Barrow-Downs Birthday Party at the Fields of Cormallen

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel looks around at all the chaos, then, again, takes Gimli's lead and gets a few more mugs of ale to pass the time, since she is obviously not needed!

[Sindacuion]

Sindacuion wakes up, once again. He finds himself under a buffet table and gets up. "What is going on?" he wonders. He look around - Pio, Veritas, C7A, a golden dragon (¿Que?) and a many other persons were looking very busy - maybe they were preparing for something. Sind walks over to Pio.

"What is going on?" he asks.

"Well, to make a long story short, Rose Cotton has the REG and is trying to take over all of Middle-Earth." the Elf responded.

"Much has happened since I was gone. I still do not believe such things of Rose.. There must be something behind this all.."

Sind decides to join the 'hunt' for Rose. He grabs his bow and heads towards the crowd..

[ June 02, 2002: Message edited by: Sindacuion ]

[ June 02, 2002: Message edited by: Sindacuion ]

[Rose Cotton]

As soon as Rose had returned to the Ents she seperated herself from the ents and the eagles to go look at the laptop. She pulled up an image of the party field where everyone was getting ready to go after her. She laughed at their feable attepts to create an army. But it really wasn't her crying, it was the REG. If Rose did have controll of her body she would have been crying. She hated being the center of such fear and panic. All I wanted was to help people. I thought you would'nt be a danger if I could control you.she thought.

"Yes, and in doing so you opened your heart to me. You were ignorant and wouldn't listen to others. It is your fault this is happened. My list of allies grows and soon all of Middle Earth will be mine. And it will all me your fault. Now we have another job." and Rose disapeared and reapered in the land known as Mordor.

[Birdland]

Birdie packed her ol' kit bag, preparing to go. "Let's see; change of socks, leaf gloss, her trusty sling, (Birdie uses the "Ayla" two-stone throwing technique, since everyone knows you can't kill one Bird with two stones), some Elven rope (EVERYBODY carries Elven rope these days), spare batteries for the laptop, to be pulled out when Veritas has need for them, her copy of "Ents of Middle Earth" field guide, and some trail mix, in case the Lembas gets old.

Slinging her pack over her back and tying her sling to her belt, she walks to the group. "Well, let's get this show on the road. Sooner there, sooner back." She starts to whistle "Oh Woodman Spare That Tree" through her teeth.

"Oh, by the way; how are we gonna get to Fangorn without some kind of REG-transporter devise?"

[Gimli Son Of Gloin]

"I know why he brought us here, he's doing us a favor, the ale's better", said Gimli as he drains his 87,940th mug.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child was preparing her gear for immediate departure. She had an awful lot to carry: all of Mith's backpack and her own, plus food for that dratted little dragon who did not appear to be of much practical use. She didn't see why Birdland who was approximately 13 times her own height couldn't lug some of this junk herself!

She went over to Samwise and Frodo to wave goodbye. Frodo looked awfully glum, and she wished she could cheer him up. Oh, well, Samwise was best at that kind of thing. She wondered what Frodo was staring at in that keychain palantir. He looked even more green than he had an hour or two ago.

She also made a point of going over to Sind and welcoming him to the party, if you could call it a party any longer! Oh, well, his bow would certainly be a good addition.

Finally, she turned and glared at Birdie. Birdland still seemed a little miffed about her giving the tiny palantir to Frodo. Child made a note in her mind to search through her ample provisions of mathoms at home and locate one keychain palantir to give to Birde on her own birthday which was coming up. That is, if she managed to make it home by her next birthday!

She also noted Birdie complaining about the lack of a REG. She heard Birdland growling to herself......how in the world are we going to transport ourselves anywhere without that stupid REG?

Child went up to Birdland and pulled on one of her lower branches--Bird was again back in Ent character. "Hey, Birdland, don't you remember? We have the laptop which Mith programmed to track down the REG. Just press this button, the one over here with the big green question mark, and it will send us to wherever the REG is at that particular instant."

"Not only that", declared Child, "but Frodo can even program that little palantir keychain to keep open a visual and spatial pathway between here and wherever the laptop is. That way, if anyone comes late and wants to help us, they can just continue on that same pathway and join us."

Birdland looked dubious since Child's ineptness with computers was quite legendary throughout the entire Shire and even beyond. Even Pio and Sind looked doubtful.

Veritas was still holding the laptop and was babbling on at some length about possible distortions caused by the REG, and how strange shifts in time and space seemed to be occurring because of its operation by Rose.

Child, however, was in no mood to wait or argue. "Here, give me that thing!", Child growled.

She felt quite angry. Just because they were all bigger than she was didn't mean they were always right and she was always wrong. She wanted to show them that she could also make important decisions. She tore the laptop open........There it was.......a large green button. She put her finger on the button, and whoosh.......

In the background far away, she thought she heard the sound of Frodo's voice garbling something about "Rose Cotton" and "Mordor" and "You don't know where you're going!"

[ June 03, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Birdland]

"Wu-OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

(Whoosh!)

[Gimli Son Of Gloin]

Gimli drains his 99,835th mug.

[piosenniel]

Pio watched as Birdie, Child, and Sindacuion were sucked into nothing. She had stepped away from the site for a moment to discuss the moving maps with Veritas, when she saw Child look at the laptop screen in frustration and jab her finger at the keyboard. A small vortex opened up and half the band was gone!

'O no!' cried Veritas and Pio in unison. 'Where have they gone?' asked Pio.

'I think they've been directed to the false Fangorn that the REG has moved near the border of the field. What they'll find in there I can't be certain. But I don't think it will be Rose.'

'I was thinking that, too.' returned Pio. 'I think she and the REG must have some kind of watch they were keeping on us. I could almost feel a kind of dark laughter whispering in my ear at times. It wasn't Rose. It must be whatever force is operating through the REG.'

'Good thinking!', came a small voice from directly above their heads.

Angara peered down from the branch of a tree at them.

'Come down and help us solve this problem, please!' requested Pio. 'I was thinking that we need to get to the real Fangorn before Rose's trail get's too cold. Hopefully her and the REG's attention will be focused on the other part of our company. Can you think of how we might get to Fangorn quickly?'

'I think I can solve that.', said Veritas considering the dragon closely. 'Allow me to touch you with my staff, and I will make you bigger.'

Veritas touched the wary dragon with her staff and uttered a finite growing spell. Angara grew to the size of an exceedingly large oliphaunt with wings large enough to support her weight. Looking quite proud of herself, she stepped into a patch of sunlight and let out a long whoosh of smoke and fire.

'Don't burn the field!' cried Pio, who had picked up Kettle, still sitting dejectedly nearby, and was attempting to douse the small brush fire with water scooped from the river.

'Veritas, see if you can get our equipment onto the dragon. I need to make some arrangements for the defense of the Field.'

Pio ran to the shelter where Frodo and Sam had set up camp. She explained what was going on,although Frodo was pretty much in the loop through his Palantir. She told him that it seemed that 2 forces created by the REG, or perhaps just obscured by it, were converging on the Field. Once again they were going to need a home defense team mobilized for action against an unknown enemy. She suggested that they might want to retreat to the fortified position of Henneth Annun, just northeast of Cormallen. She asked Frodo to be careful not to let the Palantir 'see' too much of their surroundings when they moved. It might be possible that the REG could have a link to it.

Pio then hurried over to Menelduliniel and Gimli where they were drinking. She told them she hoped they could assist the defense of Cormallen with Sam and Frodo and any other hearty souls they could muster.

'I'm afraid the battle may prove an ugly one,'said Pio,'and I don't know what sort of foe or foes you will find yourselves up against. This Field, though, seems to be one target for the evil force's focus, and you must hold it against the time that we can return Rose and destroy whatever force is behind the REG. Will you take the challenge?'

They shook their heads in the affirmative, and then put them together to make plans.

Pio ran back to Angara, with Veritas now sitting at the nape of her neck just forward of her wings. She grabbed Kettle, who squeaked as Pio hauled it up the side of the dragon, and secured it between herself and Veritas.

'Why are you bringing that Kettle?' asked Veritas, eyebrows raised.

'Even the smallest creature can do great deeds for good!' reminded Pio, laughing as she saw Veritas roll her eyes at the line.

'Not to mention the fact that I quite enjoy fish!' rumbled Anagara deep in her throat.

The dragon rose into the air, heading northwest to Fangorn. Ketlle squeaked in horror and protest until the wind rushing past the swiftly flying dragon blotted out the sound.

[Rose Cotton]

When Rose had reached Mordor she had rallied together all the orcs and men she could find. And now that Child had transported herself and others to were the REG was she was now surrounded by enemy forces. Many people had not been ready for departure yet and were now trying their best to hide behind Birdie. Rose stood on a low cliff above the scene.

"Your are a fool Child of the 7th Age. When you pressed that button you transported yourself and half of the party into the heart of Mordor. But I thank you for your ignorace it will make things less difficult." She held up her hand and the laptop Child tried vainly to hang onto zoomed into it. Rose opened the laptop and conected it with the keychain palantir. She saw Frodo's face looking back with horror.

"Greatings my dear Frodo." said Rose. "I thought you should see what has happened to your friends." Oh Frodo. NO, this is not me. Forgive me Frodo. You look so strained. It's all my fault.thought Rose. She turned the laptop so Frodo could see everyone surrounded by orcs and eastern men. Then she closed the laptop. "I hope you have fun." she disapeared and reapeared in Fangorn forest where she walked over to join her army of ents and eagles.

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo was now looking even more green and pale than when Child had spoken to him. He had been looking at the group but now the REG had somehow taken control of the Palantir. When he saw a very evil Rose Cotton and the aremy of orcs and evil men (some looked to him like the Mumakil of Harad but he was not sure),he shrieked, covered the Palantir with a pocket-handkerchief and stuffed it in his pocket.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child looked about her at the incredibly bleak and miserable landscape. Birdie and Sind were glaring at her with absolute fury.

Child felt even smaller than the 3 feet which she normally occupied on the face of the earth.

How in the blazes had this happened? They were all supposed to come through together!!!?? She remembered Veritas screaming something about a false Fangorn Forest and Frodo screaming about Mordor.

From the looks about her, she could not see any trees so she could only assume this was not Fangorn, whatever the old laptop had originally told Veritas. She felt like someone who had signed up for a very strange tour of Middle-earth. Oh, yeah, if it was Monday, it must be Mordor!!

Just great. Birdie would never let her live this down, and she doubted she would ever even be allowed to touch the laptop, or for that matter any computer again for the rest of her life (er, her death).

Actually, though, it didn't seem to be Mordor per se. It was just outside Mordor. She looked up to see in the distance the large gates which, she knew, had been locked against Frodo and Sam. That's when they had backtracked to come up through the path of Cirith Ungol and Shelob's lair.

Well, at least the three of them knew enough not to make that mistake.

"Let's see, now" she thought. We do have certain advantages. Surely there was no Sauron. He is long gone."

" I think so anyway, she mused."

She asked Birdie to scramble up to the top of the hill and let her sit on her topmost branch to take a look at everything. Rose's army of orcs and nasty humans were making formations on the distant hills to the east. And even more distant, she thought she saw two solitary figures, linked arm in arm, struggling up one of the most distant hills which were covered in ash. Behind them struggled a strange figure that looked like a cross between a hobbit and a large frog.

"Birdie, er, you wouldn't happen to know what age this is, would you? There's some very strange and distant figures struggling through the depths of Mordor which look suspiciously like two characters we know and love on the Downs. Actually, it kind of looks like my third cousin Frodo Baggins and his good friend Sam, the faithful spirit. Plus there's a strange creature struggling along in back of them."

Child declined to say who that might be, as some things are best left unsaid. "I think we should definitely head in the opposite direction."

"Birdland, do you think you could change back into that bird thing you are and maybe fly us out of here, back towards Fangorn?"

Child secretly wished she could have started her annual spring diet a bit earlier. Birdland did not look as big as one of the great eagles, and Child plus Sind were one big load. Still, it would be better than nothing, and they had to get out of here.

Just then, Child looked out and, to her utter amazement, saw a band of humans coming towards them. These particular humans did not look as nasty as the ones marching with the Orcs. In fact, these humans almost looked familiar.

Oh my, could it be? Child wondered. The one human being in the whole earth whom I would actually like to meet. For at the front of the band stood a gallant figure who looked exactly like Faramir......

[Veritas]

Backpacking a dragon was not easy, thought Veritas, and she almost fell of the Angara's back.

"Hey, be carefull with me." Angara said and he spread his wings.

"Yeah great, but I almost fell of, be carefull with your wings."

"No playing time," said Pio, "We must hurry, do we have everything?"

"Aye sir, All well and done!" Angara said.

"Good, lets go inside and hail the others."

Inside the room it was very roumoring, adn everybody was walking trough the room. Then they saw Child, who seemed to be not very happy. She stepped on a table and began a speach:

"People, a big disaster is coming towards us, we must stop it, and we need all help we can get, are you ready?"

"YES!" The people all were enthousiast and listening to Child.

"Lets go then!" And Child jumped of the table and was hidding behind the other people.

"My God be with us on this trip." That was the last thing Veritas said to herself before she went outside.

[Frodo Baggins]

"God go with ye" Frodo breathed as they left He watched them go. He knew he could be of no help to them. That glance into Mordor had sucked his remaining strength almost dry. Not to mention that he was feeling the spider-sting and Morgul-blade again. His weakness was the only thing that was keeping him from charging into Mordor and slicing Rose Cottin in half.
He rose slowly and dragged Gimli and the othgers away from the ale.
"You are needed." he said, "We may not be able to follow them but we can make a stand here." Frodo reeled slightly as he stood ona tlable to speak.

"We are in Cormallen whcih is in Ithildin. Mordor is just over those mountains." he said, pointing east. He gripped more tightly to his elven Jewel "I suggest we get every weapon we can find and make a last stand here. I thought of something this morning, it has been fifteen days. The party was supposed to end today. However, if we can defeat this REG, we will hold the biggest party Middle-Earth has ever seen." (cheers all around)

Frodo nearly fell off the table as he stepped down, strangeley, he felt a bit stronger. He looked into the Palantir again. Now that was strange, why did Frodo see himself and Sam with Gollum trailing behind in mordor as they had appeared those many years ago? Come to think, Where was Sam now.....?

[ June 03, 2002: Message edited by: Frodo Baggins ]

[Birdland]

"Oooooh! It's Faramir! Faramir!" Birdie frantically preens her feathers, wondering if she should morph back into Ent mode, or change back to her usually M-E extra look. What she'd really like though was to morph twenty years off. She stands on tip-toe to get a better look at the fast approaching Steward of Gondor. "OhmyGawd! He is sooooo hot!" she squeals.

"Would you please control yourself, Birdie," Child says in her best librarian voice. "He may be our only chance of getting back to Fangorn and meeting up with the others. If you stand there drooling over him, you'll probably scare him off. You're certainly scaring me."

At that moment the doughty warrior and his band spotted the three figures standing on the hill. Issuing a sharp command in Gondorian, the lost travelers watch in horror as the green clad battalion draws its weapons and start to charge up the hill towards them!

Birdie starts digging frantically through her pack. "White flag! White flag! I knew I should have packed a white flag!!!"

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen watched the events of the last page and a bit slightly apprehnsivly. obviosly, it was yet ANOTHER war. Celeaewen, being injured, decided that this time fighting was not good for her constitution. seeing frodo and sam sditting by the fire with what looked like food, Celeaewen made a beeline for them.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child had made a rapid and drastic decision. Now, hobbit girls do not generally go prancing around in their long tights which they wear underneath their petticoats and skirts. But things were going from bad to worse. It was quite obvious that sacrifices would need to be made.

Child's skirt was already in tatters from the banadages she had made after their last inglorious martial excursion. Well, the petticoat would just have to go.

Child was practically in tears.....her beautiful petticoat with the ruffles and embroidered white flowers!! Oh, well, good thing she was wearing long tights. That is, except for her feet which were quite certainly bare.

Child took off her petticoat, ripped it in half, and gave part of it to Birdland. They both began waving it furiously in the air and yelling, "we surrender" or something like that. Sind managed to keep hold of his dignity a bit more, as any good Elf would do, but Birdland and Child had long ago surrendered thoughts of dignity.

Faramir raised his arm and halted the advance of his menacing troops. He stalked up to Birdland and Child and Sind and glared.

"Halt, in the name of the forces of Gandalf the White, halt."

"We're halting" gasped Child.

Faramir looked Child up and down from one end to another, and then scratched his head. "This is very strange, for you look like a hobbit. All the hobbits I have met
have been fair and courteous and opposed to the Dark Shadow on Middle-earth."

"Oh, that's definitely me....fair, courteous, and opposed to Dark Shadows!! There must be some mistake here. Why did you charge us? Don't you know my third cousin Frodo? He could vouch for me. Look, I have an Elf and a large er,bird with me, and they are good too!"

Faramir looked grave and gazed over the horizon. Birdland, who obviously had a thing for Faramir, was still drooling precipitously from her mouth.

Faramir continued: "I have been told that you repesent the evil forces which will burn down our world, and that you are in league with Sauron. But I find this hard to fathom. You have more the look about you of someone who is extremely confused, rather than truly evil."

"That's definitely me," Child agreed. "I don't go in much for evil, just a certain degree of confusion and ineptitude."

"But a small Hobbit named Rose came here and told us you and your friends would come to destroy our world. However, you don't look like you could accomplish great destruction."

At this point, Birdland began to explain with eloquence and brevity what had happened to poor Rose, how she had been taken over by the REG. She pleaded for Faramir's help in countering the evil REG, and communicating with the Ents. Her plea was courteous, and the fact that her heart was so soft towards Faramir undoubtedly made her speech even more fair.

Sind and Child nodded in agreement with all that she said. Faramir reluctantly acceded.

"Now," Child asked, "how do we get over to Fangorn?"

[piosenniel]

Pio watched with her keen elf eyes as Angara flew high above Fangorn, higher even than one of the mighty Soron band.

The forest was quiet and still, no evidence of any creature, animal or tree-like stirring.

'Strange.' she thought to herself. 'I thought that Rose had gathered the Ents to attack us?!'

The dragon found a large dell in the midst of the forest and circled in for a landing. There was a tall creature striding into the perimeter of the area, waving his hands at them. He did not look dangerous, or angry, but both Veritas and Pio drew their weapons as they climbed down from the dragon's back and asked him to identify himself.

'Hrummm . . . hoom . . . some hasty creatures and a dragon with a kettle on its back . . . strange times . . . and dangerous times, too . . . so let me be hasty and tell you my name. I am Quick-beam to use my shortened name, Bregalad to you Master Elf. And who might you be?'

There was an exchange of greetings, with a wary welcome to Angara from the Ent. He went on to outline what had happened before their arrival - that a small hobbit who seemed almost split in two in spirit had suddenly appeared in Fangorn and rallied Treebeard to a supposed threat against the trees. There was a great moot called, which Quick-beam was unable to attend, him being called far away to a grove of rowan trees who had succumbed to some sort of blight. He had 'listened' in to the moot and to Rose over the distance, and was just coming to meet with the other Ents, when the connection to them was broken abruptly. Now the forest was left unguarded except for him.

'What do you think happened to them?' said Pio.

'They are gone from this Age and this Place, or I would be able to sense them. When they left, I did "see" a shadow of two of the Halflings that I once met here long ago drawn out with them.', said Quick-beam.

'Merry & Pippin! They are in the Third Age!' cried Veritas. 'The REG is distorting time!'

Pio thought fast and furiously - Time was wasting. She stepped up to a large rock in the dell and asked for a scale from Anagara. Etching a message into the rock, she took a small pouch from her belt and rubbed in some ithildin. Above the message, she deeply inscribed a holly leaf with her initial. She asked Veritas to lay a spell-out-of-time on the message so that Child, Sindacuion, and Bird might be able to see it in whatever Age they might be in. 'Ai, Iluvatar, let them find this message', she sent out as a small plea. She also gave the message to Quick-beam in case they happened in during the present age: The object of our pursuit has gone to Mordor of the Third Age. We will meet you there - Pio, Veritas, Angara.

'And how do you propose to do that, Elf?' said the Kettle?

Pio and Veritas looked at one another in consternation. Pio scratched her head.

'If you'll say "Pretty please, Sir Dragon" I will take you there', purred Angara. 'I have many talents as yet uncovered.'

The elf and wizard remounted the dragon and secured the kettle once again between them. 'Thank you! and fare well!!' Pio called to Quick-beam. And then in chorus they shouted, 'Pretty please, Sir Dragon!' and held on for dear life as the dragon rose to the limits of Vilna and then winked out against the stars.

'Hrummm . . . hoom'. . .rumbled the Ent to himself . . . 'a dragon in Fangorn . . . a good dragon as I sensed it . . . hoom, hoom . . . I shall have to add another line to the lists . . .'

[ June 03, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Rose Cotton]

Back in Fangorn Rose watched discusted as Birdie told Faramir the truth.

"They will have to be delt with." quickly, she teleported once more to her growing army of orcs and evil men. She told them to charge over the mountains and attack the Gondor forces.

And they rampaged across the desolate land and straight into Faramir's troops. Sind, Child and Birdie were also caught in the battle.

[Rose Cotton]

She also watched as the four in another age had a discustion with Quickbeam. The REG was growing angry but it had not lost yet. Rose teleported again and this time she found herself in a dark hall of Moria. She rallied all of the orcs and was also able to get cave trolls and wargs. She then sent them to the Fields of Comallen were the rest of the party was.

She watched from her laptop as the moria dwellers took by suprise those who had thought they could escape battle. She saw Samwise, Stacy, and Primrose trying to protect the weak Frodo. Others were trying to run away but were caught in battle with the dark creatures.

But she still had her ents and eagles. It apeared that no one intended on charging Fangorn. So she decided to attack Rohan.

She went back to her deceived allies and lied to them that the men of Rohan were now part of the enemy. They sent out at once towards the city of the horse lords.

[Gimli Son Of Gloin]

Gimli drains his 115,784th mug.

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel drains her 354th-360th mug, realizing how behind Gimli she is.

"Gotta catch up, gotta catch up..." she thinks...

[Samwise]

Sam looked around. A portion of the party goers had disappeared suddenly, and Mister Frodo wasn't looking good at all--oddly enough, until he made that speech. He had asked Miss Stacey to stay near him, and make sure he didn't faint again or something.
Now, he was looking for Primrose. After the sweet scene between her and Frodo, he completely lost track of her.
"Tiny Rose!" he called.
Just then, he caught a movement in a stand of trees at the edge of the field. He ran over to investigate.
Stepping into the grove, he looked around.
"Tiny Rose!" he hissed, somehow feeling a bit tense.
Just then, Primrose ran out of the bushes in front of him. "Papa, no!"
There was the thud of large feet hitting the ground behind Sam. A hand grabbed him by the back of his tunic and lifted him into the air, while a bony hand was clamped over his mouth.
"Well, if it isn't a nasty halfling." growled a voice in his ear.
Primrose's eyes narrowed. "You let him go! No Orc should dare meddle with the Gamgee family!
"Gamgee?"
Sam felt hot breath on his cheek, and wrinkled his nose from the stench. "No...it could not be. Not the nasty little creature from Hobbiton."
Sam swallowed hard. How in Middle Earth could this creature know him?
"Little girl, go back to the field--"
"Let--him--go!" Primrose fairly shrieked, looking ready to aim her bow.
"Ah--watch yourself, halfling." the Orc growled, shaking Sam roughly. "Tell me, is Frodo Baggins in the field? "
Primrose pursed her lips a moment, then nodded.
"Good. You go tell him that if he dosen't do what we say, this wretched halfling will die--most painfully. Now go! "
Primrose looked up at the creature, tears of rage in her eyes. Afterward she ran back to the field.

[Samwise]

Primrose hurried back onto the feild, to find chaos. "Oh, Lord, please protect Papa. " she whispered as she ran through the crowd, occasionally shooting an arrow or two, to get to Miss Stacey and Frodo.
"Mister Frodo! Mister Frodo, something terrible's happened!" she cried as she ran to the area where he and Miss Stacey were, shooting down an Orc as she ran.

[Gimli Son Of Gloin]

Gimli drains his 128,864th mug.

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel drains her...whatevereth mug of ale.

[Child of the 7th Age]

One instant Child was discussing the situation with Faramir, and the next instant the entire party was overwhelmed by a huge contingent of Orcs and evil men.

Faramir tried to push the ladies Birdland and Child to the rear of the fighting so they would not be injured. However, Child and Bird were in no mood for this, and began clamoring for weapons.

Actually, Bird did not even need a weapon. Her huge branches could be used to wham opponents securely over their heads. Child managed to secure a bow with arrows, and she proceeded to pick off Orcs one by one. Sind also joined in.

Faramir of the Third Age seemed truly puzzled. In between his frantic sword strokes, he yelled out: "Good ladies, I have never seen women fight in battle in this manner. I can not imagine that a lady of the Third Age would be so inclined to do something of this sort."

With the clear advantage of hindsight, Child looked at Birdie and giggled.

Child managed to retort back to Faramir: "Well, you'd better remember this image of the two of us here, helping to vanquish the enemy, and realize that should you meet such a gifted woman, she is worth a great deal in both gold and valor!"

"Ladies," he replied. "I shall not forget this lesson."

Things did not appear to be going very well when, out of nowhere, a golden dragon swooped down with Pio and Veritas on his back. Pio was yelling loudly to Angara, "This is it, on the outskirts of Third Age Mordor. Go blow fire on those Orcs and evil men."

Angara was quick to oblige and soon the enemy had been driven from the field, in what might be termed a well-done state.

The exhausted parties were near collapse, but supremely happy. Pio, Veritas, Sind, Birdland, and Child were literally jumping into each other's arms with happiness. Finally, finally, we are together in one place. Now we will show that Rose Cotton what we are made of.

All of Faramir's suspicions had been allayed, and he vowed to help the five combat the evils of Rose and the REG.

Child was grinning ear to ear. "This is what we must do. Faramir, send a homing pigeon through to Gandalf. Explain the situation and tell him he must immediately let us know where Rose and the REG have landed. Sind is an Elf so he can send a mind-to-mind communication through to him. And tell Ganadalf to warn the Ents, the men of Rohan and Gondor and anyone else he can think of about the evil REG.

Child thought a minute and then said: "Tell them not to hurt Rose. She is as much a victim in this as we are. Please don't hurt our friend who is acting funny in the head. Please, please, listen to me! Hobbits don't kill hobbits and I don't want to be even indirectly responsible for the second demise of Rose Cotton."

" As soon as word comes through, the five of us will climb on Angara (he had definitely grown to a very large size!) and swoop down on the unsuspecting Rose. We've got to somehow flame the REG to extinction but get Rose out of the way,"

"To tell the truth," Child whispered, "The people I am most afraid for are those back home on the party field. I am terribly afraid what the REG may send through to them. We've got to destroy that instrument,
and get back home to help."

She hoped Frodo managed to keep an eye on things through the Palantir. She hoped he remembered that, in a real jam, they could escape the party field and get through to Pio and Birdland, simply by following the open channel from the palantir keychain. She sincerely hoped he had paid attention to her.

If not, Child reckoned, if they didn't hear from Frodo soon, they would have to assume something awful was happening. And if that awful thing happened, they would somehow need to figure out how to get home immediately.

Samwise and Frodo had experienced enough suffering in their life. Child figured the two of them didn't need any more.

[ June 04, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Rosseiliantiel]

Suddenly, Rosseil put down her glass of miruvar and stopped eating. She seemed to snap out of a trance of some sort, and her eyes cleared as she looked around frantically. Then her look turned into a slightly dazed one. Her face went very white, and her eyes went very big, before she fainted dead away on the floor.

[Samwise]

Primrose runs over to Frodo, who lies prone by the tree where he was left.

Primrose: Mister Frodo, please, please
wake up!!

Stacey: Prim, what is it?

Primrose is in tears. This is so unlike her, she wonders if the little hobbit hasn't been taken over by some oddball thing, too.

Primrose: *sobbing* Papa! An Orc---

Stacey: Okay, Prim, what Orc?

Primrose: *Takes a deep breath* I thought I saw something moving in the trees. I remembered all the talk about how strange Miss Rose has been actin', so I thought something bad was going on. I went over and climbed in a tree, and saw a half dozen Orcs standing together talking. I tried to understand what they were saying, but they were using that nasty speech of theirs. Just then they---*takes another deep breath* turned and were quiet, like they were listnin'. They all hid, and then there came Papa callin' for me. An Orc sneaked up behind him, an' I dropped out of the tree, but before I could warn Papa proper-like..."

She burst into tears again.

Stacey: *Getting on her knees in front of the little hobbit* "They have him?"

Primrose: *blubbering, nods*

Stacey: [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] "Oh, dear..." *bows her head and says a prayer for the little hobbit she's become so fond of. Afterward she looks over at Frodo.
"Come on, Mister Baggins, wake up."

[Frodo Baggins]

"Mr. Frodo?? Prim not so formal. I am awake Na di heard all. How could anything sleep through Prim's babling anyway.
"If you'll help me up I may be able to do something." the towo of the helpd Frodo stand, Frodo drew his sword. and headed off after Sam, with Prim and Stacey following.
"Oh, God> PLease don't let the hurt Sam." he prayed silently.

(I will be back in about an hour Sam, wait for me)

[Samwise]

Primrose chases after Frodo with Stacey on her heels. She is slightly calmer.

Primrose: "Uncle Frodo, wait! "

Stacey, who hasn't moved much and is used to running after little kids at work, runs ahead of her and grabs the back of Frodo's cloak to stop him.

Primrose: Uncle Frodo, I think, *gasps* I think those Orcs know you and Papa! The one that had Papa said that if you didn't do what he said--that--that he'd hurt Papa. "

Stacey: Mister Baggins, don't you think we ought to have some kind of plan?

[Samwise]

Sam was carried deeper into the trees. His captor kept the bony hand clamped tightly over his mouth.

After Primrose had left, about five more Orcs had joined them. The one holding Sam said something in their dark speech, and they started off.

After about half an hour, they came to a hill. A dark, ominous-looking cave mouth opened in the side of it.
Upon going inside, Sam could see that it was dimly lit by the light outside, and going deeper in, that there were torches jammed into the crevices in the cave walls.

The Orc holding Sam barked an order, and another of the Orcs lifted him out of the arms of the first. Shoving the hobbit to the cave floor, they bound his wrists behind his back and his legs painfully tight. A rag was tied in the hobbit's mouth, and he was laid on his back on a flat stone.

Lead Orc: Well, Samwise Gamgee, I never thought I would see you. Now I'll have the pleasure of spilling your blood in front of Frodo Baggins, the most cursed creature ever to walk Middle Earth.

Sam blinked. How did this creature know him? Or Frodo?

Lead Orc: I was there, in your disgusting little hamlet. You and your friends drove us out--I was but in training then, but you filthy little beasts disgraced us!

He pulled Sam up by the front of the shirt and slapped him, hard. For a moment, Sam had trouble turning his head to face forward again.

Lead Orc: But, little hobbit, I intend to torture you until you are near your last breath. Then, when that little peice of filth Frodo Baggins shows up, as he undoubtetly will, I shall slit your throat in front of his eyes!

Sam could only close his own.

[Rose Cotton]

Rose felt her body shake with the REG's rage. It was furious about losing it's army in Mordor. The REG intsrtucted part of her Moria army to take fast action. Ahh, and there was Samwise Gamgee. She had even convenently found orcs that loathed both Sam and Frodo. She had trasported them to were the two hobbits were promising they could do whatever they liked to them. They now had Sam bound and guarded and were now waiting for Primrose to return with help. Rose would make them bend to her demands.Sam! No my dear Sam. If anything happens to you I'll never forgive myself.she thought.

And even as Stacy, Frodo, and Primrose left the field to go after Sam the orcs, wargs, and trolls attacked the rest of the party. Rampaging through the buffet tables and tents. Causing those that wanted to ignore the fighting to draw back in fear. Others to try and defend themselves.

And now the Ents and Eagles had reached the city of Rohan and were attacking it's walls. The men had been caught off guard and were now making weak attempts to defend the onslaught. They were horrified that the armies they had thought were on their side were now in a brutal battle ageinst them.

Rose watched on the laptop from the safty of a cave just south below the Misty Mountians. You are a coward. Sulking in the shadows while others spill blood."All in good time my dear Rose. All in good time." And Rose begain building a great armor for herself. One that could be looked opon in battle with fear and never be forgotten.

[ June 03, 2002: Message edited by: Rose Cotton ]

[ June 03, 2002: Message edited by: Rose Cotton ]

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo was blind with fear. H tore away fom Stacey and said "While we are formimg a plan they may harm him!" Frod turned away fromt hem both and sobbed into his hands.

[Samwise]

Stacey walks over to Frodo and kneels beside him, placing an arm around his shoulders.

Stacey: I know, Mister Baggins, but if we rush in there yelling in plain sight, they may kill him and we may not have a chance at rescue.

[Rose Cotton]

(Not part of story. Frodo and Sam: While you were posting I was editing my last post so you might want to go back and read the changes. Just so you can keep with the story. Back to story.)

[ June 03, 2002: Message edited by: Rose Cotton ]

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo glanced into the Palatir and saw Rose, but Sam was his first priority.

"*sniffle* Very well, what shall we do, I am at a loss."

[Rose Cotton]

Rose watched on her laptop screen as Sam was being tortured by the orc leader. This was too much. Her poor Sam. Her dear, beloved Samwise who she had adored ever since his bravery in the quest with the One Ring. Up untill now Rose's soul had curled up inside the shell of a body she couldn't controll anymore to wait as she was forced to take over everything. But now she couldn't take it anymore.

She used all the streangth she could muster and begain to fight the REG. Willing herself to be in controll of her limbs. Her body shook with the effort but slowly and ever so slightly her arm started to move towards the pocket containing the REG. She closed her fingers opon the smooth surface of the box. Then using a burst of energy she raised up the REG and flung it across the cave into the rock wall were it broke.

The REG's curse on Rose was lifted.Tears stung her eyes as she whispered "I'm free." But the REG had gotten power from her. Enough to make a body of it's own. Then filling the grand armor it made it dissapeared somewhere. Rose didn't know were it went. She didn't care. All she wanted was to get to Sam as fast as possible. She tried to run out of the cave but she had no streanth left after fighting the REG and now she colapsed and fainted.

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo composed himself with difficilty.

"If we can fing their trail, we might be abke to reach them. If we sneak up quietly on them we may give us and Sam a chance.

"Then again, it may be a trap and they are using Sam as bait...."

[Samwise]

Sam felt a tear course out of the corner of his eye and into his hair.

Oh, please, Mister Frodo, don't find me, please. They can't hurt you.......

SMACK!

The little hobbit was hit in the side by a club one of the Orcs carried. He could feel a couple of his ribs crack.

AAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!

The Orc leader laughed.

Orc: Tell us, what sort of Elven weaponry has Baggins got on him?

Sam coughed, horrified to taste blood on his tounge.

Sam: I will--I will tell you nothing of Mister Frodo.

He moaned in pain.

Orc Leader: We shall see.

He walked over to the cave wall, and removed a torch from its crevice.

Feeling faint, Sam closed his eyes.