A/N: Ah yes, the dreaded Author's Note. **smile** I shall try to make this short. I am having trouble with Aria and the other characters with her, so after this chapter they shall be quiet for a few chapters until they all agree to cooperate. **glares threateningly at characters** Ahem, also, joea64 asked a question - when is Elwing going to be hailed as "Erchamion" (the One-handed)? Seems to me that would be a logical epithet for her, seeing as how Beren of great renown was named that after he lost his own hand to Carcaroth. I was thinking the same thing. **smile** I shall try and put it in, but I am not sure if it will work. Okay, on with the story.

Chapter 30 - Drawing Closer to the Marshes

Gollum moved quickly, with his head and neck thrust forward, often using his hands as well as his feet. The hobbits and Aria struggled to keep up with him, but he seemed no longer to have any thoughts of escape. Whenever they lagged behind he would turn and wait for them, seemingly eager to go at a swift pace. Aria glanced jealously at Galareal who strode along easily with long strides. Seeing her glance, the Elf smiled.
"Having trouble, milady?" he asked cheekily.
Aria snorted. "Oh please, Galareal, you know better than to call me Lady, and yes, I am having trouble! It is not easy when one's legs are considerably shorter than someone else's!"
Galareal grinned and looked away, trying not to laugh. Frodo, who had overheard, looked over his shoulder at Aria. "Do wish to slow down, Alfirin?" he asked with a soft smile.
"No, Frodo, I'll be fine," she said with a shy smile.
The Ring-bearer nodded and turned his attention back to their path. Poor Frodo, Aria thought. The Ring is troubling him, though he will not admit it.
Gollum's squeak of glee shook Aria from her thoughts. "Here it is!" he cried. "There is a way down inside, yes. Now we follows it -- out, out away over there." They looked to where he indicated, south and east towards the marshes. The reek of them came to their nostrils, heavy and foul even in the cool night air.
With a shiver Aria took in their surroundings. They had returned to the brink of the narrow gully, but they were now further from the hills. Gollum was searching the brink, then suddenly he stopped and beckoned to them.
"Here! We can get down here," he called. "Sméagol went this way once: I went this way, hiding from Orcs."
He led the way, and following him they climbed down into the gloom. It was not difficult, for the rift was at this point only some fifteen feet deep and about a dozen across. There was running water at the bottem: it was in fact the bed of one of the many small rivers that trickled down from the hills to feed the stagnant pools and mires beyond. Gollum turned to the right, southward more or less, and splashed along with his feet in the shallow stony stream. He seemed greatly delighted to feel the water, and chuckled to himself, sometimes even croaking in a sort of song.
They stumbled along in the dark winding gully for a long time, or so it seemed to their tired feet. The gully turned eastward, and as they went on it broadened and got gradually shallower. At last they sky above grew faint with the first grey of morning. Gollum had shown no signs of tiring, but now he looked up and halted.
"Day is near," he whispered, as if Day was something that might overhear him and spring on him. "Sméagol will stay here: I will stay here, and the Yellow Face won't see me."
"We would be glad to see the Sun," said Frodo, "but we will stay here: we are too tired to go any further at present."
"You are not wise to be glad of the Yellow Face," said Gollum. "It shows you up. Nice sensible hobbits stay with Sméagol. Orcs and nasty things are about. They can see a long way. Stay and hide with me!"
The five of them settled down to rest at the foot of the rocky wall of the gully. It was not much more than a tall man's height now, and at its base there were wide flat shelves of dry stone; the water ran in a channel on the other side. The Hobbits, Aria, and Galareal sat on one of the flats, resting their backs. Gollum paddled and scrabbled in the stream.
"We must take a little food," said Frodo. "Are you hungry, Sméagol? We have very little to share, but we will spare you what we can."
At the word hungry a greenish light was kindled in Gollum's pale eyes, and they seemed to protrude further than ever from his thin sickly face. For a moment he relapsed into his old Gollum-manner. "We are famisshed, yes famisshed we are, precious," he said. "What is it they eats? Have they nice fisshes?" His tongue lolled out between his sharp yellow teeth, licking his colorless lips.
"No, we have got no fish," said Frodo. "We have only got this" - he held up a wafer of lembas - "and water, if the water here is fit to drink."
"Yess, yess, nice water," said Gollum. "Drink it, drink it, while we can! But what is it they've got, precious? Is it crunchable? Is it tasty?"
Frodo broke off a piece of a wafer and was about to hand it to Gollum when Aria stopped him. "Frodo, this is Elven food, are you sure Sméagol can eat it?" she asked quietly.
Frodo paused and looked at Gollum who was watching them eagerly. "I'm not sure. He certainly did not like the rope. What do you think, Galareal?"
"He will not eat Elf food, I can assure you," Galareal said dryly. "But here, I think I may have something..." Reaching into his bag, the Elf searched for a few moments, then withdrew an apple. He offered it to Gollum, but Gollum did not take it. "I am afraid this is all we have," Galareal said with a shrug. "You will either eat this or go hungry." Gollum watched him suspiciously, but finally took the apple and slunk to the other side of the ditch to eat it.
"Thank you, Galareal, I am not sure I would have liked a hungry Gollum hanging about," Frodo said quietly.
"Aye, I wouldn't happy with a well-fed Gollum, much less a hungry one waiting to throttle me the minute a fell asleep," Sam growled.
"Oh Sam, give him a chance," Aria said quietly. "You never know, he could change."
Sam snorted and muttered something under his breath, but said nothing aloud. Frodo sighed and stretched. "I suppose we should get some sleep. Galareal, would you mind taking first watch?"
The Elf smiled kindly. "I will take as many watches as need be. Go to sleep, all of you. I do not think we need to fear Gollum for a while."
The others looked and saw that Gollum had curled up and was apparently asleep, his breath hissing softly through clenched teeth, though he lay still as stone. Knowing their friend would watch over them, the hobbits and Aria swiftly fell fast asleep, to tired to bother making themselves comfortable.
As soon as he was sure the others were asleep, Galareal stood and climbed to the top of the ditch. The sun was just beginning to rise, and the mists above the Dead Marshes seemed to be full of shapes that chased themselves across the barren landscape. To the south the land seemed to be covered in a black shadow.
In that direction lies Mordor, land of darkness, the Elf thought with a shiver. But I wonder if my path truly lies that way...

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Frodo looked up at the sky. It was almost night, but Gollum refused to travel until the 'Yellow Face' was completely gone. Frodo sighed and shifted slightly, trying to make himself comfortable. Sam had woken up before him, and now sat eyeing Gollum with obvious mistrust. Galareal sat above them on the bank, his elven cloak making him almost invisible in the gathering gloom.
Frodo glanced at Aria, who was lying not far from him. Whenever he looked at her, the Hobbit felt an odd rush of emotions. She was beautiful to be sure, and she was very sweet and gentle and kind... Frodo felt himself blushing and looked away. It was safe to say he had a crush on her, and yet... Do I love her? The question had been bothering him for quite a while. He had feelings for her, but just how strong were those feelings? She must like him, why else would she choose to accompany him? And that was another thing problem, what would happen when they got to Mordor? Even now he disliked her being this close to danger, but his mission would lead him straight into the heart of Sauron's kingdom. Would he be able to protect her, protect himself?
"So many questions, so few answers," the hobbit murmured to himself.
"What's that mister Frodo?"
"Nothing Sam."

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Soon we will continue our journey, and we will be wholly in the hands of Gollum. Galareal knew they were in fact only just within the northern borders of the marshes, the main expanse of which lay south of them. He knew that they could, with some delay, retrace their steps a little, and then turning east have come round over hard roads to the bare plain of Dagorland: the field of the ancient battle before the gates of Mordor. But the Elf knew better than to try that road, for there was no cover, and Orcs traveled those highways. With a sigh Galareal glanced at Gollum. Our only hope is to go through the Dead Marshes, and that also makes Gollum our only hope, for he is the only one who knows the way through. Galareal frowned and hoped Gollum would not trick them like he had tricked the Wood-Elves. Galareal shivered and looked up to the setting sun, his heart chilled at the memory of the attack on his people. He almost felt it was his fault. After all, he had been the one who had convinced King Thranduil to let Gollum outside, and it was while the creature was out that his guard was attacked and murdered and the miserable creature had escaped.
"Galareal?"
The Elf glanced down. "Yes Frodo?"
"Are you alright? You seem upset."
Galareal forced a smile as Frodo came and sat next to him. "Just thinking, nothing more. But I thank you for your concern."
Frodo nodded and turned his gaze also to the sun. As it set it painted the mists red and gold, but also sent black shadows flitting across the land, and the Hobbit shivered, remembering the Nazgûl and their blood-chilling shrieks.
"Do you think Gollum will keep to his promise?" Frodo whispered.
Galareal glanced at Gollum, who was sniffling and scuffling in the bottom of the ditch. "We have no choice but to trust him."

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After the sun had set Gollum led them once again, and this stage of their journey was much the same as the last. As they went the gully became ever shallower and the slope of its floor more gradual. Its bottom was less stony and more earthy, and slowly its sides dwindled to mere banks. It began to wind and wander. That night drew to its end, but clouds were now over moon and star, and they knew of the coming of day only by the slow spreading of the thin grey light.
In a chill hour they came to the end of the water-course. The banks became moss-grown mounds. Over the last shelf of rotting stone the stream gurgled and fell down into a brown bog and was lost. Dry needs hissed and rattled though they could feel no wind.
On either side and in front wide fens and mires now lay, stretching away southward and eastward into the dim half-light. Mists curled and smoked from dark and noisome pools. The reek of them hung stifling in the still air. Far away, now almost due south, the mountain-walls of Mordor loomed, like a black bar of rugged clouds floating above a dangerous fog-bound sea.
"Where do we go now, Sméagol?" Frodo asked. "Must we cross these evil-smelling fens?"
"No, not if you want to be caught quick," said Gollum. "He find you quick if you take other road, but this way better. More difficult, not so quick; but better if you not want Him to catch you. Follow Sméagol! He can take you through the marshes, and the mists, nice thick mists. Follow Sméagol very carefully, and you may go a long way, quite a long way, before He catches you, yes perhaps."
"How comforting," Aria muttered.



End Chapter 30
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