Hey look, only a few days. i'm kinda proud of myself.

Ch 23 The Rush

For days they ran, stopping only for brief periods of rest. Maliah though never spelt and Frodo, he rarely woke. He became more ill as the days fled by and nothing could be done by any of them. It was late in the night and Strider was leading them through the Trollshaw Forest by way of torch, stopping them in a clearing. As he looked around to make sure they weren't followed, the hobbits noticed stone trolls with moss and vines growing on them. Frodo was set down, propped onto a boulder, and watches as his eyes flickered open; clouded, redrimmed and his brow beaded with sweat.

"Look, Frodo. It's Mr. Bilbo's trolls." Sam laid a hand on his forehead, "Mr. Frodo? He's going cold!"

"Is he going to die?" Pippin asked looking at Maliah who sat next to Frodo, watching her husband as his breathing steadily became shallower.

Strider continued to look out into the shadows when he spoke. "He is passing into the Shadow World. He'll soon become a Wraith like them." A distant cry of a Ringwraith carried through the air and the group froze.

"They're close." Merry said looking about nervously.

Any other comments were withheld as Frodo gasped in sudden pain, lurching forward slightly. Maliah

Strider stared down at the sick hobbit for a moment, thinking before pulling Sam up by the arm. "Sam, do you know the Athelas plant?"

A blank stare was his first answer. "Athelas?"

"Uh, Kingsfoil."

"Kingsfoil. Aye, it's a weed."

"It may help to slow the poisoning. Hurry!"

Sam ran off at the Rangers' urging as Strider went the other direction, both desperately searching the dark forest floor for the Athelas plant. Strider happened upon the small, white flowered plant first and dropped to one knee, carefully pulling it from the ground. He didn't notice the presence behind him until a blade touched his neck and he froze.

"What is this? A Ranger caught off his guard?"

Strider slowly looked up, a small smile gracing his mouth seeing who was behind him. "Arwen…"

She peered down at him before lowering her sword. "Come along."

Sam had returned to his friends, unable to find the plant by moonlight. They hovered around Frodo, Maliah still sitting by his side not touching him. The sound of hooves hitting the earth made them look to the left and squinting into the dark. The same was not for Frodo or Maliah, to them it was a surreal image, a shimmering figure in white leaping off a horse. The ethereal vision approached them, Sam, Pippin, and Merry stepping back at the woman who appeared to them in her earth bound form, a young Elleth with tousled hair, dressed in mud-splattered riding clothes.

"Frodo, Im Arwen ... Telin let thaed. Lasto beth nîn. Tolo dan na ngalad." (I am Arwen. I have come here to help you. Hear my voice. Return to the light.)

"Who is she?" Pippin asked Sam, hovering at his shoulder as the woman called Frodo's name again.

Same answered with awe in his voice. "She's an Elf."

"He's fading. He's not going to last." She spoke urgently as Strider dropped down next to her on the dirt.

"These leaves, I have walked far to find; for this plant does not grow in the bare hills." He crushed a stem of leaves and flowers in his fingers, chewed on it a moment before pulling Frodo's shirt to the side. "It is fortunate that I could find it, for it is a healing plant that the Men of the West brought to Middle-earth." As he stuck the plant into Frodo's wound, his eyes budged out and back arched in pain.

"We must get him to my father."

Strider quickly lifted Frodo, placing him on the horse as the other hobbits hurried after them.

"Where are you taking him?" Pippin was ignored as Arwen and Strider steadied Frodo on the horse.

"I've been looking for you for two days. There are five Wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know."

"Dartho guin Berian ... rych le ad tolthathon." Strider answered in Elvish. (Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses for you.)

Arwen grabbed the reins of the horse. "Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im." (I am the faster rider. I'll take him.)

Strider slid his hand over hers, grasping it lightly. "Andelu i ven." (The road is too dangerous.)

"Ae athradon i hir, tur gwaith nin beriatha hon." (If I can get across the river, the power of my people will protect him.)

"What are they saying?" Pippin whispered to Merry.

Arwen looked deep into Strider's eyes, "I do not fear them." She could see how much pain he was in, how hard it was for him to let her go.

"Be iest lîn." (As you wish.) He released her hand and assisted her onto the horse. "Arwen, ride hard. Don't look back."

She looked down at him as her free hand supported Frodo. "Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!" (Ride fast, Asfaloth, ride fast!) Her horse sprang away into the night, bearing its two riders with ease.

"What are you doing? Those Wraiths are still out there!" Sam yelled at Strider and spun around to where Maliah was still on the ground. "Why didn't you say anything?"

She didn't answer, only stared blankly at the broken Athelas plant she had in her hand. Strider looked at her oddly before rushing to her side, snapping fingers in her face. No response.

"Something is wrong."

"What? Is she injured?" Merry demanded.

"I do not know. We need to get to Rivendell ourselves." He tried to get the young Dwarf to stand on her own feet but no avail. "Pick up the bags, I'll carry her."

They run once more into the night, not stopping as the sun rose above the trees. It would be a few days for them to reach the Elven stronghold but hopefully only a day for Frodo on horse. As for Maliah, no one knew why she was in a trancelike state or notice her eyes had slid shut in the afternoon, dreaming and seeing the danger her One was in.

The white horse speeds out of the pine trees with four Ringwraiths close behind and two more galloping down the hillside. Suddenly, the last three come from different directions and all nine of the Nozgul were hunting Frodo and Arwen.

"Noro lim, Asfaloth!" (Ride faster, Asfaloth!)

Elvish was whispered into the ear of the panting white horse as it thundered around the trees and across fields. When it arrived at the Bruinen Ford, the horse didn't hesitate and leapt into the shallow water and not stopping until it reached the other side when Arwen pulled the reins up and turned to face the nine Ringwraiths who had stopped short of the water; clearly nervous.

"Give up the halfling, She-Elf." The hissing speech made Frodo gasp lightly.

Arwen drew her sword and yelled across the water, "If you want him, come and claim him."

The Rider screeched angrily and drew his own sword, leading the other wraiths into the water.

She waited until they are halfway across before acting. "Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto Beth daer: Rimmo nin Bruinen, dan in Ulair! Nin o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nin Bruinen, dan in Ulair!" (Waters of the Misty Mountains, listen to the great word: flow waters of Loudwater, against the Ringwraiths!)

The water starts flowing faster as she spoke, a distant rumble could be heard. When the ground suddenly trembled and a mighty roar filled the air, Arwen jerked her attention upstream as the Wraiths stopped moving forward, also looking in the same direction.

A torrent of water came rushing towards them, the foaming water seemed to take the form of dancing white horses. The Ringwraiths screamed in terror as they tried to turn back to the bank but were swallowed up in the deluge, their piercing cries were drowned in the roaring water as riders and horses carried them away. Arwen slumped in her seat, relief running through her. But Frodo lost consciousness and fell forward, caught only by Arwen hugging him.

"No, no ... Frodo, no! Frodo, don't give in ... not now!" She gathered the small hobbit in her arms, feeling his life slip away. Her prayer was heard on the wind and in Maliah's mind 'What grace is given me, let it pass to him. Let him be spared. Save him.'

"Frodo."

Strider stopped running at Maliah's whisper against his neck. He tried to look at her, but she was draped, and tied, at his back. "Princess?"

"Is she awake?" Sam asked, huffing slightly as he caught up to the ranger.

"I'm not sure, lets keep moving. We will stop when after night falls."

Images assaulted Maliah and Frodo in their fevered states. A city in the woods, a brief distorted glimpse of an Elf who appeared with a medicine bowl, Mirari with a damp cloth…eventually it stopped and they fell into darkness. They both heard one last voice, spoken in Elvish.

"Lasto beth nîn. Tolo dan na ngalad." (Hear my voice, come back to the light.)

"Are you fucking serious? How was this a good idea, to any of you?"

Kali looked down while her brother looked up and Flori met the Queen of Erebor anger head on.

"Never gave it much thought to whether it was a good idea…"

"I did," Kori muttered.

"…But you can't say it is a terrible thing we are here…"

"Your father might disagree," Gimli said gruffly while inspecting his axe.

"…And we can't go back now so let's just forget we are uninvited and move forth to the shapeshifter's home." Flori finished with a glare at the red haired warrior.

"I disagree…Hissaleon! I know your blond, skinny ass can hear me!" Râlia screamed back into the forest.

"He said they wouldn't help take us back across once we arrived at the treeline." Flori offered up.

The Queen looked flabbergasted. "How long did he know you were behind us?"

"Probably the whole time," Kori confessed.

"But only revealed himself two weeks ago." Kali said, still not wanting to look at her Amad. They had known she was going to be angry, but knowing and experiencing were two different things.

"I'm going to skin him alive."

Eyebrows arched in interest, and not just the three youngest. Kadin stepped forward, risking to be the voice of reason.

"Your Majesty, we are already more than halfway there. It wouldn't be worth to escort them home now, better we take them to keep an eye on them."

Râlia tugged on her braids in frustration and glared at her twins and niece. "You are not off the hook for this, there will be punishment." She whirled around and went back to her horse, Tamesis. "You can turns walking."

"That will take too long Auntie, just let them double up on a horse and one can ride with me."

All eyes went to Anira who had joined the travelling party at the last minute. She wanted to see her sister and to learn the other half of her heritage, a reluctant move on her parents' behalf.

"Fine. I will hear no complaining or you all will be left at Beorn's until I return."

Flori, Kori, and Kali only nodded their heads and did as their cousin suggested. The twins stayed together on the spare horse that carried baggage that was now evenly distributed and Flori climbed up behind Anira. About an hour into their journey across the plains, Gimli gave a shout.

"Which one of you has been stealing my belongings!"

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