Chapter Fourteen
"Jesse Warrior Princess"
As the Falls of Rauros came into view Jesse's heart began to beat a little bit quicker. She could already sense the Uruk-hai racing toward them. "We cross the lake at nightfall. Hide the boats, and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north," Aragorn announced as he helped to unload one of the boats. Gimli from his seat by the cooking fire asked, "Oh yes? It's just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil, an impassable labyrinth of razor sharp rocks? And after that, it gets even better! Festering, stinking marshlands, as far as the eye can see." "That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf," the ranger replied simply, causing the dwarf in question to grumble under his breath to Sam.
"We should leave now," Legolas, said in a whisper his eyes searching the woods around them. "Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness," Aragorn replied looking over at he long time friend. "It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near. I can feel it," the prince stated his senses on high alert. Aragorn's attention was distracted from the Mirkwood prince when Merry asked, "Where's Frodo?" Aragorn quickly ordered the rest of the group to spread out and search for the young Ring Bearer.
Before she too took off into the woods Jesse stopped Sam, "Sam you stay here with the boats incase Frodo comes back on his own." "All right Miss Jesse," he replied nervously. Taking off up the hill she tried to think of where she was supposed to go. The sounds of the Uruk-hai trampling through the forest in their search for the hobbits drew her attention toward her left. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Frodo sneaking back toward the boats as Merry and Pippin tricked the Uruks into following them. "Be safe Frodo," she whispered as she watched him make his way toward safety.
Suddenly the low mournful sound of a horn blasted through the forest. "Oh, God, Boromir," Jesse yelled as she ran toward the sound of metal clanging against metal. Just as she reached a ridge she caught site of a huge Uruk-hai bowman taking aim at her friend. Taking advantage of the fact that the enemy had not yet seen her she carefully took aim and with a satisfying twang she released her arrow severing the string of the Uruk's bow. "Now that I have your attention mind if I cut in," she said as she shouldered her bow and unsheathed her sword as she raced down the hill and into the fight.
She arrived just in time to deflect a killing blow to Boromir's unprotected left side. "Hey," she said as she began to trade blows with one of the Uruks, "What is it about you and picking fights you need me to get your butt out of?" "They took the little ones," Boromir declared as he ducked a blow that would have removed his head from his shoulders. "Don't worry we will get them back. Right now just make sure you don't go and die on me," she replied as she watched Aragorn take on the bowman just off to her right. Finishing off the Uruk that she was fighting Jesse looked around the clearing for Legolas and Gimli, seeing them heading toward her and Boromir with grim faces.
"Where is Frodo?" Boromir asked cleaning his sword on the grass at his feet as Aragorn approached them having killed the bowman. "I let Frodo go," Aragorn answered winded from the fight he had just had. "Frodo was always meant to go on without us at some point," Jesse added to the conversation, "It is his destiny to see this task done and he will not be alone. Sam, has gone with him." "Are you sure?" the ranger asked looking over at Jesse with hope. "Yes I am positive I asked Sam to stay with the boats when we came up to look for Frodo. I thought he may try to do something like this and I knew Sam would go with him no matter what," she replied with a sad smile, "Don't worry Aragorn, Sam will take care of Frodo. I have no doubt about that."
"You mean not to follow them?" Legolas asked looking toward Aragorn with questioning eyes. "Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands. Sam will as Jesse has said, watch over him. I also have faith in that," Aragorn replied solemnly. "Then it has all been in vain. The Fellowship has failed," Gimli said looking down at the ground shaking his head sadly. "Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light," the future king corrected placing his hands on Gimli and Legolas's shoulders in support. "Aragorn is right. Merry and Pippin are still out there and need us a hell of a lot more than Frodo right now," Jesse agreed seeing a look of agreement mirrored in Boromir's features as well.
The remaining members of the Fellowship quickly made their way back down to the boats to get their gear. As they approached they caught a glimpse of Sam and Frodo making their way into the woods on the opposite shore. Frodo turned back to look at them and with a sad smile waved good-bye to his friends. "Good luck Frodo," Jesse said raising her hand sadly in return.
Turning she saw Boromir looking sadly at the horn that he had carried with him since he had left his home all those months before. "It saved your life you know," Jesse said as she walked up to him. "Aye, in more ways than one," he agreed taking it from his belt and looking down at the ivory and mithril horn. "What are you going to do with it?" she asked quietly as she grabbed a bundle of arrows from the boat she was standing next too. Silently Boromir walked toward the shoreline and dropped the horn into the water and watched it as it floated away toward the massive falls. When he turned back toward her Jesse placed her hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, before the pair walked back to join their friends.
"Are we all set to leave?" Jesse asked looking up at Aragorn as he sheathed the dagger that Lord Celeborn had given him the day they had left Lothlórien. "Let's hunt some orc," he replied with a smile before he turned and began to run up the hill in the direction that the Uruks had taken the hobbits. "Yeah!" Gimli cheered before he and Legolas followed in the rangers wake. "See now I knew there was a reason I like that guy. Shall we," Jesse said looking toward Boromir with a smile. "After you my Lady," he said with a mock bow. "Oh don't you dare go getting cocky on me Boromir. I can still kick your ass," Jesse said with a smile as she took off at a run. "And I would not have it any other way," he laughed from his place behind her.
As the small group broke free of the tree line they began to run across a wide sweeping plain that stretched out for miles all around. The thought of those two sweet hobbits at the mercy of the Uruks and Saruman drove them forward tirelessly and as the sun began to set they continued undeterred by the darkness of the night.
"Lass, how are you holdin' up back there?" Gimli asked in huffing voice as he trudged through the night. "I am holding up just fine Gimli. How about you?" Jesse asked as she came up beside the dwarf and wordlessly handed him her water skin. Taking a gulping drink of the cooling liquid the dwarf answered, "Justgot me second wind Lass." "Good to hear, because I fear you are going to need it before this is over," she said running on toward where she saw Aragorn stooping to look at the ground.
Shaking his head he stood up and looked over at Jesse as she ran up toward him. "I fear we will loose our quarry in this darkness for it is becoming difficult to read the tracks," he said resigned to their failure, "If we must wait for the dawn there will be no chance for us to catch them." "I have an idea," Jesse said digging around in a small satchel at her waist, "The Lady gave me this when we left the Golden Wood. It is called a scrying crystal witches use them to guide them and locate things and people," she began to allow the crystal to swing in a circle formation from its chain held in her outstretched hand. Soon she felt the crystal start to pull toward the left and a light purple glow began to emanate from its center. "I guess we go this way," she said with a smile up at the astonished ranger. Wordlessly Aragorn nodded his head and took off in the direction she had indicated his hope renewed by the use of the Lady's gift.
As night turned into day Jesse put her crystal away as the trail began to become easier to follow. In the distance she and Legolas were able to make out a trail of dust being stirred up by the Uruks in their hast to return to their master with his prize. The terrain began to change and they found themselves running along the edge of a cliff looking out over the massive plains below. Jesse ran toward where Legolas had perched himself upon a huge bolder and asked, "Can you still see them?" "Yes they seem to be gaining speed , for they have reached the open plain," he said jumping with ease from the rock and continuing to run in the enemy's wake.
Jesse found herself loosing track of the passage of time as the hours and miles seemed to all blur together and soon it was the early hours of the third morning of their race to save Merry and Pippin. She watched as Aragorn bent down and placed his ear to the ground and listened before straightening up and saying as he began to run again, "Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent. Hurry!" Legolas looked back at the struggling dwarf as he trudged up the steep embankment, "Come on, Gimli!" "Three day's and night's pursuit.. no food, no rest-- and no sign of our quarry but what bare rock can tell," Gimli stated as he used his axe as a walking stick to pull himself the rest of the way up the hill. "Trust me Gimli they are out there I can feel them and they are terrified," Jesse said as she ran up along side the struggling dwarf. "Aye Lass, I believe you. I hate to think of those wee hobbits with those filthy creatures," he said as he took her offered hand and allowed her to help him keep his balance.
The group continued to run until around mid day Aragorn spied something glittering up at him from the ground. "Not idly do the leaves of Lórien fall," he said bending down and retrieving the object. "They may yet be alive," Legolas encouraged looking down at the broach in the ranger's hand. "Less than a day ahead of us, come!" Aragorn agreed before taking off at a run again. "Come, Gimli! We are gaining on them," the Mirkwood prince exclaimed as he followed after Aragorn at an easy sprint, Gimli, Jesse, and Boromir following closely behind. "I'm wasted on cross-country. We dwarves are natural sprinters. Very dangerous over short distances!" Gimli exclaimed as he trudged on behind the Gondorian and elven princess.
As the sun began to sink lower in the sky, they crested the top of a large hill and paused to gaze out over the open plains in front of them. "Rohan, home of the horse-lords," Aragorn observed with a grim expression, "There's something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures, sets its will against us. Legolas! What do your elf-eyes see?" "The Uruks turn northeast. They are taking the hobbits to Isengard!" Legolas announced from his place on top of an outcrop of boulders. "Saruman," Aragorn growled under his breath. "Ya' know that guy is really starting to piss me off," Jesse said under her breath as she followed on the ranger's heels, "Boromir when this is all over remind me to turn that no good excuse of a wizard into something neutered," she added looking back over her shoulder at her Gondorian friend.
That night the open plains offered little to no protection from the cold wind that bombarded the remaining Fellowship members. Soon a thick icy fog began to move over them making travel almost impossible even for the elves in the group. "Aragorn," Jesse said in quiet voice as she walked up to the tired future king, "This fog has taken what energy we had left. We must take some rest. I have a feeling that the Uruks will also be forced to make camp. If we are well rested in the morning we have a better chance to over take them and still have the energy to fight them when we do. We will be of no use to Merry and Pippin to exhausted to fight." "There is wisdom in your words," he replied with a defeated sigh, "We will make camp here for the night and set out again at dawn," he added looking at the rest of their group.
As the tired group began to settle down for the night Jesse found some dried grasses and transformed them into logs as she had done with the twigs on Caradhras and they all huddled around the fire too eat lembas bread they had been given in Lothlórien. Jesse pulled a small flask that Lord Celeborn had given her from her waist pouch. "This should help us a bit," she said handing the flask to Aragorn. "Wherever did you obtain Miruvor," Legolas asked astounded as he took a drink for the flask as it was passed around the group. "Lord Celeborn gave it to me. He thought it may come in handy on our trip," she replied as she took a bite from her lembas. "Is this not the same thing that Gandalf gave to us on Caradhras?" Boromir asked as he was handed the flask. "Yes, Lord Elrond gave him some as well," she replied wrapping her cloak around her to keep out the wind. "The Cordial of Imladris is renowned for its ability to rejuvenate," Aragorn supplied pulling out his pipe. "Yes it is that, I can feel its affects already," Boromir agreed warming his hands over the fire. The rest of the night was passed in comfortable silence as the group settled in for a much-needed night of rest.
As the morning sun began to make its way into the sky painting it an eerie red color the group began their race after Merry and Pippin again. "A red sun rises. Blood has been spilled this night," Legolas observed his voice quiet as he looked up at the morning sky. The group ran on across the plains only stopping briefly to read the tracks the Uruks had made upon the ground. Near the early part of the afternoon the sound of hoof beats could be heard growing closer to them. At first only the elves in the party were able to hear them but soon the sound was unmistakable to everyone. They quickly ducked behind a large out cropping of rock just as a massive group of riders came over the ridge.
Aragorn stepped out from behind the rocks and called out to the riders, "Riders of Rohan! What news from the Mark?" The riders swiftly turned their horses and surrounded the ranger and the rest of the group as they came out from their hiding place. Soon the remaining members of the Fellowship found themselves at the points of hundreds of spears. "What business do elves, men and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" the lead rider demanded roughly. "Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine," Gimli replied gruffly making Jesse want to bop him on the back of the head. As the leader dismounted from his horse Jesse and Aragorn laid their hands on each of the dwarf's shoulders. "I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground," the rider said in a sarcastic voice. Legolas quickly drew his bow and notched an arrow in defense of his dwarf friend and stated in agitation, "You would die before your stroke fell!" Jesse calmly laid her free hand upon the prince's hand and lowered the bow before saying softly, "Easy Legolas we have enough to deal with we don't need this. Let Aragorn handle this." "I'm Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Glóin, Legolas, from the Woodland realm, Jessica of the Noldorim, and Boromir of Gondor. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king," Aragorn said as he motioned to each of his companions in turn.
"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe," the rider said taking his helm from his head revealing his face to the travelers, "Not even his own kin. Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over this land. My company are those loyal to Rohan. And for that, we are banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walks here and there, they say, as an old man, hooded and cloaked," he turned his gaze to Legolas and Jesse as he continued, "And everywhere his spies slip past our nets." "We are no spies," the future king of Gondor stated, "We track a band of Uruk-hai westward across the plains. They have taken two of our friends captive." "The Uruks are destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night," Éomer said his voice flat.
"But there were two hobbits, did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli asked anxiously. "They will be small, only children to your eyes," Aragorn described knowing that hobbits had rarely been seen that far south. "We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them," the sister-son of the king of Rohan explained solemnly. "They are dead?" the dwarf asked his voice choked with emotion. "I am sorry," Éomer said sadly seeing the look of grief upon the faces of the group before he whistled shrilly and called out, "Hasufel! Arod! Felaróf!" as three beautiful horses were brought up to him he added, "May these horses bear you to better fortune than their former masters. Farewell." Éomer quickly jumped back on to his horse and said, "Look for your friends, but do not trust the hope. It has forsaken these lands. We ride north!"
Seeing the look of despair that found its way to all of her companions' faces Jesse quickly spoke up as she mounted a tall chestnut colored stallion behind Boromir, "Hey just because those guys didn't see the hobbits doesn't mean they are definitely dead. Maybe they got away from the Uruks when the riders attacked. It is just the opportunity that they needed." "Jesse is correct until we know for certain the fate of the little ones we should not loose hope," Boromir agreed as he steered their horse to run along side Aragorn's.
Soon the group came upon a large burning pile of carcasses. The smell assaulted their noses with a ghastly odor. Jesse already knew what they were going to find so she tried to hang back from the pile to avoid smelling the gruesome mess. She was drawn out of her thoughts when Aragorn let out a loud scream of frustration and anguish as Gimli held up one of the tiny belts the hobbits had worn.
Aragorn looked down toward the ground seeing something out of the ordinary, and said, "A hobbit lay here, and the other," he moved a little further, "They crawled." As he followed the tracks with the rest of the group looking on he said, "Their hands were bound," and a little further he found a piece of rope, picking it up he added, all the while following the tracks on the ground, "Their bonds were cut. They ran over here and were followed. Tracks lead away from the battle, into Fangorn Forest." "Fangorn! What madness drove them in there?" Gimli exclaimed as he looked at the dark gloomy forest.