The Tenth Walker - Aragorn Fanfiction

I may hate snow even more than my ex-boyfriend

'No one said it was going to be cold' I mutter under my breath but I still earn a laugh from Aragorn, who walks behind me. The snow leaks into my boots and I can't feel my toes. Luckily in the bag I packed with Arwen, there is a brown cloak with a hood and spare clothes. I wear the cloak now so I am what warmer and protected against the strong wind.

I still feel like I am frozen..

I pull the hood even further over my head. I don't like snow..

I look towards Legolas, who grins at me. Stupid good-looking elf guy. He walks on top of the snow. On the top!

And we, the rest of us, walk knee deep into the snow, moving barely forward. And the Hobbits and Gimli have it a lot more difficult than us, because they are waist deep into the snow. 'Frodo!' I hear Sam call out and I look up. My thoughts gone. Frodo scrambles to his feet, while Aragorn rushes to him. But at my left, Boromir picks up the chain and the ring dangles before his eyes. His eyes grow wide and I feel a strange feeling inside me wake. 'Boromir?' I say, trying to get his attention of the ring. But he doesn't respond. He is only looking to the small golden ring dangling before his eyes. 'Boromir?' Aragorn tries moving also forward to the man. 'It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing ... such a little thing' Boromir says while his eyes are still fixated on the ring. 'Boromir ... give the Ring to Frodo' Aragorn orders quietly and his hand moves towards his sword hilt. I look at him. Do I also have to get my sword. Do I have to get ready?

Boromir blinks with eyes and snaps out of the trance he was in and hands the Ring to Frodo, who quickly puts the chain over his head and hides the ring under his shirt. 'As you wish. I care not' Boromir says lightly and smiles at Frodo, ruffling his hair. I see that Aragorn escapes his breath and unhands his sword. Our eyes meet and the tension I was feeling, slips away. Wordlessly we continue our journey as we struggle through the snow. From time to time I take on of the Hobbits on my back, because it becomes for them more and more difficult to walk through the snow. We struggle to the blinding blizzard, up what is called the pass of Caradhras. Legolas is in the front, as he suddenly pauses. 'There is a fell voice on the air' He calls out urgently. We all stop, listening, but I only hear the wind around me. 'It's Saruman!' Gandalf yells back in anger and thunder rumbles in the sky above us. Rocks fall from above and I can barely escape from a rock falling down. I jump to the right, only to stand on the edge of the cliff. I move wildly with my arms to hold my balance. But a strong arm slips around my waist and pulls me back. 'Careful Sara' Aragorn's low voice rings in my ears. But before I can respond, to thank him, another thunder can be heard and lightning flashes through the sky. 'He's trying to bring down the mountain. Gandalf! We must turn back!' Aragorn yells to Gandalf. His hand is still on my waist. Gandalf turns to us. 'No!' He shouts and raises his staff. 'Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i ruith' He yells. (Sleep, Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath) A lightning crack explodes on the mountainside above us. I look up in horror as a huge snow avalanche thunders down at me.

No!

I feel Aragorn's grip around me tighten as the snow buries us. In the second the snow buries us, Aragorn's grip around my waist falters and I am lost. I open my eyes and only see white. I do not know what is up or down and my lungs begin to protest. My chest feels heavy and black dots appear in front of my eyes.

This is it. I am going to die. For the second time this couple of months.

First water and now snow...

Great.

But when I open my mouth in a last try to breath, a hand grabs my hand and pulls me up. Once on the surface I let out a ragged breath.

In and out.

But I can't get my breath under control. My chest feels still heavy like a rock is lying on top of it. In the corner of my eye, I see Boromir and Legolas, pulling the Hobbits out of the snow. All of them are shivering.

I am too, I can hear my teeth clattering. 'I can't stop it. I'm sorry' I say between ragged breaths. Tears from into my eyes and fear comes over me. 'Sss' Aragorn says calmly, taking my head between his hands. 'It's okay, it's okay. Just breathe. You don't have to be sorry for anything. I've got you' He says while pressing his forehead against mine. I feel butterflies going wild inside me. I lock eyes with Aragorn, trying to get my breathing back to normal and luckily that happens. But I don't want to go, I feel secure here, with Aragorn. But when my breathing returns to normal, my surrounding come all back at once. The storm is gone, but we are all shivering from the cold – except Legolas – and the road we were walking on is gone. 'We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the West road to my city!' Boromir yells. Aragorn turns to him, letting me go. 'The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard' He replies. 'We cannot pass over a mountain. Let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria' Gimli suggest, but I see how Gandalf looks at the dwarf. And he is not happy. 'Let the Ring-bearer decide' Gandalf finally speaks. We all look at Frodo now, he looks so young and it is like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. 'Frodo?' I say. He looks up, right in my eyes. I see his fear. But I nod, trying to say that we are with him. Frodo turns to Gandalf. 'We will go through the mines' Gandalf nods slowly. 'So be it'

∞

And so we go back, trying to get of the mountain as quickly as we can. I feel Aragorn's eyes in my back when we walk down. He is still watching over me. Or does he think I am annoying? 'Sara!' Gandalf beckons me. 'Come and help an old man' He smiles and I walk quickly to the front of our fellowship. My sword bounces against my hip with every step I take and now I am used to it, it gives a save feeling. 'How are you?' Gandalf asks me, he looks slightly worried. I shrug my shoulders. 'I don't know. I couldn't breathe for a couple of minutes. My chest still hurts but overall I am fine'

'Good. Good' Gandalf replies. 'And how do you feel about all of this?'

He knows how I feel about all of this. I mean we have talked about it the day we left Rivendell. I know the men in my company, we are all good friends. I mean I you are walking for twenty hours in a day, seven days, you have to talk about something. I have told the boys about how I came here, and my situation with Jason. And Boromir thought he was an asshole.

I learned him that word, and whenever he says it, I still laugh because it is funny how he says it.

'Sara?' Gandalf calls out, bringing me back from my deep thought. 'Yes..' Gandalf smiles sadly. 'I wish I knew a safer way for you to get home, but I do not know one... I don't know why the Valar choose you, but know I am here to help you'

I smile at the old man. 'Thankyou Gandalf, that means a lot to me' Suddenly Gimli rushes past us, running on top of the path and stands still. 'The Walls of Moria!' He exclaims in awe. We gather behind Gimli and I take the view in. A large lake lies before us, woods surround it and in the mountain is a wall carved out..

But I see no door.

Great..

Just great.