Opening my eyes I immediately cough and splutter and move to sit up before a hand is pressed to my shoulder forcing me back to the ground.
"Stay still for a moment Peyson we need to make sure you are not injured," my vision is still blurry and I stay still for a second while I assess myself, I don't feel pain anywhere just the relief of being able to breathe again.
"I'm okay, I am not wounded just winded I think," I say after a while and I am suddenly being held tightly in someones arms.
"You scared me little one," he whispers into my hair and for a second I allow myself to relax into his arms in the way that my body and heart is always aching to do.
"I'm fine," I mutter back before pulling away and taking Legolas' hand stand up scowling at him as he smirks at me and even though I am cold to my bones I can feel a heat in my cheeks.
"We must get off this mountain Gandalf the hobbits are half dead with cold and Peyson is not far behind," Boromir begins,
"I'm fine," I interrupt but am soon shouted down.
"Please Gandalf we cannot continue like this," Aragorn shouts pulling Frodo back to him now that I am beside Legolas. I am shivering fairly violently now and despite my insisting that I am okay so as not to appear weak I can feel the coldness reaching for my bones as it seeps through me. A warm arm suddenly rests itself around my shoulders pulling me into his side and looking up I see Legolas smile down at me as he pulls his cloak further around my shoulders. How does he stay so warm? He is not even shivering and yet I am almost frozen solid at this point.
"Let the ring bearer decide," Gandalf orders and I am startled back into the conversation as I watch Frodo crease his brow in fear and concentration.
"We shall go through the mines," he says eventually and I feel my heart sink a little without knowing why.
"So be it," Gandalf sighs and my nervousness steps up slightly. Maybe it is just because I do not like the dark that much or because I have just very nearly died from being buried but I hate the idea of travelling through any underground place the very thought makes me shudder slightly.
Eventually we make it back down the mountainside but it is slow going. The paths are slippery and treacherous and all except Legolas spend as much time on our backs as we do on our feet as we slowly descend the cliff paths. My nightmares are getting worse again and so I am sleeping less and less to avoid people finding out. Legolas and I have come to a secret agreement that he would watch over me as he had back in Rivendell and wake me if I began to thrash around or make any noise. As we walk around the point I am confronted with a vast and blank cliff face set in front of a black body of water which is eerily silent and still. As Gandalf holds up his staff and chants something the clouds shift and move and I cannot contain the gasp as I see silver lines creep up and over the surface of rock eventually outlining a huge set of doors and words above it. The fellowship drifts apart as they sit down to rest and pass the time while Gandalf attempts to open the doors. Turning I see a flat looking rock and so taking off my pack I slump down quickly without taking off any of my weapons, I feel uneasy here and want to be prepared despite the fact that I am so tired that I can barely focus on anything as I drift in and out of a semi conscious state.
"Peyson," the voice cuts through my fog and I look up from my position sitting slumped over on a rock to see Legolas looking concerned in front of me.
"Sorry, just… I was just thinking," I murmur and he shakes his head sadly at me as he moves to sit beside me.
"Why will you tell no one? it is making you ill, you barely sleep at all anymore," he sighs and I give a little grunt before turning to him.
"You know why I cannot appear weak in front of them, I must stay strong,"
"Not in front of Aragorn," he cuts in and I give a little laugh at this.
"Especially Aragorn, he will leave me when this is over Legolas I cannot let my heart rely on him," I whisper, knowing that it was too late, that my heart already relied on him.
"I wish you would speak to him and learn the truth," he sighs and I give him a weak smile,
"I am fine do not worry about me, I am not important," I say and he shakes his head again and offers me a sad smile.
"You are more important to those of us in the fellowship than you realise Peyson, don't leave it too long," he says before standing and walking towards Boromir and Gimli.
"Do not disturb the water," I hear the panic in Aragorn's voice more than I understand his words and I instantly move away from my rock at the edge of the water to stand beside Gandalf just as Merry announces that it is a riddle.
"What is the elvish word for friend?" he asks and instantly Legolas, Gandalf, Aragorn and I speak up.
"Mellon," before I can even laugh about the fact that we had all spoken together a crunching nice alarms me enough that I jump back a little before I realise that it is the great doors opening.
"Well done Merry you are indeed a brilliantly clever hobbit," I smile and he beams up at me as we all move towards the cavernous blackness of the entrance.
"Soon master elf you shall experience the hospitality of the dwarves," Gimli is saying and I chuckle slightly to myself as I hear Legolas grumble something in response.
Stepping into the darkened entrance however the mood changes suddenly and apprehension fills me as try to adjust to the lack of light. Gimli is still talking about what a welcome we shall receive when I feel Boromir tense beside me.
"This is no cave it's a tomb," he says and I look down able to see somewhat for the first time and my breath catches in my throat as I see the piles of bodies, skeletons now, surrounding us. Images of my village fill my head and as if he knows it Aragorn is suddenly beside me his sword already drawn as Legolas bends to pull an arrow out of one of the dead dwarves.
"Goblins," he snarls throwing it down and making me wince as I take hold of my own sword and hold it out in front of me in shaking hands.
"Breathe little one I will protect you," he whispers and I relax a little despite myself and offer him a tiny smile.
"We should never have come here out, OUT," Boromir bellows but before I can move a dull thud beside me makes me wince and then the shriek makes me turn. I gasp out loud in horror as I see Frodo in the air being held by some sort of giant tentacle.
"Frodo," I scream his name before I realise it is me that has screamed and I dart forward before anyone else reacts cutting at the tentacle with my sword and screaming out in relief as he falls into my arms. Just as I am righting him on his feet however I am thrown to the side, a dull pain radiating slowly through my side.
"Peyson, are you alright? Are you wounded?" I look up to see Aragorn rushing towards me and I nod pulling myself quickly to my feet.
"I am fine, go to Frodo, help Frodo," I yell and he holds my eye for a second longer before nodding and rushing into the water letting out a battle cry as he cuts down a tentacle. I push myself quickly towards the entrance of the mine herding the other hobbits with me as I see Frodo fall into Boromir's arms and watch the two men rush towards us.
"Legolas," I cry as I notice he is still a way away from us and he glances at me shooting an arrow at the great beasts eyes and then rushes towards us pulling me in front of him as he swings so that his back is to the entrance and I hear the almighty roar of the creature as it pulls itself out of the water and towards us bringing down the entrance and effectively caving us in. Safe from it but at the mercy of anything else in here!
"Peyson, you are shaking are you well?" Legolas whispers as he grips me tighter still and I stare up at him for a few minutes while my eyes adjust to the darkness, blinking suddenly as Gandalf lights his staff and we are illuminated in the soft glow of white light.
"Yes," I nod pulling away from him as I hear a soft growl behind me only to come face to face with Aragorn who is staring at Legolas with a very odd expression on his face.