Mariell shivered as the cold wind blew over Charadhas. She pulled her cloak tighter and tried not to let her teeth chatter. She looked
ahead of her and saw Frodo stumble. She along with Aragorn rushed to his side. Frodo did not appear hurt. A look of panic crossed his
face as he felt for the ring. Mariell looked up and saw it a few yards away. She sucked in her breath as she saw Boromir pick it up. She
did not like the look in his eyes as he stared at the ring.
"It is strange to think that something so small could cause so much fear and doubt." Beside her Mariell saw Aragorn's hand go to the hilt
of his sword. Her gaze went back to Boromir as her hand slid to the dagger at her hip. She did not like the idea of hurting Boromir, but if
he refused to give up the ring she would have to.
"Boromir," Aragorn's voice said sharply. "Give the ring to Frodo." Boromir seemed to snap out of his trance and he gave the ring to
Frodo. He gave Mariell a look that sent shivers up her spine. He then ruffled Frodo's hair and continued walking. Aragorn squeezed
Frodo's shoulder and moved on. Mariell knelt before Frodo.
"Are you all right?" she asked him. Frodo looked at her sadly.
"I don't trust Boromir," he said staring after the man. Mariell looked to where Frodo's gaze was.
"It's the ring, Frodo. It's calling to him. Men's hearts are weak"
"But Aragorn is a man. We can trust him." Mariell shook her head.
"You cannot trust any of them Frodo. All are vulnerable to the ring's power. You have to look out for yourself. Protect yourself"
"Even from you?" he asked her. Mariell frowned. It was true that she had no desire for the ring. She did not feel the pull of it as she knew
the others did. She wondered why that was and if it would last.
"Even from me," she said. Frodo hung his head.
"What have I gotten us into, Mariell? Why did I volunteer to do this"
"I honestly don't know," she said.
"Frodo, Mariell," Gandalf called. "Don't get too far behind." Mariell rose to her feet and they hurried to catch up with the fellowship.
"There's something else," Frodo said softly beside her. "I don't like the way Boromir has been looking at you. I'm afraid he may try
something." Mariell shuddered. She had the same fears but she was not about to let Frodo know it. He had enough to worry about.
"It will be all right, Frodo," she said. "Orcs, and Nazgul I may fear, but I can handle Boromir"
"I hope so," Frodo said. As they continued to walk the wind blew harder. Mariell was finding it harder to keep her balance. As they
walked along the edge of the mountain the snow got deeper. Before she knew it she was up to her waist. Aragorn and Boromir were
carrying the hobbits. She heard a strange noise as she clung to the cliff wall, fearing that at any moment the wind would blow her off the
mountain.
"There's a foul voice on the air," Legolas shouted.
"It's Saruman!" Gandalf yelled. Above them a loud thunder was heard. Mariell cried out in terror as snow fell from above her
surrounding her. Panic gripped her as she realized she'd been buried alive. She thrust her hand up through the snow trying to claw her
way out. She felt a strong hand grip her wrist and pull her upwards. She blinked the snow out of her eyes as she struggled for breath.
"Are you all right?" It was Legolas. She nodded but she knew that Legolas could see her trembling. He wrapped his arm around her
pulling her close to his body. The warmth of his body was comforting. She looked around and saw that the others were all right.
"Gandalf," Aragorn was shouting. "we must turn back"
"We cannot go over the mountain," Gimli said. "Let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria." Gandalf seemed to consider
this.
"We will let the Ringbearer decide." Mariell met Frodo's eyes. She pulled closer to Legolas and tried not to let Frodo see her shivering.
She did not want to stay on this mountain but she did not want Frodo to make his decision based on her.
"We will go through the mine," Frodo said.
If getting up the mountain had been hard, getting down it was almost impossible. Mariell's cloak had stopped keeping her warm long ago
and she could not stop shivering. They stopped to make camp about halfway down the mountain face. Mariell sat close to the fire.
Almost everyone had gone to sleep but she couldn't. She stiffened as she felt someone place a blanket around her shoulders.
"I'm fine," she protested as Aragorn sat beside her.
"You haven't stopped shivering since we got buried. We cannot have you becoming ill"
"Of course not," Mariell said coldly, "that would only slow everyone down more. Poor Aragorn, I'm such a burden to you"
"You are not a burden," he told her. "You are stubborn as hell and I don't understand what I've done to make you dislike me so much.
Is it because I didn't tell you who I was"
"Partly," she said, "I don't like secrets. It's not just you, it's this whole thing. I'm scared. But I can't show weakness. Frodo has such a
burden right now I don't want him worrying about me on top of everything else"
"You don't always have to be strong, Mariell," Aragorn said.
"Until the ring is destroyed, and Frodo is back home safe in the shire, yes I do." Aragorn nodded.
"You care for Frodo a lot, don't you?" he said.
"He's my brother. Blood or not, he's my brother. He's looked out for me my entire life. In the entire Shire he and Bilbo were the only
ones who never treated me like an outsider. Even when I grew taller than both of them and had to make my own clothes and have
Gandalf bring me shoes, Frodo has never cared that I was different. He made me feel like I belonged even though everyone else treated
me like dirt"
"Have you ever truly felt like you belonged anywhere?" he asked her. The question took her by surprise. "No, I suppose not. I guess
that's why I don't want to show weakness to the others. I don't want them treating me like some kind of outsider"
"It is all right to show weakness occasionally. And it is all right to be scared. Everyone is scared. I'm scared. True courage comes from
putting aside our fear and doing what has to be done." Mariell gazed at Strider and was again struck by how blue his eyes were. She also
realized that she had stopped shivering. The effect this man had on her was amazing.
"You'd best get some sleep little one," he told her. She smiled.
"I'm not little," she said. She wrapped up in the blanket and laid down near the fire. Soon she was fast asleep.
Mariell felt so safe as she leaned back into her mother. They were going away but she didn't know where they were going. She was
riding on a big horse with her mother. A tall man with golden hair was leading the horse.
"Where are we going Mama?" she asked in her small childlike voice. Her mother smiled.
"To safety my darling. To a place where evil cannot touch us"
"Is it a nice place Mama"
"It's beautiful. It's time for you to sleep. When you wake up we'll be there." Mariell snuggled against her mother's softness as the elf's
voice lulled her to sleep.
"Mariell," an urgent voice said in her ear. Mariell opened her eyes slowly to see Frodo above her.
"You must have been having a very pleasant dream," Frodo said. "You were smiling in your sleep. Mariell smiled the memory of her
dream making her feel warmer than she had in days.