Two young women in suits sitting at two desks.

Adiva: Oh! Hello! Welcome to Really Big Pencil Ltd.!

Summer: Or more fondly at RBPL!

Adiva: Um.Yes. I'm Adiva Calandia and this is my leechI mean, partner Summer Skye.

Summer: Partner in crime that is. Wait a minute! Did you just call me a leech?!

Adiva: UmmmNo. Anyway! This is the first installment of Really Big Pencil's first writing venture. Allow me to give a brief history of Really Big Pencil Ltd.

Summer: UmmAdiva. We don't have a history. Unless you count Adventures through Lossnor, which really yours. I just contributed.

Adiva: Anyway. Moving on. We started, or rather Summer started, writing this three years ago this summer, so we've been working on this for a loooooooooooong time.

Summer: We've been working on it?! I've been working on it! You keep delaying with lame excuses! You keep giving me the same two chapters over and over and over again!

Adiva: UmmmmAll complaints must be referred to management.

Summer: You are management!

Adiva: UmmmmAnyway. Welcome to Really Big Pencil Ltd. We hope you enjoy your reading experience. My leech I mean partner, and I have to go discuss are difference. starts to push Summer out the door

Summer: I knew it! You did leech!

Adiva: Fade to story! makes "cut" motion across throat

~End Author's Note~

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The winter wind whipped through the trees as Eileena of Rohan rode into Edoras.

'Did you enjoy your ride, Your Majesty?' a guard asked her. As she dismounted, he gripped the reins of her mare.

'Very much so, thank you Eothain. Has the King returned from Helm's Deep?'

'I fear not, Milady. Shall I alert you if there's any news?'

'Yes, if you please. I shall be in the library.' She walked out of the stables and into the Golden Hall.

Eileena was the redheaded queen of Rohan, wife to the king, Eomer. She surveyed her country through her silver streaked blue eyes. Winter was very heavily set in Rohan. The snow covered the country with deep blankets of snow. The bitter wind caught the banners of Rohan, causing them to dance and flutter. She shuddered and smiled before walking into the Golden Hall. Once inside, she shed her fur-trimmed cloak and gave it to a lady-in-waiting.

She walked down one of the side passages and into the library. Upon entering, she climbed the stairs to the second level of the library and began to search for a book. It was slow going, for Eileena was with her third child. She had only recently stopped having morning sickness and her belly was beginning to swell. Suddenly her eyes caught a glimpse of a dust covered, leather bound book.

She pulled the book off the shelf and coughed at the cloud of dust that came with it. Waving the dust away from her face, she opened the book to the title page, which read: The Red Book of Westmarch, the memoir of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.

'So this is the book that Sam was telling me about,' she said to herself as she looked through the book. She ran her finger over the spin in a loving, curious, dream like fashion. She was so lost in thought she didn't hear Eothain come into the library.

'Milady!' Eothain called up to her.

Eileena gave a gasp of surprise. She turned around and looked over the railing, with a hand on her breast. She was breathing rapidly and her heart was beating quickly against her chest.

'Milady, are you all right?' Eothain asked in concern.

'Yes, I'm fine, Eothain. What is it?'

'There is a weather-beaten man here to see you. He looks like a Ranger. He says he brings news from your brother. Shall I admit him?'

'Send him in straight away,' Eileena ordered as she climbed down the stairs. She sat in a chair by the fire with a sigh.

'As you wish, Milady.' He bowed and departed.

Eileena settled herself in her chair and began to read. A few moments later, Eothain returned with the stranger. Eileena gave him a warm, welcoming smile. She stood and greeted him cordially. 'Welcome to Rohan. Please come and warm yourself by the fire and tell me your news.'

'Your Majesty is most kind,' he said in a cracked voice.

'Thank you, Eothain. Please return to your post.'

Eothain bowed and left. Eileena turned to the strange, smiling; 'You can throw aside your guise, my dear brother.'

'How did you know it was me?' The man asked, removing his hood.

'I recognized your walk and those garments, not to mention the Elfstone. Honestly, Aragorn, you could try to be a little more original.'

Aragorn smiled at his younger sister's attention to detail. 'I shall try to do so next time.'

'So what brings you to Rohan, son of Arathorn?' she asked as she settled back into her chair, with the book in her lap.

'A visit to my dear little brings me here, daughter of Gilraen.'

'I'm not so little anymore. I have great responsibility here. I am a queen, a devoted wife, and loving mother now.' She replied, feigning offense.

'Speaking of motherhood, I have it on good authority that I'm to be an uncle for a third time.'

'Eothain told you, I assume.'

'Yes. Do Elfwine and Gilraen know about their future sibling?'

'They do. Eomer, however, does not. He's been away at Helm's Deep overseeing repair crews. He should be back fairly soon.'

They were interrupted by a shriek. 'Mama! Elfwine is chasing me!' They both stood at the whine of a small girl as the owner came rushing in. She ran to her mother and hid behind her skirts. Eileena placed a hand on her daughter's golden head. 'Elfwine, stop chasing your sister,' Eileena said calmly, but sternly to her nine-year-old son. She shot Aragorn a wry glance and said. 'I wonder where he gets it from?'

'I can't imagine,' replied Aragorn sitting back down. Gilraen, Eileena's young daughter, released her mother's skirts and climbed into her uncle's lap.

'Gilraen, why don't you tell your uncle the surprise that you and Elfwine will be getting,' Eileena said to her daughter with a secret wink to her brother.

'Elfwine and I are getting a baby!' Gilraen said excitedly.

'My! What a shock,' said Aragorn, his eyes wide with mock surprise. Then, musingly, 'Tis a pity that Bilbo and Frodo couldn't put it in their book.'

'Oh, speaking of their book, I believe I found it on the bookshelves.' Eileena gestured at the book in her lap. 'I think Sam left here when the Gamgees visited last with Merry and Pippin,' she continued as she handed the book to Aragorn.

'Read it to us, Uncle!' Gilraen pleaded.

'I don't know if your mother would like me to tell you such a dark and dangerous tale,' Aragorn said doubtfully

'They've heard of what happened at Helm's Deep all those years ago,' Eileena interjected. 'But they don't know the whole story of the Fellowship of The Ring. I think it is time they heard it in full.' Elfwine huffed as he sat in front of his mother. 'Elfwine, what's wrong?' Eileena asked her nine-year-old son.

'I'm too old for stories. They're for babies like Gilraen.'

'I am not a baby. I'm five,' Gilraen protested.

'All the more reason I shouldn't tell you this tale. It's full of orcs, sorcery, huge battles, and danger,' Aragorn winked at his sister.

Elfwine sat up a little straighter. 'You can read it if you want Uncle. I'll sit here in front of Mama in case she gets scared.'

Aragorn nodded, opened the book and began to read to his young niece and nephew. 'When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.'