Chapter 18: I Need A Win

Running, that's all we had been doing for the past few days, barely stopping for rest knowing if we did the orc pack would get that much further away. Every day I grew more and more worried but that just made me want to move faster despite the aching in my legs and body. Legolas and Aragorn were keeping up a good pace with me but poor Gimli wasn't as quick on his feet as to be expected from a dwarf.

I began breathing heavily getting winded as the sun was setting feeling Aragorn put a hand on my shoulder saying kindly, "If we need to stop for a moment we can… you have barely eaten anything and I know you're tired. The orc pack should have had to stop, Legolas doesn't hear their running."

I shook my head looking at the setting sun saying, "No, if they have stopped they could be in trouble. I have to get to them and know they are safe before I rest."

"You are no good to them dead." Aragorn said feeling him squeeze my shoulder lightly while I frowned responding, "Neither are they."

I began jogging again hearing Gimli let out an aggravated groan not having enough time to rest but knew not to argue. All through the night, we jogged my legs feeling like jelly but with these new shoes, my feet stayed soft and warm.


Eventually, I stopped seeing something in the grass leaning down, it was the clip of the cloak Galadriel had given us all. I didn't need to even guess knowing it was Pippin who left it so we knew he was still alive and guiding us to his captors. I held it to my chest breathing a small sigh of relief, perhaps all hope wasn't lost.

I leaned against a rock as Gimli finally couldn't take the running anymore and collapsed just before the first sunrise. Legolas had told us the day before they were taking them to Isengard to Saruman thinking one of them had the ring which made me hope no harm had come to them. I closed my eyes imagining the fear in Merry and Pippin's eyes when they were taken hating myself for not being able to save them from this ever happening. They would never blame me for it which is why it hurt more knowing they were still gone.

As the sun rose it was a deep shade of red hearing Legolas say, "The dawn rises with red, blood has been shed this night."

I gave them a look of worry before saying, "We must move."

They all nodded now starting to worry as well as we again took off into the rolling hills preying it wasn't their blood that had been shed.

Suddenly as we were running we saw a group of men on horseback flagging them down hoping maybe we could get some help. They turned in our direction making their way over fast circling around us as I looked around fearfully hoping they weren't with the enemy.

Clearly the captain a man on his horse came closer as his men kept their spears in our direction saying, "Dangerous times to be traveling, what business do you have this close to Rohan?"

"We are seeking an orc pack that took our hobbit friends captive, they would be very small like children in your eyes." Aragorn said seeing the captain look around at his men saying, "The only orc pack we've seen was last night and they've all been slain and placed to burn in that direction."

"What of the hobbits?" I said frantically while he frowned shaking his head saying, "None survived… "

He went to say more when I pushed past the horses' not caring going in the direction of the black smoke in the distance feeling hot tears fill my eyes, they couldn't be dead not when we were so close.

I finally reached the large pile of orcs seeing arms and legs scattered around looking around for any clue that they were still alive. I looked at the clip I had been keeping in my hand watching my tears fall on it hearing horses approach turning to see Aragorn and Legolas must have gotten them from the men.

As I sat on the ground Aragorn began looking around investigating the area while Gimli put a comforting hand on my shoulder saying, "I'm sorry lass."

"There was a struggle." Aragorn said making my head perk up as he began walking around picking up some rope replying, "They got their hands untied and crawled."

I stood up following his hand tracing the ground lightly stopping for a moment looking up at the tree line saying, "They went into the forest."

Aragorn and Legolas tied up their horses as we all began making our way through the forest keeping our weapons out in case anymore orcs also escaped. The trees groaned the farther in we got feeling darkness begin to cascade us from the thick forest.

"We are not alone!" Legolas said suddenly shooting his arrow off as a bright white light engulfed us feeling our weapons fall to the ground at our feet.

I winced feeling my vision blur blinking a few times as my eyes widened getting blurry once more but this time from tears.

"Gandalf…" I said weakly as I saw a small smile grace his lips replying, "Marina my dear it's good to see you."

"How did this happen?" Aragorn asked as Gandalf looked at us saying, "From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak, I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me, and I strayed out of thought and time. The stars wheeled overhead, and every day was as long as a life age of the earth... but it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done."

I walked towards him hugging him tightly feeling him hug back feeling the warmth he gave off saying into his robes, "I missed you so much… and I kept going for you."

"That you did my dear." Gandalf said pulling me away holding my shoulders as I looked past him seeing him laugh lightly replying, "They are safe and on their way to safety."

I looked into his eyes saying, "How far away?"

His smile widened replying, "If you run straight through the path you will catch up to them, go, my dear, our paths will cross again sooner than you know."

I hugged him again looking back at the others seeing Aragorn give me a knowing nod while Legolas and Gimli smiled as I took off into the woods at full sprint letting my feet guide me closing my eyes yelling his name hoping he wasn't too far gone.


Pippin

I looked behind us again frowning lightly hearing Merry say, "I'm sure they are all fine Pip, Gandalf would have told us otherwise."

"I know but… I don't know if we'll see them again." I said sadly seeing Merry frown replying, "I'm sure we will but Pip I know that's not what you're worried about."

"I wanted to see her one last time." I said seeing him smile lightly replying, "I know you did but she has her own path, she's part elf after all do you really think she'd stay in the shire?"

"She could have wanted to." I said defensively while he laughed saying, "She'd eat you alive."

I gave him a playful glare hearing a voice far behind us turning quickly in its direction as Treebeard stopped.

"The forest is talking again." He said thoughtfully hearing the voice again perking up saying, "That's not the forest."

"Merry… Pippin!" I heard now clearly as Merry turned too hearing the voice as I said surprisingly, "She came for us…"

Merry laughed looking towards me saying, "No, she came for you."

Marina burst through the forest almost collapsing on the ground breathing heavily, she had scratches all over her and twigs hanging from her loose hair staring up towards us saying breathlessly, "I found you."