***Ah!!! Please don't hurt me, Katherine, I've got you another chapter! I'm
sorry it's not very long but it was a good stopping place for me. Sadly to
say, I'm almost out of what I've got written. I've got maybe 2 or 3 more
chapters and then the updates aren't going to be as frequent. I'll try and
write as much as I can, but if I don't keep studying really hard in algebra
and science then I'm screwed. Homework sucks! Ok, I'm done venting now.
Heh, that felt really good. I'm sure you're done reading my aimless babble
now so I'll just get on with the story.***
Disclaimer: Still working on kidnapping plan. Hopefully will be leaving soon, if Suzanne will stop playing Dance Dance Revolution. *Glares daggers at Suzanne who is innocently playing her game* Anyways, until then, Leggy still isn't mine. Grr.
*******
They went down the mountain as hurriedly as they could, only pausing for two minutes at a time. Legolas was carrying Ana since she still hadn't regained consciousness. Aragorn was getting worried. He was trained somewhat as a Healer, but he couldn't do anything until they stopped for a longer time, and right then it was too dangerous to stop. So they continued on and on until finally they reached the walls of Moria. Legolas gently laid Ana on the ground and sat down with her head in his lap. This had become the position of choice for the two since Legolas wouldn't leave her side unless it was absolutely necessary. Gandalf was searching for the password to open the door that the elves had made to come into the mines in the days that elves and dwarves were still friends. Aragorn bent over the girl his brow furrowed with worry. She should have awoken by now, there must be something serious about this. Little did he know...
Ana was walking down a long dark tunnel. There was a dim light at the end, and she wanted to see what was there. Suddenly a voice was sounding through her head. She didn't recognize it, but her heart told her that it was evil. She could feel it resounding and her stomach churned. She hated this evil, she hated it with every fiber of her being. It spoke to her of happiness, peace, and most of all, safety. A place where her dreams would not haunt her, where she could rest assured that they would never come true. Almost she wanted to believe the voice, almost she wanted to join it in the light at the end of the corridor. But always, always there was another voice, one that she recognized. It called her back, gave her the strength to resist the voice. Mustering all of the strength left in her... body? Whatever she was now, she turned back and followed the pathway. Strangely it was getting lighter and lighter, until she saw...
Legolas was staring down into Ana's face when he imagined her eyes were fluttering open. He blinked and looked again. He hadn't been imagining things! Her eyes were open and looking up into his.
"Ana," he breathed, barely daring to believe she was back. She smiled weakly up at him, and gasped as the pain throbbed through her head. Legolas's arms encircled her shoulders and he said softly, "Shh, it will be all right. Just rest now. When we get inside Aragorn can take care of your head."
She started to shake her head and said faintly, "I need to tell you what happened, you have to know..."
He laid his finger gently on her lips saying, "Not now. You need to sleep. There will be time later, I promise."
She rested back against him and shut her eyes. Aragorn hadn't noticed this development, he was too busy stopping Merry and Pippin from throwing rocks in the lake. Something about not disturbing the water, Legolas wasn't really paying attention. Just then Frodo figured out that it was a riddle that locked the door and got Gandalf to say the password. The great doors opened, giving them an entrance into the mines. Legolas picked Ana up again, he didn't want to wake her up. She had looked so tired when she had looked at him, like she had just fought a great battle. He felt her stir a bit as they rose, but her eyes remained shut and she tucked her head more comfortably into his shoulder.
They entered and Gandalf lit a torch for them to see. "Welcome to Moria!" exclaimed Gimli. "And they call this place a mine. A mine!"
Boromir glanced around and said, "This isn't a mine. It's a tomb."
The room was littered with skeletons, all strung with cobwebs on their deteriorating armor. Legolas took a look at the arrows and remarked, "Goblins!" Boromir yelled for everyone to get out. Frodo was the first to comply, though not by his own choosing. A long tentacle had snaked up out of the water and grabbed him around the ankle. He was dragged out into the waters. Legolas set Ana down gently just inside the door with Gandalf and ran out to help the others fight the great water beast. Boromir was hacking away at the arm that held Frodo aloft, while Aragorn was busy covering for the man. Legolas pulled out an arrow and notched his bow, sending an arrow flying at an arm that was about to get Aragorn from behind. He turned and aimed at what he thought might be the head, that is, if the creature had a head. This had some effect on the beast, for it slackened its attack somewhat and they all ran back into the mines. Just as the last person got through the beast grabbed the doorway and broke it, blocking their only exit. They now had only one choice left: to go through to the other side.
It was a journey of four days at least to the other side, and they had to be as quiet as possible. No one knew what might be in the depths of the mines, and none of them really wanted to find out. Legolas told Aragorn of Ana's waking, and Aragorn assured that she was only in a normal healing sleep. He offered to take her, as he did at the beginning of each march, but Legolas would not give her up. They walked on until they came to a place where two archways were carved into the wall. There they stopped.
"I have no memory of this place," said Gandalf. So they sat, to wait, while he sorted the matter out in his mind. Aragorn bent over Ana and took a look at her head. The gash was not as deep as he had feared, certainly not deep enough to account for her long sleep.
She awoke as his hands brushed the wound, finding herself in the same position she had last time, but in another place. Strange she thought am I dreaming? How can I be in a different place? Then she saw Aragorn and smiled. He was always on top of things. In this case it was her head. Her eyes rolled up and caught Legolas staring off at the far wall, not really seeing just looking. He looked down at her when he felt her head move.
"Sleeping beauty awakes. You've been asleep for almost a day." Ah, that would explain why we're not where we were last time. She looked to Aragorn as he rummaged through a bag getting out some leaves and strips of cloth.
"I'm going to have to clean this out," he said. "As you probably already know, it won't feel very good so I suggest you find something to hold on to, to keep yourself from crying out. We can't have every orc in the place knowing we're here."
Ana's hand went up and grasped Legolas's, drawing support from his grasp. It did hurt, more than her shoulder had. She squeezed hard on his hand, trying to keep from yelling at the pain that was shooting through her head. Finally, Aragorn sat back after tying a bandage around her head. He placed a few more athelas leaves in a bowl and crushed them, adding a bit of water. He sat the bowl by her head, tilting it so that the fragrance went up to her nose. The scent had a calming affect and it caused some of the pain to go away. She loosened her grip on Legolas's hand, but she didn't let go.
"I have to tell you what happened while I was asleep. No, Aragorn, stay," she said as he started to move away. "I think you should hear this. I saw a tunnel; actually, I was walking down it. It was very dark, but at the end there was a faint light. And there was a voice, a horrible voice. It was evil, so strong I could feel it emanating out from the light. That's where the voice came from. It promised me things if I would join it. I almost wanted to go with it, but then..." She turned her head slightly to look up at Legolas. "You saved me. I heard your voice talking to me, and I knew I didn't want to go with it. I wanted to come back here, to... to be with you."
Aragorn glanced at the two people beside him. Neither seemed to remember that he was there, they were just staring at each other. He quietly got up and went over to tell Gandalf what had happened.
Gandalf looked worried when he heard the story Aragorn told him. He had been afraid Saruman might find out that the Sensors were back in Middle Earth and try to corrupt one of them, but he hadn't figured it would be this soon. They would all have to watch Ana carefully, especially Legolas. He seemed to be her lifeline to the good things in life. They would have to make sure nothing happened to him either, or who knew how long she would have the strength to resist the pull of both Saruman and Sauron. Aragorn wandered away to talk with Boromir, and Gandalf looked around. Ana and Legolas were still staring at each other but now they seemed to be talking, for Ana gave a soft laugh at something he had said. Gimli was standing over by himself looking round at the mines his ancestors had made. The hobbits were talking quietly about nothing in particular, and Frodo had come to sit beside him.
"What's that, Gandalf? Down there in the water. Do you see the eyes that watch us?"
Gandalf nodded slowly at Frodo's words and said, "That is Gollum. He has been following us for 3 days now."
A look of disgust came upon Frodo's face and he said, "It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance."
The old wizard shook his head and said, "It was pity that stayed his hand. Some who live deserve death, and some who die deserve life. Is it up to you to give it to them? I feel Gollum still has some part to play in this story, for good or evil I do not know." Frodo pondered that for a moment before Gandalf exclaimed, "Ah! It's this way."
Merry jumped up and said, "Good, he's remembered!"
A small smile played on Gandalf's features as he replied, "No, but the air down there doesn't smell as foul. In times of doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose."
Legolas helped Ana up since she insisted that she felt well enough to walk now. Indeed, she seemed to feel much better and was walking just fine. Aragorn had been right; the wound was not that serious. Still, he stuck close beside her, just to make sure she would be all right.
*******
Ariana: Morgan?
Me: Yes, Ana?
Ana: Did anyone review?
Me: We had a couple new ones.
Ana: That's not enough! I had to get hit in the head by a falling rock, I could have died, doesn't any body care?!?!?!
Me: I'm sure they do. Maybe they're just waiting to see if you're ok until the review.
Ana: *sniff* Life is so unfair.
Me: *to readers* Please review. I've got emotionally challenged characters on my hands, I don't know how much longer I can deal with them!
Disclaimer: Still working on kidnapping plan. Hopefully will be leaving soon, if Suzanne will stop playing Dance Dance Revolution. *Glares daggers at Suzanne who is innocently playing her game* Anyways, until then, Leggy still isn't mine. Grr.
*******
They went down the mountain as hurriedly as they could, only pausing for two minutes at a time. Legolas was carrying Ana since she still hadn't regained consciousness. Aragorn was getting worried. He was trained somewhat as a Healer, but he couldn't do anything until they stopped for a longer time, and right then it was too dangerous to stop. So they continued on and on until finally they reached the walls of Moria. Legolas gently laid Ana on the ground and sat down with her head in his lap. This had become the position of choice for the two since Legolas wouldn't leave her side unless it was absolutely necessary. Gandalf was searching for the password to open the door that the elves had made to come into the mines in the days that elves and dwarves were still friends. Aragorn bent over the girl his brow furrowed with worry. She should have awoken by now, there must be something serious about this. Little did he know...
Ana was walking down a long dark tunnel. There was a dim light at the end, and she wanted to see what was there. Suddenly a voice was sounding through her head. She didn't recognize it, but her heart told her that it was evil. She could feel it resounding and her stomach churned. She hated this evil, she hated it with every fiber of her being. It spoke to her of happiness, peace, and most of all, safety. A place where her dreams would not haunt her, where she could rest assured that they would never come true. Almost she wanted to believe the voice, almost she wanted to join it in the light at the end of the corridor. But always, always there was another voice, one that she recognized. It called her back, gave her the strength to resist the voice. Mustering all of the strength left in her... body? Whatever she was now, she turned back and followed the pathway. Strangely it was getting lighter and lighter, until she saw...
Legolas was staring down into Ana's face when he imagined her eyes were fluttering open. He blinked and looked again. He hadn't been imagining things! Her eyes were open and looking up into his.
"Ana," he breathed, barely daring to believe she was back. She smiled weakly up at him, and gasped as the pain throbbed through her head. Legolas's arms encircled her shoulders and he said softly, "Shh, it will be all right. Just rest now. When we get inside Aragorn can take care of your head."
She started to shake her head and said faintly, "I need to tell you what happened, you have to know..."
He laid his finger gently on her lips saying, "Not now. You need to sleep. There will be time later, I promise."
She rested back against him and shut her eyes. Aragorn hadn't noticed this development, he was too busy stopping Merry and Pippin from throwing rocks in the lake. Something about not disturbing the water, Legolas wasn't really paying attention. Just then Frodo figured out that it was a riddle that locked the door and got Gandalf to say the password. The great doors opened, giving them an entrance into the mines. Legolas picked Ana up again, he didn't want to wake her up. She had looked so tired when she had looked at him, like she had just fought a great battle. He felt her stir a bit as they rose, but her eyes remained shut and she tucked her head more comfortably into his shoulder.
They entered and Gandalf lit a torch for them to see. "Welcome to Moria!" exclaimed Gimli. "And they call this place a mine. A mine!"
Boromir glanced around and said, "This isn't a mine. It's a tomb."
The room was littered with skeletons, all strung with cobwebs on their deteriorating armor. Legolas took a look at the arrows and remarked, "Goblins!" Boromir yelled for everyone to get out. Frodo was the first to comply, though not by his own choosing. A long tentacle had snaked up out of the water and grabbed him around the ankle. He was dragged out into the waters. Legolas set Ana down gently just inside the door with Gandalf and ran out to help the others fight the great water beast. Boromir was hacking away at the arm that held Frodo aloft, while Aragorn was busy covering for the man. Legolas pulled out an arrow and notched his bow, sending an arrow flying at an arm that was about to get Aragorn from behind. He turned and aimed at what he thought might be the head, that is, if the creature had a head. This had some effect on the beast, for it slackened its attack somewhat and they all ran back into the mines. Just as the last person got through the beast grabbed the doorway and broke it, blocking their only exit. They now had only one choice left: to go through to the other side.
It was a journey of four days at least to the other side, and they had to be as quiet as possible. No one knew what might be in the depths of the mines, and none of them really wanted to find out. Legolas told Aragorn of Ana's waking, and Aragorn assured that she was only in a normal healing sleep. He offered to take her, as he did at the beginning of each march, but Legolas would not give her up. They walked on until they came to a place where two archways were carved into the wall. There they stopped.
"I have no memory of this place," said Gandalf. So they sat, to wait, while he sorted the matter out in his mind. Aragorn bent over Ana and took a look at her head. The gash was not as deep as he had feared, certainly not deep enough to account for her long sleep.
She awoke as his hands brushed the wound, finding herself in the same position she had last time, but in another place. Strange she thought am I dreaming? How can I be in a different place? Then she saw Aragorn and smiled. He was always on top of things. In this case it was her head. Her eyes rolled up and caught Legolas staring off at the far wall, not really seeing just looking. He looked down at her when he felt her head move.
"Sleeping beauty awakes. You've been asleep for almost a day." Ah, that would explain why we're not where we were last time. She looked to Aragorn as he rummaged through a bag getting out some leaves and strips of cloth.
"I'm going to have to clean this out," he said. "As you probably already know, it won't feel very good so I suggest you find something to hold on to, to keep yourself from crying out. We can't have every orc in the place knowing we're here."
Ana's hand went up and grasped Legolas's, drawing support from his grasp. It did hurt, more than her shoulder had. She squeezed hard on his hand, trying to keep from yelling at the pain that was shooting through her head. Finally, Aragorn sat back after tying a bandage around her head. He placed a few more athelas leaves in a bowl and crushed them, adding a bit of water. He sat the bowl by her head, tilting it so that the fragrance went up to her nose. The scent had a calming affect and it caused some of the pain to go away. She loosened her grip on Legolas's hand, but she didn't let go.
"I have to tell you what happened while I was asleep. No, Aragorn, stay," she said as he started to move away. "I think you should hear this. I saw a tunnel; actually, I was walking down it. It was very dark, but at the end there was a faint light. And there was a voice, a horrible voice. It was evil, so strong I could feel it emanating out from the light. That's where the voice came from. It promised me things if I would join it. I almost wanted to go with it, but then..." She turned her head slightly to look up at Legolas. "You saved me. I heard your voice talking to me, and I knew I didn't want to go with it. I wanted to come back here, to... to be with you."
Aragorn glanced at the two people beside him. Neither seemed to remember that he was there, they were just staring at each other. He quietly got up and went over to tell Gandalf what had happened.
Gandalf looked worried when he heard the story Aragorn told him. He had been afraid Saruman might find out that the Sensors were back in Middle Earth and try to corrupt one of them, but he hadn't figured it would be this soon. They would all have to watch Ana carefully, especially Legolas. He seemed to be her lifeline to the good things in life. They would have to make sure nothing happened to him either, or who knew how long she would have the strength to resist the pull of both Saruman and Sauron. Aragorn wandered away to talk with Boromir, and Gandalf looked around. Ana and Legolas were still staring at each other but now they seemed to be talking, for Ana gave a soft laugh at something he had said. Gimli was standing over by himself looking round at the mines his ancestors had made. The hobbits were talking quietly about nothing in particular, and Frodo had come to sit beside him.
"What's that, Gandalf? Down there in the water. Do you see the eyes that watch us?"
Gandalf nodded slowly at Frodo's words and said, "That is Gollum. He has been following us for 3 days now."
A look of disgust came upon Frodo's face and he said, "It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance."
The old wizard shook his head and said, "It was pity that stayed his hand. Some who live deserve death, and some who die deserve life. Is it up to you to give it to them? I feel Gollum still has some part to play in this story, for good or evil I do not know." Frodo pondered that for a moment before Gandalf exclaimed, "Ah! It's this way."
Merry jumped up and said, "Good, he's remembered!"
A small smile played on Gandalf's features as he replied, "No, but the air down there doesn't smell as foul. In times of doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose."
Legolas helped Ana up since she insisted that she felt well enough to walk now. Indeed, she seemed to feel much better and was walking just fine. Aragorn had been right; the wound was not that serious. Still, he stuck close beside her, just to make sure she would be all right.
*******
Ariana: Morgan?
Me: Yes, Ana?
Ana: Did anyone review?
Me: We had a couple new ones.
Ana: That's not enough! I had to get hit in the head by a falling rock, I could have died, doesn't any body care?!?!?!
Me: I'm sure they do. Maybe they're just waiting to see if you're ok until the review.
Ana: *sniff* Life is so unfair.
Me: *to readers* Please review. I've got emotionally challenged characters on my hands, I don't know how much longer I can deal with them!
