Estela, raising an eyebrow at that. "Why not Mark Maguire? I'm not a fan of any sports, actually. It's just 'Hello, Mr. Underhill!'? It sounds like you're made of dirt."
"Let us hurry on," sighed Frodo, ignoring Estela. "I wish to get there soon."
"Me too," said Estela. "I don't want to freeze to death before this dream ends.
"I assure you," said Sam, "that this is not a dream."
"Then why was I in one place and now I'm in another? Hmmm? Can you tell me that?"
"You're not making much sense, miss," frowned Sam.
Estela gave an exasperated sigh and started walking toward Bree, then stopped suddenly. "What's that?" She asked.
Frodo and the others stopped and listened, holding their breath.
"It is nothing," declared Merry after a time.
"Whatever," said Estela, and started walking again.
Frodo smiled and he and the others followed suit, each desiring a fire and a door between them and the night.
What do you think? I'd like a review! I thought maybe starting out earlier in the story instead of just throwing her in Rivendell like most do would make it better. What do you think? See you, Lúthien Arnatuilë.
Estela groaned and tried to look around. She must have twisted over in the air before hitting the ground and landed on her back.
'That would explain why I'm not breathing dirt,' she thought.
Everything was dark and as soon as she turned her head or moved her body pain shot through her making her immediately lay still.
She instead tried to see with just moving her eyes but the shadow that had covered her sight didn't lift.
'Don't panic,' she said to herself.
Instead of seeing, she decided to listen. She relaxed her body and took deep breaths, calming herself.
She almost screamed when a voice, soft and alarmed, spoke, "What do you think it is?"
She bit her tongue and listened. The voice obviously had a companion. Either that, or it was nuts.
"I reckon it's a she," said another voice, this one older.
'Okay, it's not nuts,'
"Oh, really, Merry, I can see that! I meant what is it?"
"Stop calling her an 'it'. She's a *she*."
"Right, Merry. So what kind of *she* is *she*?"
"The female kind."
"Merry!"
"What?"
"What *type* of she is it?"
"Oh. Let's see...she's to big to be a hobbit...what about and Elf?"
"That would explain why she is so fair when one looks upon her..."
"Stop blushing, Pippin. She also has pointed ears."
"Yes, I saw that too."
"So we know it's a she and we know she's an Elf, but...one thing still puzzles me."
"What?"
"I didn't know Elves could fly."
"It was more of a fall."
"I suppose. But what is an Elf doing in these parts?"
"I don't know, Merry."
"Alright," sighed the voice that belonged to Merry. "Poor Sam. I hope he's alright."
"Me too. He never saw her coming. Poor lad was just walking behind Frodo and boom! An Elf falls on him."
All was silent for a few moments and Estela wondered if they had left. The shadow over her sight still hadn't lifted and she was beginning to wonder if she had gone blind.
One of the voices, she wasn't sure who it was, suddenly started laughing. "I must admit," it was Pippin, "it was kind of funny."
"It was," agreed Merry, a smile evident in his voice.
While they were laughing it suddenly hit Estela like a ton of bricks.
'Maybe you would be able to see if you tried *opening* your eyes!' She screamed at herself.
With effort she managed to pry her eyes open. Her vision was blurred, but soon cleared and she saw two huge light-blue eyes staring down at her.
This time she did scream.
The eyes fell backwards and grew into a small child-like creature that stared at her shocked.
"Ai! She's awake!" cried the owner of the eyes.
'Pippin.'
"I see that, Pippin!" cried another one.
'And that would be Merry.'
"Please don't eat me!" She cried, sitting up, and shielding herself with her arms.
Merry and Pippin stared at her, confused, and she slowly lowered her arms.
"We're not going to eat you!" Pippin suddenly snorted. "We are not cannibals."
"Pippin! Merry!"
'Oh, no, not another one!'
"Frodo's calling," stated Merry.
"J-just a moment!" Pippin replied, still staring at Estela as if she was a monster.
"Where's Adrian?" asled Estela, suddenly remembering the girl. She spotted the girl's navy blue backpack hanging from a tree.
"Adrian? Who is this?" asked Pippin.
"She's a fifteen-year-old girl with brown hair, it's about this long," she said holding her own long hair in her hand and pointing to about where Adrian's came. "She was wearing blue jeans and a teal shirt. Do you know what happened to her?"
"What are blue jeans?" said Merry.
Estela stared at them. "You don't know what jeans are?"
Merry shook his head.
"They're these things," said Estela, pointing to her own jeans.
Pippin and Merry stared oddly at her pants.
"We haven't seen her," said Pippin."
Estela sighed and looked around. The forest hadn't changed. For some strange reason it was a dark night instead of the light mid-afternoon that she remembered it being.
It still had the creek and the trees looked about the same, standing in a half-circle around the...
'Where's the arch?'
She rubbed her eyes and looked again but still the arch didn't appear.
"Where am I?" She wondered aloud, standing up.
"You are on the outskirts of the Old Forest," declared Pippin.
"The old what?"
"The Old Forest," Pippin repeated.
"I've never heard of that forest."
"You haven't?"
"No."
"Where are you from?"
"Maine."
"Where is Maine?" asked Pippin.
"In the United States."
"We know of no place called the 'United States'."
"Very funny."
"What is funny?" asked Merry.
"Everybody knows of the United States!"
"Well, we don't," replied Merry, looking hurt.
Estela turned away from them and gave a frustrated sigh. "What planet am I on?" She said to know one in particular.
"Middle-Earth," replied Pippin.
Estela turned and faced Pippin. "What?"
"You are in Middle-Earth," he repeated.
"Very funny."
"What is funny?" asked Merry, looking very distressed.
"Nothing," She sighed, putting her hands on her hips, and looking around. "So I'm in Middle-Earth."
"Yes," smiled Pippin.
"Oh, wait!" Her sudden outburst made them jump. "Let me guess, you're the fat hobbit people!"
"Oh, that's not very nice," Pippin said, his smile turning into a frown.
"Pippin Took, Merry Brandybuck, Sam Gamgee, and Frodo Baggins!"
Merry looked at her, astonished. "How did you know that?"
"And you're trying to meet this guy, Armorman or something in Blee, right?"
"Bree," Merry corrected. "And we don't know who this 'Armorman' is."
"I'm having a dream! Yeah, that's it, only a dream. A really bizarre dream," said Estela.
"Merry? Pippin?" Another hobbit stepped out of the trees to the left and stared at Estela. "Who are you?"
"Um, I'm Estela Autumn," answered Estela, holding out her hand toward the hobbit. He looked at it oddly and she slowly lowered her hand so that it was resting by her side.
"She's an Elf, Frodo!" explained Pippin.
"No I'm not," said Estela quickly.
"But, how---"
"I'm not."
Pippin stared at the ground silently, a thoughtful look on his face.
"I am Frodo son of Drogo of the Shire," explained the other hobbit.
"Nice to meet you," answered Estela.
"We are headed for Bree, Estela," said Frodo. "You may join us if you wish."
"Okay."
Frodo smiled and walked back through the trees. "Come, Merry, come, Pippin!" He called.
Merry, Pippin, and Estela, who stopped to get the backpack out of the tree, followed Frodo into a little area where packs, five ponies--one brown, a mare, with a white blaze in the middle of his face, two red, one, a mare, with four white socks, a golden colored one, a stallion, with two white socks, on his right front leg and one on his left back leg, and the other, a stallion, with white spots covering his body so that he resembled a cow, and the last one was a beautiful white stallion.
There were cooking pots resting on the ground and there was the remains of a fire with red embers still burning, but fading into black ash in the midst of it all.
"You gave us quite a scare," said Frodo, picking up one of the packs and slinging it onto the white pony.
"We thought you were one of them Black Riders!"
Estela turned toward the new voice, another hobbit, surprised. "You must be Sam," she said with a smile, as she looked at the brown-haired hobbit.
"That'd be me," replied Sam, "Samwise Gamgee."
"Nice to meet you. And I'm sorry about...falling on you."
"No harm done," replied Sam, picking up the pots, pans, and utensils and placing them in a pack that was sitting near-by. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just a bruised elbow and some other things."
"That's nice to hear." With a grunt he hauled the pack onto the brown pony then leaned on it for a moment before trying to get himself up onto the mare. With much effort and time he managed to seat himself on the pony's back.
Pippin and Merry picked up the last two packs and slung them over the red ponies then mounted them as well.
"You may ride that pony over there," Frodo said, motioning toward the golden pony.
Estela looked at the pony then at the hobbits. "You know, I think I'll just walk for a while," she said. "I want to sort this all out."
"If that is what you wish, then let us hurry toward Bree." Frodo pressed the pony's sides with his heels and they all started making their way toward Bree.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"Are we there yet?" asked Estela.
"Almost," replied Frodo, a little annoyed.
A few minutes later: "Are we there yet?"
"Almost," said Frodo through gritted teeth.
Estela smiled. "I'm just playing with you, Frodo," she said. "All little kids whine about when they're going to get there on long car rides. If you want me to stop, I will."
"Yes, that would be most appreciated." Frodo smiled. "Are you calling yourself a child, miss?"
Estela opened her mouth then closed it, blushing.
The hobbits laughed and rode on, smiling.
Frodo sat silently for a moment before asking, "What are 'car rides'?"
"When you ride in a car," answered Estela.
"What is a car?"
"You don't know what a car is?"
"I'm afraid that I don't."
"Then I guess you wouldn't know what 'electricity' is either?"
"No, Estela."
"I changed my mind: this is a nightmare! Yes, that's exactly what it is. I fell over a rock, knocked myself out, and poof! I'm in Dream Land...or Pony Land! And it's Adrian's fault for reading that stupid book and telling me about it!"
"Please, Estela, do not yell," Frodo hissed. "We are trying to get to Bree without being noticed by...certain people."
"What? The Black Dressy People?"
"Excuse me?"
"The weird 'dudes' on horses!"
"The Black Riders," said Merry with dread in his voice.
"Please, do not speak of them," said Frodo, glancing nervously over his shoulder. "The thought of their presence plagues are minds enough. I ask you, do not need of speak of them!"
"Aye aye, Captain," she whispered.
They sat silently, coming toward a bend in the road. The rounded the bend and a large hill came before them, a village nestled at the bottom of it's right flank. There were lights down in the village, twinkling and illuminating the darkness.
"Bree-hill," Merry breathed. "And there's Bree down at the base of her! There are hobbits down in Bree, as well as Big Folk. I daresay it will be homelike enough. The Pony is a good inn by all accounts. My people ride out there now and again."
"It may be all we could wish," Frodo said, "But it is outside the Shire all the same. Don't make yourselves too much at home! Please remember--all of you--that the name Baggins must NOT be mentioned. I am Mr. Underhill, if any name must be given."
"Underhill?" asked Estela, raising an eyebrow at that. "Why not Mark Maguire? I'm not a fan of any sports, actually. It's just 'Hello, Mr. Underhill!'? It sounds like you're made of dirt."
"Let us hurry on," sighed Frodo, ignoring Estela. "I wish to get there soon."
"Me too," said Estela. "I don't want to freeze to death before this dream ends.
"I assure you," said Sam, "that this is not a dream."
"Then why was I in one place and now I'm in another? Hmmm? Can you tell me that?"
"You're not making much sense, miss," frowned Sam.
Estela gave an exasperated sigh and started walking toward Bree, then stopped suddenly. "What's that?" She asked.
Frodo and the others stopped and listened, holding their breath.
"It is nothing," declared Merry after a time.
"Whatever," said Estela, and started walking again.
Frodo smiled and he and the others followed suit, each desiring a fire and a door between them and the night.
What do you think? I'd like a review! I thought maybe starting out earlier in the story instead of just throwing her in Rivendell like most do would make it better. What do you think? See you, Lúthien Arnatuilë.