River of Stars

Chapter Two

     That night he and Strider hid the hobbits in their own room. Still, neither of the rangers could sleep, and both heard the swords in the night and the breaking of wood. Then the screeching of wraiths as they no doubt realized they had not found their targets.
     The four hobbits, all fit comfortably into the large bed, were awoken by the screams, sitting up one by one and turning to Strider and Abis at the window.
     "What are they?" Frodo, the hobbit with the dark curls, asked. Strider turned to him from his seat at the window, Abis standing behind him, both their weapons within reach.
     "They were once men," he answered. "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. Now they are slaves to his will. They are the Nazgul. Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the ring, drawn to the power of the one. They will never stop hunting you."
     The hobbits all looked at him, their eyes wide.
     "That's the thing with power," Abis said quietly. "Few do not long for it, and once they have it only then will you see their true hatred. Their disdain for fellow humanity, their greed and hunger for more and more until there is nothing left. When you have that much power you feel immortal, and you forget you are human. The truth is, no truly good people are lost to power. If something so simple could corrupt them, the damage was as good as done."

     When they awoke the next morning they ate breakfast hastily, then set off. Before they left Abis retrieved his bag, mostly full of snacks but also containing a book or two, and he made certain every hobbit was prepared for the journey.
     Of course, they were even less experienced than he was when he first set off, and he knew there was little he could do to prepare them.
     Abis brought up the back, making sure no hobbit was left behind or forgotten, and trying his best to make them comfortable. Hobbits were sturdy, but used to a safer life. And besides, he admired their bravery. He did not mind spending time with them.
     Unlike Strider, who kept a good distance ahead. Not so far he could not hear them or turn back to help them, but enough to discourage conversation.
     "Where are you taking us?" Frodo finally asked.
     "Into the wild," was all Strider said. Frodo turned to Abis, the little hobbit's nervousness finally breaking through.
     "Where are we going?" He asked again, this time to Abis at his shoulder. Abis leaned down a bit to be more level with the hobbit.
     "I'm afraid I don't remember. That would be why I don't travel alone. Never quite got the handle of directions," Abis answered honestly.
     "How are you a ranger if you can't know where you're going?" Merry asked, coming up beside Abis and Frodo.
     "Well I follow Strider. He usually gets us wherever we need to go."
     "How long have you and Strider been traveling together?" Frodo asked again.
     "You hobbits ask a lot of questions, you know that," Abis laughed. He let himself fall behind the hobbits again, instead taking up lookout from the back of the group again.
     The hobbits continued muttering amongst themselves, and finally Strider told them where they were going.
     "To Rivendell, master Gamgee," he said. "To the house of Elrond."
     There were some more awed whispers of 'did you hear that?'s from Sam, who was evidently very excited to meet the elves.
     Abis himself had never quite taken to the elves, finding that most of them were very high and mighty indeed. Either that or complete lunatics, of which he liked the second better, for at least they were some fun.
     He found himself so distracted by his thoughts that he nearly ran into four kneeling hobbits in the road.
     "Spotted mushrooms!" He found himself yelping as he stopped suddenly. It was a creative workaround swear Abis hasn't used in some years, but he supposed the hobbits somewhat reminded him of children. Especially kneeling in the road where people are walking are you TRYING to get stepped on?
     Strider, also startled by Abis's outburst, turned to see the hobbits crouched in the road. Cooking utensils in hand.
     "Gentlemen," he called back to them in a very familiar tone. "We do not stop until nightfall."
     "What about breakfast?" Pippin asked. He still had trouble telling the two apart, not in the sense that they looked too similar, it just seemed each should have the other's name.
     "You already had it."
     "We've had one yes, but what about second breakfast?" Strider turned around without answering and simply began walking again.
     Abis began packing their things back away and ushering them onward, but Pippin remained stunned.
     "I don't think they know about second breakfast, Pip," Merry whispered.
     "What about elevenses?" Pippin demanded. "Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them doesn't he?"
     "I wouldn't count on it," Merry grumbled, just before throwing his arms up to catch an apple thrown by Strider. Merry showed Pippin the apple then went on his way, just before another apple came to hit Pippin square in the forehead.

     They ended up wading through marshes before too long, and while the water only rose to about Abis and Strider's mid calf, the poor hobbits were practically swimming in it. Eventually, for times sake if nothing else, Abis swung a stumbling Pippin over his shoulder to carry him the rest of the way.
     Still they found themselves on solid land again before too long, and they ate and slept there.
     Abis, never an easy sleeper, kept Strider quiet company on watch. Then the stoic ranger began singing softly, almost absently. Abis couldn't make out the words, but the song sounded so heartachingly familiar and sad. Like looking back and realizing you did not cherish someone you loved how you should have, and that you would never get the chance to again.
     "Who is she?" Frodo asked, sitting up from his spot on the ground behind them. Strider and Abis turned to look at him. "This woman you sing of."
     Strider looked rather melancholy as he answered, quiet as not to wake the other resting hobbits.
     "'Tis the lady of Luthien," he said. "The elf-maiden who gave her love to Beren, a mortal."
     "What happened to her?" Abis asked. He had heard the story before, but he never tired of it. Strider sat silent for a heartbeat or three before answering.
     "She died."