Disclaimer: Par one, chapter one. Thanks for all the reviews. I hope you enjoy the story.
Chapter 12: The Stairs.
The sky grew darker and the air heavier for each passing moment. Legolas and Boromir made their way through the crocket forest and not a word was spoken. Now and then Legolas stopped and placed his hands on one of the many dark trees that surrounded them. He could feel the darkness in the root of the trees and the shadows in the earth.
Not a single sound from any bird or beast was heard as they staggered through the forest. The sky above them was gray, threatening, and it looked like it could begin to rain any moment. Legolas wondered how Feavair could have managed to walk in this corrupted land; even him in the deep mines of Moria had had trouble managing.
Boromir could also sense the dread that hung over this land and as they continued to march on, never stopping or resting. The fact that Faramir had told them, Frodo, Sam and Feavair left only a day ago gave them new hope and no time to loose.
It was approaching day again, or you could not really tell. Boromir was weary for they had been walking the whole night, and they had not tasted food in over a day. He could hear his stomach scream for food and his mouth dry from thirst.
"Hey, Legolas, may we stop for a moment and rest and eat" Boromir said and Legolas stopped his quick pace.
"They can not be far ahead, and even they have to stop to eat and sleep" Boromir said. Legolas sighed and was about to protest, but realized that Boromir was right.
"Let us rest then," he muttered and Boromir sighed blissfully.
"Good, or else all we could do when we find them is to collapse"
Boromir sat down lowered the burden from his back. He opened his bag and took out some salted meat and his water bottle. Legolas also sat down and drank some, then he took some dried fruit Boromir offered him and they eat in silence.
"So….what are we…or you going to do when we find them?" Boromir asked suddenly. Legolas lifted his gaze from the ground and furrowed his eyebrows but he did not answer.
"I mean….if all this is true, which it most likely is since I am still breathing…" Boromir muttered and gently touched his chest where she had placed her palm. He could still feel a small scent of warmth running through his chest.
"…then will it be right to stop her from….you know?"
Legolas looked another way again and felt the ring once again burn around his neck. Deep down he knew he could never stop her from doing what had to be done. He just had to see her one last time and let her know she was not alone anymore.
"….we will never be able to stop her, and it would not be fair to rest of the world to keep her..... just for my happiness" Legolas muttered.
"Then you are going to let her go?" Boromir said, but the elf did not answer. Instead, he climbed up in one of the trees.
"We shall rest here, until nightfall….or whatever is night in this place…." He said and Boromir sighed.
Whatever the elf prince had planned, he hoped it was nothing foolish.
When they embarked on their next lap, the air was lighter and the sky not quite so dark. Boromir supposed it was morning, although he could not tell for sure. They had not seen any traces of the army Faramir had feared, but they had not seen anything else either.
The forest was opening up and the trees became more scares and the earth was covered with moose and tangled plants. Legolas stopped now and then and let the wind blow at his face, each time he stopped the wind became fouler. On the ground grew woolthberry and torns, ripping against their shoes as they walked on.
They continued to walk, and Legolas quicken his pace even more, fearing that perhaps the others had gotten further away from them. Boromir followed quietly, he had long ago learned that it was impossible to get anything out of the elf, other then mumbles.
They had been walking almost a whole day, and Boromir was about to suggest that they stop and rest again, when Legolas suddenly halted. He stood vigilant staring straight ahead, and then slowly he bent down and let his fingers touch the earth.
"Is something wrong?" Boromir asked. Legolas let the soil run through his fingers and then he slowly rose and dusted the dirt off his hands.
"I am not sure…there are traces of recent fire here….and clearly footprints" he said.
Boromir walked up to him, bent down among the soothed grass, and looked at the earth. He could clearly see footprints in the earth, some were larger then the others, two of them were walking next to each other, and a forth one was not the mark of a booth.
"This Gollum?" Boromir asked and pointed at the bare footed mark and Legolas nodded slowly.
"I suspect it is….but if we can see the traces, perhaps others have as well?" the elf prince muttered. Boromir rose again.
The started to walk again and now even the plants became scars and the gorse bushes higher. The land became more mountains like and sharp and gray rocks started to appear as they neared the edge of the mountain.
Suddenly the forest ended and they stood in a great circle of trees hovering over their head providing a roofless room. They stopped dead in the tracks, they had not expecting a cross road here.
"Were are we?" Legolas asked. Boromir was silent for a moment trying to remember what his brother had told him.
"This must be the Crossroads. Before us lay the road to the Marannon. To our right is the road from the old Osgiliath and it passes eastward. I guess the fourth road is the road the others have taken"
"Then that is the road we will take, unless you want to turn around." Legolas said and burned Boromir with his intense blue eyes.
Boromir shook his head and quickly started to walk. Legolas waited a couple of seconds and swallowed deeply before he hurried after him.
The road sloped upwards now, and the mountains started to rise above their heads. First, now Legolas began to notice a stench that seemed to reek the air. It grew stronger as they trudged on. He was about to ask Boromir what he thought it was, when Boromir suddenly halted.
Legolas followed Boromir`s view as he looked up at a city roaring above their heads. Dark towers surrounded with dank clouds. The two of them stood in what seemed like forever staring at the Dark City.
"Minas Morgul" Boromir muttered. Legolas said nothing and turned his head back on the road. Ahead of them was the main road sloping its way to a tower they could barley see in the distance.
"Which way shall we take now….surly we can not continue on this road, it probably leads right to Sauron`s doorknob" Legolas said and Boromir nodded. Faramir had not been sure of what would greet them once they crossed the crossroads. Few scouts had retuned from spying on this land.
"I suspect we shall take the stairs" Boromir said and pointed to a long and straight stair almost hidden between the rocks.
"Faramir mentioned that he thought there was a tunnel leading to Cirith Ungol, beyond that he has no knowledge," Boromir said. Legolas nodded slowly.
"Then let us go, quickly, I have a bad feeling about this place!" Legolas muttered and started to move. Boromir waited and sighed deeply. He gently touched his chest again, the spot she had touched. He could feel the slightest tag against his heart and a cold shiver ran down his spine.
There was more about this place than just a bad feeling.
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