Middle Stark (Avengers and Lord of the Rings crossover)

3

Tom took me on a long, winding road through the woods back to a little house he called his home. Inside, a woman named Goldberry with flowing blonde hair embraced him.

"Who is this?" she asked, turning to me.

"Ivy Stark. She's lost and I agreed to help her find Bree," Tom informed her. "I shall be back after supper, Goldberry."

"Very well, Tom. Stay safe," she said brightly. Then she went back to the kitchen. "Here, Ivy. It has food and drink in it. Something tells me yours will be quite a journey."

"Thank you, ma'am," Ivy said gratefully. "Much appreciated." Goldberry smiled and inclined her head in acknowledgement.

"Let's be on our way, then!" Tom clapped his hands and exited, clearly expecting for me to follow. I did.  He led me around to his stables, where a horse followed him out and he bridled it.

"This is my pony," he told me. "You may ride it, Miss Ivy."

"Thank you, sir. But what about you?"

"I can walk. You are a guest, however, and must be treated accordingly." Tom started off down the road as I swung up onto the pony clumsily and hurried to catch up.

We walked along the road for hours, through lots of thick, green trees and across a plain. Tom said it belonged to the Barrow-Wights, but that they wouldn't dare come out while he was there. I nodded, pretending I knew what he was talking about. I hated not knowing things. We pulled to a stop at a road somewhere after the Barrow-Wights, and Tom said that this was as far as he could go. 

"Why?" I asked.

"This is the end of my domain," he told me quite simply.

"But I don't know where I'm going," I said.

"Ah! Here is a map, my lady, of Middle Earth. And here are some directions: continue along this road for several hours and then you shall reach Bree!" Tom smiled and handed me the map, which I received. It had the entirety of Middle Earth on it. I gaped at him. 

"How far do you think I'll go?" I asked.

"Very far," Tom winked at me. "Lots of journeys start near here, Miss Ivy."

"I just want to go home, not very far," I reminded him. Tom winked again. It kind of unnerved me, his assumption that I would do a lot of traveling here. I certainly wasn't planning on it.

"We'll see, Miss Ivy. Just come back and tell me once you do. I deserve to know - I started you off on your journey, you know," Tom said cheerily.

"I-fine. If I come back this way I'll try and find you and tell you what's happened to me," I promised. I dismounted the horse, than, and shouldered my pack. "Here's your pony, by the way, thanks for letting me use him."

"Excellent! Thank you, Miss. I'm sure it will be quite a tale," Tom said. "Now, I fear I must say goodbye, or my Goldberry shall worry. But believe me, I have quite enjoyed this walk together. Farewell, Miss Ivy!"

"Goodbye, Mr. Tom!" I called. But he was already gone, disappeared behind a hill and some trees. Huh, I thought to myself. What an odd little fellow. Then I turned down the road in front of me towards Bree, praying I'd find help once I did.

-

AVENGERS TOWER

"Here's the scoundrel," Thor grunted, pulling Loki in by the collar.

"Unhand me, you oaf of a man, or I shall-"

"Shut up, Reindeer Games. Nobody's in the mood. Now tell me: what did you do to my daughter?" Tony asked furiously, glaring at Loki.