---Once again, I do not own any of these characters save for Kaylen, who is mine and mine alone.---
Chapter Two
The man flinched at the words, his hands twitching a little. By the look of it, agility was not one of the traits that he would normally need instructing in. The sound that escaped from his mouth was almost a growl, and it made Kaylen's dark smile widen even more. She knew that he had trained long and hard to become as he was, but he was a friend of hers, and she couldn't resist the occasional need to mock him. She had once been a tutor of his, but the time for teaching was long over, for he was a full-grown man now, and had learned most of what Kaylen could teach her in a quarter of the time Kaylen had expected.
"Well, then, Dunedan, do you yield?"
A grumbling tone answered quickly.
"Never."
"Oh? What was that you said?" She said, pressing the sword slightly harder against his throat, so close to drawing blood that had she flinched, her good friend would be dead. However, her hand was steady, and held the sword firmly in place.
"I yield, if it spares my life for the time being. I was going to converse shortly with my guest, who is hiding in the corner just there, and having my throat slit would not help the situation any."
"Very well then, my friend. You may have your talk with him. Afterwards though, may be a different matter." With this she released him, nodding to the hobbit.
"Forgive me for interrupting, Mr. Underhill. Please allow my friend to finish what he has to say."
Aragorn began to speak to the hobbit of fear, and that Frodo did not have enough of it in his heart for one who carried such a ring. However, he was interrupted a second time by the door swinging open loudly, and Frodo's three companions rushed through the door, wielding, among other things, a short bar stool and a candle holder.
The one that seemed most attached to frodo yelled out, his voice determined and far too angry for anyone's comfort.
"Get out, or I'll have you, Longshanks!"
Strider, who had, in the time that it took for the hobbits to get through the door, unsheathed his sword and prepared to fight, resheathed it slowly.
"You have a stout heart, but that will not save you." With this, he turned to Mr. Baggins. "You can no longer wait for the wizard, Frodo. They're coming."
That night, all four hobbits slept in Aragorn's rented room, and the two rangers took turns on watch. Later in the night, a metallic screech was heard, the cry of the Nazgul. They invaded Bree and plundered the hobbits' quarters in a vain attempt to slaughter them in their sleep, but this time they had been outsmarted. The hobbits had placed pillows under their bedsheets, and had sought safety in the company of two rangers. And safe they would be, Blade told herself, as she rose and looked out the window.
Aragorn turned his head away from the glass a little, and spoke in a quiet voice directly to his comrade.
"Have you any news of Mithrandir?"
"None."
Aragorn scowled a little, his face clouded with concern.
"Feaelen, you know that he would not have delayed. And since he is not here, I know not what to do. I am in need of council."
"We must bear them away. This place is too dangerous, too easily entered. If Mithrandir is not here by dawn, we must leave without him."
"Agreed. We take them to Imaldris?"
"I know no better place for this burden to be taken to."
"Elrond shall not be pleased."
"Then he shall not be pleased. Under other circumstances I would have advised otherwise, but..." She leaned in closer, talking quieter, "you know the danger these halflings carry. Therefore to Imaldris we must go, with all speed."
Aragorn sighed.
"We set out at dawn."
There was a moment of silence, which was broken by a Nazgul's screech, and the whimpering sound of Frodo being awakened into a nightmare. He shuddered, and immediately stood, walking speedily towards the window. As he looked out, his eyes filled with the fear that he should have had in his heart a while before.
"What are they?"
Aragorn was the one to answer, as Blade looked out at her enemies.
"There were once men, great kings of men. Then Sauron the Deciever gave to them nine rings. Blinded by their greed, they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness, and now they are slaves to his will." His words were distant, as if he wasn't seeing the Black Riders, but rather was looking into the past, seeing what they once were. When he began to speak again, his voice had changed, focused on the emotions that he had for these creatures. The anger, the hate, and the pity.
"They are the Nazgul, Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the presence of the Ring, drawn to the power of the One. They shall never stop hunting you."
The night went on, and day began, and as the sun began to emerge from under the horizon, Kaylen awoke. She was the first to rise, being Eldar, and passed down the stairs, into the tavern. The place was empty, abnormally so, and the only man she found inhabiting it was Barliman, who seemed to twitch with fear now and then. It was sad to see so cheerful a man suddenly become the opposite of what he was because of the minions of Sauron. It gave her more hatred for the Dark Lord than ever before. She walked outside into the cool morning, smelling the scent of fresh dew. Under the dew, though, she could almost smell the fear, and she could smell the death. She had become accustomed to that smell in particular.
Kaylen turned, and strode back into the tavern, not wanting to have to see suffering so early in the morning. Instead, she foud food, and prepared it for those who slept yet. She brought trays back up to the room where they had stayed, and placed them on a small table. By the time everyone had woken up and noticed the table, she had already eaten, and was sitting by the window, looking out.
The others ate well, and then silently packed their things. After all was packed, Kaylen returned to the stables, finding her horse untouched. She stroked his dark mane lightly a few times, and then untethered him. When she had led him out of the stables, Aragorn was waiting by the door, and the last of the hobbits had scurried down the stairs. Together, they set out east, and into the wilderness just beyond the town of Bree. Once here, the two rangers seemed to settle a bit, as the wilderness was what they knew best. They continued east, toward the realm of Rivendell, but on foot (the only way they could currently travel, as there were far too many to ride on horseback) it would take several days.
That night they slept just outside of the Midgewater marshes, in a small clearing. Aragorn managed to shoot down a deer, and so that night they ate venison. When all were full of stomach, the hobbits fell each into their own slumbers. Once again, Aragorn and Kaylen took turns on watch, so that some sleep could be had. After her shift was over, Kaylen slept, only to be awoken once to hear Aragorn singing the tale of Luthien Tinuviel. Falling asleep once again, she did not awaken until sunrise.
The next day they traveled long between the two meals that they were allowed. In truth, Kaylen could not remember the exact goings on during most of that day, since little had happened, and so the entire day was blurred. However, the sight that stood clearly in her mind was that of the ruined tower of Amon Sul (also called Weathertop), their destination for tonight. They would sleep here tonight, for although the winds that blew over it were strong, the tower's foundation was even stronger. They climbed a flight of stairs, taking them into a hollowed out part of the tower's side, where one could keep an eye on the events happening below them. The hobbits sat down to rest, and were shortly given each a short sword by Aragorn, if they should need to protect themselves. The two rangers then went separate ways, looking for their own food and scouting for enemies.
Kaylen spent a good long time hunting before coming upon what seemed to be the only animal life around: Rabbits. She managed to catch one, and was about to kill it and return to the tower when she heard the pounding of horse hooves, and a screech that pierced as much the soul as the ears. The Nazgul approached.
Immediately she ran for the tower, the feeling of dread and the knowledge that the Ringwraiths were on horseback and could move far faster than she could only adding to her haste. When she found breath, she screamed out for Aragorn to return. She could already see that she would not beat them to the tower, and only prayed now that she would not arrive too late.
---Ok, next chapter should be faster-paced. However, please review if you have any comments or problems with this chapter--
