Shadow and Flame
Disclaimer: ENOUGH! I AM GANDALF AND GANDALF MEANS ME!!
A/N: I'm sorry its taken so long!! Hey I got tickets to see the Two Towers (For the 3rd time!)!! Bought um' off of Fandango (Fanghorn). I'm so smart, I think ahead.
Chapter 13, Thief?!?
Shade, Boromir, Quickbeam, Merry, Pippin, and the rest sat around the campfire. Everyone was in different stages of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, but everyone was hungry. They, meaning Legolas, had caught five rabbits, which Merry was cooking into stew. Aragorn had gone and foraged greens for them to eat, which were also in the stew Shade was sitting next to Boromir with her legs spread out in front of her and leaning back in contempt against a tree.
"So Quickbeam what do you going to do?" Shade asked sleepily, "there are no Ents in the representatives, are you going to fill that gap?"
Quickbeam looked at the girl strangely, "I hadn't given it much thought, would you want me to come along?"
"Sure, sure." Shade gave a loud yawn and her head slide onto Boromir's shoulder. "That would be great, we'd love to have you aboard on our mission. Welcome to the team." And with that she fell asleep.
Gandalf sighed and shook his head. "We would be honored to have you accompany us master Quickbeam, I'm sorry for our companies, haste."
Gimli looked up from skinning one of the rabbits, and chuckled. "And you expected her not to, I think that helmet knocked sense out of her head, rather than into it."
Once again Gandalf shook his head, "How we ever came across her is still a mystery."
Boromir looked down at her, and smooth some of the hair off of her face "And a blessing."
Gimli snorted, "For you maybe."
Legolas just laughed the way only an elf could. Pippin smiled, "If she wasn't so tall I'd say she'd make a fine hobbit, she could even make a Took. Maybe she is a hobbit." Pippin's eyes gleamed with excitement, "Just a tall one!"
"I should hope not!" Gimli gasped, "Two small ones are already driving me insane, I can only dread what one tall one could do!"
"Come on Gimli you know we are growing on you."
"Hobbits! Honestly Gandalf how you put up with them for so long is beyond me!"
Gandalf sighed, "Some hobbits are worse than others." He said casting a meaningful look at Pippin. Pippin just put on an innocent look of curiosity, and glanced around him as if he expected some evil, dark hobbit to jump out of the tree line and start causing mischief.
It was a little while before the stew was done and everyone, with the exception of Quickbeam who waded into a nearby stream, dug into the stew with the ferocity of the wargs. Pippin and Shade tied for eating the most; four bowls each. When Legolas asked Shade how she could eat so much she winked at him and told him that she had to maintain her girlish figure, and the of course fell back asleep against the tree.
"Well let us all get some rest." Aragorn said starting to roll out his bedroll. Who'll take first watch?"
Gandalf merely shrugged and got up and began to get out his bedroll as well. "I think we are all safe here, as safe as one can be in these dark times."
Shade, who had not really been asleep, but merely 'resting' her eyes, opened one eye and said, "Good, because I'm exhausted and if I had a watch tonight, I'd let the Orcs eat you." She got up and walked over to her pack, she got out her bedroll. The group was not sure if she was joking or not. Shade seemed to hesitate before drawing out the helm Saruman had hit her with.
Boromir got up also and stretched, then like everyone else he too got out his bedroll. "Quickbeam, how are you going to sleep?"
"Standing up, of course. I don't understand how you people sleep laying down."
Shade puffed, "Ents!" She said exasperatedly.
**Later that Night.**
Shade sat up, she had been asleep, and was having a very pleasant dream, there had been food in it. But something had woken her up. She flipped off her cover and sat up, glancing around and saw the helm. Strange, she thought, Something is whispering to me on the wind. She picked up the helm, tucked it under her arm and walked to the tree line. On the way she saw Pippin creeping around the camp. Probably looking for more food, Shade thought. Pippin looked up shocked.
"I never saw you, if you never saw me."
"Got it." Pippin nodded.
Then she continued to walk. When she was about a hundred yards into the woods, she stopped glanced around, and put on the helmet. She was plunged into blackness, thrown back into the reaches of her mind. Before her stood an old man, he seemed strangely familiar.
"Saruman, what a strange place to find you? Just in the neighborhood where you?"
He looked up, "Just passing through I assure you. But I wanted to give you something."
Shade winced and rubbed her head under the helmet, "I don't think I can handle anymore of you gifts, and what for? You're on His side."
Saruman sighed, "Most regrettable now that I look back on it, it appears Gandalf was, it pains me to say this, right. But don't tell him I said that!"
Shade shook her head, "Don't worry I know all about pride."
"Well any ways, if I can't redeem myself, I want to at lest help, the helmet you are wearing will protect you, as long as you are wearing it, from arrows and rocks and other things that are thrown through the air."
"I know all about them too. Too much if you ask me."
Saruman chuckled, "I had best be off, I cannot stay this way for long."
"Wait a second!" Shade growled stomping over, Saruman looked bewildered at this.
"Wait for what?"
"This of course!" Shade threw her arms around him in a great hug. Saruman stuttered, no one had ever hugged the great Saruman. He was at a total loss at what to do. "I know what you have been through, I have walked in the darkness. I saved my Boromir from a madness that almost consumed him. There are some things, Saruman, that I can never forgive you for. But I think that you where scared, you where cornered, and were not sure what to do. So you reacted, in the best way that you saw fit. Saruman I know your fear, you are afraid of indecision. Goodbye, and God help you." Saruman disappeared.
"Lass! Are you all right?" Quickbeam was bending over her, looking concerned.
"I am now." Shade whispered at the stars, she had somehow managed to fall on her back. "But why the hell am I so cold?" She sat up and rubbed her arms.
"I don't know, I think you passed out."
"I must have."
Quickbeam started to ask 'What were you doing?' but only got out, "What-" because he was cut off bye a cry from camp. The cry was piercing. The guards leapt down from the banks. All the camp was soon astir. Shade jumped to her feet and started to run to the camp, as did Quickbeam.
"Pippin!" Shade yelled as she reached the camp, Gandalf was kneeling next to him.
"Ah, Shade come here I need your help with this." Gandalf said looking up. "We have a small problem."
Shade knelt down beside him and rested her hand on Pippins head. "Hes' cold! Hes' must have fallen into shadow. Give me a moment and I'll try and call him back, we still have a small mind link." She closed her eyes and concentrated, suddenly the hobbit gave a shudder and cried out, "It is not for you, Saruman!" He began to shrink away from Shade and Gandalf, he struggled to get up and escape. "I will send for it at once. Do you understand? Say just that!" But they both held him gently, but firmly in place.
"Pergegrin Took!" Gandalf said. "Come back!"
The hobbit fell back and reaching out grabbed Shade hand and squeezed as if to make sure she was real. "Forgive me! I think I've done something terrible, please forgive me! I didn't mean to!"
"Forgive you?" Gandalf asked, "First tell me what you have done."
"I took the ball and looked at it." Stammered Pippin, "And I saw things that frightened me."
"What did you see Pippin?" Shade asked. "Don't be frightened the nightmare is over, we are here, you can speak. We cannot ease the pain unless you do." Gandalf nodded his agreement.
Pippin shut his eyes and shivered, "It was horrible. I saw a dark sky and tall battlements, and tiny stars that seemed to strain to be seen. Then the stars went in and out they were cut off by....by things with wings. I think they were very big, but in the glass they looked like mouths flying around a light, just circling. I thought there where nine of them. One of them began to fly straight towards me, getting bigger and bigger. It had horrible-no, no! I can't say." H squeezed Shade's hand a little harder. "I tried to get away because I thought it might fly out of the ball; but when it had covered all of the globe it disappeared. Then He came. He did not speak in words, he just looked and I understood. 'So you have come back? Why have you neglected to report for so long?' I didn't answer. He said: 'Who are you?' I still didn't answer, but it hurt me, and he pressed me so I said: 'A Hobbit." Then he suddenly seemed to see me, and he laughed at me. I hurt like being stabbed with knives. I struggled. But he said: "Wait a moment, we shall meet again soon. Tell Saruman that this is not for him. I will send for it at once. Do you understand? Say just that! Then he gloated over me. It felt like I was falling to pieces. No, no! I can't say anymore. I don't remember anything else."
"Look at me!" Gandalf said.
Pippin looked straight into his eyes. The wizard held his gaze for a moment in silence. Then his face grew gentler and a shadow of a smile appeared. "All right!" He said. "Say no more. You are not lying, as I had feared. But he did not speak long with you. A fool but and honest fool you remain, Peregrin Took. He did not want information only. He wanted you, and quickly so he could take the information out of you in the Dark Tower."
"Don't shudder Pippin." Shade said gently. "If you are going to meddle in the affairs of wizards you must learn to be prepared for such things."
"But come, we forgive you. Be comforted things have not turned out as evilly as they might." He lifted Pippin and carried him to his bed, Shade had to walk beside his because Pippin had not yet let go of her hand. "Lie down and rest! If you feel an itch in your palms again tell me of it. Such things can be cured, but anyway, don't put a lump of rock under my elbow again! Now get some sleep!" And he walked off.
Shade snickered and looked down at him, "So that's what you where doing. Well don't you worry it'll be all right you'll see,"
Pippin yawned slightly. "Will you stay here for awhile, please Shade. I know it sounds childish but I'm afraid of the dark this night."
"Don't worry Pippin I'll stay here with you." Shade said.
And she did.
A/N: I'm sorry it took so long! REVIEW, and I know it's not my best chapter.
Disclaimer: ENOUGH! I AM GANDALF AND GANDALF MEANS ME!!
A/N: I'm sorry its taken so long!! Hey I got tickets to see the Two Towers (For the 3rd time!)!! Bought um' off of Fandango (Fanghorn). I'm so smart, I think ahead.
Chapter 13, Thief?!?
Shade, Boromir, Quickbeam, Merry, Pippin, and the rest sat around the campfire. Everyone was in different stages of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, but everyone was hungry. They, meaning Legolas, had caught five rabbits, which Merry was cooking into stew. Aragorn had gone and foraged greens for them to eat, which were also in the stew Shade was sitting next to Boromir with her legs spread out in front of her and leaning back in contempt against a tree.
"So Quickbeam what do you going to do?" Shade asked sleepily, "there are no Ents in the representatives, are you going to fill that gap?"
Quickbeam looked at the girl strangely, "I hadn't given it much thought, would you want me to come along?"
"Sure, sure." Shade gave a loud yawn and her head slide onto Boromir's shoulder. "That would be great, we'd love to have you aboard on our mission. Welcome to the team." And with that she fell asleep.
Gandalf sighed and shook his head. "We would be honored to have you accompany us master Quickbeam, I'm sorry for our companies, haste."
Gimli looked up from skinning one of the rabbits, and chuckled. "And you expected her not to, I think that helmet knocked sense out of her head, rather than into it."
Once again Gandalf shook his head, "How we ever came across her is still a mystery."
Boromir looked down at her, and smooth some of the hair off of her face "And a blessing."
Gimli snorted, "For you maybe."
Legolas just laughed the way only an elf could. Pippin smiled, "If she wasn't so tall I'd say she'd make a fine hobbit, she could even make a Took. Maybe she is a hobbit." Pippin's eyes gleamed with excitement, "Just a tall one!"
"I should hope not!" Gimli gasped, "Two small ones are already driving me insane, I can only dread what one tall one could do!"
"Come on Gimli you know we are growing on you."
"Hobbits! Honestly Gandalf how you put up with them for so long is beyond me!"
Gandalf sighed, "Some hobbits are worse than others." He said casting a meaningful look at Pippin. Pippin just put on an innocent look of curiosity, and glanced around him as if he expected some evil, dark hobbit to jump out of the tree line and start causing mischief.
It was a little while before the stew was done and everyone, with the exception of Quickbeam who waded into a nearby stream, dug into the stew with the ferocity of the wargs. Pippin and Shade tied for eating the most; four bowls each. When Legolas asked Shade how she could eat so much she winked at him and told him that she had to maintain her girlish figure, and the of course fell back asleep against the tree.
"Well let us all get some rest." Aragorn said starting to roll out his bedroll. Who'll take first watch?"
Gandalf merely shrugged and got up and began to get out his bedroll as well. "I think we are all safe here, as safe as one can be in these dark times."
Shade, who had not really been asleep, but merely 'resting' her eyes, opened one eye and said, "Good, because I'm exhausted and if I had a watch tonight, I'd let the Orcs eat you." She got up and walked over to her pack, she got out her bedroll. The group was not sure if she was joking or not. Shade seemed to hesitate before drawing out the helm Saruman had hit her with.
Boromir got up also and stretched, then like everyone else he too got out his bedroll. "Quickbeam, how are you going to sleep?"
"Standing up, of course. I don't understand how you people sleep laying down."
Shade puffed, "Ents!" She said exasperatedly.
**Later that Night.**
Shade sat up, she had been asleep, and was having a very pleasant dream, there had been food in it. But something had woken her up. She flipped off her cover and sat up, glancing around and saw the helm. Strange, she thought, Something is whispering to me on the wind. She picked up the helm, tucked it under her arm and walked to the tree line. On the way she saw Pippin creeping around the camp. Probably looking for more food, Shade thought. Pippin looked up shocked.
"I never saw you, if you never saw me."
"Got it." Pippin nodded.
Then she continued to walk. When she was about a hundred yards into the woods, she stopped glanced around, and put on the helmet. She was plunged into blackness, thrown back into the reaches of her mind. Before her stood an old man, he seemed strangely familiar.
"Saruman, what a strange place to find you? Just in the neighborhood where you?"
He looked up, "Just passing through I assure you. But I wanted to give you something."
Shade winced and rubbed her head under the helmet, "I don't think I can handle anymore of you gifts, and what for? You're on His side."
Saruman sighed, "Most regrettable now that I look back on it, it appears Gandalf was, it pains me to say this, right. But don't tell him I said that!"
Shade shook her head, "Don't worry I know all about pride."
"Well any ways, if I can't redeem myself, I want to at lest help, the helmet you are wearing will protect you, as long as you are wearing it, from arrows and rocks and other things that are thrown through the air."
"I know all about them too. Too much if you ask me."
Saruman chuckled, "I had best be off, I cannot stay this way for long."
"Wait a second!" Shade growled stomping over, Saruman looked bewildered at this.
"Wait for what?"
"This of course!" Shade threw her arms around him in a great hug. Saruman stuttered, no one had ever hugged the great Saruman. He was at a total loss at what to do. "I know what you have been through, I have walked in the darkness. I saved my Boromir from a madness that almost consumed him. There are some things, Saruman, that I can never forgive you for. But I think that you where scared, you where cornered, and were not sure what to do. So you reacted, in the best way that you saw fit. Saruman I know your fear, you are afraid of indecision. Goodbye, and God help you." Saruman disappeared.
"Lass! Are you all right?" Quickbeam was bending over her, looking concerned.
"I am now." Shade whispered at the stars, she had somehow managed to fall on her back. "But why the hell am I so cold?" She sat up and rubbed her arms.
"I don't know, I think you passed out."
"I must have."
Quickbeam started to ask 'What were you doing?' but only got out, "What-" because he was cut off bye a cry from camp. The cry was piercing. The guards leapt down from the banks. All the camp was soon astir. Shade jumped to her feet and started to run to the camp, as did Quickbeam.
"Pippin!" Shade yelled as she reached the camp, Gandalf was kneeling next to him.
"Ah, Shade come here I need your help with this." Gandalf said looking up. "We have a small problem."
Shade knelt down beside him and rested her hand on Pippins head. "Hes' cold! Hes' must have fallen into shadow. Give me a moment and I'll try and call him back, we still have a small mind link." She closed her eyes and concentrated, suddenly the hobbit gave a shudder and cried out, "It is not for you, Saruman!" He began to shrink away from Shade and Gandalf, he struggled to get up and escape. "I will send for it at once. Do you understand? Say just that!" But they both held him gently, but firmly in place.
"Pergegrin Took!" Gandalf said. "Come back!"
The hobbit fell back and reaching out grabbed Shade hand and squeezed as if to make sure she was real. "Forgive me! I think I've done something terrible, please forgive me! I didn't mean to!"
"Forgive you?" Gandalf asked, "First tell me what you have done."
"I took the ball and looked at it." Stammered Pippin, "And I saw things that frightened me."
"What did you see Pippin?" Shade asked. "Don't be frightened the nightmare is over, we are here, you can speak. We cannot ease the pain unless you do." Gandalf nodded his agreement.
Pippin shut his eyes and shivered, "It was horrible. I saw a dark sky and tall battlements, and tiny stars that seemed to strain to be seen. Then the stars went in and out they were cut off by....by things with wings. I think they were very big, but in the glass they looked like mouths flying around a light, just circling. I thought there where nine of them. One of them began to fly straight towards me, getting bigger and bigger. It had horrible-no, no! I can't say." H squeezed Shade's hand a little harder. "I tried to get away because I thought it might fly out of the ball; but when it had covered all of the globe it disappeared. Then He came. He did not speak in words, he just looked and I understood. 'So you have come back? Why have you neglected to report for so long?' I didn't answer. He said: 'Who are you?' I still didn't answer, but it hurt me, and he pressed me so I said: 'A Hobbit." Then he suddenly seemed to see me, and he laughed at me. I hurt like being stabbed with knives. I struggled. But he said: "Wait a moment, we shall meet again soon. Tell Saruman that this is not for him. I will send for it at once. Do you understand? Say just that! Then he gloated over me. It felt like I was falling to pieces. No, no! I can't say anymore. I don't remember anything else."
"Look at me!" Gandalf said.
Pippin looked straight into his eyes. The wizard held his gaze for a moment in silence. Then his face grew gentler and a shadow of a smile appeared. "All right!" He said. "Say no more. You are not lying, as I had feared. But he did not speak long with you. A fool but and honest fool you remain, Peregrin Took. He did not want information only. He wanted you, and quickly so he could take the information out of you in the Dark Tower."
"Don't shudder Pippin." Shade said gently. "If you are going to meddle in the affairs of wizards you must learn to be prepared for such things."
"But come, we forgive you. Be comforted things have not turned out as evilly as they might." He lifted Pippin and carried him to his bed, Shade had to walk beside his because Pippin had not yet let go of her hand. "Lie down and rest! If you feel an itch in your palms again tell me of it. Such things can be cured, but anyway, don't put a lump of rock under my elbow again! Now get some sleep!" And he walked off.
Shade snickered and looked down at him, "So that's what you where doing. Well don't you worry it'll be all right you'll see,"
Pippin yawned slightly. "Will you stay here for awhile, please Shade. I know it sounds childish but I'm afraid of the dark this night."
"Don't worry Pippin I'll stay here with you." Shade said.
And she did.
A/N: I'm sorry it took so long! REVIEW, and I know it's not my best chapter.