Into the West

Time past and it got later into the night, the fellowship had gathered around the door, resting whilst Gandalf still tried to utter the password. Frodo sat with his back against Eadlyn's on a rock. "Ando Eldarinwa… a lasta quettanya, Fenda Casarinwa…Gate of Elves… listen to my word, Threshold of Dwarves…” Gandalf called out another password try. Eadlyn covered her face with her hands. “Can we just blow it up?” she asked looking over her shoulder Gimli glared at her “I mean I can do it, would save us months of time” Eadlyn said dryly yet dead serious, she began to rummage through her pack for metal powders, and string. Aragorn unlached Bill Sam’s Pony of all his tack, "The Mines are no place for a pony, even one so brave as Bill." He said, Sam pet the Pony’s face sadly "Buh-bye Bill." Sam said letting him go, Bill trotted off away from the group slowly but surely "Go on, Bill, go on. Don't worry Sam, he knows the way home." Aragorn assured. Eadlyn took the necessary supplies off of Iluad and patted her big neck fondly “Go my friend…meet us at the other end…should you see trouble, hide..and return later” Eadlyn instructed, Frodo watched her perplexed “can she really understand you?” He asked Eadlyn smiled and watched as Iluad began to leave “she’s been at my side since she was a yearling…yes she does” Eadlyn said before sitting back down.

Merry and Pippin both decided to skip stones in the water, while they waited for Gandalf to open the doors. Both rangers leaped up from their seat, each one grabbing one hobbits arm. The two slowly looked up at each other. And then back at the hobbits "Do not disturb the water." Aragorn warned Merry nodded stiffly wide eyed. Eadlyn released Pippin and ruffled his hair before returning to her seat. "Oh, it's useless!" Gandalf huffed sitting down, Aragorn called Boromir to him as she saw ripples moving in the water. Eadlyn watch them and timidly walked to the men’s side peeking at the water herself. Aragorn looked back at her for a moment before casting his eyes back to the water. Frodo watched Gandalf and a thought suddenly popped into his head as he rose to his feet "It's a riddle." Frodo said looking up at the stone door which towered above him the water rippled some more, Eadlyn went to walk closer but Aragorn held out his arm blocking her "Speak 'friend' and enter. What's the elvish word for friend?" Frodo asked, looking to Legolas but he to, now was looking into the water. Eadlyn moved Aragorn’s arm and leaned over the water. The water shuddered again "Mellon…" Gandalf said his face in disbelief how could have not thought of it as a riddle as he said this, the doors rumbled and opened slowly. Eadlyn’s eyes went to the doors as she was still leaned over the water.

The fellow ship slowly walked into the stone gates, Aragorn followed in last, glancing back at Eadlyn who was still watching the water, glaring at it, "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 said warmheartedly and exuberantly. Legolas rolled his eyes at the dwarf and walked a bit further into the mine Gandalf placed a crystal in his staff and blew on it, the tip of his staff lit up brilliantly "And they call it a mine. A mine!" Gimli added laughing with gusto, Boromir looked around mortified "This is no mine, it's a tomb!" he called as the light of the crystal spread over the cave. Eadlyn saw a splash in another section of the Lake she began to follow the splashes. The rest of the fellowship looked in awe as bones and rotted flesh was scattered across the floor of the mine. Gimli cried out in distress over the scene. Legolas crept cautiously to a dead dwarf and pulled out an arrow. He examined it carefully before dropping it in revulsion "Goblins!" He spat looking back at the others. Aragorn, Legolas, and Boromir drew their weapons looking around vigilantly. The water began to ripple ever more, Eadlyn arched an brow and pulled out her spear, aiming it for the water.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here." Boromir muttered, the Hobbits fearful of the mines began to back up out of the gates. The water began to move towards them, Eadlyn’s eyes caught this a bad feeling washed over everyone "Now get out of here, get out!" Boromir called, as the company headed for the exit a slimly tentacle reached for Frodo’s leg “Frodo!” Eadlyn called rising her spear He quickly turned his head to her, but as she went to speak another one wrapped around her mouth and waste dragging her into the water “Eadlyn!” Frodo called just before being pulled in himself. “Frodo!” the hobbits called as he was hoisted into the air. Eadlyn was being held under the water, and cold feel her lungs caving in on her. She took out a dagger and stabbed at the creature’s arm its grip loosened and she swam to the surface gasping for air, her gaze quickly turned to Frodo. "Strider!" Sam called “help!” Frodo cried out as he was flung around in the air. Eadlyn growled and ran at the tentacle she leaped at it and held on tightly trying to climb up to Frodo, taking out another knife she began to saw at it. The creature used another arm and knocked Eadlyn off, flinging her to the shallow water by the shore. She cried out as her injured shoulder hit the rocks. Flipping her hair out of her face she raised herself out of the water leering at the beast.

The creature wraps another arm around Frodo’s face trying to suffocate him. “Legolas!” Eadlyn called out trying to get to her feet, Legolas ran as close as he could before firing off an arrow into the beast’s arm, it roared in pain and threw his arm back into the water. Legolas gazed at the creature with wide eyes, never had he seen such a thing, he quickly notched another arrow and kept firing. Eadlyn got to her feet and ran at Sam, “look out!” she called diving for him, she used her body to protect him as they rolled away from another one of the creatures arms. “Thank you” He said in surprise, she nodded and looked up they both screamed as the arm was about to crush them, the both rolled away in opposite directions missing being crushed by a hair. As Eadlyn went to get back up the creature grabbed her shin and tried to drag her in the lake. She dug her nails into the mud and tried to hold on, flailing her legs around trying to shake it loose. “Eadlyn!” Frodo called “Frodo!” Eadlyn called back looking up she took out a throwing knife and tossed it at the creature’s eye, the creature cried out and flung all of its arms around. Eadlyn was snatched into the air. Furious the beast held both hobbit and ranger over its mouth. Eadlyn squirmed in its grasp trying to break herself free. Aragorn and Boromir rushed into the water attacking the beast. Aragorn sliced clean through the arm holding Frodo, Frodo fell into Boromir’s arms, and the Gondorian ran for the shore.

“Go into the mines!” Eadlyn called down to the company, Frodo kicked his feet and fought against Boromir as he ran for the opening “No!” He called “No! Eadlyn!” Frodo called “Aragorn!” Frodo called looked at the ranger, Aragorn nodded and looked to Legolas, The elf fired an arrow into the creatures other eye. It dropped Eadlyn and groped for its face. Aragorn dodged a tentacle and caught Eadlyn who looked up at him with wide eyes as he made for the shore. The fellowship ran into the mines, yet the sea creature would not give up, it wrapped his arms around the stone gate tearing at the rocks, and causing a cave in. “back up!” Eadlyn called to the party as the boulders fell. “no!” Frodo called out as the last light of the moon disappeared…the gates had been ruined and now they were stuck in the dark. Eadlyn could hear the pants from the fellowship in the darkness. In the pitch black cave she could see with the site of a lion, her eyes reflecting a ghoulish white glow. Pippin screamed in fear as he could see her eyes in the darkness. “pip it’s me!” She called in a hushed tone. Light came slowly from Gandalf’s staff as the crystal was still in place, the light revealed the startled and fearful faces of the fellowship.

"We now have but one choice." The wizard said dourly "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than Orcs, in the deep places of the world." Gandalf said as the fellowship followed him. Aragorn slowly put Eadlyn down as he realized he was still holding her. She said nothing but followed the others. "Quietly now. It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed." Gandalf added. Eadlyn made her way to the front with Gandalf. “Lend me your eyes” He asked, Eadlyn nodded and walked ahead of him a bit.

The company had been walking for relatively a while now, Eadlyn’s head snapped to the left as she hear rocks fall she could see murky eyes peering at them all from the shadows. Gandalf ran his hands over a stone wall gently as white gold like silver shimmered within it "The wealth of Moria was not in gold… or jewels…" Gandalf muttered focusing hard on the shimmering rock. He turned his staff down a pit, and the whole cavern shimmered with light as it reflected off of the iridescent rocks. "…but Mithril." He added. Eadlyn watched looking at the glistening rocks with awe Legolas stood next to her watching her before looking down himself “It would seem there is something lovely to behold in even the darkest corners of the earth” He said quietly, Eadlyn looked up at him slowly, He smiled at her before walking off. Aside from the rocks there was level upon level and row upon row of ladders and such. "Bilbo had a shirt of Mithril rings that Thorin gave him." Gandalf said in reminiscence "Oh, that was a kingly gift." Gimli breathed, Gandalf nodded and chuckled "Yes! I never told him, but it’s worth was greater than the value of the Shire." He said, Frodo looked up at the wizard utterly stunned.

Gandalf lead them to a very steep flight of stairs, the only way up was to climb, Aragorn & Boromir went first, then Gandalf, Frodo looked hesitantly at the stairs, Eadlyn looked down at him before looking up at the stairs, she smirked, and a playful glint came to her eye, as she flexed her fingers, and leaped onto the stairs, gripping her nails into the stone, like claws. Frodo looked at her with large eyes, she held out her hand to him, taking it, she helping Frodo up ahead of her. “if you slip I got you” she said urging him forward. “does anyone know what exactly this lass is” Gimli called watching her, Legolas shook his head and waited for Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Gimli t go ahead of him.

When they all reached the top safely they took rest. Aragorn and Boromir sat near one another, Eadlyn stood away from everyone and out of the light of Gandalf’s staff, she sighed, she hated the shadows and yet she loved them dearly they were the only place she felt like she belonged and was at ease. She leaned against the wall and slid down it, pulling her knee’s to her chest. "There's something down there!" Frodo called out after gazing into the cavern that they had just climb out of. Eadlyn looked over to them from her corner in the dark "It's Gollum." Gandalf said matter-of-factly Frodo looked up at him in shock "Gollum?" he asked Gandalf nodded "He's been following us for three days." Gandalf said in the same tone mildly worried about the creature, as his mind was thinking about other things. "He escaped the dungeons of Barad-Dûr!" Frodo gasped Gandalf turned and looked at Frodo seriously "Escaped? Or was set free?" He asked Frodo looked down below into the blackness "And now the Ring had drawn him here. He will never be rid of his need for it.” Gandalf sighed shaking his head “ He hates and loves the Ring, as he hates and loves himself." He added Eadlyn looked down at her hands her eye lids lowered, she knew that feeling, and felt rather pathetic that she could actually identify with the creature Gollum.

Legolas walked over to Eadlyn and sat next to her, She leaned over resting her head on his shoulder, He look at her with Pity and sighed, tucking a strand of her hair away. "I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened." Frodo said hopelessly Gandalf looked at Frodo with knowing eyes "So do all who subsist 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." Gandalf said, his words seemed to lift the hopes of everyone. “Ah it’s that way!” Gandalf called after a long pause, getting to his feet he began to lead the way again. "He's remembered!" Merry called out in glee, Happy to be moving on, Eadlyn stood up with Legolas’ help He eyed her up and down and smirked a bit, he gestured for her to go ahead of him as if saying “ladies first”. "No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here." Gandalf said heading down a dark stair way. "If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." Gandalf said to the hobbit.

Eadlyn rotated her shoulder a bit, as it was very soar, the ice Legolas had stuck in the wound had long melted away. “How are you fairing?” Aragorn asked coming into stride with her. Eadlyn looked at him warily “I’m….fine” she said slowly watching his movements He reached over to touch her shoulder, Eadlyn flinched and stepped away from him. Aragorn tilted his head “I just want to examine it…I might be able to help” He said before reaching at her again, Eadlyn watch his hands as he peeled back the wrapping from her shoulder, grimy bulky liquid stretched from the wrappings to the gash, Aragorn cringed slightly before reaching into his pouch, he pulled out a white residue, and sprinkled it on the lesion. “Its elvish medicine…it will take away the infection…” Aragorn said spreading the powder over the gash with his finger gently. Eadlyn watched him and looked off to the side “thank you” she said quietly. Aragorn smiled inwardly and nodded. They had come to a great open quarter; many robust granite pillars lay in wreck on the floor. "Let me risk a little more light." Gandalf muttered as the crystal on his stall illuminated the room more so than before. "Behold: the great realm and Dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf." Gandalf called as the fellowship looked on in awe. "Now there's an eye opener and no mistake." Sam breathed looking up at the still standing pillars. Eadlyn looked around the great hallway, trying to imaging it when I was full of life. As they rounded a corner, Gimli spotted a room in the distance, corpses were scattered about what looked like a tomb. Gimli cried out and ran through the hall to the room, The rest of the fellowship followed shortly after him. They gathered in the large room Gimli wept over the stone tomb.

"'Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.' He is dead then. It's as I feared." Gandalf said after ready the runes on the tomb. He rested a hand on Gimli’s shoulder before picking up and large old battered paperback, "We must move on, we cannot linger!" Legolas whispered to Aragorn who’s eyes where scanning the room. Eadlyn’s hairs stood up o the back of her neck, and her heart rate was slowly going up. “‘They have taken the bridge… and the second hall.'" Gandalf said reading from the book; Eadlyn walked around the room looking over all of the dead, and gather what weapons would still be useful, Gimli had stopped weeping over the sepulcher and looked up somewhat bewildered. "'Drums… drums… in the deep.'" Gandalf continued the fellowship began to look around restless and fearful; Eadlyn came back around to Legolas. Gandalf turned a blood riddled page of the book looking up at the others gradually "'We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark.'" He continued still, Eadlyn looked around as she could faintly hear whispers in the black speech; her eyes began to dance as she looked around for the source of it. “‘we cannot get out…'" Gandalf read he narrowed his eyes as the writing was more frantic, and fading. Legolas laid a hand on Eadlyn arm but she jumped startled this caused Aragorn & Boromir to walk closer to them. Gandalf paused for a long time and looked at the fellowship the silence was agonizing "'They are coming!'" Gandalf read, as he finished there was a loud clanking noise and the sound of a dragging chain; everyone looked to pippin whom had knocked a corpse and treasure down into a shaft. The noise echoed through all the many halls below them, Eadlyn closed her eyes tightly, if there was something down there…they now knew where the company was. "Fool of a Took!” Gandalf roared slamming the book shut. Frodo looked over to Eadlyn to see her looking around, as if she was trying to locate something, He cautiously walked over to her “what is it?” he asked “I hear…” She started but trailed off and kept looking around “Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!" Gandalf barked

All eyes turned towards the well as the beating of drums sounded through it. Howls like that of an angry cat came from Eadlyn’s throat as she looked around, “Frodo” Sam called as Frodo checked his sword sting, the blade was glowing bright blue in the darkness. “orcs” Legolas muttered, Boromir made a mad dash for the door, as he went to close it two arrows narrowly missed his face as they were shot into the door. Aragorn dropped the torch he held for light and ran to Boromir to help barricade the door. The door got darker without the light of the fire. "Get back! You stay close to Gandalf!" Aragorn called back to the hobbits, Frodo looked up at Eadlyn who was still looking around He was hesitant to leave her but Sam grabbed his arm and forced him over to Gandalf. A loud bellow sounded from the other side of the door, this shook Eadlyn out of her odd state “they have a cave troll!” Boromir said in false reprieve Legolas & Eadlyn tossed the left over weapons she had gathered from around the room to Boromir & Aragorn so as they could fortify the door. Legolas drew out his bow, and Eadlyn drew her blades, Gandalf brandished his sword and staff, and Gimli leap upon the tomb, with a battle cry, even the hobbits drew their swords. Aragorn and Boromir ran back to the company, Aragorn quickly notched an arrow in his bow and Boromir readied his sword.

The ground shook slightly as the cave troll stomped down the hall on the other side of the door. "Argh! Let them come! There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!" The Orcs and Goblins on the other side of the door, began to break through the door, hacking at it with their weapons. Legolas spotted a hole in the door, and shot an arrow through it, a sharp howl came from the other side as Legolas notched another arrow to his bow, Aragorn shot one through an separate hole in the door. The Creatures of Sauron had finally mashed through the door, Aragorn & Legolas made short work of them, with arrows, Boromir and Eadlyn took on those whom they missed with their swords, Gandalf soon launched himself into the fray of steel and Gimli followed shortly after. The hobbits found their courage and dove in as well. The battle was on.