Chapter Ten

~ Boromir ~
"Nothing, it's just a wisp of cloud," Gimli said dismissively.

"It's moving fast. . . Against the wind," I murmured absentmindedly.

"Crebain!" Elena suddenly yelped, jumping off the rock. Legolas's warning cry came split seconds afterward: "Crebain from Dunland!"

The next moment, everyone was running around. I heard Aragorn shout, "Hide!"

We all ran for cover, trying to ease all the marks we had left. I saw one of the Hobbits snatch up some gear. Aragorn dove under some rocks with Frodo. Legolas ran behind some bushes as the wizard ducked under a rock.

The birds shrieked as they passed us. I glared at them, annoyed that they had interrupted my sparring. I had noticed Elena looking wistfully our way a few times, and had been wondering if I should go over and ask her if she wanted to learn.

When finally they were all past, I pushed myself out from my hiding spot. My first thought was for Elena. Then I felt sweet relief as I saw Legolas help her up. She was unharmed and seemed slightly startled but otherwise alright.

That relief quickly turned to jealously as she gave the Elf a brief smile, leaning against him trustingly. Why had the Elf been the one to win a smile out of her? He would only hurt her. Elves were immortal, and never had immortals tied themselves to mortals.

"Boromir? Are you all right?" I turned to see Elena watching me with a puzzled expression on her face. Other members of the Fellowship were already moving, but she had stayed behind – to make I was okay.

My heart rose. Maybe I would win her after all.

~ Estel ~
Curse this – this Pass of Caradhas! I thought furiously as I slipped on the wet snow yet again. Legolas grabbed my arm, preventing a fateful fall. I flashed the Prince a grateful smile. It had been the second time he had helped me so. First he had pulled me into cover when the crebain had appeared, and now he prevented me from falling.

"Frodo!"

I recognized Aragorn's voice at once and whirled around just in time to see Aragorn stop Frodo's fall and help the Hobbit to his feet. I tensed when I saw Boromir slowly lean over and pick something up.

"Oh, no . . ."

I looked sharply at Legolas. His handsome face was expressionless, but I could see the worry in his normally calm blue eyes. His hand on my shoulder tightened.

I looked at it with surprise. I had forgotten that it was there.

Legolas made to stride forward. I stopped him. "~Let Aragorn deal with this,~" I said softly. He looked at me, his internal struggle clear in his eyes. On one hand, he trusted Aragorn to be capable. On the other, he also wanted to protect him.

"~Just trust him,~" I pleaded. That seemed to end the conflict, and Legolas squeezed my shoulder gently as the fire in his blue eyes subsided somewhat.

And just in time.

"Boromir!" Aragorn's voice cut through whatever trance the Ring had cast over Boromir. "Give the Ring to Frodo."

Boromir hesitated, and Legolas tensed again. But the former merely said, "As you wish." Frodo snatched the Ring from him at once. "I care not," Boromir concluded.

He ruffled Frodo's windswept hair, trying to lighten the tense air. But I saw Aragorn give Boromir a dark look before releasing his sword.

Oh, please let Boromir survive until we are in Lothlórien, I prayed. Let him escape unscathed.

~ Legolas ~
"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gimli said, banging his axe against the wall. I winced. My hearing was better than anyone else's in this group, and the sound of the axe clashing with the wall wasn't exactly pleasant.

"Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them, if their secrets are forgotten," Mithrandir added absentmindedly, running his hand over the wall.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" I muttered quietly.

Elena smacked me lightly on the arm. "Legolas," she scolded. "~Keep your comments to yourself.~"

I stared at her, unrepentant. "~Or I could insult the race of Men,~" I suggested. "~Do you wish for that?~"

Elena gave a theatrical sigh. "~Oh, Aragorn, I don't know how you deal with him,~" she complained, shoving me teasingly. "~Prissy Elf.~"

"~Annoying human,~" I returned, shoving her back lightly.

"~Oh, hush, you two,~" Aragorn interrupted, shooting us both warning glances. Elena gave him an innocent smile, which I mirrored. He didn't buy either. "~Let Mithrandir concentrate.~"

Mithrandir spoke loudly then, silencing the argument I had been sure was coming. "It reads 'The Doors of Durin – Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'"

"What do you suppose that means?" one of the Hobbits wondered aloud.

"It means that if you're a friend, you speak the password and enter," Elena answered. "Now hush. Let him concentrate."

Mithrandir began to speak, but I pushed him out of my mind when my senses tingled. I looked sharply over the lake. Something about it bothered me. . .

"Nothing's happening," the Hobbit was saying when I returned my attention to the conversation at hand. "What are you going to do, then?"

Mithrandir finally snapped. "Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" he said angrily, obviously annoyed. "And if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words."

~ Estel ~
I leaned against the wall, watching Mithrandir struggle to open the doors. I closed my eyes with a sigh. I hadn't realized how taxing this quest would be. I thanked the Valar that I was already used to hard labor from being a slave for eighteen years, but the quest was more than physically taxing.

I longed to ask Aragorn if he knew a Ranger called Strider, but always had something interrupted. And I wasn't sure if I had the courage to address the future King.

And my emotions were even more stretched by Boromir. He had begun acting . . . odd lately around me. More than once I had looked up to find his gaze on me. My dislike of him had begun when he had attacked Aragorn in the Council, and now fear was creeping into my veins as well.

Legolas suddenly stiffened beside me. I opened my eyes, glancing at him in confusion. Then I realized that the water was moving. I leaned forward, squinting.

"It's a riddle," Frodo said suddenly, leaping up. "'Speak 'friend' and enter.' What's the Elvish word for 'friend'?"

"Mellon," Mithrandir answered.

The doors slowly moved open. I saw Legolas wince slightly as rock grated on rock, and smiled sadly in sympathy. The noise wasn't pleasant for me, either, and the poor Elf's ears were probably more attuned to the sound than me.

Slowly, one by one, we entered. "Soon, Master Elf, you will experience the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves," Gimli was boasting. "Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin."

I followed warily beside Legolas. Something was . . . off about this place. It felt . . . wrong . . . raw, as we were intruding on something. Mithrandir cupped his hand around the top of his staff, and suddenly a small crystal nestled there gave off some light.

"And they call it a mine. A mine!" Gimli sounded almost drunk with anticipation.

"This is no mine," Boromir said suddenly. "It's a tomb."

Just then the light from Mithrandir's crystal fell on the decayed bodies of Dwarves. One after another was highlighted, all with arrows sticking out of them. I gasped in dismay, taking a fearful step backward.

Gimli rushed to the nearest body, wailing. "No! Nooo!"

Legolas suddenly knelt down and snatched an arrow out of a dead Dwarf. He examined it for a few seconds before casting it away in disgust. "Goblins!" he warned.

Aragorn drew his sword at once. Legolas pushed me back behind him before drawing out an arrow. Boromir was quick to follow suit.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here," he said. His eyes darted to me for a moment. In them I saw anger and fear.

Fear. Fear for what? I thought, setting a hand on the concealed dagger Lord Elrond had given me. I knew a little of self-defense, but never had I been tested in it. No slave was allowed to lash out at a master.

"Now get out of here. Get out!"

Suddenly, it sounded like the whole lake had exploded. I whirled around just in time to see a huge tentacle seize one of the Hobbits.

"Frodo!" the others shouted.

"Strider!"

My head whipped around. Strider? Strider came on this quest?

Aragorn's head whipped around at the name, and in a flash he had ran out to the Hobbits. Boromir followed, and the two Men raced into the waters, throwing themselves at any tentacle unfortunate enough to be in their path. Legolas aimed his bow, sending a few arrows into the dizzying array of tentacles.

I stood in a daze as Frodo finally fell back down into Boromir's arms. Legolas sent another arrow straight into the beast's eye, and Mithrandir urged everyone back into the mine.

I was glad when darkness fell. I didn't hear Mithrandir talking, didn't even see him. I didn't see Legolas grimace at the notion of traveling underground. I didn't see Boromir look at the Hobbits.

All my focus was on Aragorn. Aragorn. . . . Strider.