Chapter 3

The following morning, the fellowship gathered in the courtyard of Elrond's estate, seen off by the entirety of the populace of Rivendell

Elrond waxes poetic as he stands before them, "The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him no oath nor bond is laid, to go further than you will. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all free folk go with you."

Fadron bows, a newly Drunk Gallend smiling stupidly as he downs another pint

Peony looks all smiles as she walks from the company of Merry and Pippin who both look like they didnt get any sleep, to Fadron's side.

"Did you get all that out of your system?"

"Yes I did...for now."

With that, Fadron put her back in his backpack where she picked up Madeye to stroke him like a cat.

Gandalf looks over at Frodo, "The Fellowship awaits the Ring Bearer."

After a bit of hesitation, Frodo joins the fellowship, walking ahead of them as the group slowly turns into a procession, Aragorn lingering behind to make prolonged eye contact with one of the elven maidens in the crowd

Peony pops out of the pack as Fadron walks past him, Madeye perched on her head, "Hey big man, is that your girlfriend? Did you get laid last night? I did."

"Peony thats enough."

Fadron jostled the wicker pack so she lost her footing and fell back into it with a yelp, Arwen is now red faced and Aragorn, at a loss for words, simply turns and walks after Fadron

"You would do well to keep your wife under control, Fadron" he grunts as he walks past the behemoth

Fadron shrugs, "Look here Strider, My wife has always done as she pleases, asking her to quit it usually ends with her very cross."

Aragorn rolls his eyes, "And we wouldn't want that now, would we?"

The Fellowship leaves the forest over a bridge, emerging into the foothills where they eventually have to stop to strategize.

Faramir trying to teach the hobbits swordplay whilst Peony and Aragorn watch, simultaneously tending their meal fire.

Frodo, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf and Fadron sit by the fire to talk.

"So whats the plan?" Asks Fadron

Gandalf nods, "well, to get there in a timely fashion, we must hold this course west of the misty mountains for 40 days, if our luck holds, the gap of rohan will still be open to us."

Fadron nods to show he's paying attention as Gimli sits up to address them, "If anyone were asking my opinion, which I know they're not, I'd say we were going the LONG way round!"

Fadron turned to look at him fully as he addressed gandalf, "Gandalf, we could pass through the mines of Moria! My cousin Balin would give us a ROYAL welcome!"

Fadron clapped his massive hands, "I like the sound of that!"

Gandalf's expression, while not angry, did not look pleased in any case, "No Gimli...I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice."

Fadron looked from Gimli to Gandalf, "Why tho?"

As Gandalf was about to answer, Sam spoke over the commotion that Faramir. Merry and Pippin were creating, "Whats that?"

Gimli followed Sam's gaze to a black poof on the horizon, "Nothing, it is a whisp of cloud."

Faramir, now on his feet looked where they were looking, "its moving fast...against the wind!"

Legolas shouts as he recognizes what it is, "Crebane from Dunland! HIDE!"

Everyone scrambles under rocks, including Fadron, "why are we hiding?" He asks as he scoots beneath a rock next to Gandalf, "these evil birds are servants of the wizard Saruman." He answers, Fadron tilts his head, "Friend of yours?" Gandalf sighs, "Once."

Peony pokes her head out of the backpack, "I hope he's not like Nezner, I hate spiders."

"BWAGH!" barks Madeye from under her as the birds swirl overhead and fly away. Everyone starts to come out as Gandalf growls, "Spies of Saruman...the passage south is being watched...we must take the path of Caradhras!" He indicates a massive snowy mountain.

Pipin looks up at Fadron, "How many fit in that pack of yours?" Fadron upholsters his bag and sets it down, "if we...take out Peony's camping gear, there should be room for two more halflings."

Peony huffs, "someone's gotta carry my sleeping bag." Gallend groans, "eeeeugh...fine, give me the bag."

Peony tosses it to him and he straps it on top of his keg.

Faramir looks at Fadron with concern, "what are you doing?"

Fadron looks up at Faramir, "The two halflings my wife took a fancy to have decided to be lazy."

Sam rushes over with Frodo, "could you take mr. Frodo? He's the ringbearer after all!"

Merry and pippin groan as fadron considers Frodo, "hmm...yes, I believe I can do that, hun, pick one of them to kick out of the pack."

Peony nonchalantly does eenie meenie until she lands on Merry, "Sorry, you gotta walk."

Frodo and Pippin get in Fadron's backpack

"A bit cramped..." huffs Frodo, "but it is warm."

Fadron stood upright as Gandalf looked around at the rest of the group, "is everyone ready?"

After the rest of them had prepared properly, they set out for Caradhras.

Up on the mountain, the group trudged through snow, Merry tripping and falling as they went, rolling until Aragorn helped him up, "careful master Brandybuck."

From Fadron's pack, Peony giggled, "aren't you glad you're in here with Pipin and me, Frodo?"

Frodo gave a half smile and then widened his eyes as he felt her cup his butt, "cutie."

Fadron Jostled the pack once again, causing disgruntled yells from all within, "enough, you had fun in Rivendell but now we are on the road."

Gimli chuckles as he hears this, "Your woman reminds me of one of my cousins, Master Fadron."

Fadron nods as the snow becomes deeper, "Ive heard that a few times, from different people."

As they began to make aome purchase on the mountainside, Fadron was carrying the other two hobbits as he waded in the snow with the others, except Legolas who was atop the snow as if he weighed nothing at all. All seemed well before the wind began to pick up, Gallend shivers as he feels the freezing wind bite his bones! Even as a White Dragonborn, Gallend was only resistant to so much cold. Amongst the howling, Peony and Legolas both hear a chanting!

"Babe, someone's casting something!" Shouts Peony

"The halfling is right." Confirms Legolas, "There is a fel voice upon the wind!"

Gandalf roars at the top of his voice in frustration, "ITS SARUMAN!" And in that split second, the rock above them loosened and fell down upon them! All of them hugging to the rock face in order to get away from it

Fadron knocked his head against the rock in frustration, "Got a kill boner for you, Doesnt he?"

Not understanding his vernacular but taking the tone into consideration, Gandalf nodded, "I suppose...whatever that means."

Aragorn shouts over the wind, "HE'S TRYING TO BRING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN! Gandalf we must turn back!"

Gandalf huffed, "no!" And tried to forge on before a lightning bolt struck at his feet, Fadron grabbing the old man and pulling him back, "OK! thats it old man, we're going through Moira!"

"Its Moria, and are you insane?"

Fadron howled over the wind, "it's insanity to continue on a sheer mountain side when there's a wizard gunning for us!"

Gandalf thought for a moment, then looked up at Fadron, "let the ring bearer decide..."

Frodo popped his head out as Faramir shouted, "I'm with Fadron, This is insanity!"

Frodo looked at Gandalf, "We go through Moria."

Gandalf nodded solemnly, "So be it."

And so they began to make their way down the mountain as Gimli began to tell the whole party about his cousin's wonderful underground kingdom.

To be continued...