Another new chapter! Just a quick thank you to EVERYONE for the reviews and for the follows, I can't thank you guys enough! I don't own anything Lord of the Rings, just Callon.
Regular font: Common Tongue
Bold: Elvish
They Were Once Men
Callon and Stryder walked into the room, silencing the hobbits who were crowded around each other. Stryder went over to the window, dragging a chair behind him, while Callon knelt in front of her four charges.
"I know that today has been trying for all of you; why not you lot try to get some rest." She smiled at them as Sam, Merry, and Pippin all climb on the big bed where they fell asleep almost as soon as their heads hit the pillows. Frodo watched Callon go around the room blowing out the candles, he grabbed her hand when she passed him wanting to ask her what had been on his mind.
"Callon, how do you know Stryder? Can we trust him?" Callon looked over her shoulder as said person, he was still looking out the window but she knew he was listening, and then she lightly squeezed Frodo's hand.
"You can trust him, Frodo. Know this, I trust him with my life." She smiled at him again, and then went over to stand next to the Ranger. Frodo sat at the foot of the bed, noting how Callon failed to tell him how she knew the stranger. Callon leaned against the window frame, looking down onto the street with Stryder who then spoke in Elvish quietly to her.
"You didn't tell him how you know me, Reesa." Callon shook her head, smiling at her Ranger name.
"It is not the place for such conversation, Stryder. We have more pressing matters at the moment." As she finished speaking, the front gate fell upon the gatekeeper. The Ringwraiths rode toward the Prancing Pony, dismounting across the street from the group. They went inside, and a few moments later appeared in the window of the room that was the Hobbits. Callon and Stryder watched intently as the Wraiths started shrieking and tearing the room apart. Sam, Merry, and Pippin all woke up at the noise and along with Frodo stared at the two at the window. Frodo crossed his arms before speaking.
"What are they?" Stryder looked up at Callon, who crossed her arms as she continued to watch the Wraiths, and then looked at the Hobbit.
"They were once men. Great Kings of men. Then Sauron the deceiver gave to them Nine Rings of Power. Blinded by their greed they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness and now they are slaves to his will." Stryder opened his mouth to continue, but Callon held up her hand and turned to the group of Hobbits.
"They are the Nazgul, Ringwraiths, neither living or dead. At all times they feel the presence of the ring…drawn to the power of the one…" Callon took a shaky breath, "They will never stop hunting you, Frodo." She immediately turned back to the window, watching the Wraiths ride back out the front gate.
Frodo stared at her, thinking how different this Callon was from his Callon. His Callon wouldn't be so blunt with him about danger, his Callon wouldn't be blunt at all, his Callon wouldn't carry weapons, and his Callon wouldn't keep things from him.
Stryder saw Callon start to tremble after she spoke to Frodo. He put his arm on her elbow; she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and she nodded to him when she had calmed down. He always knew how to calm her down; he knew her better than anybody.
It was not a restful night for the group, and when morning came they were all out of the village before anyone else was awake, and with a new pack pony Sam had decided to name Bill. Stryder and Callon led the Hobbits into the forest, and Frodo spoke up when the silence and curiosity became too much.
"Where are you taking us?" Stryder looked back at them as Callon trudged on.
"Into the wild." Frodo watched as Stryder followed Callon, just as Merry whispered to him.
"How do we know this Stryder is a friend of Gandalf?" Frodo shook his head as he watched the woman he loved and the Ranger ahead of them.
"Callon trusts him, and we have no other choice." Sam whispered from behind them.
"But where is he leading us and Callon?" Stryder chuckled as Callon spoke to the Hobbits.
"To Rivendell, Sam…to the house of Elrond. And are you sure it not I who is leading you?" Sam spoke excitedly to the pony.
"Did you hear that, Bill? Rivendell! We're going to see the Elves!" Frodo continued to watch Callon, how did she know the way to Rivendell? Did she go with Gandalf, or this mysterious stranger?
Any predictions on what Frodo and Callon's relationship will be like as the story progresses? Again thank you to everyone who has reviewed, they make my day that much better. So sorry for taking so long in between chapters, I have had some writers block as well as life just getting in the way. But anyway, please review and stay tuned for more:)
