A/N: I know I said that chapter 10 & 11 would be up within the next few
days....but that obviously didn't happen. I had a hard time with the next
chapter so I had to wait to post anything. Chapter 12 is finished and I am
almost done with 11, so hope both will be posted by next week. Yes, I did
write them in reverse order.... Sorry for the delay. Thank you to everyone
who has kept up with me, as inconsistent as I may be.
Nymredil72: Thank you SO much for the praise. I don't understand why I'm not getting many reviews on this story either!? Maybe because it's my first FanFic? Who know! Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. Now....ready, set, ACTION!
Ch. 10
After a few more days of traveling, Frodo was starting to feel the symptoms worsen. He did his best to hide it, but, especially after their first journey, Sam had developed a keen eye for catching Frodo at his worst.
"Maybe we should stop for a while." Sam suggested. They had only been walking for a few hours and could stand to go for a while longer. But if Frodo needed a rest, Sam would make sure he had a rest.
"No, that's not necessary." Frodo said, raising his head proudly as he walked on. "We are making great time. We should be in Rivendell in about a week and a half. A good 4 days before Aragorn's letter asked that we arrive. That will give us plenty of time to...to rest up." He added a little awkwardly.
"Looks like rain." Merry commented as he came up besides Sam. The sky had been growing darker by the minute and the air seemed to be thick with an impending storm.
"I don't see anything that looks strong enough for a shelter." Sam said as he surveyed the surroundings. There only seemed to be trees with fairly thin canopies and a few large stones, but nothing enough to keep safe from a severe storm. A rumbling in the distance made all the hobbits look up into the ever darkening sky and wonder about their next move.
"Maybe we should just stop and set up camp. The storm could pass right over us and..." Rosie was cut off by bolt of lightning that skipped across the sky like a stone on a pond, followed by another terrifying clap of thunder. It was then that the heavens above opened up and released its hold on an ocean, which came pouring down on the small band of hobbits.
"We have to get out of this rain!" Pippin called though his scarf, which was wrapped tightly around his face. "Eleanor could catch a cold!" Sam looked quickly back at his family in the cart. Rosie had her cloak pulled tightly around her and Eleanor's shadow could be seen sitting in the back of the covered cart, holding Stuart close to her chest.
"Wait!" Merry cried suddenly. "I think I see a light ahead!" Sure enough, straight down the road was a flickering light, as if from a lantern. "Maybe they can give us shelter until the storm passes!" Everyone looked at Frodo, waiting for an answer. This seemed to be becoming a habit, since Frodo had made all the previous decisions as the former Ring barer.
"We must hurry, before the rain puts the light out. Otherwise, we may have to stay out in this dreadful weather." Frodo commanded. Hopefully whoever had the light would help them until the rain passed. So, quickly remounting their ponies, the group hurried off down the road toward the light.
About a mile later, the hobbits came upon a cottage just off the main road. Candles and a fire could be seen burning inside and a lantern was hung next to the front gate. Merry and Pippin tied the ponies to the fence while Sam helped Rosie and Eleanor from the cart. Frodo was busy deciding on how to present themselves to the owner of the house. It will be quite a shock for them to encounter 6 hobbits this far from the Shire and traveling in such weather.
"Ready, Frodo?" Merry called over the storm as he finished tying off the ponies that were pulling the cart and walking besides his elder cousin. Frodo stared at the front door for a moment before he nodded then signaled for the others to follow him.
The 6 weary travelers were about the open the gate and cross the threshold to the cottage when they heard it; the echoing cry of an angry horse and heavy hoof beats. Frodo's eyes became wide and his hand shot up to his left shoulder. The scar, a memento left by the Witch King, was still there.
It was then when their worst fear was confirmed. A large, black horse bearing a rider cloaked in darkness approached. The horse was at almost a full gallop as it came up the muddy road then stopped suddenly, as the rider caught sight of the travelers.
Merry and Pippin took their positions in front and drew their swords. After the initial "Stuart scare", they had taken them out of their packs and began wearing them all the time. They were not about to be caught unprepared again. Sam quickly rushed to Rosie and Eleanor and took them behind the cart where they would be out of sight. Frodo stood motionless in front of the gate. Fear's grip was strong on him and there was nothing he could do to fight it.
Looking up at the rider as he sat upon his evil steed, Frodo began to have vivid flashbacks of the attack on Weathertop and the long track thought Mordor. Like a wave crashing onto the beach, the memories pulled Frodo into another world and he couldn't bring himself back to reality.
"What's wrong with Mr. Frodo?" Rosie whispered urgently to Sam. "Why is he just standing there?" Sam stared at Frodo as his hand crept up towards his chest and to his neck. Rosie had no way of knowing what the significance of this action was, but the others did.
"Mr. Frodo! NO!" Sam cried out as he dove for Frodo. Without warning, Frodo's eyes rolled back into his head and his entire body went limp. He tumble to the wet, mud soaked ground and landed with a sickening splash. Sam was at his side immediately followed closely by Rosie.
"Sam! What happened? What's wrong with him?" Sam didn't answer either question, but simply gave a stern command.
"Help me get him behind the cart!" He yelled. Rosie asked no more questions and did exactly as she was told. Together they dragged the unconscious hobbit back behind the cart where Eleanor stood, crying with fear. Rosie picked her up and held her tightly as Sam tended to Frodo.
The cloaked figure had dismounted and was slowly approaching Merry and Pippin. With swords drawn, the brave, young hobbits stood their ground before the menacing threat before them. It was then that Merry took the first advance on the cloaked figure.
"Get back, you fiend!" he cried. The figure stopped dead in its tracks and seemed to be staring at the pair of sword-wielding miniatures before him. Suddenly, it let out a long, deep laugh.
Laughter? That was the last thing the hobbits had expected. Usually the Nazgul made a horrid screeching sound that seemed to split eardrums. It was then the hood of the cloak was removed and the true enemy was reviled.
TBC......
Nymredil72: Thank you SO much for the praise. I don't understand why I'm not getting many reviews on this story either!? Maybe because it's my first FanFic? Who know! Anyway, thanks for the suggestions. Now....ready, set, ACTION!
Ch. 10
After a few more days of traveling, Frodo was starting to feel the symptoms worsen. He did his best to hide it, but, especially after their first journey, Sam had developed a keen eye for catching Frodo at his worst.
"Maybe we should stop for a while." Sam suggested. They had only been walking for a few hours and could stand to go for a while longer. But if Frodo needed a rest, Sam would make sure he had a rest.
"No, that's not necessary." Frodo said, raising his head proudly as he walked on. "We are making great time. We should be in Rivendell in about a week and a half. A good 4 days before Aragorn's letter asked that we arrive. That will give us plenty of time to...to rest up." He added a little awkwardly.
"Looks like rain." Merry commented as he came up besides Sam. The sky had been growing darker by the minute and the air seemed to be thick with an impending storm.
"I don't see anything that looks strong enough for a shelter." Sam said as he surveyed the surroundings. There only seemed to be trees with fairly thin canopies and a few large stones, but nothing enough to keep safe from a severe storm. A rumbling in the distance made all the hobbits look up into the ever darkening sky and wonder about their next move.
"Maybe we should just stop and set up camp. The storm could pass right over us and..." Rosie was cut off by bolt of lightning that skipped across the sky like a stone on a pond, followed by another terrifying clap of thunder. It was then that the heavens above opened up and released its hold on an ocean, which came pouring down on the small band of hobbits.
"We have to get out of this rain!" Pippin called though his scarf, which was wrapped tightly around his face. "Eleanor could catch a cold!" Sam looked quickly back at his family in the cart. Rosie had her cloak pulled tightly around her and Eleanor's shadow could be seen sitting in the back of the covered cart, holding Stuart close to her chest.
"Wait!" Merry cried suddenly. "I think I see a light ahead!" Sure enough, straight down the road was a flickering light, as if from a lantern. "Maybe they can give us shelter until the storm passes!" Everyone looked at Frodo, waiting for an answer. This seemed to be becoming a habit, since Frodo had made all the previous decisions as the former Ring barer.
"We must hurry, before the rain puts the light out. Otherwise, we may have to stay out in this dreadful weather." Frodo commanded. Hopefully whoever had the light would help them until the rain passed. So, quickly remounting their ponies, the group hurried off down the road toward the light.
About a mile later, the hobbits came upon a cottage just off the main road. Candles and a fire could be seen burning inside and a lantern was hung next to the front gate. Merry and Pippin tied the ponies to the fence while Sam helped Rosie and Eleanor from the cart. Frodo was busy deciding on how to present themselves to the owner of the house. It will be quite a shock for them to encounter 6 hobbits this far from the Shire and traveling in such weather.
"Ready, Frodo?" Merry called over the storm as he finished tying off the ponies that were pulling the cart and walking besides his elder cousin. Frodo stared at the front door for a moment before he nodded then signaled for the others to follow him.
The 6 weary travelers were about the open the gate and cross the threshold to the cottage when they heard it; the echoing cry of an angry horse and heavy hoof beats. Frodo's eyes became wide and his hand shot up to his left shoulder. The scar, a memento left by the Witch King, was still there.
It was then when their worst fear was confirmed. A large, black horse bearing a rider cloaked in darkness approached. The horse was at almost a full gallop as it came up the muddy road then stopped suddenly, as the rider caught sight of the travelers.
Merry and Pippin took their positions in front and drew their swords. After the initial "Stuart scare", they had taken them out of their packs and began wearing them all the time. They were not about to be caught unprepared again. Sam quickly rushed to Rosie and Eleanor and took them behind the cart where they would be out of sight. Frodo stood motionless in front of the gate. Fear's grip was strong on him and there was nothing he could do to fight it.
Looking up at the rider as he sat upon his evil steed, Frodo began to have vivid flashbacks of the attack on Weathertop and the long track thought Mordor. Like a wave crashing onto the beach, the memories pulled Frodo into another world and he couldn't bring himself back to reality.
"What's wrong with Mr. Frodo?" Rosie whispered urgently to Sam. "Why is he just standing there?" Sam stared at Frodo as his hand crept up towards his chest and to his neck. Rosie had no way of knowing what the significance of this action was, but the others did.
"Mr. Frodo! NO!" Sam cried out as he dove for Frodo. Without warning, Frodo's eyes rolled back into his head and his entire body went limp. He tumble to the wet, mud soaked ground and landed with a sickening splash. Sam was at his side immediately followed closely by Rosie.
"Sam! What happened? What's wrong with him?" Sam didn't answer either question, but simply gave a stern command.
"Help me get him behind the cart!" He yelled. Rosie asked no more questions and did exactly as she was told. Together they dragged the unconscious hobbit back behind the cart where Eleanor stood, crying with fear. Rosie picked her up and held her tightly as Sam tended to Frodo.
The cloaked figure had dismounted and was slowly approaching Merry and Pippin. With swords drawn, the brave, young hobbits stood their ground before the menacing threat before them. It was then that Merry took the first advance on the cloaked figure.
"Get back, you fiend!" he cried. The figure stopped dead in its tracks and seemed to be staring at the pair of sword-wielding miniatures before him. Suddenly, it let out a long, deep laugh.
Laughter? That was the last thing the hobbits had expected. Usually the Nazgul made a horrid screeching sound that seemed to split eardrums. It was then the hood of the cloak was removed and the true enemy was reviled.
TBC......