"You are a strange child," he told me as soon as we were out of earshot of the tower. "With strange clothes."

NO DUH, I thought to myself as I rolled my eyes. Well, I would probably have to get used to it, since it would happen a lot.

"Here," he said, pulling out a long dagger with a slightly curved blade and giving it to me. "For protection."

I studied it carefully. It was very pretty, and elegant, despite the length. I was shocked he would trust me with a dagger, but he said nothing more and continued walking through the small trees and tall grass.

Sheesh, I thought. These people really need some razors. Because he needs to shave. I smiled to myself, trying not to giggle.

"Have you ever used a sword?" he asked, stopping and turning around.

I shook my head.

"Have you ever used a dagger?"

I did a so-so gesture with my hand.

"A bow and arrows?"

This time I nodded.

He smiled. "Strange."

I heard a huge snap! and looked around. Strider had started to walk forward again, and I dazily followed. I gripped the curved dagger he had given me, looking around franticly, trying to follow Strider, keep up, and look to see what had made that noise, and what continued to make that noise. I was, apparently, looking around too much, since I smacked into him more than a couple times.

"What's wrong?" he asked when I smacked into him, again, for the fourth time. I just smiled and shrugged, trying to act casual, but the snapping noise just kept getting louder and louder. I was looking to see what it was and he noticed. He began looking, too.

I had been walking quietly for a few minutes, trying to locate the sound, when suddenly I felt a hand go over my mouth. Someone was dragging me down. I heard a voice in my ear. "Shh, Jenakin, it's me." It was Strider's voice. He dragged me to the ground beside a huge bush.

I was just about to try and wiggle loose when I heard it.

Snapping.

I automatically stopped moving and listened. Strider removed his hand from over my mouth and I looked forward, past the bush.

A black rider.

It screeched and got off its horse. I heard the loud thud of its iron boots hitting the ground. It drew its sword and surged forward, reminding me of a black wave. When it was out of sight, I got up as quickly as I could. I was going to go after it but Strider stopped me.

"There is more of them. No doubt. When we get up there, I will hold them off, and you will help the Hobbits." He drew a sword I had not seen and handed it to me. I slowly accepted it and followed him as he ran back to where we had left the Hobbits.

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You haven't met scary until you meet a Nasgûl. I know. When I watched the movie, I wanted to meet them too, just like you.

But, clearly, you haven't met them.

Their screams sent tremors through my body, making me want to curl up in a ball. Not to mention their swords went up to at least my chin, which says something since I was at least five-foot nine. I almost ran away when I saw them. But I didn't.

I had a serious blackout in this moment. I'm not sure if it was fear, adrenaline, or just my brain purposely trying to keep me safe. Whichever it was, I was kind of thankful. Kind of.

Well, I wouldn't call it a blackout. Everything was blurry and seemed to be like a fuzzy recording, as if I wasn't even there. As if I was watching a movie...

He was gripping my wrist tightly, dragging me behind him up to the campground where there were signs of a freshly stamped-out fire. So that's how they found us. Strider released my wrist and turned to face me, all seriousness.

"I will distract the Nazgûl, and when I tell you, you will run to the Hobbits and help them to the best of your abilities." He sighed at the sure but afraid look about me and put his hand on my shoulder. "Just follow me." He grabbed an unlit torch and quickly lit it. He charged up the old, cracked stairs and I followed a little more slowly.

He jumped out and waved his torch around like a crazy person, along with his sword, and yelled. I stood in shock for a moment and just watched him fight, but eventually I turned my attention back to Frodo and the other Hobbits. I saw my chance and took it, going towards a screaming Frodo, who, I presumed, had been stabbed in the shoulder by one of the Nazgûl already. I rushed over to him, but one of them stepped in my way, brandishing its sword.

My eyes went wide as the stroke came down. I didn't even realize that I had raised my sword until it's sword hit mine. Through the shadow of my closed lids, I saw a flash of blue light and felt something trickling through me. Almost like electricity. I forced my eyes to open and was shocked to see that my sword was no longer under another's, but now by itself and crackling with blue electricity.

The Nasgûl I had just been fighting was gone - vanished - and everyone seemed to be frozen in time. As soon as I realized it, everything unfroze. Strider began fighting again. Frodo began screaming and groaning again.

I shook the confusion out of my head and ran to him. Sam was over him, Marry and Pippin behind them. I cupped Frodo's head in my hands and strokes his small curls. I could tell he was trying to smile, but, clearly, it wasn't working, since he looked like he was trying not to crap all over himself. I almost laughed, but decided against it, and smiled.

I didn't even notice they were all gone since I was busy keeping Frodo company. I didn't even realize I was singing until Frodo grabbed my wrist. Strider rushed over, the torch no longer in his hands, and kneeled beside Frodo, picking up a blade next to him.

"Stabbed," he said as he inspected it, "by a Morgul blade."

As soon as he said it, the blade crumbled to dust and he dropped the grip like it was hot. It clanked loudly as it hit the ground. As soon as it did, I got a horrible headache. I closed my eyes and put my hand on my head. When I opened my eyes, I couldn't see anything.

Sam must've noticed. "Jenakin? Are you alright?"

Of course I nodded.

I felt someone cup my face and turn my head. The hands were kind of big, so I figured it was Strider. Not to mention there was a couple of rings on his fingers and they were seriously rough. "Jenakin, your eyes..." He released my face and I heard lots of movement. I felt Fodo's head being lifted from my lap. I heard a small grunt, probably from Strider. Maybe he was carrying Frodo...?

"Sam," I heard him say gruffly. "Help Jenakin. They will come back. And we must be gone before they do."

I felt someone, most likely Sam, tugging my arm so I stood up. He led me down a steep staircase, which I almost fell down twice, and then across a flat, rough survace. Then down a steep hill. I knew where we were.

I heard a horse snort nearby.

"Get Jenaken on the pony," Strider ordered, and I was led to what felt like a horse. First I found the muzzle. Then I went down the neck and found the saddle, then found the loop hole and put my foot in it, climbing up slowly. I found the narrow space for my butt and placed it there.

"Hurry!" Strider called from a ways away. I felt Sam pull the horse forward, this time much faster. And since I couldn't see, I was a little afraid. I almost began to cry. I hated not being able to see what was around me. I was so afraid. I didn't pay attention to what they were saying. But suddenly I saw something. Unfortunately, a vision.

Gandalf. On the spire. Where I last saw him.

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Sorry. That was totally a cliffie. A sucky one.

Well, I'll right more next chapter!

~JJJ