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.

That's one thing we have in common, she thought to herself, neither of us like fancy clothes.

I looked around and saw a hill, but strangely, it had a door with a chimney sticking out from of the grass. "What is that?" I asked curiously. "That is a hobbit hole! It's what hobbits live in!" Esmerelda said with excitement, "Over this hill you will see many more hobbit holes!" Esmerelda chirped as she skipped up the hill. Once we reached the top I couldn't believe my eyes. There were hobbits everywhere I looked; hobbits young and old. "This is amazing!" I exclaimed while turning in every direction.

I suddenly noticed that a lot of the hobbits were looking at me with a sour expression on their faces, and whispering to one another. I didn't pay any attention to them, instead I followed Esmerelda around the Shire.

After awhile we came across two hobbits whom Esmerelda waved over. "Who are they?" I whispered to Esmerelda as they began to walk towards us. "They're my brother and cousin. You'll like them! Merry's my brother and he's the one who got me interested in exploring outside the Shire. He and Pippin (that's my cousin) just went on their own adventure about a year ago. They've been been telling me everything about it but do you know what's not fair? They didn't invite me to come along with them!"

"That's because you are too young to go on an adventure Esmerelda." One of the hobbits commented, joining in the conversation. Esmerelda narrowed her eyes at him. "Pippin got to go! And he's younger than me!" she pointed an accusing finger at Pippin who chuckled. "By one year Es, I'm more adept to surviving in the wild than you are." he said with a smile. "Oh really?" Esmerelda put her hands on her hips. "Why is that?" Both Merry and Pippin smiled mischievously. "You wouldn't be able to last five minutes without eating something!"

Esmerelda's face turned red and I noticed that her hand had been about to reach into her pocket to retrieve another snack. I coughed to get her attention. "Oh right! Prisca this is Merry and Pippin. Merry and Pippin this is my new friend Prisca, I found her in the woods." "Nice to meet you." I said smiling shyly. "Nice to meet you too Prisca. I haven't seen you around the Shire before." Merry said with a friendly smile. "I don't live in the Shire. I live in a small house past the woods." I explained. "Why don't you live in the Shire?" asked Pippin curiously. I was about to answer when Merry suddenly called out, "Hey Frodo, what brings you out here?"

I looked up and saw two more hobbits coming towards us. Esmerelda pointed at the one on the right. "That's Frodo, he's my other cousin, and the other hobbit is Sam." In a lower voice she added glumly, "They got to go on the adventure too." I looked up and studied both of the hobbits that were coming over to us, one had short curly blonde hair and the other had brown curly hair that went a little past his ears. I noticed the brown haired hobbit was looking at me but then turned his gaze to the other hobbits. I noticed a folded piece of paper in Frodo's hand. "I have some news for you both, it's a letter from Aragorn." he handed the paper to Merry who started to unfold it. "Good old Strider, I wonder how he's been doing since-" Pippin and looked at Frodo uncertainly. "Well, you know, since the quest."

Quest? What Quest? I wondered. And who is Strider? Or is it Aragorn? I never got a chance to ask because Esmerelda was already making more introductions. "Frodo and Sam, this is my new friend Prisca." Both waved and smiled. "Nice to meet you Miss Prisca." Sam said politely. I smiled and turned to Frodo, wondering if he would say anything, but the hobbit remained silent as waited for Merry and Pippin to finish reading. He doesn't seem to talk much. I thought. After a brief moment of silence Merry and Pippin looked up from the letter. "He's invited us to Minas Tirith for a visit, and to celebrate the downfall of Sauron. Are you going Frodo?" Merry asked.

"Aragorn? Minas Tirith? Celebration?!" Esmerelda's eyes widened in excitement. Turning to Frodo she started jumping up and down in excitement. "You have to go and I could come with you!" Frodo glanced uncertainly at Merry. I watched them all in silence talk about this "celebration" that they were invited to, "Sam and I are planning on going, but if Esmerelda wants to come it's up to you I guess." Quickly he added, "That is, if you and Pippin are coming too." Pippin smiled. "Of course I'm going! According to Aragorn's letter, Legolas and Gimli are going to be there too. Also, I want to see the White City again and see how Faramir's been doing."

Esmerelda knew immediately that if Pippin was going then Merry would be going too. "Please let me come Merry! I've always wanted to meet Aragorn, and that elf and dwarf. Please Merry!" Esmerelda was down on her knees begging Merry. "Es stop! You can't go, you weren't invited!" Merry said while looking to the others for help. Pippin just shrugged. "She's your sister." Esmerelda grabbed her brother's ankle and looked up at him with begging eyes. "Oh please Merry! Let me come with you! I'm sure Aragorn wouldn't mind and I'll behave!" Merry tried to shake her off. "Please? I want to see what the world is like outside of the Shire! I want to go on an adventure like you, and Prisca can come too!" Merry stopped trying to kick her off his foot, he sighed and looked down at Emerelda "Fine! I guess you can come, but I don't know about your friend." Merry said and Esmerelda let go of his foot. She stood up, her eyes were wide as she started jumping up and down. "Thank you thank you thank-" she stopped and looked at Prisca, then back at Merry. "Wait, why couldn't she come? She's my friend." Esmerelda crossed her arms and tapped her foot on the ground. I had no idea what I was about to get into. "It's one thing having you come with us Es, you're my sister. But we just met Prisca and none of us know anything about her." Merry replied shortly.

"She's fine! She's quiet and nice, and she knows how to shoot an actual bow! She shot an apple right out of my hand!" I glanced nervously at Merry who was giving me a funny look. I shrugged my shoulders nervously at him then Merry turned back to Frodo, "What do you think Frodo?" Merry asked. "I guess it would be alright if she came." Frodo said then looked at me as I stood there quietly. "What do you say Prisca? Want to come?" Esmerelda asked and put her hand on my shoulder.

"Well, I would have to think about it. I'm not sure yet." I said then looked down at the ground. "You can think about it. We won't be leaving until tomorrow morning." Frodo told me. "Alright then." I said "If I decide I want to go, then where will I find you all?" I asked. "We should be passing through the woods, so how about you meet us there?" Merry said. "Alright, then I will think about it." I said. Then waved to them all and started to walk back to my home not knowing what else I should have done. Esmerelda followed after me and walked by my side.

)()()(

They walked towards the woods,they stopped once they reached the entrance. "You need to come! It will be so much fun!" Esmerelda begged. "I don't know. I just need to think about it." I said nervously. "Alright, well I'm going to head back now. I'll l see you tomorrow morning!" Esmerelda smiled then skipped back the other way. I feel like she didn't just hear a single word I said. I sighed then continued on the pathway home.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Please comment what you think!