Disclaimer: Why don't I own Lord of the Rings? *sigh* Well, until maybe the
Tolkien family takes pity on me, I do not own any of the characters or
places mentioned in this story. Please don't sue me! I know I am cruel to
them but I swear I will try to save them. Hope you enjoy!
72 reviews?? What am I, dreaming?
Shirebound: I know- just as I had posted that chapter, the exact same thought occurred to me. But, it's OK, I'm working round it. Thank you for the as-ever lovely comments.
Elf of Rivendell: Thankee for cheerin' Leg'las, Master Elf. D'aw, shucks, I'm so flattered! - I'm sure Frodo appreciates your nasty comments to Balin! :-)) I'm sorry my updates kinda slowed down but school's nearly out and I'm nearly 13 so AAAAAAAH!
Barmy-the-elf: Your review made my day! :-) Aha! The Nasty Author should be my screenname. Don't I torture the lot of them? Legolas has x-ray vision? Fantastic! Gotta use that! I am so so so glad that you love Lost in Moria. It makes me feel so wanted! - *drags tonne weight off barmy* Sorry! Ack- I've done this to too many people! I am a very evil twisty-turning thing. Thank you!
The Lazy Fairy: I will leave you hanging! But not for much longer. Sorry about not diving. It is kinda from the point of view from the person in the middle- waiting for them to crash into each other. Ehe- *Balin gives a little bow*
Truefan: I keep making you scream! Sorry!
Koko Kung: D'aw, thank you for the lovely lovely comments!
FrodoFan: Hmm, feel strongly about Balin? Haha. Thank you! You flatter me! I'm not that good, trust me. If you check out Elf of Rivendell, Skye, MagicalRachel and shirebound's work, you will see what I mean. But thank you so so much. Now.. put down the lightsabre.. goooood, now put it on the floor..
Ilmare: I leave paragraphs don't I?! Sorry. Calm, Ailsa, calm. Sorry about no dividers, I'll remember it for the next time. I can't use HTML unfortunately so a lot of things get cut out. Thanks for the nice notes!
+ Just a thank you here to my close friend, Clarisse for sending me this fantastic email yesterday: /"Dear Allie, I can come to your party! Frodo just called and left you a message: Allie, my love, sorry I haven't contacted you lately, but I have been tied up doing this whole destroying the ring quest thingy. After such a long time I finally got a few secs at Henneth Annun to tell you I was still alive. Gollum's been a pain, he keeps chewing my cloak. Oh got to go Faramir needs to talk to me bout somethin'. Frodo xxx"/ Made my day, Classy!
~ Chapter Ten ~
Legolas tumbled in on top of a pair of orc guards. He realised only when he was through the door that he had nothing to use as a weapon. While they were stunned, the elf took the chance to take the orcs' own swords. He held them to their throats.
"Out!" he commanded. The dazed creatures scrabbled to their feet and ran out into the corridor and down the next level. Legolas had no time to wonder how long it would take for them to warn someone else- sheathing the swords through his belt and slamming the door behind him, he ran along the passageway. The place was almost empty apart from a few skulls and bones littering the path on either side. Legolas sprinted along the main route until he came to a wide gallery. There were some bored-looking orcs slumped at the sides and a large one with rings down his snout at the far wall but he felt prepared for it. Hugging the shadows, he made his way down to the end of the chamber and was about to lunge out at a guard when a thought struck him. It would so much easier this way. He darted out, hooking his arm around the big orc's throat and shoving a blade to his back.
"Stay still. Stay quiet," he warned softly. The orc stopped struggling and Legolas could hear his harsh breathing. "Now," he continued, "Have you seen a halfling come this way? He has dark curly hair and blue eyes. Do you remember?"
"Yes," the beast choked out, "Yeah, I took him to the master. I can show ya! Lemme show ya!"
"Alright but no tricks. Or I will send this sword through you and out the other side. Now, lead the way."
Legolas ducked under his captive's cloak as he was stiffly led down a narrow shaft at the side of the gallery. It was a short walk to the sought for door but when they reached it the orc began wrestling with the elf.
"Gerroff! Gerroff! I shown you the way nah lemme go!"
Legolas' arm was forced upwards and the creature escaped.
"Hey! Come back at once!" and he chased him back up the corridor.
Pippin paused as he slipped down the tunnel. Merry was above him and kept showering him with grit.
"Merry!" he protested. But he only received a sharp kick to the side.
"Keep going, Pippin."
The hobbit slid further down to the projection below him. They had come to the junction and it was time to haul down the rope. When Merry stood beside him he grabbed the cord and give it a sharp tug to bring it down to them.
"Now where do we head?" Merry asked.
"I don't know. How could we?"
"We could look for clues."
The two of them skirted round, looking for any sign of their friend.
"Hey! Hey, I think there is something here! Hold up the torch, Merry."
They both peered down into the blackness to see several tears of cloth hanging from the side of the tunnel. It was the hem of Legolas' cloak, the threads spilling out into the shadows. Pippin extended his finger excitedly.
"Come on, let's get going."
They continued their steady descent into the depths of the earth. Black rock rose up to greet them. There was the scent of sulphur and brimstone in the air. Merry was hard put to keep hold of the torch while still climbing and was terrified he would drop it on Pippin accidentally. The rope was chafing his hands too so he was forced to stop many times. After what felt like the rest of his life, he touched down on smooth rock and ducked out into a chamber. He put a hand to his back and moaned.
"I feel a hundred years older after that!"
"Merry- Merry, I- just look at this!"
They gazed around in wonder at the mithril filled cavern before them.
"Gimli would go nuts if he saw this!"
"Well, we can't stand here gaping at it all day. Let us collect some and then look for Legolas. Come on, Pippin."
Both hobbits jumped down into the riches and began piling it into their pockets, coats and every other pouch in their possession. Silver spilled through their fingers and seeped from their waistcoats. Then at last, they managed to tear themselves away and make for the facing door.
"I hope it is not a long climb."
"Stop, complaining, Merry."
And so now they also ascended the slope. Nin-za the dwarves had once named this tunnel- Nine, made of stone. The nine levels crossing and clawing like rats off a ship. Nin-za was a merciless climb. If you fell, you kept falling. If you were captured, you would have no aid. If you were killed, you stayed dead.
~
I am so sorry if I have used dwarven language wrongly here! It was only for the purposes of this chapter. And speaking of which, I am sorry to keep stretching it out but this is just to wet your appetite for the time being. Busy me! Busy me!
72 reviews?? What am I, dreaming?
Shirebound: I know- just as I had posted that chapter, the exact same thought occurred to me. But, it's OK, I'm working round it. Thank you for the as-ever lovely comments.
Elf of Rivendell: Thankee for cheerin' Leg'las, Master Elf. D'aw, shucks, I'm so flattered! - I'm sure Frodo appreciates your nasty comments to Balin! :-)) I'm sorry my updates kinda slowed down but school's nearly out and I'm nearly 13 so AAAAAAAH!
Barmy-the-elf: Your review made my day! :-) Aha! The Nasty Author should be my screenname. Don't I torture the lot of them? Legolas has x-ray vision? Fantastic! Gotta use that! I am so so so glad that you love Lost in Moria. It makes me feel so wanted! - *drags tonne weight off barmy* Sorry! Ack- I've done this to too many people! I am a very evil twisty-turning thing. Thank you!
The Lazy Fairy: I will leave you hanging! But not for much longer. Sorry about not diving. It is kinda from the point of view from the person in the middle- waiting for them to crash into each other. Ehe- *Balin gives a little bow*
Truefan: I keep making you scream! Sorry!
Koko Kung: D'aw, thank you for the lovely lovely comments!
FrodoFan: Hmm, feel strongly about Balin? Haha. Thank you! You flatter me! I'm not that good, trust me. If you check out Elf of Rivendell, Skye, MagicalRachel and shirebound's work, you will see what I mean. But thank you so so much. Now.. put down the lightsabre.. goooood, now put it on the floor..
Ilmare: I leave paragraphs don't I?! Sorry. Calm, Ailsa, calm. Sorry about no dividers, I'll remember it for the next time. I can't use HTML unfortunately so a lot of things get cut out. Thanks for the nice notes!
+ Just a thank you here to my close friend, Clarisse for sending me this fantastic email yesterday: /"Dear Allie, I can come to your party! Frodo just called and left you a message: Allie, my love, sorry I haven't contacted you lately, but I have been tied up doing this whole destroying the ring quest thingy. After such a long time I finally got a few secs at Henneth Annun to tell you I was still alive. Gollum's been a pain, he keeps chewing my cloak. Oh got to go Faramir needs to talk to me bout somethin'. Frodo xxx"/ Made my day, Classy!
~ Chapter Ten ~
Legolas tumbled in on top of a pair of orc guards. He realised only when he was through the door that he had nothing to use as a weapon. While they were stunned, the elf took the chance to take the orcs' own swords. He held them to their throats.
"Out!" he commanded. The dazed creatures scrabbled to their feet and ran out into the corridor and down the next level. Legolas had no time to wonder how long it would take for them to warn someone else- sheathing the swords through his belt and slamming the door behind him, he ran along the passageway. The place was almost empty apart from a few skulls and bones littering the path on either side. Legolas sprinted along the main route until he came to a wide gallery. There were some bored-looking orcs slumped at the sides and a large one with rings down his snout at the far wall but he felt prepared for it. Hugging the shadows, he made his way down to the end of the chamber and was about to lunge out at a guard when a thought struck him. It would so much easier this way. He darted out, hooking his arm around the big orc's throat and shoving a blade to his back.
"Stay still. Stay quiet," he warned softly. The orc stopped struggling and Legolas could hear his harsh breathing. "Now," he continued, "Have you seen a halfling come this way? He has dark curly hair and blue eyes. Do you remember?"
"Yes," the beast choked out, "Yeah, I took him to the master. I can show ya! Lemme show ya!"
"Alright but no tricks. Or I will send this sword through you and out the other side. Now, lead the way."
Legolas ducked under his captive's cloak as he was stiffly led down a narrow shaft at the side of the gallery. It was a short walk to the sought for door but when they reached it the orc began wrestling with the elf.
"Gerroff! Gerroff! I shown you the way nah lemme go!"
Legolas' arm was forced upwards and the creature escaped.
"Hey! Come back at once!" and he chased him back up the corridor.
Pippin paused as he slipped down the tunnel. Merry was above him and kept showering him with grit.
"Merry!" he protested. But he only received a sharp kick to the side.
"Keep going, Pippin."
The hobbit slid further down to the projection below him. They had come to the junction and it was time to haul down the rope. When Merry stood beside him he grabbed the cord and give it a sharp tug to bring it down to them.
"Now where do we head?" Merry asked.
"I don't know. How could we?"
"We could look for clues."
The two of them skirted round, looking for any sign of their friend.
"Hey! Hey, I think there is something here! Hold up the torch, Merry."
They both peered down into the blackness to see several tears of cloth hanging from the side of the tunnel. It was the hem of Legolas' cloak, the threads spilling out into the shadows. Pippin extended his finger excitedly.
"Come on, let's get going."
They continued their steady descent into the depths of the earth. Black rock rose up to greet them. There was the scent of sulphur and brimstone in the air. Merry was hard put to keep hold of the torch while still climbing and was terrified he would drop it on Pippin accidentally. The rope was chafing his hands too so he was forced to stop many times. After what felt like the rest of his life, he touched down on smooth rock and ducked out into a chamber. He put a hand to his back and moaned.
"I feel a hundred years older after that!"
"Merry- Merry, I- just look at this!"
They gazed around in wonder at the mithril filled cavern before them.
"Gimli would go nuts if he saw this!"
"Well, we can't stand here gaping at it all day. Let us collect some and then look for Legolas. Come on, Pippin."
Both hobbits jumped down into the riches and began piling it into their pockets, coats and every other pouch in their possession. Silver spilled through their fingers and seeped from their waistcoats. Then at last, they managed to tear themselves away and make for the facing door.
"I hope it is not a long climb."
"Stop, complaining, Merry."
And so now they also ascended the slope. Nin-za the dwarves had once named this tunnel- Nine, made of stone. The nine levels crossing and clawing like rats off a ship. Nin-za was a merciless climb. If you fell, you kept falling. If you were captured, you would have no aid. If you were killed, you stayed dead.
~
I am so sorry if I have used dwarven language wrongly here! It was only for the purposes of this chapter. And speaking of which, I am sorry to keep stretching it out but this is just to wet your appetite for the time being. Busy me! Busy me!