The Road Goes Ever On and On

Disclaimer: No I do not own Lord of the Rings!

Summary: (Sequel to "Journey to Mordor (By SUV)") Tess joins a Ranger camp under an assumed name. Dolly, Emily, Kate make it home to find out that they have gone back in time. Aragorn becomes a whiny child. All characters (that are still alive!) are back from "Journey to Mordor" along with a few new ones. And Saruman decides that he must destroy Gondor and Men and takes over for Sauron. Will be split into a few different parts.

Part One: A New Shadow

Chapter One: Becoming a Ranger

Tess spent five days riding North, heading for a Ranger camp. She didn't care which camp she ended up in as long as it was a Ranger camp. She absolutely refused to remain enclosed in the White City. She wasn't going to spend her life that way. It would be a waste of time.

Finally she found a Ranger camp and was relieved. She rode towards the camp and suddenly became aware of the Rangers, hiding, watching her every move to see if she was friend or foe.

"Please, I'm a friend. I mean no harm," she said, dismounting Brego. She kept her hands away from her weapons despite the urge that she felt to unsheathe Anduril.

"What is your reason for coming here then if it is not to harm anyone?" asked a voice from the shadows.

"I wish to become what I was born to be."

"And what on Middle-earth might that be? Certainly not a Ranger because everyone knows that girls aren't Rangers!"

"I am a Ranger. My father was a Ranger. I was born a Ranger's daughter. I belong here in the Wild. It's the only home I've ever known."

"You don't belong here. You belong in a city."

"How do you think I knew you were hiding and training bows on me if I belong in a city then?"

"It was a lucky guess."

"It was keen senses! Asshole!"

"What did you just call me."

"A freakin' asshole! Get over it."

"Why should I?"

"Because it doesn't mean shit!"

"What is this language?"

"It's called cursing. Don't tell me you haven't ever heard anyone curse before!" said Tess with a laugh.

"Fine, then I will not tell you."

"I was just joking? Can't you take a joke?"

"Does it look like it?"

"How am I supposed to tell when I can't see you?"

The person Tess had been speaking to stepped out of shadows and into the light and reveled a man not much older than Tess that reminded her very much of her father, only younger.

"Happy now?" replied the person.

"What's your name?"

"You tell me yours first."

"Te—Tithenwen."

"Tithenwen," he said thinking. "That's Elvish, right?"

"Correct."

"Are you an Elf then? You look a bit like one but are you?"

"No, I'm not an Elf."

"Then what are you?"

"Human."

"Right…"

"Um, what's your name?"

"Nicholas. I'm the captain of this group of Rangers."

"Aren't you a little young to be a Ranger captain?"

"No younger than you are, little girl."

"I'm not a little girl!" cried Tess fiercely as she drew Anduril.

Nicholas seemed shocked by the sight of Anduril and was speechless for a moment. Then he was able to talk again.

"Please, put your sword away. We are all friends here, aren't we?"

"Why should I trust you?"

"I was wrong to doubt you. Your sword tells me that you are who you say you are and that you mean no threat to us."

Tess narrowed her eyes. Had he recongized Anduril? Did he possible know who she was? Or had he just had a change of heart? Tess couldn't tell.

"So I can stay then?"

"Not a problem as long as you pull your weight, you can stay."

"Thanks," she said, sheathing Anduril and taking her pack off Brego.

That night, Tess dreamed. She dreamed of Minas Tirith and of her parents. Oh how she missed her father.

Aragorn was walking around Minas Tirith. He looked sad, like he was missing someone. Arwen came up to him.

"Why do you look so unhappy" she asked him.

"It's all my fault…" he said with a sigh.

"It was not your fault. You didn't do this."

"Yes I did."

"Estel, anything that happened was not your fault. It was her choice to leave. You didn't force her to leave."

"Yes I did and it's my fault she's dead."

"Estel! How dare you say such a thing!"

"I can feel it, Arwen. She's faded. She's dead."

"Estel, she is not dead until I see proof! Until I see a body she is not dead! Do you get that Estel?"

"She's gone… She's not coming back…"

"This is her home. She will come back!"

"No, she will never return."

Then there was a pause and then another part of the dream began.

Aragorn was dead. Wild Men, loyal to Saruman had entered the city and killed everyone in their path. They had come to the Citadel, were Aragorn was and engaged in battle with him. He had faltered and they killed him. They left gleefully, leaving him behind, bleeding, to die.

Arwen raced into the Citadel and found him.

"Oh Estel…" she cried.

"It's all going to be okay, Arwen. Gondor will not fail. Our children will keep it safe. You have to stay strong for them."

"I will fade and go into the West…"

"No, not until the rightful heir is upon the throne."

"She strayed from that path along time ago…"

"She will return."

"Estel…"

Aragorn closed his eyes and was still. He was dead.

Tess awoke with a scream.

"Ada" she cried. "Ada! ADA!"

Then she fell back crying. Gondor would fall if her father died. And it would be all her fault. He needed her but she couldn't go back to the city. Not yet. She wasn't ready to follow the path that led back to Minas Tirith yet.

She had to become Tithenwen, Ranger before she could fulfill her destiny. She was already becoming her. It was only a matter of time.

Author's Notes:

I decided to move the sequel from my joint account with my friend to my account since I was doing all the writing and it was annoying to do updates when I had stories in two different accounts. I have eleven chapters already finished that have been posted before. Sorry Boromir's Curse and Mr. Random, cause this will be boring for a while for you. Chapter twelve will be written soon and posted by Friday, February 11th.