I ask that there be no flames, for any of my stories. Nobody is perfect. If you don't like what I've written, then you don't have to read it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the Lord of the Rings except for my character. I try to paraphrase character lines so that it doesn't seem like you're reading the movie but there will be points where it's said as it is written for 1 of three reasons. Either A, it's a good line and deserves to be left as is. B, it's blunt enough and can't really be said another way or C, it's too sophisticated to be changed into something else that might make it sounds stupid.
Anything that is supposed to be Elvish shall be written like this 'elvish'. Telepathic thoughts are 'telepathic'.
I have read this chapter so many times that I can practically quote it so I'm sorry if there are some mistakes.
AN: As a special thank you to all who have favorited/followed/reviewed, I shall give you all an early present. One chapter shall be posted today and one tomorrow. I think you all will be pleased to see how this story will go.
The path towards the entrance to the mines was south, almost towards their original path but detoured enough. When they reached the crevices before the Walls, Gimli began tapping the rock every few steps.
"Dwarf doors are invisible when they're closed." He held his ear against the rock to listen for any hollow echoes.
"Of course Gimli, and if their secrets are forgotten then even the Dwarven lords cannot find them." Gandalf called from the front.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas muttered, earning a small kick from Vardainiel.
"Behave. There is no reason to start a fight now." She whispered, looking to both of them.
Gimli grunted in response but said nothing in retaliation. Thankful that the peace was not disturbed, she moved on. A great body of water sat beside the pathway and the group continued to follow Gandalf until he came to a stop in front of a piece of smooth rock that sat between two trees.
"Ithildin." Gandalf whispered aloud to no one in particular. "It shall be known in the wake of moonlight." He looked to the black sky and the moon appeared from behind the small wisp of cloud.
As it shown against the rock, the hidden silvery lines on the stone began to glow brightly, outlining the door. In the glowing arch above the door, the words of the elves shown bright.
"'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak friend, and enter'." Vardainiel translated as she stared at the door in wonder, this having been the first time she had seen such a thing.
"And what does that mean?" Merry asked.
"Quite simple, young Merry. If you are a friend who speaks the password then the doors will open." Everyone braced themselves as Gandalf held his staff against the door. "Gate of the Elves, open for me now!" There was no movement, save for the water passing against the shore.
He tried again, this time in a different language but still nothing. He snapped at Pippin in annoyance before sitting before the door.
"Merry, Pippin. Come with me to gather wood for a fire." Vardainiel called and the two Hobbits aided her.
They did not stray far from the group, only a few hundred feet or so. There wasn't much wood to be found amongst the rock and hard soil, but enough for something small. Boromir, Gimli and Legolas sat around the small fire with Vardainiel after the Hobbits had eaten.
"You seem to be very good with children." Boromir noted as they ran off towards the edge of the lake.
"I have always loved children, be them Elves or Men. Though I admit that I have yet to see a young dwarf child. It is a wish of mine to someday have children of my own. Have a family with a loving husband." Legolas shivered a bit but it went unnoticed.
"There is still time, milady. You do not have to venture into this as far with the rest of us. You can still go and be with your people and fulfill that dream." Boromir urged as he clasped his hand over hers.
Legolas looked at the Man before him with hard eyes but he said nothing as he watched Vardainiel place her free hand over his.
"That dream will have to wait, Boromir. If I were to leave, then I would only succeed in bringing a child into this world full of fear that one day it will be snatched unexpectedly. That is something I do not want, nor do I wish that on anyone else. When the Ring is destroyed and the evil gone, then I shall make my dream come true. For now, it is nothing more than a wish." She gently pulled her hands from Boromir and stood, leaving the three alone.
"The lass has a point. To raise a child while watching the world become nothing more than a desolate wasteland, it's enough to break anyone's heart." Gimli spoke up, smoking a bit of weed in his pipe.
"But a woman should not be fighting. To risk her life as she does…" Boromir couldn't finish his thought.
He has already shown what he thought about a woman fighting at the Council. He did not wish to anger anyone else.
"She has a right to fight for her people as much as anyone. Who are we to decide what she should or should not do?" Legolas defended her.
The conversation ended when Frodo asked a question aloud.
"What's the elvish word for friend?"
"Mellon." Gandalf answered and the rock door gave way to open its doors for the travelers.
The fire was doused immediately as everyone gathered their bearings and headed inside.
"Soon, Master and Milady Elf, you shall enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This, my friends, is the home of my cousin Balin." The room was dark and dirty, from what little light Gandalf had provided with his staff.
But the sight of what could be seen was not one that was welcoming to anyone.
"This is no mine, it is a tomb."
Hundreds of bodies littered the ground, nothing but bones, armor, dust and cobwebs. Gimli realized some of the skeletons were that of his kin and he cried out in sorrow as Legolas pulled an arrow out of a fallen Dwarf.
"Goblins." He threw the arrow to the ground in disgust and notched one of his own.
Boromir, Aragorn and Vardainiel drew their swords as well to be ready for an attack as they backed out of the door slowly but their thoughts were cut off by the cry of Frodo. They all turned to see the Hobbits struggling to keep hold of Frodo whose leg was caught in a tentacle from the lake. Sam had managed to hack away the one that first held Frodo but another took its place and pulled the Ring-bearer to the lake, a monster emerging with dozens more tentacles thrashing about. Legolas fired an arrow at the tentacle that tried to wrap itself around Frodo's face while Aragorn, Boromir and Vardainiel attacked the creature to get it to drop its prey. Aragorn was able to get the closest to cut the tentacle holding Frodo as he dropped into Boromir's arms.
"Into the mines! Hurry!" Gandalf called and the Fellowship followed suit.
The beast tried to follow after but Legolas delayed it with an arrow to the eye. As everyone clambered to get inside the door, the beast tried pulling itself inside but only succeeded in bringing down the archway on top of itself. The doorway caved in and darkness fell. The rays of moonlight disappeared as gasping pants echoed in the darkness.
"There is only one choice left for us now." Gandalf stated grimly as he used the tip of his staff to shed some light in the dark. "We must face the dark world of Moria. There are much older and eviler things that reside in here besides Orcs so you must always be on your guard." The wizard's warning came as no surprise as they began the long journey.
As they ascended the stone steps, Gandalf spoke in a whisper.
"We must move quickly. It's a four day journey to the other side of Moria. If we are lucky, then our presence shall go undetected." During the long journey through Moria, they came across a large cavern.
"The wealth of Moria was not in gold…or jewels but in mithril." Gandalf explained as he pointed the tip of his staff out towards the great pit where sections of the walls of rock shimmered dimly.
The Hobbits admired the quick scene and followed the rest of the group where Gandalf gave more information.
"Bilbo used to have a shirt that was made of Mithril rings, given to him by Thorin. The shirt would be light as a feather but have the toughness of dragon scales." Gimli was shocked to hear of this.
"What a kingly gift!"
"And quite so too. I never told Bilbo this but that gift was worth more than the value of the Shire."
Vardainiel heard the small gasp that Frodo tried to hide and smiled to herself. The further they went, the harder it was for Gandalf to remember the way. When they reached a crossroads with three tunnels, they stopped. Gandalf did not know the way so the Fellowship stopped for a break. They didn't light a fire this time but instead pulled out some of the bread and fruit they had spared. Vardainiel sat a bit away from the group this time, not wanting to be questioned by Boromir again. This time, only Legolas sat at her side.
"Tell me Vardainiel, what made you decide to join this Quest?" She looked to her Elven companion as he sat beside her, their legs dangling over the edge of the rock they sat on.
"I asked myself that same thing at the Council. I do know that there is some role for me to play on this journey…as do we all." She answered while glancing over at Aragorn who had taken a seat beside Boromir. "I feel that before this Quest is over, Aragorn will accept his roots as Isildur's heir though it will take time, but I cannot say the same for Boromir. His hostility at the Council towards Aragorn is definitely something that I worry for. When the time comes, will he stand aside and let Aragorn assume the throne or will there be dispute and battle? Such matters are all still unclear right now. Hopefully, things will continue to run smoothly." She finished as Gandalf stood.
"It's that way!" He pointed down the left tunnel.
Legolas stood, then reached down and offered his hand. The elleth wasted no time in grasping the hand as she was helped to her feet.
"By the way, thank you for defending me." Legolas understood that it was after the conversation they had on the rocks outside the mines.
"There is no thanks needed when you have done nothing wrong."
Nothing more was said as they headed down the tunnel after Gandalf. After descending down into the tunnel, they came upon an open area with broken columns lying about. Gandalf created a little more light with his staff, revealing a giant stone hall with extremely tall stone pillars connected to archways in the ceiling.
"Behold! The Great Realm and Dwarf City of Dwarrowdelf." Gandalf explained.
"It's beautiful." Vardainiel whispered and Legolas nodded solemnly beside her.
The group continued to walk down the hall when a ray of light shining down on something caught Gimli's eye. He ran into the chamber, ignoring Gandalf's call to him, and fell to his knees in front of a smooth stone tomb. The rest of the Fellowship followed after him, entering the chamber which was strewn with skeletons and weapons and cobwebs. As Gimli cried silently, Gandalf peered over the Dwarf's shoulder at the writing on the tomb's surface.
"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria…He is dead" His voice struggled to not be hollow with his words. "It is as I feared." Gimli whispered a small prayer in the language of his kin as something caught Vardainiel's eye.
She gently picked up a large book that lay in the hands of a fallen dwarf and opened it. The book was extremely old and worn, covered in dirt, cobwebs and bloodstains. Pages were torn as she flipped through to the last entry, noticing that some texts were faded while others were gone entirely. As her eyes drew over the last page, they widened in horror as she saw the writing scrawl across the page hurriedly before it drifted off entirely, bloodstains on the page.
"Gandalf!" She called and passed the book over to him.
"They have taken the bridge…" He read aloud. "And the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold it for long. The ground shakes." Everyone became attentive as the reading created more tension. "Drums…drums…in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out…They are coming!" The air was silent with the tightest of tension until Pippin's curiosity got the best of him as he twisted an arrow that was embedded in the chest of a corpse sitting beside an open shaft.
The head of the corpse detached itself from its body and fell down the well, creating clashes that echoed in the hall. Before anyone could stop it, the rest of the body followed suit with a chain and bucket attached that created more loud, echoing crashes. Pippin cringed at each noise until it was gone.
"Fool of a Took! Why not throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity?!" Gandalf berated as he snatched his hat and staff back.
The silence did not last long as a loud rhythmic noise sounded off…the booming of drums. Coming closer and closer towards them. Sam looked down at Frodo's waist.
"Frodo, look" The Ring-bearer drew Sting which was glowing a light blue.
"Orcs!" Vardainiel determined as Boromir rushed to the doors to have a look.
Narrowly missing the arrows that were shot at his head and now embedded in the door, he pulled back as Aragorn rushed to help him.
"Get back and stay close to Gandalf!" He warned the Hobbits as the two men slammed the doors shut.
"Oh, they have a cave troll." The son of the Steward stated sarcastically as Legolas tossed some of the strewn weapons to the men to barricade the door with.
Vardainiel drew Loth and notched an arrow while Gandalf drew his sword and the Hobbits brandished their own blades. Gimli stood on top of his cousin's tomb, defiant and angry.
"Let them come!" He raged. "There is still one dwarf in Moria who still continues to breathe!"
Aragorn and Boromir stood back with the others, poised and ready to fight. As the orcs started to break through the door, Legolas, Aragorn and Vardainiel unleashed their arrows into the group behind the door until they finally broke through and the Fellowship became engaged in battle. Legolas and Vardainiel continued to use their bows as Aragorn drew his sword. As they began to cut down the orcs, a large bellowing noise came from behind the army and in came a cave troll with a chain around his neck, being led by some orc. Legolas shot it in the shoulder while Vardainiel shot its hand as it covered the wound before swinging its mace blindly at the Hobbits, knocking away unsuspecting orcs as well. As he cornered Sam, Aragorn and Boromir grabbed the chain and yanked the beast backwards. Angered, the troll grabbed hold of the chain and with a quick whip, tossed Boromir across the room into the opposite wall.
"Boromir!" The elleth called as she shot and killed an orc that stood over the fallen warrior. He looked over at her, still dazed from being thrown as she gave a nod before continuing the battle.
Legolas got the troll to turn on him as he fired two more arrows into the beast causing it to grab its chain and use it as a weapon. But the elf was quick and nimble, dodging the attacks until the chain was wrapped around a pillar. Taking the opportunity presented to him, he ran along the chain onto the troll's back, firing another arrow into the back of its head. As the troll stumbled, Legolas jumped off. The troll then turned and set its sights on Frodo, who tried ducking around a nearby mass of stone.
"Aragorn? Aragorn?!" he cried out as he slashed the trolls hand with Sting.
Aragorn ran to his fallen friend and grabbed a stray spear, keeping the giant at bay but he was casually knocked back. Merry and Pippin began throwing stones at the troll's head to try and distract him but it's mind seem fixed on Frodo as he knocked the Hobbit away from Aragorn and stabbed him with the spear.
"Frodo!" Vardainiel called, catching the attention of the rest of the Fellowship.
As Frodo collapsed, Merry and Pippin jumped atop the troll and began stabbing at its head. Angered, Vardainiel notched multiple arrows and fired them in the troll's chest before running around and scaled its back, grabbing its ears to pull the head back.
"Legolas, hurry!" she called as the troll thrashed to try and get her off but she held fast.
Legolas quickly took aim and shot the troll through the mouth and into the brain. The troll stopped thrashing and fumbled where the arrow entered before crashing to the floor, dead. Legolas ran to Vardainiel's side as she jumped off the back before it fell.
"Vardainiel, are you hurt?" He helped her to her feet as she stumbled a bit to regain her footing.
"I'm alright, Legolas but Frodo…" she trailed off as Aragorn turned over the fallen Hobbit who was gasping for breath.
"He's alive." Sam declared in happiness.
"But you should be dead, that spear would have pierced a wild boar." Aragorn was confused as he tried to catch his breath.
Frodo opened his shirt to check for a wound and revealed the infamous shirt of Mithril rings beneath it. Not a scratch anywhere. As Gimli complimented Frodo on being full of surprises, they heard more Orcs in the distance.
"To the Bridge of Khazad-dum!" Gandalf ordered and took off with the Fellowship right behind him.
They followed the wizard through the mines but soon an army of orcs began appearing from all places, cracks in the ground, openings in the ceiling and the walls, eventually surrounding them. As the snarled ready for attack, a loud bellowing echoed at the end of the hall causing the army to scamper off in fright.
"That can't be good." Vardainiel whispered as she watched them disappear almost as quickly as they came.
"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked the weary wizard who didn't answer until another rumble was heard.
"A Balrog – a demon from the ancient world." The very name of the creature sent shivers down everyone's spines as fiery like light bounced off the pillars at the far end of the hall. "This foe is beyond any of you. Run!" He commanded and shepherded them through a small doorway. "Quickly!" He looked behind one last time before following.
The group ran through a passage way and down a flight of stairs. But the end was missing its last few steps and Boromir would have tumbled over the edge had Legolas not reached out and pulled him back. The Hobbits too stopped short of the edge as Vardainiel came up behind them, ready to reach out for them at a moment's notice if needed. Aragorn turned to Gandalf who pointed across the way to a narrow stone bridge.
"Lead them on Aragorn, for the bridge is near!" Another bellow sounded and Aragorn moved to head towards the creature but Gandalf shoved him forward. "Do as I say! Swords are of no more use here!"
The Balrog's roar was heard again as the Fellowship descended down a flight of many stairs. When they came to a gap, Legolas jumped first and reached for Gandalf to follow. Arrows came hurdling toward the group so Legolas and Vardainiel unleashed their own arrows to help the others get safely across. Soon only Frodo, Aragorn and Vardainiel were left but a good portion of the platform they were standing on had given way at the echoing of the creatures' roar. Looking around her, Vardainiel took a deep breath.
"Aragorn, hold onto Frodo and when I say, jump as far as you can." She sheathed Loth quickly and began making small movements with her arms.
Aragorn did as she said but became confused as he felt a breeze pass by him, and not from the arrows.
'Vilya, if what is said of me is true then give me the strength to help protect my friends.' She called in her mind as the breezes became faster. "Now, Aragorn!" As the Ranger jumped, he felt something give him a push against his back to thrust him forward and into Boromir's arms.
Before she could use the chance to join them, the approaching steps of the Balrog knocked some rocks loose, one of them hitting the front of the steps and one hitting the back making the distance between her and the others greater and there was nowhere to run.
"Vardainiel!" Aragorn and Legolas called as an enemy arrow sunk itself into her left shoulder. She stumbled a bit but was able to keep her balance as the stone steps shifted beneath her feet, the pillar starting to give way.
The pain in her shoulder was great as she clutched the bleeding wound. Using the momentum of her body, she shifted her weight so the pillar started falling forward, giving her the opportunity to jump the gap into Aragorn's arms.
"Vardainiel, you're hurt!" Legolas was at her side to aid as his blue eyes gazed upon the arrow.
"It can wait, Legolas, we must keep moving!" She said as she pushed herself away from Aragorn and ran with the Hobbits down the remainder of the stairs, into the Hall and towards the bridge with flames whirling behind them.
"Over the bridge!" Gandalf cried but he did not follow.
Instead, he looked behind him where a great shadow of black and red stood before him. The wizard turned and ran after the Fellowship, only to stop in the middle of the Bridge and faced the shadow. Everyone turned and watched their friend confront the horror.
"You cannot pass!" He called as the great beast revealed itself, looking almost like a flaming gargoyle as it took a step towards Gandalf with a large black hoof. "I am the servant of the Secret Fire, Wielder of the Flame of Arnor…The dark fire shall not avail you, Flame of Udun!" The Balrog raised its own fire sword and brought it down on Gandalf, only to have it blocked by a shield spell and it shattered.
Angered even more, the Balrog roared again.
"Go back to the Shadow!" Gandalf hissed as the demon brandished a whip made of fire. "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" With as much strength he could, Gandalf drove his staff into the stone bridge, collapsing it as the Balrog tried to advance.
The weary wizard watched the beast plunge into the chasm below before turning to the company that eagerly awaited his return. He took only a few steps when the end of the whip reappeared around his ankle and pulled him down sharply though Gandalf managed to cling to the edge of the bridge. Frodo tried to run to help his friend but Boromir held him back. Gandalf stopped struggling to say only three words.
"Fly, you fools." And his grip on the bridge was lost, he fell into the chasm with the Balrog.
Boromir managed to pull back a desperate Frodo as the rest of the Fellowship raced out of the cavern to the outside world. Once the sun embraced them, one by one they let their sadness fall. Boromir held Gimli back from going back into the Mines to fight, Pippin and Merry held each other in comfort. Vardainiel fell to her knees in both sorrow and pain, the loss of Gandalf outweighed the pain in her shoulder but she could still feel both vividly. As Aragorn called for Boromir and Legolas to get the Hobbits going, he noticed Frodo starting to walk off.
"Frodo?" The Hobbit stopped and turned, his eyes filled with tears.
"Vardainiel!" Legoas was at her side in an instant as another wave of pain washed over her and she clutched her still bleeding shoulder.
The others followed suit as Aragorn moved to take a look. The arrow had pierced through her shoulder, the point barely sticking out the back.
"I have to pull the head through a little more before we break the shaft." Legolas looked at him, shocked. "If I try to pull it out as it is, it will create more damage." The ranger explained as he took the shaft and pushed down.
The elleth stifled her cry of pain as more tears fell down her pale cheeks. To spare her more agony, Aragorn broke the shaft and pulled out both ends so Legolas could bind it quickly with a strip of fabric he tore from her cloak before aiding her to stand.
"I'll be fine, Legolas. We must go through Lothlorien."
She stood on her own, though swaying a bit and looked out across the valley before them. "Come, we must hurry." She led them down the rocks and through the valley where the woods could be spotted.
'We shall go through Home.'
*The little scene with Boromir and Vardainiel at the Door, THERE IS NOTHING ROMATIC GOING ON BETWEEN THEM! We already know that Boromir doesn't want a woman to be a hindrance to their goal so he was trying to convince her to go home. Unsuccessfully I might add.