Cadance was woken early in the morning by a bouncing ball of energy name Aynica. She never ceased to appear energetic, even after a poor night's rest. Cadance was almost launched off the bed as her friend bounded over to wake her up. Strider, who had woken just before Aynica, had already prepared for their departure and was thoroughly peturbed when the latter rufused to return home and insisted that she accompany them. He finally relented, knowing that, despite her stubborn attitude, she had a heart of gold and would not abbandon Cadance.
"Aynica, what are you doing?"
The girl was still half alseep as she sat up and glared at her friend after being so rudely awakened.
"Well, it's almost time to leave and you haven't gotten up yet."
Aynica proceeded to pull Cadance out from under the covers until she pulled herself away and stood up.
"I see ya can be a bit cranky in the mornings."
Taunted Aynica. The former huffed as she straightened out her clothes and brushed her hair.
"I see you're as merry as the day is long."
Before any more comments could be made, Strider entered the room. Before he came, all four hobbits had been sitting quietly by the fire, but when the former entered, Frodo rose and walked over to speak with him. Cadance couldn't hear what they were saying, but from the amount of gestures directed towards her, she was the subject of their conversation. Not long after, Strider motioned for her to join them.
"Cadance, it is almost time for us to leave. We do not have time now, but I would like to hear what happened to you that resulted in your arrival. From what the hobbits told me, I thought you had been captured, as did they, and I am glad we were mistaken."
"Of course. I will be ready to leave momentarily."
The group began their treck into the wilds in the mid-morning. For the first hour, the company remain quiet, reflecting the gravity of their quest, but soon, the chatter of the hobbits could be heard. It was at this point when Aragorn proceeded to question Cadance about her adventure, inquiring about the details to ensure he achieved complete understanding.
"Strider, maybe I shouldn't travel with you, I'm a danger to the quest."
"I understand what you mean, but it is more important for you to remain safe."
"So it is a risk for me to be here?"
"I wouldn't have said anything if you didn't ask, but yes, it is a risk. The fact that the Nazgûl are in possession of your cloak could lead them straight to us.
Cadance didn't reply, casting her gaze to the ground. She had hoped that it would not be so, but it seemed that she was indeed a threat.
"Cadance, do not worry, Frodo is safe as long as I am around, and I will not abandon you."
This grave conversation was interupted by Aynica running up behind Cadance, seizing her wrist, and dragging her away.
"Aynica, what are you doing?"
"I need to talk to you."
"About what?"
"Why your love interest, of course!"
"What! Who?"
"Sarsquoe, who else?"
"Aynica, if you think that I like him, then you are sadly mistaken."
"Yeah right, that's what they all say."
Now in the back of the procession, Aynica proceeded to explain to Cadance how she was in love with sarsqoe yet didn't realize it.
Meanwhile in Isengard...
Gandalf the grey lay bleeding and exhausted at the top of Isengard's tower. He had been tormented for who kmows how long by the white wizard. Again, he heard the dreaded sound of Saruman's footsteps coming up behind him. Gandalf dared not open his eyes, unwilling to see a new device of torture that might have been prepared for him.
"Have you changed your mind?"
"No, I will neithor join you nor your master. Sauron does not share power, nor will he. I would not even be able to change the fates of those who I know."
"You could soften one fate. You know of whom I speak. You know he wants her."
"Have you not seen that it is not within Sauron's capsity to love?"
"Not because of her, but for her power."
"I cannot change his pursuit of her, whether I joined him or not."
"But you could alter her fate once she is caught. He wants her power, he cares not for her wellbeing. You know what will happen if he drains her power. For a mortal, it would mean death... but you could change that. If you joined him, I'm sure he would find a way to let her live."
"It would be better for Cadance if she did die rather than spend her days in miserable captivity."
"You would wish something so horrible on her, that her power may be stripped from her and her spirit shatter in the process? What a terrible fate for one so innocent and full of life. How old is she, fourteen?"
A single tear slid down the Gandalf's face. He knew this wouldn't be Cadance's fate, Saruman was just using it so turn him over. Still, the thought of someone so young and pure as Cadance being subjected to such a dark form a magic deeply saddened the wizard.
"He would never kill her in that way, this I can sense, and you cannot convince me otherwise."
"You are indeed wise, Gandalf the Grey. But, what if I told you that the fate that is in store for your young friend would be infinitely worse than what I have suggested. Nay, by no means does he want her gone. He has sent out his servants to retrieve more than one treasure. More than one precious thing must be found, and when they are, both will be brought to Mordor, where they belong. You know they will stop at nothing to take the ring, even to kill its bearer. You know they will not hesitate to drag that innocent child to Mordor. You know that Cadance has neither the power nor allies to remain concealed from them, they will find her. Do you think Sauron cares how Cadance comes to his lands? It matters not to him how his servants bring that girl to his fortress, or what they do to deliver her to their master, their loyalty is unimpeachable."
"Her furture will be shrouded by the shadow of those who hunt her, I will be a beacon of hope for her, not a person to whom she turns to for help, only to be betrayed."
"And so you have chosen not to help her by joining my master and swaying his favor, but instead to watch her suffer the fate that you could have changed. Know this, Gandalf the Grey, Sauron has set his gaze apon Cadance, and he will stop at nothing to bring her to where she belongs, at the sides of him and his black captain."