Luin kept true to his word. When dawn rose the next day, he was already packed and walking through the gates out of Riverndale. His two swords were tied around his waist but he carried little other belongings. Talismans were tucked into every pocket of his robes. Dark blue robes, so dark they were almost black, a shade or two darker than his customary colour. He was travelling light in hopes that he would be returning soon. The prancing Pony inn was four to five days away from Riverndale on foot, but just only about a day away if he flew. It was not a place to stand out. That required dark clothing and leaving his guqin and staff behind.

Once he had made his way out of sight of Riverndale and towards the edges of Elven territory, the sun had travelled across the sky. He camped out the night in a tree, circling his Qi around his body to keep himself warm and nibbling on a piece of lamas bread. When the next day arose he took his sword and glided among the clouds. He flew all day and night had descended by the time the glowing lights of the inn came into view. The prancing pony was a traveller's inn located in a dingy area on the side of a road. There were a few houses but not enough for the area to be called a village.

Thunder rolled above him and the heavens opened. Luin pulled up the hood of his cloak as rain began to descend in great heaving torrents. He glided over the gates of the small walled hamlet and landed a few feet away from the inn doors. Luckily, due to the rain, there was no one to watch as he landed and sheathed his swords. The rain had turned the dark blue of his cloak to a navy black. Luin tucked through swords under the cloak so that they were not visible. (The jade laden hilts too recognisable).

The inn doors opened with a creak and Luin was instantly assaulted with the scents of sweat, stale beer and mud. The storm had filled the inn with rowdy travellers, mostly humans but with the occasional dwarf. Unwashed, dirty, vulgar travellers. All of them in various states of intoxication. No merchants stayed here. The prancing Pony was a inn for the rouge and jobless, the ones who roamed because that was all they knew. Luin had frequented this inn on many occasion.

He stepped around the smelly patrons and made his way to the bar. The bar tender did not look surprised by Luin's hooded face. He merely nodded as Luin ordered a pint and handed over the tankard. Luin took the tankard and drunk a mouthful, grimacing at the taste. The beer had not changed. Still as bad and alcoholic as ever. Deciding to just nurse his pint, Luin turned to watch the inn occupants. His eyes swept over the drunkards. Gandalf was not here yet, the place lacking in grey robes. He sighed but spotted a figure in the corner of the room. The man was hooded like him, with only the bottom half of his face visible. Luin smiled in delight and made his was over.

"This seat taken?" Luin asked, gesturing to the wooden bench next to the hooded man. Now closer, Luin recognises the gear and weaponry of a ranger. The man nodded, despite the obvious fact that he was alone. Luin sat down anyway and set his tankard on the table.

"I said it was taken", the man grunted. Luin grinned further as he recognised the voice. It was a bit older but still the same.

"None of that", Luin chastised. He waved a finger at the man cheekily, like he was telling off a puppy. "Is that how you treat old friends? Or do I have to complain to Arwen that you're being mean to me Aragorn?"

The man startled. He pushed his hood back enough so that the rest of his face was visible. He looked older, but it had been a few years. His brown hair curled round his shoulders and there was the scruff of a beard on his face. Luin laughed in joy at his surprised face. "Luin", Aragorn stated, a wry smile tugging at his lips once he had gotten over the surprise. "It is good to see you old friend. How are you? Is your other half here?"

Luin pushed his hood slightly back, his wide grin visible. He pulled the man into a hug, patting his shoulder as they pulled away. "It's good to see you too Aragorn. No, Legolas is not here. He's on business in Mirkwood. Why are you here?"

"I notified Gandalf that I was to be passing though the area. I was aiming to head to Riverndale and surprise Arwen", Aragorn chuckled. Luin hummed as the pieces began to fall into place. Aragorn also often frequented this inn when passing through. If Gandalf had timed it so that they would meet coincidently with Aragorn at the same inn, then he must be sending others too. Luin did a mental tally of the days since he had last seen the old wizard. Something was telling him that the man was not coming. He was often late, but not when dealing with danger. Their suspicions had been confirmed, this would be dangerous. There would be no reason for Gandalf to be late.

"Gandalf said that he would meet me here", Luin said. "He is late so I doubt he will be coming. I may have to meet up with a few others though. You are welcome to join us on our way to Riverndale".

Aragorn mulled over the information. He took in Luin's suddenly serious expression and the way he had tensed. "Dangerous?"

Luin flashed him a knife edge smile. The smile he wore when he was on edge. When he had realised something and the situation had turned. "Absolutely".

Aragorn returned it with his own smile. A grim and long suffering one that came from being friends with a adrenaline junkie. Mark his words, Luin was a adrenaline junkie with a taste for battle. He sighed. "As if you could handle yourself without me or your prince".

Luin pouted. "Hey!" He could look after himself very well in fact. Aragorn laughed at his expression. Luin pouted for a minute longer before giggling. The familiar teasing warming his insides. He hadn't realised how much he had missed his friend.

Luin and Legolas had first met Aragorn when the man was in his teens. It was a year after the battle at Erebor and they had decided to take Thranduil's a dive and journey north so see the rangers. Neither of them had expected Aragorn to be who he was, nor had they escaped the series of adventures they had gone on together. (Although most of those adventures had been caused or started by Luin). But they formed a loyal friendship.

Luin elbowed Aragorn in the ribs and took another swing of his tankard, ignoring Aragorn's choke. He kept his eyes on the door, watching the drunk inn patrons laugh and slap each other on the shoulders. One large man stumbled and almost knocked over a table. Luin had been watching the ensuing chaos so he almost missed the four small figures that slipped through the door.

His eyes caught on them as they moved towards the bar. He nudged Aragorn and jerked his head in their direction. "There's our company".

Unedited