CHAPTER 2

HOBBITS AND STRIDER

MILLIE POV

I found myself standing in the bushes beside a road, which was dark and trees all around, not thickly covered with trees, but lightly.

"WTF?" I said.

"Whoa Mill, watch the language," said Elizabeth with a smile. I gave her a playful nudge in the shoulder. Suddenly, an ear-piercing shriek filled the air. I winced and covered my ears.

"Get down!" yelped Sam. We peered over the top of the bushes to see three familiar hobbits running down the path, the fourth, which was the smallest, lagging behind. They ran across a bridge and jumped onto a large raft, beginning to unwrap the chord that tied it to the dock. The fourth, a familiar dark-haired hobbit came following with a Nazgul running closely behind him, Frodo! The 3 in the boat began to frantically call him. Suddenly, he tripped and fell. My mind worked ahead of me, if that makes any sense and I picked up a quite large rock and shouted, "Hey you!" and hurled it at the Nazgul, it froze letting out a shriek and the horse reared. I hurled some more rocks, I gestured my friends to continue the attacks as I ran out to the road and picked up the little hobbit and leapt into the boat. I nodded to my friends and they ran from their hiding place, and after throwing more rocks at the Nazgul, they jumped into the raft.

It took the four of us a minute to catch our breaths, and then Liz broke in.

"Millie! What did you think you were doing, if you pull one more stunt like that," pant, pant, "How will I explain to your parents what happened to you, first," pant, pant, "You make me go into a hidden basement, then down a secret passageway, then through a portal and now you decide to throw rocks at a Nazgul!"

"Calm yourself!" Marley said. She ignored him.

Sam touched her shoulder, "Calm, Lizzie, calm, you're overreacting again."

"I am not!" she exclaimed, crossing her arms and tossing her curly red hair.

"Begging your pardon, Miss," Pippin intervened, "But Miss Millie just saved Cousin Frodo's life."

"Wait? What? Frodo!?" Marley said, "Holy crap, are we in freaking Middle Earth...again!?"

"Why yes." Merry said, "We just left the Shire."

"We're back." Sam sighed.

Elizabeth took a deep breath, then going back to our previous conversation said, "Well, I suppose you're right, she put her life in danger for a good cause, and I would do the same."

There was a short silence when Frodo asked, "How far to the nearest crossing?"

"Brandywine Bridge," Merry replied, "20 miles."

We rode in silence again. The four of us were sitting in a row with our legs dangling over the side, Frodo, Sam, and Pippin sitting in the center with Merry steering the raft. Before long, Merry docked the raft and we all got off and it began to rain.

"Aww," said Elizabeth, "I spent two hours on my hair this morning!"

"Big whoop." Marley answered, unamused. She slapped him,

"Butthole."

"Oh c'mon, it's just rain." Samantha replied.

"It's not gonna hurt you." I put in.

"It'll hurt my hair." I shook my head and chuckled before walking ahead with the hobbits. We came to a gate and Frodo knocked on the wood. The man opened the slot at the top and then the bottom, "Hobbits," he said, "4 of you, and 3 girls and a young man, not too often we get visitors like you, and what brings you all here?"

"We wish to stay at the inn," said Frodo, "Our business in our own." there was a hint of a snap in his voice.

"OK, OK, no need to be hasty." he said as he opened the gate, "It's my job to ask questions you know." We snaked through the town, trying not to bump into anyone until we came to a building with a sign that said, "The Prancing Pony".

"This is it," said Frodo and we headed inside. There was a man behind the counter.

"Excuse me?" said Frodo, the man turned.

"Evening little masters and young ladies, and young man, I've got some nice little rooms that I believe will be to your liking, and your name?"

"Underhill, my name's Underhill, Gandalf the Grey is supposed to meet us here."

"Hmm?" said the man, "Oh, right, old chap, long beard, pointy hat, haven't seen him in 6 months."

Silence.

"What do we do now?" asked Pippin.

"Wait for him?" Samwise suggested.

Frodo said nothing but we all went to an empty table and sat down, everyone carrying drinks, well, the three of us girls (and Marley) had cups of water.

"So," Pippin began, clearly the most talkative and outgoing of the bunch, "I don't think we've properly met, I'm Peregrin Took, but you can call me Pippin, these are my cousins; Merry and Frodo, and that's our friend Sam. Who are you?"

"I'm Amelia Lorena Reed," I said, "but I go by Millie."

"I'm Elizabeth, but you can call me Lizzie."

"Sam." Sam said.

"You're a Sam too?" Questioned the hobbit sharing the name.

Samantha blushed, "Yeah. My full name is actually Samantha."

"That's pretty." The hobbit Sam said.

"Thank you." Samantha's cheeks grew redder.

"I'm Marshal, well, Marley, Sam's brother, in case anyone wanted to know."

"Nice to meet you." Said Sam Gamgee.

"What is that?" asked Pippin to Merry, suddenly noticing a tall cup of grog by Merry.

"This, my dear cousin, is a pint."

"It comes in pints? I'm getting one." Pippin got up from the table.

I chuckled.

"Umm..." began a shy voice.

I looked down beside me, Frodo was looking at me with his big blue eyes. "Hmm?"

"I'd like to thank you for saving my life earlier."

I shrugged, "Of course, don't mention it," I smiled, "And, you always gotta seize the chance to throw rocks at a Nazgul."

He smiled and mustered a small chuckle. There was an awkward silence as we held each other's gaze for a moment and then turned away from each other and Merry asked;

"So m'ladies, and umm, sir," said Merry, "How is it that you came here and appeared just when we needed you?"

"It's kind of a long story," I said, "But I can tell you." Merry took a swig before looking at me.

"I'm listening." he said.

"OK, here's what happened." I began, "My three best friends and I are staying for a week up in the mountains in a snowy forest in a vacation house for New Years, since we're off from school for a few weeks. We were doing some exploring when we stumbled across a door to a basement which was actually an old office that an author had used, then we were browsing around and we found a door that led to an endless straightaway. We thought there was nothing in it until a portal opened up and got us here and we don't know how to get home."

"I'm sure Gandalf could get you home." said Merry, trying to help us out.

"Maybe," I replied.

Then I heard Sam talking a hushed voice to Frodo, "That fellow has been doing nothing but staring at you since we've arrived." we all turned to look at him. He was clad in all black and a cloak covered his eyes to where only part of his nose and his mouth which had stubble showed. He sat in the corner, quietly smoking a pipe.

"Excuse me?" said Frodo, "Who is that fellow over there?"

"Him?" asked the innkeeper indicating the man in the corner, "He's one of them Rangers. They mean nothing but danger, his real name I never heard, but 'round here he's known as Strider." the keeper walked away.

I turned to look at Frodo, he slowly rolled his eyes and closed them and seemed to vanish in a trance. I looked at him for a while until Pippin's voice broke in, "Baggins? I know a Baggins, he's right over there," Pippin pointed to Frodo, "Frodo Baggins." Suddenly Frodo's eyes shot open and he jumped up from his seat and ran over and grabbed Pippin, "Pippin!" he exclaimed.

"Whoa! Easy there!" exclaimed Pippin. Suddenly Frodo tripped over a boot and fell to the floor and I got a glimpse of a small gold thing fly out of his pocket, the One Ring! It seemed to spin as it fell and then Frodo held out his finger and the ring fell onto it and he disappeared from sight, everyone gasping. He was gone for a while until he reappeared and was yanked harshly by someone and pulled up the stairs. He let out a muffled yelp. I narrowed my eyes, "Everyone up the stairs!" I exclaimed. We scrambled out of our seats and headed up the stairs.

Frodo's POV

Strider yanked his hood off, "You draw far too much attention to yourself!" he scolded.

I was still breathing hard and I edged away from him as he loomed over me.

"You fear me, I get that," he said, "But I assure you I am no threat. I know of the burden you carry and I want to help you."

I said nothing, still gasping, when suddenly the door flew open. Strider pushed me behind him and drew out his sword, and there in the doorway appeared my comrades; Sam, Merry, Pippin, Millie, Elizabeth, Marley, and the other Sam, the girl Sam, they all looked ready to fight.

"No, uhh, uhh, you do not treat a girl like that." said Elizabeth, wagging a finger at him. Strider gave one of those, "WTF" looks as the girls call them. The girl Sam slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Excuse her," she said to Strider, "She's a little, say, say, immature for her age."

"Aren't we all." Marley muttered.

"Hey! I am not!" Elizabeth replied.

"Excuse my crazy friends," said Millie, "Anyway, I would appreciate that you lower your weapon please, as you can see, we pose no threat to Frodo or you." Strider put away his sword and I walked out from the shelter behind his back.

"May I inquire as to how old you ladies and gentleman are?"

"We're 19" she answered, indicating her, Marley, and Samantha, "Lizzie over there just turned 20 like 3 months ago." she pointed to the redhead.

"Well," said Strider, "In that case, get a goodnight's rest."

Millie's POV

"Sleeping where?" asked Elizabeth, raising an eyebrow. I groaned and face-palmed, rubbing my head, if she kept this up her and Aragorn would constantly be biting each other's heads off.

"There's this wonderful thing called the floor." said Samantha.

"If, if you ladies want," Sam offered, "You all can have the bed."

"No, it's OK Sam," said the other Sam, "We'll be fine on the floor."

Sam looked at her; she was only a little taller than him, She was rather short and he was a pretty tall Hobbit.

She lightly set her hand on his shoulder, "I promise you Sam, we'll be fine."

"Well OK," he replied, "Goodnight then." Sam, Merry and Pippin took off their cloaks and jackets before settling down on the bed for the night.

"Man, how can I possibly sleep in wet jeans?" muttered Elizabeth.

"Lucky for you, " said Samantha., "I was thinking ahead and stuffed a backpack full of stuff because I knew we'd all probably end up in a misadventure, and I packed us pajamas."

"You expect us to change in front of all these guys?" said Elizabeth.

"Oh c'mon, it won't be that bad." Sam answered.

"Being in a room with guys in our bras and underwear, uhh, no thanks." she replied. My face flushed red.

"Elizabeth, TMI." I said. "Anyway, do any of them look like perves?"

"Well, no, except for Strider."

"Hey!" he exclaimed. Frodo smirked.

"You are all hysterical." Frodo said.

"Well, I am no, "perve", whatever that means, and I will not look at you when you are changing and neither will any of the hobbits, or your friend, I mean,they are already snoozing away." Strider replied, looking over at the sleeping hobbits and Marley who had crashed on the floor.

"They're only pajama pants Elizabeth." said Sam, "Chill." Samantha then took out the pajama pants, blue plaid for herself, gray sweats for Elizabeth, and Spongebob for me and handed them out.

"Turn your head," said Elizabeth to Strider. "Frodo, you too."

I looked at them apologetically, "Excuse her," I said, with a glare at her for snapping at Frodo. We changed quickly and Elizabeth took off her Whitney sweatshirt and I took off my light green and white striped sweater so I was standing in my white camisole and Spongebob pajama pants. Sam was standing now in her blue plaid PJ pants and her long-sleeved plum color shirt. I hung my still damp sweater and jeans over the bottom of the bed and took off my boots and socks and set them on the ground below my clothes. My two besties did the same.. Once we were settled I was surprised that Sam brought out our stuffed animals; her tiger, Raja, Elizabeth's golden lab, Goldie, and my grey hammerhead shark, Sharky and not to mention my Pooh Bear baby blanket, I'm no baby, but it's just an essential. We unrolled the hobbits' blankets; Frodo said we could borrow them. I'd thanked him and he'd shrugged and said it wasn't a problem. I was slightly sitting, not lying down and I curled up in the blanket, which was surprisingly warm, cuddling my shark and my baby blanket, shivering, not being able to stop. Frodo saw this and sat down next to me, wrapping his own blanket around my shoulders.

"You looked cold, and I hoped that this would warm you." I looked into his beautiful blue eyes, holding his" gaze for a moment.

"Thank you." I said. "But aren't you going to sleep?"

He shook his head, "No sleep will come to me tonight."

"Oh. I've been there." Now that I was settled in between Elizabeth and Frodo, I felt warmer. I still couldn't stop shivering though, sometimes this happened to me, it wasn't the cold, it was nervousness and excitement. It happened when I watched the Lord of the Rings for the first time, but that was because of excitement, but this time, it was nerves and excitement.

"Are you sure you're OK?" asked Frodo.

"I am, but this sometimes happens to me, I get so excited or so nervous about something that I start to shake and can't stop, that's just me, I inherited this from my mom's side of the family I think. This time, it's nerves and excitement." I said.

"Nerves?"

"Yes, facing that Nazgul scared the life out of me." I said, "I was scared for you and for my friends and for me, I wasn't sure who would live."

"You're not the only one," he said, "Those Nazguls scare me too, and so does going on this doomed quest."

"Destroying the Ring of Power, no doubt?"

"Yes," he sighed. "How do you know that?"

"There's more to me and my friends than meets the eye."

"I figured." he replied.

I yawned. "And excitement is because I'm here with you and your comrades and my best friends." I sighed. Talking to him calmed me down and I stopped shaking. I fell down to where I was lying down, directly across from the bed.

"Goodnight Frodo." I said.

"Goodnight, Millie," he replied, then he took my hand and kissed the top of it, the common gentlemanly farewell gesture. I closed my eyes and smiled, and sleep took me.

A loud shriek awoke me from my deepened sleep and I nearly jumped out of my skin. The 3 hobbits in the bed had awoken to the sound, their eyes widened and alert. My friends were blinking next to me and I looked to see Frodo and Strider standing at the window. I got out of my blankets and walked over to the window next to Frodo, I looked out to see Nazguls patrolling the streets.

"What are those?" asked Samwise.

"They are the Nazgul, Black Riders." he replied, "They were once men, great kings of men, but no longer, now they are slaves of Sauron, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the ring, and that is why it should never be put on."

"Those things are freaking creepy." said Elizabeth.

"No kidding." I answered.

"Do not worry though; you are all safe in here with me," said Strider, "I will protect you, even you, Miss Elizabeth. Now all of you get some sleep."

Before settling down again, I thought I saw Frodo touch the ring on the chain around his neck.