This is the first fanfiction I had written and after getting a few chapters in I am adding new pieces into chapters based on what I took away from reviews (thank you), hopefully this will help build on the characters and make relationships more obvious. There was just a slight bit more reference added to make things clearer (I hope).
I do not own the Lord of the Rings despite how much I wish I did.
The cool bite of winter could be felt in the fall air as the leaves danced through the trees and under the feet of travelers. Few were seen here, a sign of foreboding in darker times. The slumbering gatekeeper jumped at the sound of knocking, muttering under his breath he threw the small window open.
"Whadda want?" He questioned, eyeing the cloaked figure standing outside.
"A warm meal and a place to sleep." An undeniably female voice answered him and he scrambled to open the gate. She was ushered quickly in, the gate slamming shut behind her. The girl could hear him talking to himself under his breath about women out alone. She bit her tongue, thanking him as he pointed her in the direction of the inn.
Making her way to the inn she stayed concentrated on masking her pain. The girl's leg was burning with it although the blood was pretty well dried, every step reopened the wound. She was glad to feel the warmth that flooded her when she opened the inn door. Ignoring the other occupants in the loud bar and leaving the hood of her cloak up, she approached the bartender. The man was short and fat, with little hair and a friendly red face. When she approached he looked up in surprise, "Good evening! What may you be wanting?"
"A bed for the night." She answered with a smile, although the man couldn't see it.
"It's strange. We haven't had a lot of travelers through in awhile and all of a sudden here everyone is." He laughed, handing her a key with the number 4 etched into it, "Not often we get women traveling alone or travelers without horses for that matter." The man seemed to want to say more but trailed off at her sharp glance.
"How I travel is my business." She ground out, eyes flashing from under her hood.
"Of course, miss. My apologies. Is there anything else you'll be needing for the night?" He questioned carefully.
"If it wouldn't trouble you too much I could use a drink." She answered stonily. Moments later she found herself seated at a table near the wall, in a lowly lit corner with a half full mug in hand. Cautious green eyes ran over the faces around the room, landing on four hobbits. Feeling eyes on her she looking away from them, and locked eyes with a man across the room. They stared at each other for a long moment before she recognized him. One of the hobbits approached him and he looked away to speak with him, looking back at her after the hobbit had left him only to find her watching the hobbits again. The man stood, nervous about how intently she was watching when suddenly the hobbit jumped. Emerald orbs widened in horror and she stood suddenly her hood falling back, and pushed her mug off the table it hit the floor and shattered. Everyone jumped at the stood, and all her turned to the maiden. The women breathed a soft apology and bent to pick up the glass. The man turned his gaze back to the hobbit just in time to see him disappear as he hit the table and it snapped. Just before the hobbit disappeared the women gave a yelp of pain as she sliced her hand on a piece of class, the people in the bar stared at the girl as she muttered something about clumsiness and allowed the bartender the shoo her from the mess she had created. She locked eyes with the man on the other side of the room and he realized that it had not been an accident but a distraction. He tipped his head to her and received a raised eyebrow in return.
The man was in the hall when the women suddenly appeared next to him, had he been someone else he might have been surprised. Pulling his hood back, he gave her a rare smile, "Rim hennaed, Míriel." [Many thanks]
"Gelir na thaed, Estel." [Happy to help]
"They call me Strider here." He answered softly and seeing the look on her face couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped him, "It is lovely isn't it? I can't complain I have been called much worse."
A blinding smile lit the she-elf's face, "Indeed, but we can be sure you deserved it." Míriel laughed before her expression turned serious, "Now I would love to know what on earth just happened. I have an idea but I hope that I am wrong for once."
"I was asked by Mithrandir to meet the hobbits here and take them to Rivendell. I cannot say for sure if you are right or wrong." He said with a sigh, "But I would bet on the former."
"Well, if it would not trouble you I would like to accompany you to Rivendell." Míriel said, they reached his destination and he opened the door holding it open for her before entering the room himself. She removed her cloak and took a seat near the fire opening her pack and removing bandages as he took a seat.
"It would be a blessing, but I am afraid I cannot answer that yet. If Mr. 'Underhill' is agreeable we will accompany them, but either way I will travel with you." He answered, eyeing the bandages in her hand, "Pray tell, how is your hand?"
"To be entirely honest with you, it is not my hand that requires bandaging." She answered, "I was attacked on the way here."
Strider's eyes narrowed suddenly, landing on the leg that she seemed to be favoring. At his scrutiny she nervously pushed her hair behind her ears. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped when the door opened. Three hobbits walked in, they seemed to not notice to two extra people in their room and the pair glanced at each other in disbelief. One threw wood onto the fire, before glancing up and catching sight of Strider near the door. Another let out a strangled sound upon seeing Míriel. "Hallo!" said Pippin. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
**"I am called Strider and she is Míriel," answered Strider, indicating the elf. "And though he may have forgotten, your friend promised to have a quiet talk with me."
"You said I might hear something to my advantage, I believe," said Frodo. "What have you to say?"
"Several things," answered Strider. "But, of course, I have my price."
"What do you mean?" asked Frodo cautiously.
"Do not be alarmed! I mean just this: I will tell you what I know, and give you some good advice – but I shall want a reward."
"And what will that be? And what of her?" said Frodo, eyeing the pair and hoping that he hadn't had the misfortune of meeting a thief. The woman was elven and he couldn't find it in him to think that she was in league with thieves. She also seemed rather good-natured as Sam with still staring at her and muttering about how he had actually seen an elf.
"No more than you can afford," answered Strider, breaking him from his thoughts. "Just this: you must take us along with you, until we wish to leave you."
"Oh indeed!" replied Frodo, surprised but not relieved. "Even if I wanted more companions, I should not agree to any such thing, until I knew a good deal more about the two of you, and your business."
"Excellent!" exclaimed Strider, sitting in the empty chair next to Míriel. "You seem to be coming to your senses again, and that is all to the good. You have been much too careless so far. Very well! I will tell you what I know, and leave the reward to you. You may be glad to grant it, when you have heard me."
"Go on then!" said Frodo. "What do you know?"
"Too much; too many dark things," started Strider grimly. "But as for your business -" He stood and went to the door, opening it to check outside before shutting it and sitting again to resume his speech. "I have quick ears, and though I cannot disappear, I have hunted many wild and wary things and I can usually avoid being seen, if I wish. Now, I was behind the hedge this evening on the Road west of Bree, when four hobbits came out of the Downlands. I need not repeat all of what was said, but one thing interested me. 'Please remember, said one, that the name Baggins must not be mentioned. I am Mr. Underhill, if any name must be given.' That interested me so much that I followed them here. I slipped over the gate just behind them. Maybe Mr. Baggins has an honest reason for leaving his name behind; but if so, I should advise him and his friends to be more careful."
"I don't see what interest my name has for anyone in Bree," Frodo ground out, and I have still to learn why it interests you two. Mr. Strider may have an honest reason for spying and eavesdropping; but if so I should advise him to explain it."
"Well answered!" said Strider laughing. "But the explanation is simple: I was looking for a hobbit called Frodo Baggins. I wanted to find him quickly. I had learned he was carrying out of the Shire, well, a secret the concerned me and my friends." Frodo rose from his seat at this and Sam seemed to finally snap out of his excitement, turning to look at Strider with a scowl. A soft, feminine voice broke the tense atmosphere its musical lilt drawing their attention back to the she-elf, as she addressed Strider.
"Aníron peded," Míriel stated, looking at Strider before turning her eyes back to Frodo. [I wish to speak.]
"Ae anírach," Strider raised an eyebrow, knowing that she wasn't really asking for permission. [If you wish.]
Míriel seemed to just look at Frodo for a long moment in thought before speaking, "You mistake us. If not for Strider and myself you would be in a lot more trouble than you currently are courtesy of your friend here." She said giving Pippin a pointed look. "Strider has long been a friend of mine and if he had not been behind you I have no doubt you would have fallen prey to the Riders pursuing you." The hobbits gave her a look of surprise at the mention of the Riders.
"Yes, we know of them. We know more about them you do. Hopefully more than you ever will." Míriel stated glancing at Strider whose hand was now holding hers tightly.
"Tomorrow, you will have to escape, if you can. We can take you by paths that are seldom trodden. Will you have us?" He asked.
A heavy silence overtook the room. Frodo gave no answer, deep in thought. Sam glanced between the man and elf frowning, before looking back at Frodo. "With your leave Mr. Frodo, I'd say no! These two warn and say to take care; and I say yes to that, but he comes out of the Wild, and I never heard no good of such folk. She may be an elf but we know nothing of her. They both know something, that's plain, and more than I like; but it's no reason why we should let them go leading us out into some dark place far from help, as he puts it."
Strider did not reply to Sam, turning his gaze to Frodo. Míriel rolled her eyes, studying Sam for a moment before turning her gaze to the window. Frodo caught his gaze and looked away. "No, I don't agree. I think you are not really as you choose to look. You began to talk like the Bree-folk but your voice has changed. Still Sam seems right in this: I don't see why you should warn us to take care, and yet ask us to take you both on trust. Why the disguises? Who are you? What do you really know about – about my business; and how do you know it?"
"The lesson in caution has been well learned," said Strider. "But caution is one thing and wavering is another. You will never reach Rivendell on your own, and to trust us is your only chance. You must make up your mind. I will answer some of your questions, if that will help you do so. But why should you believe my story, if you do not trust me already? Still here it is -"
"Quiet!" Míriel interrupted suddenly, her eyes snapping to the door.
