Heiress of Isildur (Legolas Love Story)

Chapter 2

Farren POV

They arrived at Bree as the sun touched the horizon, a whole day running over the uneven terrain had been exhausting, but Farren had grown used to it over the years as a ranger, horses often attracted too much attention. Aragorn led her down the street, towards an inn, where the sign 'The Prancing Pony' swung in the wind. Rain had begun to spit on them, sprinkling their cloaks with dark drops. They ducked into the inn. 

Barleman gave them a cautious look, keeping away from them as Aragorn led her top a table by the window, the rain had turned into a deluge. He glanced out the window, Farren placed a hand on his thigh, "Why did we see no sign of the Nazgul?" she kept her voice low.

"Because they are already on our hobbit's trail" he replied grimly, 'Let us pray that he is clever enough to avoid them, or lucky enough not to meet them'

Farren snorted, "You have clearly never met a Baggins. They are magnets for trouble, although they seem to be in luck's good graces" she smiled at the memory of her and Bilbo's adventures with Thorin.

"You miss the hobbit". It was a statement, Aragorn looked at her softly, she had told him about her journey with Thorin. Legolas had occasionally jumped in with his own descriptions and tales, when they had been apart. But they had both left out the part about a certain blonde-haired dwarf, and how Thorin had come to see her as a daughter. She felt the smile slip off her face, the last thing that Thorin had said to her, as he stood with her on the ice facing Azog.

"You were the daughter I wished I had the privilege of being my own" he had shoved her off the ice, away from Azog. Her anger at Fili's death still burned within her, she had started climbing back towards Thorin. They both had a claim to Azog's life when Tauriel's yell had grabbed her attention. If there was one thing, she owed to Fili it was saving his brother's love, she owed that to him.

"Farren!"Aragorn's hands were on her arms, pulling her back to the present. His eyes told her he had seen her saddened expression. "I know there is something you are missing out from your story" his voice was low. She turned away from him, 'Please Farren tell me. I'm supposed to protect you from things'

"You can't protect me from everything Aragorn"

He seemed about to protest when the door opened, and four drenched hobbits stumbled in. She was glad at the distraction, sinking back into the darkness of her hood. The dark-haired one with grey-blue eyes looked pale and nervous, calling himself "Mr Underhill". So, this was Frodo Baggins. The four settled down at a table. 

"Sam, Merry and Pippen" Aragorn muttered in her ear, how he knew their names she didn't know, but she had a feeling that Gandalf had told him something in the note that Aragorn had found in his pack as they had left their camp.

The bar was loud as the hobbits tucked into food and drink. "Those fellows have done nothing but stare at us since we arrived" Sam pointed at them with a chicken leg. Frodo looked over towards the fire and their corner. He politely stopped Barleman, Farren could hear his voice, even over the din.

"That man and woman in the corner. Who are they?"

"They are two of those rangers" Barleman replied quietly, "Dangerous folk they are, roaming the wild. I've never heard their true names, but the man is known as Strider and the girl, Epona" he hurried off, looking nervously at the siblings.

Frodo murmured their names, fiddling with something in his hands. Even from this distance, Farren could feel the effect of the Ring, cold anger emanated from it. Frodo seemed to go into a trance.

"Baggins? Sure, I know a Baggins" Farren cursed, rising from the table making her way towards Pippen, "He's over there Frodo Baggins". She felt Frodo push by her as he hurried at Pippen, she called his name gently, but it only seemed to make him move faster. Farren didn't think he had heard her, so intent on getting to Pippen.

The foolish hobbit tried to grab his friend bur slipped backwards falling, she saw clearly the ring fly upwards into the air, in her peripheral vision Aragorn sat up alert watching, beginning to move. 'No' she called to him softly, but her voice was barely above a whisper, lost to all. Farren watched in panic as the ring fell. Right onto Frodo's finger.

He disappeared.

Everything Bilbo had ever inexplicably done, suddenly explained itself. His ability to disappear, even better than her into the shadows had bugged her pride for years, now it made sense that he had literally disappeared. She knew of the ring but not its power to make him disappear. And with the Ring Wraiths so near, this would be a beacon to them.

Gasps and cry filled the room, Aragorn moved almost looking like he was following something, someone. To any normal person, there was no trace of Frodo, but the two rangers were the best trackers in centuries, the slight movements of dust as Frodo shuffled backwards. "Gentlemen," she said sweetly, lowering her hood, letting her dark hair tumble loosely to her waist, flashing what she hoped was a charming smile at them, "Whatever is the matter?"

"The hobbit he disappeared!", out of the corner of her eye, she saw Aragorn grab Frodo.

"Gentlemen the brandy has gotten to your heads, look he is with my brother" he carelessly waved a hand in Frodo's direction. Laughs filled the air again, as the men's attention returned to her, Aragorn dragging Frodo upstairs without notice.

"Brother eh? You're not married?" Farren forced herself to release a soft laugh, trying to play her cards right. 'You so owe me for this Ari' she thought angrily. "No, I am an unmarried woman"

"Where you from lassie? You look like you have a rough life, nothing like a pretty face like you deserves". His words flowed over each other clumsily, they were too close, hands inching towards her.

"Are you an elf?" A younger one asks, he looks barely 17, looking at her with such rapture that despite herself, heat floods her cheeks. She shyly looked down, shaking her head.

"But my brother is taking me to my betrothed, who is an elf" She was talking out of her...well you can guess where.

It was like she had burst into fire, the men jerked away from her as if they had all just realised who her brother happened to be. Strider, the famed ranger with Epona at his side. Her name was murmured with equal reverence. They backed away, stumbling over their apologies. Farren smiled sweetly at them, waving them off before gracefully retreating to the stairs up which the other three hobbits had run.

"You can no longer wait for the wizard Frodo. They are coming" Aragorn said

"Where is your female friend?" Frodo asked suspiciously

"Would a female's presence soothe you?" Aragorn replied,

"Far more than you are Strider" spat Sam still brandishing a candlestick.

"Then relax in my presence, we are not here to hurt you, but to protect you from those who are hunting you," Farren said softly, the hobbits turned to her and she crouched down.
She was looking up at the Hobbits, only a foot or two smaller than her. She spoke in a motherly voice, one she had often listened to mothers use when reassuring small children, it had worked with Bilbo, Fili, even Thorin. 

"Trust us to protect you" she placed her hand on Frodo's cheek smiling softly. The hobbit blushed.

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A/N I hope you enjoyed this chapter! We are slowly picking up the pace, the journey begins! I had a little bit of fun with Farren with the tavern scene. I can't wait for you guys to see how she interacts with the hobbits! It is one of my favourite relationships to write for Farren!

Also thank you for your comments! They are so kind!

The next update will be towards the end of this week, probably Friday or Saturday! 

Wren