Esmeralda, the Ear'Quessir.
Author's Note: AHH! I'm so excited! We beat our team rivals last night, after they'd been talking all kinda trash about us, so I'm kinda ecstatic. Anyway, here's your weekly update!
Reviews:
TheLoneShe-Elf: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
bubblymuggle4: Woot! Your review made me feel all bubbly inside...right. THANK YOU!
Hallows07: AIIE! I'm glad you think so! thanks!
Hikitsulover-818: Suppose I shouldn't pick favorites, seeing as the whole story should be my favorite, but that was my favorite part! I don't believe I could have fit anymore 'favorites' into that sentence.
CultureVulture: Thanks for the review.
Estry: WOOT. THANKS!
lettres d'amour: Man! I knew they looked wrong, but I couldn't figure it out, and I didn't have my book. Plus, I'm too lazy to look that up! Thanks for telling me!
Chapter 16:HEY! You! With the really greasy hair!
Here's what I think. Running stinks. I don't believe I've ever run this much in my life. It's been run, run, run, run some more! Aragorn won't stop for anything. I mean I know I'm an elf, but EVEN ELVES GET TIRED! Except for Mister Mechanical Elf, Legolas, who never shows any emotion other than boredom, and maybe amusement, he's been running no problem for the past however long. we've been running so long I don't even know how long it's been. At least I'm fairing better than the dwarf, he's at least a mile behind us, but me and Legolas can still hear him breathing, occasionally I can hear a chuckle from Legolas. That makes me guffaw until Aragorn throws pebbles at me to shut me up. I have a bruise the size of middle earth on my left temple at the moment.
"ESME! WATCH O- Too late." I hear Legolas screaming for me to stop, but he wasn't fast enough, I just tripped over Aragorn who was laying on the ground with his ear placed against a rock.
"You know, it's a perfect time for you to take a rest without telling anyone you were stopping Aragorn my dear." I sat brushing my tunic off glaring at his head. My bruise just got bigger. Stupid pointy rocks, stupid pansy rangers. Stupid elves who like to snigger at things that don't happen to him. I just lobbed a rock at Legolas, it hit him in the back of the neck. "Thanks to your quick reflexes Legs, I tripped over a nonmoving ranger!"
"It's not my fault you're blind!" he said while rubbing the bump that was swelling on his neck. Oh payback feels good. We sat like this watching GImli finally come closer into view, until he finally caught up with us. Aragorn still hadn't moved.
"Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent. Hurry!" shouted Aragorn jumping up to run off, again.
"OH GOOD! we thought you might have died on us there buddy!" I said matching his pace, Legolas threw me a smart ass look, I smacked his forehead, Aragorn just shook his head at our antics and sped up.
"Come on, Gimli." Legolas looked quickly over his shoulder before turning around trying to contain his laughter. I will one day get him to laugh out loud like I do. I promise.
"Three days and nights pursuit. No food, no rest, and no sign our quarry, but what bare rock can tell." shouted Gimli from way behind.
"Yup that's right, take it like a man...er...dwarf. Maybe this will teach you to eat less, fatso!" I shouted turning to stick my tongue out at him. He took the bait. His stride quickened and I could hear him huffing harder, out of anger, and exhaustion. Legolas nearly tripped he was sniggering so hard.
"Stop toying with him, he will need all his energy." Aragorn is such a party pooper.
"Esme, are you quite alright?" whispered Legolas, trying to help me up after I fell.
"You, just stuck your tongue out. For the first time, EVER!" The reason I fell, Legolas actually lost his dignity for a minute, and stuck his tongue out at the back of Aragorn's head.
"Really. That's a ridiculous reason to fall." Legolas placed his hands on his hips, making him look like a girl. A rather, manly one. Which made laugh. "What is so funny now?"
"Ahh, nothing. Hurry let's cache up with Aragorn." Gimli still hadn't caught up with us. We ran for about another three miles before Aragorn stopped again. I ended up running into him when he bent over to pick something up, I really need to fix my breaks. Legolas almost cracked a rib laughing.
"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." Aragorn was holding one of the hobbits brooches in his hand. Right at that moment Gimli came rolling down the hill behind us, I could hear him coming so turned just in time to witness it. It sent me into a fit of laughter. I could feel Aragorn glaring at the back of my head, I was doubled over laughing, Legolas on the other side of me doing the same. "ENOUGH!" Aragorn shouted, obviously having had enough of us being mean to Gimli.
"They may yet be alive." Man Legolas sobers up fast. I stared at him, he just gave me a shrug and turned back to Aragorn. I would call him a teachers pet, if Aragorn were a tutor.
"Less than a day ahead of us. Come." He jumped up, and away he ran. Arg.
"Come on Gimli, we're gaining on them!" I shouted once I started running again. Legolas had already shot off with Aragorn.
"I'm wasted on cross county. We dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances." I'm glad Legolas was there to catch my fall, otherwise I don't believe I could have gotten up from that one. I can hardly get my legs to move I'm laughing so hard.
"Just keep running, just keep running, what do we do? We just keep running!" I sang under my breath.
"What in Eru's name are you whispering about?" Legolas asked glancing in my direction.
'A little running song...want to hear?" I sent him a big smile.
"No, not really." His face darkened, which made me ember the last song I sang to him. 'what are you sniggering about over there?"
'Ehhe, nothing, aha, Nothing at all." I turned my head away to hide my smile. "Look Aragorn's stopping." I ran atop the hill to stand beside him. All you could see in all directions was grass, hills, and rocks. what a wonderful view.
"Rohan. Home of the horse lords. There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us." Aragorn stood a few seconds longer before setting off again, me and Legolas only a few steps behind. Legolas overtook us and ran a few spaces ahead before stopping and staring into the distance.
"Legolas! What do your elf eyes see?" Aragorn shouted before we caught up with the darned elf.
"The Uruks turn north-east. They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!" He replied glaring into the sun. You know, that could make a catchy song. I started to snigger thinking about Legolas singing my new song, Aragorn sent a quick glare into my direction before standing beside Legolas.
"Saruman." And we're off again.
"Keep breathing! That's the key. Breathe. Hoo." Did I mention Gimli was so loud, we could hear him while we were like five miles ahead of him?
"They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them." we had been running, correction, sprinting, for at least five hours now, getting no near to those stupid creatures.
"It's cause those bitches are scared!" I shouted fake punching the air, almost tripping over a rock. I could practically hear Aragorn shaking his head at me. So I shook my fist.
So, we've officially been running, forever. The sun has set and is rising once again. I even heard Legolas complain last night about stupid men. Or maybe that was just my imagination.
" A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night." Legolas looked solemnly at Aragorn who in turn, quickened his pace.
"Didn't I already tell you once, you could never be a poet Legs? just stop while you're ahead." He glared, I smiled. I don't know whether it was because of his nickname, or he didn't like my comment about his imagery. "Oomph." The part jerked my behind some rocks, making me fight. '"LEGOLAS! I DIDN'T REALLY MEAN IT! YOU'RE A WONDERFUL-" He'd slammed his hand over my mouth. Oh lord I'm gonna die, and Aragorn's never gonna know. Oh, never mind, Aragorn's right there shaking his head at me, Gimli's finally caught up.
'Esme, if you promise to be silent I will release. And please, don't lick me." I guess he caught the mischievous glint in my eye, he released my face like it was a hot iron.
"I promise. What's going on?"
"Riders of Rohan." Aragorn was glancing around the rock watching something into the distance. then I heard it. Thousands of hoof beats, meaning a bunch of riders were coming. Wow, I really am slow. Right as Aragorn was about to pop out in front, I jumped atop the rock we were hiding behind, Esme never hides.
'AVAST YE LAND LUBBERS! Who goes there! COME BACK AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN YE SCURVY DOGS!" Man, I love talking like that! I waved my sword around the air in front of me, the riders where already turning around when Legolas pulled my feet out from underneath me, causing me to fall and drop my sword. 'What the hell Legolas! I was having fun!"
"You could get yourself killed dumbass!' Man, he was pissed...Aragorn was glaring before stepping out into the open, I followed ignoring the glares Legolas was sending in my direction.
"Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" questioned Aragorn looking around at the riders that surrounded us. I could still feel Legolas glaring at me.
"What business does an elf, an elf maiden, a man and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" that must be the head guy. He's got some ugly hair.
" Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give ya' mine."
"Have you ever washed your hair?" me and Gimli spoke at the same time. I could hear Legolas and Aragorn smack their palms to their foreheads Head honcho bristled. he jumped from his steed and stepped closer to me. I smiled, he didn't move, I blew a raspberry in his face, he blinked, and during his blink I jumped behind Legolas. He glared at Legolas before turning to Gimli.
" I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground." he said staring down at Gimli, who didn't even flinch. At the exact same time, I pointed my sword in his direction, and Legolas had an arrow out.
"You would die before your stroke fell." Legolas said disregarding the spears that had come closer to us after our moves. Aragorn pressed my sword down and pushed Legolas' bow out of his way.
" I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas of the Woodland Realm, and Esmeralda of the sea. We are friends of Rohan and of Theoden your king." I made to jump at the closest rider, making him flinch. I started to snigger before Aragorn silenced me with a glare.
"Theoden no longer recognizes friend from foe. Not even his own kin. Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over these lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan, and for that we are banished. The white wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man hooded and cloaked. And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." Eomer replied, removing his helmet, making me wish he had kept it on. So maybe the hair on top of his helmet wasn't his, but the stuff that was, couldn't be any nastier, I think I just threw up some in my mouth.
"We are no spies. We track a pack of Uruk-Hai westward across the plain. They've taken two of our friends captive." Aragorn moved closer to Eomer, to hide the faces I was making I'm sure.
"The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night." Eomer said trying to peer behind Aragorn to see what I was doing, Aragorn kept matching his movement.
"But there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli shoved me out of the way, making me and Legolas fall, in order to get to the front.
"They would be small, only children to your eyes." Aragorn said, not even sparing at glance at me and Legolas tangled on the ground fighting to stand.
"They were annoying as mess too!" I shouted from the dog pile.
"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." Eomer said staring at me and Legolas in amusement.
"YOU KILLED THEM!" I shouted running to grab his vest after finally getting free. The spears were there again. I sent him a smile, released his tunic, and patted it before backing up. Legolas was coughing to cover his laugh. So I kicked him in the back of the knee, still smiling. Aragorn let out an audible release of air.
"Dead?" was all Gimli asked before breaking down. Poor thing, if he wasn't so gross, I might give him a hug. Oh who cares. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder, he sent me a watery smile in return.
" I am sorry." Eomer whistled, and three horses came trotting to him. Hasufel, Arod, Domeroch. May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell. Look for your friends, but do not trust to hope. It has forsaken these lands. We ride north!" he mounted his horse, and him and his company rode off, leaving us standing around watching after them.
"Let's go you guys." I said walking over to the black mare, staring at me in apprehension. I supposed this one was Domeroch, Nightmare. A fitting name. I reached to pet her muzzle, and she snapped at me. I pulled my hand back a second, before trying again. She tried again. Now I wasn't gonna take this from a horse. I grabbed her nose with both hands and jerked her head to the side so I could see her eye. If horses could smirk. this one would be smirking at me. 'Now look here horse, I don't need any cheek or problems from you got it? I've been running for days if not weeks, and I'm going to ride you whether you like it or not!" I hadn't noticed the audience we'd attracted until I heard Legolas clear his throat. I turned to find them all sitting on their mounts. "Yes?"
"Are you ready to go yet?" Aragorn asked trying to hide his laughter.
"I believe so, yes." With that I jumped up on Domeroch, and set off.
The smell of the burning Uruks reached us before we reached it. It was putrid, like the smell of burning hair, or manure. Yech. I jumped off my steed scrunching my nose hoping to stop the smell. I watched Gimli flit through the pile, and saw him grab something.
"It's one of their wee belts!" He turned to face us, grief written all over his face. I felt a tear slide down my cheek.
"Hiro hyn hidh ab 'wanath." (May they find peace after death.) Legolas looked to the sky for a second before coming to wrap an arm around my shoulder. Aragorn kicked a helmet before falling to the ground yelling. I wonder if that was from pain or sadness? I was about to ask, but Legolas probably guessed what I was about to do and gave me a look. I turned to find Aragorn staring at the ground with a face of intense concentration.
"Did you lose something?" I asked walking over to him. He spared me a glance before shaking his head and continuing to scourge the ground with his eyes.
"A hobbit lay here." He touched the ground in front of him, how he was figuring this shit out I have no idea, all I could see was a patch of grass. Suppose that's why he's a ranger and I'm not. "They crawled. Their hands were bound." He was walking with his nose practically on the ground. I shared a look with Legolas, Gimli just stared like an idiot. "Their bonds were cut." He picked up a piece of rope before throwing it and continuing on his merry way. "They ran over here. They were followed." He ran to where he pointed and continued staring at the ground. "The tracks lead away from the battle... into Fangorn Forest." At last he stopped and faced into the forest.
"Is it just me, or are the trees groaning I asked?" Everyone ignored me.
"Fangorn. What madness drove them in there?" asked Gimli walking to stand beside Aragorn.
"Who knows...maybe the boogieman!" I shouted causing Gimli to jump and Aragorn and Legolas just to raise their eyebrows. 'THAT'S NO FAIR! You both can do it!"
We ended up walking into the woods anyway. Gimli decided he wanted to eat some unknown substance, which turned out to be Orc blood. I almost fell from laughing, but I didn't.
"These are strange tracks." said Aragorn staring at the ground, again.
"The air is so close in here." said Gimli acting like he couldn't breathe, idiot.
"This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory... and anger." Leave it to Legolas to bet he psychiatrist of the forest.
"Hey dumbie, lower your axe." I said prodding Gimli in the back with a stick I found. The trees were sounding kinda angry at the moment. It feels really creepy in here, I don't like it.
"Aragorn, Nad no ennas!" (There is something out there.) Legolas said staring into the foliage.
"Man cenich?" (What do you see?) Aragorn asked, turning to face behind us. I just looked ahead, not blinking. Something was indeed coming.
"The White Wizard approaches." Legoals replied facing us, with a weird kind of glint in his eyes. If we weren't in a dire situation I might have laughed. But that didn't stop me from chuckling, causing all of the others to stare in my direction. I raised my hands above my head in a signal of peace.
"Do not let him speak. He will put a spell on us." Aragorn pulled his sword out, Legolas had his hand resting on an arrow, and Gimli had his hand resting on an axe. I wonder how many he has? I just decided to wait until the perfect moment to pull my sword out. Strategy. Yeah.
Aragorn let out a yell and whipped around. Legolas let his arrow fly, it was rejected. I had to contain myself to not yell that out loud. Gimli's small axe was too, again, I had to bite my tongue. Aragorn dropped his sword as if it had burned him. Now was the time, I started to inch forward and placed my hand on the hilt of my sword.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you Esme." the white blur of light said. I jumped back in surprise, Legolas turned to look at me, questioningly of course. I bet he thought I was gonna run away. I sent him a glare.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits." The white wizard still didn't dim the lights.
"Hey look, wizardman, can you turn the high beams off? Not everyone down here wants to be blind at their current age." I said folding my arms across my chest. The other members of my group turned to face me with incredulous looks on their face. "What? Do you?" The wizard was chuckling.
'You haven't changed much have you my dear?"
"Hey, who are you calling "dear"? I don't even know you buddy. Stupid pedophile old man." I said glaring at the lights, that still hadn't dimmed, Aragorn smacked the back of my head, I turned to glare at him. He just stared ahead and started to speak.
" Where are they?" Aragorn took a step towards the white wizard, undaunted by the lights. Stupid, I''m gonna laugh when he goes permanently blind.
" They passed this way the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?" This old man was getting cocky.
'Hell no, just tell us you old coot!" I yelled before Legolas slapped a hand over my mouth. The wizard laughed in return.
"Who are you? Show yourself." Aragorn squinted yet again into the light. In return the lights turned out. Finally. And want to know who stepped out? It was Gandalf.
Aragorn stood flabbergasted, stuttering about him falling, Gimli bowed, and Legolas kneeled, all were giving him looks of reverence. Want to know what I did?
"YOU OLD BAT!" I slapped him in the back of the head. "Why the hell did you scare us like that?!"
Author's Note: So there it is! Reviews por favor!