Through Darkness and Despair
Chapter 4: The Cliffs of Caradhras
A/N: This takes place in the Cliffs of Caradhras (duh) after the Company has traveled from Rivendell. A change in the Banquet of Rivendell chapter: Aragorn's elven name is Estel, not Estar (oops!) Well, R/R! Thanx
With the wind howling across their backs, and the heavy snow in their eyes (and not to mention the freezing temperatures), only Legolas with his keen blue eyes could see ahead. The Fellowship was almost at the summit of Caradhras, the deadliest mountain of the Misty Mountains. But in this weather, Legolas suspected that the four hobbits (although how much they denied it) could not go on much further, much less anyone else.
The Nine Walkers of Good were wading in the waist deep snow, and Legolas then leaped on top on the crusting white snow. His light, nimble body did not sink into the snow, for it was his graceful elven abilities that kept him up.
"What do you see?" yelled Gandalf to Legolas above the raging winds.
"There is a breaking in the path, about a mile down I fear we will not make it across." he shouted back.
Suddenly, Legolas heard a sharp crack. Everyone else, following his example tilted their heads up to see that the overhang above them was breaking loose, and that they were about to be crushed by tons of ice, rock, and snow.
"Cover your heads!" shouted Aragorn the Ranger.
Apparently, everybody did, and just in time as the snow and ice smothered their bodies.
Legolas felt cold as the snow packed up against his body, but he pushed his slender arm through the top of the snow, and climbed out of his icy tomb. His pale blond hair flying in the wind, he shouted, "Aragorn!! Gandalf!!"
"We're right here!" said a gruff voice about two feet away from him.
Legolas turned to see Gandalf's snowy head poking out of the snow, his white hair making him hard to distinguish from the ground.
"The arm of Saruman stretches far." he coughed out.
Legolas gasped, surprised by this revelation, while trying to dig Gandalf out of the snow.
"This was the work of Saruman, the wizard betrayer?" he asked.
"Indeed, now get everyone else out of the snow! Hurry, elf!"
As he snapped back to attention, Legolas heard someone coughing three feet away.
"Aragorn?" he asked hopefully.
A hand thrust it's way through the top layer of the snow. Legolas grasped it, and felt the strong hand clasp aroundhis, and squeeze. He felt greatly relieved that the Ranger, and love, was alive. The elf finally pulled Aragorn out of the snow, and saw him gasp for breath. . The snow covered elf's eyes locked ontothe almost white seeming eyes before him, and saw caring and a need to help the other members of the company.
"Help the hobbits," Aragorn said weakly, "I will be alright."
Legolas reluctantly pulled his hand from the Ranger's strong one, and on a sudden impulse, leaned forward, and kissed him firmly on the lips. It was quick, but warm, despite the coldness of the weather. He slowly pulled back, and walked away to help the others, leaving Aragorn stunned.
* * * * * *
About two minutes later, Legolas, Gandalf, and Aragorn had gotten everybody out of the snow. Now, they were shivering by a small fire Gandalf had built with his powers, in a small cave, which only Legolas' sharp eyes could have seen. Legolas and Aragorn were snuggled together, feeding their warmth to one another's bodies.
Gandalf suddenly spoke up.
"We must decide what to do. We are trapped on the Cliffs of Caradhras, with no strength and energy to go on. We can either go back down, and find another way to pass the Misty Mountains, or we can brave the mountain, until we get to the other side."
"No," Aragorn said, "we cannot go on. The weather will kill us, and the eye of Sauron will watch us, spy on our every move."
"Wait! I know!" Gimli the dwarf suddenly jumped up. "We will go through the Mines of Moria, which is right under this mountain, where Sauron's eye will not see us. My cousin Balin will welcome us into his stronghold."
"No!" argued Boromir, "I have heard many tales of men who have gone into the mines, and have never came out. We cannot go into Moria!"
Gandalf slowly nodded. "I have been in Moria, it is dark, shadow ridden, and the only reason I survived was because of a sudden chance. I had help from my dwarf friends.
But it is not up to us to decide our destiny. The Ring bearer must choose. So, Frodo, what will it be? The Mountains of Caradhras, or the Mines of Moria?"
Frodo's crystal clear sea colored eyes peered at everyone, and finally seemed to have decided, his eyes set. He reached his hand into his vest pocket, and said, "We will go through the Mines of Moria."
* * * * * *
Boromir's angry gaze traveled to everyone in the cave. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get the group to listen to him, to respect him. It made it even worse that Legolas and Aragorn were leaning against each other, seemingly in love. How he desired the elf, his long blond hair, graceful nimbleness, and angelic beauty. He ould kill to have him be his own. But now they were about to go to the ultimate doom, through the Mines. I will see how long their love will last in there, he thought, his angry brown eyes locked onto Legolas and Aragorn's shadowy forms
Chapter 4: The Cliffs of Caradhras
A/N: This takes place in the Cliffs of Caradhras (duh) after the Company has traveled from Rivendell. A change in the Banquet of Rivendell chapter: Aragorn's elven name is Estel, not Estar (oops!) Well, R/R! Thanx
With the wind howling across their backs, and the heavy snow in their eyes (and not to mention the freezing temperatures), only Legolas with his keen blue eyes could see ahead. The Fellowship was almost at the summit of Caradhras, the deadliest mountain of the Misty Mountains. But in this weather, Legolas suspected that the four hobbits (although how much they denied it) could not go on much further, much less anyone else.
The Nine Walkers of Good were wading in the waist deep snow, and Legolas then leaped on top on the crusting white snow. His light, nimble body did not sink into the snow, for it was his graceful elven abilities that kept him up.
"What do you see?" yelled Gandalf to Legolas above the raging winds.
"There is a breaking in the path, about a mile down I fear we will not make it across." he shouted back.
Suddenly, Legolas heard a sharp crack. Everyone else, following his example tilted their heads up to see that the overhang above them was breaking loose, and that they were about to be crushed by tons of ice, rock, and snow.
"Cover your heads!" shouted Aragorn the Ranger.
Apparently, everybody did, and just in time as the snow and ice smothered their bodies.
Legolas felt cold as the snow packed up against his body, but he pushed his slender arm through the top of the snow, and climbed out of his icy tomb. His pale blond hair flying in the wind, he shouted, "Aragorn!! Gandalf!!"
"We're right here!" said a gruff voice about two feet away from him.
Legolas turned to see Gandalf's snowy head poking out of the snow, his white hair making him hard to distinguish from the ground.
"The arm of Saruman stretches far." he coughed out.
Legolas gasped, surprised by this revelation, while trying to dig Gandalf out of the snow.
"This was the work of Saruman, the wizard betrayer?" he asked.
"Indeed, now get everyone else out of the snow! Hurry, elf!"
As he snapped back to attention, Legolas heard someone coughing three feet away.
"Aragorn?" he asked hopefully.
A hand thrust it's way through the top layer of the snow. Legolas grasped it, and felt the strong hand clasp aroundhis, and squeeze. He felt greatly relieved that the Ranger, and love, was alive. The elf finally pulled Aragorn out of the snow, and saw him gasp for breath. . The snow covered elf's eyes locked ontothe almost white seeming eyes before him, and saw caring and a need to help the other members of the company.
"Help the hobbits," Aragorn said weakly, "I will be alright."
Legolas reluctantly pulled his hand from the Ranger's strong one, and on a sudden impulse, leaned forward, and kissed him firmly on the lips. It was quick, but warm, despite the coldness of the weather. He slowly pulled back, and walked away to help the others, leaving Aragorn stunned.
* * * * * *
About two minutes later, Legolas, Gandalf, and Aragorn had gotten everybody out of the snow. Now, they were shivering by a small fire Gandalf had built with his powers, in a small cave, which only Legolas' sharp eyes could have seen. Legolas and Aragorn were snuggled together, feeding their warmth to one another's bodies.
Gandalf suddenly spoke up.
"We must decide what to do. We are trapped on the Cliffs of Caradhras, with no strength and energy to go on. We can either go back down, and find another way to pass the Misty Mountains, or we can brave the mountain, until we get to the other side."
"No," Aragorn said, "we cannot go on. The weather will kill us, and the eye of Sauron will watch us, spy on our every move."
"Wait! I know!" Gimli the dwarf suddenly jumped up. "We will go through the Mines of Moria, which is right under this mountain, where Sauron's eye will not see us. My cousin Balin will welcome us into his stronghold."
"No!" argued Boromir, "I have heard many tales of men who have gone into the mines, and have never came out. We cannot go into Moria!"
Gandalf slowly nodded. "I have been in Moria, it is dark, shadow ridden, and the only reason I survived was because of a sudden chance. I had help from my dwarf friends.
But it is not up to us to decide our destiny. The Ring bearer must choose. So, Frodo, what will it be? The Mountains of Caradhras, or the Mines of Moria?"
Frodo's crystal clear sea colored eyes peered at everyone, and finally seemed to have decided, his eyes set. He reached his hand into his vest pocket, and said, "We will go through the Mines of Moria."
* * * * * *
Boromir's angry gaze traveled to everyone in the cave. No matter how hard he tried, he could not get the group to listen to him, to respect him. It made it even worse that Legolas and Aragorn were leaning against each other, seemingly in love. How he desired the elf, his long blond hair, graceful nimbleness, and angelic beauty. He ould kill to have him be his own. But now they were about to go to the ultimate doom, through the Mines. I will see how long their love will last in there, he thought, his angry brown eyes locked onto Legolas and Aragorn's shadowy forms