Chapter 34
"Come on, Piewacket, we're nearly there," said Christina. "Not much longer now." 'It can't be.' Christina admired her horses strength and determination. They had not rested now for nearly 10 hours, but not once had Piewacket's steps faltered with fatigue. Not once had she slowed her pace.
It was nearing dawn on the seventh day. Well, it would be but for the heavy cloud that hung in the sky, blocking out all light. The world was in constant darkness now. But this also did not stir the horse, not did it affect the rider.
She was an hours ride away from Minas Tirith, though she did not know it. Even as she rode, the army of the West was beginning to assemble on the Pelennor. They would march in two hours time.
****************
"You are troubled in mind, Legolas," said Gandalf.
"I'm just thinking," he replied.
"Need I ask what about?" said Gandalf, with a smile.
"I still think we should have gone after her," said Legolas.
"It is too late, Legolas," said Gandalf. "And it was then. Whatever has happened to her. we must focus our minds on the task at hand. When this is over, should hope come our way, you will have all the time in the world to pursue her."
"Your words are of no comfort to me, Gandalf," said Legolas. "But I thank you." A messenger came running up to them.
"Where is the Lord Aragorn?" he gasped.
"Preparing for battle," said Gandalf. "What is the matter?"
"Someone is coming," said the messenger. "Someone is riding across the Pelennor at a great speed." Legolas looked to Gandalf.
"Servants of Sauron?" he asked.
"Nay," said the messenger. "It is only one person. They shall be among us in no more than ten minutes."
"Legolas, find Aragorn," said Gandalf. "I shall go to meet this traveller."
***********
"There it is, Piewacket!" said Christina, joyfully. "We're nearly there! Come on, girl! Keep going for five more minutes! I think we're just in time."
As she reached the gates of Minas Tirith, she was met by Gandalf. She dismounted and stood before him.
"Well, well," he said. "The wanderer returns. Is she here to stay, I wonder?"
"Indeed I am," said Christina.
"Legolas will be pleased," said Gandalf. Suddenly, for the first time since leaving, Christina remembered what she had asked Pippin to say. Her eyes widened.
"Did Pippin.?" she said. Gandalf nodded. She started to laugh. "Well, bang goes my reputation."
"Christina?" said a voice from behind Gandalf. They turned to see Aragorn. "Well, this is a surprise. I didn't expect to see you again."
"And I the same," she laughed. "I was expecting to stay in Lothlórien but after a talk with the Lady Galadriel, I realised should be here. And I'm bloody exhausted."
"So, you guessed right, Aragorn," sounded Legolas' voice from behind him. On hearing it, Christina lowered her head with embarrassment.
"Evidently," said Aragorn. "We go forth in an hour, Christina, will you be joining us?" She lifted her head and looked at him.
"No, I've decided I'm staying here," she said, sarcastically. "Of course I'm coming with you! I may be tired, but there's no way on Middle Earth you're stopping me from going with you!"
"I had a feeling that might be the answer," said Aragorn. "Well, if you wish to so, you must go and rest now. When did you last sleep?"
"About 11 hours ago," she said.
"How many halts have you made since leaving Lothlórien?"
"Seven, each one about ½ an hour long." Aragorn looked at her in amazement. "What? I had eight days to get here, I'm not exactly going to take a day off in the middle am I?"
"Well, you are definitely in need of rest then," said Aragorn.
"Actually I'm in more need of food."
"Very well," said Aragorn. "One thing though, do you wish me to inform Master Peregrin of your arrival?"
"Of course," she said. "I'm probably not going to get any sleep before we go, so yes if I could please see him before we do go I will be very grateful. It seems he remembered everything I told him to tell you."
"He did," said Legolas.
"I shall go," said Gandalf. "I need a word with the young hobbit, anyway."
Aragorn took Christina to one of the tents that had been set up for him. They didn't have the time to take her anywhere else.
"I'm sorry we can't get you anywhere more comfortable," said Aragorn. "But time presses."
"This is fine," she said. "Like I said, it's food I need more than anything."
"Is she in there?" said a voice from outside.
"Yes," said another. The flap of the tent opened and Pippin came in.
"Chrissy, you're back!" he said. He walked to her and hugged her.
"Sure am," she said. "Thank you for delivering the messages."
"Um, I, sort of, told them about the Elf thing as well," said Pippin.
"I knew you would," she said. "It doesn't matter. I don't even know why I kept it a secret, it's not exactly big major whoa! is it? Wow, my great- gran was an Elf, such a big deal."
"It could be for some," said a new voice.
"O-oh, hi, Legolas," she said.
"Do you want us to go?" said Aragorn. Christina paled slightly.
"I. er, well. um." she stuttered.
"Come on, Aragorn," said Pippin.
"An hour," said Aragorn and they left, leaving Christina and Legolas alone. She looked at him, met his eye and quickly looked away again. She had no idea what to say.
"Come on, Piewacket, we're nearly there," said Christina. "Not much longer now." 'It can't be.' Christina admired her horses strength and determination. They had not rested now for nearly 10 hours, but not once had Piewacket's steps faltered with fatigue. Not once had she slowed her pace.
It was nearing dawn on the seventh day. Well, it would be but for the heavy cloud that hung in the sky, blocking out all light. The world was in constant darkness now. But this also did not stir the horse, not did it affect the rider.
She was an hours ride away from Minas Tirith, though she did not know it. Even as she rode, the army of the West was beginning to assemble on the Pelennor. They would march in two hours time.
****************
"You are troubled in mind, Legolas," said Gandalf.
"I'm just thinking," he replied.
"Need I ask what about?" said Gandalf, with a smile.
"I still think we should have gone after her," said Legolas.
"It is too late, Legolas," said Gandalf. "And it was then. Whatever has happened to her. we must focus our minds on the task at hand. When this is over, should hope come our way, you will have all the time in the world to pursue her."
"Your words are of no comfort to me, Gandalf," said Legolas. "But I thank you." A messenger came running up to them.
"Where is the Lord Aragorn?" he gasped.
"Preparing for battle," said Gandalf. "What is the matter?"
"Someone is coming," said the messenger. "Someone is riding across the Pelennor at a great speed." Legolas looked to Gandalf.
"Servants of Sauron?" he asked.
"Nay," said the messenger. "It is only one person. They shall be among us in no more than ten minutes."
"Legolas, find Aragorn," said Gandalf. "I shall go to meet this traveller."
***********
"There it is, Piewacket!" said Christina, joyfully. "We're nearly there! Come on, girl! Keep going for five more minutes! I think we're just in time."
As she reached the gates of Minas Tirith, she was met by Gandalf. She dismounted and stood before him.
"Well, well," he said. "The wanderer returns. Is she here to stay, I wonder?"
"Indeed I am," said Christina.
"Legolas will be pleased," said Gandalf. Suddenly, for the first time since leaving, Christina remembered what she had asked Pippin to say. Her eyes widened.
"Did Pippin.?" she said. Gandalf nodded. She started to laugh. "Well, bang goes my reputation."
"Christina?" said a voice from behind Gandalf. They turned to see Aragorn. "Well, this is a surprise. I didn't expect to see you again."
"And I the same," she laughed. "I was expecting to stay in Lothlórien but after a talk with the Lady Galadriel, I realised should be here. And I'm bloody exhausted."
"So, you guessed right, Aragorn," sounded Legolas' voice from behind him. On hearing it, Christina lowered her head with embarrassment.
"Evidently," said Aragorn. "We go forth in an hour, Christina, will you be joining us?" She lifted her head and looked at him.
"No, I've decided I'm staying here," she said, sarcastically. "Of course I'm coming with you! I may be tired, but there's no way on Middle Earth you're stopping me from going with you!"
"I had a feeling that might be the answer," said Aragorn. "Well, if you wish to so, you must go and rest now. When did you last sleep?"
"About 11 hours ago," she said.
"How many halts have you made since leaving Lothlórien?"
"Seven, each one about ½ an hour long." Aragorn looked at her in amazement. "What? I had eight days to get here, I'm not exactly going to take a day off in the middle am I?"
"Well, you are definitely in need of rest then," said Aragorn.
"Actually I'm in more need of food."
"Very well," said Aragorn. "One thing though, do you wish me to inform Master Peregrin of your arrival?"
"Of course," she said. "I'm probably not going to get any sleep before we go, so yes if I could please see him before we do go I will be very grateful. It seems he remembered everything I told him to tell you."
"He did," said Legolas.
"I shall go," said Gandalf. "I need a word with the young hobbit, anyway."
Aragorn took Christina to one of the tents that had been set up for him. They didn't have the time to take her anywhere else.
"I'm sorry we can't get you anywhere more comfortable," said Aragorn. "But time presses."
"This is fine," she said. "Like I said, it's food I need more than anything."
"Is she in there?" said a voice from outside.
"Yes," said another. The flap of the tent opened and Pippin came in.
"Chrissy, you're back!" he said. He walked to her and hugged her.
"Sure am," she said. "Thank you for delivering the messages."
"Um, I, sort of, told them about the Elf thing as well," said Pippin.
"I knew you would," she said. "It doesn't matter. I don't even know why I kept it a secret, it's not exactly big major whoa! is it? Wow, my great- gran was an Elf, such a big deal."
"It could be for some," said a new voice.
"O-oh, hi, Legolas," she said.
"Do you want us to go?" said Aragorn. Christina paled slightly.
"I. er, well. um." she stuttered.
"Come on, Aragorn," said Pippin.
"An hour," said Aragorn and they left, leaving Christina and Legolas alone. She looked at him, met his eye and quickly looked away again. She had no idea what to say.