I have travelled for many a day now. I am not sure how long for I have started the walking in the evenings, have walked for couple of hours before resting, eating and napping: then before the forenoon I've eaten again and continued walking and in the afternoons I have rested more before continuing again before the sunset. Having a meal six times a day is impossible while on the road and having a hurry but I haven't been too hungry. I must believe that eating thrice a day keeps me well alive.
One evening I met an Elf on the road. I never came to know his name but he had long dark hair and a circlet above his brows, and he was taller than any man that I have ever seen. We spoke for a moment ... why a hobbit was so far from the Shire and about ponies ... I even told him about my lost Silas. And he said:
"A horse, even a pony is a great ally in times of need, a friend when nothing else is close", and then I told him: "Well when I am in need of speed, he prefers to throw me into a pond ... but I think I know what you mean, master Elf". He laughed at me.
But before he went away, walking softly on the grass and it looked so easy to him that I wanted to be an Elf for a moment too, he gave me a gift. It is a small crystal phial full of clear, fresh water. I learnt that in the darkest of times drinking it would light the hope in one's heart - it was most generous gift. "I wish I had a gift to be given in return", did I mutter.
I did not walk too swiftly but eventually I reached the Forsaken Inn and there I heard about four hobbits who had taken a room but left very quickly for some reason. "They looked quite a horrified", chuckled one of them tall men, he was sitting outside in front of the Inn. "Then do you know whither they went?", asked I, misgiving a little.
"I do have better things to do than watch over every single wayfarer here", uttered he grumpily. "but now as you ask, we do not see hobbits too often here. It is well known that halflings are no adventurers so naturally I was curious. I believe I saw them heading towards the Weathertop."
So I stayed overnight in one of the Forsaken Inn's rooms before continuing my way towards the Weathertop in the dawn. I saw many orcs lurking around and it made me feel fidgety because I had noticed nothing that would tell me that my dear friends of the Shire had been there ... until I saw a tattered piece of paper on the ground. I simply bent over, took it into my hand and it was hardly readable but I could see the words -- know you will be -- make - some word here - you eat and sleek... No, eat and sleep it must be. A little piece of the letter I wrote, very worn out but clearly my letter!
So I kept walking and eventually I found their camp ... there they all were. We ate a bit before leaving again. It was wonderful to meet them all again, Amey who jumped up like a rabbit and called out me name and Benni standing next to her quietly, Tahi with his daggers (I would not want to meet him alone if I was a goblin) and snoring Tukko who had snuggled into his sleeping bag. So it was time for many hugs and some twaddle about ghosts in the Inn (that was why they did not stay the night inside ... just foolish) and breakfast before leaving (I brought them some swills but I think in the Green Dragon even beer is better).
We followed the road and met nobody but we did see some strange looking men and they were either very very ugly men or only unusual orcs but Amey thought they could have been half orcs as well. I wondered if there were half hobbits too and appalled by the thought we kept walking.
In the dusk we finally reached Ost Guruth -- it is a very old fortress or stronghold and people there do not have their own homes in the same manner like folk in Bree or in the Shire. It is not the cosiest place I have seen and the people there are poor but at least there we could rest in safety. The people of Ost Guruth (the Eglain) are, inasmuch as I have found out, welcoming but careful and for a good reason because they are in danger all the time: there are Orcs and huge Spiders and even some beasts of prey that can catch an incautious traveler. For living they grow crops and such but not very succesfully for the earth here in the Lone-lands is quite unfertile.
It has been a wearisome day and my feet are aching really badly, now if ever I hope that I had my pony back but I know it is --- (THE END OF THE PAPER HAS BEEN SMUDGED BY INK)
