I know, I am not supposed to be writing these notes. But I wanted to send my deepest thanks to Raven.
You're
sweet review gave me the spunk and the hope to write chapter fourteen
and to keep going on this story after I lost all my information. It
made me feel wonderful Raven and I want to dedicate this chapter to
you for your loving support! So without further ado, chapter
fourteen.
(I hope it's a good chapter, LOL! If not, I can
dedicate a better one to you later Raven, if you so desire... )
Chapter Fourteen
Of Lost Beryl Stones and Bilbo's Trolls"What is it?"
Pippin's soft and curious voice was awestruck and Aragorn could almost see him turning it over and over again, marveling at its beauty.
Leaning forward against his stick, the human nonchalantly wiped the fever-induced sweat from his brow and did his best to look as comfortable as he could. He hoped none of the hobbits noticed his pain, and especially his weakness.
These few days, well, since Merry had stabbed him, he had slowly, but surely gotten worse and worse. A calm and easy nature had turned to dizziness and fiery agony. Aragorn tried his best not to let the others notice, but each day he could tell that one knew.
Frodo had shown too much worry for him and had often chided him to sit or rest when he really could not spare the time. He tried to tell the oldest hobbit that there was far more to take care of than time to lollygag, but that didn't stop the Baggin's attempts.
Smiling, he was reminded when the youngest of the hobbits poked him in the side and put the jewel hesitantly in his grasp. "What is it?" he questioned once more, obviously impatient and anxious to understand the glorious beauty that was within his reach.
"I don't know." He raised his brows and after he had felt it experimentally handed it back to the young Took. "Why don't you tell me?"
Sighing as he turned the sparkling emerald like thing in his hands he bit his lip. "Well," he reached forward and placed it back in the human's large, rough hands. "Here! I'll explain!"
Sam and Merry, who had been silent all this time, watched the exchange with weary smiles.
Frodo, as usual, sat slumped on Bill. His face was pinched with the icy pain that had slowly traveled down his arm and was making its way across his chest and down his side.
"Explain?" Strider questioned, holding the thing up to his face and sniffing as quietly as he could.
"Yes. You see," Pippin smiled, enthusiastic that someone did not understand something and that he, of all hobbits, could be the one to enlighten them. "I will tell you what it looks like and you use your head to figure it out."
Out of options and honestly needing to know what the jewel he held actually was, Aragorn agreed with a gentle nod.
"Wonderful!" the youngest hobbit clapped quietly and licked his lips as he studied the small green oval. "It's round, like an egg though, more than a wheel."
Tightening it in the palm of his hand, the man nodded solemnly, taking the words of Pippin to heart and mind. "Go on."
"It's green, but not quite of an emerald."
"It's a bit lighter." Merry yawned as he said this and leaned against Bill.
"Light green, eh?" Aragorn seemed to be interested in this piece of information and Pippin nodded excitedly.
"Yes. It's not like anything I've seen b'fore." He added, hoping this would renew something more than what Aragorn had already learned.
Strider, seemingly on the trail of something, felt the jewel and raised his brows once more. He nodded toward the direction of where Pippin's voice had come. "Sir Took," he smiled and handed the treasure back to the hobbit. "What is that deformity on the one side of the jewel? It feels like a sort of sticky clay, am I correct?"
Taking the jewel, the hobbit looked over the area and raised an eyebrow. "Something of the sort…" he agreed hesitantly. "But, it also seems shaped perfectly, to fit into an area so that it would not fall out." The words brought back one of his favorite memories and for a few moments he was lost in this certain thought…
"What is this, Glorfindel?"
The blonde elf stopped patting his horse and smiled warmly as he stepped over to remove the boy's long fingers from an area of his horse's bridle.
He noted the jewel that glimmered in the warm sunlight. His smile turned to a frown and he wished for a moment that the child could see the beautiful treasure. But, he wasted no time on this tender issue and answered.
"It was a present from a woman I once loved." He said with soft sigh. " Tis' a Beryl stone. They are not rare, but they are precious among many of the races of Middle-Earth and while the stone itself has not value in my eyes- where it came from is very important to me."
"Is it a memory?" the young boy asked, his fingers tracing over the stone once more.
Glorfindel smiled softly and hugged the child around the shoulders. "Yes, it is a very beautiful memory."
He let himself be pulled from the memory and persisted onto the task at hand.
"As if it has fallen deliberately?" Estel stroked his beard and took the jewel in his fingers. "Or rather, been tossed?"
Merry took a step closer and looked at the thing with raised brows. "Yep, that's what it would seem."
Frodo, seeming a little less weary at the moment and even a little fearful, sat higher. "You don't suppose this is a trap of some sort?" his breathing hitched and Aragorn turned towards the sound of his voice with a soft smile.
"Fear not," Strider smiled and pulled his travel bag up, carefully dropping the precious stone into the pack and slinging it slowly onto his back.
Pippin frowned a bit, realizing that the beautiful gem he had found was not going to be returned to him.
Not, obviously, noticing this fact, the man continued. "This was dropped deliberately, but not by foe or anyone who might seek our blood. Not many of Sauron's allies would readily drop this. Not without promise for a greater prize." He shook his head and softly sniffed the cool breeze that ran over his face in wisps. "No, this is from a friend, and I think I may know whom that friend is." He gestured towards the path. "Come, we must be onward, the wraiths are not far behind I fear and with a friend ahead, hope may be more affordable than it has been."
Without another word, but many grunts and tired groans, the small party continued on over the rocky bridge and into the nearly silent forest.
After a few moments of relative silence, Aragorn decided dryly that maybe sending Merry and Pippin ahead to scout- alone- had been a bad idea.
Knowing that this land was a more rough and had less of the soft dirt paths he was accustomed to, it had been quite a challenge to decide to let the two youngest of the party explore the land unaccompanied.
Both had seemed rested though, and frankly, he was in no condition to move too far ahead of the group alone.
It was hard to admit, but right now, he needed their eyes as much as they needed his tracking skills. He would not rely too much on his ears right now, not since that faint buzzing had set forth.
Aragorn was almost certain it was from the infection that still lay in his side, alone and untouched. But he would not tell the hobbits, and especially not Frodo. He worried too much about others and too less about himself. He did not need another thing to fret over. 'No, most definitely not.' Strider's thoughts chided as he tapped his thin iron stick against roots and leaves that disheveled his path.
"I don't suppose you see either Merry or Pippin?" he asked after a moment, trying his best to push aside the extremely troublesome buzzing so he could maybe hear at least a bit of chatting from the two ahead.
Sam answered, since Frodo was in no shape to talk. "Why, no sir. I don't see them- can't you hear 'em?"
Strider rubbed his face and decided with a weak smile not to answer that particular question. "I say we travel straight ahead, that's the best we could do for Merry or Pippin."
"Why not stay here? They may come back this way and not find us…"
Strider stopped and turned to Sam, trying his absolute best to look in the direction of the Gamgee. He sighed and realized that he could not determine where the hobbit was; the buzzing in his ears had become too loud. "I would if we had the time Sam, but from how Frodo would seem in my ears and through my hands we dare not wait longer." He smiled. "Your friends will be fine- they do not carry what the Ring wraiths desire and I doubt they will cross any on this path."
He turned back and continued walking slowly, forcing Sam to follow him.
"But they will not know the way to Rivendell!"
"Do not worry so, Sam. I will come back for them once I have gotten Frodo to Rivendell." He shook his head. "This all provided that we do not meet them along the path."
Sam clenched the lead rope tighter and kicked a stone out of his path as he dragged Bill along. "Why not me? I certainly would be less valuable than Mister Brandybuck and Mister Took…" His eyes rose to watch Aragorn's form falter and stop.
The man chuckled. "I did not send you, Master Gamgee because I was sure that if I kept those two for one more minute, my eardrums might explode- now come, come! Don't be so foolish! Your not the kind of person to leave behind!" He shook his head, still not turning to face the hobbit.
He would have grabbed his shoulders and shook his hard to knock some sense into the humble hobbit's brain. But, at the moment he did not feel to steady on his feet, and he was sure that if he knelt his big frame would just topple right over and not get up.
Strider started onward again, beckoning with one hand for Sam to continue onward as well. He laughed a little louder and bobbed his proud head. "Come now, I am in need of a pair of sturdy eyes- can you lend me yours?"
Aragorn heard Sam urge Bill forward and Frodo moaned from his seat upon the little beast.
Strider put a finger to his lips to indicate the need for silence and Sam took it without question, smiling happily as he looked up into the chiseled face of their leader.
Once the man seemed to feel it safe once more, the Gamgee continued with a warm smile. " I sure can, sir. But I'll have to keep 'em, it wouldn't be comfortable to take 'em out, you see…"
"Oh! No doubt it wouldn't, Master Gamgee!" he chuckled. "Besides, that wouldn't be fair of me- taking your eyesight. Would be a perfectly brutal thing to do to one I claimed to be my friend, would you not agree?"
Samwise shrugged silently for a moment. " Well, I would say your certainly deserve the chance to see again." He licked dry lips. "I mean, you gave everything to help Mister Frodo, and yet you ask for nothing in return." He clucked his tongue. "It would cost us a pretty penny for a more brutish guide than yourself."
Strider was silent, but then he spoke, his voice gruff as always. Yet, he seemed touched or at least rather taken aback. "Sir Samwise, I thank you for your kind words. I am deeply honored that you call me friend and think me less of a brute than a highly paid guide." He coughed, Sam was sure it was to hide the embarrassment in his voice. "But, I pray that you'd not say what you did. I deserve no more chance than any other poor blind man. Trust me- I have met many and some of them would amaze you."
The hobbit shook his head as he stepped quickly to keep up with the tall ranger. "I have met many myself, sir. And trust me- those I have met have not used much of their great gifts." He sighed. "Many of those do not realize that many others in the world have worse problems than they do, and they go on feeling sorry for themselves and withering to nothing in their holes." He frowned. "I say, do not downplay your role in this journey Strider. You've been more of a help than I've ever had or seen- and that's sayin' a lot."
The man decided not to answer the hobbit, but kept walking in hopes that soon one of them would find Merry or Pippin, or even both.
"Strider!"
"Sam!"
The ranger stopped stiffly upon hearing his name. And though the buzzing had not ceased, he could still hear quite well he realized when both fearful voices nearly made him cringe.
He heard Sam behind him stiffen as well and listen. He was soon walking forward slowly, his steps shaking with fear as the sun began to set and the cool air brushed past him.
"Merry? Pippin?" he called softly, not wanting anyone nearby to notice their presence but also wanting the two hobbits to hear him and know they were close.
Strider's finger was to his lips and the Gamgee instantly silenced his heavy breathing, trying his absolute best to keep as quiet as he possibly could.
With grace like that of an elf, the ranger stepped noiselessly among the brush, his face was pale and he looked as if he was concentrating very hard. He motioned for Sam to stay where he was and the hobbit did so without a single question.
If wraiths came, he would worry about it when such happened. Right now he had no idea what Merry and Pippin had encountered and he was not about to be foolish and disobey their guide. Not this time. He had done that enough already and look what it had done.
Frodo was now knocking on death's dark door and Sam had no way to help. Had he been more cooperative in the beginning maybe none of this would have happened.
He sighed and watched as the fading sunlight flashed through the trees and onto Aragorn's dark and lengthy form. His long raven tresses swayed as he stumbled forward and though he seemed to have a weight larger than an adult male oliphant upon his broad shoulders, he looked a great sight; a man of a great line of lords. Someone who was born to be a king, but did not wish this title.
As Sam watched, he noted two small shapes coming towards them. The soft padding of large feet in the dirt was heard and he saw Aragorn halt so as not to run into the two smaller beings.
"Strider!" the taller breathed as he leaned over himself, his hands against his own thighs. Merry, for it was both Merry and Pippin who had finally found Strider, spoke breathlessly. He gulped down air as he reached for the ranger's tattered, brown sleeve. "Strider, we… we found trolls!"
Pippin wasted no time in grabbing the ranger's other sleeve and yanking on it like a child who was in desperate need of something he or she deemed important. "They may be after us!" he coughed and Merry continued.
"We walked right into the glade that held them. We had no idea because they were so silent- but they saw us, I'm sure of it!" he was beginning to pull the human the other way, wanting nothing more than to escape the danger that he and Pippin had placed them all in. "Hurry! We must run or we will be their supper!"
Strider was not quick to run.
Sam watched as he stood his ground and did not let either Merry or Pippin drag him anywhere.
The Gamgee could see behind the strong and unflinching face wheels turning inside his quick mind and he trotted forward, bringing Bill and Frodo along with him.
"Strider! Come! We must flee!" Merry's voice was impatient as he continuously pulled.
But the man did not budge, he merely turned his head in the direction he had heard Sam come and licked his lips. "Correct me it I am wrong, but the sun still shines, true?"
He nodded quickly. "Aye, it does. There is at least half an hour before the sun will be beyond our sight."
"Well, that settles that." Smiling, the man yanked his arms from the two hobbits and turned nonchalantly walking back the way that Merry and Pippin had come, showing no sign of wariness or tension. "Come, we must be off." Was all he stated as he continued to tap the solid ground with his stick.
"Strider! Do you want the trolls to eat you? Where are you going?" Pippin shouted, utterly confused and believing very much that their guide had just lost all the sense that he had still carried. "Strider!"
The man, still walking, but a little slower, groaned. "Would you please not shout like that? You are going to give me a massive head ache."
The Brandybuck trotted forward, with Pippin and Sam behind him. "You won't be able to hear us anyway once the trolls eat you!"
Tapping his stick against the bark of a tree, Strider chuckled. "Well, I doubt they will eat me- but it's always good to be prepared I suppose…"
Sam was a little befuddled and saw that Merry and Pippin had run out of questions, deciding that Strider was now clearly insane. "What do you mean?"
Not stopping to explain, the man pushed loose branches from his way and disappeared. "What I mean, Master Gamgee, is that the trolls cannot eat me because they are not alive." He shouted only so that they could all hear him, not because he was angry or upset.
On the contrary he was actually laughing and thought the whole thing to be rather hilarious.
"Of course they were alive! We saw them!" Merry shouted back, a little miffed that this ranger all the sudden thought he knew so much. "I know you're smart, but you didn't see them, Strider! They are alive I tell you!"
His voice was no longer moving so they assumed that he had stopped now just past the overgrown branches and ivy. "Well, I am not sure that Bilbo has told you all this, so I will explain myself." He coughed once and their came a loud, shrill tapping sound. "Trolls become hard as stone in the day if they have not returned to their caves. These trolls you saw were the same trolls that Gandalf the Grey tricked on the great journey your Bilbo Baggins took to find the treasure of smaug."
Sam smacked his forehead. "Oh, how could I have forgotten? Mister Bilbo must have told that story a million times!"
"Yes, well it is only a legend, a fairy-tale of sorts." Merry argued.
Frodo, who had awoken and was now sitting, and leaning, painfully on Bill's old back rubbed his eyes with his right hand. "No, I believe it is truth. Bilbo didn't make up those stories like everyone thinks he did."
"Oh, rea…" he stopped slowly as he stepped into the clearing and saw Strider leaning comfortably again one of the trolls who was bent over as if looking at the ground. His thin metal stick was tapping the thing's big ugly nose.
"What a brute." Sam said audibly, leading Bill closer and closer. "I bet he's ten feet tall!"
Raising himself up a bit more, Strider smiled and nodded. "He may be more than ten feet. But the point is that he's not alive anymore and I must say this would be the perfect spot for that much needed rest we all deserve."
Frodo and the others nodded slowly, all except Merry who was still looking quite terrified that the beasts might come back to life if he dared to move. "A-are you sure?" he whispered in the lowest tone he could possibly muster. He was not worried about not being heard, but more that the trolls would hear him and they would rumble back to life.
"Yes," Strider smiled and patted the seat next to him upon the log. "Come now, Merry. You need to rest."
With shuddering steps, the Brandybuck made it to the log and sat as close to Strider as he possibly could. And though neither he nor Aragorn were the snuggling type, the ranger let the young hobbit cuddle as close as he needed to so that he could feel safe.
The sun had nearly disappeared behind the hills as the crickets began to chirrup; their soft noises a sort of comfort as the deep clutches of the night wrapped itself around the company.
Frodo's arm ached and the bluish colors before him were quickly turning gray, but he did his best to ward it off so as not to alarm Aragorn.
He knew that the man was aware of his pain and he could see the worried countenance that was present on his strong features. And though the Baggins was unsure how he knew, he was sure it was another of the man's Eru-given gifts. Something else to make up for the loss of his eyes.
He sighed wearily and with a smile leaned a little closer to the man, trying his best to ward off the ice that was running up and down his arm.
Feeling suddenly hopeless he prayed a silent prayer that if need be, Aragorn would be able to safely guide the others to Rivendell, for all of the sudden he felt sure he would not be there when they arrived. 'It would taking nothing short of a miracle…'
A chilly wind wrapped around the hobbit and he slumped further against the ranger as darkness further than midnight enveloped him.
TBCI know this isn't exactly how the book went, but it is AU so forgive the differences. Anyway and I am sorry this chapter took so long. Thanks you guys for all your support. Blessings!
P.S. Forgive the mistakes, this chapter was not sent to my beta.