25 January 2013
Chap 2. We searched the floor desperately for any sign of Frodo but nothing was there. We went to the last place we saw him and nothing was there to suggest Frodo was there in the first place. "What happened?" I asked stupidly looking to my companions. "I don't rightly know" answered Sam "I can't lose him I made a promise, and-" "Look, Frodo!" Interrupted Merry pointing towards the stairs that spiralled up to the accommodation and where Frodo suddenly appeared then grabbed by Strider. The ranger pushed him up the stairs while we stood and watched with shock. How did he get over there? "Who's that guy?" Pip asked finishing his pint. "Ranger called Strider or so they say" I replied "Come on let's get Frodo back!" I suggested grabbing a knife off of the nearest table, Merry grabbed a candle stick with three candles burning brightly in their places, Sam curled his hands into fists preparing for a more hands on approach whereas Pippin picked up a small bar stool. "Really? A bar stool?" I asked as we ascended the stairs. "It's the first thing I saw" he replied brightly as we quickly determined which room housed Strider and his captive, bursting in our weapons out and ready for whatever faced us. "Hands off! Or I'll have you, Longshanks!" Yelled Sam at a now hoodless long haired Strider who was wielding a very large and sharp sword in our direction. Looking at our now measly set of weapons I dropped my knife on a table by the door. Pippin and Merry still clutching their weapons unsure of what to do. "You have a stout heart little Hobbit. But that will not save you" Strider replied to Sam, sheathing his sword, then turning to Frodo "You can no longer wait for the wizard Frodo. They're coming for you" "Who are?" I asked desperate for some knowledge rather than riddles; I had never been good at them. "Questions will be answered later young one, now we must get you all out of here unseen" Strider answered me "Come follow me and do not put a foot out of place and do exactly what I say" He ordered leading us out of the room and down the corridor. We first dived into a bedroom with five separate Hobbit sized beds. Strider began to make them look like there were people sleeping in them by arranging the pillows where a body would normally be. We joined in making the process as quick as possible. Satisfied at our handiwork we came out into the corridor where he closed the door behind us. We carried on down the corridor where, at the end, he lead us down a different set of stairs and out of the Prancing Pony entirely through a back door. Using the shadows to our advantage we cut across the road and into the inn opposite. He lead us up to a room with a double bed, Man sized, a fire place and a single large wingback chair. He locked the door behind us then went about blowing out the candles. "We will rest here for the night" he said "There's only one bed, that's not enough for all of us" I told him gesturing to the bed. "I will not sleep, and three of you will fit the normal way and the other two will sleep the opposite way in between" he explained. I nodded in agreement and sat on the edge. He placed himself in the chair by the window as Sam started the fire. Pippin and Merry took off their jackets and climbed into the bed with me but I kept my jacket on as I was still riddled with cold. Merry was on the far edge I was in the middle and Pippin was on the edge. Frodo sat himself next to Sam at the foot of the bed. We three in the bed did not take long to fall asleep to the quiet spit and crackle of the fire. I was so tired I forgot about all the questions I needed answering. The sound of clattering hooves echoed through the streets. A horse whinnied. But they were all subdued in my sleep controlled mind.
Suddenly the unnatural screech rang through the air jolting the three of us awake, we sat up staring towards the window. My heart was thumping against my chest, it sounded like there was more than three that time. I looked to Pip as if to check he was still with us. He quickly looked down to me worriedly; he was scared too. His breathing was quite shallow and all I could offer was a hand on his shoulder and a weak smile. I rested my head on his shoulder too; being more than good inch shorter than him it was quite comfortable to place my head there, and we usually sat like this when we took a break from annoying the shire folk. "What are they?" Asked Frodo as the screech sounded again. "They were once men" he replied, finally the answers started so we sat forward on the bed to listen more. "Great Kings of men. Then Sauron the Deceiver gave to them nine rings of power, blinded by their greed, they took them without question, one by one falling into darkness. Now they are slaves to his will." He looked out to the street below before finishing "They are the Nazgûl Ring Wraiths neither living nor dead. But at all times they feel the presence of the ring drawn to the power of the one they will never stop hunting you" Everyone was quiet, realising just what we had gotten ourselves into. "So there's nine of them black riders?" I asked "Yes, nine" he repeated "Well... That was more than what I was expecting" I commented sitting up straight resting my back against the headboard. "Come halflings, you must rest, keep up your strength, we have a busy day tomorrow" Strider informed us, with this information resting heavily in my mind I didn't think I'd ever drop to sleep, yet when I was jolted awake by a rough hand in my shoulder I was proven wrong. *~*~*~*~*
More may be added but for now...
The Fifth Hobbit. P2 • Opuss № I