Title: The Promise of Farewell
Authoress: ChibiTari
Rating: PG/ PG-13
Warnings: Action, OC, humor and hinted romance!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings trilogy, though I wish I did.
Azalynne Driftwood is mine, however, and if you so wish to borrow her then you must ask. Kai belongs to KuriQuinn, Nevorata to my friend Ginny and Lith is owned by Iz. Steph's character, Myranore, is in this as well.
Summary: Azalynne Driftwood decided to protect Frodo with her life but when things become hard, can she keep this promise?
In this chapter I basically took the amount of time from the book. Frodo is waiting for Gandalf for seventeen years. Originally I wanted to make it about three days to fit it with the movie but I decided against it. If you think that would be better please tell me in your review!
Enjoy the fic.
Chapter Two (2): Many a Night No Longer
Aza heard the older Halflings voice in the distance, her ears perking up slightly as she heard his singing getting farther and farther away.
He has gone then, she thought to herself.
She considered telling Frodo before they reached the round green door but it was too late, the blue eyed Hobbit ran in already, calling out for his uncle in a bothered voice. Fear also dripped into his tone as he knew there would be no answer from the man he searched for.
Aza made her way in, slinking past him quietly, hardly noticed by the Wizard who she saw sitting in front of the fireplace, his head nearly hitting the roof above them. She crouched down at his feet, resting her head on his lap. He patted her hair affectionately, showing her he knew she was there but yet he was still dazed.
"Gandalf, Myni bethem ilyra sina gwael [6]?" Aza asked gazing into the fire as the flames danced together. She seemed to fear the small blaze, though, as she backed a little ways behind Gandalf but yet still kept her head on his lap.
"A precious... Precious," he mumbled, not hearing the question asked. Frodo bent down, still standing in the doorway. The female looked up watching him with curious eyes as he inspected something on the floor. He picked the small object up and made his way over to Gandalf with careful steps.
"He's gone, hasn't he?" He asked eyeing the Wizard. Frodo walked around him to try and get noticed but Gandalf still didn't move his head to look at him. He opened the palm of his hand revealing a small golden ring; he lifted his hand to the Wizard's face to show him the found article.
The old man gave a weary smile as he saw the ring in Frodo's hand. "Ah, Bilbo's ring," He muttered, staring.
"Where is he, Gandalf?" Aza demanded, lifting her gaze from the fire to meet his.
"He's gone to stay with the Elves," The white haired man informed, his grayish eyes clouding a little.
Something is definitely the matter, Aza thought, something is very wrong here, but what?
Gandalf turned to face Frodo, lifting a small white envelope off the mantle piece and holding it out to the Hobbit.
"He's left you Bag End, along with all his possessions. The ring is now yours." Gandalf informed, sealing the envelope with the ring in it. He then handed it back to Frodo and in a low whisper he said, "Put it somewhere out of sight."
"What is going on, Wizard? Tell me, what must I do to help?" The Elf child asked, jumping up from her seat on the ground.
"You can do nothing now, Azalynne, but wait for me here." The Wizard told her, he smiled seeing the hurt expression on her face, "Please, wait here. I shall send Ffion along if I need your help."
"She's here [7]? How could I not sense her then?" Azalynne muttered, shocked at the realization.
"Where are you going?" Came the sudden question as Frodo followed Aza through the small archway to the door.
"There are some things I must see to." Gandalf announced.
"What things?" The other two asked in unison. The Wizard just grabbed his staff and hat and gave a nod before rushing out the door.
"Questions, questions that need answering." He stated, taking in a breath of air.
"You've only just arrived, I do not understand!" Frodo persisted, trying to make sense of it all. His head was spinning as the unasked questions flew around in his mind. He wanted all the answers but Gandalf wasn't providing any.
"Neither do I." The Wizard murmured, resting a hand on the Halflings shoulder. His gaze came across the envelope in the small one's hands. "Keep it secret, keep it safe." He added before turning and, in hurried steps, he hustled down to his awaiting horse.
"What does go on in this weary time?" The elder Brunette asked, her hair rustling in the wind. "What must we do to find peace in our Age of hatred?"
"I have so many questions, Azalynne, that need the answers."
"Well, Hobbit, your head doesn't yet look ready to explode so I think we'll be fine for now. Come; let us take rest for the night. I have a feeling that tells me we're going to be in it good when we awake tomorrow."
"In what?"
"Whatever is going on. Drat it all, I knew I should have stayed home with my sisters! Stupid addictive fireworks display!"
*
Seventeen years had past and the Wizard still had not returned. Now, in the year 3018 of the third Age, Azalynne had found herself a permanent home with her Hobbit friend and had grown to love the Shire. Though every morning was spent awaiting the old mans arrival back, nothing ever came. Soon they gave up trying to determine when he would come back and just went on with life as it usually was, slow and simple, not something Aza particularly enjoyed.
One evening, however, the 'simple life' was disturbed by a sudden rustling of leaves just outside the window of the small home. Frodo had stepped out, going for a round or two at the 'Green Dragon Inn' with Sam, Merry and Pippin. Azalynne agreed to stay behind and watch things at home for there had been some foxes the day before, digging up the garden.
"What shall I do with the little time I have left, then?" Aza mused, poking through drawers and shuffling through different papers. Something caught her attention in a mad clutter of old maps and things. She lifted it to the light, seeing the Red Dragon in the corner of the well made chart. The writing was unknown to her but she was sure she recognized it.
"Where have I seen you before?" She asked, knowing full well the map wouldn't answer. "Well, he has no need of it." She tore the map from its wooden bindings and folded it into her shirt.
As soon as she was done she heard a noise from outside the door. Leaves began to rustle and the window began to shake. The Elf drew the small dagger she carried, holding it in front of her for protection incase it was needed.
"Whose there?" She called out, fearing the worse was to come.
"Azalynne, is that you?"
Aza sighed in relief, giving a small chuckle as she remembered the voice. She made her way over to the window, helping the man inside the small home.
"Why didn't you use the front door, you hoof, it would have saved you all the trouble of hurting your back!" She scolded, pulling the man in under the arms.
"I didn't think anyone was at home! There was no fire go- Never mind, I see now." He added, seeing the look Aza presented to him. He had almost forgotten she was a Sea Elf, a race that cannot go to close to fire for if they burn, even in the slightest, they could die in a puff of smoke.
"Well, I'm glad you have returned Gandalf! You have been gone for so long that Frodo and I had given up hope! We thought you just left us here without word or any sort of sign!"
The brunette held on tightly around his waist, hugging him for all it was worth. She had not grown in the past years she spent in the Shire, nor did her appearance change in the least.
"Azalynne, I am glad to see you again as well." Gandalf smiled, patting her on the head.
"Were all your questions answered then?" She asked; her voice muffled against his robe.
"Indeed they were. Now, where is Frodo? I need to speak with him!"
"He went down to have an ale or two with Sam and the others, why? Must you hurry on with all of this, you've only just arrived!?"
"I must, something has to be taken care of and I need Frodo to do it for me!"
Aza sighed, giving up on the argument sure to occur. Just as she was about to stand and ready herself to run down to the Inn and fetch Frodo, the Halfling stepped through the door.
He saw the open window and the papers that had fallen to the floor because of the breeze. He took a few steps into his home, careful not to make any noise. He rounded the corner, searching the room for any other signs of life but he found none. Just as he was about to turn around he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder.
He gave a small yelp, turning to face the intruder.
"Is it secret? Is it safe?" Came the question so rapidly that Frodo had no time to think it over before he was pulled in the direction of the old wooden trunk he used for the storage of things.
Frodo searched around in the small chest, pushing things to the side to try and retrieve the forgotten item. "Ah" he smiled, holding it up to the light.
Aza had started a fire to warm there house guest though she tried to step away whenever sparks flew.
"This is definitely not going to be my day job!" She scowled, poking the fire until it became a little warmer.
Gandalf grabbed the ring from Frodo's hand, tossing it into the pre-made fire. The Wizard watched as the envelope began to burn, leaving only the golden ring engulfed in the flames.
"What are you doing?" The Hobbit cried, watching as the paper shriveled up.
Gandalf reached into the fire with the small brass tongs place beside the fire place in a stand the same colour. Once lifted from the household blaze he gently held it in the air and turned to Frodo who had a look of astonishment and disbelief on his face.
For one thing, the man had just arrived after seventeen years of no notice and worry on his part and now he threw his ring into the fire just because it was something he wanted to do!
"Hold your hand out, Frodo. It's quite cool." The Wizard insisted, bringing the golden entry up to Frodo's hand height. Once the ring was placed in the Halflings hand another question was asked of him, "What can you see? Can you see anything?"
Frodo turned the ring around this way and that, examining it closely for anything unusual but he found not anything out of place, no markings, scratches or any sort of other damage that could have been inflicted on the small object he now held.
Gandalf sighed, thanking the High Heavens that nothing could be seen and that what he thought was very wrong.
"Gandalf, old friend, what is all this you ask? Why must we rush into such things so fast when you've only just come back to us?" Azalynne asked, making herself known to the others once again. She had made very little noise throughout this small burst and need of information. Her head was spinning before but now it was as if her mind were pushing against all odds to escape the protection of her head.
"Wait," Frodo then said, causing the other two to turn to him in wonderment. "There are markings. It's some form of Elvish. I can't read it." He turned the ring around in his fingers, trying to translate some of the characters but his head was already to sore.
"There are few who can," Gandalf explained, "The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here."
"Mordor!?" Azalynne cried, astonished at the information. "Is this what you sent out to find? Where the One Ring just happened to disappear to!? You knew, Wizard, that this was that same ring, didn't you? Why did you not say? It is a danger, make no mistake and yet you do not tell him what troubles lie within it! Tell him what it means and lay those troubles down for him like a master does milk for his cat!" Aza boomed, not even trying to hide her temper below the calm and playful surface she usually showed to others.
"In the common tongue, it says 'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them. One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." Gandalf muttered, looking away from the foul object in Frodo's hands.
Gandalf looked tired as he sat down in the small kitchen, taking the seat closest him before he fell in fatigue.
"What does she speak of Gandalf? What does Aza mean when she says that this ring is a danger? Why is it so?" The Hobbit asked, fixing himself a pot of tea, pouring an extra cup for the aging man.
"You see Frodo; this is the One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord, Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom, taken by Isildur from the hand of Sauron himself." Aza clarified, seating herself across from the frightened young man as he sat, hands shaking, in the chair beside the kettle.
"Bilbo found it. In Gollum's cave." He stuttered, staring at the One Ring, lost in his own thoughts of Bilbo's tales.
"Yes," Gandalf began, beginning the story of how that came to pass, "For sixty years the Ring lay quiet, in Bilbo's keeping, prolonging his life, delaying old age. But no longer, Frodo. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. It's heard its master's call."
Azalynne gave a snort from her place, shaking her head as her bad mood subsided.
"How is it possible then, that the Ring know?" She wondered lapping at her drink the way dog does his water, though it was hardly noticeable.
"Aza's right, he was destroyed, Sauron was destroyed!" Frodo reasoned, finishing his cup of tea.
"No Frodo, the spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring and the Ring survived. Sauron has returned." As Gandalf said this a gasp was heard. Aza dropped her mug on the floor in shock.
"How do we stop him? Surely there must be a way!" She tried, looking not in the least hopeful. Gandalf shook his head as if to say they should give up before they've even started.
"His Orcs have multiplied; his fortress of Barad-dûr is rebuilt in the land of Mordor." The Wizard stated, looking between the two as their faces paled and hearts began to race.
"Sauron needs only this Ring to cover all the lands in a second darkness." Aza only just got out, her voice strained as she looked around the room.
"Yes, he is seeking it. Seeking it, all his thoughts are bent on it. The Ring yearns above all else to return to the hand of its master. They are one, the Ring and the Dark Lord. Frodo- he must never find it." Gandalf warned his voice turning deadly as he leaned in to whisper the statement to the terrified little Hobbit.
Frodo then leapt up, grabbing the ring off the table and rushing out through the archway to the main room.
"All right. We put it away. We keep it hidden. We never speak of it again." He declared, whipping around in a full circle to try and find a good place to veil it. "No one knows it's here, do they?"
Gandalf said nothing but his face told them everything. Someone did know and that someone had told.
"Oh no. This cannot be." The Elfling breathed, looking up at the man standing beside her.
"Do they Gandalf?" Frodo asked, turning to meet the Wizards gaze.
"There is one other who knew Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum but the enemy found him first." Gandalf said in an almost guilty tone of voice. "I don't know how long they tortured him for but amidst the endless screams and inane babble they discerned two words; SHIRE BAGGINS!"
Aza could hear the poor creature's voice ringing in her head; she could see the images of the horrid, damp, dark place he was taken to, the many means they had used to get that small piece of information.
"Shire? Baggins?! But that would lead them here!"
Gandalf nodded his head, his eyes filled with sorrow as Aza took hold of one of his hands, hers barely able to fill it.
"Take it Gandalf! Take it!" Frodo cried, desperately flinging the Ring in the air, sticking it in front of the grey haired man standing in the archway. Gandalf backed away slightly, removing his hand from Azalynnes as he did so.
"No Frodo," He said, fear dripping in his words.
"You must take it!" The smaller brunette begged his voice urgent.
"You cannot offer me this Ring!" Gandalf said his voice firm yet still holding hints of fear behind it.
"I'm giving it to you!"
"DON'T tempt me, Frodo!" He bellowed, glaring down hard at the small man facing him. Frodo lowered his hand, sensing the mans disgruntled feelings towards the small piece of jewelry.
"I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand, Frodo, I would use this ring from a desire to do good. But through me it would wield a power to great and terrible to imagine." The man elucidated.
"But it cannot stay in the Shire!" Frodo persisted, thinking hard about where he might keep it.
"No- no it can't." Aza agreed, looking over to her friend. She saw the look that crossed his face; determination. She gave a half hearted smile, knowing that he would be capable of following through on such a task. That he was the one for this great burden.
"What must I do?" He asked, voice becoming light as he closed his hand over the Dark Lords desired Ring.
Soon he was packing, throwing things needed into a small bag, readying himself for the long journey ahead of him. Aza rushed back and forth, helping him gather the few things necessary for the trip. She also changed out of what she wore and back into her original clothing, the outfit she wore when she first arrived in Hobbiton twenty years prior to that evening.
"You must leave and leave quickly," Gandalf informed as the other tow rushed about.
"We figured that out!" Aza mumbled as she pulled on one of her boots. Frodo gave a chuckle at Aza's statement.
"Where? Where do I go?" The blue eyed Hobbit asked, shoving some more food into a small bag.
"Get out of the Shire. Make for the village of Bree." Gandalf turned to Aza as he said this, telling her that she must head in that direction if she wish to keep Frodo out of harms way.
"Bree, right, what about you, then?" She asked, fastening her belt and grabbing her small dagger.
"I'll be waiting for you, at the Inn of the Prancing Pony."
"And the Ring will be safe there?" Frodo questioned, putting the said item into his breast pocket.
"I don't know Frodo, I don't have any answers. I must see the head of my order. He is both wise and powerful. Trust me Frodo; he will know what to do. You will have to leave the name Baggins behind you, for that name is not safe outside the Shire. Travel only by day and stay off the road."
The Elf came into view once again, looking ready for an adventure for she had been without for quite some time.
"I can cut across country easily enough." Frodo announced, grabbing a walking stick from the far corner near the door.
"My dear Frodo, Hobbits really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month and yet after a hundred years, they can still surprise you!" The Wizard chuckled, looking down at the small being.
Suddenly a noise was heard from outside the window, the leaves began to rustle in one of the bushes just below the flower box.
"It's probably just one of the foxes that have been-" Aza began but was silenced as Gandalf raised one of his hands.
"Get down!" He said, crouching low before the window. He grabbed his staff and pointed it out the window. He forced it down upon something and a 'thunk' could be heard from the front garden. Gandalf pulled whatever was outside in and threw it on the table. It turned out to be a male Hobbit.
"Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?" The aged man bellowed down at the small creature as the Halfling tried to blend into the wooden table.
"Oh my, Sam!" Aza laughed, trying to control herself but it was far too late, she had gone into a fit of mad giggles.
"I haven't been dropping no eaves, sir, honest! I was just cutting the grass under the window there, if you'll follow me!" Sam said, raising his hands in front of him in self defense.
"A little late for trimming the verge, don't you think?" The female brunette put in, raising an eyebrow at the plump little Hobbit.
"I heard raised voices-" The little one tried
"What did you hear? SPEAK!" Gandalf roared, shoving Sam further into the wood of the table.
"N-n-nothing important. That is, I heard a good deal about a ring, a Dark Lord and something about the end of the world, but, please Mr. Gandalf, sir, don't 'urt me. Don't turn me into anything- unnatural." The blond stammered, his eyes pleading.
"No- perhaps not. I've thought of a better use for you." Gandalf looked up at Aza who could only shrug in return.
For some odd reason, I wish not to be Sam at this moment in time, Aza thought to herself.
*
So they set off, Gandalf prepared his horse and Sam collected a few things of his own and they were to leave before daybreak. Azalynne scurried along beside her old friend, telling him about her days in the Shire and how she should miss them.
"Come along, Samwise, keep up." Gandalf called over his shoulder when he felt that the small Hobbit wasn't keeping up enough.
"Be careful both of you. The enemy has many spies in his service; Birds, beasts... Aza cannot keep them all at bay while you run. Her gift isn't that strong."
"Gift?" Sam wondered, for he had heard of no gift she possessed.
"Ay, Sam, I have a way with animals like no other. They speak to me. My ring increases this power as well, making it stronger." The Elfling enlightened, holding up her hand to show a small silver ring with a blue stone in the centre of the band. Around the band were well crafted leaves leading up to the blue jewel.
"You possess a ring as well, then?" Frodo asked. In all the time he had known her she had never shown him that ring or bothered to tell him about it.
"Ay, I shall save the story for another day, however, for we must be off."
"Is it safe?" Gandalf inquired, looking down at Frodo. He watched as the Halfling patted his pocket, indicating that it was well enough away from harm.
"Never put it on for the agent of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power. Always remember, Frodo, the Ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found." Frodo nodded and smiled sadly, knowing that it would be some time before he saw his home again.
"Azalynne," Gandalf turned to look at the Elf child as she whirled around to face him, stepping a few paces back from her head start on things. "Let the stray dagger fly."
"What?" Aza never got her answer, though, as Gandalf road off, leaving the three to their journey to Bree.
They traveled over hill of rock, through streams and crops and far off, close to the end of the Shire. The three companions had reached a corn field some ways out, westward, towards the village of Bree. Aza was in charge of getting them there safely and walked ahead of them, showing them which ways to turn in order for safe passage. Frodo followed closely behind but Sam lagged far behind them.
Sam stumbled out of a clutter of corn stalks, looking up and down on a word path through the field. He could not see the two ahead of him and turned to his instincts for help so he had gone right on the path.
Calling out he yelled for Frodo. "Mr. Frodo? Frodo! FRODO!?" The wanted Hobbit came into view as he and Aza rushed back to see their panicked friend. "I'd thought I'd lost you!" Sam sighed in relief.
"What are you talking about?" Aza asked, a heartfelt smile on her face as she watched Sam closely, making his way over beside Frodo.
"'Don't you lose him now, Samwise Gamgee', and I don't mean to."
"Sam," Frodo chuckled, "We're still in the Shire, what could possibly happen?"
His question was answered when two other beings came crashing into them as if they were on the run.
"This can't be good." Aza muttered, looking at the scene before her. Two other Hobbits, who she recognized to be Merry and Pippin, decided today for a 'Crop Raid' and had knock Sam and Frodo to the ground.
"Frodo!? Merry- It's Frodo Baggins!" Pippin smiled, telling his partner in crime who he just happened to knock over.
"Hello Frodo." The other greeted as he was pushed off Sam who, at the moment, was in a fit of rage. Aza could have sworn she heard someone else laughing but she thought nothing of it as Sam hauled Pip off his best friend.
"Get off of him!" The blond yelled, tossing the other aside and pulling the dark haired Hobbit to his feet. "Come on Frodo."
"What's the meaning of this?" Frodo asked his eyes wide as he saw the stolen food the other two were carrying.
"Now I REALLY don't have a good feeling about this!" The Elf maiden groaned, rubbing her temples and equipping her mind for the chase she was sure she had to tolerate.
"Hold these." Merry instructed, handing some carrots and cabbages to Sam. He turned back around, heading back into the crops.
"You've been into Farmer Maggots' crop!" Sam cried, stating the obvious.
A sudden yell came from behind the five as the stood, looking at the food in Sam's arms. Frodo was pulled into the field by Pippin who took off after his cousin. Aza followed, not wanting to stay and sort things out for the two mischievous rascals that had gotten themselves into this mess.
Sam was left, standing on his own with an armful of food that he did not lift yet knew he would get the blame for if found.
"Ooh!" He dropped the greens where he stood and ran after the four.
Farmer Maggot could be heard, yelling out threats such as; 'Oi! You get back here! Get out of my fields! You know what's going to happen to you when I catch up with you!?"
"I don't know why he's so upset. It's only a couple of carrots!" Merry rationalized, thinking it over in his mind.
"And some cabbages," added Pip. "And then those three bags of potatoes we lifted last week, and, and the mushrooms from the week before!"
"Oh joy; I'm being chased for something I didn't do because two Hobbits decided they were hungry! I find this an injustice!" Aza frowned, now ahead of the Hobbits. Her speed was still great; after all she was an Elf. Though quite small she did possess many things any normal Ear'quessir or Mith'quessir [8] had.
"Yes, Pippin," Merry cried, not hearing Aza's comment, "My point is, he's clearly overreacting!"
They came to a steep slope with no way down but to fall. Aza had managed to run down it for she had good balance and it seemed, to her, that someone was helping her down. Frodo, Marry and Pippin, though, were trying to keep their balance and almost succeeded had Sam not bumped into them.
The four small beings came crashing down and onto a dirt road, each piling onto the other.
"Ooh, that was close." Pippin breathed, his face just inches away from a pile of horse manure. On top of him he heard his cousin groan and then mumble out; "I think I've broken something-" Which was pretty much true. He lifted a carrot out from underneath himself which had split into two, well, almost; the piece was just barely hanging on.
The Elfin female was nowhere to be found, however, but soon came crashing out of a tree, landing on Merry and the broken carrot.
"I think I've broken something." She uttered, lifting that same carrot from beneath her, now in three parts. Shrugging she took a bite. "Tastes like a Meriadoc." She stated, flipping off the pile of Hobbits.
"Trust a Took and a Brandybuck-" Sam grunted, throwing Merry off of him.
"What?" Merry said in mock-hurt. "It was only a detour, a shortcut." He informed, looking triumphant, though for what, he was not sure.
"A shortcut to what?" Sam queried, giving him a skeptical look.
The unexpected cry of 'Mushrooms!' was heard as three of the four Hobbits jumbled to their feet and ran over to the place Pip crouched down by. They picked at a few, commenting on every one lifted as they shoved them into a small cloth bag.
"Where were you? I saw you go down before us yet you fell on Merry." Frodo asked, looking up at Aza.
"I got caught in that tree! It was as if someone lifted me into it yet there was no one! The wind is against me, friend, for I fear I have upset it in some way!" Azalynne explained the situation in a joking tone.
Frodo then hushed, looking down the road. It seemed someone was calling to him, he could feel a dark presence approaching. "I think we should get off the road." He said at first, looking over his friends.
The feeling became stronger and he felt the need to hide become more urgent.
"Get off the road! QUICK!" He cried out, scurrying under a large tree root. The others followed, filing in beside him, still examining the mushrooms they had collected. All sound stopped, however, when a horse came up to the place they were hiding.
Frodo looked through a gap between the root and the ground to see the hoof of a large black stallion. It was covered in some sort of slime, not pleasing to the eye at all.
A rider dismounted and kneeled over their alcove, it sounded like it was trying to pick up the smell of something. A feeling of nausea washed over the Ring bearer as the Rider in black came closer to him. He took the Ring out from his pocket and was preparing to put it on. He didn't know why but he couldn't control himself. The rider sniffed as if it had sensed something.
Sam, noticing Frodo do this, leaned over Pippin and hit his friends shoulder. Frodo immediately woke from his hazy dream and grabbed the Ring away from his other finger. The rider turned away from him, confused and bothered by it. Merry then threw the bag of mushrooms off into the distance, distracting the rider for a moment and sending him over that way.
Once gone the five companions hurried off, stumbling as they went in the other direction, away from this strange beast.
"What was that!?" Merry asked, breathless from the run he had to go through just now.
There was no answer; instead the blue eyed Hobbit examined the Ring in the palm of his hand, trying without success to understand what just happened.
*
"Anything?" One of the four Hobbits whispered to another. They had reached the end of the wood, troubled that they may yet have to see those terrible creatures. It was now dark and the four were still on the run, trying to get to where they wanted to go.
"Nothing!" Another said, ducking behind a tree for protection, staying out of sight.
"What's going on?" Pippin breathed, marching over to where Frodo and Merry lay, stomach down on the ground.
"That rider in black was looking for something or someone... Frodo?" Merry turned to face his kin, seeing only despair in his eyes, a lost expression on his face.
"Get down!" Pippin said in a strained whisper. Sam was now with them but Aza was still behind, her bow ready for anything to come their way.
"I have to leave the Shire," Frodo said sadly, "Sam, Aza and I must get to Bree."
"Right, Bucklebury Ferry! Follow me!" Merry made a run for it, jumping out of his hiding spot and into the open.
A dark rider spotted the Hobbits on the run and went after them, crashing through the trees. Sam and Merry distracted it one way while Pippin made a run for it. Soon the other two were off as well but Frodo was still trapped between tree and Dark Rider.
Aza came up behind him, grabbing the Ring bearer and putting him in her back, she would be much faster in getting him to the ferry but she still had no way out!
She looked up and saw a stray dagger fly her way. She was about to stop it when she remember Gandalf's words and let it fly on its path. It sunk into the Dark Riders left arm, causing it to fall off of its horse in pain. Aza then made a jump for it, leaping over the horse and running as fast as she possibly could to the Ferry.
She was perused, however, and a Dark Rider kept right behind her.
"Run Aza! Go! Hurry! Come on! Faster! Jump! JUMP!" She heard the Hobbits cry to her as she jumped onto the Ferry, narrowly missing a capture.
"How far to the nearest crossing?" Frodo asked, still rattled from the chase.
"The Brandywine Bridge. Twenty miles." Merry informed as he paddled his way down stream.
"Get us there, Hobbit, or your head will be at steak!" Aza warned, clutching her stomach. "Things will be much harder now that we have some new friends along, Frodo, we must stay out of sight as best we can and make sure to get the Ring to wherever Gandalf tells us to, before we make our death beds because of those Dark Riders."
Aza was right, they needed to find Gandalf, but could they be the ones to return the Ring to where it should go?
YEAH! ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE! MAN, THIS ONE WAS LONGER THAN THE FIRST BY FIVE PAGES! EGAD! REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! A LOT OF THE ACTION WILL BE IN THE NEXT TWO CHAPTERS SO CONTINUE TO SEND GOOD OR BAD COMMENTS AND YOU WILL SEE!
Chapter One (1) + Chapter Two (2) will be posted together
Chapter Three (3) + Chapter (4) will be posted together
[6]- Myni bethem lyre sina gwael- Ralgonnian Elvish for 'What does all this mean?' I took the real Elvish words 'Mani (meaning 'what'), ilya (meaning 'all') and sina (meaning 'this')' I added bethem (I made this up for does) and the Welsh word 'gwael' for 'mean'. I jumbled up and added some letters to the Elvish words and, voila! New words one-O-one!
[7]- Ffion (pronounce fif-vi-on) - Aza's friend from Ralgonnia. A white wolf whose name means 'fair or white in Gaelic. Fionn mac Cumhail was a legendary Irish hero who became all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon. He fought against the giant Fomors with his son Oisin and grandson Oscar'. The name, Ffion, though is a Welsh feminine name derived from the name 'Fiona' which, in itself, is derived from the name 'Fionn'.
[8]- Mith'quessir- Elvish for 'Silver Elf' who also live in the area of Ralgonnia along with Moon Elves.
© Script for the dialogue that many will recognize from the motion picture 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'. The script is taken from the site following:
http://dreamwater.net/seatofkings/script_fotr_pics.html
I also found the dates (3018 [seventeen years after Bilbo leaves in 3001]) in the book 'A GUIDE TO TOLKIEN' by David Day, thanks to my mum who gave it to me on Christmas morning (this morning!)
HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR!
Quick summary for the next chapter:
Ch. 3: And so Fire Burns (Strider is met, Frodo is stabbed, Rivendell)
Authoress: ChibiTari
Rating: PG/ PG-13
Warnings: Action, OC, humor and hinted romance!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings trilogy, though I wish I did.
Azalynne Driftwood is mine, however, and if you so wish to borrow her then you must ask. Kai belongs to KuriQuinn, Nevorata to my friend Ginny and Lith is owned by Iz. Steph's character, Myranore, is in this as well.
Summary: Azalynne Driftwood decided to protect Frodo with her life but when things become hard, can she keep this promise?
In this chapter I basically took the amount of time from the book. Frodo is waiting for Gandalf for seventeen years. Originally I wanted to make it about three days to fit it with the movie but I decided against it. If you think that would be better please tell me in your review!
Enjoy the fic.
Chapter Two (2): Many a Night No Longer
Aza heard the older Halflings voice in the distance, her ears perking up slightly as she heard his singing getting farther and farther away.
He has gone then, she thought to herself.
She considered telling Frodo before they reached the round green door but it was too late, the blue eyed Hobbit ran in already, calling out for his uncle in a bothered voice. Fear also dripped into his tone as he knew there would be no answer from the man he searched for.
Aza made her way in, slinking past him quietly, hardly noticed by the Wizard who she saw sitting in front of the fireplace, his head nearly hitting the roof above them. She crouched down at his feet, resting her head on his lap. He patted her hair affectionately, showing her he knew she was there but yet he was still dazed.
"Gandalf, Myni bethem ilyra sina gwael [6]?" Aza asked gazing into the fire as the flames danced together. She seemed to fear the small blaze, though, as she backed a little ways behind Gandalf but yet still kept her head on his lap.
"A precious... Precious," he mumbled, not hearing the question asked. Frodo bent down, still standing in the doorway. The female looked up watching him with curious eyes as he inspected something on the floor. He picked the small object up and made his way over to Gandalf with careful steps.
"He's gone, hasn't he?" He asked eyeing the Wizard. Frodo walked around him to try and get noticed but Gandalf still didn't move his head to look at him. He opened the palm of his hand revealing a small golden ring; he lifted his hand to the Wizard's face to show him the found article.
The old man gave a weary smile as he saw the ring in Frodo's hand. "Ah, Bilbo's ring," He muttered, staring.
"Where is he, Gandalf?" Aza demanded, lifting her gaze from the fire to meet his.
"He's gone to stay with the Elves," The white haired man informed, his grayish eyes clouding a little.
Something is definitely the matter, Aza thought, something is very wrong here, but what?
Gandalf turned to face Frodo, lifting a small white envelope off the mantle piece and holding it out to the Hobbit.
"He's left you Bag End, along with all his possessions. The ring is now yours." Gandalf informed, sealing the envelope with the ring in it. He then handed it back to Frodo and in a low whisper he said, "Put it somewhere out of sight."
"What is going on, Wizard? Tell me, what must I do to help?" The Elf child asked, jumping up from her seat on the ground.
"You can do nothing now, Azalynne, but wait for me here." The Wizard told her, he smiled seeing the hurt expression on her face, "Please, wait here. I shall send Ffion along if I need your help."
"She's here [7]? How could I not sense her then?" Azalynne muttered, shocked at the realization.
"Where are you going?" Came the sudden question as Frodo followed Aza through the small archway to the door.
"There are some things I must see to." Gandalf announced.
"What things?" The other two asked in unison. The Wizard just grabbed his staff and hat and gave a nod before rushing out the door.
"Questions, questions that need answering." He stated, taking in a breath of air.
"You've only just arrived, I do not understand!" Frodo persisted, trying to make sense of it all. His head was spinning as the unasked questions flew around in his mind. He wanted all the answers but Gandalf wasn't providing any.
"Neither do I." The Wizard murmured, resting a hand on the Halflings shoulder. His gaze came across the envelope in the small one's hands. "Keep it secret, keep it safe." He added before turning and, in hurried steps, he hustled down to his awaiting horse.
"What does go on in this weary time?" The elder Brunette asked, her hair rustling in the wind. "What must we do to find peace in our Age of hatred?"
"I have so many questions, Azalynne, that need the answers."
"Well, Hobbit, your head doesn't yet look ready to explode so I think we'll be fine for now. Come; let us take rest for the night. I have a feeling that tells me we're going to be in it good when we awake tomorrow."
"In what?"
"Whatever is going on. Drat it all, I knew I should have stayed home with my sisters! Stupid addictive fireworks display!"
*
Seventeen years had past and the Wizard still had not returned. Now, in the year 3018 of the third Age, Azalynne had found herself a permanent home with her Hobbit friend and had grown to love the Shire. Though every morning was spent awaiting the old mans arrival back, nothing ever came. Soon they gave up trying to determine when he would come back and just went on with life as it usually was, slow and simple, not something Aza particularly enjoyed.
One evening, however, the 'simple life' was disturbed by a sudden rustling of leaves just outside the window of the small home. Frodo had stepped out, going for a round or two at the 'Green Dragon Inn' with Sam, Merry and Pippin. Azalynne agreed to stay behind and watch things at home for there had been some foxes the day before, digging up the garden.
"What shall I do with the little time I have left, then?" Aza mused, poking through drawers and shuffling through different papers. Something caught her attention in a mad clutter of old maps and things. She lifted it to the light, seeing the Red Dragon in the corner of the well made chart. The writing was unknown to her but she was sure she recognized it.
"Where have I seen you before?" She asked, knowing full well the map wouldn't answer. "Well, he has no need of it." She tore the map from its wooden bindings and folded it into her shirt.
As soon as she was done she heard a noise from outside the door. Leaves began to rustle and the window began to shake. The Elf drew the small dagger she carried, holding it in front of her for protection incase it was needed.
"Whose there?" She called out, fearing the worse was to come.
"Azalynne, is that you?"
Aza sighed in relief, giving a small chuckle as she remembered the voice. She made her way over to the window, helping the man inside the small home.
"Why didn't you use the front door, you hoof, it would have saved you all the trouble of hurting your back!" She scolded, pulling the man in under the arms.
"I didn't think anyone was at home! There was no fire go- Never mind, I see now." He added, seeing the look Aza presented to him. He had almost forgotten she was a Sea Elf, a race that cannot go to close to fire for if they burn, even in the slightest, they could die in a puff of smoke.
"Well, I'm glad you have returned Gandalf! You have been gone for so long that Frodo and I had given up hope! We thought you just left us here without word or any sort of sign!"
The brunette held on tightly around his waist, hugging him for all it was worth. She had not grown in the past years she spent in the Shire, nor did her appearance change in the least.
"Azalynne, I am glad to see you again as well." Gandalf smiled, patting her on the head.
"Were all your questions answered then?" She asked; her voice muffled against his robe.
"Indeed they were. Now, where is Frodo? I need to speak with him!"
"He went down to have an ale or two with Sam and the others, why? Must you hurry on with all of this, you've only just arrived!?"
"I must, something has to be taken care of and I need Frodo to do it for me!"
Aza sighed, giving up on the argument sure to occur. Just as she was about to stand and ready herself to run down to the Inn and fetch Frodo, the Halfling stepped through the door.
He saw the open window and the papers that had fallen to the floor because of the breeze. He took a few steps into his home, careful not to make any noise. He rounded the corner, searching the room for any other signs of life but he found none. Just as he was about to turn around he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder.
He gave a small yelp, turning to face the intruder.
"Is it secret? Is it safe?" Came the question so rapidly that Frodo had no time to think it over before he was pulled in the direction of the old wooden trunk he used for the storage of things.
Frodo searched around in the small chest, pushing things to the side to try and retrieve the forgotten item. "Ah" he smiled, holding it up to the light.
Aza had started a fire to warm there house guest though she tried to step away whenever sparks flew.
"This is definitely not going to be my day job!" She scowled, poking the fire until it became a little warmer.
Gandalf grabbed the ring from Frodo's hand, tossing it into the pre-made fire. The Wizard watched as the envelope began to burn, leaving only the golden ring engulfed in the flames.
"What are you doing?" The Hobbit cried, watching as the paper shriveled up.
Gandalf reached into the fire with the small brass tongs place beside the fire place in a stand the same colour. Once lifted from the household blaze he gently held it in the air and turned to Frodo who had a look of astonishment and disbelief on his face.
For one thing, the man had just arrived after seventeen years of no notice and worry on his part and now he threw his ring into the fire just because it was something he wanted to do!
"Hold your hand out, Frodo. It's quite cool." The Wizard insisted, bringing the golden entry up to Frodo's hand height. Once the ring was placed in the Halflings hand another question was asked of him, "What can you see? Can you see anything?"
Frodo turned the ring around this way and that, examining it closely for anything unusual but he found not anything out of place, no markings, scratches or any sort of other damage that could have been inflicted on the small object he now held.
Gandalf sighed, thanking the High Heavens that nothing could be seen and that what he thought was very wrong.
"Gandalf, old friend, what is all this you ask? Why must we rush into such things so fast when you've only just come back to us?" Azalynne asked, making herself known to the others once again. She had made very little noise throughout this small burst and need of information. Her head was spinning before but now it was as if her mind were pushing against all odds to escape the protection of her head.
"Wait," Frodo then said, causing the other two to turn to him in wonderment. "There are markings. It's some form of Elvish. I can't read it." He turned the ring around in his fingers, trying to translate some of the characters but his head was already to sore.
"There are few who can," Gandalf explained, "The language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here."
"Mordor!?" Azalynne cried, astonished at the information. "Is this what you sent out to find? Where the One Ring just happened to disappear to!? You knew, Wizard, that this was that same ring, didn't you? Why did you not say? It is a danger, make no mistake and yet you do not tell him what troubles lie within it! Tell him what it means and lay those troubles down for him like a master does milk for his cat!" Aza boomed, not even trying to hide her temper below the calm and playful surface she usually showed to others.
"In the common tongue, it says 'One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them. One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." Gandalf muttered, looking away from the foul object in Frodo's hands.
Gandalf looked tired as he sat down in the small kitchen, taking the seat closest him before he fell in fatigue.
"What does she speak of Gandalf? What does Aza mean when she says that this ring is a danger? Why is it so?" The Hobbit asked, fixing himself a pot of tea, pouring an extra cup for the aging man.
"You see Frodo; this is the One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord, Sauron in the fires of Mount Doom, taken by Isildur from the hand of Sauron himself." Aza clarified, seating herself across from the frightened young man as he sat, hands shaking, in the chair beside the kettle.
"Bilbo found it. In Gollum's cave." He stuttered, staring at the One Ring, lost in his own thoughts of Bilbo's tales.
"Yes," Gandalf began, beginning the story of how that came to pass, "For sixty years the Ring lay quiet, in Bilbo's keeping, prolonging his life, delaying old age. But no longer, Frodo. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. It's heard its master's call."
Azalynne gave a snort from her place, shaking her head as her bad mood subsided.
"How is it possible then, that the Ring know?" She wondered lapping at her drink the way dog does his water, though it was hardly noticeable.
"Aza's right, he was destroyed, Sauron was destroyed!" Frodo reasoned, finishing his cup of tea.
"No Frodo, the spirit of Sauron endured. His life force is bound to the Ring and the Ring survived. Sauron has returned." As Gandalf said this a gasp was heard. Aza dropped her mug on the floor in shock.
"How do we stop him? Surely there must be a way!" She tried, looking not in the least hopeful. Gandalf shook his head as if to say they should give up before they've even started.
"His Orcs have multiplied; his fortress of Barad-dûr is rebuilt in the land of Mordor." The Wizard stated, looking between the two as their faces paled and hearts began to race.
"Sauron needs only this Ring to cover all the lands in a second darkness." Aza only just got out, her voice strained as she looked around the room.
"Yes, he is seeking it. Seeking it, all his thoughts are bent on it. The Ring yearns above all else to return to the hand of its master. They are one, the Ring and the Dark Lord. Frodo- he must never find it." Gandalf warned his voice turning deadly as he leaned in to whisper the statement to the terrified little Hobbit.
Frodo then leapt up, grabbing the ring off the table and rushing out through the archway to the main room.
"All right. We put it away. We keep it hidden. We never speak of it again." He declared, whipping around in a full circle to try and find a good place to veil it. "No one knows it's here, do they?"
Gandalf said nothing but his face told them everything. Someone did know and that someone had told.
"Oh no. This cannot be." The Elfling breathed, looking up at the man standing beside her.
"Do they Gandalf?" Frodo asked, turning to meet the Wizards gaze.
"There is one other who knew Bilbo had the Ring. I looked everywhere for the creature Gollum but the enemy found him first." Gandalf said in an almost guilty tone of voice. "I don't know how long they tortured him for but amidst the endless screams and inane babble they discerned two words; SHIRE BAGGINS!"
Aza could hear the poor creature's voice ringing in her head; she could see the images of the horrid, damp, dark place he was taken to, the many means they had used to get that small piece of information.
"Shire? Baggins?! But that would lead them here!"
Gandalf nodded his head, his eyes filled with sorrow as Aza took hold of one of his hands, hers barely able to fill it.
"Take it Gandalf! Take it!" Frodo cried, desperately flinging the Ring in the air, sticking it in front of the grey haired man standing in the archway. Gandalf backed away slightly, removing his hand from Azalynnes as he did so.
"No Frodo," He said, fear dripping in his words.
"You must take it!" The smaller brunette begged his voice urgent.
"You cannot offer me this Ring!" Gandalf said his voice firm yet still holding hints of fear behind it.
"I'm giving it to you!"
"DON'T tempt me, Frodo!" He bellowed, glaring down hard at the small man facing him. Frodo lowered his hand, sensing the mans disgruntled feelings towards the small piece of jewelry.
"I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand, Frodo, I would use this ring from a desire to do good. But through me it would wield a power to great and terrible to imagine." The man elucidated.
"But it cannot stay in the Shire!" Frodo persisted, thinking hard about where he might keep it.
"No- no it can't." Aza agreed, looking over to her friend. She saw the look that crossed his face; determination. She gave a half hearted smile, knowing that he would be capable of following through on such a task. That he was the one for this great burden.
"What must I do?" He asked, voice becoming light as he closed his hand over the Dark Lords desired Ring.
Soon he was packing, throwing things needed into a small bag, readying himself for the long journey ahead of him. Aza rushed back and forth, helping him gather the few things necessary for the trip. She also changed out of what she wore and back into her original clothing, the outfit she wore when she first arrived in Hobbiton twenty years prior to that evening.
"You must leave and leave quickly," Gandalf informed as the other tow rushed about.
"We figured that out!" Aza mumbled as she pulled on one of her boots. Frodo gave a chuckle at Aza's statement.
"Where? Where do I go?" The blue eyed Hobbit asked, shoving some more food into a small bag.
"Get out of the Shire. Make for the village of Bree." Gandalf turned to Aza as he said this, telling her that she must head in that direction if she wish to keep Frodo out of harms way.
"Bree, right, what about you, then?" She asked, fastening her belt and grabbing her small dagger.
"I'll be waiting for you, at the Inn of the Prancing Pony."
"And the Ring will be safe there?" Frodo questioned, putting the said item into his breast pocket.
"I don't know Frodo, I don't have any answers. I must see the head of my order. He is both wise and powerful. Trust me Frodo; he will know what to do. You will have to leave the name Baggins behind you, for that name is not safe outside the Shire. Travel only by day and stay off the road."
The Elf came into view once again, looking ready for an adventure for she had been without for quite some time.
"I can cut across country easily enough." Frodo announced, grabbing a walking stick from the far corner near the door.
"My dear Frodo, Hobbits really are amazing creatures. You can learn all there is to know about their ways in a month and yet after a hundred years, they can still surprise you!" The Wizard chuckled, looking down at the small being.
Suddenly a noise was heard from outside the window, the leaves began to rustle in one of the bushes just below the flower box.
"It's probably just one of the foxes that have been-" Aza began but was silenced as Gandalf raised one of his hands.
"Get down!" He said, crouching low before the window. He grabbed his staff and pointed it out the window. He forced it down upon something and a 'thunk' could be heard from the front garden. Gandalf pulled whatever was outside in and threw it on the table. It turned out to be a male Hobbit.
"Confound it all, Samwise Gamgee! Have you been eavesdropping?" The aged man bellowed down at the small creature as the Halfling tried to blend into the wooden table.
"Oh my, Sam!" Aza laughed, trying to control herself but it was far too late, she had gone into a fit of mad giggles.
"I haven't been dropping no eaves, sir, honest! I was just cutting the grass under the window there, if you'll follow me!" Sam said, raising his hands in front of him in self defense.
"A little late for trimming the verge, don't you think?" The female brunette put in, raising an eyebrow at the plump little Hobbit.
"I heard raised voices-" The little one tried
"What did you hear? SPEAK!" Gandalf roared, shoving Sam further into the wood of the table.
"N-n-nothing important. That is, I heard a good deal about a ring, a Dark Lord and something about the end of the world, but, please Mr. Gandalf, sir, don't 'urt me. Don't turn me into anything- unnatural." The blond stammered, his eyes pleading.
"No- perhaps not. I've thought of a better use for you." Gandalf looked up at Aza who could only shrug in return.
For some odd reason, I wish not to be Sam at this moment in time, Aza thought to herself.
*
So they set off, Gandalf prepared his horse and Sam collected a few things of his own and they were to leave before daybreak. Azalynne scurried along beside her old friend, telling him about her days in the Shire and how she should miss them.
"Come along, Samwise, keep up." Gandalf called over his shoulder when he felt that the small Hobbit wasn't keeping up enough.
"Be careful both of you. The enemy has many spies in his service; Birds, beasts... Aza cannot keep them all at bay while you run. Her gift isn't that strong."
"Gift?" Sam wondered, for he had heard of no gift she possessed.
"Ay, Sam, I have a way with animals like no other. They speak to me. My ring increases this power as well, making it stronger." The Elfling enlightened, holding up her hand to show a small silver ring with a blue stone in the centre of the band. Around the band were well crafted leaves leading up to the blue jewel.
"You possess a ring as well, then?" Frodo asked. In all the time he had known her she had never shown him that ring or bothered to tell him about it.
"Ay, I shall save the story for another day, however, for we must be off."
"Is it safe?" Gandalf inquired, looking down at Frodo. He watched as the Halfling patted his pocket, indicating that it was well enough away from harm.
"Never put it on for the agent of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power. Always remember, Frodo, the Ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found." Frodo nodded and smiled sadly, knowing that it would be some time before he saw his home again.
"Azalynne," Gandalf turned to look at the Elf child as she whirled around to face him, stepping a few paces back from her head start on things. "Let the stray dagger fly."
"What?" Aza never got her answer, though, as Gandalf road off, leaving the three to their journey to Bree.
They traveled over hill of rock, through streams and crops and far off, close to the end of the Shire. The three companions had reached a corn field some ways out, westward, towards the village of Bree. Aza was in charge of getting them there safely and walked ahead of them, showing them which ways to turn in order for safe passage. Frodo followed closely behind but Sam lagged far behind them.
Sam stumbled out of a clutter of corn stalks, looking up and down on a word path through the field. He could not see the two ahead of him and turned to his instincts for help so he had gone right on the path.
Calling out he yelled for Frodo. "Mr. Frodo? Frodo! FRODO!?" The wanted Hobbit came into view as he and Aza rushed back to see their panicked friend. "I'd thought I'd lost you!" Sam sighed in relief.
"What are you talking about?" Aza asked, a heartfelt smile on her face as she watched Sam closely, making his way over beside Frodo.
"'Don't you lose him now, Samwise Gamgee', and I don't mean to."
"Sam," Frodo chuckled, "We're still in the Shire, what could possibly happen?"
His question was answered when two other beings came crashing into them as if they were on the run.
"This can't be good." Aza muttered, looking at the scene before her. Two other Hobbits, who she recognized to be Merry and Pippin, decided today for a 'Crop Raid' and had knock Sam and Frodo to the ground.
"Frodo!? Merry- It's Frodo Baggins!" Pippin smiled, telling his partner in crime who he just happened to knock over.
"Hello Frodo." The other greeted as he was pushed off Sam who, at the moment, was in a fit of rage. Aza could have sworn she heard someone else laughing but she thought nothing of it as Sam hauled Pip off his best friend.
"Get off of him!" The blond yelled, tossing the other aside and pulling the dark haired Hobbit to his feet. "Come on Frodo."
"What's the meaning of this?" Frodo asked his eyes wide as he saw the stolen food the other two were carrying.
"Now I REALLY don't have a good feeling about this!" The Elf maiden groaned, rubbing her temples and equipping her mind for the chase she was sure she had to tolerate.
"Hold these." Merry instructed, handing some carrots and cabbages to Sam. He turned back around, heading back into the crops.
"You've been into Farmer Maggots' crop!" Sam cried, stating the obvious.
A sudden yell came from behind the five as the stood, looking at the food in Sam's arms. Frodo was pulled into the field by Pippin who took off after his cousin. Aza followed, not wanting to stay and sort things out for the two mischievous rascals that had gotten themselves into this mess.
Sam was left, standing on his own with an armful of food that he did not lift yet knew he would get the blame for if found.
"Ooh!" He dropped the greens where he stood and ran after the four.
Farmer Maggot could be heard, yelling out threats such as; 'Oi! You get back here! Get out of my fields! You know what's going to happen to you when I catch up with you!?"
"I don't know why he's so upset. It's only a couple of carrots!" Merry rationalized, thinking it over in his mind.
"And some cabbages," added Pip. "And then those three bags of potatoes we lifted last week, and, and the mushrooms from the week before!"
"Oh joy; I'm being chased for something I didn't do because two Hobbits decided they were hungry! I find this an injustice!" Aza frowned, now ahead of the Hobbits. Her speed was still great; after all she was an Elf. Though quite small she did possess many things any normal Ear'quessir or Mith'quessir [8] had.
"Yes, Pippin," Merry cried, not hearing Aza's comment, "My point is, he's clearly overreacting!"
They came to a steep slope with no way down but to fall. Aza had managed to run down it for she had good balance and it seemed, to her, that someone was helping her down. Frodo, Marry and Pippin, though, were trying to keep their balance and almost succeeded had Sam not bumped into them.
The four small beings came crashing down and onto a dirt road, each piling onto the other.
"Ooh, that was close." Pippin breathed, his face just inches away from a pile of horse manure. On top of him he heard his cousin groan and then mumble out; "I think I've broken something-" Which was pretty much true. He lifted a carrot out from underneath himself which had split into two, well, almost; the piece was just barely hanging on.
The Elfin female was nowhere to be found, however, but soon came crashing out of a tree, landing on Merry and the broken carrot.
"I think I've broken something." She uttered, lifting that same carrot from beneath her, now in three parts. Shrugging she took a bite. "Tastes like a Meriadoc." She stated, flipping off the pile of Hobbits.
"Trust a Took and a Brandybuck-" Sam grunted, throwing Merry off of him.
"What?" Merry said in mock-hurt. "It was only a detour, a shortcut." He informed, looking triumphant, though for what, he was not sure.
"A shortcut to what?" Sam queried, giving him a skeptical look.
The unexpected cry of 'Mushrooms!' was heard as three of the four Hobbits jumbled to their feet and ran over to the place Pip crouched down by. They picked at a few, commenting on every one lifted as they shoved them into a small cloth bag.
"Where were you? I saw you go down before us yet you fell on Merry." Frodo asked, looking up at Aza.
"I got caught in that tree! It was as if someone lifted me into it yet there was no one! The wind is against me, friend, for I fear I have upset it in some way!" Azalynne explained the situation in a joking tone.
Frodo then hushed, looking down the road. It seemed someone was calling to him, he could feel a dark presence approaching. "I think we should get off the road." He said at first, looking over his friends.
The feeling became stronger and he felt the need to hide become more urgent.
"Get off the road! QUICK!" He cried out, scurrying under a large tree root. The others followed, filing in beside him, still examining the mushrooms they had collected. All sound stopped, however, when a horse came up to the place they were hiding.
Frodo looked through a gap between the root and the ground to see the hoof of a large black stallion. It was covered in some sort of slime, not pleasing to the eye at all.
A rider dismounted and kneeled over their alcove, it sounded like it was trying to pick up the smell of something. A feeling of nausea washed over the Ring bearer as the Rider in black came closer to him. He took the Ring out from his pocket and was preparing to put it on. He didn't know why but he couldn't control himself. The rider sniffed as if it had sensed something.
Sam, noticing Frodo do this, leaned over Pippin and hit his friends shoulder. Frodo immediately woke from his hazy dream and grabbed the Ring away from his other finger. The rider turned away from him, confused and bothered by it. Merry then threw the bag of mushrooms off into the distance, distracting the rider for a moment and sending him over that way.
Once gone the five companions hurried off, stumbling as they went in the other direction, away from this strange beast.
"What was that!?" Merry asked, breathless from the run he had to go through just now.
There was no answer; instead the blue eyed Hobbit examined the Ring in the palm of his hand, trying without success to understand what just happened.
*
"Anything?" One of the four Hobbits whispered to another. They had reached the end of the wood, troubled that they may yet have to see those terrible creatures. It was now dark and the four were still on the run, trying to get to where they wanted to go.
"Nothing!" Another said, ducking behind a tree for protection, staying out of sight.
"What's going on?" Pippin breathed, marching over to where Frodo and Merry lay, stomach down on the ground.
"That rider in black was looking for something or someone... Frodo?" Merry turned to face his kin, seeing only despair in his eyes, a lost expression on his face.
"Get down!" Pippin said in a strained whisper. Sam was now with them but Aza was still behind, her bow ready for anything to come their way.
"I have to leave the Shire," Frodo said sadly, "Sam, Aza and I must get to Bree."
"Right, Bucklebury Ferry! Follow me!" Merry made a run for it, jumping out of his hiding spot and into the open.
A dark rider spotted the Hobbits on the run and went after them, crashing through the trees. Sam and Merry distracted it one way while Pippin made a run for it. Soon the other two were off as well but Frodo was still trapped between tree and Dark Rider.
Aza came up behind him, grabbing the Ring bearer and putting him in her back, she would be much faster in getting him to the ferry but she still had no way out!
She looked up and saw a stray dagger fly her way. She was about to stop it when she remember Gandalf's words and let it fly on its path. It sunk into the Dark Riders left arm, causing it to fall off of its horse in pain. Aza then made a jump for it, leaping over the horse and running as fast as she possibly could to the Ferry.
She was perused, however, and a Dark Rider kept right behind her.
"Run Aza! Go! Hurry! Come on! Faster! Jump! JUMP!" She heard the Hobbits cry to her as she jumped onto the Ferry, narrowly missing a capture.
"How far to the nearest crossing?" Frodo asked, still rattled from the chase.
"The Brandywine Bridge. Twenty miles." Merry informed as he paddled his way down stream.
"Get us there, Hobbit, or your head will be at steak!" Aza warned, clutching her stomach. "Things will be much harder now that we have some new friends along, Frodo, we must stay out of sight as best we can and make sure to get the Ring to wherever Gandalf tells us to, before we make our death beds because of those Dark Riders."
Aza was right, they needed to find Gandalf, but could they be the ones to return the Ring to where it should go?
YEAH! ANOTHER CHAPTER DONE! MAN, THIS ONE WAS LONGER THAN THE FIRST BY FIVE PAGES! EGAD! REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! A LOT OF THE ACTION WILL BE IN THE NEXT TWO CHAPTERS SO CONTINUE TO SEND GOOD OR BAD COMMENTS AND YOU WILL SEE!
Chapter One (1) + Chapter Two (2) will be posted together
Chapter Three (3) + Chapter (4) will be posted together
[6]- Myni bethem lyre sina gwael- Ralgonnian Elvish for 'What does all this mean?' I took the real Elvish words 'Mani (meaning 'what'), ilya (meaning 'all') and sina (meaning 'this')' I added bethem (I made this up for does) and the Welsh word 'gwael' for 'mean'. I jumbled up and added some letters to the Elvish words and, voila! New words one-O-one!
[7]- Ffion (pronounce fif-vi-on) - Aza's friend from Ralgonnia. A white wolf whose name means 'fair or white in Gaelic. Fionn mac Cumhail was a legendary Irish hero who became all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon. He fought against the giant Fomors with his son Oisin and grandson Oscar'. The name, Ffion, though is a Welsh feminine name derived from the name 'Fiona' which, in itself, is derived from the name 'Fionn'.
[8]- Mith'quessir- Elvish for 'Silver Elf' who also live in the area of Ralgonnia along with Moon Elves.
© Script for the dialogue that many will recognize from the motion picture 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'. The script is taken from the site following:
http://dreamwater.net/seatofkings/script_fotr_pics.html
I also found the dates (3018 [seventeen years after Bilbo leaves in 3001]) in the book 'A GUIDE TO TOLKIEN' by David Day, thanks to my mum who gave it to me on Christmas morning (this morning!)
HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR!
Quick summary for the next chapter:
Ch. 3: And so Fire Burns (Strider is met, Frodo is stabbed, Rivendell)
