Chapter 2

Remembering

A/N: thanks for the reviews I got. The person who created this character was my cousin so if she sounds like a Mary Sue would, sorry, not intended. I did not know how I wanted the character (male or female, ect.) so I asked her and this is what we got. The name: I picked out a bunch of names put them in my hands and she drew one and that's her name. If she ends up sounding Mary Sueish let me know and I'll stop that. I also had thought of using Gandalf but the times that Gandalf mentions going in there is not the same time I have for Aragorn. Gandalf was looking for Thrain. I do not think Aragorn was old enough at the time. Sorry, enough babbling, on with it!

They came to a three-way junction. "I have no memory of this place at all!" stated Gandalf. After examining the arches for a bit, he stood there shaking his head. Sam started to worry about Bill aloud. Legolas loved horses of course, but at the same time there was nothing that they could do about Bill and it would not help one way or the other to worry about the animal. They found on the left of a great arch, a stone door. Easily opening the door there was a room found behind it. Merry and Pippin pushed forward. Legolas was not in want for rest. The sooner they got out of this cursed dark hole the better.

In the middle of the room there was a well where pieces of stone lay by. Rusted, broken chains lay around and went down into the well. Legolas took his bedroll and unrolled it next to Aragorn's, "So what happened?" He sat on his knees and looked at the ranger. Aragorn stilled his movements and stayed that way for a few moments, "When you came last to Moria." The elf heard him sigh softly and watched him as he turned into a cross-legged position, facing him. Legolas turned into the same position.

"Her name was Saruwen."

-Fifteen years ago-

He could do with some extra food. He was not in a big need for it. He could last for quite a while. He prepared his bow. Though animals were scarce in this area, hopefully he would run across something. He heard the brush rustle some ways away to his front left. He crept his way around the rocky terrain which was patched with grass and boulders and brush. Every so often there was a tree or two, though scraggly and skinny and not very tall. He heard some steps beyond some large boulders and some tall brush. Crouching low, he approached the brush. As soon as he was near, he crashed through ready to shoot.

She turned on her heel and crouched down as she pulled her knife from its sheath. He lowered his bow a bit. For awhile they just stared at each other. Her eyes were blue and her hair brown. Her skin was of olive and she was somewhat skinny, a bit tall. She looked rough in her brown leggings and dirty white tunic which she wore a leather jerkin around. Her boots were well worn. She was still a mite attractive especially in that often. It was not every day you saw a woman in man's clothing. He lowered his bow all the way and put away the arrow. Extending his hand, he introduced himself, "Hello, I am called 'Strider'"

She looked at his hand, sheathed her knife and stood up. She took his hand, shook it and released it just as quickly as if she had touched a hot stove. "They call me Saruwen."

"Any particular reason why?" She burrowed her brows at him and responded coldly.

"You shall know soon enough. I hate men. If do not want to bed me, they think I should be some sort of housewife: Never seen as anything other than a woman."

"Peace, my Lady. I have a woman who I am dearly in love with. It's just that a, woman travels alone in a barren land that has this incredible hatred for men intrigues me so. The fact remains that you are a woman who never sees men as individuals but just separates them into two groups. I assure you that I am neither."

"We shall see."

"I have no problem with a woman roaming the wilds, just as long as she can adequately take care of herself," he smiled. "Where are you headed?"

"No where in particular."

"Same here, hey if you do not care, you know, since neither of us are headed any where, maybe we could travel together." She bit her lower lip in thought.

-Present-

Pippin was in for it. The fool had dropped a pebble into the well. Following this was the sound of it falling into distant water in a big cavern. After such they heard a tap-tom as of a hammer hitting an anvil. Gandalf made him take the first watch. Legolas looked at Aragorn who was now lying on his back with his hands behind his head and his eyes closed. Legolas raised his eyebrows, "Well?" The man opened one eye and looked at the elf.

"Well what?" The elf just continued to look at him. Aragorn opened the other eye, "Oh the story. I'll tell you more some other time. Right now I just want to close my eyes and try to get away from this place." He closed his eyes and fell asleep. Legolas lay onto his back, folded his hands and went into elven sleep, where he dreamed of Saruwen.

TBC

Me: I was gonna cliffee at where she bit her lip but then the chapter would have been too short.