The Fellowship's Silvertongue

The Ring Goes South

"Rosa, Rosa wake up." I opened my eyes, expecting to be blinded by the sunlight, but instead, it was quite dark out.

"What?" I rubbed my eyes adjusting to the dark, I could slightly make out a figure of someone standing over me.

"It's time to go." It was Aragorn.

"Oh," I sat up. "Well let me get dressed and I'll be there in a minute, maybe two." Aragorn nodded and left the room.

I got out of bed and lit a candle. The outfit that I had worn when we first arrived in Rivendell hung next to the mirror. I threw it on, put my hair in a new braid, and grabbed my duffle bag, but stopped at the door. The bag was awfully heavy. I set it down and threw out a few books leaving 'The Wizard of Oz', 'Alice in Wonderland', 'The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe' and 'Hachiko Waits' in the bag.
I ran out to the courtyard where the Fellowship was waiting.

"Here." Aragorn handed me my bow and arrows, along with a sword in its sheath

"Thanks." I took the weapons, placed the bow and quiver of arrows on my back and the sword and sheath on my waist.

----

There was no song, no music, no laughter. We all just turned and left, crossing over the bridge to the start of the journey. Gandalf walked in front, and with him went Aragorn, he knew this land even in the dark. The others were in file behind, and Legolas with his sharp eyes was the rearguard. I was placed in front of him. 

The first part of the journey was hard and dreary, I can remember little of it, save the wind. For many sunless days, an icy blast came from the Mountains in the east, and it seemed like my cloak was doing nothing to help it. Though we kept close together so that we felt warm, either moving or at rest. We slept uneasily during the middle of the day, in some hollow of the land, or hidden under the tangled thorn-bushes that grew in many places. In the late afternoon, we were roused by the watch and took our first meal: cold and cheerless as a blind man in a silent movie, we ceased to lighting a fire, it posed too many risks. In the evening we went on again, always as nearly southward as we could find a way. 

At times I had wished that I had trekked in front of the hobbits because they seemed to be getting nowhere. I could hear Legolas' impatient breathing behind me, as elves are quick and light-footed. 

I turned my head behind me. "You aren't the only one. If I had the heart, I would run right over them." I whispered. 

The corners of Legolas's mouth rose in a small smile. "It is a good thing you don't." He said. I smiled as well and turned back to face forward. 

It had been two weeks before the harsh winds came to an abrupt stop. I let out a sigh of relief as the cold air washed away and was replaced with warm sunlight. In the south high mountains lined across our path to be taken.

"We have done well." Gandalf announced. "The weather will be milder now, but all the more dangerous."

"Dangerous or not, a warm sunrise is a good welcome." Said Frodo. We all pulled back our hoods to take in the warm sunlight of the rising sun.

"Let us be glad that the first stage is safely over." Gandalf turned to face us. "We will rest here not only today but tonight as well."

That morning we had a more merrier breakfast than before, we lit a fire for the first time. As tired as we were we did not hurry to bed, though everyone sat around quietly. I looked over to where Aragorn stood, his head tilted as if he were trying to listen to something, it was clear that he could sense something, being a Ranger. I treaded through the holly that surrounded our camp and stood still by his side, attempting to make out what he sensed.