A HOBBITS TALE!Foreword - This tale here is presented as a sample. The story has been plotted by me, and body of text is comprised of various contributions from many budding writers.
Hobbits' Tale was originally worked on as an RPG at BarrowDowns.com, this version here is abridged, editted and with a lot more added on features and characters.
Disclaimer - I do not own the hobbit race, the names of places and other such creations by JRRTolkien.
This Tale is written by Cimmerian(Andoras) with contributions from Emma Lineham(Rosa), Madeline Anderson(Mentha), Elenna(Alythiel), Jennifer Cownie(Ruby), SilverStorm(Harry Thistle),
Natasha Sharpe(The wargs, Tom), Hogun DiGiordona(Thoro) and others who are yet to be represented at here.
Set 500 years before the fellowship of the ring, a group of curious Hobbits set off from the Shire, to seek adventure. Edited by: Cimmerian at: 3/9/04 6:11 pm
It was another fine morning at the little Hobbit town in Westfarthing of the Shire and the happy little people went about their business which was readying and partaking in Breakfast. Some were having their first meal of the day and some were having their second. Nothing was of more content to a Hobbit than a plateful of warm food and a well filled belly, not particularly in that order however.
But young Andoras was bored. He was bored of this life his people were content to lead. A life of four square and well rounded meals, some fun and games and blissful sleep. His restless young mind yearned for adventure, his heart was set on travelling the world. His mind was made up, he would set off on an adventure the very day.
At the age of Twenty three, of Fallohide/Stoor ancestry, he stood tall at four feet and four inches, quite a big boy in hobbit standards, and weighed around a muscular hundred and forty pounds. His hair was black and curly. His eyes as blue as the skies in the evening. He wore a white tunic, black breeches and boots, a studded belt buckle and a white floppy hat on his head. He carried a dwarven short sword and a dagger, gifted by a friendly dwarf and was well skilled in using them and he could ride a horse. He was a robust young lad, a veritable giant in hobbit standards, He stood almost at eye level with some dwarves and was taller than some still. He had not yet met with the big people or men and so he felt quite proud of his stature.
He had a few friends in the Shire, but most of them were reluctant to go with him and leave their lavish lifestyle behind. So he set off on his own after seeking the approval of his perplexed parents, the Headstrongs, for he was still a child according to the Hobbit culture. Jumping up on his pony, Adon, he rode out into the morning sun. He was headed east towards the lands of mysterious beings.
A few yards away, Rosa sat on the green lush grass of the pastures that surrounded Westfarthing eating some apples as her first meal of the day.
Rosa Baggins was a medium sized hobbit, standing tall at three feet even. Her Brown curly hair ran down to her shoulders and her dark green eyes scanned the book she was reading. As she took a bite of her apple, the sound of hoof beats reached her ears. She packed up her things hastily and hid behind a large tree.
A young Hobbit on a white pony galloped into view as she peered from behind the tree. His face was fair and blemishless, much like the Elves she'd heared of in distant lands and his eyes fixed of the horizon ahead.
Rosa stood out of her hiding place with a smile and the tall hobbit stopped his pony infront of her.
"Hullo good sir. May I be of service you a handsome hobbit as yourself??" she asked in a polite tone and for a second she was sure that she saw him blush.
Andoras dismounted and stood in front of the lovely creature who addressed him. She was quite pretty, with large liquid green eyes and curly brown locks falling to her rounded shoulders. She was quite short in front of him but his heart seemed to beat faster as he tried to speak.
"I am Andoras Headstrong, fair lady." He managed to say," and I am off to see new lands beyond the Shire. I would be much grateful to have some company on my journey. Who may you be, and would you like to accompany me?"
The cute little hobbit lass looked fondly at him and said, "I am so bored here and I think I may fancy a little sight seeing and adventure with someone like you, young Andoras. My name is Rosa." She held out her little hand.
Andoras blushed even redder and accepted her hand and looked into her eyes and his heart thumped louder. Why had he not known this beautiful hobbit before, where was she hidden were the thoughts that raced in his mind. Could he be blessed to know her... was he falling in love.
"Er... I... I think I would lo... la... love you... er... ah... I mean I would love to have your compan,." he stammered and Rosa giggled at this tall young hobbit's perplexion.
"I would love to as well," she said, placing her hand on his well muscled arm to calm him down, "But we must seek more companions if we are really to have adventures. Let us wander the Shire and find other souls like us who wish to fly free."
Her large eyes shone bright as she smiled sweetly at Andoras who gulped and nodded. Then he mounted Adon and helped Rosa up behind him. Off they rode to find hobbits like themselves from all over the shire.
As they rode on around the Shire, Rosa held on her the tall hobbit's waist tightly with both arms. She closed her lovely, green eyes and frowned slightly. She had hated horse riding, it always made her feel unsafe. But with this hobbit, Andoras, she felt safe as she put her cheek on his back and snuggled her body closer to his.
Her eyes snapped open and she gasped slightly in the thought that crossed her mind.
"What am I thinking?? Do I have feelings for this hobbit??" she thought as her frown deepened and she shuffled back in the saddle. She blushed bright pink as she just had seen she was getting a little bit too close to him.
Andoras felt his heart beat faster than the hoofbeats of Adon as the pretty, little hobbit, Rosa, held on to him close and tight. Her warm, soft hands around him and her curly haired head on his broad back sent shivers all over him. He seemed to be in a dream. Just then a booming voice jarred him into reality. He felt Rosa's hold tighten on him as Adon reared up and halted in front of the caller. Harry Thistle, Andoras friend through childhood, stood before them hands on his hips and grinned, with an eyebrow raised.
"Oy, Andoras, where are you and that pretty lass off to?" Harry shouted, wondering where he had happened upon so beautiful a creature.
"Off to see lands beyond the Shire, Harry! Why, would you like to come?" Andoras laughed. Not many people thought of Harry as the adventurous type.
Harry had been strolling down the street in his tiny town in the Westfarthing earlier that morning. With the sun's golden rays on his face, he had exulted, "Today is going to be a good day." Even as he thought this, a pony came galloping over the country-side, laden with two hobbits. It came racing up the street, and it was at this point that he recognized the rider and called out.
"Of course, who do you think I am? Just let me get my things!" Harry knew today would be a good day. He scrambled around his house while Andoras and his new friend waited impatiently outside. He gathered his hunting bow, and extra clothes. His mother gave him some apples and extra food, and then he bolted out the door.
Rosa sat on the Leather saddle and held onto Andoras' waist tighter than usual as they spead up the path.She shut her eyes and sighed quitely.His warm body was comfortable as her head fell on his back. Harry raised an eyebrow again as the two on the pony beside his but thought nothing else of it.
Rosa thought of all her father had told her about dragons, Elves, dwarves, orcs and big people even bigger than the tallest hobbit she'd seen and much more.She remembered the stories that where told camped round a campfire in farm's fields.Her mother used to always hate it when her father used to take her and her brother Poloe out into the fields on his farm and camp under the nights sky full of glimmering stars above. Thats what made her yern for adventure,the tales of other races and different lands full of strange flowers and the air full of the songs of birds that she had never seen.
"Wait!" Harry's father suddenly called out, "What are you going to do, run along behind the horse? Go down to the stables and take mine. Farewell, Harry!" Looking extremely embarassed, Harry jogged down to the stabled and found his father's old pony, Sam.
"Okay, let's go!" Harry was ready for adventure, and leaving behind this sleepy town was a dream coming true, plus he wasn't about to let his best friend go and leave him behind. He wondered if they'd meet any elves. Out rode Harry on his father's old weather beaten pony, Sam and they galloped along.
"I thank you for the company, my friend, and we would need a few others to make this a grand outing," Andoras said to Harry and Rosa smiled. She was relieved to have another person along, though she was sure her heart was set on this tall, young handsome hobbit, she felt it would be best if they had more company with them. She reached out and offered Harry an apple and smiled. An even wider smile spread on Rosa's face as the wind wiped though her hair and she spread her little fingers over Andoras' chest. She felt free and she enjoyed it, being out in the faraway lands, doing things she wanted and not what everyone expected a young hobbit lass to do.
The scent of pine and old oak reached her nose and the sight of the beautiful forests, woods, cliffs and other things that she'd allways wanted to see in her years of living in the protection on the shire, washed before her mind's eye. The anticipation of experiencing these excited her.
She looked up at Andoras. He was very tall and his curly black hair flowed behind him in the wind and his sky blue eyes gleamed in the sun. Rosa sighed as she moved her hand over his toned chest and put her cheek on his warm back. Her eyes looked around her and she looked back up to Andoras. "Andoras, where are we going?"
Andoras turned back and looked at the pretty hobbit behind him and his young heart skipped a few beats. "Wherever the winds and stars takes us, pretty Rosa." He smiled and his azure eyes twinkled. She smiled back, holding on to him tighter. The young hobbit lad gulped hard and tore his gaze away on to the road.
Still eating the apple Rosa had given him earlier, Harry rode along a step or two behind the pony on which Rosa and Andoras sat. As he watched them carefully, as to avoid being 'rude', his mind drifted, for though the lass was very pretty she obivously had her mind set on his best friend, so he let it pass. Suddenly beneath him Sam the Pony neighed and reared, and almost wrenched the reigns out of Harry's hands. Sam took off at a run for a hill on the other end of the field, and Harry pulled hard on the reigns. He came to a stop, nearly throwing poor Harry to the ground.
"What's wrong, old Sam?" Sam the Pony just turned his big brown eyes on Harry pleadingly. "What's over there on that hill? It looks like just another tree to me!" Sam snorted, as if understanding what he had said, and again tried to run for the hill.
"Oy, Andoras!" Harry called. "Hold up for a minute. Sam's gone crazy!" He lunged after the horse and caught the reigns. Andoras alighted and came over.
"What's wrong now?" he asked.
"It's Sam. He keeps trying to make a run for that hill over there. Whaddya think?" Harry replied.
"It looks like a good shady place to eat lunch!" And with that the three Hobbits and two ponies set off for the hill with the mulberry tree, not going nearly fast enough for Sam's tastes.
As they reached the hillock, Andoras slided off Adon, and looked around for a choice place to sit. Rosa jumped off the pony with ease and staggered over to the tree nearby to sit under. The sun was glaring down on them as Andoras and Harry came over with the ponies in tow. Rosa smiled as they came towards her and they set the ponys next to where she was sitting. The Westfarthing was a few miles away by now but alas they where still in the Shire and the freedom was wearing away fast, as she knew the shire was not the outside world she wanted to go. She wanted to see Red Dragons, Immortal Elves, Dwarves, the Big people which her father called Humans or men, orcs, goblins and many other races yet to be seen by Hobbit eyes.
She sighed again from her memorise of home and her careing family came flooding back.She didnt even say she was going nor say good bye and now she regreted comeing and regreted going into the field in the first place.
"But at least there is one good thing that came from this journey," she thought as her eyes where on Andoras' beautiful blue pools and she couldnt help but stare at his body and face in awe at his splendor and grace yet she didnt know if he felt the same. It would surely break her heart if he did not and then where would she be? Would she be able to go home?? If she told him soon about how she felt and he didnt share the feelings she had for him than Rosa could go home. Westfarthing was not far and she could walk back.
The hobbit lass lowered her eyes and the corners of her mouth turned down. The crystal tears welled up in her eyes but she did not allow them to run down face. She had to be strong, she could not allow a little thing like love get in the way of this adventure and she forced herself to smile a weak and meaningless smile that showed how she felt inside.
Kyo was weary. He had travelled far since the sun had set last, and it would set again many times before he could let he and his pack rest for more than a few minutes. But he would remain strong.
He led his small yet vicious pack of Wargs from the cold Mountains where hunger bit like sharp teeth and Kyo had to lie in wait for hours to catch a stray goblin. How Kyo hated that taste on his tongue. Goblin meat was rough and foul, but Kyo remembered, as a pup, the taste of something fat, juicy, sweet, and utterly delicious... it was small, and he felt, in his pride that it would be easy to catch. Kyo searched his cunning mind for the name of this creature... ah, yes... hobbit....
Kyo stopped dead in his tracks and sniffed the air. He omitted a low growl, and his pack froze.
"What is it?" Khumil, his son, asked.
"Silence!" Kyo barked harshly. "I can smell it. I can smell it so much I can almost taste it. Yes, my son, soon you will taste hobbitflesh..."
Khumil howled with joy at his father's announcement, and so did the other pack members, for none of them had eaten much in all their lives. Kyo growled again.
"Silence!" he shook his son. "Would you spoil our chances by letting all know that we are here, you stupid pup?" his son's eyes blazed with humiliation. "We have waited long," Kyo told the pack, "and so we will wait a little longer."
Kyo sniffed the air, and the smell of the little cluster of houses and holes filled his nostrils. A dribble of drool escaped his lips as he thought of the pungent smell of ripe hobbitflesh. Kyo leaped onward again, the smell nourishing his hopes and his body. The pack was again on the move.
Thoro 'the armourer' Hammersdown, walked along the beaten path towards a familiar and cherished destination - The Shire. He was wearing a vest of mithril and the usual metal gauntlets and leg guards. His red haired head was covered by a heavy horned helm and on his back was a huge sack. His red beard fanned out over his stocky chest. He was still a day away and carried with him a large assortment of well crafted weapons and armour. He always found good bargains with the Hobbits since they liked to buy items and store them, very much like the Dwarves. He hated elves.
The road was treacherous and stalked by danger, but a Dwarf was ready at all times.
He gambolled along merrily humming himself a tune.
Kyo was racing through the forest when he heard the strangest sound. He knew it was foolishness to run in the daylight, but his pack was hungry. If they ran, they would not fight. Kyo's long years as head of the pack had made him a wise, if cruel, leader.
Ignoring the mats in his fur and the thorns in his paws, Kyo crept forward, staying close to the ground. Khumil and his sister, Mukka, did the same.
"What is happening?" Kyo's mate, Khotana asked. A growl from Kyo silenced her.
"That odd sound," he panted, "if you are silent you will hear it."
The entire pack - six, all told - heard Kyo's orders and obeyed, knowing that in Kyo's pack, there were two choices: obedience or death.
Kyo was quieter than the smallest, most timid mouse and as cunning as the fiercest tiger as he nearly slid forward through the undergrowth. Maybe fifty paces away, a tall tree-like figure was swaying and several small things, resembling children, were gathered about her feet. Kyo let that scent enter his nostrils again, and instantly he knew what was ahead of him. Hobbitflesh.
Khumil was born with his father's hunter instinct, and he too knew what lay before them. He drew herself up, ready to charge on the unsuspecting meal. Kyo dealt him a swift blow, and Khumil slunk to the ground.
"You fool!" Kyo hissed, as Khumil rose, "don't you see that we are too close to the halflins dwellings, soon many will be upon us if we attack now. It would be wise to let this small party travel further away from the protection of their clan." Khumil's eyes flashed, but Mukka restrained him. "For now," Kyo addressed the pack, "we must wait. Wait, and watch."
The hungry Wargs again settled their attention on the succulent morsels of hobbit just a moment's run away, and their minds turned to their leaders promise of food, food for all. When you have nothing, even the least of necessities is a gift and a blessing.
The three hobbit adventurers sat under the large tree up on the hill and prepared to have some lunch, their ponies were left alone to graze and Sam, Harry's old pony seemed to be strangely attracted to the great tree. Rosa had her eyes fixed on young Andoras.
The young hobbit gulped hard. This was a new experience for him. Andoras excelled at all levels of sporting and combative arenas and was also quite well educated in the written works, but when it came matters of the heart, he was lost.
The beautiful Rosa stared at him with her large emotive eyes and Andoras felt his pulse race. Why did she look so lovingly at him, what would he do? What if she was offended if he told her how he truly felt? Would she run away if he told her that he was falling deeply in love with her?
His confused musings were disturbed by the newcomer that rode up, a she-hobbit who seemed to know Rosa.
"Whooo,Carmel. Hello! Hi Rosa! What'chu be doin' with these fine lookin' lads?"
The hobbit lass jumped off the horse. She had long brown curly hair and green eyes.
"Ah, Amarillys! What are you doin' here?" Rosa smiled.
"I was lookin' for a place to eat lunch, an' I saw this tree... Hey... why d'you have all that stuff?" Amarillys replied.
"We're going on an adventure. I'm Andoras and this is Harry. Pleased to meet you, Amarillys." Andoras said.
Harry kissed her hand. "Would you be likin' to join us?"
"Sure!" the plucky little hobbit lass replied.
"Amarillys! Im so glad you're joining us here. I didnt want to be stuck with two boys and not have anyone to talk to!" Rosa smiled as Amarillys sat under the tree next to her and she offered her friend someting to eat. A bright smile lit up Rosa's face as she greeted her friend and she instantly felt happy. Her thoughts of her family and other friends that she left behind faded away and she sat up against the tree but not all her unhappy thoughts had gone.There was still the thought that she wanted to go home and be with her family again but she still wanted to go on this adventure.
These thoughts drifted though her mind and it was only when Andoras shook her lightly that she came out of her reverie.
"Rosa, Rosa are you alright?" The faraway look on her face turned into a smile as the angelic voice reached her ears.
"Aye, I'm fine. Just thinking that's all," she said she reached for her bag and took out her short sword.
Andoras eye's widened, "Do you know how to use that?" he aske incredulously.
Rosa just smiled and said, "Aye, a bit, but maybe you can teach me more."
Andoras smiled dazedly, as Harry and Amerillys laughed. Then Andoras felt a cold chill in the air and his keen senses detected a sense of uneasiness, he sprang up and unsheathed his sword, Harry and Rosa followed suite, the newcomer looked surprised. Suddenly a shrill voice rang out and was followed by low growls.
"Wolves," shouted Harry, "wolves in the shire, to arms Andoras." Andoras was already upon Adon and racing towards the scream, as he went down the hill, he saw a hobbit running as fast as her little legs could carry her chased by a ragged looking wolf. He quickly caught up with her and took a heave at the rabid beast that chased her, his short sword cut deep and the young wolf yelped in animal fear and pain and ran off bleeding profusely.
"Ruby... Ruby Burrows," exclaimed Andoras," My dear, dear cousin. What were you doing so many miles away from the riverside?"
"Oh, Andoras, thank you...thank you," Ruby said, amidst heay breathing," My, I do belive I was goin' ta be wolf dinner if you had come a-rescuing... how're the folks, my handsome cousin?"
Andoras frowned and looked at her," I believe that you were out gathering mushrooms again, I didn't know you would travel so far out though. I am going out with a group of friends to do some sightseeing and adventuring, would you like to join up with us."
Ruby smiled," Right ye are, young Andoras, I would love to join ye. and keep you well fed with me legendary cooking."
"Mmmm, mmmm," piped Harry, now catching up with them, "We all know so well of Ruby's fine cooking. Would love to have her on board, we would."
"Why thank ye, kind Harry me lad, My! How ye have grown." laughed Ruby," And who is that delightful little missy, Andoras." She added pointing to Rosa.
Rosa walked up and smiled, wondering who this new addition to their group was.
"This here's Rosa Baggins, she and young Andoras are very good friends, if you gather my meaning," said Harry, nudging Ruby as Andoras and Rosa blushed in unision.
Ruby smiled at her large cousin's discomfort. It had been an eventful day, Ruby thought earlier as she had been minding her own business looking for mushrooms only a while ago, and now she was joining a group of intrepid adventurers as the chief cook. She wondered if anything else untoward was going to happen and a shiver ran down her spine despite the warm sunlight as she remembered the wolf which had attacked her. She silently thanked fate that her cousin had been so close by, she would not have been able to outrun the wolf and she had been taught to cook, clean and sew, rather than to fight. she wondered if any of these hobbits had thought to pack any saucepans. If she knew Andoras or his friend Harry, the answer was probably no, but there were two other hobbits who she had not seen before, the one who had shouted at more than attacked the wolf, and the other, with whom Andoras was "good friends". Ruby smiled, Andoras had never been very good when it came to the fairer sex, and watching his efforts might be interesting, if nothing else happened. The presence of wolves made Ruby dubt whether that wuold be the case, though.
Andoras quickly stepped up to Rosa's side and put his hand on her shoulder to calm her as she seemed quite shaken by the wolf attack. Ruby and Harry stood behind and also shaken by the sudden hostility, but Amarillys was smiling, apparently this outlandish hobbit had some first hand knowledge of such evil creatures. She had apparently fought wolves before. Andoras stood at the ready for any more such attack, for all knew that wolves moved in packs, and threatened everyone of them, especially Rosa.
Rosa's hand lifted to Andoras' on her shoulder before she even knew what she was doing and quickly pulled it down again in haste. She blushed a little at what she did but he didnt seem it notice which Rosa was greatful for. She sheathed her sword and stood there not wanting to move from Andoras' touch but alas he pulled his hand down by his side after a few minutes.
Distracted by the wold attack, Amarillys didn't hear the approaching pony until it was close by. Seeing the rider and her expression, Amarillys' heart sank. She hadn't realised her sister had followed her.
With an apologetic smile for the hobbits she didn't know, Mentha walked up to her younger sister. Ever since their mother's death, she'd felt responsible for the younger hobbit's upbringing. Amarillys, of course, didn't see things this way.
"Amarillys! I'm so glad you're alright!" She lowered her voice to chide her sister. "I wish you wouldn't go off by yourself." Not recognising any of the other hobbits, Mentha didn't go out much, rather staying home to look after her younger siblings, she then started at the fresh blood stains on the tallest hobbit lad's tunic. "Ah, what's going on, Am?"
"An adventure, Mentha. How'd you been findin' me?" Amerillys asked.
"Well, that big fella in the lead is Andoras, and you know Rosa. That cute fella is Harry; I think he likes me, and the lass behind him is Ruby." Amarillys said.
"You know Am, if you want to go on this adventure without me, just tell me right now. I'll just go home." her sister commented.
"Na, that's allright. Stay with us! I'd love your company."
Andoras thought to himself, this gathering was now sufficient enough for a travelling group and he was obviously looked upon as the leader. Silently he counted, "There's Harry and Ruby, well known to me and sweet Rosa, then the two outlanders from Bree. That was six, two boys and four girls, maybe we could happen upon another boy along the way." Andoras then spoke to the newcomer, "Excuse me, dear lady. My friends here and I, we are going on an outing which could be for days, are you and your friend Amyrills meaning to join us?"
He smiled at her and the hobbit Mentha, who thought for a while and answered, "But where will you be going?"
"Anywhere Andoras takes us," said Rosa, confidently.
And Andoras laughed, "I am not really sure, we will go east toward what I have heard as Mirkwood where we may come upon the mysterious elves."
"That would be lovely," piped Ruby as she gathered up some herbs nearby.
"I've heard that Elves and mean and evil," said Harry.
"And that they think less of other creatures," said Amarillys.
"We will find out, won't we?" smiled Andoras.
"Yes we will," chimed Rosa, placing her hand on Andoras' arm.
"Allright, count me in," laughed Mentha. "But we must be very careful of the wolves and other evil things that are along the way,"she added. The other's nodded in agreement.
Khumil went back to join his pack, humiliated. Not only had he directly disobeyed his father's orders, but he had also been unable to overtake his prey - a tiny female, and a male mounted on a horse. Kyo was waiting.
"Why did you rush, fool?" He hissed. "Now they know we are here. If you had waited -"
"We are hungry!" Khumil argued, "We must eat!" Kyo surveyed his pack. If they agreed with Khumil, then he would be attacked and overthrown. He returned to his son.
"You should have waited so that we might have done this together!" he snarled. He adressed the rest of the pack.
"We will follow the hobbitflesh." he announced, "we will wait until they leave the tree-thing. Then we will attack. Then we will eat." His eyes flahsed, daring anyone to disagree. But some did. Mukka, his daughter, Khumil, his son, and their little group of rebels Gyo, Kyo's brother, and Unta, Gyo's mate, had always sneered at their elders - Kyo himself and his mate Khotana. But they would not trouble him now. Kyo resigned himself to wait. He could wait, if only his pack could wait as well...
Gimlo examined the prints in the mud. By the looks of it some wargs had gone that way about three or so hours ago. Gimlo was searching for those wargs, they had trampled his garden and raided his chicken farm the other day and he had been tracking them ever since to permenantly teach them a lesson.
He was hungry, so he went looking for a rabbit. He saw something rustle behind a bush. Slowly he crept up, he saw the hare. As he approached the shrub he stepped on a twig. The sharp crackle in the still air startled the rabbit,who promtply hopped away. Gimlo gave chase, when all over a sudden he slipped on a pile of warg droppings. There were prints next to it, and they weren't older that half an hour! He was closer than he thought, he realized as he speedily followed the tracks, hoping to catch up before nightfall.
The party of six hobbit adventurers mounted their ponies and slowly rode away from the hillock where the great tree silently stood. Keeping a keen ear for any more Wargs, the Hobbits moved out, it was late afternoon and the sky was splashed bright orange by the setting rays of the sun's golden light.
Ruby rode with Harry on old Sam and Mentha and Amarillys each had their own ponies, Rosa held Andoras tightly as the young Hobbit led them out towards the vast open land between the Shire and the next forest. Many dangers and possible friends lay on the way ahead.
Rosa smiled as she sat on the pony with Andoras. The day seemed to go on forever but as the sun started to set she gave a long sigh. It had been a long day and Rosa was tired, she looked up into the red sky. The clouds where red as blood , the sky seemed to be painted all different colours and the distant sun glowed orange as it set. It was one of the most perfect days in her life time, being out of the shire. She had always dreamed of this. Her only wish was to do this and now it has come true she felt free.To do what she whated and not be tide down by what people were expected to do at home like cook, clean and be married off into a well to do family. That was not what Rosa's rapidly beating heart desired.
"Andoras said that we will go east to meet the elves," Harry thought to himself. This worried him. He had heard of elves, of course, but had never met any. He really did not know all that much about them. "We have wolves behind and elves ahead"' he thought, "How will we ever make it back to the Shire?"
All this thinking was making Harry's head hurt, and his stomach growled with hunger. Leaving his musings behind, he readied his small hunting bow, which did a terrific job of catching a fresh dinner. It could be used in battle, but could not fire over long distances. He would not set out hunting until they made camp later this night, but with the wargs following behind... it would reassure him if he were ready for an attack.
As the group moved though the plains Rosa's eyes where fixed on the horizon ahead where snow capped mountains loomed and Rosa knew evil lay, waiting. She knew for a fact that there path would bring them to those mountains.
Her once sweet smile turned into a sad frown at the thought of all there trouble, hardship and toll that this journey would bring. Rosa's eyes grew heavy and as soon as she closed them her world went black as she slipped into a sweet dreamless sleep, her little curly head nestled against Andoras' back.
Mentha rode close to her sister as they moved quietly onwards. She couldn't quiet her heart about this adventure; elves in the dark wood! And all sorts of other nasty creatures around, more likely. She shivered. But then again, she mused, much better for her headstrong little sister to have a moderating influence, after all, Am wasn't one to think things through. Amarillys was twitcing, restless at the quiet that had settled over the group. "Hey, how about a song, Mentha?" she suggested.
Mentha jumped out of her reverie. Shy as she was, she began singing softly in a deep voice; a walking song that was her clearest memory of her mother. After a moment Amarillys joined in with her high reedy tone. For a few minutes the air seemed to grow warmer around Mentha, and an adventurous spirit from her tweens awoke in her heart, but she pushed it back down again. She'd come to look after her sister, she told herself.
Ruby felt slightly apprehensive and out of place sitting on the pony behind Harry. She'd never been good at riding, but didn't wnat to hold onto him too tight in case he got the wrong impression. Harry had been her cousin's best friend for as long as she could remember and they'd grown up together, almost like brothers and sisters, but she hadn't seen Harry for several years and didn't know what to expect from him.
She wondered what supplies Andoras had packed and if he'd thought to bring anything with which to start a fire or carry water, or skin food. As far as she knew, the only food they had were the mushrooms she had collected before she'd been attacked and the sun was setiing fast.
"We'd better think about camping and starting a fire before it gets completely dark" she said to no-one in-particular.
"Aye!" agreed Harry and called out to Andoras, "let us find shelter and rest a while, Andy."
"That place looks as good as any." Andoras replied pointing to a spot of hard gound surrounded by trees and having one way in and out. A good place to fend off attackers. The party began to set up camp as Rosa woke up on the hard stony ground curled up in a black cloak.
"Hmmmm, I don't remember falling asleep here." she thought as she pushed herself up and pulled the cloak round tighter as the cold wind seemed to seep though her clothes and to her chilled bones. The night had come and the stars twinkled overhead as the moon struck a light glimmer over the things below it. The sound of laughter hit her ears and as she turned towards the sound a flicker of a light from a camp lit up a small space around it where the others sat eating, drinking and laughing.
Rosa got up and her legs stumbled over the rough ground as she walked through the camp. Harry spotted her and pointed her out to the others.
"Well, well! Sleeping beauty awakes!" he laughed nudging Andoras in the ribs.
Andoras smiled brightly and held out his hand to help her sit next to him. Rosa complied.
A few miles away, Gimlo saw the wargs through a gap in a bush. They were scurrying about while eating a fox, snarling and barking at each other. Gimlo was uncomfortable. He shifted his weight-and cracked a twig. The watch warg, very much alert growled. Gimlo unslung his axe as the warg started for the very bush he was in...
Kyo's pack were eating, Khumil and Mukka being louder than they should, as usual, and Unta was on watch. She spotted a dark shape in the bush.
"Hark! Who goes there?" she growled. Kyo and his brother, Gyo, came to attention at once.
"What is it?" they asked in unison. Unta sniffed. Khotana took her guard over her children.
"I smell... something strange... it smells of mountains and gold... it must taste better than tough old fox..."
Without speaking, Mukka had edged forward, listening to Unta. Her brother, Khumil, was sorely wounded by the hobbits, and could barely walk for pain. Mukka wanted to avenge her brother, and here was her chance...
Mukka leaped forward at the shape, heedless of the great axe it carried. Unta, her aunt, quickly followed.
Gimlo leapt out of the the bush, and clipped Mukka's right forepaw with his axe in the process. "Argggg! she howled as her lower foreleg dangled from the rest of the limb by a couple of sinews. Khumil charged at the dwarf intruder, and slashed his fangs at Gimlo to the best of his ability, regardless of his prior injuries. "You dare to hurt my sister", he growled in his warg speech as he advanced savagely toward the dwarf.
Gyo was out on scout patrol, so that left five Wargs, two not yet full grown, and both of those two sorely wounded to deal with the Dwarf. Khumil was first in line, heading straight for the menacing figure, illuminated by moonlight. The thrill of the chase filled him, and he howled. This ecstasy was short-lived, however, as Unta rammed Khumil's shoulder, knocking him off course as both Wargs fell to the ground. Unta pinned her young nephew to the ground.
"Don't be a fool!" she hissed, "that thing is stronger, and carries the heavy deadly steel that is our bane! Do you wish to be dead?"
Khumil resented Unta's intervention. He struggled against his aunt, but the older Warg was stronger.
"Get off me, or you will be the one who dies!" Khumil growled. Unta poured all her concentration upon Khumil, so that she did not notice the Dwarf looming above her, his axe raised...
With a fell swish the axe lowered, and Unta's head fell from her shoulders. Khumil lay as though dead, trying to fool the Dwarf. Unta's cold blood ran over his fur, glistening in the moonlight. The Dwarf left the camp.
Kyo glanced coldly at Unta's body. He turned on his son with all his Wargish ferocity.
"Why were you so foolish?" his harsh words grated on Khumil's ears. "You got Unta killed. One less Warg to hunt."
"One less mouth to feed." Mukka countered, licking her wounds and gazing balefully at her father from where she sat.
"You fool!" he dealt her a deft blow with his paw. "Unta had a pup today. Now we have another mouth to feed, and no way to feed him."
"Then leave the cringing thing behind." Mukka's callous sense appealed to Kyo, ruthless as he was.
"For once you speak sense." Kyo turned his back on his still enraged son and gave orders to break camp. The tiny Warg pup was left to curl up to his mother's side, not knowing that she could not nourish him any longer. Tired and hungry, the pup fell asleep as four Wargs slunk away from the clearing.
Their first night so far away from home, the four Shire Hobbits and the two Breelanders sat huddled around the small fire, they feasted on some freshly hunted squirell cooked with mushrooms. Ruby did a fine job.
Rosa looked content, she had a fine rest and looked even prettier in the glow of the flickering fire. Andoras smiled as he gazed upon her, thinking her to be a pretty little delicate creature whom he would always protect. Little did he know that she was a fierce fighter and defender when anyone dear to her was threatened, which he would find out soon.
Harry and Amaryllis began a song and Rosa and Ruby put away the utensils which Mentha had the foresight to carry with her. Mentha took Andoras aside and spoke to him, "We are glad to have you to lead us, but do ye know where we are headed. I have no doubt that ye will not fail in defending us at times of danger, but ye seem too pre-occupied thinking about that wee lass there. It's time to clear ye head and make the right decisions."
Andoras blinked and looked at Mentha, her eyes radiated a keen sense of wisdom that he had to acknowledge. He said to her, "I thank you for the faith in me, but I am in full control of myself. However I am not so good a judge of directions, maybe you could lead us to Bree and from there we can go on to the Elven lands.
"The elder hobbits had also warned me of the dangers of going east at this time. But have no fear I am skilled well enough to pose a strong challenge to those that may threaten us. And as for Rosa, I know not much of these feelings that overcome me with her near, I have never felt this way before, I am much confused... but I fear for her safety on this adventure and yet I am glad to have her pleasant company."
Mentha smiled and nodded. She felt good about this tall young hobbit. There's was much adventure to look forward to with this group. She thought.
The Night grew darker as the hobbits settled down for some rest, Harry and Amarillys kept the first watch. They sat on the edge of camp, keeping the first watch diligently. Harry had his bow ready, for the Hobbits had all agreed that the wargs could be near. Am hummed softly to herself in the night, and Harry was listening contentedly, though both remained watchful, or as watchful as two well-fed Hobbit adventurers could be after dinner. The bushes surrounding their camp rustled in the wind, and the stars winked down on the pair from above. Harry didn't know what to do. He was sitting next to a pretty Hobbit lass and could feel his heart stir everytime he thought about it, but what were the chances she returned his affections?
Amarillys moved closer to Harry, humming a song her mother had taught her. She looked at the sleeping Mentha. "She thinks I'm a 'wee baby. Just 'cause she's 42 an' I'm 26, dun't mean she can boss me around... But it is a good feeling havin' all this protection."
She looked straight at Harry. She could sense fear in that handsome hobbit's mind. She wanted to express her fear and her true feelings for him. She was too caught up in Harry to see the Warg in the bushes....
Rosa sat up against a tree and closed her eyes but didnt get any sleep that night, she had other more important things to think about than sleep.Plus she had already had some sleep and wasnt really tired.
She looked up at the fire that now where glowing red embers in the dark ash that surrounded it. Her mind was clouded with thoughts and her head was aching.
Rosas eyes fell on the sleeping Andoras opposite her and she heaved out a long sigh.
"Why must i suffer so," she whispered pushing herself up an walking to her pack next to the pile of ash that once was there camp fire. Rosa opened it and pulled out her sword. Without the sheath the metal glinted in the moonlight and Rosa buckled the belt round her waist.She didnt feel safe that night even with the two watches that sat nearby but hadnt noticed her as yet. She sat down on the grass and a tear rolled down her face. Her heart felt like it was going to shatter.
Rosa sat with sword in hand at the foot of a large oak tree. The night was young still and all light but the torch Harry carried shined though the darkness. Not even the star and moonlight comforted her now for she knew evil loomed in the shadows where light could not reach. Rosa could see harry wide awake with the torch in hand and Am resting on his shoulder.She smiled at the two. She had not seen it before but she thought Am was quite taken with the young Harry. The smile did not last long for a russle in the bushes startled her. Though she did not see it, a pair of red eyes stared at her hungrily. Rosa grabbed her sword and sheath and walked silently into the darkness of the shadows behind her.
Gyo licked his slavering chops as he sat watching the two hobbits. He knew he must wait, but he was hungry. Gyo wanted to challenge his brother Kyo's orders, but knew that if he did so, he would not eat. Therefore Gyo made a compromise: he would not harm the hobbits without cause. For now. Instead he would steal the leftover food that they so carelessly had left lying about. The foolish creatures had invited trouble, he thought with a wry smile, and trouble came for them.
Andoras slept soundly, blissfully unaware of the evil that lurked around them. A poor quality in a leader. A habit he must soon rectify.
As he gently snored, Rosa placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. She looked over at Harry and Amy and she sighed. It was good to be loved and in love. She mused and then quickly walked away from the camp.
Alythiel looked fondly down at the hobbits from the tree she was perched in. They were remarkably strong for creatures of their size. She had been very close to attacking the Wargs on their behalf. Luckily, they had taken care of it themselves. She was an elf, one of the few who had traversed far and wide from her native land. She had once been a warrior, but that part of her life was over. Now she was a wanderer and a healer, not a killer. The staff in her hand was her most formidable weapon, as well as her dagger, but she had not killed since that last battle, where she had been injured.
"I will follow these little people" she thought to herself. "They may have need of me. And a quiet corner of her mind whispered "And I need them."
The comfort of the torch light faded as Rosa walked silently though the oak trees and the only light now was the full moon shineing down though the thick canopy of trees overhead. Th only sound was a chirp of a bird and the rustle in the bushes soon stopped. Rosa sighed as a squirrel jumped from the bush and she turned to walk back to the camp, when suddenly a great force pushed at her back and sent her forward, sprawling to the ground, onto her face.
The claws of the creature dug into her back and drew blood from her soft flesh. Rosa screamed in fright and agony and it echoed though the woods to the hobbit's campsite.
Gimlo watched some halflings through the bushes. One female walked off into the woods. He knew it was dangerous for her, for there were wargs in the woods. He didn't want to reveal himself, for fear they might try to attack him and get hurt. Then he heard a shrill, terrified scream and rush over on the direction it came from. Ssuddenly, spotting a pair of red eyes in the bushes across the clearing, he halted. Wargs! He had to act now. He was a very good knife-thrower. He got out his dagger and let it fly toward the single pair of eyes. His aim was true. Not a sound did that warg make. It was dead before he hit the ground. Gimlo knew he would soon have to reveal himself to the travelers, for they were in great danger. But he held his ground, as he saw a small bundle of movement in the darkness. She'll be safe now, he thought as he heard the voices of the others approaching.
"What's that, Harry? I hear something... a scream" Amarillys looked around. She saw Mentha. Andoras. Ruby. 'Where's Rosa? There be Wargs huntin' out in the woods."
Harry heard a small scream. He grabbed Am's hand and pulled her into the woods. "Rosa! Rosa! Where ye be?" Harry held the torch out in front of them. He had a firm grip on Amarillys.
"Harry! Over there! Rosa!" Am broke free from his grip. She saw Rosa laying face down in the mud. Warg tracks were on top of her and in a circle around her.
"Am, you see if Rosa is fine an' I'll go look for those Wargs." Harry found a small Warg tracks but no warg. Then he ran back to Amarillys and Rosa.
"Am, go and wake Andoras. He may know wha' to do." Harry ran of. Am was in total darkness. All she could see was the flicker of Harry's torch in the distance.
"Rosa Baggins. Ye'can't die on me! We have bean friends for as long as I can 'member. Ye' can't die." A tear ran down the side of Amarillys' face.
Andoras sat up and looked around groggily. Harry and Amarillys were frantically waving about, Mentha and Ruby were up rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. He looked towards where Amy was crouched, he could make out a small frame laid out near her.
As he jumped up and ran toward Amy, his eyes widened in fear and his lips moved as if to say the name of his beloved but his voice failed him. Aghast and distraught, Andoras quickly picked up the unconscious Rosa in his strong arms. She had harsh wounds, bites and scratches over her hands and legs and a deep slash upon her back.
Andoras quickly carried her to the campsite and laid her limp body gently on the soft moss, tears well up in his firey blue eyes.
Mentha and Ruby help to clean off the wounds but they weren't healers and Rosa's condition seemed grave indeed. Harry and Amerillys scoured the area keeping a sharp lookout. Andoras cried out aloud, "Is there not a healer that can help her... I shall never forgive myself for bringing her into this...," his voice trailed off and tears streamed down his round cheeks.
Just then a lithe, tall figure leaped down from the tree they were under. She was a beautiful sight, like a vision from above. The hobbits gaped and stared at her, not knowing if she were friend or foe.
Ruby gasped and Andoras spoke in a low vice, "Whoever you are, if you have come to do more evil, I am in a good mind to kill you."
The tall maiden laughed,"Have no fear, young sir. I am the very healer that your little lady friend needs." Her eyes twinkled, "I am Alythiel, an Elf, and if I do not tend to her soon, she will not see the dawning sunrise."
Andoras made room for the Elf, looking at her in suspicion ever ready to pounce on her if she made a false move. But the tall elf deftly got to work on Rosa ailments and the hobbits all stood around watching in aprehension.
Harry kept his small bow at the ready. After the attack on poor Rosa, he was worried about all their safety, but especially Amy's. While the elfin healer that was apparently sent from the heavens carefully and skillfully tended to Rosa, Harry half-watched in awe and half-kept a sharp lookout for more foes. An arrow he held nocked in his bow, and it would fly sure to his mark, for Harry was well practiced.
Amy's face was lined with worry for her lifelong friend, and Harry's heart broke everytime he looked at her. He prayed that Rosa recovered, both for her and Andy, and so the pained look on Amy's face would disapear. Dawn would be coming soon, and his hopes depended on the dawning of the sun...
Unta, Mukka, and Gyo all lay dead, scattered in the forest. Kyo, Khotana, and Khumil raced on, Khumil at the rear and hotly persued. They left behind their relations, hoping to save their own sorry skins, and did not even look back at the hobbitmaid they believed Khumil had killed.
But back in the deserted Warg camp, littered with bodies, one tiny pup still squirmed. He cried out, hungry, cold, and tired, and several of the hobbits around the fireside heard him.
Andoras was too grief stricken to hear anything save his thunping heart, but Amarillys' sharp ears picked up the sound that echoed across the darkened bushland.
"Come on, Harry" she said, "Someone has chased away all the warg save that one crying there, let us go and finish the job."
"Allright, Amy! But be very careful.... it could be a warg trap," said Harry as they set off to investigate.
Rosa was pale and still and her pretty face was stained and wet, Andoras couldn't bear to see her this way. He wept quitely. Ruby doubted the Elf, but Mentha appeared to have confidence in the devine creature that tried her best to revive Rosa.
"We need some Athelas," cried the Elf maid, "Where can you find me some, it's also known as Kingsfoil and has strong healing properties."
Mentha leapt up and sped off in search of kingsfoil for the Elven healer. She did not have to go far to find it, and kneeling at the edge of a clearing she cut several leaves of it with the pocketknife she carried everywhere. It was only when she stood up that she looked about her, and the sight made her want to be sick.
Slain wargs lay in what was obviously a deserted camp. There was blood and gore everywhere. Trying not to look, Mentha made her way around the edge of a clearing.
A piteous moan made her pause. Looking again, she saw a Warg cub abandoned in the clearing. He was shivering and clearly exhausted. Mentha knew Wargs were evil. but her mothering instinct took over and for once, she cast aside rationality. She walked over to the cub and picked it up, cradling it in folds of her cloak. Mentha then continued back to where the Elf was waiting.
Alythiel boiled the athelas over a small campfire. "You have strength in you already, little maid." Alyth was reminded of the elf-children she used to know, before she became a wanderer. Rosa tried to sit up.
"Who are you? You en't like those we have in our land"
"I am Alythiel, an elf healer. Lie back. You have been grievously wounded. Go to sleep." The elf-maid's voice was like honey, smooth and sweet. Rosa felt herself drifting off to sleep whether she would or no. The last thing she remembered were Alythiel's chocolate brown eyes smiling at her from the shadows cast by the fire.
The tiny Warg pup snuggled against Mentha as he lay in her arms. Utterly exhausted, the little thing fell to sleep as the hobbitmaid sang him a lullaby, rocking him gently in her arms.
The moon shone down through a gap in the trees, and it's sudden light made the pup's coat turn silver. He yawned, opening wide a pink mouth and rather small teeth, rolled over, and went back to sleep, ignoring the light.
Rosa awoke a few minutes after she had fallen asleep. To many thoughts and memorise clouded her mind and to made the nightmares unbareable.
The memory of looking at Andoras' tear streamed face made doupts in her mind but she could have mistaken this for a friend worrying for another. Rosa tried to speak but her voice was harsh and croaky.
"Andoras?....Andoras?"
No answer came and Rosa lifted herself up to look around. No one was there and this worried Rosa. After the attack she didnt what to be alone. All she wanted to do was snuggle up to her love but this was never going to happen and water welled up in her eyes and rolled down her face as tears of sadness and much grief.
Harry and Am were in persuit of the Wargs, all through the night and into the early light of the next day. Although they could not find but one, which was badly injured and died when Amarillys stepped on it.
"Harry, I'm gonna go an' see Rosa. I want to see if tha' 'Elf-Healer' was true to her word." Am started through the bushes.
"Wait, I'm coming with ye. I don't want ye to end up like Rosa. I don't want to lose you." A tear ran down Harry's face as he thought what his best friend Andoras would be like without Rosa. He tried to remember what it was like before Andoras met Rosa, but he drew a blank.
"Ok Harry. What ever ye say..." Am chuckled for the first time in a long while. Harry made her troubles and bad memories go away. "What ever ye say..."
Harry had little faith in the healer, having heard the stories of elves that he had, but walked quickly along beside Amy. After seeing Rosa and her effect on Andy, he didn't want to loose his newfound love anymore than Andoras wanted to loose Rosa. His bow was still out for fear of the wargs, but Amy was relying on speed to get them back to camp safely. They arrived, and found Rosa sitting up blinking around at the empty campsite. Amy ran over to her.
"Are ye alright?" she asked. Tears were running down Rosa cheeks, but the color had returned to her face.
"Where is everyone?" Rosa asked in reply, and Harry knew she meant Andoras.
"I don' know, Rosa, but I'm sure they'll be back soon," Harry said gently; he hoped they would be, too.
Rosa stood up and swayed slightly but Am grabbed her arm before she fell.
"Thank you Am." Rosa smiled as Am led her to a seat.
"No I dont want to sit, I what to find An...Andoras." Am smiled, and Rosa felt slightly better.
Edited by: Cimmerian at: 12/14/02 4:53:24 pm
"Andoras, look out, you're standing on them!" Ruby tried to keep the note of frustration from her voice and failed, but Andoras was too pre-occupied to notice her anger. She'd taken him to look for mushrooms with her for breakfast, hoping that it would take his mind of Rosa, but it hadn't worked. They'd found some mushrooms, well, Ruby had, andoras had been walking around in a daze, unaware of what was goign on.
"The elf needed space, Andoras, you can't heal someone properly if you've got an audience." She sighed, she knew he wasn't listening and that he didn't care whether they had mushrooms for breakfast, or even if they had breakfast at all. She was worried about Andoras, and if she told the truth, she was worried about Harry too. It was all very well leading an adventure, and she would have cooked for them even if they had said they were going to the moon, but they were both distracted, and even Ruby knew this was not a good quality in a leader.
She sighed again. "I suppose we had better get back then Andoras." He nodded, before ambling off slowly in the complete wrong direction.
The morning was dull and grey and Andoras hadn't slept at all, his eyes were bleary and he felt tired. Ruby held him by the hand and led him back to the makeshift camp. He stumbled along behind her, his mind clouded and his thoughts unclear.
As they neared the camp, the elf walked out from the bushes in front of them. " Rosa is getting better now, soon she'll have the colour back on her pretty cheeks," she smiled.
Andoras eyes lit up and he ran towards the where Rosa was, but Alythiel held him by the arm," Tell me, young halfling, what are you doing traisping around dangerous territory like this, you should return to the safety of your Shire soon."
Andoras looked dumbly at the elf and Ruby answered," Well, firstly we would like to thank you for your kind help. We are out seeking adventure," she smiled as she said this, not half believing this herself.
The Elf smiled back and looked at Andoras, "Maybe you could care for another wanderer to join your party?"
"Uh.. oh yes, we would love to have you with us..." Andoras blurted, pulling away from her grip.
He ran toward Rosa who was seated under a tree, Harry and Amy stood by her. Dropping to his knees, Andoras gently touched Rosa on her shoulder, she looked up at him with tearful eyes, smiled joyfully and threw her arms around his neck. Andoras hugged her tight. They held on to one another for dear life, and the others looked around and smiled at one another.
Rosa held on to Andoras like her life depended on it. A smile appeared on her face again and she let go on Andoras. "I missed you.I thought you had left me.
No one was here when I woke and I was scared for your safety." She smiled and hugged him again. Andoras hugged Rosa back and for the first time the budding lovers kissed. The others oohed and aahed.
Rosa kissed Andoras again gently on the lips. She felt complete with him and safe from any dangers they may face; and they will face. together.
"I love you. I've loved you ever since my eyes fell apon yours." Rosa smiled.
"And I you, my Beloved." Andoras sighed and loveingly lost himself in her large green eyes.
Then suddenly, a heavy-set, squat figure barrelled its way into the clearing and the hobbits immediately bared arms.
"Ho!" cried Gimlo, "friend halflings, I come in peace."
Eyeing his bloodied axe, Mentha asked, "Was it you who had slain the wargs?"
"Aye," replied the dwarf warrior, "It was I!"
"That was very brave of you," Alythiel said, impassively.
Gimlo ignored her and replied, "Since I have settled my old score with those mangy wargs somewhat... and since it is mighty dangerous out there, would you like a strong dwarf warrior for your protection?"
"We would be greatly honoured" piped Mentha, but the other hobbits shuffled around, then...
"Welcome, Gimlo," said Andoras, "We are happy to have you join us,".
The dwarf smiled.
"I have a few dwarf friends, have you heard of Thoro, Walmo and Rymun?" asked Andoras.
Gimlo laughed, "Aye, they are good friend of mine too, well met, young hobbit. Let us ride together."
Rosa piped up,"Why don't you ride with Alythiel, you two can be friends you know."
The Dwarf and the Elf stood staring at each other in suspicion. The two turned at Rosa and then laughed.
"I had much rather trust my own two legs than squat on some high hiorse." Gimlo laughed.
The night before Thoro Hammersdown, a dwarf far from his home and also his destination, had heard the yelps of wolf and warg and the loud thrashings of a stout creature running after them, he jumped up as all the sleep had left his eyes and his head had cleared. Holding his large battle axe he had run toward the sounds and by the time he had reached the source, he had been astonished to see a hobbit standing there amid all the carcasses of the wargs; she was holding a little pup in her dainty arms. He had hidden and then followed her when she had left, not being really sure of this creatures loyalties, the dwarf had stealthily slinked behind her.
She had led him to an encampment where another hobbit that looked pale and sick, she was being tended by an... an... arrgghh! An elf! How disgusting. He thought in furious rage. Thoro hated elves, really really hated them.
As he had turned to sneak off, familiar voices, like those he had heard of at the Shire many a year ago, caught his ear. Now how was that possible, he had wondered. Shire hobbits so far out from their home. Near impossible.
He had hidden and watched from the shadows as it seemed like... was it true... Ruby Burrows and Andoras, and Harry Thistle with another.... "My dear dear friends from the Shire," he thought, and then his heart stopped as a squat, stout form emerged from the underbrush before them. It was Gimlo! Thoro rejoiced silently as Gimlo spoke to Andoras... ah how well the young hobbit lad had grown, almost as tall as him.
Then Thoro decided to make his presence known... "Ho, friends Andoras and Gimlo," He said in his booming voice,"What goes on here my friends?"
Andoras and Gimlo cried in unision, "Friend Thoro!" The three of them shared their hullos and hugged, Harry and Ruby joined in. Then Thoro looked at Rosa and she smiled sweetly at him. Thoro felt warm and fuzzy, "Oh this is so joyful, I will join you," the girthsome dwarf said.
"You have to ride on Sam then and Gimlo can ride with me," Alyth offered.
"I need no mount, I will walk, come and walk with me Gimlo," He said to the other dwarf and he looked at Alythiel with hate and disgust. Alythiel ignored him and turned her nose up at the air.
Thoro grunted under his breath and then he smiled at Mentha, handing her a new, well crafted Dwarven dagger." For you, he said, "A gift for leading me to my friends here."
Mentha looked at him in surprise and smiled, she liked this gift and handed him a red apple in return. Thoro munched hungrily on it. "So where do you wish to go, I am quite well travelled, I can show you great many lands,"
"Hurrah!" cried the young hobbits in unision, "To Bree!"
Off they rode, Andoras with Rosa, Harry with Amy, Mentha and Ruby and Alythiel the elf on her high horse, with Gimlo and Thoro the dwarf warriors on foot leading old Sam, who carried the provisions.
Edited by: Cimmerian at: 12/14/02 4:56:44 pm
The group, now comprising of six young hobbits, an elf healer and two sturdy dwarf warriors moved towards Bree. Gimlo and Thoro knew the way but Mentha too helped, as they moved ahead.
Thoro said quitetly to Gimlo, "Why are were laughing with that filty elf earlier?"
"That elf is no swine, you ingrate. She saved the life of the pretty hobbit lass. To be honest, I see nothing wrong with the elves. Why must we hate them so?"
"Don't be hasty, my friend." Thoro grumbled.
"Trust me, that elf is kind, sweet, gentle, and I will hear no more hogwash about her"
"Have your way, but I warn you-" Thoro turned away.
Alythiel supressed a grin. Her sharp ears had picked up the argument between Gimlo and Thoro. In her years of wandering, she had rarely met a dwarf with a different opinion than Thoro. Gimlo was a decent sort. Windsong, her horse, liked him, which gave him extra points on the friend scale. Windsong, a very high strung stallion, rarely liked anyone. Hearing Gimlo defend her so blatantly gave her renewed confidence in people in general.
Amerillys looked strangly at the new dwarven members of their group, as they quietly quarrelled.
"Harry, have ye ever bean to Bree?" she asked, turning to the hobbit lad sitting behind her.
"Nope, but always wanted ta!" he replied, smiling.
"Well, lot's o' big people live there, and it is scary for a young hobbit." Amerillys started to munch on a carrot.
"Dear Amarillys, everything is scary for ye isn't it!" Thoro chuckled. Gimlo followed in suit.
"No. Not everythin' is scary. Especially not with Harry around." She turned around a looked at Harry, who then hugged her tight and nodded in agreement. "Right."
The tiny pup awakened as the motley crew of hobbits, dwarves, and an elf moved through the forest. He yawned, opening up his eyes and looking around him. The forest seemed fresh, cool, clear, and new to his new eyes which had only looked upon the world since yesterday. He only remembered his mother, who had died, and now this strange hobbit, whose heartbeat was comforting. The pup would have gone back to sleep, but he was hungry. He yipped lightly at the hobbit lass, begging her to pay attention to him. His brown eyes twinkled as he looked imploringly up to Mentha.
Mentha looked down as the cub in her lap stirred. It looked up, and the message in its imploring look was clear to her - 'I'm hungry'.
Whispering "I'll catch you up" to Ruby, Mentha slipped off the pony, cradling the warg cub with her left arm. In her right hand she gripped her new dagger. Moving swiftly and silently, she caught a coney and, by the time she had rejoined the others, the rabbit was skinned and the cub eating hungrily. As the cub ate, a bond began to form between him and the kind hobbit who looked after him.
The pup yipped a little in joy as he smelt the coney. He was small, but Wargs have teeth - albeit tiny ones - from birth. He devoured the coney hungrily, and then dropped himself into Mentha's lap. She began to stroke his grey-white fur, and if he had been a cat he would have purred. As it was, the pup licked her fingers and fell asleep again, utterly contented as few Wargs ever are, due to the harshness of their teachers and their perpetual hunger. Things looked better for the small one: he had no one to teach him to be vicious and cunning. Things at Kyo's camp, however, were unwell. Since the death of his aunt, uncle, and sister, accompanied with the loss of his cousin, Khumil was becoming more and more rebellious as the days passed. Silently Kyo tracked the hobbits and their companions through the forest, following them. A plan was grudgingly made between the three Wargs: they would wait to come to the big town until they struck. And then, Kyo had promised, not one of them would be left alive.
It was midday soon and the dwarves had hunted some fine rabbit and squirrels for lunch. The group sat down to a hearty meal prepared by Ruby, a very aromatic dish of Roasted rabbit and squrrill cooked with mushrooms and carrots, garnished with apple slices.
Thoro carried a large wood-carved flask of ale with him, he shared it with everyone and Alythiel supplied every one with Lembas for desert.
Suddenly, Thoro strode over to the elf maiden. "Well, elf! My friend Gimlo has given me a glowing opinion of you. You had better live up to it, or you will have the wrath of Thoro to deal with."
"I assure you, friend dwarf, that I hold Gimlo in the highest regard. I am no warrior. I am a healer and a wanderer. I have no wish to incur your wrath."
Thoro looked quizzically at Gimlo and then at the Elf maid, he wondered what could make the dwarf actually be fond of a sworn enemy to the dwarf, or so which had been traditional. Maybe it was time to change the way things were for a better tomorrow.
Gnawing on the well prepared rabbit roast, he smiled at Ruby as she licked her fingers clean. She smiled back, grateful to him for providing the rabbit as he was to her for cooking it. She was quite a young woman now, much grown from the little rascal he knew. He was content and happy to be with this group, and the elf wasn't half bad either. She sang well.
Satisfied and content the group settled down for a little afternoon rest. The sun blazed overhead but the wind was cool. Rosa and Mentha played with the warg pup, Fluffy they called him.
The dwarves and the elf appeared to have ended their serious discussion, with which the hobbits rarely concerned themselves.
Harry came over and sat with Andoras. "So Andy," he asked,"Where are we going to soon, will we have adventure there?"
"We are going to Bree and I am sure there will be plenty of adventure there, Thoro has told me of an inn there that has a lot of interesting customers, we can have a good time there." Andoras replied.
"And then?" asked Harry as his eyes shone.
"Then we go to Mirkwood to see Elves... like Alythiel. Isn't she devine?"
"Oh yes, she's a miracle, Andy." replied Harry smiling broadly as both of them gazed dreamily at Alythiel.
Ruby, Rosa and Mentha ran off after the pup that was having a good time playing hide and seek with the hobbits, but the sharp Amaryllis noticed the way Harry looked at the elf and she felt an wave of anger flow through her little frame.
Fluffy was resting contentedly in Mentha's lap, full after the meal. The others had grown fond of him, and he was already a pet. Fluffy spotted a rabbit in the woods. Already Fluffy loved his new 'Mothers' and wanted to help them. He had seen them hunting in the woods, and he wanted to help in the same way.
Fluffy crouched down behind a small bush, and when the rabbit came into his range, he leaped with a yell and took the rabbit in his mouth. Fluffy's chest swelled with pride as he lifted his head and jauntily returned to camp. He would have howled in victory, but his mouth was too full of rabbit. Fluffy was content to lay the rabbit at the furry feet of his favourite, Mentha. He looked up with his big brown eyes, watching intently for her reaction.
Amarillys was angry. Harry was her's, and her's alone. She did not want to share him.
"What'd ye think yer doin' Harry? You don't know alot 'bout Elves, I see. Did ye know tha that Elf could be like thosands of years old? Tha's too old for a nice, young, twenty sumthin' year old, like ye. Ye should be settlin' for a younger sort, like me..." Am winked.
"She ain't gonna replace ya, Am. I'm sorry I was lookin' at her that way." Harry made a puppy-dog face.
"Alright," Amerrillys chuckled. She hugged Harry and ran off to find her sister, being sure to keep Harry in sight.
Alythiel was troubled. She could sense the dissension sweeping the little group of halflings. It was obvious that at least one of them had feelings for the elf maid that should not be encouraged.
"They are so young! I am 2365 years old. I hope this doesn't make any of the little halfling couples fight. They are so adorable. I could get used to travelling in peace like this."
Later in the afternoon, Gimlo and Thoro stood arguing behind a tree...
"Let's hunt some fox, I'm sick of rabbits", said Thoro, "I saw one run behind that bush, let's get it."
"That's a warg a tell you, he must have gotten seperated from the rest of the pack. I know a warg when I see one. He must have been following us all this time. I've seen him before but I didn't want to say anything. He has his eyes on Rosa, and he's very alert. He'll rush her if we try anything." Gimlo explained, plaintatively.
"You seem to be sure aboout this Gimlo, and I know you like fox. I've got an idea.
Gimlo spotted the warg ten minutes later. "Alright." he thought, here goes everything. He turned and rushed it waving his axe. It sprang out of the shrub and made for Rosa. About four feet away from them, a big figure dropped out of a tree right on top of the warg. It was Thoro! After a quick tussle, Thoro managed to sever the warg's throat with his dagger.
The Dwarves had slain another warg, this was very bad indeed. There were too many wargs running around this group. Andoras felt scared and wished he had never taken on this journey. But he resolved now not to back out as many looked up to him. Besides he couldn't explain himself if he did, especially to Rosa.
Rosa was an easy target for the wargs and Andoras kept her close to him at all cost. They rode on toward the land of Bree. There were many kinds of people there, including hobbits, big people, dwarves and elves. "We must leave now," he announced, "Mount up!" Andoras helped Rosa up behind him on his white pony, Adon.
Rosa climbed onto the pony behind Andoras, smiling like she had seen something beautiful... and no,the beautiful thing was just not Andoras.
She heard the dwarves talk between themselves and Amarillys talking to Harry but everyone else was silent, probably thinking and reflecting on what there journey was to bry forth to them. She was blissfully unaware of the warg's last attempt on her life, and couldn't thank the dwarves for their valour. The only thing that made Rosa uncomfortable was the Elf. She had no bad feelings towards the elf but such perfection and beauty, she thought, wouldn't want to join simple hobbits and two dwarves on a journey with no propose.
Riding behind Ruby on their pony, Mentha was again cradling little Fluffy. Well, 'little' was not as accurate as it had been, Fluffy was growing swiftly. already he could catch rabbits, and she treasured the fact that he'd caught one and brought it to her. She could tell that Fluffy knew he'd pleased her as well, there was an undestanding in his eyes that seemed beyond that of normal animals.
Ruby turned back towards her. "Mentha, do you think its safe keeping Fluffy with us? I know he's adorable and all, but there are Wargs following us. It could be that they're after him?" Mentha jolted out of her reverie with a thud.
"I don't know," she replied. "Maybe they want revenge, after all they did leave him. I don't want him to go back, they'll turn him to evil!" But Ruby pressed the subject. Maybe Wargs were naturally evil. Maybe the pack was using him to track them. Eventually Mentha gave in under the weight of reason, and promised to bring it up with the others when they set their next camp.
The Hobbits rode thier ponies in the rsudden downpour. They were all getting wet. Sam, Harry's pony,seemed to have a little smile on his face because he was carrying all of the bags and rations, keeping his back dry.
"Harry, will ye ride Carmel for a 'wee while? Me hands are hurtin' from holdin' the reins."
"Sure Am."
"Mentha! Why don't ye drop that Warg in the bushes and get on that horse with Ruby? Tha' animal will bring us nuttin but trouble." Amarillys looked back at her older sister, who was craddling the Warg.
"That 'creature' has a name. Fluffy." Ruby stuck her tongue out at Am. Am stuck her's out back.
"Fine. Fluffy is sooner o' later have us bien' Warg dinner."
"No he won't. Fluffy is a inocent little puppy like the one we had at home." Mentha answered. Amarilys just turned around and held onto Harry tightly.
Night had overcome the traveling party again and they settled down by a babbling brook. Quickly setting up a camp, the hobbits ate a small dinner and settled down to a rest. The two dwarves kept first watch.
Kyo and Khumil eyed each other over the meat they had caught, wary of each other. Khumil had been eager for blood when they had found his mother, Khotana, lying dead with a blade in her throat. But Kyo told him he must wait. Khumil was growing impatient, and had already made plans for vengeance.
That night, Khumil snuck away from the camp, where he believed Kyo to be asleep. Kyo chuckled softly to himself. Let the brat think he was asleep then, he thought. Let him be killed. One less mouth to feed.
Khumil found the hobbit's camp with little difficulty. He sniffed the air, sensing the presence of the Dwarves and Elf. Cautiously the black shadow slipped through the trees, stepping into the clearing just to snatch Rosa out of her bed by the fire. Rosa was asleep: she made no sound. Khumil rushed quickly through the forest, carrying his prey. He laughed in spite of himself; the reckless cur had gotten away safely. If he died, it would not be tonight, and on a night so victiorious as this, Khumil doubted that he ever would die.
Back in the camp, Fluffy curled up closer to Mentha's side. He had had a dream, he thought; a being of shadow had come and stolen away his a friend of his 'mother'. But it had just been a dream.
Ruby was woken by the faint light, which told her that it would soon be morning, and there soon would be mouths clamourig for breakfast. It was chilly and she knew she would not fall asleep again. Instead, she sat up and stretched, thinking about putting some more branches on the fire and starting breakfast. She had been busy collecting dead wood around the camp for several minutes before she noticed anything wrong. Counting the number of sleeping figures, she came up one short every time. Dropping the sticks she had gathered, she hurried to rouse Andoras
Mentha woke as Fluffy shifted at her side. She shifted to get comfortable, but could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. A sudden movement startled her, and she sat up sharply to see Ruby rushing across the camp site. Before she could work out what was wrong, Fluffy, wakened by Mentha's sudden movement, began yipping and howling. The other hobbits around the camp jerked awake, a shroud of fear settling over the camp.
Am set up with a jerk. Mentha was standing on her feet and she couldn't get up.
"Mentha! Get off my feet!!!!!"
"Fine! Steady On!"
"Wait....We're one person short. Mentha. Andoras. Harry. Ruby. Alythiel. Thoro. Gilmlo. That creature." Amarillys pointed at the person as she called their name.
"'Tis FLUFFY!" Ruby yelled, turning red.
"Where Rosa be, Andoras?" Andoras quickly counted the bodies.
"Rosa...Wargs..."Andoras turned white.
Harry was jolted out of sleep by a loud clamor of panicked voices. "Is it breakfast already?" he asked dumbly, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. He looked around when he was finished and saw Andoras' face, bone white in the morning. A cold panic also invaded his heart. Whipping his head around, he searched for Amy. "What's happened?" he asked, relieved to find her well.
"Rosa's been snatched by those Wargs." she replied, also looking very worried. Harry felt some of the blood drain from his already pale face. Rosa had been kidnapped?
Before Harry could gather his wits, Andoras was off and running sword in hand behind Thoro as the dwarf tracked the tell-tale signs of two sets warg tracks that seemed to drag something between them.
Yep. Rosa's bean captured. No time for breakfast, we're goin after them..." Amerillys said. grabbing Harry by the shoulders..
"Wait a bloomin' minute! Are we all gonna go look for Rosa!" Harry blurted, color returned to his face.
"Well, Harry, me an' ye goin to find me best friend!" Am smilied a little, "Andoras has already run off with the dwarves..
"Fine! We'll ALL go!" Harry shook his head slowly, as if he was worried..
Mentha's eyes got big."Do I have to go?!?!?"
"Yup. We all do." Ruby answered for Harry, "None of us is safe, if we let the wargs win.".
Alyth rolled her eyes, but secretly was amused at the antics of the little people. They were so naive. their love was peaceful, not passionate and violent. It was relaxing to travel this way. Suddenly, Alyth realized what was missing. Rosa, the cheerful little maid with the brown hair, was gone. Immediately the elf began searching the ground for tracks. She found them - the little halfling had left a clear trail out of camp. A bit further on, her tracks converged with those of Wargs. Sprinting back to camp, Alythiel quickly located Gimlo the dwarf.
"My friend, Rosa has been captured by Wargs. We have to go and find her."
"All right. Do we have to ride the horse?"
"For a little while, but I doubt even my Windsong will carry us very close to a pack of Wargs. Come."
And with that, elf and dwarf mounted the tall brown mare and rode off in search of the hobbit girl Rosa.
Edited by: Cimmerian at: 12/14/02 5:01:21 pm
Rosa woke up with start with beads of sweat forming on her forhead her breath was rushed.She surveyed her surroundings and was confused."Didnt remember sleping here and where are the others?"She thought getting fearfull of herself and the others. Khumil found that his captive was awake. Good, now she would be able to travel. As the hobbit lass sat up, Khumil turned on her and looked her straight in the eye.
"Don't move," he commanded, "or your next movement will be your last." The girl swallowed. A Wargish grin spread over Khumil's features; he was thouroughly enjoying himself.
"Get up!" he snapped, and the lass jumped to her feet. "We march. Stay in front of me; and if you try to escape I will not wait until we reach camp to eat you."
Pale and shaking, Rosa was herded back to Kyo's camp where the older Warg was waiting.
"What have you done?" Kyo growled at his son, "you know this means that the others will come for her. If she is dead, they will kill us. If she is alive, they will kill us anyways."
"Don't you think I'd thought of that?" Khumil asked disdainfully, "we will leave behind a scrap of her skirt or shawl smeared with a bit of blood, then leave no tracks so they will be unable to follow us. We will go back to their village and live there on hobbitflesh."
Kyo had to admit that the plan was a good one. He gestured towards the petrified Rosa with a jerk of his head.
"Why don't we eat her now? Then we will not have to wait to outrun the others." Khumil's mouth twisted into a smile.
"You yourself said we must wait. Besides, I'm enjoying myself far too much." Kyo nodded, as if this was a reasonable excuse, and then asked:
"Did you see your cousin?"
"Yes," Khumil replied with a sneer, "he is just a little house dog to them. They call him Fluffy." Both Wargs laughed at this, thinking of how Wargs were usually named. Rosa stood by, watching in horror.
Rosa backed away from the warg but dared not run off back to the others otherwise they would kill her at a blink of an eye.Instead sat on the ground as they talked with growling voices.
An idea came to her mind and she slid her hand to where her sword normally was, but it was not there. Panic clouded her mind and a tear rolled back her white face and her heart ached with grief.
"They're going to kill me." She thought and her tears ran freely down her face now leaving streaks on white on her muddied cheeks.
"We must get to the town." Kyo nodded, irked though he was at his son's pretense of command. Who did he think he was? Leader of a pack that was now all slain? Nevertheless, Kyo led Rosa from the camp. The arm of the hobbit lass was securely tied to Khumil's foot, and Khumil was careless, proud of the capture of his foe. Suddenly, Kyo crouched down.
"Hide! The other two-leggers come swiftly!" He hissed to his son. Reluctantly, Khumil dragged Rosa behind a bush. Why should his father order him around? Especially when there was no more pack...
Rosa jolted forward into the bush lead by the warg.
Two people rode passed, an elf and a dwarf.
"Gimlo and Alyth ."She whispered as they rode passed.
Gimlo had never ridden a horse before. The jolting, the wind in his face, the steady beat of the horse's holves, it was all something new to him. He kind of liked the new feelings. Then his mind snapped back into reality. Rosa!
"Wait, do you not sense something unusual? Did you hear that muffled yelp? The sound of commotion in that bush? What do you think of it?" said Gimlo.
"Let us go find out" replied the elf. Alyth spurred Windsong on, galloping heedlessly through the brush. She drew her dagger, not knowing what she would find in the clearing up ahead. "I never wanted to fight again. Now I have to..." she muttered.
Gimlo's jaw dropped. How could anyone not want to be a warrior. He restrained himself from rolling his eyes at the new difference between her people and his.
"All right, don move!" a group of wargs surrounded Gimlo and Alyth. "You move and yer lil friend is carrion." The lead warg sneered. Rosa was being held at fang point, sweating, dirtied skin white with fear. The Wargs squared off with the newcomers. "Now what, Alyth?" Gimlo barked, sweat pouring down to his beard.
"Surely we can come to some sort of arrangement? All we want is our companion back."
"Then fight for her, elf." The Wargs sprang forward. Gimlo brandished his axe, decapitating the first Warg to rush the two on the horse. Alyth lept off, whacking Wargs left and right with her staff, stabbing with her dagger. Windsong reared and plunged, crushing warg skulls with her sharp hooves. Onward the companions fought, but the Wargs were too numerous. They couldn't go on forever. Then suddenly with savage blood curdling yells, Thoro and Andoras fell upon the remaining wargs. Axe and short sword, fell in rhythm. Warg blood, heads and limbs scattered the clearing.
Just then the sound of more footfalls approached them, the other hobbits. Fluffy jumped from Mentha's grasp. His mother's friend was missing. He must help her. He lowered his nose to the ground, trying to remember what the hobbit lass had smelled like... with a howl he was on the scent and running off into the woods, the rest of the rescue party close behind him.
Kyo and Khumil knew they were almost beaten. They were both limping and wounded, attacking together and using all their skill to make the Elf and Dwarf believe that there were many more Wargs.
"We can't... go on... much longer!" Khumil panted, "how... do you suppose... we get out of this one, father?" he added contemptuously. Kyo gave him a bite on the ear for his tone.
"We must depart." he said decisively, as much as he hated this decision, "but first - vengeance." Before he could be stopped, Kyo sprang forward and dealt a ferocious bite to the hobbitmaid. Snapping at the horses, he and his son left the camp.
Fluffy bounded into the clearing moments too late. His black nose quivered as he sniffed Rosa's still form. Fluffy whimpered, and howled in mourning. But surely his mother would not let her companion die; surely his mother could do anything.
A small tear escaped from Fluffy's velvet brown eyes as the other hobbits came crashing into the clearing.
Harry and Amy arrived only moments too late. Rosa lay still in the center of the clearing, blood seeping from her wounds, Andoras knelt above her, trembling and the small pup Fluffy howling at her side. Tears welled up in Harry's eyes, and as Amy came up beside him and saw her best friend lying there, tears began to roll openly down her cheeks. Harry pulled her into a tight hug, his arms encircling her snugly. The elfmaid walked slowly over to Rosa and began to inspect her ailments, carefully going over every aspect of the small Hobbit lass' body. Andoras sat in stunned silence, pale faced and sweating, and his eyes wide.
Mentha followed her sister closely as she had entered the clearing. Pushing past her, she dropped to the floor beside Andoras and Alyth. Fluffy jumped to her side, but she fended him off gently as she began to staunch Rosa's wounds. Getting the message, the pup moved back and started to pace, as if guarding the injured hobbit.
Mentha raised her eyes to meet the Elf's gaze. "Can you help her? she's losing blood fast. What can we do to help?" Her voice, controlled and calm, seemed to draw the hobbits out of their panic, and they crowded around, anxious to help in some way. Glancing at her sister, Amy rushed off with Harry to find water, while the dwarves began to work on a fire.
"Everyone back up! Give her some air!" Alythiel shouted. "Gimlo, ride Windsong back to camp and get my healers bag!"
"RIDE her? Surely you jest." the dwarf boomed.
"I do not. If you don't this little maid will die!" She practically threw the dwarf into the saddle and watched as he galloped off. Then she leaned over the pretty little halfling, pulling off her green over-tunic and ripping it into strips to bind the maid's terrible wounds. The other hobbits looked on.
Amy had grabbed a pale of water and run back to the Warg Camp, calling Rosa's name."'Rosa! Rosa! Don't Die!" Her face, paled as she ran into the camp. "Alyth, is she dead???"
"I don't know if I can help her." Alyth lowered her head towards the ground as Harry came running up to behind her and handed over the water to Mentha. He asked her why she was crying.
"Rosa may be dead." Amarilys said hoarsly.
Andoras wept, not knowing if his love would even survive.
"Do not lose heart, little one. I won't let her die." Alyth reassured the hobbit lad.
Edited by: Cimmerian at: 12/14/02 5:02:17 pm
Rosa felt like a blanket had been covering her eyes. Keeping her from seeing the world around her, full of bird song and the sweet smell of food when it was cooked on an open fire in the camp.
Her senses where dead and Rosa was fearing her mind had to be as well. Trying to make her arms come to her eyes to wipe them of anything that might be coverng them .Nothing. Nothing seemed to work. Panic grew inside the young hobbit and when she exhaled, she inhaled nothing. No air filled her lungs and she knew her body was dying along with her mind.
Memories... they seemed so far away. Playing in the fields with her brother and her best friend,Amy. Steeling carrots, mushrooms and other vegetables and fruit from the farms nearby. Her first sweet kiss from... Andoras!
"I fear I will never see his smile again nor feel his soft skin beneth my fingers," she thought as her lungs burned for the beloved air was no more.
"This confounded beast is running faster than any axe blade can travel! AH!" A stick smashed into Gimlo's face, drawing blood. He spotted the camp up ahead. He jumped off the wild beast and ran towards the bag lying on the ground. Just as he is about to hop up onto the horse, the beast took liberty from his grasp and galloped off like the wind.
"Windsong! Come back! If you do not Rosa shall perish!" Windsong stopped in his tracks. Almost as if he understood he turned around and headed for Gimlo.
"Now to make haste!", said the dwarf as he made for the camp.
As Gimlo arrived back at the clearing with Alythiel's healer's bag, Alyth leapt to her deet to meet him.
"Thank you my friend," she said as she took the bag from his hand. She knelt beside the little hobbit maiden, searching through the green satchel. "Warg saliva contains a slow acting poison. It will not kill a man or an elf, but I know not what it will do to a hobbit." The elf removed some leaves and a mortar and pestle from her bag. Placing the leaves in the bowl, she spit on them and ground them up with the heavy stick.
"Alyth, why did you spit on them?" Andoras croaked in suspicion.
"To create a paste. Don't be silly, Andoras. I will do nothing to hurt her, only save her, if I can."
In her confused mental state, Rosa felt something... a hug?
"Am I dead?" she thought as the feelng disappeared. She could feel her heart beating in her chest. Even after the loss of so much blood she opened her eyes to meet the pale white faces of her friends as they stared down at her.
Rosa took a breathe, and Amy started to breathe again as well. Colour returned to her face, and her eyes returned to a beautiful green.
"Rosa, Bless Ye! Your awake! It's Allright. Ye'll be alright. Andoras and I are here. Ye'll be fine... I hope." Am wispered the last two words.
Rosa drifted back to sleep. "Will she be Ok, Alythiel?"
"I don't know if the poision has gotten into her bloodstream yet. We can only hope for the best...."
"Rosa!!!Rosa, ye are alive! Wake up!" yelled Amy as Rosa pulled in a gasp of sweet air.
Rosa couldnt feel her arm and when she looked at it she nearly cried at the sight. Blood covered it and puddles of it covered the dry dirt beneath.
Her mouth opened to say something but was silenced by Andoras' finger.
"Sssshhhh." He said trying to put a smile on his face but failed. Rosa could see the streaks of tears on his cheeks and his eyes where filled with relief.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief as Rosa awoke. Everything around him was happening too fast, and if Rosa died... Amy stayed close to Rosa for the next hour or so, and Andoras never left her side. His eyes were slowly shrinking back to their normal size, and he had begun to pay some small attention to the other people in the party. Harry was worried about him-what happens if she gets hurt further down the road?
Alyth checked Rosa's pulse. "Well, since she doesn't appear to have been affected too much by the poison, I think she will be all right. You will feel dizzy for about a day or two. That is perfectly normal. I think we can press on. We have a few more miles to get in before we make camp."
"But, miss, I don't think she can walk."
"Of course not, Andoras. You and she will ride Windsong." Alyth lifted Rosa's frail frame onto her big chestnut mare and assisted Andoras into the saddle behind her before whispering a few words in the horse's ear. The party moved on, with Windsong following docilely behind.
"You may ride Adon," Andoras whipsered, pointing at his white little pony. Alyth smiled.
Harry and Amy jumped on Carmel and followed Windsong, as did Ruby and Mentha on the latter's pony.
"She'll be alright Am, even Alythiel said so." Harry said softly in Amarillys's ear as she nodded her head.
"I know, I'm just scared. What if sumthin' like that happens to one of us? I won't be able to go on. You wouldn't ethier. I just can't think of it.." Am started to cry. harry gave her an embracing kiss.
The elf was right, Rosa was very dizzy and it made her feel quite sick. She took in a steady quivering breath as she was swung onto the horse... Rosa remembered nothing after that. Much had happened since Andoras had led them away from the Shire and his simple mind was reeling. Events transpired too fast for the hobbit mind to keep up. Andoras felt guilty, for twice now the little Rosa's life was at risk and had it not been for their elvin and dwarven companions, this adventure would be very tragic indeed.
The group moved ahead. Rosa slept peacfully, her pretty face looked peaceful at last, as her curly head rested on his chest and shouylder. Andoras kept her close to him, his arm around her shoulders, held on tight. Ruby and Mentha followed them and Harry and Amy rode ahead. The dwarves kept rearguard as the elf darted in and around the group keeping a sharp eye out for anymore attacks.
The little warg pup bounded around and Andoras eyed it sucpiciously, could this creature be the death of them all. But his reasoning told him that it was too little to be any threat. As they moved towards Bree, Andoras gently caressed Rosa's pale cheek, the colour was yet to return.
Rosa awoke, feeling dizzy and sick. Her wounds where healing but her mental wounds would not heal as fast. Even with Elven healing.
She opened her eyes to a strong arm around her waist and as she looked up she saw the face of Andoras staring down at her with a smile.
"Please, my angel, I'm not ready to die." Rosa said, pleadingly.
"No, you will not die, my love. Not if I can help it." He repled as Rosa fell asleep again listening to the comforting beat of his heart, close to her.
Alyth still worried about Rosa. The little maid's cheek was still pale, and her hands still shook. Fortunately, the best medicine for a mental wound was just what she was receiving - love. Andoras held her tightly, whispering in her ear. Alythiel grinned, a rare event for her, to see such a happy relationship. She absentmindedly reached down to pet the Warg puppy, and was shocked to find it licking her hand.
"Well, this truly is a magnificent journey," she whispered to herself as they approached Bree.
Ruby was glad to see the walls of Bree ahead of them through the clear evening air. She wondered how long Andoras would let them remain in Bree, and if they would leave at all. Rosa had been badly wounded, and would need to rest before they could go on, if Andoras was willing to take such a risk. The party knocked on the gates and stepped into the streets of Bree. They recieved a few strange glances from the towns-people, but they were used to travelling folk, and if they thought the group odd, they did not say so. Ruby smiled as she thought of the hearth and soft beds which would be theirs tonight, and for the first time since the start of their journey, wondered what her family thought had happened to her.
Bree was a new and strange sight for Andoras and most of the party. They looked around in awe at all the dwellings of differing types and the folk. There were big people there, the shire hobbits first experience of them. Dwarves gambolled along and shared hearty hellos and hugs with Gimlo and Thoro. Elves were few and seemed to avoid the party.
Thoro and Gimlo took charge as they headed off to acquire rooms at a nearby inn. A few shady characters cast lecherous glances at them vary hobbits but Alyth glared them away. Was there any more adventure for them here, or would they have a quiet rest before moving on to newer lands.
Fluffy jumped about joyously, licking faces and smelling smells. The big city was bright and exciting to him, and Fluffy didn't want to miss a minute of the fun. His bouncing was suddenly interupted with a cry from the street-- "Hi! Get that dog o' yours to stop that barking and racket!"
"Say, tisn't a dog at all..." one of the hobbits piped up. Surrounded by threateningly unfamiliar faces, Fluffy whimpered and jumped up onto Mentha's lap. Gimlo eyed Fluffy. He never approved of the adoption of the warg pup. Wargs were evil by nature. He wondered if one could be tamed. He had his doubts...
Being back in Bree was a great relief for Mentha. The home of her childhood was a welcome change for the uncertainty of the past few days. She was delighted to greet some old acquaintances and friends of her mother, and it was a few minutes before she realised the whispers that Fluffy was drawing. as the warg jumped into her lap, she watched her aquaintances draw a few paces back from her, eyeing the cub with alarm.
Defiantly, though a state she was not used to in herself, Mentha picked Fluffy up and walked over to Gimlo. She felt a twinge as she saw the way he was looking at Fluffy, but held him thighter as she spoke to the Dwarf.
"There are several of your folk here, I see, and I know many of the Hobbits from my childhood. Perhaps finding accomadation would be most successful if we were to seek it while the others rest?"
Gimlo felt uneasy being seen with the warg, but he saw Mentha's logic as well. He assented, and the two of them moved off in search of the nearest inn.
Andoras was tired. The adventures he so yearned for turned out to be more exhausting than entertaining and his young hobbit heart grew heavy. He didn't like leaving Rosa alone in the stuffy inn room, but the others persuaded him to join them in the relaxing merriment at the bar.
After a few mugs of ale and a good hearty meal, the young hobbit lost himself into forgetfulness and enjoyed with the others. Harry and Amy danced and Ruby clapped her hands. Only Mentha seemed preoccupied with Fluffy. The swarthy men and women in the Bar showed their discomfort at the presence of the Warg. Some of them even made snide remarks.
Rosa awoke in a dull, gloomy and stuffy room.Full of cobwebs and dust on every surface possible. She got up from the small soft bed to the big windows and rubbed the dirt off thm to look outside. The room was hobbitsized with other beds against the grimy brown walls and the smell of pine trees and old wood filled her lungs.
Out of the door now, she left the room behind and went down the hallways where shouting and drucken singing could be heard.
"The others are probably there waiting for me." She thought as the singing grew louder. Many big people where there with pints of ale in there hands, sloshing it everywhere in there state. They turned to her from time to time and pointed at her thinking she was some sort of strange little thing, which made Rosa's temper flare.
The bar was simple. With only ale and some other drink that looked like dirty bath water being served.
"Hullo, little lady.How may I help ye'.Maybe a pint of ale will do you good," the barman said with a chubby smile on his face.
"Um...well...ok.Thank you."
Suddenly Andoras noticed Rosa in the middle of the decadence. The pretty little hobbit looked dazed and confused as the uncouth people pushed her around until she stumbled and fell, spilling the ale she carried. A drunken man, with shifty eyes and sunken cheeks, grinning a toothless grin, grabbed her and held her tightly.
Andoras saw red and before he could jump at the offender, strong hands grabbed and pinned him down. Unable to help his beloved, he cried out aloud. But to his surprise he saw the dainty little Rosa swing her chubby arm and hit the foul man square on the face with her ale mug. The mug smashed against the weather beaten face of the man, cutting him deep. With a yowl, he grabbed his bleeding nose and mouth and jumped up. But Rosa was not done with him yet. She executed a swift sharp kick to the man's unmentionables and he screamed in pain, groaned loudly and fainted.
The large men that had held Andoras were distracted by surprise, and Andoras threw them off easily. Having gained the upper hand he dove into them, his strong little fists flailing left and right.
On the other side of the Bar, Ruby got into an argument about mushrooms with a few people and a fight started between them. Thoro jumped in to fight beside Ruby and Gimlo joined them.
Some of the men moved in towards Mentha and Fluffy, but held their ground fearing the warg. The elf maiden stood by her.
Harry and Amy joined in to help their friends and soon the entire bar was in pandemonium. Bottles, food and utensils flew around as the fight raged on. No one had drawn weapons... it was an old fashioned fist fight.
Rosa ducked under a mug that was being thrown across the room and fell forwards smacking her head on the floor.
"Ow!" She murmured and shuffled under a table with her mug, that was empty, at hand in case any other big people try to hurt her. Rosa surprised herself by making a grown human faint at her feet. She leaned against the leg of the table and gently fell asleep even if everyone was screaming murder around the Inn.
Fluffy howled. Huge people were yelling and swinging their fists, and only Mentha's strong arms kept Fluffy from leaping forward and joining the fray. But it proved too much for her when a man of the Big Folk sprang forward, his fists raised.
Fearing for his mother, Fluffy broke free from her grasp and affixed himself by the teeth firmly to the man's nose. Screaming as loudly as is possible when a young Warg pup is hanging from your face, the man fell back onto the floor.
Harry leapt head first into the fray, enjoying every minute with a big, mischevious (sp?) grin on his face. His small fists caused many a bloody nose and black eye, and he jumped rather enthusiastically to the defense of his friends. Quite honestly, he was having the time of his life, and relieving all of the anger and sorrow built up from their previous adventures, until he saw a big person threating Amy. Rather like Andoras before him, Harry charged at the man and they both ended up sprawling on the ground. Harry's fist found yet another home in the man's face, and then he got up. "Ye alright Amy?" he asked breathlessly.
"Yes, I'm alright." she replied, and Harry smiled and gave her a hug. Suddenly, a man on the other side of the room started to scream, and both Harry and Amy saw the warg pup dangling from his nose. "Fluffy!" she cried angrily, and they both ran over.
Alyth charged into the fray, whacking drunkards right and left with her travelling staff. One man swung a punch at her that would have crushed her nose. She grabbed his hand and squeezed, grinning fiercely at the look of pain upon his face. She stopped just short of breaking fingers. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in the small of her back.
"Dammit!" she cursed. This was her old wound, the one she had received so long ago, at the battle at the side of Gil-Galad. She grabbed the side of the bar and swung herself nimbly up.
"All right, everyone. That is ENOUGH!!!!" Her voice was hard and sharp, and it carried over all the noise of the bar. All activity ceased. Everyone stared up at the slender maiden.
Gimlo saw this was getting out of hand. Someone was going to get seriously injured, and it wasn't going to be the bad guys. At the top of his lungs, deep powerful voice booming, "STOP THIS FOOLISHNESS!" Not a single man heeded his command.
He jumped off the table and grabbed Thoro, "Thor, quick, we must stop this!". "I agree!", replied Thoro.
Together, they grabbed Rosa, and Andoras, and Harry, and the rest. restraining them was hard work, but keeping the others back was harder. After a hard knock with the blunt end of his axe, which was on his belt, the other men realized to stop, for Gimlo had just knocked out a full grown man.
Walking up to the leader of the Men, who was twice his size, he said, "We mean no harm, so hold back your Men before I unsheath my axe."
"Who do ya think you're kidding Shorty?", said the ringleader as he slapped Gimlo
That was too much for Gimlo, he whipped out his dagger and whacked him across he face. Although it was still sheathed, the man staggered back in agony, clearly suffering great pain. "Do that again and you'll feel more, that was a tap! Now get out of here, all of you! GIT!" boomed the brave dwarf.
Turning to his friends he said, "What is wrong with you! You could have been killed!"
The chaos had abated, thanks to Alyth and Gimlo. Andoras looked red in the face, his knuckles bleeding... Harry looked no better.
It was one thing fighting a big man, but quite another when it was a whole group and a drunk group at that.
The hobbits looked embarrassed and acknowleded their folly and Andoras gently helped Rosa back to the room, passing the man she asaulted, who was still writhing around on the floor and another kept screaming holding on to a bloodied nose.
They knew that they had overstayed their welcome, even before the inkeeper made it quite clear. They had to leave at first light.
Everyone settled down to a sombre meal, and then the three guardians - the elf and the two dwarves drew lots as to who would take first watch. The hobbit's weren't relied upon to take such responsibility.
The night was cold and damp, the six hobbits settled in.
Gimlo was chosen for first watch, but Alyth still couldn't sleep. She walked stiffly over to where he sat, watching.
"I've been meaning to ask you," he said when she sat beside him. "What did you do to your back?"
"Old wound."
"From where? I thought you said you weren't a warrior."
"I'm not, anymore. I was injured at the battle where Gil-Galad fell. That day, I swore never to fight again."
Gimlo was getting restless. The night was long. He guessed the time. It must be Thoro's turn now. He walked into the dwarve's room. "Thoro, time has come for your watch.". There was no response. Gimlo felt down to the bed. It was empty! Everyone knew not to leave the hotel for fear of revenge! Where was Thoro?!
Rosa awoke while outside the sky was still as dark.She riggled out of bed quietly to make sure she didnt wake the others.She looked around the room and her eyes settled on Andoras.He seemed to innocent when asleep.
The full moonlight streamed though the windows making odd shadows of the floor and the stars winkled in the sky like candles.
She climbed back into bed her eyes fixed of the night sky outside.She never got any sleep after that.
Thoro was thinking about the fight in the bar, they men who had assaulted the hobbits should not get the chance to do so again. He stopped fighting because his friend, Gimlo was right. These little peaceful hobits were not suited for battle with such evil men.
Late that night, the dwarf had slipped away to teach those men a lesson. after finding them, Thoro gave them a sound thrashing and sent them packing with a warning never to return to Bree or come near another hobbit.
After this Thoro decided to look around the city and find old friends to whom he could sell his wares. He knew that the hobbits would be safe with Gimlo and the elf.
So Thoro walked around Bree all night.
Andoras slept peacfully and dreamt of Rosa and adventures, blissfully unawares of the eyes of Rosa upon him and of her roubled mind.
In his dream, he rode out to war, fighting dragons and gaining glory. With Rosa and Harry and the others by his side.
The sun was risng when Rosa got out of bed.She hadn't slept all night and she eyes were showing signs of tiredness.
She stepped outside where the sky was splashed with colour and the moon an the stars where disappearing though the blanket of light.In the east the sun was a brig orange colour and the clouds were purple.
No one was awake yet and the morning was peaceful with only the sound of bird song in the air.
Andoras snored peacefully and dreamt on. Little did he or the other hobbits know that their real adventures as about to begin.
Rosa decided to look around the inn, tiptoeing around quietly.
It was Amy's watch. She felt very ashamed by fighting in the bar. Her mother had died from an apperent fight. After her death, she vowed to never fight again.
She sat down on a log and started to hum, facing the camp, on the edge of the woods. Her back was to the forest.
She felt something breathing down her neck. A big body then pounced on her.
"Ahh! Harry!" She passed out in the dirt.
"What! What's goin' on??" Harry asked thickly through his sleepiness. He had been awoken by the Amy's shout, and he could barely see. She lay passed out in the dirt, and he went over and shook her gently. "Hey, Amy. Amy." He said her name gently.
She didn't wake, and Harry knew she wasn't asleep anymore. She had passed out. He carefully picked her up and moved her to her bed, covering her and brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. Then he sat himself on the chair, taking the rest of Amy's watch for her. He also wanted to know what had happened, so he looked around a bit, then came back to the chair. He couldn't figure it out. The sun rose slowly now, the first beams of morning light comming over the horizon. In an hour or so, everyone would be getting up, and Ruby would prepare breakfast, something Harry was looking forward to.
Amy woke up, laying in bed with Harry sitting in a chair next to her, looking at the sunrise. "Harry, What happened? I was supposed ta be on watch outside... Why am I in here?"
"Ya screamed me name, woke me up, and I found ya outside, passed out in the dirt. Ya have some bloody claw marks across yer back..."
Amy tried to sit up, but her back hurt.
"Dont worry, I'll have Mentha and Ruby make ya breakfast so ya don't gotta get up." He kissed her forehead.
Rosa tiptoed around the Inn to make sure she didnt wake anyone. The room was getting lighter because of the sun rising.
She sat at the bar, running her fingers along the ruff grain of the wood and putting her head on her crossed arms on the counter. As she turned her head she saw something made out of paper on the floor. It seemed old and I was torn at the edges where to may people had handled it. She unrolled the paper and looked at what seemed to be a map of some sort. Elvish writing decorated the sides of the paper with pictures of red dragons dancing in the corners. Pictures of Grape vines twisted and curled around each other as they twirled around the pictures of mountians, forests and rivers in the middle.
She gasped and stumbleing off the chair to make for Andoras' room.
Fluffy was torn out of his sleep by a scream. Realising that his mother was not in any danger, Fluffy laid his head down upon her lap again and tried to go to sleep. His efforts were wasted, for soon Rosa came rushing in, her face red with excitement, and clutching a small, un-important looking piece of paper. Fluffy sat up to watch her as she attempted to shake Andoras awake.
Huh..Wha...!" blurted Andoras groggily, " What is it, Rosa?"
"Look, Andoras!" cried the pretty little hobbit lass excitedly,"Look at this paper."
Andoras blinked and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, then gasped as he peered at the piece of parchment that Rosa held in her chubby fist.
"It's a ... a.." he stammerd.
"A map!" cried Rosa,"And look, it leads to different lands, to even where there are dragons."
"And... and treasure" cried Andoras, now just as excited as Rosa,"We are off on a treasure hunt, and just in the nick too as we have to leave this town as well."
Harry amd Amy ran over hearing the excited voices of the two hobbits and Mentha joined them with Fluffy. Ruby ambled along too. Seeing the map, they all exulted and danced around. Little did their naive minds care that this could be a trick set up by some prankster. Each hobbit voted that they take on this adventure, which started exactly form a place called Weathertop in the map and let to a land called Mordor.
After getting dressed, the hobbits ran out to tell the elf and the dwarves but there was no sign of either. And the landlord of the inn was glaring at them for not having
already left. Fluffy growled at him.
Andoras decided to leave the inn and wait for the others just outside the gates of Bree,the hobbits agreed to this, but decided to be at the ready after hearing of the attack on Amy the night before. If there was any warg after them, they would feel the sting of hobbit steel.
"Where are Gimlo, Thoro and the elf healer?" was on everyone's mind as they waited outside the gates.
Thoro 'the armourer' Hammersdown was shocked to find that the hobbit lot had left the inn without him and Gimlo.
He didn't care about the elf Alyth. He gambolled along to where the innkeeper said they would be waiting.
Gimlo walked along with him asking, "Where were you all night, you old rascal?"
"Oh.. on business," replied Thoro with a big smile,"So happened that some breelanders owed me gold," he shook a small bag in his belt, "And the harvest was good."
Gimlo smirked and asked, "Where is Alyth?"
"Oh, who cares... good riddance I say."
"You old windbag, elfs are not all bad, especially this one," cried Gimo angrily at his old friend, "She's a fine companion for a journey, as good as any. Even better than you, you old grump."
"If you ask me, I'd say my friend Gimlo is in love, "Thoro said gruffly, " and that too with an elf. What will the elders say?"
"They will say that we dwarves need to lighten up and move with the times."
"The times, he says," grumbled Thoro, "The times have never been better for Dwarf kind and we don't need to befriend those thieving tree folk."
Gimlo shook his head realising there was no way he could convinve his friend, Thoro that elves are good folk and not loose his friendship.
The dwarf duo reached the gates and greeted the hobbits.
"And where are ye all off to, and so early" cried Thoro.
"Thoro, my friend," said Andoras excitedly, " we are off to find treasure."
"Treasure!" exclaimed the two dwarves and Andoras showed them the map and they examined it.
"Treasure!" said the two Dwarves and rubbed their hands in glee.
"Treasure!"
Thoro knew not that Alythiel had been in a tree, not ten feet above his head, as he had been tirading against her people. She pitied poor Gimlo. Here was a prime example of a good person whose culture was crushing him. She sat alone, thinking about this, until she heard Andoras and the other hobbits come scampering up, and heard them describing the treasure map to the dwarves.
"Let me see that!" she said, leaping lightly from her perch. She seized the map and stared at it. "Have you lost your wits? MORDOR????" She almost screamed. "WE CANNOT GO THERE!!!! WE MUST NOT!!!"
Mentha started at the Elf's reaction. She knew the name Mordor faintly, in the tales her mother had told her of the old times. It was a name that she had feared as a child, and so had not bothered to remember the tales when she took her mothers place telling stories by the fire.
Now she turned to the Elf, and asked her "What is this land that you fear? I know the name but not the place. I do not believe Hobbits have ever been there." By her side, Fluffy whimpered. Mentha stole a glance at Amy. She could not help feeling like a mother to her, and worried for her more than any other here - except Fluffy, whom she cared for equally as her own. Mentha did not wish to go further on this journey, but could not leave her sister to go on alone, and knew she would not be persuaded back.
Mentha forced her attention back to Alythiel as she began to speak.
Andoras eyes lit up, finally an adventure worth all the troubles they had taken so far.
The elf maiden was petrified at the mention of this Mordor, but it couldn't be that bad, he reasoned in his mind. The others weren't too sure and Andoras decided it was time to take charge.
"My friends," he said, " This is the opportunity of a lifetime that has come our way, if we were to pass it up, we will just have to return to our mundane lives again."
"He's right," cried Harry, "We are out for adventure and we will have adventure, besides I can't leave my best buddy to have all the fun alone."
"I will go with Andoras anywhere he leads," cried Rosa, her voice quivering with resolute excitement.
"And I will be where ever Harry is," said Amy, holding her head up high.
Mentha sighed and thought to herself, " And I must be whereever you are, dear sister. As I have promised our parents."
"You have mine axe, I will accompany you and protect you with my life,' yelled Thoro, but more so to spite the elf for he too secretly shared her fear of rushing into Mordor.
Ruby smiled and said, "You all need your meals, so how can I not go along."
Gimlo and Alyth stood perplexed, they were ready to go anywhere, but leading a band of naive hobits into the dreaded evil of Mordor was something that needed entensive discussion. However, the resolute hobbits seemed determined to move on, with or without them.
"Allright we will go with you too," said the elf with a sigh. And in her thoughts she wished they had a hundred more evlves with them.
'Oh, very, very good!" said Andoras excitedly, "It's off to Weathertop, where ther is buried a key.... come on, everyone... we off at last to seek adventures.."
"...and Treasure," beamed Thoro.
"Hurrah!" cried every hobbit in unison.
Mordor. Alythiel shivered at the very thought of going there again. Since the day that her old life had ended, that day on the slopes of Mount Doom, she had blocked the very thought of that accursed land.
Alyth pulled Andoras aside. "Listen, you." she whispered forcefully. "I have sworn to protect you, but you know not what you do! Mordor... is no place for those like you."
"You just are trying to hold us back!" Andoras shouted. All of the other halflings turned to stare at this rare sight, an elf arguing with a hobbit. Then, Andoras stormed off, leaving Alyth standing alone.
Tim Gamwich sat under a tree in a grove outside of Bree. He had a lot to think about, new thoughts as well as the old memories that had been brought back to him.
There had been strange tales told him recently by Elf friends who sometimes passed that way. He called them "friends"--as they were the closest thing he had to them since the orphaned hobbit had made the grove his home.
It had been five years since Tim's home, the villiage of Gamwich, had been seiged by Goblins. He had been only 14 then, and his mother, after giving him his father's old bow and dagger, fairly pushed him out the back door of their home and told him to run. Run he did--as hard as he could, until he was exhausted. Even as far as he had gone, though, he could still look back and see the smoke rising from what once had been his home.
He did go back--but there had been nothing left--nothing living, anyway. He gathered what weapons he found, some taken from dead hobbits' hands, and set out to find a suitable place to stay on the land.
He had found this little hollow--a thick stand of trees with comfortable hassocks of grass and plenty of game to hunt with his bow.
Elves passed there on occasion, and when asking of him, he told them he was Tim Gamwich--taking the name from his home.
Some of the younger Elves that came that way spoke long to him; they were the ones he considered the closest things he had to friends. They had their buisness, however, and he had his.
One of these friends had recently told him some rumours--about how an Entwife had been seen, and along with her a band of hobbits.
Some said an Elf was with them too, and a Dwarf.
"Likely stories...." Tim thought to himself.
"Dwarves and Elves in speaking distance of each other. And what of this Entwife? An
Entwife? Probably the product of drinking too much of that awful stuff they call Mead or Ale or whatever it is.
He sighed. But what of the hobbits? How long had it been since he'd seen--much less talked to--another hobbit? He did live alone, and cared not for the "city life" of Bree, but being alone was not neccessarily something he altogether enjoyed...
Tim, although out of the "loop" of settled Hobbit life, still had a Hobbit's appetite.
His stomach growled.
"Oh, hush." he said, standing up and going to the thicket where he kept the weapons he'd had so long.
A dagger slipped into his belt, a quiver of arrows on his back, a short sword in the belt on the hip opposite the dagger, and his bow in hand, he wandered into the deeper part of the wood, which brought him a bit closer to Bree.
Andoras walked away from the exasperated elf maiden in huff. How dare she try to disuade them from so fine an adventure. She may have been a great help to them along the way, but she shouldn't try to decide their fate. Afterall he was the leader of this band of adventurers.
"What's the matter, dear Andoras?" asked Rosa, smiling sweetly.
Andoras looked at her and his clouded face brightened, "Oh nothing, Alythiel says that there is a lot of danger in this Mordor place."
"Oh, but if she is right..." wondered Rosa.
"Nothing to it," smiled Andoras, "We have come through so much danger already, we can surely weather some more."
Rosa smiled, "Oh that we will, Andoras." and she slipped her arm around his waist and they walked over to where Amy was preparing their second breakfast with Ruby.
Gimlo pulled Alythiel and Thoro aside.
"We cannot go to Mordor," he said. "For that would surely mean death!"
"You are right, young dwarf," replied Alythiel. "But how are we to convince the hobbits? Especially Andoras."
"I know not"
"Why try? Let us embark on such an adventure! We can protect ourselves and the hobbits!The treasure we might find we could become as rich as kings!"
"I still am not sure, no amount of money is worth our lives."
"Well, I don't know about you two, but I"m going! With or without you!"
Alythiel could see that Thoro was bent on going on this adventure, just as the hobbits were.
"And I wouldn't put it past an ELF to leave us all when we need her protection..." Thoro muttered, casting a dark look at Alyth.
That was it. Alyth reached forward and grabbed the dwarf by the collar. "Listen, dwarf. I have been to Mordor, unlike the rest of you. It is true there is great treasure there, but also great evil and great peril. I will not abandon the halflings, ever. I swore to protect them. But I ALONE know what it is we face." The dwarf struggled helplessly in her grip, twisting this way and that, attempting to escape.
"And one more thing. I don't care whether you love me or hate me, but don't you DARE question my honor, behind my back or to my face. You may find that you have bitten off more than you can chew." The elf maiden threw the dwarf to the ground and stalked off.
Tim had been sneaking up on a rabbit, when he heard voices.
What in Middle-Earth...?
He was hungry, but curiosity got the better of him this time. Though his stomach growled in protest, he turned himself around and looked the other direction.
His brown eyes widened even more than they already were. To his amazement, he saw a group sitting close by, eating and conversing with one another. As he studied them, he saw Hobbits, as well as an Elf and a Dwarf.
I don't believe it! The stories were true!! he thought to himself. His heart ached at the sight of the Hobbits. He wondered where they were from, even though he had never been in another town save his own Gamwich, and wouldn't have recognized another name anyway. He wanted so much to talk to someone, but wether from shyness or fear or caution, he did not get up and rush from under the bushes. Curiosity was stronger than any of his other feelings, however, and he crawled closer. Evidently his curiosity much overtook his caution, because uncharacteristically he let his knee come down on a twig hard enough to crack it.
SNAP!
The entire party whirled around at the sound of a snapping twig. Seeing a hobbit peering through the undergrowth, Andoras started towards him. The strange hobbit stepped backwards nervously, and Andoras stopped. He looked around, and caught Mentha's gaze. She stepped towards the stranger slowly, stopping a good few paces away from him.
"Good day to you" She said gently, yet loudly enough for him to hear. "We mean you no harm, sir. My name is Mentha, and this is Andoras." Mentha motioned to their leader, stood two paces behind her. "Will you not come and join us, and tell us your tale?"
Fluffy ambled over to the stranger and looked up at him. Something in the hobbits face softened as he returned the Warg's gaze
Tim looked down at the pup. It was rather cute, with it's big eyes staring up at him and it's tounge lolling out.
Looking back up at the other folks there, he took a slow step forward.
The female hobbit that had spoken to him seemed nice enough. He'd never had a pet himself--most animals to him had been game as long as he'd remembered.
He looked at the male hobbit near her. He was awfully muscular, but in a way, he didn't seem threatening either.
"My-my name's Tim." he finally said haltingly. "Tim Gamwich. I'm from the town of Gamwich--it was--was wrecked some years ago by Goblins."
Tim hesitated. In all his longing to see other Hobbits, he wasn't sure what to do now that it was finally happening.
Then, he still wasn't sure of this group's intention. He decided to stop with his tale there--for now.
Taking a deep breath and composing himself, he said, "An' what about th' rest o' you, if I may ask? "
Suddenly Fluffy stiffened. He sniffed the air, and heard a snap from a grove of trees. Growling softly, he crept towards the grove, teeth bared.
"What's wrong, Fluffy?" Mentha asked.
Fluffy ran headlong into the trees, barking madly. There were various cries from the trees, and suddenly a young hobbit lad fell out of an overhanging branch.
"Oh, no!" the fallen hobbit lad exclaimed, "Very sorry for listening in on your conversation, but I heard the word treasure, and well, I wanted to help, but didn't know if I should just butt in--" He stopped for breath. His small round face was dirty, and his sandy-brown hair was full of twigs. "By the way, my name's Tom Cotton. Who all are you? My mum used to call me Brook because I talk so much, at least she did afore she died." Tom lowered his gaze, then looked back up again at the others.
Andoras beamed at the two newcomers, hobbits like him were always a good sight to see.
"Hullo, my friends. We are indeed fortunate to meet you, Tim and Tom. We are off on adventure and would like it very much if you could join us." He said in a bright booming tone.
"Uh... if you will have me, I will come along, there is nothing more for me to do than wander around aimlessly... I will be glad to accompany you." said Tim Gamwich, rather timidly.
"And I will be happy to go adventuring with you too, for I have nothing to do here anymore." laughed Tom Cotton.
"Oh, the more the merrier," squealed Rosa and the two of them smiled at the pretty hobbit lass.
Ame and Harry both looked at the new additions to their group, with smiles. She said, "Hello Lads. I'm Amarillys Took. And that's Harry. Pleased ta meet ya!"
"Ohh, but don't expect me making free meals for you two big lads," cried Ruby, wagging a finger at them laughingly, “We all earn our supper here."
The hobbits laughed. But the elf maid looked even more worried. And Thoro took Andoras aside and said, " Ho, laddie! Don't go telling these new lads about the treasure now, ye hear. "
"But, why not?" cried Andoras, surprised.
"The less to claim a share the better," said the greedy dwarf.
"But they will earn their share on this trip..." wailed Andoras, quite annoyed.
"Ye are being a fool, young one. I..." began Thoro but before he could finish Gimlo grabbed him by the shoulder and said, "Come with me, brother dwarf, I will have words with you behind that hill yonder."
"What about...” asked Thoro.
"Come." said Gimlo, tugging Thoro along as they made their way toward a nearby hillock.
Andoras walked over to the group, casting a glance at the elf maid, whose saddened eyes told him not to go on this quest, but his eyes burned with a determination to prove himself. He walked over to Rosa and put an arm around her and said, “It’s time to go, friends. Mount up on your Ponies... Old Sam can carry Tim and Tom if we all divide the goods and carry it on our backs."
Saying thus, he mounted Adon and helped Rosa up behind him. The others followed suit, including Alythiel.
"Where are the dwarves?" the elf asked.
"They have some business of their own, Alythiel and I think it concerns you." smiled Andoras impishly as Alyth looked at him in surprise. "They will follow us soon, I would guess." the hobbit continued, "Onward, Friends. We ride to Weathertop, as it says on this map."
Tim grinned. "That's quite alright, kind sir. I c'n walk.
I've been runnin' around after my meals for a while now. " he said.
Besides which, he had never ridden a pony, horse, or any sort of pack animal. He was afraid he might do it wrong.
He glanced over at Tom. He'd lost his mum, too. Tim felt a bit--close to him because of that. It was strange. He hadn't felt that way in quite some time...
He turned to Andoras. "Mister Andoras, sir, where are we goin', again? And what're we gonna do when we get there? "
'What do you want, Gimlo?" asked Thoro agitatedly. " Oh ye of little faith,"replied Gimlo,"You must have more tolerance for ones that give you company, be what race they may."
'You of abundant faith, you have enough for both of us. Do what you like, I will never break bread with an elf." said Thoro.
'The ye leave me with no choice," growled Gimlo.
"Hah hah hah!" laughed Thoro and the two stocky dwarves squared off.
"Thoro, I'm afraid I"m going to have to teach you a leason. No weapons, mano to mano..."
Thoro wan't about to wait for an attack. He immediantly lashed out, arms flailing wildly. Gimlo was unnprepared for such an attack. He was strong, but he had forgoten the Thoro was the boxing champion and the wrestling champion back home. Before he could react, Gimlo was on the ground, knocked out.
Back over the other side of the hill, Tim, not having gotten on the pony, walked over to the female Hobbit.
"H-hullo. I hope it's alright, I'm more comfortable walkin'. I don't know if you heard me introducin' myself to the others--I'm Tim--Tim Gamwich. "
"Y-you want me to ride the horse? But, I mean... well... it's awful big, isn't it? An' I can walk, and carry my own weight, too." Tom tried to look ready to help, but ended up on the horse anyway. After he got used to the horse's shifting flanks, Tom took out his flute and began to play. He surveyed the company - his company now, he reminded himself happily. Andoras, the leader, was very tall, and always walked very close to Rosa. She was always cheerful and smiling. Mentha walked with the little Wargpup at her side, and she always kept her eye on Amy and Harry. Ruby seemed most interesting to Tom, who didn't remember when he'd seen a prettier lass. And the Elf - Tom thought of her with awe, and the Dwarves with a tinge of fear. Tim, however, was a lot like him - he didn't have a family. Maybe they both had the same thought - maybe this could be their family. Tom beamed, and dropped his flute from his lips long enough to ask Ruby -
"So, erm, where are we goin'?"
Ruby smiled at the question from Tom.
"I'm not really the one t' ask" she replied, "I'm just here to do the cooking. Andoras is the brains o' the operation, you'd have t' ask him. I think we're headed to Weathertop, but after that I'm not sure. I think we're goin' t' look for treasure."
She twirled her long brown braid around her finger, smiling at Tom and listening with interest to the music he played on his flute. She couldn't remember when she had heard such cheerful music, and it helped to lift her heart, which had been worried by the talk of danger. She was glad for the additions to the party.
Seeing Tim's discomfort, and that Ruby was in conversation with the other newcomer, Mentha slipped off the pony and walked over to Tim. Fluffy followed her, clearly still curious about the strange hobbit. Tim smiled a shy smile and fell into step with her. Before long they were in conversation about where the hobbits had picked up Fluffy. Tim was amazed by their Warg encounter.
"We had great help from Alythiel and the Dwarves" Mentha told him. "We couldn't have done it without them.
"So tell me about yourself, Tim. Where are you from? Do you have relatives in Bree? Amy and I did, once."
Tim looked at the other Hobbit and smiled a little. She made him feel comfortable.
"Well, I'm from a town called--well, that was called Gamwich. When I was about fourteen, the villiage was--was besieged by Goblins. "
"My mother--" He wiped a tear from his eye. When was the last time he had cried? He stared a moment at the wet streak on his hand as if wondering what it was. "My--my mother sent me out the back door with my father's bow, quiver and dagger. I ran as fast and as far as I could. Later--later--when I came back--everything..."
Suddenly his lower lip was trembling. He felt afraid--of crying? Why?
When was the last time you cried? a voice in his head asked.
"Everything--" he choked--was gone. There was no one--no one left...."
He felt his face getting hot. The tears were flowing, and he couldn't stop them. He'd never told anyone this--no one--not the Elves he'd sometimes talked to, not anyone! He tried to hold the tears back, but they wouldn't stop.
Amy nudged Tim with her foot. "Mentha's and my Aunts and uncles lived in Bree. We even lived there for a while. And then... Mother..." Amy choked a little and started to cry softly. "Mother..was..was killed. We don't know how. I got up ta get a Midnight snack one night and I found her outside the window in a puddle of blood. Ever since, Mentha's bean me Mother." Amy wiped her tears away and hugged Harry tightly.
Gimli still lay on the ground, unconcious. Thoro sat upon a log nursing minor injuries. 'Ha ha ha,' he thought, "Gimlo thought he could take me on. he is a good fighter, but not good enough."
Slowly Gimlo stood up. He was wet, and before him stood another of his kind, holding a small bucket. "Who are you?", Gimlo asked.
"What are you talking about, I am Thoro. You were going to teach me a leason, but bested you."
"Huh?"
"Gimlo, snap out of it!"
"I'm not Gimlo, I'm-I'm, who am I?
Gimlo had developed amnesia!
Andoras turned toward Tim Gamwich and said, " You don't need to call me sir, just Andy will do, and I am sorry to hear about your village and your people. These things... goblins? They sound really nasty. I think that's why Alyth is so afraid to go to Mordor."
"But we can beat them off," cried Harry defiantly.
"Oh yes," said Andoras proudly, " Meanwhile let me tell you, Tim and also you Tom, that we are going to that ghastly place to find treasure and adventure.”
“Treasure?” cried Tom, his eyes lighting up, but Tim seemed even sadder.
“Yes, but first we are heading to this place called Wheatertop where we must find a key, to what I am not sure.” Replied Andoras.
As their ponies trotted onward, suddenly Alyth cried, “ Wait! Look behind …it’s the dwarves!”
‘Oohhh,” cried Mentha, “ What’s happened to Gimlo?”
Thoro was carrying Gimlo on his stout shoulders and walking briskly toward the group.
"Thoro! What did you do to Gimlo?" Amarillys jumped off of her horse and ran back. "What happened?"
“What did you do to him, you beastly dwarf?” demanded the elf maiden and Thoro just glared at her. The hobbits were all curious too but also apprehensive and Andoras asked, “Yes Thoro, tell us.
Alythiel grabbed her healers bag and a bottle of water. She immediately dumped some dried herbs into the water and began to pour it slowly over Gimlo's face. His eyes flickered open.
"Hey, elf? What are you doing to me?" he asked, suspicion and anger in his voice. "Why does my head hurt? What did you hit me with?"
"Gimlo, my friend..." Alyth began.
"Friend? I'm no friend of yours, elf! The very idea! And who is Gimlo?" He shoved Alyth away from him and tried to stand. Succeeding, he shakily walked away.
Alyth stood by the tree, greatly saddened. She did not know what she could do for him, and it seemed that he no longer remembered being her friend. She glared at Thoro, who sat munching a piece of bread.
"Who are all you people?" asked Gimlo with great anxiety.
"Please try to remember Gimlo, we are going on a quest, I am Alythiel(spl), you are Gimlo, the other dwarf is Thoro, please remember!"
"All I remember is I don't converse with elves! Brother Dwarf," he said, turning to Thoro, "I can trust you to tell me the truth. Who are you, where are you going?"
"The elf is telling the truth, we are going to Mordor to find treasure. We--"
"Treasure?!!? Let us go! Riches! Gold! In Mordor I am sure we will find some refreshing combat, I have heard orcs live there! Let us go!" he said spring up from the log.
"Stop Gimlo! You are not well! You must rest!" Alyth said firmly.
"I hearken to no elf! I--"
"Gimlo!" interrupted Thoro. "Alyth is right! She is the reason we are still in one piece! She is our friend, not our fiend!"
Everyone was bewildered at the change that had come over Thoro. He hated the elf, now he was, protecting her?
"Well, Thoro, if you say so, but I am still uneasy about this-- this-- doctor."
"Sit down Gimlo, let me take a look at the bruse on your head," said Alythiel soothingly.
Cauthiously, Gimlo sat down. The elf pulled a small bottle of a clear, thick, liquid out of her bag.
"Drink this, Gimlo, you will feel a lot better."
"I will drink nothing given to me from an--"
"Gimlo! Drink it, she is trying to help you!" barked Thoro.
Alythiel couldn't sleep. She was close to tears by the change that came over Gimlo. One minute, a dear friend, the next, a hostile common dwarf...
Tim blinked and gazed at Amy. There was someone else who had a sense of the pain he had? Maybe hooking up with this unique group was a good idea. He'd never really had anyone to sympathize with before.
Right now, though, his tears dried up and he went to check on Gimlo with the others.
"Sir--um--Andy? I'm not a healer, but I know a little bit about injuries--having to treat a lot of my own. Is there anything I can do to help?"
Thoro was surprised by this change in Gimlo. He admitted to himself that he enjoyed thrashing the stubborn dwarf but he didn’t expect him to suffer from memory loss and a personality crisis. Thoro looked at the elf, Alyth and thought she looked very sad. He thought she must be thinking that she was friends with a dwarf, something strange for everyone but nice, and this horrid old Dwarf Thoro ruined it all. Thoro felt sorry and decided to make it up for her. He tried to be more pleasant and played down Gimlo’s new hostility toward her.
Everyone was looking at Thoro strangely, even his friends Andoras and Ruby. Only Rosa smiled kindly at him, but then she smiled kindly at everyone, probably even to goblins about to kill her, the poor dear.
Thoro decided to do everyone a big favour by hunting a nice juicy boar for them, knowing that the hobbits liked to eat; this would surely make him feel welcomed again. So off he went, calling out.
“Don’t wait for me, I have something to do. I will catch up with you. Take care of Gimlo.”
“We will,“ replied Alyth.
'Oh Dear, I hope aren’t seeing the last of him, ”said Mentha.
"Oh, I don’t think so,” said Andoras, “If I know old Thoro, be prepared for a splendid feast on Wheatertop tonight.”
Thoro walked a few minutes before he spotted a young wild pig, killing it swiftly with his axe he started to head back when suddenly something struck him, “What if Gimlo is faking his amnesia,” he thought, “Just to humiliate me in front of others, for I know that Gimlo is not one to surrender so meekly in a fight. Oh Thor old boy, you had better be on your guard.”
Gimlo still rejected Alyth's attempts to treat him, so Mentha pulled her aside. After subtly recieving instructions, Mentha attempted to treat the Gimli's wounds. Tim walked over.
"Mentha? I know something about treating injuries. How can I help?" Mentha smiled up at the nervous hobbit and welcomed his help. For a while they worked on the stubborn Dwarf, who kept insisting that he was fine, thank you very much.
"Umm... Mentha? Amy said, umm... never mind."
"Amy told you about our mother's death."
"Yes. She said you are her mother now." Tim smiled apologetically.
"I have to be. She's so young, and the others are younger still. We have three brothers and sisters at home, but my aunts can look after them Amy needs me, which is why I came. I suppose I am her mother, really."
"How old were you when it happened... that is, i don't mean to pry..."
"Not at all." Mentha smiled, but there was something wistful in her look.
"I was thirty when my mother died. It was so long ago... but it still feels like yesterday."
Thirty! Tim was shocked. Had Mentha ever had the chance to be irresponsible and do what she wanted? He supposed not. But then, in a way, neither had he. Tim started to say this, but stopped. After all, he had only known her a very short time. He didn't want to pry. Looking around, he saw that no-one else had listened to the conversation.
The two hobbits went on healing the Dwarf in silence.
Rosa had to admit.Seeing Thoro actually defending the elf was pretty amusing to watch.
She was still sat on Andys pony, a small smile threatening to spread on her lips.
Since Mentha was pretty busy, Tim went off to see if he could find some plants to make a poultice with, as Gimlo had a pretty large lump on his head. As he peered into the bushes and along the ground, a print caught his eye. Examining it closely, he saw that it was a large footprint, from someone wearing a boot.
Oh, my--what could this be? he thought, looking back at the others.
Andoras heard the plodding footfalls as well and he quickly whirled his pony around with poor Rosa holding on tightly for dear life.
He laughed as he saw Thoro plod onwards carrying a large slain pig on his shoulders.
"A feast tonight, eh friends?" asked Thoro.
"Yay!" Cheered the hobbits.
"And look there," cried Andoras, "The hill on Weathertop."
"We will camp there for tonight and enjoy Thoro's fine hunt," piped Ruby, excitedly a the prospect of preparing a huge meal.
Thoro strutted around proudly.
Tim breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe the footprint was Thoro's. He probaby had nothing to be concerned about, anyway. Who would want to bother them? He continued his search for plants, heading with the others toward this place called Weathertop.
A HOBBITS TALE : CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Chapter Sixteen - A Feast of Hobbit Standards
"Make haste,' said Thoro to Ruby, "we must skin the beast and prepare the meat while it is still fresh." And they hurried up after Andoras and Rosa. Thoro eyed Gimlo suspiciously but he was being treated by two hobbits. It would take a few minutes to reach the top and find a secure place to camp and so they hurried.
Alythiel smiled at the joy of the hobbit folk at the sight of Thoro's pig. She had to admit, a change from dried fruit and lembas might be welcome.
The elf pulled a few leaves from her bag and handed them to Thoro. "Here. These herbs will make your catch taste even better." The dwarf bit back a sarcastic retort or something along the lines of "I don't take things from elves." He accepted the herbs with something like a grateful smile and walked off toward the fire.
Alythiel walked around the ruins of Weathertop. She remembered when this tower had been tall and fair, but that was no more. She surveyed the country around the hill. "We are too unprotected up here..." she muttered. "Anyone could see us, especially if we light a fire." But there was nothing to be done. She went to tend to the meal.
Tim found some herbs and plant leaves he'd used to make poultices for himself when he'd gotten a bad bump or two, and started toward Alythiel. The young hobbit noted that the Elf seemed to be surveying their surroundings, and looked a bit concerned. He thought back to the footprint he'd found, then looked over at Thoro, who was busy with the pig. Were his feet as big as the print he'd found? He tried to tell himself yes, but something else in his mind was shouting no....
Gimlo was shocked at Thoro's acting towards the elf. How could he be hospitable towards an elf?
Gimlo napped peacefully. The bump on his head pained mercilessly, but he told the others it didn't hurt.
He dreamt he was a bird, flying around freely. He landed on a limb, overlooking a clearing. He saw a dwarf. He was talking to an elf! On closer examination, he saw the dwarf was no other than- Gimlo! He stared. It was impossible! What a disturbing dream!
Gimlo awoke. He recalled his dream. But somehow, it didn't seem like a dream. More like, a memory...
They group settled down to camp among the forboding ruins of Weathertop Hill.
Soup bubbled in a cauldron over a hot fire, Ruby's special mushrooms, herb and onion soup. A few loaves of bread were laid out on a cloth, a cask of butter and another of cheese looked heavenly as they lay opened. And not too far, the succelent pig roasted over an open spit. The campsite was abuzz with activity and the delicious aromas must have been drifting for miles, but no one cared as with hungry bellies and salivating mouths they prepared a much-awaited feast. Rosa prepared dessert with apples, peaches and cream. The others made sure that the fires kept burning hot.
Thoro enjoyed himself by turning the pig on the spit as it roasted, while the hobbit men and Amy kept the supply of firewood replenished. Mentha sat by a dazed Gimlo and Alyth walked tensely back and forth, bow at the ready. The skies had darkened and the warm, bright flow up on this hill must have been seen for miles.
Soon everyone settled down to the fine repast laid before them. The hobbits dove in with enthusaism as did the dwarves and the elf and not a morsel was spared. Contentment shone on everyone's face in the glow of the warm fires around them.
This was a great feast and it called for a celebration for soon the hobbits fetched out musical instruments and began to play merry tunes. Harry and Tom played beautiful music and Andoras sang. Rosa joined them as she danced around the fire to the song that Andoras sang -
Hey Rosa, Ooooh Rosa
Hey Rosa, Ooo-ooh Rosa
Tell you Rosa what I wanna do
I'll build a house next door to you
Then I can see you every time
We can go kissin' through the blind
When you come out on the front
Listen to my heart go bumpety bump
I love you Rosa and that's no lie
Without your love I'd surely die
Hey Rosa, Ooooh Rosa (ooh-ooh)
Hey Rosa, Ooo-ooh Rosa (ooh-ooh)
Everyone joined in to sing the chorus and clapped hands.
Rosa sang and danced and laughed.Leaving all the worries behind her as she danced.
The meat was crackling on the spit and the embers from the fire glowed red as the fire was restocked by the elf.
Everyone was so carefree and really enjoying the nights entertainment.
This would be a night to remember.
After Rosa had been dancing solo for a while, Amy got restless. She pulled Mentha to her feet and the two of them began to dance together like they had when they were children. They felt so at home as they whirled one another in circles. Catching up with Rosa, Amy grabbed her hand while Mentha pulled Ruby to her feet. The hobbit maidens began to dance in time to the music, a circle dance they had learned whilst they were still in their teens.
The hobbits men sat back for a while, enjoying the view. Andoras, tearing his thought away from Rosa for a second, gave Mentha a curious look. They'd never seen her act carefreely like this before.
Harry sat back, contented after his meal. Andy started singing a lively song, and Harry whipped out his fife and played along. Tom produced a musical instrument of his own and joined in. The three hobbit lasses swept across the hilltop in a lively dance, and everyone was merry and incredibly full. Harry sat himself on a stone, trying to regain his breath, when Amy pulled him off his rock and into a jig. Harry laughed heartily, dancing and swirling under the stars with his love
Andoras felt much better watching Rosa being so happy after such a long time. He felt guilty for having dragged her along, but even more dangers would test the brave little hobbit lad and he knew it, but was he ready for it?
For now he just wanted to have fun so he jumped up and joined Rosa and Amy and Harry at the dance.
"Whoopie!"
Tom merrily played his wooden flute, smiling and watching the hobbit lasses dancing. His stomach was fuller than it had been for weeks, and he wondered if he should ask Ruby for a dance. He leaned back on a stone and looked up into the night sky. The stars sparkled, and Tom couldn't remember being happier.
Leaving the music playing to Harry, Tom sidled up to Ruby.
"Erm, would you... I mean... like to... dance with me?" Tom blushed and scuffed his toes.
Alyth smiled as the little people danced. Her heart was cheered, and she sang along merrily to Andoras's song. The food was good, and the company even better. She could still feel Gimlo's eyes on her, confused and distrustful. "oh well." she thought. "I can only hope that his memory returns." She turned her mind back to the merriment, and tapped her foot as all of the hobbits got up to dance, leaving the dwarves and the elf-maid sitting.
Tim sat while the others celebrated. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable and nervous. He was so used to the shelter of his tree grove, hidden from anyone he chose to stay hidden from. Now here he was on this wide-open plateau, there for anyone to see who wanted to.
His mind drifted back to the footprint he'd seen. After studying Thoro for a while, he'd decided it wasn't that of the dwarf--it had been too large. He had wanted to speak to Alyth about it, as she had seemed vigilant earlier, but now she was more relaxed, and he didn't want to bother her. It was just a footprint--maybe from a passing traveller like them. Why couldn't he just put it out of his mind?
He sat watching the others, hugging his knees with one arm and tapping the hilt of his sword with the fingers of the other hand.
"Thoro, let us provide the ultimate entertainment! Gladitorial fights! Friendly, of course!" said Gimlo excitedly.
"How can turn down such a challenge?" said Thoro rising.
"You two be careful! We need you!" everyone screamed nervously.
Gimlo and Thoro stood facing each other in a ring drawn on the ground. "Reaady, Set, Go!"
Thoro lay on the ground. Alythiel sat down next to him. She carefully bandaged the wound on his head. She was very surprised Gimlo didn't object to her treating his friend. Thoro grogged and awoke. He saw the elf standing above him.
"Get off you--you--ELF!"
"Thoro! Sit down, she is trying to help you!" Now everyone stared at Gimlo in surprise.
Alythiel is trying to help you!"
Gimlo had remembered!!! He was OK!!!
"Thoro, that must be me," said the dwarf thoughtfully. Yes I remember, Alyth, Gimlo, I remember! I am sorry, Alyth, something came over me..."
"That's OK Thoro," said the elf overjoyed. 'Thoro was fine, Gimlo had recovered his memory, and neither of the dwarves now rejected the her company.' Thought the elf.
A HOBBITS TALE : CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Chapter Seventeen - Strangers in the Night
Mentha stopped dancing as Harry commandeered her sister. She wandered into the shadows and sat down, watching the dwarves duelling with an amused smile. That she was not concerned very much confused her. She was so used to worrying about Amy, and now the others, it was such a relief to feel safe.
A thought struck her and, seeing that all the others were entertaining themselves, she walked off into the trees in search of something she had seen earlier. As she left, she thought someone was watching her, but when she looked around it was only Tim giving her a puzzled look. She smiled reassuringly and walked into the edge of the woods.
Mentha had found what she was after: wild chestnuts. As she walked back to the campsite, she heard a noise; something far too loud to be a Hobbit. Nervous all of a sudden, she rushed back.
At the campsite, Mentha saw that Gimlo had recovered his memory, and Thoro had gained a head injury. No-one seemed to mind that, though, as the elf and Dwarves were sitting together happily and most of the hobbits had paired off, dancing. Mentha walked over to Tim.
"Do you like roasted chestnuts? I know most of the others do; we could treat them to it." Tim liked this idea, and the two calm hobbits began roasting the nuts while the younger hobbits whirled in dance.
Tim smiled as he and Mentha made ready to roast the chestnuts. This was a treat he remembered having only a few times, and it was strangely nice to be doing this with someone else. He had noted a look in Mentha's eye when she had returned though, and wondered about it.
"Um...Miss Mentha? Are you alright? You seemed a little disturbed when you came back from the woods..."
Mentha was surprised that Tim had noticed her shock.
"Yes, I thought I heard someone in the woods. Its probably nothing though, just an animal." Tim looked unconvinced.
"Earlier on, I saw a footprint. at first i thought it was Thoro's but now i think it was too big."
Mentha felt uncomfortable, but couldn't help pointing out that it wasn't necessarily the same person, and they may not be interested in a party of hobbits. She couldn't shake that nagging feeling though...
"I think we should let the others have their fun," she said eventually. "Anyway, Fluffy will let us know if anyone gets close." She stroked the (by now quite sizable) warg at her side, and Fluffy wriggled appreciatively. Tim looked a little happier, but still worried
"Have no fear, little hobbit. Nothing can get anywhere near you with Alyth, Thoro, and I on gaurd. Wheter it be a warg, or a dragon, it doesn't stand a chance!"
"Indeed, friend Gimlo!" Alyth exclaimed, so overjoyed was she that both dwarves now accepted her. "Any evil that heard the sound of your and Thoro's footfalls would quake in fear!"
"Why only the dwarves?" Rosa asked, confused.
"WEll, have you ever known an elf or hobbit to make a footfall?" Everyone laughed, but Alyth's mind was troubled. She had heard Tim speaking about his discovery on the hill.
Thoro was overjoyed at having his friend Gimlo back, so overjoyed was he that he hugged him and also hugged Alyth. The three of them all hugged each other, what a sight it was. Dwarves and an elf showing such understanding and love for each other.
Thoro also enjoyed the meal, but he looked at Tom with suspicion as he tried to chat up Ruby. Well, Thoro had some feelings for the little hobbit lass and not just because she was such a good cook
Alyth was shocked but happy when Thoro swept both her and Gimlo up in a very enthusiastic hug. "Well, it looks like that feud is over," she thought. But she didn't precisely miss the looks Thoro was casting at Tom and Ruby.
Tim sat thinking. Maybe Gaya was right, but...who else had been here besides them? What had they been doing? He looked at Gaya and said, "I know you don't want to worry anyone, but.....what if the footprint I found means something? Shouldn't we tell Andy and see what he thinks? "
Mentha sighed. As much as she didn't want to worry people, she knew that Tim was right.
"All right, we'll tell him. But I'd rather that we just told Andy first, he's a bit more level-headed than the rest." Tim chuckled as Mentha walked over to Andy and tried to tear him away from Rosa for a few moments. Andy could tell something was not right; he got the message quickly and came over with her to where Tim sat.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Andoras looked at the large footprint that Tim and Mentha showed him. He looked around for more, it appeared to be well set in the dried mud so it should have been made a few days before.
"We better not tell the others yet," he said, "We should look into this ourselves first."
"Agreed" said Tim and Mentha in unison.
"But I need some help, said the young Hobbit and he whistled over to Harry.
"Just some boy talk," he told the other lady hobbits, not wanting to alarm them.
"Look, Harry" said Tim. Harry's eye's widened.
"The dwarf's are too drunk to help and I am sure the elf will try to stop us, so it's up to the four of us to investigate this, follow me," said Andoras, taking out his sword.
The footprints were fading but they led to a darkened part of the ruins, darkened further by the night sky. The four hobbits quietly moved ahead.
In the pale moonlight the four hobbits carefully tiptoed toward the ruins where the fading prints led. Then Andoras noticed a large ring, rusted and covered in moss, attached to the ground.
"I think it's a doorway down," he whispered.
The four of them together pulled at the ring and slowly, very slowing the large slab of stone it was attached to creaked and began to move outward... it slid to one side, leving a large enough crack for the hobbits to crawl down through.
Once inside the dark and damp dungeon, the hobbits held hands and moved gingerly forward. Harry produced some flint and lit a fire onto one of the old, torches that were nailed to the walls. The torch lit rapidly and the danceing flames cast eerie shadow all aruond them. Thne suddenly they saw the source of their footprints. A large body lay very still near some covered casks.
The hobbits jumped and grabbed eachother in fear. But soon They gathered thire wits and prodded at the dead body, it was a few days old and yet it remained intact.. in it's cold white hand it held a shiny metal object.
"The Key!" cried Andoras, "The Key from the map."
Tim shivered inwardly. It had been quite some time since he'd seen a dead body, glad as he was that Andoras had found the key. He wanted so badly to get out of there, but he stood his ground. In a moment, however, he started shaking.
Mentha felt sick. She couldn't focus on the key that had Andoras so excited, she just wanted to be back above ground. For a moment she stood there, battling with shame and terror, and then she pulled away from the other hobbits and sprinted for the passage out. Once out in the air again, she gasped for breath. Glad that the other hobbit lasses were not there to witness this, she staggared to the nearest tree for support. Her knees would no longer support her; she knelt, shaking on the ground and was promptly sick.
Rosa had been following the others since they left the camp and thoughts where spinning round in her head.
"Why didn't they take the rest of us with them. Do they think they can go along on this adventure alone?"
She heard voices up ahead and crept up to where the sound was coming from.
Amy saw Rosa get up, and she followed her. She wispered to Rosa. "They've been gona quite a long time. I wonder where they've gone?"
They passed a large tree with many bushes surrounding it. Amy and Rosa heard vomiting noises and looked to see where they came from.
"Mentha! What't the matter?" Amy ran at Mentha, who was puking by the tree.
"It was disgusting! A dead body... a key.... Ewww...so dark and musty....."
"Woah, slow down. What happened? Did Andoras find the key?" Rosa asked. Mentha just nodded.
"Where are they? Are they all right?" Amy asked worried, but Mentha justed nodded again.
"I knew I should of brought Gabe along with us. He sure knows medicine."
"Who's Gabe?" Rosa asked.
"One of our little brothers. Mentha an' me are the oldest. There be six other kids at home. Gabe, Kali, Alexander, Maya, Benjamin, and finally, lit'le Rosa."
"Amy. I'll be fine. I just need to rest. Go get Ruby and tell her that I need her to find be some water."
"No. I'm staying with you."
"Amarillys! Listen to me. Take Rosa and get Ruby. I command you. GO!" Mentha laid down and Rosa and Amy ran off, with Amy crying.
Tim stopped his shaking when Mentha ran out. Looking up at Andy he said, "I'll go see what's wrong." and ran off, too. Any excuse to get away from that body.
He climbed out of the hole and saw Mentha on her knees retching.
"Oh dear..."
He slipped his quiver off of his shoulder and pulled the arrows out in a bunch. At the bottom of the quiver were a couple of little pouches, both of which he grabbed out
and poured a bit of the contents of each into his hand.
Mint and chamomile always worked for me when I was sick, he thought.
Running past and patting Mentha's shoulder as he went, he shouted back, "I'll be right back! "
Re: A HOBBITS TALE : CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Chapter Eighteen - A Dungeon, the dead and some dissent
Andoras looked at the dead man and wonder what could have killed him. Then harry pointed out a small rusted spear tip that protruded out of the corspe's back. Turning the stiffened body around, the two hobbits stared in astonishment. A spear had pierced clean through the man's heart and killed him instantly. He must have been assailed by a defensive mechanism, a booby trap, when he removed the key from it's hiding place.
Andoras and Harry hugged each other and thanked their lucky stars for it could have been one of them dead had it not been for this unfortunate man. Quietly they walked out of the underground room and into the cold, chilly night. Mentha was feeling unwell, understandibly and Tim had run off to get something for her. Pocketing the old, rusted key, Andoras helped Mentha back to their campsite. Amy had already roused Ruby and the hobbit lass was busy preparing some medication for Mentha. Tim ran up and added some more ingrdients to it.
After taking some of the concoction, Mentha felt better. Rosa ran up and hugged Andoras, and the hobbit lad blushed and hugged her back tightly, lifting her off her feet.
"Don't you ever leave like that without me, she said softly with tears in her large, lovley eyes.
"I shan't, ever again," replied Andoras.
Amy ran up to Harry and they hugged too, and then Tim and Mentha hugged and not to be left out, Tom quickly hugged a surprised Ruby.
The dwarves and the elf had roused by now and wondered what all this hugging was about.
Andoras exulted, "We have the key, the one mentioned in this map...it's true. We're off to find the treasure. Hooray."
When Alythiel had been informed of the hobbits' antics, she was angry. But she managed to keep from screaming.
"So, the cave was booby-trapped?" she said, her tone of voice remarkably calm. "Have ANY of you considered what would have happened if that man hadn't gone there first?"
"You just want all the glory for yourself!" Andoras said, getting angry in his turn. "You don't want us to do anything fun!"
"You're right. I am extremely jealous. I really want to DIE!" Alyth shouted. Andoras reeled back as if he had been hit.
Suprised by her own forwardness, Mentha held Tim for a moment and then drew back. Although she felt better, she was still shaking, but embarrassment was steadily growing. She blushed in both shame and shyness. She saw understanding in Tim's eyes - that was surprising, as she didn't fully understand how she felt herself - and he sat with a comforting hand on her shoulder. Fluffy, never one to be left out, settled next to her with his head on her knee.
The next second, the little group sprang apart as Alyth's shout rang across the clearing.
Andoras fell back, astonished at this elf maid's sudden surge of belligerence. Rosa quickly hugged him from the back, she too was terrified by the sound of Alyth's voice.
But Andoras held his nerve and dug in to a resolute stance.
"Whatever you say...I see that good fortune is with us. Why else would that man have been there to spare us that fate." he shouted back, his voice quivering with rage and fear.
The elf maid shook her head in exasperation.
"And we will go on to this Mordor place or wherever it says on the map... I have had enough of being held back." said the defiant hobbit lad, slamming his fist into the ground where he sat.
The others were a bit confused and wondered what to do next.
Rosa sat and stared at the elf and Andoras. She didn't like it when people where angry at each other over such a small thing that didn't matter.
He got the key and was alive to tell the tale. That's all that mattered.
"I… I think we should be on our way, Andoras. With or with out the Elf. If she wants to come she is free to." Rosa said to Andoras as she sat next to him.
Tim sat next to Mentha, shaken by the Elf's cry. For a few moments they all sat in tense silence. Tim then heard Rosa whisper to Andoras that they should move on. Tim quite agreed; if Alyth wanted to come, she would. If not, they could go on without. Turning to check that Mentha was well to move on, he saw a resolve in her eyes and knew she had reached the same conclusion. Silently they rose and went to put out the fire, waiting to see if Andoras and the others would follow their lead.
Alyth took a deep breath.
"Listen, hobbits. You don't know what you are facing. I don't mean to be harsh and to yell at you, but you HAVE to understand. This is no harmless little adventure, if you wish to go to Mordor. It could very well cost all of us our lives."
Tim sat thinking. Everything was suddenly so tense. He did want to go on this adventure...didn't he? Sure he did. It beat living in a grove, waking up, hunting food (and sometimes not getting it), mending clothes, sleeping....and going over the whole thing again. Yet his new Elf friend seemed so worried. It was strange having someone to worry about him. Yet, even if this Mordor place was dangerous, what did he have to lose? It wasn't like there was anyone back in that grove that would miss him....
He gazed at Mentha a moment.
Well, not in the grove, anyway....
Thoro was amazed at the way Alyth took charge and exploded in a fury of elvish fire. His respect for her grew immensely.
But he was not going to stop his friend of many years, Andoras, in his quest.
Yes, Thoro knew of the dangers Mordor presented, but he believed togetherthey could overcome them.
"Aye, my friends!" he said, "Mayhap we should argue less and be on our way, there is precious treasure to be had as proves the key young Andy has found."
Everyone stood in a large group, arguing about what direction to take, how to take it, what the key meant. Finally Alythiel could stand it no longer.
"Listen, my friends. I have been avoiding this moment, but it seems that, at last, there must be truth between us. I will tell you my tale.
"Hundreds of years ago, in the Land of Mordor, there ruled a Dark Lord, Sauron the Black." Alythiel continued to unfold the tale of the Rings of Power as the hobbits and dwarves sat spellbound.
"So eventually, Elves under Gil-Galad, Elven king, allied with Men of Westernesse in a great war against the Black Power. I rode at the side of Gil-Galad"
"But wait!" said Andoras. "I thought you said you weren't a warrior."
"I am not anymore. But I was one of the best back then. I rode by Gil-Galad's side, and in the final battle, as Gil-Galad fell, the Dark Lord himself struck me down." Alythiel paused and drew up the back of her tunic so the hobbits could see. Her back was a mass of red scars, as if from old burns.
"My best friend fell by my side, but she did not get up again..." Alyth continued, a tear coursing down her face. "I have been to Mordor, and had to be carried out again. I lost one most dear to me. Do you think I keep you away out of spite? No! It is out of care for you."
Re: A HOBBITS TALE : CHAPTER NINETEEN
Chapter Nineteen - The Past bears a heavy burden
Tim swallowed hard after this outburst of explanation from the Elf, shuddering at the scars she had shown them. Scenes of the destruction of the villiage of Gamwich flashed through his mind, and he almost felt nauseous again at the thought of taking a sword out of a dead man's hand. He couldn't bear to see things like that again; especially not if it had to do with his new friends....
He bit his lower lip.
"Mister...er...Andy, sir, I think our Elf friend is right. Our lives are worth far more than any sort of treasure."
He blinked back tears and looked at Mentha, who he was beginning to believe was the closest thing he'd had to family in quite some time. Your lives are far more important.....
Mentha shivered, unable to look at Alyth's scars for long. She didn't want to go to this Mordor place. She could just go home, she had family there to look after. But... these people were also her family. Amy was first and foremost in her mind, of course. Mentha could see determined resolution in her little sister's eyes; Amy wanted to go.
Looking away, Mentha caught Tim's eyes. He didn't want them to go, either. But something more was there: his silent gaze told her "If you go, I'll go too." Mentha felt a tear forming and blinked it back quickly.
"A mere elvish trick," laughed Andoras, now even more determined to go, "Sauron is a myth, or so I have heard. I do know where we will head for it says so here on this map."
"I agree with Andy," said Harry, "What you speak of happened hundreds of years ago as you say, so how can evil of such old still be running around this Mordor?"
"Yes, maybe it's a different place now," pipped in Rosa.
"And where Harry and Rosa go, I go too," said Amy much to Mentha's dissapointment.
"Aye," said Thoro, "It has been much too long since anyone has been to Mordor, now is as good a time as any... for gettting us some treasure.. har har."
"Well said, friend Thoro," said Andoras, standing as tall as his stature would allow, "I know where we stand. Harry, Amy, Rosa, Thoro and I are going to seek treasure with or without you... make your choice."
"Not without me," said Ruby walking over to stand beside Andoras.
"Or me," laughed Tom, running in after Ruby.
"And you three?" said Harry, his eyes flashing at Gimlo, Mentha and Tim.
Alyth stood fuming with her hands on her hips, "What am I to do with these naive hobbits?" she wondered.
Amy saw Mentha crying because she said she would go to Mordor.
"Mentha, if you want to go home,I will go with you. But Auntie Daisy can take care of the our brothers and sisters. Do you want to go home? If you do, tell me now. It will break Harry's heart, but if I must, I must." Mentha saw Amy get a little more matured right then, and Amy awaited Mentha's answer.
Mentha sighed. "Of course I'll come. I need to know that you'll be ok. I'm just worried... it will be dangerous. I'm sorry, I know you think I still treat you like a baby. But, sometimes its like you're my little girl." Mentha turned back to the others. "Of course I'm coming with you."
Mentha walked up to Harry and took his elbow. "Could I have a word?" Without waiting for a response she pulled him away from the group. Once they were out of earshot, she turned to face him. He looked puzzled and curious.
"Harry... it's very clear how you feel about Amy. And I'm glad of it, and happy for both of you. I just wanted to say... look after her for me, alright? Alyth says Mordor is dangerous. I don't know what to think of it, but I do know that I'm no warrior." She paused, and Harry was moved to see a tear forming in her eye. She brushed it away and continued, "What I'm trying to say is, take care of her. Especially if anything happens to me, I want to know that she won't be alone." She looked at Harry, waiting for him to answer
Tim got on his knee and slipped his quiver off of his shoulder. He checked to see if his arrows were still shot-worthy, and they were. He had just replaced the string in his bow the other week. His sword might need some sharpening, but maybe he could find the right kind of rock along the way.
He was going to go--he just wished he didn't feel all of the tension coming from his Elf friend. He determined in himself to support her in anyway he could.
He replaced his quiver on his shoulder and gazed at Mentha. How he wished he could take some of the pressure she must feel away. He'd been wanting to tell her how much she'd been like the older sister he'd never had, but then, would she think "Oh, no, some one else to take care of....?" He stood silent and waited for someone else to speak.
"Well, friend Andoras," Alythiel said, a little sadly. "The Dark Lord was no myth, but he has been defeated. Mordor is still and will always be a place of evil. But I swear that I will not leave you, no matter what may befall me."
"Good, Alythiel! I'm glad you've cast aside your foolish fears." said Thoro.
"Nothing has been cast aside, friend dwarf. I will be constantly on my guard. I suggest you do the same."
And Alythiel ran lightly off to check on her healer's supplies. A large bundle of herbs had been affixed to her saddle, and not by the elf healer.
"I thought we might be needing these," said Tim haltingly from behind her. "Seeing as we're going to Mordor and all, and it being as dangerous as you say."
Alythiel could have hugged him. It seemed that her warnings had not fallen completely on deaf ears.
Tim grinned, suddenly feeling shy. The Elf seemed pleased with what he'd done, and he was glad. He was feeling a bit scared, and he hoped the herbs and things would never be needed, but better safe than sorry. Andy seemed awfully fearless, but he had found even in his short life that "fearlessness" could also be foolishness.
He looked back at Andy, Thoro, and Gimlo, who seemed to be either discussing tactics of finding the treasure or what they would do after they found it. He sighed and shook his head.
"The next spot marked on the map is down south," exclaimed Andoras, "To get to this place we have to pass through a land called Rivendell..."
"The elves live there," squealed Rosa.
"I hope they aren't anything like Alyth," said Harry with a sigh.
"We'd better stay clear of them anyway, no need to risk anything," cautioned Andoras.
"Aye," agreed Thoro, "We'd best travel around the elvin citadel."
Alyth sighed softly and continued with her work, sorting the herbs and twigs that Tim had gathered for her.
Andoras stood, hand on his hips and watched the strange elf maid and wondered what could have scarred her so to be as cautious as she was.
A single tear dripped from Alyth's eyes onto the herbs she was sorting. It had been going so well, and now none of the little people trusted her, except maybe Tim. "Consider this one more thing Mordor has taken from you," she told herself and wiped her eyes.
Tim listened to the others' conversation as he drew near, and became a bit angered.
"Now wait just a minute! Tell me what Miss Alyth or any other Elf has done to put them down so? I've met many an Elf even in my short years of life, and never a one has tried to harm me!"
He turned to Gimlo. "Mister Dwarf, if it weren't for Miss Alyth, you still might not know who you are!" he shot a glance at Andy and Harry. "She didn't have to help him, you know! "
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and went to help the Elf with the herbs.
On his way, he stopped. Where had that outburst come from? He thought of going back and apologizing, but--no. He'd meant what he'd said. Suddenly his face got hot at the thought of the Elf possibly having heard him.
He turned on his heel and ran to a nearby stand of trees.
Re: A HOBBITS TALE : CHAPTER TWENTY
Chapter Twenty - To seek Counsel from the Elves?
Mentha watched Tim run off into the trees, obviously embarrassed. She stood for a moment, torn between trying to talk to him or to the other hobbits. After a moment had passed, she walked over to where Andy and Harry stood with the Dwarves.
"Look, I'm not judging anyone here. But we cannot go on like this, especially if we are going to dangerous lands. I don't know any elves apart from Alyth, but I've never heard anything but good of them. And regardless of that, we all need to be able to trust and rely on each other if we're going to get anywhere." She sighed, not quite finding the right words for what she was trying to say. "I mean, you have to make things up with Alyth. We need her if we're going to do this." Mentha held Andy's gaze for a second, and then turned and walked towards the copse where Tim was hiding.
She found him sitting with his back to the tree-trunk, digging his hands into the soil. Sighing, she knelt so that she was facing him, out of view of the others, and took his hand. "You're right, you know." Tim looked up at her, and she saw both anger and confusion in his face. "The others... they're just kids, Tim. They're quick to judge without thinking. But they'll come to understand, given a little time."
Rosa sat on the dry dirt, drawing pictures into it with a stick.A sigh escaped from her mouth and she pulled her knees upto her chest.
She looked up into the star scattered sky and the yellow harvest moon shone golden light around the camp.
Rosa closed her eyes and sleep soon overcame the small hobbit-lass.
Alyth had not heard what had passed between her companions, but she saw Tim, red faced, come over and sit down near where she sat, mixing herbal remedies, and she hear him muttering things like "She has only done good for us," and "He would still not have any memory..." and she knew what had taken place. Yet again the urge to thank him, to let him know that she appreciated what he was doing for her, but her dealings with non-Elves had taught her that he would not appreciate it.
She crumbled a few leaves of athelas between her fingers, and inhaled their cool, clean scent, glad of something that seemed wholesome and cheerful.
Tim looked up at Mentha.
"I'm sorry...you're right, I don't know where that came from...I hope Andy and the other fellows aren't angry with me."
He allowed her to help him up from his seat on the ground and bring him back to the group.
Ruby looked around the group, everyone seemed to be here now and for once they weren't arguing, which was a releif.
"Are we going then?" she asked. She was itching to be off in the hope that a change of scenery might make everyone a little less pugnacious. She didn't escpecially care about the treasure which Andoras had promised them all, or even the adventure he kept talking about. She was simply glad to be meeting all these exciting poeople, and it worried her a little that they always seemed to be fighting about something.
"Yes," said Andy, "lets go, before anyone changes their mind." He shot a withering glance at Alyth who pointedly ignored him. Carefully he drew out the map and studied it.
"This way" he said, leading the group off.
Andoras woke up the drowsy Rosa and yelled, "This way, people! We are heading for the banks of this river called Bruinin..I think."
"Aye," said Harry, "Off we go!"
The hobbits set off, with Andoras leading and Gimlo and Thoro taking the rear. Alyh followed further behind, lost deep in her thoughts.
Tim breathed a sigh of relief, glad the time of argument seemed to be passed. He couldn't help but look back at Alyth now and again, though, and feel sad. She was still walking alone.
Thoro trooped along. Relieved to be on the move once again.
"There's treasure to be had!" he thought and stroked his greying blond beard.
Andoras led the team onward. Finding the depressing gloomy mood all around too much to bear, he nudged Harry, who pulled out his lute and began to play as Andoras sang out loud, joined by Rosa and Ruby....
Last year's troubles are so old fashioned
the robber on the highway the pirate on the seas
maybe it's the clothing that's so entertaining
the earrings and swashbuckling blouses that please
last years troubles they shine up so pretty
they gleam with a luster they don't have today
here it's just dirty and violent and troubling
last year's troubles na na na nana
but trouble is still trouble and evil still evil
sometimes we wonder; is there more now, or less?
if we had a tool or could tally the handfuls
measure for measure it's the same would be my guess
last year's troubles... da da da dadah na na nanah
Soon everyone joined in an the little party merrily buzzed along the hard dry roadway.
Rosa was half asleep when Andoras begain to sing which startled her and she nearly fell off the pony.
She sang along of course as she knew the words off by heart.
Once the song had finished the mood was altogether more happy and light-hearted.
"Andy, where are we off to now and how long will it take?" Rosa asked shuffling in the saddle.
Alyth hummed along with the hobbit's merry tune, her spirits temporarily lifted. Then, she remembered what was going on.
"I think we should stop in Rivendell," she said to Andoras.
"Hah! To see more elves? More elves that will try to stop us from going and finding our treasure? I can do without!" he replied, shooting her a poisonous glare.
"Any sane person would not wish to go to Mordor, treasure or not. But Rivendell is a good place, the best there is. You would be a fool to avoid it."
Tim bit his lower lip, feeling the tension sparking again.
He slowly walked over to Andy and said, in a far less harsh voice than he'd used before,
"Andy, I've dealt with plenty of Elves at one time or another, and none have ever tried to cheat me or do me harm. Please, I don't think it would harm us at all to stop in Rivendell. I've heard tell it really is a beautiful place. "
Andoras fumed, the elf maid was getting on his nerves now.
"What good will it do us to visit some elves and waste more of our time," he said, loudly and with indignation, "Go if you like, I will follow Thoro's way around the place to avoid unnecessary delay."
"Aye," agreed the dwarf, "Friend Andy is right, many days will the beauty of Rivendell ensnare us for... besides who has heard of a Dwarf visiting an Elven citadel?"
"Good!" said Andoras, "We will go around and as far away from any elf habitats as we can."
Rosa, Ruby and Harry didn't say aything, though Tim, Mentha and Amy conferred amongst each other in whispers.
Alyth looked more frustrated now, and Andy was furious for having the high spirits he acquired with his song being dashed again.
Gimlo had been quite conspicous with his silence, yet no one noticed that the dwarf had not been with them for the last few hours.
Amy walked over to Mentha, and asked in a low voice "Don't you think we should stop at this Rivendell place? we don't know of any other townships in our path, after all."
Mentha nodded, for once agreeing with her sister. "We could also do with refreshing our supplies, they may have some waybread or something that we could purchase. And we need medical supplies too, if this Mordor place is anywhere near as dangerous as Alyth suggests."
"Plus they might know of a safe route over the mountains." Tim joined the whispered conversation. Mentha hadn't realised that he'd heard, but she was glad to know he agreed with them. "But how do we convince the others to go?"
"I'm not sure that we can." Mentha sighed. "The dwarves really won't want to go, and Andy's far too stubborn. I don't want to cause a rift in the group."
"But they're being so dumb!" Amy pointed out with her characteristic frankness. Mentha and Tim exchanged smiles; the younger hobbit did have a point.
Alyth had been standing by the hobbits as they discussed. "But they're being so dumb!" she heard Amy say loudly.
"No, not dumb, my friend," Alyth replied, stepping up. "They are angry with me for taking caution, and therefore will not do as I counsel. It is a shame - Rivendell is a beautiful place, and I do miss looking upon the faces of my people, and hearing their song. And I would know the counsel of Elrond before setting out on this mad quest."
Tom played his flute, his happiness a little faded by the worry that the arguments brought.
If there was to be a rift, who would I follow? Tom asked himself. He didn't know the right answer, but several ideas went through his mind.
I could go with Andoras, he thought, reminding himself of the most heroic hobbit he'd ever known, and the stubbornest. But, he wanted to be with Ruby as well. And what about Alythiel? No matter what anyone else said about Elves, his mum had told him that they were good, and could usually be called upon to protect those smaller than themselves.
All in all, Tom found himself no nearer a decision. But, as he did not have to make any choice right away - or, as he hoped, at all - he played a marching tune to keep up his friends' spirits.
Tim sighed. He was so confused. He wondered why he'd come with the group for a moment, but being lonely wasn't fun, either, he'd reminded himself. Oh, how he'd love to see Elves,particularly in their own citadel.
He sighed again, then went over to where Tim was playing. Listening to the song helped ease the tension in his heart a bit.
Rosa kept silent. She didn't want to choose sides for amy was going to be on one and andy the other.
She just sighed. Maybe going to Rivendell was a good idea but she wasb't going to argue with Andoras. After all he was thier leader.
A HOBBITS TALE!
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