AN: Well I still need a Beta reader sadly so sorry bout the spelling mistakes.
Disclaimer: Do I really have to… Idontownthelordoftherings! There.
To become a Ranger
Chapter 6
Weathertop
Alyssa and Aragorn where walking ahead of the rest of the group when they heard Merry asking Frodo grouchily on how they knew that the two rangers where friends of Gandalf.
"We have no choice but to trust them." Stated Frodo sternly.
"Yes, but where are they leading us?" asks Sam desperately.
Aragorn cast a look back at Sam. "To Rivendale master Gamgee… to the house of Elrond."
Alyssa smirked when she heard Sam's response to that. "Did you hear that Bill? Rivendale! We're going to see the Elves!"
The rest of the Hobbits just laughed at him and trudged on their way after the two Rangers.
The next day just before the Midgewater Marshes the hobbits decided to stop and get out their cooking utensils.
"Gentlemen, we do not stop till nightfall." Said Aragorn his brow furrowed in confusion.
"What about Breakfast?" asked Pippin just as confused.
"You've already had one." Aragorn said glaring at Alyssa who was laughing silently in the background.
"Had one yes, but what about second breakfast?" continued Pippin.
Aragorn just stared at him blankly then started to continue walking Alyssa following him still silently giggling.
"I don't think he knows about second breakfast pip." Says Merry who walks up beside him with a pot in his hand.
"But what about Luncheon, Afternoon tea, dinner, supper… he knows about them doesn't he?" exclaimed pippin desperately.
Merry placed a hand on pippins shoulder as if it was the end of the world and said, "I wouldn't count on it."
Suddenly an apple came spinning through the air which merry caught deftly. Another came shortly after which hit Pippin square in the forehead.
"Pippin." All the hobbits cried exasperated.
And so all the hobbits continued on trudging threw the beginning of the Marshes all cold wet and tired.
Naught three hours latter further into the marshes every one including Alyssa and Aragorn where swatting the midges that inhabited the Marsh.
"I am being eaten alive!" cried Pippin the second day they where in the marshes. "Midgewater! There are more Midges than water!"
"What do they live off of when they can't get Hobbit?" asked Sam as he scratched his neck.
"Who the hell knows, all I wish right now was that I could just zap them out of they sky, then at least we would have some entertainment." Growled Alyssa accusingly. She had gotten grumpier and grumpier the longer they where in the marshes and had been snapping at people all day causing every one to talk to her with caution.
They spent another miserable night in this lonely and unpleasant country. Their camping place was damp, cold and uncomfortable; and the biting insect would not let them rest. There were also abominable creatures haunting the reeds and tussocks that from the sound of them were evil relatives of the cricket. There were thousands of them and they squeaked all round, neek-breek breek-neek, unceasingly all night until the hobbits where nearly frantic.
The next day was little better and the night was almost as comfortless as the last. Though the NeekerBreekers (as Sam called them) had been left behind the midges still pursued them.
As Alyssa lay, tired yet unable to close her eyes, it seemed to her that far away there came a light in the eastern sky: it flashed and faded many times. It was not the dawn for that was still some hours off.
"What is that light?" she asked strider who had risen and was standing gazing off into the light.
"I do not know." Strider answered. "It is too distant to make out. It is like lightning that leaps out from the hill tops instead of the clouds.
Alyssa lay down again but she could still see the white flashes and against them the tall dark figure of Aragorn standing silent and watchful. At last she finally passed into an uneasy sleep.
Two days later they had finally left the marshes and where now trudging along a rough terrain that was rising steadily up. Away in the distance in the morning light you could see a line of hills the highest a little separated from the others. It had a conical top slightly flattened from the top.
"That is Weathertop," said Aragorn. "The Old Road runs south of it and passes not far from its foot. We might reach it by noon tomorrow if we go strait towards it. I suppose we had better do so."
Alyssa hummed her agreement. "I would like to check out what that light was and I suspect it was from Weathertop, it would be the most obvious place anyways. Besides it dose give us some shelter for the night and a good place to watch for the Wraiths."
"Very well then we must make haste if we wish to reach there soon." Said Aragorn before they started off at a faster pace then usual.
They finally did make it to Weathertop just after sunset and all collapsed against the rock wall of a small overhang facing the North.
"What used to be atop Weathertop?" asked Frodo finally.
"In the days of the North Kingdom they built a great watch tower upon Weathertop, Amon Sul they called it. It was burned and broken and nothing remains of it now but a tumbled ring like a crown atop the old hill's head. It is told that Elendil stood there watching for the return of Gil-galad out of the West, in the days of the last Alliance." He gazed off into the distance as if remembering something. Suddenly a quiet little singing could be heard;
Gil-galad was an Elven-king,
Of him the harpers sadly sing:
The last whose realm was fair and free
Between the Mountains and the Sea.
His sword was long, his lance was keen,
His shining helm afar was seen;
The countless stars of heaven's field
Were mirrored in his silver shield.
But long ago he rode away,
And where he dwelleth none can say;
For into darkness fell his star
In Mordor where the shadows are.
The others turned in amazement, for the voice was Sam's. "Don't stop!" said Merry.
"That's all I know," stammered Sam, blushing. "I learned it from Mr. Bilbo when I was a lad. He used to tell me tales like that knowing how I was always one for hearing about the Elves."
"Yes that was a song translated roughly from the ancient tongue called The Fall of Gil-galad, though I never knew he translated it." Aragorn said thoughtfully. He stood up and brushed off his muddy pants. "Me and Alyssa are going to have a look around, stay here and do not draw attention to your selves. Here are four swords keep them close buy in case there is any danger." He handed them four hobbit sized swords then started to walk away Alyssa beside him.
When they where on top of the hill Aragorn finally turned to her. "You have been rather quiet lately, not a word since this morning. Is something the matter?"
"No, nothing." Alyssa stated quietly, turning away.
Aragorn crossed his arms. "I don't believe that."
Alyssa snorted softly as she was examining a large boulder placed purposely at the centre of the hill. It was burnt as if something akin to a propane explosion had happened there and a little white symbol cared into the center of the black splotch.
"What have you found?" asked Aragorn kneeling down beside her.
"There seems to be a stroke a dot and two more strokes." She said pointing to the symbol.
He brushed his finger against it before turning to her. "The first mark I suspect is a G rune meaning Gandalf was here, the three other strokes I suspect that he was here on the third which was 4 days ago the same night we saw the lightning."
Alyssa nodded, "makes sense." She got up and started to walk down the other side of the hill away from the hobbits.
"And yet again what is bothering you?" asked Aragorn.
Alyssa just kept on walking until she was more that half way down the hill where she finally stopped and looked up at the sky. There was a few moments of silence before she finally said what had been bothering her since almost three days ago. "Have you ever loved some one?"
All Aragorn could think of was, 'Uh Oh, where was she taking this one.' He then saw her looking at him expectantly. "Yes, once, well we thought we did anyways, but other than that no, not yet anyways." He said looking at her.
"Who was it?" she asked tentatively, she knew this was probably not the best thing to do but she couldn't help herself.
Aragorn raised his eyebrow but answered her anyway. "Her name is Arwen Undomiel. She is more like a sister now more than anything else. Why do you ask me this?"
Alyssa turned to him smiling shyly, the stars twinkling merrily in her green eyes. "Do you no know?" she asked softly.
The next moment they knew was that they where kissing softly yet passionately. Just as it was getting a bit heated they heard it the chilling cries of the Nazgul.
They jumped apart there hands going to their swords. Alyssa swore, she couldn't believe that she hadn't noticed how close the Witch King had gotten with out her noticing. "Their atop the hill." She yell as sprinted up the slope to the Hobbits who where surrounded by the Wraiths.
Aragorn snatched up the torch he had been carrying earlier and quickly ran after her, his sword brandished.
They broke into the circle of Wraiths just in time to hear the pained yell of Frodo who had just taken off the ring.
Alyssa lunged at the head of the Nazgul with more fury that she had ever thought she could posses, she had the upper hand at first before she was over come buy two other wraiths who had joined the which king and so she had to back down into her defensive position trying her best to keep her head attached to her shoulders which wasn't easy. She saw out of the corner of her eye someone jump in swinging a torch around catching two of them on fire leaving the last to her. Suddenly she saw an opening and lunged for it, hitting the wraith in the stomach quite badly she was proud to say before it hit her across the face with its flailing arms sending her flying into a wall and it collapsing on top of her from the force.
All she heard before she succumbed into darkness was someone yelling out "Alyssa!"
AN: Well there's chapter 6. Two chapters in one day Woot! Hope you all enjoy.
BTW: the Lullaby from the chapter before was Hushaby Mountain from the movie Chitty-Chitty Bang-Bang, sung by Dick Van Dike.