Hello, and thanks for opening my story! This isn't my first story, but it IS the first story I've ever COMPLETED before even posting the first chapter, lol. I heard that JK Rowling wrote the first three Harry Potter books before finally publishing The Sorcerer's Stone. I'm no JK Rowling, as you will certainly discover, but I love writing. I still will make adjustments as I go along since writing always changes.

I know some people don't like present tense narratives in the first person, but I my hope is that it will be more immersive for you as if it's happening at this very moment. I also apologize for the ending in advance (don't worry, no one dies). Hopefully that ominous forewarning doesn't turn you away because I really do believe in happy endings even though it may not seem like it, lol. The story has the same scenes as The Hobbit, but it's unique enough to not be the same old 15th Walker story everyone writes about. But, only you can judge that for yourself.

Also, a special shout out to SwanInProgress, the author of "The Loudest Silence". You inspired me to post (and to finish!) my story.

Prologue

"Excuse me, young man!? What on earth do you think you're doing?"

The soft glow of a switched-on light revealed a little boy, six years of age, scurrying to conceal the colorful picture book he clutched beneath his covers, along with his tiny mouse-shaped flashlight.

In the doorway stood his mother, hands on hips with a stern expression etched on her face.

"Bedtime was an hour ago. What are you up to this time?"

"Nothing, Mom," he blinked innocently. As her stern look persisted, he mumbled, "I was just looking at the pictures."

His mother's exasperation was almost palpable, betrayed by an eye roll that she couldn't quite suppress. "Lord of the Rings? Again?" Sighing, she leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.

The cherubic boy didn't yet know how to read, but he enjoyed perusing the pictures and watching the movies. His bright blue eyes sparkled as he clung to the book, his tiny voice protesting, "I'm not tired, Mom! Can you tell me Peyton's story when she goes to Middle Earth?"

"Come on, TJ. I've told you that story a million times already." His mother shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. "Besides, it's a long story, and you have kindergarten tomorrow."

"Please, Mom?" the little boy pleaded, clasping his hands together in a desperate gesture. "I'll go to sleep, I promise!"

She tried to maintain her best glare, but his eyes grew even more pitiful, his gaze turning puppy-dog-like. Her heartstrings were tugged, rendering her defenseless. How could she resist such an earnest face? The guilt of her demanding work schedule always left her feeling remorseful about the time she had for him.

With a groan, she stepped into his room, theatrically collapsing onto his space-themed bedspread. Giggling, he bounced up and down while seated, knowing he had won.

Seated on her side, she suddenly propped herself up on her arm and shot him a glance. "But no interruptions this time, got it? You have school tomorrow, and I'm picking up an extra shift."

"I promise! I promise!" He swiftly crossed his heart with his little hand.

As she rolled her eyes inwardly, knowing promises from a six-year-old might not hold, she cast a brief gaze around his room—superhero action figures on shelves, a Toy Story night light, and a large dragon replica of Smaug atop his dresser. Her heart swelled with bittersweet pride as she watched her boy grow, a mix of emotions tightening her chest.

Sighing, she began her story, adjusting her voice to infuse the narrative with emotion. "I didn't know why it was me. I probably never will. But when life offers you an adventure, is it really appropriate to ask 'Why me?' Rather than 'Why NOT me'?"

"Nope! Not very appropriate!"

"Hush, T.J. No interruptions."

"Sorry."

"The Valar, or whoever you believe in, obviously have a great sense of humor because they sent someone like me to Middle Earth. Why? Well, it's assumed it's because of my soulmate who needed me at the time, but I'm getting ahead of myself. This is the story about how I ended up in Middle Earth during the 3rd age."

"Your name is Peyton too! Isn't it Mom?"

"T.J.…."

"Sorry, Mommy."

"The tale you're about to hear might sound unbelievable, and I can't blame you for doubting. After all, it's not written in any book or portrayed in any movie... but it's true. Every word."

"Oh yeah, this is going to be good! …Sorry."

"The story began in a very unexpected way. Unlike Bilbo's hole in The Hobbit, the hole in the ground that I woke up in was both dirty and cold…"

~*A Light in Arda*~

Chapter 1

Tell Me A Story

A light breeze blows across my cheeks, alerting me to the fact that I'm chilled. My nose feels frozen and a pale light trickles through my eyelids, signaling to my internal clock to wake up. But it's the sharp, cheerful song of the birds that finally makes me open my eyes. A clear blue sky fills my vision and I blink for a couple of seconds, disoriented.

I feel cold, lying on hard ground and I shift my head a fraction to see brown dirt around me, framed with tufts of green grass beyond that. This strange view jolts me, waking me up fully and completely, with a frightened gasp.

Sitting up, my muscles protest and I turn from side to side quickly, feeling confused. I look down to discover that I'm lying in some sort of ditch in a large open field of tall green grass. I frown at the sight around me, feeling very disoriented and wary.

What a strange dream I am in…

For that is what it must be. I don't remember arriving here. There are trees on one side of the field, quite far away. And in the distance, behind those trees, there are small green mountains. More like tall hills, really.

I twist around and look to my other side. A small tree stands close to my strange hole-like ditch, sunlight filtering through its branches in sparkling sun rays. From the sun's position in the sky, I can tell that it's just barely sunrise. Further, behind the tree, are even more trees. It seems that I'm in a very large field with the one tree, only to be completely surrounded by more trees. In one direction, towards the west, there are those small mountains. And towards the sun in the east are the closest trees to me. Judging the distance quickly in my head, it's a good 3-4 minutes walking distance away.

The breeze picks up and blows in my face a little, but I've had dreams where I've felt the cold wind, and when I woke up it had been my fan blowing on me. Or I dreamed I was in a sweltering desert only to wake up and my little sister was laying half on me, like a human blanket.

The smell of the air reminds me of camping in early spring. I look around, wondering what this dream will bring. It seems like a peaceful dream, but there is nothing except fields and forests and mountains that remind me of the state of Washington. Is this a dream about Twilight?

I look at the tree line closest to me, expecting to see a pale sparkly vampire come into view so my dream can begin. When nothing appears after a long while, I lose interest.

While sitting here, I search my memory for what I was doing before arriving and the last thing I remember was working in my University's lab room at the library with Matt, my good friend. There was a very old book I had been admiring. And that's it. I don't remember.

I stretch my fingers into the dark black soil and I am frightened when some of it gets underneath my fingernails. That's too real. Some of the coldness of the ground seeps through my denim jeans, and I see black sparrows twittering and twirling in the air over the field, greeting the dawn. The light airy breeze that woke me up initially, raises goosebumps along my bare arms now that I'm sitting up. My confusion turns into panic as my body takes in these little details that normally don't accompany dreams. Too real. This is too real!

I must have been kidnapped! Matt and I must have left the lab to get pizza and I got knocked in the head. I look down at my body and don't see any injuries. Just the normal clothes I wore yesterday. My denim jeans, and my hot pink hoodie wrapped around my hips.

I stiffly get to my feet with a groan. Looking down at the dirty hole I had been lying in, I feel shocked.

There, laying in the ditch where I was, is a gold circular thing. A memory flashes in my mind of when I had turned a page and it fell like a golden teardrop from the ancient book…straight onto the floor.

With shaky fingers I lean down stiffly, my body achy, and I hesitate slightly before my fingers brush against the gold object. I hold my breath.

Nothing.

I pick it up and straighten my back slowly, marveling at the golden piece. It's a golden coin-like piece with a strange animal on it. The animal's feet remind me of a goat or a horse. And on the back are strange spikes. The face is more flat though, with a weird nose. Looking on the other side, I see a strange T-shape with what looks like a keyhole. I turn the gold coin in my hand, mystified.

The pond doesn't look promising, and I'm cold enough to NOT want to go near it. The air here is mistier than the dry biome of Nevada's desert.

If I wasn't so scared of all the possible reasons why I just woke up in a weird hole, someplace very far from anything I recognize, I might be delighted with the beauty of the place. I love looking at paintings of green fields, forests, and mountains like the place I'm in now. At the moment however, I am anything but impressed.

If Matt's been kidnapped as well then hopefully he was dumped nearby.

"Hello?" I call out, hoping that someone will hear me. Clearing my throat, I try again "HELLOOOO?! Is anyone there? Matt!?"

Silence.

The only sound I hear in response is the wind blowing along the grassy field, creating gentle waves. The birds start chirping again after being startled into silence by my yelling.

A shiver rolls through me again and I unwrap my hoodie from around my waist, grateful that I at least have that. It will be a while until the sun will warm up the air. I pull it over my head, and once covered, force myself to think rationally. First things first, I need to find someone who can help me. Then I can get more answers about how I got here. I look around me for car tracks or footprints, anything to give me a direction to walk. There is nothing.

A whimper wheezes out of me as I try to wade through all the panicked thoughts scrambling for dominance in my mind. My breaths begin to come out in short gasps.

"Ok, calm down Peyton," I say aloud and close my eyes, taking deep breaths. "Just calm down. You'll be alright." I open my eyes but it doesn't really work.

I don't drink, so it doesn't make sense why I can't remember the events leading up to my kidnapping. My university hoodie and denim jeans, although dirty from the ditch, aren't frayed or torn from a fight or resistance. My wrists aren't red from being tied. Maybe chloroform? But why did they leave me in the middle of nowhere? A college prank perhaps? This whole thing is just baffling.

I start walking toward the trees and something bounces around in my hoodie pocket. I reach my hand in only to feel the smooth glass of my cell phone. I have my cellphone with me! Hallelujah!

I quickly turn it on and see that it's at 72%. But there's no service. I keep messing with it for another five minutes, hoping for a miracle and nothing. The battery power slowly goes down to 70% and I quickly put it into battery-saving mode. Even if I maintain the incredible battery my phone has, it'll be gone in only two days. Three days max.

I don't have anything on me besides my cell phone. No cash. No cards. Nothing.

No, wait! I take that back. I have some strawberry tic-tacs in my pocket. I'm sure that'll come in handy. Not.

At least my kidnappers left me with tic-tacs to starve myself on.

I walk in the direction of the sun towards the east and I enter the forest. It's not a dark forest by any means, a nice emerald green, with light filtering through the canopy. But the ground is thick with dark green ferns. I try not to hyperventilate as I think about how ferns on the ground means that I'm a long way from Nevada and I press forward.

My denim jeans get soaked up to my thighs with the morning dew on the leaves, and my sneakers and socks squish and slurp with the amount of water that slowly seeps into them. Pretty soon, the possibility of this being a dream has been completely banished from my mind as the uncomfortable squishing sound from my shoes irritates me.

Where the heck am I?!

After what feels like an hour, I see what looks like a road! I begin running, crashing through the foliage like a lunatic until I finally step out onto a dirt-packed road. My breath whooshes out of me in a loud laugh of relief. I'm going to be ok!

I notice it's a narrow road that cuts right through the trees. More of a well-trodden trail, actually. I giddily look up and down my first sign of man-made anything. Eventually, though, my temporary happiness turns to worry and distress once more as I look up and down the long empty road.

Now which way do I go?

I look down at the road to see if the tracks can give me any indication of direction. No tire tracks. But there are thin ones lightly carved into the firm road. Bike tires? No, too smooth. I then noticed faint U-shapes delved in the ground between two of the lines and I'm shocked to recognize the shape as a horseshoe.

A….wagon?

This is not good. How did I get out so far that there aren't any cars or even bikes? Maybe I'm on private property and my kidnappers dropped me off in Amish country? I can't help the shaky sob that escapes me as I raise both my hands to my head in despair, trying to calm myself. My blond hair is in the same messy bun I always keep it in. But I can feel a few leaves and twigs caught in it from low branches back in the forest.

I take my hair out of the hair tie and comb the debris out with my fingers while I think this through. Why did this happen? Why me? I don't have any enemies. I'm just an innocent little freshman in the nursing program, trying to get good grades so I can eventually become a nurse practitioner. Would my dorm mate do something like this to me? She and I don't get along very well, but we've agreed to be civil to one another. I did steal her chimichanga from the freezer that one time. But how did she find out about that? Surely she wouldn't try and get revenge just for that, right?

I take deep breaths and try to relax once more. Freaking out isn't going to help anyone. I mean me. It isn't going to help me. Screw anyone else, I just need to get home!

I take some more deep breaths and inwardly wish that my kidnappers could have at least left a note with instructions like 'Haha! Now you'll think twice before stealing my chimichanga!' or 'If you want to get out of the woods, you have to play my game…" like a horror movie.

At least I'd be able to think about my sins while I wander around aimlessly.

I look at the direction the horse prints point and decide to walk that way. My steps are slower than I'd like since my calves and toes are numb from my wet pants and sneakers. I haven't walked this much in about nine months. I usually just take the bus everywhere and thankfully I live on the bottom floor in the women's dorm apartment, so no stairs for me!

After traveling for another hour and a half, I hear something strange. It's faint, but my ears are able to pick up a low, deep vibration, Someone is singing. I look up and freeze, staring at the empty road in front of me, holding my breath. The singing gets louder and excitement hits me! Someone is coming! A dark shape finally appears down the road, obviously the source of the singing. A man riding a horse is coming towards me at a slow trot. I'm immediately so relieved I feel like I could cry. I briefly notice that he's wearing a hood, and a dark cloak is billowing out from around him as it catches the wind made from the horse's movements.

I'm ecstatic with relief and I can't keep the huge smile off my face, "Hey! HEY!" I bounce up and down, waving and shouting, "Oh my gosh, I'm SO glad to finally see someone! I've been lost for HOURS and I don't know where I am! Can you please help me?"

The man immediately stops singing when he saw me and slowly pulled his horse to a stop when I had started shouting and bouncing around like crazy. He remains a short distance down the road from me, watching me warily. I must have startled him, I think sheepishly. But I don't allow myself to care too much since I have a VERY good reason to be frantic right now. He'll just have to get over it since this is an emergency.

There's a dark beard on his face under the hood, but I can't see much besides that. From the way he's sitting on his horse, gripping his reins, he seems very hesitant to get closer to me.

"I'm sorry to startle you!" I try again, speaking loudly so he can hear me, "I woke up in a field and I have no idea how I got there! I've been wandering since sunrise, and I have no idea where I am, and I'm trying to find a way to a town or city and…" I take a big breath after saying all of that in a rush. Speak calmly, Peyton. "Can you tell me where I am?"

"You are in the Far Downs of the Shire, milady. Between Michel Delving and the Blue Mountains." A baritone voice reaches my ears. He and his horse are still quite far and have come no closer. Maybe his horse is skittish and he doesn't want me frightening him? The horse in question is watching me with its ears perked up.

Two things strike me as very odd simultaneously. One is that, his refined accent seems to be British, but there are so many accents in England that I really can't say for sure. And second, I thought I heard him say 'the Shire'?

"Sorry, I didn't hear you really well! You're a bit far away." I call out to him laughing, still giddy from relief, "I thought I heard you say 'the Shire'!" I chuckle again. "Could you say that again?"

"Aye, milady. You are in the Shire."

I frown, confused. I keep hearing him say 'the Shire', but he must be saying something else. I haven't cleaned my ears out in weeks.

And then I realize with a flash of certainty what is going on and my once-good mood sours immediately. Some of the college students had seen me reading the Hobbit at the college library so they decided to kidnap me, throw me into a ditch somewhere out of state, and then mess with me by pretending we're in the Shire. My frustration boils over and I glare at the man. I will not put up with this hazing!

"Look, I don't know who you are or why you think that it's ok to mess with me. What have I ever done to you? I know you think you're funny, but leaving a woman in the middle of nowhere just so you can play your stupid prank is against the law since I didn't agree to it. I just need to get home." I glare at him.

The man is silent, not saying anything, and just stares at me.

"Please!" I finally have had enough and hope that I can appeal to whatever humanity this man has within him, "I'm cold and wet, and I just need to get home. I promise I won't tell anyone what you and your buddies did. I just need to get home and get out of these wet clothes."

His silence stretches for a moment but before I can start yelling at him again, he finally asks, his voice gruff, "And where is home…milady?" The title sounds less certain now.

"Home is my dorm at the University of Nevada, good sir." I retort, infusing sarcasm into the last bit as a response to his 'milady' crap. I even throw in an eye roll for good measure. Unbelievable.

His wariness deepens into a full-blown scowl, and his right-hand rests on his hip, away from me. He almost growls, "I have never heard of this place, so I can only assume that you lie. Speak truthfully, woman…are you alone? Or are your companions lurking in the forest, ready to ambush me?" He scans the trees around us in suspicion.

"Uhhh….what?" I raise an eyebrow, caught between bewilderment and frustration. Is he really going to keep playing his stupid prank? My anger mingles with astonishment, tying my tongue in knots. Why is he being so cruel? Great, just pick on the defenseless freshman! Where is karma when you need her? I'm working toward nursing school to help people, for crying out loud! I just can't understand the mentality of people like him.

Tears of frustration begin to blur my vision. Angry and feeling helpless, I shake my head, glaring at the ground as my lip quivers. Pulling myself together I look back up at him, my voice trembling, "You're despicable. Fine. Have it your way! I don't need your help. Screw you! I'm going to lawyer up and sue you BIG time!" I don't usually talk like this, but I'm so mad that I start spitting out words like an angry cat. "And just remember, if I get lost and die tonight from hypothermia in these wet clothes, you'll be heading to prison for a long time!" My tears escape my eyes but I quickly wipe them away. I begin to stomp in the direction that I was originally headed, which unfortunately brings me closer to him and his horse.

Suddenly, a sharp metallic sound cuts through the air. I freeze in my tracks, gasping as I stare at the gleaming metal sword now unsheathed at the man's side. The weapon is anything but a prop; it's a real, sharp-edged piece of metal.

He points the sword at me with a seriousness that sends shivers down my spine. My throat goes dry as I instinctively raise my hands in the air in surrender, my heart racing. Could he actually be dangerous? My mind races with worst-case scenarios, imagining myself trapped in some twisted fantasy-turned-nightmare with a psychopath who wants to murder a college student in some sort of sick fantasy game of his.

"I'll ask you again, woman." his voice is low, dangerous, his patience worn thin by my accusations, "Are you alone?" His horse prances momentarily before remaining still.

I gulp, my mind racing for the right words. Fear rushes through me as I think of different responses. If I tell him I'm alone, will he see me as an easy target? If I claim I have friends waiting in the woods, will he think I'm planning an attack? What do I say?!

All thought leaves my mind when his voice thunders out like a loud hammer through the forest, "SPEAK!"

"I'M ALONE!" I blurt out reflexively, survival instincts kicking in as I take a step back with a quiet sob. My hands start to tremble but I keep them up, "I'm completely and utterly alone, and I'm s-sorry! I don't want to be here! Please, just let me go!" I bite my lip and remind myself that begging will get me nowhere. Psychopaths enjoy hearing their victims beg if NCIS is correct, but I can't help it.

Surprisingly, at my frightened pleadingly, he does actually lower the sword a bit, his expression shifting from anger to uncertainty. We lock eyes, both of us caught in a tense standoff with me trembling like a leaf.

His next words are a mix of frustration and concern, "I don't understand what has occurred to you, miss. But I assure you I am not part of it."

His words resonate with me, cutting through the layers of confusion and fear. Perhaps there's more to this than a mere prank. The sound of his sword being put back into it's sheath has me slowly lowering my hands, though I remain cautious. His face, once a mask of intensity, now seems to show a hint of empathy.

But then he abruptly begins to unmount his horse, swinging one of his legs up and over the saddle and I take a few steps back in fear until I suddenly realize that…he's actually quite short. I didn't notice at first while he was on the horse, but he's a very short man. Still, he's a couple of inches taller than me but judging by his large boots he may actually be my same height if I'm being honest.

He turns from his horse after dismounting but hesitates to walk closer to me when he sees I'm still afraid of him. My hands are instinctively raised up again, but this time more towards him to protect myself from his advancing. "I'm not going to harm you," he asserts, his voice a stark contrast to his previous demands. "It's unusual to find a human woman wandering alone in the Shire, especially in this state. I thought you might be part of an ambush. I apologize if I frightened you."

His deep voice is gentle and calm, a HUGE contrast to the frightening command to speak from earlier. He then reaches up and uncovers the hood on his cloak, pulling it away from his head completely. His thick long hair is dark brown almost black. Most of it is behind him, but what I can see goes down past his shoulders in natural waves, while his beard is short. Two braids adorn either side of his face, glinting with two metal beads covering the ends. It gives his whole appearance a peculiar otherworldly look. His nose is straight like an arrow down his face.

But his eyes. His eyes are a startling blue. They are accentuated by thick eyebrows that are close to his eyes, giving him an intimidating impression.

I blink. Well, look on the bright side Peyton! At least your killer is extremely good-looking! At least an ugly person won't kill you. Haha, that's not funny. Stop.

"I'm not going to harm you." He says again. I relax a tad, but I don't completely trust him. It's obvious he doesn't trust me either as I notice his hand rests easily on his sword's hilt in a comfortable posture. "It's not often a human woman is found wandering the woods alone in the Shire of all places. I believed you to be part of a potential ambush. Forgive me for frightening you."

Ugh, why are we STILL playing this game?

"The Shire still, huh? Greeaaaat….Love the dedication to your fantasy and everything, but um, I'm in a bit of a hurry. So, if could you please point me in the closest direction of town, good sir, then I shall be on my way and shall trouble you no further. I don't need a weird man pointing his sword at me." I mock him in my best posh English accent, giving him an exasperated look.

He takes in my posture and change in accent and his eyes narrow, "I'm obviously a dwarf, not a man."

I look him up and down, "Well I mean, sure, you're short, but not shorter than me. So, you must be a pretty tall dwarf. Or a mad human. Take your pick."

He folds his arms as well, affronted, and scoffs back at me in ridicule, "A woman in strange clothing, wandering the country without an escort…says that I am mad?" He then gives me a condescending smirk, "Waking up in a ditch is probably a frequent occurrence for you, milady." This time his milady IS sarcastic..

I gasp in indignation, although I'm not sure why and I reply hotly, "Yeah, well, I don't believe this whole cosplay getup for one second. Waking up in the middle of nowhere and wandering for hours, only for you, a delusional guy who thinks he's a dwarf to turn up? That's not a coincidence." I raise an eyebrow and faintly notice that he and I have the same defensive posture. I'm not buying his act one bit.

Now he huffs in exasperation, "I don't understand most of the riddles you speak but I assure you, I have never seen you before this encounter. Imagine my surprise to find a lone woman in the middle of the path to the Blue Mountains waving and shouting me over to her. You cannot blame me for being cautious."

I say nothing, but now that I can see him better, I take in all of him. His clothes are very well made for this fantasy of his. Not the kind you buy at Walmart for Halloween, but obviously custom-made by someone very skilled. Must be a dedicated cosplayer. There are some people who are decent seamstresses who could have made something like this at a hefty price.

Some sort of brown fur is peeking out from underneath his dark brown cloak from around his shoulders. His forearms are covered in dark brown armor of some kind, and a thick swatch of leather fabric covers his chest. A large silver belt buckle draws my eyes to his lower abdomen, with strange engravings on it, and connects it to a belt around his waist. The rest of his clothing is dark as well, deep brown, but of a strange texture. He reminds me of a huntsman almost from Snow White.

His boots are large, made of thick leather with metal over the toes while his cloak is a simple leather brown. Both appear worn out from travel.

I look back up at his face and I can see that he has taken the opportunity to study my attire as well, his forehead furrowed with confused lines and a concerned frown on his face.

"Where was it you said you hail from?" He looks me in the eye before glancing down at my hot pink hoodie, my denim jeans, and white sneakers once more.

"Uh, I was born in California, raised in Arizona, and I now live in Nevada?" I ask, not sure what he meant since he knows I'm from the University of Nevada, having kidnapped me after all, "Uh, and my…my family will be worried. They'll come looking for me if they don't hear from me."

I say this as confidently as I can since it might make him think twice about harming me if he knows I have people who'll notice my absence. And I do. My mom and dad, along with five older brothers and one younger sister, won't rest once they find me missing. Which fearfully might be a while since I only check in every other Sunday.

He cocks his head, eyes narrowing further, "California and…Arizona? Where do these regions lie?"

"The United States." I deadpan, giving him an I-don't-have-the-patience-for-your-crap-right-now kind of look.

He shakes his head in annoyance, "It is clear that you are unwell. I am unfamiliar with the names of these places you speak, but the nearest town is back the way you came." He half-heartedly waves a hand in the direction I had just come from. He suddenly looks me in the eye, his wariness back, and asks dryly, "How can I be sure you did not just come from there?"

I narrow my eyes at him insinuating that I'm a liar. And did he say 'unwell'? Like, mentally unwell? Only people who pretend they have never heard of the United States are unwell. But there's a saying by Mark Twain that my father would always tell me. He said 'Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.'

This is one of those stupid people.

He and I could call each other unwell and delusional over and over again, but that would get us nowhere.

Instead, I focus on his most alarming statement, "What?! I just walked an hour and a half from that direction! How far away is this town?"

"About two hours." He states. He then cocks his head to the side, a mean smile on his face, "By pony."

"I don't believe you." I shake my head angrily. Stupid, delusional, cosplay dwarf jerk! "The tracks for a horse were headed in this direction." I indicate back the way he had just come, "I didn't see any coming back that way!"

"This road is not often traversed." He briefly glances around us warily, "Not many travel to the Blue Mountains except us dwarves." He looks back at me, "The tracks you saw must have been after the rains from yesterday. Most likely one of my kin returning from selling his wares in the Shire or Bree."

I'm not exactly sure what to say to that, so I keep quiet. Talking with this strange guy just gets weirder and weirder. What if he's NOT actually my kidnapper? What if I really did just meet some random guy who has nothing to do with my kidnapping, who also happened to be cosplaying through the forest and he's just doing a Dungeons and Dragons LOTR sort of thing? I honestly don't know what Dungeons and Dragons is, having never played it before. But from what I've picked up over the years of hearing about it, it's some sort of card game that makes up stories. Some people are obsessed with it and get into it so much that they lose touch with reality. This must be one of those guys who wants to act it out in the real world. Ugh.

It strikes me as strange though….I mean, he's not who I'd picture being a fantasy stoner. He seems so stern and serious and very much sober. His eyes are intelligent and alert, not at all like a cosplayer with a glazed look on their face and dilated pupils who you KNOW is not all there and seem disconnected. This man seems very much in the present and is completely focused on me and what I'm saying and doing. It's a bit...unnerving.

Oh well. Crazy or not, he's the only one around.

"Can you please help me?" I try again, wringing my hands nervously. "I don't recognize where I am, and I need to get home."

He takes in my appearance once more, thinking hard. Hopefully, I look as cold as I feel. He sighs and finally nods, unfolding his arms and turning around. He stides to his horse, cape billowing behind him regally as he moves with purpose and precision. Does he practice in the mirror?

His gruff, frustrated voice shakes me out of my preoccupation about his stride, as he steps into his horse's saddle and mounts in one fluid motion, "Loathe as I am to be delayed in my journey, I cannot leave an unwell maiden wandering alone in the woods in good conscience, even if you are a human." He gives me a look as if humans are beneath him, "I will take you to Michel Delving as I'm passing through there. You must then find your own way home." His no-nonsense voice lets me know that he is offering me the barest civility of getting to civilization but that he won't take responsibility for me. He will drop me off and I'm on my own.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Perfect! That's totally fine with me!" I give him a smile and a nod. I don't want to be with him any longer than I have to.

He guides his horse closer to me until I am stretching my neck back to look up at him. I get the feeling he still doesn't trust me, which is fine because I trust this guy as far as I throw him. But this realization, that he seems just as afraid of me as I am of him, makes the thoughts I harbored about him being a psychopath slowly ebb away. This must really just be a poor mental guy who happened upon me in the woods. Still could be a prank, though. A prank taken WAAAY too far. But, if I'm not in any danger, it might be fun…? Would a bunch of guys dressed like orcs jump out of the forest on our way there, and we'll do a fake battle? Lol. In that case, I call dibs on the Legolas costume.

Still, just to be safe I ask, "How far have you traveled? If I continued walking this way by myself, when would I reach the next town?"

"By pony, it is a day and a half journey. By foot…I would estimate four days." He gives me a look I don't recognize, "But I do not recommend it alone and…in your condition."

I bristle, but then I look down at myself and inwardly admit that my cold pants and moist shoes have seen better days. Denim isn't as thick as the pants this guy is wearing, and I am wearing a pink University of Nevada hoodie whereas he's wearing some sort of furry thing under his cloak.

Do I really want to walk for four days, huddling for warmth on the side of an empty road during the night in wet clothes? Sounds like suicide. But then again, so is going with this weirdo.

"How can I trust you?" I ask a final time, vaguely worried that I will anger him.

He doesn't get upset but actually seems to appreciate my wariness of strangers. He gives me a solemn nod of his head, "I give you my word of honor, daughter of man, that I will deliver you safely to the next town. Can you give me your word as well?"

I wrinkle my nose. Words of honor? Pssh.

I know they're always drilling it into our heads 'no second location' but, honestly, I don't really have a choice. He doesn't seem like he's my kidnapper, and if he IS behind my kidnapping then I can pretend to go along with this for now since I don't have any tests today at school, and my English paper's due tomorrow. As long as these crazies get me home before then…

I finally sigh and force a wry smile, "I give you my word that I really am alone and lost, no one will ambush you, that I know of, and I accept your help to the next town. I also give you my word that if it DOES so happen that you are behind my kidnapping then I will see you in court. Thank you."

I'll sue him for everything he owns…including his sword and horse. I've always wanted a horse.

He narrows his eyes in confusion before giving me a curt nod in acceptance and then reaches down his hand, intent on helping me up to the back of his horse. His wrists and palm are covered in leather, attached to the armor on his forearms, but his fingers are uncovered and bare.

I gulp, a little nervous, but I slowly place my hand into his. It's very warm with a good number of calluses from hard labor. Not at all like someone who sits around playing fantasy computer games all day. But then his uncovered fingers grasp mine in a tight grip and I'm worried for a moment, but he doesn't pause as he easily hauls me up with one arm. I scramble to get my leg around the horse, and settle onto its back, my face flushing.

He's VERY strong. I thought he looked burly because of the layers of clothes he has on, but no…I could feel the strength in his hand and the power of his single arm as he lifted me up like I was nothing. I know I'm small, but this just made me feel even smaller. I've always wished I could be tall and strong like a ballerina. For a short guy…he's stronger than I thought could be possible. Definitely a gym rat.

Worry gripes me as I obviously won't be able to do a thing to stop him if he got the inclination to harm me. He sits straight in his saddle, and I can feel the tension in his shoulders as if he doesn't feel comfortable with me sitting behind him.

I don't wrap my arms around him for fear of getting too cozy in this stranger's bubble and angering him. I mustn't forget that he has a very real sword at his side. I feel the sheath resting against my right leg. Instead, I gently place my hands on the back of his shoulder blades, lightly as possible so he doesn't feel it through his thick armor-like clothing.

We awkwardly try to get comfortable now that both of us are on his very small horse. I think he had said 'pony' earlier? My wet pants rest against the warm furry body of the pony, raising and lifting with each breath. His belongings are wrapped in a waterproof cloth and are pressed up against my back, which presses me up against him.

He says nothing, thankfully. Simply pulls his hood back up over his head and his long dark hair is hidden once more. He nudges the pony with his feet and, with a click from his tongue, we continue down the path.

Sooo? Whatcha think? :) Present tense is hard to write which is why I wanted to try it. I've been told that Chapter 2 is a lot better than the first chapter, so go ahead and let me know if you feel like it enhances the story or takes away from it! Thanks for reading!