This is the last chapter concerning the Fellowship of the Ring.
Forgot to mention at the end of the last chapter that Erthad means union.
to-the-trees: You'll see how Aica begins to stand out in this chapter.
living-with-feels: Glad you like it. I'll try to write Aica's thoughts, but it is a little tricky.
TimeDWLord: Glad you like it. I'll do my best to update quickly.
Chapter 7
Legolas and Aica headed back upstream, their keen eyes searching the woods for both Boromir and Frodo. They were silent as they searched, both concentrating on finding the two, and Aica thinking about things that Legolas had said to her over the last few days. Legolas sighed. 'There's no sign of them. Come on Aica, we should head back.' Aica nodded and they began to head back to camp.
They arrived at camp moments after Gimli. 'Where are the hobbits?' Aica asked.
Gimli shrugged. 'They were gone when I got here laddie.'
Legolas was surprised at both Gimli's name for Aica, and the fact that Aica didn't seem to mind it. 'We should find them, they shouldn't be out there.' It was then that a screech reached the ears of the two elves. 'Did you…?'
'Yes, I did.' Aica replied quickly, before taking off into the woods, Legolas and Gimli on her heels.
The trio raced through the trees, heading uphill. Suddenly something slammed into Aica, sending her tumbling to the ground. Legolas immediately released an arrow into the Uruk, killing it. He pulled Aica to her feet. 'Thank you.' She said, looking up at him.
'That's okay.' Their eyes locked for a moment, before another screech met their ears and they took off again, towards the source of the noise.
On the brow of the hill they found ruins, and Aragorn fighting a host of Uruk-Hai. The three threw themselves into the battle, Legolas with his bow, Gimli with his axes and Aica with the knives Galadriel had given her. It didn't matter how many the four killed, the Uruk-Hai just seemed to keep coming. 'Where are the hobbits?' Aragorn yelled over the battle.
'Gone.' Legolas replied.
Aica tossed a dagger into an Uruk sneaking up behind Gimli, before spinning on the balls of her feet and driving her knives into another. Legolas dodged around the weapon of one, stabbing it with an arrow, before releasing the same arrow into another Uruk.
Then three long blasts of a horn were heard, causing all on the battlefield to pause. 'The Horn of Gondor!' Legolas said.
'Boromir!' Aragorn confirmed.
'Go, we'll hold them off here.' Aica added, before the man took off, and the two elves and the dwarf returned to the fight.
Aica switched from her knives to her bow and one knife, allowing her to pick off Uruks from a distance and up close. The Horn of Gondor sounded once again. 'Aica!' Legolas called to her. 'Go find, help Aragorn, and be careful.'
'You too.' Aica called back, before taking off into the trees.
Aica raced through the trees, following Aragorn's path, heading downhill. In a clearing she found him fighting the Uruk chieftain. She paused for a moment. It was then that she spotted Boromir laying at the edge of the clearing, three arrows embedded in his body. She raced to his side and knelt by his shoulder. 'Aica!' he gasped out.
'No! Don't speak, it'll be alright.'
Boromir gripped one of her hands. 'Listen to me.' Aica looked up into his face. 'I'm, I'm sorry. You were stronger than I ever imagined, to do what you have done.' Aica looked at him, first with confusion and then realisation. 'The Ring spoke to me.' Boromir continued. 'It told me what you really were. But you're so much better than that. I was the evil presence in the Fellowship.'
'That's not true!'
'It was. Be strong Aica, Frodo needs you.'
There was a yell as Aragorn finished off the Uruk leader. Aica gave Boromir's hand one last squeeze and stepped back to let him have a moment with Aragorn.
Then she acknowledged what Boromir had said, and took off, back towards camp.
On the beach she found Frodo staring out over the water. 'I'm coming with you.' She said, causing him to jump.
'I have to go on alone.' He insisted.
'I know the way into Mordor.' Aica replied. 'Besides the Ring holds nothing for me. I'm the only one it won't influence. Let me come with you.'
Frodo looked into the elf's face, and all he saw was honesty. 'I guess I will need a protector.' Aica gave him a small smile, her first true, honest one in her life. 'Come on, before the others get here.'
The pair pushed one of the boats out onto the lake, Frodo jumping in, then Aica. Each of them picked up an oar and began to row.
Just then Sam burst out of the trees. 'Frodo, no! Frodo! Mr Frodo! Miss Aica!'
'No, Sam.' Frodo said. Sam was determined and ran into the river after the boat. Frodo looked back. 'Go back, Sam! We're going to Mordor alone.'
'Of course you are, and I'm coming with you.' Sam began to swim.
'You can't swim!' Frodo yelled back. Sam struggled in the water for a moment, before sinking below the surface. 'Sam!'
Aica grabbed the back of Frodo's cloak as he plunged his arm into the lake and hoisted Sam onto the boat. 'I made a promise, Mr Frodo. A promise! "Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee." And I don't mean to! I don't mean to.'
'Oh Sam!' Frodo pulled Sam into a tight hug. 'Come on.'
As they journeyed across the lake Sam questioned Aica on why she was joining them. She gave him the same reason that she had given Frodo. She only glanced back once when they reached the opposite bank. She could see Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli emerge from the trees onto the beach. She sighed sadly, before following Frodo and Sam into the woods. 'You can still change your mind.' Frodo said to her, seeing the sad expression on her face.
'No.' Aica replied, determinedly. 'I vowed to see this quest through, and that is what I shall do.' Frodo nodded to her as they continued on.
Legolas looked at the woods where Aica had just disappeared into. He did not want to be parted from her, not now when she was just beginning to open up. Not when he felt that they were going somewhere. All he could do now was hope that one day they would meet again, perhaps then he would tell her how he felt.
Frodo, Sam and Aica emerged from the trees and climbed a rocky hillside. Beyond them Middle Earth stretched away to the dark skies of Mordor, far in the distance. 'Mordor. I hope the others find a safer route.' Frodo said, glancing first at his best friend, then at the elf.
'Strider will look after them.' Sam reassured.
'I don't suppose we'll ever see them again.' Frodo said sadly. Aica looked at him sadly.
'We may yet, Mr Frodo. We may.' Sam once again was the voice of comfort.
'Sam, I'm glad you're with me.' Frodo smiled at the other hobbit, before looking up at Aica. 'You too Aica.'
Aica nodded at him, as they began their journey down the hill. Aica pondering Frodo's words. She wanted to see the others again. She knew they would never see Boromir again, the hobbits did not need to know this yet. But after Lothlórien she had begun to feel a connection to Legolas. She wanted to see him again, no matter the outcome of this quest. She took one last look at the way they had come from, before steeling herself and following the hobbits down the hill.
Aica sat on watch that night as the hobbits slept soundly. Tears tracked their way down her cheeks. She had never cried in her life before, but she had changed so much since she arrived in Rivendell. She had found friends, had learnt how to smile, laugh and cry, what it meant to lose people, how to trust. The Fellowship had become like family to her. The thought of never seeing some of them again saddened her greatly. 'Aica?' she looked up at the sound of Frodo's gentle voice. The young hobbit sat down next to her. 'Why do you cry?'
'I will miss the others greatly.' She confessed. 'Before the Fellowship I had never had any friends and now it seems that I am losing more every day.'
'I don't wish to intrude, but why did you never have any friends? And how have you changed so much since we first met?'
Aica took a deep breath. 'I guess you deserve to know. I'm not who you probably believe me to be. I'm not an ordinary elf. The reasons I arrived in Rivendell were not at all good or right.'
'What do you mean?'
'I was sent by my master to assassinate Lord Elrond.' Frodo stared at the elf in shock. 'Obviously I failed. Gandalf stopped me. He and Lord Elrond knew exactly who I was, and they knew that I would be able to help. I guess they anticipated that this could happen.'
'Who, who are you?' Frodo stammered out.
Aica looked at him, tears in her eyes. 'I truly hope you won't hate me. I used to serve Sauron, but I no longer do. I changed thanks to the Ring. The only influence it has over me is to open my heart and soul. I will never go back to the life I used to lead. My only wish for after this quest is to find somewhere where I will be accepted.'
Frodo sighed. 'I could never hate you Aica, I only wish I had known sooner.' With that he rose and went back to his sleeping mat.
The following morning the trio continued on their journey. Frodo took several glances at Aica, she knew that he would probably keep a closer eye on her. He hadn't yet told Sam, he wanted that to be at her discretion. Aica, however, did not feel ready to tell Sam about her history, and so she kept silent, speaking only when spoken too, watching their surroundings closely, ready for the worst case scenario. She could also sense that they were being followed. Frodo had admitted to her that he knew the creature Gollum was after the Ring, and that it was likely that he was following them. Aica knew that if this was true then Gollum could make his move at any time.
So Aica's finally told someone about her past! Please review.
