Once not so very long ago there lived a beautiful black dragon. She had wings like a bat. Her belly was golden and her eyes were red. Her name was Shang'li. She roamed all over Middle Earth helping the people there. Her favorite place to visit was The Shire, where I grew up.

During this time there was a very evil man who hated everyone. One night when the hobbits were asleep this evil man, named Sauron, sent some of his evil guys to sneak into one of the hobbit's Inn and take her child.

The next morning when Lady Frodo woke up and saw her little girl, Hope, gone and began to cry. Shang'li, who could hear the hobbits, took flight and as fast as the wind blows flew to the shire and landed outside Lady's inn.

When Lady heard her, she ran outside" Oh Shang'li " she cried as tears fell down her face, " My daughter has been taken, Can you help me find her?"
Shang'li eyed Lady and wrapped a huge wing around her and spoke from her mind to the hobbits heart, Momma to Momma, Shang'li too had a child." Do not worry my dear, Lady, I will get your child and bring her safely home.

Shang'li lifts her giant head and takes a huge sniff, then smiles down to Lady" I have found Hope's aura she was kidnapped by Sauron." Shang'li looks towards Mt Doom and sighs, " We will find her Lady."

Just then if a dragon could smirk, Shang'li did" Lady, I sense Loki is visiting and probably drunk. I also sense his buddies, Code and Rand."

Lady nods" Yes the three stayed the night. I wouldn't let them go they all three were drinking rather heavily. Loki was speaking in riddles as usual. He said something about Hope being chosen," she shrugs" I just figured he was drunk and had no idea what he was talking about."

Shang'li sighs again and looks towards the inn, then with a rather mischievous look she lifts her head and cries out in draconian rather loudly, making many hobbits run outside to see what made the horrible noise.

Soon enough, just as Shang'li figured, a very hungover, elf, human, and vampire come stumbling out of the inn, all three rubbing their heads. The elf, Loki, looks up at Shang'li, " What in the name of Middle Earth did you do that for?"

Shang'li eyes him and his mates then lowers her head to look into his eyes, " My friend, not long ago the three of you made a promise to Lady, to always protect her and her children, now is the time to fulfill that promise. Sauron has kidnapped Hope. I fear he plans to keep his bargain with the balrog."

Loki simply nods, he knew exactly what Shang'li meant. The two could read each other's minds. He spoke back to her mind something no one else heard.
Code and Rand stood next to Lady and shrugged at each other. They knew Loki was a bit odd, but they also knew he was a trusted friend.

Loki soon returns to the group and kneels, eyeing Lady, " LF, we have to go to Mt. Doom, Hope was taken there. Come on guys time for us to whip some orc arse." He jumps up and gives Lady a typical Loki smile, "No worries, LF, we will all return safely with, Hope, you'll see."

Lady smirks " You think I'm going to sit here and let you three go off and rescue my kid without me? Well think again, I'm going too!"

With that she hurries inside and grabs some food, water and her bow and quiver. She bids the inn's guardian tiger farewell and hurried off to join the other three.

While she was inside, the three men shook their heads and Code says, "Now that is one tough little lady hobbit. I wouldn't be surprised if she ran off alone without us to find Hope." He turns to Loki, " Hey man, do you know why Sauron would want Hope?"

Loki only nods but remains silent as Lady approaches them. She heard Code's question and looks curiously to Loki, "Yes, do tell if you know."

Loki kneels so he is eye to eye with Lady and takes her hands" My dear hobbit, someday all this will be revealed to you, only myself, Shang'li and Sauron know why."

Lady wrinkles her forehead and nods" Alright, I know when the proper time comes, I will learn."

Rand, who is a man of few words, looks at the sun as it crawls higher in the sky." Come the day grow later, and we have a child to rescue and orcs to kill"

The other three nod and Loki whistles for Shang'li, who lies down so the four can get on her back. Soon Shang'li takes to the skies, her huge wings nearly blowing over trees in her path.

Lady was quite enjoying this adventure, she had never been to Mt Doom or ridden on a dragon before. Soon the company arrived and Lady makes a face," What is that horrible smell?"

The men laugh heartily, " That my dear hobbit is the smell of orcs"

Shang'li soon lands outside the black gates and the four companions slide off her back. Lady swallows hard, she could feel the very essence of evil. A shudder goes down her back as they approach the gate. Rand lays a hand on her shoulder " No worries Lady, all will be fine." She nods then some how makes her feet follow them.

Loki has a quick chat with Shang'li and hurries to them, " He has her in his tower, but it is being watched by orcs. We must hurry."

He knew Hope wouldn't be harmed but he knew she belonged with her mother. He gives Lady an assuring smile as the walk through the gate. With swords and bows at ready they soon are deep inside Mt Doom. As they turn a corner near Sauron's tower they are met by a troop of orcs. They react quickly and soon they are on their way once more.

Code, who was in lead, puts his hand out to stop them, just as they reach Sauron's tower. He kneels and in whispers says, " We have to be quick, we have to get Hope then hurry out. Sauron won't be thrilled to see us and as soon as he realizes Hope is gone, he's going to be one angry dude."

Lady looks at Code and then at the doorway leading to the tower," We can do this, we have to." She walks to the door and looks inside. She sees Hope in a box like cage and gasps, but quickly covers her mouth. The men hurry to her side and sigh seeing what Lady does.

Loki hurries inside first and is met by an orc. It sneaks up on him from behind and grabs him. Loki uses his elbow to jab the orc. When it falls he slices it's head off.

The other three follow. Lady screams and turns, with fury in her eyes, she begins firing arrows. A few hit. Her main concern is Hope and how to get her from that cage. She spies a silver key but frowns seeing it on the neck of a huge orc, standing guard next to Hope. Rand, Loki, and Code begin slaying orcs.

Lady walks right up to the Uruk and eyes him. Code and Rand blink. "Excuse me sir, but that is my child you have in that cage and I want her back!"

The orc laughs and reaches down to grab Lady. Lady ducks and hurries past him. The orc tries to run but falls face first onto the ground. Rand quickly stabs it in the throat and takes the key, tossing it to Lady.

Lady grabs the key and quickly unlocks the cage. Her hands are shaking so badly she dares not try to pick the child up. Loki is soon at her side and kneels taking the child from the cage. Hope's emerald eyes grin at him" Hewwo Woki." Her tiny arms go around his neck, as he hurries towards the door with Lady following on his heels. Rand and Code laugh and follow them.

Just outside the door another shower of arrows comes at them, from where, no one can tell. A horrid thwack is heard as an arrow pierces Loki's chest. He falls. Code quickly grabs Hope. Lady kneels beside Loki, ignoring the arrows zooming overhead. A sob is heard from her lips as she closes Loki's eyes and looks at her companions, tears beginning to fill the clear blue orbs. She says nothing. Taking Loki's Katana she lays it beside him, then leans down and kisses his cheek. " You are a hero, Loki." She takes her cloak and covers him.
The other two men look at Lady, then Rand calls" We must hurry the orc will be looking for us."

Lady doesn't move. Rand grabs her and she falls limp in his arms. He hurries following Code to the exit.

Many days pass and they are back now at the Inn. Hope is safe and running about playing with Code and Rand. The two try their best to keep Hope occupied as Lady sleeps. She had not yet wakened from before.

A bit later, at the door leading to the main area of the inn, Lady appears, she smiles seeing Hope, but the smile fades when she recalls what was sacrificed so she could get her back. Would she ever know why Sauron wanted Hope?

Lady Frodo