Disclaimer:  I do not own Tolkien's imagination at all.  Neither do I own the Lord of the Rings plot.  If you wish to sue me, you will not gain anything, for I have no money.  I may stick to the movie plot, so please do not shed ill feelings about that.  Every character her belongs to Tolkien except for Silmarien Goldeneve (Mari).  Please do not pull your hair because I am using the plot from the movie.  Enjoy the story…

Chapter 1:  The Return of Gandalf

1000 years later

"MARI!!!  You win!  I give up!  Come out will you?" Frodo shouted around him.  They had been playing a hiding game where Frodo this time was to look for Mari.  They had become very great friends, even though Mari was an elf.  They were pretty much inseparable.  Sam would usually be found around them, or Merry and Pippin, but not today. 

            "Ah, so you finally give up do you?" Said Mari from right behind Frodo.  Frodo nearly jumped out of his skin. 

            "Oh am I going to get you for that!!!" Yelled Frodo.  He tried to lash out at her and catch her, but she jumped up and grabbed the nearest branch.  She swung up and practically ran up the tree. 

            "Can you get me from up here?  I highly doubt it Frodo!  So I win again!  Not surprising."

            "That's not fair!  You know I can't beat you at tree climbing!  I can beat you at eating though!"

            "I bet you could.  I would not be able to beat a bottomless pit such as yourself," replied Mari to this. 

            "Darn proud of it too, thank you very much," Frodo replied.  Mari suddenly tilted here head as though listening to something far away.  Frodo tried listening, but he could not hear anything. 

            "I think someone is coming.  Ai, Ai!  Gandalf is here!  He is back!" With that, Mari swung to another branch and hopped down running as fast as she could in the direction of the road.

            "You could wait for me, but no, you won't!" Shouted Frodo running after her.  Frodo struggled to catch up.  They both rounded a bend and there, before them, was a figure wearing a gray cloak and a tall pointy hat.  He had a wooden staff with him and was riding in a horse-drawn wagon.  Gandalf looked up in time to see to beings jump upon him and hug him furiously. 

            "What's this?  Not patient enough to wait for me?  Hello young ones, nice to see you to.  Thank you for greeting me a good morning.  It is a nice morning isn't it?" Said Gandalf with an amused smile on his face. 

            "Gandalf!  It's good to see you!" Said Frodo and Mari at the same time.

            "You have grown quite a lot since the last time I saw you.  As for you Mari, you look just the same, except for that mischievous gleam in your eyes, that seems to have grown quite a bit brighter than the last time I saw it," replied Gandalf with a smile in his voice.  He was quite proud of the way that the hobbit and elf had made such good friends despite their differences.  He was overall proud of the way the hobbits had taken care of and declared Silmarien as one of their own.  Hobbits were amazing creatures.  That was what he could agree on. 

            For the next 15 minutes, the three of them talked about the weather.  Frodo was asking about what kind of recipes Gandalf had encountered on his adventures.  Mari was eager to hear about all of the beings he had encountered.  She was particularly interested in elves, for she was partly one.  She wanted to know what they were like, what they looked like.

            "Mari, if you are so interested in what an elf looks like, look in the mirror!  I am sure you will find your answers there." Said Gandalf in mock frustration.  He was overall happy to be back in the Shire. 

            "Ah, but you see, I am not a true elf, I have some kind of Hobbit background.  Bilbo said my great grandmother was an elf.  They could not take care of me, so they left me in the care of the Baggins family.  Isn't that right, Gandalf?" Asked Mari in a light voice.  Gandalf was shocked.  Young Silmarien did not even know that she was a pure elf!  He would have a long chat with Bilbo when he saw him. 

            "Mmm, I am not very educated in that subject.  I presume you know your full name though, right?" Asked Gandalf.

            "Of course!  It is Mari Baggins.  What else would it be?" Said Mari in a confused voice. 

            "Are you quite all right Gandalf?  You do not seem well, for you are asking Mari many questions that you already knew.  Well, we must be going, I still have to claim revenge on Mari for beating me three times in a row during our games.  Good Bye." Said Frodo happily.

            "Oh no you don't." With that, Mari leaped out of the wagon with astounding grace and landed noiselessly.  She then scampered into the woods.  Frodo then leaped out after and made a rather noisy landing.  Gandalf watched the two chase each other from his view.  He had never seen a hobbit and an elf with such a great friendship.  He still had to talk to Bilbo though.  It was ridiculous that the young maiden did not even know her own full name.  Silmarien Goldeneve.  He did not know if he was the one to tell her though.  This looked like something that would take a lot of sensitivity.

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            Frodo and Mari were having a conversation.  Mari was up in a tree trying to get Frodo to come up too.  Hobbits and trees do mix well.

            "Frodo, the tree will not bite you, I have even asked its permission for you to come up.  Come on!!" Mari tried vainly to persuade Frodo to mount the tree.

            "I like the ground a lot better.  It is closer to the ground, if you catch my drift.  Hobbits belong on the ground, not up in a tree.  But since you will not stop until I get myself stuck in a tree, fine, but you had better help me up!" Frodo shouted up to the leaves.  A hand suddenly protruded from a bushel of leaves frightening Frodo about a mile off the ground.  Mari caught him and hauled him up.

            "I thought that would be the easiest way to get you up here, so, do you like the view?  I thought you would.  May I complement that lovely shade of green on your face?"  Frodo simply muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like 'mimblewimble.'  Mari laughed out right.  "I am glad that you are enjoying yourself."

            Suddenly, both of them heard an earsplitting crack and turned around immediately.  Fireworks illuminate the now black sky.  Frodo and Mari stood for a few moments and stared at the sky in awe.  Gandalf really did know how to make fireworks look their best.  Then they both remembered. 

            "Bilbo's party!  Come on Frodo!  I would not want to miss this for the world!  Let us hurry!"  Mari jumped out of the tree clutching Frodo's wrist and landed with a very frightened hobbit behind her about to collapse. 

            "TELL ME NEXT TIME YOU PLAN TO DO THAT!!!!!  I will get you back later, now we have to go to the party or Gandalf will have our heads," Frodo said, quite shaken up.

            "Agreed."  With that, Frodo and Mari ran towards the commotion that was Bilbo's party.  They arrived to music and festivities along with astounding arrays of color and brightness form the fireworks.  Frodo danced and enjoyed himself fully.  Mari was a little more composed then usual.  Something was nagging at her heart.  She did not know what.  She decided it would be best to bring up the situation with Gandalf.  He was wise and would know what to tell her.  Mari made her way over to Gandalf who was sitting and watching the party with an amused expression on his face.  He looked over and saw Mari approaching. 

            "What bothers you Mari?  Why are you not joining in the festivities?  I have rarely ever seen you without a smile evident on your face," Gandalf said in a friendly voice.

            "I do not know, I feel like there is something missing from me.  Almost like this was not the life that I was supposed to live.  Like there is something that I do not know about that has been hushed up for quite some time.  Almost like I had lived an interesting past that I know absolutely nothing about.  I have had many parents, for I have some kind of elvish blood to make me live quite long, but I feel like the information is not quite fulfilling.  I have seen many years pass in the Shire.  They have all been spent nicely, but every time I see another one of my parents pass away, something tears at my heart.  I know not what to make of it.  I cannot explain these feelings very well.  I want to see something new.  I feel that part of myself is missing.  Do you know what to make of these feelings?" Mari spilled her heart out to Gandalf, who in turn let her speak herself into silence without interruption.  He knew what it was that she was suffering.  He felt this would be a good time to explain her past, she was old enough and sooner or later she would have to meet up with those that she came from.  Mari was a full blood elf, and it was time she learned about it. 

            "Mari, I believe that it is time that you learned of your past.  I understand what you are feeling, for it is common amongst your kin.  Tonight you will learn.  But for now, enjoy yourself, for I see dark times coming.  I can feel them in the air.  Join in with the festivities.  I believe I see Frodo over there; he looks as though he is trying to persuade old Samwise Gamgee to have a dance with Rosie.  I believe I have never seen such a pink shade in a hobbit's face before."       

            "All right, keep your secrets.  I hope I find out sooner rather than later.  I think I will go and rest my sore ears from all of this commotion," said Mari in a somewhat annoyed voice.  Gandalf sighed and watched her take leave.  Mari was growing up.  She was turning into Silmarien Goldeneve.  He knew that sooner or later this would happen.  It was time for her to learn her heritage.  He wondered how Frodo would take this news.  He wondered how Mari would take this news.  At that moment, Bilbo was preparing for his speech where he would play his 'joke'.

            Gandalf listened to Bilbo's speech and noted that Bilbo had his hand in his pocket.  He was fingering something and Gandalf knew all too well what it was that lay concealed in those pockets.  Bilbo removed his hand from his pocket clutching something tightly in his small fist. 

            "I've put this over far too long," said Bilbo in a strained whisper, and then, as if it was an afterthought, he said "Goodbye."  Then vanished into this air.  Gandalf sucked in his breath.  He knew exactly what Bilbo had done.  Frodo meanwhile had a look of clear bewilderment on his face.

Mari was nowhere in sight, she had left the commotion and was seeking solitude in the trees.  She had a mixture of strange feelings.  Mari just wanted to be alone that night.  The hobbits did not worry about her disappearing in the night.  She would return in the morning and all would be fine again.  She was just a little gloomy that night.  It would be treated in the morning.  As always, Mari receded to her favorite tree and climbed up into its long thick limbs. 

Gandalf stood and waited in Bilbo's kitchen.  He knew Bilbo would come in at any moment and would be reprimanded for his idle behavior with the ring.  This was not a mere trinket to be played with, he could already sense danger and it was pulsing steadily from that confounded ring.  He heard a door lightly close.  Bilbo had come.  Bilbo walked in happily picking out a perfect walking stick.  He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Gandalf standing next to the fireplace. 

"Gandalf!  You nearly scared the curl right out of my hair!"  Said Bilbo in an alarmed voice. 

"Bilbo, there are many magical rings in this world and none should be used likewise!" Gandalf said in a wise and stern voice.

"It was just a bit of fun.  Did you see the look on their faces…Oh, you're probably right, as always," said Bilbo in a careless voice.  He knew naught of the power and danger of the Ring.

"What about Silmarien?  She knows nothing of her past and she believes that her grandmother was a hobbit!  She does not even know her own name!  Bilbo, you must tell her, she is quite old not to know about her own past.  Tell her of her name so that she can realize the nature of her being.  She cannot figure this out on her own.  There is a darkness about and the need is urgent, trust me like you once did," Gandalf said in a quiet and somewhat gentle voice. 

Meanwhile, Mari was sleeping in a tree with her eyes open staring into something unseen.  She had no idea about the discussions in Bag End.  She also had no idea about the actions that would concern Frodo in a matter of hours.  Mari had no idea that her life would soon be changed forever.

Author's Notes:  I would really appreciate it if you would review this and give me some kind of motivation.  If you do not want to review this, then don't, but it would be nice if you did.  I like to know what people think of my work, is it good or is it bad?  Another thing, try not to skip the author's message, it sometimes tells important information.   Thank you for having the patience to read this chapter, please continue on the next chapter.  You have my blessing along with those that surround me.  It may take one or two chapters for the Fellowship to show up, I need to place some kind of plot into this.  I KNOW SILMARIEN IS A NAME FROM THE WORLD OF TOLKIEN!!!  I simply like it.  I apologize for my outburst it came naturally.