Disclaimer: I own no more than Morna and Sycha. The great Tolkien owns the rest.

Thanks to all who have sent me reviews; I appreciate each and every one and welcome any and all feedback…..belethil@winterchill.com.



"What does she hope to accomplish by taking a different route?.....a route that leads her only

through treacherous terrain and a far greater threat of attack than if she travels south….the

route that we are taking?" Haldir sighed. True, the idea of her taking a route she had taken by

chance over three thousand years ago was nothing short of folly, considering it would take her

through the Dead Marshes just to make it the Morannon, the Black Gate into Mordor. Haldir

shook his head, glancing around before continuing. Sycha had chosen not to eat with them,

but to continue within and seek Galadriel's handmaidens. She had brought no supplies with

her, and needed clothing to travel such a journey. "Sycha Mirrana has quite a….shall I call it

a…'distaste' for the race of men. Any dealings she has ever had with men have been met with

a violent or rather nasty end….she wishes to take any measure to avoid riding through Rohan

or Gondor." Boromir shook his head at that. "That is foolish….surely she must know that……no

matter what her dealings with men have been in the past, surely she could forgive whatever

has-" "I will forgive nothing, Boromir, eldest son of Steward Denethor II of Gondor." Boromir

was cut off by her words, and silence prevailed over the clearing. Gimli nearly choked upon

the apple he had been eating, and coughed. She stopped as she neared the table, dropping

the two bundles she bore with her to the ground. "Of men I know only disdain and ignorance.

Gil-Gilad had some measure of faith and friendship with men, and I will respect that, but that

means nothing to me. In the time I needed to spend among them, I was berated and ridiculed

as the bitch of Sauron and the whore of Mordor. No word from Elendil or Gil- Gilad or Elrond

would quell those whispers, and I tolerated this as I always will, for I have no choice. The race

of elves has long had compassion for me as only they can, for they have far more insight and

wisdom than any other. In the race of men, this exists in only select few, the fallen Elendil was

one…..but I digress. Who I was born of harbored only a demented hatred and disgust from

most at the Last Alliance, and had I not been watched closely by those who cared, I would

have been taken and used as a common street whore….the groping and mishandling was

something I do not care to ever need to remember." Aragorn winced slightly at that and

glanced over at Boromir, who simply seemed nonplussed at her words. "You can obviously

fight, and from your tale, you are of great power. You cannot fool me to believe that you could

not take care of yourself, even so many years ago. I would think a descendant of a Valar and

the dark lord would well be able to take care of a couple of sniggering men and a fondling

hand or two without the need of a king or such, and without it causing such an emotional

disturbance within you." Pippin and Merry made a hushing sound at Boromir, who shrugged as

though he could not know why his words would disturb her. Aragorn rose and leaned over

him, hushing him in harsh words. She stood rigidly staring at Boromir, and her words were

guarded when she again spoke. "It is quite true I have much fight and power in me, but what

would I have learned from the elves if I chose to strike down those I was to fight with and not

against. To fight against those who fought for middle earth would have sent me to the pits of

Mordor with my parents; I was not that stupid. True, misplaced words and hands would not

have bothered a common street whore or maybe one of your royal ladies of Gondor, but I am

neither, and it has bothered me. You have forgotten that I spent the youngest years of my

existence in the dark corners of Barad-dur….and from there I learned that the action of touch

is not always in kindness. From men, it was not the words or the touch so much but what was

intended….they would have had me dead as soon as look at me, though I had proved my own

intentions in the death of many of Mordor and my own mother. My arrival back to see Isildur

was met with nothing more than risqué jeers and threats upon my body. He, himself, proved

no better…….and you dare ask me, Boromir, man of Gondor, for my idle forgiveness to the

race of men?! Were it not for differing motives, I would sooner see the race of men fall than

help them at all…..but I am given no choice. Take that as you will, for I care not!" They had all

risen as her voice had done, and Gimli moved to stand in front of Boromir, blocking his

advance. Boromir eyed her for a moment, and then laughed. She stood in leggings covered by

soft thigh length boots, and a boned corset that held against her curves. True enough, it was

garb that would allow her full movement for riding, but well invited eager eyes to her body. He

laughed again and made a motion toward her. "Well, were you to be clad like that, who would

stop to think you were anything but a common whore!" Aragorn lunged forward, catching

Boromir by the throat and stopping his move forward. Haldir surged back, catching Sycha by

the waist as she snatched a sword from her feet and preventing her from attacking Boromir.

She began to scream at the steward of Gondor in language of Mordor and Legolas moved to

take the sword from her. Aragorn silenced them all with a bellowed yell. "There will be no

fighting amongst us! There is no need…….calm yourselves." Haldir spoke quickly in a whisper

to Sycha, and she fought against him. Legolas pleaded to her with his eyes to calm down and

Haldir finally let her go. She took two hesitant steps forward and spat at Boromir's feet and

pierced him with a stony gaze. "and you would have forgiveness in my heart?! I would kill you

where you stand would it not put me to your level!" She snatched up the two bundles at her

feet and took the sword from Legolas, stalking away, leaving them in stunned silence. Aragorn

shook his head at Boromir, while the four small ones murmured in sadness. Boromir,

indignant, shook off Aragorn's grip, glancing down at Gimli. "What?! Would you have me

believe that outfit was the least bit decent?!" Aragorn's voice was nothing short of disgusted

as he walked away, past Legolas and Haldir. "What she is wearing is not indecent in any way.

Who are you to decide anything……just be quiet now."



"Sycha!" She ignored her name and continued to slide the braided cords over Morna's head,

the two packs already thrown over Morna's back. She meant to leave quickly and presently.

Aragorn stopped short when he reached arm's distance and said her name again. She moved

to swing up to Morna's back and nearly fell to the ground as Aragorn caught her shoulder.

"Will you stop and be not so stubborn as the men you so despise?!" She hissed something

incoherent and stared at him. He met her eyes strongly, and smiled softly. "Please…..I beg of

you to heed my words. The way you mean to take now is wrought with nothing good. The way

we mean to take is no better, but may offer less of a danger. Please….come with us. Boromir

will cause you no more trouble." She steeled herself and finally shook her head, seeing Haldir

approaching. "Haldir, if you mean to join me, I leave now." Aragorn turned and met the tall

elf's eyes. "Talk some sense into her, for I fear she may have gone mad. Do not let her do

this." Haldir sighed deeply as Sycha turned and swung up to Morna's back. Morna half-reared

and turned upon her hind legs, high stepping down the path. "I leave now!" Aragorn's eyes

widened and he turned back to Haldir. "What does she mean to accomplish by going herself?!

She cannot take on Mordor herself…..she cannot break the curse herself without Frodo!"

Haldir's eyes stayed upon Morna. "She does not mean to, and she does not think she can do

any good with the lot of you. She would bring undue attention to you as the darker creatures

of this world know her for who she is and where she came from. She will fight it forever, but

she is of Mordor and that cannot be denied….and you underestimate her power. She means to

help Frodo by taking the attention of Mordor away from his approach…..she is as headstrong

as your fair Arwen…you should well be used to this. The powers of Sauron would be well

interested in her return and presence….this might offer some needed relief for your own

journey" Aragorn's words failed in his throat and he simply sighed. Haldir called to her in his

own tongue. "Do not travel recklessly, dear Sycha, for I will catch to you in short time." Sycha

made no indication she heard him but Haldir knew she did. He clapped Aragorn upon the

shoulder as he turned to walk back where he would claim his own steed.. "As your journey has

long since begun, so hers begins…forgive her for her anger, it is something she has not borne

well over the years, and it is her own burden to bear I fear…but pray we all meet some form of

success….for sanity's sake if nothing else."