Ch. 11 How to get a woman mad
After swinging the young teen around, the blond-haired Elf gently put Hiryuu down, and gently embraced. While they were doing that, Hiryuu waved to the Hobbits.
"Oï! Hobbits! You can come down now! I want to introduce you to someone! Bring down our things too please!" She shouted.
Needing no more encouragement, Merry and Pippin grabbed all the bags and Sam picked up the injured Frodo, they then started running towards the trio.
"Guys, this is my fathers advisor, Glorfindel. Glorfindel, these are the Hobbits that Gandalf told us about! This is Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin." Said the bouncing girl.
"It's nice to meet you, however we must save the pleasantries for later. I am being followed by at least five of the Nazgûl." Said the blond Elf to Strider.
"I'm afraid we, too, have bad news. On Weathertop we were attacked by the Nazgûl, Frodo was stabbed by on of their blades." Said Strider solemnly as Glorfindel bent down to exam the extremely pale Frodo.
After several seconds, he stood up. "This does not look good, Dùnadan. This is beyond my ability to heal. I believe that only Lord Elrond would able to heal him now, but we must hurry, we don't have much time left, or I fear we may lose him. Let us put him on Asfaloth." He then grabbed the poor Hobbit and, as gently as he could, placed him on the bare back of the horse. Because, like all Elves, Glorfindel preferred to ride bareback, he usually went without the bridal to, but he decided to put it on just in case.
Frodo protested at this, though it was barely coherent. It went something along the lines of it being unfair that only he should escape if the Riders were to appear, while he left his friends in danger. Glorfindel just looked at Strider, who in turn nodded to Hiryuu, who was currently trying to get he bag untangled from the mass of bags the Merry and Pippin had unceremoniously dropped onto the ground.
"Don't worry, young Halfling. You shall not be alone on Asfaloth, for Hiryuu will also be riding." Said Glorfindel, making sure Frodo was as comfortable as possible.
"I'll be what?" Came the deadpanned response.
"Now, Hiryuu. Calm down, we have a very good explanation."
"Go on."
"You're the lightest person here, besides the Hobbits, so it wouldn't put much strain on the horse, and you'll be able to defend Frodo in case the riders do come. That is, if Asfaloth should be unable to outrun them. We also mustn't forget the fact that you also know the way to Imladris." Said Strider, looking the slightly fuming girl in the eye. "You are also one of the few people I w that can fight more than one opponent at a time on a horse, while galloping no less. Besides, even though your earlier wounds have almost healed, I would rather if you stayed of them for a while, at least until you have seen a healer."
She folded her arms and looked at both of them critically before speaking, but both Elf and Man could easily see that she was gently rubbing a hand over her wound. The Elf could also barely see a tiny bit of blood that had seeped through the bandage and her shirt.
"This has nothing to do with the fact that I'm a girl, is it? Well, doesn't matter, I'll do it anyways. I can't stand to see Frodo in such pain. It is partially my fault he's like this anyways." She said sadly as she jumped up with practised ease onto the tall horse.
"Hiryuu, we've had this discussion before. It .Was. Not. Your. Fault." Said Strider tiredly.
"Doesn't matter, but I think I'll go ahead. The closer we get to Ada's house, the better I'll feel." With that, she gently squeezed the horse with her knees, while grabbing on the mane of the horse as it started galloping.
Strider and Glorfindel watched as she galloped off, before Strider picked up his things and headed after her. The remaining Hobbits each shared worried looks, but followed him nonetheless; Glorfindel took up the rear, with a hand on the hilt of his sword.
After a day or so (they had walked through most of the night, with only a five hour rest), they heard a sound that made their entire hearts leap. A sickening screech was heard from behind them.
Quickly they all ran off the road, and hid in some near-by bushes. Just as they were all hidden from view, three riders on black horses wearing black cloaks (although everyone watching them knew who they were) raced by at a furious gallop.
Several minutes after they had left, just to be sure there weren't any more, they slowly came out of bushes.
"I suggest we hurry now, and pray that Hiryuu reaches the Ford before they get to her." Said Glorfindel.
(With Hiryuu and Frodo a few hours later, they about two hours from the Ford)
After the first an hour or two of running, Hiryuu had slowed Asfaloths' speed to a trot. Even though he was an elvish horse, capable of running for longer and at much faster speeds than a regular horse, he still had limits. So she wanted to conserve his energy, and at this rate, they would make it to the Ford sometimes past midday, and Rivendell proper by sunset. All the while, Hiryuu only thought of different plans to get back at the Elf and Man that had gotten her into this position. Just because she was a woman was no reason to send her away! But, then again, they were right, she was the lightest person between the three of them. She could also fight while galloping at a breakneck speed, but so could they! Besides, what could her fighting abilities do at this point? It's not like the Nazgûl would come after her (A/N; I think I forgot to mention this earlier, Hiryuu knows why the Hobbits are being chased, because of the Ring, but she doesn't remember that it's Frodo that has it, she thinks that she was sent ahead with Frodo because he was injured)!
Hiryuu yawned tiredly, she had been awake all night to make sure Frodo wouldn't fall off, normally this wouldn't affect her that much, since she was more of a night owl than a morning bird and could stay up all night without anyone, except her grandparents for some reason, being any the wiser. But the wounds she had acquired from fighting those Orcs a few days ago where healing up nicely, but because she was sending so much of her energy into healing, she had little left was barely enough to keep her conscious. Of course, it was the small cut on her arm, courtesy of the Nazgûl, was sapping most of her strength. That had been the most draining of all the cuts.
She yawned again, but took a careful look at her surroundings. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, though the trees seemed to be abnormally green for this time of year (according to the book the Hobbits left the Shire sometime in the early fall, roughly). 'Though that's probably because of the Elven influence in the area.' Thought Hiryuu. Her golden eyes swept across both sides of the road. She calmed down, content in the fact that she was alone.
Then it clicked. She was alone; there were no other sounds, except for the clippety-clippety-clip of the horses' hooves. The many sparrows and finches that usually populated (read; completely and totally overran) the woods in and around Rivendell, were strangely absent, even that odd squirrel that tended to attack her two older brothers, yet was very sweet with her, was absent.
Just as Hiryuu was about to explore this train of thought, she heard a bone-chilling screech, one that she had heard all-to-often these days. Looking back, she saw a sight that would haunt her nightmares for years to come.
Galloping towards her at full speed was five of the Dark Riders. Her eyes widened, and she said only one thing before she sent Asfaloth into a fast gallop.
"Oh shit!"
Fin of CH. 11!
Gin: Sorry for the delay, but I had a HUGE English essay due, and I was sick all of last week. Grumbles about pathetic hospital system in her town .
Hiryuu: Just ignore her, she's just mad because she had to spend six hours in the hospital, on her birthday of all days, for less than three minutes with a doctor. She might have spent more, but her mother is an excellent negotiator when it comes to her only daughters health.
Gin: I should take the time to mention that I should have another chapter up in about a week or so, it depends on how many people review. Because my rule of thumb is; I don't start a new chapter until I get at least one review. I would also like to take the time to thank the following person for your cool reviews.
BloodyPenhand; Thank you for the reviews! And for wishing me a happy birthday! This chapter is dedicated to you!