Disclaimer: I own nothing of X-men or Lords of the Rings. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I lost the first draft when my computer went down years ago. I hadn't been able to get back into writing but I'm giving this another shot. All errors are mine I don't have a beta so grammar is horrible I expect.
Chapter 6
Aiden had been bored while walking down the mountain and kept pulling practical jokes on those around. Bobby was glad to see that he knocked John down several times once into a pile of mud.
Bobby was watching Charles as Gandalf kept dropping back and talking to him. He looked at Aiden who had his head cocked to the side watching the best he could. He could see the gleam in the boy's eyes even in the goat form. John was sputtering and angry about being knocked down. The hobbits just kept snickering about it. Rogue was just walking calmly next to Logan talking. Kitty was just talking to Ororo and Scott.
Later that day they came to rest for a meal and short break. Gandalf watched as Aiden stopped next to him letting Logan set the Professor down next to him. Gandalf watched the boy change and race off with Logan to hunt. He shook his head as he tried to figure out the boy. "Don't try to understand Aiden." Xavier said as he smiled at him. They spoke together for a long time neither realizing they had started to hold hands.
Aiden came back to the camp full but Sam held out something he had made. Aiden took it and moved to Legolas who was seated next to Aragorn talking with their heads together. Aiden sat down and looked at Xavier who was content with Gandalf. He was happy if the man found someone that would be with him while they were here.
Legolas looked down at Aiden who settled next to him on the ground. He smiled and ruffled the boys hair feeling the soft metal. Aiden made a sudden purring noise in his throat and Legolas chuckled along with Aragorn. Aiden fell asleep and Legolas rescued the meal from the boys limp hands. He handed it to Aragorn with a grin.
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They had finally arrived at a dark lake that reflected the moonlight. Aiden was skittish around this area and Charles could feel the fear in the boys horse body. He could actually hear the mind saying something wasn't right with the lake. Charles looked at it and frowned a bit. It wasn't like Aiden to be afraid of water. He immediately looked at Logan who was scanning the Lake as well sniffing the air. He had Aiden get him further from the lake before he was removed. He watched Aiden change back and opened his arms to the boy. Aiden went into them his head turned into his chest. "It will be fine Aiden." Charles spoke softly to the boy.
Gandalf just let the two be not understanding the tension in the boy and Logan. He went to the door as the moonlight hit it making it glow. Aiden was immediately interested as he peeked at the lettering. Legolas was wandering around the edge of the lake. The hobbit's began to throw stones into the water seeing who could skip stones. Aragorn and Boromir herded them away after seeing the strained looks on the other's faces.
Gandalf kept trying to get the door to the mine opened but he couldn't. Frodo moved over to him as he sat down on a rock. Aiden was just watching him and then turned his head as Aragorn moved to Legolas. He watched the two and then turned to watch his father for a bit. Gandalf was saying a bunch of words in a different language that Aiden tuned out. He prowled around the area keeping the hobbits away from the water's edge.
They had been sitting near the lake for quite a while. Aiden was feeling sorry for Sam who didn't want to part with the pack horse. Though Aragorn talked him into seeing it was better to let the horse go. Aiden turned his attention to Gandalf who was trying to still open the mines door. Aiden wasn't sure how he could carry Charles in the place when they entered. He looked at the lake again lips pulled up revealing his teeth.
Frodo looked at the inscription and then looked at Gandalf for a bit. "it's a riddle." He told Gandalf. "Speak Friend, and Enter. What is the elvish word for Friend?" Gandalf leaned forward and smiled at him.
"Mellon." As soon as the wizard spoke the words the doors rumbled and began to open. The whole fellowship got up and moved to enter the mine. Logan took Charles this time putting him on his back holding the man's useless legs. Aiden snorted and Logan kicked him lightly.
Aiden looked at Gimli as the dwarf began to speak. "Soon Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat of the bone. This my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin." Aiden could smell the death in the mine and made a growling noise in his throat but said nothing. He looked at the light that was shining from the crystal in Gandalf's staff and really didn't want to see anything in the place. He caught Gimli's voice again. "And they call it a mine. A mine!"
Aiden's attention was on Boromir who spoke. "This is no Mine, it's a tomb." The man said and Aiden sighed getting ready for Gimli's outburst. It came and all the x-men moved together to form a protective circle around Charles. Aiden heard "Goblins!" from Legolas. Weapons were drawn and bows strung as they backed towards the door.
"We head for Rohan we should never have come here." Bomomir shouted as he scanned the area.
Aiden wasn't paying attention to what was before them but what was behind. He heard the sound of something moving in the water. The hobbits were way to close to that for his liking. He moved forward to try and get them to move when long tentacles came out of the water. One got Frodo by the ankle hauling him into the air. Aiden ran forward even as the hobbits called for Strider. Aiden changed into a panther latching onto the tentacle that held Frodo. He was suddenly sent flying slamming into the rocks.
Legolas ran firing his arrows as he stopped beside the unconscious Aiden. He kept fighting as Aragorn and Bomomir used their swords against the beast. Ororo didn't dare to use her powers while the others were in the water. She looked at Logan who still held Charles but was growling his blades out of his hands. Bobby ran forward to help icing up any tentacle that attacked the other's. John sent flames at tentacles that came at him. The other's made sure that Charles was protected.
Aragorn and Bomomir fought the beast in the water. Finally Aragorn cut the tentacle off. Bomomir caught Frodo and Gandalf yelled at them to get into the mine. They began to run Legolas watched as Ororo grab Aiden. Aragorn kept yelling at Legolas who slowly backed up towards the mine as he took aim at the creature in the water. He fired and got the creature in the eye then ran into the mine. The creatures remaining tentacles began waving around trying to get them.
The mine enterance took down the entrance blocking it that escape route. Everyone moved to the light of Gandalf's staff. Aragorn fussed over Frodo but the young hobbit rushed to Aiden who was laying in Charles' lap. "Is he all right?" He asked worriedly.
"I think he will be fine. He just got knocked out." The professor said softly.
Gandalf dropped to one knee to run a hand over the boys body. "He is very protective." he observed. Charles nodded his head at this. Gandalf let Aragorn take his place which the man did examining the young mutant. He smiled as he found no broken bones.
"He will be fine Frodo. No bones are broken. He will be sore probably won't be able to carry his father." His assurance made Frodo relax. Gandalf was looking around trying to figure out the way to go. Scott moved to talk to Logan as they figured out how to get Charles around. Logan figured that he could carry the man but he needed his hands free. Logan growled used a claw to draw a picture of a harness they could use to do just this.
Legolas was not at all comfortable with being in the mine. He was an elf and disliked this underground. He though wouldn't let it get to him. He moved to the two interested in what Logan was drawing. "What is this?"
"A way for Logan to carry the Professor and leave his hands free." Scott answered.
"What do you need for this?"
"Rope I suppose." Scott said looking at Logan who shrugged.
"Better yet Bub Leather or tough cloth." Logan growled out. He wasn't being friendly and never was. He watched as Legolas thought awhile and then smiled a bit. "I think that I know what to do." He went around to all the fellowship gathering things that could be used. He then gave it all to the two men. They quickly made a harness fitting it to Logan's back. "Well it's not pretty but I believe it will work." Logan growled out.
The harness did work even if the Professor didn't appreciate it. He saw that Aiden was up and looking at him in the harness. The boy was giggling and the hobbit's joined in. John ,Kitty and Bobby was laughing as well. They never expected their Professor to look so well helpless. Xavier glared at them but then broke into a grin. "I must look a sight like this." He said as he looked at Gandalf and nodded his head.
So they start to travel Logan had no problem carrying Charles' and the Professor just watched the others. He noticed that Legolas wasn't liking the mine at all because of his nature. He gave the elf reassurance telepathically. He got a wave of thanks from Legolas. He in turn he touched each person's mind. He felt Ororo's discontent on where they were. Logan didn't care but was on the ready. Bobby was holding Kitty's hand. John was just trying to see pass the light from Gandalf's staff. Aiden was just moving along slowly still sore but he wasn't scared of where they were. Gandalf was the one that was the most scared out of all of them. Charles didn't pry though the man would let them know in time.
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I didn't know where to end this so just did it here. I'll work on the next chapter soon. Just can't figure out where the X-men are going to be sent back or if they are going to stay until the end. :(
