FIRST KNIGHT BY ASHA DREAMWEAVER

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Summary: BtVS/LotR. Buffy gets sent to Middle Earth to help bring down Sauron. Her duty, like the Istari, is not to confront Sauron directly but to help those fated to face him bring him down. More specifically she's to help the King of Gondor get on his throne. Will Arwen and Aragorn's love stand against the shadow? Will Legolas be able to keep a secret, that if revealed, could shatter the lives of those he cares for? Will Buffy be able to fulfil her duty? Will Denethor be able to put aside his animosity for the man who would supplant him? Will the ringbearer reach Mount Doom, or will he be cut down before he reaches his goal? And will Boromir resist the lure of the ring?

Author's notes: thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Fans of my Harry Potter fic, 'History Repeats Itself' please check out the important announcement in chapter 10.

Review responses:

Allen Pitt - sorry, no Angel or Spike. In person anyway. Oh, Sauron's already got help, but not from anyone you suggested. And yes, Rohan should be very interesting!

Anna - why, thank you! Don't know anything about the bucket of water though. Ask Bilbo. Okay, when is Legolas and Arwen's chance? Sorry, but can't say. And some of Aragorn's reactions are in this chapter.

Boo - well, I had to have the cliffhanger somewhere, didn't I?

BuffyandDracoLover - depends on your perspective.

ChibiChibi - of course it was long. This is Aragorn we're talking about.

emerald sorceress - good guess on Aragorn, but I am evil remember?

FallenStar2 - why thank you! Yes, I think murder was on the cards there for a while! And yes, it's one step forward, two steps back with our favourite couple!

goldenshadows - well, technically it's my guess. Sorry, it's a 'no' to the twice a week thing. I'm stressed enough with one chapter a week! I might start 2 chapters a week for the Christmas hols, but that's as soon as it's going to be.

Haley - okay, discarding the brick then. I'm going to follow both the book, and the movie, and some of my own imagination. And yes, the Legolas/Thranduil meeting is probably not going to be pleasant. How long does it take me to write a chapter? Probably about 4-5 days when I've got school and 1-2 days when I don't.

Imp17 - you can come out now. It's safe again.

Lady Alathon - Legolas and Arwen will get their chance to shine.

Lady of the Wood - depends on your definition of fluff. There will be moments of mush mixed in with angst, frustration, misunderstandings, and extreme danger, etc. You get the drift.

LadyWolfBane - that's going to be a while yet. And no, no baddies from Buffy's world, but plenty of ones from ME.

Lunawolf - obviously not Aragorn!

Mari - yes, Aragorn was dragged into it, thanks to his darling brothers and friends. And yes, of course he messes it up. He's been Mr Denial for years, I don't think he's going change into Mister Smooth and Suave overnight. As for Théoden, you'll have to wait until we get to The Two Towers. What is a Mary Sue-ish story? I understand your dilemma, as it took me the guts of 2 years and a horrible e-mail for me to understand. A Mary Sue is an original female character, who is dropped into ME, and apparently steals the limelight, tends to be unusual, and swipes lines from Tolkien's characters.

organized-chaos - thanks! And the evil disclaimer has already been given. And wouldn't a salmon be just a little bit too soft and mushy for adequate hitting power?

Phoenix83ad - Happens - this site likes to eat things on me too. Considering what he's going to encounter, he might have been better off in the dungeons! Less chance of heart failure that way! Merry and Pippin were too busy smuggling mushrooms, raiding pantries and earning money from the bets to bother getting involved themselves.

restive nature - It's not so much that he didn't ask her as that Galadriel, and maybe Arwen, are the only ones to know the full story. And with her guilt towards Arwen over Aragorn, Galadriel would be the only one to know the real deal. And yes, madness was a very real risk in Rivendell around then. And yes, Sauron - smart. And the First also liked to mess with Buffy's mind.

ShawThang - welcome back! And I would hope that I didn't portray Thranduil as a Dark Lord. And as for giving Legolas the ability to mind-speak, I don't think it was too out there. Galadriel's main powers lay in reading hearts and futures, not mindspeaking. That was just ordinary for her. And as both Thranduil and Legolas are royalty too, chances are they'd have the ability to mind-speak. With the strength of the Eldar, I doubt it was too rare amongst them.

Sierra-Falls - thanks! And Buffy's vial of blood will be a key point in the not so distant future. And how will she react to a courting Aragorn? That would just be giving it away!

Sparky24 - if you re-read that part, you'll find that the only mention of Christmas is from Buffy, who's grumbling at the time. The feast is only the leave-taking party for the Fellowship, so the natives don't know about Christmas at all!

Star - I hope it gets fixed soon!

Viv - thanks a million! :) and listen I update once a week during school term, at the weekends and usually twice a week during my hols. And don't worry, I have every intention of finishing this story so the wait will hopefully be worth it!

And major thanks to:

Clcountry, DragonStar, Egastin77, Jania, Little Red Rabbit, ms8309, Night-Owl123, Princess Serenity4, RedsLover03, Silver Queen, Vik, White-witch Sakura, Wild320,

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: TENDER MUSINGS

Hollin, Eregion, 3019 TA, January 8.

It took them about two weeks to reach Hollin after they left Rivendell. They had been uneventful for the most part, but as Buffy walked across the lands that had seen the slaughtering of Elves by the thousands, she got the feeling that their luck would not hold.

She had made a concerted effort to avoid these lands like the plague before, as every time she came near here, she could feel It.

Feel the blood that stained the earth, feel the shadow of death that haunted it still, and when she dared to close her eyes, she heard the screams and felt the pain and terror of those who had once dwelt here, until the Dark Lord came with fire, and armies, and slaughtered them all.

She tried her best to hide the fact that her skin was crawling, and that her skin was much paler than normal, passing her appearance off as a side effect of camping for so long.

She got the feeling she hadn't fooled everyone though. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf remained unconvinced she was sure, but as long as they didn't try to pry, she could deal with that.

But she was beginning to deeply regret her decision to go with the Fellowship. It seemed that over the years, she had become too confident in her slayer abilities, totally forgetting some of the weaknesses she had learned the hard way in Sunnydale.

Such as the fact that the slayer line started with a demon, and she herself knew all too well the lure of the darkness.

And now here she was, walking on a battleground of death, hearing the endless whispering of the Ring; promising her security, safety, an end to all this madness.

And she hated herself for being so weak as to listen.

She instinctively knew, that in this scenario, that being the slayer was being her own worst enemy. Fighting for the light, drawn from the dark; there was no way in hell she could come out of this quest unchanged.

She knew what the First had been capable of, it's ability to toy with someone's mind, but she was learning that the One Ring was much the same in its method of attack. This wasn't something that could be fought by force of arms, something that couldn't be outwitted; the damn Ring pulled out your deepest desires and fears, your past and your future, to ensnare you, and oftentimes, you wouldn't realise it until it was too late.

And it sickened Buffy that she couldn't look anyone in the eye and say that the Ring had no hold over her.

Her greatest fear has haunted her nightmares for the past two weeks; and she knew that it was finally taking its toll on her. But what could she say in reply to her friend's concerned glances? That she was having nightmares of being driven mad by the Ring and killing them all? Oh yes, that would just make everything so much better, she thought, then they'd all be waiting for me to go off the deep end.

She walked along, following the others, her senses alert for danger, but her mind was utterly focused on her dilemma. And she got the sinking feeling that she already knew the chorus line for this particular problem. She had heard it many times before.

"From beneath you it devours…" she whispered to herself, totally unaware that she was speaking aloud.

In front of her, Aragorn stopped, "What did you say, Buffy?" he asked, wondering at the strange words.

The slayer's head jerked up in surprise, "N-nothing, Aragorn," she said after a moment, "Nothing."

And because she was aware of Aragorn's gaze lingering on her with mingled worry and curiosity, she made an effort to seem more like herself. She couldn't afford to raise their suspicions.

Because if worst came to worst, she'd remove herself from the equation before she allowed herself to do what the Ring taunted her to do.

-----------------

Approx. 2 hours later.

Aragorn was by no means fooled by Buffy's attempts to assure him that everything was fine. He had been watching her, studying her in a different light, for the last two weeks. And he had known her for decades before that. She had fooled him for long enough, but not anymore.

He had been watching her with eyes that were no longer clouded, no longer blinded by affection for Arwen. He admitted to himself that he had blamed Buffy quite a bit for Arwen's breaking their betrothal, but as the shock faded, and the Evenstar's words sank in, he had to face up to the truth in them.

He did care for Buffy, he knew that. Whether it was love, he could not say yet, but he did want to see what it was, and only time would tell that.

He knew that Legolas was furious with him, though he was hiding it, - for the sake of the quest, Aragorn presumed - and the Elven Prince was becoming progressively chillier in demeanour with him. He also had a good idea what had caused his friend's ire.

Having never formally declared the breaking of the betrothal, Legolas did not know that Arwen had released him from his promise, and thereby setting him free. As a close friend of Arwen's, Legolas would not have been pleased to see her future husband enraptured by another woman.

He would have to remedy that soon, he knew, but he could not find the will power to keep his eyes away from Buffy.

At first, it had been curiosity that drove him, he had wanted to see Buffy in this new light, to judge his own feelings properly but lately, curiosity had been replaced with concern and anxiety for her. He knew that she was not sleeping well, and that something troubled her, but she would not talk to anyone, and instead tried to conceal her difficulties under a false cheerful façade.

He did not believe it for a second, but he hoped to have Buffy approach him with her problems, instead of going to her himself. His previous endeavours to shelter Buffy had not ended well, and with the stakes rising higher with every day, he did not want to jeopardise their relationship anymore than he had done previously with his ill judged actions.

But Buffy was not the only worry he had to deal with; apparently outside of Elrond's influence, a subtle but increasingly evident war was brewing again. Legolas and Gimli had decided not to put aside their animosity and were both trying to subtly rile and humiliate the other.

And it was wearing on his nerves.

Aragorn cast a suspicious and annoyed gaze at his friend, branches had been hitting into poor Gimli all day every time the Dwarf got within five feet of any tree and the ranger knew exactly who was behind it. Legolas, who could sweet talk nearly any tree into doing what he wanted was wearing a neutral expression but Aragorn could see the amused glint of satisfaction in the silver-blue eyes.

He could also tell that Gandalf was annoyed, but amusing himself by singing Bilbo's travelling song, 'the road goes ever on and on' and that Buffy and Boromir both looked to be possessing extremely shortened tempers as the antics of the others escalated. Seeing a disaster waiting to happen, Aragorn congratulated himself on being rear guard, and waited for the chaos to begin.

It happened less than half an hour later.

Pulled in a multitude of different directions by the Ring, her slayer senses, her desperation to keep herself from coming across as someone who couldn't cut it, her annoyance at the wizard, Elf and Dwarf, and her lack of sleep problem. Finally, Buffy just couldn't take it anymore and she snapped.

Launching herself at Gandalf, she tackled him to the ground, grabbing his staff and pointing it at his throat. "If you not stop singing, humming or otherwise vocalising that damn song, I will make sure your vocal chords go on an extended vacation. Understood?"

Gandalf only harrumphed and grabbed his staff back, brushing the grass off his robes, whilst Boromir actually clapped.

Buffy shot the man of Gondor a speculative look as Gandalf fumed at her actions, but decided to take it out on Legolas and Gimli instead, and she dropped back to his side. "Why did you clap?" she asked, remembering his previous opinion of her.

"Because I was very tempted to club him over the head with my shield if he kept up that ridiculous song much longer. Three hours was more than I could handle," he replied with a surprisingly friendly smile, "And I must say that you did a very good job, lady."

"Call me that again and I am going to hurt you." Buffy said good-naturedly, "But is that a truce I hear, my lord Boromir?"

"Aye, it is, Dagnir (slayer)," Boromir said, "My words at the council may have been harsh but you have proven yourself an experienced warrior and not someone that deserves my contempt."

Buffy smiled at him, "Then perhaps we can get somewhere besides being enemies," she said with delight, "Now, tell me of Minas Tirith and Gondor. I want to hear about your defences there because you are so going to need him."

And so as Boromir spoke of his homeland, and inadvertently cheered Buffy up some, Aragorn could only glower and wonder that his rival for rule managed to cheer up his friend better than he could. He belatedly recognised jealousy for what it was, but could not bring himself to stifle it when Boromir was being so blatantly annoying.

And so it was that when Gandalf announced that it was time to set up camp, as the morning was wearing on, 'twas a fellowship of very mixed feelings that settled down to rest.

Buffy, greatly cheered, even had the wherewithal to ignore Aragorn's strange glowers and to admonish the Hobbits for their excited plans for their rest and of course, their menu selections.

"It's not a road trip. It's a covert operation." Buffy said, laughing, "Since we don't have a chef here, let's just keep it simple, okay? Burned food is really not my thing."

Of course, the hobbits took offence at that, "Burned?" Sam sputtered, "By a hobbit? Now, look here, you may be a grand lady but you know nothing about hobbits! Our cooking is better than nearly everyone else's, well maybe not the Elves, but to actually burn something!"

Laughing even harder, Buffy took back her words, and plopped down next to Gimli, deciding that if she could make friends with one stand-offish member of the Fellowship, she may as well try her luck with another one.

Trying to engage him in conversation was an apparently wasted venture as Gimli plainly stated that he would not be decent company until he had had something to eat after the long hours of marching and so Buffy gracefully backed off, and plopped down on the ground to watch the goings on in the camp.

Their campground was a deep hollow, shrouded by big holly bushes, and the cover was so great that a fire was deemed permissible. This, of course, gave the hobbits great cheer as they could now have a leisurely supper-breakfast, which would actually be hot. Buffy had to admit that she was looking forward to that as well. It had been a long time since Gandalf had deemed it safe to have a fire, which meant cold food for all.

And although they had marched all night, none of them were in a hurry to their bed-rolls after their meal. With Gandalf being unusually generous in that he did not mean to go on until the evening of the nest day, they had plenty of time for that, and they wanted to use this rare free time to relax in front of a cheery fire.

Only Aragorn was silent and restless, fidgeting around the campfire until at last he got up and wandered away from the company towards the ridge. At a significant look from Legolas, Buffy sighed and sacrificed her cosy place between Gimli and Boromir, both of whom had cheered up greatly since their first hot meal in at least a week.

Walking over to the morose ranger, who stood in the shadow of a tree, always scanning the southward and westward views, his head cocked as if he was trying to listen to something.

Buffy stopped beside him, shivering slightly from the chill wind sweeping along the ridge that had been tempered in the sheltered dell. "What's the matter, Aragorn? You're like a dog with a bone," she said, "There is nothing there to trouble us now."

He turned to look at her, and she was taken aback at the strangely intent look in his eyes,

"Something stalks us," he said after a moment, "I am surprised that you do not feel it Dagnir (slayer) but then again, your mind has not been with the fellowship this day."

"If anyone's daydreaming buddy, it's you," Buffy protested, unwilling to show Aragorn how close he was to the mark, "Are you sure it is not just the shadow of the Ring that's bothering you? If there were any nasties coming, I'd sense them before you."

"Not everything gives warning before it comes," Aragorn said darkly, looking down at the others laughing and talking below them, "Not even to you."

Buffy was surprised at his response to her, as it almost seemed that he was mad at her for some reason but before she could enquire further, Merry interrupted them. "What is the matter Strider?" the hobbit called up to them. "What are you looking for? Do you miss the East Wind?"

"No, indeed," Aragorn said, turning away from Buffy and moving closer to the others. Miffed, Buffy walked back to her spot by the fireplace to glare at the uncouth ranger, "But I miss something. I have been in the country of Hollin many seasons. No folk dwell here now, but many other creatures live here at all times, especially birds. Yet now all but you are silent. I can feel it. There is no sound for miles about us, and your voices seem to make the ground echo. I do not understand it."

Gandalf looked up with sudden interest, while Legolas looked at Buffy with curiosity, despite the slayer deliberately not looking in his direction, "But what do you guess is the reason?" he asked, "Is there more in it than surprise at seeing four hobbits, not to mention the rest of us, where people are so seldom seen and heard?"

"I hope that is it," Aragorn replied, "But I have a sense of watchfulness, and of fear, that I have never had here before. I know not what to make of it."

"Is this warning evil?" Buffy asked, "Or just annoying?"

"I know not what it is," Aragorn said, "And if any here were to identify it, I would have thought it to be you. Why come on this trip if you do not bother to safeguard your charge?"

Buffy's eyes flared with anger, and she attempted to skewer the man with her gaze, "Maybe you're just imagining things then, Aragorn," she said with exaggerated politeness, "Because I sense nothing."

"But let us say that Aragorn is right," Gandalf said, "What would bother us here?"

Buffy's wry voice spoke up with the answer, "Gandalf, we are being hunted. Everything else that's sane will get far, far away from what we carry. Evil has a tendency to do that."

"Then we must be more careful," said Gandalf, "If you bring a Ranger with you, it is well to pay attention to him, especially if the Ranger is Aragorn. We must stop talking aloud, rest quietly, and set the watch."

Buffy said no more that night, only flopping down on her bedroll, and staring up at the sky, trying to feign sleep. But she got the sinking suspicion that Aragorn knew more about her problems than he let on, and that he was going to start causing trouble soon.

----------

Aragorn's foreboding words had left a shadow over the company, and all were now eager for their beds, lest Gandalf rouse them at some abominably early hour. Buffy and Legolas held the first watch, and the Elven Prince wanted to use this time to sort out some of his concerns for his young friend.

But Buffy had a vested interest in avoiding being questioned and so had stationed herself close to the Boromir and Gandalf, both of whom would wake in a flash if there was any sound of trouble. And she also took it upon herself to move out of the camp, scouting for a bit to insure that no one was going to creep up on them unawares.

"There you are." Legolas said, cheerily seating himself beside her when she returned, "I must warn you that running is not going to help you, mellon nín." (my friend)

"Ah. Speak of the really annoying person." Buffy griped, "Don't you have anything better to do? Say, is there some crisis that requires immediate action... very far from here?"

Legolas dropped all pretence of being carefree and instead decided to pounce on his friend before she could get away, "Buffy, I have been watching you these past few days. Do not try to tell me that nothing ails you. You and Aragorn are strained also. What is the matter? "

"Are you trying to irritate me?" Buffy asked with false bravado.

"I do not know. Am I having any success?" Legolas replied, "You can bluff all you want Buffy, but I will pull it out of you eventually."

"What are you going to do? Whine me to death?" Buffy said dryly,

"I will have you know that it takes a genius to whine appealingly." Legolas protested, "And no, I do not plan on 'whining you to death'. But I would prefer to help you with your troubles ere you collapse from exhaustion."

"Listen, I'm fine, okay?!" Buffy exclaimed, "Just give it a rest, Greenleaf."

"I cannot," Legolas said quietly, "You forget the sharpness of Elven hearing, Dagnir, I have heard you in your sleep these past few nights. You hide it well, but not well enough. What does 'from beneath you it devours' mean, meldiren?" (my friend)

Buffy's sharp intake of breath was all the confirmation he needed, and the slayer knew that the time for bluffing was over. He already knew. ""It's something I heard a long time ago. The favourite catchphrase of an old enemy. Let's just say that it usually never bodes well for a slayer's life expectancy."

"An enemy from your former home?" Legolas asked, trying to piece together this puzzle.

"Pure evil from my old home," Buffy said, shivering as she remembered the First's ploys.

"Then why do these memories haunt you now?" he asked softly, resting a hand on Buffy's shoulder to comfort her.

"That's the problem. I don't think they're memories," Buffy admitted, "I'd almost think it was the Ring playing with me, but there's no way it could know about the First. You're only the third person I've ever mentioned it too, and Arwen and Galadriel don't strike me as the 'gossip with the enemy' type."

"Then what do you think it means?"

"I honestly think it means I'm not intended to survive this little trip," Buffy said darkly, "I heard those words in dreams before slayers got killed, and in Middle Earth, I am the only slayer."

"Buffy," Legolas began, "None of our odds for surviving this are great, as my adar so helpfully reminded me the last time we spoke. But this is weighing you down so much, pen dithen (little one)! You, who has marched into Mordor with nary a fear, to be so burdened is not like you. You say the Ring is trying to play with you, could that be the cause of this mood?"

"I wish," Buffy said sighing, "All I can feel is this foreboding… as if something is coming, and not what Aragorn suggested either. I'm seeing my own death in my dreams, Legolas. Everything around me is dark, but I can hear the hisses of whatever monster is there with me, and I can hear those words, 'from beneath you it devours', and just as I hear 'Beware what lurks beneath the ground.', it gives way underneath me and I'm just falling. And then I can feel something ripping me open, feel my blood going everywhere, and I'm dying and it's still taunting me, 'The thing beneath it, beneath you.' it always says! And I honestly don't know how much more I can take."

"Buffy!" Legolas said in absolute shock at her words, wrapping an arm around her and hugging her to him, "Why have you not told Gandalf?!" he demanded, "Your life is at stake!"

"Every slayer has her sell by date, I'm no exception," Buffy said grimly, "Besides they don't realise, don't see the danger like I do... What's the point of even trying to explain it to them except to convince them that I've gone off the deep end?"

"Everybody has a breaking point. Even you." Legolas warned, horrified to see such a proud creature so defeated.

"Death can come for us. Any time. Any place." Buffy said, "That I learned a long time ago. I've had a long reprieve. It had to end sometime."

"It must be the Ring trying to trick you!" Legolas protested, "You have survived this long, don't let despair cheat you now! It might not even be you! You say you have had dreams about others before! It might not even concern you at all!"

"I really wish I could believe that, Legolas, but in the end," she said sadly, "Who else is there?"

There was silence between them after that, and as Legolas was lost to the horror of her dire words, Buffy silently got up and moved away, resuming her watch with a heavy heart.

And from the shadowed confines of his own bedroll, Aragorn Elessar lay with eyes wide open, and his mind reeling from her words.

Buffy, his Buffy, had just predicted her own death…

----------

Hollin, 3019 TA, January 9.

Early the next morning, hours before the sun was even up, Gandalf sent Boromir and Aragorn off to scout out the area. Their usual rivalry was strangely absent, due to Boromir's silence and Aragorn's thoughts were not on the man of Gondor, but on one courageous woman who had nearly shocked the life out of him the evening before.

Aragorn knew next to nothing about the things that haunted Buffy's past. She had never been forthcoming about her life before she came to Middle Earth, and out of respect for her; people, he included, had respected her right to her privacy.

But could he truly justify leaving her be when her life was at stake? His feelings toward her may have been a confused mess of different emotions, but he did know that it would be a heavy blow, perhaps too heavy, to him if she walked out of his life.

Through his arguments with Gandalf over the company's course, he had gleaned that the Istar (wizard) meant to stop for supplies and shelter in the Golden Wood of Lothlórien. After hearing Buffy's revelation, he could not have been more glad.

He knew that the powerful Lady of the Wood cared deeply for the bright young slayer, and would be an important ally to help her with her troubles. He might no longer be Arwen's betrothed, but he did not think that the Lady would turn him away because of that. If anything, she should be happier to see him than she had been before. But he desperately needed her advice with regards to Buffy.

Aragorn knew that if he kept pushing Buffy, she would run when he got too close. And he could not allow that. While he had patience to wait her out in regards to other things, he could not take risks with her life, as she was too apt to do.

He may not have known about her past exploits but Galadriel, Lady of Lórien was in Buffy's confidence, and if anyone knew what danger stalked Buffy, it would be her.

He only hoped that they could make it that long.

It was because of this distraction that Aragorn did not sense the danger until Boromir cried out that it was upon them. "Ranger!" the man of Gondor shouted, drawing his sword, "Troll!"

Aragorn's head shot up and he found the speed to duck just before the troll's crude hammer-like blade separated his head from his body.

Rolling along the ground, he managed to pull out Andúril, and jumped to his feet after scanning the area for Boromir. The man of Gondor was engaging the three orcs who had apparently been charged with fetching the troll, and so was too engaged to deal with the one livid hill troll that Aragorn found charging him.

Raising the blade, he resigned himself to the fact that help from Boromir was out, and frantically wracked his brain to remember how to kill a hill troll, without actually being able to reach said creature's weak spots.

As Andúril bit into the troll's leg, it let out a roar that nearly deafened the ranger, and he hoped that no one else had heard that else the company be found, but he had no time for such concerns now.

The fight was on.

----------

Contrary to Aragorn's opinion, other people did hear the troll's pained bellow. Buffy, having been alerted to trouble over the Buffy-dar - a nuisance she had steadily grown to despise over the years - and Legolas's sharp hearing was unable to miss the roar.

Running a quick check to make sure she had all her weapons and that Galadriel's gift of the mithril shirt was on properly, she pulled the Elf aside. "Aragorn's up to his neck in trouble, so I'm guessing Boromir is too, unless they've killed each other already. I know what your feelings towards the Dwarf are but grow up, and act like an immortal adult for a change! The hobbits can't be left unguarded, so fill Gimli and Gandalf in, - politely Greenleaf! - while I go see what the two morons have landed themselves into, okay?"

Legolas grabbed her arm ere she could turn away, "Are you up to this?" he asked, "I know that you are weary. Would it not be better if I were to go instead?"

"Frodo needs your bow, Legolas. You shoot first, ask questions later, and I'll do what I do best. - pulverise things. I'm the slayer. I've gone out to face Big Bads half-dead; lack of sleep isn't going to be a problem! Now, I've got to go! Fill them in, Legolas!" she said as she left, leaving the Elf to trudge over to the curious wizard and the Dwarf who was eyeing him with disgust to try to explain things.

Running across the uneven ground, Buffy opened herself to her senses and let herself be guided by the Buffy-dar. She had tried to break the connection before, but it had not worked. Even Galadriel had tried to break the link, and if the Lady of the Wood wasn't able to do it, there were none in Middle Earth who could. And so Buffy had resigned herself to forever being able to sense Aragorn, but never have him the way she wanted to. As she had tried to get over her feelings for the man, the bond had always been an unwanted reminder and a nuisance, but usually upon reflection, she always remembered its usefulness at helping her keep the fool alive.

But by Eru, she wished he could stop getting himself into daredevil life threatening trouble on such a regular basis!

Swiftly spotting the scene of trouble, purely from the direction of the grunting and roaring, Buffy arrived into the mess to find three dead orcs, and Boromir and Aragorn trying to avoid being crushed to death by a troll.

Apparently they were only now figuring out why it was that swords against a twelve foot troll didn't really work.

Boromir was the first to spot her, and he called, "You should not be here! There is a troll!"

"A big guy, hammer thingy?" Buffy said, "Yeah, I think I noticed him."

She was about to jump into the fray when Aragorn was flung back and landed on top of her. Literally. And when he was a bit too slow to get off, she elbowed him off her and then helped him up, "Good thing I stopped by and heard screaming." she teased, "You two are hopeless."

Aragorn didn't bother to reply, only grumbled, and Buffy, seeing that Boromir was in danger of being crushed, decided to save the chatter until after she'd dealt with the great big ugly hill troll.

Running in, she jumped onto the troll's back, ignoring the horrible smell, and stabbed her sword into the soft spot underneath its jaw several times. With her agility, she was able to cling onto the bucking troll in a way the men could never do.

As the hill troll fell to the ground, Buffy removed her sword, and said, "Time for the interrogation!"

Aragorn looked at her, "You speak the Black Speech?!" he exclaimed, knowing that most trolls understood little else when they were in the Dark Lord's service.

Buffy grinned slightly at him, "Oh yeah but the Californian version." She said as she slammed the creature's head against the stony ground, "Now listen here you big stinky creep, I want answers and I want them now. If you refuse to answer, you are going to die a very slow and painful death. Now what's it gonna be?"

The troll just gargled at her and died, "It is so annoying when they can't understand my puns." Buffy complained, "Now we can't even find out what the hell it was doing here. By the way, are you two okay? Not that the 'we were dragged through a bush backwards' look doesn't suit you, but just wondering."

Aragorn only glared at her, Boromir just stared, "I hardly think that being travel worn and dirty after a fight with orcs and a troll gives you the right to laugh at us, Dagnir. Remember the twins told me about Elrond's attempts to make you into a lady," he reminded her threateningly.

Buffy's eyes widened and she backed off rapidly, "Okay, laying off it now. Let's get back to camp. By now, everyone should be wondering what you guys did this time."

Shrugging in the face of Boromir's perplexed expression, Aragorn decided to just do as he was bid, and he followed his lady back towards the camp, trying to figure out how to bribe her to keep this incident from the twins, and more importantly the hobbits.

----------

Later that afternoon, when the excitement of the day's adventure had died down, the hobbits, two of them at least, were eager to learn how to be a warrior, and to wield the swords they had gotten from the Barrow-downs on the edge of the Shire, the swords of Westernesse.

"But Boromir!" Pippin pleaded, "We are big hobbits, now. We can handle it! Please teach us! Please, please, please!!"

Merry also joined in with Pippin's whining, , until at last Boromir gave in to their combined chant of 'please, please, please'.

"Do you know how to use that thing?" Buffy asked Pippin, who looked perplexed for a moment.

"Of course." Pippin replied cheerfully, "The pointy end goes into the other guy." Buffy just burst out laughing and Boromir just shook his head and let out a long suffering sigh.

As Boromir started the thankless task that was bound to be teaching two hyper hobbits how to handle deadly blades, Buffy detached herself from the group when she noticed that Frodo was alone at the edge of the camp, and for once, his friend, Samwise Gamgee, was not with him.

"Hey Frodo," Buffy greeted him quietly, sitting down on a rock beside him, "You're looking a little down. What's up?"

It took a moment for the hobbit to decipher her speech, but he did not seem eager to answer and so Buffy had to take the initiative again. "I know how you feel, you know," she began, "You've probably no idea why you deserved to have this burden dropped into your lap; you're thinking you're crazy for actually agreeing to do it in the first place; you're scared of what the Ring is; you probably think that there's no way in Arda you can actually do this; and to top it all off, you've probably got this sinking feeling that you're in way over your head. Am I close?"

Frodo looked at her, startled, "How did you ---? How do you know ---?" he said in absolute puzzlement.

"How do I know what you're feeling?" Buffy answered for him, "Let's just say that when I was fifteen, a calling to be a warrior landed in my lap. I was young, naïve, knew nothing about the dark things of the world. And suddenly, here was this guy, telling me that it was my responsibility to kill all these monsters, that I was the only one who could. The worst thing was the whole chasing death thing. People with my calling didn't live longer than a few years. And it was hard; having to fight everyday, always having to hide what I was, always having to risk death to stop what others didn't even know about, and then I lost everything because of it, - friends, family, my very life. I know hell because I've been there, Frodo Baggins. I've seen pure evil, and I've seen things that I had no hope of beating. I know what you're going through because I lived it, - I'm still living it. And I know that if you keep it bottled up, it's not gonna work. It'll come out sometime, usually the worst time possible."

While Frodo didn't understand this woman's background, he saw her sincerity in what she was saying, and decided to risk trusting her, "I don't know if I can do this; the Ring is so heavy, and the risk so great. If I were to fail, what then?"

"But you don't have a choice," Buffy said gently, "Oftentimes those who have to fight, never get a choice in anything. But if you go in there thinking you're going to fail, you will. You have to believe that you'll do it, that you'll destroy it, or else there's no point going on."

"In my heart, I know that." Frodo said, "But the Ring, it calls to me. And this land, it does not help. There are… echoes of something, I do not know what. I think the Ring was made here or something."

Buffy shot him a sideways glance, appraising the halfling, "The Ring was made in Mount Doom, in Mordor. But you are right, the other Rings of Power were all made here, and there was a great war here long ago."

"These were Elven lands then," Frodo spoke up, remembering some of the history that Bilbo had imparted to him, "That's why the land still remembers them, it mourns them."

Buffy shivered at his accurate words, and agreed, "There was a great battle, a slaughter, here long ago. A battle between the armies of Sauron and the Elves of Eregion. They laid waste to the Elven realm, and now it has faded into dust. But their blood still stains the ground. This land is cursed. And shall remain so until the folly that was their doom is destroyed. The land recognises its bane."

"Then that is why my sleep is so much more plagued here?" Frodo asked.

"Yes," the slayer replied, "These lands will make anyone's heart heavy, but for you, I think you'll be glad when we're outta here.

Frodo watched his kin for a moment, and then he nudged Buffy, "Watch these two." he said nodding towards Merry and Pippin.

"Are they gonna do something?" Buffy asked, "Because I really haven't been treated to such brutal swordplay in years. I tend to be a critic that way."

She watched Boromir laugh as he thought the hobbits, and laughed herself when he accidentally hit Pippin. "Ahhh!" the young hobbit cried, dancing from foot to foot and glaring at Boromir.

The man of Gondor had to stifle laughter in order to look properly contrite, "Sorry!" he gasped out.

Pippin looked affronted, and after sharing a telling look with Merry, cried, "Get him!" and kicking Boromir in the shin, he tackled the warrior.

His friend happily pitched in to the hilarious scene, calling his own battle cry as Boromir tried to fight them off without hurting them, "Arr, ow... For the Shire!"

"Hold him! Hold him down, Merry!" Pippin cried, tickling Boromir into fits of laughter.

Merry squealed as Pippin accidentally grabbed his friend, "You've got my arm! You've got my arm! Let go, Pippin!"

Frodo was laughing and Buffy was in hysterics, while even Aragorn looked like he'd choked on pipe smoke as he took in the scene.

But alas the merriment was not to continue, and as the two youngest hobbits continued to wrestle with Boromir, Legolas's eyes were drawn to a shadow in the sky.

----------

Even as Legolas moved to get a better view, Buffy froze as warning skitters raced up her spine. It did not take long for their unease to spread to the others.

"What is that?" Sam asked, looking up from the business of cooking 'tators' and meat stew, and seeing Legolas on a high perched boulder in front of him. "Master Legolas, what is it?"

Gimli gave the cloud like thing a scathing glance, and decided that if Legolas was concerned about it, then it was not worth his while, "Nothing." the Dwarf scoffed, "It is just a wisp of cloud."

Boromir, having managed to get a hobbit pinned under each arm, loosened his hold to look at the sky, and as his eyes widened, he released Merry and Pippin, and moved closer to Buffy's position. "It's moving fast. Against the wind."

Buffy didn't hesitate to agree with him, "He's right. They're some little critters of Sauron's. I can feel it."

Legolas at last recognised this phenomenon for what it was, "Crebain from Dunland!" he cried, leaping down off the rock.

Aragorn immediately let out a bellow, "HIDE!" he cried.

Boromir scooped up Merry and Pippin and dragged them under an overhanging bush, encasing them in its folds, while Aragorn grabbed Frodo as the others scattered, grabbing their things to hide as they did so. "Frodo! Hurry! Take cover!" Aragorn cried, pulling him with him.

Buffy helped Sam put out the fire, and watched as the hobbit carefully took his frying pan with him as he dove for cover. Grabbing her own cloak from the ground, Buffy crawled in beside Boromir and the hobbits, waiting with bated breath for the Crebain to come.

The birds swept through the rocky area, screeching madly and searching so thoroughly as if they knew that they were there. Buffy, carefully pulled out her compact crossbow from her pack, and took aim, in case any of the birds found them. But after a few long minutes that seemed like an eternity, the birds gave up and taking flight to the higher skies once more, wheeled away back towards where they had come from.

After a few more minutes of waiting to ensure they would not come back, the Fellowship tumbled out of their hiding places, various bits of grass and bush clinging to them.

Buffy was grim, and she was not the only one. "We are so busted," she said, brushing leaves off of her clothes.

"Quite," Boromir agreed, helping Merry and Pippin out.

Aragorn and Gandalf shared a silent, searching look and then the wizard spoke heavily, "Spies of Saruman I am afraid," he said, "Then the passage south is being watched. We must take the pass of Caradhras."

Buffy was not oblivious to his dark tone as he said that. Gandalf didn't expect the snowy passes of the Mountains to be any safe haven for them either.

She could only hope they wouldn't have to seek a darker route.

------------

Near Caradhras, 3019 TA, January 10.

On the third morning since they entered Hollin, Caradhras rose before them, a mighty peak, tipped with snow like silver, but with sheer naked sides, dull red as if stained with blood.

Buffy was freezing, and a headache seemed to have settled in permanently thanks to the combined insult fest of Legolas and Gimli. It was starting to snow, and her cloak just didn't seem to be doing its job at keeping out the chill.

Beside her trudged Merry, and the cold seemed to have frozen even his mischief, an admirable task for anything to manage. But by Eru, she wished the Elf and Dwarf would stop with the sniping!

If it wasn't the subtle glaring or underhanded pranks, it was coldly hostile behaviour, and of course, the outright fighting and insulting that they liked so much.

And while Buffy has initially been amused, she was now fit to kill them.

"Stupid prancy Elf," Gimli grumbled under his breath, "Dancing about on top of the snow like a squirrel! Can they not do anything useful? Like throw themselves off a cliff?"

Of course Legolas heard though, "At least I do not sink like a rock, Master Dwarf, perhaps you are too much overweight to deal with snow."

Seeing Gimli's hand clench around his axe, Buffy decided to intervene before things escalated, "You guys, don't forget to breathe between insults!" she called, "You're supposed to play nice you two!"

"Be quiet Buffy!" Legolas snapped.

While at the same time, Gimli snarled at her, "This is between me and the Elf, lass! Keep out of it!"

Buffy's expression darkened, and now she was the one grumbling under her breath, "I swear, if those two don't kill each other, I might lend a hand."

"I do not think Gandalf would like that," Merry added helpfully.

Buffy just glared at the hobbit, why was she now getting hit from all sides? "Why me?" She muttered to no one in particular. "Don't you even dare answer that!" she snapped, when she saw the cheeky hobbit about to do just that.

But the hobbit was not done with her yet, and he began in the too innocent tone he was known for, "Buffy, why are you not married? Aragorn said you were over sixty years old!"

Buffy raised an eyebrow, her stance telling him exactly what she thought of that idea. "Did he now?" she said dangerously, "He'll have to die for that. Broadcasting a woman's age is never a good idea. But in answer to your question, believe me, I'm not that grown-up."

Merry was not finished though, "Why do you and Aragorn not get married?" he asked.

Buffy came to a very abrupt halt, and Merry's eyes lit up wickedly at getting a reaction, and just as he was about to say something even more scandalous, Buffy slapped a hand over his mouth, eliciting a high pitched squeal from the hobbit.

"Buffy!" Aragorn called, "Can you shut him up ere we are heard by all and sundry?"

"Not so far." Buffy replied dryly, "But don't worry, I will." Looking intently at the hobbit, the slayer pinned him under her gaze. "I don't care what your opinion of eavesdropping is, but if you ever repeat what you just said, I will follow through on my threat and put you on the most miserable diet you can't even imagine. Aragorn is engaged to the Lady Arwen. Remember that before I get mean! Got it?"

The hobbit nodded, and Buffy finally removed her hand, "Good, 'cos we're making camp, and if I know the others, this should be very entertaining."

-------

The base of Caradhras, 3019 TA, January 10.

As Buffy had predicted, almost immediately after setting up the camp, Aragorn and Gandalf disappeared into a secluded spot to argue.

"Winter deepens behind us," Gandalf said quietly to Aragorn, "The heights away north are whiter than they were; snow is lying far down their shoulders. Tonight we shall be on our way high up towards the Redhorn Gate. We may well be seen by watchers on that narrow path, and waylaid by some evil; but the weather may prove a more deadly enemy than any. What do you think of your course now, Aragorn?"

Buffy and Legolas clearly overheard their words and sighed as they realised that it was Moria vs. the Mountain round one billion.

"I think no good of out course from beginning to end, as you know well Gandalf," answered Aragorn, his eyes haunted as he remembered his and Buffy's ordeal in those cursed mines, "And perils known and unknown will grow as we go on. But we must go on; and it is no good delaying our passage of the mountains. Farther south there are no passes, till one comes to the Gap of Rohan. I do not trust that way since your news of Saruman. Who knows which side now the marshals of the Horse-lords serve?"

"Who knows indeed!" said Gandalf, just as tired of this argument as the ranger was, "But there is another way, and not by the pass of Caradhras; the dark and secret way that we have spoken of."

"But let us not speak of it again! Not yet! Say nothing to the others, I beg, not until it is plain there is no other way." Aragorn pleaded, "The memories are too dark."

"We must decide before we go further," Gandalf warned. "You know this Aragorn."

"Then let us weigh the matter in our minds, while the others rest and sleep." Aragorn said, "Because I will not dare enter the Mines of Moria until all other options have been exhausted."

Gandalf backed off after that, and after a long while of quiet thinking, the ranger went to Buffy, and sat down beside her. "Gandalf talks of risking Moria," he said without preamble.

Buffy was not overly surprised, "Well, since we're already going to the biggest hell-hole in the world, why not visit the number two top demon destination while we're at it?" she said sarcastically.

"I fear what we may find there." Aragorn said quietly.

"I fear what I already know is there," Buffy replied, "But it's not as if we have a great choice, Aragorn, we are sworn to go with the ringbearer."

He sighed heavily, "I know, but I feel it will be Gandalf's doom if he enters those accursed mines."

"It may prove to be all our dooms," Buffy said, "Demons like the dark places of the world and without doubt, Moria is definitely the black pit of its name." the slayer spotted the wizard looking around for the ranger and nudged him, "Gandalf is looking for you, go!" she said, and watched as the wizard and ranger once more entered into heavy debate.

'Twas late afternoon when Gandalf approached the fellowship with the decision on their route. It was to be the pass of Caradhras and Gandalf was insistent that they make for it with all speed. "From signs that have been seen lately," Gandalf said, "I fear that the Redhorn gate may be watched; and also I have doubts of the weather that is coming up behind. We must go with all the speed that we can. Even so it will take us more than two marches before we reach the top of the pass. Dark will come early this evening. We must leave as soon as you can get ready."

"I will add a word of advice, if I may," said Boromir, speaking up and looking at the hobbits with a worried expression, "I was born under the shadow of the White Mountains and know something of journeys in the high places. We shall meet bitter cold, if no worse, before we come down on the other side. It will not help us to keep our secret that we are frozen to death. When we leave here, where there are still few trees and bushes, each of us should carry a faggot of wood, as large as he can bear."

"Very well," said Gandalf, looking none too happy, "But we must not use the wood - not unless it is a choice between fire and death."

"And what about frostbite?" Buffy muttered sourly, not exactly fond of snow drifts up to her neck.

But if she really wanted to admit the truth to herself, she would have had to admit that it wasn't the cold form the snow that was chilling her to the core, but a sinking chill stemming from fear of what was happening.

Even the wind howled it to her ears, "From beneath you it devours…."

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A/N: Well? Feedback welcome and appreciated! Please READ and REVIEW!!!!

Next chapter: the fellowship are being hunted… wizards are at war… and they have their first real meeting with the servants of Sauron….Elvish:

Dagnir - slayer

Mellon nín - my friend

Meldiren - my friend

Adar - father

Pen dithen - little one

Elessar - Elf-stone

Istar - wizard

Andúril - Flame of the West

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Eregion - an Elven realm of the Second Age. Celebrimbor forged the Three Elven Rings here. Sauron laid waste to the city and its people, taking all the rings of power, and killing Celebrimbor and using his body as a banner.

Istari - the Maiar who were sent from Aman in the Third Age to resist Sauron. Sindarin: Ithryn.

Mithril - 'true-silver'. Also called 'Moria-silver'. It was the foundation of the wealth of the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm. It was worth ten times the price of gold, and is now considered priceless, because there has been no supply of it since the fall of the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm in 1980 TA.

Moria - 'The Black Chasm', later name for the great works of the Dwarves under the Misty Mountains. Called Khazad-dûm in Dwarvish.

The First - aka. The First Evil. Buffy's greatest enemy. Had no corporeal form but relied on mind games to terrorise its victims. Buffy was inadvertently responsible for its release into the world. The First was responsible for the deaths of countless potential slayers, and several attempts on Buffy's life.('·.¸('·.¸ ¸.·'´) ¸.·'´)
«´¨ Asha D ¨»
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