They hadn't gone far before Merry and Pippin started to complain that they were tired, and hungry, and cold. STRIDER, too, was starting to look a little exhausted. Frodo was still shaking, clearly traumatized by whatever the Nazgul had done to him.

Despite himself, Sam decided that it really was time to rest. STRIDER put Frodo down, and stood standing over him. 'You know. I think I read somewhere that there's a plant to help cure this sort of condition. but I can't remember what the plant it- or even what to do with it if I did.'

'Well, that's helpful!' Sam snapped. 'Go wander the forest in the hopes that you find it.' His master was in trouble, and it was his job to protect him, his OWN.

STRIDER went off happily, murmuring something about 'Goody! A scavenger hunt!' while Sam made himself comfortable on a near by rock.

The Ranger had been wandering around, quite aimlessly, for sometime before a figure on a great stallion rode up to him. 'Estel, thank the Valar I found you!' Came the voice of Arwen from beneath the hood of her cloak.

'Ahhhh! Don't sneak up on me like that! You know I scare easily!' STRIDER, who was also, obviously, Estel, complained.

'I know, but if anyone comes at you head on, they pass out before they can get within twenty meters. Seriously, Estel, it's time you took a bath.'

'I don't wanna!'

'We'll see about that. Anyway, where is the halfling? I have strict instructions to get him to Rivendell.'

'Halfling? Are they the little kids I'm travelling with? Will Elrond hurt them? I hope not, they're my friends.'

Arwen sighed deeply. 'No, they will not be hurt. Galadriel has seen that one of them has been exposed to the out-of-season carols of the Nazgul, and he must be healed quickly, before the songs take permanent root within his mind and he becomes a Wreath, like them.'

'Oh, okay. Right this way.' STRIDER then burst out into song; 'We're following the leader, the leader, the leader, we're following the leader, wherever he may go.'

As soon as Arwen spotted the four hobbits, she sighed in relief and promptly knocked the ranger to the earth, unconscious. Merry and Pippin ran over to her shouting 'You're our hero!'

'Right.' Arwen replied, ignoring them as best she could. 'Where's the injured one?'

Sam answered as Merry and Pippin decided to go pack up camp, ignoring the elf's question. 'He needs help, but I warn you, if you hurt him.' The dangerous gleam that had lit up his eyes finished the sentence for him.

'Don't worry. I'm here to heal him, though I'm not sure if I'll be able too.'

'Hey, you seem kind-of familiar.' STRIDER said, blearily waking from his coma.

'Damn, didn't hit him hard enough. ' The elf muttered, pulling a bunch of plants and other items from her cloak.

'Ahhhh!' STRIDER suddenly screamed. 'It's Glorfindal in disguise! HIDE!!!!'

'DAMN!' the elf said again. 'Here I thought he was too stupid to figure it out.' "Arwen" stood and pulled off the dark wig that covered his much shorter golden hair.

'Why were you dressed as a chick?' Pippin asked, bluntly.

'It was the only way I could work my way out here. Elrond's been trying to get rid of his daughter for some time- gives her all the really cool missions. I wanted one for once!'

There was silence as everyone, including the twitching Frodo, stared at him. 'What? Don't I deserve to have some fun?'

Nobody answered, but Arwen/Glorfindal could have sworn he heard Estel mutter something about being glad he'd found out before it was too late, making the elf shudder and turn back to the injured Hobbit.

Wreath (and yes, I mean Wreath, not Wraith) hums echoed through the night. The distant sounds of 'Eru, Bless Yea Marry Gentlemen' could be heard in the distance.

'We must move. I will take the halfling to Rivendell, you must follow.'

'NO, HE'S MY MASTER, MINE, MY OWN!!!!' Sam screeched.

Glorfindal ignored the angry Hobbit and picked Frodo up, placing him on the horse and mounting up behind him.

'Hey! I said he's MINE!!' Sam yelled, running after the horse as Glorfy talked him into action. He followed the creature that was attempting to take his master away all the way to Rivendell.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Frodo passed out about halfway to the elven city, and woke up to see Gandalf staring down at him. 'What do you want?' He asked, groggily. 'Why'd you send that horrible Ranger to find us?'

'STRIDER? Oh, he's not so bad.' Gandalf smiled fondly at the thought of the little boy he knew as Estel.

'Yeah, easy for you to say.' Frodo muttered. 'Was there some reason you didn't come yourself?'

'Yes, as a matter of fact.' Gandalf smiled again, drifting off into memory.

'Gandalf?'

'Oh, right. Okay, no there wasn't a really good reason. My friend, the Traitor that is Sarumon, wanted me to stay for tea, so I did. It really is a long way to Isengaurd you know, and I simply did not get back in time to guide you from The Prancing Pony to Rivendell.'

The conversation was interrupted as Sam burst in, looking quite winded. 'Sam, what did you do?' Frodo asked, not sure he really wanted to know.

'Oh, I just put that nasty elf in his place. Taking you away like that, THE NERVE!'

Gandalf stood and went to go see how bad a state Glorfindal was in (don't worry though, Glorfy's an elf and therefor heals twice as fast as anybody else. None the less, when the Hobbits next saw him, he was in a complete body cast and smelled disturbingly like garbage.) Which is why he was not there when Bilbo crept into the room and yelled 'BOO' at Frodo, causing the younger Hobbit to have a minor heart attack and pass out again.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Eladan and Elrohir watched happily as their old friend Estel sauntered through the gates of Rivendell. On any other day, he would have had problems getting in, but the twins had talked to the guards and had promised that he would be clean within an hour of entering the city.

Smiling at each other in that way only twins can truly manage to smile, they walked over to their friend, arranging themselves so Estel stood between them. Then, without warning, they took hold of his arms and dragged him off to the nearest bathhouse.

STRIDER'S screams echoed through all of Rivendell as the twins scrubbed every single grain of dirt out of his hair- but it was nothing compared to the screams that would later sound when it was discovered who's conditioner they'd used.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Again, Bookworm2000, thank you so much for the review, it really is encouraging to know that someone, at least, is enjoying the story. That last bit was just for you, *s* I hope you liked it!