NOTE TO READER-Sorry about the cliffhanger a few chapters ago innocent smile I had to have SOMETHING to keep everyone coming back. This is to make up for the other short chapter for my loyal readers. Remeber, reveiws are always appreciated. Oh, yes, and the final story is now in the hands of a teacher for final reveiwing before we present our project, so the deadline is coming up! gulp
After that, they made incredible time. With lightened hearts they flew across the unknown land. Faroth noted the gradual decrease of temperature. When they finally came upon the vast body of water there was a steady snowfall. The Sea of Rhûn was larger than they had first anticipated. It was frozen by the looks of it, and both Jnían and Faroth were apprehensive about walking on it. Jnían ruled out using the horses immediately.
"What now?" Faroth questioned expectantly.
"I suspect we should cross the Sea," Jnían guessed. They began slowly across the ice, not sure of its stability, then increased their speed with more confidence. After an hour of harsh winds and a slippery surface, the two of them had a growing frustration. The bank of the Sea could not be seen in any direction.
Faroth jerked with surprise when Jnían put her hand on his arm. Slowly she pointed ahead to an unknown object protruding from the ice. Cautiously they hurried to it. Faroth dusted the icy powder from the unusual surface.
"It's the last piece," Jnían stated with a sigh.
"Well, I would guess that we should pull it out," Faroth replied, beginning to do so.
"I don't know, Faroth," Jnían answered with reserve. "It seems far too simple. Remember what happened at the cave when the piece was unguarded? This could easily be the same."
"I'm not sure of the answer, Jnían," he replied calmly. "Perhaps they figured since the piece was so far from anyone that was protection enough. But I am sure that we are running out of time. There isn't room for doubt anymore; we have to try." With that, Faroth put both hands on around the slender metal and pulled. After a few moments of struggle, the piece was free. There was a pause of dead silence. The wind and snow had instantly ceased, and it appeared that the only sound was their heavy breathing.
"Faroth, let us leave, now," Jnían said, her voice low.
Faroth took his eyes away from the piece and rested them on Jnían. He opened his mouth to speak, and a strange noise came instead of his voice. It was seconds later when Jnían realized it wasn't from Faroth which the sound came, but from the ice. Simultaneously they looked to their feet. The quiet cracking noise soon became a piercing roar as the ice cracked and melted.
"Run!" Faroth shouted, extending his hand. With little hesitation Jnían clasped it and they began to retrace their steps. They ran at top speed, Faroth slipped a bit but Jnían keeping him on his feet with her Elven grace, but the crevices caught up with them. Left and right the ice was breaking apart. They had to jump across an opening, when Jnían's own footing slipped. She slammed into Faroth, and he slid swiftly over the ice and into the water.
"Faroth!" Jnían screamed. She tried to make it to him, but the ice kept separating in the quickly warming air. She reached to him and missed again.
Over the noise, Jnían could hear Faroth shouting, "Take the piece, Jnían! Leave me and go back to Gondor. You can save them!" With a final pass she managed to retrieve the piece from his outstretched hand.
"I'm coming back for you!" she shouted to him, then turned toward the shore, making excellent time jumping from piece to piece. Seconds later she was fumbling toward the horses. She closed in on her own. "Amáteria, bring him back to me!" As the horse galloped away, Jnían's vision became severely blurred. It was then that she realized she was crying. She stood, shivering next to the edge of the melting snow, looking at the green grass that was poking through rapidly. Minutes passed that seemed like an eternity. The snort of Amáteria brought Jnían's eyes open. Faroth was draped across her back, motionless. Jnían pulled Amáteria away from the water. With a great effort, she managed to move Faroth to his own horse. She put a hand to his neck. There was a weak heartbeat, but it gave her little hope. She mounted Amáteria and took hold of the other horse's reins. In seconds, they were galloping away with great speed over the now completely revealed grass. But the new warmth wasn't enough for Faroth. Jnían knew she needed to find somewhere where he could be dried and warmer, and soon.
After several minutes Jnían spotted small huts with a warm glow coming from them. It didn't take long to realize they were Dwarves. Jnían scowled with disgust at the creatures, still holding a bit of the old judgment that Elves and Dwarves didn't interact well together. But she leaped from Amáteria all the same, and began to pound on one of the small doors. When it opened, several pairs of eyes were staring at her.
"I need help!" she gasped.
"Go away! No help here, especially for Elves!" one of them grumbled.
"Please, my friend will die," she pleaded.
"No! Go away!" all of them agreed.
"Please," Jnían tried again. "He's not an Elf, anyway." The speaker of the group glared at her for a moment, and then pulled the door all the way open. "Thank you," she said gratefully.
"Yes, yes, just bring your friend in. Hurry up," the dwarf said hastily. Jnían swiftly brought Faroth to the small door, and then ducking, handed him to the dwarves inside. It proved exceedingly difficult to remove some of Faroth's armor, but they managed.
Faroth awoke to the familiar sound of Jnían's voice. He gazed up at her profile. Her eyes were closed, and her long eyelashes were resting against her cheeks. Unable to stifle his groan, Jnían snapped her eyes open and look at him. His damp hair fell across his eyes.
"I thought I had lost you," Jnían murmured.
"You'll never lose me. Jnían, I lo—"
"Hush," she said, silencing him with her finger. "Wait until the time is right. We must leave now. Our hosts were a might reluctant to let us in." They both laughed.
Back out in the now springtime feeling air, they began to make their way toward Gondor, and toward Andúin.