Not Forsaken

Chapter Two

"Gandalf?" Luliana called out, quietly, in case it wasn't him.

"Luliana! How lovely to see you! Are you well?" Gandalf asked.

"I am. I was not sure it was truly you! I haven't seen you in such a long while, I was not sure what had become of you!"

She glanced up at his kind, old familiar face, at his sparkling eyes. How wonderful it felt to speak to another after such a long, cold winter.
"I had meant to pay you a visit, Luliana. I may have a task for you, if you would be agreeable to it. I am traveling to Bree to meet someone. Would you come with me? It may be of interest to you. That, and I would greatly enjoy your company, young lady!"

"Ah, Gandalf, you old flatterer," she smiled.

She certainly was not young, well, not exactly a youth anyway. Being half dwarf and half human, she had aged slowly enough, but she had seen many years, although she wasn't sure how many exactly. Gandalf could have told her that she was 127 summers on this earth, if she would have known to ask. She looked more mannish than dwarf, but appeared no more than 30 years old by human standards. Mother would know, she mused silently to herself, blinking back the tears that were forming in her striking blue eyes.

"I will travel with you, friend. I was headed to...." She trailed off, shaking her head. She wasn't sure where she was headed. "Never mind."

Where was she headed? She didn't know. Maybe she would speak to Gandalf about the way she had been feeling, about searching for.....for what? She didn't know for sure, but the old man seemed fond of listening to her, hearing her thoughts, and offering his own words of comfort, imparting words of wisdom. Gandalf reminded her of her father in some ways. Hopcyn was always offering words of wisdom, always wanting to teach his daughter of the world. Wise, but a fool, she thought bitterly. Wondering if maybe things would have been different had they chosen to dwell among others. Maybe she wouldn't be alone now.

"Well then," Gandalf interrupted her thoughts. "Shall we?"

The two traveled a short way in silence. It wasn't an awkward silence, but a comforting one, shared between old friends.

"Have you any interesting tales of late?" Luliana asked.

"Oh, some. But none that would interest you at the moment."

She could tell that he seemed reluctant to speak, that he was protecting her in a way. She had felt something, maybe it was in the air, in the way the animals in the forests seemed more nervous, the way the ravens flew about.

"Gandalf," she started. Then stopped herself. It didn't seem the right time.

"What is it, my dear? What troubles you?" He seemed to sense that she wanted to ask him, to share something.

"I'm not sure," Luliana said quietly. "It's....nothing, really."

"Well then," he said after a moment, "let us have a smoke." With a twinkle in his eye, he pulled out his long pipe, and quickly lit it with the tip of his finger. I must be seeing things, Luliana thought to herself, and let it go as nothing. She hadn't had breakfast, that was all. Gandalf happily puffed away, blowing smoke rings. He always seemed to find an excuse to smoke that nasty old thing, she mused to herself.

They continued to walk in silence for quite some time, both enjoying the company, as well as the warm breeze, and the singing of the birds. It was turning out to be a beautiful day for travel. Luliana had always wanted to travel the Greenway in the spring. She never dared venture out in the open on her own before. But now, she realized, she was not alone. What comfort that thought brought her was quickly stripped away.

Suddenly, they were not alone.