A Stranger In The Woods

Chapter 16: Reaching Moria

Katie took a plate and went back to her spot on the grass, bothered by the ranger's words. Could it be that Legolas was lonely? The thought had never occurred to her until now. In a way, it made sense. A person could only live so long before craving intimacy with another. Of course, Legolas was an elf. Elves might be different.

She considered this as she ate and wondered why he wasn't married. 'Women must throw themselves at his feet,' she thought with a smirk. He was handsome and a Prince. They'd be idiots not to.

'And speaking of being a Prince, doesn't he have to marry?' She wondered. 'To secure an heir to the throne and whatnot?'

The thought of some beautiful, perfect Elven woman having Legolas' child make her sick to her stomach. If there was one thing she wanted in life, one thing she wished for above all else, it was to have children. Even just one would be better than none, which Katie knew was the number she was destined to have. She didn't know if she believed in fate, but if it did exist, then fate was cruel. Fate decided to deny her the only thing she'd ever truly wanted: Children.

'Yes,' she thought, unable to stop the bitter smile that crept on her face. "Fate is cruel and life is ironic." Not that she had found anything ironic in her situation when she discovered at the innocent age of 15 that she couldn't have children. That the reason she hadn't had her period was because she couldn't have her period. She was born without ovaries. The irony wasn't apparent until 8 years later when her mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She was dead within months and even in the midst of grieving, Katie could appreciate the irony of it all. Her mom had died from the thing she wanted most. Her ovaries.

Legolas sat down beside her, literally startling her out of her thoughts.

"You look deep in thought," he stated.

Katie shoved a huge bite in her mouth so she wouldn't have to reply. 'I'm glad he can't read my mind.'

"Are you angry with me?" He asked suddenly, sounding rather hurt.

Katie nearly choked on her food. "Me!" She exclaimed, once she was able to swallow. "You are the one who's been ignoring me all day. I think this is the first time you've spoken to me."

Legolas studied his hands, looking properly abashed.

'He also looks nervous,' Katie realized with a start. She had never seen Legolas nervous. She shoved the last bite of dinner into her mouth and wondered what was bothering him.

"Why did you and Aragorn go off by yourselves?" He asked suddenly, and this time Katie actually did choke on her food. Legolas clapped her on the back several times until she coughed it up.

"Are you alright?" He asked, looking slightly amused.

Katie sputtered. "For the love of Elbereth, you nearly killed me Legolas!"

She heard him chuckle as she coughed, trying to regain her composure. They were both silent for several minutes.

"You were wrong." She said suddenly. She had to tell Legolas the truth. She couldn't let him go on thinking Aragorn liked her in that way. "Aragorn said he doesn't see me as anything besides a friend."

"You asked him?" Legolas sounded shocked.

"Of course I did. I had to know."

Legolas shook his head. "You never fail to surprise me Miss Bennett," he admitted softly.

She smiled. "And you, Prince, never fail to confuse me." It was true. He was a difficult man to figure out. Or elf as it was.

He turned to her, studying her closely. She pretended not to notice. "What about me confuses you?" He asked seriously. "What do you not understand?"

Katie smiled. 'That's a loaded question.' She wondered how he'd react if she told him the truth. Everything about him made her confused.

"Are you saying I can ask you anything?" She teased, hoping to make him as uncomfortable as possible.

He hesitated. "Ask me what you wish."

'What I wish?' she thought with a smirk. He'd be mortified if he knew what she wished. Still, she did have a list questions she wanted him to answer. Questions like: How old are you? How did your mom die? What's you father like? Why did you join the fellowship? How many women have you been with? Have you ever been in love?

Those would have to wait. There was one question she was dying to ask.

"Why aren't you married?" She asked bluntly.

Legolas looked away. "I do not know." He answered honestly. "I suppose I haven't found a woman who I could see myself with for the rest of my life."

Katie took a minute to absorb his words. "So, you haven't ever been in love?"

He gave her a wry look. "I was only able to ask you one question," he reminded her. Katie thought about it. Actually, he had asked her if she was a spy, then he had asked if she truly came from a different place, a different world. He laughed when she told him as much.

"Alright," He turned serious again. "The answer is no. I have not been in love."

"Oh." Katie didn't know why, but she was surprised at his admission. She thought for sure he would have been in love at least once during his long life.

"Have you?" He shocked her with his blunt question.

Just then Gandalf announced it time to continue and Katie let out a breath, glad for the interruption. She started to stand and was halted by a hand on her arm. It was Legolas.

"Have you?" He asked again. He had to know.

She shook his hand off and rose to her feet. "You've already had your two questions." She reminded him with a forced smile.

Legolas frowned as he watched her walk away, his question answered. She might not tell him yes or no, but the under laying hurt and tension in her voice gave him all the answer he needed. Yes, she had been in love before. And whoever it was broke her heart.

He rose to his feet, still frowning, and joined the group.

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They didn't reach the walls of Moria until long after the sun had set. Katie walked behind Gimli as the group searched for the doors.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli said proudly as he knocked his axe against the stone.

"Yes Gimli- even there own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten," Gandalf spoke up from the front.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas muttered, loud enough for the dwarf to hear.

Katie laughed as she heard Gimli growl in annoyance. 'It serves him right to get teased after all the things he's done to me.' She didn't bother searching for the door. She knew Gandalf would find it eventually. She was worried about the guardian though, and eyed the black water nervously. 'Maybe I can keep the hobbits from waking it up,' she hoped.

Sure enough, several minutes later Gandalf spied the door and began wiping the dust and dirt from the edges to get a better look. The moon chose that moment to emerge from behind the clouds and almost magically, the doors appeared, shining brightly. Everyone looked on in fascination as Gandalf translated the writing at the top.

"It reads: The doors of Durin- Lord of Moria- Speak friend and enter."

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked curiously.

"Well, it's quite simple," Gandalf answered. "If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open."

He held his staff up to the doors and spoke loudly in a foreign tongue. Everyone held their breath. Nothing happened.

The wizard tried again, using different words. Still nothing.

"Nothing's happening." Pippin said- stating the obvious.

Katie had to bite her lip to keep from smiling. 'That hobbit is going to get in trouble if he doesn't watch it.'

Gandalf walked to the glowing doors and attempted to push them open. Katie watched him as he stood there, muttering something under his breath. Part of her wanted to yell out the password, anxious to be away from the creature in the water. The other part wondered if things weren't better left alone. 'Everything works out in the end,' she reminded herself.

'Well, except for Boromir dying,' she realized with a frown. 'Maybe things aren't better left alone,' she argued internally.

"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked the wizard, oblivious to the frowns he was receiving.

"Knock your head against these doors Peregrin Took, and if that does not shatter them, than I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions."

"I will try to find the opening words," Gandalf sighed, sounding tired.

Katie sat down on a rock, a sick feeling of dread in her stomach. She knew there was nothing else to do except wait for Frodo to solve the riddle. She helped unpack Bill and turn him loose, she even stopped the hobbits from throwing rocks, but still the feeling persisted.

'It's already awake,' she realized suddenly. She saw a ripple distort the smooth glassiness of the water and knew she was right. It had been awake all along. Awake and listening, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

She saw Frodo stand and took a deep breath, preparing herself for what was about to happen.

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Legolas twirled his bow absentmindedly as he stared up at the night sky, lost in his thoughts. A part of him wanted to ignore Katie's warnings and look at things rationally. Follow logic as he had his entire life. It simply was not logical that a woman from a different world, as she claimed to be, could know their future. It was not rational that she could know every detail of something that had not happened.

'Yet, she is not lying.' He knew this instinctively. He saw it in her eyes, heard it in her voice. She was telling the truth. 'At least the truth as she sees it.' He still had not ruled out the possibility that she might be somewhat crazy.

He glanced over to where she sat, studying her closely. 'She does not appear crazy,' he thought with a frown. Of course, he had never actually met a crazy person, so he had nothing to judge her against.

'She looks scared,' he realized, noticing her large eyes and nervous glances at the water behind them. Just then Frodo spoke, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"What's the elvish word for friend?" The hobbit asked Gandalf.

"Mellon," Gandalf answered. Legolas sucked in a breath as the doors began to open. He followed the wizard into the mines cautiously, recalling Katie's words.

"Soon, master elf- you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves." Gimli told him as the made their way inside. "Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone!"

"This, my friend is the home of my cousin Balin," the dwarf continued proudly. "And they call it a mine!" Gimli rumbled with laughter. "A mine!"

Gandalf's staff lit up the dark room and Legolas was shocked at what he saw. Skeletons. Dozens of them. Dwarf warriors. He looked over at Katie in amazement- she had known all along.

Boromir spoke. "This is no mine, it's a tomb."

"No!" Gimli cried as he noticed the bodies. "Nooooo!"

Legolas bent and removed an arrow from one of the skeletons. He recognized the marks. "Goblins," he hissed. He quickly threw the arrow to the floor and readied his bow.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan." Boromir said quietly. "We should never have come here."

"Now get out of here," the man cried. "Get out!"

Legolas ran over to Katie and touched her shoulder. She jumped and let out a startled cry. "Stay close to me." He commanded. Thankfully, she didn't argue.

"Aragorn!" Came Sam's cry from outside.

Legolas quickly ran to help the hobbits, his eyes widening as they took in the creature attacking him. 'It is just as Katie described it,' he realized as he shot an arrow into the beast.

Around him, everyone jumped into action, trying to free Frodo from the monsters grasp. Legolas shot arrow after arrow into its slimy flesh but it still did not release the hobbit.

Aragorn severed the huge tentacles with his sword, not stopping until he chopped Frodo down. Boromir caught the hobbit in his arms and carried him out of the murky water.

"Into the mines!" Gandalf shouted.

"Legolas!" Boromir cried as he ran for the caves. Legolas expertly shot the creature in the head and heard it scream in pain. He turned and helped Frodo to his feet.

"Run!" Someone yelled as the monster crawled after them.

They all ran as fast as they could into the darkness. Legolas found Katie and pulled her close just as the walls collapsed behind them.

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A/N: Well, there to Moria. What do you think? What did you think of Legolas' confession that he had never been in love? Surprised? Look for another chapter soon!

Katie-sue