Kiki-the-Random-Maiden - Thank you for reviewing! Yes, in Lord of the Rings, I know it is spelled Shire not Shyre, but in my story, years have passed and things have changed. It's just one of the things I decided to use to show the change.

Chapter One - Eili, Dig, and Sam

"It used to be called something else, you know," Diggory told her whenever she mentioned its name. "Grandfather told me once. Did your parents ever tell you? I don't remember, I'm afraid."

He was a cheerful fellow, and a wonderful caretaker. He treated her with respect, as if she was much older than her eleven years. Diggory Gardener was friendly to everyone in the Shyre and out. He was one of the only hobbits ever to have left the Shyre, as a matter of fact. He'd gone all the way to Bree.

"That was a long time ago," he'd say, and laugh with memories.

Eili had strange hair, different from the usually rusty brown of the other children, and Diggory shared it. Both of them had hair the color of golden straw. No one knew where it had come from or why no one else had that kind of hair. But Eilanna's also had a rusty tint, an orangish that she knew people stared at.

But Eili also had strange eyes, a violet sort of color, and nobody in the whole Shyre had eyes that color except her. And they said that her skin was too pale, like cream, and delicate. The sun burned it easily.

Diggory worried about her an awful lot, as if she was his little sister. He didn't know that the little girl had heard the folks at the Dragon talking about her. "That odd little girl, something has to be done about her! Wandering all over like those gypsies from so long ago. I heard Dig telling my Samren that sometimes she doesn't even come home to sleep!"

And it was true - Eili Brandybuck was a wild child, wandering all over the Shyre, and yes, sometimes overnight. Dig was always very upset when that happened, of course, but the girl would apologize profusely and he would sigh and forgive her.

Samren Toadfoot was her only other friend. He was quite a bit older than her, but still younger than Dig. He was very proud to boast to everyone and anyone that next year he would be a tween. The adults seemed frightened at the prospect.

Samren was the one who went with her on her romps across the grasses and the fields. His parents were terrible, and he said he wished he could stay at Gardener's End. He was very funny and quirky, and Eili found herself enjoying his company as much as any of the animals she played with.

But Samren was also Dig's friend, and he would tell Eili's caretaker if ever the girl was doing something she ought not or if his little friend should get into trouble, or where she was. Whenever he could, he would help Eili out of one mess after another and if she would cry, Sam and Dig would comfort her in front of a roaring fire and wipe away her tears.

Whenever he could, however, was not always enough.