Aleana and Aragorn

Chapter 7

***Aleana POV***

The pain subsides and I see Frodo and Sam grabbing Merry and Pippin and I follow as we quickly scramble down the bank, hiding under a mossy log. The sound of hooves are close and we huddle together as we feel whoever it is pause right beside our hiding place. Once again a strange fear settles in the bottom of my stomach. 

I look to see Frodo drawing the ring out of his pocket with trembling hands, his face is fevered and sweating. Sam also notices and looks at Frodo with concern. Merry desperately hurls a mushroom across the road and the thing spins around at the sound, darting to the far side of the road with frightening speed. Frodo instantly slumps and I put an arm around him. 

"What was that," Merry asks as I look to make sure Frodo was alright, though he is lost, a look of shock on his face as he looked at the ring that was lying in the palm of his hand. Once I was sure the dark creature was gone, I pull the hobbits to their feet and push them through the trees, urging them to hurry. Night falls as the skies open up, pelting us with raindrops. We hurry through the trees, slipping and sliding on the muddy ground.

We stop at a tree, catching our breath and looking to see if the black rider was anywhere to be seen. 

"What is going on," Pippin asks confused. Merry moves past Pippin, towards Frodo, and I keep my eyes trained on them as Sam looks around nervously. 

"The Black Rider was looking for something...or someone...Frodo," Merry asks suspiciously just as Sam screams out.

"Get down!"

The silhouette of a Black Rider looms against the skyline and we sprawl on the the ground, holding our breaths. The rider looks around before turning and departing. Frodo turns to Merry.

"I have to leave the Shire...Aleana, Sam and I must get to Bree."

Merry looks at Frodo realizing he is in deep trouble.

"Right, Buckleberry Ferry. Follow me," Merry says and we break cover when suddenly another Black Rider bursts out of the forest towards us.

"Run," I scream out as we follow Merry towards the wide, placid Brandywine river. I look in confusion when I finally see the ferry and I finally understand. We tumble on to the ferry and shove off just as the black rider arrive. They pull up on the end of the wharf, shrieking with rage. I clutch my head at their screeching, the pain evident, though it was not as bad as before. The Hobbits cover their ears as the riders wheel their horses towards the north and gallop away along the river bank, disappearing into the fog.

"How far to the nearest crossing," I ask Merry.

"The Brandwine Bridge...twenty miles." I nod before settling down on the ferry, trying to calm my nerves. All is quiet, no one speaks as we move down the river. Perhaps we were afraid to voice our fears for doing so would make them much more real than they already were. 

Once we finally reach the crossing, we jump off and approach a gatehouse and a surly gatekeeper steps out to face us. I stand before the hobbits, looking him in the eye.

"What do you want?"

"We're headed for the prancing pony," I answer and the gatekeeper swings his lantern onto the Hobbits behind me.

"Hobbits! Four Hobbits, and what's more, out of the Shire. What business brings you to Bree?"

Before I can answer, Frodo steps forth, "We wish to stay at the inn...our business is our own."

To our relief, the gatekeeper unlocks the gate, stepping aside to let us step through.

"All right, young sir, I meant no offense."

We gratefully enter Bree. The tall Bree folk loom over the nervous little hobbits as we walk through the narrow streets. I pull them close, while looking for the inn. Frodo is the first to spot it and we hurry towards it, wanting to get out of the watchful eyes of the people outside and the cold rain. We rush in and immediately gain the attention of the inn keeper. I let Frodo talk as I pull off my hood and look around at the inn, noticing they were mostly men. All eyes turn to me and I immediately feel uncomfortable under some of their gazes. Father's name being mentioned has my attention being drawn back to Frodo and the inn keeper. 

"We're friends of Gandalf the Grey, can you tell him we've arrived," Frodo asks.

The inn keeper looks puzzled, "Gandalf...Gandalf...oh," he exclaims with recognition, "Oh yes! I remember, elderly chap, big grey beard, pointy hat?"

I smile in relief as Frodo nods, but my smile falls at the inn keeper's next words.

"Not seen him for six months."

Was father alright? He would have made sure to be here, so why wasn't he. The hobbits look at each other in worry and I know I must keep my bearing, for their sake and father's. I turn back to the innkeeper.

"Can we get a table and some food please, sir?"

"Of course, right this way," he leads us to a table against the wall and we take a seat as he place food in front of us. Sam keeps casting nervous glances around and I turn to him.

"Father will be here Sam. He'll come."

Just then Merry comes and sits himself down at the table, carrying a very large mug of beer. 

"What's that," Pippin aks.

"This, my friend, is a pint."

"It comes in pints," Pippin exclaims, "I'm getting one!"

He runs off and I shake my head though I cannot stop the smile that finds its way on my lips. I look up to see a couple of swarthy men leaning against the bar, looking at me. When my eyes meet theirs, they quickly look away. 

"That fellow's done nothing, but stare at you since we've arrived," I turn my attention back to Sam's tense voice, taking in who he was indicating. A brooding stranger was sitting alone at a table in the far corner, smoking a pipe and peering from beneath a travel stained cowl with gleaming eyes. 

My eyes meet his and in that moment I feel no danger, instead a strange calmness passes over me. In that moment I knew that whoever this man was, he was of no danger to us. 

A/n: Intro to Aragorn! He's finally here! Oh yeah! Are you guys excited?! I know I am!!!

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