Chapter 21 - Leaving Edoras

Nicole awoke to the sounds of people running all over the place in the Golden Hall. She was in the guest room. She got up and decided to look to see what was going on. She found Feliesha and Iekika standing in the center of the room as people went running past them. Nicole decided to head over to them.

"Hey, what's going on?" She asked.

"Well someone finally decided to wake up . . ." Feliesha said, as a joke. Nicole gave a fake laugh and repeated her question.

"There's a rumour going around that the evil wizard, Mr Pinkerton, and his sidekick Saraman are coming to attack Edoras with millions of Orcs." Iekika explained.

"Really?" Nicole asked, surprised. "What are we gonna do?"

"Kind Théoden is arranging for everyone to go to Helm's Deep." Iekika answered. "Aragorn went to look for him right now and we're supposed to wait here for him." She explained. Nicole nodded. She looked around.

"Where are Jessica, Anna, and Matt?" She asked. Iekika shrugged.

"Jessica is out shopping, and I don't know where Matt went . . ." Feliesha said. "And I don't know where Anna is."

"I'm here!" Anna said, running into the room, pushing through the people. "Aragorn told me to tell you that we need to go to the front gate NOW!" She said, out of breath. "There are two Ringwraiths here . . ." Nicole sighed.

"Will we EVER get a moments rest?" She asked. The four girls pushed through the crowd of people. Soon they found themselves on the entrance outside, where Nicole and Tom were the night before. The streets were full of people too.

"Ready?" Anna asked. The three nodded and they raced through the streets. They passed a clothes shop and Nicole noticed a short blond haired woman there.

I wonder who that is. She thought to herself sarcastically. She went over and lifted the girl up by the back of her dress.

"Hello Jessica. We got to go now . . ." She said. Jessica started squirming and tried punching Nicole. She missed. "C'mon! Let's go." So she carried Jessica all the way to the front gate where Aragorn, King Théoden, Eowyn, Tom, Anna, Iekika, and Feliesha were waiting for them.

"Good. Now everyone's here." Aragorn said.

"So where's this black rider?" Feliesha asked, looking around.

"I don't know." King Théoden answered. "He was here earlier, but now he's gone." Anna inspected the hills in the distance.

"How many were there?" She asked Aragorn in a hushed voice.

"There were two or three . . ." Aragorn replied. "But I don't want the king to know or he will panic."

"I see . . ." Anna replied.

"So what are we gonna do about it?" Nicole asked.

"Tom, you and Nicole gather the village to the front gate." King Théoden said. Tom and Nicole nodded, and ran back into the city. "This is insane! First, Orcs plan on attacking Edoras, and now the Nazgul are here! What next?"

- - -

Nick and Paul stood at the cliff of a mountain that overlooked the hilly city of Edoras. They could see in the distance small figures of people gathering outside the gates, and leaving the town.

"That can't be a good sign. . ." Paul said.

"Nope." Nick replied. "We halfta follow them and then tell Sarah where they are planning on going. We might have to have Saraman's group of orcs attack them."

"Heehee." Paul laughed. "You're evil!"

"I know." Nick replied as they galloped over the mountains to find Sarah W.

Back in Edoras, almost everyone in the city was gathered outside the gate. King Théoden ordered them to head to Helm's Deep. So they were all traveling. Anna and Aragorn walking together, Iekika and Feliesha and Jessica walking together, and Nicole walking by herself. She felt alone, out of the crowd.

"Hey." A familiar voice said. She turned around to see a young blond haired man. It was Tom. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Oh nothing . . ." Nicole said, continuing to walk as she looked at the ground.

"You look lonely . . ." Tom said.

"Yeah. . . . Well I'm used to being lonely." Nicole said. Then, Tom grabbed her hand, and they walked together, holding hands, to Helm's Deep.