10 The Old Sewer
For a moment Remla thought she saw Frodo standing on a roof in front of her.
She heard an Orc behind her and quickly spun, stabbing her sword into its stomach. The Orc gurgled and dropped to the ground. Remla felt the familiar burst of adrenaline and felt like killing.
She ran to another Orc, ducked its swing, and dug her sword into its side. She looked up at the roof again and stared. It was Frodo, and he was standing before the Ringwraith, the beast was reaching its claws out to grab him, and yet he stood there, not running away!
"Frodo!" Remla shouted, but her voice was drowned out in the sounds of battle.
She ducked an attack from another Orc and stabbed it in a rush to get to Frodo.
She looked up to see that Sam was running at Frodo and pushed him away from the Ringwraith, the two of them falling down the stairs as the Ringwraith's beast grabbed at them.
Remla heard an arrow being fired and saw the Nazgul's beast screech and draw back. The Ringwraith screamed and flew away.
The sounds of battle had stopped; the city was quiet once more. Remla exhaled in relief and ran to find Frodo and Sam. She stopped when she saw them standing amogst the men, and realized that they were the men who had captured them.
"You know the laws of your father, the laws of your country. If you let them go your life will be fofeit." A man said to the man that slightly resembled Boromir.
He looked down at the hobbits.
"Then let it be forfeit. Release them."
Remla watched as the men let go of Frodo and Sam and she was even happy to see Gollum there, who was now also released.
The man lead Frodo, Sam and Gollum away. Remla followed, no longer afraid of them. She wondered what had happened to Feredir, and if she would see him again.
The battle at Osgiliath had ended, and now the men were working on clearing up the bodies and repairing the damage that had happened.
The man lead them through the water and to an entrance that lead to the sewers. Gollum glanced behind him and saw Remla.
"Ah! Precious!" Gollum cried. Frodo and Sam turned at the sound of Gollum speaking and stared at Remla in surprise.
"Remla!" Sam cried.
"You're alive, you made it!" Frodo smiled, his blue eyes shining.
"I did," Remla smiled.
"Ah, you were the one that burned a few men," the man smiled at her. "with stew. That was quick thinking."
Remla felt herself blushing for some reason, overjoyed to be standing alongside her friends once more.
"This is the old sewer, it runs right under the river through to the edge of the city," the man told them. "you'll find cover in the woods there."
"Captain Faramir, you've shown your quality sir," Sam told him. "your very highest."
"The Shire must really be a great realm, Master Gamgee, where gardeners are held in high honour." Faramir smiled.
Sam looked away, embarrassed.
"What route will you take once you get to the woods?" Faramir asked them.
"Gollum says there is a path near Minas Morgul which climbs up into the mountains." Frodo explained.
"Cirith Ungol?" Faramir looked troubled. He suddenly turned and grabbed Gollum by the throat, shoving him against a pillar.
"Is that its name?" Faramir asked.
"No, no." Gollum whimpered. Faramir tightened his grip.
"Yes!" Gollum hissed.
"Frodo, they say a dark terror dwells within the pass of Minas Morgul," Faramir looked at them urgently. "you cannot go that way."
"It is the only way!" Gollum said. "Master says we must go to Mordor, so we must try."
"I must." Frodo said quietly.
Remla felt uncertain about the way Faramir had reacted about Cirith Ungol.
"Go Frodo," Faramir threw Gollum to the ground. "go with the good will of all Men."
"Thank you." Frodo smiled, walking into the sewers.
Remla followed, nodding a thank you to Faramir. Sam walked behind her as they entered the damp stone sewers.
She looked behind her to see Gollum limping along, weak and mumbling to himself.
Remla saw Sam go over and talk to him, so she continued following Frodo and they left the sewers, stepping out into the morning air, away from the city. For once, Remla felt safe.
"Do you ever think we'll be in stories, Mr Frodo?" Sam spoke. "They'll be saying oh let's hear about Frodo and the Ring. It's one of my favourite stories."
"You missed out on two very important characters," Frodo smiled. "Samwise the Brave and Remla the Loyal."
Remla smiled at the word Frodo had chosen her for. Loyal. Although as she thought about it, she had been loyal. Even when she had escaped the Gondor men, she had gone back to find them. She was staying with them all the way. To the very end.
As Galadriel had foreseen.
"Frodo wouldn't have got far without Sam," Frodo smiled at him, then glanced at Remla. "or Remla."
"Now Mr Frodo, I was beign serious." Sam said.
"So was I." Frodo smiled, and they kept walking.
"Samwise the Brave." Sam sighed. Remla laughed, then noticed that Gollum was no longer with them.
"Gollum?" Remla called. Soon they were shouting and looking around for him. Remla wondered where he had gone. She had seen him leave the sewers, and started to fear that he had gotten lost in the woods.
"This way hobbits!" Gollum called, appearing from behind a tree. "Long ways to go yet! Smeagol will show you. Follow me."
Remla smiled, relieved that he had not gotten lost, and the three of them followed Gollum through the woods, drawing closer to Mordor once again.
And the journey continues with War of the Ring!