Summary: Follows the Lord of the Rings series. Elwyn Brandybuck, sister of Merry, has enough on her plate trying to keep her older brother out of trouble, but with her feelings for Samwise Gamgee and his constant talk of his infatuation with Rosie Cotton on top, the last thing she needs is to be caught up in a mess of dark lords and powerful rings. Please R&R!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Lord of The Rings Trilogy or its characters. I only own Elwyn Brandybuck.

A/N: YES! Chapter two is here! A lot of my focus is on my Supernatural fics, because I LOVE that show, but I will try to get this uploaded more and more often. Work, emotionally and mentally, tires me out because I have to use all my strength to be polite whenever possible and sometimes it's very hard when people are insanely rude to you, so I don't often feel like writing, but I'll try to at least once a week or once every two weeks get a new chapter of this story up. Thanks for all the support with the last chapter! I was so pleased you liked it and I hope you enjoy this one just as much, if not more!

Happy reading!

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One Ring, One Love, A Million Problems

Chapter Two

As Gandalf's fabulous fireworks exploded in the dark night sky, cheers erupted from below, blocking out the sound of fabulous music and all conversation.

Bilbo Baggins' party was in full swing, and hobbits of all shapes and sizes were tucking into delicious food and fine beer. A circle of girls stood around Frodo as he danced for them and made them laugh, while Elwyn sat next to Gandalf, her ivory dress flowing around her knees. The old man looked at her with kind eyes, before turning to watch where she was looking, seeing young Samwise Gamgee blushing as he met eyes with Rosie Cotton.

"I didn't think he'd still be gaping at young Rosie Cotton." He said with a soft sigh, "Then again...I didn't think you'd still be sending those longing gazes his way either."

"I'm sorry, Gandalf." She sighed sadly, "I wish I could just...cast a spell on my feelings to send them away, but...I see him every day. I see him staring at her...I have him talking to me about her and asking advice on how to make her notice him all the time. I can't bear it anymore."

"Maybe tonight, things could change." Gandalf told her, "He isn't dancing with anyone right now. Maybe, you could ask him for a dance. It can't hurt to try."

"I suppose." Elwyn replied, "Thank you, Gandalf."

"It's no trouble." Gandalf said softly, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a group of children waiting expectantly for more fireworks."

Elwyn smiled and gently patted his hand, feeling how worn the limb was, watching him go to get more fireworks. She saw Sam talking to Frodo, and decided that it would be a good time to ask. Frodo would be able to give her some emotional support and at least be discreet about it. Taking a deep breath, Elwyn stood slowly, allowing her stunning dress to shape itself around her body before she made her way over, past other hobbits who had their eye on her, catching Gandalf set off another round of fireworks for the children, who giggled and cheered excitedly.

But as she turned, she saw Frodo push Sam towards Rosie, and she gazed at her friend not knowing quite how to react. She felt betrayed. She felt hurt. She felt upset, and angry, and jealous, and defeated all at once. Burning hit her eyes quite sharply as she felt tears welling up in them, and the heat rising in her cheeks as she blushed with embarrassment and burned up with anger. Her body began to shake and her heart began to race, especially when Frodo started to laugh. But then the young hobbit turned and saw Elwyn staring at him, her face soaked with tears and whole body tense.

"Elle..."

"How could you?" She cried, "When you know how I...!"

She cut herself off as she saw Sam and Rosie dancing, and then, unable to contain her feelings anymore, she turned and began to push her way through the crowds of hobbits, just wanting to escape to go home. Merry, who was sipping from his mug of ale, spotted his sister and instantly ran over to her.

"Elle?" He asked, carefully taking her forearms in his hands and moving them down to hold hers in his own, "What's the matter?"

He gently tilted her chin in an attempt to make eye contact with her, but the devastated look in her beautiful brown eyes made him realise she just wanted to be alone. He looked up and saw Sam dancing with Rosie cotton and he understood in an instant that she was crying because of that.

"Please, Merry..." She sobbed with heavy eyes and an aching throat, "Just let me go home."

As bright blue and white sparks filled the air and flew over the lake, Elwyn hurried away from the festivities to her home, where she hurried to her room, locked the door and hid away from the world under the covers of her bed. That night, she cried her heart out until she fell asleep from pure exhaustion, and when Merry came home, he couldn't stop himself picking the lock and letting himself in to check on her. He found her sleeping soundly, which he was slightly disappointed about because he needed to tell her what had happened with Bilbo just disappearing in front of the whole crowd. Instead, he left her to her rest, and retired to his own room for the night.

The following morning, however, Elwyn wasn't awake bright and early as usual. This worried Merry because by the time he decided to crawl out of bed, she was usually either out or in the kitchen baking one of her famous pies, but not this morning. He decided to make her a cup of nice, hot tea, and take it into her bedroom to her.

The talk of Bilbo's disappearance didn't take long to spread around the hobbit households. Gandalf, as it happened, had also gone away from the Shire, and the hobbits began to speculate. Unbeknownst to the hobbits of the Shire, dark things were heading their way, creatures that they couldn't even think up in their wildest dreams. A new turn of events would change the lives of Pippin, Merry, Elwyn, Frodo and Sam forever. On this particular day, Elwyn was taking her morning walk, savouring the feeling of the warm sun on her face when she was approached by Sam, who was carrying a bunch of wild flowers in his hand.

"Morning, Sam." She said with her best smile, trying to hide the fact that she was about ready to cry.

"Good morning, Elle." Sam replied, "I was just wondering if I could ask you something."

"Of course." Elwyn said softly, smiling as he held up the flowers to her.

"Do you think Rosie Cotton will like these?"

And Elwyn's heart sank into her stomach. She felt her lip begin to tremble and she looked to the floor, taking a deep breath and looking back up at Sam and smiling softly.

"She will. I know it." She said softly, "I'm sorry, Sam, I have to be somewhere."

Before Sam could respond, Elwyn had vanished, and now, the gardener had no one to help him get up the courage to talk to Rosie. Elwyn ran into the forest as quickly as she could, collapsing under a large oak tree and breaking into tears. She'd already made her peace with Frodo about the whole situation, but still her heart felt like it was being torn slowly from her chest. She stayed under the tree until it fell dark before making her way back home, and as she passed Bag End she found none other than the same bouquet Sam had asked her opinion on earlier lying discarded by the side of the stony path. Looking up, she spotted Sam hiding under Frodo's window and unsure of what was happening she whispered to him.

"Sam?"

Sam put a finger to his lips and beckoned her closer, taking her hand to help her ease down to the ground which caused fluttering to escalate in her chest. She could barely breathe as he took her around the waist to help her move closer to him, and they both stopped to listen to what was being said.

"What happened with the flowers?" Elwyn slowly mimed the words to Sam because she knew they had to be quiet.

"I could not do it." Sam replied, "I got too scared."

"Oh..." Elwyn mimed again, "What's going on?"

"Something about a ring?"

Suddenly, a slip caused the bushes to move and the next thing that hit Sam was a large plank of wood or something of that nature, and then a huge hand grasped him and dragged him through the window. Frightened, Elwyn jumped up and through the window after him, watching Gandalf towering over Sam and shouting in a fit of rage. It scared her to hear the wizard's angry words, upset her almost, and she fought back her own anger and tried to stay away from the tall man.

"Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?"

"I haven't been dropping no eaves, sir, honest!" Sam cried, "I was just cutting the grass under the window there, if you follow me!"

"A little late for trimming the verge, don't you think?" Gandalf asked, looking to Elwyn, "Miss Brandybuck. Care to explain?"

"Look, I found some flowers on the side of the road that Sam had picked for Rosie Cotton, I found him under the window and wanted to ask why he hadn't given them to her." Elwyn said honestly, "That is only my part in it."

"I heard raised voices." Sam said, looking up at Gandalf.

"What did you hear?" The wizard asked, shouting and making everyone jump, "Speak!"

"N-Nothing important!" Sam told the wizard who looked at him with fury in his eyes, "That is, I heard a good deal about a ring, a dark lord and something about the end of the world, but...Please, Mr. Gandalf, sir, don't hurt me...Don't turn me into anything...Unnatural..."

"No?" Gandalf asked, expression much softer, "Perhaps not. I've thought of a better use for you."

He turned to Elwyn and grinned at her softly, taking her hand gently in his own much larger one. He tried to calm the fear stricken hobbit, who lovingly pressed into his side for a hug, like a child would to its father. Gandalf patted the back of her head carefully to let her know that his anger was gone and she wasn't to be frightened of him anymore.

"And you." He said, looking down into her tearful brown eyes.

She moved over to Sam, and carefully eased him up into a sitting position, turning to look at Frodo who smiled softly at her. It sounded like they were off on an adventure. Together. Elwyn, Frodo and Sam. No Rosie Cotton. At least maybe she could let Sam know about her feelings if they were away from Rosie. She sighed worriedly. She couldn't escape the feeling that their lives were about to take a dramatic turn, and that it wouldn't necessarily be a good thing.

"Be careful, all of you." Gandalf warned as he, his horse and the three young hobbits walked through lush green grass, "The enemy has many spies in his service: Birds, beasts."

He turned to Frodo, looking slightly worried. Elwyn shivered slightly in the early morning air, pressing a little closer to Sam without realising it for some warmth. Automatically, almost like he'd been doing it his whole life, Sam wound his arm around her and began to rub her back in a soothing manner.

"Are you cold?" He asked, her earning a soft nod from her as he took in the pinkish colour of her nose, "Do you have your boots?"

"I'm fine without them for now, Sam. But, yes, I have them." Elwyn replied, "Thanks."

Sam smiled and released Elwyn as naturally as he'd drawn her closer, and they moved closer to Frodo and Gandalf in case the old man had any more instructions.

"Is it safe?" He asked Frodo, who rested his hand over his heart to show the wizard where he'd kept it, while Gandalf bent down slightly to meet Frodo's eye level, "Never put it on, for the agents of the dark lord will be drawn to its power. Always remember, Frodo, the ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found."

And with that, Gandalf mounted his horse and rode away, leaving the three young hobbits on their own, alone, vulnerable, and all feeling fear slowly, so very slowly creeping up inside them.

-TBC-

Hope you enjoyed!

Thanks for reading so far!

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