Disclaimer: the ONLY thing I own is Jacqueline, anything you don't
recognize from the books and a little of the plot but not all. Majority of
the plotline, most lines(which are usually adaptations from the original
book) and all LOTR characters belong to Tolkien. Some character lines are
switched(i.e. one thing Aragorn says in the books Legolas might say here) -
still belongs to Tolkien.
Chapter 14
The small hobbit swung his legs over the edge and twisted his body around, his feet searching for a foothold. He could find none; he was not low enough. Let yourself go down, Sam, just a little lower....
Frodo ran to him and pulled the impatient hobbit back, totally in fear for his friend's life. She could see them talking but heard no sound. Once Sam was safely back, Frodo crawled to the edge and looked over. More silent conversation between the two; they must have been weighing the pros and cons of Frodo going over the side first. After a few moments it was settled and Frodo turned, swinging his body around and lowering himself slowly. He was leaner than Sam, and would certainly find a ledge.
And find it he did, almost out of his reach but not quite. He said something to Sam, but he didn't get to finish his sentence; a sudden crash of thunder boomed overhead. Oddly enough, Jacqueline heard it loud and clear, and it nearly shook her from her perch. The ground trembled, the sky exploded, the wind howled and a heart-stopping shrill caused them all to shield their ears from the sound. As a result of the sudden impulse they all shared, Frodo lost his grip and fell down the slope. He landed on a shelf where no light reached, yet she could see him plainly. Sam couldn't, however, and he desperately called to Frodo though it was inaudible to her. More conversation began between the two, but Jacqueline wasn't paying attention to it; something in the sky caught her eye. Whatever it was was searching for something, and not even the downpouring rain and hail would stop him.
Suddenly without warning the flying beast spun around in the air, its rider now facing her. It was a Nazgul Rider, flying a horrendous creation of Sauron – looking for her.
She could see the face of the captain plain as day, the neither living nor dead eyes burning into hers. The evil thing flew towards her, its rider's gaze holding hers. She was frozen under it, unable to find strength to move. She could feel her mother's presence like a ghost beside her, trying to offer comfort but also shrinking at the sight of the Nazgul; her father's presence in her was gone.
Overhead and all around her, Jacqueline heard an unnatural yet familiar voice call out to her:
"I CAN SEE YOU PLAN. YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT ME!"
Jacqueline woke up with a start, sweating and breathing heavily. But oh, how real it all seemed.....
"Jacqueline?" a gentle voice asked. She turned to her left and after a few moments she realized who it was.
"Boromir," she exclaimed quietly, thankful for a better voice. She looked around, seeing Aragorn waking up from where he lay and Legolas already up, staring northwards under a dawnless sky. Gimli was asleep somewhere nearby. She rubbed her eyes. "I saw them, in my dreams," she muttered.
"Merry and Pippin?" Boromir asked hopefully. She shook her head.
"No. Frodo and Sam. They were farther out on the Emyn Muil, heading east while we have been going west. Though I suspect it has been two or so days since they were where I saw them."
"And our other two friends lay farther still," Legolas said sadly, turning to them. "I fear that they did not rest this night." His gaze met Jacqueline's, praying silently that he was wrong; she cast her eyes downward, comfirming his words and not his prayer. He looked back out. "Only an eagle could catch them now."
"But we must try," Aragorn got up, and walked over to the sleeping Gimli. "Up Master Dwarf. We must go."
"Dawn is not here yet," he groaned, reluctantly sitting up. "Neither Legolas nor Jacqueline could see anything from the highest hilltop until the sun came up."
"I believe very much neither Jacqueline or I could see them now from any point in either day or night," Legolas admitted. Gimli looked over at the half-elven woman, seeking her answer. The look on her face told him that Legolas was right again.
"But the earth may tell us what sight cannot," Aragorn said, sprawling out on the ground. "No doubt the ground aches under them."
Aragorn stayed there, motionless, for a long time. Dawn crept up on them, and finally he stood up. His friends could see the distress on his face. "The messages in the ground are unclear, but nothing wanders near us; the Orcs we seek are far. But I heard the sound of hoofbeats."
"I heard them too; they seeped into my dreams," Boromir interjected. "Many horses riding west. Until you mentioned it, I had not given it a second thought."
"Well now they are heading northward," Aragorn agreed. "Something is out of place here."
"No, actually everything is as it should be," Jacqueline said, getting up. "Our paths will cross with these riders soon."
"Then shall we continue on our course, or change it?" Boromir asked her. She looked at Aragorn for the answer.
"Continue," he replied.
"The let us go!" Legolas motioned to them.
They ran, being fueled by new strength through the cloudy day. Nothing, not even the light midday sun when it came through could spot them, for their elven cloaks concealed them well in their environment. Rarely did they speak to each other, focusing on the task at hand and putting all the nourishment they got from the lembas to their legs.
The day came to its end as the Five Hunters came to low treeless hills where the orc-trail grew thin once again. To the west of them the Entwash flowed freely, but nothing else moved on the plain. Dusk fell, and the company rested again.
"More now than ever do I deteste to stop," Legolas replied in a frustrated tone. "This chase has gone on as if Sauron himself drives the orcs we seek. They have probably reached the forest as we speak."
"Such an end does that bring to the hope and toil that fueled us," Gimli groaned.
"Not toil," Aragorn told the dwarf. "Perhaps hope but not toil. We do not end it here; however we must pause here for I am wayworn unlike I have ever been before." He looked out away from his friends, sorrow in his face. "A Ranger should not be tired, especially with a trail such as ours to go by."
Boromir looked around. "Something is amiss in this land that is affecting us all. Something that benefits our enemies and is an obstacle to us. I feel that we cannot even trust the light of the moon."
"That has been in my mind ever since our path took us off the slopes of the Emyn Muil. Ahead is where the determination lies." Legolas said, nodding his head towards Isengard. Aragorn followed the direction.
"We will not let Saruman send us back," he commented. "We rest here tonight and continue at first light tomorrow."
Jacqueline stood silently beside her male companions. Isengard put no fear in her; in fact, she would have gone straight there herself if the others had objected to the route. The farther she got from Mordor the safer she felt. The Dark Land caused an imbalance in her, and it got worse the closer to Mordor they got. By now she had discovered everything that was her mother: the heightened senses, the skills with a sword, the bravery, the willpower, the wisdom and self-assurance. She had never felt so sure of her choices and her thoughts, and it felt good to finally have it. Combined with what she already knew about the story she felt as though nothing could stop her.
When they began getting closer to Mordor, another power source started appearing, heightening her elvish traits. But at the same time they drained her, threatening with some alien evil to destroy the person she was. It came out of nowhere, and with being on the run after her friends she had no time to figure it out.
"Jacqueline," a voice said behind her. She turned her head and turned around. They were all stretched out on the ground except for Gimli, who obviously had something on his mind. He shifted uncomfortably where he sat. "Will you tell us about the Lord and Lady?"
She smiled. "Of course. I did say I would."
She walked over to them, seating herself before beginning. "When we rested in Lothlorien, after the rest of you fell asleep, the Lord Celeborn summoned me. We spoke, privately of course, and he told me what I really was; the daughter of Celebrian and a wizard. I was the last of her children."
"Arwen made no mention of that," Aragorn interrupted, puzzled.
"Because Arwen had no idea," she answered. "No one did except my mother and father. It happened during the timespan when Celebrian had been captured by orcs. What happened during that time only she knows, including who my father is. Celeborn does not know who he is."
"Does Galadriel know?" Boromir asked.
"That is hard to say. My guess would be yes, but I doubt very much she would have told me," she smiled amusedly, staring at the ground. "Most likely she would tell me that there are some things that cannot be revealed when we want them to. Most likely it would have defeated my presence slightly."
He was still puzzled. "Why is that?"
"Because I would have gone with Frodo and Sam to destroy the Ring. Celeborn told me that merely throwing the Ring back into Mount Doom was not enough; its evil would still thrive. Somehow I have to destroy it, or so I have been told." She answered.
"How?" Gimli asked uneasily. Her face went sober again.
"I don't know."
Aragorn sat up from where he lay. "However I can help or how far you must go without us, I will go as far as I am able to. You have my word."
"And mine," Boromir offered. "I will follow your path where ever it may lead."
"You will go nowhere without me," Legolas confirmed. Gimli joined him.
"Or me. Nothing can stop this dwarf from going where he must."
She looked at them gratefully. "Thank you. Though you walk blindly into my journey, I thank you for your company."
Legolas gazed skywards. "The moon is sinking; we should sleep while we can."
They all agreed, and settled back on the ground. All except two.
He shuffled over to her. "Do you fear what lays ahead of us?"
She shook her head. "No. I know how to deal with what is ahead. It is what lies behind us that I fear."
"Then what exactly lies ahead?" he asked.
"Things both good and bad," she replied. "Aid, reunion, war, death - everything we have anticipated."
"Well that is both settling and unsettling in the same instant," he sighed. "Can you tell me any of it?"
"No," she answered firmly but regretfully. "Everything has its time and place whether it is understood or not. Things will reveal themselves in due time."
He laughed mournfully. "You speak like Gandalf."
"I suppose I do," she agreed, copying his smile and laugh. "But for now you must all trust me when I tell you that most things must happen, even though I know the outcome and could shorten our journey. It is not very often that I will be allowed to intervene with the story, despite how much I desire to. I feel that I will pay somewhat for Amon Hen."
"I do trust you, and you will not pay for that," he assured her. He pushed a stray hair behind her ear, then pulled her to him and kissed her. He was gentle and brief, not sure how she would react. She gazed into his eyes, unsure of what to do next. He smiled reassuringly at her and indicated her to lie down near him. She did so as he unclasped his cloak.
"Now it is your turn to trust me," he replied as he draped his cloak over her form for added warmth. She smiled up at him, then shut her eyes and quickly fell into sleep. He kissed her cheek, then stretched out beside her, holding her hand to assure her that no evil dreams would trouble her.
Chapter 14
The small hobbit swung his legs over the edge and twisted his body around, his feet searching for a foothold. He could find none; he was not low enough. Let yourself go down, Sam, just a little lower....
Frodo ran to him and pulled the impatient hobbit back, totally in fear for his friend's life. She could see them talking but heard no sound. Once Sam was safely back, Frodo crawled to the edge and looked over. More silent conversation between the two; they must have been weighing the pros and cons of Frodo going over the side first. After a few moments it was settled and Frodo turned, swinging his body around and lowering himself slowly. He was leaner than Sam, and would certainly find a ledge.
And find it he did, almost out of his reach but not quite. He said something to Sam, but he didn't get to finish his sentence; a sudden crash of thunder boomed overhead. Oddly enough, Jacqueline heard it loud and clear, and it nearly shook her from her perch. The ground trembled, the sky exploded, the wind howled and a heart-stopping shrill caused them all to shield their ears from the sound. As a result of the sudden impulse they all shared, Frodo lost his grip and fell down the slope. He landed on a shelf where no light reached, yet she could see him plainly. Sam couldn't, however, and he desperately called to Frodo though it was inaudible to her. More conversation began between the two, but Jacqueline wasn't paying attention to it; something in the sky caught her eye. Whatever it was was searching for something, and not even the downpouring rain and hail would stop him.
Suddenly without warning the flying beast spun around in the air, its rider now facing her. It was a Nazgul Rider, flying a horrendous creation of Sauron – looking for her.
She could see the face of the captain plain as day, the neither living nor dead eyes burning into hers. The evil thing flew towards her, its rider's gaze holding hers. She was frozen under it, unable to find strength to move. She could feel her mother's presence like a ghost beside her, trying to offer comfort but also shrinking at the sight of the Nazgul; her father's presence in her was gone.
Overhead and all around her, Jacqueline heard an unnatural yet familiar voice call out to her:
"I CAN SEE YOU PLAN. YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT ME!"
Jacqueline woke up with a start, sweating and breathing heavily. But oh, how real it all seemed.....
"Jacqueline?" a gentle voice asked. She turned to her left and after a few moments she realized who it was.
"Boromir," she exclaimed quietly, thankful for a better voice. She looked around, seeing Aragorn waking up from where he lay and Legolas already up, staring northwards under a dawnless sky. Gimli was asleep somewhere nearby. She rubbed her eyes. "I saw them, in my dreams," she muttered.
"Merry and Pippin?" Boromir asked hopefully. She shook her head.
"No. Frodo and Sam. They were farther out on the Emyn Muil, heading east while we have been going west. Though I suspect it has been two or so days since they were where I saw them."
"And our other two friends lay farther still," Legolas said sadly, turning to them. "I fear that they did not rest this night." His gaze met Jacqueline's, praying silently that he was wrong; she cast her eyes downward, comfirming his words and not his prayer. He looked back out. "Only an eagle could catch them now."
"But we must try," Aragorn got up, and walked over to the sleeping Gimli. "Up Master Dwarf. We must go."
"Dawn is not here yet," he groaned, reluctantly sitting up. "Neither Legolas nor Jacqueline could see anything from the highest hilltop until the sun came up."
"I believe very much neither Jacqueline or I could see them now from any point in either day or night," Legolas admitted. Gimli looked over at the half-elven woman, seeking her answer. The look on her face told him that Legolas was right again.
"But the earth may tell us what sight cannot," Aragorn said, sprawling out on the ground. "No doubt the ground aches under them."
Aragorn stayed there, motionless, for a long time. Dawn crept up on them, and finally he stood up. His friends could see the distress on his face. "The messages in the ground are unclear, but nothing wanders near us; the Orcs we seek are far. But I heard the sound of hoofbeats."
"I heard them too; they seeped into my dreams," Boromir interjected. "Many horses riding west. Until you mentioned it, I had not given it a second thought."
"Well now they are heading northward," Aragorn agreed. "Something is out of place here."
"No, actually everything is as it should be," Jacqueline said, getting up. "Our paths will cross with these riders soon."
"Then shall we continue on our course, or change it?" Boromir asked her. She looked at Aragorn for the answer.
"Continue," he replied.
"The let us go!" Legolas motioned to them.
They ran, being fueled by new strength through the cloudy day. Nothing, not even the light midday sun when it came through could spot them, for their elven cloaks concealed them well in their environment. Rarely did they speak to each other, focusing on the task at hand and putting all the nourishment they got from the lembas to their legs.
The day came to its end as the Five Hunters came to low treeless hills where the orc-trail grew thin once again. To the west of them the Entwash flowed freely, but nothing else moved on the plain. Dusk fell, and the company rested again.
"More now than ever do I deteste to stop," Legolas replied in a frustrated tone. "This chase has gone on as if Sauron himself drives the orcs we seek. They have probably reached the forest as we speak."
"Such an end does that bring to the hope and toil that fueled us," Gimli groaned.
"Not toil," Aragorn told the dwarf. "Perhaps hope but not toil. We do not end it here; however we must pause here for I am wayworn unlike I have ever been before." He looked out away from his friends, sorrow in his face. "A Ranger should not be tired, especially with a trail such as ours to go by."
Boromir looked around. "Something is amiss in this land that is affecting us all. Something that benefits our enemies and is an obstacle to us. I feel that we cannot even trust the light of the moon."
"That has been in my mind ever since our path took us off the slopes of the Emyn Muil. Ahead is where the determination lies." Legolas said, nodding his head towards Isengard. Aragorn followed the direction.
"We will not let Saruman send us back," he commented. "We rest here tonight and continue at first light tomorrow."
Jacqueline stood silently beside her male companions. Isengard put no fear in her; in fact, she would have gone straight there herself if the others had objected to the route. The farther she got from Mordor the safer she felt. The Dark Land caused an imbalance in her, and it got worse the closer to Mordor they got. By now she had discovered everything that was her mother: the heightened senses, the skills with a sword, the bravery, the willpower, the wisdom and self-assurance. She had never felt so sure of her choices and her thoughts, and it felt good to finally have it. Combined with what she already knew about the story she felt as though nothing could stop her.
When they began getting closer to Mordor, another power source started appearing, heightening her elvish traits. But at the same time they drained her, threatening with some alien evil to destroy the person she was. It came out of nowhere, and with being on the run after her friends she had no time to figure it out.
"Jacqueline," a voice said behind her. She turned her head and turned around. They were all stretched out on the ground except for Gimli, who obviously had something on his mind. He shifted uncomfortably where he sat. "Will you tell us about the Lord and Lady?"
She smiled. "Of course. I did say I would."
She walked over to them, seating herself before beginning. "When we rested in Lothlorien, after the rest of you fell asleep, the Lord Celeborn summoned me. We spoke, privately of course, and he told me what I really was; the daughter of Celebrian and a wizard. I was the last of her children."
"Arwen made no mention of that," Aragorn interrupted, puzzled.
"Because Arwen had no idea," she answered. "No one did except my mother and father. It happened during the timespan when Celebrian had been captured by orcs. What happened during that time only she knows, including who my father is. Celeborn does not know who he is."
"Does Galadriel know?" Boromir asked.
"That is hard to say. My guess would be yes, but I doubt very much she would have told me," she smiled amusedly, staring at the ground. "Most likely she would tell me that there are some things that cannot be revealed when we want them to. Most likely it would have defeated my presence slightly."
He was still puzzled. "Why is that?"
"Because I would have gone with Frodo and Sam to destroy the Ring. Celeborn told me that merely throwing the Ring back into Mount Doom was not enough; its evil would still thrive. Somehow I have to destroy it, or so I have been told." She answered.
"How?" Gimli asked uneasily. Her face went sober again.
"I don't know."
Aragorn sat up from where he lay. "However I can help or how far you must go without us, I will go as far as I am able to. You have my word."
"And mine," Boromir offered. "I will follow your path where ever it may lead."
"You will go nowhere without me," Legolas confirmed. Gimli joined him.
"Or me. Nothing can stop this dwarf from going where he must."
She looked at them gratefully. "Thank you. Though you walk blindly into my journey, I thank you for your company."
Legolas gazed skywards. "The moon is sinking; we should sleep while we can."
They all agreed, and settled back on the ground. All except two.
He shuffled over to her. "Do you fear what lays ahead of us?"
She shook her head. "No. I know how to deal with what is ahead. It is what lies behind us that I fear."
"Then what exactly lies ahead?" he asked.
"Things both good and bad," she replied. "Aid, reunion, war, death - everything we have anticipated."
"Well that is both settling and unsettling in the same instant," he sighed. "Can you tell me any of it?"
"No," she answered firmly but regretfully. "Everything has its time and place whether it is understood or not. Things will reveal themselves in due time."
He laughed mournfully. "You speak like Gandalf."
"I suppose I do," she agreed, copying his smile and laugh. "But for now you must all trust me when I tell you that most things must happen, even though I know the outcome and could shorten our journey. It is not very often that I will be allowed to intervene with the story, despite how much I desire to. I feel that I will pay somewhat for Amon Hen."
"I do trust you, and you will not pay for that," he assured her. He pushed a stray hair behind her ear, then pulled her to him and kissed her. He was gentle and brief, not sure how she would react. She gazed into his eyes, unsure of what to do next. He smiled reassuringly at her and indicated her to lie down near him. She did so as he unclasped his cloak.
"Now it is your turn to trust me," he replied as he draped his cloak over her form for added warmth. She smiled up at him, then shut her eyes and quickly fell into sleep. He kissed her cheek, then stretched out beside her, holding her hand to assure her that no evil dreams would trouble her.
