Chapter 10: The First Pains of Loss
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~ ~ ~ Hey Guys,
One word and I'm gone...
Balrog!
Laters! ~ ~ ~
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"Run!" Gandalf's voice commanded as the fellowship navigated through the mines.
"This is wrong... all wrong." Legolas whispered.
Nileregwen shook her head, "It has to be this way."
They were swiftly running through the corridors, passageways, and great halls of Moria. Orcs, Goblins, and Trolls were hot on their heels, yet it was not the hordes of evil beings which the Elf feared.
A great rumble shook the underground dwelling to it's core. Thick black smoke filtered in through a doorway far away. The red glint of flames cast shadows that were almost as unnerving as the firey glow itself.
"Stay close to Boromir." Ashley whispered as the group rounded a corner into a new hallway.
Legolas nodded and rushed ahead to catch up with the Gondorian. Even though the Elf wanted nothing more to do with the obnoxious man, he knew his part well and realized that he had to save Boromir from a gruesome death very soon.
The stairs faded and as Ashley, who was now near the back of the group, looked down upon the rock ledge, she spotted Legolas barely holding onto Boromir. They both fell back upon the steps with a thud.
The woman turned and spotted Gandalf and Aragorn speaking to each other in swift but hushed tones. Suddenly, the wizard pushed the Ranger before him.
"Sword are no more use here!" she head Gandalf reply.
Legolas looked up sharply at the wizard's words, for he knew what the Maia had in mind.
"Mithrandir, I..." but he stopped speaking when he caught Ashley shaking her head.
The Elf cursed to himself as he stood, helping Boromir to his feet.
"My thanks." the warrior said, but Legolas was too preoccupied to answer.
Swiftly, Ashley grabbed the Elf's arm and whispered into his ear, "One should not know their fate, Legolas."
He scowled at her, "I can not do nothing."
"You have to. If you save him... all will be lost." the woman's eyes pleaded with him.
They pleaded for understanding.
Legolas closed his eyes in emotional pain, "I... Valar help me!" he whispered in prayer.
Nil touched the side of the Elf's face, "Legolas... listen to me. Trust me as you would trust a brother at arms. You trust those you fight with to watch your back. Give me that same trust, please."
"I..."
"This is no time for intimate moments, you two." Aragorn said as he stood at their side. "The bridge is near."
Legolas nodded, "Aye... let us hurry."
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"Gandalf!" Legolas beckoned, ready to help the wziard should he loose his footing.
Atop steep stairs the fellowship jumped a large gap one at a time.
Ashley had followed Legolas across, being the second one to land on the other side. Actually, the Elf had picked her up and easily leaped across the missing stone stairs with her in tow.
Gandalf got across with little difficulty with Gimli not far behind. Of course Legolas had tried, somehow, to help the Dwarf across without grabbing his beard, but it seemed inevitable.
"Not the beard!" came Gimli's growl as Legolas helped him to regain his footing.
Aragorn quickly tossed Sam across the gap. The Halfling landed in the outstretched arms of Legolas. Setting him on the ground, the group turned back to help the next person across.
Boromir jumped with Merry and Pippin in his arms. As the man leapt however, part of the stair gave way. Ashley looked up in time to see a large chunk of rock from overhead come crashing down upon the stairs behind Aragorn and Frodo, trapping them on the tertering steps. The Ranger panicked for just a moment as the ground beneath him and the Hobbit wobbled unsteadily.
"Lean into it." Ashley shouted across the chasm.
Legolas, who had been busy firing arrows at Goblin archers, turned and shouldered his bow, ready to help.
Nodding, Aragorn and Frodo leaned back and to the side before leaning forward as the rock stairs came tumbling down.
"Come on..." Legolas whispered, his arms outstretched to catch them.
Frodo fell into Boromir's waiting grasp and Legolas caught Aragorn as the stairs crumbled to pieces behind them and fell into the never ending darkness below.
"Hurry!" Ashley called to the fellowship as, once more, they continued down the atairs and ever closer to the bridge.
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"NIL! Let me go!" Legolas cried, trying to pry the woman's hands from his waist.
She shook her head, a notion the archer could feel upon his back. "I can't! You must stay here!"
Gandalf clung to the edge of what remained of Kazahd-dum's narrow bridge. Those fatal words which Legolas had uttered only seconds after the deomn's enterance were still etched upon everyone's mind.
'Ai! Ai! A Balrog! A Balrog has come!'
Now, as Ashley held the Elven Prince back with everything she had, she wondered to herself why Gandalf had to die. Was it this which changed him from grey to white? If they saved the wizard from this fate, would things still turn out the same?
"Nil, I can save him!" Legolas shouted.
But Ashley would not loosen her grip. She looked up, her eyes catching those of the prince.
"No... you can't." she whispered, tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks.
Aragorn watched in horror, as did the rest of the fellowship. The Dunedan knew they Legolas' quick and nimble feet could fly over the stone easily and pluck the wizard from his doom. Yet this woman was not allowing it. Was she afraid for the Elf's safety? Or was there something else?
"Fly you fool!" the wizard shouted.
Quickly, Ashley's eyes locked with the Maia's. With one last look at Frodo, who was being restrained from running to the wizard's side by Boromir, Gandalf let go of the bridge's edge and plummeted down into the darkness.
"GANDALF!" Frodo's heart broken cry rang out as goblin arrows rained down upon the company.
The Halfling's cry was too much and the tears which Nil had been holding back exploded onto her cheeks.
Gandalf's death was on her hands now...
It was no longer merely fate...
She was the cause...
"Aragorn!" Boromir called, his voice breaking the spell of grief which hung over the group.
Hesitantly, the Ranger turned, about to run out of the chamber after Boromir, the Hobbits, and Gimli. He saw the Elf and woman still standing in the same place.
"Legolas! Ashley!" Strider's voice penetrated their through.
The urgency in the man's voice was all they needed to hear as the two turned and fled after the Ranger.
Not long later, the group broke through to the surface, stepping out into the sunshine once more.
Yet the warm rays of the sun could do nothing to break the cloud of grief upon the minds of the fellowship...
A fellowship that was now broken
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What have I done?...
Merry and Pippin sat in one another's embrace as tears poured from their eyes. Sam's sobs could be heard clearly to her left. Gimli was in a rage, demanding to return to the mines, but Boromir, nearly sheding tears of his own, held the Dwarf back. Aragorn looked out over the hill, lost and confused. Frodo walked alone, shock and grief his only companions.
But Legolas... Legolas did not understand.
"He is dead..." the prince whispered in a voice only he could hear. "He was immortal and now he is dead..."
"Legolas, I..."
"No!" the Elf looked at Ashley in confusion. "No... I do not wish to hear it, not from you."
"It had to be done." she replied, tears of her own being shed freely now.
Legolas shook his head, "I will not believe it. I can... I can not... I..."
The woman hugged him, "I know." she whispered, "Death is not common for you... I know." Ashley's gaze landed on the form of Strider. "But Estel needs your help now, caun nin. He can not guide this fellowship alone. You must stand by his side, whatever the cost."
"Whatever the cost..." Legolas whispered, pulling back and looking into the woman's eyes, "How can you be so sure of everything, Nileregwen... How can I be so sure of you?"
Ashley smiled sadly, "I can be sure, because your journey is etched into my memory for all time. You can be sure of me, because I would never, ever, betray you, Legolas. Never, do you hear me?"
The prince nodded, "Aye... I do."
""Legolas! Get them up!" Aragorn's voice rang out, piercing the cloud of despair.
Boromir looked up at him in shock, "Give them a moment for pity's sake!"
"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlorien." Aragorn announced, sheathing the sword his had remained in his hand the entire time. "Come Boromir, Gimli, Legolas! Get them up!"
The Elf nodded, helping Merry to his feet while Boromir hoisted Pippin up. Aragorn did the same for Sam, but then soon realized that Frodo was far ahead of them now.
"Frodo!" the Ranger called out.
Ashley watched as the Hobbit turned red rimmed eyes Strider's direction. Her own heart broke for the sorrow that she saw in those blue orbs. It was the same sorrow she had seen in Legolas' own eyes... a sorrow she wished no one ever had to experience. The woman vowed to speak with Frodo before they reached Lothlorien. She wanted to put the Hobbit's heart at ease if she could.
Siently, the broken fellowship trudged on towards the woods, leaving the Mines of Moria and all it's evil behind them.
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Disclaimer: Refer to Chapter 1 for this.
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Reviews:
Serpent of Light: It's very confusing... and a bit unsettling. Nil's dealing with the issue now of, did she do the right thing, or not.
Merry: Mellon nin, 'tis good to hear from you again. I was bored... since you're not around... and decided to put up this chapter finally. I hope you like it. And no worries, what you were wanting to talk about (I think) should be coming soon. Practice your rugby tackles... too bad Andrew isn't still around.
Coolio02: Thank you very much, and here's the next chapter.
Musicstarlover: I always continue... though my definition of Soon is slightly off I think.
nebrets: Have you finished all my stories yet, Jess? A heroic attempt? Is that good?
Satiana: Better late than never, and I can always understand about school. My hours are not that odd, but they're odd in their own little ways.
Kris and Kitty: I have seen ROTK more times then I can count and was going to watch it today except ran into some complications. It comes out soon on dvd, thank goodness. But I can't wait till the extended, I do so look forward to the cast commentary.
Manders1953: I'm always watching "The Order" or, well, I was... now I've been watching... *thinks* "ROAR" a lot. Odd though... both have Heath Ledger... And I would have loved to stay for Mardi Gras. That city has no drinking age it seems.
aussiesportstar: I'm glad you're not lame. I try to make this as real as I can, but I don't care if people are jealous of my character, it's only a character for crying out loud. It's not like I'm going to be whisked away to Middle-earth and fall in love with Legolas. Uh huh... yeah right... But yeah, my character has the same flaws and weakness that I do... wonder why... *laughs* Smak it to him!
brave_chicken: I've had this chapter written for along time, but internet issues kinda prevented me from ever typing it and putting it up... so I'm doing it at 1am!
jackrocs: To put you guys in suspense, I'm thinking about writting a preview chapter for the 3rd story, or at least put a teaser on there. But not yet... not until I'm closer to the end... which I'm not. If you remember how long it took in Rivendell, it should take about half that long to get through Lothlorien, maybe even more. It depends on the muses. I should tell that to everyone btw...
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Author's Note:
Sorry it took me so long, I had internet issues and couldn't get around to typing this chapter up and posting it. It's been written for nearly a month now actually... my bad. The next chapter is already under way, though I think I need to update, "Savior And Destroyer" first.
As I told jackrocs, if you can remember how long it took me to get through the Rivendell part of the story... it'll be like that for Lothlorien. Either it will be half the length or more, but it will take a few chapters. Big things are in store for our heros.
Legolas: Let us hope.
Aragorn: Yes.
And you two need to stop eating pizza and help me!
Legolas: We were not eating pizza this time, Nil. Honest.
Uh huh...
Aragorn: Truly... We vanquished an evil in your backyard.
What was it, a squirrel?
Legolas: A demon squirrel.
Aragorn: Sent to take over the world.
*sigh*
FRODO!!!! STOP PUTTING IDEAS INTO THE HEADS OF MY MUSES!
Legolas: But he did not do it.
Aragorn: No.
Then who?
*both Legolas and Aragorn look at each other*
WHO?!
Legolas: Well, Dani...
Aragorn: Merry.
Legolas: Right. She told us this story about squirrels taking over the world and... well...
Aragorn: And then she pointed at the squirrel and... well...
And you two believed her? AI! Aragorn, your brothers are having far too much of an influence on Merry these days.
Legolas: Well, they do live in her house.
Aragorn: And so does Thranduil
That isn't the point! The point is!...
Mysterious Voice: There is no point...
!!!
Legolas: !!!
Aragorn: !!!
What was that?
Legolas: I do not know.
Aragorn: It came from the closet... I think
*the three creep up to the closet and open it*
*GASP!*
Legolas: *GASP!*
Aragorn: *GASP!*
All Three: ELLADAN! ELROHIR!
Elladan: We have been discovered!
Elrohir: Plan B! Execute Plan B!
*the twins disappear*
Oh.... they are so getting it for this... Look at how they trashed my closet!!!
Legolas: Estel, I think your brothers are in trouble.
Aragorn: Indeed...
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Preview:
Next time on... "A Destined Journey"
Guilt has a way of eating at your soul... especially guilt over something you could have prevented. Has Legolas grown cold to Nileregwen or will she somehow gain his full trust again? To see Mithrandir fall was hard on the entire fellowship, Frodo included. As the group stumbles into the Woods of Lothlorien, discussions will commence, songs will be sung, and a new ally will appear that no one ever expected... not even Ashley.
Until next time...
Laters!