Chapter 14 - One person leave, and another returns
Okay, I can't think of a good summary, but I hope you enjoy and read.
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'So Amethyst, ' said Rex over the breakfast table, 'do you wish to come with us, your true parents?'
Amethyst sat there thinking. She was nearly asleep as it was, and would not be able to judge properly, if it hadn't been for her mind already made up.
'Amethyst, darling, we missed you.' Said Ebony, lying badly, 'and you wouldn't want an incident like at Mr Baggins's party, would you?'
Amethyst looked at her with pure hatred. Ebony knew that she had won. She beamed to herself, and Rex held her hand, squeezing it. Amethyst looked at her with her sullen face and said, 'I know what you would say, and it would sound like wisdom, but for the warning in my heart.'
'Warning?' asked Rex, 'What warning?'
'That you are not all you seem.'
'But what is your decision?' asked Rex, 'I must have an ultimatum today.'
Amethyst sighed, and looked to the window. 'I wish to bid goodbye to my father. I love him, but I cannot risk another outburst. I will leave with you this noon, but I do not wish to go.'
Rex smiled, and hugged her joyfully,' Thank you Amethyst, you will not regret it! We shall rule middle earth with our power, and you shall learn to control it. '
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So, about half an hour later, Frodo helped her to pack. He was disappointed, angry and sad, all at the same time. The logic was true and good, but no matter how he told himself how it was, he couldn't stop feeling so bad. Amethyst was helping him, not wanting to be apart from him, but she could feel the recrimination.
'Do you want this?' he asked. It was a rag doll of a hobbit, with black hair and blue eyes. It looked just like him, yet nothing like him, because he didn't want to admit it. Frodo smiled brittely and said, 'I'm going to miss you.'
'I'm going to miss you, but I can't stay here. I can't wait for another accident to happen. ' Then Amethyst sighed, 'it isn't you, it's me, and how I'm a freak. We both knew that something big was going to happen, and it did. Things were fixed a bit, but I can't stay. Memories cannot be erased forever.'
Frodo looked at her as she gave him another dress to fold. He did so and packed it.
'I know I can't make you stay here, being normal, but will you miss us?' he asked.
'Yes.' She said, 'I miss you already. I haven't even gone yet.'
Frodo laughed, 'you are a silly thing!' and hugged her, lifting her up and putting her on his lap. She clung to his neck, and to his surprise, started to cry.
'Hey, what is it Gemstone?' he asked as she cried into his shoulder.
'I do not wish to leave, but I must.' She said through sobs.' Please, forgive me. I can't help being a bad person. You've been so nice to me, so much better than I deserve, and now I leave you like this. Nothing to repay you or anything.'
Frodo stoked her hair and said, 'Amy, that's not true. I'm not like your own father, and I can't replace your parents. It's for the best.' Amethyst held onto the hobbit for dear life.
'I really don't want to leave you.' She said, 'I'm so sorry.'
'Amy, sometimes the best thing is the hardest to do.' Said Frodo.
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'Good bye.' Amethyst hugged Frodo again, as her parents, her real parents, waited for her outside. Her face was while, like a bed sheet as she went to hug Sam before she had to leave.
'Goodbye.' She said to him, and hugged him. Then Frodo, for the last time at Bag end, smiled at her and carried her out. Sam never though that Frodo would have been able to lift a child of her age, as there was barely anything to him, but there was barely anything to Amethyst, so it sort of worked out. Ever since they had destroyed the ring and sorted out sharkeys gang of ruffians, thing had always worked out somehow in Bag End. It had always been that way, for such a long time.
So Sam found himself going from the hall to the study. He didn't want to see.
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'Take care of her for me.' Said Frodo as he helped Amethyst onto the cart. Rex pulled her up and then jumped off himself.
'Mr Baggins, we would like to offer you some money for all the things you must have bough her over the years and all the care you have given her..'
'Please, no..' he started, but Rex insisted, 'I must give you something. A present maybe..'
'No, really.'
'I know! ' Said Rex, clicking his fingers, 'I will give you one of the precious things of our lands and people. ' He fiddled around in his pocket, and then gave something to him, closing Frodo's fingers around it. He then, with the grace of an elf, jumped back onto the cart and pulled the reigns of the horse, which immediately began to trot off, down the road.
Ebony and Amethyst shared the back of the cart, looking back at the village. Amethyst, with tears in her eyes, waved back at him, her heart already sinking. Frodo waved back, and watched as they trotted on, and out of his life.
As the cart became less than a dot on the distance, Frodo suddenly felt cold. Like something inside him had numbed and had left his body cold. His whole body felt stiff, like he couldn't move, as if he never wanted to move again, but would have to.
After a few minutes of watching the road, he moved his head enough to look at his hand. Inside his palm, he saw a little mythril broach encrusted with small perfectly formed jewels. The broach was shaped like a small sword. It was far too small to be of any actual use for cutting things, but the pin came in useful to pin a cloak.
It was strange though, how the blade was sharp enough to cut his hand. He looked at it again and pinned it to his waistcoat. Then, with unnerving speed, he turned around and walked slowly back into the hole. It was surprisingly quiet throughout the whole hole, as the mood of loss and sadness had radiated through him and everything around him.
Frodo walked slowly back to his room, not darting to look anyone he saw in the eyes, no, not even Sam, and retired to his room. When he had locked the door he sat down on the bed, waited a few seconds, listening to the house, and waited, trying not to feel anything.
Then, he let out a small, unnoticed sob. Then, holding his head in a hand sobbed quietly, as he cried for what he knew to be the death of him, and Amethyst.
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'How long until we reach the Shire Legolas?' asked Ash, 'there is something wrong at the Baggins household. '
'Hush Ash!' he said, 'We are only a few days at a leisurely pace. We will be there soon, but we must all rest for a moment, I need to hear of the birds to find out if we are going in the right direction. Anyway, the horses are tired.'
The horses seemed grateful to rest and eat, as they chewed at the grass around them. Myotisis had run on, looking for any signs of food, he said.
Ash closed his eyes, just for a moment, but he felt a sudden rush across his face, similar to a heat rash, but not one. The best was to describe it to someone who had not experienced it before would be an emotion rash, just hotter, and images flickering like a movie screens before his eyes.
He let out a little gasp. Amethyst couldn't communicate to him usually, and probably didn't know she was doing this, but he could feel her loss, her fear and how.cold she felt. How cold and emotionless she felt and how lost she felt.
He saw the face of Ebony braying in a twisted pretence of laugher. He saw Rex leaning over her, smiling, yet threatening her. He saw her crying, wanting to stay with the hobbit she loved so much, yet Ash knew was so unworthy of her, no matter what he had done to save middle earth. His own suffering would go to nothing if Amethyst were given to them. He then saw the image of Frodo, on his bed, crying quietly. Her father crying hard, like she had died.
Like she had died.
That was a nasty image for Ash's mind. He didn't know exactly whether she had or not, but it was an image that made him felt, angry. Angry and sad, and most of all, vengeful.
He opened his eyes. He sat up fast, and said, 'Legolas, we must leave.'
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Amethyst watched the road as they travelled down it. Her mother had gone to join her father in the front of the cart, but she was not content to be with them. She wanted her father, her own father. Maybe Frodo Baggins's wasn't her real father, but he was the best person she knew. She couldn't get excited about these parents. They didn't seem nice at all, and had left her when she was born, for goodness sakes, in a burned out hole!
She let herself cry, even though she knew she shouldn't. Her parents didn't seem to care, but for some reason she remembered a rhyme that she had heard a long time ago.
Through a few tears, she whispered on the wind..
' The roads goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with weary feet, Until it joins some larger way, Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say.'
She looked down the road. It seemed to be like she had left every thing behind. Everything in her whole life behind.
'Right, that's enough.' The cart stopped. Rex looked back, and had seemed to change. No, not seemed, had.
He was no longer a hobbit, but a six foot four man. His clothes had changes slightly and so had Ebony. Ebony was an elf, a tall elf woman of about six- foot, her long black tresses falling down to her waist.
Rex smiled at her. 'Amethyst darling, you are not all that you appear to be. We aren't, and we're your parents.'
Amethyst backed away her eyes widening. 'What are you??' she asked. She tried to run, but she felt herself stop.
'Amethyst, we're you.' He said, ' We're nymph's, like you.' She turned around, and saw them. Images flashed across her mind like a picture show. She saw nymphs, thousands of nymphs being killed, she saw nymphs being persecuted, she saw them being forced to do whatever anyone wanted them to do. She saw them, or more FELT them, performing their magic, and having the power over life and death. She saw them ruling, she saw them being powerful, she saw her parent's place of living, and she saw their life.
Amethyst smiled as her eyes began to burn. She finally knew what she was and where she fitted in. She took their hands, and then without a sound, they appeared next to the castle.
Rex smiled. 'That's my girl!' he said. They had the right one. ' Well done, that was your first magic spell.' He said fondly,' You're growing up before I've even got to know you.' Amethyst let go of Ebony's hand. Rex and Amethyst walked to the castle. Rex knew that this would the start of great things. ______________________________
'Ash, wait!' Legolas and Myotisis had been travelling for two day's now, without stopping to follow the boy. They had reached the Shire now, and the boy who had first of all walking quickly, not caring about them, now broke out into a run. Legolas began to run, and so did Myotisis.
'You don't even know where she lives!' Legolas shouted as he caught up with the boy.
'Yes I do.' Said Ash, 'Bag End.'
As the elf and Nymph's ran past groups of rather astonished hobbits, Legolas tried to asked directions and not get pulled along by the nymphs. Soon they reached a hobbit hole that to Legolas didn't look any different to any other hobbit hole in the Shire to him.
Ash ran down the garden path, jumping over the gate.
'STOP!' shouted Legolas, 'STOP! Where are you going?'.
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Frodo hadn't left his room for at least two day's now, as he had politely informed Sam that he was having one of his attacks. He had just lie their, looking at his one and only portrait of Amethyst he had done for her when she was ten. It was her, Elanor and Frodo-lad, sitting together, in best clothes, which Frodo had remembered, had been destroyed shortly afterward in a fight by the river. And in the river to be honest.
The Artist had taken one look at her eyes, and asked if he would to have the eye colour painted differently. Frodo had refused flatly, and was glad of it now. It was the only thing he had to remember of her. She sat, in the middle of the three children, smiling faintly, in such a dignified manner, not belonging to a lass of her age..
There was a loud ringing at the doorbell, as someone refused to stop ringing it. Then Frodo remembered that it was the servant girl's day off today, and Sam was out with Rose. Well, he felt almost over his attack now, and he didn't think it could be important. He got up and opened the door, fumbling with the key.
The bell did not stop ringing, and Frodo's ears started to hurt as the bell continually rang. Frodo even picked up the pace to get there.
Frodo opened the door, 'Hello?' he asked, 'What is you buis.'
THWACK!
Frodo felt his body being flung backwards as his head hitting the wall at a high speed. His feet dangled a good foot from the ground. He was being held up by the neck with someone's hand.
'WHERE IS SHE!' shouted a black haired, yellow eyed figure, 'WHERE'S AMETHYST!'
'Ash!' the figure, tightening his grip on Frodo's neck turned around. Legolas stood their, looking in sheer horror, 'Let him go! There is no point bullying hobbits.wait a second. Frodo?'
'Legolas?' asked Frodo as best as he could with Ash's hand around his throat.
Legolas smiled with joy. 'Old friend, how nice to see you again!'
'You know this hobbit?' asked Ash.
'Of course ASH!' said Legolas, laughing, 'He is a very old friend of mine!'
'Err.Legolas?' asked Frodo.
They both looked at him, and Legolas said, 'Oh, Ash.'
Ash let go of him. Frodo fell to the floor with a bump. 'Ow!' he said, as Legolas and Ash seemed to be ignoring him.
'Ash, you shouldn't do that..'
'Well, violence is the only way to get things done around here it seems!' he said.
'Yes, but not to hobbits who have done nothing to you!' Legolas turned around, 'Frodo! ' He said again for effect, 'How are things?'
'Not very good.' Said Frodo, 'but they got worse when this boy (Ash his name?) came and pinned me up to a wall.'
Legolas laughed. 'I must apologise for my young friend, but we must know, what has happened to Amethyst?'
'Amethyst?' asked Frodo, 'How would you know about her?'
'I know Frodo.' Said Ash, 'I am part of her. '
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This was odd, considered Frodo, as he sat around the table, with Legolas, Ash and the other one. All their explanations rushed over his head, but they made sense, sort of. Ash had talked about his time in the travelling performers, and all the stories had been new, but.hadn't Amethyst pretended to have a friend who was an orphan when she was little. To be honest, she didn't have need of an imaginary friend, surrounded by Sam's children, but the imagery she had told him.it was frightening, and in front of him.
He felt.. Short again, short, and stupid. Like he had no idea what was going on, but was at the centre of it. Like when he had the ring.
He had been quiet. Listening to what Legolas and Ash had to say, when the other one interrupted.
'I think we are missing the point. We must now find out what happened to Amethyst.' They all turned to Frodo, 'If she had gone, we can still follow her.'
'Myotisis is right.' Said Legolas, 'We must find out where she has gone. Frodo, where is she?'
Frodo looked Nervous. 'She left two day's ago.' He said, 'Her real parents turned up.'
'Real parents?' asked Ash,' Her mother is in hiding, and her father.Well, he is not to be trust.Oh sweet lord.' His eyes widened. Then, he lent across the table in shock. 'Excuse me, Frodo,' he said, 'Did one of the people that came for her.did he call himself Rex?'
Myotisis gasped. 'Not.Rex. Not him. Please, not him. We have failed. ' he put his face into his hands, and sighed.
'Yes.' Said Frodo sadly, 'It was Rex. And hobbit lass called Ebony. I knew there was something wrong with them!' he said triumphantly, 'They were too tall!'
Ash seemed to grow in anger, but his voice was so calm, it shook. 'You let them take her away?' he said in disbelief.
'Yes.' Said Frodo, 'I had no choice.'
Ash sighed. This was unusual for him, as usually he would have attacked Frodo for doing so, but he didn't. He just sat there, and copied Myotisis. Then he said, 'So we are all doomed. We don't know where she has gone, and we know who she's gone with. We are doomed. There is nothing we can do, but wait for the end to come.'
'The end?' asked Legolas and Frodo together.
'There can't be any end, we stopped it, we destroyed the ring.' Said Frodo,' How can the world end?'
'My Dear Frodo,' said Ash,' I cannot even begin to explain how powerful she is, or me, but I am weak at the moment, not at my full power. You have seen only a fraction of what she can do. A very small fraction.'
'If Ash is right, Mr Frodo,' said Myotisis,' it appears that we have only a short time left. As soon as she knows of her full power, she can either destroy or save all of middle earth. '
'And looking at the company she's been taken by.' said Ash nastily,' the end is inevitable.'
They all looked away. Then, Legolas seemed to have thought of something. 'Is it?' he asked.
'Yes!' said Ash, as if this was the most obvious thing.
'I don't think so Ash. She hasn't been corrupted yet, and it doesn't mean that she will, one hundred percent certain, turn against her adoptive family's morals and go and destroy middle earth. '
He got the look that intellectuals everywhere gave dumb blondes. Then, Frodo said, 'No, she wouldn't. I know she wouldn't. ' Then, he seemed to think. 'Ash, do you know where they would have taken Amethyst?'
'Yes, to the nymph castle, but..'
'Do you know how to get there?' asked Frodo.
'Sort of, yes, but.You've got to be kidding!' said Ash, ' I wouldn't get out alive!'
'But that is where you are wrong Ash,' said Legolas, 'We wouldn't get out there alive.'
'We?' asked Ash surprised.
'I shall go with you Ash, for it is my duty.' Said Legolas, 'And I am as swift as an eagle, and have the endurance that surpasses that of Dwarfs. I have learned basic tracking from Aragorn, and wish for her safety as much as you do Ash. From your description of her, she sounds like quite a beauty. '
'She is, ' interrupted Frodo, 'And I'd rather not have my daughter described like that, thank you very much! She is still very much a child.'
'At sixteen?' asked Ash.
'Yes!' exclaimed Frodo, 'But beauty or not, I shall come with you. I must save my daughter, even if she isn't daughter by blood. '
'If Ash goes, then I must follow.' Said Myotisis, 'I have few skills, and none of the are even half of Ash's power, even now, but I shall help in any way I can.'
'Then we have agreed,' said Frodo, we shall all go.'
At this point, Sam and Rose came bursting through the door. 'It's going to be all right Rose..' He started, 'It's going to be all right..'
Rose was breathing in a way that you could only do when you are in excruciating pain. She had tears going down her face, as she walked in.
'Sam! Rose! Is everything all right?' asked Frodo as he jumped from his place and ran over to her.
'Mr Frodo, you better go, Rose's contractions have started.' Said Sam, 'The babies coming!'
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'Poor mite.' Said Rex to himself, 'She's bushed out after today, and she's coming on fine. I don't think that time with the hobbits has harmed her at all.'
He watched her, lying on her new bed in her new bedroom. It was a castle, but he had managed to find some red velvet drapes, and hung them over the walls like tapestries, and all day she had been making picture appear on them, and now it looked like they had been there forever. She had put out a few of her stuffed animals, and dolls, and had been doing magic all day, but something was wrong, Rex could feel it. She was talented, it had taken Rex years to learn what Amethyst had taken minutes to learn, but he couldn't feel her actually enjoying it. Not yet.
Night and Day where different here. It was whenever you wished for it, as the nymph's had taken control, and Amethyst had been able to plunge the whole castle into darkness without even trying. Then, she had retired to her room, and gone to sleep, without even wishing him a good night.
Well, he though, I might as well tuck her in. He walked in, and took the bed sheets, and put them over her. He noticed as he looked over her, that she had grown up. Not in the sense of UP, but something about her face.. It seemed older, more human. Without any hobbits around, she had no need to look like one. She was turning nymph.
Rex left, and walked out into Ebony. 'Rex, will you play with me?' she asked, 'No one's played with me all day. '
'No Ebony, I have no time.' Said Rex. He swished his cloak and walked off. Ebony suddenly realised that things would change. She hadn't been played with for at least two days now, the other nymphs didn't want to make her please, rather they would be sent to.. HER room and they would come out again, and talk hurriedly to Rex, about he would nod and they would agree on what she was.
Ebony couldn't see the point. Ebony was far more powerful than she was. She could see the future. Ebony started to see the future. Unless Amethyst's was shortened, Ebony's future wasn't long.
Ebony knew what she had to do. She waited until everyone had gone to sleep..
Rain, Rain, go away, Ebony has come out to
Play..
Amethyst lye asleep, trying out something she knew she could do. She went back to the Shire. It was day, which was surprising to her, and nothing had changed, except her. Then, she reached bag end..
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Thanks for rwading. Bye!!
Okay, I can't think of a good summary, but I hope you enjoy and read.
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'So Amethyst, ' said Rex over the breakfast table, 'do you wish to come with us, your true parents?'
Amethyst sat there thinking. She was nearly asleep as it was, and would not be able to judge properly, if it hadn't been for her mind already made up.
'Amethyst, darling, we missed you.' Said Ebony, lying badly, 'and you wouldn't want an incident like at Mr Baggins's party, would you?'
Amethyst looked at her with pure hatred. Ebony knew that she had won. She beamed to herself, and Rex held her hand, squeezing it. Amethyst looked at her with her sullen face and said, 'I know what you would say, and it would sound like wisdom, but for the warning in my heart.'
'Warning?' asked Rex, 'What warning?'
'That you are not all you seem.'
'But what is your decision?' asked Rex, 'I must have an ultimatum today.'
Amethyst sighed, and looked to the window. 'I wish to bid goodbye to my father. I love him, but I cannot risk another outburst. I will leave with you this noon, but I do not wish to go.'
Rex smiled, and hugged her joyfully,' Thank you Amethyst, you will not regret it! We shall rule middle earth with our power, and you shall learn to control it. '
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So, about half an hour later, Frodo helped her to pack. He was disappointed, angry and sad, all at the same time. The logic was true and good, but no matter how he told himself how it was, he couldn't stop feeling so bad. Amethyst was helping him, not wanting to be apart from him, but she could feel the recrimination.
'Do you want this?' he asked. It was a rag doll of a hobbit, with black hair and blue eyes. It looked just like him, yet nothing like him, because he didn't want to admit it. Frodo smiled brittely and said, 'I'm going to miss you.'
'I'm going to miss you, but I can't stay here. I can't wait for another accident to happen. ' Then Amethyst sighed, 'it isn't you, it's me, and how I'm a freak. We both knew that something big was going to happen, and it did. Things were fixed a bit, but I can't stay. Memories cannot be erased forever.'
Frodo looked at her as she gave him another dress to fold. He did so and packed it.
'I know I can't make you stay here, being normal, but will you miss us?' he asked.
'Yes.' She said, 'I miss you already. I haven't even gone yet.'
Frodo laughed, 'you are a silly thing!' and hugged her, lifting her up and putting her on his lap. She clung to his neck, and to his surprise, started to cry.
'Hey, what is it Gemstone?' he asked as she cried into his shoulder.
'I do not wish to leave, but I must.' She said through sobs.' Please, forgive me. I can't help being a bad person. You've been so nice to me, so much better than I deserve, and now I leave you like this. Nothing to repay you or anything.'
Frodo stoked her hair and said, 'Amy, that's not true. I'm not like your own father, and I can't replace your parents. It's for the best.' Amethyst held onto the hobbit for dear life.
'I really don't want to leave you.' She said, 'I'm so sorry.'
'Amy, sometimes the best thing is the hardest to do.' Said Frodo.
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'Good bye.' Amethyst hugged Frodo again, as her parents, her real parents, waited for her outside. Her face was while, like a bed sheet as she went to hug Sam before she had to leave.
'Goodbye.' She said to him, and hugged him. Then Frodo, for the last time at Bag end, smiled at her and carried her out. Sam never though that Frodo would have been able to lift a child of her age, as there was barely anything to him, but there was barely anything to Amethyst, so it sort of worked out. Ever since they had destroyed the ring and sorted out sharkeys gang of ruffians, thing had always worked out somehow in Bag End. It had always been that way, for such a long time.
So Sam found himself going from the hall to the study. He didn't want to see.
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'Take care of her for me.' Said Frodo as he helped Amethyst onto the cart. Rex pulled her up and then jumped off himself.
'Mr Baggins, we would like to offer you some money for all the things you must have bough her over the years and all the care you have given her..'
'Please, no..' he started, but Rex insisted, 'I must give you something. A present maybe..'
'No, really.'
'I know! ' Said Rex, clicking his fingers, 'I will give you one of the precious things of our lands and people. ' He fiddled around in his pocket, and then gave something to him, closing Frodo's fingers around it. He then, with the grace of an elf, jumped back onto the cart and pulled the reigns of the horse, which immediately began to trot off, down the road.
Ebony and Amethyst shared the back of the cart, looking back at the village. Amethyst, with tears in her eyes, waved back at him, her heart already sinking. Frodo waved back, and watched as they trotted on, and out of his life.
As the cart became less than a dot on the distance, Frodo suddenly felt cold. Like something inside him had numbed and had left his body cold. His whole body felt stiff, like he couldn't move, as if he never wanted to move again, but would have to.
After a few minutes of watching the road, he moved his head enough to look at his hand. Inside his palm, he saw a little mythril broach encrusted with small perfectly formed jewels. The broach was shaped like a small sword. It was far too small to be of any actual use for cutting things, but the pin came in useful to pin a cloak.
It was strange though, how the blade was sharp enough to cut his hand. He looked at it again and pinned it to his waistcoat. Then, with unnerving speed, he turned around and walked slowly back into the hole. It was surprisingly quiet throughout the whole hole, as the mood of loss and sadness had radiated through him and everything around him.
Frodo walked slowly back to his room, not darting to look anyone he saw in the eyes, no, not even Sam, and retired to his room. When he had locked the door he sat down on the bed, waited a few seconds, listening to the house, and waited, trying not to feel anything.
Then, he let out a small, unnoticed sob. Then, holding his head in a hand sobbed quietly, as he cried for what he knew to be the death of him, and Amethyst.
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'How long until we reach the Shire Legolas?' asked Ash, 'there is something wrong at the Baggins household. '
'Hush Ash!' he said, 'We are only a few days at a leisurely pace. We will be there soon, but we must all rest for a moment, I need to hear of the birds to find out if we are going in the right direction. Anyway, the horses are tired.'
The horses seemed grateful to rest and eat, as they chewed at the grass around them. Myotisis had run on, looking for any signs of food, he said.
Ash closed his eyes, just for a moment, but he felt a sudden rush across his face, similar to a heat rash, but not one. The best was to describe it to someone who had not experienced it before would be an emotion rash, just hotter, and images flickering like a movie screens before his eyes.
He let out a little gasp. Amethyst couldn't communicate to him usually, and probably didn't know she was doing this, but he could feel her loss, her fear and how.cold she felt. How cold and emotionless she felt and how lost she felt.
He saw the face of Ebony braying in a twisted pretence of laugher. He saw Rex leaning over her, smiling, yet threatening her. He saw her crying, wanting to stay with the hobbit she loved so much, yet Ash knew was so unworthy of her, no matter what he had done to save middle earth. His own suffering would go to nothing if Amethyst were given to them. He then saw the image of Frodo, on his bed, crying quietly. Her father crying hard, like she had died.
Like she had died.
That was a nasty image for Ash's mind. He didn't know exactly whether she had or not, but it was an image that made him felt, angry. Angry and sad, and most of all, vengeful.
He opened his eyes. He sat up fast, and said, 'Legolas, we must leave.'
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Amethyst watched the road as they travelled down it. Her mother had gone to join her father in the front of the cart, but she was not content to be with them. She wanted her father, her own father. Maybe Frodo Baggins's wasn't her real father, but he was the best person she knew. She couldn't get excited about these parents. They didn't seem nice at all, and had left her when she was born, for goodness sakes, in a burned out hole!
She let herself cry, even though she knew she shouldn't. Her parents didn't seem to care, but for some reason she remembered a rhyme that she had heard a long time ago.
Through a few tears, she whispered on the wind..
' The roads goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with weary feet, Until it joins some larger way, Where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say.'
She looked down the road. It seemed to be like she had left every thing behind. Everything in her whole life behind.
'Right, that's enough.' The cart stopped. Rex looked back, and had seemed to change. No, not seemed, had.
He was no longer a hobbit, but a six foot four man. His clothes had changes slightly and so had Ebony. Ebony was an elf, a tall elf woman of about six- foot, her long black tresses falling down to her waist.
Rex smiled at her. 'Amethyst darling, you are not all that you appear to be. We aren't, and we're your parents.'
Amethyst backed away her eyes widening. 'What are you??' she asked. She tried to run, but she felt herself stop.
'Amethyst, we're you.' He said, ' We're nymph's, like you.' She turned around, and saw them. Images flashed across her mind like a picture show. She saw nymphs, thousands of nymphs being killed, she saw nymphs being persecuted, she saw them being forced to do whatever anyone wanted them to do. She saw them, or more FELT them, performing their magic, and having the power over life and death. She saw them ruling, she saw them being powerful, she saw her parent's place of living, and she saw their life.
Amethyst smiled as her eyes began to burn. She finally knew what she was and where she fitted in. She took their hands, and then without a sound, they appeared next to the castle.
Rex smiled. 'That's my girl!' he said. They had the right one. ' Well done, that was your first magic spell.' He said fondly,' You're growing up before I've even got to know you.' Amethyst let go of Ebony's hand. Rex and Amethyst walked to the castle. Rex knew that this would the start of great things. ______________________________
'Ash, wait!' Legolas and Myotisis had been travelling for two day's now, without stopping to follow the boy. They had reached the Shire now, and the boy who had first of all walking quickly, not caring about them, now broke out into a run. Legolas began to run, and so did Myotisis.
'You don't even know where she lives!' Legolas shouted as he caught up with the boy.
'Yes I do.' Said Ash, 'Bag End.'
As the elf and Nymph's ran past groups of rather astonished hobbits, Legolas tried to asked directions and not get pulled along by the nymphs. Soon they reached a hobbit hole that to Legolas didn't look any different to any other hobbit hole in the Shire to him.
Ash ran down the garden path, jumping over the gate.
'STOP!' shouted Legolas, 'STOP! Where are you going?'.
__________________________
Frodo hadn't left his room for at least two day's now, as he had politely informed Sam that he was having one of his attacks. He had just lie their, looking at his one and only portrait of Amethyst he had done for her when she was ten. It was her, Elanor and Frodo-lad, sitting together, in best clothes, which Frodo had remembered, had been destroyed shortly afterward in a fight by the river. And in the river to be honest.
The Artist had taken one look at her eyes, and asked if he would to have the eye colour painted differently. Frodo had refused flatly, and was glad of it now. It was the only thing he had to remember of her. She sat, in the middle of the three children, smiling faintly, in such a dignified manner, not belonging to a lass of her age..
There was a loud ringing at the doorbell, as someone refused to stop ringing it. Then Frodo remembered that it was the servant girl's day off today, and Sam was out with Rose. Well, he felt almost over his attack now, and he didn't think it could be important. He got up and opened the door, fumbling with the key.
The bell did not stop ringing, and Frodo's ears started to hurt as the bell continually rang. Frodo even picked up the pace to get there.
Frodo opened the door, 'Hello?' he asked, 'What is you buis.'
THWACK!
Frodo felt his body being flung backwards as his head hitting the wall at a high speed. His feet dangled a good foot from the ground. He was being held up by the neck with someone's hand.
'WHERE IS SHE!' shouted a black haired, yellow eyed figure, 'WHERE'S AMETHYST!'
'Ash!' the figure, tightening his grip on Frodo's neck turned around. Legolas stood their, looking in sheer horror, 'Let him go! There is no point bullying hobbits.wait a second. Frodo?'
'Legolas?' asked Frodo as best as he could with Ash's hand around his throat.
Legolas smiled with joy. 'Old friend, how nice to see you again!'
'You know this hobbit?' asked Ash.
'Of course ASH!' said Legolas, laughing, 'He is a very old friend of mine!'
'Err.Legolas?' asked Frodo.
They both looked at him, and Legolas said, 'Oh, Ash.'
Ash let go of him. Frodo fell to the floor with a bump. 'Ow!' he said, as Legolas and Ash seemed to be ignoring him.
'Ash, you shouldn't do that..'
'Well, violence is the only way to get things done around here it seems!' he said.
'Yes, but not to hobbits who have done nothing to you!' Legolas turned around, 'Frodo! ' He said again for effect, 'How are things?'
'Not very good.' Said Frodo, 'but they got worse when this boy (Ash his name?) came and pinned me up to a wall.'
Legolas laughed. 'I must apologise for my young friend, but we must know, what has happened to Amethyst?'
'Amethyst?' asked Frodo, 'How would you know about her?'
'I know Frodo.' Said Ash, 'I am part of her. '
_________________
This was odd, considered Frodo, as he sat around the table, with Legolas, Ash and the other one. All their explanations rushed over his head, but they made sense, sort of. Ash had talked about his time in the travelling performers, and all the stories had been new, but.hadn't Amethyst pretended to have a friend who was an orphan when she was little. To be honest, she didn't have need of an imaginary friend, surrounded by Sam's children, but the imagery she had told him.it was frightening, and in front of him.
He felt.. Short again, short, and stupid. Like he had no idea what was going on, but was at the centre of it. Like when he had the ring.
He had been quiet. Listening to what Legolas and Ash had to say, when the other one interrupted.
'I think we are missing the point. We must now find out what happened to Amethyst.' They all turned to Frodo, 'If she had gone, we can still follow her.'
'Myotisis is right.' Said Legolas, 'We must find out where she has gone. Frodo, where is she?'
Frodo looked Nervous. 'She left two day's ago.' He said, 'Her real parents turned up.'
'Real parents?' asked Ash,' Her mother is in hiding, and her father.Well, he is not to be trust.Oh sweet lord.' His eyes widened. Then, he lent across the table in shock. 'Excuse me, Frodo,' he said, 'Did one of the people that came for her.did he call himself Rex?'
Myotisis gasped. 'Not.Rex. Not him. Please, not him. We have failed. ' he put his face into his hands, and sighed.
'Yes.' Said Frodo sadly, 'It was Rex. And hobbit lass called Ebony. I knew there was something wrong with them!' he said triumphantly, 'They were too tall!'
Ash seemed to grow in anger, but his voice was so calm, it shook. 'You let them take her away?' he said in disbelief.
'Yes.' Said Frodo, 'I had no choice.'
Ash sighed. This was unusual for him, as usually he would have attacked Frodo for doing so, but he didn't. He just sat there, and copied Myotisis. Then he said, 'So we are all doomed. We don't know where she has gone, and we know who she's gone with. We are doomed. There is nothing we can do, but wait for the end to come.'
'The end?' asked Legolas and Frodo together.
'There can't be any end, we stopped it, we destroyed the ring.' Said Frodo,' How can the world end?'
'My Dear Frodo,' said Ash,' I cannot even begin to explain how powerful she is, or me, but I am weak at the moment, not at my full power. You have seen only a fraction of what she can do. A very small fraction.'
'If Ash is right, Mr Frodo,' said Myotisis,' it appears that we have only a short time left. As soon as she knows of her full power, she can either destroy or save all of middle earth. '
'And looking at the company she's been taken by.' said Ash nastily,' the end is inevitable.'
They all looked away. Then, Legolas seemed to have thought of something. 'Is it?' he asked.
'Yes!' said Ash, as if this was the most obvious thing.
'I don't think so Ash. She hasn't been corrupted yet, and it doesn't mean that she will, one hundred percent certain, turn against her adoptive family's morals and go and destroy middle earth. '
He got the look that intellectuals everywhere gave dumb blondes. Then, Frodo said, 'No, she wouldn't. I know she wouldn't. ' Then, he seemed to think. 'Ash, do you know where they would have taken Amethyst?'
'Yes, to the nymph castle, but..'
'Do you know how to get there?' asked Frodo.
'Sort of, yes, but.You've got to be kidding!' said Ash, ' I wouldn't get out alive!'
'But that is where you are wrong Ash,' said Legolas, 'We wouldn't get out there alive.'
'We?' asked Ash surprised.
'I shall go with you Ash, for it is my duty.' Said Legolas, 'And I am as swift as an eagle, and have the endurance that surpasses that of Dwarfs. I have learned basic tracking from Aragorn, and wish for her safety as much as you do Ash. From your description of her, she sounds like quite a beauty. '
'She is, ' interrupted Frodo, 'And I'd rather not have my daughter described like that, thank you very much! She is still very much a child.'
'At sixteen?' asked Ash.
'Yes!' exclaimed Frodo, 'But beauty or not, I shall come with you. I must save my daughter, even if she isn't daughter by blood. '
'If Ash goes, then I must follow.' Said Myotisis, 'I have few skills, and none of the are even half of Ash's power, even now, but I shall help in any way I can.'
'Then we have agreed,' said Frodo, we shall all go.'
At this point, Sam and Rose came bursting through the door. 'It's going to be all right Rose..' He started, 'It's going to be all right..'
Rose was breathing in a way that you could only do when you are in excruciating pain. She had tears going down her face, as she walked in.
'Sam! Rose! Is everything all right?' asked Frodo as he jumped from his place and ran over to her.
'Mr Frodo, you better go, Rose's contractions have started.' Said Sam, 'The babies coming!'
*********
'Poor mite.' Said Rex to himself, 'She's bushed out after today, and she's coming on fine. I don't think that time with the hobbits has harmed her at all.'
He watched her, lying on her new bed in her new bedroom. It was a castle, but he had managed to find some red velvet drapes, and hung them over the walls like tapestries, and all day she had been making picture appear on them, and now it looked like they had been there forever. She had put out a few of her stuffed animals, and dolls, and had been doing magic all day, but something was wrong, Rex could feel it. She was talented, it had taken Rex years to learn what Amethyst had taken minutes to learn, but he couldn't feel her actually enjoying it. Not yet.
Night and Day where different here. It was whenever you wished for it, as the nymph's had taken control, and Amethyst had been able to plunge the whole castle into darkness without even trying. Then, she had retired to her room, and gone to sleep, without even wishing him a good night.
Well, he though, I might as well tuck her in. He walked in, and took the bed sheets, and put them over her. He noticed as he looked over her, that she had grown up. Not in the sense of UP, but something about her face.. It seemed older, more human. Without any hobbits around, she had no need to look like one. She was turning nymph.
Rex left, and walked out into Ebony. 'Rex, will you play with me?' she asked, 'No one's played with me all day. '
'No Ebony, I have no time.' Said Rex. He swished his cloak and walked off. Ebony suddenly realised that things would change. She hadn't been played with for at least two days now, the other nymphs didn't want to make her please, rather they would be sent to.. HER room and they would come out again, and talk hurriedly to Rex, about he would nod and they would agree on what she was.
Ebony couldn't see the point. Ebony was far more powerful than she was. She could see the future. Ebony started to see the future. Unless Amethyst's was shortened, Ebony's future wasn't long.
Ebony knew what she had to do. She waited until everyone had gone to sleep..
Rain, Rain, go away, Ebony has come out to
Play..
Amethyst lye asleep, trying out something she knew she could do. She went back to the Shire. It was day, which was surprising to her, and nothing had changed, except her. Then, she reached bag end..
**********
Thanks for rwading. Bye!!