Hey ya'all peoples :D I know I said I'd update faster, but, um... yeah, I was at the county fair, with the animals (including my horsies! Dexter [aka Devlin] got reserve Champion and many blue ribbons :D We're headed to state next weekend, so I'll try to update chapter 3 before then!

Review replies:

angelcagali- Hey! Thanks for the first review :) I hope this chapter satisfies you! I wrote it during the county fair, so I hope I did decently :)

LuthienTineviel87- Yes, I'm attempting a self-insert... We'll see if I can pull it off. Thanks for the name suggestions! Good point, because the previous names were not exactly "Middle-Earthy." I took them and ran with them ;D Although I'll let you in one something... Breilyn isn't an elf ;D But she's a bit like one, I suppose. You'll find out later :) Thanks for the review!

ItIsALineAndYouWillLikeIt

Breilyn sat in the crowded, noisy bar of the Inn, sitting away from everyone else. The noise was nearly deafening to her, but it was the only place in Bree to get a good drink, so she put up with it.

As she sipped on her ale, Breilyn felt a change in the air as people gasped and moved about.

"He just-"

"Was right there-"

"Disappeared-"

Breilyn's ears flicked forward at those words. Who in the world has the ability to vanish into thin air?

Uneasy, Breilyn stood. The commotion continued, and she snaked her way along the wall towards a rough, hushed voice.

"Do not draw so much attention to yourself," the man commanded. He then took the hobbit that he had shoved against the wall towards a stairwell, taking him out of sight. Curious, Breilyn went to follow, pulling the hood on her cloak up just in case. She was rudely shoved past by three more hobbits, who followed the man and hobbit up the steps.

"Sorry, sir," one said, a hobbit with a round face and shaggy straw-coloured hair.

Breilyn pinned her ears back, but chose not to respond. She followed from afar, her curiosity spiking. She made it to the top of the stairs and waited, listening in through the open door. The three hobbits ran in for their friend.

"Let 'im go!" one yelled, while Breilyn could hear the sound of swords being drawn. The man simply shoved all the hobbits in the room and slammed the door shut.

Someone's in a good mood, Breilyn thought dryly. She strained to hear through the cheap wooden door.

"Are you frightened?"

There was a faint response.

"Not... enough... know... hunts you."

"Who... you?"

The next sentence was clear as a bell to Breilyn's sensitive ears.

"I am a friend of Gandalf."

Gandalf, huh? Breilyn thought. I've heard rumors of him. A grey wizard, if I remember correctly.

The deafening scream of a Nazgul was heard, making Breilyn flinch and cover her ears. Blindly seeking cover and without thinking, she burst through the door, facing a ranger and four hobbits. The ranger stepped between the hobbits and mysterious stranger.

Breilyn stuttered with her words. "I- Oh- Many apologies."

The ranger looked closer at the mysterious girl's face, trying to see past the shadows.

"Breilyn?"

Though she had doubted it, the voice was clear enough that Breilyn could deny it no longer. She pinned her ears.

"Strider," she said shortly.

The screaming Nazgul continued to ravage about, searching for something... or someone.

"Come, we will go to a room to rest," the quiet stranger, Strider, said, ushering the hobbits along down the hall to another room in the Inn. He glanced back at Breilyn.

"Well?" he said expectantly.

Brooklyn pursed her lips, following behind the hobbits.

"What is going on, Strider?" she demanded quietly, her quiet accent noticeable. "You socialize with hobbits now? And the appearance of the Na-"

"Do not speak their title," Strider hissed as they reached the room. The hobbits fell in as a solid group, nearly shaking with fear. Breilyn and Strider fell in after them, shutting the door behind them.

"You said you were a friend of Gandalf," one quivering voice said, belonging to the hobbit called Frodo. His curly dark hair dangled in his frightened eyes. "We were supposed to meet him here."

"Yes, I know," Strider replied.

"W-what do you propose we do, then?" the youngest of the group, little Peregrin Took, asked quietly.

"We will stay here until the sun rises," Strider said. "Then, we will leave. We will go to Rivendell."

"Rivendell?" Breilyn asked quietly. "What do you plan to do there? It will not be safe, Mordor will set its sights on Rivendell itself."

"Do you think we do not know this?" Strider snapped. "Elrond is well aware." He finally sighed. "Come, we will talk. You hobbits will do well to rest tonight, for we will travel fast and with few breaks tomorrow."

The hobbits nodded nervously, dreading the adventure that they had all been roped into. Breilyn and Strider went to the window, looking over Bree as they spoke in private.

"What are you doing here?" Strider asked harshly.

"I plead that you stop using such harsh tones with me, Strider," Breilyn intervened quietly. "What happened in the past will stay there."

"So you prefer to pretend nothing ever happened?"

"Yes, that is precisely what I hope to do. It is not relevant to all of this. This is what has been forseen, is it not?"

"I do not know of what you speak."

"Stop lying, Strider," Breilyn demanded. "I beg of you to tell me the truth."

"Like you refused to do for me?"

"I told you-!" Breilyn hesitated, lowering her voice. "I told you that the past is to stay in the past. You know exactly what I am speaking of and yet you refuse to tell me anything."

The ranger sighed, looking much older than he should have.

"Breilyn, this is none of your concern. You would do well to leave Bree and act as if we never encountered each other."

"Please, Strider, tell me what is happening. I need to know if this is the beginning of a war."

"The war began long ago, you know that."

"But not like this. The hobbits, they are peaceful folk. How they became It's bearer, I will never know. The evil of Mordor has not penetrated such places as the Shire nor the Elven realms. It is escalating."

"It is. This is why you should not try to be involved. I pray of you, return to your safe life."

"If you truly did not want me getting involved, you should not have allowed me to know where you are going," Breilyn pointed out.

"You..." Strider sighed. "I forgot you could play my mind like that."

"You should know by now. Please, let me assist you and the hobbits the Rivendell."

Strider furrowed his brow. "You know I would rather you did not. However, I also know you will refuse to be left behind, as you always have. These hobbits are important, they need to be protected with our lives. Gandalf the Grey has commanded that the- that It be taken to Rivendell. Elrond has called a council from all over Middle Earth to decide its fate there."

"Of course," Breilyn said, bowing her head slightly. Her cloak fell over her eyes.

"Your hair has grown," Strider pointed out suddenly. Breilyn whipped around to look at him.

"It has been a long time since we last saw each other," she said simply.

"I am sorry, I do not know why I mentioned that." Strider looked at her moon-soaked ebony hair. "I only remember because I braided your hair when you had dislocated your shoulder."

"I remember that."

"You should. You were complaining the entire time about it."

"Have you ever had to restrain movement from a shoulder for ten days? It is horrid! You use your arms for literally everything, I assure you."

"Your temper is as fierce as always," Strider said quietly.

"You would have been concerned if it had not," Breilyn countered.

"Rest, Breilyn. I will stay up, but you will need strength tomorrow."

Breilyn reluctantly walked to one of the empty cots, only open because all four hobbits were huddled fearfully on one bed as they slept. As she prepared to lay down, Breilyn added to Strider,

"You know, you needn't be so tense around me. I am not clueless to your recent history, and I commend you. Arwen is a good woman, I can tell she loves you. You two will do well together."

"Not if Elrond has anything to do with it," Strider said quietly.

"Do not despair so easily," Breilyn warned. "You two will have a great future together."

With that, Breilyn lay down without another word. Strider was left to his thoughts of his elven love and the journey ahead of them.

LolItIsALine

Well, that was an iffy chapter at best... lots of dialogue...

Review please! Or I may despair and not update because I am a sad excuse for an author D: The next chapter will bring a journey to Rivendell, more awesome talking, and possibly a little insight into Strider and Breilyn's turbulent past :D

Peace be with yas!

Brindy