Chapter 6 The Path Is Barricaded

Torrents of billowing white snow was what met them next.

Icy upon their skins and clinging to the thick cloaks that hung about their shivering forms, it was hard for all of the company. But none found it quite as strenuous as the four Hobbits. The snow that was steadily falling had worked it's way up to their waists, slowing the journey. Their walk now more similar to a wade .

Legolas took it upon himself to act as a scout, after all it made sense. He was the most agile out of the company on the snow. Arwen might have gone farther ahead with him yet she decided to wait behind and try to coax Bill ever forward. As it was the pony had already tried to stop a few times and every time it was getting harder and harder to get him to move of once again.

She glanced over towards Gandalf who was trying to dig a trench though the snow with his staff. Arwen noted that although he looked like a fragile old man, wrinkled and feeble, he was possibly as strong as any of the other much younger men present. More notable was that he had managed to keep a hold of his hat amongst the frequent gales.

She felt cold, well no, cold was an understatement the bitterness of the snow had numbed her to the bone. But she could not stop, none of them could. There was no time to waste, once this journey was completed then they could all return to their regular lives. Their relatively simple and happy lives, away from Dark Lords, malicious wizards and treacherous Orcs.

But Arwen knew that although she wished for it, there was a scarce chance that everyone of them would make it back. Halting for a brief moment to let the other catch up she looked at each of them in turn.

Merry and Pippin were their usual selves, bickering about something, food no doubt, slightly shunting each other. These two had long lives to lead. They did not deserve this fate. They were both images of the very thing that they were trying to protect in this world, innocence and happiness.

Then there was Gimli, although he kept her at a distance there was something more to this Dwarf. It was though he wanted to keep up a hard exterior, but behind it a jester and a kind heart lay. He to did not deserve the fate of death.

Sam and Boromir were next in the line, the epitome of innocence and purity contrasted with Strength and Brutishness. But even Boromir did not deserve to perish, of course at some points he was brash...yet he was still noble, he wanted to protect his people by whatever means necessary. A noble choice, as was the choice to come on this quest altogether. Whether it be for his own benefits or for the benefit of the team who knew. She quickly noticed that Boromir was staring straight back at her, so she quickly glanced away pretending to scan the far off horizon. Behind Boromir she could see a forest. Although it was not, it reminded her of Rivendell, but what it symbolised her leaving behind everything that she knew, everything that was familiar and entering the nothingness that was the snow.

"Arwen are you alright?" Aragorn called to her. His face concerned, although that may have been the strain of keeping Frodo on his feet.

"Yes I am fine," she replied giving him a reassuring smile. "I was merely admiring the view".

By now Merry and Pippin had made their way past her and she was able to make out the words. "Shire, Green Dragon," and "elevenses," from their constant quibbling.

She wondered if they were missing their home as much as she was? But even if they were at least they had each other for comfort.

Gimli's heavy breathing broke her from her thoughts. "If you ask….me," he gasped in between breaths. "This is all very unnecessary, I mean look at the Hobbits, they can barely stand. There were much easier routes that we could have taken," he stated, pushing the end of his axe deep into the snow for support.

"I know Gimli, but this was the safest route. The others were far too perilous," Arwen replied.

"Well we should've voted," he protested, continuing on his way he grabbed the reins from Bill, saying " I can take him for a while." Maybe he wanted him for support, company or simply to give her a break, who knew.

Arwen smiled to herself, she could understand what the Dwarf was saying about the road that they had taken. But it seemed that the hard façade that he was wearing was faltering fast.

Frodo was coming up the slope fast behind Boromir. He noticed Arwen looking at him and gave her a small wave. However this sudden change of movement tipped his balance and he ended up falling back down the snowy slope towards Aragorn. Arwen began to laugh as Aragorn caught him and turned him upright. Yet she quickly stopped when she saw the panic spread across Frodo's face.

"The Ring! I have lost The Ring," he shouted, making everyone in the party turn round suddenly. Their hearts pounding in their chests as one of their greatest fears suddenly became a reality. Frodo scrapped about at his neck, checking that it was true and he was not mistaken.

But then they saw it, sitting innocently upon the pure white ice, glistening and looking prouder than ever, the chain wrapped around it like a python in a coil.

Boromir was closest to it an he eyed it suspiciously before bending down and lifting it gently by the gold chain rope. He lifted his arm high into the air so the ring was dangling straight in front of his eyes.

There The Ring became hypnotic, and Boromir himself, the hypnotist.

"Boromir!" Aragorn shouted, but it seemed that nothing would break the man from the spell that had been cast upon him.

"Boromir!" Aragorn tried again this time catching his eye line and breaking him from the dark clutches that beckoned him to break.

"Give the ring to Frodo," Aragorn commanded. Boromir staggered towards him through the snow, finally bringing out his palm towards them.

"Take it," he told Frodo. "For I care not". Frodo quickly snatched the ring from his grasp before the man could change his mind.

Boromir then turned and once again continued to make his ascent up the hill, ss did the rest of the company after watching the brief altercation.

Aragorn's hand slipped slowly from the hilt of his blade, hoping that no one had noticed he would have slain the man where he stood, if he had not given back The

Ring. He had hoped no one had, but Arwen did.

The snow was becoming increasingly more tiresome and many of them were weary. But up the mountain and in the snow it was difficult to find anywhere to camp. It was nearing nightfall and it was clear that they would not conquer the mountain this night. Arwen had kept with Aragorn and Frodo for some time now whilst Boromir had moved to stand behind Merry and Pippin as the gales surrounded them.

It looked as though a storm was brewing which would be highly inconvenient due to the small ledge that they were now perched upon, with a seemingly never-ending drop to the right hand side.

Legolas was still in the lead and he stood, dignified on top of the snowfall. Yet he too found it increasingly harder to see between the torrents of falling snowflakes.

"There is something," he called. " A foul voice on the air".

Arwen listened intently, though it was difficult because of the howling wind swirling about them. Then she to heard it. It was faint and obviously from miles away yet it was strange, it was a mans voice but it was …chanting !

"Gandalf!" she cried "It's a chant!"

"It is Saruman!" he bellowed. As he tried to begin a counter spell an enormous bolt of lightning pierced from the sky through shards of ice an crashed into the side of the mountain. The fellowship could only look up in horror as they watched the snowy ledge above them collapse under it's own weight.

In a split of an instance Legolas flung Gandalf back against the rock face and the others clung to each other for support and strength to stop from falling from mighty Caradhras unto their certain death.

The last thing Arwen remembered was Aragorn cradling her above and then …darkness.