Author's note~ I think this is a record for me. :) :) Getting a chapter out in less than a week!
PLEASE REVIEW readers!!!!!
"And the Fellowship of the Ring Shall Be Ten"
Chapter IX ~ "Strength of Mind"
The Fellowship broke into sunlight, though it did little to lift their spirits. The view was not very encouraging. They had come out on a steep hill which was covered with rocks and snow. The only thing that could have possibly helped the situation was the green patch that was miles away. Lothlorien, the Golden Wood.
The entire Fellowship was in various stages of grief over the loss of Gandalf, and this halted their realization of their latest problem.
Sam sank onto a rock and buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Pippin had simply collapsed onto the ground, laying on his side with tears streaming down his dirty cheeks. Merry was kneeling just behind him, a hand on Pippin's shoulder and barely concealed tears shimmering in his own eyes. Frodo had walked away from the rest of them, preferring to bear as much of his grief alone as he could.
Aragorn turned his back on all of them for a moment, accepting that he was to lead the Fellowship now. The burden settled upon his shoulders, as did a feeling of dread.
Aragorn glanced around, wishing perhaps that his eyes were failing him. Yet they were not. Teneriel was simply not there. His breath caught in his throat, and Aragorn felt anger well up inside him. Striding forward and pulling Anduril out of its sheath, Aragorn made for the crack in the cliff side that the Fellowship had exited from only moments before.
Suddenly, a strong hand arrested his walk. "Nay, Aragorn. You cannot go after her," Legolas said firmly, gripping the man's arm harder, for the Elf knew well the mind of his friend.
Aragorn shook him off, turning to face the Elf. "And I also cannot leave her. My options are few, Legolas. I must return!"
"So you would sacrifice the Fellowship and everything that it stands for to save her life?" Legolas said incredulously. "Then I shall stand in your way, my friend. The Fellowship is more important than any of us, including a child of Elrond. She knew that, and so do you."
Defeat smoldered in the eyes of the Dunadan, and Aragorn lowered his head slightly. "I curse these mines," he snapped. "First, Gandalf fell to the Balrog, now Teneriel falls to some unknown horror. It seems as though the hand of fate has already turned against us."
"Fate is a fickle friend, my lord," Legolas said softly, laying a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "We may yet see them both alive."
Aragorn's eyes flickered shut for a moment, bidding good-bye to both Gandalf and Teneriel. "We must yet go on," he murmured. "We will reach the wood of Lothlorien by tonight if we travel hard. Perhaps there we will find peace. Get them up, Legolas," Aragorn ordered. "We must reach the wood of Lothlorien before night falls."
Bedraggled but not beaten, the eight remaining members of the Fellowship left Moria behind, believing that two of their Company lay there forever.
~~~~~~
Pain. Pain was all she could feel. It overwhelmed her, pouring into her body and mind. Teneriel took a few deep breaths, keeping her eyes tightly shut. If she was being watched, then she wanted her captors to consider her unconscious until she chose to inform them otherwise. Slowly, the pain began to recede to a constant ache, something that she could endure while moving.
Teneriel opened her eyes carefully, and panic consumed her. She could see nothing. Either this was from the absolute darkness, or she was blind. The latter made Teneriel shudder. As she lay on the cold stone floor, her eyes slowly began to adjust to the darkness. Relief flooded her, for she could make out shapes, though not with her usual clarity.
When she was certain that there was no one near her, Teneriel stood, fighting off the dizziness. She leaned against the wall, concentrating deeply on regaining her strength. Step by step, Teneriel made her way through the shadowy halls. Although her eyes were not functioning as well as they could, she could feel light ahead, and she could smell fresh air flowing in from the outside.
Only a few minutes later, Teneriel stumbled out of Moria and sat shakily on a nearby stone. Now that she was out in daylight, the true toll that had been taken on her eyes was obvious. Although she was not blind, she could not see even as well as a mortal. And to make a bad situation worse, her upper arm throbbed.
Teneriel pulled off her wrist guard and carefully pulled up her sleeve. The wound was ugly, for the tips of the darts had broken off in her arm. Thin black lines spread in a web away from the wound, showing quite clearly that the darts were poisoned.
She sighed, sliding her sleeve back down and lacing up her wrist guard again. "Orc poison works slowly," she mused. "If I can reach Lothlorien soon, then I may have a chance."
Her eyes closed momentarily, and Teneriel pushed herself off of the rock. For the moment, she had no choice but to go on. After all, a child of Elrond does not give up.
~~~~~~~
The Fellowship had reached Lothlorien. Aragorn felt small under the scrutinizing gaze of the Lady Galadriel. She seemed to sense that something was amiss, and her head tilted slightly to one side. Aragorn tried not to show any emotion when her voice echoed in his head. "We must speak, Aragorn. I have many questions."
"Ten set out from Rivendell," Celeborn said firmly. "Yet only eight stand here before me. Where are Gandalf and Teneriel?"
"Gandalf has fallen," Galadriel whispered, her eyes still locked with Aragorn's. "But of Teneriel, I can see nothing."
Legolas glanced over at Aragorn, who had not spoken since their arrival. When he saw that this was not about to change, Legolas spoke up. "We know not what happened to Teneriel, my lady. We have assumed that she fell in Moria as well."
Instantly, tears sprang to Galadriel's eyes and she lowered her head. Celeborn gently laid a hand on her shoulder, though tears shone in his eyes as well.
"You come bearing evil tidings," Celeborn murmured. "But you are welcome here nonetheless."
Galadriel quickly left them, for the pain that she felt was nearly beyond her control. Already, her daughter had left for the West, and now she lost one of her daughter's children. Celeborn laid a hand on her shoulder again and turned her gently to him.
"We will not lose her, my love," he whispered. "If she were gone, then we would feel it." Celeborn glanced out at the stars and felt a ray of hope. "Teneriel is alive."
PLEASE REVIEW readers!!!!!
"And the Fellowship of the Ring Shall Be Ten"
Chapter IX ~ "Strength of Mind"
The Fellowship broke into sunlight, though it did little to lift their spirits. The view was not very encouraging. They had come out on a steep hill which was covered with rocks and snow. The only thing that could have possibly helped the situation was the green patch that was miles away. Lothlorien, the Golden Wood.
The entire Fellowship was in various stages of grief over the loss of Gandalf, and this halted their realization of their latest problem.
Sam sank onto a rock and buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Pippin had simply collapsed onto the ground, laying on his side with tears streaming down his dirty cheeks. Merry was kneeling just behind him, a hand on Pippin's shoulder and barely concealed tears shimmering in his own eyes. Frodo had walked away from the rest of them, preferring to bear as much of his grief alone as he could.
Aragorn turned his back on all of them for a moment, accepting that he was to lead the Fellowship now. The burden settled upon his shoulders, as did a feeling of dread.
Aragorn glanced around, wishing perhaps that his eyes were failing him. Yet they were not. Teneriel was simply not there. His breath caught in his throat, and Aragorn felt anger well up inside him. Striding forward and pulling Anduril out of its sheath, Aragorn made for the crack in the cliff side that the Fellowship had exited from only moments before.
Suddenly, a strong hand arrested his walk. "Nay, Aragorn. You cannot go after her," Legolas said firmly, gripping the man's arm harder, for the Elf knew well the mind of his friend.
Aragorn shook him off, turning to face the Elf. "And I also cannot leave her. My options are few, Legolas. I must return!"
"So you would sacrifice the Fellowship and everything that it stands for to save her life?" Legolas said incredulously. "Then I shall stand in your way, my friend. The Fellowship is more important than any of us, including a child of Elrond. She knew that, and so do you."
Defeat smoldered in the eyes of the Dunadan, and Aragorn lowered his head slightly. "I curse these mines," he snapped. "First, Gandalf fell to the Balrog, now Teneriel falls to some unknown horror. It seems as though the hand of fate has already turned against us."
"Fate is a fickle friend, my lord," Legolas said softly, laying a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "We may yet see them both alive."
Aragorn's eyes flickered shut for a moment, bidding good-bye to both Gandalf and Teneriel. "We must yet go on," he murmured. "We will reach the wood of Lothlorien by tonight if we travel hard. Perhaps there we will find peace. Get them up, Legolas," Aragorn ordered. "We must reach the wood of Lothlorien before night falls."
Bedraggled but not beaten, the eight remaining members of the Fellowship left Moria behind, believing that two of their Company lay there forever.
~~~~~~
Pain. Pain was all she could feel. It overwhelmed her, pouring into her body and mind. Teneriel took a few deep breaths, keeping her eyes tightly shut. If she was being watched, then she wanted her captors to consider her unconscious until she chose to inform them otherwise. Slowly, the pain began to recede to a constant ache, something that she could endure while moving.
Teneriel opened her eyes carefully, and panic consumed her. She could see nothing. Either this was from the absolute darkness, or she was blind. The latter made Teneriel shudder. As she lay on the cold stone floor, her eyes slowly began to adjust to the darkness. Relief flooded her, for she could make out shapes, though not with her usual clarity.
When she was certain that there was no one near her, Teneriel stood, fighting off the dizziness. She leaned against the wall, concentrating deeply on regaining her strength. Step by step, Teneriel made her way through the shadowy halls. Although her eyes were not functioning as well as they could, she could feel light ahead, and she could smell fresh air flowing in from the outside.
Only a few minutes later, Teneriel stumbled out of Moria and sat shakily on a nearby stone. Now that she was out in daylight, the true toll that had been taken on her eyes was obvious. Although she was not blind, she could not see even as well as a mortal. And to make a bad situation worse, her upper arm throbbed.
Teneriel pulled off her wrist guard and carefully pulled up her sleeve. The wound was ugly, for the tips of the darts had broken off in her arm. Thin black lines spread in a web away from the wound, showing quite clearly that the darts were poisoned.
She sighed, sliding her sleeve back down and lacing up her wrist guard again. "Orc poison works slowly," she mused. "If I can reach Lothlorien soon, then I may have a chance."
Her eyes closed momentarily, and Teneriel pushed herself off of the rock. For the moment, she had no choice but to go on. After all, a child of Elrond does not give up.
~~~~~~~
The Fellowship had reached Lothlorien. Aragorn felt small under the scrutinizing gaze of the Lady Galadriel. She seemed to sense that something was amiss, and her head tilted slightly to one side. Aragorn tried not to show any emotion when her voice echoed in his head. "We must speak, Aragorn. I have many questions."
"Ten set out from Rivendell," Celeborn said firmly. "Yet only eight stand here before me. Where are Gandalf and Teneriel?"
"Gandalf has fallen," Galadriel whispered, her eyes still locked with Aragorn's. "But of Teneriel, I can see nothing."
Legolas glanced over at Aragorn, who had not spoken since their arrival. When he saw that this was not about to change, Legolas spoke up. "We know not what happened to Teneriel, my lady. We have assumed that she fell in Moria as well."
Instantly, tears sprang to Galadriel's eyes and she lowered her head. Celeborn gently laid a hand on her shoulder, though tears shone in his eyes as well.
"You come bearing evil tidings," Celeborn murmured. "But you are welcome here nonetheless."
Galadriel quickly left them, for the pain that she felt was nearly beyond her control. Already, her daughter had left for the West, and now she lost one of her daughter's children. Celeborn laid a hand on her shoulder again and turned her gently to him.
"We will not lose her, my love," he whispered. "If she were gone, then we would feel it." Celeborn glanced out at the stars and felt a ray of hope. "Teneriel is alive."