Chapter Nine
Sam was cooking dinner. The smell of the bacon with sausage and potatoes made Frodo's mouth water. While waiting for Sam to finish cooking, Frodo opened a book, lit his tobacco and smoked some of the Long Bottom leaf the pair had brought with them. While reading he heard a noise. It was a faint noise, but it steadily grew louder as though it was coming closer. Frodo laid his hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam looked up at Frodo.
"Mr. Frodo?"
"Sam, do you hear that?"
Sam stopped talking and just listened, and then he heard it too. "Do you want to go see?"
"I think we would be ruing our chances if we didn't." Frodo smiled at Sam and the two of them ran off.
Hiding behind a rock the two of them watched, in secret, as elves passed by singing the beautiful melody. The harmonic melody was sung with such elegance and grace that one could not help but to slip into a blissful reverie.
"Fanuilos heryn aglar, Rîn athar annún-aearath,Calad ammen i reniar,Mi 'aladhremmin ennorath! A Elbereth Gilthoniel,I chîn a thûl lin míriel,Fanuilos le linnathon,Ne ndor haer thar i aearon. A elin na gaim eglerib,Ned în ben-anor trerennin,Si silivrin ne pherth 'waewib,Cenim lyth thílyn thuiennin. A Elbereth Gilthoniel,Men echenim sí derthiel,Ne chaered hen nu 'aladhath,Ngilith or annún-aearath."
The elves sang perfectly in unison, making the music even more haunting than it already was.
"Where are they going Mr. Frodo?"
"To the Grey Havens, Sam. They're leaving Middle Earth forever. I do not know why, but it makes me sad."
When the elves finished passing by, the two companions went back to their camp site and had dinner. After they ate they found a seemingly soft patch of ground, and lay down to rest. Frodo was still wide awake and thinking about the elves they had just seen when Sam's voice broke the silence.
"It is no use, Mr. Frodo. Every which way I turn there is a big ugly root or some other thing sticking into my back."
This made Frodo smile, Sam was always such a kind person, but he could never handle hardships well.
"It is okay Sam, just close your eyes and imagine that you are back in your bed."
Sam gave a semi defeated sigh. "Alright Mr. Frodo but I would still prefer a bed."
"So would I Sam, so would I." With that Frodo and Sam slipped into a deep sleep.
The next morning went off without a problem; the two of them packed up and continued their journey. Just before entering into a corn field, Sam stopped. Frodo, not hearing Sam's usual clatter of pots and pans turned around to look at him.
"Sam?"
"This is it."
"What is?"
"If I take one more step, this will be the farthest away from home that I have ever been."
Frodo walked over to Sam and put his arm over his shoulders. "Come on Sam, you know what Bilbo used to say. 'It's dangerous business Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, you never know where you might be swept off too.'"
As the two of them walked they decided to take a short-cut through the corn field. Stepping out of the maze of corn, Sam found himself to be alone. Frodo had vanished. Sam looked around franticly, each passing second he became more panicked.
"Mr. Frodo?" Sam began to run one way on the path. "Frodo!"
Frodo rushed back to Sam. "Sam? What's wrong?"
Sam let out a sigh of relief. "I thought I had lost you." Frodo gave Sam a puzzled look. "It was just something Mr. Gandalf said. He said 'Don't you loose him Samwise Gamgee', and I don't intend to."
Frodo chuckled a little. "Sam, we are still in the Shire! What could possibly go wrong?" As if on cue Pippin ran out of the corn field and right into Frodo, followed closely by Merry who ran into Sam.
"Frodo!" Pippin exclaimed. "Merry, look! It's Frodo!" Pippin shouted, giving Merry his goofy smile. Sam shoved Merry off him and ran over to Pippin. He dragged Pippin off of Frodo and hauled Frodo up. While helping to get the dirt off Frodo, Pippin and Merry were bent over picking up vegetables. Sam looked down at the two of them.
"You've been into Farmer Maggot's crops, haven't you?" A little ways away the four companions could hear Farmer Maggot shouting for the 'Thieves' to stop. He could not be seen because the corn was so high, but his scythe could be seen, and his dogs could be heard. Merry and Pippin quickly picked up the rest of the vegetables and gave them to Sam, then, grabbing Frodo, Merry and Pippin ran off leaving Sam standing there with all the vegetables. In panic, Sam dropped all of the vegetables and ran off, trying to catch up to Frodo, Merry, and Pippin.
The three companions kept running until Pippin stopped at a cliff with a rather drastic drop. Putting his arms out to keep the rest of the trio from falling off, Frodo and Merry stopped at his arms, peering cautiously over the edge. Sam, however, did not notice the drop off and ran right into the backs of the other three. With that they toppled over the side of the cliff, rolling down until they landed on a leaf-covered road.
"Oh, that was close," Pippin said as he looked over to his left to see a pile of rather fresh horse manure on the side of the road, less than six inches from his face.
Sam got up slowly stretching himself out as he got up to make sure nothing was injured.
"Oh I think I've broken something." Merry said as he sat up. He reached behind himself and pulled out a carrot that was under him when he hit the ground, it had snapped in half. Merry almost started to cry when he saw it.
"What was that?!" Sam said angrily to Merry and Pippin.
"A short cut." Merry said.
"Really, a short cut to what?" Sam glared at Merry. Right then Pippin spoke up.
"Mushrooms!" Merry, Pippin, and Sam all scrambled over to the small collection of mushrooms growing off of an old log. Frodo did not go over to the mushrooms. He looked down the road.
"I think we should get off the road," Frodo said, though he was ignored by the other three Hobbits.
Looking back down the road he heard an inhuman scream and saw the trees begin to warp at the sound. "Get off the road now!"
This time the three of them listened. They ran off the road and hid under an overhanging root. While they were hiding, Sam, Merry, and Pippin were looking through the bag of mushrooms. They stopped when they heard the sound of hoof steps. Shortly after the hoof step sounds ceased, a metal boot hit the ground, its iron sections screeching as they moved with the motion of the foot contained within them. A shadowy figure bent down and began to sniff; its sniffing was like that of a wolf seeking its prey. As it sniffed all manner of dangerous and disgusting insects began to crawl out of their hiding places. Frodo started to fall into a trance like state. He began to reach for the ring and was preparing to put it on when Sam's hand landed over his, keeping the ring from his grasp. Frodo snapped out of his trance, and Merry took the bag of mushrooms and threw them away from where the four companions were hiding.
Upon hearing the mushrooms land on the ground, the shadowy figure let out another inhuman scream and ran towards the noise. In the chaos the four companions ran from the shadowy figure and into a thicket of young trees.
"What was that?" Pippin asked through heavy breaths.
XXXXX
Achilles awoke in a soft bed. Sitting up he discovered that he was no longer wearing his armor; it, along with his sword, was lying on a table across from his bed. Patroclus walked into the room carrying a bowl of water.
"Cousin! You're awake!" Patroclus beamed at Achilles. He set down the bowl and walked over to Achilles. "Odysseus, come quick! Achilles is awake!"
Odysseus dashed into the room. "Praise Zeus, we thought we lost you."
Ninniachel stepped into the room. "We may well have, had it not been for my mother Silmarwen."
Achilles looked at Ninniachel. "I should like to thank your mother then. May I meet her?"
Ninniachel looked dolefully at the floor. "I am afraid not, she left for the West two days ago."
Achilles saw the look on her face and understood that it was not something she wanted to talk about.
"Alright then, we should probably get going." Achilles got out of the bed and stood up. He cringed slightly, as his body ached everywhere.
"Cousin, please. You are not fully healed. You cannot leave yet," Patroclus pleaded.
"You should be more aware of what Patroclus says; he has been by your side since we found you at that black fortress." Odysseus gave Achilles a serious gaze.
"I know, and thank you, Patroclus, for looking out for me." Achilles put his hand on Patroclus' shoulder. "However, I cannot remain here any longer. In the time I slumbered the dream has become worse. Something tells me that things are happening faster than was expected and action must be taken." Achilles turned to face Ninniachel. "I may not be able to travel quickly on foot in my condition. Do you have horses?"
Ninniachel thought about it for a minute. "Yes, the stables are just outside of the city."
"Good, then grab four of them. We will need to move fast." Achilles walked over and donned his armor and sword. "We need to get to Rivendell as soon as possible, and since we do not know the way I was hoping that you could lead us there."
"Certainly. It would be my honor to help those who have helped me." Ninniachel bowed to her waist and walked out of the room to go prepare the horses. Patroclus walked out of the room to go gather his things. Odysseus stopped at the doorway and leaned against the frame.
"Odysseus, why are you still here? We are leaving. You need to gather your gear." Achilles never looked at Odysseus.
"You are not leaving because of a dream. Why are you really leaving?"
"I already told you. My dreams have been getting worse of late and we need to go."
"No they haven't, because I have been having the same dreams as you and mine have stopped since we have been here. So why, really, are we leaving?"
"Do not push the topic Odysseus; it is not for you to know."
"I must though, if something is causing you grief or pain I need to know so I can help you with it. I am your friend and confidant, you can tell me anything."
"I told you it is not for you to know!" Achilles turned around to Odysseus and gave him a piercing look that was almost as sharp as Achilles' blade. Achilles turned back around and finished tying up his sandals.
Odysseus sighed and walked out. "Fine, if you want to talk about it we will have the time later."
After Odysseus walked out Achilles' eyes began to tear up. He blinked once to wipe the unwanted guest away. "I know, Odysseus. I know." He spoke under his breath.
Ten minutes later the four companions mounted their horses and rode off towards Rivendell. After about four hours of riding, Patroclus rode up next to Ninniachel.
"How long do you suspect it will take us to get to Rivendell?"
Ninniachel looked at the Greek warrior; his bronze skin glowed under the pale moonlight. She blushed slightly, but hoped that Patroclus had not seen.
"At the rate that we are going it should not take us more than three days to get to our first stop. There we will load up on supplies and materials and then we will continue our journey to Rivendell. After our first stop it will not take us more than a week at most."
"That is good, I would like for us to end this journey as soon as possible. I grow weary and seek to return home."
Behind the two of them Achilles and Odysseus rode in almost complete silence. Odysseus spoke under his breath. "They seem like they would be good together, don't they."
Achilles, who had been watching Ninniachel intently nodded slightly. "Yes, and I think that she could always keep Patroclus on his toes. That is good. He needs a woman who will keep him in line and make sure he never forgets what his duties are in life."
The four riders stopped on the side of the road next to a small pond and set up tents for the night. After an hour everyone was asleep except for Achilles. A memory playing in his head over and over again kept him from shutting his eyes.
'You cannot save them, you will fight, you will kill, and you will beg but nothing you do will protect them. At the end of it all, nothing will remain, save the memory and someone who will speak of it all.'
Achilles stared up at the sky and looked at all the thousands of stars in the sky, hoping that one of them might be watching over the trio behind him. He did not hear Ninniachel approach until she spoke.
"They are a gift by the Valar."
Achilles jumped a little. "What?"
"The stars." Ninniachel pointed to the sky. "They were made by the Valar to light our world."
"I was looking up, hoping to see the star of Zeus, but I cannot seem to find it. The stars here are different than those in Greece." Achilles paused for a minute before speaking again. "Do you care about him?"
"Excuse me?" Ninniachel was a little surprised by Achilles' question.
"Do you care about him? Patroclus, I mean." Achilles looked at Ninniachel expecting her to answer.
"I guess that the answer is yes." Ninniachel looked back up at the sky. "Imagine, an elf falling in love with a mortal man, it seems irrational. But it has happened before."
"Protect him, please. I ask of you only this one thing - keep him safe from harm. Wherever he goes, you must follow. I have a concern that I will not always be around to watch out for him. So promise me that you will keep him safe to the best of your abilities."
Ninniachel looked at Achilles again and saw his eyes pleading with her to say 'yes'.
"Alright I will help you to protect him in any situation." Ninniachel looked back towards the sky.
"Good, I am glad you care enough." After that statement Achilles walked off to his tent and climbed onto the bed and went to sleep. Ninniachel stayed up a little longer looking at the sky. She smiled softly.
"Yes, yes I do love him."
