The Red Book of Bree

[Lalaith_Elf]

I turned as I heard footsteps in the crisp leaves. Drawing my sword I jumped off the tree roots. Seeing that it was a messenger, I sheathed my sword and moved forward. Greeting the tired messenger warmly.
"Ardil, what news of the King?"
He smiled as he sat leaning against the tree. "I have travelled for days here. Seregtar caught me as I was passing through the Misty Mountains. Elessar recieved a message a few days ago. There seems to be movement North of the Shire. He is riding through day and night to get here. We met Maikadil half way. He's almost rode his horse and himself to death getting to Elessar. Good job he has a fast horse.
Your not to do anything. Messengers have been sent to Gondor and the Shire, but I know nothing about what decision that Elessar will take. Only that the Shire is still protected."
I nodded. "Take rest my friend. I'll have a messege for you to deliver in the morning. Don't hasten" I added seeing him move to get to his feet. "It's not urgent and it's not far to travel."
He nodded and slept against the tree, as his horse recovered further away.

[ethuiliel]

I watched the messanger approach Lalaith, and watched them speak quietly to eachother.
I saw the messanger settle in to sleep. I thought to ask Lalaith what the news was, but was too tired to get up, so I decided to wait 'till morning. I curled up on the ground near the fire with my cloak over me, and fell asleep quickly.

[Lalaith_Elf]

I stayed awake to keep watch. Around mid-night I pulled my cloak tightly around me. The fire had died down and it was getting colder. To keep myself entertained I fixed my gaze on the sky, and started to hum gently, one of the songs of old.

[sirigorn]

I watched the messenger, whose name was apperantly Ardil talk to Lalaith. I couldn't hear what was being said, but I was tired after a lond day of riding and new ideas. I decided not to press it. I curled up in a blanket and went to sleep.

[Sicirus]

ic: Morning rose and ended a sleepless night for three human children sleeping on the forest floor. I rubbed my eyes and sat up from uncomfortable spot. A stick or root had been pocking me in the back the whole night. Keity only smiled at me in amusement for she only slept alittle through the night.
The messenger was still at our camp sight and he was now just finishing a pipe befoer talking in elvish tongue to Lalaith who listened attentavly(sp)
When he finished she turned to us and told us to start packing our packs and load up the horses.
(I don't know what the messenger said I'll discuss this with everyone on the discussion thread.

[sirigorn]

"So" I asked Lalaith. "What are we going to do now?"

ooc: Sici, what the messenger said was in Lalaith's post at the top of the page.

[Lalaith_Elf]

"We will move on. It's better not to stay in one place for so long. Elessar is riding day and night to reach here, but as of yet no-one knows what descisions will come from him."

[ethuiliel]

I tried to supress a mixture of excitement and nerves, and waited (sort of) paitiently to see what would happen. "Where do you think we'll be tonight," I whispered to Jean.

[Sicirus]

ic: I hoped onto my packed up horse and turned to Keity. " I thnik we should follow where ever Elessar goes. We need his permission to enter the Shire and thats where we have to solve the problem. We have no other choice." I saw that alaith was heaidn towards the Shire but I knew we would need more than Elessar. i wanted to get soldiers from Rohan and Gondor to help. I knew those in Bree would not care too much for the affairs of hobbits and started to steer my horse the other direction and walked on.

[sirigorn]

"Hey, wait up!" I yelled. "WHere are you going? Lalaith's the only one who knows where Elessar is!!"

[Lalaith_Elf]

They started to make their way along on foot, but didn't get very far until they heard another horse heading straight for them. I stopped and pulled my sword half out of it's scabbard, turning slowly waiting for the rider to come around the corner.
Everyone else turned as they heard the horse. Seeing a fair looking man ride swiftly up to them. He looked like an elf and spoke quickly to me in elvish before riding off again.
I turned to the others. "I must away for a while. Elessar may need my assistance. Their travelling party has been attacked, though not many were hurt."
I lept up swiflty on my horse and turned and galloped away at a great speed, dissapearing around the corner and into the distance quickly, leaving the others slightly puzzled and unaware of what to do or where to go.

[sirigorn]

"Okay... That was strange. Now what do we do?" I asked Jean and Keita.

ooc: Arwen, this would be a great point to join!!

[ethuiliel]

"Well, we can't stay here, and she knows it. We might as well head in the direction of the Shire. I think we should be allowed in Buckland, and if not, we should find some hobbits near the border to talk to. We should let someone know what is going on."

OOC: Anytime, Arwen, you can join.

[ethuiliel]

We got back on our horses, and set off on the road, in the direction that we had been travelling all along, in the opposite direction of the one Lalaith took. We travelled at a steady pace, slightly faster than we had been travelling earlier. We didn't stop until the late afternoon.

[sirigorn]

In the afternoon, we stopped and unloaded our horses. I got a fire started and ate some of the food in our packs. Keita, Jean, and I talked about our experiences, both here, and home on Earth.

[ethuiliel]

"How much longer do you think it will be until Lalaith comes back?" I asked. "Do you think Aragorn will be with her?"
They shrugged, and we began to talk about what our plans would be until she got back.

[sirigorn]

As we were talking, there was a lapse in conversation. As I was staring off into the woods, I saw a small figure moving through the woods. I got Jean and Keita's attention and pointed at it. "Do you think that's a hobbit?" I asked them.
"Yeah" Jean answered. "it looks to small too be full grown and what would a child be doing out here in the middle of the woods anyway?"
I got up and headed over to the figure. "Hello" I said.
The hobbit turned around, startled. It was definitley a hobbit. "Hello." He said. "Who are you?"
"My name's Alyna. What's yours?"

[ethuiliel]

I looked at the small figure in the woods, and wondered what a hobbit would be doing outside the Shire. From what I had read, it seemed that hobbits were shy of the Big Folk, and most wouldn't travel outside the Shire. Then again, Bree wasn't that far from the Shire, and we had been travelling for nearly two days, so we were probably quite close to the Shire. If this was a Brandybuck, he wouldn't have travelled too far.
"I'm Mr. Brandybuck" he replied. Nothing new there, I had guessed it. Brandybucks were more likely to travel than anyone except some Tooks and Bagginses. Besides, we were near Buckland. "Who are they?" he asked, waving in our general direction.
"I'm Jean" replied my best friend.
"Keita" I mumbled, still deep in thought.

[ethuiliel]

After a moment of awkward silence, I looked at my companions. Should we tell him what we had come all this way to tell someone, or should we wait for Lalaith to return (with Aragorn/Elessar, I hoped)?
"Do you think we should tell him the Shire will be completely destroyed in a few years?" whispered Jean.
"No, that seems a little too harsh," I replied, "though it will be true if they aren't warned." And maybe if they are I thought, but I decided not to say that, and cause despair. "We can warn him without telling him how terrible it will be." I hoped he would believe us, but why should he? We were complete strangers, and the Shire was their safe home. But it had been attacked before, and they might be a little more likely to believe in danger than they had been before.
"We have to tell him something," I finally said, after long minutes of thoughtful silence. "Nomatter how hard it is on him or us." I hoped Lalaith would be back soon.

[Sicirus]

ic: the hobbit twisted his hands nervously as he looked up at us. He must have had some trouble with humans before so I gave him a smile for comfort. He returnd the smile in a shy fashion.

"What brings you to these parts?" he questioned us after gathering some courage.

"Er.... we need to know if we can send a message to the mayor of Hobbiton." I said.

"What kind of message?" he asked sounding alittle suspecious.

"A forwarning really. Nothing that can't be avoided of course." I added quickly as he started to twist his hands again.