AUTHOR'S NOTE A lot of people have commented on how maybe one would not be able to see Coruscant from a planet in the Outer Rim, but I figure that it would be faint, but still visible. Hope you enjoy this chapter – it's really the only traveling chapter. I tried to limit those as much as possible.

Also, I have a theory that if Thranduil had sent his best swordsmen and archers to the Battle of Five Armies in The Hobbit, Legolas would have been included in that group. That's why I mention him as being part of the battle by the Lonely Mountain.

I've decided that since Lauren kind of helped me come up with some of the ideas for this story, that from now on, I'm dedicating it to her. So here you go, Lauren!

DISCLAIMER I don't own anyone who has shown up in this story so far.

Any fears Obi-Wan had about the kiss making the journey awkward were unfounded, as he was happy to find out. The Ranger and the Jedi were completely comfortable with each other, though as they drew closer to what Aragorn called the Gap of Rohan, a dark feeling crept ever nearer.

On their fifth day of travel, as they set up camp for the night, Obi-Wan looked at Aragorn in all seriousness. "We should not take this road," he said.

Aragorn frowned. "I don't understand."

"The Gap of Rohan. We should find another way."

Aragorn sighed and shook his head. "The other paths are far too difficult."

"But there are other ways?" Obi-Wan pressed.

"Well, the way through Moria has been rumored to be reopened."

The name sent a sudden chill through Obi-Wan and he shook his head. "No. Others?"

"I suppose we could take the Pass of Caradhras," Aragorn said. "I have taken it many times. But if you are not used to our terrain, it will be a very difficult journey for you."

Obi-Wan thought of the dusty, spiky landscape of Geonosis and the pelting rain on Kamino. "I'll manage," he said grimly.

Aragorn finished building the fire and sat back. "Hyarion, the Pass of Caradhras is very dangerous. The Gap of Rohan – "

"No!" Obi-Wan said sharply. "We must not go there!"

"I don't understand," Aragorn said.

Obi-Wan's tone softened. "I'm sorry. But the Dark Side is too strong there. It is dangerous."

With a nod, Aragorn turned back to stare at the fire. "Then we will take the mountain pass."

Obi-Wan sat beside him. "I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you more. But it's hard to explain."

Aragorn took Obi-Wan's hand in his. "There are many things about you that I don't understand, my friend. But I know that if the day ever comes that you can tell me, you will."

Obi-Wan smiled and kissed him. "Thank you."

Leaning back, Aragorn chuckled and said, "You are a stranger, but you seem to know my land better than I do."

"Another thing I shall explain to you in time," Obi-Wan replied with a smirk. Then his face fell. "You still think of me as a stranger?"

Aragorn's response assured Obi-Wan that he in no way still saw him as a stranger.

They lay together later on the bedroll beside the glowing embers of the fire. "You seem to be a student of astronomy," Aragorn remarked.

"Mmhmm," Obi-Wan murmured sleepily. He closed his eyes and nestled his head in Aragorn's shoulder, but Aragorn kept staring at the sky.

"Do you ever wonder what's beyond them?" Aragorn asked.

Obi-Wan opened his eyes and looked at him. "Do you think there's something else out there?"

"There must be something," Aragorn said. "I just don't know what."

Obi-Wan curled deeper into Aragorn's embrace. "What does Estel mean?" he asked.

"Hope," Aragorn replied. "What would that be in your language?"

Smiling, Obi-Wan said, "We would just name them Hope. What about my name?"

"Hyarion?" Obi-Wan nodded. Aragorn thought for a moment. "I believe it means something like Son of the South. Does that translate in your language? I doubt you would name someone Son of the South."

They chuckled. Obi-Wan was quiet, then said, "I think that's similar to the meaning of Benjamin."

"Benjamin," Aragorn repeated.

"Most people just shorten it to Ben," Obi-Wan added.

"Ben." Aragorn smiled. "Simple, but I like it. Are all names in your language such?"

Obi-Wan smirked as he thought of Anakin, Padmé, and Qui-Gon Jinn. "No," he said. "Some are quite strange sounding when you really think about them."

Aragorn glanced down and saw the amused grin. "Someone you know?"

"Nearly everyone I know actually," Obi-Wan said. "My former apprentice's name is Anakin. My late master's name was Qui-Gon. My mentor's name is Yoda."

"Your Master Yoda," Aragorn said. "You mentioned him when you first woke up."

Obi-Wan smiled. "Oh yeah. You remember that?"

"Of course."

They kissed again, then lay together in silence. Eventually, they fell asleep still entwined in an embrace.

It was a long climb up Caradhras and the temperature dropped more and more the further they went. They began building the fire with the two horses standing on either side to block the wind.

Obi-Wan stopped sleeping and instead went into deep Jedi trances at night. He felt guilty that he could do little to help Aragorn fend off the cold, but Aragorn insisted that he was fine.

Not many worlds that Obi-Wan had been to had snow like that of the mountaintop. He did not think that he liked it. But he, Aragorn, and the two horses pushed on until they had waded through snow up to their waists at the summit and started down the other side.

It was snowing heavily when they stood at the top of the mountain. They were just starting the way down when the weather cleared and the clouds below them broke. Obi-Wan gasped when he saw the landscape spread out in front of them.

Three huge expanses of dark green forest opened up on the other side of the mountain. The farthest, which was also the largest, was shrouded by pockets of thick gray mist. Beyond it, a single mountain rose out of the plain.

"That is Mirkwood," Aragorn said. "It is Legolas's home."

Obi-Wan frowned. "The mist. It feels wrong. Not like an Elven home at all."

Somberly, Aragorn said, "It was once a beautiful place known as Greenwood the Great. Legolas's father Thranduil ruled the Kingdom there. But then the enemy came and Greenwood darkened into Mirkwood."

"That's horrible," Obi-Wan said. "But the Elves still live there?"

"In one small part." Aragorn pointed to the mountain in the distance. "That's the Lonely Mountain. It used to be home to the last great dragon, Smaug."

"Used to be?"

Aragorn smiled. "He was defeated many years ago. Gandalf was in the battle, Legolas too." He turned to his right and motioned toward another deep forest. "Down there is Fangorn Forest, home of the Ents."

Again, Obi-Wan could sense the Force emanating from the trees, but where Mirkwood was hidden and sinister, Fangorn was ancient and sad. "Fangorn is dying," he said.

Aragorn looked surprised, but nodded. "The Ents are disappearing. They can no longer control the trees."

Obi-Wan did not know what Ents were, or how they controlled the trees, but he did not care. The last of the three forests called to him like a shining beacon in a dark land. "That's where we're going," he said.

Aragorn saw the peace that settled over his companion and smiled. "Yes. The woods of Lothlórien. Also known as the Golden Wood."

"The Golden Wood?" Obi-Wan repeated. "Why?"

With a grin, Aragorn replied, "You'll see."

They began their dangerous journey down Caradhras. Suddenly, Obi-Wan felt a chill that did not come from the cold. He looked to the south and saw a wall of black mountains marring the horizon. Every once and a while, violent volcanic red spewed into the sky.

Aragorn glanced up and noticed that Obi-Wan had stopped following him and was still high up on the mountainside. He spoke soft Elvish words to his horse, then climbed back up where Obi-Wan was staring into the distance. "Hyarion?" he asked.

"That place," Obi-Wan said, his voice low. "That place is evil."

Aragorn followed his gaze and nodded grimly. "That is Mordor."

"It is the Dark Side."

Aragorn put his hand on Obi-Wan's arm. "Come on. We have to leave the mountain."

Obi-Wan nodded and finally looked away from the roiling sky. But his eyes, which had always been bright and kind, were now dull and troubled. The couple traveled a long time in silence toward Lothlórien.