Disclaimer: Song# 1: 1000 Julys (Thrid Eye Blind). Song #2: Good Ridance
(Green Day). Look at other chapters.
Ella stood, facing Rivendell, not knowing if she would ever see it again. She turned around and sighed, deciding not to think about it anymore. She looks around at the people she would be around for who knows how long. She wonders wait might have changed from the original story that was supposed to come totally out of Tolkien's imagination. But soon they were to set forth. She sighed and walked away from Rivendell and Laura, the last of her family that was still a true human.
She they traveled Ella remained silent. When at one moment they all got too quiet Sean decided to do something. He sang:
1 Planning my attack just before you come back around
Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't know how to back down
I never fit it, you know
I don't belong
But you know I don't care when you and me are strong
Cause I'm a vampire y'all
We toast the blood of our enemies
You still scaring me no
Scaring me no
And we don't fit in!
But Mickey was already singing another song:
2 Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs by the wrist
Directs you where to go
So make the best of this test and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you have the time of your life.
"I don't feel like I'm having a fucking time of my life!" Ella said suddenly. But in a moment they all laughed.
Aragorn and Gandalf exchanged looks. The four were not serious enough. They might get them all killed with their playfulness. They hoped to make them get more serious before they got to time where the Nazgul might get them.
But then Ella tugged on Aragorn's sleeve like a small child would to a father. "Aragorn," she said in a strong and firm voice, "we can not go through the Caradhras." She said this simply and as if it were the most normal thing in all Middle-Earth.
But Gandalf, who was listening in, frowned. "Dear child, why do you say that?"
"Gandalf," she began "I know what will happen there. We will not pass through it. We will turn back and head to Moria. But why should we waste our time going through the Caradhras at all when we know it is not going to work? We might as well head straight for Moria. No matter how much you have traveled, you will not expect the snow storm that Sauron will send your way."
Soon everyone was crowded around Ella "I know none of you wish to enter that place, that accursed place-"
"The Mines are not accursed, young one! They are great and beautiful. They- " Gimli protested.
"They were Gimli. They are no longer great or beautiful. They are full of Orcs and evil things that dwell in the earth. I fear that place and wish never to enter it. I know Gandalf and Aragorn have already entered but I doubt they wish to enter a second time." Everyone, except for Lysa, Sean and Mickey, looked surprised. Even Gandalf kept being surprised by the extent of Ella and her friends' knowledge. "Please, Gandalf! Don't lead us through the Caradhras, no matter how horrible the Mines of Moria may be. I know we will survive it! I know it!" She didn't mention Gandalf's 'death'. Who knew what that might make? Anyway, the story was being changed, even here, by not going to the Caradhras.
Gandalf thought for a moment. Finally he spoke "I have learned that these four children have much knowledge of the future. Ella may be correct."
"But how can we be sure Gandalf?" Boromir cried. "I will not enter the Mines of Moria. Not unless the whole company is against me."
Lysa raises her eyebrow at the familiarity of that quote. Mickey nods back. Suddenly Mickey says, "Legolas does not want to go, neither do the hobbits. But they will go if they have to. Boromir will go too. Now it is time for Aragorn and Gandalf to decide." She waits for their answer. Aragorn answers first.
"I will go, I think Gandalf will also. I trust these people and their knowledge. I think we should follow their judgment and go through the Mines of Moria."
Ella smiled slightly, glad he trusted her. But it might also bring his downfall if he did. Boromir sent her a venomous look and they began to walk towards Moria, the home of the Balrog.
~*~*~*~*~
(Quote pg. 316, book I) Gandalf pressed on at a great pace, and the others followed as quickly as they could. They reached the strip of dry land between the lake and the cliffs: it was narrow, often hardly a dozen yards across…A mile southward along the shore they came upon holly trees. Stumps and dead boughs were rotting in the shadows, the remains it seemed of old thickets, or of a hedge that had once lined the road across the drowned valley. But close under the cliff there stood, still strong and living, two tall trees, larger than any tree of holly that Frodo had ever seen or imagined. Their great roots spread from the walls to the water. Under the looming cliffs they had looked like mere bushes, when seen from far off from the top of the Stair; but now they towered overhead, stiff, dark and silent, throwing deep night shadows about their feet standing like sentinel pillars at the end of the road.
"Well here we are at last!" said Gandalf. "Here the Elven-way from Hollin ended. Holly was the token of the people of that land, and they planted it here to mark their domain; for the West door was made chiefly for their use in their traffic with the Lords of Moria. Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship at times between folks of different race, even between Dwarves and Elves."
"It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned." said Gimli.
"I have not heard that it was the fault of the Elves," said Legolas. (Quote over)
"Please, do not argue. It will help us in no way. We have all probably heard both but this is not a time to be telling history. We're gonna find the door, and if you want to help, start by shutting up and get searching!" Lysa said angrily.
They stared at her slightly but she pushed Gimli along. "C'mon!"
Gilmli's eyes flashed and he put his hand on his axe. Gandalf stepped between them "We will have no fighting here!" Lysa and Gimli both glared daggers at each other. At that moment anyone could see Lysa was no elf. She looked so amazingly human for an elf. Her face was full of anger in a way no elf would let their face become.
Ella stepped up too. "Please, Lysa. Calm down and you help too." Lysa's face calmed extremely but Gimli's face didn't.
Ella led Lysa away and left Mickey and Sean to deal with Gimli. Mickey sighed, "Gimli…she really hates elf vs. dwarf crap so will you two please try and cut it out?"
Sean rolls his eyes and said "What she means, Gimli, is that you two better shut up or your gonna get a fight started."
~*~*~*~*~
As Gandalf called out words to open the doors, Ella, Sean, Lysa and Mickey were talking. Ella had come up with something strange.
"How come we can understand all the language of our species and of the Common Tongue too? Isn't it strange?" Ella had said as they had decided to have a meeting between themselves.
Lysa had shrugged "Probably part of the magic that brought us here."
"And plus I can't understand Elfish for beans!" Ella had said.
Sean sighed. "Look guys. We are getting totally off the point. Whatever the reason for us being able to understand other languages is irrelevant! What we really should talk about is when the Fellowship breaks up, will we stick together or not?"
There was silence for a moment. Finally Mickey spoke up. "What if we go with our races?"
"But then who will Ella go with? Pippin and Merry or Frodo and Sam?" Sean asked.
Ella shook her head slowly. "No. I say we chose who we will go with."
Sean spoke up first. "I'm going with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli."
"Same here." Mickey answered.
Lysa took a moment before she answered. "I'm going with Pippin and Merry. They'll need some help."
Ella looked shocked. "But the Orcs will kill you! They only want hobbits."
"I won't show myself, of coarse! I'll just follow them." Lysa said simply. "But how about you Ella?" Her eyes were silently pleading her not to choose a certain choice.
Ella sighed. "I guess I'll-"
"Please, no Ella!" Mickey cried suddenly. "No one's saying anything but we don't want you to go with Frodo and Sam. You might get killed! We won't meet for months and we won't hear from you! Please! Don't go with them!"
Ella looked around at her friends and smiled, glad that they cared. But she could not help but point out that Frodo and Sam would need help. "Look guys if I go anywhere else I'll have to fight. And I'm no good at that. But is I go with Frodo and Sam, I won't have to AND I'll be able to help."
Lysa, Sean and Mickey didn't seem to want to catch her eye after that.
Ella stood, "I'm really sorry guys. I just can't stand there and do nothing." She walks towards the other hobbits.
Frodo smiles slightly when he sees her approach. "Hello, Ella."
The others turned to see Ella walk over. "Why do you look so sad, Ella?" Merry asked.
"Besides the fact we're stuck here by a very creepy lake, (not for long, though, I can tell you that!) and that we're about to go into this dark place where there are Orcs and Bal- all kinds of other creatures, you mean?"
Merry smiled "Yes, besides that."
"Well, I was having a talk with the others about a certain depressing subject. They're being protective and, I'm afraid to say, selfish. They aren't thinking about Middle-Earth at all. But pay that no mind. I'm afraid you guys should get ready for one of the frights of your lives. So far." Ella replied mysteriously.
Sam stared at her uneasily. Ella scared him in a way. Her recklessness was strange to him, for she looked like a hobbit and Sam had never thought people were anything more than what they looked like. But she was defiantly not a hobbit. She wore shoes, and talked strangely, like a human, not like a hobbit at all. He was afraid that with that strange unhobbit-like recklessness she might get one of them killed.
Ella saw the stare and stared back. If it had been just a regular person, Ella would have glared at them until they looked away. But this was Sam. Sam, the hobbit who did not give into the Ring. Sam, who carried Frodo when Frodo could not walk. Sam who selflessly helped Frodo when there was no one left to help him. She could not bring herself to glare at him.
So instead she smiled "Sam, do you not trust me? I would do nothing to hurt any of you if I can help it. But if you don't trust me…you could get hurt. What I say is the truth, as I know it. Please Sam, I-I know of the things you will do and of the things that will make you important to the fate of Middle-Earth. I know of the way you selflessly want to help your Master. But I wish not to hurt him but help him. Help all of you. If you'd just give me half a chance." Before her second sentence was over, her smile had faded. He could tell she was serious, but that did not move him. Most things, he thought, happen by accident. So her mistake might be by accident too.
Ella sighed and walked away from them, even more down in the dumps than before. She went by herself and stared into the water, waiting.
~*~*~*~*~
Luci was watching from above as they left Rivendell. She knew they would head for the Caradhras, so she had headed there, ahead of them, planning to wait. But she didn't know of Ella's plan to hurry up the Mission by heading straight to Moria. She waited as long as dared before deciding that Ella may have done something to change their path , or thing else.
The real Luci fought for control of her own body but she did not have enough mental strength to fight off the evil that had entered her and changed her. She cried silently, trapped in a prison in her own mind.
The Ring mocked her in her head, making her rage and sadness grow. "So, little Luci. Do you think it was a mistake to help Sauron?"
"Yes! Yes!" she answered.
The Ring made her take her knife and cut down her arm. The Ring felt nothing but she did. "AH!" she cried, no one hearing but herself and a chunk of metal with a soul.
"Do not say such things. You will get punished. Obey and do not make me do that again."
"Yes…yes….I…do not regret…it. I am glad…to serve and…obey….Sauron."
"LORD Sauron. Repeat."
"L-lord Sauron."
"Mightiest of mighty."
"M…mightiest of mighty. Anything else?"
The Ring made her lips turn upwards slightly. "No. Nothing…for now."
Luci whimpered, her voice echoing in the emptiness of her own head.
Ella stood, facing Rivendell, not knowing if she would ever see it again. She turned around and sighed, deciding not to think about it anymore. She looks around at the people she would be around for who knows how long. She wonders wait might have changed from the original story that was supposed to come totally out of Tolkien's imagination. But soon they were to set forth. She sighed and walked away from Rivendell and Laura, the last of her family that was still a true human.
She they traveled Ella remained silent. When at one moment they all got too quiet Sean decided to do something. He sang:
1 Planning my attack just before you come back around
Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't know how to back down
I never fit it, you know
I don't belong
But you know I don't care when you and me are strong
Cause I'm a vampire y'all
We toast the blood of our enemies
You still scaring me no
Scaring me no
And we don't fit in!
But Mickey was already singing another song:
2 Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs by the wrist
Directs you where to go
So make the best of this test and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time
It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right
I hope you have the time of your life.
"I don't feel like I'm having a fucking time of my life!" Ella said suddenly. But in a moment they all laughed.
Aragorn and Gandalf exchanged looks. The four were not serious enough. They might get them all killed with their playfulness. They hoped to make them get more serious before they got to time where the Nazgul might get them.
But then Ella tugged on Aragorn's sleeve like a small child would to a father. "Aragorn," she said in a strong and firm voice, "we can not go through the Caradhras." She said this simply and as if it were the most normal thing in all Middle-Earth.
But Gandalf, who was listening in, frowned. "Dear child, why do you say that?"
"Gandalf," she began "I know what will happen there. We will not pass through it. We will turn back and head to Moria. But why should we waste our time going through the Caradhras at all when we know it is not going to work? We might as well head straight for Moria. No matter how much you have traveled, you will not expect the snow storm that Sauron will send your way."
Soon everyone was crowded around Ella "I know none of you wish to enter that place, that accursed place-"
"The Mines are not accursed, young one! They are great and beautiful. They- " Gimli protested.
"They were Gimli. They are no longer great or beautiful. They are full of Orcs and evil things that dwell in the earth. I fear that place and wish never to enter it. I know Gandalf and Aragorn have already entered but I doubt they wish to enter a second time." Everyone, except for Lysa, Sean and Mickey, looked surprised. Even Gandalf kept being surprised by the extent of Ella and her friends' knowledge. "Please, Gandalf! Don't lead us through the Caradhras, no matter how horrible the Mines of Moria may be. I know we will survive it! I know it!" She didn't mention Gandalf's 'death'. Who knew what that might make? Anyway, the story was being changed, even here, by not going to the Caradhras.
Gandalf thought for a moment. Finally he spoke "I have learned that these four children have much knowledge of the future. Ella may be correct."
"But how can we be sure Gandalf?" Boromir cried. "I will not enter the Mines of Moria. Not unless the whole company is against me."
Lysa raises her eyebrow at the familiarity of that quote. Mickey nods back. Suddenly Mickey says, "Legolas does not want to go, neither do the hobbits. But they will go if they have to. Boromir will go too. Now it is time for Aragorn and Gandalf to decide." She waits for their answer. Aragorn answers first.
"I will go, I think Gandalf will also. I trust these people and their knowledge. I think we should follow their judgment and go through the Mines of Moria."
Ella smiled slightly, glad he trusted her. But it might also bring his downfall if he did. Boromir sent her a venomous look and they began to walk towards Moria, the home of the Balrog.
~*~*~*~*~
(Quote pg. 316, book I) Gandalf pressed on at a great pace, and the others followed as quickly as they could. They reached the strip of dry land between the lake and the cliffs: it was narrow, often hardly a dozen yards across…A mile southward along the shore they came upon holly trees. Stumps and dead boughs were rotting in the shadows, the remains it seemed of old thickets, or of a hedge that had once lined the road across the drowned valley. But close under the cliff there stood, still strong and living, two tall trees, larger than any tree of holly that Frodo had ever seen or imagined. Their great roots spread from the walls to the water. Under the looming cliffs they had looked like mere bushes, when seen from far off from the top of the Stair; but now they towered overhead, stiff, dark and silent, throwing deep night shadows about their feet standing like sentinel pillars at the end of the road.
"Well here we are at last!" said Gandalf. "Here the Elven-way from Hollin ended. Holly was the token of the people of that land, and they planted it here to mark their domain; for the West door was made chiefly for their use in their traffic with the Lords of Moria. Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship at times between folks of different race, even between Dwarves and Elves."
"It was not the fault of the Dwarves that the friendship waned." said Gimli.
"I have not heard that it was the fault of the Elves," said Legolas. (Quote over)
"Please, do not argue. It will help us in no way. We have all probably heard both but this is not a time to be telling history. We're gonna find the door, and if you want to help, start by shutting up and get searching!" Lysa said angrily.
They stared at her slightly but she pushed Gimli along. "C'mon!"
Gilmli's eyes flashed and he put his hand on his axe. Gandalf stepped between them "We will have no fighting here!" Lysa and Gimli both glared daggers at each other. At that moment anyone could see Lysa was no elf. She looked so amazingly human for an elf. Her face was full of anger in a way no elf would let their face become.
Ella stepped up too. "Please, Lysa. Calm down and you help too." Lysa's face calmed extremely but Gimli's face didn't.
Ella led Lysa away and left Mickey and Sean to deal with Gimli. Mickey sighed, "Gimli…she really hates elf vs. dwarf crap so will you two please try and cut it out?"
Sean rolls his eyes and said "What she means, Gimli, is that you two better shut up or your gonna get a fight started."
~*~*~*~*~
As Gandalf called out words to open the doors, Ella, Sean, Lysa and Mickey were talking. Ella had come up with something strange.
"How come we can understand all the language of our species and of the Common Tongue too? Isn't it strange?" Ella had said as they had decided to have a meeting between themselves.
Lysa had shrugged "Probably part of the magic that brought us here."
"And plus I can't understand Elfish for beans!" Ella had said.
Sean sighed. "Look guys. We are getting totally off the point. Whatever the reason for us being able to understand other languages is irrelevant! What we really should talk about is when the Fellowship breaks up, will we stick together or not?"
There was silence for a moment. Finally Mickey spoke up. "What if we go with our races?"
"But then who will Ella go with? Pippin and Merry or Frodo and Sam?" Sean asked.
Ella shook her head slowly. "No. I say we chose who we will go with."
Sean spoke up first. "I'm going with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli."
"Same here." Mickey answered.
Lysa took a moment before she answered. "I'm going with Pippin and Merry. They'll need some help."
Ella looked shocked. "But the Orcs will kill you! They only want hobbits."
"I won't show myself, of coarse! I'll just follow them." Lysa said simply. "But how about you Ella?" Her eyes were silently pleading her not to choose a certain choice.
Ella sighed. "I guess I'll-"
"Please, no Ella!" Mickey cried suddenly. "No one's saying anything but we don't want you to go with Frodo and Sam. You might get killed! We won't meet for months and we won't hear from you! Please! Don't go with them!"
Ella looked around at her friends and smiled, glad that they cared. But she could not help but point out that Frodo and Sam would need help. "Look guys if I go anywhere else I'll have to fight. And I'm no good at that. But is I go with Frodo and Sam, I won't have to AND I'll be able to help."
Lysa, Sean and Mickey didn't seem to want to catch her eye after that.
Ella stood, "I'm really sorry guys. I just can't stand there and do nothing." She walks towards the other hobbits.
Frodo smiles slightly when he sees her approach. "Hello, Ella."
The others turned to see Ella walk over. "Why do you look so sad, Ella?" Merry asked.
"Besides the fact we're stuck here by a very creepy lake, (not for long, though, I can tell you that!) and that we're about to go into this dark place where there are Orcs and Bal- all kinds of other creatures, you mean?"
Merry smiled "Yes, besides that."
"Well, I was having a talk with the others about a certain depressing subject. They're being protective and, I'm afraid to say, selfish. They aren't thinking about Middle-Earth at all. But pay that no mind. I'm afraid you guys should get ready for one of the frights of your lives. So far." Ella replied mysteriously.
Sam stared at her uneasily. Ella scared him in a way. Her recklessness was strange to him, for she looked like a hobbit and Sam had never thought people were anything more than what they looked like. But she was defiantly not a hobbit. She wore shoes, and talked strangely, like a human, not like a hobbit at all. He was afraid that with that strange unhobbit-like recklessness she might get one of them killed.
Ella saw the stare and stared back. If it had been just a regular person, Ella would have glared at them until they looked away. But this was Sam. Sam, the hobbit who did not give into the Ring. Sam, who carried Frodo when Frodo could not walk. Sam who selflessly helped Frodo when there was no one left to help him. She could not bring herself to glare at him.
So instead she smiled "Sam, do you not trust me? I would do nothing to hurt any of you if I can help it. But if you don't trust me…you could get hurt. What I say is the truth, as I know it. Please Sam, I-I know of the things you will do and of the things that will make you important to the fate of Middle-Earth. I know of the way you selflessly want to help your Master. But I wish not to hurt him but help him. Help all of you. If you'd just give me half a chance." Before her second sentence was over, her smile had faded. He could tell she was serious, but that did not move him. Most things, he thought, happen by accident. So her mistake might be by accident too.
Ella sighed and walked away from them, even more down in the dumps than before. She went by herself and stared into the water, waiting.
~*~*~*~*~
Luci was watching from above as they left Rivendell. She knew they would head for the Caradhras, so she had headed there, ahead of them, planning to wait. But she didn't know of Ella's plan to hurry up the Mission by heading straight to Moria. She waited as long as dared before deciding that Ella may have done something to change their path , or thing else.
The real Luci fought for control of her own body but she did not have enough mental strength to fight off the evil that had entered her and changed her. She cried silently, trapped in a prison in her own mind.
The Ring mocked her in her head, making her rage and sadness grow. "So, little Luci. Do you think it was a mistake to help Sauron?"
"Yes! Yes!" she answered.
The Ring made her take her knife and cut down her arm. The Ring felt nothing but she did. "AH!" she cried, no one hearing but herself and a chunk of metal with a soul.
"Do not say such things. You will get punished. Obey and do not make me do that again."
"Yes…yes….I…do not regret…it. I am glad…to serve and…obey….Sauron."
"LORD Sauron. Repeat."
"L-lord Sauron."
"Mightiest of mighty."
"M…mightiest of mighty. Anything else?"
The Ring made her lips turn upwards slightly. "No. Nothing…for now."
Luci whimpered, her voice echoing in the emptiness of her own head.