Many Meetings

It has now been two days since Samdo got the news of his grandfather's death, and he still seems very quiet and sad. I am a bit worried, but Elanor has been spending a lot of time with him since then, and I believe they really do enjoy each other's company. Vila has been quiet as well, and I know she is worried for her sister. To keep our minds off our worries, Aldarion has been telling us tales of Gondor, Ithilian and Minas Tirith, and bringing us up to date on the happenings in those fair cities.

The past few nights I have woken a few times and heard strange noises, as if someone was digging. I usually wake either during Samdo's or Elanor's watch, but they say it is only an animal moving around in the thick underbrush. So far I have shrugged it off and gone back to sleep.

I do wish the others would meet up with us soon! We are now starting to enter rough and barren country, so it should be easy to spot them... wait! What is that I see?

"Elena!" I cried happily, leaping to my feet as she appeared from the trees behind us. She called a greeting and ran forward. I ran towards her, with the rest of our company behind me, but stopped short when she unexpectedly disappeared into the earth! Crying out, I ran forward, only to feel the ground give way beneath my feet as well! I threw out my arms and was able to grab hold of the ground and keep myself from falling further. "Stop running!" I called in warning. Looking down, I was relived to see that the hole was not very deep, it appeared only half a foot or so taller then I was, so I dropped down into it.

"Elena! Rosriel!" Vila called. "Are you all right?"

"Yes!" I hear Elena say. "But I would greatly appreciate it if someone would help me out!"

"I second that!" I added from my little hole. Above me, I heard more voices as whomever was with Elena joined the group up above. Aldarion reached down, offering me his hand, and helped pull me out. I as I clambered out, I glanced at Samdo, and noticed that he unsuccessfully trying to mask a look of mischievous satisfaction with concern. So that is where the holes had come from!

"Fool of a Took!" I quoted Gandalf with some irritation. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"

Elena, who was being helped from her hole by a tall dark haired elf, glared at Samdo saying, "Did you not hear? I already fell down a well!"

Elanor spoke up, "Don't blame it all on him! I admit that I helped with the digging."

Aldarion glanced at them both. "Elanor Brandybuck and Samdo Took! I might have known."
With slightly amused irritation and wounded dignity, Elena and I attempted to compose ourself from our unexpected plunge and ignored them. I turned to see Lira - safe and sound! - being hugged warmly by her sister. "Lira!" I ran and hugged her as well. "You are all right! Where were you? What happened? How were you rescued?" Her voice was muffled by her sister's hair, but I managed to make out "I'll tell you after dinner. I am starving!"

Smiling and shaking my head, I backed off and left Vila and Lira to themselves, turning instead to greet her companions, a younger looking ranger, two tall elves whom I recognized as Elladan and Elrohir, a gruff looking dwarf, and a young maid with - of all things! - curly hair.

"Mae govannen!" I greeted them. "Lords Elladan and Elrohir, it has been long since we met!"

"Yes, a long month!" Elladan agreed. "We might have never parted, had you simply asked us to come along!"

Aldarion came up beside me, along with Samdo, Elenor and Elena. "Elledan and Elrohir! Suilaid! I trust my brother has proved helpful in the rescue of yon fair maid," he said, nodding towards Lira.

"He has indeed." Elrohir smiled. "You will make a Ranger of him yet!"

Aldarion now turned to his brother, "Lady Rosriel, Samdo, Elanor, this is my brother Anarion. Elena, I belive you two have already met."

Samdo bowed with mock gravity and Elanor curtsied daintly. "My," I said "You do not bare much resemblance to your brother Aldarion!"

He laughed. "That I do not! I have dark hair and a paler complexion, my large brother here as fair hair and tan skin! I have a wonderful sense of humor, he is a dull as a rock. Sometimes I doubt we are related."

Aldarion shook his head wearily. "Sometimes I doubt it."

Anarion pushed him playfully, then turned to the young girl behind him. "Forgive me," he said. " I am forgetting our young companion. May I introduce you to Maid Raewyn, apparently a friend of Lira, whom we have discovered has relations to the Hobbits of the Shire."

She stepped forward egarlly, taking my hand. "I am so glad to meet you all! I have heard much about you in the last day!"

"I am pleased to meet you as well!" I said, hugging her and liking her immediately. "You have hobbit ancestry?"

She laughed. "Half Hobbit with a tiny bit of elvish somewhere back on my fathers side."

"You are part hobbit?" Samdo spoke up doubtfully. "That can't be possible. You don't look like no hobbit that I know."

"Maybe because I don't know you!" Raewyn returned brightly. "But I would be glad to make further acquaintance with you. My mother was a hobbit, thank you very much. And don't I look like one? I am short and I have curly hair! And only hobbit's have curly hair! Have you ever seen a man or an elf with curly hair? Oh!" She exclaimed, latching on to a new thought and turning towards myself. "Are you an elf?"

"Why, yes," I answered, amused with the bubbly young lady.

"Oh!" She exclaimed. "I've always wanted to meet an elf! Where are you from? And what is your name again?"

"Why don't we all sit down" Elena spoke up, "and converse that way. Mayhaps," she glared at the two hobbits, "Master Samwise and Miss Elanor can make repentance for their little prank by fixing us all a good hobbit meal."

Agreeing upon this, we all headed towards our campfire, carefully avoiding the holes.

~Lady Rosriel, 22 miles