Chapter 14: Many Meetings
Ever since Lee and his companions have arrived in Middle-Earth… they have met different races in the different places of Middle-Earth, in which they arrived at.
Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Ben, and Travis have met the Hobbits. Kenny met Strider and has reunited with Lilly, Clementine, Duck, and Ben. Lee has met the wizard Gandalf. Larry has met the Dwarves, and Doug, Katjaa, and Carley have met the Elves. They were all headed towards the same destination… Rivendell.
At the entrance of Rivendell, Legolas, the Elf has arrived, with Doug, Katjaa, and Carley, as well as some of his elf company. Soon afterwards, Larry arrived with Gimli the Dwarf, along with other Dwarves.
Before their arrival…
One of the Hobbits, Frodo Baggins, was severely wounded by the Ringwraiths and was rushed immediately, by Arwen, to Rivendell. But… it seemed that it was too late to save Frodo…
Frodo now lies in a bed, somewhere in Rivendell. Was Frodo alive… or dead…?
"It's good to know that Frodo will recover," said Lilly…
"Yes," said Gandalf, "he's been unconscious for three days. Soon, he will wake."
"That's also good to hear, Gandalf, that it is," Lee agreed.
It seems… that Frodo was going to make it, after all.
Gandalf and Lee have finally arrived in Rivendell. Lilly, Clementine, Duck, and Ben have arrived too, but long before, Doug, Katjaa, and Carley made their arrival. They, along with Sam and the other Hobbits and Strider, were rushed immediately to Rivendell soon after Frodo arrived in Rivendell, to receive his treatment, courtesy of Elrond. Gandalf, Lee, Duck, Ben, Lilly, Clementine, Katjaa, and Carley were in the room, where Frodo was resting.
"Yes, Lee," said Lilly, "we have many to thank here in Rivendell, especially Lord Elrond."
"Lee," said Clementine, she run and hug Lee.
"And don't forget," added Duck, "that it was thanks to Arwen that Frodo was able to get here in time."
"Indeed, Duck," interjected Gandalf, "…but only just in the nick of time."
Lee then spoke to Katjaa, "so Katjaa, did you have any trouble getting here?"
"Yes, Lee," answered Katjaa, "Doug, Carley, and I landed in a forest, where we were cornered by these giant spiders!" Katjaa cringed at the thought of those words.
"There's some spiders in the forest, Mom?" asked Duck.
"Because I don't like spiders and bugs, Duck!" Clementine exclaimed frightened at Duck. Duck cringed before Clementine in return.
"Anyway," continued Carley, "as we were cornered, someone shot some arrows at them. It was more of the Elves. There was this tall, blond haired Elf that's really cute, but not as cute as Doug is."
"It looks like that Carley," interjected Lee smiling like an idiot, "will always like Doug from the bottom of her heart, that she will."
"Well, as I was saying," Carley continued further, "he and his Elf friends brought us here in Rivendell. They told us that you guys were found. By the way, we ran into that demon Doug on the way, he's here too. Some short guys with really long beards accompanied him. He said that they're called Dwarves or something."
"Indeed," said Gandalf.
Lilly then expressed her regret of not telling Gandalf about Saruman. "Gandalf," she said, "I'm sorry that I wasn't able to warn you about Saruman."
"No, Lilly," said Gandalf, "…it's alright. Lee was able to inform me on the way to Isengard. I'm sorry I've frightened you my dear, when we first met."
"There's nothing to forgive, Gandalf," Lilly stated compassionately.
"Lilly," interjected Lee, "Gandalf was able to take me to the outskirts of Isengard. The land was very beautiful, that it was. There, I witnessed with my own eyes… that Saruman, with his Orc minions, tore apart the once beautiful land and turned it into a barren, desolate breeding factory of Hell. A breeding factory for his new breed of soldiers… the Uruk-Hai."
Hearing this remark… shocked his friends deeply. Suddenly…
Frodo started to move a little. He was finally waking up, after a very long slumber.
"Frodo," said Clementine, "he's waking up!"
"Ben, and I will go get Sam and my Dad," said Duck.
"I'll go with you, son" added Katjaa as they both left the room.
Gandalf sat at Frodo's bedside… as Frodo began speaking slowly, "…where am I?"
"You are in the house of Elrond," answered Gandalf, "…and it is 10:00 in the morning. On October the 24th, if you want to know."
Frodo wakes up completely… and sees Lilly's face. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Frodo," said Lilly, smiling at Frodo.
"…Miss… Miss Lilly," whispered Frodo and looked to his other side, "…Gandalf?"
"Yes," replied Gandalf, "I'm here. And you're lucky to be here too. A few more hours and you would've been beyond our aid. But you have some strength in you… my dear Hobbit."
Frodo then looks at the red headed stranger, "and who are you sir?"
"I'm Lee Everett, Frodo," Frodo introduced himself, "I'm a friend of Lilly's, that I am."
"…So you're Lee Everett," said Frodo, "…Miss Lilly, Clementine, Duck, and Ben have told me much about you. It's an honor to meet you."
"As it is an honor to meet you Frodo, that it is," Lee replied.
Frodo then felt a little pain and put his hand on his shoulder where the Wraith stabbed him. He then looks at Gandalf, "…what happened Gandalf? Why didn't you meet us?" Frodo asked in a perplexed manner.
Everyone puts on faces of concern and regret.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Frodo," answered Gandalf. He took a few moments to explain his absence without alerting Frodo…
"…I was delayed." Gandalf answered again…
Gandalf silently recalled in his head what really happened to him. He was still on top of Orthanc tower, being Saruman's prisoner. Saruman didn't react kindly to Gandalf's refusal and started throwing him around with his staff again and again and landed with a thump.
"A friendship with Saruman," stated Saruman, "is not lightly thrown aside. Argh!"
Saruman then waved his staff again, throwing Gandalf at the tower's edge, holding him at the tip of his feet…
"One ill turn," added Saruman, "deserves another. It is over… "
A moth flutters over Gandalf as Saruman gave him his final warning, "…embrace the power of the ring, or embrace your own destruction!"
Then the corrupt wizard took Gandalf from the edge and threw him to the ground, with his face down.
"There is," said Gandalf lifting his head from the ground, "only one Lord of the Ring… "
Gandalf then sees a giant eagle… and a man riding on it…
It was Lee!
Gandalf continued, "…only one who can bend it to his will… and he does not share power."
"Gandalf!" cried Lee as the eagle screeched out its beautiful cry. Saruman was distracted, allowing Gandalf to make his escape as he jumped off the tower…
…And onto the eagle, Gwaihir, the lord of all Eagles! Saruman watched as Gandalf and Lee flew on Gwaihir, with all speed… away from Isengard.
"…So you have chosen death," Saruman quietly said his final words to the fleeing wizard.
Gwaihir then flew Lee and Gandalf, high above the Misty Mountains… until they finally reached Rivendell…
Frodo wonders speechlessly at Gandalf's response, "Gandalf… what is it?"
"…Nothing Frodo," answered Gandalf, shaking his head with uncertainty.
Suddenly… a voice of, full of glee, filled the room…
"Frodo! Frodo!" It was Sam. He cried his statement of relief, running to Frodo's bedside. Kenny, Duck, Ben, Katjaa, and Carley were with him as well.
"Sam," replied Frodo.
"Bless you, you're awake!"
"Yeah, welcome back Frodo," said Kenny.
"Pleased to meet you, Frodo, I'm Carley," Carley introduced herself.
"nice to meet you, Frodo, I'm Katjaa, Kenny's Wife and Duck's mom," Katjaa introduced herself.
"You two must be," said Frodo, smiling, "another one of Lilly and Lee's friends, aren't you?"
Katjaa nodded to answer Frodo.
Gandalf interjected, "Sam has hardly left your side."
"We were that worried about him, weren't we Mr. Gandalf?" asked Sam.
"We all," said Lee, grinning, "were worried Sam, that we were."
"Thanks a whole lot, Mr. Lee," said Sam, his voice full of relief.
"By the skills of Lord Elrond," announced Gandalf, "you're beginning to mend."
Elrond himself comes into the room and speaks, "…welcome to Rivendell, Frodo Baggins."
Frodo, Sam, Lilly, Clementine, Duck, and Ben explored Rivendell together. The place was beautiful. Every structure gleamed in pearl and silver. The Elvish name for Rivendell was, Imladris. The tree leaves in autumn changed colors and fell softly onto the ground.
Lilly, Clementine, Duck, Ben, and spot Larry, who is standing by a tree, smoking a cigarette. Larry pays them no mind. Ben and Travis is a little disgusted to see him. Lilly also has some nasty issues with her dad Larry, she runs to him and hug me, but she's kind of glad to see him. Frodo, however, feels that Lilly is the silent type of person.
Frodo is gladdened as he met Merry and Pippin again, as they cheered with glee and embraced each other. Then… Frodo looks off in the distance…
And saw his uncle, Bilbo Baggins.
He was sitting down, reading. Bilbo was now, an aged hobbit. His hair was white and skin wrinkled. Frodo ran to Bilbo, calling his name, "Bilbo!"
"Hello Frodo, my lad," answered Bilbo. Frodo hugged his uncle in a warm-loving embrace.
"Bilbo!" Frodo cried with glee.
Doug is in a place of solitude, provided by the Elves. Even though Doug has settled his differences with Lee, they still has some conflicting issues within his soul.
They continues continuously and diligently in their training. Carley watches with hope as well as sadness…
'Oh, Doug,' thought Carley, 'you are so troubled. Each time when I try to talk to you, you turn away. Throughout my life… I've never seen you smile. I hope to see you smile one day… Doug.'
Lee then walks up to Carley and grins at her. Carley returns the gesture with another grin.
Frodo, along with Duck and Clementine, went to read Bilbo's book.
"'There and back Again. A Hobbit's tale by Bilbo Baggins!'" said Frodo. He opened the book and saw the various maps and pictures in it.
"This is wonderful," said Frodo.
"Yeah," agreed Duck, "this is absolutely amazing." Clementine also admired it, giving off a smile.
Bilbo interjected, "I meant to go back… wander the powers of Mirkwood… visit Lake-town… see the Lonely Mountain again. But age, it seems, has finally… caught up with me."
Clementine sympathizes with Bilbo's condition, as she hold her hand on Bilbo's hand, comforting him. "Duck and I understand," said Clementine.
"…Thank you, my little dear," said Bilbo, as his hand grasped hers, lightly… looking up at Clementine, "…bless you… bless you."
Frodo then sees a page, with a map of the Shire on it. Bilbo smiled once more at Frodo. Seeing this map… sadly made Frodo to think about his home.
"…I miss the Shire," began Frodo, "I spent all my childhood, pretending to be somewhere else… off with you, on one of your adventures."
Frodo paused a moment before sadly concluding, "…but my own adventure turned out to be quite different."
Duck and Clementine deeply sympathize with Frodo, after all that has happened to him… as well as what happened to all of them in fact.
Frodo faces Bilbo, "…I'm not like you, Bilbo." He told Bilbo, even more sadly.
"My dear boy," Bilbo said, caressing Frodo's face with his hand, consoling him. He was right about Frodo… he was still in love with the Shire.
Frodo, Clementine, and Duck meet up with Lee, Lilly, Ben, Katjaa, Larry, and Carley at Doug's place of solitude.
Lilly asks, "Lee… is Doug in there?"
Lee replied, "yes, Lilly."
Frodo interjects, "is are they another of your friends, Lee?"
"In a way… yes, Frodo," answered Lee, "his name is Doug. When we met, Doug is IT technician."
Frodo, hearing this sad story, wears a sad face himself, feeling sorry for Doug.
"So," Frodo began sadly, "…his uncle died were Lee?"
Lee replied, "since you do not come from our world, it will be very difficult to explain to you Frodo, that it will."
Frodo nodded, knowing that he and his friends do come from another world and won't understand it much.
Lee went on, "… well, luckily, I was able to show him how wrong he was for wanting to go to his death. Now, he searches his soul each day… hoping to find true redemption within himself, that he is."
"I see," said Frodo, "…Bilbo feels that he too needs redemption for having the ring for 60 years. From what I've seen Lee… some of your companions are the silent type, especially your other friend, Larry."
"Actually," explained Lee, "Larry still has issues with me and still wishes to fight me, that he does. But when there's an impending danger that concerns us equally, we work together to stop it. However, Larry and I will never see eye to eye, that we won't."
Suddenly… Doug stands up and walks slowly towards the group.
"Doug," said Lee, "I'm sorry, that I am. We didn't mean to disturb you working."
"It's alright, Lee," said Doug, "…no harm was intended."
"Hello sir," interjected Frodo, "…I'm Frodo Baggins. It's an honor to meet you, Doug."
Doug took a few moments before answering Frodo, "…usually, I feel that I need total isolation… but… its good to meet you too, Frodo. And, after hearing about your illness… I'm pleased to know that you're going to be okay."
Everyone brightens to Doug greeting and thankfulness for Frodo's recovery, especially Carley.
"Hello." Another voice came in…
It was Arwen. She was dressed the way Frodo saw her, in the shadow realm… in white, and her black hair was long and came down to her shoulders.
"Are you well, Frodo?" Arwen asked Frodo.
"…Yes, I am," Frodo answered, "thank you for your help."
"All of us," Lee added brightly, "thanks you greatly for your help Arwen, that we most certainly do."
"The pleasure was all mine, Lee," said Arwen, in a courteous tone as she bowed.
Everyone smiled at Arwen.
Larry continued to sit alone in the woods, smoking his cigarettes. Kenny came up to him.
"Larry," said Kenny.
Larry turned to spot Kenny and replied, "what do you want,."
"Nothing much. I just didn't expect us to work together again like this."
"Hhm! I could care less about working with a moron again. But you're right about this being an unexpected occasion."
"So, what do you think of Middle-Earth, Larry?"
Larry then put out his cigarette and answered, "…I don't know exactly what to say. When I got here, I ended up in a mountainous landscape and met the Dwarves. They're small like those Hobbits I saw you with, only they don't go around barefooted. One of the Dwarves even said that I have something in common with him, though I doubt that pretty much. But, all in all… I think that Middle-Earth is a very surprising place indeed."
Larry paused for a moment before concluding, "and it seems, that all the stuff about Rivendell appears to be true, it really is a beautiful place… probably the most exotic place in all of Middle-Earth."
"Yeah, well I think that this place is great too," Kenny agreed, "and you're right about these Hobbit people going around barefooted too often and, in my opinion, eat too much. But… I must admit, I kinda like them, including Frodo."
"He must've been the one who was with my daughter Lilly, Clementine, Duck, and Ben" Larry said, in an insulting tone.
"Still your nice self, eh Larry?" Kenny smirked.
Larry smirked at Kenny in response.
"Now what have I forgotten?" Sam said, packing his sack. Frodo, Lilly, Clementine, and Duck catch him doing this.
"Packed already, Sam," wondered Frodo.
"No harm in being prepared," said Sam.
"You don't think that it hurts to stay here awhile, do you Sam?" asked Lilly.
"This place is nice here," asked Clementine.
"don't you wanna stay here, Sam," asked Duck
Sam replied, "no, Miss Lilly, Miss Clementine, and Duck it's… "
Frodo interrupted Sam, "I thought you wanted to see the Elves, Sam."
"I do," answered Sam.
"More than anything," added Frodo.
"I did," Sam answered again and continued, "…its just… we did what Gandalf wanted, didn't we? We got the ring this far to Rivendell. And I thought… seein' as how you're on the mend, we'd be off soon… off home."
Frodo thought for a moment and then realized… that Sam had a good point. Lilly, Clementine, and Duck ironically, thought the same as Frodo.
"…You're right Sam," said Frodo, agreeing with Sam, "…we did what we set out to do."
Frodo then held out his hand with the ring in it and concluded, "the ring will be safe in Rivendell… I am ready to go home."
'…we feel ready to go home too, Frodo,' thought Lilly, '…but I have a feeling… that it's not over yet.'
Disclaimer: I do not own Telltale Series The Walking Dead, or Lord of the Rings. TWD is the property of Darrell Rodriguez and Lord of the Rings is the property of Professor J. R. R. Tolkien
A/n: Everyone has arrived in Rivendell, and Frodo has at last met Lee! But… what to do about the ring…? Please read and review… and find out next chapter.