CHAPTER 9:
I awoke painfully. My whole body ached. But I was alive. 'Oww.' I moaned, as I tried to sit up. I was freezing, the snow had not stopped falling.
'You're not that badly hurt, my little toddler,' Legolas smiled down at me. 'Only a few bruises.'
'Humph.' I managed to sit up. I scanned Legolas up and down. I knew he had collapsed as well, under the avalanche; he was next to me. But here he was now, very alive and looking as if he had just walked out of a beauty parlour. 'Your weren't injured at all?'
'Nope,' he replied, easily. 'Was one of the first to climb out. And so was Gimli and Aragorn. unfortunately.'
'Gimli? What have you got against Gimli?'
'Don't like dwarves.'
'Oh.' I glanced about me. Gandalf, Aragorn and Boromir were bent on their knees pulling Merry out, who was spluttering. The other hobbits were cuddled together nearby, shivering. Gimli was stalking around the ledge, poking the ground. 'Was I the only one that was unconscious?'
'No, Frodo was too for quite a while.'
Merry had clamoured to where his friends were, sneezing. 'AAAACHOOO! I think I've caught a AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACHOOOOO c-c-cold. AAAAACHOOOOOOOOOO!'
'We cannot go further tonight,' Boromir yelled to everyone. 'Cardhras the Cruel has given us no mercy. We must find shelter!'
Aragorn came to me, gently holding me, protectively. Legolas left us to it and went to talk to the hobbits. Aragorn led the company up a little further to a cliff-wall that shielded us from a bit of the icy wind.
I heard Sam's voice from behind me. 'This is the shelter?' he was snorting to Frodo. 'If this is shelter, then one wall and a no roof makes a house.' He pulled a face. There was a soft sound as a reply, signaling agreement.
We all huddled against the cliff, growing colder as each minute passed. The snow kept falling and falling and pretty soon I was sitting with snow up to my waist. The hobbits were practically buried. 'What do you say to a fire?' Boromir asked Gandulf, picking Frodo out of the snow. Gandalf nodded.
Within seconds, everyone was crowded around the fast-dying fire. Aragorn rubbed my hands to warm them up. I stood stiffly, feeling guilty and not wanting to encourage him in any way. I felt Legolas' eyes on us. His light eyes were sharp and Aragorn caught his gaze. He gave Legolas a swift, searching glance. Legolas dropped his eyes.
'There is something unusual about the son of King Thranduil,' commented Aragorn quietly to me. 'He eyes you like a hawk.' I flushed, well inwardly; it was too cold to go red. 'Your skin is very cold,' he added gently. He draped his arms around me. I moved away from him smoothly.
'I'm really tired,' I lied, feeling guiltier. I couldn't read his face, but I managed to sieve out hurt and puzzlement. I closed my eyes, pulling a blanket around me. I felt Aragorn stand up and walk away. However I tried, sleep wouldn't come. Around me it began to lighten, just as the fire died.
I sat up, rubbing my bruises. The four hobbits were closely knitted together, talking in low voices. Boromir was talking to Aragorn, who was watching the weak sunlight shine through a thick cloud, moodily and listening with half an ear. Legolas was wandering along the ledge slowly, his hair coated with white. Gimli and Gandulf were deep in a discussion, next to me. 'Caradhras has not forgiven us. He has more snow to fling at us, if we go on. He does not love Elves or Dwarves. The sooner we turn back, the better,' Gimli was saying earnestly.
'I agree,' Legolas said, joining them. 'However, only a few paces away form us lies snow many feet deep.'
'The strongest of us must seek a way,' Boromir said, obviously hinting that HE was the strongest of the Fellowship.
'I shall help you!' Aragorn said, drawing himself up. Together, they pushed their way through the snow, trying to find a path.
A lot of male-ego floating around right now, I thought.
Legolas grinned at them. 'The strongest lead the way, say you?' he said to the others. 'But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming or for running over leaves - or snow, an Elf.' He grinned at me before springing up and running lightly over the snow, past the two men. Legolas soon returned announcing that he had found a way down.
Aragorn and Boromir were disgruntled about his success, especially when he took control and led the way down. As we neared the foot of the tall mountains, Aragorn and Boromir took control again, with Gimli tailing them eagerly. Obvious that they were trying to prove equal with Legolas, I thought, rolling my eyes. So Mark Read-ish.
I found myself walking with Legolas again. I noticed that he never seemed to trip or stumble - as if he planned each step. He still had his bow and quiver swung over his back, his knife firmly at his belt. 'How are you at the bow?' I asked.
'Very good, I may say so. Did I mention I was also talented at fencing, riding, singing - ' He paused as I started giggling. 'I am!' he insisted.
'Yeah I believe you. But your face was so funny just then,' I laughed. 'Promise me that one day you'll teach me archery. I'd always wanted to learn.'
'Sure. We can start now, if you like,' he said. He removed his bow and an arrow. He pointed to Aragorn in front of us. 'Now, if you can hit his backside, that is very good for a beginner - as you can see, it's not a hard target.' He winked.
'You are mean!' I half-scolded him. 'But I won't do it. Arwen won't be happy when she returns and sees her true-love has an arrow as a tail.'
'I'm joking, I'm joking!' Legolas grinned. 'But seriously, don't you learn weaponry skills at that the Other World?'
I shook my head. 'Not at school or at my age, unless of course, you take classes or something.' I explained about what we did learn at school and how our society was run etc, etc.
'Queer,' commented Legolas after I had finished. We had finally left the snow behind and it was now easier to walk.
'Do you have schools here?' I asked.
'We, elves, are taught by our fathers.'
'Ah ha.' The people in front of us slowed. 'Don't you reckon hobbits are so adorable?' I gestured to Sam and Frodo, dragging their feet along.
'Starting to fancy them, now are you? Aren't they a little short for you?'
'Well at least I'm not the one stuck in a fellowship where there's no other women in sight, not counting me of course.'
'Hey! Don't imply anything. I go for FEMALE elves, and they are no elves anywhere near here! I have taste!'
'Oi! I'm a FEMALE elf. Well not exactly an elf, but I'm female.'
'Ha!' he laughed. 'But of course I have my exceptions.' he added, as an afterthought.
'Exceptions?'
Legolas didn't answer me. 'So tell me, do you look exactly like Arwen in the Other World?' he asked instead, lightly.
'Um, well kinda,' I told him. 'You can tell it's me or Arwen initially, but after the first glance, I'm totally different from her. I'm way shorter, for one thing and I don't have blue eyes for ano - '
We had drawn to an abrupt stop. 'We're halting here for the night!' Aragorn yelled to everyone that was with him. He flung his backpack down, hunting for food.
After a very bland dinner, Gandulf called a meeting to discuss where to go next. After a lot of arguing, Gandulf finally made a declaration. 'There's only one other road we may attempt,' he said heavily. 'It'll be very perilous, but it's our only option, apart from returning to Rivendell. I say, we try to cross through the ruins of the Mines of Moria.'
There was a hushed silence. The only sound, Bill choking on grass.
I awoke painfully. My whole body ached. But I was alive. 'Oww.' I moaned, as I tried to sit up. I was freezing, the snow had not stopped falling.
'You're not that badly hurt, my little toddler,' Legolas smiled down at me. 'Only a few bruises.'
'Humph.' I managed to sit up. I scanned Legolas up and down. I knew he had collapsed as well, under the avalanche; he was next to me. But here he was now, very alive and looking as if he had just walked out of a beauty parlour. 'Your weren't injured at all?'
'Nope,' he replied, easily. 'Was one of the first to climb out. And so was Gimli and Aragorn. unfortunately.'
'Gimli? What have you got against Gimli?'
'Don't like dwarves.'
'Oh.' I glanced about me. Gandalf, Aragorn and Boromir were bent on their knees pulling Merry out, who was spluttering. The other hobbits were cuddled together nearby, shivering. Gimli was stalking around the ledge, poking the ground. 'Was I the only one that was unconscious?'
'No, Frodo was too for quite a while.'
Merry had clamoured to where his friends were, sneezing. 'AAAACHOOO! I think I've caught a AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACHOOOOO c-c-cold. AAAAACHOOOOOOOOOO!'
'We cannot go further tonight,' Boromir yelled to everyone. 'Cardhras the Cruel has given us no mercy. We must find shelter!'
Aragorn came to me, gently holding me, protectively. Legolas left us to it and went to talk to the hobbits. Aragorn led the company up a little further to a cliff-wall that shielded us from a bit of the icy wind.
I heard Sam's voice from behind me. 'This is the shelter?' he was snorting to Frodo. 'If this is shelter, then one wall and a no roof makes a house.' He pulled a face. There was a soft sound as a reply, signaling agreement.
We all huddled against the cliff, growing colder as each minute passed. The snow kept falling and falling and pretty soon I was sitting with snow up to my waist. The hobbits were practically buried. 'What do you say to a fire?' Boromir asked Gandulf, picking Frodo out of the snow. Gandalf nodded.
Within seconds, everyone was crowded around the fast-dying fire. Aragorn rubbed my hands to warm them up. I stood stiffly, feeling guilty and not wanting to encourage him in any way. I felt Legolas' eyes on us. His light eyes were sharp and Aragorn caught his gaze. He gave Legolas a swift, searching glance. Legolas dropped his eyes.
'There is something unusual about the son of King Thranduil,' commented Aragorn quietly to me. 'He eyes you like a hawk.' I flushed, well inwardly; it was too cold to go red. 'Your skin is very cold,' he added gently. He draped his arms around me. I moved away from him smoothly.
'I'm really tired,' I lied, feeling guiltier. I couldn't read his face, but I managed to sieve out hurt and puzzlement. I closed my eyes, pulling a blanket around me. I felt Aragorn stand up and walk away. However I tried, sleep wouldn't come. Around me it began to lighten, just as the fire died.
I sat up, rubbing my bruises. The four hobbits were closely knitted together, talking in low voices. Boromir was talking to Aragorn, who was watching the weak sunlight shine through a thick cloud, moodily and listening with half an ear. Legolas was wandering along the ledge slowly, his hair coated with white. Gimli and Gandulf were deep in a discussion, next to me. 'Caradhras has not forgiven us. He has more snow to fling at us, if we go on. He does not love Elves or Dwarves. The sooner we turn back, the better,' Gimli was saying earnestly.
'I agree,' Legolas said, joining them. 'However, only a few paces away form us lies snow many feet deep.'
'The strongest of us must seek a way,' Boromir said, obviously hinting that HE was the strongest of the Fellowship.
'I shall help you!' Aragorn said, drawing himself up. Together, they pushed their way through the snow, trying to find a path.
A lot of male-ego floating around right now, I thought.
Legolas grinned at them. 'The strongest lead the way, say you?' he said to the others. 'But I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming or for running over leaves - or snow, an Elf.' He grinned at me before springing up and running lightly over the snow, past the two men. Legolas soon returned announcing that he had found a way down.
Aragorn and Boromir were disgruntled about his success, especially when he took control and led the way down. As we neared the foot of the tall mountains, Aragorn and Boromir took control again, with Gimli tailing them eagerly. Obvious that they were trying to prove equal with Legolas, I thought, rolling my eyes. So Mark Read-ish.
I found myself walking with Legolas again. I noticed that he never seemed to trip or stumble - as if he planned each step. He still had his bow and quiver swung over his back, his knife firmly at his belt. 'How are you at the bow?' I asked.
'Very good, I may say so. Did I mention I was also talented at fencing, riding, singing - ' He paused as I started giggling. 'I am!' he insisted.
'Yeah I believe you. But your face was so funny just then,' I laughed. 'Promise me that one day you'll teach me archery. I'd always wanted to learn.'
'Sure. We can start now, if you like,' he said. He removed his bow and an arrow. He pointed to Aragorn in front of us. 'Now, if you can hit his backside, that is very good for a beginner - as you can see, it's not a hard target.' He winked.
'You are mean!' I half-scolded him. 'But I won't do it. Arwen won't be happy when she returns and sees her true-love has an arrow as a tail.'
'I'm joking, I'm joking!' Legolas grinned. 'But seriously, don't you learn weaponry skills at that the Other World?'
I shook my head. 'Not at school or at my age, unless of course, you take classes or something.' I explained about what we did learn at school and how our society was run etc, etc.
'Queer,' commented Legolas after I had finished. We had finally left the snow behind and it was now easier to walk.
'Do you have schools here?' I asked.
'We, elves, are taught by our fathers.'
'Ah ha.' The people in front of us slowed. 'Don't you reckon hobbits are so adorable?' I gestured to Sam and Frodo, dragging their feet along.
'Starting to fancy them, now are you? Aren't they a little short for you?'
'Well at least I'm not the one stuck in a fellowship where there's no other women in sight, not counting me of course.'
'Hey! Don't imply anything. I go for FEMALE elves, and they are no elves anywhere near here! I have taste!'
'Oi! I'm a FEMALE elf. Well not exactly an elf, but I'm female.'
'Ha!' he laughed. 'But of course I have my exceptions.' he added, as an afterthought.
'Exceptions?'
Legolas didn't answer me. 'So tell me, do you look exactly like Arwen in the Other World?' he asked instead, lightly.
'Um, well kinda,' I told him. 'You can tell it's me or Arwen initially, but after the first glance, I'm totally different from her. I'm way shorter, for one thing and I don't have blue eyes for ano - '
We had drawn to an abrupt stop. 'We're halting here for the night!' Aragorn yelled to everyone that was with him. He flung his backpack down, hunting for food.
After a very bland dinner, Gandulf called a meeting to discuss where to go next. After a lot of arguing, Gandulf finally made a declaration. 'There's only one other road we may attempt,' he said heavily. 'It'll be very perilous, but it's our only option, apart from returning to Rivendell. I say, we try to cross through the ruins of the Mines of Moria.'
There was a hushed silence. The only sound, Bill choking on grass.