Mystic Archery Peanut Butter Horse: Don't worry about having not reviewed for a while. I thank you for taking the time out to even read and review this story. Aria DeLoncray: So you want to know how old Aleyna is then. Well I guess she was about twenty when she was transported, but even she doesn't know how old she is here. And finally someone who likes Tysan!
Italics is either thought, or in the case of Tysan, an internal conversation.
Chapter 9 Snow is Falling
The fellowship began to try to traverse the mountain proper. Now it was starting to get cold, and Aleyna was feeling it as much as she had the harsh winter of her home. She had jammed her gloves on her hands as soon as they started to get cold, due to the fact that if her hands were frozen when she put the gloves on her hands would still be freezing.
Tysan and Legolas seemed the only ones not to be affected by the cold, nor encumbered by the snow. Aleyna could manage the walking on the snow bit, but she couldn't seem to manage to keep warm, and she had now wound a warm scarf around her nose and mouth as well as pulling the fur lined hood of her cloak around her face. This was much to the amusement of a one.
"You're an elf, you shouldn't feel the cold," Legolas teased.
"Correction half elf and I hate cold," Aleyna scowled from within her hood.
"Fine be difficult," Legolas sighed as he moved off.
"Be difficult? I can be difficult, when I'm warm," Aleyna muttered.
"I heard that," Legolas tossed back.
"I'll give you something to hear in a minute," Aleyna sulked.
"Don't worry, he's always like this," Tysan comforted.
"What annoyingly perky when it's cold, and feels they've slept enough?" Aleyna questioned.
"No not that," Tysan shook her head.
"Well what then?" Aleyna asked in a foul mood.
"Just the whole package," Tysan twirled away, catching a snowflake in her outstretched palm.
"What about a snowball fight?" Pippin queried innocently.
"No!" Gandalf, Legolas, Aragorn and Aleyna all exclaimed heavily.
"What changed your mind?" Legolas queried of Aleyna.
"He asks what changed my mind," Aleyna talked to the air.
Legolas shook his head before wandering off again. He wondered what was wrong with Aleyna today; she seemed to be all prickles whereas before she had been sweetness and light. Perhaps this was the darker side of her nature, when she was tired and cold. Legolas shook his head; it seemed she was having trouble with this journey. He wondered if she should have come, things could only get worse. He wouldn't tell her he was thinking that though, it would only make her think that she was right in protesting her coming. Of course there was always a little tiredness on long journeys like these.
Tysan was floating along quite happily, catching snowflakes before naming them. My god, you're naming snowflakes, her father lamented the loss of her sanity. And I shall name you Snowie, she told a snowflake in defiance to her father. And what will you name me? Her father asked her in mocking tones. Lots of things, none of which I'm going to indulge by telling you, Tysan answered. Well be that way, the Witchking answered sharply, before promptly disappearing.
Tysan smiled over her small victory. One small step for Tysan, one giant leap for her sanity, the other voice at the back of her head disturbed her. Don't you start, Tysan growled warningly. Miraculously after that all voices left her alone, allowing her to walk for once in perfect silence. Now if only we could get rid of this snowstorm…Tysan thought to herself.
Aleyna was trudging along, although she had finally managed to get rid of her scarf and hood, as she had been persuaded she didn't need them, and strangely enough, once she had taken them off she felt no need for them. She had refused to take her gloves off; she still wanted to keep something that linked her to her former life and her hate of cold. She also argued that her hands were warm enough with them on, so why should she take them off?
"Are you always this stubborn!" Legolas eventually cried in exasperation.
"Or is it just you?" Aleyna asked, finally enjoying herself.
"I go with the second option." Tysan called from up the front.
"Seriously, it's because I'm stubborn. And you're really brave putting up with me," Aleyna kissed Legolas quickly on the cheek.
Legolas stopped, momentarily stunned by that simple touch of Aleyna's skin on his. The electric bolt that had shot through his body surprised him completely. Eventually Aleyna had to come back and drag him forward, he was standing that still, much to the amusement of Gimli and the hobbits. Aragorn just arched his eyebrows at his friend's out of character behaviour. Tysan shrugged and continued floating perilously close to the edge.
Tysan could still hear the voices, even though she had huddled deep within the hood of her cloak, hoping to block her ears with the fabric. That didn't seem to work, and so she retreated deep within her mind, not even watching where she was floating. If she tripped or some other silly thing then she would surely be caught by someone, they wouldn't let her die would they? Would they?
The answer was she didn't know anymore. Before she knew what she was, who she was and where she stood. Now things had changed, not just within her, but outside of her. She felt that events outside of her control had been set in motion, and that she was only one small piece in a board that had been set across the whole world. The pieces had begun to move. Whatever it was it was beginning.
Aleyna shivered, as she listened to the wind as it whipped around her. There seemed to be a male voice, saying something in a language she didn't understand. It was strange; as he talked the storm seemed to be getting worse and worse. Whereas the snowfall had started off light it was now falling thick and fast. Aleyna squinted through the snow, trying to see ahead of her.
A glance behind her showed that everyone who couldn't walk on the snow were having trouble forcing a path for themselves through the snow. As Aleyna stumbled slightly she thought, even those who can walk on snow are having trouble in this weather. Something seemed strange and unusual about the storm, there was a coppery taste on the air, and Aleyna was probably the only one who tasted it.
"There is a fell voice on the air," Legolas called above the wind.
"Quick to catch on isn't her?" Tysan queried as she floated over to her sister, "We figured that out ages ago"
"It's Saruman!" Gandalf exclaimed.
At that exact same moment a small avalanche started. Aleyna grabbed Tysan's arm and lunged back against the sheer rock face, just to avoid the snowfall. Tysan glared from inside her mouth, and Aleyna could swear she was going to reply with some stinging remark, but then she saw the avalanche, and quietly subsided, her eyes glittering from within her mask.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!" Aragorn shouted above the roaring wind.
"No!" Gandalf shouted in answer.
"This is madness to stay here!" Aleyna shouted across to Tysan as Gandalf launched into a spell.
"Not quite madness!" Tysan shouted back, her eyes glittering with a smile.
At that moment another lighting bolt struck, and a resounding crack sounded as another avalanche rumbled down the mountain. Aleyna looked to Legolas, who was pulling Gandalf back against the wall. Their eyes met fro a brief second, before the snow crashed down on top of them. As Aleyna began to scramble out for air she felt like she was encased in a white blanket, everything seemed muffled.
And then the hand that she had managed to push out the snow was given a sharp tug and she emerged from the snow, gasping for air, much as one does when one had been underwater for a long time. Her eyes locked with those blue ones of Legolas and she smiled to herself. Would it always be him that came to her rescue? In fact it was rather annoying that he always seemed to, Aleyna was starting to worry she was turning into a damsel in distress.
"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" Boromir shouted.
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isenguard!" Aragorn shouted back.
"Does anyone else have any bright ideas?" Tysan muttered so only Aleyna could hear who stifled a giggle with her hand.
"If we cannot pass over a mountain, let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria," Gimli said.
"No we can't," Aleyna gasped, some long dead memory flashing through her mind.
"Why not?" Tysan demanded.
"I don't know, I can't remember," Aleyna looked frustrated.
"Let the Ring bearer decide," Gandalf spoke, even as Aleyna closed her eyes and prayed, somehow already knowing the outcome.
"We cannot stay here! It will be the death of the hobbits!" Boromir tried to force Frodo's decision.
"Frodo?" Gandalf asked gently.
"We will go through the mines," Frodo finally spoke.
"So be it," Gandalf looked grave as he said those few words.
Aleyna cried out silently. She knew something was wrong, that they shouldn't be taking that road. Her head and heart were screaming at her as she began to move. All her nerves were alert for something, anything. She couldn't settle herself however much she tried. She tried to breathe whilst counting, but that didn't work. In the end she gave up, and decided to let her instincts lead her.
Which wasn't the best idea, since her instincts were telling her to run in the opposite direction as fast as she could, away from their destination. Preferably she would like to take the fellowship with her when she ran, if they didn't it was their loss. Something in Aleyna stirred and called her a coward, saying that she should face whatever was in front of her with courage and fortitude, proving she was her father's daughter. Aleyna shut that voice up by saying she was not a coward, she just had a good sense of self preservation.
"You just keep telling yourself that, and you might start believing it." Aleyna muttered to herself, before laughing bitterly. "Believe in what?" Legolas enquired a look on confusion written on his face.
Aleyna looked up, a sharp retort on her lips. It died though, when she saw that Legolas' face was only filled with concern. Instead she sighed and shook her head, before walking off. Legolas fell into step with her. Aleyna found that she was strangely content with just knowing that she was in Legolas' company, when there was no need for her to talk if she didn't want to, or there was no need for her to pretend to be something she wasn't.
Aleyna sighed again, this time more heavily. She didn't know what was wrong with her, or why she was so gloomy. Perhaps it was because she was meant to somehow help Middle Earth in its hour of need? Come on, she was a normal twenty year old girl from earth for god's sakes! She wasn't some valiant warrior who had trained for years; she had trained for only a few months. Yes, she had talent, but she didn't know if she knew enough to keep herself alive in a fight, or if she could fight the real monsters.
"You're worrying again," Legolas smiled slightly sadly at Aleyna, who frowned.
"I can't help it, "she protested weakly.
Legolas shook his head. He would never understand that woman. He could often tell what she was feeling; she had a wonderfully expressive face. And yet she could be so closed about how she was feeling, she rarely talked about it, or if she did she would begin in such a way that you never knew she was talking about them. Sometimes you would never know that she was even talking about her problems, she would twist it so.
"It just doesn't feel right!" Aleyna exploded after a few moments of silence.
Legolas smiled to himself. There were the other times when she couldn't keep her feelings in. He had a nagging feeling that if he just waited then perhaps she would tell him more. And she had. He didn't answer; he just carried on walking silently, and waiting for her to talk to him. If he talked she would just not talk, she was so like a deer in that respect, you just had to give her time.
"Do you like being in mines?" Aleyna asked her head placed slightly on one side.
"No," Legolas calmly replied, although he longed to sigh in exasperation.
Why oh why could she not just say what was on her mind? Why did she have to take such roundabout routes? Taking a deep breath Legolas tried again. He would have to be more patient with Aleyna; she couldn't just come out and say these things because she never could talk about them before. He wondered what it was like going through difficult phases in your life with no one to talk to.
"Well I don't normally mind, but, I've been getting this feeling… and… I don't think we're going the right way," Aleyna blurted out so quickly that it was hard to understand what she was saying.
Legolas didn't know how to react. Aleyna was admitting to him that she scared, and he didn't know what to say. Aleyna looked to him for reassurance, but he felt that he couldn't give it. After she realised that, her brows met in a small frown, and there was sadness in her eyes. She turned and walked off, her shoulders slightly hunched in dejection.
For some inexplicable reason Legolas felt a stabbing pain in his chest. To see Aleyna hurt was bad enough for him, but to know that it was him who had caused it hurt him almost more than he could bear. He resolved later on to see what she wanted, and perhaps give her some of the reassurance that she so obviously needed.
Later on, when they stopped to make camp Legolas went and sat next to Aleyna. She sat apart from the group, and wasn't actively seeking any company from anyone, although she normally would. She looked round as he sat down, and the pain from earlier was still visible, although she had begun to hide it away like she normally did. When she saw who it was her face hardened slightly.
"I suppose you've come to laugh at me about earlier," Aleyna declared a bitter smile twisting her features.
"Why would I want to do that?" Legolas asked, confused at his companion's sudden change in manner.
"I don't know, but earlier on, why didn't you say something?" Aleyna demanded, turning to face Legolas properly.
"Because I didn't know what to say," Legolas answered.
"What would have helped is if you had told me that I was being silly, trusting my feelings like that," Aleyna sighed slightly.
"That's not true though," Aleyna frowned slightly at this.
"What's not true?" Aleyna asked confused.
"You're not wrong to trust your feelings," Legolas explained.
"Oh great. We're going towards somewhere that my feelings are telling me not to go," Aleyna smiled slightly at this.
"I promise I'll protect you," Legolas spoke gently.
"It's not me I'm worried about," Aleyna muttered darkly.
"I'll look after you all the same," Legolas stood and left Aleyna to take the first watch.
Author's note: So here we are another chapter in this story. I would like to thank everyone who reads this, it means a lot to me. And it means even more if you take the time to review. Thank you.