Chapter 1: A party, a dream, a nightmare
The night of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggin’s 111 birthday came. Gandalf the Grey was there doing fireworks and to see his old friend again. Frodo Baggins, Bilbo’s nephew, was there trying to get his long time friend Samwise Gamgee to dance with Farmer Cotton’s daughter, Rosie.
‘Come on, Sam! She won’t bite.’ Frodo laughed.
‘I think I need some more ale.’ Sam said as he stood up, but Frodo had a plan of his own. He nodded at Rosie who danced her way over to Sam and Frodo. Frodo grabbed Sam by the shoulders and when Rosie was close enough pushed him towards her. Rosie did the rest. Frodo laughed as he watched his friend get over his shock of dancing with Rosie Cotton.
The Time came when Bilbo stood on a barrel and made his speech.
Frodo sat down near the front of the group of hobbits from all around the Shire. Bilbo started off well. Most of the hobbits thought that Bilbo was crazy! Always telling tales about dwarfs, elves and dragons! He never seemed to age either. Bilbo came to the end of his speech and than disappeared!
‘Bilbo!’ Frodo whispered confused. He thought than came to realize. Bilbo had talked about leaving the Shire. ‘He finally said what he said he would.’ Frodo smiled slightly. Than sadness came over him. Bilbo was gone. Frodo made his way back to Bag End, where he stayed with the ‘late’ Bilbo Baggins, as hobbits called him now. Gandalf was sitting near the fire.
‘So he’s finally gone?’ Frodo asked. He looked down to see the Ring on the floor. Frodo picked it up and walked to Gandalf and looked up at him.
‘Bilbo’s Ring.’ Gandalf smiled slightly, but not full of laughter as it was a few hours before. Frodo looked at Gandalf, who went back to staring at the fire. Gandalf snapped out of his thoughts and told Frodo he had questions that needed answers and that he was leaving.
‘You only arrived.’ Frodo protested.
‘I’m sorry Frodo. Keep Bilbo’s Ring safe. Keep is secret.’ and with that Gandalf fled into the night. Frodo was left standing confused on the door step of Bag End.
**************9 years later ************
Morril woke up to a scream. Like the sound of nails scratching across a chalk board. Morril was like any other 1,560 year old elf in Silme. Tall, fair, light brown hair and blue eyes. Her name meant Dark Brilliance. Most elves were well rounded but Morril wasn’t. She was rather flat. Her eyes were so blue that some elves said that she could turn anyone into stone. Her facial feature looked as if she were born to rule. She only had a few friend’s in Silme. Thalionkal, or Kal to her friends, was more rounder and a little smaller than Morril. Tintiloss, Tintil to her friends, came from the only blonde family left in Silme. With beautiful sky blue eyes and a silver laugh, which could be heard through Silme, anytime. Most elves say that they were blonde like the Mirkwood elves but because they lived so close to Mordor, they changed and grew darker hair and eyes. Another one Morril’s friends is Arorod. He was the only he-elf that dared near the three she-elves. Most he-elves were scared of the three she-elves. Arorod had become the ‘protector’ of the three she-elves. Soon after they all met, they were in separable. Arorod, was taller than the three she-elves. He had darker brown hair and hazel eyes. The last of the a dwarf. Oin was one of the only dwarfs in Silme. Most elves didn’t mind the dwarfs in Silme for they helped establish Silme and the elves forgave the dwarfs and the dwarfs forgave the elves. Most did build mines in the Ash Mountains, near Silme. Oin was named after one of the Dwarfs that went and re-claimed the Lonely Mountain in the North, east of Mirkwood. Oin was only 100 years old and fit in with the three-she elves and one he-elf, just fine for, he was also considered weird. For he liked the sunshine and trees rather than the caves and rocks.
A group of elves stole away from Mirkwood when the first darkness past over their homeland. They moved to the Ash Mountains far away from other races, elves. But not to far away from Mordor. When ever someone would venture far from Silme, they would get scorned at for moving so close to the shadow lands. No one knew why they settled their for the found fathers of Silme had sailed over from the Gray Havens long ago.
‘Morril! Are you alright?’ Her father came running into her room.
‘Yes, Adar . What is happening?’ Morril asked worried.
‘Mordor awakens.’ Her father said looking south.
‘Mordor?!’ Morril gasped. Her father told her stories about her Grandfather in the First Alliance against Sauron when she was little. She hated it.
‘I fear, little one, that darkness will fall upon Middle-Earth again. This time the Free Races, won’t get off so easily.’
‘Adar, don’t talk of such things!’ Morril cried. ‘I saddens me.’
‘Sorry, little one.’ Her father smiled. ‘Go to sleep now. Dream pleasant dreams.’
Morril smiled.
‘Goodnight Adar.’ Morril smiled.
‘Goodnight, Little one.’ her father smiled. ‘Don’t worry about Mordor. It will not touch Silme.’
What they did not know was Sauron had a watchful eye on Silme. An ageless wizard camped near the outskirts of the small town and was in deep thought.
‘Morril.’ the wizard’s mind whispered.
Morril was asleep and dreaming. Her dreams came to Barad-Dur. Out the window of one it’s towers she saw Isildur cut the ring from Sauron’s hand. Than to the One Ring dropping into waters… A small tinkling sound came from behind her. She saw her mother’s ring fall from a pedestal. Dropping, dropping into darkness. Than to the Ash Mountains near Silme. A young he-elf that resembled her father bent over and picked up something that caught his attention. Her mother’s Ring. The next image was that of her father giving the ring to her. Than a whisper came….
‘Morril!’
‘Yes?’ Morril asked in her dream. ‘Who are you?’
‘A friend. A Wizard. A guide. I am Malarka. I am here to help and protect you.’
‘Why?’ Morril asked getting worried. ‘What do I need protection from?’
‘Your future husband.’
‘What?’ Morril gasped.
‘You must leave Silme. You must come to Rivendale!’ the voice persisted.
‘I can’t leave!’ Morril cried.
‘You must! Do you want darkness to fall upon Silme?’
‘No.’ Morril answered.
‘Than meet me tomorrow at the west gate.’
‘but why?’
‘Till tomorrow!’
‘No!’ Morril cried but she woke up instead of an answer.
**************Back in Bree************
Frodo, Samwise, Pipin Tooke and Merry Brandybuck sat in the common room of the Prancing Pony, waiting for Gandalf the Grey.
‘Something is not right, Mr. Frodo.’ Samwise said.
‘He will be here Sam.’ Frodo insisted, but in his heart he knew something was a miss. The night wore on and soon, Frodo was singing for the Bree-landers. Frodo slipped from a table. The One Ring had flown out of his hand and he tried to grab it but, it slipped on his finger. Frodo disappeared. Frodo gasped in horror as he saw shadows all around him. Nothing but shadows. Frodo crept along the floor and finally stopped when he felt the wall. Taking the One Ring off, Frodo gasped when he saw that he was sitting with Strider!
‘Mr. Underhill, I would be more carefull if I were you. I want to talk to you later tonight. We will meet in your room.’ Strider said. Frodo somehow trusted this man, even if he didn’t know him.
‘Until later.’ Strider nodded towards his friends. ‘You better watch the young one, for he is about to unmask you, Mr. Baggins.’
Frodo turned towards his friends and saw Pipin talking to some Bree-landers.
‘I know a Baggins. Frodo Baggins. I’m his cousin on his mother’s side….twice removed.’
‘PIPIN!’ Frodo cried.
‘Yes, Frodo?’ Pipin asked. ‘Oh…opps…Hello Mr. Underhill.’
‘No more talking to Bree-landers from now on!’ Frodo said to the dejected hobbit.
‘It seems Frodo, that they don’t want to talk to us.’ Merry pointed out as motioned to all the people leaving the Prancing Pony.
Later that night, as Strider had said, he talked to Frodo, Sam, Pipin and Merry. Frodo still trusted this man, but Sam was right, why should he trust them. Mr. Butterbur of the Prancing Pony came in with a letter.
‘I knew that I forgot something. Here is a letter from Gandalf the Grey. He told me to give this to you. Well, here it is! I have to go now. Very busy running an Inn!’ with that Mr. Butterbur was out of the room. Frodo looked around and saw that Strider had hidden in the shadows. Within the letter, the hobbits excepted the fact that Gandalf knew Strider and that he was to lead them on if he wasn’t there. Strider told them what was following them. The Nine Riders, Nazgul, Ringwraiths. They made dummies of them in their beds that they were to be sleeping in. They all made their way to Strider’s room, where they waited out the night. For as Strider predicted, they did come and try to kill them, but they were a step ahead of them.
‘So the nightmare begins.’ Strider said.
