~All of a sudden, I spotted a horse across the road, a beautiful, snowy white horse with ankles the color of the night and eyes as blue as the sky. It hurried across the road and sniffed me, then it grasped the front of my shirt and threw me on its back! I cried out as the horse reared and began running quickly out of the forest, I hung on to it's mane for dear life itself! The horse ran at a pace that the fastest elf couldn't achieve! Trees and bushes and rocks and animals where nothing but blurs on a brown landscape and all I could hear was the horse's labored breathing.

Within the hour, the horse had taken me out of Trollshaws and we were now closing in on River Bruinen (also known as Loudwater). The horse stopped at the rushing river and the weight of my pack (and gravity) yanked me down from the horse's back and I fell on my back, groaning as I felt something sharp stab my side. Sluggishly, I unraveled my arms and crawled to the water's edge, the water was crystal clear and out of it my reflection shone perfectly, like a mirror. I cringed at my appearance, my hair was splattered with mud and dirt and leaves, my clothes were stained with water, sweat and soil and my hands were caked in goodness knows what! Only in this time of peace did I realize how starving I was!

My stomach roared and bellowed as I stood in the river, letting the warm water rush over my toes and feet. The horse walked into the water and bumped me, the map in it's mouth, I thanked it and opened the map up; we were only a little ways from Rivendell! My, we might see elves about now! I smiled as I thought of meeting Elrond and asking about my great-great-uncle Bilbo, or just meeting an elf! That's when the anxiety began to kick in.

I was so far away from home! Far from my mother, Till, or anyone else, and I certainly had no idea of where my best friend was! Oh, bugger! Now, the horse nudged me again and I spotted something I had only read and been told about.

An Orc.

This Orc was light green and its face was distorted to the point where I couldn't discern where its eyes were! The Orc wore some type of brown hide as trousers and carried an iron shield, many swords, and much food; my stomach screamed again at seeing the delicacies on the Orc's back.

The Orc glanced up from whatever it was preying upon on the ground and we locked eyes for a moment. My breath was stuck in my throat and my entire body trembled, my jaw quivered, and my fingers and toes both went icy cold.

I thought I even felt my heart stop!

The Orc came forwards, out of the limited trees, and stepped up to the bank of the river.

I was paralyzed, I was paralyzed out of fear and shock; the Orc came ever closer, only when the Orc stepped into the warm water of the Bruinen River did I snap out of this deadly paralysis. I jumped back and the Orc growled, I hurried out of the river and the snowy white horse ran before me, rearing up on its hind legs and kicking the Orc in the head with its hooves. The Orc fell to the ground, growling curses in another tongue, and I ran.

I ran across the river and I ran through fields, I had no concept of where I was or where I was going; for, I had forgotten my pack at the river's edge. I ran until dusk came and I could no longer see my hand in front of my face! The air was chill and crisp, despite the warm temperatures during the day, and the grass crunched under my feet as I rubbed my arms in desperate attempts to keep warm. I had taken off my cloak in order to stand in the river, I didn't want it to get wet. A good load that did me!

A good load running did me!

Then I took one more step forwards and slammed into something, hard. I rubbed my aching forehead before sticking my arms out and feeling the object. Whatever I hit, it was big and it was stone. I sighed and found the underside of whatever it was, I crawled underneath and curled up into a ball, closing my eyes and preparing myself for a long, sleepless night.

~Trolls!

I slept under trolls!

They were the very same trolls my great-great-uncle Bilbo turned to stone!

I stared at them in drowsy stupefaction as the sun began to yawn and stretch his arms, reclaiming his place in the sky where Luna had kept watch all night. I rubbed my eyes and walked around them many times, wondering how my great-great-uncle could've kept them busy for so long and not been eaten! All of a sudden I heard the snapping of twigs and the crunch of feet upon grass, I gasped and hid behind one of the statues, hoping I hadn't been spotted. A few moments of silence ensued before I gathered the courage to peek around the troll, I screamed in shock and happiness as Rosie stood before me. "Rosie!"

I screamed, throwing my arms around her; she did the same. "Oh, how did you find me? Where have you been?" I asked, pulling away from her, as I stared at Rosie I saw something off about her. Rosie's blue eyes were glowing!

Literally glowing!

"Oh, I heard you cry out yesterday and I came to find you" she said, her speech had changed as well, it seemed her entire demeanor was off. "As for me, I've been wandering around the woods, looking for you...where have you been?"

"I saw this horse, Rosie, and it grabbed me and threw me on its back, and then it took me to Loudwater where I saw an Orc, a real Orc, Rosie! I was so scared, but, the horse saved me and I ran, I ran away as fast as I could...oh, I do hope that horse is alright" I said, turning and looking in the direction from whence I came. Rosie placed her hand on my shoulder, and turned my face back to her, her fingers gently ghosting over my jawline...this wasn't like her at all.

"The horse is fine, I saw it, it gave me this and then ran back into the woods" Rosie said, holding up my pack, I smiled and took it up again, bending over from it's weight. Rosie smiled and took back the pack. "I'll hold it" she added, putting it on with ease; I nodded and we began walking.

~"When did you become so strong? Back in Hobbiton you couldn't lift a brick without gasping for breath!" I cried, smiling, Rosie smiled too, but it soon faded. She shrugged and we walked in silence, that is, until we saw the Last Homely House West of the Mountains...Rivendell.

My jaw dropped at seeing this astonishing feat of elvish ingenuity! It was surrounded by diamond waterfalls and lush vegetation. Rivendell itself was made out of precious stones and rocks; the sun shot his rays down into the valley which held Rivendell and it the Last Homely House just right, causing it to glisten and reveal much more of it's already breathtaking glory. Rosie grasped my hand and smiled, pulling me towards the elvish empire. "Wait...we're going in?"

I asked quickly, turning from her to the home, she laughed. "Of course, you wanted to...correct?" She asked, her face turning from confident to worried in a matter of seconds, this really wasn't like Rosie. With her it was either you do what you said you would do, or you face the consequences.

"Yes, but, that was a fantasy...now that I'm actually here I...I don't know if I want to disturb them.." I said softly, listening to the rush of water all around me. Rosie smiled again and kissed my hand, pulling me gently behind her.

~We stood at the doors that closes off Rivendell to us, my brain was so rattled that I could hardly believe this! My stomach made a loud, unearthly noise, I hadn't eaten dinner, first breakfast, second breakfast, or elevensies! I needed food, and fast. Rosie knocked and two tall guards with sparkling blonde hair answered, the armor they wore was even more polished than their hair! Their eyes were a jade green and I found myself marveling at the vibrancy of the color.

Rosie spoke in elvish tongue! Rosie didn't even know elvish...or...so I thought. I picked out key words that she said 'Bilbo', 'Dale', 'Hobbit', and 'Smaug'. Rosie narrowed her eyes at the guards and her eyes changed color!

They turned from a cool blue to a fiery orange in a matter of two seconds! The guards nodded and stood the side, Rosie's eyes turned back to their natural state, she smiled to me, took up my hand, and led me inside.

...Should I be afraid?