Chapter Five~

The next day came to quickly, the sunlight begging my eyes to open from my seemingly endless nightmare. After getting up and changing into dark breeches and a light gray tunic with belt around my waist, I took my bag and headed towards where the Fellowship would leave from. They all were there, by the waterside where several boats were waiting. The Lord and Lady where there too, handing out gifts for everyone and when I stepped closer they all turned towards me.

"Sorry I'm late!" I called cheerfully coming to stop besides Legolas. The Lady gave me a hard looked before saying in my mind,

"You let him ever closer into your heart. Be wary of his treachery Anna Wynn." I could only nod in response before she came to stand before me, in her hands a sword that looked oddly familiar.

"This is indeed the same blade that you were given that fateful day you came through the Rift. It seems the Valar deem you worthy of wielding it." she said handing the blade over to me and it was then I realized it was the same blade I had found all those weeks ago in the forest, the same blade I had fought off Orcs with and the same blade that connected me to my brother. Along with that sat the same brooch the others had, a green leaf incased in silver. As I took both from her hands I bowed to her saying,

"I'm sorry."

"Don't ever be sorry for who you are dear one." she said bending down to kiss my bent head. As she stood she motioned for the rest to get in the boats and as they did I followed, never once returning my gaze to the White Lady. As everyone else had fit into the boats I got into the same boat as Gimli and Legolas sitting beside Gimli and before Legolas. We pushed off the shore and slowly began to paddle away from the woods towards Parth Galen. As we left the shoreline I noticed a figure standing on the side of the river and looking up just barely caught the figure belonging to Haldir. With a sad smile, I waved goodbye knowing though I'd see him again at Helms Deep. He didn't return the wave but instead left back towards the city.

"Well, what a journey this will be." said the voice of Gimli beside him, his axe tightly held in his hands.

"Oh come on, your just glad where gone from the Elven City." I said turning to gaze at him.

"That too." he said laughing a bit at that fact I was so able to read his thoughts. Legolas looked amused at me as he paddled but said nothing despite the fact I knew he wanted to retort. We journeyed for the rest of the day not stopping until it was almost midnight by the way the moon was held so high. As we pulled our boats onto the shores we set up camp making a small fire in order to cook whatever we had left. As the rest fell quickly asleep as the journey having taken a lot out of them, Frodo came over to where I sat and taking a seat beside me said,

"I'm sorry for your burden."

"Don't be. It's mine to carry, not yours." I replied staring into the dying firelight.

"What happened to make you change your mind?" he asked me gently. Sighing deeply, I said,

"My brother was taken by Orcs, I'm hoping I find him as we go along." he didn't respond but instead began to fiddle with the necklace that held the Ring. Noticing this, I said,

"Get some sleep Frodo." and gently taking his hand away from his neck put it on the ground before getting up and leaving him be. The night passed too quickly and before we all knew it we were rowing again. The river was dark blue indicating the depth to be a long ways down and for the most part we stayed in the middle of the river. We chatted little; it was mainly Merry and Pippin who did the talking during the journey getting on Boromir's nerves a bit. Days passed without incident though I noticed once in a while Legolas would stare off into the trees seemingly tracking something. At last we came to a turn in the river and saw before us two large statues with one hand out, just like in the movies only a whole lot larger in real life. They towered over us and looked so imposing I nearly thought they'd come alive to kick us out of their territory. Aragon said something that was too soft for me to hear, but I knew it must be the line from the movie. Fear crept into me as we settled along the shore for I knew what would happen next, the Uruk-hai would come, kill Boromir and take Merry and Pippin. Frodo would leave along with Sam though it would take Sam almost drowning to go with Frodo and Aragon, Legolas and Gimli would head off to Rohan. As we settled in I strayed from the group not wanting to be there when all hell broke loose. As I walked I noticed a figure near me and turned to find Frodo picking up firewood. My heart sank as I spotted Boromir coming towards him and wondering if I could stop this, stop his death watched silently as he tried to take the Ring.

"Stop it Boromir!" I cried just as Frodo vanished from sight having put the ring back on. Running over to Boromir who had fallen onto the leaf-covered ground, I grabbed his figure and shook him hard.

"What? Where's Frodo?" he asked a look of confusion on his face. I wanted to slap him, to tell him how foolish he was to fall for the Ring's tricks but instead released him from my grasp. Stepping away from him, I turned to leave but he grabbed my wrist asking,

"What did I do?" turning around to face him, I sighed before saying,

"You tried to take the Ring." at that he let go looking shocked beyond words. It was then we noticed two small figures running and turning around found Merry and Pippin running from the onslaught that was the Uruk-hai. So Frodo would have been leaving by now I thought as Boromir rushed to aid the Hobbits. Snapping back to attention, I rushed to help him screaming,

"Watch out for archers!" he didn't seem to notice my call as he began to fight off the monsters that charged down on him. Soon the Horn of Gondor began to blow and knowing I needed to help, stepped into the fray and began fighting alongside Boromir. The others would come I knew but would they come in time? Suddenly a whizzing sound resounded through the forest and looking up everything slowed down, the arrow aimed at Boromir, the Uruk-hai that had fired it, Merry and Pippin slowing down to see what might happen.

"NO!" I screamed and running managed to jump in front of the arrow's path and have it slam into my shoulder right where it would have hit on Boromir. The force of the arrow knocked me backwards; I so wasn't ready for the hit and fell to my knees. I could faintly hear the Hobbits scream my name, could barely see Boromir stand in front of me before three more arrows hit him. As he fell to the ground I stood just in time to see Aragon slice off the leader's head with his sword. The onslaught had died down, the Uruk-hai having taken Merry and Pippin and as Aragon came over towards us I pulled the arrow out of my shoulder screaming as I did. Aragon went to Boromir's side as Legolas went to mine, putting a cloth on my wound and asking,

"What happened?" unable to speak, I merely watched as Boromir spoke his last words onto this earth. Despite my pain I bit back tears from watching Boromir die, I knew it would happen, tried to have stop it and failed. That failure was just as bitter as losing my brother since I had to watch both of them be taken from me. After Aragon kissed Boromir's brow he came over towards me and asked,

"What happened?"

"She's in shock Aragon." Legolas said still holding the now soaked cloth to my shoulder wound. Noticing the blood covered cloth Aragon said,

"We'll need to patch you up." and as we headed to the riverside I told them both Merry and Pippin had been taken and that Frodo and Sam would probably be on the other side of the river by now. They all looked shocked at me but when we got to where the boats were they noticed one boat missing and that it was now on the other side of the river, just as I had said.

"Should we follow?" asked Legolas having released the hold on my wound for Aragon to stitch it up.

"No, they need to go alone." I said as Aragon moved aside the tunic and began to use a dull needle and some tread to stitch me up. Thankfully I still had my bra on and silently thanked the Lady for not having taken it the first few nights I was in Lothlorien. I barely felt the needle as he stitched up my wound for Aragon had put some type of numbing plant onto the site. The bleeding had slowed enough for him to finish up and after wrapping the wound in a bandage turned to the others to say,

"We will not leave Merry and Pippin to torture and torment." it was a while after we had gave Boromir his funeral that we headed out, leaving the boats behind and going on foot ever closer towards Rohan following the Uruk-hai towards Isengard. We ran day and night, resting little, eating little and only stopping when we needed to. My shoulder wound healed only enough not to cause too much pain along the way though when I did need a break Aragon would usually give it to me. It was during one of our breaks that he leaned down to listen to the earth, his eyes shutting as he listened.

"There a day's ahead but have caught our scent." he said before standing and continuing to run. Gimli I noticed had slowed down and so falling back got the chance to listen to his complaining.

"Oh shut it Gimli!" I said giving him a friendly slap on the shoulder but he just continued to complain. We almost ran into Legolas who had stopped to look on the side of a cliff.

"Their taking the Hobbits to Isengard!" he called and I had to laugh seeing the flash of the famous meme in my mind. As the background song to the meme played in my mind it actually made me run faster jogging past a surprised Legolas. Nights fell quickly and days passed even more quickly but one morning as the sun rose Legolas muttered,

"A red sun has risen, blood has been spilt on this day." as we ran over amazing scenery, past mountains and valleys and rivers we came to the borders of Rohan and stopped to catch our breath when we all noticed riders coming towards us.

"Riders of the Rohan, what news from the Mark?" calls Aragon causing the men to turn and head towards us. In seconds we were surrounded by the horsemen, their spears pointed at us as we all raised our hands, or at least me and Aragon did.

"What business does a Man, and woman, an Elf and a Dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" said one how I had to guess was Eomer. Gimli was going to say something but I covered his mouth knowing that it would only anger them more.

"Give me one reason why we shouldn't kill you all now?" he asked leaning forward in his saddle and looking towards me. At that moment Legolas knotted an arrow into his bow and said,

"You would die before you got the chance!" now all the spears were pointed at him and Aragon putting one hand on Legolas's shoulder spoke,

"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Glóin, Anna Wynn, and Legolas of the Woodland Realm. We are friends of Rohan and of Théoden, your king." the rider who indeed turned out to be Eomer after removing his helmet said,

"Théoden knows not friend from foe, not even his own kin." after explaining why we were out, telling them of Merry and Pippin being taken by Uruk-hai Eomer looked saddened before saying,

"We laid waste to a company of Uruk-hai, none survived." Gimli sprung forward at that saying,

"They are dead?" Eomer looks sad at the thought he might have slain two innocent men but calls forth two horses to the forefront. He lays a loving hand on one of their necks, the two horses being chestnut colored with long dark mains.

"May these horses bring you to better fortunes." he said before turning back to his large company and saying,

"We ride north!" and as they left the two horses stayed as if given a command to. As we watch them leave I couldn't help the feeling that I should say something about Merry and Pippin actually being alive, but didn't know how the news would be well met. I rather Gandalf the White tell them then me I decided quietly. We decided that Legolas would ride with Gimli, me with Aragon and as we mounted headed towards where there was smoke curling into the air a ways from us, the sign of the burning Uruk-hai. We rode to the edge of Fangorn Forest were we could clearly see the remains of the burning bodies. As we dismounted I stayed by the horses knowing they needed to get their grief out and that I might say something stupid like 'don't worry there alive!' only to get a punch to the jaw. As they searched about I noticed Aragon tracking something towards the woods then heard them call out,

"Come on Anna!" leaving the horses behind, I followed them into the woods which were twisted, dark and foreboding. As we carefully made our way into the woods, the trees acted as if they were trying to stop us; the branches grabbing at us, the wind howling in warning and the darkness only growing.

"This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory...and anger." Aragon says as he continues to follow the trial. Suddenly they all hear a low groan reverberate throughout the forest and Gimli raises his axe.

"The trees are speaking to each other." Legolas said looking around with frightened eyes.

"Gimli!" Aragon says noticing that he has raised his axe, the cause of the groaning and talking. Gimli lowers his axe and instantly the groaning slows before stopping altogether. Suddenly Legolas stops sensing something and Aragon says something to him in Elvish.

"The White Wizard approaches."