Chapter 1: The Hobbits


The gloomy evening set in on the town of Bree, the sky threatening to spill its heavens to the earth. A lone woman walked through the forest to the town. Her long, straight blonde hair ran down to just above her hips, free to be in the wind for once in a long while. She wore a tan, long sleeved undershirt with a sleeveless brown leather feminine jerkin, and dark brown, feminine trousers as well as a pair of worn traveling boots. On her back were two short blade swords, sheathed of course, attached to a quiver full of red and black feather tipped arrows and a long bow of elven make. A dark, nearly black, cloak hung on the lycan's arm as she neared the end of the forest. The woman stopped at the edge of the forest, her scarlet red eyes scanning the area for potential onlookers.

From beneath her shirt, she touched a thin, black horse tail braided necklace with two beads resting on either side of a silver charm that encompassed the middle of the necklace with a deep, blue star shape gem resting in the middle with identical runes marked on the sides. The black horse tail necklace was enough to reassure the woman that she was okay to travel forward, the blue gem turning scarlet as her eyes changed color to the blue of the gem. It was a gift from her old friend, one that had helped her to hide her eyes when she needed it most, if she didn't forget to activate the small charm of the necklace that is. As an extra precaution, for times in the world had indeed grown very dark, Valaina also produced from a small pouch at her waist next to her throwing knives a thin, grey cloth blindfold. It was woven with fine elvish threading and enchanted for the wearer to be able to see through it as if nothing were there in front of her face at all. It also had been a gift to her from another friend, and it was the original way the scarlet eyed woman hid her eyes. It seemed that the time had come to bring out the oldest of tricks to ensure not only her safety, but those around her as well.

Many had tried to kill Valaina because of the odd scarlet color of her eyes, as she often says, though it may have been her temper and the fact that she was a lycan that got to most people. Of course, red was not a normal color for any being to have. Through the four hundred years of her life, Valaina had learned to wield the dual blades on her back with precision and well defined skill along with her bow. She preferred close quarter combat, but if she needed to use her bow then so be it, however that was a rather rare occasion and she was beginning to think she should leave it back in her quarters in Rivendell. She also learned how to control her shift and was able to learn how to use the small amount of magic that she had. She could project thoughts and images to others as well as see theirs, and also learned how to shield her mind from unfriendly thoughts. In short, she could pick and choose to read one's mind if she so desired. Though, she always projected a thought of permission before entering one's mind. She didn't like sifting through another's personal thoughts, but rather liked the privacy of a one on one conversation she was able to have especially in crucial moments, though even those conversations had to be done carefully for they used more energy than anything else.

Even with her well defined abilities and skills, Valaina had much trouble with her 'inner wolf', as she sometimes called it. It was like a different side to her, only more violent and prone to appearing when not wanted. If her emotions got too out of whack, or she was angered far beyond calming, Valaina would succumb to something called the Rage where she would completely go wolf and attack anything that had fueled the Rage within her. It was considered much like a wolf's blood lust after they have made a kill. The Rage just so happened to be tied with one's feelings and anger, although more towards anger and pain than anything else. Valaina had in fact managed to control her amount of anger and pain to the point where she was not too easily angered, though still easily angered in the least for she had quite the temper especially if the Rage surfaced even slightly.

Even with the threat of the Rage, the constant blocking of evil thoughts that sometimes whispered to her, and the evasions of those who wanted her dead, Valaina had enjoyed the four hundred years of being a lycan. She made some friends through the years including a few elves, which happened to dislike her more than dwarves disliked the elves. One such elf just so happened to be Valaina's closest friend since Rygó, a werewolf and great friend of Valaina's, died a hundred years back. Arwen, daughter of Lord Elrond of Rivendell, was this friend. She and Valaina grew close over the years despite both of them being almost the exact opposite. And by almost, they were the complete opposite. Elrond had disapproved of Valaina's friendship in the beginning, but soon softened up to the point where he considered Valaina a friend. Elrond would never fully accept Valaina as an elf due to her wolf side, but he accepted her nonetheless which was enough for Valaina.

As the growing night crept in even further, Valaina wrapped her cloak about her and put the hood up, casting her face, save some of her nose and mouth, into the shadows. Her now hidden deep sapphire blue eyes had been cast into the shadows to keep from further prying eyes, and in case Valaina got too angry in which case it would disengage the charm of the necklace. Valaina stepped forward from the woods and walked up to the large wood gate that separated the town of Bree from the road. She knocked once on the wood before an old man with a worn and almost creepy appearance showed his face through an opening of the gate, a crooked nose just barely peeking through the window. "What do you want?" he asked in a gruff, cautions voice.

"To pass through this gate and into the town of Bree, sir," Valaina said her commanding no further argument, or so she thought.

At that moment, she felt the air stir and some of the anger within her, some of the Rage, brushed into her mood. "What business do you have in Bree at this time of hour, miss?"

"That is none of your concern, gate keeper. Now," Valaina felt her temper rise dangerously as the scent of something evil, and so anciently dark reached her nose from a far off wind, "open the gate before you meet some harm from me…like another broken nose…"

"No need to get moody with me, miss. It's my business as a gate keeper to ask questions," the man said retreating quickly to open the gate.

Damn it…this has been happening far too often for my liking, Valaina thought to herself knowing all too well what would happen when something evil enough to bring forth some of the Rage into her temper was near. She would not try to join it as some are called to do, depending on such evil and how high her temper was, but she would try to destroy it. She learned how to control the Rage just enough to keep from instantaneously attacking someone who angered her, yet it was never enough to fully quench the hunger to inflict pain on those who pissed her off.

With a deep sigh, Valaina attempted to get a lid on her anger as she passed through the gate, though even that was a large feat. The gate keeper, though unknowingly of course, had slightly offended the lycan when he questioned her again, but the lycan brushed it off for once. She was the one who gave him the crooked nose after all many years back. "Thank you, gate keeper. May your evening end well for you," Valaina said stiffly as she walked through the dirt road town.

As the cloaked and hooded female passed, the gate keeper noticed the oddity of the way she walked. He noticed the way the woman walked proudly and on alert for an attack, almost like a dog on guard, something so uncommon for a female that it left the woman to stand out like a sore thumb for those watching newcomers pass by. It was odd, but the old gate keeper didn't dwell on that as he turned back to the fence and assumed his position once more.

Valaina made her way to the Prancing Pony, the one inn in the town that she had frequented throughout the years. As she walked into the inn, rain started to fall outside. The inn was hot with the growing number of drunken men and the burning fire. It had sort of a homey feeling with its wood décor and the way the bar was placed so that it faced out over the tables set by the staircase and the fire in the corner. The inn keeper, a grisly man with a greasy look to him, nodded his head in Valaina's direction. "Good evening to you, miss," he said politely.

"Likewise," Valaina responded in a tone that suggested she wished not to be talked to at the moment.

The inn keeper gave a knowing nod as he turned to the next few people that had walked into the inn behind the hooded female. Valaina's eyes scanned the room for the one person she was seeking, and spied him in a corner smoking his pipe shrouded in the same shadow Valaina herself was in; a cloak. She walked quickly over to him and leaned against the wall. "It's been a while," Valaina said in a quiet voice. "Perhaps too long."

"My friend," the cloaked man answered with a small chuckle, "it's only been about a week or so."

"My point exactly…"

"What point, Valaina?" the man asked.

"You left me in the tree to get myself out of that trap," the lycan accused immediately.

"I did not," came the defensive, yet chuckling reply. "I merely got stuck on a horse-"

"You left me."

"Okay, okay…I left you," the man said as a small smile quirked at his lips. "Have a seat."

Valaina took up the seat with a small smile of her own. "What are you doing here?"

"I am waiting for some hobbits. They should arrive soon," the man said as he smoked his pipe a bit.

"Why?"

"They are being hunted. One carries a great burden."

"Gandalf sent you?" Valaina stated rather than asked. "After you left me?"

"Gandalf did send me so I answered immediately. I am to accompany them to Rivendell."

"Oh…" an eager reply answered the cloaked man.

"Do you wish to accompany us?"

"Of course!" Valaina said before calming down a bit as she moved her hood back to allow her face to show just a bit more as some of her long blonde hair fell out from under her cloak. "I smelt something dark on the wind as I entered Bree. Aragorn, what is hunting them?"

Aragorn gave the lycan a look that suggested Valaina should not say another word yet. "We will speak later for they have arrived," Aragorn answered when a frown graced his face. "Why have you bound your eyes?"

"These are dark times, Aragorn. You should know that. But…you didn't answer my question…"

"Later, Valaina. Later."

"But…fine…"

At that moment the door opened and four children walked in. Yet upon a closer inspection, they were not children but short, young men the size of children with large hairy feet and varying degrees of curly hobbit hair. One had black hair with bright blue eyes, another had blonde hair and was quite plump yet rather strong looking for a hobbit, and two had brownish hair and could possibly be brothers, or at least cousins. They talked with the inn keeper before sitting down at a table with ale set in front of each. One hobbit left and came back with a pint, and soon his 'twin', as Valaina had begun to think them as, left as well to get one. Valaina watched as a man at the bar gave the small hobbit a hearty pat on the shoulder as the hobbit joined them.

"I could never get over how small they are," Valaina commented as she reminisced in her memories, "and they act like kids. It has been a while since I last met one."

Aragorn just gave a nod as they watched the hobbits at the table. "Baggins?" the hobbit at the bar stated in a rather loud voice. "Sure I know a Baggins! Frodo Baggins. He's my second cousin, once removed on his mother's side, and my third cousin, twice removed on his father's side."

Baggins? Valaina thought as she looked quickly over the hobbits again, memories of old coming to the surface before fading once more as she couldn't spot the one hobbit she personally knew.

Valaina looked over to the commotion and felt a sense of dread as the black haired hobbit, she assumed it was Frodo, slipped up and fell. Something gold flashed in the light as it flew out of Frodo's pocket. Valaina's hands flew to her head as a Rage like no other came to the surface, something she had not felt in quite some time. It was like a wave of anger that hit Valaina before it subsided into a small throb as she got hold of it. Her breathing came in ragged gasps, her heart beat fast as she held her pounding head. "Follow me," Aragorn said as he rose quickly from his spot.

That's fine, Valaina thought to herself as she recited the charm for her eyes once more and fixed her cloak. I'm not fighting a Rage attack at this moment. Thanks for asking though!

She stood from her chair and moved to follow Aragorn, and it was then that Valaina noticed the hobbit was gone. She took in a shaky breath and caught his scent near the staircase where Aragorn was leading her when the hobbit literally reappeared. Aragorn grabbed the hobbit and quickly hauled him upstairs and to his room. He gently shoved him into the room before entering as well. Valaina was the last to enter and quickly closed the door behind her and moved to the side of one of the beds further away from the scared hobbit. "What do you want?" Frodo asked with caution and slight fear.

Valaina would have answered had the anger not come at her again. She visibly shook her head as Aragorn dimmed the lights. "Valaina, take a deep breath, and don't let it get to you," Aragorn said in elvish to the lycan with slight uneasy before turning to Frodo. "Just a little more caution from you. That is no mere trinket you carry."

Alarm rolled off of Frodo as the ranger talked. "I carry nothing," he said in horrendously concealed fear.

Valaina mumbled some unkind words in another tongue all together which earned her a glare from Aragorn. "Really now?" the ranger asked.

"It's not like he can tell what I am saying," Valaina mumbled as Aragorn shook his head.

"I can avoid being seen if I wish. But to disappear entirely," Aragorn turned from diminishing the last few candles and pulled down his hood revealing himself to the hobbit, "that is a rare gift."

"Wouldn't that be useful at times…" Valaina grumbled.

The lycan gave a soft growl as she caught whiff of something from the cracks of the door. Frodo gave a frightened glance at the hooded lycan while Aragorn rolled his eyes clearly peeved that the lycan couldn't hold her anger back. "Are you frightened?" Aragorn asked the hobbit sarcastically.

Did I rub off on him too much over the years? Valaina asked herself.

"Yes," Frodo responded in a slightly hesitant voice that had underlying fear within it.

"Not nearly enough," Aragorn's facial expression was in between angered and exasperated.

Yep…I probably did…

The door to the room suddenly flung open to reveal the other three hobbits as Aragorn unsheathed his sword and Valaina drew her dual blades out. The blades were as long as her forearm with dark brown, slightly red, wood handles without a guard like most dual bladed elvish swords were made. One of the brown haired hobbits carried a candle stick, the other a stool and the blonde had his fists out and ready to fight Aragorn and Valaina. "Let him go, or I'll have you, Longshanks!" the plump blonde hobbit cried out.

"The amount of courage a single hobbit has within them never ceases to amaze me," Valaina said to Aragorn in elvish as she shook her head and replaced her swords as did the ranger.

"You have a stout heart, little hobbit. But that will not save you. We can no longer wait for Gandalf. They are coming," Aragorn said to the hobbits.

"What is coming?" Valaina asked again.

"Not now, my friend. Later," Aragorn replied in the same tongue.

"Between you and Gandalf, you never tell me anything…"

"And for a good reason," the ranger said as he switched to the common tongue.

"It's still offensive…"

"Come," Aragorn told the hobbits, "we cannot rest here…not tonight."

Aragorn and Valaina helped to move the hobbits across the street to another inn, one that Valaina had seen many people go through, but not the gruff drunk men of the Prancing Pony. They situated themselves in a new room with four small beds, and the hobbits each settled down into one with a tired look upon their faces. "Get some sleep, hobbits," Aragorn said calmly. "We have a long journey before us in the morning."

The light was snuffed out in the small room as Valaina and Aragorn watched nine black riders stop in front of the Prancing Pony in pursuit of the fake targets that the two had set up. Their angry screech sent shivers down Valaina's spine and soon the Rage within her rose up once more. She had gotten used to the waves and was slowly gaining control over her wolf that wanted to kill the black riders with all her being. Calm yourself, Valaina. Just calm down! Valaina thought to herself as she saw the black riders take off in pursuit of the hobbits once more.

"What are they?" one of the hobbits asked fearfully.

"They were once men. Great Kings of Men," Aragorn told them. "Then Sauron the Deceiver gave to them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will. They are the Nazgûl; Ringwraith; neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to the power of the One. They will never stop hunting you," Aragorn looked at Valaina straight to where her scarlet eyes would be. "They call to you," he stated in elvish once more rather than asked.

"Possibly," she grumbled in the common language, tired of switching to her most hated tongue over and over again, though the profanities that she could say in elvish were always an up; it gave her more options at least.

"Do not worry."

"I'm not."

Aragorn shook his head causing Valaina to shrug as she looked over the hobbits who were fast asleep now. "You need some rest," Aragorn told her.

"I'm a lycan. I hardly ever need rest."

"You look tired, Valaina. You will rest."

Valaina sighed in defeat knowing all too well that the ranger would not let up on her needing sleep so easily, and she admitted that she was indeed tired from the many days of constant traveling with little sleep. "I suppose it will help with my Rage," she said eventually, though Aragorn could hear the underlying reluctance in the lycan's voice.

"Don't let the orcs catch you," Aragorn said with a cheeky grin.

"Shut up," Valaina shook her head before sitting in a chair and drifting off into sleep after a long while.