Aleana and Aragorn

Chapter 3

***Aleana POV***

We sat there for quite bit until a child comes running, letting us know the party was starting and Bilbo wanted us there. We had gotten up, heading straight for the party and immediately blending into the crowd. 

Boom!

A firework explodes in the night sky and I watch it with a smile as it fizzles out. I look down at the crowd before me. There were so many Hobbits, feasting and drinking carts of beer and wine. The tables were piled high with steaming scones and savories, and I grab one, indulging my sweet tooth. I see father hurrying about, lighting fireworks with the blue spark that danced magically from his staff. Bilbo was greeting visitors and I sat with Frodo and Sam at a table as they drank ale. 

I look and notice Sam's eyes keep flicking to a pretty Hobbit who was sitting some distance away. I'm not the only one who notices though, as Frodo speaks up.

"Go on, Sam, ask Rosie for a dance."

"I think I'll just have myself another ale," Sam says horrified and I laugh.

"Oh, no you don't, Frodo snatches the glass out of Sam's hand and thrusts him into the middle of a passing throng of dancers, "go on."

Sam is immediately swept away and Frodo laughs, finishing his beer. I can't help, but laugh myself. He turns to me and holds out his hand and I raise my eyebrow at him questioningly. 

"Come on, let me have this dance," Frodo exclaims and I laugh, taking his hand. He pulls me up and although he is quite shorter than me, he drags me to the dance floor and we dance around. I laugh as we twirl around, trying not to crash into the others, truly enjoying myself. After quite a few dances later, I excuse myself to catch my breath, taking a seat beside Bilbo, who is relating stories of his adventure to a group of young hobbit children.

"So, there I was...at the mercy of three monstrous trolls. Have you ever heard of a troll? Do you know what a troll is? Great big nasty twenty foot high smelly things, and they're arguing...arguing about how they were going to cook us!"

The children's faces are eager, their eyes growing larger and larger.

"Whether it be turned on a spit or minced in a pie or whether they were going to sit on us one by one and squash us into jelly," Bilbo continues, "But they spent so long arguing the whether-to's and why-for's that the sun's first light crept over the top of the trees and turned them all to stone!"

The children gasp in astonishment and I smile, remembering the memory. Bilbo relays a few more memories before getting up and walking off. The children immediately gather round me, asking many questions of my adventures and having Gandalf the Grey as my father. But, before I can answer, a rocket zooms over the party, bursting apart and forming the shape of a great red golden Dragon. Fire gushes from it's nostrils as it turns back and flies low towards the startled crowd. 

I throw myself over the children and see that Frodo has pulled Bilbo to the ground, just as the dragon roars a few feet above our heads. Hobbits all around dive to the ground, not caring as tables overturn, tents collapse, and food flies everywhere. Suddenly the dragon somersaults and explodes over the hills with a deafening bang, shooting colors everywhere. Everyone cheers, but I get up to find father. Why would he release something so big? But a conversation behind me, let's me know it wasn't father.

I turn to the two hobbits, Merry and Pippin, who were oblivious that I was listening to them.

"That was good," Merry exclaims.

"Let's get another one," Pippin answers and I walk up to them.

"I don't think so," I narrow my eyes at them, crossing my arms in playful anger, just as large hands clamp down on their shoulders. They look behind them as I look to see father looking down sternly.

"Meridoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took...I might have known," father says before taking them away. I go to find Frodo, taking a seat beside him as Bilbo steps on a stool, bowing in gratitude as everyone applauds. 

"Speech," Frodo yells.

Bilbo clears his throat, "My dear Bagginses, and Boofins, Tooks and Brandybucks...Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and Proudfoots. Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday. Yes, and alas eleventy-one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable Hobbits!"

There is a tremendous outburst of approval.

"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like," Bilbo continues, "and I like less than half of you as well as you deserve."

There is scattered clapping around as the Hobbits try to work out if it that was a compliment or not. I smile to myself and look to see there is a smile on Frodo's face as well. Turning my attention back to Bilbo, I notice he pulls something out of his waistcoat pocket and holds it behind his back. 

"I have things to do and I have put this off for far too long," the smile falls from my face as I lean forward as Bilbo continues, "I regret to announce, this is the end. I am going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell!"

Bilbo looks to Frodo and I follow his gaze, noticing the confusion etched on Frodo's face. I turn back to Bilbo, he couldn't do this, not like this!

"Goodbye," he whispers and then instantly vanishes. I am shocked as everyone around me is as well, but before I can process what is happening or if Frodo is all right, I feel excruciating pain in my head. I clutch it, crying out in agony, as I fall to my knees, my body burning as if on fire. I can hear Frodo calling me, but his voice seems far away. In the next second the pain is gone and I am no longer in the Shire.

I find myself standing in a circular room that looked a lot like a dungeon. Before I can make out where I was or what had just happened, a voice sends a chill of fear down my spine.

"Greeting Aleana. We finally meet, my love."

I turn around and see Sauron in his armor, standing and watching me. My eyes open wide in shock as he starts taking steps towards me. I stumble back, away from him, but before he can reach me, my head whips to the left and pain flares through my cheek, and just like that I am back in the Shire. The hobbits were still speaking loudly in confusion. My cheek hurts and I look forward to see Frodo looking at me in worry. I'm able to look straight at him because I was kneeling and my hand flies to my cheek.

"Did you strike me Frodo?"

"I am so sorry Aleana," he cries out worriedly, "you were in some kind of trance and you looked so afraid, but no matter what I did you wouldn't get free. So I hurt you. I am so sorry."

"It is ok Frodo," I smile at him, bringing him in for a hug, "it is alright."

"But is it really," he pushes away gently, watching me in concern, "are you really alright?"

The vision of Sauron and his words echo through my mind and I feel myself inhale sharply. I was shaken and afraid. What was that?

"I'm not sure Frodo," I answer, for the first time feeling lost, a strange fear gripping my bones.

A/n: Please don't be mad with Frodo! He meant well when he slapped Aleana, and just to clear it up, I promise it wasn't a very hard slap. 

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