I don't own LOTR!
Secret Hurts
Chapter 9
"Gandalf, where are we headed now?" Aldalóme asked curiously.
"Hobbiton. I'm sorry to make this journey so long, but I had some urgent business to take care of," Gandalf apologized.
"That's alright Gandalf," Aldalóme yawned as they mounted their new elvish horses. "Gandalf, can I call you Grandpa?"
"It would please me very much to call you my granddaughter, and so you are free to call me Grandfather or Grandpa," Gandalf smiled with a twinkle in his merry eyes.
"Thanks, Grandpa," Aldalóme smiled as they began to ride, and she rode close enough to the wizard to reach over and hug him.
"Granddaughter, would you like to quicken our pace?" Gandalf asked mischievously.
"But Grandpa! You're riding a Miras! They are the God's of the horse kind. You would surely win on such an beautiful one full of grace and spirit," Aldalóme replied merrily. Then she sent a smile his way and they both broke off at a gallop, the valley of the Shire their destination.
"So, how far do you believe we are, Grandfather?"
"It is just over the horizon, Granddaughter," Gandalf chuckled.
Something came over Aldalóme as she saw the first rays of light fall into the valley below them, "It's beautiful, Grandfather!"
"That it is, Granddaughter, but what of the other places we have been?"
"I guess that they each have their own allure and beauty, but my sister's soul seems to rest here. Why is that, do you think, Grandfather?"
"Her soul?" Gandalf frowned.
"It's like I can sense her… It's like a… well, it's indescribable," Aldalóme frowned as the pull became stronger. Suddenly, she took off, allowing Gandalf no time to do anything but follow her. Following the pull she directed her horse through the lazy little town of Hobbiton until she arrived at a hobbit hole. "Here."
"Aldalóme!" Gandalf called after the girl, but was surprised as she changed into a hobbit.
She knocked on the door, only to have it answered by a male, "Hello? Who calls so early before breakfast?"
"Good morning sir, my name is Aldalóme. I am seeking someone which has been lost. Do you have such a lost guest within your company?"
"Lóme!" someone shrieked from the inside of the hobbit hole. A blur of color barreled past the startled hobbit that had answered the door, and bowled over Aldalóme.
"Areien," Aldalóme gasped in shock and then she burst into tears. "Rei! I thought I had lost you!"
"You could never loose me, Lóme!" Areien shrieked with happiness.
"I missed you so much, sister mine," Aldalóme dried her eyes and hugged her sister again.
"So, what do you think about being a hobbit?! I think I like it!" Areien grinned. "Oh! Sis, I'd like you to meet Bilbo Baggins! Bilbo, this is my older sister, Aldalóme!"
"You little twerp! You would meet up with a sweet and kind hobbit!" Aldalóme teased her sister, "Now me, I ended up as an elf with an elf! In RIVENDELL!"
"REALLY?! WERE THEY AS AMAZING AS THEY ARE SAID TO BE?! DID YOU SEE LEGOLAS?!" Areien shrieked excitedly.
"They were just as they said in the book, and no, I did not meet the Prince of Mirkwood, but I did meet the Lady in Lothlórien and Haldir and his brothers! Oh! Grandfather! I forgot about him!" Aldalóme quickly turned around and there sat an amused wizard on his horse. "Please forgive me, Grandfather. In my haste to find out what the strange pull on my soul was, I forgot that you were traveling with me!"
"Aldalóme, that's not our grandpa," Areien frowned at her sister.
"He's more like an adopted Grandfather, sister. Grandfather, I'd like you to meet my younger sister, Areien, and her marvelous caretaker, Bilbo Baggins. Areien, Bilbo, this is Gandalf the Grey."
"He's GANDALF?! AND HE LET'S YOU CALL HIM GRANDFATHER?!" Areien shrieked in surprise.
"Sister, you always did try and deafen me, but I'm used to your screeching, while others may not be able to bear you," Aldalóme rolled her eyes.
"Sorry," Areien pouted but smiled as soon as her sister nodded.
"Well, you're all welcome to have first breakfast in my home," Bilbo announced.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Bilbo Baggins," Aldalóme swept into a graceful curtsey that she had learned from watching the elves.
The wizard chuckled at Bilbo's surprised face, "You're welcome very much, Miss."
"Areien, I have much to discuss with you later, especially about a certain LOTR trilogy and those involved in said trilogy, not to mention the book before the trilogy," Aldalóme frowned and gave her sister a look that clearly stated that they would continue said discussion when they were alone.
"Granddaughter, I was coming to see Mr. Baggins tomorrow, but since I'm here now, I'll need to speak to him privately…"
"It's alright Grandfather, my sister and I will be outside discussing a few important things like our ancestry and other useful tidbits," Aldalóme winked at Gandalf and led her sister to the door.
"So, you think Bilbo is about to go on his quest?" Areien questioned.
"Yes. I was going to ask you about what happens, but after seeing you I seem to have remembered everything you told me and what I've read."
"So, what was all that about, with Gandalf and our ancestry?" Areien frowned curiously.
"We were born in Middle Earth or Arda," Aldalóme waited for it to sink in.
"How do you know this?" Areien hissed in startlement.
"The Lady of the Golden Woods told me. We are what she calls 'Changelings.' Apparently we can change into three forms. That of a mortal, a Halfling, or an elf. Try changing into an elf."
Areien tried and was amazed when she turned out a bit taller than she had previously had been, before she turned back into a hobbit, "So, we have three forms? How strange."
"I believe that we are to accompany your hobbit friend and Grandfather to Rivendell. And I think that we can explore it rather thoroughly with my friends there. Perhaps we will go to Gondor or Rohan later on, before the war breaks out. You would probably love to meet Haldir and his brothers!"
"Aldalóme, while we're here, I want to introduce you to Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry!"
"Of course, little sister," Aldalóme grinned. "First we must tell Grandfather where we will be."
Areien dragged her sister back into the Hobbit hole and proceeded to tell Bilbo that they were seeing Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry. Then she dragged her older sister out the door before she barely had time to wave a goodbye to Gandalf, "PIPPIN! MERRY!" Areien was shrieking again.
"Areien!" Pippin and Merry turned around with twin grins on their faces, "How are you! Who is your new friend?!"
"Merry, Pippin, this is my older sister Aldalóme! Sis, meet Mer and Pip!" Areien smirked.
"Nice to meet you both. I am most glad to be reunited with my younger sister. It seems my sister felt the need to drag me from my Grandfather and meet all of her interesting friends."
"Where did she learn to talk, Mer?" Pippin asked curiously.
"She talks a lot like Frodo or Bilbo," Merry commented.
"I've spent some time with the elves," Aldalóme blushed a bit as both hobbits nodded in understanding. Merry grabbed Aldalóme's hand and Pippin took Areien's and dragged them down the road.
"Merry! Pippin! What's the meaning of this?!" Areien glared at the two hobbit lads.
"We're taking you to Frodo!" Merry laughed merrily.