Once they had left the gates of Excalus, the clouds covered the sky. The
sun attempted numerous times to shine through but the clouds over powered
it. They hiked through acres of fields of flowers, some grew as high as
Merry's shoulders. Pippin picked a small rose and walked over to Laurea.
"This is for you," he said as he offered her the flower. She took it graciously with a smile and placed it in her hair.
"Thank you Pippin, it was very thoughtful," she replied. He smiled and ran back to Merry's side. Eieru looked down at Merry who she had been walking near and tugged on his jacket sleeve. He halted next to her and she bent down to his height.
"What was that about?" she questioned.
"I think, perhaps, Pippin fancies her," he answered. He gave a small chuckle as she regained her spot in line as they continued on. Frodo glanced down at the ring hanging from around his neck and took it in one hand as they neared the mountain.
"Many tales of doom and distress lie in these caves along the mountains of fair Excalus. Let us pray that we do not have to venture in them," Aragorn announced.
"I have heard one of those tells. A human warrior entered once and when he returned from his journey, he was mere blood and bones. No trace of skin clung to him," Gimli added. Pippin's and Sam's faces shrunk into grossed out looks of disgust as Merry made gagging sounds.
"And yet those who live so close have heard no trace of these so called tales," Eieru giggled.
"Enough of tales, there is a mission at hand we must finish," Frodo scolded.
"Calm down Frodo. We will finish our mission, we're making good time in fact," Aragorn placed a hand on Frodo's shoulder.
"Frodo, my words may not come as any form of comfort, but they must be said. Eyes so blue and clear, innocence within each smile. A sincere heart and a kind soul, strength that lays hidden is now unleashed. A fight, a war, a struggle over evil, rage within this hobbit, such a hard struggle this is. Soon the innocence begins to fade, a tormented expression glints within those blue eyes with a battle that none can understand. But all can see clearly that he who bears the ring, bears the torment of true evil. Some can understand what you are going through Frodo son of Drogo," Laurea said.
"No! No one understands cause no one has to be tortured like I do. This band of gold has driven many to their deaths and I am next. I have tried to make believe that I don't care, but in my heart I know that what I am doing is not destroying a ring but sacrificing my life. The ring cannot and will not be destroyed ever! You must understand that," he yelled in frustration.
"Is it not possible for it to be destroyed or is it not going to be destroyed because you won't let it be destroyed?" she wondered. Frodo glanced down at the ring in his palm and back up at her in anger.
"You want it for yourself! You want power and you are doing this to get it, well I won't let you have it!" he screamed.
"Frodo calm down, I do not wish for the ring. However, I wish for its destruction. I will help you no matter what the cost, no matter what the consequence. Just know that you can trust me and Eieru to secure its destruction," she replied.
He felt his eyes fill to the brim with tears and his expression turned from anger to pain. He ran over to her and she bent down to look at him in the eyes. He let the tears run freely down his sun and dirt stained cheeks. He placed his arms around her neck and she placed her arms around his upper body. They hugged and he cried on her shoulder in the middle of the fields right infront of a cave opening. The sun was beginning to set over the other mountain and the moon was just beginning to show her face. The clouds had disappeared and stars were reappearing in their place.
"This is for you," he said as he offered her the flower. She took it graciously with a smile and placed it in her hair.
"Thank you Pippin, it was very thoughtful," she replied. He smiled and ran back to Merry's side. Eieru looked down at Merry who she had been walking near and tugged on his jacket sleeve. He halted next to her and she bent down to his height.
"What was that about?" she questioned.
"I think, perhaps, Pippin fancies her," he answered. He gave a small chuckle as she regained her spot in line as they continued on. Frodo glanced down at the ring hanging from around his neck and took it in one hand as they neared the mountain.
"Many tales of doom and distress lie in these caves along the mountains of fair Excalus. Let us pray that we do not have to venture in them," Aragorn announced.
"I have heard one of those tells. A human warrior entered once and when he returned from his journey, he was mere blood and bones. No trace of skin clung to him," Gimli added. Pippin's and Sam's faces shrunk into grossed out looks of disgust as Merry made gagging sounds.
"And yet those who live so close have heard no trace of these so called tales," Eieru giggled.
"Enough of tales, there is a mission at hand we must finish," Frodo scolded.
"Calm down Frodo. We will finish our mission, we're making good time in fact," Aragorn placed a hand on Frodo's shoulder.
"Frodo, my words may not come as any form of comfort, but they must be said. Eyes so blue and clear, innocence within each smile. A sincere heart and a kind soul, strength that lays hidden is now unleashed. A fight, a war, a struggle over evil, rage within this hobbit, such a hard struggle this is. Soon the innocence begins to fade, a tormented expression glints within those blue eyes with a battle that none can understand. But all can see clearly that he who bears the ring, bears the torment of true evil. Some can understand what you are going through Frodo son of Drogo," Laurea said.
"No! No one understands cause no one has to be tortured like I do. This band of gold has driven many to their deaths and I am next. I have tried to make believe that I don't care, but in my heart I know that what I am doing is not destroying a ring but sacrificing my life. The ring cannot and will not be destroyed ever! You must understand that," he yelled in frustration.
"Is it not possible for it to be destroyed or is it not going to be destroyed because you won't let it be destroyed?" she wondered. Frodo glanced down at the ring in his palm and back up at her in anger.
"You want it for yourself! You want power and you are doing this to get it, well I won't let you have it!" he screamed.
"Frodo calm down, I do not wish for the ring. However, I wish for its destruction. I will help you no matter what the cost, no matter what the consequence. Just know that you can trust me and Eieru to secure its destruction," she replied.
He felt his eyes fill to the brim with tears and his expression turned from anger to pain. He ran over to her and she bent down to look at him in the eyes. He let the tears run freely down his sun and dirt stained cheeks. He placed his arms around her neck and she placed her arms around his upper body. They hugged and he cried on her shoulder in the middle of the fields right infront of a cave opening. The sun was beginning to set over the other mountain and the moon was just beginning to show her face. The clouds had disappeared and stars were reappearing in their place.