"When can we stop to rest?" implored Pippin, who, along with Merry and Sam, were visibly wilting from exhaustion.
"We cannot stop until we reach the Walls." replied Gandalf firmly.
"How long 'til we get there?" asked Pippin again.
"Not long now, Peregrin, now stop badgering me!" countered the Wizard peevishly. Lalwen smiled as Pippin ran to take cover behind her.
"He's rather irritable, isn't he?" Pippin confided to her. She grinned at the Hobbit. Lalwen and Pippin, over the course of the journey, had bonded notably, and become very close. It made Legolas feel somewhat jealous of the Hobbit the way he could make Lalwen laugh or smile even when he wasn't trying. Legolas contented himself by watching Lalwen move. Under her tight-fitting tunic, Legolas could see her strong muscles, although they weren't as visible as his, shifting under the material. He longed to touch her skin, to feel it on his own, as he had so long ago in Rivendell. In always pained him to see Lalwen so close, close enough to touch, yet out of his reach. His thoughts were shattered by Gimli's whisper of awe.
"The Walls!" he whispered, his eyes wide. Gandalf stepped forward, and traced several lines into the stone. When the moon light hit the rock, a door was visible. He tried, without success, to enter to Gates of Moria, but each password he tried, failed horribly.
The Fellowship sat outside of Moria, hovering on the ground, on rocks, or leaning on trees, waiting for Gandalf to figure out exactly how to enter the Dwarven Realm. Legolas sat next to Lalwen. Pippin was lingering close to the two Elves, whispering to Merry. Lalwen was sitting Indian-style, one hand on her right knee. Her other elbow was propped on her leg, the hand on the arm balled in a fist, and her chin resting on it, as she gazed up at the starry sky. Legolas noticed that her eyes were dark grey, which he had distinguished to mean she was in deep thought.
"What are you thinking of?" he murmured, scooting a bit closer to her. Lalwen sighed.
"Home . . . " she vaguely replied. Never diverging her eyes from the dark heavens, she continued, "I haven't seen Himlot for one thousand years... I miss it, Legolas." he realized her voice was catching in her throat, and her eyes were shining with tears.
"Lalwen," he whispered, taking her in his embrace, "My Lalwen," he added, cuddling her trembling form in his arms.
"It's a riddle!" he heard Frodo announce, " 'Speak 'friend', and enter'! What's the Elvish word for friend?" he asked Gandalf quickly.
"Mellon." the old Wizard replied, slowly, attempting to see what the Hobbit was playing at. No more than a second after "mellon" was spoken, the great doors creaked, and sluggishly opened. Lalwen stood, gently pulling out of Legolas' hold, gazing at the lake beside the Wall intently. A ripple quivered silently through the water; then another, closer to the shore. Legolas quickly rose, and together the two Elves hastily ushered the Fellowship into the mines.
"Now, Master Elf, you shall feel the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves!" declared Gimli, happily leading the Fellowship into Moria, "Roaring fires! Malted beer! Ripe meat, right off the bone!"
Whilst Gimli had been rambling on, the other members of the Fellowship had stopped. The floor of the Mines was littered with dark shapes. Gandalf light his staff. The shapes were skeletons.
"This is no Mine," hissed Boromir, his eyes scanning the skeletons, "this is a tomb!"
Legolas noticed an arrow in a Dwarven helmet, on the nearest skull. He wrenched it out and silently tried to place the creator.
"Goblins!" he exclaimed, throwing the vile tool away from himself. The Hobbits slowly began backing out of the Mines. Suddenly, Lalwen's head whipped around towards the entrance of Moria, he eyes vividly bright green and attentive. A piercing roar echoed from the lake.
"Frodo! Watch out!" hollered Lalwen. She ran toward the Halfing, as a huge, slimy, tentacle coiled it's way into the Mines, and around Frodo's unsuspecting foot. With a startled cry, Frodo was yanked out of the Mines, and raised over the water. A huge, monstrous head burst from the lake, and bellowed at the Hobbit in it's grasp. Lalwen ran after the tentacle, and slashed at it with her dagger. It shrieked, and lunged at Lalwen. Aragorn, Boromir, and Legolas ran to the Hobbit's and the Elf's aid, but the Lake Guardian had already slipped it's rummaging arm around Lalwen's waist, and attempted to pull her into the water. Lalwen, however, was not about to give in. She dug her feet and daggers into ground, resisting, so the Guardian tightened its grip on her stomach instead. She gasped, her eyes wide with fear and decline of air.
"H-help!" she half yelled, half croaked, as she pawed at the tentacle. Legolas was reminded of the first time he's seen Lalwen, when she was surrounded by Nazgul. Now she, his Lalwen, was in trouble, and he had to save his lady. He ran out, knee-high into the water, wielding his bow, and shot the monster in the eye. It screeched, and dragged Lalwen into the water. Meanwhile, Aragorn, had sliced off several of the Guardian's tentacles, and, suddenly, Frodo went flying through the air, yelling. Aragorn, ran under the rapidly plummeting Hobbit in time to catch him, just before Frodo hit the ground. But the fight was not over. Lalwen hadn't surfaced yet, and the monster was paying not the slightest bit of attention to anyone on the shore. A sudden rippling caught Legolas' attention. Several bubbles had erupted from the water, where Lalwen had last been. The Lake Guardian had its head turned towards the trembling water, and Legolas put the rest together. What happened next, confirmed his fears. Lalwen's head burst out of the water, sputtering, then was pulled back down again.
"It's trying to drown Lalwen!" cried Pippin, his eyes wide. Legolas reached behind him, and snatched one of his white knives. With a light flick of his wrist, the sword was flying through the air, and into the beast's head. It wailed, and lifted Lalwen into the air by her leg. She coughed and gasped for breath, then began struggling fiercely against the tentacle. Aragorn ran forward and hacked the arm off in one, swift stroke, but, this time, no one was there to catch Lalwen. She fell, with a faint scream, to the ground. There was a sickening "CRACK". Lalwen lay there, on the ground, her hands clutching her leg, which was sticking out at an odd angle, while tears rolled over her cheeks. Gandalf bent over her, examining her leg, while Legolas wrenched his knife from the dead Guardian's head. The Wizard mumbled a faint "Hmm..." then waved his staff over the wound. Immediately, tears stopped running down Lalwen's face, and she looked down, in astonishment, at her leg. It was not longer sticking out abnormally, but was straight as it had been before. She stood and she, besides a bit of wobbling, could walk fine. Legolas ran over anyway.
"Are you all right?" he whispered.
"Fine," Lalwen grunted, sounding slightly embarrassed, as she wiped away the traces of her tears.
"Do you need help?"
"No, I'm fine, Legolas, I don't need-."
A loud, anguished cry interrupted Lalwen's rebuttal. The Guardian, whom everyone had assumed to be dead, flung one of it's remaining tentacles at the group.
"Into the Mines!" cried Gandalf, running into the gateway himself. The Fellowship scrambled into Moria, as the tentacle came crashing down on the ancient stone. The doorway collapsed, leaving them in total darkness. No one said anything for a minute, then, Gandalf spoke again.
"We have but one choice now," he stated, lighting his staff and walking down the grim path, "We must face the long and hard of Moria....."
Yah....i know.....Legolas shouldn't be thinking those kinda' things about Lalwen....blame my filthy minded co-author if you must......
"We cannot stop until we reach the Walls." replied Gandalf firmly.
"How long 'til we get there?" asked Pippin again.
"Not long now, Peregrin, now stop badgering me!" countered the Wizard peevishly. Lalwen smiled as Pippin ran to take cover behind her.
"He's rather irritable, isn't he?" Pippin confided to her. She grinned at the Hobbit. Lalwen and Pippin, over the course of the journey, had bonded notably, and become very close. It made Legolas feel somewhat jealous of the Hobbit the way he could make Lalwen laugh or smile even when he wasn't trying. Legolas contented himself by watching Lalwen move. Under her tight-fitting tunic, Legolas could see her strong muscles, although they weren't as visible as his, shifting under the material. He longed to touch her skin, to feel it on his own, as he had so long ago in Rivendell. In always pained him to see Lalwen so close, close enough to touch, yet out of his reach. His thoughts were shattered by Gimli's whisper of awe.
"The Walls!" he whispered, his eyes wide. Gandalf stepped forward, and traced several lines into the stone. When the moon light hit the rock, a door was visible. He tried, without success, to enter to Gates of Moria, but each password he tried, failed horribly.
The Fellowship sat outside of Moria, hovering on the ground, on rocks, or leaning on trees, waiting for Gandalf to figure out exactly how to enter the Dwarven Realm. Legolas sat next to Lalwen. Pippin was lingering close to the two Elves, whispering to Merry. Lalwen was sitting Indian-style, one hand on her right knee. Her other elbow was propped on her leg, the hand on the arm balled in a fist, and her chin resting on it, as she gazed up at the starry sky. Legolas noticed that her eyes were dark grey, which he had distinguished to mean she was in deep thought.
"What are you thinking of?" he murmured, scooting a bit closer to her. Lalwen sighed.
"Home . . . " she vaguely replied. Never diverging her eyes from the dark heavens, she continued, "I haven't seen Himlot for one thousand years... I miss it, Legolas." he realized her voice was catching in her throat, and her eyes were shining with tears.
"Lalwen," he whispered, taking her in his embrace, "My Lalwen," he added, cuddling her trembling form in his arms.
"It's a riddle!" he heard Frodo announce, " 'Speak 'friend', and enter'! What's the Elvish word for friend?" he asked Gandalf quickly.
"Mellon." the old Wizard replied, slowly, attempting to see what the Hobbit was playing at. No more than a second after "mellon" was spoken, the great doors creaked, and sluggishly opened. Lalwen stood, gently pulling out of Legolas' hold, gazing at the lake beside the Wall intently. A ripple quivered silently through the water; then another, closer to the shore. Legolas quickly rose, and together the two Elves hastily ushered the Fellowship into the mines.
"Now, Master Elf, you shall feel the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves!" declared Gimli, happily leading the Fellowship into Moria, "Roaring fires! Malted beer! Ripe meat, right off the bone!"
Whilst Gimli had been rambling on, the other members of the Fellowship had stopped. The floor of the Mines was littered with dark shapes. Gandalf light his staff. The shapes were skeletons.
"This is no Mine," hissed Boromir, his eyes scanning the skeletons, "this is a tomb!"
Legolas noticed an arrow in a Dwarven helmet, on the nearest skull. He wrenched it out and silently tried to place the creator.
"Goblins!" he exclaimed, throwing the vile tool away from himself. The Hobbits slowly began backing out of the Mines. Suddenly, Lalwen's head whipped around towards the entrance of Moria, he eyes vividly bright green and attentive. A piercing roar echoed from the lake.
"Frodo! Watch out!" hollered Lalwen. She ran toward the Halfing, as a huge, slimy, tentacle coiled it's way into the Mines, and around Frodo's unsuspecting foot. With a startled cry, Frodo was yanked out of the Mines, and raised over the water. A huge, monstrous head burst from the lake, and bellowed at the Hobbit in it's grasp. Lalwen ran after the tentacle, and slashed at it with her dagger. It shrieked, and lunged at Lalwen. Aragorn, Boromir, and Legolas ran to the Hobbit's and the Elf's aid, but the Lake Guardian had already slipped it's rummaging arm around Lalwen's waist, and attempted to pull her into the water. Lalwen, however, was not about to give in. She dug her feet and daggers into ground, resisting, so the Guardian tightened its grip on her stomach instead. She gasped, her eyes wide with fear and decline of air.
"H-help!" she half yelled, half croaked, as she pawed at the tentacle. Legolas was reminded of the first time he's seen Lalwen, when she was surrounded by Nazgul. Now she, his Lalwen, was in trouble, and he had to save his lady. He ran out, knee-high into the water, wielding his bow, and shot the monster in the eye. It screeched, and dragged Lalwen into the water. Meanwhile, Aragorn, had sliced off several of the Guardian's tentacles, and, suddenly, Frodo went flying through the air, yelling. Aragorn, ran under the rapidly plummeting Hobbit in time to catch him, just before Frodo hit the ground. But the fight was not over. Lalwen hadn't surfaced yet, and the monster was paying not the slightest bit of attention to anyone on the shore. A sudden rippling caught Legolas' attention. Several bubbles had erupted from the water, where Lalwen had last been. The Lake Guardian had its head turned towards the trembling water, and Legolas put the rest together. What happened next, confirmed his fears. Lalwen's head burst out of the water, sputtering, then was pulled back down again.
"It's trying to drown Lalwen!" cried Pippin, his eyes wide. Legolas reached behind him, and snatched one of his white knives. With a light flick of his wrist, the sword was flying through the air, and into the beast's head. It wailed, and lifted Lalwen into the air by her leg. She coughed and gasped for breath, then began struggling fiercely against the tentacle. Aragorn ran forward and hacked the arm off in one, swift stroke, but, this time, no one was there to catch Lalwen. She fell, with a faint scream, to the ground. There was a sickening "CRACK". Lalwen lay there, on the ground, her hands clutching her leg, which was sticking out at an odd angle, while tears rolled over her cheeks. Gandalf bent over her, examining her leg, while Legolas wrenched his knife from the dead Guardian's head. The Wizard mumbled a faint "Hmm..." then waved his staff over the wound. Immediately, tears stopped running down Lalwen's face, and she looked down, in astonishment, at her leg. It was not longer sticking out abnormally, but was straight as it had been before. She stood and she, besides a bit of wobbling, could walk fine. Legolas ran over anyway.
"Are you all right?" he whispered.
"Fine," Lalwen grunted, sounding slightly embarrassed, as she wiped away the traces of her tears.
"Do you need help?"
"No, I'm fine, Legolas, I don't need-."
A loud, anguished cry interrupted Lalwen's rebuttal. The Guardian, whom everyone had assumed to be dead, flung one of it's remaining tentacles at the group.
"Into the Mines!" cried Gandalf, running into the gateway himself. The Fellowship scrambled into Moria, as the tentacle came crashing down on the ancient stone. The doorway collapsed, leaving them in total darkness. No one said anything for a minute, then, Gandalf spoke again.
"We have but one choice now," he stated, lighting his staff and walking down the grim path, "We must face the long and hard of Moria....."
Yah....i know.....Legolas shouldn't be thinking those kinda' things about Lalwen....blame my filthy minded co-author if you must......