Chapter 14: The War Has Started
As the hours turned into days the massive caravan of Rohirrim men, women and children traveled southwest toward the great fortress of Helms Deep. Ever watchful, the few riders and sentries this mass exodus had remained, and among them they now had the aid of an ever watchful elf with keen eyesight, a hearty and brave dwarf, a northern ranger that spoke of leadership, and experience beyond his looks, and then two men that everyone ogled at, at one point or another. The two Jedi knights had become something of a gossiping tale among the travelers. Two men who fell from the skies and came to the aid of the people of Middle earth to fight the enemy, as well as these new beasts of metal that had reached the ears of the citizens of Rohan. Anakin as ever soaked up the attention, ever the poster boy, but still he made sure to keep himself in check. While his master Obi-Wan remained the quiet and approachable one that seemed to despite his best efforts attract quite the small female following, and it was something Anakin teased his master relentlessly as they traveled.
"You sure seem to be forming a cult following master." Anakin had said at one point, a twinkle in his eyes as Obi-Wan, atop Devlin turned his head around to see some teen to early adult women blush and giggle at his looking to the. He whipped his head back around with a bright blush and cleared his throat very loudly and nervously.
"It was not my intention and you know it Anakin! Besides I haven't done anything to lead anyone on."
"Oh I know master. It must just be your devilish good looks. Isn't that right Devlin?" Anakin went on patting the steed Obi-Wan sat upon and oddly enough, and much to Anakin's humor, the horse grunted, and Obi-Wan grunted.
"Just because you break the rules and end up marrying someone doesn't mean every Jedi has to my old padawan." Obi-Wan commented and Anakin nodded but suddenly felt a great sadness fall on him, and Obi-Wan caught his sudden downcast look.
"I'm sorry Anakin, I didn't mean to prod."
"No, it's okay master. I just miss her is all. I don't quite remember being gone this long before, and even if I have I don't remember being, 'missing from action,' this long either." Obi-Wan nodded as they continued on their trek, and the Jedi master noted Gimli was beginning a conversation with the kings niece, Éowyn.
"I know Anakin. I cant believe the Republic is taking this long to track us, but what is more worrying is the fact the CIS is taking this long to track their dear general down as well."
"Wherever we are, we must be either in an unexplored region…or worse." Anakin commented as a look of horror struck through his eyes.
"Calm down Anakin. I very much doubt we ended up on some other galaxy, or something along those lines."
"But what if we have master?!"
"We haven't-"
"But we if we HAVE master?" Anakin quickly asked back and Obi-Wan sighed as the question had also been gnawing at him in the back of his mind. If he and Anakin truly were stuck on this world, and it was indeed in a different region of the universe altogether, and the prospect of aid from either Republic of Confederate troops was null, what then? Do he and Anakin merely live their lives here? Do they attempt to repair that new CIS ship, and use whatever technology it has to get back? Do they live their lives out trying to hunt down and destroy Grievous if that Jedi-killer decides to take this world for his own? The thought line was full of too many what-ifs, and not enough facts, evidence, and frankly it was counterproductive to think too hard on it for now.
"We will wait and see my old friend. At the very least we continue to do as we are. Help these people defeat their and subsequently our enemy." Anakin nodded solemnly and once more his face fell into downcast. The mere thought of never seeing Padmé again was nauseating. Never being able to tell her at the very least whether or not he was dead and maybe….allow her to move on made his chest tighten into a grip of iron pain, and it was an arduous task to repress hot tears from leaking from his eyes, and this was why he chose not to think about it as best to his ability as possible.
"Well…at least I don't need to hide these feelings from you anymore master. It was…..very hard to do so."
"I can imagine my friend. As I have said before I may not….well agree with what you have done, I am not going to sit here and try to understand your reasoning, nor condemn you Anakin. You have always been a rouge. A Jedi knight after Qui-Gon's heart I think." Finally Anakin cast him a grin as he heard his masters compliment, or at least he thought it was one. "Yeah, whatever happened there? Did Qui-Gon's teachings skip a generation or something?"
"What does that mean?" Obi-Wan asked in a humor filled questioning manner, as he already figured what his old padawan meant.
"I don't know, he trains you, imparts his ideas on you, and yet despite your being around him all the time you have always been a stickler for the Jedi code master, and there's nothing wrong with that, but it goes in reverse of master Qui-Gon's roguish nature."
"Yes, Anakin. Forgive me for not constantly breaking the rules, pulling pranks, defying the council, getting into staring and cooled arguments with master Windu all the time." Anakin mock sneered to his master but soon broke out into a grin. "Yeah I know master. Fun isn't for you."
"Fun?!" Obi-Wan cried in retort causing some people to look at them, and Obi-Wan quickly quieted and flushed making Anakin laugh once more. At the very least Anakin and Obi-Wan were silently grateful for one thing. They had each other, and that feeling of being brothers only grew the more they relied on one another on this far away world.
Point and case, Gimli ahead of them for some reason fell on his backside from his horse and the two burst into laughter once more at the expense of their poor dwarf friend, and merely enjoyed the moment for what it was.
However at seeing the King and Aragorn speak the two Jedi decided to move up the line and….silently interject themselves into what was being spoken of. After all they silently agreed that they needed to perhaps get more acquainted with King Théoden.
"-She was a girl when they brought her father back dead. Cut down by Orcs" The two Jedi entered into hearing range as Théoden already in conversation with Aragorn, as the ranger silently nodded his acknowledgement to his two friends from far away and they continued to listen to him.
"She watched her mother succumb to grief." The king added as he looked toward his niece and the other three men followed his sight. The woman herself looked back at them smiling and laughing with Gimli, but Anakin followed her sight and landed on Aragorn and couldn't help but smirk knowingly. Obi-Wan sent him a similarly knowing look but the elder Jedi merely shook his head, as only one thought came to mind. 'People and their hormones. I swear…' He caused himself to chuckle at that.
"Then she was left alone, to tend to her King in growing fear. Doomed to wait upon an old man, who should have loved her like a father." Théoden said in reflection as he seemed to look back on old times, now long passed.
"Perhaps you are too hard upon yourself?" Anakin decided to speak and Théoden looked to the walking man, and a look of un-recognition crossed his face, before turning to a surprised one of recognition.
"You are one of those men that supposedly fell from the sky right?" he asked and once more Anakin found himself about to sigh at the prospect of going over the whole thing again about why it is he supposedly fell from the heavens to these people, and at his expense he caught Aragorn throw him a small smirk, and Anakin only rolled his eyes.
"Yes my lord. I am Anakin Skywalker, and this here is my friend and master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. We are not of your world."
"I heard as much." the king said more calmly and collected then Anakin expected.
"I and my people have been hearing odd stories since you and your friend here passed over our country some months back. Tales of metal monsters that spew fire from their hands, or women leading Uruk-Hai into battle with a sword of light. Word has even come from Gondor from travelers of an even greater ball of fire like your two falling passed the mountains of Shadow and into Mordor itself." Théoden exposited and the three men by him shared knowing and silently understanding looks. For that alone proved that Grievous landed not just in the east of this world, but in the very heart of darkness, and that was troubling. Especially with the amount of time he and Sauron have now had to work and align themselves.
"We are Jedi knights of the Jedi order my lord. We serve a Republic, and fight for the greater good of the galaxy, or to better describe it, if you look to the night skies, all the stars you see may and many do, hold worlds like yours with all sorts of life forms, and creatures, but many more have other humans on them." Obi-Wan again took command of describing things to a native of this world and Théoden looked interested but kept his eyes forward as they all kept pace.
"Tell me master Kenobi, do you know of these tales of metal beasts, women swordsmen, and great flying beasts?" Obi-Wan nodded and kept himself in a more diplomatic mode, not wishing to unwittingly earn the kings ire.
"We do. We in the galaxy beyond your world, myself and Anakin, as well as our Republic is fighting a great war that spans entire worlds. Our enemy uses these 'beasts' as you call them, called battle droids. They are not born like you, I, or even the Orcs, but rather they are created in factories and foundries. They are commanded by the Jedi's ancient enemy called the Sith. They are similar to us only they focus on the dark side of where we all take our power from called the Force. It corrupts, and kills, but they wish for more power, and greater rule over all life in the galaxy. Wherever they go they bring death and destruction." The king looked to the Jedi master as he spoke in full attention, as Anakin walked silently beside his master and Aragorn remained silent, having heard this before, but still he too always found the stories unbelievable, even for Middle-Earth standards.
"So your enemy has followed you hear and made war upon us in alliance with the enemy of all free-peoples himself?" To most the kings tone would sound accusatory, but Obi-Wan could sense the king was gauging he and Anakin, so obi-Wan shook his head in reply.
"In a manner of speaking my lord. Rather, me and Anakin were involved in a great battle in the space between worlds in great ships, and please know I understand my story is hard to understand for you and your people as well as all other people across this world. But bear with me." Obi-Wan requested and the king nodded.
"In this battle we, the Republic activated a machine that keeps the enemy from being able to escape us in space. However, they had an experimental new ship that as far as we can tell sought to nullify this technology. However, there were obvious complications."
"How so?" Théoden asked quizzically.
"Well from what we could tell all ships that were affected by this new one were badly damaged after trying to escape from the battle. We ended up just above your world, and it was then that we noticed our enemy also survived the retreat but his ship was badly damaged. The gravity of your world, or the force that keeps everyone to the ground, pulled his and then our ships down to the planet and forced us all into crash landings. Our enemy's ship sadly landed in the realm of the enemy of this world. Quite the quandary and to the detriment to us all." Obi-Wan said matter-of-factly, while Théoden once more seemed lost in thought.
"You mentioned a 'he,' yet I have only heard of a woman."
"Ah yes." Obi-Wan replied nodding. "The woman you hear of is a dark Jedi, or a Sith. It really doesn't matter, but she is our enemy because she uses the dark side, and seeks to lay dominion over all life just as all Sith and dark side practitioners do. The 'he' I speak of is a general named Grievous. He is a killer of Jedi and supreme commander of the droid armies. He is merciless and extremely powerful in his own way though not a user of the Force he can be deadly. We will deal with him in time, but I fear for now we must contend with this woman, and whatever droid units she may be using on you and your people, and beyond that me and Anakin are more than willing to help you defend your people and country my lord. We have been traveling with Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and even Gandalf since our departure from Rivendell many months ago now, and I hope that can ear us some trust in your eyes."
The king looked to Obi-Wan and Anakin, and only a moment passed before a faint smile graced his elder face and he gave them a reassuring nod. "You need not worry. I feel as though I can trust you, and any aid offered to me by you and your friend here would be quite foolish on my part to deny. My people are quite clear in the fascination with you two. Apparently your friend here gives them quite the show from time to time." Théoden said with a twinkle of humor in his eyes, as Obi-Wan sent Anakin a pointed look, and the younger man merely grinned.
"Don't worry about Anakin sir. I'll keep him in line as best I can."
"Don't flatter yourself master." Anakin retorted with a twinkle and Obi-Wan sent him a mock stern glare as they shared a laugh with Aragorn merely chuckling as his two friends devolved into their usual little quips and jabs that he had become used to, and the king smiled a faint one as well.
It was late that night as the caravan of people slept that Anakin found himself standing atop a boulder and looking at the surroundings. Obi-Wan had managed to fall asleep but Anakin found sleep evasive and decided to aid the sentries that still guarded the mass of sleeping people, along with Legolas as the elf decided this was one of those non-sleeping nights of his and also watched over the mass of sleeping civilians. His thoughts bounced from place to place in his head. Padmé of course was at the forefront of his mind. Her brown orbs staring up at him, his hands traveling through her wavy and beautiful long locks of hair made him beam a smile where he stood, but then when he thought of her being alone, not knowing his fate it made his heart ache. Such thoughts did not require him focusing on them. As Obi-Wan felt, it was counterproductive to his very psyche.
Up next was the looming prospect of all out warfare on this world, and it was something in all honesty Anakin didn't know what to expect. The realm of blasters, and lightsaber, tanks and walkers was his domain. Mass messes of swords, shields and arrows were something he had heard of and known to be a galactic phenomenon, but to be a part of that style of war made him feel uneasy.
Looking about himself now, and seeking a distraction Anakin found it in Aragorn. The man seemed to be unable to sleep as well as he sat not far off from Anakin looking off into the distance, pipe in hand as he lazily drew it from time to time. So seeing a way out of his own rather mood killing and despairing thoughts he decided to join the northern ranger, and silently came over and sat beside him, as Aragorn didn't acknowledge him for a moment.
Anakin sat in silence beside the man for a bit longer and idly began picking grass and throwing it back down before finally deciding to speak. "A credit for your thoughts?" Anakin shook the ranger from his thoughts and he looked to Anakin as if just noticing him.
"What?" Anakin smiled. "Sorry, I guess that term is not suited for your world. I just meant to ask what's on your mind?" The ranged nodded understandingly as he drew from his pipe. "Many things."
"Your elf lady maybe?" Anakin said knowingly and Aragorn nodded slowly but the Jedi sensed sadness from him. "Something wrong?"
"I believe I have failed to inform you that she is leaving. She and her people will go to the undying lands, and I hope that she can be happy amongst her people, the elf-kind, and forget about this place of war and misery." Anakin heard him, but he also heard the self-convincing nature of the mans tone, and frowned.
"So, she is leaving for these, 'undying lands,' and you aren't fighting to stop her?"
"I encouraged her…..she deserves better." He said in a passive tone, but Anakin of course had the Force on his side and it told him very differently.
"Your feelings betray you Aragorn. I can feel your turmoil." The man sent him a pointed look but said nothing as he drew from his pipe once more.
"That maiden of Rohan sure has your thoughts all jumbled and confused doesn't she?" Anakin said and Aragorn once more looked at him but sighed very quietly.
"Y'know I finally told Obi-Wan about my own personal…..happenings, and you were right in telling me to entrust more with him, and I want to thank you for that." Aragorn inclined his head once and sent Anakin a small smile of satisfaction.
"Now how about I give you a little advice. Don't give up a good thing so easily and quickly because of fear and doubt. You try so hard to keep everyone so full of hope where there really is none to speak of, and yet you keep none for yourself when it comes to your personal life. You fear your bloodline, your role as a leader, and now your very love life!" Aragorn looked to Anakin in mild shock and a bit wide eyed as the blonde man continued undeterred by the obvious shock in his companion.
"I am not like Boromir, I am not trying to shame you into anything Aragorn, but y'know I'd like to think we've been among one another long enough to think of you as a friend, and I hope you can feel the same for me and Obi-Wan, so just hear me out." Aragorn eyed him some more, but then gave a single nod of concession.
"Okay. Well, as I was saying you are too full of fear and doubt and don't tell me otherwise cause' I can use the Force to sense your inner emotions, but don't worry I'm not reading thoughts or anything like that." Anakin sent him a small smile, and Aragorn cocked a brow, but Anakin could sense some humor from the man.
"So, what I would suggest is that you keep some of that hope and encouragement for yourself and stop seeing everything so bleakly. You fight too hard to keep others moving that you leave nothing for yourself. I'm not saying you gotta run off and become a king or something, but just try to believe in yourself more maybe. Me and Obi-Wan, and heck Gimli and Legolas, are all here to help you in this long as heck journey I signed up for. We can pick up the hope giving slack, and we are here to help. Now when it comes to your love life, I guess it isn't much of my business but I would highly recommend you not, and I repeat, not, throw away hope in that domain." Anakin said and Aragorn studied the young man before him, and though he wished he could write off Anakin as a young and naïve boy with similarly naïve ideals, he couldn't help but wish that he could feel what Anakin recommended, and that was more internal hope.
"You and she love one another right?" Aragorn nodded and drew his pipe again. "There! What's left to say I ask?!"
"It's not so easy." The ranger finally responded with far away eyes. "She will live on, and I will wither and fade in time. In my passing I will be forever sundered from her spirit, and she from mine, even if she too were to pass into death. Elf-kind and men do not mix for this among many other reasons. It is too full of despair and fleeting moments that will be drowned in a sea of loneliness."
"So because of your fear for the far future you deny happiness in the now?" Anakin quizzed him and Aragorn's eyes narrowed as he asked that himself, and came to a sad yes in his own mind.
"I guess I am a more in the moment kinda guy. My marriage was more a spur of the moment type deal, but I can firmly say I cannot imagine my life without her, my wife Padmé." Anakin kept going as the two men sat in the night, and he looked far war as well only he smiled as Aragorn frowned.
"I don't wanna tell you how to run you life I guess, but just try to not think so much about what might be, who might die, and who might live. I learned this from my master and even a little bit from Gandalf. The focus of your thoughts on the negative and the dark can only lead to you missing out on life as a whole. Stop….hmm, I guess you need to stop letting what you think others expect of you from ruling your life." Aragorn once more looked to him and cocked his head to the side in thought.
"Where did you hear that piece of advice my friend?" Anakin grinned.
"Why, Gandalf himself, only it was pointed at me, but hey, good advice is good advice right?" Aragorn looked oddly serious and eyed Anakin before suddenly allowing himself a wide smile and nodded. "Indeed it is. I'll give your advice some thought my friend. Thank you." Anakin nodded and rose to a stand feeling more content and possibly able to sleep after getting some talking done with the usually quiet northern ranger.
"Don't mention it." Anakin replied with a smile and the two men silently bid one another goodnight, as the next day would bring them nothing but hardship and pain.
The next day was quiet and an odd sense of insecurity surrounded everyone as they continued their march forward. Obi-Wan and Anakin both agreed that something was off and the Force only backed them up as it sent them very subtle warning prickles, and for that reason Obi-Wan made it his job to stick to the front of the mass caravan of people, while Anakin joined up the two lead scouts of Háma and Gamling mounted atop Devlin.
Anakin followed beside the two head guards for the King and they entered into small conversations from time to time, and talked, with Gamling and Háma asking many questions about the wondrous and 'magical,' aspects of the Force with Anakin as ever willing to speak of his many tales and adventures on far away worlds, and over time he grew to enjoy the company of these two soldiers, and it was for that reason that he followed them forward as Háma felt something to be wrong, and as the three of them rode forward Anakin could see Aragorn walking beside Éowyn and he sent the man a smile and nod, which was reciprocated. As he also sent a look to Legolas who silently acknowledged him as he and Obi-Wan figured the elf was the closest thing to having foresight as they were with warnings through the Force, and thus the two in that moment shared a feeling of wariness in that moment, while Anakin sent a warning through the Force and received an acknowledgment from his master as they rode ahead of everyone else.
As they charged forward on their horses suddenly Háma's steed began growing agitated and refused to move forward as Anakin and Gamling neared.
"What is it, Háma?" Gamling asked as the man looked about them as they were beside a rock formation to their respective left.
"I'm not sure." He responded as Anakin neared, and then it happened. The Force cried out in warning and Anakin watched as a best mounted by an orc lunged down from the rock formation atop Háma's horse and threw the man down, and the beast set its blazing eyes upon the man who cried in terror as it neared.
"Not going to happen!" Anakin cried leaping from Devlin and landing in front of the snarling beast and used the Force to hurl the creatures back, and it howled in rage to Anakin and caught the attention of the caravan.
Anakin activated his saber, and threw it spinning toward the Orc who quickly lost his head, and the beast shrugged the dead orc off as it approached Anakin and the downed Háma as Gamling struggled to rein in his steed to help. Anakin and a now sword wielding Gamling stood in the way of the creature as Legolas suddenly leapt down from the rocks and fired two arrows successively into the beast which fell to the ground below.
"Thanks for that." Anakin said breathily and Legolas nodded before turning to an approaching Aragorn. "A scout!" Aragorn nodded and ran back to the group to get aid.
"You alright Háma?"
"Yes, thank you." The man said with clear terror in his eyes.
"No problem, can you fight?"
"I think so." He nodded and grabbed his blade as Gamling rounded back to the group with Háma behind him leaving Legolas and Anakin behind who remounted a shaken Devlin. Through the Force Anakin contacted Obi-Wan through their bond.
'Master we got trouble heading our way. Some big canine like creatures mounted by Orcs!'
He could feel Obi-Wan soak in the information. 'Alright you stay and help them get rid of these creatures. I'll remain with the main group and if any manage to get past you I'll hold them off.' Anakin nodded to himself though Obi-Wan couldn't see it.
'Alright master, be safe, and may the Force be with you.'
'And you Anakin.' Obi-Wan said as they ended their mutual connection in the Force as Legolas then spotted many of these beasts ride over a hill and into sight as Anakin noticed them and sneered at them and their foul riders
"What are they?"
"Wargs! Foul creatures in service to darkness!" Legolas replied as he readied an arrow. However, Anakin then spotted that which he knew well, as three balls of metal rolled over the hill coming in fast.
"What are those things?" Legolas asked as he figured Anakin would know and indeed the Jedi knight reined in a scared Devlin as he felt the riders approach from behind.
"Destroyer droids, I'll deal with them!" He said as Legolas fired a piercing arrow that made its target, and another as the rest of the riders rode forward and the elf acrobatically mounted Arod with Gimli, and Anakin quickly joined them in their ride forward as he reactivated his blue saber.
'Master we have destroyers, keep a look out!' Anakin sent and quickly cut the connection as he barreled forward as he and the riders charged at the menacing looking Wargs and the three lethal droids of renowned Galactic terror. The men followed the kings lead and cried their charges as their swords and axes were raised, and the Wargriders howled their own cries as the neared one another. As Anakin sent calming waves through the Force to Devlin and daringly stood atop the steed and as the two opposing forces collided into a heap of fighting and death Anakin leapt into the battle, sending a kick into an orc and landing on the grassy ground below, before spinning around with saber activated to cut down the Warg of the orc he just killed, sending a strike along its neck, decapitating it swiftly.
Anakin took note of Gimli also fighting on his feet and Legolas firing arrows into passerby's, he searched around himself and darted out of the way of war and horse rider alike. When he spotted one droideka roll in front of him and suddenly halt and come open before activating its shields and firing into the fray, and striking a poor horse killing it and most likely its rider on impact.
Sneering a growl Anakin used a Force dash to launch at it the droid as it began firing at every horse it saw and causing the men to ride away in fear of the machines as Anakin heard the other two in the distance firing as well.
Lazily cutting down another Warg, he sped at the droid as it homed in on him and began firing its rapid blasters while protected by its shield. Anakin sent the bolts back or off into the air away from everyone as he smacked his saber into the shield but was, as expected, rebuffed from the shield and the droid kept firing with abandon and even striking a passing Warg.
"Kriffing droids!" Anakin roared as he sent a massive telekinetic wave to the droid that fell backwards and was forced back into a ball to get moving again, and allowed Anakin the chance to rush forward, dodging a horse, and leap into the air and bring his saber down on the droid cutting it in half.
Breathing heavily from exertion the Jedi looked about and saw another droid down two Rohirrim riders as the other men, including Legolas atop Arod moved desperately away even as the elf fired a futile arrow at it.
"It's shielded leave it to me!" he cried and everyone moved away as he ran at it again, as before sent a blast of Force energy at it, but the droid remained standing and fired at him. Coming to a stop before the droid he quickly blocked several blaster bolts aimed at him and sent them flying away before jumping from side to side to confuse the droid as it desperately sought to follow his movements.
Anakin noticed a set of boulders off to his right and using the Force grappled one and sent the several ton weighing rock at the droid which turned to see the oncoming object which slammed into the shielded droid and sent it skirting across the dirt into the side of a rock formation where Anakin sent a massive wave of energy into the rock and effectively slammed the rock and the droid into the Cliffside and crushed the droid after causing the shield to fail from pressure, and thus destroy the infernal thing.
Without even taking a moments rest Anakin charged at the final droid as he caught it perched atop a rock formation and beginning to fire wildly at the horsemen and he himself, as he lunged up and landed behind the shielded droid he took the opportunity to slam his saber into it again and again, before it slowly turned to him, but by then he lucked out and the shield fell and he plunged his saber into the machine and ended it.
Breathing heavily but not winded Anakin looked before him and noticed the Wargs diminishing and falling quickly as the battle waned and ended in Rohirrim victory. It was then that he saw Legolas standing about and looking all around himself and it made Anakin cock his head quizzically.
"Aragorn!" he called and Gimli followed suit as Anakin noted the man was nowhere in sight and he suddenly felt fear grip him. As he stretched out his senses and searched for him that way, and was directed toward a cliff where he saw the elf and dwarf approach as well, and he quickly ran to join them. By the time he got to them however Legolas was throwing a dead orc he had grappled to the ground in disgust as he picked up something they all recognized. Aragorn's necklace. Anakin could only snarl in disgust at the now dead orc as he looked in vain over the cliff and was too flustered and enraged to use the Force to look anymore and merely stared off the edge in utter anger as the King approached them atop his steed.
"Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return, and perhaps whatever horrible things those creatures you fought were as well. Leave the dead." he said aloud to other men more than the three before him as he looked genuinely sad for them, as he placed a hand on the elf's shoulder. "Come." Was all he commanded and the three members of the Fellowship sent a fleeting and pain filled look to the river below this cliff. And not a one of them could believe a man such as Aragorn could have been so easily felled.
Authors Note: Hey guys I am posting this chapter essentially cut in half, as this section is not really done, but the weekend is at an end and i wanted to get this up before tomorrow for me. I hope you guys like this chapter and the story so far, so as usual please excuse or point out any and all grammatical errors, and enjoy please, and review! :D