~ Spring Break was waaaay too short. I thought in the UC systems, Spring
Break would be longer. Christmas vacation certainly was longer than high
school winter vacations. Oh wells. A new quarter, new classes, and the
third time I get to slack off in the beginning of the quarter before I have
to bust my butt studying for midterms two nights before the exams. Ha!
I am SO going to miss all of my dorm friends. They are all so cool! Well, most of them at least. =P At least I still get to keep in contact with them through AIM.
Chapter 3: The Riders of Rohan
We had to stop the Uruk-Hai before they reach Isengard. We could not let them take the hobbits there, or they will surely be doomed to Saruman's wrath. I could not believe how fast the Uruk-Hai was traveling.
"They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them," I commented. Maybe it was Saruman with his invisible magic whip prodding them on. Thinking of his very name created butterflies in my stomach. I could not think of anyone else more evil than Saruman besides Sauron.
One more day passed that we had been pursuing the Uruks. They were so determined to bring the hobbits to Saruman, and we were so determined to save the little ones. It was getting dark, and I was not so sure how much longer we can catch up before we had to stop for the night. It was no use chasing them in the dark like blind bats. But then again, we had no choice. We had to continue even in the dark. I suddenly had a bad feeling about what happened. I could not tell what it was, but I had a gut sense something happened to the Uruks. I shrugged it off, thinking that my worry for the hobbits was getting to me.
I could see red lining the horizon, and soon, the sun peeked out as if looking around to see what is out there, then rising when the coast was clear. The feeling I had throughout the night became too big to ignore. I knew something happened. Even the sun shared the same feeling I had.
"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night," I said.
We all stopped when we suddenly felt the ground tremble a little, then the sound of hooves galloping, pounding the ground. I looked at Aragorn, and he hurried behind the boulder. Gimli and I followed suit.
We waited for a couple of seconds before the sounds of horses were right on top of us. I could see a huge band of riders passing us, all in armor. For a moment I was unsure of who they were. Then I remembered we were near Rohan and they must be Rohan soldiers. But why were they here? And so many of them, what happened?
When the whole band passed us, Aragorn stood up and walked back out into the open.
"Riders of Rohan!" he yelled to them. "What news from the Mark?"
I stepped up next to him and looked at him with uncertainty. I gave him that "What in the Hall of Mandos' name are you doing" look. We were supposed to be stealthy, now Aragorn gave away our position. I looked down to see the Riders of Rohan turn and gallop back at us. They started circling around us and formed a barrier. I stepped back, unsure of what was going to happen. I frantically looked everywhere, hoping to find at least a spot where we can escape if need be, but there were too many of them. The riders had us surrounded, and they lowered their spears at us. I leaned back, avoiding the sharp point of the spear, and I could feel Aragorn and Gimli do the same.
"What business, does an elf, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark?" one soldier demanded. I turned to look at him, but we didn't answer. "Speak quickly!"
"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine," Gimli said with a smug look on his face.
The Rohan soldier looked at Gimli for a second, then dismounted. "I would cut off your head, Dwarf," he snarled as he neared Gimli. "If it stood but a little higher from the ground."
How dare he say that about my friend! True, Gimli was short and maybe a little ugly, but only I can say that about him! I was his friend, after all, and this stranger comes and insults him!
I whipped out my arrow and notched my bow, aiming it at the stranger's head.
"You would die before your first stroke fell," I growled.
I could sense all of the spears pointing down at me dangerously close, but I didn't care. Aragorn stepped in front of me and gently pushed my bow and arrow down. I could see the look in his eyes that he did not want any trouble. I relaxed my hold on the bow and arrow and let Aragorn take charge. But that did not stop me from glaring at the Rohan soldier.
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn," Aragorn introduced himself. "This is Gimli, son of Gloin, and Legolas of the Woodland Realm. We are friends of Rohan, and of Theoden, its king."
I watched as the Rohan rider suddenly become saddened. Curious. I wondered what was going through his mind. "Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," he said, taking off his helmet. "Not even his own kin."
I frowned at that. So that was what was meant when there was evil in Rohan. I didn't know exactly what kind of evil, but something like this is truly evil.
The Rohan soldier continued. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claim lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished."
Banished? So that's why they were here and not in Rohan. The soldier stepped closer to us, and I felt the urge to aim my arrow at him again and shoot.
"The White Wizard is cunning," he said. "He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." When he said the last sentence, he turned to look at me with his piercing eyes, and I equally met his glare. So, he thought we were Saruman's spies? He was not escaping my arrow again, but Aragorn spoke up.
"We are not spies," Aragorn assured him. "We track a band of Uruk-Hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friends captive."
"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night," the soldier stated.
My heart almost stopped. So that was the sensation that I felt last night. I knew an attack had occurred and many died, but I did not know it was the Uruks.
"But there were two hobbits!" Gimli said with distress. "Did you see two hobbits with them?!"
"They would be small, only children to your eyes," Aragorn added.
The soldier paused, and I knew bad news was going to come out of his mouth just based on his body language and how hesitant he was. "We left none alive," he began. "We piled the carcasses and burned them." He pointed to the area where we can see smoke filtering up to the sky, the pile of Uruk corpses that was burning.
Left none alive? But that meant. the hobbits. dead too?
"Dead?" Gimli whispered.
The Rohan rider lowered his gaze. "I am sorry," he said.
It can't be. The little hobbits can't be dead. We vowed to protect them; we could not have failed that task too! I could see how upset Gimli was and I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. There was still hope that they were alive. They still can be.
The Rohan rider turned and whistled. "Hasufel! Arod!" he called. Two horses trotted up to him, and the soldier took the reins. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than the former masters." He gave us the reins, turned, then mounted up on his horse. "Farewell. Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands." He turned to his army and yelled, "We ride North!"
As he rode off, his band followed suit, and we were left standing there with two new friends.
~ Wow, longer chapter! How exciting! Hopefully the next chapters would be this long, but I'm not sure. I haven't written them yet. Ha². Please read and review this! I am in desperate need of reviews. My thirst is quenched with reviews! Well, not really, but you get the idea. College sucks, btw.
I am SO going to miss all of my dorm friends. They are all so cool! Well, most of them at least. =P At least I still get to keep in contact with them through AIM.
Chapter 3: The Riders of Rohan
We had to stop the Uruk-Hai before they reach Isengard. We could not let them take the hobbits there, or they will surely be doomed to Saruman's wrath. I could not believe how fast the Uruk-Hai was traveling.
"They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them," I commented. Maybe it was Saruman with his invisible magic whip prodding them on. Thinking of his very name created butterflies in my stomach. I could not think of anyone else more evil than Saruman besides Sauron.
One more day passed that we had been pursuing the Uruks. They were so determined to bring the hobbits to Saruman, and we were so determined to save the little ones. It was getting dark, and I was not so sure how much longer we can catch up before we had to stop for the night. It was no use chasing them in the dark like blind bats. But then again, we had no choice. We had to continue even in the dark. I suddenly had a bad feeling about what happened. I could not tell what it was, but I had a gut sense something happened to the Uruks. I shrugged it off, thinking that my worry for the hobbits was getting to me.
I could see red lining the horizon, and soon, the sun peeked out as if looking around to see what is out there, then rising when the coast was clear. The feeling I had throughout the night became too big to ignore. I knew something happened. Even the sun shared the same feeling I had.
"A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night," I said.
We all stopped when we suddenly felt the ground tremble a little, then the sound of hooves galloping, pounding the ground. I looked at Aragorn, and he hurried behind the boulder. Gimli and I followed suit.
We waited for a couple of seconds before the sounds of horses were right on top of us. I could see a huge band of riders passing us, all in armor. For a moment I was unsure of who they were. Then I remembered we were near Rohan and they must be Rohan soldiers. But why were they here? And so many of them, what happened?
When the whole band passed us, Aragorn stood up and walked back out into the open.
"Riders of Rohan!" he yelled to them. "What news from the Mark?"
I stepped up next to him and looked at him with uncertainty. I gave him that "What in the Hall of Mandos' name are you doing" look. We were supposed to be stealthy, now Aragorn gave away our position. I looked down to see the Riders of Rohan turn and gallop back at us. They started circling around us and formed a barrier. I stepped back, unsure of what was going to happen. I frantically looked everywhere, hoping to find at least a spot where we can escape if need be, but there were too many of them. The riders had us surrounded, and they lowered their spears at us. I leaned back, avoiding the sharp point of the spear, and I could feel Aragorn and Gimli do the same.
"What business, does an elf, a man, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark?" one soldier demanded. I turned to look at him, but we didn't answer. "Speak quickly!"
"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine," Gimli said with a smug look on his face.
The Rohan soldier looked at Gimli for a second, then dismounted. "I would cut off your head, Dwarf," he snarled as he neared Gimli. "If it stood but a little higher from the ground."
How dare he say that about my friend! True, Gimli was short and maybe a little ugly, but only I can say that about him! I was his friend, after all, and this stranger comes and insults him!
I whipped out my arrow and notched my bow, aiming it at the stranger's head.
"You would die before your first stroke fell," I growled.
I could sense all of the spears pointing down at me dangerously close, but I didn't care. Aragorn stepped in front of me and gently pushed my bow and arrow down. I could see the look in his eyes that he did not want any trouble. I relaxed my hold on the bow and arrow and let Aragorn take charge. But that did not stop me from glaring at the Rohan soldier.
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn," Aragorn introduced himself. "This is Gimli, son of Gloin, and Legolas of the Woodland Realm. We are friends of Rohan, and of Theoden, its king."
I watched as the Rohan rider suddenly become saddened. Curious. I wondered what was going through his mind. "Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," he said, taking off his helmet. "Not even his own kin."
I frowned at that. So that was what was meant when there was evil in Rohan. I didn't know exactly what kind of evil, but something like this is truly evil.
The Rohan soldier continued. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claim lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished."
Banished? So that's why they were here and not in Rohan. The soldier stepped closer to us, and I felt the urge to aim my arrow at him again and shoot.
"The White Wizard is cunning," he said. "He walks here and there they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." When he said the last sentence, he turned to look at me with his piercing eyes, and I equally met his glare. So, he thought we were Saruman's spies? He was not escaping my arrow again, but Aragorn spoke up.
"We are not spies," Aragorn assured him. "We track a band of Uruk-Hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friends captive."
"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night," the soldier stated.
My heart almost stopped. So that was the sensation that I felt last night. I knew an attack had occurred and many died, but I did not know it was the Uruks.
"But there were two hobbits!" Gimli said with distress. "Did you see two hobbits with them?!"
"They would be small, only children to your eyes," Aragorn added.
The soldier paused, and I knew bad news was going to come out of his mouth just based on his body language and how hesitant he was. "We left none alive," he began. "We piled the carcasses and burned them." He pointed to the area where we can see smoke filtering up to the sky, the pile of Uruk corpses that was burning.
Left none alive? But that meant. the hobbits. dead too?
"Dead?" Gimli whispered.
The Rohan rider lowered his gaze. "I am sorry," he said.
It can't be. The little hobbits can't be dead. We vowed to protect them; we could not have failed that task too! I could see how upset Gimli was and I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. There was still hope that they were alive. They still can be.
The Rohan rider turned and whistled. "Hasufel! Arod!" he called. Two horses trotted up to him, and the soldier took the reins. "May these horses bear you to better fortune than the former masters." He gave us the reins, turned, then mounted up on his horse. "Farewell. Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands." He turned to his army and yelled, "We ride North!"
As he rode off, his band followed suit, and we were left standing there with two new friends.
~ Wow, longer chapter! How exciting! Hopefully the next chapters would be this long, but I'm not sure. I haven't written them yet. Ha². Please read and review this! I am in desperate need of reviews. My thirst is quenched with reviews! Well, not really, but you get the idea. College sucks, btw.