I'm so sad! My wonderful winter break is over! And I have the bloody-rotten English paper. I'm so screwed. It's worth almost my entire grade, and I haven't even started it. I have one week before the rough draft has to be done. Pity me, my friends, and send me lots of luck.
On a happier note, let's start chapter 21.
Disclaimer: Do not make my life worse by suing me, because I don't own Lord of the Rings, not even a little.
Chapter 20 Recap:
"…The passage south is being watched. It seems we are to close to Isengard." Gandalf looked towards the mountains.
"We must now take the Pass of Caradhas."
'How wonderful,' Abby thought. 'I haven't seen snow for 7 years, and now I get to walk waist deep in it.'
"I hope everyone brought a hat," she said sarcastically, earning her a mixture of glares, chuckles, and rolling eyes. You can probably guess who did what.
Chapter 21:
So the ten began to climb the long slopes of Caradhas. It would have been an okay trip if there were not any snow. The wind was gentle, and the sun was still shining, but the snow was icy and deep. This is probably what caused Frodo to trip. He started to tumble, with no means of stopping. Thankfully Aragorn was at the end to stop him. Frodo carefully stood up, and searched frantically around his neck. Abigail realized what he was missing, but the gold shone brilliantly against the white.
Since Boromir was the closest, he moved to pick it up, but paused for a moment and just stared at it.
"Boromir," Aragorn said slowly.
Boromir didn't move.
"It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing."
"Boromir!" Aragorn warned again. "Give the Ring to Frodo."
Boromir shook his head slightly, as if he were waking up. He walked down and handed the ring to Frodo.
"As you wish. I care not." He messed up Frodo's hair in a friendly manner, but Frodo just looked uncomfortable.
Abigail saw Aragorn slowly release a tight grip on his sword. She caught his eye for a moment, but he turned his attention towards Frodo and helped the hobbit back up the hill.
The rest turned around and started to walk as well. Abigail gave Boromir an alarmed look as her passed her, but he didn't see it.
Abby trusted Aragorn's instincts, but Boromir was a friend. Was there really a need to feel threatened by him?
As they went higher up the mountain, the weather took a turn for the worse. The wind whipped the snow in their faces, and the sky turned dark.
"This is insanity," Abigail grumbled to herself. "There is not one good place to stop and get away from the cold. But we can't possibly walk over the entire mountain without sleeping. And the bloody elf is able to walk of the snow, while we freeze our asses of."
If her eyes weren't frozen, she would of glared at Legolas. Suddenly, the elf stopped at the edge of a path.
"There is a foul voice on the air," he tried to shout over the storm.
They listen, and indeed there was some sort of chant to be heard.
"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya!" it said.
Gandalf recognized the words.
"It's Saruman!" he shouted.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf we must turn back!" Aragorn reasoned.
"No!" Gandalf refused. He took a step forward and started to say a counter spell.
"Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!"
It didn't seem to work, thought, for a bolt of lighting came down from the sky and crashed into the mountain. Immediately and avalanche of sort began to rain down.
'Screw not using my powers,' Abigail thought angrily. "I do NOT want to be buried alive, and I would like to see a nazgûl follow me up here.'
She focused her energy and pushed the snow out, making a mental barrier protecting the fellowship. She hoped it would look like the ledge was protecting them or something. Unfortunately, and ice chunk fell onto her hear, knocking her out for a moment.
"Abigail!" Boromir cried, as he saw her fall over. But he couldn't do anything, for soon he was down in the snow as well.
Abby woke up soon enough, but everything was a blur and everything was cold. She was in a grave of snow, and she didn't like it. She was starting to panic, she couldn't breath, she couldn't move.
'Yeah, this is exactly how I planned to die.'
She was almost amazed that she could still be sarcastic at a time like this. Then, she felt a brush of air at the top of her head. Someone was digging her out. When her entire head was out, she was able to move her arms out as well and she was free. Not without having a big coughing fit, though.
Her eyes cleared, and saw it was Boromir who was helping her.
"I owe you twice now," she managed to say.
"Don't mention it," he replied through chattering teeth. He turned his attention towards Gandalf.
"We must get off the mountain, make for Rohan and take the west road to my city!" he pleaded.
"No! We decided the Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn argued.
"If we cannont pass over mountain, les is go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria!" insisted Gimli for the tenth time.
Gandalf looked thoughtful. "Let the Ring bearer decide."
All eyes turned toward Frodo.
"I agree we cannot stay here. This will be the death of the Hobbits," Abigail stated calmly. 'And myself,' she added silently.
She felt a little bit bad about pressuring Frodo, but it was the truth.
"Frodo?" Legolas asked gently.
The poor Halfling looked worried and felt unsure. He also felt he had no choice but to say,
"We will go through the mines."
Gandalf admitted defeat. "So be it."
Quick POV To Isengard
Saruman leaned on his staff and listen to his Crebain.
"Ha! Would you actually brave Moria, Gandalf?" He walked to a chair and opened and ancient book. "The dwarves delved too greedily and deep. You know what the awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm." He turned the page slowly, and studies the dark illustration.
"Shadow and flame."
One Crebain stayed to tell him one last thing.
He narrowed his eyes. "A woman?" He stood up and paced across the floor. "What trick are you trying to pull?"
He paused, and the ends of his lips curled maniacally.
"I wonder if it's possible…" he trailed off. He moved towards the Palantir and pulled away the cloth.
Back With The Fellowship
With sore feet the company moved slowly on the rocky path. Now they were away from the bitter cold, but still in the chilling dark. They came to the West Gate.
"Frodo, come and help and old man."
Frodo looked surprised, but did as Gandalf said. He ran up and supported the wizard under his arm.
"How is your shoulder?" he asked quietly.
"Better than it was."
"And the Ring?"
Frodo glanced up, and then quickly took an interest to his feet.
"Ah, you feel its power growing, don't you? I've felt it too. You must be careful now. Evil will be drawn to you from outside the Fellowship. And, I fear, from within," he spoke sadly.
"Who then do I trust?" Frodo said with little hope.
"You must trust yourself. Trust your own strengths."
He still looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"There are many powers in this world for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. And against some I have not yet been tested," Gandalf explained.
This brought no comfort. Frodo still remembered Boromir's strange reaction that day on the mountain, the whimsy look in his eyes. Then he thought of his hobbit friends, or how Abby was kind or how Aragorn was protective. Would they all resist the ring long enough?
"The walls of Moria!" Gimli spoke in awe.
Abigail just stared at the rock, not seeing anything.
"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed, of course," he said quickly.
"Indeed. But their own masters are sometimes confused by their own tricky and dwarves forget the secret altogether," Gandalf said.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas whispered, standing next to Abigail. She smiled, but scolded him silently by punching his arm.
"What? Are you shocked by such stupidity?" he grinned back.
As hard as she tried, the blond prince still had issues with the grungy dwarf.
"Play nice with the others, your majesty."
He made a small face when she hinted his royalty, something he wasn't fond of.
The moon came out, though, and all were impressed by the glowing, silver archway that appeared.
"It reads, "The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter," announced Gandalf.
"What do you suppose that means?" Merry said.
"Of it's quite simple. If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open," he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Gandalf dramatically spoke some elvish phrases, but Pippin commented,
"Nothing's happening."
"Well, why don't you go try Pip?" Merry offered.
"Umm, no thanks, I'll wait," he said and sat down.
Everyone followed suit and waited as well.
A while later, Gandalf sighed and threw his staff on the ground.
"I use to know every spells in all tongues. Now it's useless," he sighed.
A moment later, Abigail, who was sitting next to Frodo, laughed softly.
"What is it?" he asked, for he was the only one who heard her.
"You've known Gandalf many year more than I have," she said. "So can't you recognize a riddle when you see one?"
He thought hard and said loudly, "You're right! It is a riddle! Speak "friend" and enter."
He turned around excitedly. "Gandalf, what's the elvish word for friend?"
"Mellon," the old man spoke slowly.
The massive doors opened slowly, grinding against the ground.
"Soon master Elf you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone! This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine. A mine!" Gimli bragged.
When he stopped talking, thought, they noticed the sickening crunch's bellow their feet.
"This is no mine. It's a tomb!"
"What? No! Noo!" Gimli moaned.
Legolas grabbed a used arrow that was on the ground.
"Goblins!" he spat.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan. It is a better risk than this one," said Boromir."
A yelp came from behind.
"Strider!" Sam yelled.
They turned and gasped to see Frodo dangling from a giant tentacle.
"Help!" he screamed.
Sam got a clean swipe at the arm and it dropped Frodo in the water.
Suddenly an entire comes out of the water with many tentacles and picks him up again. He yelled again.
Boromir and Aragorn used their swords to cut off arms, while Abigail and Legolas aimed with their bows.
Legolas stuns the Watcher, and gives Boromir the chance the slice the arm holding Frodo. The hobbit fell, but thankfully Boromir caught him.
"Into the mines!" said Gandalf.
"Legolas, Abigail!" Boromir said.
Abigail was the first to latch an arrow. "Aragorn, to the side!" she yelled. He moved and she had a clear shot of the eye. She let go and missed.
"Dammit!" She whispered. Legolas was focused with the other hobbits so Abby got another arrow. She moved up closer for a better shot. This time she hit directly in the eye.
The monster squealed and flailed its arms wildly at the hoping to hit something.
It slammed into the gates and the stone doors stared to collapse. A long tentacle shot out, and hit Abigail and Sam who were still close to the doors. They flew back into the stair and landed with a thud.
Then, there was darkness.
Gandalf lit his staff and Aragorn rushed toward her while Legolas went to Sam.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," Abby said, but she still winced as he helped her up.
"I should thank it, really, it helped crack my back," she tried to laugh it off.
Aragorn didn't looked convince.
"Really, nothings damaged," she said seriously. "You should worry about the group as a whole. What do we do now Gandalf?"
He looked up warily.
"We have but one choice. We must face the darkness that is Moria, but beware. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the pits of the mines."
The group nodded, but no one could actually speak. They just turned around and tried to ignore the sense of dread in their minds.
"It is wise to stay silent. It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."
With that cheerful note, another long walk started.
Not much to say, since I really need to hurry up and go to bed!
Thanks to Reviewers:
Mandapandape: I'm not too good at lovey-dovey things but I try. Thanks!
ArwenEvenstar83: No worries, mate! I check my mail obsessively for reviews because I have to life. Cheers!
Chaos Queen2.0: I do try with the spelling. I'm glad to see your still with me and still enjoying!
Narnian Sprite: I have a friend like you, she likes to wear flip-flops everywhere. She even wears them in the snow. Thanks for the nice thoughts!
Oh yeah, translations!
Saruman's Spell: Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!
Gandalf's Spell: Sleep Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!
Have fun with whatever you decide to do next! (Though I do suggest reviewing)
-MysticNight9