Disclaimer: (Tolkin points a gun to my head)

Tolkin: Say it

Me: your mean. (Trigger clicks) fine. I do not own LOTR.

Anastasia Who: I'm glad you like it. I'll try and correct my bad spelling!!

Gandelf, Boromir and Aragorn were walking at the back of the group with the hobbits a little in front of them. Legolas and Carnen were walking further in front of the hobbits trying to coax her into talking. Boromir took a sly glance at the two.

"I think our little Legolas has taken a liking to Carnen."

Aragorn smirked and said, "Does he know that?"

"I don't think so. Lets have our fun with the elf while we can."

(A/N how evil are they!!!)

Stepping up the pace a bit they caught up to Legolas and Carnen who were talking (or in the case of Carnen listening) of the quest the fellowship were embarking on.

"What are you two talking about?" Aragorn enquired.

"Just what we are trying to do." Legolas started to get very suspicious of what they were trying do, after all that tone of voice they were using suggested one of Estels pranks. He grimaced as he remembered all the times he had been the victim of the twins and Aragorns' jokes.

"That's fascinating don't you think Carnen?"

Boromir said in sugary sweet tones. She nodded slowly as Legolas became more and more uncomfortable. Glancing at each other Boromir and Aragorn immediately launched into an account of how Aragorn and the twins had stolen his clothes while Legolas was in his bath and he had to run all the way back to his bedroom naked to get some new ones. To make matters for Legolas worse they told her about how Lord Elrond had seen him running desperately to his room.

By the time they had finished Legolas was the colour of a very ripe tomato and Carnen was giggling quietly the troublemakers were grinning from ear to ear having succeed in the mission to embarrass the poor elf.

Gandelf announced that they would be stopping here to rest for the night, as it was already getting dark. They decided to risk a fire and it was all very companionable but Carnen was prone to go very quite and sad.

One by one they dropped off to sleep until she was the only one left awake. She could not fight the wave of tiredness that sent her to her nightmares.

A suffocating blanket of darkness surrounded her and she could not breath suddenly she could see something. It was Groundsel come back to her.

"Groundsel!" she sobbed and tried to run towards him with her hand outstretched.

"Carnen help me!" He was shouting but she couldn't move no matter how much she tried and he was absorbed into the blackness screaming her name.

She awoke sobbing in Legolas's arms.

The fellowship had been ambushed by crebain and where now climbing up Caradhras. Carnen was struggling to catch up, the battle and the sorrow exhausting her physically and mentally. After the nightmare she had withdrawn further and further into herself becoming more quiet and sad.

Frodo had just fallen. He got up quickly the snow turning his fingers blue as he searched for the ring. Boromir picked up the ring and entranced his fingers traced the edge of the gold band. Mesmerised he whispered.

"Strange that our fate rests on such a small object."

Aragorn noticed how Boromir looked at the ring. He tried to bring him back from the evil that had cast its spell over him.

"Boromir give the ring to Frodo."

"I care not." He laughed trying to defuse the tension.

Carnen how ever was shaking she had seen the look in his eyes that greedy soulless look that scared her so much. Legolas notice she had held back. Gliding up to her he rested an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close trying to give her comfort and warmth. What he got in return was that smallest of gentle smiles that seemed as fragile as a blossom. It made his hart beat faster and filled him full of a funny emotion that made his stomach flip.