Daughter of the Shapeshifter (A Lord of The Rings Fanfiction)

Chapter 6

"Uncle Bilbo?"  Gandalf and I turned and saw Frodo come in the door.  I glanced between the two, wondering if I was imagining Gandalf's reaction to Frodo.  Not too long after Mother and Bilbo left, he sat down by the fire and started muttering to himself.  Frodo shook his head as he walked in.  "He left, didn't he?"  I nodded, watching him carefully.

"At least he didn't go alone.  Mother went with him."  Frodo nodded as he approached Gandalf.

"He always spoke of leaving, but...  I'd just hoped that he wouldn't."  Gandalf nodded and looked between us.

"He left you Bagend...  And the ring."  Frodo frowned as he looked at the ring Gandalf offered him.  "Keep it safe.  I'll be back in a few weeks."  Frodo nodded as Gandalf walked out the door and looked over at me.

"Why are you still here?"  I smiled a little as I answered.

"Mother asked me to wait here for her and keep an eye on you..."

A few weeks later, Frodo and I had just gotten back from the market when someone pulled him in the door.  I backed off, growling as my claws unsheathed.  Seeing Gandalf, I relaxed and retracted my claws as I went through the door.

"What the heck?  Trying to scare us?"  I grasped Mother's necklace nervously as Gandalf looked between the two of us.

"Is it hidden?  Is it safe?"  Before I could ask him what was going on, Frodo went to retrieve the small, golden ring from its hiding place.  As he did, Gandalf snatched it and threw it into the fire.

"What are you doing?"  I stared in horror as the ring lit up in the fire, glowing faintly, while Frodo protested.  Pulling it out from the fire, Gandalf handed it to Frodo.

"Tell me...  Is there any writing on it?"  I frowned as I examined the ring from the side.  As the firery lettering appeared, I gulped.

"It can't be..."  Looking up at Gandalf, I shook my head.  "I thought he was defeated a long time ago!"  Gandalf huffed and shook his head.

"Sauron can't fully be defeated unless the ring is destroyed as well."  I looked between Frodo and Gandalf, disbelief blooming in my chest.  "Why didn't you just tell me?"  Frodo looked between us as we agrued for a little while.  Finally, he spoke.

"What do we do?  I could hide it, and no one would ever find it!"  Gandalf shook his head.

"No...  The Ringwraithes are coming for it."  I narrowed my eyes at Gandalf.

"Oh, now I have to protect Frodo from the Ringwraithes?!?  Is there anyone else here thinking that I should have been told this a while ago?"  Gandalf froze as I froze, sensing a presence.  I immediately looked to the window, placing myself between it and Frodo as Gandalf went to check it out.  Yelling, he pulled up a cowering hobbit.  Frodo frowned as he shook his head.

"Sam?!?"  Gandalf glared down at the little hobbit.

"What did you hear?"  Whimpering, the hobbit, Sam, told us vaguely about what we had been talking about.  I tugged Sam away from Gandalf as he thought for a second.

"Gandalf, really...  We have bigger problems than dealing with this guy.  What should we do?"  Gandalf grabbed his staff and hat as he looked between the 3 of us.

"We have to take the ring to Rivendell...  Era, take them Bree and wait for me there."  I nodded and turned to Frodo and Sam as Gandalf left.

"Get some sleep tonight, boys.  We leave at first light."  Turning to face Frodo, I lowered my gaze.  "Did your uncle leave any maps?  I don't know my way, and I'd hate to get us lost or worse..."  He nodded and lead me to the study and pointed to the desk.

"There...  Goodnight, Era."  I smiled as he left.

"Goodnight."  Studying the map, I clutched Mother's necklace and focused on Father's energy.  Almost instantly, he appeared.

"Gandalf sure does seem to be really persuasive, doesn't he?"  I shook my head as I looked at the map.

"You made this trip before...  What's our best bet?"  He looked over my shoulder at the map.

"Take the hidden road.  It's located north of the main road."  I examined the map carefully.

"How come it's not on the map?"  He chuckled softly as he sat down beside me.

"For the same reason it's called the hidden road."  He glanced over at me as I stared at the map.  "What's bothering you, Era?"  I shook my head as I looked up at him.

"Why me?  Mother's more fit for this journey.  What if something bad happens?  What if..."  I lowered my head.  "What if I fail?  I mean, yeah, I've been trained to fight, but...  I don't have much experience.  What if I can't protect Frodo and Sam?"  He shook his head at me as he took my hand in his.

"You're my daughter...  You are a shapeshifter.  I know you won't fail."  He smiled at me.  "I know you're scared, but I know you can do this.  Besides..."  His smile widened.  "I'm certain you won't be alone."  I lowered my head onto the table and stared off into space.

"But..."  I sighed.  "I'm scared...  This is the first time in a long time I've been anywhere but Lothloria, and..."  I shook my head.  "I don't think I can do this."  He smiled down at me.

"You know...  There was a lot of things your mother was afraid of when I met her."  I looked up at him, not quiet sure if I believed him.  "She was afraid that she'd turn out to be a monster, and that everyone she met would die because of her.  She was afraid of being captured by the Orcs...  She fears for you, too.  She thought that she was placing too much responsibility on you by having you do this."  He looked me in the eye.  "And, I was afraid that your mother would get hurt, and it would be all my fault.  I promise you, Era, that as long as you don't let your fear get in the way of rational thinking, you will accomplish whatever it is you need to."  I smiled at him as my eye lids grew heavier and heavier.

"Thanks, Father."  Before long, I was asleep.