The hobbits regrouped around Raina gazing frantically for their disappearing friend. Even her charmingly foolish Pippin appeared at her side.
"Where is Frodo? If anything happens to him, I shall never forgive myself." Sam muttered as fear was clearly painted on his face. Raina could not help but squeeze his shoulder in a show of support she searched around for any sign of Frodo.
"There he is!" Pippin cried pointing to a staircase where sure enough Frodo was being pulled up the cloaked man.
All three hobbits took off in a charge only to be tugged back rather forcefully by their cloaks.
"First lesson of battle gentlemen, we do not run into battle unequipped. Grab a weapon and follow me." Raina whispered sliding passed the gossiping customers of the tavern.
The hobbits exchanged glances before rushing to grab whatever weapons were available. Pippin went for a plate, while Merry held tightly to a candle holder and Sam merely relied upon his fists.
Ascending the stair case, the hobbits found Raina hooded waiting outside the door with a pair of twin swords in each hand. Each had to admit, they were finding themselves rather lucky to have stumbled across her tree.
She eyed her three little hobbits and mouthed a count down. On three, Raina kicked the door down with all her might as they entered the room to find the stranger now uncloaked and armed.
The sound of metal clashing was all that could be head in the room as Raina blocked his attack.
"Let him go or I'll have you for longshanks." Sam growled popping in front of the elf as Merry and Pippin were at her side.
It took the stranger a moment to break his gaze with Raina before gazing amusedly at the hobbit. "You have a stout heart little hobbit, but that will not save you." He rasped sheathing his sword.
The hobbits rushed to Frodo's side as Raina took the chance to assess her opponent as he closed the door. The ranger, she assumed, was a tall brunette with a square jaw and other rather noble features. In fact he reminded her so of a young boy she had met back in Rivendell so long ago.
Flashback
"You should go and talk to him." A thirty year old Raina whispered to her dear friend Arwen as they gazed upon the boy awaiting council with their father.
A flush painted Arwen's cheeks as she snuck a peek at the boy. Rivendell had been a light with gossip when the boy had been taken to the homely house. It was said that he was the heir of Isildur but it truly was gossip.
"I couldn't." Arwen whispered gazing down at her shoes rather intently.
"Oh yes, you can. Come with me." Raina said with a grin taking her sister by the arm making their way to their father's study.
"Hello." Raina said as the brunette gazed up in shock.
"My ladies." He replied gazing between the two elves that looked to be close to his age before remembering his bow.
"I am Raina and this is my sister Arwen." She said grinning as the boy stared rather intently at Arwen who was practically the color of a rose in bloom.
"I am Ar…Estel." He muttered seeing as how Lord Elrond eyed the boy knowingly while opening the door.
"Go on my children, Estel and I have some things to discuss." Elrond said grinning at his children before ushering the human into his study.
Raina noticed with a proud smile, Arwen lingering back to steal one final glance at Estel.
End of Flashback
Raina stirred from her memory as she heard the closing of the door. If this was Estel, much had happened to change that man she once knew. Hell she should not be one to talk.
"So what in the world is his name?" Merry questioned as Raina sat along the window sill getting into the hobbit's conversation.
"Strider." Frodo murmured as they all got ready for bed in the large human sized bed. Much to Raina's luck, no one stripped down to their under garments but rather loose tunics and pants.
She could see how tired they all were yet it was also obvious that they were on edge considering that laughter from the bar caused Merry to practically jump into Pippin's arms.
"Av'osto. Go get some rest. I shall keep watch." She murmured softly as they reluctantly slipped under the covers.
It got rather quiet quickly however Raina was truly in need of the moment to just regain some clarity.
She began the evening off escorting friendly hobbits to the Prancing Pony; one in possession of a ring that used to be no more than a myth that frightened children. But it was real and meant that a greater war with Sauron would be looming.
Did she have the strength to face him and all the treachery he caused?
Then there was the possible reappearance of Estel. It seemed that the old adage of one's past coming back to haunt them really was true.
The squeak of the door alerted her to Strider's presence. The man wordlessly took the seat across from her and gazed out the window. An awkward silence befell the two as neither really knew what to say.
"I have seen many things and met many a people being a ranger. Though, I must admit I have never met a she-elf who has taken on the life of a ranger." His somewhat raspy voice began breaking the silence as Raina gazed at him in surprise.
She had yet to even remove her hood or pull her hair back. Her heart thumped in her chest at the realization that this was sounding like him more and more.
"I had lived among the elves of Rivendell for quite some time as a child. The manner in which you carry yourself utters elf no matter how hard you've tried to cover it." He replied gazing over at her from the corner of his eye.
Thump thump. Thump thump. That was all Raina could hear as she pulled the hood back from her face revealing her face and ears. It seemed the little moonlight that came in through the window gave him a better glance at her, for there was an air of shock on his face.
"Is that you Raina?" He questioned watching as the elf's eyes before him changed to a rich hazel as tears pooled in her eyes.
"Aragon?" She posed hoping that this was not a cruel dream. The moment Aragon nodded his head, Raina propelled into his open arms.
The two friends remained in the tight embrace simply enjoying the proximity. Tears trickled down both of their cheeks. Aragon could not believe that the elleth who was one of his closest friends in childhood was alive and well. He would never forget the day that it was reported that she has disappeared.
*Flashback*
Aragon smiled softly as his fingers intertwined with Arwen's. This was the happiest he had been in the longest time. He partially had to thank Raina for this chance to be alone with Arwen.
"The day that I was brought to Rivendell was the day in which you had my heart. I gazed upon you and knew you were meant for me" He murmured adoring the grin and blush upon his elleth. Yet all that disappeared with in a moment.
"Are you well, Arwen?" He questioned standing before her taking her now cold hands in his.
"No, come with me." She said breaking off into a run, fingers still interlaced.
The couple stumbled across her father hunched over with his head in his hands and Glorfindel gazing at the lord sympathetically.
"ADA!" Arwen cried rushing to her father's side. "What is it?" She questioned gazing between her father and Glorfindel.
"It is your sister, my lady." He began having difficult putting the words together it seemed. "She has disappeared. Elorhir and Elladan have scoured the entire premises and there is no trace of her."
A pit fell in Aragon's stomach at the news. The two had talked the other day about her powers and the fear that grew within her at their uncontrollability. She fretted the idea of harming the only family that she had left.
What Raina did not realize was that her disappearance caused them more harm than her powers.
*End of Flashback*
Pulling apart from the embrace, Aragon gazed over the elleth who had changed so much since they last saw each other. Any softness in her facial features had changed into sharp lines. Grey eyes that used to be filled with mirth and life were clouded.
"What happened to you mellon-nin? You just disappeared from Rivendell and were never heard from again." Aragon said urging her back into a seat.
"Aragon, I could not submit my only family to my burden. Those powers could have harmed anyone and I would not have been able to do anything about it." Raina muttered noting the tension in her friend's face.
"What?" He questioned feeling guilt from when he was younger seep back into his bones. Had he actually told Lord Elrond, he could have helped Raina.
"Aragon, had I harmed any of them I would not have been able to live with myself." She mumbled gazing into his blue eyes as tears pooled in her own remembering slipping away from her home without telling any of them.
"Raina you unintentionally harmed them when you left all those years ago. Not having you was worse than anything you could have surmised." Aragon began hating seeing how pained she was, but saying it none the less.
"You don't get it!" Raina snapped feeling the heat spread through her body as she got to her feet.
Aragon appeared to have felt the effect of her powers considering the hiss that escaped his lips as he retracted his hand.
"I am broken Aragon! I might have been able to escape but I am haunted by those horrors nightly. I have scars that remind me on a constant basis of all that I have suffered. You, Arwen, the twins, Lord Elrond…you were the last good thing in my life. I could not mess that up."
Much to her surprise, Aragon did not recoil but merely gazed unwaveringly at her.
"Did you think that would work on me?" He questioned voice full of arrogance which matched the knowing smirk upon his lips as he wiggled his fingers.
A more serious expression took its place as his tone softened.
"I am still going to be in your life, Raina. I have just gotten you back and I do not plan on letting you go any time soon. You may have been able to run off when we were younger but you will not be rid of me."
Raina could not help but get lost in the determination and strength laced within those vulnerable words. That conviction sounded like one of a brave man. She knew that she broke a lot of hearts when she left and hearing that he still cared warmed her heart.
"Hannon Le." She whispered as the corners of her lips up turned as he pulled her into his arms yet again.
"That is what I am here for mellon-nin." Aragon replied glancing down at her with a smile of his own.
The two jumped from one another out of pure instinct as an ear piercing cry broke the calmness of the evening. Raina gazed out at the now quite city of Bree and knew that the Nazgûl were nearby.
"What are they?" Frodo's rather nervous voice questioned catching her attention as she turned finding all the hobbits upright. She could not help but walk over and sit beside them trying to comfort them.
"They were once men, Great Kings of Men." Aragon began stealing one final glance at the window before gazing at Frodo.
"Then Sauron the Deceiver gave them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question. One by one fell into darkness." The furrow in his brow deepened at the thought.
"Now they are slaves to his will. They are the Nazgûl, Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to the power of the one." Raina added recalling the story taught to all races of Middle Earth.
"They will never stop hunting you." Aragon finished sharing a knowing glance at Raina who seemed to be experiencing the same thoughts. Neither knew what the fate of Middle Earth was or Frodo with this now looming new threat above them.
"Rest young ones for you have had a long evening and there is certainly a long journey before us." Raina said gently petting down Sam's curls as they all reluctantly settled back into bed. Even young Frodo heeded her words of wisdom as he crawled into bed besides Sam.
"Where exactly are we going Aragon?" Raina questioned wondering what they were going to do considering the two now were charged with caring for a hobbit that held the fate of Middle Earth upon his shoulders.
Aragon gazed at Raina with apprehension seeing how she'd take the news.
Grey eyes widened in shock as he was certain that she just read his mind. "Are you well?"
"Oh I am fine." Raina replied in a rather high pitched voice, a tale tell sign of anxiety since she was a child. As was the biting of her bottom lip that currently occupied her attention at the moment.
It soothed some of Aragon's nerves to see that not everything about her had changed.
"Of course, Ada would want to meet with all of the beings to sort this out. It'll be just great." Raina mumbled feeling her heart thump violently against her chest as emotions festered in her stomach.
Darkness soon encompassed her as she fell back against the bed. The last thing she heard was Aragon calling her name.
A/N: So I'm a little nervous reading through the second chapter. I hope you guys like it and her thus far. Any reviews (good or bad) would be most appreciated. Just be kind of nice, if you don't mind.
Av'osto: Do Not Fear