By Your Side [ Frodo Baggins x Reader ] DISCONTINUED

Chapter 11: Strider

Third Person POV

Strider picked Y/N up bridal style and saw that she had blacked out. He watched Frodo reappear and grabbed him by the collar. "You draw far too much attention to yourself Mr. 'Underhill'!"

He dragged him up into a room, still carrying Y/N. Strider released Frodo and the little hobbit backed away. "What do you want? Put her down!" Frodo demanded.

Strider didn't listen, instead he just spoke. "A little more caution from you. That is no trinket you carry."

"I carry nothing."

"Indeed. I can avoid being seen if I wish. But to disappear entirely, that is a rare gift."

Strider pulled back his hood and Frodo looked at him in fear. "Who are you?" Frodo questioned.

"Are you frightened?"

"Yes."

"Not nearly frightened enough. I know what hunts you." Strider said.

The door suddenly burst open and Strider drew his sword, turning so that he was facing the intruders. In came Samwise, Merry, and Pippin, armed with a candelabra and a three-legged stoll.

"Let them go or I'll have you, Longshanks!" Sam said strongly.

"You have a stout heart little hobbit, but that will not save you. You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo. They're coming." Strider said.

"What about Y/N? One of the Black Riders touched her and she's felt cold ever since." Frodo said.

"Yeah! And why are you carrying her, you kidnapping scoundrel?!" Pippin exclaimed.

"She will be alright once you make it somewhere better. What she really needs is the magic of the elves. But let us rest. We will leave in the morning.

Strider walked over to a bed and sat Y/N down on it, covering her with a blanket. "Frodo..." she mumbled in her sleep.

Frodo sat down on the edge of the bed and took her hand. "It's alright. I'm here. Strider?"

"Yes, Frodo?"

"Are you a friend of Gandalf?"

"I am. Gandalf the Grey and I have known each other in the past." Strider smiled and sat down on the other edge of Y/N's bed. Eventually, everyone was sitting on the bed and watching her.

"She will be alright?" Pippin wondered.

"Y/N will be fine, hobbits."

Timeskip...

Late that night, the Black Riders rode on their horses into the Prancing Pony. Butterbur stood still and silent as they passed with their swords drawn.

The Riders entered a room with four occupied beds. Each stood in front of a bed and plunged their swords into them. They pulled back the blankets, and feathers whirled everywhere. The Black Riders had stabbed pillows. They screeched in anger and threw the beds.

Across the street, Aragorn sat in the windowsill and watched. The loud screeches and thumps of horses' hooves woke the hobbits.

Y/N's POV

"W-Where am I? F-Frodo?" I said groggily, trying to open my eyes.

I managed to get the open as Frodo said "Y/N! Thank goodness you're awake! Strider, come see."

A man I didn't recognize with shoulder length brown hair and bluish green eyes hurried over and leaned over me. "Who are you?"

"This is Strider, Y/N. He dragged you and Frodo away from the crowd. Well, he dragged Frodo and carried you." Pippin said. "That's not important now." Aragorn felt of my forehead and face. "This is far worse than I thought. What happened exactly?"

"Well, we were running towards Buckleberry Ferry. Us boys had already jumped on the ferry when one of those things grabbed her. It dropped her in the water. On accident, of course." Merry explained.

"I see. It was that you were touched by one of them and plunged into freezing waters that made you feel so dark and cold. I think I know how to fix this." Strider said.

I screamed as another screech was heard in the distance. I went to sit up, but Strider gently pushed me back down.

"What are they?" Frodo asked, referring to the Black Riders.

"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. Now they are slaves to his will. They are the Nazgûl, 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."

There was silence for about ten minutes and I noticed that Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin had fallen asleep in their beds now.

"Are they suffering? The Nazgûl? They aren't living or dead and spend all of their time looking for a ring." I asked Strider, who was standing by the window.

He smiled softly and sat down on the edge of my bed. "They wouldn't know. They think of nothing but the Ring."

"Strider..."

"Yes, Y/N?"

"Why are you helping us?" I asked him. He smiled. "Because, Y/N, it is the right thing to do. I know the power of the Ring, and I know that if Sauron obtains it, Middle Earth will crumble. Now go to sleep, we have a long walk tomorrow."

Strider smiled and patted my shoulder before standing and going over to the windowsill. After that, I closed my eyes and fell asleep.