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Author's Note: Thank you for the Birthday wishes and all the reviews, youu guys are great! Well here is another chapter hope you enjoy! Cheers!
We made our way up the mountain, the ground turning from rock and grass to deep snow. I hate snow. Suffice it to say I was in a bad mood. Gandalf was leading, and how that old man could manage this pace was beyond me. I glared at Legolas who passed with a smirk. As much as I love the Elves I wanted to smack him. Damn Elf, not feeling cold or sinking to his knees in snow with every step. Like I said, bad mood.
I heard a cry behind me. I turned to see Frodo had slipped and was now rolling down. Thankfully Aragorn was taking up the rear as he always does and stopped him.
"Are you all right?" I called down.
He looked up and nodded. His hand went to his chest and quickly became frantic. That was when I saw Boromir bend down. The Ring had come off Frodo's neck. I turned completely around watching Boromir closely. He held the Ring at eye level. I heard Aragorn call out to him to give the Ring back. Boromir didn't seem like he heard him. I growled as I stomped my way down. I was cold damn it and I wanted off this godforsaken mountain.
"It is a strange fate tha…"
When I reached him I snatched the chain out of his hand and continued to Frodo. He looked at me with worried eyes. I just smiled at him and knelt to put the chain over his head. "Thank you Isa." He whispered. I smiled again before looking at Aragorn. I nodded before turning and going to where Boromir stood staring. He seemed to be out of his little trance.
"Isa, I…" before he could say more I wacked him upside the head.
"Ow, what was that for?"
I glared. "I told you I would, now get moving I'm cold." I could hear laughing up ahead as Boromir stared for a moment and then did indeed turn and started up the mountain again.
I decided I would stay near Frodo. Aragorn walked with us, also staying close to the Hobbit. I didn't miss that Aragorn's hand had been on his sword.
"What did you mean when you said that you told Boromir you would?" He asked. I smirked,
"That if he seems to need it I will whack him upside the head to wake him up." Aragorn and Frodo both chuckled. I smiled as we continued trekking through snow.
I had a perpetual scowl on my face now. It had started snowing, heavily, about thirty minutes ago. I could no longer feel my ears or my nose. My fingers were clenched around my cloak as I tried to keep as much of me as warm as possible. We were on a ledge and were in single file. The snowfall was turning to a blizzard. I felt a small body press up against me and I looked down to see Pippin.
As cold I was it couldn't compare to the Hobbits. I smiled a sad smile and turned and picked him up. Wrapping my cloak around both of us I continued. I felt Pippin whimper as my body heat helped him and his grip tightened. I noticed the others do the same. Aragorn got Sam and Frodo and Boromir got Merry. Legolas I noticed wasn't having a problem with the snow and was walking on the top of it while we were in a waist deep trench. Damn Elf.
He passed to the front, as if searching for something. "There is a fell voice on the air."
I did not like those words. My grip tightened on Pippin. Then Gandalf yelled out. "It's Saruman!"
All of sudden there was a crack and I had to duck to avoid the boulders falling on us. We need to get off this mountain.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!" Aragorn shouted over the storm. But Gandalf was a stubborn old wizard. He stood out of the trench and yelled out trying to counter Saruman's spell. I handed Pippin to Boromir and tried to get to Gandalf.
"Gandalf, we have to go back! The storm is too powerful!" I yelled to him. Just then a bolt of lightning hit the peak of the cliff. I suddenly felt my cloak being jerked backwards. The next thing I knew was being beneath a warm body as the avalanche covered us.
When the avalanche stopped I worked to push my way to the surface. Out of nowhere a hand gripped my arm and helped me get out the rest of the way. I shook the snow from my hair and brushed it from my sleeves. I looked up to meet worried blue eyes of Aragorn. I smiled,
"Thank you." I said not taking my eyes off his.
"Don't do that again." His voice was low, almost inaudible, and had a touch of pain to it. He then turned to check on Frodo and the others. I was confused, I just stared at the space he was at trying to understand his words. Did he mean going to the edge to get Gandalf? He seemed scared of something but I had no idea of what that fear could be.
Once everyone was clear of the snow, Boromir called out.
"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan, and take the west road to my city!" I wacked him upside the head again he knew why we couldn't take that road.
"Ow!" He exclaimed and turned to me to rebuke me but I levelled him with a glare. I most definitely was not in the mood. He thought better and closed his mouth and looked down in shame.
"The Gap of Rohan takes us to close to Isengard!" Aragorn said voicing my glare.
"There is another way." I put in, looking at Gandalf.
"She's right, if we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it." Gimli declared.
"There is no other option, Gandalf. We have to go through Moria." I pleaded with Gandalf. He stared at us for a moment.
"Let the Ring-bearer decide." He finally said. I looked over to Frodo and he did not look comfortable with this decision.
"We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the Hobbits!" Boromir yelled. Like that will help him in anyway. I looked at Frodo again and nodded my head once silently telling him it was alright.
"We will go through the mines." He finally spoke. Well at least we will be warmer there.
We had some difficulty manoeuvring around to head back down the mountain but eventually we were heading back the way we came. Once again I found myself walking by Aragorn.
"I'm sorry if I upset you." I finally spoke. I didn't know what I was apologising for I just felt like I had to. Aragorn jerked his head to look at me before turning back to the path ahead. I thought that was the end of it.
"You didn't. I…I just didn't want you to get hurt." He said. His voice sounded as if that wasn't the whole story but I decided to leave it at that and I didn't speak another word for a long while.
Eventually we made it to the base of the mountain by dusk. It became very foggy and it made the environment have an eerie feeling. I glanced at Aragorn as he passed me. I felt sadness when he did. He hadn't said a word to me since I apologised and I didn't like it. I enjoyed the conversations we had and his company for that matter. He had a calming quality that was a great comfort for my raging mind. I was pretty sure why I felt this way and that didn't help me any, for it was useless, but still.
I continued to walk on past Gandalf and Frodo who were having a quiet talk. When Frodo looked up I smiled to him and he returned it. It was about that time we all stopped. A great cliff face rose straight up in front of us. Gimli started in amazement, "The walls of Moria." It was an impressive sight indeed.
We walked down to the base of the cliff face and came to a side that had a lake on it. Gimli would occasionally tap his axe against the wall.
"What are you doing Gimli?" I asked curiously.
"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed lassie." He answered with another tap. Then Gandalf called back.
"Yes Gimli, their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten." Legolas, who I saw had grown increasingly uncomfortable, spoke up.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" I coughed to cover up my laugh at the jab as Gimli growled.
I looked over the lake that came almost right up to the rock face, except a stretch of gravel we walked on. The lake seemed dead and gave me the creeps. Fallen trees could be seen protruding the surface and added to the uneasy feeling I had. We came to a stop as Gandalf examined a piece of the wall that was between two trees. I heard him mumble some words and then look to the sky. At that moment the clouds moved revealing a bright full moon. My jaw went slack when I saw an archway illuminate when the moonlight hit it. I could read the words inscribed in the arch and the 'Doors of Durin' were a beautiful sight to behold.
Gandalf translated the words aloud. "It reads 'The Doors of Durin, lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'"
Merry of course was the outspoken one of us. "What do you suppose that means?"
I myself had been trying to figure it out but I always failed at riddles. "It's simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open."
Gandalf then proceeded to speak in a language I didn't know and tried to open them. A couple times he did this and still the doors remained closed. He mumbled something but I barley paid attention. I was staring at the etched words repeating them in my head over and over trying to figure it out myself.
"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked.
"Bang your head against them Peregrin Took! And if that does not shatter them, then I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions…" I cut him off stepping up behind Pippin and placing my hand on his shoulder.
"That was not a foolish question Gandalf. If you do not know what the password is, what are you going to do?" I spoke, my tone aggravated. Gandalf seemed a little taken aback from my tone. His mouth opened and closed before he let out a tired breath.
"Continue to try to find the opening words." He finally said. And with that he went back to speaking at the door.
I decided it would do no use to just stand there and stare so I steered Pippin over to a spot to sit down. Merry soon followed. And soon everyone found a spot to sit and rest. I saw Aragorn go over to Bill the pony along with Sam. I sighed before getting up and head over to them. I saw Sam had a sad expression on his face.
"What wrong Sam?" I asked. He turned to me before turning to pet Bill's nose. I saw Aragorn start taking the packs off of the pony and I knew what was going on.
"The mines are no place for a pony." Aragorn answered.
I knew Sam was close to the pony and understood why he was sad to see him go. I place my arm around Sam's shoulders.
"He's right. Even for a pony as brave as Bill, but it's alright." I said to Sam. He nodded and then proceeded to say farewell to Bill. Bill finally free of the packs, trotted off the way we came. Sam went back over closer to Frodo and I stayed and watched the retreating form of Bill.
I started toying with my Elfstone, thinking. Now that I found the reason for my feelings for a certain Ranger, I doubted very much I would ever be able to give it to someone. Even if I was to somehow survive this quest and settle down with someone and have a family. I would never be able to give my full heart.
"Is that an Elfstone?" I was startled out of my thoughts by the very person they centred on.
"Huh?" My grey eyes focused on blue before his question registered in my head.
"Yes." I looked down at the white crystal and ran my thumb over the surface.
"Whose is it?"
I looked at him and for the first time since I met him his face was unreadable.
"My own. My birth mother gave it to me after my dad died. He had given it to her when they married." I said. I smiled a little when I remembered it. I looked at Aragorn again and my eyes focused on the pendant around his own neck.
"Will you ever give it away?" I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time when I heard his quiet question. I smiled a sad smile.
"No." I whispered.
"Why ever not?" His voice was incredulous. I looked away from him then, for fear of what he would see in my eyes.
"My heart belongs to someone who cannot give me theirs in return ." I walked away before anymore could be said. I already felt horrible for my feelings when he belonged to Arwen, if I heard anymore I wouldn't be able to keep my emotions in check.
I walked back over to where Pippin and Merry were throwing rocks into the lake. That did not ease me. I caught Pippin's arm just as he was about to throw another stone.
"Not a good idea." I said when he looked at me in question. I looked over the dark water and a very bad feeling came over me as I saw the water move. I glanced over my shoulder and noticed Boromir and Aragorn had seen it as well.
All of a sudden there was the sound of grinding stone. The doors were opening. Well the old wizard finally figured it out. And by the looks of the waters not a moment too soon. I quickly got Pippin and Merry to get up and head for the doorway. Boromir, Aragorn and I brought up the rear all keeping an eye on the lake. It was pitch black when we all made it inside except the moonlight filtering in through the doorway.
Author's Note: I finally got my copy of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey for my birthday and have been obsessing over that and watching all my movies together and writing this, so my mind is Middle Earth right now but that is good for you readers, because that means faster updates. Anyway please contiue to Read, Review, etc. Cheers!