TEoV Excerpt #8

Winnie arrived back with their supper in hand.  They cooked the rabbits, the four hobbits leisurely pulled out their pipes and lay back against the trees that they had made their camp in between.  Malladryl sat down by Cirindiel.  “I’m sorry, I don’t know how we got separated,” He said, Malladryl crossed her legs and nodded.   “I guess I just fell asleep,” He continued.  Again Malladryl nodded, “She’s cute,” She replied, Cirindiel looked at her in surprise, “What!?” was all he could say.  She smiled, “I’ve see the way you watched over her during the battle with the Orcs,” She replied.  Cirindiel nodded, “Yeah, what about Atti huh?” He replied, Malladryl blushed, “Hmph,” She replied, “Now that’s not fair,” Cirindiel smiled, “It’s as fair as Winnie and I,” He said slapping her playfully on the back.  “Yes, but Atti and I will never be able to be together,” She shot back, eyes worried.  Cirindiel cocked his head, “And why not?” Malladryl bowed her head, “I’m an elf, he’s a man,” She said.  Cirindiel sat in thought.  “Yes, but you’re no longer under Elrond’s authority,” He replied pulling her close, “We’ll just have to see what happens,” He said laying his head against hers.

They woke up the next day, strengthened from the meal.  “I thank you for helping us find our companions,”  Pippin began, “What Pippin is trying to say is that our path will sadly not continue with you, we must go on alone,” Said Frodo, “You said we could go with you!” Cirindiel said, “No, just trust us, you cannot go where we must,” Sam replied, Cirindiel and Winnie nodded to their former companion, Sam spoke again, “If you ever cross a dwarf, an elf, and two men traveling looking for us, tell them we are safe,” He told them, doubt flickered for a moment in his eyes, and left a moment later.  Malladryl nodded, “We will tell them! It was great traveling with you Pippin, and you Merry, we will never forget you,” She said hugging them, “I doubt any of you’ll forget us,” Frodo mumbled, Winnie shot a glance at Cirindiel, he nodded.  “Malladryl is right, we will not forget you,” He hugged Frodo and Sam in turn, and then Pippin and Merry, “I’m ever so glad we could help,” Winnie smiled and shook their hands, Atti stood back at a distance leaning against a tree, “It was fun hobbits, thanks for the pipe-weed,” He said nodding politely, The four hobbits lingered a moment, then turned and left.  Cirindiel watched them go, suddenly a scene flashed before his eyes:  A golden ring, two hobbits climbing a mountain, a battle: An elf, a dwarf and man, fighting side by side.  A huge eye flashed before his eyes.  He fell back in shock, he cried out.  Malladryl spun around; Atti lunged forward and grabbed his arm trying to pull him up.  He lay there with his eyes staring straight up.  The scene continued:  Two hobbits lay on a rock, eagles carrying three elves, four men, and a dwarf, two of the elves were Winnie and Malladryl, and two of the men were Atti and himself.  The other elf had long blond hair with a ponytail down the middle; he carried to small swords and a bow.  The dwarf was in full armor, his hair was red and long, kind of curly, a beard also red was tied in two braids.  The man carried a bow and a sword, a hooded cloak blew out behind him, his hair was brown, his face was lightly wrinkled and although rugged, was quite handsome.  The other man looked old, but he wasn’t, he had white hair down to the middle of his back, he wore a pointed hat and carried a staff, almost like Cirindiel’s.  The eagles swooped down and picked up the hobbits, Cirindiel’s head cleared, he woke up…

“Did you really see all that?” Winnie asked after he had told them everything he had seen.  Cirindiel nodded, “And were we really there?” Atti inquired, again he nodded.  Cirindiel stood up, “We need to go, we need to cover a little ground before it gets dark,” He said strapping his staff to his back.  Winnie picked her bow up and strapped it to her back also, Malladryl picked up her satchel and strapped it to her belt, and Atti picked up his flute and slipped it into his belt.  “I’ve got a surprise,” Said Cirindiel kicking out the fire, and walking out of the little forest.  He jump onto one of the boulders and stuck two of his fingers in his mouth and whistled so loud that they covered their ears and cringed.  After his whistling stopped a loud thundering came.  A herd of horses galloped over a hill, a cloud of dust trailing behind them.  Winnie jumped up and down and clapped, “No more walking!” She shouted, “Choose!” Said Cirindiel patting a brown horse with a white patch and black spots on its backside, he jumped up and landed on its back, the horses didn’t fidget or budge.  “How did you find them?” Atti asked, “I went exploring one night when you were sleeping, they’re quite unafraid of us,” He replied.  Winnie jumped onto a brown mare, the mare turned her head and snuffled Winnie’s hair, she giggled.  Atti ran around the herd that stood there, examined several, and settled on a gray speckled with white stallion.  Malladryl quickly chose the first one she saw, a palomino.  She mounted and Cirindiel slowly trotted west.  Winnie trotted up beside him, and smiled.  Atti galloped ahead a few paces and turned around on the horse, riding backwards he pulled out his flute and started playing a merry tune.