"What do these things eat when they can't get hobbit?" Pippin fumed as yet another one of the midges took a hunk out of his arm. They had been travelling an entire day when they reached the Midgewater Marshes, and the hobbits were getting tired.
"How much longer until we can rest, Strider?" Merry questioned.
"When the sun has fully set behind the mountains…we will only have a few more miles to go," Strider commented back, much to the dismay of the hobbits. The ranger paid them no heed, however as he knew that to stop now, in daylight on the marshes with absolutely no cover, would mean death for them all.
"Well, at least then we'll be rid of these infernal midges!" Pippin spoke up again. He thought for a moment before speaking again. "Wait…am I the only one who's not had a bite in the last few minutes?"
"I haven't either," Sam remarked. It seemed as though none of them had been bitten since Pippin made his initial comment.
"They won't be bothering you again, friends," Shadow groaned and sat up in the saddle of the pony for the first time since they had left Bree.
"Shadow, are you strong enough to do that right now?" Frodo looked at the man in black with concern. Shadow responded by dismounting the pony, Bill, and taking his place at the front of the group with Strider.
"If I couldn't keep a few bugs away, I would truly be in rough shape," he laughed. He then said softly to Strider, "Truthfully, though, I wouldn't have been able to as of this morning…thank you for heeding my advice." Strider nodded respectfully.
~#*ITS*#~
Hours passed, and night fell over the Midgewater Marshes. The weary travelers had long left the sticky, smelly place, however, and were camped warily in the forest a day's journey from Weathertop. As of yet, the journey had been quiet. Strider was one of few who knew this road, and they had eluded the black riders during their flight from Bree.
One by one, the hobbits drifted off to sleep, and eventually, only Shadow and Strider remained, staring out over the marshes from their little hill that overlooked them. Under the starlit sky, the place had an almost beautiful quality about it…so long as it wasn't being viewed from the inside.
"This is the road to Weathertop, is it not?" Shadow's voice was quiet, so as not to disturb the sleeping hobbits.
"It is," Strider replied just as softly. The ranger looked at the mysterious man. Something in the Jedi's voice told him the observation hadn't pleased him.
"Is there no other way?"
"There is no place better defended," Strider thought for a moment. "This is also the most direct route from our current location. Any others would take us days out into the wilderness. Why? What do you suspect?"
"I suspect nothing," Shadow's voice grew dark. "I know that on October the 6th, when we stop at Weathertop, the Nazgul will attack, and Frodo will be gravely injured."
Strider stared at him wide eyed. This truly was the only road available to them, but could they take such a risk?
"What do you suggest we do?" Strider questioned. Shadow was silent for a moment, thinking.
"It would seem we have no choice but to make a stand at Weathertop," his Jedi mind was racing. They certainly could not afford to spend days in the wilderness with Nazgul on their trail, but he'd not yet had enough time to heal from the last encounter. As if to punctuate the thought, a sickening pop sent the Jedi to his knees.
"Shadow?" Strider knelt beside him, resting a hand on the cloaked back. "Shadow what was that?"
"That," the Jedi gasped, "was one of my ribs popping into place…it would seem that a few were dislocated in addition to the broken ones. The Force is still working on healing me."
"If that's the case, can we really afford an encounter at Weathertop?" Strider's brow furrowed in thought.
"He is priority," Shadow pointed toward the sleeping Frodo. "We cannot risk keeping him out in the open for longer than we have to. At least at Weathertop we will know what to expect."
Strider nodded.
"Then Weathertop it is…I will follow your lead."
"You should follow no one, Aragorn." Shadow patted the ranger's shoulder before going to catch a few hours' sleep before his watch began. Strider stared after him with a million questions. Who was this man?
~#*ITS*#~
The next day passed without much event. The travelers kept a wary eye on the road before and behind them, and by nightfall, they'd arrived at the old watch tower known as Weathertop. The hobbits were busily setting up their camp while Strider and Shadow examined the environment around them.
"There was a battle here," Strider commented, looking at the scorch marks on the rocks and ground around them. Shadow only nodded, pointing to a small mark on one of the boulders. "Gandalf's signature? Gandalf battled here?"
Again, the Jedi only nodded in response. He stood tall and made his way swiftly to where the hobbits were busily unpacking.
"Don't unpack tonight, little ones. Only what you need."
"I'll go scout the area…see—"
"No!" Shadow cut the ranger off, "That is what they want you to do. You need to stay with the hobbits at all times." Strider examined the small, frightened faces around him and nodded. "I will go down and get wood for a fire. I'm faster."
With that, the Jedi disappeared into thin air. Strider and the hobbits unpacked what they would need for the night, and piled the rest together by a large boulder. Within minutes, Shadow was back with them, arms full of firewood.
The Jedi piled the wood, readying it for a massive fire, but did not light it.
"The flames would be a beacon for them," Shadow explained. Strider pulled him to the side while the hobbits busied themselves eating some of the fruit they'd collected throughout that day.
"What did you sense?"
"There was no trace of their evil in the valley," the Jedi's tone was darkened still. "But they will come."
"Will we be able to elude them by not building a fire?"
"It will slow them down," Shadow nodded. "They are drawn to the Ring, however…they will come. I hope to slow them down by not giving them anything to pinpoint our location."
"So we will light the flame when they are upon us," Strider nodded, comprehending the Jedi's plan.
"Blades bring down the curse," Shadow nodded, "but fire does not."
"Please," Strider grabbed the Jedi's arm, "do not fight unless you must." Shadow nodded in reply.
Shadow gathered the hobbits and quietly explained what was going to happen that night…leaving out the part where Frodo was nearly killed. He planned to prevent that. The hobbits were frightened, but their faces remained brave.
"When they come, I will ignite the flame, and I want you each to stand with your back to it just like on the Barrow Downs, alright?" The hobbits nodded and prepared to do as they were told by moving their blankets to where they could even sleep by the waiting wood for the fire.
"They follow you well," Strider commented, "we may survive this night yet."
~#*ITS*#~
Strider and Shadow found themselves alone once again. This time, though, Shadow sat atop the lookout facing the west, and Strider, the east. Shadow felt the presence of the Nazgul before he saw them.
"They're coming," he said calmly as he jumped down and moved toward the fire.
Strider, having seen three of them reaching the eastern side of the hill, did the same. Shadow roused each of the hobbits and set the tinder ablaze.
"Keep your blades out for defense only. Keep your backs to the fire." Here, shadow knelt before Frodo. "Do not put on the Ring…no matter how strong the urge becomes. They will use its magic against you this night." The Jedi then took his place between Frodo and Sam and waited.
Minutes felt like hours as the group awaited the oncoming storm. Strider gripped his two torches tightly. Suddenly, Merry let out a shriek as over the top of the ridge climbed five hooded heads. Through the mist and darkness, the Nazgul moved, closing in on their prey.
Shadow could feel Sam's fear growing beside him.
"Courage, Sam…stay close to me."
Frodo, too, was growing weak against the call of the Ring. Shadow knew the Nazgul king had to be disrupted, or he would lose both of the hobbits to fear and shadows. With a roar, he leaped forward and placed himself between the Nazgul and the hobbits.
"Dai," the king hissed, "you survived after all…shocking. You cannot be fully healed, however. What stupidity is causing you to stand against me again so soon?"
"If I remember correctly," Shadow spat back, "it was you who fled out the window that night."
The two Nazgul beside the king shrieked in anger and advanced on the man in black.
"Shadow! Don't!" Aragorn yelled, running to the aid of the dark man. Shadow threw his arms out to the sides, sending the two Nazgul flying into the stone ruins.
"There is more than one way for a Jedi to fight," Shadow told the ranger. Strider could hear the wink in the man's voice. They had little time for celebration, however. Unlike the lightsaber, throwing the Nazgul did little to harm them, and they were soon back in the battle.
Aragorn fought as if dancing, using the torches in his hands to set the Nazgul alight, sending them shrieking into the darkness. Shadow remained before the hobbits, throwing back any of the riders that attempted to reach them.
Suddenly, though, he heard a sound that sent his blood running cold.
"Mister Shadow!" Sam cried, "Mister Frodo's gone, sir! Just vanished!" The cries were soon drowned by shrieks of the Nazgul.
"No No NO!" Shadow roared as he looked around desperately for any sign of the hobbit. He was too late, however. The Nazgul king shrieked in pain, before bearing down with his knife. As if off in the distance, a scream hit the ears of those in the battle. Along with it, though, the words of "Elbereth, Gilthoniel" rang clearly against the rocks.
Shadow raced forward, anger overtaking him as he drew his lightsaber and brought forth the glowing green light. Shocked, the Nazgul king stepped back. Aragorn yelled a warning as he threw one of his torches into the face of one of the riders, but Shadow was beyond hearing. So taken was he by his fury, that the pained cries of Frodo were all that filled his ears as he ran. If he didn't reach the hobbit now, the Nazgul would take him and the Ring, and all would be lost.
Not caring about the consequences, Shadow leaped, swinging the green light above his head and bringing it down through the robes of the Black Rider. Instantly, the blazing flames of the Nazgul magic filled his body, and he crumbled to the ground next to the empty robes of the wraith king. The other Nazgul fled, but they would not be gone for long.
"Shadow!" Strider ran to his fallen comrade. Shadow dragged himself onto his elbows and pointed to where Frodo had recently reappeared.
"F—Frodo!" he urged the ranger, blood dripping from his hood.
Sam and the other hobbits were already crouched over their injured friend. Frodo lay on the ground, writhing in pain. A garish wound marred his shoulder. Strider picked up the blade responsible and spat with disgust as it disintegrated.
"A Morgul blade…I have no power to heal this…Shadow?"
The Jedi lay still now with his head down. Strider stood, a knot forming in the pit of his stomach, and approached Shadow. The Jedi lay on his stomach with one arm reached out, palm up. Strider frowned as he got closer and saw that Shadow clutched something in his gloved hand. The Jedi had fought to prevent Frodo's wound, but had prepared for failure as well.
"Athelas?" he whispered before a grim smile crept over his lips. "Yes, Shadow, this will help our little friend." He turned to the others. "Merry, heat me some water. We need to hurry. I fear the wraiths will not tarry long."
~#*ITS*#~
A/N: Hope you enjoyed my version of Weathertop! You know the drill. Comments welcome! ;)