Everything was dark. The only light came from the staff of Gandalf, which he held up to light our way. And the bones, skeletons of orcs and dwarves everywhere.

Suffice to say that I wasn't coping with this very well. Being a college student prepared you for some horrors, but nothing like this. But the rest of the fellowship seemed to understand what I was going through and were supportive. Frodo in particular understood what I was going through, since he went through the same thing.

But despite the fright, the scale of the mines awed me. Gimli was giving me a history of the dwarves as we walked, and this was filling in my rather sketchy knowledge (dwarves only really featured in the appendix, and I had only read that once or twice.)

'I have no recollection of this place." murmured Gandalf as we came to a junction of three passages.

Since Gandalfs leadership had been fairly good so far, everyone seemed to suffer a severe erosion of confidence as we set up camp. Mind you, I didn't since I knew what was happening.

And so, my eyes were looking in the same direction as Frodo's when he spotted Gollum. And so I saw the one of the other participants in this drama. He didn't look as bad as I though he would, and the fact that I knew the ultimate part he would play in this quest tempered my attitude to him.

Boromir took the opportunity of the rest to give me another sword lesson, most likely prompted by Aragorn. At least this time I vaguely managed to hold my own.

"Ah, its that way." Gandalf declared, rising to his feet and pointing down the middle of the three passages.

"He's remembered!" Merry declared.

"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here. When in doubt Meriadoc, always follow your nose." And Gandalf led the way down the passage.

My mind ran through what would happen next, and I started to shake involuntarily. Balins Tomb, and the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. The time that I had feared would soon be happening.

But all these thoughts were driven out of my mind as she stepped out onto a landing.

"I think we may risk a little more light." Gandalf said, his voice echoing, and he raised his staff, which began to glow brighter and brighter, dispelling the gloom.

"Bloody hell." I breathed out as my eyes saw the hall.

"Behold, the great realm of the dwarven city of Dwarrowdelf!" Gandalf said.

It was bloody impressive. Pillars towering upward, stunning in their immensity, stretching off into the distance.

"Well that's an eye opener and no mistake." Sam breathed, and Gimli's face was reverential (well, it actually looked liked he had been hit on the head with Gandalf's staff.)

"Definitely." I agreed with Sam. "Its amazing."

We descended into the hall and stood among the pillars. I felt dwarfed by them, no pun intended.

As we walked, I kept gaping, stunned by the sight. Nothing on Earth could compare to this. The rest of the fellowship seemed to be in the same state as me.

But then off to one side Gimli spotted a room, with a ray of light from some high crystal window shining down onto a white tomb. He took off at a run with a cry, with the rest of us following, but his pace gradually slowed as he approached the tomb.

We all gathered around, as Gandalf read out the Westron meaning of the runes.

"Here lies Balin, son of Hundi, Lord of Moria. So he is dead then. Its as I feared."

Gimli let out a keening moan. If its one thing that I know I'm good at, it's comforting, so I knelt beside him, and wrapped one arm round his shoulders, rubbing gently.

Gandalf handed his staff and hat to Pippin, before picking up a blood stained and battle torn tome from the clutches of a cobwebbed skeleton. I had to close my eyes not to yell out to Pippin to stay away from the well, to warn Gandalf that the 'fool of a Took' was about to do something that he, and we, would regret.

But to do that would alter the future dramatically. I may have been only a college student, but talking with my brother had given me an idea of continuity, and as Gandalf read the last words of the Dwarves, I plotted out what the ramifications of changes would be. And then, it came. With a crash, the skeleton slid down the well, bouncing from the stone sides, followed by a wooden bucket. The crash faded into the distance, a faint echo drifting up to those of us who remained spellbound in Balins Tomb.

"Fool of a Took!" Gandalf declared, snatching back his hat and staff. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity."

I shivered, feeling nausea rising inside me. Aragorn shot me a worried glance, but before he could speak, a boom echoed from the well. It was shortly followed by another, and they grew in volume, pace and intensity. A high-pitched screeching accompanied the drums. As it echoed around the tomb, the fellowship looked round. It was Legolas who spoke first.

"Orcs."

Boromir didn't wait, before dashed for the doors, closely followed by Aragorn and Legolas.

The hobbits and Gandalf drew their swords, and Gimli took up his position on top of the tomb.

Boromir, Legolas and Aragorn joined us again, sword drawn in the case of the former, arrows nocked to bows in the case of the latter.

We waited as the doors began to bend inwards. I prayed furiously from my position beside the hobbits. But now the time that I had feared was upon me, my fear was ebbing away, to be replaced by composure. There was nothing that I could do now to change things, as had been the temptation before. Now things were set, and I could but go with the flow. The first two arrows were loosed while the door was still shut, and I could still find time for a smile of pride in my companion's skill.

And then the doors burst open and the chamber was filled with orcs.

The training that I had been given took over, and my blade lashed at the orcish bodies around me as I did my best to defend myself.

Then the cave troll entered. I racked my mind to remember the positions it took up in the tomb, so that I could avoid it. I did not want to tangle with it, for I knew that I would be about as much use as a chocolate teapot.

The battle raged, with the cave troll causing havoc to both sides, both ours and his own. I did manage to find on small moment to lust after Legolas as he avoided the flailing of the trolls chain, but my attention was diverted by yet another orc.

Frodo, Merry and Pippin were split from their small group by the club of the cave troll, which then focused its attentions on Frodo.

I sliced at another orc, managing to wound its sword arm, and missed Frodo being cornered by the troll.

Then the cry from Aragorn drew my attention as he grabbed a pike and menaced the approaching cave troll.

This next bit I could not stand to see, even though I knew the outcome. So I averted my eyes, and concentrated on my own battle. I was unsure if I had actually killed any orcs with my inexperienced strokes, but at least I could have incapacitated them slightly. The cry from Merry and Pippin wrenched my heart, and gave new strength to my sword arm, which was aching with weariness and the unaccustomed exercise.

And then the cave troll fell. The gargantuan beast was finally dead. But it did not seem without cost. Frodo lay; pierced with the pike that Aragorn had tried to defend him with. But I was alive! I had survived the battle with only a few cuts and bruises, no serious or incapacitating wounds. How the hell I had managed that, knowing as little as I knew was amazing, but I was grateful to whatever force had protected me.

Frodo was raised up from the ground, and proved to be alive, thanks to his mithril mail shirt.

Then the drums started again, and Gandalf looked towards the exit.

"To the Bridge of Khazad-dûm!"

And so we ran. And as we ran, the theme rang through my head, spurring my onwards.

((Next chapter! Hope you enjoy, and I hope that Jen is actually quite believable. *hugs* KazraGirl))