Hope - A Lord Of The Rings Chronicle

"Woah Bill!"

The fellowship stood underneath a glade, Elrond and the other elves waiting, all were meandering around and growing restless. Raina was late.
"Where is she?" Pippin asked aloud for the fifth time.
"Peregrin Took," Gandalf began "If you dare ask me that question one more time I'll-"
He stopped at the sound of quick footsteps, and the rest of the company saw Raina approaching with Arwen. She surged past Elrond, whilst Arwen came and took her place gracefully beside her father.
"I'm here! I'm here!" She cried racing up to them. Well, what with her leg it wasn't really racing, just fast limping.
"You're late." Gandalf said wearily.
"Sorry I...overslept."
"Hmnnn." Gandalf "Nevermind."

He turned toward Elrond who was looking at the company with pride, but also a hidden feeling of anxiety. With these words, he left them:
"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him, no oath, nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you."

Legolas and Aragorn bow in reverence toward him, and Gandalf turns to Frodo.

"The Fellowship awaits the Ringbearer."
Frodo looked to them all, trepidation building up inside him. Raina gazed at the chain holding the Ring, back on him once again. She knew this journey would be long, and tiring. But it would be worth it.

Frodo turned his head, and began to walk out to the gates. Gandalf followed, then Legolas with Gimli, Merry with Pippin and Raina, Boromir, and Sam with Bill. Aragorn strayed. Once outside the gates, Frodo and the Company stopped.
"Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?" He whispers
"Left." Gandalf grimaces.

So, the company turned left, and after a moment, the sound of Aragorn's boots joined them, his final goodbye with Arwen over. And that is how their journey began, ten companions walking out of Rivendell, all of them afraid, and all longing to do the right thing.

****

Once Aragorn returned to us, I flashed him several reassuring looks,and he nodded.

We walked over the bridge, as water cascaded over the magnificent rocks, and I tried my best not to look down. Our footsteps followed my original path here, walking in a single file over the cliffs, as the sky shone azure blue, and soft clouds decorated the stratosphere. No one talked, the graveness of the situation weighing heavy on our hearts.

I winced, a small throbbing pain returning to my leg, but kept silent, not willing to be seen as a complainant. Or as weak.

I kept this facade up as Rivendell soon disappeared from sight, the cliffs met firm ground, and leaves crackled underneath my boots. I rubbed the side of my leg again quickly, before standing up straight and adjusting my pack on my bag. My necklace swayed in the slight breeze, and I cooled any perspiration on my brow.

I started to fall back around mid-morning, sliding to the back with Aragorn and then behind the Ranger himself, before walking back to the front. Pippin notices the first time, but doesn't say anything. However, the second time, when I don't return to him and hunch over by a tree, he lingers with me as the others carry on.

"Raina, what's wrong?" He asks me, as I rub the sore wound.
"My leg." I moan slightly, stretching.
"Pip?" Merry's head searches for his friend, before turning round and running over to us. "What's wrong?"
"Her leg." He replies "Gandalf?!"

Soon, the whole company has stopped and is fussing over me.
"I'm fine." I reassure "I just need some paracetamol and ibuprofen."
They blink, and Merry and Pippin share a look.
"They're these pills. They're... a type of medicine!"
"Ohhh." Pippin nods "Yeah I still don't get it."
"Never mind that Peregrin Took." Gandalf says "Raina, would you like to ride on Bill?"
I look behind toward Sam who's leading the pony through a patch of grass.
"I guess." I shrugg with a smile before falling silent in embarrassment "The only thing is...I don't know how to ride a horse." I mumble
"Sorry?"
"I-I don't know how to ride." I say louder, my breaths beginning to speed up "No one ever taught me how."
"But have you never travelled before?" Boromir added
"Well, not outside my country."
"Then how do you get to places?" Merry asked me
"I go on the car. Or the train. Or on the tram. I've never been on a plane before but-"
"Car?" Merry says unasuredly
"Train?" Says Frodo
"Tran?" Asks Boromir
"No." I shake my head and then repeat "Tram. It's a vehicle. They're all vehicles."
"What's a vehicle?" Pippin says
I scratch my head, puzzled as to how I can explain the technologies of today, to the residents of the past. "Ummm...it's this thing that runs on electricity."
"What's elec...elec...elec..."
Gandalf, seeing that this is getting out of hand, taps his staff on the ground.
"I think we should actually get the girl on the horse first, then ask questions later, hmm?"
Merry and Pippin nod.
"Bring Bill over here Sam." He calls to the hobbit, who was stroking him gently. Sam leads Bill toward us.
"What's going on?" He asks
"Raina needs to ride him." Aragorn explains. He takes the reins from him and holds Bill steady.