31. Crawling in the Dark.
"Because I could not stop for Death,
He kindly stopped for me;
The carriage held but just ourselves
And Immortality. "
-- Emily Dickinson - Because I could not stop for Death
West Gate of Moria January 13/ 54 Hrive 3019 III Age
Buffy was a little more than on edge at the moment, between going into Moria, her dreams, her spider sense going haywire, and a voice in her head that "From beneath you it devours.". All she really wanted at the moment was to be left in peace and to try and figure out what was going on.
While Gandalf was trying to figure out how to open the door into Moria she was pacing, as far from the other s as she could get. Her mind was jumbled and all she really wanted was her parents to sit down and talk to. But she didn't have that and she had to figure this out on her own.
Her dreams, she figured she could put off. They had a while before the trouble she knew would come to Rohan which meant she could discuss it with her naneth when they made it to Lothlorien. But the voice and her spider sense were things she couldn't ignore. There was something evil all around them and it was making her want to crawl out of her skin.
She turned in her pacing to head back towards the fellowship again, when her eyes locked on Aragorn in her path.
"What Aragorn?" she asked him, her tone clearly giving away her current bad mood.
"You are troubled." he did not ask it but stated it, his voice soft and seemingly full of understanding. But he didn't understand, he refused to understand what he could about her and she couldn't make him understand the rest.
"Yeah I am. But its not your problem and I really don't want to talk about it." she replied. She really wasn't in the mood to deal with him. He simply didn't get it and couldn't apparently.
"Why is it not my problem?" he asked her sounding hurt. Buffy almost felt bad for snapping at him but almost was as far as she got.
"Because you've made it more than clear that you don't care about what I want, think or feel." came her response. She wouldn't let him get away with trying to dictate to her. Coming to Arda had given her freedom from being dictated to by those she loved and she wasn't about to start to let that freedom go.
"That was not my intent. I love you still." came his soft reply. Buffy's heart wrenched at hearing him say that but she wouldn't and couldn't give in. He had crossed one of the few lines she still had in her life.
"Love is about understanding and respecting the person you love's feelings, wishes and thoughts, Aragorn. When it comes to me you apparently can't do that. I will not be dictated to by anyone, not even you." she told him.
"Then I no longer have your love?" he asked. His voice was soft, and sounded so dejected that it made Buffy's heart heart.
"I love you and I will until the day I die but I'm not sure I can trust you." she told him. She made to move away from him before she gave in. As she crossed him, his had shot out and grabbed her own. Looking down at his hand she felt herself giving in, he was less than a foot from her and the proximity of him after so long threatened to undo her resolve.
"I was merely trying to protect you. I am still trying to protect you." he whispered and Buffy's head shot up and her eyes met his. Green eyes locked with gray and Buffy felt a surge of anger flood through her. Not just at him but at herself for letting her resolve fall.
"You just don't seem to get it! You can't! When we started this you knew what and who I am! I've already lost my life for a cause twice, I'm not afraid to do it again." she told him with a soft voice that was full of steel. Pulling her hand free she stalked away from him and moved to stand by Legolas. He didn't say anything out loud to her for a few moments as they watched Aragorn move over to move over to where Sam stood with the pony Bill.
"You are harsh to him." Legolas shided her softly, none save another elf would be able to hear him speak.
"Yeah well he deserves it. I know he's your friend too but quite frankly I don't care." she told him in a matching whisper.
"His intentions are from a place of good." he told her, his voice still reproving. Buffy was still mad at Aragorn but she had learned years ago not to take her anger out on those who didn't deserve it. One of the perks of living as long as she had was gaining more wisdom about such things than she had had when she had first arrived in Middle Earth.
"He can intend all he wants but he needs to remember that I'm actually stronger and older than he is." she replied.
"Those in love often do not think clearly." his tone told her that he understood but it wasn't what she wanted to hear at the moment.
"He wants me to sail to Valinor when this is over." Buffy replied, turning her eyes to meet his own as he stood next to her.
"And will you?" he asked. There were no expectation in his voice, which was one of the reasons she loved him like a brother, he never expected anything from her and yet she would give so much to see him happy.
"No. I'm a slayer Legolas, I was born to fight evil. There isn't any in Valinor, so I will stay here and fight. Evil doesn't go away and I don't intend to either. Both you and he should know me well enough to know this. He just refuses to see me as I am." she told him. It was the truth and both she and her parents had discussed it at length. They were not pleased with it but they understood, she was a slayer before she became their daughter and though she loved them whole heartedly, she couldn't be anything other than what she was. Legolas kept quiet for a minute as his cherubic features hardened, making him look less like a twenty year old and more like the battle seasoned elf he was.
"I have known for much time that this would be your course. He is a fool if he does not see it." he told her with a hint of steel in his voice. Buffy knew that sound all too well, it usually meant a good talking to when you least wanted it. Arwen had that same tendency and she was more than glad that the elleth wasn't here at the moment.
"I'm not gonna argue with you there." she told him and smiled faintly. They both turned their heads as they heard a sound and saw the door begin to open. Moving behind Legolas as he went to follow Gandalf into the mine she felt her sense of foreboding grow stronger.
"This is a really bad idea."
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Aragorn kept his eyes on the rippling water as the others entered the mine, he could hear Gimli speaking to Legolas. He turned and followed the others in as Gandalf caused a light to emanate from his staff. He looked around them and saw dozens of corpses
"This is no mine, its a tomb." said Boromir's voice from beside him. Even as his hand reached for Anruril, he watched as both Legolas and Buffy reached for arrows from different corpses. Legolas however was the first to speak.
"Goblins!"
Almost instantly Legolas and Buffy had their weapons ready. Legolas with his bow and Buffy with her sword in one hand and one of her long daggers in another.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here. Now get out of here, get out!" Boromir ordered. Scanning the darkness in the distance for any threats he was caught suddenly by a flash of movement beside him. He turned just as Sam called out to him and saw Frodo being pulled away by a long tentacle of some sort. Buffy hacked it away with her sword as the hobbits moved to pull Frodo back up and away.
He moved forward to help the hobbits while Buffy stood between them and the water with her blades drawn. Just as he reached Frodo though, more of the tentacles shot out and hit them all. It sent the hobbits backwards and Buffy flying, though somehow she managed to land on her feet after twisting in midair.
The arm pulled Frodo into the air and as Legolas moved to fire a shot Buffy launched herself at it. Aragorn began to hack at the tentacles as he waded into the water with Boromir.
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Buffy launched herself at the monster and used one of its tentacles as a jumping point above the water to head further in. The only way to get rid of big things with tentacles, she had learned was to get its head.
"Its time for sushi." she quipped as she pushed herself off another tentacle. She had almost reached where its head should be and just below where Frodo was being tossed around when it surfaced. Hacking left and right even as she sent herself flying forward yet again she landed close to the base of one of the tentacles. As the monster began to lower Frodo into its mouth she pushed off again and hoped that she didn't end up evil squid food.
As she sailed foreword, she saw Frodo fall and be caught by Boromir. She focused her self and slashed, cutting through the monster with both blades as she passed it. She had almost made it clear of the main body when a tentacle struck the side of her body hard and sent her flying with it as it crashed into the murky water.
Before she had time to react to the weight beginning to push her down she felt the scruff of her neck being caught and herself being hauled out of the water. Sputtering she looked up to see Aragorn all but running as he pulled her from the water. She thrust her legs beneath her and began to push herself forward. Easily matching him even though soaking wet.
"I hate it when baddies try to drown me." she complained as they passed the arch of the door.
They ran and dove into the mine as the monster pushed itself from the water and came to attack them. Buffy heard the rocks begin to fall and turned with the others to see the entire entrance cave in. They were trapped.
"I already hate this place." she said to no one in particular under her breath.
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They had been walking forever and Buffy wished this trek from hell was over. Apparently she was more elf than she thought because the mines were making her very antsy. She liked wide open spaces and trees and she was not in the least bit happy to be in a dank, dark mine. Add to it that her slayer sense was going crazy and she wanted to crawl out of her own skin still.
She walked behind Legolas and in front of Gimli, she could tell that her friend wanted to be out of this place as much as she did and so they were keeping to the front of the group not just as the best with night vision but as the ones who wanted out most.
Gandalf stopped abruptly in front of Legolas at the top of the stairs and Buffy did as well. Looking past the elf at the wizard she heard him say words that she was very much not happy to hear.
"I have no memory of this place."
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They'd been there for almost an hour and Buffy was even less happy than she had been before. She sat on top of a rock that Legolas leaned against listening to Merry and Pippin whisper and Gandalf talk to Frodo. Her mind registered their words but her thoughts were elsewhere. She could feel that something was following them and it was bothering her.
She turned her head in the direction it was at stretched her senses. After a moment she came against something more dark than she had felt in years and pulled back suddenly. She didn't know what it was but it was big and nasty and thankfully it felt as though it slept.
"Oh! Its that way." he heard Gandalf say and she rose to follow him as he made his way down one tunnel.
"He's remembered." Merry commented from behind her as she followed the wizard. Aragorn was bringing up the rear with a torch in hand
"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul here. When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." replied Gandalf as he continued to move.
"And somehow the smelling thing just keeps following me." Buffy muttered as she followed.
They came almost immediately into a large cavern and Buffy could see, even in the vast dark that it was massive. It was supported by colums that were as big around as a few of the younger Lorien trees and it went up for what seemed like forever. In front of her Gandalf said something about risking some more light and soon everyone could see what she did.
The light only made the sight more impressive and when Sam commented to Frodo. "Now there's an eye opener and no mistake." She had to agree. Despite her dislike of the place, it was amazing. That a world without machines could do something like this was mind blowing even to her, never mind what someone like Willow or Giles would have thought.
The group looked on for another moment before Gandalf apparently thought that they had gaped enough and began to move again. They walked for nearly two hours through the massive columns before Buffy's eyes caught a hint of sunlight. After a while Gimli apparently noticed it as well and she heard his cry before he began running towards it.
Gandalf called out his name but the dwarf ignored it and continued into the room, the rest of them following quickly. They couldn't let him wander off alone in this place even if Buffy wanted out here and now.
Buffy stood by the door as Gimli kneeled before his cousin's tomb and wept. The rest of the fellowship had moved further into the room and were milling about as Gandalf bent down to retrieve a book. She heard Legolas say something about getting out of here and she whole heartedly agreed.
"They have taken the bridge...and the second hall. We have barred the gates...but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums...drums ...in the deep. We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming." Gandalf read slowly. The rest of the fellowship looked around them in fear and Buffy only had her bad feeling renforced. Steeling a look at Gandalf to give him an "I told you so" look she heard a large crash and her eyes snapped over to look at where Pipping stood looking guilty, Gandalf's hat still in his hands.
"Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" Gandalf scolded the hobbit harshly. He turned around again and as he did Buffy caught a sound. The others couldn't hear it yet but after a second everyone seemed to. It was drums, drums in the deep and they were getting louder.
"Crap" Buffy muttered as the sounds grew. This was going to get ugly and fast. Looking around at the others she saw as Frodo pulled the blade of his sword free and it was glowing blue.
"Orcs" Both she and Legolas said as one as Boromir rushed past her to the door. As he moved past her Buffy heard the tell tale sounds of arrows flying and moved with every ouce of slayer speed she had to pull the Gondorian back. Two arrows imbeded themselves into the door where his head had been and he gave her a small smile as they both heard Aragorn shouting orders.
"Get back! You stay close to Gandalf!"
Buffy and Boromir began to push the doors closed and Aragorn went to help Legolas find weapons to use to hold them shut. Buffy turned in time to catch the axe tossed her way before using it to barricade the door. Boromir grabbed the other one and as they both used their strength to make sure they were as in place as they could be he turned to her.
"They have a cave troll." he said with note of humor and sarcasm to his voice. Buffy couldn't help herself and she smiled at him.
"Well at least it isn't a Wraith." she commented as they moved away from the door and Buffy drew her bow. When she had told Glor to wish her monsters she hadn't meant an entire mine full with no way out. She figured it served her right for using the wish word. Even with no Vengence demons in this world it apparently could get her into trouble. She heard the others get ready to fight behind her and within an instant she, Legolas, and Aragorn stood side by side with bows ready.
As the orc began to cut through the door each of them let off shots into the small holes, they could hear the screeches of the ones they hit but were unable to get off more than an arrow a each before the doors suddenly burst in. Buffy let off two shots in quick succession, killing an orc with each before too many had entered and a bow proved useless in such close quarters. Reaching behind her she pulled Ruin free and began to hack and slash at every orc that approaced, cutting off heads and arms quickly. She could hear the others fighting around her and the heavy footsteps of the troll as it came barrelling into the chamber.
Legolas had an arrow into it almost immediately, but it only proved to tick it off. Turning Buffy continued to fight and she knew that they were gonna have a problem with the troll if they didn't weed out some of the orcs. She saw the toll almost crush Sam and then spotted something useful.
"Aragorn! Boromir! The chain! Get the chain!" she yelled at them as she launched herself up onto the higher level of the room. From here she could dive bomb it. As she turned once again to face the room she saw Boromir, who was still holding the chain be flung into a wall and fall down.
"That had to hurt." she commented as she threw herself onto the troll's shoulders. She rained sword blows down onto its head and shoulders as it attacked the tomb and nearly crushed Gimli. The troll swing its club madly as she attacked it and when Legolas shot at it again it fell backwards and she went flying. She it the wall with a thump so hard that she heard stone crack and once again thanked her naneth for her mithril because otherwise her back would have been crushed. When a stray rock came at ther head it knocked her stupid and all she could see were stars.
"And that did hurt." she muttered.
She could hear the othes around her fighting still and the troll and when she heard Frodo yell Aragorn's name she pushed herself up and made herself move. She cut into the orcs before her with abandon before coming up to the troll. Before she could even have at the monster though Legolas shot it and it began to sway. The moment it went down she was moving again to the corner when she had heard Frodo's voice come from.
She came upon him crawling to Frodo on his hands and knees and she couldn't help but feel relief. As the others began to look worried Buffy realized something, there was no blood.
"Oh no." Aragorn said as he flipped Frodo over and everyone saw that the hobbit was alive. Everyone looked relieved and Sam was moving to Frodos side instantly.
"He's alive."
Frodo sat up between Aragorn and Sam breathing hard and Buffy felt her smile broaden as he grabbed his chest. It was a move she'd done many times when she had first gotten her mithril vest. He was gonna have one hell of a bruise later but he would be fine.
"I'm not hurt. I'm alright." he told them in a breathless voice.
"You should be dead. That spear would have skewered a wild boar." Aragorn commented, looking slight confused. She would have thought he would have figured it out by now. She had and she was supposed to be a dumb blonde. Bilbo had given Frodo his sword, so why wouldn't he have given him his mithril shirt?
"Should have being the definitive word." Buffy told him as she smirked.
"I think there is more to this hobbit than meets the eye." Gandalf told the group as Frodo pulled back his shirt to reveal just what Buffy had expected.
"Mithril! You are full of surprises, Master Baggins." said Gimli with obvious approval.
"He ain't the only one." told them before turning around and looking at the doors. "More are coming and fast."
"To the Bridge of Khazad dum!" Gandalf delclared and they all began to move.
They made it out of the chamber in a run, Buffy not going nearly her full speed so that she stayed with the group. The orcs were coming from everywhere as they ran and were gaining on the quickly. They came from the floors and the high ceilings and Buffy remembered once again that she hated this plan.
Within ten minutes of running they were completely surrounded and Gandalf was forced to stop. They gathered around him, instinctively the fighters of the group pushed the hobbits into the center. Buffy had Ruin drawn and ready, waiting for the first orc to make its move. If she was going down then she was taking as may of them with her as possible.
"From benieth you it devours" floated once again across her mind and the Buffy heard the sound. It was a deep and wall shaking rumble that immediately caused the orcs to look scared. Turning her eyes to the right for a fleeting second she saw another chamber fill with red light and she knew things were about to go from bad to worse.
When the rumble came again the orcs began to scatter and Buffy felt her fears confirmed.
"When the scary things get scared its a really bad sign." she supplied as the orcs ran for it, they scuttled up the colums as though their lives depended on it and somehow Buffy knew that it did.
"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked from his spot beside Gandalf. The old wizard looked worried and for a long moment he kept quiet as the rumble came again.
"A balrog. A demon of the ancient world." he finally replied. The rumble came again and Buffy suddenly found new respect for ol' Glorfindel.
"This foe is beyond any of you. Run!" the wizard told them and began to run once more. They followed, their pace even faster than before. If Gandalf was for running at the moment Buffy wasn't going to argue, she wasn't playing leader here. They quickly reached a doorway and made their way through it Buffy had only Aragorn and Gandalf behind her as she made her way down the stairs and she could hear them speaking.
"Gandalf!"
"Lead them on, Aragorn! The bridge is near." she heard Gandalf say. While she agreed with his choice she didn't have time to deal with anything other than getting the others out and fast.
"Do as I say! Swords are of no more use here!" Gandalf ordered and Buffy ruend to see him push Aragorn in fron of him as they raced for the stairs. They made their way down quickly, with Legolas and herself in the lead. They came to a large gap in the stairs and as one she and the elf leaped across it. They could hear the roars of the balrog in the distance as it got closer and as if Legolas knew what she was thinking he called to the wizard to jump as well. As he did an arrow came flying from above them, followed by more.
"Legolas! Take them out. I'll help the others." she told him as she turned to the rest of the group. She could hear Legolas shooting as she watched as Boromir grabbed Merry and Pippin and lept across the gap. More stone fell away and Buffy braced herself as she all but caught the three. At their impact the thanked the Valar for her slayer balance and strength or they would have bowled her over. Aragorn tossed Sam next and she caught him easily. As she was setting him down Gimli made his jump and she watched as Legolas grabbed him by the beard to pull him in.
"Not the beard!" he yelled. Buffy stood next to Gandalf as more of the rock fell away and Aragorn almost fell. Buffy held her breath as he pulled himself up but she knew that neither he nor Frodo could make the jump. She could but she'd need a running start and she didn't have one. She watched as rock fell from the ceiling and broke off another part of the staircase behind them. She could hear the stone below the two give way and watched in horror as the man she was sworn to protect fought for balance on a teetering piece of staircase. "Steady steady"
"Lean foreward." Aragorn ordered Frodo as it began to sway more and it suddenly came in contact with the where they stood and Frodo came flying into her arms."Come on." Legolas instructed as he caught Aragorn and pulled him in. Buffy turned in horror and watched as it fell down completely and then turned with the others and ran for the bridge as Gandalf instructed them to.
They made ot down the staircase and Buffy could see all the flames around them as they ran. She was bringing up the rear with Legolas and could feel the balrog behind them. Turning her head she saw it come up before Gandalf and couldn't help herself.
"Legolas remind me to never make fun of Glorfindel and his balrog again!" she told the elf as they ran for the bridge as fast as they could. Most of the others were almost across and Buffy could hear the thing chasing them.
By the time she followed Legolas across the last foot of the bridge most of the others were close to the stairs leading to the way out. She didn't stop running beside Legolas until she heard Gandalf pass. She skidded to a stop even as Frodo yelled and made to join him but a voice cut into her brain with all the force of s semi truck.
"You must not! This is not for you to do!"
She couldn't force her body to move and she watched in horror as he faced off with one of most frightening things she had ever seen. It was massive with horns and made of fire. The thing made Adam or the Master look like a pussycat.
As Gandalf faced off against it he spoke "I am the servent of the Secret Fire, weilder of the flame of Anor! The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udun.!"
His staff began to glow more brightly and Buffy stared at the balrog struck at him. It didn't make contact with Gandalf himself but the shield of light his staff created. As it stuck Buffy felt a stab of pain up her arm that started where Narya encircled her finger. Her mind registered that it had something to do with Gandalf but what it was she didn't know.
"Go back to the shadow!" he declared and the thing stepped forward and cracked what looked to Buffy to be a whip of fire.
"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" Gandalf declared and slammed his staff into the ground. A flash of light followed and the balrog charged at him, only to have the bridge crumble beneath it. It fell and Buffy felt her body able to move again. Gandalf began to turn to face them when Buffy heard the sound of the whip. Before she could spring into action Gandalf was pulled down. Behind her she could hear Frodo yelling Gandalf's name and trying to run to him and she began to follow only to have a pair of strong arms wrap around her. She could hear herslef yelling as well but somehow her mind registered Gandalf's final words.
"Fly you fools!"
She felt herself go limp against who ever was holding her and felt herself lifted off the ground and hauled up the stairs and into the sunlight. Her body felt heavy and numb and she couldn't wrap her mind around why. She could hear Boromir yelling Aragorn's name not far from her so she knew that Aragorn was not the one who carried her, that left Legolas and she was grateful to him. She felt numb and as though she couldn't breathe, all she wanted to do was sit down for a moment and breathe. Legolas deposited her onto a stone and she felt him push softy at her mind.
"I will be well. Leave me be for a moment." she told him. She looked around in a daze and saw the others around her. Merry and Pipping were together while Sam sat alone with his hands on his face. Boromir was holding Gimli back from returning and she could see more grief in Legolas' face than she had ever seen before. She looked again and found Frodo standing alone on a rock away from everyone else. Standing, she made her way over to him and sat down next to him. Feeling as though he needed comfort as much as she did, she reached out her and and took his with her own. She wasn't great with giving comfort but sharing grief she had done her fair share of. She sat with him as he stood in silence, her hand not leaving his own for perhaps five minutes before she heard Aragorn's voice tell Legolas to get them up.
"Give them a moment for pity's sake!" Boromir declared. That one sentence made Buffy like him as a person more than anything else he had siad or done since meeting him. No matter how much of a pain he was, he still had compassion.
"By nightfall these hills will be dwarming with orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlorien. Come Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Buffy, get them up." Aragorn instructed them. Buffy wanted to argue but couldn't. He was right and they needed to move quickly. But they deserved at least fifteen minutes of peace to settle themselves. She vowed to get back him for his meanness later and stood, her hand still holding Frodo's
"Frodo! Buffy? Frodo" Aragorn called to them and they both turned to face him.
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Lothlorien January 15/ 56 Hrive 3019 III Age
Buffy and Legolas scouted ahead of the group as they entered the edge of Lothlorien. Opening her mind to her friend, she reached out.
"Legolas." she ventured. She was the daughter of the Lady and Lord of the Golden Wood and as such she would have to be present when the fellowship was greeted. It didn't matter that she was a member of the fellowship, here she was a princess and expected to act as such. She hated it but a tiny part of her thought it would be funny to see their faces when they found out who her parents were.
"Yes?" he answered.
"I'm going ahead of even you. I will find Haldir and see to it that the fellowship it seen to. Don't worry if you don't see me until you reach Caras Galadhon." she told him. Her naneth's march warden would do as she asked and let them pass even if her naneth hadn't told him to already but since Haldir liked the idea of his Lady's daughter being with Aragorn less than her ada did, she figured he would give Aragorn a bit a hell. It was the perfect punishment for him being an ass earlier.
"As you wish. What shall I tell the others?" he quired.
"Tell Aragorn that he's the leader now and its his problem and just tell the others that I have lived in these woods for many years, just as I have in Rivendell." she instructed him as she spotted a few of Haldir's men. That meant that he was close. Tensing her body she sprang into a tree and began to move towards them. So long as she identified herself first they wouldn't even point a bow at her. She had already shielded her mind from her naneth as she had been taught. It wouldn't be necessary but she still did it. Her naneth never attempted to pry knowledge from her and Buffy doubted if she'd start doing it now. But it wasn't her place to inform her parents of Gandalf's death, it was Aragorn's. Gandalf chose him as leader and as one who had led herself once she knew that this was his burden to bear.
"As you wish." he responded and she tuned him out. Now she knew that they had spotted her and she gave a soft whistle. The one used by the gaurds of Lorien. They two lowered their bows and almost out of nowhere four more appeared. One she recognized immediately, it was Haldir.
"Mae govannen, hiril nîn." he greeted her when she got close enough.
"Mae govannen, Haldir. I don't have much time. I bring others with me. Two men, four halflings, a dwarf and the Prince of Mirkwood. You will bring them into Caras Galadhon to see my naneth. We need shelter and rest." she told him. She was good at giving commands and here in Lothlorien she knew they would be followed unless told otherwise by her parents.
"Do you lead this group?" Haldir asked her He would expect noting less form her unless it was led by Legolas.
"I don't. Aragorn does. But at the moment I need to get into the city so that I may greet them as my station demands. Even if I think its stupid. I need a horse." she informed him. Almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth someone moved to retrieve one of the horses form the hidden stable they kept not far away in case of an emergency. In less than three minutes a brown made was brought to her. She reached up and mounted easily, loving the feel of a horse beneath her instead of walking after so long.
"Very well my lady. May I say it is a pleasure to have your return home to us." he told her and she couldn't help but smile at him despite how sad she was. She would grieve for Gandalf later, right now she had other things to worry about.
"Thanks. Its good to be home. I should make it into the city in under an hour. I expect them there about three hours after me." she ordered and then kicked her mare into a gallop. At this speed she could be to the city in about fifty minutes and then she would have a good three hours to greet her parents quickly, eat, bathe and dress before they showed up.
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As they moved among the trees of Lothlorien Aragorn looked over at Legolas. He had already noticed that Buffy was absent from the fellowship and he knew that it meant several things. The first of which was that she had gone looking for members of the patrol and the second of which was that she had gone ahead. She was in her home and the moment she crossed into its borders she had obligations to see to. She didn't like her role here as much because of that but she never skirted it or avoided coming here when she could.
"She has gone ahead, has she not?" Aragorn asked his friend.
"Indeed she has. Though she has informed me that you must secure passage into these woods for the rest of the fellowship on your own." Legolas informed him.
"Why?" he asked. He knew Buffy was still angry at him but he did not think that she would put the entire fellowship at risk to appease a petty whim.
"Because you were made leader and in this she feels you must lead. I agree with her." the elf said simply.
"We do not have time for this. She could have insured our safe passage. Why does she do this?" Aragorn asked. They needed shelter and fast. This really wasn't the time.
"Because you have stired her ire and she believes that you must learn." Legolas told him blandly as he kept his eyes on the trees overhead.
"Tis a petty and childish reason." Aragorn complained.
"Nay, it is a wise decision. She believes you must learn to lead men, this is how she means to teach you." Legolas told him as he raised his bow to take aim. In an instant they were surrounded by Lorien arches and Aragorn put his hands up.
"The dwarf breathes so loud we could have shot him in the dark. Come." came a voice as it stepped through the others. It did not hold a bow but with them surrounded the march warden didn't need to.
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