Title: "Moira Revealed"

Author: LegolasLover2003 aka Ashley

Category: Book - "Lord of the Rings"

Genre: Drama/Fantasy

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to "The Lord of the Rings". I just adore it to pieces! Characters from the Real World are actual people however. You may NOT use them. Sorry.

NOTE: This is Part III (3) of the Fate Quartet. It already consists of Part I (Flashes of Light, Rulers of Fate) and Part II (A Destined Journey). Reading those stories first will ensure that you understand this one. Please, no flames. I know this would be classified as a Mary-Sue but, like I said back in the day, I wanted to have fun with merging book and movie and seeing just how someone from the real world... might have been able to influence the events of this literary masterpiece. Thank you!

The Lord of the Rings:
The Fate Quartet - Volume III:
Moira Revealed


Chapter 1
Three Paths; Three Journals; One Ultimate Choice

Hey Guys,

No time for a chat really... The Fellowship has split, and I'm assuming Ash went with the guys.

I'm following Frodo, as planned. But you know, we have one small problem...

Ash knows LOTR like the back of her hand. Me, not so much. I was wondering if there was any way to figure out how I can contact her in case of an emergency.

I know these two notebooks work because they are connected in one way or another but... is there a chance of linking another notebook?

Just a thought for you guys to ponder back in the 'real' world, hehe.

Later!

Danielle


Danielle,

The journal that you have is the journal which I bought for Ash. I have its partner... but there's a third journal.

I mailed it to Ash shortly before she left.

She's here, Dani... Ash is back home. She was hurt but... well... she won't let up.

She demands out help to get back to Middle-earth and, as much as I don't want to let her go... I think giving her this third journal may be the best bet.

That way, if she manages to sneak back somehow... at least she won't be running blind.

Be careful... Mordor isn't the nicest of places.

Laters!

Amy


"Damnit, Sam! You're heavy!"

Danielle tried to pull the stout Hobbit back up into the boat. It was painfully obvious that the gardener was never taken a swimming lesson in his entire life.

Pulling and tugging with everything she had, the woman eventually, with the help of Frodo, hoisted Sam up from the water.

Frodo sighed, looking at the wet Hobbit and the woman who was seated in the boat next to him. "So... all my plan is spoilt." The Ringerbearer spoke, trying to keep himself from laughing at how easily the two had tracked him down. "It is no good trying to escape you. And yet..."

"You're happy to see us." Danielle smiled, trying to help Sam dry off by using her own cloak. "Admit it, Frodo."

The dark haired Hobbit smiled, unable to keep a straight face. "It is plain that we were meant to go together. Thank you... both of you..."

Smiling, Danielle looked toward the eastern shoreline. "So... I hope you guys are better at rowing than I am."

"Is that why you and Nil were so far behind us?" Sam asked, wiping water from his eyes.

The girl rolled her eyes, "Don't you two start on me now... neither of us know anything about rowing!"

Frodo laughed, "That much, my friend, was obvious."

Aragorn skidded to a halt, quickly kneeling next to the man who was propped carefully against a tree.

"They took them." Boromir whispered, his voice weak.

Three arrows protruded from his chest and stomach, the man clearly dying.

Before Aragorn could ask anything however, the Gondorian continued to speak, "I tried to take the Ring from Frodo. I am sorry. The Halflings... the Orcs have taken them." the man closed his eyes for a moment, trying to save some of his strength. "The world of Men will fall and all will come to darkness and my city to ruin..."

"I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you, I will not let the White City fall. Nor our people fail." Aragorn replied, grasping onto one of Boromir's hands.

The Gondorian smiled slightly. "I would have followed you my brother... my captain... my king..."

As Boromir took his last breath, Aragorn tried desperately to keep the man talking.

"What of Frodo? Did they take Frodo?"

But it was too late...

"Aragorn!" came Legolas' shout, the Elf and Dwarf running upon the scene of devastation.

Dead Orcs and Uruk-Hai littered the surrounding forest floor as far as the eye could see.

"He killed so many..." Gimli whispered, amazed at the bodies.

Legolas was beside Aragorn in an instant, his blue gaze fixed on the dead man. "Estel, where..."

But the man shook his head. "They will look for his coming from the White Tower. But he will not return."

"Estel, where are the Hobbits? Where is Frodo? Where is Nil?" the Elven prince asked, his question and tone urgent.

Aragorn shook his head once again, obviously weary from the battle. "Boromir spoke of the Halflings before he died... he said the Orcs had taken them. I could not ask if Frodo was among them... He said nothing of Nileregwen."

Blue eyes narrowed and Legolas stood, immediately beginning to call out into the surrounding forest. "NIL! NILEREGWEN! ASHLEY!"

"We should go look for her." Gimli spoke up after a few minutes.

Legolas shook his head, "No... first we must tend the fallen." he spoke, gaze falling on Boromir once again. "She was with him, Gimli... I know it."

"And if she was, where is she now?" The Dwarf asked in confusion. "Does this mean she was taken by the Orcs?"

Standing, Aragorn sheathed his sword and looked around. "It is safe to bet that she was. She knew this would happen..."

Anger flared through the Elven prince, but only the Ranger noticed such cold rage in his gaze. It was gone after a few seconds, passing like a meadow wind.

"Boromir did not deserve this death... but he died valiantly." Legolas spoke, moving about the bodies of their enemies and searching for bowstring. "Gimli, cut some branches with your axe. We have not the tools to bury him... but we could raise a mound over him or build a cairn. Not here... this area seems prone to flooding and..."

Aragorn stopped Legolas with a hand on his shoulder. "Let us lay him in a boat with his weapons and the weapons of his vanquished foes." the Ranger spoke softly. "We will send him to the Falls of Rauros and give him to the Anduin. The River of Gondor will take care at least that no evil creature dishonours his bones."

Nodding, the prince went about looking for bowstring. Not only that, but he searched for arrows that were still sturdy of shaft and without tears to the fletching. His quiver was empty, and the Elf knew that he would need more in the near future.

As Gimli set about cutting down some long branches, Aragorn made his way to Legolas' side, collecting the weapons of Boromir's enemies. "Legolas, she had to have known."

Legolas rounded on the man, anger once again in his blue gaze. "She knew. We both knew that Gandalf would fall and yet she prevented me from saving him. Now, she followed after Boromir in an attempt to keep him from harm! What made him so special? How was his death any more tragic than that of Mithrandir? What gave her the right to..."

"Maybe she knew something we did not." Aragorn spoke, interrupting the Elf. "She is gone, Legolas. No doubt with Merry and Pippin and, if fate found them, with Frodo and Sam as well. And there is Vidlothiel to think of also, Legolas. She is missing, just as Nil. They both know things before they happen. This had to be in her plans."

Sighing, Legolas angrily ripped the bowstring from one of the Orcish weapons. "Plan or not, they are both in danger." he spoke, going about his task. "We have to follow after them, and soon."

"And we will." the Ranger replied softly, "We will see to Boromir's final resting place, and then we will continue on."

"On to where?" Gimli suddenly asked, having returned with the branches. "I checked the boats, to see if they were undamaged." the Dwarf frowned. "One boat is missing."

Worried, Aragorn made as if to rush to the river's edge, but then thought better of it. He turned, his grey eyes on Boromir's lifeless body.

"Let us build a stretcher and carry him down to the Anduin."

After a time, Aragorn stopped his pacing, his gaze fixed on the Dwarf and Elf at the tree line. They had grieved shortly for Boromir, setting his body in a boat with the cloven Horn of Gondor, along with the Gondorian's weapons and the weapons of his slain foes. Now however, a riddle presented itself to the remaining companions.

"Two Hobbits and a woman came this way." the Ranger spoke, having looked over the tracks left by the water's edge. "They took the boat. From Vidlothiel's reaction to seeing Frodo on their first meeting... I am assuming it was she who traveled across the river. Frodo and Sam went with her... but there is no sign of Merry, Pippin, or Nil."

Sighing, Legolas looked back toward the forest. "If the Orcs took them, they will head southwest." he tossed one of the Orc helmets to the ground. "The white hand on the shields and the white metal S on the helms... these Orcs are from Saruman and thus Isengard... not Mordor."

"They will cut through Rohan." Gimli pointed out, lightly tugging his beard in thought. "So thus our dilemma grows. Do we follow to the east, follow the Ringbearer... or do we head west and seek our revenge for the fallen?"

Aragorn shook his head, "I would have guided Frodo to Mordor and gone with him to the end; but if I seek him now in the wilderness, I must abandon the captives to torment and death." seeing the look of horror pass through Legolas' blue eyes, the man could do little but begin picking up some of his supplies. "Leave all that can be spared behind." he spoke, smirking to the Elf now at his side. "We travel light. Let's hunt some Orc."

Amy sighed, running a frustrated hand through her hair. "Look, you can't go back."

"Why not?!" the young woman demanded, angrily trying to shove past her friend and back into the card shop.

"Because it's not good for you?" she asked, trying to find some reason. "Because you don't belong there? Because you've thwarted that deviation in the story and everything's back to normal?"

Sighing, Ashley spun around and glared at Kenneth. "Has there been anything strange?"

"Well..."

"Anything?!" she demanded, hardly easy to placate.

Kenneth frowned, "A lot... things are still popping up every now and then. I get reports but... well... the government's involved and they're keeping everything rather hushed so..."

"Inside please." Mark hissed, unlocking the shop's door and pulling everyone through the door. "And I've got the key to the backroom. You're not going back, Ash."

"Danielle doesn't know the books like I do! She knows the movies but the books... Look, she can match my wits on the movies, I guarantee it. But what happens when something deviates? What happens when she gets stuck in Mordor without a clue as to what to do next?" Ashley asked, closing the door and locking it behind her.

After all, agents were still patrolling the streets for anything suspicious.

"It's obvious that I haven't stopped whatever it is that goes wrong. Not entirely anyway." she fumed, pacing nervously. "And it's obvious that we HAVE to stop it because Orcs are popping up all over the countryside! If we leave it alone..."

"And if you go back," Mark spoke up quickly, "You could get stuck there forever. Hello! Human stuck in Middle-earth! Life span's going to decrease dramatically."

Sighing, Ashley shook her head. "No... it won't..."

All three stopped, staring at the woman. "Ash?" Amy ventured to finally speak.

"I'm... shit... Gandalf told Legolas that I was immortal, okay? When I'm there, because of traveling through to Middle-earth, I'll live forever. But when I'm back here... mortal again. Happy now?"

"Unless you're killed." Mark angrily replied. "This isn't some game, Ash!"

"I KNOW!"

The young woman sighed, trying to calm down.

"I know... but I know what happens! I know how to avoid getting killed! I won't fight at the front lines! I'll stay in the background, and I'll have Legolas to protect me. Really." Ashley frowned, pleading with her friends. "You guys have to find the next point of entry... or else everything's going to fall apart."

"Here's how we figure it." Mark spoke, helping Kenneth spread out a large map of the area on one of the tabletop gaming areas. "Like before, an 'X' was created and the vortex opened near your house. Since then, portals have been opening and strange things appearing."

Kenneth threw a few photos onto the table. "I've been able to capture a few images... a warg, two Orcs, a Goblin, and a flock of Crebain were all photographed at my predicted locations. I was able to secure motion cameras before the portals opened... now those creatures are either dead of locked away in some government facility."

"To make matters worse," Amy added, pulling out a few emails. "Various businesses have been getting information to report anything strange in the area. The portals keep appearing, which means that the MIB is still sticking around town."

Ashley shook her head, looking over the map closely. "Here." she whispered, pointing to a location on the side of Sierra Blanca. "This is the next designated point, isn't it?"

"It's winter..." Becca whispered softly. "That place is going to be crawling with skiers during the day."

Jessica laughed, "Next prediction isn't until 2am."

"Which means I have to sneak in under the cover of darkness." Ashley replied, grabbing Amy's cell phone. "I need to make a call..."

The phone rang, a few minutes passing by quietly, and soon she heard a rather familiar voice on the other end of the line. "Pip. Hey, it's me. I need a favor... and a distraction." she was silent for a moment. "I need you and Stef to... no, no I'm fine. Yes, you can tell Jon and Katie and Kim that I'm fine... yes... yes I'm sure but just... Pip... listen." Ashley rolled her eyes. "I need you and Stef to have a very VERY big party tonight. HUGE. You need to head out of town... tell Stef that it needs to be where Jon took us for Halloween... yeah... Right, the haunted area... uh huh. No, I know it... I know it's kinda creepy but I need you guys to get EVERYONE you know for a party out there. I need you guys to get as many flood lights and generators as you can. I don't care about the police, Pip... I need you to bring every government agent you can down onto that spot. Thus... I need them to think it's paranormal." the woman sighed. "I'm not crazy look, Kenneth... yeah he sent you that email... Glad they finally fessed up to me not being in London but..." sighing again, Ashley nearly threw the phone at the wall. "I have somewhere I have to go. I need the government away from here for a few hours, especially around 2am. Got it?"

After about ten more minutes of trying to convince her friends... Ashley sat down in a nearby chair. "She'll do it. Now WE need to get ready. I'll need all of your help for sneaking in... especially since there's no way in hell I'm driving up that mountain."

"Scared?" Mark asked with a smirk.

"That road's always scared me. It's small, winding, and it's going to be pitch black when we go up... with no lights."

Amy looked to her friend suddenly, "Are you nuts?!" she shook her head. "No way... hell no! I'm not driving up that without light!"

Sighing, Ashley used her friend's cell phone, a touch phone in fact, to quickly look up a lunar schedule. "Full moon tonight. Lights will attract attention, you can see people going up that mountain from below... no one drives up it at night. No lights. We'll go slow... light of the moon and all."

"Ash..."

But the woman wasn't budging on this. "We have to. At 2am another vortex is going to open and if I'm not ready to pop through it..." Ashley sighed. "I can't leave Merry out there on her own."

"Then you'll need this." Amy replied with a sigh, handing her friend a package.

Ashley smiled, unwrapping it and immediately knowing what it was.

The journal which Amy had originally mailed to her...

Another line of communication between friends.

"When you get there, Ash," Amy said with a smile. "Make sure to let Dani know."

Smiling as well, the young woman nodded. "Pip and Stef will try and draw as many police and government officials away as they can. Tonight... we'll find the way back to Middle-earth."

TO BE CONTINUED...

Preview for the Next Chapter!

As the Fellowship of the Ring is finally split, choices are brought to everyone involved with the Quest.

Danielle has to figure out just how to lead Frodo and Sam on the right path... without a geographical knowledge of Middle-earth.

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli begin their trek across Rohan in search of Frodo and Sam and, hopefully, Nileregwen.

As for Ashley... well... she's going to meet another character in this grand tale... and luckily, he's going to be a bit more helpful than one would originally think.

New meetings and new paths are opened in the next chapter of...

"Moira Revealed"

Author's Note:

Wow, this was a really long chapter, wasn't it?! Six pages!

I pulled dialogue from the book and movie for this one! Woot! Some of it is my own dialogue but some is of Tolkien and some of PJ. I've decided that I was working WAY too much in Movie-zone with the last installment of this series, and so this time I'm heading back to the basics and pulling a lot of book stuff now. There is a portion of this story that I've already written that I'm having a problem with, and I'd like the opinion of you guys for how I do it!

Do I go with the movie to break up Helm's Deep into a longer battle than it was in the book, so that I can have an added scene in Isengard (crucial to my plot) or do I keep with the book and keep Helm's Deep to a single night of battle?

I'm actually going to veer from both Movie and Book for Isengard and work with the old rumor of that PJ did a shoot where Legolas shot Saruman (or it might have been Grima... it's been a while since I heard that old rumor) through the throat with an arrow. There's a reason for this, and the reason will make FAR more sense if I elongate Helm's Deep to a longer battle than it was in the book. If I make the battle short, I can't have any Uruk-Hai return to Isengard, if I make the battle long, there's a better chance of Uruk-Hai entering Isengard under the eye of the Ents.

Then again, I may bypass it altogether but... I really don't want to because then this 3rd story installment could become the last installment, since I'd be able to fit everything in one story and have basically NOTHING about Helm's Deep.

See why I don't want to do that? I love Helm's Deep!

But yeah, give me your thoughts. I like to hear what my readers think!

New Characters:

All of these new characters are actually my friends, just as the previous ones. Anyone mentioned in the Real World by me is actually a real person whom I've met and am friends with! Isn't that awesome?!

When I started these stories, I was still in High School... now, I've finished college with a BA in English (and a minor in creative writing)! Thus, my friends have expanded and I've added more people to the real world. Isn't that fantastic?!

So far, my friends include... Mark, Amy, Jessica, Kenneth, Becca, Jon, Katie, Kim, Pip, and Stef.

Here's a small bit on the ones who weren't given little intros in the first story...

Pip - A fellow fan of LOTR, Pip is a friend of Ash's from the college campus. She is the "Pippin" or her own "Merry & Pippin" duo and has an extensive network of friends. She and Stef share the same name (just different spellings).

Stef - Another fellow fan of LOTR, Stef is the "Merry" to her own "Merry & Pippin" duo with Pip. A friend of Ash's from Japanese classes on campus, she has an extensive network of friends that will help in an easy distraction.

Kim - A friend from college, Kim is always happy to help.

Jon - A fellow fan of LOTR and a complete fantasy nut from college.

Katie - A fellow admirer of English literature (like Ash and Jon) from college.

Muse Moments:

"Wow... I haven't done one of these in a long time." Nil says, smirking to the Muse standing in front of her.

Legolas frowns, "That is because you lost a lot of inspiration. I am glad you found it again."

"I only found it," she replies, hitting 'save' on the laptop, "Because I wanted to re-watch LOTR. And I only wanted to re-watch LOTR... because I watched the third Pirates movie on one of the movie channels... and I only did that because I hurt my back and couldn't get up and there was nothing else on tv."

The Elf smirks slightly, "Well, even after all that, I am glad you have finally begun to work on this story again."

"I'm also working on another new short story, Legolas. One with ghosts! And then there's the one I want to do that was inspired by an episode of 'Man Vs. Wild'! It'll be awesome! I just need..."

"To work on it?" Legolas asks, laughing softly. "Too much on your plate again. Finish the old before beginning the new."

Nil frowns, "You're no fun. So... where HAVE you been lately?"

"Paris took us to the ocean. Estel and Will went too but... well, they decided to go sailing for a bit. I was rather uncomfortable... sea longing and all that, so I returned home." Legolas replies, sitting down.

Nil sighs, "I want to go to the beach..."

"Your back is hurt. You, can not go anywhere."

"I know... at least it makes me write, ne?"