A/N: Thank you so much! To Pennhothwen and Ringbearer, I assure you, I have much, much more to incorporate. Thanks for the chocolate bar! And yes, you may call me Wen ( I guess I should thank all those who started it in the first place: after all, if no one wrote Mary Sues, then there would be no target practice. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Still I do not own anything relating to Lord of the Rings.
Merry fell to the ground, exhausted. The persistent running he had been doing alongside his cousin Pippin, as well as their friends Sam and Frodo, had been excruciating to say the least. Ever since the group had started out from the wholesome hills of the Shire, there had been a lurking cloud along the horizon, one that overshadowed the sun at times. Sam had explained that there was evil rising in Mordor, yet Merry couldn't help but believe there was evil lurking around every twist of the road they were on.

"How much longer till we get there?" asked Pippin, turning his bright eyes to Frodo as he began shuffling the pots and pans out of his pack. "My feet are killin' me, and we haven't had a chance to eat since we left the Brandywine! What are we doin' anyway?"

Sam shot the young hobbit a sharp glance. "Ease up, Pippin. We should only be a another day or so from Bree, and then we'll meet up with Gandalf, right, Mr. Frodo?"

Frodo wearily drank from his water flask, then nodded. "At the Inn of the Prancing Pony. Do you believe anyone will think to look for us there? Gandalf said there are many spies abroad."

Merry shook his head. "As long as we keep on our guard, we should be all right. I haven't seen anything nearly suspicious for awhile now." He paused, casting a glance at Frodo. He noticed that the hobbit had a peculiar haze to his eyes, though it was thoroughly possible it was merely the running they had done since encountering the fearsome Black Riders several days ago. No doubt it had shaken them all up. Thinking back over the past few days it frightened him to think of what sort of evil lay in wait, especially if the Black Riders were only the first in a barrage of obstacles.

Pippin elbowed his cousin. "Merry! What on earth are you thinking about? Dinner's almost ready!"

Regaining his composure, Merry nodded. "Good. I was just thinking about the Black Riders, what would happen if they find the One Ring. I sure hope that Gandalf comes up with a good solution to this mess we've gotten ourselves in. I really don't want to be away from a good mug of ale for any longer than need be."

Chortling, Sam nodded. "Don't worry. I think we're all feeling the same way. Mr. Frodo, are you all right?"

"Yes, Sam, I'm just thinking, looking up at the trees." He sighed deeply, gratefully accepting a place from his friend.

As the four settled in to eat a good hobbit-sized dinner, Frodo perked up. A soft breeze was causing the trees to rustle, yet there was something else that caressed the beautiful hue of the leaves that shone in autumnal brilliance. It was quiet, barely audible at first, something that sounded like voices.

"Did you hear that?" he asked suddenly.

The other three turned their heads, ears perking up as they strained to hear what was riding the wind. Indeed, there were soft voices riding the air, somewhere not too far away. Pippin sat upright, amazed as the voices turned into song, although it was nothing like he had ever heard before.

The hobbits eyed each other, each one transfixed by the melodies that flowed over them. "Perhaps one of us should see what it is," suggested Pippin, his eyes wide and bright.

Merry cast a knowing look at him, smirking slightly. "I will go. If there is any danger, I will signal for you all to leave," he said.

Frodo nodded, his gaze still focused upon wherever the voices were coming from. So beautiful were they, that he forgot completely about the whispering ring inside his coat pocket.

Cautiously creeping forward, Merry parted the bushed to see a group of young women idly sitting in the middle of a glade. Their gentle singing seemed to raise the dying forest, causing a soothing breeze to waft the still blades of brown grass, allowing life to seep back into the earth. There were six in total; lo and behold, as Merry looked closer, there were two hobbit lasses in their midst! The young hobbits were of the palest cream complexion, one with braided hair of gold, the other a deep chestnut. The other young ladies were of marvelous height, obviously some of the Big Folk--in more ways than one, he noted with some excitement. Each woman seemed lost in the song as they worked on building a campfire. Their beauty drew a low gasp from Merry as he stared, unconsciously leaning forward.

"Merry! What is it?" Pippin's voice called from their own campsite.

Slapping his forehead as the women stopped singing abruptly, Merry cast a glare towards his cousin. "My temper, that's what," he muttered.

The six women began peering cautiously around, whispering amongst themselves. At some length, a young woman with eyes the color of emeralds and hair like the evening sky stood up. "Who's out there?" she called.

Merry stood up, sheepishly placing his empty hands outward. "Please do not be alarmed, ladies."

At the hobbit's appearance, one of the women sat up abruptly. She batted her lashes, shyly toying with a stray curl of sandy hair. "Good sir, you startle us. Are there more in your company, or do you walk alone?"

The purring voice wrapped around Merry like a blanket, until he felt himself melting by merely looking at the female. As she motioned for him to come closer, he obediently began to step forward, lost within the endless depths of her eyes. The other women stepped aside to allow him passage. As he knelt before the sandy-haired woman, she whispered, "Call to the others in your group. I am certain they would enjoy a good meal among us."

Blinking wearily as his will faded away, Merry called blandly, "Come on, Pip! Sam, Frodo, it's all right. They are offering us another meal, and it seems quite well."

The crunching of leaves could be heard, and suddenly Pippin burst through the bushes, looking about happily until he saw the group of ladies. He froze, his mouth dropping to the forest floor. A moment later Frodo appeared, curiously staring about. As he focused upon the ladies as well he too became transfixed.

The woman with raven hair smiled. "It is so good of you to come, Frodo Baggins, Peregrin Took, and Meriadoc Brandybuck. We will take care of whatever needs you have. I am called Azure Blackstar. The woman with Merry is Ariadne Sunbeam, the redhead is Phoenica Starfire, and our hobbit lasses are Melody Bywater, the golden one, and the brunette is Tara Elibaggins."

Immediately Melody and Tara leapt forward to stand in front of Frodo, eyes large and dreamy as they stared at him. "Frodo!" gasped Melody. "We would never have expected to see you out here. Don't you remember me?"

Frodo frowned slightly, politely taking a step backward. "Um. . .I am afraid I do not, Miss Melody."

"See?" Tara playfully struck the other lass on the shoulder. "I told you he would not! It's been far too long since he last saw us."

"What do you mean?" Frodo asked, a small feeling of dread creeping up his chest.

Melody grasped the hobbit by the arm, pulling him close to her. "We grew up with you, silly! That is, until some dwarves stole us from our homes, sold us to the orcs where we were captives for several years until we managed to escape and now we wander the wild! I can't believe you don't remember us!"

Tara slowly slithered up beside Frodo, making sure his blue eyes caught every turn of her ample bosom. Sliding a hand down his chest, Tara motioned to Melody, and the two led him into the group, where Azure was waiting with a lustful 'come hither' look on her face. Frodo felt his will slip away, though for a moment he wondered if it was only a trick of the Ring, before he found himself thinking of happy thoughts and of how beautiful these lasses were.

Phoenica had taken Pippin to the ground, and was quickly entrancing him with her ample. . .charms. The hobbits were lazily reclining, eyes dulling and smiles easy as the group of women began to become more lusty. Frodo was half buried beneath the three women who had claimed him. A shrill giggle pierced the air.

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam called, entering the glade. "I think you've all been foolish e--" He stopped, frozen in his tracks as he saw the horror before him. All his friends, including his beloved Master, were trapped within the black tentacles of the harpies, willingly giving themselves up as each creature demanded more.

"No!" he screamed, brandishing a cooking pan as he dashed in.

The women looked up, their distorted faces quickly fading back into the incredibly beautiful women that had drawn the hobbits in. "Sam!" cooed Ariadne, an arm draped over the gaping Merry. "Please, join us, Sam."

Sam snarled, his muscles tightening. "Back, you she-devils! I see right through you! Mr. Frodo, wake up! Merry, Pippin!"

Cocking her head, Azure looked up, her eyes drowning in green flame. Her face molded into the simplistic, innocent young woman who had been lost in the woods for ages, and now she gazed upon her hero. Suddenly she reminded Sam of Rosie a bit, the way she smiled at him now.

Nearly hitting himself in the head with the pan, Sam shook himself out. "No!" Dashing forward, he began waving the pan, hitting a couple of the women in the head so he could grab his friends. The most difficult to get rid of were the ones surrounding Frodo.

"No!" the lasses shrieked, covering him with their bodies. "We love him! He must stay here!"

"He's going to marry me!" they cried at the same time.

The lasses faced one another, frowns marring their perfect faces. "Wait, Melody," said Tara. "He is going to marry me. He would have it no other way!"

Tara pouted, her full lip sticking out so she tripped on it. "No, Melody, it was decided that Frodo would marry me!"

Melody's eyes narrowed, a snarl twitching at her lips. "Frodo belongs to me. We have been betrothed since birth!"

Sam grabbed hold of Merry, while Pippin, blinking out of his daze, rushed for Frodo. As the two hobbit lasses began to circle one another, Sam said, "Run. We must leave this place!"

Frodo was still bleary-eyed and frazzled, so Merry and Sam had to half carry him. The girls began to shriek in dismay.

"Noooo! They're getting away!" they cried. "Melody, Tara, come on, we've got to catch them!"

As the lasses were groping for each other by the hair, they both looked up to see the backs of the hobbits quickly running into the forest. Azure smacked them both on the backs of the heads. "Fools!" she snapped. "I told you one of you should have had more affection for Sam."

The forest was thicker than they had imagined. Pippin was still shaking off the invisible hands that had held him captive. Merry and Sam were having a difficult time reviving Frodo from whatever type of spell had been woken upon him. Desperation coursed through Sam at the thought of those strange women wandering the wild, happening upon travelers. There was no time for this nonsense!

"Who were those women?" demanded Pippin.

Merry and Sam exchanged glances. "I don't know, Pip," answered Merry darkly. "I've never heard of females who could entrance hobbits just at a glance. One thing's for sure: if they keep on following us, we may not escape."

"Make no mistake," said Sam. "They were after something."

A harsh scream rode the air, freezing the hobbits in their tracks. The earth itself seemed to shudder and recoil from the terrifying sound, ice coursing through blood and stone. Sam recognized the sound as the Black Riders, the ones who had nearly caught them a couple of days ago.

"They're back," whispered Merry. "We've got to keep moving."

As the sound of hoof beats echoed through the trees, Sam gently shook his master. "Mr. Frodo!" he said anxiously. "Please, Mr. Frodo, you've got to come to your senses! The Riders are coming!"

Frodo blinked a couple of times, then slowly exhaled. "I--I'm all right, Sam," he said. "Let's keep moving."

As the hobbits began running, the Dark Riders approached. Five of them circled the forest, each one shrilly screaming to the others. Straight out of Mordor were these creatures, bent and twisted from years beyond reckoning in the Dark Lord's service. Now as they searched for the Ring and its carrier, they stumbled upon a group of women who were running through the forest. There was no feeling of pity or remorse, only the instinctive desire to kill. As the Riders slowly drew swords, they drew closer to the women.

Phoenicia looked up, halting the other girls in their tracks. "Oooh, look!" she cried. "Black Riders!"

The girls all began to whisper and giggle amongst themselves, halting the Riders' attack. "They're so cute!" giggled Melody. "I've never seen anything like that before."

"Hey, can we use your horses?" asked Tara, blinking her large eyes up at the creatures.

The Riders exchanged glances, at a loss as to how to handle the situation. Never had anyone simply walked up to them, and never had anyone dared ask to use their steeds! Even the animals seemed to sense what was horribly wrong, as they began to prance and snort in, what seemed like, fear.

Ariadne threw aside her cloak and reached for a hidden item. As she withdrew a short sword that had written on the blade "Lightning", she said, "Look. Just give us the horses, we need them!"

Melody ran up to one of the horses and touched its leg. The horses reared, screaming senselessly. The Riders echoed the screams, hurriedly sheathing their swords and galloping away at an astonishing speed. Something like sobs could be heard in their screams.