They walked for what felt like forever to Ed. The group moved slowly, the wizard in the lead gathering his bearings as they went, seemingly unsure of their direction.
"Brother, are you tired?" Al asked softly a few days into the journey. Their nights had been short, due to Ed's inability to fall asleep quickly or waking up in the middle of the night.
"I'm fine Al, I'll make it." He turned to his brother and looked up at him. "It takes a lot to knock me down. If I can fight Roy, I can deal with a little lost sleep." He lowered his voice and watched the others ahead of them, and Aragorn behind. "Don't worry about me. I just need the extra precaution when I sleep."
Al nodded in understanding. Hiding the automail was becoming harder for Ed, especially with the two Hobbit's Merry and Pippin always on his tail. It was as though they knew there was something different about Ed, and they were searching for it. Ed always moved far from the others at night, Al sleeping between them so no one could sneak up on the unsuspecting alchemist.
The weary travelers stopped for the night, Ed able to feel every bolt and screw in his clanking automail limbs. He slumped down beside the others while the Elf and two men made up the fire. He wanted to help them, but feared revealing his alchemy- if it even worked. He rubbed his right shoulder as the flames roared silently in the fire circle.
"Tomorrow we head for the Misty Mountains," said the wizard Gandalf, his pipe lit and smoke unfurling. "If we are fortunate, we can make it through the mountains without notice or trouble. From there we make our way to Lothlorien."
"Gandalf, how do you know the way is not blocked?" asked Aragorn, a look of worry and what could only be defined as fear visible on his face. "What other way can we get through them?"
"We could take the Gap of Rohan. Walk the road leading to Minas Tirith, and make our way to Mordor from there," inserted the other man, Boromir. Ed and Al both felt uncomfortable around him. Neither brother could place it.
"We could go through the mines!" said the dwarf Gimli. Ed found him rather amusing- an old man almost, but energetic. Almost as he was before he dabbled in alchemy.
"We will take that road if and when we come to face it," Gandalf grumbled loudly. "Let us rest, tomorrow we will continue."
Ed moved away from the others as they settled and set up his blankets beside a tree and plopped himself down and watched the dark sky. Al sat next to him and watched as well.
"Why don't you both come over with us? We do not bite," said Aragorn, coming up on them. "It would be a change from your usual routine, and deepen all of our sleep."
"I would but… I don't trust you little Hobbit friends there. They keep trying catch me with my sleeve up. If you catch my drift…"
"You wish to tell no one of your limbs? And what of your abilities? They cannot stay silent for long, for the journey is that of perilous nature. You will need to defend yourself."
"I will," said Ed. "But I don't want the others to know about my 'abilities'. Only Frodo and you know about my arm and leg, right?"
"To my knowledge, that is all." Aragorn stood and looked down at Ed and Al. "Will you come over? I will make sure the Hobbit's do not bother you."
Ed considered this proposition. It would mean joining ranks with his other journeymen. Almost as though he was back home at headquarters studying further into his alchemy. It would mean opening himself up and letting in the barrage of questions and insinuations they would apply to him.
"Sure." Ed stood, gathered his supplies, and he and Al followed the man over to the camp.
The next camp they made was in the afternoon, on the shelter of a natural rock formation, just at the base of the mountain range before them. They would need to pass between them to continue on their way. Ed sat on a rock jetting out above the others. Gandalf and Gimli discussed how to continue moving (it was either move straight through or goes into some mines below), Legolas close behind, observing their surroundings. Aragorn sat and watched Boromir try to teach Merry and Pippin sword skills, while Sam and Frodo looked on from above them.
"Move your feet!" Aragorn called to the Hobbits.
Ed smiled slightly, memories of his mother strangely plaguing him. How she would enjoy the alchemy the brothers did, making models from dirt and flowers from grain. How it would amaze her, and she would tell them how they were their father's sons.
"What do you remember of mom?" asked Ed suddenly. His brother turned to him.
"What? Oh… I remember her voice, and what she looked like," Al answered. "But other then that…" his voice faded into mere echoes in the hallow armor he wore. Ed sighed and looked away, ashamed of what he had turned his brother into. Shots interrupted his thinking.
"Crebain, from Dunland!" shouted Legolas.
"Hide!" called Aragorn quickly, and the camp scattered. Ed ran forward to the fire, helping Sam to put it out. When the Hobbit's back was turned, Ed tried conducting simple alchemy- making water. It succeeded, causing Ed to smirk slightly.
They all moved quickly and hid beneath the rocks and under bushes and brambles. Al was the hardest to cover, but Ed resolved it by throwing a dark colored blanket over the metal to stop it from glinting. They were all silent as the crow-like birds flew overhead. After what felt like strained hours, the sky cleared and the "caw"-ing ceased. All moved began as the Fellowship pulled themselves back into view.
"Spies of Saruman! The passage south is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras," said Gandalf, pointing to the mountains in the distance.
The Fellowship moved up the Misty Mountains, the fresh white snow blinding them and the cold numbing them to the core. Ed continued to have problems moving his metal limbs, and would stop continuously to move them separately to get them working again. Al stood behind his brother, ready to catch him if his leg went out and he fell. Aragorn stood in front of them, carefully watching the rest of the group, knowing the brothers would take care of each other, but always glancing back with worry.
"Frodo!" called Aragorn, rushing forward. Ed looked up from his leg just in time to see the Hobbit roll down the steep slope. Aragorn sat him up, and he seemed in good shape. He didn't move for a moment, until Boromir reached down for something. Ed saw it was the Ring, the evil one they had to destroy.
"Boromir," said Aragorn. The other man did not move, but appeared to be enthralled by the gold's shine.
"'Tis such a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing… over so little a thing," the man cooed softly. He reached out for the Ring slowly, and Ed reacted. He clapped silently and touched the ground. The snow beneath Boromir's foot melted away and he stumbled just as Aragorn reprimanded him.
"Boromir!" The other man looked up. "Give the Ring to Frodo."
The man stuttered slightly. "As you wish," he said lightly. Handing over the necklace, he played lightly with the Hobbit's curly hair. "I care not."
Ed watched the man walk, and the company moved forward again, and felt the strong urge to hit him. Resisting, the brothers kept up pace, Ed constantly having to fix his leg.
The pass ahead was caught in a blizzard. The snowflakes pelted down against the travelers like hail to a road. Al stood in the far back, walking mostly tall and unaffected. Ed was also lucky, due to his height, and was blocked by some of the blowing wind by the rest in front of him. The elf walked gracefully across the snow as though it was not there. They all stopped suddenly, Ed running into the back of Bill the Pony before him.
"Gah! Damn pony," Ed growled.
There is a fell voice on the air!" Legolas called out.
"It's Saruman!" shouted Gandalf.
"He is trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!" shouted Aragorn, holding Frodo and Sam close to him in the growing gusts.
Conversation was lost on Ed, the wind clogging his ears and making it impossible to hear. A crash resounded above him, and he looked up just in time to watch snow come down upon his head. Quickly, he clapped his hands, melting the snow as it hit. The top slush still lay upon him, and he quickly dried himself and pushed what was left away. The others were already taking a poll on how to keep moving.
"We should make for the Gap of Rohan, and take the west road to my city!" called Boromir.
"The Gap of Rohan takes us to close to Isengard!"
"Let the Ringbearer decide," stated Gandalf. Frodo froze and looked at him.
"If we stay here, it will be the death of the half-lings!" shouted Boromir, clutching Merry and Pippin close.
Don't you dare…thought Ed angrily. He seemed to have ulterior motives for wanting to leave the mountaintop
"We will go through the mines," said Frodo.
Damn it.
"Then we make for the mines," Gandalf said quietly, his words almost lost in the wind. The Fellowship turned around and made their way back down the mountain.
"Ed? Can I ask you something?"
Ed turned to see Frodo following him from the snowdrifts. He looked so small, and pale, in the pure white of the snow, Ed felt sorry for him. The poor guy had to carry this forsaken piece of jewelry into what was said to be Hell on Earth. Ed couldn't imagine a harsher fate… though being a military dog was almost a close second.
"What is it?"
"How do you do what do you?" he asked breathlessly. Ed raised his eyebrow, lost at that single sentence alone. "I mean, how did you make water? And melt the snow, both times, beneath Boromir and on the mountaintop?" His voice was eager.
"How do you know that? I made sure no one saw…"
"I didn't mean to, I just looked over and saw… light. Then things changed. What happened?"
"You know magic, right?" Frodo nodded. "What I do is alchemy. It's kind of like magic, but a little different at the same time."
"Like how?"
"Well, I can't make things just appear out of nowhere, I need something to change first. Like so," he said. He turned. "Hey, Al! Come here!"
"Yes, brother?"
"Stand behind me, I'm showing Frodo here a little alchemy, and no one else can see." He carefully checked the area around him, looking for anyone that could have a bird's eye view of his work, and removed his right glove. Quietly, he clapped his hands, dragging his left hand over his automail. The metal grew longer into the form of a blade, glinting in the sunshine from above. Ed retracted the blade and looked at Frodo. The Hobbit's eyes were wide, his mouth agape. "Keep it quiet, please."
"Of course. But if you ever need to use it…" Frodo said, dragging out his sentence.
"Let's hope it never comes down to that," Al said simply. Ed nodded in agreement.
"Come along we are close. Let us at least make it into the mines by nightfall," called Gandalf, leading under a mountain overhang, the crag left over the path looking precarious and ready to fall. "Frodo, come and help an old man!"
Frodo left the brothers, and Ed took his chance. Moving quickly, he met stride with Boromir. He turned to look at the young boy. "Yes, Edward? Can I help you with anything?"
"Stay away from Frodo."
"Excuse me?" he sounded almost offended, but also slightly amused. A small smirk hinted on his face.
"Stop trying to take the Ring from him. Just back away." He bored into Boromir's eyes. "If you don't… I may have to do something I may regret."
Boromir leaned in. His eyes were filled with fire, making the alchemist step back. "Empty threats, little man. You will do nothing. To anyone." He turned away. "You don't even carry a weapon."
"Oh, don't I?" Ed said, readying to clap his hands. Equations spun around and around his brain, all designed to alter the structure of any object.
"Brother, no. Don't," said Al, placing his hand on Ed's shoulder. He froze, pulling his hands apart. The man laughed and muttered something about "small people". Before he could turn away completely, Ed rammed his right fist into his face. The man went down hard, his shield clattering and clutching his nose. The entire company turned.
"Anymore height comments?"
"Edward!" called Aragorn. Ed winced and turned. He just shook his head at the young alchemist. "Control your temper. You cannot blow up at your allies."
"He called me short. I even hit the military head… when he's not watching." Aragorn gave him a strange glance at the mention of a military.
"And your sleeping," whispered Al. Unfortunately, every sound carries inside empty metal. Ed brought his left leg up and kicked Al's breastplate. It shuddered, causing Ed to stop breathing, but thankfully stayed in place. He breathed again, happy not to explain things just yet.
Without comment, but inquisitive glares from Merry, the rest of the men moved into the shade of the mountain wall, where Gandalf already stood attempting to open the secret door. Ed wish to take at opening it, but decided instead to take out his pocket watch and play with it. Popping it open and clapping it shut was claming. He sat beside the lake water's edge and stared at the nothing about him.
"How did you do that?" asked Pippin, coming up beside him.
"Do what?"
"Open the thing! Merry and I tried to back at Rivendell, but couldn't-"
"Pippin!" Merry called angrily. Pippin bowed his head slightly, and moved off to join his friend.
"How did they…? Al!"
"Yes, brother?"
"Did they have my watch?" Ed would have never made it past the gates of Rivendell if the pair had opened it. He had inscribed important things to remember on the inside, in English no less. I should have used German. The cover held his second name from the King, the alchemist motto (which only he took to heart in his opinion), and ever-painful dates. Mother…Al…
A creaking sound turned Ed's head, saving his brother from answering. The stone doors had opened to reveal a dark tunnel with waning light from the moon.
The Fellowship entered slowly, the Hobbits at the back. Ed stood between them and the men; Al's hollow clanking echoing in the emptiness. The darkness sent Ed into his store of memories.
Nina… the night she was killed, the dark ally… Dr. Marco and Scar in the tunnel… He had never been claustrophobic before, but began to feel its effects.
"This is no mine… it's a tomb," said Boromir solemnly. Scraping sounds could be heard in the shadows, and the meager moonlight revealed decaying copses. Ed felt bile rise in his throat and he turned from the sight. But there was no refuge. They were everywhere. Legolas pulled an arrow from one of the skeletons.
"Goblins," he said sharply.
A splash and screams made Ed and Al's heads turn. The Hobbits had moved from the tunnel and sat at the surrounding lake's edge. Ed found this odd and moved forward with Aragorn and Boromir at his heels.
"Frodo!" Aragorn called. The young Hobbit had been raised head over feet by an octopus-looking, black and blue lake beast. Ed stood on the edge of the lapping black water, but made no move to help. He had no choice. Revealing his alchemy now could mean total abandonment and Ed didn't want that.
"Why are you thinking like that? No one ever abandoned you back home, why would they start now?" he asked himself, watching the men save Frodo and rush back inside. He followed dutifully. The door fell in and the company had no choice to continue into the darkness. Gandalf tapped his staff and a glow emitted from the crystal on top, but Ed was too busy thinking to notice. "They believe in magic, not alchemy. The idea of even trying to explain it might get me burned at the stake or something."
"Burned at the stake?" he yelled at himself. "Where are you? These people believe in magic! Alchemy is almost the same thing.
"Not yet, just not yet… why the hell am I arguing with myself?"
Sorry it took me so long to update. I hope next time is sooner, but I can never guarantee.