Title: The Lórien Witch Project or Frodo Freaks Out
Author: Mayetra and Hedda
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Tolkien's estate owns the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We make no money or claim no ownership of anything associated with Middle Earth. Artisian owns The Blair Witch Project. We make no claims of ownership of anything associated with The Blair Witch Project.
Special Warnings: Authors Insanity
Beta: None
Cast: The Company of the Ring and a few Galadrim
Timeline: AU - Fellowship of the Ring
Archive: Tortured Scribes; Elf Lore
Author's Note: We are using the book not the movie as reference.
Spoilers: Fellowship of the Ring and The Blair Witch Project
Summary: The Blair Witch Project: Lord of the Rings style.
The company stopped to rest beside a stream whose icy waters originated from the mountains behind them. Legolas regaled the group with songs from his home about the glory of the Golden Wood that lay before them.
Gimli snorted and eyed the Elf suspiciously. "You speak of the woods as if it were a golden paradise set amid the darkness of Arda. But I know better than you. My people also have tales of this accursed place and the witch that resides within its murky depths."
"What lies do your people speak of the Dreamflower?" Legolas retorted angrily.
Gimli squirmed uncomfortably not wishing to speak of the great evil that lay before them, yet honor demanded that he answer the Elf's query.
"Many years ere Moria fell into darkness a young Dwarven lass wandered far from its gates. A search party of hale Dwarven warriors was sent to find the child and return her to her grieving parents. Many days passed and no word was heard from the search party. The child appeared suddenly one morning, back at the gates with tales of an Elven female who floated above the ground. No answer could she give of how she came to return or what had befallen the brave Dwarves who had ventured forth in search of her. So it was decided that a second party of warriors would go forth to see what had befallen them. They returned a few hours later with a tale so horrible that, at first, many refused to believe them."
Gimli paused, noting the Hobbits were wide-eyed with terror.
"Perhaps now is not the best time to tell of the misfortunes that these woods have caused my people." He nodded in the direction of the four little ones huddled close to the fire.
"Nay," said Pippin. "My imagination can conjure worse images than the conclusion of your tale, so, if you please Master Gimli, pray continue."
Leaning forward, Gimli eyed each member of the company meaningfully. In a low voice, as if he wished not to give life to his tale, he continued. "The second party search high and low and finally on a great rock, beside this very stream, they found them. Each Dwarf of the first party had been stripped of all their raiment and weapons. They were bound to each other by beard and foot in a great circle upon the rock. They had been disemboweled in a manner most foul. But their violator did not stop there but desecrated them further by carving strange marking into the flesh of their faces. It was decided that a great host of warriors would return to retrieve their fallen comrades. When they returned to the rock, they found it covered with scavengers but of the bodies no trace could be seen. The stone was covered with blood but no disturbance marked the area to show what had had become of the Dwarves. But it was said that the stench of death hung thick in the air."
Gimli sat back and tried, unsuccessfully, to suppress a shudder of fear. "So you see Elf, I have no desire to enter these woods for I would like to keep my head about my shoulders."
Now it was Legolas' turn to snort. "You seek to sully the Elves as is the wont of Dwarves with your tale. My kin would not taint this blessed soil with the evil of which you speak. You have achieved nothing by your fable except to place fear in the hearts and minds of our comrades. There is enough to fear in Arda without your help."
"Nay Elf", injected Boromir. "My race also has met with misfortune within this forest. We have heard the tale of the lost Dwarven girl and the evil that befell her would-be rescuers. The Éothéod once resided along the Gladden River and know the story well. Many thought as you, Legolas, that the Dwarves spread rumors to cause mistrust between Men and Elves. Three young people, two lads and a lass, decided to see if they could settle the dispute. They journeyed to this place, in search of answers. After many, many weeks they had not returned by the date they had set and a search party was sent to find them. Their cart was found next to this river, their horse grazing contently. They searched the area and the woods beyond but no trace could be found of them. The town folk decide that they had fallen into the river and were drowned, their bodies carried far away. But a year later, a traveling merchant had cause to pass the night in these woods and many strange things did he hear. As he was leaving his camp the next morning, he noticed a great pile of rocks that looked to be the foundation of an old house. Curiosity got the better of him and he searched the area for any baubles that may have been left behind. During his poking and prodding, part of the foundation wall fell away. In a hollow, he found a journal in a small sack. It belonged to the missing youths and told a tale of terror beyond any nightmare of your imagining. The strange thing about the whole affair was the merchant swore that the foundation was very old and showed no sign of recent disturbance. He could not explain how the journal came to be in such an unlikely spot."
Legolas was still not convinced. "These are wild tales spread, no doubt, to keep prying eyes from disturbing the peace of my kin. I tell you that we will find only succor within the trees of Lothlórien, mark my words."
Gimli and Boromir exchanged a look of mutual disbelief at Legolas' reassurances. Aragorn, who had remained silent, now rose to his feet and bade his companions to set aside their foolish tales. "We still have far to travel before we are safe from the Orcs that most likely pursue us."
With grim hearts and heavy feet, they followed him towards the woods and entered beneath the boughs of the silver barked trees.
They had not ventured far when Merry spotted something hanging from the lower branches of a tree close to the road. "Look there", he said in a low whisper pointing to the strange object.
The party stopped and looked to where the Hobbit pointed. Hanging from a noose made of twisted vine was a crude effigy of a man constructed from broken arrows. It swung obscenely in the light breeze as if mimicking the death throes of one condemned to the gallows.
"There are more over here", Pippin said his voice pinched with fear. More of the stick figures danced in the trees beyond the first.
"You see Legolas. We have not passed far into the woods and already the witch makes her intent well known. I say we leave while we still have feet on which to flee." Gimli hissed.
"Do not turn coward now, Dwarf." Legolas retorted. "Where is the courage your people boast so proudly about?"
Gimli made a growling noise and started to pull his axe from his back. "I am no coward and I will not have you defame me or my people, Elf!"
"Enough!" Aragorn roared. "These are nothing but broken arrows placed to scare away foolish trespassers seeking to plunder the wealth of these woods." He turned on his heel and continued down the path, the others having no choice but to follow him.
After about an hour of travel, Aragorn decided that they should leave the road and seek to camp deeper in the woods. Boromir and Gimli resisted at first but Aragorn persuaded them with a reminder that the Orcs were a very real and tangible treat.
They slowly wound their way though the trees and brush following the sounds of the falls of Nimrodel. It was not long before some new terror presented itself to the company. For the trees along their chosen path, seemed to be covered with dark handprints.
In a hushed tone, Gimli said, "I think these are the marks of the fallen Dwarves, their spirits must wander these woods unable to rest. See how they leave handprints of blood a testament to their defilement."
Legolas laughed lightly, "Master Gimli, you see bloody handprints where only moss resides. Gather your courage for here are marks of the natural not the venting of spirits supposedly wronged long ago."
Frodo turned large blue eyes towards Legolas, "I know nothing of moss or spirits but I can see well enough that handprints mar the beauty of these trees. Let us not tarry longer than we must. Lead on Aragorn for I find this stretch of forest disturbing."
They continued until the falls could be heard much closer, finally stopping in a small glade surrounded by great mallorn. In the center of the glade stood a lone tree, its branches much lower than the rest for it had not their great age. Scattered around the clearing, were several piles of small river rock and in the lower most branches of the tree, the company found a small nest filled with the same rocks as on the ground.
Legolas surveyed the piles of stone and could not resist the temptation to further scare the Dwarf that defamed his people. "Looks like a cemetery to me." He smiled inwardly as he saw the tremor of fear snake its way down Gimli's body.
"Woe to our company for I fear we are doomed. I have counted the stones. Seven piles bear witness to our last moments within this forest. The witch will come soon and she will kill us where we stand. And I need not tell you who in our party shall be spared for only one of our number is kin to her." Gimli moaned in terror.
Sam placed a calming hand on Gimli's shoulder and murmured reassurances to no avail, for the Dwarf was beyond comforting.
The sudden sound of rocks sliding cause the company to spin towards Merry and Pippin. Both of who wore twin expression of horror.
"It wasn't me this time," Pippin wailed, pointing an accusing finger at Merry.
Merry cringed as Gimli lunged towards him. "You damn fool Hobbit, what matter of devilry have you cause to be unleashed upon us?"
Merry twisted away from the Dwarf's grasping hands and fled to the safety of Aragorn's side. "I didn't mean to knock them down, it was an accident. I swear on my mother's good name." He stammered at the furious Dwarf.
Gimli dropped to his knees and reverently replaced the stones. "Let us hope that you shall not be the first to feel the witch's wrath." He said to the frightened Hobbit.
The Hobbits stared wide-eyed into the darkness around them, searching for the horrors that had sprung forth from their overactive imaginations.
With a shriek, Sam pointed to the shadows and screamed, "By the Valar, what was that?"
Before the rest of them could react, he grabbed Frodo's hand and tore through the forest in the opposite direction, Merry and Pippin hard on their heels.
Aragorn cursed and ran after the frightened Hobbits calling for them to stop. Boromir fled in the direction of the others. Gimli followed behind.
Only Legolas remained, shaking his head sadly at the sight of hardened warriors fleeing like frightened children. His ears detected the faint sound of laughter from the boughs of the trees above him. He was not surprised when three Elves dressed in matching gray and brown dropped to the clearing floor.
"Greeting fair cousin. I am Haldir and these are my brothers Rúmil and Orophin." the tallest of the Elves greeted Legolas.
" I am Legolas of Mirkwood. I am please to meet you." Legolas returned the greeting.
"How is it that you travel with such a motley group of companions? If my eyes did not deceive me, I could have sworn that a Dwarf accompanied you." Haldir questioned the younger Elf.
"Fear not, cousin. A Dwarf did accompany me but he is stout of heart and loyal of purpose. That he quakes with fear within these woods is his only fault."
"What brings your company here?" Haldir asked.
"We guard the Hobbit, Frodo, who carries a heavy burden."
"Let us not think of ill things now. A rare opportunity at fun as presented itself and I would know if you would join us in our sport?" Haldir asked Legolas steering the conversation away from the dark subject.
Sitting amid a large clump of thick brush, Frodo sat murmuring to himself as he scribbled hastily in his journal. His large blue eyes were awash with unshed tears.
"I just want to apologize to Merry's mom and Pip's mom and the Gaffer. And I am sorry to The Fellowship. I was very naïve."
Frodo paused to scan the darkness around him, tears now flowing freely down his face. He turned his attention back to his journal and continued to write.
"I am so so sorry for everything that has happened. Because in spite of what Sam says now, it IS my fault. Because the The Ring was my inheritance and I insisted, I insisted on everything. I insisted that I would take The Ring to Mordor. I insisted that my friends go with me. I insisted that we walk thru Moria. Everything had to be my way."
Frodo paused as a great glob of snot dripped onto the paper smearing the words written there. He wiped his nose on his sleeve before continuing.
"And this is where we have ended up and it's all because of me that we are here now. Hungry and cold and hunted. I love you Uncle Bilbo. I am so sorry."
Frodo's eyes darted up at the sound of twigs snapping in the distance. "What is that?" he asked no one in particular. He turned his attention back to what he felt were the final testament of their journey.
"I'm scared to close my eyes. I'm scared to open them."
More crackling that seemed to sound closer than before.
"Oh Valar, We're gonna die out here."
Just then an ear-piercing shriek split the silence of the woods. Heads popped up from various hiding places in the brush surrounding Frodo. He jumped and than hastily wiped his face, embarrassed to be caught sobbing like a child.
"That sounds like Legolas!" Gimli exclaimed.
"Help. Dear Elbereth deliver me." The screams of the Elf shattered the night.
"Legolas!" Gimli yelled. "Come we must save him. Can you not hear the agony in his screams?"
The Fellowship raced back towards the clearing where the screams seemed to originate. But before they had covered half the distance, the woods fell silent. No other sound was heard and Legolas gave no answer to their pleading that he tell them where he was.
They entered the glade, weapons drawn but could find no trace of the missing Elf until they noticed that the rocks that once filled the nest in the tree were gone. In their place was a bundle of cloth.
Aragorn's eyes narrowed and he said, "That is from Legolas' cloak. What game does he play?"
Gimli stepped forward and with trembling hands retrieved the bundle. Carefully he undid the strip of cloth that held it shut and slowly opened it to reveal several strands of long, blond hair in a wet smattering of blood. Gimli dropped the bundle and retched violently.
Finally Aragorn could take no more. "I have had enough of your childish games. Show yourself Legolas for I have no wish to climb that tree and throw you bodily from it. But if I must to prove to the others that you still live, I will."
The sounds of laughter rained down from the treetops and the rest of the party perceived what Aragorn had known all along. Legolas was not alone.
"Haldir, I swear you and your brothers are as sick and twisted as they come. You would think after a few thousand years you would finally start acting your age." Aragorn continued in a disgusted tone as Legolas, Haldir and his brothers dropped to the ground, still laughing madly.
"Come now Aragorn. You can not tell me that you did not find our joke somewhat amusing?" Haldir asked when he finally caught his breath.
Aragorn responded in an angry tone, "If you Elves are through with your games, we have an important task to complete and I need not remind you that Orcs pursue us."
The Elves managed to compose themselves and Haldir lead them to the trees where their talans were. The Fellowship passed the night in peace and the next morning journeyed to Caras Galadon to meet Galadriel.
All were taken with her beauty, wisdom and kindness. Never a foul word of Lórien or its Lady ever passed their lips again.
The End