Disclaimer: How many times must I say it? I DO NOT OWN LORD OF THE RINGS!
Chapter 15 - Of Rangers and Lost Memories
Morning came with a bright sun, a clear sky, and a light breeze. Blue was the first to wake.
As she sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, a glint of gold caught her attention.
Further into the cave there were mounds of gold coins and figurines. They all gleamed brilliantly in the early morning sunshine. Blue gaped at the sheer amount of it all. It could rival even the king's own hoard. It reminded her of the tales of Smaug the Dragon, whose liar had been filled with riches inside the Lonely Mountain.
"Close your mouth," came a disgruntled voice from behind her, "you're starting to drool."
Black pulled herself into a sitting position and arched her back. "These hard stone floors do nothing for me," she grumbled.
"Where did you get it all?" Blue asked.
"Huh?" Black looked to where Blue was staring. "Oh, the treasure. Stole it," she said.
"How could you possibly steal this much?" Blue wondered. "I mean, how long have you been stealing?"
"Depends on your definition of long" Black said as she attempted to rouse Red.
"Incredible."
"Not really. Most of this stuff is troll gold, stuff those giant ugly beasts had been collecting for years."
"And?" Blue prompted.
"And." Black continued, "trolls aren't the smartest things on two legs, are they? Just distract them long enough for the sun to come up and POOF! treasure's yours. Simple as that."
"Yeah, real simple," Blue murmured.
"Oh, for heaven's sake," Black groaned, "wake up!" She threw a stone at Red.
"I'm up, I'm up," Red said groggily.
"Make sure to fill your purses," Black reminded them as they packed up after breakfast, "never know when we might need to make a few purchases."
Green brought the horses to the cave's entrance, where they'd gone during the storm was a mystery, but they seemed pretty dry and happy.
Black and Blue tacked up their horses while Red pulled on her cloak. Something fell out of a pocket. Red picked up a small leather pouch and examined it carefully.
"Oh yeah." she said. "I put it in there when."
"Red?" Black interrupted. "What's that?"
"Nothing!" Red said, whipping her arm behind her back.
"Was that."
"No."
Red dumped the pouch into another pocket and went over to her own horse.
"That looked a lot like that pouch you were looking for yesterday."
"It's not," Red assured Black. "They just look alike.a lot alike.They're very similar.they're the same style except for.okay it's the same pouch," she admitted.
"So you didn't lose it? No one stole it?" Black inquired.
"Guess not."
"You lied then, yesterday. You liar."
Red rounded on Black and whipped out her sword.
"To the." she began, but seeing Green glower with her hand on the hilt of her sword, stopped. "Compromise," Red said, putting her sword away.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Where's Black?" asked Blue a few days later. The dark woman had been absent for the better part of the morning.
"Scouting," replied Green, shifting in the saddle. "She's been a bit more cautious ever since we ran into that man with the hobbits."
"By the looks of things we're gonna have a whole party of elves on our tail before long," Red added. "I wonder what they're so worried about," she mused.
- - - -
The hooded and cloaked woman rode her sleek gray mount through the brush; trying her best keep quiet.
Pausing for a moment, she took out a solid gold ring that she wore on a chain around her neck. She studied it carefully. Why was it so important? It was just another piece of jewelry.
Suddenly something whispered her name. Who the he!! knew her real name? She glanced to the sides, then back at the ring. It couldn't be.gold didn't whisper.
There was a quick snap of a twig and the woman hurriedly hid the necklace under her cloak. Looking around she saw nothing unusual, until the leaves on a large bush started to tremble. Some one was coming.
- - - -
"So, where did you learn all those songs?" Blue asked in attempt to break the silence.
"Songs?" said Red.
"All those songs you and Black sing," Blue said. "They are certainly not Elvish."
"Oh, those songs. Hm.where did we learn them?"
"Yes."
"Good question. I have no idea," answered Red.
"What?" Blue demanded.
"I don't know," repeated Red. "Black taught me them. She never told me where they came from. She doesn't tell me much of anything, come to think of it."
- - - -
The leaves rustled and out of the bushes appeared a man.
Curse those friggin' Rangers, Black thought.
"Good morrow," he said with a slight bow.
"Guten Tag," replied Black.
As the man straightened Black could see the confusion in his eyes.
Good, Black silently told him, be confused. Be very uncomfortable. Go away.
"Are you alone?" he asked.
"Even under the most normal circumstances, that would be a rather unsettling question," Black answered.
"I am sorry, milady," he said. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn."
So it was the same man that had been tailing them for a week. Joy. Great job, Red. Go find yourself a nice Ranger to rob so he can come hunt us down later.
"I was looking for four women - in colored cloaks - I was wondering if you might have seen them?" he continued.
This would be tricky.
"I have been riding only since dawn," Black answered, "and I have not come across any women in colored cloaks." It wasn't a lie. After all, he had failed to specify a specific time period. If he meant today, then no, she had not come across four women in cloaks-rather she had met with three women not yet in cloaks.
"You will have to pardon me, milady," Aragorn said, stepping closer to Black, "but you happen to fit one of their descriptions very well."
"Is that so?"
"In fact," he went on, coming ever closer to Black's stirrup. "I have reason to believe that you are the very person I am looking for."
Black raised her eyebrows in mock innocence. "Why would you be looking for me?"
"I believe you have something that does not belong to you," he said coolly.
"I'm sorry," Black said, "but you'll have to be a bit more specific." She smiled wryly. "I have a lot of things that do not belong to me."
Aragorn gripped her boot.
"A hobbit of the Shire recently lost a gold ring to pickpockets. He said a lady clad in black was the one who took it."
"Oh, then you must be mistaken," Black said while gathering her reins, "I am no lady."
She whirled her horse around and left a very flustered Ranger standing alone in the brush.
- - - -
"Black doesn't tell anyone much of anything," Blue grumbled.
"Or did I already know those songs?" Red wondered. "I can remember waking up and seeing Black," she scratched her head, "but nothing before that. Where did those songs come from?"
"All right guys, time to start moving," Black burst in.
"Black," Red asked, "where did we learn all those songs? Did you teach me? Or did I know them before I met you?"
"Does she remember anything? Ever?" asked Blue.
"No, not really," Black answered. "She hit her head one too many times. Seriously, it was the second time that did it."
Red continued to stare and scratch her head.
"Stop trying to remember, Red, you'll hurt yourself," Black demanded. "Come on, we need to move."
"What's wrong?" Green asked.
"That pervy hobbit-fancier is on to us," Black told them as she pointed them in a new direction.
"What is pervy?" Blue wondered aloud.
"That bloody Ranger, Aragorn!" she said with a scowl. "Real nice work, Red."
"Oh yeah, Aragorn. I knew it started with an 'A.'"
"Time to make tracks," Black ordered. She urged her horse into a lope. The others were slow to follow.
"Come one!" she yelled over shoulder. "Ride it like you stole it!"
"But we did steal it!"
Chapter 15 - Of Rangers and Lost Memories
Morning came with a bright sun, a clear sky, and a light breeze. Blue was the first to wake.
As she sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, a glint of gold caught her attention.
Further into the cave there were mounds of gold coins and figurines. They all gleamed brilliantly in the early morning sunshine. Blue gaped at the sheer amount of it all. It could rival even the king's own hoard. It reminded her of the tales of Smaug the Dragon, whose liar had been filled with riches inside the Lonely Mountain.
"Close your mouth," came a disgruntled voice from behind her, "you're starting to drool."
Black pulled herself into a sitting position and arched her back. "These hard stone floors do nothing for me," she grumbled.
"Where did you get it all?" Blue asked.
"Huh?" Black looked to where Blue was staring. "Oh, the treasure. Stole it," she said.
"How could you possibly steal this much?" Blue wondered. "I mean, how long have you been stealing?"
"Depends on your definition of long" Black said as she attempted to rouse Red.
"Incredible."
"Not really. Most of this stuff is troll gold, stuff those giant ugly beasts had been collecting for years."
"And?" Blue prompted.
"And." Black continued, "trolls aren't the smartest things on two legs, are they? Just distract them long enough for the sun to come up and POOF! treasure's yours. Simple as that."
"Yeah, real simple," Blue murmured.
"Oh, for heaven's sake," Black groaned, "wake up!" She threw a stone at Red.
"I'm up, I'm up," Red said groggily.
"Make sure to fill your purses," Black reminded them as they packed up after breakfast, "never know when we might need to make a few purchases."
Green brought the horses to the cave's entrance, where they'd gone during the storm was a mystery, but they seemed pretty dry and happy.
Black and Blue tacked up their horses while Red pulled on her cloak. Something fell out of a pocket. Red picked up a small leather pouch and examined it carefully.
"Oh yeah." she said. "I put it in there when."
"Red?" Black interrupted. "What's that?"
"Nothing!" Red said, whipping her arm behind her back.
"Was that."
"No."
Red dumped the pouch into another pocket and went over to her own horse.
"That looked a lot like that pouch you were looking for yesterday."
"It's not," Red assured Black. "They just look alike.a lot alike.They're very similar.they're the same style except for.okay it's the same pouch," she admitted.
"So you didn't lose it? No one stole it?" Black inquired.
"Guess not."
"You lied then, yesterday. You liar."
Red rounded on Black and whipped out her sword.
"To the." she began, but seeing Green glower with her hand on the hilt of her sword, stopped. "Compromise," Red said, putting her sword away.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"Where's Black?" asked Blue a few days later. The dark woman had been absent for the better part of the morning.
"Scouting," replied Green, shifting in the saddle. "She's been a bit more cautious ever since we ran into that man with the hobbits."
"By the looks of things we're gonna have a whole party of elves on our tail before long," Red added. "I wonder what they're so worried about," she mused.
- - - -
The hooded and cloaked woman rode her sleek gray mount through the brush; trying her best keep quiet.
Pausing for a moment, she took out a solid gold ring that she wore on a chain around her neck. She studied it carefully. Why was it so important? It was just another piece of jewelry.
Suddenly something whispered her name. Who the he!! knew her real name? She glanced to the sides, then back at the ring. It couldn't be.gold didn't whisper.
There was a quick snap of a twig and the woman hurriedly hid the necklace under her cloak. Looking around she saw nothing unusual, until the leaves on a large bush started to tremble. Some one was coming.
- - - -
"So, where did you learn all those songs?" Blue asked in attempt to break the silence.
"Songs?" said Red.
"All those songs you and Black sing," Blue said. "They are certainly not Elvish."
"Oh, those songs. Hm.where did we learn them?"
"Yes."
"Good question. I have no idea," answered Red.
"What?" Blue demanded.
"I don't know," repeated Red. "Black taught me them. She never told me where they came from. She doesn't tell me much of anything, come to think of it."
- - - -
The leaves rustled and out of the bushes appeared a man.
Curse those friggin' Rangers, Black thought.
"Good morrow," he said with a slight bow.
"Guten Tag," replied Black.
As the man straightened Black could see the confusion in his eyes.
Good, Black silently told him, be confused. Be very uncomfortable. Go away.
"Are you alone?" he asked.
"Even under the most normal circumstances, that would be a rather unsettling question," Black answered.
"I am sorry, milady," he said. "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn."
So it was the same man that had been tailing them for a week. Joy. Great job, Red. Go find yourself a nice Ranger to rob so he can come hunt us down later.
"I was looking for four women - in colored cloaks - I was wondering if you might have seen them?" he continued.
This would be tricky.
"I have been riding only since dawn," Black answered, "and I have not come across any women in colored cloaks." It wasn't a lie. After all, he had failed to specify a specific time period. If he meant today, then no, she had not come across four women in cloaks-rather she had met with three women not yet in cloaks.
"You will have to pardon me, milady," Aragorn said, stepping closer to Black, "but you happen to fit one of their descriptions very well."
"Is that so?"
"In fact," he went on, coming ever closer to Black's stirrup. "I have reason to believe that you are the very person I am looking for."
Black raised her eyebrows in mock innocence. "Why would you be looking for me?"
"I believe you have something that does not belong to you," he said coolly.
"I'm sorry," Black said, "but you'll have to be a bit more specific." She smiled wryly. "I have a lot of things that do not belong to me."
Aragorn gripped her boot.
"A hobbit of the Shire recently lost a gold ring to pickpockets. He said a lady clad in black was the one who took it."
"Oh, then you must be mistaken," Black said while gathering her reins, "I am no lady."
She whirled her horse around and left a very flustered Ranger standing alone in the brush.
- - - -
"Black doesn't tell anyone much of anything," Blue grumbled.
"Or did I already know those songs?" Red wondered. "I can remember waking up and seeing Black," she scratched her head, "but nothing before that. Where did those songs come from?"
"All right guys, time to start moving," Black burst in.
"Black," Red asked, "where did we learn all those songs? Did you teach me? Or did I know them before I met you?"
"Does she remember anything? Ever?" asked Blue.
"No, not really," Black answered. "She hit her head one too many times. Seriously, it was the second time that did it."
Red continued to stare and scratch her head.
"Stop trying to remember, Red, you'll hurt yourself," Black demanded. "Come on, we need to move."
"What's wrong?" Green asked.
"That pervy hobbit-fancier is on to us," Black told them as she pointed them in a new direction.
"What is pervy?" Blue wondered aloud.
"That bloody Ranger, Aragorn!" she said with a scowl. "Real nice work, Red."
"Oh yeah, Aragorn. I knew it started with an 'A.'"
"Time to make tracks," Black ordered. She urged her horse into a lope. The others were slow to follow.
"Come one!" she yelled over shoulder. "Ride it like you stole it!"
"But we did steal it!"