Chapter 6

Malucath scratched the back of her neck. In front of her was two very pissed off and worried elves. Elrohir glared.

"What in Valor's name are YOU THINKING! You can't fight!"

"Can too…I just choose not to," she retorted annoyedly. Elrohir huffed. Who was she to go out and fight a war she's not even a part of! Elladan growled and grabbed her wrist.

"Listen to me Malu, this is insane. You will be killed! You do not know the customs of the people. You do not know the lands, you don't even know the basic survival skills! You can't depend on the others to be at your whim! They will not cater a spoiled foreigner!" Elladan lectured as Malucath steadily got more and more annoyed. She knew how to survive, she sure as heck knew how to find out all this information. She had studied the lands and knew some of the basic customs. She wasn't going to get herself killed. Why would she be that stupid to get herself in a promise like she had made if she knew she couldn't keep it? Malucath then took a deep breath and gave a stabbing blow.

"Do not presume to know me. All you know is what I have told you! You've barely scratched the surface and you do not know that I am not capable of taking care of myself. And who are you to judge my capabilities? Who are you to judge my character? You are not Valar! So do not dare judge a person you scarcely know. Now, if you will excuse me I need to prepare for this long journey!" She threw her hair over her shoulder in a huff and spinned around to head for her rooms.

BREAK BREAK

It had been 2 short busy winter months! She had studied and learned all that she could. She had learned some medicine from the healers, plants from the apocathary, hunting from some young elven boys. The boys were quite helpful, they taught her how to fish, row, run, hunt for food and all the basic skills taught to young elven boys. They were more then happy to assist her, for they were eager to be the teachers rather then the students for the time being. She had gone to Bilbo to tell her stories and tricks that may help her on her way. Though, during all this time, she had not once spoken to the elven twins since their fight. She avoided most of the fellowship, not wanting their condescending looks.

She now grabbed a full pack, filled to the brim with utensils, a change of clothes, herbs (very few actually since she could find most on the way), and a myriad of other tools of the trade. She rolled her shoulders and neck and looked in the mirror, at her reflection. She now wore the traditional garbs of a young elven hunter, a light brown vest made of an deers hide a moss colored poet's shirt tucked into dark brown britches. She flipped a long tattered dark chocolate colored cloak and carefully pinned a moon stoned brooch to keep the cloak secured. The silvery white stone brought out her sooty silvered amysthest eyes. Her raven hair was pulled back into a long French braid, with small whisps of hair framing her face. She looked to her tan hide belt and sighed at the missing accessories, a sword…Yes she did have a set of silver daggers secured to her belt, for skinning her prey…but still, she did admire that beautiful long but slender sword, with saber like handle. She sighed wistfully and grabbed her pack. She turned her back to the long ornate mirror and made sure her leather hiking boots were comfortable and supportive, before heading out to the edge of the forest, towards Mordor.

All the pleasant good-byes were beginning, and she still half hoped to see her goofy troublesome twins. She watched as Elrond and Gandalf talk in quiet whispers before then turning to the half-pints and manipulating them not to remember their conversation. The green leafed prince was saying his good-byes to both his friends…and his troublesome stalkers to glared at her with contempt. Arwen and Aragorn were giving tearful good-byes and trying not to gain the unwanted attention of Arwen's father. Bromir was of course saying good-bye and good luck to his fellow country men. Finally, she herself and the pony whatever his name might be, were watching the rest of them…well more like she was and the horse was eating the grass dutifully, though she carefully denied this. Well, until a certain someone grabbed her from behind.

"Our darling spoiled princess!"

" Did you dare thing you could escape us without saying goodbye!"

" How wrong she is then! For we shan't let this one escape!" She turned to see her beloved twins, Elrohir and Elladan. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she hugged her friends.

"I do believe this hug shall be enough?" She answered coyly. The brothers looked to each other and shrugged.

"No….I do believe this will do though!" They both kissed her cheek much like they did to Arwen, to their father and Arwen's surprise. Malucath grimaced and looked to the two.

"….er…no more please…" Malucath said slightly embarrassed but pleased. They grinned at each other and then pulled back. They both turned very stiff and began to sniff, as if mocking a proper elf.

"My darling unofficial sister, we have a good-bye and please come back soon present." Elrohir announced. Elladan was soon to follow.

"Yes, we took some precautions to make sure that the little one is safe and will be whole when she returns." Elrohir nodded in agreement to Elladan's statement.

"We present…" they sang together as the both, in perfect symbiosis, a long box, fit for a sword. She blinked in pure surprise as Elladan slid of the top, to present the sword that she had been admiring for quite some time. She let out an excited squeal, which she would never admit to doing and would deny, and reached for the gorgeous sword. Elladan and Elrohir exchanged gloating looks as Malucath began to inspect the sword with a grin. Behind them, Boromir, Legolas and Aragorn exchanged looks of doubt. How could a woman of her stature and naivety handle such a beautifully dangerous weapon?

Malucath gave one last final hug to her friends. It would be quite sometime before she saw them again. The elven lads fawned on her one last time before it was time to leave. She looked to the others while readjusting the pack on her back and placing the sword into beautiful ivy designed hilt before securing it to her belt. It was time to leave, one foot in front of the other and follow the road thru.

Break Break

It had been a full day of walking, her feet her numb because the pain had proved too much and she had sneaked an Advil when the others were going to bathroom. She was feeling that and the cramps. Damn, her period was coming, though luckily she had a plan. While at the elven city, she had used what women did there in order to save pads. She used a rag like other women, but they had a better herb for cramps and such. She would the first months in the journey, use the rags. Because there would be a water source it would be easy to wash her rags. Damn the men for not being cursed with this. Luckily she was regular so there would be no surprises. She had a calendar also to make sure that she would know. Sighing, she stretched out against a tree. She noticed how Gandalf watched her. She turned to him.

"Hmm?"

"What worries you childe?" Gandalf whispered softly.

"Womanly things, nothing that would bother a male," she whispered back. Gandalf nodded sagely. He understood what she was thinking, at least he thought he knew. Woman were troublesome and their thoughts were not as easy to predict. She massaged her calves, trying to remove the knot in them. She watched as the litte'uns made a fire and began to cook. She would cook tomorrow but why not gain some rest before then. She turned to Aragorn, the impromptu leader of watches.

"Who's watching out tonight?" she asked lazily. Aragorn turned from his cleaning of his shiny distracting sword.

"Boromir and Pippin have the first watch, then Gimli and Merry, next Legolas and finally myself and Gandalf." He answered warily. Her eye twitched. They did not trust her to watch at the odd hours in the night. Her body tensed in her anger. She was unaware that the others turned to watch. Knowing that a woman mad was not a good thing, but it would be worse if she fell asleep. Her eye twitched violently but she forced herself to calm down so it was a just an occasional twitch.

"Very well, but in exchange for my rest I shall prepare breakfast for all of you in the morning, that includes the wood and lighting the fire as well." She answered calmly, but coolly. Gandalf's lips twitched in amusement. Aragorn looked torn to say that it would be better for someone else to do that but wisely kept silent. Malucath smiled smugly as she turned to her pack to remove a large folded wool blanket, with cowhide on one of the sides. She placed the cowhide side on the ground and sat within it. Pulling one half over her, she snuggled within the blanket and lied against her pack comfortably. The mischievous little'uns eyed her blanket in undisguised want.

"Where'd ya get that! It looks soft!" Pippin chirped enthusiastically.

"That's quite an unusual design for a blanket," Frodo said eyeing the way it was made. Malucath smiled.

" I made it. The design was something I owned at home." She commented as she looked lovingly at the blanket. It was nice and warm, with the wool also in between the outside lamb's wool and cowhide on the back.

"Where are your homelands?" Merry asked innocently. Gandalf exchanged a look with Aragorn as she answered.

"Home is where the heart is." She answered vaguely. Legolas frowned.

"You are called for?" he asked, wondering if she truly had a fiancée. Malucath smiled coyly.

"By the trees and lands of my home," she teased and then she said no more, ignoring all further questions. Legolas smiled at the response, reminding him of his love for his lands but then frowned when she avoided even that question. What was she hiding?

Break Break

She woke early, very early. It was still dark outside. But she smiled, she grabbed her pack and began to remove a back of what seemed to be flour. She had enough for one loaf today. She stood and looked to Gandalf and Aragorn softly talking as she snuck away with her knives, and bag. She had a dinner to catch and a breakfast for kings.

Three hours later and a tired but grinning girl finished her meal, fried rabbit steaks, scrambled goose eggs and a loaf of bread. She watched one by one as the sleeping members of the fellowship rise from their graves and wander in front of the food. She was careful not to let anyone eat till she had everyone up. The little'uns were the first to rise. Their faces brightening at the meal and then falling when she said they had to wake the others to eat. Legolas was still as handsome and neat as ever when he woke. Not a hair out of place, she noted with a sigh.

"Legolas, you make a woman look horrendous the way you wake!" She gave him a stern but joking look. Legolas smiled at her joke.

"Its down right cruel. Not a hair out of place nor a smudge of dirt on that pretty face of yours, princey." She gave a dramatic sigh.

"Aye lass, tis the cruel curse of the elves, always one of showing the lasses up!" Gimli nodded. "But a real lass is what I want. Non of that fuss!" Malucath nodded and laughed. She then began to spoon out the meal, the atmosphere quickly improving when she got the compliments for the food, including the belches.

Break Break

Malucath sighed as she watched Boromir show of his sword fighting skills by teaching the little midgets how to fight. Malu had been particularly anti-social with Mista Princey-poo and Mista I'm-taken-but-I'm-gonna-flirt. Gimli…well she and Gimli got along well until they got into a particularly heated argument about the uses of women in battle, she won and he was sore about it. She brought out a small wooden bowl, herbs, a heavy spoon like device and small glass bottle. She began to crush the juices out of the herbs with her heavy spoon, by rolling the rounded end back and forth. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the others. Boromir laughed merrily and watched the little ones try to block his light blows.

"Two, Three, Four, Five. Good, very good." He cheered them on. Aragorn watched while smoking his pipe and grinned.

"Move your feet." Aragorn piped in, helping Pippin give a nice blow to Boromir who laughed it off.

"That's good, Pippin." Merry cheered. Pippin blushed but grinned boyishly.

"Thanks." He answered good-naturally. Boromir began to move faster and urged them to do the same. Gimli turned to the smoking Gandalf the grey, who was watching with a glint in his eye.

" 'Anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they're not, 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." Gimli said trying to cajole the others into what he considered a better route. Gandalf sighed.

"No Gimli, I would not take the roads through Moria unless I had no other choice." Gandalf said in a firm tone. Gimli opened his mouth to try to interject more but he soon gave up, realizing the wizard would listen no more. Malu turned to notice Legolas looking into the southern distance.

"Come on. Good." Boromir continued to cheer for the midgets when he accidently nicked Pippin's hand. Pippin shouted in surprise while Boromir apologized. Pippin's eyes narrowed and then he grew a mischievous grin. He kicked Boromir in the shin. Boromir cried out in a mix of surprise and pain. Pippin whooped as him a Merry pounced on their prey.

"Get Him!" cried out Merry. Boromir jokingly prepared for a mock battle,

both he and Aragorn laughed at the midgets antics.

"Oh no, littl'uns versus the big'un. Let the battle commence," muttered Malucath as she tried to pull a random strand of hair back into its braid. Gandalf looked to her in amusement.

"Perhaps if you joined them it would be equal." Gandalf commented as he puffed the smoke into unique circles and boats.

"Perhaps, but then it wouldn't be as fun now would it?" She said, making the suggestion that she was an outsider to these people. Gandalf looked to her and shaked his head.

"Do not forget, no matter who you are, you are still welcome and needed." Gandalf said sagely. She gave an unlady-like snort.

"For the Shire!" cried Pippin, "Hold him! Hold him Merry!"

"He got my arm! He got my arm!" cried Merry. Boromir was too busy taking notice of Legolas, who was watching the south with a frown.

"What is that?" Questioned Sam.

"Nothing, it's just a whiff of cloud." Gimli dismissed the strange shadow in the south. Boromir frowned as did Malucath. If only that was a cloud, then everything would be easier, but remember Newton's law, if it can happen it will.

"It's moving fast…against the wind," Boromir noted. Malucath watched the shadow with a frown and began to put her medicines away quickly

"Crebain from Dunland!" cried Legolas. Everyone began to scramble when Aragorn said to hide.

"Merry! Frodo!" called Boromir.

"Come on, come on! Take cover!" Aragorn urged. Malucath hid with Legolas in the bushes, pressed tight against him. Her face was drawn into a frown. She watched as the flock of black birds cawed angrily and circled the hill; before, heading back southward. Once they left, Malucath became painfully aware of how close she pressed herself to Legolas. She ignored it and then began to pull herself out of the brush

"Spies of Saruman! The passage south is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras," hissed Gandalf angrily. Malucath's posture slumped. Great, we must deal with freezing temperatures. Heat was okay. Especially since it wasn't humid, she could deal with that easily. Though the cold? Oh god this was going to be miserable.