Chapter 20 : continuation of the previous chapter
Disclaimer: been there, done that.
Okay, so the Ring didn't exactly go anywhere the previous chapter. My mistake. The com was getting rather sluggish due to long peorids of usage and so I decided it was safer to post first rather than risk the damned thing hanging halfway thru. And I think there be one more for the Smaugie virus.......
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"This is it." Shuwen muttered.
They were huddled on the steps of the courtyard of Imladris; the Company, Glorfindel, and Bilbo. Glorfindel was conversing softly with Legolas in elvish. Polinn translated for those who still hadn't picked up enough in their stay at Rivendell.
"I bid you good luck, and for once I am glad I will be staying out of the action. Somehow I think the coming journey will be very amusing indeed...."
Legolas paled visibly. Sara and the others led the horses up into the yard. Sara and Pris were absorbed in a piece of parchment. They were reading it out softly to the others. The others looked pleased. Very pleased.
Bilbo and Frodo were seated on a step. Aragorn sat on another, his head on his knees, and looking like almost everyone (apart from the prefects) did during the boring and pointless school assemblies they had each week. Sam stood by Bill, sucking his teeth; the pony swished his tale and cast baleful glances at the.......taller, *more graceful* relatives of his that the girls were riding, and shifted his weight noisily. Boromir was near invisible, standing in the shadows of the tall pillars. Gimli, short and squat, leaned against the arch.
At that moment Elrond and Gandalf descended into the courtyard. The Company was gathered round.
"This is my last word. The Ringbearer is setting out on the quest of Mount Doom. On him alone is any charge laid, neither to cast away the Ring, nor to deliver it to any servant of the enemy, nor indeed to let any handle it, save members of the Company and the Council, and only then in greatest need. The others go with him as free companions, to help him on his way. You may tarry, or come back, or turn aside into other paths, as chance allows. The further you go, the less easy it will be to withdraw, yet no oath or bond is laid on you to go further than you will. For you do not know the strength of your hearts, and you cannot forsee what each may meet upon the road.
"Faithless is he who says farewell when the road darkens."
"Maybe, but let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall."
"Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart."
Sigh.
"Look, cut the fancy phrases. I know another saying : The longer you tarry, the less the chances you will ever get started. Let's get going!"
The Company turned out of the yard. The last they heard was Glorfindel calling to them, clearly, softly.
"Farewell, and may the blessing of elves and men and all Free Folk go with you. May the stars shine on your faces!"
Slowly, slowly.......the dim figures of Elrond's household, waving goodbye, faded back into the dark, cold night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Five days on.
The hobbits had struck up with "The Road Goes Ever On" yet *again*. Irritably, Shuwen made *another* notch into a stick she had found.
"Shu, what's the tally?"
"Three-hundred-and-fifty.......eight."
"If I hear it One. More. Time. I will personally massacre them."
Sara was next to join the club. It wasn't long before all nine, Claire included, were clustered around. Sometimes there was unity in strength.
*
Just as Sam, Merry, and Pippin reached "down from the door where it began" for the three-hundredth-and-sixty-third time, there was a loud interruption from behind.
"Ooohh, dear, what can the matter be? Pi - pin was stuck up the lava'tree! Aaaalll, year, from cen'try to cen'try and no - body knew he was there!" [A/N: An old song of ours. Sung to the tune of "Oh dear, what can the matter be?" DUH right?]
Pippin jumped, shocked, to be confronted by the gaggle of girls, laughing heartily. Diana and Sara were standing up in the saddle for the fun of it, so much for Aragorn and Legolas' yells for them to "come down before gravity makes you". Diana was highly, insulted, having learnt riding for some time and therefore more comfortable around horses than most of the others. But then it was time for their midday stop, and she *had* to come down.
After the animals had been fed, watered, and turned loose to graze, the nine settled in a corner for a quiet discussion.
"It's too quiet!" Sara muttered.
"Good point."
"What's for dinner?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Okay, gotta run. You can find out what dinner has to do with it being too quiet in the next chappie. Yeah.......in a month or so.
Disclaimer: been there, done that.
Okay, so the Ring didn't exactly go anywhere the previous chapter. My mistake. The com was getting rather sluggish due to long peorids of usage and so I decided it was safer to post first rather than risk the damned thing hanging halfway thru. And I think there be one more for the Smaugie virus.......
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"This is it." Shuwen muttered.
They were huddled on the steps of the courtyard of Imladris; the Company, Glorfindel, and Bilbo. Glorfindel was conversing softly with Legolas in elvish. Polinn translated for those who still hadn't picked up enough in their stay at Rivendell.
"I bid you good luck, and for once I am glad I will be staying out of the action. Somehow I think the coming journey will be very amusing indeed...."
Legolas paled visibly. Sara and the others led the horses up into the yard. Sara and Pris were absorbed in a piece of parchment. They were reading it out softly to the others. The others looked pleased. Very pleased.
Bilbo and Frodo were seated on a step. Aragorn sat on another, his head on his knees, and looking like almost everyone (apart from the prefects) did during the boring and pointless school assemblies they had each week. Sam stood by Bill, sucking his teeth; the pony swished his tale and cast baleful glances at the.......taller, *more graceful* relatives of his that the girls were riding, and shifted his weight noisily. Boromir was near invisible, standing in the shadows of the tall pillars. Gimli, short and squat, leaned against the arch.
At that moment Elrond and Gandalf descended into the courtyard. The Company was gathered round.
"This is my last word. The Ringbearer is setting out on the quest of Mount Doom. On him alone is any charge laid, neither to cast away the Ring, nor to deliver it to any servant of the enemy, nor indeed to let any handle it, save members of the Company and the Council, and only then in greatest need. The others go with him as free companions, to help him on his way. You may tarry, or come back, or turn aside into other paths, as chance allows. The further you go, the less easy it will be to withdraw, yet no oath or bond is laid on you to go further than you will. For you do not know the strength of your hearts, and you cannot forsee what each may meet upon the road.
"Faithless is he who says farewell when the road darkens."
"Maybe, but let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall."
"Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart."
Sigh.
"Look, cut the fancy phrases. I know another saying : The longer you tarry, the less the chances you will ever get started. Let's get going!"
The Company turned out of the yard. The last they heard was Glorfindel calling to them, clearly, softly.
"Farewell, and may the blessing of elves and men and all Free Folk go with you. May the stars shine on your faces!"
Slowly, slowly.......the dim figures of Elrond's household, waving goodbye, faded back into the dark, cold night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Five days on.
The hobbits had struck up with "The Road Goes Ever On" yet *again*. Irritably, Shuwen made *another* notch into a stick she had found.
"Shu, what's the tally?"
"Three-hundred-and-fifty.......eight."
"If I hear it One. More. Time. I will personally massacre them."
Sara was next to join the club. It wasn't long before all nine, Claire included, were clustered around. Sometimes there was unity in strength.
*
Just as Sam, Merry, and Pippin reached "down from the door where it began" for the three-hundredth-and-sixty-third time, there was a loud interruption from behind.
"Ooohh, dear, what can the matter be? Pi - pin was stuck up the lava'tree! Aaaalll, year, from cen'try to cen'try and no - body knew he was there!" [A/N: An old song of ours. Sung to the tune of "Oh dear, what can the matter be?" DUH right?]
Pippin jumped, shocked, to be confronted by the gaggle of girls, laughing heartily. Diana and Sara were standing up in the saddle for the fun of it, so much for Aragorn and Legolas' yells for them to "come down before gravity makes you". Diana was highly, insulted, having learnt riding for some time and therefore more comfortable around horses than most of the others. But then it was time for their midday stop, and she *had* to come down.
After the animals had been fed, watered, and turned loose to graze, the nine settled in a corner for a quiet discussion.
"It's too quiet!" Sara muttered.
"Good point."
"What's for dinner?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Okay, gotta run. You can find out what dinner has to do with it being too quiet in the next chappie. Yeah.......in a month or so.