There are times and places where two worlds meet, where a traveller may wander into this Hidden Place. Between places are entrances into this Magical Realm: between Earth and Sea, between Day and Night, between One Place and The Next….Standing within a doorway, one is neither in one place or the next, neither outside nor indoors. It allows us a passageway into the inbetween world of Faerie.

(From “A Journey into the Realms of Faerie”)

A/N: Rhoswen is Celtic/Gaelic. It means White Rose.

Chapter Four

“Rhoswen”

Pippin ran, but he didn’t know where he was going. He felt guided, as if he knew the way without being told. It never occurred to him to question this knowledge; he simply obeyed. Inside his damp shirt Tulip stirred and pouted at her lad’s failure to heed her wishes. Pippin felt a twinge of guilt and patted her kindly, however he continued to ignore Tulip’s advice as well as his own inner voice. He was far too excited about the lass he’d seen to pay attention to his companion’s grumbling or his own better judgment.

He stopped at last and turned in a circle. He felt like a hound that had lost the scent of a rabbit. Pippin scratched his head, puzzled. Where had the lass gone? He whirled around again trying to look in every direction at once, afraid he’d miss her if she suddenly flitted by again. The woods were very silent now and he listened eagerly for some sign of the elusive child. All around him the woods remained tranquil. It was too silent, as if all the inhabitants watched and awaited his next move. Pippin frowned, listening keenly for anything, the call of a sparrow or the wind rustling through the leaves. His surroundings remained utterly still. A slight sense of uneasiness prickled at the back of his neck. What was going on?

He puzzled the situation over for several minutes and finally set off slowly, examining every bush, rock, and tree he passed for clues of her having gone this way. The eerie quiet persisted, but Pippin ignored it in favor of his pursuit of the mystery child.

Was she hiding? Surely that was it! Perhaps it was a game then? He chuckled, his nervousness subsiding. “All right, if you want to play hide and seek I’m game.” He set off down the narrow path at a brisk trot, renewing his resolve. Tulip fretted and kicked her little cloven hooves vigorously against his chest in a wild tattoo that displayed her frustration. Pippin laughed at the tickling sensation and reached inside his shirt. He placed Tulip on his right shoulder so she could see more.

“There, how’s that? Now you can help me look.” Tulip informed him that she had no intention of helping him look for the strange lass. She wanted him to take her home - now! There was something going on here and she most certainly did not like it.

“What? But we’re so close to finding her. I can feel it! Just a bit longer, all right?” Tulip’s voice was beginning to sound more like his mother’s with every word and he fidgeted just a little at her scolding. “Come now, we’re supposed to be having an adventure, aren’t we? And going for a walk was your idea.”

Tulip snorted disdainfully in reply, informing him that the walk had long since become a hike into an unknown and perhaps dangerous place. She sniffed, reminding him he was dreadfully overdue at home and he was likely in very big trouble!

Pippin hesitated. He really didn’t like to worry his parents. But he felt torn. The call of exploration and the thrill of discovery beckoned him further into the dense woodland and he found it too wonderful to resist. He tried reasoning with his friend. “Come Tulip, wouldn’t you like to find out just what this lass is doing here all alone? She might be lost and need our help. We just can’t leave her here by herself, isn’t that right?”

Tulip sighed and murmured something. Pippin tipped his head close to her snout in order to hear her better. He nodded, giving a sigh of his own. “All right, we’re in agreement then. If I don’t find her in another hour or so we’ll go back the way we’ve come.” Tulip opened her mouth to qualify their agreement but Pippin placed a hurried finger against her lips. “Yes, I’m aware you’re not in complete agreement but thank you for trying to understand.” Pippin settled her more firmly onto his shoulder and set off again. “Anyway, we need to find some food before we go back, right?”

Tulip reluctantly agreed that it would be nice to at least enjoy a first breakfast before it was time for luncheon! Pippin smiled knowingly and patted her head as he trotted. “Aye, spoken like a proper hobbit. There’s a good lass!”

The faerie pressed a hand to her mouth stifling her laughter at the lad’s chatter to his plaything. She followed at a discreet distance flitting along easily and felt quite pleased with her covert game of hide and seek. Oh, if only he knew she was close behind him! She giggled merrily, imagining the shocked look on his charming face.

Pippin whirled at the sound but not quickly enough. His attendant whisked up into the nearest tree and melted from view with ease. Pippin snorted in frustration just as something else caught his eye. He hurried over to a small thicket of brambles and crowed aloud - raspberries! Oh my! Even Tulip’s attention was quickly distracted by their find.

He hesitated for a moment, pondering the laughter then shrugged and started gathering the plump, juicy berries by the handful. He hadn’t realized just how hungry he was until the scent reached his nose. He shoveled as many into his mouth as he could and squeezed his eyes shut in pleasure, savoring the sweet taste. He wiped his sleeve across his chin several times as the berry juice dribbled downward and dripped onto his shirt. Oblivious to the mess he was making he eagerly reached for more. Tulip grunted to remind him she wanted her share of the bounty.

The faerie child watched with great amusement as Pippin consumed his fill of the berries, at times stopping to place one under the mouth of his plaything. She tilted her head in wonder every time he did this, never taking her eyes off him. She found the little one fascinating, his actions mysterious.

Pippin ate until he could hold no more, then settled on the ground to study his surroundings. He wiped his sticky fingers on his trousers and wished there was water to wash his hands. He settled for licking his fingers clean. Tulip screwed up her snout in disgust and grumbled her dismay. She asked him where he had left his manners, back at the side of the stream? Pippin simply smiled and patted her head fondly, then tucked her underneath his chin as he leaned back against a small tree. His eyelids began to droop and he stretched out his legs in front of him and sighed contentedly. A nap would be just the thing before he went any farther.

The faerie settled nearby as she had the night before and observed the hobbit in slumber. After a time she rose and wandered over to him, placing a small bunch of flowers in his lap before vanishing. Pippin shifted in his sleep and clasped the blooms with one hand. A short time later he awoke with a start and blinked several times. His attention fell on the item he clutched to his chest and his eyes widened. Primroses? Wherever had they come from? He darted a look about but saw nothing of the pale yellow flowers anywhere near him. His brow wrinkled in thought. Another mystery! “Look Tulip,” he said, raising the flowers to show his companion. He smiled when Tulip lifted her eyes in surprise. Primroses? She shook her head then reminded him of their agreement.

“I know, I know! But it hasn’t been an hour yet.” Tulip replied she thought it had. “No, naps don’t count. The time only counts when I’m awake.” The piglet politely disagreed but Pippin chose to ignore her. Absent-mindedly tucking her into his shirt he wandered further down the trail. He raised the flowers to his nose and sniffed, still wondering where they had come from? Were they a gift from the mysterious child, perhaps? Pippin resumed his search.

Much later he happened upon a huge rock in the middle of the path. Pippin stopped and eyed it curiously. The boulder was huge, much taller than he was, and larger than any he’d ever seen on the farm or in any of the surrounding area. Pippin approached it, fascinated, and stood regarding it for a moment before reaching out a hand to touch it carefully. The bunch of primroses brushed against it and Pippin experienced an odd sense of dizziness.

The world seemed to wink out for just the briefest of moments before coming into sharper focus than ever before. Pippin gazed about in sheer amazement. Everything around him had suddenly come to life with brilliant colour. The trees shimmered with a life he had not noticed before. The sky was bluer, the grass greener, and the clouds were as plump as his favourite pillow. He wondered if they were as soft? He spied a clear stream and could hear the trickling of a waterfall nearby. Adorned in bright colours, small birds flitted about in the trees. There was a large meadow ahead of him where dozens of equally brilliant butterflies played tag with the birds. Pippin narrowed his eyes and looked closer. There was something different about the butterflies, though…

The sight so enraptured him that he laughed aloud. Even Tulip was captivated for a moment before she squealed her alarm, causing her young master to almost drop her in surprise. “Shh, lass, everything is all right, I’m sure.” Tulip hastened to disagree. What exactly had happened? “I don’t know,” Pippin whispered in her ear. “Something wonderful!”

Still clutching the bouquet of primroses Pippin took a hesitant step, and then another, heading for the crystal stream. Setting Tulip down beside him he bent to take a drink then splashed the welcoming water on his face. He laughed again as Tulip frowned disapprovingly when cold droplets of water pelted her snout. Pippin chuckled and placed her back up to perch on his shoulder. “Oh come now lass, surely you can feel the magic in this place as well as I can?” The piglet agreed, it was magical all right. Of the sort a wizard like his friend Gandalf the Grey might conjure. But Gandalf obviously was not here, so what exactly was going on?

“Hmm, that’s true enough, I suppose. Perhaps it’s another wizard? Or something else entirely?” Tulip agreed. It had to be something else because she, for one, had never seen the likes of this! But what would his mother say? Pippin frowned at the reminder that he was far from home and no one knew where he was.

“Well, I don’t know, of course! But I’m sure I will find out soon enough.” Pippin allowed himself to be annoyed with Tulip’s musings. “You don’t have to keep reminding me, you know.” His only answer was a snort of impatience, and then Tulip held her tongue.

Pippin smiled in relief and set about exploring his new surroundings. Light-hearted giggling behind him caused him to whirl. This time the child did not evade him. Instead, she stood a short distance away and bade him welcome.

“Hullo, Peregrin.”

Pippin stared at her in wonder. Her voice was as light as a breeze on a spring day. “How…how did you know my name?” He stammered. “Who are you?”

“A friend,” she replied and quietly studied him. She nodded at the primroses he still carried. “I see you found my gift.” Pippin nodded, his mouth open, continuing to gape. The faerie giggled again. Tulip eyed the lass skeptically; convinced now that this must be a dream and she and her lad had not awakened yet, but she kept her opinion to herself and waited to see what would happen next.

“I am Rhoswen. I have invited you to my home for tea.”

“Tea?” Both Pippin’s and Tulip’s ears perked up at the mention of food. “Uh, here? In the woods?”

“This is where I live! Come, you may be surprised by what you find here.” Rhoswen stepped forward and took Pippin by the hand.

Tulip squealed in fright and Pippin hurried to calm her. He patted the knitted piglet’s head and tucked her inside his shirt where she quivered for a moment. Unable to contain her own curiosity, she crawled up into his collar and peered out at their hostess.

The faerie gazed back at her. “Your little playmate seems to know your thoughts very well.” Pippin nodded. “You are excited to be here, yet you are anxious. Fear not. No harm will come to you while I am at your side.”

“All right,” Pippin answered slowly. He looked at their surroundings again. “But, where is here?”

“I told you, this is my home.”

“You live in the woods? Why haven’t I ever seen you here before?”

“You have not ever been this deep in these woods, have you now?”

Pippin shook his head.

“Ah well, you have much to see and learn. Come!” Rhoswen took his hand once more and led him further into the woods.