A.N.: This is possibly part of a series in different fandoms. If you have any ideas about where I should take Kestrel and Angel next, please tell me! If I know enough about the fandom, I might possibly take them there.
Disclaimer: I own Kestrel and Angel.
Chapter 1Kestrel Rowan Eradoni was an outcast and a recluse. She was tall, about 5'9", with auburn hair and green eyes. She was a bookworm and extremely intelligent.
On the other hand, Angel Destiny Litwell was femininely short, only 5 feet even. Angel had chocolate brown hair with natural golden highlights and luscious brown eyes. She was the most popular girl in her grade, but still, she was Kestrel's best friend. Until one day…
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
Kestrel was sitting on the floor of Angel's huge room. The two girls were talking about Kestrel's latest obsession – Lord of the Rings. They had just finished the movies, and were now talking about Legolas and Aragorn when Angel suddenly exclaimed, "liek, eragon's soo hot!11but orlando bloom is 2…"
"Angel! It's ARAGORN, not Eragon! I got over that like in fifth grade! And we're not talking about actors, we're talking about the characters!" Kestrel suddenly stopped her tirade and looked at her friend strangely. "Wait, what the heck are you doing?"
But Angel wasn't paying attention to her. She was flouncing around the room as if waltzing with an invisible suitor. "and then,liek,ill be at the ball,and then eragon and orlando bloom will be fightin 2 dance with me…"
Is it just me, or does Angel sound like a Mary Sue? thought Kestrel as she put her head in her hands. "Angel, they're ARAGORN AND LEGOLAS! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?"
Angel just kept on dancing around the room. "and then ill go and kill a nasgul but ill be almost dead and then eragon will kiss me until im well…"
Kestrel got up and prepared to storm out of the room. But when she yanked open the door, she saw a blackness. Kestrel started to slam the door, but the void was sucking her in. As she felt herself falling into the void, she heard Angel screaming. A fierce wind was whipping around Angel's room, ripping the posters from the wall and making the curtains flutter. Angel was also being sucked in.
"liek,whats happenin?"
"WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?"
And then Angel's room disappeared and darkness surrounded both of them.
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
The girls suddenly fell out of the darkness and onto a hill. Both were dressed in strange clothes. Kestrel had a black tunic, black leggings, a dark red travel cloak, a sword and dagger belted around her waist, and a bow and quiver on her back. All Angel had was a long pink velvet dress, and was that a HALO? They could see five people coming towards them. Suddenly Kestrel gasped. If her eyes weren't mistaken, they looked like four hobbits and Aragorn! Had they really landed in Middle-earth?
"Angel, I think we're in Middle-earth!" Kestrel desperately tried to remember everything that would happen, but to her surprise, her mind was blank. She only knew what the book and movie said up until then. Suddenly she heard a joyful exclaimation.
"Did you hear that? Rivendell! We're going to see the elves!"
The hobbits, for that was what they were, were indistinctively muttering among themselves. Suddenly a man came right up the hill. Strider, that was his name. remembered Kestrel.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Kestrel strove to keep her voice from shaking as she replied, "My name is Kestrel. My friend over there is Angel." Angel had wandered away and was muttering about her dress. "liek, its so pretty1i look liek a princess!now eragon will luv me 4evs!"
"Folk here call me Strider." He nodded slightly. "Kestrel – like the hawk?"
"Yes, like the hawk."
"I see you carry a sword. Can you use it?"
Kestrel was stunned at the answer that came unbidden from her mouth. "Yes. And this bow, too." By this time Angel had wandered back. Catching sight of Strider, she exclaimed, "liek, your so hot!11what is ur name?"
Strider stared at Kestrel, brows raised. "What is she saying?"
"She's been like that for a hour. Don't ask me what she's saying – I have no idea."
"Where are you from?" Strider asked.
Kestrel sighed. "In reality, I don't know. Now please don't ask any questions"– she held up a hand–"I'll tell you all some other time."
Strider smiled. "I will hold you to your word. Come with us; we're going to Rivendell to see Lord Elrond. Maybe he can help you."
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
Kestrel agreed to travel with Strider and the hobbits to Rivendell; however, they also all agreed that they needed to take Angel along, however annoying she was. To put it in Kestrel's words, "We can't just leave her behind! She isn't normally like this! Maybe Elrond, or better yet, Gandalf will help."
"You know of Gandalf?" Frodo asked in astonishment.
"Yes, of course. Doesn't everybody?"
"It does seem like he is very well known…"
The sun was sinking when they reached the top of another hill, topped with ruins. "This was the great watchtower of Amon Sûl. We shall rest here tonight." Strider said. The four hobbits, plus Angel, settled down under an outcrop. Opening his pack, Strider pulled out four short swords, just the right size for hobbits. He tossed one to each hobbit.
"These are for you. Keep them close. Kestrel and I are going to have a look around. Stay here." he said, looking at her. Kestrel nodded, and they went down the hill, branching off in opposite directions. Behind her, Kestrel could hear Angel. "but,liek,suber hotti,wont u stay here with me,ur twoo luv?"
Somehow, Kestrel discovered that she knew how to use the bow, if not the sword just yet. And she had never taken an archery class in her life! This whole warrior thing wasn't an act, either. Kestrel really knew what she was doing.
She looked up at the hobbits, and to her surprise and dismay they had a fire going. Suddenly there was a commotion up there, the fire went out, and she heard, "Oh, that's nice! Ash on my tomatoes!" Pippin. she groaned.
Kestrel heard the cry of a Nazgûl suddenly. She looked down to the bottom of the hill. Five black shapes could be seen riding up. She circled to the back of the hill, unsure whether to find Strider or to go back to the hobbits…and Angel.
Suddenly she saw a dark shape come from the other direction. She unsheathed her sword, preparing to attack if need be, though she remembered from somewhere that the Nazgûl were neither living nor dead.
But then it came close enough that Kestrel could see its face. It was Strider! "Strider, they're in danger."
"I saw too."
"The Nazgûl have started to ascend the hill. If we don't act quickly, who knows what they'll do to the hobbits?"
"Come! We must go to them." He sprang up lightly, finding a path up towards the ruins of the watchtower. Kestrel followed him.
Looking around at the top of the hill, she could see the slumped forms of Sam, Pippin, and Merry, but Frodo was nowhere to be found. A Black Rider was standing over something, however. She shouted out the challenge that leapt unbidden to her mind.
"Come to me, Black Rider! I am the Hunting Hawk! Come to me and perish!" Another Nazgûl turned around and saw Kestrel. It advanced menacingly towards her.
Strider was at the remmants of the fire. When he saw Kestrel and the Black Rider, he picked up a stick whose end was still burning. Coaxing it back to light, he shouted, "Kestrel! Catch!" and threw the stick down to her while taking another one for himself.
She caught it with ease. Not exactly knowing what it was for, she tried using it as a second sword, thrusting it into the folds of the Black Rider's cloak. It caught fire, and the Nazgûl hurried away.
At the same time Kestrel was busy with a second Black Rider, Strider came leaping down and flew at the first Nazgûl Kestrel had noticed. Suddenly, as Kestrel blocked a slice of the Black Rider's sword, Frodo appeared at Strider's feet, something clutched in one hand. He was obviously in pain.
Strider shouted, "Kestrel! You take a look at Frodo. I'll take the rest of the Nazgûl!" Kestrel nodded and hurried to Frodo's side. The other hobbits were already there.
Sam looked up hopefully. "Can you help him, Kestrel?"
"I'm no healer." Kestrel shook her head.
Suddenly there was a spark, then a whole shower of glitter to the west. A Black Rider rode away fearfully, with a figure on a snow-white horse after it. Kestrel sighed. Yes, Angel's definitely a Mary Sue. The glitter gave it away. Now what am I going to do with her? I don't want a Mary Sue messing up this otherwise AWESOME experience!
Strider finally came back. Sam looked up again. "Strider! Help him, Strider!" Strider picked up a dagger lying next to Frodo's shoulder, which Kestrel hadn't noticed.
"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade. This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs Elvish medicine." The blade of the dagger dissolved as the three hobbits and Kestrel looked on. Strider threw the hilt aside. He picked Frodo up and slung him over his shoulder. "We need to move."
Kestrel looked around. "Where's Angel?"
"I haven't seen her since we left the hobbits."
"I have. She was riding off into the distance, chasing a Nazgûl." Suddenly Angel came riding up on the snow white horse. "liek,i killed a nasgul with my magic!1im so awsome!1arnt i,eragon?"
For the most part, they ignored her and prepared to leave. Kestrel muttered, "You didn't kill it. It can't be killed. And also, I dispatched two."
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
The seven were running through the forest. Or rather, six, because Angel was riding her horse.
"You know if you put Frodo on that, he might get to live." Kestrel commented.
Angel said, "but, liek, this is MY horsie!its mine!my own!my precious…"
"Do you know who you sound like?" asked Kestrel.
Angel continued, "horsie!11"
"Hurry!" Strider said.
In between gasps, Sam said, "We're…six…days…from…Rivendell! He'll…never…make …it!"
Frodo whispered something indistinct. But Strider must have understood, for he said, "Hold on, Frodo!"
Suddenly Frodo cried out, "GANDALF!"
After half an hour of hard running, they finally stopped in a clearing. Strider lay Frodo down. Strange sounds are coming from him, like the cries of the Nazgûl. Sam hurriedly knelt by his side and felt his forehead.
"Mr. Frodo? He's going cold!" he exclaimed to Strider.
Pippin asked, "Is he going to die?"
"He's passing into the Shadow world. He will soon become a Wraith like them." Strider said.
Suddenly, a piercing shriek split the air. Nazgûl. Kestrel guessed. Frodo cried out, as if in answer to the call.
"They're close." stated Merry.
Strider beckoned Sam close to him. "Sam, do you know athelas plant?"
Sam's face was a mask of puzzlement. "Athelas?"
"Kingsfoil." Strider said.
Sam's face cleared up as understanding dawned on him. "Kingsfoil, aye, it's a weed!"
"It may help to slow the poison. Hurry!" Sam ran into the surrounding forest. Strider followed him, but not before saying to Kestrel, "Keep an eye on them. If there's any change in Frodo's condition, any at all, call for me." Kestrel nodded.
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
Half an hour passed before Sam and Strider returned. They had with them a beautiful Elf-lady on a white horse. Kestrel compared her to Angel, who was sleeping on the other side of the clearing. The Elf was much more fitting to the world, and she looked much more natural. The gray-blue dress helped, too, in stark contrast to Angel's bright pink glittery gown.
Merry asked in an awed voice, "Who is she?"
"She's an Elf." Sam replied. Strider and the Elf knelt at Frodo's side. Strider chewed some of the athelas and applied it to Frodo's ugly wound.
"He's fading!" the Elf said to Strider. Frodo gasped. "He's not going to last. We must take him to my father. I've been looking for you for two days." she continued.
Merry asked, "Where are you taking him?" Strider lifted Frodo onto the Elf-lady's horse.
"There are five Wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know." The Elf said. Then the two started talking in a language that Kestrel knew was Elvish, though she didn't know any of it.
"What are they saying?" Pippin asked. Kestrel shrugged. The only thing that they could understand was the Elf saying, "I do not fear them."
And then, as the Elf mounted the horse behind Frodo, Strider said, "Arwen, ride hard. Don't look back." Arwen, the Elf-lady, said something to the horse, and they galloped off.
Sam exclaimed, "What are you doing? The Wraiths are still out there!"
As they made their own slow way to Rivendell, Kestrel asked, "Who was that?"
Strider replied, his eyes far off in the distance, "Arwen Undómiel, daughter of Elrond. She is taking Frodo to Rivendell, where he might be saved. But I fear for her. The Wraiths will be on their trail, and Asfaloth can only run so fast."
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
Six days of hard traveling later, they finally reached Rivendell. Kestrel had to stifle a gasp of wonder as she looked on the Elven-city.
"Frodo should be healed by now." Strider said.
An Elf appeared from the gate. "He is not yet healed, but he is surely out of danger. Nothing a few more days of sleep can't cure."
Strider bowed. "Elrond." Following suit, Kestrel and the hobbits bowed too. Elrond's gaze swept over them all and finally came to rest on Kestrel. "Kestrel Eradoni. Your name is known to me."
Unable to stop herself, she blurted out, "Do you know where Angel is?"
"Angel? The young Human on a white horse? Yes, she passed through these gates three days ago. I could not make anything of what she said, but she is in Rivendell." Elrond replied.
Kestrel sighed. Still Mary Sue. I hope that Elrond can clear it up.