Disclaimer: Recognize it? It's Tolkien's.
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The doors of the Green Dragon Inn burst open once again. There were now very few Hobbits sitting in the main room. Rosie Cotton was still behind the bar counter, cleaning off glasses and waiting in case someone decided to have another drink. Now, of the few that were left, all eyes turned towards the four young Hobbits that had just rushed in. Without stopping to even acknowledge the presence of anyone, the four hurried to the back of the room and hid inside a broom closet. Frodo stuck his head back out.
"Rosie!" he hissed. "If anyone comes in here looking for us. . .we aren't here, okay?"
"All right, Mr. Baggins, but I don't-" Rosie started.
Frodo shushed her. "Never mind that, never mind! Just do as I say!" With that, his head disappeared back into the closet. No sooner had this happened when Tillen entered the tavern. By now, the bystanders were quite curious as to what was going on.
"Welcome to the Green Dragon," Rosie greeted. "What might I get for you, sir?"
"Have you seen a group of four Hobbits?" Tillen asked her. "They're all pretty young. . .three males there were: Frodo Baggins, Pippin Took and Merry Brandybuck. . .and a girl: Piper Took. Have you seen them?"
Rosie hesitated, glancing towards the closet quickly. "Er. . .no, sir. Mister Merry was here earlier, I know, with Mister Pippin. . .but I haven't seen them since."
A small grin appeared on Tillen's face. He knew that she was lying. "Don't toy with me, Miss Cotton. I know they're here. I saw them come in myself. Now where are they?!"
"I tell you honestly, they aren't here," Rosie stated again, this time with a bit more confidence.
"I saw them come in!" Tillen said, his voice rising.
"If you know so well that they are here, then why are you questioning me on the matter?!" Rosie shouted. She turned and walked back behind the bar. No one looked at Tillen, who was now blushing a deep shade of scarlet. He glanced around before going to the bar and leaning in close to Rosie.
"See here, Miss Cotton, I need to find Frodo Baggins and the others," he said, "or it's my neck."
Rosie gave him an indifferent look. "Then I wish you and your neck the best of luck." She picked up a mug of beer and went to take it to a table. Tillen slammed a fist onto the bar in frustration, then turned and left. After a moment, the closet door opened and Frodo walked out slowly, followed by the other three. They sighed in relief.
"Thank you very much, Rosie," Pippin said. "You're a life saver."
"Well, you're welcome, but I still don't understand what you were hiding for," Rosie replied. "You should stand up to him. He doesn't look very tough to me."
"Looks can be deceiving," Piper said in an undertone. She turned to Frodo. "We should keep moving. If we stay in one place too long, someone will find us."
Frodo nodded and ran behind the bar for a second. He returned with four knives, giving three of them to Piper, Pippin and Merry, and keeping one for himself.
"What're these for?" Merry asked.
"What do you think?" Frodo returned. "They're for protection."
He hurried out of the Inn and, after exchanging anxious glances, was followed by the other three. Piper noticed that Frodo seemed a bit more courageous than she had thought he was. He had always appeared so shy and kind and gentle . . . but maybe that was still true. Perhaps he was doing all of this out of kindness towards his friends. It was an odd way of showing it, but then, he was a rather odd Hobbit sometimes . . .
[A/N: Here's where I feel they should do what every person does when a potential murderer is after them: BE VULNERABLE!!]
Silently, Frodo slipped up a dark alley in between the Green Dragon and a store. Suddenly, he stopped mid-run. The others skidded to a stop behind him.
"What is it?" Pippin whispered.
"We're not alone," Frodo answered. He removed his knife from his belt. "Don't move."
Piper gulped. She knew it was probably Tillen. It was torture standing in the dark, waiting for him to strike at any moment. It was deadly silent. The tension around them was growing so thick that you could have cut it with a knife. Piper began to back up, getting a bit frantic. In a split second, she felt a sharp blade being held against her throat and a hand holding her wrists together. She let out a shrill cry of surprise, causing Frodo, Pippin and Merry to turn.
A Hobbit that none of them recognized had hold of her. He was about Frodo's height with curly, light brown hair. He was actually rather stout, but very strong. His feral eyes, though dark, gleamed in the night. His pudgy hands grasped Piper's wrists and the dagger tightly as he slowly backed away from the other three Hobbits.
"Who are you?" Frodo asked, taking a step towards the fat Hobbit.
The Hobbit pulled the dagger closer to Piper's throat. "Ah, ah, ah. Careful, now. Don't you come any closer or it's her neck."
Frodo stopped. "Who are you?" he asked again.
"If I told you, then you'd know where to find me," the Hobbit replied. "And for reasons that I cannot reveal to you, it is not something that I want to happen."
With that, the Hobbit turned, with Piper still in his grasp, and hurried into the darkness. Pippin almost ran after him, but Frodo held him back.
"What are you doing?!" Pippin cried. "He's going to kill her!"
"No. . .I don't think he's going to," Frodo said.
"Then why would he kidnap her?" Merry asked.
"I have an idea," Frodo replied, turning to him. "Come on." Frodo turned and ran in the opposite direction, back towards Bag End.
* * *
Piper had no idea where they were going, but did not struggle for fear that the Hobbit would harm her. The Hobbit was quiet, clearly focusing on keeping her in his grasp and trying not to lose his way.
"Are we lost?" Piper asked softly.
"Don't talk," the Hobbit ordered. He stopped a moment, swinging her around to face him. "Don't move." Pulling a piece of rope from his pocket, he bound her hands tightly. "Sit down." She did so, and he bound her ankles with a different piece of rope. He looked up at her. "Do you weigh a lot?"
"No," she replied. "I don't think so."
"Okay." The Hobbit sat a moment, as if contemplating something. Then, with an obviously quick decision, he picked her up and carried her like a groom carries a bride.
"May I speak now?" she asked him. He thought a moment, and then nodded. "Who are you?"
"My name is Orin Proudfoot," he said. "I have strict orders from my brother, Tillen, to bring you to him."
Piper's eyes widened in fear. "Do you . . . know why he wanted me?"
"Didn't say," Orin replied. "Only told me that I had to find you, and that it was very important. I've been looking for you for about three hours."
"You can't take me to him!" Piper cried suddenly. "He's going to kill me! Do you understand? He wants to kill me."
Orin seemed only slightly phased. "He wouldn't hurt you. Tillen may lose his temper sometimes, but he wouldn't hurt anyone."
"You are wrong," Piper said. "He has hurt me before. And he hurt another that I care about. I know why he is looking for me . . . and what he will do when he finds me."
"I am sorry," said Orin. "But I cannot help it. It is not my business what he wants with you, only to do what I've been told to do."
"Please . . ." she pleaded, near tears. "You cannot take me to him." But it was too late. As she said these words, Orin pushed past a gate and entered Tillen's yard. They stopped before the door to his home, and Orin set Piper gently on her feet, one arm around her waist to keep her from falling over.
A muffled voice could be heard on the other side. "Who is it?"
"It's Orin," the stout Hobbit said softly, leaning in close to the door. "I have her."
"Come in," the voice said quickly. Orin hurriedly opened the door, pushing Piper inside before him. Piper found herself staring into darkness. She became frantic, not knowing what was going to happen. Suddenly, she felt someone pull her into another room. A small fire was lit in this room. The curtains were drawn. She recognized it as Tillen's living room. Someone grabbed her by her hair and threw her to the floor.
"So . . . you told him?" Tillen was staring down at her, his eyes filled with malice.
Piper hesitated, staring up into his cold eyes. "How could I not?"
"I told you what would happen, should you tell," Tillen said. "You leave me no choice."
"I do not care if you kill me," Piper started.
Tillen laughed. His laughter was equally as cold as his gaze. "Kill you? I think not. I plan on killing your beloved Frodo Baggins. If I killed you, I would still have him to worry about. He is bolder than you are, Piper. He is not as easy to manipulate. You are not so brave . . . you will not tell another soul, I know."
"How can you be so certain?"
Tillen leaned in close to her. "Because you're mine . . . mine to control. You are too afraid of me to do anything about it."
Piper's eyes narrowed. She couldn't describe the hatred she felt towards Tillen at that moment. Anger rising, she spit in his face. He backed away a few inches, then backhanded her. She cried out, but turned her eyes back to him, not nearly ready to give in.
Orin stood in the doorway, watching this take place. He was seeing a new side to his brother, whom he had looked up to all these past years. It pained him to see the young girl Hobbit in such distress, but what could he do? Tillen was bigger, and stronger, than he was. He left the room, standing next to the doorway. There would be a moment of silence, and then another cry of pain from the girl. Orin closed his eyes against his tears of sorrow and guilt. He should have trusted her word. He should never have brought her to Tillen.
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The doors of the Green Dragon Inn burst open once again. There were now very few Hobbits sitting in the main room. Rosie Cotton was still behind the bar counter, cleaning off glasses and waiting in case someone decided to have another drink. Now, of the few that were left, all eyes turned towards the four young Hobbits that had just rushed in. Without stopping to even acknowledge the presence of anyone, the four hurried to the back of the room and hid inside a broom closet. Frodo stuck his head back out.
"Rosie!" he hissed. "If anyone comes in here looking for us. . .we aren't here, okay?"
"All right, Mr. Baggins, but I don't-" Rosie started.
Frodo shushed her. "Never mind that, never mind! Just do as I say!" With that, his head disappeared back into the closet. No sooner had this happened when Tillen entered the tavern. By now, the bystanders were quite curious as to what was going on.
"Welcome to the Green Dragon," Rosie greeted. "What might I get for you, sir?"
"Have you seen a group of four Hobbits?" Tillen asked her. "They're all pretty young. . .three males there were: Frodo Baggins, Pippin Took and Merry Brandybuck. . .and a girl: Piper Took. Have you seen them?"
Rosie hesitated, glancing towards the closet quickly. "Er. . .no, sir. Mister Merry was here earlier, I know, with Mister Pippin. . .but I haven't seen them since."
A small grin appeared on Tillen's face. He knew that she was lying. "Don't toy with me, Miss Cotton. I know they're here. I saw them come in myself. Now where are they?!"
"I tell you honestly, they aren't here," Rosie stated again, this time with a bit more confidence.
"I saw them come in!" Tillen said, his voice rising.
"If you know so well that they are here, then why are you questioning me on the matter?!" Rosie shouted. She turned and walked back behind the bar. No one looked at Tillen, who was now blushing a deep shade of scarlet. He glanced around before going to the bar and leaning in close to Rosie.
"See here, Miss Cotton, I need to find Frodo Baggins and the others," he said, "or it's my neck."
Rosie gave him an indifferent look. "Then I wish you and your neck the best of luck." She picked up a mug of beer and went to take it to a table. Tillen slammed a fist onto the bar in frustration, then turned and left. After a moment, the closet door opened and Frodo walked out slowly, followed by the other three. They sighed in relief.
"Thank you very much, Rosie," Pippin said. "You're a life saver."
"Well, you're welcome, but I still don't understand what you were hiding for," Rosie replied. "You should stand up to him. He doesn't look very tough to me."
"Looks can be deceiving," Piper said in an undertone. She turned to Frodo. "We should keep moving. If we stay in one place too long, someone will find us."
Frodo nodded and ran behind the bar for a second. He returned with four knives, giving three of them to Piper, Pippin and Merry, and keeping one for himself.
"What're these for?" Merry asked.
"What do you think?" Frodo returned. "They're for protection."
He hurried out of the Inn and, after exchanging anxious glances, was followed by the other three. Piper noticed that Frodo seemed a bit more courageous than she had thought he was. He had always appeared so shy and kind and gentle . . . but maybe that was still true. Perhaps he was doing all of this out of kindness towards his friends. It was an odd way of showing it, but then, he was a rather odd Hobbit sometimes . . .
[A/N: Here's where I feel they should do what every person does when a potential murderer is after them: BE VULNERABLE!!]
Silently, Frodo slipped up a dark alley in between the Green Dragon and a store. Suddenly, he stopped mid-run. The others skidded to a stop behind him.
"What is it?" Pippin whispered.
"We're not alone," Frodo answered. He removed his knife from his belt. "Don't move."
Piper gulped. She knew it was probably Tillen. It was torture standing in the dark, waiting for him to strike at any moment. It was deadly silent. The tension around them was growing so thick that you could have cut it with a knife. Piper began to back up, getting a bit frantic. In a split second, she felt a sharp blade being held against her throat and a hand holding her wrists together. She let out a shrill cry of surprise, causing Frodo, Pippin and Merry to turn.
A Hobbit that none of them recognized had hold of her. He was about Frodo's height with curly, light brown hair. He was actually rather stout, but very strong. His feral eyes, though dark, gleamed in the night. His pudgy hands grasped Piper's wrists and the dagger tightly as he slowly backed away from the other three Hobbits.
"Who are you?" Frodo asked, taking a step towards the fat Hobbit.
The Hobbit pulled the dagger closer to Piper's throat. "Ah, ah, ah. Careful, now. Don't you come any closer or it's her neck."
Frodo stopped. "Who are you?" he asked again.
"If I told you, then you'd know where to find me," the Hobbit replied. "And for reasons that I cannot reveal to you, it is not something that I want to happen."
With that, the Hobbit turned, with Piper still in his grasp, and hurried into the darkness. Pippin almost ran after him, but Frodo held him back.
"What are you doing?!" Pippin cried. "He's going to kill her!"
"No. . .I don't think he's going to," Frodo said.
"Then why would he kidnap her?" Merry asked.
"I have an idea," Frodo replied, turning to him. "Come on." Frodo turned and ran in the opposite direction, back towards Bag End.
* * *
Piper had no idea where they were going, but did not struggle for fear that the Hobbit would harm her. The Hobbit was quiet, clearly focusing on keeping her in his grasp and trying not to lose his way.
"Are we lost?" Piper asked softly.
"Don't talk," the Hobbit ordered. He stopped a moment, swinging her around to face him. "Don't move." Pulling a piece of rope from his pocket, he bound her hands tightly. "Sit down." She did so, and he bound her ankles with a different piece of rope. He looked up at her. "Do you weigh a lot?"
"No," she replied. "I don't think so."
"Okay." The Hobbit sat a moment, as if contemplating something. Then, with an obviously quick decision, he picked her up and carried her like a groom carries a bride.
"May I speak now?" she asked him. He thought a moment, and then nodded. "Who are you?"
"My name is Orin Proudfoot," he said. "I have strict orders from my brother, Tillen, to bring you to him."
Piper's eyes widened in fear. "Do you . . . know why he wanted me?"
"Didn't say," Orin replied. "Only told me that I had to find you, and that it was very important. I've been looking for you for about three hours."
"You can't take me to him!" Piper cried suddenly. "He's going to kill me! Do you understand? He wants to kill me."
Orin seemed only slightly phased. "He wouldn't hurt you. Tillen may lose his temper sometimes, but he wouldn't hurt anyone."
"You are wrong," Piper said. "He has hurt me before. And he hurt another that I care about. I know why he is looking for me . . . and what he will do when he finds me."
"I am sorry," said Orin. "But I cannot help it. It is not my business what he wants with you, only to do what I've been told to do."
"Please . . ." she pleaded, near tears. "You cannot take me to him." But it was too late. As she said these words, Orin pushed past a gate and entered Tillen's yard. They stopped before the door to his home, and Orin set Piper gently on her feet, one arm around her waist to keep her from falling over.
A muffled voice could be heard on the other side. "Who is it?"
"It's Orin," the stout Hobbit said softly, leaning in close to the door. "I have her."
"Come in," the voice said quickly. Orin hurriedly opened the door, pushing Piper inside before him. Piper found herself staring into darkness. She became frantic, not knowing what was going to happen. Suddenly, she felt someone pull her into another room. A small fire was lit in this room. The curtains were drawn. She recognized it as Tillen's living room. Someone grabbed her by her hair and threw her to the floor.
"So . . . you told him?" Tillen was staring down at her, his eyes filled with malice.
Piper hesitated, staring up into his cold eyes. "How could I not?"
"I told you what would happen, should you tell," Tillen said. "You leave me no choice."
"I do not care if you kill me," Piper started.
Tillen laughed. His laughter was equally as cold as his gaze. "Kill you? I think not. I plan on killing your beloved Frodo Baggins. If I killed you, I would still have him to worry about. He is bolder than you are, Piper. He is not as easy to manipulate. You are not so brave . . . you will not tell another soul, I know."
"How can you be so certain?"
Tillen leaned in close to her. "Because you're mine . . . mine to control. You are too afraid of me to do anything about it."
Piper's eyes narrowed. She couldn't describe the hatred she felt towards Tillen at that moment. Anger rising, she spit in his face. He backed away a few inches, then backhanded her. She cried out, but turned her eyes back to him, not nearly ready to give in.
Orin stood in the doorway, watching this take place. He was seeing a new side to his brother, whom he had looked up to all these past years. It pained him to see the young girl Hobbit in such distress, but what could he do? Tillen was bigger, and stronger, than he was. He left the room, standing next to the doorway. There would be a moment of silence, and then another cry of pain from the girl. Orin closed his eyes against his tears of sorrow and guilt. He should have trusted her word. He should never have brought her to Tillen.
