BTW I should mention "Italics" are the elves speaking in their native tongue Sindarin. "Bold Italics" is when they are speaking in Khuzdul. Italics without the "-" is thoughts either thinking to one another or general thought.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of thetwilight series and I really don't own any of Tolkien's amazing work.
Third POV
By the time the sun rose gently over the mountain range, those that were part of the Fellowship were already gathered near the main gate. Bella and Legolas had said their goodbyes to Glóin and the entourage from Erebor, after Gimli had left of course to gather his things.
"Mahal tadnani astû, sanzigil tamkhihi astû Legolas, Moriel." (Mahal guide you and mithril find you) Glóin had wished them as he pressed his forehead to theirs, lingering longer with his sister. "Be safe, hate to send Dwalin after you."
"Mukhuh targzu nê ta'bari bashk, Nadad." Bella replied as she pressed a kiss to his brow and whispering her reminders of the trunk into his mind.
Both Legolas and Bella stayed as they disappeared from their view and until the others joined them.
"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him, no oath, nor bond is laid to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you." Elrond spoke as he eyed the eleven before him, watching as their expressions varied from weary acceptance, fear, confusion, pride and sadness.
He presses his hand to his chest and waves it out, the words whispering to Canadriel. My heart goes with you, farewell.
"The Fellowship awaits the Ringbearer," Gandalf announces after a moment of silence.
Frodo turns, his eyes sweeping over the faces of the others who swore to aid him and starts to walk out of the gates of Rivendell, fear and unease swirling rapidly in his chest.
"Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?" Frodo whispered up to Gandalf who stepped in behind him, his hand gently resting on his shoulder.
Gandalf nudged Frodo gently. "Left."
'Jasper.' Bella whispered into the mind of the empath before her, watching as his spine straightened. Curiosity swirled over her cautiously and she couldn't help but smirk and push amusement at him. 'Ease Frodo, let him be calm but not so much as he becomes reckless.'
Understanding washed over the curiosity and Bella watched as Frodo's shoulders relaxed ever so slightly but she could still see the tension and the way his eyes flickered back and forth as he gazed around.
X
It had been a week or more, perhaps less since they had left Rivendell and reached the ruins of what once upon a time was her home for a brief period of time. Her and her sisters were born close to age, a rarity to Elves as long life gave them plenty of time to produce more than one child… She, being the youngest, was born in the halls of Eregion and only a mere 400 years before they travelled to Lothlórien.
This, of course, was at the very beginning of the second age, close enough.
But she had been there when Celebrimbor finished and hid the Elven Rings of Power, travelling with her mother who had received Nenya. She had been there when Sauron known then as Annatar "Lord of Gifts" who had once been Mairon the Maia of Mahal, took displeasure and started a war with the Ñoldor, Celebrimbor and all who called Eregion home.
Many things had passed in those times, the fall of Eregion and Celebrimbor, Elrond establishing Rivendell… so many wars and so much death that she recalled. Celebrian and Neliel fighting and healing those they could while she and Celephinthel were hidden away for safety.
"Meleth nín? What has you so troubled?" Legolas asked as he watched his Chosen shake free of the memories that gripped her and made her way to his side.
The others had halted when Legolas turned to speak to his wife to see her several leagues back with her eyes upon the ruins. They had wished to journey further than what they had, their pace slow with the night march but a sharp look from Aragorn, Gandalf and Legolas especially kept Gimli and the others quiet. Storm clouds began to gather and darken over the peaks of the Misty Mountains, blocking the rays of the rising sun.
Frodo couldn't tear his eyes away from the view, the shining white tops and the trees that seemed to shine in the low light with berries a burning red, mimicking tiny flames with their dew kissed skin.
"We have reached the borders of the country that Men call Hollin; many Elves lived here in happier days when Eregion was its name," Gandalf explained, watching as both Aragorn and Legolas snapped to attention, the former making his way to Bella's side while the latter grasped his wife's hand. "The land and the weather will be milder now once the storm has passed, but perhaps all the more dangerous."
White noise seemed to settle in Bella's ears as the others began to speak of what lay before them, what lay behind them. Moria was close, too close for her liking and she could begin to hear the Battle of Azanulbizar drowning out the battle of Eregion. She could feel calm wash over her, try to settle into her hazy emotions but slid off of her like water.
Memories clashed with one another and whispers filled her ears.
"The stones lament them: Deep they delved us, fair they wrought us, high they built us; but they are gone." She breathed out, shaking her head free of all the memories and turning her attention back to the others, squeezing her husband's hand while giving a thanks to Aragorn. It was their presence that kept her grounded between her memories and Gandalf explaining where they were. "I apologise for stopping us but this was once my home, a long time ago."
"All is well Canadriel," Aragorn stated firmly but kind.
Bowing her head Canadriel returned her attention back to the others in the fellowship. "This is where the three Elven rings of power were created, where Celebrimbor had seen through the disguise of Sauron and hid the rings and started a war that created a chain reaction."
"The creation of the rings but that was thousands of years ago!" Frodo asked confused before blushing as he realised how rude it had sounded.
Bright laughter left Bella's lips at that. "You remind me much of your Uncle, Frodo. Fret not, you didn't offend. I was born in the later years of the First Age, 400 or so before the creation of the One."
Peter raised his brows at this. "Round it up for us Suga', Major and I ain't really caught up on Middle Earth and the years."
Bella paused and eyed the two vampires; she knew that Elrond and Gandalf had informed them of the Rings and the histories. Who she was exactly, what they planned to do and against. But she also knows they were still confused, trying to merge their Bella with who she was now and who Sauron could be equivalent in their world. "Centuries I have lived, a handful at most."
"You know Bilbo always did say that one should not ask an elf a question for they would both tell you both yes and no," Frodo said with a small laugh and side-eyeing Gandalf. "Or reply very much like a wizard and tell you nothing but riddles."
The laugh that sprung from Bella's lips as they continued to walk eased the ache and worry in Legolas's heart, it was unexpected and free.
"Let's keep moving," Bella instructed with a soft smile, gesturing for them to continue.
BxL
Three days after their trek through Hollin the company found themselves taking a day to rest before making their trek through the mountains, it also had Jasper consistently at Bella's side washing waves of calm over her.
Legolas and Gandalf had grown more worried with each passing day that they grew closer to Moria and the eyes of their beloved Canadriel grew distant and sad.
We must hold to his course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds, the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there, our road turns east, to Mordor." Gandalf murmured to the elf prince and the vampire.
"Then let us hope that nothing hinders us, this close to Moria isn't good, not with what Glóin had told her and not with the memories she holds here. Many of her kinsfolk were lost to that war, many friends." Legolas explained just as quick and soft, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Do you know anything?"
Peter gazed up through the hood of his cloak at the elf prince with a wince, "don't know, my gift isn't tellin' me anythin' but Major's feeling somethin' dark swirling in her emotions sometimes followed by so much grief."
A sigh escaped Legolas's lips while his hand went to rub at the centre of his chest. "Yes, she's been through too much trauma and had begun to Fade when we met, our meeting had healed her of it but with each death of her kin the Grief takes hold once more."
Bright brilliant laughter had Legolas and Peter turning to face their topic of conversation with fond smiles as they watch her laugh at the antics of the two hobbits and the Man they had tackled to the ground. Though Legolas's eyes returned to the skies once more as his wife looked over and narrowed her eyes at him, mentally scolding him that he was on watch before returning to the sword lesson before her.
"If anyone were to ask for my opinion, which I note they have not, I would say we are taking the long way around. Gandalf, we can pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin, Balin, would give us a royal welcome." Gimli spoke up while eyeing down the wizard.
Gandalf pulled his pipe away from his lips and cast a quick look towards Canadriel to see her shoulders tense and then thought of the warnings from Elrond and the Lady Galadriel and Glóin about Moria. No, Gimli. I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice."
Jasper squinted as he caught the sight of a dark wisp in the sky, it seemed unnatural. "What is that?"
At the proclamation, all eyes turned towards the direction he was pointing in.
"Nothing...it's just a wisp of a cloud," Gimli replied as he too squinted at the dark spot but his eyesight grudgingly was not as good as the Vampire or an elf.
Boromir felt his stomach drop as the wisp grew closer. "It's moving fast...against the wind."
"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas and Bella shout as one as they caught sight of what it truly was, as the sound of caws and flapping reached their ears. "EVERYONE HIDE!"
The fellowship scrambled for cover, diving under crevices between rocks and shrubs while scrambling to gather their belongings and mask that they were there. The hobbits and vampires were confused as to what Crebain were but the panic that rested on the others faces and the urgency that was heard in Legolas and Canadriel's voice was enough to tell them it was bad.
It was a matter of moments when the chilling squawk was above them, the dark mass of birds swirling above them briefly that had all of them holding their breath until they passed on. Slowly one by one they crawled out from their hiding spots, Legolas holding out his hand for his wife and helping her to her feet while her gaze was far away.
"Spies of Saruman." Gandalf spat out.
"The way south is being watched," Canadriel explained distantly. "Heavily so, the Crebain is not the only thing under the White Wizards command."
Gandalf cast a look to Aragorn and Legolas before turning his gaze towards the hills. "We must take the pass of Caradhras!"
By the late afternoon, the company were trudging through the snow up the pass all except Bella and Legolas who were laughing and taunting the others who were leading the expedition from atop the snow. Bella chuckled as she jumped from Peter's shoulder to Jaspers much like she did on the quest to Erebor long ago, drawing a laugh from all.
The sound of someone falling and the others pausing and turning their gaze back to see Aragorn and Frodo staring at Boromir with worry and caution with the case of Aragorn and fear and panic in the case of Frodo.
"Boromir," Aragorn questioned.
Boromir stared at the plain gold band that glinted in the sunlight near hypnotically. "It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing...such a little thing."
Aragorn moved his hand to the hilt of his blade as he watched the man before him. "Boromir...give the ring to Frodo."
A weird beatific smile lights up Boromir's face as he stares at the gold once more, a dull roar filling his ears to the point that he could barely hear Aragorn's voice calling for him, warning him. Why does he have to give it back? It could solve all his problems, could solve all of his people's problems.
Boromir, it will not… It lies; it corrupts… a voice whispered in his mind, washing away the roar and snapping him out of the trance it held him under to see Frodo and Aragorn before him. He casts the hobbit a smile and ruffles his hair. "As you wish. I care not."
Aragorn sighed and let his sword fall back into place, his eyes flicking up to his Lady who ripped her own away from the Stewards son and gave her a silent thanks.
Several hours later had the fellowship struggling through a blinding blizzard, up towards the pass with Gandalf at the lead and with Aragorn carrying Frodo and Sam while Peter and Jasper carried the Merry and Pippin the best they could without them freezing further from their skin. Bella chuckled as Peter shot her a glare as she walked past, pausing when the sound of a fell voice reached her ears.
Legolas rushed to her side immediately and stared out across the expanse. "There is a fell voice in the air."
The mountain began to shake and all sound fell to a dull roar as Beall used her own magic to keep the snow from falling, aiding Gandalf in his own chant to push back Saruman but it was no use. Saruman's voice grew in power and rolled past them like thunder just as a crack above them was heard followed by an avalanche. Legolas pulled his wife closer to the rock wall and covered her body with his own as the snow buried them.
When the snow settled Legolas opened his eyes to see if his wife was well, sighing in relief when he saw no damage and her own gaze clear and staring back. A quick kiss between them was shared before Bella pushed the snow off of them to see the others dig themselves out.
"We must get off the mountain! Make for the gap of Rohan and take the West road to my city." Boromir shouted over the roar of the wind.
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard." Aragorn shouts back.
"We cannot pass over the mountain. Let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria." Gimli yelled as he shook more snow from his face.
Gandalf stared at them with fear and concern, concern because he knew what lies beneath them in the mines for Canadriel and fear because he knew what dwelled in the depth of those mines, Saruman's voice taunting in his ear… You know what they awoke in, the darkness of Khazad-dum. Shadow and flame.
"Let the ring bearer decide." He uttered softly though his voice carried across to them all anyway.
Frodo nervously glanced around the others as they all turned their attention to him, he could see Merry and Pippin shivering from within the Vampires arms, could see Aragorn and Boromir just as cold and he knew what must be done.
"Frodo?"
Blue eyes snapped up to meet Gandalf's. "We will go through the mines."
Canadriel stiffened and let her eyes clench shut and her head turn away at the proclamation, she could feel her husband pull her tight against him as Gandalf replied. "So be it."
So be it… She whispered mournfully in her mind, she had hoped to never see the accursed mine once more. To be near the place that caused the death of her friend and all those she tried to save during the battle and then again when the Balrog was awoken. But here they were… traveling to the Doors.
A bad feeling settled into the pit of her stomach and as she glanced up at her husbands, she wasn't the only one worried too.
Author note: Okay, so shorter than expected but trust me the next chapter will be… well ya'll probably will need a tissue.