Twenty Five - Ringwraiths

*Verena POV*

“Ver! Frodo!” Sam shouted as he ran to us. “What’s wrong, Sam?” I asked. “I thought I’d lost you,” He sighed. 

“Sam, we're still in the Shire. What could possibly happen?” At that, two other Hobbits jumped out of the cornfield and jumped on Sam, then Frodo. 

“Frodo! Merry, It's Frodo Baggins!” Pippin said. “Hello Frodo!” Merry smiled. 

“Get off him!” Sam pulled Pippin off of Frodo and helped him “What's all this?” I asked as the two Hobbits hurriedly picked up vegetables and heaped them into Sam's arms. “Oh! Hello, Ver!” Merry said. “You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!” Sam yelled. 

A dog barked and a scythe was held high above the corn coming towards us. “Oi! Get back here! Wait till I get this through you!” The farmer shouted. “Go, now!” I pushed all four of the Hobbits through the cornfield. 

“Dunno why he's so upset! It's only a couple of carrots,” Merry reasoned. “And some cabbages and those three bags of potatoes that we lifted last week. And the mushrooms the week before-” “Yes Pippin. My point is, he's clearly overreacting,” Merry stopped him. 

“Less talking, more running!” I shouted. We got to the end of the field and I stopped them before falling over the side. “We have to slide. Go!” I said and slid down the hillside. I went last, running down without falling and stopping myself before falling on them.

“That was close!” Pippin said. “Oh! I think I've broken something,” Merry groaned as he pulled a broken carrot out from under his back. “You alright?” I asked Frodo, helping him up. “Yeah,” He nodded.

“Mushrooms!” Pippin shouted and the three boys rushed over to a patch of mushrooms. I looked around, up and down the path and then at the boys. “We need to get off the road,” I said loudly and none of them listened. Screeches came from one direction, screeches that I was trained on knowing. 

“Off the road!” I shouted. They listened and followed me down into a ditch under a tree root and they examined what they found. “Quiet,” I snapped and they went silent. 

A horse snorted and I looked up through the roots. 

A damn wraith on horseback. 

The rider got down from the horse and peered over the tree root, sniffing. 

I closed my eyes and concentrated on a place nearby, looking for somewhere to start a spontaneous fire to get him away. Back the road where he came and by a bank. 

The flames were crackling loud enough for it to hear it and the wraith got back on the horse and rode back the way he came.

“Quickly,” I whispered and they followed me through the woods. “What was that!” Merry asked me as he slid and fell. “We have to keep moving,” 

~~~

“Anything?” I asked Frodo as he ran ahead. “Nothing,” He called back. “Go,” I said and we ran to the tree he was behind.

“What is going on?” Pippin asked. “That black rider was looking for something. Or someone,” Merry said suspiciously. He looked up at me and I looked away. “Verena?” He asked and I looked at him.

“Get down!” Pippin shouted and we got down as the wraith trotted close by, then turned. 

“We are leaving the Shire,” I answered vaguely. “Do you know the quickest way to Bree?” I asked. “Bucklebury Ferry. Follow me,” Merry nodded and ran through the trees and we followed. 

A wraith jumped in front of Frodo and I pulled him back, throwing a ball of fire at the wraith. “Run!” Pippin shouted. “Follow Merry, go!” I shouted, throwing more fire at the wraiths popping up. 

They ran through the trees and I followed, quickly catching up. I jumped over the fence to see three of them already on the jetty and Frodo running from a wraith. I hit the wraith’s horse with fire, which spooks it. I grabbed frodo and ran, jumping onto the jetty that was floating away.

“The nearest crossing?” I asked. “The Brandywine Bridge, twenty miles,” Merry answered as he used a prod to move us along. 

The rider turned the horse from us and rejoined the others. Only three. There are six more out there. 

“How long?” Sam asked. “A few hours, maybe,” Merry answered. “We’ll get there in less than one,”

~~~

I looked at the gate into Bree, then across the roads. “Come on,” I whispered and we quickly ran across the road to the gate. I knocked on the door and a small window at the top opened. “What do you want?” The Gatekeeper demanded. “We’re going to the Prancing Pony,” I answered. 

He closed the window and opened the door. “With four Hobbits?! What business brings you to Bree?” He asked. “We wish to stay at the Inn. Our business is our own,” Frodo answered

“Alright young sir, I meant no offence. My job is to ask questions after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad. Can't be too careful,” He apologised as he let us by and closed the door behind us. 

“Stay close, or you’ll be smashed,” I said and they huddled near me. We went straight into the inn and I smiled at the Man and kept my hood up 

“Excuse me, sir,” I called his attention. “What can I do for you, miss?” He asked. “We’re friends of Gandalf the Grey, can you tell him we’ve arrived?” I asked. “Gandalf?” He asked, confused. “Oh yes! I remember! Elderly chap! Big grey beard, pointy hat,” He smiled and I nodded. “Not seen him for six months,” He shrugged.

“What do we do now?” Sam asked. 

Aragorn sat in the corner with his hood up, smoking a pipe, watching me. 

“Find a table, eat something,” I said and handed them a small bag of money. He stood and walked over to me and I walked away from the bustle of people. 

“I thought you went North,” I said in Elvish. “We are North,” he pointed out. “Further North,” I huffed. 

“What are you doing here?” He asked. “I was supposed to meet Gandalf,” I answered. “And he’s not here?” He asked. 

“Well, do you see him hiding under the bar?” I asked, sarcastically. “Why are you travelling with Hobbits?” He asked. “It was only supposed to be one, until we had an eavesdropper and tagalongs,” I said. “Verena,” He sighed. 

“I can’t talk about it, I’m being hunted-” I stopped myself. “What hunts you, Ver?” He asked, looking me in the eye. “Ringwaiths,” I whispered.

“Baggins...Baggins...Baggins!” I heard the Ring call. 

“Sure I know a Baggins! He's over there. Frodo Baggins! He's my second cousin once removed on his mother's side and my third cousin twice removed on his father's side,” Pippin explained to a group of men at the bar. “Damn it, Pippin,” I muttered and Aragorn followed me. 

 Frodo pushed his way through the crowd and caught Pippin’s arm. Pippin shook him off and Frodo fell back, the ring flew up and landed on his finger. 

I saw Alek again. I fired the flaming arrow at his body floating away. 

“Ver!” Aragorn shouted, holding me up. I steadied on myself and looked back at the Hobbits. “Get the one who disappeared,” I whispered and Aragorn nodded, following the invisible Hobbit. “Let’s go, Pip. Merry, Sam!” I shouted and pulled Pippin away from the bar.

“That Strider took Frodo!” Sam shouted. “How do you know his name?” I asked. “Frodo asked the barliman,” Merry answered. “We gotta get him,” Sam continued. “Frodo isn’t in danger with Strider,” I said. 

“How do you know?” Merry asked. “Because he is my friend,” I huffed and continued upstairs, following where Aragorn disappeared to. 

I quickly opened the door, Aragorn faced me with his sword out. “Just us,” I said and he sheathed his sword.

“What’s your plan?”

~~~

Aragorn and I set up the inn’s Hobbit beds to look like they were there, and we stayed in a different room, waiting for them. Aragorn, Frodo and I stayed up, waiting for them to come while Sam, Merry, and Pippin slept. 

“I thought it was just a birthday party,” Aragorn said in Elvish. “It was never just that,” I sighed. “Gandalf suspected Bilbo had the Ring. That is why I went,” I continued. “Why does Frodo have it?” He asked. “Bilbo had already fallen under its haze,” I answered. “What are you talking about?” Frodo asked. “What we carry with us,” I answered and he nodded. 

“And the other three?” he asked. “Like I said, Eavesdropper and tagalongs,” I shrugged. “We shall go to Imladris. My uncle will know what to do,” I said. “I thought you would say Tiseah,” He said. “It is too far a distance. With the Wraiths following us, we’d never make it,” I said. “Imladris is the safest place,”

~~~

It was some time before the riders came in. “Only four,” I whispered. 

“What are they?” Frodo asked. “You hadn’t told them?” Aragorn asked in Elvish. “I didn’t have time,” I reasoned. 

“They were once Men. Great kings of Men. Then, Sauron the Deceiver gave to them nine rings of power. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question. One by one falling into darkness,” Aragorn started.

“Now, they are slaves to his will, doing his bidding. They are Ringwraiths. Neither living nor dead. They always feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to its power. They will never stop hunting us,”