Disclaimer: See part one. The story will take a slightly different route then the books/movies.
Chapter IV: The Black RiderThey sat under a large shelf of rock, staring at the hills they had just crossed. The dark gray winter clouds hung heavy and silently above them, brining with them promises of rain. Only a few stars were visible on the night sky. In the far distance, they could see the calm smoke from the houses in Bree, and trees dancing in the wind as the night mist crept towards them.
Frodo shifted position, feeling a sharp rock stab his thigh. How strange it was, he thought, a few years ago he listened to Bilbo telling about his own adventures, whishing he could have been part of one. Now here he was on his own adventure, whishing he could be home.
Tquel was resting his head on Sam's knee and right now he did not have the strength to tell the dog to go away. Strider stood for a moment staring out over the horizon and then he felt his own stomach growl. He sat down and opened his bag and took out some food.
I should look around afterwards…. make sure everything is safe he thought while he unpacked his meal.
When the hobbits saw that Strider was eating, it didnt take long before they also started to dig up the food they had purchased in Bree, after all they had several meals to make up for.
Frodo opened his backpack and saw bread and some apples neatly placed, next to a blanket, his water bottle and some ropes.
He took out his apple and could already feel the taste of the sweet fruit meat melt in his mouth, when his eyes suddenly rested on the elfmaid sitting on a rock a couple of meters from them staring out over the horizon. The wind grabbed hold of her hair and lifted it up into the air so that it danced around her head. He stared at his apple one more time, before he sighed and walked over to her.
"Here!"
His voice startled her and she cringed and turned around and stared at him with her large eyes. "Here" he repeated and handed her the apple. She stared at it for a long time, and then hesitating, she reached out a thin and slender arm and took the fruit he offered still keeping her eyes on him.
"Diola lle aier, amin harmuva onalle"
Frodo just nodded then walked over to Strider, who had been watching them.
"Uh…. what did she say?" he asked.
"Thank you, short one, I shall treasure your gift" Strider replied with a small smile on his lips.
"Oh"
Strider rose and stretched his muscles, then he walked over to a small bag he had been carrying and walked over to the four hobbits, now talking quietly together.
"Here" Strider said and unwrapped the cloth around four small swords he had the foresight to buy in Bree. He handed them each a sword and they looked at them with awe. He could tell they had probably never held a sword in their hands before in their life, much less used one. He wondered for a moment if he should take them back, incase they harmed them self.
"Keep them close, I will take a look around" he muttered and before anybody could ask any questions he started to walk down the hill again.
The uneasy feeling she had been carrying around ever since they stopped in front of the tower started to grow in her stronger as the darkness started to sweep over them. She watched as Strider handed them each a sword, then he looked at her, and walked down the path they had climbed almost an hour ago.
She watched him go and could feel his tension. They way he moved reviled that he was anxious, or feared something. The soothing he had tried to give her was false. She looked up the stone ruins and saw the silent faces of the statues staring down at her. Their penetrating stares made her tremble.
She stared out over the hills and knolls. In the city, the streets were made with mud and cold stones, and just a couple of scarcely trees tried to burry their roots in the hard earth. The wind blowing against her skin, the scent of nature seemed to bring back memories, vision. But they were still just a fuzzy image in the back of her head.
Tquel moved uneasy and raised his head, she meet his dazzling brown eyes and he whimpered slightly, he could feel it to, the shadows that was approaching, and it wasnt the night.
She rose quickly, wondering if she should tell the others she was going to have a look around, but then remembered that they didnt speak her tongue, so she silently crept away.
She walked up a small and narrow stair that winded its way around the entire tower. When she finally reached the top, the view was even more spectacular then it had been before. The stone pillars rested heavily against each other, and here and there she could see detailed and elegantly carvings. This had once been a great tower and many men had served, and died here.
Visuals stared to dance in her head and soon walls re-appeared, a roof was build over her head and statues and carvings started to grow younger, as the traces age had left them disappeared. She could see the people who had once been here; she could hear their laughter and their battle cries. Then there were flames and screams of terror and death in the night, and then there was nothing more.
As soon as it had happened, it stopped and she was brought back to reality. The night seemed to be colder and she wrapped her cloak tighter around her and started to walk back to the hobbits, the echoes of the battle cries still in her head. She drew a map in the back of her mind and soon she knew the place like the back of her palm. In the few seconds she had witnessed lifetimes of people serving this towers, she had felt their thoughts and secrets.
When she returned down to the others she noticed to her fear that Sam, Merry and Pippin were sitting around a fire toasting bacon and tomatoes. She was about to tell them to put the fire out, when Frodo suddenly woke.
"What are you doing?" he asked shocked and ran towards the fire.
"Bacon, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked and handed him a frying pan with scraps of bacon in it.
"Are you mad?" Frodo cried and started to jump in the fire trying to kill the flames.
"Ah lovely ash on my tomatoes" Pippin said ironically.
She heard Frodo breath hard in panic, and just then they could hear a terrifying scream pierce the night. They quickly grabbed their swords and were about to run up the stairs when she cried out.
" Khila amin"
They stopped and looked at her and then at Frodo waiting for him to make the decisions. "Eh…. sorry I dont understand you, but you better follow us" he said slowly hoping she understood what he was trying to tell.
She shook her head and waved her hands at them motioning for another route. "I think she wants us to follow her" Pippin said and clutched his sword to his chest. Just then, they heard another scream, this time even louder. They were getting closer.
Frodo hesitated and looked at the stairs leading up, and then at the elf in front of them. She was still waving her arms pointing to something among the stones, her eyes were calms and they seemed to pierce right trough him. He did not know what made him do it, but he followed her, it seemed like the only rational thing to do.
She quickly led them round the tower and then pointed to a small cave high up on the wall. It was too small for a human, but it was a perfect hobbit size.
" Nurta" (hide)
She said and pointed to them and then to the cave. Frodo hesitated a second time, and then he quickly climbed up closely followed by Sam, Merry and Pippin. The cave was long and narrow, before it suddenly grew and he could almost stand, his head just touching the roof. The others followed him, and then she lifted Tquel up and the dog hurried over to Sam.
" Dina, Uuma dela" (be silent, dont worry)
They heard another one of those soul-ripping cries from the Black Riders and Sam whimpered quietly in the cave. She stared at them for a long time, and her peaceful, serene eyes seemed to calm them. Then suddenly she turned her head sharply and started into the horizon, and she then quickly climbed down.
The cave was perfect for a hobbit, but too large for a man, or an elf.
Part II.
She saw the Black Riders approach them, the mist had grown thicker and the Riders seemed to float. Their dark cloaks twirled around their feet and their ironclad hands gripped long swords. She sat calm, hidden behind a rock, feeling them coming nearer. She had taken their equipments and hid them behind some large rocks and she had even managed to mess up the fire. She hoped the Riders would leave if they could not smell anything.
They walked closer and she could hear the high pitched moaning they were making as they continued to march, their swords resting in their hands, ready to strike. She watched them in fascinated horror and could not escape the small urge she felt to walk up to them. They seemed familiar, and their screaming woke something in her heart. Something from her dreams.
Strider.
She wondered where he was and hoped he was safe, maybe he had seen the Riders and managed to hide.
They were only a few meters from her now, and they turned their heads in each direction, as if they were sniffing the air. Their long, black and ragged clothes swept the ground. Suddenly they turned their heads in her direction and she quickly ducked down behind her rock.
One of them walked towards her and she could hear his dragging step coming closer and closer, the rattling of his iron boots with each step he took. She closed her eyes not daring to open them. He stopped right by the stone she was using as a cover and she curled up, trying to be as invisible as possible.
Time seemed to stand still, and the cold airstreams dancing around her made her body, shake and her teeth rattle. Suddenly the high-pitched sound staggered trough the air once more, and they stared to walk away.
That's when she heard the battle cry.
From out of nowhere Strider appeared a torch in one hand and his sword in another. The Black Riders immediately turned around and raised their swords ready to attack. Strider used his torch as a shield and then suddenly trusted it towards them making the Riders jump back.
One charged at him and, with the dexterity of an elf, he elegantly swung his sword meeting the knife blow by blow. As the Rider struck at him, ready to deliver his deathblow, Strider quickly held the torch near its black clothes and the wraith started to burn. He screamed in pain and started to stumble around.
The Rider staggered towards the edge and she held her breath, she saw him drop his sword before he fell and screaming disappeared in the darkness.
When she looked over the edge, again she saw that Strider was busy battling another Black Rider. His muscles tensed, his eyes fixed on the target as he predicted the attackers move and blocked the swinging sword, the weapons sang in the darkness. Suddenly another Rider attack from behind, Strider gasped and dodged the first blow from both of them, they started to slowly press him towards the edge. He still managed to block their rage; the sound of metal hitting metal rang through the night.
Then he suddenly jumped towards them, dodge-rolled and got behind them, before they managed to turn around, he chopped the arm off one of them, and used his heel to kick the second one in the back, pushing him to over the edge. The one-armed one still lunged at him continuing its high pitched screaming. Now, the last one was walking towards him sword raised.
Quickly Strider jumped backwards and blocked a blow that would have cut his head off, and then he trusted the torch towards the Rider, who had learned something from his friend and doge the blow. Strider tossed the torch and the flames started, to greedy, lick the black cloak.
She could see that he was getting tired now, sweat ran down his forehead and his chest heaved for air. He raised his sword ready to take on the last one, who walked towards him with the utmost calmness. This rider attack with twice the force the other had used and as his sword swung it hissed through the air. Silence ruled and only Striders hard and ragged breath cut through.
The Rider continued to attack him strike by strike, the force growing each time he charged. Suddenly his blow hit so hard that Strider's sword flew out of his hands. She hid a gasp as she saw him search for anything else to defend him self with. The Rider continued to walk towards him, Strider started to back, and then suddenly the ranger fell.
The Rider raise its sword over its head, she saw Strider's face reflect on the blade as the sword slowly lowered over the ranger, pinned to the ground, unable to move.
She grabbed the sword the first rider had used, and without a word, with no battle cry, no warning charged at the Black Rider. Just as it realized they were not alone, and turned around she lunged the sword into its chest with all her might.
She felt the Rider stiffened and for the first time she saw what was really under those black hoods. A soul, a soul glad to be released from the pain life was giving it. For a moment, she was blended by white light. Then she felt he sword dig into the Rider, she felt almost no resistance. The Rider let out a shrilling howl that made the hobbits in the cave cover their ears.
Then right in front of her, the Rider suddenly vanished and all that was left of him was small prickles of dust that disappeared in the wind.
She stood still, unable to move, still clutching the sword in her hands, she felt blood start to prickle in her palm, and scared by what she had just done she dropped the sword. Her body was shaking and in her mind she recalled the exact moment she had seen what was under the Black Rider's hood.
Then she fell to her knees and felt darkness consume her.
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