Disclaimer: I do not own LOTR but I am having a lot of fun with the characters. I hope you liked the previous chapter wherein you met Amanda's father. Yes there is a back story being written about these young ladies but not by me. To find the back story you will have to bother Ethereal Lady of the Light who just recently became a member. Enjoy.

Longshanks

Amanda

"Maybe she can't but I can," was said menacingly before a mage staff knocked the back of my fathers head so hard that he was out before he hit the floor in front of me. Laurelin then rushed to my side. " Amanda I'm sorry but we have no time to spare Frodo was grabbed by that strange and was taken upstairs, we must save him or all is lost, the other three Hobbits were there them pushing me to my feet. I immediately touched my hand to the candle on the bar and Laurelin in a pitcher of water that rested nearby. My hand lit afire and Laurein's hand glowed a beautiful sapphire blue. Sam had his little fists ready while Merry grabbed a candleabra and Pippin a chair. The Hobbits were quicker than us and thus were the first ones up the stairs. We followed close behind Merry and Pippin bursting into the room when Sam growled,

"Let him go or I'll have you Longshanks."

"You have a stout heart little Hobbit but that will not save you, you can no longer wait for the Wizard, Frodo. They're coming!" the stranger then turned back to us but he was no longer a stranger his voice had given him away long ago.

"Shaggy," I said addressing him with my old nickname I had given him as a child. He was taken aback as he gazed long and hard at me.

"Amanda? . . . Amanda the mage?" he asked and I nodded smiling broadly. "You have changed much over the years."

"And you haven't changed one bit Ranger," I responded noting his garb. He smile at that then immediately after turned serious.

"We must act quickly, help arrange these beds."

Laurelin

Strider instructed us to arrange the beds so that it seemed as though the Hobbits were sleeping in them as well as us. We then collected our belongings and headed to the Inn across the way. We rented a room there and took the Hobbits straight to bed. Frodo unfortunately couldn't sleep. Amanda's eye had darkened several shades making her eye as black as night. Strider had questioned her about what had happened. When told he went right back to the Prancing Pony stripped Amanda's father of his clothing and threw him out into an alley a beaten drunk. When Strider returned he declared that he had cleaned the Prancing Ponies Stalls. Strider had seen Amanda's eye blackened before but it hadn't been fresh and it had been for they very same reason. Although he had tormented Amanda when she was younger it was quite obvious that he cared about her as a brother would a sister. Deafening screeches rouse me from my thoughts. At the other end of the bed I felt the three sleeping Hobbits jolt awake from my sitting position beside Frodo at the foot of the bed. Amanda sat on the floor by our feet. Frodo's face was very uneasy. Strider sat in a chair by the window watching.

"What are they?" asked Frodo amid the screeching.

"They were once men, Great Kings of men. Then Sauron the deceiver gave to them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness, and now they are slaves to his will. They are the Nazgul. Ringwraiths neither living nor dead at all times they feel the presence of the ring drawn to the power of the one. They will never stop hunting you!" he explained grimly.

"How horrible!" cried Sam.

"Do not be concerned with them now Master Gamgee you are safe tonight," replied Strider. With that said the Hobbits settled back down. I decided to as well crawling to the head of the bed and snuggling down beside Sam much to Merry's dismay. Frodo curled up at the foot of the bed while Amanda slid across the floor to sit in front of Strider. I then peacefully nodded of not being able to help myself.