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Ch. 7: Unexpected Visitor
Zilda had run almost halfway home before she, quite literally, ran into her brother on the path. Their head-on collision knocked both of them off their feet and onto the ground on their backs. When they had gotten their wind back they both began laughing hysterically almost too hysterically, it really wasn't that funny but for some unknown reason to the two of them it was immensely humorous. Maybe it was a brother-sister thing. They always had been very close and had many little inside jokes, mostly about Pip and his knack for getting into trouble.
Still chuckling, Pippin got up and brushed the dirt off his pants, then went to help his sister. She was panting after running down the path and then laughing so hard and tears of laughter were in her eyes. She wiped them away and took a few deep breaths before she asked,
"What in the world were you yelling about? The way you were carrying on, I thought maybe someone had died!"
"Oh no! You have a rather important visitor who ordered me to run out and fetch you at once." Pip replied, a little short of breath himself.
"And you mean to tell me that you'll follow his orders, but you won't even wash the dishes for me when I ask you thirty times?" Zilda said as they began to walk down the path toward their hobbit hole. Pippin grimaced at that. Zilda just chuckled.
"So, who is it?" Pip suddenly got a very sly look in his beady little eye.
"Well I can't exactly tell you," he said secretively, smiling evilly at her. She immediately punched him in the arm. He yelped and rubbed the spot, "What'd you do that for? Now I'm gonna have a bruise!" Zilda laughed.
"Oh hush, you baby! I didn't hit you that hard. I did it because you won't tell me who this big, important person is, who has come to see me."
"Well, why don't you run up to the house and see for yourself? You know you run faster and better than me."
"Will you be alright?" Zilda asked, not wanting to leave her baby brother behind.
"Zilda, I've been walking these paths for ten years! I think I know my way around."
"Well, you know how you are." She teased, tapping her forehead. He shoved her down the road.
"Would you go already? I've kept him waiting long enough!" Zilda smiled and kissed Pip on the forehead. Then she turned and ran down the path.
In two minutes, she was standing on her front porch. She took a deep breath and walked in, shutting the door quietly after her.
"Hello!" She yelled, "Is anyone here?"
"It's about time!" a gruff, yet familiar, voice from the parlor replied, "I sent Peregrin out to look for you ten minutes ago!"
"Gandalf!" Zilda exclaimed. She ran into the parlor and threw her arms around the wizard's
neck. Then, she began to ramble, "Tirin
an le! Quene i norer le ni!" *I've been
waiting for you! Tell me where you've
been! * Gandalf pulled back from her and looked at her in shock.
"You're learning quickly! Anyone else would have taken one hundred
years to learn to put sentences together."
Zilda blushed at the compliment then replied,
"I've been looking over some of those books of spells you sent me as well. Watch!" She held up a finger and said, "Nar!" *Fire! * All of a sudden, her finger burst into blue flame. She smiled at her creation and looked up at Gandalf, waiting for his approval. He smiled and nodded.
"Good!" he said with pride. Zilda nodded and whispered to the flame,
"Ne kele." *Be gone. * The small flame dwindled and disappeared with a poof, "I can do other things as well, but some of them don't always turn out the way I would like and a lot of them tire me." Gandalf took her chin in his hand and raised her face to look at him.
"Le loi vana pella ilye i harma arda." *You have grown more beautiful than all the treasure of the earth. * She blushed and pulled away from his gaze in embarrassment. She didn't like it when people made comments like that. It frightened her. Gandalf noticed this and quickly changed the subject.
"I've brought you something." He said opening a bag on the floor. He began to rummage through it, muttering to himself, "Now where did I put it… Ah, here it is!" He said finally, pulling out an oddly shaped parcel, wrapped in green cloth and tied with a silver cord, "Nen kane on le hi lyo atar." *I was commanded to give you this, by your father. * Zilda took the gift, and ran her fingers over the beautiful fabric and touched the cord, which she could tell was made of hithlain.
"Edrayes." *Open it. * She untied the cord and slowly, slid the fabric off to reveal and beautiful dagger. Zilda gasped with delight and her eyes shone as she inspected the weapon. The sheath and belt were relatively plain, made of dark leather, but the dagger itself more than made up for that. The handle was made of oak and engraved in silver was a beautiful flower, the most detailed and exquisite engraving Zilda had ever seen. The dagger itself was quite plain, but extremely hard and sharp. She knew almost immediately what metal this was.
"Mithril." She whispered in awe. Then she looked at Gandalf, questioningly, "Why…?" she began, but Gandalf answered her question before she finished.
"In honor of your 60th birthday, which, I believe, was last week."
"I can't believe he remembered." She said sheathing the dagger and buckling the belt around her waist.
"Oh, he always remembers. He just doesn't get a chance to get you something every year." Gandalf replied, "I'm not always around to deliver a birthday present." Zilda smiled as she fingered the hilt of the dagger. Suddenly, she heard the door open. Pip was home. Zilda got an evil idea and it glinted her blue eyes.
"What are you cooking behind that look, Azaldia Took?" Gandalf asked suspiciously as Zilda walked toward the door. She turned around and grinned slyly.
"Oh, I'm just going to test the scare level of my new weapon." She giggled then ran on silent elven feet to the front hall. Gandalf shook his head and followed her.
She came upon her brother right when he was about to head to the kitchen again. He had had three snacks since second breakfast this morning and Zilda had told him no more until elevensies. He was about to disobey her, again.
Well, we'll just see about that! She thought as she unsheathed her dagger and tiptoed into the kitchen and right behind her brother. Suddenly, she sprung and before he even had a chance to yelp, she had the dagger at his throat and his arms pinned behind him. She could feel his heart racing and she almost laughed.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you to watch your back?" She whispered. Pippin let out a sigh then yelled furiously.
"Zilda! What in the world did you have to go and do that for? For crying out loud, you scared the bejeebers out of me!" Zilda let him go, sheathed her dagger, and then began laughing hysterically. There were chuckles from the behind the door and Gandalf appeared, laughing as well. He had been watching the entire scene from there and had thought it quite humorous himself. When Zilda had calmed down enough that Gandalf thought it wise to speak, he asked,
"So Zilda what was the level?"
"On a scale of 1 to 10 I give it a nine. He didn't fall into a dead faint so it wasn't really worthy of a ten." This sent her into more peals of laughter and she ended up sitting on the floor she was laughing so much. Pippin didn't think it very humorous at all however and just stood and glared at his sister until she had calmed down again.
"Are you quite finished?" He asked pompously, with his arms across his chest.
"Yes, yes I believe I am. It was quite a good joke though."
"Maybe for you…" Pip said still in a mood. Zilda got off the floor and put her arm around her little brother.
"Oh come on Pip. I didn't mean any harm by it. Don't stay sore at me." She smiled at him as he glanced up at her. He quickly glanced away, and then back up at her. Suddenly he threw up his hands and smiled.
"Why is it I can never stay mad at you?!" He exclaimed. Zilda smiled.
"Because you love me, of course, and you have no idea what you would do without me." Zilda replied as she kissed the top of his head.
"Well that's true. So where'd you get that thing anyway?" Pip asked pointing to the dagger.
"My father sent it to me." She replied, handing it to him. He took it and half unsheathed it, looking it up and down. Then, he put it back and handed it back to her.
"Well, I'm no weapons expert, but even I can tell he paid a fair amount for that." Gandalf, who had been watching this exchange from the doorway, suddenly straightened (as much as he could anyway) and exclaimed, "Oh my, it's almost sunset. I'm afraid I must go."
"Go, but you've just gotten here!" Zilda exclaimed. Gandalf looked down at her fondly and kissed her head.
"I know my dear, but there are other things that I must see to. I will try to visit again before I go, but remember, I make no promises." She nodded and walked with him to the door. Before he walked out, he turned to her again and asked, "Do you love Frodo?" Zilda was taken aback. He had asked her so directly and she hadn't expected it. She thought for a moment, then replied,
"I don't know."
"Then be very careful." Gandalf said seriously, "For some things happen that are beyond anyone's control and love is one of them. If you are not careful, it will come prematurely or even pass you by. You must watch closely. I want you to be happy, but I also want you to be safe."
"What's going on, Gandalf? I don't understand what you mean." He simply smiled at her and said,
"You will." Then, suddenly, he turned and walked out of the house closing the door behind him. Zilda stood in the front hall, now thoroughly confused and, for a reason she couldn't distinguish, a bit frightened. She shook her head and the moment passed, but she still wondered what he had meant by telling her to be careful. It was all so confusing. Suddenly, Pippin called,
"Zilda! Is it time for elevensies yet?" Zilda smiled and turned back to the kitchen. Wondering could wait.
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A/N: Wow!