Chapter four: Leaving Buckland.

They will always be Pa and Ma to me, I told them. And I took it upon me to come back home to them as soon as I could. For this place where I grew up, it was still my home and the two kind, sweet, caring hobbits that I grew up with: I’ll always be their child and they’ll always be my special parents, even if they did not conceive me.
Embarking on this search for Yola, I felt I had to do it. I had little hope of being successful, as I had so little to start with. From the basket I was carried in to Pa and Ma, I now kept with me the note, securely put away, folded in a locket, and a small cloth pouch containing a gemstone of a dark reddish colour. It was the size of a pebble and polished. It felt nice when I held it in my hand. This had also been stashed away between the lining and I regard it as a gift of Yola to her little baby, that she was not allowed to keep. More then a thousand times the question had racked my brain: why was it that Yola was not allowed to keep her own child? And who was it that forbid her to? Who had been so cruel to her as well as to me, the child in question? The words on the note stirred up more questions then answers. Answers that I wanted, no, needed to find, to know again who I was.
It would be the first time that I would be away from home for longer than half a day or so, and the farewell was not easy and very emotional. I left very early, but Pa and Ma walked me to Newbury Gate where we said goodbye. “Goodbye for now, as I will come back!”.
I was facing an impossible decision already, right there. Should I go east, to Breeland? Or rather cross the Brandywine and start my search in the Shire? Bucklanders tend to orientate towards Bree more then towards the Shire, so I headed that way first.
The road to Bree is not without danger. There are wolves, boars and bears that all took a turn at threatening to attack me. I tried to avoid fighting them as much as I could, but a few times I had to employ my newly gained skills, defending myself with my spear and shield. However, I was more worried by the stories I’d heard of men, roaming men, that would attack and kill you, in hope to plunder a few coins of your lifeless body. So I tread with much care, even if it meant the trip would take me longer.
I found myself approaching an encampment. I carefully came near, keeping myself hidden in bushes and behind ruined walls. Yes, they were men! They seemed to be building some sort of a fortification in the middle of this wilderness. These must be  those brigands that I heard about, I thought,  and decided to go around this settlement, avoiding all contact. But then I suddenly noticed a hobbit there! A prisoner of these criminals maybe? I took some time to observe. It was very odd: men came to him, questioned him and then went back to their business. What secrets would they try to pry off a hobbit prisoner? I sneaked up to him and carefully and softly tried to attract his attention by throwing a few sticks and pebbles at him. One hit him right in the head and he screamed loudly, alerting the men around him, who ran towards him. O, no! I quickly went back into the cover of a bush, hoping they had not spotted me. “Are y’alright, Adso?” the men inquired. “Well, I was, until something hit me in the head!”, the hobbit replied. A few men grabbed their swords and a couple of bowmen cocked an arrow. Softly as I could, I retreated from my hiding place. I managed to avoid detection and continued to head east.
Still shaken from this experience, I stuck to the middle of the road as much as I could. Dusk was setting in and Bree was still a few  hours on foot. I had no desire to spend the night in the wild, unprotected, and moved on as fast as I could. It was just before midnight when I reached Bree. I passed the gate and was amazed by the sight of so many, so tall buildings. Compared to these, our own hobbit burrows looked like rabbit-holes! With the exception of Brandy Hall ofcourse, which is just as tall as these houses of Men. I spent the night in this place they call the Prancin’ Pony. After having a meal, I went to bed. I decided to properly start my search for Yola Plumblossom the next day.

Next:  Inquiries in Bree.