Hey everyone! Yes, I'm back! I'm no longer posting any chapters that are Author's Notes
because FF.net doesn't like it when people do that. I'm also editing my story and mashing the
first two chapters together because of the excellent advice of Eternity's Voice. Thanks so
much hun! Your review was so cool to get and I'm following all of your advice! So if you guys
want, go take a look at the first chapter. It's a little different than it was when I first
posted it. Also, this chapter will be longer and more of my own special plot will be coming
out. You see, I believe in having a reason for my character to have been dumped into Middle
Earth. I've got it all outlined and it's very cool. I hope you guys like it!
No, exams are not an excuse for me anymore. They're dead and gone. However, I still am very busy, so I'm only able to write on the weekends. I've got it worked out so that I write one story on one weekend, and on the next I write my other story. Yes, I am writing two stories at once. It's suicide. No one ever do it. I'm a bad example. So, I'll probably get an update in every two weeks. I'd better, anyway. I'm forcing myself to finish this fic. It WILL be finished. I'm using the Force to convince myself. Very ingenious, eh? *giggles* I make myself laugh. ;)
Also, I've been immersed into the wonderful world of HTML, so now I can do real italics for thoughts instead of asterisks. Here's where I learned it if anyone is interested: www.htmltutorials.ca I really encourage everyone here to go to that site. It's so easy to learn and it's really fun. Also, it's really helpful for creating text documents for FF.net.
Ummmm, I don't think I have anything else to say, so I'll get on with the Disclaimer and the story.
Disclaimer: If I owned LOTR I wouldn't be writing here. I would be sitting on my butt in my mansion drinking Pina Coladas with little umbrellas in them and goggling at the pool boy. Is that a vivid enough picture?
Chapter 12: Blessed are the Hopeless
Dear Lugh,
This place is cold and dreary. The stench of death and everything after death hangs in the air so heavily it's impossible to sleep. I'm never dry, no matter how many spells I use. The moisture of the caves clings to everyone's skin so it looks like we've been doing physical labor for hours on end. I suppose that's not so inaccurate, though, if walking can be considered physical labor.
I can't see why the Dwarves ever mined here. Riches couldn't possibly be any excuse for me, especially in a place without sun. I've tried to get Gimli to explain why this "mithril" is so valuable. Why not just put spells of protection and strength on regular metals? Maybe they desire its beauty, though I've never been a witness to it.
I must go now. Gandalf has declared that we are moving on again. To where, I cannot say, but I only hope it's better than the place we're in now. Small chance of that.
Rhiannon put down her letter and blew on the sparkling ink to dry it. The rest of the Fellowship was gathering up their things and getting ready to move on to the next stone chamber. When she was sure the ink wouldn't smudge, she folded the letter and retied the rough twine that bound her other letters. She considered her correspondance to be her journal, and it became sacred to her, like she was writing a story that she knew must be told.
"Where to now, O Dwarf Who Knows All That Rhiannon Doesn't?" she asked Gimli.
The Dwarf shrugged and grinned at her, then responded, "I'd say we were going to the city of Dwarrowdelf, but then if we didn't end up going there I would no longer be the Dwarf Who Knows All That Rhiannon Doesn't, and I rather like that title."
Rhiannon raised her eyebrow. She and Gimli had become fast friends in the Mines because of her interest in Dwarf culture. Gimli was an avid talker and could often go on and on about A Day In the Life of a Dwarf, no matter how menial the chore. Rhiannon found it amusing, but didn't say that to Gimli. She liked having someone to talk to. "Well, then, I guess I'll have to find something more annoying that I can call you. I would ponder about it here, but, alas, we Travelers have not yet reached our destination, and there is no time for poetry. Another time, then."
Gimli chuckled and said, "I look forward to it, as long as it's nothing too degrading."
Rhiannon laughed and retorted, "I wouldn't count on it."
Before Gimli could respond, Gandalf called for everyone to follow him. Rhiannon sighed and hefted her pack, then walked along with the rest of the Fellowship.
They had been going on for some time, the scenery and atmosphere never changing. Rhiannon had reduced her brain activity to that of which place to set her feet because she was afraid of what her wild imagination would come up with if they were discovered in the Mines. Up ahead, Gandalf's light wavered as he used his staff to find footing for himself, something Rhiannon was very suspicious that he didn't need to do. All of a sudden, the light stopped, and so did the rest of the Fellowship. Up ahead, Rhiannon heard the Wizard speak, but his words did little to comfort her.
"I have no memory of this place..."
Inwardly, Rhiannon groaned, and she settled down for yet another agonizing wait.
Silence filled the hall. It rang down the three hallways that held either death, a much longer walk, or the way to the sun. It was beginning to unnerve Rhiannon. There were ten people in this one space! How could the air be so tense and quiet? She wanted to stand up and shout at everyone, to break the silence that was making her crazy, but she was too tired, and the silence too heavy.
"Are we lost?" Rhiannon winced. She'd wanted the silence to be broken, but Pippin had said the "L" word, the one word she hadn't wanted to hear in a goblin-infested mine.
"No, I don't think we are," Merry answered him in a hushed voice. "Shhhh. Gandalf's thinking."
"Merry..."
"What?"
"I'm hungry."
Rhiannon rolled her eyes. Pippin truly had a one-track mind. She leaned back against the fallen column she was resting on and shook her braids in front of her face, peering at everyone from the safety of her long, dark hair. Pippin's comments had loosened the atmosphere somewhat, and Frodo now walked nervously over to Gandalf.
"There's something down there," he said in an undertone. Rhiannon gasped and put her hand to her sword, but Gandalf's reply was calm, and spoke of no urgency.
"It's Gollum," he said matter of factly. Rhiannon frowned. Gollum? What a strange name! She would have to find out more about this person Frodo and Gandalf were talking about.
"Gollum!" Frodo's reply was surprised, and Rhiannon immediately became suspicious.
"He's been following us for three days."
"He escaped the dungeons of Barad-Dur?" The name sent shivers down Rhiannon's spine. She was fast disliking the chosen topic of conversation.
"Escaped...or was set loose," Gandalf replied mysteriously. "And the Ring has drawn him here. He will never be rid of his need for it. He hates and loves the Ring, as he hates and loves himself. Smeagol's life is a sad story."
The look on Frodo's face was surprised. Rhiannon took that to mean that he had not known this "Gollum" to go by any other name.
"Yes, Smeagol he was once called, before the Ring came to him, before it drove him mad."
Rhiannon leaned closer, becoming more interested by the minute.
"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance," Frodo exclaimed forcefully.
Gandalf raised a bushy eyebrow. "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo?"
Rhiannon leaned back on her column once more, thinking hard about what Gandalf had just said. She thought about all the vicious rulers and dictators that stories told about, and wondered if things would have turned out for the worse if they hadn't taken power. Millions of lives had been lost over they years, but had they all died in vain? Was some greater Force working things out behind the scenes? It was troubling to think about. She had known no other gods than those that were patrons and protectors of Centaurs and Horse Lords. No god could control everything, and no god would want to. Were all the gods ruled by another, greater, All-Seeing God who knew what had to be done? She shook her head, thinking No, It's not possible. The God would have revealed Himself to us. He would have wanted sacrifices and incense burned for him. It doesn't make sense. Her attention was directed from her thoughts as Gandalf continued talking to Frodo.
"Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."
Frodo's reply sounded tired and sad, and Rhiannon's heart was saddened along with him. "I wish the Ring had never com to me. I wish none of this had happened."
"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." Gandalf's words sounded comforting and sent a shiver of hope through Rhiannon. Maybe all was not lost. Maybe this quest wasn't as impossible as it sounded.
"There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you also were meant to have it, and that is an encouraging thought. Ah," he added, straightening up and smiling. "It's that way!"
"He's remembered!" Merry said, relieved.
"No," replied Gandalf. "but the air doesn't smell so foul down there. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose!" He chuckled at himself. "Yes..."
Rhiannon gathered her pack again, her brow furrowed in thought, and followed behind Legolas as the Fellowship moved on towards an unknown fate.
It turned out that Gandalf's nose had led them aright. No goblins made surprise attacks and the silence wasn't so heavy as before. Rhiannon had a feeling all of the Fellowship had listened in on at least a part of Frodo's conversation with Gandalf.
Up ahead, a small light that wasn't from Gandalf's staff shone. It was daylight, pure daylight, and Rhiannon turned her face up to it, breathing deeply as if the light was air for oxygen-starved lungs. It was then that she noticed her surroundings.
They were in a vast stone chamber, the immense roof held up by a forest of great pillars. The place could have looked very gloomy and foreboding, but a rectangular hole in the ceiling allowed for a single shaft of sunlight to shine through, the angle of it casting light down onto the side of a wall and through yet another "window." The light gave majesty and an ancient awe to the chamber, and Rhiannon decided that maybe not all Dwarf havens were terrible.
"Behold! The great realm and Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf!" Gandalf announced the the company.
"Well, there's an eye opender, and no mistake!" Sam's wide-eyed exlaimation spoke aloud Rhiannon's thoughts.
Gimli stepped up beside Rhiannon and grinned up at her. "I see my title still stands. Now I must think up a title for you. How about--"
"No!" Rhiannon cut in hurriedly. She liked her name and didn't want any Dwarf, however humorless, to give her any other. "That's very kind of you, but I think I'll stick with Supreme Goddess of the Universe, thanks."
Gimli roared with laughter and strode on past her to catch up with Gandalf and continue exploring the place his cousin Balin had ruled. She grinned after him and followed as the Fellowship approached a rotten wooden door hanging off of rusting hinges. Black arrows sprinkled the dark wood, and Gimli ran ahead to burst through the doors without caring for the splinters of wood falling all over the place.
"Gimli!" Gandalf shouted, but he was already through the door and crouched beside a large stone slab.
The slab of light that illuminated the great hall poured into this room also, focused entirely on an inscription on the stone slab in strange letters. It looked like there had been a battle in the room, with bones and weapons scattered about like so much discarded trash. Dried blood stained the floors and was splattered across the walls like a gruesome paint finish. A sob directed Rhiannon's attention as Gimli fell to his knees before the stone block. She stepped over carefully and tried to puzzle out the inscription to find out why Gimli was so distressed. But the letters were too strange to notice any pattern and she quickly gave up. Then, Gandalf quietly and soberly said the foreign words.
"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria. He is dead, then. It's as I had feared."
Rhiannon gasped at the name Gandalf read. Balin was Gimli's cousin. He'd always bragged about Balin, and Rhiannon had suspected that he admired his cousin very much.
Gandalf bent over and lifted the remains of a dark colored, leather bound book. Pages and dust fell from it as he moved it, and, looking closer, Rhiannon saw that the book hadn't originally been dark colored. Black blood was smeared all over the cover of it, and Rhiannon covered her mouth before she gasped again.
"We must move on. We cannot linger," Legolas urgently whispered to Aragorn. Rhiannon agreed. She didn't like this place. It was too full of Death and pain and fear. But, if Gandalf heard Legolas' complaint, he didn't show it, and simply opened the book carefully and started reading.
"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..."
A collective shiver went through the Fellowship. Oh, gods... Something terrible happened here, and I really hope it doesn't happen to us, Rhiannon thought anxiously.
Suddenly, a huge crash shook the air, followed by the sound of metal crashing on stone reverberating through the ground. As one, the company turned there heads to a small well built into the floor. Pippin's wide and frightened eyes stared back at them.
So much for my girlish dreams...
"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf hissed angrily at Pippin. "Throw yourself in text time and rid us all of your stupidity!"
Rhiannon raised her brow thoughtfully. That's a good line. I'll have to remember it.
BOOM! Another, stranger noise like huge drums sounded through the mines, again and again, getting louder and louder. Then, a horn sounded with it, accompanied by answering horns and the sound of running feet and harsh yells.
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam cried, pointing at Frodo's sword belt. Frodo quickly unsheathed his sword a small way, looking in horror at the blade.
Curious... I've never seen a sword that glows blue before...
"Orcs!" yelled Legolas. Rhiannon sucked in her breath as her eyes widened. They had been discovered! She yanked her sword out of its sheath and breathed on the jewels twinkling on the hilt, awakening in them the power stored there. Immediately, her mind stopped racing and she became calmer, swinging her deadly blade back and forth like crouched wild cat, waiting for...something.
Aragorn yelled at the hobbits, "Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!" then looked at Rhiannon as if he expected her to back down as well.
"Hell, no!" she shouted back at him. "Just because I'm female doesn't mean I can't fight! Besides, you need everyone to help!" She stared right into his eyes, trying to make him see reason. "Come on. Let me help you," she added more gently.
Aragorn let out an exasperated breath, but nodded his head for her to step forward again. She grinned savagely and waited as the pounding footsteps got closer and the yells became more clear.
Aragorn turned away and help Boromir to wedge the door shut. Something slammed into it from the other side, making Boromir step away or get the wind knocked out of him.
"They have a cave troll," he said to no one in particular, pessimism ringing in his voice.
Gimli picked up two rusty axes and lept up on top of the tomb, snarling, "Let them come! There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!"
"Aye," Rhiannon said under her breath. "And there is also one Centaur who would be very pleased to make their acquaintance."
Suddenly, time seemed to slow and the door shattered into a thousand wood fragments, and a score of grotesque, mutated, human-like creatures poured lethargically through the opening. All Rhiannon could hear was the sound of her own breathing, her own heart beat. She could no longer hear the screams of monsters and the heavy footsteps of something much larger behind them. She watched as Aragorn and Boromir ran in slow motion into the crowd of Orcs, hacking this way and that, and Legolas fired arrow after arrow into bare Goblin throats. Gandalf raised his sword also and joined in the fray.
Then, with a snap, normal time resumed and all the sounds and feelings came rushing back, almost overwhelming her. The jewels on her sword flared brightly as her concentration came back and she raised her sword only to bring it back down for a killing blow the the neck of one particularly ugly Orc.
The heavy footsteps became nearer. A loud roar echoed on the stone walls of the Balin's tomb. A creature even larger and more frightening than the goblins shuffled through the doorway. It raised it's huge, spiked club and swung it around haphazardly, striking down many goblins in its attempt to reach the Fellowship. Then the troll found Aragorn, and he stumbled backwards, narrowly missing a powerful swipe of the club. But, Aragorn was on the ground and was unable to roll out of the way in time. The club came down again and the troll trumpeted triumphantly as it swung a killing blow at Aragorn.
Rhiannon cried out and tried to get nearer to help, but she was too far away. The club was getting closer, and just when Rhiannon thought that this would indeed be the last time she ever saw Aragorn, Boromir's sword sliced through the tough skin on the creature's arm, making it howl with rage as it's blow went awry and missed Aragorn.
She breathed a sigh of relief and went back to slicing off heads and arms like it was something she did every day. She had a feeling she would throw up later, but she couldn't afford to at the moment.
A cry of "Aragorn!" made her look around at Frodo, who was slumped up against a wall, the cave troll's spear in his chest. Simultaneous shouts of anguish rose over the sounds of battle, Sam ran at the troll, slashing wildly at it's legs. Merry and Pippin jumped on top of the creature, pummelling it with their fists and swords. Legolas climbed nimbly atop the troll and shot two arrows into the soft spot behind it's skull. The cave troll howled one last time and fell slowly to the ground.
Rhiannon turned to look for Frodo, who was sprawled motionless on the ground.
"No... Not him..."
Yes! I finally finished this chapter! Woohoo! Yay for me! I did make this chapter a little longer than I usually do. Be happy. I also have to go to my sister's cheerleading competition (yuk) right now, so I have no time to look for errors. Sorry 'bout that. I have a feeling you guys would rather deal with a few spelling mistakes than have to wait until tomorrow for the chapter, so you're getting it now. Aren't I nice? :)
Oh, by the way... I know I'm going to get a ton of reviews yelling at me for putting in that bit about "an All-Seeing God." No, I'm not trying to push my "beliefs" on anyone. Everyone wonders about this in their life and this is Rhiannon's time. She's growing up during the course of this fic, and you guys get to see it. Yay for you. Also, if I do nothing else by my writing, I want to make people think. If I don't make people think, my work is pointless. I want substance, and I always strive for controversy. So, flame me if you want. I've already told you my reasons, and if I do get any flames, I will disregard you as an illiterate idiot. So read the Author's Notes, people! Anyway, gotta go now. Review, please!
Your Crazy Authoress,
littlehorse :)
No, exams are not an excuse for me anymore. They're dead and gone. However, I still am very busy, so I'm only able to write on the weekends. I've got it worked out so that I write one story on one weekend, and on the next I write my other story. Yes, I am writing two stories at once. It's suicide. No one ever do it. I'm a bad example. So, I'll probably get an update in every two weeks. I'd better, anyway. I'm forcing myself to finish this fic. It WILL be finished. I'm using the Force to convince myself. Very ingenious, eh? *giggles* I make myself laugh. ;)
Also, I've been immersed into the wonderful world of HTML, so now I can do real italics for thoughts instead of asterisks. Here's where I learned it if anyone is interested: www.htmltutorials.ca I really encourage everyone here to go to that site. It's so easy to learn and it's really fun. Also, it's really helpful for creating text documents for FF.net.
Ummmm, I don't think I have anything else to say, so I'll get on with the Disclaimer and the story.
Disclaimer: If I owned LOTR I wouldn't be writing here. I would be sitting on my butt in my mansion drinking Pina Coladas with little umbrellas in them and goggling at the pool boy. Is that a vivid enough picture?
Chapter 12: Blessed are the Hopeless
Dear Lugh,
This place is cold and dreary. The stench of death and everything after death hangs in the air so heavily it's impossible to sleep. I'm never dry, no matter how many spells I use. The moisture of the caves clings to everyone's skin so it looks like we've been doing physical labor for hours on end. I suppose that's not so inaccurate, though, if walking can be considered physical labor.
I can't see why the Dwarves ever mined here. Riches couldn't possibly be any excuse for me, especially in a place without sun. I've tried to get Gimli to explain why this "mithril" is so valuable. Why not just put spells of protection and strength on regular metals? Maybe they desire its beauty, though I've never been a witness to it.
I must go now. Gandalf has declared that we are moving on again. To where, I cannot say, but I only hope it's better than the place we're in now. Small chance of that.
Rhiannon put down her letter and blew on the sparkling ink to dry it. The rest of the Fellowship was gathering up their things and getting ready to move on to the next stone chamber. When she was sure the ink wouldn't smudge, she folded the letter and retied the rough twine that bound her other letters. She considered her correspondance to be her journal, and it became sacred to her, like she was writing a story that she knew must be told.
"Where to now, O Dwarf Who Knows All That Rhiannon Doesn't?" she asked Gimli.
The Dwarf shrugged and grinned at her, then responded, "I'd say we were going to the city of Dwarrowdelf, but then if we didn't end up going there I would no longer be the Dwarf Who Knows All That Rhiannon Doesn't, and I rather like that title."
Rhiannon raised her eyebrow. She and Gimli had become fast friends in the Mines because of her interest in Dwarf culture. Gimli was an avid talker and could often go on and on about A Day In the Life of a Dwarf, no matter how menial the chore. Rhiannon found it amusing, but didn't say that to Gimli. She liked having someone to talk to. "Well, then, I guess I'll have to find something more annoying that I can call you. I would ponder about it here, but, alas, we Travelers have not yet reached our destination, and there is no time for poetry. Another time, then."
Gimli chuckled and said, "I look forward to it, as long as it's nothing too degrading."
Rhiannon laughed and retorted, "I wouldn't count on it."
Before Gimli could respond, Gandalf called for everyone to follow him. Rhiannon sighed and hefted her pack, then walked along with the rest of the Fellowship.
They had been going on for some time, the scenery and atmosphere never changing. Rhiannon had reduced her brain activity to that of which place to set her feet because she was afraid of what her wild imagination would come up with if they were discovered in the Mines. Up ahead, Gandalf's light wavered as he used his staff to find footing for himself, something Rhiannon was very suspicious that he didn't need to do. All of a sudden, the light stopped, and so did the rest of the Fellowship. Up ahead, Rhiannon heard the Wizard speak, but his words did little to comfort her.
"I have no memory of this place..."
Inwardly, Rhiannon groaned, and she settled down for yet another agonizing wait.
Silence filled the hall. It rang down the three hallways that held either death, a much longer walk, or the way to the sun. It was beginning to unnerve Rhiannon. There were ten people in this one space! How could the air be so tense and quiet? She wanted to stand up and shout at everyone, to break the silence that was making her crazy, but she was too tired, and the silence too heavy.
"Are we lost?" Rhiannon winced. She'd wanted the silence to be broken, but Pippin had said the "L" word, the one word she hadn't wanted to hear in a goblin-infested mine.
"No, I don't think we are," Merry answered him in a hushed voice. "Shhhh. Gandalf's thinking."
"Merry..."
"What?"
"I'm hungry."
Rhiannon rolled her eyes. Pippin truly had a one-track mind. She leaned back against the fallen column she was resting on and shook her braids in front of her face, peering at everyone from the safety of her long, dark hair. Pippin's comments had loosened the atmosphere somewhat, and Frodo now walked nervously over to Gandalf.
"There's something down there," he said in an undertone. Rhiannon gasped and put her hand to her sword, but Gandalf's reply was calm, and spoke of no urgency.
"It's Gollum," he said matter of factly. Rhiannon frowned. Gollum? What a strange name! She would have to find out more about this person Frodo and Gandalf were talking about.
"Gollum!" Frodo's reply was surprised, and Rhiannon immediately became suspicious.
"He's been following us for three days."
"He escaped the dungeons of Barad-Dur?" The name sent shivers down Rhiannon's spine. She was fast disliking the chosen topic of conversation.
"Escaped...or was set loose," Gandalf replied mysteriously. "And the Ring has drawn him here. He will never be rid of his need for it. He hates and loves the Ring, as he hates and loves himself. Smeagol's life is a sad story."
The look on Frodo's face was surprised. Rhiannon took that to mean that he had not known this "Gollum" to go by any other name.
"Yes, Smeagol he was once called, before the Ring came to him, before it drove him mad."
Rhiannon leaned closer, becoming more interested by the minute.
"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance," Frodo exclaimed forcefully.
Gandalf raised a bushy eyebrow. "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo?"
Rhiannon leaned back on her column once more, thinking hard about what Gandalf had just said. She thought about all the vicious rulers and dictators that stories told about, and wondered if things would have turned out for the worse if they hadn't taken power. Millions of lives had been lost over they years, but had they all died in vain? Was some greater Force working things out behind the scenes? It was troubling to think about. She had known no other gods than those that were patrons and protectors of Centaurs and Horse Lords. No god could control everything, and no god would want to. Were all the gods ruled by another, greater, All-Seeing God who knew what had to be done? She shook her head, thinking No, It's not possible. The God would have revealed Himself to us. He would have wanted sacrifices and incense burned for him. It doesn't make sense. Her attention was directed from her thoughts as Gandalf continued talking to Frodo.
"Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."
Frodo's reply sounded tired and sad, and Rhiannon's heart was saddened along with him. "I wish the Ring had never com to me. I wish none of this had happened."
"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." Gandalf's words sounded comforting and sent a shiver of hope through Rhiannon. Maybe all was not lost. Maybe this quest wasn't as impossible as it sounded.
"There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you also were meant to have it, and that is an encouraging thought. Ah," he added, straightening up and smiling. "It's that way!"
"He's remembered!" Merry said, relieved.
"No," replied Gandalf. "but the air doesn't smell so foul down there. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose!" He chuckled at himself. "Yes..."
Rhiannon gathered her pack again, her brow furrowed in thought, and followed behind Legolas as the Fellowship moved on towards an unknown fate.
It turned out that Gandalf's nose had led them aright. No goblins made surprise attacks and the silence wasn't so heavy as before. Rhiannon had a feeling all of the Fellowship had listened in on at least a part of Frodo's conversation with Gandalf.
Up ahead, a small light that wasn't from Gandalf's staff shone. It was daylight, pure daylight, and Rhiannon turned her face up to it, breathing deeply as if the light was air for oxygen-starved lungs. It was then that she noticed her surroundings.
They were in a vast stone chamber, the immense roof held up by a forest of great pillars. The place could have looked very gloomy and foreboding, but a rectangular hole in the ceiling allowed for a single shaft of sunlight to shine through, the angle of it casting light down onto the side of a wall and through yet another "window." The light gave majesty and an ancient awe to the chamber, and Rhiannon decided that maybe not all Dwarf havens were terrible.
"Behold! The great realm and Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf!" Gandalf announced the the company.
"Well, there's an eye opender, and no mistake!" Sam's wide-eyed exlaimation spoke aloud Rhiannon's thoughts.
Gimli stepped up beside Rhiannon and grinned up at her. "I see my title still stands. Now I must think up a title for you. How about--"
"No!" Rhiannon cut in hurriedly. She liked her name and didn't want any Dwarf, however humorless, to give her any other. "That's very kind of you, but I think I'll stick with Supreme Goddess of the Universe, thanks."
Gimli roared with laughter and strode on past her to catch up with Gandalf and continue exploring the place his cousin Balin had ruled. She grinned after him and followed as the Fellowship approached a rotten wooden door hanging off of rusting hinges. Black arrows sprinkled the dark wood, and Gimli ran ahead to burst through the doors without caring for the splinters of wood falling all over the place.
"Gimli!" Gandalf shouted, but he was already through the door and crouched beside a large stone slab.
The slab of light that illuminated the great hall poured into this room also, focused entirely on an inscription on the stone slab in strange letters. It looked like there had been a battle in the room, with bones and weapons scattered about like so much discarded trash. Dried blood stained the floors and was splattered across the walls like a gruesome paint finish. A sob directed Rhiannon's attention as Gimli fell to his knees before the stone block. She stepped over carefully and tried to puzzle out the inscription to find out why Gimli was so distressed. But the letters were too strange to notice any pattern and she quickly gave up. Then, Gandalf quietly and soberly said the foreign words.
"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria. He is dead, then. It's as I had feared."
Rhiannon gasped at the name Gandalf read. Balin was Gimli's cousin. He'd always bragged about Balin, and Rhiannon had suspected that he admired his cousin very much.
Gandalf bent over and lifted the remains of a dark colored, leather bound book. Pages and dust fell from it as he moved it, and, looking closer, Rhiannon saw that the book hadn't originally been dark colored. Black blood was smeared all over the cover of it, and Rhiannon covered her mouth before she gasped again.
"We must move on. We cannot linger," Legolas urgently whispered to Aragorn. Rhiannon agreed. She didn't like this place. It was too full of Death and pain and fear. But, if Gandalf heard Legolas' complaint, he didn't show it, and simply opened the book carefully and started reading.
"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..."
A collective shiver went through the Fellowship. Oh, gods... Something terrible happened here, and I really hope it doesn't happen to us, Rhiannon thought anxiously.
Suddenly, a huge crash shook the air, followed by the sound of metal crashing on stone reverberating through the ground. As one, the company turned there heads to a small well built into the floor. Pippin's wide and frightened eyes stared back at them.
So much for my girlish dreams...
"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf hissed angrily at Pippin. "Throw yourself in text time and rid us all of your stupidity!"
Rhiannon raised her brow thoughtfully. That's a good line. I'll have to remember it.
BOOM! Another, stranger noise like huge drums sounded through the mines, again and again, getting louder and louder. Then, a horn sounded with it, accompanied by answering horns and the sound of running feet and harsh yells.
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam cried, pointing at Frodo's sword belt. Frodo quickly unsheathed his sword a small way, looking in horror at the blade.
Curious... I've never seen a sword that glows blue before...
"Orcs!" yelled Legolas. Rhiannon sucked in her breath as her eyes widened. They had been discovered! She yanked her sword out of its sheath and breathed on the jewels twinkling on the hilt, awakening in them the power stored there. Immediately, her mind stopped racing and she became calmer, swinging her deadly blade back and forth like crouched wild cat, waiting for...something.
Aragorn yelled at the hobbits, "Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!" then looked at Rhiannon as if he expected her to back down as well.
"Hell, no!" she shouted back at him. "Just because I'm female doesn't mean I can't fight! Besides, you need everyone to help!" She stared right into his eyes, trying to make him see reason. "Come on. Let me help you," she added more gently.
Aragorn let out an exasperated breath, but nodded his head for her to step forward again. She grinned savagely and waited as the pounding footsteps got closer and the yells became more clear.
Aragorn turned away and help Boromir to wedge the door shut. Something slammed into it from the other side, making Boromir step away or get the wind knocked out of him.
"They have a cave troll," he said to no one in particular, pessimism ringing in his voice.
Gimli picked up two rusty axes and lept up on top of the tomb, snarling, "Let them come! There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!"
"Aye," Rhiannon said under her breath. "And there is also one Centaur who would be very pleased to make their acquaintance."
Suddenly, time seemed to slow and the door shattered into a thousand wood fragments, and a score of grotesque, mutated, human-like creatures poured lethargically through the opening. All Rhiannon could hear was the sound of her own breathing, her own heart beat. She could no longer hear the screams of monsters and the heavy footsteps of something much larger behind them. She watched as Aragorn and Boromir ran in slow motion into the crowd of Orcs, hacking this way and that, and Legolas fired arrow after arrow into bare Goblin throats. Gandalf raised his sword also and joined in the fray.
Then, with a snap, normal time resumed and all the sounds and feelings came rushing back, almost overwhelming her. The jewels on her sword flared brightly as her concentration came back and she raised her sword only to bring it back down for a killing blow the the neck of one particularly ugly Orc.
The heavy footsteps became nearer. A loud roar echoed on the stone walls of the Balin's tomb. A creature even larger and more frightening than the goblins shuffled through the doorway. It raised it's huge, spiked club and swung it around haphazardly, striking down many goblins in its attempt to reach the Fellowship. Then the troll found Aragorn, and he stumbled backwards, narrowly missing a powerful swipe of the club. But, Aragorn was on the ground and was unable to roll out of the way in time. The club came down again and the troll trumpeted triumphantly as it swung a killing blow at Aragorn.
Rhiannon cried out and tried to get nearer to help, but she was too far away. The club was getting closer, and just when Rhiannon thought that this would indeed be the last time she ever saw Aragorn, Boromir's sword sliced through the tough skin on the creature's arm, making it howl with rage as it's blow went awry and missed Aragorn.
She breathed a sigh of relief and went back to slicing off heads and arms like it was something she did every day. She had a feeling she would throw up later, but she couldn't afford to at the moment.
A cry of "Aragorn!" made her look around at Frodo, who was slumped up against a wall, the cave troll's spear in his chest. Simultaneous shouts of anguish rose over the sounds of battle, Sam ran at the troll, slashing wildly at it's legs. Merry and Pippin jumped on top of the creature, pummelling it with their fists and swords. Legolas climbed nimbly atop the troll and shot two arrows into the soft spot behind it's skull. The cave troll howled one last time and fell slowly to the ground.
Rhiannon turned to look for Frodo, who was sprawled motionless on the ground.
"No... Not him..."
Yes! I finally finished this chapter! Woohoo! Yay for me! I did make this chapter a little longer than I usually do. Be happy. I also have to go to my sister's cheerleading competition (yuk) right now, so I have no time to look for errors. Sorry 'bout that. I have a feeling you guys would rather deal with a few spelling mistakes than have to wait until tomorrow for the chapter, so you're getting it now. Aren't I nice? :)
Oh, by the way... I know I'm going to get a ton of reviews yelling at me for putting in that bit about "an All-Seeing God." No, I'm not trying to push my "beliefs" on anyone. Everyone wonders about this in their life and this is Rhiannon's time. She's growing up during the course of this fic, and you guys get to see it. Yay for you. Also, if I do nothing else by my writing, I want to make people think. If I don't make people think, my work is pointless. I want substance, and I always strive for controversy. So, flame me if you want. I've already told you my reasons, and if I do get any flames, I will disregard you as an illiterate idiot. So read the Author's Notes, people! Anyway, gotta go now. Review, please!
Your Crazy Authoress,
littlehorse :)