6: Of we go on an adventure...
Buffy stood with Methos and listened as Gandalf told them of the plan. She hated the misty mountains. To hear they would be walking through them for forty days did not improve her mood.
They needed to give the Hobbit's accompanying some rudimentary training. The air was turning colder which would cause the others some problems. Methos smirked at her when the air turned cold. Where they had first lived was in the hills of what people now know as the Himalayas. They understood cold and how to survive, it was in their bones.
Boromir surprised her by demanding that Merry and Pippin train with him. Well, to call it training was polite. Still, you had to start somewhere. Aragorn was calling out improvements to their form.
The young Hobbit, Pippin, asked bright and eager, "When will the lady teach us?"
Aragorn snorted, "No one is willing to test swords with Lady Eliza. You will lose every time."
She had yet to show the Fellowship her true skills. She knew it wouldn't be long before she would have to. She grinned, "You shouldn't be so sore, Estel, Methos beats all the competition too."
Merry asked the question that all the others wanted to. They were just not sure how to approach the princess. "Why does everyone call him Adam and yet you call him Methos, my lady?"
Buffy smirked, "He is my husband young master Hobbit. Names can change over time but certain names will just fit."
She saw the look on Aragorn's face. If there was anyone who could understand the power in a name it was him. He had been running from Isildur's legacy for as long as she had been on middle Earth. He had faced the reality that he could no longer hide.
Gimli had no care for names. He wasn't too fond of the plan. A dwarf would never prefer to go over a mountain. "Why take the long way? We could go through Moria. My cousin, Balin, would give us a royal welcome."
Buffy saw the wizard flinch. So he had heard the same rumours as she had. This was going to be awkward. To take the Mines of Moria would be the last resort. She could try her hand against a Balrog but she would rather wait until things were calmer.
For now, these thoughts were just future plans. Buffy watched on as the Hobbits were eating their midday food. She let Gimli's grumbles wash over her. She focussed on keeping watch. They may be on top of a mountain but that there could still be dangers on the horizon. She noted that Legolas was doing the same. All the elves frowned at the same time. Buffy spoke first, "Legolas do you see that?"
She asked pointing at the sky in the far distance.
Adam cursed in Sumerian. They knew what it was coming towards them. "Hide. Crebain from Dunland fast approach."
The group scattered to the rocks and hid, doing as ordered. They were not as trained as the Elves. The men had to scamper under the rocks. The elves used their cloaks to hide. The grey blend made them look like just another one of the rocks.
The noise soon passed and Adam gave the all clear. "They're gone towards the south passage."
"Damn, spies of Saruman." Gandalf knew this was a power play by Saruman. "Curse that foolish, crooked man."
Boromir sighed, knowing that their original plan was in pieces. "If they watch the passage we cannot take it to Rohan."
He spoke the truth and the whole group knew it. Gandalf gave in to reason, "In that case, we must take the pass of Caradhras."
Buffy sighed, "Do I hate the cold this century or not? I cannot remember."
Methos grinned, "It will be just like old times. In fact, it would be like our honeymoon."
Buffy did smile at the memory. The danger was about the same this time around too. The only difference, they couldn't afford to indulge in mind-blowing sex this time around. "Yeah, that was fun times."
Methos was surer now than he had been at any time in the last millennium. "We can make new fun times."
The Elves were fleet footed and stepping over the snow as if they were barely touching it. The others could not say the same. Aragorn used to traversing snowy passages, was struggling with the severe weather. For the Hobbits, it was ten times worse. She looked at the other two elves and they nodded before creating a new formation. They had spread themselves amongst the group to catch them as they fell. She hoped to stave off hypothermia if at all possible.
Frodo took a hard spill the poor little guy. She picked him up before he could roll down the hill. He stood up and offered her a grateful smile. His hand clutched his neck to check the ring was still around his neck. He panicked, it must have slipped off during his fall.
They all saw the ring lying in the snow. It looked so innocuous and innocent just lying in the snow. All tensed and Boromir bent down to pick it up. He stopped brought up short by the two swords blocking his path. Boromir looked up to see Adam staring at him with hard flinty elves.
Methos spoke, soft and calm, "That is not something you want to just pick up. It never ends well for man when you do."
Boromir reacted but he couldn't deny the truth of the words. "You're right. I meant only to pick it up."
Methos shrugged, "Even the best of intentions can go astray."
The Gondorian nodded, not able to refute the logic. The chain was long and Frodo picked it up. The young hobbit did not like the tension in the group. He figured it was best to get moving. The higher they get the colder it would be. He preferred moving to standing still.
Buffy couldn't shake the feeling they were being watched. She spoke up, "Hey Gandalf, do you feel anyone's eyes on us?"
The grey wizard stopped to consider the question. It was an odd phrasing. He used his own abilities. "It's Saruman ... He knows we must be coming over the mountain."
Methos shouted, "That means we need to get off it."
"Agreed!" Was the chorused reply.
The snow falling was going to kill them if they were not careful. Buffy saw the crevice that would protect them. "In here. Now!"
The group flew into the hole. It was a tight fit. Buffy didn't care. She just needed them alive to fight another day and they could do with conserving body heat too. Gandalf was chanting in Sindarin. She was assuming it was magic. She would leave it to him. She hoped he could focus better now. She would be disappointed if he didn't kick Saruman's ass.
Methos whispered in her ear. "Too bad we have company."
She could feel his breath on the back of her neck and she wasn't unaffected. She had to tut, "Behave I am a princess now."
Legolas and Aragorn shared a grin. Their friends seemed to have reached an understanding at least. Aragorn hoped that this journey to save middle-earth would see them reconcile. They both deserved happiness. Still, Aragorn was more than aware they were not alone. So he chose to lighten the mood. He wanted to avoid the inevitable questions from the nosier members of the fellowship. "Adam doesn't behave ... Much to the twins delight and Elrond's consternation."
Adam shrugged with a roguish grin, "He knew what he was getting into when I became his brother."
The Hobbits fascination grew. From what they had seen the elves were severe and serious race. The couple, Eliza and Adam, seemed to be the exception to the rule. "You were adopted?"
Buffy snorted, "We are immortals but from a different earth."
"Cool."
Adam hugged Buffy taking advantage of her mellow mood. "We like to think so."
She leant into the hug, taking the comfort given. This journey was going to get rougher. She knew this as did Aragorn.
Gandalf's face popped into the cave. "Saruman will have quite the headache for the next few hours. We need to put the time to use. I fear through Moria we shall have to go."
Buffy, Methos, Aragorn and Boromir saved time by picking up one of the Hobbits each. Pippin was protesting that he was too heavy. Buffy settled the argument by picking him up. She slung him over her shoulder, fireman style and continued walking.
Gimli was waxing poetic about the style and the joy he would feel under the mountain. He promised, "You will soon see. Balin, will show you how to party my dear fellows."
Methos couldn't help but poke the bear so to speak. "It is not my fault you can't handle your mead."
Buffy rolled her eyes because now was not the time to indulge in male posturing. She huffed, "Yes but your constitution for alcohol has somewhat improved in five-thousand years."
"You are how old?" Pippin asked in shock. It was incomprehensible to a race where two hundred years would be ancient.
Buffy could see Methos about to complain and cut him off. "He is too old to remember ... Then again so am I. You just stop counting after so many years."
What she didn't say was it just got depressing. Too many of her friends, lost a battle for their heads they should have won. She didn't blame them, living was way harder than dying.
The walls of Moria may not have snow on them. It didn't mean she felt easier about the situation. She knew there was something dangerous in the lake. She could feel it and she was never ignored her instincts.
"Look the walls of Moria." Gimli seemed to brighten just by being close.
It was at odds with their dark surroundings. She could no longer it, "Watch the lake and your step."
What fun. Right now, the fellowship stood before the large pretty door. Buffy would give kudos points for the moonlight decoration. It still didn't help them get inside. The group had taken her warning to heart at least. For every member looking at the door, there was another member watching the lake.
"Speak 'friend' and enter." Was all the door gave as a clue.
Gandalf didn't know the password so they were stuck with the guessing game. The lake was rippling and it had nothing to do with stones being thrown. Legolas drew his sword, so did Boromir and Aragorn. There was something lurking and getting closer to them.
Aragorn was doing what he should, stepping up and leading the group. "We need the password, now!"
"What is the Elvish word for friend." Frodo asked.
Buffy, Aragorn, Legolas and Methos all shouted at the same time. "Mellon."
The door opened but it was too late, the beast within the lake had risen. The tentacles were nasty. Buffy just chopped off anything that wriggled in her direction.
Aragorn shouted, "Get to the door."
They worked together in tandem to retreat towards the door not leaving any of their backs open to attack. They closed the door, wanting the protection of the stone wall.
Buffy looked around the dark, dank hall they had arrived in. There was no famed hospitality. This wasn't a living community this was a tomb of the dead.
Boromir was the one to say it aloud. "This is no home ... It is a tomb."
So they couldn't go back and they had unknown hoards in front of them. She should have brought more weapons.
