Going Away Agador - POV

I awoke the next morning still very tired, although it second breakfast was almost over. I hurriedly scrambled outside do scoop up the last of the fried bacon. My mother had not let go of her eating habbits after leaving Bree. She told me many times that hobbits ate seven or so meals a day! My father only ate a meal when he was hungry, which was about twice, in the morning and at night, but sometimes had a snack in midday. Today was sunny, but a nice cold breeze drifted through the village. Brier was already awake and wolfing down some fried tomatoes. I sat over next to him and we ate together.

"About time you're awake! If I didn't know better, I could've sworn you were sick!" Brier joked with a mouth full of food. I laughed as he spit a few crumbs out as he spoke.

"Are you ready to go on an adventure?" I asked. We had made plans the night before to look for logs in which to craft swords out of. Father had denied my request for a bow, so I took it upon myself to craft me a sword.

"You bet!" Brier exclaimed, spitting more food. He wiped his mouth and swallowed the last bit of tomato on his plate and stood up, towering over me. "Let's get to it then!"

"Agador!" I heard the voice of my mother calling me from our garden. "I need to speak with you!" I hurried over after finishing my bacon, trying to be as quick as possible in order to make my sword.

"Yes mother?" she motioned for me to go inside our hut. I obliged, but was a bit worried when I saw father sitting at our small wooden table.

"Agador," he said. "Come sit down, we've got something to tell you." It was when I moved closer that I saw Entälenir at the table as well. I bowed to show courtesy towards him. Entälenir just smiled and hugged me close, and gave me a kiss on my forehead.

"Is it about the elves I met yesterday?" I asked, scared that he would forbid me to go to the lake again.

"No, no, nothing of the kind," father explained. "Your mother and I will be traveling to Númenor tomorrow, and Entälenir has agreed to keep you in his company while we are away." I smiled and hugged father, then Entälenir. He always told me great stories!

"When shall you return?" I asked, again facing father.

"In late October, nearly November." Mother said. "And while we are away we expect you to be a good houseguest, okay?" I nodded. Entälenir's hut was always a wonder. He had two more rooms than we had, and one was full of books, maps, weapons, and drawings he's done on his many adventures through the wild. In the other he kept a room for the sick or wounded, or a place where babies could be born. He also had stables out back for riding horses. Maybe he would teach me to shoot an arrow. Father dismissed me and I shot out of our hut, kicking dust up as I went. I nearly knocked Brier over as I exited the doorway.

"Excellent news!" I shouted to him.

"You're getting your bow?" he asked, a smile stretching across his face.

"No, mother and father are going to Númenor, and I get to stay with you and Entälenir! Isn't this great?" I shouted, and I hugged him, full of much joy. And then we headed off to find a block of wood in which to make a sword, full of high spirits and we sang much along the way. One song we thought of ourselves, and sang like this:

Although we walk on tired feet Many wonders we will meet On our adventures low and high We travel far, you and I

Over mountains, through many caves Never resting 'til our graves And I shall follow you on foot Never resting, nor staying put!

The last line was always my favorite, and I burst out laughing whenever I said it. Brier wasn't as amused, but that never bothered me much. At last we found a good chunk of wood, and rolled it along out of the forest towards camp.

"I wonder if we will ever go on an adventure," I wondered aloud for the thirtieth time that week. "Maybe we'll meet wizards! Wouldn't you like to meet a wizard, Brier?"

"Quite so, but I've always pondered over their true ability. If they were so full of power, wouldn't they just wipe out every Orc in Middle- earth in one giant swipe of their staff?" he asked me, although he knew I didn't know the answer. I thought for a minute, then sighed.

"Perhaps they are testing the strength of men," I offered, but didn't quite understand. Brier considered this for a moment, then said:

"Well, perhaps, but why would anyone want to sacrifice a life for strength?" I didn't know any response to his question, and shrugged my shoulders instead. Then I began to hum our song, as we walked together back home in the dying light of day.