Chapter13

Aragorn's plan worked perfectly. The riders were hopefully, thrown off the scent at least for awhile, and the rest of our little group made for the ford.

Bill Ferny had already given us his scrawny pony named Bill, (how original) and since I had refused to sell Clenna, it was easy going to hall all of our baggage.

The two ponies made quite a handsome pair (if I do say so myself); and Sam was rather proud to be the person that got to lead them.

On the rough roads that lead us to our destination, I caught things up with Pippin. Asking him about home and my parents, and filling him in on why I'd left...

"You mother was going to send your pony to Farmer Maggot?" He gasped.

I only nodded in return.

"But every hobbit in the Shire knows he works his horses to death! She might as well have sent her straight to the butchers!"

I nodded again. "I couldn't stay there. I just did the best thing I could think of, at the time. And that was to come here."

We carried on like that for some time. Just throwing random pieces of information at each other, until nearly nightfall.

At that time we had reached a small dell, and as soon as Aragorn disclosed its name, I knew what was going to happen.

We had stopped that night to rest in Weather top. This was the night that Frodo would be stabbed.

I looked at my fellows; they all had their own swords from the Barrow Wright. Aragorn had his blades, but I had nothing. Not even a dagger.

"Strider," I said, struggling to keep my voice even, "I need to talk to you, it's urgent." I gave him a pleading look.

He nodded, and we moved away form the group. "What is it?" He hissed, keeping his voice low.

I struggled with an answer. I didn't know exactly how to put this. I didn't want to tell him anything that might change the path of the story.

"Ah......Aragorn, I need something that will....I mean, I need something......I need a sword. A blade you know, like the others have." I stuttered nervously.

He raised an eyebrow and looked at me strangely. As if saying in his mind 'why would a woman need a weapon?' "Why?" He asked.

I gave him another pleading look, trying to tell him with my eyes that I couldn't answer his question.

He just looked at me, unmoving for a few seconds before sighing.

"Alright, just don't kill yourself with this, its sharp." He said, removing a long dagger from his belt, sheath and all, and placing it in my hands.

"Thank you." I breathed, it was perfect. And almost as long as my entire arm. To me, it WAS a sword.

Then, I settled down with the rest, and waited for what I knew was coming..........

It wasn't long after that, that Aragorn began his story about Beren and Tinuvel, but when he stopped speaking, the silence was thick.

The others and I got up and stretched, while Aragorn sat still as stone. Then Sam and Merry got up and walked away from the fire. I think they wanted to scout the place out one last time before sleep.

I looked at Pippin, and then at Frodo, and as if by some unspoken agreement, we all remained seated. It was quiet and still again, but suddenly, I felt chilled. Cold, even; I moved closer to the fire, and unconsciously put my hand on my dagger's hilt....

At that very moment, Sam came running back form the edge of the dell. "I don't know what it is," he said, "but I suddenly felt afraid. I durstn't go outside this dell for any money; I felt that something was creeping up the slope."

"Did you SEE anything?" Asked Frodo, springing to his feet.

"No, sir. I saw nothing, but I didn't stop to look."

"I saw something," said Merry; "or, I thought I did – away westwards where the moonlight was falling on the flats beyond the shadow of the hill-tops. I THOUGHT there were two or three black shapes. They seemed to be moving this way."

"Keep close to the fire, with your faces outward!" Cried Strider.

And there we all were, sitting breathless, and alert, with our backs warmed by the wood fire. I could feel my heart pounding wildly in my chest.

Then, they appeared just where Merry had said, over the lip of the little dell, three or four dark shapes. Blacker than the blackest night. Until it seemed that they were black holes in the deep shade behind them.

Faintly I could hear the hiss of venomous breath. The shapes slowly advanced.

Pippin and Merry tried to hold their ground, but shrank back in fear...Sam, moved in close beside Frodo, and I was suddenly torn between wanting to protect the tweens, and going to Frodo's rescue.

I could see him shaking in fear, and his hand was moving slowly towards his pocket. In which lay the ring. Five black figures became visible, and they advanced at a quicker pace.

"Frodo! Don't use it!" I screamed, the words tearing from my throat, and in those next precious seconds, I wondered where Aragorn was.

Frodo shut his eyes tight, and reached into his pocket, drew out the chain, and slipped the ring on his finger....

And suddenly, the wraiths fell upon him, and though Frodo drew his own sword, I knew it would not be enough.

I abandoned Pippin and Merry and pulling out my own sword, threw myself in front of Frodo, just as the one I knew to be the 'Witch King' drew his fiery blade.

He laughed cruelly as he sent his sword down in a flying arc that sheared my dagger off at the hilt. My arms went numb with the impact. But I refused to give in. He brought the blade back for another blow, but this one came slower than the other somehow....

I felt as if, the whole scene had been slowed, and as I watched the blade come forth, I lunged. I caught the blunt off the blow with the hilt, then scrambled to get a hold...trying desperately to wrest the thing from his grasp, to no avail.

My right hand slipped down the blade, and I screamed as it sliced me, to the very bones of my hand. I released the sword, and fell to the ground with a clash.

The last thing I heard before I blacked out was Frodo shouting the words: "O Elbereth! Gilthoniel!" I knew he had been stabbed, but I was gone before a scream to match my own, left his lips....

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Author: First, I want to say that most of the dialogue included in this chapter, came straight from the book, chapter 'A knife in the Dark' Read it yourself if you don't believe me.

Secondly, this was so fun to write! I hope you all liked it, and if you did, you are going to love what happens when they all talk to Elrond!

And no people, I am not with holding chapters, but perhaps I will start to, Savvy?

Read and Review! Pippinsgal011890