The Forgotten Love ~A Faramir Love Story~

Chapter XVI

The Fellowship was walking up the snowy slopes of the great mountain pass of the Caradhras. There were few clouds, the cold, winter sun shining brightly against the snow. They walked in a single file line, each semi-unconsciously stepping into the tracks of the person leading them.

"It's as if we are hiding our numbers, isn't it?" Pippin asked Gwen excitedly, his hood falling off as he spun around, facing her. "As if we are trying to deceive the enemy." He wiggled his fingers when he spoke the word 'deceive.'

Gwen smiled, gently placing Pippin's hood back on his curly head. "It would seem so," she laughed.

"It's so exciting!" Pippin exclaimed. "An adventure, filled with mystery, and secrets, and-"

Before he could finish, a cry interrupted him. Nine heads turned as they watched, helpless, as Frodo stumbled, falling and rolling back down the slope.

"Frodo!" Aragorn yelled, running after him. He caught up to him and helped him back on to his feet.

"Are you quite alright?" Gwen asked as she came forward to met Aragorn and From. She knelt down, helping Frodo brush the snow off himself. To her surprise, Frodo slapped her hands away, desperately feeling his neck.

"It's gone," he said in a voice only Gwen and Aragorn could hear. His eyes grew wide as he started looking for it. The others came forward and helped Frodo in his search. 

Before very long, however, Gwen felt a gentle tugging on her sleeve. She looked up to see Sam, pointing with his eyes to where Boromir stood. 

The Ring was in his hands.

Gandalf, too turned around, followed by everyone else. The Hobbits were silent, waiting for the big people to speak first, though anger and betrayal briefly gleamed in Frodo's blue eyes.

"Boromir." Aragorn broke the awkward silence.

Boromir blinked several times, as if awoken from a trance. 

"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing," he said quietly, gazing at the Ring, mesmerized. "Such a little thing." He rose his hand to touch the Ring as it dangled on the chain, slipping into the subconscious once again.

"Boromir!" Gwen spoke, more urgently than Aragorn, placing a hand on the hilt of her sword.
Boromir abruptly stopped, halted from his isolation.

"Give the Ring to Frodo," Aragorn instructed, never looking away from Boromir.

Boromir looking shocked, walked to a worried Frodo and held the Ring out to him. Frodo snatched it immediately, placing it around his neck and concealing it underneath his cloak. 

Boromir looked around at everyone "As you wish! I care not," he glanced at Frodo, then Aragorn, then back to Frodo, laugh uneasily and ruffling the Halfling's hair. He continued up the slope again, walking in such a way as if nothing had happened.

Aragorn stared after him before turning to Gwen. "Keep a watchful eye on him," he whispered in Elvish, before releasing the semi-conscious grip he had on his sword.

~~~

The Fellowship struggled onward up the icy slope. The snow was getting deeper, the Halflings having to be carried by Aragorn and Boromir who they themselves were already thigh deep in the snow. Mithrandir lead the way, his staff emitting a dim glow for the others to follow. Gwen and Gimli trudged behind the wizard, wading through the sticky snow. Legolas walked behind them all, his light Elf tread allowing him to walk on top of the snow, instead of through it.

He wasn't at the back for long before he suddenly ran forward to the head of the line. He gazed intently out into the dark sky as he listened to the echos on the wind.

"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya!" 

Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your horn be bloodstained!

"There is a fell voice on the air," he declared.

"It's Saruman!" Mithrandir exclaims, looking up into the sky.

A mighty crack was heard overhead, and great chunks of rock fell down from the mountain top.

"Look out!" Gwen called, pulling Gimli against the mountain side. They watched as the rock narrowly missed them.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf!" Aragorn cried over the wind. "We must turn back!"

"No!" Gandalf said. He stepped out to the edge of the path "Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!" He exclaimed in Quenya. 

"Sleep, Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!" Gwen murmured the translation to herself upon hearing the familiar language.

A great streak of lightning suddenly hit the top of the mountain above the Fellowship causing an avalanche of snow to rain down on top of them, burying them underneath it.   

Many painful moments later, Legolas emerged from the snow. He looked around, desperately waiting to see if the others would emerge.

They did. One by one they popped up, gasping for air.

"We must get off the mountain!" Boromir exclaimed. "Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn cried out.

Gimli piped up. "If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it! Let us go through the Mines of Moria." 

Mithrandir paused, thinking. "Let the Ringbearer decide," he said.

Frodo looked at Mithrandir, confused and turned to Sam.

"We must decide swiftly!" Gwen shouted. "We cannot stay here!" 

"I agree with her!" Boromir said, looking down at Merry and Pippin, who were shivering violently and turning a pale shade of blue. "This will be the death of the Hobbits!"

Mithrandir looked at the Ringbearer. "Frodo?" He asked, his eyes pleading he choose not the path that he dreaded.

Frodo spoke hesitantly. "We will go through the Mines."

Mithrandir sighed. "So be it."