Disclaimer: I still do not own anything. Are you satisfied?
Chapter 3: Together in Courage
Caitlin sat against a large tree, trying to keep two of the little ones warm as the night grew chillier. They hadn't spoken much, and Pippin had kept his face hidden in Caitlin's sleeve. He had fallen asleep, now, from exhaustion, and his companion, Merry was dozing. Legolas came over from where he had been standing near the elves who had captured them. Caitlin wasn't sure "captured" was the correct term, but it seemed close enough to pass as accurate. They hadn't even gone up into the trees where the company had intended to spend the night, after the elves had arrived. Caitlin glanced over each of the company, wondering about each of their pasts. Aragorn stood by the elves, negotiating with them, by the look of it. Caitlin wondered if they believed the Company to be a group of enemy spies, despite the fact that one of their kind was present among them. There was no way for her to determine this at this great a distance, so she turned to study the others. Frodo sat with his back pressed against a tree. Near him on either side sat Boromir and Sam. The eldest Hobbit wore a look of extreme concern on his face. Caitlin would have gone to speak with him were she not shepherding the other two from the night's chill. He looked so lost that it tore her heart just watching him. She turned her eyes away and looked up at Legolas.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"Captain Haldir doesn't want to permit us to enter Lothlorien. He knows we bring a weapon." Caitlin didn't believe any of the company would bring harm to Lorien. When she told him so, Legolas sank down to sit beside her.
"Not everyone intends to do evil when they accomplish it. An event with good intentions brought us here," he sighed. "I can assure you though," he said more quietly, "that everyone present here has the best of intentions." Caitlin couldn't help but notice that his eyes had darted up in Frodo's direction. In the dark, however, it was impossible for Caitlin to tell if his gaze was fixed on Sam, Boromir, Frodo, or elsewhere. Just then, Haldir, the elven captain stepped away from Aragorn.
"You will follow me," he declared, addressing the entire company. Caitlin rose, the two Hobbits still clinging to her. Legolas took Merry, who had also fallen asleep. Pippin secured his arms around Caitlin's neck and the Company followed Haldir deeper into Lothlorien.
Andrew was gazing up at the multitude of stars. He had barely spoken a word since his arrival, leaving Tess and Monica in the dark
"It was terrible," he whispered to himself, as if he had forgotten that they were even there. "Horrible, yet wonderful. He had so much faith and courage. He had to, to have done what he did. 'No greater love is there than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.'" His eyes never left the stars while he spoke.
"Andrew, what happened?" Monica asked impatiently. For the first time all night, Andrew turned his face to his companions.
"It was terrible, Monica. There was a beast, a Balrog, they called it. It would have killed them all had Mithrandir not stepped forward to battle it. He protected the others, not letting it near them, and he smote the bridge. The monster grabbed him and he fell." Monica's eyes widened in horror and Tess' filled with tears. "It was an honor to witness such courage," the angel of death said, gazing at the stars once more.
"No"
"Isildur!"
Caitlin awoke from the dream in a cold sweat. The company had stopped for the night and they were sleeping in trees. Only Boromir and Gimli were yet awake, and even they were dozing. In a nearby tree, Haldir kept his keen eyes peeled for any unusual movement from below. Safe within the branches of the tree, Caitlin fell asleep again, and the dream ensued upon her once more. The scene had now changed and she beheld a battle, a few men on horseback being ambushed by hideous creatures. Then, the man in the lead vanished. For a few moments, the battle raged on, the men's numbers constantly dwindling. Then, when the enemy was destroyed, the creatures rushed toward the nearby river. For a moment, Caitlin could see nothing. Then the creature's leader loosed an arrow directly into the river. Then she saw a red tint, like blood pouring from a wound, seep into the river. Two more shots. Then she saw it: the corpse. The straggly black hair and the distinguished armor betrayed it as the human leader. Then, as if tossed by the current, the body rolled over onto its back so the proud face could be seen once more. Its dead eyes, not yet glazed over, held an expression of shock. Caitlin shuddered. Then she saw a shining figure beside her: an angel of death.
"Isildur, son of Elendil," he said, his voice powerful, but gentle, penetrated the silence and echoed from the opposite bank. "Come home." As Isildur's spirit rose, the scene changed again, to become a dark cave. A creature was sitting on a rock hissing over a small, golden object.
"My precious," Caitlin heard him hiss. Then fog settled in and the next thing Caitlin saw was a short being on the opposite shore. As she looked closer, Caitlin saw it was a Hobbit, not much different from Frodo. He picked up a golden ring. In her ear, Caitlin heard a voice.
"The dark lord's ring, which he forged in secret. It is the one ring." Then she saw Frodo holding the golden ring. "It must be destroyed," said the voice. Then several voices seemed to bounce off each other in Caitlin's mind.
"He is seeking it, all his thought is bent on it."
"The ring must be destroyed."
"The ring of power has a will of its own."
"My precious!"
"Against the power that now rises, there can be no victory."
"If I wanted the ring, I could have it, now!"
"Frodo!"
"Nine for mortal men doomed to die."
"It must be taken to the very heart of Mordor and cast into the fiery chasm from whence it came. Only there can it be unmade."
"Sauron needs only this ring to cover all the lands in a second darkness."
"Evil will be drawn to you from outside the fellowship, and I fear from within."
"They are one, the ring and the dark lord."
"Corma turien te corma tuvien."
"Into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life."
"The enemy is moving."
"That is no trinket you bear."
"It is a strange fate that we must suffer such fear and doubt over so small a thing."
"They think we have the ring."
". . . So small a thing."
"I see you."
"One ring to rule them all."
"A great eye, lidless, wreathed in flame."
"There is no fire in the void . . ."
"It's such a burden."
"One ring to find them."
". . . Only . . ."
"Lend me the ring."
"One ring to bring them all. . ."
" The quest will claim his life."
". . . and in the darkness bind them."
"The enemy thinks you have the ring."
"The quest has failed."
" . . . Death!"
"Azh nazh durbataluk. Azh nazh gimpatul. Azh nazh thrakatuluk ah burzumishi krimpatul." With that, Caitlin awoke.
So what did you think? I'm sorry Andrew, Monica, and Tess weren't in there more, but I had to get the fellowship into Lothlorien and Caitlin had to be at least somewhat informed about what was going on. I will do my best to put them in much more in the next chapter. Read and review. Sorry if the Mordorian is misspelled. I was in a lazy mood and did't want to go check, not to mention I'm running out of time before I have to go and run someplace, so I think that's the real reason.
Namariƫ
MornieGalad
