Pirates in the Fellowship

[Laitorni]

This story has William Turner and Jack Sparrow in the LOTR. I do NOT claim this story as mine. I found it on another site and I would like you guys to read it. It is a very entertaining story that I think you may all like. So many things happen and it has some humor in it too lol! ;D ;D ;D

Hope you enjoy!

Laitorni

I will be posting shortly...

[Laitorni]

The story will be written in green, pls try not to write in green because you might get the comments mixed with the story, or you send me your comments so it doesn't interfere with the story. You choose. Or maybe somehow I can but 2 subfolders. One of the story the other for the comments. Anyways I present you.....a story that is not mine............Chapter 1 (hears a gong)

Laitorni

[Laitorni]

Pirates in the fellowship

Chapter one~~~~~ Reunion in Bree

Jack rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling of his room. He hadn't been able to relax since he and his crew had left Port Royal and this feeling of uneasiness was really starting to get on his nerves. He had decided make their way to Tortuga to collect some supplies before they officially set out. There was nothing unusual about this plan, in fact it was necessary.

But Jack found that he was being plagued by dreams over the last few days. All of them were about Aragorn, except for the one that he had just woken from, which involved four little people being chased through dark woods by some black robed riders.

Jack yawned and rolled onto his side so that he was facing the open window, just as a light breeze blew into the room. Sighing, the pirate captain decided to dismiss the dreams, after all none of them made any sense. He figured that he was dreaming about Aragorn because of his still-lingering curiosity with the young man and his interesting ancestry, which he had learned about from the ranger's elf friend, Legolas. Jack sighed again as another cool breeze hit his face, bringing with it a floral scent which seemed rather out of place in Tortuga, but it did have a calming effect on him. After a few minutes, Jack's eyes slid closed and he slipped off into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

Middle-Earth.

Aragorn covered his mouth with his hand, making it look like he was rubbing his chin as he thought; when in reality he was hiding a yawn. He had stayed up all night watching over the hobbits as they slept, and he had been shorting himself on sleep for the past few nights as well. As he had expected, the Black Riders had entered Bree and torn apart the hobbits' room, completely destroying the dummies that he had made of them in their frenzied search for the Ring and its bearer.

Leaning back in his chair he stretched his tired muscles and wondered again how hobbits could eat so much without making themselves sick. They had been delayed for almost three hours now, and in that time the four hobbits had eaten enough food to feed twelve people, at a guess.

Eventually Bob, one of the landlord's helpers and friends, came back with the news that there was only one pony to be found in Bree, a poor half- starved thing that belonged to Bill Ferny. Mr. Butterbur, the landlord, was kind enough to purchase the pony for them to make up for the loss of their own animals.

They sat for a few more moments before the hobbits had finally finished eating, and Aragorn suggested that they go and repack their belongings, along with some extra items for the journey.

Aragorn made a face under his hood as he again caught Merry and Sam giving him odd looks. *You would think that they would start trusting me after I saved their lives, but nooo, of course not.* Aragorn was interrupted from his thoughts when he slammed into someone on the steps. Shaking his head slightly, he looked up and began to apologize, but the apology fell short when he got a good look at the man he had slammed into. *Oh no, no this isn't happening!*

Looking back at him was someone he had not seen in years. Captain Jack Sparrow stood in front of him, pale and looking VERY disturbed and shocked to say the least, as was Aragorn at this point.

Jack had woken up a few minutes ago to find that he was no longer in Tortuga. As soon as his mind stopped racing and recovered from the shock, he had made a mad dash out of his room and begun heading down a flight of steps where he nearly ran over four smaller beings before he finally did slam into someone. And that someone just happened to be the Ranger who had helped to save his life. Jack looked from Aragorn to his surroundings and realized that somehow his dreams had transported him to Middle-Earth, or at least he assumed that this was Middle-Earth, seeing as how he knew that that was where Aragorn was from.

Both men just stood staring and studying each other for a long time as they tried to decide if it was a dream or reality. Aragorn was surprised to see that Jack looked exactly as he had the last time that he had seen him, he hadn't aged a day. He frowned when he noticed slight redness around Jack's neck. *Rope burn* his mind told him, and Aragorn recalled how Jack had nearly been hung when they had last seen each other.

Jack on the other hand discovered that Aragorn had indeed aged. Though he still looked almost exactly the same, his face no longer held the innocence that it once had. The ranger still wore his dark colored clothing, and all of it looked as if it hadn't seen a good wash in months, the ranger's dark hair appeared greasy and he had several days of stubble on his cheeks.

[Laitorni]

Aragorn took in a breath and then quickly poked Jack. "You're real."

Jack frowned at him and then repeated the same action on Aragorn. "So are you, mate." They both continued to stare at each other until someone called Aragorn's alias.

"Strider is everything alright?" Turning around, Aragorn could see Mr. Butterbur's form standing at the bottom of the steps.

"Everything is fine; we're just getting packed up." Aragorn replied smoothly to the question, covering up his shock at meeting Jack here of all places.

Butterbur just nodded and turned away from the two. Aragorn waited a moment until he was out of sight and then grabbed Jack by the arm and dragged him back upstairs and into an unoccupied room. Once they were inside, Aragorn quickly bolted the door shut.

"Jack, how did you get here?"

Jack sighed and sat down on the bed. "I don't know. One minute I was in Tortuga sleeping and the next I wake up here in your world." Jack narrowed his eyes at Aragorn, who was making a rather odd face, as if he had swallowed something nasty. ".what's that face for?"

Aragorn just cringed more at the 'pleasant' memories of that place. The unattractive women, the bar. although dousing Gibbs with three buckets of water had been pretty entertaining. He looked up at Jack, startled.

"Oh nothing, did you say you were sleeping?"

Jack nodded and Aragorn decided that it was official; he never wanted to or was going to sleep again. Or, rather no more dreaming, since they seemed to cause nothing but trouble. After about ten minutes, Jack decided to break the awkward silence that had fallen between them.

"What are you getting packed up for?"

Aragorn blinked at the sudden switch in topic, before he answered the pirate. "I have to lead a small group to Rivendell. It is a matter of great importance and we need to leave as soon as possible." Aragorn watched as Jack lowered his eyes, probably expecting to be left behind. Aragorn really didn't know what to do. This as he said was an important trip, and the last thing he needed was for Jack to get drawn in by the Ring. But then he remembered how Jack could have just left him to die on the street and hadn't and Aragorn knew that he just couldn't leave the pirate behind. *Besides, Ada or Gandalf might be able to help him.*

"If you're coming with us you are going to need new clothes."

Jack's head shot up and he locked eyes with Aragorn, who was smiling goofily at him, like he usually had. "I can come. wait, why do I need new clothes?"

"Yes you can come. Do you really thin I am going to leave you behind? Valar only knows what kind of trouble you'd get yourself into. And you need new clothes because this isn't the Caribbean. you'll freeze in those."

Aragorn heard Jack sigh in relief as he exited the room to try and hunt up some clothes for the pirate. As he again headed down the stairs, he wondered how and why Jack had gotten to Middle-Earth, and most of all, why now after so many years. Once he was downstairs he sought out Butterbur and informed him that he was going to need a tunic, leggings and a heavy cloak, and that if he could get them in darker browns or greens it would be much appreciated.

The heavy-set man just gave him an odd look before he shuffled off to get the things that Aragorn had requested. *I'm setting a record for dirty looks today.* The ranger turned his attention back to the steps where Pippin and Merry were arguing over an apple, Sam was just glaring at them, and Frodo was rummaging through his pack making sure he hadn't forgotten anything. His thoughts then turned back to the pirate waiting for him upstairs. Laying his arms on the bar he placed his head on them and groaned softly. *Why me?*

The landlord returned a few moments later with a bundle of cloth in dark brown, which he handed to Aragorn with yet another odd look. Aragorn simply nodded in thanks and headed back up the stairs to the room where he had left the pirate.

Jack was still there when Aragorn entered, and the ranger handed him the clothes. "Put these on."

"Are you sure I really need them, mate? I am sure that I'll be fine in what I am wearing right now." Jack replied as he looked uncertainly at the bundle of cloth in Aragorn's arms.

Aragorn sighed but remained firm. "Yes, Jack I am sure. We are in the northern regions of Middle-Earth, it is the end of September, and winter will soon be coming. You are either wearing those clothes or you are not coming with us, because I can't afford to delay any longer."

"But." Jack started to protest. Aragorn said nothing, just looked at him expectantly with a strange look in his eyes that Jack didn't really want to push him on. With a grumble, the pirate began unfolding the cloth. Aragorn nodded in satisfaction and turned back to the door.

"Come down when you are dressed and I will introduce you to the rest of the group." the ranger called back over his shoulder. "Oh, and Jack." He glanced behind him to see the pirate looking at him curiously. "I am going to introduce you as simply Jack Sparrow. The hobbits have no idea that you are a pirate and a ship's captain, so please don't push the issue. That's one headache that I really don't want to deal with."

Jack didn't say anything, he simply nodded. Aragorn left the room and went back downstairs for the umpteenth time to find that Bob had returned with the newly purchased pony, and that the hobbits were already placing most of their provisions on the creature's back. Sam was patting the pony's nose and whispering to it, calling it Bill.

Aragorn smiled slightly, but the smile was quickly hidden as Jack emerged from the inn, wearing the new clothing. He didn't look anything like a pirate at the moment and if it wasn't for his braids and gold teeth, Aragorn might have thought him to be another ranger. Jack held his other clothes in his arms and Aragorn took them and shoved them into one of the packs that were already strapped onto the pony.

"Little masters, there is someone that I wish you to meet." Aragorn told them softly. All four hobbits looked up at the new stranger. "This is Jack Sparrow, one of my friends. I haven't seen him in a long while and it seems that he also has an errand in Rivendell, so he will also accompany us."

The hobbits nodded, although Sam and Merry both looked suspiciously at the pirate, who smiled cheekily at them. Aragorn continued introducing them to Jack. "Jack, this is Master Frodo Baggins, his cousins Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, and his gardener Samwise Gamgee. They are hobbits out of the Shire."

Jack nodded at each hobbit as they were named, and then turned back to Aragorn. "So when do we head out, mate?"

Aragorn groaned silently at the pirate's question, but his facial expression didn't change a bit. "Right now. Unfortunately there is no way that we can get out of Bree undetected now, so we'll have to simply take the road as quickly as we can before we move off and take a different path." With that the Ranger began to lead the small company down the road.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Laitorni]

Chapter two~~~~~ road trip

Day One of Jack's Travels:

*Oh thank God!* Jack sighed with relief as Aragorn slowed his pace. It was not only a relief to Jack, but to the four hobbits who were almost running to keep up with the ranger as he led them out of Bree and into the wilds of Middle-Earth. Jack looked at the mostly untouched wilderness all around him, and shivered and wrapped himself tighter in his new brown cloak that Aragorn had gotten for him, along with the heavier pants and tunic of the same color. At first he had argued with Aragorn about wearing them, trying to convince him that the clothes he was wearing were fine, but the ranger would hear nothing of it and forced Jack to put them on.

Jack, of course, teased him saying that he had gotten demanding and pushy now that he was older. But he quickly learned what Aragorn meant when he said that this place was not the Caribbean, it was freezing cold here! Jack shivered again and found himself missing the tropical weather.

"Are we cold?"

Jack looked at Aragorn, who was to his left, smirking with the knowledge that he was right and obviously waiting for Jack to admit it.

"Yes, you were right! I'm bloody freezing!" Jack exclaimed.

Aragorn's grin turned into a triumphant smile as he stopped and placed his hand on the trunk of a tree, sniffing the air as he did so. He looked back over his shoulder to make sure the hobbits were all still there before he continued on. He looked about to comment to Jack, when he stopped and listened as the hobbits began to talk quietly to each other. Unfortunately for them, they didn't talk softly enough and the ranger ad pirate could hear every word.

"How do we know these two are friends of Gandalf?" one of the hobbits asked another. The hobbit who had been spoken to, a young looking fellow with dark hair and startlingly blue eyes, glanced at the other hobbit briefly before responding.

"I think servants of the Enemy would look fairer, and feel fouler."

The first hobbit spoke again. "They're foul enough."

Aragorn and Jack both made identical disgusted faces, as they simultaneously looked back over their shoulders slightly, and continued to listen to the hobbits speak.

The dark-haired hobbit continued. "We have no choice but to trust them." The first hobbit to speak, who looked slightly older than the dark haired hobbit, huffed and hitched his pack further up on his shoulders. The hobbit leading the small brown pony joined in on the conversation. "But where are they leading us?"

Aragorn was the one who answered, even though he wasn't looking at the hobbits any more and had given no sign that he had heard the conversation. "To Rivendell, Master Gamgee, to the House of Elrond."

Jack glanced back over his shoulder again in time to see the shocked looks on the hobbits' faces. He smiled, revealing his golden teeth to the hobbits. "Next time talk a little quieter, savvy?"

Aragorn said nothing, only picked up the pace a little bit and continued to walk, though he couldn't hide the barest hint of a smile that threatened to break out on his face.

It was about mid-afternoon when snow began to fall, lightly blanketing the ground. Jack stopped for a few moments to catch his breath, before following Aragorn up a small hill where the ranger again stopped and smelled the air. Aragorn made a slightly irritated face as he heard pots and pans clanking behind him, though he banished any trace of irritation when he turned to face the hobbits, who were starting to unpack and prepare food.

"Gentlemen, we do not stop 'til nightfall."

All four hobbits looked at him in confusion, until the youngest one spoke up. "What about breakfast?"

Aragorn's face turned to one of disbelief and confusion. *How can they still be hungry?* "We've already had it."

Pippin smiled thingyily, because he thought he had the perfect answer. "We've had one, yes, but what about second breakfast?"

Jack smiled innocently as he looked between the hobbits and Aragorn. "I'm actually hungry myself, mate."

Aragorn just rolled his eyes and moved off into the bushes. Jack followed him, curious to know what the ranger had planned, and smiled as he saw Aragorn reach into his pack and pull out three apples once he was out of sight of the hobbits. Tossing one to Jack, he smiled. "You should have told me that you were hungry, I could have gotten you something better to eat at the inn."

Jack just shrugged and bit into his apple. He watched as Aragorn began tossing the others to Merry and Pippin. Merry caught his and handed it to Pippin, patting him on the shoulder as he moved off to follow Aragorn. The next apple went flying in the air and hit Pippin, who wasn't paying attention, right between the eyes. Aragorn and Jack both began laughing as Pippin looked at the sky in bewilderment and Merry called out his name impatiently. "I think I am going to enjoy traveling with them after all." Jack stated, before taking another bite of his apple.

Aragorn nodded and smiled slightly in agreement. "They'll certainly beat traveling with Will."

Later that same night.

Jack opened his eyes slowly, hoping to wake up in Tortuga. But, to his dismay, he was still lying on the wet, muddy ground in their makeshift campsite. They had spent the rest of the day traveling through some extremely rough wilderness, and then entered some marshes, which was one part that they had all enjoyed immensely, if one could call being eaten to death by bugs fun. Add to that the knee deep sludge and the horrible smell coming from the swamp and Jack wondered why he had never tried to cross a marshland before. To top it all off, Aragorn had decided that it would be fun to 'accidentally' trip Jack. This, of course, just made Jack even more miserable than he already was, since he was now soaking wet on top of everything else.

Sighing, Jack rolled over to his right, where he saw Aragorn sitting on a log not far away with his back to the pirate and the hobbits. Jack watched him for a long while. He had changed so much. It seemed like the weight of the world was resting on the ranger's shoulders, although his carefree nature was still bubbling just below the surface. It also wasn't hard to guess that he hadn't yet become king. His thoughts then turned to this important journey that they were on to Rivendell. Aragorn hadn't filled him in on anything and neither had any of the hobbits for that matter. But the pirate could tell by the way that they were all acting that it was way beyond anything that he could probably imagine. *And I don't think I want to either.* Of course, no one could have imagined what would have happened only a few days ago with Barbossa and the Pearl.

Jack sat up slightly and listened as Aragorn began singing a song in what he recognized as elvish from the brief time that he had spent with the elf, Legolas.

"Tinuviel elvanui Elleth alfirin ethelhael O hon ring finnil fuinui A renc gelebrin thiliol."

The words were beautiful and slightly haunting in the still night air. Jack listened with a small smile on his face, even if he didn't understand what the words meant. Aragorn stopped suddenly when Frodo sat up and asked who the woman was that he was singing of.

Aragorn looked back over his shoulder for a moment before he turned away, but not before Jack caught a glimpse of his face. The ranger seemed rather upset, but it didn't show in his soft voice.

"'Tis the Lay of Luthien, the Elf-maiden who gave her love to Beren, a mortal."

Jack's gaze narrowed as he considered his friend. Something about the hobbit's question had triggered a change in emotion in the ranger. "And what happened to her, mate?"

Aragorn turned again to face Frodo and saw Jack leaning on one elbow with his eyebrows arched, waiting for an answer. He became a little self- conscious since everyone had always told him he sang like an orc and wondered just how loud he was actually singing.

"She died."

Both of them stared at him for a long moment before he told them to get some sleep. Frodo lay back and fell asleep almost immediately, but Jack was still laying awake contemplating things when Aragorn spoke to him again.

"You really should get some sleep Jack; we have a long road ahead of us and it won't do us any good to drag a half-asleep pirate captain around with us, savvy?"

Jack smiled broadly, "Now there is the pirate I knew."

"I can't be..."

"Oh? And why is that mate?"

Aragorn laughed slightly, "Because I'm not throwing up. Now stop stalling and go to sleep!"

Jack mimicked Aragorn as he rolled over so that his back was facing the ranger who had turned back around and sighing continued his watch.


Send me some feedback please because I would like to know if you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Laitorni

[Namarië Galadriel]

I haven't had time to read it yet! But I will as soon as I get some extra time!!

[Laitorni]

It's alright take all the time you need. It is pretty long though.............but it is worth it. Through my point of view. It gets better soon.... I only posted 2 chapters so far........... The actual writer so far wrote 35 Chapters and she's only at Helm's Deep....they said they were going to continue all the way to the end...... She'll have about 100 chapters at the end lol

[glow=red,2,300]Laitorni[/glow]

[Laitorni]

Chapter three~~~~~ Nazgûl and Arwen

A few days later...

"So you've journeyed with an elf?"

Jack smiled down at Sam who was looking up at him, his face full of wonder. They had been traveling around for a few days now and Aragorn hadn't really been able to talk too much with Jack since he was on constant look out for any enemies. So Jack decided to get to know his well. shorter companions a little better. He quickly learned that Merry and Pippin were the jokers of the four, and Frodo was quiet but willing to have a good time. Sam on the other hand was still very skeptical of him that is until he told the hobbit about his little adventure that included an elf prince.

"For a brief time, but yes I have traveled with an elf."

"Mr. Frodo and I saw a group of wood elves on our way to Bree. It makes me sad to think that they are leaving middle earth forever."

Jack frowned somewhat, "They are leaving forever?"

Sam just nodded yes and let a silence fall between them as Jack thought about the hobbit's revelation. He had learned that Aragorn was raised by elves and that he and his family were very close, indeed. And then there was also Legolas who was his best friend. *Maybe that's something that has been worrying him, his family is leaving.* the pirate said to himself.

The silence continued on for the next hour or so until Aragorn paused and looked to a broken down structure not far off on top of a hill.

"This was the great watchtower of Amon Sûl. We shall rest here tonight."

It took another twenty minutes to actually get to Amon Sûl. When they got there Jack threw down his pack and sword before he plopped down next to Sam intending not to move for the rest of his life.

Aragorn looked off into the distance again before he produced a pack with four small swords which he passed to the hobbits.

"These are for you. Keep them close. I'm going to have a look around. Stay here."

Aragorn cast a quick glance at Jack who was struggling just to keep his eyes open before he moved off to go inspect the area *Please don't let them do anything stupid.* Aragorn thought, pleading to the Valar.

Frodo woke slowly and sat up with a start when he heard the crackling of a fire and the other three hobbits talking about their food.

"What are you doing?!"

Merry smiled and began pointing out things on his dish.

"Tomatoes, sausages, nice crispy bacon."

Frodo got to his feet and ran over to them as Sam held out a plate of food.

"We saved some for you, Mr. Frodo..."

Jack, who had also been aroused, jumped up and followed Frodo and tried to help the hobbit put out the fire as Pippin pregnant doged about them getting ashes on his tomatoes.

Suddenly, a Nazgûl's cry pierced the darkness. The hobbits and Jack all jumped, startled, and made their way over and look over the lip of the overhang. Jack's heart started pounding as he watched five Nazgûl closing in on Amon Sûl. Jack hesitated a moment and then ran and retrieved his sword as the hobbits unsheathed theirs and began heading up a near by flight of steps.

Once they had reached the top they found themselves standing in the middle of a circle of broken pillars. The hobbits all stood back to back with Jack in front of them as they looked around frantically for any sign of the Enemy. Jack froze when he got is first good look at the Nazgûl as they unsheathed their long swords and began making their way towards them *Where the hell is Aragorn?!*

Jack jumped a little when he backed into Frodo; it then dawned on him that the hobbits were now behind him all looking desperate for protection. Jack cringed. He had never been so terrified of something in all his life and he didn't think he could move let alone protect them. Sam suddenly jumped out from behind him screaming back you devils and clashed swords with one of the five wraiths before it threw him aside. Something in Jack's head suddenly clicked and he lunged at the wraith as well. The wraith crashed it's heavier sword so hard against his as they fought it was a struggle for him to keep a good grip on his smaller and much thinner sword. The Nazgûl finally succeeded in making Jack lose his sword, tossing him aside carelessly before it moved after Merry and Pippin. Forcing them out of the way as well, it continued to advance on Frodo. Jack shook his head trying to snap himself out of the daze he was in when took notice to the ring Frodo was holding. He felt strange, immediately being drawn to it. But he wasn't the only one who took notice to the ring. The leader of the Nazgûl took out his long dagger and began closing in on Frodo as he frantically backed away.

Frodo backed right into a fallen pillar. He became panicked as the wraith drew closer and in desperation he slipped the Ring on his finger.

Once Frodo had put the Ring on, it was like the world had changed, revealing to him the wraiths' true forms which were ghostly kings. The king in front of him reached out his hand and Frodo felt his own hand rising towards the king. With all the strength he could muster Frodo pulled his hand away from the king, who in response stabbed him in the shoulder with his dagger. Frodo cried out in pain and at the same moment Aragorn's dark figure jumped over him attacking the Nazgûl with his sword and a flaming torch.

Aragorn dodged a strike and then spinning around used the torch set one of his attackers on fire before moving on to the next one. The ranger fought with a fury that Jack had never seen in anyone before, and the pirate shivered slightly, glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of Aragorn's attack. The ranger finally drove the rest of the Nazgul off, but one of them remained, searching for Frodo. Aragorn heard it behind him, and whirling around, flung his torch. It flew end over end and hit the Ringwraith right in the face, where it stuck there. The Ringwraith's black cloak went up in flames and the dark figure fled, shrieking in terror and anger.

Mean while everyone else had moved to Frodo who was crying and moaning from the pain caused by his wound. Jack called for Aragorn who came rushing over to them as a concerned Sam began pleading for him to help Frodo. Aragorn looked around the hobbit and picked up the dagger lying by him and examined it closely.

"He's been stabbed by a Morgul blade..." Jack watched with amazement as the blade just dissolved in Aragorn's hand leaving him holding only the handle which he threw down in disgust. Leaning closer to Frodo Aragorn gathered him into his arms and rose.

"This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs elvish medicine."

The group paused by their camp long enough to gather their provisions, before moving on through the darkness. Eventually, after a long, terror- filled run, they came to a small clearing that held three large rock formations.

Jack stood by Aragorn, but he was looking off in the direction of the three huge stone trolls. He must have been making an odd face, because Aragorn reassured him that they were indeed stone.

"Stone, right, but what are they?" Jack muttered under his breath. Before Aragorn could answer, his attention was brought back to the hobbits.

Everyone stopped what they were doing as Frodo began making noises that were eerily similar to those of the Nazgul. Sam felt his forehead and then slightly panicked, turned to Aragorn. "He's going cold!"

"Is he going to die?" Pippin asked anxiously.

Aragorn turned towards the youngest hobbit. "He's passing into the shadow world. He will soon become a wraith like them."

Frodo gasped just before the Nazgûl screeched in the distance

[Laitorni]

Part 2 of Chapter 3

"They're close." Merry whispered.

Aragorn finally thought of something, "Sam, do you know the athelas plant?"

The little hobbit ran up to him but looked confused. "Athelas?"

Seeing his confusion Aragorn tried another name, "Kingsfoil?"

"Kingsfoil - aye, it's a weed."

Aragorn looked from Frodo to Sam, his face grim. "It may help to slow the poison." Handing him a torch, the ranger gestured off into the forest. "Hurry!" Sam nodded and darted off into the trees. The ranger paused for a moment and took the torch that Jack was holding. "Stay with them, Jack. You're their only protection while I'm gone."

The pirate captain nodded. "Hurry, Estel. I don't know if I can hold those things off for long if they return." Aragorn nodded and moved off into the trees, following Sam's path.

Aragorn and Sam eventually split up in their search for the plant. Sam ran off further ahead while Aragorn knelt down and examined a small, white- flower. A relieved smile came over his face as he realized that it was indeed athelas. He took out his small dagger and began to cut of portions of the herb. Out if the corner of his eye Aragorn saw a flicker of sliver and then felt a blade press up against his throat, *Not again!*

A musical voice spoke, full of humor at the situation that the two of them were in. "What's this? A ranger caught off his guard?"

Aragorn let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he turned to face the owner of the sword, someone he knew quite well.

Frodo was still lying on the ground, when he sensed a white light nearing him. He slowly turned towards it, seeing a beautiful elf-maiden riding towards him. She stopped her white horse not far from him and dismounting made her way over to him calling his name.

"Frodo.... Im Arwen. Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nîn. Tolo dan na ngalad." [Frodo, I'm Arwen. I have come to help you. Hear my voice. Come back to the light.]

Jack stood off with the other hobbits in awe as she knelt next to him and again called his name as Aragorn leaned over him and began chewing a portion of the athelas.

"Who is she?" asked Merry not taking his eyes off of Arwen as he spoke. Jack couldn't take his eyes off the elf-maiden. Her hair was raven-black and woven back in a complicated arrangement of braids. Her eyes were a silvery grey and shone as if with the light of a star.

"She's an elf." replied Sam and Jack at the same time.

Arwen pushed Frodo's tunic aside exposing his wound so Aragorn could apply the athelas he had been chewing to it, which made Frodo gasp.

"He's fading! He's not going to last. We must get him to my father." Arwen said softly, but urgently.

Aragorn tossed the rest of the athelas aside before he gently scoped Frodo up into his arms and made his way over to the white horse, and listened to Arwen speak to him.

"I've been looking for you for two days. There are five wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know."

Aragorn slid Frodo into the saddle and after making sure he was balanced in it he turned to Arwen

"Dartho guin perian. Rych le ad tolthathon." [Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses back for you.]

Arwen shook her head in defiance, "Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im. [I'm the faster rider. I'll take him.]"

Pippin looked up at Jack in confusion "What are they saying?" Jack frowned at the hobbit.

"How am I supposed to know?"

"You said you had traveled with elves before." the hobbit pointed out.

Jack nodded, "Yes I did, but it was only for a short time and I know very little of the language." He really only knew a few things like "thank you", "my friend", and a few basics he picked up from traveling with the ranger and the elf.

He made a mental note to ask Aragorn to teach him how to speak some Elvish when or if they even got to Rivendell.

Pippin sighed when Jack didn't go any further with his explanation and then turned his attention back to Aragorn who was still arguing with Arwen.

"Andelu i ven," he said firmly. [The Road is too dangerous.] Aragorn knew that Arwen was capable of defending herself on the Road, but he was still frightened for her safety, since his love for her was so deep.

Her face turned even more serious then it already was "Frodo fîr. Ae athradon i hir, tur gwaith nin beriatha hon. [Frodo's dying. If I can get across the river, the power of my people will protect him.]"

"I do not fear them." Arwen smiled reassuringly at Aragorn who returned her smile and took her hand into his.

"Be iest lîn." [As you wish.]

Aragorn stepped aside letting Arwen mount Asfaloth with Frodo seated in front of her still moaning. Aragorn's smile faded as Arwen turned to again look at him "Arwen, ride hard. Don't look back!"

She nodded and leaned forward slightly. "Noro lim, Asfaloth, noro lim!" [Ride on, Asfaloth, ride on!] The white horse tossed his proud head before cantering off into the trees and out of sight.

Jack couldn't believe Aragorn was letting Arwen take Frodo the rest of the way to Rivendell and apparently neither could Sam.

"What are you doing?! Those wraiths are still out there!" the hobbit protested.

Aragorn just stared after Arwen, well aware of the dangers she was facing and Sam wasn't helping him cope with his decision any better.

"If Aragorn trusts her then you should as well." Jack said softly.

Aragorn glanced back over his shoulder and smiled slightly at Jack in thanks for his words. After glancing once more after Arwen, he turned back to the others. "We must pack up and follow Frodo as quickly as possible. We still have several days' walking ahead of us and the sooner we leave the sooner we'll make it to the safety of Rivendell."

The hobbits sighed and went to gather up the few items that they had removed from Bill. Jack stepped closer to Aragorn. "Who was that, Estel? I saw that she was an elf, but who is she?"

Aragorn looked back again before meeting Jack's gaze. "That was Arwen Undomiel, the Evenstar of her people. She is the only daughter of Lord Elrond."

Jack's eyes narrowed as he recognized the name of the elf lord. The pirate wracked his brains trying to remember where he had heard that name before. He smiled in satisfaction as he finally caught hold of the memory. "And he is your foster father, correct?" Aragorn only nodded, and Jack turned away satisfied. Aragorn breathed a soft sigh of relief. At least Jack hadn't noticed that he obviously cared a great deal for Arwen. That would make things too complicated to go into for the moment.

A few moments later the group set out again, heading determinedly for Rivendell and safety, and praying all the while that Frodo would reach Rivendell in time.