The Fellowship of the Ring (Frodo x Reader)

Chapter 8: Fear and Pain

After a very fitful nights sleep, the hobbits awoke the following morning tired and anxious. Strider lead the five hobbits and a newly acquired pony quietly away from the village of Bree. After leaving through the now open gates of Bree, Strider lead the hobbits through the forest.

"Where are you taking us?" Frodo called to Strider.

"Into the wild." Strider replied.

The hobbits paused for a moment to look at one another before continuing on.

"How do we know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf?" Merry muttered behind Frodo.

"I think a servant of the Enemy would look fairer and feel fouler." Frodo said eyeing Strider up and down.

"He's foul enough!" Merry grumbled.

"Merry!" Y/n said his name sternly.

"We have no choice but to trust him." Frodo concluded.

"But where is he leading us?" Sam asked.

"To Rivendell, Master Gamgee. To the House of Elrond." Strider said overhearing Sam's question.

"Did you hear that? Rivendell! We're going to see the Elves!" Sam exclaimed with joy.

After traveling for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Sam pause on their trek up a hill, pulling cookware and food from their packs. Strider stops in his tracks, causing Y/n to run into him from behind and look back at the other hobbits.

"Gentlemen, we do not stop 'till nightfall." Strider states flatly.

"What about breakfast?" Pippin asked.

Y/n snickered behind Strider realizing that he didn't know about hobbit meal schedules.

"We've already had it." Strider pointed out.

"We've had one, yes. What about second breakfast?" Pippin asked.

Strider shook his head and walked away.

"Don't think he knows about second breakfast Pippin." Y/n said trying to contain her laughter as she followed behind Strider.

"What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them doesn't he?" Pippin asked Merry who was walking and repacking his pack.

"I wouldn't count on it." Merry humphed.

From over the bushes, Strider tossed an apple and Merry quickly catches it. He hands it to Pippin and pats him on the shoulder. Another apple flies through the air, hitting Pippin in the head with a thunk. More snickering from Y/n could be heard from the other side of the bush which caused Frodo to laugh quietly at Pippin. Pippin looked up bewildered waiting to see if other apples would come flying at him.

"Pippin!" Merry called to him.

The party slowly made their way through increasingly rough country. Evening was starting to set and the forest they were traveling through gave way to flat marshland. Up to their knees they walked in sludgy mire. The conditions are made worse by an army of flies which attack all of them unmercifully. Merry slaps despairingly at the cloud of pests hovering around him.

"What do they eat — when they can't get Hobbit?" Merry complained while flailing his arms around his head.

Behind him, Pippin stumbles and falls into the mire. Y/n helps him to his feet while he spat dirty mire water from his mouth.

Once night falls, they make camp on a large piece of dry land in the mire. Strider returned to the group a short time later with a deer which he took care of for rations. As the moon rose, one by one the hobbits fell asleep. Strider stayed up to keep watch by the fire. Frodo and Y/n were both still awake but didn't know the other was still awake and were listening to Strider hum a tune softly.