Halflings

Chapter Fourteen

~ Chapter Fourteen: Ringwraiths ~

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   Frodo, Merry, Pippin, Sam, and Esmeralda collapsed halfway up Weathertop, muddy and breathless. Strider dropped a blanket containing four swords at the Hobbits' feet.

"These are for you." Strider glared at the group, "One of you will have to be unarmed."

"That'd be me," Esmeralda spoke, "I brought along two of my best daggers. I have no need of a third weapon."

"Very well." Strider turned to the four boys. "Keep them close, and stay here. I'm going to have a look around."

They all grabbed a sword, and unsheathed it in awe, as Esmeralda began to unpack her blankets. Frodo put his sword back in it's sheath, before walking to Esmeralda. He briefly looked inside her knapsack, to see a medium sized sword laying there.

"You say you have no need of a third weapon, but yet you carry a sword along with your two daggers."

Esmeralda looked up at Frodo in shock, then quickly covered the sword with her extra clothes.

"That sword has no use to me." She said coldly, as she stared at the ground.

"Then why do you carry it?" Frodo asked curiously.

"I... I do not know."

"Was it your uncles'?"

She shook her head.

"Your fathers'?"

She looked up into Frodo's eyes, then yelled, "Enough! Do not speak of my father!"

Frodo stepped back a little in shock, for he had never heard Esmeralda raise her voice like that before.

When she came to the Shire when she was fourteen, she had her uncle with her, who died a year later. Nobody in the Shire knows where her parents are, what happened to them, or even if she has parents. Many rumors had gone around, the possibility that she was an orphan, or maybe she was kicked out of the house by her parents, along with many other absurd suggestions. She had told Frodo that these rumors were, of course, folly. Anytime someone tried to ask her about it, she would either say nothing, or ignore them and walk off. She had never yelled at anyone before.

"I'm... I'm sorry Frodo. Forgive me." She said softly, as she wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "I don't like to speak of my parents."

Frodo walked back to her, then got on his knees.

He rubbed his hand up and down her back soothingly, as he said, "It's okay, I understand. When I was twelve, my parents drowned."

She turned around, then looked at him with symphony. "I'm so sorry. That must've been quite hard."

He nodded his head slowly, before looking up into her green eyes, and giving a small smile.

"It was a long time ago. I'm over it now."

Esmeralda lifted her hand, and placed it on his cheek. "Frodo, no one can truly get over somethin' like that."

He looked away, and gave a small frown.

"You're right."

Suddenly, Esmeralda surprised Frodo by engulfing him in her arms.

Before he could say anything, she said, "Ya look like you need a hug."

Frodo stayed frozen for a moment, before wrapping his arms around her small body, and burying his face in the crook of her neck.

Their moment was broken a minute later when Pippin said, "Have you guys seen my-" he stopped abruptly when he saw how they were embracing.