Look, I know I'm horrible. I know it, and if you are reading this, bless
you for getting this far. Whether this is the first time reading this
lovely little tale, or just the next chapter of the story you've started a
while ago (after many MANY curse words at my direction for being so slow, I
know), THANK YOU for giving me a shot. I love writing, I love LOTR, and
hell, why not have some fun and combine them, eh? ;)
So enjoy, please review if you have the time, or any questions, comments, or criticisms. Have fun! (
Chapter 9
The biting wind snarled all around them, the snow swirling in its ferocious grasp. The snowflakes stung like fire upon their faces, and the cold of the thick snow made their legs numb. The hobbits clung to the larger folk, unable to push through the thick blanket-like snow. Lorelai hugged close to Legolas's hip, and was glad that he was her transportation as she glanced back at the big people trudging roughly through the snow. He walked as gracefully as possible atop the icy crust, fighting the blazing flakes. She pushed her head deeper into her cloak and squeezed closer to his warm torso.
She felt his body tense up underneath his clothing as he paused momentarily. "There is a fell voice on the air!" he cried out to the group, who stumbled through the snow behind him.
Gandalf's head dipped. "Saruman," he muttered.
As if in confirmation, rocks tumbled down, narrowly missing the shallow ledge they were perched upon. Lorelai felt Legolas take a step towards the wall and turn for her to face the sheer rock wall. //It's comforting to know I'm not ignored as some would wish.// she thought fleetingly before she stole a glance at Boromir.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn cried. "We must turn back!" He spoke the words everyone wanted to hear, but none wanted to accept; least of all Gandalf.
"No!" he yelled back, facing the onslaught of wind. Raising his staff, he began yelling into the wind, which threw his words upon the rock wall, smashing them. The voice Legolas had heard was clearer now, so even Lorelai could hear it over the roaring wind. With a crack from the sky, she felt Legolas shake as the rumble reverberated through the mountain.
Looking up she saw the sky was quickly becoming white by the crashing of an avalanche directly above them. She felt herself being shoved closer to the wall, out of Legolas' touch, to the direction of the party and the wall face. Legolas stepped away, his arm outstretched towards Gandalf. She leaned all her weight to her left in an attempt to knock herself out of the icy blanket, but the snow crushed on top of her, as well as the rest of the company.
Panic set in immediately. She tried to claw away at the snow packed densely around her, but all see could see was white. She desperately flailed her arms to try to loosen the snow; instead more pressed her to the snow beneath her. Time seemed to stretch on, and it felt like she was trapped for an eternity. She felt the cold melting around her face, and her breath, heightened by fear, was becoming shallower. There was little air left.
She felt snow pressing onto her more heavily, and a strong hand fumbled through the snow before grasping her arm. It yanked her upwards until she felt the sharp wind upon her exposed skin again. As she took a gasp of air, she looked up through the snow caught on her lashes to see Boromir's expression of concern. It quickly turned to one of hidden mistrust as he reached into the snow and pulled her out, placing her roughly on her feet as he moved through the snow to the next hidden body.
Shivering fiercely, she pressed up against the rock wall to regain her breath. /Maybe Boromir's right... Maybe I am too much of a liability to remain... Maybe this task will even... kill me.../ she thought to herself, as she tried to blink back the slowly freezing tears. She angrily brushed them off her cheeks, and turned to see the rest of the fellowship catching their breath and brushing off the heavy snow. The snowfall had lightened to a gentle sprinkling, but she could see darker clouds moving in overhead.
"We must get off the mountain!" Aragorn cried.
That much was clear to everyone. Immediately, suggestions were being called from everyone. Boromir spoke of Rohan and Gondor, while Gimli shouted about the mines below their feet. A pause froze the company.
Gandalf bit his lip, a mark of uncertainty unfamiliar to his weathered face. "Let the ringbearer decide."
Frodo looked at him, startled, and paused momentarily, glancing at Lorelai before speaking loudly to the group. "We will go through the mines."
Gandalf's eyes closed, a look of regret flashing through his face. "So be it."
So enjoy, please review if you have the time, or any questions, comments, or criticisms. Have fun! (
Chapter 9
The biting wind snarled all around them, the snow swirling in its ferocious grasp. The snowflakes stung like fire upon their faces, and the cold of the thick snow made their legs numb. The hobbits clung to the larger folk, unable to push through the thick blanket-like snow. Lorelai hugged close to Legolas's hip, and was glad that he was her transportation as she glanced back at the big people trudging roughly through the snow. He walked as gracefully as possible atop the icy crust, fighting the blazing flakes. She pushed her head deeper into her cloak and squeezed closer to his warm torso.
She felt his body tense up underneath his clothing as he paused momentarily. "There is a fell voice on the air!" he cried out to the group, who stumbled through the snow behind him.
Gandalf's head dipped. "Saruman," he muttered.
As if in confirmation, rocks tumbled down, narrowly missing the shallow ledge they were perched upon. Lorelai felt Legolas take a step towards the wall and turn for her to face the sheer rock wall. //It's comforting to know I'm not ignored as some would wish.// she thought fleetingly before she stole a glance at Boromir.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn cried. "We must turn back!" He spoke the words everyone wanted to hear, but none wanted to accept; least of all Gandalf.
"No!" he yelled back, facing the onslaught of wind. Raising his staff, he began yelling into the wind, which threw his words upon the rock wall, smashing them. The voice Legolas had heard was clearer now, so even Lorelai could hear it over the roaring wind. With a crack from the sky, she felt Legolas shake as the rumble reverberated through the mountain.
Looking up she saw the sky was quickly becoming white by the crashing of an avalanche directly above them. She felt herself being shoved closer to the wall, out of Legolas' touch, to the direction of the party and the wall face. Legolas stepped away, his arm outstretched towards Gandalf. She leaned all her weight to her left in an attempt to knock herself out of the icy blanket, but the snow crushed on top of her, as well as the rest of the company.
Panic set in immediately. She tried to claw away at the snow packed densely around her, but all see could see was white. She desperately flailed her arms to try to loosen the snow; instead more pressed her to the snow beneath her. Time seemed to stretch on, and it felt like she was trapped for an eternity. She felt the cold melting around her face, and her breath, heightened by fear, was becoming shallower. There was little air left.
She felt snow pressing onto her more heavily, and a strong hand fumbled through the snow before grasping her arm. It yanked her upwards until she felt the sharp wind upon her exposed skin again. As she took a gasp of air, she looked up through the snow caught on her lashes to see Boromir's expression of concern. It quickly turned to one of hidden mistrust as he reached into the snow and pulled her out, placing her roughly on her feet as he moved through the snow to the next hidden body.
Shivering fiercely, she pressed up against the rock wall to regain her breath. /Maybe Boromir's right... Maybe I am too much of a liability to remain... Maybe this task will even... kill me.../ she thought to herself, as she tried to blink back the slowly freezing tears. She angrily brushed them off her cheeks, and turned to see the rest of the fellowship catching their breath and brushing off the heavy snow. The snowfall had lightened to a gentle sprinkling, but she could see darker clouds moving in overhead.
"We must get off the mountain!" Aragorn cried.
That much was clear to everyone. Immediately, suggestions were being called from everyone. Boromir spoke of Rohan and Gondor, while Gimli shouted about the mines below their feet. A pause froze the company.
Gandalf bit his lip, a mark of uncertainty unfamiliar to his weathered face. "Let the ringbearer decide."
Frodo looked at him, startled, and paused momentarily, glancing at Lorelai before speaking loudly to the group. "We will go through the mines."
Gandalf's eyes closed, a look of regret flashing through his face. "So be it."
