The Hobbit and LOTR oneshots, preferences and imagines

Aragorn x reader - More than just a servant girl

You set down the towel you were using to wipe the counter and turn to the kitchens.

"Need any help in there?" You ask. "I'm done here."

It's been a few months since you moved to Bree and gotten a job at the Prancing Pony inn. Now, you know most of the people who work at the establishment. They treat you a bit like a little sister, and not one of the people working there dislikes you.

The head cook, a hobbit, turns to you from the pot he was leaning over. "Oh! No, I'm all fine here. Could you please bring these bowls of stew to the fourth table from the door? And that pitcher of water to the sixth table. That's all, thanks Y/N!" He calls, and turns back to his soup.

"No problem!" You respond, and pick up the bowls and pitcher to go serve the customers.

As you enter the chaotic dining room, you can't help but smile. The number of people coming to the Prancing Pony has almost doubled since last month, and you're glad to see that.

You turn your head to the fourth table from the door, which has four young hobbits at it. Two of them seem to be joking about something, and another seems nervous while the fourth comforts him.

"Stew?" You ask.

"Ah- Yes, that's us, thank you." Speaks up the worried-looking one.

You set down the bowls and smile, then continue on your way to the sixth table, which has a single hooded man sitting at it- a ranger who goes by the name of Strider, you recall. He's always intimidated you a bit, especially because he is so quiet and can melt into the shadows so easily.

You set down the jug quietly and turn to go away when you hear his voice.
"Thank you."

"Ah- You're welcome," You smile shyly and walk towards the kitchen again.

Before you get there, however, there is a commotion from the hobbits' table. You look to it, and the worried hobbit is- gone! Where did he go? However, the answer becomes clear soon enough.
"He disappeared!" "Where did he go?!"
The hobbit- disappeared? You frown. That doesn't make sense.

You then notice Strider get up and go to a corner near the table. He seems to talk to an empty space, and then the hobbit reappears! You are the only one to notice.

Strider brings him to a room, and the other hobbits follow at a distance. You go after them quietly, then pretend to wipe a table as you get near the room.

"Let him go to I'll have you, longshanks!" You hear the golden-haired hobbit say as he runs into the room.

The others enter too, and go out of your line of sight. You're desperate to understand what's happening, so after Strider closes the door, glancing around, you head over to it and put your ear to the door.

What you hear astonishes you. A ring of power- Sauron- Ringwraiths- It's almost too ridiculous to be true, but strangely enough, you believe every word of it.

However, some parts are missing in your mind, because you don't know who Gandalf is, or why the hobbits are trying to get to Rivendell.

Suddenly, as Strider is going to add something about the Ringwraiths, he stops. You hold your breath.

You can hear his steps coming to the door- closer-

You jump back as he slams the door open, but there's no place to hide.

"I, um- I can explain..." You stammer.

"How much did you hear?" He snaps at you, putting his hand on the hilt of his- is that a sword?!

"Just, uh, a ring of power and-" You try to explain, glancing at the hallway behind you and wondering if you can run for it.

"Shh!" Strider clamps a hand on your mouth before you can say 'Sauron'.

You try to dash away from him, but he grabs your wrist firmly and pushes you inside the room he and the hobbits were in before.

The hobbits inside stare at you with wide eyes as Strider closes the door again.

"Who's she?" Asks the golden-haired one- Sam, now you know his name from eavesdropping.

"Just a servant girl, I suppose," Merry assumes.

"Just a servant girl!" You repeat, offended. "My name is Y/N, and I am more than just a servant girl, thank you very much."

"Sorry."

"How much does she know?" Asks Frodo, the nervous hobbit.

"Too much." Strider says darkly.
You back up wearily.

The hobbits turn to you.

"Well, what do we do?" Pippin asks.

Strider glares at you. "Well, we obviously can't leave her here- she could tell anyone. And we can't make her forget, so..."

"Wait!" You cry. "I could- I could come with you."

"Come with us?" Strider laughs darkly. "I don't think so. Why would we trust you?"

"You don't have a choice," you retort fiercely.

"Do we?" He asks, tilting his head. He removes his hood, and you can see that he's actually quite handsome- but also pretty scary, especially since he's glaring at you in a very menacing way.

"No." You try to keep your voice even, crossing your arms. "You won't kill me."

The four hobbits looked from face to face as the two of you argued, as if watching a sport of some kind.

You turn back to Strider and the two of you have some kind of intense staring contest, looking at each other in the eyes and waiting for the other to look down.

Sam sighs.

Merry taps his foot.

Pippin plops down on a chair.

Eventually, Frodo speaks up. "Listen, we don't have all night to do this..."

After a moment, both of you look down at the same time.

Strider sighs, finally taking his hand off the hilt of his sword. "Very well. You'd better have some travel clothes with you. It's going to be a long journey."