Ch 10 Too comfortable?
Merry and Pippin had slept all night, they were pleased to have enough food and a warm, comfortable bed to sleep in. The woman who rescued them from their prison had been very kind to them and had given them everything they asked for even though the two hobbits hadn't told her what they were or where they came from. The one thing they had stressed was that they had to help their friends. They had tried to explain why without giving too much away. Although this woman was friendly they still didn't know who they should trust, they knew their situation was fragile and they didn't want to risk anything.
Pippin had been eager to tell the woman everything but Merry had insisted that they keep quiet at least until they knew where their friends were. There had been a connection between Pippin and the woman, he had felt comfortable around her and he trusted her completely. There was something about her that made Pippin trusts her and like her, he just wished that Merry would be the same but the older hobbit was far more wary. Merry had always been the more sensible out of the two; he always looked out for his cousin who had little idea of danger.
They had decided that that morning they would go out and look for their friends, the thought of someone like Gimli being out there alone with no guide terrified them.
Bob was lying comfortably under a blanket Sam had provided, she still felt that tiredness that had swept over her earlier. The darkness had now left the woods and the place looked far less threatening. Ned was also asleep, she seemed to be just as tired and had slept soundly that night despite the threat of a Ring Wraith and Bob's condition. At first she said that she would stay awake and keep watch but when Bob had woken in the morning she had found Ned asleep against a tree.
Frodo and Sam were also asleep, they were just lying on the ground without blankets, something they were used to, they had spent many nights in Middle Earth like this. They had been glad when Ned had finally agreed that it was safe to stop, Sam didn't think he could walk much further. His feet hurt more than ever and he was getting increasingly worried about Frodo and the Ring. Frodo had also slept soundly that night but once he woke thinking he heard a noise, he soon realised that it was probably just a stray animal and had forced himself to go back to sleep. The temptation to wake Sam had been strong but then he remembered what had happened to Fred and decided it was probably best to just keep quiet.
Bob sat up and looked around her. The clearing Ned had led them to wasn't as good as their last camp, she noticed that no one had bothered to make a fire, she wondered if she should make one, after all the others had worked hard last night looking after her. She sat up but as soon as she did she saw the images that had been in her mind last night. They were now faded and nowhere near as powerful but they still echoed in her mind. She stayed still, for the first time letting the images develop into something more. They were disturbing sights, of torture and pain, she felt it all over again. Another thing she saw was a shape, something that was very familiar to her yet she had never actually seen it. Then it came to her, it was the lidless eye of Sauron. She didn't know how it was connected but it was by far the most powerful image.
Ned awoke at first not knowing where she was. She saw Bob sat up with a strange look on her face; it almost looked like what Ned had called Fred's thinking face. It was strange to see because Fred had always insisted that she didn't have a thinking face but Ned had teased her about it. If she had told Bob that she had a thinking face she would probably kill her. She laughed to herself then turned her attention back to Bob, she still had that spaced out look on her face, Ned wondered if it had something to do with what she saw last night. She got up and walked over to Bob.
Bob looked up suddenly when she realised Ned was behind her, she looked at her for a second and then said,
"It's so clear now, Ned. I didn't understand what I was seeing last night but I can now, I think it has something to do with Fred but I'm not sure how. I know she's in trouble, she's calling out to me. She's in pain and she's frightened. I don't know where she is but I know she doesn't like it there. It was such a powerful feeling last night and although it's fading now it's much easier to understand. Ned we have to help Fred, she's so afraid."
Ned looked at Bob for a bit, for a second she wondered if her friend was all right, she was making little sense and Ned doubted that she even knew what she was talking about. Bob saw this in Ned's face and said
"Ned, I'm not crazy, I know what I saw and we have to help Fred. Please you have to believe me. Please"
"I do believe you Bob, I just don't understand how all this is happening, that's all."
"I know but I know what I saw and I think it was Fred calling for help. We have to help her Ned."
"We will. I promise."
**
Fred's parents had called all her friends, they had searched the neighbourhood at least three times but no one had seen her. They had also been in touch with Bob and Ned's parents and they were all in the same situation. They had been in touch with the police but they had their hands full with weird people running all over Salisbury. Fred's dad had decided that he should looked further a field and search in town. He had driven off in his car and searched for about an hour. On his way home he had come across a man looking very lost by the roadside. At this point he was willing to ask anyone if they had seen his daughter. He pulled over and thought he recognised the man, he looked somehow familiar. When he pulled over the man obviously didn't recognise him.
"Can I help you? You look a little lost."
"Yes, you can tell me where I am."
"You're in Salisbury. Do you need to go somewhere? Are you looking for something in particular?"
"No not really, where are you going?" Before he could answer Aragorn continued, "Can I come with you?"
Fred's father nodded and opened the car door for him. Now he knew he knew this man but he still couldn't think where from. They drove in silence for a long time, just as the reached traffic lights Fred's father asked.
"Have you seen a young girl looking sort of lost? My daughter went missing a few days ago and I really want to find her. I'm worried. So have you seen her?"
Aragorn shook his head not really paying a lot of attention to the man; all he wanted to do was find his friends, that was the most important thing right then. He looked over to the man that had picked him up and saw the worry on his face, he wondered if he was feeling the same about his daughter as he was feeling about his friends.
"I haven't see anyone, I tried to stay away from people. I'm not from around here you know, I don't have a clue where I am. The thing is, I'm looking for my companions, we got separated and I need to find them. If you help me look for them then I will help you find your daughter. You have the knowledge of this place and I have the tracking skills. I think we could cover more ground."
Fred's father nodded.
"First we have to tell my wife, she's just as worried as I am. By the way, do I know you? It's just you look very familiar."
"I don't think so. I'm not from around here."
**
Gimli was still sat in his little cell, he had told himself that he would start digging his escape soon but every time he went to do it he just remembered that there were guards and a very large prisoner in this place with him. He came up with another plan, he would wait until someone came into the cell and when the door was open he would push his way through. It was far more realistic than digging his way out with a penknife and a spoon.
**
Legolas was still in the store, he had been trying on clothes for a while and the shopkeeper was beginning to get a little tired of handing him clothes although there was something fascinating about this man, he was so elegant. The man hoped Legolas would buy most of these clothes. The shopkeeper wished he could just pull back the changing room's curtain and Legolas putting on the clothes, he wondered what the elf looked like. Legolas' cry of delight interrupted his thoughts, he had done this every time he tried on a new suit.
"I like this one best." Cried Legolas, this was another thing that the elf had said many times. "I'll take this one."
Legolas came out of the changing room, the keeper was once again entranced by the blonde man, he was so attractive. He wondered what his friends would say if he brought this attractive thing home. He smiled at Legolas who looked very dashing in his grey suit.
"It looks very nice sir."
Legolas nodded in agreement and smiled back at the man. He picked up his old clothes and his bow and arrows and started walking out of the shop. He was almost at the door when he heard the shopkeepers voice calling him back.
"Sir, you need to pay for those clothes."
Legolas looked at the man with curiosity, he didn't understand. The man held out his hand and said
"That'll be four hundred pounds sir." Legolas was very confused, he didn't know what the man wanted, he had everything he had come for and the man wanted something in return. Legolas held out his hand in the same way the man had. The shopkeeper looked as confused as the elf at this gesture.
"Sir, you need to give me money for what you've bought."
"Bought?"
"Yes sir. I give you clothes and you give me money."
"Money?"
"Yes sir, you know, currency, pounds."
Legolas just kept looking blankly at the man, he had heard of men trading in Gondor but he himself had never experienced it before and he was confused at the man's request.
"You don't have any money do you?" The man asked impatiently.
Legolas shook his head. The man looked at him for a second and walked over to him. He took Legolas' old clothes off him and put them on a seat, he then moved round to the back if the elf and removed the expensive jacket. Legolas understood that the man wanted the suit back so he gave him the jacket and went back to the changing room and removed the new clothes and put his old ones on. This place was very confusing, he wondered if his friends were having the same problems him.
He gave the man the clothes and walked out of the shop, he was once more in the open. The shopkeeper smiled at the elf and laughed softly at the thought of someone coming into his shop and thinking the clothes were free. **
The other eight Wraiths that had been searching for the other members of the Fellowship had now split up, they were going after each one separately, that was their orders. They all had a common goal, to find the Ring but they were under the control of Sauron and did his orders. One had already taken out a human and the other eight were after the fellowship, that was their objective and they were going to do it. The Witch king was in the lead as usual but now they had split up and each wanted to reach their targets.
They always felt the presence of the Ring, it was what drove them but now they were also in tune with the members of the Fellowship and they would bring them down one by one.
One of the Wraiths was in the woods trying to find the Ring barer. That was, of course, the Witch king. Several times the shadow had come close to the Ring but the Ring evaded him time and time again. The Ring was always close though and the black figure would take it to Sauron eventually. It smelled fear close by and knew it was from the Ring barer.
**
Boromir and the woman had sat together talking about themselves, Boromir was careful not to reveal too much about himself he was still unsure as to whether he could trust the woman even though he had saved him.
He found out that her name was Vikki. She had left home when she was young and had lived here for a long time; she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and the thought of her made him feel warm inside. Their first kiss had been so passionate and he now craved for it to happen again. In the back of his mind he was frightened, he had no idea where he was or how he got there but right then all he was interested in was this woman. To him she was irresistible. She was in the middle of a sentence when he grabbed her and kissed her roughly once again, she kissed him back with the same roughness
Vikki pulled Boromir's shirt off and pushed him back. The moment was so intense that Boromir was taken back with it. He didn't fight at all but let her continue with what she was doing.
Just at that moment there came a loud noise there was someone else inside. Boromir pushed Vikki off him and picked up his sword. He led her closer to the door, unwilling to leave her behind. She hid behind him and let him shield her. Neither had any idea what was out there but Boroir thought it might have been an orc or Wraith. Of course, he didn't tell Vikki this, as he knew it would only upset her more. The door crashed down and they heard a voice shouting loudly, he was calling Vikki's name. The man came through the door and Boromir instantly pounced on him, pinning him to the ground with his sword at the man's throat.
Vikki was in shock at first, not only at the man but also at Boromir's strength, when she realised who the man was she grabbed Boromir's arm and screamed for him to let her go. She quickly explained that the man was he ex boyfriend. Boromir reluctantly let the man go. He stood up and stood next to Vikki. The man moved backwards and shouted at Vikki to keep Boromir under control. Boromir still held his sword ready to attack the man again and the man knew this and stayed well back.
"Get out of here. Now." Boromir commanded.
The man did as he was told and stumbled back out the door. When he was gone Boromir replaced his sword and turned to Vikki who instantly kissed him in appreciation.
**
Bob and Ned were now fully awake and were wondering whether they should just go and wake up Frodo and Sam, they had been reluctant at first, they knew the hobbits had had a hard time with the walking that night. They had slept soundly all night and were still curled up in their warm blankets. Ned knew that they could not linger too long, the Wraith wouldn't be far behind them and they were far easier to track when they weren't moving.
Luckily Bob had made a good recovery over night and was now anxious to get moving. Ned was equally anxious to get moving but for her she just wanted to get home and away from this place, it was starting to get too much. Ned knew that Bob wanted to leave because of Fred but for her that was good enough. Surprisingly Sam and Frodo weren't as keen to leave as the two humans were. They had spent a lot of time out in the wild and were used to it now.
Ned decided that she should make a fire, at least then they could eat, she wondered if she could find something out in the woods. She knew that Bob would object to her killing any animals so that was out of the question. She thought maybe she could collect some kind of fruit. Ned didn't know a whole lot about the foods that could be found in the forest but right then that didn't matter a lot. What was important was that they got something to eat. They knew their supplies wouldn't last forever and the sausages and meats that Sam carried were slowly getting rotten. Ned asked Bob to go and collect some firewood; Ned never seemed to do that kind of thing herself.
Bob walked off to get the firewood. She was still a little dizzy from her experience last night but apart from that she felt find, except those images that just went round and round in her mind. It was as if Fred were still calling for her but there was nothing she could do. After what happened last time she went into the woods she was extra careful, she didn't want to get lost again especially with the Wraith out there somewhere.
Ned began looking for stones to put around the fire, she always felt important when she had to light a fire and this was no exception the thought that everyone depended on her was thrilling. She looked over at Frodo and Sam who were still asleep. Even thought she had been with them for a while she still couldn't quite believe that it was really them, they looked real yet somehow they were unreal. It was a very strange thing to look at them and know everything about them including what was going to happen to them. She had debated whether she should tell them about what was going to happen to them but she decided that it was best not to. She knew the kinds of effects that could occur if she told them anything. It could change the course of the future and she didn't want that to happen. She wondered just what effects it would have on them, would it completely change the novel if she did anything or would this in itself change everything?
Bob came back with an armful of wood and interrupted Ned's thoughts. Ned went through the process of lighting the fire, she tried to make a lot of noise so she could 'accidentally' wake the hobbits who seemed to sleep through anything.
It didn't take long for the fire to get to a good height, Ned had considered that it might be dangerous to light the fire, there might be Wraiths out there who would be instantly attracted to the smoke but she knew that she had no choice, they were starving. After a little while longer the hobbits still hadn't woken up, Ned decided that it was time they got moving and had to get moving. She walked over to them and tapped one, he didn't move Ned thought this quite strange especially in this situation. She moved to the other and tapped him and nothing happened. Ned was getting worried now, she roughly pulled the blanket on the first hobbit back, she gasped when she realised there was nothing there, just another blanket underneath. She ripped the other one back and found the same thing. She looked around and saw the hobbits bags on the floor, something occurred to her, they could have been taken by the Wraith. She shouted at Bob who quickly rushed over and was just as surprised as Ned when she saw the fake hobbits. Neither knew what had happened but something seemed strange about this, they didn't know a lot about Wraiths but they guessed that they wouldn't take the time to replace their victims with rolled up blankets. No, it wasn't Wraiths, it was something else, something else was stalking them and they had no idea what was going on or who it was.
They looked around wildly, they started calling the hobbit's names hoping someone would hear them, they were all too aware that their were other things out there. They had no choice but to help the hobbits. They looked all around the camp for signs of a struggle or anything that would give them a clue as to where they had gone. Somewhere in the bushes there came a sound that made the two friends stop, they instantly froze knowing instinctively what it was. Out of the bushes a black figure came, it was far more scary than it had looked in the movie, also it was a lot taller than they had expected, the red eyes of the horse made them freeze. It was a terrifying sight, they now understood why the hobbits had been so scared of it. Bob and Ned fell to the ground and tried to crawl to the side hoping the Wraith would leave them, they weren't important but in the back of their minds they thought about what had happened to Fred, if they took her then they could just as easily take them as well. They knew they had to escape and dived under the horse to try and escape the Wraith, it looked confused at this move and tried to turn, the Wraith drew his sword and looked around, it raised it's head and sniffed the area. Bob and Ned hid silently in the bushes, Ned was tempted to stick her hand out and test which way the wind was blowing, she figured that they were safe as long as they stayed down wind but she was unsure as to whether that applied to the Wraiths, also she didn't want her hand cut off.
Finally the Wraith moved off, the camp was completely wrecked, Ned and Bob came from the bushes and looked around, now they were sure the hobbits had been captured.
Bob wondered if they had been taken in the same way that Fred had. For some reason none of this made sense to Bob, she didn't understand how the Wraith could have taken them without waking the two humans, after all they weren't renowned for their stealth or silence. Another thing that puzzled her was why the Wraith had come back, it seemed confused that the hobbits weren't there, it didn't seem to want Bob and Ned, it had been looking for the hobbits but they were all ready gone. Ned didn't seem to think of any of this and it took a while for Bob to convince her that the hobbits weren't taken by the Wraith but by something else. At first Ned didn't believe anything Bob said but that soon changed when her theory began to make some kind of sense. Ned was trying to collect up all the things the Wraith had destroyed, she was still stunned by the fact that the Wraith was so big, if it was big to her then it must have looked enormous to a hobbit or even to Fred who wasn't as tall as Ned. At the thought of this Ned laughed, Fred would have killed her if she had said that at school. Bob stared at the laughing Ned wondering what was so funny, she didn't find their situation at all amusing.
Ned was the first to be ready to leave, Bob was still in shock from everything that had happened so far, they had been through so much that now they just wished it was over. Bob still blamed herself for everything that had happened, she was the one that had suggested going into the forest thinking it would be safer, she knew she should have gone into the town, at least they wouldn't have to face Ring Wraiths.
She pushed all these thoughts out of her mind and picked up the few things remaining that weren't shattered after the attack. She followed Ned silently through the woods, she was getting sick and tired of seeing so many trees, it was really getting on her nerves. She wished she could see buildings or roads, anything that reminded her of home. While she was thinking all about this she was suddenly startled when she bumped into Ned who had suddenly stopped. Bob looked around herself, dazed for a second. She looked around Ned trying to figure out why her friend had stopped, she soon saw the cause; there was a small hut, made of wood. Neither knew that there were people living in the woods, they had certainly never come across it before. The strange thing was that there was smoke coming from the chimney, there was obviously someone living there but they had no idea who.
They had a thought that who ever it was might be the ones that had kidnapped Frodo and Sam. Ned and Bob knew they had to go in and find out but there was something about the house that made them jumpy. Neither wanted to go in but they would have to if they wanted to help Frodo and Sam. At the very least they could find someone to talk to and maybe some food.
Little did they know that the hut wasn't nearly as welcoming as they thought it would be.
Merry and Pippin had slept all night, they were pleased to have enough food and a warm, comfortable bed to sleep in. The woman who rescued them from their prison had been very kind to them and had given them everything they asked for even though the two hobbits hadn't told her what they were or where they came from. The one thing they had stressed was that they had to help their friends. They had tried to explain why without giving too much away. Although this woman was friendly they still didn't know who they should trust, they knew their situation was fragile and they didn't want to risk anything.
Pippin had been eager to tell the woman everything but Merry had insisted that they keep quiet at least until they knew where their friends were. There had been a connection between Pippin and the woman, he had felt comfortable around her and he trusted her completely. There was something about her that made Pippin trusts her and like her, he just wished that Merry would be the same but the older hobbit was far more wary. Merry had always been the more sensible out of the two; he always looked out for his cousin who had little idea of danger.
They had decided that that morning they would go out and look for their friends, the thought of someone like Gimli being out there alone with no guide terrified them.
Bob was lying comfortably under a blanket Sam had provided, she still felt that tiredness that had swept over her earlier. The darkness had now left the woods and the place looked far less threatening. Ned was also asleep, she seemed to be just as tired and had slept soundly that night despite the threat of a Ring Wraith and Bob's condition. At first she said that she would stay awake and keep watch but when Bob had woken in the morning she had found Ned asleep against a tree.
Frodo and Sam were also asleep, they were just lying on the ground without blankets, something they were used to, they had spent many nights in Middle Earth like this. They had been glad when Ned had finally agreed that it was safe to stop, Sam didn't think he could walk much further. His feet hurt more than ever and he was getting increasingly worried about Frodo and the Ring. Frodo had also slept soundly that night but once he woke thinking he heard a noise, he soon realised that it was probably just a stray animal and had forced himself to go back to sleep. The temptation to wake Sam had been strong but then he remembered what had happened to Fred and decided it was probably best to just keep quiet.
Bob sat up and looked around her. The clearing Ned had led them to wasn't as good as their last camp, she noticed that no one had bothered to make a fire, she wondered if she should make one, after all the others had worked hard last night looking after her. She sat up but as soon as she did she saw the images that had been in her mind last night. They were now faded and nowhere near as powerful but they still echoed in her mind. She stayed still, for the first time letting the images develop into something more. They were disturbing sights, of torture and pain, she felt it all over again. Another thing she saw was a shape, something that was very familiar to her yet she had never actually seen it. Then it came to her, it was the lidless eye of Sauron. She didn't know how it was connected but it was by far the most powerful image.
Ned awoke at first not knowing where she was. She saw Bob sat up with a strange look on her face; it almost looked like what Ned had called Fred's thinking face. It was strange to see because Fred had always insisted that she didn't have a thinking face but Ned had teased her about it. If she had told Bob that she had a thinking face she would probably kill her. She laughed to herself then turned her attention back to Bob, she still had that spaced out look on her face, Ned wondered if it had something to do with what she saw last night. She got up and walked over to Bob.
Bob looked up suddenly when she realised Ned was behind her, she looked at her for a second and then said,
"It's so clear now, Ned. I didn't understand what I was seeing last night but I can now, I think it has something to do with Fred but I'm not sure how. I know she's in trouble, she's calling out to me. She's in pain and she's frightened. I don't know where she is but I know she doesn't like it there. It was such a powerful feeling last night and although it's fading now it's much easier to understand. Ned we have to help Fred, she's so afraid."
Ned looked at Bob for a bit, for a second she wondered if her friend was all right, she was making little sense and Ned doubted that she even knew what she was talking about. Bob saw this in Ned's face and said
"Ned, I'm not crazy, I know what I saw and we have to help Fred. Please you have to believe me. Please"
"I do believe you Bob, I just don't understand how all this is happening, that's all."
"I know but I know what I saw and I think it was Fred calling for help. We have to help her Ned."
"We will. I promise."
**
Fred's parents had called all her friends, they had searched the neighbourhood at least three times but no one had seen her. They had also been in touch with Bob and Ned's parents and they were all in the same situation. They had been in touch with the police but they had their hands full with weird people running all over Salisbury. Fred's dad had decided that he should looked further a field and search in town. He had driven off in his car and searched for about an hour. On his way home he had come across a man looking very lost by the roadside. At this point he was willing to ask anyone if they had seen his daughter. He pulled over and thought he recognised the man, he looked somehow familiar. When he pulled over the man obviously didn't recognise him.
"Can I help you? You look a little lost."
"Yes, you can tell me where I am."
"You're in Salisbury. Do you need to go somewhere? Are you looking for something in particular?"
"No not really, where are you going?" Before he could answer Aragorn continued, "Can I come with you?"
Fred's father nodded and opened the car door for him. Now he knew he knew this man but he still couldn't think where from. They drove in silence for a long time, just as the reached traffic lights Fred's father asked.
"Have you seen a young girl looking sort of lost? My daughter went missing a few days ago and I really want to find her. I'm worried. So have you seen her?"
Aragorn shook his head not really paying a lot of attention to the man; all he wanted to do was find his friends, that was the most important thing right then. He looked over to the man that had picked him up and saw the worry on his face, he wondered if he was feeling the same about his daughter as he was feeling about his friends.
"I haven't see anyone, I tried to stay away from people. I'm not from around here you know, I don't have a clue where I am. The thing is, I'm looking for my companions, we got separated and I need to find them. If you help me look for them then I will help you find your daughter. You have the knowledge of this place and I have the tracking skills. I think we could cover more ground."
Fred's father nodded.
"First we have to tell my wife, she's just as worried as I am. By the way, do I know you? It's just you look very familiar."
"I don't think so. I'm not from around here."
**
Gimli was still sat in his little cell, he had told himself that he would start digging his escape soon but every time he went to do it he just remembered that there were guards and a very large prisoner in this place with him. He came up with another plan, he would wait until someone came into the cell and when the door was open he would push his way through. It was far more realistic than digging his way out with a penknife and a spoon.
**
Legolas was still in the store, he had been trying on clothes for a while and the shopkeeper was beginning to get a little tired of handing him clothes although there was something fascinating about this man, he was so elegant. The man hoped Legolas would buy most of these clothes. The shopkeeper wished he could just pull back the changing room's curtain and Legolas putting on the clothes, he wondered what the elf looked like. Legolas' cry of delight interrupted his thoughts, he had done this every time he tried on a new suit.
"I like this one best." Cried Legolas, this was another thing that the elf had said many times. "I'll take this one."
Legolas came out of the changing room, the keeper was once again entranced by the blonde man, he was so attractive. He wondered what his friends would say if he brought this attractive thing home. He smiled at Legolas who looked very dashing in his grey suit.
"It looks very nice sir."
Legolas nodded in agreement and smiled back at the man. He picked up his old clothes and his bow and arrows and started walking out of the shop. He was almost at the door when he heard the shopkeepers voice calling him back.
"Sir, you need to pay for those clothes."
Legolas looked at the man with curiosity, he didn't understand. The man held out his hand and said
"That'll be four hundred pounds sir." Legolas was very confused, he didn't know what the man wanted, he had everything he had come for and the man wanted something in return. Legolas held out his hand in the same way the man had. The shopkeeper looked as confused as the elf at this gesture.
"Sir, you need to give me money for what you've bought."
"Bought?"
"Yes sir. I give you clothes and you give me money."
"Money?"
"Yes sir, you know, currency, pounds."
Legolas just kept looking blankly at the man, he had heard of men trading in Gondor but he himself had never experienced it before and he was confused at the man's request.
"You don't have any money do you?" The man asked impatiently.
Legolas shook his head. The man looked at him for a second and walked over to him. He took Legolas' old clothes off him and put them on a seat, he then moved round to the back if the elf and removed the expensive jacket. Legolas understood that the man wanted the suit back so he gave him the jacket and went back to the changing room and removed the new clothes and put his old ones on. This place was very confusing, he wondered if his friends were having the same problems him.
He gave the man the clothes and walked out of the shop, he was once more in the open. The shopkeeper smiled at the elf and laughed softly at the thought of someone coming into his shop and thinking the clothes were free. **
The other eight Wraiths that had been searching for the other members of the Fellowship had now split up, they were going after each one separately, that was their orders. They all had a common goal, to find the Ring but they were under the control of Sauron and did his orders. One had already taken out a human and the other eight were after the fellowship, that was their objective and they were going to do it. The Witch king was in the lead as usual but now they had split up and each wanted to reach their targets.
They always felt the presence of the Ring, it was what drove them but now they were also in tune with the members of the Fellowship and they would bring them down one by one.
One of the Wraiths was in the woods trying to find the Ring barer. That was, of course, the Witch king. Several times the shadow had come close to the Ring but the Ring evaded him time and time again. The Ring was always close though and the black figure would take it to Sauron eventually. It smelled fear close by and knew it was from the Ring barer.
**
Boromir and the woman had sat together talking about themselves, Boromir was careful not to reveal too much about himself he was still unsure as to whether he could trust the woman even though he had saved him.
He found out that her name was Vikki. She had left home when she was young and had lived here for a long time; she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and the thought of her made him feel warm inside. Their first kiss had been so passionate and he now craved for it to happen again. In the back of his mind he was frightened, he had no idea where he was or how he got there but right then all he was interested in was this woman. To him she was irresistible. She was in the middle of a sentence when he grabbed her and kissed her roughly once again, she kissed him back with the same roughness
Vikki pulled Boromir's shirt off and pushed him back. The moment was so intense that Boromir was taken back with it. He didn't fight at all but let her continue with what she was doing.
Just at that moment there came a loud noise there was someone else inside. Boromir pushed Vikki off him and picked up his sword. He led her closer to the door, unwilling to leave her behind. She hid behind him and let him shield her. Neither had any idea what was out there but Boroir thought it might have been an orc or Wraith. Of course, he didn't tell Vikki this, as he knew it would only upset her more. The door crashed down and they heard a voice shouting loudly, he was calling Vikki's name. The man came through the door and Boromir instantly pounced on him, pinning him to the ground with his sword at the man's throat.
Vikki was in shock at first, not only at the man but also at Boromir's strength, when she realised who the man was she grabbed Boromir's arm and screamed for him to let her go. She quickly explained that the man was he ex boyfriend. Boromir reluctantly let the man go. He stood up and stood next to Vikki. The man moved backwards and shouted at Vikki to keep Boromir under control. Boromir still held his sword ready to attack the man again and the man knew this and stayed well back.
"Get out of here. Now." Boromir commanded.
The man did as he was told and stumbled back out the door. When he was gone Boromir replaced his sword and turned to Vikki who instantly kissed him in appreciation.
**
Bob and Ned were now fully awake and were wondering whether they should just go and wake up Frodo and Sam, they had been reluctant at first, they knew the hobbits had had a hard time with the walking that night. They had slept soundly all night and were still curled up in their warm blankets. Ned knew that they could not linger too long, the Wraith wouldn't be far behind them and they were far easier to track when they weren't moving.
Luckily Bob had made a good recovery over night and was now anxious to get moving. Ned was equally anxious to get moving but for her she just wanted to get home and away from this place, it was starting to get too much. Ned knew that Bob wanted to leave because of Fred but for her that was good enough. Surprisingly Sam and Frodo weren't as keen to leave as the two humans were. They had spent a lot of time out in the wild and were used to it now.
Ned decided that she should make a fire, at least then they could eat, she wondered if she could find something out in the woods. She knew that Bob would object to her killing any animals so that was out of the question. She thought maybe she could collect some kind of fruit. Ned didn't know a whole lot about the foods that could be found in the forest but right then that didn't matter a lot. What was important was that they got something to eat. They knew their supplies wouldn't last forever and the sausages and meats that Sam carried were slowly getting rotten. Ned asked Bob to go and collect some firewood; Ned never seemed to do that kind of thing herself.
Bob walked off to get the firewood. She was still a little dizzy from her experience last night but apart from that she felt find, except those images that just went round and round in her mind. It was as if Fred were still calling for her but there was nothing she could do. After what happened last time she went into the woods she was extra careful, she didn't want to get lost again especially with the Wraith out there somewhere.
Ned began looking for stones to put around the fire, she always felt important when she had to light a fire and this was no exception the thought that everyone depended on her was thrilling. She looked over at Frodo and Sam who were still asleep. Even thought she had been with them for a while she still couldn't quite believe that it was really them, they looked real yet somehow they were unreal. It was a very strange thing to look at them and know everything about them including what was going to happen to them. She had debated whether she should tell them about what was going to happen to them but she decided that it was best not to. She knew the kinds of effects that could occur if she told them anything. It could change the course of the future and she didn't want that to happen. She wondered just what effects it would have on them, would it completely change the novel if she did anything or would this in itself change everything?
Bob came back with an armful of wood and interrupted Ned's thoughts. Ned went through the process of lighting the fire, she tried to make a lot of noise so she could 'accidentally' wake the hobbits who seemed to sleep through anything.
It didn't take long for the fire to get to a good height, Ned had considered that it might be dangerous to light the fire, there might be Wraiths out there who would be instantly attracted to the smoke but she knew that she had no choice, they were starving. After a little while longer the hobbits still hadn't woken up, Ned decided that it was time they got moving and had to get moving. She walked over to them and tapped one, he didn't move Ned thought this quite strange especially in this situation. She moved to the other and tapped him and nothing happened. Ned was getting worried now, she roughly pulled the blanket on the first hobbit back, she gasped when she realised there was nothing there, just another blanket underneath. She ripped the other one back and found the same thing. She looked around and saw the hobbits bags on the floor, something occurred to her, they could have been taken by the Wraith. She shouted at Bob who quickly rushed over and was just as surprised as Ned when she saw the fake hobbits. Neither knew what had happened but something seemed strange about this, they didn't know a lot about Wraiths but they guessed that they wouldn't take the time to replace their victims with rolled up blankets. No, it wasn't Wraiths, it was something else, something else was stalking them and they had no idea what was going on or who it was.
They looked around wildly, they started calling the hobbit's names hoping someone would hear them, they were all too aware that their were other things out there. They had no choice but to help the hobbits. They looked all around the camp for signs of a struggle or anything that would give them a clue as to where they had gone. Somewhere in the bushes there came a sound that made the two friends stop, they instantly froze knowing instinctively what it was. Out of the bushes a black figure came, it was far more scary than it had looked in the movie, also it was a lot taller than they had expected, the red eyes of the horse made them freeze. It was a terrifying sight, they now understood why the hobbits had been so scared of it. Bob and Ned fell to the ground and tried to crawl to the side hoping the Wraith would leave them, they weren't important but in the back of their minds they thought about what had happened to Fred, if they took her then they could just as easily take them as well. They knew they had to escape and dived under the horse to try and escape the Wraith, it looked confused at this move and tried to turn, the Wraith drew his sword and looked around, it raised it's head and sniffed the area. Bob and Ned hid silently in the bushes, Ned was tempted to stick her hand out and test which way the wind was blowing, she figured that they were safe as long as they stayed down wind but she was unsure as to whether that applied to the Wraiths, also she didn't want her hand cut off.
Finally the Wraith moved off, the camp was completely wrecked, Ned and Bob came from the bushes and looked around, now they were sure the hobbits had been captured.
Bob wondered if they had been taken in the same way that Fred had. For some reason none of this made sense to Bob, she didn't understand how the Wraith could have taken them without waking the two humans, after all they weren't renowned for their stealth or silence. Another thing that puzzled her was why the Wraith had come back, it seemed confused that the hobbits weren't there, it didn't seem to want Bob and Ned, it had been looking for the hobbits but they were all ready gone. Ned didn't seem to think of any of this and it took a while for Bob to convince her that the hobbits weren't taken by the Wraith but by something else. At first Ned didn't believe anything Bob said but that soon changed when her theory began to make some kind of sense. Ned was trying to collect up all the things the Wraith had destroyed, she was still stunned by the fact that the Wraith was so big, if it was big to her then it must have looked enormous to a hobbit or even to Fred who wasn't as tall as Ned. At the thought of this Ned laughed, Fred would have killed her if she had said that at school. Bob stared at the laughing Ned wondering what was so funny, she didn't find their situation at all amusing.
Ned was the first to be ready to leave, Bob was still in shock from everything that had happened so far, they had been through so much that now they just wished it was over. Bob still blamed herself for everything that had happened, she was the one that had suggested going into the forest thinking it would be safer, she knew she should have gone into the town, at least they wouldn't have to face Ring Wraiths.
She pushed all these thoughts out of her mind and picked up the few things remaining that weren't shattered after the attack. She followed Ned silently through the woods, she was getting sick and tired of seeing so many trees, it was really getting on her nerves. She wished she could see buildings or roads, anything that reminded her of home. While she was thinking all about this she was suddenly startled when she bumped into Ned who had suddenly stopped. Bob looked around herself, dazed for a second. She looked around Ned trying to figure out why her friend had stopped, she soon saw the cause; there was a small hut, made of wood. Neither knew that there were people living in the woods, they had certainly never come across it before. The strange thing was that there was smoke coming from the chimney, there was obviously someone living there but they had no idea who.
They had a thought that who ever it was might be the ones that had kidnapped Frodo and Sam. Ned and Bob knew they had to go in and find out but there was something about the house that made them jumpy. Neither wanted to go in but they would have to if they wanted to help Frodo and Sam. At the very least they could find someone to talk to and maybe some food.
Little did they know that the hut wasn't nearly as welcoming as they thought it would be.