A year before the time The Hobbit is supposed to take place, Elven-King Thranduil and his son Legolas as well as companions from Mirkwood come to Lothlóthrien. During their stay there, Thranduil and Legolas meet the youngest daughter of Lord Elrond...
After they had passed the grim statues of the Argonath, the Fellowship continued till the roar of Rauros Falls sounded in their ears. They beached at Parth Galen, near the hill of Amon Hen, just as the sun began sinking to the far west, and began to make a temporary camp.
"We cross the lake at nightfall," Aragorn said, breaking the silence that had fallen between the members of the Fellowship. "Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the south."
"Oh yes?" Gimli answered dryly. "It's just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks! And after that, it gets even better!"
Pippin looked up, alarmed, but the dwarf continued nevertheless.
"Festering, stinking marshlands far as the eye can see."
"That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf," Aragorn responded, not amused.
"Recover my--" Gimli left off, murmuring things inaudible to the others, but obviously irritated by Aragorn's comment.
Celebwen suddenly started, seeing in her mind's eyes the orcs that had been following them getting closer in the forest. They were almost there.
Involuntarily, she began to walk to the edge of the forest.
Legolas followed her and whispered when she stopped, "What's wrong?"
"They are coming," she breathed, giving him a meaningful look.
Turning around, Legolas said grimly to Aragorn, "We should leave now."
"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness," was the reply.
"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near. I can feel it," Celebwen answered, a tint of fear in her tone.
"Where's Frodo?" a young voice piped up from behind them, breaking another conversation between Gimli and Pippin.
Celebwen and Legolas instantly began searching for the hobbit.
"Where's Boromir?" the elleth asked of Aragorn, her eyes wide.
Aragorn didn't reply verbally. He ran up the forested hill after the two that had gone up there who knew how long before.
Legolas began to follow him, but Celebwen stopped him by laying her hand on his arm. "We will be needed soon; not yet."
"What is it?" he asked after a pause, seeing the grief-stricken look on her face.
She stepped closer to him and whispered in his ear, "This Fellowship is unraveling. I have long foreseen it, but banished the thought from my mind because I did not think--I did not want to believe it would really happen. But it is happening and we must do our best to keep the remnants together."
Gimli interrupted them. "What are we supposed to do now?"
Turning around, she saw Sam and Elanor missing and glancing at the forest saw their forms disappear among the trees. Sighing inwardly, she replied, "I don't know yet."
Just then, a horn sounded among the trees; not an orc horn.
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