Hhmm, what's going to happen next I wonder? Read on to find out!
After another three days of walking we reached a point where we believed it was safe enough to slow the pace. Of course, trouble always found us.
"Well what do we 'ave here?" A cold voice chuckled as we set up camp. Legolas already had his bow strung and ready and the others all dived for their swords. "Uh uh! Careful now lads, you wouldn't want this little man to lose something, would you?" The bandit snapped his fingers and about ten men stepped forwards, one of them thrusting Pippin in front.
"Pip!" Merry cried and took a step forwards but Boromir caught him and held him back. I stayed perfectly still, hoping I was not yet spotted. "Now this is what we're going to do. You are going to hand over all you're weapons, valuables and the pony, or your friend gets it.
No one moved a muscle. I looked over to Aragorn and he tilted his head slightly, catching my eye. I gave him a slight nod and began to move around behind them. "Please do not harm our friend. You shall have whatever you wish. Will come and join us by the fire?" Aragorn offered, gesturing with his hand towards the stove Sam was cooking on.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" The bandit scoffed. He was a strange looking man, his face looked squashed, his nose was bent from being recently broken, his pale eyes were full of greed and his hunched figure did him little good to make him look bigger, for he seemed a tiny man.
I drew my sword and stepped closer, angling myself towards them. "Now, do as I say! Get them!" His men ran forwards at the others so I took my opportunity. Without a word I grabbed the little man by the scruff of his tunic and turned him, lifting him up from the ground. He shrieked and the fighting instantly stopped.
"Monster! Monster! Someone save me!" He cried, tears pouring down his face. I cracked a toothy grin and I roared at him. He screamed then sobbed, clinging his face with his hands to cover his eyes. I turned and grabbed his legs with my other hand then lifted him up over my head before tossing him as far as I could. He sailed ten feet, twenty, thirty until he landed, roughly around forty two feet from us. He got up and ran, screaming for his life.
The others pounced back into battle, fighting the others until they too ran for their lives. "That was fun." I noted as I joined the others.
"I told you it was forty feet!" Pippin laughed, punching Merry in the shoulder cheerfully.
"No, I did!" He argued, pouting slightly.
"No, I said so!" And so the debate began until, after much endurance, Gandalf called for them to be silent or he would cast a spell on them to bind their tongues until the morning. That shut them up. When everyone was asleep and I took a watch, I was very surprised when Frodo came and sat by me.
"I never said thank you, for saving me from those Nazgûl on both accounts." He began. I looked to the stars.
"You needn't bother then. I don't believe in wasting words, I don't want your thanks for anything." I told him. "I offered you my life and that is what you have, until you release me from it. I may be a monster, Frodo Baggins, but I take my oaths very seriously." He nodded his head silently.
"When you pulled the Ring from my finger, I was afraid you would run away with it, but you didn't. Didn't it tempt you?" He frowned at me, obviously he had been thinking of this for a while now.
"Of course it did. Or rather, it tried to. I told it to shut up, remember?"
"Yes. I felt the Ring's shock." He gave a disheartened chuckle before gazing up at the stars. "There's so many." I looked at him then slowly opened my mouth.
"My mother told me a story once. A long, long time ago." He looked to me expectantly, the moon shining on his pale skin, his bright eyes like silver. "She told me that each star was a wish. Every wish you could ever ask for and every night, the moon gave each person one wish to make them happier. You see, the moon never sees us happy in the day as she is asleep, however at night, she watches our dreams. She was once so horrified by a little girl's nightmare that she sent a star down to protect her and give her something to make her happy. Do you know what the child asked for?" Frodo shook his head, leaning forwards. "She wished that everyone could have the chance to make a wish at night, so that they too may be happy. So the moon granted her wish and everybody was given the chance to wish for something to make their lives happier. If they were true in their heart and pure in their intention then someday, that wish would come true. Sometimes when you least expect it."
"That is a beautiful story." Frodo complimented softly.
"I used to sit outside and stare up at the stars, repeating the same wish over and over again. Hoping that it would come true." I admitted, feeling a little foolish.
"And what did you wish for?"
"A friend." Frodo blinked then smiled.
"Why, Rana, I think your wish has finally been answered." I looked at him and nodded gratefully.
"You may not trust me, Frodo, but my intentions are pure. I wish you no harm and I will protect you." I looked back to the others. "All of you."
"I know. I was wrong to not trust you, as Sam graciously reminded me the other day of my own words. 'A servant of the enemy would look fairer, but feel fouler.' I was foolish to forget."
"Sam cares so much about you, Mr Frodo. If you decide to push us away, fine. But never push him away, never. He has a strong heart, he can look after you in others ways to how we can. Sometimes it is not all about the sword."
"You are so wise, Rana. I am grateful for your wisdom. Do you mind if I sit with you a while longer? I find I have trouble sleeping." I nodded.
"Tomorrow I shall make you a sleeping draught, I find it helps induce a dreamless sleep." I told him quietly then sat with him, speaking no more as we gazed at the multitude of stars.
I stared at the great walls of Moria, suddenly feeling very dwarfed by its sheer size. Gimli breathed in awe then hurried down after Gandalf. "Do not tell the dwarf I said this, but it is rather impressive." Legolas whispered to me as he passed. I snorted quietly then followed.
Gandalf spoke about the dwarf doors, explaining that they were invisible when closed, however if their secrets are lost then no one could enter. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas said sarcastically when he was within ear shot of the dwarf.
"Guard your tongue, little princeling." He growled at him.
"Little? I think you'll find you are actually the shortest person here." Legolas returned.
"We dwarves do not need height to be mighty! Come here and match my axe with your bow then we shall see who comes off worse!" Gimli lifted his weapon but Gandalf interrupted.
"Enough." No one argues with the wizard.
"Mines are no place for a pony, even ones so brave as Bill." Aragorn was saying. I moved over and took Sam's shoulder. "Here." I touched Bill's face and shifted my aura again.
Sam! I do not wish to go, I shall not leave you! Bill cried in his head.
You must, Bill, it is not safe for you, I do not want to see you hurt. Sam had tears leaking down his face as he cradled Bill's nose and stroked his neck.
Please master? I do not wish to lose my only friends in the world.
I shall find you again. If you go back to Bree, I will come back for you. Sam made the promise sincerely, I saw it in his eyes.
But no one likes me there, they may sell me and beat me, I am afraid.
No, you are Bill the brave, son of Thomas the Strong, you need not fear any trouble or danger for I, Rana the Wanderer, bless you with good heart. May the grass grow thick and green, may the water be cool and pure, may no one touch you without goodwill or harm you in any way. Go now, my friend, our paths shall cross again. I whispered then gave the true elven blessing.
Goodbye Bill. Sam murmured. Bill cried out one last time then slowly lumbered away. Sam closed his eyes and bowed his head to try and hide his tears. "Come on Sam." Aragorn said gently and steered him away. I felt a pang of sorrow as the little pony trotted away.
Gandalf tired every spell and incantation he could think of to try and open the doors. He had sworn me to silence about the shadows and flame, so I held my tongue. Merry and Pippin amused themselves by tossing stones into the water but Aragorn stopped them, for it was dangerous to disturb strange water.
"Bah! It is no use." Gandalf muttered and sat down on a rock.
"What now?" Boromir asked.
"Give me a minute, I shall think." Gandalf snapped grumpily and the lord instantly backed off. It was also dangerous to disturb annoyed wizards.
"It's a riddle!" Frodo suddenly realised. "Speak friend, and enter…what's the elvish word for friend?" He turned to Gandalf.
"Mellon." He answered slowly. Suddenly the doors shifted then swung, gaping open like a mouth. I glanced around then followed the others inside. The stench of death hit me.
"Soon master elf, you will taste the fabled hospitality of the dwarves. I assure you, you will not be disappointed." Gimli chuckled then stopped as Gandalf lit his staff. Light seeped out into the darkness and everyone stared. Corpses.
"What? No!" Gimli gasped, leaping over to the nearest Dwarf skeleton. I instantly grabbed the hobbits and pulled them close. "Don't look." I told them and they all closed their eyes. Legolas drew an arrow from one of the skulls and hissed. "Goblins!" I drew back my bow and began to shuffle backwards.
"We make for the gap of Rohan, we should never have come here. Now get out!" He called and we all moved backwards. Suddenly I heard something slip out of the water. I snatched my head around and saw Frodo suddenly fall and slide towards the water. The other three hobbits leaped to his defence, striking the tentacle that had wrapped itself around his leg.
"Strider! Rana!" Sam called but I was already half way there. The tentacle drew back then swiped the others aside before grabbing onto Frodo again. "No!" I shouted, leaping forwards and swapping my bow for my sword. I was soon joined by Aragorn and Boromir who hacked at the legs, trying to reach the hobbit who cried out in fear.
I sliced through a leg and the Watcher howled in rage as it pulled itself up from the depths. I ducked as another tentacle whipped around at me then sliced that one off too. Strider reached the tentacle holding Frodo and sliced through it, freeing him from the Watcher's clutches.
"Legolas!" Boromir shouted as he turned away, Frodo tucked up in his clutches.
"Into the mines!" Gandalf bellowed and we all raced inside. The Watcher climbed out of its dark home and chased after us, yanking on the rocks above. They all slid free and collapsed around the entrance, tossing us into the bleak darkness.
Light swelled around us and I blinked as my eyes adjusted. "We now have only one choice. The long dark of Moria." Gandalf murmured. "Let us be quiet and pray that our passing goes unnoticed." As everyone moved on I felt someone grip my muscled arm and squeezed.
"If you make one move to alert your kin, I shall personally cut off your head." Boromir warned me darkly. "And I shall take great pleasure in it." I tore my arm free and gripped his throat tightly. He grunted and clung onto my hand trying to pull it off but I did not move.
"And if you so much as look at Frodo again, I shall pluck your eyes from your skull and shove them in two places, one of which will hurt very much." I growled then tossed him forwards. He stumbled but retained his balance. He shot me one look then hurried after the others as it was steadily growing dark.
I followed behind, watching the shadows behind us but nothing moved or breathed. We were alone. For now. We passed through another chamber full of dead skeletons. Gimli bowed his head and muttered in his native tongue. The most I could understand was the farewell to his brothers and the oath of vengeance.
I felt sorry for the dwarf, to have to walk over his kin's bodies knowing the pain they suffered. We barely spoke. We dared not. We soon lost track of time and did not know whether it was day or night. "We shall rest here. No fires, just sleep."
"Everyone sleep, I shall take watch tonight." I told them.
"You need to rest too, Rana. You cannot keep going forever." Legolas insisted but I shook my head.
"I see better in this darkness. I will watch for danger. Do not worry for my strength, I can endure." I turned and sat down behind a rock where I had a good view of most of the chamber. No one argued after that, everyone was too tired so I was left alone. Or so I thought.
"We appreciate you watching over us, Rana." Merry whispered. "You're a good friend." I could not think of a reply.
"Rest, little Halfling." I murmured and placed a hand on his soft curls. They used to be so golden and bright, now they had lost their shine and were a tangled mess. My hand swallowed his head but I kept my touch light as not to crush him.
When I heard his soft snores I lifted my hand away. Occasionally some other member would wake up and speak quietly with me but I would tell them to go back to sleep. After a few hours of silence Gandalf spoke.
"I think it is time we moved on." He murmured.
"Please, a little longer?" I begged. "No one has stirred for nearly two hours." He glanced at the others then nodded. I heard him grope in the darkness for his staff.
"You are doing well, Rana, I was rather expecting you to have ripped off someone's head by now but I am pleased that you have controlled yourself." The old man told me and I looked at him. He looked so much older in the darkness, his eyes were sunken and heavy, each line accented by the shadows.
"I have boundaries, no one has crossed them yet." I answered simply.
"I knew you were not what you seemed. At first you are like a wounded animal, you bite and snap at anyone who tries to get close, but when shown a little love, you let them get closer." He murmured with a sigh.
"I am not weak-"
"I am not saying you are, just lonely and afraid. Very much afraid." I stared at him.
"It's been so long…I've never known acceptance. Even my mother had limits to how much she loved me." I began slowly, unsure whether I could trust the old man with my secrets.
"But you did not blame her." He guessed.
"No. How could I? It's not her fault she was…" I trailed off. "If I could, I would have stopped it from happening. If I could go back in time and kill the orc who did this, I would."
"Even if it meant you would never have existed?" Gandalf raised an eyebrow and I looked directly at him in the darkness. My eyes glowed wolfishly.
"Especially if I never existed." Gandalf said nothing but simply looked at me. He stroked his beard, thinking deeply.
"For my selfish part, I am glad that you exist. However you will soon learn that you cannot survive on your strength alone, you must let others in." My mouth twitched into an almost smile.
"The hobbits are doing their best, I can assure you."
"I know. But let others in also." He sighed then stretched. "Wake the others, we must move." I nodded then gently rose to my feet, awakening everyone. Our journey continued. We climbed stairs and passed through historic battle grounds. The eerie silence seemed to echo through our minds and I knew that this dark place would not leave us for many years to come.
I have to admit I am growing rather fond of Rana. She's grumpy and has a sharp tongue but then again, she is rather protective of the hobbits. Makes up for everything really doesn't it? Thank you for reading, hope to see you in future chapters
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