Melting a Heart of Ice

The Fellowship walked to the gates of Moria, though Triina only saw a cliff wall. “Dwarf doors are invisible when closed.” Gimli explained. “Yes, Gimli, their own masters can’t find them, if their secrets are forgotten.” Gandalf said as he too looked for the door. “Why does that not surprise me?” Legolas asked quietly, being met with Gimli’s grumbling as a reply, and Triina’s quiet laughter.

Once Gandalf finally found the door, she watched in amazement as the light of the moon revealed a bright, gleaming doorway carved into the rock. “It reads: ‘the doors of Durin – Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.’” Gandalf announced. “What does that mean?” Triina questioned quietly, asking Aragorn. “Oh it’s quite simple really, if you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open.” Gandalf answered. Once again Lyle laughed at her, and she sighed heavily as Gandalf went about testing different passwords and spells.

She sat down on a rock, only to have Legolas sit beside her as she watched Merry and Pippin throw rocks into the water. “You still hold a troubled gaze, Triina, and the others are beginning to take notice.” He pointed out, keeping his voice so low even she could hardly hear him, and they were so close their shoulders were nearly touching. “When we are alone, Lyle and I, he is like a brother to me. I once saw him as a fatherly figure. He helps my fighting techniques, encourages my study in the Til’Arin’s control over the waters, and speaks encouraging words to me when my father’s are too harsh. But around others, as we are now, he is just like him.” She sighed, desperately needing someone to talk to, and if he was willing to listen, she was more than willing to confide in him.

“Who?”

“My father. Though, I haven’t seen him as fatherly in years. Nearly twenty, actually. Ever since I first visited Rivendell.”

“Is it your father who troubles you, then?”

“A little, but what you are seeing isn’t him. It’s Lyle, it’s Boromir, it’s the ring, it’s you, and Frodo, and Merry and Pippin, it’s Sam, and Gandalf, and Gimli, and Aragorn. In all honesty, Legolas, it’s everything. I can sense emotions from others around me, which means Boromir and Lyle’s temptation for the ring, I can sense. Fear, and uncertainty I feel, and it is all added to my own feelings.

“But I do not wish to be rid of this gift. This ability comes with my control of the waters, and I wouldn’t sacrifice that for anything. Even a day of peace.” She finished her explanation with a smile as Aragorn made the hobbits stop throwing rocks into the pool of water.

“And Lyle’s dismissal of you, it adds to this. Yet you still admire, and care for him?”

“Yes. I love him with all of my heart, he will always be like a brother to me.” She smiled as he too was made to stop throwing rocks. She couldn’t help but to think of the times he would get into trouble by her father after taking her out to have some fun, and getting caught. Once he took her into the woods to learn to scout, or so he said, and ended up hanging upside down in a tree, acting like an animal to make her laugh. King Radill went to observe his daughter’s skill, and caught him. Both of them were in trouble for that, and she couldn’t have been older than six years old that day.

“Tell me, what is Til’Arin like?” Legolas asked, snapping her back to reality.

“Beautiful. Tall mountains, flowing rivers, frozen waterfalls of ice in the winter, and sparkling cascades of water in the summer. It always smells of fresh rain, and mist. The people are peaceful, and refused to join this war until now, after seeing the damage inflicted on other lands; they also care a great deal for others, due to their ability to feel what they feel.

“The palace where my mother lives, is not so much a palace but a large stone structure that she has opened to anyone in need of a place to stay. She offers food, and shelter, and clothing, and even her wealth to anyone in need of her. The people love their queen, and she loves her people. It is truly a magnificent place, Legolas.” She mused.

“And your father, he lives there as well as their king?”

“No, he is King Radill, a leader of men, who visited her on one of his travels and fell in love with my mother. He was already married to another woman, so he couldn’t stay with her. But she had his child none the less, and here I am.

“Til’Arin isn’t safe now for me. My mother’s life is constantly being threatened, and she feared for mine, so she sent me to live with him. He never cared for me, but I could never let my mother know that; she loves him too much. If I told her the truth, it would break her heart.”

Their conversation ended as they sat in silence. Aragorn and Boromir were watching the water ripple from the rocks that had been thrown in, and Gandalf had given up trying to open the door. Dropping his staff, and removing his hat, he sat next to Frodo in exasperation.

“It’s a riddle.” Frodo announced as he stood up and gazed at the moonlit doorway. Triina could hear him, but was more focused on the rippling water in front of her. Something wasn’t right with it, she knew how water rippled, and this was different from a stone’s splash. “Speak ‘friend’ and enter. What’s the elfish word for friend?” he asked as the water looked as if it shivered. Now Triina knew something was wrong. It was as if the water was warning her of some sort of danger, which the others could not quite sense. “Mellon,” Gandalf spoke, letting his low voice echo around the other ten Fellowship members.

The gates slowly opened rumbling and shaking the ground slightly as the large stone doors moved from the cliff face. Triina was eager to get away from the water, and felt a pit of dread in her heart. She couldn’t understand it, but she knew something was going to happen this day, and as they walked into the mines, she knew it would be death. She and Lyle made eye contact, and he smiled lightly at her, as if reassuring her, but the smile made her want to weep instead. “Soon, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin” Gimli bragged, clearly excited to see Balin, “And they call it a mine, a mine!” he continued as Gandalf blew on the crystal he had placed on the top of his staff and it began to glow, giving them light in the otherwise dark mines.

As the mines were lit, hundreds of mangled and rotting bodies became visible. It was obvious their deaths weren’t peaceful, and immediately various members of the Fellowship cringed. “This is no mine, it’s a tomb!” Boromir announced.

Legolas knelt down beside one of the fallen dwarfs, and pulled an arrow from its body while Gimli cried out. “Goblins.” He huffed, throwing the arrow aside in disgust. Aragorn, Boromir, Lyle, and Triina drew their swords, as Legolas fitted an arrow to his bow.

Triina’s focus was nowhere near where it needed to be. She heard Boromir announce that they make for the gap of Rohan, and order the others out. She knew the four hobbits were already backing out towards the gates. But she was unable to be at her full alertness, there were too many different emotions swarming around her, and true that was a bit distracting, but what she was more set on, was the warning from the water. The danger was getting nearer; goblins must be preparing to attack, making her glad they were all backing to the door.

Suddenly Frodo screamed, and Sam yelled for Aragorn’s help. She spun around to see a large tentacle pulling him to the water, as the other hobbits tried desperately to get him back as other tentacles reached to him.

As suddenly as it attacked, the creature released Frodo and went back into the water. Triina ran out and past the other Fellowship members, sheathing one sword and holding her empty hand out at the water, preparing for a battle. “So this is what you warned me about. Not the goblins, but your watcher.” She said lowly, speaking to the water as the creature reemerged, grabbing Frodo’s leg and hoisting him into the air above the water.

Legolas ran out and fired an arrow at a tentacle that was about to suffocate him, while Triina created a tentacle of her own from the water to distract the creature, and sliced at it with her sword. It was smarter than she thought; instead of focusing on the water, it focused on her.

Boromir and Aragorn charged in to defend Frodo, while Lyle ran at her, and pushed her out of the way from being hit by one of the larger tentacles. “You have seen me fight, you know what I can do. Defend the ring bearer! That is what we’ve sworn to do, Lyle!” she yelled as they fought side by side, trying to save Frodo from being swallowed by this creature. “I have a preexisting dedication, Triina, to protect you as well. I am fighting for him, but I will not leave your side and risk your life.” He bellowed, hacking away at one tentacle as she sliced another with both swords, and lightning speed.

Aragorn found and cut the tentacle that held Frodo, causing him to fall into Boromir’s arms. “Into the mines!” Gandalf ordered. “Go, Lyle!” she shouted. “Only if I am following behind you, Triina.” He smiled; he had to admit fighting beside her was one of the best things in his life. He never once thought she would be such a skilled warrior in true combat. “FINE!” she agreed and smacked his arm, before running after the others.

A larger tentacle came out after Frodo, and reached for him. Triina didn’t take notice that Lyle had turned back to fight again. Legolas took aim, and fired an arrow into the creature’s eye, causing it to recoil with a vicious roar. Triina spun around with both swords at the ready as Aragorn ordered that she, Legolas, and Lyle run, since they were the only Fellowship members who were left outside the cave.

Legolas grabbed her by the arm and pulled her after him, as Lyle stood in a daze for a few seconds before following them. As he ran through the gateway, the creature made one last attack, and brought the walls crumbling down on top of him. Had Legolas not had Triina by the arm and pulled her quickly into his chest, she would have been buried as well. “LYLE!” she screamed with such force it hurt her throat as he screamed in pain from being crushed.

As the last bits of moonlight were blocked out, she threw herself down beside him. All that was visible was his head, the left side of his torso, and his arm. “Lyle, hold on. I’ll get you out of this, I promise you.” She cried while desperately trying to unbury him. Merry, Pippin, and Sam all ran to her side to help shortly followed by Boromir and Aragorn, and Legolas. “Triina, stop.” He breathed, trying to hide how much pain he was in, but she didn’t hear him. “Triina!” he yelled, grabbing her arm. “Stop.” He ordered quietly. “No, no why?” she cried.

“Both my legs are broken, and you wouldn’t possibly to be able to continue with me in this state, my injuries are to great; I would die anyway. Besides… moving the larger pieces of stone, will bring more… you would only crush yourselves as well.”

“I… n-no.” she whispered as tears shamelessly poured from her eyes.

“Triina, I have been wrong to you. Dismissing you when I should… I sh-should have been kinder to you. In truth… seeing you become, w-who you are today… is the greatest of joys for me. I… am proud to have fought beside you… in my last moments. Never fight with anything… less that what you showed m-me this day. F-fight for the both of us in this war… for now I c-cannot.”

“NO! These aren’t your last moments! They can’t be! I won’t let them be!” she sobbed, once again trying to dig him out. Boromir stopped Sam from helping, as Aragorn stopped Merry and Pippin. Legolas just watched with a pained expression, knowing that this was his time.

“Take care of her, elf.” He said as Legolas finally moved, and forced her to stop digging, nodding to Lyle as he held her struggling, sobbing body. “Triina… please… I need to speak with these two, and I… I don’t want you to watch me die.” He choked. Still sobbing she nodded and clung to Legolas as he led her away to stand beside Gandalf and Frodo, who both watched her with sorrowful expressions, and the hobbits other followed sadly. They kept their backs turned, so that she didn’t watch him die as he requested, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t hear his pained gasps and grunts come to a stop, and Boromir and Aragorn’s quiet words cease as they covered him fully with rocks. Giving him at least some sort of burial. She knew he was dead; he was dead and in her panic to save him, she had forgotten to tell him she forgave him for his dismissal; she forgot to tell him that she understood.

Sitting on the dirty ground by light of Gandalf’s staff she sobbed into Legolas’ shoulder as he held her. Unsure of what to do, and acting on what could only be called instinct, he rubbed her back lightly and pressed his lips to her temple as she cried, repeating Lyle’s name every so often, and that she forgave him, and was sorry.

“We must continue through the mines, Triina. I wish I could allow you more time to mourn, but I cannot.” Gandalf said sadly. “I-I Understand.” She breathed, forcing herself to calm down, and stand. As soon as she was up though, she found that her legs didn’t have the strength to support her weight. Both Aragorn and Gandalf had to catch her as she fell back toward the ground. Once she was back on her feet, Aragorn kept his arm around her to be sure she wouldn’t fall again.

They came to a large pit where Gandalf explained that the wealth of Moria was Mithril, and not gold, silver, or jewels as others suspected. She, like several of the other Fellowship members leaned over the side to look at the seemingly bottomless pit below them. Aragorn was still keeping close to her, and seemed to sense her temptation to throw herself in. “Triina,” he whispered, putting his arm around her from behind and pulling her a few steps from the edge, “That is not the answer. And should you survive the fall, you would only live the rest of your life in misery and suffering until death finally claims you.” He muttered, making sure only she was able to hear his words. She shook with a single silent sob, and nodded, wondering why she would even consider it in the first place. “Give it time, you’ll be all right.” He assured, patting her shoulder as they continued to travel through the mines, up very steep sets of stairs and narrow passages.

They came to a crossroads that Gandalf couldn’t remember, and were able to rest as he tried to recall the way. “How are you, Triina?” Boromir asked quietly as she sat off by herself, trying to isolate herself from the rest of the Fellowship, but he wouldn’t let her.

“I knew something was to happen, Boromir. It was as if the water was sending me a warning of the danger there, but I never thought it would be… that he would… that L-Lyle,” she couldn’t say it. She wanted to, she knew that letting her own tongue form the words would help her to heal, but she couldn’t. They simply wouldn’t pass her lips.

He nodded and sat beside her. “You know, before he passed, he asked us to not allow you blame yourself. I plan on keeping my word to him; he was a good man.”

“But it is my fault. I should have been able to decipher the warning!”

“You were the first to prepare to fight the creature, Triina, you were the first of us to assist the little ones, you knew the creature wasn’t gone when Legolas fired his bow, and stayed out to fight until he pulled you with him into the cave. Triina, you did realize the water’s warnings, perhaps though, even it could not see what all was to happen.”

“Why are you being so kind to me now, when from our first meeting you thought yourself better than me? Why now, do you offer comfort, when the past days you’ve had it decided that I shouldn’t have come? That I should have stayed behind, because as a woman I wouldn’t be strong enough to fight these evils?”

“Because I was wrong then. I robbed you the chance to prove yourself until now, and for that I am sorry. You are far more skilled with a sword than I am, than any of us are I think. The way you wield your weapons, one would think they weighed nothing and moved on their own to their targets. And now, when you could easily have gone mad with grief, or taken your own life in it, you stay strong in the Fellowship, holding to your vow to protect Frodo and the ring.”

“What did he ask of you?”

“Ah… I’m sorry. I also gave my word not to tell you everything he said until the time comes.” He sighed. She nodded and kept her eyes on the ground before taking a deep breath and looking up to see Legolas watching her with, as he called them, troubled eyes. “I think, though, that now is the time for me to give his message to you, that you shouldn’t be afraid.” He smiled, noticing how she and Legolas held each other’s gaze. “Afraid of what?” she asked flatly, still keeping her eyes fixed on the elf’s. “You know what it is you fear, Triina.” He shrugged, nodding knowingly to Legolas before standing and going back to the rest of the Fellowship.

“Oh! It’s that way.” Gandalf announced suddenly. “He’s remembered!” Merry grinned happily as the rest of the group stood to follow the wizard. “No, but the air doesn’t smell so foul down here. When in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose.” He replied, placing his hand on his shoulder before going off to the doorway he sighted as the path to take.