[Orual]

Rie was sitting in a chair drinking some water once the party had ended. Her knees were tucked up under her chin, and her eyes had a faraway look about them. A little smile played on her lips, and she seemed to be reciting something.

"Rie?"

Don came up to her, a slightly puzzled look on her face. "What's going on? You seem awfully happy."

Rie grinned at her and stood up. She cocked her head to one side, sighed a little, and smiled broadly. "You were right about Bilbo, you know," she said.

"I was? What?" Don seemed even more confused now.

"He's a wonderful person," Rie said. "You saw how nervous I was? I thought I was going to pass out! What an awful fix: the one person I wanted to meet more than anybody in the world, and I was about to blow it. Blow it! Completely! Can you believe it? But I guess that always happens, when you really want something, it never seems as special unless you think for a second that you won't get it or you'll mess it up when you do get it. I'm not making any sense, I know, but I'll clear it up in a second. Okay, once you left Bilbo and I got to talking some, and would you believe that he even told me a story! A story, Don! Just what I'd always wanted! I mean, sure, my parents told me stories, but it just wasn't the same, nobody tells them like Bilbo does anymore. Oh, Don, it was wonderful!" Rie's green eyes were glowing with excitement and pride and the light of a newly-made memory, the kind that one keeps enshrined forever. "It was one of his adventures, and he told me the whole thing. And I just sat there like a child and listened to it, and it was wonderful! Oh, Don, bless you child!" Rie kissed the girl, who looked as though the redhead had lost her mind. "Bless you for introducing me to him!" With that last blessing, Rie went off dancing and humming, leaving Don shaking her head.