The Chase

When the sun began to leave and rest for the night, all the riders set out to leave Isengard. Two scouts were sent on ahead, passing into the valley with all the speed they could muster.

"All's well that ends well." Rhia said, ridding in between Gandalf who had Merry ridding with him and Aragorn who bore Pippin.

"True enough, but I still feel uneasy, even with the ents taking charge of Isengard." Merry said "How long will it be until we stop to rest Gandalf?"

"When we have come to the end of the valley we shall take the rest you seek my friend. That should be no more than a few more hours at this gentle pace. Tomorrow we must ride much faster and with more urgency." Gandalf replied with an encouraging smile.

The group rode on into the night until the plains opened up before them, and they stopped to rest as promised under the thornbushes. Two guards were set at a watch and they all sat down and ate dinner.

Soon they set to bed on the bracken. Pippin tossed and turned throughout the night, aggrevating those who slept near him. Demi woke up feeling frustrated with the hobbit, hearing him talk with Merry.

"how long do you suppose it has been since we've slept in a proper bed Merry?" Pippin asked quietly.

"Suck it up Pip. We have got a lot further to go before we sleep in another bed, now go back to sleep!" Demi heard Rhia hiss. She had to stifle a laugh, and then Demi rolled over, hearing the bracken crackle beneath her. Facing her now was Boromir. His eyes opened, offering her a small smile.

"You cannot sleep either?" He asked her in a low whisper.

"Not very well, how about you?" Demi asked.

"No. I do not think anyone can with our hobbit friends making such a ruckus." Boromir said.

Demi smiled again, wrapping herself up tighter in her blanket to beat the cold. She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep but found it no good, so she stood up, keeping the blanket wrapped around her and went for a walk. She stood by a tree, just on the outside of where all her friends slept looking up to the moon. She then heard movement over near Pippin. She looked at him and saw him stand up, then walk over to the sleeping wizard across from her. He was wrapped up in his blanket and stooping over Gandalf. He bent down and picked something off the ground. Instinctively, Demi made a bolt over to the hobbit, her feet making no sound. She saw that he held a large stone and was replacing it with the black orb thing that Gandalf was holding as he slept.

"Pippin!" Demi hissed at him, but her small friend did not hear her. His gaze was held by the stone he was gazing into. Pippin then stood, wrapped the stone up in his own cloak and moved back to where he slept. Gandalf stirred in his sleep and muttered something. "God damnit!" she muttered to herself and stalked slowly over to Pippin.

Pippin was now leaning over the globe avariciously, gazing into its depths. Demi wondered why he had such an interest in the stone, but quickly realised that there had to be more to the stone than what there appeared to be if Gandalf had such concern to its keeping. The globe Pippin gazed into began to glow slightly and Demi felt her teardrop pendant begin to heat up. The chain around her neck seemed to be chocking her, ever drawing itself tighter around her throat. She gasped for air and tried to loosen the chain but to no avail. The globe seemed to be catching on fire as Pippin held it and began to spin out of control, yet the hobbit still bent in closer to the ball. Demi felt the air escape her lungs, and then she heard a voice in her head, so haunting, its mere presence felt evil.

"So the spell weaver has returned. Do not fear, I will come for you too." The voice said full of malice and hate.

"Leave me alone!" Demi cried out. People began to stir.

"No, have no fear, I will come for you. Tell me first, where is the hobbit who has my ring? What is his name?" Demi cringed, she wouldn't tell him. She couldn't.

"Never." She seethed.

"TELL ME!" The voice cried in her head, so loud it felt like her head were about to split in two.

The lights went out in the camp. Pippin let out a cry and fell backwards staying rigid. The air to Demi was at last lost. She fell into darkness, but was caught by someone before she hit the ground.

"Vaira! Vaira! Please, hear my voice!"

Demi stirred. She knew that voice. It was so familiar.

"Vaira!" it called again.

"Leave me sleep! I'm too tired, mum. Don't make me go to school." Demi muttered. The Fellowship minus Frodo and Sam were gathered around her, giving her weird looks.

"Is she going to be alright Gandalf?" Pippin asked full of worry.

"Yes, she will be fine." Gandalf said, chuckling at her response. "Vaira, wake up." He said commandingly.

Slowly, Demi opened her eyes. At first everything was blurry, but then settled into focus.

"I'm awake." She muttered weakly. "What happened? I was just sleeping."

"I do not know; try to remember what happened Vaira. You seemed to go unconscious around the same time Pippin did." Gandalf said.

Demi thought hard, but it just made her head ache. That was it!

"I was going to stop Pippin when I saw he'd stolen that stone thing of yours Gandalf, but my necklace...it started to choke me!" She said. Everyone looked on in fear. "I saw that stone catch on fire, but then I couldn't focus my eyes on it. Then I heard a voice in my head! It was so cruel!" she said, her voice faint.

"Go on Vaira...you can do it. We must hear the full tale." Aragorn said, putting a cold compress on her head to reduce her fever.

"It...it said...it was coming for me, it knew about me...my gift. Then it asked where Frodo was and his name. I didn't say anything to answer its question. I told it to leave me alone. It wouldn't. Then it yelled in my head. It was so loud! I thought my head would implode. Then all the lights went out and I ran out of air and...everything went black...I don't remember anything else up until now." She said, chills running down her spine.

"You were very brave." Gandalf said. "That was the dark Lord Sauron you heard in your mind, and I do not doubt that he wishes to dispose of you, you are too much of a threat. You did well, not speaking of Frodo and the Ring. He asked Pippin the very same questions, but through the stone, the palantír. He did not answer him either. But it is no longer safe for you here."

"What do you mean?" Demi asked, sitting up abruptly, ignoring the searing pain running through her head.

"I am ridding to Minas Tirith within the hour, but I will not be going alone. Peregrin, Boromir and you will come with me. It is not safe for you or our hobbit friend to remain amongst this company and Boromir will go to watch over you as I have not the time. Take your rest while you can, I will retrieve you when we are to head out." Gandalf said, rising from where he sat on the ground beside Demi and made his way off. Boromir followed to ready Brytta for the ride.

It was still dark out, but they felt a shadow pass over them.

"What the hell?" Demi heard Rhia cry.

In the distance, but not too far away, they head Gandalf call out to everyone.

"Nazgûl!" he cried. "Wait not for dawn! Ride now!"

Demi stood up as much as she could. Boromir came ridding over and Legolas helped her up to sit in front of the Gondorian warrior.

"Navaer mellon!" Legolas called to Demi as Brytta sprang away after Gandalf who rode upon Shadowfax, Pippin sitting with him.

"Bye Demi! Good luck! Don't get killed or I'll kill you!" Rhia called to Demi.

"Right back at ya!" Demi yelled and waved goodbye, tears swelling in her eyes.

AE: Yeah, another chapter over. I told you it wouldn't take me that long to get it up. Thanks for reading this and I hope you liked it! Also, this was the last chapter of OL2. OL #3 should be up soon I hope, but I need a name for it. Please if you have any ideas let me know!

It should be completed as such:

Oira Laurë 3: ...............(insert name here)......

I'm sure you get the idea. Thanks much!

LEva: You are what I call a decent prep. You have a brain. You are not and bimbo and you are cool. In other words, you are so far from the preps at my school, which believe me is a good thing. Thanx for the advice. I will sooooooooooooooooooooo need it. I am a very clumsy character when it comes to heels, which is odd, coz I jump all over the stage and stuff and don't fall over. Way happy bout that! Thanx for your review. Very berry mucho appreciated. I like it when my readers pick up on things. Good work!