Uploaded: Date: 8/4/03 10:33:26 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Edited: 4/04/08 - 3:46 PM


Five: Kingdom of Rohan (Hello, Ringbearer!)


Samwise Gamgee walked through the cold corridors of the stone castle of Rohan as he admired the tapestry on the walls, supposedly there to brighten the dull halls of the kingdom. He sighed heavily, kicking a small pebble on the ground. He wished more than anything in the world to see Mr. Frodo again, he missed the thin hobbit's companionship more than anything. Merry wasn't terrible company, he certainly was more than willing to enegage in intelligent conversation, but Frodo just seemed to understand him better on some subjects.

The gardener halted at the door of the bedroom he was staying in. Grabbing the doorknob, he pushed the door forward and entered the room. Merry who was lying on his back, with a pillow shoved underneath him, glanced in the gardener's direction, curiosity aroused by his sudden reappearance. Sam nodded politely in his direction, climbing up onto the bed. A tired sigh escaped Merry lips. The only good that had come out of this debacale of an adventure was the return of Gandalf. The wizard was alive but no longer regarded himself as Gandalf the Grey. As though he were an entirely different person, Gandalf the White, recently returned from the land of the shadow to aid them in their time of need.

"Hello, Sam," Merry mumbled. Lifting himself in a sitting position, his brown eyes looked about the stone bedroom. "Has Gandalf found them yet?" Sam Shook his head, frustration darkening his features. "He said they were safe. That's about all he told me Mr. Merry," The Gardener replied dryly. Merry buried his face in the pillow and let out a groan. Gandalf knew something and wasn't telling them! What gave him the right? "If you want mine opinion, Gandalf just doesn't want us to worry," Sam said sliding off his bed. Making his way around the bed, he came to the foot of the Hobbit's bed and examined the wilting flowers sitting atop the chest. Merry was sorely tempted to ignore his presence, but he looked up with a questionable look on his face. "Well, judging by what you just told me, Gandalf's assurances are hardly preventing worry, Sam," Merry retorted angrily.

"Would you like me to tell you about the time Frodo got caught stealin' from Farmer Maggot?" Sam asked, ignoring his friend's comment altogther. Merry looked up from behind his curls, and nodded, shifting in his place, he flopped on his side, supporting his head with the palm of his hand. "I've got nothing better to do. Why not?" He said giving Sam a weak smile. Sam nodded and began his story.


Frodo looked up from behind a haystack he hid himself in that was being carried into Rohan's Territory by cart, the stone walls were huge, unlike anything he had seen before (besides Rivendell). And flag poles that used to stand proudly with their flags waving in the in the wind were now just poles, naked with no meaning; a nice symbolism to the decadant state Rohan had fallen into. Frodo ducked back under the hay as they passed the guarded walls.

"Halt!" Frodo heard one of the guards say. The cart stopped suddenly, Frodo swallowed against his nervousness and remained still. "What business do you have here?" The second guard asked. "I bring hay for the horses, mate!" The villager snapped.

"Cheek the hay!" The first guard ordered. Frodo's heart pounded rapidly against his chest. He was hoping the guards had just let the man through, he didn't think of something fast he was growing be speared by their weapons. Reaching into his shirt, Frodo pulled the ring out of his blouse and without another thought, slipped the gold band onto his finger. Almost immediately, the power of the ring vibrated through him, attempting to tug him in another direction as slipped out of the hay stack. Frodo dodged through the gap between the gards and made a run for the entrance of Edoras.

As he ventured the village enshrouded in gray and black shadows, Frodo could feel Suaron's eye baring down on his back, watching his evey move. Frodo removed the ring from his finger, almost immediately the howling wind died and silence reigned for a moment. Stealthily, he approached the Kingdom's pearl stone stairs. The memory of Pippin's faint fearful voice had returned as Frodo approached horse-shoe shaped opening of the castle that would lead him into the entrance. As he appraoched, two guards came forth and blocked his path. Frodo looked up at the two with hesitant eyes, he stepped back a bit for their comfort. "Who are you child, and what business do you have here?" The guard asked. Frodo's hesitant look soon transformed into a confused one, his mouth was slightly open in surprise; how could they mistake him for a child? "I am no child, I am a halfling. A hobbit," Frodo explained.

"So you are a character out of a story they tell children before bed time eh?" The other guard snickered. The first guard quickly grabbed Frodo by the back of his collar, his legs kicked in midair as his hand tried to pull the guards frim grip off his collar. "I do not believe the words that come from your mouth, child!" He snapped, letting the other one pull his ear. Frodo began to speak once more through gritted teeth. "I know Aragorn, son of Arathon! I am the ringbearer of the Fellowship!" The hobbit said quickly, hoping they would believe him. The first guard dropped him on his bottom with laugh. "Oi, Larrie he must be a little elf, like the ones that acompanied that old man!"

Frodo looked at them both in surprise.

The second guard chuckled, making his way over to Frodo. Frodo realized he was trying to grab him again. Climbing to his feet, Frodo ducked under the spears just as soon as they crossed them to block his path. He tripped the two guards as he slid through the entrance. The guards dashed after him, shouting in alarm. Frodo through the maze of halls, there was not a suitable place to hide anywhere. Grabbing up the ring again, he slipped it over his finger and re-entered the shadow realm. The two guards came bounding around the corner, swords at the ready. Frodo watched them continue down the hall, bewildered by his sudden disappearance.


Night had fallen over the village of Edoras. Frodo ventured carefully through the castle, awaiting nightfall when it was easier to slip pass the guards. Hoping his gut-feelings were leading him toward the right room, Frodo stoppped at a door with a rusted door hinge. "This is Where Sam & Merry are?" Frodo asked himself. The feeling became stronger as if saying yes. Frodo was caught off guard, he wasn't expecting that. "I hope that wretched Nazgul hasn't done anything to you Pippin," He whispered entering the bedroom.

The room was dimly lit by the moonlight that shone through the painted-glass windows. Frodo's gaze scanned the quaint bedroom, before falling upon Merry Brandybuck's form. The sandy-haired hobbit slept in an awkward position, his head unsupported by a pillow -- but his arms instead. Frodo had remembered once as lad, Merry had been snoring so loud, he was almost convinced that Biblo's dragon had come for him. This usually lead to his staying in his uncle Bilbo's bedroom until Merry left Bag End. He smiled at the memory.

Approaching the bed, he extended his arm toward Merry, his hands shook Merry's shoulders. Merry awoke from his peaceful sleep with gasp, unaudible words followed. He opened his round brown eyes blinking twice to make sure he wasn't dreaming up the figuring smiling at him. "Frodo is that. . . Really you?" He whispered excitedly.

The Baggin's gave his cousin a nod. "Yes,--." Frodo never got to finish, Merry threw his arms around his cousin's thin body squeezing him like a bear, cutting off the air supply from Frodo's lungs. Merry was sobbing, while luaghing as tears rolled down his face. "Air-- cousin-- need-- air please!" Frodo wheezed. Merry's brown eyes went wide with embarrassment and surprise "Oh-- sorry!" Merry pulled back quickly and let his cousin breathe once more. "Thank you Merry, It's good to see you too," Frodo coughed, coving his mouth. He gave his cousin a quick glare.

Merry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Frodo, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be in Mordor already," He said. "And where's Pippin?" Frodo sighed deeply. "Pippin's been taken by the Witch king. I'm not sure where he has taken him--," Frodo paused when he noticed the look on Merry's face. Oh, no. He thougbt. "You lost him?" Merry's face was a mixture of rage and fear. He was unsure whether to be angry at his cousin for loosing Pippin, or fearful for Pippin's life. Perhaps both, he certainly had the right.

"It wasn't intentional," Frodo interjected, a slight edge to his voice. Properly, he began to explain all the events that ocurred during and after his Pippin's capture. Merry listened intently, the glare never really gone from his gaze. "I too far away to do anything and when I arrived, I was too late. Pippin was gone," Frodo finished.

Merry regarded his cousin for a moment then climbed off the bed. Gandalf had been wrong in his assumption that Frodo and Pippin were safe -- which was unusual for the Wizard. "Don't worry, we'll find him. I promise," Frodo said. Merry just nodded, his gaze venturing over to the painted glass.

"Is Sam here?" Frodo inquired.

"Yes, he's in the other room, I believe," Merry answered quietly. "I'll go wake him." Without another Merry moved away from the window. As he past his bed, Frodo reached out and grabbed him, halting him his steps. Merry turned his gaze slowly in Frodo's direction. "Merry, you have my word, I'll get Pippin back," Fodo promised.


(TBC)