Chapter Five
"How can you stand it?"
The ranger snorted as he tried to rub the pain from his leg.
He looked up out of habit, of course, but then let his unseeing gaze fall back to where his leg might be, or it should be anyway.
"Stand what?" he questioned as he listened to the rest of the hobbits snoring.
He was quite proud of himself at the moment, for although they did not trust him completely, they had done what he wished and that alone would keep the enemies occupied.
The hobbit that was still awake stuttered a bit, trying not to offend the ranger. He was not comfortable with talking about such things and did not wish their only guide and protector to leave, no matter how strange he seemed.
'How on Arda was a blind, and partially lame, ranger supposed to protect them?'
"How can you stand- the limitations?" Frodo was a bit unsure of how to put the whole matter. He really wanted to know though!
"Oh." the man said knowingly, though the smile on his weary face showed that he had realized it all along. "Well, I guess after eighty-five years of IT…" he stressed the word, "you define everything easier and with more confidence."
"How old are you??" The hobbit was nearly amazed at the prospect of Strider's true age.
The ranger smiled sheepishly. "How old do you think I am?"
He heard the middle-aged hobbit about to answer when a ear-splitting pain engulfed his entire mind. He gasped and leaned over farther as he realized what had set it off.
"Nazgul," he whispered between clenched teeth as ragged breaths escaped his lips.
High-pitched unearthly screams pierced the silence that had once taken up the room. It was almost deathly to his sensitive hearing for the awful sounds to assault him.
Voices. Oh Eru! The voices were so loud! Not ringwraith screams this time, no. Soft whispering voices not too far away- but they were so- oh! SO LOUD!
Covering his ears and willing the agonizing pounding to die away he slowly raised himself back up and leaned his back sloppily against the chair.
Slowly, Aragorn pulled his fingers away and let the silence comfort him.
He could hear the hobbits' hard breathing and their soft chattering, and he could feel the gaze of a few of them upon him.
"What was that?!" Sam asked, breathlessly. His voice echoed oddly in the human's delicate ears and he cringed a bit as the ringing receded and he was left with a dull thudding that was slowly eating through his skull.
'Well, it sure feels like it,' he thought tiredly. "Wraiths, Master Gamgee."
"They're here?!" another hobbit, the one he assumed to be Pippin, squealed, and was shushed by the other three, Frodo especially.
"My lords, I would have you stay silent," he murmured, trying to reach into his pack and sift through its contents for another of his helpful aids.
"Are they gone?"
"Just stay silent, I am sure they are almost gone," the ranger chided as he stuffed the sound absorbing cotton into his ears.
Frodo smiled as Aragorn leaned back again, letting his hands rest anxiously on his legs, though all of his form was otherwise in a comfortable position.
"Why on Arda is he so happy?" Merry asked and slipped one leg from the bed, wanting eagerly to discover what was so different about the man.
Reaching over quickly, the older hobbit put a hand on his cousin's leg and stopped him. "No," he hissed. "Leave him alone. He's tired and he may finally be asleep."
"That's what he wants you to think," Sam whispered, not letting his eyes leave the silent ranger. Pippin chuckled and rubbed the Gamgee's back.
"Awww, come now. Won't you ever learn to trust ol' Longshanks?" the youngest hushed as he heard the gardener groan.
The red haired hobbit pouted. "Yes, so long as he brings us straight to the elf land. No shortcuts and no sneaking."
"Strider?" Frodo slid forward on the bed and jumped down, letting his feet vibrate the floor a little so that if the ranger was awake, he'd be able to feel him moving.
The man did not move much, only slipped down a little further in his chair and breathed out a sigh.
His lips moved as if he was trying to speak, but nothing came out and Frodo took it that he might be dreaming.
Pippin crawled forward on the bed and handed down a quilt to his older cousin who was now sneaking ever closer to the ranger.
Taking the blanket and listening once more to make sure that the human was in a deep sleep, he threw the covering upwards and let it slide comfortably upon the man, coming down to rest upon his chest and making him flinch hardly at all.
The hobbit smiled gently and went back to the bed, mindful not to be too noisy or too heavy with his steps. "Goodnight Strider," he murmured as the other three hobbits lay back down and slid the covers over their bodies.
Leaning down upon the extra pillow the opposite way of the others he sighed contentedly and snuggled into the rough, worn blankets. Finally, his weariness gave way to a dark abyss of peaceful sleep.
TBC
Thanks guys! :) God bless you all and onto the replies. Sorry to be so quickly out of here- but I want to get this done before I go to Church. :) (Sorry this took soooo long!)
Why thank you very much, zorra! I try to make the characters how they would be if this was in actuallity the problem. I think it is working somewhat so far. :) LOL! Well, sort of. Yes, this chapter is a bit short too. But I think I might keep them somewhat short. I don't like to, but it makes it much easier to post the chapters. God bless!!!!
Thanks, Koriaena! And no, not in this one anyway. This story will merely get them to Rivendell- afterwards- I will most likely write the third of the series, which will include the Council of Elrond and a few different chapters in the Lord of the Rings series. :) Thank you and I hope that you continue to read! God bless!!!
I am glad you are enjoying "Honor Thy Father"... I thought it would be better to try and write a few different stories for different websites, see how it worked. But I doubt I will do it again- it is HARD! LOL! Thanks for that comments, Legolas and Estel! I am glad this sequel has been good! I had hoped so! It's ok, obviously- I was 'a little' late too. Thank you so much and I hope you continue to read! God bless!!!!
REALLY! I always wanted to know how many names he acctually had, Arrina. Twenty, you say?! SHEESH! Yes, Cheers My candidate won!!!! smiles a little sheepishly I agree, I really do wish that Glorfindel had been in there instead of Arwen- but of course- that is just me, well, and you. :) Haha! Yes, well I assumed that since he is so protective in both the book and the movie that I wanted to keep him that way- as for Merry- I could never quite get his personality- and I am not good at writing 'Happy-go-lucky' people, so I made hims protective. :) God bless!!!!
Well, I guess I admire his courage and strength during the hard times. I mean he did just get into office when the Twin Towers were hit... I admire his Faith too... I wish I had a love as great as he does for God. But it's just a matter of opionions, I suppose. Thanks, Azla!!! God bless!!!!
Glad you all like Pippin so well, Catmint! Thanks! God bless!!!!
Thanks, MSL!!! LOL! I'll look for you over the moon! God bless!!!
Sorry for such a long wait, marbienl! I did not mean to take that long, but God had different plans for my life at the moment- so I went with them. chuckles Sorry, that's another one of those things I can't tell you. They will somewhat soon though- I can reveal that, though I think it will be a gradualthing. Slowly, by agonizing steps, they will begin to see that he is not a slave of the Dark One and he is trying to help them. Thanks, mellon nin!!!! And yes, a girl can hope. :) At times- it's the only thing that keeps me ruinning. God bless!!!!
Well considering he is the youngest, and there is no faith greater than that of a child's. :) Not saying that Pippin's a kid- but he needed to seem trusting since he is so much younger and Frodo is so much older. It seemed more real to me that the oldest and the youngest had the most faith. Thank you, MusicDreamer!!!!! God bless!!!
LOL! Sorry, Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen! I just thought that kinda funny because it sounded so much like my own father. :) He burnt the toast once, ya know. My dad, I mean. sigh Where would the laughter be without fathers? Anyway- I am sorry about your laptop. I hope it gets to working better again. God bless!!!
Oh, there was no confusion, fred. You can review anyway you want. No pressure on which name to review with, mellon nin! :) All I meant was I thought the name fred was kinda cute. I mean, I don't think I have ever had anyone with that name before review my fics. :) Hope you enjoying it! The fic I mean! God bless!!!
Hope this was worth the 'intemission', everkitsune. Sorry for the long wait. God bless!!!
Thanks, Elvenkitten! Glad you like Pippin! It's seems everyone does. :) God bless!!!
Sorry for the jolt, lovethosehobbits. I'll try my best to refrain from the 'modern language'. Trust me though, LOL! It's not the worst I have ever seen or done. Thanks for the info! God bless!!!
Thanks, Arrana Undomiel!!!! Glad your likin' it. I just wanted to tell ya to be careful with the typos. I know you did not mean what you typed- but I thought you would like to know so that it would help and you wouldn't get embarrassed if you did it to a friend. I do it ALL the time- mostly with my name. :) God bless!!! And thanks for the comment!
Haha! That's alright, Linchi! I say that to my favorite authors too, and I am touched that you are relaly looking forward to the next chapter. Sorry it took soo long!!! God bless!!!
Sorry it was not too soon, sielge. :) I hope you forgive me. Like I told Marbienl, God has decided that I need more to do. LOL! God bless!!!
Glad you like it, Lindahoyland! God bless!!!
Ok, I gotta rush off- but I will update as soon a possible! Thanks for all your support! It means a lot to me!
God bless and Love in The Father!!!!
Hebrews 11:1