Welcome back to another 'riveting' chapter of my story! Yeah, last
time they were at the Prancing Pony...and they're still there, just so ya
know...had to end the chapter short. "Of all the things I've lost, I miss
my mind the most"...I just thought that that quote fit my writers
blockedness...and my obsessive insanity...^-^ Hopefully in this chapter,
I'll be able to enact my fiendish, obsessive plan!!!...or the next
chapter...whichever...Anyway, 'nough of my rantin' I'll letcha get to the
story!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When we left the ones we are stalk - er, following at the moment, they were outside the Prancing Pony with Nimrodel after she was attacked by a wraith, which she stabbed in a very inappropriate spot...^-^ So they went inside, ya know, where it's warm, and started drinkin' up a storm to celebrate the stabbing of the wraith (there were hobbits there, and they really wanted a reason to do that...meaning the drinkin' thing). Naturally, everyone was getting drunk out the ying-yang and *gakked to the nines*...well, except for Nimrodel...she did have a few drinks (at least thats how many she remembered...) and the second-handedness of the smoking wasn't able to be helped. She was starting to feel a little dizzy, so she started her way to the room. Unfortunately, she kinda fell down the stairs, so she crawled up them and slumped over into her bed.
The others didn't come until a while later (in other words, they were completely and utterly wasted, drunk out the ying-yang, and *gakked to the nines*...), and when they did, Nimrodel sat straight up in alertness. "They're coming..." The guys just stood there and looked at her blankly. "You guys, can I make it any clearer...THEY'RE COMING!!!!!!!!" Azerith mumbled something that sounded like 'who'. "THE WRAITH'S, YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!!" After this had finally set in to their entoxicated minds, their eyes widened in, well, fright...and, well, it was the kinda look you see on a deer's face when it's about to get hit by a car.
"And why didn't you tell us when we were in the bar?!"
"I didn't know then, dumb-ass, I just sensed them!!!!! Besides, you guy-" She was cut off by an ear-piercing screech from the street. "Great, they're here now, and we can't get very far away because you guys are still wasted beyond all recognition! Now what're we suppose to do?!"
Legolas was now suspicious, "Why would the Wraith's be here...they are drawn to the ring and it's power. The ring was destroyed. I know there is a legend that says that Sauron had made a second ring of equal power, but there has been no proof of it's existence. Nimrodel, do you know anything about a second ring?"
Nimrodel looked at the floor in guilt, "Uh...no...?" Legolas looked at her in skeptisism. "Um...maybe?" Now all that weren't too fucked up to see straight if they tried to really hard were looking at her the same as Legolas was, mixed with the kind of look that someone gives you when they want to know more. "Okay, fine...I've had this ring since I got here." They looked at her as if they didn't quite understand what she meant, only Azerith's reason for looking at her like this was because he was still pretty fucked up. "Meaning a few days before I met you guys."
"And what ring is this?" Nimrodel pulled a necklace from down her dress. At the end of this necklace was a golden ring, seeming to be an exact replica of the one ring. "That looks like the ring...but the ring was destroyed...this is very confusing."
"I have an idea, may I?" Nimrodel took the ring off the chain and handed it to Aragorn. He then tossed it into the fire that was burning in the room. The ring sat there, glittering in the flame for a few minutes before it was removed. It took a few seconds, but writing soon became apparent on the ring in flaming letters. "Damn, it's an exact copy, the legend you spoke of, Legolas, is true."
Everyone then made some comment along the lines of Aragorn's, including Azerith, who was thinking straight enough for it to have set in. The ring was then given back to Nimrodel, who replaced it around her neck and down the front of her dress. The noise of shattering glass met their ears, then a shriek of surprise from a wraith in the main part of the inn (it was a good thing that the drunkards downstairs had heard the first shriek, or they'd be dead right about now). They all went silent, more so than has ever not been heard by anyone. It would be as if you had lost your hearing, only no one was moving their lips, and there was no sound except that of a horrific evil. All who were in the Prancing Pony were pressed against the wall or under some form of inconspicuous hiding place. Nimrodel and the others were in the room still, unable to find a place outside the room. Nimrodel was curled up in the far corner of the room, hoping against hope that they would not be found.
Miraculously, after about a quarter of an hour the wraiths left, and without killing anyone. All breathed easier when they had left Bree (probably because of that one wraith...^-^), and though there were only a few hours left of the night, everyone tried to get some sleep, even if they were losing the battle. Nimrodel, who had stayed in the corner until the wraith's had gone, fell asleep there slumped over to the rain falling outside.
The next morning, everyone at the inn got up, still very tired, and vaguely remembering what had happened the night before, preferring to think about the first part...or second part, depending on whether you count the wraith thing, then the drinking, then the wraiths.
"Man, that was one bad dream...I hope I never have one like that again."
"Azerith, you're an idiot!! That wasn't a dream, it wasn't a bad dream, it was real, you were just drunk as anything last night, and you were probably in a daze the entire time the wraiths were here! Don't you remember anything that you know wasn't a dream from last night?!"
"Well, I do remember dr-"
"Besides the drinking and anything else you did before you were drunk!"
"I do remember one thing."
"And that is..."
"I remember you falling down the stairs, rolling under a table and having to climb the stairs on your knees."
"Nah...I wasn't on my knees, that must've been a dream."
"Yes you were, you, Nimrodel, on your fuckin' knees! You don't have the right to tell me I drank too much when you were on the floor!"
"Please stop arguing over it, we were all drinking a little too much, and we should leave it at that. Besides, we should leave as soon as we can, and fighting will not help us go any faster."
Naturally, Aragorn ended up being the voice of reason, and they got ready to set off for Imladris. As they were eating brunch (since they got up so late it was already almost noon) the door opened and four drenched figures stood in the doorway. Everyone heard the door and just by looking at their silhouettes saw that they were hobbits...at least two of them, anyway, the other two were about a foot and a half or so taller. Butterbur went to see if he could get them a room (or anything else that completely drenched people might need).
"Master Frodo! What on earth are you doing here, I'd suspect yeh to be stayin' in the Shire at yer age."
"I don't really believe in being too old for something unless I find it out for myself. I was wondering if you could tell me if Aragorn was still here...or when he left."
"Oh, he's over in there with the rest o' the people he came with. Nothin's goin' on with evil or anything like that is there?"
"We're not quite sure, you haven't seen anything have you?"
"Just last night, we were havin' a party 'cause that girl with Aragorn and them stabbed one o' them black riders. Then later that night, almost mornin', them black riders come and go about like their searchin' the place for somethin'. Scared ev'ryone half to death...then o'course, we was all kinda drunk, so it wouldn'ta taken much ta do that...Master Meriadoc! Master Took! Why in the world are yeh so tall!"
"Hehehehe...well, you see, while we were on that mission, quest, thing that one time, we had some of the Entwater, and it made us taller..."
After Butterbur convinced the four hobbits to stay the night (the streets were completely flooded) they went over to where Aragorn and the others were sitting.
"Hello Aragorn, long time no see, we heard about the wraiths."
"Actually Frodo, it has only been a few days since the party...and I suppose Butterbur told you of the wraiths..."
"Yes, both incidents; they have been in the Shire, Aragorn, why are they back...I went to Mordor and destoryed the ring a long time ago, they wre destoryed with it, we all saw it..."
"That puzzled us as well. It seems that Sauron had made a second ring, just as powerful, and kept it somewhere that no one, not even himself could have gotten it (or his memory is really bad). Nimrodel was at the party, that is probably why the wraiths went to the Shire, they had sensed the ring there and hadn't realized that we had already left. She found the ring before we met her, and she hadn't told anyone until early this morning. We were getting ready to leave for Rivendell just as you came in."
"Well, we hate to be bearers of bad news, but the streets are so flooded right now there's no chance of anyone travelling them today. You'll probably have to wait until tomorrow to start off."
As you could more than likely imagine, they were rather put down, peeved, and annoyed that they weren't able to leave Bree yet. They were all of them concerned that them staying there would either give the wraiths another chance to find them there or would give them a head start and the chance to later ambush them; being also concerned for the safety of the people of the town, they really didn't want to be staying there another day.
They had nothing to do there but sit and wait for night to come and hope against hope that the wraiths did not return in search of the ring. It was a very unfortunate thing that the wraith had seen Nimrodel because they now knew what the bearer of the ring looked like, though they also knew to be cautious around her (^-^). The day passed, and the group had all gotten pretty bored of the people at the inn; it was also becoming more and more difficult to keep from drinking (though the hobbits drank quite a bit...especially Pippin...^-^). As night approached, the storm lessened and everyone at the inn went on their guard (if they were sober enough to). Everyone was quieter than they had been earlier and everyone was drinking considerably less than they were before (to be able to be on their guard).
Nimrodel had stated that she was tired and that she was going to bed. She gave a couple of them a look that basically said that no one else better follow her. She went up the stairs to the room, gave a last look down the stairs at the ones who were staring at her (who moved away from their vantage points immediately when she glared at them), then closed the door so she would know if anyone came in.
When she got into the room, she rolled up her left sleeve to her shoulder and examined her wound from the night before. It seemed to be healing fairly well, but it still hurt like all hell and then some (means a lot). She then took a piece of cloth and covered the wound so it wouldn't start bleeding again, which it seemed to be threatening to do (it clotted pretty fast when she was cut). Nimrodel cursed the wraith under her breath before deciding to get a little sleep.
When the others decided it a good idea to go to their rooms, they got up and bid the others goodnight and safety during the night. The rooms were both across the hall from Nimrodel's, whose door was still shut. In their rooms, they took turns keeping watch out the tiny cracks in the curtains that they left just for that purpose.
During the night, the only things they saw were the usual night- goers. During the latest watch, though, the wraiths rode through the streets, only the sound of their horses hooves was heard until the early dawn. The wraiths didn't stop, however, they just rode through really slow.
In the morning everyone woke up relieved to see that the wraiths hadn't stopped by during the night. The group was glad that no one was hurt, but they knew that if they hadn't stopped there during the night they would certainly run into them later, and probably when they least needed a hindrance. They knew that they really needed to make up for time, so they had a quick breakfast (according to hobbit standards), got all their supplies together, and got out of Bree as soon as they could. It was still a good few hours until they would probably have to stop, so they figured if there were no delays they would get pretty far that day.
As they went, Nimrodel, who was tired still from the past few nights, occasionally started falling asleep on her feet, still walking too (freaky, huh?). The guys had to wake her up when they realized this whenever it happened, which she would afterwards continue to believe that they were lieing and that she hadn't really been asleep (please don't try to bring up the "elves don't sleep" thing, I've already addressed that in chapter 7's pre-chapter rantings). So they kept walking until about noon, when they made a quick stop for lunch. After this, Nimrodel had an easier time staying awake. She also had more strength to hide the immence pain from the wound on her arm, which was starting to get really bad again. They stopped when it began to get dark...it just so happens that they were in the Midgewater Marshes at the time...being eaten alive, some for the second time, by the midges, which are more or less the equivalent of mosquitos. Merry once again asked what they ate when they couldn't have hobbit, and Nimrodel felt like killing something at the moment, even through all the pain she was suffering through (the pain more than likely fueled the need of killing something as opposed to keeping it from getting greater).
Night came and the guys took turns keeping watch, once again for the reason that Nimrodel was a girl. They had a quick dinner so as to not let the midges get to it. The ones who were not on watch then attempted to get some sleep before their watch came up. There was no sign of the wraiths through the entire night, which they found rather unsettling. So they got up in the morning, tried to have a breakfast before the midges got to it, and started out as fast as they could (so theh could get away from those damn bugs...^-^).
So in a few days they made it a good distance from the marshes, and were drawing close to Amon Sul, or as it is known in Westron speech, Weathertop. They decided to stay there for the night, as it was getting dark fairly quick. They started a fire and got dinner ready quickly so that they could put out the fire. By the time it was completely dark, they had finished eating and put the fire out, and had hopefully not been seen with it lit. They still had the same watches as last time we mentioned, and the same as the rest of their journey so far, so while the others were sleeping, Azerith and Aragorn kept the first watch. They held a conversation about something completely pointless, since the past watches took all the meaningful ones away from the unused bunch. Aragorn then remembered for some reason or another that Azerith had said he would tell him about this "pizza" he mentioned the day after the party in the Shire. So, he went and explained what it was, and Aragorn was rather amazed at some of the things about this "pizza". [A/N: no, I'm not be unusally cruel, I'm just having lack of ideas right now at this point in the story...my brain died, I think...]
And so the shifts continued until it got to Legolas and Gimli's watch. It was during this watch that they heard something...actually it was more Legolas heard it, then Gimli heard it later when the sound was made again. It was then that they woke the others up. They all got up rather reluctantly, but Nimrodel kicked Legolas in the upper leg when he tried to wake her up (good thing it didn't hit higher, huh? ^-^). "We heard something. It might be the wraiths. I think I'll go check and see." And off Legolas went to see what the hell the noise was...probably trying to be heroic-like or something. In a few minutes he came back, and was a bit pale, but not noticable to the weak-eyed. "They aren't even a mile away, and I think they might know that we're here."
"Then we prepare for the worst. Relight the fire and get it burning real good, then get some sticks we can use to defend ourselves." Aragorn was as if he was commanding his side in a war or something, he seemed to have gotten so serious all of a sudden after seeming a little tired a second ago.
They got together and did everything that Aragorn had said and prepared to fight. They all stood with their backs to the fire: Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, Azerith, and Nimrodel (yes, she found her own stick because they didn't intend on having her fight). They stood there for about five minutes or so, completely silent save for Nimrodel's giggling from how quiet everyone was being (she laughs when it gets too quiet for her comfort...either that or she goes and hides in a corner) before the wraiths were heard again. They were coming from the side where Legolas and Gimli were standing, poised to fight. When they came into sight, there were only five of the nine there, but they were still very dangerous. The hobbits fought in twos, and Legolas and Gimli were rather disappointed that they couldn't have a contest to see who could get rid of th most, so they helped eachother out with one of them (just so happened to be Stinky...^-^), Aragorn and Azerith fought one of them, but they forgot one. This was the one that found Nimrodel nursing her arm again...it had really started hurting badly this time. She looked up and saw the wraith, and since she was an Elf, was able to see what was under the darkness that shrouded it. It was the leader of the wraiths, and he didn't look very pleased considering the fact that he had just found the holder of the ring.
"Give me the ring, she-elf. I will have it from you whether I kill you first or not."
"Now, what exactly are you talking about? I'm not quite sure I know what you mean. The only ring I have are from my parents or relatives, and I hear that the one that you guys are after has no stone or anything like that on it, and all of mine have gems on them."
"Do not take me for a fool, I know you have the one ring, we all know it, and until we get it back to the Dark Lord, we will be after you...and the ring. I suggest that you hand over the ring now."
"No way in hell man, there is no way that I'm giving up the ring to you or anyone. Besides, do you even know if it's the actual ring or not. It could just be one that looks like it."
"We are drawn to the ring and it's power, you cannot decieve us with your mind tricks. I am tired of waiting for you to give me the ring!"
The wraith then lunged at her with his sword. Nimrodel barely dodged it, swiftly got back to her feet, and held the flaming stick she had as a weapon as if it were a sword. The wraith lunged again; it singed the side of her dress, leaving a tear in it. This close call threw her off balance, she fell to the ground, quickly got back up, as if she were offended by it, and held her stance against the wall of the area that they had been staying in. The wraith took a long dagger from underneath it's cloak, and prepared it for a strike, while keeping Nimrodel thinking that it was going to use the sword again. He lunged at her with the sword again; she dodged it, but this time was stabbed in the lower shoulder (in the front) with the dagger it had been hiding in it's other hand. Nimrodel yelled out in anguishing pain...*kinda like the pain from IV anesthetic, only a good bit worse...* 0_O The wraith didn't realize that she would still have the strength to fight back; she took the flaming stock she had and jabbed it right in it's face. It screached in pain from the burning and ran off with the others, who had pretty much gotten the stuffing beaten out of them...only with firey sticks, an ax and arrows.
During the fight, all but one of the horses were scared away by the flaming sticks. Nimrodel had gotten a fairly good grip on the pain and was seething over it in almost complete silence. This is why it took them a little while to realize that she was hurt.
"You look terrible, what happened?!" Aragorn did a quick survey of the area around Nimrodel with his eyes. This is how he found the answer to Legolas' question, which was on everyone's mind.
"It's a Morgul blade...we need to get to Imladris swifter than before." Immediately after he said this, he noticed a piece of cloth that wasn't from her dress that was torn around where the Morgul blade had punctured her skin. "What is that?"
"I kinda got slit in the arm by that wraith that I stabbed about a week ago, you remember, the one who went a few octaves higher in it's screeching...hehehe - ow!" Laughing had agitated the fresh wound that was made over the old one...as you could imagine, it was twice as painful with a wound over a wound of the same severity.
"Why didn't you tell us about this?" Aragorn scolded as he checked the wound. "I can't see the old wound very well, but it looks like it was also made by the same sort of blade...I'm surprized that you haven't started to become a wraith yet." Legolas then made one of those coughs that means that they have to interject something. "Yes, Legolas, what is it?"
"You see, Aragorn, Elves don't normally become wraiths, especially if they have a very strong will. Elves die most of the time...at least that is what happened to most of the few that have been cut by Morgul blades. She hasn't shown much reaction to the first cut because it was more of a scrape that drew blood...this wound will bring on much more noticable effects, seeing as how it is much deeper and actually went into the skin."
After this little known fact had been mentioned, Nimrodel's face went pale. It was obvious that she didn't want to end up as a wraith, and she was glad when Legolas said that, but once her death was mentioned, she was scared shitless to say the least. "You're kidding, right, Legolas? I'm not really gonna die, am I?" She said this in the kind of scared earnesty that you would hear from a child when TV, video games, or some very special toys were threatened to be taken away. Legolas remained silent. "Gee, thanks, that's very reassuring..."
~She was obviously using that sacasm thing that she was talking about in the Shire...~ Legolas tried to think of something comforting to say, but no words would form. He just couldn't tell her that she would be alright when he knew good and well that she had more of a chance of becoming a wraith, even with her strong will power. As Legolas tried to think of some way to make her feel better about what he had just said, the rest of them were getting everything ready to leave as soon as it was light.
Legolas never thought of a way to reassure Nimrodel, and all the was that he might've thought up were said by the others just as he was thinking them up. They were walking again, Nimrodel on the only horse that wasn't frightened away the night before. She had continued to insist that she was okay, and that she could walk just fine, but the guys wouldn't let her, they were stuck on the idea that if she did walk, that she would get weaker faster. She was still able to hold in any reactions from stabs of pain that regularly went through her shoulder, cringing only for a second, if that. The others were amazed and very heartened by the lack of reaction from the pain...then of course, they couldn't exactly tell what sort of pain she was going through at any given time. The pain was a living hell, and she still resisted making a scene of herself...she's very stubbourn and finds crying a sign of weakness, and that was exactly what she was trying to prove that she didn't have. She continued to mumble under her breath about how much of a big deal they were making over her and that it wasn't worth going all out on trying to fix. It wasn't until about a week later that she wished they were able to do more with less, so as to get it done and over with.
"Why don't you guys just leave me here?! I honestly don't care whether I die out here or not anymore!!!!! You guys aren't listening!!!!!!!!!!!" They continued to walk onward towards Rivendell, quickening their pace.
"You know you don't want that, Nimrodel. Just relax and we'll be there in a day or so, alright?"
Nimrodel made a noise of increduilty, "Oh yeah, well then, why don't you put yourself through all the pain I'm going through...can't you see how much it's doone to me?! I mean, you guys have been helping and all, but it can only help so much...it hasn't helped me any for a few days now...jus leave me here!" The rest of the group either looked at her in disbelief and/or pity or looked away from her.
"We can go no further tonight, we have to stop here for the night. Someone go and get some water and get a fire going." They were stopping where the three trolls that had turned to stone on one of Bilbo's adventures had taken place. They were pretty creepy, all covered in moss and mold and other stuff that wasn't exactly the most hopeful sights to see at the moment.
Legolas and Azerith had decided to get the water and start the fire. This 'tragedy' as they called it, had actually brought them together in a truce, temporary or permanent was not yet certain, but they weren't mouthing off eachother any more. "Do you think she'll be alright? She's been getting worse rather fast recently..."
"Well, I am not quite sure, but she seems strong enough to hold on until we get to Imladris. I think she will make it there." Legolas seemed hopeful in his reassurance...even if he didn't get to say it to Nimrodel.
"You do know that she can keep her true feelings from people, right? She could be going through a pain right now that any of us would die under the stress of. I don't know if she'll be able to make it that far...not that I don't have faith in her ability to withstand things like that, but she's never been hurt this badly as long as I've known her." Azerith was very concerned. Not that Legolas wasn't, he was just not able to express how he felt about it very well. During this little conversation, they had gotten the things ready and started the fire. Aragorn had gone with Sam to go get something to help with Nimrodel's wound...Athelas more than likely. After they came back with it, Aragorn got to trying to help her wound from getting worse. The wound was treated, and Nimrodel seemed to have calmed down a little; she had either fallen asleep or she had gone unconscious from the pain, but in either case, she looked like she was sleeping more restfully than she had been recently if she had been sleeping at all. 0_O They were not disturbed by the wraiths during the night, which worried them. The last tme this happened, they had all ganged up at the Ford of Bruinen and tried to overtake Frodo when he had the ring. Though they had the element of knowing from past experiences, they still did not know what they were going to do if they did come by and try to catch Nimrodel in her weakened condition. They had to occasionally check for breathing from her during all the watches to make sure she was still alive...without touching her, of course.
The next morning, they decided during breakfast that one of them would ride with her as swiftly as they could towards Rivendell, so as to get her there before she could not hold back death any longer. The main decider in the matter of who would bring her was that it was not someone that had had the last watch, so Legolas and Gimli were out of the question (and as you could probably imagine, Legolas wasn't very happy about that). They all ended up deciding on letting Pippin ride ahead.
About a day of riding brought them to the close to the Ford of Bruinen. Nimrodel seemed to be doing quite well considering how long ago she had gotten stabbed. After they had come in sight of the Ford, the noise of galloping behind them was heard not too far off; the wraiths had been waiting for them to come by so they could gang up on them...all of them at once against the two of them. Pippin rode faster towards the Ford as the wraiths began to catch up. As the two of them crossed to the other side of the Ford, the wraiths had somehow been hung up a few seconds, so they hadn't quite crossed yet. The horses remembered the last two times and hesitated before even thinking of crossing. They then slowly began to walk, then trot a bit faster across the Ford. It was then that Pippin began to turn around away from the wraiths towards Rivendell, when Nimrodel stopped him from doing so. This shocked him, he didn't even know that she had been conscious. She sat up straight, winced a little, then narrowed her eyes as in deep concentration on something far off. Then all of a sudden, a rush of water from further back in the river came blasting towards the wraiths. They were rushed away with the water, and seemed to have disappeared except for a few robes. Pippin was in shock to such a degree that he didn't realize that Nimrodel was slipping off the horse. He was too late to catch her, she was already on the ground in the position that she had fallen in. He uncurled her and checked for breathing or any sign of life from the Elf girl, but to no avail. She had passed on.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
And this is what I leave you with!!!!!!Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!! I bet that was a bit of a surprize, besides there being an update on this... ^-^ I hope you liked the lengthlyness of the chapter...I doubt any other chapters will be. Well, it took me quite a while to update, bet it was a pleasant surprize...I'm using that word too much...okay I'm done...please review it, I really need it...and if there's any ideas for somewhere during the story, please feel free to suggest! ^-^ Dream until your dreams come true! /^'^'(A)'^'^\
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When we left the ones we are stalk - er, following at the moment, they were outside the Prancing Pony with Nimrodel after she was attacked by a wraith, which she stabbed in a very inappropriate spot...^-^ So they went inside, ya know, where it's warm, and started drinkin' up a storm to celebrate the stabbing of the wraith (there were hobbits there, and they really wanted a reason to do that...meaning the drinkin' thing). Naturally, everyone was getting drunk out the ying-yang and *gakked to the nines*...well, except for Nimrodel...she did have a few drinks (at least thats how many she remembered...) and the second-handedness of the smoking wasn't able to be helped. She was starting to feel a little dizzy, so she started her way to the room. Unfortunately, she kinda fell down the stairs, so she crawled up them and slumped over into her bed.
The others didn't come until a while later (in other words, they were completely and utterly wasted, drunk out the ying-yang, and *gakked to the nines*...), and when they did, Nimrodel sat straight up in alertness. "They're coming..." The guys just stood there and looked at her blankly. "You guys, can I make it any clearer...THEY'RE COMING!!!!!!!!" Azerith mumbled something that sounded like 'who'. "THE WRAITH'S, YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!!" After this had finally set in to their entoxicated minds, their eyes widened in, well, fright...and, well, it was the kinda look you see on a deer's face when it's about to get hit by a car.
"And why didn't you tell us when we were in the bar?!"
"I didn't know then, dumb-ass, I just sensed them!!!!! Besides, you guy-" She was cut off by an ear-piercing screech from the street. "Great, they're here now, and we can't get very far away because you guys are still wasted beyond all recognition! Now what're we suppose to do?!"
Legolas was now suspicious, "Why would the Wraith's be here...they are drawn to the ring and it's power. The ring was destroyed. I know there is a legend that says that Sauron had made a second ring of equal power, but there has been no proof of it's existence. Nimrodel, do you know anything about a second ring?"
Nimrodel looked at the floor in guilt, "Uh...no...?" Legolas looked at her in skeptisism. "Um...maybe?" Now all that weren't too fucked up to see straight if they tried to really hard were looking at her the same as Legolas was, mixed with the kind of look that someone gives you when they want to know more. "Okay, fine...I've had this ring since I got here." They looked at her as if they didn't quite understand what she meant, only Azerith's reason for looking at her like this was because he was still pretty fucked up. "Meaning a few days before I met you guys."
"And what ring is this?" Nimrodel pulled a necklace from down her dress. At the end of this necklace was a golden ring, seeming to be an exact replica of the one ring. "That looks like the ring...but the ring was destroyed...this is very confusing."
"I have an idea, may I?" Nimrodel took the ring off the chain and handed it to Aragorn. He then tossed it into the fire that was burning in the room. The ring sat there, glittering in the flame for a few minutes before it was removed. It took a few seconds, but writing soon became apparent on the ring in flaming letters. "Damn, it's an exact copy, the legend you spoke of, Legolas, is true."
Everyone then made some comment along the lines of Aragorn's, including Azerith, who was thinking straight enough for it to have set in. The ring was then given back to Nimrodel, who replaced it around her neck and down the front of her dress. The noise of shattering glass met their ears, then a shriek of surprise from a wraith in the main part of the inn (it was a good thing that the drunkards downstairs had heard the first shriek, or they'd be dead right about now). They all went silent, more so than has ever not been heard by anyone. It would be as if you had lost your hearing, only no one was moving their lips, and there was no sound except that of a horrific evil. All who were in the Prancing Pony were pressed against the wall or under some form of inconspicuous hiding place. Nimrodel and the others were in the room still, unable to find a place outside the room. Nimrodel was curled up in the far corner of the room, hoping against hope that they would not be found.
Miraculously, after about a quarter of an hour the wraiths left, and without killing anyone. All breathed easier when they had left Bree (probably because of that one wraith...^-^), and though there were only a few hours left of the night, everyone tried to get some sleep, even if they were losing the battle. Nimrodel, who had stayed in the corner until the wraith's had gone, fell asleep there slumped over to the rain falling outside.
The next morning, everyone at the inn got up, still very tired, and vaguely remembering what had happened the night before, preferring to think about the first part...or second part, depending on whether you count the wraith thing, then the drinking, then the wraiths.
"Man, that was one bad dream...I hope I never have one like that again."
"Azerith, you're an idiot!! That wasn't a dream, it wasn't a bad dream, it was real, you were just drunk as anything last night, and you were probably in a daze the entire time the wraiths were here! Don't you remember anything that you know wasn't a dream from last night?!"
"Well, I do remember dr-"
"Besides the drinking and anything else you did before you were drunk!"
"I do remember one thing."
"And that is..."
"I remember you falling down the stairs, rolling under a table and having to climb the stairs on your knees."
"Nah...I wasn't on my knees, that must've been a dream."
"Yes you were, you, Nimrodel, on your fuckin' knees! You don't have the right to tell me I drank too much when you were on the floor!"
"Please stop arguing over it, we were all drinking a little too much, and we should leave it at that. Besides, we should leave as soon as we can, and fighting will not help us go any faster."
Naturally, Aragorn ended up being the voice of reason, and they got ready to set off for Imladris. As they were eating brunch (since they got up so late it was already almost noon) the door opened and four drenched figures stood in the doorway. Everyone heard the door and just by looking at their silhouettes saw that they were hobbits...at least two of them, anyway, the other two were about a foot and a half or so taller. Butterbur went to see if he could get them a room (or anything else that completely drenched people might need).
"Master Frodo! What on earth are you doing here, I'd suspect yeh to be stayin' in the Shire at yer age."
"I don't really believe in being too old for something unless I find it out for myself. I was wondering if you could tell me if Aragorn was still here...or when he left."
"Oh, he's over in there with the rest o' the people he came with. Nothin's goin' on with evil or anything like that is there?"
"We're not quite sure, you haven't seen anything have you?"
"Just last night, we were havin' a party 'cause that girl with Aragorn and them stabbed one o' them black riders. Then later that night, almost mornin', them black riders come and go about like their searchin' the place for somethin'. Scared ev'ryone half to death...then o'course, we was all kinda drunk, so it wouldn'ta taken much ta do that...Master Meriadoc! Master Took! Why in the world are yeh so tall!"
"Hehehehe...well, you see, while we were on that mission, quest, thing that one time, we had some of the Entwater, and it made us taller..."
After Butterbur convinced the four hobbits to stay the night (the streets were completely flooded) they went over to where Aragorn and the others were sitting.
"Hello Aragorn, long time no see, we heard about the wraiths."
"Actually Frodo, it has only been a few days since the party...and I suppose Butterbur told you of the wraiths..."
"Yes, both incidents; they have been in the Shire, Aragorn, why are they back...I went to Mordor and destoryed the ring a long time ago, they wre destoryed with it, we all saw it..."
"That puzzled us as well. It seems that Sauron had made a second ring, just as powerful, and kept it somewhere that no one, not even himself could have gotten it (or his memory is really bad). Nimrodel was at the party, that is probably why the wraiths went to the Shire, they had sensed the ring there and hadn't realized that we had already left. She found the ring before we met her, and she hadn't told anyone until early this morning. We were getting ready to leave for Rivendell just as you came in."
"Well, we hate to be bearers of bad news, but the streets are so flooded right now there's no chance of anyone travelling them today. You'll probably have to wait until tomorrow to start off."
As you could more than likely imagine, they were rather put down, peeved, and annoyed that they weren't able to leave Bree yet. They were all of them concerned that them staying there would either give the wraiths another chance to find them there or would give them a head start and the chance to later ambush them; being also concerned for the safety of the people of the town, they really didn't want to be staying there another day.
They had nothing to do there but sit and wait for night to come and hope against hope that the wraiths did not return in search of the ring. It was a very unfortunate thing that the wraith had seen Nimrodel because they now knew what the bearer of the ring looked like, though they also knew to be cautious around her (^-^). The day passed, and the group had all gotten pretty bored of the people at the inn; it was also becoming more and more difficult to keep from drinking (though the hobbits drank quite a bit...especially Pippin...^-^). As night approached, the storm lessened and everyone at the inn went on their guard (if they were sober enough to). Everyone was quieter than they had been earlier and everyone was drinking considerably less than they were before (to be able to be on their guard).
Nimrodel had stated that she was tired and that she was going to bed. She gave a couple of them a look that basically said that no one else better follow her. She went up the stairs to the room, gave a last look down the stairs at the ones who were staring at her (who moved away from their vantage points immediately when she glared at them), then closed the door so she would know if anyone came in.
When she got into the room, she rolled up her left sleeve to her shoulder and examined her wound from the night before. It seemed to be healing fairly well, but it still hurt like all hell and then some (means a lot). She then took a piece of cloth and covered the wound so it wouldn't start bleeding again, which it seemed to be threatening to do (it clotted pretty fast when she was cut). Nimrodel cursed the wraith under her breath before deciding to get a little sleep.
When the others decided it a good idea to go to their rooms, they got up and bid the others goodnight and safety during the night. The rooms were both across the hall from Nimrodel's, whose door was still shut. In their rooms, they took turns keeping watch out the tiny cracks in the curtains that they left just for that purpose.
During the night, the only things they saw were the usual night- goers. During the latest watch, though, the wraiths rode through the streets, only the sound of their horses hooves was heard until the early dawn. The wraiths didn't stop, however, they just rode through really slow.
In the morning everyone woke up relieved to see that the wraiths hadn't stopped by during the night. The group was glad that no one was hurt, but they knew that if they hadn't stopped there during the night they would certainly run into them later, and probably when they least needed a hindrance. They knew that they really needed to make up for time, so they had a quick breakfast (according to hobbit standards), got all their supplies together, and got out of Bree as soon as they could. It was still a good few hours until they would probably have to stop, so they figured if there were no delays they would get pretty far that day.
As they went, Nimrodel, who was tired still from the past few nights, occasionally started falling asleep on her feet, still walking too (freaky, huh?). The guys had to wake her up when they realized this whenever it happened, which she would afterwards continue to believe that they were lieing and that she hadn't really been asleep (please don't try to bring up the "elves don't sleep" thing, I've already addressed that in chapter 7's pre-chapter rantings). So they kept walking until about noon, when they made a quick stop for lunch. After this, Nimrodel had an easier time staying awake. She also had more strength to hide the immence pain from the wound on her arm, which was starting to get really bad again. They stopped when it began to get dark...it just so happens that they were in the Midgewater Marshes at the time...being eaten alive, some for the second time, by the midges, which are more or less the equivalent of mosquitos. Merry once again asked what they ate when they couldn't have hobbit, and Nimrodel felt like killing something at the moment, even through all the pain she was suffering through (the pain more than likely fueled the need of killing something as opposed to keeping it from getting greater).
Night came and the guys took turns keeping watch, once again for the reason that Nimrodel was a girl. They had a quick dinner so as to not let the midges get to it. The ones who were not on watch then attempted to get some sleep before their watch came up. There was no sign of the wraiths through the entire night, which they found rather unsettling. So they got up in the morning, tried to have a breakfast before the midges got to it, and started out as fast as they could (so theh could get away from those damn bugs...^-^).
So in a few days they made it a good distance from the marshes, and were drawing close to Amon Sul, or as it is known in Westron speech, Weathertop. They decided to stay there for the night, as it was getting dark fairly quick. They started a fire and got dinner ready quickly so that they could put out the fire. By the time it was completely dark, they had finished eating and put the fire out, and had hopefully not been seen with it lit. They still had the same watches as last time we mentioned, and the same as the rest of their journey so far, so while the others were sleeping, Azerith and Aragorn kept the first watch. They held a conversation about something completely pointless, since the past watches took all the meaningful ones away from the unused bunch. Aragorn then remembered for some reason or another that Azerith had said he would tell him about this "pizza" he mentioned the day after the party in the Shire. So, he went and explained what it was, and Aragorn was rather amazed at some of the things about this "pizza". [A/N: no, I'm not be unusally cruel, I'm just having lack of ideas right now at this point in the story...my brain died, I think...]
And so the shifts continued until it got to Legolas and Gimli's watch. It was during this watch that they heard something...actually it was more Legolas heard it, then Gimli heard it later when the sound was made again. It was then that they woke the others up. They all got up rather reluctantly, but Nimrodel kicked Legolas in the upper leg when he tried to wake her up (good thing it didn't hit higher, huh? ^-^). "We heard something. It might be the wraiths. I think I'll go check and see." And off Legolas went to see what the hell the noise was...probably trying to be heroic-like or something. In a few minutes he came back, and was a bit pale, but not noticable to the weak-eyed. "They aren't even a mile away, and I think they might know that we're here."
"Then we prepare for the worst. Relight the fire and get it burning real good, then get some sticks we can use to defend ourselves." Aragorn was as if he was commanding his side in a war or something, he seemed to have gotten so serious all of a sudden after seeming a little tired a second ago.
They got together and did everything that Aragorn had said and prepared to fight. They all stood with their backs to the fire: Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, Azerith, and Nimrodel (yes, she found her own stick because they didn't intend on having her fight). They stood there for about five minutes or so, completely silent save for Nimrodel's giggling from how quiet everyone was being (she laughs when it gets too quiet for her comfort...either that or she goes and hides in a corner) before the wraiths were heard again. They were coming from the side where Legolas and Gimli were standing, poised to fight. When they came into sight, there were only five of the nine there, but they were still very dangerous. The hobbits fought in twos, and Legolas and Gimli were rather disappointed that they couldn't have a contest to see who could get rid of th most, so they helped eachother out with one of them (just so happened to be Stinky...^-^), Aragorn and Azerith fought one of them, but they forgot one. This was the one that found Nimrodel nursing her arm again...it had really started hurting badly this time. She looked up and saw the wraith, and since she was an Elf, was able to see what was under the darkness that shrouded it. It was the leader of the wraiths, and he didn't look very pleased considering the fact that he had just found the holder of the ring.
"Give me the ring, she-elf. I will have it from you whether I kill you first or not."
"Now, what exactly are you talking about? I'm not quite sure I know what you mean. The only ring I have are from my parents or relatives, and I hear that the one that you guys are after has no stone or anything like that on it, and all of mine have gems on them."
"Do not take me for a fool, I know you have the one ring, we all know it, and until we get it back to the Dark Lord, we will be after you...and the ring. I suggest that you hand over the ring now."
"No way in hell man, there is no way that I'm giving up the ring to you or anyone. Besides, do you even know if it's the actual ring or not. It could just be one that looks like it."
"We are drawn to the ring and it's power, you cannot decieve us with your mind tricks. I am tired of waiting for you to give me the ring!"
The wraith then lunged at her with his sword. Nimrodel barely dodged it, swiftly got back to her feet, and held the flaming stick she had as a weapon as if it were a sword. The wraith lunged again; it singed the side of her dress, leaving a tear in it. This close call threw her off balance, she fell to the ground, quickly got back up, as if she were offended by it, and held her stance against the wall of the area that they had been staying in. The wraith took a long dagger from underneath it's cloak, and prepared it for a strike, while keeping Nimrodel thinking that it was going to use the sword again. He lunged at her with the sword again; she dodged it, but this time was stabbed in the lower shoulder (in the front) with the dagger it had been hiding in it's other hand. Nimrodel yelled out in anguishing pain...*kinda like the pain from IV anesthetic, only a good bit worse...* 0_O The wraith didn't realize that she would still have the strength to fight back; she took the flaming stock she had and jabbed it right in it's face. It screached in pain from the burning and ran off with the others, who had pretty much gotten the stuffing beaten out of them...only with firey sticks, an ax and arrows.
During the fight, all but one of the horses were scared away by the flaming sticks. Nimrodel had gotten a fairly good grip on the pain and was seething over it in almost complete silence. This is why it took them a little while to realize that she was hurt.
"You look terrible, what happened?!" Aragorn did a quick survey of the area around Nimrodel with his eyes. This is how he found the answer to Legolas' question, which was on everyone's mind.
"It's a Morgul blade...we need to get to Imladris swifter than before." Immediately after he said this, he noticed a piece of cloth that wasn't from her dress that was torn around where the Morgul blade had punctured her skin. "What is that?"
"I kinda got slit in the arm by that wraith that I stabbed about a week ago, you remember, the one who went a few octaves higher in it's screeching...hehehe - ow!" Laughing had agitated the fresh wound that was made over the old one...as you could imagine, it was twice as painful with a wound over a wound of the same severity.
"Why didn't you tell us about this?" Aragorn scolded as he checked the wound. "I can't see the old wound very well, but it looks like it was also made by the same sort of blade...I'm surprized that you haven't started to become a wraith yet." Legolas then made one of those coughs that means that they have to interject something. "Yes, Legolas, what is it?"
"You see, Aragorn, Elves don't normally become wraiths, especially if they have a very strong will. Elves die most of the time...at least that is what happened to most of the few that have been cut by Morgul blades. She hasn't shown much reaction to the first cut because it was more of a scrape that drew blood...this wound will bring on much more noticable effects, seeing as how it is much deeper and actually went into the skin."
After this little known fact had been mentioned, Nimrodel's face went pale. It was obvious that she didn't want to end up as a wraith, and she was glad when Legolas said that, but once her death was mentioned, she was scared shitless to say the least. "You're kidding, right, Legolas? I'm not really gonna die, am I?" She said this in the kind of scared earnesty that you would hear from a child when TV, video games, or some very special toys were threatened to be taken away. Legolas remained silent. "Gee, thanks, that's very reassuring..."
~She was obviously using that sacasm thing that she was talking about in the Shire...~ Legolas tried to think of something comforting to say, but no words would form. He just couldn't tell her that she would be alright when he knew good and well that she had more of a chance of becoming a wraith, even with her strong will power. As Legolas tried to think of some way to make her feel better about what he had just said, the rest of them were getting everything ready to leave as soon as it was light.
Legolas never thought of a way to reassure Nimrodel, and all the was that he might've thought up were said by the others just as he was thinking them up. They were walking again, Nimrodel on the only horse that wasn't frightened away the night before. She had continued to insist that she was okay, and that she could walk just fine, but the guys wouldn't let her, they were stuck on the idea that if she did walk, that she would get weaker faster. She was still able to hold in any reactions from stabs of pain that regularly went through her shoulder, cringing only for a second, if that. The others were amazed and very heartened by the lack of reaction from the pain...then of course, they couldn't exactly tell what sort of pain she was going through at any given time. The pain was a living hell, and she still resisted making a scene of herself...she's very stubbourn and finds crying a sign of weakness, and that was exactly what she was trying to prove that she didn't have. She continued to mumble under her breath about how much of a big deal they were making over her and that it wasn't worth going all out on trying to fix. It wasn't until about a week later that she wished they were able to do more with less, so as to get it done and over with.
"Why don't you guys just leave me here?! I honestly don't care whether I die out here or not anymore!!!!! You guys aren't listening!!!!!!!!!!!" They continued to walk onward towards Rivendell, quickening their pace.
"You know you don't want that, Nimrodel. Just relax and we'll be there in a day or so, alright?"
Nimrodel made a noise of increduilty, "Oh yeah, well then, why don't you put yourself through all the pain I'm going through...can't you see how much it's doone to me?! I mean, you guys have been helping and all, but it can only help so much...it hasn't helped me any for a few days now...jus leave me here!" The rest of the group either looked at her in disbelief and/or pity or looked away from her.
"We can go no further tonight, we have to stop here for the night. Someone go and get some water and get a fire going." They were stopping where the three trolls that had turned to stone on one of Bilbo's adventures had taken place. They were pretty creepy, all covered in moss and mold and other stuff that wasn't exactly the most hopeful sights to see at the moment.
Legolas and Azerith had decided to get the water and start the fire. This 'tragedy' as they called it, had actually brought them together in a truce, temporary or permanent was not yet certain, but they weren't mouthing off eachother any more. "Do you think she'll be alright? She's been getting worse rather fast recently..."
"Well, I am not quite sure, but she seems strong enough to hold on until we get to Imladris. I think she will make it there." Legolas seemed hopeful in his reassurance...even if he didn't get to say it to Nimrodel.
"You do know that she can keep her true feelings from people, right? She could be going through a pain right now that any of us would die under the stress of. I don't know if she'll be able to make it that far...not that I don't have faith in her ability to withstand things like that, but she's never been hurt this badly as long as I've known her." Azerith was very concerned. Not that Legolas wasn't, he was just not able to express how he felt about it very well. During this little conversation, they had gotten the things ready and started the fire. Aragorn had gone with Sam to go get something to help with Nimrodel's wound...Athelas more than likely. After they came back with it, Aragorn got to trying to help her wound from getting worse. The wound was treated, and Nimrodel seemed to have calmed down a little; she had either fallen asleep or she had gone unconscious from the pain, but in either case, she looked like she was sleeping more restfully than she had been recently if she had been sleeping at all. 0_O They were not disturbed by the wraiths during the night, which worried them. The last tme this happened, they had all ganged up at the Ford of Bruinen and tried to overtake Frodo when he had the ring. Though they had the element of knowing from past experiences, they still did not know what they were going to do if they did come by and try to catch Nimrodel in her weakened condition. They had to occasionally check for breathing from her during all the watches to make sure she was still alive...without touching her, of course.
The next morning, they decided during breakfast that one of them would ride with her as swiftly as they could towards Rivendell, so as to get her there before she could not hold back death any longer. The main decider in the matter of who would bring her was that it was not someone that had had the last watch, so Legolas and Gimli were out of the question (and as you could probably imagine, Legolas wasn't very happy about that). They all ended up deciding on letting Pippin ride ahead.
About a day of riding brought them to the close to the Ford of Bruinen. Nimrodel seemed to be doing quite well considering how long ago she had gotten stabbed. After they had come in sight of the Ford, the noise of galloping behind them was heard not too far off; the wraiths had been waiting for them to come by so they could gang up on them...all of them at once against the two of them. Pippin rode faster towards the Ford as the wraiths began to catch up. As the two of them crossed to the other side of the Ford, the wraiths had somehow been hung up a few seconds, so they hadn't quite crossed yet. The horses remembered the last two times and hesitated before even thinking of crossing. They then slowly began to walk, then trot a bit faster across the Ford. It was then that Pippin began to turn around away from the wraiths towards Rivendell, when Nimrodel stopped him from doing so. This shocked him, he didn't even know that she had been conscious. She sat up straight, winced a little, then narrowed her eyes as in deep concentration on something far off. Then all of a sudden, a rush of water from further back in the river came blasting towards the wraiths. They were rushed away with the water, and seemed to have disappeared except for a few robes. Pippin was in shock to such a degree that he didn't realize that Nimrodel was slipping off the horse. He was too late to catch her, she was already on the ground in the position that she had fallen in. He uncurled her and checked for breathing or any sign of life from the Elf girl, but to no avail. She had passed on.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
And this is what I leave you with!!!!!!Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!! I bet that was a bit of a surprize, besides there being an update on this... ^-^ I hope you liked the lengthlyness of the chapter...I doubt any other chapters will be. Well, it took me quite a while to update, bet it was a pleasant surprize...I'm using that word too much...okay I'm done...please review it, I really need it...and if there's any ideas for somewhere during the story, please feel free to suggest! ^-^ Dream until your dreams come true! /^'^'(A)'^'^\