Chapter 6
Breakfast was a small helping of Jert berries. Aragorn managed to scavenge some and make a little bowl out of bark to carry them in. They ate for less then five minutes and then headed east. They were heading to The Vistan lands of Borl. Andréa was confused, and Legolas said that he would explain to her after.
If you recall at the council of Elrond, during the attack, Aragorn had said: "We have to get to the Hishinb Temple, which is where the elves' and dwarves' only chance of winning this war lies. The Vistan lands of Borl was the place where this temple lie. Inside was a tomb of the first king in all the world. His name was Oral Hishinb. He died holding a dagger that had killed his son. And now, there is a legend.
Inside his coffin, is a power made of sorrow, sacrifice, and longing. This power can be used to kill all of one race, if the creature who tries to get there survives; for to get just to the Vistan lands of Borl alone, you'd have to cross the weeping swamp, through the land or Mordor, and across the River of Borl. It was a task only fit for strong warriors, which meant that Joanila and Andréa would have to be left alone in the lands of Mordor, which was an inhabited stretch of land with molten volcanoes and tar pits. It was the only place that seemed somewhat safe.
And so, just a day away from the weeping swamp, their first task, Aragorn had strayed away from the traveling group and plucked some plants from the ground. He returned to Legolas's side and unwrapped the poor bandage on it. The cut had finally stopped bleeding, but it was swelling and purple. Aragorn broke the leaves and squeezed the juice from them onto his wound.
"Let's just hope you don't get a fever." he said. Legolas breathed deeply and felt his pulse afterward. It was slightly faster then usual, and his hand was slightly warm.
"Too late." he said.
"We should stop for awhile."
"No, I'm fine."
"Legolas, you could get ill!"
"I'm fine." repeated Legolas. "We won't stop until we've reached Mordor, then we rest."
"Legolas, you should rest!" said Joanila. "It may be too late when we get to Mordor." Andréa shuddered in her arms.
"I don't want to go to Mordor." she complained. Her cheeks were puffy after the realization that they hadn't a home anymore and may die on this journey.
"We can rest at the swamp for a little while, cross it, rest, and then we're only half-a-day away from Mordor." explained Aragorn. Legolas paused.
"All right." He agreed.
After dark fell, they reached the swamp. Andréa was curious and touched the edge of the murky water. It was quite warm, almost hot. The water stirred, and splashed her. She jumped back in surprise.
"I don't want to go in there." She whined.
"You'll be fine." explained Aragorn. "My wound doesn't hurt, so I shall carry you. Andréa didn't speak for a moment.
"Yes Aragorn." She agreed.
Joanila squeezed some fresh herb juice into Legolas's cut, which had started bleeding again. He couldn't feel his hand anymore, and the only pain was the continuous infection. The swelling was going down, but it was sore from running.
They slept that night, Legolas and Aragorn taking turns at keeping watch. The only disturbance was the sound of something in the swamp. Aragorn had seen something crawl onto the rock that was in the middle. He just hoped that it wouldn't be there by morning. That was their resting point.
The next morning, Legolas explained to the group why the swamp was so dangerous.
"Creatures will appear in it, they will touch you, but you must not run. If you run, you will sink into the swamp from the creatures to eat. Just focus on calmly walking through." Joanila and Aragorn nodded.
Andréa was being given a paddy-back on Aragorn. His wound was almost completely healed; all that was left was a scab. He lead the way, Legolas at the end, and Joanila in the middle again.
About five minutes into their crossing, creatures began to circle them. Joanila felt herself begin to sweat.
"Be calm." said Legolas. She tried to obey, but found it very difficult.
After an hour into their walk, they climbed onto a large rock that was planted in the middle of the swamp. They were all tired and covered with mud up to their chest. Legolas discovered that the mud felt good on his wound. The rock was about twenty feet wide and forty feet long. Aragorn discovered that the creature that was there last night was still here, and accompanied by another of its kind. He smiled. He walked up behind the two creatures and knelt down beside one. He leaned close and whispered in his ear.
"You were wearing your Mithril coat, weren't you?" the creature laughed. He turned to Aragorn.
"Yes Aragorn, I was." He smiled.
Breakfast was a small helping of Jert berries. Aragorn managed to scavenge some and make a little bowl out of bark to carry them in. They ate for less then five minutes and then headed east. They were heading to The Vistan lands of Borl. Andréa was confused, and Legolas said that he would explain to her after.
If you recall at the council of Elrond, during the attack, Aragorn had said: "We have to get to the Hishinb Temple, which is where the elves' and dwarves' only chance of winning this war lies. The Vistan lands of Borl was the place where this temple lie. Inside was a tomb of the first king in all the world. His name was Oral Hishinb. He died holding a dagger that had killed his son. And now, there is a legend.
Inside his coffin, is a power made of sorrow, sacrifice, and longing. This power can be used to kill all of one race, if the creature who tries to get there survives; for to get just to the Vistan lands of Borl alone, you'd have to cross the weeping swamp, through the land or Mordor, and across the River of Borl. It was a task only fit for strong warriors, which meant that Joanila and Andréa would have to be left alone in the lands of Mordor, which was an inhabited stretch of land with molten volcanoes and tar pits. It was the only place that seemed somewhat safe.
And so, just a day away from the weeping swamp, their first task, Aragorn had strayed away from the traveling group and plucked some plants from the ground. He returned to Legolas's side and unwrapped the poor bandage on it. The cut had finally stopped bleeding, but it was swelling and purple. Aragorn broke the leaves and squeezed the juice from them onto his wound.
"Let's just hope you don't get a fever." he said. Legolas breathed deeply and felt his pulse afterward. It was slightly faster then usual, and his hand was slightly warm.
"Too late." he said.
"We should stop for awhile."
"No, I'm fine."
"Legolas, you could get ill!"
"I'm fine." repeated Legolas. "We won't stop until we've reached Mordor, then we rest."
"Legolas, you should rest!" said Joanila. "It may be too late when we get to Mordor." Andréa shuddered in her arms.
"I don't want to go to Mordor." she complained. Her cheeks were puffy after the realization that they hadn't a home anymore and may die on this journey.
"We can rest at the swamp for a little while, cross it, rest, and then we're only half-a-day away from Mordor." explained Aragorn. Legolas paused.
"All right." He agreed.
After dark fell, they reached the swamp. Andréa was curious and touched the edge of the murky water. It was quite warm, almost hot. The water stirred, and splashed her. She jumped back in surprise.
"I don't want to go in there." She whined.
"You'll be fine." explained Aragorn. "My wound doesn't hurt, so I shall carry you. Andréa didn't speak for a moment.
"Yes Aragorn." She agreed.
Joanila squeezed some fresh herb juice into Legolas's cut, which had started bleeding again. He couldn't feel his hand anymore, and the only pain was the continuous infection. The swelling was going down, but it was sore from running.
They slept that night, Legolas and Aragorn taking turns at keeping watch. The only disturbance was the sound of something in the swamp. Aragorn had seen something crawl onto the rock that was in the middle. He just hoped that it wouldn't be there by morning. That was their resting point.
The next morning, Legolas explained to the group why the swamp was so dangerous.
"Creatures will appear in it, they will touch you, but you must not run. If you run, you will sink into the swamp from the creatures to eat. Just focus on calmly walking through." Joanila and Aragorn nodded.
Andréa was being given a paddy-back on Aragorn. His wound was almost completely healed; all that was left was a scab. He lead the way, Legolas at the end, and Joanila in the middle again.
About five minutes into their crossing, creatures began to circle them. Joanila felt herself begin to sweat.
"Be calm." said Legolas. She tried to obey, but found it very difficult.
After an hour into their walk, they climbed onto a large rock that was planted in the middle of the swamp. They were all tired and covered with mud up to their chest. Legolas discovered that the mud felt good on his wound. The rock was about twenty feet wide and forty feet long. Aragorn discovered that the creature that was there last night was still here, and accompanied by another of its kind. He smiled. He walked up behind the two creatures and knelt down beside one. He leaned close and whispered in his ear.
"You were wearing your Mithril coat, weren't you?" the creature laughed. He turned to Aragorn.
"Yes Aragorn, I was." He smiled.