Chapter 3 – Mortal Peril at the Mines of Moria
That day they walked for ages and finally reached the Mines of Moria in the evening. For once, Angel was silent on Avalon's back, not even talking to Legolas. His heart was sorrowful to lose her conversation.
"What do you suppose is wrong with her?" he said to Aragorn on the walk.
"I dunno," shrugged Aragorn, "Maybe it's her time of the month or something. She is beautiful though… far more beautiful than Arwen. I wonder whether she's single…"
"Melon nin," said Legolas in surprise, slightly stung by jealousy.
"What?" said Aragorn defensively, "Arwen's dad is a complete jerk… Angel's dad is dead. Less trouble, eh?" he laughed. Legolas sighed and stormed off. Humans could be so stupid…
At the Gates of Moria, there was trouble because Gandalf didn't have the key to the doors. Luckily, however, Angel remembered the opening word. "Melon!" she shouted, and they swung open.
"How did you know that?" said Gandalf in wonder, "Even I'd forgotten."
"The mind gets senile in old age," laughed Angel teasingly, "The Force told me… the Force knows all."
"The Force sounds mighty powerful," said Pippin, "Almost as mighty as mushrooms!"
Everyone started going into the caves. Angel hung back momentarily. "Are you all right?" asked Legolas, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Yes," said Angel, but she couldn't completely hide the fear in her voice.
"You don't need to come in with us," said Legolas.
"I'm not scared!" insisted Angel angrily.
"It's all right," said Legolas, "Bravery is not the absence of fear, but rather the conquering of it. And you obviously had a good reason to be afraid."
Angel's eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him. "I've been taught that fear is weakness," she said shakily, "I've never been allowed to be afraid."
"Fear is not weakness," said Legolas, and gave her a hug. Angel hugged him back hard, tears falling into his golden hair. For Legolas, it was one of the happiest moments in his long life… he had the girl that he loved in his arms, and he wished he would never have to let her go.
But finally Angel broke the embrace. "Thank you," she said quietly, "But I will not abandon the Ring… whatever risk it poses to myself."
"See," said Legolas, "You are brave." Angel smiled. Suddenly she froze. "What is it?" asked Legolas worriedly.
"I sense something…" she said fearfully, and looked back to the lake. Frodo was just walking away from the shore, and she saw a tentacle winding out of the water.
"FRODO!" she cried, and running forwards, pushed him out of the way. He flew forwards, and the tentacle instead closed around Angel's ankle, and pulled her into the air.
"ANGEL!" yelled Legolas, running forwards and fitting an arrow to his bowstring in the blink of an eye. Pulling it taut, he looked for a target, but could not shoot the tentacle holding Angel for fear of hitting her.
Normally, Angel would have been able to free herself easily, but the tentacle pinned Angel's arms to her side, meaning that she couldn't get her lightsaber. The squid thing raised its head above the water and roared at her. "Legolas! Help me!" she screamed.
"Hang on!" shouted Legolas.
"What do we do?" said Frodo fearfully, anguished that it was only to save him that she had ended up in danger herself, "Gandalf, can't you do some magic?"
Gandalf raised his staff. "Abra cada-" Suddenly Boromir pushed him over, and he fell, hitting his head against a rock and was knocked out.
"Whoops," shrugged Boromir, "I tripped."
"You didn't trip! That was deliberate!" shouted Aragorn, "You didn't want him to save Angel!"
"You liar!" said Boromir, "First you lie about being Isildur's son, and now this!"
"How dare you?" Aragorn and Boromir started hitting each other. Legolas would also have tried to kill Boromir, but he was too busy shooting the squid's other tentacles to try and get it to drop Angel.
Suddenly Legolas's attention was caught by two men and a woman running down the shore towards them. The foremost man had a blue lightsaber in his hand, and leapt at the squid, hacking the tentacle holding Angel in two, and quickly catching her as she fell. "Get in the cave!" shouted the man running up behind him, and everyone, though confused by their sudden arrival, quickly obeyed. Legolas and the other man quickly grabbed the unconscious Gandalf, and carried him in. Leia muttered something to Avalon, who whinnied sadly and flew away.
They raced through the doors just as the squid made all the rocks fall down behind them, blocking their exit. They were plunged into darkness. For a moment, all that could be heard was everyone's panting, and Angel's quiet sobs of relief. Then the woman ignited the man's lightsaber, illuminating them all in a soft blue light.
Angel was still clinging onto the man where he had caught her, and was crying. "Thank the Force…" she whispered, "Thank the Force you came, Luke… I could have died…"
"You've faced danger many times, Angel," said Luke, smiling and stroking her long black hair, "You would have escaped somehow."
"Who are you?" asked Legolas in wonder.
"I'm Luke Skywalker," said Luke, outstretching a hand for Legolas to shake, "Ah, I see you recognize the name. I'm Angel's half brother. This is Princess Leia, my sister. And this is Princess Leia's boyfriend, Han Solo."
The Fellowship shook each of the newcomers' hands in turn, staring in amazement at them and their strange clothes. "You have a light sword as well," said Pippin, pointing at Luke lightsaber.
Luke laughed. "Yes, I do. I am a Jedi, like Angel, but nowhere near as powerful." He looked at Gandalf. "Is the old man all right?"
"I cannot rouse him," said Aragorn worriedly.
Angel quickly let go of Luke, and crawled over to him. She leant over him. A single, sparkling tear fell from her eyes onto the wound on his head. Before their amazed eyes, the wound healed, and Gandalf opened his eyes.
"What happened?" he asked in surprise.
Legolas stared at Angel in surprise. "Healing tears," he said in wonder.
Angel nodded. "I'm also part phoenix. That's why one of my names is Flameheart."
"Cool," said Aragorn, shaking his head in amazement. The Fellowship nodded fervently… except for Boromir, whose face darkened.
Luke, Leia and Han introduced themselves, and quickly decided to join the Fellowship on their quest. Soon they started moving again, walking through the darkness of the Mines of Moria, their path illuminated only by the glow of Gandalf's staff and Luke's and Angel's lightsabers. Angel walked at Luke's side now, and Legolas saw them talking often, and wished he could know what they were saying. Though he didn't want to pry, he used his magical hearing and listened in.
"What news is there of Darth Vader?" Luke was asking her.
"I don't know," replied Angel, "I tracked him to here. I went to visit my mother for leads, and looked into her mirror. I asked it to show me Darth Vader, but it showed me Barad-dur. This makes me think that Darth Vader has joined Sauron. I'm worried that he is also seeking the Ring, for the way it increases your power with the Force. So I immediately rode to Rivendell to help the Ringbearer - but on the way, I was hunted by Nazgul, and only just made it."
"I don't like you risking your life in such a way," said Luke worriedly.
"I know," said Angel, "But you must see how important this is - if Darth Vader gets the Ring, he could not only take over Middle-earth, but conquer the entire Galaxy!"
"Then what can we do?" said Luke.
"Destroy the Ring," said Angel, "That's our only hope of stopping him getting it." Luke still looked worried. "Don't worry, Lukey. The Force will tell me when orcs are near," she assured.
"Orcs are not my only concern," said Luke, "If Darth Vader is here, then there's a chance he could try to get you on his side."
Angel's eyes flashed. "I will NEVER turn to the Dark Side," she said fiercely, "NEVER. I would die first."
"I know," said Luke, "But promise me you'll be careful. I worry about you."
"I can take care of myself," she assured.
Luke smiled. "I know," he said sadly, "But you must realize, I don't see you as the amazing warrior you are… I see you as my little sister."
Angel stopped and gave him a hug. "I'm not little any more," she whispered in his ear.
Legolas stopped listening, heart stirred by her brave words. The thought of some evil lord trying to turn her to his own cause – how could he? Angel was the most wonderful girl he had ever met! Why would someone want to make her suffer?
He decided, there and then, that he would never let that happen. If anyone ever threatened her, he would sacrifice his own life to prevent her from coming to harm.
Yeesh… this doesn't get easier to read, does it?
daydreambeelievr – They seemed very fitting. Sadly, I can't hear that song without thinking of this now. Consarnit.
Slayer3 – Thanks very much! Third funniest… wow… take THAT, fourth funniest!
Cecile Li – Thanks! They were popular.
Meeplette – No no, not grey, silver. SILVER. Or that particularly wonderful Sue colour, wilver. And tragically Gandalf has also fallen from grace – in this chapter he seems to have become a blundering senile old man…