"So, you will be there?" Bilbo asked Celalcien.
"Wouldn't miss it," she told him through a mouth full of food.
"It may throw the number off somewhat, but I believe this exception would be fine," the hobbit mumbled.
Celalcien raised an eyebrow but said nothing, it hadn't dawned on Bilbo that she could hear him. Anyway, what he said did not seem to hold terrible significance.
"An old friend of mine will be bringing fireworks of the most wonderful sort," Bilbo continued. "Like nothing ever seen since the days of the old Took."
She looked at him over the top of her cup of coffee and a small smile crossed her face. She didn't know much about hobbits and their history.
"Oh, how thoughtless of me. You wouldn't know who the old Took was, of course you wouldn't."
"That's alright, Bilbo. But tell me, how do you know Gandalf?"
Bilbo looked up at her, clearly surprised.
"Oh, come on. Gandalf is the only person I know that makes fire works the way you describe them. Now, how do you know him?"
Bilbo laughed. "Let it suffice to say that he pushed me out the door at the start of my great adventure. And he often pushed me on at other times down the Road after we'd left the Shire."
"You know, you tell a lot of stories Bilbo, but I have never heard the tale of this adventure you keep referring to. I'd like to hear it sometime."
Smiling slightly, the old hobbit shifted his gaze to the window and he suddenly became very distant. "Perhaps someday I shall share my story with you, Celalcien, but today there is not time, it is getting rather late."
Silently she nodded and turned her own eyes to the window, wondering about this strange hobbit and his travels. Then her thoughts shifted to her own paths and life. How many years had she simply wondered? How many had it been since she called someplace home? With a surprising suddenness she wondered what it would be like just to stay in the Shire. Not worrying about what was happening in the world outside its borders.
"Something's on your mind, child," came Bilbo's voice.
"There always is," she replied as she looked around the kitchen of Bag End.
"I often wonder about you, Celalcien."
She gave a small laugh, "So does Elrond, and everyone else. I'm different from the elves and I'm not the same as my mother's kindred. I am somewhere in between, and thus I am nowhere within their reach. Not even the Halfelven know my mind."
"Then what is it, I wonder, that causes you to pour you mind out to a hobbit?"
"I wish I knew," was all the answer Bilbo got as the girl's eyes wondered back to the garden.
Bilbo nodded but left Celalcien to her silence, perhaps her lineage was not what she was hiding, maybe it was something else.
***
The Green Dragon was loud and noisy, packed full of hobbits looking for a good time. Lal sat quietly at a table in the corner, watching the ruckus and catching bits of conversation.
However, her thoughts were elsewhere, she couldn't help it. The nightmare's had been getting worse, giving her the feeling that something had happened, had been awakened. Even after the overthrow of Sauron, evil remained in Middle-earth, she had encountered it many times. But this was something bigger and nothing could shake her foreboding spirit. She had a way of...of sensing such things, just as her father had. What made it worse was that her secret was out, Fordo and Bilbo knew of her elven heritage. Though, they might figure it was best to keep it quiet.
The door opened again, she didn't bother to look at who had entered, tonight her curiosity in the Shire had been dulled. There were other things to think about, and hobbits weren't one of them.
***
Merry looked around the tavern and welcomed the unexpected sight of Celalcien sitting in the corner, dead to the world.
Shaking his head he ordered his drink and then walked over to where she sat.
"Hullo," he greeted her as he approached.
She didn't respond, didn't move, she just kept starring at the walls.
"Lal?"
Still nothing.
"Celalcien." This time he put his hand on her shoulder. That did the trick. She went straight as a board as she looked at him.
"Merry! Sorry, I didn't see you there."
The hobbit just smiled. "Had a little too much?"
"No. For your information I haven't had a thing," she told him with a glare.
"Alright, alright, sorry. So, what were you thinking about?"
"Nothing that should bother you."
Merry gave her a hard look, "You're not fooling me Celalcien."
"Good for you."
"What's wrong, Lal?"
She forced a smile, hoping it looked real. There was no point in getting anyone else involved. Merry didn't know and he didn't need to. "Really, everything's fine."
"Alright." was all he said, though his eyes said he still wasn't convinced.
Again she tried to smile, but it failed. Lying wasn't working, not here, not now. Giving up all efforts Lal let out a long sigh.
Merry moved to pick up his untouched draught, but stopped as he glanced at the girl sitting across from him. "No," the word was quiet. "No, it's not alright."
"What?" It was all she could think to say. He just wouldn't leave it alone!
"I know you're not like us, Lal, but something isn't right. What are you hiding? You won't say where your from, or even why your here. I can deal with your secrets, but not with your lies."
Celalcien was taken aback, not even Bilbo had approached her secrets like this. "Merry, I can't tell you, not everything." She spoke softly trying to turn away a few prying eyes and ears from the closest tables.
"Just tell me something."
"What do you want to know?"
"Where your from."
"Nowhere," she told him.
"I'm not going to settle for that again."
"Okay, Everywhere."
"Lal...your incredible. You really are. Do you really expec..."
"Merry, listen," she cut him off. "I'm telling you the truth now. My mother had me while my parents were on their way to Imladris. I really was born in a forest. I've never called any place home. I am from everywhere."
All he could do was look at her. She was undoubtably being truthful, he could see it in her face, hear it in her voice. Slowly he nodded his head. "Okay."
She let out a breath, as if she were waiting to see of he would believe her, as if that night's very existence depended on it. Finally she asked, "Anything else?"
"Yes, but...I hate to pry."
"You didn't two minutes ago."
"Two minutes ago you wouldn't have told me a thing."
"I would have told you where I was from."
"You didn't before."
"I didn't know who to trust before."
"I'll take that. But where were you, before you came here?'
At that she went stiff again, weighing her answer carefully. Finally she told him all she could, "It best that you don't know."
After a moment the hobbit decided not to push his luck.
"That wasn't it, was it? That's not the other question you wanted to ask."
This time Merry did take a drink. She had read that book quiet easily. "No it wasn't."
"Then what was it?"
"Your parents, what happened?"
"Meriadoc! Some things are better left unasked."
"Well, if you weren't so prone to hiding everything then..."
"You'd probably end up dead."
That stopped him.
"I can't tell you everything because it just might kill you someday."
"What are you talking about?"
"I can't say much more than that. But I'll tell you this much: My parents were killed when I was young. I went to Imladris after that. When I turned twelve I would follow the Rangers, at fifteen I began to wonder around Middle-earth." She stopped. The story was over. What secrets that could be were revealed. Only one question remained. Why would Bilbo make such a big deal out of her bloodline?
"Anyway, I need to get back," she said, rising from her seat.
"Back? If you're still staying at the Ivy Bush, what are you doing here?"
"I'm staying the Cotton's actually."
"And you're just going to waltz into their home at all uncomely hours of the night?"
"Their used to it, Mrs. Cotton leaves the back door unlocked."
"You do realize that, while Bywater isn't too far from Hobbiton, it's still a good distance away."
"Yes. And I'll walk all night to get there if I need to."
"Well, since you'd probably object to any ideas of staying here for the night, I'll walk with you."
"Come on, Merry. You?"
"You'd be amazed. Besides I wouldn't be much of a hobbit if I let a lady travel on her own at night."
Letting out a laugh, she smiled, and this time it was real. "Well, I'm not sure how much of a lady I really am, but I'll go for it tonight."
With that she turned and the two walked toward the door.
***
Ted Sandyman took a sip of his beer, he had heard it all. This visitor had some secrets that might be worth something someday. It was just a matter of listening closer.
Quickly he finished off his drink and left the table, making his way through the crowd. Ted had a feeling that following the two who had just left would pay off somehow. If not now then it would later, those who carried secrets often had persuers close behind.
"Wouldn't miss it," she told him through a mouth full of food.
"It may throw the number off somewhat, but I believe this exception would be fine," the hobbit mumbled.
Celalcien raised an eyebrow but said nothing, it hadn't dawned on Bilbo that she could hear him. Anyway, what he said did not seem to hold terrible significance.
"An old friend of mine will be bringing fireworks of the most wonderful sort," Bilbo continued. "Like nothing ever seen since the days of the old Took."
She looked at him over the top of her cup of coffee and a small smile crossed her face. She didn't know much about hobbits and their history.
"Oh, how thoughtless of me. You wouldn't know who the old Took was, of course you wouldn't."
"That's alright, Bilbo. But tell me, how do you know Gandalf?"
Bilbo looked up at her, clearly surprised.
"Oh, come on. Gandalf is the only person I know that makes fire works the way you describe them. Now, how do you know him?"
Bilbo laughed. "Let it suffice to say that he pushed me out the door at the start of my great adventure. And he often pushed me on at other times down the Road after we'd left the Shire."
"You know, you tell a lot of stories Bilbo, but I have never heard the tale of this adventure you keep referring to. I'd like to hear it sometime."
Smiling slightly, the old hobbit shifted his gaze to the window and he suddenly became very distant. "Perhaps someday I shall share my story with you, Celalcien, but today there is not time, it is getting rather late."
Silently she nodded and turned her own eyes to the window, wondering about this strange hobbit and his travels. Then her thoughts shifted to her own paths and life. How many years had she simply wondered? How many had it been since she called someplace home? With a surprising suddenness she wondered what it would be like just to stay in the Shire. Not worrying about what was happening in the world outside its borders.
"Something's on your mind, child," came Bilbo's voice.
"There always is," she replied as she looked around the kitchen of Bag End.
"I often wonder about you, Celalcien."
She gave a small laugh, "So does Elrond, and everyone else. I'm different from the elves and I'm not the same as my mother's kindred. I am somewhere in between, and thus I am nowhere within their reach. Not even the Halfelven know my mind."
"Then what is it, I wonder, that causes you to pour you mind out to a hobbit?"
"I wish I knew," was all the answer Bilbo got as the girl's eyes wondered back to the garden.
Bilbo nodded but left Celalcien to her silence, perhaps her lineage was not what she was hiding, maybe it was something else.
***
The Green Dragon was loud and noisy, packed full of hobbits looking for a good time. Lal sat quietly at a table in the corner, watching the ruckus and catching bits of conversation.
However, her thoughts were elsewhere, she couldn't help it. The nightmare's had been getting worse, giving her the feeling that something had happened, had been awakened. Even after the overthrow of Sauron, evil remained in Middle-earth, she had encountered it many times. But this was something bigger and nothing could shake her foreboding spirit. She had a way of...of sensing such things, just as her father had. What made it worse was that her secret was out, Fordo and Bilbo knew of her elven heritage. Though, they might figure it was best to keep it quiet.
The door opened again, she didn't bother to look at who had entered, tonight her curiosity in the Shire had been dulled. There were other things to think about, and hobbits weren't one of them.
***
Merry looked around the tavern and welcomed the unexpected sight of Celalcien sitting in the corner, dead to the world.
Shaking his head he ordered his drink and then walked over to where she sat.
"Hullo," he greeted her as he approached.
She didn't respond, didn't move, she just kept starring at the walls.
"Lal?"
Still nothing.
"Celalcien." This time he put his hand on her shoulder. That did the trick. She went straight as a board as she looked at him.
"Merry! Sorry, I didn't see you there."
The hobbit just smiled. "Had a little too much?"
"No. For your information I haven't had a thing," she told him with a glare.
"Alright, alright, sorry. So, what were you thinking about?"
"Nothing that should bother you."
Merry gave her a hard look, "You're not fooling me Celalcien."
"Good for you."
"What's wrong, Lal?"
She forced a smile, hoping it looked real. There was no point in getting anyone else involved. Merry didn't know and he didn't need to. "Really, everything's fine."
"Alright." was all he said, though his eyes said he still wasn't convinced.
Again she tried to smile, but it failed. Lying wasn't working, not here, not now. Giving up all efforts Lal let out a long sigh.
Merry moved to pick up his untouched draught, but stopped as he glanced at the girl sitting across from him. "No," the word was quiet. "No, it's not alright."
"What?" It was all she could think to say. He just wouldn't leave it alone!
"I know you're not like us, Lal, but something isn't right. What are you hiding? You won't say where your from, or even why your here. I can deal with your secrets, but not with your lies."
Celalcien was taken aback, not even Bilbo had approached her secrets like this. "Merry, I can't tell you, not everything." She spoke softly trying to turn away a few prying eyes and ears from the closest tables.
"Just tell me something."
"What do you want to know?"
"Where your from."
"Nowhere," she told him.
"I'm not going to settle for that again."
"Okay, Everywhere."
"Lal...your incredible. You really are. Do you really expec..."
"Merry, listen," she cut him off. "I'm telling you the truth now. My mother had me while my parents were on their way to Imladris. I really was born in a forest. I've never called any place home. I am from everywhere."
All he could do was look at her. She was undoubtably being truthful, he could see it in her face, hear it in her voice. Slowly he nodded his head. "Okay."
She let out a breath, as if she were waiting to see of he would believe her, as if that night's very existence depended on it. Finally she asked, "Anything else?"
"Yes, but...I hate to pry."
"You didn't two minutes ago."
"Two minutes ago you wouldn't have told me a thing."
"I would have told you where I was from."
"You didn't before."
"I didn't know who to trust before."
"I'll take that. But where were you, before you came here?'
At that she went stiff again, weighing her answer carefully. Finally she told him all she could, "It best that you don't know."
After a moment the hobbit decided not to push his luck.
"That wasn't it, was it? That's not the other question you wanted to ask."
This time Merry did take a drink. She had read that book quiet easily. "No it wasn't."
"Then what was it?"
"Your parents, what happened?"
"Meriadoc! Some things are better left unasked."
"Well, if you weren't so prone to hiding everything then..."
"You'd probably end up dead."
That stopped him.
"I can't tell you everything because it just might kill you someday."
"What are you talking about?"
"I can't say much more than that. But I'll tell you this much: My parents were killed when I was young. I went to Imladris after that. When I turned twelve I would follow the Rangers, at fifteen I began to wonder around Middle-earth." She stopped. The story was over. What secrets that could be were revealed. Only one question remained. Why would Bilbo make such a big deal out of her bloodline?
"Anyway, I need to get back," she said, rising from her seat.
"Back? If you're still staying at the Ivy Bush, what are you doing here?"
"I'm staying the Cotton's actually."
"And you're just going to waltz into their home at all uncomely hours of the night?"
"Their used to it, Mrs. Cotton leaves the back door unlocked."
"You do realize that, while Bywater isn't too far from Hobbiton, it's still a good distance away."
"Yes. And I'll walk all night to get there if I need to."
"Well, since you'd probably object to any ideas of staying here for the night, I'll walk with you."
"Come on, Merry. You?"
"You'd be amazed. Besides I wouldn't be much of a hobbit if I let a lady travel on her own at night."
Letting out a laugh, she smiled, and this time it was real. "Well, I'm not sure how much of a lady I really am, but I'll go for it tonight."
With that she turned and the two walked toward the door.
***
Ted Sandyman took a sip of his beer, he had heard it all. This visitor had some secrets that might be worth something someday. It was just a matter of listening closer.
Quickly he finished off his drink and left the table, making his way through the crowd. Ted had a feeling that following the two who had just left would pay off somehow. If not now then it would later, those who carried secrets often had persuers close behind.