Many thanks too...
Amy(Thanks for the encouraging thoughts! And don't worry about the review causing confusion! Lol! That actually made more sense than most of the things my siblings and cousins tell me!)
Aqua Lilly(I don't really know if it is a no or not... I would like to believe that she can control her mouth when the occasion calls for it, but her mouthing off adds a bit of humor to the story. What do you think? ;-D)
Imamc(I'm so glad that you have continued to read and review this story! I absolutely love it when people can relate to my characters!)
xXx
I sat bolt upright in the darkness. Legolas was crouching at the edge of our flet, keeping watch. I slowly crept beside him.
"What is it?', I whispered.
"Yrchs.', he spat. "They have crossed the Nimrodel, curse them and their filth. They will soon pass here."
Well, their hope is not in the element of surprise. Legolas heard their clatter ten miles away.
The noise soon moved into our area, and then to the ground beneath the tree that we now sat in. I heard several sniffs from below and I knew that the orcs were searching for our scent. Aragorn and Boromir woke up at the sound of rattling armor, and they too crept to the edge of the flet.
Valar, help us.
Haldir soon sent a few of the elves in his troupe to lead the orcs further into the forest with false voices. None of the monsters left the woods alive.
As the sound diminished, I laid my head back down and slipped back into sleep.
xXx
Thunder rumbled in the distance and we knew it was time to head back to the dock. Lightning suddenly struck the pine trees on the northern shore and Dad sped the boat up. As we grew closer to land he frowned. The control shift had malfunctioned, and it was stuck in place; and in full throttle, too.
Mom panicked and shoved a life jacket over my head before tossing me over the side of the boat.
"Just swim!', she yelled. "Don't look back! Just swim!"
But I ignored her. The boat hit a rock that was hidden slightly under the surface, and the sound of the collision could barely be heard over the roaring storm. A shard of metal flew through the air and hit the back of my neck. The darkness swallowed my vision, and I began to scream for help before it completely took me.
xXx
"Rielásse! Rielásse, wake up! Riley! Listen to me! Wake up!"
A hand was laid upon my forehead and a voice began to chant soothingly in Quenya.
I opened my eyes to see the worried faces of Legolas and Aragorn staring down at me. My body wracked with trembles and sobs as I remembered the dream.
The hand belonged to Legolas, and he slowly withdrew it when he saw that I had awakened.
"Breathe, Rielásse. Deep breaths. Good..." Aragorn instructed me.
"What happened?', I whispered.
"I was hoping you would tell us. Legolas woke me up when you started to scream."
Taking deep breaths to calm myself, I shuddered.
"Forgive me, Aragorn, if I do not wish to talk about it. It was only a dream."
He looked unconvinced, but he let the matter drop.
"It must have been more than a dream to have you scream as you did,mellon nin.' Legolas stated before he too left the touchy subject alone.
xXx
The morning dawn was pale and cold, but the crispness made me feel alive. It smelled like the autumns that we had in Michigan, one of the things I missed most when I moved to New Mexico with Aunt Lydia.
The company set out once more for the city, but we halted on the banks of Celebrant, the river that the Nimrodel emptied into.
"One of my people stands yonder across the stream, though you may not see him." Haldir said before letting out a shrill whistle. An elf clad in grey stepped from the bushes, the hood of his cloak thrown back to reveal the golden hair that seemed to be prominent in many of Lóthlorien's elves.
Haldir skillfully tossed a rope across the stream to his kin, who caught it and carefully tied it to a tree.
"The Celebrant is already strong here, as you can see, and it runs deep and swift, and is very cold. We do not normally set foot in it this far north, but now we must do so. Follow me." The Marchwarden tied his end of the rope to a tree on our side of the bank and quickly ran across it to the other side of the river.
"I can walk this path, but there are others in our company who do not possess the skill. Must they swim?"
Haldir quickly shook his head. "No, Legolas! We have two more ropes, and we shall fasten them so that they will suffice for a type of handhold. Your company should be able to cross easier then."
Legolas nodded and tied the extra ropes in place after Haldir threw them across. I walked over the makeshift bridge without the help of the extra ropes, and Aragorn came slowly after me. Then Boromir, Sam, Pippin, and Merry also made their way to the other bank.
When it was Frodo's turn he hesitated before stepping gingerly onto the strongly braided material. We held our breath as he crossed, and he made it halfway over with no disaster. But after the halfling had passed that point, his foot slipped and he fell into the river below.
That's not supposed to happen.
The ring-bearer came up with a gasp before he started drifting further down stream. Not taking the time to review my fear of the water, I shoved my weapons into Boromir's hands before diving into the river. Its frigid chill stole my breath away, but my instinct soon kicked in and I listened for sounds of Frodo splashing in the water.
"Rielásse!', someone yelled warningly from the shore; I paid no heed.
My ears did not fail me, and I let the current lend me speed as I swam towards the hobbit. I had almost reached him when he disappeared underneath the water. I felt around where he had vanished— nothing but water slipped through my fingers.
No, no, no. You cannot fail this time. Do not fail this time.
With my strength waning, I dove under as I searched harder. Finally, finally, I touched something and I pulled it towards the surface.
Frodo's curly thatch of hair emerged and I started to swim towards shore sideways to get out of the current— breathing whenever I could.
A rope was tossed and I fumbled with it until I got it tied around the halfling's waist. My fingers tingled before going numb as I was suddenly dragged out of the water.
It's about time.
Collapsing on the ground, I closed my eyes and I gasped for air.
"He's not breathing, Strider." Sam's voice made my eyes pop open again, and I sat up to look at Frodo. His face was pale, his lips blue.
'Oh no, you don't. I did not just turn into an elvish-popsicle for you to die on me. Come on. Breathe, Frodo, Breathe.',I thought as I willed my numb body to move to his side.
Rolling him onto his back, I laid my head over his mouth to listen for any sign of breathing. None came.
"He's dead.' Sam whispered with tears streaming down his face. "Can't you see that?"
I'm not giving up. I will not. His fate will not be the same as my parents.
Placing my hands over Frodo's breastbone, I pressed down several times in a fast paced rhythm before pausing to check for signs of life. When none appeared, I gently tilted his head back and held his nose shut before exhaling air into his lungs with my mouth. More chest compressions followed, and I blew another gentle and slow breath into his cold body.
I sat back on my heels when still no sign appeared. Bowing my head, tears had begun to fall when he suddenly spluttered. I held him up as he vomited the water he had swallowed. Frodo's eyes slowly opened, and he began to inhale and exhale on his own.
"Frodo!" His fellow hobbits soon had him surrounded, and I stood slowly and backed away.
xXx
Legolas laid a blanket from one of the packs around my shivering body to warm me, and the same was done for Frodo as Haldir got a fire going.
"You saved me."
I turned to see the ring-bearer sitting beside me with wide eyes. I smiled at him, but my smile faltered as his eyes drifted to the back of neck. Aragorn saw what Frodo had been looking at and carefully lifted my wet and bedraggled hair away from my skin. I closed my eyes— I knew what they saw.
"If that man lived among us, I would kill him for what he did to you.', the ranger hissed through his teeth.
That scar is not from T.J's belt, Aragorn.
I pulled the blanket further up my shoulders and wrapped it more snugly around my body as I stared at the ground.
"Listen to me,ilfrith.' Strider said as he grasped my chin firmly in his hand, turning my head tenderly to face him. "You need not be ashamed of your scars. They show that you are stronger than what tried to do you harm."
I gave a halfhearted nod.
"Rielásse?"
"Yes?"
"When you screamed last night, were you having a nightmare about the man who beat you?"
"No. I was dreaming about my parents." I replied shortly, and Aragorn didn't probe any further.
Boromir sat down from across the fire and regarded me curiously.
"How is it that you were able to bring the halfling back to life?', he asked.
"It's what I was trained to do, I guess. But he wasn't dead— he just wasn't breathing."
"So you are a healer, then?', Haldir asked curiously, stepping out of the shadows.
Holy cow! How long has he been there?
"Only long enough to hear you speak of being trained." The Marchwarden said as he came closer.
"Oh.'
Thank goodness for smallmiracles.
"No. I'm not a healer, just a lifeguard."
Haldir raised a dark eyebrow in my direction.
"You know, someone who saves people from drowning."
An understanding look dawned on his face.
"I still do not understand. Frodo had no breath in his body, but he sits before us very much alive."
I shrugged at Boromir.
"CPR.' He tilted his head in confusion, and I continued. "Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Oh, never mind.', I sighed in defeat as their eyes only grew more clouded with confusion.
xXx
"Now my friends, we have entered the Naith of Lórien, which we do not allow strangers to spy out. Indeed, very few are even permitted to step foot there. As was agreed, we shall blindfold the dwarf."
Gimli huffed. "That agreement was made without my knowledge. I will not walk blindfolded, like a beggar or a prisoner. I am no spy; nor are any of my people. I'm no less likely to betray you than your kin who travel among us."
"It is not that I disbelieve you, Gimli, but such is our law. I have gone well past many of them in letting you over the Celebrant." Haldir said sternly.
The dwarf laid his hand upon his axe and planted his feet obstinately.
"I will go forward free, or I will go back and seek out my own land, where I am known to be true of my word, even if I should perish in the wilderness." He now drew his axe.
"A plague on dwarves and their stiff necks!', Legolas cried.
The ranger stepped in as peacemaker.
"If I am to lead this company you must do as I bid. It is hard for the dwarf to be singled out, Haldir. We shall all walk blindfolded." Aragorn stated.
The dwarf's voice boomed with sudden laughter. "A merry troupe of fools we shall be! Shall this Marchwarden lead us on a string, like many blind beggars with one dog? But, methinks I should be content if Legolas should be the only one to share my blindness."
"I am an elf and a kinsman here!' The woodland-elf said angrily.
Yeah, well so am I, but you don't see me being a drama queen about it.
"Now we shall cry, "A curse on elves and their stiff necks!', Aragorn said as he shook his head and gave a frustrated laugh.
"Why do you only insist upon my eyes being bound, and not the other elf in our fellowship?', asked Legolas through clenched teeth.
"I had thought you were smarter than that, lad.', Gimli scoffed. "The lassie is a lady, and one that has earned my respect.'
"Just blindfold us and get it over with.', I said to Haldir.
"Be forewarned, Marchwarden, that I shall claim full amends for every stubbed toe and fall I should suffer to bear."Gimli scowled as his eyes were covered with dark cloth.
"You shall have no claim. The paths are smooth and straight, and I shall lead you well. Come."
"Alas for the folly of these days! We are all enemies of the Enemy, and yet I must walk blind, while the sun dances through the leaves of the Golden Wood!" Legolas complained.
Suck it up, dude. You're starting to sound like the moose who swallowed a beehive with all of that whining.
"Your strange way of expressing yourself continues to amuse me, young one. But, perhaps you should practice keeping them inside of your mind?', Haldir murmured from beside me as he fastened the fabric around my optics. I lifted one corner of the blindfold to glare at him, but he pushed it back down with a laugh.
"Are you peeking,mellon nin?" Legolas asked as we began to march along the path.
"And how would you know that unless you were also peeking?"
"Caught with your hand in the cookie jar!', Merry piped up. "Shame on you two!"
xXx
Guide...
mellon nin- my friend
ilfrith- dear heart