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Chapter Ten- The Fellowship Breaks
The sound of water splashing filled the air as two small children played in the slow-flowing river. The boy had almost white hair, while the girl's was coal black. Both had pointed ears poking from underneath their hair. The boy was older than the girl, but he played with her without a care in the world. On the bank their fathers, both fair-haired elven lords, watched them with secret smiles, hoping that their close friendship could develop into something more.
Aica headed into the woods, her keen eyes searching for any sign of Frodo. She found tracks that had clearly come from Boromir's boots, but no trace of Frodo. Legolas and Gimli emerged from the trees on either side of her. 'No sign?' Legolas asked.
Aica shook her head. 'Just Boromir.' She gestured to the tracks.
Legolas shook his head and sighed. 'We should head back. We will be of no use if we get ourselves lost.'
The trio turned to head back to their camp when a screech echoed through the woods. 'Did you…?' Legolas trailed off.
'Yes, I did.' Aica replied, before taking off deeper into the woods, Legolas and Gimli on her heels.
The trio raced through the trees, heading uphill towards where the cry had originated from. Suddenly something leapt out of the trees and slammed into Aica, sending her tumbling to the ground. Legolas quickly drew his bow and released an arrow into the Uruk, killing it instantly. He pulled Aica to her feet. 'Thank you.' She said, looking up at him.
'You're welcome.' Their eyes locked for a moment before another screech met their ears and they took off again, towards the source of the noise.
On the brow of the hill, they found Aragorn fighting a host of Uruk-Hai, the ruins of Amon Sul rising above them. The two elves and the dwarf didn't hesitate to throw themselves into the fight, Legolas with his bow and arrows, Gimli with the axe he picked up in Moria and Aica wielding the dual blades Galadriel had given her.
It didn't matter how many the four killed, the Uruk-Hai just seemed to keep coming. 'Did you see Boromir or the hobbits?' Aragorn yelled over the battle.
'No!' Legolas replied. 'We've seen no sign of them since they left the camp.'
Aica tossed a dagger into an Uruk sneaking up behind Gimli, before spinning on the balls of her feet and driving her blades into one beside her. Legolas dodged around the weapon of another, stabbing it with an arrow, before releasing the same arrow into another Uruk.
Suddenly three long blasts of a horn rang through the trees, causing all on the battlefield to pause. 'The Horn of Gondor!' Legolas said.
'Boromir!' Aragorn replied, all of them realising that it could only mean one thing; he was in trouble.
'Go, we'll hold them off here.' Aica called to him before the man took off towards the noise, and Legolas, Gimli and Aica returned to the fight.
A few moments later the Horn of Gondor sounded again. 'Aica!' Legolas called to her. 'Go find them, help them, and be careful.'
'You too.' She called back, before taking off into the trees, dodging around the Uruks as she went.
Aica darted through the trees, following Aragorn's trail of slain Uruks, heading steadily downhill. In a clearing she found him fighting a great Uruk chieftain. She paused for a moment, wondering if she should get involved. It was then that she spotted Boromir laying at the edge of the clearing, three arrows embedded in his body. She raced to his side and knelt down beside him. 'Aica!' he gasped out, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps.
'No! Don't speak, it'll be alright, you'll be alright.' She comforted.
Boromir gripped one of her hands. 'Listen to me.' Aica looked up, meeting his eyes. 'I'm, I'm sorry.' He stammered. 'You were stronger than I ever imagined, to do what you have done.' Aica looked at him, first with confusion and then realisation. 'I figured out who you are. There are stories of you in Gondor, of the lone assassin. I was sure you would betray us. But it was me, I tried to betray you all.
'Why didn't you say anything?' Aica asked desperately.
'At first, I wasn't sure, and then I was too focused on other things. You need to be strong Aica, Frodo needs you.
There was a yell as Aragorn finished off the Uruk leader. Aica gave Boromir's hand one last squeeze and stepped back to let Aragorn take her place. She watched them for a moment, before taking off back towards the camp, realising why they hadn't found Frodo.
At the river's edge, she found Frodo staring out over the water, Ring in his open palm. 'I'm coming with you.' She said, causing him to jump.
'I have to go on alone, I can't risk anyone being tempted like Boromir.' He insisted.
'I know the wilds of Middle Earth better than most, I can get us to Mordor.' Aica replied, crouching in front of him so she was at his eye level. 'Besides there is nothing I want that the Ring can offer me. No land to protect, no family to save. It has no hold over me. Let me come with you.'
Frodo looked into her eyes, and all he saw was honesty. 'I guess I will need a protector.' Aica gave him a small, sad smile. Frodo glanced back into the woods. 'At least they'll be safe apart from me. Come on, we should go before they get here.'
They loaded one of the boats with supplies and pushed it out onto the lake. Frodo jumped in first, Aica a moment later. Each of them picked up an oar and they began to paddle across the lake.
Suddenly Sam burst out of the trees. 'Frodo, no!' He cried. 'Frodo! Mr Frodo! Miss Aica!'
'No, Sam.' Frodo said, more to himself than to his friend. Sam was determined to accompany them and ran into the river after the boat. Frodo looked back over his shoulder. 'Go back, Sam! We're going to Mordor alone.'
'Of course, you are, and I'm coming with you.' Sam threw himself forward and attempted to swim.
'You can't swim!' Frodo yelled back in horror. Sam flailed in the water for a moment, before slowly sinking below the surface. 'Sam!'
Aica and Frodo quickly swung the boat around and paddled back to where Sam had sunk into the water. Aica grabbed the back of Frodo's cloak as he plunged his arm into the water and, finding Sam's wrist, hoisted him into the boat, spluttering. 'I made a promise, Mr Frodo.' Sam said, slightly out of breath. 'A promise! "Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee." And I don't mean to! I don't mean to.'
'Oh, Sam!' Frodo pulled Sam into a tight hug. When they separated they each took up an oar. 'Come on.'
As they journeyed across the lake Sam turned to Aica. 'Why are you staying with us, and not going with the others?' He asked curiously. She gave him the same, brief, explanation she had given Frodo. Across the water, they pulled the boat up the beach and stowed it under some bushes. As they headed into the trees Aica took a moment to glance back to the opposite bank. She could see Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli on the shore. She sighed sadly, before following Frodo and Sam into the woods. 'You can still change your mind.' Frodo said to her, seeing the sad expression on her face.
'No.' Aica replied, determinedly. 'I vowed to protect you and help you on this quest. And that is what I shall do.' Frodo nodded to her before they continued on.
Legolas watched as Aica followed the hobbits, disappearing into the woods. He did not wish to be parted from her, not now she was beginning to open up and trust others. But he knew in his heart that they would meet again. He hoped that when they did he could find the courage to tell her how he felt.
Frodo, Sam and Aica weaved their way through the trees. They were gradually climbing, and the ground underfoot steadily growing rockier until they reached the top of a rocky plateau. Before them, eastern Middle Earth stretched away until it met the dark skies of Mordor, far in the distance. 'Mordor.' Frodo spoke for the first time since the river. 'I hope the others find a safer route.' he glanced between his best friend and their elven companion.
'Strider will look after them.' Sam reassured.
'I don't suppose we'll ever see them again.' Frodo said sadly.
'We may yet, Mr Frodo. We may.' Sam once again was the voice of comfort.
'Sam, I'm glad you're with me.' Frodo smiled at his fellow hobbit, before looking up at Aica. 'You too Aica.'
Aica nodded to him, as they began to carefully pick their way down the rocks that covered the hillside, Aica pondering Frodo's words. She hoped to see the others again. She knew they would not see Boromir again, but she would not burden the hobbits with the knowledge; Frodo would blame himself, and they could not afford the distraction. After their time in Lothlórien she had begun to feel a connection to Legolas. She wanted to see him again, no matter the outcome of the quest. She took one last look back towards the river, before steeling herself and following the hobbits down the hill.
Aica sat on watch that night as her companions slept soundly. Tears filled her eyes, but she wiped them away angrily. She had never cried before, and she had no intention of starting now. But that didn't mean she hadn't changed since they'd departed Rivendell, she had. She'd found friends, rediscovered how to feel emotions, and react to them. She'd felt loss and trust, fear and happiness. The Fellowship had become like family to her. The thought of never seeing some of them again saddened her greatly.
'Aica?' Sho looked up at the sound of Frodo's gentle voice. The hobbit sat down next to her. 'What has you upset?'
'I will miss the others greatly.' She confessed. 'Before I met the company I had never had any true friends, and now it seems that I am losing them.'
'I do not mean to pry.' Frodo spoke cautiously. 'But how did you not have any friends? I know you don't always seem the friendliest, but you are a good person, surely there was someone.'
Aica took a deep breath. 'I guess you, of all people, deserve to know the truth. I have no idea who I truly am. My earliest memories are of the dungeons of Barad Dur. Until I arrived in Rivendell my only company had been my horse and the servants of Sauron. I was his assassin. I was sent to kill Lord Elrond. Luckily for me, he and Gandalf caught me and made me realise that I had a choice, that there was another way. Frodo sat in silence as she spoke. 'Now all I want is to defeat Sauron and find out who I am and where I belong. I hope that doesn't change your opinion of me.'
Frodo sighed. 'As I said, you're a good person, you just have a bad past. I just wish you had told me sooner.' He got to his feet to return to where he had been sleeping. 'You've proven yourself trustworthy Aica. It would take a lot more for me not to trust you.'