The Shadow Hunter

Chapter 14: A Ranger's Ally

The sky cried when they arrived in Bree, washing the small figures of the Hobbits with continuous torrents of water. It was night, or the result of the dark clouds, Varilerin didn't know, and quiet for Bree. No lights came from the sky, only the dim ones of candles from the buildings of Bree. The Hobbits and Varilerin walked cautiously towards the city gates, where no guards could be seen. The Hobbits had never been to Bree before, having stayed in their homeland for most of their lives, but Varilerin had visited the place countless of times. She knew the secrets of the town, including how to get past troublesome night watchers.

Varilerin knocked the wooden gate of the town, and was greeted by the eyes of old man peering through a small window. "What do you want?" the man asked with such an unfriendly tone.

"We are heading for the Prancing Pony," Varilerin told him sharply. "And don't bother to ask us any more questions. Let us in now," she continued, casting fear to the heart of the old gatekeeper. The gatekeeper swallowed a handful of fear and slowly quickly opened the gates. "Alright strangers," he stammered, letting them enter the town. Without looking back at the man, Varilerin walked past him, and led the Hobbits into the heart of the town. The land was generally the same as the last time she had visited, but the air seemed to become fouler, and the buildings that had been rotten was starting to break down from the rain. The people in the city glared at them when they saw the strange company, whispering to others particularly about her suspicious appearance. She couldn't blame them, for the times were dark and all things could be evil to ordinary eyes.

Following the road, they finally arrived at the inn of Prancing Pony. People chattering could be heard even from the outside, convincing Varilerin that it was a safe place to meet and to seek refuge. Crowder places were the safest places in such times, for evil could not find them easily among many bodies. "Here we are. Get in," she told them. The Hobbits obeyed willingly, for they had been shivering under the rain and cold was beginning to strike their bones. After glancing around for any suspicious figures, Varilerin followed them inside. The inn was full of drunkards and travellers that sung and chatted with each other. Some of the guests there she noted, were rangers from afar, though none she could recognize. She walked to the innkeeper, who was cleaning several tankards in the bar. At first he didn't notice her, but after she coughed, her presence was finally acknowledged.

"Good evening. How may I help you?" the innkeeper asked hastily, seeing that she had an unfriendly glare carved in her eyes.

"We're friends of Gandalf the Grey. Where is he?" she asked. The innkeeper looked surprised at what she had just said, and suddenly an uneasy feeling struck her heart. "Have you seen him? Surely he has met you several months before."

"Gandalf? Oh, yes I remember! The wizard…. Well, I'm sorry lads, but I've not seen him for six months," the innkeeper said. The Hobbits looked at each other, surprised and worried about the circumstances. Varilerin thanked the innkeeper and turned to the Hobbits, unveiling her extreme worry with her frowned face.

"What should we do now?" Frodo asked desperately. "I don't know, Frodo. Late is not a forgivable attitude of his," she muttered slowly, scanning the crowds. There seemed no one suspicious, except that all of the people in the room were suspicious for her. She leaned down to whisper to Frodo. "Stay here. I need to ask around the town. Do not engage with anyone here."

Frodo nodded brokenly and urged the others to follow his action. After being slightly convinced by the Hobbits, Varilerin straightened her back and walked out of the inn. Her eyes caught a ranger sitting in the corner of the room, cloaked in black and suspicious, but she believed that the Hobbits would obey her accordingly. The Hobbits meanwhile, took seats not far and began relaxing after a painstaking journey.

Outside the rain still poured heavily. She paced anxiously around town, trying to ask the whereabouts of her old friend to anyone she saw. They all gave her answers out of fear of her existence, but none were satisfying enough for her. Something told her that Gandalf had suffered an unfortunate event on his journey, but oddly it didn't cause her any vision or show any significant sign. Perhaps she had been disturbed with the darkness of the black riders, or she couldn't sense him in such dark times, she didn't know. Nothing was certain, but she was now certain that the wizard could no longer join them for the journey. The question left was, where should they go?

Rivendell is the only safe haven for the Hobbits…. And the Ring, she mused as she returned to the inn. In her heart she was ashamed of returning and planned to leave the Hobbits once they had arrived, but she doubt that Arwen would not see her and let her go easily. I care not.

Before she could enter the inn once more, she felt the darkness of the Ring engulfing her heart. It was more powerful than before, unlike the one she felt in Bag End, but she knew it well. "Do not use the Ring," Gandalf had warned, but she knew that the Hobbit had inevitably used it. She barged into the inn and peered into the crowd of people. She could not see any of her little friends and she panicked, knowing that once the Ring had emitted its call for distress, the black riders will come. She pushed her way through the countless people, trying to search for the Halflings, only to find three of them standing with widened eyes.

"Where is Frodo?" she asked hastily, noticing that Frodo was missing from the company.

"He suddenly disappeared, Daefaroth!" Sam told her. "Now he's nowhere to be found!" She glanced around hastily, searching for any suspicious figures with a Halfling next to them. Then she noticed that the ranger that had sat on the corner, had disappeared. She pushed to the corner of the room, finding soiled footsteps beneath the table, leading to the stairs.

"Stay behind me," she told them as she followed the track. She grabbed her bow and walked up the stairs, walking as stealthily as the Hobbits were with their feet. The corridor was empty, but not the rooms. Her senses became alert and she carefully observed the rooms, searching for any presence in one of them. She stopped in front of a room, feeling a strong presence from inside it. She had felt it before, but it was not Gandalf. It was something entirely different.

When she heard a thump from inside, she immediately kicked the door open and pointed an arrow towards the cloaked ranger standing beside Frodo. Frodo jolted upon her arrival, whilst the stranger couldn't move under her threat. "What are you doing with the Halfling?" she questioned him as she closed her distance. The ranger raised his hand to surrender and pulled his hood down, revealing the face of Man, the face of a wild ranger. "Who are you?" she asked him.

"My name is Strider. I am also a friend of the Wizard," the stranger told her. She was, of course, not convinced, because he had just kidnapped her companion. The stranger sighed and lifted his hand towards her. She remained alert as she noticed a ring, a significant ring Gandalf had showed her. The Ring of Barahir was being pointed at her face and she finally lowered her weapon.

"You are Estel?" she asked. The Hobbits looked confused of the name, except for Frodo who knew some Elven words, though he didn't know clearly who he was. But Varilerin certainly recognized the name and the ring well. He was Aragorn, the only heir of Isildur Gandalf had been telling her. He should have been in exile in the north, Varilerin thought. "What are you doing here?"

"The same reason as you. Gandalf can no longer come for you. They're coming," Strider warned them as he observed Varilerin. "You must be Daefaroth then. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said again.

"If it is a dire situation then proprieties can wait. We must now protect the Hobbits," Varilerin said. "What has Gandalf told you, Strider?"

"All concerning two Hobbits being chased by servants of Sauron. He told me to come here, to help you in case Gandalf cannot come," Aragorn explained as he glanced warily through the window.

"The black riders are the ones sent by Sauron. They indeed have been chasing us for days now, though we manage to outrun them. But now they know our location. They are alerted by something, and are coming fast. We must move the Hobbits to safety."

"Watch over the town. I believe your eyes will be keener than I. I'll take care of the Hobbits," Strider continued. The Hobbit looked doubtfully at him and he could understand why. None would ever trust a ranger appearing out of nowhere, but they didn't seem to trust Daefaroth fully yet as well.

"Can he be trusted?" Frodo finally asked. Varilerin stopped at the edge of the door and smirked, before leaving the Hobbits to Aragorn's hands. "Trust me, Master Hobbits, you're safe in his hands as you're in mind," Varilerin answered shortly. The Hobbits stood awkwardly in the room with Strider, who looked at them as if they were mere children. Frodo cowered silently under the man's gaze, only moving when the man said, "Follow me."

Slowly the darkness crept into Bree. The townspeople had taken their rests, except for the restless servants of the Dark Lord. Under her watch, Varilerin saw the black riders barging into the Prancing Pony with their swords clasped in their hands. She could literally hear their breathing under their hoods, and cursed at the fear they sent her even though she didn't face them directly. They entered the room where the Hobbits previously were silently. She could see their blades glinting under the moonlight, before they plunged deep into the empty beds. Their blades didn't hit any Hobbits, causing the riders to shriek in disappointment. As fast as they had swung their blades, they left the inn and rode on their horses away from Bree. Varilerin exhaled a relieved sigh, realizing that a danger had passed, and returned to the rooms where the Hobbits were truly staying.

Entering the room, she saw Aragorn standing beside the small window. The Hobbits were awake because of the terrifying screams, and they demanded some information from Varilerin. "We cannot stay here. We must leave at dawn," Varilerin told the lone ranger and the Hobbits. "For now, all of you shall rest. Tomorrow is going to be a tiring journey."

"You should rest as well, Daefaroth," Aragorn advised her. He knew that, despite of her youthful appearance, Varilerin had not rested for a long time. He knew because all rangers had the same bad habit, and however strong an Elf's body was, exhaustion could still harm everyone. Varilerin quickly shook her head, taking a seat next to the window.

"I cannot rest, not when danger is still looming over us," Varilerin whispered. "I cannot rest whilst I am being endangered. It is a poor illness that has inflicted me a hundred years ago."

"Then rest your mind, at least. You'll need the strength tomorrow," Aragorn repeated. Varilerin nodded without understanding and gazed at the moon, waiting for the morning to arrive quickly.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Where are you both taking us?" Frodo asked impatiently, walking side by side with the Hobbits and Bill, a sick pony newly bought by the Hobbits back in Bree. Frodo stuttered, trying to gain the pace of the two rangers leading them. The sun was still blinding their sleepy eyes, but it seemed that the two rangers were not bothered by the sunlight. Frodo simply couldn't understand how not sleeping the whole night could be endured by these two, particularly Varilerin, but he knew he had not the place to question.

"Into the wild," Aragorn simply answered, though his heart actually knew their true destination. That morning Strider and Varilerin had decided that they would be taking the Halflings to Rivendell, where they hoped the Ring would be safe temporarily. Of course, Varilerin was extremely reluctant to return to Imladris, having seen so much in her younger years, but she didn't have any choice. She couldn't abandon the fate of Middle Earth for her own reasons, though she would be leaving as soon as the Ring was safe.

"Where are they leading us?" Sam whispered secretly to Frodo, who didn't know the answer either.

"To Rivendell, Master Gamgee," Varilerin answered, hearing his soft voice with her keen ears. "I know you doubt your safety in the hands of us, but trust us that Rivendell is the safest place for all of you… For now. And, please mind that walking without talking will prove faster, which means faster journey from harm and to safety."

Sam lowered his head, immediately silenced and slightly ashamed after being reprimanded by the ranger. Aragorn smiled to himself as he led the company past the woodlands, passing trees that gave Varilerin less comfort than they should have been. In the older days the forest was the only place she could find absolute peace, but now as the darkness slowly engulfed the land, it had turned into one of the dangerous places in existence. Fortunately, their journey in the greeneries was brief and soon they had reached the snowy white hills. The sun was still creeping to the top of the sky when Varilerin and Aragorn heard the pace of the Hobbits stopping behind them.

"Gentlemen! We do not stop until nightfall!" Aragorn reminded when he found the Hobbits resting.

"What about breakfast?" Pippin blurted innocently. Aragorn and Varilerin shared a confused look.

"You've already had it," Varilerin answered, wondering if the Hobbits had a poor memory.

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

"You're going to have second breakfast? This is not Shire, Master Took," Varilerin explained sharply. "No, this is the wild, full of dangers you might not see. A single second of idleness can bring doom to us all. Haven't you learnt this several days ago?"

Pippin tried to defend himself, but decided not to, when he saw that he couldn't counter Varilerin's arguments. Merry whispered, "Let's fast for the moment, Pip," to assure his friend that it was the best for them to remain quiet and follow their leaders. Varilerin acknowledged their obedience with a nod and continued to walk with Aragorn, who seemed bemused by her strict behaviour. Apparently, the Dunedain didn't agree completely with her actions, for not long after he took two apples from his keeping and threw them towards the Hobbits. Pippin and Merry caught them skilfully, surprised that after such scolding they still received their requested food.

"Hobbits have larger stomach than us," Aragorn cleared when he saw Varilerin's reprimanding look. She sighed as a response and forced a small smile to match his grin. It was one of the few things she couldn't understand about Hobbits: how they could take so much with their small body.

Their journey continued under the sun. Apparently, the filled Hobbits managed to walk faster and quickened their journey, much to Varilerin's relief. They managed to reach a marshland enclosed by woods—enough to provide protection for the night—and stopped their journey. The Hobbits and the rangers had a silent dinner, and the former went to bed as soon as they had finished their fill. Aragorn and Varilerin took turns in watch, though the latter couldn't find any sleep and instead scouted the area for any possible threats. She secretly studied Aragorn, who was smoking his pipe as he sung Elvish songs she had long not heard. One of them was about Beren and Luthien, mortal and immortal, and their tale of love. It was undeniable that Aragorn had missed Arwen, though his expression told him something else. Something sadder. It seemed that the man had some matters that prevented him from returning to Rivendell freely as well.

The next day Varilerin woke the Hobbits in the same manner she had awaken Sam and Frodo before, only harsher with the two troublemakers of the group. Once they had a brief breakfast they walked once more, finally reaching an open field with hills and grasses spouting everywhere in vicinity. Varilerin knew the land well, for she had passed it numerous times. She knew where Aragorn was leading them by the time the sun started going down.

"Amon Sul," Varilerin told the Hobbits. "It is a magnificent watchtower of old. Strider, you have chosen a suitable place."

"It has proven safe for most times," Aragorn said. "Most times. I believe this time it will protect us as well. We shall rest here tonight," he further explained. The Hobbits, tired of their long journey, nodded happily when he said those words. Aragorn led them to the side of the watchtower, under a ledge that provided enough shelter for them and let them rest themselves. The Halflings immediately dropped to the ground and sprawled with a sigh, letting exhaustion took them over. Strider left to the watchtower briefly, returning with several rusty swords and handed them to the Hobbits. They looked unconvinced as they studied the worn out weapons.

"It is not as good but still usable," Aragorn assured them. "It will protect you in dangerous times. You cannot be protected by us all times." Aragorn glanced around warily, smelling the uneasy air coming from the place. He winced, having not felt this eerie feeling from the debris before. "I'll scout the area for any disturbances. Daefaroth will stay with you."

"Aragorn, I am keener in this—"

"I know you haven't rested last night, and the nights before. I want you to sleep, watch the Hobbits. Your eye will prove more useful here."

Aragorn tried to convince her with his unnaturally kind eyes, and she reluctantly obliged. Aragorn smiled at her acceptance and went away with his bow, leaving Varilerin alone with the Hobbits. She glared at them threateningly, taking a seat on a fallen statue nearby.

"Do not do anything ridiculous," Varilerin started. "Do not light the fire. It will give a sign of our presence to the enemies. Understood?" The Hobbits nodded nervously under her gaze. Her eyes, they saw, showed clearly the effects of not resting for nights before. It made them pity the ranger slightly. "Good. Now go rest."

"You too, Daefaroth," Frodo said to the ranger. Varilerin widened her eyes, surprised that Frodo actually cared about her. She nodded, receiving Frodo's awkward smile, before she let them cuddle together. She slumped to the cold surface of the statue, leaning against a pillar that might topple with a slight touch. She watched as the Hobbits gathered together into a circle and talked with each other, whispering as if what they were speaking was meant for secret. Varilerin didn't mind their conversation and instead watched the sun disappearing behind the mountains and the moon emerging from the darkness. Still shadowed under her hood, she observed the Hobbits' seemingly joyful conversation. The sight only brought a painful nostalgia for her. She knew she couldn't return her life like it used to be, but she missed her old life dearly. She missed walking with Arwen and training with her master. She missed Elladan's and Elrohir's dry sarcasms. She missed her old self, still innocent in her difficult times.

I can never return things to the way they are, she mused. She gazed to the starry sky, which seemingly sympathized her condition, glinting dimly in the darkening days. She silently wondered if the Valar was truly watching them from afar. Varilerin, raised by the Elves since an infant, had been taught to believe primordial beings such as the Valar. She had learnt to believe in them, but her faith was not a strong one. She trusted that the Valar helped creating the world and the stars, but sometimes she couldn't help but doubt if they cared for the smaller creatures they created. But she clung on them nonetheless, for she needed someone to believe in in her depression.

For the first time in months, she felt her body aching under the tremendous exhaustion. She had always tried to ignore any pain she experienced, either large or small, for her own sake, but it seemed that she was too tired. The motivation of keeping her promise with Gandalf had caused her to brush all pain and tiredness she had been experiencing. She had done it for many times, but it was the first time she felt the effects of exhaustion took over her body almost completely. Possibly it was because the the watchtower above them provided protection which soothed her mind slightly. The watchtower and its safety became a haven for her to rest, at least briefly. She knew she must stay awake in order to ensure the Halfling's safety.

But her eyes became heavier as the night went on. She shook her head to wake herself. She couldn't rest, not now, not when Gandalf was struggling somewhere. You have given enough, haven't you? Her mind spoke to her. Surely a rest is not so evil. Varilerin tried to shake the thought off, but she found herself drowsing slowly into sleep.

"Daefaroth?" Frodo's voice came out of nowhere. She snapped herself awake to see the Hobbits looking at her warily. "Don't mind resting. You need it," Frodo suggested with a worried look on his face. Varilerin nodded and patted Frodo's shoulder, urging him to return to his own gathering. Frodo twitched a smile and left her alone once more. She sighed, realizing how true her mind and Frodo were, and let herself sleep in a dream she hadn't experienced for years. She didn't like dreams, for they showed horrible things to her.

And for one more time, her fears were true.