Anastasia and the plot are the only part of this which belongs to me. Everything else belongs to their respective owners; namely J.R.R. Tolkien.
Italics – Thoughts/Thinking
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Chapter 7: The Unknowing Caravan
Frodo
'I am sorry to take leave of Master Bombadil," said Sam. 'He's a caution and no mistake. I reckon we may go a good deal further and see naught better, nor queerer. But I won't deny I'll be glad to see this Prancing Pony he spoke of. I hope it'll be like The Green Dragon away back home! What sort of folk are they in Bree?'
'There are hobbits in Bree,' said Merry. 'as well as Big Folk. I daresay it will be homelike enough. The Pony is a good inn by all accounts. My people ride out there now and again.'
'It may be all we could wish,' said Frodo; 'but it is outside the Shire all the same. Don't make yourselves too much at home! Please remember – all of you – that the name Baggins must NOT be mentioned. I am Mr. Underhill, if any name must be given.'
They now mounted their ponies and rode off silently into the evening. Darkness came down quickly, as they plodded slowly downhill and up again, until at last they saw lights twinkling some distance ahead.
Before them rose Bree-hill barring the way, a dark mass against misty stars; and under its western flank nestled a large village. Towards it they now hurried desiring only to find a fire, and a door between them and the night.1
Aragorn
I thought about my encounter with the strange girl, Ana. Her eyes had haunted my dreams lately. They had unknown depths which seem capable of stealing your soul if you looked too closely or for too long. The strangest part of all was the pain and wariness. She appears to have been unsympathetically hurt by someone which is now reflected on her behaviour towards others.
Even stranger were the dreams which popped up after cornering her. In the darkness sneaking through the foreboding trees and slinking through the endless shadows, was a creature. It moved silently without a sound, not even the rustle of leaves or the snap of a twig was made. Not even the animals in the area were making a sound. Every once and a while a pair of eyes would appear between the leaves and as I approached, they silently disappeared once more into the darkness.
Once again I was wandering the Wild and watching the roads. I had promised to help the hobbits, but I needed to find them first. I settled beside the Greenway watching the trees blow in the wind and the sun begin to set, thinking about the silver eyes of Ana with the eyes from my dreams looming in the background.
"It may be all we could wish," my head snapped up at the sound of the voice. This must be how Ana felt when I snuck up on her. "But it is outside the Shire all the same. Don't make yourselves too much at home! Please remember – all of you – that the name Baggins must NOT be mentioned. I am Mr. Underhill, if any name must be given." Four hobbits, one named Baggins, and five ponies; they are the ones Gandalf told me to keep an eye out for.
I watched as they mounted their ponies and rode on towards Bree. Trouble is sure to follow them about when they are not being cautious. They are going to need me later. I got up slowly and silently, the trees whispering in the wind. I shook my head trying to get rid of the cobwebs, as well as, both pairs of eyes. My body was numb and sore in many places since I did not move for such a long time. But regardless I followed, remaining a safe distance behind them; so I would not be detected.
Anastasia
Slinking through the area around the village, I still didn't have a name for; I came across the man who snuck up on me. I had been following him for days making sure to never be caught and always being aware of my surroundings. This is good practice considering he snuck up on me, I grinned showing off my white teeth; and this lessens my curiosity about him.
After following for a few more hours, the man with a worn cloak; sturdy, mud caked, leather boots and a sword, settled down near one of the roads. His face soon got lost in thought. Tsk, tsk, tsk! I thought as I grinned manically. He is no longer aware of his surroundings. I cocked my head to the side, what could he be thinking so deeply about? I slinked closer, moving nearer than I had dared any of the previous days. After many tantalizing moments I was only a couple feet behind him. It was early afternoon as I settled behind him, my curiosity and mischievous nature making it hard to remain there silently. I definitely wanted to give him a start.
Frodo
It was dark, and white stars were shining, when Frodo and his companions came at last to the Greenway-crossing and drew near the village. They came to the West-gate and found it shut; but at the door of the lodge beyond it, there was a man sitting. He jumped up and fetched a lantern and looked over the gate at them in surprise.
'What do you want, and where do you come from?' he asked gruffly.
'We are making for the inn here,' answered Frodo. 'We are journeying east and cannot go further tonight.'
'Hobbits! Four hobbits! And what's more, out of the Shire by their talk,' said the gatekeeper, softly as if speaking to himself. He stared at them darkly for a moment, and then slowly opened the gate and let them ride through.
'We don't often see Shire-folk riding on the Road at night,' he went on, as they halted a moment by his door. 'You'll pardon my wondering what business takes you away east of Bree! What may your names be, might I ask?'
'Our names and our business are our own, and this does not seem like a good place to discuss them,' said Frodo, not liking the look of the man or the tone of his voice.
Your business is your own, no doubt,' said the man; 'but it's my business to ask questions after nightfall.'
'We are hobbits from Buckland, and we have a fancy to travel and to stay at the inn here,' put in Merry. "I am Mr. Brandybuck. Is that enough for you? The Bree-folk used to be fair-spoken to travellers, or so I had heard.'
'All right, all right!' said the man. 'I meant no offence. But you'll find maybe that more folk than old Harry at the gate will be asking you questions. There's queer folk about. If you go on to The Pony, you'll find you're not the only guests.'
He wished them good-night and they said no more; but Frodo could see in the lantern-light that the man was still eyeing them curiously. He was glad to hear the gate clang to behind them, as they rode forward. He wondered why the man was so suspicious, and whether anyone had been asking for news of a party of hobbits. Could it have been Gandalf? He might have arrived, while they were delayed in the Forest and the Downs. But there was something in the look and the voice of the gatekeeper that made him uneasy.
They man stared after the hobbits for a moment, and then he went back to his house. As soon as his back was turned, a dark figure climbed quickly over the gate and melted into the shadows of the village street.1
Anastasia
After the short men gave the man in front of me a start, I followed after the strange man as he followed the short men I had helped earlier. I remained at a distance which was larger than the one the man left between himself and the short men.
Unfortunately I had become attached to four short men. I save them once, spend less than five minutes with them and, now, I would follow them into hell to make sure their safe. Maybe because they seem child-like and innocent, maybe it is because they were so small. It could have been because they wanted my attention the fateful day under the willow. Whatever the reason, they managed to find a place in my heart and no one was going to harm them. Not even the man who snuck up on me. He may have some skill and a sword, but I have retractable claws and inhumane strength on my side. Also surprise at the moment, but I doubt that will last long.
As the unknowing caravan continued towards the unknown-named village, I fell further and further behind. The trees once again were speaking, but it was too quiet for me to hear. I did notice that the father behind I got from the man and short men, the louder the voice of the trees got.
I suddenly stopped upon hearing: "All that is gold does not glitter . . ." The voices of the trees were once again in harmony and speaking words which did not come from a source.
"Not all those who wonder are lost . . ." No kidding, I replied mentally, as well those who don't care where they are.
"The old that is strong does not wither . . ." Standing still I listened carefully. There was no one in the area again. Only the sounds and smells of the animals which belonged there were present.
"Deep roots are not reached by the frost . . ." It cannot be talking about a tree here, I frowned at the line.
"From the ashes a fire shall be woken . . ." The voice seemed slightly feminine, kind of like the last one.
"A light from the shadows shall spring . . ." Well that could be hope, I thought as I stared at the ground, aware that the five people I was following were getting farther ahead. Or happiness. Those both can come out of a dark place.
"Renewed shall be blade that was broken . . ." Well a broken blade which has been kept should be easy enough to find. Most are repaired or reformed into something else.
"The crownless again shall be king . . ." Ooooh, royal blood! I grinned as I shifted, dropping down onto four legs. The trees were done talking and I had fallen behind.
I raced towards the village, cutting through the trees to make up time, fairly certain that was their destination. As I approached I caught the lone man disappear over the wall, and like he had done in previous weeks, I followed.
1 Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. London: Allen & Unwin, 1954. Print.
The quotes came from the chapters called Fog on The Barrow-Downs, At the sign of the Prancing Pony and Strider.
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