𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋 ✯ 𝑙𝑜𝑡𝑟 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ✓

The Company of Si - Seven

Victoria woke up early in the morning. The sun hadn't even risen yet, but after one night sleep she had made up her mind and didn't want to delay any longer. The rain was still ticking against the slanted window when she got out of bed. She grabbed an old and worn-out backpack and started to stuff clothing and provisions in it.

She changed into her travel clothes and slung the backpack over her shoulder. She tiptoed out of her chamber and went downstairs. She hoped there was no one else awake, but her hope was in vain. In the kitchen stood her - now - oldest brother. Once, she had had five brothers, but now she only had three. One had died along with her parents during a robbery, and the second one had died during an Orc hunt. Or at least, so they say. She and her other brothers knew the truth; he had run off with the so called 'love of his life'. It wouldn't suprise Victoria if the 'love of his life' had left him by now.

William eyed her suspiciously when he noticed the stuffed backpack and her clothes. "Where are you going?" he asked her.

"Uhm..." Victoria hesitated, what should she tell? The truth, she supposed but then only partly. "I'm going to visit the Elven cities."

William laughed. "What?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "What's so funny about that?"

His expression changed in a blink of an eye. One moment it had been joyful, the next it stood angry. "You can't leave." He realized she hadn't been joking. "We all have to work to keep this house."

Victoria snorted. "You mean I have to work? You all do nothing, while I work my ass off."

"That's not -," but Victoria cut him off. She wasn't done yet.

"Besides, if you hadn't use all our heritage to drink your grief away, none of this would have happened."

That hit him right in the face, Victoria could see it. He was quiet for a while before he dared to speak again.

"So you were just going to leave without saying goodbye?"

"Of course not," she answered. "I was going to leave a note." She grabbed her packback again, which she had placed on a chair for the time-being but now she had lingered long enough. Victoria didn't know which time the Rangers and the Hobbits were leaving again, but she would hate to miss them. She headed towards the backdoor.

"So you're just running away with that Ranger? Just as Matt did?"

Victoria froze in her pass with her hand resting on the doorknob, how did he know that?

"I saw you yesterday. You checked their table way too much."

She glared back over her shoulder. "It's not like that. You know I've always wanted to see more of Middle Earth and you know I've always wanted to be a doctor. What better way is there to learn it from the Elves themselves? They're just traveling the same way which actually helped me to make up my mind." And with that she walked out of the door into the drizzle, nothing could stop her. It was time she started to do the things she wanted to do and if she didn't stood up for herself, no one would.

Victoria walked towards the stables and saddled her white mare Zara. The horse was eager to see her mistress again; Victoria hadn't ride her in a long time so she too was eager to head out again. She led Zara by the reins towards the inn, before she would leave she would had to tell mister Barliman she quit her job. She stepped inside and shook the little raindrops out of her hair. Even though it was still early, there were already some customizers awake and eating their breakfast. Victoria hoped they hadn't left yet. Mister Barliman spotted her and Victoria slowly walked towards them. She wasn't quite sure yet how to tell him the news.

"You look troubled," he said and Victoria smiled a bit weakly. Oh boy...

"I'm... I'm leaving for a while. I will not be able to work for you here then..." Her voice had been as soft as a whisper but Butterbur wasn't mad. He understood, he had seen her curious looks at the table of the strange company yesterday and knew she had wanted to join them on their journey.

"Of course," he smiled at her and Victoria was suprised for a moment. He wasn't angry? "But you may want to hurry," he added. "They left quite some time ago."

She uttered a thanks and quickly left the inn again, she hoped she could still catch up with them.

~*~*~*~*~

The company of six all looked back over their shoulders when they heard the sound of some rushed hoofs coming their way. Varonwe smiled when he recognized the rider of the white horse: it was Victoria. He couldn't help to notice she rode as if she was a noblewoman, but then, she probably was. She soon was catched up with them and slowed down her horse when she rode next to Varonwe.

"Mind if I join you?"

Varonwe shook his head. "Not at all... Milady."

Victoria glared at him a shoved his shoulder. "Just call me Tory."

"I thought that was just for friends?"

She shrugged. "It's shorter than Victoria and better than milady."

Ayleen who was riding behind them and next to Aragorn, softly whispered something so that only the Hobbits and her brother could hear them. "I ship them."

"I do too," Esmerelda added but Pippin didn't seem to understand that jargon.

"You ship them? To where?" Luckily, he hadn't said it very loud.

Esmerelda facepalmed. "Oh Pip..."

And now the company of seven continued their way towards Rivendell.

~*~*~*~*~

GerithorDunedain as Varonwe

liefshannah as Victoria

MonsterCupcake61176 as Esmerelda

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: It's short... I know, I'm terribly sorry :( But I wanted to update something since I'm going to London tomorrow! Yay! This was probably out of the blue but that means I won't be able to update next week xD So that's why I wanted to update now. And I'll probably only be online in the evening if we have proper WiFi in the hotel. Which is a big 'if'. But anyways, I'm so excited! I have never visited London before and I have never traveled by plane before! I hope I don't get too much earache... (But I think I will get that since I can't even dive without being bothered by the pressure difference)

Ah well, talk to ya guys / girls later!

And of course, hoped you liked it, et cetera...