Hello all once again! Thank you all so very much for your reviews, I tried to respond to everyone, but I think I might have missed a few of you and if I did I'm so sorry! But thank you very much! I'm glad you all are enjoying the story so far, and I hope you like this chapter. You'll learn a little more about Carita. As always, let me know what you think!

Note: Dialouge in bold is spoken in Elvish.

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 4

The dawn of the day they were to set out on their journey came and Carita sat at the vanity in her room running a brush through her long hair before she braided her hair and threw it over her shoulder and stood. Her black leggings were tucked into her boots and with a sigh, she smoothed out the black thick leather vest Arwen had given her as a present and good luck charm for her journey. It looked nice over her white tunic she wore but she knew that it would also serve as extra protection in case they came across not so friendly faces. There was a brisk knock at her door and she smiled as she walked over to her bed and picked up her sword and belt.

"Enter!" she called and the door opened. As she fastened her belt she smiled at Gandalf. "Good morning, Gandalf," she said as she turned her eyes to her hands and tightened her belt firmly around her waist.

"Good morning in deed," he said and Carita looked at him and reached for her cloak from her bed.

"What is bothering you today, my friend?" she asked as she fastened the silver clasp of her cloak. "Are you still going to try and convince me to stay?" Gandalf shook his head.

"No, no," Gandalf said gruffly. "I am just doubting the course that this has taken."

"You are one who never doubts anything you have ever done, do not start now," Carita told him softly and his turned his blue eyes to her. "They need you more than you think, especially Frodo. If there is anyone that he trusts completely with anything it is you." Gandalf nodded then and forced a smile.

"Come, we are ready to leave," he said. Carita nodded and grabbed her satchel and strapped it to her back under her cloak. With one final look at the room that had been her home for the last month and a half, she left and closed the door behind her before her silent footfalls fell in step with Gandalf's. She walked down a few steps and smiled at the hobbits as Merry and Pippin waived at her. She fell into place next to Legolas and turned her smile to him.

"Aur vaer (good morning)," Carita said quietly and Legolas inclined his head. It seemed that she was the only one aside from Merry and Pippin who was keeping positive about their journey ahead. She turned her eyes to where Elrond stood, but not before she spotted a rather sad looking Arwen whose eyes were downcast as she stood with several other elves of the city.

"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him no oath nor bond is laid, to go further than you will," Elrond said as he looked at the company and his eyes rested on Carita for a fraction of a second longer before he scanned the faces of the others. He held open his arms. "Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all free folk go with you." Legolas and Aragorn bowed their heads to him with their hands over their hearts while Carita merely bowed her head.

"The Fellowship awaits the Ring-bearer," Gandalf said and Carita turned towards the archway and watched as Frodo turned slowly to face Gandalf and made his way towards the archway. He walked through it followed by Gandalf. He hesitated a second before he turned left and led them from the city.

The end of their first day of travel brought heavy sighs from the hobbits as they sat down, but Sam immediately set to fix a meal. "Nothing to big Sam," Aragorn said. "We do not need the firelight to bring unfriendly eyes." Sam sighed and nodded quietly before he built a very small fire that was barely big enough to cook the food he was busy preparing for everyone. Carita walked further ahead from the camp and peered out at their path that they would take at the dawn. Aragorn walked up next to her and she drew up her hood to hide how the moonlight hit her face and made her skin glow.

"The path ahead is clear for now, but there is no telling what shall happen during the hours of the night," Carita said quietly and Aragorn nodded as he looked at her.

"Why do you draw up your hood?" he asked and Carita smiled.

"The light from the moon," she said simply before she pulled back her hood slightly and allowed Aragorn to see her bathed in the light. "It is a flaw that the moonlight makes me glow," she said with a frown before she pulled the hood back over her head.

"It is not a flaw, it brings out your beauty," he said and Carita scowled.

"A beauty I have not wished to have for many years," she said quietly, but Aragorn heard her. "I think you should get something to eat, I shall stand guard for as long as necessary." Not wanting to argue with her, he nodded and turned away from her to join the others. Carita sighed softly as he walked away and closed her eyes.

It had been a long time since she had sat under the light of the moon. He had said he loved to just watch her sit in the moonlight. He had lied with everything he had, deceived her and many others. He had nearly taken her with him, but her light prevailed while his only darkened as his hunger for power consumed him. Tears rolled down from her closed eyes and she took a shuddering breath before she opened her eyes to look out.

"Are you ever going to tell me the real reason you joined us on this quest Carita?" came Gandalf's gruff voice from beside her. She had felt him come up next to her, but had chosen to ignore him, knowing he would break the silence first.

"You know the reason Gandalf," she said as she turned her tear stained and hidden face to him. "You know the true reason. There is no need for me to speak of it."

"He has not stopped hunting you," Gandalf said and Carita's eyes narrowed as she turned away from him.

"I know," she whispered her sadness forgotten and replaced with anger. "I looked for the ring, when Isildur had fallen. I searched for it, but I could not find it. I assumed that it was lost, but I knew that it was always there, waiting to be found."

"Little did you know it was found," Gandalf said and she nodded.

"If I would have found it, I would have destroyed it," she hissed.

"Would you?" he asked and Carita's head snapped to him. "You feel the pull, just as much as any, not for gain of power would you use it, but for revenge." Carita hung her head and felt shame wash over her. Gandalf was right, she truly didn't know if she would have destroyed it if she found it all those years ago. Her anger and hatred was so strong then that she knew that she probably would have tried to use it to destroy everything Sauron had created only to fail. "However, I know that if it was held out to you now that you would be strong enough to pass any test it gave you," Gandalf whispered as he put a hand on her shoulder. "You've come a long way since then, Carita and you've learned to control your anger."

"Until I face battle," she said with a small smile and Gandalf chuckled.

"Battle is always a good place to let go of anger," Gandalf said with a wink. "Come and eat a bit, or Sam will think you don't like his cooking." Carita nodded and took a deep breath. Nothing as around them, and if anything did come across them, Legolas and her would sense them long before they appeared to the others.

After an hour of eating and talking quietly with Merry and Pippin, Carita's dark mood had vanished, but she kept her hood drawn as the very small fire danced a few feet from her. She was laughing softly to Pippin's joke when movement in the distance caught her attention. Her smile left her face and she glanced at the hobbits. "Remain here, I shall return in a moment," Carita said before she walked over to where Legolas sat. "May I borrow your eyes?" she asked him in a whisper and he nodded his head as he stood and followed her. Aragorn, Boromir, Gimli, and Gandalf followed them with their eyes but did not move to stand. "Do you see that?" she asked softly as she looked in the distance and pointed with a pale glowing hand. Legolas' blue eyes fixed in the direction she pointed and he nodded.

"Yes, but it is not unfriendly," he said with a small smile. Carita frowned and turned her eyes to him, nearly meeting his gaze evenly as she stood only an inch or two shorter than him.

"Not unfriendly?" she asked and Legolas turned his eyes to her and nodded before he clicked his tongue with a loud snap. Charging met their ears and she turned her head once more towards the movement she had seen only to see a white mane shine thanks to the light of the moon. "Moonlight," she whispered and took a step forward as the great stallion came to a stop before her and neighed before he nudged her shoulder. Carita laughed softly and ran her hand down his neck. "My friend, you should not be following," she whispered and the horse neighed once more.

"He is loyal to you," Legolas said softly as he moved closer to Moonlight and put his hand on the horse's face. "I believe he has been following since we left the edge of Rivendell's realm." Carita laughed again and shook her head.

"Go on boy, we shall meet again," she whispered before she patted his neck and kissed his cheek. Moonlight neighed again before he turned and broke of fast pace run. "He never listens," she said quietly and Legolas laughed quietly.

"Let us hope his master is less stubborn," he said and Carita looked at him with a raised eyebrow and even with his ability to hide his emotions well, he could not hide his shock and surprise at his teasing retort. However, Carita was thankful he was letting down his defenses and reservations towards her.

"Indeed," Carita said as a slow smile made its way across her face. "However, you will be at a loss to find out his master is just as stubborn at times." Legolas smiled at her in return, just as a fierce wind rippled across the land blowing, her hood from her head. Legolas' eyes widened when he saw her face fully in the limited light. She was fair there was no doubt of that, but as the light from the moon hit her it was if her beauty multiplied indefinitely. Carita sighed and quickly pulled her hood up once more and spared a glance at Legolas to his look of amazement. "It is but a trick of the light," she whispered. "Do not be fooled by it," she told him before she turned and rejoined the group once more.

"Your horse seems to follow you everywhere," Gandalf said as she sank into her seat next to Pippin. Carita smiled and nodded her head.

"He is stubborn and doesn't like to listen to me when I tell him to do something he does not wish to do," Carita said. Gandalf nodded and sighed quietly. Carita stole another glance of Legolas to see him slowly returning to the group and taking his seat next to Aragorn. The pair talked quietly and Carita looked away from them.

"I think it is time to rest," Gandalf said and the hobbits quickly readied to sleep, Frodo a little slower than the others. Carita remained where she sat and watched as the others readied for bed.

"I'll take the first watch," she said and earned no objections from the men. Soon, the others were resting peacefully and Carita's eyes scanned the land around them as she had put out the small fire Sam had built. However, she was not the only one awake and she looked at Legolas. "It would be best if you rest, Legolas," she whispered softly, but loud enough for the elf to hear her.

"An elf can rest anytime he wishes, and I do not wish to now," Legolas replied just as softly. Carita only nodded and the pair sat in silence until they woke Aragorn for the second shift five hours later.