"Can't you think about something that doesn't involve food for ONCE in your life?"
"But... I'm just SO hungry! We haven't eaten for at least an hour!"
Crecla sighed in resignation at her husbands insistence to have yet another meal. "I swear, Firotrud, you are quite possibly the most obnoxious Hobbit in the Shire."
"Well, I might be obnoxious," Firotrud said with a hint of a smile, "But at least I let fellow Hobbits stop to eat!"
They continued down the road on their patrol continuing on with their argument when they heard a voice from ahead cry out, "Oi! Who goes there!"
Crecla and Firotrud picked up their pace to see who could possibly be out so late.
"Well, I do believe that is Bounder Boffin!" Firotrud said. "Hello there Boff!"
"Oh. Its just you two." Bounder Boffin said looking more than a little relieved. He went to pick up the satchel he had dropped. "You know, you shouldn't really be going around scaring Hobbits on a night like this!" He paused looking up the road. "Hey! Do you hear that? Someones coming!" The Bounder ran back up to the road to meet whomever it was.
A trio of Hobbits made their way up the road talking amongst each other when they noticed the three Bounders coming their way.
"Well met Bounders!" The Hobbit in the lead said. "And how are things with the three of you tonight?"
"I have to admit, I'm a bit famished!" Firotrud replied.
"That makes two of us!" The hobbit trailing the group said with a laugh.
"May I ask who the three of you are?" Bounder Boffin asked, trying to sound official.
"My name is... Underhill. These are my friends Sam and Pippin."
"Well, then Mr. Underhill, just what brings the three of you out on a night like this?" Bounder Boffin asked.
"What? We cant go for a little stroll?" The Hobbit named Pippin replied with a laugh.
"Hush Pippin! What do you mean 'on a night like this'? Have you seen or..."
Suddenly the air became cool and a piercing cry echoed through the night chilling them all to the bone.
"I think we should go now Mr. Frodo!" the Hobbit named Sam said with a hint of terror and urgency in his voice.
With that the three Hobbits ran off leaving the Bounders to wonder what had happened.
"Well," Firotrud said, "that was most unusual."
"There's someone approaching on a horse!" Crecla exclaimed.
Not too long after the words were out of her mouth did a horse carrying a rider garbed in black appear, heading straight for them. It pulled up by the Hobbits, who were too terrified to move. "Stay, Halflings!" The Black Rider commanded
"Th-th-there are no B-B-Baggins around h-h-here!" Bounder Boffin managed to stammer out.
The Black Rider gave out an angry sound that was a mixture of a hiss and a growl. "Little Fools! You will be dealt with later!" With that, it rode off into the night.
"Gracious me! Did the two of you see that?" Boffin said, visibly shaking.
"Well of course we saw it! Where do you think we were? All the way over in Frogmorton?!" Crecla said rather more angrily than she had meant.
"Maybe we should all get off the road in case it decides to come back." Firotrud suggested.
'Thats a good idea! We can cut through the old farm here!" That said Bounder Boffin ran off in the direction of the farm and began to unlock the door. Running inside, well ahead of Firotrud and Crecla, he stopped in his tracks suddenly and let out a yelp.
"What is it Boff?!" Came the worried cries behind him.
"S-s-s-Spiders!!" Boffin stuttered out. "I really hate spiders. Do the two of you think you can deal with them for me?"
"Oh for the love of..." Crecla sighed, "Alright. Fine. We'll deal with the spiders!"
With that Crecla and Firotrud went ahead, weapons drawn, to deal with the spiders that were in the way.
The spiders taken care of, the three Bounders began to head towards the exit to the farm.
"HELP! HELP!" Came a cry from ahead.
"Oh, what NOW?!" Boffin whined.
"Brigands! There are brigands after us!"
"Mundo Sackville-Baggins! Celandine Brandybuck! What are you two doing here?" Bounder Boffin asked upon recognizing the two Hobbits.
"What does it look like we're doing, you ninny?" Mundo shouted, "We're being chased by Brigands! Why don't you DO something about it, Bounders!"
"Come! We must go from here fast! We should cut through the farm! We can lock them out!" Celandine urgently said.
Boffin began shaking his head, "Oh no! There are spiders and a frightfully terrifying horseman on the road! We barely escaped ourselves!"
There was a crashing sound from the direction Mundo and Celandine had come from. "There they are! Come on! lets go get 'em!" Five men came through the entryway to the farm yard and surrounded the hobbits. "You wont escape from us this time! You're all coming to Archet with us where the rider will decide your fates!" With that, the brigands knocked Boffin and Mundo unconscious.
"What is it you brutes want with Mundo?" Celandine asked.
Your Mr. Baggins is wanted by someone who is lending us great aid in exchange for finding him. The Blackwolds will have unimaginable power now, thanks to your Baggins!" The brigand leader said.
"I do believe we are in a spot of trouble, my dear." Crecla said quietly to her husband.
Their world went black as the brigands knocked them unconscious from behind.
"Easy now, love." Came Firotruds voice as Crecla slowly regained consciousness. "Quite a bump to the ol' noggin you took!"
Crecla groaned. "Just who are you calling old?"
"Why no one of course, my little dumpling!" He replied with a wink and a smile.
"Where are we?" Crecla asked looking around.
"Id say were inside of a prison cell in a Blackwold encampment."
There came a rapping on the cell doors bars. Two ugly men were standing there staring at the Hobbits. "The Blackwolds will have unimaginable power now, thanks to your Baggins!" One of them said.
"So we've heard already. Now, release us you louts!" Firotrud shouted at them.
"You'll regret talking to me like that little man!" The brigand replied.
As he was fumbling with the keys looking for the cells key, a third man came up behind them and killed them each quickly and silently.
After freeing the two bounders from their cell, the man looked at them and said, "Hobbits seem to turn up in the most unlikely places." Bounder Boffin came running up, clearly out of breath and breathing hard. "Bounder Boffin! Are there anymore Hobbits in this place in need of rescue?"
"Just us, Mundo and Celandine!" Boffin said in between breaths.
"Come then!" Said the man, "We must rejoin my friend who is outside trying to rescue your friends!"
With that the three Hobbits and the man ran outside to see the encampment engulfed in flames. It wasn't long before they came upon a gated off area. On the far side was Mundo and Celandine. In the middle was a man holding off the Black Rider.
"Amdir!"
"Strider, my friend!" The man called, "I cannot hold him off much longer!"
"The door is locked!" Strider shouted, "Hold fast, Amdir!"
"Enough!" The Black Rider hissed. He then charged forward, stabbing Amdir in the shoulder. Turning to face the Hobbits, Mundo and Celandine, it asked, "Which is the Baggins promised to me?" He shrieked as a burning timber fell down into his path. "This is not the end, Dunadan!" He shouted to Strider as he rode off out of the encampment.
The door finally unlocked, Strider rushed in to the side of his wounded companion. "Come, Hobbits. Its safe now."
"Poor Amdir!" Celandine said upon seeing the wounded ranger.
"Whatever are we going to do?" Boffin asked no one in particular.
"You two," Strider said motioning towards the other two Bounders, "What are your names?"
"I'm Crecla and this here is my husband, Firotrud."
"Well, you two stay close to me this night... We must get Amdir to safety. It is to Archet we must flee!" He looked at the other three Hobbits, "Bounder Boffin, you should go back to the Shire. Its bounds must be kept safe. Celandine, Mundo, come with me. I worry for Mundo's safety when all the wicked folk west of the Greenway are searching for "Baggins". Alas that my true charge must wait!"
Their instructions given, Bounder Boffin headed back to the Shire while Strider, Amdir and the two Hobbits headed in the direction of Archet.
No comments:
Post a Comment