1 Temptation
1.1 Chapter 1
As the Sun came up on the eastward side of the mountains a little Hobbit stirred, as he opened his eyes he soon became aware of where he was and what his mission was. He looked towards the rising sun towards where his home was the shire, he missed it desperately, he pulled the ring out of his pocket and looked at it scornfully, after staring at it for a while he became entranced quickly he put it back into his pocket. He hated that ring but at times he felt that he loved, it were these moments that he had to remember were it came from and what it had done to his life. Across from him the old Wizard awakened and looked at Frodo with heartfelt sympathy and whispered "you look troubled my boy, why don't you take a walk to calm you nerves?"
Frodo looked up at him thankful for the suggestion "yes Gandalf I believe that that would do just the trick" and he got up and turned to leave.
The wise magical man made a quick warning "you be careful Frodo Baggins the fate of Middle Earth rests in your pocket"
"I will Gandalf don't worry" Frodo quickly started back down the steep trail he had seen a worn path the night before and had wondered where it lead to. Once he found the path again and had walked for a while he found himself in a peaceful clearing, great pines surrounded it with a light snow covering the ground, he sat down underneath one of these trees thankful for the solitude. He had never been truly alone on this trip, he was always being watched he knew no one believed in him 'why would they' he thought to himself 'I'm only a halfling'.
"Hello" someone said behind him.
"Ooh" he let out a little cry, he had been so immersed in his thought that he hadn't heard anyone coming. He spun around to face another…hobbit! A girl hobbit!
"I'm sorry" she said, "I didn't mean to frighten you".
"ooh that's alright, I should have been paying attention" Frodo replied, getting up and wiping the snow off his cloak. When he looked up their eyes met, he quickly looked away blushing he was stunned at her beauty. He had at once noticed her eyes for they had shone a bright radiant green that sparkled. She had tanned skin like she had been out in the sun for quite a while. She was a little bit shorter than Frodo, with long stunning brown hair that hung straight down to her waist curling at the ends, and soft delicate features. She smiled at him perplexed at is silence, Frodo's stomach flipped and flopped as he struggled around in his mind to think of something to say to this lovely creature.
She stuck out her hand and said, "hello my name is Tao, what's yours?"
Frodo took her hand in a firm handshake and replied, "my name is Frodo, how do you do?"
"I'm very well thank you, and you?"
"I am as well as is possible at this point in time, where are you heading Miss Tao?"
"Please just plain Tao will be fine, and I am heading to my home in Isengard."
"Isengard? I thought it had been destroyed in the War of the Ring?"
"Well it had but my…adopted mother and my sisters had taken shelter just outside of the town, but still in view of the central tower of Orthanc. When the Ents left we took refuge in the shelter of my old house only to find the basement was still in relatively good condition…so we fixed it up, and are still living there today." She said giving Frodo another Dazzling smile.
"Well" Frodo said, "why don't you come back to my camp with me I'm sure we could use a guide to lead us through these treacherous mountains?" Frodo gave her a shy little smile.
Tao looked at him curiously, although she had just met him she found him quite intriguing and with this in mind she answered "lead the way".
After a while of walking and small chit chat they soon arrived at the camp only to be greeted by the rest of the fellowship awake and ready to go. They were immediately approached by Gandalf "Frodo your back, I was beginning to get worried, Legolas was about to go after you!"
"No need to worry Gandalf I'm perfectly alright, I had just met a fellow traveler, this is Tao she is heading for Isengard and knows these mountains well I thought we may need a guide if we get caught in another storm."
"A wise decision Frodo." Gandalf agreed. "it is not safe for a woman to be traveling alone."
"Ooh and I suppose it would be safer for me to travel with a group of men?!" Tao retorted almost accusing them of their nature.
"You do not trust us?!" Gandalf said astonished.
"YOU DO NOT TRUST ME!!" Tao practically screamed. Gandalf remained silent for he did think that something was not right with this traveler these were dangerous times there were a limited few that they could trust.
Eventually Gandalf said "we best be on our way there is much ground to cover before night".
1.1 Chapter 1
As the Sun came up on the eastward side of the mountains a little Hobbit stirred, as he opened his eyes he soon became aware of where he was and what his mission was. He looked towards the rising sun towards where his home was the shire, he missed it desperately, he pulled the ring out of his pocket and looked at it scornfully, after staring at it for a while he became entranced quickly he put it back into his pocket. He hated that ring but at times he felt that he loved, it were these moments that he had to remember were it came from and what it had done to his life. Across from him the old Wizard awakened and looked at Frodo with heartfelt sympathy and whispered "you look troubled my boy, why don't you take a walk to calm you nerves?"
Frodo looked up at him thankful for the suggestion "yes Gandalf I believe that that would do just the trick" and he got up and turned to leave.
The wise magical man made a quick warning "you be careful Frodo Baggins the fate of Middle Earth rests in your pocket"
"I will Gandalf don't worry" Frodo quickly started back down the steep trail he had seen a worn path the night before and had wondered where it lead to. Once he found the path again and had walked for a while he found himself in a peaceful clearing, great pines surrounded it with a light snow covering the ground, he sat down underneath one of these trees thankful for the solitude. He had never been truly alone on this trip, he was always being watched he knew no one believed in him 'why would they' he thought to himself 'I'm only a halfling'.
"Hello" someone said behind him.
"Ooh" he let out a little cry, he had been so immersed in his thought that he hadn't heard anyone coming. He spun around to face another…hobbit! A girl hobbit!
"I'm sorry" she said, "I didn't mean to frighten you".
"ooh that's alright, I should have been paying attention" Frodo replied, getting up and wiping the snow off his cloak. When he looked up their eyes met, he quickly looked away blushing he was stunned at her beauty. He had at once noticed her eyes for they had shone a bright radiant green that sparkled. She had tanned skin like she had been out in the sun for quite a while. She was a little bit shorter than Frodo, with long stunning brown hair that hung straight down to her waist curling at the ends, and soft delicate features. She smiled at him perplexed at is silence, Frodo's stomach flipped and flopped as he struggled around in his mind to think of something to say to this lovely creature.
She stuck out her hand and said, "hello my name is Tao, what's yours?"
Frodo took her hand in a firm handshake and replied, "my name is Frodo, how do you do?"
"I'm very well thank you, and you?"
"I am as well as is possible at this point in time, where are you heading Miss Tao?"
"Please just plain Tao will be fine, and I am heading to my home in Isengard."
"Isengard? I thought it had been destroyed in the War of the Ring?"
"Well it had but my…adopted mother and my sisters had taken shelter just outside of the town, but still in view of the central tower of Orthanc. When the Ents left we took refuge in the shelter of my old house only to find the basement was still in relatively good condition…so we fixed it up, and are still living there today." She said giving Frodo another Dazzling smile.
"Well" Frodo said, "why don't you come back to my camp with me I'm sure we could use a guide to lead us through these treacherous mountains?" Frodo gave her a shy little smile.
Tao looked at him curiously, although she had just met him she found him quite intriguing and with this in mind she answered "lead the way".
After a while of walking and small chit chat they soon arrived at the camp only to be greeted by the rest of the fellowship awake and ready to go. They were immediately approached by Gandalf "Frodo your back, I was beginning to get worried, Legolas was about to go after you!"
"No need to worry Gandalf I'm perfectly alright, I had just met a fellow traveler, this is Tao she is heading for Isengard and knows these mountains well I thought we may need a guide if we get caught in another storm."
"A wise decision Frodo." Gandalf agreed. "it is not safe for a woman to be traveling alone."
"Ooh and I suppose it would be safer for me to travel with a group of men?!" Tao retorted almost accusing them of their nature.
"You do not trust us?!" Gandalf said astonished.
"YOU DO NOT TRUST ME!!" Tao practically screamed. Gandalf remained silent for he did think that something was not right with this traveler these were dangerous times there were a limited few that they could trust.
Eventually Gandalf said "we best be on our way there is much ground to cover before night".