Author's note: Thanks BeeJang and Dwen for reviewing! I imagine if Boromir had been presented with the same situation, that sexual tension Dwen spoke of would've come into play. Hee-hee! I may just have to have that happen to him just out of cruelty!
Hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Rhovanion's Child by Shelly
CHAPTER FOUR
She laid her hand on his shoulder, her green eyes looking deep into his blue ones as if to find some kind of hint as to what was going on. They merely stared back at her with a despair she was beginning to feel creeping upon her with its icy fingers. "Aragorn," she whispered.
He turned his gaze away from her to focus instead on the floor under his feet. "I'm afraid that evil has crept back into the world, Rhiannon, and we may have no way of defeating it this time. Sauron's strength is increasing and he seeks to find the ring which was lost to him long ago."
Her eyes widened as her grip tightened. "You don't mean to say that Gollum had it and returned it to him, do you?" she asked.
"No, he once possessed it, but lost it years ago. It has resurfaced in the Shire now, where it has been for the past sixty years in the keeping of Bilbo Baggins, and Gollum knew he had it. I had hoped to find Gollum before Sauron did, but it appears he found him first and there's a chance he now knows where the ring is. But I can't be sure until I find him and speak with him," he said, his head hanging low with weariness.
She moved her hand to rest on his back and took hold of his hand with her other one to hold it tight. "Don't forget that I'm going to help you," she reminded him. "I love this land just as much as you do, and I will do anything I can to protect it and those that live upon it."
He brought his gaze back to hers, and his hand came to cover hers to squeeze it in agreement. "As do I," he replied. "But my responsibility goes even further than you know."
"So does mine," she returned, meeting his gaze evenly. They remained like that for a few moments, both of them measuring each other unknowingly before Aragorn broke contact to rise to his feet.
"I will take first watch tonight," he said.
"No, I will take it, Aragorn," she offered as she rose to her feet. "You are tired and I am still awake from my swim earlier."
He gave in to her and found a place where he could settle down comfortably while she looked over her spare clothing to see if there were any pieces that needed repairing as well as any she was wearing that could be removed. She didn't want to be wearing these as there was a good chance they could get hung on a branch and rip apart completely, a bad thing to happen if she was being pursued or being the hunter.
Soon the ranger's soft breathing filled the room, or it would have if not for the sound of the waterfall rushing past the entrance. The moon's bright rays shone through the curtain, making shadows dance around on the walls of the refuge, and she found her thoughts wandering when she took out her dagger to check it for any signs that it needed sharpening.
The dagger had been a gift to her from her father shortly before his death at the hands of orcs, and she treasured it like no other weapon she possessed as it was all she had left of him and her heritage. She also had one other token, a necklace that she had kept hidden underneath her clothing ever since she had had it, a gift from her mother who had died before her father did.
Soon it was time for Aragorn to have his turn, and she knelt down beside him to wake him, first whispering his name, which she was surprised to see do the trick as he was apparently a light sleeper. "Anything happen?" he asked.
"No, nothing," she replied as she stifled a yawn.
He smiled at her. "Get some rest, Rhiannon. I will wake you when it's time to leave."
She fixed a wry glance on him. "You'd better, or I will be forced to track you down, ranger."
"You have my word," he said with a laugh then settled down near the entrance to watch the play of moonlight upon the water, his thoughts filled with how much he missed Arwen. But then his gaze slid over to Rhiannon's sleeping form, and he found himself thinking about how much she and Arwen were alike. They were both brave and skilled in the way of nature, but so very different since they were of different races. Her dark hair was so much like his beloved's that his fingers itched to reach out and run themselves through her midnight locks, but he refrained from doing so as it was not Arwen lying there, but a ranger that he had just met this very day.
Shaking his thoughts from her, he pulled out his pipe and began smoking just to have something to do to keep his mind where it belonged.
After a couple of hours had passed, he noticed movement from where she lay, and he looked over to see her body twitch like she was dreaming, and a violent one judging from her actions. He eased over to her side, whispering her name at first then trying in a louder voice when that didn't work. She was curled up in a fetal position, her teeth clenched as were her hands which were crossed in front of her chest and he could see the tears which leaked from her eyes.
"Rhiannon," he called, touching her shoulder this time to try and wake her. Her eyes flew open and she quickly sat up, her dagger in her hand, and going for his throat before she was aware of what she was doing. He easily caught her wrist and applied just enough pressure to make her drop it, and she cried out from the pain as she was jolted to her senses. Her hand lie in her lap and her face was hidden by the dark curtain of her hair, but he could tell by the shaking of her shoulders that she was still frightened.
He leaned near and pulled her hair out of the way. She quickly turned her face away from him, but he persuaded her to turn back to him with a finger to her chin, and when he did he gently wiped the tears from her face with his thumbs. "Are you all right?" he asked softly.
She knew she must look a mess with her hair loosened from its normal braided style and her eyes all red and puffy, but apparently he didn't care as his eyes held nothing but concern for her. She sniffed and nodded slowly, not trusting herself to speak just yet as she still trembled from the terrible nightmare.
He sighed a little. "Are you sure? Want to talk about it?" he offered.
She smiled but shook her head, not wanting to relate what it had been about and have to face it again for it seemed as if the whole of Mordor had fell upon her and Aragorn, and both of them had been helpless to stop them. The creatures had been hideous to look upon and had frightened her even in her dreams.
"Then I suppose you'll not want to sleep anymore for the rest of the night, so I guess we can get our things together and start off early. Perhaps we'll find Gollum today," he added as he rose to his feet and helped her to hers. Then she did something both of them didn't expect: she embraced him tightly as soon as she got to her feet. Although he was surprised, he held her if only to offer her whatever comfort she needed, and when she pulled away he looked deep into her eyes to see for himself if she was all right.
All of a sudden she couldn't breathe as she gazed into the blue depths of his eyes, the strange thought emerging that he had to be the most handsome man she had ever seen. His arms around her suddenly seemed to offer more than the obvious, and she brought her hand up to touch his face with wondering fingers as her eyes lowered to look upon his mouth.
He knew good and well where this was heading, and it was in a very dangerous direction. He took her hand in his and slowly removed it, giving it a gentle squeeze once he saw the disappointed light in her eyes. "Gather your things, Rhiannon," he admonished softly. "We have a long day ahead of us."
He left her side, leaving her suddenly alone, and she wondered what had come over her to want to do such a thing. If she couldn't control her emotions around him, then what good would it do to help him find Gollum? Perhaps it would be best if she left him and let him continue on his own.
No, she couldn't do that. Not after having given her word that she would help. He would only see her as a weak female, and that she didn't want from him. Turning, she found her dagger and sheathed it before working her hair back into a single braid; then she was ready just as he took them back up the way they had come to the top. One thing was for sure, it was turning out to be an interesting journey, for her at least, and one she was sure never to forget.
**********************
It appears Rhiannon's emotions are getting the best of her. Not good when there's danger lurking everywhere.
Next chapter: the search for Gollum continues. Will they find him, and will he tell them anything?
Thanks for reading! C-ya!
Hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Rhovanion's Child by Shelly
CHAPTER FOUR
She laid her hand on his shoulder, her green eyes looking deep into his blue ones as if to find some kind of hint as to what was going on. They merely stared back at her with a despair she was beginning to feel creeping upon her with its icy fingers. "Aragorn," she whispered.
He turned his gaze away from her to focus instead on the floor under his feet. "I'm afraid that evil has crept back into the world, Rhiannon, and we may have no way of defeating it this time. Sauron's strength is increasing and he seeks to find the ring which was lost to him long ago."
Her eyes widened as her grip tightened. "You don't mean to say that Gollum had it and returned it to him, do you?" she asked.
"No, he once possessed it, but lost it years ago. It has resurfaced in the Shire now, where it has been for the past sixty years in the keeping of Bilbo Baggins, and Gollum knew he had it. I had hoped to find Gollum before Sauron did, but it appears he found him first and there's a chance he now knows where the ring is. But I can't be sure until I find him and speak with him," he said, his head hanging low with weariness.
She moved her hand to rest on his back and took hold of his hand with her other one to hold it tight. "Don't forget that I'm going to help you," she reminded him. "I love this land just as much as you do, and I will do anything I can to protect it and those that live upon it."
He brought his gaze back to hers, and his hand came to cover hers to squeeze it in agreement. "As do I," he replied. "But my responsibility goes even further than you know."
"So does mine," she returned, meeting his gaze evenly. They remained like that for a few moments, both of them measuring each other unknowingly before Aragorn broke contact to rise to his feet.
"I will take first watch tonight," he said.
"No, I will take it, Aragorn," she offered as she rose to her feet. "You are tired and I am still awake from my swim earlier."
He gave in to her and found a place where he could settle down comfortably while she looked over her spare clothing to see if there were any pieces that needed repairing as well as any she was wearing that could be removed. She didn't want to be wearing these as there was a good chance they could get hung on a branch and rip apart completely, a bad thing to happen if she was being pursued or being the hunter.
Soon the ranger's soft breathing filled the room, or it would have if not for the sound of the waterfall rushing past the entrance. The moon's bright rays shone through the curtain, making shadows dance around on the walls of the refuge, and she found her thoughts wandering when she took out her dagger to check it for any signs that it needed sharpening.
The dagger had been a gift to her from her father shortly before his death at the hands of orcs, and she treasured it like no other weapon she possessed as it was all she had left of him and her heritage. She also had one other token, a necklace that she had kept hidden underneath her clothing ever since she had had it, a gift from her mother who had died before her father did.
Soon it was time for Aragorn to have his turn, and she knelt down beside him to wake him, first whispering his name, which she was surprised to see do the trick as he was apparently a light sleeper. "Anything happen?" he asked.
"No, nothing," she replied as she stifled a yawn.
He smiled at her. "Get some rest, Rhiannon. I will wake you when it's time to leave."
She fixed a wry glance on him. "You'd better, or I will be forced to track you down, ranger."
"You have my word," he said with a laugh then settled down near the entrance to watch the play of moonlight upon the water, his thoughts filled with how much he missed Arwen. But then his gaze slid over to Rhiannon's sleeping form, and he found himself thinking about how much she and Arwen were alike. They were both brave and skilled in the way of nature, but so very different since they were of different races. Her dark hair was so much like his beloved's that his fingers itched to reach out and run themselves through her midnight locks, but he refrained from doing so as it was not Arwen lying there, but a ranger that he had just met this very day.
Shaking his thoughts from her, he pulled out his pipe and began smoking just to have something to do to keep his mind where it belonged.
After a couple of hours had passed, he noticed movement from where she lay, and he looked over to see her body twitch like she was dreaming, and a violent one judging from her actions. He eased over to her side, whispering her name at first then trying in a louder voice when that didn't work. She was curled up in a fetal position, her teeth clenched as were her hands which were crossed in front of her chest and he could see the tears which leaked from her eyes.
"Rhiannon," he called, touching her shoulder this time to try and wake her. Her eyes flew open and she quickly sat up, her dagger in her hand, and going for his throat before she was aware of what she was doing. He easily caught her wrist and applied just enough pressure to make her drop it, and she cried out from the pain as she was jolted to her senses. Her hand lie in her lap and her face was hidden by the dark curtain of her hair, but he could tell by the shaking of her shoulders that she was still frightened.
He leaned near and pulled her hair out of the way. She quickly turned her face away from him, but he persuaded her to turn back to him with a finger to her chin, and when he did he gently wiped the tears from her face with his thumbs. "Are you all right?" he asked softly.
She knew she must look a mess with her hair loosened from its normal braided style and her eyes all red and puffy, but apparently he didn't care as his eyes held nothing but concern for her. She sniffed and nodded slowly, not trusting herself to speak just yet as she still trembled from the terrible nightmare.
He sighed a little. "Are you sure? Want to talk about it?" he offered.
She smiled but shook her head, not wanting to relate what it had been about and have to face it again for it seemed as if the whole of Mordor had fell upon her and Aragorn, and both of them had been helpless to stop them. The creatures had been hideous to look upon and had frightened her even in her dreams.
"Then I suppose you'll not want to sleep anymore for the rest of the night, so I guess we can get our things together and start off early. Perhaps we'll find Gollum today," he added as he rose to his feet and helped her to hers. Then she did something both of them didn't expect: she embraced him tightly as soon as she got to her feet. Although he was surprised, he held her if only to offer her whatever comfort she needed, and when she pulled away he looked deep into her eyes to see for himself if she was all right.
All of a sudden she couldn't breathe as she gazed into the blue depths of his eyes, the strange thought emerging that he had to be the most handsome man she had ever seen. His arms around her suddenly seemed to offer more than the obvious, and she brought her hand up to touch his face with wondering fingers as her eyes lowered to look upon his mouth.
He knew good and well where this was heading, and it was in a very dangerous direction. He took her hand in his and slowly removed it, giving it a gentle squeeze once he saw the disappointed light in her eyes. "Gather your things, Rhiannon," he admonished softly. "We have a long day ahead of us."
He left her side, leaving her suddenly alone, and she wondered what had come over her to want to do such a thing. If she couldn't control her emotions around him, then what good would it do to help him find Gollum? Perhaps it would be best if she left him and let him continue on his own.
No, she couldn't do that. Not after having given her word that she would help. He would only see her as a weak female, and that she didn't want from him. Turning, she found her dagger and sheathed it before working her hair back into a single braid; then she was ready just as he took them back up the way they had come to the top. One thing was for sure, it was turning out to be an interesting journey, for her at least, and one she was sure never to forget.
**********************
It appears Rhiannon's emotions are getting the best of her. Not good when there's danger lurking everywhere.
Next chapter: the search for Gollum continues. Will they find him, and will he tell them anything?
Thanks for reading! C-ya!