You looked up from the yellow boots to the face of the old man. As soon as your eyes met his, all fear and worry seemed to wash away in a wave of calmness. His face was old, his mouth lined with laughter lines that were surrounded by a bristly brown beard. Under his crooked green hat, two bright blue eyes shown through, radiating a friendly warmth.
"Enjoy you trip?" The old man let out a chuckle. You looked at him with amusement mixed with slight dismay. He did not just use that pun! You shoved yourself up with the helping hand of the old man. When you stood fully upright you could not help but notice how short the old man was, only coming up to about your waist, and also how familiar he was to you. The bright yellow boots and the singing rang a bell in your distant memory.
"Old me forgets myself, My name is To-"
"Tom Bombadil." You said, cutting him off. "You are Tom Bombadil, protector of the forests and those who live in them." The old man raised his long wispy eyebrows and let out a hearty laugh.
"Why yes child, I am!" Before you could carry your conversation any further, a yelp sounded from behind you.
"Your twig is in a place it really should not be!" You knew that voice. Very well. A small tree came thudding out of the forest, and on it's shoulder sat a squirming Hobbit.
"Pippin?" A grin broke onto your face as you rushed over to the Hobbit who was dismounting the Ent. 'He is alive and safe! But why is he not with Merry?'
"Y/N! You are awake just in time for supper!" You laughed as you bent down to hug the hobbit, but you noticed he was eyeing the plates and basket that Tom had laid out.
"Come children, come eat." Tom motioned for you and Pippin to take a seat by the plates. You crossed your legs on the damp grass next the yellow booted man, with Pippin on the other side of you.
"Did Goldberry make those lovely jam sandwiches?" Pippin turned to Tom who was opening up the basket. It wasn't until you laid your eyes on the array of sandwiches in the basket did you realize how ravenous you were after your stomach let out a loud rumble.
"Yes, yes Master Took, my lovely Goldberry, merry berry-o made the sandwiches with love!" Tom laughed and handed the Hobbit his fill, before turning to the old Ent who had started to thunk back to the forest. "Dear Skinbark, will you not stay and have some Ent draught?" The old man held out the crooked bowl of water towards the moving tree. 'Why is it just hitting me now that the tree is walking and talking?'
"Hmmmf, I shall pass. I must... Harmmmph... Go retreive Goldberry and...Glorfindel." You took a bite of your sandwich, eyeing the tree with curiosity. Did he just say Glorfindel, where do I know that name?'
"Alright good friend, go hop a dil-dilo!" Old Bombadil guffawed loudly, waving Skinbark away, before turning to you and clapping his hands together. "Now dear Y/N, you have much to explain so you better dilly dally!"
Between you and Pippin the two of you had two had managed to munch your way through most of the sandwiches as you recounted your story. You explained how Frodo and Sam went on alone, talked about your memory starting to fade and about the trek that you, Gimli, Aragorn and Legolas had taken to try and find Merry and Pippin after they had been captured and how they found out Gandalf was still alive and was awaiting them in the forest of Fangorn.
"Gandalf is alive?" Pippin had almost imploded in on himself when he heard the news. You then explained the ride to Rohan, but made the executive decision to leave out the part where you got locked up with Wormtounge.
"And before I knew it, the warg had flung itself off the cliff with me attached to it, then I woke up hear." The other two listened intently as finished your tale. Your mind wandered back to the battle, back to your friends...Back to Legolas. Was he alright? Did he get hurt? Worry started to set in, but before you let it take hold completely, you changed the subject. "What about you Pip, how did you end up here?" You asked.
"Well let me see." The Hobbit said, cramming his mouth with another jam sandwich and was about to carry on the story, when another voice interrupted.
"I found him wandering around east of Tyrn Gorthad, just outside the border of the Barrow Downs." The voice said. You turned around to find a tall blond elf, clad in shimmering white armor, with a large sword on his hip. By his side a beautiful woman with flowing hair dressed in a long white gown decorated with silver water lilies that glimmered in the light walked barefoot beside him.
"Ah, Glorfindel and my lovely wife Goldberry, come join us!" Tom skipped over to his wife to give her a kiss and help her sit down opposite you. Glorfindel then sat beside her.
I am guessing you are lady Y/N?" Glorfindel asked, his green eyes staring into your soul, making you nervous.
"I, yeah. Yeah I am." You said as the elf gave you a knowing look. 'Does he know? No, he couldn't, could he?'
"Anyway, I found him wandering those dangerous lands when I was travelling back from Isengard, so I brought him to old Tom." The elf finished, before taking a sip of vine that Tom had passed him. Why was he in Isengard? That seems odd...
"How did you end up alone Pippin? Gandalf said he saw Merry passing through Fangorn about six days ago, why were you not with him?" You asked the Hobbit, who was trying to sneak his hand into the basket to find more food.
"I don't remember much apart from being chased into that forest with Merry by an Orc when these scary men on horses attacked the Uruk-Hai that captured us. We got separated in the forest and I ended up walking for what seemed like miles and miles, with no food mind you. I think I have lost some weight. It is not healthy nor is it natural for a Hobbit not to eat seven meals! Anyway Skinbark said that he had sent some birds to find another tree named 'Treebeard' to tell him I was here. Apparently Merry is with that other walking shrub." Pippin said, adding some sliced apple to his plate.
"Seems to me that we were meant to meet my friends. You said Rohan had fled to Helms Deep?" Goldberry asked you, delicately pinning her hair up.
"Yeah, they were afraid Sarumans forces would attack them or something. They thought they would be safer behind the walls of Helms Deep." You said, placing your plate on the grass.
"I think Theoden did the right thing. I saw a force of at least ten thousand orcs marching north. If they are heading to Helm's Deep, they would be there by tomorrows eve. Theoden can only hope for the walls to protect his men." Glorfindel said in a deadly tone.Your heart plummeted. Ten thousand? Oh no, my friends are there! Legolas is there! You begun to panic, and by the looks of it, Pippin was to.
"We need to do something! Our friends are there!" Pippin squeaked standing up. He was right, you had to do something.
"I will not meddle in the dealings of men and Orcs." Tom said, holding his wife's hand. What? What did he mean that he won't help!?
"You must help! If Saruman takes Helms Deep, he will move onto new lands in this world. You need to help, you are part of this world are you not?" You rushed, annoyed at the man who probably had the means to help win this battle. I mean, he could ask the Ents to help fight, and who knows what other creatures dwelt in his forest.
"Well, no, I am not of this earth. I was created before this earth, and I will live on after it. I am only the protector of the forest." Tom said, leaning back on the palms of his hands. Your blood started to rise, could he not hear himself? The world was going to be over run with orcs, and with the only chance to stop it, he would not help?
"Well your forest is part of this world, and the creatures in it! Do not you not think Sauron will spread his forces to burn this forest and everything in it!?" You half yelled, standing beside Pippin. A silence fell upon the group as they looked at Tom for any sign of agreement. His long haired eyebrows slowly knotted together as he imagined the chaos and destruction of his forest. After a few moments he nodded his head, looking toward you.
"I will see what I can do."
The golden rays of sun twinkled through the curtains in the room, waking Pippin up. You were slumped against the opposite wall made from twisting tree branches, though you did not get much sleep. Your thoughts were with your friends in Helms Deep. Tonight they would be getting attacked, you were not sure if Bombadil was going to help. He had disappeared during to night, saying he had to 'figure something out.' You let out a sigh, biting your lip. Would you ever see Legolas again?
"Good morning Y/N." You looked over at the hobbit who was stretching.
"Morning Pip," You said as he grabbed the remainder of the sandwich he was eating before falling asleep last night, and shoved it in his mouth. 'How can someone so small eat so much?' Before you could say much more, Goldberry wandered into the room, carrying a tray with three cups of warm honey tea.
"Good morning, what a lovely morning!" She half sang as she set the tray down and handed the two of them a cup, before taking one for herself.
"Has Tom come back?" You asked after thanking her for the tea. Goldberry looked at you, flashing a white smile before saying,
"No, he has not, but he sent me a bird saying he wants me to help you both get ready." She said, sipping the sweet tea. Get ready? Hope begun to rise in your heart.
"Get ready?" Pippin asked.
"Yes, get ready." Goldberry repeated herself.
"For what?" Pippin questioned again.
"War."
After a few hours of getting ready, You looked down at the clothes you had put on. Goldberry had given you one of her garments to wear, and it shocked you to say the least. You had not expected the fair lady to have ever worn something so...Harsh. You were clad in leather trousers, and a chain mailed top with leather sleeves and on your belt hung a sheathed sword and a small axe.
"If you dont mind me asking, why do you have these battle clothes?" You asked as Goldberry finished plaiting your hair.
"I too had the need to go to war a long time ago, in the first age. I was like you, wanting to aid my friends. I was a very good fighter." She said as you stood up, inspecting yourself in the mirror.
"Huh. You know I can barley fight right?" You said turning around. She only looked at you with a smile and laughed.
"Dear, do not fret too much. It is the strength of your heart, not the strength of the blade that counts. Though knowing how to use a blade is helpful." She laughed and gestured to your shirt.
"That is Mithril. It will keep you safe." Your eyes almost popped out of your head. 'Mithril! That is worth a fortune!
"Your mother gifted it to me when I wanted to fight." She added. You almost choked. How does she know my mother? Does that mean she knows my fath-
"I see the confusion on your face. Your mother Galadriel was my dear friend, I helped raise you when you were young, and do not fret, I will not tell anyone about your father." Goldberry said as she placed a hand softly on your shoulder. Before your conversion could continue, Pippin burst through the door, dressed in Hobbit sized armor. You could only guess where he retrieved that from, but he helmet that looked almost to big for his head made you smile.
"They are back. Tom and that scary blond elf. They said to meet them at the cliffs of Durndingle." Pippin panted.
"Then let us go!" Goldberry said, rushing you out of the door.
After a few minutes of speed walking through thick forest, you broke through the woodlands edge onto a great grassy mountain top. The setting afternoon sun blazed golden light, warming your face. The mountain top was lush with the greenest grass you had laid eyes on and ground was littered with silver and gold flowers that glittered in the light. The further you walked the stronger the smell of roses became, until you came to a halt next to Tom and Glorfindel. Your breath was almost sucked out of you as you came to the great mountains edge and looked out into the distance. The mountains edge was a rock that jutted out, over looking the the land below. A great white waterfall went roaring off the edge, into the land below. The sky was a gradient of pink and red as the sun started to sink into the horizon, melting like gold into the green valleys below them. In the far distance you could see a swarm of birds flying towards you. Your hand automatically trailed to where Legolas's evenstar should be, but to your disappointment, it was not there.
"I almost thought you were not going to come!" Tom laughed as he looked at yours and Pippin's astonished faces.
"I am glad I did! This is beautiful!" You said, gazing over the land.
"Yes, yes it is dear child. But I must depart, Goldberry and I will meet you, Master Took and Glorfindel at Helms Deep! But you better hurry, your ride is almost here or you will be late!" You were so transfixed with the scenery, you barley noticed Goldberry and Tom skip away.
"Wait how will we get there! What do you mean ride?" You called back to the retreating pair, but all you could see was the flashes of Tom's yellow boots.
"Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo! Ring a dong! Hop along! Fal lal the willow! Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!" Tom's singing echoed through the forest and mountains as you stood there between a Hobbit and an elf, completely dumbfounded.
"Y/N, Look!" Your turned to see Pippin pointing to the sky. When you looked closer, that swarm of birds you thought you saw, were much, much bigger now.
"Holy shit! Eagles!"