(Author: Alasia)

Of all the things in the world that Leila Morgan hated most in the world, modern science was the biggest one. She loved to read about the middle ages, just because of the times. The fighting and the food. The clothes and the way all women were treated with respect. Leila especially loved J.R.R. Tolkien's world of Middle-Earth. She loved how he twisted legends of the world she lived in into reality. Her copy of the Lord of the Ring (a three in one) was so beat up that the cover was falling off. She had a copy of The Hobbit, but she'd only read it once, believing it to be the longest prelude in history.
But today was not a good day. The skies over Edinburgh, Scotland were coal gray, and rain pelted down on the streets like the sky was falling. Leila was soaking wet. Her school uniform in ruins and she ran down the street, her bag over her head. What she wouldn't give for a hot bath and some cocoa. But fate did not have this in store for her. No, it had something else in mind.
She turned a corner and began to run down the alley, taking a short cut home that cut five minutes from the trip. She hated this route, but at the moment, she was desperate. The alley was dark and smelled foul, even with the rain. Puddles circled in mud were her path and she paid them no heed. This was a bad idea. She slipped and began to fall. Her bag went flying and she put her hands out to stop her from landing face first in the puddle beneath her. But she didn't land on rain soaked mud filled with garbage.....

(Author: Jennzah)

Day turned to night as she fell, with a splash, into a gross looking pond or lake. "Eww!" The water was black and slimy.
She pulled herself out of the water, disgusted. The water smelled foul, and she shivered as she stood. Then a rock hit her in the face.
"OW!" she yelled, rubbing the spot on her cheek where it had hit. Another rock flew past her nose, narrowly missing her again.
"what the…" she cried. She squinted and saw that there were two children throwing rocks into the water.
"Hey!" she yelled. "Stop that! You've hit me once already and it hurts!".
The two children looked at her funny as she came closer. They looked at each other and started speaking in some language that only they probably knew how to speak.
She stumbled over some sunken tree branches as she walked towards the shore, the water getting shallower. A man dressed in black came up to the two children.
"Do not disturb the water!" he scolded. He looked into the lake and saw Leila, standing there, soaking wet, and feeling slimy.
"Who goes there!" he called, drawing his sword out.
Leila stopped walking forward at the sight of the sword. "What in the hell?" she thought. "Nobody carries swords.. What the hell happened? Did I hit my head?"
"Hey!" she called back in her thick accent. "There's no need to pull out a sword! Where did you get that anyway!"
She could see better now, the moon had sprung out and she saw that she was facing some great mountain. There were more than just the two children and the man sitting on the shore; in fact there were more children and what looked to be three other men and one young woman.
The man who had pulled the sword at her resheathed it and walked to the shore to inspect. "Who are you, Lady!" he called.
"Lady…" Leila thought. "I think I must have knocked myself out or something.. Maybe this is just a dream…oh well. Perhaps Ill just go along with it."
"I'm Leila!" she called out. "I slipped and fell. Who are you?"
Another man came down to inspect the new arrival. "Who is the lady?" he asked the man already standing on the shore.
"I do not know." The other man replied.
Leila was getting colder by the minute, and she thought she felt some fish swirling at her feet or something, and she did NOT like fish. She started to wade into the shore.
When she finally reached the bank, the second of the two men came up to her. "What did you say your name was?"
"Leila." She replied. He was tall, this man, and wore weird clothes, it looked like the old mail-shirts that the people in the middle ages wore.
"Well, Leila, I am Boromir of Gondor. Where are you from? And what in the name of the king are you doing in such a place?"
Leila just looked at him and started immediately to laugh. "Boromir? Oh lord, that's rich." Despite how cold she was, she fell to her knees in front of Boromir and held her stomach as she laughed.
Boromir did not understand why the girl would laugh like that. "Lady, I don't see what is so funny."
Leila looked up at him and snorted again with laughter. "Your name is Boromir? Like the Boromir in the Tolkien book?"
Boromir looked indignant. "I know not of what book you speak. Please, stand up."
Leila stood, her sides still shaking with laughter. She stopped laughing when the man who had drawn the sword came up to her.
"Lady," he said. "These are dangerous waters. What are you doing in them?"
Leila looked at him. "Who are you?" she asked.
"Aragorn, son of Arathorn." He said.
It was all Leila could do not to start laughing again. This was too much for her; she knew she must be dreaming. But it all seemed way too real. "I’ll just play along, I guess." She thought again. "When I wake up im going to have a fun time trying to write all this down!" She looked over to the man who said he was Aragorn.
"I’m Leila." She said. "Where in the hell are we?"
Aragorn looked at her funny. "Do you not know where you are?"
"Some really dark watery place, by a mountain?" Leila replied.
"This is the entrance to the mines of Moria." Aragorn replied. "It is quite dangerous, and for a Lady to be here by herself is unthinkable."
Leila was having way too much fun with this. "Moria." She said. She looked and saw that there was in fact, some sort of passageway that was closed, but illuminated with the moonlight. She saw the writing that looked a lot like the writing in her copy of Lord of the Rings.
"Bleeding Hell!" she uttered under her breath. "It IS the gate to Moria"
The guy claiming to be Boromir interrupted her thoughts. He'd taken her arm and was trying to lead her away from the waters edge.
‘Come, Lady. The water is not safe." He said, leading her gently away from it.
"Yeah, no kidding," she said under her breath again. "If this dream involves Tolkien in anyway, something bad is in that water."
He led her over to where a guy with a pointed hat and a long stick was trying to open the door she'd seen. He let her sit down on a rock across from him.
"Gandalf!" she said loudly, so he looked up at her. The guy had to be Gandalf.
"Yes?" he said. "Who may you be?" He peered at her. "Where did you come from?"
"From the lake!" Boromir proclaimed as he sat down next to her.” She came out of the lake!"
Leila shook her head. This was too wild. She looked over to the shore again, where the two children had been throwing rocks at her. They were now staring at her. In fact, as she looked around, she saw that all the people around her were staring at her. Behind Gandalf, two people, a young blonde man with bright blue eyes, and a young woman, also blonde, with bright amber eyes stood. They were beautiful to look at.
"Elves." Leila whispered. They could only be elves, because they had a sort of glow illuminating them, and they had no physical flaws that she could tell.
Next to the elves were two more children. She looked at them, then to the two that had been throwing rocks. They weren't really children at all, she realized. They were hobbits.
"Oh, sweet lord." Leila said. "Bloody hobbits!" she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She wondered which one was Frodo. She scanned over them again, and the one with the bluest eyes she decided must be Frodo. She wondered if he had the One Ring on him too, if this was an accurate dream.
After she'd checked out Gimli, whom she knew was a dwarf; she decided that one of the two elves must be Legolas. But she had no idea who the second elf was. There was no record of a girl elf, outside of Arwen, in the book. So maybe this was Arwen?
"This dream just keeps getting more and more bizarre," she thought. "I hope that im not lying in a ditch somewhere."
She spoke up. "So…" she said, looking at the girl elf. "Are you Arwen?"
The girl elf stared back at her with her glittering eyes, and then looked over at Aragorn. He turned his head and listened intently.
"Arwen?" the girl elf said to Leila in her soft voice.
"Yeah. Is your name Arwen?" Leila looked at her. She always thought Arwen would look different. Arwen had dark hair, she thought.
The girl elf looked at Legolas, then at Aragorn.
"She asked you if your name was Arwen," Aragorn said to the girl-elf, in a language that Leila did not understand.
The girl-elf looked astonished. "Why would she ask that?" she replied in the same tongue.
Aragorn looked at Leila. "Why do you ask if she is Arwen?" he said to her, this time in a language she understood.
"Well, she's an Elf, right?" Leila asked.
"She is." Aragorn replied
"Well then, is she Arwen? Cos I don't know of any other girl-elves except for Arwen."
Aragorn looked dumbfounded. "Well, I do not understand that. But no, she is not Arwen."
Leila was confused. The girl elf was standing there, clad in a blue dress, that binded to her body snugly. She was a small thing, and Legolas was taller than her. She had a quiver of arrows strapped to her back as well, as did Legolas. Maybe she was some warrior elf that Leila’s imagination made up.
"Well then, who is she?" Leila asked Aragorn.
"Her name is Jairah, daughter of Sandros. From southern Mirkwood."
Leila pondered that for a minute.
"Wait a tick," she said. "Why is she here? Isn't this pretty dangerous for a girl-elf?"
Jairah looked at Aragorn. "What does she say?" she said to him in Elvish.
"She wants to know why you are here, she thinks it too dangerous for a girl-elf to be here." Aragorn replied.
"Tell her I am here to protect Frodo, and my own personal affairs." Jairah told him, looking hard at Leila.
"She says that she is here to protect the Ring-Bearer, and is also here for her own personal reasons." Aragorn said to Leila.
"Personal reasons?" Leila asked. She looked at Jairah, who was still staring at her.
Aragorn looked at Jairah again. "Yes. Personal affairs being that Legolas is her betrothed, and she was unwilling to stay behind in Rivendell, no matter how he pleaded."
"Legolas is getting married?" Leila said incredulously. "No way!"
Jairah looked at her, looking at her and Legolas in disbelief and edged closer to him, she did not trust the newly arrived girl. She was human, after all. Jairah did not trust many humans outside of Aragorn.
"And who are you?" Jairah finally called over to Leila. "And what are you doing here?" She spoke in Elvish, so Leila did not understand her.
"Why in the hell can't I understand you?" Leila said, looking back at Jairah. "Are you speaking Elvish?" She looked at Aragorn.
Aragorn looked at her again. "Yes. It is Elvish. You do not speak it?"
"No! Nobody does!" Leila said in frustration.
Aragorn looked dumbfounded again.
"You must come from a very strange place, indeed, Lady." Boromir said, breaking into the conversation. "I would much like to hear about it someday."
"I bet you would." Leila said back to him. He was looking at her kinda funny. She stared back at him, noticing that he was really quite handsome.
Gandalf broke into her thoughts when he stood up again and started mumbling something into the doors that were still tightly closed.
"Hey!" Leila said. "You can't open that door?" She had suddenly realized that she knew how to do it, of course she did, she had read Lord of the Rings tons of times.
Gandalf looked at her. "No. It is some form of riddle. We need to know the password."
"Did you speak friend? That's what you do, you speak friend and enter." She said, smiling.
Boromir looked at her funnily. "For someone who does not speak Elvish, you read it well enough."
Leila was about to tell him that she didn't know how to read Elvish when she decided that it might not be a bad idea to keep it quiet, because he'd want to know how she knew that it said "Speak Friend and Enter". She turned back to Gandalf.
"Say ‘melon’" speaking the word like the fruit. In her thick Scottish accent it sounded nothing like the Elvish word.
"Melon?" he asked.
"Or.. uhm.. what's the Elvish word for friend? Melon, right? Maybe im not saying it right."
Gandalf looked at her again, then spoke it : "may-lon" was how it sounded.
The whole of the group looked at the doors as the opened, smoke billowing out of the crack where the doors separated.

(Author: Lyn)

Leila backed away slowly, until she felt the acrid water of the lake lapping against her Sketchers. She knew what lay ahead in the tombs of Moria, and felt deathly afraid as she stared into the darkness that would soon consume her. A piercing scream awoke Leila from her deep thoughts, and she kicked herself realizing the play of events that took place before they crossed the thresh hold. Sure enough, looking over her shoulder she spied the rather small figure of Frodo swaying above their heads, his leg gripped by a long tentacle.
"Quick, through these gates! Aragorn and Boromir, it would be wise of you to wield your swords," cried Gandalf, herding the elves, dwarves and hobbits into the vast cave. Leila saw Sam standing on the edge of the lake, screaming wildly at the sight of his master dangling in the air. Boromir and Aragorn slashed wildly away at the numerous tentacles, hacking their way to Frodo. Leila dove for Sam, remembering he was the next to be pulled in. She swiftly pushed him through the Moria gates, congratulating herself on quick thinking, when a slimy sensation seemed to be wrapping itself around Leila's ankle.
She was hoisted through the air, and flung about like a rag doll, towards a seething froth swirling around the middle of the lake. Leila closed her eyes as a monster resembling a mutated octopus lowered her to his jaws, which were lined with rows upon rows of flesh eating teeth. "Please be a dream, please be a dream," she muttered. All had grown quiet, and Leila wondered if this is what it was like to be dead. She felt a soft thud and opened her large eyes, to find herself caught in the strong arms of Boromir.

(Author: Rhiana)

"Are you all right, Lady?" Boromir asked, clearly concerned for her safety. As Leila looked into his soft yet keen eyes she found her breath had left her body. Gasping as she found herself again, she managed to get something intelligible out. "You...you saved me..." she whispered softly.
"Yes, and I would remind you to take care and stay close to me. I think not that you are familiar with these lands, and therefore should not venture off alone." He gently set her on her feet, caught off guard by her beautiful eyes and flawless skin. As he steadied her while she regained her balance, he wondered about this mysterious woman, having just appeared out of nowhere.
"I thank you, Sir, for saving me," she said softly, her head down in embarrassment. How could she have been so stupid to let her guard down but for a moment! She KNEW how the book went, and if everything was as the book was supposed to read...
She liked not the thought of standing up to the Balrog...

(Author: Sabrin)

Darkness filled every possible void in Moria, the only light coming from Gandalf's staff. The fellowship dared not to talk as it seemed that death hung in the air, coiling around every word uttered.
Gandalf led followed by Gimli and the hobbits. Legolas and Jairah held one another's hand as the trailed behind the hobbits. Leila walked in front of Boromir, Aragorn making the last of the fellowship.
"It's so dark," Leila commented, looking around the cavernous walls of stone, "It's spooky."
"You have no need to fear m' lady," Boromir smiled, catching Leila’s attention, "Gandalf will lead us safely."
Leila nodded, and turned back to face Gandalf's light as Aragorn tapped Boromir on the shoulder.
"You favor the young one?" Aragorn asked, a bit of a grin on his face.
Boromir colored slightly, "Of course not. I just wanted to make sure she felt secure."
"Ah," Aragorn nodded, "Secure." Aragorn retreated, still smiling slightly.
"Beware of the hole in the center of the room," Gandalf warned as the company stepped into a rather large room, "We will rest here tonight."
Leila shuddered, looking at the gaping hole. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up into the face of Boromir.
"Here is a nice spot over here, Leila," Boromir said, "Careful of the hole, we would not want to lose you."
"Especially you Boromir," Aragorn winked, making Leila blush slightly.
"Thanks," Leila said quietly, taking the place Boromir saved for her. It was next to Jairah, who was asleep on Legolas's shoulder.
A clank diverted everyone's attention to the middle of the room as a voice rang out, "Fool of a Took! Next time throw yourself in so that we may be rid of your foolishness!"
"I just wanted to see how far down it went," Pippin said sheepishly.
"For your foolishness, you can take the first watch," Gandalf scowled, "Who knows what may have been awoken."
Leila stiffened the next part of the book coming to her head. Visions of orcs swam into her head, and she shuddered. But should she warn Gandalf? She sighed, settling down to sleep. She would sleep on it.
"No! He is dead!" Gimli cried out, running to the grave.
The group had started out many hours after Pippin took watch, and they had traveled for about a hour when Gimli had spotted a room with a beam of light, shining upon a stone coffin. Gimli now knelt by the coffin, not crying but mourning.
"They are coming," Gandalf said, reading from an old record book, "They are coming, and we cannot get out."
The room was silence as a faint drumming was heard. Frodo pulled out a sword to find it glowing blue.
"I'm to late!" Leila cried in her mind, "The orcs are coming!"
"Orcs!"" Leila cried out, "We must go Gandalf!"
The fellowship looked at her, Jairah nodding in agreement. The drums got louder, the booms ringing in Leila's head.
"Let them come! I must avenge Balin's death!" Gimli shouted, readying his ax.
"No! We must go!" Leila shouted, "It's coming!"
"What do you mean it?" Boromir asked.
"The…" Leila was cut off by a shout from Aragorn.
"We must barricade the door!"
Legolas tossed Aragorn an ax, Jairah following his actions. Orcs started to ram the door as Boromir drew his sword.
"Stay behind that chest," Boromir ordered, "I shall protect you."
Leila nodded, and crouched behind the wooden chest as the orcs came through. Boromir swung valiantly at orcs, stopping many in their path.
"I feel so helpless," Leila thought to herself, biting her lip as Boromir defended himself and her, "I must tell Gandalf about the balrog!"
"Retreat!" Gandalf shouted, waving for the fellowship to follow him.
Jairah shot one last arrow before following Legolas. Leila ran after Gandalf, finally catching up to the wizard.
"Gandalf!" Leila called out, her voice strangled from running, "Gandalf!"
The wizard turned to face her, "Quickly, what is it?"
"B-Balrog," Leila wheezed, "C-Coming…"
"A balrog?!" Gandalf gasped, "We must…"
A roar cut him off, the roar bellowing from a hidden corridor and the fellowship gathered around the wizard.
"Run!" Gandalf ordered, "Run for the bridge! It is a balrog!"
The two elves's eyes widened at the name, and ran at their full speed. Steps lead the way to the bridge that would lead the company to the outdoors. The elves jumped down the stairs with grace, the hobbits barely able to keep up. Boromir, Aragorn, and Leila followed, Gandalf taking the rear.

(Author: Alasia)

Leila had the sudden urge to close her eyes. She did not want to look back at the creature behind them, and she did not want to jump over that big hole in the stairs! As they ran down them, Leila came to a sudden realization, Gandalf would die fighting the Balrog, and she could do nothing.
‘Man,” she thought idly, ‘Knowing things like this will give you wrinkles…”
The group came to a halt and Legolas jumped over the gap, followed closely by Jairah. Gandalf followed, being steadied by Legolas. She watched as Boromir wrapped his arms around Merry and Pippin and jumped across. She froze as Aragorn tossed Sam to Legolas. Could she do this? Did she really have the guts…. Her question was answered as an arrow flew past her. Yes! She did!!! She locked eyes with Boromir and jumped, eyes closed, praying that she'd be caught. She was, but not at first.
 An orc arrow flashed through the air and buried itself in her shoulder, coming out the back. She winced, trying not to scream as Boromir caught her in his arms. She looked up at him as he gazed down at her in concern, “Ow…”
 Soon they were moving again, making a fast getaway to the bridge of Kahzad-dum. Leila felt like passing out, but realizing that Boromir had to pull Frodo away would not keep her down. So, when Boromir crossed the bridge she looked up at him, “Put me down.”
“But-“
“Now! I can get out, I have a feeling you'll be needed here,” she told him as he set her down. She smiled up at him and clutched her arm to her, and then rounded the corner, following the elves and three Hobbits out of Moria. She reached the outside and took a deep breath of fresh air. Then she looked down at herself. Oh, did she look horrid. Her blue plaid skirt and pale blue button up with the crest of her school on it were torn and dirty, not to mention covered in her own blood. Her legs and arms were covered in scratches she hadn't known she'd received and her sketchers were destroyed.
 Her gaze moved to the far away woods of Lothlorien before being pulled out of her reverie by Boromir pulling a screaming Frodo from the depths of Moria. ‘Oh my head,’ she thought, ‘I feel I must pass out now…’
The ironic internal comment was followed shortly by her emerald eyes rolling back in their sockets, and her knees giving out. Boromir reached her in time to catch her and pull her into his arms. Aragorn turned back to the group and spoke, “Legolas, Gimli get them up.”
“Give them a moment for pity's sake,” Boromir cried.
“By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs,” Aragorn snapped, “We must reach the woods of Lothlorien.”

 Leila awoke feeling clean and strangely, the pain in her shoulder had been reduced to a mere throb. She opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling… Wait! Ceiling?! Since when? Then she realized that they must have reached Lorien and she sighed. She sat up, taking the bedclothes with her when she realized that all she wore above her waist were bandages wrapped around her shoulder and chest. She looked around and ran a hand through her long, layered golden brown hair, sighing again.
 Her eyes landed on Boromir, who was fast asleep in the chair across from her bed. Or, so she thought. His eyes snapped open at the sound of her movement and he closed them to clear his mind. He looked up at her and took in a sharp breath, he really hadn't realized how beautiful she really was, and now that she was clean and dry her tanned skin glowed healthily and her brown hair framed her face. Her green eyes watched him carefully and he spoke, “You're awake.”
She nodded, “Where are we?”
“We're in Lothlorien,” he replied, standing.
“Have you been in here since we got here,” she asked curiously.
“No, I was ordered a bath and change of clothes while they attended your wounds, then they let me in,” he said, smiling at the double meaning in her words, “You've been unconscious for the better part of forty-eight hours.”
Her eyes widened, but he spoke again, “I’ll wait outside while you get dressed.”
With that he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
 Leila stood and wandered over to the emerald-silver dress on the chair. Her eyes widened at its simple elegance. The neck was a long oval, falling loosely off her shoulders. The sleeves were slightly long, and ended just below the middle of her hand, and she had a sneaky suspicion that it was made that way. The bodice clung to her frame and the skirt fell in a waterfall to the floor, brushing it slightly. She ran a comb through her hair and allowed the natural soft curls that always held the ends of her hair to make it look presentable. She slipped on matching slippers and moved to the door. Taking a deep breath and opening it.
 She stepped out of the room and Boromir’s eyes widened. She smiled shyly, blushing at his scrutiny. He suddenly realized what he was doing and offered her his arm, saying, “Shall we milady? I’m sure the others would like to see you.”
She smiled up at him and took his arm, allowing him to lead her down the steps and across the grounds. As they walked she stared around her in awe of the beauty surrounding her. The trees were a golden canopy above them and green grass and spring flowers below their feet. She had always wanted to see Lothlorien, and now, she was seeing it with her own eyes, on the arm of a man she was growing rather fond of.
 This sudden realization struck her like a tree branch over the head.

 “Leila!”
Leila smiled at Pippin's voice as he waved to her. When they neared the group of men she knelt down and gave the excited Hobbit a hug, wary of her injured shoulder. She stayed in her position as Merry and Sam hugged her and then Frodo, she stood and turned to the others.
 Aragorn had been wrong when he had called her young. For she was a full grown woman with the soft curves that were natural for her family - for those of Celtic heritage. She smiiled at Jairah and Legolas before hugging the other female and then gave a quick embrace to the to the male elf. She turned to Aragorn and hugged him as well and then finally spoke, “I hope that none of you missed me all that much…”

(Author: Jennzah)

After the reunion, Leila was told that there would be a banquet for the Company, high up in the canopy of Lothlorien.  She walked with Boromir to the canopy, and there the group sat and ate and rested.

The hobbits were all devouring the food, happy to be eating, while Gimli drank from his goblet and laughed with them. Aragorn sat quietly at one end of the table, while the elves sat together, eating little but watching everyone with amusement on their faces. Their hearts, though still heavy about the loss of Gandalf, were a bit lighter.

Leila had never been so hungry in her life. and there was so much good stuff to eat! She sat next to Boromir, and listened to him talk with Gimli about the olden days in Gondor. She found the stories interesting because she had never read them in any book.

She looked over to where the elves were sitting, and noticed that while Legolas was now in discussion with Aragorn, Jairah was staring over at her, scanning her face. She didn't like the look that the girl-elf was giving her, so she looked away, tried to listen to Boromir again. Minutes later she looked back over at Jairah, and the elf's gaze was still fixed on her. This time Leila stared back. What in the hell did she think she was looking at?

They sat there, staring at each other, until Legolas touched Jairah's arm and whispered something in her ear. Then Jairah retracted her gaze, and turned to Legolas and said something to him that Leila didn't understand. They both rose from their chairs and went out of the room, heading off into the trees.

After the dinner, everyone seemed to go off their own separate ways. Gimli had asked Boromir to accompany him on a walk, perhaps so they could talk. Boromir threw an apologetic glance at Leila, then departed.

 Leila was following Pippin and Merry out of the hall, when she heard soft voices coming from below her. She looked down over the ledge of a spiraling staircase and saw the elves, Legolas and Jairah, their heads bent together, speaking rapidly to each other in that language that Leila did not understand.

Jairah stopped talking suddenly, and looked up to see Leila standing over the ledge, looking at them. Legolas looked up also, then took Jairah's head in his hands, kissed her forehead, got up and walked away.

Aragorn came up behind Leila and startled her. He apologized, then leaned over the ledge to and looked down at Jairah, who now was starting up the stairs towards Leila.

"What is her problem?" Leila said under her breath. "What were they talking about?" she looked at Aragorn for help.

"I cannot even say," he said to her. "They were speaking a language that is even unknown to me. It is that of their people, that of the Silver-Elves."

Jairah reached the top of the staircase. She was wearing another blue dress, long and flowing like the one Leila wore, though she did not have the full figure of a human woman.

"Aragorn," she said. "May I have a word with Leila alone, for a moment?"

Leila was shocked that she could understand what Jairah was saying.

Aragorn smiled and bowed his head to Jairah. "But of course." he said, smiling. "Goodnight, my Ladies."

Leila watched as he descended the stairs behind Jairah, then looked at her, apprehensive.

"Come," Jairah motioned to her. "Let us walk. It is such a lovely night."

They began to walk, past the canopy, down some stairs, and into the forest. Leila shivered though the night was warm. There was a small breeze coming through the trees and some golden leaves were sprinkled into the air.

It was in front of a sculpture of a woman, with long robes, that Jairah stopped and faced Leila.

"This is a statue of the Lady Galadriel," she said. "The most wisest and powerful of my kind. This forest is her home."

Leila stared at the statue for a moment, before speaking her mind to Jairah. She raised her hand.

Jairah's eyes widened, and she moved her hand to the bodice of her dress.

"How come I can understand you now?" Leila said to her, looking squarely at her.

Jairah's eyes softened, and her hand dropped to her side. "The Lady Galadriel performed a spell on you so that you might be able to understand the Common Tongue. It is what we all use to communicate with one another, Elf to Man, Man to Dwarf, Dwarf to Hobbit, Hobbit to Elf, and so on. So now you may communicate freely with all of us, not just of your kind." Jairah stopped.

Leila sat down on a rock, and Jairah followed suit.

"So why did you want to talk to me?" Leila asked.

Jairah smiled. "I like you well enough, Lady Leila." she said. "But i do not trust many of your kind. In fact, i do not trust but Aragorn fully. And ever since you came into our presence, you have baffled my mind, intrigued it."

Leila said nothing for a moment. "What are you talking about?"

Jairah continued. "We all have spoken about you, you know." she said. "We all find it quite odd that you know of everything that is about to happen to us, as if you have read it in some book. and i, well, i find it quite frightening. I wonder if you might not bring us all to destruction."

Leila looked at her hard. She knew that what Jairah was saying was true. But how could she explain how she knew what was going to happen, that it was all some fairy tale?

"I, i don't know what to say." Leila said. "I cannot tell you how i know of the future."

Jairah sat for a moment, quiet. then she said. "Do you know what is to happen next?"

Leila thought about that for a moment, then spoke. "No." she lied. She dared not tell Jairah of the scores of Orcs and the Uruk-Hai that awaited the company.

Jairah was looking at her, like she did not believe what Leila had said. "I hope, for your sake, that you are telling me the truth. I hope for the sake of all of us. I am here to protect Frodo, and he is not safe if you are lying."

Leila stared back at Jairah, tears had come into her eyes. She remembered that soon, Boromir was going to betray Frodo, that he was to come to his death. The feelings she had for him ate at the insides of her.

Jairah's eyes had softened when she saw the tears coming onto Leila's cheeks. "Have you ever been in love, Leila?"

Leila again was shocked at the question. "I think so," she answered, thinking of Boromir. "Why do you ask?"

Jairah moved and knelt next to Leila, taking her hand. "I ask because I know the throes of it. It is what brought me here, on this journey. Legolas begged me to stay in Rivendell, behind. But I could not. I am here to protect him as much as I am to protect Frodo. I protect what is dear to me, because I have the ability, I have the mind."

Jairah had taken Leila's hand and could now feel love inside her heart.

"I ask because, if you do feel love, you will do what you can to protect it, and this mission, all you can. But you must have the strength, you must have the mind."

Leila looked up at Jairah, who was still holding her hand, but had risen to her feet. She had turned her head towards the city again, and Leila could hear a soft voice calling Jairah's name.

Jairah turned back to Leila, and released her hand. "I must go now." she smiled. She turned again and walked off towards the call of her lover.

Leila sat on the rock for a long while, thinking about what Jairah said. Should she reveal what she knew to the Company? Should she tell them about the battles to come?

Most of all, could she prevent the death of Boromir? She didn't know what to do, what to think.

(Author: Krissy)

Leila leaned against the stiff trunk of a tree. Her heart ached, confused and painful. How could she stay in this world, knowing the pain and suffering her friends were going to encounter. What was she going to do? Her head spun with question and possibilities. She was so deep in thought she did not hear the hobbit come up to her.

"Leila?"

She looked up startled and saw Frodo standing next to her. "Hey. How are you holding up Frodo?" she asked moving over so he could sit next to her.

"I miss her," he whispered, looking down at his fingers.

"Miss who?" she asked, softly, wanting to know the girl who so obviously had is heart.

"Gwen, she was my companion for the longest time. Gandalf left her with me to protect me, while he went off the find out about Bilbo's ring, well my ring. I just wish she was here with me now. She was my greatest comfort and now I feel lost without her." Frodo's eyes were sparkling with the appearance of tears.

"I am sorry Frodo, I did not know. But where is she? I mean why is she not here?"

"She," his voice caught and it took a few minutes before he could go on. "She was captured. She must have. She was scouting one night and never came back. Gandalf," his voice faltered again. "Said she was taken to Isengard. I do not think I will ever see her again, but I wish it more then anything."

"I don't have your same problem, but I know the one I care about is not going to be around too much longer," Leila, said looking up at the stars.

"Then you should spend as much time with him as you can. Do not take time for granted like I have, you will be sorry it you do," Frodo said getting up off the ground. "Go talk to Boromir, before you or he leaves." With that Frodo walked away.

Leila watched him leave, while his words sank in. After a few moments she got up and ran, she ran for all she was worth to find Boromir. Somehow she knew her heart would find the right thing to do.

(Author: Alasia)

     Leila ran through the woods in search of Boromir, leaves fell around her like cherry blossoms and her cheeks held a rosey hue from running. She had been all over the elven city and had found no trace of him, then she had thought to look near the river Anduin. She came to a halt near the water and caught her breath and then looked around the shoreline. Sure enough, there he was, walking along the shoreline with his back to her. She stepped out so that she was in his line of sight, "Boromir!"
His head shot up and he turned around, Leila ran toward him, and when she got near enough, threw herself into his arms. His arms wrapped around her in surprise and shock, her toes now barely touching the ground.
 He held her for a moment and then whispered, "Are you all right Leila?"
She looked up at him, eyes shining, "I thought you'd left...."
He smiled and brushed a hand over her cheek, "Never."
"Promise me you'll never leave," she asked.
Boromir's mind was shocked at what she was asking. Was she asking him to love her? He knew not, but spoke, "Until the sun refuses to rise I will be by your side."
    She beamed up at him and slid to the ground. She remained in his arms and rested her hands against his chest and looked up at him, smiling, the starlight reflected in her eyes. Boromir met her gaze and read the love within them and he leaned down, brushing his lips over hers. When he pulled away her eyes remained closed for a moment and then opened. She gazed up at him and smiled, he returned her smile and she laid her head on his shoulder, content to just stand there.
     He held her, a smile across his lips. They stood there by the river Anduin, the moon reflecting off the water, the picture of the perfect love, she in her silver-green elven dress the laid on the forest floor behind her, and he in his dark malachite elven tunic, his sword strapped to his side and his head resting on hers.

    Leila couldn't remember a time when she had ever been happier in her entire life. She had told Boromir that she loved him in the only way she knew how, and he returned those feelings. Yet, there was still one thing nagging at the back of her mind. How could she possibly stop Boromir from being killed? She knew that if he died that her heart would break, because she could not live without him. And she knew that if she could think of anything at all to save him, she would do it. Everyone in her world would have told her to let fate run its course, but she couldn't. She couldn't watch him die.
    The pair spent nearly every waking moment together during their stay in Lothlorien. Mainly because of the way Frodo had told her to make every moment count, and she tried. Boromir taught her how to use a sword, but she still preferred the staff, so Boromir made one for her. It was made of dark oak, polished to a gleam. When he gave it to her she had thrown herself into his arms, much to his embarrassment as the others looked on with amusement shining in their eyes. She in return had given him something she would have given no one else. This happened three days before they were to depart from Lothlorien....

    Leila walked along the shore of the river Anduin in a malachite gown similar to the one she had worn when she awoke. She brushed her hand over some tall standing reeds, unaware of the rest of the world. Her lips held a slight smile as she watched the moonlight dance across the water, a slight breeze blowing through her hair. She did not hear anyone approaching, and was rather surprised when warm arms wrapped around her. She looked up into the smiling eyes of Boromir and a real smile blossomed on her face.
    They watched the water for a moment before she spoke, "I have something for you."
He gazed down at her as she turned in her arms and she continued, "My mother gave it to me long ago. She said it would bring luck and courage. I want you to have it."
She took off the silver eight pointed star with the emerald in the center that she always wore and stood on tip-toe to latch it around his neck, "It will bring you the same things as it has for me, and it will bring you my love."
Boromir hugged her and they were silent for a moment until she spoke again, "I want you to be careful when we leave."
Her request confused him, but he answered her anyway, "I promise...."

(Author: Rhiana)

(The Next Day)

      Boromir wandered around, thinking heavily on what Leila had told him. Why would she want him to be careful? What did she mean? Did she know something that he did not? It shouldn't matter. He would do whatever it was that he had to do to keep the Ring, Frodo, and her all safe during their journey. He thought it would be a good idea if she were to stay in Lothlorien, but likely she would hear none of it.
     Still, he didn't like the idea of her being with them when they traveled outside the city. Orcs were abundant, and it would be very easy for her to be captured. And, he thought, Orcs so loved to torture, to have an escape and a vengeance for the pain and torture their kind was made to endure before they became Orcs, as they were now. He wondered what kind of Elves it would take to join with Sauron, and decided they must be the most evil and weak-minded, for all knew what Sauron was, and how terrible he could be. In a way, he supposed they had brought it on themselves.
       He found Aragorn standing at the edge of the river, staring into the water. Though there had been tension and disdain between them at first, he felt as though it was all right to stand beside the Great King. Though Boromir would die before he admitted it, he and Aragorn were brothers, in a way.
      "Leila knows something," Aragorn said, not raising his gaze from the beautiful flowing waters. "I do not know how she knows, but indeed she does." He looked up at Boromir finally, and asked him. "Has she spoken to you of anything?"
       Boromir nodded, knowing better than to lie. "She told me she has bad feelings about something that's going to happen after we leave this place. For me, the sooner we leave the better, but..."
      "Go on," Aragorn prompted when he stalled.
      "She told me to be careful. Made me promise. It was almost as though she feared for my life, as though she knew something bad was going to happen to me. Not the Fellowship, not you, not Frodo, not Legolas...but me." He stared down into the waters, and felt the tension within his soul begin to ease away. Then he felt as though Galadriel herself were watching him, and jerked his gaze away, almost painfully.
     "I fear she may be right. Something does not feel right about the air. I sense something evil, and nearby. We must be careful, for it could mean our lives." He looked at  Boromir. "Frodo is the one that has been chosen for this. This task has been appointed to him by Fate, and we must aid him in its completion, or all of Middle-earth could be thrust into Shadow forever. That must not happen, Boromir. It must not," he said, and turned, walking along the path that led back to their quarters.
     Boromir stood next to the river still, his gaze roaming the trees, searching for the Elves he could not see, but knew were there. "But Leila, sweet....how do you know? And what do you fear for me?" he whispered, to no one but the wind and water.

(Author - Jennzah)

One of the elves that he could not see had heard him. He had been right to feel as if one were watching him, but it was not Galadriel. Jairah had heard what Boromir said, and now she knew that her earlier thoughts about Leila had been correct.  One, that Leila did in fact know about what was going to happen in the coming days, and two, that Lelia and Boromir shared feelings for one another.

Jairah sighed. She did not trust Boromir much, she had not since his rant at the Council in Rivendell, when he expressed his desire to use the Ring to restore the glory of Gondor. She thought him petty, though he had proved himself a bit trustworthy while they had been journeying through the Caradhras, and through the mines of Moria.

She sighed again, and turned to where Legolas was taking some rest in the room they'd been given. She looked at him, laying motionless on the bed, and smiled. It was because of him that she'd come on this journey, because she couldn't bear anything bad happening to him, and because she knew she could protect him.

She closed her eyes and remembered the day in Rivendell, the council, before any of this had happened. Before Gandalf was lost.

She and Legolas had journeyed to Rivendell at the bidding of Legolas' father, King Thranduil. Orignally Legolas was supposed to journey alone, but when Jairah had found out he was going to Rivendell, she insisted on going. She plead with the King, that it would have been the wishes of her long dead father for her to go. Sandros had ruled over Southern Mirkwood before being struck down in battle unexpectedly when Jairah was younger. Instead of Jairah ruling Southern Mirkwood, she'd given it over to be ruled by Thranduil, who she believed to be a kind, trustworthy man. And he was. and Jairah had gone to live in Northern Mirkwood after that, to advise the King, because though she was young, she was the rightful heir to Southern Mirkwood.

That was how she and Legolas had met. And oh, how they hated eachother. Jairah smiled with the recollection. She'd shot him once, with an arrow, in anger. They'd been much younger then. He'd been chiding her on her archery skills, and she told him that she could shoot his arm off if she wanted. He'd been calling her "Princess Jairah" which she hated, though it was her rightful title. Finally, she plucked an arrow out of her quiver and shot at him so fast he didnt see it coming, and it hit him right in the shoulder. Jairah chuckled as she remembered the look of utter astonishment on his face, he couldn't believe that she'd shot him.

 Jairah had felt guilty after that, and went and pulled the arrow out of his shoulder.  After that they'd become friends, and not long after that, they'd become lovers. Their love was something so deep that it could not be penetrated by any arrow or tainted by any disease. They'd been betrothed for years. And in Rivendell, when Legolas announced that he would be going on this journey to destroy the Ring, Jairah had immediately spoken up that she would go too. Legolas had looked at her, fear in his eyes. He knew she would say such a thing, he knew her almost as well as he knew himself. But he had spent countless hours begging her not to go, to stay in Rivendell, and wait. But her will was too strong, and he knew he could not convince her otherwise.

Jairah's thoughts shifted back to Boromir, who still stood by the water.. She was afraid that his lust to return glory to his people would eat away at him untill he was but a slave to his will, and would try to harm Frodo.

So far, it had not. As Jairah thought about Boromir's thoughts of Leila, she hoped that these thoughts would keep him centered, focused on destroying the Ring.

Jairah pushed all such thoughts out of her head for now. She and Legolas had retreated to their room for rest, for time alone, time that they had not had in very long. She curled up next to him, leaning her head on his chest, and listened to his heart beat in time with her own.

****
(several hours later)

 Leila couldn't sleep. She kept shifting around restlessly in the bed that she lay in. Her thoughts ate at her. She had told Boromir to protect himself, that she had bad feelings of what was to come. But she knew he was to die. She turned and buried her head in a pillow and clawed at the bed.

She didnt know what to do, as she turned over again and looked at the celing. Her thoughts raced, and then settled on the conversation she'd had with the elf-girl, Jairah, the previous night.

"I ask because, if you do feel love, you will do what you can to protect it, and this mission, all you can. But you must have the strength, you must have the mind."  the words echoed in Leila's ears.

Leila sighed.She knew she loved him, Boromir. But she did not know if she had the strength, or the mind. She knew what she knew and she hated that she knew it.  She also felt that Jairah did not believe her when she said that she did not know what was to happen, in the days to come. She closed her eyes, and saw the image of Boromir, wielded with many arrows. Being shipped down the river Anduin in the boat, dead, his sword in his arms. Her necklace around his throat. She screamed.

She bolted out of the bed. Forsaking the nap that she had tried to take, she ran down the stairs and ran smack into Merry and Pippin, who were munching on lembas with Gimli. She tripped over Merry, the small hobbit cried out in pain as Leila went sailing over him, kicking him in the nose accidentally as she did. She landed hard.

Gimli tried to help her up, being the closest to her. She brushed him aside kindly, and spoke.

"Where is Jairah?" she breathed. "I need to speak with her right now!"

The hobbits looked at eachother. "We haven't seen her, not for many hours." Pippin said. "What is the matter? Why are you not with Boromir?"

Leila ignored the question, and looked frantically at Gimli. "Do you know where Jairah is?"

Gimli had an all knowing smile on his face. "I believe she and Master Legolas have taken rest alone for the afternoon, though i can hardly believe that they are resting much." he chuckled to himself. "And at such a time? the strange ways of the elves."

Leila looked at him in agony. "I need to speak with Jairah, right away! It cannot wait. Where is their room?"

Gimli's smile faded, when he heard the desperation in her voice. "Though i am not quite sure, it is up in a tree not far from here, i believe." he pointed towards the west, where a clutter of trees held oddly shaped rooms.

 Leila looked at him gratefully now, and took off in the direction he had indicated. When she reached the cluster of rooms, the only door closed was the one she chose. She knocked on it, frantic.

"Jairah?? Are you in there? Wake up, please!"

The door opened several seconds after Leila had rapped on it, and Jairah appeared. Her hair was tumbling down over her shoulders, released from it's normal restraints. It was also disarrayed, and Jairah struggled to rake it out of her eyes and push it behind one of her pointed ears.

"What is it, Leila?" Jairah asked, with a small bit of concern in her voice. She seemed distracted, and only had the door opened the width of her small body.

Leila took a step back from the door, in realization. "I did not mean to interrupt anything, its just..." she trailed off, cast her eyes down at the floor. She heard Legolas call from inside the room, in that tongue that she didn't understand, but she caught Jairah's name. Jairah stared at Leila a moment before turned her head into the room and replied in the same tongue, then opened the door wider so that she might go out. As she stepped out, Leila noticed that her dress was also in disarray, which was uncommon for Jairah as Leila knew her. She also did not carry her weapons.

Jairah stepped out into the small hallway and closed the door behind her, a look of concern on her face now.

"What is it, Leila?" she bade her to sit on a small bench below the window. She could feel the torment inside the girl, and she took her hand.

"I'm sorry, i didn't mean to take away time from you and Legolas, i know you have so few moments together by yourselves."

Jairah smiled. "While that is true, i feel that there is a more pressing matter here. Legolas will understand, as I do."

Leila took a deep breath. "I lied to you. I lied when i said that i didn't know what will happen."

Jairah's eyes darkened, and she removed her hand from Leila's. "I had thought perhaps so." she said slowly. She looked to the door of her room, then back to Leila.

"But i also thought about what you said, about protecting what is dear to me, and this mission. And i am prepared to do that." Leila looked at Jairah, who was looking at her darkly.

It was a moment before Jairah spoke. "Then you must tell me what you know. Everything you have seen. We cannot protect Frodo, or any of the others if you do not come forward with what you know." She stared at Leila, piercing her with her glittering amber eyes.

Leila got up from the bench and started to pace. "I am afraid, Jairah. I dont know what i can do to stop whats coming..."

Jairah sat quietly. "You must tell me what you know, Leila. Only then can we make the decisions on how to stop what is coming."

Leila stopped pacing and stood in front of Jairah. "Boromir.... he is going to die. There will be a great battle, not far from here, after the Company has gone aways down the river Anduin. Saruman has a huge army of Orcs and Uruk-Hai prepared, he will release them soon." She looked at Jairah, whose eyes had grown huge with horror.

"I know of the Orcs, but i have not heard ever the word 'Uruk-Hai'. What is that?" Jairah still sat on the bench, impossibly still.

Leila closed her eyes. "Saruman created the species. It is half Orc, half Goblin." Jairah's eyes widened. "They can move in the day time, these creatures, they will find us. They will kill Boromir!"

Jairah had risen to her feet as soon as Leila had spoken of the nature of the Uruk-Hai. She looked squarely at Leila, who had fear searing through her heart, for Boromir. Jairah felt it inside her. She stepped close to Leila.

"Is this the truth, Leila. Because if it is not, I would advise you to take leave of me immediately."

"No. it is the truth, i swear it. It will happen." Leila looked at Jairah helplessly. The elf turned and looked out the window. She felt Leila's pain for Boromir, for she loved him. Jairah looked again at her door. She too knew the feeling well. She turned back to Leila.

"Boromir will not die, Leila. Not if you have the strength to prevent his death. I will help you."

Leila looked at the girl-elf, who sat on the bench impossibly still. She wanted to hug her and thank her, but refrained.

"What should we do now?" Leila asked.

Jairah looked at her, then turned her head to her room. "Legolas!" she called, then turned to Leila. "Legolas and i must find Aragorn. You will have to come with us down the river."

Legolas came out of the room, looking concerned. "What is it?" he asked Jairah, who sat with her eyes closed.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him sadly, then stood up and walked quickly into the room, with Legolas and Leila following her.

She picked up a quiver and tossed it lightly to Legolas, and armed herself with her silver dagger.

"We must find Aragorn," she said to Legolas, then turned to Leila. "Go now, to Boromir. Spend the last few moments that you can with him, in peace. Do not tell him about his doom. We will not stay long in Lothlorien now." she said as she slung her quiver over her shoulder and picked up her bow, walked over to Legolas. She touched his hair gently as she handed him his bow with the other hand, then turned to Leila. "When there is danger, you must tell us. You cannot keep anything from us now, do you understand?"

Leila nodded. Jairah gave her a look of recongnition then motioned her hand. "Go now. There is little time!"

Leila turned and ran out of the room to find Boromir. The elves, on the other hand, looked at eachother in panic.

(Author: Alasia)

    Run she did. She ran to the banks if the Anduin, where Boromir walked, thinking She ran to him, his confusion for her haste apparent on his face. She didn't speak, just took his hand and walked with him.
    They walked through the Golden Wood, hand in hand. Leila realized suddenly how much time had passed and grinned to herself. She'd missed her nineteenth birthday. School would be out now, and she would be graduated. It was so ironic, she couldn't help but laugh at her forgetfulness. She leaned her head on Boromir's shoulder, a song intruding on her thoughts, and she began to sing the chorus softly, unaware of Boromir listening closely;
"When you are with me
I'm free... I'm careless... I believe
Above all the others we'll fly
This brings tears to my eyes..."
She trailed off, thinking the last two words to herself, "My sacrifice."
    Why did those two words hit her so strongly? Was it because of what she'd left behind? There was nothing in her old world for except a dingy apartment and memories flooded with orphanages and foster homes. Then why? And suddenly she understood. She understood what Jairah had meant by saying that she'd do anything to protect Legolas. And she realized that since this was love, she knew she'd do the same for Boromir. These new thoughts plagued her already troubled mind, and she pushed them away, determined to enjoy her time with the man she loved.

******

    Jairah was not as lucky. She did not get to spend time alone with Legolas. Instead she had spent the last two hours searching the Golden Wood for Aragorn. "Stubborn man." she thought. Damn his ability to disappear into thin air!" A soft call to her right informed her that Legolas had found the subject of their search and she dashed through the underbrush, and came into the clearing where the two men waited for her.
"What is this all about Jairah," Legolas said, voicing her question.
"Do you remember when Leila and I talked a couple of nights ago?" She continued at their nods, "I asked her how she knew of the future, and she said she could not explain it. So I asked her if she knew what was going to happen, she said no... Two hours ago she came pounding on my door. She told me that she had lied when she told me she didn't know what was going to happen. Then she told me something that makes my heart ache for her...."
Here she fell silent, and Aragorn prompted her to continue, "And?"
"Boromir is going to die."
The silence created by this statement was stifling as Aragorn and Legolas gaped at her. Jairah sat down on a large rock and rubbed her temples. After a moment she spoke again, "She said that an army of Uruk-hai - a crossbreed between goblins and orcs that walk in daylight - was going to attack. And that they would kill Boromir."
"Did she say when?"
Jairah looked up at Aragorn, "No. I told her to spend the remainder of our time here with him. Then we came seeking you."
"I have may doubts about Boromir's ability to withstand the ring," Legolas said quietly, "But he has proved time and again that his heart is with the company."
Aragorn nodded, "I pray that his love for Leila, and the love she returns to him will help him remain strong. I would that we try to save him, if not for our sake, then for Leila's - For she would surely die of a broken heart if he were killed."
"I will speak with Leila about the time while we ride the river tomorrow, "Jairah said, "But now, let us create a plan."

******

    Their travel down the river was silent in the beginning, as they all felt the weight of the burden they carried on their shoulders. (The fate of the world is a lot to handle) At the front was Aragorn with Frodo, Sam and Pippin, then came Legolas with Jairah and Leila, then, last, was Boromir with Gimli and Merry. Every few minutes Leila's eyes would flicker over the western shore in fear of what was to come. Jairah sat in silence in front of Legolas, watching the other woman carefully.
"Leila?"
She turned, and Jairah continued, "We need to know when -"
She was cut off as Leila held up a silencing hand, already knowing what the elf would say, and spoke, "Shortly after we make camp Boromir will go in search of firewood. Frodo will disappear and we will split up to look for him. That is when the Uruk-hai will attack. Boromir will fight with all he has to protect Merry and Pippin. It will take three arrows to make him fall... But he will fall nonetheless."
The detailed description of what was to happen shocked Legolas to no end, for he had expected something more along the lines of 'sometime after dinner'. "How do you know this?" He questioned, "It seems almost as though you read all of this from a book."
"I did...."

(Author : Jennzah)

Leila turned and looked at the shocked faces of the elves who were staring at her. "A book? You read of our account in some book?" Jairah asked quietly.

"Yes." Leila said. "Where i come from, the story of Frodo and the Ring is a old tale. One of my favorites, in fact. I have read it many times. I knew of you all when i arrived here... Gimli, the Dwarf, Gandalf, Aragorn, and you, Legolas. I knew of you all, except for Jairah. I had never read of her, which is why, when we were in Moria, i asked if she was Arwen. I know even of Bilbo and his adventures with Gandalf and the Dragon."

Legolas and Jairah sat silent, taking it in. Jairah went to speak, but then both of the elves turned their heads towards the western bank again. They both felt the impending presence of the Army of Saruman.

"They are getting close," Legolas whispered to Jairah in their Sylvan tongue. She looked back at him, fear in her eyes, and nodded. "I have felt it," she replied, taking his arm. "But i also feel that there is more to what Leila knows, that she is holding back."

Legolas nodded. "There is some turmoil in her heart, that i can feel. You must ask her again." Jairah nodded.

"They cannot attack us while we are on the river," she continued, now in the Common Tongue. "We can stay our fate as long as we remain on the river."

 Leila looked at the elves, who were now scanning the western bank with their keen eyes, and closed her own eyes. She felt such guilt.

"Leila," she heard Jairah say. Leila opened her eyes, and saw Jairah's gazed fixed on her. It was that same gaze that she'd given her back in Lothlorien, when Leila had revealed that she had lied.

"Leila," Jairah said again. "I do not understand what you say about the book. But none of that matters now. I feel as though you are hiding something, something that you do not wish to speak for fear of your heart, of its ache. But you must, do you understand? You must. All our lives depend on you, at this very moment."

Leila looked at Jairah in astonishment. How did she know? She had left out the part about Boromir trying to take the Ring from Frodo. She thought it unimportant, actually, she was more focused on keeping him alive. She closed her eyes. The elves knew, or atleast Jairah did.

"What im going to say, you need not repeat to anyone else," Leila said finally. "It makes no difference to the attack, or the fate of Boromir. He will remain true to this company. But before the attack, while we are looking for Frodo, he will try to take the Ring from him. Frodo will protect himself accordingly."

Jairah's eyes had widened. She knew she was right to feel uneasy about the Man. On the Caradhras, he'd picked up the Ring when Frodo had fallen and it had left his neck. Aragorn had to remind him to give it back to Frodo, one hand on his sword. But if what Leila said was true, then she need not worry. Frodo and the Ring would be safe. She had no reason not to believe Leila, because of the accuracy that she'd predicted everything.

Legolas and Jairah exchanged another look. "We cannot tell the Company, she is right." Legolas said. "Only Aragorn knows of the Uruk-Hai, and if we were to tell him of Boromir's betrayal, however brief, it might complicate things later. We must stay the course of what Leila knows."

Jairah agreed with him. "No one must know. We will keep our tongues."

She turned to Leila. "When we go to look for Frodo, you must stay with me, and Legolas. You will be able to help us keep Boromir from perishing. I know that Boromir has taught you some skill with the sword," she said, reaching behind where Legolas was rowing the boat, and pulled out a sword. She held it up, looking at the blade before handing it to Leila. "This belonged to my father. It was one of three swords that he carried at various times. I carry the most prized of all the swords, which my father had named Lumenn Jairah, which in the Common Tongue means "the light of Jairah." because i was precious to my father, and he would wield this sword to protect me over any odds. This one i give to you, however, is the one he held when he fell." Jairah closed her eyes as Leila looked at the sword. Legolas placed a hand on her shoulder, and Jairah opened her eyes and smiled. "It will serve you well if you let it."

Leila couldn't take her eyes off the silver blade, which was etched in the Elvish writing. "What of the third sword, Jairah?" she asked. She couldn't help it, she was curious. Jairah smiled sadly. "The third was laid to rest with my father, for it was named for my mother, who died many years ago, bringing me in to this world. I imagine he loved her greatly." She fell silent for a moment, looking at the boat that Aragorn was guiding to shore. They could stay on the river no more, as there were great falls ahead.

Jairah looked at Legolas quickly. "It is time." She said. Legolas followed Aragorn as the Company made for the shore. Jairah and Legolas could feel footsteps coming nearer to them.

As if on cue, Frodo vanished. Sam panicked and bade everyone to start looking for him. Leila watched in horror as Boromir left in search of firewood, she wanted to go with him but dared not. She trusted the elves judgment.

She followed the elves and Gimli as they began their search for Frodo. She could hear it in her head, the talk that Boromir and Frodo were probably having at this moment, and Boromir trying to take the Ring from Frodo. It wouldn't be long now, and she held fast to the blade now at her side.

Then she heard it. Footsteps, coming closer to them, the pounding of them coming faster than the beating of her heart. Jairah and Legolas stopped, looking off into the trees. For a moment, there was silence. Then a burst of Orcs came through the trees, screeching and bearing weapons. Gimli let out a yell and charged at them, wielding his axe and attacking. The elves started shooting as fast as they could.

Leila couldn't believe what she saw, and for a moment stood stock still untill Legolas yelled at her, "Leila!" An Orc was coming up behind her, and she quickly turned, pulled the sword, and sliced its arm off. It screamed in pain and spat at her, and she stabbed it through the chest. It fell and she pulled her blade out of it, ready for more. She looked over at Jairah, who'd had pulled her sword as well and was fighting with all her might. Orc blood was flying through the air, and there was a smudge of it on Jairah's cheek as she cut the head off of an Orc.

Suddenly, through the air came the call of a horn. "The Horn of Gondor!" cried Legolas. The Orcs were thinning, and Leila ran over to Jairah as she stabbed an Orc. "Jairah! Now! We must go now!"

Jairah nodded and called to Legolas. "To the west!". They all took off running towards the call of the horn.

Leila ran as fast as her legs would take her, though she was not as fast as the elves. She thought of Boromir, and the Uruk-Hai. "NO!" she screamed as she ran.

The elves had skidded to a stop at the top of the hill. They could see down where the Uruk-Hai were, and where Boromir was fighting off scores of Orcs, with Merry and Pippin watching in fear. Legolas pulled his bow out and aimed at one of the huge monsters, and shot it in the back of the head. It fell, and some of the others turned in anger.

"There are too many, " Legolas breathed. "I have never seen such things."

"We must go down there!" Leila said. "The one with the handprint on his face will be the one to kill Boromir!"

Jairah looked at Legolas. "We have enough arrows yet to kill most of them. Your aim is better than mine, here, take most of my arrows. Stay up here as long as you can, shoot them where they cannot see you. Leila, you and Gimli, come with me, we will go down and fight as many as we can. We will provide them a distraction from Boromir. "

Legolas looked at Jairah in fear, and touched her face gently. "Go." he said. Jairah smiled, then looked at Leila and Gimli. "Now!" she said.

They all jumped down the hill, and began their attack. Uruk-Hai began to fall left and right, thanks to the arrows of Legolas. Jairah pulled her bow out and crouched down and shot Orcs as they ran at her, but she had few arrows, and rose again and began to fight them with the sword.

Boromir did not see Leila fighting the Orcs, he was busy combating his own Orcs. But as Leila finished with one, she looked up and saw the huge presence of the Uruk-Hai with the hand print on his face looming beyond Boromir.

"NO!" she screamed, and took off running towards Boromir. He heard her cry.

"Leila! What are you doing here? Get out of here!" he yelled, fighting and killing an Orc.

Leila ignored him. She knew she must if she were to complete her task. She was running for the Uruk-Hai, who did not see her. She darted between the trees so he would not, so she could come up behind him. He was aiming an arrow at Boromir when she lunged and jumped on its back, knocking the arrow out of the bow.

It roared, an awful roar such as she'd never heard before, and grabbed at her. She held fast to its disgusting head, it clawed at her with its hands, cutting her arms that held him fast around the neck. She screamed in pain, but held on. She kicked it with her feet when she could, but she had dropped her sword. It would do no good now, anyways.

Boromir was trying to make his way to Leila, but Orcs kept getting in his way. Legolas had run out of arrows, and had jumped down the hill and was killing Orcs and the remaining Uruk-Hai as fast as he could.

The Uruk-Hai that Leila held on to flipped her over his shoulder and she landed on the ground, hard. Her arms were bleeding from his nails, and he stood over her, growling, dripping onto her. She moved backwards, but he put one of his heavy feet on her chest, and reached for his bow that had fallen.

 Leila was pinned down, she couldn't move under the weight of the foot. She could do nothing but breathe heavily in fear as the huge thing pointed an arrow towards her. She closed her eyes. "I am going to die..." she thought. "I am going to die. But he will live."

 Boromir was running as fast as he could towards the Uruk-Hai that had Leila pinned down. It was aiming an arrow at her, ready to shoot her where she lay under its foot. Pain flashed through his heart as he ran, screaming, and brought his sword down. He cut off the arm that held the bow, and the monster screamed. Boromir gave it no thought as he stabbed the monster through the chest, pulled out his sword again, then slashed its head off. The body fell on the ground, next to where Leila lay, frightened.

He pulled her up and into his arms, running away from the battle. The remaining troops were retreating, or being killed by the elves and Gimli.

Leila sighed as she was being carried. Boromir was safe, she was safe. Things were going to be alright. She closed her eyes. Then a thought came in her head.

"Merry! Pippin!" she screamed. She'd forgotten that they were to be taken captive, that was why the troops were receding. "Boromir!" she cried. "Stop!"

He stopped, and she wrenched herself out of his arms. "The hobbits..." she said. "We must go back."

"Leila, no!  I cannot let you go back there, we cannot. It is too dangerous! We are safe here!"

 She shook her head, and kissed him gently. "You are safe, which would be all that matters to me. But Merry and Pippin, they are not. Those beasts have taken them!"

Boromir held her closely, their foreheads touching. "We will find the rest of the Company and see how they fared. Then we will decide what to do."

Leila looked into his eyes, and then took his hand. They got up and ran back to where the battle had been.

All was quiet now, as they reached the site. They approached with some apprehension, and were startled by Gimli.

"You! Come, quickly!" he said, and turned and ran on his stout legs.

They followed him, down in to the valley a little where Aragorn and Legolas was crouched over Jairah, who was laying on the ground, breathing heavily. Legolas, was holding her hand and looking quite scared, and he kept shifting his eyes from Aragorn to Jairah.

"She was harmed," Gimli said, pointing to Jairah's midsection, where sure enough, a long gash had sliced through her dress and made a shallow cut on her white stomach.

"The cut is shallow," Boromir said. "She is an elf, she should be fine."

Aragorn shook his head. "She was cut by an Orc blade." He touched the elf's hair gently, she looked at him, and could not speak.

"I dont understand, why does that matter?" Boromir asked. Leila had taken hold of his arm.

"Orc blades hold poison for elves, as do their arrows." Aragorn said grimly. "The poison will take several days to take her, we must cure her before then."

Leila closed her eyes. She had changed the fate of Boromir, but now she'd endangered the life of Jairah. She had changed the course of the story. Could it be possible that the whole story could be changed now, that she did not know the outcome of every situation?

Jairah had tears in her eyes as she looked from Leila to Boromir, and smiled despite herself. "So we succeeded." she whispered. "And this, this will be fine also. Leila knows what to do."

Leila looked into the eyes of Legolas, who was looking at her, and her heart sank. For she did not know what to do.