Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Period.

A/N: Thank You, "Wobbling Penguin", for your insight. I appreciated the tips you gave me, and I think I'll strive for a more serious tone. Thank You all for the recent reviews, and the old ones, mind you!

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The Black Book

Chapter 6: On the Road Again

I sat. I sat on the ground. I sat on the ground in the daylight. I sat on the ground in the daylight examining the man's operating techniques. Hmmmmm.... Legolas touched the dark haired man's shoulder, "Aragorn, we must go soon. King Theoden has ordered all remaining people to be led to Helm's Deep."

"Aragorn? He heir to Isildur?" I gasped, and fell over. I scuttled away, a horrified look spread across my face. Aragorn turned around, and his deep gray eyes bored into mine.

"I am Aragorn, yes. I am the heir to the throne of Gondor, and of Isildur himself."

I sprawled there, wondering what things would await me. The heir.......... The only person whom my master has feared. The only person whom I've feared. Aragorn. I was petrified. He was supposedly deadly with any blade, faster that any real man, could outwit any beast, track any prey, and destroy Sauron...........

I shivered. "I knew you looked familiar," I laughed nervously, and looked away. Varanadon shook his scales, and slowly got up, we stood up and backed away. "The dragon has awoken from his slumber!" I said happily, and walked over to him. He smiled, and said, "Thank you, Medri."

"No need for thanks, I didn't do the healing, these men did it." I gestured to the idly standing men over by some overgrown tufts of grass. Varanadon nodded, and shook his wings. He gasped, and folded his wings back over his back. "It still hurts." I smiled, and hugged him.

Another bell sounded. Women and children filed out of Edoras. Rohirrim lead them down dusty paths leading to the west. I whispered to Varanadon, "I don't think we can trust them. So far, they have spared my life and yours, but we need to escape somehow. I suspect they will make me go with them to Helm's Deep, and you'll be a great help because you can breathe fire, so, off to Helm's Deep. They won't let me out of their sight so easily."

Varanadon nodded, and I climbed up onto his back. "Do you two want a ride?" I asked the elf and man who were watching the crowd walking away from their destroyed homes. They looked up at me. I heard Aragorn whisper this to Legolas: "Why is she so polite? Is she not our prisoner?"

Legolas said nothing, and walked forward. "I would like a ride." He said, and scuffled up onto my mor' loki's back. Aragorn shrugged, and jumped up too. "Where has that......... Gandalf person got to, anyhow?" I asked, and touched Varanadon's head, signaling him to walk forward. I didn't kick his sides because I knew he was still sore.

Legolas answered, "He's gone to get help."

"Oh." I said. We approached the line of peasants, walking along side them. They cowered, and yelled at us, particularly Varanadon, for destroying their town. He said nothing and kept on walking. When the screams died out, he said, "Would anyone like a free ride?" They gasped at the fact that a dragon could talk, and then the grimy, dirty children scooted up, after scoldings from their parents, and asked if they could get on. Varanadon has a soft spot for children, because I befriended him when I was small, right after my mother died, actually. He smiled, and stopped walking. The big dragon lay down, and swooshed his tail over. He picked up the children with his tail, and set them on his back, after Aragorn. After all the children piled on, Varanadon resumed walking. He laughed as one of the children struck up a song that made all of the children start singing, and had an effect until the whole column of trudging people became a chorus of beautiful voices. They were singing a song in old Rohan, an interesting language, with sharp twangs and chords of the voice. But, Elvish is far more fluid, after all the songs my mother used to sing. It was like a rushing waterfall, to a soft, sparkling stream.

We were trudging along a path that wound around a gassy hillock. King Theoden's henchmen trotted around the bend, scouting out the trail. They stayed there for a while, it seemed. They were farther ahead in the column than I, so I saw only small parts of what followed. A harsh scream sounded from behind the cliff. The other henchman galloped back, and shouted, "Wargs!"

Legolas and Aragorn jumped off quickly, running over to their respective horses. The dwarf was sitting on Legolas's white pony. Legolas said his name was Gimli. The elf paid no attention to the dwarf and horse, and ran up to the hill, that dipped down into a valley. He unbuckled his bow, and shot mechanically toward a horde of wargs and warg- riders bounding up the other hill opposite. The women screamed. The children started to cry, and wail. I jumped off Varanadon, and shouted, "You know what to do!"

He nodded, and told the women to climb onto his back. They did so, and he catapulted into the air as soon as everyone was situated. I watched him circle, and then rushed over to the fat dwarf Gimli. He was trying to make his horse go. It seemingly didn't want to.

"My sword?" I gasped.

"Oh, uh, here." He said, and threw me my sword that he had strapped to his back.

"Thanks, mellon." *

He fidgeted with the reins, and kicked the horse. It neighed and resisted, so I smacked its rump. It flew across to meet the wargs running over to meet me............ The other Rhorrim were charging toward the other army, King Theoden at its peak.

I ran over, swiftly, and galloped along with the other horses. Their riders looked at me like I was a monster............ then again, I guess I am. I gained speed as we approached the dogs, and I pointed Ilfirindulin at an oncoming one. I smiled evilly, and it recoiled, but couldn't stop. I rammed my sword down into its throat, spewing blood all over me. I licked my lips, and continued my path. I chopped down one warg and its rider down like I was cutting grass. Chop. Slash. Hack. A warg approached behind me. I felt it's rotting breath on my neck, and smelt it too. I turned around sharply, and hacked off its head. Its rider gasped, and I stuck my blade into its stomach.

"Stupid Orc! Why do you come behind me, when you know it is I, Medri? A Vampyre?"

It gurgled something, and then collapsed. I drew out Phoenix, and cut it in two. The thrill of battle is so entoxiciating! More blood flew around the field, spraying everything in sight. Wargs rushed over in opposite directions, chasing down weak prey. Howls and screams echoed together in an unceasing cry. I took a deep breath. It had been a long time since I'd entered battle.

Well, whatever I do, I must act like a friend, I thought, I do not like those Orcs anyway. I ran in a diagonal line across the valley, cutting through frothing wargs as I did so. Rabid animals. They can't be stopped until they are killed when they've entered battle. Crazed. Crazed creatures. Then again, I am helping the enemy, aren't I? I shook my head, and continued hewing the "enemy" as they passed. Horses bolted past me, black and brown blurs, heading for the protection of Helm's Deep. Or the stupid ones running about in circles, trying to find their dead masters, screaming and afraid. I heard Varanadon roar above my head, and continued my warpath. I saw him in the distance, flying over to a great barricaded castle, situated in the arm of a mountain range.

The fighting died down as soon as it started. I myself only sported a few bruises and cuts from the orcs who decided to kill me, but some fared worse. Wounded soliders lay about the field, crying out for help. I heard yelling behind me, and I turned around. Legolas and Gimli were searching the ground, yelling, "Aragorn?!" I guessed he died. Well, good for me. Something, or someone took care of my problem. I smiled, and approached the two frantic friends, my emotion changing rapidly to silent happiness, although my face didn't show it. But inside, I was bursting with joy. All that kept me from dancing around, was that my mission depended on my actions. I composed myself, and started looked too. "Where is he?" I asked, fake worry shrouding my real feelings.

An orc nearby chuckled to himself. Legolas immediately pounced on the dying fool. The orc muttered, still laughing, "He took a little tumble off the cliff."

Legolas picked him up by his armor, "You lie!"

Gimli picked up his axe, making sure the orc could see it, "Tell us where Aragorn is, so I shall make your passing easy."

The orc laughed again, and choked, stopping his laughter short with huge horrific gasps. I grimaced, and stood. I looked over to my left, and saw a cliff overlooking a raging river below. I walked over, Legolas and dwarf following. I saw Legolas holding a bright elvish star in his hand. Or was that a necklace?

They looked down, watching the white foaming waters throw themselves against the sides of the ravine. I smiled. They would be weak with sorrow. I turned around to come face to face with a bleak Theoden. He pushed past me, and I heard him mutter, ".......... Leave the dead." I heard a rustling of fabric, and then a, "Let him be, laddie." From a Gimli.

Legolas rushed past me, with a dwarf waddling behind him. Theoden touched my shoulder. I turned around, and really saw the pain and anguish in his eyes. He said to me, "I do not know why you have helped my people, but, I thank you. Let us hope that your little decency can be spared to save my people from more death."

My eyes fell, and I heard him walk away, my raven hair clouding my face. His last words were still ringing in my ears, '........can be spared to save my people from more death.' Why did I feel a moment of compassion towards this man who is the enemy? Is Medri an elf, not a ruthless Vampyre that she thought she was? Who was this new being that seemed to want to heal others' hurts? This is not Medri. Not the killing machine. The Healer. Who am I? I asked my self. My head was reeling with new thoughts and emotions. I breathed deeply, and shook away this new feeling.

Medri, as in the evil MEDRI, walked away and stood by Legolas' horse. He was slumped in his saddle, sorrow creeping up on his features. "Legolas, where is my sheath?" I inquired. I knew it was not the time for asking foolish questions, but I asked anyway. He pointed behind him to the dwarf behind him. Gimli handed me Illy's sheath. I nodded and buckled it to my waist. I sheathed her, and stood there stupidly, wondering what I should do next. The other horses trotted over a few paces, and then doubled back, whimpering with fear. They had apparently noticed my looming prescence. The Rohorrim were leaving to Helm's deep, filing away solemnly. I walked a few paces forward, following the line of quiet men, "Aren't you two coming? Or shall we leave you here for the next bout of wargs?"

Legolas looked up, and said something in Elvish. His horse galloped away, leaving me the only one in the field. The battalion of Rohorrim were moving extremely fast, glad to be near the walls of Helm's Deep. A breeze whispered faint thoughts into my ears. The small breath of wind ruffled the long, parched grass, and made them wave to me. It was so peaceful here, among the willows..........

I sighed, and started to jog down the not-so-often trodden path down to the great defense-castle thing. I picked up my pace, not wanting people to think I had run off because that would most definitely spoil the "plan". I sped toward the gates and gray stone ramp. As soon as I got there, the guards raised the portcullis, and allowed me passage in the enemy's lair.

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*Mellon means 'friend' in Elvish............ just incase you didn't know!