I really am sorry for making you all wait this long for this chapter.
(Hangs head in shame). I promise that I will update again within the next
few day's, I've just had several deadlines looming which was quite scary,
so now that is out the way, I will attempt to update more frequently!
I hope that it was worth the wait! Please let me know what you think.
Chapter 4:
Rowan set off at a gallop, there was no way that she was going to let Theo get an early lead! They were even for the duration of the road, each vying for the early lead. She glanced across at him, and grinned at him, all the reply she received was a haughty sneer. If that was how he was going to behave! She gave her pony an extra nudge with her heels, and with an extra burst of speed she overtook him in a cloud of dust. Although surprised at this, Theo kept his head, and instead of racing after her he kept to his pre-worked route, and turned sharply to the left, crossing the Brandywine bridge and passing out of the shire.
Rowan turned off the road, and kept to the lanes next to the Sarn ford. Her plan was to cut off the loop of the road and continue to the south along the south road. This way she could cross the Fords of Isen and pass through the gap of Rohan. She made steady progress, slowing down slightly to a canter so as to keep Shadowfax fresh for as long as possible. Whilst riding through the familiar landscape, she let her thoughts wander, and they came fairly swiftly back to her pony, Shadowfax. When Pippin had told her of his adventure those years ago, she had been particularly taken with his ride across the country with Gandalf from Rohan to Minas Tirith. The beauty and majesty of the horse he had described had captured her heart, and when three years ago her parents had bought her this beautiful white pony for her birthday she could not resist naming him after the beautiful horse. As she thought, the countryside flashed by, and before she knew it her stomach announced that it was lunchtime. She stopped for a brief rest, munching contentedly on the sandwiches she had been given for today. The sun shone down on the earth, turning it into yet another glorious summer day and she breathed in the scented air contentedly. She was tempted to have a short nap, but the thought of Theo's triumphant face if he won, loomed in her mind, sending fresh energy coursing through her, and without a second thought she packed the remains of her picnic, mounted Shadowfax once more, and set off along the bank. The day passed quickly, and Rowan enjoyed the feeling of freedom that grew with every step Shadowfax took. The excitement took hold of her, even stronger than before, and she galloped briskly along the bank. Dusk crept upon the world gradually, and she hardly noticed the light begin to fade, till she looked up and was momentarily blinded by the sunset that greeted her. She stopped, speechless, watching the sun descend in a blaze of colour. The sky glowed orange and red, a promise of another glorious day tomorrow, and the clouds shone a soft pink. The brilliance of the colour and the beauty of the scene made Rowan smile. Surely the Valar were on her side, if they gave her this beautiful sunset to light her senses through the night, and the promise of another beautiful day tomorrow. Feeling somehow more certain of the road ahead, she nudged Shadowfax gently with her legs, and set off once more at a gallop across the countryside.
***
Theo relaxed as the day passed, forgetting how much he hated Rowan, just enjoying the peace of the countryside and the freedom that spread around him. The day passed quickly enough, with a brief stop for lunch, before continuing on his journey. His thoughts wandered over recent events, Eowyn's wedding, the dare and the day of planning yesterday. He grimaced as he thought of his stupid behavior, why did he act like that when she was around? He wasn't normally like that, but she seemed to bring out the worst in him! Thinking of Rowan, a smile played across his lips as he remembered her in her dress at Eowyn's wedding. He had to admit to himself, even if he never told anyone else, she had looked stunning in that dress, and he did in fact start to fancy her at that point. He had tried to persuade himself otherwise in the last few days, but had failed miserably, so was just coming to terms with this fact. The problem was, that it wasn't just when she wore that dress that he fancied her, it was all the time, when she first went to her window in the mornings with her hair mussed from sleep, to when she was crying silently in her room. Theo had watched here closely since she had arrived, and as of yet, no one seemed to have noticed. He had seen her crying twice. Once he had peeked into her room from a low tree across the lawn from her window, and the second time was at the wedding. Both times he had had difficulty suppressing the urge to go to her, to hold her, and to tell her that everything was all right. He had been ashamed at the time of this feeling, but was gradually accepting it as a fact of life. One thing he was sure about, there was no way that anyone was to find out about this. Not his family, not his friends and especially not her! Before Theo had realized, night had fallen softly around him, and glancing up at the sky Theo saw the moon rising from her resting place beneath the treetops. She was two days from the full, and she was huge. Theo stopped, awed by her beauty, and bowed slightly to her.
"Wish me well."
He murmured to the moon, before setting off once more. If the Valar showed him this beautiful sight, maybe they would favor him... Maybe he would win. Theo rode on into the night, determined to put him in a good lead before settling down for the night. He managed a couple more hours, and it was close to midnight before he finally surrendered to the tiredness creeping through his body. Settling Surefoot for the night, he unrolled his bedroll and stretched himself out in the sweet smelling grass, falling swiftly into sleep.
***
Rowan had managed an hour's more riding than Theo that night, and was up again just as the steel gray of the sky changed softly to the soft colours of the day. She breakfasted quickly and was mounted up and riding once again just as the sun rose above the hills in the east. The day passed much the same as the previous day, and Rowan rode hard, wanting to get as far as possible during the day. Her plan was to try and cross the Sarn Ford, probably tomorrow, and to get there as quickly as possible. Lunch was a small affair, as Rowan wanted to make her supplies last as long as was possible, and she rode cheerfully throughout the afternoon, just happy to be alive and out in the country.
***
Theo reached Bree just before lunchtime that day, pleased with his progress, and decided he could afford to spend one night at "The Prancing Pony". Whenever Merry had told him of his adventures, Theo had loved the sound of "The Prancing Pony", and at the first mention of the race, he had decided that now he could finally visit it. After all, he thought cockily to himself, She won't have managed to get very far yet, and I'll be safe just having one night here... The two young hobbits had in fact covered the same distance on their respective routes, both having covered 100 miles. Theo managed to have a fairly huge lunch, and spent the afternoon checking over his supplies, and replenishing as much as was possible. He had another large meal that evening, and was starting to feel quite uncomfortable in his britches, by the time he went to the common room to join in the evening entertainment with the locals. Several pints later, and feeling ever so slightly giddy, Theo staggered back to bed, collapsing on the soft feather mattress and falling into a deep blissful sleep.
Young Butterbur, Barliman Butterbur's son who had taken over the running of the inn two years past, woke Theo as requested at dawn. Groaning Theo fell out of bed and put on his clothes, cursing his own stupidity at having quite so much ale the night before. His head throbbed, and all he really wanted was to crawl back into bed and forget that the world existed for a few more hours! However the thought of Rowan's triumphant face if she won the race, was enough to persuade him that it was worth getting out of bed and carrying on with life, (at least for a little longer...) He was soon bidding his farewells to young Butterbur and riding out of the stable yard, his plan from here was to keep to the Greenway for as long as possible, but he wasn't sure whether to keep to the road after that or to try and take a shortcut. Oh well, no use worrying about it now, he thought cheerfully. Although his head still throbbed, the pain was easing ever so slightly and Theo was trying his hardest to be optimistic. The day continued quickly and soon the sun was high in the sky before he stopped for lunch, resting for as long as he dared before continuing on. Much as he hated to admit it, the first gnawing doubt had started on him, and he was suddenly unsure as to how far Rowan might be... Gritting his teeth, he nudged Surefoot and set off at a fast canter, trying to get as far as possible whilst the light lasted.
***
Rowan grinned to herself. She had managed to keep riding last night till several hours past midnight, and had again risen before dawn that morning. Although she was now quite tired, she was pleased with her progress, as she had just crossed the Sarn Ford just before lunch. She stopped for a breather, dozing lightly for half an hour after some food. The sun was high in the sky when she set off once more, and feeling refreshed she set off quickly once more. The day grew hotter the farther she rode, and both her and Shadowfax were tired and hot before they had gone very far. She kept going, determined not to give in to temptation and lie down in the shade for a while, and her perseverance soon paid off. Clouds came up from the west, shading her from the sun's piercing rays, but not dispelling the intense heat that fell over anything. The air grew more and more humid and her progress slowed to a dull trot. Finally the first rumble of thunder was heard some way away, and she smiled in relief as large fat raindrops started to fall, slowly at first and then faster till she was drenched. Shadowfax frisked happily as they were cooled off, and they started forward once more, finding energy once more now they were cooler. Rowan didn't bother with her waterproof cloak, and instead happily held her head to the heavens, letting the rain run over her face. The frequent lightening lit the way for them, and after many more hours they finally came to the fork in the road where the Greenway joined onto the South Road. Glancing up the Greenway she could see nothing moving and so rode for a little longer before finding a large oak tree, whose branches and covering were so thick that the rain had not yet soaked through onto the ground below. Tethering Shadowfax, she went behind the tree to towel off and change into dry clothes. She chose britches this time, as her dress had become heavy and slightly difficult to move in once the rain had soaked it, and if she met someone on the road, just in case she wanted to have freedom of movement, no matter what the weather.
She had a small meal, and rested under the tree, waiting for the rain to ease off before she continued on her way. Eventually the rain faded to a steady drizzle, the gray clouds still massing above the earth, promising more rain later, and wrapping her cloak about her, she mounted once again and set off along the road once more. She rode quietly, listening to the land around her, curious as to where Theo had gotten. Thinking he must have gotten himself lost in the countryside, or stopped at an inn, not realizing how close to the truth she actually was. She rode on for some time, trying to make up for the time she had lost during the day, but after a few more miles she eventually gave in, and finding a sheltered hollow, she spread out her bed roll and curling up in its warmth, she fell asleep.
***
Theo was feeling miserable. Although he had persuaded himself to keep going during the heat of the day, and had been as relieved as Rowan when the rain came, he was now soaked through, and was feeling cold and more sorry for himself by the minute. He had finally found his waterproof cloak, but by the time he had put it on, he was so wet that it seemed fairly pointless. The waterproof cloaks had been Estella's idea, and she had spent some time developing them. She had finally found that if you dipped the cloak in a mixture she had devised, although the cloak would be slightly stiffer, it would keep the wearer dry, which was the main thing. She had then given them to everyone in the family, and sent them regularly to Hobbiton for Rosie Gamgee to sell. Theo felt tired, and his head still hurt from his experimentation with ale the previous night. He was now feeling thoroughly pessimistic and was sure that Rowan must have managed to overtake him whilst he stayed at Bree. This made him all the more determined to keep going, and the night was growing old by the time he finally settled down for the night.
The morning dawned gray and cloudy, and although the ground was still muddy from the night's rain, it had at least stopped raining for the minute. Theo felt slightly refreshed from his night's sleep, but was still stiff from the rain. He was soon ready, and set off at a canter, determined to keep going. He wasn't beaten yet! He progressed well, and at about midmorning he finally came to the fork in the road. Deciding the road would be the quickest way, he set off, slightly heartened by seeing the set of hoof prints that had been left in the mud. So she had come this way! Smiling, he whispered to Surefoot, who sprang away instantly, as eager as his master to continue.
The day's passed quickly, each filled with riding through more gray countryside, never really changing. Theo still didn't catch sight of Rowan, although he slowly started to gain on her, going from dawn till late at night each day. Rowan too tried to go for as long as possible each day, unaware of the pursuit, just trying to make as much progress each day as she possibly could. Five day's had passed before Rowan finally saw the gray band of the Greyflood ahead of her, and she crossed at Tharbad early the next morning. This was the first hopeful sign Theo had had since finding her trail in the mud. As Rowan crossed the Greyflood, Theo came to the top of a small hill. Pausing he looked at the surrounding landscape, desperate for a glimpse of her, and was rewarded by seeing a small figure crossing the river. She was at least ten miles distant, but he now knew for certain where she was.
"Yes!"
Theo congratulated himself and Surefoot for their determination. Nudging Surefoot, they set off at a gallop down the other side of the hill. Now he had seen her, there was no way he was going to loose sight of her again!
Chapter 4:
Rowan set off at a gallop, there was no way that she was going to let Theo get an early lead! They were even for the duration of the road, each vying for the early lead. She glanced across at him, and grinned at him, all the reply she received was a haughty sneer. If that was how he was going to behave! She gave her pony an extra nudge with her heels, and with an extra burst of speed she overtook him in a cloud of dust. Although surprised at this, Theo kept his head, and instead of racing after her he kept to his pre-worked route, and turned sharply to the left, crossing the Brandywine bridge and passing out of the shire.
Rowan turned off the road, and kept to the lanes next to the Sarn ford. Her plan was to cut off the loop of the road and continue to the south along the south road. This way she could cross the Fords of Isen and pass through the gap of Rohan. She made steady progress, slowing down slightly to a canter so as to keep Shadowfax fresh for as long as possible. Whilst riding through the familiar landscape, she let her thoughts wander, and they came fairly swiftly back to her pony, Shadowfax. When Pippin had told her of his adventure those years ago, she had been particularly taken with his ride across the country with Gandalf from Rohan to Minas Tirith. The beauty and majesty of the horse he had described had captured her heart, and when three years ago her parents had bought her this beautiful white pony for her birthday she could not resist naming him after the beautiful horse. As she thought, the countryside flashed by, and before she knew it her stomach announced that it was lunchtime. She stopped for a brief rest, munching contentedly on the sandwiches she had been given for today. The sun shone down on the earth, turning it into yet another glorious summer day and she breathed in the scented air contentedly. She was tempted to have a short nap, but the thought of Theo's triumphant face if he won, loomed in her mind, sending fresh energy coursing through her, and without a second thought she packed the remains of her picnic, mounted Shadowfax once more, and set off along the bank. The day passed quickly, and Rowan enjoyed the feeling of freedom that grew with every step Shadowfax took. The excitement took hold of her, even stronger than before, and she galloped briskly along the bank. Dusk crept upon the world gradually, and she hardly noticed the light begin to fade, till she looked up and was momentarily blinded by the sunset that greeted her. She stopped, speechless, watching the sun descend in a blaze of colour. The sky glowed orange and red, a promise of another glorious day tomorrow, and the clouds shone a soft pink. The brilliance of the colour and the beauty of the scene made Rowan smile. Surely the Valar were on her side, if they gave her this beautiful sunset to light her senses through the night, and the promise of another beautiful day tomorrow. Feeling somehow more certain of the road ahead, she nudged Shadowfax gently with her legs, and set off once more at a gallop across the countryside.
***
Theo relaxed as the day passed, forgetting how much he hated Rowan, just enjoying the peace of the countryside and the freedom that spread around him. The day passed quickly enough, with a brief stop for lunch, before continuing on his journey. His thoughts wandered over recent events, Eowyn's wedding, the dare and the day of planning yesterday. He grimaced as he thought of his stupid behavior, why did he act like that when she was around? He wasn't normally like that, but she seemed to bring out the worst in him! Thinking of Rowan, a smile played across his lips as he remembered her in her dress at Eowyn's wedding. He had to admit to himself, even if he never told anyone else, she had looked stunning in that dress, and he did in fact start to fancy her at that point. He had tried to persuade himself otherwise in the last few days, but had failed miserably, so was just coming to terms with this fact. The problem was, that it wasn't just when she wore that dress that he fancied her, it was all the time, when she first went to her window in the mornings with her hair mussed from sleep, to when she was crying silently in her room. Theo had watched here closely since she had arrived, and as of yet, no one seemed to have noticed. He had seen her crying twice. Once he had peeked into her room from a low tree across the lawn from her window, and the second time was at the wedding. Both times he had had difficulty suppressing the urge to go to her, to hold her, and to tell her that everything was all right. He had been ashamed at the time of this feeling, but was gradually accepting it as a fact of life. One thing he was sure about, there was no way that anyone was to find out about this. Not his family, not his friends and especially not her! Before Theo had realized, night had fallen softly around him, and glancing up at the sky Theo saw the moon rising from her resting place beneath the treetops. She was two days from the full, and she was huge. Theo stopped, awed by her beauty, and bowed slightly to her.
"Wish me well."
He murmured to the moon, before setting off once more. If the Valar showed him this beautiful sight, maybe they would favor him... Maybe he would win. Theo rode on into the night, determined to put him in a good lead before settling down for the night. He managed a couple more hours, and it was close to midnight before he finally surrendered to the tiredness creeping through his body. Settling Surefoot for the night, he unrolled his bedroll and stretched himself out in the sweet smelling grass, falling swiftly into sleep.
***
Rowan had managed an hour's more riding than Theo that night, and was up again just as the steel gray of the sky changed softly to the soft colours of the day. She breakfasted quickly and was mounted up and riding once again just as the sun rose above the hills in the east. The day passed much the same as the previous day, and Rowan rode hard, wanting to get as far as possible during the day. Her plan was to try and cross the Sarn Ford, probably tomorrow, and to get there as quickly as possible. Lunch was a small affair, as Rowan wanted to make her supplies last as long as was possible, and she rode cheerfully throughout the afternoon, just happy to be alive and out in the country.
***
Theo reached Bree just before lunchtime that day, pleased with his progress, and decided he could afford to spend one night at "The Prancing Pony". Whenever Merry had told him of his adventures, Theo had loved the sound of "The Prancing Pony", and at the first mention of the race, he had decided that now he could finally visit it. After all, he thought cockily to himself, She won't have managed to get very far yet, and I'll be safe just having one night here... The two young hobbits had in fact covered the same distance on their respective routes, both having covered 100 miles. Theo managed to have a fairly huge lunch, and spent the afternoon checking over his supplies, and replenishing as much as was possible. He had another large meal that evening, and was starting to feel quite uncomfortable in his britches, by the time he went to the common room to join in the evening entertainment with the locals. Several pints later, and feeling ever so slightly giddy, Theo staggered back to bed, collapsing on the soft feather mattress and falling into a deep blissful sleep.
Young Butterbur, Barliman Butterbur's son who had taken over the running of the inn two years past, woke Theo as requested at dawn. Groaning Theo fell out of bed and put on his clothes, cursing his own stupidity at having quite so much ale the night before. His head throbbed, and all he really wanted was to crawl back into bed and forget that the world existed for a few more hours! However the thought of Rowan's triumphant face if she won the race, was enough to persuade him that it was worth getting out of bed and carrying on with life, (at least for a little longer...) He was soon bidding his farewells to young Butterbur and riding out of the stable yard, his plan from here was to keep to the Greenway for as long as possible, but he wasn't sure whether to keep to the road after that or to try and take a shortcut. Oh well, no use worrying about it now, he thought cheerfully. Although his head still throbbed, the pain was easing ever so slightly and Theo was trying his hardest to be optimistic. The day continued quickly and soon the sun was high in the sky before he stopped for lunch, resting for as long as he dared before continuing on. Much as he hated to admit it, the first gnawing doubt had started on him, and he was suddenly unsure as to how far Rowan might be... Gritting his teeth, he nudged Surefoot and set off at a fast canter, trying to get as far as possible whilst the light lasted.
***
Rowan grinned to herself. She had managed to keep riding last night till several hours past midnight, and had again risen before dawn that morning. Although she was now quite tired, she was pleased with her progress, as she had just crossed the Sarn Ford just before lunch. She stopped for a breather, dozing lightly for half an hour after some food. The sun was high in the sky when she set off once more, and feeling refreshed she set off quickly once more. The day grew hotter the farther she rode, and both her and Shadowfax were tired and hot before they had gone very far. She kept going, determined not to give in to temptation and lie down in the shade for a while, and her perseverance soon paid off. Clouds came up from the west, shading her from the sun's piercing rays, but not dispelling the intense heat that fell over anything. The air grew more and more humid and her progress slowed to a dull trot. Finally the first rumble of thunder was heard some way away, and she smiled in relief as large fat raindrops started to fall, slowly at first and then faster till she was drenched. Shadowfax frisked happily as they were cooled off, and they started forward once more, finding energy once more now they were cooler. Rowan didn't bother with her waterproof cloak, and instead happily held her head to the heavens, letting the rain run over her face. The frequent lightening lit the way for them, and after many more hours they finally came to the fork in the road where the Greenway joined onto the South Road. Glancing up the Greenway she could see nothing moving and so rode for a little longer before finding a large oak tree, whose branches and covering were so thick that the rain had not yet soaked through onto the ground below. Tethering Shadowfax, she went behind the tree to towel off and change into dry clothes. She chose britches this time, as her dress had become heavy and slightly difficult to move in once the rain had soaked it, and if she met someone on the road, just in case she wanted to have freedom of movement, no matter what the weather.
She had a small meal, and rested under the tree, waiting for the rain to ease off before she continued on her way. Eventually the rain faded to a steady drizzle, the gray clouds still massing above the earth, promising more rain later, and wrapping her cloak about her, she mounted once again and set off along the road once more. She rode quietly, listening to the land around her, curious as to where Theo had gotten. Thinking he must have gotten himself lost in the countryside, or stopped at an inn, not realizing how close to the truth she actually was. She rode on for some time, trying to make up for the time she had lost during the day, but after a few more miles she eventually gave in, and finding a sheltered hollow, she spread out her bed roll and curling up in its warmth, she fell asleep.
***
Theo was feeling miserable. Although he had persuaded himself to keep going during the heat of the day, and had been as relieved as Rowan when the rain came, he was now soaked through, and was feeling cold and more sorry for himself by the minute. He had finally found his waterproof cloak, but by the time he had put it on, he was so wet that it seemed fairly pointless. The waterproof cloaks had been Estella's idea, and she had spent some time developing them. She had finally found that if you dipped the cloak in a mixture she had devised, although the cloak would be slightly stiffer, it would keep the wearer dry, which was the main thing. She had then given them to everyone in the family, and sent them regularly to Hobbiton for Rosie Gamgee to sell. Theo felt tired, and his head still hurt from his experimentation with ale the previous night. He was now feeling thoroughly pessimistic and was sure that Rowan must have managed to overtake him whilst he stayed at Bree. This made him all the more determined to keep going, and the night was growing old by the time he finally settled down for the night.
The morning dawned gray and cloudy, and although the ground was still muddy from the night's rain, it had at least stopped raining for the minute. Theo felt slightly refreshed from his night's sleep, but was still stiff from the rain. He was soon ready, and set off at a canter, determined to keep going. He wasn't beaten yet! He progressed well, and at about midmorning he finally came to the fork in the road. Deciding the road would be the quickest way, he set off, slightly heartened by seeing the set of hoof prints that had been left in the mud. So she had come this way! Smiling, he whispered to Surefoot, who sprang away instantly, as eager as his master to continue.
The day's passed quickly, each filled with riding through more gray countryside, never really changing. Theo still didn't catch sight of Rowan, although he slowly started to gain on her, going from dawn till late at night each day. Rowan too tried to go for as long as possible each day, unaware of the pursuit, just trying to make as much progress each day as she possibly could. Five day's had passed before Rowan finally saw the gray band of the Greyflood ahead of her, and she crossed at Tharbad early the next morning. This was the first hopeful sign Theo had had since finding her trail in the mud. As Rowan crossed the Greyflood, Theo came to the top of a small hill. Pausing he looked at the surrounding landscape, desperate for a glimpse of her, and was rewarded by seeing a small figure crossing the river. She was at least ten miles distant, but he now knew for certain where she was.
"Yes!"
Theo congratulated himself and Surefoot for their determination. Nudging Surefoot, they set off at a gallop down the other side of the hill. Now he had seen her, there was no way he was going to loose sight of her again!