Chapter 7: The Fellowship's Journey South
Right before we departed from Rivendell, Frodo was given a sword from his uncle Bilbo. Frodo told me that the sword would glow blue if an orc comes close. Frodo let me hold the sword, and let me tell you, that sword was as light as a grain of sand!
"Wow! This is amazing! Keep it in good use, Frodo." I responded, and handed back the sword. Frodo sheathed it up, but stood where he was.
"I didn't get to thank you. You saved me. I am grateful." Frodo said, he was brave enough to look into my eyes and say that. I sensed a great man in that hobbit, and at that moment I knew Frodo could save us all.
So we journied on, Gandalf as lead.
"We must hold to this course, west from the Misty Mountains for 40 days. If our luck holds, the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there our road turns east to Mordor." Gandalf pronounced. At this point, I was so sick of walking, even though it had no effect on me. We had finally stopped for lunch. I watched as Sam ate sausage. He was cute, but not too appealing to me. Beardy, I found out, his real name is Boromir. I found Beardy a better name to call him, but I will call him by his true name to you, but he doesn't know that, wink.
Boromir, Merry, and Pippin were swordplaying.
"Two, one, five. Good! Very good." Boromir said during strokes. Aragorn was smoking a pipe.
"Move your feet." Aragorn tipped.
"Hey, now. Their doing quite well. I think they should be pros." I confirmed.
"Thanks!" Merry and Pippin said in unison.
"Now, now! How would you know how to shield a sword?" Boromir asked, as if I had no clue. He believed that woman were worthless. He was the only person I hated on this trip.
"I know a lot, thank you very much! I'm pretty good, if I do say so myself." Boromir acted like he didn't hear me and still fought the hobbits.
"You look good, Pippin." Merry complimented.
"Thanks." Pippin replied. Boromir then said while striking Pippin's block,
"I will go against you, Shadow, once I finish off these two. Faster." Boromir demanded. I agreed.
"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they're not, I'd say we were taking the long way round. Gandalf! We could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome." Gimli stated.
"No, Gimli. I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice." Gandalf countered. The hobbits had tricked Boromir and tripped him, all three of them landing on the ground laughing. All of us laughed also. They got up, Boromir stood at his opposing side.
"Come, Shadow. Or are you afraid? What could a woman do?" Boromir underestimated me. I got up and retrieved my sword Elrond himself handed to me.
"Oh, you'll see what this woman can bring." I retorted slyly.
"Don't underestimate this woman, Boromir, she has skill." Aragorn warned.
"Pfft!" Boromir hissed in return. I was now across from Boromir. All watched, even Legolas who sat down to spectate.
"Ladies first." Boromir insisted.
"Oh, and it'll be your funeral!" I then ran at him, fastly swinging my sword, but he blocked it.
"I think not!" Boromir replied. I saw shimmers of sweat on his brow. I knew I could fight. I would not let this pompous jerk win.
"Don't kill her Boromir." Gandalf pleaded.
"But Gandalf, you know me better than to loose to a man like this!" I said, Boromir blocked my next move. I spat in his face. That made him angry.
"You wench!" Boromir hissed. I smirked. He came at me with such force, he blew me to the ground. Suddenly, I saw Legolas standing on a boulder, peering out into the sky.
"What is that?" Sam asked.
"Nothing but a wisp of cloud." Gimli responded.
"It's moving fast. Against the wind." Boromir was the stater of the obvious. I shook my head. Was this how he was going to coward out of this?
"Crebain from Duneland!" Legolas yelled.
"HIDE!" Aragorn screamed.
"Merry!" Boromir cried.
"Frodo! Hurry! Take cover!" Aragorn yelled.
Sam put the fire out, taking the pan of sausages with him, while Frodo, Aragorn, and the others took their cloaks and other belongings, hiding behind the rocks.
"Miss Shadow!" Legolas ran to me, picked me up, and pulled me behind the rock with him. The Crebain come through the area, exploring it thoroughly, as though they know they are there. As Legolas watched the birds fly, I glanced over at him. No, this was not a time to think of such things! I hurriedly looked away; great timing, Legolas had just turned to look at me. After the birds flew away, we all climbed out of our hiding spots. Legolas was a gentleman and offered me a hand to get up, and I retrieved it. I smiled.
"Thanks! I owe you one." I replied.
"It's quite all right." Legolas said, smiling also.
"Spies of Saruman. The passage south is being watched. We must take the pass of Caradhras." Gandalf announced. Oh joy, more walking!
We had to climb a steep, I mean very steep snowy mountain. All the men made me wear a cloak, even though I couldn't feel the cold. Legolas was the first to offer his cloak. The weirdest part of climbing the mountain is that I found that I didn't sink into the snow like I had when I was human. Apparently elves have a lot of "enhancements" compared to humans. Frodo fell, tumbling backwards down the snowy slope, but it wasn't too steep at the area at the time.
"Frodo!" Aragorn ran to Frodo and helped him up, placing his hands on Frodo's shoulders as Frodo dusts off the snow covering him. Frodo then notices that he has dropped the ring. Not too far away, the ring lay, on top of the snow. Who better to retrieve it than Boromir. Boromir held the ring by the chain. Aragorn slowly took his hands off Frodo's shoulders and put them on the hilt of his sword.
"Boromir." Aragorn warned.
"Don't be foolish." I whispered to myself.
"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing." Boromir held the chained ring with his right hand and reached to the ring with his left.
"Boromir! Give the Ring to Frodo." Aragorn ordered. Boromir walked slowly to Frodo and Aragorn. "As you wish." Boromir holds out the ring and Frodo grabs it.
"I care not." Boromir laughed and ruffled Frodo's hair. When he walked off, Aragorn took his handof his sword.
Legolas walked slightly ahead of the others, I'm not far behind, but behind us, Gandalf and the others and finding it difficult to walk in the snow. Aragorn and Boromir are holding two Hobbits each, and it seems that without their help, the Hobbits would be blown off the mountain. Then we hear a voice, though we cannot make out the words.
"There is a fell voice on the air." Legolas states.
"It's Saruman!" Gandalf yells. All of a sudden, boulders tumble over us.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!" I hear Aragorn's words flow through the air.
"No! Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!" Gandalf incantates. The voice still calls over the wind. A bolt of lightning hits the mountain, bringing down snow and rocks. We are all buried in snow. Legolas and I find no difficulty getting out, but the others struggle, but make it.
"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan! Or take the west road to my city!" Boromir calls.
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard." Aragorn yelled. Now's not the time to argue!
"We cannot pass over a mountain. Let us go under it! Let us go through the Mines of Moria." Gandalf gave the retoracle statement. I saw so much fear in Gandalf's eyes at that moment, like he knew something bad lie in Moria.
"Let the Ring-bearer decide... Frodo?" Gandalf asked, fearing the answer.
"We will go through the mines." Frodo replied.
"So be it." Gandalf finalized. I was not happy about the waste of time it took to climb the mountain and having to turn back, but what do I have to say in this? I gave Legolas his cloak back after we reached the bottom of the mountain.
"Thanks." I said, truely meaning, I'm crazy about you, but he would never know that.
"You're welcome. But I have one question." Legolas summoned. Oh no! I nodded in acception.
"Why did Gandalf pick you? Is there anything special about you, other than what I can tell?" Legolas questioned. Aww! But I never really thought of that.
"Well, I'm an elf, obviously! But, really? I don't know. I just think that Gandalf's dicisions are always wise and correct, so I'd like to think me being here is needed." I answered him as if I were in college.
"I can't agree any more. At least, you can cheer this deathly bunch." He spoke the truth. I loved going up to everyone and telling jokes to make them happier. Some jokes they didn't get and I had to explain, due to the time distance, but I did a great job at it.
"Yeah. I just can't make this trip with everyone all sulky. I mean, it's a journey of a lifetime, right? Why not make the best of it?" I replied. Legolas smiled.
"I have to thank Gandalf." Legolas said.
"Why?" I asked, looking to him.
"For bringing you here." And that made my heart leap. I smiled along with him. He was really starting to soak onto me.
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