So we waited, and everyone ended up gathering together after a while. Long moments passed and soon everyone was gathered, sitting on stones and tree stumps, but still no word from Frodo.

I gripped my skirts until I could feel my nails dig into the palm of my hands. Allanon reached over and took one of my hands, running his thumb over my knuckles. I looked up at him in surprise.

His eyes were bright and clear and his face gentle.

"Give him time, Meia,. This is a big decision."

I smiled as the barrier between us lifted. His arm came around me and he stroked my hair. No lust, no jealousy, only love of the purest of friendship and trust.

It was a long time and I had dozed against Allanon's shoulder when Brom appeared out of a knot of trees looking worried. His skin was riddled with scratches and his eyes wide with fear. Aragorn stood up.

"Brom, what's wrong where's Boromir."

Brom's answer came In a rush of frightened words. "I tried to stop him, but he was mad with greed. Frodo fled, put on the ring. He didn't know me! Boromir he wanted it so badly, he couldn't control himself he he-" Brom broke off, not able to finish.

Suddenly everyone jumped up, hollering for the ring bearer. Aragorn broke us into groups and I was lumped with Samwise and the ranger. We covered a lot of ground but no sign of either Boromir nor Frodo, until a horn blared in the distance.

"The horn of Gondor!" Aragorn breathed. "Sam follow me, Frodo must be near." And Aragorn set off at a dash. Sam shook his head.

"I'm not fast enough to follow on feet, so I must use my head. Where would Mr. Frodo go?" He stood there and thought a moment as Meia followed the ranger. Then he realized where his master had gone. The boats!

I turned expecting to find Sam behind me but he was running the opposite way.

"Sam!" I hollered but he did not slow. I turned around began to run after the speedy hobbit.

I ran after Sam until he was just ahead of me. I often yelled at him to slow down but he ran as if possessed, jumping over roots and ducking branches. I tried to keep up, but I must admit that I wasn't full recovered from the Balrog . I soon stopped yelling as the sounds of what seemed to be a battle raged around us.

Sam suddenly disappeared behind a curtain of foliage. My ribs ached and my chest burned. I burst from the foliage and let out a choked scream. A beast, something I would come to know later as an Uruk-Hai, grabbed me around the neck, cutting off my air.

I gagged and squirmed as the brute lifted me from the ground to stare me in the eye. A look of recognition seemed to register in its eyes and I remember the mines. Rimmer Dal must have sent these monsters! I had nearly forgotten about the First Seeker in our quest to destroy the ring.

Abruptly I was free, crashing to the forest floor, but the Uruk-Hai still had a grip on my neck. I looked down the length of the arm and found that the arm had been severed. With a outcry of disgust I wrenched away from the limb and heard a battle cry.

Little Brom had been my savior! He flitted around the slower monster like silver lightning, the Sword of Shannara on fire.

Somewhere in blood splattered face his black eyes found mine, "RUN! Get out of here!!!" Brom screamed at me as the monster lunged at the pixie boy.

I found myself running again, massaging my neck. I didn't know where to go so I kept going straight until I crashed out of the brush. I nearly fell into the river. A boat was already crossing and in it were Sam and Frodo.

Frodo had seen Meia on the edge of the bank. It broke his heart to pretend not to see her flailing her arms, trying to get his attention. "Don't" He hissed at Sam as the other hobbit began to look back. "Don't, Sam! I already hate myself for bringing you, I don't want Meia coming!"

"Yes, Mr. Frodo," Sam said quietly, grabbing the other paddle and helped motor the graceful boat. I watched, feeling helpless as the boat was beached on the opposite shore and the hobbits sped into the woods. What could I do now? I didn't know where anyone was and there were orcs every where.

"AHA! THERE YOU ARE WENCH!!" came a guttural voice and something smashed into my head. I slipped from my perch above the river. The last thing I remember was falling into the river and everything going black.