A/N: I'm a bit worried about my Radagast; he's not been the most consistently behaving character, has he? (Must be the stress...yeah, that's it...)

You guys do understand I'm pretty much plotting as I go....right? *semi-hysterical giggle* But honestly, something this long, I wouldn't keep at it unless I was put on the spot by having people wanting to know how the cliffhangers turn out.

Glad you guys're still enjoying this. Read on.

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The Nightmare - Part 19

by Bex

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Radagast and I rode from Isengard at full speed for a short time, until we were well out of sight of the main gate, and the road curved around and away. Then we turned off from the road, but following it from a distance, settling down to a ground-eating trot.

About all this, I had no comment. I clung numbly, having finally slipped into a fog of mental and physical exhaustion. Even the vague thought that the Nazgul, left behind over Isengard, might yet pursue us did not move me.

Didn't take long for me to slip into an uneasy doze. Sometime during that fog of sleepiness I heard or maybe sensed the passing, high overhead, of something unwholesome, and came to more alertness with a twitch.

Saruman's stronghold was out of site, now, green, brush-choked countryside all around. I blinked blearily, disorientated.

"Rest easy - it will not find us. It returns to its master."

I drifted off to sleep again.

*****

The second time I jerked fully awake to find we had stopped for the night, the sun sinking low on the horizon.

I had to be helped off Edis. Stiff and sore and bruised as I was, I felt almost molded to him where I had sat. I staggered around a little, stifling a groan, then promptly sat down and yawned hugely, feeling utterly useless.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

After tending to his mount, Radagast quickly had a small, smokeless fire going. Whether he used any wizards tricks to start it, I did not notice. The late spring air was cool, and I leaned eagerly towards the heat.

Rummaging around a saddle bag, my companion produced several cloth wrapped objects that proved to be cheese, bread and some sort of dried meat. A water skin and a small metal pan were soon employed in heating some water.

"Our provisions will be meager for now, I fear."

I glanced up. "Not a problem. I'm not really hungry anyway." I feel half dead...

"Drink this." He was leaning forward and offering me a metal cup. I took it, glancing at it with vague interest. "What is it?"

"A fortifying tea. It is useful, especially after shocks..."

I stared down at it, shrugged inwardly, and drank it. Wasn't very pleasant, but at this point, I figured that was the least of my concerns.

"Thank you." I handed the cup back to him and sat, staring at the fire. But I could feel his regard upon me and shifted, uncomfortably, finally looking up again.

We stared at each other for a few moments. Then he said, "I regret what I did...in the service of my ruse. I would that I had not hurt you."

I nodded. "You didn't know I was there."

He shook his head. "He mentioned a 'summoning'. I feared his intent, but was not certain then of his meaning, until I returned." He paused. "I certainly did not expect to see you..."

I offered a ghost of a smile. "Ditto." When he looked bemused, I elaborated. "Nor I, you."

We gazed at each other a few moments more. "You...don't usually do this sort of thing...do you?" I asked then.

He let out a short rueful laugh. "No. My love is for the forests and the creatures who live there. But as this venture began... I became a spy in the last place I would normally go, against he who was chief of all us Istar. Perhaps...I have over-played my part."

I couldn't help smiling again briefly. "Well...you had everyone convinced...so I guess that's all that counts. Erm... I take it he's now looking in the wrong direction to find Frodo...?" When he just sent a narrow Look at me, I blushed. "Sorry...just..."

Then something he'd said earlier nagged at me. "You said earlier that the...Nazgul came partly to punish him. And for what else?"

He hesitated a moment before answering. "When you were freed from the Palantir, he who was on the other end of the link was...both angered and intrigued. That much Saruman made clear. He conferred with his master after you collapsed, and told me you were being sent for..."

Oh. I looked down, swallowing. Not going there. So not going there. Don't think about it. "Well, you got me out of there; so we're certainly even now." Suddenly what he'd said fully registered. "Wait - freed?"

He nodded.

"Freed...I was...I was helped!" I muttered. I looked over at him. "I was helped. It was...it was Temeril..." I suspect my face took on an expression of wonder. "And...Arwen... and her father, too!"

I stared now, astonished. "That much I remember...and I'm not sure, but someone else also; I'm couldn't quite see..."

"That was me," he admitted, sounding a little surprised I'd noticed it.

"Thank you," I said then, and it was as heart-felt as any thanks I have ever uttered. "You all helped...but Temeril, he was there first..."

Radagast raised a brow at my bemusement. "The bond you have formed is strong; it saved us all from disaster this time, I think - the others shielded you until I could also help, once Saruman was distracted enough not to notice."

"Bond?" It came out a bit sharper than I'd intended.

Radagast peered at me for a few moments before smiling just a little. "Yes. Do not trouble yourself over-much now - it will perhaps make more sense later."

I narrowed my eyes at this, but did not protest further. Sleep was calling again, now that the most crucial of the explanations had been gotten out of the way, and I yawned yet again, rolling myself up in my cloak as near the fire as was prudent.

I was asleep within five minutes.

*****

I awoke the next day still stiff and sore, but free, free as a bird.

And sat, hunkered next to the now dead fire, yawning my disbelief. The sun was just appearing over the rim of the horizon, and actual birds were about, twittering and flitting from bush to tree, darting from shelter to shelter. Edis grazed nearby, moving slowly through scraggles of dew-and spiderweb strung grass, his tail swishing every so often.

I glanced over and saw that Radagast was standing there, talking to them.

Or so was the impression I had for those first few moments. Then I blinked and saw that he was merely standing, hands folded before him, peering intently at several sparrows hopping on the ground before him. I saw pecking going on and figured that an offering had been cast, perhaps some leftover crumbs from last night's meal.

I turned my attention back to willing the sleep out of my eyes without rubbing at them too much. What had happened the past couple of days had left me so drained I had little energy to do anything, and even less ambition.

Presently, Radagast returned, and doled out bread and cheese. His movements were brisk, and as I watched him move about, efficiently breaking camp, my unease grew.

"What's wrong?"

He paused and looked over at me. Not surprised, as much as speculating. Wondering how much to tell me.

"There is movement, on the road. It is possible we will be searched for, so it is best we leave now."

My insides lurched faintly, my appetite gone. "Search? How?"

"It will not matter; we will be gone by then."

I decided to take the reassurance offered in lieu of a real answer, and climbed slowly to my feet only to glance over at Edis in sudden dismay. Dear God, did that poor horse have to carry us both? A fast get-away was one thing, but how far were we journeying, anyway? And what if we had to outrun some sort of pursuit?

Radagast seemed to have followed my glance and my sudden dismay. "He is stronger than you might think - he is a Mearas."

I took a moment to remember that term. Ah, yes - arguably the finest, largest and strongest horse breed here in Arda, and Rohan's finest export. Edis was a rather large, strongly-built horse; I would guesstimate a few hands taller than the average Earth horse, a bit broader.

Well, I'd have to take the wizard's word regarding his own horse - he should know.

After all, we were betting our lives on it.

*****

We set off at a brisk but steady pace. I was not looking forward to the rigors of hours of riding, and now that I was rested and somewhat more alert, I felt a bit awkward, riding before a man who was a relative stranger to me, even if he was a wizard. Then again, I could hardly complain, given what I had narrowly escaped... Once again, I wrenched my mind away from focusing upon what had occurred back in Isengard, what might have happened... Not going there!

"Where are we going?"

"The Golden Wood. There you will be safe, as safe as it is possible to be in these troubled times. And others from the Fellowships may make their way there if in need."

I felt a combination of relief and dismay. He was right; it was the most logical place to hole up this side of the Misty Mountains. But given the forces in motion now, it was doubtful I'd be making my way back to the place I really preferred to be (if I had to be stuck here in Arda) anytime soon.

Not until after the situation had been decided here, one way or the other. Pessimistic scenarios of what might happen if the Fellowship and Frodo failed, or if war did break out here as it had in Tolkien's trilogy crept into my mind, and my heart sank at the thought of being trapped in Lorien for months, maybe years, then probably left behind as the elves eventually made mad dashes for the sea, fleeing to Valinor...

Silly, silly girl...surely you'll wake up long before then...

Gods... I wound my fingers into Edis's coarse mane. I just wanted to be home, and safe. While stuck here, Imladris would do. Lothlorien was full of elves, but none of them were--

Not going there!

My shoulders slumped, and I was just gearing up for a quality wallow, when I noticed specks of movement in the sky to my left.

We were travelling for safety's sake about a quarter mile parallel to the old valley road, upon a slight slope, but shortly planning to leave it and strike out across the open plains, Radagast had told me. I blinked and refocused on the specks arching through the air.

Birds - to be this visible from this far away, had to be good-sized ones. Crows, or ravens, or something similar.

And then I tensed as I remembered, from the first book. Birds - Saruman had used birds to spy on the Fellowship.

Fortunately, they didn't seem to be moving in our direction. Yet.

I spoke from a suddenly dry throat, even as Radagast guided Edis, encouraging him down under tree-cover. "Can they see us?"

"If they have, we shall soon know."

But no flock broke off to wheel over our location; instead they continued to slowly swirl above the line of the road, slowly but surely following it.

As if they were tracking something after all, just something upon the road.

I shivered inwardly, wondering what traveller had been unlucky enough to catch the undivided attention of Saruman's spies.

A sense of movement behind me had me glancing behind. What I saw was Radagast raising one arm to create a perch for the small brown sparrow that suddenly flitted down to land there.

I blinked but turned round again, lest I scare it off. A few moments later, something darted off, heading past and towards the road. What??

"You--" I began.

"He has agreed to see what is there upon the road, and relate it back to me."

I kept forgetting that this sort of thing was this wizard's specialty. Gandalf might have talked to the eagles...but this one, he really talked to the animals...

Some minutes later, I saw a small brown shape winging its way back to us, and Radagast held up his hand again, awaiting a report.

Thanking the bird, he soon sent him on his way, but whatever he'd 'heard' had obviously disquieted him, for he said: "Something is happening, and I fear...I need to get a closer look. Only as close as is safe but enough to see who moves upon the road."

"What...what did he say?" I felt silly, but obviously the bird'd said something...

"Just that many moved along the road; men, and what they call 'the destroyers'. Their way of describing orcs."

Oh, lovely...

We carefully moved closer. With about half the distance crossed, we started to pick up wisps of noise, carried to us on the shifting breeze: faint drumbeats, an occasional hoarse cry. I winced. Surely they hadn't sent out that many people after us? What, in the hopes that they'd catch us on the road?

Again, I was somewhat slow.

We paused, slightly upslope still but sheltered from the sight of those on the road by the wood we had been passing through, and reached a vantage point where we started to catch glimpses of sunlight reflecting off metal below.

Off armor, I realized - presumably off body after body passing along below us, on the road. The wind shifted, and the hoarse guttural cries and monotonous drumbeats came clearly to our ears. And the glints, that faint impression of movement continued on. And on.

And on.

Then it hit me, the realization of what I was seeing.

Edis suddenly started to move, as Radagast directed him, moving up and away at a light jog. Getting us out of the danger zone.

"They're not after us." Not a question, but I felt a need to state the obvious. Radagast did not answer me, and I continued. "You know where they must be going."

When he still did not answer, I added, "Right?"

"I knew of his general plans, yes. Not even to me did he entrust all."

"There's only one place they could be logically going at this point. To attack King Theoden. That was - is - Saruman's job - to destroy the Rohirrim. Keep them from ever helping Gondor."

No answer.

"Saruman's insane - and we probably set him off with what we did." I paused for a long, silent sigh. So tired... "You know what we have to do now... right?"

I twisted round best I could in order to peer back at him, and saw what I decided must be his 'uncertain' look: quiet, guarded, mulling over the obvious, all the new possibilities spread out before us.

"We have to warn them."

He looked back at me for a few long moments, then nodded, once.

"Yes," he agreed, quietly.

And thus began our desperate race across the plains.

~End Part 19~