Visitor
Warnings: Nope
Disclaimer: Not mine
Sorry it took so long to update. I just got back from vacation. I'm going on another in a week, so no more updates for awhile.
Thank you to my reviewers. Lots of love!
Chapter six
The Shire
Anna couldn't remember the last time she was this tired. For weeks she and Gandalf had done nothing but ride through plains and forests. They stopped rarely, usually only for food. She was glad that Umpra was an Elven horse, he wouldn't have made it. He had never been pushed this hard for this long.
But they were here. Finally they were in the Shire. It was really pretty with soft rolling hills of green grass. Plenty of trees and bodies of water. Gandalf had told her more about hobbits all the way here, so she was fairly acquainted with their ways that Gandalf had figured out.
He also explained more about what he wanted her to do. Where to go, where to meet him, what exactly this might turn out to be. She was excited, but nervous. She really didn't want the responsibility of the One Ring.
They reached the Brandywine River just before nightfall when Gandalf stopped. "What is it Gandalf?" He stared into the Brandywine River for several seconds as Anna grew anxious.
"I do hope he agrees to take the ring. I would not want the burden to be placed in your hands." She smiled.
"I don't want it either." He nodded and they continued towards Bag End. They reached in within an hour and they dismounted, Anna admiring the hill. There was a large round door with a window. There were lovely flowerbeds and wild looking plants.
Gandalf knocked and in a few minutes a dark curly head of hair popped out of the door. "Gandalf!" Anna couldn't believe how little the creature was that was hugging Gandalf. It was about the size of a ten-year old child. This one had it's dark curly hair cut to it's chin with large blue eyes.
"Hello Frodo. Let us inside, we need to talk."
"Us?" he peered around Gandalf and saw Anna. She smiled sweetly at him and he smiled back. "Of course. Come in, I'll make some tea." They nodded and followed, both Anna and Gandalf having to duck several inches.
"What a nice home you have."
"Thank you. My name is Frodo Baggins, I am master of Bag End. You are?"
"My name is Annadra-Marion Frae. You may call me Anna. I'm a knight in training from Fawe."
"From Fawe? Where is that?" He was running around the kitchen, pouring water and heating the stove.
"In a Parallel Universe, the sixth one." He stopped and looked at her, then at Gandalf.
"She's correct Frodo. It is a difficult thing to explain and it is one of the many things we must discuss." Frodo nodded again and handed them their cups of tea.
"Come, let us go into the parlor and talk." She followed the two males and sat on a small couch. "So what is a Parallel Universe?" For a whole hour Anna described the Parallel Universe to Frodo, who picked it up quicker than she thought.
"How do you get back?" She stirred her now cold cup of tea.
"I don't know. I will most likely stay in Gondor after all of this is over."
"Which leads us to our next discussion." Gandalf paused and looked into Frodo's eyes. "Frodo where is your ring Bilbo gave you?" Frodo drew a necklace out of his breast pocket and Anna gasped. Attached at the end of the chain was a large plain ring of solid gold.
"Have you ever noticed any markings?" Gandalf asked when Frodo unhooked the ring and handed it to Gandalf.
"No. It has always been a plain ring."
"Look now." He tossed the ring into the fire and Frodo gasped, before rushing up and reaching for the fire tongs. Anna grabbed his arm and waited for Gandalf to get the ring out. He held it up and looked at it before tossing it back to Frodo. They both looked at it and Anna saw thin markings written on both sides of the ring.
"It's Elvish, but in the Mordor language." For the remainder of the night the three spoke of the ring's history, most Anna knew already. Frodo was full of questions and he listened closely until around midnight when Frodo looked at it again. It was plain and smooth.
"We will help you Frodo. The burden is yours now, but we will help." Gandalf told him, laying a hand upon the hobbit's shoulder.
"And if I do not want it?" Anna grimaced.
"Then I will bear it for a short time." She took it out of his hands and held it up to the firelight. It was truly a beautiful and precious thing, but Anna didn't want it. It was evil, pure evil and Anna quickly gave it back to Frodo.
"The decision is yours Frodo. If you take it, then Anna will help you take it somewhere where we can decide what to do with it. If not, then Anna will take the ring."
"The burden is mine. I would want no one else to fall under it's power. I will take it to wherever it needs to go." Anna smiled and hugged him quickly.
"Now Frodo. Listen closely. Anna and you will get out of the Shire and head towards Rivendell. Before that you will cross the Brandywine and go into the Old Forest, before heading towards Bree." Anna took out the map Faramir gave her and she traced their path with an ink pen Frodo handed her.
"I know the way." He told her.
"I hardly knew my way around the Gondor citadel's halls, even with help. I've been mapping everything out, just in case." He watched in fascination.
"You really aren't from here." She smiled softly, her face hidden by her hair.
"Yes Frodo. She is from a far away place. It is a lucky thing she came, she will be great help." She smiled wider and turned towards the males. "I have all faith that you can handle this Frodo."
"So do I." She finished tracing their path when they heard a rustle from under the window. Gandalf jumped up and reached to the outside of the window to rip a sandy-haired, plump hobbit into the room. At the same time Anna jumped up and ripped her sword out of her sheath and held it under the hobbit's chin.
"Samwise Gamgee." Gandalf said. He looked at Anna than down at her sword.
"Oops! Sorry, reflex." She resheathed the sword and sat down again.
"What have you heard?" Gandalf demanded. Sam looked around nervously for several seconds.
"Nothing much Mr. Gandalf. Just nonsense about evil rings, and elves." He looked around again and made eye contact with Anna. "I really didn't mean to overhear."
"It's alright Samwise was it?" He nodded.
"Samwise Gamgee. I'm Mr. Frodo's gardener."
"Oh! I'm Annadra-Marion Frae, Frodo's new protector." He looked surprised for several seconds.
"I don't think Mr. Frodo should be going." He said stubbornly.
"Sam I have to do this." He touched Sam's shoulder and Anna sat, thinking for several seconds.
"Maybe Samwise-"
"Sam." He cut in.
"Sam, can come with us." The three looked at her with wide staring eyes. "What?"
"I've never out of the Shire!"
"So it will be a grand adventure. That's what I've been looking for this whole time."
"Hobbits do not take grand adventures." Gandalf told her, letting go of Sam's shirt.
"Bilbo did. And he had a grand old time." Anna smiled and Gandalf looked down at Sam.
"Perhaps that would not be such a bad idea." He looked at Sam, who nodded shuffling his feet.
"I'll go with Mr. Frodo and Anna." Anna's smile grew wider.
"This will be an adventure, none of us will ever forget!"
"Anna, what of your horse? I'm assuming you will go no where without it."
"Umpra's a magic horse. An Elven horse. I know a spell that is rarely used, but it can still be useful."
"An Elven horse?" Sam looked at her with respect.
"Yes. The Elves of my land are talented with training animals and controlling nature. I'm not that good at it, but I can do some magic on animals."
"Are you an Elf?" Anna laughed and then apologized at the saddened expression of Sam's face.
"I was trained by the Elven prince. I'm a dear friend to them."
"I think the two of you should pack for your adventure. Anna hasn't unpacked herself since she arrived in Middle Earth, so she is quite ready." The hobbits nodded and Frodo went into his room and Sam nodded to her, before leaving.
Frodo came back in within several minutes. "I'm ready."
"Good. Now I do not want you to leave for two days. You know the quickest route Frodo, be careful." Frodo nodded before Gandalf hugged him.
"Can you not come with us?"
"No. I have business with the head of my council, Anna will guard you well enough. I will meet you in Bree at the Prancing Pony. Farewell." He nodded to them before leaving out the front door.
They stared at the door for several seconds before looking at each other. "I hope we become friends."
"As do I Anna." They waited for Sam who returned with a large pack. They went to sleep eventually, before awaking in the morning and talking more about what exactly they would do.
"Will no one think it weird that you vanished?"
"Bilbo did it. They already think that I have cracked." A loud knocking came on the door and Anna spun around, sword in hand. "Calm down."
"Frodo! Open up!" Came a small voice.
"It's just my friends Anna." He walked to the door and let in two hobbits. One with curly light brown hair and the other with dark blonde.
"Merry! Pippin! Good to see you! What are you doing here?" They walked in and stared at Anna for several long seconds.
"We saw Gandalf ride in last night with a lady." said the taller one with the dark blonde hair.
"And I see the lady, but no Gandalf." Finished the shortest of the four hobbits. He had bright blue-green eyes. Anna stood up as far as she could.
"My name is Annadra-Marion Frae. I've said that so often the last month. Call me Anna."
"I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck. Call me Merry."
"And I'm Peregrin Took. Pippin." They bowed before turning to Frodo. "So what brought Gandalf into the Shire?"
"We were discussing important events. Nothing to concern yourselves with."
"Nonsense Frodo! Everything concerns us, especially when we make it to."
"Merry is right Frodo. Now tell us."
"Leave Mr. Frodo alone. He's got enough of a burden as it is."
"Oh! Asked for advice?" Pippin bite into an apple he brought out of his cloak.
"You could have asked us you know. We would have given you advice." The two nodded before looking intently at Frodo. He looked back for many seconds before looking at Anna.
"It's up to you. I don't know them, but they seem to like to talk. If you told, I suggest we take them as well."
"Alright. You know that ring Bilbo left me?" They nodded their heads quickly. "It's a very powerful magic ring that someone wants. I have to take it to Rivendell as to decide what to do with it." They looked excited for several seconds.
"Leave the Shire? Frodo Baggins, you're turning into your Bilbo!" He laughed at Merry.
"So is Sam coming? And Anna? What's Anna here for?"
"Yes, yes and she's going to help protect me from anything."
"Alright! When do we leave?"
"Tomorrow, at dawn." They smiled broadly.
"Well we'll go back then shall we?" They left, closing the door behind them.
"And they are?"
"Cousins."
"Ah! Well this turning out to be something much bigger than Gandalf intended." Sam snorted.
"Everything's bigger with the two of them around."
"At least they're funny." He snorted again.
Finally they were leaving. The four hobbits had watched in fascination as Anna muttered a spell and Umpra had turned into the size of Anna's thumb.
'I do not like this!' his voice was a lot higher than usual and Anna couldn't help but laugh.
"You sound all squeaky!" He didn't speak to her for hours. They left quickly, not wanting to gain much attention to themselves. Which was near impossible since Merry and Pippin seemed unable to be quiet for more than twenty seconds.
"I liked the Shire, even though I was only there for two days." Sam stopped and looked backwards.
"What is it Sam?" Frodo asked, laying one of his hands on Sam's forearm.
"I ain't ever been this far out of the Shire."
"Do not worry Sam. We will go back home sooner than you believe." He nodded and followed Frodo back to the others.
"Will you go back with us Lady Anna?" Merry asked. Pippin and he both had taken to acting formal around, calling her "Lady", "Princess" and other titles, much to Anna's likening.
"I'm afraid not Lord Merry," she joined in too, "but I will be staying with own true love in Gondor."
"Then you will leave us, broken-hearted?"
"Yes, Prince Pippin. I'm afraid that I must." They laughed receiving a glare from Sam.
"We ain't out of the Shire yet!"
"Sorry Sam."
"Yeah sorry."
"We'll be quieter, we promise." He nodded and hurried to walk behind Frodo. The three quietly laughed and hurried up as well. Anna stopped briefly and looked back as well, hoping that the simply and beautiful hobbit land wouldn't be destroyed by the Ring's powers.
Yeah! Another chapter. I know, I'm really dragging it out! Sorry!
Don't forget to review.
Next chapter: Bree, Strider, the Ford Crossing
Warnings: Nope
Disclaimer: Not mine
Sorry it took so long to update. I just got back from vacation. I'm going on another in a week, so no more updates for awhile.
Thank you to my reviewers. Lots of love!
Chapter six
The Shire
Anna couldn't remember the last time she was this tired. For weeks she and Gandalf had done nothing but ride through plains and forests. They stopped rarely, usually only for food. She was glad that Umpra was an Elven horse, he wouldn't have made it. He had never been pushed this hard for this long.
But they were here. Finally they were in the Shire. It was really pretty with soft rolling hills of green grass. Plenty of trees and bodies of water. Gandalf had told her more about hobbits all the way here, so she was fairly acquainted with their ways that Gandalf had figured out.
He also explained more about what he wanted her to do. Where to go, where to meet him, what exactly this might turn out to be. She was excited, but nervous. She really didn't want the responsibility of the One Ring.
They reached the Brandywine River just before nightfall when Gandalf stopped. "What is it Gandalf?" He stared into the Brandywine River for several seconds as Anna grew anxious.
"I do hope he agrees to take the ring. I would not want the burden to be placed in your hands." She smiled.
"I don't want it either." He nodded and they continued towards Bag End. They reached in within an hour and they dismounted, Anna admiring the hill. There was a large round door with a window. There were lovely flowerbeds and wild looking plants.
Gandalf knocked and in a few minutes a dark curly head of hair popped out of the door. "Gandalf!" Anna couldn't believe how little the creature was that was hugging Gandalf. It was about the size of a ten-year old child. This one had it's dark curly hair cut to it's chin with large blue eyes.
"Hello Frodo. Let us inside, we need to talk."
"Us?" he peered around Gandalf and saw Anna. She smiled sweetly at him and he smiled back. "Of course. Come in, I'll make some tea." They nodded and followed, both Anna and Gandalf having to duck several inches.
"What a nice home you have."
"Thank you. My name is Frodo Baggins, I am master of Bag End. You are?"
"My name is Annadra-Marion Frae. You may call me Anna. I'm a knight in training from Fawe."
"From Fawe? Where is that?" He was running around the kitchen, pouring water and heating the stove.
"In a Parallel Universe, the sixth one." He stopped and looked at her, then at Gandalf.
"She's correct Frodo. It is a difficult thing to explain and it is one of the many things we must discuss." Frodo nodded again and handed them their cups of tea.
"Come, let us go into the parlor and talk." She followed the two males and sat on a small couch. "So what is a Parallel Universe?" For a whole hour Anna described the Parallel Universe to Frodo, who picked it up quicker than she thought.
"How do you get back?" She stirred her now cold cup of tea.
"I don't know. I will most likely stay in Gondor after all of this is over."
"Which leads us to our next discussion." Gandalf paused and looked into Frodo's eyes. "Frodo where is your ring Bilbo gave you?" Frodo drew a necklace out of his breast pocket and Anna gasped. Attached at the end of the chain was a large plain ring of solid gold.
"Have you ever noticed any markings?" Gandalf asked when Frodo unhooked the ring and handed it to Gandalf.
"No. It has always been a plain ring."
"Look now." He tossed the ring into the fire and Frodo gasped, before rushing up and reaching for the fire tongs. Anna grabbed his arm and waited for Gandalf to get the ring out. He held it up and looked at it before tossing it back to Frodo. They both looked at it and Anna saw thin markings written on both sides of the ring.
"It's Elvish, but in the Mordor language." For the remainder of the night the three spoke of the ring's history, most Anna knew already. Frodo was full of questions and he listened closely until around midnight when Frodo looked at it again. It was plain and smooth.
"We will help you Frodo. The burden is yours now, but we will help." Gandalf told him, laying a hand upon the hobbit's shoulder.
"And if I do not want it?" Anna grimaced.
"Then I will bear it for a short time." She took it out of his hands and held it up to the firelight. It was truly a beautiful and precious thing, but Anna didn't want it. It was evil, pure evil and Anna quickly gave it back to Frodo.
"The decision is yours Frodo. If you take it, then Anna will help you take it somewhere where we can decide what to do with it. If not, then Anna will take the ring."
"The burden is mine. I would want no one else to fall under it's power. I will take it to wherever it needs to go." Anna smiled and hugged him quickly.
"Now Frodo. Listen closely. Anna and you will get out of the Shire and head towards Rivendell. Before that you will cross the Brandywine and go into the Old Forest, before heading towards Bree." Anna took out the map Faramir gave her and she traced their path with an ink pen Frodo handed her.
"I know the way." He told her.
"I hardly knew my way around the Gondor citadel's halls, even with help. I've been mapping everything out, just in case." He watched in fascination.
"You really aren't from here." She smiled softly, her face hidden by her hair.
"Yes Frodo. She is from a far away place. It is a lucky thing she came, she will be great help." She smiled wider and turned towards the males. "I have all faith that you can handle this Frodo."
"So do I." She finished tracing their path when they heard a rustle from under the window. Gandalf jumped up and reached to the outside of the window to rip a sandy-haired, plump hobbit into the room. At the same time Anna jumped up and ripped her sword out of her sheath and held it under the hobbit's chin.
"Samwise Gamgee." Gandalf said. He looked at Anna than down at her sword.
"Oops! Sorry, reflex." She resheathed the sword and sat down again.
"What have you heard?" Gandalf demanded. Sam looked around nervously for several seconds.
"Nothing much Mr. Gandalf. Just nonsense about evil rings, and elves." He looked around again and made eye contact with Anna. "I really didn't mean to overhear."
"It's alright Samwise was it?" He nodded.
"Samwise Gamgee. I'm Mr. Frodo's gardener."
"Oh! I'm Annadra-Marion Frae, Frodo's new protector." He looked surprised for several seconds.
"I don't think Mr. Frodo should be going." He said stubbornly.
"Sam I have to do this." He touched Sam's shoulder and Anna sat, thinking for several seconds.
"Maybe Samwise-"
"Sam." He cut in.
"Sam, can come with us." The three looked at her with wide staring eyes. "What?"
"I've never out of the Shire!"
"So it will be a grand adventure. That's what I've been looking for this whole time."
"Hobbits do not take grand adventures." Gandalf told her, letting go of Sam's shirt.
"Bilbo did. And he had a grand old time." Anna smiled and Gandalf looked down at Sam.
"Perhaps that would not be such a bad idea." He looked at Sam, who nodded shuffling his feet.
"I'll go with Mr. Frodo and Anna." Anna's smile grew wider.
"This will be an adventure, none of us will ever forget!"
"Anna, what of your horse? I'm assuming you will go no where without it."
"Umpra's a magic horse. An Elven horse. I know a spell that is rarely used, but it can still be useful."
"An Elven horse?" Sam looked at her with respect.
"Yes. The Elves of my land are talented with training animals and controlling nature. I'm not that good at it, but I can do some magic on animals."
"Are you an Elf?" Anna laughed and then apologized at the saddened expression of Sam's face.
"I was trained by the Elven prince. I'm a dear friend to them."
"I think the two of you should pack for your adventure. Anna hasn't unpacked herself since she arrived in Middle Earth, so she is quite ready." The hobbits nodded and Frodo went into his room and Sam nodded to her, before leaving.
Frodo came back in within several minutes. "I'm ready."
"Good. Now I do not want you to leave for two days. You know the quickest route Frodo, be careful." Frodo nodded before Gandalf hugged him.
"Can you not come with us?"
"No. I have business with the head of my council, Anna will guard you well enough. I will meet you in Bree at the Prancing Pony. Farewell." He nodded to them before leaving out the front door.
They stared at the door for several seconds before looking at each other. "I hope we become friends."
"As do I Anna." They waited for Sam who returned with a large pack. They went to sleep eventually, before awaking in the morning and talking more about what exactly they would do.
"Will no one think it weird that you vanished?"
"Bilbo did it. They already think that I have cracked." A loud knocking came on the door and Anna spun around, sword in hand. "Calm down."
"Frodo! Open up!" Came a small voice.
"It's just my friends Anna." He walked to the door and let in two hobbits. One with curly light brown hair and the other with dark blonde.
"Merry! Pippin! Good to see you! What are you doing here?" They walked in and stared at Anna for several long seconds.
"We saw Gandalf ride in last night with a lady." said the taller one with the dark blonde hair.
"And I see the lady, but no Gandalf." Finished the shortest of the four hobbits. He had bright blue-green eyes. Anna stood up as far as she could.
"My name is Annadra-Marion Frae. I've said that so often the last month. Call me Anna."
"I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck. Call me Merry."
"And I'm Peregrin Took. Pippin." They bowed before turning to Frodo. "So what brought Gandalf into the Shire?"
"We were discussing important events. Nothing to concern yourselves with."
"Nonsense Frodo! Everything concerns us, especially when we make it to."
"Merry is right Frodo. Now tell us."
"Leave Mr. Frodo alone. He's got enough of a burden as it is."
"Oh! Asked for advice?" Pippin bite into an apple he brought out of his cloak.
"You could have asked us you know. We would have given you advice." The two nodded before looking intently at Frodo. He looked back for many seconds before looking at Anna.
"It's up to you. I don't know them, but they seem to like to talk. If you told, I suggest we take them as well."
"Alright. You know that ring Bilbo left me?" They nodded their heads quickly. "It's a very powerful magic ring that someone wants. I have to take it to Rivendell as to decide what to do with it." They looked excited for several seconds.
"Leave the Shire? Frodo Baggins, you're turning into your Bilbo!" He laughed at Merry.
"So is Sam coming? And Anna? What's Anna here for?"
"Yes, yes and she's going to help protect me from anything."
"Alright! When do we leave?"
"Tomorrow, at dawn." They smiled broadly.
"Well we'll go back then shall we?" They left, closing the door behind them.
"And they are?"
"Cousins."
"Ah! Well this turning out to be something much bigger than Gandalf intended." Sam snorted.
"Everything's bigger with the two of them around."
"At least they're funny." He snorted again.
Finally they were leaving. The four hobbits had watched in fascination as Anna muttered a spell and Umpra had turned into the size of Anna's thumb.
'I do not like this!' his voice was a lot higher than usual and Anna couldn't help but laugh.
"You sound all squeaky!" He didn't speak to her for hours. They left quickly, not wanting to gain much attention to themselves. Which was near impossible since Merry and Pippin seemed unable to be quiet for more than twenty seconds.
"I liked the Shire, even though I was only there for two days." Sam stopped and looked backwards.
"What is it Sam?" Frodo asked, laying one of his hands on Sam's forearm.
"I ain't ever been this far out of the Shire."
"Do not worry Sam. We will go back home sooner than you believe." He nodded and followed Frodo back to the others.
"Will you go back with us Lady Anna?" Merry asked. Pippin and he both had taken to acting formal around, calling her "Lady", "Princess" and other titles, much to Anna's likening.
"I'm afraid not Lord Merry," she joined in too, "but I will be staying with own true love in Gondor."
"Then you will leave us, broken-hearted?"
"Yes, Prince Pippin. I'm afraid that I must." They laughed receiving a glare from Sam.
"We ain't out of the Shire yet!"
"Sorry Sam."
"Yeah sorry."
"We'll be quieter, we promise." He nodded and hurried to walk behind Frodo. The three quietly laughed and hurried up as well. Anna stopped briefly and looked back as well, hoping that the simply and beautiful hobbit land wouldn't be destroyed by the Ring's powers.
Yeah! Another chapter. I know, I'm really dragging it out! Sorry!
Don't forget to review.
Next chapter: Bree, Strider, the Ford Crossing