An Unexpected Favor

Chapter Three A Friend

Bella POV
I couldn't believe I was finally going on an adventure with Bilbo, and going to meet my father! I hummed along with Bilbo as we quietly left the Shire. I wasn't sure how far we would walk the first night, but we made it to the edge of the Shire before stopping for the night. I helped Bilbo start a fire.
"So what's Rivendell like?" I asked, not being able to wait any longer. Bilbo had gotten out his pipe.
"The most beautiful place you'll see," Bilbo said as he began to tell of his first visit there with the dwarves and Gandalf. I had heard bits of it before, but I listened even more intently now. I found myself getting drowsy and finally fell asleep.
I woke up the next morning as Bilbo was roasting some sausages over the fire for breakfast.
"Morning," he said as I got up.
"Morning. How far are we going today?"
"Oh, as far as we can. You never know what will happen on the road," he replied.
"Don't worry, if nothing happens and we make good time, we should be there in a week or so," he said.
"Why didn't we get ponies?" I asked, thinking how much easier it would be to travel. Bilbo laughed.
"Half my trip to the Lonely Mountain I made on foot after we lost our ponies."
"So you're making me walk all the way?" I droned. He smiled.
"What's the fun in making it easy?" He smirked as we finished breakfast. A couple days passed and we had made it past Bree. I had wanted to see The Prancing Pony, so Bilbo finally caved that night since it was starting to storm. We were almost into the town by the woods when my elf ears heard something and I snapped around to Bilbo, making him stop walking.
"Someone's following us," I whispered. Bilbo pulled out his sword Sting, but it wasn't glowing so that confused me. I turned around again, but saw a man on a horse wearing a cloak. Bilbo seemed to have recognized him.
"Who are you?" I asked, standing in front of Bilbo.
"A friend," he said as he got off his horse. The rain had slowed down and I could see his face and long shoulder length hair. I didn't know who he was. He went to Bilbo and talked to him. They then came up to me.
"You can call me Strider. I know who you are. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said as he stuck out his hand. I wearily shook it.
"Bella," I said. He then grabbed his horse's reins.
"Let's go to the inn," he said as I agreed with him. The walk was quiet except for the rain as we got rooms and then finally something to eat. Then, me, Bilbo and this Strider shared a table together.
"I will go the rest of the way with you," Strider said as I sat my drink down.
"To Rivendell?" I asked as he put a finger to his lips.
"You must not bring attention to yourself. People here would hunt you down," he said quietly.
"Why? I'm not important," I said.
"Yes you are. You just do not understand yet," Strider said.
"Then why doesn't someone explain more?" I said, crossing my arms. Strider sighed.
"Once we get there, you will know everything," he said as I took a drink. It then hit me that he was really the first man I'd properly met. He was very muscular and had cleaned up enough from the rain his face wasn't unattractive... I had zoned out while he and Bilbo were talking. I heard some more men walk into the tavern as I slowly looked that way. They looked rough and on a mission. I put my hood up, feeling oddly exposed with my ears. My ears perked up as I tried to hear what they were saying over the other people here. Strider looked at me.
"Your instincts are keen," he whispered.
"I just have a bad feeling about this," I said.
"Not all men are good," Bilbo muttered as he snuck a glance at them.
"So what do we do?" I asked.
"Rule one, don't draw attention to yourself," Strider said as he looked at me.
"Just stay here then?" I asked.
"For a while. Let me see what they do," Strider replied. I sighed.
"All I do is wait."
"Patience is a virtue," Strider said. The strange men just sat at the bar. There wasn't any hobbits in here besides Bilbo. I was the odd elf out. But I was used to that feeling in the Shire, but the Shire was safe. This didn't feel right. I grew fidgety.
"I'm just gonna go up to our room," I said as I turned but Strider grabbed my shoulder.
"Don't. Least not alone," he said roughly.
"Look, I'm not one of you, I can run faster than anyone in this place. I think I'll be fine," I said but Bilbo looked at me too.
"If you go, Strider goes too," the hobbit said.
"Fine, but I can handle myself," I said, not sure what Strider would do. Strider got up from his seat and put his arm around me like we were some couple. Bilbo paid our bill and followed soon after. My hood slipped a little, but the men didn't see anything since we were already at the stairs to go to our room. Bilbo came last into our room as Strider shut the door.
"Well that went well," I muttered as I sat down on the bed. There wasn't much else In the room. We could only get one room since they were full.
"You need to be careful," Strider said.
"Hey I put my hood up, I noticed them!"
"Yes your father would be so proud," Strider groaned as I crossed my arms.
"Why do they want me anyway?"
"Because you are very valuable," Strider said. That made me feel like an object. Like, I could be used and tossed away.
"How?"
"You're basically an elf princess," Bilbo said in plainer terms.
"What?" I squeaked.
"He is kind of right," Strider said, looking at Bilbo.
"So they just want to use me?" I spat. Strider rubbed his neck.
"Well that's one way to say it. But that's why I'm here. To protect you and make sure you get there safely," he explained.
"Gandalf sent you didn't he?" I said. Strider raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. Your father too."
"So what's he like? My father? Since he is the cause of all this," I said.
"He's very brave, and kind. He took me in when I was young."
"What happened to your parents?" I asked. Strider looked away for a moment.
"They're gone. I was raised in Rivendell."
"I'm sorry," I said. For the longest time I thought I didn't have any parents at all.
"It's fine. We just need to get you to Rivendell safely and quickly. We'll leave by dawn. I'll keep an eye out you two can sleep," Strider said. I looked at Bilbo. He did seem tired, though he's also 111.
"Well, goodnight you two, I'm going to bed before anybody tries to kill or kidnap us," he said with a yawn as he tried to jump onto the bed. Strider smiled at that and said goodnight and so did I. Bilbo had one side of the bed and I took up most of the other. I didn't see Strider, but I knew he must have been there as I somehow fell asleep.

Note: I've decided to switch point of view, so the rest of the story might be told from Bella's point of view, but we shall see!