Green Cloaks || Legolas

Six

Luin leaned against the wall, hood pulled over his face as he sipped his drink. At his side Aragorn did the same. Both men's faces hid in shadow as they watched the inn. The noise had died down for a surprised moment as the four newcomers stepped through the door. Hobbits were rare outside of the shire. Most of the inn had probably never seen any before despite their short distance from the shire.

Luin watched amusedly as the small group of four found a table. He had assumed that only Frodo would be coming, but he seemed to be wrong. Channeling his qi, he listened to them talk. The rest of the inn noise faded into background buzzing as Luin concentrated. He closed his eyes and opened his ears.

"Have you seen Gandalf?" Frodo asked the old bartender. He was a large grumpy, smelly man with a perpetual bad attitude. The man looked down at them over the counter and grunted.

"Gandalf? No. Haven't seen him for over half a year", he replied, turning away. Frodo huffed in disappointment and Luin grimaced at Aragorn's side. Gandalf should have been here by now. A wizard was never late, always arriving exactly when they mean too. Gandalf meant to be here on time, Luin knew it. So he must have been delayed. Luin hated when his instincts were right. (Well, only half the time. His instincts had been right about a certain prince after all. He knew they were good for something).

The three hobbits all found a table and were sitting down. They pushed back their rain soaked hoods to reveal three blonde curls. Samwise Gangee, Merdioc Brandybuck and Peregine Took. Frodo's best friend and the two trouble makers. Luin sighed heavily. If this was the beginning of what he thought it was, he would rather not have three more people in danger. Frodo was stuck in this wether he wanted to be or not. The other three were unfortunately now along for the ride.

Luin groaned and opened his eyes, ears popping as the rest of the inn sound came clouding back. He rubbed at them under his hood, unused to the new technique. It was something he had played with a few times before but it always made him have a bit of a headache afterwards. "Gandalf is not coming", he muttered as he took a heavier swig out of his pint. "He must have been delayed. I have to take the hobbits with me to Rivendale". The pint was almost empty.

"Dangerous?" Aragorn asked.

"Of course". Luin smirked. He spared another glance over at Frodo. He could feel the energy of the ring under the hobbit's shirt. It was a high pitched whine on the edge of his senses. Seemingly more powerful than it had been back at Bilbo's house. Luin narrowed his eyes and drained his tankard. He wasn't liking this one bit.

"I should collect them", he grumbled, standing up. "Before they make a fool of themselves. We should leave as soon as possible".

He began walking through the crowd but was knocked back by a group of drunken mercenaries. They were all large men, swaying with their arms over each overs shoulders as they sang loudly. Luin rolled his eyes and shoved them aside. "Merry!" A call echoed over the bar. Luin looked up. Merry was sat at a seat at the bar a few feet away. His expression was open and mouth moving as he talked. The foolish hobbit speaking too much. Frodo had also realised for he was shoving across the inn. Merry looked up at the call of his name and waved at Frodo cheerfully.

Luin huffed and grabbed Merry by the back of his collar. He hauled the small hobbit of the seat and away from his drink. Merry yelped and kicked helplessly in the air. "It would be good for you to be aware of what you say young Merry", he whispered.

"Luin!" Merry squeaked as he peered under the hood. "You're here!"

"Merry!" Frodo, Sam and Pippin were scrambling through the crowd towards them. Luin watched as a stray foot caught Frodo's cloak. The hobbit was pulled backwards, landing on the ground with a thud. Something gold flew out of his hand into the air. Luin watched with growing dread as Frodo lifted a hand to catch the ring. The small band of gold fell neatly around Frodo's middle finger. He vanished.

"Fucking hell", Luin groaned. "Why can't Gandalf give me easy missions?" He muttered under his breath. Frodo had vanished, the space where he was lying now filled with people. Luin tucked a surprised Merry under one arm like a sack of potatoes and peered over the crowd. He waved at Aragorn and pointed. The man nodded and stomped over to Sam and Pippin. He grabbed both hobbits by their hoods and pulled them after him.

Luin closed his eyes for a moment and focused on the energy signature of everyone in the bar. One sparked against his Qi and he opened his eyes again. When Frodo stumbled to the wall and pulled the ring off his finger, Luin sensed it. He was there within a blink, hoisting Frodo under his other arm and striding after Aragorn.

"You got a room?" He asked. The hobbits were all protesting in their hold. Aragorn nodded and began leading them up the stairs and out of the bar.

"Who are you?" Frodo asked, wriggling in Luin's hold.

"It's Luin Frodo", Merry grinned. Frodo relaxed and in front of them Sam and Pippin did too.

"Luin", Frodo sighed in relief. "Where's Gandalf?"

"Not coming. I believe he's been delayed", Luin replied curtly. He dropped the two hobbits in the small bed as soon as Aragorn pulled open the door.

"Windows", he instructed. Aragorn nodded and crossed over to the small window to keep watch outside. He had done good in choosing a room which faced out over the front of the inn and the main entrance. Luin peered back down the corridor they came. Once satisfied that no one was following or eavesdropping, he closed the door and pulled back his hood. He regarded the hobbits with a stern and grim face. All four of them looked at him with wide panicked eyes. Luin was normally easy going and relaxed. They had not seen him like this before.

"Aragorn. Theses are my guests", Luin swept an arm between Aragorn and the four hobbits. All the hobbits nodded at him nervously. "Hobbits. This is Aragorn. We're taking you to Rivendale. Did you get a room?"

"What?" Sam asked, confused and reeling.

"A room. Did you rent a room for the night?" Luin snapped.

"Yes". Frodo voiced.

"You", Aragorn pointed at Sam. "Come with me. All of you are staying here". Sam jumped but followed Aragorn out of the room.

As Aragorn passed Luin, he hissed "what in the undead orc hell have you gotten me into?"

"You would have been involved no matter wether I was here or not", Luin smiled back. Aragorn rolled his eyes and strode out of the door. Sam sparing one last glance at the room before following. The door snapped shut behind them both.

"Were you followed?" Luin asked.

"Black riders". Frodo's voice was shaky. The black haired hobbit was sat on the edge of the bed, one hand in his pocket where Luin knew the ring lay.

"What is going on?" Pippin scowled.

"Yeah! I don't understand", Merry added. Luin waved a hand for them to be quiet. He peered out the window, watching the rain drench the cobbles outside. The gate was quiet. After a few minutes the door banged open. All the hobbits jumped but it was just Aragorn and Sam. Aragorn stomped in and nodded at Luin as Sam joined his friends.

"I'll explain in the morning", Luin promised the hobbits. He shared a look with Aragorn, silently telling hi, that they'd talk later. Aragorn smirked and Luin rolled his eyes.

"Get some sleep", Aragorn voiced. "We'll be leaving at first light. Share the beds. Luin and I will keep watch". The hobbits grumbled but obediently crawled into bed. They shared the two human sized beds between them. Soon snores filled the room.

Luin let Aragorn take the wooden chair. The man moved it over to the window, keeping look out. Luin crossed his legs on the ground and closed his eyes in silent meditation. It was around midnight when the black riders rode through the gates. Luin heard their howling, screeching screams of anger echo through the inn as they found the hobbit's beds empty.

He opened his eyes and shared a grim look with Aragorn in the dark.

Unedited

AN: Hi! Not dead. Still going. Thanks for waiting.

Luin picking up hobbits under his arms, like sacks, is my new favourite mental image.