I had finished telling this strange sorcerer about my story - how I had come to be in Mirkwood, when the strange boy with no name entered the clearing again. Except he was different. He was two inches taller than before, and had grown a small beard.
"Hello - Wha-?" I glanced from him to Olórin, speechless.
"Oh, Ruby, I'm sorry I forgot to tell you" he seemed quite unperturbed by what had happened to his charge "You see, he suffers from a rare condition, indeed I have never heard nor seen it before, which makes him age differently. I have conducted my tests and trails - and about now I would say that he is, by human years, twenty-two. When you first met him he was around nineteen. I do not know what causes this different sort of aging, he is unlike any creature I have ever encountered both on this world and others..." he dwindled off, muttering to himself.
"But I am twenty two now, and you may treat me accordingly, as that is now my age." the man nodded towards Olórin and I, gesturing at himself.
"I'm sorry...Sir... but what am I to call you?" I stammered a bit, still thrown off by this rather 'sudden' turning of events.
"Oh..." he seemed quite taken aback. Olórin seemed to be amused by my asking.
"I don't know yet."
"I guess I'll just think of something when I get to know you, then. But for now, I'll call you... Hmm... how about Brundt?"
"Brundt. Very blunt name. But I guess it'll have to do for now" He smiled a bit when he said his new name.
Olórin left us chatting and walked off into the undergrowth again, he looked aback at us with a twitch of his head, nodded to himself and left.
And I felt perfectly safe. But I couldn't just forget about Isilindil. I did not know what had happened to her or the company of elves we had been travelling with. Leaving Olórin to follow our trail, Brundt and I set off along the path further into Mirkwood, hoping to find some clue as to where the elves had gone.
Further away, Olórin had his head to the ground, listening to the trees and the plants. He detected Islindil and Ranewan, entering into the forest, and as fast as a bird, he began to weave spells. He cast spells of scent, which alerted the elves to the trail of Ruby, and spells of finding, which the elves soon picked up on but did not realize it. Following them, they soon came to where Ruby and Brundt had been walking.
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"I see two steps have passed here - she has someone with her. That, or someone has taken her somewhere." Ranewan was bent on the ground, picking up the trail of the Hobbit. Ruby had not bothered to be extremely cautious, which was good for the elves to follow. Unfortunately, Isilindil worried that it would make her trail visible to others whose intents weren't as noble as theirs.
She nodded her head briskly at Ranewans words, and continued along the path, searching for Ruby.
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We had just come to a small, sallow stream running by the path, when I heard voices from behind us. Grabbing Brundt, I ran into the underbrush off the path, praying for Olórin to come back soon.
I shivered. It was evening and a chill had stole through the trees. Brundt looked straight ahead, his entire body tensed like a spring.
"Two steps have passed here..." I heard the voices again - they sounded strange and unearthly, yet so familiar. I struggled to place them.
Just then, two shadows emerged onto the path. They were long and lithe. Bellowing like an Oliphant, Brundt sprung onto the path and accosted the tallest shadow just when I had realized who was talking - it was an elf!
I emerged onto the path, and glimpsed Isilindil's shocked face, and then Brundt and another elf were there, tussling and tossing on the ground, oblivious of Isilindils shouts for stop, and my foot kicking at Brundt to get his attention.
Then they were standing, and the elf had taken a long sword from a scabbard by his side. Brundt eyed him warily. The elf ran forward, but paused in shock just before stabbing Brundt. Brundt had just shot up another inch, and this allowed him the upper hand. Brundt leaped on the elf, and they crashed to the floor.
"Stop!" Isilindil's voice rang as clear as a diamond bell, and Brundt stopped hitting the elf.
"Brundt. It;s alright they're friends." Brundt allowed the elf to get up, and he dusted himself off eyeing the elf with a slight look of dislike.
Isilindil glanced at me, and then we rushed towards each other and hugged.
"I'm so sorry, Ruby! I've been so worried!" she exclaimed.
"So have I. But at least your here now. There are people I want you to meet."
We embraced, and soon we had make camp to wait for Olórin, while we told each other of all that had befallen us. Brundt and Ranewan meanwhile had dropped their aggressive glances and had become slightly cordial.
-Ruby Burrows
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