Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Tolkien, apart from Theo and Rowan. They
are of my own making.
I am so sorry for leaving you waiting for so long. My laptop packed up, and I had no other access for writing for ages and ages. I will now attempt to make up for it, but I warn that I do have exams in a couple of weeks, but I will do my best. Hope it was worth the wait.
Chapter 5:
Rowan grinned happily as she splashed through the shallows of the Greyflood. She had done it! She had finally made it past her first barrier! And what's more, she hadn't seen Theo once on her journey! For miles in front of her the road ran on, and the mountains rose to unimaginable heights on her left, reaching to the sky, an impassable mass. Averting her gaze, she shivered and wrapped her cloak around her, thankful she wasn't having to pass that way. Gathering her thoughts and the reigns of her pony, she nudged him gently, and together they set off along the road at a steady canter. She continued in this way until dusk, when she found a sheltered spot, and after a small meal, she snuggled down between two large and protective tree roots, and was soon fast asleep. The worry and dragging tiredness that had been hanging over her like a cloud for the past week, finally was released, and washed over her, emersing her in a deep and dreamless sleep.
Theo galloped on through the night. He had crossed the Greyflood in the early hours of the afternoon , and had even given up lunch to try and make up time to catch Rowan. A light ahead of him made him slow down and stop. His head had nodded, and he had almost fallen asleep whilst he had ridden, but the light ahead of him seemed real enough. Althoug hnow quite low, the dying embers of a fire ahead of him were still quite visible in the quiet darkness of the night. He nudged Surefoot gently, and they rode swiftly the last distance between them and their quarry. Theo halted just by her small camp, and looked down at her. She looked so beautiful, and peaceful as she slept their. Her hair was swept lightly over her face, and fluttered as she breathed deeply and evenly. She looked cold as she lay there, as if some deep chill had settled over her heart. Dismounting quietly, Theo went to one of his saddlebags, and found a spare blanket. He moved softly over the grass to where Rowan lay, and crouched down next to her, carefully covering her with the extra blanket. As he tucked it around her shoulders, he was brought so close to her face he stopped. Looking at every inch of her. She was so beautiful, had such spirit, he had never seen anything like this in a girl before. He was unsure of what to do, and paused, bent over her, bearly an inch from her lips, for what seemed like an age. Finally something in him changed, and with his resolve hardening, he carefully bent down, shortening the distance between them. His lips brushed hers, the kiss was light, and her lips were cool against his. She moved slightly in her sleep, shifting against some unseen nightmare, and caught unawares, Theo jerked backwards quickly. Stumbling over the uneven ground, he backed away from her. He ran to Surefoot, and mounted quickly, hoping to hurry on before she had a chance to wake. Turning back one last time, he brought forth from his pocket a single jewel. An amythest, almost the size of his palm, his favourite jewel. Bending down he placed it gently in the grass next to her now dead fire, then turning he set off once more into the night. Once out of hearing, he kicked Surefoot into a gallop, and swiftly ran on, heading head first into the blazing sunrise just appearing over the brow of the hill.
Rowan was awoken by the sound of hooves galloping across the ground. Reverberating in the earth, and disturbing her restless slumber. Her sleep had at first been dreamless nad deep, but something had disturbed her, and the rest of the night had been filled with horror and nightmares. She was glad to awaken now, and as she set about making her breakfast, the sunshine and fresh breeze blew away the last cobwebs of her dreams. When she stoked up the fire, a ray of sunlight glimmered off something lying in the grass, and moving closer to examine it, she gasped. A beautiful amythest, the size of her palm lay in the dewed grass. Another mystery. When she had awoken, an extra blanket had covered her, one she had definettly not put there last night. Sitting down on a nearby log, Rowan held the gem in her hand, and thought. She knew she had seen it once before, but where? It struck her so suddenly, she couldn't believe that she hadn't remembered before. She had seen the gem once before, yes, when they had been back at Brandy Hall, she had come across Theo sat on the riverbank playing with a gem of roughly this size and shape. He had looked so lost and alone that day that she had wanted to go to him and comfort him, but pride had held her back. Making her creep back the way she had come, rather than go to him. But if the jewel was his, then..... But surely he hadn't been here?! Had he? Confused, she slipped the gem into her pocket, and finished her breakfast. Packing up quickly and mounting up once more, she came to the conclusion that if the gem was here than that must mean that Theo had been here too, which came to the fact that he was now ahead of her, and that she could not have! She galloped away from her camp, and set off once more, determined to catch up as quickly as possible.
Rowan began to tire as the sun moved through to the west. She had had almost no halts all day, determined to cover as much ground as she could. As hse rode she thought. About many things, but no matter how hard she tried, Theo always came to the surface of her mind. She didn't even like the boy that much! Or did she? She became increasingly more confused as she thought about it. When they had first arrived at Brandy Hall, her parents with her, her mother had made a passing comment about how Theo would make a suitable husband, but when Diamond had seen the look on her daughter's face, they had dropped the subject, and it hadn't been brought up again. When she had first srrived, she had been struck by Theo's good looks, and his obvious disgust of girls, had somehow attracted her, but she had thought no more about it, sure that if she ignored her feeling and repressed them for long enough they would eventually go away. Now she wasn't so sure. Trying to push the thoughts away once more, she continued on, desperate to finish first.
Theo halted one last time for the day. He had gone as far as he could for one day, and decided that now was as good a time as any to stop and rest for the night. He had a meagre meal, trying to save as much food as possible, and settled down quickly. Tossing and turning, sleep left him alone, and he tried evreything, even his old game of counting sheep. He was so tired, and his body ached from so much riding. The night deepened around him, and all grew silent, as if in watchfullness.
Suddenly, he heard a cry. Theo sat up sharply, unsure whether his mind was playing tricks on him. There it was again. A girl's scream or cry. Theo threw the covers off him, and scrambled to his feet. Listening, the cry came once more, and noting which direction it came from, he ran in that direction, scrambling over the obstacles in his path. He soon reached a small clearing, and what he saw made him gasp. He ran forward, brandishing his sword. The clearing was empty, apart from a lone man, tormenting a girl hobbit, and it was her shrieks that had disturbed Theo. He attacked the man, who dropped the hobbit in surprise. Unsheathing his own sword as he did so. Merry had taught Theo well, and each strike the man made was skillfully blocked, and soon Theo had forced the man to his knees. Knocking the man's sword away, Theo brought the tip of his sword up to the man's throat and paused.
"Leave now, or I swear I will slit you, from here, to here."
As he said this, Theo gestured from the man's throat to his stomach. Brining the tip back to his throat, he continued,
"Never touch any hobbit again, or I shall know who did it, and will personally see you die."
Taking the tip of his sword away from his throat, Theo stood back. Fear showed in the man's face and eye's, and as he scrambled to his feet, he gave one fleeting look at the young girl, before running off into the undergrowth.
Theo sheathed his sword once more, and dashed over to the young girl, who hadn't moved since she had been dropped. Her face was to the floor, and he gently rolled her over. As he had suspected, it was Rowan, and she was a mess. Her nose had been bloodied, and there were several gashes along her cheeks. Her hands were bound, and as Theo quickly cut away the ties, she opened her eyes.
"He grabbed me. Gave him a good fight. Tied...Tied me up, said I was going to be fun to break."
Rowan stopped and closed her eyes, trying to slow her breathing down from the short gasps it was currently coming in. He continued, her eyes still closed,
"He hurt me, thought I was going to die. You, saved me..."
With these last words, she fainted. Holding her carefully in his arms, he carried her back to his camp. He laid her down upon his bedroll, and went back for Shadowfax and her pack. Once all of their stuff had been assembled in one place, Theo set about stoking up the fire and tending Rowan. She came around quickly, and he was able to tend and clean her wounds easily. When the last bandage was in place, the shock finally caught up with Rowan, and the tears began to find their way down her cheeks. Soon they were running freely, and Theo, unsure of what to do, carefully put his arm aroung her slight body. She moved closer to him, snuggling her head against his chest, and leaning against his solid form. Finding courage from this movement, Theo held her closer and rocked her gently back and forth, trying to calm her. They stayed this way for the night. Rowan eventually fell asleep, but Theo sat there just enjoying the moment, until the night had grown old, and finally his eyelids drooped, and he fell asleep.
Theo woke gently. A smile crept on to his face as he remembered the night before. He looked down, expecting to see Rowan still snuggled up next to him. His jaw fell in shock. She had gone! She had snuck off whilst he had been asleep! Looking frantically around their encampment, Theo seethed. She had run off! After all he had done for her! He had saved her life! And this was how she repayed him!!! He struggled to his feet, stretching his aching limbs, and within minutes was packed and mounted once more on Surefoot. He'd show her! No one ran off to get a head start on him! No one! With this final irritated thought, he kicked Surefoot on. She may have got a head start, but it wouldn't last long!
I am so sorry for leaving you waiting for so long. My laptop packed up, and I had no other access for writing for ages and ages. I will now attempt to make up for it, but I warn that I do have exams in a couple of weeks, but I will do my best. Hope it was worth the wait.
Chapter 5:
Rowan grinned happily as she splashed through the shallows of the Greyflood. She had done it! She had finally made it past her first barrier! And what's more, she hadn't seen Theo once on her journey! For miles in front of her the road ran on, and the mountains rose to unimaginable heights on her left, reaching to the sky, an impassable mass. Averting her gaze, she shivered and wrapped her cloak around her, thankful she wasn't having to pass that way. Gathering her thoughts and the reigns of her pony, she nudged him gently, and together they set off along the road at a steady canter. She continued in this way until dusk, when she found a sheltered spot, and after a small meal, she snuggled down between two large and protective tree roots, and was soon fast asleep. The worry and dragging tiredness that had been hanging over her like a cloud for the past week, finally was released, and washed over her, emersing her in a deep and dreamless sleep.
Theo galloped on through the night. He had crossed the Greyflood in the early hours of the afternoon , and had even given up lunch to try and make up time to catch Rowan. A light ahead of him made him slow down and stop. His head had nodded, and he had almost fallen asleep whilst he had ridden, but the light ahead of him seemed real enough. Althoug hnow quite low, the dying embers of a fire ahead of him were still quite visible in the quiet darkness of the night. He nudged Surefoot gently, and they rode swiftly the last distance between them and their quarry. Theo halted just by her small camp, and looked down at her. She looked so beautiful, and peaceful as she slept their. Her hair was swept lightly over her face, and fluttered as she breathed deeply and evenly. She looked cold as she lay there, as if some deep chill had settled over her heart. Dismounting quietly, Theo went to one of his saddlebags, and found a spare blanket. He moved softly over the grass to where Rowan lay, and crouched down next to her, carefully covering her with the extra blanket. As he tucked it around her shoulders, he was brought so close to her face he stopped. Looking at every inch of her. She was so beautiful, had such spirit, he had never seen anything like this in a girl before. He was unsure of what to do, and paused, bent over her, bearly an inch from her lips, for what seemed like an age. Finally something in him changed, and with his resolve hardening, he carefully bent down, shortening the distance between them. His lips brushed hers, the kiss was light, and her lips were cool against his. She moved slightly in her sleep, shifting against some unseen nightmare, and caught unawares, Theo jerked backwards quickly. Stumbling over the uneven ground, he backed away from her. He ran to Surefoot, and mounted quickly, hoping to hurry on before she had a chance to wake. Turning back one last time, he brought forth from his pocket a single jewel. An amythest, almost the size of his palm, his favourite jewel. Bending down he placed it gently in the grass next to her now dead fire, then turning he set off once more into the night. Once out of hearing, he kicked Surefoot into a gallop, and swiftly ran on, heading head first into the blazing sunrise just appearing over the brow of the hill.
Rowan was awoken by the sound of hooves galloping across the ground. Reverberating in the earth, and disturbing her restless slumber. Her sleep had at first been dreamless nad deep, but something had disturbed her, and the rest of the night had been filled with horror and nightmares. She was glad to awaken now, and as she set about making her breakfast, the sunshine and fresh breeze blew away the last cobwebs of her dreams. When she stoked up the fire, a ray of sunlight glimmered off something lying in the grass, and moving closer to examine it, she gasped. A beautiful amythest, the size of her palm lay in the dewed grass. Another mystery. When she had awoken, an extra blanket had covered her, one she had definettly not put there last night. Sitting down on a nearby log, Rowan held the gem in her hand, and thought. She knew she had seen it once before, but where? It struck her so suddenly, she couldn't believe that she hadn't remembered before. She had seen the gem once before, yes, when they had been back at Brandy Hall, she had come across Theo sat on the riverbank playing with a gem of roughly this size and shape. He had looked so lost and alone that day that she had wanted to go to him and comfort him, but pride had held her back. Making her creep back the way she had come, rather than go to him. But if the jewel was his, then..... But surely he hadn't been here?! Had he? Confused, she slipped the gem into her pocket, and finished her breakfast. Packing up quickly and mounting up once more, she came to the conclusion that if the gem was here than that must mean that Theo had been here too, which came to the fact that he was now ahead of her, and that she could not have! She galloped away from her camp, and set off once more, determined to catch up as quickly as possible.
Rowan began to tire as the sun moved through to the west. She had had almost no halts all day, determined to cover as much ground as she could. As hse rode she thought. About many things, but no matter how hard she tried, Theo always came to the surface of her mind. She didn't even like the boy that much! Or did she? She became increasingly more confused as she thought about it. When they had first arrived at Brandy Hall, her parents with her, her mother had made a passing comment about how Theo would make a suitable husband, but when Diamond had seen the look on her daughter's face, they had dropped the subject, and it hadn't been brought up again. When she had first srrived, she had been struck by Theo's good looks, and his obvious disgust of girls, had somehow attracted her, but she had thought no more about it, sure that if she ignored her feeling and repressed them for long enough they would eventually go away. Now she wasn't so sure. Trying to push the thoughts away once more, she continued on, desperate to finish first.
Theo halted one last time for the day. He had gone as far as he could for one day, and decided that now was as good a time as any to stop and rest for the night. He had a meagre meal, trying to save as much food as possible, and settled down quickly. Tossing and turning, sleep left him alone, and he tried evreything, even his old game of counting sheep. He was so tired, and his body ached from so much riding. The night deepened around him, and all grew silent, as if in watchfullness.
Suddenly, he heard a cry. Theo sat up sharply, unsure whether his mind was playing tricks on him. There it was again. A girl's scream or cry. Theo threw the covers off him, and scrambled to his feet. Listening, the cry came once more, and noting which direction it came from, he ran in that direction, scrambling over the obstacles in his path. He soon reached a small clearing, and what he saw made him gasp. He ran forward, brandishing his sword. The clearing was empty, apart from a lone man, tormenting a girl hobbit, and it was her shrieks that had disturbed Theo. He attacked the man, who dropped the hobbit in surprise. Unsheathing his own sword as he did so. Merry had taught Theo well, and each strike the man made was skillfully blocked, and soon Theo had forced the man to his knees. Knocking the man's sword away, Theo brought the tip of his sword up to the man's throat and paused.
"Leave now, or I swear I will slit you, from here, to here."
As he said this, Theo gestured from the man's throat to his stomach. Brining the tip back to his throat, he continued,
"Never touch any hobbit again, or I shall know who did it, and will personally see you die."
Taking the tip of his sword away from his throat, Theo stood back. Fear showed in the man's face and eye's, and as he scrambled to his feet, he gave one fleeting look at the young girl, before running off into the undergrowth.
Theo sheathed his sword once more, and dashed over to the young girl, who hadn't moved since she had been dropped. Her face was to the floor, and he gently rolled her over. As he had suspected, it was Rowan, and she was a mess. Her nose had been bloodied, and there were several gashes along her cheeks. Her hands were bound, and as Theo quickly cut away the ties, she opened her eyes.
"He grabbed me. Gave him a good fight. Tied...Tied me up, said I was going to be fun to break."
Rowan stopped and closed her eyes, trying to slow her breathing down from the short gasps it was currently coming in. He continued, her eyes still closed,
"He hurt me, thought I was going to die. You, saved me..."
With these last words, she fainted. Holding her carefully in his arms, he carried her back to his camp. He laid her down upon his bedroll, and went back for Shadowfax and her pack. Once all of their stuff had been assembled in one place, Theo set about stoking up the fire and tending Rowan. She came around quickly, and he was able to tend and clean her wounds easily. When the last bandage was in place, the shock finally caught up with Rowan, and the tears began to find their way down her cheeks. Soon they were running freely, and Theo, unsure of what to do, carefully put his arm aroung her slight body. She moved closer to him, snuggling her head against his chest, and leaning against his solid form. Finding courage from this movement, Theo held her closer and rocked her gently back and forth, trying to calm her. They stayed this way for the night. Rowan eventually fell asleep, but Theo sat there just enjoying the moment, until the night had grown old, and finally his eyelids drooped, and he fell asleep.
Theo woke gently. A smile crept on to his face as he remembered the night before. He looked down, expecting to see Rowan still snuggled up next to him. His jaw fell in shock. She had gone! She had snuck off whilst he had been asleep! Looking frantically around their encampment, Theo seethed. She had run off! After all he had done for her! He had saved her life! And this was how she repayed him!!! He struggled to his feet, stretching his aching limbs, and within minutes was packed and mounted once more on Surefoot. He'd show her! No one ran off to get a head start on him! No one! With this final irritated thought, he kicked Surefoot on. She may have got a head start, but it wouldn't last long!