PART 7
The forest lay quiet under a blanket of silver mist when Legolas woke the next morning. The sun had not risen yet and through the mist he could see the faint sparkle of the stars above, and the waning light of the moon. The sky was beginning to turn grey with the coming dawn and the forest was still, for the moment. None of the Company were awake yet, except for Elladan and Elrohir, who were wearily leaning against each other and staring into the fire. However, even Elrohir's eyes were closed and he breathed deeply, asleep. Elladan looked exhausted and he kept singing softly to himself to keep awake.
"Elladan."
He looked up, startled. "Legolas. You should go back and sleep. We have a long road today. You have already watched tonight." Elladan gently moved his brother to a lying position on the ground and got up. "I am well here."
Legolas came to him and patted his shoulder. "You have been awake longer than was required for you tonight. Sleep now, I will watch. I am not weary."
Elladan looked grateful and flung himself on the ground beside his brother. Legolas smiled and moved away deep into the silver-swathed forest. The trees stretched high above to the sun they loved, and Legolas quickly scaled one to keep lookout until the sun rose.
The great mountain of Caradhras rose above the mists and hunched his back coldly against the deep blue of the sky. Around Caradhras, the forest lay thickly and Legolas, with his sensitive ears, could hear the far-away howls of the wolves they had fought off last night. The sound made him nervous, but the wolves never climbed the mountains, so they would be safe. The wind was soft against his fair elven-face here, but on Caradhras the wind was bitter, and he remembered the hobbits with their hoods close around their faces, whimpering with the cold. However, they had stayed cheerful the whole time and had kept all of their morales boosted. His heart tugged again as he wished for his gentle friends to accompany them. He wondered if Elladriel had gotten his message yet. He missed his family and for a moment, Legolas wished he had not agreed to come on the Quest.
The sun was fully risen now and Legolas quickly climbed down the tree and lightly ran back to the camp. Most of the Company were awake and eating lembas. Aragorn was sharpening Anduril and looked deep in thought as he honed Anduril's blade to a sharper point. The wind gently blew his hair around and he impatiently pushed it out of his eyes. Gimli stood with his back to them all, as was his habit in the mornings - Dwarves are never cheerful when they first awaken. Legolas could hear his rumblings from where he stood, fifty feet away. Gandalf was nowhere to be seen, but little explosions of green from behind the trees told Legolas that he was playing with his palantir again. Elrond was pacing around and mumbling to himself - he was thinking over the travel route for the day. When Gandalf was done seeing, he would compare notes with Elrond and the two would plan the course for the day. Legolas came up to him and smiled.
Elrond favoured Legolas with a smile and then said, "I'm thinking we can pass over Caradhras quickly this morning, since the weather is fair and the mountain is calm. Mithrandir is chanting to Caradhras to keep him gentle while we pass today. We should reach the Gap of Rohan by nightfall." Elrond looked as excited as possible for an Elf. "Rohan is a wonderful place, and the Rohirrim will give us rest and food for a few days while we plan our attack." He frowned. "I would like to mount up as soon as Mithrandir is finished seeing. Is everyone ready?"
Legolas chuckled and pointed at a spot by the fire. "Not everyone, Elrond. Your sons are still asleep."
Elrond looked surprised, then amused. He strode over to Elladan and Elrohir and shook them both awake. They looked guilty and embarrassed for sleeping so long, but quickly ate and gathered their things, putting the fire out.
Gimli came over to Legolas with a scowl on his face. "The sun is too bloody bright. I'll get snow-blindness when passing over this confounded mountain. If only we could go underneath it!"
Legolas smiled sympathetically; he knew how to deal with Gimli in the morning. "You know what happened last time we passed through Moria, Gimli. Gandalf fell into shadow and we encountered far too many orcs for my liking." He shuddered. "And all the dark and dank made me nervous and sad. I prefer the sun, wind and light of the aboveground, thank you."
"You Elves!" growled Gimli. "Never change, do you? Moria is a safer way! That mountain makes me nervous!"
Aragorn saw the commotion and came over. "What's the fuss now, Master Dwarf?" He looked amused and smiled for the first time since Legolas had met with him again. "Didn't we sleep well?"
"Of course! I was simply alerting my dear friend Legolas to the perils of Caradhras! I think it's folly, Aragorn, folly!"
Aragorn smiled again. "Well as you think most plans decided by Elrond and Gandalf are folly, I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. However, they are the most informed and educated members of this Company . . . so I would guess they do know about which they speak."
Gimli grumbled. "Ahh, the lot of you! And I won't be riding today. I'll be walking!"
Elrond heard and came over with a frown on his beautiful face. "We cannot ride the horses over Caradhras anyway; we would put them in grave danger. None of us will ride today, Gimli, so there is no need to worry about that detail. Gandalf should be finished with the palantir soon, and then we will have a long hard climb, so it would be best to save your strength for the mountain, Master Gimli."
Gimli growled in answer and stalked off amidst smiles from Legolas, Elrond and Aragorn. Just then they heard a crashing from the trees and Gandalf came out, smoothing his robes.
"Well, I had a time with Master Caradhras this morning; he was in quite the grumpy mood. But he agreed to stay quiet while we cross this morning as long as we leave him in peace. I assured him we would. Has Shadowfax returned yet?"
"No Mithrandir, I have seen hide nor hair of him since last night." Elrohir replied.
"No matter." Gandalf whistled a low note followed by a high note. Almost immediately the beating of galloping hooves could be heard deep in the forest, coming closer and closer and a few moments later, Shadowfax followed by Asfaloth, Arod, Aragorn's stallion Gilgalad and Elladan and Elrohir's horses Perranun and Eleni burst out from the trees and skidded to a stop beside their masters.
Legolas called Gimli, who came reluctantly, and they set off towards Caradhras. The morning was warm and the Company rode comfortably through the cool shade of the forest. When they came out into the foothills of Caradhras, they dismounted and started the long climb. At first it was pleasant, having the warm sun falling on their backs and the wind cooling their faces, but after awhile the three non-elven companions began to feel the strain, Gandalf especially. Nevertheless, they climbed mercilessly, until Caradhras' white back leveled out onto a plateau. There they rested, crouching in the snow, and ate lembas.
Elrond spoke. "It may be possible to ride as far as this plateau reaches, until we need to climb down. Then it would be perilous."
Legolas frowned. "Does anyone else feel a strange power here? I hear someone calling."
Elrond frowned and listened. "I hear nothing, Legolas." He turned, but Gandalf stopped him. "There is someone calling. It's far, but I can hear it." He looked grave. "It is the voice of Zycrah. Like the eye of Sauron, she can hear all that we say and turn us to her will by the sounds of her voice. If you value your life, do not listen!"
Elrohir stepped up. "We Elves can take care of that." He began to sing a soft ballad in his clear elven-voice that was well-known to the other Elves. They all joined in, the harmonies blending and curling on the keen mountain air. The sounds of the music blocked all other sounds, and the Company of Elessar moved on.
They rode for two hours across the plateau. Legolas thoroughly enjoyed the ride so far above everything, so close to the sun he loved. Gimli had stopped complaining a few hours back, as he did need all of his bow-legged strength to climb steep Caradhras. He had remained quiet through the midday meal and now Legolas felt Gimli against his back in sleep. He smiled and whispered to Arod to move a little more smoothly so the Dwarf would not awaken.
They soon came to the plinth of the mountain and regarded the trail that dropped steeply down the side. Legolas woke Gimli and lifted him down, amidst his renewed grumbling. They all started down the slippery side of Caradhras, leaning on the more surefooted horses for balance. The wind had picked up and was blowing snow into their faces, and every so often, a cloud would pass over the sun.
Gandalf looked worried. "I think Caradhras is getting impatient with us. It is now mid-afternoon and I did promise him we would be down by midday." A large gust of snow whitened his grey beard and hair. "We had better hurry."
Elrond looked upset. "We cannot hurry. You, Aragorn and Gimli cannot walk fast over snow. Also, the horses may slip, and we need them for the trek to Rohan."
Aragorn called from the back of the line, "Why do we not let the horses find their own way down? The Elves can help those of us who cannot walk surely over the snow!"
Elladan nodded and letting go of Perannun, slapped his rump gently and watched him find his way down efficiently. Elrohir let Eleni go, and Legolas Arod. Elrond, after much hesitation, let Asfaloth go, and then finally Gandalf loosed Shadowfax.
"He has promised he will wait with the others at the base." A large gust of wind almost blew the wizard off the mountain, and just in time Elrond grabbed his arm. "All right. Can you take us on your backs?" asked Gandalf.
"I can," said Elladan. He took Gandalf onto his strong back and began to run down the mountain surefootedly. Elrohir was close behind. Elrond helped Aragorn, despite his protests, and Legolas took Gimli. The way down was perilous, with hidden ice and snow patches on the grey rock. The weather worsened as they made their way down. Just as they were almost to the base, trouble struck.
Elladan, in the lead, was almost at the end of the trail when he slipped and fell. Gandalf went flying into the snow at the bottom, and was soon covered in it. The more he struggled, the further he sank. The snow seemed to boil up around them all, covering them in its cold embrace.
Elrond gasped, "It's the work of Zycrah! Caradhras has tricked us all!" as he went under the snow. Legolas watched as the snow started to drift over his feet and then made a flying jump which landed him at the base of the mountain. He put a frozen and shocked Gimli in a safe spot and went back for the others. He reached down and pulled Elrond out of the snow by his hair. Elrond coughed and spluttered, but leapt up and ran over the moving snow, pulling Elladan and Elrohir out as he did so. Aragorn, with a growl, burst his way out of the menacing snow and jumped over the 40-foot side of the cliff, landing beside Gimli. The four elves ran towards the biggest drift, containing Gandalf.
The drift seemed to grow higher and higher as they approached. Legolas could see a fold of Gandalf's robe sticking out of the snow and he pulled it, but it was just Gandalf's pointed white hat. Elladan and Elrohir started to dig through the drift, but it just got deeper as they worked. Finally Caradhras, realising that no one was passing over him, calmed, and the snow cleared. All that was left was the mammoth drift, containing Gandalf. The six members of the Fellowship dug and dug through the snow, but Gandalf was nowhere to be seen.
Gimli sat down with a whimpering sigh. "Have we lost him again? Again to this horrible mountain!"
Elrond sat beside him and in a rare moment of sympathy, put a hand on his shoulder. "We will wait for the sun to melt the drift. Mithrandir must still be inside."
Aragorn looked sorrowful. "I do not see how he could be, Elrond. We have dug through that snow enough to come out the other side, and still he is nowhere to be seen."
The Company settled at the bottom of the mountain in sorrow. Without Gandalf, they had no idea how to beat Zycrah. The mission seemed to be lost.
Elrohir and Elladan built a fire as the sun began its gradual descent in the sky. They built it close to the drift, but the snow melted only a little. Everyone sat around, deep in their own thoughts.
Suddenly, a crashing, crunching noise was heard inside the drift, along with some choice words in Elvish. A huge stream of fire burst out of the top of the drift and the snow broke apart to reveal a very cold, very wet Gandalf, with a glowing staff clenched tightly in his hand.
"A wee bit chilly, that was," said Gandalf, brushing his robes.
Elrond gasped and ran towards the wizard, embracing him tightly. "We thought we had lost you again, Mithrandir!"
"What? Nonsense! I still wield the flame of Anor! No snow will stop that stream of heat!"
All the Company surrounded Gandalf and drew him closer to the fire. By the time he was warmed and fed, the sun was low in the sky.
"We have a few hours left of light. Let us ride on to Rohan while we may. The horses are waiting." Elrond said.
They all mounted, subdued and tired, and continued on their way to Rohan.
~TO BE CONTINUED~
The forest lay quiet under a blanket of silver mist when Legolas woke the next morning. The sun had not risen yet and through the mist he could see the faint sparkle of the stars above, and the waning light of the moon. The sky was beginning to turn grey with the coming dawn and the forest was still, for the moment. None of the Company were awake yet, except for Elladan and Elrohir, who were wearily leaning against each other and staring into the fire. However, even Elrohir's eyes were closed and he breathed deeply, asleep. Elladan looked exhausted and he kept singing softly to himself to keep awake.
"Elladan."
He looked up, startled. "Legolas. You should go back and sleep. We have a long road today. You have already watched tonight." Elladan gently moved his brother to a lying position on the ground and got up. "I am well here."
Legolas came to him and patted his shoulder. "You have been awake longer than was required for you tonight. Sleep now, I will watch. I am not weary."
Elladan looked grateful and flung himself on the ground beside his brother. Legolas smiled and moved away deep into the silver-swathed forest. The trees stretched high above to the sun they loved, and Legolas quickly scaled one to keep lookout until the sun rose.
The great mountain of Caradhras rose above the mists and hunched his back coldly against the deep blue of the sky. Around Caradhras, the forest lay thickly and Legolas, with his sensitive ears, could hear the far-away howls of the wolves they had fought off last night. The sound made him nervous, but the wolves never climbed the mountains, so they would be safe. The wind was soft against his fair elven-face here, but on Caradhras the wind was bitter, and he remembered the hobbits with their hoods close around their faces, whimpering with the cold. However, they had stayed cheerful the whole time and had kept all of their morales boosted. His heart tugged again as he wished for his gentle friends to accompany them. He wondered if Elladriel had gotten his message yet. He missed his family and for a moment, Legolas wished he had not agreed to come on the Quest.
The sun was fully risen now and Legolas quickly climbed down the tree and lightly ran back to the camp. Most of the Company were awake and eating lembas. Aragorn was sharpening Anduril and looked deep in thought as he honed Anduril's blade to a sharper point. The wind gently blew his hair around and he impatiently pushed it out of his eyes. Gimli stood with his back to them all, as was his habit in the mornings - Dwarves are never cheerful when they first awaken. Legolas could hear his rumblings from where he stood, fifty feet away. Gandalf was nowhere to be seen, but little explosions of green from behind the trees told Legolas that he was playing with his palantir again. Elrond was pacing around and mumbling to himself - he was thinking over the travel route for the day. When Gandalf was done seeing, he would compare notes with Elrond and the two would plan the course for the day. Legolas came up to him and smiled.
Elrond favoured Legolas with a smile and then said, "I'm thinking we can pass over Caradhras quickly this morning, since the weather is fair and the mountain is calm. Mithrandir is chanting to Caradhras to keep him gentle while we pass today. We should reach the Gap of Rohan by nightfall." Elrond looked as excited as possible for an Elf. "Rohan is a wonderful place, and the Rohirrim will give us rest and food for a few days while we plan our attack." He frowned. "I would like to mount up as soon as Mithrandir is finished seeing. Is everyone ready?"
Legolas chuckled and pointed at a spot by the fire. "Not everyone, Elrond. Your sons are still asleep."
Elrond looked surprised, then amused. He strode over to Elladan and Elrohir and shook them both awake. They looked guilty and embarrassed for sleeping so long, but quickly ate and gathered their things, putting the fire out.
Gimli came over to Legolas with a scowl on his face. "The sun is too bloody bright. I'll get snow-blindness when passing over this confounded mountain. If only we could go underneath it!"
Legolas smiled sympathetically; he knew how to deal with Gimli in the morning. "You know what happened last time we passed through Moria, Gimli. Gandalf fell into shadow and we encountered far too many orcs for my liking." He shuddered. "And all the dark and dank made me nervous and sad. I prefer the sun, wind and light of the aboveground, thank you."
"You Elves!" growled Gimli. "Never change, do you? Moria is a safer way! That mountain makes me nervous!"
Aragorn saw the commotion and came over. "What's the fuss now, Master Dwarf?" He looked amused and smiled for the first time since Legolas had met with him again. "Didn't we sleep well?"
"Of course! I was simply alerting my dear friend Legolas to the perils of Caradhras! I think it's folly, Aragorn, folly!"
Aragorn smiled again. "Well as you think most plans decided by Elrond and Gandalf are folly, I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. However, they are the most informed and educated members of this Company . . . so I would guess they do know about which they speak."
Gimli grumbled. "Ahh, the lot of you! And I won't be riding today. I'll be walking!"
Elrond heard and came over with a frown on his beautiful face. "We cannot ride the horses over Caradhras anyway; we would put them in grave danger. None of us will ride today, Gimli, so there is no need to worry about that detail. Gandalf should be finished with the palantir soon, and then we will have a long hard climb, so it would be best to save your strength for the mountain, Master Gimli."
Gimli growled in answer and stalked off amidst smiles from Legolas, Elrond and Aragorn. Just then they heard a crashing from the trees and Gandalf came out, smoothing his robes.
"Well, I had a time with Master Caradhras this morning; he was in quite the grumpy mood. But he agreed to stay quiet while we cross this morning as long as we leave him in peace. I assured him we would. Has Shadowfax returned yet?"
"No Mithrandir, I have seen hide nor hair of him since last night." Elrohir replied.
"No matter." Gandalf whistled a low note followed by a high note. Almost immediately the beating of galloping hooves could be heard deep in the forest, coming closer and closer and a few moments later, Shadowfax followed by Asfaloth, Arod, Aragorn's stallion Gilgalad and Elladan and Elrohir's horses Perranun and Eleni burst out from the trees and skidded to a stop beside their masters.
Legolas called Gimli, who came reluctantly, and they set off towards Caradhras. The morning was warm and the Company rode comfortably through the cool shade of the forest. When they came out into the foothills of Caradhras, they dismounted and started the long climb. At first it was pleasant, having the warm sun falling on their backs and the wind cooling their faces, but after awhile the three non-elven companions began to feel the strain, Gandalf especially. Nevertheless, they climbed mercilessly, until Caradhras' white back leveled out onto a plateau. There they rested, crouching in the snow, and ate lembas.
Elrond spoke. "It may be possible to ride as far as this plateau reaches, until we need to climb down. Then it would be perilous."
Legolas frowned. "Does anyone else feel a strange power here? I hear someone calling."
Elrond frowned and listened. "I hear nothing, Legolas." He turned, but Gandalf stopped him. "There is someone calling. It's far, but I can hear it." He looked grave. "It is the voice of Zycrah. Like the eye of Sauron, she can hear all that we say and turn us to her will by the sounds of her voice. If you value your life, do not listen!"
Elrohir stepped up. "We Elves can take care of that." He began to sing a soft ballad in his clear elven-voice that was well-known to the other Elves. They all joined in, the harmonies blending and curling on the keen mountain air. The sounds of the music blocked all other sounds, and the Company of Elessar moved on.
They rode for two hours across the plateau. Legolas thoroughly enjoyed the ride so far above everything, so close to the sun he loved. Gimli had stopped complaining a few hours back, as he did need all of his bow-legged strength to climb steep Caradhras. He had remained quiet through the midday meal and now Legolas felt Gimli against his back in sleep. He smiled and whispered to Arod to move a little more smoothly so the Dwarf would not awaken.
They soon came to the plinth of the mountain and regarded the trail that dropped steeply down the side. Legolas woke Gimli and lifted him down, amidst his renewed grumbling. They all started down the slippery side of Caradhras, leaning on the more surefooted horses for balance. The wind had picked up and was blowing snow into their faces, and every so often, a cloud would pass over the sun.
Gandalf looked worried. "I think Caradhras is getting impatient with us. It is now mid-afternoon and I did promise him we would be down by midday." A large gust of snow whitened his grey beard and hair. "We had better hurry."
Elrond looked upset. "We cannot hurry. You, Aragorn and Gimli cannot walk fast over snow. Also, the horses may slip, and we need them for the trek to Rohan."
Aragorn called from the back of the line, "Why do we not let the horses find their own way down? The Elves can help those of us who cannot walk surely over the snow!"
Elladan nodded and letting go of Perannun, slapped his rump gently and watched him find his way down efficiently. Elrohir let Eleni go, and Legolas Arod. Elrond, after much hesitation, let Asfaloth go, and then finally Gandalf loosed Shadowfax.
"He has promised he will wait with the others at the base." A large gust of wind almost blew the wizard off the mountain, and just in time Elrond grabbed his arm. "All right. Can you take us on your backs?" asked Gandalf.
"I can," said Elladan. He took Gandalf onto his strong back and began to run down the mountain surefootedly. Elrohir was close behind. Elrond helped Aragorn, despite his protests, and Legolas took Gimli. The way down was perilous, with hidden ice and snow patches on the grey rock. The weather worsened as they made their way down. Just as they were almost to the base, trouble struck.
Elladan, in the lead, was almost at the end of the trail when he slipped and fell. Gandalf went flying into the snow at the bottom, and was soon covered in it. The more he struggled, the further he sank. The snow seemed to boil up around them all, covering them in its cold embrace.
Elrond gasped, "It's the work of Zycrah! Caradhras has tricked us all!" as he went under the snow. Legolas watched as the snow started to drift over his feet and then made a flying jump which landed him at the base of the mountain. He put a frozen and shocked Gimli in a safe spot and went back for the others. He reached down and pulled Elrond out of the snow by his hair. Elrond coughed and spluttered, but leapt up and ran over the moving snow, pulling Elladan and Elrohir out as he did so. Aragorn, with a growl, burst his way out of the menacing snow and jumped over the 40-foot side of the cliff, landing beside Gimli. The four elves ran towards the biggest drift, containing Gandalf.
The drift seemed to grow higher and higher as they approached. Legolas could see a fold of Gandalf's robe sticking out of the snow and he pulled it, but it was just Gandalf's pointed white hat. Elladan and Elrohir started to dig through the drift, but it just got deeper as they worked. Finally Caradhras, realising that no one was passing over him, calmed, and the snow cleared. All that was left was the mammoth drift, containing Gandalf. The six members of the Fellowship dug and dug through the snow, but Gandalf was nowhere to be seen.
Gimli sat down with a whimpering sigh. "Have we lost him again? Again to this horrible mountain!"
Elrond sat beside him and in a rare moment of sympathy, put a hand on his shoulder. "We will wait for the sun to melt the drift. Mithrandir must still be inside."
Aragorn looked sorrowful. "I do not see how he could be, Elrond. We have dug through that snow enough to come out the other side, and still he is nowhere to be seen."
The Company settled at the bottom of the mountain in sorrow. Without Gandalf, they had no idea how to beat Zycrah. The mission seemed to be lost.
Elrohir and Elladan built a fire as the sun began its gradual descent in the sky. They built it close to the drift, but the snow melted only a little. Everyone sat around, deep in their own thoughts.
Suddenly, a crashing, crunching noise was heard inside the drift, along with some choice words in Elvish. A huge stream of fire burst out of the top of the drift and the snow broke apart to reveal a very cold, very wet Gandalf, with a glowing staff clenched tightly in his hand.
"A wee bit chilly, that was," said Gandalf, brushing his robes.
Elrond gasped and ran towards the wizard, embracing him tightly. "We thought we had lost you again, Mithrandir!"
"What? Nonsense! I still wield the flame of Anor! No snow will stop that stream of heat!"
All the Company surrounded Gandalf and drew him closer to the fire. By the time he was warmed and fed, the sun was low in the sky.
"We have a few hours left of light. Let us ride on to Rohan while we may. The horses are waiting." Elrond said.
They all mounted, subdued and tired, and continued on their way to Rohan.
~TO BE CONTINUED~