The fellowship stayed in Lothlórien for a long time, but time did not seem to matter there. It flew by and they enjoyed themselves more than they had done in a very long time. Galadriel arranged a feast for the Fellowship so that they would have some fun, which they had indeed as Gimli and Boromir enjoyed the wine more than just a little bit.

Míriel had taken Legolas around her home by horse several times, and he surprised her by asking Gimli to come along a few times. To be completely honest, Míriel never wanted to leave because she had not felt this safe in ages. It would have been easier to just stay behind and let the evil descend, it was tempting. There was nothing binding them to the quest were it not for the loyalty and friendship they all felt for each other and Frodo. Therefore, even if most members of the fellowship had settled quite well in Lothlórien, the day finally came when they had to continue their journey to Mount Doom.

Galadriel and Celeborn wanted to bid the Fellowship farewell and gave them gifts to help them on their journey. Galadriel had decided to give them all something similar to show that they were a part of the same fellowship so Elvish Lórien-made grey cloaks were gifted to them.

"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people," Celeborn said, he stood in front of them all with Galadriel. Elves had helped fasten the cloaks around their shoulders with a pin, shaped like a Lórien leaf. "May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes."

They were magical and could hide them from their enemies, and Míriel was sure they would come to great use.

Then came the personal gifts from Galadriel and she moved along the line the fellowship stood in to give them her presents. Merry and Pippin received Elvish daggers of the Noldorin, the finest daggers one could find. Sam became slightly disappointed at the sight of his own gift - Elvish rope - but Míriel was certain that he would have use of it. Aragorn received a dagger as well, but what really shocked them was Galadriel's gift to Legolas - a bow of the Galadhrim. He was certainly happy about that.

Frodo's gift was the light of the star Elëndil - the most beloved star in Lothlórien to give him light when darkness surrounded him. When Galadriel arrived in front of Míriel, she expected to not get anything since she was a part of the realm. Nonetheless, Galadriel gave Míriel Caladwen's old medallion, for luck. Galadriel said it would help her remember who she was and where she truly belonged. Míriel felt privileged that her grandmother trusted the medallion to her.

Even if Galadriel's both children were lost to her, she never forgot her daughters or the granddaughters they had given her. Míriel had no clear memories of her grandmother and mother together, but hoped that they had the same bond Míriel had grown to have with Galadriel.

Míriel did not know what Gimli had gotten from Galadriel for she had not seen it, so the last gift to the fellowship was still unknown to her as she made her way down toward the dock. Elves from Caras Galadhon helped the members pack long boats that they were allowed to use to ride the river toward Mordor, at least a part of the way. Míriel did not particularly like boats, but Legolas said he knew how to steer one so she was going to ride with him with Gimli.

Míriel made her way toward her grandmother who was speaking to Aragorn, and as soon as the ranger finished his conversation with Galadriel, Míriel approached. Míriel's farewell to her grandmother almost led to tears and it broke her heart to see Galadriel's worried eyes as they looked at each other. After a long embrace to both her and Celeborn, and a promise to see each other again, Míriel turned to walk away.

Their eyes did not meet again for Míriel despised farewells and would rather see them go quickly. She strode off, leaving her grandparents there, and hurried toward the boats to get going. The more they lingered, the harder it would be to leave the magical realm. Míriel did not get very far, though, for Haldir stopped her by stepping in the way. He made her smile and she cursed herself for almost forgetting to say goodbye to him.

Haldir gestured for her to walk with him and so she did and grabbed his arm while he escorted her to the boats.

"Is there no way that I can convince you to stay here, Lady Míriel?" he asked her. "Years it has been since I last saw you and now you're leaving again after such a short time."

Míriel smiled at him but shook her head lightly. Deep down he must have known that it was a lost cause for Míriel was not one to be easily convinced. She had missed him as well, of course, but it was not enough to make her stay and break her promise to the fellowship.

"I am bound to these people by friendship, loyalty and love," she said and smiled as she looked at them all. "I intend to never leave them behind and I will go wherever they go."

Haldir glanced down at the ground and nodded slowly in defeat. His eyes rose to meet hers and disappointment showed in his blue ones. They told her that he would be worried about her, but that he was also proud of the Elf she had become.

"I understand," he said. "Then it is best that I let you go, Lady Míriel. I hope your journey will go well and that I will see you again very soon. Be careful, my lady."

"I will Haldir," Míriel said with a small smile.

She left the Captain of the Galadhrim behind and walked the rest of the way on her own until she finally reached Legolas and Gimli. She was to ride in the same boat as them since it was the only boat which was not filled with Hobbits. Legolas helped the Dwarf onto the boat and then extended his hand to help Míriel too. Míriel took a seat in the front and waited for them to take off.

Legolas pushed the boat into the water and swiftly swung himself into it himself, took a seat behind Gimli and grabbed the paddle. Míriel turned around to look back at Lothlórien one last time. She could see Galadriel standing between the trees, watching them as they floated away on the water.

"I think Haldir likes you," Legolas said, almost teasingly.

Míriel turned toward Legolas who was grinning. Was now really the time for cruel teasing? Legolas knew how sad Míriel had been about leaving her home behind, everyone had seen it.

"That's ridiculous," Míriel protested. "We've known each other for all of our lives."

"Some people take longer to admit their feelings," Legolas said and shrugged.

"You really are tasteless sometimes, Legolas," Míriel began and raised her voice, but it was Gimli of all people who told them to be shut up as they were ruining the moment.

An hour passed and Legolas steered the boat after Aragorn and Boromir quite slowly since none of them really wanted to leave the beautiful forest just yet. Gimli had been strangely quiet since they left, with a dreamy expression on his face like he was in deep thought. Gimli had been quite taken by Galadriel. It was very nice to see a Dwarf appreciate an Elf as much as Gimli had done to Galadriel, and it was probably she who was on Gimli's mind.

"I have taken my worst wound at this parting, having looked my last upon that which is fairest," he mumbled, making Míriel and Legolas smile. "Henceforth I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me."

"What was it?" Legolas asked curiously while paddling through the water. Gimli did not seem to have anything new on him so it had to be something small or perhaps she had said something nice and helpful to him when no one else was around.

"I asked her for one hair from her golden head," Gimli responded. "She gave me three."

"That was very nice," Míriel said with a smile.

It would have been amusing to see what Celeborn would have thought about Gimli asking that. He could probably have a good laugh about it later, but that none of them would ever know for sure. The Fellowship had to put much distance between Lothlórien and themselves now, leaving behind the people they were when they first entered grim and sorrowful. There was a new adventure ahead.

*

They travelled down the river for several days, stopping to make camps every now and then since everyone had to sleep at some point, except the Elves of course. The Elves did not enjoy the journey much more than the others despite their endurance for they could feel that they were being followed - as did Aragorn.

When Míriel stared into the forests as they were riding fast in the river, she saw shadows of large Orcs moving through the trees. What was strange about this was that it was midday, and the sun's rays were shining upon them. Even if the trees would have shielded them slightly, it was not near enough for the Orcs to be able to walk freely. The sun was the enemy of the Orcs, but not for these Orcs it seemed.

Míriel turned around to face Legolas who refused to let her row the boat to give him a rest. He said he was fine all the time, and maybe that was for the best since Míriel was pretty sure she would make the boat sink if she ever tried to steer it.

"We're being followed," Míriel said. "Orcs, or whatever they are."

Gimli who had been snoring woke up at her words and turned around toward them. He glanced up at the sky. The sun was still shining over the land and lake, and many of the fellowship were sweating since it was quite warm. She knew what he was thinking, Gimli thought it impossible for regular Orcs like the ones in Moria to follow them around during this time of day.

"How can that be?" Gimli grunted. "It's not even sundown yet. They can't move around during the days."

"Maybe these can," Legolas mumbled and sighed.

He must have thought the same as Míriel, that these were not normal Orcs. They seemed bigger, eviler and so determined to accomplish whatever mission they had following the fellowship. They were a danger they would have to face later, but fortunately, they had not grasped the knowledge of how to swim yet so the fellowship were quite safe for now.

The boats were closing in on a waterfall when Aragorn called them all to shore. Legolas steered toward the small beach and jumped out to drag the boat the rest of the way. Míriel climbed out of the boat to help him, Gimli was very heavy but it was no problem when both of them pulled him in. Míriel made a fire while Gimli took a seat on the ground with a huff. Boromir and Legolas secured the boats even though they would not use them much anymore as they had used the boats as far as they could now.

"We cross the lake at nightfall," Aragorn announced. "Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the North." The Hobbits did not seem very happy about his decision to walk but the one who complained the most was of course Gimli.

"Oh yes?" Gimli said and huffed again. Míriel glanced at him and wondered what he was going to lament about now. "Just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Mûil, an impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks. And after that, it gets even better! Festering, stinking marshland as far as the eye can see."

"You're not making us any more excited to go," Míriel muttered.

Gimli had not made the Hobbits any more inspired to leave, they seemed rather scared to death instead. Míriel had not given much thought about it before Gimli had mentioned it, and now that she did she realised it was indeed a very dangerous way to Mordor. Míriel tried to shake the feeling she had in her stomach away for it could not get to her.

Aragorn kept a straight face but in his eyes, they could see that he somehow knew that this would be a very dangerous journey ahead. Not even the ranger was sure how they were going to make it all the way to Mordor since the journey so far had been anything but easy. Were they all going to make it much longer? The stay in Lothlórien had reminded them that they were very tired already and that the ring was going to make this even harder.

"That is our road," Aragorn said with a nod. "I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf."

"Recover my-" Gimli seemed very offended by what Aragorn had just said to him. He acted as if he did not need the rest, but he sure did and everyone knew it. "Don't listen to him, young Hobbits. This Dwarf has all strength left in him."

"We should leave now," Legolas said to Aragorn low so only he and Míriel could hear.

He was standing rather far away from the other's, staring out into the dark forest like something was on his mind. Míriel stood up and walked toward him, and so did Aragorn.

"No, Orcs patrol the eastern shore," Aragorn protested to Legolas, he had too noticed the strange Orcs that were following them and thought it too dangerous to leave in midday. "We must wait for the cover of darkness."

"It's not the eastern shore that worries me," Legolas said and glared out in the forest of darkness. There was no life there, moss and dark green trees were all that could be seen. "A shadow and a threat have been growing in my mind. Something draws near - I can feel it."

Legolas was not alone with his feelings, for Míriel shared them and had done so for long. It had started at the beginning of the journey, even on the first day. It had taken a while to understand what it was but now Míriel had figured out that it was the Ring who was trying to ensnare everyone in its net. The threat was not in the forest in front of them all, for it was right there amongst them, hanging around Frodo's neck. They had seen what the Ring had done to Boromir's mind against his own will and Galadriel had seen his weakness too. Míriel had heard Boromir speak in his sleep, and what he said was something that scared her more than what fighting a thousand monstrous Orcs all alone would do.

Legolas might have been stronger than Míriel and therefore he had not noticed the threat growing until recently, but now the ring was trying to fester into their minds faster than ever. It was going to turn them all against each other sooner or later, and then there was not going to be a Fellowship anymore.

For the time they sat by their small camp, Míriel, Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn were arguing on the possibility to change their route and turn to Minas Tirith instead of heading east to Mount Doom and Mordor. There they would find some shelter in Boromir's home and be able to gather an army to march to Mount Doom. Not everyone agreed with this plan, though Míriel knew that deep down in everyone's heart no one truly wished to venture to Mordor at this instant. Minas Tirith sounded much more tempting.

"I am lost for what to do," Aragorn mumbled to the circle of members standing around him a little further away from the others. "The decision lies with the Ring-bearer, as Gandalf would have wanted it to be."

"Yes it is what Mithrandir would have wanted," Legolas said and nodded. "But we cannot stand here forever waiting for Frodo to make a decision all on his own. We are his companions, why cannot we help him decide? I say to vote - and my vote would be to go to Minas Tirith."

"I say Minas Tirith too," Gimli said. "But I am too fond of Frodo to let him go now, so if he decides to go East then I shall follow him."

"So will I," Míriel said and nodded. "Though I hope Minas Tirith is on his mind."

"But if Frodo goes east, I don't think that all of us should go with him," Aragorn said suddenly. "The journey is not to be made by nine people, rather three at the most. If you would let me choose, then I should appoint three companions; Sam, Gimli and myself. Boromir will return to Minas Tirith where he is needed and the rest would go with him."

"What?" Míriel exclaimed and all of the sudden a strange burst of anger rushed through her. Based on the reactions of her outburst, Míriel realised that they all noticed how upset Aragorn had made her.

Míriel walked up to Aragorn and looked him in the eye. If there was something she was not having, it was being told that she could not follow Frodo anymore. Splitting up the Fellowship was not the way to go, especially after everything they had been through together. Míriel was not about to give up and turn to a different path which could mean that they would never see each other again. It was not up to Aragorn.

"You can't decide for us all," Míriel said to Aragorn in a harsh tone. "We have as much right to follow the ring-bearer as you do, I have been with him since the day he came to Rivendell and Bilbo before him!"

"I was appointed to protect him, Míriel!" Aragorn answered her in an equally as stern voice. "I was the one to lead him and the Hobbits to Rivendell before you even met them!"

"And look how well that turned out!" Míriel cried. "Frodo was injured on your watch and Arwen and I had to save him because you couldn't! Is that the sort of person that should follow him to Mount Doom?!"

"Míriel!"

Without noticing Míriel had started to turn into a dark side of herself that pushed away all the good thoughts inside of her. She was worn-out, tired, sad and afraid all at the same time and it was getting to her mind. Therefore, when Legolas grabbed her wrist after yelling her name, she turned her head toward him and realised that the words that had escaped her mouth were words of malice and cruelty that Aragorn did not deserve.

"That is enough," Legolas said, glaring into Míriel's eyes.

Silence fell and the only thing that could be heard was their breaths and the anticipation of what was going to happen next. The Hobbits were all ears at the heated discussion and Míriel glanced at Gimli who seemed surprisingly sad after witnessing such an argument between two companions. Míriel's eyes found Aragorn's and his were filled with regret.

"Forgive me," Míriel said slowly. "I didn't mean what I said, I'm just so tired, Aragorn, and I'm afraid."

"It was wrong of me to make a decision on my own," said Aragorn and slowly shook his head. Míriel knew that he was probably twice as exhausted as she was with twice the burden as well.

"Hey, where's Frodo?" Merry suddenly said.

Sam flinched and searched for his friend quickly with his eyes but could not find him. Míriel started walking around the camp, searching for Frodo but he was completely gone. He had left his things behind which meant he must have gone for a walk, but why would he do so alone? As Míriel walked around the camp, she noticed that Frodo was not the only member of the Fellowship that was missing. Boromir had disappeared from the camp, the only thing he left behind was his dark red shield.

"And Boromir," she said and met Legolas' eyes.

It was as if he had heard his own name and suddenly Boromir wobbled out of the forest into the camp again. On his face, they could tell that something was wrong for it was empty of expression and he seemed utterly pale and wretched.

"Boromir," Míriel breathed. "What happened? Have you seen Frodo?"

"Yes," Boromir said and nodded without looking at her.

Boromir then told his very vague story to his companions - how he had gone out into the forest after noticing that Frodo had gone, worried that Frodo would get lost. Boromir had urged Frodo to go to Minas Tirith and admitted that he had grown angry which made Frodo put the ring on and disappear. Boromir said no more but there was obvious guilt written on his face that revealed that he had not spoken the whole truth.

"I don't know what this man has done to make Mr Frodo put the Ring on!" Sam cried. "But we must find him - quickly at that! Come on!"

And on they went without listening to poor Aragorn who tried to stop them all from running their separate ways which they ended up doing. Merry and Pippin ran with Boromir after them, Sam the other way and Míriel had Legolas and Gimli right behind her tail. It left Aragorn alone at the camp, sighing and knowing that it would not end well.