The Road to Middle-Earth

A fanfiction by MushrooomsPTook

Disclaimer: I own nothing. You might as well say it owns me!

Chapter Seventeen: The Galdorcarr

I adjusted the straps on my knapsack, lifting into a more comfortable position, as I walked along the red-bricked road, my other companions close behind. The sun was high in the sky now and the heat, though not unbearable, was coming on strong. We had left early that morning, and Bert served us a good meal before we started out. It was rather difficult for me to say goodbye to him; he had been so good to us, and his kindness had been overwhelming. Still, I knew we had to continue our journey, though I wasn't quite sure in which direction I would lead the children and Charming. The time would come when I would have to make that decision, for Bert had informed us that the red path was the only one that led out of town for several miles. After that, we would be given a second one that would eventually lead us in the direction that we came. We had been marching along now for nearly seven miles and had not yet come across any such road. The trees were starting to get more dense, however. After a little while longer, we came to a grassy patch a ways off the road and decided now would be as good as any time for lunch.

With my blanket lost, the grass was prickly and itchy and the ground was hard. We ate in comfortable silence, taking in the fair weather and looking at our surroundings. Tom took off a shoe and shook it upside down until a rock fell out. He looked at it in disgust and grumbled something about that being a reason he didn't like wearing shoes. I wondered what all his other reasons were.

After our meal, we stretched and laid on our backs for a bit. I was anxious to continue, however, for I wanted to find some kind of housing if possible for when the night came. We had been spoiled by Bert's good hospitality at letting us stay at his hotel for so long, and without paying. I scratched my neck at where a golden chain hung. I pulled it out and started playing with the object attached to it, lost in thought. Bert's advice and his words from the night before echoed in my head. "Keep it on ya at all times. There'll be someone who'll try to get hold of it for the wrong reasons." I tucked the key (or the Galdorcarr as he called it) back under my shirt and stood up and announced that it was time we were off.

Alice was slow upon setting off. She was yawning profusely, rubbing her eyes, and panting. I remembered what the doctor said about taking breaks often, and I scolded myself for not doing so earlier. I hated to stop, so I lifted Alice in my arms instead, hoping she hadn't gained any weight either while she was sick or after she was cured, and within minutes she was asleep. We went on for about another mile, when at last we came to a fork in the road. I stopped, prompting Charming and Tom to stop short as well. I pondered the decision, looking left and right with a hesitation I wasn't expecting. To the right, the red-bricked road continued on and on for what looked like miles. It could lead to Middle-earth, to the Shire, to Rivendell, to the magic that I had cherished for so long. It could lead to Alice's answer, and my curiosity, though it had been dying these last few days. I sighed. Or, it could lead to more trouble, dangers lurking just around every corner, worlds in which death may come painfully. Our luck had not been good since Alice and I first started off on our own.

Then I looked to the left. The road was a plain one made out of dirt, but there were trees that were gathering around the edges and it led into more green and lush grass. If we chose this road, we could escape from the possibility of more trouble. If we took this path, we could go back home. Home. I was missing it, but this would be the opportunity to set things right and go back where we belonged. Having made my decision, I turned my gaze at Tom and Charming, and noticed instantly that they were staring at me intensely. It was rather unnerving.

I cleared my throat. "This way." I began down the plain, dirt road awkwardly. The other two, having discovered my decision, stood dumbfounded, looking at me with pleading eyes in an uncomfortable silence. "Come on," I insisted. Finally, they glowered together and obliged.

We walked in discomforting silence for nearly an hour when my arms started giving way. Alice was getting to be too big to carry, and especially for long distances. I gently shook her away, allowing her to get her senses together, and set her on the ground. She yawned and looked around at our surroundings. I stiffened slightly, hoping she wouldn't notice the change in the road.

"Where are we? What happened to the road?" she asked.

"It, um...we lost it. It just ended," I lied. "I'm sure we'll find it again though." Charming glared at me while Tom looked away, folding his hands across the chest. Thankfully, neither of them said anything.

It wasn't long before we heard voices coming up from the road. I grabbed Alice and Tom by their hands and led them off the path, crouching behind some bushes. There were three men, two of which were seated in a covered wagon, and the third who was riding ahead of them on horseback. I watched curiously, beckoning silence from my companions until I was sure they weren't enemies. This is what I heard:

"How much longer till we's get there?" asked the man driving the wagon. He was short and plump, and had a very small hat on his head.

"We get there when we get there," said the one on horseback. He had a mustache and was wearing a large cowboy hat.

"Can't wait till we get this 'ere job done," said the third one seating next to the plump man. He was tall and gangly, and he wore no hat. All three men had bandanas tied around their necks. The tall man sighed and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "Why'd ya have ta bring so much dynamite, Jess? 'Snot as if we're blowin' up the town."

"Yer a damn fool, Andrew. Ya always bring extra dynamite when ya rob somethin'," replied the man on the horseback. "Besides, 'member what happened last time when we tried ta rob a bank? That buffoon, Sam, dropped half of 'em on our way there."

"I didn't do no such thing!" retorted the plump man. "They fell out o' my hands before I could catch 'em."

"Same thing," Andrew responded.

"No it ain't!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Shut up, both o' ya!" yelled Jesse, snapping his head back. "Listen, d'ya hear that?" He waved his hand up and all three of them went silent. Tom gasped as he realized his mistake. He had stepped on a stray twig and was trying to be as still as possible. My heart leapt up into panic when I saw the leader of the group dismount the horse and pull out a gun. The other two followed suit.

"What do we do?" Tom whispered anxiously.

I breathed heavily. "I don't know, Tom. I think...maybe we should split up."

"Split u-?" cried Alice. I covered her mouth quickly before much sound could get out.

"Tom, you and Charming run to the right and Alice and I will run to the left. Maybe we can lose them. We'll catch up with you. We need to warn Bert somehow. I think they're going to try to rob that bank."

Tom nodded and I nodded back, preparing to make a dash for it. I backed up a couple steps and bumped into something. I looked back. One of the men was standing just behind me. My throat caught in my chest.

"Tom, go!" I yelled, and I made like I was going to run myself, but the man's hands grabbed my shoulders firmly. Tom, on the other hand, made it further than I did before he was caught by another man. Alice screamed when a firm hand grabbed her shoulder.

"Well, lookey here," said Jesse, the man with the mustache. "It's wrong ta spy on others, ya know. What did you hear?" He eyed me with suspicion.

"N-Nothing," I rushed. "And we aren't spying. We were just making our way, um, just walking along, minding our own business."

The man pointed his gun at me. "Really? And what about all this warnin' Bert business? Do you want to try again?" I kept my mouth shut and glared at him. "Oh, cat got yer tongue, is it? All right then, we'll 'ave it yer way." He grabbed Alice by her hair and pulled her to him, pointing the gun to her head.

"No!" I cried and reached for my cousin, but the other man held me back.

"Tell us what ya heard and we'll let 'er go!"

"I overheard something about you robbing a bank, a-and dynamite."

"Us? Rob a bank?" The man looked at his other two companions questioningly before laughing. They copied hesitantly, and it was then that I realized Charming was missing. "No, we ain't robbin' no bank!" I looked at him confused. "Yer going to rob the bank! We'll supervise to make sure it's done correctly."

"And if we refuse?" The man said nothing, but burrowed the gun into Alice's head, cocking it. "Fine, we'll do it."

"Wonderful," said the man. "Andrew, get the rope, and be quick about it."

I shivered. Night had come early and I was miserably wishing I had kept my jacket instead of throwing it out with my backpack. There was nothing I could do now against the cool air; my hands were tied roughly behind my back. All I could do was sit next to Tom and hope that our body heat would keep us warm enough throughout the night. Alice had been forced to remain with Jesse, and we stared across at each other as Andrew was trying to light a fire. Tom and I were sitting against a log and Alice, Jesse, and Sam, sat with their backs against a wheel of the covered wagon. Sam had fallen asleep about ten minutes ago.

After a time, Andrew was successful in lighting the fire and I inched forward, trying to get close to the heat. He began to cook some raw meat that they had somehow acquired, or stolen, and there was silence among the group. My knapsack had been taken some time ago and was now being rummaged through, and I couldn't help notice the two bags of toffee slip into Jesse's pocket.

He pulled out the wrapped bread. "Bread?" he asked incredulously. "Who keeps bread in them bag? Here! What does that say?" He pointed the note out to me, and I felt a relief wash over me at the knowledge of his illiteracy.

"Um...it says, 'for...uh, dessert." He looked at me skeptically. "Only," I added.

"I b'lieve you're fibbin' to me."

"No! Truly."

"So why would ya eat bread for dessert but not this?" He pulled out the toffee from his pockets. I swallowed at my luck. He grabbed me by my collar and forced me to stare into his hazy eyes. "Tell me what it really says!" His grip loosened as his eyes lowered. "Hello... what's this?" He grabbed the chain around my neck and yanked.

"That's mine!"

"Was yers, ya mean," he chuckled evilly. He was now fingering the key with great interest, turning it over to inspect the back, and then flipping it back over to stroke the red gem. "Looks real. Where'd ya steal it?

"I...didn't," I lied.

"Where'd ya find it then?" Andrew distractedly looked back, trying to get a good glimpse at Jesse's discovery.

"It's, uh...I..."

"Well, it don't matter. It's mine now."

"Ours, you mean?" Andrew butted in. "I 'elped cature 'em, so it only makes it fair enough if we share it."

"Find yer own treasure!" Jesse snapped. "And pay attention to what yer doin'! If my meat's scorched, I'll wring yer neck, Andrew, and ya know I will!"

Andrew sighed defeatedly but did as he was told. Meanwhile, Jesse locked the chain around his neck and he grinned greedily. I couldn't help but glare, but I was angry for not obeying Bert's words of concern. It was a precious item indeed. What if they found out its secret, even if it was just a myth?

After a time, Andrew announced that dinner was ready. Sam woke up immediately at the word 'dinner', and started digging into the meat with his grubby hands. Jesse untied Tom and I, warning us that if we made any sudden move...He cocked his gun in Alice's direction to make a point. We were given small portions, and I suspected that they were keeping us alive for the sole purpose of robbing the bank for them. After that...I didn't want to think about what they would do to us.

After dinner, our hands were bound once more and we were giving a thin blanket each for the night. I tipped over uneasily on my side, but kept a close eye on my cousin, who was also tied down and lying beside Jesse. I'd gotten myself out of sticky situations thus far, and I was prepared to do the same. But it would be tricky with three grown men keeping their eyes on us. I braced myself for an uncomfortable night of insomnia, sighing. That's when I heard them. Coyotes.

Next Chapter - "Pete, ya fool," said Frank. "Coyotes is always howling. That ain't nothin' new and you knows it!"

"Not like this, Frank. It's like they—why, it's like they's singing. And I'm tellin' ya—it's that cowboy who's a-coming. He only comes when they 'owls like they have been." (Chapter 11. Information)

A/N – Okay, so the word "Galdorcarr" was my attempt to honor Tolkien by doing some Old English magic. I have no idea if I did it right, however, so let me know what you think. Apparently, 'galdor' is the root word for magic and 'carr' means stone or rock.

B The Shadow Ninja Samurai – Just don't attack me, whatever you do! ;)

Calemireth – Don't worry, she'll come around.