OK, before you murder me for being away for so long I just want to say I am soooooo sorry! School's been hell and I've had work experience too so that was pretty busy too. OK so hopefully I'll be updating more frequently so here we go at chapter 7! So I've kinda realised that the story is a tad slow at the moment so I thought I'd get going with this sort of trial chapter, its a bit faster so tell me if you like it OK? And remember - reviews make the world go round! ^.^
I just want to thank everybody so so much for reviewing! You guys are amazing! I'm so lucky to have readers like you! Thanks again!
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize, except Freya, Chaos and any other OC's
The coldness of the water hit me like a tonne of bricks and the shock of the impact made me gasp and swallow a gallon of the icy poison. It was so dark, so dark. I couldn't see anything; there was nothing, nothing there, nothing around me. All I could feel was the cold pierce and slice at my exposed skin, pain ripping through me like a thousand knives with every turn and struggle against the strength of the water as it mercilessly dragged me down to the unknown, pressure building up and the faint light of the moon, my only sight to the world above, grew smaller and weaker as darkness consumed me. My head became lighter and lighter as my last bit of air was used up, the pressure of the water pressing down on my lungs burned intensely. I could hardly keep my eyes open. Suddenly, like a flash of lightning, a terrifying face appeared in my sight, grinning evilly. The last thing I heard was a cruel chuckle from that malicious face as it said, 'Hush little baby...don't say a word... Daddy's gonna buy you a big bad curse...' The words faded as the coldness of death took me.
I woke with a start in the small bed by the cramped window in the Prancing Pony, sweating a hyperventilating as I stared frantically around the dark room in uncontrollable fear. I closed my eyes, to count to ten, hoping that it would calm me and my hammering heart but all I could see were those white eyes are they stared at me, telling me to die, wishing it. My eyes snapped open and it was then that I could feel the prickly feeling of someone watching me. I turned slowly, to see Strider and Frodo, who were at one point deep in conversation, were now looking at me worriedly, concerned.
I scowled at the two in my hurt pride, 'What are you two staring at?' I knew I wasn't being fair but I'd already made a complete fool of myself ten too many times on our trek to Bree, the most traumatising being the one I'd just had a nightmare about, while trying to outrun those demon Wraiths, myself and Chaos had tried to distract the thing from the hobbits but while that helped them get to the ferry, it left us in a bit of a mess. I ended up misinterpreting the term "dodge" so when Chaos parried left, I, not knowing my left and right ran head on into the flax of the hell-horse. So there I was dazed and smelling of horse ass, running for my pathetic excuse of a life towards the ferry that Chaos had somehow managed to skip onto without a bruise or bump to his name. I could hear the pounding of the heavy hooves behind me, the tremors, vibrating from the ground through me as the Wraith continued to catch up. With one final push, I leapt off the pier. Only to land in the fucking water... but what scared me most about that dream was that, I had never seen that face, quite frankly I wasn't thinking about anything really as I struggled in the water. Luckily for me I had a giant slob of a pet who just happened to be brave enough for once, dove in to get me, bless his heart.
Frodo and Strider looked at me in surprise at my curt remark. Strider opened his mouth to say something but I gave him one of those, "Really? OK, just try it" looks and he was quick enough to shut his gob and look away, a blush creeping up to his cheeks in embarrassment. I instantly felt bad. Sure I didn't really trust the guy, even though I knew he was really Aragorn and a good guy and a king and all that jazz, but I was proving to be fiercely protective of not just Frodo but all the hobbits, Sam, who I had grown very fond of for his strong love for his friend and pure desire to keep him safe no matter the cause. Pippin and Merry, who had joined us on our travels, were the funniest things to have ever crossed my path in some time and I never tired of their obscene jokes and laughter. But despite all the merriment and laughter, I couldn't feel wholly happy, because even through the fits of laughter and deepness of the conversation, I always noticed, how heavy Frodo seemed to be, how tired and slow, weary even. It was as if every step was aging him and his health deteriorating.
As I looked at him now, I could see his hand itching to touch the Ring, to hold it, caress it even. His hand fidgeted and his eyes shifted.
It killed me to see him in the turmoil that he had to face and resist every minute of every hour of every day and if I could, I would have gladly carried his burden, he or at least Sam had suffered too much and even if they weren't the same person, the thought of either one suffering was unbearable.
I then turned my attention to the ruggedly handsome ranger who was currently turned away from me. Aragorn was... well Aragorn. Like anyone would imagine him to be like, that has read Lord of the Rings anyway. His tall muscular frame, now slightly hunched over as he smoked his pipe, reeked of royalty and authority, his weather worn handsome face easily said friend but me being the paranoid bitch that I was said "perhaps..."
He had a warm, full smile that shone on his face causing small crinkles to appear at his eye, it was cute though. Ha, I never thought I ever hear myself saying that Aragorn was cute! But beneath that charismatic demeanour, there was a primal ferocity that I could see from within his hazel eyes, a white fire that burned deep inside him. I knew he was dangerous, charisma only made him even more so. Even though I didn't trust him completely, I was fascinated my him, a ranger. In reading the books Aragorn always reminded me of the Irish Rangers, they had the same ingenious camouflage, the same primal hunting eyes that shook you to your core if looked at the wrong way and the loyalty and bravery to gobsmack even the devil himself.
Laying my head down on the coarse pillow, I tried to calm my mind enough to get some rest but to no avail, not that I was surprised. I didn't expect to anyway, but it'd have been nice considering the long journey to Rivendell that was ahead, long and hard, Aragorn had said. Long and hard. It was about an hour or two before I finally heard Aragorn retire to and then there was silence. I, as usual, couldn't bat an eye lid.
I tossed and turned for another few hours before I saw the dreaded first rays of dawn. Heaving in malcontent, I sat up and looked around, knowing that I probably looked like a complete state with my big tangled mane of a head and frown on my tired face. Sighing, I hopped out of bed (quietly, yeah, I've been working on that, you kind of have to be good at sneaking given that fact that I've been travelling with four males for the past week or so. Especially when two of said males would be more than inclined to spy of said female while bathing or rob clothes or whatever) so I hopped out quietly... and tripped over Aragorn's carelessly discarded boots. Miraculously, no one woke up,
Hmm, maybe I'm not that bad at this whole sneaking business.
Biting my lip, I reconsidered my brilliance in sneakiness and padded out of our tiny room. Slinking down the narrow, black corridor, down the creaking stairs and out the back door to the stables, I thought about home. I thought about my mom, she'd be going mad with worry, mourning maybe. The hurt that hit me at the thought of my mother grieving over another presumed dead child stopped me in my tracks. I hadn't really thought about my family much, I had been avoiding it quite frankly. I shook my head, to stop myself thinking of them, I still wasn't ready to think about mom or Kayla yet. Continuing on, I pushed open the heavy stable doors where I heard the familiar grumbling of Chaos as I saw his large blob of a body shift around.
"Chaos?" I whispered.
His large head lifted, I could see his glowing amber eyes turn into a frowning pout.
Well if it isn't Freya, descending from high to mingle with us common animals
I rolled my eyes at his snide comment, his tone mirroring his annoyance at being made stay outside, "Here, it's not my fault that the Prancing Pony has a strict no dogs policy, so quit being a baby and scoot over."
No dogs my ass, I bet they let those frickin' horses in! oh yeah everyone loves the ponies, racist bastards... he grumbled.
I wasn't really listening anymore, I'd gotten used to his constant ramble about what annoyed him and what not, "Well we're not exactly living the life of luxury, plus where I was sleeping wasn't much better than here."
Bull... He said; his pride hurt at being thrown in the stables with the horses.
Oh yes, his English has improved beautifully, I thought.
Walking over to his huffing form I sat down beside him and lay my head on his shoulder, it was kind of an awkward position considering his head was up but I made do. Chaos had turned away from me when I came over but after a few minutes I could see him wavering. He looked back at me and then lay his head down and shifted his body so that I was more comfortable. Smiling, I closed my eyes as sleep took me.
I felt myself falling and then jolted awake. Chaos had gotten up and forgot to tell me.
"Chaos!" I yelled.
Oh, right. Eh sorry?
"Don't give me that shit, you knew."
Well let's just call it even now, ok?
Amongst all the argument I failed to notice the five people standing in the doorway staring at the two of us arguing, or well, me arguing or something like that.
"Aw jeez, I'm not crazy ok? He got up without telling me!"
Aragorn was giving me such a weird look that even though, I'd have been furious at the judgement he was displaying, I was too tired to give out more so I started laughing at his expression, thus probably just proving my insanity.
"We must leave now if we want to make it to Rivendell as soon as possible. Come." He said as he turned.
I made a face at his back, which unfortunately he caught because the hobbits started chuckling, "You are a strange girl, Freya." He said in a curious manner and continued out to get Bill ready for the journey.
Rolling my eyes I gave Chaos a push and then caught a look at myself in the watering trough, Holy Mother of Divine God no wonder they were looking at me like I was a fucking mad woman. This is so not my day...
'Frodo!' I screamed as the Wraith pierced Frodo's shoulder with the cursed blade. Stabbing two of the Wraiths in the back with Forod and Harad, while Chaos entertained four others as he barked and swiped viciously at the creatures, I stumbled over to mortally wounded Frodo who was now choking on painful cries of pain, blood pouring out of the wound where the blade sliced through.
No, no, no, no, no! Please no, not again, I can't watch him die again.
Tears streamed down my face as I held him to me, pressing down on the wound to stop it bleeding as much as possible, but still I could feel the warm pool of blood, course around me, soaking my clothes and the ends of my hair. I didn't care, I wasn't letting go, I couldn't let him go. It was all my fault, if I hadn't have fallen asleep after a day of exhausting hiking, then I could have stopped them from starting a fire and that way not alert the Wraiths where we were. It was all my fault. Aragorn had left me in charge, not that he was the leader or anything, I don't take orders from just any ol guy. But me like the stupid bitch that I am, decided that it would be ok if I just closed my eyes for a little bit, I wake up and the hobbits are arguing about something and then there was that dreaded screech, a screech that sounded like death itself.
As I sat there, holding Frodo, Aragorn had come over and was inspecting the wound. I might have been a qualified first aider but I was in too much shock to even consider trying to help, all I could do was hold his quavering little body.
'Freya come one, we have to get out of here. Those Wraiths will come back.' Aragorn shouted as he tried to pry Frodo from my grip. When he finally did, he placed Frodo on Chaos' back where I followed, dazed, behind, not knowing what was happening or what to do or where we were going. I sat when everyone else did and walked when everyone else walked. I wasn't listening, all I could hear was Frodo's scream and the pain in his blue eyes, those eyes should never have to know such pain. The world just wasn't fair. It just loved to destroy things as precious as innocence.
'He needs Elvish medicine...' Aragorn said, to himself more so than the rest of us.
I looked up, with Aragorn was a beautiful woman, the type who made you want to fix yourself up just so you looked presentable to be in her presence. The two spoke in what I assumed was Elvish and there was something in Aragorn's eyes as he looked at her, that made me smile, she should count herself lucky, to have a guy like him.
Then I remembered the book. She took him away, rode off with him to Rivendell, 'Oh no, no, no, no way! You are not taking him! No frickin' way!' I said heatedly to Arwen. Aragorn looked at me warningly,
'Freya keep out of this.'
My jaw dropped, no way did he just say that, 'He is my responsibility not yours, mine! So back off and let me do my job.' I shouted, 'Plus, there is no way that that horse could outrun those Wraiths, not when all nine are on your tail!'
That shut both them up, 'How do you know that?' Aragorn demanded.
I snapped m mouth shut, 'Paranoia.'
He narrowed his eyes, 'Arwen is one of the best riders in the land, she's decided and I back her up on it. She goes, you stay.'
He walked over to me and put a firm hand on my shoulder. Glaring at him I tried to move out of his grip but to no avail, I struggled harder, hating the feeling of not being able to move, to defend myself. Chaos was growling at Aragorn.
Kill. Kill. Kill. Touches Freya, hurts Freya. Dies... went through his head as he stalked Aragorn, growling. Aragorn looked at me and then at Chaos, then at Arwen. With a swift nod she mounted her horse in the blink of an eye and before I knew it, was galloping off out of forest, and out of my reach. Screaming in terror, at the concept of losing Frodo, I pulled free from Aragorn when he was distracted and quick as anything, Chaos made for me. I jumped on his back and we ran, we ran like hell itself was behind us. I could hear Aragorn call after me but I was no longer there, all I cared about was getting to Frodo and keeping him safe. I had no clue where I was going but I assumed Chaos had to have some sense of smell, so I followed his lead. It wasn't long before we were out in the open; daylight broke out all over the land making me feel uncomfortably exposed. Ahead, I could see nine black riders astride nine black steeds, catching up on a tiring white mare.
'C'mon Chaos, let's show these horse lovers what a wolf can do!' I yelled to him.
Growling, he lunged forward, propelling over the plains. I tried talking to him again but he wasn't answering, he had gone completely wolf, growls and snarls echoing in his throat. We caught up with the riders and Chaos, being the dramatic that he is, decided to make an 'entrance'
Roaring in anger, he jumped through the nine, stopping them in their tracks as they took in the familiar demon that had defeated them the night before. Stalking in front of them Chaos let none past, he was like the Chimera at the gates o the Underworld.
I dared to look behind me, Arwen was far away now, past the horizon, safe enough to get Frodo to Rivendell, but on the other hand, that left me in a shitload of trouble.
'Pstt, Chaos, got any ideas?'
Not a notion, just making it up as I go along, that usually works right?
'If you're referring to the bee hive incident then that'd be a no Chaos.'
Oh right, well how's this?
He bolted, running as fast as he could as the familiar sounds of hooves raked through the silent morning. They say you never run faster until you're running from something but Chaos being the complete idiot that he is, decided not to go as fast as when he was chasing them. I still fail to see the logic behind it.
'Chaos! Hurry up please!' I could feel the breath of the Wraith behind me, so close. Not daring to turn around, I urged Chaos on, until I looked to my left and came face to face with one.
It said something in a strange language, a slimy oily language but as it spoke I could feel myself getting tired, could feel the poison of its words seep into my system. It was evident that Chaos felt it too because his pace became sluggish and clumsy. He shook his head a few times trying to get the voice away from him but it was no use, the Wraith continued hits chant and we got even more tired and even slower.
It can't end like this...
Throwing my last bit of strength out there, I covered Chaos' ears, blocking the sounds of the Wraith, though still getting the full blast myself. As if waking from a dream, Chaos snapped awake and bolted off as fast as possible, leaving all the Wraiths but the one chanting behind. That one Wraith, it was working, it was keeping up and it was leaving me feel sick and weak as it chanted.
My vision blurred as we came to a river with Arwen and Frodo on the other side. Without consideration Chaos lunged into the river and over to the other side where the two were. The Wraiths came to a messy halt as they contemplated the water. Deciding that their target was way more important than their pitiful lives, they charged on...
I didn't know what happened then, my sole purpose was getting to Frodo, I dragged my weak, poisoned body to him and lay next to him, 'It's ok,' I whispered, 'You're going to be fine. Trust me, I know, you'll be absolutely fine.' My voice was growing quieter with every word but before the darkness took me there was the unmistakable sound of,
'Hush little baby don't say a word...'
So? How was it? I'd love to hear what you all think so please please PLEASE review! :P