Autor´s note: Wow, you are a great audience *bows* Someone of you said that the whole thing sounded like A hobbit telling all this to his grandchildren. Yes!!! That is it! This is exactly the atmosphere I want to create! As if all this tells you of a time long ago and now you sit by a nice fire at home and listen.... Some others wrote me tips how to correct some mistakes. Thanks. I will do that at times. Please don´t think I´m stupid or something, but English is simply not my mother language, it is German :-)

Chapter 11)

A knife in the Dark

And the journey continued in morning´s soft light

And the fear of the Nazgúl had left like the night.

And soon Bree lay behind them and unseen they walked

Over untrodden paths, silently, and they talked

Of the things now to happen, and what came to pass

To their dear friend, old Gandalf. Still wet was the grass

Under their bare brown feet and the morning was fair

And they heard countless birds which they saw here and there.

"What has happened to Gandalf ? When will he arrive?"
At this moment the wizard still fought a hard strive

With the wizard of Orthanc, who now was his fiend

But soon he was rescued, by Gwaihir, a friend,

and the lord of all Eagles, who dwell in the West.

And he brought him away, but Gandalf did not rest.

And he flew to the halls then of Théoden King,

but he wasn´t let forth "ill are the news you bring!

So I beg you take any horse, to ride away

Go whereever you will, till the rising of day!"

And the pilgrim took Shadowfax, lord of all steed,

and he swift rode to Bree for now great was his need.

And when he arrived in Bree his heart was released

For he knew "They´re with Strider!" and now he was pleased.

For he knew, they were safer with him than alone,

he was more, than a Ranger, but heir to a throne.

But again a great danger drew close to the one

Who was the One Ring´s bearer. It was when the red sun

went to sleep in the night and the moon came out bright,

when the five friends did rest near a ruin at night.

And this ruin had once been quite famous, a tower

Of the guards of old times, when the Elves´ and Men´s power

were much greater. And Strider then left them alone.

And some minutes did pass after Strider had gone,

when they heard heavy hoofs, scary shrieks and a cry

far down under the rocks, sev´ral Nazgul passed by.

The hobbits drew their blades and they ran to the top

Of the ruin and gathered around, the cries stopped.

Put soon the black shapes of the Nazgúl were seen

And the blades that they drove were of steel and were keen.

And the hobbits were smashed to the side; and alone

stood the small lonely bearer he fell on the stone.

He crawled back, full of fear but he could not escape

He saw under their hoods nothing more than a shape.

And his fear was so great that his mind weakened down

That he took the One Ring from the bag of his gown.

He thought he would be safe, but when he put it on

He did feel at this moment, that Evil had won.

Now he saw, who they were, Kings of old, blades of steel

And their eyes pierced his soul, like a fiery wheel

seemed the Ring in these shadows. The Nazgullord´s hand

reached so soon at that ring, he nearly couldn´t stand.

When he drove off his hand the Ghost lifted his blade

And a feeling like poison he felt in the shade

And a terrible cry then sprang upon his lips

But before he could take the Ring of his fingertips

Aragorn had come back with a torch in each hand

And he attacked the Ringwraiths who soon couldn´t stand

The wrath of the Ranger the danger passed by

But the Ring´s little bearer gave many a cry.

He was stabbed by a terrible black Morgulblade

And with each little moment his life would now fade.

And they sprang through the forest to search for a weed

that should help, but it didn´t and great was their need

When they headed for Rivendell, life beating slow

In the Ringbearer´s heart. And what now? Who will know?
Okay, I hope chapter 12 will follow up soon. I´ve decided to stay close to the book, so I´ll go on with Glorfindel, not Arwen and Frodo riding to Rivendell alone. Hope you go on reviewing! Have a happy Easter!