Translator

Ronald smiled at the figure seated across from him. "Well, Lord Roland, do you find it satisfactory?"

Roland Tucker-Hill looked up from the last page of the sheaf of papers, and smiled. He was child-sized, but no child. Yet Ronald had never seen him appear discomfited by his stature. After the work they had undertaken together over the years, he understood why. "I am most pleased. You have clearly captured the essence of the family legends, teasing out many events that were lost in the mists of time. It makes a compelling story as well." He straightened the stack of papers in his hands and passed them back over the desk to the professor.

In return, Ronald passed back to him a thick and worn volume, the leather cover faded and worn, though perhaps at some long ago time it might have been red. "It's going to take a long while, however, for me to work it into some semblance of fiction. And then there will be the matter of finding a publisher?" He looked past Lord Roland to the other three guests, whom he'd met for the first time today.

Mrs. Goldenwood, a woman of stunning beauty, said softly, "It will happen. But it will change your life."

Mr. Elwin added, "The most important thing is to keep hidden that which must remain hidden."

"Yes," said the old man called Mr. Pilgrim. "It must wait until the fullness of time to reveal that the Three still have their Power."

(A/N: I'm sure most of the readers understood the inferences, but here are the characters for the sake of completeness: The historical character, is, of course, JRR Tolkien himself, who was referred to as Ronald by his family. Roland Tucker-Hill is an OC, but clearly meant to be a direct descendant of certain hobbits. "Mrs. Goldenwood" is Galadriel; "Mr. Elwin" is Elrond; "Mr. Pilgrim" is, of course, Gandalf.)