Chapter 2: Cruel Caradhras

Nell was very lost, both mentally and physically. She had absolutely NO idea WHERE she was, and she couldn't think of any reason why she was suddenly dropped into this crazy world where people walked around in odd medieval clothing with swords and bows.

She thought, 'Why are there four short boys with abnormally HAIRY feet and no shoes walking around in the freezing cold?? They were really close to a HUGE mountain covered in snow and they were dressed as if they were on the beach! And… why is there an even shorter funny looking armor clad dwarf with a very intimidating axe? Why does that OLD guy have such a long beard and a pointy hat as if he thought he was a wizard? According to… most people, they don't even exist! Who ARE these people?? There seems to be one guy who APPEARS human, except he of course is wearing medieval clothes and armor and has a great big sword! And there is that really weird guy with the pointy ears as if he was an elf or something? Wait, elves don't exist! This can't be real! And now I can't help but think how amazingly good-looking the elf guy is! Okay, now I really HAVE gone insane… What is going on?? Think, Nell, THINK!!! You've been sucked into a great big portal and now you're in a completely fantasy-like world traveling with some real strange folk who appear to be on some sort of… I don't know, quest? Wait! I… I remember something! The portal showed me this whole… story of something or other… and there was a big scene of some world… maybe… I'm IN that big world… yea, that must be it… but WHY?? ARGH! And… there was also a ring! Umm… okay I don't have a clue what the stupid evil portal meant by showing me some dumb ring! But I do know that there were several owners of this… ring or whatever. There was a dude with a freakish giant armored hand, a really ugly and green and black hand, and then they showed some regular looking hands, except they were kind of small… okay… I'm getting a headache now… Aww man!! This CAN'T be real! This can't be happening! Maybe if I close my eyes and think REAL HARD then I might instantly zap home again! Yea, that could work!'

So, she did, or tried. The Fellowship, now with their new 'companion', were currently trudging along through 5 feet of snow around the Caradhras on a not very wide ledge over a huge cliffside. Luckily, it currently wasn't snowing and the sun was shining, barely, through the clouds. Aragorn said that there might be a storm coming their way, so they had best be moving quickly around the mountain. It was still quite cold, and they were getting weary. No one had really said much during the few hours that had passed as they walked. The young hobbits had occasionally whispered things to each other, often glancing back at Nell, who was lost in her own thoughts. She was trailing along behind the line of adventurers, with Gandalf leading, then Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, Gimli, Boromir, Merry, Pippin, and then Legolas.

Nell was squeezing her eyes shut as tight as possible trying to concentrate on her home in some other distant world, or dimension, or wherever it was, and of course, nothing happened. She gave out a disappointed sigh, catching the attention of Legolas, who was walking just in front of her. Her sigh made him turn his head a little.

"Excuse me, but are you alright?" he asked in a low whisper, seeing her distressed look. She nearly jumped at the sudden sound of his voice.

"I'm fine!" she snapped, and looked away. Then, seeing his surprised face, she said, "Uh, sorry… I'm just a little… umm… tired." She folded her arms nervously, feeling incredibly stupid.

"You are forgiven, but I am afraid we won't be stopping for a while. We still have a ways to walk," he replied, turning his head back in the direction they were heading.

Nell nodded, not quite sure what to say. Their little trek was practically nothing to her, and she had strength to go on for miles, she just couldn't think of a different excuse to say. But, she was starting to get cold even with her thin leather jacket on. After another few minutes of silence, she decided to speak again.

"So… what's your name?" she asked.

"… Legolas, of Mirkwood."

"Oh… umm, why do you have pointy ears?" she asked skeptically. That made Legolas even more awkward.

"You… you don't know about elves?" he finally asked. Nell brushed a strand of hair behind her ear with a puzzled expression.

"Should I?"

He turned his head to look at her, wondering if she was serious or not.

"Have you suffered some sort of memory loss?" he asked, trying not to sound rude.

"What? No! Yes! I mean no! I… I don't know! I might as well have lost my memory! I clearly have no idea where the HELL I am why I'm here who's smart idea it was to put me here if somebody actually did put me here in the first place and everyone is treating me like some freak and it's pissing me off damn it!!" she cried all in one breath. She gasped in shock at herself for her outburst.

Legolas was staring at her, more surprised than ever, but fortunately, only he had heard her. For just as she had spoken those words, the winds of Caradhras had suddenly picked up speed, and the Company was then surrounded by swirling, thick flakes of snow.

Nell cried out as there was a powerful gust of wind that knocked her off her feet into the snow. She winced as her head banged into a large, jagged rock sticking out of the snow. Then, the winds began blowing harder and the snow that was falling picked up speed. Nell found to her horror that she was quickly being buried by snow and all she could hear was the shrieking and howling winds. She frantically tried pushing the snow off of her but more kept coming. With the snow practically shoving her into the ground, she began sinking deeper, and she felt her legs and arms being frozen and she was losing her strength. Everything began to fade to black…

Suddenly, she felt strong arms grabbing hold of her and pulling her out of the dreadful snow. The winds were even louder but she faintly heard voices of the others yelling to each other. Someone was holding her, and she heard the old man shout something about Saruman and then someone else yelling for them to watch out. She opened her eyes for just a brief second to see an avalanche of more snow and great boulders falling on top of them, before she passed out.

Everything was dark and blurry for some time after that. Nell kept waking into consciousness and barely hearing the sounds of their voices. All she could see every time she opened her eyes were their blurry forms. She heard things like, "… turning back… the Mines of Moria." The Company eventually stopped talking, and they began moving again. Nell sighed and everything went into darkness again. She didn't wake for several hours.

It was quite late, and the Company had stopped for the night. They had turned back from Caradhras and were now resting in a small hidden grove amidst some trees. They had lit a small fire to keep warm, for it had gotten a lot colder from Saruman's attack around that area. All except for Gandalf, Aragorn, Frodo, and Legolas were asleep, and they were sitting around the fire unable to rest and speaking about where they would be heading at dawn in low voices.

"I see little hope if we do not vanish from sight and cover our trail for a while. Therefore I advise that instead of going round or over the mountain, we go under it. That is the last road the enemy would expect us to take," said Gandalf.

"I do not wish to enter Moria a second time. My memory of the place is very evil," spoke Aragorn quietly.

"Moria is indeed a dark evil place, but I would not lead you there if there was no chance of coming out again. Yes, there may be Orcs, and they may prove ill for us. But most of them were scattered and destroyed in the Battle of Five Armies, so there is a hope that Moria is still free," said Gandalf. "It will not be the first time I have been to Moria, and I am not eager to pass through again, but I see no other choice in the matter."

"I do not wish to go to Moria," said Legolas.

"I agree, but, neither do I wish to refuse Gandalf's advice. There doesn't appear to be any other way," said Frodo.

"So it is decided," stated Aragorn.

They all fell into silent thought, wondering what would soon be in store for them.

"Oh, Gandalf? What of… our new companion here?" asked Frodo suddenly, glancing at the sleeping form of Nell lying a few feet away.

"Hmm… yes, I admit that I find that situation difficult… I do not know quite where she came from, or how for that matter," he replied, in deep thought.

"She is very peculiar. Not just by her appearance, but the general way she behaves. For one thing, she spoke the strangest curses I have ever heard," mused Legolas.

"Do understand, Frodo and Legolas, that this Nell is different. I have heard of some theories that state there are other worlds in existence, not just our own Middle Earth," said Gandalf. They all turned to look at him.

"What exactly are you speaking of, Gandalf?" asked Frodo.

"Well, I do not know if this is the real truth, but, I guess that she may come from… a completely different world, I cannot be sure. I would need more time to investigate the matter. For now, we have a great journey ahead of us, so you must all bear with her. She is alone and lost, and the things she speaks of and does may seem odd to you, but to her they are quite normal. I believe she finds us all to be mighty peculiar just as much as you do," he explained. They all looked back to the fire, pondering his words. He stood up with a slight yawn.


"Now then, we should be getting our rest. Do not trouble yourselves over her, for I'm certain that all questions shall be answered in due time," he said. Frodo and Legolas nodded as Aragorn volunteered to keep first watch.

After a few minutes, they had all settled down for sleep. Meanwhile, Nell, who had been lying awake the whole time but had laid completely still, sighed briefly with a look of sadness in her eyes. Then, she quietly went back to sleep.

Lol, I know, real short… and basically NOTHING has happened! Me sorry! Desole! Gomen nasai! Do forgive me! (various forms of 'sorry' in foreign languages….) Anyway, I'm in a bit of a rush these days. I WANT to get these chapters out daily, but everything's just so busy lately! =) Hey, maybe I'll have a snow day tomorrow so I can spend the whole day writing the next chapter! Tee hee! Lol… Well, me gots to go now… it's late… I'm tired… Bye!