Chronicles of the Fellowship

Chronicles of the Fellowship

By Michael Weyer

Meetings and the Mines

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It didn't take long for the Pensevies to figure out the various characters of their new companions. Aragon was cool and always intent and serious, eyes looking about constantly as if expecting danger at any moment. Boromir was much the same although there seemed a tension between the two men. Legolas appeared only slightly more relaxed, his own eyes alert. Gimli was a gruff fellow that reminded Peter of some of the centaurs they had known in Narnia.

For the hobbits, Frodo and Sam seemed friendly while Merry and Pippen struck the group as somewhat childish. Naturally, Lucy got along with them very well. As for Gandalf, he wasn't as gruff as he first seemed, almost grandfatherly. He reminded the siblings much of Professor Kirke, not talking down to him but seemed very interested in hearing of Narnia and London equally.

"Aslan," he muttered after Peter had told them of the lion. "Aslan…I have heard that name somewhere…." He rubbed his chin. "Hmmm…it sounded familiar, just cannot place it. I'm so bad with names sometimes…"

Edmund brushed that aside as he looked the elder man over. "So you're a wizard then? Hmm….we don't know too many of those in Narnia…and, no offense, but the ones we have generally are the bad sort."

Gandalf made a warm smile. "I apologize for that. But there are good and bad wizards, just as there are good and bad people." His face soured. "And there are those who begin on one side and fall to another."

Peter frowned, confused at that but decided not to press it. "If you'll pardon my saying, sir, things appear rather…tense with you all."

"It is a dark time for our land, my young friend," Gandalf said, his face still drawn. "A time of darkness much of the world is still unaware of but that awareness is spreading. While I cannot go into details, suffice to say that our mission is of utmost importance to the future of this world."

Peter and Edmund gave each other looks as if saying "here we go again." Behind them, Susan became aware of a pair of eyes burning at her back and turned to glace at Legolas. "May I help you?" she asked in a tone more biting than she intended.

"I was admiring your bow," the elf said. "I've never seen its type of craftsmanship before."

"It was made in Narnia," Susan said. "A gift from…a great man."

Legolas nodded. "I hope you are able to use it well."

"I've had no complaints," she snapped at him. "But if you press me, I'll show you how well I can use it on a rather noisy target." She picked up her pace to walk off.

Legolas frowned and heard a gruff sound next to him. He looked down to see Gimli chuckling. "Something funny, dwarf?"

Gimli smirked up at him. "Simply a relief to know how you elves can be as foolish with the ladies as anyone else." He chuckled more at the glare Legolas fixed on him.

In the rear of the company, Lucy was watching Merry and Pippin energetically waving their arms as they tried to explain the ways and lives of hobbits. It was a rather complicated history, particularly when they went into the various family trees that interconnected often. She had to smile at the way the two jabbered on about it with so much life and energy. Sam seemed to roll his eyes at some of their talk while Frodo just smiled.

"Now, should you come by the east side of the Shire," Merry said. "You'd enjoy some lovely farmlands."

"Excellent selection of carrots and mushrooms there," Pippin chimed in.

"Which you two love stealing," Sam stated. "Best be careful, Lucy, these two will talk you into all sorts of trouble before you know it."

"Hey, we're not that bad!" Merry said.

"Yes, you are," Sam said. "Right, Mr. Frodo?"

"I'm staying out of this one," the other hobbit said. "I've got enough on my head without getting into that." The man seemed friendly enough but Lucy sensed something about him, a great weight pressing in. That seemed to grow as he rubbed at his chest as if feeling something under that coat of his.

Up ahead, Peter glanced toward Aragon. "Just where are we going anyway?" He had noted how the group were making their way into a dark valley, a large lake at one side and a huge mountain next to them.

"To the Mines of Moria," the man answered, his tone letting Peter know he wasn't pleased with the journey.

"Why there?"

"It's the quickest path to our destination."

"Which is?"

Aragon glanced to Edmund. "Is your brother always this inquisitive?"

"Not always," Edmund said. "He's just used to always getting his way. Even when he shouldn't act that way."

Peter glared at him. "I don't always…"

"You do," Edmund cut him off. "Not just in Narnia, Peter but back home, you kept throwing your weight around."

"I don't like people treating me like a kid."

"You are a kid, Pete."

"Not always and neither were you! We were kings, Edmund."

"I know, Peter," his brother sighed. "But that was a while ago and quite frankly, our royalty means less here than in London."

"It's still who we are, who we truly are," Peter argued. "Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen. Aslan himself said that."

"Aslan?" Aragon asked.

"It's…complicated," Peter said, throwing Edmund a warning look.

Instead of accepting it, his brother scoffed. "What, we're trying to out-secret them?"

"They don't need to know, Ed."

"You don't know they don't need to know, Pete."

"I do and I'm High King."

"Oh, here we go…"

Boromir smirked as he leaned in to Aragon. "Whatever else these two are, they're definitely siblings. Only true brothers bicker like this."

"Will you two please be quiet!" Susan called out as she strode up behind them. "Honestly, kings, both of you and you still act like you did as children!"

"We are…"

"Shut up, Edmund," the two elder siblings chorused.

Gandalf closed his eyes as if pained. "The only thing more annoying than hobbits. Human children."

Things quieted down as the group came to a flat section of wall near the lakeside. "Where are these mines you talk of?" Peter asked. "I don't see any entranceway."

"You won't, laddie," Gimli stated. "We dwarves hide them so trespassers cannot find them."

"Indeed," Gandalf said as he stepped up to take the lead in the group. "Dwarves ensure that they cannot be found by anyone."

"Why does that not surprise me," Legolas muttered under his breath.

Lucy looked to Sam. "I assume elves and dwarves don't get along well?"

He gave her look of surprise. "You really aren't from around here, are you?"

Gandalf finally stopped before a blank section of rock, tapping the end of his staff against it. "Dwarf doors are hidden until moonlight…" He looked upward and watched as the clouds in the night sky passed on, allowing the moon to shine down. The rocks appeared to shimmer before images and symbols started to appear. They glowed brightly as if lit from within, forming an archway and a door.

"Clever," Peter had to note as the group formed behind Gandalf. "What do those symbols say?"

"'The Doors of Druin, Lord of Moria. Speak friend and enter,'" Gandalf answered. "A simple feat, you speak the right password, it identifies you as a friend and we can enter." He turned around, lifting his hands and boomed out in words none of the children could understand. There was a long silence, everyone waiting for the door to open.

"Nothing's happened." Despite having just met him, Edmund realized that Pippin had a gift for stating the obvious.

Gandalf frowned and spoke again, the words different as he placed the end of the staff on the center of the doorway. Again, nothing happened. He moved in, pressing his shoulder to the rock as if he could move the solid face aside. He muttered something under his breath as he studied the door again, obviously flustered by his failure.

"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked.

"Knock your head against them, Peregrin Took!" Gandalf snapped at him. "And if that doesn't break them down, it will at least save me from foolish questions!"

"There's no need to be angry with him," Susan said. "Just because you're having difficulties with getting in…"

"Maybe you can use Peter's head instead," Edmund said, trying to lighten the mood. "It could use some deflating anyhow." He let out a yell as Peter punched him in the arm. Gandalf ignored them, focusing on the doors as Susan forcibly broke the two brothers apart.

For the next half hour, everyone sat around, waiting while Gandalf ran one word after another in what sounded like at least three different languages, with no effect at all. Finally, the wizard appeared ready to give up, backing to a set of rocks nearby with a look on his face that reminded Lucy of the time the beavers had found their storehouse ransacked by foxes.

Edmund sighed as he moved toward the water's edge where Aragon and Boromir were. The light-haired man was smiling at him. "Sibling rivalry?" he asked, remembering the earlier conflict between Edmund and Peter.

"Ever have an older brother?" Edmund asked.

"No, just my younger, Faramir," Boromir answered. "He is still at our home of Gondor, aiding our armies in defending the city. We actually get along fairly well." His face darkened. "Better then with Father."

"Your father's a strict sort?" Edmund asked.

"Not so much with me," Boromir said as the two sat by some rocks, Aragon nearby. "Our mother died when we were young and since then, Father has treated me well, putting me on a pedestal at times, ignoring my faults. I confess, when I was younger, it felt good but as time has gone, it's…well, gotten frankly troubling."

"What about Faramir?" Edmund asked.

Boromir sighed. "That's the truly troubling part. Just as Father refuses to see my faults, he also refuses to see Faramir's strengths. He is a good man, a brave warrior, as capable as I but in Father's eyes, he can do nothing right and I can do no wrong." He shook his head. "I try to ignore it, I've berated Father about it but he continues it. I would much rather he be on this quest than I but Father insisted I could succeed more."

Edmund was quiet, picking up a rock and playing with it in his hands. "Our father is…" He paused. "In our world, where we live, there's a war on. A big one, almost every nation on Earth is involved." That got the attention of the two men. "Our father is a soldier in it. He writes but it's hard and every time the mailman comes, I can see Mother tensing, wondering if she's going to get the telegram that he…" He drifted off, unable to say it. "I guess Peter's trying to be more of the man of the house, to protect us all. I can't totally blame him for it but sometimes, he gets too big and doesn't think before he acts."

Boromir smiled. "Well, then…perhaps your task can be to reign him in."

"No, that's Susan's job," Edmund lightly said with a smile, creating a chuckle from Boromir.

Aragon had moved over to where Peter was standing by the rocks, impatiently looking at Gandalf. The wizard was sitting on a rock, his hat off, obviously mulling the problem with Frodo sitting across from him. Peter glanced at Aragon dismissively before going back to studying his sword. The man looked at Peter carefully before speaking. "A hard duty, being a king."

Peter looked over the man's dark and rumbled clothing and his unkempt appearance. "You don't appear an expert on it."

"You would be surprised," Aragon said. He paused again before speaking. "I do know that being king does not mean you take on everything yourself. It also means being wise enough to know that sometimes it's better to withdraw than to charge in."

Peter glared at him as he sheathed his sword. "When you wear a crown, then perhaps you can dictate advice to me." He walked off as Aragon shook his head at him. The Ranger looked over to see the Hobbits tossing pebbles across the pond and quickly moved in.

Pippin was just pulling his hand back to throw a pebble when Aragon caught it. "Do not disturb the water," he hissed.

"Why?" Susan asked. "What do you see?" The man did not answer but merely backed up. Susan frowned at the Hobbits. "Just who is he, anyhow?"

"Strider?" Merry said. "Well, he's a Ranger, sort of a wandering warrior type."

"But more than that!" Pippin piped up. "He's a king!"

Susan's eyes widened. "I beg your pardon?"

"Not a true king," Merry said, giving his friend an annoyed look. "But he's the descendent of Isildur and as such, he's the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor."

Susan frowned, her mind running through the information she'd been able to glean so far. "I thought Boromir's father was in charge at Gondor."

"He's the Steward of the Throne." Susan jumped as Boromir came up behind her. "The line of rule was broken a long time ago and the Steward is meant to oversee the throne and await the return of the true king." His face darkened. "But many came to believe long ago that the king would never return. I'm sad to say Father is one of them."

"And you?" Susan asked pointedly. The man gazed at her before turning back which she took as an answer.

Lucy walked over toward the doorway, studying it before stopping by Frodo. "So it says, 'speak friend and enter?'"

Gandalf just grunted at her as he took a drag on the long pipe in his mouth.

"What version of 'friend' are you using?" The wizard looked at her, confused and she went on. "I mean, I know you had to go through it because that's what it is, 'friend' is the password. I was just curious if you used the right language."

The look of utter surprise on Gandalf's face let Lucy know that the wizard honestly had never considered such an obvious answer. Lucy had to suppress a sigh, wondering once again why grown-ups always had to overcomplicate things and overlook the simplest ways. Frodo seemed to get her much faster as he asked "What's the elven word for friend?"

"Mellon."

At Gandalf's word, there was a rumble that got the entire Fellowship's attention. The doorway slowly began to split apart and a musty odor flowed out of the opening of the cavern. "Finally!" Susan called out as she stood up with the rest, heading toward the opening. Peter was quickly moving to the front but Gimli actually pushed him aside as they headed into the dark cavern.

"Not very hospitable," Peter noted. "Hmm…anyone got a torch?"

"Actually, yes," Edmund stated as he rummaged through the small pack he'd carried from the train station when they'd been transported to Middle-Earth. Pulling out his torch, he flipped the switch and let a beam of light shine out.

"Blimey, he's a wizard!" Sam called out, startled.

Edmund chuckled. "No, just good old-fashioned British workmanship." He shone the light about, letting them see the dim interior of broken rock steps and dirt floors. Gimli took a deep breath and smiled. "Ah, nothing like a mine to bring back great memories for a dwarf."

Edmund was quiet as he swung the torch around, catching sight of forms on the floor. Gimli didn't notice, continuing to talk. "Soon, my friends, you'll be enjoying the hospitality of my cousin, Balin, lord of Moria! Roaring fires, malt beer…"

Susan coughed meaningfully.

"For the adults," Gimli hastened to say. "Ripe meat off the bone, a feast only we dwarves can supply!" He laughed as they walked on. "And they call it a mine…a mine!"

Edmund's light fell on a set of bodies lying on the floor, arrows sticking out of them. "This is no mine," Boromir breathed. "It's a tomb!"

Susan gasped as her eyes finally adjusted to the dim lighting of the torch and the moonlight filtering from outside. Right before her was a small body literally pinned to the wall by a large spear with arrows in his chest as well. Lucy let out a small cry of her own as her foot landed right on the bony arm of a strange creature also pierced with arrows. The torch swung wildly around to let them all see the room littered with more bodies of various types, all having clearly died violently.

Gimli's joy evaporated in an instant as he took it all in. "No…NO!" He cried out as he raced over to gaze at his fallen kinsmen. Legolas yanked an arrow out of one body and studied it. "Goblins!" he declared.

Immediately, the men had pulled their swords out while Legolas nocked an arrow to his bow. "We make for the Gap of Rohan," Boromir declared. "We should never have come here."

Lucy was swallowing as he backed up to the doorway with the hobbits. Without warning, she felt something snaking around her left ankle. At first, she thought it was one of the hobbits until she felt herself yanked back. She screamed out, grabbing at the dirt but couldn't stop herself. She heard a cry next to her and saw Frodo always being pulled. Glancing down, Lucy saw what looked like a thick rope wrapped around their feet, dragging them back.

"LUCY!" Susan screamed out just as Sam yelled "FRODO!" Aragon, Boromir, Edmund and Peter whirled around to see the two pulled and started running to help them. The other hobbits were trying to grab onto them but failing as they kept on being dragged to the lake. Sam had pulled out a small short to hack at what now appeared to be a tentacle of some sort wrapped around Frodo while Merry and Pippin both grabbed Lucy by the arms to try and pull her back.

They were near the edge of the lake as the creature the tentacles belonged to burst from the water. Edmund had once wondered what would happen if an octopus mated with a squid. He now had his answer as the giant creature struck out with multiple tentacles at the group. The one holding Lucy yanked up, suspending her in the air as she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Seeing their sister in danger was enough to get Peter and Edmund to leap into the fray without a moment's though, hacking at every tentacle in their path. Aragon was behind them, working his way toward Frodo while on the shore, Susan was raising her bow, trying to aim at the massive body. "Dammit, I can't get a clear shot!" she called out.

Legolas was right behind her, already firing an arrow that pierced the creature's left eye. It howled in rage and Lucy fell from its grasp, landing into Boromir's arms. Peter quickly grabbed her away and helped her toward the shore as Edmund sliced at the tentacle holding Frodo. "Back to the mine!" Aragon called out. "Hurry!"

The group ran toward the opening, the creature howling out, its tentacles reaching out to smash into the entranceway. The group raced in, only moments before the creature brought an avalanche of rock crumbling down behind them, cutting off the exit. A cloud of dust rose up as darkness took hold as pitch as the blackest night.

A light illuminated the room, much brighter than Edmund's torch. Gandalf had attached a stone to the end of his staff, the light from it shining brightly. "There is but one way now," he intoned as if this was perfectly normal. "Through the mines." He looked back at the group picking themselves up. "It will take at least four days. Best to start now." He began to walk up a flight of steps, Aragon following.

Peter and Edmund exchanged glances of worry while Susan rubbed at a still wet Lucy. "Starting to think we were better on our own, Pete?" Edmund asked.

"Oh, shut up," his brother muttered as they rose to follow into the darkness.