Chapter 6
They walked for hours only stopping to rest. The two women walked behind the men, telling stories about their pasts.
"nd so we left 'im der in da field" Celandine explained erupting in a fir of giggles finishing it hard to breath as she continued to laugh at her own story snorting every few seconds. Bee was laughing at the sounds coming from her friend; she had never heard anyone other than the she-hobbit laugh in such a way.
Gimli was also listening to the story and laughed along.
"Sounds like you had a good childhood in the Shire then" he said, holding his breath waiting for the normal criticizing remarks. Instead he was met with a smiling hobbit.
"Yeh I did" Celandine chuckled.
Gimli seemed a surprised that Bee had not added a smart remark; instead she was just smiling along with her friend.
"What about you, Eleven Maiden?"
Once again, to his surprise, there was no sarcasm. Bee sighed, rubbing her hand over her face.
"Yeh Bee, tell us" Celandine commanded, wanting to hear of her friends' life before they had met.
"My childhood was nothing special"
Celandine rolled her eyes.
"Come off et Bee! Yer were a prancess fur cryin 'ut loud!" She exclaimed.
The she-elf laughed humorlessly. The smile had disappeared as if it had never been there.
"Naneth (mother) and I never saw eye to eye" she explained "Ada (father) and I got on a little better. he seemed to understand me a little more than Naneth, but never took my side when there was an argument"
"Wha' else? Did ya 'ave many friends?" A smile crept back to the corner of Bee's mouth, as she began to think about her friend. "I wouldn't say I had many" she confessed. "I had a few my parents had instructed me to be-friend, I found it hard to get along with them. I had one good friend my best friend Arbellason, he understood me better than my own parents did. I first met him when I was still a youngling; his Naneth was a servant for mine." She paused for a moment remembering his face. "We spent most of our lives together, but as we got older he began his training for the royal guard. I still saw him, and it was always him my Ada would send to find me when I had managed to sneak into the forest. As you can probably tell I wasn't the best at doing as I was told. Naneth never truly liked him. I believe she saw him as a distraction, that he was keeping me from fulfilling my royal duties at the court" she spat the last sentence, scowling slightly. "She sent him away from the Palace to the royal army half way through his training. I have not seen him in over 4 years."
There were a few moments of silence "Tell us another tale of your adventures in the Shire my friend" Bee said trying to draw any unwanted attention away from her.
Celandine understood and nodded before smiling hugely. "Wint to 'ear mur tales o' wicked Celandine, d'ya?"
"I'm sure they do, but we have not the time at hand" Aragorn said, hurrying to interrupt. "The orcs have picked up their pace. They've picked up our scent. We must hurry if we are to catch them!"
His bit said Aragorn broke into a steady run. The group followed. After a while the hobbit and dwarf began to lag behind. Legolas turned back to them.
"Come on!" he urged.
Celandine felt fire in her lungs and a dull pain in her bones. She grit her teeth, forcing herself on.
"3 days and nights of pursuits, no food or rest, no sight of our quarry but what the bare rock can tell!" Gimli moaned from beside her. Celandine's spirit lifted, she was glad of a companion, glad not to be left alone at the back.
"Time ta test de eendurance ay?"
Gimli grinned. "You'll not find me lacking!"
"nor me" Celandine agreed "nor me"
But it was not long before Celandine had to stop. She doubled over, trying to catch a breath. Seeing this, Gimli stopped.
"Aragorn!" he called.
Aragorn looked back. "What is it?"
Gimli gestured dumbly to Celandine. Bee turned and saw Celandine. She filled with concern.
"Tithen pen? You okay?"
"I… can't… run any…more"
"We can't wait!" Legolas said urgently.
"Well, we're going to have to, aren't we?" Bee snapped, hurrying to Celandine's side.
Acting decisively, Aragorn strode over to Celandine. As he drew closer Bee glared at him suspiciously.
"What are you doing?" Celandine asked
"Don't worry, I'm trying to help. Hold still"
He slipped his hands under her armpit, bent at the knees and hoisted her onto his shoulders.
"Hold on!" Aragorn smiled. "It's going to be a rough journey!"
Celandine grabbed his hood and whooped breathlessly. "Whooohoooo!"
Bee grinned. This Aragorn… he was alright.
They'd covered quite a chunk of ground before Aragorn stopped. He scooped Celandine off and set her down. He dropped to his knees and picked something up. He turned it over, eyes suddenly serous and mournful.
"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall" he said, showing his find to the rest of them.
"What is dat?" Celandine asked.
"It's the pin we use to hold our cloaks together" Legolas said, gesturing to his collar. There, resting on the Elven gray of his cloak was an identical green leaf.
"So… it's from Merry and Pippin?"
"It's got to be"
"This means they're less than a day ahead of us!" Aragorn clasped the Lorien leaf tightly in his hand.
"Liss dan a day!" Celandine leapt to her feet, energy renewed. "Come on!"
Bee and Aragorn hurried to join her. Legolas threw a glance behind him. Where was the dwarf?
"Come, Gimli!" he called.
Gimli came tumbling round the corner with a brash cry. Legolas was going to go and help him up but before he could the dwarf got up by himself, smoothing the embarrassment away. "I'm wasted over cross country." He declared assertively. "We dwarves are natural sprinters!"
Legolas smiled to himself, hurrying forward to catch up with the others. He and Gimli found them, perched on a large rock, surveying the landscape.
"Rohan" Aragorn said simply. "Home of the horse lords"
Celandine gave a low whistle. "Roharn…"
But Aragorn's face was not lit up with wonder.
"Something strange is at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures, sets their will against us."
Legolas heard the premonition in his voice. He clambered dexterously down the rock face, gazing into the horizon.
"Legolas! What do your elf eyes see?"
"the Uruks turn north-east! They're taking the hobbits to Isengard!"
Aragorn took a quick intake of breath, chest tight with anxiety. "Saruman"
The air had grown thick with angst and worry. But one noise broke through the fog. A hobbit giggle. Aragorn's eyes snapped to Celandine. Bee's eyes came up too.
"What's so funny?" Bee asked, thoroughly confused
"ey Bee. What da yur ilf eois see?" she said, mimicking the deep seriousness of Aragorn's voice.
Bee snickered.
"I am unable to see anything of interest my young hobbit friend, what do your hobbit feet feel?"
The girls descended into giggles.
"Would you two cease and desist! This a time that does not lend itself to mindless frivolity" Gimli said gravely.
The pair sobered and their laughter stopped. Nodding, Aragorn began to run again, the others following behind. When Celandine again began to tire, Aragorn carried her. But Gimli was left to his own devices.
"Keep breathing, that's the key, breathe" he told himself, spurring himself on.
Legolas, who was near the front running alongside Aragorn, marvelled at the pace the Uruks were keeping.
"They run as if the very whips of their masters were behind them"
"I do not think they flee, rather they run to a reward" Bee added.
They ran in silence, all through the night. By the time a new day dawned they had reached new plains. Legolas looked up at the sky, heart leaping into his throat.
"A red sun rises; blood has been spilled this night"
Bee's eyes turned to the sun, wondering whose blood coloured the sky. Aragorn leapt onto a tall rock, gazing out into the horizon. The others clambered to join him and saw what held his attention. A mass of horse riders.
Aragorn filled with hope.
"Riders of Rohan, what news from the mark?" He called, voice booming around the plains.
The rider leading the charge turned the group until they were heading the way of the company. The company scrambled down the rock face and hurried along the plains. But, instead of the friendly greeting Aragorn had expected they found themselves with horses on all sides, surrounded by the riders. They were herded into a tight bunch and found spears thrust under their noses. Aragorn held his hands up in confusion. The leader dismounted. He wore the garb of a soldier of Rohan and had a grave expression.
He took up his weapon and grasped it.
"What business do two elves, a man and a dwarf have on the Riddemark? Speak quickly!"
Celandine was about to protest about being left out by the deep brogue of the dwarf beat her to it.
"Give me your name, horse master, and I shall give you mine."
Aragorn rolled his eyes and looked around uneasily, looking at the reactions of the others. Seeing their anger, he laid a hand on Gimli's shoulder, stopping him from saying more. The horse lord was fuming.
"I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground" He said, spitting out the venomous threat.
Legolas whipped an arrow from his quiver and seated it on his bow in one easy snap. "You would die before your stroke fell!" his eyes blazed with anger.
The spears drew closer and the riders made to advance. Aragorn rushed to Legolas, pushing down his bow and chastising him with his eyes. In an attempt to pacify the riders he fulfilled their request.
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli son of Gloin, Celandine of the Shire and Legolas and Beriadanwen of the woodland realm (Mirkwood) we are friends to Rohan and Théoden your king"
Something in the horse lord seemed to break. He signalled to his riders and the spears were withdrawn. He removed his helmet, revealing his serious and noble features. He had long blonde hair and a fair beard, as was the norm for his people. "Théoden no longer recognises friend from foe." He said "Not even his own kin. Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over his lands."
Aragorn's breath caught in his throat. He exchanged a look of concern with Legolas. The horse lord continued. "I am Eòmer, son of Eòmund. My company and I are those loyal to Rohan and for that we were banished." He looked forlornly at his men and then his eyes hardened in anger. "The white wizard is cunning. He walks here and there they say, as an old man hooded and cloaked." His eyes turned to elves, narrowed suspiciously "and everywhere his spies slip through our nets." Bee seemed very much offended, her hand going for her sword; it took all her will not to un-sheath it.
"We are not spies." Aragorn said quickly, seeing the she-elf's hand on her swords hilt. "We track a company of Uruk-hai westward across the plain. They have taken two of our friends captive" his voice wavered at the mention of the hobbits but his face showed nothing Eòmer's brow furrowed
"The Uruks are destroyed. we slaughtered them during the night"
"But there were two hobbits!" Gimli said hurriedly "Did you see two hobbits with them?"
Seeing Eòmer's confusion Aragorn elaborated "they would be small, only children to your eyes" he sought Celandine out, took her by the hand and pulled her out into Eòmer's line of sight. "This is a hobbit; the ones we track are no bigger than she"
Eòmer looked at Celandine in astonishment. She was a little annoyed at being put on display and was quite sure he'd never seen a hobbit before. But he quickly recovered his nerve "We left none alive; we piled the carcasses and burned them" he gestured out behind him, the young hobbits heart dropped at the news of her friends deaths, she wiped her eyes refusing to let the approaching tears slip from her eyes. Sensing her friends distress Bee let go of her sword, bending slightly to rest her hand on her friends shoulder.
Aragorn looked to where Eòmer was pointing. A thick plume of black smoke rose into the sky.
"Dead?" Gimli said simply, voice small and disbelieving
Eomer nodded "I'm sorry"
Legolas bowed his head and put a hand on Gimli's shoulder. Despairing silence descended on the company.
To break the silence, Eòmer whistled and barked out two names. The men he called came forth, leading three horses. Eòmer took the reins and handed them to Aragorn.
"These horses bear you to better fortune then their former masters."
Aragorn looked at him, speechless. When his hope had been stolen so had his words.
Eòmer placed his helmet back upon his head, and mounted his horse swiftly retrieving the reins. "Look for your friends, but do not trust or hope." His voice changed from sadness and became bitter "It has forsaken these lands" with a final nod the Riders of Rohan rode off in a flurry of thundering hooves.
The company looked at each blankly for a bleak moment. Silently, fluidly, Aragorn mounted his horse. Bee followed suit. Legolas lifted Celandine and sat her in front of Bee. He then mounted the last horse, Gimli coming up after him. They rode off towards the terrible column of smoke. They scaled the mountain and hurriedly got down off their horses. The pile of carcasses emitted a thick stench that made them gag. But they pushed past it. They looked around for traces of the hobbits. Suddenly Gimli's voice broke through.
"the belts…" he said softly. In his hand was one of the Elven made belts the hobbits had been wearing.
Legolas closed his eyes and bowed his head "Hiro hyn hîdh ab 'wanath." (May they find peace after death)
Bee bowed her head also, bending to customs just this once. Celandine's shoulders shook as she cried, choked sobs escaping her. Aragorn lashed out, kicking an orc helm down the hill and throwing himself to his knees as he screamed in rage. He seemed to sag a little when he reached the ground, slumping forward.
Gimli was in shock "We failed them…" he said softly, as if he couldn't believe it.
The company were still. Aragorn lifted his head, sighing. A mark on the ground caught his eyes. His tracking instinct s stirred. He furrowed his brow and reached out, touching the ground.
"A hobbit lay here" he said to himself. The others heard and looked at him. He continued, hand moving to another piece of ground. "… and the other" his eyes tracked over the field. He stood, eyes fixed on the ground, stooping to touch the tracks.
"They crawled… their hands were bound"
His hand brushed over something in the grass. His fingers closed around it and brought it up into the light.
"Their bonds were cut!" he said in surprise. The others hurried to his side.
He moved across the plain, tracing the hobbits footsteps. "They ran over here…." His eyes widened and breath caught "they were followed!" he broke into a run. "they ran away from the battle…" he declared excitedly. Celandine's heart leapt. There was hope yet. But the company were stopped short in their tracking.
"and into Fangorn forest" Aragorn said. The forest stood before them, dense, dark and thick, towering over them all.
"Fangorn! What madness drove them in there?" Gimli said slowly. The company felt dread encroach over their hope.