A/N: Before we begin, for all of you who are reading either Gandalf's Revenge or our Whose Line story, we've got part of the updates for both. We will work on finding the GR notebook (we aren't sure who has it or where we put it) next weekend, and we'll try to write the rest of the update for Whose Line within the next few weeks. I'm not sure if it will be the last update for that story or not. We'll let you know when we update.
Now, enough wasting time. Hope you enjoy this update.
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Chapter 10
TA 3019 January 12 Evening
Almost the moment the Fellowship neared the bottom of Caradhras Legolas' nausea returned. Thankfully, Gandalf decided to call a halt for the night, giving Legolas a chance to excuse himself.
Mumbling some nonsense about looking around, the elf disappeared. Boromir and Gimli met each other's gaze, both recognizing the elf's lie for what it was.
Gandalf cleared his throat, claiming both the man and dwarf's attention. The wizard met Gimli's gaze before nodding toward the elf, his order clear. Keep an eye on the elf.
While Gimli followed the elf under the guise of searching for fire wood, Gandalf turned to Boromir and motioned in a direction a little to the side of where Legolas had went, "Boromir, there's a spring that way. There will be no source of fresh water once we enter Moria."
Standing, Boromir nodded, hearing the undercurrent of the wizard's words. He would be close enough to hear if the elf needed help, but far enough away to minimize Aragorn's penchant for jealousy.
Aragorn watched the elf disappear with a rather un-elflike shuffle to his step. He was worried about Legolas. He just didn't seem to be himself lately.
Boromir obviously knew something and that was a thorn in Aragorn's side. Legolas had confided in the man of Gondor instead of the man he claimed to love.
Still, in spite of that, Aragorn understood somewhat. Why would Legolas confide in someone who almost went out of his way to avoid him, as Aragorn had been the last month. At least Legolas had someone he was confiding in…even if it was the human Aragorn had personal issues with.
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Legolas sat down on a rock once he was out of sight of the Fellowship and sighed, taking a sip of water and hoping his roiling stomach didn't reject it. He sighed again when it actually settled his stomach a little.
Looking down Legolas pressed a hand to his lower abdomen. If you knew what to look for and where to look, his stomach had almost taken on a slight concave curve due to his daily rush to the bushes. He was slowly beginning to believe the stories he'd heard as a child about male elves…
The snap of a twig brought that thought to a halt and Legolas grinned wryly, "I do not need a babysitter, Son of Gloin. You can stop following me."
Gimli stalked into view, "I'm just followin' Gandalf's orders, laddie. I suggest ye take it up with him. Besides, I'm just searchin' for fire wood."
Legolas chuckled before taking another sip of water to calm his stomach even more before standing up, "Then allow me to help you search, mellon. We will find twice as much then."
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Gandalf nodded, satisfied, when Gimli and Legolas returned about half an hour later, both with an armful of wood. Catching the elf's eye he motioned him over. Obediently, Legolas walked over and sat down by him while Aragorn started a fire.
Gandalf studied Legolas for a moment, noticing that he didn't seem as pale as he had been, "Did the ginger root powder in your water work to calm your stomach, tithen-ernil?"
Legolas smiled slightly, "I should have known you did something, Gandalf. You slipped it into my water didn't you?"
The wizard gave a small huff, "I did no such thing, ernilneth. I merely gave it to Gimli when he filled the water skins before we climbed the mountain. He put it in your water."
Legolas sighed, "Well, either way I appreciate it, believe me."
"Would you like to discuss it? Gandalf asked, "This…illness you suffer."
Legolas glanced over at the Fellowship. Aragorn had gotten the fire started and Sam was cooking for everyone. He turned back to Gandalf, "Not yet. When we get to Lothlorien and can speak alone, I promise, we'll talk then."
Gandalf nodded, "Alright. Now, I suggest you remain upwind of Sam while he's cooking. Or you may find yourself rushing off with your hand over your mouth."
That said the wizard got to his feet, gently squeezed Legolas' shoulder, then went to get some dinner. Legolas took one look at the food and paled. Food was out of the question for tonight.
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By evening of the next day they'd reached Moria. Gimli pointed with an awed gasp, "The walls of Moria."
As the Fellowship continued along single file between a wall of rock and a dark pool of water the dwarf gave a slight nod, as if agreeing with himself as he said, "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed."
At the head of the line Gandalf spoke up, "Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten."
Legolas, walking a step behind Gimli, rolled his eyes skyward and mumbled, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
Gimli looked up at the elf out of the corner of his eye and growled under his breath just as the Fellowship reached the Moria door. Gandalf stopped and ran his hands over the door.
"Ithildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." The wizard looked up at the sky as the moon appeared from behind some clouds, as if by his will alone. The outline of a door started to appear in the mountain wall.
Gandalf used his staff to point out the words as he read it, "It reads 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, Friend, and enter'."
Merry cocked a brow, "What do you suppose that means?"
"Oh, it's quite simple." Gandalf declared, "If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open."
While Gandalf spoke various possible words and phrases in Sindarin and Quenya, with no result, Legolas closed his eyes. He didn't want to enter Moria. He feared it, possibly even more that Gandalf did. It was no secret elves were uncomfortable in the dark, surrounded by walls of stone.
Legolas was pulled from his thoughts when he felt something small brush against his right side. He looked down to find the smallest hobbit, Pippin, looking up at him. After a quick glance at Gandalf, who was still muttering at the door, the hobbit looked back up at Legolas.
"Nothings happening." Legolas grinned slightly at the hobbit's words but said nothing. They both looked back at Gandalf in time to see him pushing at the door.
"I knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men and orcs," the wizard muttered, "Nothing works."
"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked.
Gandalf threw a glare over his shoulder at the hobbit, "Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took! And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words."
Pippin shifted his gaze to the ground guiltily. Legolas gently squeezed his shoulder, "Peace, Master Took," he whispered, "Meddled not in the affairs of wizards. They get ornery."
Gandalf heard Legolas' comment but chose to ignore it and continue working on getting the door open.
In the meantime, Boromir sat down to stay out of the wizard's way and to take a moment to rest. Aragorn was helping Sam unload the pony, seeing as they wouldn't be able to take him through the mines.
However, Aragorn's mind wasn't really on the task at hand. 'He seems to be doing really well with the hobbits…and they're practically children,' he thought, 'Maybe he would be good with…'
Aragorn stopped himself mid-thought. It wouldn't do any good to wonder about what may be or what might have been. Farothen was no longer a child. And Aragorn could never give Legolas back those lost years.
The ranger was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of a rock hitting the water. A stone Merry had thrown. Apparently the two hobbits had gotten bored.
Aragorn quickly reached out a hand to stop Pippin before he threw a stone as well. "Do not disturb the water," he told the hobbit urgently.
Just like children indeed. Although they could have learned some things from the big kid.
Gandalf threw his staff down on the ground while declaring, "Oh, it's useless." He then sat down next to Frodo to pout.
However, about this time, both Aragorn and Boromir stopped paying attention. They were too disturbed by something moving in the water. Vaguely they could hear Frodo talking in the background.
"It's a riddle," the hobbit declared, "Speak 'friend' and enter. What's the Elvish word for friend."
Legolas rolled his eyes inwardly. Of course it would be something as simple as that. Gandalf must feel like such a fool.
At least, that's what his tone indicated he felt like when he uttered the word 'Mellon' and the doors to Moria steadily rumbled open.
Everybody got up and hurried inside the mine with Aragorn and Boromir watching the pond nervously as they all piled in.
Personally, Legolas was feeling more nervous about entering the mine. As a wood elf, he was accustomed to wide open, airy places. The result was, mines naturally made the prince feel suffocated. And with the way Legolas had been feeling constantly ill lately, he had a bad feeling that a trip through the mines was going to be the worst he'd ever taken. And then, of course, Gimli had to go and make everything worse.
"soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves," Gimli stated with pride in his voice, "Roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone!"
Legolas felt his stomach suddenly lurch, both from Gimli's description and the horrid smell in the mines. 'Ai Elbereth,' Legolas thought, 'is Gimli just trying to get me back for that sarcastic remark I made outside the walls of Moria? If he is it's quite unfair of him.'
Legolas was so caught up in trying to keep what little was left in his stomach actually in there, he didn't notice Gimli was still talking. "This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin," Gimli continued as Gandalf placed a lighting stone on the top of his staff, "And they call it a mine. A mine!"
When Gandalf's lighted stone illuminated the entrance of Moria, Aragorn and Boromir noticed (with their warriors instincts already up) right away what it took Gimli a little longer to really see.
Dead bodies. Dead dwarf bodies.
"This is no mine," Boromir said gravely, "It's a tomb."
Boromir's words were a cure for Legolas' upset stomach as nothing else could be. The elf suddenly snapped to attention, taking in the scene.
He vaguely heard Gimli shouting mourningly, "Nooo!" as he grabbed an arrow from one of the corpses. Studying it for a moment, he then looked up at the two edain with an answer.
"Goblins," he said, quickly standing up and reaching back for his bow and an arrow. Stringing the arrow he looked around, as if expecting an attack at any moment.
Aragorn and Boromir drew their swords simultaneously and eyed their surroundings. Then Aragorn turned his glance sideways to Boromir, as if asking the younger man what he thought of the situation.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan," Boromir said, "We should never have come here."
The hobbits had somehow gotten behind the two edain and were already inching their way back through the doors when Boromir shouted, "Now get out of here. Get out!"
Before the elf and two edain could even bother to heed their own words, there was suddenly several things shouted from the hobbits as well as a loud commotion. Then Sam's voice rang out clear yelling, "Strider!"
The people in the mines turned their heads to see a long black tentacle wrapped around Frodo's foot, trying to drag him toward the water where it came from.
Merry and Pippin jumped forward and started pounding at the tentacle with their small swords. Miraculously, the action seemed to work and the tentacle receded back into the water.
They all should have known it was too easy.
Suddenly several tentacles came out of the water with a vengeance, to knock the three hobbits back and grab Frodo again. Frodo yelled in surprise as he was lifted into the air.
Aragorn ran out, followed closely by Boromir. Out of the corner of his eye the ranger saw the younger man motion for Legolas to stay back, saying something about covering them with his bow.
Aragorn caught Boromir's gaze, giving the Gondorian a thankful look. Boromir gave a quick nod to show he understood before throwing himself into battle with the Watcher. With a last glance back to make sure Legolas was safe, Aragorn joined Boromir in fighting the Watcher.
Legolas gave Boromir a meaningful glare as the adan told him to stay back. He didn't need to be protected. HE was an elf, a warrior. He could protect himself.
Still, catching the thankful look Aragorn threw the younger adan, Legolas decided he could let them play protector this once. Turning his gaze to the Watcher he loaded his bow and released the arrow, all in one smooth move, as the two men rushed into the water.
As the men continued to hack at the tentacles, Aragorn had to admit that Legolas covering them with his bow was a good idea. If nothing else, the arrow Legolas had shot off had gotten the Watcher to move Frodo away from its mouth.
Suddenly, Aragorn's sword hit the right tentacle and Frodo started falling. With horror, the ranger realized he wouldn't be able to catch the hobbit.
But Boromir would. The younger man actually managed to catch Frodo while still having his sword drawn.
However, there was no time for congratulating Boromir as Gandalf shouted, "Into the mines!"
They may have gotten the ring-bearer back, but the Watcher was in no way deterred.
"Legolas!" Boromir shouted as he carried Frodo to the shore and hurried into the mines.
Legolas reacted quickly by shooting off an arrow that caused the Watcher to back off, if only for a split second. Truthfully, he'd only vaguely heard Boromir's shout and had just been thinking that Aragorn was between Boromir and the Watcher. If that evil creature had decided to go on a killing spree, his beloved Estel would be the first to go.
Legolas broke out of his wonderings as Aragorn yelled, "Into the cave!"
Everyone did that, and just in time too.
For, as the Fellowship was running through the entrance of Moria, the Watcher reared up out of the water and attempted to follow the group into the mines. But because of its bulk, the only accomplishment the Watcher made was to cause the ceiling over the door to collapse.
The Fellowship stopped once they were out of range of the tentacles and falling rocks. Legolas jumped behind Aragorn at this point and placed a hand on the adan's shoulder. He needed some kind of physical verification that Estel was alright.
Then the last of the stones fell from the ceiling and plunged the mines and the Fellowship into darkness. Legolas instinctively gripped Aragorn's shoulder even tighter and grit his teeth. He already hated the oppressive feeling of the mines.
Just then Legolas became aware of a hand placing itself on top of his, where it still lay on Aragorn's shoulder, and giving a little squeeze of reassurance. Legolas smiled even though he knew Aragorn couldn't see him.
"We now have but one choice," Gandalf said from somewhere in the darkness. The wizard then lightly hit his staff on the ground and the stone at the top lit up. Legolas breathed a sigh of relief.
"We must face the long dark of Moria," Gandalf continued, walking forward to take his position as guide, "Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world."
Legolas instinctively looked over his shoulder at Gandalf's words, as if he was expecting something to come jumping out at him right then and there.
Aragorn had a different reaction. He looked over at Boromir with a weird look on his face.
Boromir returned the look with a mock grin of his own, "I don't think Gandalf was talking about me, Aragorn."
Aragorn gave a small shrug and grinned innocently, "Well, maybe not to everyone else."
The hobbits and Gimli started chuckling as Boromir gasped, "Were you just joking with me?"
Aragorn said nothing but he wasn't quite able to hide his grin. Legolas smiled, maybe the ranger was finally getting over his jealousy and beginning to trust the younger man.
Gandalf struggled not to chuckle as he said, "Quietly now. It's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope our presence may go unnoticed."
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Elvish translations…
Ernilneth: Young prince or princeling
Edain: Men or humans
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A/N: This chapter was originally supposed to be the whole trip through Moria but since it was already getting long we…and we didn't want to make our readers wait another whole week, we decided to cut it in half and break in into two parts.
A few more notes: We got a couple flames for another story and it seems one reviewer is 'ashamed' of us 'whoever' we are. Our answer to that is. We're not the least bit ashamed of ourselves so…we don't really care if she is. And the second seems to think Tolkien is rolling over in his grave because the story was slash…Our reply to that is (1) Let him roll, (2) If that's so then he's been rolling for a while. We aren't the first to write slash and we won't be the last.
And finally, we're beginning to think flamers really like what they're flaming but they don't want to admit it so to cover it up they flame.
Ok, that's the last of our notes. Sorry if we've offended anyone. We're just letting any possible future flamers know that they'll be wasting their time flaming us because we'll just be laughing when we read it.
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Now, to all our reviewers who are enjoying this story, there's only one question that seems to keep popping up…Is Legolas pregnant now? All I'm going to say is, there are…suspicions. It could just be sympathy symptoms. It's a temping possibility on our end. So tempting. We'll find out for sure in chapter 12, most likely, possibly 13, depending on how the next couple chapters go.
By the way, has anyone read 'Hunter's Jewel'? If not, check it out. I think it's one of our best. I obviously can't review it but…maybe you can.
Thanks for all the great reviews.
~Becky and Brina~
Now, enough wasting time. Hope you enjoy this update.
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Chapter 10
TA 3019 January 12 Evening
Almost the moment the Fellowship neared the bottom of Caradhras Legolas' nausea returned. Thankfully, Gandalf decided to call a halt for the night, giving Legolas a chance to excuse himself.
Mumbling some nonsense about looking around, the elf disappeared. Boromir and Gimli met each other's gaze, both recognizing the elf's lie for what it was.
Gandalf cleared his throat, claiming both the man and dwarf's attention. The wizard met Gimli's gaze before nodding toward the elf, his order clear. Keep an eye on the elf.
While Gimli followed the elf under the guise of searching for fire wood, Gandalf turned to Boromir and motioned in a direction a little to the side of where Legolas had went, "Boromir, there's a spring that way. There will be no source of fresh water once we enter Moria."
Standing, Boromir nodded, hearing the undercurrent of the wizard's words. He would be close enough to hear if the elf needed help, but far enough away to minimize Aragorn's penchant for jealousy.
Aragorn watched the elf disappear with a rather un-elflike shuffle to his step. He was worried about Legolas. He just didn't seem to be himself lately.
Boromir obviously knew something and that was a thorn in Aragorn's side. Legolas had confided in the man of Gondor instead of the man he claimed to love.
Still, in spite of that, Aragorn understood somewhat. Why would Legolas confide in someone who almost went out of his way to avoid him, as Aragorn had been the last month. At least Legolas had someone he was confiding in…even if it was the human Aragorn had personal issues with.
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Legolas sat down on a rock once he was out of sight of the Fellowship and sighed, taking a sip of water and hoping his roiling stomach didn't reject it. He sighed again when it actually settled his stomach a little.
Looking down Legolas pressed a hand to his lower abdomen. If you knew what to look for and where to look, his stomach had almost taken on a slight concave curve due to his daily rush to the bushes. He was slowly beginning to believe the stories he'd heard as a child about male elves…
The snap of a twig brought that thought to a halt and Legolas grinned wryly, "I do not need a babysitter, Son of Gloin. You can stop following me."
Gimli stalked into view, "I'm just followin' Gandalf's orders, laddie. I suggest ye take it up with him. Besides, I'm just searchin' for fire wood."
Legolas chuckled before taking another sip of water to calm his stomach even more before standing up, "Then allow me to help you search, mellon. We will find twice as much then."
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Gandalf nodded, satisfied, when Gimli and Legolas returned about half an hour later, both with an armful of wood. Catching the elf's eye he motioned him over. Obediently, Legolas walked over and sat down by him while Aragorn started a fire.
Gandalf studied Legolas for a moment, noticing that he didn't seem as pale as he had been, "Did the ginger root powder in your water work to calm your stomach, tithen-ernil?"
Legolas smiled slightly, "I should have known you did something, Gandalf. You slipped it into my water didn't you?"
The wizard gave a small huff, "I did no such thing, ernilneth. I merely gave it to Gimli when he filled the water skins before we climbed the mountain. He put it in your water."
Legolas sighed, "Well, either way I appreciate it, believe me."
"Would you like to discuss it? Gandalf asked, "This…illness you suffer."
Legolas glanced over at the Fellowship. Aragorn had gotten the fire started and Sam was cooking for everyone. He turned back to Gandalf, "Not yet. When we get to Lothlorien and can speak alone, I promise, we'll talk then."
Gandalf nodded, "Alright. Now, I suggest you remain upwind of Sam while he's cooking. Or you may find yourself rushing off with your hand over your mouth."
That said the wizard got to his feet, gently squeezed Legolas' shoulder, then went to get some dinner. Legolas took one look at the food and paled. Food was out of the question for tonight.
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By evening of the next day they'd reached Moria. Gimli pointed with an awed gasp, "The walls of Moria."
As the Fellowship continued along single file between a wall of rock and a dark pool of water the dwarf gave a slight nod, as if agreeing with himself as he said, "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed."
At the head of the line Gandalf spoke up, "Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten."
Legolas, walking a step behind Gimli, rolled his eyes skyward and mumbled, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
Gimli looked up at the elf out of the corner of his eye and growled under his breath just as the Fellowship reached the Moria door. Gandalf stopped and ran his hands over the door.
"Ithildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." The wizard looked up at the sky as the moon appeared from behind some clouds, as if by his will alone. The outline of a door started to appear in the mountain wall.
Gandalf used his staff to point out the words as he read it, "It reads 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, Friend, and enter'."
Merry cocked a brow, "What do you suppose that means?"
"Oh, it's quite simple." Gandalf declared, "If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open."
While Gandalf spoke various possible words and phrases in Sindarin and Quenya, with no result, Legolas closed his eyes. He didn't want to enter Moria. He feared it, possibly even more that Gandalf did. It was no secret elves were uncomfortable in the dark, surrounded by walls of stone.
Legolas was pulled from his thoughts when he felt something small brush against his right side. He looked down to find the smallest hobbit, Pippin, looking up at him. After a quick glance at Gandalf, who was still muttering at the door, the hobbit looked back up at Legolas.
"Nothings happening." Legolas grinned slightly at the hobbit's words but said nothing. They both looked back at Gandalf in time to see him pushing at the door.
"I knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men and orcs," the wizard muttered, "Nothing works."
"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked.
Gandalf threw a glare over his shoulder at the hobbit, "Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took! And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words."
Pippin shifted his gaze to the ground guiltily. Legolas gently squeezed his shoulder, "Peace, Master Took," he whispered, "Meddled not in the affairs of wizards. They get ornery."
Gandalf heard Legolas' comment but chose to ignore it and continue working on getting the door open.
In the meantime, Boromir sat down to stay out of the wizard's way and to take a moment to rest. Aragorn was helping Sam unload the pony, seeing as they wouldn't be able to take him through the mines.
However, Aragorn's mind wasn't really on the task at hand. 'He seems to be doing really well with the hobbits…and they're practically children,' he thought, 'Maybe he would be good with…'
Aragorn stopped himself mid-thought. It wouldn't do any good to wonder about what may be or what might have been. Farothen was no longer a child. And Aragorn could never give Legolas back those lost years.
The ranger was broken out of his thoughts by the sound of a rock hitting the water. A stone Merry had thrown. Apparently the two hobbits had gotten bored.
Aragorn quickly reached out a hand to stop Pippin before he threw a stone as well. "Do not disturb the water," he told the hobbit urgently.
Just like children indeed. Although they could have learned some things from the big kid.
Gandalf threw his staff down on the ground while declaring, "Oh, it's useless." He then sat down next to Frodo to pout.
However, about this time, both Aragorn and Boromir stopped paying attention. They were too disturbed by something moving in the water. Vaguely they could hear Frodo talking in the background.
"It's a riddle," the hobbit declared, "Speak 'friend' and enter. What's the Elvish word for friend."
Legolas rolled his eyes inwardly. Of course it would be something as simple as that. Gandalf must feel like such a fool.
At least, that's what his tone indicated he felt like when he uttered the word 'Mellon' and the doors to Moria steadily rumbled open.
Everybody got up and hurried inside the mine with Aragorn and Boromir watching the pond nervously as they all piled in.
Personally, Legolas was feeling more nervous about entering the mine. As a wood elf, he was accustomed to wide open, airy places. The result was, mines naturally made the prince feel suffocated. And with the way Legolas had been feeling constantly ill lately, he had a bad feeling that a trip through the mines was going to be the worst he'd ever taken. And then, of course, Gimli had to go and make everything worse.
"soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves," Gimli stated with pride in his voice, "Roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone!"
Legolas felt his stomach suddenly lurch, both from Gimli's description and the horrid smell in the mines. 'Ai Elbereth,' Legolas thought, 'is Gimli just trying to get me back for that sarcastic remark I made outside the walls of Moria? If he is it's quite unfair of him.'
Legolas was so caught up in trying to keep what little was left in his stomach actually in there, he didn't notice Gimli was still talking. "This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin," Gimli continued as Gandalf placed a lighting stone on the top of his staff, "And they call it a mine. A mine!"
When Gandalf's lighted stone illuminated the entrance of Moria, Aragorn and Boromir noticed (with their warriors instincts already up) right away what it took Gimli a little longer to really see.
Dead bodies. Dead dwarf bodies.
"This is no mine," Boromir said gravely, "It's a tomb."
Boromir's words were a cure for Legolas' upset stomach as nothing else could be. The elf suddenly snapped to attention, taking in the scene.
He vaguely heard Gimli shouting mourningly, "Nooo!" as he grabbed an arrow from one of the corpses. Studying it for a moment, he then looked up at the two edain with an answer.
"Goblins," he said, quickly standing up and reaching back for his bow and an arrow. Stringing the arrow he looked around, as if expecting an attack at any moment.
Aragorn and Boromir drew their swords simultaneously and eyed their surroundings. Then Aragorn turned his glance sideways to Boromir, as if asking the younger man what he thought of the situation.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan," Boromir said, "We should never have come here."
The hobbits had somehow gotten behind the two edain and were already inching their way back through the doors when Boromir shouted, "Now get out of here. Get out!"
Before the elf and two edain could even bother to heed their own words, there was suddenly several things shouted from the hobbits as well as a loud commotion. Then Sam's voice rang out clear yelling, "Strider!"
The people in the mines turned their heads to see a long black tentacle wrapped around Frodo's foot, trying to drag him toward the water where it came from.
Merry and Pippin jumped forward and started pounding at the tentacle with their small swords. Miraculously, the action seemed to work and the tentacle receded back into the water.
They all should have known it was too easy.
Suddenly several tentacles came out of the water with a vengeance, to knock the three hobbits back and grab Frodo again. Frodo yelled in surprise as he was lifted into the air.
Aragorn ran out, followed closely by Boromir. Out of the corner of his eye the ranger saw the younger man motion for Legolas to stay back, saying something about covering them with his bow.
Aragorn caught Boromir's gaze, giving the Gondorian a thankful look. Boromir gave a quick nod to show he understood before throwing himself into battle with the Watcher. With a last glance back to make sure Legolas was safe, Aragorn joined Boromir in fighting the Watcher.
Legolas gave Boromir a meaningful glare as the adan told him to stay back. He didn't need to be protected. HE was an elf, a warrior. He could protect himself.
Still, catching the thankful look Aragorn threw the younger adan, Legolas decided he could let them play protector this once. Turning his gaze to the Watcher he loaded his bow and released the arrow, all in one smooth move, as the two men rushed into the water.
As the men continued to hack at the tentacles, Aragorn had to admit that Legolas covering them with his bow was a good idea. If nothing else, the arrow Legolas had shot off had gotten the Watcher to move Frodo away from its mouth.
Suddenly, Aragorn's sword hit the right tentacle and Frodo started falling. With horror, the ranger realized he wouldn't be able to catch the hobbit.
But Boromir would. The younger man actually managed to catch Frodo while still having his sword drawn.
However, there was no time for congratulating Boromir as Gandalf shouted, "Into the mines!"
They may have gotten the ring-bearer back, but the Watcher was in no way deterred.
"Legolas!" Boromir shouted as he carried Frodo to the shore and hurried into the mines.
Legolas reacted quickly by shooting off an arrow that caused the Watcher to back off, if only for a split second. Truthfully, he'd only vaguely heard Boromir's shout and had just been thinking that Aragorn was between Boromir and the Watcher. If that evil creature had decided to go on a killing spree, his beloved Estel would be the first to go.
Legolas broke out of his wonderings as Aragorn yelled, "Into the cave!"
Everyone did that, and just in time too.
For, as the Fellowship was running through the entrance of Moria, the Watcher reared up out of the water and attempted to follow the group into the mines. But because of its bulk, the only accomplishment the Watcher made was to cause the ceiling over the door to collapse.
The Fellowship stopped once they were out of range of the tentacles and falling rocks. Legolas jumped behind Aragorn at this point and placed a hand on the adan's shoulder. He needed some kind of physical verification that Estel was alright.
Then the last of the stones fell from the ceiling and plunged the mines and the Fellowship into darkness. Legolas instinctively gripped Aragorn's shoulder even tighter and grit his teeth. He already hated the oppressive feeling of the mines.
Just then Legolas became aware of a hand placing itself on top of his, where it still lay on Aragorn's shoulder, and giving a little squeeze of reassurance. Legolas smiled even though he knew Aragorn couldn't see him.
"We now have but one choice," Gandalf said from somewhere in the darkness. The wizard then lightly hit his staff on the ground and the stone at the top lit up. Legolas breathed a sigh of relief.
"We must face the long dark of Moria," Gandalf continued, walking forward to take his position as guide, "Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world."
Legolas instinctively looked over his shoulder at Gandalf's words, as if he was expecting something to come jumping out at him right then and there.
Aragorn had a different reaction. He looked over at Boromir with a weird look on his face.
Boromir returned the look with a mock grin of his own, "I don't think Gandalf was talking about me, Aragorn."
Aragorn gave a small shrug and grinned innocently, "Well, maybe not to everyone else."
The hobbits and Gimli started chuckling as Boromir gasped, "Were you just joking with me?"
Aragorn said nothing but he wasn't quite able to hide his grin. Legolas smiled, maybe the ranger was finally getting over his jealousy and beginning to trust the younger man.
Gandalf struggled not to chuckle as he said, "Quietly now. It's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope our presence may go unnoticed."
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Elvish translations…
Ernilneth: Young prince or princeling
Edain: Men or humans
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A/N: This chapter was originally supposed to be the whole trip through Moria but since it was already getting long we…and we didn't want to make our readers wait another whole week, we decided to cut it in half and break in into two parts.
A few more notes: We got a couple flames for another story and it seems one reviewer is 'ashamed' of us 'whoever' we are. Our answer to that is. We're not the least bit ashamed of ourselves so…we don't really care if she is. And the second seems to think Tolkien is rolling over in his grave because the story was slash…Our reply to that is (1) Let him roll, (2) If that's so then he's been rolling for a while. We aren't the first to write slash and we won't be the last.
And finally, we're beginning to think flamers really like what they're flaming but they don't want to admit it so to cover it up they flame.
Ok, that's the last of our notes. Sorry if we've offended anyone. We're just letting any possible future flamers know that they'll be wasting their time flaming us because we'll just be laughing when we read it.
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Now, to all our reviewers who are enjoying this story, there's only one question that seems to keep popping up…Is Legolas pregnant now? All I'm going to say is, there are…suspicions. It could just be sympathy symptoms. It's a temping possibility on our end. So tempting. We'll find out for sure in chapter 12, most likely, possibly 13, depending on how the next couple chapters go.
By the way, has anyone read 'Hunter's Jewel'? If not, check it out. I think it's one of our best. I obviously can't review it but…maybe you can.
Thanks for all the great reviews.
~Becky and Brina~