Hello, there. Thanks for reading the last chapter::grin: I hope you like this one, too.
Disclaimer- I own nothing.
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Chapter 2- Elvish Blood
Frodo gazed out the window of the small, cramped room. The road was completely mud now but the people of the city paid no attention to it. The hobbit watched a small boy come into view, looking around nervously. His clothes were tattered and caked with mud and who knows what else. His shaggy blonde hair was streaked brown from dirt and his face smeared with the stuff as well. He opened his mouth as if to yell but Frodo did not hear what he said. When no one came, his shoulders began to rack with sobs and he darted off into the sea of people.
"You should get some rest, Frodo." A voice said and he looked back to see Strider sitting in an old armchair. The hobbit nodded once before moving away from the window. He glanced over to Sam who was sound asleep in the bed and frowned.
"Where will you sleep?" He questioned. The man smiled softly when he detected the slight suspiciousness in his voice.
"I have no need for sleep this night." He replied, "Dark thoughts weigh heavily on my mind and I could find no rest even if I tried." Frodo nodded and lay down on the large bed.
"What are they?" He asked after a while, causing Strider to jump slightly, "The Black Riders." The man sighed heavily and the chair creaked as he settled deeper into it.
"They were once great kings, powerful to their people and fierce to their enemies. Those who stood against them cowered when he went to strike them down. But they were Men, weak to temptation. The Dark Lord brought to them nine Rings of Power and they took them without question, craving for more power. Slowly, the Rings pulled them into their dark power, corrupting their hearts. They fell into darkness, one by one, becoming the most feared slaves of the Dark Lord." He sighed again, "Nazgul, or Ringwraiths in the Common Tongue."
He sighed heavily and rested his head back, "Go to sleep, Frodo. I will wake you when we must leave." The hobbit nodded tiredly, then cast his head upon the pillows.
He fell into a disturbing dream. Black hands reached out from the shadows to grab him and the burden he carried. He cried out for help but no one ever came. Only the evil hands were there to grab him if he fell.
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Sam yawned and rubbed his eyes with his fists as he and Frodo watched Strider strap the last bit of gear onto a flea-bitten pony. The creature sighed heavily in boredom and seemed to roll its eyes as it watched the Man pace around. The pony snorted and stomped its foot when he slap his hand on the creature's rump. Strider glanced to the Hobbits with a small smile.
"Are you ready, my Hobbits?" He questioned in his soft yet powerful voice. Frodo nodded hesitantly but the other said nothing, only glaring at the Man with suspicious eyes.
The three trudged down the muddy roads of Bree, wrinkling their noses at the horrible smells. There were not nearly as many people out and about as there was the night before but, then again, it was still about an hour before the sunrise.
Strider glanced inside the gate keeper's small cabin and smiled softly. The man who had kept the two hobbits was fast asleep. His head was rested on the wooden table and one hand was wrapped loosely around a large mug of ale. The man turned back to the hobbits and motioned with his hand for them to come. Frodo hurried ahead while Sam convinced the pony to follow. The dark man unhitched the gates and thrust himself upon them, putting all of his weight onto the large doors. The mud made it difficult to push them open fully but when he did, he motioned with his hand again and dashed out the gates. The two hobbits glanced at each other warily before falling their long-legged 'companion'.
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The three travelers did not stop for many hours. The two hobbits struggled to keep up with Strider's swift movements as they passed over hill and rock. Sam stumbled frequently and Bill- the pony- always waited patiently for the hobbit to stand back up again. On one occasion, the hobbit slipped on a patch of moss, nearly catching his chin on a rock. He hurriedly stood back up, brushing himself off. He glanced back to the pony and scoffed.
"What are you looking at?" He asked accusingly and the pony only sighed.
Though it was difficult to tell the time under the thick trees, the hobbits' stomachs clearly told them it was way past time to eat. They kept glancing up to Strider, hoping to catch any signs that they would be stopping soon to eat but he never turned to them. His eyes were fixed on some imaginary destination, unwavering from the path.
His footsteps made little noise as he walked among the brush and Frodo wondered if the man had some elven blood within him. His long legs propelled him through the thick forest and he had a powerful air about him. He looked as if he was hiding something deep within himself but he dared not question him about it. He feared he would stir up some painful memory that the man wished to forget, thus releasing his wrath upon the poor hobbit.
Soon, large, white snowflakes began to fall from the sky. Sam lifted up his palm and a flake the size of his hand landed gently into it. Immediately, the heat of his hand melted it and dripped off the edges of his fingers. Bill shook his shaggy mane and snorted softly, his breath coming out of his nostrils like thin smoke. The two hobbits looked to Strider who finally came to a stop. He paused for a brief moment, as if contemplating what to do, then finally turned around.
"We will stop briefly but then we must continue on. We shall pass through the Midgewater Marshes and then rest for the night at the watchtower of Amon-Sûl." With that, he slung his pack off his shoulders and began rummaging through its contents. Frodo and Sam exchanged glances as the Ranger nearly buried his head in the pack, then suddenly leap back out and through them each a small wafer of bread. They eyed it curiously for a moment with quirked brows.
"What is this?" Sam asked curiously and suspiciously before unwrapping the protective leaf to reveal a bit of golden brown coloring.
"It is lembas." He replied, taking out a piece for himself, "The bread of the Elves. It would fill up even the emptiest stomach of the largest hobbit!"
The two hobbits looked between each other as the man took a small bite of the bread. Shrugging, Frodo unwrapped his wafer and took a small bite. Immediately, his face lit up with wonder. He swallowed and felt his stomach almost swell as if he had eaten a full meal.
"What is in this, Strider?" He questioned and the man smiled slightly.
"Even I do not know, Frodo Baggins. The Elves are mysterious in everything that they say or create." He replied.
"I'll tell you what's in it." Sam growled, "Poison, that's what! I'll bet Strider is trying to poison us!" The accused man actually laughed at his guess.
"Poison, Master Gamgee? I think not! How would someone such as myself come to own such a thing?"
"Why else would you drag us out here in the wild when-"
An ear piercing screech broke the peacefulness of the environment. The noise was replied by another shriek in another direction, echoing off the rocks and walls of the land. Bill whinnied softly in fright but Sam quickly grabbed the lead rope. Strider's eyes widened and he leapt up from his seat on the ground.
"We cannot linger!" He cried, "We must make haste for the foul servants of the Dark Lord are upon us!" He whipped his pack on his back again and darted off. Frodo ran after him, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. Sam made a few clucking noises to the pony and they trotted off up the hill. Strider was already far ahead of them and they heard him call back to them.
The shrieks came steadily closer.
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I am so sorry this took a month to get out! I have been loaded with school work and I just haven't have time! I know this is really short but, hey! A little is better then none, right? Sorry!
Anonymous- People are like you are the reason for this story. But thanks for the flame! It is now nice and toasty down here in my basement! Merry and Pippin joined me, too:D
Trojan Elves- Like I said, I'm sorry this took a while. Not a very good first impression as an author, is it? It normally doesn't take this long for an update. But school was being evil. Again. I apologize for the short chapter and long wait. But thanks for reading and reviewing!
Well, hopefully next chapter comes sooner and is longer. Until then, ta!
Until Next Time,
Manwathiel