I promised I'd update again!!! Hope you like this chapter. It's
weekend!!!!! I only had school from 08:00 till 11:00 so it was a short day
for me. I was kind of surprised when everybody liked the sledding down the
mountain thing, I thought people would hate that part. Anyway wanted to
thank:
Arwen-evenstar: Mines of Moria coming up, it has a surprise though
LanierShazar: You love my story, I'm so happy now.
Nokia: Is this update soon enough for ya??
Aurumlupi: I try to keep my chapters good and update fast, so thank you for the compliment!
HoshikoIzumi: You mean my idea, I've already written it out, now all I have to do is wait for the right moment to post it. As for the IM, I think it has something to do with the time difference, me being in Holland and all that.
DISCLAIMER: Rita is mine the rest belongs to Tolkien.
Everybody was happy to be of Caradhras and though they were keeping a fast pace, it seemed that they had to camp in the wild before they reached the mines of Moria.
Yep, Rita had found out their destination and she wasn't happy about it. Mines equal dark and closed spaces. Rita hated closed spaces, well she more then hated closed spaces but she didn't want to think about it. *I'll worry about that when we get there*
Boromir had given up scolding her, as she was making silly faces at him. The hobbits found her idea very amusing and wondered why they hadn't thought of that before, it would have made things so much easier for them and the men that now had to carry them.
Right that moment they were all sitting down and eating the small dinner Sam had been able to cook up. Then Rita heard the wind howling once again, it had been doing so all day. She could see the disturbed glances Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf kept exchanging and she was sick and tired about being left out of the loop.
"Alright that's it" she exclaimed "That has to be the hundredth time you look at each other with a look that states oh-oh. Now you better share this information because I don't want to walk in another fiasco." She stared at the three long and hard.
It was Gandalf who broke the silence, as everybody was looking at him. "The howling concerns us Rita. Though it could be the wind, we believe it may be an entirely different thing. A very lethal thing if I might add."
Rita felt her mouth get dry. *Great lethal danger, why did I agree to come on this quest?* "What kind of thing?" Damn, even her voice sounded different.
"Wargs" it was Aragorn who answered instead of Gandalf.
Everyone seemed to be started by that but Rita had no idea what was wrong with that. She waved her hand above her head. "Uhm, hello. Not from this world here. What are wargs?"
"They are wolves though they are no ordinary wolves. They are the hounds of Sauron, both evil as vicious." Gandalf sounded like a teacher stating the obvious.
Rita did however see the hobbits shrink a little and they started to look very scared. "But it could be just the. . . " She was interrupted by another sound of howling, only this time it became painfully obvious that it was not the wind.
Everybody jumped up and drew their weapons. "It is the wargs" shouted Legolas.
"How many do you see with your keen elven-eyes my friend." Asked Aragorn.
Legolas gazed into the darkness before giving his answer. "I believe there are at least 12, there may be more but the dark makes it hard to see. Even for an elf."
"Gather around the fire." Demanded Gandalf. "Form a circle around it and do not turn your back on the darkness."
Standing with her back to the fire Rita pulled her sword. She was nervous, she had practiced but that wasn't even close when it came to real battle. She was standing next to Legolas on her left and Boromir on her right.
The latter patted her shoulder. "You will be fine Rita. After all, you did beat the son of the steward of Gondor twice. You must trust your sword and your skill and all will be well."
After his words there was no time to answer as the wargs arrived. They were huge and growling, their bared teeth were dripping with saliva. Rita heard the slight twang as Legolas started to shoot his arrows. Soon all were in battle, even the hobbits.
Rita was making sure she wasn't leaving Boromir's side, she felt oddly safe while fighting beside him. When the first warg approached her she just swung her sword at it, slicing its neck. Before another could attack Gandalf made himself known.
"Listen Hound of Sauron. Gandalf is here, fly if you want to save your foul skin." The wargs stopped at this, their eyes gleaming red. It was a staring contest and Gandalf apparently won for the eyes extinguished and the wargs backed away.
All were staring at the darkness, hands still on their weapons as they were awaiting a second attack. Then Gandalf told them to put their weapons away. "The wargs shall not return for they are no fools. Gather your things, even though the wargs will not attack again there lurks more evil in these woods."
After Legolas had retrieved all his arrows, all but one could be used again; they made their way towards Moria in even a faster pace than before. Gimli was walking up front with Gandalf, the dwarf seemed to be the only one excited about going to the mines and Rita asked him why.
"My cousin Balin has gone to live in these mines with some of our people. We will be royally welcomed as that is the reputation of the dwarves." Gimli sounded very proud and when Gandalf called him for advice he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
Rita smiled at his retreating back and turned to the hobbits. "Are you all alright?"
They all nodded. "The wargs couldn't come near us Lady Rita." said Sam "Strider and Gandalf wouldn't let them."
"I saw you kill one Rita, that was a very fast reaction." Pippin stared at her with awe in his eyes.
"Don't be silly Pippin" she said "It was more luck then skill, that and I stayed close to Boromir and Legolas. They did the real fighting, not me."
"That is not true Rita" interrupted the voice of Boromir. "You did very good, not all people would be able to handle their first battle with such bravery as you did."
Rita didn't know how to respond to that so she just kept quiet. After a few hours they reached the highest wall she had ever seen. There was a small lake in front of it and Gandalf made his way to the wall, moving his hands over it as if he was searching something.
"There is nothing there." exclaimed Boromir "It was folly to come here, I had told you that already Gandalf."
This was new to Rita, but then again she hadn't been paying that much attention when the decision was made. She looked in wonder when out of nowhere a door seemed to appear. It was glowing with a silver light, as if the moon was being reflected.
"Behold, the doors of Moria." Rita fought the urge to roll her eyes at Gandalf's words; that much had been obvious to her.
He started to speak in a loud tone, apparently a spell to open the door, nothing was happening though. Rita stifled a giggle as she heard Gandalf swear softly. Legolas heard it too and he gave her a wink before he made his way to Aragorn.
He was helping Sam taking the reins off of Bill. The pony had followed them all this way but the mines would be too much for him to handle. Sam was very sad about this as he had grown very close to Bill.
Rita let herself slide down on the ground and closed her eyes. She was mentally preparing herself for entering the mines, it would be a great task for her but she wasn't about to let the others see her fear.
Her concentration was broken when Merry and Pippin started to throw stones in the water, a contest to see who could throw the furthest. She wanted to tell them to stop it when Aragorn did just that.
"Do not disturb the water" he almost hissed.
Pippin dropped the rock he was going to throw and bowed his head in shame. *He didn't have to be that mean* Rita thought *They were just playing a game*
Not for the first time the thought that the hobbits were just like children entered her mind. Especially Pippin, his innocence just radiated off of him. Rita was about to go to him when she heard the sound of the door opening. Gandalf had finally succeeded.
She took a few calming breaths as she stood up and walked with the others into the mines. Gandalf was leading them, Gimli not far behind. The dwarf was very eager to find his people and was talking non-stop to Legolas about all the things they would see.
". . . and they call it a mine. A mine!"
"This is no mine" said Boromir "It's a tomb"
Rita looked around and noticed the dead carcasses for the first time, she backed away as Boromir started to rant.
"It was a mistake to come here, we should have headed to the Gap of Rohan and into my city. Now get out, GET OUT."
The hobbits were the first ones out and Rita was about to follow them as she heard a screeching sound. She turned around and saw Frodo hanging in the sky, his feet held be some sort of tentacle.
Sam chopped the tentacle and Frodo was released but after a few seconds a dozen more tentacles reached for the poor hobbit.
Frodo was screaming his lungs out as everybody turned to fight this monster. Rita swung her sword at the tentacles, chopping them off as fast as she could. After a direct hit from Boromir, the monster dropped Frodo and Aragorn caught the hobbit.
All were backing towards the mine and Rita could feel herself being dragged along. As they rushed inside the mine, the creature followed them but was too large to enter. The doors collapsed, shutting the exit and darkness was around them.
Rita panicked, she hadn't been ready for the total darkness and she started to hyperventilate. When Gandalf heard this he quickly made a light with a stone on his staff.
Everybody turned to Rita to see what was wrong but she didn't notice. She turned around to look at the place where the exit had once been and started to claw at it, as if she could make an exit herself. Meanwhile she was breathing shallower and faster.
"Now, now child" Gandalf said at a soothing tone "No need to panic, it is only the dark."
But Rita didn't hear him, she gave up clawing at the wall as she could see it was futile. She sat on the ground and made herself as small as possible, her arms wrapped around her knees. She started to rock herself back and forth.
Gandalf neared her but she flinched away. Then Aragorn tried to help her but she wouldn't let him come any closer either.
The hobbits were looking at her with fear, she had been some sort of hero to them and now she was falling apart. The fear in her eyes and features were so very evident. She was still hyperventilating and her teeth clattered. It was Boromir who broke Rita from her trance.
He pulled her in a mighty hug and even though she fought against him, he wouldn't let her go. "It's alright Rita" he muttered "No harm will come to you, I will always protect you. I will let nothing hurt you, not even the darkness of these mines."
Slowly Rita regained her senses, she started to breathe normally again and the clattering of her teeth stopped. She let herself be pulled to her feet but didn't look anyone in the eye. She was far too embarrassed to do that.
"Why didn't you tell us you feared the dark so much?" asked Aragorn "We could have chosen a different path."
Even Rita could hear that he wasn't so sure about his own words. "I thought I could handle it Aragorn and it's not the dark. I can handle darkness, I just don't like to be locked in." She looked at the ground again as she remembered her behavior.
"Do not be ashamed Rita" said Legolas "For I must admit that I do not like to be in these mines either. No elf enjoys the feeling of being trapped."
Rita shot him a grateful smile and nodded her head.
"Now just stay close to Gandalf, he will light the way for us. This way you can walk without stumbling." Suggested Aragorn.
She just nodded again as she followed Gandalf further in the mines.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They had been walking until even Aragorn was tired and they only stopped when Gandalf had to admit that he was no longer able to walk further. He led them to a room on the side and everybody let themselves drop to the ground.
Rita hadn't spoken a word the entire day and she gathered her bedroll and lay down on the cold floor. Because her emotions had been exhausting that day she fell asleep almost instantly. The hobbits and Gimli fell asleep soon after her and only the two men, the wizard and the elf remained.
"Never before have I seen such fear in her eyes." said Aragorn.
"Nay" added Legolas "Not even when she had been beaten she had looked like this. She now recoiled from everyone. You did good by calming her Boromir."
"Indeed" agreed Aragorn.
Boromir looked at Rita's sleeping form. "During the month I learned to know her, I realized that she is a very strong and brave young woman. The fact that the mines scare her so reminded me that she is barely eighteen."
"She might be barely eighteen but I believe her spirit is so much older." Gandalf sounded grim. All were silent as they regarded the girl.
"Elladan told me that she had been through things no person should have gone through. He wouldn't give me any details but the dark look on his face told me enough." The voice of Aragorn was very soft. "I gave my word I would protect her."
"As we all shall do" added Legolas.
"Indeed" echoed the others. Gandalf then told them to go to sleep and that he would take the first watch, as he needed to think anyway.
It was almost time to start moving again when a cry was heard in the room. After it sounded again, this time louder, the others woke up. They looked at the source of the cries and found out it was Rita.
She was tossing and turning in her sleep and calling out.
~*~* Rita's dream ~*~*
Three-year-old Rita closed her eyes as she heard her parents argue once again. Her mother's sobs were heard as she tried to calm her enraged husband.
"Please Jack, she didn't do it on purpose. She just dropped the glass, she didn't mean to. Just don't hurt her Jack."
The sound of a slap made Rita flinch and she curled up her body into a tight ball. She could hear the heavy footsteps of her father come closer.
"There you are you little brat. Do you really think you could get away with it. I will show you what happens when little girls make messes."
He dragged her to a closet and threw her in, locking the door behind her. For Rita this was terrifying, the dark scared her but being locked up scared her even more. There were spiders in that closet and Rita screamed when she felt a mouse crawl over her feet.
"Daddy let me out. Please daddy, I didn't mean to. . . I'm sorry let me out. LET ME OUT" she was starting to get hysteric when she heard his footsteps fading. He had left her alone.
"Daddy come back, NO, don't leave me. Let me out, daddy please." She then started to call out for her mother.
"Mommy help me, let me out of here mommy. MOMMY!!!"
~*~* end dream ~*~*
"Let me out daddy please, MOMMY!" Rita shot up and awoke with a gasp. She desperately looked around and started to panic, as she saw nothing but darkness around her.
She felt an arm placed at her shoulder and heard Gandalf's voice. "I will make a light for you now child, do not fear." He did as he said and the room was filled with the light emanating from his staff.
Rita was still shaking a little as she took a sip of water out of her water skin. She then noticed that she was being stared at and turned bright red.
Pippin crawled over to her and looked at her with a worried expression. "Are you alright now Rita?"
She tried to smile but failed miserably. "I'm ok Pippin, it was just a nightmare, really."
The curious hobbit tried to ask her something else but was stopped by the sound of Gandalf's voice. "It is this way, now it shall only take us a day at least."
They all jumped up and started to walk again. Gandalf and Gimli walked in the front, Rita not far behind them. She didn't notice the worried glances that were being cast in her direction.
Boromir and Aragorn were in the rear of their line. "So that is why she fears the mines so." Whispered Aragorn.
"What kind of man would lock a child away, it is pure insanity." Boromir whispered back.
"Indeed it is, yet Rita seemed to have survived it."
They walked in silence until Gimli suddenly dashed off, running towards a room at the side. Following the dwarf they found their way to the room. There was a massive grave and Gimli was kneeling in front of it, softly crying.
All were looking at Gandalf for an explanation. "The writing says this: Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." He sighed. "He is dead then, it is as I feared."
The wizard handed Pippin his staff and hat before he pried a thick book from the hands of a skeleton. He started to read the last pages.
"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." He turned the page "We cannot get out. A Shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out...They are coming."
Pippin had been moving around as Gandalf read and out of curiosity he touched one of the skeletons on top of a well. With his bad luck the entire thing crashed down the well with a lot of noise.
Gandalf turned at him in fury. "Fool of a Took, throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity." The hobbit cowered in fear and Rita stepped in.
"He feels bad enough as it is Gandalf, it's not his fault the entire thing fell down."
He opened his mouth to answer her when they heard drums in the distance. They looked at each other in horror, they all knew what this meant.
"They are coming" muttered Aragorn.
"We cannot get out" added Legolas.
Suddenly the screaming of a lot of creatures was heard. Boromir ran to the door to look what it was. He pulled his head back just in time to avoid two arrows with black feathers on it. "They have a cave troll" he stated as he started to barricade the door.
Aragorn moved to help him and Legolas threw axes at them to aid them. The hobbits were ushered behind Gandalf who pulled out a long sword. Gimli stood on his cousin's grave.
"Let them come" he hissed "There is yet one dwarf in Moria that still draws breath."
In front stood Aragorn and Legolas, both with their bow ready, Boromir and Rita beside them with their swords drawn. Boromir had also grabbed his shield.
Everyone was looking grim as Legolas and Aragorn started to shoot the first orcs through the door. Rita looked up at Boromir and he just smiled at her, silently telling her she would be fine.
Then all hell broke loose. The doors gave away and dozens of orcs swarmed inside the room. Their ugly faces and the even more intense stench stunned Rita before she attacked.
She grabbed the hilt of her sword as she swung it at the first orc in her sight. It went down with a scream. The more orcs she killed, the calmer she became. Her practice was coming back to her and she focussed only on her enemy.
Rita had lost track of Boromir soon because there were so many. When two orcs attacked her at the same time she remembered the dagger she was given by Elladan.
She grabbed it out of her belt and stuck it in the body of orc number one at the moment she stabbed orc number two in his stomach with her sword.
Sweat was running down her face when the sound of giant footsteps was heard and a huge creature barged in through the door. *Cave troll* she thought *This can't be good*
The troll attacked Sam, but the hobbit jumped through the legs of the troll, escaping from its blow. The troll then started to give his attention to Gimli.
The dwarf tried to avoid both the blows of the troll and the nearing orcs but wasn't able to move fast enough. When the troll went in to hit him the arrows of Legolas distracted him.
Legolas avoided the chain that the troll tried to hit him with and managed the chain to get caught around a pillar. He walked over the chain, jumped on the troll, fired an arrow at its head and jumped of again. Once on the ground he pulled out his daggers and fought the orcs on the ground.
The troll suddenly broke loose from its chain and stormed towards the hobbits. It played a game of hide and seek with Frodo, who had hidden himself behind a huge pillar, before the troll lunched at him.
Frodo called out for Aragorn and the ranger tried to defend the hobbit but was knocked into a wall after he stabbed it with a sphere. He landed down unconscious, Frodo tried to wake him by shaking him but to no avail.
On his own Frodo stood no chance against the troll and was skewered with the same sphere Aragorn had stabbed the troll with.
Rita saw it happen from the corner of her eye and screamed. "NOOOOOO" After seeing the hobbit fall she fought even harder than before.
Pippin and Merry jumped on the orcs back and started to stab it wildly. Gimli, Boromir and Gandalf surrounded the troll and injured it as well.
One of Legolas's arrows was the end of the troll. With a loud moan it fell to the ground, finally dead. At the same time Rita killed her final orc and all watched Aragorn crawl towards Frodo.
Then to the surprise of all Frodo stood up. "How can that be?" breather Aragorn "That sphere would have skewered a wild boar."
"I believe there is more to this hobbit that meats the eye" mumbled Gandalf as Frodo revealed a silver mail under his shirt.
"Mithril" stammered Gimli "You are full of surprises Mr. Baggins."
Rita just hugged the hobbit before Gandalf told them to make it to the bridge of Khazad-Dum. They started to run as fast as they could but orcs surrounded them completely.
Suddenly the loud sound of drums could be heard. Gandalf closed his eyes for a moment. "It is a Balrog, a demon from the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!
While running they entered a passageway, then ran down a flight of steps. Parts of the steps ended into a chasm and Boromir nearly fell into one. Legolas pulled him back just in time. The hobbits and Rita too stopped short of falling in. They take another flight of stairs down. Aragorn and Gandalf bring up the rear.
"Lead them on Aragorn. The bridge is near." Gandalf said and when he saw that Aragorn started to resists, he added, "Do as I say! Swords are no more use here."
The Fellowship encountered a gap on the stairs. Legolas leaped forward and landed on the other side. He beckoned for Gandalf and the wizard leaped after him.
Arrows were whistling into the air, striking the stone steps at their feet. Legolas and Aragorn started to shoot back as Rita jumped over the gap as well.
Boromir was not far behind he picked up Merry and Pippin in his arms, one on each side, and jumped forwards.
Aragorn threw Sam to the other side and Boromir caught the hobbit. Aragorn reached to pick up Gimli but Gimli refused. He jumped as far as he could but nearly fell back into the chasm. Legolas grabbed his beard.
Rita almost giggled as Gimli yelled out "Not the beard!" It was a funny thing to see.
Then some of the stone steps crumbled and fell into the abyss. Aragorn pushed Frodo back up the steps and clambered after him. They struggled to their feet and looked at the widened gap that separates them from the rest of the fellowship.
The Balrog is heard approaching from the other hall, its the fiery light was getting closer. Stone structures around the mine collapsed as it drew near. A huge rock fell from the ceiling and smashed down the steps behind Aragorn and Frodo, creating another gap behind them and weakening the stairs' foundation. The stairs began to wobble.
Rita looked in horror as her friends were in such danger. She heard Aragorn yell to Frodo to lean forward and watched as the stairs tipped to the others. They were jumped in the arms of Legolas and Boromir who pulled them into safety.
Then they started to cross the bridge. Gandalf turned to face the Balrog but the Balrog growled.
Gandalf stood still on the bridge and called out "You cannot pass!" A blazing white light radiated from Gandalf's staff, illuminating the entire bridge.
The exit was near and Rita wanted to run outside and kiss the ground, but was stopped as she could not look away from Gandalf standing on the bridge. The wizard started to yell at the Balrog.
"I am the servant of the Secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udun!" The Balrog struck down on Gandalf with its flaming sword. Gandalf hit him back with his own sword.
"Go back to the shadow!" The Balrog answered this by producing a flaming whip, lashing it at Gandalf.
"YOU... SHALL NOT...PASS!!!" Gandalf yelled out loud while he struck his staff onto the bridge. As the Balrog stepped forward, the bridge collapsed from under it and the demon plunged backward into the chasm.
Gandalf, exhausted, leaned on his staff and watched the Balrog fall then turned to follow the others. At the last minute, the flaming whip lashed up from the depths and wound about Gandalf's ankle, dragging him over the edge.
Gandalf tried to cling onto the bridge but was loosing his grip. "Fly you fools" he muttered before he let go, falling into the darkness himself.
Rita ran out of the cave, ushering Pippin and Merry before her and just stood aside as Pippin burst into tears and Merry tried to comfort him while he was crying himself.
One by one the members of the fellowship exited the mines. Legolas, Gimli and Sam who just sat down at a stone. Then Boromir who was carrying a struggling Frodo. Last exited Aragorn who had a lost look on his face.
Rita could see the men around her grieving and crying, but found she could not cry herself. She was frozen to her spot at the side and didn't hear Aragorn calling that they should move.
When Legolas touched her shoulder she looked up at him. The elf was shocked by what he saw, he could see absolutely nothing. Her eyes were blank as if she wasn't there.
He shook her again and she still didn't snap out of her daze. He called Boromir as Aragorn was talking with Frodo.
"What is it Legolas" grumbled Boromir but he halted when he saw Rita. "She looks like a stone" he said and he too tried to make her aware of her surroundings.
When Aragorn started to run, Legolas and Boromir each grabbed an arm of Rita and pulled her along with them. She ran along with them, her legs moving on autopilot.
After running for hours they finally reached the woods of Lothlorien. The sun had started to set and they were looking for a place to sleep when they found numerous arrows pointed at them.
Legolas drew his bow immediately and it took all of Aragorn's persuading to make the elves understand they were there for help.
When Haldir, the elf in charge of protecting the boarders, inspected the fellowship his gaze fell on Rita. After a short pause he agreed to let them pass, but said they needed to sleep first. There were talans where they would sleep.
The hobbits would sleep in one and the others in another. Pippin needed some convincing that Rita would be ok, he didn't want to leave her side. With some help of Frodo and Merry, Sam pushed the young hobbit in the tree.
The others were faced with a problem though. Rita was still not reacting to any of the calls or touches. When it was her turn to climb the tree she just kept on staring at it. Haldir picked her up and handed her to his brother Rumil, who in his turn passed her to Legolas.
Aragorn tried to wake her once more but failed once again. Then after almost a half an hour Haldir returned with blankets and a water skin.
Gimli had fallen asleep after the straining day and Rita sat alone in a corner, hands around her knees again. Legolas, Aragorn and Boromir were shooting worried glances at Rita when Haldir neared her. He wrapped a blanket around her and gave her a few sips from his water skin.
Rita felt numb, she could see nothing, hear nothing, sense nothing. She wanted to stay like that forever because in that state there was no pain, no death.
But when she tasted the bitterness of tea in her mouth she felt that the day had caught up with her. All at once the emotions bottled up. Her fear in the mines, the horror of the battle with the orcs and finally the pain from Gandalf's death.
She forced herself not to cry and blinked a few times when she noticed an elf staring at her, an elf she didn't know. She then noticed that he had given her a blanket and gave him a weak smile. "Thank you" she frowned when she heard her voice, it was all raspy.
The elf just nodded at her before he pushed her down. "Sleep" he said and Rita was so very tired.
The three that had been watching her turned to Haldir. "How did you do that?" demanded Boromir.
"I have seen elves in a state of shock before" the elf answered him "The bitterness of tea sometimes awoke them from their shock when calls or touches could not. Now you must all rest as you all endured hardness."
The others accepted the offered blankets and saw Haldir leave before they too fell asleep
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rita was dreaming again, and again it was not a happy dream. This time she didn't relive one of her memories but they were flashes of images in her mind.
Pictures of her father hitting her, Carol's dead body and Gandalf's fall flashed in front of her eyes and Rita saw Gandalf fall of the cliff; his arms stretched out as if pleading for help. Slowly his face turned into that of Carol and Rita rushed to catch her but she was too late.
"NOOOOOOO" she yelled and jumped up. Suddenly she had the sensation of falling and she landed on the ground with a thud.
"Rita!" she could hear above her and she groaned. She turned around slowly and started to check her limbs for injuries.
Haldir was about to aid her when he saw her examine herself. She moved her arms slowly up and down and did the same with her legs. Then she took a deep breath while running her hands over her ribs, checking them for bruises as well.
She started to sit up as she clasped her neck and felt herself being supported. She looked into the eyes of the same elf as the night before.
"Thank you, again. You seem to be helping me out a lot."
"Only when it is needed Milady"
"Rita" she corrected him and smiled as he nodded. "What is your name?"
"I am Haldir, Haldir of Lothlorien."
She was about to thank him again when she was jumped by Pippin who had climbed out of his tree.
"Rita are you alright? I was so scared for you and then you were screaming and then I heard your fall and I was afraid you were dead and. . . "
"I'm fine Pippin, I promise."
"You were not fine yesterday" sounded the voice of Boromir "You gave us quite a scare"
"Indeed" agreed Aragorn "We were very worried about you when you didn't respond to us. What happened?"
"I. . . I don't know. I remember seeing Gandalf fall and pushing Merry and Pippin outside but after that it all becomes a blur, like I was unconscious."
Haldir interrupted them. "We must go now, the Lady will be awaiting your arrival." With those words the fellowship followed him as he led the way.
A/N: I know, lousy place to stop but I have to think of what will happen next. Hope you all liked this chapter, it was a real challenge for me as I had to write my first battle scenes. So I'm eagerly waiting to know what you think!!!!!
Arwen-evenstar: Mines of Moria coming up, it has a surprise though
LanierShazar: You love my story, I'm so happy now.
Nokia: Is this update soon enough for ya??
Aurumlupi: I try to keep my chapters good and update fast, so thank you for the compliment!
HoshikoIzumi: You mean my idea, I've already written it out, now all I have to do is wait for the right moment to post it. As for the IM, I think it has something to do with the time difference, me being in Holland and all that.
DISCLAIMER: Rita is mine the rest belongs to Tolkien.
Everybody was happy to be of Caradhras and though they were keeping a fast pace, it seemed that they had to camp in the wild before they reached the mines of Moria.
Yep, Rita had found out their destination and she wasn't happy about it. Mines equal dark and closed spaces. Rita hated closed spaces, well she more then hated closed spaces but she didn't want to think about it. *I'll worry about that when we get there*
Boromir had given up scolding her, as she was making silly faces at him. The hobbits found her idea very amusing and wondered why they hadn't thought of that before, it would have made things so much easier for them and the men that now had to carry them.
Right that moment they were all sitting down and eating the small dinner Sam had been able to cook up. Then Rita heard the wind howling once again, it had been doing so all day. She could see the disturbed glances Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf kept exchanging and she was sick and tired about being left out of the loop.
"Alright that's it" she exclaimed "That has to be the hundredth time you look at each other with a look that states oh-oh. Now you better share this information because I don't want to walk in another fiasco." She stared at the three long and hard.
It was Gandalf who broke the silence, as everybody was looking at him. "The howling concerns us Rita. Though it could be the wind, we believe it may be an entirely different thing. A very lethal thing if I might add."
Rita felt her mouth get dry. *Great lethal danger, why did I agree to come on this quest?* "What kind of thing?" Damn, even her voice sounded different.
"Wargs" it was Aragorn who answered instead of Gandalf.
Everyone seemed to be started by that but Rita had no idea what was wrong with that. She waved her hand above her head. "Uhm, hello. Not from this world here. What are wargs?"
"They are wolves though they are no ordinary wolves. They are the hounds of Sauron, both evil as vicious." Gandalf sounded like a teacher stating the obvious.
Rita did however see the hobbits shrink a little and they started to look very scared. "But it could be just the. . . " She was interrupted by another sound of howling, only this time it became painfully obvious that it was not the wind.
Everybody jumped up and drew their weapons. "It is the wargs" shouted Legolas.
"How many do you see with your keen elven-eyes my friend." Asked Aragorn.
Legolas gazed into the darkness before giving his answer. "I believe there are at least 12, there may be more but the dark makes it hard to see. Even for an elf."
"Gather around the fire." Demanded Gandalf. "Form a circle around it and do not turn your back on the darkness."
Standing with her back to the fire Rita pulled her sword. She was nervous, she had practiced but that wasn't even close when it came to real battle. She was standing next to Legolas on her left and Boromir on her right.
The latter patted her shoulder. "You will be fine Rita. After all, you did beat the son of the steward of Gondor twice. You must trust your sword and your skill and all will be well."
After his words there was no time to answer as the wargs arrived. They were huge and growling, their bared teeth were dripping with saliva. Rita heard the slight twang as Legolas started to shoot his arrows. Soon all were in battle, even the hobbits.
Rita was making sure she wasn't leaving Boromir's side, she felt oddly safe while fighting beside him. When the first warg approached her she just swung her sword at it, slicing its neck. Before another could attack Gandalf made himself known.
"Listen Hound of Sauron. Gandalf is here, fly if you want to save your foul skin." The wargs stopped at this, their eyes gleaming red. It was a staring contest and Gandalf apparently won for the eyes extinguished and the wargs backed away.
All were staring at the darkness, hands still on their weapons as they were awaiting a second attack. Then Gandalf told them to put their weapons away. "The wargs shall not return for they are no fools. Gather your things, even though the wargs will not attack again there lurks more evil in these woods."
After Legolas had retrieved all his arrows, all but one could be used again; they made their way towards Moria in even a faster pace than before. Gimli was walking up front with Gandalf, the dwarf seemed to be the only one excited about going to the mines and Rita asked him why.
"My cousin Balin has gone to live in these mines with some of our people. We will be royally welcomed as that is the reputation of the dwarves." Gimli sounded very proud and when Gandalf called him for advice he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
Rita smiled at his retreating back and turned to the hobbits. "Are you all alright?"
They all nodded. "The wargs couldn't come near us Lady Rita." said Sam "Strider and Gandalf wouldn't let them."
"I saw you kill one Rita, that was a very fast reaction." Pippin stared at her with awe in his eyes.
"Don't be silly Pippin" she said "It was more luck then skill, that and I stayed close to Boromir and Legolas. They did the real fighting, not me."
"That is not true Rita" interrupted the voice of Boromir. "You did very good, not all people would be able to handle their first battle with such bravery as you did."
Rita didn't know how to respond to that so she just kept quiet. After a few hours they reached the highest wall she had ever seen. There was a small lake in front of it and Gandalf made his way to the wall, moving his hands over it as if he was searching something.
"There is nothing there." exclaimed Boromir "It was folly to come here, I had told you that already Gandalf."
This was new to Rita, but then again she hadn't been paying that much attention when the decision was made. She looked in wonder when out of nowhere a door seemed to appear. It was glowing with a silver light, as if the moon was being reflected.
"Behold, the doors of Moria." Rita fought the urge to roll her eyes at Gandalf's words; that much had been obvious to her.
He started to speak in a loud tone, apparently a spell to open the door, nothing was happening though. Rita stifled a giggle as she heard Gandalf swear softly. Legolas heard it too and he gave her a wink before he made his way to Aragorn.
He was helping Sam taking the reins off of Bill. The pony had followed them all this way but the mines would be too much for him to handle. Sam was very sad about this as he had grown very close to Bill.
Rita let herself slide down on the ground and closed her eyes. She was mentally preparing herself for entering the mines, it would be a great task for her but she wasn't about to let the others see her fear.
Her concentration was broken when Merry and Pippin started to throw stones in the water, a contest to see who could throw the furthest. She wanted to tell them to stop it when Aragorn did just that.
"Do not disturb the water" he almost hissed.
Pippin dropped the rock he was going to throw and bowed his head in shame. *He didn't have to be that mean* Rita thought *They were just playing a game*
Not for the first time the thought that the hobbits were just like children entered her mind. Especially Pippin, his innocence just radiated off of him. Rita was about to go to him when she heard the sound of the door opening. Gandalf had finally succeeded.
She took a few calming breaths as she stood up and walked with the others into the mines. Gandalf was leading them, Gimli not far behind. The dwarf was very eager to find his people and was talking non-stop to Legolas about all the things they would see.
". . . and they call it a mine. A mine!"
"This is no mine" said Boromir "It's a tomb"
Rita looked around and noticed the dead carcasses for the first time, she backed away as Boromir started to rant.
"It was a mistake to come here, we should have headed to the Gap of Rohan and into my city. Now get out, GET OUT."
The hobbits were the first ones out and Rita was about to follow them as she heard a screeching sound. She turned around and saw Frodo hanging in the sky, his feet held be some sort of tentacle.
Sam chopped the tentacle and Frodo was released but after a few seconds a dozen more tentacles reached for the poor hobbit.
Frodo was screaming his lungs out as everybody turned to fight this monster. Rita swung her sword at the tentacles, chopping them off as fast as she could. After a direct hit from Boromir, the monster dropped Frodo and Aragorn caught the hobbit.
All were backing towards the mine and Rita could feel herself being dragged along. As they rushed inside the mine, the creature followed them but was too large to enter. The doors collapsed, shutting the exit and darkness was around them.
Rita panicked, she hadn't been ready for the total darkness and she started to hyperventilate. When Gandalf heard this he quickly made a light with a stone on his staff.
Everybody turned to Rita to see what was wrong but she didn't notice. She turned around to look at the place where the exit had once been and started to claw at it, as if she could make an exit herself. Meanwhile she was breathing shallower and faster.
"Now, now child" Gandalf said at a soothing tone "No need to panic, it is only the dark."
But Rita didn't hear him, she gave up clawing at the wall as she could see it was futile. She sat on the ground and made herself as small as possible, her arms wrapped around her knees. She started to rock herself back and forth.
Gandalf neared her but she flinched away. Then Aragorn tried to help her but she wouldn't let him come any closer either.
The hobbits were looking at her with fear, she had been some sort of hero to them and now she was falling apart. The fear in her eyes and features were so very evident. She was still hyperventilating and her teeth clattered. It was Boromir who broke Rita from her trance.
He pulled her in a mighty hug and even though she fought against him, he wouldn't let her go. "It's alright Rita" he muttered "No harm will come to you, I will always protect you. I will let nothing hurt you, not even the darkness of these mines."
Slowly Rita regained her senses, she started to breathe normally again and the clattering of her teeth stopped. She let herself be pulled to her feet but didn't look anyone in the eye. She was far too embarrassed to do that.
"Why didn't you tell us you feared the dark so much?" asked Aragorn "We could have chosen a different path."
Even Rita could hear that he wasn't so sure about his own words. "I thought I could handle it Aragorn and it's not the dark. I can handle darkness, I just don't like to be locked in." She looked at the ground again as she remembered her behavior.
"Do not be ashamed Rita" said Legolas "For I must admit that I do not like to be in these mines either. No elf enjoys the feeling of being trapped."
Rita shot him a grateful smile and nodded her head.
"Now just stay close to Gandalf, he will light the way for us. This way you can walk without stumbling." Suggested Aragorn.
She just nodded again as she followed Gandalf further in the mines.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
They had been walking until even Aragorn was tired and they only stopped when Gandalf had to admit that he was no longer able to walk further. He led them to a room on the side and everybody let themselves drop to the ground.
Rita hadn't spoken a word the entire day and she gathered her bedroll and lay down on the cold floor. Because her emotions had been exhausting that day she fell asleep almost instantly. The hobbits and Gimli fell asleep soon after her and only the two men, the wizard and the elf remained.
"Never before have I seen such fear in her eyes." said Aragorn.
"Nay" added Legolas "Not even when she had been beaten she had looked like this. She now recoiled from everyone. You did good by calming her Boromir."
"Indeed" agreed Aragorn.
Boromir looked at Rita's sleeping form. "During the month I learned to know her, I realized that she is a very strong and brave young woman. The fact that the mines scare her so reminded me that she is barely eighteen."
"She might be barely eighteen but I believe her spirit is so much older." Gandalf sounded grim. All were silent as they regarded the girl.
"Elladan told me that she had been through things no person should have gone through. He wouldn't give me any details but the dark look on his face told me enough." The voice of Aragorn was very soft. "I gave my word I would protect her."
"As we all shall do" added Legolas.
"Indeed" echoed the others. Gandalf then told them to go to sleep and that he would take the first watch, as he needed to think anyway.
It was almost time to start moving again when a cry was heard in the room. After it sounded again, this time louder, the others woke up. They looked at the source of the cries and found out it was Rita.
She was tossing and turning in her sleep and calling out.
~*~* Rita's dream ~*~*
Three-year-old Rita closed her eyes as she heard her parents argue once again. Her mother's sobs were heard as she tried to calm her enraged husband.
"Please Jack, she didn't do it on purpose. She just dropped the glass, she didn't mean to. Just don't hurt her Jack."
The sound of a slap made Rita flinch and she curled up her body into a tight ball. She could hear the heavy footsteps of her father come closer.
"There you are you little brat. Do you really think you could get away with it. I will show you what happens when little girls make messes."
He dragged her to a closet and threw her in, locking the door behind her. For Rita this was terrifying, the dark scared her but being locked up scared her even more. There were spiders in that closet and Rita screamed when she felt a mouse crawl over her feet.
"Daddy let me out. Please daddy, I didn't mean to. . . I'm sorry let me out. LET ME OUT" she was starting to get hysteric when she heard his footsteps fading. He had left her alone.
"Daddy come back, NO, don't leave me. Let me out, daddy please." She then started to call out for her mother.
"Mommy help me, let me out of here mommy. MOMMY!!!"
~*~* end dream ~*~*
"Let me out daddy please, MOMMY!" Rita shot up and awoke with a gasp. She desperately looked around and started to panic, as she saw nothing but darkness around her.
She felt an arm placed at her shoulder and heard Gandalf's voice. "I will make a light for you now child, do not fear." He did as he said and the room was filled with the light emanating from his staff.
Rita was still shaking a little as she took a sip of water out of her water skin. She then noticed that she was being stared at and turned bright red.
Pippin crawled over to her and looked at her with a worried expression. "Are you alright now Rita?"
She tried to smile but failed miserably. "I'm ok Pippin, it was just a nightmare, really."
The curious hobbit tried to ask her something else but was stopped by the sound of Gandalf's voice. "It is this way, now it shall only take us a day at least."
They all jumped up and started to walk again. Gandalf and Gimli walked in the front, Rita not far behind them. She didn't notice the worried glances that were being cast in her direction.
Boromir and Aragorn were in the rear of their line. "So that is why she fears the mines so." Whispered Aragorn.
"What kind of man would lock a child away, it is pure insanity." Boromir whispered back.
"Indeed it is, yet Rita seemed to have survived it."
They walked in silence until Gimli suddenly dashed off, running towards a room at the side. Following the dwarf they found their way to the room. There was a massive grave and Gimli was kneeling in front of it, softly crying.
All were looking at Gandalf for an explanation. "The writing says this: Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria." He sighed. "He is dead then, it is as I feared."
The wizard handed Pippin his staff and hat before he pried a thick book from the hands of a skeleton. He started to read the last pages.
"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." He turned the page "We cannot get out. A Shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out...They are coming."
Pippin had been moving around as Gandalf read and out of curiosity he touched one of the skeletons on top of a well. With his bad luck the entire thing crashed down the well with a lot of noise.
Gandalf turned at him in fury. "Fool of a Took, throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity." The hobbit cowered in fear and Rita stepped in.
"He feels bad enough as it is Gandalf, it's not his fault the entire thing fell down."
He opened his mouth to answer her when they heard drums in the distance. They looked at each other in horror, they all knew what this meant.
"They are coming" muttered Aragorn.
"We cannot get out" added Legolas.
Suddenly the screaming of a lot of creatures was heard. Boromir ran to the door to look what it was. He pulled his head back just in time to avoid two arrows with black feathers on it. "They have a cave troll" he stated as he started to barricade the door.
Aragorn moved to help him and Legolas threw axes at them to aid them. The hobbits were ushered behind Gandalf who pulled out a long sword. Gimli stood on his cousin's grave.
"Let them come" he hissed "There is yet one dwarf in Moria that still draws breath."
In front stood Aragorn and Legolas, both with their bow ready, Boromir and Rita beside them with their swords drawn. Boromir had also grabbed his shield.
Everyone was looking grim as Legolas and Aragorn started to shoot the first orcs through the door. Rita looked up at Boromir and he just smiled at her, silently telling her she would be fine.
Then all hell broke loose. The doors gave away and dozens of orcs swarmed inside the room. Their ugly faces and the even more intense stench stunned Rita before she attacked.
She grabbed the hilt of her sword as she swung it at the first orc in her sight. It went down with a scream. The more orcs she killed, the calmer she became. Her practice was coming back to her and she focussed only on her enemy.
Rita had lost track of Boromir soon because there were so many. When two orcs attacked her at the same time she remembered the dagger she was given by Elladan.
She grabbed it out of her belt and stuck it in the body of orc number one at the moment she stabbed orc number two in his stomach with her sword.
Sweat was running down her face when the sound of giant footsteps was heard and a huge creature barged in through the door. *Cave troll* she thought *This can't be good*
The troll attacked Sam, but the hobbit jumped through the legs of the troll, escaping from its blow. The troll then started to give his attention to Gimli.
The dwarf tried to avoid both the blows of the troll and the nearing orcs but wasn't able to move fast enough. When the troll went in to hit him the arrows of Legolas distracted him.
Legolas avoided the chain that the troll tried to hit him with and managed the chain to get caught around a pillar. He walked over the chain, jumped on the troll, fired an arrow at its head and jumped of again. Once on the ground he pulled out his daggers and fought the orcs on the ground.
The troll suddenly broke loose from its chain and stormed towards the hobbits. It played a game of hide and seek with Frodo, who had hidden himself behind a huge pillar, before the troll lunched at him.
Frodo called out for Aragorn and the ranger tried to defend the hobbit but was knocked into a wall after he stabbed it with a sphere. He landed down unconscious, Frodo tried to wake him by shaking him but to no avail.
On his own Frodo stood no chance against the troll and was skewered with the same sphere Aragorn had stabbed the troll with.
Rita saw it happen from the corner of her eye and screamed. "NOOOOOO" After seeing the hobbit fall she fought even harder than before.
Pippin and Merry jumped on the orcs back and started to stab it wildly. Gimli, Boromir and Gandalf surrounded the troll and injured it as well.
One of Legolas's arrows was the end of the troll. With a loud moan it fell to the ground, finally dead. At the same time Rita killed her final orc and all watched Aragorn crawl towards Frodo.
Then to the surprise of all Frodo stood up. "How can that be?" breather Aragorn "That sphere would have skewered a wild boar."
"I believe there is more to this hobbit that meats the eye" mumbled Gandalf as Frodo revealed a silver mail under his shirt.
"Mithril" stammered Gimli "You are full of surprises Mr. Baggins."
Rita just hugged the hobbit before Gandalf told them to make it to the bridge of Khazad-Dum. They started to run as fast as they could but orcs surrounded them completely.
Suddenly the loud sound of drums could be heard. Gandalf closed his eyes for a moment. "It is a Balrog, a demon from the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!
While running they entered a passageway, then ran down a flight of steps. Parts of the steps ended into a chasm and Boromir nearly fell into one. Legolas pulled him back just in time. The hobbits and Rita too stopped short of falling in. They take another flight of stairs down. Aragorn and Gandalf bring up the rear.
"Lead them on Aragorn. The bridge is near." Gandalf said and when he saw that Aragorn started to resists, he added, "Do as I say! Swords are no more use here."
The Fellowship encountered a gap on the stairs. Legolas leaped forward and landed on the other side. He beckoned for Gandalf and the wizard leaped after him.
Arrows were whistling into the air, striking the stone steps at their feet. Legolas and Aragorn started to shoot back as Rita jumped over the gap as well.
Boromir was not far behind he picked up Merry and Pippin in his arms, one on each side, and jumped forwards.
Aragorn threw Sam to the other side and Boromir caught the hobbit. Aragorn reached to pick up Gimli but Gimli refused. He jumped as far as he could but nearly fell back into the chasm. Legolas grabbed his beard.
Rita almost giggled as Gimli yelled out "Not the beard!" It was a funny thing to see.
Then some of the stone steps crumbled and fell into the abyss. Aragorn pushed Frodo back up the steps and clambered after him. They struggled to their feet and looked at the widened gap that separates them from the rest of the fellowship.
The Balrog is heard approaching from the other hall, its the fiery light was getting closer. Stone structures around the mine collapsed as it drew near. A huge rock fell from the ceiling and smashed down the steps behind Aragorn and Frodo, creating another gap behind them and weakening the stairs' foundation. The stairs began to wobble.
Rita looked in horror as her friends were in such danger. She heard Aragorn yell to Frodo to lean forward and watched as the stairs tipped to the others. They were jumped in the arms of Legolas and Boromir who pulled them into safety.
Then they started to cross the bridge. Gandalf turned to face the Balrog but the Balrog growled.
Gandalf stood still on the bridge and called out "You cannot pass!" A blazing white light radiated from Gandalf's staff, illuminating the entire bridge.
The exit was near and Rita wanted to run outside and kiss the ground, but was stopped as she could not look away from Gandalf standing on the bridge. The wizard started to yell at the Balrog.
"I am the servant of the Secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udun!" The Balrog struck down on Gandalf with its flaming sword. Gandalf hit him back with his own sword.
"Go back to the shadow!" The Balrog answered this by producing a flaming whip, lashing it at Gandalf.
"YOU... SHALL NOT...PASS!!!" Gandalf yelled out loud while he struck his staff onto the bridge. As the Balrog stepped forward, the bridge collapsed from under it and the demon plunged backward into the chasm.
Gandalf, exhausted, leaned on his staff and watched the Balrog fall then turned to follow the others. At the last minute, the flaming whip lashed up from the depths and wound about Gandalf's ankle, dragging him over the edge.
Gandalf tried to cling onto the bridge but was loosing his grip. "Fly you fools" he muttered before he let go, falling into the darkness himself.
Rita ran out of the cave, ushering Pippin and Merry before her and just stood aside as Pippin burst into tears and Merry tried to comfort him while he was crying himself.
One by one the members of the fellowship exited the mines. Legolas, Gimli and Sam who just sat down at a stone. Then Boromir who was carrying a struggling Frodo. Last exited Aragorn who had a lost look on his face.
Rita could see the men around her grieving and crying, but found she could not cry herself. She was frozen to her spot at the side and didn't hear Aragorn calling that they should move.
When Legolas touched her shoulder she looked up at him. The elf was shocked by what he saw, he could see absolutely nothing. Her eyes were blank as if she wasn't there.
He shook her again and she still didn't snap out of her daze. He called Boromir as Aragorn was talking with Frodo.
"What is it Legolas" grumbled Boromir but he halted when he saw Rita. "She looks like a stone" he said and he too tried to make her aware of her surroundings.
When Aragorn started to run, Legolas and Boromir each grabbed an arm of Rita and pulled her along with them. She ran along with them, her legs moving on autopilot.
After running for hours they finally reached the woods of Lothlorien. The sun had started to set and they were looking for a place to sleep when they found numerous arrows pointed at them.
Legolas drew his bow immediately and it took all of Aragorn's persuading to make the elves understand they were there for help.
When Haldir, the elf in charge of protecting the boarders, inspected the fellowship his gaze fell on Rita. After a short pause he agreed to let them pass, but said they needed to sleep first. There were talans where they would sleep.
The hobbits would sleep in one and the others in another. Pippin needed some convincing that Rita would be ok, he didn't want to leave her side. With some help of Frodo and Merry, Sam pushed the young hobbit in the tree.
The others were faced with a problem though. Rita was still not reacting to any of the calls or touches. When it was her turn to climb the tree she just kept on staring at it. Haldir picked her up and handed her to his brother Rumil, who in his turn passed her to Legolas.
Aragorn tried to wake her once more but failed once again. Then after almost a half an hour Haldir returned with blankets and a water skin.
Gimli had fallen asleep after the straining day and Rita sat alone in a corner, hands around her knees again. Legolas, Aragorn and Boromir were shooting worried glances at Rita when Haldir neared her. He wrapped a blanket around her and gave her a few sips from his water skin.
Rita felt numb, she could see nothing, hear nothing, sense nothing. She wanted to stay like that forever because in that state there was no pain, no death.
But when she tasted the bitterness of tea in her mouth she felt that the day had caught up with her. All at once the emotions bottled up. Her fear in the mines, the horror of the battle with the orcs and finally the pain from Gandalf's death.
She forced herself not to cry and blinked a few times when she noticed an elf staring at her, an elf she didn't know. She then noticed that he had given her a blanket and gave him a weak smile. "Thank you" she frowned when she heard her voice, it was all raspy.
The elf just nodded at her before he pushed her down. "Sleep" he said and Rita was so very tired.
The three that had been watching her turned to Haldir. "How did you do that?" demanded Boromir.
"I have seen elves in a state of shock before" the elf answered him "The bitterness of tea sometimes awoke them from their shock when calls or touches could not. Now you must all rest as you all endured hardness."
The others accepted the offered blankets and saw Haldir leave before they too fell asleep
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rita was dreaming again, and again it was not a happy dream. This time she didn't relive one of her memories but they were flashes of images in her mind.
Pictures of her father hitting her, Carol's dead body and Gandalf's fall flashed in front of her eyes and Rita saw Gandalf fall of the cliff; his arms stretched out as if pleading for help. Slowly his face turned into that of Carol and Rita rushed to catch her but she was too late.
"NOOOOOOO" she yelled and jumped up. Suddenly she had the sensation of falling and she landed on the ground with a thud.
"Rita!" she could hear above her and she groaned. She turned around slowly and started to check her limbs for injuries.
Haldir was about to aid her when he saw her examine herself. She moved her arms slowly up and down and did the same with her legs. Then she took a deep breath while running her hands over her ribs, checking them for bruises as well.
She started to sit up as she clasped her neck and felt herself being supported. She looked into the eyes of the same elf as the night before.
"Thank you, again. You seem to be helping me out a lot."
"Only when it is needed Milady"
"Rita" she corrected him and smiled as he nodded. "What is your name?"
"I am Haldir, Haldir of Lothlorien."
She was about to thank him again when she was jumped by Pippin who had climbed out of his tree.
"Rita are you alright? I was so scared for you and then you were screaming and then I heard your fall and I was afraid you were dead and. . . "
"I'm fine Pippin, I promise."
"You were not fine yesterday" sounded the voice of Boromir "You gave us quite a scare"
"Indeed" agreed Aragorn "We were very worried about you when you didn't respond to us. What happened?"
"I. . . I don't know. I remember seeing Gandalf fall and pushing Merry and Pippin outside but after that it all becomes a blur, like I was unconscious."
Haldir interrupted them. "We must go now, the Lady will be awaiting your arrival." With those words the fellowship followed him as he led the way.
A/N: I know, lousy place to stop but I have to think of what will happen next. Hope you all liked this chapter, it was a real challenge for me as I had to write my first battle scenes. So I'm eagerly waiting to know what you think!!!!!