A/N: J. R. R. Tolkien owns Lord of the Rings, not me. I just own my OC Airy.
Bold Italics are Elvish language, if I have actual elvish from the movies then the translations will appear (like this). Italics are thoughts.
Yes I have started another fanfiction if you read any of my other works. I apologize for not updating them very well. Between a new job where I work overnight –which was my main writing times mostly, health issues for myself as well as helping family out as they had health issues as well, as well as just needing a break from writing in general as I was getting major writers block was needed.
Chapter Two: The Wild
I opened my eyes when I heard Aragorn shift in his seat. I looked at the fire and saw that it was low and looked outside to see that it was still dark. "How long?" I asked Aragorn softly as I looked at him. He gave me a smirk and told me that it was nearly time to wake the hobbits up. I nodded my head and stretched my arms over my head.
"Do you need anything before we leave?" Aragorn asked me from his spot near the window, watching me with his eyes. I shook my head as I stood up and walked over to my bag, checking it to make sure that I had everything that I would need.
"No I'm good. I got arrows and my sword." I said as I walked over to him and squeezed his shoulder before I walked towards the door. "I'm going to get food. The sooner we can leave the sooner I'll be more comfortable." I said to Aragorn, who just laughed at me before he woke the hobbits up. Soon Aragorn and the hobbits came and joined me downstairs and we left the inn, and Bree, for the wild. I felt like I could breathe easier once we left Bree, sighing softly once I felt more comfortable. I glared at Aragorn as he chuckled at me from where he was ahead of me though I had a smile on my face since I knew Aragorn was just laughing at my dramatics.
"Where are you taking us?" I heard Frodo call out in question as we walked through the woods. I glanced back at Frodo and gave him a smile, my hood once more upon my head.
"Into the wild." Aragorn said in return to the hobbit as he led the pony that we purchased to help carry all the packs we now suddenly had. I could feel a smile grow on my face as I heard Frodo defend us as Merry asked if we were truly friends of Gandalf and not serving the enemy.
"So it seems that we have gained one hobbit's trust." I said to Aragorn with a smile on my face before a vision came, a small gasp leaving me as it came. I watched as Aragorn shook his head at something what was either said or done and walk off into the bushes that would be further down our road as we walked. Blinking my eyes, my vision returned to normal and Aragorn stood in front of me with questioning eyes.
"What was that about?" Pippin asked us as he looked at us curiously. I gave Aragorn a soft smile and squeezed his hand that rested on my shoulder.
"Shadow has the gift of foresight." Aragorn explained as he looked at the hobbits before looking back at me. "What did you see?"
"You shaking your head at something, what I don't know, before walking off into the bushes that are on our road further ahead." I told Aragorn with a smile before turning to the hobbits. "Do not worry Master Hobbits." I then turned and walked forward, taking lead for a bit while Aragorn walked not that far behind me.
"Where are we going?" I heard Sam ask us after we walked for a while in the trees. I glanced over my shoulder to see him leading the pony, named Bill, behind the rest of us.
"To Rivendell, Master Gamgee." Aragorn answered a small smile on his face that only I could see. "To the House of Elrond." I smiled as I heard Sam get all excited about going to see my kin.
"I think Sam forgets that I am an elf." I told to Aragorn laughing some as he caught up to me and walked with. Aragorn laughed and squeezed my shoulder before he took the lead. As we walked we had reached some bushes, ones that I soon recognized from my vision, and heard some noise behind me. I turned to see the hobbits stopping and unpacking cooking pans and eating utensils.
"Gentlemen, we do not stop 'til night fall." Aragorn said to the hobbits as he turned around himself.
"What about breakfast?" Pippen asked, causing Aragorn and I to share a confused look with each other.
"You've already had it." I said to the hobbit as I walked towards Aragorn. I heard Pippin say something about second breakfast, causing Aragorn and I to share a look before Aragorn shakes his head and walks off. Well that solves that vision… I thought to myself as I watched an apple come flying towards the hobbits be caught by Merry.
"Pippin!" Merry scolded as an apple hit him directly in the face, I had to chuckle at that and followed Aragorn once I knew for sure that the hobbits were following us.
"Have you ever had to deal with hobbits before we started our travels as rangers?" Aragorn asked me as I caught up with him. I shook my head at his question and frowned.
"Only hobbit I ever interacted with was Bilbo Baggins, Frodo's uncle. And that was very brief. He disappeared before my very eyes when my father forced the dwarves into the dungeons." I explained as I glanced back at Frodo as we walked. "Now I know how he did it all those years ago." Aragorn squeezed my shoulder before I went back to walk with the hobbits.
"Why do they call you Shadow?" Frodo asked me as we walked towards where we would rest for the night. I smiled as down at the hobbit as I thought back to the ranger name I was given by many.
"I never remove my hood." I responded after a few moments of rest. "Not many would take my skills seriously if they discovered I was a woman. As such, I keep my hood up, my face and race in shadows. Shadow comes from that." I said as I saw Aragorn stop and saw the watchtower we would be staying at.
"This once was the great watch tower of Amon Sûl." Aragorn said, more to himself than the hobbits, before turning to look at us. "We shall rest here tonight." Aragorn looked at me and nodded his head before turning and leading the way up to the watchtower.
"Long has it been since the Dúnedain resided here." I said to Aragorn as I came up to him as the hobbits sat down. Aragorn smirked at me and gave my shoulder a squeeze as I pulled my hood off.
"These are for you." Aragorn said as he unrolled a bundle he took off Bill the pony and set on the ground. I helped him hand out the short swords to the hobbits. "Keep them close, Im going to have a look around and Shadow will be not far off either." Aragorn looked at me as he said that and I nodded my head in agreement with him. "Stay here." With that Aragorn and I left, going our separate ways. I went to the top of the tower, hoping that with my eyesight I can catch any enemies before they came too close.
"What are you doing?" I can hear Frodo question from below me and almost groan at what the four hobbits could be up to. I am about to turn around and go down to see what they are up to when I hear Frodo panicky demand to put something out. It would be a fools wish that the hobbits didn't start a fire, but the tell tale scream of the wraiths along with the pain I felt from the scar on my chest told me it was too good to be true.
"I'm murdering hobbits…" I grumble as said four hobbits came into my view. "What did you four do?" I demanded as I forced myself into a standing position from the crouched one I had taken when I felt the pain from my scar. Before any of the hobbits could answer five ringwraiths appeared.
"You have got to be kidding me…" I muttered as I drew my sword and swung it at one of the wraiths. I could hear Sam tell a wraith to get back but he must have been pushed aside by one of them. I focused on fighting the wraith that was in front of me, once I managed to shove it away from me and back up I turned to see one of the nazgûl stab the air. "No!" I shouted distracting the robed figure to withdrawal the blade from Frodo who had reappeared right where the wraith had stabbed. I swung my blade at the wraith and clashed with its blade. My chest felt like it was on fire from the amount of paint that I was feeling, but I had to hold on until Aragorn came.
"Frodo!" I heard Sam exclaim from behind me and I managed to see the heavy hobbit scramble to his injured friend before I felt a pain across my chest that was different from the usual pain that I felt. I turned my attention down to see that I was once again cut across my chest where my scar was.
"Aragorn!" I shouted out as I ignored the pain I was feeling, and the evil that was now trying to take me over from the blade of the wraith. Soon Aragorn came with his own sword drawn and a torch lit. I could only feel relief as Aragorn fought the wraiths off and went to Frodo.
"Help him Shadow." Sam begged me as I moved Frodo's clothing where the blade entered the wound to look at it better.
"Frodo, listen to my voice. I will not let you fall. You must stay in the light." I spoke as I made Frodo look at me. I saw that he was stabbed by a morgul blade. Sam called for Aragorn who came next to me and looked at Frodo's arm. "He was stabbed by a morgul blade." I said to Aragorn as he looked at the blade.
"And you were cut once more by it. We need to move to save you both in time." Aragorn said to me as he picked Frodo up. "He was stabbed by a morgul blade. This is beyond mine and Shadow's skill of healing. He needs elvish medicine." He soon led the way for us as we ran through the woods, me holding my chest with one hand as we ran. "Hurry!" Aragorn called as we heard a nazgûl scream.
"We are six days from Rivendell!" Sam shouted as we all ran as best as we could. "He'll never make it."
"Do you think Arwen or one of Lord Elrond's twins could be patrolling the area ahead?" I asked Aragorn as we stopped for a moment. Aragorn laid Frodo down and glanced at the wound again before looking at me. "I can run ahead. If I can make it to the Bruin, I can find them and send them towards you."
"No. It's too dangerous. You are suffering as well, Airy." Aragorn said to me as he cupped my cheek. "You are strong and fighting the poison more due to having it once before. Frodo is also strong as well, he'll make it in time." I nod my head before looking down at Frodo. "Sam, do you know the Athelas plant?"
"Athelas?" Sam asked confused as to what Aragorn asked. I could only sigh and rub my chest some more at the pain.
"Kingsfoil." Aragorn and I said at the same time, ignoring the look Pippin and Merry gave us when we spoke at the same time.
"Kingsfoil, aye, it's a weed." Sam stated as Aragorn handed him a torch.
"It may help slow the poison that's in Sam and Shadow." Aragorn said before he pushed the hobbit gently. "Hurry."
"You were cut too Shadow?" Merry asked as I felt Frodo's face, feeling just how cold and clammy his skin felt. I nodded my head as I glanced at Merry.
"I had been cut across my chest." I said before I turned my attention to Frodo again. "Frodo, listen to my voice. Come back to the light." I said to him softly as I heard someone approaching. Soon I saw Arwen and sighed in relief. "You don't realize just how happy I am to see you." I told her as I moved away from Frodo and towards Sam.
"Frodo Im Arwen. Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nin. Tolo dan na galad." Arwen said as she knelt down next to Frodo with Aragorn. (I am Arwen. I have come to help you. Hear my voice. Come back to the light.)
"Who is she?" Merry asked as I took the plant Sam had and started to chew it some. Once I was sure it was a paste, I started to smear it on my wound on my chest. I gasped in the pain at the same time Frodo gasped so I could only assume that Aragorn put some chewed up Athelas in his wound as well. I had heard Sam tell Merry that Arwen was an elf as well as Arwen mention that Frodo was fading.
"He's not going to last long. We must get him to my father. Airy too if she was cut." Arwen said as she looked at me, having heard my gasp of pain. I nodded my head to show that Arwen was right as Aragorn came over to me and moved my damaged tunic to look at my scar and the wound that was now on it.
"I'm okay for now." I told him before he picked Frodo up and carried him to the horse that Arwen was riding. I followed as I knew that I would be behind whoever was going.
"Dartho guin perian. Rych le ad tolthathon." Aragorn said to Arwen as he placed Frodo up on the horse. I sighed as I could see a debate happening between Aragorn and the woman he saw as sister. (Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses back for you.)
"Aragorn, Arwen is the faster rider. Frodo needs to be taken to Imladris as soon as possible." I told him, causing Aragorn to sigh and nod his head in agreement. He then helped Arwen on to the horse and pulled me close, pressing his lips to my forehead, before he helped me up onto the horse behind Arwen.
"Arwen, ride hard. Don't look back." Aragorn told her as he squeezed my hand. Arwen agreed before she told Asfaloth to ride faster.
"Arwen, the wraiths are all behind us!" I said to her as we raced to get over the Bruin. She and I both turned as we heard the screams of the wraiths, I gripped my chest badly as I turned back to face forward. By the time we reached the Bruin and crossed it I was ready to fall over the side of Asfaloth.
"Give us the Halfling and the other she elf." A wraith demanded from Arwen as she turned back to look at them.
"If you want them come and claim them." Arwen challenged as she drew a sword from the side. The nine wraiths started to move into the river and my ears picked up on the chanting that Arwen was doing. Both of us turned our heads and watched as the current, having turned into white horses leading a wave of water, swept the wraiths down the river. The last thing I can remember hearing was Frodo gasping in pain as Arwen got him off the horse and I slid down as well before black consumed my vision and I passed out.