Ash's POV

Days have passed, so many that now I don't even remember how long it's been, my mind was so focused on the hobbits I barely had time to count the days. Thorin was concerned by it but I ignored him when he tried to speak on it.

"You really shouldn't trust that.. thing.. what would Bilbo say if he knew that was near his nephew?" He said softly to me, I glance to him as I clean my weapons. "He'd probably say to give it a chance. He's more kindhearted than you believe. If only you'd lived to see it" I replied as I cautiously watch Gollum sniff at Sam's pot of stew curiously. "He'd also not be happy about you holding a grudge over my death" thorin lectures me, I glare at him slightly as I get up to go see what the creature found so curious. "I amn't holding a grudge, I'm just annoyed. It's fine.. now please be quiet" I whisper as I sit beside sam and comment "this smells gorgeous Sam, what do you think Gollum?".

The creature just screamed in response "What's it doing! Stupid fat hobbit! It ruins it!". My eyebrows furrow as I wonder what he is referring to. Poor Sam doesn't look to happy about whatever his comments refer to. "What's to ruin? There's hardly any meat on 'em." He mumbles. "Barely any meat on what my dear Sam-wise?" I ask curiously with a soft smiled only for my attention to be caught by a noise in the distance. I feel my ears perk up a bit as I strain my hearing to try and figure out what kind of call it was, but Sam's mumbling and arguing with the creature threw me off.

"What we need is a few good taters." Sam mumbles, Gollum looks confused "What's taters, preciousss? What's taters uh?". "PO-TAY-TOES! Boil 'em. Mash 'em. Stick 'em in a stew. Lovely big golden chips with a nice piece of fried fish...." Sam yelled and then whispered, mainly to himself. Gollum stuck his tongue out in disgust. The fact they were arguing over potatoes over all things was adorable, and I even heard a chuckle from thorin over it, though I couldn't focus on that now.

I suddenly see Frodo wander off in the direction of where the noise was coming from. I get up slowly, as not to worry Sam, and follow him. "Frodo?.." I call out to him softly, he just gestures to me to follow without even looking at me. I sheath my sword and follow him in silence. We get to a clearing and I spot a heard of men astride horses. I push Frodo into a bush and lie down so we will not be seen. I put my finger to my lips to indicate he should be silent. He nods, I almost yell at thorin for standing in the open but remember no one can see him but me. He could be my eyes. I soon realised they were not men, partially by Thorin's expression but mainly by the feeling of evil absorbing the air as they got closer.

Quietly and suddenly, Sam & Gollum joined us. "Who are they?" Sam whispered under his breath. Gollum replies in oddly specific detail "Wicked men. Servants of Sauron. They are called to Mordor. The Dark One is gathering all armies to him. It won't be long now. He will soon be ready.". "To do what?..." I barely utter, fearing they will hear us. "To make his war. The last war that will cover all the world in shadow." Gollum whispers sickeningly. I glance at thorin and he just shakes his head, as if he knew my thoughts to run.

"We've got to get moving. Come on" Frodo whispers as he tugs in Sam's arm. I get up, but crouch to keep low till I can't hear them anymore and am sure they aren't looking thank's to thorin's guidance. Suddenly Sam's face lights up as he relentlessly tugs on Frodo's arm. "Mr Frodo! Look! It's an Oliphaunt!" He half whispered, half screamed. The beast was carrying soldiers and supplies, its body laced in stab and whip scars. Poor creature..

"No one at home will believe this..." Sam continues to whisper in awe. I smile but it suddenly disappears when I notice Gollum was gone. I turn around to check if he was behind us but he was gone. Before we can even begin to search suddenly Mordor's soldiers were ambushed and all hell breaks loose. Cloaked rangers fired arrow after arrow at them, relentless in their attacks. i load my own bow, being nervous as I had very few arrows left after our past attacks. I tried to steady my hands but they shook slightly as I tried to prepare myself to threaten anyone who even came near the hobbits.

As we hide in silence one of the Oliphaunts starts trumpeting and stomping towards us, swinging it's huge trunk and tusks. I shiot the poor beast in the eye, causing it to tear up and turn the other direction, but the soldier riding it fell dead beside it.. that wasn't my arrow, let alone an elvish one.

I didn't even hear Frodo five orders till sam yanked on my sleeve and we followed Frodo, it began to till he ran into one of the rangers. The ranger picked up the young hobbit and threw him into his back. Sam rushes ahead before I can even stop him and soon is also on his black on the ground. I load by now and get ready to choir the man who dared to threaten them, only to have a sharp sword put across my throat. "Don't move.." the ranger whispered to me.

Their leader have the hobbits a curios look before demanding we all had our hands binded. I was stripped of my weapons, but as much as they tried, I didn't let them touch my necklace or crown. They'd have to slaughter me to even have the right to touch them. "Leithio nin!" I scream at them but my please fall on deaf ears.

Hours pass and they drag us around and treat us like dead meat from a fresh hunt. We aren't even living to them. Just items. At the money we were in a cave, a soldier watching us intently.

"My men tell me that you are Orc spies." The leader said to us. I can't help but sigh and mutter "Pe-channas" not even bothering to speak English just for the sake of these men who had kidnapped us.

"Spies?! Now wait just a minute!" Sam yelled in our defence but there was no point in it. "Well if you're not spies, then who are you?" The leader questioned. I smiled and shrugged "Ú-iston.". He glares at me, as Sam & Frodo stayed silent, "you two. Speak.". I decided to milk the 'elvish girl who can't speak English' for all I can as a cheekily respond "Pedin i phith in aníron, a nin ú-cheniathagir". "Your pushing it" thorin warns me, but I can see him grinning a bit.

"We are hobbits of the Shire. Frodo Baggins is my name and this is Samwise Gamgee. And the elf is Princess Ash of Mirkwood" Frodo responded politely. "Pleasure" I say almost sarcastically as I bow my head ever so slightly. "Your bodyguards?" He asks Frodo curiously. "His Gardner" Sam replied, "old family friend" I continue. "And where is your skulking friend? That gangrel creature. He had an ill-favoured look." The leader continued to query. Frodo shrugged and responded "there was no other".

"We set out from Rivendell with eight companions. One we lost in Mória. Two were my kin. A Dwarf there was also, and another Elf. And two men, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and Boromir of Gondor." Frodo continued quietly, hoping to convince our captor. We didn't have time for this.

                        
This peaked the man's interest. "You're a friend of Boromir?" He asked. We nodded, I liked to think of Boromir as a friend. We joked together and got along. Nothing I could ever see as bitter in our relationship. But the man's next statement stole the fond memories from my thoughts and replaced it with sadness and mourning. "It will grieve you then to learn that he is dead." The man replied. My words were caught in my throat. I couldn't even get a word out, let alone a coherent response.

"Dead? How? When?" Frodo asked in complete shock. "As one of his companions, I'd hoped you would tell me... He was my brother." The leader told us calmly. I shook my head almost like an involuntary reflex. I hadn't seen him, I assumed him alive, just like the others. Were they all dead?.. what about Legolas?.. had I finally lost him? I started to regret everything I'd said to him at Moria even though it was months ago. I held back tears and resisted sobs as I kept my regret and sorrow to myself.

As night falls I try to sleep, my weapons layed close to me, but tauntingly out of reach since I couldn't touch them due to my bound hands. "Are you going to be bitter towards him now for his death?" Thorin suddenly asks me as he appears sitting in front of me. "No... I'm not bitter towards you thorin.. or anyone who I know who has passed... it isn't your fault you died before your time.. I amn't mad at you, or Boromir.. I'm mad at myself for not being here. Being so close but so far that I couldn't help.." I whisper to him as I finally let my tears fall, knowing the hobbits are asleep. I take a deep shaky breath as I ask "Legolas isn't dead, right?..". Thorin just shakes his head. I feel my entire body relax as I whisper "thank you..".

"Just get some rest. I may be dead but I can still tell when someone is exhausted. Please, for your own sake. I wasn't sane enough to help you the last time you were exhausted, let me do it now" he half begs, half orders me. I smile sleepily and nod, finally letting exhaustion take me.

~~~~

Release me
Leithio nin

I can say what I wish, and y'all won't understand me
Pedin i phith in aníron, a nin ú-cheniathagir

Idiot!
Pe-channas!

I don't know
Ú-iston

~~~~

Hope you all enjoyed! Sorry again for the very long awaited updates. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask!

Lil'nightfury