Chapter 3
"Come along, Samwise, keep up!" Gandalf called as he led his horse, Frodo, Elizabeth and Sam through a forest.
He stopped. "Is it safe?"
Frodo put a hand over the pocket that held the ring.
"Never put it on." Gandalf ordered. "For the agents of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power. Always remember, Frodo, the ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found.
"Goodbye, Elizabeth. I will see you soon, don't worry." Gandalf calmed Elizabeth.
And with that said, Gandalf mounted his horse and rode off.
For hours and hours Elizabeth, Frodo and Sam walked through the Shire. Over rocks and past waterfalls, through fields and grasslands.
When they finally stopped to make camp for the night, Sam started to cook some ham and sausages.
Frodo sat in a tree; smoking while Elizabeth sat watching the forest around them.
Suddenly, Frodo's ears perked up.
"Listen," he said, listening to the distant singing. "Wood-elves."
Frodo led Sam and Elizabeth through the woods to where they could watch as the wood-elves passed through the forest.
"Wow," Elizabeth exclaimed in a hushed whisper. "They're so pretty. Where're they going, Frodo?"
"They're going to the harbor beyond the White Towers, to the Grey Havens." Frodo answered.
"What's that?" Elizabeth asked.
"It's the place they call the Undying Lands. It's a place of never ending happiness and peace." Frodo answered.
"Wow." Elizabeth whispered.
"I don't know why," Sam said. "But they're song makes me sad."
When they returned to camp and ate, they all went to bed.
"Everywhere I lie, there's a dirty great root sticking into my back." Sam complained.
Elizabeth, who was sound asleep, was not affected by Sam's words, but Frodo smiled.
"Just shut your eyes and imagine you're in your own bed with a soft mattress and a lovely feather pillow." Frodo suggested.
"It's not working Mr. Frodo," Sam said after a few moments. "I'm never gonna be able to sleep out here."
Frodo just smiled. "Me neither, Sam."
The next morning, the party of three woke up, ate breakfast and continued on their merry way. Elizabeth stayed at Frodo's side constantly, especially when the three of them walked through a large cornfield.
When she and Frodo heard Sam calling, they became worried, but calmed down when they saw he was all right.
"I thought I'd lost you two." Sam said breathlessly.
"What're you talking about?" Frodo asked.
"Just something Gandalf told me." Sam replied.
"What did he tell you?" Frodo asked.
"'Don't you lose them, Samwise Gamgee.' And I don't mean to." Sam answered.
"Sam, we're still in the Shire, what could possibly happen?" Frodo asked, still holding Elizabeth's hand.
At that moment, Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took came running from out of nowhere.
Peregrin had run into Frodo and Elizabeth and Meriadoc had run into Sam. Peregrin pushed himself off of Frodo and Elizabeth.
"Frodo. Merry, it's Frodo Baggins." Peregrin exclaimed.
"Hello Frodo." Merry said, helping Sam off his feet.
"Get off of them. Come on, Elizabeth. Come on, Frodo." Sam said, shoving Peregrin off of Frodo and Elizabeth.
"What's the meaning of this?" Frodo asked, pointing to the vegetables that Pippin and Merry had dropped.
"Hold this." Merry said, shoving some veggies into Sam's arms.
"You've been stealing someone's food!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Mommy says it's bad to steal."
"Your mum's not here, Elizabeth, so you don't have to listen to her." Merry said, annoyed.
"Don't tell her that, Merry." Frodo said, smiling. "She'll end up like you."
"That's what I'm shootin' for."
Suddenly, a man with a pitchfork and a dog came running through the cornfield.
Frodo grabbed Elizabeth's hand and pulled her after Merry. Pippin ran after them and Sam followed.
Pippin stopped dead in his tracks when he came to steep hill. Elizabeth and Frodo stopped quickly behind him and so did Merry. Sam ran smack into the four in front of him, which sent the entire group tumbling to the ground below.
"Oh, that was close." Pippin remarked.
"I think I've broken something." Merry said. He reached under himself to retrieve a cracked carrot.
"Trust a Brandybuck and a Took" Sam muttered.
"What? That was just a detour, a short cut." Merry remarked.
"A sort cut to what?" Sam asked.
"Mushrooms!" Pippin exclaimed.
Frodo helped Elizabeth to her feet and she watched, as Frodo seemed to study the path they were on.
"I think we should get off the road." He suggested to the three hobbits behind him that were picking mushrooms.
Frodo turned back to the road and then suddenly cried out.
"Get off the road, quick!"
Elizabeth hid under a large tree root with the others.
"What if I scream?" Elizabeth asked.
Sam covered her mouth with his hand to answer her question; Elizabeth did not protest.
All five of them were very quiet as they heard a horse approach slowly. The rider dismounted and they held their breath. His armored hand was right above Frodo's head and the very essence of his being seemed to make insects crawl away from their hiding places.
Elizabeth noticed Frodo was getting ready to put on the ring and remembered Gandalf's words.
She elbowed Frodo in the ribs, causing him to come out of his 'trance' and Merry took to opportunity to throw a bag into the woods to distract the rider. Hearing the distraction, the rider ran off, looking for the hobbits elsewhere.
The four hobbits took off into the forest, Merry carrying Elizabeth.
"What was that?" Merry asked, voicing Elizabeth's question.
Frodo stared at the Ring and chose not to answer.
Disobeying Gandalf's orders, Frodo and the others traveled during the night, heading to Bucklebury Ferry.
One of the Black Riders intercepted them and Frodo was caught in the middle of it. Sam, Merry, Pippin and Elizabeth untied the raft and began drifting off. Frodo came running down the dock and leapt across the water and onto the raft.
"How far to the nearest crossing?" Frodo asked.
"The Brandywine Bridge. Twenty miles." Merry replied.
When the gate of Bree was finally in view, the five travelers were grateful.
Elizabeth, who'd fallen asleep on Merry's back, awoke and was let off to walk to the gate.
When they rapped on the gate, an elderly man opened the peephole.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"We're heading for the Prancing Pony," Frodo answered.
The gatekeepers shut the peephole and open the door.
"Hobbits? Five hobbits?" the man said, thinking Elizabeth was a fifth hobbit. "What business brings you to Bree?"
"We wish to stay at the inn. Our business is our own." Frodo explained.
"All right, young sir, I meant no offense." The gatekeeper said. "It's my job to ask questions after nightfall."
He let the five through the door.
"There's talk of strange folk abroad. Can't be too careful." The gatekeeper continued, shutting the door behind them.
It was very hard to avoid all the people that were walking past them and when they reached the Prancing Pony, the five were grateful.
They removed their hoods when they entered the inn and waited near the counter.
"Excuse me." Frodo said.
A jolly man with a mustache appeared at the counter.
"Good evening, little masters. What can I do for you? If you're looking for accommodation, we got some nice, cozy, Hobbit-sized rooms available. Always proud to cater to the little folk, Mr., uh…" the man discontinued, for he knew not Frodo's name.
"Underhill. My name's Underhill." Frodo answered.
The man repeated the name that Frodo had given him.
"We're friends of Gandalf the Grey. Can you tell him we've arrived?" Frodo answered.
"Gandalf? Gandalf?" the man tried to remember. "Oh, yes, I remember. Elderly chap. big grey beard, pointy hat."
Frodo nodded.
"Not seen him for about six months."
Frodo's smile faded as he turned to the rest of his friends. He led them to a table and sat down. They all ordered something to drink.
"What happened to Gandalf?" Elizabeth asked.
"He'll be here. He'll come. Don't worry, Elizabeth." Frodo answered.
Merry took his seat at the table and set down his drink very carefully.
"What's that?" Pippin asked, indicating Merry's drink.
"This, my friend, is a pint."
"It comes in pints?" Pippin asked. Merry nodded. "I'm getting one."
And with that, Pippin went off to get a pint of beer.
Sam turned his attention to a hooded man in a corner.
"That fellow has done nothing but stare at you since we arrived." Sam said to Frodo, nodding at the man. Frodo followed Sam's gaze.
"Excuse me," Frodo asked a waiter. "That man in the corner. Who is he?"
The waiter looked frightened. "He's one of them rangers. Dangerous folk, they are, wandering the wilds. What his right name is, I've never heard, but around here, he's known as Strider."
Frodo repeated the name as he fingered the Ring. He heard the Ring calling his name.
Baggins.
The next thing he knew, Frodo heard Pippin saying his name.
"Baggins? Sure, I know a Baggins. He's over there. Frodo Baggins. He's my second cousin, once removed on his mother's side and my third cousin, twice removed..."
Frodo made his way over to Pippin to get him to shut up, the ring in his hand. Elizabeth followed closely behind.
The man in the corner watched interestedly.
The next thing Frodo knew, he'd been pushed backwards and the ring had fallen onto his finger.
He could see the eye of Sauron and he hurriedly took the ring off, only to be grabbed by the shoulder.
Suddenly, the eye of Sauron flashed in Elizabeth's mind. She had unconsciously formed a connection with Frodo and now, she could also see Sauron's evil. Breaking the connection as quickly as she'd connected it, Elizabeth scrambled backwards and was helped to her feet by Sam.
It was the man called Strider that had grabbed Frodo's shoulder. And now he held him up against the wall.
"You draw far too much attention to yourself, 'Mr. Underhill.'" Strider said, than grabbed Frodo and practically dragged him up the stairs.
Once inside a room, Strider shoved Frodo into a corner.
"What do you want?" Frodo asked.
"A little more caution from you. That is no trinket you carry." Strider answered.
"I carry nothing." Frodo replied simply.
"Indeed." Strider said. He walked over to the window and put out the candle flames. "I can avoid being seen if I wish, but to disappear entirely, that is a rare gift."
Strider removed his hood to reveal his face.
"Who are you?" Frodo asked.
"Are you frightened?" Strider asked, avoiding Frodo's question. Neither of them noticed the little blond head that had cracked open the door silently.
It took Frodo a moment to answer, but he did.
"Yes."
"Not nearly frightened enough." Strider said. "I know what hunts you."
Suddenly Frodo heard footsteps rushing up the stairs towards the door of the room. Strider drew his sword the moment the door opened.
Sam, Pippin and Merry ran around the blonde-haired little girl who sat by the door. Sam held his fists up, Pippin held a bar stool and Merry held a candleholder.
"Let him go!" Sam shouted. "Or I'll have you, Longshanks!"
Strider sheathed his sword and relaxed.
"You have a stout heart, little hobbit, but that will not save you." Strider said to Sam. He turned to Frodo. "You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo. They're coming."
The blonde little girl sneezed.
Strider frowned at her. "Friend of yours?"
"Gandalf told me to look after her. She's human." Frodo explained.
Strider frowned. That was odd. Didn't Gandalf know that she'd get in the way?
The little girl got up and walked towards Strider. She held out her hand.
"Hi, I'm Elizabeth and I'm seven." She greeted.
"I'm Strider. Listen, tonight, you'll have to be very quiet, understand?" Strider explained, squatting in front of Elizabeth.
Elizabeth nodded.
"She's seen them before." Frodo announced.
Strider nodded silently.
"Those riders in black will be here tonight and we have to be very quiet in order to stay hidden. Can you be very quiet for me, Elizabeth?" Strider asked.
Elizabeth nodded enthusiastically.
"Good. If you're quiet enough, the black riders won't even know we're here and then, we can go see the elves. Would you like that, Elizabeth?" Strider continued.
Again, Elizabeth nodded enthusiastically.
"Good. Now let's go get some sleep. We'll be leaving very early tomorrow morning." Strider announced silently as he led the group downstairs.
"That's if we make it through the night." Merry muttered.
((ok, done w/ rewriting this chappie! on to chappie 4!))