I know it's been a while since I last updated, and I wasn't going to do this soon, but I recently read an amazing fanfiction (Princess Diaries by CompanionWanderer if anyone is interested) that made me want to try another chapter. Maybe I'll write more frequently from now on. Maybe.

I don't own Lord of the Rings. I only own Edleneth.

Edleneth had decided that, at the moment, the most straightforward way to get to Mordor was to reach Osgiliath and go from there. Her main concern was how she would get into Mordor when she reached the border, and once inside, how she would sneak her way through to Mount Doom. She wished Mithrandir were there to guide her, but she knew there was little use dwelling on what she wanted, for if she thought too much on that, her resolve would fail. Edleneth certainly didn't want to throw herself into Mount Doom, but she had to. It was the only way.

Elrohir and Elladan had been walking behind Edleneth. One brother would occasionally murmur something to the other, but Edleneth couldn't decipher what was said, and guessed that was how they wanted it. She again wished she could confide in them, but Gandalf had told her to keep it a secret. It had been his last advice to her, and since he could help her no longer, she would do as he had advised. Perhaps it was foolishness, as many things had happened since then, but Mithrandir had been the wisest being that Edleneth had known, and she trusted that he had known what he was doing.

Edleneth, Elladan, and Elrohir walked for most of the day and reached the North-South Road by nightfall. As they set up their camp, Edleneth thought about the distance between their location and their destination and lamented that they couldn't make the journey faster by riding horses. The sooner she got to Mordor and threw herself into Mount Doom, the sooner the evil inside her would be destroyed.

Edleneth took a deep breath and pushed away her thoughts. "We'll take turns keeping watch," she announced to Elrohir and Elladan. "I will go first. Which one of you will go second?"

Elrohir raised his arm. "I will."

"Which means I will go last," Elladan said before Edleneth could mention it. "When do you want to head out?"

"As soon as there is light," Edleneth replied. "I can't waste any time."

The elves passed around a loaf of lembas bread, each taking a bite, before Elrohir and Elladan settled down to rest. Edleneth leaned against a tree. As she waited for her watch to finish, she took stock of her weapons. She had a good amount of arrows, but not nearly enough to shoot down the hoards of orcs that dwelled in Mordor. One of her daggers was missing, but her new orc scimitar made up for its loss and that of her sword. She worked on sharpening the remaining dagger and the scimitar so they would be ready at any moment. Once that was done, she carefully put them back in their places and watched the area surrounding them. For a brief moment she considered silently sneaking off and leaving her friends behind, but she didn't want to leave them unguarded, and she decided that the best way to reestablish some of the trust between them that she had destroyed was to stay true to her word and keep watch.

This proved to be a good choice, because when her watch ended and Edleneth woke Elrohir for his turn, he smiled at her. "You didn't leave us," he stated proudly, "Maybe someday you'll tell us where we're going." He stood up and stretched.

Edleneth scoffed. "Unlikely." She sat on the ground and adjusted her pack so it could be a pillow. "I'll see you in the morning." She smiled up at him before lying down and closing her eyes.

"Good night, Edleneth," Elrohir whispered as she fell asleep.

Edleneth stood in an open field. Wind buffeted her on all sides and she had difficulty keeping her balance. In the distance, she saw nine ominous black shapes moving towards her. Startled, she turned around, only to see a large white hand reaching towards her. Edleneth turned to the left and ran, knowing she couldn't outrun either the riders or the hand. She noticed a large circle of orange ahead of her, and took comfort in it, feeling that the rising sun would somehow protect her. As she drew closer, however, she stopped in her tracks. The orange circle was not the sunrise, as she had thought: it was the Eye of Sauron, freezing her to the spot.

"I see you." A hollow rasping voice swarmed her.

Edleneth whirled around and ran as fast as she could, but there was no escaping the eye. The riders and the hand were closing in on her on both sides, and from all around she heard the black words:

Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!

Edleneth fell to the ground and writhed in pain. Her pursuers reached her and she felt herself decay into dust at the touch of their hands.

"Edleneth!" Hands shook her shoulders. "Edleneth!"

Edleneth drew her dagger and held it at her captor's throat.

"Edleneth, calm down!" A voice shouted at her.

Edleneth's eyes focused and she recognized Elladan. He was firmly grasping her shoulders, and although his face was calm, his eyes showed hints of fear and pain. Gasping, she quickly pulled her dagger and settled it back in its sheath. Elladan let go of her and eyed her suspiciously.

Elrohir sat up at the commotion. "Is everything alright?" he asked.

Elladan glanced at Edleneth. "I don't know," he replied, "You'll have to ask Edleneth."

"Everything is fine," Edleneth told Elrohir, "I just had a nightmare." Elrohir and Elladan exchanged a look, and she sighed. "Well, since we're all up," she announced as she stood, "Let's continue on our way."

Review maybe? It would make my day.