Míriel had stayed outside the Golden Halls for the rest of the night, simply staring out across Rohan's lands. She had wept and then told herself to stop feeling so sorry for herself - it was Legolas who was truly hurting. Míriel was to blame for eighty years loss of time together, simply because she had grown too confident in her own powers. She had sworn time and time again to not wield them and still, here she was wanting to learn more about them. Míriel knew that it wasn't true what Legolas said; she was no dark Maiar of any sort, yet hearing those words from his mouth hurt her immensely.

Míriel flinched as she heard soft steps walking toward her. She turned around and saw that it was Legolas, and he was carrying the grey cloak that Galadriel had given her, along with the rest of the company.

"You must be cold," he said simply and handed it to her.

Míriel grabbed it, dared not look into his eyes. She wrapped the cloak around her shoulders and secured it with the pin, before continuing to stare out. Legolas stopped next to her, sighing heavily. Míriel knew he was staring at her, but she did not want to meet his gaze.

"I've been on this earth for many years now," Legolas began speaking. "Our kin usually marry young, but I have never met anyone that I truly could fall in love with. Until I met you, Míriel. I had accepted that I had a strange fate and that I may never marry, until I saw that future with you. After the battle, I was going to tell you that I love you and that I would be honoured to be bound to you forever. It seems like there is some higher power that want us to be together, otherwise I would not have fallen for you again. But now... things have changed, even if I do not want them to."

Míriel sighed, refused to cry any longer. The thought of Legolas wanting to marry her broke her heart, for there was nothing more she had desired in her life. She had ruined it all, though.

"If you had only told me sooner..." Legolas said. "Now I can't help but wonder what else you could hide from me."

"Nothing," Míriel said and gulped. "I wouldn't hide anything else from you. I was scared that you were going to hate me."

"I could never hate you," Legolas said sadly. "And I apologise for saying such awful things to you before. I just wish that I could have my memories back..."

"If I could I would give them to you," Míriel said.

"I know," Legolas said and nodded slowly.

"I need you to understand that I would have done anything for you, Legolas," Míriel said. "When I lost you, I have never been in a lower place in my life. I lost so many friends at the Battle of the Five Armies; Dwarves that I had begun to call my family. Losing you... it was just too much. Your father did not even allow me to see you, he had already begun to dislike me before because of my friendship with the Dwarves and after I hurt you he must have been furious. So I gave up. But I never stopped loving you."

Legolas was staring into her eyes, and Míriel needed him to see that every word she spoke was the truth. He probably did believe her, but he could not forgive her. So they fell back into silence and Legolas stared up into the sky.

Heavy steps approached them and as Míriel turned she saw that it was Aragorn. It was fortunate that he had come to rescue them from this silence. She would have thought that the man would have been asleep after all the celebrations, but apparently he had not.

"The stars are veiled," Legolas said quietly and glanced at Aragorn who was smoking his pipe. "Something stirs in the east. A sleepless malice... The eye of the enemy is moving."

Aragorn glanced at Legolas and then at Míriel as well. They both looked to Legolas since none of them had noticed what he had. Legolas suddenly widened his eyes; and then Míriel could see it too. A voice which sent shudders through her spine and a great fiery eye. It was closer than close, he was with them inside the halls.

"He is here."

Míriel gasped and did not waste any time before hurrying into the halls again with Legolas and Aragorn right behind her. It had been Sauron; he had tried to enter their minds to get information. Somehow Míriel and Legolas had been able to see him and it wasn't hard to guess why there was this sudden connection. It was the pollentia that Saruman had dropped; it was with Gandalf.

Míriel opened the door to the men's room and saw Pippin creeping on the ground, twisting around in pain as he was holding the pollentia in his hands. It was no longer blue and turbid for the eye of Sauron was now reflected in it. Sauron had tried to make a connection with Pippin when he grabbed it, allowing him to contact Míriel and Legolas as well. Aragorn grabbed the pollentia from Pippin, but even he fell to the ground in pain and let it roll away.

Gandalf hurried to cover the rolling pollentia with his coat and turned to Pippin who had Míriel sitting next to him and Merry patting his forehead carefully. Pippin's eyes were blank as if he had gone into some kind of shock after touching the pollentia. Míriel feared that the poor, clumsy, Hobbit had lost his life because of this.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf boomed and pushed Merry away. Gandalf kneeled next to Pippin and glanced at Míriel - with not only anger but also worry in his eyes. Gandalf was harsh toward the Hobbits, but he cared for them more than he did for anyone else in the Fellowship, he was very attached to them.

"Míriel," Gandalf said sternly, and she knew what he was asking of her.

Míriel did not want to look at Legolas for she saw this as an opportunity to show what she could really do. She could help too. She grabbed Pippin's hand carefully and squeezed it, closed her eyes and laid her finger on his forehead. Pippin suddenly began breathing again as he returned to them, and Míriel smiled.

"Look at me," Gandalf said stiffly and turned Pippin's head toward him. "What did you see?"

"A-a tree," Pippin whispered so low that probably nobody else could hear but the Elves and Gandalf. "There was a white tree. On a courtyard of stone. It was dead... The city was burning."

"Minas Tirith," Gandalf said and nodded as Pippin had given a perfect description of the Gondor capital city. This could only mean that it was there that Sauron was going to strike next, he was going to attack Minas Tirith to end the line of Men forever. This was the clue that they had wanted to get from Saruman, but he had refused to tell them about it. That had lead to his doom.

"Is that what you saw?"

"I saw... I saw him," Pippin said and widened his eyes in fear as he avoided speaking Sauron's name. Had Pippin only seen his great eye or had seen Sauron as he once was? "I could hear his voice in my head. He asked for my name but I didn't answer. He hurt me."

"What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?" Gandalf demanded to know, desperation in his voice. Pippin stared at him and shook his head. If he had said something and exposed the ring bearer, everything would have been for nothing and Frodo would soon be captured by the Dark Lord. They could only hope that the Hobbit had been strong enough not to give in to the torture that Sauron had exposed him to.

*

Gandalf had summoned king Théoden the next morning to tell him what Pippin saw in the pollentia. They were lucky that Pippin had been strong enough not to tell Sauron who had the Ring, but now the Dark Lord for sure thought Pippin had it. Míriel sat next to the two Hobbits to make sure Pippin was well after the rough night he had. He thanked her quietly for helping him the night before and looked slightly embarrassed. She placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"I am glad that you are feeling better Pip," she said quietly. "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

It was a little annoying that they could never have more than a day or two of peace. There was always something interrupting them. Míriel had hoped that the previous night would have been a little more successful, though, as the secret was out and Legolas knew the entire truth. He did not seem to hate her, yet he did not trust her and it was horrible to have betrayed him. Míriel could only hope that she would be able to mend their broken relationship somehow.

"There were no lies in Pippin's eyes," Gandalf explained to Théoden, he sounded rather concerned, though. "He remains a fool - but an honest fool. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring. We've been strangely fortunate. Pippin saw in the pollentia a glimpse of the enemies plan - Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our enemy one thing - he knows the heir of Elendil has come forth, Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still. Strength enough to perhaps challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the people of Middle-Earth uniting under one banner. He will raise Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a king in terms of the throne of Men. If the beakers of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war."

This is what Saruman had been speaking of, in a way he had told them everything they needed to know. What was festering in the heart of Middle-Earth, Gondor, was the Steward Denethor who was not a strong leader and was growing too comfortable in his leadership. Gondor was the key to Sauron's victory and that was where his Eye was fixed upon. It was there that their fate would be decided.

"Tell me," Théoden said and turned around to Gandalf - he had not looked at Gandalf or the others the whole time Gandalf had spoken. He had a dark look in his eyes as he spoke. "Why should we ride to the aid for those who did not come to ours? What do we owe Gondor?"

A silence fell in the room as the Fellowship glanced at each other in surprise. They could barely believe what they had heard from the King, for it very much sounded like he would not ride to fight for Middle-Earth. Théoden knew the bitter feeling of a hopeless situation, how it seemed like all greater spirits were against him. The only reason they had succeeded in the Battle of Helm's Deep was that help came to them, and now he would not help the people who felt the same? Though Gondor had not come for Rohan, it did not mean that the people deserved to die a painful death. The decision had stood with one man alone - and that man was the one who Théoden should redirect his anger.

"I will go," Aragorn said quickly and stepped forward. It did not come as a surprise to hear the ranger say this for Aragorn had sworn to Boromir that he would do all in his power to help Minas Tirith and Gondor from ruin. Now that Aragorn was coming to terms that he could not for long hide who he truly was, Aragorn wanted to save what would become his Kingdom is he ever ruled.

"No," Gandalf said to him.

"They must be warned," Aragorn insisted and he was right. Gandalf knew so as well - he was not stupid enough to let the people of Minas Tirith go unaware of what was coming to destroy them all. The Wizard had another plan, though, and it did not involve Aragorn riding away from Rohan when Théoden would still need him.

"They will be," Gandalf said and stepped closer to Aragorn to whisper something to him. "You must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river, look to the Black Ships." Gandalf turned around toward Théoden again. "Understand this, the enemy is in motion that cannot be undone." He turned to Pippin - the look in his eyes revealed what he was thinking.

"I ride for Minas Tirith - and I won't be going alone."

Two minutes was all that was needed for Gandalf to make a very difficult decision. He was riding for Minas Tirith with Pippin for the Hobbit had gotten himself into quite a mess. Pippin did not seem to realise this himself, even if Gandalf had urged how important this information he had received was. The Wizard wanted to take off right that instant, but before they left the hall, he turned to Míriel and sighed deeply.

"I would like for Míriel to ride with us," Gandalf said.

"What?" Legolas said and frowned deeply. "Mithrandir, it's very dangerous and you would be riding into the heart of the battle where we do not know what is expecting you. I will go in her stead."

Míriel was surprised to hear Legolas' worries since she had been sure that he would have been glad to get rid of her for a while.

"Legolas we need you here," Aragorn said to Gandalf' defense. "Míriel is a fast rider and a skilled fighter. More importantly, she is a negotiator. We hear of trouble in Minas Tirith and Míriel will be needed there just as much as she is here. When we arrive at the battlefield, she will surely join us again."

It took them a little while to convince Legolas of their plan, while Míriel was ready to leave in an instant. There was no doubt in her heart that she was going to follow Gandalf wherever he wanted her to go. The Fellowship was going to part ways yet again, but at least the numbers would be a little more equal this time. Nevertheless it was difficult to bid her friends farewell.

"You promise you will take care?" Legolas asked as he followed her toward her chamber.

"Of course I will," Míriel said as she began packing. "Besides, it might give you some time to miss me. Perhaps it will be easier to forgive me then."

Legolas let out a small smile before rolling his eyes. He stepped toward her, grabbed her arm gently and forced her to look at him.

"I mean it," Legolas said. "Be careful."

Míriel stared into his eyes and smiled, nodded in agreement.

Within an hour Míriel and Pippin had packed their things and headed out with Gandalf toward the stables. Merry was walking with them since he wanted to give his farewells to his best friend Pippin right before he left. Gandalf's steps were angry and rushed as they walked and he was muttering to himself under his breath.

"Of all inquisitive Hobbits, Peregrin Took, you are the worst!" he said and clutched the pollentia close to him. He picked up his speed and turned back toward the three of them who were walking fast to keep up with the Wizard's steps. "Hurry up!"

Merry did as he was told and hurried up while Pippin fell behind. Míriel had never seen Merry look so angry before, he was glaring down at the ground and probably cursing Pippin in his head. He knew of the danger his friend was in while Pippin remained quite unwitting of what was going on. Pippin finally caught up to his friend and Míriel and turned to look at Merry.

"Where are we going?" he asked. Míriel sighed and wondered if he ever paid attention to when other people were talking? He was like a child, always dreamt himself way when he was bored so he must have missed the part when Gandalf said that he was riding for Minas Tirith - thrice. Where else could Pippin be going if not there, when Gandalf had glared at him very obviously as he told the others what his plans were.

"Why did you look?" Merry grunted. "Why do you always have to look?"

He was tired of Pippin's childish behaviour and Míriel understood him, but at the same time, she didn't expect much more of Pippin. This was who he was and Míriel wouldn't change him for anything, she cared for the Hobbits as they were. Pippin had hopefully learnt a lesson after this, though, and would at least try to act more mature in the future when there were in these situations. Míriel knew, though, that Merry's anger was more than just annoyance against Pippin's character, he was just scared to lose his best friend.

"I don't know," Pippin said weakly and shrugged. He still couldn't see what mess he had created for himself and how angry Merry was about it. "I can't help it."

"You never can," Merry muttered.

"I'm sorry, alright?" Pippin said and smiled faintly. "I won't do it again."

It was so innocent of him to think that an apology would save him. He was more concerned about getting Merry's forgiveness than what he was going to face without his friend. Míriel couldn't help but feel sad for Pippin since he was about to find out that he would have to go through the next strange of the journey without Merry.

"Don't you understand?!" Merry exclaimed, he was tired of keeping this inside him and now wanted Pippin to get that he had destroyed things for himself. "The enemy thinks you have the Ring. He's going to be looking for you Pip. They have to get you out of here."

"And... you're coming with me," Pippin said, and he now seemed to understand that something was very wrong. He still thought that Merry was going to ride to Minas Tirith with him, he was in denial. Merry started walking away without answering Pippin, which left the other Hobbit very confused. "Merry?"

"Come on!" Merry muttered and walked into the stables.

They entered together and found that Gandalf had already brought Shadowfax out of his box. The beautiful horse was ready to travel a great distance to Gondor and bare both Gandalf and Pippin on his back. Míriel grabbed Igor and saddled him quickly while the others prepared for their goodbye. Míriel was not worried about leaving, for Gandalf had left numerous of times and he always returned. Hopefully Míriel and Pippin would have the same luck as he did.

"How far is Minas Tirith?" Pippin asked Gandalf curiously when the wizard had placed him on Shadowfax back.

"Three days ride," Gandalf answered and patted Shadowfax on the back. It was quite a long distance. "As the Nazgul flies. And you better hope we don't have one of those on our tail."

Míriel stepped forward to Merry and smiled to him. "Be careful here Merry, and do try to behave well. I'm going to miss you very much."

"So will I, Míriel," Merry said and smiled.

"We'll be back before you know it, Merry," said Pippin and grinned.

Míriel nodded slowly with a smile even though she wouldn't expect that to happen. If things went according to plan, Rohan's army would move to Gondor and fight on their side when they called for aid. The whole reason that Gandalf went was that he wanted to warn Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, and urge him to call for aid and lit the beakers. Meanwhile, Aragorn would remain at Edoras and try to convince Théoden to answer if Minas Tirith called, so if Pippin expected them to come back he was very wrong.

Merry walked toward Pippin and gave him a tobacco pouch. The two of them had been attached to the hip since the first time Míriel met them, and this was the first time they would be separated. Míriel hoped that they could reunite again soon, but no one could know for sure what would happen in the future. Now Merry wanted to give his friend one last thing to remember their friendship every time Pippin wanted to smoke. Míriel stepped back and let the two speak alone.

"Here, something for the ride," said Merry and Pippin accepted the tobacco pouch.

"The last of the Long bottom leaf," Pippin said sadly and glanced down at it. It was their favourite and they had tried making Míriel taste it, but she declined since she didn't like smoking much.

"I know you've run out," Merry said and cleared his throat. "You smoke too much, Pippin."

"But, we'll see each other soon?" Pippin said, and it now started to come to his mind that this could mean goodbye forever. He might never see Merry again and that frightened him greatly because Merry had been the last thing he had left that reminded him of home. Merry didn't answer Pippin's question but merely glanced at Gandalf that realised that they needed to leave before Pippin panicked. He swung himself up on Shadowfax swiftly and grabbed a hold of Pippin, while Míriel mounted Igor.

"Won't we?"

"I don't know, I don't know what's going to happen," Merry said sadly and backed away.

Míriel could see the tears in Merry's eyes. Pippin called Merry's name in desperation but Merry had decided to not say anything more. The look Pippin had in his eyes was heartbreaking to see, Míriel had never seen him so frightened or sad before.

"Run Shadowfax, show us the meaning of haste," Gandalf said as he took off and rode out of the stable before Pippin had time to ask or say anything more.