Legolas Greenleaf, Agent of MESS, in
You Only Live Forever
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Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, which is why I am posting it on this site. Legolas and associated characters were created by JRR Tolkien. James Bond was created by Ian Fleming. Legolas' appearance belongs to Orlando Bloom in a wig.
Author's Notes: My descriptions don't quite tally with the film versions of places, but I always pictured the tunnels as darker. So that's how I've written them. And the tower is nothing like how they did it in the film. I wrote this before I saw ROTK (so, in December time) and I had quite a different image. Smaller, and less evil. And I was sitting on a train writing this, by three businessmen who all sat there working on important work stuff with "confidential" written on it. There they were, doing good stuff for the world, and there I was, writing fanfic. Ah, the variety you get on trains to Birmingham.
Review replies: theinklesspen: it's not that sort of fic, you know. Though, yes, it does seem to edge that way sometimes...cough, cough. I did have baboons on my mind actually at that point, well done.
Idlewild: Yay, you're back! Glad you're enjoying it. There's another MESS fic actually, a two chapter one called Kill Me Tomorrow, if you're interested. Here's giving you more, more, more.
Nemo Returning: You don't think Minas Morgul will be serene...? [Innocent look] Can't think why...
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Chapter 9. Into My Parlour
The pass through the Morgul Vale was guarded. This in itself was expected, as Greenleaf was not stupidly optimistic enough to think that it would be easy to gain access to the Dark Lord's lands. Both Elf and Dwarf crouched against rocks just off the path. They had left Shadowfax further northwards, though Gimli had seemed disappointed to see the horse go. If he was needed, Shadowfax would come when called, and the two of them could get through more stealthily alone. The excess baggage had been concealed among boulders at the foot of the mountains, including the extra clothing and the palantír. It wouldn't have been any use inside Mordor; reports said that Sauron had his own network there, and any use would be instantly picked up. Detection was definitely one thing they didn't want.
The city of Minas Morgul, long since abandoned by Men, stood before them. It was an unprepossessing sight. It appeared, at first look, to be empty, devoid of any life, abandoned completely. But closer inspection revealed the traces of many orcs; the occasional dropped piece of armour or broken weapons, the great smears of dirt. And perched above the gateway was the sight that Greenleaf had hoped not to see. A black-robed figure squatted half in and half out of the shadows, which darkened the city despite the light of day.
"Is that one of those things that we were told about?" Gimli asked quietly. "Those ghost things?" He looked up at the city warily.
"A Wraith," Greenleaf whispered, "yes. Not what I wanted to see."
"Why are they called that?" the Dwarf questioned. "They're not, strictly speaking, ghosts, are they?"
"No," Greenleaf replied. He shifted his position slightly. "I'm not sure exactly what Sauron's done to them, no one is. But they're very difficult, nigh on impossible apparently, to kill. They're called Wraiths because they're servants for the wrath of Sauron. His symbol is an eye, so make that a letter 'i' and put it in the middle, you get 'Wraith'. Simple really."
"Oh, I'm sure," Gimli commented, "bet that had them rolling on the floor when they thought of that, howling with laughter. I can see it now."
Greenleaf smiled grimly. He eyed the Wraith. "They're also known as Nazgûl," he said, "to make them seem even more terrifying." The smile vanished from his face. "But that being there means that we can't go through the city. Luckily, there's another way. Tell me, how are you with cliffs?"
Gimli muttered, non-committal. "Hmm. You're thinking of the stairs of Cirith Ungol, aren't you? The Straight Stair then the Winding Stair, right?"
"So you do listen to some things then," Greenleaf said with a laugh. "Yes, you're right. It's a hard path, but manageable. Safer than trying to sneak past that Wraith, and any others. They probably do shifts."
The Dwarf frowned a little. "They do say that there's something up there," he said, stroking his beard, "something nasty."
"They do," Greenleaf responded, "so we shall have to see. And if there is something then we'll have to deal with it."
"You're very confident, aren't you?" Gimli asked, giving him a look.
Greenleaf smiled and made no answer. Most of what he did for his job was confidence. Without it he'd get nowhere. There was no point in acting humble, or not doing anything because of being scared. He was not Lórien's top secret agent for lack of confidence. Some might call it foolhardiness, others stupidity. But it was what he did best –well, one of the things- and he was proud of it. After all, when you only lived forever why shy away from doing anything?
But although he was no coward, he was no fool either. "We'll be very careful," he said in reassurance. "There are several tunnels up there. We'll avoid as many as possible."
That said, and wanting no further questions, Greenleaf stood and made his way to the bottom edge of the cliff. Gimli followed, unwittingly obedient. Their cloaks hid them from the eyes of the Wraith as they drew closer to Minas Morgul and to the base of the stairs. The stairway itself was long and narrow, nearly invisible against the rugged rock face. It wasn't, hopefully, a path that anyone would be expected to use, particularly with the rumour of something nasty at the top. That should mean that there would be few guards on the route, if any at all until they reached the tower of Cirith Ungol. Greenleaf decided to concentrate on the good points of the path, rather than worry about the potential dangers. Of course he was alert and ready for any problems, but that didn't mean he had to obsess his mind with bad things that could happen. They would be fine.
The Straight Stair was aptly named. Straight up the cliff it went; a long uneven line of roughly cut steps. Greenleaf indicated that Gimli should go ahead, more to make sure that if the Dwarf fell then he would be there to catch him. It wasn't, though the thought was tempting, so that the Dwarf would walk into anything first. Greenleaf pushed the thought from his mind –but not without a small smile- as he followed Gimli up the Stairs. It was better that he went at the Dwarf's pace anyway, or they could end up too far apart. They began the arduous ascent up the pass, keeping their eyes not only on the path but also on their surroundings: the ground below, the way ahead, the track behind, and even the sky above. They couldn't be too careful.
Conversation was sparse as they went. Breath was needed for climbing, and there wasn't much to talk about on the way. 'Do you come here often?' was out of the question straight away. Concentration was needed to avoid stumbling or falling on the awkward path. It was fairly easy at first, at least compared to halfway up where the slope became suddenly much steeper. Rather than walking, the pair found they had to use their hands as well to pull themselves up. But there were plenty of handholds, and although he was unused to climbing, Gimli was damned if he'd let the Elf show him up. He continued on doggedly, occasionally wishing that his boots were less solid to allow him better purchase on the rocks. It was all going perfectly until he slipped.
The rock under his foot crumbled as he put his full weight on it. His hands slid and he fell backwards, a cry of surprise leaving his mouth. He landed heavily on Greenleaf, who was just behind. The breath was knocked out of the elf as the Dwarf crashed into his upper body, and he clung tightly to the cliff face with one hand, holding Gimli with the other. They hung precariously for a moment, clutched together against the rock. Greenleaf thrust Gimli back up as hard as he could.
"Grab on!" he hissed. "I can't hold you forever!" It was true. The injuries he had gained in Moria were still not fully healed, and he did not particularly want to aggravate them.
Gimli's hands gripped the rock, and he began hauling himself up, boosted by Greenleaf from below. When he came to a ledge he collapsed onto it, breathing heavily. Greenleaf came up beside him, pulling his legs under him to sit. They sat in silence for a bit, both concerned with their near miss. Finally, Gimli began to feel more guilt than fear.
"Sorry," he said. "I slipped." It sounded rather lame.
Greenleaf shrugged. "I was expecting it. Why do you think I got you to go first? I might need you later." He smiled.
Gimli returned the smile, and accepted the lembas that the elf passed him. It was not long before they were on their way again. The rest of the climb passed without much incident, and the two of them made it to the top of the cliff where the path, such as it was, continued into a dark tunnel. They stopped at the entrance.
"It looks like this is the only way," Greenleaf said, looking up at the sheer walls that blocked every other side. He unbound a torch from the back of his quiver, where he had tied it earlier. It was a short, stumpy piece of wood, bound tightly about the top with rags. With two small flints he lit it, expertly catching the sparks on the fabric. "Come on," he said, going towards the tunnel entrance. "It's not as if we're going to get through undetected so it's better if we have light to see where we are going." He walked into the shadows of the tunnel, torch flaming in his left hand.
Gimli, despite his misgivings, followed. He was a Dwarf and therefore couldn't be afraid of any cave, unlike some pesky Elf. All the same, he pulled one of his axes from his belt, keeping it ready in his hand. He kept pace with his companion, keeping his attention ever to the surrounding rocks. The stones were bare at first, but further in were covered in a pale stringy substance.
"What's this?" he asked, picking up a bit. It was sticky, and when he tried to put it down it wouldn't leave his fingers. "I don't think I've seen it before."
"I have," Greenleaf said, taking a closer look, "we get a lot in Mirkwood. It's spider's web." He frowned. "This one is huge though. Much bigger than any we've had."
"I suppose that means a really big spider," Gimli said as they continued on. "I'm sure I've heard of one of those in some old tale."
"Shelob," Greenleaf whispered, not wanting to say the name any louder in case it called the creature to them. "One of Ungoliant's children. Sauron's allowed her to remain here as a guard, I expect, rather than have to kick her out. Good for him, but not for us." He stopped suddenly. "There's a fork ahead."
Indeed there was, and they both stood there for a moment, examining each way as best they could. It was not much of a choice. Both branches looked identical in the torchlight; dark rock strung with white web. As ever in such circumstances Greenleaf's mind began to invent paranoid thoughts, unnerving him a little. Imagination began to create terrifying noises around. He could almost swear that he heard the scraping tap of the spider's legs against the rocks, but not in one place, rather seemingly from every angle. He pushed the thoughts away; he needed all his senses alert and not fogged by delusion.
"There's a breeze from the left," Gimli said, "but not the right. In my opinion we should go left. Cleaner air is usually a good thing."
Greenleaf nodded. "I defer to your judgement," he said, "you know more of caves like this." As soon as he had spoken he wondered why he had done it. He had just deferred to a Dwarf for the Valar's sake! But still he went with Gimli along the left hand passageway, still rather preoccupied with the darkness and trying not to be. Neither of them noticed the dark shape that followed behind.
The tunnel twisted and turned several times as they walked it, more than enough times for the pair to wonder if they had taken the wrong path. But the breeze still blew from ahead, a steady offering of hope. A curious sound began to make itself heard, only faintly audible to Greenleaf's hearing. It was difficult to decipher; a gentle hum interlaced with the even quieter sound of the breeze. It was definitely before them, and it wasn't long before the source was stretched out in front. Several thick strands of the spider's web had been woven across the passage, creating an apparently impassable barrier across their way. The sound came from the breeze passing through and strumming them like instrument strings.
"It shall not stand up to my axe," Gimli muttered, raising his weapon and bringing it down on the strands. It bounced off with some force. "What?"
"It is stronger than it seems," Greenleaf commented, "I..." He broke off, feeling something approaching, and turned his back to the structure. A vague shape moved in the shadows, and Greenleaf's eyes widened. He thrust the torch into Gimli's hands and fitted an arrow to his bow in seconds. "She comes!" he yelled, and let fly.
His aim was, as ever, accurate. A roar came from the monster spider as the arrow pegged one of her eyes in the centre, rendering it useless. She charged up the tunnel, intent on getting her claws on the two morsels penned up between her and part of her web. Greenleaf shot another arrow, slowing her and causing her to reel as another eye was taken out. They appeared to be her only weak spot, as her entire body was covered in armour- like chitin, impenetrable. But even as they Elf aimed at her eyes, he didn't know how many there were or of he could incapacitate her sufficiently with such tactics.
"Here," he said, pulling out his Elven knife and giving it to Gimli. "Cut through the web. I'll hold her off."
Gimli took the knife with no questions, though he was sceptical as to how the knife would be better than his axe. He was surprised, therefore, when the blade cut straight through the web, parting it with ease. Hurriedly he slashed at the remaining strands, widening the gap enough for them both to get through.
"Go through," Greenleaf told him, glancing back, "I'll catch you up!"
The Dwarf did as he was told, vanishing through the hole. Greenleaf seized two arrows from his quiver, ripping off a fletching from one with his teeth and spitting the feathers out. He laid the arrows across his bow and shot them in one smooth movement. The two projectiles went at different angles, hitting two eyes that were a fair distance apart. Shelob hadn't expected this, and was thrown into confusion. Knowing it wouldn't last long, Greenleaf turned and leapt through the torn web as it swung in the breeze. Gimli was waiting on the other side, torch in hand.
"At a guess I'd say we should go right," he said, sounding a little unsure.
"Then right we go," Greenleaf answered, pushing the Dwarf ahead. "And hurry! She is not far behind us, and she must know these tunnels perfectly!"
They ran up the tunnel. Greenleaf had slung his bow onto his back again to keep it out of the way. He stumbled a little on the uneven ground as he went, unable to see it in the dim torchlight. Were those lumps bones? He had glanced upwards at one point and resolved not to again. He was completely taken by surprise when Shelob charged out of a side tunnel and slammed into him. Greenleaf was knocked flying and collided with the wall hard. He slid to the floor, stunned. Shelob picked him up with her forelegs and began wrapping him carefully in thick white strands. She would bite him with her paralysing venom if he began to struggle.
Gimli had got some way up the passageway before realising that the Elf was no longer behind him. He turned back, hearing with a sick feeling the clicking sounds of the monster spider.
"Legolas!" he called, but got no reply. There was not even an echo; the webs strung everywhere dampened any such reverberation. Worried, he ran back down the tunnel, torch held before him. He cursed as he saw Shelob in the torchlight, holding the Elf tightly. "Unhand him, horror of shadows!" he yelled, rushing in for the attack.
Greenleaf was jolted into consciousness by Gimli's shout. He opened his eyes to see the hideous visage of Shelob right beside his face; her eyes –the ones not shot out earlier- staring back into his before turning to the dwarf. Gimli still had Greenleaf's knife and he used that, having no free hand to use an axe. He sliced at the spider's hard carapace, the same solid carapace that had turned aside many a blade before. But the Elven knife was not any blade, and Gimli scored a wound on the creature. Shelob reared up in pain, dropping Greenleaf as she did. The Elf fell, still bound in web, to land on the rocky ground. He struggled, but couldn't break the strands. Shelob raised her forelegs above Gimli. Greenleaf could see, by dint of twisting, that the Dwarf wasn't sure what to do next. His arms didn't have a long enough reach to wound Shelob with the knife while she towered high above him. But Greenleaf noticed one thing that Gimli had forgotten.
"The torch!" he cried, wishing that he could move for himself. "Burn her!" He fought his bonds wildly, but got nowhere and could only watch.
Gimli heard the Elf's shouted suggestion and acted on it, seeing no alternative. As Shelob descended her body towards him he held the burning torch high. The spider crashed onto it, getting a sudden faceful of flames. She screeched, drawing back fast. Gimli thrust the torch at her again, chasing her back until she turned and scuttled off down another small sidetunnel. The Dwarf watched her go, which didn't take long, and then knelt by Greenleaf's side. He cut the webs from the Elf's body and helped him to stand, holding him up when he staggered a little.
"Are you all right?" Gimli asked. His arm was around the Elf's waist. "Did she bite you?"
"No," Greenleaf replied, touching his head and then looking around. "We need to get out of here. She'll be back."
"It's this way, I think." Gimli indicated up the passageway. "It gets a bit lighter and possibly less smelly.
Greenleaf laughed. "Here's hoping."
He detached himself from Gimli's support and took his knife from the Dwarf's offering hand. Together they hurried up the tunnel, hoping like anything that it was the way out. The smell about them –that of an unpleasant creature squatting in the caves for years- was cloying and overpowering. The cobwebs hanging from the walls were actually in several layers, having been laid over many years, frequently being covered by the next lot. Dust and filth covered the oldest, while the newest still glinted stickily. Maybe it was the arachnid equivalent of spring cleaning, Greenleaf mused.
"Look!" Gimli said suddenly. "There's light ahead. We must be nearly out!"
Greenleaf nodded, but his attention was drawn behind. "She follows," was all he said.
They both began to run, not wishing to face the spider until they were at least out of the caves. The exit became visible ahead, a light in the dark. Greenleaf was ahead of Gimli, but just before he left the caves he stopped and drew back. He pushed Gimli into a short cul-de-sac of a tunnel.
"Hide here," he instructed, "I have an idea. Just hold it for a minute."
He left the Dwarf behind and ran up the tunnel and outside. He had seen the orcs there before, and the plan had just popped into his mind. Gimli watched from his hidey-hole, uncomfortably aware that Shelob drew ever closer. He saw the Elf run out then stop, and then look very panicked. A cry came from the Elf's lips and he turned and ran back into the tunnels. He darted into the tunnel where Gimli was, grinning like a maniac. Gimli tried to ask what was happening, but Greenleaf shushed him with a hand. The orcs rushed in, and then stopped in confusion.
"Here, where did that Elf go?" one asked.
"Further on, I suppose," another said, "down there."
"But what about her?" the third asked in a jittery voice.
Greenleaf decided to encourage them along. "Put out the light," he whispered, and picked up a rock. Creeping over, he threw the rock down the tunnel. It made a loud clatter.
"He's down there!" the second orc yelled. "Come on!" All three orcs charged to where they thought the Elf was. Screams came back as they ran into Shelob.
"Let's go," Greenleaf muttered. He and Gimli left the tunnels at speed, leaving the sounds of three screaming orcs and one rather pleased giant spider behind gladly. They hurried up the path a little way before they felt they could safely stop for a rest. Two boulders served as seats for the pair. Gimli looked across at Greenleaf and began laughing, chuckling in his deep voice.
"What?" Greenleaf asked. "What's so funny, Dwarf?" He cocked an eyebrow.
"You, Elf," Gimli responded, emphasising the second word. "Have you seen the state of yourself?"
Greenleaf had to admit that he did look a mess. Long strands of cobweb still clung to his clothing and hair, mostly covered in dust and dirt. He pulled at them, removing as many as he could. Some of them were stuck quite firmly and he had to cut them off as best he could. The ones that had adhered to his skin he tugged off with quick hard yanks, ignoring the sting that accompanied each removal. He combed his fingers through his hair, completely undoing one braid to unsnarl it. He was redoing it when he noticed Gimli watching him.
"My father always told me that Elves were finicky," the Dwarf said.
"There are a few things I could say about smelly Dwarves," Greenleaf retorted, though with no malice in it.
"Smelly?" Gimli questioned. "I think not. That's just natural body odour, that is. Perfectly normal. I've known humans who've smelt worse."
"Too true," Greenleaf agreed, "they can be less fragrant than desired. Though not all of them." He thought for a moment of Aragorn, remembering the Man as he had been when they were together at Isengard. And then he remembered how he had been when they left; bruised, bandaged and unconscious. Someone had to pay for that. "Come on," he said, "let's get moving."
They stood and continued up the path, not at all eager to remain near Shelob's lair. A tall, partially crumbled tower stood guard a little way up the pass. It had obviously been built by Men long ago, out of the white stone they used in so much of their architecture at that time. But now it had been commandeered by the orcs to watch this possible entrance to their land. Black marks marred the white exterior while unpleasant-looking plants straggled up the sides. Smoke rose from the top, trailing brazenly away into the sky. A group of three orcs sat outside. Though they held their weapons they did not seem particularly alert.
"We just need to get by them, right?" Gimli asked as they stopped just out of sight. "For the sake of secrecy and all that. Got any bright ideas?"
"Well, I played decoy last time," Greenleaf whispered back, grinning.
"I didn't ask you to," Gimli pointed out, "anyway, I'd have thought that we shouldn't be seen."
"Of course," Greenleaf replied, "I was joking. But some distraction would be in order. Let me think about it for a moment."
He looked around the corner cautiously. The path passed to the right of the tower, curving only slightly around it. This meant that it was very narrow at that point, and impossible to walk it unnoticed while the guards sat there. The crag to the left was sheer, and the tower was built straight onto it. It would be just about possible for an Elf to climb it, but not a Dwarf.
"Gimli," Greenleaf suddenly asked, "do you still have some of that rather excellent blasting powder that you liberated from Moria?"
"Aye, I do," the Dwarf replied, wondering why it was needed.
"Give it to me and wait here. Be prepared to run."
A little bemused, Gimli did so, and watched as Greenleaf crept along the crag foot, heading for the tower. His Lorién stealth cloak hid him from any casual glances, not that the guards were looking his way anyway. They were too busy playing cards, it seemed. The Elf began to climb up where the tower joined the rock, hands and feet finding seemingly invisible holds. Partway up he stopped and pulled the small bag from his belt. He tipped about two handfuls of the powder onto a rag then gathered the corners and tied them up. He pushed the makeshift bag into a niche in the stonework and laid a short trail of the powder away from it. This he lit the end of with a spark from his flints.
Greenleaf rejoined Gimli as fast as he could. "Be ready," he whispered, and they both stood poised, waiting for the explosion.
It wasn't long in coming. There was a loud bang, accompanied by falling stone and a large cloud of smoke. The orcs leapt up, their card game momentarily forgotten. They made a few confused-sounding noises and loped off inside the tower to see what had happened. That was what Greenleaf and Gimli had been waiting for. They were off straight away, running down the path. They didn't stop running until they were quite some way away from the tower and it became clear that the orcs weren't following.
They stopped for a brief rest partway down, when they could see Mordor spread before them. Orodruin, the mountain of fire, was obvious before them, its top glowing redly.
"Talk about hiding in plain sight," Gimli commented. He stood his axe on the floor and rested his arm on it.
"Indeed," Greenleaf agreed, and looked up at the sky. "We'll wait until night before we go across there. It'll be a clear night with good moonlight, but we'd be easier to see in the day."
"And then over the plateau and into Mount Doom," said Gimli, "I can hardly wait."
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You Only Live Forever
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Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction, which is why I am posting it on this site. Legolas and associated characters were created by JRR Tolkien. James Bond was created by Ian Fleming. Legolas' appearance belongs to Orlando Bloom in a wig.
Author's Notes: My descriptions don't quite tally with the film versions of places, but I always pictured the tunnels as darker. So that's how I've written them. And the tower is nothing like how they did it in the film. I wrote this before I saw ROTK (so, in December time) and I had quite a different image. Smaller, and less evil. And I was sitting on a train writing this, by three businessmen who all sat there working on important work stuff with "confidential" written on it. There they were, doing good stuff for the world, and there I was, writing fanfic. Ah, the variety you get on trains to Birmingham.
Review replies: theinklesspen: it's not that sort of fic, you know. Though, yes, it does seem to edge that way sometimes...cough, cough. I did have baboons on my mind actually at that point, well done.
Idlewild: Yay, you're back! Glad you're enjoying it. There's another MESS fic actually, a two chapter one called Kill Me Tomorrow, if you're interested. Here's giving you more, more, more.
Nemo Returning: You don't think Minas Morgul will be serene...? [Innocent look] Can't think why...
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Chapter 9. Into My Parlour
The pass through the Morgul Vale was guarded. This in itself was expected, as Greenleaf was not stupidly optimistic enough to think that it would be easy to gain access to the Dark Lord's lands. Both Elf and Dwarf crouched against rocks just off the path. They had left Shadowfax further northwards, though Gimli had seemed disappointed to see the horse go. If he was needed, Shadowfax would come when called, and the two of them could get through more stealthily alone. The excess baggage had been concealed among boulders at the foot of the mountains, including the extra clothing and the palantír. It wouldn't have been any use inside Mordor; reports said that Sauron had his own network there, and any use would be instantly picked up. Detection was definitely one thing they didn't want.
The city of Minas Morgul, long since abandoned by Men, stood before them. It was an unprepossessing sight. It appeared, at first look, to be empty, devoid of any life, abandoned completely. But closer inspection revealed the traces of many orcs; the occasional dropped piece of armour or broken weapons, the great smears of dirt. And perched above the gateway was the sight that Greenleaf had hoped not to see. A black-robed figure squatted half in and half out of the shadows, which darkened the city despite the light of day.
"Is that one of those things that we were told about?" Gimli asked quietly. "Those ghost things?" He looked up at the city warily.
"A Wraith," Greenleaf whispered, "yes. Not what I wanted to see."
"Why are they called that?" the Dwarf questioned. "They're not, strictly speaking, ghosts, are they?"
"No," Greenleaf replied. He shifted his position slightly. "I'm not sure exactly what Sauron's done to them, no one is. But they're very difficult, nigh on impossible apparently, to kill. They're called Wraiths because they're servants for the wrath of Sauron. His symbol is an eye, so make that a letter 'i' and put it in the middle, you get 'Wraith'. Simple really."
"Oh, I'm sure," Gimli commented, "bet that had them rolling on the floor when they thought of that, howling with laughter. I can see it now."
Greenleaf smiled grimly. He eyed the Wraith. "They're also known as Nazgûl," he said, "to make them seem even more terrifying." The smile vanished from his face. "But that being there means that we can't go through the city. Luckily, there's another way. Tell me, how are you with cliffs?"
Gimli muttered, non-committal. "Hmm. You're thinking of the stairs of Cirith Ungol, aren't you? The Straight Stair then the Winding Stair, right?"
"So you do listen to some things then," Greenleaf said with a laugh. "Yes, you're right. It's a hard path, but manageable. Safer than trying to sneak past that Wraith, and any others. They probably do shifts."
The Dwarf frowned a little. "They do say that there's something up there," he said, stroking his beard, "something nasty."
"They do," Greenleaf responded, "so we shall have to see. And if there is something then we'll have to deal with it."
"You're very confident, aren't you?" Gimli asked, giving him a look.
Greenleaf smiled and made no answer. Most of what he did for his job was confidence. Without it he'd get nowhere. There was no point in acting humble, or not doing anything because of being scared. He was not Lórien's top secret agent for lack of confidence. Some might call it foolhardiness, others stupidity. But it was what he did best –well, one of the things- and he was proud of it. After all, when you only lived forever why shy away from doing anything?
But although he was no coward, he was no fool either. "We'll be very careful," he said in reassurance. "There are several tunnels up there. We'll avoid as many as possible."
That said, and wanting no further questions, Greenleaf stood and made his way to the bottom edge of the cliff. Gimli followed, unwittingly obedient. Their cloaks hid them from the eyes of the Wraith as they drew closer to Minas Morgul and to the base of the stairs. The stairway itself was long and narrow, nearly invisible against the rugged rock face. It wasn't, hopefully, a path that anyone would be expected to use, particularly with the rumour of something nasty at the top. That should mean that there would be few guards on the route, if any at all until they reached the tower of Cirith Ungol. Greenleaf decided to concentrate on the good points of the path, rather than worry about the potential dangers. Of course he was alert and ready for any problems, but that didn't mean he had to obsess his mind with bad things that could happen. They would be fine.
The Straight Stair was aptly named. Straight up the cliff it went; a long uneven line of roughly cut steps. Greenleaf indicated that Gimli should go ahead, more to make sure that if the Dwarf fell then he would be there to catch him. It wasn't, though the thought was tempting, so that the Dwarf would walk into anything first. Greenleaf pushed the thought from his mind –but not without a small smile- as he followed Gimli up the Stairs. It was better that he went at the Dwarf's pace anyway, or they could end up too far apart. They began the arduous ascent up the pass, keeping their eyes not only on the path but also on their surroundings: the ground below, the way ahead, the track behind, and even the sky above. They couldn't be too careful.
Conversation was sparse as they went. Breath was needed for climbing, and there wasn't much to talk about on the way. 'Do you come here often?' was out of the question straight away. Concentration was needed to avoid stumbling or falling on the awkward path. It was fairly easy at first, at least compared to halfway up where the slope became suddenly much steeper. Rather than walking, the pair found they had to use their hands as well to pull themselves up. But there were plenty of handholds, and although he was unused to climbing, Gimli was damned if he'd let the Elf show him up. He continued on doggedly, occasionally wishing that his boots were less solid to allow him better purchase on the rocks. It was all going perfectly until he slipped.
The rock under his foot crumbled as he put his full weight on it. His hands slid and he fell backwards, a cry of surprise leaving his mouth. He landed heavily on Greenleaf, who was just behind. The breath was knocked out of the elf as the Dwarf crashed into his upper body, and he clung tightly to the cliff face with one hand, holding Gimli with the other. They hung precariously for a moment, clutched together against the rock. Greenleaf thrust Gimli back up as hard as he could.
"Grab on!" he hissed. "I can't hold you forever!" It was true. The injuries he had gained in Moria were still not fully healed, and he did not particularly want to aggravate them.
Gimli's hands gripped the rock, and he began hauling himself up, boosted by Greenleaf from below. When he came to a ledge he collapsed onto it, breathing heavily. Greenleaf came up beside him, pulling his legs under him to sit. They sat in silence for a bit, both concerned with their near miss. Finally, Gimli began to feel more guilt than fear.
"Sorry," he said. "I slipped." It sounded rather lame.
Greenleaf shrugged. "I was expecting it. Why do you think I got you to go first? I might need you later." He smiled.
Gimli returned the smile, and accepted the lembas that the elf passed him. It was not long before they were on their way again. The rest of the climb passed without much incident, and the two of them made it to the top of the cliff where the path, such as it was, continued into a dark tunnel. They stopped at the entrance.
"It looks like this is the only way," Greenleaf said, looking up at the sheer walls that blocked every other side. He unbound a torch from the back of his quiver, where he had tied it earlier. It was a short, stumpy piece of wood, bound tightly about the top with rags. With two small flints he lit it, expertly catching the sparks on the fabric. "Come on," he said, going towards the tunnel entrance. "It's not as if we're going to get through undetected so it's better if we have light to see where we are going." He walked into the shadows of the tunnel, torch flaming in his left hand.
Gimli, despite his misgivings, followed. He was a Dwarf and therefore couldn't be afraid of any cave, unlike some pesky Elf. All the same, he pulled one of his axes from his belt, keeping it ready in his hand. He kept pace with his companion, keeping his attention ever to the surrounding rocks. The stones were bare at first, but further in were covered in a pale stringy substance.
"What's this?" he asked, picking up a bit. It was sticky, and when he tried to put it down it wouldn't leave his fingers. "I don't think I've seen it before."
"I have," Greenleaf said, taking a closer look, "we get a lot in Mirkwood. It's spider's web." He frowned. "This one is huge though. Much bigger than any we've had."
"I suppose that means a really big spider," Gimli said as they continued on. "I'm sure I've heard of one of those in some old tale."
"Shelob," Greenleaf whispered, not wanting to say the name any louder in case it called the creature to them. "One of Ungoliant's children. Sauron's allowed her to remain here as a guard, I expect, rather than have to kick her out. Good for him, but not for us." He stopped suddenly. "There's a fork ahead."
Indeed there was, and they both stood there for a moment, examining each way as best they could. It was not much of a choice. Both branches looked identical in the torchlight; dark rock strung with white web. As ever in such circumstances Greenleaf's mind began to invent paranoid thoughts, unnerving him a little. Imagination began to create terrifying noises around. He could almost swear that he heard the scraping tap of the spider's legs against the rocks, but not in one place, rather seemingly from every angle. He pushed the thoughts away; he needed all his senses alert and not fogged by delusion.
"There's a breeze from the left," Gimli said, "but not the right. In my opinion we should go left. Cleaner air is usually a good thing."
Greenleaf nodded. "I defer to your judgement," he said, "you know more of caves like this." As soon as he had spoken he wondered why he had done it. He had just deferred to a Dwarf for the Valar's sake! But still he went with Gimli along the left hand passageway, still rather preoccupied with the darkness and trying not to be. Neither of them noticed the dark shape that followed behind.
The tunnel twisted and turned several times as they walked it, more than enough times for the pair to wonder if they had taken the wrong path. But the breeze still blew from ahead, a steady offering of hope. A curious sound began to make itself heard, only faintly audible to Greenleaf's hearing. It was difficult to decipher; a gentle hum interlaced with the even quieter sound of the breeze. It was definitely before them, and it wasn't long before the source was stretched out in front. Several thick strands of the spider's web had been woven across the passage, creating an apparently impassable barrier across their way. The sound came from the breeze passing through and strumming them like instrument strings.
"It shall not stand up to my axe," Gimli muttered, raising his weapon and bringing it down on the strands. It bounced off with some force. "What?"
"It is stronger than it seems," Greenleaf commented, "I..." He broke off, feeling something approaching, and turned his back to the structure. A vague shape moved in the shadows, and Greenleaf's eyes widened. He thrust the torch into Gimli's hands and fitted an arrow to his bow in seconds. "She comes!" he yelled, and let fly.
His aim was, as ever, accurate. A roar came from the monster spider as the arrow pegged one of her eyes in the centre, rendering it useless. She charged up the tunnel, intent on getting her claws on the two morsels penned up between her and part of her web. Greenleaf shot another arrow, slowing her and causing her to reel as another eye was taken out. They appeared to be her only weak spot, as her entire body was covered in armour- like chitin, impenetrable. But even as they Elf aimed at her eyes, he didn't know how many there were or of he could incapacitate her sufficiently with such tactics.
"Here," he said, pulling out his Elven knife and giving it to Gimli. "Cut through the web. I'll hold her off."
Gimli took the knife with no questions, though he was sceptical as to how the knife would be better than his axe. He was surprised, therefore, when the blade cut straight through the web, parting it with ease. Hurriedly he slashed at the remaining strands, widening the gap enough for them both to get through.
"Go through," Greenleaf told him, glancing back, "I'll catch you up!"
The Dwarf did as he was told, vanishing through the hole. Greenleaf seized two arrows from his quiver, ripping off a fletching from one with his teeth and spitting the feathers out. He laid the arrows across his bow and shot them in one smooth movement. The two projectiles went at different angles, hitting two eyes that were a fair distance apart. Shelob hadn't expected this, and was thrown into confusion. Knowing it wouldn't last long, Greenleaf turned and leapt through the torn web as it swung in the breeze. Gimli was waiting on the other side, torch in hand.
"At a guess I'd say we should go right," he said, sounding a little unsure.
"Then right we go," Greenleaf answered, pushing the Dwarf ahead. "And hurry! She is not far behind us, and she must know these tunnels perfectly!"
They ran up the tunnel. Greenleaf had slung his bow onto his back again to keep it out of the way. He stumbled a little on the uneven ground as he went, unable to see it in the dim torchlight. Were those lumps bones? He had glanced upwards at one point and resolved not to again. He was completely taken by surprise when Shelob charged out of a side tunnel and slammed into him. Greenleaf was knocked flying and collided with the wall hard. He slid to the floor, stunned. Shelob picked him up with her forelegs and began wrapping him carefully in thick white strands. She would bite him with her paralysing venom if he began to struggle.
Gimli had got some way up the passageway before realising that the Elf was no longer behind him. He turned back, hearing with a sick feeling the clicking sounds of the monster spider.
"Legolas!" he called, but got no reply. There was not even an echo; the webs strung everywhere dampened any such reverberation. Worried, he ran back down the tunnel, torch held before him. He cursed as he saw Shelob in the torchlight, holding the Elf tightly. "Unhand him, horror of shadows!" he yelled, rushing in for the attack.
Greenleaf was jolted into consciousness by Gimli's shout. He opened his eyes to see the hideous visage of Shelob right beside his face; her eyes –the ones not shot out earlier- staring back into his before turning to the dwarf. Gimli still had Greenleaf's knife and he used that, having no free hand to use an axe. He sliced at the spider's hard carapace, the same solid carapace that had turned aside many a blade before. But the Elven knife was not any blade, and Gimli scored a wound on the creature. Shelob reared up in pain, dropping Greenleaf as she did. The Elf fell, still bound in web, to land on the rocky ground. He struggled, but couldn't break the strands. Shelob raised her forelegs above Gimli. Greenleaf could see, by dint of twisting, that the Dwarf wasn't sure what to do next. His arms didn't have a long enough reach to wound Shelob with the knife while she towered high above him. But Greenleaf noticed one thing that Gimli had forgotten.
"The torch!" he cried, wishing that he could move for himself. "Burn her!" He fought his bonds wildly, but got nowhere and could only watch.
Gimli heard the Elf's shouted suggestion and acted on it, seeing no alternative. As Shelob descended her body towards him he held the burning torch high. The spider crashed onto it, getting a sudden faceful of flames. She screeched, drawing back fast. Gimli thrust the torch at her again, chasing her back until she turned and scuttled off down another small sidetunnel. The Dwarf watched her go, which didn't take long, and then knelt by Greenleaf's side. He cut the webs from the Elf's body and helped him to stand, holding him up when he staggered a little.
"Are you all right?" Gimli asked. His arm was around the Elf's waist. "Did she bite you?"
"No," Greenleaf replied, touching his head and then looking around. "We need to get out of here. She'll be back."
"It's this way, I think." Gimli indicated up the passageway. "It gets a bit lighter and possibly less smelly.
Greenleaf laughed. "Here's hoping."
He detached himself from Gimli's support and took his knife from the Dwarf's offering hand. Together they hurried up the tunnel, hoping like anything that it was the way out. The smell about them –that of an unpleasant creature squatting in the caves for years- was cloying and overpowering. The cobwebs hanging from the walls were actually in several layers, having been laid over many years, frequently being covered by the next lot. Dust and filth covered the oldest, while the newest still glinted stickily. Maybe it was the arachnid equivalent of spring cleaning, Greenleaf mused.
"Look!" Gimli said suddenly. "There's light ahead. We must be nearly out!"
Greenleaf nodded, but his attention was drawn behind. "She follows," was all he said.
They both began to run, not wishing to face the spider until they were at least out of the caves. The exit became visible ahead, a light in the dark. Greenleaf was ahead of Gimli, but just before he left the caves he stopped and drew back. He pushed Gimli into a short cul-de-sac of a tunnel.
"Hide here," he instructed, "I have an idea. Just hold it for a minute."
He left the Dwarf behind and ran up the tunnel and outside. He had seen the orcs there before, and the plan had just popped into his mind. Gimli watched from his hidey-hole, uncomfortably aware that Shelob drew ever closer. He saw the Elf run out then stop, and then look very panicked. A cry came from the Elf's lips and he turned and ran back into the tunnels. He darted into the tunnel where Gimli was, grinning like a maniac. Gimli tried to ask what was happening, but Greenleaf shushed him with a hand. The orcs rushed in, and then stopped in confusion.
"Here, where did that Elf go?" one asked.
"Further on, I suppose," another said, "down there."
"But what about her?" the third asked in a jittery voice.
Greenleaf decided to encourage them along. "Put out the light," he whispered, and picked up a rock. Creeping over, he threw the rock down the tunnel. It made a loud clatter.
"He's down there!" the second orc yelled. "Come on!" All three orcs charged to where they thought the Elf was. Screams came back as they ran into Shelob.
"Let's go," Greenleaf muttered. He and Gimli left the tunnels at speed, leaving the sounds of three screaming orcs and one rather pleased giant spider behind gladly. They hurried up the path a little way before they felt they could safely stop for a rest. Two boulders served as seats for the pair. Gimli looked across at Greenleaf and began laughing, chuckling in his deep voice.
"What?" Greenleaf asked. "What's so funny, Dwarf?" He cocked an eyebrow.
"You, Elf," Gimli responded, emphasising the second word. "Have you seen the state of yourself?"
Greenleaf had to admit that he did look a mess. Long strands of cobweb still clung to his clothing and hair, mostly covered in dust and dirt. He pulled at them, removing as many as he could. Some of them were stuck quite firmly and he had to cut them off as best he could. The ones that had adhered to his skin he tugged off with quick hard yanks, ignoring the sting that accompanied each removal. He combed his fingers through his hair, completely undoing one braid to unsnarl it. He was redoing it when he noticed Gimli watching him.
"My father always told me that Elves were finicky," the Dwarf said.
"There are a few things I could say about smelly Dwarves," Greenleaf retorted, though with no malice in it.
"Smelly?" Gimli questioned. "I think not. That's just natural body odour, that is. Perfectly normal. I've known humans who've smelt worse."
"Too true," Greenleaf agreed, "they can be less fragrant than desired. Though not all of them." He thought for a moment of Aragorn, remembering the Man as he had been when they were together at Isengard. And then he remembered how he had been when they left; bruised, bandaged and unconscious. Someone had to pay for that. "Come on," he said, "let's get moving."
They stood and continued up the path, not at all eager to remain near Shelob's lair. A tall, partially crumbled tower stood guard a little way up the pass. It had obviously been built by Men long ago, out of the white stone they used in so much of their architecture at that time. But now it had been commandeered by the orcs to watch this possible entrance to their land. Black marks marred the white exterior while unpleasant-looking plants straggled up the sides. Smoke rose from the top, trailing brazenly away into the sky. A group of three orcs sat outside. Though they held their weapons they did not seem particularly alert.
"We just need to get by them, right?" Gimli asked as they stopped just out of sight. "For the sake of secrecy and all that. Got any bright ideas?"
"Well, I played decoy last time," Greenleaf whispered back, grinning.
"I didn't ask you to," Gimli pointed out, "anyway, I'd have thought that we shouldn't be seen."
"Of course," Greenleaf replied, "I was joking. But some distraction would be in order. Let me think about it for a moment."
He looked around the corner cautiously. The path passed to the right of the tower, curving only slightly around it. This meant that it was very narrow at that point, and impossible to walk it unnoticed while the guards sat there. The crag to the left was sheer, and the tower was built straight onto it. It would be just about possible for an Elf to climb it, but not a Dwarf.
"Gimli," Greenleaf suddenly asked, "do you still have some of that rather excellent blasting powder that you liberated from Moria?"
"Aye, I do," the Dwarf replied, wondering why it was needed.
"Give it to me and wait here. Be prepared to run."
A little bemused, Gimli did so, and watched as Greenleaf crept along the crag foot, heading for the tower. His Lorién stealth cloak hid him from any casual glances, not that the guards were looking his way anyway. They were too busy playing cards, it seemed. The Elf began to climb up where the tower joined the rock, hands and feet finding seemingly invisible holds. Partway up he stopped and pulled the small bag from his belt. He tipped about two handfuls of the powder onto a rag then gathered the corners and tied them up. He pushed the makeshift bag into a niche in the stonework and laid a short trail of the powder away from it. This he lit the end of with a spark from his flints.
Greenleaf rejoined Gimli as fast as he could. "Be ready," he whispered, and they both stood poised, waiting for the explosion.
It wasn't long in coming. There was a loud bang, accompanied by falling stone and a large cloud of smoke. The orcs leapt up, their card game momentarily forgotten. They made a few confused-sounding noises and loped off inside the tower to see what had happened. That was what Greenleaf and Gimli had been waiting for. They were off straight away, running down the path. They didn't stop running until they were quite some way away from the tower and it became clear that the orcs weren't following.
They stopped for a brief rest partway down, when they could see Mordor spread before them. Orodruin, the mountain of fire, was obvious before them, its top glowing redly.
"Talk about hiding in plain sight," Gimli commented. He stood his axe on the floor and rested his arm on it.
"Indeed," Greenleaf agreed, and looked up at the sky. "We'll wait until night before we go across there. It'll be a clear night with good moonlight, but we'd be easier to see in the day."
"And then over the plateau and into Mount Doom," said Gimli, "I can hardly wait."
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