Caleigh was in awe, despite knowing that dark and sinister plots were afoot, she still couldn't help but marvel at the white landscape.
The Fellowship, along with her, had reached one of the higher peaks on the path towards Caradhras; it was a perfect viewpoint of the entire surround. And she was rendered speechless at how deep blue the sky was and the way it seemed to meld into the white clouds that floated in the distance.
The reflection of the sun coming off the snow almost blindingly, but the warmth of it was welcome amidst the frozen soil.
They had been on this route for the past few days and from what you heard from Gandalf, it would only get worse; soon they would reach the cliffs, where each step would have to be taken cautiously.
Most of Caleigh's concern was focused on the Hobbits. The cold was slowly eating away at their strength and mood, cutting breaths short.
The sooner the mountain was traversed, the better.
A shiver danced down her spin, her cheeks pricked pink from the cool air. Here she had been worrying only about the Hobbits and how they handled the cold, when she wasn't enjoying it either. She loved the landscape; however that didn't change the fact she wasn't accustomed to it.
Caleigh had been walking on her own for most of the journey, simply following in line, but soon none other than Frodo had slowed his pace to walk with her.
She was unsure why he had and could only assume it was because she wasn't a member of the Fellowship, thus she didn't constantly remind him of the burden he carried.
It wasn't her place.
She welcomed the company and so said nothing, only allowing a tired sigh to trail past her chapped lips; the sound catching his attention enough to arouse a simple question.
"What's wrong Caleigh?"
The question brought a warm smile to her lips; even with what he was going through he could still worry about others.
"I'm perfectly well, just anxious to be back in milder temperatures."
"Me as well, I have never seen so much snow!"
A chuckle fell from her lips as she reached into a small pocket on the side of her tunic, retrieving a small clasp so that she could pin the top half of her hair back and out of her eyes.
She had been tempted to pin it up entirely, however her thick locks were holding in the heat around her neck from where her tresses draped over her back and shoulders. Once the clasp was closed she allowed her arms to drop to her sides.
"Well that I can believe. From what I've gathered this is your first time out of the Shire, am I right?"
"Yes, Bilbo's stories are quite different from experiencing the real thing."
"Stories rarely are."
Caleigh was prepping another question for Frodo when the snow suddenly gave out from under his feet, sending him straight down, and it was thanks to the slope of the mountain that she was unable to grab ahold of him before he began to tumble backwards down the path.
Luckily, Aragorn had been covering the rear of the group, so he was quick to move to where Frodo was, stopping his decent and helping him to his feet.
She had just taken a step towards the two, when a golden gleam upon the snow stole her attention. Turning to face the item fully she froze when she saw it was the Ring lying upon the shimmering snow.
Confusion was evident on her face as she stared down at the tiny little piece of gold. One thing Gandalf had instilled in her was knowledge of the ring's power so that she would not fall victim to its seduction. She had been warned that if they saw any temptation in her, she would have to leave.
But on the contrary, Caleigh found herself repelled, her chest constricting almost painfully at the thought of going near it, but out of kindness, she decided to would return it to Frodo since the little Hobbit was in the middle of panicking when he noticed it had fallen.
As she reached for it, the tightness in her chest became alarming, however before she could react, it faded, just as soon as Boromir stepped forth taking it in hand.
Caleigh decided she would later bring the event up to Gandalf in private, for now her emerald and stone gaze was focused on Boromir. He was stock still, the ring dangling from its chain only a short distance from his face.
His blue grey eyes mesmerized by its shine. Was this the seduction Gandalf had spoken of?
"It's a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt…over so small a thing."
She slowly moved her hand up, tempted to snatch the ring from his grasp, however as his left hand rose to touch it, she opted not to.
"Such a little thing…"
"Boromir!"
Aragorn's stern voice managed to penetrate whatever trance he had been drowning in, his gaze quick to look to where Aragorn and Frodo stood watching him cautiously. She doubted he realized that all were watching him.
"Give the ring to Frodo."
Boromir inhaled a slow breath, his eyes shifting to Caleigh only momentarily before he headed down towards the two. In that brief glance she saw the embarrassment in his eyes, and felt pity for him. She had thought him a man without weakness, but now she knew there was one.
Twisting at her waist, she watched Boromir intently as he closed in on Frodo. Her eyes shifting to note Aragorn's hand was resting on the hilt of his sword, and she found herself praying to Valor that Aragorn wasn't planning on cutting him down.
"As you wish. I care not."
With that Boromir offered the ring to Frodo, the small Hobbit showing no hesitation in retrieving the ring from his grasp. If anything he snatched it.
Boromir appeared unperturbed by the uneasy looks he was receiving from Aragorn and Frodo; quite the contrary a chuckle fell from his lips as he gave Frodo a quick pat on the head before turning to head back up the mountain.
The others taking this as a sign to simply head on, she on the other hand kept her gaze down the mountain.
Boromir's gaze soon finding Caleigh's and to her surprise he was completely back to normal. So she decided to not beat a battered horse and offered a smile before taking route at his side as he began to pass by.
Caleigh took in a sharp gasp as a particularly glacial gust practically cut through her. She might as well been nude for the little her clothing did to keep her warm.
She still was having a hard time believing that such a serene day could turn for the worse so instantaneously.
In what felt like a blink of the eye, she found herself walking only a few steps behind Legolas upon the thick snow, bracing herself against the extreme winds.
A horrendous snow storm had filled the heavens and now sent all its fury down upon the mountain below, coincidentally focused on the area on the cliffs where the Fellowship was currently attempting to trudge through.
Although Legolas had never requested any assistance, Gandalf had asked Caleigh to aid him in keeping an eye out, though her duty was mainly to look for any falling debris from overhead. Legolas was busy trying to decipher the cause for such an unnaturally strong storm.
There were numerous times she had to brace herself against the strong gusts, weary of how near she stood to the cliff's edge. Needless to say, she was in disbelief to see Legolas leaning a bit more into the wind, listening closely.
"There is a foul voice on the air."
If not for his words, she would have never noticed it, however at moments she caught the sound of chanting, the voice sounding oddly familiar and sending chills down her spine.
"It's Saruman!"
Caleigh turned to focus her attention on Gandalf from where he stood against the mountain wall, his own gaze upon the others.
The sound of breaking rocks echoed overhead, ten pairs of eyes shooting upwards to see large boulders on the way down.
With haste everyone moved against the mountain wall, Legolas and Caleigh having to throw themselves over to make it out of the way in time.
Luckily everyone remained unscathed, a little out of breath, but unharmed.
Aragorn was first to speak.
"He's trying to being down the mountain! Gandalf, we much turn back!"
"No!"
Gandalf refused, in no way willing to abandon the road they were on.
With that he crawled up onto the snowy edge where Caleigh and Legolas had previously been standing before the incident and began to chant his own spells in an attempt to bring back order through nature's fury.
Despite his attempts, Gandalf's incantations did nothing to quell the storm. Caleigh's gaze lifting up in time to see a lightning bolt strike the mountain overhead, sending much larger rocks plummeting downwards as well as heavy layers of snow.
It was as everyone moved to brace themselves against the mountain wall, that Caleigh moved forth towards where Boromir and Aragorn stood; sprinting in their direction in an attempt to assist them in shielding the Hobbits.
Just as she reached them, she found herself forced to her knees, her body bending forward over where Sam stood more vulnerable to the debris and acting as a roof so that the brunt of force landed upon her back.
More than ever she found herself appreciative towards her height, for she had more body to use as a shield.
A long silence followed; a daunting stillness before everyone began to dig themselves free from the snow. It took a moment, but soon all ten heads were visible; the Hobbits shaken to say the least.
After assisting Caleigh in removing the last bit of snow that burrowed her lower half, Boromir spoke.
"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan, and take the west road to my city!"
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!"
Gimli was only too anxious to speak up with his own idea of what course to take.
"We cannot pass over a mountain. Let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria."
Caleigh's gaze shifted to Gandalf, the conflict clear in his eyes.
"Let the Ring-bearer decide."
Her attention was soon stolen by Sam's shivering, she quickly moved forth, wrapping her arms around him in hopes that the little body heat she possessed would pass to him; Boromir's frown deepening at this.
"We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the Hobbits!"
Gandalf however paid him little attention.
"Frodo?"
Her gaze shifted to the shivering Hobbit, he clearly had no inkling of what would be best, but his decision was justifiable; any place was better than where they were.
"We will go through the mines."
A shadow fell over the elderly Wizard's face.
"So be it…"
