Chapter VI: The Hall of Fire

We ate most of the delicious meal in silence. When we were through, Ali, Elaina, and I took leave to go to the large hall, known as the Hall of Fire. I had questions that needed answering.

"Ali, you've known all along haven't you?" I finally asked. I tried to remain calm, but my anger took over, "Why haven't you said anything? Imagine that! Knowing that my Samwise was in danger and not telling me! It's just not right Ali, we've been friends all these years!"

I could tell that Ali looked a little upset. "Laurelin, I was only trying to protect you," she explained. "I didn't know how you would react to such news. But believe me, friend, I would have told you, if you had only asked."

Only asked? Only asked? I thought. I opened my mouth to snap back in anger, but I realized I had nothing to say. The elf was right, and I could tell in her eyes that she was sincere.

"Oh, if only I had been able to ask you!" I said, "I meant to Ali, really, but we rode so hard and fast, it was quite difficult keeping my eyes open long enough to ask you even the smallest question." I sighed. "But I guess it all worked out anyway. We've made it to Rivendell, and I know all about the quest." I turned to Elaina, "I don't know how you managed it, Elaina, sneaking into that secret council and all."

I could see Elaina blush. "Well, I just had a feeling, if you read me. I knew that something big was going to happen. And it wasn't hard to find the place. I was... drawn there.. somehow. I don't exactly know how I found it." She blushed again.

I was curious as to why Elaina seemed so nervous, almost as if she was hiding something. I looked at Ali, whose gaze was fixed intently upon my hobbit friend.

Finally, I spoke. "Well, let's not talk of such dreadful matters now, Bilbo's about to sing one of his famous songs, I'd sure like to hear it." My gaze had moved to a book open to a map of Middle-Earth.

Mordor, I thought, It doesn't seem that far. After all, I've made it this far... I shook my head, shocked that idea of following the fellowship had even crossed my mind.

The three of us left the library and made our way up the stairs to see Bilbo.

* * *

We arrived back at Elaina's room late into the night after an evening of fun and each of us laid down, Elaina in her bed and me on a smaller bed which had been brought into the room for me.

I closed my eyes, but found no sleep. Finally, after some time, I heard a small whisper, "Laurie," it said, "Laurie, are you awake?"

"Yes," I answered.

"Great," Elaina sat up and lit a candle beside her bed. "Because, I wanted to talk to you."

I sat up and looked at her. "Me too, well, to you, I mean. Funny, me wanting to talk to myself."

Elaina laughed. "Well... it's just that... umm... I have a secret."

"A secret?" I asked.

"Yes. Well.... you know the ring."

"Yes."

"Well, umm... I put it on."

"What?" I couldn't believe what she had told me, but I could tell she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"But, I didn't know a thing, honest, when it happened," She continued on, reaching to explain her actions. "It was before the council, before I had any idea what anything was. Frodo had just woken up, but was still confined mostly to his bed. I was bringing him up some tea. When I got to his room, he was sleeping, but, around his neck I saw a chain and on it was a ring. I thought nothing of it, except that it was quite pretty. I reached and touched it, and something came over me, telling me to put it on. I can't rightly explain it, all I can say is that I listened. I slipped the ring on my middle finger, and I'll never forget what I saw. It was an eye, Laurie, a great, big eye! And it looked like it was on fire. I took the ring off right away, of course, deathly afraid of what I saw. I took it off just in time, too, for Frodo woke up, completely unaware of what I had done. But no one knows Laurie, and no one must now."

I nodded.

"And now I realize the danger they face. I can't do it, just sit here while they walk off into doom!"

"Then let's go." I was shocked at my words and had no clue of where they came from. I could tell Elaina was amazed too.

"What?" she asked.

"Maybe it's the ale," I said, "But I think we should go, if they can do it, so can we!"

A mischievous smile spread across Elaina's face. "Yes," she said, "We must!"

"I've come this far, why stop now?" I continued, "I don't mean to say that we should go off to Mordor, but maybe we could meet up with the others, or at least have an adventure of our own!"

I could hardly believe what I was saying, or that Elaina was agreeing with me. We decided to discuss our plan further in the morning and to pay a visit to the Hall of Fire to look at books and maps. And with that, we went to sleep.

* * *

I awoke to find Elaina already preparing for breakfast and singing a song as she pace around. I recognized it immediately and joined in:

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.

Elaina smiled, "Oh Laurie, remember when we used to sing old Bilbo's songs at home in the Shire?"

I smiled at the thought.

"And now here we are, about to go off on our own adventure. It's almost unbelievable."

I laughed. "A thought I've had many times, old friend."

Elaina and I spent the day talking and sharing stories of our years apart. She showed me around some more and we spoke of how much we missed Sam and Frodo, and Merry and Pippin.

Before we knew it, it was evening and we decided to go to the Hall of Fire.

Elaina knew exactly where she was going and she led me down the now familiar hallway to the large library. "Now, we must be quiet," Elaina explained in a whisper, "People will be awfully curious as to why two little hobbits are snooping about in the ancient texts. Now, where to start."

We decided that the smartest thing to do would be to find the most recent map there was and first chart out the path that the fellowship would most likely take. Elaina led me to a tall shelf filled with books. "Now, I know it's around here somewhere. Oh curses, I've forgotten again, all these books, all this writing, all these tales." She sighed. "Aha, I remember!" She looked up to the highest shelf. "Up there, I believe there's a book up there."

I looked up. It seemed like miles to the top shelf. "Are you sure, there isn't one, a little closer to the ground?" I asked.

Elaina grinned, well aware of my fear of heights. "Well, there's a ladder right here." She reached over and pushed a tall ladder to where I was standing. "Go ahead, after you."

"Oh no," I said, "This whole thing was your idea, and besides, you're older."

"Exactly, my poor old bones can't carry me up that high!"

"You liar, you! Well... well... well! You go!"

"Good comeback," Elaina smirked, "What's the matter, SCARED??" She knew I couldn't resist a challenge.

"I'm not scared of anything," I said, being the young, naive hobbit that I was. "Except for goblins, orcs, trolls, spiders, horses, bugs, the dark, and heights. But I am certainly NOT afraid of heights... wait." I felt a sudden urge to put my foot in my mouth.

Elaina laughed. "Well now you have to go to redeem yourself from that."

I was silent a moment then spoke, "Fine, but you owe me one Elaina Gamgee!"

She nodded and put her hands on the ladder to hold it and I started up. Just think of Sam, I thought to myself. Be as brave as him. I squinted my eyes shut as I made my way up. Before I knew it, I was at the top.

"Hah, Elaina, look at that, I made it. It's not so bad, so long as I don't look dow-". Just then I turned my head down to look at Elaina, who had conveniently wandered off. "Elaina?" I asked. "Elaina, where are y-... wow... haha... it sure is high up here." I felt myself begin to shake at the realization of exactly how far away the ground was. Just then, I felt myself begin to tip over and before I knew it, Crash! I was on the ground covered in books and dust and a ladder.

"Elaina?!" I whispered, "Help, I'm under the ladder!"

Just then, I saw someone approaching with a lantern, and breathed a sigh of relief at, who I thought was, Elaina. The figure lifted the ladder and I was surprised to see that it was not my hobbit friend, but Ali. She seemed surprised too.

"Laurelin!" She exclaimed.

I smiled an innocent smile. The silence was broken by Elaina's sneeze, I turned to see that she had indeed been trying to help me. After all, it had been her fault that I had fallen.

"What are you doing here?" Ali asked, "And without a lantern? I thought that hobbits had no concern for ancient texts!"

I blushed, and tried to find an excuse. "Ancient texts? Oh I knew we were in the wrong... oh... well you see," my mind drew a blank. "We didn't want to disturb anyone, Ali, and well, we just wanted to have a look in, umm..." I grabbed the closest book, but was disappointed to find it was completely in elvish script. "The ka- kale- kalemodomola..." I trailed off and looked up at Ali. I gave her a half-smile.

She looked angry and spoke in a demanding tone, "Laurelin, Elaina, What are you keeping from me? Do not take me for a fool! I can tell that you are hiding something. What was it that you were looking for if it were not the ancient texts?!"

I looked to Elaina and then to Ali again. Elaina finally spoke, "Well Miss Ali... ma'am," she smiled sheepishly. "You see... it's just... It's Frodo and Sam, and, well. Well, you can not expect us to sit here while they march off to Mordor! I love him, Ali, with all my heart. As Laurie loves Sam, and as you love Legolas. I know that we are small, and cannot do much, but we have to try! Don't you see Ali? I love him too much to let him go!"

I was shocked at Elaina's brave words and looked up at Ali who looked surprised as well. "And you feel this way, too, Laurelin?"

I answered immediately, "Well... yes I do Ali. I know it's against your wishes, but, but I'm sorry, I have to go. If you could just point us to the current maps of Middle Earth, then we'll.."

Ali cut me off, "So you think it's that easy? Just pick up a map and follow the road to Mordor? Believe me, hobbit-friends, but it is far ore difficult then that. I suspect you have heard of orcs the both of you. Elaina has perhaps heard of the Nazgul, but do you know what they are? They are corrupt, disembodied forces of evil. They have been sent back to Mordor but they shall return, in forms more terrible then the ones you have heard of I'm sure. And you can not begin to imagine what else my lay ahead of you on this journey. Goblin men called the Uruk-kai, trolls, dragons, balrogs, and all the terrible creatures that haunt your dreams. Not to mention the armies of savage men that have been corrupted by the Dark Lord and set upon that path for the sole reason of capturing hobbits such as yourself and subjecting them to torture, then forcing them to slave labor, slaughtering them as they see fit." Ali's words sent a chill down my spine and I nearly felt like crying, but I stood strong as she continued. "You have no weapons, you have no gear, and you have no horses. Not to mention that both of you lack any training with swords, bows, daggers are probably even strange to you. What chance do you think you have of surviving such a trip?"

Elaina stood up tall and began to speak in the same tall voice I had heard her speak when she burst in on my nap. "Just as much chance as Sam and Frodo have! They have the same training and gear as we do. But Lord Elrond sent them to Mordor!"

Ali seemed to grow more annoyed. "Yes, Elaina, but consider their escort. They are traveling with some of the best scouts and warriors in all of Middle Earth. And as for Sam, Merriodac, and Peregrin, they were not even meant to go, but they could not be convinced otherwise.

I decided that I had to speak up, "And neither can we!" I exclaimed. Suddenly I began to wonder what Ali had been doing in the library, with a map in her hand, nonetheless. She, too, was hiding something. "I have a question for you now, Ali. What are you doing here so late? Why have you been studying maps of Middle Earth?"

She looked down and seemed to realize what she was holding and began to laugh.

"And, what, may I ask, is so funny?" said Elaina.

"Oh...Oh my dear hobbits. A fool am I for underestimating you. Laurelin, I knew that this would happen if you found out, I have known since the day we embarked on this journey. You both are truly brave. Foolish maybe, but certainly brave. Well Laurelin, we set out on this journey together, why not finish it together?"

I was thrilled and a smile spread across my face. I ran over and wrapped my arms around Ali's neck. "That would be wonderful Ali, if you would only allow Elaina to join us," I said.

"Of course! I suspect we will need all the help we can get," Ali smiled and began to tell us of her plans.