Disclaimer: paper comes from trees, water is everyone's right, you make your own decisions, I'm half Scottish, not English, and I am a girl, not a guy, so therefore, there is no way I am Tolkien, (also he is dead, and I'm not) And we all know Tolkien has the property of all the characters which are his, you know which ones, and the only character which is mine, is Zillah. So, thankyou. (Disclaimers are so boring)

Chapter Four: Zillah grows

It is however a few years before Zillah is able to play with Pip and I. As she grew in our house I'd have to send weekly updates to Pippin, though often he was at my house or I was down at his.

Zillah was special though, like Pippin had said.

Her hair grew totally straight and though it was beautiful and unique, the fact was that it was unnatural. So, she was of course teased. Perhaps mercilessly. Others were jealous or just plain mean and Zillah was called 'weird' and many other unmentionable names in such a way that she didn't want to play with the other hobbits her age.

And so she came to hanging around Pippin and me mostly all the time.

In one stage, when she'd tried to play with other hobbits her age, they'd laughed at her and pulled her hair. Some rubbing mud in her face. Frustrated and upset, Zillah had run home and locked herself in the bathroom. I remember sitting at the door and listening to her crying and trying to convince her to come out. Our mother was out at the time, so it was only me there when she eventually opened the door. I was shocked, so it took me a moment to register what she'd done.

In her hand she held locks of her hair, in her other hand she held the door handle. She'd cut her hair off.

What stands most clearly in my mind is the image of all the tufts of hair pretty much sticking up and out from her head, and the tears rolling down her tear streaked face. Her blue eyes searched mine for reassurance as I gathered her up and rocked her, telling her everything would be fine.

When our mother found out, she wouldn't let Zillah out of the house, so Pippin came up and we mucked around. Probably too much, because our mum sent us down to Pippin's. It was then also that Zillah refused to wear the puffy smock and pinafores all the other girls wore. Instead she donned a pair of my old trousers and a shirt. She put on her cloak and jammed a beanie on her head.

I thought it was rather comical, but my mum went into a fury, throwing her arms about and such.

Fuming, she sent us on our way.

So Zillah became like Pippin's and my shadow. More Pippin's shadow though. It was obvious to me that to Pippin, Zillah was special. Like he'd said so long ago.

In time Zillah's hair grew again, though none thought it was wise to ridicule her anymore, especially if Pippin and I were near, which we mostly were. Our wrath was felt by some of the more unfortunate beings that were foolish enough to mutter something insulting about Zillah.

Five years before I'd come of age, Zillah turned 14, and Pippin was 20. Zillah and I left for Pippin's home.

There was not much snow around and it seemed that it was going to be an early spring.

We arrived at dusk. In time for dinner, which was good, because both our stomachs were rumbling.

Zillah was looking very fair (and if I had seen elves by then, I would have said that she looked very elfin). Pippin welcomed us warmly, and hurriedly, mentioning mostly that dinner was ready. But he took his time to hug us. His hug was different this time compared to other times. It seemed as though he was young again, the way he wrapped his arms around my neck. I remember watching him hug Zillah, she started crying and I jumped forward.

"What's wrong, Zillah?" I asked, putting my hand on her shoulder. She turned from Pippin and wrapped her arms around me.

"I love you Merry, you're the best brother anyone could have," She sobbed, and I held her close as I had all those years ago, while she cried. I looked up at Pippin. He was standing there awkwardly.

Eventually Zillah calmed down enough to continue on towards dinner. I felt a bit confused, as though Pippin and Zillah knew something I didn't.

During that night, Pippin climbed into my bed, crying, seeking comfort from some unknown fears.

"Something bad is going to happen." He whispered, sounding more like the frightened 6yr old so long ago.

Zillah also appeared. Snuggling between us.

"Don't let anything happen to me." She sighed before drifting to sleep.

And that might have been the end of it, because the next morning it was as if nothing had happened. Both rushed off to breakfast as though they'd been in a famine.

Chapter five: The end, coming soon.

Thankyou to my reviewers, Theo Darkstar (my sis) – where does his mum say the baby will be a girl. She never says that.

Umm, next chapter, I find sad. Sorry.

And, have to go…. More study (I'm so good! – sarcasm)

Plz read and review