Writer note: I am very sorry that I haven't updated this story in so long! I didn't think I'd get any reviews for it, but I've been getting a lot lately so I finally got this chapter written. It's short, but I needed to get it out the way for the next part. Enjoy!
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Chapter 1: On the Shore of the Ford
Strider and Glorfindel hurled their small companions to the ground just in time as four Black Riders flew by. The Riders did not have a care for anything but the one who held the Ring. They'd snare him then take It from him and make Baggins one of their own. It was Sauron's orders, and they had to carrying out the plan.
The companions who were left behind knew this, and feared it. They lay on the ground long after the sounds of hooves were gone. Finally, Strider and Glorfindel rose up and checked the hobbits.
"Are any of you hurt?" Strider asked as he helped Sam to his feet.
"A bit shaken, but I'm fine" Sam replied.
"I'm fine too" Merry added as Glorfindel helped him up.
Strider moved to Pippin, who had not risen yet. Pippin was sitting up, but his hand clenched at his right leg. Strider immediately took Pippin's leg in his hand and felt for broken bones. Merry hurried to his cousin's side.
"No broken bones I can feel" Strider finally said. "And, no open wounds I see."
"Then why does it hurt so much?" Pippin grimaced as Strider gently set his leg on the grass.
"You have a spranged ankle. You will not be able to walk on your own for a couple weeks."
"Estel" Glorfindel said, over the Man's shoulder. "We must hurry to the other side of the Ford."
"And find Mr. Frodo" Sam added. "I hope those Black Riders didn't catch up to him."
Just as Strider was lifting Pippin into his arm, Glorfindel caught sight of a white, long figure trotting their way. He frowned deeply to see that Asfaloth carried no rider. Strider saw this as well.
"Frodo" he murmured, despair growing in his mind.
"Where is Frodo?" Merry asked, looking up at Strider and clutching his tunic.
"I fear the worst" Strider answered as if in a daze.
"NO!" they heard Sam shriek. And before they could stop him, Sam had fled in the direction Asfaloth had just come. Glorfindel was quickly following, but Strider had to take it slow with Pippin injured in his arms. Merry, resisting the urge to take off behind Sam, stayed with Strider.
Though Glorfindel had Asfaloth, he did not mount him and came to the Ford to find Sam there already. There was no sign of Frodo or the Wraiths. Glorfindel watched as Sam knelt down, and appeared to grab something from the rocky shore. He didn't rise until Strider emerged from the woods, halting by Glorfindel's side. Sam stood then turned. His face was streaked with tears and a chain dangled from his hand. The Ring hung from it.
Strider carefully laid Pippin on the grass near the shore. He went to Sam's side, kneeling in front of the hobbit. "Strider, it's Mr. Frodo ring, but he's not with it."
"I fear the Ringwraiths have taken Frodo, but somehow the Ring was left behind."
"But, how?"
"I do not know."
Sam held out the chain in his fist to the Man, but Strider recoiled. "I cannot take it. You must be its Bearer now."
"Why me?" Sam huffed through his sobs.
"I cannot touch it, neither can Glorfindel. Pippin is injury, and I will need Merry to help me with him. You need to keep the Ring."
"What about Frodo?" asked Merry. "How will we get him back from those Black Riders?"
Strider looked solemnly at him, knowing that there was barely a chance of ever getting Frodo back from the Ringwraiths. He could not figure why they took the hobbit and left the Ring, unless somehow the Ring fell from Frodo before he was seized. Through all the commotion and thrill of capturing the one who they knew had the Ring, the Wraiths left carelessly before searching the hobbit for it. The Wraiths most likely were taking Frodo to Mordor. But…
A thought sparked Strider's mind. The Wraiths might stop to take the Ring from Frodo, but find it not there and come back in search of it. It was the tiniest glimmer of hope, but Strider held on to it.
He now looked hopeful at Merry. "We will find him. I do not know how, but we will."
* * *
Chapter 1: On the Shore of the Ford
Strider and Glorfindel hurled their small companions to the ground just in time as four Black Riders flew by. The Riders did not have a care for anything but the one who held the Ring. They'd snare him then take It from him and make Baggins one of their own. It was Sauron's orders, and they had to carrying out the plan.
The companions who were left behind knew this, and feared it. They lay on the ground long after the sounds of hooves were gone. Finally, Strider and Glorfindel rose up and checked the hobbits.
"Are any of you hurt?" Strider asked as he helped Sam to his feet.
"A bit shaken, but I'm fine" Sam replied.
"I'm fine too" Merry added as Glorfindel helped him up.
Strider moved to Pippin, who had not risen yet. Pippin was sitting up, but his hand clenched at his right leg. Strider immediately took Pippin's leg in his hand and felt for broken bones. Merry hurried to his cousin's side.
"No broken bones I can feel" Strider finally said. "And, no open wounds I see."
"Then why does it hurt so much?" Pippin grimaced as Strider gently set his leg on the grass.
"You have a spranged ankle. You will not be able to walk on your own for a couple weeks."
"Estel" Glorfindel said, over the Man's shoulder. "We must hurry to the other side of the Ford."
"And find Mr. Frodo" Sam added. "I hope those Black Riders didn't catch up to him."
Just as Strider was lifting Pippin into his arm, Glorfindel caught sight of a white, long figure trotting their way. He frowned deeply to see that Asfaloth carried no rider. Strider saw this as well.
"Frodo" he murmured, despair growing in his mind.
"Where is Frodo?" Merry asked, looking up at Strider and clutching his tunic.
"I fear the worst" Strider answered as if in a daze.
"NO!" they heard Sam shriek. And before they could stop him, Sam had fled in the direction Asfaloth had just come. Glorfindel was quickly following, but Strider had to take it slow with Pippin injured in his arms. Merry, resisting the urge to take off behind Sam, stayed with Strider.
Though Glorfindel had Asfaloth, he did not mount him and came to the Ford to find Sam there already. There was no sign of Frodo or the Wraiths. Glorfindel watched as Sam knelt down, and appeared to grab something from the rocky shore. He didn't rise until Strider emerged from the woods, halting by Glorfindel's side. Sam stood then turned. His face was streaked with tears and a chain dangled from his hand. The Ring hung from it.
Strider carefully laid Pippin on the grass near the shore. He went to Sam's side, kneeling in front of the hobbit. "Strider, it's Mr. Frodo ring, but he's not with it."
"I fear the Ringwraiths have taken Frodo, but somehow the Ring was left behind."
"But, how?"
"I do not know."
Sam held out the chain in his fist to the Man, but Strider recoiled. "I cannot take it. You must be its Bearer now."
"Why me?" Sam huffed through his sobs.
"I cannot touch it, neither can Glorfindel. Pippin is injury, and I will need Merry to help me with him. You need to keep the Ring."
"What about Frodo?" asked Merry. "How will we get him back from those Black Riders?"
Strider looked solemnly at him, knowing that there was barely a chance of ever getting Frodo back from the Ringwraiths. He could not figure why they took the hobbit and left the Ring, unless somehow the Ring fell from Frodo before he was seized. Through all the commotion and thrill of capturing the one who they knew had the Ring, the Wraiths left carelessly before searching the hobbit for it. The Wraiths most likely were taking Frodo to Mordor. But…
A thought sparked Strider's mind. The Wraiths might stop to take the Ring from Frodo, but find it not there and come back in search of it. It was the tiniest glimmer of hope, but Strider held on to it.
He now looked hopeful at Merry. "We will find him. I do not know how, but we will."