Chapter One:

My Dear Frodo

My Dear Frodo,

I hope the letter finds you well and that you will forgive me for my lack of warning. I know you must be terribly confused about my sudden departure, but I assure you that not one day has past without you in my thoughts. The truth is that reasons behind my leaving were not entirely my own. I've told you about the wizard Gandalf I believe. The one who made such fantastic fireworks and helped my mother during her adventurous youth. Well, it seems that he is still in business and he has invited me on an adventure of all things. I know it must come as a shock for your uncle of all people to go on something as unrespectable as an adventure. I'm still quite surprised myself.

I am well, though, I assure you. Adventures as it turns out, while they have their dangers and excitements, are mostly uncomfortable dull things that consist mostly of traveling and camping. Though I do have some more interesting news. I find myself in Rivendell! The elves are just as lovely and amazing as the stories described. Rivendell itself is quite wondrous it's a perfect house, whether you like food, or sleep, or work, or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or some pleasant mixture of them all. The Lord of Rivendell, Elrond, saved us from a small bit of trouble before welcoming us into his home and since then has been as admirable a host as I've ever had. Lord Elrond, who has graciously offered myself and my companions his home, has agreed to deliver this for me so it is my hope that it will find you soon.

My companions are certainly unexpected. Dwarves! They are not quite like the tales you hear, unexpectedly endearing in some ways and unbelievably frustrating in others. One of the younger ones, from my reckoning he'd still be a tween if he was a hobbit, wiped his boots on the glory box at Bag End. And after just having met me too! Not that I wish you to have a bad impression of them. Kili has apologized since then and is a good lad. I suppose descriptions are in order.

Dwalin was the first to arrive and he gave me a fright when he did. Gandalf you see had left without explaining just what his adventure was and after I had told him that I had no interest in it. As you'd expect I had no idea what a rather fierce looking dwarf with two very large axes was doing at my smial in the middle of the night demanding supper. I fed him, of course, he was still a guest, if an unexpected one. Dwalin isn't the most verbose of my companions, or the friendliest, though he seems on good terms with most of the others. The youngest among us seem to particularly have a certain level of respect for him. His brother is quite the opposite.

Balin, Dwalin's elder brother, was the next of the Company to arrive and a bit more polite about it than his brother, though that didn't stop him from helping to devour my pantry...

"Who's Frodo? Do you have a sweetheart Mr. Boggins?" a teasing voice questioned next to Bilbo's ear, sending the startled hobbit to his feet and causing him to almost fall over them in the process, staying up only by the grace of another set of hands. Feeling distinctly rumpled and not a small bit embarrassed, Bilbo looked up to find the curious eyes of Kili watching him with a mischievous gleam.

"Yes, do tell Mister Baggins." the voice of the hands that had caught Bilbo chimed in as they planted Bilbo more solidly, allowing him to turn to find Fili standing their looking just as mischievous as his brother.

Bilbo tried not to sigh. The two brothers had been keeping a close eye on him and popping up constantly. Bilbo had been completely bewildered until Balin had told him that they'd been quite impressed by his handling of the trolls and felt responsible for endangering him in the first place. Plus, Bilbo had noticed, they now seemed quite fond of him. Bilbo returned the sentiment despite the previous sins against his mother's glory box, the two boys reminded him quite a bit of his younger cousins Meriadoc and Peregrin. Both sets of boys were inseparable, good-natured, nexuses of trouble and mischief, but so charming you couldn't help but love them. Bilbo was not immune to this and had found they could be unexpectedly sweet, but he had begun to feel a bit smothered and wanted a bit of privacy to write his letter.

Fili and Kili though, were obviously not so easily deterred.

"Has you uncle taught you that its considered quite rude to read someone else's private business?" Bilbo questioned with a scowl, completely ignoring the questions.

"Yes." the answered in unison, grinning shameless. Bilbo sighed, unable to stay mad it them since they hadn't really done any true harm, besides it wouldn't hurt to answer their questions. He himself had been curious and a bit nosy at their age. Or at least the hobbit equivalent of Dwarvish ages.

"Frodo is not my sweetheart, but rather my nephew. He's a sweet boy and I've been helping take care of him since his parents passed. I know he'll be worried and I would have sent word sooner if I'd been able." Bilbo explained, making both boys look a little thrown and suddenly sympathetic.

"I'm sorry for your loss Mister Baggins." Fili said face wearing the slight pinched understanding look of someone who truly knew what it was to lose someone. Kili's only response was to hug Bilbo and begin muttering comforting words so ridiculous Bilbo had to laugh as Fili pulled him off. Despite his behavior Kili had the same look as Fili, making Bilbo realize that young or not they'd clearly lost someone and someone dear at that. It reminded him of how Frodo looked when reminded of his parents.

Bilbo's heart, which already was slowly being conquered by the mischievous but sweet duo, melted at that and he knew he'd lost.

"It's alright lads. I hadn't seen Drogo in years, though he was one of my more liked relatives, and Frodo is starting to recover, which is the important thing I would think." Bilbo assured them though it didn't completely erase the sad looks in their eyes.

The boys though were nothing if not resilient and Kili sniffed the air and grinned suddenly. Bilbo followed his example and realized there was a faint scent of fire and quickly turned back to where he'd left the dwarves to the supper the elves had provided.

"Dear Lord is that smoke?" Bilbo demanded distressed and sure enough a large black bellow spun cheerfully away and into the sky.

The boys simply laughed.

"We decided to cook the elves food to see if it would make any of it edible." Kili said with an utter sweetness that Bilbo recognized as the same one Pippin had given him after making off with Farmer Maggot's mushrooms.

"Sadly there was no firewood." Fili said looking just as sweet, but clearly trying to keep a smirk off his face. "Luckily Uncle's chair was so delicate it shattered into pieces against the wall. An accident of course, brought on by shoddy Elvish craftsmanship."

"Mister Dwalin's was just as bad." Kili said, followed by a stifled giggle.

Bilbo knew he normally would have felt much more horrified at such behavior, but by now he found himself unable to be truly surprised. Honestly it was almost impressive that Thorin had lasted this long without destroying something, considering how clear he'd made his distaste for elves. Bilbo allowed himself to be dragged back by the now happily chatting Kili, deciding he would finish the letter later.

O

Elrond was not too surprised by Thorin and his Company's sudden departure, though he was slightly disappointed to see the last of the Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins had shown the beginnings of an excellent scholar and Elrond had taken a quick liking to him. It was a shame he hadn't been able to stay long enough to take an in-depth look at the library like he'd clearly wanted to. Even more of a shame that he'd continued on the quest that was in all likelihood certain death. When the letter, left by Mister Baggins with a polite request to deliver it, Elrond felt it was the least he could do considering he doubted he'd ever see the hobbit alive again.

He did not wish to leave it to chance though by sending the letter through human means, so it was quickly decided that an elf would hand deliver it as a show of respect Bilbo's (probably) final request.

Or at least Elrond had intended on using an elf until Estel had volunteered. Elrond knew the boy was eager to see the outside world, despite his obvious love for his home. He also knew that Estel had listened to his mother and teachers' lessons carefully and thoughtfully. He was not quite ready for his heritage, but perhaps the boy was ready to go on a short journey to settle him. The road to the Shire was not dangerous, or at least the road Elrond was planning, and it shouldn't take him too long.

After speaking to Gilraen, who though anxious agreed a short trip would do Estel some good, Elrond was decided. Estel would deliver the letter for Bilbo Baggins.

With Elladan and Elrohir as escorts of course.