Old Friends

Vienna

It was just too easy for her to remain hidden. It was her one and only favourite skill. And that wasn't an opinion she held alone. Many others thought so as well. It was how she'd earned her name, her gold, even her life. She'd wager with any smart man, elf, or dwarf that she could hide better than anyone else. Of course, no smart man, elf or dwarf would dare to bet against her. Eur be damned, most of them couldn't muster the courage to even speak to her.

Vienna chuckled and glanced around the small pub. Bree was the last place she'd guess she could be found on such a rainy night. She could normally spent them on the road. She preferred to travel that way. Ranger was the only title that suited her now, not that anyone around knew she was the opposite completely. The title of soldier was long gone for her now and she found no shame in that. Well, maybe a little shame. But the rain left the roads clear for the most part, aside from her own thoughts, and the odd bandit or thief steered clear of her, especially on the East-West road. But she had business to attend to.

She had no clue when he would show up, he only specified dusk. Cursed Wizard, she thought, pulling the small note he'd sent her from her breast pocket.

Vienna,

I know that it has been many long years since we last spoke. I also know that you owe me a debt. I would like to call upon you for a favor. So please, dear friend, meet me at the Prancing Pony in Bree, the eve after next. I'll explain everything to you over an ale or pipe. I promise, you will not regret it.

The letter had startled her at first, but the longer Vienna looked the more impressed she was at his blatant attempt to blackmail her. She didn't owe him anything really. But it was he who promised to keep her secrets. Surely, he wouldn't use her location in a turnabout of foul play, would he? Her tired reassurance did little to ease the tight, constricted feeling that settled in her stomach. There was a reason Vienna stayed hidden from those with power and she didn't take kindly to a friend's sugarcoated attempt at manipulating her. She had disappeared into the world not wanting to be bothered and yet here He was, bothering her.

You can at least see what he wants, ' she thought as she glanced around the room. Vienna was mostly familiar with the faces around the room, at least the ones she could see. People poured in and out the rainy entrance at the front of the establishment so she couldn't keep a solid track of who surrounded the bar and its smaller tables. And then promptly put him in his place, she chuckled again as she slid the letter back into its pocket and returned to her task of polishing her smaller knives.

There was no way she could help him, even if she wanted too. It was too soon, too public to travel with him. Maybe it's rude to give him hope and then take it away? Vienna tightened the straps on her knife belt on her thigh. Not too tight, but tight enough that the bronze metal bit into her black pant covered thigh. She leaned back into the booth and listened to the pub goers through the thick, black hood that shielded most of her face. Vienna was grateful for the privacy, the anonymity it provided her, along with the slip of matching black fabric that concealed the lower half of her face. On occasion, especially when taking on any… unsavory work, she clipped an ornate mask made of shiny bronze over the cloth to hold the fabric in place. She'd decided to travel without the accessory, entering the pub earlier in the evening with a graceful silence. The pub goers had no idea what to do when they finally realised she was present. They always watched in awed amazement when she spent too much time around them. Tonight was one such night. She'd been ten steps in the door before the silence grew around her and she knew they were watching her. Walking directly to a lone booth in the back, she took a seat quietly and brandished a small blade and polishing rag. Once settled in and busy, the room returned to its previous peace. She was just too aware to rest so easily though. She quickly scouted the corners of the room, assessing no immediate danger and then surveyed the other patrons. When everything felt settled, she let out a long, quiet breath.

"My my, don't you look comfortable?" an older man's voice broke through her train of thought. She didn't need to look up to know who it was.

"Couldn't have picked a more private place to meet?" She stood and offered a gloved hand out to him. He shook it with a laugh, "You happen to not be the only person I am meeting here tonight."

Gandalf the Grey took the seat across from her, meeting her eyes with a cherished smile. They were silent for a moment, the years of distance dissolving around them.

"I knew you would come." His voice was laced with pride.

"And how is that, I might ask?" Vienna countered. She knew there was nothing left for her but the life she led. His words were spurred by his overwhelming need to see the best in everyone.

"Amarelle," Vienna rolled her eyes as his use of her birth name, "No longer can you hide from the light. You can no longer keep hiding. The fate of our world needs you." Gandlaf said, his voice full of urgency. Vienna stifled a laugh.

"Your faith in me would be, as always, inspiring if the meaning of your words weren't doubled." Her voice was stern, but not mean.

"You take my meaning as double when all it is is earnest. You can not hide any longer from who you are. The things you have done are terrible, but not unforgivable."

His words confirmed to her that he still thought the fault was hers and hers alone. Her tongue stung, bitter and stale. "It would be easy to believe that from your perspective. So, I beg, please do not try to understand what it has been like from mine."

The Wizard sighed heavily, already fatigued from their unending arguing. It was the reason they rarely saw each other despite being honest friends, perhaps, too honest.

"I did not come here to argue with you further about things we've already discussed too many time," he paused, "There is a favor I would ask of you, if you are up to it?"

Oh, this is just too interesting, Vienna thought to herself before she stopped a passing barmaid and requested two honey meads for the table. She quickly folded the polishing rag and returned both it and the blade she'd been focusing on to their proper places on her person.

"And tell me, why is Gandalf the Grey hiring a Ranger to do his dirty work?" she taunted, eyeing him closely. She could tell she hit a nerve when his demeanour, normally friendly and warm, turned lemony sour. That won't do, "What do you want from me?" she finished, trying to smooth over the tension a bit.

He looked at her seriously, slightly bothered that she saw through his words, Gandalf's face grew dark as he scanned the room. Vienna followed his eyes and she fought against the shock that chilled her veins. They landed on an older Dwarf, sitting away from them with stick straight posture. His long, dark hair flowed like dark rivers down his back clad in a thick, black cloak. Vienna could tell from his arms, lifted with elbow resting on the table in front of him and the slight dip of his head every few moments that he was enjoying one of the warm meals provided by the pub. Probably feeling their eyes, the Dwarf looked side to side and Vienna quickly averted her eyes. She looked at the table, trying with all her might to keep the ranging anxiety from quickening in her breath pattern. Unbothered, calm, it's nothing.

"I need you to keep him alive." Gandalf whispered softly.

Vienna clenched her fists in the leather gloves, wishing she could feel the soft puncture of her nails in her palm and returned her gaze to the Wizard. Her lungs were beginning to rage in her chest. She wasn't sure how much longer she could stay in the Wizard's presence without giving away too much.

"Why?" Vienna said after she knew her nerves wouldn't betray her.

"That," he began, "Is for me to know and for you to find out, if you accept my request." His words were cautious as he eyes her. Vienna couldn't tell if he knew she was moments away from bolting out of the booth. She squinted at him and then looked down at the table. Images of past friends flashed through her mind and it took every ounce of control to not blink them away. Her teeth nervously chewed away at her lip, gnawing away at the ache in her chest. She'd come here with every intention of denying his request. She wanted to deny him. But a small voice pulled at her thoughts. Vienna could also see her old friend, his thick greying hair, his cheeks and smile wide, his eyes full of wonder. Isn't he just beautiful?

Vienna sucked in a breath slowly and glanced up at the Dwarf with sceptical eyes. Promise me, oh won't you promise me? Those blue eyes burned in her head. Her throat was filled with rocks.

"If I accept, what do you need me to do?"

"I only ask that you come to a meeting two evenings from now, over in Hobbiton," he simply replied.

"And if I refuse?" she said, Which I will, it was a promise.

"Then I can not guarantee that you won't regret it," Gandalf said, his eyes filled with promise, "And the fate of Middle Earth could once again fall into the hands of the enemy." He finished with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders. Her eyes widened, dread pressing her eyebrow down in a harsh angle. This bugger, she thought. The old man sure knew how to get under her skin.

"Is that your way of getting me to agree? Or are you trying to annoy me?" she nearly snapped.

"Not at all, dear, I'm simply informing you."

"Then you should know your methods feel two-sided," she scoffed, glancing back at the Dwarfs back and then back down to the wooden table. Gandalf huffed, shaking his head slightly.

"Your life would be easier if you didn't feel that everyone was out to trick you."

It was Vienna's turn to huff, mumbling "if only it was that simple." She'd been on the stinging end of betrayal too often to let anything go unchecked. Gandalf shuffled in his seat.

"I must be off. Think about the offer," He turned to leave.

"I'll do it." The words were out of Vienna's mouth before she could even register thinking them. The panic rose and dissipated in a heartbeat, racing through her limbs like lightning.

Gandalf turned back, an unexpected smile. His eyes filled with that treacherous hope.

"The house will be marked-" he began.

"I'll trail behind, I work better alone," she offered up, a pitiful excuse for her aversion to people. He would know better than to mention her addition to their party, if he knows what's good for him.

"The meeting will be important, be within earshot," he finished, his eyes darted to her gloved hands with a tilt of the head. She clenched her fists again.

"I'll be close enough." Vienna's tone was final. She didn't need him digging into business that wasn't his. His eyes met hers and her jaw tightened painfully. The light there, the indignant satisfaction and pride, twisted in her gut and she thought she might be sick. Gandalf nodded once more at her before turning once more to leave, his face practically radiating from his success. Don't let him off that easily.

"Oh, and if you blackmail me again, I will bury you, Wizard or not."