AN// Thank you for all my wonderful reviews. I lurv you all. Each and every
one of you. Oh, just a warning, I typed this late at night, and I don't
think I'm thinking straight as have a note in front of me that says "That's
that Mr. Hat? You mean we should. KILL KATHY LEE GIFFORD?!" And I keep
cracking up whenever I look down, so I apologize for
spelling/punctuation/grammar/any other stupid mistake I make. If you
survive, Thank you, and please come again.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. That makes me sad.
Chapter 3.
Ayden followed Madison carefully down the creaky wooden stairs. Both girls' noses itched from the pungent tobacco like smoke. This smoke seemed richer and thicker. No one really looked up from their pints as the girls slunk into the room and scurried over to the bar.
"There y'are. Everything alright?" Butterbur smiled at the cowering girls. "Slide back 'ere you," He motioned for Ayden who was almost shaking with fear of the couple of looks she was getting. She ducked under the lifting door and stood beside Butterbur. "Your names again? I'm sorry. I 'ave a horrible memory."
"I'm.I'm Ayden, and she's Madison," Ayden felt a little safer standing beside the round innkeeper.
"Strange names. Nice, but strange. All right. Well you, Ayden, can start by washin' up these glasses. You'll be safer here because you can deny ale to anyone if they're getting rough." Butterbur gave her anther smile, "I'll give you the meals to take to the tables." He looked over at Madison. "Think you can handle it?"
"Yeah. I've done this kind of thing before," Madison remembered some of her previous work experiences. " I don't think there will be anything I can't handle here."
"If anyone is really getting on your case, be sure to let me know all right?" Butterbur handed her four foaming half pints of ale and motioned over to the table off to the side with four hobbits sitting at it. Two were having a right good time, but the other two seemed like they were trying to be swallowed up by the walls. Madison caught Ayden's eye and gave a shrug over in their direction. Ayden gave a quick grin and bent over a glass and scrubbed it fiercely, but every few seconds she would look up. Madison weaved her way around the different tables and chairs and approached the hobbits. "Four ales then?" Madison slid them across the table to each person. "Are y'all regulars around here or just passing through?"
"Passing through, though I say we come more regularly eh Merry?" The one that Madison guessed was Pippin said nudging who was now for sure Merry. "Well, if you need anything else, just flag me down." Madison casually smiled at them. She could hardly keep from bursting into hysterics as she slid away from the hobbit's table and back over to Ayden.
"Is it?"
"Yup," Madison squealed quietly.
"Is you know here too?" Ayden made frantic hand motions with the rag, but Madison didn't need a better description.
Madison spun around and searched carefully in every dark corner. He was there. Shrouded in a thick cloak with his long legs sticking out from under the table sat none other than 'Strider.' Ayden nearly dropped one of the thick glasses she was blushing so much. Butterbur suddenly popped up with more pints and some steaming bread. "Here you go. Get back out there. I don't want any thirsty customers."
For the most part of about three hours, Madison hurried back and forth from the counter to customers while Ayden scrubbed cups and mugs and pints as fast as she could. She saw now how hard it really was to get each glass clean to the point of where she, herself would drink for it. Madison was starting to get a little irritated at some of the men who insisted on smacking or pinching her on the rump whenever she walked by. Every time they did that, she spilled more ale all over herself.
Ayden watched a couple men who stood out more than the others. They didn't stand out in the good way like Strider or the Hobbits, but in a darker way. They were up to something. The one Madison pointed out as Merry had dropped in for a moment and asked her for a whole pint. Ayden's smile was a mile wide as she handed it over. Of course he scurried back to his spot and left Ayden with just empty glasses for company. Huddled over a particularly dirty glass, she was caught off guard as Pippin popped up on a stool.
"A whole pint please," Pippin made sure the throw the whole in there.
"Lets switch up here," Madison slid around Ayden and pushed a pint towards Pippin. Ayden was pushed out from behind the bar and Madison handed her two pints and pointed to a table close to where Strider sat. Ayden ducked around a couple groups of loud men and passed by some hobbits standing on tables singing.
Madison found the grubby rag and began to scrub the rim and insides of a particularly grimy cup. She was smiling to herself as she compared Billy Boyd's voice to that of the actual Pippin.
"-Frodo Baggins. He's my-" Madison blinked for a moment, then her head shot up.
"Pippin! NO!" A dark haired, blue eyed hobbit came bounding out from his seat and grabbed at Pippin. A flash of gold was all that Madison saw. She looked up and saw Ayden, wide eyed right next to Strider who leaped out of his seat. He slid around behind her, but Ayden grabbed him quickly and pulled him against her in a hard kiss. She then threw him off with a piercing scream. She shoved him back in the general direction of where Frodo was. "HOW DARE YOU SIR!" She was as white as chalk and was fanning herself as she leaned against the roaring fire. All eyes now rested on her, as she made sure her chest was heaving in a really overly dramatic way, but the men didn't seem to mind. Madison sprinted over to where she was. "Are you all right dear? He didn't hurt you did he?" Madison leaned in to Ayden's face past the point of comfort for most friends. All eyes were now on the two. "I'm." She hesitated, glancing over Madison's shoulder. She saw Aragorn shove someone up the stairs. "NO!" She wailed collapsing on Madison's shoulder. She saw Sam, Merry, and Pippin standing around in panic. She waved her hands frantically, and finally Merry noticed. He grabbed all the other hobbits and bound up the stairs. Pippin grabbed a stool and Merry, a candlestick.
Nob came bounding out from the doors, "All right. Nothing to see here folks. Go back to your drinks. Hey Bob! Start another chorus to that last song." He looked up Ayden. "Shall I escort you to your room?" He asked. She felt bad lying to a cute hobbit like Nob, but she made another wave of crocodile tears well up and she allowed herself to be led away.
Madison hurried over to where Butterbur was frantically filling up beers. "I'm sorry 'bout that ranger. I don't trust him one bit."
"Oh no. It's all right. He's.never mind. I'd better go check that Ayden is all right though." She quickly excused herself and hurried up the stairs.
"I'll be sure to send up breakfast for you two in the morning."
"Thank you," Madison called as she reached the top.
She burst in the room. "What in the blue hell was that?!"
Ayden sat on the bed. She was actually shaking, "Oh my god. I GLOMPED ARAGORN!" her eyes were wide with fear and she shook a little. "How horrible can you get? Aragorn! Of course he'll tell Arwen all about it and she'll hate me, and because she hates me, all the other elves will hate me. Meaning I might find some friends with Dwarves, which would spare me the pain of plucking eyebrows ever again b-" She stopped suddenly at the sound of someone knocking at the door. She made a small squeaking noise and leapt out of her seat. Madison gave a small chuckle and opened the door. Strider pushed his way in and turned around in the room. The hobbits also shuffled in, but they gave a nod to Madison as they entered.
"What do you know?" Strider paced the room and quickly snuffed out all the candles. Ayden gave another squeak. He suddenly looked down at her cowering in the corner and gave the fleeting shadow of a smile. "Arwen, as will all the other elves consider what you did an act of bravery. How exactly do you know about Arwen?" He tried again, this time a little more gently.
"We're the omnipotent characters that are actually not really here and this is all a dream you're having as you lay in the bushes beside your stick fire. Why should we tell you?" Madison crossed her arms across her chest. She was actually trying frantically to figure out a story for the two of them.
Aragorn seemed not to notice the sarcasm, "You know far too much for your own good. Both of you."
"What are you going to do to them?" Pippin asked quietly from across the room.
"Do? There's really nothing I can do. I will not be blamed for the murder of two innocent girls, so it seems they will have to come along until further questioning. Do you have any rope Sam?" Aragorn grabbed the rope off of Sam's pack, and turned to face Madison.
"You ain't gonna drag me all the way to Rivendell tied up like a prisoner," Madison backed away from Aragorn.
"Oh, but that is what you are until you are proven innocent," Aragorn lunged and cornered Madison. He spun her around and bound both her arms together behind her back. Ayden didn't put up much of a fight and was quickly tied on behind Madison with her arms out in front of her. She couldn't move her hands enough to wriggle loose, though the ropes didn't bite into her wrists yet and she still had feeling in them.
The Hobbits just looked on in fear as Aragorn strode past them and out the door and led the girls from in front.
Bob's head suddenly appeared from around the corner, "I managed to find you a horse sir, or well, a pony, but- what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Oh its all right. Please tell Butterbur that he has been wonderful, and I shall recommend this place to all my friends when they're headed this way," Madison said to the wide eyed hobbit that just stared as the whole party moved on, and out the door without another word. Aragorn tied the girl's lead to the pony's bridle and gave the horse's lead to Sam. Sam gave the girls a worried look and then at the pony, "Bill."
"What?" Merry looked back at him.
"I think I'll call him Bill," Sam replied still looking at the pony.
"Bill the pony. Nice ring to it," Ayden smiled down at the blushing Sam.
"Quiet. We don't need any unnecessary attention drawn to us," Aragorn led them all out a gate at the edge of town. The rain had slowed down to a mere drizzle, but the sky was still black, though the silver light of dawn was creeping through the clouds. "Come. We must make haste. There are things hunting you Frodo."
"Oh God! You mean the-" Ayden made some odd gestures that seemed to amuse Pippin, but only Madison understood it.
"Oh we're fucked," Madison looked around as if expecting to see a Nazgul come from behind her.
"Hurry. We must be quiet, and stay off the main roads," Aragorn stepped off the road suddenly and dropped down into a ditch. "As the crow flies, we should be in Rivendell in a little over a weeks time."
"Yeah, well fly, fly away crow-boy. What is that in our time?" Madison snorted at her own joke and the look that everyone was giving her.
"Probably more than two weeks if we're lucky." Aragorn rolled his eyes and started through the trees. The hobbits looked at the girls, then hurried to keep up with him. Madison and Ayden trotted along beside Bill, each giving each other worried looks.
AN// I'm sorry. I skipped a few things, but meh. Will have chapters up faster than that, its just I was. well, being a slacker. Please review. They keep me going.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. That makes me sad.
Chapter 3.
Ayden followed Madison carefully down the creaky wooden stairs. Both girls' noses itched from the pungent tobacco like smoke. This smoke seemed richer and thicker. No one really looked up from their pints as the girls slunk into the room and scurried over to the bar.
"There y'are. Everything alright?" Butterbur smiled at the cowering girls. "Slide back 'ere you," He motioned for Ayden who was almost shaking with fear of the couple of looks she was getting. She ducked under the lifting door and stood beside Butterbur. "Your names again? I'm sorry. I 'ave a horrible memory."
"I'm.I'm Ayden, and she's Madison," Ayden felt a little safer standing beside the round innkeeper.
"Strange names. Nice, but strange. All right. Well you, Ayden, can start by washin' up these glasses. You'll be safer here because you can deny ale to anyone if they're getting rough." Butterbur gave her anther smile, "I'll give you the meals to take to the tables." He looked over at Madison. "Think you can handle it?"
"Yeah. I've done this kind of thing before," Madison remembered some of her previous work experiences. " I don't think there will be anything I can't handle here."
"If anyone is really getting on your case, be sure to let me know all right?" Butterbur handed her four foaming half pints of ale and motioned over to the table off to the side with four hobbits sitting at it. Two were having a right good time, but the other two seemed like they were trying to be swallowed up by the walls. Madison caught Ayden's eye and gave a shrug over in their direction. Ayden gave a quick grin and bent over a glass and scrubbed it fiercely, but every few seconds she would look up. Madison weaved her way around the different tables and chairs and approached the hobbits. "Four ales then?" Madison slid them across the table to each person. "Are y'all regulars around here or just passing through?"
"Passing through, though I say we come more regularly eh Merry?" The one that Madison guessed was Pippin said nudging who was now for sure Merry. "Well, if you need anything else, just flag me down." Madison casually smiled at them. She could hardly keep from bursting into hysterics as she slid away from the hobbit's table and back over to Ayden.
"Is it?"
"Yup," Madison squealed quietly.
"Is you know here too?" Ayden made frantic hand motions with the rag, but Madison didn't need a better description.
Madison spun around and searched carefully in every dark corner. He was there. Shrouded in a thick cloak with his long legs sticking out from under the table sat none other than 'Strider.' Ayden nearly dropped one of the thick glasses she was blushing so much. Butterbur suddenly popped up with more pints and some steaming bread. "Here you go. Get back out there. I don't want any thirsty customers."
For the most part of about three hours, Madison hurried back and forth from the counter to customers while Ayden scrubbed cups and mugs and pints as fast as she could. She saw now how hard it really was to get each glass clean to the point of where she, herself would drink for it. Madison was starting to get a little irritated at some of the men who insisted on smacking or pinching her on the rump whenever she walked by. Every time they did that, she spilled more ale all over herself.
Ayden watched a couple men who stood out more than the others. They didn't stand out in the good way like Strider or the Hobbits, but in a darker way. They were up to something. The one Madison pointed out as Merry had dropped in for a moment and asked her for a whole pint. Ayden's smile was a mile wide as she handed it over. Of course he scurried back to his spot and left Ayden with just empty glasses for company. Huddled over a particularly dirty glass, she was caught off guard as Pippin popped up on a stool.
"A whole pint please," Pippin made sure the throw the whole in there.
"Lets switch up here," Madison slid around Ayden and pushed a pint towards Pippin. Ayden was pushed out from behind the bar and Madison handed her two pints and pointed to a table close to where Strider sat. Ayden ducked around a couple groups of loud men and passed by some hobbits standing on tables singing.
Madison found the grubby rag and began to scrub the rim and insides of a particularly grimy cup. She was smiling to herself as she compared Billy Boyd's voice to that of the actual Pippin.
"-Frodo Baggins. He's my-" Madison blinked for a moment, then her head shot up.
"Pippin! NO!" A dark haired, blue eyed hobbit came bounding out from his seat and grabbed at Pippin. A flash of gold was all that Madison saw. She looked up and saw Ayden, wide eyed right next to Strider who leaped out of his seat. He slid around behind her, but Ayden grabbed him quickly and pulled him against her in a hard kiss. She then threw him off with a piercing scream. She shoved him back in the general direction of where Frodo was. "HOW DARE YOU SIR!" She was as white as chalk and was fanning herself as she leaned against the roaring fire. All eyes now rested on her, as she made sure her chest was heaving in a really overly dramatic way, but the men didn't seem to mind. Madison sprinted over to where she was. "Are you all right dear? He didn't hurt you did he?" Madison leaned in to Ayden's face past the point of comfort for most friends. All eyes were now on the two. "I'm." She hesitated, glancing over Madison's shoulder. She saw Aragorn shove someone up the stairs. "NO!" She wailed collapsing on Madison's shoulder. She saw Sam, Merry, and Pippin standing around in panic. She waved her hands frantically, and finally Merry noticed. He grabbed all the other hobbits and bound up the stairs. Pippin grabbed a stool and Merry, a candlestick.
Nob came bounding out from the doors, "All right. Nothing to see here folks. Go back to your drinks. Hey Bob! Start another chorus to that last song." He looked up Ayden. "Shall I escort you to your room?" He asked. She felt bad lying to a cute hobbit like Nob, but she made another wave of crocodile tears well up and she allowed herself to be led away.
Madison hurried over to where Butterbur was frantically filling up beers. "I'm sorry 'bout that ranger. I don't trust him one bit."
"Oh no. It's all right. He's.never mind. I'd better go check that Ayden is all right though." She quickly excused herself and hurried up the stairs.
"I'll be sure to send up breakfast for you two in the morning."
"Thank you," Madison called as she reached the top.
She burst in the room. "What in the blue hell was that?!"
Ayden sat on the bed. She was actually shaking, "Oh my god. I GLOMPED ARAGORN!" her eyes were wide with fear and she shook a little. "How horrible can you get? Aragorn! Of course he'll tell Arwen all about it and she'll hate me, and because she hates me, all the other elves will hate me. Meaning I might find some friends with Dwarves, which would spare me the pain of plucking eyebrows ever again b-" She stopped suddenly at the sound of someone knocking at the door. She made a small squeaking noise and leapt out of her seat. Madison gave a small chuckle and opened the door. Strider pushed his way in and turned around in the room. The hobbits also shuffled in, but they gave a nod to Madison as they entered.
"What do you know?" Strider paced the room and quickly snuffed out all the candles. Ayden gave another squeak. He suddenly looked down at her cowering in the corner and gave the fleeting shadow of a smile. "Arwen, as will all the other elves consider what you did an act of bravery. How exactly do you know about Arwen?" He tried again, this time a little more gently.
"We're the omnipotent characters that are actually not really here and this is all a dream you're having as you lay in the bushes beside your stick fire. Why should we tell you?" Madison crossed her arms across her chest. She was actually trying frantically to figure out a story for the two of them.
Aragorn seemed not to notice the sarcasm, "You know far too much for your own good. Both of you."
"What are you going to do to them?" Pippin asked quietly from across the room.
"Do? There's really nothing I can do. I will not be blamed for the murder of two innocent girls, so it seems they will have to come along until further questioning. Do you have any rope Sam?" Aragorn grabbed the rope off of Sam's pack, and turned to face Madison.
"You ain't gonna drag me all the way to Rivendell tied up like a prisoner," Madison backed away from Aragorn.
"Oh, but that is what you are until you are proven innocent," Aragorn lunged and cornered Madison. He spun her around and bound both her arms together behind her back. Ayden didn't put up much of a fight and was quickly tied on behind Madison with her arms out in front of her. She couldn't move her hands enough to wriggle loose, though the ropes didn't bite into her wrists yet and she still had feeling in them.
The Hobbits just looked on in fear as Aragorn strode past them and out the door and led the girls from in front.
Bob's head suddenly appeared from around the corner, "I managed to find you a horse sir, or well, a pony, but- what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Oh its all right. Please tell Butterbur that he has been wonderful, and I shall recommend this place to all my friends when they're headed this way," Madison said to the wide eyed hobbit that just stared as the whole party moved on, and out the door without another word. Aragorn tied the girl's lead to the pony's bridle and gave the horse's lead to Sam. Sam gave the girls a worried look and then at the pony, "Bill."
"What?" Merry looked back at him.
"I think I'll call him Bill," Sam replied still looking at the pony.
"Bill the pony. Nice ring to it," Ayden smiled down at the blushing Sam.
"Quiet. We don't need any unnecessary attention drawn to us," Aragorn led them all out a gate at the edge of town. The rain had slowed down to a mere drizzle, but the sky was still black, though the silver light of dawn was creeping through the clouds. "Come. We must make haste. There are things hunting you Frodo."
"Oh God! You mean the-" Ayden made some odd gestures that seemed to amuse Pippin, but only Madison understood it.
"Oh we're fucked," Madison looked around as if expecting to see a Nazgul come from behind her.
"Hurry. We must be quiet, and stay off the main roads," Aragorn stepped off the road suddenly and dropped down into a ditch. "As the crow flies, we should be in Rivendell in a little over a weeks time."
"Yeah, well fly, fly away crow-boy. What is that in our time?" Madison snorted at her own joke and the look that everyone was giving her.
"Probably more than two weeks if we're lucky." Aragorn rolled his eyes and started through the trees. The hobbits looked at the girls, then hurried to keep up with him. Madison and Ayden trotted along beside Bill, each giving each other worried looks.
AN// I'm sorry. I skipped a few things, but meh. Will have chapters up faster than that, its just I was. well, being a slacker. Please review. They keep me going.