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Chapter 10
On the shore in the morning of our departure, cloaks were fastened around all of us with green, silver-veined leaf-brooches as gifts.
"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people. May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes." My grandfather told Aragorn and I. I knew my grandfather was only trying to help and I was happy for it, but I could tell that he feared for his own people.
"Every league you travel south, the danger will increase. Mordor Orcs now hold the eastern shore of the Anduin. Nor will you find safety on the western bank. Strange creatures bearing the mark of the White Hand have been seen on our borders. Seldom do Orcs journey in the open, under the sun, yet these have done so!" He told me with such warning.
"Guren glassui [Thank you from my heart]!" I said embracing him one last time before I gathered into the boats with the rest of the fellowship, but before stepping foot, I noticed Aragorn motioning for me to look behind me. I turned my attention and there stood Haldir.
"Haldir!" I said, surprised that he was there.
"My lady Raweru. I wanted to wish you a safe journey. The Lord and Lady did not give you a specific gift for it was I that wished to." He said to me, leaning down closer to my ear. "Do not let your smile fade, I wish to see it again one day." He said handing me a small ruby pendant with enwrapped vines in elvish silver. I looked at the gift that he gave to me. It was so beautiful.
"You are to kind to me Haldir. I will cherish it." I said to him closing my hand against the pendant.
He then motioning me to enter the boat.
I stood in the boat, turned facing Haldir, my friend. He was so dear to me, as precious as a brother could be to me.
The boats sailed further away from my family; my second home until only mist could be seen. I sat still holding the pendant tightly in my hand.
The Fellowship passed out onto a larger branch of the Anduin beneath sheer cliffs. The Uruk-hai marched along through the forest as the three boats carrying the Fellowship float along, however we were unaware.
Aragorn lifted his head and half-smiles. He then tapped Frodo on the shoulder.
"Frodo, the Argonath! Long have I desired to look upon the kings of old. My kin." Aragorn told Frodo. I glance up looking upon the towering splendor of the Argonath.
Once we pasted the Argonath, I glance at the pendant that I cling to so carefully. I had no be aware that Legolas was watching me from the other boat with Gimli.
"It is a beautiful gift to give to someone he cares about Raweru." Aragorn said to me while still rowing. I turned to face him slightly. I noticed Frodo and Sam were looking upon me with curiosity as normal.
"It is. His wife and I used to play together as young ones. He has loved her since the day I introduced them." I told Aragorn. Haldir did not love me in that way, he always acted like a much older brother to me.
As they disembark on a gravel beach, Boromir looked troubled and appears to be fighting a conflict within him but soon after we start to make camp.
Legolas, Aragorn and I stood scanning the river.
"We should leave now." Legolas tells us.
"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness." Aragorn said so persistently.
"It is not the eastern shore that worries him." I stated looking at the both of them.
Legolas nodded, "A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near… I can feel it." He said.
Merry, returning with some wood for the campfire and started to look around as if something was missing.
"Where's Frodo?" he asked.
I looked around trying to spot Frodo but I could not find him and he was not the only one missing. Aragorn's gaze stopped on Boromir's shield, lying with his baggage.
"I am going to go look for them. They could not have gone far. " I told everyone as I sheathed my blades to my back.
I made off further into the woods. 'Where could Frodo have gone' I thought to myself just then I approached Frodo who was lying on the ground. I walked slowly towards him, he looked fearful.
"Frodo!" I said.
Frodo turned his attention to me rather quickly, as if he was expecting someone else.
"It has taken Boromir." Frodo said to me startled.
"Frodo where is the ring?" I asked him questionably.
"Stay away Raweru!" He said as he scrambles up and retreats away from me. I stepped closer. I could see that something happened to him and it had everything to do with Boromir.
"Frodo Stop!" I shouted to him and that was what he did. Frodo stopped.
"I made a vow to protect you Frodo. I will not hurt you." I told him holding my hand out to him.
"Can you protect me from yourself? You battle from within already, how can you protect me also?" he asked him while holding the ring in his hand. He was trying to give it to me!? No, I could not take that burden but he was right… I could not protect him from myself.
"I would have gone with you to the end." I told Frodo then noticing that his blade was glowing. 'ORCS' I thought.
"Go Frodo… Please…. GO!" I told him as he nodded and raced off.
I drew my blades as I watched six orcs pour through the trees. I had to hold them back as long as I could, for Frodo's sake. He must survive at all costs.
Once the orcs meet my locations, my battle began.
Quickly and swiftly, I piercing the two orcs which was deadly but they were not just any orcs, they were Uruk-hai. They were much bigger, stronger and smarter. I still had four more of them but one slipped passed me heading towards Frodo.
I dodged one of the beast's while slitting the throat of another. My arms were aching some by the impact of blade against blade.
Finally there was only one remaining, the biggest of them all. A white hand print sat upon his face. He roared as my grips tighten on my twin Uruloki blades.
"I'll kill you slowly she-elf." He growled at me before making the first move.
He swung trying to cut my head off, but my balance was better than any beast. I instinctively jumped away from the swing then slipped beneath his shield so that I may pass; then I quickly stabbed my blade through the back of his head ending his existence. His black blood splattered against me.
The Uruk-hai dropped to his knees then collapsed completely.
My breathing became heavy, they were much stronger than I realized.
I turned and looked in the path that Frodo took, "Please be safe little one" I whispered before heading back to find the others.
I raced my way back, noticing Aragorn kneeling down beside someone. I looked closer and seen that it was in fact Boromir with a few arrows stuck out of his chest. I could not believe it, Boromir had fallen. I made my way over the tree that held his dead body. Legolas and Gimli noticed my presence before Aragorn. I remained silent; no words could pass my lips.
"Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore." Legolas said to us walking towards the river where we left the boats.
We all stood still awaiting Aragorn's orders.
"You mean to not follow them?" Legolas asked.
"I let him go mellon, I could not protect him from myself as Boromir could not." I told them all.
Aragorn rested his hand on my shoulder, "Sam is with him. He will be there for Frodo, Raweru. Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands" He told me as I lowered my head in shame.
"They have Merry and Pippin Aragorn." Gimli reminded him.
"Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let us hunt some Orc. Aragorn told us. Legolas, Gimli and I look at each other, grinning.
THE TWO TOWERS
The three of us travels endlessly, tracking the orcs that took Merry and Pippin. We stopped for a brief moment while Aragorn pressed his ear to the ground.
"Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent. Hurry!" Aragorn told us standing up before he took off running once again.
We companions entered the valley where the Uruk-hai must have stopped. I bent down to pick up a brooch. It had to be one of theirs.
"They may yet still be alive." Legolas told me as I placed the brooch in my pocket. 'They have to be alive' I thought to myself while nodding to Legolas as we began to run once more over the valley.
The days and nights of running were growing. We might have been gaining on them as Aragorn stated but we were still behind. Gimli was not taking the running well. He expressed it boldly but I could not help but laugh.
The dawn approached and the three of us ran over a hill and paused, gazing across the plains. We heard then could see in the distance I large group of riders.
"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?"." Aragorn shouted to them.
I looked to Aragorn in surprise, "is this wise Aragon?" I asked him before the riders were upon us with spears pointed in all directions at us. I glanced around at the riders, until a specific rider emerged. He must have been the one in charge.
"What business does a man, two elves and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" " the captain of the riders questioned.
"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine." Gimli stated.
The captain was not impressed by the dwarf's words of choice. He jumped off his horse and stepped closer to the dwarf.
"I would cut off your head — dwarf — if it stood but a little higher from the ground." The captain told Gimli and without a second to pass, Legolas drew his arrow as I drew my blades.
"You would die before your stroke fell!" shouted at the ready. We would die before letting anything else happen to our fellowship. We protect our own.
Aragorn, however, pushed Legolas arm down and I loosened my grip on my blades.
"I'm Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Glóin, Legolas, from the Woodland realm and Raweru of Rivendell. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king." Aragorn told the rider.
The rider removed his helmet, "Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe. Not even his own kin." He stated. The spears were withdrawn at that point.
"Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished." Èomer told us, looking at his riders.
"We track a band of Uruk-hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friend's captive" I spoke to Èomer.
"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." He told me walking back to his horse.
"But there were two hobbits, did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli asked worried.
"They would be small, only children to your eyes." I added.
"We left none alive." Èomer told us while jumping onto his horse. "Hasufel! Arod!" he yelled while two horses appeared.
"May these horses bear you to better fortune than the former masters. Farewell." And with that Eomer and his riders were gone.
I jumped on the back of Aragorn's horse, while Gimli rode with Legolas. We rode until we arrived to the burning carcasses of the Orc's that the riders killed. We demounted and wandered around the pile.
Aragorn kicked an orc helmet and yelled as he fell to his knees. I lowered myself to one knee and closed my eyes. 'Forgive us my friends, we were to late' I thought about Merry and Pippin.
"We failed them." Gimli said.
But moments later, Aragorn noticed something to the side of him followed by tracks that caught his attention.
"A Hobbit lay here, and the other." He softly spoke.