Disclaimer: I think you get the idea!! But just in case: Jessica is MINE!!! M-I-N-E! MINE!! Nothing else is.
Sorry about the formatting problem last chapter! That wont happen here!!
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Chapter 6: Caradhras
Jessica was on first watch, she had managed to get the others to let her. She let her memory of the past day come to her. It brought to her what Gandalf had said.
"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." He had been sitting on a rounded stone when they had stopped for a break.
Jessica scratched her arm, right where the leather had been irritating her skin; she had been wearing arm guards and she hadn't yet gotten used to them, they were inscribed with an image of a wolf. Jessica had smiled and had kept her smile hidden from the others, only Aragorn, Gandalf and the Hobbits knew why she had an air of mirth.
She wore the same clothes that Aragorn had given her when they had stayed at Bree, her hair had taken on Legolas' style, hiding the designs in her hair well.
She heightened her hearing and waited, listening for any suspicious sounds.
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Jessica watched as Boromir taught Merry and Pippin to sword fight.
"Two, one, five," Boromir said as he moved his blade slowly which Pippin blocked.
"Move your feet," Aragorn said.
"You look good Pippin," Merry said, standing to one side.
"Thanks," Pippin replied, Boromir turned to him and did different movements and these were also slow.
Jessica turned her hearing behind her as she watched the skies.
"If anyone were to ask for my opinion, which I note they are not, I would say that we are going the long way around," Gimli told Gandalf who were both behind her. "Gandalf, we can pass through the mine of Moria. My cousin, Balin, would give us a royal welcome," Gimli said.
Jessica turned around and looked at the two of them. She could see that Gandalf wasn't happy with the idea.
"No, Gimli. I would not take that road through Moria unless I had no other choice," he said to the dwarf, the only one who wore armour in the form of chain mail.
Jessica heard Boromir accidentally catch Pippin's hand. She heard Pippin throw down his sword, tackling Boromir with Merry.
She looked at Legolas as saw him jump from large stone to stone and looked out into the skies. Sam stood up and followed Legolas' eyes.
"What is that?" he asked.
"Nothing. It's just a wisp of cloud," Gimli said, also looking, but not as closely.
Jessica looked at the cloud and saw with every second that passed more detail came to her.
"It's moving fast…… against the wind," Boromir said worriedly as he stood up.
"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas shouted.
"Hide!" Aragorn said urgently.
Jessica picked up her things fast and ran underneath a low bush and stayed still. Legolas joined her and they both heard the others hide.
What felt like half an hour, but what turned was only a few minutes, passed. When the Crebain left Jessica stood up in the bush. She heard Gandalf stagger to his feet.
"Spies of Saruman. The passage south is being watched," he looked at Aragorn, turned to the others before he gestured to the mountains behind him. "We must take the path of Caradhras," Jessica silently groaned, even as she carefully picked her things up and got out of the bush.
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Jessica walked behind Frodo, a bit behind to catch him if he slipped on the snow or shale. She was right. Frodo misplaced his foot and slipped, falling back. He stopped falling as Jessica stood in his path. She helped him up. Frodo's hand searched his chest for the ring. Jessica watched as Boromir picked the ring up, dangling on its chain.
Boromirs' stature seemed to straighten as though he as absorbing power from the ring.
Aragorn approached him from behind. Boromir remained motionless as he continued to stare at the ring.
"Boromir?" Aragorn asked.
"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing…… such a little thing," Boromir said, entranced by the ring.
"Boromir," Jessica said quietly, her hand slowly reaching for her sword. "Give the ring to Frodo." Jessica saw the look on Boromirs face; a smile crept up on his face.
Boromir suddenly snapped out of his trance with the ring and handed it back to Frodo. "As you wish. I care not," he said lightly, as though what had just taken placed had never done so.
Boromir smiled at Frodo and ruffled his hair before walking to the rest of the group further up who had stopped to watch what had happened. The fur on Jessica's hand slowly crept back, her hand human again.
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The whole fellowship struggled through a blinding blizzard, up towards the pass of Caradhras. Jessica turned around when she heard a light crunch of snow from behind her. She saw Legolas walking next to the group on top of the snow and he barely left footprints behind.
"Lucky Elf," Jessica heard Gimli mutter. Jessica grunted silently in agreement.
Legolas paused in front of Gandalf who was leading the way, trying to make a path with his staff.
Legolas could hear a voice on the air. "There is a fell voice on the air!" he said urgently, loud enough for everyone to hear, but quiet enough not to disturb the fresh snow above them.
"It's Saruman!" Gandalf said.
There was a sound of thunder as rock and shale fell from above them. Legolas moved to the rock wall to his left as the stone fell by him.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain," Aragorn said urgently. "Gandalf, we must turn back!"
"No!" Gandalf said as he raised his staff and began to chant into the wind. "Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho I ruith," he yelled. (Sleep, Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath.)
A few moments passed before a fork of lightening hit the top of the Caradhras. Everyone looked up in horror as the snow came hurtling down towards them. Jessica looked down and saw Legolas shove Gandalf to safety. She realised that Legolas had not moved from where he stood, she jumped up and pushed him out of the way.
"No!" Aragorn and Frodo called out as the snow fell.
Jessica let out a scream before the snow muted her screams as it smothered her. The snow covering everyone was still for a moment before a head of blonde hair broke the surface. He looked around for moment before he made his way to where Jessica probably lay under the surface of the snow. He started to dig in the snow, looking for her.
The snow shifted and Legolas stopped digging a moment before he started digging with renewed hope. Within seconds he exposed Jessica's smooth skin. He dug more, exposing more of her body. He looked at her, her eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow. He looked closer at her and realised that she was shivering. He picked her up and held her close to him, trying to keep her warm.
"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the West road to my city!" Boromir yelled above the noise of the storm.
"We cannot pass over a mountain. Let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria," Gimli said.
Gandalf looked concerned. A moment passed. "Let the Ring-bearer decide," he said.
Frodo looked at Jessica as she shivered in Legolas' arms. Unconsciously Legolas held her closer to him to try and warm her up in the savage weather that surrounded them.
"Frodo?" Gandalf asked. Frodo met Gandalf's eye.
"We will go through the mines," Frodo said. Gandalf nodded slowly.
"So be it."
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The Fellowship made their way around the shadow of the ruins of a large aqueduct. Jessica was still in Legolas' arms unconscious. Aragorn walked next to them, his right hand resting on the pommel of his sword.
Jessica moaned and moved in Legolas' arms. Legolas and Aragorn shared a look before they stopped and set Jessica carefully down against the side, her back resting on the wall. Jessica moaned again before she opened her eyes slowly.
"Are you alright?" Aragorn asked her.
Jessica nodded slowly. "I'm alright," she said, a smile came to her lips. "Why do I feel so cold?" she asked.
"You saved my life at the possible loss of your own," Legolas said. "You were buried under the snow."
Jessica nodded and attempted to stand up and failed. Aragorn nodded to Legolas who made his way down the steep slope near them, following the others.
Aragorn removed a spare blanket from his pack before he helped Jessica to stand up. He placed the blanket about her shoulders before taking her arm and carefully helping her down the steep slope.
As they walked Jessica whispered quietly to Aragorn. "Thank you for keeping my secret," she said. "I fear that you will no longer have to keep that promise."
Aragorn looked at her. "What do you mean?" he asked her.
"I have a bad feeling about Moria," Jessica lied; she knew the real reason.
Aragorn nodded in acceptance as he continued to help her down the slope.
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Hope you enjoyed!!
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