Chapter 17: Surviving to Die
A/N: Interesting title, huh? I love it. Seriously though…nobody dies--yet. It's for the future, you understand, because you've all read the Trilogy, or else you wouldn't be reading LOTR fan fiction!
Disclaimer: WHAT WHAT! Don't own nothing! Anyway, I own Aila, and the mirror, I guess, even though I don't…huh? Even I'm confused. Okay, this is how it goes down: school is going to start again soon and I have to go and be smart. BAH! So yeah.
…
Immediately, Legolas was at her side, helping her up against the pressing snowfall. He took her faggot from the ground and held it aside his, pulling her against him, sharing what warmth he had. Aragorn was quickly there as well and assured that Aila was not hurt in any way. The entire Company halted and decided it was time for a rest. Howls of wind met their ears and memory dawned on Aila.
"Quickly," she cried, as loud as her pain and the howling wind would allow her, "retreat under a ledge, more than snow will be falling soon!" Luckily, all nine had heard her and raced under the nearest ledge. Legolas pulled Aila along with him, still cradling her to his chest, under the ledge just as the first boulder went whistling by them, down the path they had just left.
"Let those call it the wind who will, but there are fell voices in the air; and these stones are aimed at us," cried Boromir, huddling against the rock wall.
"I do call it the wind," replied Aragorn. "But that does not make what you say untrue. There are many evil and unfriendly things in the world that have little love for those that go on two legs, and yet are not in league with Sauron, but have purposes of their own. Some have been in this world longer than he."
"It matters little who is the enemy, if we cannot beat off his attack," said Gandalf. They stayed under that ledge, for it was the only shelter to be had behind and in front of them. The snow continued to mount so that if the hobbits had been alone, they would have been utterly buried in it. Knowing that there was no other way, Gandalf gave each a mouthful of miruvor, cordial of Imladris. Though before Frodo had been weary and cold, he felt new heart and warmth. The weariness left his limbs when he tasted the warm drink.
"What say you to fire, Gandalf?" asked Boromir. "It seems now we face death or fire."
"You may make a fire, if you can," answered the wizard. "If there are any watcher that can last through this snowstorm, they can see us, fire or no."
Though both Legolas and Gimli attempted to light fire to the wet fuel, it surpassed their skills. Reluctantly, Gandalf gave a hand, pulling Aila's wet wood from Legolas' hands and cried an incantation. A great blue and green flame sprang forth from the wood and sputtered. Gandalf sighed and muttered something about posting "Gandalf is Here" signs everywhere about them.
Legolas looked worriedly at Aila, whose lips were turning purple in her chill. She still shivered, despite the miruvor, for her fall had chilled her bones through to the very marrow. Protectively, he gathered her to him and pulled her close to the fire, as close as he dared without alighting her clothes. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her to his chest and placed her in his lap. Aila's shivers reverberated through his own body and he looked up worriedly at Aragorn, who gave his cloak to the elf, his only offering to his frozen friend.
Aila felt herself being pulled to Legolas and tried to push away, stubbornly thinking she didn't need his body warmth to warm herself, but she knew that she did. She didn't care much anymore about Caradhras, but only hoped she could survive. *Survive for what, though?* she thought. To die in Moria? Moria was as inevitable now as it always had been. Within her mind she felt Legolas' every thought bent on getting warmth into her body. Aila fell into the warmth of his chest, her eyes closing in weariness. That night she slept better than she had ever slept, despite knowing where they were about to go: down in the Mines of Moria.
…
Aila opened her eyes against rough fabric. She tried to move from her comfortable position but found herself pinned to the cloth she breathed against. Her mind flooded with memories and she didn't move again, huddled into the warmth of Legolas, her body still chilled slightly. She yawned and it gave her away. Cautiously, Legolas pulled her from his chest to look at her.
"Awake?" he asked, his eyebrows slightly raised, pleased she was recovered.
"Awake," she confirmed, turning. "The faster we retreat from this dread mountain, the better, I say, Aragorn." The Company came forth from their shelter to see how they could retreat from the mountain.
"If Gandalf would go before us with a bright flame, he might melt a path for you," said Legolas. He remained still light of heart, not affected by the storm overly much, but slightly troubled about Aila's condition.
"If Elves could fly over mountains, they might fetch the Sun to save us," answered Gandalf. "But I must have something to work on. I cannot burn snow." Suddenly, Boromir suggested the two strongest forcing a path through the slow for little over a furlong to where the snow had first troubled them. With new heart, Aragorn took a liking to the suggestion.
"Then let us force a path thither, you and I!" Legolas watched them with amusement, heartened that now his friend could take care of herself.
"The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow--an Elf." Aila watched as he sprang forth nimbly, running down on top of the snow in his light shoes. Over an hour had passed and a light snow had begun to fall again. The hobbits were scandalized and felt like they were never leaving the forsaken mountain.
"Stay calm, my friends. They will be back. Soon." Taking trust in her words, by then it had been explained to them why a woman was on this adventure, anyway. True to her word, within minutes Legolas was back in sight running towards them, a faint smile plastered between his flush cheeks.
"Well," cried Legolas as he ran up. "I have not brought the Sun. She is walking in the blue fields of the South, and a little wreath of snow on this Redhorn hillock troubles her not at all. But I have brought back a gleam of good hope for those who are doomed to go on feet. There is the greatest wind-drift of all just beyond the turn, and there our Strong Men were almost buried. They despaired, until I returned and told them that the drift was little wider than a wall. And on the other side the snow suddenly grows less, while further down it is no more than a white coverlet to cool a hobbit's toes."
Just moments later Aragorn and Boromir, wearied, but still strong, appeared in the lane that they had created. Trudging along, Aila went along better now that she had not a large wooden bough to carry as well. Aware of Legolas watching her, Aila treaded carefully, determined not to fall or to fade further behind the others. Soon, the hobbits were able to walk in the snow by themselves and she aided them, pushing and pulling and navigating their feet. Pippin clung to her hand and, watching them, Legolas smiled. For all of the world it looked like Aila walking along with a small child. He checked himself and continued to nimbly ahead of them.
"Come, dear Pippin. It is only a while further." The small hobbit groaned and clung tighter to her hand, pulling her strength to help himself. Aila took a deep breath, knowing she had not much strength left to give, but she would aid the hobbit as much as he needed. Her other hand was resting on the shoulder of Frodo, giving him her strength as well. The Ring-bearer looked up at her, his eyes following up her tan arm to her face, her cheeks flushed red with the cold. Merry and Sam trailed behind Aila, pulling along Bill, who looked mournful as ever.
"Light Bearer?" Frodo asked. "Why is it exactly that you come with us on this journey?" His large blue eyes gazed wonderingly up into her brown, knowledgeable irises. Shrugging, she squeezed his shoulder, pulling Pippin along with her gently, as he was lagging behind.
"I am not quite sure, Frodo. But I will protect you and the Fellowship as best I can." Even to Aila her words seemed useless. How much protecting could she do, when she could hardly protect herself from the cold, or from hidden stones? Legolas had been protecting her, and how could she tell Frodo she would protect him? Surely he did not find any comfort in her words.
"I am comforted by your words, Lady Aila. Truly I am." She gave the small hobbit a small smile and he smiled faintly in return, reaching up to grasp her hand in his. With two hobbits clinging to her, Aila felt strangely heartened. Holding herself taller, she pushed herself further, offering her strength to the two smaller, yet older, beings.
Eventually, the Company came to a halt and they discussed their path. Surely, they could not return to Rivendell, or else it would be destroyed by Sauron and an even larger defeat would be eminent. Gandalf sighed and told them of their only other choice: Moria. Aila winced, knowing what would take place there. None saw her, however, and did not know of the ill fortune they would encounter there.
"The road may lead to Moria, but how can we hope that it will lead through Moria?" said Aragorn darkly.
"It is a name of ill omen," said Boromir. "Nor do I see the need to go there. I we cannot cross the mountains, let us journey southwards, until we come to the Gap of Rohan, where men are friendly to my people, taking the road that I followed on my way hither. Or we might pass by and cross the Isen into Langstrand and Lebennin, and so come to Gondor from the regions night to the sea."
"Things have changed since you came north, Boromir. Did you not hear what I told you of Saruman? With him I may have business of my own ere all is over. But the Ring must not come near Isengard, if that can by any means be prevented. The Gap of Rohan is closed to us while we go with the Bearers."
"What would Saruman the White want with Aila?" asked Legolas, noting that Gandalf had used the plural.
"Legolas, Saruman has become an old and bitter man. Aila will bring the Child and the Light into Middle Earth, to bring salvation to all of the elves. He hates elves for their immortality and wants disparity between them, in no way does he wish for them all to join as one large elven community and travel to the Undying Lands. Aila's son will do that. If she comes anywhere near Isengard, he will have her assassinated somehow. Even I do not know of the whole of it, but she must not come near the Gap of Rohan."
"So it seems I become a further hindrance upon the Company," said Aila despairingly. She had done naught but cause them trouble and she hated herself for it.
"You're time will come," said Gandalf. Aila looked upon into his gray eyes, wondering how he could know and she didn't. She wasn't even supposed to be on this journey with them, or was she? Her theories were troubling and she tried to think nothing of them, that she was simply scaring herself for undue reasons, but in her heart she knew at least one of them were true.
A/N: Interesting title, huh? I love it. Seriously though…nobody dies--yet. It's for the future, you understand, because you've all read the Trilogy, or else you wouldn't be reading LOTR fan fiction!
Disclaimer: WHAT WHAT! Don't own nothing! Anyway, I own Aila, and the mirror, I guess, even though I don't…huh? Even I'm confused. Okay, this is how it goes down: school is going to start again soon and I have to go and be smart. BAH! So yeah.
…
Immediately, Legolas was at her side, helping her up against the pressing snowfall. He took her faggot from the ground and held it aside his, pulling her against him, sharing what warmth he had. Aragorn was quickly there as well and assured that Aila was not hurt in any way. The entire Company halted and decided it was time for a rest. Howls of wind met their ears and memory dawned on Aila.
"Quickly," she cried, as loud as her pain and the howling wind would allow her, "retreat under a ledge, more than snow will be falling soon!" Luckily, all nine had heard her and raced under the nearest ledge. Legolas pulled Aila along with him, still cradling her to his chest, under the ledge just as the first boulder went whistling by them, down the path they had just left.
"Let those call it the wind who will, but there are fell voices in the air; and these stones are aimed at us," cried Boromir, huddling against the rock wall.
"I do call it the wind," replied Aragorn. "But that does not make what you say untrue. There are many evil and unfriendly things in the world that have little love for those that go on two legs, and yet are not in league with Sauron, but have purposes of their own. Some have been in this world longer than he."
"It matters little who is the enemy, if we cannot beat off his attack," said Gandalf. They stayed under that ledge, for it was the only shelter to be had behind and in front of them. The snow continued to mount so that if the hobbits had been alone, they would have been utterly buried in it. Knowing that there was no other way, Gandalf gave each a mouthful of miruvor, cordial of Imladris. Though before Frodo had been weary and cold, he felt new heart and warmth. The weariness left his limbs when he tasted the warm drink.
"What say you to fire, Gandalf?" asked Boromir. "It seems now we face death or fire."
"You may make a fire, if you can," answered the wizard. "If there are any watcher that can last through this snowstorm, they can see us, fire or no."
Though both Legolas and Gimli attempted to light fire to the wet fuel, it surpassed their skills. Reluctantly, Gandalf gave a hand, pulling Aila's wet wood from Legolas' hands and cried an incantation. A great blue and green flame sprang forth from the wood and sputtered. Gandalf sighed and muttered something about posting "Gandalf is Here" signs everywhere about them.
Legolas looked worriedly at Aila, whose lips were turning purple in her chill. She still shivered, despite the miruvor, for her fall had chilled her bones through to the very marrow. Protectively, he gathered her to him and pulled her close to the fire, as close as he dared without alighting her clothes. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her to his chest and placed her in his lap. Aila's shivers reverberated through his own body and he looked up worriedly at Aragorn, who gave his cloak to the elf, his only offering to his frozen friend.
Aila felt herself being pulled to Legolas and tried to push away, stubbornly thinking she didn't need his body warmth to warm herself, but she knew that she did. She didn't care much anymore about Caradhras, but only hoped she could survive. *Survive for what, though?* she thought. To die in Moria? Moria was as inevitable now as it always had been. Within her mind she felt Legolas' every thought bent on getting warmth into her body. Aila fell into the warmth of his chest, her eyes closing in weariness. That night she slept better than she had ever slept, despite knowing where they were about to go: down in the Mines of Moria.
…
Aila opened her eyes against rough fabric. She tried to move from her comfortable position but found herself pinned to the cloth she breathed against. Her mind flooded with memories and she didn't move again, huddled into the warmth of Legolas, her body still chilled slightly. She yawned and it gave her away. Cautiously, Legolas pulled her from his chest to look at her.
"Awake?" he asked, his eyebrows slightly raised, pleased she was recovered.
"Awake," she confirmed, turning. "The faster we retreat from this dread mountain, the better, I say, Aragorn." The Company came forth from their shelter to see how they could retreat from the mountain.
"If Gandalf would go before us with a bright flame, he might melt a path for you," said Legolas. He remained still light of heart, not affected by the storm overly much, but slightly troubled about Aila's condition.
"If Elves could fly over mountains, they might fetch the Sun to save us," answered Gandalf. "But I must have something to work on. I cannot burn snow." Suddenly, Boromir suggested the two strongest forcing a path through the slow for little over a furlong to where the snow had first troubled them. With new heart, Aragorn took a liking to the suggestion.
"Then let us force a path thither, you and I!" Legolas watched them with amusement, heartened that now his friend could take care of herself.
"The strongest must seek a way, say you? But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow--an Elf." Aila watched as he sprang forth nimbly, running down on top of the snow in his light shoes. Over an hour had passed and a light snow had begun to fall again. The hobbits were scandalized and felt like they were never leaving the forsaken mountain.
"Stay calm, my friends. They will be back. Soon." Taking trust in her words, by then it had been explained to them why a woman was on this adventure, anyway. True to her word, within minutes Legolas was back in sight running towards them, a faint smile plastered between his flush cheeks.
"Well," cried Legolas as he ran up. "I have not brought the Sun. She is walking in the blue fields of the South, and a little wreath of snow on this Redhorn hillock troubles her not at all. But I have brought back a gleam of good hope for those who are doomed to go on feet. There is the greatest wind-drift of all just beyond the turn, and there our Strong Men were almost buried. They despaired, until I returned and told them that the drift was little wider than a wall. And on the other side the snow suddenly grows less, while further down it is no more than a white coverlet to cool a hobbit's toes."
Just moments later Aragorn and Boromir, wearied, but still strong, appeared in the lane that they had created. Trudging along, Aila went along better now that she had not a large wooden bough to carry as well. Aware of Legolas watching her, Aila treaded carefully, determined not to fall or to fade further behind the others. Soon, the hobbits were able to walk in the snow by themselves and she aided them, pushing and pulling and navigating their feet. Pippin clung to her hand and, watching them, Legolas smiled. For all of the world it looked like Aila walking along with a small child. He checked himself and continued to nimbly ahead of them.
"Come, dear Pippin. It is only a while further." The small hobbit groaned and clung tighter to her hand, pulling her strength to help himself. Aila took a deep breath, knowing she had not much strength left to give, but she would aid the hobbit as much as he needed. Her other hand was resting on the shoulder of Frodo, giving him her strength as well. The Ring-bearer looked up at her, his eyes following up her tan arm to her face, her cheeks flushed red with the cold. Merry and Sam trailed behind Aila, pulling along Bill, who looked mournful as ever.
"Light Bearer?" Frodo asked. "Why is it exactly that you come with us on this journey?" His large blue eyes gazed wonderingly up into her brown, knowledgeable irises. Shrugging, she squeezed his shoulder, pulling Pippin along with her gently, as he was lagging behind.
"I am not quite sure, Frodo. But I will protect you and the Fellowship as best I can." Even to Aila her words seemed useless. How much protecting could she do, when she could hardly protect herself from the cold, or from hidden stones? Legolas had been protecting her, and how could she tell Frodo she would protect him? Surely he did not find any comfort in her words.
"I am comforted by your words, Lady Aila. Truly I am." She gave the small hobbit a small smile and he smiled faintly in return, reaching up to grasp her hand in his. With two hobbits clinging to her, Aila felt strangely heartened. Holding herself taller, she pushed herself further, offering her strength to the two smaller, yet older, beings.
Eventually, the Company came to a halt and they discussed their path. Surely, they could not return to Rivendell, or else it would be destroyed by Sauron and an even larger defeat would be eminent. Gandalf sighed and told them of their only other choice: Moria. Aila winced, knowing what would take place there. None saw her, however, and did not know of the ill fortune they would encounter there.
"The road may lead to Moria, but how can we hope that it will lead through Moria?" said Aragorn darkly.
"It is a name of ill omen," said Boromir. "Nor do I see the need to go there. I we cannot cross the mountains, let us journey southwards, until we come to the Gap of Rohan, where men are friendly to my people, taking the road that I followed on my way hither. Or we might pass by and cross the Isen into Langstrand and Lebennin, and so come to Gondor from the regions night to the sea."
"Things have changed since you came north, Boromir. Did you not hear what I told you of Saruman? With him I may have business of my own ere all is over. But the Ring must not come near Isengard, if that can by any means be prevented. The Gap of Rohan is closed to us while we go with the Bearers."
"What would Saruman the White want with Aila?" asked Legolas, noting that Gandalf had used the plural.
"Legolas, Saruman has become an old and bitter man. Aila will bring the Child and the Light into Middle Earth, to bring salvation to all of the elves. He hates elves for their immortality and wants disparity between them, in no way does he wish for them all to join as one large elven community and travel to the Undying Lands. Aila's son will do that. If she comes anywhere near Isengard, he will have her assassinated somehow. Even I do not know of the whole of it, but she must not come near the Gap of Rohan."
"So it seems I become a further hindrance upon the Company," said Aila despairingly. She had done naught but cause them trouble and she hated herself for it.
"You're time will come," said Gandalf. Aila looked upon into his gray eyes, wondering how he could know and she didn't. She wasn't even supposed to be on this journey with them, or was she? Her theories were troubling and she tried to think nothing of them, that she was simply scaring herself for undue reasons, but in her heart she knew at least one of them were true.