Loving Allegra
Chapter Four: Confessions in Rivendell
Disclaimer: You know the drill....
Author's Note: I am absolutely appalled at how many words were misspelled in this story! And I posted it that way before, didn't I? Did I just not use spell check last time? WTF??? Anyway, sorry for the gross spelling, if any of you noticed before...
Allegra didn't wake up that morning when Strider called for her to get ready. Nor did she wake when Sam shook her and said in a loud voice that it was time for breakfast. She woke up just as Strider picked her up to carry her on his shoulder.
"Ugh!" she cried. "What's going on? Put me down!" She squirmed in Strider's arms, causing him to nearly drop her. He finally got a good hold of her and set her down. "What was that for?"
"We thought you weren't going to wake," said Strider.
"What time is it?" asked Allegra.
"Nearly seven o' clock," said Strider.
"Well no wonder! I don't think I've ever gotten out of bed before eight!" said Allegra.
"Then I suggest you get used to it," said Strider. "We cannot afford to sleep in." Someone had already packed Allegra's bag, so she hoisted it onto her back and followed Strider and her friends out of the inn. Outside, a horse was tied to a lamp post with bedding, extra food, and a small bag of bandages should one of them get hurt, all tied to its back. Sam untied the horse and led him along with them as they exited the gates of Bree. They ventured off the road and into the wild, not lingering on the road for more than ten minutes.
"How do we really know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf?" muttered Merry.
"And where's he taking us?" asked Sam.
"To Rivendell, Master Gamgee. That is our road," said Strider.
"Did you hear that? We're going to Rivendell! We're going to see the Elves!" said Sam happily.
"Why so happy?" asked Allegra.
"Well I've never met an Elf before, but I've seen some from a ways away. I'd really like to see what they're like," said Sam.
"I've never seen one before, but I know a little bit of Elvish," said Allegra. "Gandalf taught me," she said quietly, wondering if Gandalf was all right.
"You'll have to teach Sam some Elvish before he bursts," said Frodo with a grin. Sam looked very excited.
"It's not that hard, really. It's all in the pronunciation," said Allegra. Around nine o' clock, Strider stopped to look around him, making sure that they were in the right place. The Hobbits began unpacking pots and pans to make breakfast with. Strider, hearing the noise, turned around.
"Gentlemen and lady," he said. "We do not stop until nightfall."
"But what about breakfast?" asked Pippin.
"You've already had it," said Strider.
"We've had one, yes. But what about second breakfast?" Pippin pointed out.
"You've all had first breakfast without me?" asked Allegra, slightly hurt.
"Sorry, we tried to wake you," said Sam. Strider didn't seem to hear Pippin, and walked on.
"I don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip," said Merry.
"Well what about elevensies? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them...doesn't he?" asked Pippin, sounding distressed.
"I wouldn't count on it," said Merry. Just as he finished, an apple flew over a near by bush. Merry caught it and gave it to Pippin. He looked at it for a moment, when a second apple hit Pippin's temple. Allegra laughed at him. She picked up the apple from the ground, wiped the dirt on her jacket and walked on. It had a bruise where it had connected with Pippin's forehead, but she ate it nonetheless. A pathetic first breakfast, if you ask me, but it's better than nothing, I suppose, Allegra thought as she finished the apple, core and all. Strider was quite rigid about what he had said earlier about not stopping, but he did give the Hobbits time to have a little lunch at about one o' clock. Allegra's legs were aching horribly from walking all day long, and she found herself lagging most of the time.
"Come on, Allegra, don't lag," called Strider from the front.
"Yes, sir," groaned Allegra sarcastically.
"If Sam can keep up, so can you," said Merry.
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Sam.
"Don't worry about it Sam. If it came out of Merry's mouth, it's instant nonsense," said Allegra trying to catch up.
"Not everything I say is nonsense," said Merry. She grinned and chuckled softly to herself. Allegra felt that she might fall over when Strider pointed up at a great ruin of a structure.
"The ruins of Amon Sùl," he said. "That is where we will stay tonight."
"So much for sleeping in beds," sighed Sam. They hiked up to the top of the stone ruins and found a shelf in the rock to camp. It felt good to sit down, and know that they wouldn't have to walk on until the morning.
"These are for you," said Strider, tossing each of them swords in hilts. Allegra unsheathed hers and examined it. She ran her thumb across the blade and accidentally cut herself.
"Oops," she muttered. Blood dripped off her thumb tip and onto the dusty stone.
"Do you need a bandage?" asked Strider.
"No, it's fine," said Allegra. Strider showed them how to strap on the hilts of the swords, and how to take the sword out when they needed it.
As night fell, the temperature dropped dramatically. Allegra could see her breath rise in a mist before her eyes. She wrapped her cloak around her tighter and drew her legs in closer to her body. No one talked very much, they were all cold and too busy wishing they had somewhere warm to go. Strider had gone to take a look around Amon Sùl, and some how or another, Frodo managed to fall asleep on the rock. Allegra stared at him jealously.
"Hey," said Merry approaching her. "Come over here, we're making supper."
"What about Frodo?" asked Allegra getting to her feet.
"Let him sleep," said Merry. "It's pure luck he fell asleep in the first place."
"I suppose so," said Allegra, following Merry over to a pile of sticks where Sam and Pippin were trying to get a fire going. They were holding matches under the sticks and thin logs, hoping that one would catch fire. "That's a good way to waste matches," Allegra pointed out.
"You try startin' a fire without any grass or paper," said Sam. Finally the log that Sam was holding his match under caught fire. "There!" he said. He set up a pan over it and got out some sausages and bacon. "These should make a nice supper," said Sam.
"Hold on a minute, I think I've got a few eggs, if they haven't cracked already," said Merry, rummaging around in his pack. "I guess I forgot them back at Crickhollow," said Merry coming up empty-handed.
"That's all right, I've got some tomatoes," said Pippin, getting up to fetch his bag.
"I haven't got much of anything with me. I'll contribute some other time," said Allegra. Pippin came back with the tomatoes and gave them to Sam for chopping. He sat back down closer to Allegra than he was before. She noticed this, but carried out her plan to act ignorant of all possible signs of affection.
"Come on, Pippin, you can't hold out forever," said Sam.
"What are you talking about?" cried Allegra, confused about what was going on.
"Oh, nothing," said Merry, looking right at Pippin. Pippin shook his head with pursed, white lips. Sam was laughing as he got out plates for each of them when the bacon, sausage and tomatoes were nearly done. He divided up the food between them and passed out forks. Just as they began to eat, Frodo was standing over them.
"What are you doing?!" he cried. They all paused, looking at him.
"Sausage, tomatoes, and nice crispy bacon," said Merry.
"We saved some for you, Mister Frodo," Sam said motioning to a plate that he had set aside for him.
"Put it out, you fools, put it out!" he shouted, stamping out the fire with his foot.
"Well that's nice! You got ash on my tomatoes!" cried Pippin. Frodo raced to the edge of the ledge they were perched on and looked down. The Hobbits abandoned their supper to join him. Allegra's breath caught in her throat when she saw three Ringwraiths drawing closer to Amon Sùl, cutting a trail through the ground fog. Frodo drew his sword.
"Go!" he cried. They followed Frodo up to what was left of the top of the short tower. They stood back to back in a circle, their swords ready, anxiously awaiting when the Nazgul would appear out of the darkness. They looked around frantically, wondering which direction they would come from. The first appeared through one of the broken doorways in front of Sam like a living shadow. The next in front of Frodo, and so on, until there were five wraiths baring down on them. Each of the Nazgul drew their swords and focused on Frodo, their main target.
"Back, you devils!" shouted Sam, attempting to fight one off. He was quickly thrown aside. Merry and Pippin looked at each other and held their swords up to fight, before being flung in opposite directions. Allegra looked up into the black voids under the hoods of the Nazgul, and though more afraid than she had ever been, she stood her ground. She made contact with one of their swords a few times before she was picked up by her hair and thrown hard into a wall. She couldn't move for a few seconds, and she felt incredibly dizzy. Her scalp ached something terrible, her fighting arm ached from the jarring vibration of her short sword fight, and she couldn't move without excruciating pain. She heard a horrible scream. Frodo, she thought. She tilted her head up so that she could see what was going on. Strider had come to help, fighting off the Nazgul with his sword and a torch. Eventually they fled, and Allegra was relieved.
"Frodo!" cried Sam's voice, echoing in Allegra's head. The painful screams continued.
"Is he going to die?" she heard Pippin's voice ask. A tear slid down Allegra's cold cheek. She could hardly bare the pain that coursed through her body.
"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade. This is beyond my skill. He must have Elvish treatment," said Strider.
"Oh no," she heard Pippin say. Allegra heard him run over to her. He bent down on one knee. "Allegra! Say something!" he cried, trying to turn her over.
"Ow!" she shrieked. Pippin recoiled and fell backwards, surprised to hear such an outburst. "No! stop! Don't touch there, it hurts!" Strider approached her and carefully lifted up her shirt to see how she was hurt. Black and purple bruises had blossomed all the way down her side. He put some light pressure on her ribcage. Alegra screamed. "Stop that, would you?" she cried.
"She's badly bruised," Strider said. "And she may have a broken rib or two. We have to get to Rivendell."
"We're six days from Rivendell!" cried Sam. "What if they don't make it?"
"Lets hope for the best, Master Samwise," said Strider, leading the Hobbits down Amon Sùl to where their pony, Bill was tied. Strider put Frodo on Bill's back and carried Allegra over his shoulder. Pippin watched Allegra lie over Strider's shoulder, groaning from pain, and bit his lip. He hated to see her like that.
The next day, Allegra was no better. The pain was so dreadful that it caused her to become sick. Frodo, however, seemed to be getting worse by the hour. Strider and Sam tried their best to treat his wound with Athelas, but nothing seemed to help him. None of them took hardly any rest or food, for most of their cares and worries were about Frodo.
During the third day out from Amon Sùl, she found that she could sit up on her own, but every time she did, her fractured ribs burned. Frodo's wound had closed up, leaving only a cold white mark in its place. The whites of his eyes had turned red and bloodshot. He made strange gasping noises every once and a while, and his skin had turned cold as ice.
"He's gone cold. What's the matter with him, Strider?" asked Sam.
"He's passing into their world. Soon he will become a Wraith like them," said Strider. Allegra felt awful that she should regain her health, no matter how slowly, while Frodo's condition only worsened. Strider boiled some Athelas every night since Frodo's wound closed and bathed the white mark in the concoction. They kept him as warm as possible, giving up their cloaks to wrap around him.
On the fourth, and final day of their race to beat Frodo's illness, Allegra could walk a little ways, though only a few steps without toppling over. The company stopped to rest while Strider was out restocking his herb bag. When he came back, he was followed by an Elf riding a white horse. She dismounted and approached Frodo. She spoke to him in Elvish.
"Frodo...im Arwen. Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nin, tolo dan na ngalad," said the Elf. Allegra understood all of it. Frodo, I am Arwen. I come to help you. Hear my voice and come back to the light.
"Who is she?" asked Merry.
"She's an elf," said Sam softly.
"He is fading, and he won't last. We need to get him to my father," said Arwen in the common tongue. "I've been looking for you for two days, and it is well that I've come upon you. There are five Wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know." Then Strider spoke in Elvish.
"Dartho guin Beriain. Rych le ad tolthathon."
"Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im," said Arwen
"Andelu i ven," Strider replied.
"What are they saying?" asked Pippin.
"She's going to get Frodo to Rivendell on horseback, but Strider says the road is dangerous," said Allegra.
"Frodo fir. Ae athradon i hir, tur gwaith nin beriatha hon," said Arwen.
"Frodo is dying," Allegra translated. "If I get across the river, the power of my people will protect him."
"I do not fear them," Arwen said.
"Be iest lin," said Strider.
"As you wish," Allegra translated.
"Ride hard," Strider said, situating Frodo in the saddle. "And don't look back."
"Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!" she whispered to her horse. The horse reared slightly, and ran off at a sprint.
"What are you doing?" cried Sam. "Those Wraiths are still out there!"
"She is the only chance he has," said Strider. They moved as fast as they could, following Arwen at a great distance. It took hours for them to arrive at Rivendell on foot. They crossed Loudwater and were greeted by two elves.
"Lady Arwen informed us that you would be coming," said one of them.
"Yes. One of the halflings needs medical attention," said Strider motioning to Allegra on Bill's back. "She is badly bruised and may have some broken bones."
"We will take care of her," said the Elf. He carefully lifted Allegra off the horse. Allegra gasped, wincing at the pain that surged through her body. As the Elf carried her up a long flight of stairs, Allegra fainted in pain.
When she awoke, morning light flooded the room. A fresh breeze ruffled Allegra's hair. She looked around and found that she was in a beautiful room. The bed was huge, especially for a Hobbit. It had a thick white spread that was softer than flannel. The bed was four posted with long light green hangings. The headboard was made entirely of living intertwined vines. There were pane-less windows that let the crisp October air flow freely into the room. Allegra felt better than she had in days. She found her bruises nearly gone, replaced by small nearly invisible discolored patches of skin. She saw Pippin asleep in a chair, his head and arms resting on the bedspread. Allegra grinned and got her foot out of the blankets. She pushed the side of Pippin's head with her foot. He groaned and his eyes opened, and Allegra chuckled at him.
"Hello," he said.
"Hi," replied Allegra with a smile.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"Better, thanks," Allegra answered. "How long have you been here?"
"Oh, I dunno. Couple days, maybe," said Pippin.
"Days? How long have I been sleeping?" asked Allegra.
"Since we got here, I think," said Pippin.
"Yes, but when was that?" asked Allegra, irritated, trying to get him to answer her question correctly.
"Oh, three days ago," said Pippin.
"Three days?" muttered Allegra.
"You had me worried, you know," said Pippin.
"I'm sorry," said Allegra softly, flattered that he had stayed by her side for so long. Friends! Only friends! You must remember that! She reminded herself firmly. Silence came over them. The tension was killing Allegra. I have to ask what's going on. I've got to. I don't care if we're just friends, I want to know what's really happening! She thought. But how to do it? "Look, Pippin...I have to talk to you about...something."
"Alright," said Pippin, shifting his weight and leaning forward, getting himself ready to listen.
"Um...," she said, feeling incredibly foolish. "Well, erm...alright, so we've been friends for as long as I can remember, right?"
"Yes?" said Pippin, totally unaware of where all this was leading.
"Right...But lately it's been...not the same," Allegra said, stumbling on her own words. "And...I don't know, I've just felt..."
"Like you shouldn't feel the way you feel because we've been friends for so long?" asked Pippin.
"Yeah, like that," said Allegra. "But at the same time, I don't mind...but I don't know...maybe I'm making this out to be more than it should."
"Maybe I am too," Pippin said. "I mean, look at me, I'm not following the rules at all..."
"What rules?" asked Allegra.
"The rules of courtship! First I'm supposed to ask your father for permission to court you, then I'm supposed to do things like bring you flowers or food, and-," Pippin rambled off.
"Maybe it's not all about 'supposed to'," said Allegra.
"Perhaps not," said Pippin with a little smile. Allegra's heart fluttered. Such an adorable smile, she thought to herself. "So if we're not going to worry about supposed to, then what are we supposed to do?"
"I dunno," Allegra said with a smile. They chuckled at each other before the door opened and Gandalf entered.
"Ah, good. You're awake," said Gandalf.
"Gandalf!" cried Allegra. She began to get out of bed, making Gandalf chuckle.
"Rest, my dear Hobbit, rest!" he said.
"I was so worried about you when you weren't at Bree!" she said. He came over to the chair that Pippin was sitting in. Gandalf waved his hand, telling Pippin to get up. Pippin let Gandalf have his seat and started to walk out of the room. He turned around and waved a good-bye to Allegra, accidentally bumping into a small table with a basin and pitcher on it. The pitcher swayed and began to fall off the table. Luckily, Pippin caught it.
"That was close," he said with a sheepish grin, trying to put the pitcher back onto the table without looking. He missed the table by a good three inches and dropped it, shattering it upon the stone floor. He winced at the sound.
"Fool of a Took!" cried Gandalf. "Be gone before you break something else!" Pippin hurried out of the room, being careful of the broken glass. Gandalf sighed. "What's gotten into that one?" he asked Allegra.
"Who knows?" said Allegra simply, putting on a fake smile.
"Hmm," he muttered giving Allegra a suspicious glance and a half smile. "Are you forgetting to tell me something?"
"Something?" stammered Allegra, growing red in the face.
"Yes," he said with a nod.
"Like what?" asked Allegra innocently.
"I see the way that boy looks at you," he said.
"How's that?" asked Allegra.
"People only look at others that way for one reason," mumbled Gandalf in his usual way, raising an all-knowing eyebrow.
"What do you mean?" asked Allegra stupidly.
"He's in love with you," said Gandalf.
"Oh...Well I wouldn't go so far as to say love, exactly...maybe just fond of...," Allegra suggested. Gandalf raised an eyebrow at her.
"Have I ever been wrong?" he asked.
"Not that I know of," Allegra said in an almost disappointed voice. Could it be even remotely possible that Pippin loved her?
"He's looked at you that same way ever since the two of you were knee-high," said Gandalf. "It's just that until now, you haven't been looking for it."
"Maybe not," said Allegra. "I don't know what to do about it. I've never felt like this before, and I feel like I'm stumbling around in the dark."
"Most people do when it comes to love," Gandalf said, "But don't let that stop you," he said, ruffling her hair. She smiled at him.
"So why weren't you at The Prancing Pony?" she asked.
"I was slightly delayed," he said. "The better question would be what were you doing at The Prancing Pony? It's no place for a young woman."
"I was with Merry and Pippin raiding Farmer Maggot's crops when we bumped into Frodo and Sam. Then the Ringwraiths started following us everywhere, and I just never went home," Allegra saw the stern look on Gandalf's face when she said 'raiding'.
"Hmm, I thought we'd talked about stealing things from poor old Farmer Maggot," Gandalf reminded her.
"We did talk about it," agreed Allegra.
"Then why, may I ask, did you do it?" asked Gandalf.
"It was a temporary bout of madness," said Allegra. "Brought on by being locked up in a forge for ten hours a day seven days a week."
"That was very foolish of your father to give you such a demanding job, especially when you haven't even come of age yet," agreed Gandalf. "I can't think of a more masculine job title, either," he mumbled. This made Allegra laugh. "Get some rest, and I'll think of what to do with you now that you're so far away from home."
"Alright," said Allegra.
"Good bye, Allegra," he said with a nod as he exited the room. She sighed as she lay back down.
"What have I got myself into?" she muttered.