This is an extra long chapter. To make up for not posting, to be fair, we've had no broad band since last Thursday so I had the time to write this! Read on!

XxXxX

The three days to the marshes hadn't been unpleasant. But now I was well and truly grumpy and fed up. I wasn't the only one either, the hobbit's spirits were low and only Aragorn seemed to be the only one not complaining.

I was grumpy because it had been officially three days since my last bath and I was well and truly messed up. My hair was so bad, Aragorn had given me a string and I'd wrapped it up out of the way but I felt mucky. I hadn't been able to brush my teeth or find any more mint so my mouth tasted terrible and it probably smelt really bad too and finally I was so covered in midge bites it was unreal.

The hobbits weren't any better. Sam was currently waving his hand manically around his head. Merry and Pippin were also trying their best to keep them away and every time the pony shook in annoyance, they took off from him in clouds.

'When you said Midgewater, I didn't think it was literal' I grumbled, smacking my arm and crushing one where it perched.

'Midgewater? There are more midges than water!' Pippin cried 'I'm being eaten alive!'

'What do they live on when they can't get hobbit?' Sam asked

Nights weren't any better, there were literally thousands of crickets hanging around in the reeds, it sounded that way anyway. So despite my actually rather comfortable bed roll, I couldn't sleep because of the racket going off all night. Not to mention we still weren't free of midge attacks. It was driving me absolutely mad and the hobbits were as distressed as I was. It was starting to get light on the horizon and I sat up bolt upright.

'SHUT YOUR LITTLE PIEHOLES!' I screamed

The uproar was immediate, everyone shushing me frantically.

'Do you wish for the black riders to find us?' Aragorn hissed

'No, but-'

'Then you will not speak another word until we leave!' He snapped

I hunkered down back into my roll. A cricket landed on my hip soon afterwards and creaked away. I tried not to yell again as I felt like my blood might boil over. I settled instead with thrashing angrily around, the cricket hopped off but the midges didn't leave me alone.

The next day the midges weren't so bad and the next night there weren't as many crickets either, but it was still enough to cause an interrupted night's sleep so my mood was no better when we'd finally cleared the marshes and got back onto solid ground.

I was trudging my way along, not really paying any attention to where I was stepping anymore. I stepped down onto a narrow log and to my surprise it rolled suddenly. I fell forwards, losing my balance completely and falling face first into the dirt. The narrow and lighter end flicked upwards and caught Aragorn right in his gentleman's vegetables with a harsh sounding thwack.

To his credit, Aragorn let out a pained moan but he didn't go to his knees. I lifted my face from the dirt, spat out a good mouthful of leaves and began to check I hadn't knocked any teeth out. All I could taste was blood and dirt.

'Sorry' I slurred 'That was completely unintentional and I will pay any penalty'

'I should just leave you there' Aragorn said, his voice strained

'We wouldn't have any entertainment though' Pippin commented

'That was NOT entertaining!' I shot back

After Aragorn established he wasn't missing anything, he pulled me up by one arm, practically giving me whiplash.

'You will go to the back, watch where you walk and not make another sound' He said sternly

So that was how I ended up getting banished dejectedly to the back to nurse my own wounds and wondering if the dirt in my split lip would make it go septic.

XxXxX

We finally reached the foothills underneath Weathertop that night. Aragorn had decided to take us on a huge roundabout route to avoid approaching Weathertop openly. Once we'd set the camp up Aragorn finally started to speak to me again. I was so fed up with the situation though I sat with my arms and legs crossed grumpily.

I was missing home, badly. I wondered if Dad knew I was missing and I wondered how my boyfriend was taking things. Tony wasn't the love of my life, I hadn't been going out with him for that long but I'd known him for years. I found I was missing his friendship more than anything. Everything accumulated and I found I wanted a moment to myself. I stood up and walked away abruptly.

'Sophie?' Aragorn called

I ignored him, walking away briskly. I still had my arms around myself and I walked until I couldn't see the campfire anymore when I looked back. I dumped myself down on the ground. I took deep breaths, trying to get myself under control again.

Not only was I missing home but I knew what was coming on Weathertop. I knew that once we got there, we weren't going to be safe. I had no idea if I should try to change things or whether I should just leave it alone. I might not have liked the movie but I did like the characters as I knew them now and I didn't want Frodo to have that wound inflicted on him.

I felt my eyes brim again and one lone tear overflowed. I was about to let myself go and actually have a bit of a cry when I heard a twig snapping and I jumped, twisting to face the direction the snap came from.

Aragorn had followed me. He looked at me now with one eyebrows raised. I quickly wiped my face. Flinching had dislodged a few tears which I wasn't keen on him seeing. I turned away too, settling back down.

'Leave me alone' I told him, trying to sound harsh except my voice wobbled.

I heard him step closer, settling next to me cross legged. I kept my head turned away from him.

'What is troubling you?' He asked, his voice was gentle.

I sighed, my voice still trembling from trying not to cry 'It's none of your business

'No' He agreed 'But I am concerned. You are clearly distressed. Sometimes, talking about what is upsetting helps'

'Thanks but I don't think there's anything you can do, honestly' I replied 'I just...I just feel so homesick and I'm worried about everyone, my father mostly'

'Why did you leave?' Aragorn asked

I sighed 'I didn't really. I don't know how I can explain things. Only that I didn't think this would happen'

Aragorn nodded 'Sometimes things are out of our control, I understand. Have you ever been away from home?'

'Not this far' I replied

'Where are you from?' Aragorn asked

I hesitated, I could tell him exactly where I was from but I knew he wouldn't know it. I decided there was only one thing for it.

'I'm from England, I know you won't know it, it's not any part of Middle-Earth'

Aragorn pulled a face 'Nor any of the surrounding islands'

'It's very very far away and I have no idea how I'll get back. I'm not sure that even a wizard can help me' I told him

'That is a severe predicament' Aragorn said thoughtfully.

We sat in silence while I managed to bring my emotions back under control. It was probably a good thing I didn't cry, I'd have puffy eyes then and there would've been no hiding things. Pippin was like a small child, he told the truth about what he thought and he would've immediately pointed out to everyone that my eyes were red. Aragorn suddenly took my hand and I jumped in surprise.

'I promise I will look after you, as long as you need it' He said seriously.

I looked at him carefully 'But I hurt you earlier, I'm crap at outdoorsy stuff'

'Which is why I should look after you. And accidents happen, we are all tired and I lost my temper. I would apologise for snapping but it was rather painful' He replied lightly.

I chuckled slightly 'I think I can excuse you, most chaps don't like being hit there'

'Come, Sam is preparing food tonight, from what Pippin has said we should be looking forward to this'

He pulled me up and led me back to the camp. That night we actually managed to have a little bit of fun and by fun I mean me telling the hobbits scary stories while Aragorn smoked on his pipe and grinned to himself about what I was saying. Finally, we also managed to get some real sleep, no crickets and midges, even if I was still feeling residual itch from the many bites we'd received.

Aragorn got me up very early the next morning, so early in fact; there was a faint orange line on the horizon where the sun had come up. He took me to a little stream. He left me with a small bar of soap and a small towel and said I had half an hour to freshen up. I took full advantage, the water was freezing but I dipped all my hair in the stream and washed it with the soap. I squeezed the excess water out with the towel and wrapped it around my head while I spent ages gulping water, swilling my mouth out and spitting the water back out.

I suddenly caught sight of my reflection in the water. Although it was distorted, I could see I'd lost the babyish roundness of my cheeks and suddenly I didn't look just twenty one anymore. I looked like I was mid-twenties now. I straightened up and walked back to camp.

'When we get to Rivendell, I hope the elves know about tooth brushes' I grumbled when I got back.

'What have you done to your hair?' Pippin asked, looking up at the towel in confusion.

'What? I have wet hair, deal with it' I replied.

We packed up quickly and began the long looking climb up the hill. I was no longer banished to the back and I walked alongside Aragorn at the front again. He was keeping at eye on where I was walking though. At some point, Pippin commented that Frodo looked a bit taller.

'Odd, considering that there is less of me now' He said, tightening his belt.

I looked around and chuckled slightly 'That's because he's not as fat'

'A thin hobbit is mostly unheard of' Sam commented

'Well, you're all looking a bit thinner, therefore taller' I said over my shoulder.

'You were already thin, but now you look a bit bony yourself' Aragorn said, looking down at me.

'Yeah, I didn't need to lose weight' I replied, stretching my baggy jumper tight to my belly.

I hadn't been carrying much excess weight before, but after nearly a week of sleeping rough, worry and not much food; Aragorn was right. I was looking bony.

'I shall have to find some decent meat tonight I think' Aragorn said worriedly 'The hobbits have weight they can yet lose, but you do not'

'I feel fine' I replied

'I fear that soon you won't'

We walked in silence after that. At about midday, Aragorn's prediction came true. I began to feel a bit weak and wobbly in the knees and gradually as I slowed, I dropped to the back of the group. Aragorn kept looking back at me, his eyebrows furrowed in worry but every time he did look I put the biggest smile I could on.

I knew he couldn't make us stop; we were too pressed for time to do that. I wanted to get to Rivendell and go home; I wasn't going to delay that by asking for a break. This was a steep climb though, not to mention there were lots of rocks we had to negotiate and get the pony over without a twisted ankle.

Even the bit we were climbing was in a valley and along the crests of the ridges above us were scattered old ruins of forts or castles. I realised the rocks strewn around us had crumbled from the ruins and tumbled down here.

'Have these rocks come off those?' I asked, noticing a particularly squared off looking rock.

'Yes, we should be careful of anymore coming down' Aragorn replied

As we travelled we came across a track, it looked to be hidden from both the crests above and ground lower down seeing as we hadn't spotted it while we climbing up. Rocks had been carved and set into a bit of an alleyway close to the foothills. It felt quite protective and I was feeling more at ease now but it became apparent that Merry didn't.

'I wonder who made this path and what for' He wondered 'I'm not sure I like it; it has a-well, a rather barrow whiteish look about it. Are there any barrow on Weathertop?'

'There are no barrow' Aragorn replied 'The men of the west did not live here though they spent their latter days defending these hills from evil that came from Angmar. This path was made to serve forts along the walls'

He sounded like he was about to give a history lesson and I began to switch off. I was getting really bored with all this climbing and walking. The movie had given a terrible perspective on time, it really should have explained more the length of time it took Aragorn and the Hobbits to get from Bree to Rivendell. I huffed, this must be all book related happenings.

Suddenly, Sam singing snapped me from my thoughts.

Gil-galad was an elven king,

Of him, the harpers sadly sing,

The last whose realm was fair and free,

Between the mountains and the sea.

His sword was long, his lance was keen,

His shining helm afar was seen,

The countless stars of heaven's field,

Were mirrored in his silver shield.

But long ago he rode away,

And where he dwelleth, none can say,

For into darkness fell his star,

In Mordor where the shadows are.

The hobbits all looked around at him in amazement. They looked as though this was a surprising even but to me, someone just singing for nothing was a surprise in itself.

'Well don't stop' Pippin said

'That's all I know' Sam stammered, a blush on his cheeks 'I learned it from Mr Bilbo when I was a lad. He used to tell me stories knowing I was one for hearing about elves. It was Mr Bilbo as taught me my letters too. He was mighty book learned was dear old Mr Bilbo. And he wrote poetry He wrote what I just said'

'He did not make it up' Aragorn said 'It is part of a story called The Fall of Gil-galad, which is in ancient tongue. Bilbo must have translated it'

'There was a lot more' Sam said thoughtfully 'But it was all about Mordor and I didn't learn it, gave me the shivers it did. I never thought I should be going that way myself'

XxXxX

We were finally somewhere I recognised. We'd weaved through the hills and come to the little hollow in the hill where the hobbits would light fires. Leading away from the little over hang was a flight of stairs. The hobbits fling their packs down tiredly.

We ate a little and by the time we'd finished it was dark. Aragorn unrolled a blankets and inside were four short swords. He handed them out to the hobbits.

'These are for you. Keep them close, I'm going to have a look around. I was not expecting you Sophie so take this for now'

Aragorn pulled a long dagger from a concealed sheath on his arm, I'd had no idea it was there. It was only the length of my forearm but it was actually rather nice. It was silver with swirling patterns and red gems set into the hilt and sheath.

'Thanks' I replied

'Stay here, all of you' Aragorn said before slipping off into the night, the way we'd come.

I had been determined to keep an eye on the hobbits and stop them from lighting any fires but exhaustion caught up with me and I woke to Frodo freaking out and stamping the fire out himself.

'Oh that's nice! Ash on my tomatoes!'

'Shut up!' I hissed, getting up.

I looked out over the ridge to see five shapes approaching in the darkness. I groaned.

'Shit! Shit! Shit!' I cursed 'Why the hell couldn't you just wait?'

'Go!' Frodo yelled

I shoved the hobbits along in front of me, keeping a firm grip on Frodo's shoulder I hurried him along and we reached the top of the ruins. I stood, my hand still on his shoulder, I could feel the small hobbit quaking. I braced myself, this wasn't going to be pleasant.

XxXxX

So I hope that was enjoyable for you. I had wanted to have them in Rivendell by the end of this chapter but the document was getting huge so i decided to split it into two. I hope to have the next chapter up soon!

Review please?