By Your Side [ Frodo Baggins x Reader ] DISCONTINUED

Chapter 8: A Shortcut to Mushrooms

Y/N's POV

Frodo, Sam and I walked through one of Farmer Maggot's cornfields. I honestly didn't know where Sam was. Probably lost in the corn...

"Mr Frodo? Y/N? Frodo?!" came the anxious voice of Samwise somewhere near us. Frodo and I rounded a corner and Sam walked up to us. "I thought I'd lost you two." Sam said, exhaling in relief.

"What are you talking about?" Frodo questioned.

"It's just something Gandalf said."

"What did he say, Sam?" I asked.

"'Don't you lose him, Samwise Gamgee.' And I don't mean to."

Frodo sighed. "Sam, we're still in the Shire. What could possibly happen?"

Not two seconds after he said that, Frodo and I were bombarded by two other hobbits. I screamed and looked up, seeing Pippin and a bunch of carrots on top of me. "Y/N! Merry, it's Y/N L/N!" Pippin exclaimed, climbing off me and helping me up.

"And Frodo Baggins!" Merry added, he and Frodo also standing.

Annoyed, I grabbed two carrots off the ground and whacked them each in the head at the same time. "OWWW!!!"

"What's the meaning of this?" Frodo asked.

"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crop!" Sam realized as the two troublemakers dumped a bunch of cabbage in his arms. Suddenly, an angry voice filled the air and dogs barked.

Pippin shoved me into the stalk and Merry did the same to Frodo. Sam stood out in the path, holding a bunch of cabbage with a confused expression on his face. What. An. Idiot.

We all started running and Sam realized and followed us. "You get back here! Get out of my field! You'll know the devil if I catch up with you!" Farmer Maggot screamed.

"I don't know why he's so upset! It's only a couple of carrots!" Merry said as we ran.

"And some cabbages. And those three bags of potatoes we lifted last week. And then the mushrooms the week before!" Pippin added.

"Yes, Pippin! My point is, he's clearly over-reacting!" Merry agreed.

We all approached a cliff edge of a hill. "Run!" Merry shouted. We all halted when we reached the edge, but we fell down as Sam collided with us from behind. I screamed as hobbits and vegetables flew everywhere.

All five of us landed at the bottom of the cliff, me landing on top of Frodo. "Oh...ow..." I groaned, rolling off of him and landing on some carrots.

Frodo sat up. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm alright." I assured him, smiling. "Oh, that was close!" Pippin said.

"Oh, I think I've broken something." Merry complained. He sat up and pulled a broken carrot out from under his back. I stifled a laugh.

"Trust a Brandybuck and a Took." Sam said sarcastically, all of us trying to get up.

"What? That was just a detour- a shortcut." Merry corrected. "A shortcut to what?" Sam questioned.

"Mushrooms!" Pippin piped up.

We all stood up, accidentally pushing Pippin down in the process. Sam, Merry, and Pippin gathered mushrooms, but I noticed Frodo looking out into the path in the distance. I walked up beside him and wrapped my arm around his comfortingly.

"That's mine."

"That's nice, Merry."

"Here's a nice one, Sam."

"I think we should get off the road." Frodo spoke up, looking uneasy. Suddenly, there was a screaming sound coming from up ahead. I jumped in fright and gripped Frodo's arm tighter.

"Get off the road! Quick!" Frodo exclaimed anxiously, pulling me to who knows where. All five of us jumped over the side of a tree and hid in a small nook under a root. Frodo was on one side of me and Pippin on the other.

The idiots we called Sam, Merry, and Pippin were chatting away about their mushrooms while I watched Frodo. He was deathly silent and looked afraid. I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

"Be quiet." I heard Pippin whisper.

The sound of a horse came from behind us. I heard it stop, the horse breathing heavily. I buried my face in Frodo's shoulder, afraid to look at the rider on the horse.

I heard the rider climb off the horse and it's feet hit the ground with a thump. I winced and kept my eyes closed tight. I could hear the person...creature...thing...or whatever it was smelling the air above us.

Bugs crawled around us and I shivered. Then I felt Frodo take something out of his pocket and finally dared to open my eyes. He had the Ring in his hand and there was a creature hovering above us. It was wearing all black and I couldn't see its face. It was the things Gandalf  had said were hunting Frodo.

Frodo's eyes were closed and he was breathing heavily. Slowly, he moved the Ring closer to his finger. It was almost on when I grabbed his hand.

Those bright blue eyes shot open and he looked like he had come out of a trance. The creepy creature above us took in a sharp breath.

Pippin picked up a log and threw it pretty far in a different direction. The creature screeched and was gone in an instant.

Frodo stood up frantically, dragging me with him. "What was that?" Merry asked, panting. Frodo didn't answer. Instead, he looked down at the Ring he was clutching in his palm.

It was dark now, and the five of us hid behind trees. I was hugging Frodo for dear life and holding my breath. The creature screeched and we heard the thumps of the horses hooves fading slowly.

We came out from behind the trees and moved to new ones. Frodo let go of my hand and moved farther again. "Anything?" Sam yelled to him. "Nothing." Frodo shouted back.

I immediately ran to his side and the others followed. "What is going on?" Pippin asked.

"That Black Rider was looking for something.. or someone." Merry added. "Frodo?" He was right beside me now.

"Get down!" Pippin suddenly shouted.

We all immediately dropped to the ground and looked up to see the Black Rider on the hill, riding its horse away.

"I have to leave the Shire. Sam, Y/N, and I must get to Bree." Frodo explained as the Black Rider slowly disappeared. "Right. Buckleberry Ferry. Follow me." Merry said.

All of us jumped up and started running. We were heading towards a ferry. Well, a very small one made of wood. It was more like a raft.

A Black Rider suddenly appeared out of the bushes, its horse rearing on its back legs. I screamed and Frodo pulled me back. "Run!" Merry shouted.

Frodo and I were separated from the others and we ran through the forest, the Black Rider chasing us.

We tricked it and continued running, the others boarding the ferry in front of us. "Run! This way, follow me! Run!" "Get the rope Sam!" Pippin and Merry were saying frantically.

The Black Rider was close behind us as Frodo and I approached the ferry. It was already drifting away from the dock.

I screamed as the Black Rider grabbed me from the back of the shirt, a cold and dark feeling immediately hitting me. The others were yelling "Frodo! Run Frodo! Go! Hurry Y/N Frodo! Y/N! Jump Frodo! Go on faster! Jump!"

Frodo jumped onto the ferry and turned around. "Y/N!!! NOOO!!" he exclaimed. I shut my eyes tight and suddenly felt the horse skid to a stop.

The Rider screeched and I felt it release me. I was plunged into freezing cold water. I tried to swim, but I couldn't move. Thankfully, I felt someone grab my arms and pull me out of the water.