Chapter 6

"What is this new devilry?" asked Boromir.

The goblins had fled by now in fear when they'd heard a roar and seen the red light that Legolas was fixed on behind them, an arrow knocked on his bow. Elaine noted with slight terror that the elf was tense. She had never, in the short time that she had known him, seen Legolas tense. She doubted that was a good thing. She heard whatever it was roar again, and shudered in fear.

"A Balrog," Gandalf said slowly. From his tone of voice and Legolas' reaction, Elaine knew it was definitely a bad thing. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!"


Elaine watched in horror as the Balrog's whip suddenly lashed up, wrapping around Gandalf's ancle, dragging him down. He managed to grasp the ledge of the broken bridge and hold on.

"Gandalf!" yelled Frodo. Elaine's eyes widened in terror.

"Fly, you fools!" he gasped before vanishing below.

"No!" Frodo screamed.

They had no choice but to follow Gandalf's last wish. They turned and ran out of Moria.

"Aragorn!" Boromir called. Elaine turned to see Aragorn slowly following. They soon all emerged out on the hillside.

Elaine leaned against Legolas, crying quietly. She never wanted to be underground again. It was too dangerous. Gandalf was dead. He'd been her first friend here in this horrid place.

The more time she spent trapped here on earth, the more she hated it and longed to be back in the beautiful open sky.

"Boromir, Legolas, get them up," Aragorn said, clearly reffering to the hobbits. The poor hobbits. They'd been so fond of Gandalf, particularly Frodo.

Frodo. Poor Frodo. First he was the Ring-Bearer, doomed to carry the One Ring, uprooted from his safe home in the beautiful Shire, and now he'd lost Gandalf, one of his dearest friends. He had it the worst.

"Give them a moment, for pities sake!" Boromir exclaimed in shock. He clearly couldn't believe that Aragorn wanted them to leave that place, so soon after Gandalf's death. He clearly thought that they should have time to mourn.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs," Aragorn explained. "We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Come, Legolas, Gimli, get them up!"

Lothlorien. Elaine recalled what little she'd heard of it from Legolas. The golden woods. She hoped it was better than Moria.

"Frodo!" Aragorn called. Elaine turned in the direction that Aragorn was looking to see Frodo standing alone. The poor hobbit looked back, and he looked like he was only half there. His face was tear stained, and he looked particularly mournful. Elaine couldn't help but pity him.


Legolas watched Elaine carefully. The star was taking Gandalf's death badly.

"How much further to Lothlorien?" she asked him suddenly.

"Not far now. An hour at the most, I think," he replied.

"Oh."

"Why do you ask?" he asked her.

"No reason, just trying to distract myself from the fact that Gandalf's dead," she replied sadly.

"Its alright, Elaine. This sort of thing happens-"

"But it shouldn't! Why did he have to die? He was so kind! It's just another reason for me to want to find a way back to the sky." She sighed. "If only I had a Babylon Candle, that's how Yvaine and Tristan got back to the sky so long ago." She gazed wistfully at the sky, as if imagining herself back there, far away from them, home where she belonged, or at least felt she belonged.

Legolas raised an eyebrow. "You keep mentioning them. Do you know them personally?"

"Of course I do!" Elaine replied quickly. "They're my parents!"

Legolas was stunned. "Your parents?"

"Yes," Elaine said.

"But you told me their children stayed behind, in Stormhold." Legolas was confused now.

"Yes, but I was different. I mostly inherited my mother's traits. I chose to go with them, as I was pretty much a star. I've lived with them and all the other stars in the sky since then, for over a thousand years now," she explained to him.

"Oh," said Legolas. "So you're not fully star?"

"I'm mostly star," she replied. "As I said, I inherited most of my mother's traits. My brothers all inherited more of my father's traits though." She looked back up at the sky, again with an expression of longing. "I wonder if they can see me here."

"I'm sure they can," Legolas assured her."

"I hope you're right." She looked at him, and their eyes met. "I'm sorry about before, when I was mad at you. I guess I hated you for no reason. Although you did imply that I was completely insane."

He smiled. "Well, I appologize for implying that. Although, iff you were in my position, and weren't aware that stars were actually alive, you'd likely have done the same."

Elaine laughed, a beautiful sound. "You're right, I probably would have!"

Legolas suddenly noticed something odd about her. She was surrounded by a faint light. "You're glowing!"

Elaine looked slightly confused and stunned, then noticed what he meant. "Honestly, Legolas, I'ma star. What do you expect? Stars shine. I can't help it! I shine when I'm particularly happy. It's in my blood."

He sighed. She was right, of cours. Stars shined, and Elaine was a star. That was something that would never change. He noticed that the scenery had begun to change. Beautiful trees were before them, shining slightly with bright green leaves that were turning to gold. It seemed somewhat more peaceful. He instanly realized where they were.

"Well, here we are," he said suddenly. Elaine turned to face him. "One more step, and we'll be in the woods of Lothlorien."