Many months ago, Tearose stayed in Rivendell at the invitation of Lord Elrond and she was sent to a room in the Last Homely House, where she was introduced to Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, two young hobbits who were accompanying a small group eastward on a mission of the utmost secrecy.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Meriadoc and Pippin”, Tearose was polite but very curious about the young hobbits who seemed oblivious to any danger that they would encounter on their journey.

“Oh please, Tea, I’m Merry, and this is Pippin. All our friends call us those names, so you may as well also.” Merry was chuckling and had a michievous look about him. “Look, Pippin, she has an amazing crossbow. Will you look at that!”

Pippin and Merry spent some time examining Tearose’s weapons and they were more and more curious about her and what she had been up to. Tearose was very careful about what she said as Lord Elrond told her to keep quiet about recent happenings west of Rivendell.

For Lord Elrond did not wish to jeopardize the quest even though at first he had serious misgivings about sending Merry and Pippin. Elrond believed that if the hobbits knew that trouble had already started in the Shire, they would likely abandon the quest. And who could blame them?

The Shire was their beloved home, and Tearose would one day fight alongside Merry and Pippin to protect it, though she didn’t know it at the time. Until then, she kept a diary and wrote down every single detail of any suspicious visitor that she became aware of. Soon she forgot her injuries and all the horrors she had endured thus far, and focused on her quiet vigil in the Shire – listening, watching, waiting. And wondering when she would see Merry and Pippin again.

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