A/N: An update already! I know, I know, it's not like me to update that quickly, but SUMMER IS HERE! SO happy…. Anyways, special thanks to Trevor and Sam who helped me out a whole lot in making this chapter! Swearing is inevitable, so don't be offended!
Disclaimer: I've said it a lot of times now, I DON'T OWN LOTR
Chapter 7- The Start of Something Dangerous
oOo
Snow battered my face, while the sharp and cold wind somehow snuck in all my jackets, and gloves, making my teeth chatter, and my nose to run. I gritted my teeth to make them stop shaking, but the effort was almost futile. I wished that we didn't have to cross this freaking mountain. I never really liked mountains…. Their presence always seemed dark and forbidding to me, for reasons unknown. Icy cold snow stung my eyes; I closed them in order to save them from freezing. It didn't really make a difference. There was so much snow battling against us that we could barely see anyways. I bumped into someone's back, and I stepped back, embarrassed. By now, my eyes were open, and I saw that I bumped into Legolas.
Great, just what I need, the prissy elf to comment on my clumsiness.
oOo
Legolas's POV
As I stepped lightly over the snow, I looked back and saw that the others were struggling to clear a path for themselves. I felt slightly ashamed of myself, not everyone is as light and strong as an elf. I hopped into the tunneled path that Aragorn and Boromir were bulldozing through. Before I started helping clear the way, I felt something shove into my back. I mentally sighed, what now?
Turning around, I realized that it was Alexandra. I was startled that she looked so miserable. Usually, she's always laughing with the hobbits, or chatting with Aragorn and Gandalf, but right now, she looked like she's been through hell and back. I held out a hand to steady her. She looked mildly surprised. I winced mentally, I knew that I hadn't really been the best guy ever since she came, but I didn't know she was that alienated from me. Besides, she isn't that bad…. Just touchy, like all females are sometimes.
"You alright?" I asked.
She glanced at me, and grimaced.
"If you call freezing my ass off in this mountain, then yes, I'm fine." She said sarcastically.
I smiled, amused at her sharp and witty sarcasm.
"Well, I distinctly remember you saying to Gandalf that this would be no problem for you," I countered back.
"I never said that I couldn't handle this!" she said in a mock pompous manner. "Can't a girl say that she's cold, wet, and miserable without having someone question her ability?"
I rolled my eyes, and shook my head. Alex can be so stubborn sometimes….
oOo
Alexandra's POV
I was surprised at our friendly banter during the next few minutes. The time when I unexpectedly dropped into their Fellowship, Legolas has always treated me like I was an enemy, never trusting me. Above me, I heard a strange sound. It was like, a distant rumbling. What was that sound again? It sounded really familiar, like…. An avalanch!
Just as I was finishing the thought, I was buried in the heavy, white snow. I fought the urge to panic, and started clearing a space above my head so that I could breath more easily.
Movement became easier, as my legs started moving, and using my arms, I dragged myself up in the shallow space above me. I was hoping that the snow above me hadn't froze in the time. I was so close to the surface, when my hand banged upon hard ice.
My hopes dropped, there was going to be no way out, unless I had the strength to break it, which I most likely don't have. I pounded on the ice futilely. I didn't want to die in this cold grave! Panic welled inside me, as I felt the oxygen levels slowely dropping. Desperately, I punched the unmoving ice above. To my surprise and instant relief, I felt it crack. Again, I punched, and more cracks appeared. I gathered all my strength, and punched again. This time, I felt it splinter and break into shards. Gratefully, I breathed in the wonderful air. Now, I had to pull myself out of this hell-hole. My right-hand knuckles were bruised and bloodied because of the ice. But before I could get out of it, I felt strong hands pull me out like I was a child. I looked up, and saw it was Legolas. Never less, I was grateful.
"Thanks." I smiled wearily at him.
He didn't reply, because he was looking at my hand.
"What happened?" he asked, his forehead creased in worry lines.
I looked down at it, "Oh, it's nothing, I was just using it to get rid of the ice above me, and just got a bit torn and bruised." I shrugged. "I've had worse."
He shook his head, "No it's not Alex, have you even taken a good look at it?"
I hesitated, the truth was, it was pretty bad, I just didn't want to admit it. It was throbbing painfully now, and I didn't want to look at it, in fear of triggering a reaction.
He waded through the pool of snow, and took out a roll of bandages and disinfactant from the pony, and started wrapping my hand. Meanwhile, Boromir was yapping away to Gandalf about how we wouldn't survive this mountain.
"We cannot survive this mountain Gandalf! We'll be frozen, and die here in this snow!"
This time, Gimli offered to go through Moria.
I flinched as Legolas accidentally pressed too hard on my hand with the alcohol, or whatever it was that was making my hand sting. A sharp pain filled my hand, and I gritted my teeth in order to stop me from crying out.
"Sorry," he said apologetically. I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak.
"Just don't bandage my fingers, that way I can still draw my bow," I told him, smiling tightly. Aragorn had offered me his longbow, and I wanted to still be able to handle it.
While we were talking, Gandalf had asked Frodo which road we should take. I don't know about the others, but I would love to get off this mountain….
Frodo's young face was innocent, and worried. Free of guile and misconception. He hesitated, and glanced toward Aragorn and me. The hobbits and I had grown close. I smiled reassuringly at him.
He seemed to have decided, "We shall take the road through Moria." he announced.
Gandalf's face seemed to grow older, and he sighed.
"Very well young Frodo, through the gates of Moria we shall travel." he conceded.
As we turned around to head down the mountain, I glanced at my bandaged hand. It still hurt, but it wasn't that bad. I experimentally flexed my fingers, and winced as a slight pain shot up my arm.
"Try not to move it that much, the pain will lessen a little." Legolas said.
"You'll be able to draw your bow with no trouble, your daggers too." he added
"Thanks." I smiled at him. I was extremely grateful to him, since he actually seemed to care now.
oOo
As we walked into the cave holding the entrance of Moria, a cold breeze blew by us, making us shiver and pull our cloaks closer to our bodies. This place is eerie. Moonlight filtered through the ceiling, casting shadows that flickered and faded agiasnt the walls as clouds passed over the moon.
"Aaah, Moria! My cousin Balin is Lord in there you know!" chuckeld Gimli, delighted that we were going to one of his favorite places.
"Inside, there'll be roaring fires, and fresh meat right off the bone!"
I smiled queasily at Gimli. The fire part, I'm looking forward to, but the meat? Not so much.
"Dwarf doors are invisible you know! They are only visible by moonlight. During the day, finding them is very hard. Sometimes, even dwarves forget where the doors are!" he continued.
"Why does that not surprise me?" said Legolas with a wry smile.
I grinned, seems like my sarcastic attitude was rubbing off on him. I couldn't suppress the laugh inside me, and I snorted.
Gimli bristled, "I'd like to see an ELF find the door to Moria!"
Legolas smirked, and pointed to a part of the wall that was lit by moonlight, "It's right there."
I couldn't help it, and started snickering. For it was there, thin, delicate lines forming an elaborate wall. On top if the design, there were beautiful characters, which I couldn't read. Plus, the look on Gimli's face was priceless.
"What do those characters mean?" Frodo asked.
"Speak friend, and enter." Gandalf answered.
"Well, what does that mean?" asked Pippin, in that adorable, clueless way. I mentally facepalmed, and saw Gandalf's face, and it seemed that he was doing that same.
"It's simple! You have to speak the password, and enter!"
And Gandalf proccedded to intone an impressive array of fancy speech. But the door remained solidly shut.
"Very impressive Gandalf, but I'm sure it's something more simple than that." I said drily.
He glared witheringly at me, and I grinned in return. As he sat and thought, I looked out over the glistening lake. It vaguely reminded me of the lake in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when Dumbledore and Harry cross to get the Horcrux.
I saw Pippin throwing stones in the water, spreading ripples through the otherwise still water. Suddenly, Frodo exclaimed, "It's a riddle! Speak "friend" and enter, what's the Elvish word for "friend"?" he asked Gandalf.
"Mellon."
And the doors opened.
oOo
As we walked into the dark entrance, I sensed something was wrong. There were bodies littered everywhere, with arrows sticking out of them. Legolas snapped an arrow shaft off a body, and turned toward us in horror.
"Goblins!"
"Everyone out!" Aragorn ordered.
As we ran outside, the ripples in the lake grew larger, until a thick, scaly tentacle burst out and seized Frodo.
Everyone reacted instantly, Aragorn and Boromir waded out and started hacking at the tentacles writhing in the water. Legolas and I started rapidly firing arrows at the head. I smiled grimly as one of my arrows struck it's eye.
Screaming in agony, it dropped Frodo, but started crawling toward us.
"Get inside Moria!" yelled Gandalf.
Everyone sprinted inside, but the kraken's tentacles thundered against the stone walls. There was a sudden rumbling as boulders crashed down, barring the way out.
When we turned back to look, the way was shut. There was only one way through now, and that was four days away.
Gandalf's staff gave out a steady white glow, and gravely started walking into the darkness.
Everyone followed uncertainly, walking into the dark unknown.
OOo
A/N: I think it's a pretty long chapter, but I don't think this was my best. Tell me what you guys think in a review! Please review, it means a lot to me, and it tells me whether it was good, bad, or ok!
Btw, I was listening to Payphone by Maroon 5 while writing this
Also, important info: I know that Alex becoming Aragorn's long lost elf sis was slightly Sue-ish, but it makes sense. Aragorn's ancestor long was started by a man and elf. So he is part Elf. I just made up the part about Aragorn's Elvin mom, but I warned you guys about how I wouldn't really follow the storyline, or pasts of character's.
Thanks for the people who did review!
