Chapter Ten
"Why?" I ask to the wind not expecting a reply.
"Lellig, do not fret, you two will work it out. You always do." Ada says from behind me.
"Ada, I crossed the line, I hurt him so bad how can he forgive for the things I said to him?" I ask tears streaming down my cheeks.
"Elora, in life there is always a time where you will hurt the ones you love by accident, it what helps you grow closer together." Ada says and I sigh.
"Apologizing does not mean that the other person is right, it means you value the relationship more than your pride." I state and Ada pats my head. He steps back and I head down to find Legolas.
I make it into the hall. I look up from my feet and gasp at the sight in front of me. "Legolas!" I call out and Thalion's laugh sounds out through the room. Thalion has him in a choke hold.
"Let him go!" I shout and Legolas looks at me with pleading blue eyes.
"Run." He chokes out and I look to see across his left hip his silver tunic is stained red.
I sit up breathing heavy. "Elora?" Ada asks and I turn to him then look down at Legolas. I turn away and stare at nothing.
"Thalion. He's planning to kill Legolas." I shake my head in despair as tears drip off my face into the dirt.
"Well he can't touch me." Legolas whispers, wrapping his arms around me.
"That's not what that nightmare showed me." I argue and he sighs and kisses my temple.
"Elora, where were we?" He asks and I shake my head.
"I don't know, I didn't recognize the place. The dream started out with me talking to Ada, we had gotten into a fight. I don't know what I said but judging by what I was saying to ada they were pretty horrible things. Uh...oh in the background there was a tree, it had blossoming white flowers on it…"
"Minas Tirith in Gondor." Ada states and I nod.
"I went down to apologize to you and when I looked up from the floor Thalion had you in a choke hold. Th-There was a cut, across your hip," I turn and run my finger along the exact spot, "you looked so scared. I yelled at Thalion to let you go but he only laughed. You told me to run and then I woke up." I bury my face into his chest and he kisses the top of my head. "They look on your face, I wanted to do something but didn't know what.." I trail off as a sob shakes my shoulders.
"Melamin, do not worry about me." Legolas lifts my chin my his finger. He wipes away my tears. "Don't cry melamin, he can't come between us, I would never allow that to happen, I promise." He says, sincerity in his blue eyes.
I look up and the tears seem to disappear. "Are you guys going to kiss or what?" Merry teases and I blush. Legolas's cheeks also turn pink. I smile and kiss his cheek.
"The great prince of Mirkwood is blushing because he was asked to kiss his love." Ada teases and Legolas's ears turn red. In a burst of confidence I pull his head down and kiss him. My first kiss. His arms hold me tight against his body.
He breaks this kiss slowly and I stare up into beautiful dark blue eyes. "Thank-you. That was the first time I kissed someone." I confess and he nods.
"Mine as well." He confesses and my eyes widen.
"No way…." I trail off as my entire face turns red. "Well then I'm honoured." I add and he kisses my forehead.
"I was waiting for the one who truly stole had a hold on my heart and you wormed your way past my defenses." Legolas says causing the blush to stay on my face longer than I wish.
"Aragorn, it looks like your daughter and best friend are ones for PDAs!" Frodo teases and I toss him a playful glare.
"PDAs huh?" I ask deviously and lick my lips. "Just you wait hobbit." I tease and everyone laughs.
Time passes and we have all quieted down. I glance at Legolas and catch him staring. I raise an eyebrow as he looks away with a blush. "You my elven prince should have thought about you are getting yourself into when you chose me." I state and he turns back to me.
"I am afraid that it was a little thing called my heart that chose you melamin."
"Ah, well maybe it should have given you a warning; I have a smart mouth." I reply and he chuckles.
"I won't say you didn't warn me." I smile at him and then stare into the blue eyes that have become my safe harbour. I see for the first time the love for me in them. Never has anyone looked at me with such love. I have seen the love ada has for me in his eyes but the love of a lover I have never seen in a person's eyes when they look at me.
If I could I would stay like that forever, but everything must come to an end eventually. "Ah! It is that way!" Gandalf states and so we all get up gathering our things.
"He's remembered!" Merry states happily.
"No but the air smells less foul down there." I facepalm and sigh deciding to follow Gandalf. "When in doubt Meriadoc, always follow your nose." Gandalf advices and I see where that could work in some cases.
The walk is silent but every now and again Legolas will slip his arm around my waist or kiss the top of my head. He may be an elf but I am sure he has hormones like every other male being in the world, he just knows how to control them I guess.
"Let me risk a little more light." The light from Gandalf's staff illuminates an open cavern. Broken columns lay about and "Behold the great realm and city of dwarrowdelf."
"Now there's an eye opener and no mistake." Sam states and I nod my head in silent agreement.
We continue forward and I can't help but look all around me like a curious child. "Haugh!" Gimli catches my attention as he runs off into a chamber.
"Gimli!" Gandalf calls out after the dwarf.
We all go after him into the chamber which only has a beam of moonlight as light. There are bodies and weapons strewn about. Gimli kneels in front of what appears to be a tomb. "No, no, no, no!" Gimli cries and my heart grieves for him. Boromir heads over and places a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria. He is dead then, it is as I feared." Gandalf says and Gimli wails.
Gandalf hands his staff and hat to Pippin, bends down, and a large beat up book from the hands of a dwarf corpse. "Kilmin malur ni zaram kalil ra narag. Kheled-zâram… Balin tazlifi." Gimli chants softly. I keep close to Legolas, I wouldn't be able to leave his side if I could, he has a death grip on my hand.
"We must move on, we can not linger." Legolas says to Ada in a low voice.
"They have the bridge...and the second hall." Gandalf reads from the book. Gimli stops sobbing. "Drums... drums.. in the deep." He pauses for minutes to turn the page. "We can not get out . A shadow moves in the dark. We can not get out," Gandalf looks up in uncomfortable silence, I shift to my other foot. My hand has gone numb in Legolas's, "they are coming!" Gandalf finishes. The uncomfortable silence is disturbed by resounding crashes and my yelp. I cling to Legolas's arm. Gandalf turns and Pippin is standing there with a guilty look on his face. He winces at every crash.
"Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" Gandalf scolds angrily. He pulls his staff and hat back from the young hobbit.
"That was mean." I whisper, hoping that only Legolas heard me.
Drums are heard in the deep and I freeze in fear. Gandalf turns towards the entrance. "Frodo!" Sam exclaims. Frodo pulls out his sword from it's sheath, it's glowing blue.
"Orcs!" Legolas exclaims and my heart is pounding in my chest out of fear. Boromir rushes to the door to check it out. Two arrows hit the door, one inches from Boromir's face.
"Get back! You stay behind Gandalf!" Ada pushes the hobbits and myself behind Gandalf.
"They have a cave troll." Boromir tells us in sarcastic relief.
Quickly Legolas tosses weapons to Boromir and ada to blockade the door. I draw an arrow and swiftly fit in to my bow, stepping out beside Gandalf. Gandalf tosses away his hat and draws his sword. Behind me I hear the hobbits draw their weapons.
Gimli leaps on top of Balin's tomb with his axe at the ready. "Argh! Let them come! There is still one dwarf yet in Moria who stills draws breath!" Gimli states, ready for a fight.
Creatures begin to break down the door, weapons crashing through the old wood. Legolas shoots and a shriek sounds. I let an arrow fly the same time ada does, another shriek cries out. The beasts finally break through and the battle begins. With quick reflexes I put away my bow and draw my sword.
I slice through orc after orc. I pause when Sam looks up. I step back knowing what's about to come crashing through those doors. The troll smashes through them, sending debris flying as as orcs. An arrow, probably Legolas's, pierces the troll's shoulder. It lets out a cry and claps a hand to the wound. I look and see Sam frozen in fear. "Samwise!" I shout as the troll swings it's mace down at him. Sam dives between the trolls legs and I jump out of the way of the swinging chains.
I trip over a slab of stone and fall right onto my butt. I look up and an Orc charges me. I swing my sword and it's head flies off. "Ha! filth!" I state victoriously. I get up and see Sam is cornered but then I see Ada and Boromir pulling on the chains of the troll. I swing my sword back and it sticks into an orc. I pull my sword out and push the orc down with a gentle tap from my foot.
I turn as I hear a groan come from someone. Boromir! An orc stands above him ready to strike. I try to fight my way over but a sharp pain erupts in my ankle. I turn and see a deep cut from an orc's arrow. I lift swing my sword and off its head comes. Three orcs behind him stare in shock then charge me. I try fighting them off. From beside me one falls and I see Sam with a frying pan in hand. I stare blankly as he hits the others. "I think I'm getting the hang of this." Sam state and I burst out laughing despite how inappropiate a time it is.
"Thank-you Sam." I push my sword into the chest of an orc that tries to get up. I look around for the other hobbits. I see the troll swinging his mace at them. My anger spikes and I furiously fight my way over to them.
"Frodo!" Ada yells. I see Merry and Pippin have escaped the troll but it follows Frodo's every move.
"Aragorn? Aragorn!" Frodo calls out and ada fights his way to the hobbit.
The troll corners Frodo and raises it's mace. As it is about to swing ada drops down into the recess… my attention is turned to myself when I feel a stinging pain in my right hip. I look down and the edge of a sword is red with my blood. I push my sword into the orc's neck. The sword drops and I put my hand to the wound.
I look and see ada on the floor. I fight the orcs that charge me but then see Frodo run. The troll steps in his path and shoves a spear into his chest. "Frodo!" I scream.
"Yahh!" I look to see Merry and Pippin jump onto the troll and mercilessly stab it. I still stare in shock not sure if my eyes believe what they just witnessed.
I shake myself out of the shock and fight to get to Frodo. I look and see Ada, Boromir, and Gandalf doing the same. The troll madly grabs at it's head. It grabs Merry and throws him about then to the ground. I easily reach Merry and make sure he's alright. I help him up and stare as Gandalf and Gimli stab at the troll's legs. Pippin is still on top of the troll.
The troll opens it's mouth and Legolas shoots an arrow into it. The troll grabs at its mouth as it stares upward. With a long pai filled moan the troll falls to the ground. I run and catch Pippin in my arms. "You are a brave young hobbit." I state and then we head over to Frodo.
"Oh no!" Ada kneels beside Frodo. He rolls him over and he groans gasping for breath. I let out a relieved sigh.
"He's alive!" Sam exclaims happily.
"I'm alright! I'm not hurt." Frodo states and I smile.
"You should be dead. That spear would have skewered a wild boar." Ada points out in astonishment.
"I think there is more to this hobbit that meets the eye." Gandalf states. Frodo unbuttons his shirt and underneath is a shirt of mithril rings.
"Mithril! You are full of surprises Master Baggins!" Gimli states approvingly and lean against the closest person to me, Merry.
"Legolas! Aragorn!" He calls and they turn to me. They rush over once they see the blood.
"Lellig!" Ada picks me up and then sets me down on a slab of stone. I hear a ripping sound.
"Here Aragorn." I look and see that Legolas ripped the bottom of his tunic. Ada wraps it around the wound and ties it.
"That will have to do for now." He states about to pick me up but I shake my head. I lift up my ankle and tear the bottom of my cloak. I bandage that cut then stand up.
"Good as new….almost." I smile despite the situation. More orcs are heard in the distance.
"To the bridge of Khazad-dûm!" Gandalf says urgently and so we follow him out of the chamber with haste.