Fan Fiction ❯ The Fellowship of Two Strange Girls ❯ Escape to Bree ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Hey there! Here I am with the next chapter. I havn't gotten any reviews yet, so if you are reading this, please, please, please review. Anywho, on with the chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own LotR.


Tiernan was struck speechless for a moment at hearing where they were. Finding her tongue again she turned to Cora. “If we’re in Middle-Earth, where exactly would we be?”

“I think we’re in Breeland Forest.”

“How is that possible? What was that thing we came through?” Their conversation broke off abruptly as they both caught the sound of screams and rustling leaves. Tie looked up just in time to see four figures tumble off the ledge above her, before she was crushed beneath them. She could just barely hear Cora snickering over one of the people on top in a rather hobbit-ish voice near her ear.

“Oh, that was close!”

“I think I’ve broken something!” Another hobbit moaned to which Tiernan heard Cora whisper under her breath.

“It’s a carrot Merry.” Merry pulled the broken vegetable from under his back and groaned at the loss of perfectly good food. Then she spoke more loudly. “Look Pippin, mushrooms.”

The hobbit closest to Tie turned his head. “How do you…MUSHROOMS,” His eyes went wide when he saw what Cora was speaking of. In the rush of everyone trying to get up Tie was trampled horribly. Once she was able to stand she rubbed her side, grimacing.

“I think they stepped on my spleen. Stop laughing.” She pushed Cora peevishly as she continued to snicker.

“Who are you?” The girls looked over at Frodo Baggins. The small hobbit looked back up at them, not afraid of humans in the shire, merely curious. Cora went to respond when the three of them, the girls and Frodo were hit with a wave of some ominous feeling of pervasive evil nearby.

“Get off the road!” They shouted together, Cora grabbing Merry and Pippin and Tiernan grabbing Sam and climbing swiftly off the road. The six of them climbed just under a rooty over hang, Cora and Tie pushing the hobbits deeper under. Merry, Pippin, and Sam pulled at the sack of mushrooms they had gathered. Then they all heard the sound of an armored horse above them. They fell silent and sat as an inexplicable fear stole over them. They sat perfectly still as a gauntleted hand gripped the roots above them. Insects and worms and all the animals that cause fright or disgust slithered and crawled out. A small spider slid across Merry’s shoulder. Tie had to physically restrain Cora to keep her from screaming and running in terror as a tarantula crawled up her leg.

In the midst of all the crazed insects and creepy-crawlers, Frodo slipped the ring from his pocket and held it before his finger, fighting as hard as he could to keep from obeying the urge that had taken him and slipping it on. Sam saw Frodo’s face and reaching across hobbits and humans to reach him, stayed Frodo’s hand just in time. Merry, forgoing the pleasures of mushrooms, threw the sack into nearby brush and drew away the rider’s attention.

After being certain the rider was no longer above them, the group of them sprang from their concealment and ran deeper into the forest and away from the road as fast as was possible. They ran well into the night, not stopping for rest or food (a big surprise to the two girls who had expected complaints of lack of food from their small companions). Finally stopping for a long needed breather, Merry began to question Frodo.

“That Black Rider was looking for something, or someone. Frodo?” He looked at the young Baggins questioningly, and Frodo, looking frightened and worried, answered softly.

“I have to leave the Shire. Sam and I must get to Bree.” Cora clamped a firm hand over Tiernan’s lips to keep her from saying what was to be said next.

“Right. Bucklebury Ferry, follow me.” It was Merry instead that spoke and the hobbits and the two girls were quick to oblige.

They dashed quickly through the forest, running as fast as the dark and their legs would allow. Then suddenly Tie couldn’t see Cora anymore. God, I hope she isn’t doing anything stupid, she thought running along with the hobbits. Then the rider appeared to their left, splitting the group in two, Sam Merry and Pippin ahead and Tie back with Frodo. Tie and Frodo ran around the rider, being more mobile on foot than the rider was with his horse. They ran for the ferry. Tie being a faster runner and quite strong, grabbed Frodo around the middle and ran with him in her arms.

Cora had run a head to the ferry and was waiting when the first of the three appeared. The ropes were all untied save one and the hobbits were quick to release it. The boat floated slowly away from the dock as Tie came into view with Frodo. Running as fast as she could, she threw him on board when she could and jumped on as the boat slid beyond the dock and the reach of the rider.

“How far to the nearest crossing?” Frodo cried out, through pants and gasps for air. Cora gave a small whimper of pain as she bit her tongue to allow Merry the chance to answer the question.

“The Brandywine Bridge; 20 miles,” and they floated across the river continuing onward to Bree.