The Return of the King and Queen

Chapter 3: Flight

Strider stood and looked around into the night with his torch in hand as Sam told him that Frodo was going cold.

"Is he going to die?" asked Pippin the fear evident in his voice.

"He is passing into the shadow world, he will soon become a wraith like them." Aragorn informed them as he tried to think of a possible solution.

Suddenly a low screech was heard.

"They're close." Merry said.

"Sam" called Aragorn, the little hobbit ran up to the man. "So you know the Athelas plant?"

"Athelas?" Sam asked confused. "Kingsfoil?" Aragorn asked.

"KIngsfoil? It's a weed." Stated the gardener. "It may help to slow the poison. Hurry." Aragorn said and handed Sam a torch. With that, the two-headed into the forest searching. Aragorn soon found what he was looking for. He kneeled down and pulled out his dagger but before he could cut some off a sword was placed under his chin. Aragorn froze with caution.

"What's this? A ranger caught off his guard?" Maethor repeating the same words Aragorn had to her not even two hours prior. Aragorn cautiously turned his head to look back at his fellow ranger. "Maethor."

Maethor retracted her blade and helped Aragorn to his feet.after he cut the plant.
"Are you alright?" Aragorn asked. Maethor nodded her head "Are you?"

"I am but Frodo isn't." He replied. Aragorn then led Maethor to their small encampment. While telling her what had happened after she left.
They quickly reached the campsite and Maethor easily found a fading Frodo. Maethor rushed to Frodo's side and said "Frodo, I've come to help you. Hear my voice and come back to the light." Maethor then got on her knees and brushed her hair the hair out of her face and behind her hair.

"She's an elf." Sam remarked. "Frodo...he's fading." Maethor said. Aragorn knelt next to her and lifted Frodo's shirt to reveal a deeply infected stab wound. Aragorn took the chewed up plant from his mouth and placed it onto the infected wound causing poor Frodo to gasp. "He's not going to last much longer, we must get him to Lord Elrond." She told Aragorn as she looked up at him. Aragorn could see the urgency in Maethor's eyes so he immediately picked up the small hobbit and walked to her horse.

"Where are you taking him?" Merry asked but didn't get a reply. Instead, Maethor followed Aragorn "There are five wraiths behind us. The other four I lead north but I don't know how long it will be before they figure it out but it will give us some time." Maethor informed Aragorn as he hoisted Frodo on to the black horse. Aragorn turned to Maethor "Stay with the hobbits. I'll send horses for you." he said in elvish. "I'm the faster rider, you know this. I can take him." Maethor insisted."It's too dangerous." Aragorn said. "I can handle them just as I have before besides if I cross the rive the power of the elves of Rivendell will protect us...I do not fear them." she told him. Aragorn let out a sigh of defeating but nodded... Maethor smirked and jumped onto the horse with help from Aragorn.

"Maethor, ride hard and don't look back." he told her. "Be careful." Maethor told him. Aragorn smirked "You be careful." he told her, making sure to emphasize on you.

Maethor gave Aragorn one last look before she told her horse to run. Aragorn and the others watched as Maethor and Frodo disappeared into the night.

"What are you doing?! Those wraiths are still out there!" yelled Sam, making Aragorn wonder if he made the right decision in letting Maethor go.

Maethor rode hard through the night and into the next day. Around mid-day, Maethor heard the sound of other riders coming up. Maethor cut through the trees in the hope of losing them but with no prevail. One by one all nine appeared in pursuit of the Ring.

One of the wraiths rode up next to Maethor and tried to grab Frodo but Maethor let go of the reins with one hand and shoved his gloved hand away causing the wraith screeched.

Suddenly Maethor grunted in pain as she felt a stabbing in her left side. She turned and found that she had been stabbed in her left rib cage. Maethor grunted again as the blade was pulled out of her side. Maethor drew her sword and swung at the wraith, just missing it but scaring it enough to back off. Maethor mumbled a numbing spell as she continued to ride harder.
They finally reached the river and Maethor's horse gently crossed it.

Maethor turned back to look back at the wraiths on the other side of the river who's horses refused to enter the water.

"Give up the halfling She-elf" commanded the leader.

Fire burned in Maethor's eyes as she drew her sword, challenging them. "If you want him, come and claim him." Maethor snared.

The Nazguls drew their sword in response and started to slowly cross the river. Still, with the fire burning in her eyes, Maethor began to call upon the power of the river.

"Nîn o Chithaeglir lasto beth daer; rimmo nín Bruinen dan in Ulaer! (Waters of the Misty Mountains, hear the word of power, rush, waters of Bruinen against the Ringwraiths!)"

As the words left her mouth, the water of the river began to rise. Immediately, a mountain of water came rushing down the banks of the river, drawing everyone's attention. In fear, the wraiths turned to run but it was in vain as the mouth of water caught up to them, drowning them.

Frodo then let out a small groan, cutting the small victory short.
"No." Maethor whispered as she got off her horse and laid Frodo down. "No, Frodo, don't give in. Not yet." She said, Maethor lifted Frodo's shirt and replaced the athelas on his wound in the hope to stop the poison. With that Maethor grabbed Frodo and jumped back onto her horse Shade and raced to Rivendell.

The guards on the outskirts saw Maethor coming, recognized her and sent word for Lord Elrond. So when she arrived in the heart of the city, Elrond was there waiting with a group of healers.

The elves rushed to Maethor, asking what had happened as they helped take Frodo from her.

They quickly whisked the young hobbit away to the house of healing. Maethor could suddenly start to feel the effects of her numbing spell wear off, causing her to wince as she climbed down from her horse. Lindir was there on the steps to greet her and take Shadow to the stables for her. Maethor thanked him before making her way to her room. Once in her room, she ripped off her cloak and outer clothes to better examine the side wound. She could tell by her soaked cloth that she had bled out quite a bit but the spell had kept her from feeling the effects of it.

She held a wet cloth over her wound wincing as she put the right amount of pressure on her wound. This was not the first time she had tended to her own wounds and she knew it was far from being the last but after tending to it for 10 minutes and the wound refusing to stop bleeding and continuing to look worse, she knew she had to go to Elrond. She mentally groaned knowing he would not be fond of finding her wound in such a state and her being reckless.

Nevertheless, Maethor got up and walked over to the house of healing while still holding her side, fighting off the dizziness and pain as she walked.

When she finally reached her destination, Elrond was just coming out of Frodo's room, relief on his face.

Both elves made eye contact, Elrond giving her a small smile. "He's going to be fine." he told her. Maethor returned the smile right before her knees gave out. Maethor fell to the floor hard as Elrond rushed to her side while calling for help. The last thing Maethor remembered before it all went black was the face of her worried uncle and him asking "What have you gotten yourself into Amdiriel?"