As it was, the book section of Frodo getting to Bree had a lot of action and honestly I didn't want to rewrite it because I felt it didn't suit. Also, the movie apparently changed the geography of Middle Earth and I didn't notice until after I had written half of the chapter. The river is before the forest further from Bree and the movie implied it to be in reverse.
Ch 20 Bree
Frodo hauled Maliah off the road, down the bank to hide under large roots of a tree. Pippin, Merry, and Sam scrambled down after them and huddled together, the first two squabbling over the food in their hands. The sounds of hooves drew closer and stopped beside their hiding spot, making Pippin and Merry still their hands and look up at the sniffing noises near them. They listened as the rider dropped from the horse, metal clanking together, feeling the change in the air. Metal clad hands appeared over the roots edge and the five looked up horrified, terror growing and the fingers tightened and the sniffing intensified. Bugs and spiders crawled over their arms and under their feet as they tried not to make a sound.
His hands drew out the Ring from his pocket without consent, twisting it between his trembling fingers. Sweat broke out on his forehead and Frodo's eyes slid shut, a flamed eye bursting behind his eyelids. The Ring was just about on his finger when Maliah hissed him name and Sam slapped a hand of the one about to bear the Ring. Startled, Frodo jumped and looked up as the rider moved closer. Merry grabbed a bag containing mushrooms and hurled it as far as he could down the road. With a shriek, the rider darted away with extreme speed.
As Frodo slumped down, Merry stared him down. "What was that?"
No answer was given, for they had no real idea of what was looking for them. Sam grabbed Frodo and shook him back to reality. Everyone scrambled out of the hollow and ran into the woods, the thought to be quite was barely on their mind. For hours they dodge through the woods, ever watchful behind and around them for the rider who was hunting one of them. The sun had fallen and the groups slid across the muddy ground, stopping to catch their breath. Frodo was at the front, looking around with wide eyes; Maliah to his right watching the other side.
"Anything?" Sam called.
"Nothing."
Pippin stopped next to Sam, "What is going on?"
Merry moved past them, to Frodo and Maliah while Sam looked around nervously. "That rider was looking for something, or someone. Frodo?"
A shadow appeared on the hillcrest, the rider silhouette in the moonlight catching their attention.
"Get down!" Sam hissed loudly.
Sprawled on the ground behind a log, breathing heavily, Frodo spoke to Merry. "I have to leave the Shire, we must get to Bree."
The intent look on his face captured Merry's attention and he moved his eyes to Maliah for a second, coming to the realization his friends were in danger. "Right. Buckleberry Ferry, follow me!" As the group broke from their cover, a black rider jumped out at them. "There's another one! This way!"
They broke into a run, the screeching calls of the riders following them. Forgetting Gandalf's warning entirely, the road was found and they ran alternatively between the forest and the road, stomping hooves and snarling horses behind them the entire time. As the river came into view, Maliah was shoved to the front with Merry who grabbed her hand to keep her with him.
"Sam, the ropes!"
The stampeded across the wharf, Sam throwing the ropes off while Pippin, Merry, and Maliah tumbled onto the Ferry. Looking back, they saw four riders galloping through the fog behind Frodo and gaining.
"Frodo!" Sam and Maliah screamed his name at the same time.
Using the last of his energy, Frodo sprinted down the wharf and leapt onto the Ferry, into Maliah's arms who was caught by Sam. Merry and Pippin pushed the Ferry away with long poles, gliding away as the riders arrived at the edge of the wood. Their shrieks of rage made everyone on the Ferry cover their ears from the piercing sound. Turning their horse away, the riders rode away into the fog.
"Where's the nearest bridge?" Frodo asked.
"The Brandywine Bridge, nearly twenty miles." Merry answered, looking to the shore still.
It took all night and part of the day to navigate the Ferry down the river, everyone taking turns steering, sleeping, and keeping an eye on the shore. Only once did they move closer to shore when everyone need to use the trees as facilities. It was close to noon when they finally reached the bridge and Pippin slowed the Ferry for them to look at the surroundings closely for any riders. Not seeing any, he and Merry steered them to the dock and threw the ropes over the pillars to keep them steady as they disembarked.
"How much further to Bree?" Maliah asked while stretching her back.
"Probably into the night," Merry answered.
Sam looked up to the sky with worry. "We should hurry, it looks like rain.
Sure enough, close to sunset, the sky opened and release a continuous downpour. Merry and Pippin were without a cloak so Maliah and Frodo dug out their extra ones to give their friends a small bit of protect from the heavy rains. They trudged through mud and trees, staying away from roads and looking every which way before crossing an opening. Finally, they spotted the lights from the gates in the darkness. The main road lay between them and the town, the four hovering in the bushes out of breath and glancing around.
"Quickly." Frodo took hold of Maliah's hand and the group ran up to the wooden gate. He banged loudly for the gatekeeper. "Come on."
The top latch was opened, closed, then another at their eye level. "What do you want?" The old man snapped at them.
"We are headed to the Prancing Pony."
The latch closed and a door was opened, a lantern appearing before the man barely breaking light in the downpour. "Hobbits! Four Hobbits and a dwarf, what's more, out of the Shire by your talk. What business brings you to Bree?"
"We wish to stay at the Inn, our business is our own." He just wanted the gatekeeper to move aside, he was shivering and could feel Maliah shaking as well.
"All right, young sir, I meant no offense." He moved to allow the five through the door. "'Tis Old Harry's job to ask questions after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad, can't be too careful."
They didn't bother to wait around and reply, but headed down the narrow streets; men and buildings towering over them. Finally, they spotted a sign swinging in the rain with a white horse and The Prancing Pony written on it and hurry towards the door. Inside, they immediately encounter a tall bar counter and Frodo gains the Inn Keeper's attention.
"Excuse me."
Looking about confused for a moment, the Inn Keeper then looked down in slight surprise. "Good evening little masters and mistress. If you're seeking accommodation, we've got some nice, cozy Hobbit sized rooms available. Mr...ah..."
After a seconds hesitation, Frodo gave an answer. "Underhill. My names Underhill."
"Underhill, hmmm." He cast a suspicious eye over them.
"We're friends of Gandalf the Grey, can you tell him we've arrived?"
The man looked puzzled. "Gandalf, Gandalf ... Oh!" Recognition lit his features, "Oh, yes! I remember, elderly chap, big grey beard, pointy hat?" At Frodo's excited expression, he shook his head. "Not seen him for six months."
Frodo looked away shocked, and he wasn't the only one. For Gandalf not to show up was a bad sign and Maliah felt a pit in her stomach.
"What do we do now?" Sam asked.
No one spoke and only the sounds of the Inn surrounded them.
"Get a room, for all of us," Merry suggest. "We'll rest tonight and think about it tomorrow."
The rest agreed and Frodo paid for a room with five beds. They were shown up the stairs and to a decent size room with a row of beds. When the Inn Keeper left, they relaxed and Frodo turned to Maliah.
"We will change first and let you have the room afterwards."
Maliah smiled at her husband, "If you insist." It didn't bother her, as long as she could change her shoes that were filled with water. She turned around and sat in a chair accompanied to a desk in the corner of the room. Noises of wet clothes hitting the floor filled the room as they quickly changed, Frodo and Sam offering needed clothes to Pippin and Merry where needed. Soon none of them would have a change of clothes. A hand rested on her shoulder and Maliah looked up to see Frodo smiling down at her. The same hand moved her wet hair aside and he pressed a kiss to her cheek.
"Do you want someone to stay with you?"
She heard his actual question and shook her head, it would be fine for her to stay in the room alone; she had stayed here with Strider 17 years ago. Besides, she wanted to go through their bags and see what had actually been packed. "I'll come down later."
Frodo nodded, "I'll save some food for you." The four males exited the room, the other three nodded to her on their way out.
A few minutes later found the four hobbits in the main area of the Inn, crowded with men, local hobbits, and a few dwarves. Sam was casting nervous looks around the room holding his cup. Merry was at the bar getting his and Frodo grabbed the attention of his friend.
"Don't worry Sam, he'll be here. He'll come."
Sam tried to smile and Merry plunked himself at the table with a mug of beer twice the size as the others.
"What's that?" Pippin asked, his eyes wide.
"This, my friend, is a pint."
"It comes in pints?" He stood, "I'm getting one."
"You've had a who half already!" Sam called out to him. The youngest hobbit ignored him and Sam went back to his surveillance. After a minute, he leaned closer to Frodo, tense. "That fellow's done nothing but stare at you since we arrived."
Frodo gestured to the passing Inn Keeper, "Excuse me, that Man in the corner, who is he?"
"He's one of them Rangers; they're dangerous folk they are, wandering the wilds. What his right name is, I never heard, but round here he's known as Strider.
"Strider." He knew that name, Maliah said that was the name of the man who helped her to the Shire. Also the Rangers who escort her cousin back to Rivendell. Beneath the table, his fingers were nervously toying with the ring and sweat began to run down his brow. In his head, his last name was eerily whisper and dissolved into Pippin's loud voice.
"Baggins? Sure, I know a Baggins. He's over there," Pippin was sitting at the bar, chatting with locals and Frodo leapt to his feet, pushing his way to the bar. "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, if you follow me."
Frodo squeezed between the men, grabbing Pippin's sleeve and spilling his beer. "Pippin!"
"Steady on, Frodo!" Pippin gave his friend a small push and Frodo stumbled backwards, falling to the floor.
In that instant, the Inn quieted and the patrons turned their attention to Frodo. It was almost like time had slowed, to Frodo as he fell, the Ring flying into the air and his fingers stretched forward to catch it. The Ring fell onto a finger and Frodo immediately vanished, garnering a collective sharp intake of breath followed by total silence. Pippin whipped around in shock, sobering as he realized his folly. Sam looked sick to his stomach as the Inn erupted into excited babble.
Frodo looked around to find himself in the twilight world the Ring, distorted voices sand slow motioned the slow motion background as he moved in real time. A barrage of images slammed into his head and Frodo's hands went to his temples. Flashes of a great, cat-like eye wreathed in flames overtook the Inn. A dark voice whispered to him.
"You cannot hide ... I see you ... There is no life here in the void ... only cold ... only death."
An image of Maliah replace the eye for a brief second as it spoke. Terrified, he rolled under a table while desperately pulling the Ring from his finger. Just as he materialized in the real world, a large hand reach under to where he was hiding and dragged Frodo out by the collar. He was hauled from the crowd and down the corridor where the rooms were and roughly pushed against the wall. The stranger Sam had pointed out loomed over him.
"You draw far too much attention to yourself, Mr. Underhill." The tone used suggested the stranger didn't believe in his last name and Frodo was dragged the rest of the way to the room they were renting.
Frodo grew fearful for a moment, Maliah was in the room still. The door was kicked open and he was pushed inside. "What do you want?"
"A little more caution from you, that is no trinket you carry."
"I carry nothing." He didn't see Maliah in the room.
"Indeed? I can avoid being seen if I wish; but to disappear entirely, that is a rare gift." He takes down the hood of his cloak to reveal a shaggy head of dark hair flecked with grey, and in a pale stern face a pair of keen grey eyes.
"Who are you?"
"Are you frightened?
"Yes."
"Not nearly frightened enough. I know what hunts you." The man who had been named Strider stilled suddenly and looked behind him. "Princess."
Frodo looked around the man in relief, seeing Maliah standing there wide-eyed with a sword in hand.
"What are you doing to him?" She demanded.
A loud noise came from the corridor, making Frodo jump and Strider deftly drew his sword. The door burst open with Sam, Merry, and Pippin appearing on the doorway. Sam was squaring off with his fists, Merry brandishing a candelabra and Pippin a chair.
"Let him go or I'll have you, Longshanks!"
Strider sheathed his sword, a slight smile playing on his lips. "You have a stout heart, little Hobbit, but that alone will not save you." He turned his attention back to Frodo. "You can no longer wait for the wizard. They're coming."
"Who's coming?" Sam demanded.
"The riders." Everyone turned to Maliah at her whisper. "Can't you hear their shrieks?"