Tolkien wrote the book. Jackson made the movie. And I rewrote the movie so it would fit 7 magnificent guys.

THANK YOU: A.J., Valentine and AJ for beta reading - any mistakes still there are mine. And a 'thank you' to Jo Ann for encouragement and wanting it for her archive.

Note: I use and mix up names and places from both LotR and M7 very freely. Also I mix up American and British spelling.

Warning: The story is plot-driven rather than focused on the pairing -- they are out to save the world, after all. And there is a little C/V scene in "The Wood" - more compassion than anything else, really. But somebody said I should warn people about it. So feel warned ;-)

*Thoughts*
<Mind speech>

CHAPTER 1: THE COUNCIL

Orrin Travis, Lord of Fourcorners took a deep breath. Finally the council had assembled. It wasn't a large council, Orrin had hoped that more would heed his call, yet not one Dwarf had shown his face. Still among those assembled were fierce warriors and magicians and Orrin felt the power that lay among them. He knew what had to be done, and he knew also that a small group of determined Men - and Elves - could do it ...... as far as it was possible at all.

But how to choose and whom to choose, he had no way of knowing. He hoped that this council would bring an answer. Though it seemed doubtful right now.

Orrin looked over to where a group of Elves stood, aloof as always, not mixing with mere Men. Only one Elf sat apart, actually he was the only one already seated. His auburn hair - worn in the short fashion of Men, unlike the floating manes of his kinsmen -- emphasized his slightly pointed ears. A set of pale green eyes met Orrin's gaze briefly before its owner, too, went back to studying the rest of the council. Next to the unusual Elf stood a Ranger, his long wavy hair hinting at his mixed heritage, which his ears would not betray. Those two were loners, close only to each other, neither truly fitting anywhere. The Ranger because of who he was and the Elf because of who he chose to be.

Sapphire eyes flashed a greeting and the Lord of Fourcorners nodded, surpressing a smile. There was little that escaped those two.

Resuming the scrutiny of his visitors Orrin frowned inwardly when he realized that not only the Elves stood apart, there was no mingling among the Humans, either. Those who had come together stood together; their banners proudly presented for anyone to see.

There were the Woses, their dark skin singling them out much more than their colourful feather and leaf accented clothes. Opposite to them stood the Reynchers, their dislike of Elves and Woses plainly shown on their faces.

There were other groups as well, but Orrin knew instinctively that they would not be of importance in the great scheme of things. They never had been before, probably never would be. He knew that, just as he knew that the ones being able to influence the future would be the men standing alone amidst the council.

His gaze fell on Captain Crystan Larabee, firstborn of the Lord of Gondor. He had come alone, set out to find help, allies - for his people were the first on the frontline against Sauron and his army of Orcs. He was dressed entirely in black, including his sheath. Only the silver tree of Gondor on his sleeves and his shield broke this pattern, though the silver did nothing to lessen the menace he was radiating.

Not far from the captain stood a bear of a man, the well-known Wizard, Josiah the Grey. A hermit most of the time, often enough he was suddenly found in the middle of things. Some were as important as this meeting, while others were simple situations like a tavern brawl. It was said that he spoke with crows and that they were his spies, but when asked he would simply smile and remain silent.

And then there was Jeidy, fifth son of Count Dunne, burdened with an artefact so powerful and evil that no one in their right minds would want to possess it. Unfortunately most people tended to lose their mind when confronted with this piece of jewelry.

It had been in the Dunne family for generations. Once found it had never been carried for long by any family members, for everyone knew of its ability to render a person invisible, and wanting it was deemed improper. To wear it, and as such to use it, was dishonourable and the Dunnes had always been most noble. So it had been put aside, almost forgotten.

But when the Evil of Mordor awoke again and the legends of the Rings of Power suddenly became crucial knowledge, the search for the One Ring began.

It was due to Orrin's own research that they had found it, and he had told Johndan Dunne what kind of threat was in his possession as soon as possible. Unwilling to be drawn into a battle of any kind the count had just sent one of his bastard sons to bring the Ring to Fourcorners.

A grin spreading over Jeidy's face drew Orrin's attention to the man talking to the young one. Bucklin Wilmington, guardian and mentor of the boy, a mighty warrior whose axe had yet to fail.

"Maybe we should all come to an end with our private conversations and change this assembly of royalty, sorcerers and worthy people into the council it is supposed to be." The smooth Elven voice rang out over the place stopping the murmurs.

More than one Lord and Lady looked aghast at the short-haired Elf, but Orrin also noted supporting nods from Larabee, Josiah and - to his surprise - from Wilmington.

"Ezra is right. I have called you here for a reason and our time is running out," Orrin said before anyone could give the Elf a word or two about his place among this group.

Not that Ezra would have cared for such things anyway; he had made his own place - just beside the Ranger.

One by one the group leaders and the loners sat down in the inner circle that Orrin had provided. Then silence fell and everyone looked at the Lord of Fourcorners expectantly.

"Jeidy, bring forth the Ring." With a wink he guided the young man to a stony table that stood before him where Jeidy obediently placed the Ring.

A gasp went through the assembled group as one by one they realized what this small piece of jewelry must be.

"This is the Ring of Power, the One Ring. It must never fall into the hands of Sauron or all shall be lost. Yet it cannot stay here for my powers are not enough to withhold it from Sauron should he send his army against us. We must now decide what to do with it." Having said his part Orrin leaned back to watch the proceedings.

For a moment nobody seemed inclined to speak up, but then one voice started and soon the air was buzzing from suggestions, questions and counter-questions. While some ideas were foolish - like hiding it in a temple or burying it in the Forest-of-Doom - others were not, since they wanted the Ring destroyed, and this was the only real option they had as far as Orrin was concerned.

"The question should be asked why we don't use the Ring and its power against Sauron." Though Ezra hadn't spoken overly loud his words had everyone turn silent and looking inquiringly at the Lord of Fourcorners.

It was that sudden silence and the looks that told Orrin that almost everyone had wondered about that, and he understood why Ezra had spoken. The question had to be answered and the idea to use the Ring had to be destroyed before it could fester in somebody's soul.

"That is a good question," Bucklin muttered.

And Crystan nodded his approval, adding: "I was about to ask that myself. If the Ring has so much power, why not use it? Surely there are enough sorcerers among you who would know how to use that power?"

Orrin shook his head, but it was Josiah who spoke.

"The Ring is of great evil. There might be some among us who would be able to tap into its power, but after a while it would not be us using the Ring but the Ring using us. Everyone who ever wore it for more than a short time became a follower of Sauron. The ringbearer must not even use its magic, just to carry it has changed more than one great warrior. The Ring is Sauron's and his alone, as Sauron is bound to the Ring the Ring is bound to him."

"You cannot believe I would side with Sauron, no matter what power hides within that thing!" Waves of anger poured from Larabee as he stood and walked towards the table. Everyone knew that he remembered his wife and son dying in the first surprise attack of Sauron's army.

"Not willingly, no," Orrin said soothingly, but the fire in the warrior's eyes didn't bank down.

"Nor unwillingly, never!"

"Maybe not. But the ire and pain in you would be like a feast for the Ring." The Elf's calm voice caught Larabee's attention, he whirled around, hand on the hilt of his sword.

"The Ring would strengthen your hate until it consumed you. You might still be fighting Sauron, but with means not fitting for a Captain of Gondor. You would become a Dark Lord yourself, driving your men without mercy, not caring if they were killed. There would only be your revenge, everything else reduced to a dim memory lost in the shadows of your mind."

A chill went over the place, the image standing frighteningly clear between the assembled men.

"You sound sure," Crystan said quietly, the fury controled but still there.

"I am certain that this piece of jewelry is too dangerous to be used by anyone, might he be sorcerer or warrior, noble or not. It has to be destroyed."

"I thought you were on our side?" Wilmington asked. "You wanted to use it, too."

"I never said that," Ezra retorted. "It was just my opinion that everyone should know 'why' we cannot use it."

"There is another point to consider," the Ranger said. "If it were decided to use the Ring, who should take it?"

The sudden quiet was almost deafening, as everyone waited for somebody to speak up. But the Ranger hadn't finished. "It would divide our forces, for everyone would want the power the Ring holds and would not accept any other Lord to get it. It has to be taken away from the hands of Men and Elves as well as Sauron's."

"And why do you care, Tanner?" Buck asked - though the Ranger had helped him and Jeidy to get here, he still wasn't sure he trusted him. "Your kind doesn't concern itself with the battles of Men, you hide in your forests and mountains. And it's unlikely that anyone would consider you, only one of noble blood could be chosen for such a task."

"And that he is," Ezra said sharply, pale green eyes staring coldly at the warrior. "In his veins flows the blood of kings. He's as noble as anyone here, nobler than some."

"So?" Wilmington didn't believe it. "And who would he be, the Prince of the Wood?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, that would be me," the Elf replied with a shallow grin. "He's Vinterrin, son of Aragorn."

At that Crystan Larabee gasped in shock. His green-blue gaze bore into the Ranger's eyes, seeking the truth, seeking confirmation for this statement.

Vinterrin only nodded, it was Ezra who answered the silent question aloud. "Yes, he is the heir to the throne of Gondor."

At that Buck retreated several steps, mumbling an apology.

Captain Larabee did no such thing. Instead he straightened and glared at the Elf. "Gondor doesn't need a king!" Crystan told Ezra and everyone. "Gondor needs an army!" With that he returned to his seat but didn't sit down.

Silence ruled the place once again.

Until Orrin decided to return to the main topic. "It should have become clear that the Ring must be destroyed. I'm sure you all agree with me."

Everyone nodded, but it was obvious that many did it only reluctantly, especially the Reynchers didn't look convinced.

Wilmington shook his head, his blunder with the Ranger already pushed from his memory. "You mean to say the boy and I went through all that shit, like Black Riders hunting us, nearly drowning in a river, Jeidy nearly getting killed and so on, just so that now you can destroy that thing? I can't believe that!"

"Haven't you heard what Josiah and Ezra said? The Ring is evil," Jeidy put in.

"I heard that. I just don't understand why Lord Travis didn't just say so to your father and have it done?" the guardian replied. "Why not just hack it into pieces?" And with that Buck grabbed his axe and walked towards the table.

"I hope you have a second axe with you," Ezra commented, but Wilmington ignored him.

Swiftly he lifted the axe and let it fall. There was something like lightning before his eyes and then the warrior knew nothing more.

When Buck returned to consciousness he found himself several feet away from the table on the ground, his axe broken. The Ring still on the table -- unscathed

"I cannot believe it! My axe!" he whined.

"I warned you," Ezra said, as Vin helped Buck to his feet.

"As you all have seen the Ring cannot be destroyed by weapons made by Men or Elves or Dwarves. It can only be destroyed where it was created. In the fires of Mount Doom."

"That is within Mordor. It's near Sauron's stronghold." Larabee shook his head. "You couldn't get there with ten thousand men."

Orrin nodded. "No, an army would never get there. But a small band of men might. Sauron will not expect that. What we need is someone to take this quest upon him."

"Or her." It was the first time that Orrin's daughter had spoken and everyone looked at her surprised. She stepped in front of her father and said calmly: "I will do it, father. I know it has to be done and I can fight as good as the next man."

"I know you can." Orrin took Marie's hand and sighed. "But your son needs you. He has already lost his father, he shall not lose his mother, too. Not when there is another way. Is there not someone among you brave enough to dare that task?"

"I will," Jeidy's voice carried easily over the murmurs of the Lords and Ladies.

Orrin looked at him. "You will?"

"No, he will not!" Buck grabbed his protege and shook him. "Are you out of your mind?"

The young man freed himself and stood proudly before the council. "My father told me to take the Ring to a safe place. I promised to do that. We thought it would be Fourcorners, but since it is not, it is my task to take it wherever it needs to be taken." He turned to Orrin.

"I will go to Mordor. But I don't know the way." The last was said with a small, embarrassed grin.

"So be it." Orrin accepted the young man's offer graciously, certain that now others would step forward to accompany him.

"I'll go with you, son," Josiah said promptly, "you won't have to bear that burden on your own."

"He isn't alone," Wilmington stated, "he's with me. Someone has to keep an eye on him."

"Thank you, Buck." Jeidy smiled gratefully up at his friend and guardian.

To everyone's surprise a Wose separated from his group and came over, the green feathers around his neck qualifying him as a healer. "I'm Naithan. My people live close to where your path will lead you, so I know the area well. And you might need a healer, the roads are dangerous."

"Not to mention that you'd like to see for yourself that the Ring was destroyed and not taken by someone who's not a friend." Ezra's comment had the Wose glaring at him, but the Elf wasn't intimidated.

Crystan Larabee shared a long look with Vinterrin, wondering where his duty lay. As captain of the army of Gondor he should be with his kinsmen, but if Sauron's power stood and fell with the Ring, then to destroy it might be his true duty. Then the Ranger nodded towards the Ring, and Crys knew what he had to do. He stepped forward and unsheathed his sword.

"With my sword and my life I will protect you on this quest," he said to Jeidy, bowing slightly, one noble man to another.

"Thank you." Jeidy blushed. Then the young man looked at the Ranger who had also come closer.

"My bow and sword are yours."

Behind him Ezra left his seat and wandered over to his friend. "I believe this will become a magnificent tale of which the grandchildren of our grandchildren may still speak, it wouldn't seem right if the heroes were only Humans. An Elf should be there to tell the tale properly when it is fullfilled."

When it was obvious that no one else would step forward Orrin rose from his seat and smiled at the group that had assembled around the table.

"Seven is a good number, a magical number. May it protect you. You have an enormous and dangerous task before you, but while it may seem impossible to some, I know it can be done. It can be done by a small, yet magnificent band of men, and that is what you are. You are the Fellowship of the Ring."

CHAPTER 2: THE MOUNTAIN

"They are impressive, aren't they?"

Mesmerized by the fight before him, Crys didn't realize that someone spoke to him until the question was repeated and accompanied by a slight nudge against his shoulder. A little annoyed he looked briefly up to Bucklin. "That they are."

It had been Wilmington's idea to use a break in their walk for a sparring fight, thinking that his charge needed any practice he could get. He had asked Larabee to assist him, but the captain had declined. Instead the Ranger and the Elf had come forward and Buck had asked them to demonstrate their skills. And that they did.

Jeidy was as entranced as everyone else by the swiftness and beauty of their movements.

"It looks more like a dance than a fight," Buck whispered in awe. "I'd never have guessed the Elf had it in him."

"There is a lot you don't know about Ezra, Warrior. He's a mystery to everyone," Josiah told him, having come to stand next to Buck.

"Not to Vin." It was not a question for Crystan and he envied the closeness of those two. He felt a kinship with the Ranger like he had never felt before with anyone. Some part of him was drawn to the man who might take the throne of Gondor away from him. Reducing the Larabees from being the Lords of the land to just being mere stewards again.

A year ago Crys would have hated the idea, would have hated the son of Aragorn. A year ago he would have fought him with all his might, for he had longed for the throne all his life. But the death of his family had changed him, had changed his dreams. Ruling Gondor held no appeal anymore, all he wanted was for Gondor to be safe and his revenge on Sauron. As long as Vinterrin helped him to reach his goals, he was welcome to take the throne and everything.

"You won, Vin!" Jeidy's excited voice broke through his musings.

It seemed the boy was right. The Elf was lying on the ground, his hands bare of the knives he had used. The Ranger smiled and bowed to their audience, then, walking towards them, he sheathed his sword.

There was a blur of movement as the Elf jumped to his feet and then tackled his friend, pinning him to the ground. Vin giggled and squirmed helplessly, when idle fingers began to tickle him.

"Never turn your back on an enemy you don't know for sure is dead," Ezra commented upon his attack, his pale green eyes sparkling with mischief. "And realize that knowing the weakness of your enemy might prove a much better weapon than a blade." Finally he stopped to let the Ranger catch his breath.

"I get that part, Ezra," Jeidy said, eyeing his mentor speculatively.

Catching the gaze Buck held a hand up in warning. "Don't you dare, boy."

Everyone chuckled.

"Let's eat," Naithan suggested and wandered over to an assembly of rocks underneath which they had started a small fire.

"Good idea," Buck and Jeidy said in unison, running ahead. Josiah followed in a much slower pace.

Rising from the ground Crys expected the Ranger and the Elf to get up as well, but both showed no intention of doing so. They seemed almost frozen in place, Vin lying on his back, Ezra straddling him, their gazes locked. And then ever so slowly the Elf leaned down and kissed the man beneath him.

Crys almost gasped as the kiss was returned passionately. The love and desire between the two was almost touchable. A moan was heard and then Vin reversed their positions, so that he was now lying on top of his companion. Their kiss never broke.

Unable to turn away the man from Gondor watched as the lovers began to caress each other with lips and hands. He knew he should leave, but his feet just wouldn't move.

Suddenly the spell was broken as Jeidy's voice rang over the hillside, asking about a strange cloud that was coming closer.

As one the Elf and the Ranger moved to their feet, breathing heavily, sharing an amusedly resigned smile. When they turned towards Crystan, Vin blushed a little, while Ezra just raised an arrogant eyebrow. His gaze travelled down the captain's body, reading accurately how Crys had been affected by their kissing. Grinning, he gave the captain a mock salute then headed over to where Jeidy stood and looked at the cloud.

"It's not a cloud," Ezra said then. "Those are birds, probably spies from Sauron. We'd better hide."

Immediately Naithan extinguished the fire and everyone grabbed what gear was closest to him and went to find a hiding place. No sooner were they out of sight when a big black cloud, formed by hundreds of birds, swarmed over the place, circled for a while then flew away.

It was Josiah who left his hiding place first, looking from where the birds had come to the mountain visible behind the hills. He sighed. "We cannot take the way over the plains, we'd be spotted immediately. We have to go over the Caradhras." He nodded towards it.

Buck groaned. "That's a long walk."

Josiah nodded.

"There is another way," Naithan pointed out, but Josiah shook his head. "We will take this one." His voice brooked no argument.

Accepting the Wizard's judgement they secured their bags and weapons and followed Josiah towards the mountain.

The higher they went the colder it got. They walked slowly in an unruly line, for the ground was covered with a layer of snow that hid holes as well as ice-patches.

Suddenly Jeidy lost his footing, with a cry he fell and rolled down the mountain, away from his guardian.

"Jeidy!" Buck turned to run after his charge, but saw it was unnecessary, as Crystan stopped the boy's tumble and helped him to his feet again.

"Thank you." Jeidy smiled at the captain, then in reflex grabbed for the Ring he wore on a chain around his neck. The necklace was gone. "The Ring!" His eyes searched the snow in panic. "I lost it!"

As one everyone started looking, and it was Ezra who found it. Carefully the Elf lifted the necklace and looked at the Ring with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Such a small thing, not even very beautiful, and yet everyone lives in terror of it or craves it. Astonishing, isn't it?"

"Can I have it back?" Jeidy asked, the same moment as Buck growled: "Ezra!"

"Yes?" The Elf looked inquiringly at the warrior.

"Give the Ring back to Jeidy!" Naithan ordered, his right hand on the hilt of one of his daggers.

Raising an eyebrow Ezra turned to the Wose and then to the appointed ringbearer, only to find himself face to face with Crystan Larabee.

"Give the boy the Ring," the captain, too, ordered, his voice low and threatening.

Ezra met the Human's glare with a slight smile, seemingly unimpressed. "That was my intention from the moment my eyes lit on it lying in the snow. I wouldn't carry that burden for all the jewels and powers of Middle-earth. Do not fear my greediness, fear your own weakness." With that he stepped around Crys and held the necklace out for Jeidy to take it. "You should have taken a leather-cord instead of this necklet, they tend to open or break in the most inconvenient situations."

"I didn't know that," Jeidy said and put the necklace with the Ring into the inside pocket of his coat. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome," Ezra replied and went back to his former position in the line.

They resumed their walk.

Almost forty feet ahead of the group Vin and Ezra were still able to hear the others talk. Their expressions grim they listened as Naithan warned the others that the Elf couldn't be trusted, that his kind was always after magical powers and that his only reason to be here was to get at the Ring.

Crystan didn't say a word, but Buck agreed that they should keep an eye on the Elf.

"If I wanted the Ring, it would be in my possession already," Ezra muttered under his breath, just loud enough for his lover to hear.

"They judge themselves with their words, it is 'their' greed we must fear." Vin reached for Ezra's hand and intertwined it with his for a moment. "But I believe that most of them will overcome their weakness and will not succumb to the Ring."

The Elf looked briefly over his shoulder. "I have faith in Wilmington, his only concern is the ringbearer. I'm not so sure about your captain, the darkness in his soul might be his weakness as well as his protection. As for the Wose, I cannot say if it is his hate of my people that guides his actions or the greed for the Ring."

Now it was the Ranger's turn to look back. "Josiah?" he asked.

"He knows of the Ring's powers, of its dangers. In his right mind he would never take it. But ..."

"But you don't know the state of his mind," Vin finished for him.

"He went through a lot," Ezra reminded his lover. "He was imprisoned, maybe tortured. We don't know what Saruman did to him, maybe he doesn't know, either."

"So he cannot be trusted," Vinterrin clarified. "Nobody can."

Ezra nodded. "We have to watch all of them."

Snow began to fall as they walked on, filling the air and swirling into their eyes.

Soon enough they found themselves knee-deep in snow, and miserably fought their way through it.

Annoyed Buck looked up at Ezra, who stood two heads taller than the Humans now, since by some Elven magic he was actually walking on the snow as if it was hard sand.

"He really could have the decency to sink into the snow like everyone else," the warrior growled.

In front of them Vin chuckled loudly at this; and Josiah shook his head, smiling amused.

"You're just envious, Buck." Jeidy grinned.

"I'm not!" Bucklin replied. "I just don't like injustice. And him running around without a care while the rest of us is cold and wet and tired is just that!"

"I feel for your predicament, for I do not like to be cold or wet, either. But since my heritage allows me to escape these miserable conditions, no mentioning of honour or justice will make me give up on this advantage. I'm certain you wouldn't either, were you to walk in my shoes." Ezra smiled. "Besides, you wouldn't like me if I was wet and feeling cold. Trust me on that." He bowed slightly then swiftly ran to the front of their group again.

"Guess he's right," Crys said, briefly laying a hand on Wilmington's shoulder.

Buck nodded, muttering: "Who says I like him now?"

The captain laughed. "No one, Buck, no one."

The wind became stronger and colder.

"We'll soon be fighting a blizzard here!" Crystan shouted over the howling storm. "We shouldn't go any further, but search for a cave or something to hide in!"

"He's right. The pass is probably blocked anyway. Maybe we should go back?" Vin looked questioningly at Josiah.

The Wizard shook his head. "We have to go over the pass, or our quest is lost already."

"That's not true," Naithan said. "We could go through Moria, the Dwarves would welcome us."

"I would only go through the Mines of Moria if everything else failed," Josiah replied. "There are things in Moria that ..."

Whatever he had been about to say was lost as a tremor shook the earth and thunder drowned any other sound.

They looked up and saw a gigantic wave of white death racing towards the ground.

There was only time enough for one last thought before the snow descended upon them.

"Avalanche!" Naithan cried, just as he was grabbed and pressed against the mountain wall.

*What a lousy way to die.* Crys sighed, holding on to the wall and the Wose.

*What have I done?* Josiah closed his eyes.

"Ezra!" With wide eyes Vin watched his lover vanish within the white stream.

*Have to save Jeidy!* Determined Buck threw himself over his protege.

*I don't want to die! Buck!*

Ezra was too busy surviving to think.

Everything was dark - or white, he couldn't say - he couldn't see. A heavy weight lay on his chest, hurting him, pressing the air out of his lungs, he needed to breathe ... He couldn't breathe! Fright beyond any he had ever known took hold of him, he tried to get out of the trap he was in, but his arms wouldn't move. He was dying! *Help!*

Then suddenly there was true light, and the pressure on his chest eased. Hands grabbed him and pulled him out of his white grave.

*Air!* Greedily he filled his lungs with the precious element. Not thinking anything, just breathing.

He heard a voice say: "That makes six. Everyone accounted for and alive."

Gazing up he met the pale green eyes of the Elf, and realized that he owed Ezra his life. Looking around he saw the rest of his companions lying on the snow, breathing deeply just like he, and he knew that this was true for all of them.

"Thank you," he said.

Ezra bowed. "My pleasure."

"How did you escape the avalanche?" Crystan wanted to know, coming to his feet.

The Elf smiled mysteriously. "The trick is to not be there where it strikes."

"So you used magic?" Jeidy asked.

Ezra nodded.

"That means any sorcerer who watches this area now knows that we are here!" Naithan hissed.

"I had to choose between a possible discovery and certain death. I apologize if I made the wrong decision, but I had a little problem seeing us fulfilling our task buried beneath a mountain of snow," Ezra replied sarcastically.

"You did the right thing," Crys said before Naithan could react. "We would all be dead if it wasn't for you."

"Yes." Josiah agreed. "And it would be because of me. I should have listened to you." He looked at Naithan. "But believe me when I say that the Mines of Moria harbor dangers that are equal if not worse to what we just encountered."

"Whatever lies in wait in Moria," Vin announced, "we'll have to face it, because we cannot go on. There is no way that we will reach the pass now. We have to go back."

"But the storm is gone!" Jeidy said, only now realizing that the biting wind had ceased.

"It doesn't matter, the path up to the top is no more." The Ranger grabbed what was left of his gear and nodded towards the direction they had come from. "Let us go, it will be dark soon and we have a long way ahead of us."

"Just great," Buck muttered, then helped Jeidy up and grabbed his shield. "You all right, boy?" he asked.

Jeidy nodded. "Just making sure I still have the Ring."

"And do you?" Crys asked.

"Yes. It's still in my pocket."

"Wonderful," Ezra commented, passing them. "Why bury it beneath a mountain of ice and snow when there is a nice volcano waiting for it?"

The warriors chuckled.

"He's got a point though," Buck said finally, looking at Crys.

Following Ezra and Vin, the man from Gondor grinned slyly. "It seems he always has."

CHAPTER 3: THE MINE

"This is the back entrance certainly?" Ezra asked, his eyes on the dark lake that was only a few feet away from their path. He felt trapped, for with Josiah, Naithan and Vin in front of him, the others behind him and the mountain to his left he would have no place to maneuver in case of an attack. It was only of little consolation that no army of Orcs would fit on this path either, there was still the possibility of falling rocks, and Goblins were known to climb steep walls, and there was always the water ... He had a bad feeling about the lake.

"What makes you think that?" Jeidy wanted to know.

It was Buck who answered. "Because no army would be able to march here and which Lord or Lady do you know who'd travel without most of their household?"

To that the young man nodded in agreement as he tried to imagine his father on this trail and failed.

"Don't mock what you don't know, Elf," Naithan said, turning around to look at Ezra and then pointedly at Jeidy. "This path may not look like much, but soon we will meet Balin, son of Fundin, who is the Lord of Moria and known for his hospitality."

Ezra rolled his eyes. "The hospitality of Dwarves ... how ... cosy that sounds from your lips, Master Wose. I just hope the friendship of your people and the Dwarves is as true as you think it is, for otherwise we might encounter a kind of hospitality that fares ill with our health."

"What does he mean?" Confused Jeidy turned to his guardian.

Buck grinned. "He means usually people don't like it when strangers come through their back door unannounced."

"They might attack us," Jeidy concluded.

"I believe that to be a possibility indeed." Ezra smiled towards the warrior and his protege, then turned back to the angry glare of the Wose. "But of course I hope to be wrong."

Naithan frowned, but said nothing, just resumed his walk.

"We have arrived," Vin announced and nodded towards a point on the wall that was framed by two big trees. Here the path had widened far enough for them to rest by sitting down on some big rocks scattered between the mountain and the lake.

"I see no gate," Jeidy said, looking questioningly at the Wizard.

Josiah smiled. "Not yet, but you will." He walked towards the wall and then looked up to the cloudy sky. "A little magic will help here," he murmured, raising his staff. A wind came up and blew the clouds away so that they could see the stars and the full moon above them.

"There is a pattern on the wall now!" Jeidy jumped excited. "It looks like a painted golden gate."

"That is ithildin, it mirrors only starlight and moonlight," Josiah explained, then pointed at a writing above the door. "That's the key to get in."

"Can you read it?" Buck wanted to know. "Because my Dwarvish isn't the best and I couldn't read it if my life depended on it."

"Then it is a good thing that our lives don't depend on your language skills, Warrior," Ezra commented with a smile. "For to begin with, that is Elvish, as beautiful in writing as it is in sound and not at all as crude as the runes of the Dwarves."

"So it may look nice, but I still can't read it." Buck shrugged unimpressed.

Ezra sighed.

"What does it say, Ezra?" Crys asked, breaking the silence he had kept for hours.

"It reads ...", the Elf started, but Josiah interrupted him.

"The Gates of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak friend and enter."

"What do you suppose it means?" Jeidy looked to Ezra, who was about to answer, but Josiah's voice drowned his.

"Simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors open."

"Oh." Impressed, the young man looked up to the Wizard and then to the door, thereby missing the shadow that briefly crossed Ezra's expression and the brisk movement with which he turned away to sit on a large rock, his back to the door, his eyes on the lake.

Sending an angry glare towards Josiah Vin walked over to his friend and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Ezra didn't look up, but relaxed under the touch.

With narrowed eyes Crys turned his gaze away from the lovers to the Wizard, whose rude behaviour had not gone unnoticed by the captain. "Since you are so well-acquainted with this door, I expect you know the password, Wizard?" he asked coldly.

Surprised by the tone Josiah looked at the man from Gondor and nodded, only to amend that with a shrug. "I don't know, but I have a fair idea of possible passwords," he explained. "Don't worry." And he turned back to the gate and began to recite one word after another, without effect.

"Shouldn't the password be in Dwarvish?" Jeidy wanted to know, realising that Josiah spoke Elvish. "I mean the mines belong to Dwarves, don't they? Why is the writing in Elvish anyway? I didn't think Dwarves would speak Elvish?"

"It's from the times when Elves and Dwarves were close friends, working together to create the most beautiful jewels, weapons, armour, statues, even whole halls," Crys said, when it became clear that Josiah was too busy to answer and that Ezra wouldn't.

"I didn't know they were friends once, I thought they didn't like each other." Jeidy sounded confused, but curious.

"It was a long time ago," Buck said, laying a hand on his young friend's shoulder. "A very long time ago."

"You may as well sit down and rest," Josiah suggested suddenly, "This may take a while, it is not one of the more common passwords."

Down by the lake Vin and Ezra exchanged a disbelieving look.

"And here I thought the instruction to be fairly easy," the Ranger whispered, earning himself a blinding smile from the Elf.

"Oh, it is." Still smiling, Ezra closed his eyes and leaned against his lover. "But a rest won't hurt anyone."

"What if he doesn't get it open?" Jeidy asked his guardian, while letting some pebbles jump over the water.

"Then we'll have a problem," Buck replied, likewise throwing pebbles into the lake.

"Isn't there a way to knock somehow?" Jeidy questioned Naithan, and then Josiah when the Wizard paused to think of another word to try.

"Knock on a door made of solid rock?" Naithan shook his head. "How should that work?"

"I don't want anyone to know we are here, son," Josiah explained. "As I mentioned before there are dangerous things in the Mines of Moria, things we don't want to disturb."

"Disturb seems apropos," Ezra said quietly, "Would you, please, refrain from disturbing the water? You never know what lies beneath the surface."

As if his words had been a cue suddenly the water seemed to boil.

"Your warning's a little late," Crys observed, unsheathing his sword.

The others, too, prepared their weapons, while they retreated as far as possible from the edge of the lake.

"Maybe we should take our rest inside," Ezra murmured and left his rock to loudly address the still closed door with the Elven word for friend: "Mellon!" Immediately the ithildin began to glow and the door started to open.

"You knew the word?" Josiah asked, unbelieving. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Ezra just shrugged, but Vin looked at the Wizard angrily. "You seemed to have all the answers, Josiah. Even though you had none. Why didn't you ask?"

"I ..." Josiah began, but stopped himself, when something that looked like a gigantic octopus rose from the depth of the lake, twelve strong tentacles flailing through the air.

"Run now, talk later!" Bucklin's advice sounded like a good idea and as one they turned to the mine and ran towards the door. Four of them had already reached it, when Jeidy's cry stopped them cold.

"Aaahhhh! Buck! Help me!"

"Jeidy!" Wielding his axe the guardian ran straight into the lake to cut the beast's arm that had grabbed the boy and was pulling him into the water.

Crystan was with him in an instant, but the moment they had cut Jeidy loose, another tentacle wrapped itself around his legs again and lifted him from the ground. Others attacked the warriors.

"Buck!"

"Hold on! I'm coming!" Buck assured his charge, hacking at the tentacles around him to get to his friend.

"Hurry!" Jeidy cried, dangling dangerously close to the open mouth of the beast.

Crys tried his best to reach the boy as well, but then one tentacle curled around his neck and stole his breath.

"Crys!" Exchanging his bow for his sword Vin raced into the water to rescue the captain, Naithan at his side.

"A little magic wouldn't be amiss, Josiah!" Ezra said to the Wizard, his eyes on the creature, looking for a weak spot where his arrows might actually do some harm. *There!* Two arrows flew straight into the beast's eye.

A roar thundered over the lake and the kraken's arms twitched and flailed erratically, their hold on the Humans lessening.

"Aaaahhaaahhhh!" Jeidy cried in fear as he found himself flying through the air, rushing towards the rocky ground.

Then Josiah was there, catching him, breaking his fall.

In the water Vin and Naithan had freed Crystan and were dragging the barely conscious man to the shore, while Buck made sure that no tentacle got close enough to grab any of them again.

"Into the mine!" Ezra ordered, aiming at the other eye of the creature.

Jeidy untangled himself from Josiah and ran through the door, Vin and Naithan with Crys between them were at his heels, Buck close behind them.

Another pained roar shook the mountain.

"Josiah!" Ezra shouted angrily, when he was almost struck by a tentacle. "Do something!"

The Wizard concentrated and then blue fire flared from his staff and surrounded the kraken. Suddenly there was silence, as the beast was frozen in place.

"Thank you kindly," Ezra said in an ironic tone as they walked into the mountain.

Josiah sighed. "That won't stop it for long," he warned, as the others were about to turn back to take a look. "Let us move deeper into the mine."

The echo of his words hadn't yet faded when they heard the kraken's roar again and then something more solid than the creature's cry shook the mountain. Behind them rocks started to fall and the cave seemed to come down.

"Run!" the Ranger shouted and without a backward glance they hurried deeper into the mine. Behind them the entrance crumbled and was no more.

Darkness surrounded them, forced them to stand still, waiting, listening. At first all each could hear was his own heartbeat and breathing, then the shuffling of feet and the harsh breaths of his companions. Finally a light came to life and the seven looked towards the shining crystal on top of the Wizard's staff and then at each other.

"Everyone all right?" Vin asked.

"More or less." Buck grinned and the others nodded.

"How could the Dwarves let such a monster live in front of their door?" Jeidy asked what everyone was wondering. "They could get killed every time they leave."

Searching for an explanation Naithan shrugged. "Maybe they never disturbed the water and therefore don't know about it?"

"I doubt that." The Ranger shook his head. "I'd rather believe it was placed there on purpose."

Buck looked at him bewildered, then nodded. "As a watch-dog it wasn't half bad. Maybe they know how to control it?"

"Or maybe it was not only a back entrance as I suggested, but in fact the side door where the garbage goes out, and we were just poorly mistaken for rubbish by the resident garbage disposal beast," Ezra put in sarcastically.

At that Buck and Vin snickered.

Josiah shook his head. "This discussion gets us nowhere."

Crys nodded. "Let's move."

"Master Dunne you wouldn't by any chance have lost one specific piece of jewelry while dangling above that horrendous creature, would you?" Ezra asked Jeidy, who was hastily checking his pockets.

"No, I still have it!" The boy showed the Ring and then placed it around his neck again. "Guess I was pretty lucky that it didn't fall out."

Ezra sighed at the young man's words. "Luck, young Master, is to survive such a creature out there, luck is to survive an avalanche. Being stuck with that Ring is as far from having luck as I can imagine."

"But ..." Jeidy started, but was hushed by Bucklin.

"When he's right, he's right, boy." The guardian slapped his charge lightly on the shoulder. "The next time we encounter such a beastie just throw the Ring into its jaws."

Jeidy's eyes widened. "You think there're more beasts like that?"

"There are greater evils in Moria than the Kraken," Josiah told him, his face grave. "Let us pray that they don't discover our whereabouts."

"If they are deaf we might have a chance," Vin commented, looking around.

"I'd say we've knocked pretty loud. It sounded like half the mountain came down," Buck stated, grabbing his axe tighter. "If they didn't hear that, they are dead."

"Speaking of being dead ..." Ezra said in a wistful tone. "Naithan, when was the last time, your people actually spoke to a Dwarf from Moria?"

Not sure where this question would lead the Wose turned towards the Elf. "I don't know. Some months, a year, maybe two. Why?"

"Because ...," Ezra started, pointing into the darkness where his keen Elven sight had discovered some corpses, "I fear the hospitality here will be far worse than even I imagined."

"What ...?" Naithan began, but then Josiah increased the light and they all could see the Dwarven skeletons on the path in front of them.

"No." Shocked the Wose stared at the dead, while Vin took a closer look at the arrows sticking from the bodies.

"Orcs," he announced.

"Are Orcs flesh-eaters?" Jeidy asked.

"They are said to be, yes," Ezra replied. "But if those unlucky Dwarves had been a feast for Orcs they wouldn't lie here with their weapons still in hand."

"So the battle must have been a long time ago," Jeidy mused aloud, "or the corpses wouldn't be skeletons by now."

"Not necessarily," the Wizard contradicted, "the air here might erode flesh faster than usual."

"If that is so, then I hope the air knows how to differ between living flesh and dead. Because personally I prefer my flesh 'on' my bones," Ezra said and caught up with the Ranger who was already starting down the tunnel that led out of the place.

"With Orcs around I'd say the air will be the least of our problems," Buck muttered, while motioning to Jeidy to walk in front of him.

Crys nodded in agreement, bringing up the rear.

They walked for what seemed aeons through a labyrinth of tunnels, sometimes guided by Josiah's knowledge of the mine, sometimes just following the freshest breeze of air. Then suddenly their tunnel opened into a huge cavern.

"Let me risk a little more light," the Wizard murmured and his crystal flared brightly, showing them a gigantic hall with hundreds of huge columns carrying the ceiling.

"Behold. The great realm of the Dwarven city of Dwarrowdelf," Josiah announced.

"Oh." Jeidy's eyes widened in awe, as did those of his guardian.

"Well, that's an eye-opener and no mistake," Buck said impressed as they walked into it.

"No, there is really no mistake to claim the Dwarves to be the greatest braggarts ever," Ezra said ironically.

"You're just envious, Elf," Naithan snarled at him.

"I'm certainly not." Ezra shook his head. "I admit freely that this is a masterpiece of Dwarven or anyone else's architecture. Yet certainly you must see that this is all it is. Because the whole hall has no purpose, it cannot be used for anything. You cannot assemble any people here - not for holding a market, nor a banquet or any other gathering. The only thing it is good for is to impress visitors so they walk around in awe and say 'oh'."

"He's right," Vin and Crys said in unison, when Naithan opened his mouth to argue.

"It's not made for holding a council, either," the captain added. "So what do you think they did here?"

"I don't know, either. But then I'm not a Dwarf," the Wose wasn't ready to give in.

"And neither are we. So let's not battle over such an unimportant issue," Josiah interfered. "We still have a long way ahead of us."

The others nodded and then silently followed the Wizard through the hall.

"What's that?" Buck asked, pointing to a door to their right, and before anyone could answer he was already through it.

With a sigh the others followed him, only to find a room with a tomb surrounded by skeletons.

"There's a writing on it," Buck told them, his eyes on the tomb. "I'd say this time it is Dwarvish."

Josiah took a look and nodded, reading the runes aloud. "Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria."

"He is dead then." Naithan shook his head in mourning.

"I'm sorry." Buck laid a hand on the Wose's shoulder. "You knew him?"

"Yes." Naithan nodded. "He had so many plans; he was so self-assured. I cannot believe he's dead."

"I'd say you have to," Ezra said quietly and not without sympathy. "But we should not linger here or we might join him soon." He looked around, meeting the eyes of the Ranger.

Vin nodded. "I've got a bad feeling, too. We should leave." He turned back to the door, but Jeidy's next words stopped him.

"This one's holding a book." The young warrior pointed at a skeleton leaning against the tomb.

Curious Josiah gave his staff to Jeidy, then knelt beside the Dwarf and took the book from him. Reading quickly over some pages, the Wizard skipped to the last entries and read aloud: "They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. The ground shakes. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. A shadow moves in the dark. Drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They are coming." He stopped and looked around. "That's all."

"I cannot believe he sat there holding on to that book instead of taking up a weapon," Buck said with a hint of anger in his voice. "What kind of Dwarf was that?"

"He was probably already mortally wounded," Josiah suggested, standing up and laying the book aside. "It might have been all he was still able to do." Looking for his staff the Wizard saw Jeidy and Crys standing in front of a skeleton that sat on the edge of a well, both men obviously wondering how the Dwarf had come to die in that particular pose.

Feeling naked without his staff Josiah called the young man. "Jeidy."

"What?" Surprised the youngster whirled around, thereby nearly hitting the man from Gondor with the Wizard's staff.

Showing how good his reflexes were, Crys neatly avoided being hit by stepping aside, but unfortunately this action made his shield collide with the skeleton he had been looking at, and so that corpse fell down the well, making enough noise to wake the dead.

When the noise had died down, Jeidy looked sheepishly into the faces of the others, murmuring "Oops".

Crys just glared at the men looking at him, daring them to say a word.

"Boy," Buck sighed, motioning his charge to his side.

Josiah just took his staff back briskly, not saying any of the curses which had sprung to his mind.

"It happens." Vin shrugged, grinning at Crys.

"But we really shouldn't linger here any longer, in case this time someone ..." Ezra never completed his sentence as just then drums started pounding somewhere.

"Guess that means we've been heard," the Ranger said, running to the door. He was barely through it, when he jumped back into the room, yelling "Orcs!" while ducking arrows.

Buck was at his side then, confirming his words, adding: "And they have a Cave-Troll. Great."

He helped the Ranger to shut the door and bar it, then stepped back a little to make his stand to the right side of the door, waiting for the first enemies who would come through. Behind him he could feel Jeidy taking his place, ready to get those who slipped past him.

On the other side Crys took a stand similar to his, with Naithan backing him up. Vin and Ezra stood on the tomb, the Ranger slightly behind the Elf, their bows ready. In front of them on the ground was Josiah, holding his staff like a fighting-stick; he had placed his still shining crystal on the edge of the tomb.

"Orcs don't like light, or so I've heard, maybe we should welcome them with a little more brightness?" Ezra suggested, bending forward a little and lightly tapping Josiah on the shoulder. "A little more light, please?"

The Wizard sighed, then waved with his right hand towards a torch on the wall of the room, instantly it started to burn. He repeated the gesture until every torch was lit, and then, after a dark look towards the Elf increased the light of the crystal.

"Thank you kindly," Ezra smiled at Josiah, then his expression became feral as he looked to the door.

While Josiah had worked his magic, the Orcs had tried to get in, but the strong wooden door wouldn't give way easily, not even as crude blades hacked into it.

The door was still holding, but holes had appeared, not even the size of a woman's fist, but more than large enough for Elven arrows to fly through. Almost as one Vin and Ezra took their aim and soon the death-cries of Orcs could be heard.

For a moment the pounding against the entrance ceased. Then it started again, more vicious even, and everyone of the fellowship knew that it was only a matter of short time before their enemies would break through.

Arrow after arrow the lovers shot through the appearing holes, every shot one Orc less to deal with. Then the door fell in and a wave of ugly bodies poured into the room.

The battle was on.

"Jeidy! Go back!" Buck shouted and jumped aside as the Cave-Troll took a swing at him with his mace. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his young friend hide behind a column. *Good boy,* he thought and hacked at two Orcs who had come too close for comfort.

The fellowship was clearly the group with the superior fighting skills, but they were heavily outnumbered. They were further disadvantaged when a mighty strike from the Troll had destroyed the tomb and Josiah's shining crystal was buried under its remains. Without the extra light their enemies were jostling forward.

Besides the big, ugly, aggressive and stronger Troll was getting in their way of massacring the Orcs. His random attacks forced all of them to look out for him and dodge his swings if possible. It would have dipped the odds in favour of their enemies, if it weren't for the Cave-Troll accidentally killing as many Orcs as they did. Still, the Troll was their main problem at the moment.

"Nothing important there it seems," Ezra muttered disappointed, when his well-placed arrow in the Troll's head didn't even extract a groan.

"Try his eyes!" Jeidy suggested from his hiding place.

"If he'd just look at me for longer than the blink of an eye I would!" Ezra called back, jumping out of harm's way.

Pulling his axe out of a dead Orc, Buck grinned. "Maybe he doesn't like Elves," he shouted over the battle's noise.

"Everyone likes Elves!" Ezra replied, and exchanged his bow for his long knives. With them in hand he faced a group of Orcs, which had made their way around the Troll. "We are most likeable." He slashed at the first one. "Intelligent. Beautiful. Charming. Wise." His every word was punctuated with a stroke against his enemies. "Polite. Helpful. Loveable."

Coming to Ezra's aid, who had just killed off two Orcs, Vin and Buck shared a quick grin, before the Ranger deadpanned: "Deadly."

"Yes, that too." The Elf nodded towards his lover, as they freed themselves of their last opponents.

Taking inventory, the three warriors realized that Naithan was trapped in a corner, but apparently holding his own and in no imminent danger, while Josiah was fighting off a group of Orcs by whirling his staff around as if it was a living thing, thereby sending bodies flying.

It was the Captain of Gondor who was most in peril, for he stood facing the Troll, his shield held in front of him, his sword dripping with Orc blood.

"I hope he has a plan," Ezra whispered, as they watched the mighty arm of the Troll striking at their friend.

It seemed he had, for suddenly Crys let go of his shield and fell to his knees, grabbing his sword with both hands he held it up high, cutting into the Troll's wrist.

With a high wail the Troll let go of his mace and looked at his bleeding arm, then at the man who was already attacking him again. This time Crys aimed for his enemy's chest, slicing his blade across it.

"Good work." Buck whistled admiringly, then stormed over to attack the Troll from behind, Vin at his heels.

Ezra looked around in search of inspiration, or at least a good place from where to shoot. *Yes, that might do.* Having discovered a niche about nine feet above them, he quickly ran towards the wall, nodded at Jeidy in passing, and started climbing.

Meanwhile Buck had a disagreement with the Troll about the ownership of his axe, which was currently stuck in the Troll's ass."Give it back!" the warrior uttered under his breath, pulling at his weapon.

"Let go, Buck!" Crys shouted, while he and Vin were trying to keep the Troll's attention on them. They succeeded insofar, as the Troll had to cast them aside first, before he finally targeted the man at his back.

"Watch out!" Vin warned as he made an attempt to stand again.

Next to him, Crystan also struggled to get to his feet. "Leave it!" the captain ordered, but to no avail.

"Never! I've n..aaaaaaaaahhhh!"

A mighty hand struck Buck and threw him - his axe held fast - against the wall, where he crumbled to the ground.

"Buck!" Ignoring the danger Jeidy left his place and ran towards his guardian. He never made it that far, for a blow from the Troll sent him flying, too. He landed hard on the stones, but recovered fast, when he realized that the Troll was coming after him.

Crawling backwards as quickly as possible, Jeidy passed a skeleton that held a pike. Anger overrode fear and he grabbed the pike and pushed it with all his strength into the Troll's chest.

Again the Cave-Troll cried out, and stepped back, thereby pulling the weapon out of the boy's hand. Then he pulled the pike out of his body, turned it around, so that the head was pointed at Jeidy, and threw it.

"No!" Vin and Crys shouted in unison. They had both tried to get to the Troll before he reached the young man, but were still too far away to do anything.

With wide eyes Jeidy watched the pike coming closer ... suddenly his view was obscured by someone's back ... then this someone was slammed into him with the force of a falling tree, pushing him backwards until he hit the wall.

The air was pressed out of his lungs, but even with his sight fading and shadows ascending upon him, Jeidy was certain that he wasn't dying, that he hadn't truly been hurt. He was not sure about the body in his arms though, which had stopped the pike from piercing him.

*Ezra,* he thought, then there was only darkness.

The horrified shouts of the Ranger and the man from Gondor had everyone looking towards the scene, where Ezra and Jeidy now lay motionless in front of the wall, a pike sticking out beneath their bodies.

"No!" Buck's painful cry echoed those of his friends. He tumbled towards his protege, tears running down his cheeks. "Jeidy, no, please no!" Like the boy before he had all but forgotten the Troll.

Vin and Crys hadn't. Lost in a haze of fury the latter attacked the Troll without a thought for his own safety, while the Ranger stood almost unmoving, his sword on the ground, the bow in his hands, one arrow ready.

Weakened by the captain's vicious attacks the Troll suddenly stumbled, then stopped for a moment to find his balance. That was all the time Vin needed. His arrow went through the Cave-Troll's eye into his brain. The Troll swayed, fought the inevitable, then fell.

Quickly Crys sprang forward and cut his throat. Even if Trolls were able to heal themselves from any wound, as some tales warned, for the time being at least this one would give them no more grief.

The moment the Troll began to tumble, Josiah and Naithan - having killed the last Orcs - hurried towards their fallen companions, reaching them shortly after Buck.

The warrior had already pulled out his young charge from under the Elf, and was now looking for injuries. In his arms Jeidy began to stir.

"He's alive!" Buck laughed in relief. "Not even hurt, no blood. He's all right." His gaze fell on Ezra and his smile died away. "He saved him," he said. "Sacrificed his own life." Fresh tears ran down his cheeks. Gently he touched the Elf's shoulder. "Thank you."

"I never thought he would do something like that." Naithan shook his head. "I wish we'd had a better start, I ..."

"He's not dead!" Vin interrupted him, his eyes flashing blue lightning, as he ran towards them. "Vin, the pike hit him in his chest, no one could survive that," Crys tried to reason with him, but he knew it was a lost cause. He was scared of what the Elf's death might do to Vinterrin. Although Crys had known Ezra only for a short time, he felt his loss deeply, and he remembered only too well how it felt to lose the person you love. Silently he promised to be there for his friend, hoping it would be enough.

"Vin, I'm sorry, he was ..." Again Naithan wasn't able to finish his sentence, for the Ranger was suddenly there, pushing him away from Ezra.

"He's alive!" Vin growled as he grabbed his lover and turned him onto his back. "See, no blood!" Triumphant he looked around.

Naithan stared at the Elf. "How can that be? The pike should have gone through him."

"He wears a mithril chain-mail," Vin explained with a grin.

"Mithril?" Buck was impressed.

"That explains that there's no blood, but the strength of the blow alone could have damaged some inner organs." The healer caught Vin's gaze and held it. "He's not breathing. He is dead. I'm sorry."

"No!" Vin shook his head, then pulled the unresisting body of his beloved closer to his. "You can't be dead, Ez. You're immortal. You must live!" He laid the body down again, tears streaming down his face. "Live, Ez. Please? For me?" He looked helplessly to Naithan, then at Josiah. "Do some magic, please?" he asked.

The Wizard closed his eyes and shook his head. "I can't raise the dead."

"He's not dead!" Vin cried out again in denial. Then very gently he caressed the Elf's face. "I love you," he whispered. "I need you. Breathe for me, Ez. Please, you're my life." He leaned forward and kissed the pale lips. "Then I will breathe for you, Ez, I'll breathe for you." And he did just that, again and again he blew air into the mouth of his lover.

Suddenly his pain turned into fury and with his fist he hit on the Elf's chest. "Live! You're immortal. So live!" He raised his fist again, then stopped and looked shocked at his hand, as if he couldn't believe that it belonged to him.

Crys turned away, the pain almost unbearable to witness. It seemed obvious to him that the quest had already taken two lives.

"Ez?"

The hopeful tone cut into Crystan like a knife and he felt the urge to run, but then he whirled around instead, staring unbelieving at the coughing Elf on the ground.

"Vin?" Coughing. "Chest ... hurts," Ezra managed between gasps. "Can't ... breathe."

Everyone except the Elf began to laugh. Irritated Ezra looked from one to the other. "I'm ... not ... joking."

"I know, Ez." Gently Vin cupped his mate's chin and gazed into his eyes. "But you're breathing just fine right now. Believe me, it's like music to my ears."

Ezra's expression was one of astonishment, but he didn't question his friend's words, instead he asked: "Jeidy?"

"I'm here, Ez. I'm all right." The boy left his guardian's embrace and leaned over to be within the Elf's sight. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Ezra smiled then coughed again, pain clearly visible on his handsome face.

"Where're the Orcs?" Buck wanted to know, coming to his feet and looking around.

"We killed them," Jeidy stated proudly.

The Ranger shook his head. "We killed some of them, but there are more. I saw at least fifty before we closed the door and I'm sure there were more coming."

"They've probably realized that within this room we have the advantage, so they decided to wait until we come out," Josiah suggested, while he walked towards the broken tomb to dig out his crystal.

"Clever Orcs, just what we needed," Buck sighed.

"They are right though. We have to come out eventually and within the hall they can attack us from all sides." Crys looked at Josiah. "Do you think your crystal will hold them at bay?"

Josiah frowned, then shrugged. "For a while. But it won't protect us from stones or arrows."

"We'll have to take the chance." Crys nodded at the others. "Let's get our things and then we'll try to break through."

Vin nodded and left Ezra's side to save as many of his and his mate's arrows as was possible, preferring the fine Elven work to the crude pointy sticks of the Orcs.

"I'll get your knives, Naithan," Josiah announced, and the Wose smiled at him briefly before his gaze turned back to the Elf.

"Do you think you can stand?" Naithan asked, his hand on Ezra's back, already supporting him.

"I'll try," Ezra whispered. He grabbed Jeidy's arm and the young man responded by taking as much of the Elf's weight upon him as he could. It didn't help though. The moment Ezra tried to get up a wave of fire shot from his chest through his whole being and he cried out in agony. Vin was at his side as soon as the other two had set him down again.

"Ez?" Sapphire eyes looked from his lover, who struggled to breathe through his pain, towards the Wose. "What's wrong with him?"

Naithan sighed. "I believe there is internal damage. He should not be moved." He looked around, knowing that no one would like his next words and what they implied. "He won't be able to walk."

"No." Vin's growl drew Naithan's attention back to the Ranger. "You're a healer, do something."

"I'm a healer, yes. I work with herbs, with potions. Wounds like this take time to heal, but we don't have that time. I know Elf-healers can do better, but I don't have their power. All I can say is that he shouldn't be moved, and the pain is his body's way of telling him exactly that." Naithan looked down at Ezra, who was breathing a little easier again.

"I'm sorry."

"Not ... your fault," Ezra replied. "You're just stating the truth." He grabbed Vin's hand and met his beloved's gaze calmly. "This was always a possibility, we knew that." He gasped for air then whispered "I love you" before he looked up at Crystan. "You have to leave me here," he said quietly. "I fear my journey has come to an end."

The thought crossed Crys' mind that he wasn't the leader of this group and so the decision wasn't his to make, but he had never shunned responsibility and wouldn't start now.

"I'll leave no one alive behind," he stated, and wondered briefly about the sudden silence that followed his sentence. Everyone seemed to hold his breath and Ezra paled significantly. "We must find a way to take him with us." Was it his imagination or were his additional words accompanied by six relieved sighs?

"I could carry him," Josiah suggested, straightening his large frame so that everyone would realize that the Elf wouldn't be a burden on him.

"He shouldn't be moved," Naithan reminded them again. "It might kill him."

"He will die for sure if we leave him here," Buck pointed out, "he'll just have to take the chance."

Crys nodded at Buck's words then shook his head. "We cannot carry him. We all must be able to fight and have our hands free for it. There must be an alternative."

They were all thinking, but none sprang to their minds.

"Could we not change him?" Jeidy asked suddenly. "I mean magically. Can't you change him into something smaller, a small animal that's easy to carry?" Hopefully the boy looked at the Wizard.

As did everyone else. And Naithan echoed: "Could you do that, Josiah?"

"No." The Wizard shook his head. "I'm sorry, but that's not within my power."

"What good is your magic anyway?" Buck wondered angrily, speaking Crys' thoughts as well. "It hasn't helped us much. Why is it that evil magic is able to oppress the whole world, while the other side can't even do a simple task?"

"Because it isn't that simple, there are rules to everything, even magic, especially magic," Josiah explained, breathing deeply. "Evil mages break the rules by which we others live. They don't care what effect their doings have on nature. We do. 'I' care. I have sworn to follow the code."

"Sometimes rules must be bent, Josiah. Otherwise evil will prevail," Vin said coldly.

Crys nodded to that, while wondering if this whole quest wasn't really a farce. He wasn't sure anymore if the Ring was truly of any importance. It hadn't shown any great powers so far, had it? It didn't even protect its bearer, unless it had forced Ezra somehow to jump in front of Jeidy, and he didn't believe that. Maybe they should just throw it down the well and leave for Gondor to fight the war the way every battle was fought, with weapons of steel and men of blood?

He was drawn from his musings by Naithan, who held up a small bottle and said quietly: "I might have a solution."

Six pairs of eyes locked on the healer.

"I can give him something against the pain, then he should be able to walk on his own." Naithan's voice and face showed clearly that he didn't like his idea.

"Why didn't you say so before?" Vin asked, a hint of threat in his tone.

"Because it won't heal him!" Naithan shot back angrily. "The drug will only take the pain away. And without the pain he won't know what his body can withstand and what not. He won't even feel an arrow in his back or any other wound for that matter."

"Sounds like a good thing," Buck put in.

The healer shook his head at the warrior. "No, it isn't. If you don't know you're wounded, you don't take care of the injury, you let it bleed, you let it get infected. You might die and won't know it until it's too late."

"I think ... although I abhor gambling, I ... have to take that chance, Naithan," Ezra said quietly. "It seems to be the best option I have. I accept the risk." His eyes sought the healer's and Naithan nodded. Carefully the Wose helped him up a bit so that he could drink the potion.

Ezra swallowed all of the bitter liquid, then grimaced as the taste fully registered. "That's awful, Naithan, please refrain from ... ever cooking a meal when I'm in the vicinity."

The healer grinned. "It's supposed to taste bad otherwise some would-be-heroes would take it all the time and become addicted to it."

"Addicted to this?" Ezra shuddered. "The thought defies my imagination."

"How long till it takes effect?" Crys asked.

Naithan thought for a moment. "When we're ready to go, he will be too." With that he stood and went to retrieve his knives from Josiah.

Crystan nodded. "Good." Then he walked to the door - what was left of it anyway - and peered outside. It wouldn't do them any good to be surprised by another Orc attack.

Vin smiled at his Elf. "Told you I won't go anywhere without you." He leaned forward and kissed his mate. Then he joined Crys at the entrance, where he knew most of the Elven arrows to be.

They were back in the great hall, all of them. Josiah's crystal burned brightly, lightening their way. It also showed them the horde of Orcs surrounding them and the army of Goblins crawling down the columns towards them - coming closer and closer. The light wouldn't save them.

"Guess that's it then," Buck said to no one in particular. "Let's take as many of them with us as possible."

Jeidy swallowed nervously, but nodded. Grabbing his sword and shield harder he moved to stand beside his guardian. He would give his best.

"It was an honour to take part in this quest, no matter how foolish it seems now. I hope we will meet again on the other side," Ezra bowed slightly towards Crystan, then smiled at his lover. "We will always be one," he promised him in Elvish, "you're my guiding star and the spirit of my soul."

"You're the keeper of my heart, the wind in my blood and the very air I breathe. We will never part," Vin replied, briefly touching the Elf's hand.

Any other speeches were drowned out by a mighty roar that shook the cavern. The Orcs and Goblins shrieked then scrambled away, leaving Dwarrowdelf to the fellowship.

"We scared them off," Jeidy said excited.

"I doubt it was us," Buck contradicted.

At the far end of the hall a red glow appeared, accompanied by another roar.

"What is this? One of the dangers you mentioned, Josiah?" Naithan asked quietly.

The Wizard nodded. "It's a Balrog, a demon of the ancient world."

Involuntarily everyone stepped closer to Josiah, almost as if they were hiding behind the Wizard's large frame, while staring mesmerized at the red glow that got brighter and brighter.

"Is there a reason why we're standing here?" Ezra inquired suddenly. "I mean as far as I'm concerned, I'm not really interested in meeting this new threat to our health." He stepped out of line to better look at the others. "Shouldn't we take our bodies as fast and as far away as possible? Like right 'now'?" he suggested somehow anxiously.

By then they could see a gigantic shadow with fiery eyes moving towards them.

"This foe is beyond any of you," Josiah said, turning away from the Balrog to face his friends. "Flee! To the bridge of Khazad-Dum!" He pointed to their left and ran.

As one the others turned and followed the Wizard's command.

Everyone but Ezra, who found himself suddenly staring at empty space where the Men had been only a moment before. He shook his head. "Could have been my idea," he murmured to himself, then spared the Balrog one last glance before he, too, raced for his life.

Crystan led the group through a short tunnel into another - as far as he could see in the dim light - huge cavern. Running down a wide staircase he found himself suddenly on the edge of it, with nowhere to go but down. He jerked back, desperately trying to lose momentum.

For an aeon it seemed he was balancing on the last step, the abyss beckoning to him. Fear spread through his being, paralyzed his body, took away his breath. He felt himself falling into the darkness below ... falling ... falling ...

Then there were hands grabbing him, pulling him back from the chasm.

He welcomed the cold stone of the stairs pressing into his back, the safety it provided. But much more he took comfort from the warm body wrapped around him, holding him close even though the danger had passed.

"It's all right, Crys, you're safe," a smooth voice whispered into his ear and Crys found himself shifting closer to his rescuer.

"Go on, we'll follow you." He heard Ezra say and knew from the noises that their friends were taking another flight of stairs, one that hopefully wouldn't end in the middle of nowhere.

He wondered what the others thought of him and Ezra huddled together on these steps, but didn't really care. His heart was still pounding loud and fast and when he closed his eyes even only for a moment he felt like falling again.

"Take deep breaths, Captain," the Elf adviced. "And open your eyes. Don't look at the darkness, look at something more worthwhile, look at me."

Despite the fear still pulsing through his veins Crys felt his lips lift in a smile. Somehow Ezra always seemed to know what to say. Maybe it was an Elven thing, or maybe it was just Ezra being Ezra, but whatever the answer, right now Crys was grateful for it.

Without breaking their embrace he looked up and felt himself falling again, this time into green pools of understanding and compassion.

He swallowed nervously. "That's the second time you saved my life," he said, his voice sounding hoarse. "Thank you."

Ezra smiled. "You're welcome, Crys. And I fully expect you to return the favour if ever the need arises." He leaned forward and gifted the warrior with the ghost of a kiss on his forehead. Then he stood gracefully, extending a hand to Crystan to help him to his feet.

"As much as I enjoy our private moment, I think we should hurry to join our companions again. There is no telling when that ancient demon might find its own way into this ..." The Elf looked around and shook his head. "... this second piece of evidence that Dwarves are great at digging big caverns into a mountain, but that they haven't got the sense of an Orc to know what makes a place a worthwhile, comfortable, useful home."

They were already running down another stairway, following their friends, and still Ezra was rambling on about the stupid construction of the cave.

Crys shook his head inwardly, then he laughed aloud.

"Do you ever stop complaining?" he asked finally.

Ezra gave the question due consideration before he answered with a smile: "When I'm making love."

"Good to know," Crys mumbled under his breath, just as they reached the others who had waited for them at the beginning of another seemingly endless staircase.

"You all right?" Vin asked and the captain nodded.

"We have to go down there and then over the bridge of ..." Josiah explained, but was interrupted by Ezra.

"You call that thing over there a bridge?" the Elf said in an outraged tone. "It's barely wide enough for two people to walk there side by side. What happens when people meet on it? There aren't even banisters. Is it verified that this was built by Dwarves? I mean, I would expect Goblins to ..."

A roar and the shaking of the ground stopped Ezra's speech.

"Let's go!" Buck shouted and ran down the stairs, Jeidy and Vin close behind. Naithan and Josiah followed, while Crys and Ezra brought up the rear.

"There's a large gap!" Buck warned them suddenly, but didn't break his stride and landed easily on the other section of the staircase.

Jeidy hesitated for a moment, then jumped bravely into the arms of his guardian.

"Good boy." Buck grinned then held out a hand to the others. "It's not that far. I'll catch you."

Vin stepped a little to the side to give Josiah and Naithan more room and both made it safely to the other side. Then the Ranger turned to Crys, who stood like rooted some steps above.

"I can't." The man from Gondor shook his head. Fear burned in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I can't."

"We leave no one behind alive," Vin reminded him, walking back and gripping his left arm. "We're not leaving you."

"You are stuck with us," Ezra added, taking hold of Crys' right arm.

"And we are jumping!" the lovers said in unison, running down the stairs, pulling a surprised Crystan with them.

"No!!" Crys cried as they jumped - he between them. There was nothing under his feet, but a bottomless abyss, and he was falling again, dragging his friends with him ... "No!"

His feet touched the ground and strong hands drew him against a broad chest.

"Easy," Buck said, holding him close for a moment. "You did it. All of you."

Crys breathed deeply. He glared at the Elf and the Ranger, but met only amused innocent faces. Eventually he shrugged. "Thank you," he whispered, admitting that while he was a little embarrassed, he was mostly grateful.

"Come on!" Jeidy shouted, just as another roar shook the cave.

"On our way!" Buck replied and turned, one hand still on Crys' arm, to run down the rest of the staircase. The others in close pursuit.

They were already on the bridge - Vinterrin leading, Josiah the last - when the Balrog appeared behind them. It was a creature out of a nightmare, a black man-shaped form, yet as large as a giant, with batwings and the head of a ram. Fire struck from its eyes and smoke surrounded it like a cloak. It held a flaming sword and its roar echoed around the hall.

In the middle of the bridge Josiah stopped and turned to face the demon. "Lead them on, Crys!" he shouted towards his companions, who turned also, motioning them to go on. "Swords are no more use here."

Quite aware that the Wizard was right, the Captain of Gondor hesitated nevertheless, as did the others, but then common sense prevailed and Crys made sure that they were all off the bridge, before they looked back to watch the confrontation between the ancient demon and their friend.

Josiah held his staff high, the crystal burning brighter than ever. "You cannot pass," he told the advancing beast.

"The bridge will break," Jeidy said confidently. "It's too big."

"I wouldn't bet on it," Ezra contradicted. "The demon may be large, but it is mostly shadow and flame. Magic sometimes has a way of not following the usual laws of nature."

"Like some people not sinking into snow?" Buck piped in.

Ezra nodded. "Exactly my point."

The Balrog stepped onto the bridge, quickly closing the distance between it and the Wizard.

Josiah stood firm. "You cannot pass," he shouted again. "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Ud_n. Go back to the shadow."

The demon roared and brought its flaming sword down on Josiah.

A shield of light blazed from the Wizard's staff, intercepting the stroke. There was lightning, as shield and weapon met, and then the sword flew up in molten fragments.

Jeidy cheered, but the others weren't as optimistic, for they had seen that Josiah had stumbled back under the onslaught.

"Where did it get that from?" Buck asked anxiously, his eyes on the fiery whip that the Balrog was now swinging.

He didn't get an answer, fear for their friend held them all enthralled. Suddenly Vin broke free of it. "He cannot stand alone!" he shouted, and ran back along the bridge.

Crys followed him.

When Jeidy tried to go after them, he was stopped by his guardian. "No." Buck shook his head. "We won't do them any good."

At that moment Josiah lifted his staff again, said something they didn't understand, and then rammed the staff down onto the bridge before him. A blinding sheet of white flame sprang up, and right at the Balrog's feet the bridge cracked and broke. The stone upon which the demon stood crashed into the abyss, followed by the creature itself. The demon cried, but even as it fell it swung its whip.

Like a fiery tentacle the lash curled around the Wizard and pulled him to the brim. Josiah lost his footing and fell over the edge, finding a hold only at the last possible moment.

Even as he looked up, and saw Crys and Vin coming towards him, he felt his hands slip off the stone. "Fly, you fools!" he said and let go.

"No!" the Ranger cried and leaped for the brink in a desperate attempt to grasp the Wizard's hands.

He failed and would have gone over the edge as well had not Crys grabbed his legs and held him firmly.

Jeidy threw himself into Buck's arms, unashamedly crying over their losing Josiah. Gently the warrior patted his charge's head, wishing he could ease the boy's pain.

Naithan shook his head in silent mourning, all the while keeping an eye on Crys and Vin who had collected the Wizard's staff and were now slowly making their way back towards them.

"So close," he heard the captain say. "If he'd just held on a little bit longer ... If we just hadn't left him ..."

Somehow expecting some words of wisdom about what-ifs and senseless guilt from Ezra, Naithan looked at the Elf in surprise when none came.

"Ezra?" he whispered, uncertain what was going on with the Elf, for he stood like frozen, his eyes wide, his arms spread and sweat pouring down his face.

"Don't touch him!" Vin warned, having followed Naithan's gaze.

"What's he doing?" Crys wondered, stepping up to the healer.

Naithan shrugged, it was the Ranger who answered. "Magic," he explained. "Whatever he's doing, he must not be disturbed or anything can happen."

"But 'what' is he doing?" Crystan asked again.

"I don't ..." Vin began, but was interrupted, as Buck suddenly pointed towards the breach in the bridge, shouting:

"Look there!"

They looked and couldn't believe their eyes, for there they saw Josiah, lying on what looked like a bird-shaped cloud, flying towards them. Gently the cloud-bird settled down next to Crys and Naithan, and then dissolved into windbeams, leaving a stunned Josiah on the ground.

The Wizard sat up, looked at them and shrugged. "I didn't do anything," he said.

At that moment Ezra collapsed onto the ground, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

"Ez!" Vinterrin was the first at his lover's side, with Naithan being a close second.

"What's with him?" Jeidy asked anxiously. "He isn't dead, is he? He didn't kill himself, because of the potion, did he?"

Vin shook his head. "He's breathing," he said. Laying the Wizard's staff aside, he gently caressed his mate's face.

"He's alive," Naithan confirmed, his hands on the Elf's neck and chest. "I'm not sure what happened though. The drug should still work. And he didn't seem in pain to me."

Josiah rose and came to kneel beside them. "I believe I know what happened. Ezra summoned the air to break my fall and lift me up again. Such magic comes from within the sorcerer and it takes its toll of his strength. And after all he's been through he had no strength to spare."

"So he'll be all right?" Just once Jeidy wanted a clear answer.

"He should be." The Wizard nodded. "He ..."

Whatever Josiah had been about to say was lost as suddenly Vin stood, bow and arrows ready, shouting: "Orcs!"

On cue arrows hit the stones around them, some missing the fellowship only by inches.

"Move!" Crys ordered, holding his shield up to give them some cover, next to him Buck and Jeidy did likewise.

While Josiah threw the unconscious Elf over his shoulder, Naithan took Josiah's staff, and together they ran into the next tunnel. Buck and Jeidy followed hard on their heels, shielding them from the raining arrows as good as possible.

"Come on, Vin!" Crys tried to catch the Ranger's eye, who stood as in trance, shooting down one enemy archer after another. "You cannot kill them all. We must flee!"

Finally Vin nodded, and side by side they hurried after their companions.

The warmth of the afternoon sun greeted them as they escaped the Mines of Moria. Yet they didn't stop running until they felt free of the mountain's lingering shadow. Only when they had reached the plains did they halt, catching their breath.

"Where to now?" Crys asked the Wizard.

"To the silver woods of Lothlorien," Josiah said, pointing ahead, then shifted slightly to better accommodate the body he carried on his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Vinterrin sigh, and inquired: "Do you not agree with me, Vin? Ezra is in dire need of help, and I can't think of anyone better suited to aid us, or closer."

The Ranger looked up, his mouth curled in a strange smile. "You are quite right, Josiah. And I would have suggested it myself, for we could all do with a little healing and rest." He looked around, they all had experienced some smaller wounds, bruises or cuts. "I know also that Lothlorien will provide that. Still, I don't have to like it."

"What is Lothlorien?" Jeidy asked.

Buck shook his head in shame. "Don't you know nothing, boy? It's a forest of the Elves. Beautiful trees with beautiful maidens."

"Who you should not anger, Buck," Naithan said, an earnest expression on his face. "They say a great sorceress lives there, an Elf-witch of terrible power and all those who look upon her fall under her spell and will never be free again."

"You don't know the half of it," a weak voice mumbled, drawing everyone's attention to Josiah's back.

"Ezra! You're awake!" Jeidy laughed.

"Ez," Vin only breathed the name, as he stepped closer and gently lifted his friend's head.

Green eyes blinked several times then focused on the Ranger. "Why am I seeing you from such a strange angle?" Ezra wondered, barely awake.

"Because you're hanging over Josiah's shoulder, beloved," Vin explained, a smile in his voice.

It took Ezra a moment to comprehend the answer, but then he asked: "How come I'm burdening our good Wizard like that?"

"You fainted, Ezra," Jeidy said, and found himself to be the recipient of an indignant glare.

Then he was slapped lightly by his guardian. "Now, boy, you should know that Elves don't faint. They graciously allow consciousness to leave them," Buck told him, grinning widely.

Ezra fought to keep his eyes open for another glare, but lost the battle. "I'll remember that," he murmured, then smiled as he felt Vin's lips on his cheek. "That too."

CHAPTER 4: THE WOOD

"This is Lothlorien, isn't it?" Buck asked, his eyes on the Elf he carried. His axe and shield were slung over his shoulder.

"Yes." Josiah nodded.

"Then shouldn't there be sentinels or guards?" Naithan wondered, following the warrior's train of thought.

"There are," Vin replied. "They know we're here."

"Yes, we do," a female voice told them and suddenly they found themselves surrounded by Elves, who pointed arrows at them.

Only Crys and the Ranger had been quick enough to draw their own weapons, but they were outnumbered by far.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all," Buck muttered, feeling very vulnerable, and wishing Ezra were with Josiah, so that he'd have his hands free.

"Yes, maybe we should turn back," Naithan agreed.

"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back," the same Elf told them.

Vin lowered his bow and smiled towards the dark-haired Elf-maid who had spoken. "Inez o Lorien," he greeted her in Elvish. "We've come here for help. Ezra has been hurt, and we all could do with some rest."

A small gesture of the She-Elf and the other Elves put away their weapons. Swiftly she walked up to Bucklin and looked at the unconscious man he held in his arms. Gently she touched Ezra's forehead, then her hand glided over his neck and chest.

"Oh, Windbrother," she whispered in Elvish, "what has happened to you?" In the common speech she said: "We'll take him to our healers."

At once another Elf came forward to free the warrior from his burden, but Buck shook his head. "I'll carry him."

Surprised, Inez looked at Buck, then nodded and turned to Vin. "The rest of you will go on. The Lady is waiting."

"I'd like to accompany you," Naithan put in, stepping closer to Buck and Ezra. "I'm a healer. I can tell your healers what happened and what I gave him."

Her gaze lingered questioningly on the Wose for a moment. "Very well, if that is your wish." Again she looked to the Ranger. "I know you and the Wizard have been here before, but I advise you to follow Haldir's lead. After all, we don't want any of you to get lost."

Josiah and Vin bowed lightly to the Elf-maid, who then turned and led Buck and Naithan down a narrow path.

"This way," a tall blond Elf told them, pointing deeper into the wood.

Jeidy hesitated, his gaze on his guardian.

"Come on, boy," Crys laid a hand on his shoulder. "They'll be all right."

"But ..."

"They'll take care of Ezra, Jeidy," Vin said, smiling at the young man. "And the others will rejoin us soon. Everything will be all right."

"If you say so." Jeidy accepted this with a sigh. He knew, of course that Vinterrin wouldn't leave Ezra alone if there was any danger, still he felt lost without his friend and mentor. Nervously his hand went to the ring he carried around his neck. This gesture had become a habit of his that for some strange reason gave him confidence and calmed him.

<Jeidy.>

Suddenly a female voice was whispering his name. He looked around, but then realized that the voice spoke inside his head.

<You bring great evil, Ringbearer.>

Jeidy swallowed. He remembered the Elf-witch Naithan had talked about, the voice had to be hers.

"Are you all right?" Crys asked, seeing his distress.

He nodded, there was no point in saying anything, they were already in her hand, there was nothing the captain or the others could do. They would have to face her. 'He' had to face her.

The four men followed Haldir deeper into the wood, and what had been an old, but not overly strange forest before suddenly became a magical place. Gigantic trees glowing in a soft, warm light greeted the travellers.

"Lorien," the Ranger said quietly.

In awe Crys and Jeidy stared at the city in the trees; so beautifully intertwined were the homes of the Elves with the forest that sometimes one couldn't tell where the trees ended and where the artificial work began.

Silently they ascended a silver stairway that wound itself around a trunk.

After a while the captain peered down and swallowed heavily, immediately stepping closer to the trunk.

Lifting an eyebrow, Vin looked at his companion questioningly. "Are you all right?"

Crys smiled self-consciously. "I seem to have developed a problem with heights," he said, trying to keep his eyes from looking down again. "You know, from what Ezra said I thought Elves would have banisters."

The Ranger looked at the small silver poles that were placed every six steps on the outer side of the stairway and had to admit that this could hardly be called a banister. "I'm sure Ez has pointed that out more than once when he was here, it's one of the reasons he prefers to stay at Rivendell or Fourcorners. He likes the comforts of Men, their tables, chairs and beds. Especially their beds." Vin grinned. "I'm more Elf than he is in that regard. I'm content with the beds Mother Nature provides."

"No offense, but I'm with Ezra," Crys admitted, wondering if they were expected to sleep in one of the tree-houses.

As if reading his thoughts Vin spoke again. "Visitors sleep on the ground. It's safer."

"Safer?" Jeidy piped in. "For them or us?"

"Both," Josiah explained before anyone else could. "The Elves are very private people, and they don't want strangers strolling around their homes. And they don't want people strolling around at night and falling from a tree, either."

Jeidy nodded, he could see the point.

By then they had reached a platform and Haldir bowed slightly towards a She-Elf who descended another stairway. "Maudriel o Lorien," he announced, "the Lady of the Wood." She was ageless as only Elves can be and was dressed in the finest garments imaginable. A silver halo surrounded her body, projecting an otherworldly beauty.

Crystan suppressed a sneer. She was all air and no substance. Oh, he didn't doubt that she was powerful, but her appearance was meant for deception alone. What she thought or truly wanted she would never give away. Even now, although she was smiling, her eyes were cold as she measured her visitors.

Crys looked at his companions. Jeidy was obviously impressed, while Josiah's face showed pure adoration. The Captain of Gondor all but groaned, the last thing they needed was a lovelorn Wizard. His gaze fell on Vin and from his expression he could tell that the Ranger was even less impressed by the Elven-Queen than he was.

"Josiah, it is good to see you again." Maudriel smiled at the Wizard, then nodded a silent greeting at the others.

"Though I wished the reason for your visit was one not so grave."

"You know why we're here?" Crys asked.

The Lady of the Wood glared at him, but nodded. "Of course. The seven of you have taken a burden of great weight upon your shoulders. Everyone looks at you, for our fate lies with your fellowship."

Crys didn't like what he heard. The last thing he wanted was everyone looking at them, after all, their only chance of succeeding was due to the secrecy of their plan. He wondered how the Elven-Queen had been informed and who else knew of their mission?

"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife," Maudriel said, almost echoing the captain's thoughts. "Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all."

She looked at the Ranger. "Vinterrin, son of Aragorn, it seems you have finally accepted the responsibility you have shunned for so long. It is about time that the true heir of Gondor takes back his throne." As she spoke she looked from Vin to Crystan, as if to gauge his reaction.

The captain didn't even blink. Did she really expect that information to be new to him? Was he supposed to be outraged that a man who could ask for his allegiance walked among them? It almost seemed as if the queen wanted to sow the seeds of discord into their group.

"My feelings concerning the throne of Gondor haven't changed," Vin replied coldly. "This quest may decide the future of Middle-earth, as you said yourself, that is more than enough reason for taking it up."

"So you are aiming for glory, and you drag my son along for your protection, is that it? Tell me, how can it be that of the seven of you only Ezra is seriously wounded? And will you let him go now?" Maudriel looked dark and dangerous as she stepped closer to the Ranger. "Or what else must happen? Do you want him dead? Will you be satisfied then?"

Vin was shaking with suppressed fury, his hands clenched into fists. His eyes flashed blue lightning at the Elf and his voice was a low growl as he spoke. "Ezra is his own man, Maude, he makes his own decisions as you know very well. And I'll let him go if 'he' asks me to, not you. Never you."

"I didn't know Ezra was your son," Josiah interrupted what was fast becoming a private battle between the Elven-Queen and the Ranger.

The She-Elf looked at the Wizard with something akin to surprise on her face, as if she had forgotten that he was there. Then, almost instantly, the anger left her eyes and a smile appeared. "Ezra is seldom here, he prefers to discover the world beyond my realm. So it is possible that you two never met while you visited, and there was no reason why his name should be mentioned in our conversations."

Crys shook his head. He couldn't imagine that a mother wouldn't at least once mention her son when talking to an old acquaintance; he remembered that he had been so full of stories about his son that some people had even asked him to stop.

Retreating from the memory Crys turned to Vin and laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. The Ranger looked at him, then nodded, answering the unvoiced question.

*Are you all right?* *I will be.*

Suddenly Maudriel seemed to remember her manners as a host and smiled politely at them. "Go now and rest, for you are weary and worried. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Your companions will join you soon, and tonight you will sleep in peace."

She gestured to Haldir, who immediately started down the stairway again. Without a further word Vin followed the Elf, Crys at his side, the captain's hand still on his shoulder.

Jeidy waited impatiently for Josiah to say his good-bye. It was fairly obvious that the Wizard didn't want to part company with the queen, but the young man wasn't sharing his feelings. He had been thoroughly impressed by Maudriel, who seemed larger than life to him. But that didn't mean he wanted to talk to her, more the opposite actually. She gave him the feeling of being unworthy and insignificant, and all he wanted was to leave her presence.

Deciding that Josiah would need more time Jeidy slipped past the Wizard toward the stairs. Just as he stepped on it, he heard the voice in his head again, and although it didn't say anything threatening he felt a chill run down his back.

<Welcome, Jeidy, son of Count Dunne. One who wears a Ring.>

Without a backward glance he hurried after Crys and Vin.

Back on the ground, trying to make themselves comfortable at their Elven appointed place, Jeidy felt a great relief when Bucklin and Naithan finally rejoined them.

"Buck!" Jeidy all but ran into the arms of his guardian.

"Hi, boy. Missed me?" The warrior grinned and affectionately ruffled through the young man's hair.

Jeidy shook his head. "I was just afraid you'd angered some Elf and I had to get you out of their prison," he grinned.

"Nearly came to that," Naithan put in before Buck could answer. "I swear Inez was sharpening her knife."

"You got that all wrong, Naithan, she likes me. She just couldn't surrender too fast. Appearances and such things."

Vin chuckled. He knew Inez well enough, if the Elf was interested in something she didn't hesitate to get it. "Let him have his illusions, Naithan," he told the Wose in a loud whisper. Then he asked earnestly, "How is Ezra?"

"He'll be all right," Naithan smiled. "The Elf-healers are amazing, they can do things with their magic in one day that all my potions wouldn't be able to do in a year. They repaired the damage inside of him through touch alone. Don't ask me how, but it worked." The healer was almost beaming. "Of course he's still in a lot of pain and will need to rest for a while, but the worst is over, he will live."

"That's good." Crys smiled relieved and looked at Vin who had his eyes closed as in silent prayer.

"Did you know that Ezra is the son of the Lady of the Wood?" Jeidy asked his guardian, remembering how surprised he had been by the news.

"He is?" Naithan seemed shocked, while Buck frowned for a moment then grinned.

"He did say he was the Prince of the Wood, should've listened," the warrior commented, then lightly hit the Wose's arm. "Is it me or do you feel a little bit unworthy, too, in this assembly of lords, kings, princes and mighty sorcerers? I've got the feeling I should bow all the time."

"It is you," Naithan replied, mirroring Buck's mischievous expression. "As a healer I'm almost as powerful as our clan-chief. So I'm a kind of lord, too."

"You are?" Buck's face showed his disbelief.

"Yes."

"Sure?"

"Yes." Naithan tried to look solemn but failed.

"So I should bow to you?"

"Ehm ... yes."

"All right." Buck bowed deeply, then suddenly stepped forward and threw the Wose over his shoulder. "I think your bath is ready, Lord Healer," he announced and carried the dark man towards a small pond.

"Bucklin! Don't you dare!" Under the laughter of the other men Naithan tried to escape the warrior's grip. "I'll poison your next meal! You won't impress any woman ever again, I swear!"

The last threat finally showed success, as Buck came to a halt abruptly. "You wouldn't," he all but squealed.

"Try me," Naithan growled.

"You're evil, Naithan," the warrior said, putting the healer back on his feet. "Truly evil." Buck's mien, that still reflected his shock at the healer's threat, had their companions howling with merriment. Especially Jeidy, who sat on the ground, holding his sides.

For a short moment all the perils past and the dangers lying ahead were forgotten.

Naithan winked at the guardian, then turned back to their friends. "The healers also gave me something to treat our wounds and promised to replenish my potions. This is something for your burns, Josiah." He held up a small bottle with an oily fluid. "And this is something for our bruises." Another, larger bottle was shown.

Everyone sighed in relief, none of them had stayed unharmed in their battles and with seven men to treat, Naithan had quickly run out of medicine.

"Let's take a bath first," Crys suggested, pointing at the water. "I'd like to get the smell of Moria off me, if possible."

"I couldn't agree more." Josiah nodded.

And one by one they shed their clothes and went into the clear pond.

Some time later Vinterrin wandered through their camp to find Crystan at the edge of it, wide awake staring into the twilight of the wood.

"You can take some rest. These borders are well protected," Vin told him, sitting down next to him.

"I will find no rest here," Crys sighed. "I hear that voice inside my head, it speaks of my father and the fall of Gondor. It tells me to leave for Minas Tirith and forget about destroying the Ring. That my duty lies with my people."

"You are doing this for your people," the Ranger reminded him. "The armies of Sauron are unstoppable. They can be held back only for a time. Our only hope lies in destroying the Ring, because Sauron lives only as long as it exists."

"You really believe that, don't you?" The Captain of Gondor looked at his friend. "You tell me that there is hope left, but I can't see it. It is hard to believe in the power of such a small thing, when you are used to weighing your power in men and weapons. My father looks at me to restore the glory of Gondor. And for a long time that was all that I was aiming for. But now I'm not so sure of what to do anymore." Crys stopped and stared into the distance, obviously seeing something else than the silver trees glowing in the dark.

"Have you ever seen it, Vin? The White Tower of Ecthelion, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, its banners caught high in the morning breeze? Have you ever been called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets?" Crys swallowed, his gaze darkened. "I wanted my son to inherit that, to call the city his, not just as a steward, but as a king. And now he will never even run along the winding streets, or cheer to the trumpets when I get home." He shook his head as if to clear it from the memories and gazed at Vin.

For a moment Vin didn't understand the question in his companion's eyes, but then he remembered what the other had asked.

"I have seen the White City. More than once. It is beautiful." He nodded.

"One day, our path will lead us there," Crys said quietly, sudden determination in his voice, "and the tower guards shall take up the call: The Lords of Gondor have returned."

The Ranger sighed. He really didn't want to go there. "Maudriel would be glad to hear that, I'm sure."

The blond raised his eyebrows. "There's a lot of bad blood between you and ... her."

"She thinks I'm not good enough for Ezra. Or shall we say, not good enough for her. If I took the throne of Gondor, now that would be different, but since I'm not interested in it, and told her so ..." He shook his head. It was an old argument, not so much between him and Maude, as -- he knew -- between Ezra and his mother. He had never really taken it to heart and wouldn't start now, but there had been other barbs in the Elven-Queen's speech, which had stung.

"She's right about one thing though, I could get Ezra killed," he said in a whisper, his eyes on the ground. "He's supposed to live forever and I nearly killed him."

"You didn't do anything. The Cave-Troll nearly killed him," Crys contradicted.

"He was there because of me. She's right, he follows me on this ... suicidal mission. If he dies, it is my fault!" He jumped up and started to pace. "He's immortal, he could live forever and I drag him into this. He could die, because ..."

"Stop it!" The captain rose and grabbed the Ranger's arm. "This is stupid nonsense! And you know it!"

Blue eyes gazed at Crys defiantly.

"This is guilt speaking, Vin, and fear. Ezra's injury isn't your fault. Believe me, Vin, I know what you're feeling. But taking the blame isn't helping. You didn't force Ezra to accompany us. It was his decision. And if he did it because he loves you, then it doesn't make it his decision any less."

Tears welled up in the Ranger's eyes. "I almost lost him. He almost died, he died!" A shudder ran through Vin as the realization finally hit him. "It hurts."

"I know." Fighting his own pain Crystan pulled his friend into a tight embrace. Vin's arms went around him, as the slightly shorter man cried against his shoulder.

"He didn't breathe, he didn't breathe ..."

"I know, I know." Drawing small circles on Vin's back, Crys tried to soothe the troubled man. "But he isn't dead. He didn't leave you. Ezra is still alive."

After a while the crying came to an end, but still the men held on.

"It hurts so much, even the thought of losing him seems unbearable," Vin said suddenly, breaking the silence, but not their embrace. "Ez could live forever."

Crys didn't react, he realized that the Ranger was just voicing his thoughts aloud.

"I'm only a Half-Elf, and the human blood of my father runs strong in me, I will die eventually. I don't want Ez to feel this pain."

"There is nothing you can do to prevent it," the captain murmured, his eyes moist. "You can only live each day to the fullest and hope that the memories will get you or him through life afterwards."

Tilting his head back, Vin looked into Crys' face and found love and understanding in his expression. Without conscious thought he leaned forward and touched the warrior's lips with his.

"Oh, this is someone who knows exactly how to overthrow any possible opposition. I'm impressed by his tactics. Although I'm sorry for your loss, Ezra." With a false smile Maudriel looked up from the small bowl in front of her and motioned to her son to come closer and take a look himself.

With a sigh, Ezra complied. The one thing he truly hated about his birthplace was the lack of privacy. Maude's way of using any bowl to spy on everyone, especially her son and guests, had made him leave Lothlorien as soon as he had felt confident enough to be on his own, and to return only for very brief visits.

"What are you talking about, Mother?" he asked as he left his sickbed to look into the bowl of water which magically showed everything or everyone within the Elven-Queen's realm she wanted to see.

"I'm talking about Vinterrin, Ezra. It seems to me that he and the Captain of Gondor are very close. Don't you think so, my dear?"

"They are good friends. Why?" Ezra didn't even blink as he watched his lover and Crystan Larabee in a close embrace. Even as they kissed each other he didn't allow the pain he felt inside to fester or grow. He had lived for hundreds of years, thousands even and he knew all about love and lust, about feelings and failings. Such a kiss meant nothing in itself.

He knew that Vin loved him, and he couldn't fault him for being attracted to the man from Gondor, after all, Ezra had felt Crys' charismatic pull himself.

"Vin is his own man, Mother, and Crystan is very handsome."

"Are you not angry?" Maude asked.

"Why should I be? It is only a kiss."

"He is intimate behind your back, he is betraying you." The She-Elf looked inquiringly at her son. "Certainly this scene speaks for itself."

"No, it doesn't, Mother. It is just a picture, which I will not blow out of proportion. I'm not seeing and certainly I'm not hearing anything that speaks of betrayal."

"Then I shall make you listen." With that Maudriel waved her hand over the bowl and suddenly they could hear voices coming from it.

"Thank you," Vinterrin said, loosening the embrace. "I needed that. But ..."

"But it should have been Ezra and not me," Crystan interrupted, one of his hands leaving the Ranger's back and gently grabbing his chin. "I know."

"I wish I could leave him here," Vin said, stepping back.

Triumphantly Maudriel looked up, but Ezra's expression showed nothing of the inner turmoil he felt. Those words hurt, but he wouldn't give his mother the satisfaction of seeing it.

Vin wanted him to stay here? Wanted to leave him? He didn't understand, it didn't make sense. Vin loved him ...

"Here? Do you really want to leave him 'here'?" Crys asked, a grin on his face. "I thought you love him."

"Maybe not here. But Rivendell or Fourcorners. He would be safe there. I couldn't stand to lose him. It was too close this time."

"I know, Vin, but I'm certain that Ezra feels just the same. He knows you're mortal and yet he doesn't stop you from heading into danger. He won't stay behind, like you wouldn't stay behind if your places were reversed. That's what love is about. You must accept it." Crys straightened and put one hand on the Ranger's shoulder. "And besides, the way things are now, who knows where it is safe and where not. No one can be certain to live through tomorrow. This way, at least, you'll be together if something happens. I didn't have that chance with my wife and son." He dropped his hand and looked aside, trying to rein in his emotions.

"I'm sorry," Vin whispered and stepped forward, throwing an arm around the man from Gondor. "I'm sorry."

"Give them some privacy, Mother," Ezra all but ordered, coldly looking at her. Crystan's pain had touched him deeply, still he felt like cheering, his inner turmoil replaced by amused satisfaction. He had almost laughed in Maude's face as Vin had explained why he wanted to leave Ezra behind. *Oh, Vin, I love you.*

The Elven-Queen waved over the bowl and the scene faded away, only to be replaced by another. A young man strolling through one of the ground gardens.

A spark lit up in Maudriel's eyes and with another wave of her hand the image disappeared. "I think I shall leave you now to rest, my dear. I will see you later." With that she rose and left him alone.

Ezra sighed deeply. He could guess what her next move would be and he didn't like it at all. All the power of Lothlorien at her hand and still she wanted more.

How often had she asked him to convince Vinterrin to take the throne of Gondor? Every time they had visited? And no matter how often he had refused or tried to tell her that, even with Vin on the throne, he and therefore she wouldn't have any power there, she would ask again. She didn't listen, she never listened. If she wanted something, she would do anything to get it.

Usually he just ignored her, but this time he had to interfere. For the safety of them all.

"Inez," he called and almost immediately the Elf-maid appeared.

"Yes, Ezra?"

"Please, send for Josiah, I know he wanted to speak to me. Please, it is somehow urgent."

She nodded and was gone without a sound.

Ezra leaned back and allowed his aching body to relax. He would play by Maude's rules, but not her game. She should be so proud of him -- or not. He smiled.

Jeidy couldn't sleep. The beauty of Lothlorien and the ugliness of the events in Moria had his mind reeling with different images. Josiah's fall, the power of the Elven-Queen, Ezra nearly dying, the calmness of the giant trees ...

He stopped in front of a dry silver basin. There was a small well nearby that didn't reach the basin, instead a ewer stood next to it. It seemed strange.

Suddenly, he could feel another's presence, he looked up. It was the Lady of the Wood, still surrounded by light, but not as imposing as she had been before. She smiled at him.

"Will you look into the mirror?" she asked, coming closer.

"What mirror?" He didn't have the slightest idea what she was talking about.

"This," she pointed at the basin, "is a mirror. Do you want to look into it?"

"What will I see?" The truth was that Jeidy wasn't interested at all, but he didn't dare to be impolite.

"Even the wisest cannot tell. For the mirror shows many things. Things that were, things that are and some things that have not yet come to pass." As she was speaking Maudriel filled the ewer with water and then poured the water into the silver basin.

"Come, Ringbearer, take a look."

Hesitantly Jeidy obeyed. At first he saw only water in a basin, as could be expected, but then an image appeared. It was Ezra, jumping in front of him. Then the image changed to Josiah falling into the abyss. Next he saw Naithan and Ezra engaged in a fight. And then Crys tumbling to the ground with three arrows sticking out of his chest. Jeidy screamed in terror, as the next picture was of a powerful Orc slashing his sword across Buck's chest and his guardian crumbling to the ground, lifeless.

"No!" Jeidy jumped back from the basin. "No! Tell me that will not happen!" He looked at the Elven-Queen, scared beyond measure.

Maudriel gazed at him pitifully. "I know what you saw, for it is also in my mind. It is what will come to pass if you should fail. The fellowship is breaking. It has already begun. He will try to take the Ring. You know of whom I speak. One by one it will destroy them all."

Jeidy felt a shiver run down his back. One of his friends would try to take the Ring from him? But who? Ezra? Or Crys? Had that been Elven arrows in his chest? He had never felt so shaken and uncertain before. Did that mean he should leave the others and go alone?

"I cannot do this alone?" he said quietly.

"You are a ringbearer, Jeidy. To bear a Ring means to be alone. But this task should not have been appointed to you." The Elf sighed and gently touched his head. "This burden was not meant for one as young and fragile as you. No mortal can withstand the power of the Ring forever."

Did that mean it would be his fault if his friends died? Crystan. Buck. *Oh no, Buck!*

"We should not have shunned the responsibility. It is, after all, ours and not yours."

Slowly Maudriel's words were penetrating through his muddled thoughts. The Ring was made by Sauron, an immortal Wizard, how could Jeidy -- a mere Human boy -- even think to take up such a task as destroying the Ring. How could he have been so stupid, so proud? And all those brave men who followed him, who protected him ... They would die. Because of him, because he was just a weak mortal boy. He grabbed the Ring and pulled it from its chain.

How he hated that thing, all he wanted to do was to get rid of it.

He looked at the Elven-Queen. She was powerful, immortal, a witch. She would know what to do with the Ring.

Decision made he held the Ring in front of her.

"If you would take it, I will give you the One Ring."

Something he couldn't quite decipher flickered over her face. Then her expression was one of wistfulness, as if she was preparing herself for taking on a great burden.

"You show a wisdom far beyond your years," Maudriel said quietly, "as you offer it to me freely. I know your heart greatly desires to be parted from the responsibility, and I will not let you down as others have."

She reached for the Ring.

"Maude!" The booming voice of Josiah the Grey froze the Elven-Queen in mid-motion and let Jeidy jump back a little, his hand closing to a fist around the Ring.

"Josiah!" The Elf whirled around. "What do you want?" Her tone was almost hostile, but the Wizard seemed oblivious to it.

"Just to see you, and to spend some time with you. You know how much I cherish your company." Then he seemed to see Jeidy for the first time. "Oh, son. I apologize, if I interrupted anything."

"You didn't," Maudriel and Jeidy said in unison. Then looked at each other somehow in surprise.

"We will speak about this again later," the Elven-Queen said, smiling at the young man.

Jeidy shook his head. "No, I don't think so." He couldn't believe what he had been about to do. How could he be such a coward and try to get rid of his task by burdening another with it? A woman who had been so kind to him. "I must fulfil my duty, Lady. I thank you, but it is my destiny and I cannot hide from it."

He bowed to her and Josiah, then fled the vicinity. He would find a way to protect his friends, and if that meant that he had to go to Mordor alone, then he would do it.

Ezra's chest seemed to burst, but he couldn't stop himself from laughing so hard that he nearly fell into the bowl in front of him. His mother's expression - when Josiah's appearance had stopped her just in reach of her goal - had been priceless, even if it had only lasted for the blink of an eye. The Wizard's timing had been perfect.

Gasping for air, as much because of his laughter as from the pain in his chest, Ezra finally succeeded in controlling his merriment.

"Are you all right, Ez?" a worried voice asked and then Vin sat down beside him.

"Yes, I am." He smiled at the Ranger and leaned into the offered embrace. "I just watched one of Maude's plans dissolve into nothing and it brightened my day."

Vin looked at the bowl. "You're into spying, too, now?" His tone made it clear how much he disliked the idea.

"Only at her, beloved, and only to prevent evil from happening." Ezra turned to his mate. "How are you?"

"I'm well. I wasn't the one who nearly died." Vin swallowed. "You scared me."

"I know." Softly Ezra caressed his companion's cheek. "But I'm still here. And my love will never leave you."

Vin sighed and leaned his forehead against his lover's shoulder. "I kissed Crys," he whispered. "I needed someone and ... he was there."

"It's all right." Ezra held him gently. "I understand." Then a mischievous expression crossed the Elf's face. "And?"

"And?" His friend looked at him questioningly.

"How was he? Is he a good kisser?" Ezra wanted to know, his eyes wide and innocent.

The Ranger shook his head then grinned. "Yes, he is. But ..." Vin took his friend's face between his hands, "... you're better. He can't compete with you."

Green eyes sparkled in the dim light. "Good to know."

Then they kissed, gently at first, then more passionately, pouring their love into each other.

Finally they separated and Vin's head returned to Ezra's shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Knowing that the Ranger was still talking about his kissing Crys, Ezra shook his head. "There is no reason, my spirit. I understand the temptation that Crystan provides, and the bond between you two is almost tangible. I also know that you love me, as I love you. But that doesn't mean you couldn't or shouldn't let another one into your heart." He kissed the younger one's cheek and continued. "And it lifts a great burden from 'my' heart to know that there will be someone for you to turn to, if something happened to me."

"Ez, no!" Vin reeled back as if hit and stared at his lover bewildered. "I could never ..."

"Vin." Ezra's earnest voice stopped him. "I want you to live, I want you to love. Crystan would understand, and he ... deserves a second chance at love and happiness too."

Blue eyes burned with unshed tears as Vinterrin remembered the pain of the captain and his own helplessness at comforting him. He breathed deeply, thinking over Ezra's words. The Elf seldom said anything without due consideration, it always made sense to follow his advice, no matter how strange the idea seemed in the first place.

He looked at his friend. "Will you turn to Crys if something happens to me?" he asked, and got his answer in the way Ezra looked to the side rather than met his eyes. "Oh no," he said sternly, turning his lover's face so that their gazes locked. "I need to know that you're not alone if I die, just as you need me to be happy. It works both ways, Ez."

The Elf smiled. "So young and so wise." He leaned forward slightly. "But you're right," he whispered against his mate's lips, before he kissed him again. Only to hiss and jerk back as the movement proved to be too much for his still healing wounds.

"Ez?" Worried Vin grabbed his shoulders.

"It is nothing."

"You should be resting. You shouldn't sit here, looking into bowls or discussing the future with me. You should be in bed sleeping." The Ranger all but pulled his friend up and led him back to the bed.

Looking up from his soft bed of furs and silk, Ezra patted the place beside him invitingly.

"I shouldn't," Vin shook his head. "You're supposed to be resting."

"I trust you to restrain yourself, and there is room enough for both of us." Ezra grinned. "Besides, shouldn't you watch over me? I might get up and do something ... strenuous otherwise, couldn't I?"

Vin smiled and slipped under the cover. "If you put it that way, then I'd better stick close to you."

"Yes, you better." Ezra smiled and arranged himself comfortably against his mate. "I love you," he said.

"The same here," Vin whispered back and wrapped his arms around his beloved, for the moment believing in the illusion that tomorrow would never come.

CHAPTER 5: THE BATTLE

Their boats, loans from the Lady of the Wood, had long passed the Argonath, when Vin pointed ahead to a small beach on their right. Crys nodded and turned to Naithan who shared his boat, and to Ezra, Jeidy and Buck behind them. "That's Amon Hen, we'll camp there."

The others nodded and followed his lead.

Silently the boats glided onto the shore. Everyone jumped out of them almost as soon as they touched the sand, only Ezra stayed behind for a moment. He shivered and looked around as if looking or listening for something.

"We cross the lake at nightfall, then hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the North," Crys said, putting his bag and shield down.

"That's your plan?" Buck looked disbelievingly at the man from Gondor. "So it's just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impossible labyrinth of razor sharp rocks!"

"And after that there are the festering, stinking marshlands," Naithan added. "Only Orcs can survive there."

Crystan gazed at them coldly. "That is our road. I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength. You will need it." He turned away and almost ran into Ezra.

"We should leave now," the Elf said quietly, but Crys shook his head.

"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for the cover of darkness."

"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat have been growing in my mind. Something draws near ... I can feel it!"

The captain just shook his head and walked away.

Ezra sighed then turned to Vinterrin and helped him to set up the camp. After a while he realized how quiet it was. Irritated he looked up.

"Where's Jeidy?" he wondered aloud.

"What?" Buck, who had been taking a nap, jumped to his feet.

"Josiah and Naithan are gone, too," Vin added, grabbing his weapons.

Ezra rubbed his forehead. "So is Crystan."

"I hope one of them is with Jeidy," Buck said, shaking his head. "The boy shouldn't be alone, he needs someone to watch over him."

The lovers shared a look; spoken words weren't necessary. Both were wondering if 'being alone' wouldn't be safest for Jeidy right now.

"I guess we should investigate," Ezra suggested, while taking up his bow.

Vin nodded and turned towards the guardian. "You'd best stay here, in case he comes back."

Buck was about to protest, but then complied. After all it was possible that Jeidy was still nearby and would come back soon.

"We'll find him, don't worry." With that the Ranger and the Elf vanished into the woods.

"I wish the Ring had never come to me." Jeidy looked up sadly at Josiah. "Isn't it funny? I spent all my childhood pretending I was off somewhere else, doing great deeds, having lots of adventures. But this adventure turns out to be quite different from all I ever imagined. Now all I want to do is go home."

"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide." The Wizard touched the young man's shoulder briefly. "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

Jeidy sighed. "The Lady of the Wood said that as a ringbearer I'm bound to be alone. I think she meant I should leave you and go into Mordor by myself."

"Maude is a very wise woman," Josiah commented, his face losing all expression.

"She also said that the Ring wasn't meant to be in the hand of a Human. That only immortals could deal with it."

"There she had the right of it." Josiah's voice darkened. "Give me the Ring, son, I will take care of it."

"What?" Surprised Jeidy stepped back and watched in horror the change that came over the old man.

He seemed to grow and his hair and clothes fluttered as if the Wizard was standing amidst a strong wind, but there was none. His expression became cold and sinister. His eyes glowed from within.

"Give me the Ring, Jeidy, it is not for you." Josiah held out a hand.

"No!" Jeidy stumbled back. "This is not you, Josiah! Please!" He turned and started down the hill, but soon an invisible force held him in place.

Eyes wide he watched the Wizard approach him.

"Josiah, don't! You must fight it! It is the Ring, it controls you! Please, you must fight it!"

Josiah was barely more than an arm-length away.

Jeidy swallowed, he didn't know what to do. He couldn't run, couldn't move his feet! He felt a tug at his finger. Surprised he looked down, he hadn't realized that he held the Ring in his hands.

*Maybe if I wear it, I can escape?* It was a desperate plan, a desperate hope. But it was a chance. He slipped the Ring on.

In the blink of an eye the world changed. Colours faded away, but smell and sound seemed so much clearer. And it was cold. Still he couldn't move his legs.

Anxiously he stared at Josiah, who had halted in his tracks. The face of the Wizard smoothed out and the glow left his eyes, he seemed shocked and angered.

"Oh, son, what have I done? What is happening to me?" His gaze turned inward, and Jeidy realized that a battle was taking place inside the Wizard's mind.

"Who are you? You have no right to be here! Leave my body! Leave my mind!" Josiah shouted, then sank to the ground, his body shaking as if in pain. He looked up to where Jeidy was still standing - invisible. "Forgive me, son!" He waved his staff and freed Jeidy's feet from their magical hold. "Run now, find the others! This battle is mine! Flee!"

With a last look at the Wizard Jeidy did as he was told.

As he raced down the hill he remembered the water mirror and Maudriel's warning. One of his companions would try to take the Ring, she had said. It had happened. Would everything else come to pass, too?

*Buck!* He had to get to his friend and protect him. He just had to. He wouldn't let him die!

He wasn't really watching his steps when he literally ran into someone. Instinctively Jeidy grasped at the larger body to find his balance, this overset the other person. Together they rolled down the hill until they hit a tree.

Gasping for breath Jeidy looked up at Naithan, who stared down at him with wide eyes.

"What ...? Jeidy! Is this you?"

He nodded, his mind still reeling from the impact, his invisible status totally forgotten.

"Answer me! Is that you? Why are you wearing the Ring? What has gotten into you?" A feral gleam appeared in Naithan's eyes. "The Ring controls you, doesn't it? You're under its influence."

"Naithan, no ... I ..." Jeidy began, but the healer wasn't listening.

"You're using it. You're betraying our cause. I will not let that happen. Give it to me!"

The Wose grabbed for Jeidy's hands to get the Ring off his finger. A task difficult enough when your opponent was squirming and bucking under you, trying to throw you off, but made even harder when you couldn't see said opponent.

Jeidy fought with all his strength against the larger and heavier man. Remembering everything his guardian had ever taught him about wrestling, he finally managed to knee Naithan in the side. The healer cried out and loosened his hold. With the agility of youth Jeidy slipped free of him, rolled away and then jumped to his feet. Without a backward glance he flew again.

Behind him he could hear Naithan shout: "I can see your mind. You will take the Ring to Sauron. You will betray us!"

Tears welled up in his eyes. That had been the second one of his friends trying to take the Ring from him. Was everyone going mad? He heard the Elven-Queen's voice again: 'One by one it will destroy them all.'

He reached some ruins and stopped to catch his breath. The next moment he was grabbed and pressed against an armour-clad body. A dagger was held close before his eyes.

"Tell me that it is you, Jeidy, or your life will end right now," a familiar voice growled in his ear.

"It's me, it's me!" He dared not to struggle against his captor.

"Then take off that Ring! Do it now!"

Slowly Jeidy moved his hands and slipped the Ring off. Instantly the world was full of colours again, and warmer, much warmer.

Crys let him go and sheathed his dagger, his expression one of anger.

"What were you thinking, boy? Running around here alone and using that thing. You know that using it calls Sauron's attention towards us. Have you lost your mind?"

The furious tone let Jeidy step back in fear.

"Why do you recoil?" Crys reached for him.

"Stay away!" Holding the Ring to his chest, Jeidy retreated slowly.

"What are you doing?" The Captain of Gondor stared at the young man backing away from him. "I swore to protect you!"

"Can you protect me from yourself? Naithan and Josiah have already tried to take it from me. Will you be next?"

Crys didn't answer.

Pausing, Jeidy showed the Ring on his palm. "Do you want it?"

For a moment nothing happened, then Crystan walked the distance between them and laid his hand over the Ring.

"I was told that I couldn't use it, and I believe that," he said quietly, closing the young man's fingers over the Ring. "I don't want it."

Jeidy let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. "I'm sorry, but with Josiah and Naithan ... I ..."

"I understand." The warrior nodded. "But I will not betray you. I will go with you to the end, into the very fires of Mordor, if necessary."

Smiling gratefully, Jeidy was about to thank him, when an angered cry interrupted the peaceful moment.

"So it's Gondor that bought you! Or have all of you sold your souls to the Elves? I will not let it happen! The Ring will not go to our enemies!" With a knife in his hand Naithan attacked them.

Crys pushed the boy out of the way before the Wose descended on him. "Go!" he ordered. "Go, find Vin!" Then Crys had no breath to spare as he was fighting for his very life against the enraged healer.

Once more Jeidy raced down the hill.

He had lost all sense of direction, and was just becoming aware of that fact when a soft Elven voice brought him to a halt. "Jeidy?"

Praying that the Elf wouldn't turn against him, Jeidy slowly walked towards him.

"What happened?" Ezra inquired. "You look as if Sauron himself is after you."

"That couldn't be worse," Jeidy almost cried. "Something evil took over Josiah and Naithan. Josiah could fight it long enough to let me escape, but Naithan ... he's fighting with Crys right now. He has a knife and ... and I think Crys can't reach his weapons."

"Naithan 'and' Josiah? That's worse than we feared," Vin said, stepping out of the shadow of a tree.

"We must do something!" Jeidy stared at the others impatiently.

Vin shared a look with his lover. "You get the boy to the beach, I'll go and help Crys."

Ezra nodded, then grabbed the Ranger's arm. "Be careful. I feel a danger closing in, a shadow that frightens me."

"Orcs?" Vinterrin asked, knowing that every Elf feared to fall alive into the hands of Orcs who worked for a master. For if someone like Saruman or Sauron could get their hands on a living Elf he could be turned into a powerful Orc by torture unimaginable.

"I'm not certain." Ezra shrugged. "I'm usually not scared by mere Orcs."

Vin smiled and squeezed his mate's shoulder gently. "I'll be careful."

A brief kiss, then the Ranger was gone.

Ezra looked at Jeidy. "Let us return to your guardian, he's very worried on your behalf."

Aware that Buck really had had reason to worry, Jeidy nodded and followed meekly.

Backtracking on the trail Jeidy had left, Vin could soon hear the sound of men fighting. Then he found Naithan and Crys still entangled in a deadly clinch.

The healer must have lost his knife somehow, for he was trying to strangle the other man with his bare hands. Beneath him Crystan's struggles became weaker and less and less controlled.

"Naithan, stop it!" Vin raised his bow. "Don't force me to kill you."

The Wose didn't react. Under his hands Crys' movements stilled.

"Naithan!" The Ranger let loose of an arrow. It hit the earth only a hair's breadth away from the healer's fingers where they wrung the captain's neck.

Naithan looked at the arrow, then at Vin and finally at the man beneath him. He let go as if burned, and stared at the motionless body. He rose, only to fall to the ground after a few steps, burying his face in his hands. "What have I done?" he cried. "What have I done?"

Vin hurried towards Crys and touched the man's neck. He sighed in relief. "He's alive." He went to the healer and shook him. "Crys is alive. Just unconscious. Are you yourself now?"

Naithan looked up, grateful for the Ranger's matter-of-fact reaction. "I guess I am. I don't know what came over me. So much rage, and I couldn't stop myself."

"I'd say we all know what came over you. After all, that's why we're on this quest, right?"

Naithan nodded then crawled towards Crystan, who was slowly reviving.

The blond jerked back when he saw the Wose, but then the remorse on the dark face registered and Crys managed a weak: "The next time we take swords."

"I truly hope there won't be a next time," Naithan replied. "I'm sorry, Crys."

The captain nodded, and grinned as the Ranger crouched beside him.

"Welcome back, brother," Vin said, one hand on his shoulder.

"I guess I owe you my life, my King." Crystan's voice was harsh and low.

Vinterrin rolled his eyes. "Don't call me that, Captain!" he growled, and grabbed his friend's arm to help him to his feet.

"Jeidy?" Crys asked then.

"He's all right. He and Ez should be with Bucklin right now."

"He used the Ring," Naithan told them.

"Because Josiah attacked him," Crys explained, rubbing his neck. "Seems you weren't the only one to lose control."

Naithan sighed and retrieved his knife from the ground. "I never thought I would fall under the Ring's influence. I expected it to be Ezra, or you." He looked at Vin ashamed.

Vin shrugged. "We suspected everyone."

"We should see to Josiah," Crys reminded them. "Can you find him?"

"Of course. Jeidy left a trail even a blind man could follow." The Ranger pointed uphill, taking the lead.

Ezra and Jeidy hadn't reached the camp yet, when they were greeted by Bucklin who hadn't been able to stay behind any longer.

It took only one look at the young man's face and the guardian knew that something had happened, so instead of lecturing his charge, he just pulled him into his arms, gently holding him.

"What happened?" he asked Ezra over the boy's head.

"It seems that some of our merry group decided that some specific piece of jewelry would be safer with them than with our young master here," Ezra explained, then shivered suddenly. Alerted he surveyed their surroundings, his expression one of fierce concentration.

"Ezra?" Buck looked around as well. "What ..."

The Elf motioned him to be silent. "Orcs," he whispered. "Many of them. Powerful ones." He took the bow from his shoulder. "They are closing in. Let us try to reach the boats and hope that Orcs cannot swim."

Jeidy left his guardian's embrace and put the Ring in his pocket. "They're after me, aren't they?"

"Very likely, if they know that you are the ringbearer." Ezra patted the pocket briefly, then began walking quickly towards the beach, his eyes on the woods. "It would give you an advantage though, because I doubt very much that they know what Sauron is after. They probably were told to capture the youngest of our group and bring him to Sauron, or to whoever commands those filthy things."

"I don't want to be captured," Jeidy said quietly, unsheathing his sword.

"My sentiments exactly," Ezra agreed, he lifted his bow and took a shot. The grunt of an Orc could be heard.

"They are here," Buck stated unnecessarily, wielding his axe.

Ezra let another arrow fly. "We must hurry!" he said, but waited to give the Humans a head start before he, too, took flight.

The rest of the fellowship found Josiah on a clearing not far from a gigantic, tipped-over head of stone. He kneeled on the ground, surrounded by a dark shadow that seemed to cling to his very being.

Watching for a moment, uncertain of what they should do, the men realized that Josiah was literally pushing the shadow out of his body. It tried to hold on to the Wizard, but with every breath he took, the black form was forced further away from him. Finally it hovered over him like a wavering dark cloud, high enough for Josiah to stand up and face it without touching it.

"Be gone, Souleater, for I will not succumb to you! My will is stronger than your promises. Leave and be gone forever!" He raised his hand and a beam of white light hit the shadow. With a high wail the shadow dissolved into nothingness.

Obviously exhausted the Wizard leaned on his staff.

"Are you all right?" The healer walked over and led his friend to a log where he could sit down.

"I'm unharmed, though this battle cost me a lot of strength." Josiah shook his head and looked ruefully at his companions. "I was afraid that Saruman had tainted me somehow, but I didn't expect him to go as far as planting a Souleater into my mind." He sighed. "I should have expected it. I should have felt it, should have watched myself more closely."

"It's too late now." Crys met the Wizard's gaze calmly. "What is done is done. You slew the beast, that is all that matters."

Beside him the Ranger nodded. "No harm done."

Josiah sighed again, grateful this time. "Thank you, my friends," he began, but didn't continue as Naithan suddenly reached for his hair and plucked a strand out of it.

"Ouch!" Bewildered the old man looked at the healer.

"Your hair isn't grey anymore, it has turned white," Naithan explained his action, holding the curl in front of his eyes. "As white as snow."

A wistful look crossed Josiah's face as he took the strand from the healer's hand. "This truly was a battle of some significance," he murmured, but didn't go into details.

"Speaking of battle," Vin put in. "I think we should return to the others, I've got a bad feeling about this place."

Crystan nodded and extended a hand to the Wizard, who graciously accepted the help to get to his feet.

<Vin!>

Just as he was about to head down the hill, the Ranger froze, listening to the voice in his head.

"Vin?" Crys asked, seeing the stricken look on his friend's face. "Is something wrong?"

<We are surrounded! We need you! Hurry!>

"It's Ezra," Vin said, his blue eyes blazing with fear. "They're under attack!" And off he took. Not sparing a second thought for the men behind him he all but flew down the hill to get to his lover.

The Captain of Gondor looked at Josiah. "Follow us as fast as you can!" he ordered, then ran after the Ranger.

Naithan watched Crys vanish between the trees before he reached for the Wizard's arm to support him, but Josiah shrugged him off. "I can walk by myself, Naithan. Go and help them. Jeidy's safety must be first on our mind."

"You are right." Reluctantly, the healer left the Wizard who followed slowly, quietly praying that they were not too late.

<Vin!>

Using his last arrow to stab the Orc in front of him, Ezra ducked under another one's onslaught and unsheathed his knives. The time for long-distance weapons had passed -- unfortunately. A sword missed him, but barely. Ezra whirled around, kicking the Orc hard before he sliced his throat.

These Orcs were taller and stronger than any Orc Ezra had ever encountered. Almost as if something else, maybe Men, had been bred into them.

*The first Orcs must have been like this, strong with magic if not with muscles, since they were mis-created from tortured Elves,* he thought.

He dodged another swing, his knives ripping into his enemy's chest. Despite the fact that he was fiercely under attack he sensed a kind of reluctance in his opponents to go for a deadly strike, almost as if they wanted him alive. It increased his chances, yet it scared him, for it proved that these Orcs worked for someone. Very likely Sauron. Which meant that the Dark Lord was closer to reaching his goal than ever. The Ring was almost his.

Ezra looked around. Not far from him Jeidy was holding his own, and what Ezra had only guessed concerning himself became a very obvious notion as he watched the young man's battle. For although at least two Orcs were in position for a lethal strike, none took it. They had orders to capture the boy, there was no doubt about it.

Ezra killed another Orc, then made his way towards Buck, who was not faring as well. The guardian's chain-mail had been slit open and blood was running down his chest. Sheer stubbornness held him on his feet as he hacked down his enemies. Here the Orcs showed no reluctance to kill and only the warrior's superior skills were holding them at bay.

The moment the Elf reached him an arrow broke through Buck's defences, hitting his leg.

Looking over his shoulder, Ezra saw that the Orc archer was taking aim again. Not giving himself time to think, Ezra jumped in front of the guardian, catching the arrow in the side. The impact threw them both to the ground.

"Ezra?" Buck looked up at him surprised. "What...?"

*Stupid!* Ezra chided himself and prepared himself for the blows that would come.

But instead of blades slicing into him, a triumphant roar could be heard.

Slowly rolling away from Buck, the Elf looked at the Orcs who had surrounded them before, but now seemed to have forgotten that there were enemies at their feet. The Orcs walked away, leaving Buck and him untouched.

Reluctantly Ezra gazed to where the Orcs were heading. It was as he had feared. Jeidy's opponents had finally succeeded and now had the young man in their midst. Holding him high above their heads they began to march away.

"Jeidy!" Buck whispered in agony, trying to get up.

Not even looking at the guardian, Ezra held him down. "We cannot do anything. We are outnumbered, we would only get ourselves killed, which wouldn't help Jeidy in the slightest," he hissed, while pulling at the arrow in his side. "Aargh."

"We can't leave him on his own!" This time Buck sat up, grabbing the Elf's shoulder. "We can't leave him on his own!" he repeated, trying to make eye-contact.

"What are you suggesting?" Ezra asked, afraid he knew the answer.

"They wanted you alive," the warrior said, confirming the Elf's fear. "I could see it in the way they fought you. You could let yourself be captured."

Ezra looked away.

"Ez, please! He needs someone! He's just a boy!" Buck was openly pleading now.

Staring at the troop of Orcs which got further and further away, Ezra sighed. "You have no idea what you're asking," he whispered.

"Probably not," the guardian agreed, "but we are talking about Jeidy here. I failed him, I can't help him. But you might. Ezra, I beg you!"

Ezra swallowed, then nodded. "Promise me that you will look after Vin," he demanded, green eyes full of emotions Buck couldn't even begin to fathom.

"I promise," he said, then gave the Elf a hand as he struggled to his feet.

Holding onto the larger man until he found his balance, Ezra looked longingly at his knives lying on the ground, but didn't take them up. Instead he grabbed one of the crude Orc swords and wielded it, trying it out. It would do.

He breathed deeply, mustering his courage. Saluting Buck briefly, he summoned strength from the wood around them, then headed after the Orcs.

Much too fast for his liking he reached them.

Sending a last farewell to his lover, he threw himself at the Orcs.

<I love you, Vin!>

Something hit his head and he plunged into darkness.

Watching guiltily as Ezra and the Orcs left his sight, Buck nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard a grunt and then saw one of the 'dead' Orcs get up again.

Grabbing his axe Buck tried to stand up, but his leg failed him. He looked at the arrow sticking out of it, he had all but forgotten that he had been hit. "Come and get me!" he growled, tightening his grip. He would not make it easy for his foe.

The Orc looked around and met his eyes, and then to Buck's frustration, the Orc picked up a bow and two arrows. Coming closer he levelled an arrow at the guardian.

*Very impressive. 'I' would be able to score with an arrow at this distance,* Buck thought sarcastically, then jerked back, as the first arrow pierced through his already wounded leg.

"Bastard!" he groaned out.

The Orc took aim again, this time the arrowhead pointed at Buck's chest.

Buck swallowed and closed his eyes. *Forgive me, Jeidy.*

Something came trampling through the bushes.

As one the Man and the Orc looked to the side. The Orc tried to rearrange the bow, but it was too late.

Vinterrin descended on him like a falcon attacked a mouse. The Ranger pushed the Orc to the ground, then in one fluid motion rolled away and onto his feet again. With his sword ready Vin gave the Orc just enough time to stand up before he beheaded him with one mighty stroke.

As the Orc crumbled to the earth, Vin looked around and then at Buck. "Where's Ezra?" he wanted to know.

Buck sighed, falling back. "He and Jeidy are captives of the Orcs. But he's alive."

"He is with the Orcs? Alive?" Disbelief coloured the Ranger's words. "How did that happen?"

"I asked him to ..."

"You asked him?!" Sapphire eyes flashed dangerously as Vin took a step closer to the guardian. "You ..."

"Vin!" Crystan's voice stopped the Ranger in his tracks. "Let it go."

His expression murderous, Vin nevertheless withdrew from Buck. He didn't even look up as Naithan and finally Josiah joined them. Instead he stood apart; his eyes fixed on the trail the Orcs had left.

*If we just hadn't split up.* Vin sighed. If he had just been faster. But the way back to their camp had been crowded with Orcs and if it had not been for Crys and Naithan, he wouldn't have made it back at all. Unconsciously he rubbed at his arm where an Orc had wounded him.

*Ezra.* His heart squeezed in pain as he remembered the last touch of his lover's mind. *Ezra? Ez, please, answer me!* But there was only silence.

A lone tear ran down his cheek, he didn't feel it.

Suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder, and two long knives were held before him. Ezra's knives. He took them, uncertainly looking at Crys.

"We will find him, Vin. We will go after them. Sauron won't get the Ring, he won't get Jeidy and he won't get Ezra. My word on it," the captain promised, his gaze solemn.

Vin nodded, believing in the man from Gondor.

They returned to the others, where Naithan was tending to Buck's wounds.

"We will follow the Orcs, watch them, find their weaknesses. And when they will least expect it, we go in and free our friends," Crys told the others matter-of-factly. "We'll go within the hour."

"Buck won't make it." The healer didn't even look up from his task as he said it.

"Of course I can ..." Buck started, trying to get up, but Naithan pushed him down effortlessly.

"You can't."

"You could give me some of your potion, the one you gave Ezra," Buck suggested, not ready to give in.

"And what good will it do?" Shaking his head the healer continued: "You might be able to walk for one day, and then? You will collapse and be of no good to anybody. This is a totally different situation from Moria. It was do or die for Ezra, but your life isn't threatened. You will even be able to walk in a few days, just not for long or fast."

"We cannot wait a few days," Josiah pointed out. "We don't know where they will be taken."

"Then you have to go without me. Leave me here. I'll follow as fast as I can." There was no other option, Buck knew. He didn't like it, but Jeidy's life was far more important than his own pride.

"I'll stay with him." Naithan looked from one to the other. "He needs help. Besides, I know the area, so I know how to find you."

"I don't think we have any other choice." Crys nodded towards the guardian and the healer, then turned away, heading for their camp to get his bag and shield. Vin was already gone.

"Will you be all right, Josiah?" Naithan asked, remembering how exhausted the Wizard had been earlier.

Josiah smiled. "I will be all right, brother. As I said, I wasn't hurt, only my ... energy was depleted. But that is something I or rather you can change easily enough." He patted the healer's shoulder. "All I need is a little bit of one of your potions."

For a moment it seemed as if the healer was preparing for a discussion, but then he gave in. "I hope, you know what you are doing."

The Wizard nodded. "Don't worry, my friend," he said. "Only a swallow will do and I will be able to run with the young ones."

Shaking hands with Buck, Josiah looked deeply into his eyes. "We will take care of Jeidy, brother. He will be all right."

The guardian nodded thankfully.

As the Wizard and Naithan walked away to their campsite, Buck felt a cold breeze blowing over the land. Shivering he grabbed for his clothes, which the healer had carelessly discarded next to him. Slipping into his coat, he saw something falling out of one of its pockets. Curiously Buck grasped for the thing and looked at it.

He couldn't believe his eyes. "How ...?" he muttered, then grinned. "Ezra."

"You know what this is for?" Naithan inquired, as he gave Vin a small bottle.

"I know." The Ranger put the medicine away.

"We will be all right, Naithan," Crys said, strapping his shield on. "Just take care of yourself and Buck."

"I will." The healer sighed. "So the fellowship has failed, hasn't it?" he asked quietly.

"No, it hasn't," Josiah disagreed. "Not as long as we are alive and hold true to each other. We will not abandon Jeidy and Ezra to torment and death. The battle is not yet lost."

"Josiah is right." Vin gazed at Crys. "The battle is far from over."

The Captain of Gondor nodded, grinning dangerously. "Let's hunt some Orcs!"

"Ezra! Ezra!"

A familiar voice penetrated through the mists which clouded his mind.

"Ezra? Are you awake? Please, answer."

Slowly he opened his eyes. His head was pounding as if a horde of Dwarves hammered in it.

Brown eyes alight with worry looked at him.

"Ezra, you're awake!" Jeidy smiled relieved.

"I guess I am." Carefully he sat up and surveyed their surroundings. Not that there was much to see. Night, trees, some fires and Orcs, a lot of Orcs. And his hands and legs were tightly bound. Their escape would have to wait.

"Are you unharmed, my friend?" he inquired, looking the boy over.

"Just some scratches." Jeidy shrugged carelessly, then, staring at his bound hands, he said quietly: "It's over, isn't it? Because I was too weak to protect the Ring, because I ..."

"Shsh." Ezra interrupted. "Don't speak of ... that thing. Forget you ever heard about it. But if you wish, let us speak about whose fault it is that we find ourselves in this ... very uncomfortable situation." The Elf paused until his companion would meet his gaze. "I doubt very much that you invited these filthy creatures to our quest, neither did you create them in the first place, so this is hardly your fault. And as to being weak ... If I recall correctly, it was not you who succumbed to temptation, but rather one very powerful Wizard and a grown-up know-it-all healer. So again I would say that the fault lies not with you."

Jeidy looked at him as if gauging the truth of his words, finally he smiled. "Thank you, Ezra."

The Elf returned the smile. "You are welcome." Closing his eyes, Ezra tried to contact Vin, but since his head hurt so much that he could barely think straight, he wasn't surprised when it didn't work. Besides, his lover was probably out of reach by now.

"Buck is dead, isn't he?" Jeidy asked suddenly.

"He was very much alive the last time I saw him and I see no reason why he shouldn't still be that way," Ezra told him, not opening his eyes. "And I'm certain that Vin is alive also, I would know if he wasn't. So very likely every one of our friends is still alive and worrying about us."

"Good." The young man sighed. "But I don't suppose we'll ever see them again?"

"Oh, I believe we may yet." The Elf squinted at his companion then rolled over a little so that they were touching. "They will come and get us out, Jeidy. All we have to do is wait and bide our time. Rest now, there's nothing else we can do."

"Okay, Ez." Jeidy nodded, lying down.

Ezra was almost asleep, when Jeidy spoke up again. "Ez. I'm glad you're with me."

Ezra smiled. "So am I," he replied, meaning it. "So am I."

I wonder
If I could fall into the sky
Do you think time would pass me by
'Cause you know
I would walk a thousand miles
If I could just see you
tonight

'A Thousand Miles' by Vanessa Carlton