AN: So, another chapter and I'm still amazed I've got a schedule that's working. Thanks for the reviews everyone, I did try and make the last chapter better, 'try' being the very operable word.
Anyway, thanks to everyone who's following this story- there's like twenty of you, where did you come from?Also, thanks to the reviewers, I know how cliché this sounds but you guys make this soooo worth it. So... yeah, thanks to everyone reading this Fanfic.
Disclaimer- I only own Rosalie in this story, the rest of it is owned by Tolkien, as he is the true genius.
The beginning always starts with walking
What am I doing? Why do I hate my feet? What possessed me to say yes? Rosalie's brain was screaming at her. They had been walking all day, ever since they left Rivendell. So far, they hadn't stopped, only marched to an unknown tempo that they all recognised. The scenery had changed as well. Rivendell was surrounded by magnificent waterfalls, tumbling from high cliffs and now they walked through grassy meadows, feet wearing new paths into the ground. Gandalf was leading in front, with Legolas close behind, while Rosalie walked with Merry and Pippin near the back, trading jokes and tidbits of information.
"I still think you'd like the Shire," Pippin said, and Rosalie sighed. "You've told me that before... twice... Do you wanna play a game?" She asked and the Hobbits turned to her. "What kind of game?" A head of them, she saw Legolas' head turn slightly with Merry's question. "It's called I Spy. Basically, you say the first letter of something around you and others have to guess." Her head turned back to the elf, and her eyes narrowed. "Like, I spy something starting with A E."
"AE?" Pippin asked, "Is it two words then?" Rosalie nodded and the Hobbits quieted down for a few moments, searching through the vast grassy meadows for something Rosalie had spotted. "I don't know!" Merry whined and Pippin groaned. "What's the answer?" Rosalie smiled wickedly. "It's Annoying Elves who are too nosy for their own good." She said softly, and watched the elf's head snap back and heard Pippin and Merry snickered, enjoying the elf's squirm.
"We must hold to this course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds, the gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there, our road turns east, to Mordor." Gandalf's voice rung out from the front of the company, and Rosalie muffled a groan. Merry shot her a sympathetic grimace and there was a silence among the Fellowship. Suddenly, Rosalie cracked a grin and turned to the Hobbits. "Do you wanna hear a joke?" A head of them, Aragorn turned back and smiled while Merry and Pippin shrugged their shoulders. "What do you call a good farmer?" Pippin frowned and Merry cocked his head. "A man outstanding in his field!" Rosalie grinned and Pippin's eyebrows furrowed while Merry giggled and Aragorn closed his eyes, a small smirk on his face. "What do you call a deer with no eyes?" Rosalie asked again and Pippin jumped in, "Why does this deer have no eyes?" Rosalie mock glared at him and Merry wacked his arm. "No idear!" This time both Hobbits laughed and Aragorn let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "You tell terrible jokes." Rosalie turned to the ranger, glad he was smiling for the first time since they left Rivendell, and beamed "It's all part of my charm."
Merry and Pippin had moved on after a few more terrible jokes, deciding to pester Boromir further up the group and Aragorn had moved closer to Legolas, leaving Rosalie at the back, just behind Sam and Bill. The girl fumbled through her pack, gently tugging out her IPod. Everything faded around her, only the music remaining. Slowly she started murmuring the lyrics under her breath, shaking her head to the beat. Her eyes closed and her head started shaking more vigorously. She could feel a few questioning glances at her but ignored them, listening to her music. When the song changed, she heard a few quiet giggles and opened her eyes. Rosalie started wiggling her shoulders and sung slightly louder, glad that Pippin and Merry laughed louder, Boromir looking slightly shocked.
Rosalie heard a little ding and looked down, her IPod notifying her about how little battery life she had. She frowned at it, trying to death glare the technology. Please don't die on me... I thought we were friends... No, seriously now, stop... No, no, no, NO! She started muttering under her breath and Merry craned his head up to look at the screen. "What're you grumbling about?" He asked and Rosalie shook her head. "My IPod is dying," She said and Merry's eyes widened and Rosalie jumped in, "Not like dying but... running out of power... It's kinda heard to explain... it works because of the power it has in the battery, and when it runs out it's going to..." She broke off her weak explanation, staring at the screen and Merry looked up at her. "What's going to happen?" Rosalie was still staring at the screen, wondering if it was glitching. "It should stop working... but the battery seems to be refilling..."
Merry frowned. "Isn't that a good thing?" Rosalie nodded, confusion written across her face. "Yeah, but it doesn't just recharge itself unless-" She broke off and stared at Gandalf. She jogged over to the wizard and held up her IPod. "Did you do this?" Gandalf frowned, his eyebrows drawing together. He looked at her uncertainly but then it suddenly melted from his face, smiling slightly, though something still lingered in his eyes . "I have no idea what you're talking about." He said simply, with that look still in his eyes and Rosalie smirked a little, deciding to play along with him. "Riiiiiight... Obviously," Gandalf chuckled and turned away, looking out over the grassy plains. He looked over his shoulder at the girl and winked, that look finally gone. "I would prefer to keep you occupied, rather than bored as I have a feeling that could cause trouble."
The skies grew dark and eventually Gandalf let them stop for the night. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Rosalie sat down heavily, groaning and clutching her feet. Aragorn gave her a weird look and she ignored it, massaging her feet. "I'm so sorry for the torture I've just put you through," She whispered and Legolas let out a snort. Gimli lay down his pack and unwrapped his bedding, asleep before Rosalie thought he hit the ground. She kept staring at the dwarf and said quietly, "I've never seen anyone fall asleep so fast." Boromir chuckled under his breath and Aragorn smiled, sitting next to the other man. Frodo was sat away from the group, his pale face staring up at the stars, hands up by his neck where he kept the ring. Legolas volunteered to take the first watch and left to stand a few feet from the group.
One by one, the Fellowship travelled to the land of dreams but Rosalie slowly made her way over to Frodo. "Are you okay?" Her whispered question was almost drowned out by the snores from various members of the company. Frodo flinched at her presence but nodded half-heartedly. "Shouldn't you be asleep?" He asked back and Rosalie smiled at him. "Shouldn't you?" She shot back and Frodo smiled briefly before it fell from his face and Rosalie felt her own smile fade. "You really should sleep Frodo; you of all of us need it." The hobbit turned to her, frowning. "You're a woman, you need sleep as well and I just can't sleep... not right now." Rosalie raised an eyebrow. "Hey, don't go using my gender as a defence mister, that's MY job when Gandalf wants me to do something horrible... And if you hadn't guessed, I'm so strong, I don't need sleep." Rosalie held her head high and flexed her non-existent muscles, letting out a soft "grrrrr," and Frodo giggle quietly, shaking his head. "You are a very strange woman, Miss Rosalie. A strange woman with blue hair."The girl shrugged and got up. "Get some rest Frodo, I mean it." She walked away from him and out of the corner she saw him lie down.
"You should also get some sleep." Rosalie jumped at the elf's quiet voice. "I also should have a heart that isn't going faster than a race car; give me some warning next time!" Legolas laughed and turned to face her properly. "I apologise for scaring you, but I still stand by my previous point, get some sleep." Rosalie shook her head. "For some reason, I just can't sleep y'know? I want to sleep but I can't sleep." Legolas nodded and let out a small smile. "How are your nerves?" He asked and the girl sighed, "Shot to hell, how are yours not?" The elf chuckled. "Years of experience tell me that this is what I have to do. And what makes you so sure that my nerves aren't, as you say, 'shot to hell'?
Get some rest, Rosalie. Tomorrow will be just as arduous as today." Rosalie sighed and nodded. "Goodnight Legolas." She said, weariness seeming to take control during her conversation with Legolas. She stumbled over to her bedding, collapsing onto it, almost too tired to hear the blond elf's murmured "Goodnight, Rosalie." Almost, and for some strange reason, it caused the girl to fall asleep with a smile upon her face.
It was their third day and Rosalie was finally getting use to their journey. They were having breakfast on a rocky outcrop, everyone relaxing for those few hours before they had to continue. Legolas was stood near the edge, watching for any sign of danger with his keen eyes. Frodo and Sam were sat eating sausages while watching Boromir teach Merry and Pippin a few sword moves and Aragorn supervised, occasionally offering pointers. Gandalf and Rosalie were sat next to each other, the wizard smoking leisurely as the girl drew out the scene, preserving it forever. Rosalie had her headphones in, listening to the gentle beat of old Top 40 songs, blanking the rest of the world.
Gimli walked over to Gandalf, his arms crossed. "If anyone asks for my opinion, which I know they'll not, I'd say we were taking the long way round." Rosalie frowned and pulled out one of the buds, looking at Gandalf. "Gandalf, we could pass through the mines of Moria. My cousin, Balin, could give us a royal welcome!" Rosalie looked up expectantly at the wizard. "I'm always in favour of the short-cut, but I have a feeling my views on this matter are valid." Gandalf glared at the girl and then at Gimli. "No, Gimli. I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice." Gimli huffed and walked away, grumbling in his own language. "Why does Moria scare you?" Rosalie asked quietly and Gandalf turned away from her, staying silent.
Pippin screamed and Rosalie's head snapped at the sound. Boromir crouched down, "Sorry, Pippin, I" Suddenly Merry jumped at him. "Get 'im!" He screamed and Pippin joined him. "For the Shire!" Rosalie laughed along with Frodo, Sam and Aragorn, watching the man from Gondor get pinned to the ground by the Hobbits. "He's got my arm, he's got my arm!" Rosalie was still giggling when Legolas ran past her, standing straight, staring up at the sky.
"What is that?" Sam murmured and Gimli glanced at it. "Nothing. Just as wisp of cloud." He said dismissively but the elf didn't move, still looking at it. Boromir got up, Pippin's head trapped under his arm. "It's moving fast... Against the wind..." Legolas' eyes widened. "Crebain from Dunland!"
Suddenly, everyone jumped into action, moving towards the rocks. "HIDE!" Aragorn's voice roared and Sam poured water onto the little cooking fire, dragging himself and the bags under a rock. Merry's little hand yanked at Rosalie, dragging her down into a large gap between two rocks. "What's-" He hushed her and she huddled closer to him and Pippin, trying to make herself as small as possible. There were a few moments of tense silence before they descended. Dark crows with beady eyes that hovered too close to where they'd been seconds before. Their screams sounded like fingers being dragged down chalk boards, sending chills through Rosalie. The crows circled, a pack of screaming shadows before flying off at break neck speed. Slowly, members of the company stood, still crouched slightly and Rosalie crawled out of the gap. Aragorn held out a hand for her and then they all turned to Gandalf.
"Spies of Saruman. The passage South is being watched. We must take the path of Caradhras." Gandalf called out and Boromir sighed, his shoulders slumping and Gimli let out a groan. Rosalie leaned over and whispered in Aragorn's ear. "What is Caradhras?" Aragorn pointed to the north of them, where the green hills changed into frozen mountains, misty gathering near the peaks. "It is the tallest peak in the misty mountains, and that is our course." Rosalie's eyes widened and looked back over, gulping. "Guess I get to use that new cloak..." She whispered but picked up her pack, and everyone started walking, done with breakfast.