Looking up, Fáinu saw Cree. She must have been out of sight, or something had blinded him. He did not care much now. He noticed a few hobbits already involved in a drinking game.
"It’s about time you got here." Cree had a smile on her face fathoms long. She was glad to be getting away from this place. She was finally going to be out in the world. "So are you ready to go?"
Fáinu gave her a glance that suggested, "Do not speak so lightly." He rose and drained his mug. He brought forth a map from his already filled pack that had been laid carefully upon the wooden floor.
"Very soon," he said "Look here." he opened out the map on a near by table that was unoccupied. He pointed to the shire and moved his finger along the road leading to Rivendel. "This is our first destination," he continued, "if all goes well, we will need to find a way over the misty mountains and then we shall pass though Mirkwood. There we may stay a while and speak with friends of old. Then to the lonely mountain to meet with Dwaline the dwarf. And then... to the grey mountains." his voice grew in fear and foreboding, he looked at her, expecting the same emotions, but he did not see this.
Cree tilted her head in confusion; she did not quite understand the path. What was their mission, why were they going? He had told her nothing save going to Rivendel.
"i apologise Cree," he said, "I had almost forgotten. I must ask but one thing, trust me in this. All shall become clear. The aim of this journey will be clear, if you have not guessed it already. All I will say now is that lives are in danger even as we speak."
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