Before You Hit The Floor
Chapter 5 :: A Lot Of.. Pain.
Reviews :: meh.. been taking up too much room replying to all these reviews.. i.e. my other story, the highschool one - its insane. so, unless it's desperate i'm just not gonna.
Author's Note :: i know i haven't updated in like what, three million years?? sorry!! i was grounded and my mom took away my computer.. GRR. okay. you know those stories where everything seems to happen to the *new* character? well, i'm trying not to make that the case in this story, but it just worked in this chapter for something to happen. so don't start hatin when it does! also... this chapter is a lot of movie verse. i know some of you hate that and if you do then you're just going to have to deal with it because i can't stand it when people change up the lines of the script..
*elvish translations at end of story*
***
"So can I have one or not?" She asked Aragorn's retreating back. He stopped and sighed annoyed like.
"Yes, yes just pick whichever one you want. I care not." Then he was gone.
"YES!" Caroline shouted happily as she did a little victory dance while the other Hobbits stared hopelessly at her. "I like this one. No, this one. No too heavy." Pippin began digging around in the mass of weaponry and drew out a rather long, thin, black blade.
"How about this?" He waved the sword near Caroline's chest.
"Woah there... be careful with that!" She said jumping backwards.
"Pippin.." Merry said groaning at Pippin's reddening face. Pippin sheepishly turned the sword around and handed it to her.
"Thankya." She held the blade with both hands letting the setting sun reflect off the tip. *woosh!* she twirled around several times randomly jabbing at invisible foes. The Hobbits jumped back in surprise. "This." She gently held the edge in her palm. "Is cool."
*
"My tomatoe's burst.."
"Could I have some bacon.."
"Ok, want a tomatoe, Sam.."
"What are you doing.."
"Tomatoes, sausages, nice crispy bacon.." Words swirled around Caroline's mind as she slept peacefully in the corner of the watchtower. Practicing sword movements was extremely tiring...
"Put it out!" Frodo's loud voice caused her to stir, and she shifted from lying on her back to a fetal position.
"Ash on my tomatoes.." Suddenly a shrill voice split the still night air in two. The Hobbits jumped back from the fire, dropping their food to the ground. Caroline struggled to open her tired eyes.
"Caroline!" Her eyes snapped open to see Merry shaking her hard. "Come on!"
"Why what's going on?" She said rubbing her eyes.
"The Black Riders are coming!" He shouted and grabbed her hand. They ran to a dilapidated stone staircase and up to the second level.
"Merry! Caroline!" Pippin motioned for them to come to the center. The five stood in a small circle, swords drawn.
'Wait a minute.. this is where Frodo gets stabbed!' Caroline thought worriedly to herself. Everytime she saw the movie or read the book, it killed her that Frodo was so hurt in the end. He was such an innocent Hobbit! She had to make sure he wasn't hurt.
The air grew thick with the approaching evil. Five black figures emerged from the shadows. Slowly, the five Nazgul glided towards the five Hobbits.
"One for each of us." Caroline muttered before she let out a cry and began stabbing madly at the front figure. Immediately she was tossed aside and landed on a rock several feet away.
"Back you devils!" Sam shouted as he lunged at one of the Riders. He too was thrown aside and landed near Caroline. "Frodo.." He murmured.
A sharp pain shot through Caroline's side. She had landed on a rather pointy rock. "Agh.." She moaned as she rolled off the rock. Struggling to get up, she stopped abruptly as she felt the blood run down her side and her vision blurred before her. She tried to shake off the pain and see where Frodo was.
Everything was swirling and nothing was clear. Faintly she heard a cry from either Merry or Pippin.. or both, and a crash of swords against metal.
Swords!
Where was hers? She blinked her eyes and stood there looking quite stupid probably to the Wraiths. She saw something gleaming with the moonlight farther away and stumbled towards it. 'Yes!' She thought proudly as she picked up her sword.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Caroline froze. That voice could only belong to one person.
"Mister Frodo!" Sam shouted from somewhere in the mele. Then came the unmistaken battle cry of Aragorn.
"Heeeya!" Aragorn slashed and burned the Wraiths with his torch. They screamed in terror and backed away. The pain was still fresh in Caroline's side, but her vision was clearing up. She grabbed her sword and again started slashing at the closest Wraith to her.
"Frodo!" Sam shouted again in despair. "Strider!" Aragorn grunted in triumph as the second to last Wraith fell screaming off the edge, but there was one left.
"Ahh!" Caroline was trying to defeat her own Wraith, but in twisting as to escape its blade, she only made the gash in her side worse. She fell to her knees; the pain clogging up her senses. The Wraith raised its blade, poised to strike...
Suddenly it was knocked off the edge and Aragorn slammed into the wall in front of her. He wiped a little blood off his cheek and grabbed Caroline's arm. Pulling her to her feet he called out to the Hobbits.
"Sam! Frodo!"
"Strider! Help!" Sam shouted in a teary voice. Aragorn led Caroline over to where the Hobbits were huddled and saw Frodo laying on his back, his hand pressed over his shoulder. He convulsed slightly causing his hand to slip revealing a crude hole in his shirt. Aragorn groaned quietly at this.
"Somebody get her." He said as he knelt down beside Frodo leaving Caroline standing there. She swayed back and forth and eventually lost her balance.
"Woa.." Bracing herself for the fall onto the cold, hard stone she clenched her teeth and shut her eyes tightly. But it never came. Instead, she felt two strong arms under her.
"Got you." Caroline opened her eyes to see Merry staring down at her, a concerned look in his eyes. "Are you alright?" She shook her head as he helped her stand.
"No. My side. It.." She gasped finally seeing Frodo. Aragorn was bent over him. "Frodo!" She tried to hobble over to the fallen Hobbit but stumbled as the pain began anew in her side. Merry caught her once more as she fell.
"Stop moving! You will only injure yourself more." Caroline shook her head.
"No! You don't understand.." A slight film of tears clouded her vision. "Frodo.." She choked. Merry moved closer to her and symathetically rubbed her back looking with concern down at his friend.
"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade." Aragorn sighed as the blade dissolved into the wind. "This is beyond my skill to heal." Sam looked up at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "He needs elvish medicine." With one swift move he picked Frodo up and slung him gently over his shoulder.
"You're hurting him!" Pippin said in a very choked voice that was barely audible as Frodo let out a moan. Aragorn held his torch forward and began to run as fast as he could while being careful as not to drop Frodo.
"Hurry!" He called to the others and the remaining four followed as quickly as possible. Caroline cringed at the pain, but pressed on knowing how crucial it was that nothing stopped them - because if she slowed them down, Frodo's life was forfeit.
"We're six days from Rivendell!" Sam cried from the front. "He'll never make it!"
"Hold on, Frodo." Aragorn murmured to the back of Frodo's head. The Hobbit lifted his head painfully and looked out into space.
"Gandalf!" He shouted in a strained voice, then fell limp onto Aragorn's back.
They ran for about thirty minutes, Aragorn constantly stopping and waiting for Caroline and Sam to keep up. Everytime Caroline fell behind, Merry would race back to her, grab her arm, and help her run.
She ignored the pain spreading from the injury in her side to other parts on her body and ran as fast and as hard as she could manage. Finally, in a small clearing, Aragorn stopped and set Frodo down onto the ground.
"Mr. Frodo?" Sam said timidly as he kneeled next to his friend. He touched his cheek. He's going cold!"
"Is he going to die?" He sniffled through his tears. Merry and Caroline stood near them. Aragorn put a cloth over Frodo's forehead.
"He's passing into the Shadow World." He said grimly. "He'll soon become a Wraith like them." Everyone flinched as the cry of a Nazgul was heard.
"They're close!" Merry shouted.
"Sam." Aragorn turned to face Sam. "Do you know the Athelas plant?"
"Athelas?"
"Kingsfoil." Aragorn said hurriedly.
"Kingsfoil, aye, it's a weed." Sam responded
"It may help to slow the poisoning." He gave Sam a torch. "Hurry!" Sam rushed off into the woods. Aragorn unsheathed his sword and ran off in the other direction. Pippin glanced helplessly at the two leaving and down at Frodo. He sank down beside his friend.
"Frodo.." He whispered and wiped his tear-stained face on his sleeve. Merry stood behind him rubbing his back.
"It will be okay, Pip. He's going to be okay." Silently he mouthed, "Frodo, don't die." Suddenly Caroline fell to her knees with a slight whimper. Merry bit his lip as he watched both his friends grieve for Frodo. Pippin looked at her and put his arm around her waist.
"He.." He stopped talking and stared intently at his arm. He drew it away from Caroline and saw it covered in blood. "Caroline!" He shouted. "Merry!" Merry had been sitting next to Frodo and looked up hearing Pippin's call.
"What's going on.. my god." He breathed seeing Pippin's look of distress as he held his bloody arm and Caroline on her knees, eyes slightly closed but rolled back into her head. Suddenly she fell over into the dirt.
"Caroline!" Merry and Pippin shouted together and Merry rushed over to where they were. He saw her entire right side soaked with blood.
"Is she hurt?"
"Obviously, Pip!" Pippin bit his lip. "Help me get this off." He said as he held some of her hoodie in his hand.
"Merry! You can't take a girl's shirt off!"
"I don't think it's a shirt. Look." He pulled it up revealing a dark blood stained shirt underneath. "Help me!" Pippin rushed over to Caroline's other side and they tugged the sweatshirt off her body. Merry groaned as he saw how bloody she was.
"Ughh.." Frodo groaned from behind them.
"What about Frodo?" Pippin asked.
"Go find Strider." Pippin nodded and had almost left the clearing when a bright white light blinded him and he fell backwards. "Pippin, what are you-" Merry too stopped talking as a gleaming white horse galloped into the clearing. The most beautiful woman the two Hobbits had ever seen got off.
She glided over to Frodo who lay moaning on the ground. Once he caught sight of her, his eyes widened and he lay quiet. As she came closer she spoke,
"Frodo... I am Arwen. Telin le thard. Lasto beth nin, tolo dan na ngalad." Aragorn ran into the clearing at this, Sam not far behind. Merry stared in awe at her.
"Who is she?" He asked with wide eyes and mouth open.
"Frodo." She whispered again as Aragorn placed some of the plant in Frodo's wound.
"She's an elf." Sam said in disbelief. Frodo groaned in pain as the plant stung.
"He is fading."' Arwen picked Frodo up. "He's not going to last. We must get him to my father." She carried him over to her horse. Aragorn followed her. "I've been looking for you for two days."
"Where are you taking him?!" Sam shouted indignatly.
"There are give Wraiths behind you. Where the other four are I do not know." Aragorn shook his head.
"Dartho guin Berian. Rych le ad tolthathon." As they spoke, they did not notice Caroline struggling to sit up.
"Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im."
"Ahh..." She groaned as she bent the torn skin on her side.
"Andelu i ven." Caroline looked up painfully and saw Merry standing just a few feet in front of her.
"Merr.. Merr.." She cried weakly. Her parched throat could barely create audible noises. Gathering almost all of her remaining strength she shouted, "MERRY!" as loud as she could. Everyone turned and stared.
"Oh no.." Aragorn breathed. Arwen turned to Aragorn as she mounted her horse.
"Frodo is dying and she needs your help. Ae athradon i hir, turn gwaith nin beriatha hon." Aragorn nodded as he held back tears. "I do not fear them."
"Arwen, ride hard. Do not look back!" She nodded.
"Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!" With a snort from her horse they rode off.
"What are you doing?!" Sam shouted. "Those Wraiths are still out there!!" Aragorn sighed and turned to Caroline. Merry was kneeling beside her rubbing her forehead.
"Give me the Athelas." It lay near Pippin and he tossed it to the man. "Lift her shirt." Aragorn ordered as he began preparing the plant. Merry hesitated for a moment, but when Caroline cried out he did it anyways. Slowly he pinched the hem of her shirt with his fingers and pulled up.
"Hurry!" Aragorn shouted.
"It's all bloody i'm trying!" Merry shouted back. Aragorn grimaced. Hobbit's were so hard to work with.
"Stop." Aragorn said calmly as he saw the cut. It was not too deep but whatever had caused it must have hit a vein because of the amount of blood. He tore a piece of cloth off his clothes and used it to mop up some of the blood. "It is not bad." He said noting the dazed expression of Merry's face.
"Is she going to die?" Pippin asked.
"No!" Aragorn said gruffly annoyed at the inquisitive Hobbits. He placed some of the plant into her cut. She twisted slightly trying to get rid of the pain. "Make her stop moving." Merry nodded and put one hand on each of her shoulders. He ripped his cape off and tore it in half. He wrapped a strip of it around her abdomen.
"Caroline.." Merry said looking down at her. She lay convulsing in pain for a moment, but finally the plant started working its magic. She opened her eyes which finally focused correctly.
"Merry?" She asked and turned her head. "Aragorn.. what happened?"
"Frodo has been stabbed. He is going to Rivendell right now. You too were hurt and we would like to know how."
"I..." She began to stand up but winced at the pain in her side. "Give me your hand Merry." Merry complied and Caroline grasped it. She pulled hard and stood herself up. "I," She thought for a moment. "Oh! When the Wraiths came I fell on a rock."
"Oh." Aragorn said slowly. "Well then, we must get to Rivendell as quickly as possible." He motioned for the Hobbits to follow and they gathered their belongings. Caroline grabbed her hoodie and was about to put it on when she realized how bloody she was.
"Ahh!"
"What?" Aragorn asked quickly thinking something bad had happened.
"I'm so gross. When can I take a shower?" Aragorn stared at her in disbelief for a moment, then turned and began running as if nothing had happened. "What? Fine. Stupid man."
'A rock?' Aragorn thought as they ran. 'With all that fuss you would think her arm fell off...'
***
didn't really like that chapter. it's way too movie verse and let's steal frodo's spotlight. sorry! i'll probably go back and redo this chapter one day. for now, this is what it's gonna be.
also... oki. about the cut thing on caroline, if your a medical genius or whatever and know that its not physically possible for a vein to be cut or for her to keep running or if you even think about whining to me about that, just don't because i'm not changing it.
:: elvish translations ::
Telin le thard. Lasto beth nin, tolo dan na ngalad - I am Arwen. I have come to help you. Hear my voice. Come back to the light.
Dartho guin Berian. Rych le ad tolthathon - Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses for you.
Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im - I am the faster rider. I'll take him.
Andelu i ven - The road is dangerous.
Ae athradon i hir, turn gwaith nin beriatha hon - If I can get across the river, the power of my people will protect him.
Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim - Ride fast, Asfaloth, ride fast.
Chapter 5 :: A Lot Of.. Pain.
Reviews :: meh.. been taking up too much room replying to all these reviews.. i.e. my other story, the highschool one - its insane. so, unless it's desperate i'm just not gonna.
Author's Note :: i know i haven't updated in like what, three million years?? sorry!! i was grounded and my mom took away my computer.. GRR. okay. you know those stories where everything seems to happen to the *new* character? well, i'm trying not to make that the case in this story, but it just worked in this chapter for something to happen. so don't start hatin when it does! also... this chapter is a lot of movie verse. i know some of you hate that and if you do then you're just going to have to deal with it because i can't stand it when people change up the lines of the script..
*elvish translations at end of story*
***
"So can I have one or not?" She asked Aragorn's retreating back. He stopped and sighed annoyed like.
"Yes, yes just pick whichever one you want. I care not." Then he was gone.
"YES!" Caroline shouted happily as she did a little victory dance while the other Hobbits stared hopelessly at her. "I like this one. No, this one. No too heavy." Pippin began digging around in the mass of weaponry and drew out a rather long, thin, black blade.
"How about this?" He waved the sword near Caroline's chest.
"Woah there... be careful with that!" She said jumping backwards.
"Pippin.." Merry said groaning at Pippin's reddening face. Pippin sheepishly turned the sword around and handed it to her.
"Thankya." She held the blade with both hands letting the setting sun reflect off the tip. *woosh!* she twirled around several times randomly jabbing at invisible foes. The Hobbits jumped back in surprise. "This." She gently held the edge in her palm. "Is cool."
*
"My tomatoe's burst.."
"Could I have some bacon.."
"Ok, want a tomatoe, Sam.."
"What are you doing.."
"Tomatoes, sausages, nice crispy bacon.." Words swirled around Caroline's mind as she slept peacefully in the corner of the watchtower. Practicing sword movements was extremely tiring...
"Put it out!" Frodo's loud voice caused her to stir, and she shifted from lying on her back to a fetal position.
"Ash on my tomatoes.." Suddenly a shrill voice split the still night air in two. The Hobbits jumped back from the fire, dropping their food to the ground. Caroline struggled to open her tired eyes.
"Caroline!" Her eyes snapped open to see Merry shaking her hard. "Come on!"
"Why what's going on?" She said rubbing her eyes.
"The Black Riders are coming!" He shouted and grabbed her hand. They ran to a dilapidated stone staircase and up to the second level.
"Merry! Caroline!" Pippin motioned for them to come to the center. The five stood in a small circle, swords drawn.
'Wait a minute.. this is where Frodo gets stabbed!' Caroline thought worriedly to herself. Everytime she saw the movie or read the book, it killed her that Frodo was so hurt in the end. He was such an innocent Hobbit! She had to make sure he wasn't hurt.
The air grew thick with the approaching evil. Five black figures emerged from the shadows. Slowly, the five Nazgul glided towards the five Hobbits.
"One for each of us." Caroline muttered before she let out a cry and began stabbing madly at the front figure. Immediately she was tossed aside and landed on a rock several feet away.
"Back you devils!" Sam shouted as he lunged at one of the Riders. He too was thrown aside and landed near Caroline. "Frodo.." He murmured.
A sharp pain shot through Caroline's side. She had landed on a rather pointy rock. "Agh.." She moaned as she rolled off the rock. Struggling to get up, she stopped abruptly as she felt the blood run down her side and her vision blurred before her. She tried to shake off the pain and see where Frodo was.
Everything was swirling and nothing was clear. Faintly she heard a cry from either Merry or Pippin.. or both, and a crash of swords against metal.
Swords!
Where was hers? She blinked her eyes and stood there looking quite stupid probably to the Wraiths. She saw something gleaming with the moonlight farther away and stumbled towards it. 'Yes!' She thought proudly as she picked up her sword.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Caroline froze. That voice could only belong to one person.
"Mister Frodo!" Sam shouted from somewhere in the mele. Then came the unmistaken battle cry of Aragorn.
"Heeeya!" Aragorn slashed and burned the Wraiths with his torch. They screamed in terror and backed away. The pain was still fresh in Caroline's side, but her vision was clearing up. She grabbed her sword and again started slashing at the closest Wraith to her.
"Frodo!" Sam shouted again in despair. "Strider!" Aragorn grunted in triumph as the second to last Wraith fell screaming off the edge, but there was one left.
"Ahh!" Caroline was trying to defeat her own Wraith, but in twisting as to escape its blade, she only made the gash in her side worse. She fell to her knees; the pain clogging up her senses. The Wraith raised its blade, poised to strike...
Suddenly it was knocked off the edge and Aragorn slammed into the wall in front of her. He wiped a little blood off his cheek and grabbed Caroline's arm. Pulling her to her feet he called out to the Hobbits.
"Sam! Frodo!"
"Strider! Help!" Sam shouted in a teary voice. Aragorn led Caroline over to where the Hobbits were huddled and saw Frodo laying on his back, his hand pressed over his shoulder. He convulsed slightly causing his hand to slip revealing a crude hole in his shirt. Aragorn groaned quietly at this.
"Somebody get her." He said as he knelt down beside Frodo leaving Caroline standing there. She swayed back and forth and eventually lost her balance.
"Woa.." Bracing herself for the fall onto the cold, hard stone she clenched her teeth and shut her eyes tightly. But it never came. Instead, she felt two strong arms under her.
"Got you." Caroline opened her eyes to see Merry staring down at her, a concerned look in his eyes. "Are you alright?" She shook her head as he helped her stand.
"No. My side. It.." She gasped finally seeing Frodo. Aragorn was bent over him. "Frodo!" She tried to hobble over to the fallen Hobbit but stumbled as the pain began anew in her side. Merry caught her once more as she fell.
"Stop moving! You will only injure yourself more." Caroline shook her head.
"No! You don't understand.." A slight film of tears clouded her vision. "Frodo.." She choked. Merry moved closer to her and symathetically rubbed her back looking with concern down at his friend.
"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade." Aragorn sighed as the blade dissolved into the wind. "This is beyond my skill to heal." Sam looked up at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. "He needs elvish medicine." With one swift move he picked Frodo up and slung him gently over his shoulder.
"You're hurting him!" Pippin said in a very choked voice that was barely audible as Frodo let out a moan. Aragorn held his torch forward and began to run as fast as he could while being careful as not to drop Frodo.
"Hurry!" He called to the others and the remaining four followed as quickly as possible. Caroline cringed at the pain, but pressed on knowing how crucial it was that nothing stopped them - because if she slowed them down, Frodo's life was forfeit.
"We're six days from Rivendell!" Sam cried from the front. "He'll never make it!"
"Hold on, Frodo." Aragorn murmured to the back of Frodo's head. The Hobbit lifted his head painfully and looked out into space.
"Gandalf!" He shouted in a strained voice, then fell limp onto Aragorn's back.
They ran for about thirty minutes, Aragorn constantly stopping and waiting for Caroline and Sam to keep up. Everytime Caroline fell behind, Merry would race back to her, grab her arm, and help her run.
She ignored the pain spreading from the injury in her side to other parts on her body and ran as fast and as hard as she could manage. Finally, in a small clearing, Aragorn stopped and set Frodo down onto the ground.
"Mr. Frodo?" Sam said timidly as he kneeled next to his friend. He touched his cheek. He's going cold!"
"Is he going to die?" He sniffled through his tears. Merry and Caroline stood near them. Aragorn put a cloth over Frodo's forehead.
"He's passing into the Shadow World." He said grimly. "He'll soon become a Wraith like them." Everyone flinched as the cry of a Nazgul was heard.
"They're close!" Merry shouted.
"Sam." Aragorn turned to face Sam. "Do you know the Athelas plant?"
"Athelas?"
"Kingsfoil." Aragorn said hurriedly.
"Kingsfoil, aye, it's a weed." Sam responded
"It may help to slow the poisoning." He gave Sam a torch. "Hurry!" Sam rushed off into the woods. Aragorn unsheathed his sword and ran off in the other direction. Pippin glanced helplessly at the two leaving and down at Frodo. He sank down beside his friend.
"Frodo.." He whispered and wiped his tear-stained face on his sleeve. Merry stood behind him rubbing his back.
"It will be okay, Pip. He's going to be okay." Silently he mouthed, "Frodo, don't die." Suddenly Caroline fell to her knees with a slight whimper. Merry bit his lip as he watched both his friends grieve for Frodo. Pippin looked at her and put his arm around her waist.
"He.." He stopped talking and stared intently at his arm. He drew it away from Caroline and saw it covered in blood. "Caroline!" He shouted. "Merry!" Merry had been sitting next to Frodo and looked up hearing Pippin's call.
"What's going on.. my god." He breathed seeing Pippin's look of distress as he held his bloody arm and Caroline on her knees, eyes slightly closed but rolled back into her head. Suddenly she fell over into the dirt.
"Caroline!" Merry and Pippin shouted together and Merry rushed over to where they were. He saw her entire right side soaked with blood.
"Is she hurt?"
"Obviously, Pip!" Pippin bit his lip. "Help me get this off." He said as he held some of her hoodie in his hand.
"Merry! You can't take a girl's shirt off!"
"I don't think it's a shirt. Look." He pulled it up revealing a dark blood stained shirt underneath. "Help me!" Pippin rushed over to Caroline's other side and they tugged the sweatshirt off her body. Merry groaned as he saw how bloody she was.
"Ughh.." Frodo groaned from behind them.
"What about Frodo?" Pippin asked.
"Go find Strider." Pippin nodded and had almost left the clearing when a bright white light blinded him and he fell backwards. "Pippin, what are you-" Merry too stopped talking as a gleaming white horse galloped into the clearing. The most beautiful woman the two Hobbits had ever seen got off.
She glided over to Frodo who lay moaning on the ground. Once he caught sight of her, his eyes widened and he lay quiet. As she came closer she spoke,
"Frodo... I am Arwen. Telin le thard. Lasto beth nin, tolo dan na ngalad." Aragorn ran into the clearing at this, Sam not far behind. Merry stared in awe at her.
"Who is she?" He asked with wide eyes and mouth open.
"Frodo." She whispered again as Aragorn placed some of the plant in Frodo's wound.
"She's an elf." Sam said in disbelief. Frodo groaned in pain as the plant stung.
"He is fading."' Arwen picked Frodo up. "He's not going to last. We must get him to my father." She carried him over to her horse. Aragorn followed her. "I've been looking for you for two days."
"Where are you taking him?!" Sam shouted indignatly.
"There are give Wraiths behind you. Where the other four are I do not know." Aragorn shook his head.
"Dartho guin Berian. Rych le ad tolthathon." As they spoke, they did not notice Caroline struggling to sit up.
"Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im."
"Ahh..." She groaned as she bent the torn skin on her side.
"Andelu i ven." Caroline looked up painfully and saw Merry standing just a few feet in front of her.
"Merr.. Merr.." She cried weakly. Her parched throat could barely create audible noises. Gathering almost all of her remaining strength she shouted, "MERRY!" as loud as she could. Everyone turned and stared.
"Oh no.." Aragorn breathed. Arwen turned to Aragorn as she mounted her horse.
"Frodo is dying and she needs your help. Ae athradon i hir, turn gwaith nin beriatha hon." Aragorn nodded as he held back tears. "I do not fear them."
"Arwen, ride hard. Do not look back!" She nodded.
"Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!" With a snort from her horse they rode off.
"What are you doing?!" Sam shouted. "Those Wraiths are still out there!!" Aragorn sighed and turned to Caroline. Merry was kneeling beside her rubbing her forehead.
"Give me the Athelas." It lay near Pippin and he tossed it to the man. "Lift her shirt." Aragorn ordered as he began preparing the plant. Merry hesitated for a moment, but when Caroline cried out he did it anyways. Slowly he pinched the hem of her shirt with his fingers and pulled up.
"Hurry!" Aragorn shouted.
"It's all bloody i'm trying!" Merry shouted back. Aragorn grimaced. Hobbit's were so hard to work with.
"Stop." Aragorn said calmly as he saw the cut. It was not too deep but whatever had caused it must have hit a vein because of the amount of blood. He tore a piece of cloth off his clothes and used it to mop up some of the blood. "It is not bad." He said noting the dazed expression of Merry's face.
"Is she going to die?" Pippin asked.
"No!" Aragorn said gruffly annoyed at the inquisitive Hobbits. He placed some of the plant into her cut. She twisted slightly trying to get rid of the pain. "Make her stop moving." Merry nodded and put one hand on each of her shoulders. He ripped his cape off and tore it in half. He wrapped a strip of it around her abdomen.
"Caroline.." Merry said looking down at her. She lay convulsing in pain for a moment, but finally the plant started working its magic. She opened her eyes which finally focused correctly.
"Merry?" She asked and turned her head. "Aragorn.. what happened?"
"Frodo has been stabbed. He is going to Rivendell right now. You too were hurt and we would like to know how."
"I..." She began to stand up but winced at the pain in her side. "Give me your hand Merry." Merry complied and Caroline grasped it. She pulled hard and stood herself up. "I," She thought for a moment. "Oh! When the Wraiths came I fell on a rock."
"Oh." Aragorn said slowly. "Well then, we must get to Rivendell as quickly as possible." He motioned for the Hobbits to follow and they gathered their belongings. Caroline grabbed her hoodie and was about to put it on when she realized how bloody she was.
"Ahh!"
"What?" Aragorn asked quickly thinking something bad had happened.
"I'm so gross. When can I take a shower?" Aragorn stared at her in disbelief for a moment, then turned and began running as if nothing had happened. "What? Fine. Stupid man."
'A rock?' Aragorn thought as they ran. 'With all that fuss you would think her arm fell off...'
***
didn't really like that chapter. it's way too movie verse and let's steal frodo's spotlight. sorry! i'll probably go back and redo this chapter one day. for now, this is what it's gonna be.
also... oki. about the cut thing on caroline, if your a medical genius or whatever and know that its not physically possible for a vein to be cut or for her to keep running or if you even think about whining to me about that, just don't because i'm not changing it.
:: elvish translations ::
Telin le thard. Lasto beth nin, tolo dan na ngalad - I am Arwen. I have come to help you. Hear my voice. Come back to the light.
Dartho guin Berian. Rych le ad tolthathon - Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses for you.
Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im - I am the faster rider. I'll take him.
Andelu i ven - The road is dangerous.
Ae athradon i hir, turn gwaith nin beriatha hon - If I can get across the river, the power of my people will protect him.
Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim - Ride fast, Asfaloth, ride fast.