There was a big commotion in the pub this evening. Mira sighed as she slipped behind the counter to take her evening shift. She had been helping old Butterbur in exchange for food, a place to sleep and even a little money every time she entered Bree. Which, like most travelers, she did quite often. Out in the wild she made sure to never meet anyone, for her own safety, so the especially loud bustling of the inn came as a shock to her.

"Mira! Get this ale here to Strider! Back there, in the corner. Hurry up!"

Barleyman Butterbur was extremely stressed out, as usual. So Mira took the offered pint and went to work.

"Here you go, sir." She put the tankard down in front of the man. She had seen him before, a few times in the Prancing Pony, but one time in the wild. She had concealed herself immediately but she could have sworn she had seen him laugh and shake his head when he went by her. It was very irritating. She turned and made back to the counter but she was stopped midway.

"Wait."

She turned back to the ranger.

"Yes?"

"How come, a woman that normally wields a sword and a hunting bow is serving ale at Barleyman Butterbur´s?"

"I do not understand, sir." Mira feigned ignorance. Man usually did not react very pleasantly to her wandering. She was treated as either mad, or like a whore.

"There is no use in pretending. I have seen you out there many times, though it seems you have only noticed me once. Do not fear, I mean you no harm."

"What do you want, Strider?" She dropped the act. The ranger smirked.

"I am waiting for a hobbit to show up here. He will have dark hair and the most striking blue eyes. At least, that was how Gandalf described him to me. His real name is Frodo Baggins, but he will introduce himself as something else, if he is smart enough. The dark forces are after him. So it would be very kind of you, if you could inform me if they show up. Just in case I miss it. It is a very crowded evening after all and four eyes are better than two."

"And why exactly do you think you can trust me of all people?"

Strider chuckled.

"Gandalf said I could. And I trust that wizard with my life. Besides…" He took in her whole appearance. "I am quite confident I can take you down if necessary. At least while you are wearing this."

Mira glared at the still chuckling ranger. She knew he was a friend of Gandalf, just like her, so she believed it alright to trust him, but she was still slightly annoyed at the wizard for simply giving away information about her and at the ranger for commenting on her dress in such a rude way.

"Fine. I will tell you when the hobbit shows up. But I do not work for free"

With that, she went back to work. Butterbur was completely freaking out by now. It made her wonder how he could still be so fat, with all that running around…

An hour and a half later the inn had become even more crowded. It was raining heavily outside, so many came in to seek shelter.

"Mira? Mira! Five tankards ale and some food for the table by the window! And hurry up!"

Just at that moment the door swung open again, and four very disheveled looking hobbits came in. They were not from Bree, Mira could tell with one glance. They were staring around, wide eyed, shrinking back a bit every time a human passed them. Her arms laden with ale and food she bent down to them.

"Can I help you, sirs?"

"Um, we would like a room for four please."

"BUTTERBUR! The Innkeeper will be with you in a moment. Excuse me."

Mira went to deliver the food and drink she was carrying but paused midway to listen to the hobbit´s conversation with Butterbur.

"My name is Underhill."

The hobbit, who looked a lot like the one strider had described to her said. Having heard the name she went on, dodged a drunk man who tried to grab her ass and put her burden down at the table by the window. Then she returned to the counter, drew another pint of ale and went to Striders corner.

"See those four hobbits over there? Sound like they are from the Shire. And that one fits description. He calls himself Underhill. Do I get a reward for this or was I just tricked into some voluntary work?"

Strider chuckled, lighting his pipe.

"Gandalf will pay when he comes here. He should arrive any day now. And thank you, for the valuable information."

Mira snorted and hurried back to Butterbur who was screaming for her. The stress was really getting to her. She was sent to the cellar to retrieve an old and expensive bottle of wine for some rich merchant and when she came back the whole place was buzzing even more. Strider and the hobbits were gone, and someone kept shouting that he had seen Mr. Underhill disappear. Drunk idiots.

Mira was up very early the next day. She stood behind the counter polishing a tankard when Strider and the hobbits came down, ready for travel. The ranger left the hobbits to pay old Butterbur and came towards her.

"Could you give Gandalf a message for me?"

"Ask Butterbur." Mira was not a morning person.

"Old Barleyman will forget it as soon as I tell him."

"You have a point there. Fine. What shall I tell him?"

"Tell him that Frodo is with me, that three other hobbits are with him and that we are going to Rivendell. And that the black riders are on our heels." The ranger said in a matter of fact tone.

"The black riders? You are going into the wild with the nazgul right behind you?"

"Excactly. We do not really have a choice, see. Anyway. Thank you again, you are a great help. I hope we will meet again. Farewell."

Mira stared after him as he left. Were rangers meant to be so talkative?

Two days later Mira was feeling very uneasy. Had she not promised to relay that blasted message to Gandalf, she would have been long gone by now. There was nothing in Bree that made it worth staying there for too long. She missed the wild, or rather no. She did not miss it. What she really missed was a place with something to bind her to it, to make her want to stay. But such a place just did not exist…

Suddenly the door flew open and Gandalf the grey stormed in, looking around frantically. He seemed to be in a great hurry. Spotting her he almost ran towards her.

"Mira! Have you seen Aragorn? Where is Frodo?"

"Who is Aragorn? But if it is about Frodo, I have some information for you."

"Strider. A ranger. But please, tell me about Frodo!"

She had never seen the old wizard look so worried.

"The hobbit went off with Strider and his three companions. Strider said they were going to Rivendell and that the nazgul were right behind them."

Gandalf visibly relaxed. Which was very weird, given the fact that she had just told him that his friend was being hunted by the black riders.

"Ah, if Frodo is with Aragorn then they have a good chance to make it safely. There is no use in rushing after them now, if Strider does not wish to be found, he will not be."

The wizard took off his hat and retreated to a corner, smoking his pipe and drinking some ale. Mira went off to pack her things and saddle her horse. She was done with Bree. But just as she was saying farewell to Butterbur, Gandalf called her.

"Are you leaving now, my dear?"

"Yes Gandalf. You know how much I hate staying put."

"Then how about you come with me? To Rivendell."

"That reminds me. Strider said you will pay me for helping him."

"Yes, yes, you will get your money once we are in Elrond´s home. Come now, we should make haste."

Mira somehow got the feeling that she would not be seeing any payment anytime soon.

„Three other companions?" Gandalf the grey asked some hours after they had left.

"All hobbits. One fat blonde hobbit, one annoying blonde and one stupid looking red head." Mira was still in a sour mood, even though it was a bit better now that she was no longer in Bree.

"That sounds like Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. The first you mentioned is Samwise Gamgee. I asked him to accompany Frodo. That the other two are with them surprises me though… But tell me" The wizard turned to her with a smirk "You spoke of Master Merry as annoying. I am sure that is a very entertaining story."

Mira huffed, pretending to be angry, but grinning. "That rascal talked me into giving him a whole pint of ale. Hobbits get only halves, you know, so they will not get drunk too fast. I can pride myself in never having given in to their pleading before. But that blasted hobbit just would not shut up otherwise! Can you believe that he even tried flirting with me?! I mean, he is a hobbit!"

The wizard began laughing loudly about her ranting. It was good to be outside again. Mira felt her bad mood dissolve with every league they put behind them. If they continued their good progress, they would reach Rivendell in no time at all. And then she would finally get paid and be free to go where she wanted again…