See! I promised Chapter Four would be up soon! Sorry it's taking so long to get the chapters posted. As I said School is insanity in a textbook, but I hope to continue to be prompt with the chapters. Well enjoy and please review.

Chapter 4

Flight from the Wraiths

Long after the hobbits had fallen asleep, Tie and Cora sat up talking in low tones. They sat by the fire giving the hobbits the bed. Aragorn still sat in the chair by the window, gazing out at the dark world beyond. They discussed what they were to do now that they would be on their way to Rivendell with the hobbits and Aragorn. They discussed the journey and what they were going to do to get home. They still didn't know how they had gotten to Middle-Earth but were certain that they were there for some reason, though what it was they weren't sure. Slowly as the night wore on the girls fell asleep, Aragorn still sitting and watching over them all.

Tie woke with a hand on her shoulder. She blinked and rolled onto her back and looked up at Strider standing over her. He held a finger to his lips and gestured to the others in the room, who still slept.

"I must go and see if I can find a pony for our provisions," he whispered quietly, his voice a gentle rumble in the dark. "Watch over the others until I return. If I am not back by dawn, wake them. Wake your friend first and use the time before the hobbits awake to dress yourselves." And with that he left the room.

Tie sat up and stretched, looking around the room at her sleeping companions. She stood and went to the now vacant chair by the window and gazed out into the night. The sky was brightening slowly, showing dawn to be no more than a few hours away. She looked down at the dark street below and could barely see the dark form of a man walking swiftly away from the inn. She wondered for a brief moment in the hours that she was the only one awake why Strider had asked her to watch over the others, but she shrugged it off as she was probably the strongest of the ones there and the most likely to be able to protect them. The sky slowly brightened, and an hour before dawn, she woke Cora. Her friend groaned and opened her eyes looking around the quiet, dim room. She sat up and looked toward the window where the sun's light was beginning to send the first red-golden streaks into the sky.

"Where's Aragorn?" She asked, gazing around the room for the missing human. She looked up at her friend curiously.

"Strider," she corrected. "We're not supposed to know his name yet, remember? He's gone to find a pony for the journey. He's due to return soon so we should get dressed while he is out and the hobbits still sleep." Cora nodded and stood.

Tie passed her one of the skirts and tunics, and the two quickly dressed. Cora sat back down by the dying fire, and Tie sat back in the chair by the widow gazing out at the road.

"How long have you been awake?" Cora was gazing at her friend in mild curiosity.

"Since Ar…Strider left," she answered, stumbling over the fact that she wasn't supposed to know his name. "Probably 2 hours ago. He said if he hadn't returned by dawn that I was to wake you and the hobbits. Then he left." Tie looked back out the window.

"We need talk Cora."

"About what?" Cora looked up at her friend, poking idly at the small flames to bring them back to life.

"About why we're here. What are we going to do about getting home? What are we going to do about the war?" Tie watched Cora as she looked into the flames. Cora thought for a long time on her response, keeping her gaze averted as she pondered her answer.

"Nothing. We're going to do nothing. Until we find out who brought us here and why, it would probably be best to let things go as they're supposed to." Tie nodded her understanding and looked out the window again to check the time before rising to her feet.

"I should probably wake them now." She went to the bed and woke the hobbits one by one. They all sat up groggily, and yawned and stretched.

"Where's Strider?" Frodo asked, looking around the room. Just as Tie was about to say that he would return soon, the door opened and Strider walked in.

"You're all awake; that's good," he said turning to Tie. "My thanks, Tiernan, for watching over them." She nodded in response to his gratitude and he continued. "We must leave soon, so hurry and we will depart." The hobbits were quick to get up and were ready in minutes.

After all were dressed and ready to go, Strider went to the door and the others followed. He led them out of the inn and out of Bree. They were deep into the forest before the hobbits began to question where they were going and if they could truly trust Strider. The girls walked up by Strider; better able to keep the quick pace he set than the hobbits.

"But where is he leading us?" Sam asked some where in the middle of just such a conversation.

"To R…where indeed?" Tie said, receiving a stern poke in the ribs as she started to respond to a question she wasn't supposed to know the answer to yet.

"To Rivendell, Master Gamgee. To the House of Elrond," Strider answered Sam's question as if he hadn't heard Tie speak. Tie rubbed her ribs as Sam spoke excitedly.

"Did you hear that? Rivendell. We're going to see the elves."

They traveled for several more days before coming in sight of a large crumbling stone tower. Aragorn turned his eyes up to it reflectively.

"This was once the great watch tower of Amon Sul. We shall rest here tonight." He led them up to a low level of the tower facing out the way they had come and bade them rest. The group gratefully shed their packs and sat down, breathing heavily. He placed his own pack on the ground and removed a large bundle wrapped in a cloak. He unwrapped it to reveal 6 short blades.

"These are for you," he said passing one to each. "Keep them close. I'm going to have a look around. Stay here." He turned to leave. Tie stood and went after him.

"Might I come along?" She asked hopefully. She was beyond the point where she was scared of where she was and was now thoroughly enjoying herself. Strider looked at her for a long time before nodding.

"All right, two pairs of eyes are always more useful against the Wraiths than one." Tie picked up the short sword she had been given and slid it through the belt that held her skirt in place so that it hung securely at her hip. Then she fell into step with Strider and vanished from view.

Cora sat with the hobbits relaxing after the long days walk to reach Weathertop. She stretched her cramped muscles. It was going to be a long night. She didn't know how long it was going to be until Frodo dropped off to sleep, and then she had to stay up and make sure that the other 3 hobbits didn't light a fire. She knew what she and Tie had discussed and she figured that preventing Frodo from being stabbed by the Wraith wouldn't change anything important, and she wanted to know if they even could change what was already destined. Maybe it wasn't possible for them to change anything at all. She just needed to stay awake. Her head fell back against the wall and her eyes drooped. Just stay awake.

Tie traveled around Weathertop with Strider, looking out at the land ahead. They circled the whole tower and then began to head back to the ledge where they had left the others. They stopped for a moment to look ahead once more.

"Let's rest here a moment before we head back." Strider sat down, placing his back to the wall. Tie stood for a moment more looking out over the ledge, then turned and sat down. She wasn't sure how much longer till the Wraiths arrived but it was certainly dark enough for them to show up at any moment. She sat back a little hesitantly beside Strider and relaxed for a moment.

"Why are you so anxious?" Strider was watching her as she tried to settle her nerves. "You're more nervous than I and I know what the Nazgul are capable of." Tie had to think before offering an answer that didn't give away the fact that she knew what was coming.

"I don't trust this night," she said softly, speaking the truth. "It's too quiet, too still. It just doesn't seem right." She settled down a little bit more, having spoken of her fears she felt more at ease. She knew what she had told Cora but she just couldn't allow herself to sit back and watch as the events of the movie occurred. She needed to know she was doing something useful.

Strider sat up a little straighter, looking around himself, listening carefully.

"Back you devils!" The sound of Sam's voice carried over to them just barely over the sound of the breeze. Strider and Tie were on their feet instantly and running toward the sound of their companions' voices. They paused for a moment in a narrow inlet in the tower and Strider pulled out two torches which he lit, handing one to Tie, before running on to help their friends.

Cora woke with a start at the sound of angry hobbit voices. Cursing herself for falling asleep she turned to see Frodo putting out the embers of a fire with his feet. She was on her feet in a second, just at the same moment that the cry of the Wraiths could be heard off in the distance. Frodo drew the short sword that Strider had given him, and the others followed his lead.

"Go!" He yelled and they all ran for the top of the tower. Cora made certain to stand near Frodo. If she couldn't stop the Wraiths from finding them this night then maybe she could help protect Frodo.

They huddled close together at the center of the top of the tower. She watched and listened trying to detect the sound of the approaching menace, but she was still caught off guard when Frodo bumped into her and stumbled to the far side of the circle. She and the other hobbits turned to see the Wraiths approaching them, swords drawn.

"Back you devils!" Sam yelled, holding his sword ready to defend Frodo. The first of the Wraiths swept him away without effort. Merry and Pippin closed ranks on Frodo, shielding him from the Riders, but they too were thrown aside. Then Cora was the only one between them and Frodo. She swung at the first of the Wraiths and they knocked her arm aside. She swung again and this time after blocking her swing, the Wraith back handed her across the chin, flinging her into a pillar near the edge of the tower and she knew only black.

Tie and Strider ran as fast as they could safely on the treacherous ledge, trying to make it to the others before the Wraiths. Tie knew it was hopeless to prevent now but she ran on, knowing that maybe she could still help. They reached the tower top just as a scream of pain rent the night air. They leapt over the last crest that hid their companions from view and against 5 of the Riders.

One of the hobbits was picking himself up off the ground, while the other two stood huddled over a pile on the ground. Cora was nowhere to be seen. Tie had only enough time to hope that she was all right, before she was engaged with fighting the Wraiths. Tie stayed near Frodo, knowing somehow where he was before he removed the Ring, and Strider fought the Wraiths back. Strider swung both torch and sword at the Wraiths. Tie, however, used only the torch, not thinking, nor taking the time to draw her short sword. One final Wraith tried to get near Frodo to take the Ring, and was chased away when Strider threw his torch into its hood.

"Strider!" Sam called to him as he made his way to Frodo's side. "Help him Strider!" While Strider went to attend Frodo, Tie found that the hobbits hadn't been bickering over food, but trying to wake Cora who had hit her head against the pillar, at whose foot she laid.

Strider reached down to a blade on the ground near Frodo. "He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade." The blade of the short sword, melted in his hand and Strider cast it to the ground. "This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs elvish medicine."

Strider scooped the hobbit up into his arms and made for the ramp leading down out of the tower. Tie knew she could carry Cora but not at the speed that would be needed to save Frodo, so she called over to the ranger.

"Aragorn, wait." He turned to face her and she took Cora into her arms and went to him. "I'll carry Frodo. I can't carry Cora and keep pace with you, but I can if I carry Frodo." Nodding Strider traded the hobbit in his arms for the girl in hers and in the race to get Frodo to Rivendell, Tie's slip went unnoticed.

They hurried on through that night and on into the next day, too afraid that if they stopped they would lose all hope of saving Frodo. Cora woke with first light and though a little unstable at first, was able to keep pace so that Strider could carry the injured hobbit and they could travel with much more ease than with two unconscious people.

After another full day of travel, they were all too exhausted to go on that night and were forced to camp the night, instead of stopping for a short rest and continuing on again. Strider, who seemed to either run on pure adrenaline or possess inexhaustible amounts of endurance, stood restless nearby, gazing constantly out into the night behind them. Sam stayed by Frodo, watching over him, and ran one of hand across his skin to check the spread of the poison. Frodo's skin was clammy against his own.

"Mr. Frodo?" He called receiving no answer, and turned to Strider. "He's going cold."

"Is he going to die?" Pippin asked, holding a torch up so that he and Sam could see their injured friend more easily. Strider turned back to them and stood still for a moment before answering.

"He's passing into the Shadow World," he said softly. "He'll soon become a Wraith like them." The sound of the

Wraiths searching erupted through the night.

"They're close," Merry said, his gaze going to the dark forest.

Strider called Sam over to him and with Cora to aid them, went in search of the Athelas plant to help slow the poison.

Tie took up Sam's place at Frodo's side and bathed the cold sweat from his face with a damp cloth. She knew he was going to be all right, but she couldn't help the nervous tension that ran through her causing her to shift anxiously as she crouched near him.

Tie was bathing his face a second time when Strider, Sam, and Cora returned with an elven woman. She was slender with long dark hair that hung in waves down her back, and she wore dark elven riding clothes (which Tie noted looked much more comfortable than her own).

"Who is she?" Merry asked, eyes wide on the beautiful woman before them, bending over Frodo, whispering his name.

"She's an elf," Sam said in an awed voice.

"He's fading," the woman said, her voice soft and lyrical, paying no attention to the hobbits. Strider leaned over the hobbit as the elf spoke and pressed a little of the Athelas plant into the wound. "He's not going to last. We must get him to my father." At her words, Strider scooped Frodo into his arms and placed him carefully on the elf's horse, as she spoke softly to him. Cora and Tie stood with the hobbits listening to the musical conversation. Then the woman was mounted.

"Noro lim, noro lim, Asfaloth!" she whispered urgently to her stallion in elven, and it bolted forward into the night. It took the hobbits a moment to realize how dangerous a move it was.

"What are you doing?" Sam cried angrily at Strider standing at the edge of the light. "Those Wraiths are still out there!" Strider turned back to the group and studied them for a moment.

"Fear not my friends," he said slowly. "Arwen is a swift rider. She will be in Rivendell by morning. Now, rest. Night passes quickly and we leave in the morning."

Sorry, but that's all for now. I should have 5 up here shortly. I really hope you enjoy the story, and I'll see ya soon.