Chatper23

I guess you could say I was in a state of shock afterwards. I knew what was going on around me, I saw it, heard it, but I wasn't apart of it. It was like being a prisoner in my own body.

I knew that Pippin called my name and held my hand, and Frodo stood over me, Sam and Merry near by. Legolas spoke rapidly with Aragorn in elvish, and Gimli and Boromir looked out of place.

It was strange, this feeling, like walking around in complete darkness, yet seeing as clear as anything. I wanted badly to smile at Frodo, squeeze Pippin's hand, but I couldn't. I couldn't feel my mouth, my legs, my hands.

But I knew. I knew what they were all doing. Then I sank deeper. I was not looking at their faces anymore, but I could still sense them. Instead I saw the Shire, Minas Tirith, Edoras... I was everywhere at once, like the wind.

And it was amazing. I could see the Rohirrim on patrol, and Grima Wormtongue whispering in Theoden's ear....... Captain Faramir studying maps...I saw it all and I knew it all.

Then I was whisked away, and my vision misted. When it was clear again, I saw myself, though I was different... I saw how it would be, with Pippin, after we were wed.

My stomach was round with his son. And I was smiling. Pippin looked different, but the same. The mischief faded, but still in his eyes. Almost replaced by something else...something that I couldn't quite name...

His arms were around my shoulders, and then....

Then I gasped, and began to cough. I sat up quickly, and felt strong hands brace my back. I coughed up water, tepid and black, tinged with a metallic green that I knew to be the color of the Kracken's blood.

I gasped, and breathed in air, stale, the air of the Mines. I looked to see who was holding me up, and saw Gandalf.

I wiped my mouth. "How long was I down like that?" I asked shakily.

"Only minutes, before I could reach you." Gandalf answered.

"Minutes?" It had felt like hours, days even.

"Yes, and only a few. Do you know why you felt the way you did? Or saw the things you saw?" He said, that look in his eyes.

"I have a feeling. Was it because I swallowed that thing's blood?"

"Yes. That was called an Oemoriagrae. Though I have also know it to be called other things. Its blood is very potent, and had many uses. One of which, is future-sight, wizards and seers typically use it."

"Well, if it's used all the time, why did it effect me so much?" I asked, puzzled now.

He looked at me quizzically; "I did not mean it the way it sounded. Only wizards and seers use it at all, is what I meant. And never in as large a quantity as you had. Just a drop or two is enough to launch you months into the future, or sometimes the past."

"Oh, does it have any lasting effects?" I asked, afraid almost, for the answer.

"No, no, my dear. Not many, and not any serious ones; perhaps a headache, or upset stomach, is all." He said with a smile.

I tried to smile back but suddenly; I could feel the pounding of my scalp. And then, with stupid fingers I felt the damage I had done to my hair. It was uneven and the ends were ragged. I would say I had lost about a foot, a foot and a half in some places.

I sighed to myself. Then turned to the others, "Sam, did you bring any scissors? Even little ones?"

"Well, um, yes I did. They're in my pack." He answered, reddened.

"Good. Can I have them please, I need to finish this..." I waved exaggeratedly at my hair.

He nodded, and soon, with a pair of sewing scissors I was snipping away with a vengeance. I felt so stupid. This was what I got for messing with things that shouldn't be messed with. If I had just let the stupid thing grab Frodo, we would have avoided all this.

But on the other hand, it felt good to know that I had spared him this episode... I was thinking this rather intensely as I cut, and suddenly I stopped. In my hand I held a three-inch long piece of hair, instead of one inch one; like the ones I had trimmed off the rest of my head.

"Oh my good lord." I gasped. I'm butchering myself, I thought. I turned and looked at everyone else. They were staring at me. And some of their mouths were a gape at my shabby attempt at haircutting. I blushed.

"Ahem..." I started, then I looked them over trying to determine who was best suited for what I was about to ask... "Do any of you...well...know how to cut hair?" Many of them opened their mouths to answer, and Pippin looked particularly eager.

"Wait, no, let me finish that, I meant do any of you know how to cut a GIRL'S hair, so it comes out at least halfway decent?" They all looked at each other; and I remembered I was talking to men, no matter what the size, or the species.

Hesitantly I picked up the scissors myself again... "Sam can cut hair, right Frodo?" Said Pippin, "He's cut yours before, I remember."

"Yes, Sam can cut hair. He does a good job. Sam, cut her hair, please." Said Frodo. And though he had said please, it was not a request, it was an order, from Master to servant.

"Yes, Mr. Frodo." Said Sam, as he walked over to me, face scarlet yet again. I handed the scissors to him, smiled, and sat down. I would try not to say anything that was going to make him more nervous.

"Thank you Sam, this is a big favor. And just so you don't go into this blindly, could you bring the cut, up just to my shoulders please?" I said, testing the waters, like.

But I don't think he heard me. When Sam puts his mind to a task, there's no turning it to anything else. And I guessed I would just be trusting his judgement. So I closed my eyes, and forgot about what was happening to my head.

In the background I could hear little conversations starting, and every once and I while, I heard noises of good favor. But when he started cutting 'round my face, I got a little nervous, and I hoped to god that he wouldn't give me a fringe.

"Done." He pronounced. And with quick hands he swept hair off my shoulders and back.

I shook my head, it felt light, and I could just feel hair brush my lower neck. I reached up my hands, and felt it, it was all one length that fell above my shoulders, and draped angled around my face perfectly.

"Thank you Sam," I said with a laugh, "Hopefully I won't be caught by the hair again." I got up, and briskly walked towards Gandalf.

"We won't get through Moria just sitting around you know." I told him.

Gandalf smiled and nodded. "She's right, lets go..."

&&&

"Gimli, how can your kind stand it down here?" I asked. The stale air was making my head feel tight and fuzzy.

"What do you mean lass?" He asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Well, for one thing, the air. For another, the darkness." I spat. I had to admit, I did have a headache, AND a stomachache, and I was feeling rather irritable.

"This is not a finished hall yet, is why it is so un-welcoming." He said, plainly not detecting my discomfort, or the rudeness of my tone. "Once we get to my cousin Balin's he will give us a royal welcome. Cold ale, warm hearths, and meat fresh off the bone." Gimli finished with a hearty smile.

Then I felt bad, knowing exactly what we would find awaiting us in Balin's hall.

He then continued to blather on about dwarf traditions, dwarf architecture and anything else he could think of that in the slightest way pertained to his kind. Though, I must say, I did in enjoy the particular subject of the gold and jewels they mined. He even told me a bit about mithril.

At some point though, I stopped commenting on what he had to say, and just nodded every now and then and went 'umm hmm'.

Legolas came by once, and smiling, leaned down as he walked to whisper in my ear,

"The dwarves build great halls; it makes one think that they might be compensating for something." He laughed and strode on. (I know that's from Shrek, but it fits here doesn't it? Ha, ha)

"I heard that, elf!" Shouted Gimli. And I doubled over in mirth.

The rest of the company looked eager to be in on the joke, but none, it would seem were willing to press Gimli, Legolas or me about it.

Gandalf and Gimli, leaders of our group, often stopped, or paused really, and tried to decide which way we should go. Gandalf mostly had the final word, but Gimli's help was appreciated.

But this one time at present, the 'pause' was much longer than usual, and everyone got very nervous. Thinking they had lost the way. I wanted badly to look it up in my book, but I couldn't very well ask for someone to bring light to the pages for me, now could I?

It would raise suspicion, and the others might also, want to read my books. For lack of better things to do. So instead, I decided to play the flute, and see just what we needed most at this point in time.

I laughed after I was finished. In my hand I held a small wax candle. A candle only, but no light or flint. I played the flute a number of more times, deciding to stock up on candles while it wanted to give me them. It stopped, after the tenth candle. As I suspected it would.

"Does anyone have a flint?" I asked, and my voice echoed.

"Yes, but what is the use? We have no candles." Said Boromir, as he held out to me, a small piece of flint.

I took it, and set up five little candles. When they were lit, I imagined the looks of surprise on my companion's faces. Then I handed out a candle to each hobbit. "Does anyone else want one?" I asked, smugly.

No one said yes, but Aragorn laughed, and said, "I think it is not wise to underestimate hobbits. They always prove us otherwise."

He continued to laugh, then Gandalf finally got up, and began to walk down a tunnel. "He's remembered!" said Merry, and Gandalf answered him, "Well, yes and no, but the air smells less foul down here, and when in doubt, follow your nose."

I laughed and trotted off after them, holding my candle aloft to light the way...

&&&

When we reached the Entry way into Balin's, I cringed. It was so dark, and our candles had already burned down so low, they did not shed much light anymore.

The doors were opened, and we began to walk through the inky blackness. I tripped, and almost fell before I caught myself. The others were the same.

"Gandalf! Can you brighten your staff? It is even harder to see in here." Said Merry.

Gimli meanwhile, was telling us all of the welcome we would receive from his cousins.

"This is not a great hall," said Boromir, when the staff was lit, and we could see clearly, "It is a tomb."

Small skeletons lay scattered, as if they had died in battle. Those of dwarves, and orcs alike. Gimli cried out, "No, NOO!" and I had tears in my eyes for him.

He walked up to a granite casket and on it deeply graven was: BALIN SON OF FUNDIN, LORD OF MORIA.

Gimli cast his hood over his face, and Frodo said, "He is dead, I had feared it so."

We stood silent, beside the grave of Balin, and I gave my sympathies to him, and his company, as well as to Gimli. I heard Legolas mutter a prayer in Elvish as well.

Gandalf found the log, of their tasks and began to read aloud from it. As the company, drifted apart in silence.

"It is grim reading," Gandalf finally said. "And I fear their end was cruel," He then read aloud some more "'We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They have taken the Bridge and second hall. Frar and Loni and Nali fell there... We cannot get out, the end comes,' And then—'Drums, drums in the deep. They are coming. 'There is nothing more." Finished Gandalf.

Suddenly there was a rolling BOOM that seemed to come from depths below. WE sprang towards the door. DOOM, DOOM it came again, as if the whole caverns of Moria were a drum.

"They are coming!" Cried Legolas.

"We cannot get out." Said Gimli in despair.

"Shut the doors, and wedge them." Said Aragorn, taking charge.

"No, we must not be trapped as they were, keep the east door ajar, we will go out that way if we get the chance." Gandalf answered.

And we readied ourselves for battle...

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Author: I hope you all liked it! Yeah! Another chapter, sorry I'm not updating in multiples lately, but I made this chapter pretty long to try and make up for it.

Tell me what you thought, and as soon as this is posted, and when I get a couple reviews, I'll put up the next chap. Promise!

Oh, and when Merna was under (With the krackens blood) and she saw those visions (the Pippin ones), it was sort of a preview of the sequel to 'Sorrow Fills the Hearts of Many'

(I don't have a title for that one yet, but ideas on that would be appreciated.) I have every intention of writing that one, as soon as this one is finished.

Thanx Pippinsgal011890