Chapter o1
My worn leather bag gently rocked against my back as I walked towards the only building that contained life in the small town of Bree, every other building slept soundly as the night reached the pinnacle of its darkness. A reasonably sized Inn, The Prancing Pony, however contained loud laughter and the distinctive sound of tankard toasting tankard as men enjoyed the hours of the night; drinking merrily.
I pushed open the thick brown oak door, the hinges creaking in protest. My white hood was still pulled firmly over the thick wave of messy chestnut hair, allowing my tanned skin, freckled with dirt to be hidden behind the shadow.
A few men, sat at a table near the door, paused in conversation as they surveyed my unusual appearance. Eyeing the hilt of my bastard sword, that peaked out from behind my cloak suspiciously.
"Water… please" I asked working hard to hide my accent from preying ears.
"Sure" The bartender eyed me guardedly before filling up a clean tankard with water and sliding it across the bar top towards me, I took the time to glance around, making sure to keep my eyes low. Some windows were boarded up with planks of wood, whilst a pile of broken and splinted wood lay collected in the corner. The barman caught my gaze as he looked towards the shards of broken tables and chairs.
"Ay, I'll remember that" He grumbled, as I saw his body tense from the corner of my eye.
"Rough bar brawl?" I questioned, casually sipping my water
"No Miss… Much, much worse" He gulped; I raised an eye brow from under my hood, tilting my head to the left to voice an unspoken question. "You wouldn't believe me miss, even if I told you" he swallowed.
"Pray tell" I encourage in a soft melodic voice, the calmness of my own voice relaxing the barman somewhat, a technique that had gotten me out of many a sticky situation.
"The Nazgûl" He choked out, my eyes widening in surprise as a surge of questioned exploded in my mind. I knew of what the Nazgûl searched for, the only thing that they searched for, but had it really been here? "The dark spirits were here, in search of a, Mister Baggins"
"They were here looking for a man in Bree?" I asked, determined that he has made a mistake with the person, Bree was just a tiny village normally only filled with passing journeymen. I could look around the bar and could count on one hand the amount of locals… Everyone else would just be passing through, that's why Bree's main business was Inn's and bars.
"No… Not a man, a hobbit" The barman confirmed, I pulled my eyebrows together even though he couldn't see it "This young sir was definitely a strange one though… I knew from the moment he entered. Frodo I think was his true name" My lips pursed into a thin line, "If it wasn't for the Ranger… I doubt they would have survived" He finished,
"Ranger?"
"Yes, a man of the wild, he goes by the name of Strider"
"Interesting" I mused to myself quietly, "Do you know where they're headed?" I asked,
"Sorry miss, they left in a hurry" He paused, "Although, I think they were heading east"
"Thank you" I smiled nodded curtly, as I sipped my water thoughtfully.
"Oh" He jerked suddenly, remembering something, "They were looking for the Wizard Gandalf the Grey, never got a chance to find him though"
I pursed my lips again as the name sounded familiar yet I couldn't place a face this only added to the frustration as his name echoed around my head. Maybe I had just heard of a name similar to that one?
"So where you headed lass?" He continued conversationally, I sighed silently through my nose; a talkative barman was only helpful when he spoke things I needed to find out.
"No where important" I replied curtly.
"Have you got anywhere to stay tonight?" He asked as he continued to wipe down the bar,
"No" I replied,
"Well let me offer you a room here" He grinned, "Not safe at night you see"
"How much-?" I asked, only to have my question cut short as a large, burly man, obviously intoxicated stumbled into me, knocking my hood off.
"Slow down Amos" The barman called while I kept my head down staring at the floor.
"Sorry" The man slurred before stumbling his way back to the table,
"You alright lass?" The barman questioned as he tried to view my face from behind the wall of hair, I bit my lip, closing my eyes gently, slowly raising my head, the soft brown curls falling away from my tanned skin.
I opened my eyes and the barman dropped his cloth, moving away from me slightly, my face remained sombre as my yellow eyes tracked his movements, waiting for his reaction.
"Get out" He uttered quietly, I remained standing at the bar, "I said get out!" He hollered, causing the entire bar falling silent as every pair of eyes, sober or not turned to watch the scene unfold.
"I haven't done anything to you" I growled not bothering to hide my accent any more.
"Maybe not yet. But you will" He snapped, "Your kind are all the same!"
"Something wrong?" A tall man asked as he stood next to me, casting a weary glance between the two of us. I risked a glance up at him, hoping he was looking at the barman. He wasn't, and instead caught my yellow eyes, stiffening much like the barman did.
"Gypsy!" he shouted, glaring at me accusingly, I glared back at him, rising to the challenge even if half of the bar had now risen to their feet.
"We don't want your kind here… Clear off!" The barman shouted again. My fists clenched at my sides as I looked around at the other faces in the bar, they all glared at me with disgust in their eyes.
"Whatever" I growled, releasing my hands in defeat, there was no way I could take an entire bar.
"Get her out of here" The barman growled, ordering the man who stood next to me.
"If you weren't a woman you'd be unconscious already" The man growled as he grabbed my upper arm.
"I can walk fine" I snapped harshly,
"You've got a large mouth for a small woman" He snapped back as he roughly grabbed me, swinging my up so he carried me over his shoulder, leaving to pound at his back, swearing and cursing loudly.
"Don't come back" He shouted as he slammed open the door and threw me to the floor. I grunted as I fell heavily onto the dusty floor, cursing the man loudly once again as he slammed the door behind him.
I grumbled as I stood up dusting down my clothes, only smirking as I pulled up the bag of coins I'd managed to pull from the man's pocket when he was carrying me. I threw bag up and caught it again triumphantly,
"Serves the bastard right" I grinned, pocketing the bag.
"You thieving, little rat!" A voice hollered as the door slammed opened once again, my eyes widened as I caught sight of the much angrier version of the man who threw me out.
My smirk dropped as I took off, running away from the fuming man, weaving in and out of the narrow streets as the man followed me swearing curses as he went. I panted through my mouth, filling my lungs with air as I continued to avoid the charging man, confident that I could out run him. Sure enough 5 minuets later I could no longer hear his obnoxious voice.
I laughed quietly to myself as I wandered back onto the main street, heading towards the gate, it was safe to assume that by tomorrow morning everyone in this small town would be aware that I was here and I would be as welcome as thick cloak on a summer's day.
"You shouldn't take what isn't yours" A wise voice spoke from behind me. I whipped around, hand automatically falling to the hilt of my small sword. I paused as I looked up, eyeing the tall, grey haired man in front of me, his tall frame wrapped in grey robes whilst his face remained half hidden behind a large pointed grey hat.
"What do you know?" I asked harshly, narrowing my eyes at the man,
"A wizard knows everything" He spoke confidently a knowing smirk playing along his lips. I gulped slowly, cautiously eyeing the staff he held in his hand. I had heard of the power wizard's possessed.
"He deserved it" I reasoned, "I did nothing to him and yet he treated me like I were less than dirt on his shoe"
"But does that make what you did right?" He asked wisely, I opened my mouth to reply, yet words failed me.
"You get what you give" I muttered quietly, remembering a saying of my people, my hand leaving the hilt of my sword and resting lamely at my side. I let my eyes leave the man's face and cast down to the ground, remembering the happier, simpler times.
"Colette!" A young, dark haired boy laughed as he chased after a similar aged girl. Her dark hair fluttered behind her in long curled locks as he laughed over her shoulder, her tanned skin was radiant in the warm summer weather and peaked out from under her loose green summer dress. The boy dresses in a simple loose white shirt and light brown breeches called after again as he chased after her across the long wild grass of the plains. Their clan had set up camp about half a mile to the west.
"Tendrá que atraparme (you will have to catch me)" She called back speaking in her people's natural tongue. The boy laughed loudly before speeding up his run, quickly catching up with Colette and tackling her gently to the ground, landing on top of her, but supporting most of his own weight on his hands that rested either side of her shoulders. Laughter bubbled past her lips as she rolled onto her back, gazing up at the young boy.
"Aleron" She smiled, naming the young teen who smirked down at her.
"Te Tengo (I got you)" He teased,
"Te dejo a conseguir (I let you get me)" She pouted letting her left hand ruffled his dark black hair.
"En serio? (Oh really?)" He asked disbelievingly,
"Ummhmm" She smirked,
"Así (Well)" He drew the word out, his face now very closer to hers, so close she could feel the gentle puffs of each breath he took. Suddenly he pushed his lips softly onto hers and pulled back again. "Me dejaste que eso también (Did you let me have that as well?)" He asked cheekily.
"No me importaba (I didn't mind)" She grinned,
I snapped out of me reverie and studied the wizard in front of me again. The name Gandalf stung in my mind again, and finally I connected the links, my father had spoken of this man.
"You are Gandalf the Grey?" I questioned,
"I am" He agreed.
"You are in search of a hobbit" I continued, Gandalf's eyes narrowing at me suspiciously, "Named Frodo" I pressed further.
"What do you know of Frodo?" He asked urgently, taking a few long strides until he stood in front of me, it took all of my confidence not to shy away from the powerful man in front of me.
"I know he was here" I stated, "Waiting for you" I paused again wondering what a simple, peaceful creature like a hobbit was doing caught up in this type of business, "The Nazgûl were here also, they found him" Gandalf's face visibly paled at the news, "He escaped though. I hear a Ranger saved him" I added soothingly, "He went by the name Strider"
"Do you know where they are headed?" He asked urgently, his voice filled with haste.
"East as a general direction" I replied airily. "Now if that is all you wanted I shall be on my way"
"What is your name?" He asked suddenly, I had only been able to take a couple of steps away from him and towards the gate when his question caused me to turn back around.
"Why does it matter?" I eyed him cautiously,
"I need your name if I am to thank you properly… You have been more help than you realise" He replied. I paused trying to find some sort of fault with this man and his question, yet he seemed to be filled with the up most of honesty.
"Fine you may have my name, you can't do anything with it, my birth was not registered anywhere" I replied with pursed lips, still not entirely sure that this man only wanted my name so he could thank me. I couldn't help but think that he only wanted my name so he could try and track me down to my city of birth, there they would be able to punish me for the theft I had committed not 10 minuets ago.
"My dear, I do not wish to have you punished. And I know that your birth is not recorded in any city, I recognise a traveller when I see one, your peoples blood runs thick through your veins" He chuckled, I scowled slightly as he mocked me.
"Colette" I said, answering his earlier question.
"Well" He regained his composure, "I thank you deeply Colette" He thanked earnestly. All I could do was nod in response, "I do hope we meet again, you are amusing" He finished before mounting a sweet chestnut horse near by and catering out of the gate heading in the eastern direction I had pointed him in. "I'd be running if I were you" He called back over his shoulder, I tilted my head in confusion.
"You are a strange one" I muttered to myself, only to be interrupted as shouts and cries could be heard further down the road, as heavy footsteps marched in my direction. My eyes widened as I realised that the angry man I'd stolen from earlier had decided to round up some reinforcements. Gandalf's advice was solid… 'run'… and that's what I did, I ran straight out of Bree and into the dense woodland on the other side, doing well to avoid the path, but close enough so that I could keep the direction the road took me on.