They walked in single file, Gandalf leading them. He had instructed both Legolas and Aerlaer to walk just behind him for their keen sight and, this was where he now walked, bow in hand, gazing warily ahead into the seemingly impenetrable darkness. Behind followed the others. He did not like being underground like this but, he could hardly argue his reasoning. It was a necessary evil he had to pass through. It seemed, however, the deeper into the mines they journeyed, the heavier the evil seemed to lay upon him.
Was it the ring? It had not exactly affected him yet, so to speak but, just what was it he could feel? Could Aerlaer feel it too? He did not want to ask. If it was the ring and, she did not feel it, he would look weak and possibly be seen, as a threat. He liked the company of the elleth warrior.
"Quietly now, It is a two day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed." Warned the wizard as, Legolas heard someone, from behind, kick a loose rock across the stone floor. It clattered loudly, stone against stone and only added to his unease.
Hours, he supposed, passed and still there was no light, no way of telling just where they were walking, just what danger they possibly walked towards. There were gaping holes every so often which they skirted around. Gimli had muttered something about those holes being mined by the Dwarves. He did not doubt it. A greedy race they were, their soul interest in what treasures they could find within the cold, hard rock. How could anyone survive their entire life surrounded by naught but stone?
Gandalf led them into a vast feeling cavern and Legolas strained his eyesight, trying to detect any danger in the shadows ahead. He moved slightly to his left and, a hand suddenly grabbed his wrist. Reflexes took over and he automatically grabbed his foe's other hand. He spun around to face them, intent on incapacitating them. instead, he found himself grasping a slender wrist and realized quickly, but not too late, it was Aerlaer he'd come face to face with.
She looked slightly startled at his reaction, her eyes big and bright as he gazed down into them. Caught unprepared, he was momentarily mesmerized by them, in the light of the crystal glowing from the Wizard's staff, they glinted a dark blue. Like sapphires. How befitting for a mine. He noticed an emotion, he could not discern, slowly flicker across them and then she spoke; breaking him out of his thoughts.
"The edges are frail and thin, even a step as light as yours in the wrong place will cause the ground to crumble beneath you." She whispered to him. He nodded mutely, struggling for words.
"Thank you." He finally managed, speaking softly and the smallest of smiles graced her lips.
"You're welcome." She breathed, surely, barely audible to the others. Legolas had the sudden urge to touch her cheek, or her hair, he was unsure, just make some small gesture of gratitude. Was it gratitude or was it the reassurance he was not the only one in this Valar forsaken place?
"Ahem, shall we continue?" Gandalf interrupted, startling him. He suddenly became aware he still held onto Aerlaer's wrist and, she his arm. The contact became a tingling sensation and he hastily pulled away, just as she did. Temperature change. Nothing more. He consoled himself, feeling a little out of sorts. He made his way purposely over to the Wizard who, stood a little further ahead. "The wealth of Moria was not in gold, or jewel but mithril." Gandalf said, indicating Legolas to look down the chasm Aerlaer had pulled him back from.
The Wizard's staff illuminated the deep chasm and it lit up brilliantly, each rocky surface shimmering. They all looked down cautiously in wonder into the abandoned mine. Ladders still hung from the sides of the stone and picks could be seen resting on ledges still, as if the Dwarves were going to return any moment.
"Bilbo had a shirt of Mithril rings that Thorin gave him." Gandalf murmured fondly.
"Oh, that was a kingly gift." Gimli exclaimed.
"Yes! I never told him, but it's worth was greater than the value of the Shire." Gandalf said, winking to Frodo. The Hobbit looked at the Wizard with surprise but said nothing. He barely speaks now. Legolas thought. "Let us move on now." Gandalf raised his staff back in the direction he lead them and, Legolas held in a sigh. Soon we will be out... I hope.
More hours passed and Legolas found himself climbing steps, Aerlaer a couple steps ahead of him. He was sure she now remained walking closer to him. He was glad of it. A cry from behind caused him to turn back as rocks fell and clattered. Pippin had slipped but it seemed Aragorn had caught him. These mines can be dangerous to any one of us, even the Dwarf. He worried as they breached the rough stair and walked through another cavern. This one was smaller and soon, they stood before three tunnel entrances. They looked all too narrow for his liking.
"I have no memory of this place." Sighed Gandalf as he looked at length to each entrance. He sat on a rock in deep thought. The others took the opportunity to rest; sitting on the various rocks scattered around them. Legolas felt uneasy and remained standing. Aerlaer, he noticed, did the same a few feet away.
"Are we lost?" Pippin asked, louder than Legolas would have liked.
"No." Merry replied in reassurance.
"I think we are." Pippin persisted.
"Shh! Gandalf's thinking." Sam hissed at him.
"Merry?"
"What?"
"I'm hungry." Pippin complained. He tried not to roll his eyes at such a blatant statement in such a dangerous place. Hobbits.
…
Aerlaer shook her head at the Hobbits light banter and turned to glance at the others. Boromir and Aragorn were sitting nearby one another talking quietly and Legolas was staring thoughtfully at the three entrances. Involuntary she shivered ever so slightly, remembering the warm touch of his hand where it had held her wrist. She had felt colder since the moment he'd let her go for some strange reason which, did not altogether make sense as the mines were not cold. She turned to listen to Gandalf who consoled Frodo.
"…and now the Ring has drawn him here. He will never be rid of his need for it. He hates and loves the Ring, as he hates and loves himself." She turned to where they were looking and her eyes caught the movement and orb like eyes of Gollum, quietly following them. "Sméagol's life is a sad story. Yes, Sméagol he was once called. Before the Ring found him… before it drove him mad."
"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance!" Frodo said boldly.
"Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand," Gandalf looked sharply at the young Hobbit. "Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is all over." The Wizard finished thoughtfully.
"I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened." Frodo said dejectedly, looking down at his hands. Aerlaer felt great sympathy for him. He didn't ask for this.
"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought." The wise Wizard said, trying to comfort the Hobbit who, carried the heaviest burden of them all.
Does that mean I am meant to be on this quest? Were my kin meant to die so I would go on this quest? Was Legolas meant to find me so I wouldn't die so I would eventually go on this quest? Aerlaer gave her head a furious shake just as Gandalf lifted his own, looking towards one of the entrances, smelling the air. "Ahh! It's this way!" He said standing up.
"He's remembered!" said Merry happily.
"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here." The wizard laid a reassuring hand on Merry's shoulder. "If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." He said, eyes twinkling.
They followed Gandalf into the tunnel and, for a long while, it was close and narrow and Aerlaer felt incredibly unsettled. Legolas walked closely behind her and it was a small comfort but, she doubted he felt any different than she did. Despite his calm exterior, she could detect his breathing had quickened a little.
The tunnel finally opened and the air tasted a little cleaner. It was a relief and Aerlaer breathed in deeper, calming herself as Gandalf's staff grew brighter. "Let me risk a little more light." The cavern they now stood in was truly enormous, with great pillars, some fallen but many still standing, reaching up into the darkness above. Aerlaer was in awe and, she smiled as Legolas murmured in approval.
"Behold the great realm and Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf." Gandalf announced as they all looked up and around in wonder at the Dwarves workmanship.
"Now there's an eye opener and no mistake." Sam murmured in wonder. Slowly they walked beneath the tall pillars, Gandalf seeming to deem a rest of sorts was in order. Halfway down the hall, Aerlaer noticed sunlight; beaming in from an ant-chamber to the left. It gave her hope they were close to leaving these mines when, suddenly, Gimli cried out and charged towards the lightened chamber.
She glanced warily to Gandalf, the Wizard indicating they follow. Bow in hand, she followed the Dwarf, Legolas close by her side and Aragorn just behind, with the Hobbits. She paused in surprise as she came upon long dead, Dwarven bodies and weapons scattered upon the chamber floor. Gimli had fallen to his knees before a great, stone crypt in the centre of the large chamber.
"No, no, no!" He sobbed in anguish.
Silently, the others took in the death and destruction as she placed a comforting hand upon the devastated Dwarf's shoulder. "'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.' He is dead then. It's as I feared." The Gandalf sighed as he removed his hat in respect, after reading the Dwarven ruins upon the crypt. Boromir came up and placed a hand on Gimli's other shoulder, patting it lightly. She turned to the man and he sent her a sad glance. She too was saddened. Poor Gimli, he had been so eager to reunite with his family in Moria. Instead he'd found his kin dead and mines destroyed. Her heart certainly went out to him as he quietly sobbed in his grief.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Gandalf removed a heavy looking book from the skeletal hands of a fallen Dwarf. Blowing a thick layer of the dust from the cover, he opened it, flipped through the pages, reading, muttering under his breath. Gimli seemed better and Aerlaer left him with Boromir, walking towards where Aragorn stood. Within moments, Legolas was by their side, worry evident in his dark eyes.
"We must move on. We cannot linger." He spoke too quietly for the Hobbits to hear. Aerlaer glanced around nervously, as did Aragorn.
"How much further is it until we are out?" She asked.
"I do not know." Aragorn replied nervously.
"'They have taken the bridge… and the second hall,'" They turned to stare at the Wizard, as too did the others. "'We have barred the gates… but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes.'" Pippin backed away, bewildered by the words, still holding Gandalf's staff and hat.
"'Drums… drums… in the deep.'" Legolas glanced nervously to her before his gaze flickered once again to the entrance of the chamber. Gandalf looked up, a deep fear marring his face. Something was wrong. She gripped her bow tighter. "'We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark.'" The words sent a shiver through her and she felt the presence of Legolas, shifting a fraction closer to her side.
"'We cannot get out…'" Gandalf looked up again, looking at each one of them, regret also upon his face with his fear. "'They are coming!'"
…
A sudden, loud crash caused Legolas to start and spin, ripping an arrow from his quiver. Pippin stood, a sheepish look upon his small face, as it seemed part of a Dwarven skeleton fell into a small, stone well in the corner. Legolas made to turn back to the entrance when there was succeeding, loud noise. He stared in horror as the rest of the corpse fell backward, into the well, taking a chain and attached bucket with it. He wanted to cringe for the crashing and thundering noise which filled the chamber and, echoed for many levels down as the metal bucket fell, hitting the walls of the well. Finally, it fell silent but, Legolas felt all the more on edge. Pippin looked to be in shock, wincing as Gandalf rounded on him.
"Fool of a Took! Seethed Gandalf, slamming the book shut. "Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" He roughly grabbed his hat and staff from the guilty Hobbit and turned way. Silence stretched out but all seemed well and Gandalf's shoulders relaxed. Legolas returned his arrow to his quiver, only to pause as the sound of a beginning drumbeat reached his ears. He looked immediately to Aerlaer, who he still stood close to. She glanced back at him, eyes wary. As the beat increased, the others shifted nervously as the drums sounded again, this time louder.
"Frodo!" Sam cried, pointing to the smaller Hobbit's side. Frodo drew the small blade and Legolas caught the glimmer of its blue hue just as the sound of cackling and cries reached his ears.
"Orcs!" He declared in warning, quickly drawing his arrow back to his bow and whirling to face the door. Boromir ran to the doorway, peering out cautiously. Within moments he had shot back into the chamber as arrows began whistling towards the entrance, falling harmlessly upon the ground from the distance they were shot.
"Bar the door!" Aragorn cried out and he searched about for something, anything, to do so. Boromir and Aerlaer were grabbing weapons, spears and axes, from the fallen Dwarves and so he did the same, racing to the heavy doors to help Aragorn close them before running the many spears and axes through the bolts to secure it. For how long would it hold? "Stay back with Gandalf." Aragorn instructed the Hobbits as the door suddenly shuddered and, there was a resounding crash against the wood. They each drew their weapons standing back from the door. A great, roaring bellow was heard outside the doors and Legolas grimaced.
"They have a cave troll." Boromir almost laughed with sarcasm, recognizing the noise. As if Orcs were not enough.
As the Orcs continued their hacking barrage upon the wooden door, it began to splinter. He noticed a hole form as wood fell away and sent an arrow through the gap. An agonized shriek telling him he'd hit something. Aragorn and Aerlaer too released arrows in a continuous stream into the gap until the door finally groaned and splintered, giving way. It came crashing down and roughly armor clad orcs, spilled into the chamber. Legolas changed his aim to each one as they ran forward, aiming for their heads or necks. They fell from both his and Aerlaer's arrows but still more came. He saw Aragorn take up his sword and from behind, Gimli roared from where he stood atop the Dwarven tomb.
"There is one Dwarf in Moria, who still draws breath!" He growled menacingly as he swung his sharp, heavy axe at the Orcs, which did not fall victim to his arrows, dropping them with his blows.
Aragorn; sword now moving rapidly in his hands, slashed and stabbed at the Orcs ruthlessly, holding his ground with Boromir before the Hobbits. Legolas spun, taking an Orc out with an arrow before knocking it and sending it flying to embed through not one but two Orcs. Beside him, Aerlaer leapt up onto the tomb, mid firing, her arrow embedding into the skull of another Orc just before its blunt blade could harm him.
He glanced a moment her way to see her push off from the tomb, launching towards two more Orcs, bearing down on the Hobbits, who had somehow been pushed back into a corner. Knives flashed and, he briefly hoped she would not be harmed as he snatched up a blade and slashed sideways, catching an unsuspecting Orc. His arrows were running low and so he used his single, long, white blade instead, leaving its twin upon his back.
…
Aerlaer didn't have time to think, she was, in this moment, purely running on instincts and ingrained training from many years in the herd and, from her time in Lórien. She spun, a whir of movement, slitting throats, blocking crude blades, dodging danger and attacking. She dropped and rolled away to her left from a spiked club suddenly swinging towards her middle. Snatching up an orc arrow, lying beside her, she leapt up, driving it into the Orc's neck and pushing it back. A great roar signaled the Cave Troll was now in the chamber with them. Brilliant.
The Troll had chains trailing from its arms and legs which Orcs held onto. Aerlaer took out the Orcs holding onto the Troll, dodging around chains and great legs as two arrows shot up to embed themselves into the beast's thick hide. It roared angrily and launched forward, towards Sam. The Hobbit stood frozen in place staring up as the huge, deformed, troll advanced toward him.
"Sam, move!" She called out to him, unable to get closer. The Troll's great mace descended, smashing mere feet from the Hobbit, startling him into action. He dove between the Trolls legs and crawled away but the Troll turned quickly on him and he was trapped.
"Aragorn!" Legolas called out as she and the other Elf guarded Frodo and the other Hobbits and Gandalf. The Ranger raced forward and, as the Troll was about to bring his mace down on Sam, he and Boromir grabbed the chains at the beast's legs and pulled hard. Angered, the Troll swung it's arms at them, batting them away. Boromir was caught by its hefty arm and sent flying across the chamber, landing in a heap, half unconscious. Aerlaer used the troll's distraction to dash in and grab Sam and pull him to safety behind her with the other Hobbits.
More Orc's poured in and Aerlaer once again set about slaying any which came to near as Merry and Pippin dragged Frodo behind a pillar as the Troll still thrashed about. Legolas continued to fire arrows towards the Troll and, soon it seemed the beast figured out it was him. With a roar it thundered towards the other Elf, breaking away from Aragorn and Gandalf. The Wizard fell back and, as the Troll flung its arms about angrily, Aerlaer dropped, the chain flying from its arm passing harmlessly over her head. Legolas too dodged and the chain caught onto a pillar, swiftly wrapping around it, holding the Troll to one area.
Leaving the great beast to Legolas, who had taken the chance and ran along the chain to climb up upon the Troll, Aerlaer focused intently on the Orc. Sam fought beside her, using one of his frying pans, knocking Orcs left and right. "I think I'm getting the hang of this." He panted as he took out another advancing Orc.
"There is more to you, Sam, than a kind heart and good food." Aerlaer grinned at him as she stabbed an orc trying to sneak up on Aragorn who already had his fair share of orcs to fight off. There was a louder roar by the Troll and she glanced up to see two arrows nestled deep into the Troll's neck. Legolas leapt away from it as it spun about, abruptly lumbering quickly towards the other three Hobbits. They scattered as it slammed its mace towards them and Frodo became separated.
"Frodo, run!" Gandalf commanded, swinging his own sword among the mass of Orcs. Aerlaer heard the Troll growl menacingly but, she could not get passed the Orcs either. She saw Frodo dodge around a pillar but the Troll followed him.
"Aragorn! Aragorn!" He suddenly cried out. Aerlaer whirled, trying to cut down all the Orcs in her path, watching from the corner of her eye as Frodo slashed savagely at the Troll who held him up by the leg. It bellowed again and Frodo was suddenly dropped as Aragorn made a break, rushing towards the fallen Hobbit.
Suddenly there was a grunt and Aragorn was sent flying sideways. Frodo cried out and leapt up, stumbling towards the fallen Ranger.
"Aragorn!" She heard Legolas call out.
"Get back, all of you back!" Gandalf commanded the other Hobbits just as there was a choked off cry and, Aerlaer gasped as Frodo stumbled back, a spear piercing his chest.
"No! Frodo!" Sam cried as Gandalf blundered forward, pushing recklessly through the enemy. A foreboding noise met Aerlaer's ears and she swung around, confused. It wasn't the Troll. The Orc's began to cry out and flee from the chamber. Intent on Frodo's well-being and, to finish the Troll, she moved forward to where Legolas already stood, arrow aimed at the beast as Aragorn stumbled to his feet only to kneel beside a motionless Frodo.
With cries, Merry and Pippin ran from behind her and launched themselves at the Troll, causing it to swing about in confusion. Merry flew and Aerlaer dove to catch the Hobbit, crashing to the ground but, breaking the worst of his fall. The Troll groaned out in confusion, stumbling slowly before, its great body came crashing to the chamber floor. Legolas, stepped away from it and towards Aragorn and Gandalf as Boromir and Gimli joined them. Helping Merry up, Aerlaer dreaded the fate of the dark haired Hobbit as Aragorn rolled him over.
"Oh no…" She walked mutely towards the horrible, horrible scene before her, coming to stand beside Legolas. Frodo moved, suddenly moaning before gasping for breath. The spear fell from the Hobbit's chest, un-bloodied.
"He's alive!" Sam shouted out in relief, barely holding back tears and, the others, sighing with relief as too did Aerlaer and she felt Legolas visibly relax beside her.
"I'm alright. I'm not hurt." Frodo uttered as he glanced about.
"You should be dead! That spear would have skewered a wild boar." Exclaimed Aragorn, confused. Gandalf merely chuckled.
"I think there is more to this hobbit than meets the eye." He suggested. Aerlaer glanced to the Wizard to find his eyes twinkling at Frodo. The Hobbit tugged down on the front of his shirt, revealing a glimmering chain shirt.
"Mithril! You are full of surprises, Master Baggins." Gimli exclaimed in wonder.
"Don't be taking that off, Mister Frodo." Sam advised him solemnly as Aragorn helped the Hobbit to his feet. A noise sounded, much like the earlier, strange noise and Aerlaer glanced to the chamber door.
"I think we should go." She hedged and Gandalf looked to her, eyes wary.
"Quickly now, we must make for the bridge!"