Into the West

Eadlyn road furiously through the forests headed for Bag End of the Shire. Her eyes focused on the forest ahead of her. Once again she stayed off of the roads. Her horses hooves thundering against the ground, she had just come from Bree. And saw a Black Rider pass through. She needed to get to the Hobington before he did. “Come on Iluad…Go” Eadlyn called “go!” she cried flicking the reigns, as the horse ran faster. In the distance Eadlyn could see a Black rider, talking to a hobbit as she reached the Shire. Glaring she turned Iluad and headed in another way.

Tying her horse up behind Bilbo’s place she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head and silently slipped inside Bag End. “Gandalf?” He called in a whisper, “Frodo?” she called again. “Gand-“ Eadlyn’s calls where muffled as Gandalf pulled her back into the darker shadows of the house. He put his finger to his lips and pointed as a horse and rider rose by quickly. Eadlyn’s eyes where wide at the site of a black rider. Gandalf let go of her mouth as the rider went away. “Frodo…he’s still out ad about in the shire…I’ve got to go get him” she whispered heading towards the door. Gandalf grabbed Eadlyn holding her back “No, It will sense you…wait, Frodo will come he will be fine” Gandalf instructed. Eadlyn didn’t like it but she stayed.

Frodo went to open to door to Bag End, as he entered he looked around wearily; it was pitch black inside of the hobbit hole. Papers blew around in the breeze and curtain swayed under the eerie fading blue light of the moon. Frodo walked inside slowly, looking around. Gandalf reached out and touched Frodo’s shoulder. Eadlyn noticed how wild Gandalf was looking. But she herself had a heart racing. Frodo nearly jumped out of his skin, turning to see Gandalf didn’t help matters. Eadlyn stepped out of the shadows. “is it secret is it safe!” Gandalf said in a hushed yet slightly raised voice. Frodo quickly went to the cupboard in the hall and grabbed the Envelope out of it, his eyes wide he handed it to Gandalf. The wizard quickly snatched it form the hobbit and tossed the envelope in the fire. “What are you doing?” Frodo called running to grab it out of the flames; Eadlyn grabbed his hand and pulled him back, never taking her eyes off of the fire. Frodo looked down at his hand in hers and blushed a deep red. The wizard & the ranger watched as the paper around the rings was turned to ashes, but the ring was unscaved, shimmering in the flames. Gandalf took some tongs and pulled the ring out of the fire. Eadlyn’s eyes seemed to be glued to it, she could hear it whispering to her in the Black speech of Mordor. Her grip on Frodo’s hand tightened Gandalf gave her a side glance. Eadlyn used what control she had over herself left to turn her head away. She let go of Frodo’s hand and walked off into a corner. With her back turned to them all. She looked down at her hands. “No…I am stronger than this..than them…it’s not worth it …fight it” She thought to herself “fight it” she whispered softly closing her eyes she took in a deep breath and then released it. Once she was calm she turned and headed back to Frodo and Gandalf.

"Hold out your hand Frodo, it's quite cool." Gandalf told Frodo, Frodo look pensive but did as he was told. He flinched slightly as Gandalf dropped the ring into his hand; It was heavy, very heavy for such a little thing. Frodo looked up at Gandalf confused and slightly afraid for all that was going on He and Eadlyn where acting strange. "What can you see? Can you see anything?" Gandalf asked. Frodo looked back at the Ring Eadlyn watched Frodo intently as he fumbled with the ring between his fingers, searching for something “Nothing…I see nothing…” He said focusing on the ring. Gandalf & Eadlyn sighed in relief and a smile came to his face slightly. “Wait” Frodo muttered, both ranger & Wizard tensed, Eadlyn closed her eyes and lowered her head. “There are markings” Frodo said a bit louder, turning the ring around in his hand. Runes appeared on the ring, they were faint but got brighter with the seconds and whispers came forth from it. Eadlyn clenched her fists and shut her eyes tightly. "It's some form of Elvish. I can't read it." Frodo said as he tried hard to figure out what the writing said. “There are few who can” Gandalf said darkly looked up at Eadlyn, She raised her head her eyes where hollow and lifeless. Frodo looked back at her. “The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here." Eadlyn said turning her head to the side."In the common tongue it says, 'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them. One Ring to bring them all and-“ Eadlyn stopped unable to finish she walked off again “in the darkness bind them.'" Gandalf finished Eadlyn looked down at her hands which were shaking. Closing her eyes a fiery eye burned into her soul “Eadlyn” It hissed at her as I called her. She shut her eyes tighter. “leave me be” she whispered.

The Three sat down at the table, as Frodo poured them some tea. Eadlyn focused on the ring which was sitting in the center of the table. "This is the One Ring. Forged by the Dark Lord Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom. Taken by Isildur from the hand of Sauron himself." Gandalf explained. At the sound of Sauron’s name the fiery eye came back into Eadlyn’s vision. "Bilbo found it. In Gollum's cave." Frodo said lowly looking at the ring as well. "Yes. For sixty years the Ring lay quiet in Bilbo's keeping, prolonging his life, delaying old age. But no longer Frodo. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. It's heard its master's call." Gandalf said looking towards Eadlyn who’s eyes were still glued to the ring, she could not remove them from it. "But he was destroyed! Sauron was destroyed." Frodo called out, the ring began to whisper softly, Eadlyn moved her lips and whispered silently with it, Frodo and Gandalf looked at the Ring startled Gandalf noticed Eadlyn and laid a hand on her shoulder, she quickly snapped out of it and looked up at him. Her eyes were wide. Frodo squinted a bit at her, he had never seen her like this. Eadlyn was a ranger, she had seen it all or so he thought, she was usually smooth, Sauvé, and calm. But this, this was new. "No, Frodo. The spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring, and the Ring survived. Sauron has returned. His Orcs have multiplied. His fortress at Barad-Dûr is rebuilt in the land of Mordor. Sauron needs only this Ring to cover all the lands of a second darkness." Gandalf said Frodo watched Eadlyn whom seemed to be shivering under the presence of the ring. He quickly snatched it up in his hands. "All right, we put it away. We keep it hidden. We never speak of it again. No one knows it's here, do they?” Frodo said determined, Gandalf stayed quiet, and Eadlyn cast her eyes out the window. “Do they Gandalf?" he asked again. "There is one other who knew that Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum. But the enemy found him first." Gandalf said wearily. "I don't know how long they tortured him. But amidst the endless screams and inane babble, they discerned two words…" Gandalf said pausing.

"Shire. Baggins. But that would lead them here!" Frodo said franticly Eadlyn closed her eyes again, a vision came to her, under the misty moon lithe two black rider road more the sire, a hobbit sanding outside lifted his lantern, looking at the two strangers. “Who goes there!” he demanded, but the black rider raised his scythe and decapitated the hobbit, and continued on their way. Eadlyn’s eyes flew open and she jumped to her feet, walking towards the window she peered out of it, she was back to her normal composure and stood rigidly. “Take it Gandalf, take it!” Frodo said panicked holding out the ring to the wizard. “No Frodo!” Gandalf called backing away. “the will you take it!” Frodo called walking over to Eadlyn she looked down at it gazing at it for a while, Frodo looked up at her and watched has her hand reached out for the ring trembling. Suddenly Eadlyn drew back her hand sharply holding it to her chest “no master Frodo…I cannot…I can…not” she said her voice fading off. Frodo turned back to Gandalf “You must take it!” he called. "You cannot offer me this Ring!" Gandalf called back. “But I’m Giving it to you!” Frodo called still holding it out in his palm. "Don't tempt me Frodo! I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand Frodo, I would use this Ring from a desire to do good. But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine." Gandalf said eyeing Eadlyn whom was now looking back out of the window. “But” Frodo said distraught “It cannot stay in the Shire” he said. “No…no it can’t” Gandalf said slowly. Eadlyn looked at the two as Frodo slowly closed his hand around the ring, he gazed up at Gandalf, gulping. “What Must I do?” He asked he knew..he had no choice in what was to be said.

Eadlyn held open a Backpack while Frodo flung clothing and other items into it. “You must leave and Leave quickly” Gandalf instructed. “where? Where do I go?” Frodo asked hurriedly "Get out of the Shire. Make for the village Bree." Gandalf said throwing him a rolled up shirt, Frodo caught it and shoved it into the bag, before tossing some food into it. "Bree. What about you?" Frodo asked looking up at Gandalf, “I will be waiting for you, At the Inn of the Prancing Pony” Gandalf said. “What about you?” Frodo asked looking up at Eadlyn. “I’ll be right here, I will start ahead of you to clear your path, but I won’t be that far ahead…I’ll start you off, and then leave on ahead….It’s not safe….for me to be with you on the way there” She said in a soothing voice but it faded and got colder. Frodo nodded. "And the Ring will be safe there…in Bree?” Frodo asked. "I don't know Frodo. I don't have any answers. I must see the head of my order. He is both wise and powerful. Trust me Frodo; he'll know what to do." Gandalf said, Eadlyn gave Gandalf a skeptical look. “I wouldn’t be so sure” she whispered as she zipped up Frodo’s bag. Gandalf helped him into his cloak. "Travel only by day. And stay off the road." Gandalf warned. Eadlyn stood behind Frodo watching the two. A smile came to Frodo’s face. "I can cut across country easily enough." Frodo said looking up at the wizard. "My dear Frodo. Hobbits really are amazing creatures! You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years, they can still surprise you." Gandalf said. Eadlyn twitched her head towards the window as she heard a light rustling. She raised her hand signaling Gandalf to be quiet. “get down!” Gandalf called, Frodo ducked down to the ground as Gandalf walked over to Eadlyn & the window. Eadlyn quietly opened it, Gandalf looked around outside of it and then gazed at the bushed, and slowly he took up his staff, and then whacked the bushes with it with great force.

Something groaned, Eadlyn reached down and grabbed it by its hair and flung it down on the table. Gandalf pointed his staff at it. "Confound it all Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?!" He yelled. Eadlyn quickly took her hands off of Sam not wanting to hurt him. "I haven't dropped no eaves sir, honest. I was just cutting the grass under the window there, if you follow me." Sam said quickly. "A little late for trimming the verge, don't you think?" Eadlyn said somewhat sharply. "I heard raised voices." Sam managed to get out frightened by the Ranger & Wizard. Frodo got up to his feet slowly seeing it was ok. “what did you hear..speak!” Gandalf ordered. "N-n-n-nothing important. That is I heard a good deal about a Ring and a Dark Lord and something about the end of the world but… Please, Mister Gandalf sir, don't hurt me. Don't turn me into anythin'…. unnatural." Sam said his eyes darting between Gandalf and Eadlyn. He knew she wasn’t your usual Man… if she was the race of Man at all. With her White eyes, dark ebony skin her hair was thick and bone straight, and fell to her knees within its high ponytail. She was slender and well built but utterly curveless. “Nooo?” Gandalf said looking at Frodo as if he had a plan. "Perhaps not. I have thought of a better use for you…" He added in, Eadlyn peered down at Sam and smirked. Frodo looked at the two and a small smile came to his face. But Samwise didn’t seem to understand.