Disclaimer I would like to thank all my reviewers for reviewing. Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Tsk Tsk, bad MornieGalad. anyhow, Please R&R. and if you're here, which if you're reading this, you are, don't insult me by leaving without reading. I will find out. O yeah, this isn't mind. Tsk Tsk, Tolkien, not coming to me in the afterlife and bestowing ownership of LOTR on me.

Chapter Four

We hadn't gone far before Merry's stomach started growling. He tried to disguise the sound, which only became more amusing. To distract myself, I decided to start a whispered conversation with Legolas, the elf whom I had met the day before, who was now walking slightly ahead of me. I dashed ahead to come within whispering distance of him.

"Why didn't Gandalf let us take horses? They wouldn't make much more noise than twenty feet and are completely unsuspicious," I whispered.. The elf thought a moment and then shrugged. Now it was my turn to think. As a Hobbit, my legs were much shorter than anyone else's and, as the youngest Hobbit, I was liable to exhaust myself most rapidly.

"Legolas, how old are you?"

"2,937"

"Do you remember when you were in your tweens?" The elf looked at me, quite confused.

"What are tweens?"

"Twenties," I cheerfully said, even now struggling to keep up with him.

"That wasn't the most exciting time of my life, but yes, I do recall it clearly," he stated.

"Isn't it frustrating when everyone is so much faster than you?" I asked, trying to sway him to my side.

"I'll see what I can do." The elf had read my mind and raced up to Gandalf, who was quite far ahead. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I could hear Merry hiccuping and alerting all nearby pirates to our position. I still had to stifle my laughter.

"When do we eat?" he managed to ask, not pleased that I was amused.

"I don't know," I whispered back. A few seconds later Legolas came running toward us.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To get horses," he replied, a smirk on his face. When I turned back to look at Frodo, he wore a grin which told me he knew I was at the center of a plot which he found quite amusing. Ahead of us, Gandalf had stopped and was glaring silently at me. I smiled back, hoping to warm a smile to his bearded face. I was successful. Even Elrond, who was beside him, smirked. Yes, I thought, this was a journey in which my manipulative power over smiles would come in quite handily.

So, what'd you think. I know it's pretty short, and the horses might be dumb, but I don't want them to take forever to get to Mithlond. On the other hand I don't want to just go BOOM you're there. I need advise for getting them there and making it interesting, so please review. Thanks.

MornieGalad