Authors Note - Sorry it has taken so long for an update, however I have decided to keep with this fan fiction until completion so the updates should come a lot quicker now. Thank you to all who have favourited and reviewed the story.
Chapter Seven - The Way Ahead Is Blocked
All her senses were completely dull, apart from the overwhelming cold that drove the breath from her lungs. She tried desperately to inhale, but the pressure on her chest seemed to constrict her evermore. She could hear the faintest sounds of people screaming somewhere about her. But nothing in the way of a direction she should try and escape from this icy prison.
Aragorn had been covering her with his body she remembered, but waving her hands out about her now she could not feel him. Only the tightly compacted snow.
Trying to open her eyes she knew would be futile, not only would the snow be waiting to flood in, but so would any rocks and dirt that had been dislodged from the mountainside in the avalanche. Her breath was becoming more shallow, things we becoming desperate.
She gave an almighty heave and managed to kick her foot out and strike the rock face, pushing herself up enough that she could feel her hand push out through the icy crust. Almost instantly she felt someone grab it and begin to pull.
In no time at all the rest of her burst through. Snow clung to her clothes, her hair, her eyelashes. But she was finally able to take a deep breath.
"Arwen, are you alright?" Aragorn asked. He was holding both her shoulders and leaning close to her face. She was still disorientated, the storm continuing to swirl around them. All she could do was give him a nod. He then heaved himself through the deep snow to the Hobbits and Gimli who were struggling to keep above the surface, sinking into the snowfall like one might vanish in quicksand.
Boromir was holding Frodo and Sam, the altercation from earlier forgotten as the peril had brought them together.
Aragorn hoisted Merry and Pippin as best he could, struggling to stay upright himself. Gimli however brushed of help from Legolas saying " I'm fine". The blonde elf stayed close by him however, just in case.
Bill had worked himself free and shook his mane defiantly, trying to shake the flakes in all directions. He was seemingly unimpressed by the turn of events but not afraid. Most horses would have tried to bolt by now Arwen observed. He was a brave pony indeed.
She turned back to the front of the group. Gandalf stood almost statuesque, a grey figure in a torrent of white.
Calling past them all she heard Boromir shout. "We must get off the mountain, make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!".
Gandalf neither turned nor responded. Frozen.
It was Aragorn that spoke. "The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" his voice of reason breaking its way through the chaos, much to her dismay. Next to this treacherous path, the Gap seemed the safer option.
"If we cannot cross the mountain , then let us go under it!" Gimli cried to them over the howling gales. "Let us pass through the Mines Of Moria!" he continued.
This time Gandalf did turn, but slowly and with a sense of despair.
She could see the conflict in the wizards eyes. The mountain had defeated them ,that he knew. But she also knew the rumours of what he feared in the depths of Moria. What the Dwarves had awoken.
"Gandalf, we must turn back, it will be the death of the Hobbits!" Boromir called, as Frodo and Sam huddled closer to him.
"Let the ring bearer decide," Gandalf said, as grim as the weather and as quiet as the wind would allow.
As one, all of the company turned to face Frodo, she could not help but feel sorry for him. Huddled with his cloak wrapped tightly against him. He already had so much responsibility, it did not seem fair to lay yet another burden upon his shoulders. Especially one that ultimately would not please all members of the fellowship. A choice that if wrong, could lead them to their deaths.
After what felt like an eternity , but what was in fact a few seconds, he said. "We will go through the mines," his voice was already with tinged with regret.
"So be it," replied Gandalf and he moved back past them all to regain his position at the head of the group. Pushing the snow in his path away with the end of his staff. He said no more but Arwen could tell that the Hobbits were hoping for some more reassurance from him. Deep down so was she.
Legolas took the wizards arm as he passed him , trying to keep him from stumbling on any concealed obstacles. Gimli and Bill came next, the pony finding it difficult to turn around on such a small precipice. At least it should be easier going down if they stayed in the tracks they had already made, she thought to herself. That was if they hadn't been completely obliterated by the blizzard.
Boromir pushed on again with Sam and Frodo behind him, the Hobbits staying in the larger mans footprints. Merry and Pippin followed them, Aragorn urged them on before turning back to face her.
They locked eyes. Blue met blue. Everything in that moment , the snow swirling about them, flapping their cloaks wildly, the howling of the wind as it passed through the gaps in the mountainside. Everything seemed to fade. It was just them, a rare occurrence as of late. No words were needed for them to see what the other was feeling. The mirrored fear back upon each other.
Boromir shouted back to the Hobbits. "Keep up, don't wander off, you could get lost in the blizzard!".
It broke them from their stare and he lifted his hand out towards her. She took it in her grasp and pulled herself through the deep snow to where he stood, his calloused thumb rubbing her soft palm soothingly.
"This is all happening so fast," she said to him. "Are we sure we aren't putting ourselves in more danger by going through the mines, you know the stories as well as I?" She questioned him, but not so loud so that Merry and Pippin in front of them could hear.
"I do not know," he replied honestly, without looking at her but looking straight ahead at the tracks that had been made by the others. She was dismayed. She had hoped for an answer that built confidence, instead she was even more nervous.
Aragorn may have sensed this as he looked sideward's towards her and then continued. "We have no alternative Arwen, the Gap of Rohan takes us too close to the tower, perhaps the stories are just rumours started by the Dwarves to discourage unwanted travellers. Gimli believes his cousin can see us safely through, so let us hope that is the case".
She knew he was just saying it to try and cheer her, but however false, it did seem to help to lighten her spirits. Pushing a piece of wayward hair back behind her pointed ear, she pulled her cloak tighter still, however it did not deter the cold which had already worked its way through to her core.
"It will bring us close to Lothlorien , is that correct?" Arwen asked.
"Yes, and after the Mines, the fresh air of the golden forest will be most welcome," he said still holding her hand, a fact she was glad of.
Pippin tripped on something under the snow and flew down face first.
Being the ever supportive friend, all Merry could do was laugh. Even through all this, his humour remaining.
Aragorn left her side to pick up the Hobbit and turn him the right way up. By this time Sam and Frodo had stopped. Merry's laughter carried to them even through the howling wind. Pippin brushed himself down, covered in a new layer of snow, from head to toe.
Boromir too had slowed, wondering why Frodo and Sam were not following, he called for Gimli to halt. Legolas overheard and pulling on Gandalfs grey sleeve so too they waited.
Merry continued to laugh, perhaps preferring to hold onto this emotion than to go back to the fear he must have been feeling only moments before.
Frodo started to smirk, it started small at first, a twitch at the corner of his mouth that soon opened up into a beaming smile and laughter began to flow out. Sam looked confused , he didn't seem to find it as amusing as the other two.
"Well I'm so happy you both find this funny," Pippin said defiantly, flipping his cloak back in an overly dramatic manner trying to shake off the remaining flakes. Just as he did however the wind picked up, catching the cloak and whipping it back forward like a flag in the breeze. It fell directly in front of his face covering him completely. From this angle all Arwen could see was the back of his waistcoat and breeches, she couldn't help but let out a small laugh herself.
Gimli gave out a large hoot and clapped his gloved hands together, which seemed to echo off the mountain. Sam jumped, but it seemed that the fright was all that was needed to start him laughing, as he joined in.
Boromir smiled, as did Legolas when Aragorn again helped Pippin right himself. He rearranged the cloak how a father might dress a child. Pippin with a pout on his face looked like he might stamp his foot in a childish tantrum, but he soon surrendered and creased into laughter.
She looked to Gandalf, he stood with a neutral expression on his face , he was looking right at them, but she could tell that he wasn't seeing it, his mind wandered elsewhere. He turned again and started to move off, Legolas at his side. The moment passed with Aragorn warning Pippin to 'watch his footing, lest he tumble of the mountain next time'.
Perhaps they would be alright Arwen wondered to herself. If they could find relief from the fear up high on a mountainside in a blizzard with perils all around them. Then surely they could find it anywhere this journey may take them.
Gandalfs expression however still haunted her. Like he knew something that they didn't.
As if on cue, like he could feel it too. Aragorn took up her hand in his once again and the fellowship descended the mountain.