A/N: Okay guys, here's the deal. From now until basically the end of June, I'm going to be out of town, which, consequentially, means that I'm away from my laptop.

That being said, I am going to try my absolute hardest to get another chapter typed up before I leave on Friday. The only day I'll really be home within the next week and a half is Monday, so I'll try and post the second update then as well. Hopefully it all works out and I don't have to leave you guys hanging for the next two weeks. :)

Until then, happy reading!

Chaos Unleashed: Part Two

Chapter Twelve

Boromir's POV

I cursed the cold wind that blew through the forest that night and drew my cloak about me a bit tighter as I trudged on through the darkness. It had been three days since our encounter with the Seeker, and now that we had crossed over the Old Forest Road into the southern half of Mirkwood, we could all feel the power emanating from Dol Guldur that much stronger. Tauriel had demanded that we begin to press on through some nights in addition to daytime, stopping only when we absolutely needed to take rest. She estimated that we would be out of the forest within a week, and I could only hope that she would be right. We were all exhausted, and tired of seeing nothing but mangled trees and dead brush everywhere we went.

I glanced up as I ducked underneath a fallen tree hanging over the pathway, my eyes landing on the back of Kathryn's head not far in front of me. We had not said more than a sentence to each other since our argument, and I felt immensely guilty. I should never have fought with her so harshly. For as much as I am trying to protect her, it seems all I can do is push her away.

"Why do you not speak to her?"

The sudden voice at my side startled me, and I nearly tripped over my own feet as I turned to look at the elven prince who'd appeared to my left. "I...I do not think she would give me the chance to say anything," I replied quietly. I'd nearly forgotten that he had been somewhat on the receiving end of my foul mood the night we fought. "I mistakenly pushed her too far."

Legolas frowned, looking ahead as well as we walked. "If you do not mind my asking...what was it you argued about?"

I paused. "...It is...a bit too personal, I'm afraid, for me to go into much detail. But in its simplest form...she has a decision to make that will either have her siding with Erin or me. And I was upset when she seemed like she was going to choose to go with Erin."

"I see. Do not take this the wrong way, my friend, but she and Erin have been close for a long time. They value each other as their own kin. I believe that is why Kathryn may feel more obliged to her than to you."

I exhaled. "I know. And that is the problem, I suppose. It is my own foolish jealousy getting in the way."

"Perhaps you should tell her that," Legolas suggested.

"If I get the chance, I shall certainly try. Though I do not know how long she intends to go on without speaking to me."

Legolas smirked a bit. "You may not have the option of waiting for her to come to you, mellon.* Do not allow your pride to hinder you also." I frowned slightly and looked his way to retort, but the elf had already picked up his pace and moved to the front of the line again.

My frown deepened. How dare he! What audacity does that elf have to suggest that I am so arrogant? At least I am not the son of a pompous elven king taste in wine surpasses his taste in interior decoratio-

...Oh. He's right.

oOo

Kaia's POV

I downed another swig of water and sighed. I should probably be asleep by now. Whatever. Rising from where I'd been sitting on an abandoned crate, I moved across the room, carefully stepping over the bodies of three hobbits and one ranger whom I shared the living space with until I reached the only lit torch in the room, attached to the one rock wall of the area as it burned low. I wanted to sleep, I really did, but my mind was way too busy. I was thinking about nothing and everything all at once, my thoughts tumbling around in my head like it was a dryer.

Most of these thoughts revolved around our current situation stuck in this little camp. Obviously we couldn't stay here, but I had absolutely no idea how or when we could ever get out. Even if Kathryn, Erin, Legolas, and Boromir were coming for us, who knew how long it would take for them to get here? We could be sitting around for weeks, wasting time that we should be using to get into Mordor and destroy the Ring.

I glanced around, vaguely wondering how tight security was in this place. Maybe we could just sneak out sometime and go look for the others ourselves. ...No, that'd be stupid. Especially since these elves are basically giving us free food and shelter for the time being. My eyes flicked down to the sleeping hobbits at my feet. And God knows we need all the rest we can get.

But still, it bothered me to just sit around doing nothing. I felt anxious to get going again, my veins burning with a need to make progress. I can't sit around here and wait forever. And what about Gollum? Sure, he was probably still hanging around here somewhere, like Aragorn said, but I doubted that the filthy creature would stay for too long. And even though I didn't trust him...we needed him. I could feel it. I remembered the importance he'd had in the original trilogy. Without him, Frodo and Sam probably wouldn't have even made it out of the Emyn Muil. He was crucial to the fate of Middle-Earth then, and my gut instinct told me that it was still the same way now, despite all that had changed.

At that moment, I heard a faint groan, and looked up to see someone rolling over in their sleep. Frodo. I smiled a bit at the sight of his dark curly hair. He really is a sweet kid. I pitied all he'd had to endure since he'd started out on this big adventure. No one that young and innocent should have to witness this much death and destruction. But still...he's held up well. The strength of hobbits never fails to amaze me.

But then I heard him groan again, and frowned as he writhed around some more. Hmm. Must be dreaming. At first I brushed it off as nothing...but it continued. As the minutes passed, Frodo kept twisting around beneath his blankets, tangling them up as he mumbled in his sleep. At one point, he rolled onto his back completely, and I stood up in alarm when I saw his face twisted into a fearful expression. I took a step forward. "...Frodo?"

A second later, his eyes shot open, and I jumped as the hobbit screamed like the life was being sucked out of him. "Frodo!" I shouted, running forward as everyone else was also startled out of their sleep. I tripped over Pippin's legs as I ran toward him. Oh God! What's happening?

I dropped to my knees at his side, my eyes widening in fear when I saw that his own were still open, but unfocused. "Frodo!" I yelled again, gripping his shoulders as he thrashed about. "Frodo, snap out of it! Wake up!"

"Kaia!" I looked back to see Aragorn standing behind me, confusion written all over his face.

"Go get help!" I shouted, turning back to the hobbit who was trembling in my arms, still screaming. "Frodo!" I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Frodo, you're dreaming! It's just a nightmare! Frodo, wake up!" Still, he didn't seem to hear me, hand groping wildly for his chest. That's when it hit me. Oh shit. The Ring. Just as his fingers reached into his shirt to grab it, I clapped my own hand over his. "Frodo!" Shit, shit, SHIT! What do I do?! Without thinking, I grabbed the infernal golden thing and yanked as hard as I could, ripping it from his neck.

Almost instantly, Frodo collapsed in my arms. I immediately dropped the Ring and placed my hand on his chest as his eyes finally came into focus. I'd never seen such raw fear on his face before as he registered who he was looking at. "...Kaia?"

"I'm here, Frodo," I said softly. "Just breathe. You're gonna be all right. Merry and Pippin are here, Aragorn's here. No one's hurt. Just breathe." Footsteps and shouts as more people came running into the room. Merry and Pippin also crouched down on Frodo's other side, taking his hand and following my lead in trying to calm him down.

"Lady Kaia," someone spoke. I turned around again to see Erurainon and Neurion standing over my shoulders, with a very worried looking Aragorn just behind them. "Is everything all right?"

I hesitated, looking back to Frodo. One look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know. 'Don't worry,' I mouthed. 'I'll send them away.' I then stood and let him go as Merry and Pippin continued to reassure him that everything was okay. "Yes, I think we're good here," I said to the two elves, glancing at the six others standing behind them (some with weapons). "Thank you." It suddenly clicked in my mind that I'd just dropped the Ring on the ground, and I desperately hoped that they hadn't seen it.

"You are sure of this?" Erurainon asked. "You need no help."

"Nope," I replied. "It was just a bad dream. Thanks, guys." I nodded to them, and thankfully they simply returned it and walked out, calling the rest of their rescue team with them. As soon as I was sure they were out of hearing range, I spun and dropped down next to Frodo again. "What happened?"

But the hobbit didn't answer immediately. "The Ring," he said, swallowing thickly. Aragorn moved to get him some water. "Where is it?"

I looked down. Sure enough, it had fallen into the blankets by Frodo's side, just enough that it would've been hidden from view to the elves. Gingerly picking it up, I held the necklace out to Frodo, who grabbed it from my palm and clutched it to his chest, closing his eyes and taking several deep breaths to relax himself.

I gently placed a hand on his shoulder again as Aragorn handed him his flask. "You okay?"

He nodded, and after a moment, spoke. "...It was horrible. I saw...The Eye!" My eyes widened, and I shot Aragorn a panicked look. "I heard his voice in my head... and he showed me...he showed me..."

"What?" the ranger pressed. "What did he show you?"

Frodo paused, taking a sip of water before continuing. "He showed me...death." His eyes flicked to me. "Yours..." He then looked to Aragorn. "And yours..." Now he turned to Merry and Pip. "And yours, and yours..." Frodo looked back at Aragorn and I again. "...Everyone's."

I tensed. "Were these...visions?"

He nodded. "Yes. Terrible, terrible visions...Kaia...there was so much blood..." He started staring off into the distance again. "So much blood...and screaming..."

I rubbed his arm. "It's okay, Frodo. No one's dying, we're all here. Everyone's safe. You're safe." He looked at me uncertainly for a moment, but then nodded. "Do you think you're gonna go back to sleep?" Another pause, and then a shake of the head. "Okay. That's all right. You don't have to. Just lie here for awhile, for as long as you need to." I stood slowly, catching Aragorn's gaze and subtly motioning for him to follow me. He stood as well, and we walked to the other side of the room as the hobbits eagerly settled in beside Frodo to keep him company. I stopped and spun to face the ranger, only now allowing myself to look as freaked out as I felt. "What the hell was that?"

"I do not know," Aragorn said quietly. "But if he is having visions of the Enemy...I fear that it is because Sauron knows of our return. He can sense the Ring is close."

I felt my heart pound in my chest. "But that doesn't mean he'd try and do something, like...come after it, right?"

But again, the ranger could only shake his head. "I don't know."

oOo

Thranduil's POV

"Oh, come," I said with a laugh to the man who stood before me. "You cannot be speaking the truth."

"I would tell you no lies," he responded, also with a mischievous twitch of the lip, "for surely you would see right through me if I did."

My smile lingered. "Always you humble me with your flattery. With so much of your time spent in Lothlórien, I would claim that Galadriel suggested you say that to win my approval." The two of us chuckled, and I looked down at him from where I sat upon my throne.

Our moment of jest was broken, however, as a familiar face also approached me. "My King," he spoke, bowing low to both myself and our current guest.

"Galion," I addressed my most faithful servant, changing my tone to a more formal one. "What brings you here?"

"Forgive me for interrupting, my lord," he spoke, "but I come bearing a message from our allies in the Emyn Muil." I raised an eyebrow, interested at this. "They have found the others. They are being withheld in the camp."

I nodded slowly, a smile forming once again on my lips. "So they have." I then looked to our guest again. "Perhaps it is time for you to join with them...my old friend."

He echoed my nod, wise blue eyes twinkling with life. "Yes, I believe that would be wise. A reunion is long overdue."

*Mellon = friend

A/N: Oooh, who's this mystery guy at the end here? ;) I feel like you guys can guess pretty easily... but I'll be really happy if no one figures it out lol. Also WOW THRANDUIL POV WHO SAW THAT COMING

Hopefully I didn't screw that up lol.