A/N: J. R. R. Tolkien owns Lord of the Rings, not me. I just own my OC Airy.
Bold Italics are Elvish language, if I have actual elvish from the movies then the translations will appear (like this). Italics are thoughts.
Yes I have started another fanfiction if you read any of my other works. I apologize for not updating them very well. Between a new job where I work overnight –which was my main writing times mostly, health issues for myself as well as helping family out as they had health issues as well, as well as just needing a break from writing in general as I was getting major writers block was needed.
This story is dedicated to my best friend. She helped me a lot with proof reading this and encouraged me to write this.
Chapter One: Wraiths at Prancing Pony
Sitting in the corner of the Prancing Pony did nothing to help my nerves. I could hear the voices of the men that were behind me in the bar and suppressed a shudder, pulling my cloak around me closer. I glanced at my companion who faced the bar when he snorted at me. He knew that I was uncomfortable with the situation, but I could see the pride he had in his eyes for me for staying there even though I was not comfortable at all. In the many years that I have been alive, thanks to being of the race of elves, I had lost all hope in trusting the race of man after I had been kidnapped by three mortal men when I was a small child. It wasn't until I was visiting Imladris and met the man sitting across from me did I figure out that not all mortals are bad. "Do you think they'll be here soon?" I asked my companion as I took a sip of my ale that I had ordered awhile ago.
"I'm sure they will be here soon and then we can leave." My companion replied as he gave me a smile, removing his pipe from his mouth to do so. "Why don't you go up to the room if you are too uncomfortable? You have been down here with me for awhile Airy." I had to smile at him and shook my head.
"I want to see Gandalf before I disappear to the room. I'll be okay for now Aragorn. Thank you though." I said to him as he placed his pipe back in his mouth. Aragorn reached over and squeezed my hand before releasing it just as the door to the inn/bar opened. The blast of cold rainy weather that came from the door came towards us, causing me to turn my head to see four hobbits enter the inn. Four? I thought there was two… I thought to myself as I glanced to Aragorn. "Seems like Gandalf forgot to inform us of two more hobbits that would be joining us."
"Something must have come up for Gandalf. They just asked for him and was informed by the barkeep that he hasn't seen him." Aragorn said as he made the embers of his pipe glow, lighting up some of his face some as it was hidden under his hood. I nodded my head as the four hobbits ordered their own mugs of ale before sitting down not far from us. My hearing caught some of their conversation, allowing me a soft shake of my head as the heavier set one scolded one of the other two extra hobbits for getting more ale when they had some still. Aragorn cocked an eyebrow at me from under his hood as I shook my own hooded head at him as the same heavier set hobbit pointed out how Aragorn had been watching them since they entered the tavern.
"Excuse me," I heard Frodo Baggins, though he was going as Mr. Underhill, ask Butterbur as the bar keep more than likely passed. "Those two in the corner, who are they?"
"They're two of them rangers. Dangerous folk they are. Wandering the wilds. What their right names, I have no idea, but round here we call the one facing you Strider and his companion Shadow." Butterbur replied before he more than likely left to continue tending to customers in the many areas of the bar.
"Seems like we have attracted attention." I said to Aragorn with a small smile on my face before I stood up. "I can't stay down here any longer. Sorry Strider." I squeezed his shoulder before leaving the bar and going up into the room that he and I rented for the night. I was sitting near the window when I felt a sudden pain come from the scar on my chest, causing me to gasp. The door the room opened up and in came Frodo Baggins with Aragorn shoving him in.
"What do you want?" Frodo asked as Aragorn came over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. I could see that the hobbit was afraid, but was putting on a brave front.
"A little more caution from you. That is no trinket that you carry." Aragorn told Frodo as he put candles out. "The ring fell on his finger as he fell in the tavern below. I'm sure that you already know that they are coming." Aragorn spoke to me softly as he gave me a small concerned look as he noticed how I was holding my chest.
"I carry nothing." Frodo told Aragorn, causing my friend to turn and face him. Aragorn sighed as he put the last of the candles out, leaving only the fire in the room to give us light.
"Indeed." Aragorn said as he pulled his hood off and looked at Frodo, allowing the hobbit to see a man who looked to be in his early to mid thirties with shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes with a scruff of a beard on his face. "We can avoid being seen if we so wish. But to disappear entirely, that is a rare gift."
"Who are you?" Frodo asked, his eyes going between me and Aragorn. I didn't make a move to remove my hood as I looked out the window before looking at the hobbit.
"Are you frightened?" I asked him as I took in his appearance. I really had to commend this hobbit as I could see that he was scared but putting on a brave face to try and seem he wasn't in over his head. When Frodo said yes, I could not help but scoff slightly. "Not nearly frightened enough. We know what hunts you." The door suddenly burst open, causing Aragorn and I to draw our swords fast as it did, revealing the three other hobbits.
"Let him go! Or I'll have you Longshanks." The first of the three hobbits demanded/ ordered as he held his fists up while the other two held a candle stick and a bar stool. I could only shake my head and turn towards the window, a hand on my chest as Aragorn commended the hobbit. "They will be here in an hour at the latest. We must hurry."
"Stay here. I'll get things set in the room the hobbits are staying in. We may be able to trick them and buy us some time." Aragorn told me as he came and gripped my shoulder with his hand. He then took Sam and who we learned to be Merry and Pippin with him to stuff beds while leaving Frodo with me.
"Do not be afraid." I said to Frodo after a few minutes, seeing that he was still worried about what was hunting him. "What we are doing should trick them."
"That is not what bothers me." Frodo said to me as he looked over at me. I could tell he was about to ask me to remove my hood, so I did it for him. I watched his eyes widen as he took in my dark red hair with blue eyes and pointed ears. "You are an elf!"
"That I am." I said to Frodo with a smile as Aragorn came into the room with the other hobbits. I saw Aragorn cock an eyebrow at me and shook my head, showing that I was okay with revealing my face to the hobbits. The night wore on and the hobbits went to bed, while Aragorn and I stayed up and near the window.
"You trust them." Aragorn said to me softly as I turned my face to look at him. "Im happy you can trust more." I gave him a smile just as we heard the telltale scream of a nazgul. I gasped and grabbed my chest just as the scream woke up the hobbits.
"What are they?" Frodo asked as Aragorn helped me sit back up as I had leaned forward in the intense pain that I felt in my chest.
"They were once men." Aragorn answered as he looked out the window quickly before looking at Frodo. "Great kings of men. Sauron gave to them nine rings of power. They were blinded by their greed for power and took the rings without question. One by one they fell to darkness." Aragorn explained as I turned my head to see four black riders mount and race out of Bree on equally black horses. "Now they are slaves to Sauron's will. They are the Nazgûl, or Ringwraiths. Neither alive nor dead. They feel the presence of the ring. They're drawn to the ring's call. They will not stop hunting you."
"Get some sleep Frodo. We will be leaving at dawn." I said softly as I looked at him. Frodo nodded his head before he went back to the bed and laid down, hopefully falling into a peaceful sleep. "I have a very bad feeling about this journey." I told Aragorn as he took one of my hands in his and squeezed it gently.
"Dark days are approaching us." Aragorn said as he leaned over and brushed my hair behind one of my ears. "We will get through it. Rest now Airy, I'll keep watch." I nodded my head and settled back in my chair and closed my eyes to rest.
