Loving Allegra
Chapter Three: Bree
Disclaimer: See previous chapters....
Allegra woke up on her own, and found that something wasn't quite right. She lay there for a moment or two, letting her brain warm up, before she realized that there was someone very close to her, their face nuzzled in her hair and their hand draped over her side. At first she smiled to herself, liking the feeling of such closeness, but then she remembered who she was sharing her blanket with. Her stomach lurched. She turned her head so that she could see her sleeping companion. The shift caused him to wake up with a yawn.
"Hello," he said with a pleasant smile.
"What's wrong with this picture, Pippin?" asked Allegra almost sarcastically.
"Oh...," he said, his smile fading. He quickly scooted away, his cheeks reddening. "I'm sorry...I-I didn't...I was asleep...," he stammered as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. His shouldered arched a little and he hung his head.
"It's okay, I just...I'm not used to waking up with my best friend so close to me is all," she said clumsily.
"Neither am I," Pippin said with a small smile. There was a long silence in which the two of them avoided each other's gaze. "Are you angry?" asked Pippin quietly.
"No...not angry," said Allegra slowly. "Just...I don't know a word for it."
"I think I know what you mean," said Pippin, turning his head towards her and smiling gently. The butterflies were back, making Allegra even more uncomfortable. They sat in silence, waiting for the others to wake from then on.
When everyone was up, they had a late breakfast and packed their bags (Merry dug out three packs for Allegra, Pippin and himself) with food, water, teabags, and a few blankets each. Merry lent Pippin and Allegra cloaks, for the weather outside looked threatening. Each of them procrastination prone, they set out at about two in the afternoon. They found the main road and hiked out into the woods beside it. They started off at a good pace, until about three o' clock in the afternoon when the clouds began to downpour on them. Allegra was cold, wet, and frightened that the riders might descend on them at any moment. Her stomach was growling angrily at her. They hadn't stopped to eat since breakfast, and that was a good five hours ago. They traveled for a few hours, checked to see if they were going in the right direction, and then went back into the woods to hike again. Darkness had fallen around them at about seven o' clock that evening, and when they checked the road again, a city loomed out of the darkness, surrounded by a flimsy wooden gate.
"Is this Bree?" asked Allegra.
"Yes," said Merry. "Let's get inside before the wind and rain kills us." They slogged through the mud and rain up to the gate, where Frodo knocked on the door that had been set into it. An old man opened up a look out hole that was cut into the door, and looked down at them.
"We wish to stay at The Prancing Pony," Frodo said.
"Hobbits. Five Hobbits," said the gatekeeper. "What business have you in Bree?"
"Please let us in, our business is our own," said Frodo.
"Alright, I meant no offense," he said as he opened the door. "There's been talk of foul folk abroad. Can't be too careful." The gatekeeper bid them good night, and they hurried up the muddy road, dodging horses and men as they passed. Allegra smiled as they approached The Prancing Pony. Sam opened the heavy wooden doors, and the ripe scent of food and ale issued from the inn. They entered and lowered the hoods of their cloaks. They approached to counter, trying not to run into anybody, who took hardly any notice of their presence.
"Excuse me," said Frodo. The landlord looked down at them and smiled.
"Good evening little sirs. If you're in search of accommodations, we've got some lovely Hobbit sized rooms available," he said cheerfully.
"We're actually looking for Gandalf the Gray. Is he here?" asked Frodo.
"Gandalf…hmm," he muttered, looking as though he were trying to remember. "Oh yes! The elderly man, gray beard, pointy hat." He said with a nod. "Haven't seen him for at least six months." Frodo's face fell. "But I can tell him your here if he comes, Mister, er..."
"Underhill," said Frodo.
"Alright, then. Why don't you fellows have a seat, and I'll send someone round to fix you up some dinner," said the landlord pointing to an empty table in the pub area.
"Thank you," said Frodo. They relocated to the table where they all sat down. "I'm worried about Gandalf," Frodo told the others.
"Maybe he's just late," suggested Sam.
"I don't think so, Sam," said Frodo with a doubtful expression to match his tone of voice.
"Give him a chance to turn up," said Sam in his optimistic way. "Have a little faith, Mister Frodo." Frodo smiled weakly at Sam.
"Can I get you anything, masters?" asked a Hobbit with a quill and a piece of paper. They were glad to see that they weren't the only Hobbits in Bree.
"What have you got?" asked Pippin excitedly.
"I've got a menu, if you want to look it over," said the Hobbit.
"Let me see that," said Pippin, taking the menu from the Hobbit. He looked it over and came to a decision. "Alright, two cold chicken sandwiches, a large bowl of the soup, crackers, a bit of cheese, a loaf of bread, some butter, a little bit of strawberry jam (that's my favorite) some hashed browns, and two hard boiled eggs," he said in one breath. "What do you guys want?" he asked with a smile. The Hobbit was having a hard time writing Pippin's order down, and had to keep asking him to repeat everything. The rest of them ordered, their lists equally lengthy. The Hobbit finally got everything written down.
"You can also get some ale over at the bar, if you wish," said the Hobbit, leaving with their orders.
"People sure are nice here," said Pippin.
"Doesn't anyone here know I'm a girl?" asked Allegra, frustrated that people kept calling her 'sir,' 'fellow,' and 'master.'
"I don't think so," said Merry. "You don't look much like a girl with Pippin's clothes on and that haircut."
"And I thought there'd be a couple obvious giveaways...," muttered Allegra, annoyed.
"Don't worry about it," said Merry nonchalantly. Their food was brought to them with surprising efficiency. They went up to the bar, all except for Merry who was to guard their food, but not eat any of it except for his own. When they returned, Merry went to get beer. Allegra's jaw dropped when she saw Merry come back. In his hand was a huge mug of ale.
"What's that?" asked Pippin.
"This, my friend, is a pint," said Merry as he sat down.
"It comes in pints?" he asked.
"Mmm," Merry mumbled through a sip of beer as a yes.
"I'm getting one," said Pippin.
"But you've had a whole half already!" cried Sam. Pippin ignored Sam and hurried eagerly to the bar. Sam sighed and shook his head. His gaze traveled to the back of the inn. His face assumed a look of foreboding.
"That fellow in the corner's done nothin' but watch you since we came in here, Mr. Frodo," he said, pointing to the man in the corner. Allegra followed Sam's finger to the cloaked figure. She could not see his face under his dark gray hood. He sat there smoking a pipe, not even bothering to look away when they spotted him.
Soon, the landlord came by with a tray of food. Frodo stopped him and nodded to the man in the corner. "The man in the corner...who is he?" asked Frodo.
"He's one of them Rangers," said the landlord. "I don't know his right name, but everyone 'round here calls him Strider."
"Strider...," muttered Frodo. Allegra saw Frodo take out a gold ring, and start rolling it around in his fingers. Allegra watched him as he began to go into a kind of trance.
"Frodo?" she asked, waving a hand in front of his face. He didn't notice at all. Allegra heard Pippin's voice above the other chatting patrons.
"Baggins? Sure I know a Baggins. Frodo Baggins, he's right over there. He's my second cousin, twice removed on his mother's side, and my third cousin, once removed on his father's side, if you follow me," Pippin was explaining to the men at the bar.
"Pippin!" cried Frodo, getting up and running over to the bar. He reached out to grab Pippin, and as he did, his foot slipped out from under him. He fell to the ground and as far as Allegra could see, he just...disappeared. She saw Strider get up quickly and walk over to the scene of panicking people.
"Frodo disappeared! It's the ring, I know it!" hissed Allegra. Merry, Sam, and Allegra got up and looked around for Frodo. Pippin joined them.
"Look!" cried Pippin. They saw Frodo being taken upstairs, kicking and flailing, by Strider.
"We have to get him back!" cried Sam. They ran towards the staircase, Merry taking candelabra with him and Pippin a chair. Allegra grabbed a frying pan, abandoned on a nearby table. They rushed up the stairs and burst into the room where Strider had taken Frodo. Strider drew his sword and stood in a fighting stance.
"Don't you hurt him!" growled Sam, putting up his fists. "Or I'll have you, Longshanks!"
"You have a stout heart, young Hobbit. But that will not save you in battle," said Strider putting his sword back into the sheath. "You cannot wait for the wizard any longer. They are coming." The Hobbits stared at Strider, not sure of whether to trust him or not.
"How can you be so sure of what follows us and whether Gandalf will come tonight or no?" asked Frodo.
"I know a great many things, Mr. Baggins," said Strider. "And I know what evil you carry with you."
"Why do you bother with us?" asked Frodo. "Why is it any business of yours?"
"I am a friend of Gandalf's. I know you mission, and I was asked by him to guide you," said Strider.
"We have maps," said Frodo stubbornly.
"You will not make it in the wilderness by yourselves," Strider assured them. "Maps aren't any use in the wild." The Hobbits huddled together for a moment.
"What are we going to do, then?" asked Sam to the others.
"We can't very well just walk out of this situation," said Allegra in a low voice. "Then we have no other choice than to trust him," sighed Frodo.
"I don't like the looks of him, Mister Frodo. I don't think it's wise to go trusting strange folk so easily," said Sam.
"What else can we do, Sam?" asked Frodo. Sam was at a loss for words. They turned around and Frodo nodded at Strider.
"Get some sleep, young Hobbits," Strider advised. "You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."
"How can we sleep with great black monsters after us?" muttered Allegra. Strider didn't notice.
"Excuse me for a moment," said Strider. "I need to see a man about a room." And with that he left.
"What an odd fellow," said Sam.
"To be sure," agreed Frodo. "But I do agree with him that we should all get some rest."
"I doubt I'll get any sleep tonight," said Allegra, removing her jacket and tossing it onto the floor. "If we're all to sleep in that bed, we'll be elbowing each other all night."
"I wouldn't say that," said Sam. "It'll fit all of us." They waited for Strider to come back before they climbed onto the bed and got under the covers.
"Where have you been?" asked Sam.
"Buying us time," said Strider.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sam sharply, but Strider would say no more. He situated a chair next to the window and stayed there all night, watching the street below. The heat from the fire was making Allegra feel sleepy. It took her a couple minutes to realize that she was sleeping next to Pippin for the second night in a row. I shouldn't make a habit of this, people will start getting ideas, she thought. She imagined for a brief moment what it might be like to consider Pippin in a romantic sense. She imagined herself holding hands with him, but as soon as she thought it, she wished she hadn't. He was her best friend, and a circumstance like that would be awkward to say the least. I'll just play dumb. If he thinks about me like that, I'll simply pretend not to notice. There. Problem solved, she thought in a satisfied way. However, the image she had created in her mind of Pippin's fingers intertwined with hers would not leave her.
After Sam and Merry's first few snores, Pippin's foot touched hers, she pushed it away with a smile and a chuckle. She rolled over to face Pippin, who's eyes were half closed. He smiled a sleepy smile at her.
"Quit messing with my foot," she joked in barely whisper, trying to act like he was doing it just to bother her.
"Sure," he sighed. Allegra inched closer to him, curled up and closed her eyes, her face not two inches from his. Maybe it would not be such a bad thing being a little bit fond of Pippin. Maybe you were always meant to see him in a different light. It's not a bad thing, you know. It's just...different. After all, things change, you can't expect them not to. You just weren't prepared to think this way about him. I mean, he's Pippin, after all. I wonder what he really thinks of me. It's probably something good. After all, he did spend a lot of time alone with me in the forge, and if he can think well of me there, then anything's possible, I suppose. But why Pippin? Before she could come up with a logical answer to this question, sleep took her and she remembered naught of it in the morning..
Allegra jerked awake as a piercing, angry shriek filled her ears. In jerking awake, she'd knocked Pippin off the side of the bed. He clung to the blanket as he went down, dragging it with him. Allegra, who had her foot caught in the blanket, was pulled off the bed on top of him. Pippin groaned and rubbed the back of his head.
"Oops...," she said. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," he said. "Can you get off my leg, though?" Allegra got up quickly and sat back down on the bed. She heard the shriek again, just as Pippin climbed back on the bed.
"What are they?" asked Frodo.
"They were once men. Great kings. Long ago, Sauron gave to them nine rings to help govern the lands they ruled over. Blinded by their thirst for power, they took the rings without question. One by one, they slipped into darkness. They are the Nazgul. Ringwraiths. They are forever drawn to the One ring, and are bound to its will," Strider said.
"This adventure has gone awry already, and we're not even two days out," Allegra said in a tense voice.
"Get some rest, young Hobbits," said Strider. "You'll need it." Allegra didn't feel at all like sleeping. She put her hands behind her head and tried to relax. How'd I get into this mess? I'm not brave enough to contend with faceless horrors. But then again, neither are Merry and Pippin. If we stick together, we might be able to pull through all of this. She looked over at Pippin, who was fast asleep, and then to Merry. Don't leave me up a river without a paddle, she thought with a worried expression.
"Still awake?" asked Strider, looking over at Allegra. She shrugged.
"Can't sleep," she said with a sigh.
"Are you frightened?" he asked.
"Yes," she said. "But I'll go on with it. It makes matters slightly better that my best friends a with me."
"Try to sleep," said Strider, ending their conversation abruptly. "We have a long journey ahead of us."
"How long? Do you think we'll be back in a couple of days? My parents will have both called search parties by now, I don't want to worry them anymore," Allegra told him.
"It will probably be a couple of days until our next rest stop," said Strider. Allegra cast her eyes downward in disappointment.
"They'll be so mad at me," she muttered.
"If I were you, I would worry more about the fate of that trinket in Frodo's pocket. If it is not destroyed soon, there will be no home to go back to," Strider said. "Good night, Allegra." Allegra said no more, but turned over and tried her best to fall asleep. She was now beginning to realize how much danger she had bumped into by chance.