The Dark Within (Book One)

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"What are you doing?" Sam asks as Arwen disappears into the forest. "Those wraith we are still out there!"

"She is an elf Sam. Her people will protect her." I say. "Frodo will be alright." He looks towards me. He is afraid, they all are. "Lets get a fire started and make some supper." I say. Strider goes into the woods to hunt for something. I quickly started a fire and sat close to it. Not having my cloak anymore made it a lot colder now. Strider came back a bit later with a few grouse in his hands. We cooked it up. I didn't feel hungry. The hobbits had laid down to sleep.

"What is it?" Strider asks me quietly.

"It's just Frodo..." I say. Not a total lie.

"You've seen this before?" He asks me. Yes many years ago. I nod my head.

"My parents were killed when I was 10 by Nazgul." I say. "I watched as they stabbed both of them through their stomachs. I tried to help them but I was too young, too weak. I watched as they turned into wraiths and fled to the east. I went west where I became a ranger."

"I'm sorry." He says.

"That elf, Arwen." I say, wanting to change the subject. "Do you love her?" He stiffens a bit.

"Yes." He says. "My father was killed when I was two and my mother took me to Rivendell. I only saw her once before she disappeared, probably dead. But as I grew I saw Arwen and I fell in love with her. But she was in love with another elf already and I will not force her to give up her immortality for someone she doesn't love." I nod.

"It's very selfless of you." I say. "Most men would not make that same decision." I yawn a bit.

"I can take the first watch. Try and get some rest." He says. I nod and lay down, I look up at the clear sky. The stars shining down on us. I prayed for Frodo and Arwen's safety. I close my eyes and try to sleep. I shiver from the cold until I feel something being draped over me. I open my eyes and see Strider walking away with no cloak. I smile a bit and close my eyes again, enjoying the warmth.

A wraith stands above me. His sword drawn, ready to strike me. His face an endless, black, void beneath all of the hoods. Whispers of death and destruction come from him. He reaches out an armoured hand to me. When I don't reach back he lifts his sword and plunges it into my heart.

I gasp and sit up quickly. It was just a dream, nothing more. I think to myself. It's still quite dark out. Strider looks over at me.

"Are you alright?" He asks me. I nod my head.

"Just a bad dream." I say. I get up and go over to him. "I can watch now. You can rest." I say and hand back his cloak. He shakes his head.

"I'm not very tired and the sun is about to rise anyways." He says. I nod and pull the cloak back over my self. I sit next to him. I must have dozed off because the next thing I know is the sun has just risen above the horizon. I stand and see Strider and the hobbits backing up their things. Another pony has arrived as well, a smaller one. Perfect for a hobbit. He must have got here this morning. Strider passed me an apple which I eat. I help pack up and give Strider back his cloak.

"Thank you." I say. He nods. We help merry and Pippin onto our horses and Sam gets onto the smaller one. "You're alright on that one Sam?" I ask him and he nods, smiling a bit. We grab all our stuff and hop onto the horses, making for Rivendell.