*comes into room being carried by Mithfalas* Perhaps some of you have met my fiancé, Mithfalas? (A/N: He doesn't belong to me, but to one of my favorite authors, Elenillor)*Legolas gives me a blanket and hot cocoa as Mithfalas sets me down* Well, I'm horribly sick today, so please excuse me if this chapter sucks. I had to go to water polo practice at 7 in the morning yesterday and now I have strep-throat. Our goalie had the stomach flu, and my friend has pneumonia, so I guess it's just that time of year. Sorrie I haven't updated in so long, I really haven't had the time. Anyway, I hope you all haven't forgotten about me. I feel really bad about it. Oh yes, most of you were wondering what it was that Legolas said to Gimli-kins at the end of chapter 8. I believe it was: "Nibin-naug. I naneth o le gar fang."
Gimli: Yes, we all got a good laugh at that one. *mutters under his breath*
Legolas and Mithfalas: *chuckles into their hands*
ForceOfHobbit: Well, what it means is: "Stupid Dwarf. Your mother has a beard."
Gimli: Well, what's wrong with that?!
Legolas and Mithfalas: *rolling on the floor with laughter*
ForceOfHobbit: He-he, yeah...*sigh*
Well, anyways, to my reviewers:
Caunoiech: Thanx! I'll have to drink the Dr.Pepper later tho...if I drink it now I might upchuck all the ginger-ale and medicine I've had this morning...ack!
Deana: Well, I hope the second part is as good as the first one. And that was a good idea about the trees...hmm...
Starlit Hope: Thanks a lot, I did:)
Naitriab: I know, Aragorn always gets his butt kicked, doesn't he? Hannad!
Mellaithwen-ElvenMaiden: He-he, your review brightened my crappy feeling day. Hennaid evyr! *hands you a brownie and hot cocoa* Enjoy!
ElvenRanger13: Begging? Well, that's always a good thing to have in the morning!
Beguile: You know what? I'll start using germ warfare! Legolas can't get sick, so I can make him give you lembas that I've coughed on! *coughs violently, gets a little dizzy and lightheaded* Or maybe I'll just lie down here a minute while my vertigo goes away...*lies unmoving on the floor* *Mithfalas puts blanket on me* *sigh...*
Star-Stallion: Hannad!
Coolio02: Thanks a lot, I'm trying:)
Sanai-Sylvain: All tingly, eh? That's how my head feels when I sit up too fast...
leapinglizards83: OK. Wow, I'm on your favorites list *single tear*
Daylight: Oh, alright. Thanx a lot*grins*
Rabbit Of Iron: *Legolas likes being patted on the head* Thanx a lot. Why, yes! The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioc! I'll try that! *Mithfalas looks worried*
Tini-Angel: He-he, thanks!
Barbara Kennedy: I'll have you know that I only fainted after school:) Legolas is in much better shape than I am, and look how bad he's having it. Imagine how I must feel! These stories always bring out the nurturing side of me too...but not before the evil side who likes to torture Legolas*evil grin*
Leolyn Greenleaf: Thanks a lot. I know it's been quite a while.
Welps, here we go:
********
//...501...502...503...// Pippin ran into Merry when he stopped suddenly. "You made me lose count!" he said looking up from his feet.
"It's your own fault if you can't remember, so don't blame it on me," Merry retorted quickly
Everyone was touchy and edgy at the moment. Only a few hours earlier, what remained of the Fellowship had left their hiding place in order to continue the journey. Aragorn had said nothing since his farewell to Legolas, and Gandalf seemed to be in deep thought for most of the journey. Pippin was driving himself crazy thinking about what happened to Legolas, so he tried to take his mind off of it by counting his footsteps. Frodo and Sam spoke in hushed whispers the entire time and Boromir kept his eyes on the path ahead. Gimli was strangely quiet most of the time.
At least, he had been.
"...blasted plants...cut down the lot of them...damn tree roots..." and it had gone on like that.
Pippin pulled his little scarf tighter around his neck and shivered. Icy wind whipped through the leaves of the trees, and managed to find its way inside of the hobbit's cloak. The world was wet, and it smelled fresh and new. Everything was so alive. Aragorn looked up at the gray sky. //Legolas would have loved this...// he thought fondly. He gave a sad smile when he remembered how when they went hunting together, Legolas would touch every tree he passes, as if to say hello. He sighed.
*THUD* Aragorn was stirred from his thoughts by the sound of metal hitting earth. "Damn tree roots!" Gimli yelled rather loudly. He picked himself up off the ground, trying his best to keep his dignity.
//Legolas would have something to say about that if he were here...// Pippin felt his face grow hot, and his vision blurred. //I'm not going to cry! I'm not!// He clenched his eyes shut and ran into Merry again.
"You know, Pippin, it's not good for you to sleep when you're walking," Merry said sarcastically.
"I wasn't sleeping, I was...thinking..." Pippin trailed off.
Merry opened his mouth as if to say something, but realization hit him and he thought better of it. He put one arm over Pippins shoulder and continued walking with him.
Gandalf looked back at the pair, and then up to Aragorn.
"Perhaps we should take a rest," he said placing a hand on Aragorns shoulder, "the hobbits are tired..." he thought about it "...we are all tired."
Aragorn looked into Gandalfs eyes to try and see what Gandalf was trying to do.
"Very well," he said uncertainly. The rest of the Fellowship looked up, surprised to hear Aragorn's voice.
He found a nice little clearing for them to rest in. As soon as everyone seemed settled, and Sam had started the mid-day meal, Aragorn climbed silently into one of the surrounding tree's and disappeared from sight.
Boromir sighed at the display. //It's what the Elf would have done// he thought sadly. He looked over to see that Gandalf had also noticed Aragorns actions and looked pensive. Everyone ate with little words to each other, except for the hobbits. They had tried to pass some food up to Aragorn, but they could not see him and he wasn't coming down to eat.
"I want everyone to take some rest," Gandalf said after they had eaten, "that means you as well, Aragorn. I will be keeping watch." Aragorn didn't come down to argue. After a little confusion over who was sleeping where in the hobbit mound, the Fellowship had gone to sleep. Gandalf kept an ear open for Aragorn, but he only heard the wind as it whispered through the trees.
In truth, Aragorn hadn't moved since he had settled himself in the tree. He had lashed together some of the tree branches in order to make a comfortable perch, the way Legolas had showed him so many years ago. It was invisible from the ground, and offered some warmth. Aragorn lay on his side in the little cradle of pine, and sighed as the winds searching fingers found their way into his cloak.
He was exhausted. He hadn't slept the night before in the cave; every time he shut his eyes, the warg would rise up and snatch Legolas away. And he was afraid. Before, Legolas had always been there to offer silent support, and aid him when he needed it. When he lost Legolas, his faith in his own abilities went with him.
A hot tear found its way down his weather beaten cheek, and dripped silently onto his pine-needle bed. A shudder ran throughout the trees. //Only the wind...// and sleep overcame his weary body and he had no strength to keep open his eyes. He drifted from the conscious world.
********
Legolas lay between two tree roots, his chest heaving as he struggled for air. The wind whipped in his ears, and his headed pounded with a million hammer-rings. His bloody and torn calf was in agony, and Legolas valiantly fought off wave after wave of nausea. As his breathing calmed, his vision cleared, and he looked up at the branches of his supporting tree. They had never before seemed so far away.
He let his head drop and his chin rested limply on his collar-bone. He lifted his eyes and looked back the way he came. He saw with dismay that there was a trail of blood in the leaves and earth that covered the forest floor. Legolas himself was still covered in mud and was still bleeding from his head, torso and leg. He sighed a long, painful sigh. //Anything following me would have no trouble finding me and finishing the job...// he thought morbidly. //...unless Aragorn is following me// he thought with a little hope.
But he knew in his heart that Aragorn was far away. Legolas was on the opposite side of the river, and if Aragorn had even been remotely near to where Legolas had been earlier in the morning, he would have answered Legolas' whistle. //Estel knows that his true mission is more important that finding me// Legolas thought sadly, and a silver tear rolled down his cheek. The forest seemed to close in around him, and he was shielded somewhat from the relentless wind.
He took a deep, painful breath in order to prepare himself for trying to stand. He started coughing intensely. The familiar warm, metallic taste filled his mouth. White-hot stabs of pain invaded his chest and he clenched his eyes tight as he fought of the convulsions in his chest. he opened his eyes and the world began to spin. He lost all sense of dignity, flipped over agonizingly onto his stomach and lost what little was in his stomach.
He began to dry-heave and the pain was so intense that he lost all recollection of his surroundings, and lost his sense of himself. His world spun into blackness. As he lie there unconscious, his breathing returning to what normality it could and his precious life-blood spilling over the earth, silent vines wrapped themselves around his body.
********
~*~*~
Pippin walked through the darkness. The air was growing colder around him. He strained his eyes to see the source of the light. It was still far off, and seemed all too dim. He continued towards it.
He heard water trickling from somewhere around him. The noise got louder and soon Pippin felt the spray on his face. //Where's it coming from?// He looked all around, but saw only blackness except for the tiny light up ahead. He continued forward and shivered in his damp clothes. He smelled something that seemed familiar. It was not a scent that he knew, yet he faintly recalled it, as if it had been carried to him long ago on the wind.
A low rumbling filled his ears. He was frightened at first, but the rumbling stayed low and he calmed himself. He continued on towards the light. His body began to shake violently.
~*~*~
"Pippin...Pippin, wake up," it was Frodo shaking him awake.
"Frodo?" Pippin asked sleepily.
"It's time to get up, we must be setting off soon," Frodo said in a soothing voice.
Pippin looked around to see Merry and Sam looking at him oddly. He tried to pay no attention to them and began to shake himself out of his dream induced stupor. The rest of the Fellowship were packing up what belongings they had, and everyone looks a bit worse for the wear. The incident with the wargs had disrupted them from their routine of 'sleep during the day, travel by night' and it was beginning to tell on them.
Aragorn had come down out of the tree and was surveying the surrounding area. What little sunlight that had shown through the dark gray clouds was no diminishing into the western horizon, and it began to grow colder. Pippin was reminded of the cold and light in his dream. //I wish I could have kept going and found out what that light was...// Pippin mused.
"We must depart if we wish to cover much ground before nightfall," Gandalf said as he watched his companions. Without so much as a word or a glance in their direction, Aragorn began to walk off in the direction that they were traveling earlier. The Fellowship followed silently after.
Most of the journey was made in silence, but they didn't stop at nightfall. They traveled long hours into the darkness, and the moon was high in the sky when they stopped. Chill wind whipped through the air, and Pippin could see his breath as he struggled to catch it.
They made camp silently and lit a small fire. The hobbits threw themselves down into their sleeping pile almost immediately, and they reveled in the combined warmth. When everyone was settled in (except for Gimli, it being his turn to take watch), Pippin was startled by a voice in his ear.
"I've been meaning to say something to you Pippin," Merry whispered. Pippin rolled over so he was facing his older cousin. Cold wind whipped around his pointy little ears and he stuck his head under the warm blankets. Merry followed suit.
"What is it?" Pippin asked in a whisper. Pippin couldn't see his cousin's face, but he could tell that Merry was having a hard time with something.
After a few moments of nothing but the sound of their breathing, Merry spoke.
"Today, when we stopped for a rest, I heard you talking in your sleep," he paused for a moment, "so did Frodo," he continued.
"What did I say?" Pippin asked, his interest peaked.
"You asked where it was coming from, and you said something about being surrounded in darkness," Merry said uncertainly, "Pippin?"
"Yes Merry?"
"What is 'it'?"
"I'm not sure..."
"What do you mean?"
"I haven't found out yet," Pippin stated, his voice somewhat sad.
"Pippin," Merry began, "you know you can always talk to me if something is bothering you, right?"
Pippin hesitated, "Yes," he said, but his voice caught in his throat. He suddenly remembered Legolas, and a silent tear rolled down his cheek.
Merry grabbed his hand and gasped. "Your hands are freezing," he said matter of factly. He began to chafe them between his own. He heard a whimper from Pippin, and placed a hand on Pippins cheek. He felt hot tears there.
"Oh, Pippin," he said wrapped his arms tightly around little cousin. Pippin buried his face in Merry's shoulder and sobbed silently. Merry just held him tight and stroked his head until Pippin had cried himself to sleep.
********
Well, I hope it was worth the wait. Please R/R!
Gimli: Yes, we all got a good laugh at that one. *mutters under his breath*
Legolas and Mithfalas: *chuckles into their hands*
ForceOfHobbit: Well, what it means is: "Stupid Dwarf. Your mother has a beard."
Gimli: Well, what's wrong with that?!
Legolas and Mithfalas: *rolling on the floor with laughter*
ForceOfHobbit: He-he, yeah...*sigh*
Well, anyways, to my reviewers:
Caunoiech: Thanx! I'll have to drink the Dr.Pepper later tho...if I drink it now I might upchuck all the ginger-ale and medicine I've had this morning...ack!
Deana: Well, I hope the second part is as good as the first one. And that was a good idea about the trees...hmm...
Starlit Hope: Thanks a lot, I did:)
Naitriab: I know, Aragorn always gets his butt kicked, doesn't he? Hannad!
Mellaithwen-ElvenMaiden: He-he, your review brightened my crappy feeling day. Hennaid evyr! *hands you a brownie and hot cocoa* Enjoy!
ElvenRanger13: Begging? Well, that's always a good thing to have in the morning!
Beguile: You know what? I'll start using germ warfare! Legolas can't get sick, so I can make him give you lembas that I've coughed on! *coughs violently, gets a little dizzy and lightheaded* Or maybe I'll just lie down here a minute while my vertigo goes away...*lies unmoving on the floor* *Mithfalas puts blanket on me* *sigh...*
Star-Stallion: Hannad!
Coolio02: Thanks a lot, I'm trying:)
Sanai-Sylvain: All tingly, eh? That's how my head feels when I sit up too fast...
leapinglizards83: OK. Wow, I'm on your favorites list *single tear*
Daylight: Oh, alright. Thanx a lot*grins*
Rabbit Of Iron: *Legolas likes being patted on the head* Thanx a lot. Why, yes! The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioc! I'll try that! *Mithfalas looks worried*
Tini-Angel: He-he, thanks!
Barbara Kennedy: I'll have you know that I only fainted after school:) Legolas is in much better shape than I am, and look how bad he's having it. Imagine how I must feel! These stories always bring out the nurturing side of me too...but not before the evil side who likes to torture Legolas*evil grin*
Leolyn Greenleaf: Thanks a lot. I know it's been quite a while.
Welps, here we go:
********
//...501...502...503...// Pippin ran into Merry when he stopped suddenly. "You made me lose count!" he said looking up from his feet.
"It's your own fault if you can't remember, so don't blame it on me," Merry retorted quickly
Everyone was touchy and edgy at the moment. Only a few hours earlier, what remained of the Fellowship had left their hiding place in order to continue the journey. Aragorn had said nothing since his farewell to Legolas, and Gandalf seemed to be in deep thought for most of the journey. Pippin was driving himself crazy thinking about what happened to Legolas, so he tried to take his mind off of it by counting his footsteps. Frodo and Sam spoke in hushed whispers the entire time and Boromir kept his eyes on the path ahead. Gimli was strangely quiet most of the time.
At least, he had been.
"...blasted plants...cut down the lot of them...damn tree roots..." and it had gone on like that.
Pippin pulled his little scarf tighter around his neck and shivered. Icy wind whipped through the leaves of the trees, and managed to find its way inside of the hobbit's cloak. The world was wet, and it smelled fresh and new. Everything was so alive. Aragorn looked up at the gray sky. //Legolas would have loved this...// he thought fondly. He gave a sad smile when he remembered how when they went hunting together, Legolas would touch every tree he passes, as if to say hello. He sighed.
*THUD* Aragorn was stirred from his thoughts by the sound of metal hitting earth. "Damn tree roots!" Gimli yelled rather loudly. He picked himself up off the ground, trying his best to keep his dignity.
//Legolas would have something to say about that if he were here...// Pippin felt his face grow hot, and his vision blurred. //I'm not going to cry! I'm not!// He clenched his eyes shut and ran into Merry again.
"You know, Pippin, it's not good for you to sleep when you're walking," Merry said sarcastically.
"I wasn't sleeping, I was...thinking..." Pippin trailed off.
Merry opened his mouth as if to say something, but realization hit him and he thought better of it. He put one arm over Pippins shoulder and continued walking with him.
Gandalf looked back at the pair, and then up to Aragorn.
"Perhaps we should take a rest," he said placing a hand on Aragorns shoulder, "the hobbits are tired..." he thought about it "...we are all tired."
Aragorn looked into Gandalfs eyes to try and see what Gandalf was trying to do.
"Very well," he said uncertainly. The rest of the Fellowship looked up, surprised to hear Aragorn's voice.
He found a nice little clearing for them to rest in. As soon as everyone seemed settled, and Sam had started the mid-day meal, Aragorn climbed silently into one of the surrounding tree's and disappeared from sight.
Boromir sighed at the display. //It's what the Elf would have done// he thought sadly. He looked over to see that Gandalf had also noticed Aragorns actions and looked pensive. Everyone ate with little words to each other, except for the hobbits. They had tried to pass some food up to Aragorn, but they could not see him and he wasn't coming down to eat.
"I want everyone to take some rest," Gandalf said after they had eaten, "that means you as well, Aragorn. I will be keeping watch." Aragorn didn't come down to argue. After a little confusion over who was sleeping where in the hobbit mound, the Fellowship had gone to sleep. Gandalf kept an ear open for Aragorn, but he only heard the wind as it whispered through the trees.
In truth, Aragorn hadn't moved since he had settled himself in the tree. He had lashed together some of the tree branches in order to make a comfortable perch, the way Legolas had showed him so many years ago. It was invisible from the ground, and offered some warmth. Aragorn lay on his side in the little cradle of pine, and sighed as the winds searching fingers found their way into his cloak.
He was exhausted. He hadn't slept the night before in the cave; every time he shut his eyes, the warg would rise up and snatch Legolas away. And he was afraid. Before, Legolas had always been there to offer silent support, and aid him when he needed it. When he lost Legolas, his faith in his own abilities went with him.
A hot tear found its way down his weather beaten cheek, and dripped silently onto his pine-needle bed. A shudder ran throughout the trees. //Only the wind...// and sleep overcame his weary body and he had no strength to keep open his eyes. He drifted from the conscious world.
********
Legolas lay between two tree roots, his chest heaving as he struggled for air. The wind whipped in his ears, and his headed pounded with a million hammer-rings. His bloody and torn calf was in agony, and Legolas valiantly fought off wave after wave of nausea. As his breathing calmed, his vision cleared, and he looked up at the branches of his supporting tree. They had never before seemed so far away.
He let his head drop and his chin rested limply on his collar-bone. He lifted his eyes and looked back the way he came. He saw with dismay that there was a trail of blood in the leaves and earth that covered the forest floor. Legolas himself was still covered in mud and was still bleeding from his head, torso and leg. He sighed a long, painful sigh. //Anything following me would have no trouble finding me and finishing the job...// he thought morbidly. //...unless Aragorn is following me// he thought with a little hope.
But he knew in his heart that Aragorn was far away. Legolas was on the opposite side of the river, and if Aragorn had even been remotely near to where Legolas had been earlier in the morning, he would have answered Legolas' whistle. //Estel knows that his true mission is more important that finding me// Legolas thought sadly, and a silver tear rolled down his cheek. The forest seemed to close in around him, and he was shielded somewhat from the relentless wind.
He took a deep, painful breath in order to prepare himself for trying to stand. He started coughing intensely. The familiar warm, metallic taste filled his mouth. White-hot stabs of pain invaded his chest and he clenched his eyes tight as he fought of the convulsions in his chest. he opened his eyes and the world began to spin. He lost all sense of dignity, flipped over agonizingly onto his stomach and lost what little was in his stomach.
He began to dry-heave and the pain was so intense that he lost all recollection of his surroundings, and lost his sense of himself. His world spun into blackness. As he lie there unconscious, his breathing returning to what normality it could and his precious life-blood spilling over the earth, silent vines wrapped themselves around his body.
********
~*~*~
Pippin walked through the darkness. The air was growing colder around him. He strained his eyes to see the source of the light. It was still far off, and seemed all too dim. He continued towards it.
He heard water trickling from somewhere around him. The noise got louder and soon Pippin felt the spray on his face. //Where's it coming from?// He looked all around, but saw only blackness except for the tiny light up ahead. He continued forward and shivered in his damp clothes. He smelled something that seemed familiar. It was not a scent that he knew, yet he faintly recalled it, as if it had been carried to him long ago on the wind.
A low rumbling filled his ears. He was frightened at first, but the rumbling stayed low and he calmed himself. He continued on towards the light. His body began to shake violently.
~*~*~
"Pippin...Pippin, wake up," it was Frodo shaking him awake.
"Frodo?" Pippin asked sleepily.
"It's time to get up, we must be setting off soon," Frodo said in a soothing voice.
Pippin looked around to see Merry and Sam looking at him oddly. He tried to pay no attention to them and began to shake himself out of his dream induced stupor. The rest of the Fellowship were packing up what belongings they had, and everyone looks a bit worse for the wear. The incident with the wargs had disrupted them from their routine of 'sleep during the day, travel by night' and it was beginning to tell on them.
Aragorn had come down out of the tree and was surveying the surrounding area. What little sunlight that had shown through the dark gray clouds was no diminishing into the western horizon, and it began to grow colder. Pippin was reminded of the cold and light in his dream. //I wish I could have kept going and found out what that light was...// Pippin mused.
"We must depart if we wish to cover much ground before nightfall," Gandalf said as he watched his companions. Without so much as a word or a glance in their direction, Aragorn began to walk off in the direction that they were traveling earlier. The Fellowship followed silently after.
Most of the journey was made in silence, but they didn't stop at nightfall. They traveled long hours into the darkness, and the moon was high in the sky when they stopped. Chill wind whipped through the air, and Pippin could see his breath as he struggled to catch it.
They made camp silently and lit a small fire. The hobbits threw themselves down into their sleeping pile almost immediately, and they reveled in the combined warmth. When everyone was settled in (except for Gimli, it being his turn to take watch), Pippin was startled by a voice in his ear.
"I've been meaning to say something to you Pippin," Merry whispered. Pippin rolled over so he was facing his older cousin. Cold wind whipped around his pointy little ears and he stuck his head under the warm blankets. Merry followed suit.
"What is it?" Pippin asked in a whisper. Pippin couldn't see his cousin's face, but he could tell that Merry was having a hard time with something.
After a few moments of nothing but the sound of their breathing, Merry spoke.
"Today, when we stopped for a rest, I heard you talking in your sleep," he paused for a moment, "so did Frodo," he continued.
"What did I say?" Pippin asked, his interest peaked.
"You asked where it was coming from, and you said something about being surrounded in darkness," Merry said uncertainly, "Pippin?"
"Yes Merry?"
"What is 'it'?"
"I'm not sure..."
"What do you mean?"
"I haven't found out yet," Pippin stated, his voice somewhat sad.
"Pippin," Merry began, "you know you can always talk to me if something is bothering you, right?"
Pippin hesitated, "Yes," he said, but his voice caught in his throat. He suddenly remembered Legolas, and a silent tear rolled down his cheek.
Merry grabbed his hand and gasped. "Your hands are freezing," he said matter of factly. He began to chafe them between his own. He heard a whimper from Pippin, and placed a hand on Pippins cheek. He felt hot tears there.
"Oh, Pippin," he said wrapped his arms tightly around little cousin. Pippin buried his face in Merry's shoulder and sobbed silently. Merry just held him tight and stroked his head until Pippin had cried himself to sleep.
********
Well, I hope it was worth the wait. Please R/R!
