Disclaimer: I do not own anything that Tolkien created. :)

Author's Note:

Please keep in mind that this is just FICTION! I know there are things that Tolkien created that refer to half elf/half human in Middle Earth. This is just an idea and I'm going with it. I greatly appreciate all of you that are reading and reviewing the story. I am also appreciative of those that are following the story or have made this story one of their favorites. It means a lot to me since this is the first thing I've published on here. Thank you again for all of the support. Any reviews and feedback is greatly appreciated.

This story will come to a close just as the first movie does. The second story will pick up with the second movie. Just giving you a heads up. I'm not sure how many more chapters this one will be yet.

Here is Chapter 11. I hope you enjoy! Please leave some feedback.

P.S.: This isn't my best chapter, but I had to move forward. I apologize if this isn't a good one.

Life Unknown

Chapter 11

The minutes kept ticking away as they sat there waiting for Gandalf to remember something about the direction they needed to go in. Ithilwen feared that the longer they sat there the worse it would be. They were going to be stuck. She tried to shake the negative images from her mind as she sat there with Legolas. Somehow sitting in with him or close to him helped her fears. Being with him or around him made her feel more at ease. It was as if he gave off this calmness.

After a long time sitting outside these possible routes Gandalf finally came up with the way to go, saying that it was the one that smelled the best. Ithilwen collected her things and followed the rest of them down the tunnel Gandalf led them through towards another part of the mines. She stayed close to Legolas as they walked further on. The further she got from him the worse she felt.

"Why did you decide to come on this journey?" she asked Legolas as they walked together towards the back of the group.

He was silent for a moment before speaking up, "I felt that it was my duty to do this. I felt like going on this quest was the best thing for me to do. My father would have expected it of me to go in his place. He needs to stay and rule our kingdom. I am expected to act as a Prince of Mirkwood would. I also felt that Frodo needed as much help as he could get to travel such a long distance to such a danger land."

She understood his reasoning and why he came. "You're a noble person Legolas," she smiled slightly towards him. "Frodo and everyone are lucky to have you on this journey."

"I feel that I am only but a small part of this whole journey. I don't matter as much as others. I only came to help protect the others, to make sure the ring is destroyed."

"You're more than just protection for them. They're a companion. You're a friend to some."

"Only a few," he said as he looked around. "I don't make lasting bonds or friendships with many others, especially men. It is not something I want to go through."

"You mean you don't want to be friends with a mortal?"

"Yes," he sighed. "I'd rather not form a friendship with a mortal and have to witness their death and the deaths of those that follow them."

"What is it like being immortal?" she asked with curiosity. She has only since been immortal for a very short amount of time since coming of age, but she's lived her life like a regular human her whole life.

"There aren't words to explain what I have seen. You see a lot. You watch the cycles of life repeat over and over and over again. You see loved ones come and go. You see life and you see death many times. You really don't have any sense of time. You know in the back of your mind that there is that possibility of death, but not from old age. It's hard to explain. Elves can still parish by some of the same means as humans. We're not completely immortal."

"Do you wish at times you weren't immortal?" she asked him.

He didn't answer right away. He pondered the answer he wanted to give her before he started to speak, "At times yes. When I've seen so much death yes I do, but I was given the chance to live for years and I'm going to use those years to be sure Middle Earth is safe."

She gave him a small smile before the next question slipped from her mouth, "If I was still mortal would you have shown any interest in me?"

He had to stop for a moment as he looked at her. He wasn't expecting that kind of question and she instantly regretted. The look on his face was hard to decipher. His brow creased as he looked at her before he started walking again. She didn't say anything else as they were silent. She wanted him to answer the question, but it was like she already knew the answer to it.

He quietly reached over and took her hand in his and held it, "I don't think mortality would have kept me from you," he answered her.

A smile spread across her face as she turned and looked up at him. She felt her cheeks get warm and turn a blush color before turning away. He truly did have feelings for her. If he was willing to care for her if she was mortal she knew he felt something for her, something deep down. She gave his hand a squeeze as they continued walking with the others.

As they walked Ithilwen's thoughts shifted to the many things she'd been taught about her gift and how she should the others object to her sending them images without them knowing? She'd need to practice as much as possible to be up to par. Things were going to get more difficult as their journey progressed. Knowing what she knows now about Legolas and his feelings she knew he would be willing to help her if the time was right.

She walked along with the others and took in what she could see of the mines. With it being so dark it was hard to see everything. No one was saying much of anything as they slowly made their way through the mines. Legolas helped her as much as possible through the mines, making sure she didn't trip or if she needed help climbing the stairs he was there. When they found a place to rest, they stopped to rest, but those times were very hard to come across. They had to keep moving in order to stay unnoticed.

The paths they followed changed as they went along. They grew smaller and then got wider. It was a never ending change of pathways as they ventured through the mines. Ithilwen thought of her parents and wondered what they would think of her adventures now. They always told her she'd see the world one day, she just didn't know it would be like this. She hoped it would have been under better circumstances.

As they ventured further into the mines Aragorn stepped into pace with her as Legolas went further ahead to make sure no one was watching them, "How are you fairing so far through the mines?" he asked her with concern in his voice.

She turned and looked up at him as they walked behind the others, "I'm fine," she told him. "I'm feeling a bit closed in and at times I feel like I may suffocate, but I'm OK. Legolas has kept a close eye on me as we travel. I don't think anything will happen to me."

Aragorn gave her a small smile. "How do you feel using a weapon?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. He too knew there was something lurking and that they wouldn't get out of here unnoticed.

"A weapon? I...ummm...I'm not sure. I don't feel like I'm skilled enough to be ready to use a weapon. I've only been training for a short amount of time and we've had very few sessions. I don't know if I'm ready for any type of weapon yet."

He nodded, "I know that's how you feel, but there's going to be a time when you're going to have to pick up a weapon and just use it. It will have to be done in order for you to stay alive," he stressed to her.

"I won't last long. I can barely swing the sword in defense and I'm somewhat better with a bow and arrow. I'd get myself killed trying to use the weapon." She looked at him with worry all over her face.

"I know you're scared, but I still want you to have something to defend yourself with," he said as he pulled out a sword. It was smaller than his own, but it was just big enough for her to use if she needed it. It wasn't heavy, so she could swing it easily, but it wasn't to small where she couldn't make a kill if necessary.

She looked down at the sword after he handed it to her, "I'm not sure of this Aragorn," she told him as she held it in her hand and tested its weight.

"I am. I think this weapon will be a perfect fit for you and when we're out of here we'll pick up again on our training to help you learn to use it even better," he assured her as he helped tie it around her waist.

She felt strange now that she was armed and knew it would make her even more nervous as they traveled. "Don't fear. It is for your protection and safety. You will get use to it soon enough," Aragorn assured her before stepping up further with the rest of them.

Legolas came back, got in step to her and looked down at your sword, "How do you feel with your new weapon?" he inquired.

"Strange, like this isn't me. I feel like I stand out. I've never had to be armed before." This weapon now brought on a whole lot more stress and worry.

"It'll come natural to you. Don't worry about messing up when you have to use it. Just worry about defending yourself from your enemy. And always know that I will be near at all times. I'll keep you safe."

She looked up at him before looking down at her weapon, "I'm hoping I can do what you say and I know you'll be there. That's probably the only thing that's helping me through this now."

Their journey continued through the mines quietly only stopping for brief moments to rest before moving on. They found a small place to stop for a little longer. The hobbits were getting hungry, so they set up a small area to eat while the others found a place to sit and take a break.

Ithilwen found a spot to herself as some of the others kept an eye on the area around them. She had to position her sword right before sitting down. Her eyes wondered over the expanse of the mines and then onto her companions. She hoped they all made it safely through this but knew some of them wouldn't. As she sat there she pulled the journal from her pack and opened it to another entry.

Our Dearest Ithilwen,

We have been told that you are only days away now. I can feel it myself. You're just about ready to join the world. I'm very tired these last few days. You're preparing yourself for your entrance into this world and I'm trying to save all my strength. Child birth takes a lot of energy. When you are old enough I will explain more to you for one day you'll have your own children and you'll need to know these things before you give birth. Our home is ready for you. We are all ready for you. You father continues pacing around as the time continues to tick on. I think he's just excited and is having a hard time containing his excitement. Gandalf came to see us. He told us he'd return for your birth and he arrived today. The news he shared was very unsettling, but I'm hoping that things won't turn out the way he says. You're going to be a very special girl and I want you to know that. I want you to know that your father and I love you very much. There may come a time when you won't be with us, but will have to go somewhere else for your safety. I don't want you to worry. I want you to know that it's for your protection. You're going to be unique and there are people, evil people, out there that don't want to see you grow up or to get strong. They want to take you away from me forever. You will learn a lot as you get older, but remember that you can accomplish anything.

Ithilwen closed the journal and put it away before she looked around. She needed to know more about herself and her powers before moving on. She needed to know what all she could do. She pulled out more of the journals and began to flip through them, skimming over the pages to see if something popped out at her. She wasn't having such luck as she continued to search. She thought for sure there would be something she could find in there that would give her some type of clue as to what she needed to do.

She eventually gave up and put all of her things away. "Let's keep going," Gandalf said as everyone gathered their things and started off again to the other side of the mines.

There were lots of stairs and going up and going down constantly was wearing everyone out. They went through a small doorway and started going down some stairs, but it wasn't another tunnel. this was a wide open space.

"Let me risk a little more light," Gandalf said softly as his staff began to glow even brighter. Ithilwen's eyes turned from him towards the wide open space in front of them. It was open, but there were giant columns everywhere for as far as they could see.

"Behold! The great realm and Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf!" he said as everyone looked around. Ithilwen couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was amazing. The beauty of the structure and the details was breathtaking. To be able to see what this place looked like full of life would have been amazing.

The group started to move a little further down their path as they continued looking at the amazement around them. Gimili turned and saw a small door way. This door way was broken into and there were two skeletons laying outside the door. Gimili suddenly rushed towards the door.

"Gimili!" Gandalf called to him but he didn't listen. He ran into the doorway as the rest of the fellowship followed behind him. He stopped in front of a tomb and fell to his knees as he started to cry.

Gandalf walked up to the tomb and read who laid there. Ithilwen looked around at the skeletons scattered around the room. It was full of death. It wasn't someplace she wanted to stay. She overheard Legolas tell Aragorn that they couldn't stay here. She agreed.

Gandalf picked up a book and opened it to one of the pages, "They have taken the bridge and the second hall: we have barred the gates...but cannot hold them for long...the ground shakes...drums in the deep...we cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. Will no-one save us? They are coming."

Ithilwen looked over at Gandalf as he read what they wrote. They shouldn't be here. They needed to leave and now. "We need to go. It isn't safe," she said as she stood near Aragorn and Legolas.

All of sudden a loud banging sound could be heard from the well that Pippin was standing next too. The skeleton that sat on it was now falling and making a lot of noise. Everyone froze as they listened to the noise that was sure to bring anything out of this place that they have yet to see.

Gandalf slammed the book closed and began to scold Pippin for his lack of intelligence as they began to hear drums playing. Everyone grows tense as the drumming gets louder and louder. "Orcs!" Legolas calls out.

"Stay close to Gandalf," Aragorn tells the hobbits before looking at Ithilwen. "You too. Use your sword," he encouraged her as him and Legolas set themselves up at the door with Boromir. She moved over to Gandalf and the hobbits to get herself ready as best as possible to defend herself and everyone else.

"They have a cave troll," Boromir informs them as they bar the door. Her eyes grow wide as she tried to keep her fear from taking her over. Her eyes moved to Legolas as he pulled an arrow for his bow. He looked at her for a moment as if he was trying to memorize her face or to tell her something. He then broke their gaze as the orcs started to bang and break the door. Leoglas shot his first arrow striking one before the door completely broke down. Orcs began flooding into the room. Aragorn, Boromir, and Legolas were all at the front taking on the first of the ones running in. Everyone else waited before starting their attack.

Ithilwen watched closely as the orcs descended on them. She moved when she needed to and used her sword to block or attempt to strike as necessary. As soon as she started fighting she had no idea what was going on with everyone else. She had to focus on keeping herself alive and unhurt. Everything else was tuned out as she tried to keep up.

The orcs didn't go easy on her either. If anything they came at her harder and faster, but she was doing her best to hold her own. She would learn to see their moves before they made them helping her stay out of harms way, some of them being close calls. She could hear the sounds of swords clashing and others yelling. She saw an orc coming for her. She backed up and fell to the ground after tripping over something. She watched as the orc advanced, but suddenly stopped and fell, with an arrow in its back. She looked and saw Legolas watching her. He saved her. He had been keeping an eye on her the whole time. She quickly stood and started to find the others to help knowing she couldn't linger like this long.

She was moving across the room to go and help one of the hobbits when an orc slammed her to the ground. She felt the breath get knocked out of her and had a hard time catching her breath. Her sword clattered to the ground next to her as she tried to breath. The orc didn't stop there. He picked her up, grabbed her neck and started to squeeze. Her hands immediately started to push him away and to get him to let up. The minute her right hand touched his face she was taken into a vision of his. She saw him getting punished by his master. His master was as dark and ugly as him and the whip was long and hard as it landed on the orcs back. She saw three, now four lashings on his back and felt all four of them on hers. She could feel the snap, burn, and blood on her back as her skin was ripped open from the vision.

Just as quick as she was sucked into the vision she was quickly ripped out of it as the orcs hand let go of her neck. Both of them fell to the ground quickly. She looked and saw the orc was dead on the ground in front of her and saw Aragorn standing over her. She then looked down at her hand and saw the tear in her glove. That was why she could see the vision and why her back felt as if it was on fire.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he knelt down quickly next to her. He looked over her for any visible marks or injuries, not looking at her back behind her. She wasn't going to tell him. Not when the others were still in harm's way.

She nodded, "Yes. Go. They need you. I can manage," she lied to him, pushing him off to go help the others. He was much more skilled than she was and they would need him. She finally had the chance to look at what was going on. She saw the massive cave troll and the others trying to fight it off.

She slowly stood and grabbed her sword. Her movements were slow, but she kept up. They needed to get out of here or they would surely die. It didn't take long before the cave troll was brought down by Legolas, but every one's attention turned towards Frodo. He had been stabbed.

She leaned against a wall to steady herself as she prayed that Frodo wasn't hurt. Just as she finished her prayer Frodo looked up and gasped for air. A smile broke across her face knowing that he was still alive, but the pain on her back kept that joy short lived. She couldn't imagine what would have happened if they lost the ring bearer.

Ithilwen finally couldn't hold herself up any longer. She stumbled to the ground trying to brace herself as much as possible. "Ithilwen?" she heard Legolas' voice call out as he rushed over to her. The moment he got to her he put his arm around her back and she screamed in pain. He quickly pulled himself away as if he was burned by the sound of her scream, "What is it? Where are you hurt?" he asked with worry.

"Back...my back," she got out through gasps. "A vision...my glove was cut," she said showing them her right hand. "I touched an orc...he was being whipped on the back...I felt it...I have those same marks," she said as her eyes filled with tears from the pain she felt.

Legolas moved her cloak and saw the blood that soaked through the back of her dress, but there was no time to check it right now. There were more orcs coming and they had to get out of there, "Can you walk? run?" he asked her as he helped her stand. She made sure not to touch him with her exposed hand. "I will try," she told him as they heard the orcs cries and screams.

"To the bridge of Kahzad-dum!" Gandalf told them as they left out the door and started running. With every step Ithilwen took she could feel the pain in her back and it felt like it was getting worse. When she got the mark on her arm with Legolas it wasn't nearly this bad from his vision. This was so much worse.

They kept running as quick as they could knowing the orcs were behind them. They started running through the large pillars as the orcs or goblins started closing in on them. They were finally surrounded and had to stop. There was no where else to go. Ithilwen felt as if the room got so small. They were out of room. This was their end. They couldn't fight off the thousands of goblins that surrounded them. But then all of a sudden there was this deep growl coming from a distance. Everyone, including the goblins, looked and saw a bright orange/red glow. The goblins immediately ran off leaving the fellowship there as if they knew what was coming. The light grew brighter as the growl got louder.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked as everyone kept their eyes fixed on what was coming.

"A Balrog...a demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you," Gandalf told everyone. "Run! Quickly!" he urged them as they took off behind Gandalf.

The Balrog began to get closer and closer. They came to a great span of stairways knowing they had to be quick. Gandalf spoke with Aragorn quickly as they tried to escape. They began running down the stairs as the Balrog shook the whole cavern, causing the stairways to break apart.

They had to stumble and be very careful not to fall, but they made it through parts of it. Some parts began to crumble and they had to save each other from falls. Aragorn and Frodo almost didn't make it at one point. As they tried to get through the stairs goblins were attacking with arrows. Ithilwen almost didn't know which direction she should look. There were so many dangers going on that she was afraid she'd slip and fall to her death. She was beginning to feel her energy go and wasn't sure how much longer she could run. She needed to keep going though.

They finally made it off the stairs and ran for the bridge just as the Balrog was catching up to them. Ithilwen was trying to stay with everyone, but the pain was becoming unbearable. Her feet would stumble here and there as she ran. They ran across the bridge, but Ithilwen fell behind. She couldn't keep up. She was running out of energy. She stumbled to her knees and was struggling to get up. "Ithilwen! Come on!" Legolas yelled as he turned and saw her, but then saw the Balrog. "Ithilwen!" he yelled again. She looked up at him from hooded eyes. She couldn't move.

"Get her out of here Legolas," Gandalf told him as he ran up to her. "Whatever you do. Keep her safe. Don't let the enemy get a hold of her," he told him quickly as he looked him in the eye. Legolas nodded before picking her up carefully and running to the end of the bridge with her.

Gandalf then turned to confront the Balrog on his own. "You cannot pass," he said angrily towards the large, glowing creature.

Ithilwen opened her eyes to see Gandalf on the bridge, on his own. She heard someone behind her yell, "Gandalf!"

"I am a Servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun," Gandalf yelled.

The Balrog was not phased by what Gandalf had to say. It stepped out and put a foot on the bridge.

"Go back to the shadow!" Gandalf commanded.

The Balrog steps closer. "You shall not pass!" Gandalf yells as he slams his staff down on the bridge causing it to break and crack, falling into the abyss below. Ithilwen watched as the Balrog begins to fall into that abyss with Gandalf standing there breathing a sigh of relief. Just as they thought everything was OK the Balrog swung its whip and caught Gandalf's foot pulling him down. He hung onto the ledge as that same voice yelled for Gandalf.

"Fly you fools," he said before falling himself. Ithilwen struggled to get out of Legolas' arms as Gandalf fell. "No! Help him! Someone needs to help him!" she yelled as she tried to get Legolas to put her down. All the while her wounds kept bleeding and sending pain through her body.

"Calm down. He's gone," Legolas whispered to her. "He's gone. We must go. It isn't safe," he told her as they all turned and left as arrows began to fly in their direction again. Legolas shielded her as they ran out of the mines and into the fresh mountain air.

Ithilwen looked to the doorway they came from and tears fell from her eyes. They were not only tears of pain from her wounds, but tears of pain from losing her mentor, a man who helped her discover who she is.

Gandalf was gone.