Chapter 5

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Enzi believed, at first, that she was considered an equal when she volunteered for the Fellowship. After all, she was offering to lead these people through the heart of her people's defenses, fully knowing that if she was caught, her family would be good as dead. However, she discovered that when they left Rivendell, they left the equality of this Fellowship. The hobbits, the children she'd seen, were accepted without question or complaint. The dwarf was accepted despite his rudeness and unsavory personality. The elf was practically brothers with Aragorn. But she was different. She was still the enemy and only useful for information. Her every move was watched by the members of the Fellowship. Her every suggestion questioned. Enzi wondered, again, if Dingane would have done a better job.

They had stopped and made camp on a hillside, Sam, one of the Hobbits, stopping to make a quick lunch for all. Boromir took a moment to "train" Merry and Pippin while Aragorn and Frodo watched. Legolas, the elf, watched the landscape, as if searching for something. Mchawi sat smoking a pipe, and Gimli sat restlessly on a rock. Enzi sat in the center of the space, conscious by now that sitting on the edge would only get her more questions and requests to move "where they all could see each other." Mchawi decided the group needed to continue west of the Misty Mountains for forty days, then take the Gap of Rohan then turn east to Mordor. He had truly travelled the world; she could tell by the way he navigated the best method of getting to Mordor. This would be as good a time as any to talk to him.

Enzi walked up to Mchawi, leaving her weapons and pack of supplies on the rocks below. He and Gimli had just finished speaking, and she wasn't sure if there would be another time for them to speak in pseudo-privacy. "Mchawi, a word?"

"Yes, Enzi," he said, no emotion registering on his face while his voice held kindness and curiosity. "What is it?"

Enzi looked around to see who was paying attention. Gimli was still grumbling to himself. Legolas was still looking away from them. The others were focused on Boromir's training. She turned her attention back to the one they called Gandalf. "Mchawi, have we met before?" He smiled and she knew they had. "I thought you did not visit our people."

"It was my usual policy, Ghadelyna." Mchawi laughed quietly taking another puff of the pipe.

This instantly caused Enzi's guard to go up. Not only had she met him when she was a child, but he knew her true identity. She was unsure what caused him to keep it secret – maybe Elrond had spoken to him and they'd decided to honor her request – but he couldn't just reveal information like this aloud. It was still too dangerous. "Please, Mchawi, call me Enzi. If word was to get back to Mordor of my true lineage, my family's lives would end."

He smiled again. "As you wish, but you will find that you are not the only one who has a secret in this Fellowship, nor the only one who seeks to protect their kin." He seemed to consider this for a moment. "I did not abandon your people," he continued. "I was not wanted by most of the tribes. It was always my mission to help people, all people of Middle Earth. Your parents were the exception." He paused, letting her process this information. When her eyes widened, he continued. "Yes, this conspiracy of ours started way before your mother died. I was attempting to help her reach out and find allies that would help your people break away from Sauron by meeting with them in secret. You saw me when I was attempting to leave and keeping the meeting secret was hardly easy with a small child claiming to have seen me. We never met face-to-face again, but I continued trying to convince both of them at first, then later your father, to help rid Middle Earth of Sauron. And I, of course, wanted to keep an eye on you."

"You've been watching me?"

"Not with my own eyes. I've had friends keep an eye on you, and when I learned that your father had spoken to Elrond, I hoped you would take on his mission."

"And here I am."

Mchawi smiled at her. "Here you are."

"Crebain from Dunland!"

Legolas's warning caused the conversation to abruptly end as the members of the Fellowship teamed together to cover up anything that the birds would see. If the birds discovered that they had camped there, they would discover their path to Mordor. Enzi tucked herself under a rock near Aragorn, covering her face with her mask and then her cloak for extra protection. No one must know her true identity, and if the birds described her to their lord, once again, her family would be in danger.

The entire camp was quiet as the screeching birds circled where they'd just been and were currently hiding. It seemed to take hours for the birds to move on , but Enzi suspected it was only a few minutes. It was only when the last screech faded into silence that anyone dare move. Aragorn was one of the first up, and looked at her for a moment, as if considering to help her stand or not. Must be some sort of custom. She shook her head and stood on her own, taking down her mask and securing her cloak behind her again.

"Spies of Saruman!" Mchawi replied angrily. "The passage South is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras."

"We cannot take the pass Mchawi."

It was only after she saw everyone staring at her that she realized it was her own lips that had spoken those words. "And why not, Haradress?" Gimli questioned.

"Because we are not equipped to go on such a journey. The spies may tell Saruman our whereabouts but the cold of the mountain will kill all of us."

"Then what do you suggest, Enzi?" Mchawi asked.

Enzi thought for a moment about some way that they could hid while not being in danger of freezing to death. There had to be a way. She looked off in the distance for a moment, then turned excitedly. "The Askari!"

"The who?" Sam asked, curiously.

"The Mlima Askari. The mountain soldiers. We call them that because their tribe mainly patrols the borders of Mordor." She looked at Mchawi for a moment, then the other members of the fellowship. "Don't you see, Mchawi? The Askari live near the Corsairs. They use the waterways and rivers to travel to areas the Eye commands they monitor and protect."

"How does this help us," Boromir asked, "except to let us know how many of the Haradrim are loose on our lands?"

"They will have supplies needed to cross the mountain! And one of their ports is the Brunen River! I can go to them, posing as a member of Sauron's army, and get what we need."

"There's no way we're leaving you to go and find allies behind our backs!" Boromir commanded. "You are not going without us!"

"Listen carefully, Gondorian. If I know where the Armies of Sauron congregate and it was my intention to have all of you killed and take the One Ring to Sauron, I would have done it already. Yet I tell you where the allies of my Fa – my King rest before traveling through the lands of Middle Earth. There's no reason to do this unless I'm trying to help. You can continue to doubt my loyalty if you wish. Go up the mountain without supplies. We'll all die and the birds will be sent to collect the One ring and take it to Sauron!" She turned her back to the crowd to avoid the group seeing the fear in her eyes. In a fit of anger, she almost gave away her most precious secret.

The Fellowship was silent for a moment, each person considering the truth of her words. Finally Aragorn spoke. "I'll go with her."

"As will I," Legolas replied quietly. He walked quietly towards her and placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "How long will it take us to reach the Askari?"

She turned to him for a moment, noting the difference in his demeanor than the others. He seemed genuine in his question, as if he trusted her completely. "If we leave immediately, we should come to the closest port by nightfall. They normally camp when it's dark so that they can't be seen."

"We will camp at the foot of the mountain, Aragorn," Mchawi replied.

"We'll be there sometime tomorrow," Aragorn answered back as they all quickly grabbed their gear to depart. Enzi could hear Boromir protesting but chose to ignore it. She had no time for this. If they were to be successful, she had to get the supplies they needed. She wasn't sure when she became so concerned with their safety.

Even as she thought about this, one of the hobbits, the one called Sam, came up to her, carrying a bundle of food. "Be careful, milady," he said shyly, handing her the bundle.

Something about all of the hobbits made her instantly understand their innocence, but this one was different. He was shy and quiet, but wise and courageous when he needed to be. Just like her Asana. With the reminder of her sister, she did something she hadn't done since leaving her home – she smiled. It wasn't a smirk, or a forced facial expression. She smiled a genuine smile. "I will Sam. You protect everyone until we get back."

"Will do, milady," Sam said with a smile, as if excited that she so easily accepted his gift, and joined the others. With that, Aragorn, Legolas, and Enzi were on their way.

The first few hours of the trip was done in complete silence, Enzi leading the way to the harbor of the Askari. Later on, when they were nearly at the port, she could hear Legolas and Aragorn speaking to themselves in the Elvish language. She was sure they were conversing about her, but decided to ignore it. Had the positions been reversed, she would have been just as suspicious. No doubt, they were planning ways to disarm and kill her in case she was leading them into a trap. She casually felt her belt for the smaller daggers she carried. If they did kill her, they wouldn't do it easily.

Before the water's edge, there was an oasis of overgrown plants and trees. She dropped her gear and was about to climb the tallest tree to look for the boats, when Legolas beat her to it, scaling the tree with the skill and grace of a feline. He climbed higher and higher until she couldn't see him among the leaves. She could barely make out whispering that Aragorn, who was eyeing the tree, seemed to understand. They responded back and forth to each other while she waited. Finally, Aragorn spoke to her. "There are three boats in the distance, and one boat is anchored. A small scout boat is landing now and they are setting up camp. If we move in now, we can grab the supplies and leave before the other boats dock."

"No."

"No? Why else did we come here but to get supplies to climb the mountain?"

"Oh, the supplies will be stolen, but not by you. If they see one of you, they'll attack immediately." Enzi took a breath, taking off her cloak and covering her face again. She put a large glove over her left hand that extended to her shoulder - armed much like an armadillo with dark metal and weaved bamboo. She grasped her spear with her right hand and took a breath. She was taking a risk, but the last thing she needed was the discovery of her heritage. They would be suspicious, this much was certain, but at the most, they'd just kill her. The Askari didn't ask many questions. "If I'm unsuccessful. Leave me. At least the nine of you can complete the mission."

Before Aragorn could protest, she walked towards the camp. She was careful to make sure they could see the beginnings of the tattoo on her left shoulder but not the part extending to her lower arm. They needed to know that she was a member of a tribe, but not her rank and which one. The men noticed her almost immediately. "Ninyi ni nani? (Who are you?)" they demanded, instantly grasping for their weapons.

"Salamu, ndugu. jina langu ni Enzi. Mimi nilikuwa zinazotolewa kama kodi kwa ajili ya kabila yangu na majeshi ya Mordor. Ndugu zangu na dada walikuwa kuvamia na Wananchi wa Kaskazini. Mimi kuja peke yake.( Greetings, brothers. My name is Enzi. I was offered as tribute for my tribe to the armies of Mordor. My brothers and sisters were raided by the Men of the North. I come alone.)" The men stopped and looked at each other of a moment. They began to put down their weapons.

One of the men walked to her, a bit of concern in his eyes. He didn't put down his weapon, but held out his other hand to assist her. "Kabila gani wewe? Kuna wengine kuja. (What tribe are you from? There are others coming.)"

Enzi thought quickly. She showed her tattoo partially. "Kabila ya Sangu. Siwezi kukaa na wewe. Kuna waathirika ni lazima kuhudhuria. Lakini, mimi kufanya zinahitaji nguo, mablanketi, na vifaa. Lazima recooperate na kujiunga na majeshi ya haraka kama iwezekanavyo. (The Sangu tribe. I cannot stay with you. There are survivors I must attend to. But, I do require cloaks, blankets, and supplies. We must recooperate and join the armies as soon as possible.)"

The man ordered his men to gather supplies for the group while still walking towards her. She instantly became nervous. As she had said before, the Askari were not conversationalists and were not exactly known for their generosity. She had expected to have to convince them or threaten them for supplies, yet they were just gathering them out of the would-be kindness of their hearts. The man touched Enzi's shoulder, tracing the part of the tattoo that he could see. He smiled a bit as he spoke. "Watu wangu ni kukusanya vifaa kwa ajili ya kikundi. Nini sisi kupata kwa wema wetu? (My men are gathering supplies for your group. What do we get for our kindness?)"

Enzi became nervous, and instantly wishing the men she was with could speak Haradric. But she couldn't show fear to this man. Askari were not considered particularly dangerous to her tribe, seeing as they were allied with them, but she reminded herself that she was just a lone soldier to them now. She narrowed her eyes and stood tall. "A mwanachama kushukuru wa kikosi wasomi wengi wa jeshi Sauron's. (A grateful member of the most elite band of Sauron's army.)"

He lost his smirk for a moment but he continued to look at her tattoo. A couple of soldiers brought 2 bundles to her which she gratefully took and slung on each shoulder. "Ambayo kabila gani kusema wewe ni mwanachama wa? Sangu? Sangu zaidi ya kuwa na macho kijivu. Na wala wanawake wao tatoo. (Which tribe did you say you were a member of? Sangu? The Sangu mostly have grey eyes. And they don't tattoo their women)"

Enzi took a deep breath, searching her brain for a response while walking backwards. "Wewe ni makosa, bwana wangu. Labda wewe si ukoo na mila zetu. (You are mistaken, my lord. Perhaps you are not familiar with our traditions.)"

"Pengine, lakini pia kujua kwamba yaleta si kwa miaka 12. Kabila moja tu imekuwa akapata mapema hii - ya Engoli. (Perhaps, but I also know that the Reaping isn't for 12 years. Only one tribe has been reaped this early – the Engoli.)"

Enzi panicked. Just like that, she'd been found out. And not only was she in danger, but now questions would be asked, and if the right person gave the answers, her father, brother and sister would soon be executed. As the man turned to speak to his fellow soldiers, she tried to think of a response and in the few milliseconds she had, nothing came. So, before he could speak, she did the only thing that made since to her. She grasped her dagger from it's home and stabbed the man in the neck, prohibiting him from speech. As he fell to the ground she took off running, flying desperately to meet Aragorn and Legolas.

In the few seconds she had to get to Aragorn and Legolas she clung desperately to the supplies, ignoring the scratching of her skin by the same foliage she's so easily crossed before. Aragorn didn't wait for her to stop, but began to run as she did. Legolas began shooting, accurately taking out six of the twelve men running towards them almost instantly from his perch in the tree. Not waiting for him to take all of them out, Enzi dropped her bundle and took off the wooden covering from her spearhead, even as Aragorn pulled his sword out of its sheath. She began to spin the spear around her, then using the armored glove on her left hand to deflect the nearest soldier's blade. She then backed up and began swiping with the spear. She used the spear to parry, thrust and strike, while using the glove to shield her from the blows. While it was considered unusual by her own people to carry such a large weapon rather than just carrying a sword, she was grateful for such a formidable weapon. It kept the soldiers at a great distance from her allowing her to pick them off without a great deal of danger to her. In a few moments, she'd quickly dispatched the men who'd chased her. "You are a formidable opponent, my lady," Aragorn said, smiling as he placed his sword back in its sheath.

Enzi nodded as Legolas came towards them, but she couldn't take pleasure in this. She'd killed allies of her tribe to protect enemies. Even if she survived long enough to return, she now carried the blood of 13 loyal soldiers on her hands. "Come," Legolas replied, once again seeming to understand her feelings, " the other ships will reach the shore quickly. We must not be here when that happens."

Even with the appreciative nods from the members of their party when they'd returned to the mountain, Enzi could not shake the guilt from her. She'd helped the enemy slay allies of her own tribe. And for what? To aid people who didn't even trust her. To take the Ring of Power to a place where it could be destroyed, also a dishonorable (yet correct, she reasoned) decision to make. The Ghadelyna she'd known her whole life would have hated this new woman. If the two had met, Enzi would have been slain by the Engoli princess for her treachery. But, alas, Ghadelyna was the one suffering now, because she'd become what she hated the most.

As they approached the high precipice of the mountain, the snow banks increased and each member desperately clung to the simple yet warm Askari cloaks the lives of 13 soldiers has purchased. The snowdrifts were deeper and deeper, until the hobbits had to be carried for fear of suffocation. By now, Legolas ran out ahead, amazingly across the top of the snow, staring into the blinding storm. "There is a fell voice on the air!" he warmed.

Enzi listened to the storm and indeed could hear a powerful voice echoing in the winds. "It's Saruman!" Mchawi yelled back.

A rockslide nearly pummeled them and each person slid to the side of the rock face to avoid being hit by the rocks. "He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn replied. Gandalf, we must turn back!"

Mchawi refused Aragorn's advice and instead stepped out onto the ledge, rising on the snow. He began to speak another unknown language to the storm, seemingly commanding it to cease. But his voice was drowned out by the storm and the second, more powerful voice. A lightning strike on the tip of Caradhras sent a second avalanche of white ice onto the group, covering everyone, including Enzi. It took a few moments for each of them to recover.

Boromir spoke first. "We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn countered

"If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it," Gimli suggested. "Let us go through the mines of Moria."

Mchawi seemed caught between two decisions, and Enzi saw fear in his eyes. "Let the Ring bearer decide." Enzi knitted her eyebrows together. Why would Mchawi trust the small hobbit to give the best advice? According to what she had been told, he knew nothing of the land they had to cross. Why did he not trust his own instincts to guide them?

"We cannot stay here!" Boromir warned. "This will be the death of the Hobbits!"

"Frodo?" Mchawi questioned.

"We will go through the mines," the hobbit said decisively.

Mchawi seemed saddened at the hobbit's orders. "So be it."

After a several hours, the members of the Fellowship found themselves at the foot of the mountain. They were wet. They were tired. Still they marched on. Once at the entrance, Enzi watched the "Walls" of Moria light up in the moonlight, and listened as Mchawi tried, in vain, to open the doors. Perhaps they had not made the right decision. However, it did give everyone a chance to rest a bit, and Enzi found herself sitting near the hobbits throwing rocks in to the water. Something in the water stirred and she heard Aragorn warn the hobbits to stop throwing the rocks, but she barely heard his words. She was still with the soldiers at the bank of Brunen.

"Milady?"

She turned to see Sam staring at her, a bit concerned. "Are you alright, milady?"

She looked at him a moment, still thinking about the soldiers. "Have you seen death, Sam?"

Sam looked confused for a moment. "Yes. All have to die sometime."

"But there's a reason. Someone grows old, or is sick, or is in war. Have you seen someone die for nothing? To have their lives end because of you?"

Sam looked up at her for a moment, then behind her to someone she didn't bother to look at. "You did what you had to, Enzi," the other person replied. "We all did."

She looked up to see Aragorn looking down at her. Most people would have felt comfort, but she only felt anger. They were enemies, and she'd sacrificed her allies to protect her identity and for them. She did not want his comfort! She shook her head and chuckled a bit, "Tell me this after you kill your own people."

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