Chapter Four

Within the next few moments a young hobbit burst through the door and fell into the other three.

His face was pale and his blonde-red hair was quite a mess. He was panting violently and looking wildly for his cousin.

"Frodo?" he wheezed as he rose up from the jumbled mass of hobbit bodies. "Frodo! I saw them- I saw them, Frodo!!!"

The dark haired hobbit looked to Strider and was not at all surprised to see that the human was calm and listening to every word.

Most, he had noticed, held fear in their eyes or voices when the riders were even spoken of. But not this man: he hardly flinched and continued to tranquilly smoke his long pipe, puffing out patches of smoke.

Merry followed Frodo's blue gaze and caught on the stranger sitting in the corner.

The younger hobbit nearly jumped out of his skin at the sight of this black cloaked man sitting in the corner out of the light.

"Merry-" Pippin smiled warmly and patted his cousin's damp back. "This is- er - Longshanks, as Sam likes to call him."

"Oh, Eru above, not another name-" Strider coughed and let his head fall back against the wall as the smoke seeped from his lips.

Not giving the ranger a thought, Pippin continued. "He's gonna lead us to Rivendell."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Samwise muttered under his breath, causing Frodo to snap a glare back at him and Merry to raise his brows.

"You mean to trust this man Barliman told us explicitly not to speak with?" he queried, shrugging away from Pippin and staring straight into his older cousin's blue eyes. "Be sensible, Frodo-"

"I am being sensible, Merry."

"No you are not!" the younger hobbit shot out, then took his cousin's hand; he tightened his grip. "We are here for you Frodo, we will help. Don't give the chance to the foul beasts."

"Merry!"

"Excuse me-"

All turned back to look at the man who had once again begun smoking his little pipe and was now easily seen as the firelight bounced off his dark cloak and leather attire.

"Please, I know that you do not trust me. But let me prove myself. We will not leave Bree tonight if you all follow my orders. In fact, we will not even depart from the inn."

Sam stared for a moment, eyes hard and accusing. "And if we don't follow your orders?"

The man chuckled. "Well, then, I will just have to follow you to Rivendell, now won't I?"

All gawked at the ranger and Sam snarled.

Stepping away from his followers and nearer to the man in the chair, Frodo turned on his friends, giving them all a fierce glare that scared their wits and burned their hearts.

"What would you have me do, Mr. Strider?" he asked; it made them feel a hopeless loss for their dear friend and cousin.

"Thank you, Frodo," the man whispered as he clapped the hobbit upon the shoulder.

Rising up slowly, he turned to the others, wishing that he could, for once, see their faces and know if he had made any sort of change in their opinion.

Pippin looked up with sorrowful eyes, then turned them down. He felt guilt enter his heart and he now longed to join his cousin.

Like a dog with his tail between his legs, Pippin slowly trotted forward and huddled close to Frodo.

He knew he was acting cowardly, and he did not want to, but he was not sure what to do. He thought this man to be good and right, though he smelled and looked a vagabond. Yet, he did not want to be wrong, not again.

"Pip?" his cousin Merry called, unsure of what had just happened. "Where are you going? You wanted to protect Frodo - you are not doing it by helping this ranger!"

Straightening up, he glowered at the two opposing halflings across the small room.

"I don't know what Fro' sees in this one, Merry!" he growled. "But I believe he's right! I don't know why, but I have a feeling about him."

"You always have a feeling," the older one snorted. "Never means it's a right one."

Pippin hung his head a little and felt Frodo's arm around his neck; the older hobbit hugged him tight. "Stand strong, Pippin," he whispered, and slowly but surely, the younger nodded.

Strider sighed and leaned on his right leg, a grimace coming to his face. "I know," he spoke softly, "you are not going to appreciate this, Sam, Merry. But I need you both to come to my room."

"No way-" one of the untouched hobbits spoke while the other, Sam to be correct, folded his arms and nodded.

"Fine, you wait for the wraiths. And once they have the killed the two of you they will be somewhat sufficed." The ranger snorted and continued to hobble lightly to the door, Pippin and Frodo in tow.

His leg felt a little better now that it had rested and he could walk easier.

They looked back sadly and Frodo felt pain in his heart. He alone knew to trust the man, but if Aragorn had not already told them, then he would not. No matter how much he longed to.

"Frodo?" Merry questioned once more, shivering a little at what the man had said.

"If you wish to join us, we will be in my room." He turned his hooded face back and for once Merry saw barely a glimpse of his eyes beneath. They were lit only with the reflection of the crackling fire.

Sam, looking around undecidedly, dashed forward. "I don't trust 'im. But if I come, maybe I can protect you."

Frodo smiled and looked back to Merry; he looked up to see the ranger smiling a little as well. But it was not a wicked smile as Sam and Merry would have thought.

It was a grin of joy.

"Good. I am at peace now that you've chosen to come, Master Samwise."

"Ya, I am sure you are." He snorted and turned back to Merry, looking the other hobbit straight in the face and shrugging. "Well, come on. I can't protect Mr. Frodo all by me lonesome."

Reluctantly, and with a look at the human, he stalked towards the other four beings and sighed, raising his hand up and shaking his head.

"Just what I wanted to hear Master Merry. Just what I wanted to hear."

TBC

Thanks for reading you guys!!!! Now, I promise to finish this story, but as of now- it may take me a bit longer to update. Besides the fact that I am EXTREMELY busy I also have to make sure everything with this story is- well flawless, considering all the different possibilities. Anyway- so here we are to repsonses!

Baralach, I am thrilled that you love my story, it is an abslutely wonderful compliment to an author to be told that their writings are good. :) However, I am sorry to say that the presidential election is quite a big thing in my country right now- in case you have not noticed.(Not to mention that I am really stressing over the elections and the only way I can feel better is to ask people to pray.) And I am sorry that it is considered rude to talk of such in your country- but where I live it is called freedom of speech. Plus, you really don't have to read the author's notes. :) No offense, but if they are offensive to you and other people seem to compliment me on them, I say you can skip all you want of them. I often skip author's notes because I may not agree with them. I hope that I have been awfully rude, I do not mean to be. But pride is one of the areas God is working on in me- I hope that you will still be able to read my stories, even though I may be rude, obnoxious, or political. (I am not saying you called me these things, I just know I am.)

WOW! Thanks, Kate 82!!!! Aww, well yes. Had to include the little head aches. Couldn't just leave the buggers out now. And, no. I have not started posting this story to the MC list yet. I am trying to finish "Honor Thy Father" on there first. :)

Awwww, but I liked your name, Android! LOL! Sorry to sound strange, my brother likes names like Bob, Bill, Fred, George... he's very interesting and when I saw your name "Fred" I was like, "Awww!" Anyway- sorry, I am a little strange tonight. Thanks, a bunch! Yes, things are better, though still a little stressful. :) God bless you!

Oh, Ella-elbereth, of course! There is always possibility!!! And thank you! I always wished to do a perfect characterization of someone! Maybe I finally did it. LOL! I am sure to make a mistake somewhere in the rest of the story though, now that I said that. Yes, well. He had to seem older, he had matured much more and has been through much pain and loss of hope during the past sixty-seven years. After loosing his best friend, or thinking that he lost Legolas's friendship, he lost all that held him together and now, he is merely trying to keep it up for the thought that maybe someday he will wed Arwen.

Thanks again!!!!

Thanks, zorra! I will try, I can not do it everytime though- as I said I am EXTREMELY busy. But I will do my best!!! :)

LOL, Catmint! I knew that... gives innocent smile Well, maybe not. Dude? Did I mess that up! Did I call the sword Anduril?! Please tell me I did not?! I meant to say Narsil, but I was checking and- oh sheesh!!! Well, thanks for being so kind with all my stupid little mistakes! Hope you enjoyed it anyway!

Arwen? Arwen?! No way will Arwen meet them, Arrina!!! I am not yelling at you, just so you know. LOL! Probably scarred you out of your mind. Just so you know, I dispise Arwen for taking Glorfie's even if it had to be done. I will most likely never write about Arwen saving Frodo. Not to mention that Glorfindel is also my absolute favorite character, so. I throw him in any chance I get. Oh, Merry told the other three, in the book, that he was going out for a bit of fresh air. LOL! You'll have to wait to see what happens with the nazgul. Oh, and this is more based on the book than the movie. I mostly stick to the books, unless I really like a part in the movies over the books. And yes, I had to add his leg injury, not to mention that I like angst- it also helps to add more questioning and later Estel can maybe share the tale. grins Thanks and God bless you as well!

You'll just have to wait and see, Aranna Undomiel. smiles Yes, it would seem that way, wouldn't it.

Haha, marbienl! That would rock! Though, sorry. I can't do that because I already partially told how he became blinded, not because of Morgul Poisoning. Thinks Hmmm... I really like that idea and it is REALLY hard for me to not do it. But as I said, you can't go back on what you wrote, especially in a series. It just messes everyone up. Yes, well. He knows that everyone in Bree (well most everyone) thinks him as pondscum. sad sigh huggles ranger Yes and no. Sure he knows when they are being used- or can guess when they are- but he does not know what one looks like and while he can be told, he has never seen one that he can remember. So, I would asume that it has less affect than an actually seen glare. Yes, well I am afraid that Aragorn will not let the hobbits notice his blindness until the last possible moment. smiles Our ranger is a sly one when it comes to those things. Oh, I KNOW they will ask him! I love those kind of things! :)

Yes, I am planning something a little like that, or trying to. Yes, thank God taht he is healed. He is a pretty good friend and I would hate to see him hurt. Thanks, God bless!!! Hugs

Thanks, Lindahoyland! :) I just couldn't leave those parts out. :)

LOL! Ya, sorry, MSL. I just can't tell ya. :) And yes, basically. Of course some will be altered because of his- er- disability. And it will be written in my words. It would take to long to copy Tolkien's. LOL! So- thanks again!!!

Well, one does, MusicDreamer. But the others wil find out soon enough. Glad to hear from a fellow Bushy! (Thanks to you to Aldawen Eldartari, my fellow Bush Supporter!) :)

Thanks for reminding me of that, Linchi!!! :) Thanks!

Ok, I hope I did not miss too many people! :) Thanks a bunch you guys!!! ANd I hope you all will be back to read the next chapter!! God bless!! And pray for the president, even if Kerry is elected- pray that he will make good descisions for our country.