Thanks for all your reviews, i'm glad you like it so far! This part is longer, and i hope you like it too! please read and review! enjoy the story!
The dusty pink light of the sunset shone through Saruman's arch windows, lighting up the desolate walls of the chamber. Saruman placed the black cloth on the Palantir once more, and his icy lips curved into a smile.
"They are coming", he whispered in to empty darkness of the room."I knew they would follow my orcs, i knew Anduril was far too precious for Aragorn, son of Arathorn to let escape without a fight. The ring of power shall be mine, i shall comand the armies of middle earth, i shall destroy Minas Morgul. There shall be a new dark lord, it shall be i, Saruman!"
"Quickly", Legolas urged his friends forward,"We must make haste, the trail of the orcs grows ever colder. If we hope to catch them, we must be swift."
Gimli grunted as he trudged along the path."Not all of us have the power of speed and light as you have my elven comerade. We must rest sometime, or we shall not be fit to fight with the orcs when we catch them!"
Merry nodded his curly head in agreement."We must rest, i am so tired, i feel as though my legs may drop off any second now."
Legolas shook his head, his long blond hair whipping across his worried face."No, we cannot rest now, or the orcs will be beyond even my sight."
Aragorn patted Legolas on the shoulder."My friend, i know you are more than capable of continuing onward for much longer than the rest of us, but please, spare a thought for the hobbits, they are not as quick on foot as you."
Legolas sighed."I am sorry Aragorn, but the orcs move further from our reach every time we stop to rest. If we hope to retrieve your sword, we must attempt to take it before we reach Orthanic, for a battle there would mean certain death for us."
"I cannot go into battle without my sword", Aragorn mourned, cursing himself for not taking more care.
Legolas was defeated by the Fellowship, and he knew it."We will rest for a few moments here then", he said, springing to his feet and lightly running to the sumit of a nearby tiny hill. He raised his slender hand to his brow and viewed the marvellous landscape. A few moments later he reappeared by Gimli's side.
"The orcs are not too far ahead", he commented,"If we do not rest this night, we will be but a few hours march from them."
"But it will be dark soon", Gimli stated,"We will be unable to see where we are going."
"I shall go and memorise the route we hope to complete by the morrow", Legolas said, walking away,"So that we mat ravel by night, for if we rest, we will lose ground." Legolas returned to the top of the hill, and began to comit their chosen path to memory.
Boromir placed his shield on the ground."Then we shall take a short rest. Why do you think the orcs have taken Aragorn's sword?"
Aragorn frowned."Most likely they were ordered by Saruman to retrieve it, maybe he thinks that without the sword, Anduril, we have no hope of winning. I fear this is correct, for without the reforged blade, we have no hope of defeating the vast army of Orthanic, much less Sauron himself."
Gimli coughed gruffly, as he set himself beside Frodo. "We cannot lose hope, for if we do, then certainly, there will be no victory."
"To walk into Orthanic unarmed, is to walk straight into death", Aragorn said grimly.
"But we are not unarmed", Boromir replied,"We have my shield, Gimli's axe, Legolas's bow, and the swords of the Hobbits. We shall suceed."
"I hope so", Pippin said,"For Isenguard does not sound like a place that i would relish to be in."
"It is not", Aragorn replied, his heart heavy with his loss,"And yet, i wonder if Saruman has another plan, perhas the theft of the sword was a way of luring us to Isenguard."
Frodo sighed."It is true", he whispered quietly."Saruman has lured us to his fortress, he wants the ring, but he shall not get it. There are many other things he desires from our companionship, i can feel it, but i know not what they are. We must be prepared."
Legolas returned from the hill, after commitning the route to memory. "We must move on", he said pressingly, urging the others to stand on their increasingly weary legs,"The orcs are not as far off as i anticipated, for they too, must have stopped to rest. Let us go, it would be a great victory if we could recover Anduril before entering Isenguard."
The Fellowship rose, Sam cursing the heavy load on his back. His knees buckled under him as he struggled to walk along the carpet of leaves and twigs. There was an eerie silence as they strode quietly through the woods.
"I do not like this quiet", Merry stated, gazing around him, listening in vain for a bird, or creature of some sort.
"Nor me", Frodo admitted shakily, wishing with all his heart that they were still on the way to Mordor, for as black and evil as it may have been, their quest would have been nearer completion.
Legolas unsheathed one of his long knifes, for he could not bear to see Aragorn without a weapon.
"Here Aragorn", he called softly to his friend,"You must have a weapon, even if it is not your own, you cannot be unarmed in these woods."
Aragorn smiled at the elf as he accepted his gesture."Thank you Legolas, it will ease my heart to have a weapon, at last i am able to fight for my sword-and birthright."
The black night sky provided perfect cover for the Fellowship, unfortunately, it also provided perfect cover for their enemies. Several leagues away, a band of Saruman's orcs had stopped their night run for a quick counsel.
"Why does Saruman want this sword?", asked a black orc by the name of Thyulo.
"We know not", replied Refth, one of his companions,"But he said that we are not to touch it, or try to use it, not at least until we bring it to him."
"They are following", Thyulo whispered to the counsel.
"Who?", questioned Refth, glancing at once at the trees, their black leaves disguising themselves as warroirs in the darkened night sky.
"The company", answered Thyulo, his voice hushed."I can feel it, they come to retrieve the sword."
"They shall not get very far", Refth curved his ashen grey lips into a twisted smile, "Fasred and his troop are many leagues behind us still, guarding the rear. If the company come any closer to us, Fasred shall destroy them."
Thyulo's mouth split into a wide ghastly grin."Then we must make haste, for Saruman shall not wait another day for the sword of Anduril."
"No indeed", Refth cackled,"He shall not. Now let us be gone!"
The orcs stood up swiftly, and began to run together to their home- Orthanic-the pit of peril.
"Alas!", Legolas cried,"There is an evil note on the air! Be on guard!"
"But it is the hour of darkness!", Gimli cried in surprise,"There is no one around, and the orcs are already leagues ahead of us!"
"The water ripples!", Legolas cried,"The water hole ahead of us, some one has already drunk from it, no more than an hour ago!"
"But that is impossible!", Boromir stated exasperatedly,"We are the only ones here!"
"No", a gruff voice spilled from the darkness of the oaks into the night air,"You are not."
Frodo drew Sting from his sheath. She glowed blue as Frodo held her above his head.
"Orcs!", Merry cried.
The orcs spilled from the trees, surrounding Frodo and his companions.
"This night will be your last!", Fasred cried as his group of orcs advanced.
"No!", Aragorn cried, raising Legolas's long knife into the air,"We shall destroy you!"
The orcs advanced, their heavy steel blades poised in front of them.
Legolas drew an arrow from his quiver, and shot. Almost immediatly, an orc was struck down, his fallen body proving an obstacle for his companions.
An orc came striding toward Gimli. Despite his stout figure, Gimli lept into the air, and brought his mighty axe down upon the orc. With a shriek, it's head lulled, and rolled along the vast carpet of leaves.
Aragorn fought his way through the hord, the long knife slicing through the bodies of the Orcs, and the blood driping from it's pointed end.
The hobbits had raised their own swords, and were fighting valiantly, but they were fighting a losing battle. Pippin winced as he was nicked by an orc blade, the mighty weapon just missing his head. A tiny river of crimson blood ran down his cheek.
"Are you alright Pippin?!", cried Merry, ducking out of the orcs way.
Pippin dug his sword deep into the stomach of another orc."Yes, i am fine!"
Gimli fought roughly against an orc, his swift axe blows just missing the orcs head. Queitly, another orc crept up behind him, and raised his steel blade in fury.
Legolas looked up after having killed another."Gimli!", he called anxiously for his friend,"Behind you!"
Gimli stabbed the orc in the head with his axe, and spun around. The orc lowered his mighty sword, preparing to snap off Gimli's head.
"No!", Legolas cried, and shot feverenly at the orc.
Feeling the arrow enter his heart, the orc's eyes flickered, and the blackness inside them died. Gimli shoved the dead orc from the pathway.
"Thank you Legolas", Gimli said gruffly, slaying yet another orc,"Never before has an elf saved the life of a Dwarf."
Legolas smiled at his comerade."Times change friend, for now we are all enemies of the one enemy, we must unite."
Sam stood in front of Frodo, as if to protect his master from the vile creatures that swarmed the forest. His own sword bravely raised, he swung towards an approaching orc.
The orc sruck out his hand, and Sam was knocked to the ground.
"Frodo!", he cried hoarsely,"Watch out! The water!"
With Sting held high, Frodo whirled around, and saw that Sam was right. Behind him was the huge, deep murky blue water.
The orc raised his blade, the steel glinting wildly in Frodo's eyes.
They began to duel, Frodo edging ever closer to the water.
"Frodo!", Merry swung round, and began to run toward his friend.
Frodo served the blow of the orc sword and thrust Sting into it's chest. The orc gave a mighty gasp, straining for air...and then it was no more.
Frodo replaced Sting in her sheath, thinking in sickening horro about what he'd just done. Without even a thought, he stepped backwards. The unstable earth beside the waters edge cracked, and Frodo went tumbling down into the dark murky water below.
"No!", Merry cried, leaping into the air. He grabbed Frodo by the neck, his hands clasped around the golden chain which held the ring of power.
Sam struggled up to help Merry save Frodo, the rest of the Fellowship were preoccupied-the orcs were still attacking.
"Grab on Frodo!", cried Merry, struggling wildly against the icy spray of the water to keep hold of Frodo, but it was too difficult, the hobbit was carrying too much weight.
Sam took hold of Merry's waist, and tryed in vain to pull Frodo from the waters edge, for he could not swim, to fall into the deep lake would mean certain death for Frodo.
But for all the strength that Merry and Sam could muster, it did not work. The necklace snapped in Merry's hand, and Frodo fell freely into the murky water below.
Sam squealed, and cried out. Then, something hit him hard on the head. His vision became blurry, and eventually went black. Then he knew no more.
I hope you enjoyed part 2! I should have part 3 ready soon, but bear with me, i have a lot of schoolwork, but HOPEFULLY it should be up tomorrow!
The dusty pink light of the sunset shone through Saruman's arch windows, lighting up the desolate walls of the chamber. Saruman placed the black cloth on the Palantir once more, and his icy lips curved into a smile.
"They are coming", he whispered in to empty darkness of the room."I knew they would follow my orcs, i knew Anduril was far too precious for Aragorn, son of Arathorn to let escape without a fight. The ring of power shall be mine, i shall comand the armies of middle earth, i shall destroy Minas Morgul. There shall be a new dark lord, it shall be i, Saruman!"
"Quickly", Legolas urged his friends forward,"We must make haste, the trail of the orcs grows ever colder. If we hope to catch them, we must be swift."
Gimli grunted as he trudged along the path."Not all of us have the power of speed and light as you have my elven comerade. We must rest sometime, or we shall not be fit to fight with the orcs when we catch them!"
Merry nodded his curly head in agreement."We must rest, i am so tired, i feel as though my legs may drop off any second now."
Legolas shook his head, his long blond hair whipping across his worried face."No, we cannot rest now, or the orcs will be beyond even my sight."
Aragorn patted Legolas on the shoulder."My friend, i know you are more than capable of continuing onward for much longer than the rest of us, but please, spare a thought for the hobbits, they are not as quick on foot as you."
Legolas sighed."I am sorry Aragorn, but the orcs move further from our reach every time we stop to rest. If we hope to retrieve your sword, we must attempt to take it before we reach Orthanic, for a battle there would mean certain death for us."
"I cannot go into battle without my sword", Aragorn mourned, cursing himself for not taking more care.
Legolas was defeated by the Fellowship, and he knew it."We will rest for a few moments here then", he said, springing to his feet and lightly running to the sumit of a nearby tiny hill. He raised his slender hand to his brow and viewed the marvellous landscape. A few moments later he reappeared by Gimli's side.
"The orcs are not too far ahead", he commented,"If we do not rest this night, we will be but a few hours march from them."
"But it will be dark soon", Gimli stated,"We will be unable to see where we are going."
"I shall go and memorise the route we hope to complete by the morrow", Legolas said, walking away,"So that we mat ravel by night, for if we rest, we will lose ground." Legolas returned to the top of the hill, and began to comit their chosen path to memory.
Boromir placed his shield on the ground."Then we shall take a short rest. Why do you think the orcs have taken Aragorn's sword?"
Aragorn frowned."Most likely they were ordered by Saruman to retrieve it, maybe he thinks that without the sword, Anduril, we have no hope of winning. I fear this is correct, for without the reforged blade, we have no hope of defeating the vast army of Orthanic, much less Sauron himself."
Gimli coughed gruffly, as he set himself beside Frodo. "We cannot lose hope, for if we do, then certainly, there will be no victory."
"To walk into Orthanic unarmed, is to walk straight into death", Aragorn said grimly.
"But we are not unarmed", Boromir replied,"We have my shield, Gimli's axe, Legolas's bow, and the swords of the Hobbits. We shall suceed."
"I hope so", Pippin said,"For Isenguard does not sound like a place that i would relish to be in."
"It is not", Aragorn replied, his heart heavy with his loss,"And yet, i wonder if Saruman has another plan, perhas the theft of the sword was a way of luring us to Isenguard."
Frodo sighed."It is true", he whispered quietly."Saruman has lured us to his fortress, he wants the ring, but he shall not get it. There are many other things he desires from our companionship, i can feel it, but i know not what they are. We must be prepared."
Legolas returned from the hill, after commitning the route to memory. "We must move on", he said pressingly, urging the others to stand on their increasingly weary legs,"The orcs are not as far off as i anticipated, for they too, must have stopped to rest. Let us go, it would be a great victory if we could recover Anduril before entering Isenguard."
The Fellowship rose, Sam cursing the heavy load on his back. His knees buckled under him as he struggled to walk along the carpet of leaves and twigs. There was an eerie silence as they strode quietly through the woods.
"I do not like this quiet", Merry stated, gazing around him, listening in vain for a bird, or creature of some sort.
"Nor me", Frodo admitted shakily, wishing with all his heart that they were still on the way to Mordor, for as black and evil as it may have been, their quest would have been nearer completion.
Legolas unsheathed one of his long knifes, for he could not bear to see Aragorn without a weapon.
"Here Aragorn", he called softly to his friend,"You must have a weapon, even if it is not your own, you cannot be unarmed in these woods."
Aragorn smiled at the elf as he accepted his gesture."Thank you Legolas, it will ease my heart to have a weapon, at last i am able to fight for my sword-and birthright."
The black night sky provided perfect cover for the Fellowship, unfortunately, it also provided perfect cover for their enemies. Several leagues away, a band of Saruman's orcs had stopped their night run for a quick counsel.
"Why does Saruman want this sword?", asked a black orc by the name of Thyulo.
"We know not", replied Refth, one of his companions,"But he said that we are not to touch it, or try to use it, not at least until we bring it to him."
"They are following", Thyulo whispered to the counsel.
"Who?", questioned Refth, glancing at once at the trees, their black leaves disguising themselves as warroirs in the darkened night sky.
"The company", answered Thyulo, his voice hushed."I can feel it, they come to retrieve the sword."
"They shall not get very far", Refth curved his ashen grey lips into a twisted smile, "Fasred and his troop are many leagues behind us still, guarding the rear. If the company come any closer to us, Fasred shall destroy them."
Thyulo's mouth split into a wide ghastly grin."Then we must make haste, for Saruman shall not wait another day for the sword of Anduril."
"No indeed", Refth cackled,"He shall not. Now let us be gone!"
The orcs stood up swiftly, and began to run together to their home- Orthanic-the pit of peril.
"Alas!", Legolas cried,"There is an evil note on the air! Be on guard!"
"But it is the hour of darkness!", Gimli cried in surprise,"There is no one around, and the orcs are already leagues ahead of us!"
"The water ripples!", Legolas cried,"The water hole ahead of us, some one has already drunk from it, no more than an hour ago!"
"But that is impossible!", Boromir stated exasperatedly,"We are the only ones here!"
"No", a gruff voice spilled from the darkness of the oaks into the night air,"You are not."
Frodo drew Sting from his sheath. She glowed blue as Frodo held her above his head.
"Orcs!", Merry cried.
The orcs spilled from the trees, surrounding Frodo and his companions.
"This night will be your last!", Fasred cried as his group of orcs advanced.
"No!", Aragorn cried, raising Legolas's long knife into the air,"We shall destroy you!"
The orcs advanced, their heavy steel blades poised in front of them.
Legolas drew an arrow from his quiver, and shot. Almost immediatly, an orc was struck down, his fallen body proving an obstacle for his companions.
An orc came striding toward Gimli. Despite his stout figure, Gimli lept into the air, and brought his mighty axe down upon the orc. With a shriek, it's head lulled, and rolled along the vast carpet of leaves.
Aragorn fought his way through the hord, the long knife slicing through the bodies of the Orcs, and the blood driping from it's pointed end.
The hobbits had raised their own swords, and were fighting valiantly, but they were fighting a losing battle. Pippin winced as he was nicked by an orc blade, the mighty weapon just missing his head. A tiny river of crimson blood ran down his cheek.
"Are you alright Pippin?!", cried Merry, ducking out of the orcs way.
Pippin dug his sword deep into the stomach of another orc."Yes, i am fine!"
Gimli fought roughly against an orc, his swift axe blows just missing the orcs head. Queitly, another orc crept up behind him, and raised his steel blade in fury.
Legolas looked up after having killed another."Gimli!", he called anxiously for his friend,"Behind you!"
Gimli stabbed the orc in the head with his axe, and spun around. The orc lowered his mighty sword, preparing to snap off Gimli's head.
"No!", Legolas cried, and shot feverenly at the orc.
Feeling the arrow enter his heart, the orc's eyes flickered, and the blackness inside them died. Gimli shoved the dead orc from the pathway.
"Thank you Legolas", Gimli said gruffly, slaying yet another orc,"Never before has an elf saved the life of a Dwarf."
Legolas smiled at his comerade."Times change friend, for now we are all enemies of the one enemy, we must unite."
Sam stood in front of Frodo, as if to protect his master from the vile creatures that swarmed the forest. His own sword bravely raised, he swung towards an approaching orc.
The orc sruck out his hand, and Sam was knocked to the ground.
"Frodo!", he cried hoarsely,"Watch out! The water!"
With Sting held high, Frodo whirled around, and saw that Sam was right. Behind him was the huge, deep murky blue water.
The orc raised his blade, the steel glinting wildly in Frodo's eyes.
They began to duel, Frodo edging ever closer to the water.
"Frodo!", Merry swung round, and began to run toward his friend.
Frodo served the blow of the orc sword and thrust Sting into it's chest. The orc gave a mighty gasp, straining for air...and then it was no more.
Frodo replaced Sting in her sheath, thinking in sickening horro about what he'd just done. Without even a thought, he stepped backwards. The unstable earth beside the waters edge cracked, and Frodo went tumbling down into the dark murky water below.
"No!", Merry cried, leaping into the air. He grabbed Frodo by the neck, his hands clasped around the golden chain which held the ring of power.
Sam struggled up to help Merry save Frodo, the rest of the Fellowship were preoccupied-the orcs were still attacking.
"Grab on Frodo!", cried Merry, struggling wildly against the icy spray of the water to keep hold of Frodo, but it was too difficult, the hobbit was carrying too much weight.
Sam took hold of Merry's waist, and tryed in vain to pull Frodo from the waters edge, for he could not swim, to fall into the deep lake would mean certain death for Frodo.
But for all the strength that Merry and Sam could muster, it did not work. The necklace snapped in Merry's hand, and Frodo fell freely into the murky water below.
Sam squealed, and cried out. Then, something hit him hard on the head. His vision became blurry, and eventually went black. Then he knew no more.
I hope you enjoyed part 2! I should have part 3 ready soon, but bear with me, i have a lot of schoolwork, but HOPEFULLY it should be up tomorrow!