Hey guys, sorry it's late! it's long though to make up for it. Xoxo, xDare2Writex.

Chapter 13
The Path Is Watched

12 days have past, and it is going to be sundown on the 13th day. Gandalf stopped us for the night. I immediately flopped down, groaned, and massaged my blistering feet. And I wasn't the only one, let me tell you.

"Ow! Geez my feet!" Colyne complained next to me. I could detect Delilah's whinny voice ring out saying,

"When are we getting some horses? Are we there yet? Can't Gandalf just teleport us there?" But I couldn't suppress my laugh when both Aragorn and Nick said

"SHHH!" At the same time.

While this was happening, Boromir (Aka the annoying Gondorian) was teaching Pippin and Merry to spar. Although Lauren clapped, I thought they looked like first-grade pirates swashbuckling. Then again, my friends and I had no training either.

"Do you think these work?" Colyne asked me, flashing the cold steel blades given to us by the elves.

"Well, if they don't, they'd make a kick-ass wall decoration." I said. A musical laugh echoed behind me. Legolas had overheard us talking.

"You'll want those weapons very soon Vanessa." For some unknown reason, (can I plead insanity?) I got up and unsheathed the sword.

"Well, if you know so much, show me. And my friends." I challenged him. He looked amused, and thought about it.

"I shall not try to hurt you Fay."

I snorted.

"You do that Elf."

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" Mark echoed. Everyone joined in.

"Yes, please do!" Pippin added, fascinated that I would be stupid enough to take on Legolas. Smirking smugly, Legolas took out his two best white knives.

"Shall we?" I nodded trying to feign like I had the upper hand.

What have you gotten yourself into? He'll kick my ass! Maybe my friends would learn from this; don't be stupid like Vanessa. I rolled my shoulders back, cracked my neck, and got into a stance. (Yeah I was real intimidating, a whole 5.5ft girl) Out of the corner of my eye, Gandalf, Aragorn, and Gimli were watching me.

Legolas touched the tip of his blades with his fingers, holding them near his face.
"Ready? On three. One. Two. Three."

I turned around him, and tried to hit his side. He deflected it as if it were a slight breeze.

"Keep your guard up. Don't try to anticipate my next move, concentrate on yours." He was coaching me now?

I backed away, and stood on a high rock. He tried to swipe my legs; but I jumped. Rolling to the ground, I picked up my knife where I had thrown it. (Rolling with a knife = impalement. I knew that much) But I really didn't know what I was doing, and it showed. He talked more then I was, yet he had no sweat, no signs of fear.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" I said.

"Immensely." He didn't even try to hide it, mouth curled up in amusement.

Maybe if I worked closer to him. I moved forward dashing my sword to the right, left, then left. He deflected them all. The sun was bright and in my eyes. He gave me a moment to stop. Grrr, It's not really fair how calm he is. I feigned right when I was supposed to be going left. He caught my arm and twisted it back.

"Ow!" He relented a little, just enough for me to jab my elbow into his chest. He let go, and looked surprised.

"You're doing well." I didn't answer. His golden hair was falling out of his back braid. I cut off a bit of it with my blade. He looked up at it, lips pouted. Gasps came from the audience. He cornered me twice, unarmed me once. Then as he went in, intent clear: to disarm me again.

Not this time.

I spun around like a ballerina, and my sword glowed green. No, not here, not now! But it was too late, I was mid-spin. I pointed the sword at his waist, and he was knocked down, like an invisible force hit him. It was dead silent. He got up, and looked at me. I winced; that look hurt more then his daggers.

"That is an unfair weapon. Which you should use on your enemies, not companions" I didn't know what to say.

"I'm, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

Legolas came closer to me, almost as if to shake my hand. Almost. He peered down. Then disarmed my sword out of my hand, and knocked me down into the boulder behind me. The impact didn't hurt as much as it should have. When I looked, I saw I had landed on a thornless flower bush.

"You let your guard down." He said apologetically, and helped me up.

Our companions clapped. Gandalf's direction debate went on.

"What if Aragorn, we took the Narentil Path?"

"No, that is too close to Mirkwood. Their woods are infested with many beasts; giant venomous spiders and such."

"Well, at any rate we must continue this way and reach Isengard."

Legolas, perching on a rock, squinted into the sky.

"That cloud is moving fast."

"Against the wind." Boromir commented.

"Creblen from dundeland!" The elf yelled.

"Sauraman's spies! Hide! Quickly!" Gandalf orderd.

The fire was put out. Everyone ducked for cover under the first bush they could find. Thankfully, the bushes and boulders were plentiful. I prayed the black crow like birds that flew above us hadn't seen our camp. Or Us. I tried to look for everybody in the bushes. Gimli was in the big bush below mine, and Legolas to the left of mine. I think it was Sam who was stuffed into the bush to the right of me, but I couldn't tell. We waited.

After several minutes of their squawking cries, the Cerblen crows flew away. We waited longer, then crawled out of the brush.

"We're in a line of fire." Aragorn commented.

"No really?" Boromir said.

"Who's Sauraman?" Merry pipped up.

Gandalf explained

"He, is my Elder and former friend. Also, he has betrayed us." While everyone native to Middle-Earth flinched at His name, my friends and I shrugged.

"So what?" Mark said ignorantly.

"It's not like crows can even talk. Besides, what does he get out of being co-captain? Is he on a power trip or something?"

Gandalf furrowed his bushy brows, which looked startlingly like albino caterpillars.

"He, Master Mark, is working for Sauron, the creator of the Ring, who will stop at nothing to get it back. My magic is nothing for his."

Mark mumbled under his breathe; so low, only I, who was standing right next to him could hear.

"Maybe I don't want to be here for this. The movies weren't like this."

And he was right, partially. The sequence of everything has changed because of our coming here. I looked down at my hands. We had been changed by this universe, and thus have changed parts of it. But to give up? We weren't even halfway to where we're supposed to be.

Was it safe to touch my ex? I laid my hand on his shoulder.

He flinched, then turned to move, but didn't. It was like he didn't know whether to stay, or shrug me off.

"Mark. We can't give up now. There's no going back." I said gently.

"Uh-huh. A-hem." Delilah cleared her throat so loud; I thought a hen was being strangled. I let him go. He walked soundlessly away.

"Are you ok?" Colyne gave me a what-are-you-doing-with-the-enemy-ex look.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"You're not lying just to shut me up?"

I rolled my eyes at her.

"Yeah that's it."

I turned around. Gandalf was fighting with Aragorn about the new way to go, because this one was being watched. I guess fighting isn't the right word. 'A heated argument in which each one thinks he's right, while sparring words back at one another like weapons' is more the right term.

"This path is being watched. Obviously, we can no longer stay here, lest Sauraman send us an ambush." Gandalf explained.

"Yes, but there are only two paths left to choose from. Come Gandalf, we cannot linger here so long. The afternoon grows old." The lost heir returned.

"Listen to you two bickering like an old married couple." Gimli chuckled. He was met with two long, icy stares.

"I uh, meant nothing by it." He shut his mouth. Frodo, walked over to them.

"What are the passes?"

Both Gandalf and Aragorn began talking at once. They glared at each other, and Aragorn backed down. Red-faced Ganadlf said,

"My dear Frodo, I think it's time you helped us in this little spat. Tell me, shall we go to the Pass Carthras in the mountains?"

Broromir edged closer.

"Hey, why not go to the path by Gondor?"

"No, that's too close to Isengard." Aragorn declared.

"I know, Gandalf, if we cannot go over the mountain, let us go under it. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome." Gimli suggested.

The aged wizard tapped his gnarly staff.

"No Gimli. We can still go over the mountain. I would not go to Moria if it was the last path of all. You do not know what lies in the darkness of those caves."

Gimli, shut down, bowed his head. Unlike that prissy elf, or wannabe king, Gandalf he actually respected. Frodo looked at all of his protectors. Truly, he believed Gandalf most of all.

"Let us try the Mountain Pass."

Boromir let out a frustrated groan. He walked off.

"Fine. Let's." As he passed he bumped into my shoulder.

"Ow. Watch where you're going!" I rubbed it.

"Almost didn't see you. So small." He laughed evilly and kept walking. There was no way I would ever get an apology from that man. "Humph. Men."

"May I see your shoulder?" Legolas quickly touched it.

"Not all men are like that. Lord Boromir is one exception. Your arm should heal quickly." He smiled at me.

"Most are. Mark is like that." I said it before I realized it. He had really nothing to do with me anymore.

"I can tell that there is much conflict in him Vanessa. I would be careful. I don't trust him"

"Yeah... So, is Cartharas Pass really far?"

"Not far, but cold, and very very steep." His blue eyes flicked up to the gray rocky skyline. It looked very tiring to climb. He worriedly looked at the hobbits.

"How will they survive the cold? How will you?" he asked suddenly.

"Uh…"

I was saved from answering by Gandalf's call to get up and get moving North toward the mountain. I fell behind most of the group, and walked beside my female friends. They tried talking to me, but I was too absorbed in thinking to answer.