Chapter 4 – The One Ring

I woke up. The sun was bright. I didn't open my eyes that moment. I was having a nice dream about a blonde prince riding a white horse. I kept them closed. I heard someone knocking the door and I was forced to open my eyes. As soon as I opened them, I realized that I wasn't at home, but in Bilbo's house.

"Yes?" I said, with a sleepy voice.

"May I?" Frodo said, behind the door.

"Yes" I said, while sitting on the little bed. I still was sleepy.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you" I replied, smiling "I was having a nice dream." I blushed a bit.

Frodo smiled.

"Well, if you need anything, I'm in the kitchen" he said, leaving my room and closing the door behind him. I smiled to myself.

I actually had nothing to do that day, except waiting for Gandalf to be back, to take me back home. Bilbo's party was already over and he left the Shire, leaving Frodo and everyone behind. I yawned and then I got up. If I had nothing to do, I was going to explore the Shire. I needed to pass the time. I didn't want to sit in that bed the whole day.

"Frodo!" I called, getting out of the room and going to the kitchen.

"Yes?"

"How long do you think that Gandalf will take?" I asked, looking out, by the window. The sun was shining. It should be pretty hot, outside.

"I don't know" He said "But don't worry". He smiled.

"I want to do something!" I exclaimed, out of nothing. Frodo looked at me, surprised with my sudden exclamation, and then, he started to laugh a little bit.

"Well, I guess I'll just show you what I didn't show yesterday" He said, and I clapped my hands with contentment "Just get ready" he completed.

I went back to the room and I fixed my hair. After that, I went back to the kitchen and left Bilbo's house with Frodo. We met Sam, after a while. We took a stroll over the fields and, by the end of the day, they took me to a pub, named "Green Dragon".

They asked for cups of that Ale drink.

"Do you want to try it too, Elariniel?" Sam asked.

"Can I?" I thought I couldn't drink that. Because I never drank any kind of different drinks.

"Of course!" He said. Then, he stood up and went to get me a cup of Ale too. I was still sitting with Frodo and we noticed that Sam was staring at that girl from the party, Rosie. When he got back, he passed me the cup of Ale. I looked at it suspiciously.

"Just try it" Frodo said.

"Yes, I hope you enjoy it" Sam said.

I took the cup to my lips and tried a little bit. As I expected, I wasn't used to that kind of drinks at all but it wasn't that bad.

"It's not that bad" I said, smiling.

Frodo and Sam grinned at me and I smiled back. It's wonderful that I made such nice friends this far away from home. I wonder if I will ever be able to see them again, once I return home. And I'm sure father and Arwen are missing me around Rivendell.

About one hour later, and after drinking my Ale, we decided to go home. Sam went with me and Frodo till Bilbo's house.

"Goodbye, Sam" Frodo said, waving, and going inside the house "You're coming, Elariniel?" he asked.

"Just one second! I need to tell Sam something. Go in, I'll be there in a second!" I answered.

I saw Frodo going inside the house, and I called Sam.

"Sam! I noticed you like Rosie" I said, with an innocent smiling dancing on my lips.

He blushed slightly.

"Oh, uh… well" he started, but he was interrupted by voices inside Bilbo's house. We decided to hide under a window.

"What are you doing?" We heard. It was Frodo's voice.

"Hold out your hand, Frodo. It's quite cool" said a voice that I recognized immediately. It was Gandalf's voice. He was back.

"What can you see?" We heard Gandalf's voice asking "Can you see anything?"

"Nothing" Frodo answered "There's nothing" there was a pause. "Wait" Frodo continued "There are markings! It's some form of Elvish! I can't read it!"

"There are few who can" Gandalf explained "The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here."

Meanwhile, under the window, me and Sam were listening to everything.

"What are they talking about?" Sam whispered.

"Shush! I want to listen to their conversation" I ordered, in a quiet voice.

We kept on listening to the conversation between Frodo and Gandalf.

"Mordor!" Frodo exclaimed, inside the house.

"In the common tongue, it says «One Ring to rule them all… One Ring to find them… One Ring to bring them all… And in the darkness bind them»" Gandalf made a little pause, before continuing explaining. I didn't understand what was the conversation about. "This is the One Ring" Gandalf continued his explanation "Forged by the Dark Lord Sauron in the fired of Mount Doom. Taken by Isildur from the hand of Sauron himself"

"Bilbo found it" Frodo whispered "In Gollum's cave!"

"Yes, for sixty years, the ring lay quiet in Bilbo's keeping, prolonging his life, delaying long age" Gandalf explained, pausing in the middle "But no longer, Frodo. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. It's heard its master's call"

"But he was destroyed!" Frodo exclaimed "Sauron was destroyed!"

So… they were talking about the past and about Sauron. From what I know, my Father fought in that battle where Isildur took Sauron's ring from the hand of the Dark Lord by cutting it off. I looked at Sam. I think he does not understand a single thing about what they're talking inside the house. My attention turned to the conversation again, and I remained quiet, trying to listen everything. I know I shouldn't be listening to other's conversation, but this one was being really interesting!

"No, Frodo" Gandalf continued "The spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring and the ring survived. Sauron has returned. His orcs have multiplied. His fortress at Barad-dûr is rebuilt in the land of Mordor." Gandalf paused, and then continued talking about Sauron "Sauron needs only this ring to cover all the lands in a second darkness. He's seeking it. All his thought is bent on it. For the Ring yearns above all else to return to the hand of its master. They are one … The Ring and the Dark Lord."

He paused again.

"Frodo" Gandalf sighted "He must never find it"

"Alright!" exclaimed Frodo. I wondered what was he planning to do about the Ring "We put it away" Frodo said "We keep it hidden. We never speak of it again! No one knows it's here, do they?" Frodo asked but he got no answer "Do they, Gandalf?" He re-asked.

Gandalf took a bit to answer Frodo's question, but he did.

"There is one other who knew that Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum. But the enemy found him first" there was a little pause "I don't know how long they tortured him. But amidst the endless screams and inane babble, they discerned two words! Shire! Baggins!"

My heart started to beat faster when I heard those words. Were those evil creatures going to invade such a peaceful place has the Shire?

"Shire! Baggins!" Frodo repeated the words Gandalf said "But that would lead them here!" Frodo exclaimed, followed by a little pause "Take it, Gandalf! Take it!"

"No, Frodo!" I heard Gandalf saying in a harsh voice.

"You must take it!" Frodo's voice insisted.

"You can offer me this Ring!" Gandalf was sounding really angry, now.

"I'm giving it to you!" Frodo implored.

"Don't tempt me, Frodo!" Gandalf barked "I dare not take it! Not even to keep it safe!"

I was listening to everything carefully till the moment Sam pushed me slightly.

"Hey!" I protested "Don't push me!"

"But I can't listen to a single thing with you like that!" he complained, in a quiet voice.

It was true. I was occupying way too much space, but I wanted to listen to that conversation.

"But I want to listen!" I said, knowing that I had no point on saying that.

"Get down!" we heard Gandalf's voice, and then footsteps… We were going to get caught!

Gandalf had found us under the window. He picked Sam up and pushed him against a table.

"Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?" Gandalf asked, angry. Then his eyes went to me "I didn't expect you to be eavesdropping too, Elariniel" He said to me, and I looked to my feet, ashamed of myself.

"I'm sorry" I said "I didn't intend to act rude. I was just curious" I excused myself.

Gandalf looked at me but said nothing. Then, his eyes went to Sam again.

"I heard raised voices!" Sam tried to explain himself.

"What did you hear?" asked Gandalf, with that harsh and angry voice he has when he's mad at something "Speak!" he ordered.

"Nothing important" Sam hastened to say "That is, I heard a good deal about a ring, a Dark Lord and the end of the world, but please, Mr. Gandalf, sir, don't hurt me!" implored Sam, in a frightened voice "Don't turn me into anything unnatural!"

Gandalf glanced suspiciously at Sam.

"Perhaps not" he declared "I've thought of a better use for you. You're going to accompany Frodo to the village of Bree."

"Maybe I should go too" I said, in a very quiet voice. I felt Gandalf's eyes falling on me "To redeem myself" I explained.

"No" Gandalf said "Maybe you should go too, like punishment. But I'm sure Lord Elrond would be angry if I knew I sent you to Bree with Frodo and Samwise"

"But I don't mind going!" I insisted.

"Just no" Gandalf muttered "I don't want Elrond to lose his trust on me"

"…But!" I insisted, again. Frodo and Sam were looking at me, a bit surprised.

"No buts" Gandalf concluded "I'll take you home in the way to Isengard. I need to ask Saruman, the White Wizard, for some advice"

"Alright" I accepted and nodded.

"Now, off to bed!" Gandalf ordered.

I went inside the house and then to the little bedroom of the previous day. I slept almost nothing, that night, trying to assimilate what Gandalf told Frodo about the One Ring.

The next day, I woke up early and I fixed my hair quickly. It was time to leave. Time to go home.

I went to the kitchen. Frodo and Gandalf were already there. Frodo was carrying a backpack on his back. He also had a walking stick. Someone knocked the door and I assumed it was Sam. And I was right. He was also ready for the journey that was waiting for those two. I wished I could go too, but Gandalf would never let me.

"Time to go" Gandalf said "Hurry!"

We left the house and walked quite a lot.

It was time to say goodbye. Gandalf looked at Frodo and Sam.

"Be careful, both of you" He advised "The enemy has many spies in his service: Birds, beasts" Gandalf paused and looked around, to the trees, sky, like if he was looking for spies. "Is it safe?" He asked, suddenly, looking at Frodo.

Frodo took his right hand to his chest and covered his chest pocket with his hand.

"Never put it on" Gandalf warned "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"

Then, Gandalf rose to his horse and said to me to go up too. I sat behind Gandalf.

"Stay off the road" Gandalf said, and I waved to Frodo and Sam.

"Goodbye!" I exclaimed "I hope to see both of you very soon!"

And then, we set off. Gandalf was riding fast. He was worrying about the ring. It was pretty obvious.

"Did you listen to all of the ring conversation, Elariniel?" Gandalf asked.

"Yes" I admitted, feeling ashamed.

"Don't say a word about it to Elrond" he asked "not for now. I'll do it when it comes to the right time"

I nodded.

"Gandalf…?"

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if I sing?" I asked innocently.

"No, obviously not" he said.

"Do you sing with me if I sing that lullaby we both know?" I asked.

"Of course" he answered and I smiled, happy. Singing always makes me feel free and happy. And it makes me forget about my worries. I started to sing quietly and then Gandalf joined me. The ride back to Rivendell, my home, was long and tiring, again. But Gandalf rode fast.

"Well, we're here" he said, as we arrived to Rivendell.

I inspired some air. It felt like home. I jumped off Gandalf's horse.

"Take care" Gandalf said, and he turned back and continued riding his horse. To Isengard.

I went inside.

"I'm back!" I shouted.

Greetings from Cattie!

I know this is supposed to be a Fanfic with Legolas! Sorry for making you wait all of these chapters but I promise I'll get Legolas in next chapter! Follow my story and review, please! Thank you for reading! It makes me very happy!