Estateillio

a Promise at the Foot of Caradhras

• Caradhras was tall and imposing and especially with winter on the doorstep very snowy and rightly so it worried Boromir, who knew the danger of snow storms in the mountains and feared for the hobbits.

• "He will not harm us", Estateillio assured the man of Gondor upon his question, "Often have I taken this path and ever has he been kind to me, ever since I slayed a group of orcs that had trespassed on his territory."

• "Your words have eased my heart, thank you", he replied, before going and challenging Merry and Pippin, as he always did when the fellowship rested.

• It was early still and they would probably still have about an hour till dawn, but ascending the mountain would require that they be rested as well as possible and since they did not want to make camp in the snow they had collectively decided to start the ascend the next day.

• "We should travel through Lothlórien. Since we'll be skimming the forest's edge anyway, we might as well enter and resupply, get some boats so we can travel more quickly", the elleth quietly suggested to Gandalf and the wizard nodded.

• "That would be a wise course of action", he mused, though it was obvious to her that his thoughts were elsewhere entirely, and thus she inquired: "What is on your thoughts, Mithrandir?"

• And the Istar sighed and said: "Since Saruman has betrayed us, the Valar have been calling me back to Valinórë, for what purpose I know not." "And you have not heeded?", she asked incredulously.

• "First I will do my task here. It is more important to defeat Sauron, I believe, than to hearken to their summons", he admitted and Estateillio laughed quietly: "You know, I like you more and more. Rebellion suits you."

• "It is not rebellion if I do what they bid me do long ago", Gandalf deflected, though his eyes sparkled with mirth. "But I would have a request for you, Náriel", he spoke then and the spark disappeared.

• "What would you have me do, Olórin?", she asked. "Should we, at any point during our journey, have an encounter that has a high risk of death and can be better dealt with by one person, let me do the fighting", he requested and Estateillio inhaled sharply and she opened her mouth to deny, but the Istar was faster:

• "Let me explain. Should such encounter result in death, then I would have it be me. The loss of my fana does not bother me too much and I would recover more quickly than others. I would go to Valinórë, heed their call, but I would do so with the knowledge of having done my best to fulfil my task."

• He grabbed her wrist to emphasise his next words: "I will not ask you to swear this, but I would ask you to promise me, Náriel, that you let me do the fighting on such occasion."

• "Something is coming for us", she stated, "You fear that something will waylay us, something dangerous and powerful. You suspect it or know it even. A vision, perhaps?"

• "My dreams have been dark as of late, though what I see I don't know. Flashes only, small snippets. Not much, but enough to make me wary", he explained.

• "Then you are not the only one who does not understand their dreams, though mine speak not of danger", Estateillio mused.

• "You see why I asked then?", Mithrandir questioned and the elleth sighed: "You are a stubborn lot, you maiar. Though my kin were as well, so I cannot fault you for that. Very well, you shall have your way, though I will not stand aside wholly. If there is any way I can help I will do so", she relented, "You have my word."

• "And I will hold you to it, Náriel", he replied, "thank you." "I still do not like it, just so you know", she added.

• The next day they rise early, gathered their belongings and started the strenuous trek up the mountain. They made good progress and not after long they were walking through a thin blanket of snow and the trouble twins quickly started throwing snowballs, enjoying the white powder that they saw so rarely in their home.

• And their childlike laughter and merriment brought a smile to the taller folk and as long as their antics didn't hinder their progress, they were loath to bring a stop to the hobbits' play.

• That was, of course, until one snowball missed its target and hit Frodo squarely in the back and the hobbit, who had been lost in thoughts, startled and slipped on the snow and fell and tumbled down the slope until Aragorn, who had brought up the rear, caught him and helped him to his feet again.

• "Are you alright?", the ranger asked and the hobbit nodded, slightly dazed from the fall, and he brushed off the snow and as his hand grazed his sternum, where the Ring should hang, there was nothing and he realized with a jolt that he had lost it and he frantically began looking around, until his gaze fell on Boromir who was picking up the chain and a golden band glittered in the sunlight.

• And the son of Denethor looked at the Ring as if bewitched and he barely heard the ranger calling his name as he whispered: "It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing, such a little thing..."

• "Boromir", Estateillio admonished and clasped his shoulder as he reached for the Ring with his free hand and the man jolted out of his trance and gently the elleth urged: "Give the Ring to Frodo."

• "As you wish", he said and handed over the necklace and trying to regain his composure laughed and ruffled the hobbit's hair, "I care not."

• The tension eased somewhat, but the mood stayed sombre and Merry and Pippin did not continue their game and silence laid heavily upon the fellowship and it was only interrupted by the crunching snow as they stepped on it.

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Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoyed!
AT
P.S.:
Valinórë -> Valinor
Fana -> body (lit. Raiment)
P.P.S.: Náriel is another name/title of Estateillio. Gandalf uses it to point out her heritage and to remind her of how her ancestors always kept their promises. In turn, she calls him Olórin to remind him that he's an ainu and that her family has not really gotten along with the ainur and to take that into account when bringing up her and her family's past to persuade her to promise something.