The Second Heir

3.

Chapter 3: Change of Paths

In the morning, we started our trek up the foothills of the mountain towards the Pass of Caradhras. Soon stone and grass turned to snow-covered paths, then inches of white powder overtook the entire landscape by midday.

Snow was falling lightly but the air temperature was dropping steadily the higher we went. It was starting to affect the others, especially with the long gusts of wind coming off the peaks around us.

After one particular sharp shift in the wind, Frodo stumbled, rolling back several yards into Aragorn. I paused my steps, waiting for the small hobbit to regain his balance with Aragorns assistance. He stood but then began anxiously fumbling for something he had lost. I noticed Boromir reach over and pick up something metal from the snow; it looked like a ring? Perhaps it was important to Frodo, a family heirloom of sorts, perhaps. The man however seemed fixated on the object.

"Boromir!" Aragorn called to him but he remained in a gaze.

"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing." He reached for the ring itself.

"Boromir, give the ring to Frodo." I heard Aragorn snap again more sternly, breaking the man out of his trance.

"As you wish, I care not." I heard a long pause then Frodo grabbed the ring and placed it back around his neck and our path continued. However, I did not fail to see Aragorn let go of his sword. I don't trust Boromir either, but to have to resort to violence over a small gold ring? It made no sense to me. Tension was now at an all-time high but Gandalf insisted we keep moving.

As we drew further and further up the mountain, the sky grew darker and the snow fell more quickly. I could feel the full effects of the cold now, even as a half-elf. I wrapped my cloak further around me hoping for some spare warmth. We were close to the peak of the first mountain now. The hobbits no longer could fight through the snow so Boromir and Aragorn now carried them. Legolas and I led the group since we were light enough to walk on the snowy path rather than through it.

It was getting harder and harder to see as the snow fell in sheets like a down poor of summer rain. I took a step and the snow gave out beneath me. My eyes went wide and a scream started in my throat as I started to fall. However, I didn't. I felt a strong hand grab my wrist. I reached up and it took my other hand and pulled me back up. I wrapped my arms around my rescuer for dear life in fear the snow would collapse again. Once I was steady and the snow did not shift further, I looked up to meet Legolas' blue eyes.
"Thank you." I said as I slowly released my grip on his torso.
"You are most welcome." He took my hand to keep me from falling again but it felt natural to be in such close quarters with him if only for safety.
We continued our journey along the mountainside. Stronger winds blew and I heard a voice among the howls off the mountain. It was a man's voice. It was chanting something, but it was not a language I could make out. I looked at Legolas wondering if he heard it as well.

"Do you hear that?" I asked.

"There is a fell voice in the air." He shouted looking towards Gandalf.
"It's Saruman!" Gandalf yelled in distress. Suddenly a large amount of snow and ice fell near us and we huddled against the side of the mountain. Legolas leaned over me protectively shielding me from the debris.

"He's trying to bring down the Mountain! Gandalf we must turn back!" Aragorn yelled desperately.

"No!" Then Gandalf began a chant of his own. So he was indeed the wizard of my father's stories! However, I couldn't relish the fact that I had been traveling with Mithrandir. The winds grew stronger, the sky turned black as night, and lightning struck the mountain sending snow, ice, and rocks down on us in a wave. We were buried under the avalanche. All was quiet under the snow and my breath caught in my chest. I pushed as hard as I could through the snow until I surfaced. I shook the snow from me and then helped Legolas as we started to pull the others out.