Hello everyone! I think this may be my last update until after Christmas, but that's not set in stone. I just have to manage my time properly to give myself time to finish the next chapter. You'll learn a little more about Carita's lover in this chapter, but you'll get his full story in Chapter 9. I hope you like this chapter. Thank you all so very, very much for your reviews and as I say every single time let me know what you think! Oh, and if I don't update until after Christmas; Happy Holidays to everyone!

Note: Dialouge in bold is spoken in Elvish.

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 8

"Annatar, must you go?" Carita asked him pleadingly as she sat up on her bed, pulling the linens close to her as she watched him dress.

"I am needed, Carita," Annatar said as he finished tying off his leggings and was pulling on his boots.

"Where do you go when you go off to battle?" she asked with a frown. "I am never told of any battle that rages anywhere except when Lady Varda-," Annatar interrupted.

"Your Lady Varda knows nothing outside of her stars," Annatar hissed suddenly and Carita frowned.

"Why do you speak of her in such a way?" Carita asked. "She knows more than any."

"She does not know more than any, young one, and some day you'll be wise enough to see it," he said as he strapped on his sword. "I will come when I am able," he said before he leaned into her and kissed her cheek. "Speak nothing of my visits to anyone," he whispered and that strange feeling in her mind made its presence once more.

"I shall speak to no one," she found herself saying and her frown only deepened.

"That is my good girl," he said before he kissed her lips and was gone. Carita shook her head and sighed softly. Every parting he would whisper for her to tell no one of his visits and every time she would agree without hesitation and without asking why like she wanted.

The following day . . . .

"Carita," Lady Varda said gently and Carita sat up from her bed and walked over the window and looked out towards the sky and closed her eyes. "Child, tell me the truth when I ask this of you."

"I never lie to you, my lady," Carita thought honestly.

"Have you seen Annatar?" Lady Varda demanded. Carita felt a tight grip on her mind and her thoughts were suddenly not her own.

"I have not, my lady," Carita thought and a frown came to her face.

"Carita . . .," Lady Varda said slowly.

"I have not seen him for many days," Carita told her and her frown only deepened.

"He is waging war and attacking the innocent Carita. He fights for Morgoth," Lady Varda hissed and Carita felt her heart tighten. She wanted to scream she wanted to shout that her Lady was lying but Lady Varda would never tell such a lie.

"I have not seen him," Carita found herself thinking once again and she closed her eyes. In all of her life she had never told a lie, never uttered one falsehood and now she felt dirty because she had lied to her Lady and her guard.

"If you ever see him, child, call on me immediately," Lady Varda said and just as soon as she was there, she was gone. Carita let out a strangled sob and lowered herself to her knees and shook her head. Annatar would never betray the Maiar in such a way, he would not join the darkness that Morgoth created. She wept quietly and looked down at the ring Annatar had given her. It shined brightly and she closed her eyes once again and held her hand close to her chest. She would not believe it. Annatar loved her and he would never hurt her or any other being.

Carita opened her eyes and sat up slowly in the darkness. "You're awake," came Pippin's voice from behind her and she turned slightly and could just make his face out in the dark.

"What happened?" she asked quietly and Aragorn was at her side. His hand moved to the back of her head and she gasped when a sharp pain ripped through the back of her head. "Agh," she hissed and smacked Aragorn's hand away. The ranger chuckled quietly.

"You're fine," he said and Carita shot him a glare, but he just smiled. "You have a cut on your scalp from the rock when you were thrown," he said and it came rushing back to her; Frodo being attacked, her trying to get him from the creature in the water and then dizziness.

"Is Frodo alright?" she asked quietly when she realized that they were in the mines.

"He's fine," Aragorn told her. "He's safe and sitting with Sam." Carita nodded and the back of her head slowly started to throb. She knew she'd have a headache for period of time. "Here," he said as he handed her a flask of water. She smiled and took a deep drink surprised to find it filled with a sweet liquid instead of water. "That will help you're your head," he told her and she smiled

"Thank you," she said softly and even as she spoke she felt the throbbing slow.

"We've rested the night and we'll be moving on soon." Carita nodded again and handed him back the flask.

"Carita?" a familiar voice said softly from in front of her. Aragorn and her both looked and saw Legolas kneeling before her with a frown. "Are you well?" he asked and she nodded feeling her energy return.

"I'm fine, Legolas," she said softly and Aragorn stood and left to speak with Gandalf about when they would start to make their way through the mines. Carita watched as he walked away until Legolas stole her attention once again.

"You spoke in your sleep," he told her and she looked at him. "It was no more than a soft whisper, but I heard you all the same." Carita felt heat grace her cheeks as her eyes met his in the darkness. "You spoke a name," Legolas said gently as he moved closer to her so he could speak soft enough so that even Pippin could not hear. He was kneeled down on his right knee with his left leg bent and his left forearm resting on his knee as he leaned in close to her. "A name that many have forgotten and most do not know if they did not have the books of the Eldar to read of the history of Middle Earth."

"Please forget what you heard," she whispered heatedly as she reached out suddenly and took his left hand.

"What did you dream?" he asked as he gripped her hand tightly, but not tight enough to hurt her. She could clearly see his desire to know what it was she dreamt. She could see his anxiety at just the thought of his name and she took a slow deep breath.

"We must move," Gandalf said gruffly as he looked about the group. However, Carita and Legolas kept their eyes focused solely on the other.

"Legolas, I beg of you to take heart and wait until I am ready to share with you what you wish to know. Now in this darkness is not the best place," she told him softly. He gave her a curt nod before he loosened his grip on her hand, but did not let go. He helped her to her feet and held out her sword to her while Merry and Pippin quickly gathered their blankets. He let go of her hand and she sheathed her sword.

"Come on," Gandalf said and Carita watched the others move out and looked at Legolas once more.

"I promise that I will tell you when we leave this darkness," she whispered. "The faster we move, the better," she said as she took her arm and the pair quickly joined the others.

Once they took the rear with Aragorn, Carita let go of Legolas' arm and he looked at her, but when she said nothing, he looked ahead once more. He did not know what to be troubled by more, the name she had whispered in both happiness and in pain or the fact that he saw deep alarm flood her eyes when he said she spoke in her sleep. He took a deep breath and walked along in silence all too aware that there was something amiss in the caves they traveled in.

It was mid-day of their third day of travel and as they reached the top of a steep climb of steps Gandalf sighed and looked at the three doors before him. "I have no memory of this place," Gandalf said as he moved up further and sat to look at the doors. The rest of the fellowship each took a seat, with the exception of Legolas, who looked off into the mines. Frodo moved away from the group and sat with Gandalf and while the others rested, Carita's mind was moving a million miles a minute.

She wondered what Legolas thought of her now, and just what would become of their friendship when she did tell him what he wished to know. She stole a glance at him and he was looking off into the distance. She frowned and looked down at her hands. Her finger was now void of the ring she used to wear and had been so for many, many years.

"Your Lady knows nothing she speaks of," Annatar said as he stepped from her bedroom and walked into the living room. Carita frowned and followed him fixing her dress from the state his hands had left it in before she stopped him and confronted him with what Lady Varda had told her.

"She does now, Annatar," Carita said feverishly. "Why have you been lying to me?" she demanded and he turned around and grasped her by her upper arms, his long fingers digging into her skin.

"You listen to what I tell you," he hissed. "You do as I say." She felt the same strange sensation in the back of her mind, and she saw his anger, his hatred, everything in his eyes. He pulled her close and head butted her hard and she knew nothing else.

"Carita?" Aragorn asked as he put his hand on her shoulder and she jumped slightly as she looked at him. "Are you well?"

"Yes," she said softly and she looked about to see the others moving towards a pathway. "Has he figured it out?" she asked as she stood and Aragorn let his hand fall and she brushed the soot from her leggings. He nodded and the pair quickly followed the others. They went down and down before they came to a vast area and Carita felt the air lighten considerably.

"Let me risk a little more light," Gandalf said quietly and the stone that shined in his staff brightened giving light to the vast and wide hall. "Behold: the great realm and Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf," Gandalf said as everyone looked on in awe and surprise, especially Sam.

"Now there's an eye opener and no mistake," Sam said quietly and she smiled at him. Indeed the Dwarf city was a wonder to behold, but there was a deep danger in the halls of the dwarves and as they walked, she kept her ears and senses pealed for anything. They walked for short period of time before Gimli let out a surprised cry and rushed off to the left.

"Gimli!" Gandalf called but Gimli took no heed and ran to a room where a small amount of sunlight filtered through. The rest of the group followed with Gandalf in the lead. Gimli kneeled before a tomb and shook his head.

"No, no!" Gimli cried and Gandalf moved forward to read the script on the tomb. Carita hung back, behind Legolas and Boromir.

"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." He is dead then. It's as I feared," Gandalf said softly and Carita watched Gimli as he chanted softly for his cousin. Carita wiped at her own tears and looked to Gandalf as he picked up a book from a dwarf corpse.

"We must move on," Legolas whispered to Aragorn and she looked at him as he spoke. "We cannot linger." He felt the danger just as strongly as she did, but she had more knowledge of what awaited them than he did.

"'They have taken the bridge…and the second hall,'" Gandalf read from the pages, and all eyes turned to him. Even Gimli stopped weeping long enough to look up at the old wizard. "'We have barred the gates…but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums...drums…in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out . . .'" Gandalf stopped speaking as his eyes scanned over the last line in the book and looked up at the others. "'They are coming'," he finished with a concerned and troubled look on his face. They all stood in silence taking in the words Gandalf had just read until suddenly a fierce and loud crash echoed all around them. Carita looked to Pippin who turned around quickly and looked at everyone else with large eyes as a they watched a corpse fall from the well's ledge and down crashing as it went dragging a heavy chain and bucket with it.

As the clanging and crashing slowly came to a stop, the fellowship stood in silence and when nothing came they relaxed. Carita let out a slow and heavy breath and she heard Boromir exhale in front of her.

"Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" Gandalf exclaimed as he slammed the book shut and took his staff and hat from Pippin's hands. Carita gasped softly and stood straight. Something was coming.

"Gandalf," she began and took a step forward so she stood next to Legolas, who looked at her, but before she could say another word a deep boom sounded in the distance followed by two more then louder and louder booms echoed around them.

"Frodo!" Sam exclaimed and Carita looked at the small hobbit to see him pull his sword from its sheath. It glowed blue in the faint light and her eyes widened.

"Orcs," Legolas hissed. Aragorn looked to the hobbits.

"Get back! You stay close to Gandalf," Aragorn said heatedly and the hobbits moved back. Boromir moved quickly to the door, just missing being struck by three arrows. Carita turned around and watched as the two men and Legolas moved to block the door with large axes and wood beams.

"They have a cave troll," Boromir said dryly and Carita drew her sword as they moved to stand next to her. Gandalf tossed aside his hat and pulled his own sword from it's sheath the hobbits doing the same with worry filled expressions on their faces. Gimli jumped onto Balin's tomb while Aragorn and Legolas drew arrows and knotted them into their bows.

"Aarrgghhh! Let them come! There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!" Gimli exclaimed and Carita glanced at Aragorn and Legolas.

"I have trust in your arrows, but can I trust your blade skills?" she asked and Legolas fought against a smile as the sounds of the orcs grew closer.

"Now is not the time," Aragorn said in a hiss, but she smiled.

"A battle is upon us," she said softly. "Now is as good a time as any." The orcs banged on the door hard again and again before the wood started to splinter. Carita tightened the grip on her blade and her face went cold. It was time she was tested again in battle and she was ready.