I am back! I was beginning to think I wouldn't be coming back to this. Yeah, I know it's only been two months since the last chapter, but there's been a lot going on.
There are a couple of things about this story I need to make you aware about. I upped the rating to M. I honestly should have done it long already with how much Ricky's been swearing throughout the story. Plus we're now going into Return of the King and war is not pleasant and I don't want to have to worry about adhering to a T rating. Also, I'm probably not going to have my chapters as long as they were during the Two Towers arc. They'll still be a decent length, but I'll just end them at a good spot instead leaving cliffhangers if I can help it. Anyway, read and review.
The sky was grey and the trees were barren and scorched. Huddled in a culvert were Frodo and Sam. The latter was asleep while Frodo was awake, tugging on the chain around his neck. He pulled the Ring out from under his shirt and turned it over in his fingers obsessively. It called softly to him, telling him to put it on.
The Ring is evil. You are good. Frodo could hear Ricky's words faintly amongst the Ring's whispers.
A sound above him got his attention and he quickly hid the Ring.
Gollum appeared at the top of the culvert opening. "Wake up! Wake up!" He flipped himself over and landed next to Sam and shook his shoulder. "Wake up, sleepies! We must go, yes, we must go at once!"
Sam looked at Frodo. "Haven't you had any sleep, Mr. Frodo?"
Frodo shook his head.
"I've gone and had too much!" cried Sam. He stood up looked at the sky. "It must be getting late."
"No," said Frodo. "No, it isn't. It isn't midday yet. The days are growing darker."
A deep rumbling shook the valley.
"Come on, must go, no time," urged Gollum.
"Not before Mr. Frodo's had something to eat," Sam told him.
"No time to lose, silly," Gollum insisted.
Sam shot Gollum a glare before rummaging through his bag. He pulled out a piece of lembas bread and handed it to Frodo. "Here."
"What about you?" Frodo asked.
"Oh, no, I'm not hungry," Sam lied. "Leastways, not for lembas bread."
"Sam," said Frodo.
"All right. We don't have that much left," admitted Sam. "We have to be careful or we're going to run out. You go ahead and eat that, Mr. Frodo. I've rationed it. There should be enough."
Frodo looked at him questioningly. "For what?"
"The journey home," Sam replied simply.
Frodo paused. He hadn't been thinking about the journey home. He wasn't sure if there would be a journey home.
They left the culvert with Gollum leading the way towards the mountains.
"Come, Hobbitses," said Gollum, glancing back to make sure they were following. "Very close now. Very close to Mordor! No safe places here. Hurry! Shhh."
Gandalf led Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Ricky, Théoden, Éomer, and Gamling through Fangorn Forest, their horses travelling swiftly. Ricky was sitting behind Aragorn like a statue. Her arms were wrapped around his waist, hands clasped tightly to keep from falling off. Her head rested against his back, bumping repetitively in time with the horse's movement. Aragorn regretted not having her ride in front of him so she could rest more comfortably and not because of the bruise that had formed on his back. He put a hand on Ricky's hands. She twitched a little, but nothing more.
"How is the lad?" Gimli asked. "I haven't heard much out of him."
Aragorn hesitated for a moment before answering. "She sleeps."
Gimli beamed proudly. "He fought bravely in battle. He deserves to rest." Then he realized what Aragorn said. "She?" he yelled.
His outburst got the attention of Théoden, Éomer, and Gamling.
"Yes, she, Master Gimli," Gandalf called from the front of the group.
Gimli sputtered in confusion. "But he – she – how?"
"I dunno why you're surprised," Ricky muttered bitterly, turning her head to looking Gimli's direction. "You said I looked like a girl in Lothlórien."
"I said it in jest!" Gimli defended. "I never thought we were traveling with a lass all this time!"
Ricky said nothing more and put her head against Aragorn's back again.
Aragorn gave Ricky's hands a squeeze. "We are almost to Isengard."
Ricky straightened up and shifted around a little to wake herself up.
The trees opened up to reveal the ruins of Isengard. Wood from constructs and large boulders were scattered about in the flood waters. Everyone stared at the sight before them.
"Welcome, my Lords!"
They turned to a wall and saw Merry and Pippin atop of it with their pipes in their hands and food around them.
"To Isengard!" Merry finished with a flourish.
"You young rascals!" shouted Gimli. "A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you, feasting and smoking."
"They're okay," whispered Ricky in relief.
With his mouth full, Pippin called back, "We are sitting on a field of victory, enjoying a few well-earned comforts. The salted pork is particularly good."
"Salted pork?" Gimli repeated with great interest.
"Hobbits," Gandalf muttered fondly with a shake of his head.
"We're under orders, from Treebeard, who's taken over management of Isengard," Merry informed them.
Aragorn felt Ricky let go of him and swing herself off the horse. She fell with a great splash into the water.
"Ricky!" several of them called out.
Ricky scrambled to her feet and ran stiffly to the wall, scaling it in a hurry to reach Merry and Pippin. She grabbed them both and pulled them to her. The Hobbits were shocked by Ricky's actions as she wasn't one for physical contact outside of sparring.
"I'm so sorry. God, I'm so sorry. I tried, but I couldn't get t' ya," she said her voice shaking. She pulled back and looked them over. "You okay?"
"We're fine, Ricky," said Pippin.
Ricky let out a sigh of relief. Then she noticed something. "Wait. You two weren't this tall the last time I saw you. What da hell?" She was certain they were about two inches taller than when she last saw them.
The two Hobbits looked at each other conspiringly.
"We have a bit of a growth spurt," said Merry.
"You know what, I don't care," said Ricky. "I'm just glad you're okay."
The Hobbits gathered their belongings and joined the riders. Aragorn had Ricky sit in front of him this time while Pippin sat behind. Éomer picked up Merry and placed him on the saddle behind him.
Gandalf led the way once more through the muddled waters and debris surrounding the Orthanc. As they approached, they saw the Ents beating on the Orthanc's walls, trying to get in. Aragorn heard Ricky whisper a few swears under her breath as one of them turned and walked over to them.
"Young Master Gandalf," Treebeard said.
"'Young'?" Ricky repeated quietly.
Aragorn gave her a chastising swat to the arm.
"Well if he's callin' Gandalf young, how old is he?" she hissed back.
"I'm glad you've come," Treebeard continued. "Wood and water, stock and stone, I can master, but there's a wizard to be managed here . . . locked in his tower."
Aragorn looked at the tower's doors. "Show yourself," he said quietly.
"Be careful," Gandalf told him. "Even in defeat, Saruman is dangerous."
"Then let's just have his head and be done with it," said Gimli.
"No! We need him alive," said Gandalf. "We need him to talk."
"You have fought many wars and slain many men, Théoden King, and made peace afterwards."
They looked up and saw Saruman on top of the tower. They heard him clearly as he spoke though he wasn't shouting. Saruman leaned on his staff like there was nothing bothering him.
"May we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?" Saruman asked.
"We shall have peace," Théoden said. "We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there! We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers, whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg, are avenged! When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows, we shall have peace!"
"Gibbets and crows! Dotard!" snapped Saruman. "What do you want Gandalf Grahame? Let me guess, the key of Orthanc? Or perhaps the keys of Barad-dûr itself? Along with the crowns of the seven Kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"
"You treachery has already cost many lives," Gandalf said. "Thousands more are at risk. But you can save them, Saruman. You were deep in the enemy's counsel."
Saruman smiled coldly. "So you have come here for information. I have some for you." He held up a black orb and gazed into it. "Something festers in the heart of Middle Earth. Something you have failed to see. The Great Eye has seen it. Even now he presses his advantage."
Gandalf urged his horse forward, leaving the others where they were.
"His attack will come soon," Saruman went on. "You're all going to die. But you know this, don't you, Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows will never be crowned king."
Aragorn looked up at Saruman.
"Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those who are closest to him, those he professes to love," Saruman addressed the others. "Tell me, Gandalf, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have set him on can only lead to death."
Aragorn noticed Ricky's shoulders shaking. "Ricky, stay calm," he whispered.
Then the teenager did something unexpected. She threw her head back and laughed
Saruman turned his attention to Ricky. "And pray tell, what are you laughing at, boy?"
"You got nothin' and you know it, you white sonavabitch!" Ricky told him.
"Do I?" Saruman chuckled. "And what makes you believe that?"
"Tryin' to talk yo' way out with Théoden, tryin' to bargain with Gandalf, tryin' to get us to doubt," Ricky listed off. "Yo' desperate!"
Saruman smiled wickedly. "You truly believe that?"
"I've heard enough!" said Gimli. "Shoot him! Stick an arrow in his gob!"
Legolas reached back for an arrow.
"No!" Gandalf told them. He looked back up at Saruman. "Come down, Saruman and your life will be spared!"
"Save your pity and your mercy. I have no use for it!" Saruman lifted his staff and shot a bolt of fire at Gandalf.
The fire wrapped around Gandalf and his horse. The others shielded their faces from the extreme heat. The fire dispersed and revealed Gandalf and Shadowfax were unharmed. Saruman was shocked.
"Saruman!" Gandalf called up. "You staff is broken."
The staff in Saruman's hand shattered in a loud explosion.
A dark figure came up behind Saruman and looked down at the group.
"Gríma," Théoden called, recognizing him. "You need not follow him. You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down."
Wormtongue bowed and acted like he was going to come down.
"A man of Rohan?" Saruman sneered. "What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helm's Deep does not belong to you, Théoden Horse Master. You are a lesser son of greater sires!"
Ricky could tell Saruman's words hurt Théoden.
"Gríma," Théoden tried again. "Come down. Be free of him."
"Free?" Saruman repeated. "He will never be free!"
Wormtongue shook his head. "No."
Saruman turned to Wormtongue. "Get down, cur!" He backhanded Wormtongue across the face and the man fell.
"Saruman!" Gandalf tried again. "You were deep in the enemy's counsel. Tell us what you know!"
"You withdraw your guard and I will tell you where your doom will be decided," said Saruman. "You can bring the boy with you so he may hear as well. I will not be held prisoner here!"
Wormtongue reappeared and stabbed Saruman in the back with a knife twice. Legolas shot an arrow and it hit Wormtongue in the chest. The man cried out and fell back out of view.
For a brief moment, everything was still. Then Saruman swayed and fell off the tower. He tumbled over and over before landing on a waterwheel that had not been completely destroyed by the floodwaters with a loud thump. He was fully impaled through the middle on one of the waterwheel's spikes. Everyone was shocked by sudden turn of events.
Gandalf was the first to recover. "Send word to all of our allies and to every corner of Middle Earth that still stands free," he told Théoden. "The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike."
The waterwheel groaned and began to turn with the weight of Saruman on it. The black orb he had been holding slipped out of his sleeve and fell into the water. Saruman's body disappeared beneath the surface completely.
"The filth of Saruman is washing away," said Treebeard. "Trees will come back to live here. Young trees. Wild trees."
Pippin dismounted.
"Pippin!" Aragorn called as the Hobbit moved towards the orb in the water.
Pippin picked up and gazed at it.
"Bless my bark!" said Treebeard.
Gandalf rode over to Pippin. "Peregrin Took. I'll take that, my lad. Quickly now!"
Pippin hesitated for a moment before handing Gandalf the orb. Gandalf quickly wrapped it up in his robes, careful not to touch it. Pippin watched sheepishly as Gandalf turned away.
When they arrived at Edoras, there were already people who had returned to the city and more were coming. Ricky stood in the small room she had slept in before with two maidservants attending to her. They were the same servants who had helped Éowyn and her treat Théodred. With their help, Ricky stripped off her gore covered clothes. Both women recoiled when they saw the bruises covering Ricky's body. One took Ricky's soiled clothes to be cleaned while the other helped to wash her hair and wipe her body down with clean cloths. Afterwards she helped Ricky in to a linen underdress and the other servant returned with a dress and some shoes.
Before they could get Ricky dressed, there was a knock at the door. One of the servants went to answer it.
"My lady is not ready, my lord," said the servant.
"I need to see her," Ricky heard Aragorn say. "It cannot wait."
"Whadiya need, Aragorn?" Ricky called out.
"I need to tend to your injuries," he answered.
Ricky groaned. She knew she wasn't going to get out of this. "Let's get this over with."
Aragorn came in carrying bandages, healing herbs, and what looked to be a set of clothing. He had already gotten himself cleaned up and his hair was still a little damp.
"Would you please give us some privacy?" Aragorn asked the servants.
Both women curtsied and left the room.
"I brought you some clothes," said Aragorn.
"Hopefully somethin' with pants," said Ricky, looking at the taupe colored dress on the bed.
Aragorn laid out a dark tunic, a vest, and pants on the bed. He then turned to Ricky and looked her over. "I need to look you over properly. You never let a healer do so before, even in Rivendell. I now know why, but it must be done."
She stared down Aragorn.
"Ricky, you know you can trust me. I will not harm you. But I need to see."
Ricky tightened her jaw. Aragorn was the closest thing they had to a doctor, she understood that. Still, she didn't like people looking at her. It was bad enough for her that the two servants, strangers, had seen her undressed, but Aragorn was someone close to her. She pulled the underdress over her head and stood in her underpants and bindings.
"Oh, Ricky, you are so thin," Aragorn murmured, looking at her ribs.
"Thought we already had that figured out," Ricky muttered darkly.
Aragorn began by examining the obvious bruises and abrasions. Her arms and legs were a myriad of blues, blacks, and purples. She also had a spot on her ankle that was rubbed raw from where her multi-tool resided in her boot. Her face had escaped injury for the most part, but there were faint lines from where her goggles sat on her face. He helped her apply ointment to her bruises and to help with her stiff muscles.
"You are very lucky," Aragorn told her. "You do not have any broken bones and you did not get cut in battle."
The scars on her body told Aragorn she would recover – she had had worse injuries in the past. Other than being underfed, she was healthy. But there was something else Aragorn had to ask about, something he knew would make Ricky very uncomfortable.
"Ricky, I must ask, when was your last moon cycle?"
Ricky blinked.
Aragorn asked again. "When did you bleed last?"
"What?" Ricky asked.
"Your woman's cycle?"
"I know what you meant!" Ricky was mortified. "Do you really need to know?"
"Yes," replied Aragorn. "I need to know if there is something wrong with you."
Ricky raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? We all know there's somethin' wrong wit' me."
Aragorn resisted rolling his eyes. "I meant physically."
"Again, we all know there's somethin' wrong wit' me."
"When was it?"
Ricky sighed. "Never."
Aragorn frowned. "What?"
"Never. I never got it once."
"How old are you?" Aragorn inquired. "You must be close to womanhood."
"I'm fifteen," Ricky replied. "God! I can't believe I'm tawkin' about this."
"I am a healer," Aragorn said, trying to make her feel better.
"I know!" Ricky rubbed at her eyes. "Doesn't make it less awkward."
Aragorn sighed. "You are underweight and malnourished. Your body is not developing properly."
Ricky rolled her eyes. "No shit. I know this stuff already."
"You must eat more," Aragorn told her. "This is the time when your body changes. If you don't, you may have problems in your adult life."
"Yeah, I got that," Ricky said in exasperation.
Aragorn continued. "I want you to eat a full meal at the feast tonight."
"Yes, Mom," Ricky grumbled.
"And I mean more than a piece of bread."
"Yo' worried about how much I'm eatin'?" Ricky burst out. "I might be dead next week fo' all we know!"
Aragorn fixed Ricky with a look he learned from Elrond. His features softened. "In some ways, this is a blessing. Orcs can smell blood from a distance."
Ricky began getting dressed in the tunic and pants, Aragorn assisting her.
"Why did you hide it?" Aragorn asked.
"That I'm a girl?" said Ricky. "It was easier out on the streets."
"How so?" he asked.
"No one looks twice at a boy with mud on his clothes," answered Ricky, sounding distant. "No one thinks twice about a boy with a black eye. Boys will be boys. A girl on the other hand, people will wanna know who hit her, people will ask why she's dirty . . ."
She went quiet, staring off to the side.
Aragorn waited for her to continue. "A girl . . ."
Ricky turned back to Aragorn. "She's an easy target on the streets," she said coldly.
Aragorn thought it wise to let the subject drop. He took his leave and left the servants back inside.
Ricky could tell the maidservants were not impressed by her wearing men's clothes to the feast, but they did not say anything about it. They braided her hair in a way that she could still wear her goggles comfortably and helped her to put on the necklace Haldir had given her.
The hall was quiet when Ricky entered it. Everyone had taken their seats or were standing at the back and had a mug of drink. Théoden was standing on the dais. Ricky found Legolas and Gimli at the back of the hall, but couldn't find any of the others. Both had cleaned up and Legolas was wearing a silver shirt while Gimli had removed most of his armor.
"How do you fare?" Legolas asked her. He passed her a mug.
"I'm okay," Ricky whispered. "Just waitin' on someone to start talkin' about me bein' a girl."
"You're one of us, lass," Gimli said quietly. "I dare them to say anything about it."
"Thanks, Gimli, but I can take care of myself," said Ricky.
Éowyn walked up to the dais and presented a chalice to Théoden.
"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country," said Théoden. "Hail the victorious dead!"
"Hail!" the hall shouted and drank.
After the toast, the feast officially began. Ricky found a seat with Gimli by the ale barrels. She had a plate loaded with food. Éomer was filling mugs from a barrel for the men standing around the table. Legolas came around to see what was going on.
"No pauses," said Éomer, handing the Elf a mug. "No spills."
"And no regurgitations!" Gimli added, accepting a mug from Éomer.
"So it's a drinking game," said Legolas.
"Last one standing wins," Gimli said with laugh.
The men around them cheered.
"And are you playing this game?" Legolas asked Ricky.
"Hell no," replied Ricky. "Aragorn would have my ass if I did. And I like my booze stronger than this."
Gimli raised his mug and started to chug.
Legolas took a moment to smell the ale before downing his first mug.
Ricky ate while the Dwarf and the Elf chugged down ale after ale. Gimli's empty mugs ended up stacked or knocked over the more he drank while Legolas's were kept upright and neat. After more than ten mugs, she could see Gimli was more than a little inebriated.
Ricky glanced around and saw Éowyn looking at her. The woman looked disappointed and angry with Ricky. Ricky guessed it was because she had hid herself as a boy and got to fight at Helm's Deep while Éowyn had to hide in the caves. It really didn't matter to Ricky. She stuck by what she said to Éowyn before the battle and if Éowyn wasn't happy with her about it that was her problem.
In the crowd of men Éowyn was standing by was a familiar face. Théodred was sitting at a table, smiling and laughing. Ricky had thought he would have stayed at Helm's Deep until he was recovered more.
Éomer handed Gimli a mug and the Dwarf stood up and let loose a loud fart. Éomer turned around in surprise and disgust. He glanced at Ricky to see what her reaction was.
"Dude! I'm eatin' here," she scolded Gimli half-heartedly.
Gimli laughed drunkenly and downed another ale amongst the cheers of the gathered men. "It's the Dwarves who go swimming with little hairy women!" he laughed, froth down his beard. He let out a rude belch and picked up the next mug.
Ricky snorted and shook her head. "Oh, my God."
"I feel something," Legolas stated quietly.
Ricky and Éomer turned to him.
"A slight tingling in my fingers," Legolas went on, slightly worried. "I think it's affecting me!"
Ricky held her arm out to Legolas. "You good? Maybe you wanna sit down."
Gimli slammed down his mug. "Wha' di' I say?" he slurred with a face full of ale foam, waggling a finger at Legolas. "He can't hold his liquor!"
The Dwarf went cross-eyed and fell backwards off the bench with a heavy thud.
Legolas looked at Éomer. "Game over," he said simply.
Ricky laughed. "You were bullshittin', weren't you? I know Elf liquor is stronger than this." She nodded in the direction of the barrel.
Legolas smiled. It was then he noticed her necklace. "That is new."
Ricky reached down and held the charm. "Yeah. Haldir gave it to me. Said it was from Galadriel. He wouldn't tell me what it says though." She angled it in her palm so Legolas could see it.
Legolas looked at the charm. "Erica," he told her.
Ricky stiffened.
"That is your name, isn't it?" Legolas asked.
She nodded. "I like Ricky better."
Across the hall, Merry and Pippin were singing and dancing on a table. Gandalf watched and applauded them. Aragorn came up beside him.
"No news of Frodo?" asked Aragorn quietly.
"No word," Gandalf answered. "Nothing."
"We have time," said Aragorn. "Every day Frodo moves closer to Mordor."
"Do we know that?" asked Gandalf.
"What do your heart tell you?" Aragorn said.
Gandalf gave a small smile. "That Frodo is alive."
"You bet he is."
Both men turned to see Ricky behind them.
"Don't let what Saruman said get to you," said Ricky. "If Frodo was dead, the Ring would have been found, and we would be pushin' up daisies by now."
"Yes, yes, he is alive," Gandalf said with a smile.
"You treacherous little toad!"
Frodo jolted awake from Sam's shout in the middle of the night.
Gollum was screaming. "No! Help! Master!"
Frodo staggered to his feet and ran to the source of the yelling. He found Sam on top of Gollum.
"No, Sam!" he yelled. He pulled Sam off Gollum.
Sam spun around. "I heard it from his own mouth! He means to murder us!"
"Never!" Gollum denied, huddling on the ground. "Sméagol wouldn't hurt a fly! He's a horrid, fat Hobbit how hates Sméagol and who makes up nasty lies!"
"You miserable little maggot! I'll stove your head in!" Sam went for Gollum again.
Frodo grabbed Sam's arm. "Sam!"
"Call me a liar!" Sam continued to shout at Gollum. "You're a liar!"
Gollum let out a sob.
"Sam! If you scare him off, we're lost," Frodo told him.
Sam pulled away from Frodo. "I don't care! I can't do it, Mr. Frodo. I won't wait around for him to kill us!"
"I'm not sending him away," Frodo said firmly.
Sam stared at Frodo at a loss. "You don't see it, do you? He's a villain!"
"We can't do this by ourselves, Sam," Frodo told him. "Not without a guide. I need you on my side."
"I'm on your side, Mr. Frodo," Sam said quietly.
"I know, Sam. I know. Trust me." Frodo then turned to Gollum. "Come, Sméagol."
Gollum crawled over and took Frodo's proffered hand. Frodo led him back to wear they had been sleeping. Gollum looked at Sam with a wicked smile.
The small movie theater had a special summer program. On Tuesdays during the summer, they had an early morning showing of a kid's movie where children under twelve got in for free and got a kid's box of movie treats: popcorn, candy, and a small soda. Adults paid five dollars and had to pay for their own snacks.
The Asian man held the hand of a little girl. It was one of the few times Ricky dressed somewhat girlish. The six year old's hair had been braided into pigtails and she had a bright pink T-shirt on to match her sunglasses. The animated movie was about a Chinese girl who ran away from home and disguised herself as a man to take her father's place in the army. Ricky enjoyed the movie, having not seen another girl dress up like a boy before and do boy things.
"I liked the movie lots!" she declared after they left. "She's like me. She has t' dress in boy cloths t' do stuff."
The Asian man smiled and nodded.
"Lee, why do I have t' dress like a boy?" Ricky asked.
He said nothing for a moment, searching for the words she could understand. "Little girls find more trouble. Little girls don't get dirty. People ask questions."
"And boys don't?"
"Little boys find trouble, too. Little boys get dirty. People don't ask questions."
At the time Ricky didn't understand what he meant, but as she grew older she understood. Boys could get dirty, could get into fights, could cause trouble and it was just boys being boys and ignored for the most part. But if a girl did the same thing, people asked she was dirty, why she got into fights, why she caused trouble and gained attention. And attention was not something Ricky or Lee wanted.
"Lee, do I have t' be diffoirent if I'm pretendin' t' be a boy?"
Lee looked down at her. "Be you. Boy or girl."
"Okay! I like playin' as a boy, but I'm a girl! I'll be just like Mulan!"
Lee nodded. "Mulan was strong, smart, she was a general in some stories."
"Was she real?"
"Some say she was," he said.
"Good," Ricky said with a nod. "I like her."
They walked down the street.
"Lee? Will people be mad at me when dey find out?"
"They will," said Lee. "But friends stick together."
Ricky jumped up in bed, dagger in one hand. Something had woken her up. She looked around the room and saw nothing out of place. She jumped out of bed and ran out of her room, not caring she was only wearing her freshly washed Under Armour. Her bare feet slapped against the floor as she ran to where the others were sleeping.
She opened the door to see Pippin on his knees and holding a brightly glowing orb. His mouth was open in a silent scream.
"Help!" Merry cried.
Ricky dropped her dagger and tried to grab the orb from Pippin. The moment she touched it, her body seized and felt like she was on fire.
"What is your name?" an ugly, dark voice demanded to know.
"Fuck off!" Ricky screamed.
Her yell woke up Gandalf.
Aragorn and Legolas burst into the room. Aragorn grabbed the orb as well and got it away from Pippin and Ricky. He fell back before managing to throw it on the floor. The orb rolled across the room. Gandalf grabbed a blanket and threw it over the orb.
"Fool of a Took!" he yelled, whirling on Pippin.
Pippin was on his back staring blankly at the ceiling. Gandalf's anger faded as he knelt down and took Pippin's hand.
Legolas was helping Aragorn to sit up.
Gimli, who was awoken in the middle of the commotion, hurried over to Ricky. The teen was laying on her side. Gimli rolled her over onto her back to see her face screwed up in pain.
"Aragorn!"
Aragorn and Legolas hurried to Ricky's side.
"Ricky, can you hear me?" Aragorn asked, putting a hand on her head. "Ricky."
Gandalf muttered a few words over Pippin and the Hobbit came back to his senses. He stared up at Gandalf, terrified.
"Look at me," Gandalf ordered gently.
"Gandalf, forgive me," whispered Pippin, trying to turn away.
"Look at me!" Gandalf ordered again. "What did you see?"
"A tree," Pippin answered disjointedly. "There was a white tree . . . in a courtyard of stone . . . it was dead! The city was burning . . ."
"Minas Tirith?" said Gandalf. "Is that what you saw?"
Pippin continued, terrified. "I saw . . . I saw him . . . I can hear his voice in my head."
"What did you tell him? Speak!" Gandalf demanded.
"He asked for my name, I didn't answer," Pippin replied. "He hurt me . . ."
Gandalf stared at him intensely. "What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?"
"Nothing," he whispered. His eyes widened. "Ricky was there."
"Gandalf, I cannot wake her," Aragorn said. "Ricky?"
"Erica," Legolas tried.
Calling her by that name seemed to do the trick. Ricky's left arm lashed out, almost clipping Legolas in the chin. She blinked and groaned. "Mudafucka. Dat hoit," she slurred.
Gandalf knelt beside her. "Did you tell him anything?"
Ricky focused on Gandalf.
"Did you tell him anything?" Gandalf demanded to know.
Ricky glared at him. "I told him to fuck off. Whadiya think I told him?" She slowly sat up. "My head feels like it's on fire. Ow. Pippin okay?"
Merry was kneeling next to Pippin and helping him sit up.
Ricky got to her feet with Legolas's help. "Did you have to call me that name?"
"It brought you back to your senses," said Legolas.
"And almost out of yours," Ricky added. "Sorry."
It was no surprise that all the screaming had woken others in the hall. Just after dawn they were dressed and standing before Théoden.
"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes. A fool, but an honest fool he remains," Gandalf informed them. "He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring."
Gimli let out a sigh of relief.
"We've been strangely fortunate," Gandalf went on. "What Pippin saw in the Palantir was a glimpse of our enemy's plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our enemy one thing. He knows the Heir of Elendil has come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still, strength enough left to challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle Earth uniting under one banner. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees the return of the King."
Aragorn knew Gandalf spoke the truth.
"If the beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war!" said Gandalf.
Théoden looked at Gandalf. "Tell me. Why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours?"
Gandalf looked at him in surprise.
"What do we owe Gondor?" asked Théoden.
"'Cause we're screwed if you don't," said Ricky.
Théoden turned sharply to her.
"We got lucky at Helm's Deep," she went on. "But will we get lucky again if Gondor's gone? The way I see it, we either go help them on a united front or we just wait as Sauron destroys us one by one."
They waited for Théoden to say something, but he did not.
"I will go," Aragorn said in a low voice.
The reaction from Gandalf was immediate. "No!"
"They must be warned!" Aragorn argued.
"They will be," Gandalf assured.
He came closer to Aragorn. "You must come to Minas Tirith by another road," he said in a quiet tone. "Follow the river, look to the black ships."
In a louder voice for the rest of the hall to hear, he said, "Understand this: Things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith! And I won't be going alone!" He looked at Pippin and Ricky.
Gandalf hurried through the streets of Edoras, Ricky trailing behind him and Pippin and Merry running to keep up with him.
"Of all the inquisitive Hobbits, Peregrin Took, you are the worst!" Gandalf yelled. "Hurry, hurry!"
"Where are we going?" Pippin asked Merry worriedly.
"Why did you look? Why do you always have to look?" Merry asked him angrily.
"I don't know," replied Pippin. "I can't help it."
"You never can," said Merry.
"I'm sorry, all right?" Pippin said in a light tone. "I won't do it again."
Merry whirled around to face Pippin. "Don't you understand? The enemy thinks you have the Ring. He's going to be looking for you, Pip. They have to get you out of here!"
"And you," said Pippin. "You're coming with me . . . Merry?"
"Come on!" Merry told him.
In the stables, Gandalf sat Pippin up on Shadowfax.
"Gandalf, I'm not so sure of dis," Ricky said, eyeing the white horse uneasily. She adjusted the small pack on her back she had been given.
"You'll be fine, Master Weiss," Gandalf told her irritably.
"How far is Minas Tirith?" Pippin asked nervously.
"Three days ride, as the Nazgûl flies, and you better hope we don't have one those on our tail," said Gandalf.
Merry thrust a small package into Pippin's hand. "Here. Something for the road."
Pippin looked down at the leather-bound bundle. "The last of the Longbottom Leaf."
"I know you've run out," said Merry. "You smoke too much, Pip."
"But we'll see each other soon?" asked Pippin.
Merry glanced at Gandalf.
"Won't we?" Pippin asked.
"I don't know," Merry admitted. "I don't know what's going to happen."
Gandalf mounted Shadowfax.
"Merry?" Pippin asked, panic rising in his voice.
Ricky jumped on behind Gandalf.
"Run, Shadowfax," said Gandalf. "Show us the meaning of haste."
"Merry!" Pippin cried.
Shadowfax bolted out of the stables and down the winding road towards the plains.
Merry clamored up the watchtower with Aragorn following behind him. He stopped at top and watched them gallop across the plains.
"He's always followed me," Merry told Aragorn. "Everywhere I went, since before we were tweens. I would get him into the worst sort of trouble, but I was always there to get him out."
Aragorn looked down at Merry with a smile and patted him on the back.
"But now he's gone." Merry looked up at Aragorn. "Just like Frodo and Sam."
"One thing I've learned about Hobbits – they're most hardy folk," said Aragorn.
"Foolhardy, maybe," said Merry. "He's a Took." He gave a small chuckle.
The two of them stayed on the watchtower until the white horse was out of sight.