Two months later the Fellowship is set to leave Rivendell at the first light of day. Frodo heads out at the front, however, unsure of which way to turn.
"Mordor, Gandalf," Frodo whispers. "Is it left or right?" Gandalf slightly bends toward him, not raising any suspicion and whispers, "Left." Frodo turns left and the Fellowship follows him leaving the borders of Rivendell. Frodo and Gandalf are walking up front. The three hobbits behind them. Boromir, Gimli, and Legolas are having the Hobbits' back. Aragorn and Iladya close the pack by walking at the back. They travel south, meaning walking through the woods, over open plains, and hillsides.
They pause on a hill to rest. ''We must hold this course West of the Misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there our road turns East to Mordor,'' Gandalf had spoken. While Sam prepares a fire, Boromir spars with Merry and Pippin to teach them the basics of sword fighting.
Sam is preparing food while Boromir spars with Merry and Pippin, tutoring them on the basics of sword fighting. Legolas stood on guard while Gandalf smokes his pipe.
''Two, three, four, five,'' Boromir calls, ''good, very good.''
''Move your feet,'' Aragorn comments. Iladya sits next to Aragorn, watching the Hobbits.
''That's good, Pippin!'' Iladya comments. Pippin looks at the female elf and smiles, ''thank you, my lady.''
''Fast,'' Boromir says and his sword movements quicken. Boromir shoots quick glances toward Iladya, hoping she would look at him. He did not know why.

''Anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they're not, I'd say we were taking the long way round. Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome,'' says Gimli.
''No, Gimli,'' Gandalf disagrees and shakes his head. ''I would not take the roads through Moria unless I had no other choice.''
Iladya's ears move and she instinctively looks at her brother. Legolas notices something amiss and looks towards the South. She leans closer to Aragorn and whispers, ''something is not right.'' Aragorn glances over his shoulder, to where Legolas is staring.
Boromir accidentally nicks Pippin's hand. ''Ahh!'' Pippin yells and drops his sword.
''Sorry!'' Boromir apologises, walking up to the Hobbit. Pippin kicks Boromir on the shin and then tackles him. Boromir cries as he falls.
''Get him!'' Merry encourages. Boromir goes down in mock battle and everyone laughs.
''For the Shire!'' Pippin yells. "Hold him! Hold him, Merry.''
''He got my arm, he got my arm!'' Merry cries.
Sam now too notices Legolas staring in the distance. ''What's that?'' he asks.
''Nothing,'' Gimli huffs. "It's just a whiff of a cloud.'' Boromir also takes a look at the 'moving cloud' and says, ''it's moving fast ... against the wind.''
''Crebain from Dunland!'' Iladya calls.
''Hide!'' Aragorn yells. The Fellowship scrambles to gather their belongings.
''Merry! Frodo!'' Boromir calls. ''Take cover!'' Aragorn warns again. Sam puts out the fire and hides under a bush.
''Iladya!'' Aragorn calls. Iladya looks around until her eyes find his. She sprints in his direction as Aragorn pulls Iladya onto him. Iladya falls on top of Aragorn.
While a flock of blackbirds rushes overhead, cawing loudly, Iladya looks at Aragorn with wide eyes. However, his eyes aren't fixed on her but on the birds.

After circling above their hiding places, they head back to the South. Aragorn shifts his gaze to Iladya and the corners of his mouth form a smile.
"I could've gotten to a hiding on my own," she sighs, shaking her head.
"I prefer this," Aragorn smirks. He places a soft kiss on her forehead before Iladya leaves their hiding spot.
''Spies of Saruman!'' Gandalf hisses. "The passage South is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras.''

Instead of continuing their journey Southward, they turn East to the snowy slopes of Caradhas.
Aragorn makes sure to walk behind the Fellowship. Iladya initially walks with her brother before she glances over her shoulder. She notices Aragorn walking alone and halts. Legolas casts a glance over his shoulder and swiftly figures that she wishes to spend time with him.
The Ranger sends an appreciable gesture before they walk by each other's side in peace. For as long as it might endure.
Their peaceful silence is interrupted by Frodo, who loses his balance and rolls down the slope.
"Frodo!" Iladya calls and sprints up to him. She helps him to his feet as Frodo grasps his clothing, in order to find the Ring. He gasps in agony as he doesn't find it. The Hobbit looks up the slope, seeing Boromir lifting the Ring by its chain.
"Boromir!" Aragorn's voice booms over the slope, drawing everyone's other attention if it wasn't drawn already. Boromir ignores Aragorn's warning as he intensely watches the Ring.
''It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing ... such a little thing,'' Boromir gasps in awe.
"Boromir," Iladya warns. "Give the Ring to Frodo." Boromir snaps out of his trance and shifts his eyes to the Hobbit.
"As you wish, my lady," Boromir says and puts the Ring in Frodo's hand before looking Iladya in the eyes. "I care not." Iladya narrows her eyes at the man, suppressing an odd shiver. Boromir tousles Frodo's hair then turns to resume climbing.
Aragorn glares in Boromir's' direction, gripping the hilt of his sword. He then feels a hand on his. Aragorn broke his stare to look at the one who has her hand on his. A calm feeling flows through his veins whenever he looks her in the eyes.
It is a feeling he hasn't felt in a long time. A feeling of being home.
"Easy, Aragorn," she says. Aragorn loosens the grip on his sword and confesses how he doesn't like the way Boromir is looking at her. Iladya agrees but reassures him she can take care of herself.
"I know," he whispers, watching Iladya turn to Frodo.
"Tell me about the Shire, Frodo," Iladya implies. "I have never been there." Frodo glances over his shoulder as the corners of his mouth quirk into a smile.
Home.
"It was perfect," he smiles. "I used to live with Bilbo before he left for Rivendell." Iladya's eyes lit up by the mentioning of his name:.
"I briefly travelled with Bilbo," Iladya exclaims. It took Frodo by surprise.
"You have? When he—" Iladya nods with a smile gracing her lips.
"Yes, sixty years ago. He made his way to Ravenhill with us to save Thorin Oakenshield," Iladya smiles. Frodo is in awe, also because of the aging of Elves.
"I met Bilbo again in Rivendell," Frodo beams as his heart travels down memory lane.
I walk out onto the balcony and a gasp ripples from my throat. I now understand why Bilbo wanted to go here.
Sam requested to walk with me, to which I agreed. Eventually, our paths crossed with those of Merry and Pippin. I am glad to see them unharmed. When I hug Merry, I notice a figure in a bench.
"Bilbo!" I claim. Bilbo glances in the direction of his name being called and his eyes lock with mine. He laughs and rises to his feet. I look him up and down. He has aged so much since I last saw him.
"Hello Frodo, my lad," he laughs. Bilbo allows me to leaf through his book, the very book I was allowed to peek when he was still writing.
"There and Back Again," I read. "A Hobbits Tale by Bilbo Baggins." I glance at the writing, drawings, and maps.
"I meant to go back," Bilbo says. I pause to look at him as he stares in the distance. "Wander the paths of Mirkwood, visit Laketown, see the Lonely Mountain again but age it seems has finally caught up with me.'' I stumble across the map of the Shire.
The Shire...
"I miss the Shire. I spent all my childhood pretending I was off somewhere else... off with you on one of your adventures," I say, looking at Bilbo. "My own adventure turned out to be quite different. I'm not like you Bilbo."
"My dear boy," he smiles.

''So, Gandalf,'' says Saruman when his crows return. "You try to lead them over Caradhas. And if that fails, where then will you go? If the mountain defeats you, will you risk a more dangerous road?''

The Fellowship plods through the snow. The Hobbits are clinging on Boromir and Aragorn while Iladya and Legolas are walking on the snow due to their light footing.
"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya!''
''There is a fell voice on the air,'' Iladya comments, gazing to the sky.
''It's Saruman!'' Gandalf yells. The mountain rumbles and the first avalanche falls down toward the Fellowship.
"He is trying to bring down the mountain," Aragorn yells. "Gandalf, we must turn back!"
"No!" Gandalf denies. He raises his arms and casts a counterspell. ''Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!''

Saruman stands on the pinnacle of Orthanc, continuing to cast spells on Caradhras.
''Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; Nai yarvaxea rasselya; taltuva notto-carinnar!''
Lighting strikes the tip of Caradhras, sending a second avalanche onto the Fellowship below.
Legolas snatches Gandalf from the edge, pulling him against the cliff while Iladya tries to protect the others from the snow. The snow buries them completely.
Moments of silence before they emerge from the snow. Both Aragorn and Boromir pull the Hobbits out of the snow.
''We must get off the mountain!'' Boromir yells, ''make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!''
''The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard,'' Aragorn argues.
''If we cannot pass over a mountain, let us go under it,'' Gimli says, ''let us go through the mines of Moria.'' Gandalf stares at Gimli, knowing what dwells in the mines of Moria. Shadow and Flame in the darkness of Khazad-dum.
''Let the Ring-bearer decide,'' Gandalf decides and turns to Frodo. Frodo had shrunken deep in his cloak to keep warm. ''Frodo?'' Gandalf asks.
''We will go through the mines,'' he decides.
''So be it.''