Sorry for the delay. I was updating my fanfics and their summaries. :)
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The grass was green and new. Frodo walked across the lonely hilltop. Before he stood the vast mountainous landscape with its snowy peaks and blue sky. It was the Blue Mountains, the place he'd been trying to get to for months.
There was something else, something following him. In his hands was a gold ring, tempting him to put it on. He looked at the ring fondly, before turning his gaze upwards. There was an armored man, carrying a spiked mace. He charged towards Frodo, mace swinging in the air. Frodo tried to escape, but fell over a log—
Frodo roused, staring at the room before him. He sighed. It was just a dream, but one that felt real. His head hit the pillow, sleep nearly claiming him a second time—
"Frodo?" Merry called from the doorway.
Frodo hardly paid attention to him… wait. Why was he so cold?
"Get up!" Merry said. "We don't want to be late."
Frodo grumbled. Merry had his blankets! No wonder he was so cold! Frodo sat up. It was time to start the day.
.
Frodo and his new friends left Frogmorton around eleven in the morning. The reason why they left so late was due to everyone getting around. They ate lunch at the inn before heading out. They rode to Bywater and didn't stop until they reached Hobbiton. The trip wasn't very long, enough for them to move their ponies in the stables, where they could relax and cool off.
"So, where is Bag End?" Frodo asked his friends.
"Oh! It's this way." Sam said, taking the lead.
"You'll love it there, Frodo!" Pippin perked up. "As you are a guest at Bag End, Merry, Sam, and I have devoted our time to being your hosts. We'll cook your meals and find you a guest room to sleep in."
"Alright, that sounds fair." Frodo shrugged. He added, "So, how do we defeat that troll?"
"We'll figure that out when we get inside," Merry said as they ascended the Hill's road.
"Right," Frodo said, uncertain.
.
When they reached Bag End, Frodo opened the front green door and stepped inside the smial first. His eyes widened with excitement. He'd never been in a smial before. This house seemed cozy and comfortable. It was a shame he wasn't staying. He would have loved to spend a week here.
He moved about the smial with ease. He found a filled pantry, wine in the cellar, and Bag End's many rooms. He shook his head, wondering how Bilbo managed to keep house. It truly was a splendor to behold!
At last, he returned to the parlor, where Merry, Pippin, and Sam gathered around a table, in front of a map that was held in place by polished stones. They looked up the second Frodo approached the table.
"Ah, Frodo! Have a seat!" Merry patted the nearest chair.
Frodo did, grateful to be a part of the conversation. "So, that's Needlehole?" He asked, pointing to the village close to the marshes.
"Yes, that's the place," Merry said, massaging his chin with his index finger. "The tricky part is finding that troll. What trolls love most is going out at night."
"So, it's a stone troll?" Frodo asked, curious. "I've read about them in Rivendell. I've seen them, too. The only way to repel a stone troll is if they're standing out in the sunlight, where they'll turn to stone."
"That's why we're not going to meet this troll in the dark." Pippin inquired. "We draw it out of its cave and wait for it to turn to stone!"
"That's a good idea, but we don't know if it'll attack us first!" Sam said, concerned.
"He's right!" Frodo said, staring at the map again. "Trolls are big, but they aren't stupid – no. Let's come up with a better plan—"
"Why not draw them out when it's daylight?" Pippin asked, curious. "It's our best defense."
Frodo sighed. How were they going to defeat this troll? Then again, Pippin was right. "Alright. We'll do it your way, but we can't risk getting killed by this troll." He asked, curious, "How did it get into the Shire?"
"That is an excellent question," Merry added.
"I wish I knew," Pippin said, reclining in his chair.
"I'll go fix us some tea!" Sam said, making his way into the kitchen.
"I hope we know what we're doing," Frodo told Merry and Pippin, softly.
"Me too." Merry nodded.
*.*.*
Thanks for reading. :)