Chapter 7 Barrow Wights
I lay in bed thinking about what Navalle had said. " How does she know about the ring?" I thought, " Does she know more than she shows? If that is the case, then what does she know that she doesn't want us to know?" It was no use trying to figure it out right now and it was late, I put my head on the pillow and drifted off to sleep.
It felt like only a moment had passed before Sam was calling for me to wake up and get ready to head off. I stood up, stretched and yawned, after that was attended to I got dressed. While slipping my shirt I heard some soft footsteps coming from behind me. I whirled around to see who it was; it was Navalle.
She stood there and appeared to be have been crying. " What is the matter? I asked, but I got no reply. She slumped onto the bed, put her head in her hands, and began to cry some more. I walked over her in hopes of comforting her, but it was no use. "Frodo," she said, " I know you suspect me of knowing more that I show, but I wish I could tell you what I know, but if I do so things might never happen as they are supposed to." After saying this, she looked at me with tears running down her face. With that she got up from the bed and left the room.
I now knew she had things she wanted to tell but couldn't for some reason. "I wonder what she means by that if she told what she knew that things would not happen they way they were suppose to." " Frodo!" called Sam, " we must get going, and Tom says that the best way to get to Bree is to go through the Barrow-Downs."
I finished getting dressed, packed my stuff and headed down the stairs where Sam greeted me. Merry, Pippin were nowhere in sight but Navalle was there leaning against one of the many wooden Pillars.
_____________________________
How could I tell them? I knew that going to the Barrow-Downs, we were heading straight for trouble in which we might not survive. If I told them what was to come, I might be changing history itself. If I changed the course of this history, what damage might I cause? I knew I should not have gone to Frodo for comfort, but I can't just keep all these emotions locked up.
In rush of loud footsteps, Merry and Pippin came down the stairs with their gear slung over their shoulders. " Ready." Said Merry panting, while Pippin put his hand against the wall to catch his breath. Following the two Hobbits was Goldberry and Tom.
"Well," said Tom, " its seems to me that you are all ready. Might I warn you that going through the Barrow-Downs will not be an easy place to pass let alone are they safe. If you do run into trouble there, just cry out "I'm in need of assistance from Tom Bombadil" and I'll come running to your aid." After Tom's warning, Goldberry walked up to each of us and whispered words of hope in our ears. Goldberry told me not to despair for light will soon shine upon me. What she told the others I don't know.
We left Tom's home with the thought of the Barrow-Downs leering in our minds. Taking the path that Tom had instructed us to take we headed for the Barrow-Downs. None of us spoke till late afternoon, but the words spoken came from Pippin, which were "Barrow-Downs, Barrow-Wights". It was clear that the Hobbits knew about the Barrow-Wights and how dangerous they are. If I remembered correctly, the Barrow-Wights were kings of old that were well…zombies, only they didn't do the raise their arms at you and groan for blood thing. Barrow-Wights enchanted their victims to sleep, then take their victims to their mounds, where they put jewelry and things on their victims and then they perform a ritual, after the ritual, they eat their victims.
On we walked with relentless persistence, we did not stop for anything besides lunch and a rest break. The moon had been high in the sky when we stopped to make camp. It was Pippin's turn to stand guard but unfortunately he was none to good at staying awake, so I took his place.
I remembered that before the sun went down into the horizon that there was a "ridge" of hills ahead that had to be the Barrow-Downs. "When morning comes," I thought, " I'll wake the Hobbits and we'll be off as soon as possible."
After about an hour or so, I went over to where Sam was sleeping and woke him and told him it was his turn to stand guard and also told him to wake me the moment the sky began to lighten. With that, I went and positioned myself by Merry and fell into a deep sleep.
In no time I had someone whispering in my ear telling to wake up. I slowly opened my eyes only to see Frodo was the one who woke me up. " Get up Navalle" he said, " something is terrible has happened. Sam, Merry, and Pippin are missing."
This caused me to rush to my feet in a panicked motion; I looked around and found that Frodo was right. Where the other Hobbits once laid there was nothing but what appeared to have been a struggle and there was nothing but marks on the grounds indicating that Merry, Pippin, and Sam were dragged of somewhere.
Dawn was approaching and I had a good feeling of who did this. "Frodo," I said, "did The Barrow-Wights grab them?" He only nodded his with a look of pure terror on his face. This was not good; if we don't find them before dawn we'll never see them again.
Then a thought struck me; didn't Tom say that if we were in need of his help that we should call for him? I better call him, so I inhaled a large amount of air and shouted, "I'm in need of assistance from Tom Bombadil!" No sooner did I finish my sentence that I heard old Tom came running and singing from out of nowhere.
I whirled around to see Tom come running up to us, he stopped a ways and cried, "Ho! What is this? Where is the other three?" Frodo stepped and explained how the BW's showed from out of nowhere, grabbed their companions and left dragging them behind them.
"Oh blast those Barrow's!" shouted Tom, " don't you worry though?" he said in a lower tone of voice. " I'll get your Friends you just wait here." With that he rushed towards the barely visible hills n the distance.
Frodo just stood there in dismay muttering "Merry, Pippin, oh Sam…" I knew that he would practically die if anything happened to them, he considered them his closest and that was clear enough. It was now my turn to comfort so I did. I walked over to him and my hand on his shoulder; he reached up and put his hand on top of mine. " Don't worry Frodo," I said, " they'll be alright, and I just know that they will be." " Thank you" was all he said, before he sat down and began to breathe deeply.
I did not know if Tom would bring them back safely, but I hoped to all high heaven that he would. It was nerve-racking just waiting there; I had get my mind off the thoughts of Merry and the others. Only thing that often worked was reciting a song so that was what I did.
1 Don't lose your way
With each passing day
You've come so far
Don't throw it away
Live believing
Dreams are for weaving
Wonders are waiting to start
Live your story
Faith, Hope, and Glory
As I looked at Frodo, I suddenly stopped and started to blush. The look in his face was what caused me to blush, he was humming along with me while having a look of contentment on his face. "That's a lovely song" he said, " You also have a beautiful voice, much like the elves." With this comment I only blushed some more. I begun to hear someone repeating the song that I had just sung, I recognized that voice; it was Tom Bombadil.
He came skipping through the forest and he was carrying Merry and Pippin under his arms and Sam was slung over his shoulder. Frodo jumped up from the ground and ran to where Tom was. " Are they ok? He cried. " They are fine." Replied Tom, "tired but fine. It is best you stay here for now while they rest. Those Barrows won't be bothering you again."
Tom bowed low, told us that Merry will explain what happened when he arrived at the Barrow's mound, and that he has got to return to Goldberry. He left us singing the part of the song I had sung while crying out his "touchups" on the song.
-The bit of the song Navalle sung is by Diana Ross. Song name: If We Hold On Together.
-Merry will indeed give you his version of the story soon. He also tells what happened with the Barrows so wait patiently for the next chapter!
I lay in bed thinking about what Navalle had said. " How does she know about the ring?" I thought, " Does she know more than she shows? If that is the case, then what does she know that she doesn't want us to know?" It was no use trying to figure it out right now and it was late, I put my head on the pillow and drifted off to sleep.
It felt like only a moment had passed before Sam was calling for me to wake up and get ready to head off. I stood up, stretched and yawned, after that was attended to I got dressed. While slipping my shirt I heard some soft footsteps coming from behind me. I whirled around to see who it was; it was Navalle.
She stood there and appeared to be have been crying. " What is the matter? I asked, but I got no reply. She slumped onto the bed, put her head in her hands, and began to cry some more. I walked over her in hopes of comforting her, but it was no use. "Frodo," she said, " I know you suspect me of knowing more that I show, but I wish I could tell you what I know, but if I do so things might never happen as they are supposed to." After saying this, she looked at me with tears running down her face. With that she got up from the bed and left the room.
I now knew she had things she wanted to tell but couldn't for some reason. "I wonder what she means by that if she told what she knew that things would not happen they way they were suppose to." " Frodo!" called Sam, " we must get going, and Tom says that the best way to get to Bree is to go through the Barrow-Downs."
I finished getting dressed, packed my stuff and headed down the stairs where Sam greeted me. Merry, Pippin were nowhere in sight but Navalle was there leaning against one of the many wooden Pillars.
_____________________________
How could I tell them? I knew that going to the Barrow-Downs, we were heading straight for trouble in which we might not survive. If I told them what was to come, I might be changing history itself. If I changed the course of this history, what damage might I cause? I knew I should not have gone to Frodo for comfort, but I can't just keep all these emotions locked up.
In rush of loud footsteps, Merry and Pippin came down the stairs with their gear slung over their shoulders. " Ready." Said Merry panting, while Pippin put his hand against the wall to catch his breath. Following the two Hobbits was Goldberry and Tom.
"Well," said Tom, " its seems to me that you are all ready. Might I warn you that going through the Barrow-Downs will not be an easy place to pass let alone are they safe. If you do run into trouble there, just cry out "I'm in need of assistance from Tom Bombadil" and I'll come running to your aid." After Tom's warning, Goldberry walked up to each of us and whispered words of hope in our ears. Goldberry told me not to despair for light will soon shine upon me. What she told the others I don't know.
We left Tom's home with the thought of the Barrow-Downs leering in our minds. Taking the path that Tom had instructed us to take we headed for the Barrow-Downs. None of us spoke till late afternoon, but the words spoken came from Pippin, which were "Barrow-Downs, Barrow-Wights". It was clear that the Hobbits knew about the Barrow-Wights and how dangerous they are. If I remembered correctly, the Barrow-Wights were kings of old that were well…zombies, only they didn't do the raise their arms at you and groan for blood thing. Barrow-Wights enchanted their victims to sleep, then take their victims to their mounds, where they put jewelry and things on their victims and then they perform a ritual, after the ritual, they eat their victims.
On we walked with relentless persistence, we did not stop for anything besides lunch and a rest break. The moon had been high in the sky when we stopped to make camp. It was Pippin's turn to stand guard but unfortunately he was none to good at staying awake, so I took his place.
I remembered that before the sun went down into the horizon that there was a "ridge" of hills ahead that had to be the Barrow-Downs. "When morning comes," I thought, " I'll wake the Hobbits and we'll be off as soon as possible."
After about an hour or so, I went over to where Sam was sleeping and woke him and told him it was his turn to stand guard and also told him to wake me the moment the sky began to lighten. With that, I went and positioned myself by Merry and fell into a deep sleep.
In no time I had someone whispering in my ear telling to wake up. I slowly opened my eyes only to see Frodo was the one who woke me up. " Get up Navalle" he said, " something is terrible has happened. Sam, Merry, and Pippin are missing."
This caused me to rush to my feet in a panicked motion; I looked around and found that Frodo was right. Where the other Hobbits once laid there was nothing but what appeared to have been a struggle and there was nothing but marks on the grounds indicating that Merry, Pippin, and Sam were dragged of somewhere.
Dawn was approaching and I had a good feeling of who did this. "Frodo," I said, "did The Barrow-Wights grab them?" He only nodded his with a look of pure terror on his face. This was not good; if we don't find them before dawn we'll never see them again.
Then a thought struck me; didn't Tom say that if we were in need of his help that we should call for him? I better call him, so I inhaled a large amount of air and shouted, "I'm in need of assistance from Tom Bombadil!" No sooner did I finish my sentence that I heard old Tom came running and singing from out of nowhere.
I whirled around to see Tom come running up to us, he stopped a ways and cried, "Ho! What is this? Where is the other three?" Frodo stepped and explained how the BW's showed from out of nowhere, grabbed their companions and left dragging them behind them.
"Oh blast those Barrow's!" shouted Tom, " don't you worry though?" he said in a lower tone of voice. " I'll get your Friends you just wait here." With that he rushed towards the barely visible hills n the distance.
Frodo just stood there in dismay muttering "Merry, Pippin, oh Sam…" I knew that he would practically die if anything happened to them, he considered them his closest and that was clear enough. It was now my turn to comfort so I did. I walked over to him and my hand on his shoulder; he reached up and put his hand on top of mine. " Don't worry Frodo," I said, " they'll be alright, and I just know that they will be." " Thank you" was all he said, before he sat down and began to breathe deeply.
I did not know if Tom would bring them back safely, but I hoped to all high heaven that he would. It was nerve-racking just waiting there; I had get my mind off the thoughts of Merry and the others. Only thing that often worked was reciting a song so that was what I did.
1 Don't lose your way
With each passing day
You've come so far
Don't throw it away
Live believing
Dreams are for weaving
Wonders are waiting to start
Live your story
Faith, Hope, and Glory
As I looked at Frodo, I suddenly stopped and started to blush. The look in his face was what caused me to blush, he was humming along with me while having a look of contentment on his face. "That's a lovely song" he said, " You also have a beautiful voice, much like the elves." With this comment I only blushed some more. I begun to hear someone repeating the song that I had just sung, I recognized that voice; it was Tom Bombadil.
He came skipping through the forest and he was carrying Merry and Pippin under his arms and Sam was slung over his shoulder. Frodo jumped up from the ground and ran to where Tom was. " Are they ok? He cried. " They are fine." Replied Tom, "tired but fine. It is best you stay here for now while they rest. Those Barrows won't be bothering you again."
Tom bowed low, told us that Merry will explain what happened when he arrived at the Barrow's mound, and that he has got to return to Goldberry. He left us singing the part of the song I had sung while crying out his "touchups" on the song.
-The bit of the song Navalle sung is by Diana Ross. Song name: If We Hold On Together.
-Merry will indeed give you his version of the story soon. He also tells what happened with the Barrows so wait patiently for the next chapter!