The sun had not yet peeked over the mountains yet it was morning as I arose, pulling on the clothes I wear as a Ranger, strapping every weapon on my body that I had and tying my hair back. I looked in the mirror and smiled, back to the days of old adventure... but would this be my last? I could still hear Boromir's voice in my head.
"It is a barren of wasteland riddled with fire, and ash, and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume." Was I afraid? No! I thought, I am never afraid! and with a final nod to the me in the mirror I opened my door and went down to the lower level of Rivendell, where I called for Niethen with my flute, Legolas watching me from the place on the stairs where he sat.
"Who are you?" His question was abrupt and I looked over, putting my hand on Niethen's shoulder which protruded from under his neck.
"Rhasslairiel Analas." I told him, "Elven Ranger of the North." He nodded. "And you are Legolas Greenleaf, Prince of Mirkwood." I said. Legolas looked up, his blue eyes shining in the early darkness. A chill wafted through the air and I pulled my cloak around me closer. Legolas bowed his head and continued to look at me as I readied Niethen, throwing my pack around his shoulders.
"You seem troubled every time I see you. Why is that?" He asked. I whirred around to him.
"That," I retorted coldly, "is none of your business. You know nothing about me and I prefer we keep it that way." Legolas's head reared back at my snap and put his hands up. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Aragorn, who smiled at me. I just looked at him before shaking my head, and walking away.
"Rhasslairiel." I heard Lord Elrond's voice and I turned.
"Lord Elrond." I said, bowing low. He seemed to have a sad resigned look on his face and touched my shoulder, allowing me to stand.
"I have come to bid you farewell." He said.
"Then if that is all," I said emotionlessly, "I bid you farewell My Lord." He looked at me for a moment, as if about to say something... but did not and with a last bow of the head, turned away.
The sun came over the mountains and shined down on our path as we left Rivendell behind us, Gandalf in the front, leading us, Legolas behind him, then Gimli, followed by the four Hobbits, Sam leading his pony, Boromir, Aragorn, and finally myself.
During the three days that we traveled I was either far ahead or far behind, always followed by either the eyes of Legolas, with curiosity, or Aragorn, with concern. I was so sick of that look and just wanted to scream out: "No, I am not alright! I never will be!" but I knew I never would.
My smiles were empty and hollow, my laughs an echo of those that I once held dear, replaying like the same scene over and over.
"We must hold to this course, west of the Misty Mountains, for forty days." Gandalf told me when I walked beside him the few hours that I did. I nodded. "If our luck holds," for we hadnt been attacked by orcs yet, "The Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there, our road turns east to Mordor."
Now we all sat on rocks, our gear to the side and Sam down by the fire, cooking some form of food which I refused kindly. I did not feel like eating.
It was adventures like these where I found that I could dwell in my thoughts, where no fear pierced my heart... but a longing for it remained there, to keep me from my dark thoughts. Aragorn sat on a rock, smoking a pipe and Boromir taught the two Hobbits Pippin and Merry how to fight.
"Two, one, five. Good! Very good." I stood beside Legolas.
"Move your feet." Aragorn said.
"You look good Pippin." Merry told Pip.
"Faster!" Boromir said. I smiled and jumped down, parrying with Boromir as he twisted. We both put our swords down. I looked up as a gruff voice reached my ears.
"If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they're not." Gimli said and I gave Aragorn's shoulder a tap, climbing up the rocks to the upper level where the other three were. "I'd say we were taking the long way 'round." I leapt onto a rock, balancing my foot on it nimbly, as was my idea of fun. "Gandalf," he said, turning to the wizard, "We could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin, Balin would give us a royal welcome." I shook my head.
"No, Gimli," Gandalf said, "I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice."
"I agree." I said, sitting down atop the pointed top of the rock that I sat on. "No one has heard from the Dwarves in the Mines for a hundred years. Who knows what has happened since then." Legolas came to stand next to me and I looked at him.
"I would like to apologize Legolas, for the way I snapped at you back in Rivendell." Legolas looked at me.
"I forgave you a long time ago," he said, smiling... but his smile left as he looked out into the horizon sky. I turned my head.
"What is that?" Sam asked.
"Nothing. It's just a wisp of cloud."
"Clouds dont move that fast." I countered.
"And it's against the wind." Boromir said, standing up from where he was wrestling with the two Hobbits, his breathing labored from laughter and effort.
"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas cried.
"Hide!" I yelled and we all ducked down.
"Hurry! Take cover!" Aragorn and Boromir cried. I jumped down from the rock and rolled underneath a low brush, letting it cover my body, Legolas beside me. I could hear his breathing worriedly... he was close.
Moments passed and we climbed out, I nearly rolling onto Legolas on accident.
"Spies of Saruman." Gandalf said, coming out from behind a rock. "The passage South is being watched."
"Where do we go now?" I asked. Gandalf turned his gaze to me.
"We must take the Pass of Caradhras." He said I looked up at the snow topped mountain sighing.
It took us one day to get to the base of Caradhras, the air getting colder all the way.
Our first step into the snow I shivered, drawing my cloak closer and wishing that my boots were two times thicker. Niethen walked close to me, trying to give off body heat my horse knew me so well. I smiled as I reached up onto his back and pulled down my blanket, wrapping it around my shoulders tight and putting my hood up.
I walked by Aragorn, who walked in the back with me, my hands red with cold as I kept them tucked under my arms. Frodo walked in front of us, the look of his bare feet sending cold shivers up my spine. His face was panic stricken as he fell backwards and tumbled down the hill in the snow.
"Frodo!" Aragorn called and ran up, helping the fallen Hobbit up. I looked down at his chest.
"Where's the Ring?" all three of us looked up. Boromir picked up the Ring on the chain, hanging it before his face. All eyes turned to him.
"Boromir." Aragorn said. The son of the Steward looked up slightly.
"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing... such a little thing..." he said, looking back upon the Ring. He reached his hand up to touch it.
"Boromir!" Aragorn and I called in unison sternly to him, "Give the Ring to Frodo." I finished. Boromir walked through the snow to the three of us, holding out the Ring, almost hesitantly.
"As you wish." He said. Frodo grabbed it from his hand, "I care not," and with a small smile and a ruffle of Frodo's hair he slung his shield higher on his shoulder walked away. Aragorn and I exchanged glances and let go of our weapons slowly.
My nose began to run the second day through the snow and I sniffled and sneezed away as we walked. Pippin looked up at me, frowning.
"Why are you so susceptible to the snow?" he asked. I shrugged.
"I do not know." I replied, "I suppose I just am."
"Maybe it is because you are an Elf." The Hobbit replied. I shook my head and looked over at Legolas.
"Legolas seems not to have a problem with it." I replied. "I suppose I am not used to it. For when cold comes I tend to migrate to a warmer place." I sneezed and Aragorn patted my back.
"Not much longer, Rhasslairiel." He said, "You will lie in the sun soon." I smiled at the thought of the warm sun on my skin. How I longed for it.
The wind picked up, sending the falling snow down harder and from all directions. Aragorn held two of the Hobbits in his arms, them not being able to withstand the snow that went up to our mid-bellies.
I was getting sick, I knew. My nose was red and stuffed, and my body like an icicle though when my face was touched it was burning hot. I looked at Aragorn under the three blankets and a cloak, pitying him and not bothering him with my misery as he held Frodo and Sam, Boromir ahead with Pippin and Merry. It seemed that he held a fondness for them. I smiled, only to have my teeth chatter loudly.
Legolas ran ahead of the group as we walked along a steep path on the side of the mountain, standing on the ledge and looking out. He stood on the top of the snow, light and swift as he was. I could have done the same if not under all those confounded blankets and without enough energy. A dark voice rang out through the mountains in a strange language.
"There is a foul voice in the air." Legolas said, his hair riddled with snow and his face, though troubled, cold.
"It's Saruman!" Gandalf screamed to us. I looked up with my drooping eyes at the mountain as rocks fell down right on our heads if we hadnt dodged out of the way.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn cried, "Gandalf! We must turn back!"
"No!" Gandalf yelled. I sighed in exasperation. I wasnt going to make it much longer. Gandalf went to the side of the path, yelling out in strange languages himself, trying to counter Saruman's spell. I leaned against the cliff, trying to keep my hands warm. I fell to the ground.
"Rhasslairiel!" Aragorn cried and came to stand beside me. I looked up at him, sneezing and coughing, my head felt like it was going to explode and I was going to loose my breakfast. Lightning hit the piece of mountain above us and we were covered in snow.
I fought to breathe for a few moments before forcing myself out of the snow, helped by Boromir, who reached down.
"We must get off the mountain!" Boromir screamed. "Make for the Gap of Rohan, and take the west road to my city!" My breathing was labored as I looked in front of us... there was a cave!
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn argued.
"Aragorn!" It felt like I was screaming yet it only came out as a normal spoken volume. He looked at me and I pointed. His face lit up.
"If we cannot pass over a mountain let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria." Gimli said, shoulder deep in snow. There was a long, long pause and I fell to my bottom on the ground by the cave.
"Let the Ring-bearer decide." Gandalf said. All eyes turned to Frodo. "Frodo?"
"We will go through the Mines..." he said after a small pause... my eyes closed and that was all I knew.
Here follows the account of the rest of my company as I lay sleeping.
Aragorn looked over at my sleeping figure, his eyes wide. "Rhasslairiel!" he cried and leaned over to touch me, backing away as my forehead was hot to the touch. "Gandalf!" he called, looking up, "Rhasslairiel has fallen!" Gandalf turned to look at my sleeping figure, his eyes wrinkled. Boromir set the Hobbits down beside me, resting his arms for a moment. The wind still howled around us. "There is a cave ahead of us!" Aragorn shouted and all eyes turned to it, the shelter looking most welcome.
"We cannot rest there." Gandalf replied, the tension was growing, "Saruman will block the entrance!"
"Yes," Gimli added, "And we'll all die of starvation until the only two left are the two Elves!" Legolas looked at him reproachfully.
"Alright then," Boromir said, "Then someone must carry her." Everyone looked at each other.
"I will." Aragorn said. Legolas shook his head.
"You already have the Hobbits." He said, "I will carry her." Aragorn made to open his mouth. "Do not worry Aragorn." Legolas said, "I will be careful with our friend." He reached down and lifted me up, though finding it hard through the layers of blankets and they descended down the mountain.
Here ends their account of the Path of Caradhras as I lay sick.
Water being poured down my throat slowly and a tender arm under my head caused my eyes to open, and my breath to come easier.
I felt terrible. My limbs and joints felt unused, and ached every time I moved them. My head felt like a temper, waiting to explode, and, though my stomach ache went away, my nose was still stuffed, my lungs burned when I coughed, and my body felt like I was still in the middle of an ice land.
But there was no snow around me... only a pair of arms... and we were no longer on the mountain... my vision was fuzzy as I looked at my surroundings before the figure that supported me or put water down my throat. We were in front of a pool of water, dark, the bottom invisible. We sat on the roots of two trees protruding from the ground in front of a cliff... The walls of Moria... I thought.
Finally I drew my eyes up to those above me... they were Legolas and Aragorn, the former holding me on his lap, his arm under my neck, and the latter pouring water down my throat. I coughed and shivered, looking at them for a moment.
"You've decided to see daylight... or moonlight old friend." Aragorn said. It took my mind a few moments to comprehend what he had said.
"Yes," I said, my throat was sore and my voice hoarse. "Hannon le." I said to the two of them. Suddenly from above us there was a light and I looked up along with the other two. I leaned heavily on Aragorn's shoulder, making him lean to the side and stood up painfully, looking upon the lighted doorway, lit in the moonlight.
"It reads: 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'"
"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked. I coughed, leaning over, tears brought to my eyes.
"Oh it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open." Gandalf replied. After my coughing spasm I stood on my own, draping a blanket around my shoulders. I sniffed and sat back down on the root that we had been sitting on before. Gandalf put his staff to the star in the center of the door.
"Annon Edellen edro hi amen!" (Gate of the Elves open now for me!) Gandalf said, trying to get the doors to open. I frowned... nothing happened. Gandalf looked around for a few moments before trying to push it open... nothing budged.
An hour went by and I sat, leaning against the tree, keeping my eyes open but resting nonetheless, singing small songs to myself.
"Mines are no place for a pony." Aragorn told Sam, taking all the much needed provisions off of the pony we had been traveling with. I knew Niethen must leave as well as he stood by me, his head nudging mine every so often. "Even one so brave as Bill."
"Bye-bye, Bill." Sam said sadly and let the pony leave, walking nimbly over the rocks.
"Go on Bill." Aragorn said, "Go on."
"Dont worry Sam." I said, letting Niethen follow, he knew when to come when he was called, "He knows the way home." My throat was still raspy.
Pippin and Merry stood at the bank of the lagoon like water, throwing rocks into it. Aragorn reached forward and grabbed Pippin's arm.
"Do not disturb the water." He told them in a whisper.
"Oh it's useless." Gandalf said after this hour of chanting words over and over, throwing down his staff. I looked up at the door, leaning my head back onto the tree. Legolas sat down next to me and handed me a piece of Lembas bread. I ate it gingerly, feeling like bits of rock going down my throat, but it was food to satisfy my hunger nonetheless.
"I want to thank you for what you did, Legolas Greenleaf." I said. Legolas looked up from his food and smiled at me.
"The pleasure was mine, Rhasslairiel. I wanted to do something for you. You seem not to like me that much."
"There are many that I dislike." I said, "But I suppose you have proven yourself. Besides, I never didnt like you. I would need a reason to do that. I just didnt trust you." Legolas smiled and finished off his bread, patting my leg gently and standing up, walking over to Aragorn and beginning a conversation with him.
"It's a riddle." Frodo said. I looked over into the water, seeing something move. I looked at Aragorn's wary face before back up at the Hobbit. "Speak friend and enter. What's the Elvish word for friend?" I turned to Frodo.
"Mellon" I said... Gandalf gasped... the doors were opening!
"O-ho!" Gandalf laughed and we all stood, I wrapping my blanket around tighter and my pack around my waist, entering the Mines of Moria.
"Soon, Master and Miss Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves." Gimli was saying to us as I stumbled through the entrance to the Mines. "Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone!" It did sound appetizing at the moment. Legolas and I exchanged glances, though we did not know each other well... we felt a bond of friendship that could not be broken now. "This, my friends, is the home of my cousin Balin." Gandalf placed a rock onto the top of his staff and put his hand over it, making it light up strangely white, not like the light of a fire. Gimli continued to speak, "And they call it a mine! A mine!" he laughed and I looked about the room away from Legolas... there were skeleton bodies of Dwarves littering up the stairs to the main entrance to the House of Balin.
"This is no mine..." Boromir said, "It's a tomb."
"No..." Gimli cried as his eyes wandered through the tomb and all the dead Dwarves, clad in armor and weapons. He ran forward and knelt by one of them, "No!" I put my hand on my stomach as I looked around. I was not afraid or disgusted... more disappointed and alarmed. Legolas leaned down and picked up an arrow from one of the bodies.
"Goblins." He whispered. I took out my bow and took an arrow out of my quiver, dropping my blanket on the ground. Aragorn and Boromir took out their swords.
"We should have made for the Gap of Rohan." Boromir said, "We should never have come here... now get out... get out!"
Suddenly, cries of "Help!" and "Get off him!" were heard from behind us. "Aragorn!" Sam cried and I whirred around, my bow ready, though my arms sore, just in time to see tentacles erupt from the water and grab the Hobbit.
"Frodo!" I cried and ran forward with Aragorn, Boromir, and Legolas, all of us with weapons out and trudging through the water. "Frodo!" I pulled out my bow, shooting one of the tentacles, Aragorn cutting one, and Legolas shooting the other that held Frodo. The Hobbit fell to the ground right beside the head of the monster.
"Into the Mines!" Gandalf called as Aragorn helped me out of the water that I had fallen in and running for the bank.
"Legolas!" I yelled to the Elf who was still standing, shooting at the tentacle creature that was still in pursuit.
Boromir's and Aragorn's voices joined mine, "Hurry!"
"Into the cave!"
Gimli came to help us as we ran to the door. "Run!" Aragorn screamed but suddenly another tentacle came and nearly grabbed Gimli. I took out my knife swiftly and stabbed the tentacle, causing it to fly back in pain. An arrow whizzed by my head and hit the octopus like being in the face. I was almost there... but the entrance was falling!
I fell in through the opening, coughing as rocks fell behind me. I felt my cloak catch on a fallen rock and swore, falling down to the ground just as it fell, the other rocks falling around me, though none but a small one hitting me. I put my hands over my head and waited, the frighteningly loud sounds around us going on... the last thing I saw was Legolas, grabbing Aragorn's shoulder, his eyes wide... and then all was dark.
There was a long pause of silence...
"Am I dead?" I finally called, the rasp in my voice that I was losing echoing out into the caves... and a few voices laughed, one of them I recognized as Legolas's. Suddenly a light erupted from the top of Gandalf's staff and I smiled, pulling my cloak out from under the rock, listening to the fabric rip and tear as Legolas came over and helped me up. I smiled in thanks and patted his shoulder, only to be dragged into a hug. I stiffened.
"Are you alright?" I asked him when he finally let me go. He seemed to remember himself and back away from me, his smile remaining though. He nodded.
"Good," I said, drawing my wet cloak around my wet body.
"We now have but one choice." Gandalf said, "We must face the long dark of Moria." I walked over to Aragorn, who was leaning down, his breath labored. I touched his shoulder and he smiled at me, standing up and patting me on the back. "Be on your guard." Gandalf said, as if we were to do anything less, "There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world." Legolas came behind him, his eyes troubled and worried... almost frightened. "Quietly now. It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."
I muffled a cough in my sleeve.