An Unexpected Quest - LotR PJO; Lord of the Rings / Percy Jackson Crossover

II: No One Goes Through the Gate (ΠΕΡΣΙ pov)

title

I am not Rick Riordan, Disney Hyperion or Middle-Earth Enterprises, therefore I don't own PJO, HOO, or LotR. I do, however, own my storyline, my portrayal of the characters, my writings and quotes, and take responsibility for such.

Percy, Thalia, and Nico found themselves near the gate to a village, clothed in different apparel than they were used. It was jarring to suddenly be thrust from the bright, warm sunshine of Half-blood Hill into the cool darkness of night.

Thalia shoved both of them into the bushes on the side of the road. "Wha..." Percy began. "Shh! Hoofsteps!" Thalia hissed.

Were those a thing? Hoofbeats sounded too gallop-y. Cloppings? Well, might as well trust the medieval warrior-maiden lady.

...Don't tell her he thought that last part.

They peered out of the brush and watched as four small figures appeared, riding on little ponies. As they arrived at the fence a gatekeeper came running up with a lantern. "What do you want, and where are you going?"

The gruffness in his voice made Percy tense.

"We are making for the inn here," the seeming leader of the four answered. "We are journeying east and cannot go further tonight."

"Hobbits! Four hobbits! And what's more, out of the Shire by their talk," the gatekeeper spoke softly, as if to himself. The dark look he gave the hobbits made the half-bloods tense, ready to defend the hobbits if need be.

They must be the party they're to protect.

He slowly opened the gate to allow them through. "We don't often see Shire-folk riding by the road at night," he went on, "So you'll pardon my wondering what business takes you away east of Bree! What may your names be, may I ask?"

"Our names and our business are our own, and this does not seem like a good place to discuss them," the same hobbit answered; he, like the half-bloods, didn't seem to trust the man.

"Your business is your own no doubt, but it's mine to ask questions after nightfall."

"We are hobbits from Buckland, and we have a fancy to stay at the inn here," another of the four stepped up, "I am Mr. Brandybuck. Is that enough for you? The Bree-folk used to be fair-spoken to travelers, or so I had heard."

"All right, all right!" said the man. "I meant no offense. But you'll find maybe that more folk than old Harry at the gate will be asking you questions. There's queer folk about. If you go on to the pony, you'll find that you're not the only guests. A good night to you all!" Harry opened the gate, but his curious face still shone at them in the lanternlight.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~

"He knows something," Nico said abruptly, once they were out of sight.

"Guys."

Nodding, "It seems probable that others have asked about them." Thalia mused, "The problematic question is who."

"Guys."

"Sauron's minions? Or allies?"

"Guys!"

The gate clanged shut. "Well, there went our ticket to an easy entrance." a dejected Percy moped.

"Easy?" Thalia turned on him, upset at his interruption. "Easy to be caught following them?! That would definitely ruin our chances of getting them to trust us!"

"Or we could tell the truth, that we're here to protect them."

"Pfft. Like they'd believe that. Why don't we also say there are these crazy people in the sky who seem to find great enjoyment in finding funner ways to almost kill us?" Under her breath she said, "Like stealing us away from duty to save some other world."

Percy assumed a mock look of pity, "Not everyone's as distrusting as you, Thals."

"The hobbits will be." Nico's dark voice leaped from the shadows, "They're on a dangerous mission and they know it. They're bound to be wary, unless the wizard chose someone incompetent."

"You both are way too..." he trailed off as a dark figure ran from the other side of the road and hopped the fence.

"...If that's not fishy, I don't know what is," he spoke into the silence. Looking down he saw Nico's hand proffered.

"Shadow travel?" he whined, "Why not just hop the fence?"

Nico grinned evilly, "Why don't you?" and melted away with Thalia.

wc: 658, give or take (editing throws me off;P).

Btw, feel free to correct my tense, and any other grammar errors--I'm trying to write third person limited, but I'm getting thrown off because I'm so used to Percy being first person; then LotR is in third omniscient.

2/2022

Goal: write seventh (of unpublished) chaps