I don't own Merlin or the Hobbit, only my OC's Maddie and Nutt. Based on the story ''Merlin's Unexpected Journey'' by ''Brightfire15''. Contains a little bit Pirates of the Caribbean. Sorry this chapter took so long. Reviews are welcome.

THE OLD FOREST ON THE BORDER OF BUCKLAND

Maddie woke up to the sound of birds and rustling trees.

She opened her eyes and looked up. Above her were the green tops of trees. Her legs seemed to dangle in the air. That's odd, she thought.

She heard a stump and a vibration went trough her body. The treetops above her seemed to move. Another stump and another vibration realized that someone was carrying her. Who could it be? She turned her head and looked surprised at a tree with huge brown eyes.

Maddie blinked. A tree was carrying her. After she finally realized it, she started to scream.

'Aaaaah! Put me down! Who are you? Where am I?'

To her surprise the tree started to speak: 'Now now, calm down, young girl. I'm Nutt a Tree Herder of the Old Forrest of Buckland. That's also the place where we are right now.'

Maddie frowned. She didn't know a place called Buckland. 'I thought I was in the Valley of the Fallen Kings,' she said. That was at least the last place she remembered where she'd been.

Now Nutt seemed to frown, for as far as trees can frown. 'I haven't heard that name before. Is it that place where all those mushrooms grow?' he asked.

Maddie shook her head. Mushrooms? What was Nutt talking about? 'Where is Buckland?' she asked.

'Near the Shire, in Middle-earth,' Nutt answered

Shire? Middle-earth? Maddie had never heard of a place called Middle-earth. And she was pretty sure that there wasn't a place called like that anywhere in the five kingdoms. But Maddie also didn't think Nutt was lying. He spoke about Middle-earth like she was supposed to know that place.

'How did you find me?' she asked.

Nutt looked at her and spoke: 'I was walking through the forest when a green flash illuminated the sky. I went to investigate and found you.'

Maddie frowned. The last thing she had seen before she'd woken up was a green flash. But what did it mean?

'I'm taking you to young master Gandalf,' Nutt continued.

'And who is that?' Maddie asked.

'Gandalf the Grey is one of the Five Wizards. He's very wise. He's travelling through the forest right now. When I found you, I decided to take you to him. He'll know what to do,' Nutt answered calmly.

Gandalf walked down the forest road.

He was grumpy. He had just visited a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins in the Shire. He had hoped that the Hobbit would join him and the Dwarves on the quest to retrieve Erebor. But unfortunately, Bilbo had refused.

So now Gandalf was walking back to Bree. Fourteenth member or not, he had planned to meet with the rest of the company tonight.

Suddenly he heard stumps behind him. He turned around to see Nutt walking towards him.

Gandalf was quite fond of Nutt. Nutt had once saved his life when another tree had tried to kill him. They had become good friends.

'Young master Gandalf,' Nutt said. 'I found this girl in the forest.'

Nutt bended over and lowered his hand. A young girl climbed of his hand.

She had black hear and blue eyes. She was wearing leather boots, a grey shirt and a leather jacket. She was also carrying with her a big hunting knife and a bag.

The girl looked at Gandalfs beard and raised her eyebrows. Probably, she had expected someone a bit younger because Nutt always called him ''Young master Gandalf''.

'Good morning,' the girl finally spoke.

'What do you mean with ''good morning''?' Gandalf asked with a twinkle in his eyes. 'Do you wish me a good morning or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on?'

The girl smiled, knowing that he was just joking.

'What's your name?' he then asked.

'Maddie. It's short for Madelyn,' the girl answered.

Maddie... The name quite suited her, Gandalf thought.

Gandalf then frowned. 'And what, dear Maddie, were you doing in the middle of this forest? It's quite dangerous to travel off-road here.'

'It wasn't my intention to be here. I was in a cave in Camelot when a green flash blinded my eyes. Next thing I knew I woke up here,' Maddie replied.

Gandalfs frown grew even bigger. 'A green flash, you say? I saw today a green flash It happens on rare occasions. Some go their whole lives without ever seeing it. Some claim to have seen it. And some say...'

'... it signals when a soul comes back to this world from the dead,' Nutt finished.

Gandalf didn't like being interrupted in the middle of a story. If looks could kill, Nutt would be no more.

Gandalf turned his attention back to Maddie and said: 'It is also said by some that it signals when a person teleports from one world to another.'

Maddie was shocked. Had she been teleported to another world? She could hardly believe it. But she had to go back. Arthur was in danger. She had seen how Mordred would try to kill him!

'I think the latter is true about me. But I must go back. Can you help me?' she asked Gandalf.

'Maybe you can tell me your story first? Then I can decide whether I can help you or not.'

Maddie hesitated for a moment. Was she able to trust Gandalf? He seemed nice enough, and he hadn't tried to hurt her or anything. 'Alright, but it's a long story.'

'Well now,' Gandalf said. 'At the moment, I'm heading for Bree. Maybe we can talk whilst travelling.'

Gandalf and Maddie said their goodbyes to Nutt and went down the road to Bree.

Maddie started to tell her story. About how she'd lived in Ealdor with Merlin and his mother and later with Merlin and Gaius in Camelot. She also told him about her magic and that she didn't know anything about her parents. She finished her story with the vision and the green flash she had seen in the Crystal Cave.

Gandalf listened carefully and didn't interrupt her once.

By the time she had finished telling her story, they had reached the town. Gandalf led her to what seemed to be the local tavern. It was called ''The Prancing Pony''.

After she and Gandalf had gone inside, she curiously looked around. Here and there a few people were sitting at the bar. The bartender cheerfully waved at Gandalf. Apparently, Gandalf was a regular customer.

Gandalf led her up the stairs, into a room. There was no bed, only a very long table with chairs around it. The sun shined brightly through the windows.

Maddie and Gandalf took place in two of the chairs.

'Well well,' Gandalf said. 'You have quite a story young girl.'

Maddie looked expectantly at Gandalf. 'So... do you know how to get me back?' she asked.

Gandalf shook his head. He looked at the girl with pity in his eyes. He liked her and hated to bring her bad news. 'I'm afraid not,' he answered.

Maddie looked disappointed. 'But I have to go back. My friend is in danger.'

Gandalf nodded in agreement. 'Yes, you do need to go back, and I promise I will do everything in my power to help you, nut even wizards don't know everything. And maybe,' the wizard concluded mysteriously, 'you're here for a reason.'

Maddie thought about Gandalfs words for a second. Then she asked: 'What should I do while I'm being here?'

Gandalf understood the girl's question. If he would be stuck in an unknown place for an unknown time, he would too want to have something to be occupied with. He thought about it for a second. Then an idea began to form in his head.

He slightly tilted his head and said: 'Actually, I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure.'

'An adventure?' Maddie repeated.

Gandalf nodded. 'You have magic and you're most likely quick and light on your feet. That makes you well suited for the job. In the mean time, I'll try to find a way to get you back.'

Maddie knew she could turn away Gandalf's offer, but as one might have guessed from her walks down the forest and her skills in finding trails: 'she was an adventuress and a curious girl and couldn't possible resist Gandalf's offer.

So she answered: 'I'll join you.'

Gandalf smashed his hands together.

'Well now, the rest of the company we'll be traveling with are thirteen Dwarves said.

'Dwarves?' Maddie asked. 'I've never met a Dwarf. What do they look like?'

'They're about three quarters the size of a full-grown man. Most of them have beards. They can be quite stubborn and you don't want to make them angry, but they are quite a merry gathering once you get used to them,' Gandalf answered.

'Oh,' Maddie said. Back in Camelot, Dwarves only appeared in fairytales and myths. Here they seemed to be real like any other person.

'As I was trying to say,' Gandalf continued, 'I'm meeting with the rest of the company here tonight. I still have to arrange some things in town. Stay here until I get back. Ask the bartender for a lot of food and beer. Dwarves have an enormous appetite. Just mention my name and he'll give it to you.

Maddie nodded.

Gandalf walked towards the door, turned around, gave her a smile and closed the door behind him.