Howdy ya'll. Tomorrow I start school again. The horror of 8th grade will
continue for another semester! I regret to inform you that my chapters will
be coming more slowly now. I'm taking algebra, and those who have taken it,
and or are, or even know what it is will understand why I use that as a
very good reason. Also, I do most of my typing at night, around 1 and 2
o'clock in the morning and I can't do that on school days, sooooooo. You'll
have to look for the story on weekends and holidays for now on. Sorry
ya'll, but I have an education to tend to. Oh, and here's the next friggin
chapter!
Disclaimer: *sung to the Oscar Myer Bologna song* My bologna has a first name, it's L-O-T-R rules. My bologna has a second name its, Idon'townitanddon'tknowwhodos. And that's all right and that's okay, cause the best director is P.J. (Not that that has anything to do with this story.)
Chapter 11: An Unexpected Party.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Darla was up ahead. She had just come around a bend and was looking behind her instead of where the pony was going. She turned around just in time to scream as the pony slammed to a halt throwing her off and into the river. Surprisingly a log passed by at that exact moment and she clung onto it as the river whisked her away. After sometime the river quieted and she was able to paddle close to shore and crawl onto the riverbank.
She lay on the bank cold and wet, panting from the experience. She looked up to see that the sun was setting and she was alone. Darla had just realized that she was alone. She looked around her warily and stood up dripping wet. There was a light ahead in the darkness she stumbled toward that. In the darkness she saw two creatures huddled by a fire. One was tall and fair, with long blonde hair and pointy ears. The other was a short and stout creature with an enormous beard and tons of armor. They sat talking and eating, joyously. She peaked out of the darkness hoping they would not see her, and yet hoping they would.
Her foot crunched a leaf underneath her. The taller sat up straight looking off into the shadows until his eyes met Darla's and he quickly pulled out his bow and cocked an arrow.
"It would be wise of you to step out and state who you are," he growled. Darla shook terribly, whether from fear or cold she did not know, but she stepped into the clearing and trembled.
"My name is Darla Duklemyer," she timidly spoke, "I'm just a hobbit who's lost her friends. I feel into the river and floated down here. Please don't harm me, kind sirs, I am just a poor lass."
"Let her be, Legolas," the shorter growled kindly, "Can't you see she's frightened enough? The poor lass is only a hobbit even. Come sit by the fire and warm yourself, we hold hobbits in high esteem my dear lady."
"I am sorry, Lady Darla," replied Legolas lowering his bow, "I did not see that you were harmless. You must be famished, here have some lembas." The elf offered, handing her a small piece of bread, which she devoured hungrily. The two watched as she finished and stared with wonder at them.
"You're an elf!" she gasped finally realizing who they were, "And you're a dwarf!"
"Aye, we are lass. I am Gimli son of Gloin, and this is Legolas, from Mirkwood. We are traveling to Fangorn forest to seek out its wonders and mysteries."
"Tell me, Lady hobbit, what is a woman like you doing all the way out here?" the elf asked.
"Well, you see I was traveling, with my friends Perigrin Took, and Meriadoc Brandybuck-"
"Did you say Perigrin Took?" Gimil asked.
"And Meriadoc Brandybuck?" Legolas finished.
"Yes, yes I did!" she responded, "We were racing and I didn't see the river and was thrown off my horse into it. Seeing as how I cannot swim I floundered onto a log and floated here."
"The old rascals are out traveling with a fine lass like you?" Gimli smiled. Darla was supremely confused right now.
"Those chaps, are quite scandalous wouldn't you say, Gimli?" Legolas laughed.
"I have no clue what you mean," Darla said outraged, "Who are you to talk so rashly about my friends? You've never even met them!"
"Aye, but that's where you're wrong, little hobbit," Gimli corrected his eyes twinkling beneath his beard.
"We know those two hobbits as well as you probably do." Legolas smiled, "Those hobbits went on a grand journey with 7 other companions and we were 2 of those."
"You mean! You were part of the fellowship?!" Darla asked amazed.
"Aye, we were, and there are none more amiable hobbits that you could have fallen into company with," Gimli praised. Darla smiled broadly. It was just her luck. She had found companions of Merry and Pippin's. What more could she have asked for?
-------------------------------
"Darla!" called Merry worriedly. They had been searching for hours now. The sun had fallen beneath the horizon and the stars had just begun to twinkle.
"Darla!!" Pippin called a little ways to his left. Merry listened and there was still no answer. Only Pippin's calls and the gurgle of the river along his right.
"How could this happen?" he asked himself sadly dropping his head and plopping onto a near by log.
"Merry?" asked Pippin coming up beside him.
"Pip, let's face it, she's gone, we've failed her."
"Now don't say that Merry. We've only failed her if we give up."
"This river goes on for miles, she could be anywhere," he replied hopelessly.
"She could be in that clearing over there. I see a fire, and there are some travelers around it. What do you say we go have a look?"
"Pippin there's no likely chance that she is in that clearing over there. We're more likely to meet Legolas and Gimli in that clearing, let alone-"
"MERRY!" Darla screeched running through the foliage and tackling him. Merry was petrified. Darla had grasped him in a mighty hug and was smiling like a lost child.
"Oh, Merry! I thought I'd lost you!" she gushed holding him at arms length. Merry just muttered incoherently. "You'll never guess whom I met!" she beamed excitedly dragging him along and beckoning Pippin to follow. As they burst into the clearing two figures Merry did not expect to see stood up to greet him.
"Meriadoc Brandybuck!" welcomed Gimli.
"And Perigrin Took!" Legolas beamed.
"We might've known," they both said together. *A/N: I realize that this is getting really corny, but I find it hilarious!*
Merry looked at his friends and then promptly fainted on the spot. When he awoke he found Darla, Pippin, and Legolas all crowded around him.
"Merry? Are you alright?" asked Pippin.
"I think I bruised my backside, but other than that, I'm fine," he answered.
"That's a relief," Darla sighed, "I thought something was really wrong. We can't have anything happening to you."
"And why not?" asked the elf looking at her strangely.
"Because he's the only one who knows how to get to Gondor." Pippin answered.
"Well, then he really is a necessity," replied Gimli helping the hobbit to his feet.
"I can't believe it's you!" Merry responded awe-struck.
"We can hardly believe that your girl friend stumbled into our camp sopping wet," Legolas laughed.
"I'm not his girl friend!" Darla said angrily.
"Oh, I'm sorry, his wife," corrected Legolas politely.
"I'm not that either! I'm his friend!" she responded crossing her arms across her chest.
"Well, I'm sorry it's just you ran towards him like that and such, I just assumed-"
"You assumed wrong, Sir Elf!" she spat darkly.
"I don't see why it bother's you so much, Darla," Pippin remarked, "It not like you wouldn't make a good couple!"
"Wha-what is with everyone tonight? Is it a full moon?"
"It 'tis only a quarter," answered Gimli leaning on his axe. Darla was fuming. Merry started laughing at her; she was so cute when she was mad.
"What are you laughing at Merry?" she asked.
"You, Darla-Darlin" he answered jumping around.
"Oh really?" she replied mischievously, "I would do that if I were you, Merr-Bear!" She chased after him.
"I see a marital spat coming on," said Gimli under his breath to the others.
"I heard that!" Merry and Darla both yelled still chasing after each other under the starlight. The group just laughed and sat down to watch the couple bicker and to talk about recent events.
------------------------------
Darla snuck around the tree. Merry had run off into the brush and was hiding somewhere near by. She could feel it. There was a rustle from her left. She turned quickly to see Merry running past and into another clearing. She chased after and stopped in the middle of the clearing to see Merry nowhere in sight.
"I know you're here, Meriadoc!" she called, "You can run but you can't h-" A figure leaped out of the darkness and tackled her. She laughed and rolled with it until they came to a stop.
"That's payback for earlier," Merry smiled lying next to her in the cool grass.
"What did I do?" she asked beaming in the darkness.
"You surprised me, so now I've surprised you!"
"Oh, but you didn't surprise me. I knew you were going to pull something like that!" she teased flicking his nose.
"Well, then how about this?" he asked leaning in to kiss her. She pulled back sharply.
"Merry!" she sputtered shocked standing up quickly. What had caused him to do that? She then remembered Pippin's words the first day they had set out from the Shire.
'It's a wonder you two don't fancy each other,' he echoed in the back of her mind. She stood there staring at the silent hobbit and then ran off into the night.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
OooooooOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOoooooooOOOOO. Things are getting juicy! I can't wait to see what happens next. Yes that's right folks even I don't know what I'm going to do next! Hope you liked this chapter, and my lil cameos! Laterz-DB:D
Disclaimer: *sung to the Oscar Myer Bologna song* My bologna has a first name, it's L-O-T-R rules. My bologna has a second name its, Idon'townitanddon'tknowwhodos. And that's all right and that's okay, cause the best director is P.J. (Not that that has anything to do with this story.)
Chapter 11: An Unexpected Party.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Darla was up ahead. She had just come around a bend and was looking behind her instead of where the pony was going. She turned around just in time to scream as the pony slammed to a halt throwing her off and into the river. Surprisingly a log passed by at that exact moment and she clung onto it as the river whisked her away. After sometime the river quieted and she was able to paddle close to shore and crawl onto the riverbank.
She lay on the bank cold and wet, panting from the experience. She looked up to see that the sun was setting and she was alone. Darla had just realized that she was alone. She looked around her warily and stood up dripping wet. There was a light ahead in the darkness she stumbled toward that. In the darkness she saw two creatures huddled by a fire. One was tall and fair, with long blonde hair and pointy ears. The other was a short and stout creature with an enormous beard and tons of armor. They sat talking and eating, joyously. She peaked out of the darkness hoping they would not see her, and yet hoping they would.
Her foot crunched a leaf underneath her. The taller sat up straight looking off into the shadows until his eyes met Darla's and he quickly pulled out his bow and cocked an arrow.
"It would be wise of you to step out and state who you are," he growled. Darla shook terribly, whether from fear or cold she did not know, but she stepped into the clearing and trembled.
"My name is Darla Duklemyer," she timidly spoke, "I'm just a hobbit who's lost her friends. I feel into the river and floated down here. Please don't harm me, kind sirs, I am just a poor lass."
"Let her be, Legolas," the shorter growled kindly, "Can't you see she's frightened enough? The poor lass is only a hobbit even. Come sit by the fire and warm yourself, we hold hobbits in high esteem my dear lady."
"I am sorry, Lady Darla," replied Legolas lowering his bow, "I did not see that you were harmless. You must be famished, here have some lembas." The elf offered, handing her a small piece of bread, which she devoured hungrily. The two watched as she finished and stared with wonder at them.
"You're an elf!" she gasped finally realizing who they were, "And you're a dwarf!"
"Aye, we are lass. I am Gimli son of Gloin, and this is Legolas, from Mirkwood. We are traveling to Fangorn forest to seek out its wonders and mysteries."
"Tell me, Lady hobbit, what is a woman like you doing all the way out here?" the elf asked.
"Well, you see I was traveling, with my friends Perigrin Took, and Meriadoc Brandybuck-"
"Did you say Perigrin Took?" Gimil asked.
"And Meriadoc Brandybuck?" Legolas finished.
"Yes, yes I did!" she responded, "We were racing and I didn't see the river and was thrown off my horse into it. Seeing as how I cannot swim I floundered onto a log and floated here."
"The old rascals are out traveling with a fine lass like you?" Gimli smiled. Darla was supremely confused right now.
"Those chaps, are quite scandalous wouldn't you say, Gimli?" Legolas laughed.
"I have no clue what you mean," Darla said outraged, "Who are you to talk so rashly about my friends? You've never even met them!"
"Aye, but that's where you're wrong, little hobbit," Gimli corrected his eyes twinkling beneath his beard.
"We know those two hobbits as well as you probably do." Legolas smiled, "Those hobbits went on a grand journey with 7 other companions and we were 2 of those."
"You mean! You were part of the fellowship?!" Darla asked amazed.
"Aye, we were, and there are none more amiable hobbits that you could have fallen into company with," Gimli praised. Darla smiled broadly. It was just her luck. She had found companions of Merry and Pippin's. What more could she have asked for?
-------------------------------
"Darla!" called Merry worriedly. They had been searching for hours now. The sun had fallen beneath the horizon and the stars had just begun to twinkle.
"Darla!!" Pippin called a little ways to his left. Merry listened and there was still no answer. Only Pippin's calls and the gurgle of the river along his right.
"How could this happen?" he asked himself sadly dropping his head and plopping onto a near by log.
"Merry?" asked Pippin coming up beside him.
"Pip, let's face it, she's gone, we've failed her."
"Now don't say that Merry. We've only failed her if we give up."
"This river goes on for miles, she could be anywhere," he replied hopelessly.
"She could be in that clearing over there. I see a fire, and there are some travelers around it. What do you say we go have a look?"
"Pippin there's no likely chance that she is in that clearing over there. We're more likely to meet Legolas and Gimli in that clearing, let alone-"
"MERRY!" Darla screeched running through the foliage and tackling him. Merry was petrified. Darla had grasped him in a mighty hug and was smiling like a lost child.
"Oh, Merry! I thought I'd lost you!" she gushed holding him at arms length. Merry just muttered incoherently. "You'll never guess whom I met!" she beamed excitedly dragging him along and beckoning Pippin to follow. As they burst into the clearing two figures Merry did not expect to see stood up to greet him.
"Meriadoc Brandybuck!" welcomed Gimli.
"And Perigrin Took!" Legolas beamed.
"We might've known," they both said together. *A/N: I realize that this is getting really corny, but I find it hilarious!*
Merry looked at his friends and then promptly fainted on the spot. When he awoke he found Darla, Pippin, and Legolas all crowded around him.
"Merry? Are you alright?" asked Pippin.
"I think I bruised my backside, but other than that, I'm fine," he answered.
"That's a relief," Darla sighed, "I thought something was really wrong. We can't have anything happening to you."
"And why not?" asked the elf looking at her strangely.
"Because he's the only one who knows how to get to Gondor." Pippin answered.
"Well, then he really is a necessity," replied Gimli helping the hobbit to his feet.
"I can't believe it's you!" Merry responded awe-struck.
"We can hardly believe that your girl friend stumbled into our camp sopping wet," Legolas laughed.
"I'm not his girl friend!" Darla said angrily.
"Oh, I'm sorry, his wife," corrected Legolas politely.
"I'm not that either! I'm his friend!" she responded crossing her arms across her chest.
"Well, I'm sorry it's just you ran towards him like that and such, I just assumed-"
"You assumed wrong, Sir Elf!" she spat darkly.
"I don't see why it bother's you so much, Darla," Pippin remarked, "It not like you wouldn't make a good couple!"
"Wha-what is with everyone tonight? Is it a full moon?"
"It 'tis only a quarter," answered Gimli leaning on his axe. Darla was fuming. Merry started laughing at her; she was so cute when she was mad.
"What are you laughing at Merry?" she asked.
"You, Darla-Darlin" he answered jumping around.
"Oh really?" she replied mischievously, "I would do that if I were you, Merr-Bear!" She chased after him.
"I see a marital spat coming on," said Gimli under his breath to the others.
"I heard that!" Merry and Darla both yelled still chasing after each other under the starlight. The group just laughed and sat down to watch the couple bicker and to talk about recent events.
------------------------------
Darla snuck around the tree. Merry had run off into the brush and was hiding somewhere near by. She could feel it. There was a rustle from her left. She turned quickly to see Merry running past and into another clearing. She chased after and stopped in the middle of the clearing to see Merry nowhere in sight.
"I know you're here, Meriadoc!" she called, "You can run but you can't h-" A figure leaped out of the darkness and tackled her. She laughed and rolled with it until they came to a stop.
"That's payback for earlier," Merry smiled lying next to her in the cool grass.
"What did I do?" she asked beaming in the darkness.
"You surprised me, so now I've surprised you!"
"Oh, but you didn't surprise me. I knew you were going to pull something like that!" she teased flicking his nose.
"Well, then how about this?" he asked leaning in to kiss her. She pulled back sharply.
"Merry!" she sputtered shocked standing up quickly. What had caused him to do that? She then remembered Pippin's words the first day they had set out from the Shire.
'It's a wonder you two don't fancy each other,' he echoed in the back of her mind. She stood there staring at the silent hobbit and then ran off into the night.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
OooooooOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOoooooooOOOOO. Things are getting juicy! I can't wait to see what happens next. Yes that's right folks even I don't know what I'm going to do next! Hope you liked this chapter, and my lil cameos! Laterz-DB:D