Red String
Onto the Havens
The golden brown leaves slowly fell onto the ground as the light wind blew through Buckland. Children ran about outside, playing and throwing themselves into the piles of leaves underneath the trees. The air was chilling; fathers were chopping wood for the oncoming winter, and mothers were busy cooking pies or food for the evening meals.
Miranda Chubb stood by her small window, holding her cup of tea. She looked outside at the world, watching as the leaves fell. The past summer had gone by so fast, and Frodo had rarely visited. Now it was autumn again. It was September, a day before Frodo's birthday. Her gaze shifted down sadly at her tea, gazing at her reflection in the light water. She had been thinking lately of the times she and Frodo had spent together, they had only known each other for a little over a year now. The days seemed longer now and darker…maybe sadder.
It wouldn't be long now before Frodo would go to the Havens and leave Middle-Earth.
She sat down in her brown chair, staring at the drink in her hands. The last time she had seen Frodo had been the hardest to say good bye…she was so full of grief that she would not see him again.; that was in late June, and still no word since then. Miranda put the drink on the table, laid her head in her hands sadly. Despite her families' best attempts to cheer her, they couldn't. Even Olivia and Claudia could not bring a full happy smile to her face. She looked back out the window, remembering the events from a year ago.
A sudden knock brought her attention from her memories. Miranda stood, coming and opening the door to her hobbit hole. There stood Merry and Pippin, both adorned in the outfits that they had returned to the Shire with. The majesty of Rohan and Gondor were delicately woven into the fabrics, as well as carved into their swords. Miranda smiled at them.
"Hello." She opened the door for them to enter. Pippin nodded to Merry and they both entered but did not remove their cloaks. "What is it?"
"Mira, grab a coat and come with us." Merry said, edging to the door, Miranda looked at him oddly. "Your family has been informed, come on, let us go."
"Where are we going? I did not volunteer myself to go anywhere!" Miranda folded her arms, her eyes glaring at the two hurried hobbits. Pippin sighed in aggravation and grabbed her coat, shoving it into her arms. "Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took tell me what is going on this minute!"
"We'll show you instead." Pippin ventured and grabbed her arm, pulling her outside. Miranda looked to where he gestured and gasped. A tall white man on a horse stood there outside her fence. He carried with him a long snow white staff to match his snow colored robes and hair. The old man smiled and the awed hobbit lass as Pippin guided her to him. "Miranda, may I introduce you to the wizard Gandalf, I believe you have heard of him."
"Well hearing and seeing are two different things, Pippin." Miranda said softly, stricken down by awe.
The wizard Gandalf let out a hearty chuckle and nodded. "So they are, so they are! You must be this hobbit lass the two were speaking with me about…" he smiled and leaned down. "The one who is quite close friends with Frodo?"
"My name is Miranda." She said softly. Gandalf smiled.
"I see, well, hello! You know of my name already." Gandalf nodded to Merry who closed Miranda's door and locked it. "Come, Master Peregrin, get her settled onto the pony you brought and we shall leave! The boat will not twaddle forever."
"Boat?" Miranda asked as she placed on her heavy coat and stepped up onto the pony that Pippin brought for her. Pippin smiled and got onto his own and Merry followed the suite as he got upon his pony.
"We are going to the Havens." Merry said as they started to trot off. "Frodo will try to get there a head of us, but it won't do! We all want to say good bye to Bilbo!" Miranda looked down sadly.
~*~
Gandalf lead them through the wooded paths through Buckland. They were heading west, beyond the towers to the Grey Havens, the last place on Middle-Earth the Elves would ever see. Miranda was silent, staring at awe in the wizard that had died and come back. Pippin and Merry found this quite amusing and joked, but Miranda was not able to smile. Going to the Havens would mean saying good bye to Frodo, but she doubted that either of the hobbits new that.
"Still round the corner there may wait a new road or a secret gate;" Gandalf sang into the forest with his deep voice. "And though I oft have passed them by, a day will come at last when I shall take the hidden paths that run West of the Moon, East of the Sun."
Miranda's ears perked as she heard a near by song, as if returning in answer to the song that the wizard had just sang. Lyrical harps and flutes soon followed.
"A! Elbereth Gilthoniel! Silivren penne míriel o menel aglar elenath," the song went. Miranda searched her mind, and found it to be similar to the language that Frodo had often spoke when he was with her, it was Elven. "Gilthoniel, A! Elbereth! We still remember, we who dwell, in this far land beneath the trees the starlight on the Western Seas."
"Ah here they are." Gandalf mused to himself and looked over his shoulders. "Come, hobbits, the camp has been found. The others do not expect us to be here, but it will bring joy to this sad day." He headed down the dirt path to the side of the one they road on, and the hobbits followed. Soon they came to a clearing of a camp. Elven banners stuck in the ground, their silver and shining threads sparkled in the twilight hour. Elves stood and came over, all shouting out "Mithrindir!". Gandalf laughed and hopped down off the ground and conversed with the Elves. Merry and Pippin assisted Miranda in stepping off the pony. She looked around in awe.
"Looks like a small piece of Rivendell." Merry commented. He took Miranda's arm in gentleman fashion. "Come then, we shall find your prince!" he stated and began to escort her through the camp. Miranda muttered something while Pippin chuckled and followed close behind. They soon reached a small pocket a few feet from the main camp, where a small fire was lit. There a tall Elven man stood and spoke with two smaller shadows. "Ah, there's Frodo, the sneaker." He nodded to Pippin.
Pippin casually walked behind Frodo and placed his hands on his shoulders. "You do know, cousin, it is very uncaring to tell your family that you are headed off!" he yelled. Frodo nearly jumped out of his skin and turned quickly, seeing Pippin there. His mouth was open agape as Pippin laughed heartily. Samwise laughed as well, an elderly hobbit sitting next to him chuckled.
"You tried to give us the slip once before and failed, Frodo, this time you have nearly succeeded, but you have failed again!" Merry came over, his arms at his sides. "And not to mention, we have brought you a lovely companion as well. Poor thing, stuffed up inside the house all the time."
"Merry, what are you babbling about?" Frodo asked standing and facing them. Merry and Pippin smiled at one another.
"It was not Sam, though, that gave you away this time, but Gandalf himself!" Pippin jeered as Merry turned and walked back to the main camp. "We asked a small favor of him, and he accepted to tag it along with us. Come now, cousin, close your eyes! We wouldn't want to spoil the surprise!" Frodo sighed and reluctantly closed his eyes. Merry brought Miranda over silently and stood her before Frodo. Miranda looked up at the hobbit whose eyes were closed. "Alright cousin, open them. I cannot wait to see your face."
Frodo opened his eyes and saw Miranda. His mouth opened slightly in shock as he started at her. Miranda smiled weakly. "Surprise?" she asked softly. Frodo smiled and took her hands in his.
"Indeed it is quite a surprise." Frodo agreed and led her to the circle, motioning for his cousin to follow. He brought Miranda over to Samwise and the elderly hobbit. The elder hobbit looked up at Frodo and smiled, and smiled at Miranda.
"Frodo, my lad, who is this lovely lady?" he asked and Miranda blushed, smiling with her embarrassment.
"This is Miranda Anne Chubb, Bilbo." Frodo replied. Bilbo Baggins smiled at Miranda again, seemingly to like her already. "She is…very important to me." Miranda looked up at him as he looked at her and smiled. "Very important."
~*~
Miranda sat next to Frodo that night. The Elves and Hobbits (and wizard) sang and danced together until it was announced that they must rest to continue their journey to the Havens. Frodo led Miranda to the small sleeping spots that had been accommodated for the hobbits. They all sat in the small tent, Miranda sitting beside Frodo once again. He held her hand lovingly, as they watched Pippin and Merry sing their songs.
The tent door was opened and there stepped in Galadriel, the Elven Queen. The hobbits all bowed their heads and Miranda stared in shock and awe of the Elf before her. Galadriel smiled softly at the hobbit lass and looked at the other five hobbits.
"I hope you all have found the gifts I gave unto you useful." She said, referring to the Gift Giving. They all nodded, and she smiled her fair smile again. "I have one more gift to give unto the Hobbits of this world." She spoke and looked at Miranda. Miranda blinked. "You, Lady Hobbit, are a very beautiful woman. I am glad to find that Master Baggins has found a lovely and witted companion." Miranda blushed and Frodo looked away in embarrassment. Galadriel smiled and motioned the hobbits to come and stand with her outside. Merry and Sam helped Bilbo stand.
Outside, Galadriel stood with the other two Elven Ringbearers. She motioned for Miranda to step forward, and Miranda looked at Frodo, and he nodded. Miranda let go of his hand and came to Galadriel and the other Elves. The brown haired Elf, Elrond, stepped aside and Celeborn brought forth a satin cloak, silver gray was its color with a butterfly broach at the connecting fabrics for the hood. Miranda looked up at them, then down at the cloak.
"We give this to you, Lady Hobbit." Elrond spoke. "We've been informed about you and how your presence has up lifted these heroes's, a gift of our gratitude." He took the cloak and unbuttoned the butterfly broach, and draped it around her shoulders. Galadriel pinned the broach back together, and stepped back. "We give you the name of Vanyapícaer. Beautiful Small One."
Miranda bowed low, unsure of what to do or say. Frodo smiled sadly at her.
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A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger. I want the Gray Havens to be its own chapter ^^