To Become a Ranger
Chapter 13
Through The Pass
The Fellowship stood in the courtyard in front of the great house giving their farewells to those they had befriended during their stay.
The Twins had sought out Alyssa before she had gotten changed and pranked her as a farewell gift which was a pail of ice water above her door, she got them back buy sticking a nest of salamanders in each of their beds which they still hadn't found yet. She smirked at the thought of it but hid it quickly just incase they saw it.
"What is that I see you smirking about?" asked a teasing voice behind her.
"Oh, nothing concerning you brothers of coarse." She said turning to see a smiling yet wary Aragorn. "You didn't sleep did you?" She stated giving him a stern glare.
He sighed, "I was up all night pouring over maps and books with Gandalf plotting the best course."
Alyssa only hmmed in response, once again looking around the court yard hoping to see a certain face.
"She's off to your right partially in the bushes." He said smiling slightly. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about why she refuses to leave wouldn't you?"
"I gave her something that would help her choose, but I did not tell her out right that she had to go." Aragorn gave her a look that clearly stated he wasn't pleased. "I can not Change her heart Aragorn, the choice is hers and hers alone. Now I must speak with her so excuse me."
Alyssa turned and strode purposefully towards Arwen.
"I saw you and Aragorn fighting. I'm sorry." Said Arwen when they where more concealed.
"It was only a disagreement. He was just doing what every big brother should be doing, protecting his sister."
"I'll have you know that I am quite a bit older than him thank you very much." said Arwen jokingly.
"I know." said Alyssa smiling. "How did the twins take to your decision?"
"They told father and me that they stood by what ever choice that I made but that they would miss me if I decided to choose a mortal life."
"Does your father know of the necklace?" Alyssa asked.
"Yes and he doesn't like it but accepts it. Gandalf just thinks it's the most ingenious thing he has ever seen he said that you must have had an Istari in your blood line."
Alyssa snorted, "I highly doubt it."
Arwen just smiled before taking Alyssa's hand and putting something in her hand. Alyssa opens her hand and finds the Evenstar pendant in her hand.
"You cannot give me this!" breathed Alyssa.
"It is mine to give to whom I will, like your own necklace was for you to give to whom you will." said Arwen. "I choose a mortal life."
"But what if…" started Alyssa.
"If you do not make it I will still be accepted in to the grey havens." finished Arwen.
Alyssa nodded and clasped the pendant around her neck.
"Let it give you hope in the darkest of times." Stated Arwen, she stepped back and away from Alyssa. "Farewell Alyssa Howald, Traveler from a distant land, my Sister."
Alyssa bowed lowly in return before walking away deep in thought.
At that moment Elrond came out with Gandalf, and he called the Company to him. "This is my last word," he said in a low voice. "The Ring bearer in setting out on the Quest to mount doom. On him alone is any charge laid: neither to cast away the ring nor to deliver it to any servant of the enemy nor indeed to let any handle it, save members of the Company and the Council, and only then in the gravest need. The others go with him as free companions to help him on his way. You may tarry, or come back or turn aside your own paths as the chance allows. The further you go the less chance you have of ever turning back; yet neither oath nor bond is laid on you than to go further than you will. For you do not yet know the strength of your own hearts, and you can not foresee what each may meet upon the road." Lord Elrond then gave them a rare grim smile "Fare thee well, and may the blessings of Elves, Men and all other free folk go with you. May the stars shine upon you." At this he looked specifically at Aragorn and Alyssa, as if giving them a silent plea that they would come back safe and alive even if it forsakes his daughter.
Alyssa gave him and small nod and saw that Aragorn did the same.
Gandalf then calls out, "The Fellowship awaits the Ring bearer."
Frodo looks about himself before turning uncertainly towards the path that twisted and turned in both directions.
"Mordor Gandalf is it left or right?" he whispered.
Gandalf smiled quietly to himself, "left." He whispered back.
Frodo nodded and turned that way, the rest of the Company following suit.
Alyssa was last to leave throwing a solemn Arwen a quick grin and a mischievous wink at the twins before heading out with Aragorn.
He leaned over; "I know you did something to the twins, what is it?"
"Oh, they've only got a few hundred salamanders in their beds, not much you know."
Aragorn just grinned broadly, his step a bit lighter than she had seen in him these last few days, Alyssa just hoped it would stay that way for the next few days but she doubted it.
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The Fellowship departed from Rivendale just as the sun's rays leave the valley. They traveled through the woods, over open plains and hillsides until they pause one day on a hill in the wild near no civilization or animal at all.Alyssa walked up to Gandalf who was resting on a rock smoking his pipe.
"We must hold this course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds, the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there our road turns east to Mordor." He told her out of the blue.
"It is what I expected; this will not be a short journey." stated Alyssa quietly.
"No not at all, and I don't believe the hobbits have realized it yet." He said looking over pointedly at Sam and Frodo who were cooking sausages over a small campfire.
"Hmm." grunted Alyssa.
Gandalf then pushed her gently. "Go on, go bother young Aragorn, for that is where you keep on looking and stop bothering your self with the troubles of old wizards like my self for it will only give you a head ach, I know it does I."
Alyssa rolled her eyes, but got up and joined Aragorn on a rock who was watching Merry and Pippin getting a sword lesson from Boromir.
"One, two, three, four. Good. Very good." Boromir chanted trying to give the two hobbits some sort of tempo instead of just hacking away at him.
"Move your feet." called out Aragorn.
"You look good, Pip." Said Merry while trying to get a hack at Boromir how merely steps out of the way.
"Thanks!"
"Faster!" cried Boromir speeding up the tempo.
Alyssa turned and watched as Gimli approached Gandalf. She didn't know him half as well as she would have liked to but from the fives days spent already away from Rivendale she had discovered that he was quite loud and obnoxious though not as persistent as the hobbits.
"If 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."
Aragorn herd this too and turned to look at her in question. She shook her head her eyes wide. Moria was not a place she wanted to be especially at this time when the shadow or Mordor had already reached out this far.
Gandalf took the pipe he was smoking from his mouth. Faint surprise registered in the old wizard's eyes. "No Gimli, I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice."
"Ahh!" Alyssa and Aragorn jumped around to find Pippin holding his thumb tightly.
"Sorry!" said Boromir sincerely dropping his own sword before rushing to see what damage he had done.
Luckily in Alyssa's opinion the damage was nothing but damaged prides. Men.
She laughed as Pippin kicked Boromir in the shin.
"Get him!" yelled Merry.
"Ahh!" cried Boromir as he was tackled to the ground in a mock battle all three of them laughing while the two hobbits made as much noise as possible.
"For the Shire! Hold him! Hold him down! Merry!" yelled Pippin in a battle cry.
Aragorn got up intending to break it up. "That's enough gentlemen." Instead his feet were taken out from under him making him land hard on his back."
"Ohh!" said Alyssa clapping and laughing at his expense.
"Ah, he's got me arm… He's got me arm!"
"What's that?" Alyssa herd Sam call over the din. She turned to look where he was pointing to only see a big dark cloud coming there way. Legolas eyes where fixed on it intently.
The noise then turned to nothing but a crackling of the fire as every one calmed down to watch.
"Nothing, it's just a whiff of cloud." stated Gimli waving it off.
Boromir got up from the ground, a hand on either Hobbit's shoulders. "It's moving fast…against the wind."
"Crebain from Dunland!" cried out Legolas.
"Fuck." swore Alyssa.
"Hide!" hollered out Aragorn.
Everyone grabbed there stuff and sprinted for cover while Sam and Frodo poured water over the fire and covering it up with a blanket before also running for cover. They had just made it when the birds swooped in.
Alyssa and Aragorn where squished under a rock facing each other, Alyssa's back towards the outside. They all held their breath as the birds swooped around the rocks they had stopped at before turning back the way they had come.
Once all was silent did the fellowship come out of there hiding places.
"Spies of Saruman! The passage south is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras." Called out Gandalf from where he stood beside Frodo. He pointed towards the east at the tallest mountain only a few leagues away.
Alyssa caught Aragorn's eye as the started walking again. "I don't like the feel of this." She said to him quietly so that no other heard them.
"Nor do I, but if that is the way Gandalf wants to go then we will go."
Alyssa sighed as he walked faster to catch up to Gandalf. "But its too predictable." She said aloud to no one yet she still trudged on to wards the Great Misty Mountains.
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Six cold days later the company where finally walking up and around and threw the pass of Caradhras, there feet all but frozen as there was at least a foot of snow on the ground. The pass may not be closed, yet, but it was highly recommended that no one should walk it during the winter months.
Suddenly Frodo cried out into the silence as he had slipped on a piece of ice and was now rolling down the slope towards Aragorn who caught the frightened Hobbit and helped him to his feet.
Frodo then started to search for something franticly. It was the Ring and it was missing. He looked up and saw the gold little trinket sitting innocently in the snow glittering brightly in the midmorning sun.
Boromir saw it and picked it up looking at it in aw and in sadness.
"Boromir..." Aragorn said quietly a warning in his voice.
"It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt…over so small a thing. Such a little thing." Boromir said in wonder oblivious to Aragorn and the rest of the fellowship who was all either staring or in Sam's case glaring at Boromir.
Alyssa was the only one not looking at the ring; as time went on while they where on their journey Frodo had only brought it out a few times, but in those few time she had found that if she looked at it her eyes would burn and be red and watery the rest of the day. She didn't even want to know what would happen if she touched it. Alyssa shuddered at the thought before pushing them out of her mind and focusing at the problem at hand.
"Boromir!" Said Aragorn sharply and loudly knocking Boromir out of his little daze. He put his hand down form when he was about to touch the ring and looked up at Aragorn who had his hand on his sword.
"Give the ring to Frodo." Aragorn stated his hand still clutching the sword tightly.
'So,' thought Alyssa. 'He doesn't trust Boromir as far as he could throw him.' Alyssa snorted to her self, 'nor do I.'
Boromir nodded to him self and walked down the slope towards Frodo and the future king. "As you wish." he stated before depositing the ring into Frodo's outstretched palm.
Frodo didn't waist any time and quickly clasped the chain around his neck and shoving it down his shirt.
Boromir snorted and jokingly tousled Frodo's hair before turning to resume his climbing. Frodo looks on suspiciously while Aragorn released his grip from his sword.
Alyssa nodded at Aragorn before she too started climbing and quickly catching up to Gandalf who was eyeing Boromir warily.
She took his arm and started trudging up the mountain with him.
"Boromir worries me." Said Gandalf roughly once they where out of earshot.
"I will keep an eye on him." She stated.
Gandalf chuckled, "You already are my dear girl, unless you intend to keep both eyes on him I'm afraid he's going to notice."
"So." Alyssa grumbled.
"Don't he is not that much of a worry to me; I feel that he can be trusted just not with that." He said chuckling a bit more. "If anything I feel its you that worries me."
Alyssa just raised an eyebrow at him.
"Your reaction to the ring is the polar opposite to Boromirs if not worse."
Alyssa sighed. "I know." She said softly.
"I fear Alyssa that we might have to part ways if it gets any worse." He said sadly.
Alyssa looked at the ground and nodded. "Its like its trying to kill me, I fear what will happen if it touches me." She looked up and blinked back a few tears. "I will part once we reach the falls of Rauros as that is where I assume we are heading?"
"Yes, I intend to stop at Lothloiren the enchanted city of elves before taking the river by boat to the falls and then make our way to Mordor from there."
Alyssa looked at the old man quizzily. "You intend?"
Gandalf smiled sadly at her. "Do not bother your self with an old mans troubles, just know that it is the path I have chosen."
Alyssa stopped in her tracks and looked at him. He just smiled sadly at her before he turned and continued to trudge up the mountain alone. Like most of his life, he had been always alone; she realized. Alyssa then thought over his last sentence, was there a hidden meaning behind it. She furrowed her eyebrows in thought. Just then she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped grabbing the unidentified hand and spinned around.
"My you're a jumpy one." It was Boromir, he had caught up to her
"What did you expect?" She shot at him.
He shrugged before turning and headed up the mountain.
Alyssa could have hit her self. So much for keeping both eyes on him.
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Over Isengard there is a veiling shadow, smoke rises from the great fiery crevasses in the ground; it is a barren land, evil lies there, so thick that you can small it, taste it and breathe it.
The Crebain from Dunland, spies of Saruman corrupted and evil fly down through a maze of underground workings, past Orcs laboring and fires burning. They circle around, cawing squabbling. Saruman the once white wizard stands by, hearing the news they have to tell him.
"So, Gandalf, you try to lead them over Caradhras. And if that fails, where then will you go?" He said in his deep powerful and persuasive voice. "If the mountain defeats you, will you risk a more dangerous road?"
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Gandalf drove his staff into the deep snow, forging a way through the growing blizzard leading the fellowship around a narrow ledge on the pass.
Alyssa shivered as they made there way through the high snow banks blocking there way, she hadn't been this cold in her life and it was catching up to her. She looked at Pippin who was shivering in her arms, he had no boots or gloves and had only a light winter cloak protecting him from the snow, she wanted to give him her extra cloak she had brought with her but one it would get wet and two she would need it for tonight if they where to be camping in this, she resolved to her self that she would share her bed role with the hobbit to night to give him some extra warmth. She looked up at Legolas as he lightly sprinted past her to get ahead of the group, his step was light and he moved with ease across the top of the snow, staring into the blinding storm. Just as he stopped she heard a cruel voice on the wind.
"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya! (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your horn be bloodstained!)" It chanted cruelly.
Alyssa couldn't really make out what it was saying just that it held no kindness for them and that they should probably get off the mountain. Now, in her opinion.
"There is a fell voice on the air!" cried out Legolas, trying to be heard above the howling wind.
"It's Saruman!" Cried out Gandalf.
With a rending echo, a horde of rock slabs and boulders suddenly fell from the mountain's arms right about the company. The Fellowship shoved them selves flat against the sheer cliff wall to avoid the onslaught of snow and stone.
Aragorn yelled through the storm, "He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must go back!"
"No!" cried Gandalf and with determination against all odds, Gandalf stepped out onto the ledge, rising on the snow, chanting out a counter command to Caradhras. The old wizard's voice bellowed into the air, attempting to calm the rage of the mountain.
"Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith! (Sleep, Caradhras, be still, hold your wrath!)"
The wizard's voice was drowned out by a more terrible cry in the maelstrom. Saruman stood out on the Pinnacle of Orthanc and continued to command Caradhras, eliciting the mountain's anger. Away above him where he stood, a great black cloud towered over Redhorn.
"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; Nai yarvaxea rasselya; taltuva notto-carinnar! (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!)" Saruman cried.
Lightning struck the tip of Caradhras, sending a second avalanche of sheer white ice onto the Fellowship below. As the storm of snow falls, Gandalf continues to command the mountain.
"Gandalf!" Cried Alyssa, she barely saw Legolas snatch Gandalf from the edge, pulling him against the cliff just before the avalanche hit them head on.
Alyssa was buried completely. She could hear Pippin struggling to breath beside her who she had never let go of and pushed him up until she was sure his head was above the snow before pulling her self up. She shivered, she defiantly had snow down her back and it was really, really cold. She turned and looked for Sam and Bill the horse who had just been behind her. When she didn't see them she franticly for them knowing that you could easily suffocate, god knows how many people had suffocated in the Atlantic Provinces from an avalanche much smaller than the one that had just hit them.
Alyssa quickly found Sams shirt and yanked him up spluttering. She then with the help of Sam dug up Bill who had faired a bit better then anyone else being at the end of the line.
"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" cried Boromir.
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" yelled Aragorn shooting down that idea immediately.
"If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria." said Gimli Gruffly his beard white with snow.
Alyssa looked to Gandalf and saw the shadow of fear and doubt in his eyes. She to somehow feared to go into the place, she didn't know why as it had been so long since she had read the book back home but her gut was saying not to go there and to chance the Gap of Rohan.
"Let the Ring bearer decide." Gandalf finally said.
Boromir shouts through the snowstorm, holding Merry to him who looked cold and extremely pale. "We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the Hobbits!"
"Frodo." said Gandalf expectantly at the hobbit in Aragorn's arms.
"We will go through the mines." Frodo said through his chattering teeth.
"So be it." Stated Gandalf who turned around and started yet again forging a path back down the mountain who after a while started to calm back down making them have an uneventful night of trudging back down the slope stopping only once for a few hours of rest; Making there way slowly to the Great Mines of Moria.
AN: Well there's chapter 13, I'm quite proud of it actually the suspense is just building isn't it and I even brought Saruman into it this time. Alyssa can't remember the book, Oh my!
Well I hope you all enjoy it!
Tootles, Lyssa
Please Review!