Chapter 1

Riding up the winding road at a steady pace, with the bright morning sun shinning on his face, the elf couldn't help but smile. The fellowship of nine companions that had formed long ago in Rivendell was broken and he had not seen some of his friends for some time. He couldn't wait to see them again.

The elf heard a grumble from behind him and caught his companion muttering something.

"What was that you said Gimli?" asked Legolas.

"I said would it kill them to make some nice stone halls and grand houses instead of holes in the earth, most uncivilised" Gimli answered

"You know some might say that dwarves live in the ground! You dig holes also, do you not?"

"No, we build in mountain and make great halls out of stone, these look more like burrows to me!" Legolas just shook his head and rolled his eyes at the dwarf. He had hoped that their travels together would have widened the dwarfs narrow mind. It had clearly not.

"Gimli do please be polite, they are our friends and we have not seen them in 10 years!"

"Of course I'll be polite when I'm I ever not?"

Legolas laughed at that comment thinking back to so many meetings that had made him cringe when Gimli was being 'polite'. One such meeting including his father Thranduil king of Mirkwood. Gimli had laughed hysterically at Legolas when he had come down in his prince attire complete with silver leaf headband. Gimli had offered Legolas his arm and said "You look stunning m'lady!" Legolas had buried his head in his hands. Thranduil was not impressed, not being used to the dwarfs sense of humour. So they had said farewell to Mirkwood and continued on west through the high pass of the misty mountains deciding on a location. They had both agreed that it had been far to long since they had last seen a hobbit. They knew of course that Frodo had passed over the sea's with Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel. All the ring bearers, but there was still Sam, Merry and Pippin.

The two travellers came to the Brandywine Bridge at about midday. Along the road to Hobbiton they were greeted by scornful looks and suspicious glares. Hobbits peeped out of their round doors at the two, hurriedly closing them if their stare was met by either elf or dwarf.

"You'd think they had never seen our kind before" Gimli mused.

"Maybe they haven't" Legolas stated "I must admit before we met our friends Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin I had never set eyes upon a hobbit. I had read about them of course but their kind tend to keep to themselves"

"Well I wish they would stop staring, its making me feel uncomfortable"

Legolas chuckled. "Maybe they are just in awe of your splendid beard dear Gimli"

Gimli growled in answer.

Bagend was a magnificent sight, the large hobbit hole Rose above the rest and its gardens flourished like no other. The smell of summer was in the air, the pollen from so many different flowers creating a blissful aroma.

Legolas and Gimli finally dismounted and made their way up the garden path. Legolas knocked lightly on the green door. They were greeted by a small brown haired hobbit that barely passed the elf's knee.

"Hello there little one is your father home?" Gimli said leaning his face down closer to the little hobbit. She squeaked and ran back in the house slamming the door.

"I think you scared her" Legolas laughed. He knocked on the door again and this time was greated by a fair maiden hobbit. Legolas bowed his head to the women and said. "We are looking for master Samwise Gamgee. We were companions of his awhile back"

Rose Cotton-Gamgee was quite taken back by the pair. A fair and handsome golden haired elf in the company of a rough heavely bearded dwarf. She had seen elves before on the borders of the shire but the dwarf was a first for her.

"He is not home at present, he is at the office would you like me to tell you where it is or would you like to come inside and wait for him to return although I'm not sure how long he'll be."

"We have travelled far and are eager to see him again do you think he will mind being bothered at work? Asked Gimli.

"I shouldn't think so especially if you were his companions, he told me about you all but I must admit I'm at a lose for your names" She said.

"I do beg your pardon madame it seems in our hast we forgot our manors, I am Legolas Thranduilion of the woodland relm and this is Gimli son of Gloin, at your service."

After getting directions from who they presumed was Sam's wife they headed in the direction of the mayors office.

"Well what do you know! It seems our little friend is not doing to badly for himself, mayor!" Gimli chuckled.

"Not bad indeed, a nice house, wife and child too, does not get much better, I am glad for him after all that he has been through he has been to hell and back almost literally" the elf sighed. They came to the small hole in the bank that was the mayors office and entered, the sight before them made both of them grin.

Sam was sat behind a small desk half hidden in piles of paper. "I'll be right with you" he said without looking up from what he was writing.

"Well we have waited over 10 years to see you, another few minutes won't harm us" Legolas said laughing.

The minute the elf's musical voice had reached Sam's ears his head shot up, he jumped up from behind his desk, scattering papers everywhere in his hurry, and ran over to them.

"Vedai melanin! (Hello my friends) I can't believe I'm seeing you two again after all this time!" Sam shrieked.

Legolas grinned at the hobbit. "Mae govannen (Well met) Sam I see you have been working on your elvish! Elen sila lumenn omentielvo! (A star shines on the hour of our meeting)"

Sam blushed and looked down. "I haven't been working that hard master Legolas sorry"

"No need to apologise Sam seeing you again fit and healthy is good enough!" Legolas laughed.

"Gimli my old friend you have not told me how you are! It is truly great to see you again" Sam said turning to the dwarf and grasping his hand shaking it enthusiastically.

"Firstly I am not so old! So enough of that! And secondly you did not ask how I was!" The dwarf said with an angry voice. He held a sturn face for about 5 seconds making Sam blush an even darker shad of red, before barking his mad laugh and pulling the hobbit into a back crunching hug.

"I am fine laddie! How about you?" He said releasing the poor hobbit who struggled for breath.

"I can't complain, life has been good since returning home, well all but poor mister Frodo leaving I do wish he could have stayed" Sam said sadly.

"Yes I should have liked to have seen that dear hobbit one last time" Said Gimli.

"We may yet Gimli, the future is never clear" Legolas grinned.

"Well!" Said Sam snapping himself out of his sorrow and rubbing his hand together. "We must celebrate your arrival fitfully, it is not everyday that The Shire has such guests as an Elven Prince and a Dwarf Lord! We shall feast in your honour and make your visit one to remember! I will send messages to Merry and Pippin to come to Hobbiton with all hast, then you can surprise them as you did me" he laughed gesturing to the paper strewn floor.

"Yes we did make you jump rather high" Gimli laughed. "before you start the feast making why don't Legolas and I help with the mess we caused!" The three friends set about cleaning up the room and stacking the papers back on the desk, with light hearts and broad grins. Little did they know something grew closer that would weigh down their hearts and swipe away their grins.