Well here is chapter 5: The One Ring and this chapter starts off a little slow but will turn into a big action packed thing, so forgive me, I've never been very good at writing battles or anything of the sort so I'm expecting this chapter to be a little below my normal standards. : ( Hopefully you guys will still like it though. This chapter contains a story of the past: the creation of the Rings of Power, The Last Alliance and how the Ring came to be Bilbo's. I hope that I got it all (Mostly) correct, but if I butchered anything beyond belief tell me please so I can go back to fix it. Oh and I don't own LotR J.R.R. Tolkien does. But from here on in I will be using lines from both the book and the movie but don't sue me because all you'll get is two LotR autograph's a bunch of CCG and an enemy for life. Here are my dedications for this chapter!!
Elenhiril : Yes, I am considering leaving Glorfindel out (horrible I know), but I did catch him for you! *Hands over a bound and gagged Glorfindel* He was being difficult so I had to tie him up. Be careful, he bites! No, I haven't yet read the Silmarillion, but I'm thinking about it. Mars Fire Goddess : Glad I was able to unconfuse you! Your wish will be coming true soon, Rei and Frodo should be in Imladris by chapter 8, unless a great idea comes to mind that I have to add in. Hope you like this chapter and thank you for being my creative outlet while Fanfiction.net was down, I would have gone crazy without you!! RubyRedDragon : Yes, Glorfindel and Tom were just in the book and I think I am just gonad go with Strider and Arwen, but I'm not sure yet. And yes, Legolas is a babe, very fine indeed! Letainajup : I caught Elrond, but he looked so good tied up that I couldn't bring myself to give him to you, that is until he left me for Legolas...and then they both agreed that Miaka was the most beautiful girl in the entire world! GGRRRRR!!! Wanna kill her?!
And big thank-yous to CrazyJ Girl, Black Aura-Sama, Bluejello, Pupetta, Riya and Cloud Dragon ! I'm glad you guys are all liking my story!!
Rei sat underneath the tall oak tree with a book in her hand and a smile on her face. She had never really been much of a reader, but the lazy days of The Shire when there was nothing to do had finally gotten to her. Frodo was off with Sam at the Green Dragon Inn drinking their ale and smoking their pipe-weed, two things that Rei did not enjoy, so she had stayed behind and pulled a book out of Bilbo's collection. She had then sat underneath the tree that rested on the hill above bag-end and began to read.
Glancing up from her book and brushing her bangs out of her eyes Rei looked out over the horizon. She had been in the Shire for seven months now and still hadn't grown accustomed to the natural beauty, the rolling hills, the scent of wildflowers in the air, mixing with the fragrant smell of spices and pipe-weed coming from the village below. She had met and befriended many of the hobbits, and though many of them were a little hesitant about accepting a human into their lives she had eventually won their trust.
The first thing she had done in her new found home was to have clothes made. She asked Frodo for the money and insisted that she would pay him back someday. He merely waved away her request for returned money and told her that they would go into the village and have some made for her. She had to wait a week but when they finally came she was grateful. She had ordered three pairs of pants, one navy one maroon and one green pair, four white button down shirts, two scarves, a jacket, a cloak, three vests of different bright colors and upon Frodo's insistence one red dress with matching ribbons for her hair. She had caused quite a commotion when she had asked for all male clothes but they had granted her request anyway.
Today she was wearing the navy pants with a white shirt covered with a red vest. She had her hair pulled into two braided pigtails that hung down to her waist and tied at the end with swaying red ribbons. She was about to go back into the house when she saw Frodo and Sam walking up the side of the hill to her resting place. Rei picked a leaf up from the ground and placed it in her book, effectively marking the page before rising to meet them. "Hey." she said with smile.
"Hello Rei." Sam said with a slight blush on his cheeks. For all his blushes and stuttered replies Rei had grown to love Sam. He was the shyest of the group and the one with the lowest self confidence, but that probably had something to do with the fact that his social status was lower than that of his friends.
She had also grown undeniably close to Merry and Pippin. They reminded her of Minako and Makoto, always up to something and causing more trouble than they often knew how to get out of . She had joined them on many of their vegetable raiding forays and could often be found with them prowling around the Shire in search of adventure. When it came down to it they reminded Rei of the childhood she was never allowed to have. She was never allowed to run free through the fields or enjoy all the small things that most children did. Her father was never the most loving person. When she was with him she was forced to act proper and polite, always in the center of her fathers political limelight. And then when she moved into the temple with her grandfather and her priestess training began she rarely had free time to herself. Add in the burden of being a Sailor Senshi since the age of fourteen and Rei never really had the time to be a child. Now, at eighteen she was making up for all of her missed chances and bad choices.
But out of all the friends she had made and the relationships she had formed the most remarkable one was the one between her and Frodo. She had been drawn to him when they had first met and through the months of laughter and growth they had become the best of friends. Her days were dark in the beginning and his constant reassurance that her friends were okay was the only thing that had gotten her through. His smile, his innocence, his laughter. He was so much like her princess it was uncanny. At first it had been the similarities that had drawn her to him, but in the end it was the fact that their souls were alike. Each of them were lost and alone, never sure of what they were doing, were their lives were going. Both had a yearning for adventure but were to afraid to set out on their own, unsure if they could make it. Frodo had never really fit in, though everyone had liked him, and Rei was always searching for a place that would accept her for the way she was, not the way everyone else thought she should be. She couldn't wait until her friends came so she could introduce them to this new world, no, the new home that she had made for herself
Standing up Rei brushed the grass and leaves off her pants and looked at Frodo with a smile. "What's up?" she asked them.
Frodo returned her smile. "Well," he began, "We're all having dinner down at the Green Dragon tonight and we wanted to know if you would join us?"
"Sure." she replied, shortening her steps so she could walk next to her friends. The Green Dragon was the local restaurant, pub and gathering place for the residents of Hobbiton. On any given night it was bursting with people eating, drinking and having a good time. And when they arrived Rei realized that tonight was no exception. As soon as the door opened a cloud of fragrant smoke wafted out. Rei wrinkled her nose and after taking a deep breath of fresh air stepped into the crowded building.
Frodo and Sam led her to a table in the back of the place. Merry and Pippin, who obviously couldn't wait, had already ordered their food and were eating it when the rest of the group sat down. "Oh, hello Rei." Pippin said with a mouth full of food. Using his fork he scooped up a tomato of his plate and offered it to her.
Rei grabbed to juicy red fruit and popped it into her mouth as she sat down next to him. "Thanks."
No sooner had they all sat down that young Rosie Cotton, who worked there, came over and with a smile stood next to Sam. Leaning over his right shoulder she looked around the table. "Now what can I get you tonight?" She asked everyone, but her eyes were for Sam alone.
"I'll just take a small salad." Rei replied, smiling as Rosie completely ignored her and continued smiling at Sam. Rei laughed. "Uh, Rosie, I hate to interrupt, but..."
Rosie blushed bright red and smiled nervously. "Of course, I'm sorry. What did you say Rei?"
"She said she'd take a salad." Frodo replied with a smile. "I'll have the usual." Rosie smiled one last time and set off for the kitchen with the new orders. Rei leaned back in her chair, one that had actually been specially made for her, and gazed at her new friends happily, completely ignoring the conversation and imagining in her mind the moment when she could introduce her princess to Frodo. They would get along so well it would almost be like they had been separated at birth. So caught up was she in her own musings that she didn't hear the question that Pippin had asked her. "Rei." Frodo called her name and placed his small hand on her arm. "Rei, what do you think about that?" Frodo asked her.
Rei shook her head clear and glanced at Frodo. "What do I think about what?" She asked.
"You weren't listening to me, were you." Pippin asked and when Rei shook her head no he waved his fork threateningly at her. "And I gave you my tomato!"
The whole table erupted into laughter.
*****
Rei walked with Frodo up the darkened path to the door of Bag-End. Dinner was over and each of them were now returning back to their homes to retire for the night. They had just said goodnight to Sam whose home was at the bottom of the hill that Bag-End sat upon. Rei, who was a few steps ahead of Frodo, paused at the front door and when Frodo reached for the handle she stopped him. When he looked at her questioningly Rei motioned for him to look at the door that was standing slightly ajar. Rei stepped in front of Frodo and slowly pushed the door the rest of the way open, careful not to make any sound, and took a few hesitant steps into the shadowy house. Frodo followed closely behind her, looking about nervously. He was about to ask her a question when a hand grabbed his shoulder from behind. Rei, who felt him being pulled away from her, whipped around and grabbed Frodo's other shoulder and with an inhuman strength wrenched the hobbit free from the intruders grasp and threw him behind her and took a defensive stance. It was then that the shadowy figure stepped forward and in the pale moonlight that was streaming through the Rei could clearly make out the face of Gandalf. She let out the breath she had been holding and turned to help Frodo up.
"Is It secret?" Gandalf questioned quickly. "Is It safe?"
Rei glanced confusedly at Frodo who turned instantly and headed to the locked
chest that sat at the edge of the table in the kitchen. When he returned he was carrying a
small white envelope. He handed it to Gandalf who promptly threw it into the smoldering embers that glowed white hot on the hearth. Both Frodo and Rei made motions to stop him but he merely held up his hand and looked into the fire. They watched as the envelope burned away and the ring itself was embedded in the blaze. After a few minutes Gandalf reached for a pair of fire-tongs that had been resting next to the fireplace and with them he reached into the fire and pulled the ring out. He looked at it intently for a moment before he spoke. "Frodo hold out your hand." Frodo looked at the ring that had just been pulled out of the fire and back to Gandalf with a look of confusion. "It is quite cool, I assure you." After another moment of contemplation Frodo held out his hand and accepted the ring. He winced when it touched his hand, but it was out of fear for Gandalf was right, the ring was completely cool. "What does it say?" Gandalf questioned urgently, turning his back to the hobbit.
"It doesn't say anything." Frodo replied, holding the ring up for closer inspection.
Rei looked over Frodo's shoulder and was the first to see the thin, flowing lines of script appear on the ring. "Wait." she said, moving around Frodo so she could get a better look at the ring. "What's that?"
Upon closer inspection Frodo also saw the lines appear on the ring, glowing as if they were on fire. "There's writing." Frodo said, "But it looks like a form of elvish. I can't read it."
"There are few now who can." Gandalf said quietly. 'For it is in the language of Mordor, which I shall not utter here."
"Mordor?" Frodo asked, taking a step towards the wizard.
"In the common tongue it says :
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them
One Ring to bring them all, And in the Darkness bind them
"It is only two lines in a verse of elvish lore that was written long ago:
Three Rings for the Elven-Kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf -Lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them.
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.'
"This is The One Ring." Gandalf said in a deep voice. "This is the Master Ring, the One Ring to rule them all and the Dark Lord Sauron greatly desires it."
"Dark Lord Sauron?" Rei asked Gandalf. "I don't understand.?"
"No." Gandalf said, turning to the girl, "You wouldn't. It was long ago, during the Second age of Middle Earth, long before you arrived, but I will tell you both what I know. Like the verse said there were 19 known Rings of Power created. But Sauron the Great treacherously wrought a Ruling Ring that could control all the others. It was made in the fires of Mount Doom and with the gold he mixed his own blood so that the ring would only answer to him."
"The Rings of the Elven-Lords were never touched by his evil and the magic in them was never under his control. Three of the Seven given to the Dwarves the Dark Lord has recovered but the rest have been lost to the dragons and the Nine given to the mortal men ensnared their bearers and they long ago fell under the dominion of the eye, condemned to walk in the twilight, reduced to the state of Ringwraiths and destined to be his most terrible servants.
"As it stands now he has gathered the Nine and the Seven, unless they were truly destroyed. The Three still remain hidden but that does not trouble him for he only needs the one and all the others will fall under his control and the world will plunge into a second darkness."
Gandalf took a deep breath before he continued. "This is a terrible chance my young friends for Sauron believed that the elves had destroyed the Ring, as they should have done, but now he knows that it has not been destroyed and he will forever be seeking it."
"Why wasn't it destroyed?" Frodo cried, interrupting the wizard. "And how could the Dark Lord lose it if it was so precious to him?" Frodo seemed to shrink in size and Rei could feel the force of the Ring weighing on him.
"It was taken from him Frodo." Gandalf said gently. "For the power of the elves was greater long ago and their relationship with men was still friendly. But that is a story of ancient history that is better left for someone who knows it better than I. What you want to know is how the Ring came to you and that is the story I will tell you. It was the elven King Gil-Galad and Elendil of Westernesse that gathered the troops and led the onslaught that overthrew Sauron, though both were killed in the battle. It was the that Isildur, Elendil's son, took up the broken blade of his father's sword Narsil and cut the Ring from Sauron's hand and claimed it for his own when he should have destroyed it. Sauron had been defeated but so long as the Ring remained he could not be destroyed. His spirit fled and his shadow has just now reappeared in Mirkwood."
"So what happened to the Ring next?" Rei asked.
"The Ring was not to be Isildur's and it betrayed him, to his death and was lost i the Great River Anduin. There the Ring passes out of all knowledge and it wasn't until some time later that it was found again."
"Long ago on the banks of the Great River there lived a small, hobbit-like folk and among them there was a family of high standing. The most inquisitive and clever of that family was named Smeagol. He had a friend named Deagol and together they explored their village and the surrounding areas. One day in particular they took a small boat down to the Anduin to fish. It was on this day that Deagol found a shining golden ring. Smeagol demanded the ring and when Deagol refused Smeagol wrapped his hands around his friends neck and killed him. Smeagol then put on the ring and headed back to his village.
"That's horrible." Rei whispered.
"No one ever found out what happened to poor Deagol and when Smeagol returned to the village wearing the ring he realized that no one could see him. He told no one of this and used his new ability to spy and cheat. After this it is not hard to see why he was shunned by all his family and the village. Eventually his grandmother, the matriarch of his family, expelled him from the family and gave him the name Gollum."
"Smeagol," Gandalf continued, "Or Gollum as I should now call him, wandered the world in anger and loneliness until he came to a stream that flowed down from the Misty Mountains. He followed this stream until he eventually came to the base of the mountains and it was then that he took the Ring into the shadows with him and both vanished out of all knowledge.
"It was in his dank hole under the mountain that Gollum met your uncle. At this point Gollum was not completely ruined yet. He was tougher than anyone could have guessed. There was still a part of his mind that was not yet corrupted by the power of the Ring and that part, I think, was actually pleased to hear a friendly voice again. Pleased to hear about the sun and such things."
"But that, in turn, would only make the darkness in him angrier. Angry that he was not a part of the world that had so cruelly ejected him and that anger turned to hate. He hated the darkness though he hated the light more. But above all, he hated the Ring."
"What do you mean that he hated the Ring most of all?" Frodo asked. "If he hated it so much why didn't he just throw it away or leave it behind?"
"Because he hated it and loved it," Rei answered him, "Just as he hated and loved himself. Smeagol hated the ring and blamed it for all his problems but Gollum loved the Ring and the power it brought him." Rei turned to Gandalf. "Am I right?"
"Yes, my child, you are." Gandalf answered her with a small smile. "But even if he did hate the Ring he could never have gotten rid of it. A ring of Power looks after itself my young hobbit and it may leave it's keeper but it's bearer will never consciously abandon it. The most one can do is toy with the idea of giving it to someone else, but that is only in the beginning when the Ring doesn't have complete control yet. In all history Bilbo is the only one who has even willingly given the Ring away and even then he needed all my help in doing it. It was not Gollum that made the decisions Frodo, it was the Ring. The Ring left Gollum."
"The Ring left him?" Frodo repeated.
"Yes, the Ring was trying to get back to it's master. It betrayed Isildur and when the time came it did the same to poor Deagol and after him came Gollum and the Ring devoured him. The Ring knew that it could no longer use Gollum, that he was to weak and wretched so it abandoned him. But then something happened that the Ring did not intend and it was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable, Bilbo Baggins of the Shire. But there was some other force at work and I can put it no plainer than saying Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and if that is the case then you were meant to have it. And that is a very reassuring thought."
Frodo sighed and sat in the chair in front of the fireplace. He closed his eyes, thinking of a way out of this situation. Suddenly, his eyes shot open. "All right, we keep it hidden. We put it away, we never speak of it again." Frodo jumped from his chair and walked back to the chest he had originally pulled the ring from. "Nobody knows its here, do they?" Gandalf didn't answer and he hung his head. "Do they?" Frodo asked frantically.
"We looked all over for the creature Gollum but when we found him it was already to late." Gandalf said sadly.
"What do you mean it was to late?" Rei asked, coming to stand beside Frodo.
"By the time we had found him he had already been to the land of shadows. No one can say how long he was tortured but in the end they got two words out of him : Shire and Baggins."
Frodo blanched. "Shire! Baggins!" He repeated "But that would lead them here!" Frodo looked to Rei but she had the same look of horror on her face. Frodo walked to where Gandalf was standing and held the Ring out to him. "Take it!"
Gandalf sighed and backed away from Frodo's outstretched hand. "You cannot offer me this Ring." he said.
"I am giving it to you!" Frodo countered, taking another step towards the wizard.
Rei could feel the energy in the room grow an Gandalf continued to shrink away from the Ring. "Don't tempt me" he finally yelled. "I dare not take this Ring, not even to keep it safe!" Frodo backed away from his friend and Rei placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Understand, I would use this Ring out of a desire to do good, but through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine."
Rei understood what Gandalf meant. It would be the same if she were to take the Ring. Though they would take the Ring to destroy it through them it would be able to use all the power they possessed.
Frodo, however, was still panicking. "But it cannot stay in the Shire!"
"No," Gandalf agreed, "It cannot."
Frodo paled as realization finally dawned on him. He looked down to the Ring in his hand for a few moments before whispering. "What must I do?"
'What must 'we' do?" Rei corrected him.
"Go." Gandalf said simply. "Go and Go quickly."
"Where?"
"Get out of the Shire and make for the village of Bree."
At this both Rei and Frodo moved about the house in search of things they thought they might need on their journey. "What about you, what will you do?" Rei asked, her voice coming from one of the rooms in the back of the house.
"I will wait for you at the inn of the Prancing Pony." he told her when she walked back into the room with a small sack slung over one of her shoulders and two cloaks in her hand.
"And the Ring will be safe there?" Frodo asked as he also entered the room with a small sack similar to the one Rei was carrying.
" I don't know, Frodo." Gandalf replied honestly. "I don't have any answers. I must see the head of my order. He is both powerful and wise. Trust me, he will know what to do." He paused and looked to Frodo. "You must leave the name of Baggins behind you, for that name is not safe outside the Shire. Travel only by day, and stay off the road"
"We can cut across country easy enough." Frodo answered back.
Gandalf looked down at Frodo with a smile. "Dear Frodo. Hobbits are the most amazing creatures. You can learn everything there is to know about their ways in a month, and after a hundred years they can still surprise you!" A small flush appeared on Frodo's face at the compliment.
"Oh wait, I forgot something." Frodo turned and ran out of the room in search of his forgotten item.
It as then that Gandalf turned to Rei. "Protect him." Rei nodded. "From the moment I met you and the way you defended him tonight I knew there was more to you than meets the eye. This journey will be dangerous and the agents of the Dark Lord will be hunting you every step of the way. I leave it to you to see that he gets to Bree in one piece."
"I will protect him with my life." Rei told Gandalf honestly. She would have said more but at that moment Frodo walked back into the room carrying one of his scarves.
Gandalf looked at the two of them, admiration clearly shining in his eyes. It was only ten minutes ago that he told them they would have to leave the Shire and here they both were, packed and dressed for a long and perilous journey. He was about to tell them how they would recognize the Prancing Pony when a noise outside the window caught his attention. He turned to Rei and she nodded, pushing Frodo to the ground and stepping in front of him. Gandalf walked quietly to the window and set his staff on the windowsill, careful not to make any noise. He waited for a few second before he dropped his staff down. It hit something hard and Gandalf leaned out of the window and came back in dragging Sam by the scruff of his neck and slammed him on the table. "Confound it all Samwise Gamgee, have you been eavesdropping?"
Sam looked around the room nervously. "I ain't been dropping no eaves, sir, honest. I was uh..." Sam looked around for an excuse. "I was just trimming the grass under the window, if you follow me."
Gandalf grinned sardonically. "A bit late for trimming the verge." He stated.
"I heard raised voices." Sam replied meekly.
Rei walked forward and looked over Sam. "What did you hear?" She asked him carefully. "It's very important that we know."
When Sam didn't answer her Gandalf slammed his staff on the table next to his head. "Speak!" He bellowed.
Sam cowered before Gandalf and answered. "Nothing important. That is, I heard a good deal about a ring, and a dark lord, and something about the end of the world." He looked around the room with fear in his eyes before he turned back to Gandalf. "Please don't hurt me, sir, don't turn me into anything unnatural."
Rei let a smile cross her face and she saw Frodo do the Same. "No." Gandalf replied, humor in his voice. "I suppose not." Sam felt some of the color return to his face. "I have thought of a better use for you."
*****
It was near dawn when they finally departed Bag-End. Preparations had been made with Sam's father, the Gaffer, that Bag-End and all it's belongings would be left to his cousin, Lobelia Sackville-Baggins. Frodo had disliked leaving it to her but there was no other way around it. He knew that with his name being known there was no way he would ever be able to return to the Shire.
It had been decided that they would take the quickest way and cut across the fields and take the Brandywine Bridge across the river. And though it was the quickest way it was still near seventy miles they would have to walk in order to make to Bree.
"Come along Samwise!" Gandalf called to the hobbit that began to trail behind them. "Keep up." When Sam had finally caught up Gandalf looked at each of them in turn. "Be careful." He told them. "The Dark Lord has many creatures in his service. Birds. Beasts." He then turned to Frodo. "Is it safe?" In reply Frodo patted the front pocket of his coat, not wanting to say anything out loud when they didn't know who could be listening. "Never put it on." Gandalf warned him one final time. "The servants of the Dark Lord will be drawn to its power. Remember, the Ring is trying to get back to its master. It wants to be found."
With that Gandalf gave them all one final smile and jumped on the back of his large gray horse and took of for the Tower of Orthanc.
For the remainder of that day the trio walked on and it wasn't long before they crossed the river, if you could call it that, just west of Hobbiton. It was more of a small stream, trickling in and around the small stones below them. They crossed over it by a small plank like bridge that had been set up. A mile or two more southward they came upon the road, which they crossed as fast as they could manage and climbed the hill on the other side to put as much distance as they could between themselves on the road. When they reached the top of the hill Frodo paused and looked out over the horizon. You could just barely see the lights of the lamps in Hobbiton twinkling to life with the last rays of the sun. "I wonder if I'll ever see that valley again?" Frodo asked himself.
"I'm sure you will." Rei said, coming up behind him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "We just have to get to Bree and see what Gandalf says then." Frodo nodded and with one final look at the village below he followed her down the opposite side of the hill. When he reached the bottom he saw the Sam had begun to set up camp for the night. There was a small fire burning and dinner was cooking. Sam had prepared three medium sized sausages and a couple of pieces of fruit each. After dinner each of them found a suitable spot and unrolled their blankets for the night. Rei made sure that her bedroll was close to Frodo that way if anything happened in the night she would be close to him. Rei laid her head down on her pillow abut couldn't seem to fall asleep.
'Isn't it ironic?' Rei thought to herself. 'And here I though I found myself a perfect little paradise.' She rolled onto her back and looked up at the stars. 'I guess no world is without it's problems. But I wish my friends were here. They would know what to do. Ami would think of a way out of this' For a few moments Rei pondered Gandalf's words. 'I will protect him.' she said to herself 'Just like I would protect my princess.' With that she rolled back over and fell into an uneasy sleep.
*****
Gandalf rode for many days without rest until he reached a circle of rock that enclosed the valley behind them like a wall. At the center of this valley was a tall tower of Orthanc made completely from one rock. The Tower was strongly guarded for there was no way into the circle of rocks save one entrance. He rode past the guards who slammed the gate closed behind him and waiting at the foot of a large staircase leading into the tower was Saruman. He was a tall and imposing man with unblemished white hair falling unkempt over his proud shoulders. His long robe was made of a clean white material that shone brightly and there was a small golden band on his finger. "Smoke rises from the mountain of Doom." He said, his voice deep and grave. "The hour grows late, and Gandalf the Grey rides to Isengard seeking my council. For that is why you have come, is it not, my old friend?"
'Yes." Gandalf said, inclining his head as a sign of respect. "I have come for your aid, Saruman the White."
His title seemed to offend him. "Oh have you, Gandalf the Gray?" He laughed coldly. "I have heard that Gandalf the Gray does not ask for help for he is most wise, traveling about the land concerning himself in all business, whether it belongs to him or not."
Gandalf regarded Saruman curiously before continuing. "There are things in the world happening now that will require a union of all Middle-Earth."
"And what might those happenings be, Gandalf the Gray?" Saruman asked contemptuously.
'On the road to Isengard I came upon Radagast the Brown an he told me that the Nine were abroad again and that they have crossed the River towards the Shire."
Saruman smiled cruelly. "Radagast the Fool!" Saruman laughed out loud. "Radagast is a fool, but the fool played his part wonderfully, for it was I that told him the Nine were abroad in hopes that you would come and seek my council and come you have and here you will stay! For I am Saruman of Many Colors!"
It was then that Gandalf actually looked at the robes that the other wizard was wearing. Instead of white they appeared to be woven of many colors, brilliant and ever-changing in the light. Gandalf looked up at his 'friend'. "I liked white better." He said.
"White!" Saruman scoffed. "White can be changed. The white page can be written on, the white cloth can be dyed-"
"And then it is no longer white." Gandalf interrupted.
"You are a fool Gandalf." Saruman laughed. "But I offer you this chance my old friend. The time of the elves is at an end and the age of man is just beginning, an age that we will rule, if you join with me. There is no hope left in the elves or the waning blood of Numenor. A new power is coming and we have the chance to join with that power. It would be wise." When his speech was over he looked to Gandalf. "What do you say my old friend?"
"No, and you above all other should know that there can only be one Lord of the Ring, and he does not share power."
At this Saruman snarled and used his power to knock Gandalf's staff from his hands and knock him to the floor. " I offered you the choice of aiding me willingly, but you have elected the way of pain!" With that Gandalf was lifted of the ground and sent spiraling towards the top of the tower.
*****
Sam pushed his way through the tall stalks of corn, twisting his head from side to side in hopes of seeing Frodo or Rei. When he saw neither he began to panic. "Frodo!" He called out. "Mr. Frodo, where are you? Rei! Rei!" He began to run through the field, yelling out their names.
It was then that Rei appeared on the path in front of him and Frodo was standing just behind her. "What's wrong Sam?" She asked him.
Flushing a little Sam starting walking again. "It's nothing, just something Gandalf told me."
Both Rei and Frodo looked at him expectantly. "Well," Frodo said, "What did he say?"
Again Sam flushed as he turned around to look at Frodo. "He said, 'Don't you loose him Samwise Gamgee'. And I don't mean to."
Rei smiled and walked to where Sam was standing. "Sam, we're still in the Shire. What could possibly happen?" She turned back around to continue walking when she was knocked to the ground by someone running through the fields. The next second Frodo was also knocked over. When Rei finally managed to sit up she looked at her attacker and found herself looking into the smiling face of Pippin. "I should have known." Rei laughed, standing and dusting herself off.
"Rei!" Pippin laughed . "Look Merry, it's Rei."
"Why so it is." Merry replied as he pushed himself off the ground and bent to gather the vegetables he had dropped. "And look, it's Mr. Frodo and Sam too." Merry walked to Sam and handed him a couple of the vegetables. "Here, hold these." He said while grabbing Rei and Frodo and dragging them in the opposite direction.
Sam stood impatiently for a few moments before he heard the angry voice of Farmer Maggot threatening the life of who ever was in his corn field. Sam smiled for a moment at the thought of the trouble Merry and Pippin we're in this time but his smile instantly vanished when he realized what he was holding. Casting a frightened look around Sam threw the vegetables to the ground and took off after his friends. When he finally caught up to them he yelled out. "You've been into Farmer Maggot's crops again!"
"Way to state the obvious Sam!" Rei laughed as she sprinted ahead of them all.
Merry laughed with her. "But I don't know what he's so upset about, it was only a couple of carrots-
" And don't forget the cabbages. And the three bags of potatoes we lifted last week. And the mushrooms the week before that." Pippin interrupted.
"Yes, yes I know." Merry replied, still laughing. "My point is, he's obviously overreacting!" Everyone rolled their eyes.
They continued running for close to five more minutes. Rei had slowed down to run beside Frodo while Pippin had taken the lead. They we're so caught up in the fun of the chase that none of them watched where they were going until it was to late. Pippin, in the lead, noticed the cliff first and stopped in time. Rei, Frodo and Merry all managed to stop in time but Sam slammed into Merry sending them all flying over the edge.
They all rolled down the side of the hill, breaking branches off the trees and crushing any small shrubs that happened to be in their path. Pippin hit the bottom first and the other three hobbits all came to a stop on top of him. Rei, luckily, had managed to roll away from the group and she landed a couple of feet away from them.
Pippin looked up from his place on the ground. "You guys can get off me now!" He said irritably.
Sam and Frodo both rolled off of him as fast as they could and began dusting themselves off. Merry, however took his time. "Oh," He said sounding hurt. "I think I've broken something." He reached behind him and pulled a broken carrot out from his sack and looked at it quizzically.
Sam, who was finally standing, looked angrily at Merry and Pippin. "Trust a Took and a Brandybuck."
"What?" Merry said. "It was just a detour, a short cut, if you will."
"A short cut to what, may I ask?"
"Mushrooms." Pippin said happily, pushing himself off the ground and running to the small patch of mushrooms growing underneath the shade of a nearby tree.
Rei rolled over and placed her chin on her hands, watching the three hobbits fight over the best mushrooms. Frodo, she noticed, was standing to the side looking around at their landing place. Rei did the same and realized why Frodo had not moved or said anything. They had landed in the center of the road. She pushed up off the ground and took a few steps toward her friends, still looking around. She was about to suggest that they get off the road when a shadow entered her mind. It was small at first, but it started to grow, becoming blacker and blacker. "I think we should get off the road." She managed to say. Then she could feel it, what ever it was, drawing closer. It was an evil like she had never felt before, not in all her days as a Senshi. It felt as though it had no other purpose than killing and destroying. She took a step backwards and called out more forcefully "We need to get off the road!"
This time they all listened to her and jumped over a tree root on the left side of the road and hid underneath it. They did this just in time for when Rei, the last one to jump, made it over the root a figure only seen in nightmares walked onto the road.
It appeared to have human form, but it was covered in tattered black robes with the hood pulled up, coving it's face, if it had one, in shadows. Deadly looking steel armor covered the demons hands and feet, creating a screeching sound every time it moved. It was riding upon a huge black steed with flaming red eyes and bloody nails driven through it's hooves. The Black Rider dismounted it's horse in one fluid movement and took a long, deep breath and then it let out a loud screech. It continued to sniff the area, as if it could smell that the Ring was near.
Underneath the root the group was beginning to panic. Ever since the Black Rider began sniffing around every bug in the wood began to crawl out and over the hiding companions. Worms, centipedes and roaches were inching their all over their bodies. A particularly large, black spider was slowly making it's way up Rei's stomach and it was all she could do to not scream and brush it off of her.
Frodo on the other hand, was paying absolutely no attention to the bugs. For the First time the Ring was trying to impose it's will upon him. He could hear whispers around him and he had the feeling that if he put on the Ring he would be completely safe from the Black Rider. The pocket that the Ring was in was weighing him down and he reached into it and pulled the Ring out. As soon as he did the Black Rider shook it's head and took another deep breath, coming ever closer to their hiding place. Frodo looked at the Ring shining in his hand and the desire to put it on was stronger than ever. His eyes rolled back into his head and he lost control and began to try and put the Ring on.
Rei took a deep breath and tried to pretend that the bug wasn't on her because she knew that if she screamed she would alert the Black Rider to their presence. She closed her eyes and when she did the image of the flaming eye came back to her. Everything was like it was before except for this time she could just barely hear Frodo's voice, calling for help. Her eyes snapped open and she glanced to her right to make sure that Frodo was okay and when she did she saw him only inches away from having the Ring on his finger. She elbowed him in the ribs forcefully, knocking him out of his daze. He looked down at the Ring and then back up at her and Rei could clearly see fear in his eyes. She grasped his hand in her own and gave it a reassuring squeeze, feeling him grasp onto her hand as if his life depended on it.
It was Merry who managed their escape. He took a small bag of vegetables that he and Pippin had stolen and tossed it to the left, effectively distracting the Black Riders. Each of the hiding companions could almost visualize the Rider jump back onto his steed and take of in the other direction. When it had gone they all got up and ran quietly in the opposite direction, putting as much distance as they could between themselves and the Black Rider.
*****
They had been running for hours. Merry and Pippin had now become a permanent addition to their traveling party and this bothered Rei for she didn't want to put anyone in any necessary danger. She knew though, if she were to tell them to go home they wouldn't listen to her and they could be caught and tortured for information, so come with them they would and they would decide what to do with them when they reached Bree.
Pippin, who was running beside Frodo, stopped to catch his breath and everyone stopped with him. "What was that thing?" He asked Frodo as he maneuvered them behind some low shrubs.
Frodo didn't say anything and continued to scan the horizon for any sign of the Black Rider. "Nothing." He finally said when he turned back around to face the group.
Merry, however, was unconvinced. "That Black Rider was looking for something." He stated. "Or someone." Frodo looked away at that comment and both Rei and Sam kept quiet. "Frodo?" He asked, hoping he would get an explanation. He didn't get one so he turned back to he watch. He saw something moving, something black, coming right for them. "Get down!" He whispered urgently.
Just as they all ducked underneath the shrubbery a Black Rider rode by. It was slow moving and they could all hear it's slow, deep breaths as it passed. When it was by them it let out a long and loud screech and took of running in another direction. Frodo knelt next to Rei and she looked at him and nodded. There was no more time, they had to leave now. "We have to get out of the Shire." She said to Merry. "And we have to go now. We need to get to Bree."
Merry thought for a moment before saying into the darkness. "Buckleberry Ferry." He stood and looked around for any sign of the Black Rider. When he thought the coast was clear he stood and whispered. "Follow me." The small group stood and followed Merry through the darkness, with Merry , Pippin and Sam in the lead and Rei and Frodo bringing up the rear.
They had only made it a few feet when a Black Rider rode swiftly out of the bushes behind them. Rei chanced a glance behind them and saw that the Rider was gaining on them and she pushed Frodo forward a little. Just in front of them she could see the ferry but she knew that they would never make it in time, not all of them. "Run!" She yelled before stopping and turning to face the Rider. The horse came to a halt in front of her and she took a deep breath. She looked behind her and could clearly see that all the hobbits had made in safely onto the ferry, now it was her turn. She turned and began to run as fast as she could towards the ferry. "Untie the ropes" She called.
Frodo worked the ropes, all the while watching Rei run from the Rider. "Run Rei!" He called as the Rider gained more ground. He panicked as he felt the ferry moving in the currents of the water. "Wait!" He screamed, "We have to wait for Rei!"
"Don't worry Frodo!" Sam said to his friend reassuringly. ""I know what she's doing."
Frodo looked back to the banks and saw that Rei was picking up her speed. He watched in amazement as she leaped from the banks of the river and just barely landed on the ferry. But she landed off-center and she began falling backwards and she would have fallen into the water if not for Frodo and Sam grabbing her and holding her steady. When she could stand on her own she glanced back to the shore where the Rider had stopped. It watched them for a few moments before the horse reared up and the Black Rider let out a terrible screech and galloped back onto the road and out of their view. It was then that they saw four other cloaked rider race past them. "Where's the nearest crossing? Frodo asked, sitting himself down next to Rei.
Merry looked out over the darkened water. "Brandywine Bridge." He said softly. "Twenty miles."
They all sat down and huddled together. It was going to be a long night. Rei volunteered to keep watch while the hobbits rested and though they protested it wasn't long before each of them had fallen asleep.
*****
The morning came, cold and gray, as they floated down the river. Rei hadn't slept at all and had kept watch over her sleeping companions all night. When the hobbits woke they were hungry but Rei refused to allow them to stop to make a fire and cook so they settled with a few pieces of fruit each. That day was mostly uneventful and Rei found a few hours sleep underneath the bright sun.
The next few days were the same and it wasn't until the fifth day that they departed the ferry and began their walk. Each day they walked about ten to fifteen miles, depending on the heat. They walked across plains of dry grass and wheat. Through cornfields and small woodland areas and as the tenth day was drawing to a close they could just barely make out the small, twinkling lights of the village of Bree. It was nestled in-between two large hills that effectively guarded it from harsh winds. Rei pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders and she noticed that the hobbits did the same. At their place on the top of the hills surrounding the village the wind was still strong and biting, promising foul weather. They didn't make it very far down the hill when the large rain drops began to fall from the gray clouds above, effectively drenching the walkers. Rei grabbed Frodo's hand and raced towards the gate, hoping to find solace and Gandalf's wisdom behind the guarded walls of the village.
Well, that was my longest chapter ever! 18 pages, so I hope you guys like it. Sorry about the wait, between fanfiction.net's problems and my busy schedule I haven't really had time to get on and post. So this chapter has them at the gates of Bree. I know that it didn't seem like very long that they were out and about so I'm sorry about that but if I kept this chapter any longer I probably would have found a flaw in it and completely erased it then the wait would have been a whole lot longer. Obviously I left Tom Bombadil out of it and I am going to be using Arwen. though Glorfindel will still be in the fic. I have another question. I know that there are Nine Walkers to match the nine Nazgul and adding Rei in causes a problem of their being a fellowship of ten. I can't leave anyone behind without seriously altering the story line so I think there just wont be an even number. If anyone has any other ideas on how I can fix that please let me know, I would greatly appreciate it! Oh and I just had to add in Saruman of Many Colors. That was my favorite thing about Saruman in the book and I was a little sad that they kept him Saruman the White in the movie. Oh well. Comments and criticism are greatly appreciated, just no flames!
Next chapter: Rei, Frodo, Merry, Pippin and Sam wait for Gandalf and the Inn of the Prancing Pony but circumstances force them to leave early than expected and with a new companion. The mysterious Strider.
Stay tuned for chapter 6: The Prancing Pony