A Friend in the Shadows: PP1

Prologue Part 1: Childhood

Luna woke up to a bird chirping outside her window. It was possibly the most beautiful song she ever heard a bird sing. She slowly rose from bed, and looked outside. It was nearly twilight. The sky was still dark, but over the hill, it began to give a small clue that the sun was beginning to rise. She knew then that it was going to be a beautiful, sunny day.

She got out of bed, and looked to her younger cousin, Pippin, who slept in the bed across from her. He was sound asleep like the rest of the Shire, but she had plans she had to keep. She changed quickly from her nightgown and into a cream colored dress, with lace lining, a green overskirt, and a brown apron.

Opening the window, Luna climbed out onto the side of the hill in Brandy Hall, where she discovered she was not alone in her effort to get outside early in the morning. She saw a hobbit boy outside, about the same age and height as she. The only thing that differed was that unlike her shiny, dark brown hair, he had a beautiful head of golden hair. Luna recognized him immediately.

"Hello, Merry." She said as she stood up and brushed off the small amount of dirt that was on it as a result from climbing out of the small hobbit hole.

"Luna! Its about time you got up its almost Twilight! I hoped you liked my birthday present." Merry smiled as she walked towards him. Luna crossed her arms in a huff, and a scowl grew on her face.

" So that was you chirping outside my window then?" she asked.
Merry nodded, slightly intimidated.

"I did it to get you up."
Luna kept on scowling but then it slipped off her face and she smiled right back.

"I thought it was pretty." Luna walked a bit ahead of Merry, giving him a small amount of time to hide the fact that he was blushing before catching up to her.

"You're lucky that it wasn't enough to wake Pippin up." Luna then said smiling and clutching her skirt as she walked.
"I swear if Dragons where to raid Bree he would be the first to know."
Merry laughed, she was right, the smallest noise could wake him up.

"Well, I guess we're lucky. I think it's the first time we've been able to have a little time alone since he turned two."

Luna stopped.

"Has it really been that long?" she asked rhetorically.

"Well we better make up for that time. Common Merry!"

Luna then grabbed his hand and the two of them ran through the forest.
It was only one minute later when they reached an empty field. The grass there was tall, but only came up to the children's knees. There where no trees around for what seemed like miles. Flowers in full bloom where everywhere. It was a heaven to behold when the sun rose. That is exactly why Merry and Luna went there.

They had been coming there to watch the sunrise on both of their birthdays for as long as they could remember, and today was no exception. Today was Luna's tenth birthday, and the two friends deserved some time alone before the family was called for a party at the Took's hobbit hole. It seemed that they always made it back to their homes before anyone got up, and no one even knew that they where gone.

The two of them continued to run until they reached the top of a hill. There you could see on for miles and miles. Luna looked out on the plain that was still dark and took a deep breath, taking in her surroundings.

"Just on time…" Luna said as the sun began to show telltale signs of rising.
Merry and Luna sat down and waited patiently for the sun to rise. Luna kept looking out at the sky, which was starting to turn a shade of pink. Merry only looked at the sky for only a minute. He couldn't keep his eyes off the girl next to him. The girl that he knew since he was no more than two, the girl that was his closest friend, the girl that was still holding his hand.

"You know…" Merry began just before Luna looked at him.

"…The wake up call wasn't my only birthday present." He said.

Letting go of her hand, he sifted through his pocket and drew something out. It was a silver chain, and from the end hung a tiny golden heart with an engraving on the edge. Luna gasped as he held it in front of her. Luna lightly touched the golden pendant and leaned closer to read the markings. They looked like they where elvish words. Luna couldn't read it. She knew very little of the language of the fairer ones. She could make out "One" and " My" but not much else.

"Where did you nab it?" Luna immediately said after.

Merry sat straight up, still holding out the necklace to her.

"Do you really think that I steal everything that I own?" Merry asked her.

"I just so happened that Mr. Bilbo gave it to me to give to you. If you don't want it then I can just as easily give it back to him." He said in a huff before beginning to put it into his pocket.

"Wait." Luna said. Merry looked up.

"… I believe you. I'm sorry I shouldn't have judged after being in farmer Maggot's crop over a million times."

Merry smiled. Luna then turned around and lifted her thick mass of dark hair up.

" Would you put it on for me?" She asked sweetly.

Merry hesitantly obliged. He had never done this kind of thing before, not for a girl. His hands where shaking, but they gained control once he scooted forward and wrapped the metal around her neck. His had briefly touched her skin. It was soft and smooth, and it sent a spark shooting through him.

Finally clasping the necklace, he stepped back, and Luna turned back around. The necklace made her look even more beautiful, if that was even possible. Just at that moment, the sun began to gleam over the fields, and when the sunlight hit Luna, she seemed to glow.

"How do I look?" She asked shyly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

Merry couldn't speak. The mixture of everything in that moment was beyond words. He didn't say anything for a long time, and when he did, he could only say one thing.

"Beautiful."

It was Luna's turn to blush. No one had called her beautiful before. Ever. That coming from her friend meant the world to her. Luna began to tear up. Merry snapped out of his state when he saw the tear stream down Luna's cheek.

" Are you alright?" Merry asked slightly panicked.

Luna then leaped onto Merry and hugged him. Merry was taken aback by the sudden contact but then wrapped his arms around her. She nuzzled into his shoulder.

"Thank you, Merry… " She said drawing back and looking into her friends bright blue eyes.

"…For everything."

"Happy Birthday, Luna." He said back, a small smile on his face.

Suddenly the two of them heard a small giggle come from inside the tall grass. They both shot up and turned to look behind them.

"WHO'S THERE!" Luna shouted. The giggling only got louder and there was some movement in the grass. Luna knew it could only be one hobbit.

" I SEE YOU PEREGRIN TOOK!"

At that, a small hobbit boy that looked no more than two years old popped up from the grass. The boy had a large grin on his face, and he was twirling a flower in his fingers.

" Hi Lunie, Hi Merry." He said calmly.

Luna was slightly enraged by the interruption of she and Merry's only time alone together. Her face certainly reflected her emotions.

" Pippin, what are you doing here?" she said calmly, keeping her rage contained.

"Well, I heard a little birdie outside my window, and I saw you climb out of the window, and then I got out of bed and I followed you and Merry here!" he said cutely, like all two year olds do.

Luna looked at Merry and raised her eyebrows knowingly. Merry shrugged before speaking.

"Get out of here Pip." Merry then said turning his back to Pippin.

"Luna and I want to be alone for a bit."

Luna then turned her back to her cousin and sat with Merry hoping that he would just go home. However, the wheels in Pippin's head began to turn.

" Well, I know that my mum will be looking for both of us once she wakes up…"

Luna's back straightened and her ears perked up.

" And I know she would be mad at you if she found out you snuck out early in the morning without telling her…" Pip said teasingly.

Luna shot back around.

"You wouldn't." Luna said worriedly.

Merry couldn't help it but begin to laugh at the exchange. Pip had learned well from them.

"But I would." Pippin said smiling smugly now.

Luna twisted a piece of stray hair and smiled.

"Not before I…GET YOU!" Luna then shot up and Pippin squealed before running down the hill.

Luna only took a few steps though. She wouldn't forget to say goodbye to her friend.

Merry stood up still smiling.

" I guess that's it for our time alone." He said.

" Yeah, but we will have plenty of times... god knows when." Luna said back.

" But I will see you at the party later right?"

" I wouldn't miss it for the world." Merry said sarcastically.

Luna started down the hill after the squealing two year old, but then stopped and turned around back to Merry. It all happened so fast. Luna ran up to him, kissed him on the cheek for a good three seconds, and then ran back down the hill without another word.

Merry watched until she disappeared into the forest from where they came. She kissed him. Merry fell back onto the grass and touched the cheek where her lips where. This was the best birthday gift he had ever gotten in return. And the best part was that the day hadn't even started.