Sorry this one is a little late! I had tons of homework so I made this one a longer as an apology!
And to ccgnme ; Rosalie's race will be answered in the next Chapter but her appearance and age in this one!
Onto the story!
If I Die Young
Chapter 3
The Presence of a Witch
Aragorn's POV
I saw the Hobbit's eyes widen with shock and a small part of me regretted saying it so bluntly to such innocent beings. I was about to talk more but I was interrupted by the trio as the all yelled simultaneously,
"Rosa'!"
I was just able to move out of the way as two of the trio ran past, hugged the woman by the waist and successfully topple her over. Soft, sweet giggling could be heard from the woman and I was about to laugh to until I caught sight of her.
It was no mistake that she was beautiful. Her hair was a blonde-brown colour and shimmered in the little light given out of the window, her silver-white eyes shone with playfulness. Her slim body and pale-white skin was a great asset and if I had to guess she could probably convince a dwarf that he was an elf.
But it was not this that drew my gaze to her. No. As a matter of fact it was the rather new-looking scar on her right eye. It looked like it came from a blade but it's possible it came from a wild animal.
She looked young – maybe not even out of her teens yet. So how did a girl so young get such a scar? I longed to know but I would most likely have to gain her trust and by the way her blade was pressed to my throat – I guessed that wasn't happening anytime soon…
Regular POV
Aragorn tried to keep his gaze out of the window, where he could keep watch, but with the young woman's cold, suspicious glare on his back he found it rather hard. He was about to turn his gaze on her once more but stopped when he heard the hobbit - Frodo – talk to the cold woman.
"Rosalie?"
"Yes, Frodo?"
"I can't sleep."
He heard a small, soft chuckle in response and as she spoke, Aragorn found it harder to not fall asleep at her silky voice,
"And what - pray tell – do you wish for me to do, Frodo?" She asked softly,
"Sing to me?"
This shocked the ranger. He shouldn't be surprized really. With a voice as mesmerising as hers, it should be no surprize that the woman could sing.
He could hear the creak of springs and guessed that the woman sat on the hobbit's bed.
"Then what would you like me to sing?"
"The one your friend sang to me."
At this point the young lady had started to hum a slow tune and - despite his will – Aragorn found himself turning to look at the girl.
"hahren na melana sahlin
emma ir abelas
souver'inan isala hamin
vhenan him dor'felas
in uthenera na revas
vir sulahn'nehn,
vir dirthera,
vir samahl la numin,
vir lath sa'vunin"
The enchanting singing was cut off by the loud screeches of the Nazgul, which woke the sleeping hobbits and made the young hobbit in the woman's arms jump though the woman herself stayed still.
"What are they?" Frodo asked.
"They were once men," Aragorn explained sadly, "great kings of men. 'Till Sauron the deceiver gave them nine rings of power. Blinded by
their greed they took them without question. One by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will. They are the Nazgul. Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead. At all times they feel the power of the ring drawn to the power of the one. They will never stop hunting you."
He saw fear flash through the hobbit's eyes and got a disapproving look from the now silent woman.
"Get some sleep young ones. We have a long journey tomorrow." Merry, Pippin, and Sam immediately fell back to sleep. Frodo sat for a moment, worry evident in his eyes, but he eventually lay down on the uncomfortable bed and was asleep.
His gaze once more turned to the mysterious lady dressed in leather. "I think it wise to get some sleep, my Lady."
"I am not tired, Strider."
It was now him who gave her the disapproving look.
"Do you really believe I wish to take the ring for myself?"
"No." She said, not missing a beat. "If you did you would have done it long ago, No?"
He smiled at her fast reflexes. She was tough, he'd give her that. But that alone will not protect her friends.
"I know it won't."
A few moments of uncomfortable silence went on until the young lady decided she was bored and went down to sleep – intent on getting it this time.
'No more demons…' She though shivering
As Aragorn watched the girl fall to her slumber, he thought,
'Who are you really?'
Rosalie covered her eyes as the sun's golden rays blared onto her porcelain face. She got up wearily and it took her over a minute to remember where she was.
'Strider's room.' She thought frowning.
She knew Frodo trusted him well enough, as did she. Gandalf trusted him it seemed. But there was something… off … about him. Like he was hiding a secret he didn't want anyone to know.
"Morning, Rosa'!" Frodo said happily.
"Strider wanted to wake you earlier but Sam, Merry, Pippin and I said you needed sleep, so he left you be."
"He should have woken me up earlier…" she grumbled, "We're losing time." She smiled at the Hobbit softly. "But thank you for your concern."
Frodo smiled at this and Rosalie took the time to begin her stretches.
"What are you doing?" Pippin asked curiously as she lowered herself into the box splits.
"Stretching." She answered. "I don't want to pull a muscle while out scouting." She continued lowering into a backbend.
"And what makes you think you will be doing the scouting?"
Rosalie flipped over - feet dangerously close to Strider's face – and answered,
"I know for a fact, that you didn't get any sleep last night." She said looking directly at the ranger while lacing her knee-length boots. She got no reply.
"Come my friends, we must leave now." Leading the hobbits and girl away from the village, Strider led them all to the wilderness and though the first few legs carefully. It wasn't long before a conversation between the Hobbit's came.
"How do we know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf's?" Rosalie heard Merry say softly.
"I think an agent of Sauron would look fairer and feel fouler"
"He's foul enough," Merry said.
Rosalie felt extremely guilty. She knew the man could vaguely hear them. Though she did think he could have taken a bath before leaving.
"We've got no choice but to trust him," Frodo said. The mage heard Sam ask about where they were going. She was interested too as Gandalf had never told them where they would end up going.
"To Rivendell Master Gamgee," Strider said startling them all. "The house of Elrond."
Rosalie started grinning. She couldn't help it! She hadn't seen the elves in years! Holding back her scream of excitement she began to skip happily while chewing on her bottom lip.
Hours later the hobbits began to take pots and pans out of their packs - mainly Sam's – and put them on the ground until Strider interrupted.
"Gentlemen, we do not stop 'till nightfall."
"What about breakfast?"
"You've already had it." Strider answered with a look of confusion and Rosalie had to giggle. Strider had obviously never heard of a hobbit's bottomless stomach.
"We've had one yes. What about second breakfast?" Strider simply looked at Rosalie as though she could explain the hobbits strange attitude and he merely got another bell-like giggle as a response.
"I don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip'." Merry muttered as an explanation to Pippin as the group began to walk again.
"What about elevensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, supper? He knows about those doesn't he!"
"I certainly wouldn't bet on it, Pip'." The mage said in response. The hobbits sufficed on fresh apples Strider threw to them and Rosalie was sent into a fit of giggles whenever one would be hit on the head with one.
'Poor things… Strider!" She thought angrily when one more came flying and hit poor Pippin rather roughly in the head.
She must have said the last part aloud as the ranger being yelled at looked at her confusedly. She gave him an accusatory glare and with that he returned to leading.
It took what seemed like years to Rosalie but eventually the sun fell and darkness surrounded the group. The hobbits and the mage looked curiously at their guide as he stopped at - what looked like – a large, old, stone building.
"This was once the great watchtower of Amon Sul. We will rest here tonight." He said and Rosalie nearly collapsed with relief. She had never really walked this far without help from Maria, Jill or…, but she swore she would tell no-one of them, so she kept her mouth shut for once.
When the group reached the top Strider handed each of the hobbits a small sword – a dagger really.
"Keep these close. I'm going to have a look around."
Rosalie scoffed but held her ground. Sure, he could have a look around. But that meant less people to protect the hobbits.
She sat down next to the Hobbits she considered brothers and started humming a peaceful song to herself. Stifling a yawn, Rosalie lay down her eyes involuntarily drooping. The remnants of her song drifting into nothing as she welcomed the rest…
The mages eyes snapped open to the smell of smoke and Frodo's frantic yelling,
"Put it out! Put it out!"
She jerked up, almost knowing Pippin over in the process, ran over to the burning flame and summoned a weak water spell. Bending the liquid to her will her skin glowed (Crackled, more like, Frodo observed) and with the water spraying like rain, the fire crackled and went out.
Rosalie's heart burned out just like the fire when she vaguely heart the heart shattering screeches of the Nazgul.
Frantic to get the hobbits away, the witch yelled in a load voice, her voice cracking in fear,
"Go! Now!"
The hobbits raced away from the now – fast – approaching Black Riders. Pulling out duel blades that curved demonically and said in a threatening though quivering voice,
"Come and get it, rauko!" (Come and get it, Demon!)
Sam also took the initiative and yelled bravely,
"Back you Devils!"
The witch gave a concerned gasp and then a threatening grown as the poor hobbit was thrown aside.
Coming down on two Nazgul with the rage of a Demon themselves, Rosalie began to fight the two driving them away from Frodo. Kicking one of them in the face she spun around and slashed at another with her wicked, silver blades.
In the middle of a fight with one, the witch saw the leader of the Nazgul approach the defenceless ring-bearer. She cursed when the Black Rider she was fighting got a horrible hit on her shoulder, tearing the white flesh as blood soaked the clothes around the wound. Mentally berating herself Rosalie saw the leader of the Black Riders hand an inch away from Frodo and with a prayer to the Valar's threw a ball of electricity at the Leader of the Nazgul.
She silently breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it hit her target but gasped sharply in pain as a blade was stabbed through her already injured shoulder. She couldn't help but scream when she felt the blade stay in her sagging shoulder but silently cheered herself when she realised she had saved Frodo from this pain. Collapsing, Rosalie thanked the Valar's when she saw the undeniable form of Strider appear with a torch in one hand and his magnificent, silver sword in the other.
Standing up painfully, the Mageling deflected a blade heading for Frodo. Hearing Justice protest angrily, she continued to protect the hobbits with Strider, her shoulder jutting in pain with every swing she made.
Felling no energy left she dropped both of her wicked daggers and slumped against the stone wall, cursing herself for not taking Anders' offer in teaching her how to heal. Finishing off the last of the Nazgul Strider turned his attention to the broken-down girl and saw what made his heart clench terribly at the thing jutting out of her shoulder.
He was thrown out of his daze when he heard Frodo call him franticly, holding the young girl, terrified of what was wrong with her.
"She's been stabbed by a Morgul blade," Strider said grimly. "This is beyond my skill to heal. She needs elvish medicine."
Picking up the inhumanely light girl, Strider walked – albeit fast – to the bottom of the Watchtower. With the hobbits hurrying behind him, Frodo carrying Rosalie's blades, Strider moved quickly, seeing the blade already take effect as the witch clenched her fingers so hard her knuckles turned white.
'Not much of a difference.' The Ranger thought amusedly trying to make light of the situation.
Frodo prayed to the Valar's that she would be okay. If she wasn't… Frodo was terrified at the thought.
'Please let her live…'
The hobbits were terrified for their friend. Judging by Strider's pace the hobbits guessed they were still days away from the elves and Rivendell.
Passing some troll statues Strider finally allowed rest, though the hobbits weren't sure they could get some in this situation.
"She's getting cold!" Sam cried frantically. And he was right. Rosalie's temperature was dropping at a high rate. Pippin jumped in now,
"Is she going to die?"
"She is passing into shadow." Strider answered grimly, "She'll soon become a wraith like them." He finished with a frown.
"Sam, Do you know the Athelas plant?"
"Athelas?"
"Kingsfoil."
"Aye, that's a weed."
"It may help to slow the poison," He looked at the ring-bearer, "Don't leave her alone."
Frodo nodded in response and returned to mopping the Woman's soaked forehead.
"Please don't die, Rosa'…"
"Now the day has come,
We are forsaken this time,
We lived our lives,
In our paradise,
As Gods we shaped the world around,
No borderlines,
We stayed behind,
No boundaries is something fragile,
Well we thought we were gaining,
We turned back the time,
It still slips away,
Our time has run out,
Our future has died,
There's no more escape,
Now the day has come,
We are forsaken,
There's no time any more,
Life will pass us by,
We are forsaken,
We're the last of our kind,
The sacrifice,
Was much too high,
Our greed just made us all go blind,
We try to hide what we fear inside,
Today is the end of tomorrow,
As the sea started rise,
And the land that we conquered,
It just washed away,
We all have tried,
To turn back the time,
It was all in vain,
Now the day has come,
We are forsaken,
There's no time any more,
Life will pass us by,
We are forsaken,
Only ruins stay behind,
Now the day has come,
We are forsaken this time,
Now the day has come,
We are forsaken,
There's no time any more,
Now the day has come,
The day has come…"
The soft, yet haunting melody was heard by Strider and the beautiful elf; Arwen and when the tune was heard both froze and made their way back to the injured witch and the hobbits with Sam in tow.
When the trio reached the clearing Rosalie looked even paler than before and was breathing heavily while her lifelong friend stood nearby helpless.
Frodo spun his head around when he heard the rustling of bushes but relaxed when he saw Strider and Sam. Quickly noticing the elf behind the two he was worried when she knelt down next to the injured girl as Strider began covering her wounded shoulder with a strange paste.
"She's fading." She beautiful elf said, concern written over her face. "She's not going to make it. We must get her to my father."
And with those words, Rosalie was swiftly raised onto a crisp white horse, falling limp too quickly.
"I've been searching for you for three days. There are five wraiths behind you. Where the other four are I do not know." Strider continued the conversation in elvish and after a few short minutes the woman jumped onto the horse and rode off with the injured girl.
"What are you doing!" Sam yelled worriedly. "Those wraiths are still out there!"
Strider looked grim so to take his mind off of the danger he asked who the beautiful woman was.
"Arwen Undomiel. The Evenstar of her people. Her father is Lord Elrond."
"Will Rosa' be safe there?" the hobbit asked, worried about his friends fate.
"If Arwen can get her to Imladris, the power of her people will protect your friend."
Frodo hesitated before asking,
"Do you trust her?"
"Absolutely." Aragorn answered without hesitation.
"All-right then." Frodo said finally re-assured.
The group took a few minutes to rest before once again continuing on their journey…
It took about a week – a long, agonizing, week - for the group to nearly reach the safe borders of Rivendell and Aragorn was thankful that the Hobbits made no complaint what-so-ever.
'They're worried about the girl.' Aragorn observed. Without her peaceful humming and singing as they travelled the roads seemed eerily quiet.
'She puts them at ease somehow.' The Ranger clarified in his thoughts. He knew they were worried about her. He was – believe it or not – too. Arwen may be an extremely good rider but since no Nazgul had attacked them he was worried they went for the women instead. He was worried for his sister. What if the Nazgul caught them?It confused him though. Why go for the women if the ring-bearer was with him…?
Rosalie's POV
I woke with a start and inhaled sharply when I realised something was wrong with my arm. Seeing it bandaged heavily I wondered what happened. I remember… the watchtower, then… nothing… No, wait…I remember… singing to Frodo… and an elven woman. Where did she take me? I can't see any of my equipment. It definitely isn't on me…? Wait! I reached my hand to my neck and searched for my pendant. It's not there! Forgetting about my injury completely, I threw the sheets off myself, hopped off from the bed and searched frantically around the room for it.
"Looking for this?"
I craned my head around slowly expecting a fight but relaxed easily when I saw the familiar face of Lord Elrond.
"The last time a saw this, you were merely a baby." He continued with a soft voice and smile.
"I was 8 - a child -, there's a difference." I said with a smile, standing to properly look at my mentor's friend.
"Still 10 years… is overwhelming." He said handing me the pearl-white pendant and without a moment's hesitation, I clasped the beautiful, shimmering jewel around my neck. Smiling softly at the familiar warmth of it I began to speak,
"Where is –?"
"Gandalf? Your mentor is making his way here this very second. And if I am any judge…"
I was startled by the door slamming against the wall and I couldn't help the smile from spreading across my face when I saw my mentor. Speeding past Lord Elrond, I hugged Gandalf and almost threw him out the door with the weight of it.
"Gandalf!" I yelled happily, receiving a soft chuckle in response.
"You are a very foolish girl, Rosalie."
"I wouldn't be me if I wasn't!" I giggled then pouted when my mentor knocked me over the head with his staff.
"OW!" I yelled, rubbing my throbbing head with my working arm. "No hitting the cripple!"
I zoned out when Gandalf began to talk some nonsense about getting some more rest. Bah! As if I needed something even more boring to do!
Spotting a friend in the hallway I jumped past my mentor and hugged the elven form while squealing wildly and I vaguely heard my mentor say something like,
"She didn't hear a word I said, did she?"
"No."
I squealed with affection and hugged the Elf while saying happily,
"Arwen! It's so good to see you again!"
I heard a soft laugh and looked up to the smiling face of my best – female – friend.
"I think it best to get you into more suitable clothes, Rosalinda."
"Why?" I said tilting my head to the side, genuinely confused.
"Because there is to be a feast soon enough and I would like you to look at least presentable." The elf said, a hint of a smirk on her face.
Pouting Rosalie said,
"If you thing that means wearing a dress, then you are extremely mistaken."
So Sorry about the lateness of this one! (And the failed ending!) I had a ton of homework to do and now my mum wants me to go to a Westlife concert tonight! So much to do!