Disclaimer: Don't own; never will. I know I use that one a lot but I'm not in the mood to think. -.

Author's Note: thanks to reviewers:

Lady Luthien: Lol. I'm glad you liked it so much! This chap's for you.

Horsewhisperer of Rohan: Lol. Your review made me laugh...at the end. Here's the third chapter.

Gwyn avoided her father as she prepared to leave. She gathered her bow and arrows and set all her weapons in a pile. She started when she felt a hand on her shoulder. 'Father!' she exclaimed, turning around. Her eyes were flaming with subdued anger.

'Gwyn,' Aragorn said. 'I do not agree with your decision to join the Fellowship.'

Gwyn opened her mouth to defend herself, but Aragorn was not finished. 'However,' he continued, holding up a hand to silence her, 'I will not attempt to stop you from leaving. And I want you to know that I will protect you, should any danger cross your path.'

Gwyn's face softened. 'Hannon le (Thank you),' she said softly, not having fully recovered her voice yet.

Aragorn bowed slightly and left her to her packing. Gwyn was startled by what had just happened. She hadn't expected her father to react that way. Maybe Arwen had talked to him.

Gwyn learned that the man who had begged for the Ring was called Boromir, the first hobbit to join Frodo was Sam, Pip's real name was Pippin, and his friend's name was Merry. She had taken to the hobbits quite well, but she did not entirely trust Boromir. His speech played in her head time and time again. Why had this man wanted the Ring so badly? If he did obtain it, would he really use it to destroy Mordor? And what lengths would he go to to get it? All these questions had yet to be answered.

'When do we leave?' Gwyn heard Aragorn asking Elrond.

'Tomorrow morning.'

'Perhaps Legolas and I can share at least one more sunrise together,' Gwyn thought.

Later, at night...

Aragorn knocked softly on Gwyn's bedroom door. No answer. He quietly turned the doorknob and found his beautiful daughter sleeping peacefully. He smiled as he neared her bed. Her wavy dark brown hair was spread about her head on the pillow. Aragorn stood beside her bed now; he reached out and stroked her head lovingly. Gwyn moved slightly, and from the neckline of her nightgown fell a silver chain that Aragorn had not noticed before. He frowned curiously, and he examined the chain hanging from her neck. A small, delicate ring hung from it. He studied it for a moment, but brushed the thought of it from his mind. He took Gwyn's head in his hands, leaned down and kissed her forehead gently.

Gwyn awoke about an hour after her father left. Suddenly she had an idea.

Gwyn crept quietly by her father's sleeping figure. Her keen eyes spotted his sword lying next to him. She carefully grasped it and pulled it away from him. She slipped silently back to her room and. She unsheathed the sword and slid the blade against her hair, and cringed ever so slightly as she felt the tension of her hair loosen. Then she felt complete limpness. She looked down at her hand; laying in it was a foot and a half of her hair. Gwyn determinately dropped it on the floor and proceeded to another section.

The ground was littered with her hair. Her new cut allowed her hair to fall just above her chin. 'Perfect,' she thought. Now her hair would not get in the way of her fighting. She gathered up her hair, disposed of it, and returned her father's sword where to where she had found it. She could just as easily have used her own sword, but for some reason that even she did not know, she wanted to use her father's sword.

Gwyn awoke the next morning to Legolas gently shaking her. She groaned a little and pouted like a small child as she slipped a little further under the covers. Legolas chuckled, and persuaded her with a gentle kiss. 'What time is it?' she yawned, stretching as she finally got out of bed.

'Just a little before dawn,' Legolas answered. 'I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to watch the sun rise one last time before we leave.'

'Of course.'

Legolas smiled. 'By the way, I thought you might want these for the journey.' He handed her a bundle of elven male clothing.

'Thank you,' Gwyn said gratefully, and Legolas left the room for her to change.

'You look beautiful as always,' Legolas commented as Gwyn emerged from her room. 'When did you cut your hair?'

'Last night; I used my father's sword.'

Legolas smiled knowingly. He took her hand as he led her to their special hill. And they shared their special kiss as the sun rose before setting off to find the rest of the Fellowship. It was well after dawn by the time the whole company was assembled. Elrond and a small group of Elves stood before them; Arwen among them.

'The Ringbearer is setting out on a quest to Mount Doom. And you who travel with him, no oath nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell, and hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves, Men, and Free Folk go with you,' Elrond said.

'The Fellowship awaits the Ringbearer,' Gandalf said.

Frodo looked around at all of them, then turned to lead the group out of Rivendell. 'Mordor, Gandalf,' the hobbit whispered. 'Is it left or right?'

Gwyn bit back a grin and a giggle.

Gandalf put a reassuring hand on his shoulder as he answered Frodo's question. 'Left.' And left they went.

'We shall hold to his course, West of the Misty Mountains, for forty days. From there our path turns East, to Mordor,' Gandalf told them.

They had been traveling for five or six hours already. Gwyn did not know exactly where they were, but the Mountain Caradhas stood behind them. Boromir was giving two of the hobbits, Merry and Pippin, a crash course in sword fighting. Aragorn had insisted that Gwyn be given one, too. Though she complained a great deal about this, Aragorn took her aside and tested her skills. To his surprise, she blocked every one of his attacks without breaking a sweat. Ching! She blocked another one. She swung her sword around and placed the tip of her blade against his throat. 'Do you really think we need to continue?' Gwyn asked, exasperated.

Aragorn laughed, though he eyed her blade warily. 'No,' he said, still chuckling.

Gwyn lowered her sword and backed up; for one was never to turn their back on their opponents. Aragorn nodded approvingly as she did this. 'Good, very good,' he murmured.

As soon as she was far enough away, she sheathed her sword.

As she stood on a high rock, scanning the skies, she overheard Gandalf and Gimli.

'If anyone was to ask my opinion, which I note they're not,' Gimli said pointedly. 'I'd say we were taking the long way 'round. Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome.'

Gandalf slightly lowered the pipe he was smoking at the mention of Moria. 'No, Gimli,' he said. 'I would not take the road to Moria unless I had no other choice.'

Gwyn narrowed her eyes as she saw something that looked like a dark cloud nearing them. Legolas stepped up beside her, for he had seen what she was looking at.

'What's that?' Sam asked nervously.

'Nothing!' Gimli told him. 'Just a wisp of cloud.'

Boromir, however, found it disturbing. 'It's moving fast; against the wind,' he observed.

Legolas' keen eyes widened as he realized what it was. 'Crebain, from Dunland!' he shouted.

'Hide!' Aragorn yelled, grabbing Frodo and pulling him under a rock. Legolas grabbed Gwyn and they hid beneath some shrubbery. Sam had just enough time to douse their fire and hide before the squawking Crebain passed over them. 'What are Crebain?' Gwyn whispered as softly as she could to Legolas, who was lying beside her.

'Birds from Fangorn Forest,' he answered. 'They are now serving Saruman.'

Gandalf emerged as soon as the sky was clear. 'The passage South is being watched. We must take the path of Caradhas,' he said, gesturing to the mountain behind them.

Everyone stumbled up the snowy mountain side; Gandalf leading, Aragorn at the end. And it was a good thing, too, for Frodo slipped and tumbled a ways down. Gwyn was nearer to Gandalf, and she watched from above as Aragorn stopped him. Frodo stood up and his hand flew to his neck, obviously checking for the Ring. Gwyn watched apprehensively as Boromir picked up a sliver chain from the snow. She heard him mutter something about 'so small a thing to suffer so much fear and doubt'.

'Boromir!' Aragorn called, bringing Boromir out of his trance. Aragorn placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. 'Give the Ring to Frodo.'

After a moment, Boromir descended to where they were standing. 'As you wish,' he said, handing the chain to Frodo, who snatched it away. 'I care not.' He chuckled and tousled the hobbit's hair. He swung his shield over his back and proceeded back up the mountain.

Aragorn released his sword.

Further up the mountain...an hour or so later...

The wind picked up; snow started falling heavily. Gandalf was trying to make a path fro the rest of the Company with his staff.

Legolas' ears picked something up. 'There is a fell voice on the air,' he said.

Gwyn had heard it too. It was an awful, powerful voice chanting in Quenya.

Gandalf listened and then yelled, 'It's Saruman!'

Suddenly rocks broke off from the top of the mountain and came tumbling down. 'Get back!' Gandalf yelled.

Gwyn threw herself against the side of the mountain as the rocks toppled down, just barely missing them.

'He's trying to bring down the mountain!' Aragorn yelled. 'Gandalf, we must turn back!'

'No!' Gandalf said. The voice began chanting again. Gandalf yelled something in Sindarin. Nevertheless, lighting struck the top. More rocks and snow came falling down. This time, the Company was not quick enough. The load crashed on top of them, burying them in four feet of snow. Gwyn was on of the first to emerge. Gimli came up with a fierce growl. One they were all up, Boromir suggested that the travel through the Gap of Rohan, then take the West Road to his city, Minas Tirith. But Aragorn feared that that would take them too close to Isengard, the Realm of Saruman.

'If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it,' Gimli suggested once again. 'Let us go through the Mines of Moria.'

Gandalf thought a few moments before saying, 'Let the Ringbearer decide.'

Gwyn saw Frodo's eyes fill with fear. He looked around at his freezing friends. 'We will go through the Mines,' he said at last.

'So be it,' Gandalf murmured.

Gwyn did not know why that name haunted Gandalf so; passing through the Mines did not seem so terrible a thing.

The walls of Moria were soon visible. Gandalf ran his hand over a section of rock and told them that the door only mirrored starlight and moonlight. As he moved from it, the full moon peeked out from behind the clouds and shone brightly upon the rock. A beautiful door appeared, shining white. Along the top was Elven writing. 'It says,' Gandalf said, 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak friend and enter.'

'What do you suppose that means?' asked Merry, puzzled.

'Oh, it's quite simple. If you are friend, you speak the password, and the doors will open,' Gandalf answered, and began trying different passwords. 'Annon edhellen, edro hi amen (Great Door of the Elves, open for us!)!'

Nothing.

Gandalf tried again. 'Fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen (Doorway of Dwarf-Folk, listen to the words of my tongue!)!'

Still nothing. 'Oh, it's useless,' Gandalf said in frustration, and threw down his staff and hat. He sat on a rock to think.

Meanwhile...

'The mines are no place for a pony,' Aragorn told Sam. 'Even one so brave as Bill.'

Gwyn watched sympathetically as Sam let his pony go. 'Buh bye, Bill,' he said, and watched him make his way back.

'Don't worry, Sam,' Gwyn said. 'He knows the way home.'

Meanwhile Merry amused himself by skipping stones across the lake nearby. Pippin picked up a stone and began to follow suite, but Aragorn grabbed his hand. 'Do not disturb the water,' he told them.

Frodo had been sitting on a stone, apparently in deep thought. He suddenly stood up and walked over to the door. 'It's a riddle,' he told them after a moment. 'Speak 'friend' and enter.' He turned to Gwyn. 'What's the Elvish word for friend?' he asked.

'Mellon,' Gwyn replied, smiling inwardly at the intelligence of a simple mind.

There was a loud rumbling as the door slid open.

'Well that was easy,' Pippin commented to Gwyn.

She chuckled as they filed into the cave.

'Soon Master Elf,' Gimli was telling Legolas. 'You will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, and red meat off the bone!'

Legolas raised his eyebrows at Gwyn, who stifled her giggles.

'This, my friend,' Gimli continued, 'is the home of my cousin, Balin. And they call it a mine...a mine!'

Boromir looked down as he stepped on something that cracked. 'This is no mine,' he said in a haunted voice. 'It's a tomb.' The cracking sound had been made by a bone.

'NO!' Gimli roared, looking around at the several skulls and bodies of bone.

Legolas bent down over one of the skulls and pulled out an arrow. He only needed a second to examine it before concluding, 'Goblins!'

Rings of metal filled the air as the Company drew their swords.

'We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here,' Boromir said. 'Now get out of here, get OUT!'

Frodo did get out, though not quite in the way he wanted to. An enormous tentacle had slipped out of the water, into the cave, and had wrapped itself around Frodo's ankle. It pulled him all the way out to the lake and dangled him about it. A huge, disgusting creature arose from the lake. 'Help, Aragorn!' Frodo yelled.

'Strider!' Sam called desperately.

The Fellowship rushed out to aid Frodo. Gwyn slashed at the beast's tentacles. It roared in pain, but drew Frodo closer to its mouth. Legolas carefully and quickly shot arrows at the creature, but to no avail. He shot one into the beast's mouth; it flinched and recoiled slightly, but did not loosen its grip on Frodo.

Boromir charged on it and hacked through the tentacle holding Frodo. He caught him as he fell and shouted, 'Get back into the caves!'

Gwyn watched Legolas take one last shot at the beast before rushing back into the caves. Legolas just slipped in before the creature started hammering on the cave door. The weight was so great that the door and the wall caved in...trapping them all in the darkness.

'We now have but one choice,' Gandalf said, lighting his staff. 'We must face the long dark of Moria.'