Alassea: Hey, girl! It's great to hear from you again. Ah, naughty Boromir…Not that Victoria needs encouraging, anyway. Actually yes, I'm a Christian. Good luck with your quest and may it be successful. Thanks for your kind wish and good luck with your story – which I'm going to read as soon as I finish posting this chapter. I had started yesterday, but then I was interrupted.
Disama: I won't make you promises I'm not sure I can keep, but I assure you I'll do my best. However, it depends more on him than me…
Empress Guinevere Sparrow: My point exactly. I wonder why they don't teach them at school… ; )
CHAPTER XI: CARADHRAS
After two weeks of travel, the Fellowship had set up a camp near the foot of the pass of Caradhras. When she finished her daily training session, Victoria gave up her place to Boromir's new students: Merry and Pippin. The girl climbed up on the rock where Frodo and Sam were sitting to enjoy the show and lit up a cigarette.
Two, one, five.
The swords clashed one against the other, the sound of metal against metal rose in the gray sky.
Move your feet, Aragorn suggested, smoking his pipe.
Mmm, you look good, Merry commented.
Thanks, the Hobbit replied.
Faster, faster, Boromir ordered them.
They are doing fine… Frodo remarked.
They have a good teacher, Victoria replied, smiling strangely and letting out a little puff of smoke. She was so caught up in the "fight" that she barely paid any heed to the conversation between Gandalf and Gimli that was going on behind her.
In that moment, Boromir clumsily scratched Pippin, who dropped his sword. The Man apologized and started bending down to have a look at the cut, but the Hobbit kicked him and made him lose his balance.
Get him! Pippin shouted as Merry joined the "brawl" hollering, For the Shire!
In a second, Boromir was down and the two Hobbits were tickling him mercilessly.
Victoria burst out laughing at that display. She heard Gimli's voice behind her.
Nothing, it's just a cloud.
She cast a glance over her shoulder. Legolas had climbed on a rock at the edge of the ravine and was straining his eyes to see as far as he could.
It is moving quickly… Boromir added. …and against the wind!
In that moment, Legolas realized what it was. Crebain from Dunland! he shouted.
Hide! Aragorn ordered, pushing away their things.
Torey! Merry! Pippin! Boromir called out.
By his side, Aragorn was shouting at Frodo and Sam to run for cover.
Victoria barely had time to turn around and fetch her backpack when Legolas caught her by the shoulders and shoved her behind a bush. Then he disappeared behind a rock.
"What the heck…"
She didn't have time to complete her thoughts when the cloud fell upon them. Birds black as the night, with flaming, mad eyes, flew down from the sky, screeching and searching between rocks and bushes.
Victoria lay unmoving, frozen. She had never seen such a thing and it was something that would have sent chills down the bravest Gryffindor's spine.
Safe in their refuges, the members of the Fellowship of the Ring held their breath, waiting for them to pass. Finally, the feathered tempest passed away. One by one, the ten companions crawled out from their shelters.
Spies of Saruman! Gandalf cursed. The passage south is being watched…We must take the pass of Caradhras.
Hearing those words, nine pairs of eyes turned to the great mountain that stood out against the sky, proud and menacing. The tenth was searching the sky worriedly.
They started gathering up their belongings when suddenly they heard two loud screeches, muddled and mixed with the sound of the fight, while another cry of anguish rose.
Pale as a ghost, Victoria watched as her hawk and one of those crows angrily fought, mixed in an inseparable tangle of claws, feathers and beaks. Her eyes where fixed on the two fighters, but the she saw another scene, a scene she had witnessed to six years ago.
One of the worst things that could happen to a First-Year Slytherin girl was running into Ronald Weasley, especially if said girl was Victoria Cross. He was Harry "Perfect" Potter's best friend, she was Draco Malfoy's best friend. It was clear that the two could never get along. Usually, they tended to ignore each other…or so they had done until that very day.
Hermione Granger, Potter and Weasley's best friend, had been assaulted by the monster that wandered about the school…the monster of Slytherin. If you belonged to his House, it was definitely a bad moment to cross the hot-headed Gryffindor's path, right when he felt the need to let out his anger and frustration over something, anything…or, better still, somebody.
He had never cared about the small Slytherin who hung around with Malfoy, Pucey and Flint, but now it was different. He started tormenting her and making unpleasant insinuations.
Victoria, seeing where he was going, tried to walk away. She quickened her pace and held her books tighter against her chest, praying to meet somebody…But the corridor was empty.
Weasley said something really nasty, Victoria shot back. They started insulting each other and each other's House, until the red-headed Gryffindor roared that the Slytherins were all filthy deceitful worms and should have been kicked out. They deserved to go to Azkaban and that son of a bitch of a Malfoy was the first.
That was too much. Victoria turned around and slapped him so hard that she left the mark of her five fingers on his cheek.
Ron Weasley lost his head and slapped her twice, then grabbed her by the shoulders and started shaking her and insulting her, making her head slam against the wall.
Suddenly, he was seized and thrown away from the girl, who leaned against the wall not to fall down.
When the dizziness passed, she managed to focus on the scene: Weasley was on the ground with a hand on his chin and between the two of them stood Draco Malfoy, his left hand still clenched into a fist and ready to strike again.
So we're laying the blame on little girls now? Draco's face was red. He was breathing deeply, desperately trying to keep his anger in check. Hear me out, Weasley…If you dare to touch a hair on her head, if you dare to breathe near her, I swear I'll kill, even if I should haunt you down to the Moon. Did I make myself clear?
Ron Weasley was taller and apparently stronger than Draco Malfoy…But there was something in the Slytherin's tone of voice and in his look, cold as ice and sharp as a razor, something that sent icy chills down the Gryffindor's spine. The boy nodded.
Be gone with you, Weasley…And woes to you if I ever find you again less than six feet away from her. Draco's voice was like ice needles.
The read-head got to his feet and walked away, feeling those eyes full of anger on his back.
As soon as the Gryffindor disappeared from their view, Draco turned to his Housemate. Are you ok? He asked, his gray eyes full of worry. Do you want me to walk you to the Hospital Wing?
No, no…I'm fine, really, she hesitated, looking for his eyes. Thank you for helping me.
Draco grazed her cheek with a hand, an unreadable look in his eyes. They can lay the blame on me as long as they want to…But they must not touch you. I'll cut them into pieces if they but try.
A sudden movement on her right side, which she saw out of the corner of her eye, awoke her. Legolas had taken his bow and notched an arrow, he was about to shot.
NO! Victoria shouted, seizing his arm. You might shot Duke!
After long, never-ending seconds, the Crebain dropped on the ground, dead, while Duke tried to control his fall. Victoria cast the same spell she had used long ago on Merry and Pippin to catch him. As soon as she held him in her arms, she started checking his wounds with Legolas. Poor Duke had a broken wing, many scratches and had lost, more or less, ten feathers.
Legolas, outstretch his broken wing, please, the girl murmured.
Do you want me to prepare some bandages to put his wing in splints? Sam asked, but she shook her head.
Victoria grazed the wing with her fingertips, then, when she saw where the fracture was, she pointed her wand against it and murmured a couple of strange words. A bluish light wrapped the wing and the bone was healed. Feeling better, Duke was about to take off for a test flight, but Victoria's firm voice stopped him.
Don't you dare moving a feather. I'm not done with you, am I? she told him in a commanding voice as she fetched her medicine bag from her backpack.
The hawk obeyed immediately. Legolas held him still and he did his best not to squirm as the girl cleaned and disinfected his scratches.
How long will it take you? Gimli mumbled.
All the time until I've done with him. Stay still, you! she added, turning to her hawk, who was wriggling because of the disinfectant's burning. Here. All done. Victoria announced as she finished tying a gauze around a deep scratch on Duke's leg.
Victoria rose, seized the hawk, holding his wings against his body, and carried him to the pony, then she shoved him into one of the saddlebags. Now you'll stay here and don't you dare try flying, ok?
The hawk bowed his head resignedly.
Victoria went to put away her medicine bag. That damned, quarrelsome, overprotective fool! She groaned, shaking her head. But she wasn't talking about Duke.
The ten Fellows started climbing on the mountainside.
So, guys… Victoria asked, speaking to all and none of them in particular. …are you ready to change from Infantry to Alpini?
Alpini? Frodo repeated awkwardly.
That's a special army corps. They are soldiers trained to fight on the mountains, where the altitude is high and the temperature low.
Interesting… Boromir noted.
A few minutes later, Victoria discovered that, apart from Legolas, Aragorn and herself, the others would have preferred to stay in the Infantry corps: the three of them were the only ones to feel at ease on them mountains. Yet, when the snow deepened to the middle of Victoria's calves, the two Humans started having a hard time as well.
As if wasn't enough, while she almost fell flat on her face after getting her foot caught in a hole, Victoria saw Legolas pass her by, walking on the snow without leaving a single footprint.
But…but… She stammered with her mouth wide open, too shocked to formulate a decent sentence.
An Elvish characteristic… Aragorn placidly explained to her, without hiding his broad smile.
The snow is beautiful, isn't it, Vicky? The Elf shouted at her. But probably you cannot really appreciate it from your point of view…
Oh, yeah? The girl replied between her clenched teeth. Suddenly, her eyes lit up with an alarming flame and on her lips blossomed a grin just as evil.
Boromir and Aragorn, in the rear, exchanged a nervous glance. They knew Torey well enough to know that they should be very, very worried.
The girl bent down and picked up a couple of handfuls of snow, shaping a big snowball, and, at the same time, she cast a glance over her shoulder.
It was like she had pulled out a billboard four meters long and three meters high on which there was written "The first who breathes a word will regret it for the rest of his life."
The two warriors nodded silently. After all, they were curious to see how the scene would unfold.
The girl aimed carefully and then threw her bullet, which smacked Legolas right in the back of his head. The Elf turned around, trying to wipe away the snow from his neck but with little success. He didn't need to wonder who had done it.
The snow is beautiful, isn't it, Pointed Ears? Victoria shouted, laughing in his face.
You little… Legolas started to run toward her, firmly decided to make her pay.
Victoria shrieked and tried to run, but her fall back was prevented by the deep snow. She didn't get very far: in a few seconds, Legolas caught her and started tickling her mercilessly. Elves weren't ticklish and he enjoyed seeing the young witch writhing and falling on the ground, laughing her head off and unable to speak. After she fell down and rolled around in the snow uselessly trying to escape him, kicking and squirming like a mad girl, Legolas finally let her regain her breath.
Do you surrender?
…y-yes… Victoria managed to choke out, her hair loose and tears falling down her cheeks.
The rest of the Fellowship watched them giggling with an amused smile, Gimli included.
Victoria got to her feet and took back her place in the line, still shaking with laughter.
What a pair of children… Boromir remarked, approaching his adoptive daughter. Are you happy now? Look at the state you're in! The girl tried to wipe away the snow in her hair and on her clothes, but she managed to do so just from her neck up and from the waist down. Here, turn around, Boromir ordered her, barely choking down a laugh seeing her contortions. He started dusting her shoulders and back with his big, calloused hands. Victoria half-smiled.
Frodo stopped for a moment to look at her, an amused smile on his lips.
Finished, the warrior told her. You can start marching again, little soldier,
As you order, Johnny Reb. They resumed their march again, this time walking side by side. Well, you must admit that I'm not doing so bad here on the mountain, Victoria said, looking for his approval.
You are a good Alpina, Boromir told her as he ruffled her hair. A flame of pride shone in their eyes.
Eh, you know…I was born and grew up under the Alps' shadow. It just flows in my veins.
The Man of Minas Tirith turned his head sideways to look at her. Tell me about your city,
Victoria started describing Torino, her monuments, the Northern mountains standing out against the sky in the bright days, the river Po that ran through the town center, the fortress, the siege in 1706, the straight roads…
…That's why they say it's impossible to get lost in Torino, she said.
Really? Boromir asked.
The girl hesitated: Oh, well…I did it.
Are serious? How could you?
Well, the fact that I was looking at the map upside down didn't really help me…
Boromir burst out laughing and the others, who had heard the witch's tale, imitated him.
If you managed to get lost in a city with straight roads and with a map… Boromir started, still laughing. …then I shall guide you when you will come to Minas Tirith, or else who knows where you would end up.
Here, tell me about Minas Tirith! Victoria spurred him. I've already told you everything about Torino. If you ever ended up there, surely you'd find your own way better than I did when I dropped here.
No offence, Torey, but I hope I have a sense of direction better than yours.
Not that it takes much… Legolas spoke up, teasing the two Humans.
Nobody asked for your opinion, Radar! Victoria shouted at him.
I have already told you not to call me Radar.
Do you prefer "Sonar"? It's more or less the same thing!
The Elf opened his mouth to reply, but he was cut off by Aragorn, who gently scolded them both. Why don't you save your breath instead of quarreling?
Truth to be told, he was quite right since the more ahead they went, the deeper the snow became.
Did you hear what Billy Yank said? Torey said. Save your breath, so you'll get it all back on your deathbed.
Elves do not die, you fool!
I wouldn't count on it if I was you…Tu a mia non mi vieni appresso.
Legolas understood perfectly the expression Victoria had used, because she had told it – or rather "screamed it" – at Gimli a few days before. It meant more or less "You won't follow my funeral, I will follow yours because I will kill you first."
On the other hand, Victoria didn't understand what he shouted at her, but judging from the glance Frodo – who knew Elvish – threw him and Legolas' tone of voice, she was sure that it was some bad word.
You Italians have a strange sense of humor, Boromir noted.
Victoria shrugged her shoulders. Come on, talk to me about Minas Tirith.
Boromir started his tale, as they kept on walking into deeper and deeper snow.
The gaps between the members of the Fellowship grew wider and Frodo started falling in the back. The Hobbits, who knew but the plain and the sweet hills of the Shire, were not meant to challenge the mountain.
Frodo lost his balance and fell, rolling backwards on the snow. Fortunately, Aragorn stopped his fall and helped him on his feet. The Hobbit hurriedly looked for something under his clothes and suddenly his face lost all its color.
The Ring lay on the snow a few feet away.
Before the Ring Bearer could take a single step, somebody lifted up the chain that held the Ring.
Boromir… Aragorn murmured.
Yeah. Boromir.
The Man of Minas Tirith had a strange expression on his face as he studied the jewel hanging from the chain. It is a strange fate…that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing… He whispered, but it wasn't him that spoke. …a such a little thing…
Boromir! Aragorn repeated louder, watching him with a stern gaze. His voice broke the spell.
Hearing his own name, Boromir came brusquely back to his senses. He tried to hide it, but he felt confused, as if he had suddenly fallen back on Earth.
Give the Ring to Frodo, Aragorn ordered, still keeping his eyes on him.
As you wish… Boromir replied slowly, as he came near. Frodo grabbed the chain the Man was handing him and quickly fasted it around his neck, glaring at him.
…I care not
Boromir ruffled his hair and started marching again, but the Hobbit drew back. Frodo's eyes fell on a figure standing on the snow, watching them from afar. It was Victoria. As he watched her, a voice started whispering to him that she, like Boromir, belonged to the Mankind and Man couldn't be trusted…
"Oh, hush!" Frodo shouted mentally, shaking his head forcefully. This time he was sure he wasn't wrong: even if the voice that had spoken was his own, the words came from the Ring. But, as he walked, he avoided looking at the young witch again.
Boromir readjusted his shield on his back and started walking, trying to understand what had happened. For a moment he had felt far away, detached from everybody…almost a stranger to what was going on. Then Aragorn's voice, his look and Frodo's look…he wasn't sure of what had happened exactly.
He raised his gaze and his eyes met Victoria's violet ones. There she was, the girl he considered as a daughter, standing in the snow, watching them, unmoving. The dark green cloak draped around her shoulders allowed one to catch a glimpse of her strange clothes, the hawk resting on her shoulder, her right hand clutching the cross she wore around her neck, her face framed by the white and green scarf she had wrapped around her head from which had escaped some locks of dark hair, the strange expression on her face and in her eyes…He lowered his head, burning with shame.
He didn't have the courage to look at that dear face and those eyes full of sorrow, even if not one nor the other reproached him for what he had done. He kept on walking, tormenting himself.
She had turned around when she had heard Aragorn calling Frodo's name, just in time to witness to the last meters of his fall. She had got scared on seeing the Hobbit sliding down, even if it had been for those few meters…But her slight apprehension had turned into an icy fear, that had fallen upon her freezing completely. She had stood there, watching Boromir pick up the Ring, she had seen the expression on his face and those on Aragorn and Frodo's. She had been assaulted by many emotions mixed together, inseparably smelted one into the other without any continuity. Her right hand had unconsciously raised to clutch the cross instead of falling down on the hilt of her sword. She could do nothing but stand still. And watch.
Watching Boromir as he came back to Earth, as he tried to understand what had happened, to hide his emotions and to lessen the matter.
Watching Frodo as he cast him those glances, the same she had received from the members of the other Houses more than once.
Watching Aragorn as he slowly eased his grip on the hilt of his sword.
Watching, and because of this feeling like she had been carried back in time. Going back to sixteen years old, watching her own Housemates falling on the ground with bloodstained uniform, one by one, like ears of corn.
Back to fifteen, watching Draco as he died day by day, slowly consuming himself in the tiring fight against the others and against himself, trying to understand which road he should take.
And for a moment, she felt like she was sitting on those stands again, watching Draco as he fell, unable to move a finger…but it wasn't the same. This time it was different. Also because this time she had felt torn in two: part of her wanted to run to Boromir and comfort him, explain to him that he didn't have to act tough at all costs, she wanted to find a way to hold him tight and not let him fall in the Shadow…but another part of her also wanted to run to Frodo and erase that look from his face, make him understand that what had happened wasn't Boromir's fault.
Torn, divided in two. That was how she felt.
She met Boromir's eyes for a moment and right then she knew what she had to do. She waited for him and when he passed her by she started walking next to him. They walked side by side without speaking, their faces serious and expressionless, their thoughts unreadable.
Boromir was aware of her presence, but he didn't have the courage to look her in the eyes or to walk away, because having her near felt good, very good. Suddenly, he felt a small, warm hand slipping into his own. He lowered his eyes on their intertwined hands, his own big and strong and Victoria's small and dark one. A strange sense of warmness spread into his whole body until it reached his heart. He gently squeezed her hand and Victoria squeezed his own back. He could feel Aragorn and Frodo's eyes on his back. They couldn't see their clasped hands, he was sure of it…But Victoria was walking by his side and this was suspicious. He was twenty-four years older than her, he considered her a daughter as she considered him a father: it was his duty to protect her from everyone.
You should not stay by my side, Torey, he whispered in a voice so low that not even Legolas would have been able to hear him. He tried to take his hand back, but she didn't allow it, strengthening her hold almost desperately.
Her answer was a single word, a word in Gondorian dialect whispered with half the half of a sigh: Édnie…
Boromir winced at that word. Édnie, dad. He met her eyes: a new flame sparkled inside of them and wouldn't be put out that easily.
There was no need of words, their eyes spoke for them. They carried on side by side, like two soldiers. Like father and daughter.
When the snow became deeper, they had to part. Boromir carried in his arms Merry and Pippin, who otherwise would have sunk in that white and icy cloak. Victoria slipped behind them, almost watching their back. Behind her came Aragorn, who carried Frodo and Sam.
Suddenly, the girl stopped and waited for the other three to arrive.
Frodo! she called, approaching. The Hobbit turned as he could and met her eyes. Forgive him… she said lowering her voice a little. It's not his fault. I just wanted to tell you.
After she said those words, Victoria raised her head and looked at Aragorn in the eyes. In that gaze there was such a burning fury that the Ranger felt a chill down his spine.
And you… she hissed against him. Try to chill out, Billy Yank, she turned and walked away, leaving them behind.
Aragorn watched her, confused. He had felt hatred in her voice, a terrible hatred. He knew that Victoria had bonded deeply with Boromir, more than with any other member of the Fellowship. If she had seen him grasp his sword when Boromir had had the Ring in his hands – and after that sentence he was sure that she had seen – it was logic for her to feel anger and rancor toward him…but even hatred?
I don't think she likes you very much, if I can say so, sir, Sam remarked.
It seemed that it hadn't been just his impression. He couldn't know that when Victoria had felt torn between Boromir and Frodo, there had also been a part of her that would have gladly slapped him and Legolas. Also because by slapping the two of them, she would have hit those twenty-five boys with white hoods and hands stained by her bothers and sisters' blood.
They finally reached the Pass. It was a narrow strip of rock enclosed between the mountainside and the void. It was cold, terribly cold. The ten Fellows and the pony hardly went on in the deep snow, the icy wind blew against them, throwing snow in their faces and preventing Duke from flying as he had done till then. He was now forced to stay huddled under his mistress' cloak.
Truth to be told, it was probably Victoria the one who was having the hardest time of all, with her fear of heights. She walked sideways, grazing the rock wall with her back and never taking her eyes off the edge of the precipice. She was so scared that she didn't bothered to insult Legolas as he passed her by, walking as if he had been on a green meadow in a summer day.
The Elf went ahead of Gandalf, who was the head of the line, and walked almost on the edge of the ravine.
There is a fell voice on the air! he warned them.
It's Saruman! Gandalf shouted, trying to be heard above the howling of the wind.
Right in that moment, some blocks of snow fell down from above, barely missing them.
He's trying to bring down the mountain! Aragorn shouted and Victoria, in spite of the situation they were in, was about to tell him "Oh, really? We didn't realize it!"
Gandalf, we must turn back! Aragorn shouted again.
NO! Gandalf answered, pulling himself out of the snow and walking to the edge of the ravine.
So started a duel of magic, made of words shouted in the wind. A lightning bolt stuck the mountain, causing an avalanche. Gandalf barely managed to throw himself against the rocky wall to avoid being swept away that the snow buried them all.
Legolas was the first to surface, then came Gandalf, followed by all the others.
Where is Torey? Boromir asked immediately, helping Merry and Pippin to reach the surface and scanning every inch of snow.
As soon as he pronounced those words, the girl came up, hardly breathing.
Frodo, who had looked for her with his gaze as soon as he had managed to open his eyes, turned to check on her conditions. In spite of her heavy clothes, she was quite blue with cold. She trembled and chattered her teeth between multiple curses, but she looked fine. Her hair was covered with snow and ice.
"She looks at least seventy years older," the Hobbit mused. "But, after all, there's always that strange air about her, that makes her look old beyond her age…"
The Ring Bearer pulled himself together on hearing Boromir's voice.
We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!
The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard! Aragorn argued.
We cannot pass over the mountain! Let us go under it, through the Mines of Moria! Gimli proposed.
Hearing his voice, Victoria turned to look at him, choked back a laughter and barely managed to keep herself from asking him "Hey, Father Christmas, were you shrunk during the washing?"
That was no time for quarreling.
Gandalf hesitated, he looked caught in a terrible dilemma and worried. Finally, he sighed: Let the Ring Bearer decide.
Frodo opened his eyes wide, caught completely off guard. He didn't feel ready to take such an important decision. He looked at Sam, as if he had been looking for advice, then his eyes slide to the shaking witch. If Gimli had said the truth about his cousin, then…
We will go through the mines, he said , trying to look more confident than he felt.
Gandalf let out a resigned sigh: So be it.
Okay, folks, I think it's time to show a clean pair of heels if we don't want to become ten icicles…
Ten what? Pippin asked, gaining himself an exasperated glance from Victoria. Not now, okay?
They started heading back, but the descent proved harder than the slope thanks to the snowstorm that "that damned son of a bitch" – quoting one of the less insulting things that Victoria said about him – had sent against them.
Nighttime found them still on the mountain.
They found shelter under a projecting rock and built a fire with the dry branches that had carried with them from the valley.
Brr, it's so cold… Pippin murmured, his teeth chattering.
With these wet clothes, we'll surely catch a cold… Sam said, rubbing his ice-cold hands together.
Here, let me,Victoria offered as she pulled out her wand and waved it in the air. Iterum calefacium! From the tip sprung ten orange bubbles, one for every member of the Fellowship. As soon as a bubble touched one of them, it burst with a faint "pop" and then his clothes were dry and warm, as if they had been hanged for the whole day in front of a stove.
The effect of the spell didn't last but a few minutes, but it was enough. The flames started rising higher, so there was no need to do that again.
When they finished eating their meal, Victoria took a small, yellow tube from her medicine bag. Here, give me your mess-tins.
Bewildered, the others obeyed. The young witch pulled out her wand and transformed the ten bowls in ten glasses.
Sam let out a low whistle: Good job, miss,
Oh, that was nothing, she replied, shrugging her shoulders and smiling. She filled the ten glasses with water and then she threw inside every glass a white pill she took from the yellow tube. Her nine companions watched her astonished, especially caught off guard by the strange pills and their reaction with the water.
Victoria waited until the pills melted completely, then handed back the glasses, which were eyed suspiciously and handled with the utmost care, as if they were about to explode.
What's this? Pippin asked, voicing everybody's thought.
Aspirin, Victoria replied as she put away her bag.
As-what? Merry asked suspiciously.
Aspirin. It's a medicine, she explained calmly.
With a name like that? Gandalf asked, puzzled.
Well, that's the common name. But if you hear the scientific name, you'll get scared…
And what would that name be? Legolas asked while he studied the contents of his glass.
Acid acetylsalicylic. The rest of the Fellowship looked at her with eyes wide open. I told you you'd get scared…Anyway, now drink. It'll spare you a cold or worse.
And who assures us that this acid ace…that this thing is not poisonous? Gimli spoke up.
Victoria rolled her eyes. Heavens, that's an aspirin, even children can have it…I think I had a hundred of them in my whole life and I'm still here
Maybe it was because of those things that you turned out like this…
The witch's eyes narrowed: Do you want to be turned into a worm?
Please! Gandalf intervened. Don't you start again, you two! This is not the time nor place for silly quarrels.
Yes, Headmaster. But now don't act like children and drink those aspirins. She set a good example by drinking all the contents of her glass. The others, with a resigned sigh, followed her lead.
Bleah! Frodo remarked as he made a face.
Don't complain, Victoria told him as she gathered the glasses and retransformed them. It spares you the cough syrup, which is a hundred times worse…Or, even worse, the Pepperup Potion.
Is it so terrible? he asked.
It burns like Hell. And then there's always the collateral effect, The witch explained.
What kind of collateral effect? Boromir asked, curious.
For the whole day you have smoke coming out from your ears. That can be pretty annoying. Suddenly, she realized that one of the glasses she was transforming was still full. Hey, who didn't take his aspirin?
I didn't, Legolas replied placidly. I thank you for your concern, but I don't need it. Elves do not get sick.
Victoria approached him with a huge smile on her face – which practically shouted "trouble ahead!" – and thrust the glass in his hand. There's always a first time for everything…Drink. she told him in a voice that allowed no reply.
The poor Elf could only obey. He gulped down the medicine with a disgusted face.
Now, now. I can grant you that Elvish food is worse, Victoria said, retransforming his glass and gaining herself a glare.
What do we do now? Pippin asked.
We stay awake, Gandalf answered.
Seeing the astonished expressions on the Hobbits' faces, Aragorn started to explain: It would not be wise to fall asleep in the snow. We would risk not to awake anymore.
Gandalf passed them a small flask of an Elvish potion, given to him by Lord Elrond himself, that warmed their hearts a little.
But soon the Hobbit began to feel drowsy.
We should find a way to stay awake, remarked Sam, always the practical one.
I think I have an idea, Victoria said, preceding Aragorn and Gandalf. First, we must stay as close as we can, then we must talk.
Talk? Merry asked doubtfully.
Victoria shook her shoulders: Do you know any other way?
The Hobbits were the first to start, telling some funny stories that had taken place in the Shire, then it was Gimli's turn, then Gandalf's, Legolas', the two Men's and in the end came Victoria's turn, who tried to hide a yawn.
Poor Merilìs, you must be very tired, Boromir said.
Don't you worry, édnie, I'm fine. A shadow darkened her eyes. It's not the first time that I have stayed awake all night…But it's just the second one.
Frodo frowned, worried. He had learned to know that look. Did something happen…when you attended Hogwarts?
Victoria nodded, staring at the dance of the flames. Sometime, during the school year…especially after a Quidditch match against Gryffindor, that he never won…well, Draco went out at night.
I thought you did so often, Legolas said, confused.
Yeah, we went out to have fun far away from school…But it was all the four of us. He went out alone and secretly, she swallowed hard. I knew, I've always known, even in my First Year…You see, he had to pass in front of our dormitory to go outside and the third step creaked. I was the closest to the door, which shut difficultly. I was a light sleeper, so… she sighed. You don't know how grateful I was to the House…Sprites for never fixing it. Thanks to it, I always knew when Draco went out…and, more important, when he came back.
You never wondered why he went out at night? Frodo asked her.
Victoria shrugged her shoulders. I didn't really find it unusual…I thought that maybe he wanted a midnight snack or to have a walk to the Astronomy Tower… She covered her forehead with her hand. My Lord, how blind I have been! And yet I didn't discover it until Draco came to stay with me for the summer between my Fourth and my Fifth year Victoria was silent for some seconds, than she started talking again. Lucius Malfoy… she murmured. It has always been Lucius Malfoy's fault.
Was he… Boromir started, but Victoria didn't let him finish his sentence.
Yeah, he was Draco's father. And the first name in the List of People That I'd Gladly Kill With My Own Hands. She closed her eyes. Draco had never led an easy life: not at school….and especially not at home.
What do you mean? Frodo asked softly, even if he could guess the answer.
His father beat him. And I'm not talking about a slap given occasionally, just to put a cheeky boy back in his place….No, those were real thrashings! That criminal had the nerve to use the Cruciatus Curse! On his own son!
Cruciatus Curse? Sam repeated disbelievingly.
Victoria bit down on her lip and nodded: It's one of the three Unforgivable Curses. Using them on a human is a one-way ticket to Azkaban, the English wizard prison. It's an horrible place where people go mad and let themselves die, they lose their will to live and their good memories, that are suckled away by the Dementors… She clenched her fist, her own nails cutting her flesh. Nobody deserves to stay there more than Lucius Malfoy! And that would still be getting away too easily!
Is this Curse so terrible?Aragorn asked
Victoria slowly raised her head, until she met his gaze: You have no idea, Billy Yank…Thank God, none of you has the slightest idea of it. Her eyes were empty and far away. The Cruciatus Curse is pain, pure pain, over every possible and imaginable limit. One doesn't die because of it…but can go mad because of the pain. I don't know exactly how it works, but I can tell you one thing: it does work
You speak like one who passed thought it… Boromir whispered, not doing anything to hide his anguish.
Victoria shook her head. No. I've never been put under the Cruciatus Curse, but I've seen what it can do on another human being.
It wasn't… Legolas started, but then trailed off. Maybe if he didn't say it out loud, it would have been different.
But Victoria nodded. Yeah. It was Draco. And it had been his father to put that Curse on him. She clutched her scarf between her hands. That filthy bastard…I hope he'll burn in Hell! It took her a great effort to keep her self control. But that's not exactly what we were talking about…We were talking about my night of watch…
The rays of the dying sun came in through the window of the Fifth Year Boys' Dorm. Laying on his bed, the only occupant of that room, looked at the sun that was sinking at the horizon, like it had been a sentence of death.
Draco, don't do it.
He turned to look at the pale fifteen-years-old girl that stood with her back against the door. You know that I have no choice, Torey,
Oh, bullshit. We always have a choice.
Oh, yeah?the boy jumped to his feet, his gray eyes blazing with anger. And what other choice do I have, eh? Come on, tell me!
The girl bowed her head. I'm sorry…
No, I am sorry…I shouldn't have raised my voice, he apologized.
Don't. It was my fault. I should have checked if my tongue was connected to my brain before speaking, She raised her violet eyes, full of angry tears. But you can't let him keep doing this to you, Draco.
He is my father, Torey, Draco murmured, leaning outside the window.
He's not a man, he's a beast!
I didn't ask to be his son…
The girl was silent for a moment, than moved to stand a few meters behind him. You can always decide not to go.
He shook his head: I can't, Torey. You know that.
No, I don't know that!
Torey…
Don't "Torey" me! You won't go there tonight and that's enough!She marched to the door and blocked the doorway, anchoring herself to the frame with he hands and feet. You'll have to pass over my dead body.
Torey, don't be such a child… Draco said calmly.
She shook her head, tears threatening to fall. No. No, no, no…I won't let you go. I cannot.
As you wish, he sighed. He picked her up and moved her away from the door. She burst into tears and held on to him. D-don't go, Draco…Please…
Draco Malfoy started caressing her hair tenderly as he kissed her hands. Sshh…please, Torey, don't cry…You know that I can't avoid it.
Slowly, the girl calmed down. The boy took her by her shoulders and gently pulled her away from him. Don't you understand, Torey? If I don't go, I'll just make things worse.
Victoria raised her head, proud and firm. Then I'll come with you!
You can forget it. If he discovers you, if he knows that you know…God, I don't want to think about it!
What would he do, spank me? He'd cast me in the Cruciatus Curse to make me keep my mouth shut? If you can endure that, then I can do it as well.
But I couldn't stand for him to do such a thing to you… He took her hands between his own. And then he wouldn't just stop there, as he does with me…He'd kill you. He searched her eyes. And to me, that would be worse than any Curse. He pulled her close, grazing her forehead with his lips. I couldn't live without you, Torey. You're everything I have.
Usually… the girl murmured. …when I heard the step creaking, I simply turned on my side and listened to his footsteps as he passed. But that night...that night I got up from bed and tiptoed to the door. I opened it a little, just enough to take a look outside…so I saw him and he saw me. We stood still looking in each other's eyes for a moment, then he motioned for me to come back in.
The girl closed the door and leaned her back against it for her legs couldn't hold her. She held her breath, straining her ears to hear even the faintest sound. With her mind's eye she saw him descending the last steps, cross the empty Common Room, slowly open up the secret door and slip in the dark corridor. Then he would be suckled by the shadow.
She dropped on the floor and she didn't move anymore, sitting still and waiting. If she couldn't go with him, at least she wanted to be sure that he had come back on his own legs.
Victoria's voice was little more than a quivering whisper, it seemed made with glass splinters: I spent the whole night on that floor, waiting, praying for that damned step to creak… She turned her eyes away from the fire and shook her head. …but it didn't happen.
Victoria checked the time on the clock on the fireplace mantle, wriggling her hands. Draco hadn't come back yet. She had stayed awake all night, waiting to hear the usual creak of the step, to her like an "all clear" siren, but in vain. She cast a last glance to the window and decided to take the matter into her own hands. She took off her pajamas, put on the first clothes that she could find in her closet and threw a cloak on her shoulders.
A few minutes later, the rising sun soaked Hogwarts' castle, shining upon the windows, the tall towers and a small figure that was running desperately toward the locker room of the Quidditch teams. Still panting heavily, Victoria came near the door and listened carefully. At first she didn't hear anything, but then she thought she had heard a faint noise. She didn't need to think twice. She grabbed the handle and threw the door open, ready to cast a spell…but then she dropped her wand. Draco, her best friend, the boy she loved, was laying on the floor, beaten and bleeding. He barely managed to turn his head when he heard her coming. He tried to raise an arm, as if to shield his face, then he recognized her and from his broken lips came a hoarse whisper: Torey…
My God, Draco…the girl sobbed, throwing herself by his side. Here, I'll help you.
I think he had been trying for hours, but I couldn't do it…
Hold on, Draco…Lean on me, she said, putting an harm around his shoulders and the other around his waist.
Leaning on her, the boy managed to reach the castle. At the bottom of the stairs, Victoria hesitated for a moment.: Draco was quite heavy and was slowly losing his battle against the darkness that menaced to swallow him, he could barely stand…She couldn't carry him to the Hospital Wing on her own. Slytherins' dungeon was closer.
Come on, we're almost there… she murmured, holding him tighter.
She walked him to his dorm, in which he was the only occupant left, and helped him lay down on a bed.
I'll go to call for help,
Unable to speak, Draco tried to grab her harm to stop her, but she was already on the threshold. He tried to get up, but his legs couldn't hold him and he fell on the floor. Halfway down the stairs, Victoria heard a suspicious thud and came back to check on her friend: she found him on side, as he struggled to get up and helped him to come back to bed.
Draco, listen to me…
He didn't let her continue, catching her by her arms. No, Torey, you must listen to me…Don't call anyone, please, in a few hours I'll feel better and I'll heal myself, really. I've already done so other times
But…
This must not be discovered, I've already told you that…I can't let him hurt you.
Victoria looked at him in the eyes, then nodded slowly, resignedly. Fine, I won't speak of that to anyone. But now lay down, you must rest…
She helped him and stay by his side until he fell asleep. She hadn't shed a tear and she didn't even fell the need to do so. No, as she watched that beloved face covered with bruises, all she wanted to do was choke Lucius Malfoy to death.
Victoria stared at the fire, that far and sad expression on her face. You know…Once I asked Draco for how long it had been going on. She closed her eyes for a moment, then she opened them again. He answered, "As far as I remember." She lowered her voice to a whisper. You should have seen his back…
It's…it's horrible, Merry murmured, shocked.
How could he do such a thing?! Legolas asked, disbelieving.
The others expressed their indignation and their pity for that poor boy as well…All except Boromir.
The Man of Minas Tirith stayed silent, watching the flames and thinking about his brother so far away.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Do…do you want me to sing something? Just to stay awake… Victoria murmured uneasily.
Gandalf nodded: All right.
The girl took a deep breath and started singing the strangest song they've ever heard, that was then followed by others just as strange. They weren't sure to like the music so different from the ballad they were used to. The songs Victoria sang didn't tell a precise story, but revolved around the feelings of one person that was part of a bigger story and then they had such a weird rhythm…As if that wasn't enough, Victoria wasn't exactly a good singer, in truth she was very far from that. They let her sing nonetheless because it was obvious that with all the songs and ballads that they knew, Victoria's songs were the only ones who would have kept them awake through the night. Not even a deaf man would have been able to fall asleep.
From time to time, the singer was shaken by fits of coughing, false like Sauron's word, that covered a word or a piece of sentence. This happened because Victoria was singing rock songs and some things the songs said might cause her audience an heart attack, so she had had to invent this system of censorship. But she couldn't spend half the night coughing, so after a while she asked if she could tell a story instead. The others accepted the change enthusiastically.
Firmly decided to keep them awake at all costs, Victoria started telling them all the thrillers she had seen or read that she could remember, challenging them to find out the murderer. When she ran out of thrillers, she skipped to adventures movies, western movies and even a couple of comedies. She still sang some songs, between one movie and the other. Even if the songs were more effective, the Fellowship preferred her stories, also because Victoria told them in such a way that it was quite clear what she thought of a certain character or of a certain situation.
So the night passed, between stories and songs sang off-key.
When the sky started to light up in the East, after a long pause, Victoria sang her last song.
They would have wondered if she had chosen that song on purpose or simply lead by a personal preference…It was hard to tell, even for Legolas, who could feel the emotion of the other people. During those minutes of silence everyone of them had closed himself in his thoughts or in his memories…and suddenly, they heard her singing softly and turned to look at her. Victoria was leaning against the rocks, her eyes closed and a strange expression on her face.
Some days I sit, starin' out the window
Watchin' this world pass me by
Sometimes I think there's nothing to live for
I almost break down and cry
Suddenly, her tone of voice passed from quiet resignation, from simple ascertainment of the reality of things to anger.
Sometimes I think I'm crazy,
I'm crazy, oh, so crazy
Why am I here, am I just wasting my time?
And then the tone changed again, becoming calm, full of love but with a strange sadness underneath…And from the words she sang, Boromir realized where he had already heard that song. It had been in Rivendell, in the garden near the fountain, when Victoria watched the sun going down behind the mountains, thinking about her father.
But then I see my baby,
Suddenly I'm not crazy,
It all make sense when I look into her eyes, oh
Sometimes it feels like the world's on my shoulders
Everyone's leaning on me
'Cause sometimes it feels like the world's almost over
But then she comes back to me
It was the last four verses that captured everyone's attention, more than the rest. It was those verses that made them wonder why she had chosen that song and why she was singing it that way, differently from the others, as if she had been sending a message to one of them, to all of them. But maybe in that song there were several messages, some for only a person, some for everybody.
My baby girl keeps gettin' older
I watch her grow up with pride
People make jokes, 'cause they don't understand me
They just don't see my real side
I act like shit don't phase me,
Inside it drives me crazy
My insecurities could eat me alive
But then I see my baby,
Suddenly I'm not crazy
It all makes sense when I look into her eyes, oh
Sometimes it feels like the world's on my shoulders
Everyone's leaning on me
'Cause sometimes it feels like the world's almost over
But then she comes back to me
Listening to those words for the second time, they had no doubts: the chorus was for them, for all of them…But especially for Frodo.
Suddenly the rhythm changed, becoming more similar to a fast speech, and the words melted one into the other so that even Legolas could hardly follow them.
Yeah,
and if I could sing, I'd keep singing this song to my daughter
If I could hit the notes, I'd blow something as long as my father
To show her how I feel about her, how proud I am that I got her
God, I'm a daddy, I'm so glad that her mum didn't want her
Now
you prob'ly get this picture from my public persona
That I'm a pistol-packing drug-addict who bags on his momma,
'Cause there's a lot of shit I keep bottled that hurts deep inside o' ma soul,
And just know that I grow colder the older I grow
This boulder on my shoulder that gets heavy and harder to hold
And this load is like the weight of the world
And I think my neck is breaking should I just give up
Or try to live up to these expectations? now look,
I love my daughter more than life in itself,
But I got a wife who's determined to make my life living hell
But I handle it well, given the circumstances I'm dealt
So many chances, man, it's too bad, coulda had someone else
But the years that I've wasted are nothing to the tears that I've tasted
So here's what I'm facin': 3 felonies, 6 years of probation
I've went to jail for this woman, I've been to bat for this woman
I've taken bats to people' backs, bent over backwards for this woman
Man, I shoulda seen it comin', ( fit of cough)
Woulda
ripped the pre-nup if I'd seen what she was planning
But heck, it's over, there's no more reason to cry no more
I got my baby, maybe the only lady that I adore, Hailie
So sayonara, try tomorra, nice to know ya
My baby's traveled back to the arms of her rightful owner
And suddenly it seems that my shoulder blades have just shifted
Its like the greatest gift you can get
The weight has been lifted
Now it don't feels like the world's on my shoulders
Everyone's leaning on me…Victoria sang the last two verses looking Boromir in the eyes.
…'Cause my baby knows that her daddy is a soldier
Nothing can take her from me.1
Nobody spoke. The sun had risen, the night was over. It was time to resume their journey and leave the mountain. They retook the descent interrupted the day before, but none of them could get that last song out of his head.
Only Boromir had understood its complete meaning, remembering the first time he had heard Victoria singing it.
That was the song from a father to his daughter…a father that Torey had never had and that she had found only recently. Sure, she had also sung it for the others, and especially the chorus for Frodo…But she had sung that song for him, maybe trying to make him understand what she had seen in his heart that, apart from the sincere love she bore for him, had encouraged her to walk by his side.
Boromir thought how different the two interpretations of that song had been. The first time it had been softly and sadly hummed; the second it had been sung with pride and force. It wasn't an hymn of defeat, a mock for what she had never obtained anymore.
Frodo had understood for who was that song as well. As he walked in the deep snow, his eyes rested now on the young witch, now on the Man of Minas Tirith. Watching him, Frodo couldn't help but thinking what a strange destiny was theirs. Divided by the Ring, bound by a girl with dark hair and melancholic eyes. And by a song she had sung for them. Her way to tell them "I am here".
1: Eminem, Hailie's song.
And, for now, that's all, folks.