Disclaimer: hippopanonymousawhopbamboo (Man! I still love saying that!)
A/N: okay, my web site is kind of functioning…you can go there if you want to! (Hopeful pleading)
Time: Run For Their Lives
"Will she be alright, Legolas?" Gimli asked. He almost had a fatherly tone to his voice. The elf bowed his head and Aragorn looked up, confused from the roll of gauze, alcohol and cloth pads.
"I'm not certain. She nearly…" he couldn't finish. He didn't know what to call the shot of a gun. Aragorn sighed and stood. Boromir watched silently as the three in front of him paced the forest floor. Soon, he could take no more of it.
"I can't stand this! Holly, my love, is being trampled to death by orcs and her dearest friend is near a mental downfall! What shall we do?"
"Would you stop whining? We have to figure out what to do with you before we go off and rescue the hobbits and Holly!" Gimli snapped. Boromir shut his mouth, knowing the dwarf was right.
"First, we must bandage you. Yet, I have no clue as to these things she threw at me. Isopropyl alcohol. I'm not sure if this will harm you or help you," Aragorn said, reading the label of Rachel's rubbing alcohol. He pronounced it wrong.
Rachel was within hearing distance and smiled faintly when Aragorn did this. She decided that it would be best to return and help him. She began thinking and all sound was blocked from her ears and Holly's favorite song, "In Dreams" escaped her lips.
"Aragorn…I must speak with you. Something about her tears at me, but I'm not familiar with the feeling," Legolas said in his friend's ear. Aragorn smiled and nodded his head knowingly.
"'Tis the same for Arwen in my mind I believe. A tearing of the heart? As though it rips when she's not close and cries in anguish when she's far? A yearning and tightening of the chest and a rapid heartbeat?" Aragorn asked. Legolas nodded to all questions.
"What shall I do? I'm at a loss!"
"You are the only one who can answer that question, my friend. But, perhaps, maybe she could answer it as well," Aragorn encrypted. Legolas gulped nervously. His ear twitched as a voice reached him. It was soft and beautiful…none other than Rachel. She sang an extraordinary song. Legolas drowned in her voice; could smell her hair. His eyes closed as he tried to fight back the intolerable…
"How is he?" Rachel asked, walking into the clearing. Legolas snapped his eyes open and watched Rachel's worried gaze fall upon Boromir. His breathing was raspy and he was nearly fighting consciousness.
"Not well, I'm afraid. What is this?" Aragorn asked, handing her the bottle of rubbing alcohol. Rachel sighed and shook her head. Of course they wouldn't know about that stuff...
"Here, let me," she said, kneeling beside Boromir. He gritted his teeth together when she ripped open his shirt only to reveal a ghastly arrow wound gushing with blood. She grabbed a trig and broke in half, sticking it between Boromir's jaw. This rubbing alcohol wasn't like what the civilians used. It really got out the infection and dirt and blood of war. It stung worse than getting the wound itself, most times.
"What are you doing?" Gimli asked. He peered over her shoulder as she worked and so did Aragorn and Legolas.
"Boromir, this will hurt…a lot," she said, pouring the alcohol on his chest. Boromir screamed in agony. He was gasping for breath and a few blood vessels popped out on his neck. He finally calmed down and Rachel told him to turn on his side. He did the best he could and Rachel began taping him up. A cloth pad was placed over top of the wound and the gauze was wrapped securely around his shoulder. With that, Aragorn helped him put his tattered shirt and outer tunic back on.
"Where are you going?" Gimli asked. Rachel didn't even turn when she picked up her bag and started for the bank of the river. Frodo and Sam were still there, she knew it.
"To say good bye."
When Rachel reached the shore, Frodo was just barely into the boat. When he saw Rachel, he stopped momentarily before rowing faster.
"Stop! I just want to wish you good luck," she told him. He glared at her and nodded. Rachel leaned outward and pulled the boat back in.
"Good bye…You understand, don't you, Rachel?" he asked. She could sense the tremble in his voice. She didn't need elven powers to tell her that Frodo was afraid.
"I do, but take Sam with you. He'll come in handy, trust me," Rachel told him. He shook his head vigorously.
"No. I couldn't! I don't want him to get hurt!"
"Too bad, Frodo. He'll swim across this river is he has to."
"He can't swim!"
"Precisely…"
"…Alright then. Why do you fight?"
Rachel looked at the hobbit. He was serious. She thought he had joked with her, but he was serious this time. Sighing, she slumped to the ground.
"I don't know…I fought all my life, really. Ever since the war back home began, I've been fighting. I never gave much thought to it," she said, honestly. Frodo smiled and reached over the side of the boat. He put a hand on Rachel's shoulder.
"I've never known there to be female warriors, but you've proven me wrong. Why should Sam come with me if it may cause him danger?" Frodo asked. I looked at him and laughed. Everything in Middle-Earth had some horrendous danger involved with it. How was this danger any different from the others?
"Believe me, he will be very important in later chap—in later times," Rachel said. She had almost referred to her new life as a book. That made her feel great sadness, but it was cut off by the hobbit's laughter.
"You're an oracle now, are you?"
"I guess you could say that," Rachel laughed. They smiled at one another and Rachel stood when Sam came bounding through the nearby hedge. He cried out at the sight of Frodo and immediately jumped in the boat.
"Why must you always put yourself in harm's way for me, Sam?" Frodo asked. Sam looked at him and then at Rachel.
"Don't you loose him Samwise Gamgee! I don't mean to," he said. They hugged and began rowing away, but Rachel stopped them.
"I have something for you, Frodo!" she said.
"What is it?"
"Take it!" she yelled, throwing a portfolio at him. When he opened it, he was met with the faces of everyone in the Fellowship including Holly and Rachel. Tears streaming down his face, Frodo looked up to say his thanks, but Rachel was nowhere in sight.
Legolas sat by Boromir. He noticed that the man was far better off now that he was properly bandaged. Rachel certainly knew how to heal. What else did she do? There seemed to be no limit to her talents. No flaws.
"What troubles you, Legolas?" Aragorn asked. He looked at the elf with suspicion.
"Most women would faint at the sight of so much blood and such a gruesome wound."
"Indeed. Most human and hobbit women, at least."
"Yes."
"Remember, Rachel is a soldier. I hardly think blood would taint her anymore," Aragorn pointed out. Legolas nodded admiringly. His eyes were agleam and he didn't even notice when Rachel reentered the clearing.
"What were you up to?" Gimli asked. Rachel smiled. All the weight seemed to fade beneath her. She threw her pack to the ground.
"I gave something to Frodo and Sam before they left."
"They left?! To where?!" Gimli shouted, jumping to his feet.
"Mordor."
"What?!" Legolas, Gimli and Boromir shouted together. Rachel and Aragorn glanced at each other.
"They'll be fine, trust me."
No more was said of importance as they geared up. They all, except Boromir, grabbed their weapons and packs. He was left laying on the ground, disgusted with himself.
"What shall I do then?" he asked woefully. Rachel looked at him and pondered what to do with him. She drew up a blank.
"I've no clue…Can you stand and walk?" Boromir stood and walked. He ran when she asked him and told her that, no, it didn't hurt to do so. She nodded and told him to give her his weapons and shield. When he refused, she asked him why not.
"You could not carry so much as my things and your own!" he shouted. The other men agreed. Rachel put her hands on her hips and stared at them with disdain.
"I could and with more ease than any of you! Are equipment packs in the service were at least fifty if not seventy-five pounds at the lightest! I can carry an extra forty pounds!" she said accusingly. Legolas shook his head. He picked up Boromir's things and set them down again.
"Even I could not carry them!"
Aragorn did the same. He shook his head in agreement. Rachel sighed, picked Boromir's weapons up effortlessly and offered Boromir a hand in case he needed it. Everyone stared at her in amazement.
"What?! Holly and any other Marine could do the same!' she told them. Legolas stepped forward.
"If you so much as slip a foot, limp a pace, or stop for breath and say that these things are not weighing you down…"
"I understand! If you want, I'll hand a third of it off to both you and Aragorn when I get tired," she said to him. Legolas and Aragorn nodded. She knew she wouldn't get tired easily and if she did, they'd be the last to know.
With that last thought, the five of them ran off towards the orcs' trail, Aragorn in the lead.
A/N: okay, my web site is kind of functioning…you can go there if you want to! (Hopeful pleading)
Time: Run For Their Lives
"Will she be alright, Legolas?" Gimli asked. He almost had a fatherly tone to his voice. The elf bowed his head and Aragorn looked up, confused from the roll of gauze, alcohol and cloth pads.
"I'm not certain. She nearly…" he couldn't finish. He didn't know what to call the shot of a gun. Aragorn sighed and stood. Boromir watched silently as the three in front of him paced the forest floor. Soon, he could take no more of it.
"I can't stand this! Holly, my love, is being trampled to death by orcs and her dearest friend is near a mental downfall! What shall we do?"
"Would you stop whining? We have to figure out what to do with you before we go off and rescue the hobbits and Holly!" Gimli snapped. Boromir shut his mouth, knowing the dwarf was right.
"First, we must bandage you. Yet, I have no clue as to these things she threw at me. Isopropyl alcohol. I'm not sure if this will harm you or help you," Aragorn said, reading the label of Rachel's rubbing alcohol. He pronounced it wrong.
Rachel was within hearing distance and smiled faintly when Aragorn did this. She decided that it would be best to return and help him. She began thinking and all sound was blocked from her ears and Holly's favorite song, "In Dreams" escaped her lips.
"Aragorn…I must speak with you. Something about her tears at me, but I'm not familiar with the feeling," Legolas said in his friend's ear. Aragorn smiled and nodded his head knowingly.
"'Tis the same for Arwen in my mind I believe. A tearing of the heart? As though it rips when she's not close and cries in anguish when she's far? A yearning and tightening of the chest and a rapid heartbeat?" Aragorn asked. Legolas nodded to all questions.
"What shall I do? I'm at a loss!"
"You are the only one who can answer that question, my friend. But, perhaps, maybe she could answer it as well," Aragorn encrypted. Legolas gulped nervously. His ear twitched as a voice reached him. It was soft and beautiful…none other than Rachel. She sang an extraordinary song. Legolas drowned in her voice; could smell her hair. His eyes closed as he tried to fight back the intolerable…
"How is he?" Rachel asked, walking into the clearing. Legolas snapped his eyes open and watched Rachel's worried gaze fall upon Boromir. His breathing was raspy and he was nearly fighting consciousness.
"Not well, I'm afraid. What is this?" Aragorn asked, handing her the bottle of rubbing alcohol. Rachel sighed and shook her head. Of course they wouldn't know about that stuff...
"Here, let me," she said, kneeling beside Boromir. He gritted his teeth together when she ripped open his shirt only to reveal a ghastly arrow wound gushing with blood. She grabbed a trig and broke in half, sticking it between Boromir's jaw. This rubbing alcohol wasn't like what the civilians used. It really got out the infection and dirt and blood of war. It stung worse than getting the wound itself, most times.
"What are you doing?" Gimli asked. He peered over her shoulder as she worked and so did Aragorn and Legolas.
"Boromir, this will hurt…a lot," she said, pouring the alcohol on his chest. Boromir screamed in agony. He was gasping for breath and a few blood vessels popped out on his neck. He finally calmed down and Rachel told him to turn on his side. He did the best he could and Rachel began taping him up. A cloth pad was placed over top of the wound and the gauze was wrapped securely around his shoulder. With that, Aragorn helped him put his tattered shirt and outer tunic back on.
"Where are you going?" Gimli asked. Rachel didn't even turn when she picked up her bag and started for the bank of the river. Frodo and Sam were still there, she knew it.
"To say good bye."
When Rachel reached the shore, Frodo was just barely into the boat. When he saw Rachel, he stopped momentarily before rowing faster.
"Stop! I just want to wish you good luck," she told him. He glared at her and nodded. Rachel leaned outward and pulled the boat back in.
"Good bye…You understand, don't you, Rachel?" he asked. She could sense the tremble in his voice. She didn't need elven powers to tell her that Frodo was afraid.
"I do, but take Sam with you. He'll come in handy, trust me," Rachel told him. He shook his head vigorously.
"No. I couldn't! I don't want him to get hurt!"
"Too bad, Frodo. He'll swim across this river is he has to."
"He can't swim!"
"Precisely…"
"…Alright then. Why do you fight?"
Rachel looked at the hobbit. He was serious. She thought he had joked with her, but he was serious this time. Sighing, she slumped to the ground.
"I don't know…I fought all my life, really. Ever since the war back home began, I've been fighting. I never gave much thought to it," she said, honestly. Frodo smiled and reached over the side of the boat. He put a hand on Rachel's shoulder.
"I've never known there to be female warriors, but you've proven me wrong. Why should Sam come with me if it may cause him danger?" Frodo asked. I looked at him and laughed. Everything in Middle-Earth had some horrendous danger involved with it. How was this danger any different from the others?
"Believe me, he will be very important in later chap—in later times," Rachel said. She had almost referred to her new life as a book. That made her feel great sadness, but it was cut off by the hobbit's laughter.
"You're an oracle now, are you?"
"I guess you could say that," Rachel laughed. They smiled at one another and Rachel stood when Sam came bounding through the nearby hedge. He cried out at the sight of Frodo and immediately jumped in the boat.
"Why must you always put yourself in harm's way for me, Sam?" Frodo asked. Sam looked at him and then at Rachel.
"Don't you loose him Samwise Gamgee! I don't mean to," he said. They hugged and began rowing away, but Rachel stopped them.
"I have something for you, Frodo!" she said.
"What is it?"
"Take it!" she yelled, throwing a portfolio at him. When he opened it, he was met with the faces of everyone in the Fellowship including Holly and Rachel. Tears streaming down his face, Frodo looked up to say his thanks, but Rachel was nowhere in sight.
Legolas sat by Boromir. He noticed that the man was far better off now that he was properly bandaged. Rachel certainly knew how to heal. What else did she do? There seemed to be no limit to her talents. No flaws.
"What troubles you, Legolas?" Aragorn asked. He looked at the elf with suspicion.
"Most women would faint at the sight of so much blood and such a gruesome wound."
"Indeed. Most human and hobbit women, at least."
"Yes."
"Remember, Rachel is a soldier. I hardly think blood would taint her anymore," Aragorn pointed out. Legolas nodded admiringly. His eyes were agleam and he didn't even notice when Rachel reentered the clearing.
"What were you up to?" Gimli asked. Rachel smiled. All the weight seemed to fade beneath her. She threw her pack to the ground.
"I gave something to Frodo and Sam before they left."
"They left?! To where?!" Gimli shouted, jumping to his feet.
"Mordor."
"What?!" Legolas, Gimli and Boromir shouted together. Rachel and Aragorn glanced at each other.
"They'll be fine, trust me."
No more was said of importance as they geared up. They all, except Boromir, grabbed their weapons and packs. He was left laying on the ground, disgusted with himself.
"What shall I do then?" he asked woefully. Rachel looked at him and pondered what to do with him. She drew up a blank.
"I've no clue…Can you stand and walk?" Boromir stood and walked. He ran when she asked him and told her that, no, it didn't hurt to do so. She nodded and told him to give her his weapons and shield. When he refused, she asked him why not.
"You could not carry so much as my things and your own!" he shouted. The other men agreed. Rachel put her hands on her hips and stared at them with disdain.
"I could and with more ease than any of you! Are equipment packs in the service were at least fifty if not seventy-five pounds at the lightest! I can carry an extra forty pounds!" she said accusingly. Legolas shook his head. He picked up Boromir's things and set them down again.
"Even I could not carry them!"
Aragorn did the same. He shook his head in agreement. Rachel sighed, picked Boromir's weapons up effortlessly and offered Boromir a hand in case he needed it. Everyone stared at her in amazement.
"What?! Holly and any other Marine could do the same!' she told them. Legolas stepped forward.
"If you so much as slip a foot, limp a pace, or stop for breath and say that these things are not weighing you down…"
"I understand! If you want, I'll hand a third of it off to both you and Aragorn when I get tired," she said to him. Legolas and Aragorn nodded. She knew she wouldn't get tired easily and if she did, they'd be the last to know.
With that last thought, the five of them ran off towards the orcs' trail, Aragorn in the lead.