(A/N - Hey guys! I am WAY behind on this (even though I have seven chapters left in my archive; I like ten to be between what I write and what I post), but I again blame musical. However, this morning at 4 AM, I am leaving on my chorus trip to New York City for 4 days!! I've never been to NY and musical is finally over, so I deserve this vacation from life, lol. I just wanted to update for you guys since you're so patient and loving. Again, I might not be updating for a while again (I'm still gonna try to catch up), but this should tie you over. Thank you! I hope to reach a hundred reviews with this chapter!! Make it happen please!)
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x) SpiritGirl of japan - Thank you so much, ma dear. I do try to keep all of my readers happy by updating, but I know the people that love good stories will have the patience and understanding that a good chapter takes more than a few days' time to develop, type up, and post, and thankfully I have readers like that. Others that fall behind, oh well; they miss out. Thank you for your patronage, lol, and your review! Enjoy this chapter, too!
x) Frodo's girl - Oh Ellie! I MISS YOU SO MUCH!!! Musical is FINALLY OVER!!! And I can email you again!!! But not until I get back from New York (though there are rumors that the hotel rooms have free internet access with 40-inch plasma screen TVs, lol). Please send me the next chapter of Krista to read and edit sometime. The show went great, too. I am so exhausted, but I'll have a great email for you when I get back! Thank you for yet another review, and I will talk to you again ASAP (meaning sunday or monday, lol)!!!
x) Jack.Sparrow.1245 - Everybody loves the past, lol. If I am ever to conjure up time after finishing this whole story, maybe I'll write one just on their youth...Well, I WAS ahead, lol. I'm only on 23 now, and I should have finished 25 before posting this by my writing system of give and take for my archive. Oh well. I'll catch up after New York. Thank you for reviewing, and I hope you like this chapter as well!
x) Inkyish - YES!!! I've got you hooked, too! I knew you would like it! Thank you for reveiwing almost every chapter (lol), and I really do hope to hear more and more and more from you! Thank you again for all your kind words and reveiws, and enjoy this one just as much!
x) TheLoneShe-Elf - Hey! I missed you, too, lol! Glad you liked the new chapter, and I can't wait to see what you think of the new one below! Thank you for reveiwing the chapter, and I hope you like and do the same for this one!
.. Huzzah for New York! ..
- Dis/Claimer -
. Chapter Fifteen .
.. The Watchtower ..
Frodo's patience wore thin with Pippin that night. He was almost glad Angie had come to get him so that she could tie the mischievous duo together in their rooms for the night. They were released the next morning by Angie after Merry's mother wondered why they could have possibly been absent at breakfast. The suspicions led Angie to feel a little proud but cautious, so she did untie them, and the two kept their distance that day. Angie had told Frodo it was probably to formulate another plan for revenge as their war for the most cunning, sneaking, and underhanded was ongoing day in and day out. And by the end of that day, Angie had claimed victory for a second day in a row.
Frodo had also somehow found the patience to rewrite the letter to Bilbo, but he did not do so without a lengthy paragraph explaining the delay on Merry and Pippin's behalf the night before. Later in the evening, well after sundown, he left his room and took the letter to the carrier's box where it was ensured to depart from Brandy Hall the next morning. He apologized silently to his uncle far off as he dropped the letter inside the wooden box and eased the lid shut in the darkness of the vast hall. He took his small latern from the wooden hook and turned around to return to his room, but the hall suddenly had a faint sound echo through it.
Scared but curious, Frodo looked around for some sort of indicator as to where thesound was coming from. He saw nothing but the soft glow of his own lamp which was less than comforting. Swallowing, he gripped the handle more as he dared to cross the wide wooden floor with the noises he now tried to classify as voices still murmuring somewhere in the dark shadows. He reached the center of the hall before he stopped. He wasn't sure why he did, but he tried to look around again for the source of these voices. It bothered him more that he did not know where they were coming from. He listened intently however, even though good sense told him to run back to his room and pretend it was a dream.
He could not make out what the low grumbles were, but standing the archway before the gardens was a single person. It made no sense, considering he had heard the multiple voices. This figure in the archway was not moving however, and it made him very cautious even as his feet encouraged him to move closer. He did so, raising his lantern a bit more.
"Hello?"
The figure's head snapped around so fast that Frodo stepped back, startled. Then, slowly, it began to approach him. His breathing picked as pace as well as he held the lantern in front of him, trying to see the face of the person moving towards him. He suddenly heard himself speak in a quivering voice.
"Who are you?" he asked. "What... what do you want?"
Then, the person stopped in the soft light of his lamp with a face almost as fearful as his. He sighed in relief as well as the figure had; Frodo and Angie had discovered each other in the darkness of the Hall. Frodo's relief lasted until a strong urge came over him to reprimand him for the scare. It passed, though.
"What are you doing out here?" he asked of her. "It's late. You should be asleep."
"As should you," Angie said. "May I ask what you were doing?"
"Posting my letter to Bilbo. Now I told you - you tell me what you're doing out at this untimely hour."
Angie only looked from side to side and over Frodo's shoulder. Frodo looked as well, still confused. He opened his mouth to ask Angie something, but she only silenced him with a finger to her mouth. She took his free hand and became to pull him along. Frodo followed without a word, but many questions still ran through his mind.
She lead him to the gardens' grand archway and paused, looking around again.
"Angie-"
"Shh," she instructed. "Keep quiet and follow me. Put your light out."
"But I need it," he protested.
"Put it out," Angie said. Frodo frowned and did so reluctantly before Angie moved them outside into the gardens. She crossed the dirt in long, light strides without a sound as Frodo tried to keep up. Suddenly, she stopped and crouched behind a bush, Frodo falling to his knees beside her in bewilderment.
"What is it?" he asked, looking over the tips of the small waxt leaves of the shrub curiously.
"Shh!"
Frodo complied to her wishes with a ruffled expression as she took a turn peering over the bush now. Her head tunred in every direction quickly, and Frodo sensed that something was wrong. He leaned closer to her to whisper.
"What's going on?" he asked her. "Is somebody following us?"
"Just keep quiet," she urged. After a few more glances over her shoulder, Angie tunred to Frodo. "Leave the lamp here," she instructed.
"But-"
"Leave it," she repeated. "Hurry."
Frodo sat the lamp down slowly with a terrible feeling of loss growing in his stomach. He felt Angie wrap her warm hand around his again and stand; he did as well. Angie made sure Frodo had left the lamp before her first cautious step lead to a series of more long strides across the garden. Frodo's eyes stayed on the lantern longingly until it disappeared. When he looked up, they were passing the small stone wall on the left. A few moments later, the trees surrounding the Hall got exceptionally close, and Frodo found himself entering a thicket beneath them with a sudden jolt of panic.
"Wait," he said, now alarmed. "Where are you taking me? Why are we leaving the gardens?"
"You'll see," she answered simply. Angie felt Frodo's want to slow down in the intimidating darkness of the small unfamiliar branches, so shesqueezed his hand tighter and pulled him along faster. "Come on."
Frodo tried to calm down. He watched Angie duck and go through this overgrown path as if she had done it many times before. He matched all of her maneuvers to miss braches the jutted out of place and small trees that would suddenly appear on the path. He was beginning to get into the rythym of things when the jumbles of branches suddenly disappeared around him. Angie stopped in front of him, and he looked around wildly; they were now in a clearing.
The moon was shining onto a motionless pond as crickets sang around the banks. Frodo felt the rocks and dirt beneath his feet begin to mix with short grass and moss as he stepped forward with Angie. She still held his hand, now leading him around the small pond. Frodo still admired the simple beauty around him as she pulled him on again, however. He now felt a little restless. What was going on.
"Angie-"
SNAP
Frodo and Angie both stopped dead and spun around at the noise. A breath of wind suddenly whirled around them, and the foliage swayed lightly. The face of the pond rippled. Frodo looked to Angie. Angie's eyes widened at the strange occurance.
"Quickly," he said, hastening her step even more.
By the time Frodo and Angie hadmade itaround to the other side of the pond, Frodo was practically running after her into another section of tight scrawney trees reaching out to rake across their youthful faces. Now, Angie had released his hand and picked up the pace more. Frodo followed, a fear of what might become of him if he lost sight of her in the back of his mind.
SNAP
A gasp of surprise escaped Frodo as he looked over his shoulder and ran faster through the thicket now.He turnedhis head forward again to see anymore obtacles and Angie's distance from him. He saw he opaque figure dodging a thick low branch suddenly, but it was one he could not counter as fast. His eyes widened before his forehead collided soundly with it. He fell down on the dirt and rocks with a hand reaching up to touch his now throbbing spot.
Then out of nowhere, as he thought he might pass out, Angie had lifted him up and took his hand again. She led him throughout the remainder of the thicket until the trees began to thin out. They became more widespread, and Angie suddenly turned to the left after spotting a pile of large rock. She ran over to it and sat down, her backresting against the cool stone. Frodo sat down beside her, his hand still on his head with a painful grimace. Angie frowned and looked over at him.
"Are you all right?" she asked. Frodo shook his head with a muffled grunt. Angie sighed. "Here, let me see it."
She reached up to his forehead and removed his hand from the spot. Frodo blinked his eyes open slowly, and they followed Angie hand up to his new bruise as she gingerly ran her fingers lightly over the raised skin. Frodo hissed in protest.
"Sorry," she said. "It's quite a bump, but I think you'll be okay. You know, I still havea little knot from falling into the river two months ago." She lifted the front of her hair, and Frodo looked at the long shiny scar on her forehead. He remembered accidently knocking her into th river and giving her this mark, and a small pang of guilt issued from within him.
"Have we lost whoever was chasing us?" he asked to change the subject.
Angie had a quick look around. "I think so," she said. "Well, I hope so..."
"I still don't know why we're running or where you're taking me,"Frodo said quietly.
"Oh." A smile of eagerness spread on Angie's face, and her hand slipped inside of Frodo's again. "Come on." She lifted him up, and they walked up the path slowly together, unaware that they were still being followed.
.. x x x ..
It was possibly the most difficult climb Angie had done in the passed few years. Since Bilbo's departure from the night of the party long ago, Angie and her friends hadn't been as rampid and mischievous running around the Shire, save for the occasional bad itch that Pippin insisted they scratch immediately. But more to the point rather, Angie hadn't been climbing through as many trees lately in the recent years, but she still had stamina on her side (which she was thankful for the whole way up).
All day they had climbed the monstrous hill under an overcast sky while the colors of the sun at dusk were shining brilliantly on the horizon. Finally, they were able to throw themselves down onto a rocky ledge and just breathe. Angie fell next to Sam and just lay on the cool rock as it sent a wonderful refreshing feeling through her. She breathed deep and sighed in exhaustion. Sam looked down at her with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"You all right, Miss Angie?" he asked.
"Fine," Angie said breathlessly. "In fact... I want to do it again." Merry leaned back with a furrowed brow and angry eyes, and Angie laughed. "I didn't mean it," she said to him with a smile.
Merry looked to be in deepthought for a brief moment until he leaned forward again, satisfied enough with Angie's comment not to give her another look. Angie still smiled however as she sat up. Frodo was on her other side now taking off his large pack while still a little short of breath. She was about to speak to him when Strider approached and kneeled infront of them and began tossing swords at them. Her eyes widened in surprise until she herself caught one.
"These are for you," he explained in a hushed but hurried voice. "Keep them close." He suddenly rose again, turning to go up a steeper, rockier path that led away from their small ledge as the hobbits examined their swords with curiousity. "I'm going to have a look around," Strider told them as we walked off. "Stay here."
With not much to say to that, the hobbits looked at one another for a moment before beginning to settle. Angie only glanced up to see the others moving aorund the ledge before her eyes moved back to the blade of her sword. She knew it was for protection and that it might possibly save her, but Angie didn't realize that when she left the Shire with the heart to help Frodo get the Ring to Bree that she would need a sword to protect him. Angie had known it was serious since their encounter with the first Rider, but now that she held the weighty sword in her hands, she felt responsibility and uncertainty come with it, along with many other unnerving emotions.
"Angie?"
Her head tilted upward toward the sound of Frodo's voice, but she could not bring her eyes to move away from her new sword just yet. Frodo cast her a concerned look. He kneeled beside her.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, watching her eyes run up and down the sword.
Angie frowned but supressed a small sigh. "No." She sat the sword down beside her gently, letting her fingers run over it. "I just didn't think it would become this serious. At least not this quickly."
Frodo showed a small amount of sympathy and sadness in his face as he looked down at the ground a moment. Angie's comment sank in slowly before he looked up at her in a new perspective. She suddenly took on a vulnerable appearance just sitting there lost in thought. She looked alone, but Frodo knew she was afraid. He felt the same way almost instantly but tried todismissit.
"It will be all right," he told her with hope rather than confidence.
"Somehow, if I have to carry a sword for my own protection, I don't think so," Angie said quietly. Another silence followed as the words hung in the air before them, making them very had to ignore. Finally, Frodo and Angie looked at each other, both of them ready to leave the uncomfortable and stiff portion of space they occupied silently together.
"Hungry?" he offered, rummaging through his bag for something to provide her with. He pulled out a small piece of bread to show her for confirmation.
"Very," Angie admitted as Frodo broke it and gave her some. He kept and ate the other piece himself - the smaller piece. Angie's shoulders fell a little with guilt. "Frodo, it's your bread," she said."I have some of my own. You don't have to-"
"I know," he said. "You can treat me one night then."
He let a soft smile appear as the colors of the sky warmed the tone of his face that had held more of a blueish haze most of the day climbing. Angie nodded and bit into the bread to please him and her empty stomach. She savored it; it tasted better than it ever had as she sat there with Frodo eating. It was delicious.
Once the bread had been devoured and the sky's oranges and reds were almost pushed behind the horizon with black sky, Angie laid back onto the cool rock and rested her head on her pack with her eyes shut. Another chill drove itself all over her body, but she took it in stride as her eyes remained shut. She could sense Frodo doing the same; he was wrapping himself up in his cloak as he laid down. She heard him yawn and finally settle.
Then, her eyes opened and looked over at him. There was only about a a foot and a half between them as she rolled over on her side to face him. She saw his sword laying right beside him and frowned again in thought. As she lay there motionless in revelry, Frodo's eyes snapped open causing Angie to startle. He smiled, and Angie felt herself go pink for a split second. Thank goodness it was getting darker. He averted his eyes, looking at his sword instead.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
"Nothing."
Frodo saw her eyes still lingering on his sword as a trance overcame them, and he coveredthe swordwith his cloak. He met Angie's confused eyes with reason. Had he not done it, she would not let the worry allow her some sleep. Angie looked away from the covered sword.
"Get some sleep," Frodo told her. "It will be morning before you know it."
Angie nodded and laid back down, shutting her eyes slowly. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Frodo watched her until she was alseep and his own eyelids began to close on him. This was going to be much more difficult than he could possibly fathom, especially with Angie's words still running around through his mind. And she was right. He didn't realize how serious things had become so quickly. They were given swords to carry now. With a knot beginning to work itself inside of his stomach, Frodo fell asleep uneasily with Angie's face blurring into nothingness in front of him.
x x x
Angie didn't sleep long, and she felt annoyed and groggy as she woke up in the dead of night. She didn't even know why she had woken up, but it was plain to see that she wasn't going to have an easy time going back to sleep, so she sat up and stretched a little. She allowed herself to recollect what had happened that day - the climb, the swords, Strider leaving to explore for a while, the bread Frodo had shared with her, falling asleep, and waking up shortly after.
She wondered if Strider had returned yet and knew Frodo must still be sleeping, but a warm flicker of light caught her eye in the darkness, and she looked to her left. A small fire was going with three of her friends sitting around it whispering quietly. She made out the faces to be that of Merry, Sam, and Pippin, and slowly she picked herself up and walked towards the warmth of the tiny fire. She sat down without a word, Merry smiling at her.
"Hey, you're awake," he said. "Did you smell the bacon? Mm mm mmm!"
Pippin waved a pan of sizzling food over the fire trying to tempt her, but Angie only let her tired face flash a quick smile. She shook her head.
"None for me," she said. "I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Pippin asked. "We have a fine assortment of tomatoes and sausages as well, as you can see." He took his fork, issued to each item in the frying pan, and brandished a large smile at her to try and convince her to try some. But Angie still declined, having not recovered still from the horrid memory of the last time Pippin tried to cook something.
"That's all right," she said. "Frodo and I ate before we fell asleep."
"Leave him some anyways," Sam said suddenly. "I'm sure he'd like some bacon."
Pippin shrugged his shoulders as he pulled the pan out of the fire to examine its contents. "Suit yourself," he said to Angie, serving Sam and Merry some food and leaving a plate aside for Frodo. "That just leaves more tomatoes for me." At this, he hungrily dumped the remaining tomatoes in the pan onto his plate. Angie felt herself smile.
"You can have your tomatoes," Angie laughed. "I don't really care for them."
Suddenly, all three of the hobbits sitting around her looked up with an expression of shock and disbelief. Angie frowned defensively; she didn't mean to offend them! She just didn't like tomatoes!
"What?" she asked. "It's not a crime."
"In my kitchen, it is," Merry said, starting to eat a plate of food.
"Well then I'll be sure to stay out of Brandy Hall then," she said sarcastically. "I don't understand you three. We've been friends how long and you didnt know that I don't like tomatoes? We've stolen them loads of times from Farmer Maggot and I've never eaten them."
"Oh, hush up and have a sausage, woman," Pippin said, thrusting a plate out towards her.
Angie smiled and took the plate, but she didn't eat it right away. She just watched Pippin serve himself more bacon before putting some new in the pan. She then examined her sausage; it wasn't too bad in the dark. Carefully, she picked it up and brought it to her nose. It smelled safe... Finally, Angie let herself take a bite. Her eyes lit up briefly as she chewed more eagerly now.
"Oh, Pip, this is great," she said. "And you made it, too. That's amazing..."
"Actually no," Pippin said guiltily. "Merry's the one telling me how to do it. He's just lazy and doesn't want to hold the pan."
Merry gave a proud smile at which Angie laughed. Pippin became sour, but she still thought it was funny.
"And to think I thought you could cook..."
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