Chapter 5: Journey to Rivendell

"Where are you taking us?" Frodo asked the man.

He had told them all to follow him out of Bree. Having saved their lives prior to that, the Hobbits decided to trust him and were on their way.

"Into the wild." The man answered simply.

Merry then made his way next to Frodo.

"How do we know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf?" He cautiously whispered, not wanting the Strider to hear him.

"Didn't you all say that he saved your lives?" Holly responded. "Doesn't that amount to anything?"

"It could be a ruse!" Merry raised his voice.

Realizing that the Strider heard him, he shut his mouth with his own hands.

"We have no choice but to trust him." Frodo said to Merry.

"But where is he leading us?" Sam frowned worriedly.

Having heard that as well, the Strider didn't lose any time replying.

"To Rivendell, Master Gamgee," he answered calmly. "To the house of Elrond."

"We're going to see the elves?" Sam sounded all excited.

Holly started feeling a bit uneasy about interacting with elves. She never had the chance to before. They weren't exactly part of her family's clientele. She couldn't help but have certain prejudices about them being too snobbish or stuck up. It was as though they were too good for her family's merchandise. Of course, she would try not to let her preconceived ideas interfere with her better judgement, since she didn't know the real reason behind why they didn't smoke pipe-weed.

The party set out and didn't stop until nightfall, despite the constant whining of Merry and Pippin about skipping too many meals. Settling down under the cover of the trees, the Hobbits start a fire and cook the deer that Strider caught.

"Holly dear," Merry nudges her, "would you pass me some of your specialty pipe-weed mix?"

She snickered and gave everyone a handful, including Strider who accepted it with gratitude.

They all then got ready to sleep for the night. Strider sat on watch for the night, smoking the pipe-weed Holly gave him and started softly singing.

"Tinuviel elvanui,

Elleth alfirin ethelhael

O hon ring finnil fuinui

A renc gelebrin thiliol."

Frodo and Holly, who were not fully asleep, heard him. Holly didn't get up however, unlike Frodo. She stayed where she was, listening to both of them.

"Who is she?" Frodo asked Strider. "This woman you sing of?"

"'Tis the Lady of Luthien," Strider replied between puffs of his pipe, "the Elf Maiden who gave her love to Beren… a mortal."

"What happened to her?"

Strider looked down.

"She died." He then turned his head to Frodo, "get some sleep, Frodo."

As Frodo went back to sleep, Holly started thinking about what Strider had said. Such a fair and beautiful elf fell in love with a human. She must've known full well that she would die, but she still chose to be with that human. Why was that? Holly asked herself. She had personally never known what romantic love felt like. Maybe she'd understand once she experienced it.

The next day they keep on walking without resting once more. By dark, they all reach the ruins of a temple at the top of a hill.

"This was the great watchtower of Amon Sul," Strider explains, "we shall rest here tonight."

Once the Hobbits put down their belongings, Strider throws a dagger to each of them.

"These are for you. Keep them close. I'm going to have a look around."

After instructing them to stay where they are, Strider took off. Holly was the first to go to sleep. Frodo then followed suit. Frodo was then awakened by the other Hobbits' talking. Frodo got up and noticed that they had lit a fire. He then started to panic.

"What are you doing?"

His voice snapped Holly out of her sleeping state.

"Cooking. Food. You know?" Merry answered him, clueless as to why Frodo was acting that way.

"Put it out, you fools!" Frodo said as he stomped on the fire and threw ashes at it. "Put it out!"

Holly stood up and looked in the distance.

"I think… There's something there…" She whispered.

She thought she saw a shadow rustling through the trees. A familiar screech is then heard in the distance.

"The Black Riders!" Holly exclaimed in fear.

The Hobbits then ran in the opposite direction as the Riders didn't lose any time chasing after them. Realizing that there was no way to escape, Sam turned around to face the enemy, his dagger drawn out.

"Back!" He shouted at them. "You devils!"

One of the Riders shoved him aside, sending him flying and knocking him out. The other Hobbits then huddled together, scared for their life. A Black Rider then shoves Merry and Pippin aside. Holly, gathering up all her courage, stood in front of Frodo protectively.

"I-I won't let you lay a finger on him!"

Her voice was shaking. Her whole body was shaking. However, thinking of her dear friend, she took out one of her kitchen knives and threw it with an expert accuracy and the Black Rider's hidden face. As the knife penetrated the darkness, the Rider screeched. Removing the knife, he stabbed Holly in an angry fit with his sword. She let out a choked scream as she fell to the ground, everything blacking out. The last thing she heard was Frodo desperately screaming her name.

Fearing for his life, Frodo put the ring on, thinking he might escape the Black Riders that way. However, he was also stabbed but the Black Riders' sword. Feeling the rush of agonizing pain coursing through his body, he took off the ring while moaning and screaming in pain. At that moment, Strider arrived with a torch and a sword, driving the Black Riders away.

"Frodo! Holly!"

Holly had completely lost consciousness while Frodo was still half conscious.

"They've been stabbed by a Morgul blade!" Strider rushed to their side. "This is beyond my healing skills. They need elvish medicine."

"It's six days to get to Rivendell!" Sam desperately cried out. "They'll never make it!"

"No time to talk, then!" Strider ordered them with a firm voice. "Let's hurry!"