Tolkien Fan Fiction
| 5 |
| Chapter V The Fords of Isen |
I just found this second (unfinished) chapter and wanted to post this, but again - unless I get a great outcry for me to continue - this story is on permanent hiatus. |
| The Company continued along the river Isen for some time, walking along the winding stream and enjoying being so close to the cool water. All tried to ignore the growing tension. Gandalf was constantly looking outwards, waiting for an attack. Merry and Pippin found themselves looking inwards though, watching Boromir as closely as possible. Every day the man from Gondor seemed to be getting worse. They would be walking and he would lag in the back, scratching at his hands and mumbling to himself. If someone would turn to look behind, he would stand up straight and act as though nothing was the matter, but he didn’t notice the sharp eyes of the hobbits watching him. Legolas and Aragorn were constantly speaking with one and another, pieces of their conversation would sometimes float over to their ears. They were worried, as everyone was, because they could sense something horrible approaching. The hobbits would huddle together when they rested, all of them with anxious looks on they faces. It was only a matter of time now before they would have to battle some horrible enemy. Each one of them knew it, and so they started keeping one hand on the hilts of their swords. ‘I don’t like the look of things, not one bit,’ muttered Sam to Frodo and the other hobbits as they walked along the river, slowly turning north into some trees around the Isen. They were at the Fords now. ‘Maybe we would have been better off going through Moria,’ said Frodo, looking downcast. ‘You can’t say that for certain Frodo,’ said Merry. ‘Things aren’t so bad now anyway, we’ll get where we’re going without a problem, just you see.’ Merry gave him a reassuring smile, but Pippin looked at Merry worried. They still hadn’t told Frodo about Boromir’s behaviour. They were hoping that it had to do with something else, or that it would go away. Suddenly the company came to a halt. Aragorn, who had been walking ahead, ran back towards the company and started speaking with Gandalf. ‘There is something up ahead,’ said Aragorn hastily. ‘What?’Asked Gandalf. ‘Fighting, we must go another way.’ Nothing more could be said. Suddenly a rider crashed through the trees, nearly riding down Aragorn and Gandalf. Then the horse reared and the rider came into view, a young man. He had a gentle face, though it was covered with dirt and sweat and he bore a look of worry and confusion as he looked onto such a strange company. His deep blue eyes looked at them in confusion for a second more and then he turned around again, brandishing his sword as a charge of Orcs appeared. Frodo felt his blood run cold as dozens of huge monstrous black Orcs came crashing through the trees, other riders mixed in with them fighting for their lives. They were as tall as men, and some taller, and were black as night. They war yells were inhuman and they hacked horses and men down with their strong blows. The Company quickly gathered their wits, taking out their weapons and meeting the charge with a ferociousness that the hobbits had never seen before. They were almost too stunned to move until Gandalf turned to them and with a fire in his eyes yelled: ‘Take out your swords! Stay behind me!’ They were quickly at his side, the entire Company trying desperately to stay around them and protect them. Things were moving so fast that the poor hobbits could barely tell what was going on. Men and Orcs swarmed all around them, until finally the Orcs broke through their small defence and the Company began to scatter. In all the madness the young rider who had first come upon the Company fell to the ground, his horse having been cut from beneath him. He rose the fight the Orcs, but did not see the Orc right behind him, raising his sword to give the final blow to the young man. Aragorn broke from the Company, running the short distance to the Orc and raised his sword, blocking the Orc’s blow. Andúril rang out, and the young soldier turned and quickly lunged his sword into the Orc’s black stomach. Legolas was running out of arrows quickly and knew he would have to use his knives soon. The Orcs were too close to use his bow against anyway. As he threw his bow down and began to use his knives he saw that soon they would all be overrun. There were too many Orcs, twice as many as all the men there, perhaps more, and even though the Company had skilled fighters, to be overwhelmed would be their death. Gandalf was shocked when the Orcs first came through the trees, as were the other members of the Company who had fought with Orcs before. These were no ordinary Orcs, out in daylight and as large as a man. They were strong and ferocious and a completely new breed of Orcs of that never walked Middle-earth before this time. Gandalf knew instantly that it was the evil work of Saruman. These creatures were bread for the purest of reasons, to help Saruman cease the One Ring. It was then when Gandalf began to fear for the hobbits even more. He saw the men falling around him and knew that they were no match for these monstrous things. They had to escape somehow, but he knew that he could not scare off these Orcs like he had the Wargs. ‘We have to get the hobbits out of here!’ cried out Gandalf, Gimli nodded beside him and then quickly turned to the hobbits. ‘Quick young hobbits,’ called Gimli, trying to head away from the fray. The hobbits went after Gimli without a second though, following close behind the stout Dwarf who easily cut a path through the Orcs with the strong blows of his axe, taking the hobbits away from the fight and closer to safety. |
Yes, it IS Théodred! As I came up for ideas and thought of all the things I’d have to be changing, I knew that the biggest thing by far would be that Théodred never died. I mean, there’s just so little of him in the books and movies, so I can really make him my own little character to love and to cherish... And he’s cute too! |