Awakening Shadows

Chapter 2: Seeing The Shire

The sun shone through my window, I sat up in bed and yawned and stretched my arms. I stood up and felt the cold floor underneath my feet, I walked out to the dining area and saw breakfast waiting for me on the table. I also saw a note that lay next to my plate, I picked it up and read it.

Prisca, me and your father are going to Bree to meet an old friend, we will be back before dinner. Stay close to home.

I laid the note back down on the table then sat down to eat my breakfast. It was cold, I wondered how long my mother and father had been gone. I bit into a crispy piece of toast and immediately spat it back out. I drank my water but it wasn't very good, so I  lost my appetite. I wonder why the food isn't very good. I washed my plate then went outside, I climbed my most favorite tree and stared off into the distance. Wishing it was twelve already, I wanted to go to the Shire and meet all the hobbits, then I remembered Esmerelda.

What if all the hobbits are like her?

"Surely they aren't all like her." I said with a laugh.

I like Esmerelda but she is kind of odd. She was friendly, funny, and seemed like she has ten stomachs instead of one. I laughed and turned my head up to the sky. I looked at the sun and its position in the sky, how late did I sleep in? it was getting closer to twelve. I climbed down the tree quickly, and almost tripped over my feet as I ran towards the house. I grabbed my sword and bow and this time I did trip over my feet. I fell face first onto the floor. "Ow..." I moaned, but jumped back up slowly and ran out the door, out into the woods again without looking back.

)()()(

I walked through the forest alone and had so many thoughts running through my head at once.

Will the other hobbits like me?

I don't know how they live, or their ways. Hopefully I'll be welcome.

I walked and walked until finally I had reached the apple tree Esmerelda had told me to meet her at. I didn't see Esmerelda anywhere so I sat and waited. It had to be noon, unless Esmerelda forgot about the whole thing.

Where is she?

I tapped my foot and whistled a song my mother use to sing to me when I was younger.

I saw the core of an apple hit the ground in front of me, I looked at it curiously then stood and looked up at the tree branch where Esmerelda was sitting and eating another apple. "Esmerelda! What are you doing? I've been waiting for you and this whole time you've been sitting right above me!" I exclaimed. I looked at Esmerelda in disbelief. It was like she was ignoring me! "Esmerelda! Down here!" I said a little louder as I watched the her take a bite of her bright red apple. I had enough. I pulled out my bow and an pulled an arrow from my quiver and aimed it straight at Esmerelda's apple. I fired, it went straight through the apple and sent it flying out of Esmerelda's hand. Esmerelda shrieked and fell from the apple tree. She hit every branch before landing with another "thump" on the ground. Esmerelda stood up with her fists flying in the air. "Who did it? Show yourself-" she paused and saw me standing there laughing. "Oh, so you think that was funny?" Esmerelda growled while pulling twigs and leaves out of her hair.

"You were ignoring me, I had no choice and yes, it sort of was." I smirked at Esmerelda. "Well, I didn't see or hear you, and you ruined my snack." Esmerelda huffed while crossing her arms. She sighed and waved me forward. "Let's get going then, I did say I would show you around the Shire." said Esmerelda in a snappy voice. "This way!" she shouted and I followed her out of the wood and into a meadow.

)()()(

Esmerelda stopped every few minutes to get a snack out of her bag. I noticed instead of a dress she wore a blue, plain, loose-fitting shirt with the sleeves rolled up and dark brown pants that went to just above her ankles.