Roped Into Helping
Lady Countryrose
Ch. 6
On the road down the mountain, it had proven to be a little tricky. But manageable. Boromir, after he had seen Hermione throw that one dagger into that bird. He had not tried to get under her skin so much.
Then there was Legolas, who had started to travel at her side. She didn't understand why he had started. He just started to do it.
"My lady," he asked. "What made you have magic?"
Hermione turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "That is unknown. I was born this way and yet, none of my parents were of magic."
Legolas looked worried about something. But didn't voice what his worry was. "How did you learn to use your magic?"
Harry had started to laugh. "She learned more from books than someone actually teaching her."
Hermione glared at him, before Gandalf jumped in. "One should read. Otherwise, inner growth wouldn't happen, without understanding it first."
Harry gulped, she knew that he lacked the drive to read. Then again, he just wanted to live a normal life. Where boys slacked off, played quidditch and noticed girls. She rolled her eyes, she was not normal. Not when there was a library for her to read.
Legolas looked thoughtful. Something she could see that he was one, very toned to nature. Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of the Woodland Realm. Yes, Gandalf told her about him.
Hermione sighed, no matter the world. She found that no one was going to take her seriously. No matter the reason.
'I am sixteen and people forget that I am a survivor. Then again, people of this world don't know me.' But she was glad that Gandalf had blocked some of those people's doubts.
As soon as they made it to the outer gates of Moria. She saw the doors bathed in moonlight, making it eerie and grandeur.
Gandalf walked towards the door. Stating it was in Elvish language. "Speak, friend, and enter." Before, he had spoken a few languages.
Something in Hermione had asked, "What is the Elvish word for enter?"
Gandalf looked at her with a glare. Only to speak it very slowly and over pronunciate. Just as the last syllable was uttered, the gate had opened. Letting the group enter.
Gimli was too focused on the part idea. That he did not notice the ground.
"This is not a mine," gasped Boromir. "It's a tomb."
Strider turned and yelled for everyone to exit. Only to find a kraken-like sentinel. Reaching for Frodo. Hermione then realized the creature wants the ring. The darkness calls for it.
"Diffindo," she pulled out her wand and aimed at an arm. Seeing that it was cut off. Before calling, "Accio, Frodo." Just as he was in her arms, the guys shoved the door shut. With Harry melting the sides of the door and wall together.
Blocking the water creature from entering. "Nowhere to go, but through the mine." Gandalf then led the group onward. Without knowing what else was in there with them. The group stayed quiet.
After a while of walking. Gandalf stopped the group, allowing them to rest, while they waited on his memory of the mine. Hermione found a spot and laid down.
Boromir sat near her. "My lady, I must apologize for my behavior. Genteel beings, don't act the way you do. With that, I find foreign. So please, forgive me."
Hermione turned to him. She could see that there was some truth to what he said. But was it enough for her to want to forgive him?
Hermione sighed, "Lord Boromir, things were said, and I hear your apology. I will consider it. But not at this time. The mines are my focus now."
The man surprised her by agreeing with her and left her side. Only to sit with Strider.
"My father is a noble man, but his rule is failing, and our people lose faith. He looks to me to make things right, and I would do it. I would see the glory of Gondor restored. Have you ever seen it, Aragorn? The White Tower of Ecthelion, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, its banners caught high in the morning breeze. Have you ever been called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets?"
'I was right, Strider was not his name.'
Aragorn looked lost. "I have seen the White City, long ago."
Boromir smiled, "One day, our paths will lead us there. And the tower guard shall take up the call: "The Lords of Gondor have returned."" Before slapping Aragon's back in amusement.
'Lord? I was right about that, too. But what kind of lord?' Hermione had a lot to piece together after that statement. 'Boromir is a proud man, and proud men end up in places that they are forced to face.'
Gandalf singled the party that he knew where to go. Causing everyone to get up and follow after. Only find themselves in a room. Full of decaying Dwarves. Each one of them died as they had laid. It made Hermione want out of the caves, fast.
While everyone had heard Gandalf reading the nightmarish accounts of what had happened. While Gimli found a tomb that made him fall to his knees.
Gandalf gives his staff and hat to Pippin, bends down, and takes a large and battered book from a corpse's hands. He opens it and clears the dirt from its pages.
Gimli was chanting softly, sobbing.
"Kilmin malur ni zaram kalil ra narag. Kheled-zâram… Balin tazlifi."
Legolas turned to Aragorn. "We must move on, we cannot linger!"
Gandalf read, "'They have taken the bridge… and the second hall.'"
Gimli stops sobbing, and looked up blankly. Listening to what Gandalf was reading.
"'We have barred the gates… but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes.'"
Pippin, still holding the hat and staff, backs away.
"'Drums… drums… in the deep.'"
Harry leaned down towards Hermione. "I am not liking this."
"Neither do I."
Gandalf looks up slowly, and turns the smudged, bloodstained page. The Fellowship begins to glance around uncomfortably.
"'We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark.'"
Pippin stumbles back and sees a corpse with an arrow in its chest, sitting by a stone well. He turns towards it.
"'We cannot get out…'" Gandalf glances at the last, single line, a scrawl fading out at the bottom of the page. He looked up in the uncomfortable silence. "'They are coming!'"
The silence is broken by Pippin. Curious, he reaches out and lightly twists the arrow in the corpse. The skull slips off, falling into the well with a resounding crash.
Gandalf whips around. Pippin turns to face him, looking guilty. As he does, the rest of the corpse slips into the well, dragging with it a chain and bucket. Noise echoes from hall to hall far below. Pippin winces at each wave of noise.
Gandalf slammed the book shut. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"
Hermione had felt sorry for Pippin. But Gandalf had a right to be angry. Whoever had come and killed these Dwarves, may as well still be in the cave.
He pulls his hat and staff from the Hobbit's hands. Gandalf turns away. Pippin stands still, awkwardly.
It was then that they had heard it. Drums were heard booming. Gandalf slowly turns back, and Pippin turns as well, staring down into the well.
More drums were heard booming. Making Hermione believe that they were coming closer.
Sam turned and fearfully spoke, "Frodo!" When he noticed Sting's blue glow.
Legolas hissed, "Orcs!"
Boromir rushes to the doors to have a look. Arrows hiss into the door near his face. Aragorn drops his torch and runs to Boromir. With Harry right behind them.
Aragorn turned to the Hobbits. "Get back! You stay close to Gandalf!"
Hermione stood in front of them. Readying a dagger and her wand.
The doors were shut. A bellow can be heard just outside.
Boromir said in sarcastic relief, "They have a cave troll."
Legolas tossed weapons to Boromir and Aragorn to blockade the door. The Fellowship draw out their weapons. Gandalf throws away his hat and pulls out his sword.
Gandalf growled, "Yah!"
The Hobbits brandish their short-swords. Sting quivers, glowing blue. Gimli leaps on top of Balin's tomb and brandishes his axe.
Gimli yelled, "Argh! Let them come! There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!"
Hermione knew that he was being dramatic. But it was a bit much. They were still coming, regardless if there was a Dwarf or not.
Creatures begin breaking the doors down. Weapons crash through, splintering spaces.
Legolas and Aragorn stood poised, ready to shoot. The first clear gap is gashed in the door and Legolas shoots his arrow, a shrill cry rings out. The Elf notches another arrow to his bow as Aragorn shoots another.
Suddenly, the beasts break through and the battle begins. A wave of armor-clad Orcs charge towards the Fellowship, who engage the Orcs. Aragorn and Legolas pierce Orcs with their arrows, while Boromir smashes another with his sword; Gimli catches one in the stomach.
Only for Hermione and Harry, tossing between spells and cutting through some with daggers. It was starting to reek with Orc blood. With a roar, Gandalf launches himself into the fray, and the Hobbits follow.
Aragorn beheads an Orc and black blood spews forth. Sam pauses in the heat of battle, his attention drawn upwards.
Aragorn also looks up. A cave troll smashes through the doorway, chains leading from his wrists to an Orc's hand. Legolas shoots the cave troll in the shoulder; the beast growls and claps a hand to the wound. Sam continues to stare, frozen, as the troll swings his mace down at the Hobbit. He dives under the troll's legs and crawls away as the troll turns, and sights him again.
Hermione was frozen with not just fear. But trying to struggle with what spell to use on it. 'Are cave trolls different from mountain trolls?'
Cornered, Sam cringes. Closing his eyes and trying to make himself smaller.
The beast raises his arm to strike when, suddenly, he falls back. Aragorn and Boromir are behind the troll, pulling on its chains. The troll twists its arm and whips Boromir across the room. He lands in a recess of the wall, dazed.
An Orc stands above Boromir, ready to strike. Across the room, Aragorn slings his blade into the Orc's neck, and, still dazed, Boromir gets up. Aragorn nods to him.
Standing upon the tomb of Balin, Gimli the Dwarf slings an axe, piercing the troll's shoulder. The troll swings his mace into the tomb, shattering it and knocking the Dwarf off.
Merry and Pippin push Frodo behind a pillar. Gimli hacks at an Orc as the troll swings its mace at him. Gimli ducks, and the monster strikes a goblin instead, and then another. Gimli falls. From a corner among more of the goblins, Legolas shoots two arrows into the troll, causing it to reel back with a cry.
Gandalf knocks an Orc out with his staff.
The troll swings his chain above his head. He swings at the Elf, and Legolas dodges it. The chain wraps around a pillar. Legolas runs along the chain onto the troll's shoulders. He shoots the troll in the back of the head and jumps off. The troll cringes and stumbles.
Then something popped into Hermione's head. 'Sunlight!'
Sam hits an Orc with a skillet. "I think I'm getting the hang of this." He turns and hits another.
The troll raises his mace and brings it down at the other Hobbits, causing them to jump aside. Frodo is separated from Merry and Pippin. The troll seeks Frodo, who tries to evade its searches by hiding behind a pillar.
Aragorn saw the imminent danger. "Frodo!"
Aragorn tries to fight his way over to Frodo. Frodo dodges around the pillar. The troll peers around it.
Not being able to see him, it peers around the other side, causing Frodo to dodge out of its vision. It disappears. Frodo carefully looks around the pillar, the troll has gone. He draws a deep breath.
The troll blasts around the pillar, bellowing in Frodo's face. The Hobbit stumbles and falls in a corner. The troll grabs him. The troll lifts and drags Frodo off of the edge of a recess.
Hermione cried out, "Lumos Solem" Only to make the troll mad. After it fought back the spell, as it tried to turn its skin to stone. "Well, that is one idea down," she growled softly.
The troll blasts around the pillar, bellowing in Frodo's face. The Hobbit stumbles and falls in a corner. The troll grabs him. The troll lifts and drags Frodo off of the edge of a recess.
Frodo called out, "Aragorn? Aragorn!"
Aragorn breathes heavily, exhausted. Still, he continues on.
Aragorn called back, "Frodo!"
Frodo slashes the troll's hand with Sting. The troll drops Frodo to the ground, twisting his injured hand and staring at it. Frodo lies on the floor. It raises its mace and begins to swing, but Aragorn leaps down into the recess.
Aragorn yelled, "Yah!"
He grabs a spear from the floor and stabs the troll with it. It does not penetrate its flesh, but holds the beast at bay.
Hermione had put her wand away. Seeing that it was going to be much help. Only to pull her other dagger and start swinging at the surrounding Orcs. With Harry at her side.
Pippin and Merry throw stones at the troll's head. The troll swings his arm down and hits Aragorn, sending him flying across the room. He collapses onto the floor. Frodo races after him and tries to rouse him, but Aragorn is too stunned to move.
Frodo begins to run, but the troll blocks Frodo's path with its spear, throwing him back. The troll takes aim and stabs Frodo in the chest.
Hermione called out, "Frodo!"
Gandalf turns instinctively. Merry and Pippin stare in shock.
Frodo grumbled, "Ugh… uh!"
The cave troll gapes in surprise at what it has done.
Merry and Pippin glance at each other and their faces appear resolved. Gandalf was shocked. They leap onto the beast, stabbing him mercilessly.
Merry and Pippin cried out, "Yaaahh!" Sounding like a pair of warcried warriors in the mix.
Sam from a distance away, "Frodo?"
Gandalf stares silently across the room, stunned. Looking beside himself.
"Frodo," Sam cried again. He rushes bravely towards his friend.
Broken from their shocked trance, Aragorn, Boromir, and Gandalf fight madly to reach the Hobbit. While Hermione and Harry hadn't stopped. Only to cut a few down.
Frodo slumps to the floor, the spear sticking into his chest. The troll flails at its head and grabs Merry, swinging him around and throwing him to the ground. Gandalf and Gimli take turns stabbing at the troll and dodging out of range. Legolas takes aim.
With Pippin stabbing it in the head, the troll opens its mouth. Legolas shoots his arrow up into the brain through the mouth of the troll.
With a long, pained moan, the troll collapses to the ground, dead. Pippin is thrown against the floor. There is a moment of silence. All enemies are dead or have fled.
Gandalf rushes to Frodo, as does Aragorn. Sam walked slowly over. Fear in his eyes.
Aragorn mumbled, "Oh no!" Aragorn rolled Frodo over.
Frodo groans, gasping for breath. Causing everyone to tack a sigh of relief.
Sam was beside himself. "He's alive!"
Frodo breathed heavily. "I'm all right, I'm not hurt."
"You should be dead! That spear would have skewered a wild boar." Aragorn sounded disbelieved about the whole thing.
Gandalf looked at Frodo hard. "I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye."
Frodo reveals his Mithril shirt. It glimmers.
Gimli gasped, "Mithril! You are full of surprises, Master Baggins."
Orcs were heard in the distance. When there were none to found within the room that they were in. Causing everyone to become jumpy.
Gandalf jumped into action. "To the Bridge of Khazad-dûm!" Leading everyone out of the room. Into the dark depths of the mine.