Chapter Ten: Vanyaleuthil Faces the Long Dark of Moria
Soon after the avalanche, Frodo decided to go through the Mines of Moria. Vanyaleuthil knew exactly what lived down there but decided not to say anything, since she didn't want to hurt Frodo's feelings, and she was sure she and the others could manage, if they were quiet.
She and Legolas sat together by the fire, snuggled together to make the most of Legolas's and Vanyaleuthil's body heat.
"Legolas, do you know what lives in the Long Dark of Moria?"
Legolas shook his own golden head. "No, Vanyaleuthil, I don't."
"I do. It is a—"
Boromir had awakened and was standing some distance away, trying to eavesdrop. Vanyaleuthil heard him easily and stopped.
"A—a what?" asked Legolas in Quenya.
"Never mind. I am sure we'll be fine. After all, Gandalf is with us."
"No, you are with us, Vanyaleuthil," Legolas whispered.
Boromir snorted as the two kissed passionately.
As the Fellowship approached Moria's gates, Vanyaleuthil shuddered. There was something creepy about the whole thing. She wore a tight, form-fitting dress of sea-foam that went 2/3s of the way down to her knees. The sleeves from the elbow down, dark green-blue low V-shaped collar, and darker turquoise tights were embroidered with golden leaves and tiny iridescent sequins and pearls. She wore a tight golden belt with a single emerald carved in the shape of a star. Her shiny boots went a little past her ankles and were decorated with the tiniest bits of blue and green coral. Her hair was down in a flickering river of gold and silver. A thin, carefully crafted golden spiral tiara rested in her soft, luxurious curls. She wore tiny seashell earrings that held two bluey-green opals surrounded by the tiniest of pearls. The Harma Mela's gorgeous diamond sparkled in the dim light. She clutched all her weapons, knowing the evils that lay in Moria.
Legolas glanced at Vanyaleuthil and saw that she was trembling. "Why are you afraid, Vanyaleuthil?" he asked Vanyaleuthil.
"Oh, I'm not afraid for myself. Just for Middle-earth. Suppose I fail with the Araukagil?" Vanyaleuthil whispered.
Gandalf sat down, defeated. "Oh, it's hopeless," he muttered, throwing his staff on the ground. Frodo turned his searchlight eyes on Vanyaleuthil.
Vanyaleuthil realized the inscription was a riddle. Of course! She strode forward. "Mellon," she sang melodically. Everyone watched as the doors creaked open. Vanyaleuthil smiled her smile that dimmed the moonlight, and, singing, went through the doors.
Everyone else followed. Aragorn stared at Vanyaleuthil in awe. Compared to Vanyaleuthil, Arwen was a homely, foolish, simpering little girl!
Vanyaleuthil caught one look at the skeletons littering the ground and ordered everyone out.
But as soon as they left, the Watcher in the Water burst forth and grabbed Frodo. Vanyaleuthil seized her sword and went for the monster. Hacking gracefully, Vanyaleuthil severed the tentacle holding Frodo and caught him as he flew through the air as the rest of the Fellowship stood watching.
"Inside!" Vanyaleuthil yelled in her beautiful voice that sounded like angels singing and chanting. The Fellowship followed gladly. The door crashed in and Vanyaleuthil grabbed Gimli's arm to pull him from the disaster.
Vanyaleuthil set Frodo down and hugged him. "Are you all right, Frodo?" she asked. He nodded and his eyes filled with tears as he hugged her back.
"Oh, Frodo, I know why you're afraid…remember what I told you? About Araukagil?" she whispered in his ear. Frodo dipped his head slightly.
"You're afraid too, I know."
Vanyaleuthil stood and announced, "We have to face the Long Dark of Moria."
Collective murmurs. "If that's what Vanyaleuthil says, then that's what we'll do," said Gandalf. Aragorn nodded and Boromir looked furious.
"We should have gone to the Gap of Rohan."
Aragorn whirled on him. "Leave Vanyaleuthil alone. She knows exactly what she's doing! You don't!"
Boromir scowled.
The Fellowship reached Balin's tomb in a day, thanks to Vanyaleuthil's excellent sense of direction. As they rested, Vanyaleuthil knew something was not as it should be. Her fears were realized when Pippin knocked a skull into a well. Vanyaleuthil dove from across the room for the rest before it could fall too.
"Oh, Pippin—" she said gently and musically in a kind and maternal way.
"FOOL OF A TOOK!" Gandalf roared.
"Mithrandir—" Vanyaleuthil began, as Pippin's verdant green eyes filled with tears.
But they were cut off by the sound of drums! Orcs rushed towards them! Vanyaleuthil rushed to the door and bolted it. "They have a cave troll," she announced.
"Get back! Stay close to Vanyaleuthil!" Aragorn yelled. Vanyaleuthil pulled out her sword and faced the orcs pouring in. The hobbits scattered. Vanyaleuthil slew orc after orc with arrow, sword and dagger, all at the same time. Legolas killed seven, Boromir, two, and Aragorn, four. After the remaining orcs saw Vanyaleuthil's skill, they fled. Vanyaleuthil cleaned off her sword and gathered the hobbits into her. But where was Frodo?
Vanyaleuthil saw that he was cowering in a corner, trapped by the cave troll. Vanyaleuthil fired a shot right into its mouth. It fell. Vanyaleuthil rushed over to Frodo.
"Oh, no." He was slumped over on the ground.
"I'm all right," Frodo said. "I'm not hurt."
"You should be. That spear would have skewered a wild boar," Vanyaleuthil said, shocked, but still incredibly beautiful.
Frodo got up and smiled at Vanyaleuthil.
"Let us continue," Vanyaleuthil said, hearing the Orcs coming.
She ran extremely quickly, yet lightly, and even Legolas could not keep up with her.
The Fellowship was surrounded. Surrounded by Orcs. Vanyaleuthil raised her sword, prepared to die.
BOOM.
"A Balrog! A demon of the ancient world!" cried Vanyaleuthil.
"What does a woman know?" Boromir snarled.
The Orcs scattered.
"RUN!" Vanyaleuthil cried, and Boromir obeyed the beautiful maiden this time, charging ahead of the others. Vanyaleuthil lead the Fellowship towards the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. She halted just in time, not falling over a cliff. Boromir came dashing after, almost falling over the cliff. Vanyaleuthil reached over and caught him.
The Balrog was coming. The Fellowship reached the Bridge and then the other side. Vanyaleuthil pulled out her beautiful, magical sword of mithril, covered in heart-shaped indigo diamonds, small opals, white diamonds, and pearls with platinum writing of the Mirequendi and turned to face the demon.
"Stay back, everyone!" Vanyaleuthil called in her beautiful and musical voice, as the Balrog snorted menacingly. Legolas's eyes widened as he thought of Vanyaleuthil being hurt. But that would not happen, surely. The Balrog went for Vanyaleuthil, cracking its whip. Vanyaleuthil held up her sword and the whip bounced off with a loud snap. "You shall not pass!" she cried, squinting at the Balrog, Vanyaleuthil's lovely hair blowing behind her for several feet, like a river of gold and silver stars.
The Balrog snorted again, but this time Vanyaleuthil was ready. "I am the keeper of the Imirienaur, (jeweled fire), wielder of the flame of Lirimaimiriefalmadeúial (lovely jeweled wave of twilight)! The Dark Fire will not avail you! Flame of Ulun!" she cried. The Balrog ignored her, one of the only creatures in Middle-earth that actually didn't do her bidding.
"Vanyaleuthil!" screamed Frodo, struggling against Boromir to reach her. Pippin and Merry were hysterical, and the others in the Fellowship were frozen.
All of a sudden, as Vanyaleuthil repelled the Balrog once again, Gandalf came rushing towards them. Vanyaleuthil slew the Balrog with her magical sword and it tottered backwards, then fell.
"No! Gandalf!" but Gandalf had already become entangled in the whip and was falling too. "No!" Vanyaleuthil screamed, grabbing for his hand, but he could not hold on and he plummeted down into the cold, endless dark.
"Vanyaleuthil!" Legolas cried. She turned and ran toward the Fellowship.
"We must go!" Vanyaleuthil shouted, crystalline tears forming in her beautiful blue eyes. The Fellowship followed her past some orcs whom Vanyaleuthil killed immediately with her deadly bow of deep brown oak with silvery-blue writings that held several sixteen-pointed stars of many colors, and out onto some rocks, where they all began to cry. Vanyaleuthil wore a shimmering black gown that was tight on the top and long and flowing at the bottom. The sleeves continued on into diamonds of fabric that went to and attached to her slender middle fingers. Deep purple gems were set on her slender hands, around her tiny, slender waist, and one at the high collar of the dress. She wore a veil of the same color as the gems that covered her beautiful face with a band of black around the forehead. Her hair was back in a twisted bun clasped with a shiny, deep black barrette.
O Mithrandir O Mithrandir
O Pilgrim Grey O Wanderer so dear
So brave, so swift
So kind, so gentle, slow to anger
O Mithrandir O Mithrandir
O Pilgrim Grey O Wanderer so Dear
But he died O he died
For me O me, not worthy
O Mithrandir O Mithrandir
O Pilgrim Grey O Wanderer so Dear
Valiant to end O Mithrandir
I thank you, O Mithrandir, Mithrandir
O Mithrandir O Mithrandir
O Pilgrim Grey O Wanderer so Dear
"Vanyaleuthil," Merry said, "how beautiful your voice is!"
Boromir agreed secretly, thinking about kissing Vanyaleuthil.
Vanyaleuthil looked up, tears in her jewel-like eyes. "We must get going," she said, the veil and skirt blowing behind her in the wind.
"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" cried Boromir, saying this only to have the honor of directly talking to Vanyaleuthil.
"By nightfall, these hills will be swarming with Orcs!" Vanyaleuthil explained. "Yet we will not forget dear Gandalf as we travel."
Boromir clenched his fists. Now Vanyaleuthil would think he was stupid.
"I thought a sensitive maiden such as yourself would want to stop and rest," he said greasily.
Anger shone in Legolas's eyes. "Lady Vanyaleuthil is a woman, but she is not weak, Boromir!" he hissed.
Boromir scowled. He became extremely angry. Legolas was defending Vanyaleuthil! His Vanyaleuthil!
"You have feelings for her, Legolas?" Boromir growled.
Legolas's eyes widened, and he looked to Vanyaleuthil. He did. He really loved the graceful princess.
"What do you care, Boromir?" Legolas asked in fake confusion.
The others glared at Boromir, and Boromir walked on without a word.
"Legolas, you were so brave in Moria," whispered Vanyaleuthil.
"And you, my Princess Vanyaleuthil," said Legolas quietly, "saved us all from the Balrog."
Vanyaleuthil's angelic face blushed, and Legolas kissed her. "Vanyaleuthil…"