Thank you all very much for the reviews, especially OverCastDay (who has a terrific story by the way!) and Kim. Its great to know people are actually reading. I had thought to turn this into two chapters, but what they hey.



Chapter 12



Miranda awoke slowly, savoring the cocooned warmth of her bed, though her left leg ached from being curled up beneath her and her right from hanging off the bed onto the floor. **Definitely time to think about getting a human sized bed!** she thought wryly, and buried her nose, which had become icy in the morning cold, back beneath the covers.

It was the end of November. The sky was a brilliant, unrelieved blue. Though Frodo assured Miranda that they never received snow before January, the air was frigidly cold every morning. She continued to be amazed at the clothes given to her by the Elves. Though they were made of the finest, thinnest leather, she scarcely felt the cold when wearing them.

Accompanied by a heavy, albeit short, woollen cloak, she was happy to be out of doors with Sam, replanting trees up and down the road for miles. She had first questioned this practice, thinking the seeds would freeze, but Sam assured her the time was right, for the seeds would burrow deep into the ground and build roots before making an appearance above ground in the spring.

Life in the Shire was slowly turning back to normal. Miranda's eyes had widened after the first town meeting at Bag End, when everyone formed groups and began rebuilding homes. Though easy-going and fun-loving, when there was work to be done, it was done efficiently and quickly. Her height made her an advantage in re-roofing, and she would scarce finish when job, when another was waiting.

Each trip with Sam lasted only a few days and in her down time, Miranda was happy to sit with Frodo by the hearth and have her lessons. Along with the younger Hobbits, Miranda sat and learned her history and writing, music and cooking.

******

Miranda sat up reluctantly and pulled the quilt around her. She really ought to get up. Then again, judging by the silence in the rest of the burrow, no one was up. She thought of the previous night and grinned.

A festival had been prepared to celebrate the return of freedom and to honor fallen friends and family. There had been a ceremony in the beginning, sober with many tears as they remembered those who had died in battle or in imprisonment. Hobbits were by nature, though, a rather optimistic group, and by the end of the last lament the kegs were tapped, the food was served, and merriness abounded.

Another bonfire was lit, which provided warmth in the chilly evening. The ale did its share. Off in a corner, Miranda heard Pippin and Merry speak with proper reverence of that mythical beast called a 'Pint.' Their audience was transfixed.

The most extraordinary thing, however, occurred just out of sight in the tent that had been set up to act as a kitchen. Miranda had just ducked down to find a pot for the ale keg which was leaking (no sense wasting it!), when she heard voices and could just see four Hobbit feet not three feet away on the other side of several shelves. She was about to stand up when she realized what they were saying.

"Well then, Sam. Say what you have to say. I've plenty yet to do!" said Rosie shortly. There was a sound of a throat clearing and the large toe of one of the feet began scuffing awkwardly at the ground.

"I...erm....Rosie, you know that I..." Sam started.

"Yes?" said Rose. Her voice, Miranda noted, had changed abruptly and was soft and encouraging.

"You know that it weren't my idea, running off with Mr. Frodo like that, without saying anything. I meant to come and see you and all first, but then...there wasn't any time, then we were gone, and then when we got back, I wasn't sure what to do.. .. And then since I've been back you've seemed to be avoiding me and I thought maybe you might have met someone else, or decided that you didn't want someone who went adventuring. But what I wanted to say was...." There was a pause, a cough and then:

"RoseCottonwillyoumarryme?" Silence greeted this. Miranda heard Sam sniff sadly and say, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I'm not good enough for you and I'm only a gardener and I don't even really have a home of my own yet and I've nothing to give you and no land

and-" He was cut off abruptly. Miranda was confused until she heard the unmistakable sound of a long kiss. Stifling her joyful laugh with her hands, she rejoiced inside.

"Well you certainly took long enough!" Rose said sharply, though a definite trace of tears was evident in her voice. "I didn't like you leaving me at all, but you hadn't spoken then, so I didn't feel it was my place. And I thought maybe you were too grand now, for a farmer's daughter from the Shire."

"I love you, lass," he said tenderly.

"And I you, Samwise Gamgee," said Rose. Again, Miranda had a pretty good idea of why there was no more talking and she squirmed slightly in embarrassment, not wanting to eavesdrop on their private moment, but having no recourse.

Suddenly the tent flap was listed and whistling began, then clapping. Miranda peered over the top of a shelf to see half of Hobbiton looking in and cheering. Pippin and Merry stood holding the tent flaps up, and Sam and Rose held tightly to one another, grinning out at the crowd. The party had turned even more raucous after that. Miranda was asked to dance any number of times, but she refused, feeling that she would look quite foolish dancing with a Hobbit. She was content to relax on a bench, a mug in by her arm and a smile on her face, her foot tapping in time with the music. She never saw it coming.

Two strong hands grabbed her own two and two more gave a hearty push from behind and she found herself pulled to her feet and being twirled around the dance floor. The top of Merry's head just cleared her clavicle, which meant-- She looked down. Sure enough, his eyes were right even with her breasts.

He looked up at her, winked and grinned lasciviously, or as near as he could make it. She threw back her head and laughed, knowing he was only having a bit of fun. Though she was unfamiliar with the steps, he guided her expertly, and she found herself laughing with gladness as she was whirled around and around. When the fiddles stopped, she stopped for a breather, but was immediately pulled back out, this time with Pippin.

"This is an ole Took song, it is! Follow my lead!" With that he proceeded to do a series of complicated steps. By the end of the evening, she was light headed with drink and happiness. She had danced with any number of Hobbits, though after Merry and Pippin, they seemed to be getting smaller and smaller, till their heads only reached her waist. She didn't mind, though, for it was the most fun she'd had in a long time. And even those who were wary of another human in their midst smiled to see Miranda whirled around by the Gaffer, his arms above his head to reach her hands held waist high.

As she fell, out of breath and laughing, onto a bench, she couldn't help wishing that a certain someone had been there.

******

Miranda grinned again at the memory and wondered how Sam's poor head was feeling right now. As she stood up, a soft knocking came at the heavy wooden door.

**A Hobbit up and about at this time of the morning?** The morning mist had yet to dissipate and the sun was barely visible over the horizon. Peering through the round window tot he left of the door, she saw someone standing outside. A tall someone, wearing a jerkin similar to her own.

**Legolas!** She thought excitedly and swung open the door. It was indeed an Elf, however her face fell, as she registered the flowing dark hair and foreign face. Was it male or female? The face frowned at her and said,

"Frodo Baggins of Bag End, Hobbiton?" The low, smooth voice revealed the Elf's sex and it took Miranda a moment to realize he had asked a question. She grinned, a bit stupidly, and shook her head.

"I believe he's still asleep. Shall I wake him?" The Elf sniffed haughtily and shook his head once.

"No need. I am simply to deliver this missive. Would you see that he gets it upon awaking?" The voice was quite derisive now, and Miranda felt her own hackles rising. Who was he to judge the sleeping habits of Hobbits? Her disappointment in not seeing Legolas also played into her rude response. Taking the letter he offered, she said,

"Good day." And shut the door. She returned to the kitchen and laid a fire in the hearth. Though it still took several attempts to light, she was becoming more proficient. Sitting at the round table, she eyed the letter. It was sealed with wax, and though she couldn't make out the words, she recognized Elven script.

"Good morning," said a voice to her right. Frodo wandered in, still dressed in his nightshirt and robe, scratching his head sleepily. He caught sight of the letter in her hands and looked quizzical

"What's that?" She held out the letter and he took and opened it. He read it and frowned.

"Bad news?" she asked. He shrugged slightly.

"It's from the Lady of Rivendell-Arwen. She says Strider-er- Aragorn must return to Minas Tirith. Some urgent business. An uprising of sorts. She sent a messenger to tell us ere we set out. We are invited to return in summer. The wedding will take place on Midsummer's Day." He wandered over to a chair and sat down rereading the letter.

Miranda felt a strong sense of disappointment, which she didn't understand at first. Then it hit her. She had been looking forward to seeing Legolas again. Though she had tried her best not to think of the Elf for the past few weeks, he was ever on her mind. And now she wouldn't be seeing him till summer.

By the end of the year, Miranda continued to find her place in Shire life. At first the majority of Hobbits were frightened and wary of her. She was, after all, a member of the race that had enslaved and killed many of them. As the weeks went by, though, they began casting fewer glares in her direction and some were even brave enough to give the yellow dog a pat on her large head, though most continued to avoid her. There were those who befriended her, as they admired and respected Frodo and Merry Brandybuck, a friend of their's must indeed be worth knowing. But Rose Cotton was one of those who chose to avoid her. She was clearly not convinced that Miranda harbored no designs on Sam Gamgee. Rose's tendency was to turn and go the other way when she caught sight of Miranda. Until the morning Sam, who was staying at Bag End until the wedding was awakened by odd sounds. Stumbling to the kitchen, he was greeted with the odd sight of Miranda trying to fit her bed sheets into the large pot over a low fire. The cauldron, as it might be called, was not the one normally used for laundry, as a local woman had done the Baggins' wash for years.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked mildly. Miranda whipped around, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. She was wearing an odd dress, created for her by Shire women who felt she could not go around in breeches. Miranda had laughed and tucked it away. Now she wore it and Sam began to suspect something was going on.

"Little accident, errm....no big concern, really. Just thought, uhhh...clean sheets would be nice and all..." Her face was now flaming red and Sam was very confused. Going over to the cauldron, he began to tug on the breeches sticking out saying,

"Well its really no trouble to send them out to the wash-women. This pot isn't really big enough and-" he stopped abruptly as Miranda's hand grabbed his and gently, but forcefully pushed it away. After a short game of tug-of-war, the truth spilled out and Sam felt his own cheeks grow warm with laughter.

Miranda has woken to find her sheets and trousers smeared red with blood. Though it was surprising, she knew what it was. What confused her was how to stop it and why it had not occurred in the past three months. Too embarrassed to ask Frodo, she had tried to rip bits of cloth from the only clothing she had left: her cloak. Elven stitching proved to be too much and she was left in a lurch. Hiding a smile, Sam accompanied her to the Cotton Farm, where he waited outside while she had a short, tense meeting with Rose Cotton. From that point on, Rose was noticeably friendlier toward Miranda, though Miranda still thought it best to sit near Frodo at the Green Dragon, than by Sam.

The rest of the year was spent quietly, with Miranda becoming ever more comfortable in Hobbiton. Frodo was her biggest concern. Though he was polite enough, he tended to keep to himself. As time went on, however, she wore him down with friendly advances. Eventually, evening invariably found them in old wingback chairs by the hearth. Sam was there more often than not, and Pippin and Merry never went more than a fortnight without coming by. All in all it was a happy existence. The one note marring her happiness was an ever-present regret. Though she was coming to care for her new friends greatly, she wondered yet at her life before this. Occasional dreams revealed familiar faces, faces that called to her, but disappeared when she tried to touch them. She woke on more than one occasion with damp spots on her pillow from tears shed in the night. Upon awakening, the dreams faded swiftly and she was left without any more knowledge as to her history.

As time went on, she was able to put these feelings into the back of her mind. Other thoughts, more applicable to daily life took precedence On the morning of March 13th, she awoke to a strange sound - silence. Frodo usually woke first and had first breakfast while working on his book for a bit. By second breakfast, Miranda would find him setting out bread and cheese on the kitchen table. The sun was nearly midday in the sky and she wondered why there had been no knock at her door, no humming coming from the kitchen. Pulling on her breeches and tunic, she stepped barefoot into the hallway. The air was chilly; no fire had been lit. Crossing to Frodo's door, she listened and then knocked gently. A quiet moan answered her. Opening the door, she was frightened to see him curled up on the floor by his bed, clutching the white gem he wore round his neck. His face was deathly white and tiny lines of pain radiated from his eyes and mouth.

"Frodo?" she said. She quickly crossed the room and knelt by his side.

"It is gone for ever. And now all is dark and empty." Frodo stared into space as if in dream. Wondering at how light he was, Miranda scooped up the Hobbit and gently returned him to bed. He neither spoke nor slept for the remainder of the night. Unsure of what to do, Miranda decided to fetch help if he was no better the next day. He had awakened early the next morning and made light of his sickness. Before letting her leave the room, however, Frodo made her promise not to reveal to Sam or anyone else what had happened.

Before she knew it, the snow had melted away, leaving young buds and greenery in its place. This incident slipped her mind and on the first of May, she sat between Merry and Frodo, clutching Merry's hand and holding back tears as Samwise Gamgee pledged his undying love for Rose Cotton. On the sixth of May, Miranda was wakened by impish voices near her ear.

"The sun is risen and the day is bright, the leaves are blooming and all is right!" sang Pippin as he threw open the curtains.

"Come, fair lady, today we ride to meet thy king!" This, Merry intoned in a mock-serious voice, going down on one knee and spreading wide his arms. Behind him, Pippin struck his fist against his breast, and posed nobly. The effect was ruined, however, by Sam peering through the window and saying,

"What are you two playing at? Where's Mr. Frodo? We should have been on the road an hour already!" He hurried round to the door and pushed it open, then knocked on Frodo's door shouting, "Mr. Frodo! Wake up! Its nearly midday!" Pippin and Merry looked at out at the sun, which was only halfway to being overhead and then looked at each other, grinning. A series of thuds, a loud crash and a soft curse came from the direction of Frodo's chamber, and as the other four bit back grins, a harried-looking Frodo came stumbling out, limping and buttoning his shirt. His curly hair was more rumpled than normal and red sleep lines criss-crossed his left cheek.

Unable to contain their merriment any longer, Merry, Pippin, Sam and Miranda began to laugh uproariously, slapping knees and crying into one another's shoulders as Frodo looked on in confusion. It slowly dawned on him that he'd been had and, in mock anger, he placed his hands on hips and pointed toward the door.

"Out! All of you out! No breakfast this morning!" This made the Hobbits take notice and their laughter immediately quieted to an occasional hiccup.

By the real midday, five ponies and a small horse stood out on the road, along with one woman and four impatient Hobbits and Maggie.

"Pippin!" roared Merry for the third time. "If you don't come out right this instant, we'll leave you behind!" A cheery face appeared at the door, and he came out, struggling with several bags and an oddly-shaped something, wrapped in paper.

"What is that?" asked Merry, pointing.

"Present!" said Pippin, happily. "Can't come without gifts, can you?"

"Meaning no offense, but its not a pipe, is it?" asked Sam, dubiously. Pippin grinned at Sam and mounted his pony saying,

"It's something no married man should be without!" And with that, they set off; Merry leading the way. Behind Frodo and Miranda, Sam and Rosie came, talking of the Elves. They had been invited personally by Aragorn, to spend their wedding celebration days at Rivendell. Rose, who had never seen an Elf, was beside herself with happiness. Frodo was happy about seeing Bilbo again, and Miranda was hoping to see a certain pointy-eared someone.

Their traveling time was much truncated being mounted and they reached Rivendell May 29th. There, they were greeted by both Lord Elrond and Aragorn. They were shown to their rooms, Miranda keeping an eye out for Legolas the whole time. She was disappointed however, to learn that he and Gimli had not yet arrived. Much of that evening was devoted to Bilbo, who, while looking a bit moth-eaten, still was mostly lucid and requested the whole tale of the Scouring of the Shire.

Early the next morning, Miranda slipped out of bed with the intention of finding someplace to wash.

**Three weeks on horseback doesn't exactly do wonders for the smell, does it?** she thought wryly as she noticed a large smear of dirt across her nose. As she came down the path toward the river, she ran into Aragorn and two tall, dark-haired strangers. Aragorn's stern face relaxed into a welcoming smile and he bowed over her hand.

"My Lady, welcome back to Imladris,"he said. "May I introduce you to Elladan and Elrohir, sons of Lord Elrond?" The two Elves bowed and Miranda smiled at them.

"No, no family resemblance there!" she teased, as they were the mirror image of their father. They looked at her solemnly, but made no reply.

**Note to self: Elves have no sense of humor.** Feeling rebuffed and oddly out of place by their other-worldly beauty, Miranda turned to Aragorn and, nodding to his bow, said lamely,

"Going hunting?" He nodded, and sensing her discomfort, asked:

"Are you familiar with the bow?" at the shake of her head, he continued, "Would you like to learn?" Miranda was surprised, as were the sons of Elrond. Her loud human ways would most likely give away their position. Aragorn, however, recognized the feeling of being out of place, evident in Miranda's face and was reminded of his youth in Imladris. Though for a man he was skilled and accomplished, by Elven standards he was loud and clumsy. He knew what it was like to be an outsider. He was also curious about her history and her life in the Shire. The idea of a human woman living comfortably with the Hobbits seemed absurd to many and even a bit odd to Aragorn who held Hobbits in the highest esteem.

As the sun rose over the mountains, Aragorn showed Miranda how to hold a bow. Elladan demonstrated how to walk soundlessly, though Miranda thought herself hopeless at it and Elrohir agreed. Turning her nose up at him, she goose-stepped behind him, her nose in the air, in an ungracious, but accurate caricature. Aragorn bit his lip to keep from laughing and had to begin coughing when Miranda used a nearby puddle to preen. By the time they had caught enough for the evening meal, Aragorn allowed Miranda to shoot using his own bow. She aligned the arrow and let fly. It went wildly off its mark and a loud grunt stirred the still morning air.

Coming up the hill were Legolas and Gimli, the latter glaring accusingly at Miranda.

"My nose narrowly escaped your arrow! You would do to be more cautious in loosing them!" The growling voice was accompanied by bright eyes hidden behind thick, bristly brows. Miranda had dropped the bow in shock, she now picked it up, laughing heartily and brushing leaves from her hair.

"Your nose would be none the worse with a bit of it missing, I fear," Legolas said, smiling at Miranda. She was surprised at his sudden appearance and at his appearance over all. In her mind, she remembered him as being very attractive and he was. But she had forgotten that light and inhuman beauty that he had. All the clever greetings she had thought out flew from her head and she grunted a bit dumbly at him. He looked at her curiously, but turned to greet Aragorn warmly.

"And how were the Glittering caves?" asked Aragorn, his eyes twinkling at Gimli.

"Truly I have seen beauty unequaled. They were everything Gimli claimed and more. My time was not wasted. Though you still might find this Elf in surprise that a truth should cross a Dwarf's tongue," answered Legolas.

"And you may find this Dwarf still surprised that one as thick-headed as an Elf would know enough to appreciate such beauty when it is beholden." Gimli and Legolas continued their bickering as they began toward the City. Miranda followed with Aragorn, hauling several dead rabbits over her shoulder.

**Why is it only in novels that you meet your man dressed in beautiful gowns with flowing hair and flawless skin? In real life you're dirty, sweaty, dressed in stained breeches and carrying bloody vermin!** She sighed and began the short decent to the valley.

Though Legolas continued to tell his tale to Aragorn, his eyes often drifted back toward Miranda. She was filthy and smelled quite a lot and her clothing oddly crafted, plus she had twigs in her hair. But she was so alive! Her eyes were bright, her hair was wild and she laughed without care. He could not help but admire this display and found her smile infectious. He suddenly realized Gimli had asked him a question.

"Forgive me, Master Dwarf, my attention was on a wren in the tree there," he said.

"A bit too colorful for a wren, with all that hair, don't you think? A bit louder, as well," Gimli answered. Legolas's eyes flew to Gimli's and saw his friend biting back laughter. His eyes narrowed.

"I haven't any idea to your meaning. Now if you do not mind, I shall greet our host," Legolas said. Gimli hid a smile at the stiffness in Legolas's voice and turned to greet Elrond.



************

"Did ye bring no leave any books in the Brandybuck library then, Merry?" asked Pippin. He heaved the knapsack onto the bed and glared at Merry. Merry smiled and began pulling large tomes out of the sack. Across the hall, Frodo and Sam washed weary feet.

"I need help finishing my 'Languages of Middle-Earth,'" he said. Pointing to Pippin's own sack, "Yours was none too light either. You do realize Elves eat? There will be food here?"

Pippin shrugged happily and unloaded the loaves of bread tucked into kerchiefs.

"Yeh, Merry, but only thrice daily! You willna want me wasting away?" Merry snorted at this and one of the books slid off the bed.

"Now look at what you've done!" he said. As he bent over to peer under the bed, dust and the brown cover greeted him. As he pulled it out, however, a strip of leather caught his eye.

"What's this?" he asked, pulling at it. To his surprise, it was attached to a large brown leather bag. He pulled it out and dusted off the top, his eyes growing bigger.

"Pippin! Isn't this the sack Miranda had with her in the forest?" Coming over to the bed, Pippin's own eyes widened and he nodded excitedly.

"I clean forgot about tha! Do you reckon its bin under there this whole time?" he said, starting to rummage through the bag. He stopped, as Merry's hand connected sharply with the back of his head.

"Out of there! You may as well bring it down to supper and return it to its rightful owner! However did it get way under a rarely used bed?" Merry asked softly as he headed to the wash-basin. Pippin's ear turned red and he ducked to avoid reflecting his guilty look in the mirror. He'd only wanted a peak at the human gadgets, but then Bilbo had come in and.....



***********



"So you have survived life with our Halflings, then?" said a soft voice. Miranda turned abruptly from her place at the balcony overlooking the Great Hall and couldn't help smiling. Reflected against the setting sun, he glowed orange, his face dark and evil.

**Always one for the bad-boy,** she thought.

"Yes, although I wasn't quite sure at first I'd make it through the nights. Have you heard a Hobbit snore?" she answered, grinning.

"If it were even half so loud as a Dwarf, I would indeed offer my condolences," Legolas smiled at her in return and offered his arm. Together they started slowly for the Hall.

"That and trying to fit both myself and Maggie into a Hobbit-sized bed!" Legolas was suddenly struck by an image of Miranda lying in bed, her arms outstretched, reaching for him, twigs in her hair. This image surprised him so much that he stumbled and caught her hand as it grabbed his shoulder. He was struck anew by the heat of her. He looked down from his superior height. It was rare in the Elven world, for males and females were usually of a height, but he towered over her. AS she gazed up at him, he wondered what it might feel like to take her into his arms, how warm and soft she would be.

Miranda stared up at Legolas, wondering what was going through his mind. He was eyeing her quite strangely. Her breathe quickened and she felt suddenly nervous. He was leaning toward her. Her eyes focused in on his lips that were so close and her eyes fluttered as he-

-reached out and removed a leaf from her hair. Taking a deep breath and a step back, Miranda cursed herself for her stupidity and stubbornness.

**Obviously he wasn't going to kiss you. You barely know each other and he's beautiful and you're....well.....not,** she thought and wished suddenly that she'd worn the gown laid out on her bed, instead of the comfortable leather trousers and tunic.

"We should go eat," she said and hurried off.

Legolas was surprised to feel his heart beating rapidly. He had not felt it so strongly since the last battle at Minas Tirith. He wondered why she had spooked like a deer in the forest, why she had left so suddenly. Had he frightened her? Bored her perhaps? She was used to human life, full of comings and goings. They were bright, vibrant beings. Not quiet and thoughtful. Though a bit more lively than Rivendell Elves, the folk of his home were still too stifling for Legolas. They disliked change and were content to enjoy what they had created. And soon they would leave. And he in turn, he mused, was too quiet for someone as alive as Miranda. He sighed and leaned against the balcony as the sun dipped below the green mountains. He missed trees. The deep, heavy forests of Mirkwood, now again Greenwood, where each towering mammoth would reveal its own secrets, given a sympathetic ear. Imladris was fair and a testament to the skill of Elven craftsman, but too grand and still. He missed the life of the forest. Rivendell's time was over and it was fading.

A loud sound, unusual and new rang from the Hall. A sudden shriek followed it.

**Miranda!** he thought illogically, and raced toward the Hall.