Author's Note

I am back! Sorry to everyone that was waiting on this story. I know you've all been waiting a long time for an update for this story. I had long work weeks that completely drained me the last few months. Real life for me always comes first so I had to put this on the back burner. My schedule have now gone back to normal, leaving me with more time to write. I will now go back to my regular updates and look forward to getting back into Middle Earth!

NOOB: You where right, it was Hampstead. Thanks for pointing that out, it had been so long and while I reread everything I still got myself mixed up a little bit there. I have now fixed it.

Chapter 10: The first week on the Road

The first few days of the journey were the hardest on me. I had never been the most physically fit person, I was quite happy to admit that. In fact, I could say I was quite average in that regard, life in the modern world was quite a sedentary affair. With modern transportation systems people simply had no reason to walk for miles, you just got in a car and drove to where you needed to be. Middle Earth was a few thousand years away from inventing the car - if they ever invented them at all. Moping about the lack of cars helped distract me from my throbbing feet for a while at least, but the relief was short lived. Each step felt like I was walking on hot coal, and I was quite sure that when I checked my feet later that night I would have an impressive selection of blisters to show for my pain.

My poor mood wasn't helped by the fact that everyone around me was relatively fresh faced. They were all used to this kind of thing - even the hobbits seemed to not be pained by all this walking. The hobbits were the least travelled of the fellowship and even they were taking this better then I was. Pippin was positively skipping along! Obviously pleased to be on the road rather than sitting around in Rivendell. I could at least understand parts of that, for I too was happy to be on the road.

The cool feeling of the wind on my face, the new smells that it carried with it, and the stunning landscapes that passed us by at a leisurely pace. There was so much to see, and Middle Earth certainly was just as beautiful as Earth was! In fact, it was even more so. The lands of Middle Earth where yet to be spoiled by the hands of man. There were no power lines, nor were there any big cities to break up the wilderness, and there was certainly no light pollution.

I could still remember the first night I had stayed awake long enough to admire the stars. Their bright lights speckling the darkness of the night sky, and the pale light of the waning moon. Heck, I could even see the band of stars that signified the ring of their galaxy - a dusting that made me lament that such glories had been ruined by the pollution back on earth. With hope, this planet would never experience such rampant evils - that such a celestial beauty might never be spoiled. I let out a breath, watching the carefree hobbit and wished that I could feel such a thing. The aching of my feet dragged me down, but I would never admit to the pains I felt.

Oh, I would definitely never reveal it. I could see Legolas, walking along on the edges of the fellowship with a leisurely expression on his face. The elf was just waiting for me to complain, waiting for me to admit my pain and beg for a break. Because then he could lord it over me, going on about how he told everyone that this quest was no place for a weak woman! I might be in pain, but I would never give the elf the pleasure of such an outcome. So I kept up the tortuous pace, waiting for the day when my feet would finally become accustomed to life on the open road. Until then I would have to suck it up.

"Lady Freya, how are you finding life on the road. I can quite imagine you find all this quite extraordinary for one that once lived in Rohan"

Boromir's voice from my right hand side reminded me that I had company. The man of Gondor hadn't really left my side since we had left Rivendell, and I quite enjoyed his company for he quite often talked of Gondor. It was nice to hear the man talk so fondly of the city, wistfully reminiscing of its beauty and the people that lived within it. Every so often he would talk about his brother, a brilliant smile on his face as he talked of the ranger. Rarely did he mention his father, and when he did it was in grim tones - telling me that Denethor was every bit the cold father as he was in both the books and the movies. I considered his question, and decided that I could at least be honest with Boromir on the subject of our travels.

"It's... Tough. I've not often travelled outside of Hampstead. I had little reason to. I find the world overly large, and it makes me feel small... I never imagined that so many leagues sat between me and the small areas that I know well"

I could see his warm smile out of the corners of my eyes. The whites of his teeth flashing in the bright mid-morning light. He had this way of making me feel at ease, that I could do no wrong, and for a time I forgot about the worries that sat upon my shoulders.

"You've not talked much of your home. What is Hampstead like?"

Cold filled me as he asked me about my home. I had so far managed to not talk further about it with him, but such things couldn't be avoided forever. Boromir seemed naturally curious about me, and it felt nice to have someone beyond the hobbits showing interest in me. I bit my lip slightly before responding, feeling nervous anxiety blossoming in my chest as I went head first into the lie.

"As I said last we spoke it was a small hamlet. Three or Four houses in all. We're about a day or so away from Edoras. Close enough for us to trade with, but far enough away that we retain our peace. We're little more than an outpost of traders that wouldn't be welcome in the city... Farmers, dyers and tanning are our predominant skills. My father was a Tanner, and I would have been taught in that trade if he didn't get all these big ideas every time he went to market. Life in a small town never did suit him, he saw me as his big chance to raise his position in society"

It felt awful to lie. My father had certainly never been a tanner, and Hampstead was far from a hamlet. I was at least honest in my father's intentions, he wanted me to have a well paying job so he could live a cushier life with the 'help' of his loving daughter. As if I would have ever helped him do that. I let out a sharp exhale of breath and I could feel Gandalf's glaring eyes on the back of my neck. The tingling telling me of his look long before I chanced a look toward the wizard. He looked tired, and more than a little disapproving, but what did he want me to do? Tell the truth about my life and where I have come from.

Things just simply were not that easy. If Legolas ever found out he'd use it as a reason to get me kicked out of the fellowship, or at the very least drive a wedge between me and the few members of the fellowship that welcomed my company. The hobbits, I could see being forgiving enough... But Boromir and Aragorn? I wasn't so sure about the latter, and as for the former it was harder to say. Gandalf had thought that he had helped me, and he had in certain ways, but in others his words of advice had just made life even more difficult.

"Hampstead sounds quiet, nice even"

He paused a moment, a low grunt leaving him as he worked his way over the rocky ground. The terrain was getting rougher with each day, and I knew that in a space of a few days we would be in the mountains themselves. Once he was on stable ground, he extended a hand toward me, and I happily slipped my hand into his feeling grateful for the help. I didn't trust myself to find a stable foothold given how foot weary I was, and I was additionally glad for the added stability of his hand. I didn't even care if Legolas mocked me, we all needed help sometimes and even he wasn't immune to such things. Once I was over the rocky ground I reluctantly freed his hand and we returned to our conversation.

"Something is on your mind, something you are not telling me. Obviously it pains you, perhaps I might help?"

I groaned lightly, wishing I had a better poker face. Why couldn't I be more like my coworker Mike? The man could lie a thousand times a day and you'd never know it by the look on his face. The man was a natural! As for me? Well, I never was very good at keeping a straight face.

"It's complicated. There are things that are difficult to share... I worry it might distance me from what friends I have. Not everyone would understand certain elements of my past"

He frowned at my words, and I am sure that I could hear Legolas stifling a laugh at the edges of my audible range. Wasn't there anything else better that the elf could do? He had the best ears and the best eyes ... things he could put to use by looking out for danger. Pretty as the landscape was it hid many hidden dangers.

"I have known you a couple of months now, there is little you could say that would shock me thus. Your father. Did he ... force himself upon you?"

I spurted at that, what had I said that would give the gondorian that idea. Perhaps I had pained too dark an image of my father?

"What? No! Nothing like that. My father was not the best influence in my life, but he wasn't one to abuse a blood relation"

Shaking my head I shifted closer toward the Gondorian. Perhaps it was time to test his claim that there was little I could do to drive him away. What harm could telling one more person do? Gandalf had advised that it was best to tell the truth, and I was sure the longer I kept it from Boromir the more hurt he would be by it. I ran a hand through my hair, then reached over for his shoulder so that I could motion for him to stop a moment - something he willingly did.

Pushing myself to my tiptoes I drew in close so I could whisper into his ear, and I was sure I could feel the man quivering as I did so.

"Can we discuss this later ... away from the elf? I feel he would disapprove of what I have to say, and want to keep it between us if we can."

He nodded understandingly as I pulled back, and we once again set off on the trail before the rest of the fellowship got too far ahead of us.

"I will find you when it is your turn for night watch"

With the time set we both drifted into silence. Boromir seemed calmer now. As for me? I was a nervous wreck, and I wondered if I was making the right choice. I longed for the day to drag on indefinitely. That the night would never get here so that I wouldn't have to reveal the awful truth to my closest friend. Time however had a horrible way of passing quickly when you didn't want it to, in my case the rest of the day positively flashed by me at a breakneck speed and I soon found the dreaded night upon me.

I could only hope that Boromir was true to his word, because I didn't know what I would do if I lost his trust and friendship. All I could do was trust him, the rest was up to him.