Disclaimer: I, of course, own everything you don't recognize. Enjoy.
Chapter 1: The Fellowship
The fellowship had traveled for days with barely any rest or food. They had finally reached the hidden walls of Moria. They were now sitting in front of the doors while Gandalf tried and thought of spells that might open the doors.
"It's useless!" He finally said, "Nothing will work!"
Frodo looked down at the ground in disappointment. He looked back at the door. I will not give up that easily! He thought to himself.
"Wait," he said, "It's a riddle." He paused, thinking. "Speak friend, and enter…What's the elvish word for 'friend'?" he asked.
"Mellon," Gandalf answered.
The doors started to open slowly.
"Aha!" Gimli cried with glee.
Everyone but Aragorn and Boromir were grateful of the accomplishment Frodo achieved. Aragorn looked uneasily out at the lake.
"What do you think?" Boromir asked.
"Follow the others," he replied.
With one last look out at the water he stepped inside. Gimli started to talk of the great feasts and hospitality of the Dwarves.Gandalf warily crossed the floor and found something crunch under his foot.
"This is no place of celebration, this is a tomb," Boromir said grimly.
"What?" Gimli asked.
They all looked around. Skeletons covered in dust and cobwebs, a mere memory of what had happened to this grand city of the Dwarves. Arrows were sticking out of every skeleton. Legolas picked up an arrow, now knowing what had happened.
"Goblins," he said as he whipped out his bow and arrow.
Everyone else became immediately aware of danger. Suddenly a large tentacle dragged Frodo back outside. Sam, Merri, and Pippin tried with all their strength to cut of the long tentacle. Finally the tentacle went back into the water. Then out came four others and grabbed the hobbits by the legs. The rest of the fellowship came out and fought against the gigantic swamp monster.
"Into the mines!" Gandalf yelled once they got the hobbits back.
They ran inside just as the monster tore down the door and blocked their way out.
"Well," Gandalf said as he lit his staff, "We must now face the long, dark journey through Moria. 'Tis a three day journey to the other side, step lightly and be very watchful. There are older and fouler creatures than orcs in the deep places of the world."
The nine companions walked on and on for two days without knowing the light of day, until they came to a small flight of stairs that led to four different doors.
"What do we do now?" Pippin asked.
Gandalf didn't answer; he just sat down on a rock and thought for a very long time. Frodo sat down beside him.
"I wish the ring would've never come to me," he said with grief, "I wish none of this had ever happened."
He looked to the ground with disappointment. Gandalf looked at Frodo with understanding.
"So do all who live to see these times, but that is not for them to decide," he said.
Frodo looked up to him.
"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you." He looked to his left. "OH!" he exclaimed, "It's this way."
"He has remembered!" Merri said.
"No, the air doesn't smell so foul down here," Gandalf replied, going down the stairs, "When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." He smiled.
They came to another room. They heard faint singing coming from somewhere.
"What's that?" Sam asked.
Frodo looked around, scanning the whole room, but he found nothing.
"It sounds like a—a girl!" Frodo said surprised.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleep little baby.
When you wake you shall have
All the pretty little horses.
Blacks and Bays, dapples and grays,
Coach and six-a-little horses.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleep little baby.
Aragorn's eyes opened wide with shock. Memories started to flood his mind. He remembered his mother singing that song to him when he was just a babe! All became silent. The fellowship walked into another room where light flooded in from a window. They heard a scream, followed by a long, evil cackle.
"You're going to die, King of lies," the voice said, through quieter laughs, "You're going to die!"
The voice faded away. Everyone became silent.
"NO!" Gimli cried, "NOOO!"
He ran into the room to find his cousin's, Balin, tomb. Gimli knelt in front of the tomb and cried.
"Why does the little man cry?" came the voice.
"Who is that?" Gandalf said, "Where are you?"
The fellowship looked around the room.
"Over here, old man," it replied with another cackle.
Gandalf looked to where the voice came from. He came upon a dark cage. Huddled in a corner was a girl, about the age of twenty. Her bright, emerald green eyes shone through the dark and studied the wizard.
Her smile faded and she asked in a soft voice as she came closer to the bars, "I ask you again, why does the little man cry?"
Gandalf looked into her eyes. Her face was covered in dry blood and dirt. Her hair was matted and tangled with blood.
"What is your name?" he asked.
The girl paused and studied him.
"…Arahfen," She replied.
Gandalf stood back in shock.
"It cannot be!" he whispered.
"What! What cannot be?" Arahfen asked sternly.
"You where condemned to death," Gandalf said, his gray eyes shining with wonder.
The madness that had seemed to swallow her disappeared and was replaced with utter and complete sanity.
"Gandalf?" she said, "Gandalf, you have to get me out of here!"
By this time, the other eight companions stood by the cage. Gimli took out his ax and broke the lock away. Arahfen slowly crawled out of the small cage.
"Gandalf," she exclaimed with joy as she clung to him. "Gandalf, they took me to a wizard, he tortured me and—and he performed black magic on me," she said with tears coming to her eyes, "I was never so scared."
Gandalf looked in horror at the little girl he once saw long ago running through oceans of grass with no fears of the world…
"Gandalf, I—he—he changed me into something…unnatural," she whispered with fear.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash. Everyone turned to Pippin. The crashing stopped.
"You fool of a Took!" Gandalf scolded, "Throw yourself in next time with your riddles and stupidity!"
Pippin looked down in shame. Arahfen's fists started to clench. Drums started to sound.
"They're coming," was all she could say.
"Who?" Boromir cried, "Who is coming?"
They looked at her with fear and question.
"...Them," she answered.
Aragorn, Legolas, and Boromir ran to bar the door with axes. Gimli jumped onto Balin's tomb and took out his ax.
"Let them come!" he said, "They will find there is yet a dwarf here in Moria who still lives!"
Gandalf stood in front of the hobbits, ready to protect them. Arahfen cackled with delight as long blades started to grow from her hands. Her ears grew to points far beyond her head, and fangs grew from her mouth. "Oh, howI long to see the blood of my enemies stained upon myhands!" she cried with an evil smile.
Gandalf looked at Arahfen in shock. He quickly turned back and focused on protecting the hobbits.
"Unnatural…" he murmured.
A/N: Did you like it? I do, though not as much as the prologue, but it's okay. I swear, it will get better. :) I hope you will review and tell me your thoughts on this story. The song is called "All thePretty Little Horses"performed by Charlotte Church. I don't know who wrote it, but I thought it was really pretty. I knowthe story ismore like the movie than the book, but it's kind of in between the two. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, thank youfor reading it.
