Chapter 3

"So where have you two been this morning?" Merry asked Sam and Lorelai as they came back up the balcony, laughing. Frodo and Pippin also stood nearby. Sam froze at his words.

"Oh, we went to see the horses this morning Merry, wonderful day it is you know," he replied.

"And this place has the most fabulous stables I have ever seen!" Lorelai exclaimed. "The stalls are large, and the area is so beautiful! And Sam was showing me around them, and then we went out into the pasture and all the horses were running around and then…" she dissolved into a fit of giggles. Sam blushed and the other hobbits peered curiously at her. Her face was red as she tried to continue. "He… he… slipped and fell in the mud!" Sam's face flushed even deeper as the other hobbits tried to hold back their smiles.

"I didn't SLIP," he said, "I meant to fall, just to show you… that you should be careful!" She looked at him, and he could see she was trying with all her might not to laugh, as were the others. She snorted and quickly clasped her hand over her mouth as not to let another laugh escape.

Sam grunted with a smile and mumbled, "I'm going to go change my pants…." He walked away, the slick mud covering his backside.

"Well, you're in a good mood today," Merry commented. The hobbits were surprised by her spiritedness this morning.

"Oh I think it's wonderful here!" Lorelai said spinning. "It's so filled with life and light…" she trailed off slowly as she caught hold of herself. Frodo looked at her with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. She seemed almost childish in her giddiness. His curiosity deepened when her face fell, as if she were almost ashamed to be happy.

"Well I think as soon as Sam returns," Frodo offered, "we should go down for breakfast."

"Yes, wonderful idea Frodo," Pippin commented as he rubbed his stomach hungrily. "It's been nine hours since I last ate!"

"But you just woke up," Frodo said, eyebrows cocked.

"Your point being?" Pippin shrugged. Lorelai stifled back a small laugh. At that moment, Sam came back clad in a fresh pair of pants.

"Off to breakfast!" Merry and Pippin cried together, as they began to run towards the hall. Sam shook his head and followed them, with Lorelai moving to follow him. Frodo quickly fell into pace beside her.

"Lorelai…" he started.

"Yes?" she responded, looking at him with expectancy.

"You look much prettier when you smile, you shouldn't try to hide it."

"Oh…" she sighed and felt a slight blush creeping up her cheeks. "Well, thank you, I guess…"

Frodo gave her a small smile and hurried to catch up with the others.

/What did he mean when he said that? And why did he say that? And why does my face feel hot whenever I'm around him? Oh, what does it matter…./ She shook her head, picking up her pace to catch up with the others.

"Lorelai," Elrond called to her from the garden below. Her face gently slid into a smile and she padded down the stairs towards him.

"Good morning Lord Elrond sir," she beamed.

"I was wondering if you were feeling better now," he asked, his wise eyes studying her face inquisitively.

"Oh yes sir," she said, "I feel better than ever today."

He smiled softly. "Alright then. Go off to breakfast, the others have already gone. I'm sure they will show you around Rivendell today."

"Thank you Lord Elrond sir." She nodded and turned to leave.

"Oh and Lorelai?"

"Yes?"

"Do try to keep the others, as well as yourself, out of trouble today?"

She giggled. "I'll try my hardest sir."

~*~

"That was wonderful!" Lorelai exclaimed as they exited the Great Hall. "I cannot believe you ate that much food for breakfast!"

Pippin glanced over at her, his pale face showing much fatigue for someone that early in the morning. "I shouldn't have made that bet Merry…"

"Well, it doesn't matter now, Pip, too late. You've already eaten the whole turkey…. Anyway, you did win, and you get three ounces of my store of pipeweed now."

"I would've pilfered it anyway…" he groaned, sitting on a bench on the path and holding his stomach.

"Now that's besides the point. Uh oh. Here come the meat sweats…" Merry sighed. "You go ahead, we'll catch up later."

"So…" Lorelai said, looking at their surroundings with barely concealed interest, trying to hide her excitement from her eyes. "Are you going to show me around this place? So far I've only seen the stables and I can't wait to find out what the rest of it looks like."

"Well, maybe Sam can show you…" Frodo said, pausing on the path in thought. "I must go, I'll catch up with you later…." He smiled a little awkwardly, turned, and followed the path in the opposite direction quickly, leaving without a backward glance.

"Well I wonder where he is off to," she said to herself. "No matter. Sam, will you…?"

"Miss Lorelai, I'd love to, but I have to go as well, I'm sorry." He shrugged and turned off to the direction that Frodo had just passed over moments ago. Lorelai caught a glimpse of his puzzled and curious look before he disappeared off into the gardens.

She sighed with exasperation and looked around where she stood. The paths were cobbled and gently swerved through the lush grass that was abundant. Tall trees graced the path and small flowers poked through the blades of grass on either side of her. Although it was beautiful to experience, she soon became bored.

"I wonder if Merry and Pippin are still there…" she said aloud and walked along the path towards where they had left the pair. The bench where Pippin had once sat, groaning, was empty, no trace of them being there at all. They were no where to be seen either, and she looked around with bewilderment. "My first day up and everyone disappears!"

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I'm sorry, I couldn't help sticking a little scene from Friends in there, it just fit, and I could see it happening… so I don't own that either. Ciao for now!