Chapter One

RIVENDELL

"Come on Silme, Choose!" Brena said. Silme was trying to figure out where to move on the game board. It was something that needed deep thought, especially when you played against her sister Brena and cousin Sokorra Lowens. She had just arrived at a decision when their attention was drawn to the road. There, riding very quickly was the third of the daughters of Elrond, Arwen, and Glorfindel. The three girls ran to the two horsemen and saw they carried two small hobbits.

"What is this?" Sokorra asked, taking from Glorfindel one of the hobbits. She laid the young hobbit on the soft grass beside the road and took a look at him. His skin was unhealthily pale, contrasting drastically with the light brown curls on his head. His skin was cold to the touch and had Sokorra not had her medicinal powers, she would not have known he was still alive. A pulse could not be felt anywhere and his breath were so shallow you could not tell even with a kiss.

"Aragorn found the ring bearer and was bringing them here." Arwen replied to her cousin. "They were attacked by the Nazgul on weather top and this one," she pointed to the one Brena was caring for, " was bearing the ring. He got stabbed in the shoulder. His name according to Aragorn is Frodo Baggins, the nephew-cousin of Bilbo. The one you care for Kori is Meriadoc Brandybuck. He stepped in front of Frodo and received most of the blow." Sokorra could tell this now. She opened his shirt to find the wound. Aragorn had applied some atheas to it and is had healed some, but it was the internal wounds that worried her. Anyone with a wound that deep would be in danger, and with a morgul blade, it was very unlikely that he should live. Sokorra sighed. This was not a situation she would want to be in.

"I'll take this one up to one of my guest rooms. Brena, you take Mr. Baggins." Brena nodded and the two, with the help of Arwen and Glorfindel, brought them inside. Silme went in search of her father.

Once inside Sokorra placed Merry on a guestroom bed after getting him a bath. That made him look better already. Traveling in the woods let very little time for bathing. She then sat beside him, smoothing the curls away from his face. With the exception of the deathly paleness, Sokorra thought he was very attractive. She started to say the words her Uncle had taught her and she brought Merry back to the living side of things, preparing a way for her uncle to work when he arrived. She kissed the hobbit's forehead and left the room as her uncle's medical staff rushed in.

**

Silme had called the medical staff and then searched for her father. She ended up at the front way, watching as two riders rode into the central court. Her father stood to greet them. The older one apparently was the King of Mirkwood. He was kind looking and did not look much older then her father.

The younger one was his son Legolas. Silme was shocked to see how attractive he was. She had heard rumors that the Prince of Mirkwood was not very attractive and was not interested in women. Silme never believed the last one. But now she found that the first was far from the fact. He had long golden hair and a thin oval face.

"Silme, meet the royals of Mirkwood, King Thranduil and his son Legolas." Then king and his son both took a hand and kissed it, but Legolas looked up into her eyes as he was doing it and something connected them there.

"It is nice to meet you Lady Silme." Legolas said, giving Silme the impression of someone who thought himself really high. "Your father did not exaggerate on your beauty." Silme was about to say something back when Sokorra, Brena and Arwen arrived. Arwen had met Legolas before and nodded in his direction with a smile. Brena however had to be introduced, as did Sokorra. Sokorra could tell that both Legolas and Silme liked each other but thought the other was a bit stuck up. She hoped in time this would be changed.

**

Later that night, the companions of Merry and Frodo walked into Rivendell. Sam rushed to Frodo's side and watched as Brena took care of Frodo. Pippin went to his cousin Merry's room with Dolly. He stayed with Merry awhile during which Dolly and Sokorra walked over to the balcony and talked. Dolly told Sokorra of her meeting of the other four hobbits.

BREE

"DOLLY! NEB!" Barliman called. "Set up a table for four Hobbits, Doll and Neb see to their horses." Dolly nodded and set a table up in the parlor, aside from the common room. She made sure there was a lot to eat as well and then showed the four to the table. The one seemed troubled to her and so did the one who sat beside him. On the opposite side sat two more hobbits, one with a cheerful personality and the other whose main interest was the food and flirting with her for some reason.

"Come on Pip, leave the poor lass alone." The Second unhopeful one said. Dolly later found out he was Sam.

"No, not until I at least find out her name." Pippin turned on his irresistible smile. To tell you the truth, she thought he was cute, but she liked playing hard to get. It was part of her fun-loving nature.

"Well, then it is Dolly Overhill, if you need to know Mr.?"

"Took. Peregrin Took. Most people call me Pippin."

"Well Mr. Took, I have to be going. It has been nice talking to you." She walked away, smiling. This was going to be fun.

After they were done with the meal, Frodo, Sam and Pippin joined the common room. Merry opted for staying in the room. He reminded Dolly of Sokorra. They were the type who liked to be alone to think and stare up at the stars.

Dolly finished her tale, telling basically the same tale as Aragorn had. Sokorra and her re-entered the room and found Pippin asleep on the bottom of the large bed below Merry. Sokorra awoke him gently and showed him to the adjoining room where the exhausted hobbit fell right to sleep.

Frodo awoke to find Gandalf sitting beside him and a young Elvin lady at the end of the bed, watching over him. After a quick report of what went on, he found her to be Brena Evenstar, The younger daughter of Lord Elrond. She welcomed him to Rivendell as Sam rushed in to great him.

"Master Frodo! You're awake! We were so worried about you, weren't we Master Gandalf sir." Gandalf chuckled and nodded.

"Indeed we were. Luckily for you, you were a strong one and did not receive most of the blow. Also on your side were Lord Elrond and his daughter."

"My father did most of the healing. He shall come soon to great you."

"Don't be modest to excess, my dear. She did very well with the Elvin spells, surprising both me and her father." Gandalf commented. "She may soon surpass her father in the skill of Elvin medicine." Just then Pippin came in, looking tired and worn out. Despite his new clothing, he looked damper and depressing in Frodo's eyes. It came apparent that all had indeed been worried about him. But where was his dear cousin Merry? Merry was properly named, for he could always cheer the rest up.

"Pippin!" Sam cried out. "Master Frodo is back to us!" Pippin smiled, though it was weak. Frodo looked at Sam and saw the same wariness that Pippin had.

"Of that I am most glad. We missed you Frodo, you gave us quite a fright. Lady Arwen had to speed you here with the help of Glorfindel. You almost died, cousin."

"I am glad I didn't." Frodo replied with a smile. Then he turned his attention to Gandalf. "Why were you not at Bree Gandalf?"

"I was 'detained', and let us please leave it at that, shall we. I shall tell more at the council to be held in a week.  Now you must rest, young Frodo well the four of us others take care of other matters you should not concern yourself just yet." With that, all but Sam left the room. Frodo looked at Sam who was looking down at the coverlet of the bed.

"What is it, Sam?"

"Well, I was told not to tell anyone Master Frodo."

"I won't tell anyone you told me." Sam looked at the wall for a second and then sighed as he turned back to Frodo.

"Well, Frodo, Merry got hurt back there at Weathertop."

"What?"

"Remember how Master Gandalf said you didn't get most of the blow?"

"Yes...."

"Merry took it. It... well it struck him though the chest, near enough to the heart to cause problems. Miss Brena said earlier that he might not make it. You see the blade was that of a Nazgul, a Black Rider. It almost took you to become one of them, Frodo. But Merry's is more serious either way. It could take him into the ringwriath world even more then it could you. He would truly be one of them. Even if it wasn't the blade of the Nazgul, it still was a serious injury he may not live. He has been unconscious since Weathertop. You managed to stay conscious most of the way here, but he blacked out after saying something very strange."

"What did he say?"

"He came up to you, and practically whispered your name and then said he was sorry and it seemed like he was going to say more as he blacked out. Does it make any sense to you Frodo?"

"No, not really."

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