Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings or any of the languages/phrases spoken in the books or movie. I do own Nicole, Susan, Jake, their parents (Howard and Lara Lawson, Tom and Elizabeth Daniels, Fred and Angelina Nox), Matt Thompson, the maid: Maria, and Bill. I do not own Muhammad Ali's little saying either.
Chapter 12
"I hate snow! I hate anything white! AND I HATE THIS BLOODY MOUNTAIN!" shouted Susan, as she and Nicole trekked up the mountain side. The Fellowship had been climbing for almost a day now, and because they were so tired, Nicole and Susan kept falling in the deep snow.
Nicole and Susan climbed up though, occasionally losing their balance when feet fell deep into the snow bank. They spread their arms out for balance, clutching their cloaks in their hands so the looked like huge crows, flapping their wings.
"Well, just think, Susan," huffed Nicole as she took a slow step up, but slightly tripping. "After all these day long hikes and mountain climbs will be really fit. We'll be…" pausing to catch her breath, "fitter than movie stars and models!"
Susan paused and turned around to face Nicole. "Nicole, in all our years of us being friends, have I ever wanted to be like a movie star or model?"
"No, but you've always wanted to kick their asses. This way you can!" Nicole replied cheerfully.
"Hey! I never thought of that!" exclaimed Susan with a bright smile.
At that moment, Legolas passed by the two girls to catch up with Gandalf. Nicole noticed something strange about the way he walked and looked down at his feet. His feet barely made prints in the snow as he walked on top of it. Susan's jaw dropped.
"You prissy elf!" she exclaimed in fury, waving her arms about and falling into the snow. Legolas simply turned around, and Nicole could have sworn she saw laughter and mirth in his eyes.
"Where do you think you're going?" quipped Nicole, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"I go to find the sun," he said with a smile on his lips, "To melt the snow so you dear ladies may not trip over yourselves. I say: let a ploughman plough, but choose an otter for swimming, and for running light over grass and leaf, or over snow—an Elf." He turned his eyes from Susan to Nicole, and Nicole saw them wiped of emotion again. She unconsciously frowned, but was distracted by Susan.
"Oh how poetic!" yelled Susan, struggling to stand and go forward, "How 'bout this for poetry! 'Fly like a butterfly! Sting like a bee!' Come over here and let me kick your ass!"
But in all of Susan attempts, the snow got the best of her, and she landed flat on her backside again, causing Nicole and Legolas to laugh.
For a brief moment, Nicole and Legolas did not think to scowl or be indifferent to each other, but they merely enjoyed the moment. Once Nicole realized what happened, she stopped laughing and blushed. Did she just laugh with Legolas? What the hell? Why would she do something like that?
Not bothering to look at him again, Nicole leaned down to help Susan up.
"No wonder Gandalf said they used to call this mountain 'The Cruel,'" she muttered, rising to her feet. When they got up, Nicole and Susan saw that the rest of the Fellowship was looking down hill. Both girls turned to see Frodo tumbling to the ground. Once he had stopped, Frodo immediately went to grasp for the ring, as if his life depended on it. Both Aragorn and Jake went to assist Frodo, and saw the ring on its chain only a few feet away.
With staggering steps, Boromir slowly went to the ring, and gently picked it up, staring at it in awe.
"Boromir!" cried Aragorn, trying to bring him out of his trance. However, Boromir did not falter, and continued to stare. Susan, in concern, began to make her clumsy trek down to him, while fear ran through her like her blood.
"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing," he whispered, his left hand creeping toward the ring.
"Boromir!" cried Susan, as she tumbled slightly. "Wait!"
"Boromir!" shouted Aragorn this time, finally awaking Boromir. Susan stopped to see what would happen next, but only a few feet from Boromir and not after falling again.
"Give the ring to Frodo," commanded Aragorn, while both he and Jake eyed Boromir. Boromir smiled and handed the ring back to Frodo, who snatched it away quickly.
"As you wish," he replied cheerfully, "I care not." He ruffled Frodo's hair and slung his shield onto his back again. Susan once again tried to make it over to him, but not before tripping right in front of him.
"Susan, are you all right?" questioned Boromir, helping her to her feet. She sprang up quite quickly, and resumed a sort of Peter Pan stance.
"I'm fine!" she responded, brushing his arms off her. "I'm doing great!" Boromir looked at her with skeptic eyes.
"Well… I am kinda tripping over myself, but that's not the point!" Talking his right hand in hers, Susan looked Boromir in the eye.
"Are you okay?" she whispered. Boromir sighed and began to caress her cold hand with his gloved thumb.
"Yes, I am fine. Here, let me help you." With that, Boromir wrapped his left arm around Susan's waist and help her up the mountain, still holding her hand. Behind them Jake growled, and while Aragorn released his sword, Jake kept a good grip on his.
"Do not worry about them, mellon nin," whispered Aragorn, as they continued. Jake turned his head slightly to acknowledge Aragorn's words.
"Boromir has good intentions," assured Aragorn, looking Jake in the eye.
"What does 'mellon nin' mean? I heard you say that to Elladan and Elrohir."
"You are very observant. It means 'my friend.'"
"You consider me a friend? You hardly know me."
"From what I have seen, you have only talked to three people since you have arrived here, other than the threats you bark out. Those people are Elrond, Nicole, and Susan. Why do you talk to me?"
Jake paused for a moment in thought. "I suppose I can trust you."
Aragorn placed a hand on Jake's shoulder. "That is enough for me to call you my friend, under your circumstances." Aragorn smiled at Jake, and he smiled back. Placing his hand on Aragorn's shoulder, they became life long friends, even though they didn't know the extent at the moment.
"I had a conversation with Nicole the other day. She is very… how do you say… headstrong."
Jake paused to admire Nicole, who was walking with Gimli up ahead of Jake and Aragorn. "She needed to be in our world. She wanted to prove she couldn't be brought down easily; to anyone and everyone."
"Is that why she and Susan are so independent?"
"In our world women have more choice. Everyone has a choice."
Aragorn paused to wonder about this world. The freedom to choose your own life and live it the way you wanted.
"I would like to visit this world one day," he said to Jake, taking a moment to check the surrounding.
"Hey, if we can end up here, maybe one day you'll see our world." Jake and Aragorn both exchanged a smile at the thought of experience.
Soon, the harsh and cold winds of the Redhorn caused the Fellowship to leave all smiles and laughs behind. Each man held two hobbits, Jake held Nicole and Susan, Legolas walked on top of the snow, Gimli stood close to Bill, and Gandalf lead the group, trying to move the snow with his staff.
Susan and Nicole shielded their faces into Jake's warm chest. They hated the snow, the whiteness of it all. It reminded Nicole of her house. White sheets, white carpets, white furniture. The white light constantly surrounded her with its pure imperfection.
Nicole was distracted by her thoughts as Legolas went to the front and listened to the winds' cruelest words.
"There is a fell voice on the air," he cried with the softest voice. A rush of dizziness overcame Nicole as haunted words entered her mind. With cloudy vision and hearing, boulders came down as Gandalf shouted something inaudible.
With all the strength he could muster and a final grunt, Jake turned into the mountain side and covered Nicole and Susan. As soon as the chaos ended, they turned back to hear Aragorn shout.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!"
"No!" yelled Gandalf, stepping onto the snow. With a straightened back and firm grasp on his staff, Gandalf looked like a tamer of winds.
"Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!" But with all his wise words, the chaos endured.
"Cuiva nwalca Carnirassë! Nai yarvaxëa rasselya taltuva ñotto-carinnar!" spoke the wind, blowing and freezing their faces.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU BASTARD!" Nicole turned to see Susan standing proud on the snow, facing the place where the voice came. Only Susan would face an unseen evil. With a clap of thunder, more snow boulders came down. Susan didn't even have time to scream, but luckily Jake pulled her back before the snow fell down on top of the Fellowship.
Nicole felt like she was drowning, struggling for breath and life. Surrounded by white and light, she struggled to find release. A strong arm pulled her to safety and Jake's arms. Coughing and sputtering, she crawled into her protector's arms, wanting to be anywhere but here.
It was so cold, and frightful, how were they to survive? They would surely die up here before they reached the other side of the mountain. Ice tears that reflected her current state crept down her cheeks as she prayed to any God that would hear her plea.
Legolas climbed back up and immediately found Nicole. Every emotion reached out to her, but he calmed himself. This was no time to grow soft; he must remain strong, for her and the Fellowship. Pulling to Gandalf up, they listened to Boromir.
"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan! Or take the west road to my city!"
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard," reasoned Aragorn.
"We must get off!" cried Legolas. "The women and the hobbits will not survive!" Susan was about to rip off Legolas's head until Jake called her name. Looking down at Nicole, Susan was washed down in sadness. There she sat, huddled in Jake's arms, clutching her heart with a frost bit hand.
"Oh! Nicole, why didn't you say anything?" cried Susan, almost in tears as she knelt down next to her, warming her hands. Nicole gave a wry smile.
"I didn't want you to worry…" Nicole gave another groan, and shrunk into Jake's arms.
"Susan, I don't want to die here…" Nicole barely whispered.
Susan took her hands into her own, and whispered soft words. "I won't let you die. I won't even let you get close to dying like last time." Turning to find help, Susan felt a rush of protectiveness.
"GANDALF!" cried Susan. Gandalf looked over Nicole, and handed a bottle to Legolas. Legolas then skillfully walked over to the three outsiders and pressed the bottle to Nicole's lips.
"Here," he said, letting the warm fluid trickle down her throat and lips.
"What is that?" asked Susan.
"It is miruvor. It will warm her body," Legolas responded. Legolas looked Nicole over, taking in her distraught body. He felt his heart warm up, and his body ache. How could a human who he's barely known do this to him? As he looked her over, he did pity her with all his being.
Susan looked at Legolas with compassion for a minute, but only a minute. She saw his rigid state and indifferent glance, and wondered if he had grown up on this mountain. What was he hiding?
"You certainly won't," she snapped. Legolas simply ignored her and walked back to the front, allowing the hobbits a sip of the elvish drink. He could not show anything but indifference if he didn't want his true emotions to show. If Nicole saw in his eyes how he truly felt, if she saw the lust in his eyes, it would certainly make the trip much more uncomfortable. For her sake and the Fellowship's, he would keep his feelings guarded.
"We cannot pass over a mountain. Let us go under it! Let us go through the Mines of Moria," suggested Gimli, with a firm nod of the head. Gandalf looked over the fellowship, taking in their cold faces and their scared eyes. He heard Saruman's voice in his head, talking of past knowledge and the horror that awoke in the dark. He had once passed through Moria and thought it of the better choice, but he knew Aragorn did not approve. However, neither he nor Aragorn could make this decision.
"Let the Ring-bearer decide," he finally said, and caused all eyes to turn on Frodo.
"We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the hobbits and Nicole!" shouted Boromir. Frodo took in his friends' faces. He could not take them further. Then he looked to Nicole, who looked even worse. Suddenly, her tired eyes shot open, and stared into Frodo's warm blue ones.
Unspoken words passed between the two, and a common understanding was made. Black of night meet blue of day, and Nicole nodded her head in assent.
"Frodo?" asked Gandalf, looking for his decision.
"We will go through the mines," stated Frodo, in a voice that left no room for arguments, even though no one would.
"So be it."