Mo Ghile Mear

Reasons To Stay

***Sera's engagement ring***

***Sera's POV*** 

  A few weeks after our friend's coronation, we were finally making our trek back home to the Shire. One by one, we made our way to our hobbit homes. While I was happy to be back, nothing felt the same. I didn't feel like my quiet, introverted self at all. I felt more flamboyant, more adventurous. The quest had definitely changed my life, but I was glad to be a part of it. 

  My sister and I mounted off our ponies. They were big enough to carry us. I had named my pony Faramir, after our dear, brave friend who sacrificed himself to release us. And Daisy had named hers Eowyn, after a friend of hers who fought bravely for the freedom of her people. 

  I took a good look at our hobbit hole. Nothing here had changed, I could see that. But it felt odd to go in. Like it felt wrong, somehow. 

  "Are you ready?" Daisy asked me. I jumped, a little startled. But I nodded. 

   "Yeah. I'm ready. Are you?" 

  Daisy nodded, though she seemed. . . . distant. 

  We approached the door. Daisy knocked on it, though hesitantly. A few seconds of silence followed, before the door creaked open. There stood our mother. Except she no longer looked like the happy, cheerful woman she had been before we left. She looked tired and worn. Her face was tear-stained, as though she had been crying. Her hair seemed to have grayed quite a bit since we left without warning. 

  She gave a cry of joy when she saw us, clapping her hands to her mouth. Her eyes shone with tears. She finally lowered her hands away from her mouth, her eyes still on the two of us. 

  "Sera? Daisy? Is that really you?" she asked. Her voice barely came above a whisper. 

  "Yes, mother," Daisy answered in a gentle voice. "It's us. Your beloved daughters." 

  Our mother began to cry even harder before throwing her arms around both of our necks. She led us into our hobbit hole. I closed the round door behind us. Once she'd had her moment, her eyes were suddenly angry. 

  "Where have you been?!" she shouted at us. Her face became red with anger. "For a year-and-a-half, I had no clue where you two had been off to! I thought that Merry and Pippin had gotten you seriously hurt!" 

  "Mom, calm down!" I shouted. "Merry and Pippin did not hurt us!" 

  "I can see that," my mother huffed. She began to act like her former self again, being more stubborn. "You had me worried sick! Where in the world have you been this entire time?!" 

  Daisy and I exchanged mischievous glances at each other. 

  "We'll tell you," I answered. "But fair warning, mother. It's a long story." 

  "I have all day," our mother replied in a dry voice. "I have a long time, actually. You can tell me, now." 

  So we told her our story. Of how some random dude was after a piece of jewelry called the One Ring. How creatures called the Nazguls had nearly tracked me, Sam, and Frodo down multiple times during our journey. And how Frodo had many near-death experiences himself. 

  I was surprised when our mother listened with rapt attention. 

  "Well, I am very proud of the two of you for doing something that dangerous," she praised us. She then turned to glare at me. "But I am not proud that my daughters went off on a dangerous quest that could have killed them! As a result for worrying me over the past year-and-a-half, you're both being punished."