The queen of the forgotten kingdom

Chapter 17

"We'll stay here for the night.", Aragorn said and turned to the rest of the fellowship.
They were standing on a meadow at the foot of the Amon Hen. A forest grew on its hillside.
A small brook damped the grass.
"This is the meadow Parth Galen.", he explained. "Let's hope we're safe here."
They pulled the boats from the water to the land when they got scared by a loud splash.
All turned to the last of the three boats, that was pulled by Gimli, Legolas and Faya. Only that latter was missing.
After a short moment of shock, she arose from the water.
"Sorry. I slipped.", she murmured and metamorphosed into a wolf. It came out of the water and began to agitate, making everyone else wet too.
"Fay!", Aragorn railed her. "Was that really necessary?"
The she-wolf just ignored him and coiled herself into a fur ball. A very wet fur ball, that smelled like a wet dog.
Pippin and Merry laughed happily and even Legolas smiled.
They set up their camp and set people for guard.

Aragorn woke up.
It was still dark, and he wasn't quite sure what had woken him. But when he sat up and saw that Fayas' sleeping place was empty, a bad feeling crept over him. He got up and sat down next to Frodo, whose turn to guard it was and who sat at the fire.
The Hobbit was very much surprised by that.
"Why aren't you sleeping?", he asked.
"I don't know.", the human man answered, shrugging. "Something woke me and Fay's gone."
"Oh, yes. She woke up no ten minutes ago. She said, she'd be back in a minute."
"Would you be so good and draw your sword?", Aragorn asked out of the blue.
"Sure.", Frodo answered. "Are there enemies here?"
"We'll see soon."
Frodo drew the sword from its sheath. The blade shone in the darkness. Weakly but visible.
"Orcs."

The next morning, they had had to make the decision how to continue.
Where should they go?
What was the safest way?
What way the quickest?
And again, Frodo should decide. He asked for more time, what the others grated him gladly, and they left him some space to think.
"I don't like boats.", Faya announced.
"Well.", Aragorn answered, smirking at his sister. "That's something you hit on quite early now, are you?"
"Ha-ha. Very funny. " she stuck out her tongue at him.
"What did the Lady Galadriel say to you, lady Faya?", Legolas stepped between the siblings.
"Hm?"
"When she gave you the ring. What did she say?"
"Oh... that... Nothing important."
"Then tell us.", Gimli joined the conversation.
"No."
"Why?"
"It's no important for you."

And they couldn't get a word more out of her. Eventually they gave up and changed the subject.
Each of them began to tell stories from their homes.
Gimli told them about the mines.
Legolas told them of the Mirkwood.
Aragorn told of his many adventures all over middle earth.
Pippin, Merry and Sam told them of the shire.
And Faya told them about her folks. What wasn't much, for he couldn't really remember much.
She had just been a pup back then, but what she could tell fascinated her audience greatly.

However, after some time they came back to discussing how they should continue their task.
They talked about variant ways they could go, parleyed about their pros and cons.
So, the time went by and suddenly Pippin said: "I wished Frodo was back already."
"You're right.", Aragorn said surprised. "The hour's gone since a while now. We should call for him."
They didn't, for Boromir came back.
"Where have you been?", Aragorn asked. "Have you seen Frodo?"
The man from Gondor hesitated for a second. Then he answered: "Yes, and no."
When he saw the slightly confused look on his friends' faces he continued. He told them he had met the Hobbit and had talked to him. He would have tried to convince him to go to Minas Tirith not east. Then he had gotten angry and Frodo would have left him.
But that didn't really convinced the others.
So, Aragorn asked further questions.
But Boromir refused to say more. That made the other suspicious.
The Hobbits began to worry for their friend and talk all at the same time. No one could understand a word, but they became louder and louder.
Aragorn tried to calm them down, but it all was useless.
Sam was the first to run away, searching for his friend and master. Merry and Pippin followed closely behind, calling with their small Hobbit voices for Frodo.
Legolas and Gimli disappeared, too, leaving only the two human men and the half-wolf behind.

Aragorn sighed. Now they had gone crazy. "Ok. Listen.", he turned to the remaining two. "Boromir, I don't know what you did, but what does this matter now. You'll go and search for the Hobbits. When you find them, or even just a clue to where they went, come back."
Boromir nodded and disappeared.
"And you, Fay...", he stopped for the woman was gone. "Great." Aragorn shook his head and went searching for Sam.