Hello again! As I promised, I'll try to post as often as I can. I'm already on my third chapter and am planning on posting it tomorrow or the day after. And please, please, please leave reviews! =)
"Elivish"
'Thinking'
"Normal talk"
*Translation*
Enjoy!
Chapter 2.
"What are they?" came Frodo's quiet voice as shrieks of the Nazgul were heard.
Strider went on explaining who they were, scaring the little hobbit even more. The man wanted to accompany the hobbits to their destiny, but they did not trust him. He seemed like he was hiding something... But they had no choice but to follow Strider.
The next morning they bought a pony, which Sam decided to call Bill and went out after Strider into the wild. And all the time two females had been shadowing them.
They had been walking for several days now. Aragorn could see that the hobbits did not trust him entirely. Not that it mattered, he was still leading them to safety. But sometimes it felt as if someone was spying on them. Trailing them. He had not heard or seen anybody behind them, and yet... Something was wrong. The day since he had met the two women, something had felt very wrong. The way they acted. The way they looked. And how they managed to get past his guard! No one had done that before but some elves.
Right now they were walking through the marshes. The hobbits constantly complaining about the stench and everything else that was surrounding them. By sunset, they would reach the ruins of the great watchtower of Amon Sûl. It would be a good place to rest.
Once they got to Weathertop, Aragorn threw each hobbit a dagger to keep close if there was some danger. He told them to rest and left to have a look around.
Aelin and Manon had been following Strider and the hobbits for several days now. It seemed no one had noticed them. It was a little hard and very uncomfortable to stalk them through the marshes. It reminded Aelin of the mirror they thought was the Lock. How had the battle been? How were her friends? How was Rowan? Was anyone of them even alive? She dismissed these thoughts quickly. It would do her no good if she worried herself sick about them. Right now she and the witch had hidden not far from where Strider left the hobbits. She watched as three of the hobbits lit a fire while Frodo was sleeping. Bad move. They were on a hillside. The fire would be seen from miles away. They were laughing and talking until Frodo woke up. He quickly shushed them putting out the fire. But it was already too late. Shrieks were heard and the hobbits drew their small daggers. They ran up to the top and Aelin turned to Manon:
"Should we follow them? I don't know why, but I feel they will need our aid."
"Hmm. You're probably right... Let's go up and see what happens."
"If it comes to a fight, then we use swords only. We don't want them to know who we are."
"Right."
Aelin and Manon quickly took what they needed and headed up. They hid behind some fallen rocks and pillars and watched. The hobbits had huddled together, looking around nervously. Suddenly five persons came up to the top. They were completely clad in black, and a chill went down Aelin's spine. It felt as if her heart had been crushed by an ice-cold hand. It was as if she was frozen in place, unable to move.
The one called Sam ran forward, only to be cast aside and knocked out. Merry and Pippin, as she remembered them, tried to protect Frodo, but they were thrown out of the way too. Poor little Frodo dropped his sword and backed away, tripping and falling to the ground. Aelin watched as he took out the same ring and put it on his finger. As soon as he did that, he disappeared. All the attackers turned to the empty space sharply. One of them reached out with its hand but drew it back and stabbed empty space with his sword. A scream was heard. Not so empty then. That was when Aelin snapped out of the frozen state. With a cry, she drew Goldryn and drove the wraith back as Frodo reappeared with a moan. Manon came out after her, Wind-Cleaver in hand. Together they fought back the wraiths when Strider came back, with a torch and a sword helping the females with the battle. Soon the wraiths ran away shrieking in anger as the ranger set their cloaks on fire. One was about to sneak up on Strider from behind but was drawn away by Aelin.
"Strider!" called Sam.
"He has been stabbed by a Morgul blade. This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs elvish medicine."
"Elvish? What the hell?" came a female voice from behind.
Strider turned sharply and his eyes widened in shock as he realized who had helped him in fighting the wraiths.
"What are you doing here?"
"Stalking you, of course."
"Get away from here. Now." Strider said in a dangerous voice as he drew his sword.
"Hey, wait. We help you fight these things and this is how you thank us? And by the looks of your companion, he needs help so we should get going." Aelin shot back.
"We? Why should I trust you? I do not even know your names!"
"Elentiya"
"Manon Blackbeak."
"As for why I said WE, me and my companion must get to somewhere that was not Bree. You seemed like the kind of people we needed to track. And also. If you leave without us, we can easily track you again. So, I think you have no choice but to accept this."
"What if you want to kill us? What if you want to hurt Frodo?" the one apparently called Pippin said.
"If I or Manon wanted to hurt you in any way, all of you would already be dead. And you too Strider. I have been trained to be the best assassin since I was 8 years old. Don't worry, I won't use my knowledge on you. Actually, as much as I hate to say it, Manon and I are lost. We don't know where we are and how to get to any place we know. And we have questions that need answering. We thought you could lead us somewhere."
"Fine. We need to get Frodo to Lord Elrond in Rivendell. Maybe he will have the answers you so desire."
"Good! Then we have an agreement. Let's go. Your companion does not look really healthy."
Strider hastily picked him up and started down the hill.
They ran for several days, sometimes Strider, sometimes Aelin, sometimes Bill carrying the hobbit. This night Frodo seemed to be faring much worse. He was pale as death and was constantly moaning and gasping for breath.
"Will he die?" asked a sad and worried Pippin.
"He's passing into the shadow world. He'll soon be a wraith like them." Strider answered.
A shriek was heard in the distance and Frodo gasped as if in pain.
"Sam!" called Strider. "Do you know the Athelas plant?"
"Athelas?"
"Kingsfoil," explained Strider.
"Kingsfoil? Aye, it's a weed!" said Sam.
"It may help slow the poison. Hurry!"
The two ran off into the woods, searching for the Athelas plant. Soon enough they returned, but not alone. A white horse rode into the small clearing, practically shining with white light. The rider quickly dismounted hurrying towards Frodo.
"Frodo, im Arwen. Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nîn, tolo dan nan galad. *Frodo, I'm Arwen. I've come to help you. Hear my voice, come back to the light.*"
"Who is she?" one of the hobbits asked.
"She's an elf!" exclaimed Sam.
'So that's what an elf looks like. Quite like the fae. Maybe it is this place's version of the fae...' thought Aelin.
Strider began tending to the wound on Frodo's shoulder.
"He is fading!" the elf said. "He's not going to last! We must get him to my father!"
Strider picked him up and placed him on the white horse.
"I've been searching for you for two days. There are five wraiths behind you, where are the other four, I do not know."
"Dartho guin Beriain. Rych le ad tolthathon. *Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses for you." said Strider in the foreign language.
"Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im. *I will take him. I am the swifter rider*"
"Andelu i ven. *The road is too dangerous*"
"Frodo fîr. Ae athradon i hîr, tûr gwaith nîn beriatha hon. *Frodo dies. If I get across the river, the power of my people will protect him.*"
"Be iest lîn. *As you wish*" Strider's face fell a little. "Ride hard, Arwen. Don't look back!"
"Noro lim, Asfaloth! Noro lim!"
With that, the elf rode off.
"What is she doing?! There are still wraiths out there!" Sam shouted in anger.
"She's saving him, you thick-headed hobbit!" Manon shot back at him.
Aragorn was worried. Arwen had ridden off, and they had no idea where the wraiths were. And these two females. Elentiya and Manon Blackbeak. They were driving him mad! It looked as if they knew absolutely nothing about the inhabitants and places of Middle-Earth! But how could it be? And how did they manage to trail them? Probably, in the same way that they managed to get past his own guard. And every time he looked at the females, he got a feeling, that they were not entirely human. Especially the white-headed one, Manon she was called. Soon they would reach Rivendell and Aragorn hoped he would finally be free of their company. Lord Elrond would hopefully provide them with the answers they needed, and maybe Aragorn himself would get some information on who they are.
Aelin was bored. This walking was extremely boring and too slow for her liking. The hobbits tired so fast! Even though she was not in her fae form, she was still pretty fast and could go on long without needing rest. She very much hoped they would reach Rivendell soon. Rivendell... She did not remember hearing that name before... And then there were the elves... At first, she had thought the female was a fae, but then she did not have fangs or other fae features. Only the pointy ears.
They had crossed the river this morning. Its name Bruinen was also unfamiliar to Aelin. Strider said they would reach Rivendell by sunset. That should be now. Just as she thought this, a city came into view. Aelin stopped in her tracks, her eyes going wide with wonder. This was one of the most beautiful cities she had ever seen! It looked so peaceful and calm!
"Rivendell! This is the House of Elrond, the Last Homely House. Here you will find peace and rest. And you, my ladies, I hope will find the answers you seek." Strider said as he turned to Aelin and Manon. Aelin turned to the witch and found her in a similar state as herself.
'Probably also shocked.' she thought
Slowly they walked down to the city. Everywhere Aelin looked there was peace. If she had been in her fae form she would have had the chance to take in even more of her surroundings. Sadly, she did not have that possibility. They came to the gates and an elf greeted them.
"Welcome to Rivendell, the House of Elrond. Your companion came here a couple of days ago. Right now he is resting. I will lead you to your rooms. If you want to speak to Lord Elrond, he won't be available for some time."
"Thank you, Lindir. Show them their rooms. I will manage on my own."
"Yes, of course. Follow me!" the elf Lindir gestured to the females and hobbits. They entered Rivendell.
Well?... Thoughts? Comments? Please Review!
