Disclaimer: AU Story. 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!
A Elbereth: I am not killing Frodo.. not really. Well, he's alive for.. OK, so I am killing him but still. Thank you mind-frazzled friend for your nice comments.
Vana Everyoung: No! George the Red Seal Muse is after me! Save us, precious! Oh, dammit, you're on holiday. I actually cancelled my parents' bookings for a Caribbean holiday just so I would be here for the 18th! My God, I am so desperate!
Lil*bee: Yay, you're back! Well, I tried adding some Legolas angst for you, I promise. I know, not particularly good but I will continue. *looks at summary for Lost in Moria* Well, Frod-si and Leggy seem to be free now. Glad I made you happy though!
Shirebound: You liked the dream too? Good! Hehe. I can't resist having cliffhangers. They're just so dreamy.
Luchien Greenleaf: *runs away very fast and hides behind a rock* OK, I'll tell you. The voice is- *laughs loudly*
Fool of a Took: FRODO?? SUICIDE?? YOU MONSTER! Ahem, oh yeah, *looks at Chapters 12-15* ahem. The Frodo dance? I am going to learn that. One of my mates said that Two Towers was better than the Fellowship. *drools excessively*
Crazytook: I know, sorry but Moria is the most obvious place. I can't really see Frodo as being chased by orcs in say, Rivendell. I'm no expert on Tolkien. But happy you're enjoying it!
Dizzy izzy: NO! INTIMIDATING PERSON! *hides* WHAT DO YOU WANT? OH, RIGHT. COME ON, FRODO, MY SON, COME ON, DIE FOR US. DIE DIE DIE! Keep that froggy keychain away from me! *keychain stares at Ailsa- Ailsa goes beserk* GET IT AWAY!!
TrueFan: Sssh, keep it down! Well, I'm an idiot when I say there is no antidote. I guess there must be.. somewhere. Just not with them. Aragorn should pull it out from his shirt pocket and say "Hey! Why not use Belladonna Gone! Sold at all good chemists!" Yay. A story's in there somewhere. Good luck with your ball game, btw!
FrodoFan: As I said once, "When Frodo dies, the world ends." Oh crap. We're doomed.
Elf of Rivendell: Hush up! Keep it to yourself! Hmm, in my debt, eh? Hmm, I wonder what you could do for me..
Lakergurl13: See? When you pray, I listen. Almighty Ailsa. Eats cookies and returns hugs!
My God, that was a lot of reviews! Now, who is that voice behind Aggy and Borzoi?
~ Chapter Nineteen ~
Aragorn and Boromir leapt upright, swords already drawn from their scabbards. No one emerged but the voice grew slightly angry.
"Put those things away! I am not going to attack you. I would be a fool if I even tried."
The men looked at each other then slowly put their swords away but kept them loose in their sheaths.
"Who are you?" Aragorn asked, feeling absurd talking to a pillar.
"Who do you think? Did the hobbit not even mention me?"
Boromir narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his blade's hilt.
"You are Balin? Then, come! Show yourself!"
"I dare not," replied the voice, "I would have no chance among you."
"Why the change of heart?" Aragorn snapped, "Why have you come here?"
"Because I am your only key to helping Frodo. Come behind the pillar so there we may speak. Do not fear. I am alone."
"How on earth may be trust you?" Boromir spat disgustedly.
"How do we know you are even who you say you are?" the ranger added.
Balin paused then said in a low whisper,
"Alright. Ask me something."
"Who was Balin's younger brother?" Aragorn asked.
"Dwalin. He still lives under the mountain, my little brother. Dwalin. I had almost forgotten him.. Now are you going to come?"
The men conferred briefly and agreed. Making sure that the rest of the Fellowship was resting, they crept behind the pillar and came face to face with a very old dwarf. His dirty grey beard reached his feet and his glassy blue eyes peered out at them. His face was twisted into an expression of dislike and distrust.
"Now," he said stiffly, "Now do you believe me."
"Why did you say you could be of assistance?" Boromir pressed. The dwarf fixed him with an icy glare.
"Do not take that tone with me or I will not help you at all."
"Very well. But how are you intending to help us?" said Aragorn.
"I can give you the herbs to save Frodo. The antidote, if you like," Balin answered loudly. The men glanced anxiously over their shoulder, worried that he would wake their companions. Boromir leant down to the dwarf's height and with a look of thunder said,
"You are lucky that we do not run you through now, Balin. You wretch! Is it not true that you were the one who poisoned Frodo?"
Balin growled under his beard but refrained from giving insult. Instead, he just nodded.
"I admit," he said, "I did intend to be rid of that hobbit. How was I to know that he would escape? And now my life is on the line. The orcs believe that I let him escape. Fools! But then, they never did have much brain. The orcs that I sent after the elf and Frodo never returned. I do not know what has become of them. But now, my soldiers think I have gone soft in the head. Mutiny is being rumoured. I too am on the run now. So I am going to try and take back what I did to Frodo. And I know Men. You will not leave a wounded comrade to die here. You will do anything in your power to save him. Especially Frodo Baggins the Ringbearer."
Aragorn held Boromir's arm as he lunged forward to strike Balin in a fury. He kneeled down to face the dwarf.
"What is the price?" he asked. Balin raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing that you cannot offer," he said dryly, "For the antidote, there is but a small price to pay." At this, he grabbed Aragorn's arm and gave him a pleading look. "You must get me out of here. You have to take me with you. Out of Moria. I do not care where you go from then on but I want to be free of the Eye. He watches me constantly. I am never alone in this place. I have to get out!"
"So this is all for your own purposes," Boromir hissed, "This is all to save your own skin!"
Aragorn considered the offer though. He bowed his head in thought. The answer came quickly. He looked up, meeting Balin's steady gaze.
"It is agreed. But be warned. We shall take you no further than to the Dimrill Dale. Then you are alone. Now, give us the antidote."
The dwarf looked around before producing something from his tunic. It was a small flat box with goldleaf decorations on the front depicting a man lying on a bed.
"Here," he said urgently, "Those are all the herbs you need. But what about our wager? When shall I be able to join your company? I cannot go back, do you understand? I cannot go back to them!" His voice grew urgent and he started tugging at Aragorn's shirt, trying to emphasise his meaning. "I can never ever return there."
There was something in his eyes that made the ranger stand up and back away. Something unreal. He trusted Balin even less because of it. He carefully placed the box out of sight in the pouch hanging from his belt.
"We will see what Frodo thinks. He will be the only one to know. I am not sure that you would last long at the hands of Sam and Legolas if they were to find out. Wait here until the morning. We will give you your answer then."
The men retreated from the pillar and found Legolas waiting there. He was staring at them accusingly.
"No," he said.
A Elbereth: I am not killing Frodo.. not really. Well, he's alive for.. OK, so I am killing him but still. Thank you mind-frazzled friend for your nice comments.
Vana Everyoung: No! George the Red Seal Muse is after me! Save us, precious! Oh, dammit, you're on holiday. I actually cancelled my parents' bookings for a Caribbean holiday just so I would be here for the 18th! My God, I am so desperate!
Lil*bee: Yay, you're back! Well, I tried adding some Legolas angst for you, I promise. I know, not particularly good but I will continue. *looks at summary for Lost in Moria* Well, Frod-si and Leggy seem to be free now. Glad I made you happy though!
Shirebound: You liked the dream too? Good! Hehe. I can't resist having cliffhangers. They're just so dreamy.
Luchien Greenleaf: *runs away very fast and hides behind a rock* OK, I'll tell you. The voice is- *laughs loudly*
Fool of a Took: FRODO?? SUICIDE?? YOU MONSTER! Ahem, oh yeah, *looks at Chapters 12-15* ahem. The Frodo dance? I am going to learn that. One of my mates said that Two Towers was better than the Fellowship. *drools excessively*
Crazytook: I know, sorry but Moria is the most obvious place. I can't really see Frodo as being chased by orcs in say, Rivendell. I'm no expert on Tolkien. But happy you're enjoying it!
Dizzy izzy: NO! INTIMIDATING PERSON! *hides* WHAT DO YOU WANT? OH, RIGHT. COME ON, FRODO, MY SON, COME ON, DIE FOR US. DIE DIE DIE! Keep that froggy keychain away from me! *keychain stares at Ailsa- Ailsa goes beserk* GET IT AWAY!!
TrueFan: Sssh, keep it down! Well, I'm an idiot when I say there is no antidote. I guess there must be.. somewhere. Just not with them. Aragorn should pull it out from his shirt pocket and say "Hey! Why not use Belladonna Gone! Sold at all good chemists!" Yay. A story's in there somewhere. Good luck with your ball game, btw!
FrodoFan: As I said once, "When Frodo dies, the world ends." Oh crap. We're doomed.
Elf of Rivendell: Hush up! Keep it to yourself! Hmm, in my debt, eh? Hmm, I wonder what you could do for me..
Lakergurl13: See? When you pray, I listen. Almighty Ailsa. Eats cookies and returns hugs!
My God, that was a lot of reviews! Now, who is that voice behind Aggy and Borzoi?
~ Chapter Nineteen ~
Aragorn and Boromir leapt upright, swords already drawn from their scabbards. No one emerged but the voice grew slightly angry.
"Put those things away! I am not going to attack you. I would be a fool if I even tried."
The men looked at each other then slowly put their swords away but kept them loose in their sheaths.
"Who are you?" Aragorn asked, feeling absurd talking to a pillar.
"Who do you think? Did the hobbit not even mention me?"
Boromir narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his blade's hilt.
"You are Balin? Then, come! Show yourself!"
"I dare not," replied the voice, "I would have no chance among you."
"Why the change of heart?" Aragorn snapped, "Why have you come here?"
"Because I am your only key to helping Frodo. Come behind the pillar so there we may speak. Do not fear. I am alone."
"How on earth may be trust you?" Boromir spat disgustedly.
"How do we know you are even who you say you are?" the ranger added.
Balin paused then said in a low whisper,
"Alright. Ask me something."
"Who was Balin's younger brother?" Aragorn asked.
"Dwalin. He still lives under the mountain, my little brother. Dwalin. I had almost forgotten him.. Now are you going to come?"
The men conferred briefly and agreed. Making sure that the rest of the Fellowship was resting, they crept behind the pillar and came face to face with a very old dwarf. His dirty grey beard reached his feet and his glassy blue eyes peered out at them. His face was twisted into an expression of dislike and distrust.
"Now," he said stiffly, "Now do you believe me."
"Why did you say you could be of assistance?" Boromir pressed. The dwarf fixed him with an icy glare.
"Do not take that tone with me or I will not help you at all."
"Very well. But how are you intending to help us?" said Aragorn.
"I can give you the herbs to save Frodo. The antidote, if you like," Balin answered loudly. The men glanced anxiously over their shoulder, worried that he would wake their companions. Boromir leant down to the dwarf's height and with a look of thunder said,
"You are lucky that we do not run you through now, Balin. You wretch! Is it not true that you were the one who poisoned Frodo?"
Balin growled under his beard but refrained from giving insult. Instead, he just nodded.
"I admit," he said, "I did intend to be rid of that hobbit. How was I to know that he would escape? And now my life is on the line. The orcs believe that I let him escape. Fools! But then, they never did have much brain. The orcs that I sent after the elf and Frodo never returned. I do not know what has become of them. But now, my soldiers think I have gone soft in the head. Mutiny is being rumoured. I too am on the run now. So I am going to try and take back what I did to Frodo. And I know Men. You will not leave a wounded comrade to die here. You will do anything in your power to save him. Especially Frodo Baggins the Ringbearer."
Aragorn held Boromir's arm as he lunged forward to strike Balin in a fury. He kneeled down to face the dwarf.
"What is the price?" he asked. Balin raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing that you cannot offer," he said dryly, "For the antidote, there is but a small price to pay." At this, he grabbed Aragorn's arm and gave him a pleading look. "You must get me out of here. You have to take me with you. Out of Moria. I do not care where you go from then on but I want to be free of the Eye. He watches me constantly. I am never alone in this place. I have to get out!"
"So this is all for your own purposes," Boromir hissed, "This is all to save your own skin!"
Aragorn considered the offer though. He bowed his head in thought. The answer came quickly. He looked up, meeting Balin's steady gaze.
"It is agreed. But be warned. We shall take you no further than to the Dimrill Dale. Then you are alone. Now, give us the antidote."
The dwarf looked around before producing something from his tunic. It was a small flat box with goldleaf decorations on the front depicting a man lying on a bed.
"Here," he said urgently, "Those are all the herbs you need. But what about our wager? When shall I be able to join your company? I cannot go back, do you understand? I cannot go back to them!" His voice grew urgent and he started tugging at Aragorn's shirt, trying to emphasise his meaning. "I can never ever return there."
There was something in his eyes that made the ranger stand up and back away. Something unreal. He trusted Balin even less because of it. He carefully placed the box out of sight in the pouch hanging from his belt.
"We will see what Frodo thinks. He will be the only one to know. I am not sure that you would last long at the hands of Sam and Legolas if they were to find out. Wait here until the morning. We will give you your answer then."
The men retreated from the pillar and found Legolas waiting there. He was staring at them accusingly.
"No," he said.