A/N: I own NOTHING but my OC: Elizabeth. All translations of the Lingua del Drago are in ITALICS after the sentences in said language.

Chapter 12: The Long Dark of Moria
We've been in here for three days. It was mostly boring since we made sure not to speak aloud. When the need to speak, I used some of my powers to connect their minds to talk. On the third day, we entered a great cavern with a walkway down through the middle and steep steps on the side of the cavern. We slowly and carefully climbed up. For a second, Pippin lost his footing and slipped onto Merry.

"Pippin!" Making sure my youngest charge was okay, we continued climbing.

When we finally reached the top of the stairs, we came to a crossroad in the mine: three portals loom before us

Gandalf looked at each entrance and paused for a minute before stating, "I have no memory of this place."

I sighed and sat down on some stairs as the rest of the Fellowship sat around the portals, resting while Gandalf tried to decide which portal to enter.

"Are we lost?"

"No."

"I think we are."

"Shhh! Gandalf's thinking." Sam interrupted Merry and Pippin's conversation.

There was a pause.

"Merry?"

"What?"

"I'm hungry."

I snickered at Pippin's words before reaching for some apples I had stored in my bag. "Peregrin." He turned to me and I tossed him a Granny Smith. He caught it and gave me a smile in thanks before taking a bite. I then went over to sit next to Gandalf.

I pulled out some silk and started sewing tiny Mithril Shards into it. I had started to make a full outfit of white silk and Mithril, vest, shirt, trousers, boots, and cloak, for Legolas as the first of three Bonding gifts. A Female who is a Dragon-Blood or one's mate gives three gifts to their mate as in gratitude for everything their mate has done and will do. It is also almost like a dowry for when a formal ceremony can be done.

I saw Frodo come up to us looking scared. "Gandalf, Elizabeth, there's something down there."

I peeked over my shoulder and saw the creature. "Sméagol."

Gandalf nodded at me. "It's Gollum."

Frodo looked even more scared. "Gollum?"

"He's been following us for three days." Gandalf nodded. "No, Master Stormcrow. He's been following us a bit longer than that. Since before the mountain."

"He escaped the dungeons of Barad-Dûr?" Frodo asked us.

"Escaped…' I said looking back up from the creature to Frodo with a raised eyebrow. 'or was set loose."

From the distance below, Gollum looks up, his large eyes observing the company. I lock eyes with him and looked into his spirit. Seeing the twisted mind and soul the Ring had made within the former Hobbit, I tried to at least pick away some of the Ring's influence. As I did that and weaving the vest at the same time, I listened to Frodo and Gandalf's conversation.

"Now the Ring has brought him here. He will never be rid of his need for it. He hates and loves the Ring, as he hates and loves himself. Sméagol's life is a sad story. Yes, Sméagol he was once called. Before the Ring found him. Before it drove him mad."

'A madness I'm trying to correct.' I thought as I continued to pick through his mind with little to no resistance.

"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance."

"Pity?" I asked having to break my concentration and leaving the creature's mind, pricking my finger from the needle I was using to wave a piece of Mithril into the vest. I sucked on my finger a second before continuing what I was saying to Frodo.

"It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo?" "No. I can't. What about you? Don't Dragon-Bloods...?" He asked. I shook my head. "No, not even I can deal out death and judgment for him. Even the wisest of Dragon-Bloods couldn't see all ends. We are protectors and messengers. We are only what Eru made us to be."

Gandalf spoke up again. "My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many."

We all look back and see Gollum back off and away. Frodo sat down between me and Gandalf with a sigh. "I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."

I placed a hand on his shoulder as Gandalf said, "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, in which case you also were meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought."

I smiled and continued sewing. "What are you making?" I looked at Frodo for a second and pulled my bag to me. I opened the compartment I had made for the Mithril and showed him the 'colony' I was growing but put a finger to my lips. "It's a Dragon-Blood trade secret. Mithril is a sacred gem to us. We use it for armor. Because it's so scarce we invented a way to colonize it. Just don't tell Gimli."

I then closed it and held up the vest. "This is part of a complete Mithril outfit I'm making for Legolas. It's kinda gonna be like dowry for me when we can have an official ceremony performed by the Kings of the Realms I watch over which is Rohan and Gondor. I really don't need the King of Gondor to perform the ceremony because he's my Papa, and thus responsible for giving me away.' I then looked at him worriedly and bit my lip. 'You think he'll like it?"

He smiled at me. "He'll like anything you give him."

I smiled and continued my sewing til Gandalf spoke. "Ah! It's that way."

We all looked up and I put the vest up before Legolas saw it. "He's remembered!" Merry exclaimed.

"No,' Gandalf replied. 'but the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose."

"Sounds like a cereal commercial." I muttered to myself with a small smile.

The Fellowship headed down the left-hand passage, and soon we came to an open space.

"Let me risk a little more light." Gandalf said and illuminated his staff and grabbed the Lantern Aragorn held and I muttered, "Moltiplicare e illuminare questa stanza!" Multiply and light up this room!

I then threw the lantern up in the air and it multiplied and spread up throughout the hall.

Everyone's eyes widened in awe at the huge hall of stone lined with tall pillars and arched ceilings as far as the eye can see. With my lanterns it made the whole sight a wonder to see, much like it was back before the Orcs and Goblins took over.

"Behold! The great realm and Dwarf-city of Dwarrowdelf."

"Now there's an eye opener, and no mistake."

I nodded going into my True Form, deciding to stretch my wings. "That it is Sam. That it is."

I jumped up and flew through the air around the hall making sure I kept the Fellowship in sight and I stay in theirs. They walked through the hall in awe and wonder as I flew ahead, with my lanterns following me, to make sure no danger was coming our way.

I suddenly saw an open door with a ray of sunlight, or maybe it was moonlight, and swooped down and entered the room to find out what it was. Gimli saw it and ran into the Chamber of Mazarbul.

"Gimli! Fire Starheart!" I heard Gandalfs call but I stood there solemn in the middle of the room as Gimli almost ran into me. "I'm so sorry Gimli. If only I had come sooner..."

He slowly walked around me, he froze. After a second of comprehending what he was seeing, he collapsed onto his knees by the crypt and started to sob. "No! Oh, no. Noooo!"

All the others entered in behind us and I read what the Runes on said, "'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.'"

"He is dead, then.' Gandalf muttered. 'It's as I feared."

All the others bowed their head in sorrow over the fallen King. Knowing that the Dwarf was in pain, seeing the skeletons of his kin scattered around the Tomb of his cousin, I decided to ease it a bit. I lifted my head and sang,

"~Hammer on anvil smote
In High Halls of Stone
When Durin ruled with judgment wise
On carven throne...~"

Gimli's eyes went wide as I sung of the taken realm. I scooted closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Giving it a squeeze I sang in memory of this place, gesturing to the Hall around us.

"~Gleaming the vaulted roof
From pure basalt grown.
Here sword were made of dreadful power
That ere was never known...~"

Gimli and Gandalf looked at each other, then me for a second before joining me in the Lament of Moria.

"~Gone! Lost! Mourn! Despair!
Grieve for the realm that once was there!
Gone! Lost! Mourn! Lament!
The end of the glory none could prevent...~"

Gimli placed his hand on the one I had on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. Gandalf suddenly sees a large, battered, very old book in the grasp of a dead dwarf. He hands his staff and hat to Pippin, bends down, and takes it. He opened it and clears the dirt from its pages. Legolas looked around the chamber and turned to Aragorn and me.

"We must move on, we cannot linger!"

I nodded. "I agree. But it seems like Gandalf has something."

Gandalf started to reading. "'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.'" He glanced up at us for second and I looked at Legolas, silently asking him to ask the others to put their charms on. Gandalf then turned the page slowly and with caution. "'We cannot get out. A Shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out... They are coming.'"

Suddenly there was the sound of a clang. We all turned to see Pippin beside a well, and sitting on that well was an old corpse with and arrow within it. Then the body, the chain and bucket to go over the side of the well fall down into it, its noise echo from hall to hall. The hobbit winced at each new wave of noise. Then silence. The Fellowship then began to relax.

Gandalf slammed the book shut. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" He grabs the staff and hat from Pippin. I had to admit it was an idiotic move and very foolish, but to tell him to throw himself in the well next time would be considered threatening my youngest charge.

"Even if a threat lies within this Fellowship, Grey Wizard,' I growled out, my Dragon side taking over, my eyes glowing and the entire Fellowship froze. 'I will not hesitate to be rid of the problem. Threatening the youngest member of our group is considered as such. He did not know the skeleton would fall, and neither did you. Do not test my patience Stormcrow. For mine concerning you on the Young Tooks place in our company is wearing thin."

But just then, drums echo up from deep below. Terror creeps into the faces of everyone and Sam sees Sting glowing blue. "Frodo!"

Foul sounds are heard from the distance outside the chamber and we instantly know what they are.

"Orcs!" Legolas cried.

I cry out. "Lanterne Fuori!" Lanterns out! and all the lanterns I conjured up disappeared.

Boromir runs to lock the door. He pulled back when a couple of Arrows are shot almost hit in the face. Aragorn drops his torch and yells to the Hobbits.

"Get back! Stay close to Gandalf and Eliza!"

Aragorn ran to Boromir and closed the doors. A rather terrifying roar was heard from outside.

"They have a cave-troll." Boromir said with an expressed sigh.

Legolas tossed spears and axes to Boromir and Aragorn to help blockade the door. I muttered protection spells on the walls and roof of the room to make sure it doesn't collapse on us. I then sent the urgent message to everyone's mind. "Now would be a good time for all of you to wear the charms I gave you all. You too Boromir!"

As soon as I was double sure that the charms were on, I jumped up and hovered over the tomb pulling out Giuramento di Sangue and muttered a spell to make it into two short blades and I got into position to fight my first real Battle as a Dragon-Blood.

The Fellowship draws out their weapons and Gimli leapt atop Balin's tomb brandishing his axe. "Aarghhh! Let them come! There is one dwarf yet in Moria that still draws breath!"

"Gimli, let us show these Nero del Mostro (Black Monster's) haven't destroyed the spirit of Moria yet!" Gimli looked up at me and grinned before we both focused on the Orcs busting down the door.

Legolas and Aragorn begin to shoot at them through the holes in the door. The orcs finally manage through the doors and the battle begins. I dove at them with a roar and a blast of fire. Suddenly, the cave troll smashed through what was left of the doors. Legolas shot an arrow at him, but he just growled. Sam looks up just to see the troll swinging his mace down at him and he freezes But then the charm around his neck glows and throws him under the troll's legs just in time. He gazed at it in awe until he finally got back into action.

Legolas killed orcs on a ledge on the far wall. The troll sees him and swings his chain at Legolas, he avoids it several times, though it was through the help of the charm around his neck he avoided some swings, until the troll wraps it around a pillar by accident. He stamped the chain tight and then ran along it onto the troll's head. He shoots the troll in the back of its head then jumps off. It yelled and I dodged its flailing arms as it breaks the chain.

I then swooped down next to Sam and killed an orc about to stab him as he knocked the one that was to stab me on the head with his frying pan. "I think I'm getting the hang of this." "Frying Pans. Who knew right?"

I heard a yell from Frodo and turned to see him cornered by the troll. The troll lifted him, and he hangs dangling from the troll's hand. I rush to him and cut the trolls hand as does Frodo and the Troll drops him growling.

"Frodo!"

Aragorn leapt in with a spear in his hand and stabs the troll in the chest. The troll hit Aragorn, sending him flying across the room. He hits a wall but my charm only makes him fall unconscious doing no real damage but a large bruise. Before anything else can happen, the troll blocks throws him back into the corner and stabs Frodo in the chest with the spear. I roar and breath fire in the trolls face making him back off as Frodo falls to the floor. Merry and Pippin yell and jump on the trolls back to try and kill it.

I placed a protective barrier around me and Frodo and help him sit up. I then notice he didn't have his charm on. "Where's your charm? I know you have your uncle's Mithril Shirt but even you could use the extra protection." He pointed over a ways away. "It fell off when the troll had me dangling in its hand."

I summoned it to my hand then muttered a spell so it won't fall off unless Frodo wants it to. As I placed it around his neck, I lowered the barriers around us, my senses telling me the battle was over. The rest of the Fellowship gathered around and I glanced at the now dead troll who had two arrows in its throat. I looked at Legolas and nodded at him for destroying the threat to the Fellowship, my Dragon side slipped back into sleep. He came over to me and pulled me into his arms as I stood.

"I'm all right. I'm not hurt." Frodo insisted Aragorn and Sam who were fussing over him.

Aragorn shook his head. "You should be dead! That spear would have skewered a wild boar. We saw Elizabeth summon your charm from the floor."

Gandalf smirked a bit and had a gleam in his eye. "I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye."

Frodo opened the top of his shirt to reveal his Mithril shirt. Sam touched it in wonder.

"Mithril!' Gimli said in awe before giving him a proud smile. 'You are full of surprises Master Baggins."

Frodo gives a small smile. Our heads snapped up as orcs are once again heard down the hall.

"To the bridge of Khazad-Dûm!"

We ran out the back door of the chamber, pursued by a large army of orcs. Other orcs spring out from the floor or crawl down from the ceiling and down the pillars like spiders. They surround the us, trapping us. I jumped up and breathed fire in a circle separating the orcs from us. "This group is protected by the Last Dragon-Blood. LEAVE!" I was about to go fully into my Dragon Form and kill them all when a fiery light appears at the end of a hall followed by a thunderous growl. The orcs, scared, flee panicking in all directions. The rest of the Fellowship stared towards the light as I hovered and landed in front of them.

There was another roar and it took all I had to not have shivers run down my spine or tremble in utter terror.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked.

Gandalf closed his eyes for a minute but the grinding of stone and the sound of heavy footsteps made him open them. "A Balrog. A demon of the ancient world.' I felt the fear of the Fellowship rolling off of them. I glanced at Legolas and saw though his face was blank, his eyes were wider then wide. 'This foe is beyond any of you."

Both Gandalf and I turned to the group and yelled. "RUN!"

We run through the hall, and enter a passageway. Boromir reached the stairs first and would have fallen into an endless chasm if Legolas hadn't pulled him back just before he was about to fall in. The Hobbits too stop short of falling in. Aragorn, myself and Gandalf brought up the rear.

"Lead them on both of you. The bridge is near.' Gandalf nodded to the bridge on the far end. I nodded, Aragorn resisted, but Gandalf pushes him away. 'Do as I say! Swords are no more use here."

We run down the steep staircase as quickly yet carefully as we could. Half way down, we encounter a gap on the stairs. Legolas leaps forward and landed on the other side. He waves to Gandalf.

"Gandalf!"

Gandalf looks back up towards the Hall as we hear a loud growl and stones start falling around us. Then he leaps after Legolas, said Elf catching him. Suddenly, arrows whistle in the air, striking the steps we stood on. Legolas and Aragorn shoot back and I throw fire balls at them, killing as many of them as we can.

"Merry! Pippin!" Boromir grabbed both, one on each side, and leapt forward, landing on the other side but part of the stairs broke off.

Aragorn tossed Sam over to Boromir. When he reaches to pick up Gimli, he holds up his hand.

"Nobody tosses a Dwarf." With a cry he leaps forward but nearly falls back into the chasm. Legolas reached forward and grabbed his beard.

"Not the beard!"

Some more of the stone steps crumble and fall into the fires below. Aragorn pushes Frodo and myself back up the steps and climbs after us. We struggle to our feet and look at the widened gap that separates us from the rest of the Fellowship. The Balrog's roar is heard from the other hall, its fiery light is seen. Stone structures around the mine collapse as it draws nearer. The I grabbed both and jumped up flapping my wings before flying us to safe ground.

The rest of the Fellowship catch up to us and we continued running.

"Over the bridge! Fly!" Gandalf cried. As suddenly the Balrog appeared, A Demon made of Fire. As the Fellowship cross the bridge before Gandalf can stop and turn around to face it. I transform fully into a Dragon and will myself to grow larger. Landing on the bridge, I roared at the creature and swung my spiked tail at it. It retaliated the hits I gave it and it became a fight of sword made of fire, teeth and claws. I was able to weaken it enough where it would only take a few more blows, either from my claws or Gandalf's sword to take him down.

But then it struck my head with its sword and threw my stunned self back into the wall on the side the Fellowship was on. Hitting the wall, all went black. I could feel myself painfully going into my Human form and I could hear Legolas running up to me and lifting me into his arms.

With my sight gone I could only hear.

"You cannot pass!"

"Gandalf!" I heard Frodo yell.

"I am the servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you! Flame of Udûn! Go back to the Shadow!"

I heard the sound of a whip snapping and even stunned as I was I trembled in the arms of my Vero Compsgno, who held me all the tighter.

"YOU….SHALL NOT…PASS!"

I could feel the power Gandalf put in his words and the strike he made on the bridge. It wasn't long til I heard it collapse. I heard sighs of relief from the Fellowship, until I heard the snap of the Balrog's whip and the grunt of Gandalf. I struggled to try and regain all my senses to go and save the wizard. I had to! I refuse for him to die!

"Gandalf!"

"Fly, you fools!" I heard Gandalf huff then I knew that he was gone.

"Nooooooo!"

I used what little of my strength I could to send Gandalf a message:

'Until we meet in Fangorn Forest, Gandalf Stormcrow, soon to be the White Wizard. Battle hard.'

I felt Legolas running and felt the sun on my face as we finally made it out of the Mines.

"Legolas, give Elizabeth to me and then get them up." I heard Aragorn say.

"Give them a moment for pity's sake!" Boromir begged.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with Orcs!' I heard Aragorn sheath his sword. 'We must reach the Woods of Lothlórien.' I felt myself being passed to another pair of arms and I slowly opened my eyes to look up at Aragorn. 'Come Boromir. Legolas. Gimli, get them up."

He looks around a bit and calls out. "Frodo? Frodo!"

I turned my head and saw Frodo, a few paces away. He slowly turned to us and I watched sadly as a single tear ran down his cheek. I lifted a hand to him and Frodo rushed to me and grabbed said hand tightly in both of his own. I felt his tears hit my arm and gave him a sad smile. "Frodo, He may have fallen into Shadow, but he's not dead yet. Gandalf will get out of this battle a new man. Alive and stronger than before. Trust me."

He nodded with a small smile. I saw the rest of the Fellowship surround us with tears in their eyes. I looked up at my Papa and silently asked him to put me down. He hesitated but did so. I shakily stood, Legolas and Gimli helping me. I looked at everyone and gave them a small smile. "Ai Boschi di Lothlórien, Bosco d'Oro." To the Woods of Lothlórien, the Golden Wood.