Special Acknowledgement: Nienna, I cannot begin to tell you how much I love what you did with this chapter! Hannon le, mellon nîn!
Ch-4 Rating: PG-13 (Ch4 of 10)
Chapter 4 – The Beast
"Do not wander too far off," Aragorn warned Dèorwyn. "We stop only briefly to rest and water the horses."
"Really? I had thought to walk to those hills and pick some flowers," she tried to look innocent, but could not keep the mischievous light from her eyes.
Aragorn just shook his head and gave her an indulgent smile. That morning, Dèorwyn had confessed and apologized, quite prettily, for having goaded the Man's temper. He had obviously forgiven her.
Their whole exchange left Legolas irritable – and wondering why. He had been drawn to Dèorwyn last night, sensing a loneliness and longing in her that he hoped to relieve, if only for a little while. But his need to comfort her had sprung from more than concern. From the moment beside the stream when his eyes locked with hers, it was as though he could see into her soul. She was open to him, and he could easily feel her within himself.
Legolas resisted exploring that openness. Dèorwyn's fierce strength and defiance, although attractive to him, could only mean trouble. She was a complication he did not need.
Even as he argued with himself, Legolas felt a small twinge of jealousy at her interest in Aragorn. Turning away to leave them to their games, he stopped short, almost tripping over Gimli. The Dwarf studied him with a knowing look. Legolas quickly erased the frown from his brow, and calmly stared back until Gimli walked away muttering something about distractions.
"Aragorn, I think we should all take some time to –"
Dèorwyn's speech was cut short by the sound of earth and rock rumbling. The ground beneath their feet trembled and her scream faded as the earth swallowed her. Legolas ran toward where she fell, but froze at Aragorn's command.
"Legolas, no! Do not go after her!" Aragorn warned. Even with the light tread of an Elf, loose dirt skittered into the opening where Dèorwyn had fallen. "We must find a way to get her out, not put you in!"
They heard groaning from the pit, followed by some Rohirrim words they all suspected were not commonly used by women.
"Dèorwyn?" Aragorn called, getting as close to the opening as he dared. "Are you hurt?"
"No," Dèorwyn answered, "I do not believe that I am. What is this place?"
"It must be a cave of some sort," Aragorn stated, carefully walking around the perimeter of the hole.
"I do not think it is a natural cavern," Dèorwyn called back. "The walls are too smooth – the shape too…formed, somehow."
"We must get her out of there," Legolas urged. "Gimli – untie the packs and bring me the rope."
"Gentlemen," they heard the cold slide of steel against scabbard. "There is something down here," Dèorwyn announced, "and whatever it is, I believe it to be quite large."
"Have a care, lad," Gimli said, handing Legolas the coil.
Tossing one end into the opening, Legolas called out, "Can you reach the rope?"
"If I were but six feet taller," Dèorwyn replied.
"Can you climb to it, or is there something you can stand upon?" Legolas asked, inching closer to the hole.
"This beast, if I manage to kill it!" she called, still trying to sound confident.
"Beast...what –" Legolas began, but his words caught in his throat as they heard a new voice.
"Der-ween…" The three looked to one another; a chill passed through them. The rasping voice sounded coarse and wet, as of lungs and throat filled with thick fluid.
"It spoke my name," Dèorwyn's words trembled. Gone were the attempts to hide her fear.
Legolas frantically pulled the rope back, then knelt and began tying it about his ankle.
Turning, Aragorn asked, "What are you doing, Legolas? The rope is too short."
"Six feet. She said she needs just six feet more. You will lower me head first, and maybe she can reach my hands."
"I do not like this," Aragorn said. The Elf's look allowed no debate. "Go!" Aragorn waved, grabbing the rope.
Legolas lay flat on the ground and began to inch forward. As he drew near, loose soil fell into the hole. Sliding the remaining distance, he looked over the edge, and immediately saw Dèorwyn standing on the far side of the cave in the rim of light. She was holding her sword in front of her, facing the shadowy area where he could not yet see. Taking a deep breath, Legolas slid over as Aragorn and Gimli bore his weight on the rope.
It was then Legolas saw it – a horrible, twisted creature that could not possibly have been of natural creation. At least eight feet in height, its yellow eyes glittered in the dim light. The face was human-like, but horribly deformed. On one side, the mouth was permanently drawn back toward its ear, revealing yellowed and broken fangs. Although its head was hairless, tufts grew from the points of its ears. One arm was a thick, meaty version of a human's, but the other was covered in golden brown fur, like the rest of its body. Where there should have been a hand and fingers, six-inch claws moved in a grasping motion, in time with its slurping breaths. "A malgorog," Legolas murmured.
The beast did not even look at Legolas, but kept its malicious golden eyes fixed on Dèorwyn. Claws clicking together, it began to move.
"Dèorwyn, come to this side where I can reach you," Legolas said.
She appeared not to hear him. Still holding her sword in front of her, Dèorwyn stared transfixed at the beast now approaching.
"Der-ween, come to this side where I can reach you," the malgorog mimicked, slowly moving across the shadows of the cave.
"Dèorwyn! Resist him! Do not let him put you under his spell." Dangling from the rope, Legolas moved his hand to the knife in his belt.
"It will not come into the light, Legolas. I am safe where I stand," Dèorwyn said, as she began to lower her sword.
"Legolas!" Aragorn called, "It is preying on her mind. You must get her out, now!"
As more rock skittered down around him, Legolas knew he had to break the trance the malgorog was weaving around Dèorwyn. Withdrawing his knife, he looked at the beast. A thick black liquid was now dripping from its foul mouth. If it attacked, the poison would quickly sluice Dèorwyn's veins and within minutes, she would be beyond even Aragorn's healing skills.
As the malgorog moved closer, Legolas began to whisper, "Let your heart hear me Dèorwyn. Hold to your strength…release yourself. Hear me…come to me Dèorwyn. Tul nîn vana…"
Dèorwyn suddenly shuddered and shook her head as if to clear it. "Legolas?" she gasped, glancing up at him then back at the beast.
"Come, Dèorwyn!" Legolas said, and held out his arms to her. This time she did not hesitate, and immediately ran toward him.
But as soon as she turned, the malgorog lunged. Legolas' knife landed in one of the glaring yellow eyes just as the creature grabbed Dèorwyn. Lurching back in pain, its claws ripped through her tunic, narrowly missing the flesh beneath.
Dèorwyn reached for him and Legolas was able to grasp her under the arms. "Pull!" he yelled up to the other two.
They began rising and the beast lunged again. "Der-ween!" it screamed, jumping up and throwing its powerful arm out in what would have been a fatal arc of claws. But they were now too high and the malgorog just barely scathed the sole of her shoe. Screaming and crying pitifully, it fell back to the floor of the cave.
Nearing the top, the ground began to give way, crumbling in upon itself. "Hurry!" Legolas yelled. With a final effort, Aragorn and Gimli pulled them from the earth, and slid them along the grass a safe distance from the hole as the edge broke away and tumbled into the cave.
Dèorwyn and Legolas lay flat on the ground, each staring blankly at the sky. Aragorn and Gimli sat a short distance away, trying to catch their breath. All was still. The beast's keening cry had stopped.
Dèorwyn's head was on Legolas' shoulder. He could feel her shaking uncontrollably.
When she sat up and hugged her knees to her chest, Legolas moved to kneel beside her. Sliding his arms around her, he cradled her to him until her trembling passed. His hand gently stroked her hair.
"What was that?" Dèorwyn asked when she finally trusted herself to speak.
"Some mutant creation of Isengard," Legolas replied.
"Or Mordor," Aragorn added grimly.
"It knew my name," Dèorwyn whispered shakily, despite her efforts for control.
"It heard us call to you, Lady," Gimli said.
From the pit, the beast's cries began again, as if understanding that they spoke of it.
Dèorwyn pressed her hands to her ears, trying to block the hideous cries. "I should have killed it the moment it crawled out from hiding."
Legolas looked to Aragorn. The Man tilted his head, signaling that the choice belonged to Legolas. But it was no longer a choice. The Elf had already decided – he would do this for her.
Without looking down at Dèorwyn, Legolas stood, retrieved his bow and quiver, and walked back to the edge. Taking his archer's stance, he looked into the beast's lair. The creature was lying on the floor of the cave, rocking itself back and forth as it wailed.
As soon as it saw Legolas it began to snarl, the black venom now oozing out of the side of its mouth in a steady stream. Standing to its full height, it taunted, "Such a mighty Elf…so brave to threaten from up high."
As he looked at the beast, Legolas hesitated. Although skilled in battle and self-defense, he did not like to kill.
"Yes," the creature hissed, its lone eye gleaming at the Elf's reluctance. It was then Legolas saw the piece of Dèorwyn's tunic in its claws. "Der-ween…" it rasped, and rubbed the torn material over its deformed face. "So sweet…ask her to come near so I can have another taste."
Legolas needed no more than one arrow.
Continued…