Belladonna Took
by Belladonna Took
Chapter 15 Sleep Like Death
It was almost dark when Folcwine found Bella and Nienna lying as if
dead just inside of Fangorn Forest. Both were still breathing and for
all appearances they seemed to be just sleeping. But neither woke when
they were prodded, shaken or anything else. So, Folcwine mounted his
horse and had Folcred lift Bella onto his horse with him and they took
off across the plains towards Edoras.
Bella heard everyone calling her but when she attempted to respond to
them it was as if her whole body had frozen. She had a terrible pain
shooting through her shoulder but she couldn't move to ease it. Then
she felt Folcwine shake her, the pain went shooting down her side and
she wished desperately that he would stop. She could hear everything
that was being said but felt trapped within her own body. It was
Fastred that found an Orc arrow sticking out of her shoulder and
Folcwine was instantly on his horse shouting orders to transport Nienna
back to the stables. Bella felt herself being lifted onto the saddle in
front of Folcwine and he shot off, riding like an orc army was after
him.
She heard Thèya scream and felt the queen take her from
Folcwine. Down the hall Thèya walked carrying the small hobbit
towards her room. When the two arrived the healers were already
waiting. Bella felt them prodding at the wound and then spreading a
salve on the wound. Bella felt her muscles instantly relax and as the
salve started working she felt the sensation returning to her arm, then
her hand and face. Soon Bella had control over herself again and could
finally open her eyes. Thèya cried out with joy at seeing the
bright blue eyes of her little hobbit staring up at her.
Hugging Bella close Thèya told the healers to go and get the king and send him to Bella's room.
Within seconds Folcwine was sitting by Bella's side listening to her
tale. She told of the riders approaching, trying to remove her from her
horse and Nienna bolting to the forest. A dark look came over
Folcwine's face when he heard about Saruman. "He is an odd wizard and I
do not trust him. I do not want him or his minions on any land in Rohan
as long as I am king. He is not welcome in my hall and I will see that
retribution is swift on those that would attack a single rider in the
plains of Rohan especially when it is a member of the king’s family."
Folcwine called his Marshalls to him and shouted out orders. If any of
those that were loyal to Saruman ever placed a foot onto the land of
Rohan they were to be killed on sight. It was a great relief to Bella
that Wyn and her boys were now in residence at Edoras. Still she had
not told Folcwine that Saruman had sent these men specifically looking
for her. It worried her that anyone she didn’t know would be looking
for her. She wanted desperately wanted to speak to Gandalf but
Thèya would not allow anyone into her room. She could hear all
four of the boys just out in the hallway arguing with her.
“Mother, this is not fair. We don’t want to tire her out we just want
to see her. Please just let us in one at a time.” Bella could tell that
Folcred was very distressed by the note of panic in his voice.
“Please, Thèya, just let them in or I will never get any rest. I
also want to make sure none of them were harmed in that creepy, old
forest. It had a strange eerie feeling to it.” Bella shouted to the
queen through the door.
The four princes filed in through the door. Each had an aprehensive
expression on their faces. Fengel climbed right up on Bella’s bed and
curled up next to her. Bella wrapped her arms around the little prince
and held him close to her. Folcred saw her do that and knew everything
was fine with her. Folcred, Fastred and Hildi kissed the top of her
head and left the room. Thèya tried to get Fengel to leave but
he wouldn’t budge. “It’s okay. He can stay. He won’t hurt me and it
will make him feel better.”
Gandalf had ridden off to Isengard to talk with Saruman and when he
came back he wasn’t satisfied. Saruman had told him that he didn’t send
anyone to accost Bella. He swore that he knew nothing about it at all.
Folcwine told Gandalf that Saruman was no longer welcome in Rohan.
Gandalf agreed that for the time being it was a good idea to watch the
borders.
Chapter 16 Farewell and Greetings
The day after Folcred and Fastred's birthday party Gandalf, Bella and
Hildi had packed to leave Rohan for Gondor. It was a very tearful
goodbye for all. Fengel was so upset at Bella's leaving that he could
only sob inconsolably. Folcred and Fastred hugged Bella tight and
kissed the top of her head. As a departing gift they had given her
Nienna. Théya had packed all of Bella and Hildi's garments in
special trunks and Folcwine had given them a horse to tote all of their
belongings. Nessa and Hildi's pony stayed in Rohan until they were
returning to the Shire.
As Bella rode away from Edoras she had a suspicion that her next return
to Meduseld would not be a happy return. She waved to her newly
extended family until they were out of sight.
"Will I ever see Théya and Flocwine again, Gandalf? I already miss them terribly." Bella sobbed.
"I believe that you will see the king and his family again, Bella, but not for a while."
The ride through Rohan into Gondor was as uneventful as the ride from
the Shire to Rohan. The days and nights ran together and Bella slowly
became weary and depressed. She missed Fengel and Théya very
much.
When they crested a hill they looked out of the fields of the Pelennor.
Across the fields Bella got her first glimpse of Minas Tirith. The
White City was awe-inspiring. The high spikes of this beautiful city
were unlike anything that she had ever seen.
Looking across the Pelennor there appeared to be several riders
approaching. They were bearing the standard of the Steward of Gondor.
Then Bella realized that it was infact Turin II the Steward of Gondor,
coming out to meet them.
"Gandalf, you have finally made it. I received your message that you
would be arriving today and I wanted to welcome the three of you to my
fair city. My family is waiting for us on the seventh level of the
city. My children are eager to meet you, Bella and Hildi. I have told
them all about you both." Turin said embracing the three of them.
The levels of the city of Minas Tirith appeared more grand as the
riders went up. Bella and Hildi received many quizzical looks from the
inhabitants of the city. When they reached the sixth level they left
their horses in the stables and continued on foot up to the seventh and
final level.
When they reached the courtyard there stood a white tree that once must
have been beautiful, but now stood dead. To the left of the tree stood
a woman and a young boy. Rìana and Turgon were very different
from Fengel and Théya. Rìana had long flowing dark brown
hair and beautiful blue eyes and her son Turgon was the spitting image
of his father except he had his mother's dark brown hair as opposed to
his father's black hair. "Bella, Hildi this is my wife Rìana and
my son Turgon. Rìana, Turgon this is Belladonna and Hildifons
Took of the Tookland in the Shire."
They were greeted with silent bows and then Rìana and Turgon
walked away leaving Bella, Hildi and Gandalf staring after them feeling
coldly dismissed.
