Life As It Is

Saruman had know they were going on Caradhras

He had send a storm towards them, and they had been forced to descend the mountain.

Frodo had decided that they would be going under the mountain, into the mines of Moria.

But before they venture into the depth of the mine, Gandalf had suggested that they have a day's rest in what he calls, haven.

After arriving at the base of the mountain, he had led them into a forest.

"Gandalf, where are we going?" Pippin asked as he hurried along beside the old wizard.

Gandalf smiled tiredly, "To visit an old friend of mine, Peregrine Took."

Than before Pippin could ask any more question a piercing shriek was heard.

On instinct, Boromir and Aragorn took out their swords while Legolas took out his bow while Gimili took out his axe.

Than a brown blur ran past them, as if on purpose Gandalf stuck out his foot and the blur went hurling through the ground.

"Fuck!"

It was a young man, no more than twenty. He have a shock of black hair that fell across his eyes while his light brown eyes dart around as if a horde of orcs were after him. He was tall for a human, but scrawny and almost awkward.

After Gandalf tripped him, he had immediately got up and looked around wildly. When his gaze settled on Gandalf he sighed in what sounded like relief.

"My dear boy, I see you are still here." Gandalf smiled.

The boy gave a snort, "Of course, she's here too, nearly beat the shit out of me." He looked around and added, "So guests?"

"Ah yes forgive me, this is Legolas from the Woodlands, Gimili from Misty Mountain, Aragorn, Boromir of Gondor, Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry from The Shire." Gandalf introduced as he went to each one.

"What's up, I'm Elix." The boy said, than he looked around nervously, "Eh, Gandalf, you might want to follow me now, she might come looking."

Gandalf laughed, "Well, than we must not keep a lady waiting." With that Gandalf followed the youth into the forest.

They meandered through the forest, and arrived at last in a clearing, there stood a girl, and she did not look happy at all.

But what shocked the Fellowship the most was not how she looked but how she was dressed.

Elix had been dressed in loose breeches and tunic, but this girl was dressed in what seemed like a loose blue scarf tied around her upper body with a white dress and she was bare feet. The dress could have passed off for a normal dress had it been a little bit longer, it was up to her knees. To the Fellowship the dress seemed to barely covered anything (in reality it covered more than a tank top).

"Gandalf." The girl nodded curtly, she looked pretty similar to the boy with the same black hair (almost as short as Elix's, her hair is cut to the base of her skull and looked somehow nicely rumpled), she has dark chocolate brown eyes that is currently flashing with anger. She looked pale but instead of scrawny she seemed athletic and well build.

"Shay, how are you?" Gandalf asked his eyes twinkling.

"How do I look? You better not stop me, I am going to kick his ass to Mordor." Shay said grimly as she advanced toward Elix who was currently hiding behind Gandalf, than as if hunting an animal she circled around him while Elix eyed her wearily.

"Uh, Shay? We have guests?" Elix gulped.

Shay sent him a glare before giving a sigh, "Fine, I'll hurt you later." She turned to survey the bedraggle group and gave a smile, "Forgive me, my manner deserted me," she turned back to Elix, "Go get them settled, I'll be right back."

Elix gave another relieved sigh and looked less stressed, "Come, I'll lead you to the camp ground."

The youth led them through a gate of bushes into another clearing, but this one was by a small stream.

As the group settled for the night, the girl returned, this time dressed in what seemed like archer's suite.

The girl noticed the hobbits staring like her, she smirked, "Well I can't go around dressed like that when you're here, you'll be thinking I'm a whore before long."

The hobbits blushed; Shay had hit them on the right nerve.

Legolas came over and looked at the sword Shay held in her hand with interest, "That is an interesting sword, Lady Shay."

Shay raised any eyebrow and looked down at it, (her sword is strange in elven or even human standard it has a broad blade with a hand grip that has a curved part over it, and the handle then thins out into a thin vine that trails the blade,) she shrugged, "It looks okay to me, but than I made it, so I guess my opinion doesn't count."

Boromir spoke up haughtily, "You know how to wield it, Lady Shay?"

Shay looked at him lazily, "Of course I do, you brought with you a trail of, let's just say unfriendly guests, and I sure as hell ain't about of let any of you die on my land."

"Sheesh Shay, no use getting f lunatic on them, you came out dressing like that on this planet, you're sure as hell as going to be doubt."

Shay glared at brother again, "You're not off the hook yet."

Elix shrugged, "It's true."

"Whatever, you guys stay here for tonight and I'll lead you to the Door to the Mines of Moria tomorrow." Shay said as she leaned back into one of the trees encircling the clearing.

"You know the Mines?" Gimili asked.

"Curiosity kills, Master Dwarf." Elix smirked.

Shay grinned and shook her head, "Come on, off to bed with you all," than turning to the hobbits she added, "Especially you four, what was Gandalf thinking taking you even remotely near the snow?"

"Begging your pardon miss, but who are you?" Sam asked.

"A friend of Gandalf, no more, and no miss or lady, just Shay."

"Goodnight than, Shay." Frodo said looking extremely tired.

"Goodnight." Shay said than she stepped out of the clearing back into the bush and Andy followed her out.

Aragorn turned to Gandalf and asked, "Gandalf, what land do they come from, they speak not like any race I have ever heard."

"And the lady swears too much, while wearing too less." Boromir said frowning.

Legolas just remained silent and looked thoughtful.

Gandalf shook his head, "You mustn't judge a book by its cover, Andy and Shay are from a very distant land, and perfectly capable of taking care of themselves."

"They are men than?" Gimili asked.

"Yes and no." Gandalf said.

"What do you mean?" Merry asked.

Gandalf just smiled enigmatically and said nothing.

That night Shay stayed awake guarding.

Suddenly Shay picked up a sound, she hid a grin, "Come on out elfy, I know you're there."

"You can hear me?"

Shay laughed, "I do believe you breath rather loudly." Than she turned around and face the blond elf, "So what are you doing up so late?"

Legolas smiled back, "You do not sleep either."

"This is my land, I have to protect it."

"Where's your brother?"

"On the other side. He was rather reluctant to give up his sleep until I threaten him with dismemberment. Enough, you should rest."

"Elves do not need as much rest as men."

Shay tilted her head and quirked a smile, "Do I hear an accusation?"

"You are human, are you not?"

"Now what makes you say that?"

Legoals looked hard at something to the side of her, Shay laughed again, "My ears?" she moved her hand and tug back the unruly lock of hair that was blocking her ear from the view, to reveal a round shell human ear.

"Hm, good guessing, how old do you think I am?"

Legolas replied quickly, "No more than eighteen I should say."

Shay grinned slyly, "And here I thought all elves are brilliant. Wrong answer, I'm just about five hundred and sixty eight years old."

This time the cool elf façade left Legolas and he looked stunned, "How can that be?"

Shay smirked and pulled at the lobe of her right ear, "It's a secret." Than she winked.

"I don't suppose your brother would tell me?"

Shay shrugged, "I don't know, you can ask him, I'm not his keeper, after all, he's older than me by three years."

"Yet, you treat him like he's younger." Legolas added.

Shay shrugged, "Because he acts like one, but he's not that bad."

A length of silent reign for a while before Legolas broke it again, "You have knowledge of Moria."

Shay sighed, and with a swift movement she latched on to a tree branch and swung herself up to sit on one of the branches, patting the space besides her she motion for Legolas to join her, "Come on up, if you're going to have a decent conversation with me, we might as well sit down."

Legolas nodded and swung up to settle down besides her, "I see you have the reflex of an elf."

Shay winced, "Nah, that took a long time for me to learn, a few hundred years I believe. But it's a necessity. Especially when dealing with elves." She said with a teasing tone.

"Now than on with Moria, yes I know of that place, I've never been in there, I just know how to get there quickly. I don't like going any where near it, it is evil."

"Dangerous?" Legolas prompted.

Shay shrugged, "I do not know, the few times I've ventured there nothing has happened, but I can just touch the evil, it's so thick."

"You do not like mines?"

Shay looked at him wryly, "Let's just say I prefer to stay away from dark, close spaces."

Legolas looked at her strangely, "And you are not an elf."

"I'm not perfect, Master Elf. I am human, I err."

"Gandalf say you come from a distant land. I am curious to hear about it."

Shay wrinkled her nose at him, "You're one nosy elf, Prince Legoals."

"You know of me? How?"

"I have my ways."

"Well then, please call me Legolas."

"Very well, now Legolas, go on back to bed with you, I fear there will be a long road ahead. And to be honest I fear I need some sleep too." Shay grinned as she pushed at Legolas.

Legolas nodded and leap nimbly off the tree while Shay jumped off and landed on a knee. She stood up slowly, "Now, see here's how you can tell I am human, no elven grace there."

Legoals smiled benignly and nodded.

"Okay now off with you go." Shay shooed while Legolas walked obediently back to the clearing.

A few minutes after Legolas was gone Elix appeared from the darkness, "You were flirting with him." He smirked.

Shay chewed on her lips, "I don't think Gandalf should go into the mines of Moria."

Elix turned serious at the sound of her worried tone, "There's no other ways to go."

Shay turned to face him, "Gandalf talked to you?"

Elix nodded, "Saruman send a storm to Caradhras and the Gap of Rohan takes them too close to Saruman, so it leaves Moria."

"I see, Saruman is really evil than."

Elix nodded again, "No surprise there, I always thought he's got a bitch's attitude."

"Do you have to swear so much?"

Elix shrugged, "It makes no difference, mom's not here to scold me anymore."

Shay dipped her head in sadness and said nothing.

"Hey, Shay, come on, dawn's almost here, we can get an hour or two of sleep." Elix said gently after a few minutes of silence.

"Yeah."

"Don't worry about Gandalf, he knows what he's doing."

"Does he?"

"Yes."

"Okay then."