And another day had started.
The clock had clicked over to midnight, chiming twelve times. It echoed around the cold, dark rooms. Some of the room's doors were open. Some were shut.
Bong
The house was lain of one level. There were no stairs or attics in this home. The walls were rounded in every room. There was no sharp edges in this house. The walls were lain with polished wooden beams. The candles that once gave off light had now been extinguished. Their wick had been burnt right down.
A bit of the wax had melted down to a point where the shape of the candle was unrecognizable. The wax now in a solid pool. Yet, this pool was lifeless and still. Wind did not and could not disturb it.
Bong
The warmth that had gathered was seeping out of the gaps in the front door. The front door was large and round. A small row of pegs lined the wall half way up.
On it, a few coats and coloured scarves. Hobbits liked colours. They had a variety of colours in their cloths. Colours ran though just about everything that they wear.
Bong
There were many rooms in this house. A kitchen, bed room, cellar, study, lounge, dining room and a bath room.
The kitchen was the place that was the most busiest room thought out the day. Meals were cooked there. A table had been set out. Small seats were sitting around it.
A fireplace was built into wall of the room. It ran up, though the ground. It came up just above it, sending the smoke away. The fire had all but gone out, which was unusual for hobbits. Their fires would be burning even in the highest heat of summer.
Bong
Empty bowls and dirty knives and forks were resting in the sink ready to be cleaned. Yet no one was around to clean them. The tap dripped onto the bottom. The drips leaked into the plug hole. The small droplets of water hit the bottom without a sound.
Bong
The next room was the cellar. This was one of the smallest room of home. Yet, to the hobbits, it was the most important. It was the room where they kept their food and drink.
It had been said that a hobbit would plan his day around eating. Yet, that was not entirely true, drinking also had a place in the day along with smoking.
Hobbits had hardly any worries in their lives. Money didn't exist to them. There was no need. Hobbits would simply trade for what they needed and wanted.
Bong
The bed room was next inline. There was a large unmade bed. Two large, fluffy pillows were resting there. Normally, there would be hobbits sleeping in the bed. But, there had not been any for days now.
The room had a wardrobe in, a small desk and a window. The room was as cold as the rest of the house.
Bong
Along the corridor was a study. Like the bed room, it had a desk. There were more papers and maps in this room. Books were stacked on many shelves. The books were all different colours. Many of them were hand-me-downs from hundreds of years ago.
Some of the books had been written for cooking and blacksmiths. Yet they had rarely been read by the latter generations of hobbits. Many of them had been written in an older hobbit language. For modern day hobbits would struggle to understand what they meant.
Bong
The next was the hobbit's sitting room. There was a couch, white pillows lay at either end. Both had a white cover on it. A table stood a few feet away from the couch.
The table was made of polished wood. A book lay closed on the table. Two candles stood at either end. But they had not been lit. Small round table mats with an empty mug. Inside the mug was cold tea. Remnants of the life that these people led. The table stood on an old rug. Most of it's colour had faded.
The fireplace was dark and cold. Normally, a ranging fire would be heating the room. Books were stacked on shelves. An old rocking chair stood in the corner. A pillow lay on the back.
Bong
The dinning room and the bath room were next. The dinning room was one of the largest rooms that the hobbits had. A large table sat in the middle of the room. Like all of the other rooms, this one had a fireplace.
There was a large table sitting in the middle of the room. Twelve chairs had been placed around it. the table was not square or rectangle. It was round.
There were no sharp angles. The edges had all be rounded off. Each hobbit that would sit at their place and have plenty of space. The hobbits usually used this room a few times a year. Other then that, it would be left empty.
Bong
The bath room was simple. It had wooden panels running half way up the walls. Then plaster running the rest of the way. Like ever other room, the top of the wall also made the ceiling as well.
A sick stood on one of the side, along with a mirror. A large bath tub sat on the other side of the room. Yet, it had no taps. Hobbits would have to heat water up by the fireplace. A small hook for the kettle was embedded in the top of the semi circle wall. But the kettle wasn't on the hook. Instead, it was sitting on the side waiting to be used.
There was a towel rack on the wall. The towels had been nicely placed there. The towels were clean. No dirt could be seen on them.
Bong
Over all, the house had been left in exactly the same as it had been the last time the hobbits had been there.
But where had they gone?
Bong
Pippin woke with a start. Beads of sweat ran down his face. His eyes opened quickly. Yet, he did not take in his surroundings as quickly as his eyes opened.
His head was resting on a white pillow. For a moment, he thought he was back in the cart.
"But how did this pillow get there?" he asked himself.
The hobbit then moved his hands, but something was stopping him from doing so. His eyes looked down where his hands should be. But he couldn't see where they were.
He suddenly realised that there was a large duvet over him. He flipped the big duvet over. His cloths had been changed during the night. He was now in a long white gown.
The warmth that he was bathed in instantly escaped.
Pippin slowly sat up, the bed that he was in was large then the one he had at his home. The scenery around him started to come into vision.
There was a tall stand with many lit candles. Yet the air around him was not warm. The hobbit slowly got out of bed.
The bed was much higher then normal. His feet landed on the cold ground. Tiles formed a pattern unlike that made by men.
Pippin's eyes darted around the large room. There were no windows made of glass, the elves hardly needed windows.
There was a large open door way. The floor was level though out the room. The floor seemed to run off outside, meeting with the path. The path was made from large flat rocks, that seemed to fit neatly with the floor. Pippin stood there for what seemed a few minutes. His eyes took everything in around him.
The hobbit started to walk towards the door way. Rivendell looked deserted. But it was not. On the other side of the valley, the two Elven brothers were standing around a bed.
On the bed was a female hobbit. Her eyes were closed and the covers were drawn.
"He is awake" said Elladan.
By "he", Elladan meant Pippin.
So, the elf turned and walked away. Elladan could see the small figure of the hobbit walking though the building. Every now and again, Pippin would stop.
It had been a while since he was last there. All knowledge of Rivendell had been forgotten. The path that he was on was led him to the bridge that connected both sides of the valley.
Pippin's eyes continued to dart around. But, at the sight of the elf coming towards him made his eyes stop.
The elf continued to walk until he was a few feet away from the hobbit. Pippin looked up at him.
"Follow me" the elf said.
Pippin continued to look at the elf. Elladan turned around and walked away just as quickly as he had come up to him. It took Pippin a few seconds to realise what had been said before he took it in. The hobbit then scurried after the elf.
Elladan's pace was so fast, Pippin had to keep a gentle jog to keep up with him.
"Where is Diamond?" Pippin asked.
But Elladan did not answer. He kept on walking, not even looking at the hobbit struggling to keep up.
Pippin's hair waved in the wind. Yet, Elladan's hair was as still and as straight as ever.
"Where is she?" Pippin asked.
"Is she alright?"
Yet again, Elladan did not answer. Pippin was getting more and more worried by the minute. Just as Pippin thought of running in front of the elf, he stopped. Pippin continued for a couple of paces, then suddenly stopped.
Elladan didn't even wait a second before walking off again. Pippin almost lost his footing trying to turn quickly. Pippin walked quickly to the door way.
Inside, two elves were standing. Dolly was standing there. She looked tired, only having a small amount of sleep the night before.
She was holding a small bundle. The hobbit looked over at Pippin. He had yet to come in. A large smile ran right across Dolly's face. She walked around the bed and up to him.
"It's a boy" she said happily.
Pippin's eyes looked down at the bundle.
"I missed the birth?" he asked.
His voice sound weak and confused. Dolly took a deep breath. She had tried to tell the elves that he should be there, but Elladan had said that he needed rest.
"You needed rest Master Peregrin, you had come along way and were in need of it"
Pippin's words had lost him. He had missed the birth of his son.
"Hold him, Pippin" Dolly said.
Pippin looked down at the small bundle. Dolly carefully past the small baby over to his father. Pippin took him and looked down. The baby was sleeping. His little eyes were closed.
"What are you going to call him?" asked Dolly.
Pippin prised his eyes away from the baby. The hobbit didn't even need to think about what name to give him.
"Faramir" he answered.
"His name is Faramir"
Dolly smiled. She then looked around at Diamond.
"She should be awake soon, the elves told me that she is just sleeping now" Dolly told Pip.
The Shire was a million miles away from where Pippin, Diamond and Dolly were.
Faramir had now entered their lived.
"We have to get back to Hobbiton" Pippin said.
Elladan looked at him.
"Master Peregrin will not go anywhere" he said.
Pippin's eyes met the elves.
"Why not?" Pippin asked.
Elladan walked over to him.
"You need to sleep and rest Master Peregrin. In a few days, you may return to your home land" the elf answered.
Pippin huffed, thinking it was a silly thing to say.
"I don't need rest" he said.
Dolly was looking between the elves and Pip. Pippin knew that he was not going to convince the elves that he was alright to go home.
Pippin handed Faramir back to Dolly. His stomach was very empty, it rumbled sometimes.
"You need food and water" said Elladan.
The elf had come up to him. Pippin had been looking at Diamond.
"She needs her sleep, you will be able to talk to her later"
Elladan did not say another word after that. Pippin stood there for a moment, looking at his wife. He couldn't bare to leave her again. But he could feel Elladan looking right though him. Sure enough, when Pippin looked around, Elladan was looking right at him.
The hobbit then started to walk towards him. Elladan let the hobbit go in front.
"Will she be alright?" asked Pippin.
Elladan was walking much slower this time. Pippin did not have to jog to keep up with him.
"Yes, she will" he answered.
The two of them continued to walk. There were no leaves on any of the trees. The time of the elves had ended. Elladan and his elves were the last to inhabit Rivendell and Middle-earth.
The rest had left in ships bound for the Undying Lands.
The hobbit and elf came to a room. It had a large table in it. Pippin could see candles flickering on their stands. On top of the table was many dishes of many different foods.
"Eat" said Elladan.
Pippin saw a small box next to one of the elves chairs. So, he walked over to it. Pillows had been put of the seat to boost his height.
Pip put one foot on the box, then helped himself up onto the seat. Pippin could see bowls of Elven soup and plates of Elven food. Rolls of the softest and filling bread were piled in a wicker bowl. A solid silver knife lay next to a stick of butter.
Fruit had been put in bowls. Bundles of purple grapes and green grapes. Bananas and apples and oranges.
An open packet made of a green leaf was open. It reviled a few slices of Elven bread. Pippin began to smile as he looked around the table.
Included in the large buffet before him was chicken and potatoes. It was a rich feast for him, having not had proper food for more then a week.
"It is not much, Master Peregrin. But it is the best we could do in such short notice" said Elladan.
Pippin's eyes looked around at the table. He then noticed another place set, just like his.
"Who's is that?" he asked the elf.
His question was answered almost instantly. Dolly had come into the room. She smiled at Pippin.
"Where's Faramir?" he asked.
"He's asleep" Dolly answered.
Pippin knew that he had trust the elves' judgement. Pip then reached over to one of the apples. It felt like years since had had an apple.
The hobbit looked at it. He then took bite. There was a crunch as he took a bit. He took the apple away from his mouth reviling a hobbit sized bit.
Dolly had gotten onto her seat and was now picking up some chicken with her fork. She lifted it and put it onto her plate.
It took her a minute or two, she finished. A large pile of cooked chicken sat on her plate. She then took a few rolls of bread. Four to be exact. She then started to cut each one into two pieces.
Pippin then did the same. But, unlike Dolly, he took six.
The two of them sat and ate in silence. Elrohir then came though the door way. He was carrying two large silver goblets in each hand.
He walked over to the table and placed one down near Pippin and the other near Dolly. Pippin had finished the apple.
Dolly had started to eat the chicken. She scooped the chicken up. The hobbit put the chicken in her mouth and took the fork away.
Dolly watched Pippin rip off a whole chicken leg. He instantly started to eat it. The skin ripped off, hanging down from the cooked piece. Pippin saw it as well. He opened his mouth and bit it off.
The two hobbits continued to eat as the wind blew around them. Pippin ate all of his rolls and picked out more. The chicken was being eaten away. The bones had been left on the edge of the plates.
Pippin then picked up his goblet. A strange smell hit his nose. He stopped before drinking it. His eyes looked down at the liquid below.
To Pippin, it looked exactly like water. But it smelt differently to normal water.
"I know that smell" he thought to himself.
He gave it another sniff.
"Hmmm"
So, Pippin decided to have a bit. The goblet met his lips and he took a sip. Pippin could feel the water running down and refreshing as it went. His eyes seemed to open more and his vision sharpen.
A large smile started to come across his face. Dolly had cut some more chicken off and put it on her plate. Her eyes suddenly saw Pippin. He had an unusually big smile.
She then figured out that Pippin must have done something wrong again. Dolly took a deep breath.
"What have you done now, Pip?" she asked.
Pippin suddenly made a confused face.
"What?" he asked.
"Why are you grinning?" Dolly asked.
Pippin smiled and held up his goblet.
"Try the water" he said.
Dolly was now the one looking confused. She looked over at her goblet and picked it up. The water inside rippled as she looked inside. It was then that she smelt the sweetness of the liquid. It was unlike anything she smelt before. She looked up at Pippin, he was watching her.
So, she took a small swig. Dolly then swallowed it. As soon as she did this, her eyes started clear and her tiredness wore off instantly.
Now Dolly knew why Pippin had been smiling.
"Wow" she said, a smile that equalled Pippin's came across her face.
"I've had it before, but the thing is, I don't know where"
Just then, a sound of foot steps came from the side. Pippin and Dolly both looked at the person coming towards them.
It was the boy that had gone on ahead of them. He was followed by Elladan. But Elladan stopped. He watched the boy walk towards the hobbit. Pippin suddenly got off from his seat. The boy and the hobbit looked at each other.
Pippin then extended his hand. The boy looked at it and took it. The two of shook hands.
"Thank you" said Pippin.
"Thank you for helping us"
The boy was quiet, he smiled and nodded. Their hands then parted.
"Have something to eat" said Elladan.
The boy nodded. There was a spare seat next to Pippin. This one had no pillows on it. The boy didn't need them. So, Pippin and the boy took their places. It was then Pippin remembered what he needed to ask the elf.
"Elladan?" Pippin asked, getting hit attention.
The elf looked over at the hobbit.
"What is this called?" he asked, holding up his goblet.
Elladan smiled.
"That is called Miruvor" he answered.
When the elf answered, Pippin knew where he had tasted it. It was the drink that Gandalf had given them when the fellowship were on Caradhras.
Pippin almost started to remember what that was like in the mountain. His eyes glazed over for a split second before coming back to the room that he was in.
The boy had now been given a goblet and a plate. He had been piling what was left of the chicken on his plate. Pippin was now eyeing the Lembas bread.
His hand reached over and picked a piece up. Pippin liked Lembas, he had first tasted it in Lothlorien. Pip broke a bit off and put it in his mouth. The hobbit started to chew. A couple of seconds later, he swallowed. The small bit would fill a stomach of a fully grown man.
But for Pippin, it had nearly to no effect. Pip took another bite and chewed again. Dolly was drinking the last bit of her Miruvor. She drained her goblet and placed it down. She watched Pippin eat.
She looked at the small package near her. Dolly was still a bit hungry and she knew it. So, she reached out.
"A bit more bread wont hurt" she thought.
Dolly picked up a square of Lembas and looked at it. It looked plain slice of bread without a crust. Dolly started to feel a bit hungry again, so she took a bite.
Dolly started to chew. The hobbit then swallowed. She smiled. Dolly felt a strange sense that she had eaten more in one bite then she had had in one meal.
Surprisingly, she took a second bite. Pippin, how ever had placed his down. He could not eat another bite. The Lembas had "filled in the corners" as hobbits say.
A large smile ran across his face.
"Well, that was one good meal" Pippin said, rubbing his tummy.
Dolly placed her Lembas on the table. Elladan had been standing behind Pippin. Neither of the hobbits noticed that he was there.
"She's awake" he said.
Pippin suddenly jumped, having been facing away from him. His head instantly turned around to look at him.
"Diamond's awake?" he asked.
Elladan smiled and gave a small nod. Pippin suddenly got down from seat. Dolly did the same, following Pip. The two of them rushed out of the large room, leaving the boy eating on his own.
A minute later, Pippin arrived at the door where Diamond had been put. Diamond was now sitting up. She had been talking to another elf, Elrohir.
Diamond's head turned and her eyes set on Pippin. Pippin quickly rushed over to his wife.
"Oh, Pippin" said Diamond, as he jumped on the bed.
The two of them embraced in the biggest hug they had ever given each other. There was a tear in Pippin's eye, but it didn't it didn't fall down his face.
The two of them hugged for what seemed minutes to them. finally, Diamond prised Pippin away.
"I'm sorry, Pip" she said.
Pippin was confused.
"Sorry for what?" he asked.
Diamond took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry for what happened" she told him.
Pippin couldn't understand what she was saying.
"Diamond, it wasn't your fault!"
She smiled and looked down.
"Are you going to call him Faramir?" she asked.
Pippin smiled and nodded. Diamond took a deep breath, hunger was gripping her now. She took a deep breath and looked around.
"I'm getting a bit hungry now" she said.
Pippin nodded. Elrohir suddenly got up. He started to walk away towards the door. Elrohir made no sound as he walked towards the door. He crossed the threshold and away.
"Where is he going?" asked Diamond.
Pippin watched at the elf went out of view.
"I don't know" answered Pippin.
Diamond's stomach was now flat again. Baby Faramir was sleeping in a white blanket. Baby hobbits were half the size of Elven or human babies. Unlike human babies, hobbit babies had a full head of hair. They also had fine hair on their feet.
Elrohir could be seen walking back. He had a tray in his hands. A plate of Lembas and a goblet of Miruvor. Elrohir walked over to the bed, Pippin moved out of the way.
Diamond was smiling. She knew that the elf would bring her food. Elrohir placed it on her lap. The Miruvor water swirled around. there was a few slices on Lembas bread on the plate as well. Diamond had never seen or ate it.
So, she picked it up and looked at it. Pippin was looking at her. Diamond's eyes slipped over to Pippin's face.
"Why are you smiling?" she asked.
Pippin looked at the Lembas.
"Eat it and see" he answered.
Diamond looked over at the elf that had now taken his seat again. Elrohir gave a small smile and nodded. So, Diamond slowly took a bite. A bit broke off. She started to chew, a small unknown taste met her. She swallowed, then looked down at the piece of bread.
"There's nothing special about this" she said.
The elf smiled.
"I see that you have not lost your appetite"
A wave of worry flooded over Pippin. He had suddenly remembered that Origo was still missing. He knew that Diamond loved Ori.
"Umm, Elrohir could I have a word?" Pippin asked.
Elrohir's eyes moved over to Pippin. The elf then got up.
"I'll be right back, ok?" Pippin told his wife.
Diamond nodded. Pip kissed her on the top of the head and quickly got off of the bed. Elrohir and Pippin walked out of the room. Pippin looked back at his wife.
Just outside the door, Pippin stopped.
"I need you to find somebody"
Pippin stuttered.
"Something"
Elrohir looked down at him.
"And who may this somebody or something be?" Elrohir asked.
Pippin looked down.
"A puppy, his name is Origo" the hobbit answered.
The elf smiled.
"Origo is safe" Elrohir answered.
Pippin was confused.
"How do you know that?" he asked.
"Now is not the time" said Elrohir.
The elf then walked away, towards the room where Diamond was staying. Pippin now felt like the elves were keeping something back from him.
The hobbit took a deep breath and followed the elf. When Pippin got back, Diamond had finished eating. Half of the bread had gone. The goblet of Miruvor was left in her hands. Diamond took a gulp every few seconds. Her eyes seemed to clear and sharpen. Her hunger had been tamed.
"So, this is Rivendell?" she asked, her eyes looking around.
Pippin smiled and jumped onto the bed.
"Yes, it is" Pippin answered.
Diamond was eager to get up. She felt a new strength in her bones.
"I would love to look around" said Diamond, looking over at the elf.
Elrohir nodded in agreement. So, Diamond pulled the covers from over her legs. She had been dressed in a white gown, just like Pippin had on. Pip moved out of the way. He held out his hand. Diamond looked at it and smiled.
She took it and moved over to the edge of the bed. Pippin jumped off and helped her down. Diamond's legs were weak. She hadn't used them for a few days.
One foot touched the cold tiles and then the other followed. The hobbit lent against the bed for a few seconds, Pippin was standing next to her. Diamond, with her free hand, put her hair behind her ears.
The coldness was numbing her feet, but it was not an uncomfortable feeling. She looked down. The hair on her feet was standing up. A breeze ran though Rivendell. It rustled the leaves on the ground.
When it reached Diamond and the hobbits, it pushed her hair over her face again. Diamond closed her eyes and let the breeze touch her. The hobbit took a deep breath.
"I don't know why" Diamond started.
"But the wind here, it seems"
Diamond paused, trying to think of a word.
"Softer"
Pippin smiled. He knew what she was talking about. A strange calmness that the rest of middle-earth didn't have. Pippin looked around. There were no leaves on the trees. The trees however were evergreens.
Evergreens never lost their leaves. But now, all of the trees were either dead or dying. Pippin wondered if the trees were bound to the lives of elves. For when they had left, the trees had started to take on more brown. Rivendell would have few, if any, leaves on the ground.
It reminded Pippin of Autumn back in the Shire where the leaves would turn from green to an array of red and yellow leaves in a matter of weeks. But, unlike the Elven town, they grew back the next year.
Diamond raised a foot and twiddled it around. She was getting used to walking again, having not for the past week. She placed her foot back down again.
"Do you want to walk?" asked Pip.
"You don't have to if you don't want to" he told her.
Diamond smiled.
"No Pip, I want to have a walk" she answered.
So, she hung onto her husband. Diamond took one step after another. After a few more steps, Diamond was able to walk properly again. She smiled, looking down at her feet. They were poking out from under the white gown she was wearing.
Diamond then thought that something was missing.
"Pippin?" she asked.
"Yes?" he asked, not knowing what was to come next.
"Where is Origo?"
Pippin didn't like that question one bit. He thought quickly of a way not to answer it. Diamond looked at him. he was much taller then she was.
"Where is he, Pip?"
Their eyes met. Pippin sank inside. He knew that he should have taken more care about him.
"I lost him" Pippin answered, lowering his head.
Diamond couldn't believe what he was saying.
"You lost a puppy?" asked Diamond, struggling to understand how he could have lost Origo.
Diamond looked away.
"When did you lose him?" she asked.
Pippin shrugged.
"I don't know when I lost him. One second he was there, then he wasn't" Pippin told her.
Diamond shook her head.
"Diamond, please understand that Pippin was only trying to help you. He cares about you. Pippin and I almost died trying to get you here as fast as possible!" Dolly told her.
Diamond instantly fell silent. She looked at her husband, then at her nanny.
"You… nearly died?" Diamond asked.
Pippin nodded. This made Diamond feel very guilty. She thought that Pippin was just being careless. But that was far from the truth. Pippin had been more worried about his wife them himself.
"Oh Pippin" Diamond said.
The hobbit then gave him a very big hug.
"I'm sorry that I thought you were being careless" she said.
Pippin hugged her. Diamond's memory was suddenly jogged. a dream came back to her.
"Oh my, I've just remembered!" Diamond said suddenly, pulling away from her hug.
Pippin didn't understand what that meant.
"Remembered what?" he asked.