Disclaimer: Don't own, duh.

Author's Note: I took this story down then reposted it because of some insulting language in some of the reviews.

By the way, sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. I had to cover a lot and I don't have a lot of time on my hands cuz of skool...sorry. Well, anyway, this is EXTRA long just for you guyz!


Lady Luthien: lol. Ya, from this point on there won't be a lot of romance due to the risk of 1: exposure of the engagement, 2: sneaking off could be dangerous to the company. Lol. Thanks for reviewing.

SweetArwen: hey! Sorry I didn't mention you in my last chapter review thanks. :- I had already written them and didn't edit it before I put it up.....sorry. ne way, thanks for the great reviews! I just read chapter 16 and loved it! Keep it up!

BrOwN eYeD tOoK: wow, thanks. Yeah, I thought it was moving a little fast too . well ne way, it took me a while to write it and I really don wanna change it . whaaa!!! Ok, I'm done. Do you think it's ok if I just continue it the way it is? Thx for compliments.

SandraSmit19: glad ya like it. Here's more, lol

Orangeblossom 07: glad you like it! Hehe, I'm pleased with the way it's turning out...hope you will be too!

charmedobsessi12: lol! Ur review made me burst out laughing. Well, so u don't hurt me, here's the fourth chapter.

'Be on your guard,' Gandalf advised. 'It is a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence goes unnoticed. For there are fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world.'

Hours later...

Sam tentatively approached Gwyn. 'M'lady, do you think Bill escaped that beast?' he asked.

'I think he did Sam,' Gwyn replied.

'Are you sure, m'lady?'

'Positive.'

Sam relaxed, but that asked softly, 'M'lady, do you think we'll make it? I mean, can we get Mr. Frodo to Mount Doom?'

Gwyn studied him for a moment. 'I hope so, Sam. I cannot make any promises, but I'm sure he'll get there as long as he has such a loyal friend as you.'

Sam blushed. 'Thank you, m'lady.'

Gwyn smiled at him. 'You may call me Gwyn if you like.'

'Gwyn. I like that,' Sam said happily and went to check on Frodo.

Gwyn liked Sam. He was so simple, and so dedicated to Frodo. The purity of their friendship was touching. Gwyn had noticed how Sam was making sacrifices for Frodo's comfort. He ate only a little and gave the rest of his meal to Frodo. He used his blankets to keep Frodo warm. She knew that Frodo would get a long way as long as he had Sam by his side. And judging just from Sam's actions that would be a long time.

The Fellowship was becoming weary, so they perceived that night was drawing near. Finally, they found a spot that was suitable for resting and began to set up camp. 'I will take the watch tonight,' Gwyn offered.

Aragorn was about to protest, but Gwyn shot him a look that clearly said, 'Do not try and stop me!'

Gandalf nodded.

Aragorn moved closer to his daughter. 'Why do you always have to do that?' he asked, groaning slightly.

Gwyn replied, 'As a member of this Fellowship, it is my duty to help out in anyway I can. Right now, I am not weary, so it's only logical that I should take tonight's watch.'

'Two very excellent points,' Aragorn gave in, impressed.

Gwyn smiled. 'Get some rest, Father.'

An hour later...

Everyone was now asleep, except for Gwyn, who spoke truly when she said she was not weary. Everything had gone smoothly-so far. Gwyn stiffened when she heard voices across the caves. They were Orc voices. They spoke in the Common Tongue, so Gwyn was able to understand what they were saying.

'I 'erd 'em enter!' one claimed.

'Nah, no one coulda come in,' the other contradicted. 'They're all too scared ta come in 'ere now.' He laughed.

'Well, I think we should at leas' shoot an arrow down ta see.'

'Alright, alright, but I guarantee ya there's nuthin down there.'

Gwyn's sharp ears picked up the sound of an arrow being taken from a quiver and being pulled back on a bow. The next thing she knew there was a whizzing sound and a sharp, searing pain in her side. It caught her breath. Clutching her wound, she reached into her own quiver and pulled out an arrow. She knew the sound the second Orc was seeking was the sound of an arrow hitting rock. Gwyn tossed her arrow to the side, and it made the appropriate sound. The Company stirred, but did not awaken.

The Orc seemed satisfied, for he said, 'See? I told ya so. There's nuthin down there. C'mon. We're wasting our time!'

The first Orc grumbled something inaudible and followed his comrade.

Gwyn smiled triumphantly as they left, but winced in pain from her wound. Blood was freely seeping out. She reached into her pack and drew out a long piece of cloth. She slowly but determinately withdrew the arrow from her side. Gwyn nearly cried out in anguish, but she checked herself. Crying out would awaken the Company, and they would see that she was hurt. She did not want to slow them down......especially here. Not to mention the fact that the Orcs would hear her cry. As soon as the arrow was properly bandaged, she returned to her full watch.

Much to her dismay, Gwyn began to feel dizzy. This was not good-she was losing much blood. She checked the wound; luckily the bleeding had slowed down considerably. Gwyn sighed in relief. She would be safe for a while as long as she didn't stretch her side.

Next morning...

Amazingly, Gwyn was able to sit out the night without drifting off to sleep. She was extremely thankful when the Company began to stir. Gandalf was the first to arise. 'Well?' Gandalf asked. 'How did it go?'

'Quite eventless,' Gwyn lied.

'Good,' Gandalf said. 'Very good.'

As soon as everyone was on their feet, they began the second day of their journey. Gwyn did her best to hide her discomfort and pain, but Legolas' quick senses perceived that something was wrong. He saw that her face had become quite pale. 'Gwyn?' he asked, stepping beside her.

'Yes?'

'What is wrong? You look as pale as death.'

Gwyn froze, but quickly regained her composure. 'It is nothing,' she told him. 'Just the absence of a good nights rest.'

Legolas nodded, though he suspected it was more than that. But he could not stop here; it would be too dangerous to hinder the Fellowship. So he let it go.

That night Aragorn took the watch, and Gwyn was able to recover some of her lost strength. As soon as she lay her head down, she fell into a deep sleep. The next thing she knew she was being shaken awake by her father. 'Come on, Gwyn,' Aragorn said. 'It is morning.'

Gwyn groaned softly and forced her aching body to pull itself off the ground.

'Are you better rested?' Legolas asked quietly, appearing by her side.

Gwyn shrugged. 'As rested as a person can feel in such a place,' she replied.

Aragorn watched as his daughter talked with Legolas. He had been noticing a good bit of interaction between the two lately. Of course, Gwyn was talkative with almost everyone.

Presently they cam upon a three point fork in their path. Gandalf frowned as they approached it. 'I have no memory of this place,' he said.

The Company was allowed a rest while Gandalf decided which path they would take. The hobbits began to whisper. 'Are we lost?' Pippin asked. 'I think we're lost.'

'Shh,' Merry said. 'Gandalf's thinking.'

'Merry?'

'What?'

'I'm hungry.'

As much as Gwyn liked Merry and Pippin, she couldn't help feeling frustrated and slightly annoyed at them right now. Here they were, in this dark mine, from which everyone wanted to get out, and they were talking about food.

Hobbit's, Gwyn thought. Can't they think of anything else? She did not shush them, however, She did not want to hurt their feelings. Besides, they probably wanted out of Moria, just as much as the others. She satisfied herself by placing a disgusted look on her face.

'What's bothering you, lassie?' Gimli asked as he sat down beside her. 'You don't look so cheerful.'

Gwyn sighed and smiled at the dwarf. He had some rough edges, but once you got to know him he was quite friendly. 'It's just the constant darkness,' she told him. 'And all the walking.'

'Don't you travel much?'

Gwyn frowned slightly. 'No, Gimli. This is one of the few times that I have left Rivendell.' She jerked her head towards Aragorn.

Gimli nodded in understanding. 'Ah, well, in that case, lassie, you aren't doing so bad.'

'Thank you Gimli.' That statement was a definite improvement from what the dwarf had said at the Council.

He nodded.

Suddenly, Gwyn's side erupted with pain. She gasped softly and automatically clutched the wound, her breathing becoming slightly labored.

'Anything wrong, lassie?' Gimli asked.

Gwyn forced a smile on her face a responded, 'Sorry. Just a stitch.'

Gimli nodded but did not seem quite satisfied.

'Ah!' Gandalf exclaimed suddenly. 'It's that way.' He pointed to the left hand tunnel.

'He's remembered,' Merry said happily, taking the pipe he had been smoking from his mouth.

'No,' Gandalf said. 'But the air doesn't smell so foul down here.' They all started down the tunnel. Gandalf put his hand on Merry's shoulder and said, 'When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose!'

Gwyn chuckled. 'He sounds just like a hobbit,' she thought, in better humor now that they were moving again.

They soon came to an open space. 'Let me risk a little more light,' Gandalf said, and more light poured from his staff and illuminated the cave. Gwyn gasped, and the Fellowship looked around in awe. There was a huge hall of stone lined with tall pillars and arched ceilings as far as they eye could see. 'Behold the great realm and dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf.'

'Now there's an eye opener and no mistake,' Sam commented.

Gwyn, unable to speak, nodded silently.

As they walked through the hall, Gimli spotted a ray of light shining through a chamber. 'Oh!' he exclaimed, and ran towards it.

'Gimli!' Gandalf called after him.

Gimli did not pay heed to him, and ran into the chamber. He stopped in front of a crypt and knelt before it. 'No,' he said weakly. 'No...NO!' He began to sob.

As Gwyn placed her hand on the dwarf's shoulder, Gandalf stopped beside the crypt and bent over it and translated the writing on it. 'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.'

Gimli sobbed.

'He is dead then. It is as I feared.' He then handed his staff and hat to Pippin and bent over to pick up an old, tattered book. As he brushed dust and dirt off of it, some of the pages fell out. He read, 'They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming.'

The Fellowship started as they heard a loud clanking noise. They whipped around and saw Pippin standing, horrified, next to a well. A skeleton was sitting on the side; its head had just fallen off. They watched as the body went next, then the bucket...clanking all the way down. The Company held their breath as Pippin looked up at Gandalf. He snatched away his hat and staff and cried, 'Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!'

Pippin looked at his feet. Gandalf turned away but abruptly stopped. Drums...drums in the deep. They stood terrified, dreading what would happen next. Foul sounds of Orcs were heard just outside the doors. Aragorn and Boromir ran to bar the doors. A load roar was heard. 'They have a cave troll,' Boromir said as they barred the doors with axes that Legolas tossed them. 'Stay close to Gandalf!' Aragorn advised the hobbits. Everyone drew their weapons, Frodo's elven sword shining blue. The orcs began to pound on the doors. 'Aaarrgh!' Gimli shouted. 'Let them come! For there is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!'

At this, the orcs broke the door down. Legolas and Aragorn fired their first arrows, killing two orcs. As the other orcs charged on them, Gwyn lashed her sword out, beheading her foe. She fought viciously, keeping her eye on the hobbits. Sam was whacking the orcs with his frying pans. He looked at Gwyn. 'I think I'm gettin' the hang of this!' he said happily. Gwyn smiled and dodged an arrow. Suddenly, the cave troll burst through the door, and began thumping around, taking whatever chance he could to swing his chain at them.

The next thing Gwyn knew, Frodo had been stabbed in the stomach with a spear. 'No!' she cried.

The hobbits gave immense war cries for such small folk and charged at the troll. They jumped off the high rock from which they were fighting on and landed on the trolls back. They began stabbing him with their swords. Legolas drew two arrows and nodded to Pippin, who took his chance to stab the back of the troll's neck. As it threw its head back, Legolas fired his arrows and pierced its throat. The troll gave a great roar and fell to the ground. By this time, all the orcs had either fled or been killed. They were free from battle for the moment. Aragorn crawled over to Frodo. 'Oh, no,' Gwyn heard him say. He turned Frodo over. Everyone was surprised when Frodo gasped for breath.

'I'm okay,' he said. 'I'm alright, I'm not hurt.'

Sam rushed to his side. 'He's alive!'

'You should be dead,' Aragorn said in awe. 'That spear would have skewered a wild boar.'

Gandalf walked over. 'I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye,' he said.

And sure enough, there was. Frodo unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a shining shirt of Mithril chain mail. Gimli gasped, 'Mithril! You are full of surprises Master Baggins.'

Much to the Fellowship's dismay, orcs were heard once again outside the doors. 'To the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm!' Gandalf ordered. They fled through the back door of the chamber, followed by a large party of orcs. More orcs sprang from the ground and crawled down from the ceiling. They surrounded the Fellowship. Right then, a fiery red light appeared at the end of the hall, then a growl. This growl meant trouble to the orcs, for they shrieked in fear and scattered in all directions. The light grew brighter and the growls closer. 'What is this new devilry?' Boromir asked, panting.

Gandalf stayed silent for a moment, before answering, 'A Balrog. A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of !'

They didn't need telling twice. They ran through the hall and through a passageway, which took them to a flight of stairs. The stairs crumbled beneath them. 'Lead them on, Aragorn. The bridge is near!' Gandalf pointed to a thin bridge not too far away.

Aragorn hesitated.

'Do as I say! Swords are no more use here.'

Gwyn wondered what type of beast they must be facing if swords were useless against it. She turned to Legolas, her eyes filled with fear. He grasped her hand encouragingly as they ran down another staircase. Halfway down, there was a gap. Legolas jumped to the other side, followed by Gwyn and Gandalf. An arrow shot out of nowhere and landed just before their feet. Legolas and Aragorn fired almost ceaselessly back at them, killing many. Boromir grabbed Merry and Pippin and leapt forward, landing safely on the other side. Aragorn tossed Sam over, who Boromir caught. Aragorn began to lift Gimli, but Gimli would not hear of it. 'Nobody tosses a dwarf!' he cried, and with that he leapt to the other side, landing just on the edge. He began to fall backwards.

Legolas grabbed his beard. 'Not the beard!' Gimli roared, but Legolas managed to pull him back up to safety. Some of the stones broke off and fell into the fires. Now only Aragorn and Frodo remained on the other side, but now an even larger gap stood between them and the rest of the Fellowship.

Suddenly, from the ceiling, rock cracked off and fell on the bridge, leaving the two trapped with nowhere to go. Aragorn and Frodo shifted their weight so that their part of the bridge leaned forward. As it hit the other side, they jumped off and continued down the stairs with the Fellowship. 'Over the bridge! Fly!' Gandalf commanded.

The bridge was so thin that they had to cross single file, Legolas leading and Gandalf tailing. He stopped halfway through as the Balrog emerged from the flames growling. 'You cannot pass!' he shouted, wielding his sword, Glamdring, and his staff.

'Gandalf!' Frodo shouted fearfully.

'I am a servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udûn!'

The Balrog roared and struck Gandalf with his fiery sword. Gandalf deflected the blow, shattering the Balrog's sword. 'Go back to the shadow!' Gandalf shouted.

The Balrog drew out his fiery whip and lashed it out.

'YOU...SHALL NOT...PASS!' Gandalf hit the bridge with his staff and sword, cracking the rock. The side of the bridge which the Balrog was standing on collapsed and, roaring, the Balrog fell into the dark abyss. Gandalf turned around, satisfied, only to have his ankle caught by a lash from the whip. He caught himself on the edge of the bridge, hanging on only with his arms, little strength left in him. The majority of it had been enervated by the battle.

'No!' Gwyn cried along with Frodo. He started to run to Gandalf; Gwyn knew that that would only worsen matters. 'Frodo, no!' she shouted, grabbing him and restraining him. Frodo clutched her arms in fear as he watched what happened to Gandalf.

'Fly you fools,' Gandalf said before letting go of the bridge and falling into the darkness.

'NOO!' Frodo screamed. Gwyn pulled him to the East Gate, their exit. Aragorn looked shocked. He stared at the bridge in disbelief. Arrows began shooting again. 'Aragorn!' Boromir yelled.

Aragorn finally realized what he was doing, and followed the Fellowship out.

Gwyn choked back tears and yells as they stood on the rocks outside. She looked around at her comrades. Sam had his head in his hands, crying; Merry and Pippin were comforting each other; Boromir was restraining Gimli from running back into the mines; Legolas was in shock; Aragorn stood a ways from them cleaning his sword. Gwyn felt a rush of anger towards him. Did he feel no grief?

Finally he sheathed it and turned to the others. 'Legolas,' he said. 'Get them up.'

Boromir looked at him in disbelief. 'Give them a moment, for pity's sake!' he said.

'By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs!' he said firmly. 'We must reach the Woods of Lothlorien.' Then his voice softened. 'Come Boromir, Legolas, Gwyn, get them up.'

Reluctantly, Gwyn walked to Sam and picked him up. 'On your feet, Sam,' she said gently.

Aragorn looked around for Frodo. 'Frodo?' he called. 'Frodo!'

Frodo was a ways from them. Almost as though he didn't want to, he turned, a tear streaking down his dirty face. Gwyn knew that he was silently begging to be able to stop; to be in the Shire again and have everything back to normal.

They ran quickly through the Dimrill Dale and to the woods. Gwyn was wearying and was dizzy, but she walked in awe as they entered the beautiful woods.

'Stay close young hobbits!' Gimli warned. 'They say there's a great sorceress who lives in these woods. An elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell and are never seen again.'

Frodo looked troubled, but not by what Gimli said. He stopped. 'Mr. Frodo?' Sam asked, and Frodo began walking again.

Gimli continued, 'Well, here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox!'

At that moment, an arrow pointed itself in Gimli's face. 'Oh!' he said, wide eyed. Elves holding drawn bows suddenly appeared out of the trees. Everyone stopped, alarmed. Gwyn and Legolas strung their bows.

One blonde elf stepped forward. 'The dwarf breaths so loud we could have shot him in the dark,' he said.

Gimli growled.

Aragorn bowed respectfully to the elf. 'Haldir o Lórien (Haldir of Lorien),' he said. 'Henion aníron, boe ammen i dulu lîn. Boe ammen veriad lîn (We come here for help. We need your protection).'

'Aragorn,' Gimli said, eyeing the arrow pointed in his face warily, 'these woods are perilous! We should go back.'

Haldir turned to him. 'You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Wood. You cannot go back.' He looked at Frodo. 'Come, she is waiting.'

Gwyn started breathing heavily has Haldir led them through the forest. All the running and jumping in the mines had disturbed her wound. It had split back open again and was slowly seeping fresh blood out. She could barely walk. Finally, her body started to give in. She stopped and supported herself against a tree.

'Come,' Haldir said. 'We must not delay.'

Gwyn looked painfully up.

'Daro (stop), Haldir,' Aragorn said. 'Something is not right.' He hurried to Gwyn's side. 'What is wrong, Gwyn?' Aragorn asked, his hands helping his daughter stand.

Gwyn looked at him for a moment, giving him no answer. Finally giving in to her body's weakness, she slumped against the tree and slid all the way down to the ground, unconscious.

Mwee hee hee! Cliffhanger!