She promised… but she never told me about it. – Clefe McCraig.

Chapter 5: Betrayal At The Peak Of Isengard    (The Longest Chapter I Have Ever Written!)

Cliff drowsed back into deep sleep, as Gandalf frightened Frodo about the history of the Ring, it's owners; from Isildur to Smeagol, now called Gollum, and how it got to Bilbo. Frodo listened intently, cringing, as Cliff's snores rattled the background. As for the sleepyhead, she had empty dreams… with a small voice speaking in it…

"I was just sitting by the fire… I know I am asleep, my head placed on the heavy book that Mithrandir gave me… it was a long journey.. even if I don't remember… and I would like to say that it wasn't complete because I knew something is missing…" A thought came to me…

 

"I rose to look at the fire… I know I am not fully asleep, for I can hear Gandalf's voice and Frodo interrupting him every second… How did I come to know them… Oh, am I so tired… (yawns) Ash… Ashley… where is she… I know she isn't here with me… but we took the pills together… She even promised me that we would meet in Middle-Earth together, if we were really going there. I wonder why we still had to take the pills, and why did she have to chose red, and me blue….? And indeed… I do reach Middle-Earth…without my best friend…"

 

"What am I, and why am I here? I know Middle-Earth isn't my world… and I shouldn't be interfering with the History of the One Ring… at least not mess up with Frodo's life and journey… but of all causes… Where is Ash?… What now, she may be hurt, or worse, dead. I myself, I didn't know what happened to her…and what if she isn't in a good state…"

 

"And what if it is all my fault…"

 

Just then, a warm hand was shaking her awake. Gandalf has sat beside her, puffing his pipe, as Frodo was going around, packing necessary things in his bag. Cliff yawned, her mind still set on the weird dream, as Gandalf every now and then, gave Frodo some orders and information. ("You must stay in Bree," "Don't wear the Ring," "I will be waiting for you in the Inn of the Prancing Pony… Blah-Blah-Blah…")

"Gandalf," Cliff mustered softly, yawning. "What am I doing here? Aren't we supposed to be off for Rivendell by now…" She quickly shut up as Frodo marched into the room, in his cloak, with a bag in hand.

"Ok, what is going on?"

Gandalf hushed her and said, "Well, my young Cliffhanger, it is best that Frodo and the Ring should be on the way, while you and I take the road to Isengard. You may take your own choice if you must," Cliff winced. Cliffhanger? "Gandalf," she said slowly, standing up, towering over Frodo, looking worried and impatient. "What do you mean by, Cliffhanger?"

The old wizard laughed. As in, laughed. "Clefe, my child. I have forgotten to tell you that you are the Child Who Would Protect The Legend Of The Ring. Must have slipped my mind, for I know that the Children Cliffhangers are all knowing and immortal." Cliff and Frodo looked perplexed. She didn't know anything Gandalf was talking about, and Frodo seemed disappointed about the truth that the Cliffhanger didn't know herself.

"Child Who Would Protect The Ring? You mean I, Clefe McCraig is in control of the whole book about-" Gandalf quickly kept her quiet for the young hobbit was busy listening to them both. Clefe quickly looked in the hard metal book, which Gandalf gave her to be her only weapon.

It must not be known to all who concern the story of the One Ring, the power of the Child to control time and space and the future, through the only source of medium, the book of THE FELLOWSHIP and THE WAR FOR THE RING. It wrote.

Cliff looked up at Gandalf's all knowing eyes. "I am not immortal, am I…? And I am not alone, should I…?" Gandalf nodded. "The other Child will be waiting in Isengard. I am sorry I would be splitting you from Frodo's journey, but at least you would be with me."

Frodo and Cliff looked at each other for the last time, and shook hands. "From here, I'll need a companion Gandalf." Frodo muttered softly, as Cliff packed the large book in a very large sack. "I think I hear one now," the old wizard grumbled, as a rustle under the bushes, over the window was sounded all over the quiet room. He crossed towards the window, poked the moving bush with his staff, and pulled the most unlikely hobbit out of it – Samwise Gamgee.

"Sam?!! What are you doing-" Frodo and Cliff said in unison. A crash was heard on the table, as Gandalf glared at the young gardener. "Samwise Gamgee, have you bee eavesdropping?!!"

"Certainly," Clefe felt herself muster, as she and Frodo exchange sheepish glances. "NO, NO SIR! I am not dropping any eaves sir-" Sam started stuttering. "THEN WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD?!!" Gandalf roared. Sam shut his eyes closed in fright. "Nothing! Nothing! Some dark lord, the Ring and something about the end of the world, - but please Mr. Gandalf sir, don't turn me into a troll or something…"

By this moment, Clef and Frodo were sprawled on the floor, shaking into fits of laughter. Gandalf muttered, "Well then, Samwise Gamgee, I find you useful somehow…"

Gandalf gave Sam last few instructions as Frodo's companion, as the old wizard tried to tame and familiarize Shadowfax with Clefe's touch, since she was riding Shadowfax with him. "Isn't he supposed to be touched only by you –" Gandalf came over and called Shadowfax, who quickly responded to his call. "Oooookay…"

Shadowfax didn't shudder as Cliff and Gandalf jumped over his back, Sam and Frodo looking over the two of them. "Get off the road," Gandalf warned the two Hobbit-travelers, "And DON'T wear the ring." And with that, Gandalf rode off, with Clefe hanging over his shoulder.

Shadowfax rode against the wind, as Clefe held on for her dear life. "Gandaaallf!!!" she screamed against the wind and the sound of Shadowfax's mighty hooves. "I know Shadowfax's the fastest steed in Middle-Earth," she winced. "But does the horse know the meaning of 'slowing down' ?!!"

Gandalf chuckled against the wind. "No! Shadowfax follows speed at his own will!"

As the horse glided through beautiful landscapes, out of Hobbiton, past the Shire, and across the fields, Cliff felt the wind whip her hair as if passing through a giant blower. Then she caught site of the most beautiful scenery of all, a large granite tower perched on top of a fruitful field of greens. They have arrived in Isengard.

As they rode towards the tower, Cliff noticed a pure white figure emerging from the granite stairs. Is that… a white lady…? That's no white lady… With a voice of pure richness, the figure spoke out to them, as they neared the tower, and with a neigh, Shadowfax slowed down and stopped just right below the winding staircase Cliff is wanting to climb.

"So," said the pure white figure. "You have finally come to seek my counsel Gandalf…" Saruman. The White. . "Saruman, my old friend… the Cliffhangers has been gathered." Gandalf smiled upon his back, as a small figure of a child, Clefe, dismounted.

"So I see," Saruman said deeply, gazing at the child. "They have finally come to claim the One Ring's legend at last… The youngster has been waiting in the tower for a long time… eager to seek her companion," Saruman laughed, a deep, dark laugh. "Might as well a reunion."

"Come, Saruman," Gandalf beckoned, as they strode towards the castle, leaving Clefe behind. "Gandalf…" she spoke softly, aware of danger hanging. "I don't -" Gandalf and Saruman turned around. Shadowfax neighed, and went off to stride among the fields.

"Stay there at all costs, my young Clef." Gandalf commanded. "Saruman, my friend and I will have a small talk, and sooner I will be back with you." With these assuring words, Clef nodded and went after Shadowfax. "Your friend will be with you shortly…" Saruman added, as the two wizards headed for the main door up the tower.

Clefe watched them walk, and disappear through the looming darkness, as she trotted off to look for Shadowfax. She had grown fond of the horse, and though she knew his story, by being the most fastest horse in all Middle-Earth, breeded in Rohan, Shadowfax was the horse King Theoden of Rohan lent to Gandalf. And sure, Clefe knew that Gandalf is going to stay on top of the tower for a long time, Shadowfax would run back home to Rohan, riderless. Might as well keep in touch with the horse, not to anger King Theoden.

"Shadowfax! Shadowfax! Where are you…" Clefe felt herself muttering, dashing thorugh the dark fields. She never noticed that Isengard was this dark. A soft neigh sounded behind her. It was Shadowfax, darting behind her, nuzzling his nose against Clefe's long dark-brown hair. "Shadowfax!" she mustered. "I thought Gandalf was the only one who could tame you…" Shadowfax neighed. "For I am a Cliffhanger…" she took out the book and found out that she had written a note that she wished to tame Shadowfax…

"Is that so…?"

A voice sounded from the darkness, as a hooded black figure emerged from the darkness. "Nice to see you, old Cleff…" Clef turned around to face the familiar voice, as the hooded, black figure revealed it's face, of pale white skin and sandy brown hair –

It's Ashley Kenedy.

"Ash!" Clef mouthed in shock and surprise. "How'ya doin, old sport?!" funky old Ash replied, as they both pummeled each other at the back with one heavy pat. Clef was laughing, while Ash was joking at the same time. They promised to meet each other in Middle-Earth, and now there they are… Safe. And Sound.

" What took you so long…" Cliff muttered, out of breath. Shadowfax neighed and backed away from the two of them, ranging off in the forest. "NO! What took YOU so LONG?!!" Ash said in her old cheerful and playful voice, something Cliff sweared that she haven't heard in a long time. "Gandalf and the hobbits…" Clefe started, out of breath.

"Gandalf?!" said Ash in surprise. "What's he doing here? Hey," pummels her in the back once more. "What happened to Mithrandir?" Clef gave her a Look. "Haven't you figured that out? Mithrandir was always GANDALF!!! It's his elvish name!!! You've been reading too many fanfics-"

Ash gave her a knowing look. "Betcha you took that out of the book. 'Two Towers' I bet. Remember, I do fics, not read them! I make people read them! And I do all the slash! Remember? Boy, Clefe, you lost a lot of brain eversince you took that pill. What were you doing in Hobbiton anyway?" Ash's smile grows larger and more menacing. "Hobitsss… Why my pleasure, old sport…" Clef quickly grabbed her hood and pulled her back in the light. The forest was getting dark, they must be passing through day to night, talking.

"Are you crazy? You kill Frodo now, the whole story going to be in turmoil!!! I know you love busting hobbits, and yeah," Stops to think. "Frodo IS PRETTY ANNOYING…" Cleff hushed, thinking about the scrawny little hobbit who dared drop the Ring in a barrel of water just because it was too hot. Pretty annoying indeed.

"See? I told you we got the killing spirit in us! Now lets go hunt some hobbits!" said Ash who happily placed on her hood and made out to march into the darkness. "Hey, what is with the hood and the black cloak? And, hey Ash, it isn't Hobbit season! Lets save it for after the Scouring Of The Shire, if Frodo doesn't destroy the Ring…"

Ash turned to her in a distinctive manner of domination. Her eyes glowed red as it did back in the space-portal-time-length after they swallowed the pills, and she grew more menacing, not the freaky old Ash in the classroom. "If he doesn't destroy the One Ring… we could have it… kill down the hobbit… and get to rule the World!!! Not just any world… Middle-Earth!!!"

Clef shook her head. "You're nuts. I couldn't do that." She turned away and faced the last ray of sunlight, peeping through the rolling nimbus clouds towards Isengard. "Unless the Ring… has consumed you…" she looked back at Ash who seemed to have transfigurated, the darkness swallowing her body, her head sinking in the deep hood of black, with only two hideous eerie red eyes peeking in the cloak.

"Ash… WHAT'S GOING ON!!!" Clef felt herself say aloud. The dark figure loomed towards her, forcing her to look into the hood and be blinded by the dark, eerie red light. "You know what I want…" she hissed, not her natural voice. "Come and join me, and we shall pluck joy in the darkness together… you know it Clefe…" the dark hooded figure looked down at her bag, and the heavy book Clefe hasn't noticed tumbled out of it.

"We're not made to be Cliffhangers." Hissed the voice under Ash's hood. "We were not made to be children who fool around with letters…words…phrases…stories…legends! We we're made to be seekers of power, wrath and death apart… only to control history…with our own  hands!!!"

Cliff quickly picked up the book, and backed away from the hooded figure. How much she wanted to see Ashley again, after the pill incident, but since some things have changed… Cliff thinks that she made a wrong move to go with Gandalf to Isengard… GANDALF! "Mithrandir! He's in trouble… NO…" Clefe felt saying all these things at once. "YOU'RE IN LEAGUE WITH SARUMAN!!! ASHLEY WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!"

"Join me…join him… he's more than a pure white Head of the High Order council…" This wasn't her bestfriend. Ashley's mind is poisoned. Cliff wouldn't mind staying here in a moment, but at least she could make peace with her before time is ruined…

"I have chosen a side, Ashley." Clef spoke, standing her ground, holding the book, looking up the last vanishing trace of sunlight in Isengard, with Ashley hovering in the darkness. "I am a Cliffhanger, as Gandalf told me. I was made to protect the Legend of the Ring. Not to destroy it. I also have to protect Frodo, at all costs…" A sad look seemed to have spread over the face hidden under the dark hood.

To Clef's surprise, Ashley took off her hood and faced Clefe upright, her eyes not glowing any redder. "You chose your path, and I can't change it." She sighed, much to Clef's shock. "I have to chose my own… and I hope it cannot affect yours…" she looked up the face of her old bestfriend and said, "I have chosen to be a Ring Wraith, Clefee." (A/N: Yeah. Another of Clefe's pet named. Pronounced as "Clify.")

Clefe's face grew soft and placed a hand on Ash's black cloaked shoulder. "I understand. And as your bestfriend…" she sighs. " I would allow you to choose any path you would love to… as your friend." Ash nodded, and Clef chuckled a bit. Next thing you know, they're both laughing.

"You're not joking, right?" said Clef, glowing with laughter. Ash chuckles slightly, and shakes her head. "You're serious then…" Clef stepped into the light and muttered. "I am afraid we cannot be together. But go on, I promise, life will go on."Ash nodded, putting her hood on. "So… it's ok if I chase Frodo with large Uzi's and scare the wits out of them if I hold out a Mortal Blade?"

Clefe laughed and shook her head. "It's no problem. They were meant to do that. Just, while you're at the dark side, don't change the story too much. Let the best man win, I guess. Or girl." Clefe shrugs. "It's a competition, then," said Ash, her clear face still poking out of the hood. "You, a Cliffhanger, while I… the Living Ring Wraith. Isn't it absurd?"

"Very absurd…" agreed Cliff. Ash shrugs, so does Clef. They trudge into their own directions and turn around fro one last goodbye. "Take care then," mustered Clef. "Don't let hairy feet molest you…" said Ash, facing the darkness towards the Tower of Isengard. Both nodded and turned back on each other, ready to leave each other, for good.

But at the right moment, Clefe has turned around to call on Shadowfax, Ash slowly took out a bow and arrow, turns around, ready to shoot Clefe in the back, her red eyes glowing beaneth her dark hood. "Friends may be friends… but life and death may not grow apart. Go back to where you belong, old friend." Shadow fax was already galloping towards Clefe, when the arrow twanged, shot directly at Cliff's heart.

In mid-air, Cliff spun around, caught the arrow and dropped the book. Ash gasped and glared back at Clefe. Clefe gave her a all-knowing smile, and pointed at the book, which wrote out:

The Wraith then raised an arrow at the all-knowing Child, ready to kill her

The arrow of Betrayal pointed directly at her heart…

And when all the mind's been poisoned, and the heart consumed…

She lets go of the arrow, in a matter of seconds presumed.

"Thought I don't go with poems well, Ashley?!!" Clefe shouted back, as Shadowfax halted in front of her. "I was the famous poet on Fanfiction.Net, remember?!!" The Wraith-That-Was-One-Ash hissed back:

"Save yourself, my old fellow.

Go back to where you came from, if you don't want to experience to see and and have a heart as hollow.

Leave me here and never come back, my dear old fellow.

In time you fly, and off you go.

Leave the One Ring to me, and I will rule the world… I think so."

The words that came directly from Ashley's mouth but composed in a Wraith's mind seeped deep into Clefe's head. She quickly broke the arrow into two, grabbed the book and dumped it into the sack, leaped onto Shadowfax and flailed the fleeting Wraith hissing away, stalking towards the Tower of Isengard.

Then Shadowfax halted. But as she reached the mountains she remembered something… Gandalf was having the same betrayal by Saruman somehow! The book! Open the book! Her mind screamed. But as she looked behind her in the dark forest, she still saw a shadow lurking, with red eyes peeping beneath… She's still stalking me…!

"Never mind the book," she screamed out aloud, as Shadowfax neighed. "I'll open it once I reach Bree!!!" The horse broke into a run so fast, that Clefe felt like a moving statue, passing through a rolling ball, as the darkness creeped behind her, the fields rolling behind. She has left Gandalf and Ashley behind. After all, it was all meant to be. She tried to look back and saw a perspective of Isengard, swollen in darkness, growing farther and farther away every second Shadowfax pumped his hooves to the ground.

"I'll come back for you, Ashley! No matter what! And you'll be following me…"