Ring Child

by Kiamii

Chapter Four "Going South"

The end of December began to come and by now the Company of ten were packed with their needed items and headed out from dusk. Their horses were carrying bags of few items and Aragorn had strictly made sure that Archir had anything he could possibly need on such a long travel. Archir would often giggle, finding him so similar to Molly Weasley at those times, and could not stop laughing to tell the others what he found so hilarious.

They set out, Archir riding upon the horse with Aragorn as they traveled out on the Quest of Mount Doom. Frodo had turned on his own horse to watch the Last Homely House with a last glance, seeing Bilbo, before they faded from view. He sighed and turned back to the road sight. They headed off the road upon reaching the Ford of Bruinen and they sought to hold that course they now took, for many days.

In front of Frodo rode Gandalf, Aragorn and Archir next to him. Behind him was Bormir, keeping his eyes searchingly about. Behind him came Gimli who admired his ax as he watched the lands about him. Followed by them was Sam, Pippin, and Merry before Legolas brought up the rear. Archir would sleep during their ride and play when he wanted, always practicing his magic as he did so, under Gandalf's guidance. The wizard seemed to know as much as possibly stuffed in his old and weary mind. Archir found Gandalf so much like Albus, he found an admiration towards the Istari that taught him to concentrate on the core and stem of his magic. He still had to use his wand, though with Gandalf's help he hardly said his word aloud. Legolas and Gimli would attempt to teach him how to fight with a sword, should he lose his wand. That scene had been quite the entertaining feature as Archir could barely hold one up. Aragorn spent much time with the boy, telling him tales of his childhood, tucking in Archir upon those eves. The man would help Archir through a nightmare should he encounter one.

Boromir was a kind man of his own and would tell Archir of Gondor and his brother Faramir, of his fun and of his troubles. The man was tall and broad, a friendly face on him when he was not near Frodo and therefore near the ring of course. Judging from his tone and words, Boromir dearly loved his little brother and wished he could see him again, though their father was unkind. Archir felt that Boromir's father and Faramir's situation was one of Percy Weasley and his family. He was beginning to see from his last encounter, that Percy had only wanted to be the approval of the family, for he cared too much of them but, had been ignorant until he came to almost losing them to darkness... Pippin and Merry were so close and similar to Ron and Hermione that it amused Archir to no end. They bickered, belittled, and befriended just like his two best friends. They were also the Weasley Twins when they became quite the pranksters and jokesters that they truly were. Their voice filled with song when they felt the need to lighten the mood upon them all. Archir frankly found them fun to listen to, for their voices and rhymes were interesting. Sam was a loyal fellow who stuck to Frodo, who bore the pressure of mind slowly and Archir could see it now. He was Frodo's gardener, from what Archir had found out when he first found himself in the Shire. The hobbit was ever so curious about anything and everything, especially when it came to his master Frodo's safety. He found protectiveness towards Archir as well it seemed, always making sure that Archir ate as well as Frodo. Frodo was like Harry was once long ago, probably when he was 11 and finding himself famous and carrying a burden of his own, being a hero. With each day passing, Frodo grew like Harry lived each year at Hogwarts. More weary and wary, carrying another secret of burden and of terror. Always being the hero. Archir looked at Frodo and could see how much the ring affected the hobbit. He had to give Frodo credit for that...

The hobbits would play with Archir when he got bored and Archir was ever glad that he had gone with them. They were kind and generous and would often lighten his spirits up. Archir smiled as they currently were asleep themselves.

The talk with Archir had been mildly surprising, Archir recalled as he currently lay about in Aragorn's arms at the spot they were resting tonight at. The first having been Aragorn demanding to know why Archir was so insistent on putting his life in danger. Archir, unable to comprehend how Aragorn was fretting, had simply replied what he knew was his own truth.

"Trouble always finds me anyways and I wished to accompany you all. I didn't want to be left behind with the elves," Archir murmured. Aragorn had sighed and taken the boy into his arms, still amazed at the warm feeling he got when he did so.

"You are only of three summers, you are still a very small child," Aragorn said softly.

"I'm 17 in mind," Archir told him with an almost whine in his tone. Aragorn stopped what he was doing and looked at the little boy in his arms, just enough time that allowed Gandalf to walk into the area and settle next to them.

"Are you now? Did you know Gandalf?" Aragorn asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"I did indeed. He has been here for three summers, yet he has the intelligence of once of seventeen summers my dear friend. That is why I allow him on this journey. He will come to grow eventually but, not now." Gandalf said gently. The man shook his head in almost defeat and just cuddled the boy to him.

"You have still yet to be tall, young one." Aragorn said with amusement as Archir looked put out at the notion.

"He is an immortal like I, so his body has yet to grow until he reaches a majority age." Gandalf explained. Aragorn nodded his head in understanding this time, still not letting the Istari child go. Archir leaned back against him and had closed his eyes.

"Sleep now, Archir, you need to rest for the journey ahead and none of it will be pleasant if you do not rest beforehand," Aragorn said softly as he cradled Archir to him one last time before resting him in the blanket that Archir carried. Archir obeyed and was soon dreaming away the night.

"He is far young to be here with us," Boromir said as he sat down next to Aragorn.

"Aye, that he is. He has a mind that I can not hope to understand, though Gandalf knows at least. He is only three though, and I did not want him to come. I blame wizards." Aragorn sighed, raking a hand through his own black hair. Legolas joined the two men.

"The little boy would have found a way to us unknowingly if we had left him. He is an Istari and they are sent to us from the Valar with reason. Gandalf seemed to predict his moves, so took him along with us. If something happens on our journey that makes it unsafe, then we will send him to an elf settlement so the elves can take care of the boy. Until then, we continue forward and keep Archir as safe as one can in this situation," Legolas told the two who grumbled but, nodded. Boromir's eye caught thrashing and the three found themselves with a thrashing child, nearly screaming.

"He is having a very gruesome nightmare," Boromir noted, holding the boy down which only served to make the boy worse. Not a sound escaped his lips, though he thrashed as if struck. Words began to spew from the toddler's mouth. Words that turned their hearts cold at the very sound of sentence structure.

"Please Uncle. I'll be good," Archir was whispered under his breath after Aragorn had held a hand to the boy's forehead. Aragorn snapped his hand back, as if burned. They gazed at each other in horror.

"Archir! Archir! Child, please wake up," Legolas said, trying to get the poor child out of his memory. Aragorn did what he thought best, he took Archir from the blankets and held the boy to his chest, tucking the small head under his chin and holding his arms around Archir's entire body, that was curled up like a ball. He breathed in relief when Archir stirred slightly before falling back asleep, feeling the warmth that Aragorn was providing him. Aragorn settled Archir back into the nest of blankets, tucking him in before turning back to the others who looked horrified. Gimli had joined the three in their huddle.

"I wonder who this uncle is to have hurt such a small child," growled Boromir. Aragorn couldn't help but agree with the man, despite their rivalry arguments they've held for days. The two had bickered about Aragorn's opinion of his own kind. Boromir was dismayed upon news of Aragorn being descendant of Isildur of course but, wisely he kept his mouth closed near the other who had lived with elves. Shaking his head out of his stupor, Aragorn bit his cheek and gazed upon the sleeping body of the child that he felt a strong pull to protect. Already Archir had wormed his way into Aragorn's heart like Arwin had, the small boy being impossibly more mature than a child his age. Aragorn looked at the boy with a light frown. Obviously, Archir had been abused by this 'uncle' person. He'd have to try to get the information from Archir later on. For now, he retired to sleeping as the night wore on, staying near Archir's sleeping form.

They traveled through, having to switch to a more unwatched path, after the encounter of the birds that flew about. Hollin was no longer safe, neither being Redhorn Gate for Sarmon had managed to find it watched, seeking out Frodo. They remained hiding after their run in with the spies, watching as the dark birds passed them every now and then before the sun turned red and dusk started them to leave, walking the remains of an ancient road as they were guided by Aragorn. The moonlight shone above them as they rode their horses, Archir sitting with Gandalf and practicing something that none but the two wizards could see, it seemed.

"Yes, like that," Gandalf said gently as Archir looked at his small hands and let a small orb float out.

"And this could destroy more than 50 orcs?" Archir asked in amazement. Gandalf grinned and rustled the boy's raven hair, chuckling as Archir let out an indignant squeal, releasing the orb to diminish.

"You have powers that will only shine at this age, which is why the Valar have given you this body and size. You will be underestimated, though you will have the emotions and still feel like one of three. With curses come charms of course," Gandalf said wisely.

"How do you know so much, Alf?" Archir asked, pouting. Gandalf smiled at the dubbed name that the toddler had given to him, shaking his head.

"The Valar have given Istari many things, all a task and all a life. I merely chose to be... acquainted with the Valar more than other wizards here on Middle Earth. I saw your life from before Archir, especially your life as a child. I did not like what I saw. You've never really grown a child but, a man." Gandalf sighed, drawing the surprised boy to his chest, marvelling in the quiet ruffling of the wind. Archir accepted his words, though he frowned.

"Get some sleep my boy. You are young and you'll need your rest, for it will energize you for the journey to come," Gandalf said soothingly.

"This makes me such a burden, having to sleep so much and be carried because of my size," Archir sighed, nevertheless getting comfortable against his mentor and closing his eyes. A hand was lightly pressed against his head, fingers delicately carting through his black locks.

"Yet your innocence brings forth a light that I have not seen in some for a long time. Your size may keep a few sane on this journey child." Gandalf murmured, "you are no burden, more of an aid and a hope."

Gandalf's eyes searched the Company as he held Archir, his eyes stopping at Aragorn who talked with Legolas quietly with a dart to Archir's sleeping form.

"A hope indeed," Gandalf whispered to the sleeping frame, his eyes on Aragorn who was smiling.

Author's Note: I know you guys are confused at why I "jump ahead" in each scene to another. Frankly, I have OCD and can get distracted very easily in writing. But besides that, I felt I needed to hurry it up justtt a tad to actually get to the real journey. So voila! Trust me when I say that I made Harry that tiny and young for a reason. Blah. I'll update again when I'm not clouded by laziness. I hope you liked this chapter, more to definitely come! Next chapter they enter Moria! Ooooohhhh. Fun!