Mornie Alantië
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Chapter Two
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The land was dark and sent shivers down Usagi's spine. She didn't like this place, where the resting place of so many dead was so near by. It wasn't right. But, of course, if they ever managed to get into the mine at all she'd be even closer.

Gandalf had been trying for quite some time to get the stone doors to open. The moon, which had appeared from behind several heavy, gray clouds, had lit up the Elvish text and the doorway itself.

Ennyn Durin Aran Moria: pedo mellon a minno. Im Narvi hain echant: Celebrimbor o Eregion teithant I thiw hin.

The Doors of Durin, lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Eregion drew these signs.

Of course, the doors didn't say what to speak. The old wizard had been murmuring spells and invocations under his breath for close to an hour, now, and the moon was already beginning to sink down to the horizon.

Usagi rested against one of the few trees around, relieving herself from the pack she was carrying for a few minutes. She was deeply frightened of this place, a place she'd heard of only in stories. It was cursed, and an evil demon lived deep within the caves.

Her fear must have shown slightly, for she felt a hand rest on her shoulder reassuringly. She knew who it was without looking up. "This place doesn't feel right."

A presence dropped down beside her. "I know what you mean." Legolas looked out across the lake. "I've heard of this place from my father. I don't want to go in there, but I know we'll have to eventually."

"I've got it!" A shout was heard behind them and both of the elves turned to see Frodo jump up in excitement. "It's a riddle." He looked up at the doorway. "Gandalf, what's the elvish word for friend?"

Understanding dawned on Gandalf's face. "Mellon." He said.

Instantly, the stone doors grated open to reveal the dark inside of Moria. All ten of the travelers gazed wearily into the opening, then slowly started forward.

~

The darkness surrounded them as they set up their camp for the first night. The only light came from the torch Boromir carried and the crystal on the top of Gandalf's staff. Only a small circle of light surrounded them.

She could feel the darkness pressing in on her mind. It didn't help that hundreds upon thousands of rotting corpses surrounded them, either. Lying down on the far side of the camp, Usagi peered wearily out into the darkness. Sleep was evading her.

Gandalf had said it was a four day journey to the other side, but they weren't really left with any other choice than to make the journey. Upon entering the mines, they had awoken one of the beasts living in the lake. The battle with it had sealed them inside.

The other members of their group didn't seem to have any trouble falling asleep, and soon their breathing deepened and steadied.

But still, she couldn't get to sleep.

\^*^/

Legolas blinked as he awoke, his eyes quickly adjusting to the dim light. Glancing around, he noticed the other elf on watch. She was turning something over in her hands and looking down at it sadly. Softly, he sat up to get a better look.

Instantly, she shoved the thing back in her cloak and had her knife ready to strike at the intruder at a moments notice. As soon as she realized who it was, though, she calmed down and slid the knife back into the sheath.

"You startled me." She said softly. "I didn't realize anyone else had woken up."

He focused his bright blue eyes on her. "Why aren't you resting?" He asked. "It should be Aragorn's turn to watch." He sat down next to her and waited for an answer.

Usagi sighed. "I can't sleep." She said. "This place is making my skin crawl. And it keeps playing tricks on my eyes. Shadows moving here and there, soft noises."

"Something else is troubling you." It wasn't really a question, but she nodded anyway.

Reaching back into her cloak, she pulled out the brooch she'd held before. "Before the council, I'd been living in another world, a very different place." She gazed longingly at the locket. "I just miss the friends I made there. But I needed to return home." She stuffed the locket back in her pocket.

Legolas could sense the sadness in her, even as she tried to push the memories aside. He reached up and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. "You need to rest." He said. "Go to sleep. I'll take over the watch for the rest of the night."

She didn't nod, but her breathing deepened after a moment to show that she'd followed his orders. He kept his arm around her until she awoke again.

'Quel esta' Legolas murmured as he stroked her hair. Rest well.

(*)

She was dreaming, and in the dream she was with her friends again. The snow of the arctic swirled around them and they struggled to stay warm. And then, one by one, each of them fell, killed by one of the Dark Queen's evil monsters.

The scene around her changed, and suddenly she was standing before another woman. This one was also a senshi, but she was bent on killing Usagi. Around her, the bodies of her fellow senshi lay scattered. But no longer was she just Sailor Moon. Now she was Sailor Cosmos.

She wasn't aware that she was talking in her sleep until she felt a hand on her shoulder, shaking her awake. Blinking to clear the sleep from her eyes, she turned to look at the concerned elf whose shoulder she was leaning on.

"Are you alright?" His voice was quiet and filled with worry. "Your dreams were troubling you and you were crying out in your sleep."

Her blond hair swayed as she shook her head. "I'm fine." She said just as softly. "Just bad memories, that's all."

Legolas rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "Don't let the past trouble you." He said. "Just focus on the future, and on what it may bring."

"You're right." Usagi said. But she didn't look at him as she spoke.

He stood, offering his hand to her. "Come, we need to wake up the others. It will be time to continue soon."

The other elf accepted his hand and pulled herself up. Her eyes met his for a moment before she blushed and looked away. "About last night…" She paused and took a deep breath. "Thank you for comforting me." She said.

"Think nothing of it." Legolas said.

Usagi nodded and moved to wake up the Hobbits. But her mind was focused on the blond elf behind her who was starting a small campfire. She'd felt so safe in his arms, like she belonged there.

When she'd lived in Tokyo, she'd dated a man- a mortal Man name Mamoru- for some time. She'd thought he was the one, her true love, but she'd been wrong. In the end, she hadn't been willing to sacrifice her immortality for him, to live a mortal life as his wife. She'd loved him, but her heart had not belonged to him.

And yet, this Legolas, this Elf from the Mirkwood whom she'd known for a week or so, had captured her heart. She wasn't sure if she loved him or not, but she felt something when she was with him that she hadn't felt with Mamoru.

Behind her, another Elf was having very similar thoughts.

[^^]

"Lle auta yeste." Her voice could barely be heard; yet his sharp ears caught he. 'You go first'. He turned to look at her, smiling.

"What? Is the brave little Elf girl scared of the dark?" He asked tauntingly. "Why do you want me to go first?"

Usagi scowled at her partner. "I'll have you know that this place gives me the creeps." She said. "There's no sunlight here, and nothing growing. I want to be back in the woods, and the fresh air."

Legolas nodded in agreement. "Yeah, but the sooner we get out of here, the better." He pointed out.

The two elves had been sent ahead to scout out the path and find a place to camp for the night, as they were the fastest and quietest. They'd reached a long flight of stairs that were difficult to climb and rested at the top. Now, Legolas pulled himself over the last stair and strained his eyes to see in the dark. "Amin utue ta." He whispered. I found it.

"You did?" Usagi pulled herself up and looked also. "Yes, this is a good place to rest." She looked back down the narrow stairs. "I hope they can climb up that without much trouble. It's more like a wall than a staircase."

He rolled his eyes and pulled off his pack. "Come on. We were told to set up here for the night. Let's start before the others arrive."

Nodding, Usagi set to work.

In an hour, they had a fire going and were toasting bacon and sausage on it. Both could hear the voices of the other eight Fellowship members as they approached the campsite.

Gandalf pulled up the last of the Hobbits at the top of the staircase before turning and looking behind him. The two Elves had laid out blankets and had dinner cooking over a small fire, for which the four hobbits were very thankful.

But, as he narrowed his eyes, he realized that this place wasn't what he'd expected. "I have no memory of this place." He said aloud.

~{*o*}~

They spent the whole next day at the site, resting. The journey so far had taken a lot out of them, and even Aragorn had to admit that they needed rest.

The old wizard spent most of his time sitting on a rock and muttering to himself. The others were growing impatient, especially the Hobbits.

Pippin seemed to have forgotten that he wasn't a member of the Fellowship, and he and Merry were constantly together talking. Now, he looked up and over at his cousin. "Are we lost?" He asked.

Merry sighed. "No, we're not lost." He said.

"I think we're lost." Pippin said.

Merry glared at his younger cousin. "Quiet, Gandalf's thinking." He said.

A few moments passed, then Pippin had to open his mouth again. "Merry? I'm hungry."

Frodo, who had been listening to the two talk, turned his attention from the conversation and looked out into the darkness below their resting spot. He blinked as he saw a shadow move down there.

He approached Gandalf. "There's something down there." He said.

Gandalf looked up and blinked. "It's Gollum." He said. "He's been following us for three days."

Usagi and Legolas looked up sharply at this. They'd both heard of the creature called Gollum, and neither of them liked him at all. But Frodo continued on.

"He escaped from the dungeons of Barad-dur!" He said.

"Escaped, or was set loose. Gollum hates and loves the ring, as he hates and loves himself." Gandalf said. "He will never be free of his need for it."

Frodo sighed and looked away. "Pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance." He said under his breath.

Gandalf looked down at him. "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many who live deserve death, and some who die deserve life." He glanced at Usagi for a second, meeting her gaze, then looked back at Frodo. "Can you give it to them? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends, but my heart tells me that Gollum still has a part to play, for good or ill. Before this is over, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many.

The rest of the Fellowship had fallen silent and all were now focused on the wizard.

Frodo looked down. "I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had ever happened."

Gandalf looked down and comfortingly patted the Hobbit on the shoulder. "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time we are given. There are other forces at work in the world than the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the ring, which means that you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought." He paused, glancing ahead at the paths before them. "Ah! It's this way." He exclaimed.

The others jumped up at his words. "He's remembered!" Merry said, running foreword.

Gandalf shook his head in disagreement. "No, but the air smells less foul down here." He smiled. "When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follows your nose."