The Lost Daughter of Mirkwood

The Prancing Pony

Bold italics: black speech
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Ellia's POV:

I woke up to Frodo and Sam shaking me awake while Merry and Pippin tied the ropes of the raft to the edge of the bridge.

"We're there already?" I asked tiredly.

"Yes, we must get to Bree now. Gandalf will meet us there." Frodo said before helping me up and out of the raft.

Halfway through the walk, it started pouring, and the time we got there, I was soaked to the bone, and I had mud in my shoes. Out of all the things that I hate, mud is on the top three. As soon as we got to the gate, Frodo knocked on the door, and a man slid a window open to see me and the group.

"What do you want?" the gatekeeper asked.

"We're heading to the prancing pony!" Frodo said.

The gatekeeper opened the door and shown an eerie yellow light on us.

"Hobbits! Four hobbits and a woman! What brings you to Bree?"

"We wish to stay to stay at the inn, the business is our own," I said with a little annoyance in my tone.

"Alright, miss. I meant no offense. It's my job to ask questions after nightfall. There's talk of strange folk abroad...can't be too careful," the man said as he watched us walk past the gate and into town.

We soon ended up at the inn and Merry opened the door and the inn was full of the smell of food, beer, and smoke. I started to cough with the amount of smoke in the place but ended covering it up due to the men looking at me. Weird.

"Excuse me!" Frodo yelled.

"Good evening little masters, and young miss. If you're seeking accommodation, we've got some nice, cozy, Hobbit sized and human-sized rooms available Mr.-?" the barkeeper said.

"Underhill, my name is Underhill," Frodo said.

"And you, miss?"

"Annabeth. My friends and I are known by Gandalf the Grey. Can you tell him that we've arrived?"

"Gandalf...Gandalf...Oh... Oh yes! I remember. Elderly chap, big grey beard, pointy hat? Not seen him for six months."

My eyes widened and I started to panic. The hobbits seemed to have the same reaction because I heard Sam whisper to Frodo before we ended up at a table with food and drinks.

"Don't worry, Ellia, Gandalf will show up soon," Frodo whispered.

Merry walked back from the table with a pint of ale. Pippin looked at the tankard before looking at Merry.

"What is that?" asked Pippin.

"This is a pint!" said Merry excitedly.

"They come in PINTS? I'm getting one!" said Pippin before leaping out of his chair to get his new mug of beer.

"But you had a whole half already!" Sam complained.

I just rolled my eyes and finished my meal with some tea. I feel a presence behind me and I began to feel uncomfortable. I grabbed the arm of the bartender walking by I pulled him down to my level.

"The man behind me, the one in the cloak, who is he?

"He's one of them Rangers; they're dangerous folk they are, wandering the wilds. What his right name is, I never heard, but round here he's known as Strider."I let him go and thought about the name for a moment. "Strider..."

I felt my head starting to hurt and my eyes change color for a moment. Frodo must've noticed because he grabbed my hand and looked at me reassuringly.