The Moon Goddess of Middle Earth

We left early the next day. Strider and I grabbed our horses from the stable and we set out before dawn. We were a good distance away by the time the sun had risen. We trudged up hills and through forest. I glared at Strider as he continued without a thought or care to wither the Hobbits were tired or not.
“Where are you taking us?” asked Frodo.
“Into the Wild,” replied Strider.
I huffed putting Merry and Pippin up onto Amras and made room on Striders horse, Bill, for Sam and Frodo to ride on. I then took the reins of both horses and pulled them through the wood after Strider.
“How do we know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf,” whispered Merry.
“We have no choice but to trust him,” replied Frodo.
“But where is he leading us,” asked Sam.
“To Rivendell, Master Gamgee,” replied Strider. “To the house of Elrond.”
Sam smiled with glee, “Did you hear that? Rivendell. We’re going to see the Elves.”
******
A few hours later when we reached a snowy slope I helped the Hobbits off the horses and then started to unpack. I cocked my head and watched them. Strider had stopped a few feet ahead to look over the area.
“Gentleman,” he said to them, “we do not stop till nightfall.”
“What about breakfast,” asked Pippin.
“We’ve already had it.”
“We’ve had one, yes,” he argued, “But what about second breakfast.”
Strider turned and started to walk up the hill behind a few hedges. I tugged Amras’s reins after him. “What are you doing,” I hissed at him as he plucked a few apples off a tree.
“They want breakfast,” he smiled and then gently chucked them over the hedge.
I listened as one landed softly in a Hobbits hand. But the next one he threw hit one of the Hobbits. “Pippin!” said Merry. I shook my head at the Hobbits.
“You know, Nikita, it’s not raining anymore,” Strider said, motioning to my hood, “You can take off your hood.”
I hadn’t once taken off my hood since I had met Strider. And I didn’t plan on it quite yet. I don’t like letting people I don’t know or trust see me for… special reasons. So I just shook my head and pulled Amras further up the hill. He didn’t need to know me just yet…
******
Many hours later Strider came to a stop and gazed up to the ruins upon a large hill.
“This was the great watchtower of Amon Sul,” he whispered. “We shall rest here tonight,” he said turning to the Hobbits and I.
Strider then started up the hill side. I followed after him with Amras and the Hobbits were fallowing me. We climbed high, but not to the top. On the side of the rocky hill was a large opening, easy for four men to walk acrossed the side. The Hobbits plopped down onto the ground with exhausted sighs. I smiled to them sitting down as well. Bill and Amras were still at the bottom of the hill, grazing on the grass.
As night fell Strider placed a rolled up blanket before the Hobbits. Unrolled, it revealed four little daggers, swords for the Hobbits. “These are for you,” he said tossing one to Sam, “Keep them close. I’m going to have a look around. Stay here.” He then started to walk away.
“You’ve got to be joking,” I hissed at him as I caught up, out of ear range to the Hobbits. He stopped and looked at me. “You’re giving them, Hobbits, swords! You’re mad! They have no idea how to fight. Hell, they are more likely to stab each other than an enemy!”
He cocked his head, “Then why don’t you stay here with them. If you feel they are unable to protect themselves.”
I huffed walking back to the Hobbits. I sat down next to Frodo, “I really don’t like him.”
“Oh, come now, Nikita,” he smiled. “You say that about every new person you met.”
I shook my head, “Well, this time, I mean it.”
“Nikita,” sighed Frodo.
“Frodo, to tell, have you ever wielded a sword in your life?” I questioned.
He frowned, “Well, no…”
“See! He’s ignorant to what you are and aren’t capable of! No offense but, your Hobbits, not Men.”
Frodo touched my arm, “We’ve got you, Nikita. I’m sure you’ll take care of us.”
“And don’t you bloody forget it,” I smiled. He laughed, and then yawned. “Sleep, Frodo, it’s been a long day.”
He nodded laying down with the rest of the Hobbits. I smiled and looked up to the sky. Once they were all fast sleep I crept off a little ways and shed my cloak to let my skin soak up the moon light. Not too long after I could hear Frodo’s cries.
“Put it out, you fools! Put it out!”
“Well, that’s nice!” cried Pippin, “Ash on my tomatoes!”
Then came the shrieks of the Nazgul. I quickly picked up my cloak and put it back on. I drew my swords as I climbed up the hill. I felt dizzy and clumsy. I had cut my ritual short and without the moon, I was weak and uncoordinated. I ran as fast as I could up the hill side but the Hobbits were no longer there. I searched and found a door way to the watch tower ruins. At the top I saw Merry, Pippin, and Sam lying on the cold stone, and five Wraiths standing around a corner. I then realized that Frodo had put on the Ring. I watched as one of the Nazgul stabbed a blade down and then I knew that Frodo was laying there. I yelled as I ran at the Nazgul. I stabbed one of them in the back. It screamed and the others turned to me. I pulled my sword back out and began to fight. I heard another yell and Strider came from the shadows with a torch and began to fight as well. But I was no help. I was weak and my strikes were slow and hesitant. Strider struck one of the Nazgul with the torch. The Nazgul cried in pain and ran into another one, setting it on fire as well. The two on fire ran and two others ran. One remained, edging closer and closer towards Frodo. Strider turned and threw the torch straight through the hood of the Nazgul and it ran away screaming. I sighed with exhaustion and fell to my knees.
“Strider,” shouted Sam. “Help him, Strider.”
Strider ran over to Frodo and picked up a sword laying by Frodo, “He’s been stabbed by a Morgul blade.” The blade then disappeared and he dropped the hilt as if it had burned him. “This is beyond my skill to heal. He needs Elvish medicine.”
Strider then lifted Frodo up and started down the hillside. I slowly stood up and started down after him.
“Nikita? Are you alright?” asked Pippin.
“Yes, I’m fine. I just need to get to Amras,” I whispered.
Pippin and Merry helped me down the hill and I quickly climbed onto Amras. Pippin and Merry took his reins and started to follow after Strider.
“Hurry!” he shouted as we went further into the woods.
“We’re six days from Rivendell!” cried Sam. “He’ll never make it!”
“Hold on, Frodo,” whispered Strider.
“Gandalf!” Frodo cried just before I fell into unconscious.
******
I woke when we stopped. We were in a small clearing. I looked up and saw that the three trolls in Bilbo’s story were around us. I smile slightly and stumbled off of Amras’s back. Strider had laid Frodo down and was searching the area. Sam was kneeling before Frodo and Frodo was clearly in pain.
“Mr. Frodo?” Sam asked. “He’s going cold,” he said to Strider.
“Is he going to die?” asked Pippin.
Strider turned to us, “He’s passing into the Shadow World. He’ll soon become a Wraith like them.”
The Wraiths cried, calling to Frodo.
“They’re close,” whispered Merry.
“Sam,” Strider said urgently, “do you know the Athelas plant?”
“Athelas?”
“Kingsfoil.”
“Kingsfoil, aye, that’s a weed.”
“It may help slow the poisoning. Hurry,” he said pulling Sam into the woods with him.
I knelt down beside Frodo and took his hand into mine. “You’ll be alright, Frodo,” I whispered. “You’ll make it.” Tears started to form in my eyes and slide down my cheeks.
Hooves pounded against the ground, I looked up and saw Arwen galloping towards us with Strider and Sam close behind. She knelt down by Frodo, gave me a small smile of hello, and then began to speak to him in Elvish.
“Frodo,” she whispered. “I am Arwen-I’ve come to help you. Hear my voice. Come back to the light.”
“Who is she,” asked Merry.
“Frodo,” she murmured as Strider put a piece of a plant into his mouth.
“She’s an Elf,” whispered Sam.
“He’s fading,” she said pulling back Frodo’s shirt to reveal the wound. Strider took the piece of plant out of his mouth and stuck it into his wound. “He’s not going to last,” Arwen continued. “We must get him to my father.” Strider picked up Frodo and set him on Arwen’s horse. “I’ve been looking for you for two days,” she said to him.
“Where are you taking him?” asked Merry.
I frowned when she did not answer him. “There are five Wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know.”
“She’s taking him to Rivendell,” I whispered to the Hobbits as I stood weakly.
“Stay with the Hobbits and the girl-I’ll send horses for you.” Strider said to her in Elvish.
“I’m the faster rider-I’ll take him.”
“The Road is too dangerous,” Strider argued.
“What are they saying?” asked Pippin.
“If I can get across the river, the power of my people will protect him.” She then switched to the common tongue. “I do not fear them.”
Strider said something more but I was too weak to hear it. I once again fell to my knees. Merry, Pippin, and Sam ran to my side. But I waved them away.
“Arwen, ride hard. Don’t look back,” spoke Strider. Arwen then took off with Frodo towards Rivendell.
“What are you doing?!” shouted Sam. “Those Wraiths are still out there!”
I fell forward onto my hands and then rolled down onto my shoulder. I looked up to the sky and saw that the sun was starting to rise. I stuck my hand out into the open, but it did not begin to glow. Tears slipped down my cheeks. I had never done this before. I had never once missed the moons glow. Suddenly my necklace started to glow. I could feel the power surge through me like waves breaking upon the sandy shores. I rolled over onto my back with my cloak still keeping my face in the shadows. I stared up into the sky, my breathing became ragged and my eye sight blurry.
“Strider!” cried Pippin, “There’s something wrong with Nikita!”
“Her…her necklace! It’s glowing!” said Merry.
Strider knelt down next to me, “Nikita,” he whispered. “What’s wrong? What do you need?”
“Elrond,” I whispered weakly. “Get me to Rivendell; to Elrond. He’ll know what to do.”
Strider stood placing the Hobbits up on Amras and then lifted me off the ground. My hood fell back and I knew he could see my scar. I turned my face to hide it as he began to trudge through the forest with Amras and Bill following behind him. I could tell that Amras was hesitant to follow Strider. I reached out over Strider’s shoulder and touched Amras’s snout. He seemed to calm down slightly and became more comfortable with Strider pulling him through the forest. I closed my eyes, then, and became to drift into unconsciousness.