That night, Me and Frodo did meet Merry, Pippin and Sam at the green dragon. We had a lot of fun, and I suppose we needed a night to relax after all of the chaos we'd been having with the Sackville-Bagginses.

I helped Rosie with the drinks and as I was sat on the bar I noticed a certain someone couldn't keep their eyes off of the pretty blonde Rosie next to me. Sam.

I realised what was going on and I jumped down and smirked at Rosie, and then at Sam. They both caught each other's eyes and then looked away, Rosie giving me a nudge on the shoulder and I just laughed.

~~~~~~~~~~

Later on that same night, Frodo, Sam and I said goodnight to our friends. Sam obviously has something in for Rosie Cotton, but when he will tell her I do not know.

I said goodnight to Merry and Pippin and walked out with Frodo and Sam.

We walked back, and said goodnight to Sam outside Bag End, and made our way inside.

The second we stepped inside I suddenly felt anxious. I looked around and it was extremely dark and empty in Bag-End. Papers were flying around everywhere and pretty much all of the windows were open. It was as if we'd been burgled or something.

I looked at Frodo who looked as worried as I was. Then I saw something move behind Frodo and suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder. I flinched and jumped back in shock, but then I was relieved to see it was Gandalf. Although, he looked very troubled. And confused, like me and Frodo were.

"Is it secret? Is it safe?" He immediately asked Frodo. 

Without hesitation Frodo rushed over to a chest full of Bilbos old belongings and treasures he had passed on to me and Frodo. He pulled out a small envelope. Wait, it was the same one he was holding the night Bilbo disappeared!

Gandalf snatched it from him and I followed him into the other room. I was about to ask what on Earth was going on, but I stopped and then couldn't get the right words out as the amount of confusion flooding my head wouldn't let me. Gandalf threw the envelope into the fireplace. I looked at Gandalf and then back at the burning envelope in turns, and then fixed my gaze on what was revealed from inside the envelope. It was a ring.

"Hold out your hand Frodo." Gandalf said, and Frodo hesitated at first but then held out his slightly trembling hand.

Gandalf picked the ring up with a pair of tongues and dropped it into Frodo's hand. I stood beside Frodo and examined the ring too. Nothing was there at first. Just a normal ring, and all I could see in it was our reflection. But then it changed. Bright foreign writing appeared around the ring. It looked like some form of Elvish.

"It's some form of Elvish, I can't read it." Frodo said.

"And there aren't many who can." Gandalf replied.

Whatever this ring was, I knew that it was not good. Just the presence of it made me feel uncomfortable. I looked up as Gandalf continued to explain.

"The language is that of Mordor. In the common tongue it says, 'one ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them, in Mordor where the shadows lie.'"

The words lingered in my head for a moment. "Mordor..." I murmured. I had only heard of Mordor briefly, and that it was a place that was taken over darkness and evil.

Frodo heated up the water filled kettle over the fireplace as I got three mugs out and some tea. Gandalf sat down at the small table.

Soon the kettle was boiled and Frodo poured the hot water into the three mugs. I made and mixed the tea and then set them down on the table and I quickly looked up to see Gandalf looking very serious. During my life at The Shire, I had never really been a very serious person. There was never really anything awful to worry about. This seemed to be a serious thing.

"This is the One Ring." Gandalf said as Frodo and I sat down opposite him. I swallowed hard as Gandalf smoked his pipe and continued to explain. "Forged by The Dark Lord Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom. Taken by Isildur from the hand of Sauron himself."

"Bilbo found it... in Gollum's cave." Frodo said quietly whilst holding his cup of tea near his face. I nodded slowly.

"Yes, for sixty years The Ring lay quiet in Bilbo's keeping prolonging his life. Delaying old age. But no longer. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. It's heard it's master's call." Gandalf replied.

"But he was destroyed. Sauron was destroyed!" Frodo exclaimed, I looked at Gandalf for conformation of this.

Suddenly I heard faint whispers and echoes. They sent a shiver through my body and I gulped. Frodo also looked on edge. I remained quiet whilst Gandalf explained everything and Frodo asked the questions. I didn't know what to say.

"No. The spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring and the Ring survived. Sauron has returned.  His orcs have multiplied.  His fortress at Barad-Dúr is rebuilt in the land of Mordor. Sauron needs only this Ring to cover all the lands of a second darkness. He is seeking it, seeking it.  All his thought is bent on it. The Ring yearns above all else to return to the hand of its master. They are one, the Ring and the Dark Lord. He must never find it" Gandalf explained.

"Alright." Frodo stood up from the table and marched out the room, I slowly followed behind him. "We put it away. We make sure it's hidden. We never speak of it again. No one knows it's here, do they." Frodo exclaimed, then he sounded very unsure and turned to look at Gandalf. I placed down my cup of tea with trembling hands and looked at him too.

"D-do they, Gandalf?" Frodo asked, hesitantly.

"There is one other, who knew Bilbo had The Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum." He sighed. "The enemy found him first." He said sadly.

Then he came out with something else that I had not expected to hear. The enemy knew where The Ring was, and they were coming here. To The Shire. Looking for Baggins. Which meant us. Gollum had told them that The Rung was here, in The Shire, with Baggins.

Frodo suddenly snapped and thrusted The Ring at Gandalf. "Take it Gandalf!" He said, panic filling his voice.

"No, Frodo-"

"You must take it!" He argued.

"You can not offer me this Ring!" Gandalf exclaimed.

"I'm giving it to you!" Frodo bellowed.

"Don't! Tempt me Frodo!" Gandalf shouted, then Frodo backed away. I still stood in the corner of the room, not speaking at all. I was a bit frightened.

Frodo and Gandalf calmed down a little and Gandalf spoke again. "I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand you two that I would use this Rung from a desire to do good." He said, looking at me and Frodo in turns. Then he sighed again. "But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine."

"But it cannot stay in The Shire!" Frodo exclaimed.

"No! No, it can't." Gandalf said, and then I immediately knew what we would have to do. We would have to leave, with The Ring.

"What must we do?" Frodo asked quietly, I also looked at Gandalf.

Me and Frodo quickly made haste in packing our things.

"Make for the village of Bree. I will be waiting for you, at the Inn of the Prancing Pony." Gandalf explained. "I will see the head of my order. Trust me, he will know what to do."

I hurried into my bedroom. I pulled out an old short dress and a little thin coat, a slightly large cloak that Bilbo gave me some time ago, and a pair of overalls and a cream coloured shirt. I then quickly ran to the kitchen and shoved some bread and some apples in my bag.

As I headed out, Frodo and Gandalf stood opposite me in the dining area as I went to finish packing. I looked unsurely at them as they looked at the bag I had packed.

"Maisy, I think it's best if you stay here-"

"Excuse me!? I have a right to come in this journey with you! Your not going alone, Frodo! You need me just as much as I need you, and there's no stopping me!" I said.

Frodo just looked at Gandalf.

"Oh, please let me come Gandalf!"

"Well, I'm just not sure if-"

"I won't let you down, I promise! Please, I could help you a lot! I won't let Frodo go anywhere without me!" I said, and then I looked at Frodo. "Your not going without me, Frodo." I said and smiled.

Frodo nodded and smiled back at Gandalf who sighed.

"Fine then. Finish packing you two."

I grinned widely and we went back to packing. Soon after, Gandalf caught us both opposite the fireplace. Me and Frodo both had our bags on our backs.

"Hobbits really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about them in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you." He said and smiled down at us. I grinned and so did Frodo.

"Oh you two. Rather the adventurous little pair. Always running about The Shire and the woods, and then coming in late at night, trailing mud and twigs all through the floors. And it was hard to get you to come in, especially you, Maisy." Gandalf chuckled.

I chuckled too and shrugged it off. Bilbo must've told him about mine and Frodo's but especially mine, childish and adventurous behaviour, years ago. When we were growing up. We'd go mucking about in the Shire all day, and Frodo would sometimes go and steal from farmer maggot, something I wouldn't ever dare do, a few times along with Merry and Pippin.

"You've got everything?" Frodo asked.

I nodded. I was about to head over to the other room, then Gandalf raised his hand and I stopped at the circular door frame. A rather loud noise came from underneath the window that was wide open. Frodo ducked down and I hid behind the wall slightly. Gandalf slowly approached an open window, his staff pointing out in front of him.

I looked away and then heard a thump, seconds later Gandalf reached down and pulled in whatever was outside at the window, and he pinned it down to the table. Well, he, not it. It was our gardener Samwise Gamgee again!

"Confound you Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping!?" Gandalf shouted, still pinning Sam down to the table.

"I ain't been dropping no eaves sir honest! I was just cuttin grass under the window there, if you follow me-" He sputtered frantically.

"A little late for trimming the verge don't you think!?" Gandalf said, raising an eyebrow.

"I heard raised voices!" Sam said shakily.

"What did you hear!?" Gandalf asked. Sam hesitated. "Speak!" Gandalf ordered.

"N-n-nothin important! That is I heard a good deal about a ring and a dark lord and somethin about the end of the world, but please Mr Gandalf sir, please don't hurt me, don't turn me into anythin... unnatural." Sam said quickly.

"No?" Gandalf looked up as us and smiled. I stepped forward and giggled slightly. "Perhaps not. I've got a better use for you." He said, smirking.