sorry this one is shorter than usual, but here you go. I'm also sorry that I didn't update yesterday, but I was extremely busy. Anyway, I promise to update tomorrow, though, so enjoy! Please review!

miaraelerina: yeah! She will appear again in the next, oh, say, two or three chapters, so hang in there! Check out some of my favorited stories, they're awesome!

Chapter 10

"Eruanna!" My door opened and a draught of air flew in. I leaped up with a startled exclamation and promptly tripped, landing on my backside and coronet sliding over my eyes. I pushed it back up and scrambled to my feet. My wrist was grabbed and I was dragged along.

"Tell me, did Bilbo ever tell you any secrets?" He asked, frantically pulling me through the hallways.

I looked up. "Mithrandir! Godfather, what-!?"

"Did he?" He asked impatiently. I thought for a moment.

"No. I though he might have, but no, he didn't."

"I need you to go to the Shire and visit him. Never mind your duties here. This concerns all of Middle Earth, and as a guardian, you need to be involved. You must get him to tell you his secret. He has one, I know it. Do this for me, and for all of Middle Earth. For your family and your future." He whipped around and stared me in the eye. I felt scared at his frantic look.

I nodded, speechless and a bit scared. "I've already told your Adar and Father what's necessary and they have agreed to allow you to go. I will prepare whatever you need. Go!" He shoved me to the stables.

"But I need to say goodbye-"

"No time! This is urgent! Go! Follow your heart!" He shoved me again. I quit resisting, and using my wings, left.

...

I knocked at the green door. It swung open just as I lifted my hand to knock again, and I whipped my hand away like a kid caught sticking his hand in a cookie jar.

"N-Naryl? What are you doing here!? Oh, come inside, quick!" He fussed, pulling me in a shutting the door. He bolted it shut and dragged me into the deeper parts of the house, away from windows. "Bilbo? What in Arda is going on?" I asked him, baffled.

"The Sackville-Baggins, that's what." He hissed. "They want my house and I will not answer the door for them." He shot a withering glare at the door. My side was hurting from holding my laughter in.

"So? What brings you here, sister? Come, I'll make you tea." He bustled off, and I ducked and followed slowly.

"Well, it's a long story of what brings me here, but anyway- oomph! Now I know what Gandalf has to go through in a hobbit hole. Confound that I can't shrink." I grumbled, rubbing my forehead and glaring at the doorpost.

He chuckled and offered me a chair. I sat, grateful for the rest, and sighed. "It's a long way from Mirkwood to the Shire. As to why I'm here, I'm here to visit you of course, dear Bilbo." I took the cup of tea with a pleased smile.

"Well, I'm glad you did. And where is-" he never finished. There was a happy bark and Saph and Bilbo tumbled to the ground in a heap. "Ahhhh! I'm glad to see you too, Saphira, please get off!" I went through convulsions of laughter as Saph climbed off and sat next to my chair, pleased.

"Well, Bilbo, I hear that there have been strange deals in the Shire." I started. "Knowing you, I have come to see if they are true..." I raised my eyebrow over the rim of my cup.

"Like... What stories?" He asked, fidgeting and playing with something in his pocket.

"Ridiculous ones, really. Ones like: Bilbo Baggins came back from his wanderings and has a whole house filled with chests of gold and treasures, and ones of him walking along the street and then seemingly disappearing, only to be found behind a wagon, blah blah blah." I wiggled my fingers at him questioningly.

He laughed nervously, and with my sight into the shadow realm, I could see a black mist creeping over him from his pocket. It whispered in black speech and I fought not to cringe.

"Yes, well... I only have two chests and they still smell of troll." Here he wrinkled his nose. "As for the disappearing-" he seemed to hesitate. The shadow grew blacker. I smiled at him reassuringly.

"If you don't want to reveal your little trick then you don't have to, my friend. I will not pry." I said softly.

He hesitated again, surprised. The shadow whispered, increasingly pulsing. I could tell that the shadow was nervous.

"Well, I-I- Confound it!" He burst out, annoyed. "Why am I so hesitant to speak about it! It's a ring I found, when we were in the goblin caves. I had this riddle contest with a creature named Gollum in exchange for a way out and my life. I found this ring and whenever I put it on, it makes me disappear to everyone." He finished, squirming in his chair.

"May I see it?" I asked curiously.

He slowly pulled it out of his pocket. It lay there on his hand, glittering. It was a plain, gold band. Whispers emanated from it, and the black shadow hissed, then attempted to curl about me. I shook it off and then receded in my chair, shaking.

"Put it back in your pocket, Bilbo." I begged, trembling. He shoved it in his pocket and grabbed my hands.

"Naryl? What is it?" He asked, alarmed. I gritted my teeth.

"Bilbo, what you have is no ordinary ring. That is THE ring. It is altogether evil." I said, slowly calming down. I told him the whole story of the ring. He listened intently and then shook his head.

"I can't keep this. Take it! You know what to do with it!" He held it out to me. The dark shadows hissed and then began to offer me promises in a black, oily voice. I backed away, and Bilbo continued to shove it at me.

"No! Bilbo, I would take this from you with good intent, but it would corrupt me, and I would use its power and wield it with terror. Do not tempt me, for I know that I cannot withstand it!" I cried, my body becoming dull and ashy instead of bright as it usually was. He paused, then put it down.

"Then what will I do with it? It cannot stay here!"

"Yes. Mithrandir will know. I will contact him-" the door flew open and Gandalf came in. Bilbo spilled his whole story as soon as he had sat down. Gandalf smiled at me proudly. I shook my head and eyed the golden band on the table warily as it hissed angrily and black shadows swirled.

Gandalf and Bilbo and I sat by the fire and made plans for what to do.

"It has to be destroyed." Gandalf determined.

I sighed. "Will you do it, Godfather?"

"No. I cannot take it for the same reasons as you."

"Then I will. Gandalf can go with me." Bilbo said, standing. "If I can outwit a dragon for a while, I can surely drop a ring into a crack in a mountain."

Mithrandir and I smiled at each other. And so it was decided that they both would leave on the morrow. Necessary people would be told after it was all over.

...

"Father?" I called into his room, closing the door behind me.

"Naryl, my little flame? What are you doing here? I thought you went to visit Bilbo?"

"Yes, I did, but it was mainly because Mithrandir wanted me to tell Bilbo about something- some wizard's business." I rolled my eyes.

He hugged me. "I missed you, Father."

"You just saw me this morning."

"Still!" I pulled back and looked into his face sincerely. "I always miss you Father, when I'm away and you aren't with me. I miss your black hair and your fanged smile." I said.

He smiled (a fanged one, duh) at me and chuckled. "You flatter my dragon side."

I gave him a sour look. "I meant it sincerely, thank you. Besides, I had no intentions of flattering your dragon side because it's ego already reaches to the stars." I retorted smartly.

He fell to tickling me till I screamed for mercy as a punishment.