Chapter Ten

AN: All of the Chapters will be in Anna's POV from now on. I might add something from Nathan every now and then if I feel it but if there is no Anna's POV or Nathan's POV it is Anna's POV. Sorry this took so long but as a result of that you are getting three chapters at once and a fourth coming.

After we met with Lord Elrond we were ready to leave on our trip to Mirkwood. Nathan and I were ready to leave and Elrond was asking us some last minute questions.

"You two do know that once you leave Imladris that you will not be coming back until you have completed you trips?"

"Yes hir nin(my lord)." Nathan and I chorused.

"We understand" I added.

"Is this all you are taking with you?" Elrohir asked when he saw the Backpacks that Nathan and I carried.

"Yeah, this is all." I replied, "Why?"

"You packed three weeks worth of clothes and supplies in there."

"Yes." I said bluntly, "These have everything we might need."

"Are you sure?" Elrohir looked at me and I could read the disbelief in his eyes.

"I will show you later." I said, leaving no room for discussion.

"Alright," Elrohir agreed, "Later."

After we said our good-byes, we rode out of Rivendell's magnificent gates and slowly rode out onto the same path that we had followed when we had first come to Rivendell. Nathan and I turned in our saddles to wave to Bianca and Michael, then slowly rode behind the twins, with Legolas bringing up the rear. We rode for an hour or two before we reached the Bruinen, I looked over at it as we rode past. 'Its just how I imagined.' I thought to myself.

"Do you like it?"

I jumped when Elladan spoke right next to my ear, "It is what I imagined."

Elladan raised an eyebrow in an imitation of his father, and I started to giggle quietly. Nathan, Legolas and Elrohir looked over at us and when Nathan saw what I was laughing at he smiled, "What is with you guys and that look?"

"What are you talking about?" Elladan asked, majorly confused.

"The look you are giving us..." I said laughing.

"What look?"

It seemed that Legolas understood now and he also started to laugh, Elrohir remembering what we had told him earlier joined us. Elladan was starting to look irritated with us, and I made an effort to stop laughing. "I am sorry Elladan," I said, but he brushed me off and started to ride on. I spurred my mare on and caught up with him. "Elladan..." I started and then stopped short at the look he sent me. I was confused, What had I done? Was he that upset about us laughing at him?

We rode for seven more hours until I begged Elrohir to stop. "We need to eat and I don't think I can spend another minute on this saddle unless it is absolutely necessary!"

"We will stop as soon as we find a suitable camping spot." Elrohir reassured me. "Have you ever ridden a horse for very long?"

"No the most is almost two hours..." I said thinking about the trip my family had taken almost five years ago.

"Why didn't you say something?" Elrohir asked turning to look at me.

"I didn't really notice till now," I admitted.

"There is a good clearing right ahead of us, we will stop there for the night."

"Thanks," I said.

"No problem," Elrohir said looking down at me.

Was it just me or was he looking at me weirdly? I dismissed the look as we rode into the clearing that Elrohir had been talking about, "Ro' it is beautiful."

"I thought you would like it."

"Like it, I love it." I said, and then to his surprise kissed him on the cheek

We quickly set up camp then Nathan and I settled down for the night, "Do you need help keeping watch?" I asked the three elves before I slipped into the sleeping roll that I had.

"We are fine penneth (young one)." Elrohir quickly said, "You get some rest."

I frowned as I noticed that Elrohir was the one to speak, he seemed to do that a lot. I wondered what was going on.

As I lay down, I could hear Elladan talking to Elrohir, "What is bothering you El?"

Elrohir stiffened and I heard him mumble, "Nothing."

"Rohir don't lie to me, Is it something to do with her?"

Elrohir sighed, then whispered something to Elladan. I couldn't catch what Elrohir said, but Elladan's next words told exactly that.

"What do you mean you like her?"

I stiffened, of course why didn't I see it! Elrohir did have a crush on me, Now everything made sense.

"Shhh." Elrohir hushed his brother, looking around the small camp. "I don't want her to know."

"You will have to tell her sometime, Ro. She already suspects something."

Just then Legolas dropped down from the trees next to them, "Who are you talking about?"

Elladan nodded his head toward me, "Anna."

"Why her?" Legolas asked.

"Because Rohir likes her."

"Elladan!"

"What?"

"Don't tell the whole world!"

"Why, she already knows something is up and you will have to tell her eventually."

"I don't want her to know."

"Why not?"

Elrohir hesitated then said, "Have you not seen the way she and Nathan interact? It is very obvious that he likes her, I don't want to ruin it for them. You know that they live elsewhere."

I laughed to myself at this, Nathan and I were like brother and sister, both in our faith and because we had known each other for almost seven years. I slowly tuned the boys out as I thought about the fact that Elrohir liked me. 'Isn't that what you always wanted Anna?' I thought to myself, 'One of the twins to like you?' But somehow it wasn't the big party I always thought it would be, maybe that was because I had my own life back on Earth. College and church, my job and my friends, my life. When I was younger, I would have loved to find out that I was half elven and Elrohir had a crush on me, that Middle Earth was how I imagined it, everyone here was real. But now things were different.

I lay there for an hour or so, just mulling over everything, when I realized that there was no sounds. Nothing, no crickets chirping and no wind. I sat up and strained to hear any little sound.

Elrohir started and they all stopped talking, "Anna, what...?"

"Dina (Quiet)." I hissed, "It is too quiet."

"By now all of the elves were alert and listening as well, "Anna is right, it is too quiet." Elladan said, "We need to leave, now!"

We had just gotten Nathan up when I saw a movement it the trees to our right, "On the right guys."

Just as Elladan and Legolas turned with arrows knocked I heard the hiss of an arrow flying through the air and I turned just in time to see Elrohir fall to the ground.

"Elrohir!"

The cry came from across the clearing and I vaguely recognized Elladan's voice. I turned and ran over to where Elladan was kneeling next to Elrohir, "Elladan."

He looked up at me, "What?"

"We need you to fight," I stated "I will watch over him."

Elladan looked as if he wanted to argue but then nodded, and pulled out his sword.

I dropped down next to Elrohir and quickly examined his wound, the arrow had gone into his chest. I whistled softly to myself, then gently shook Elrohir's shoulder.

"Elrohir."

No response. I slapped him gently a couple times and when there was no response I slapped him twice, Hard! I sighed in relief when his eyes slowly fluttered open.

"W-what happened"

"Shhh, don't get up, you got shot." I said, "I need to pull the arrow put and bind up your shoulder."

"I just want to go to sleep, Anna."

"You can't go to sleep yet, Ro'. I need to check and make sure that the wound isn't poisoned."

"Anna," he growled at me.

I looked at him, and gave him "the look".

"Stop looking at me like that!" he whined as he sat up, "Look I am up and you can bind my shoulder."

Just as I had finished binding his shoulder with bandages from out of my backpack, I heard an uncanny shriek and Elrohir was on his feet instantly. "What is that?" I yelled covering my ears.

"That," Elrohir said "Is a Nazgul."

I froze, a Nazgul? Wait how was there a Nazgul? Why do these Boys always get into trouble? Why didn't I just Go to Mirkwood by myself? I would get there a lot faster and I wouldn't have met the Witch King of Angmar! Who I didn't want to meet, in the first place. Then I realized that Elrohir was pushing Nathan and I into the woods behind us. "What the heck do you think you are doing?" I screeched.

"Getting you out of the way." Elrohir said

"Just because you like me does not give you the right to..."

"Anna," Elrohir said, "I love you and I could not stand to lose you. I don't want you to get hurt."

Nathan was looking at Elrohir in confusion. "Wait what do you mean you..."

"Not right now Nathan." I said, then turned to Elrohir, "I know you love me, but I don't want to leave you guys here."

"I don't have time to argue with you!" Elrohir said, "You are going to stay here or I will tie you up."

I stared at her in shock before turning and walking off. I could hear Nathan telling Elrohir to give me some time to cool off, and I was very grateful for that. If Elrohir came after me now I couldn't even imagine what I would say to him.

I walked through the forest for a few minutes before I found a tree to scramble up and I sat there for an hour before I noticed that there were no more sounds of fighting. I quickly scrambled down and ran toward the fight scene.

"Nathan, Elrohir." I yelled as I ran. "Where are you guys?"