Into the West

It did not take long for the Fellowship to find themselves traveling through glistening snowy slopes. Caradhas, one of the loveliest mountain peaks Middle earth contained, could also be the most treacherous at time. Between harsh snow falls, to deadly avalanches the mountain side was a great gamble. Yet Gandalf would not risk the mines, until all other paths had been blocked. Eadlyn gazed up at the endless blue sky, everything here looked cold, everything here was cold, the crunch of the fresh snow below her feet was oddly soothing. This route had to be safer; no beast Saruman could tame would take the freezing cold. Eadlyn heard an odd crunch in the snow, as she turned around she could see Frodo slip on a patch of ice within the snow, he rolled down the hill a bit, Eadlyn went to go after him but stopped as Aragorn caught him. Eadlyn’s eyes darted to the shimmer of gold that lay in the snow. She drew in a sharp breath. It danced in the sunlight and the glare of the snow. Looking utterly beautiful in the icy white powder surrounding it, as Aragorn helped Frodo to his feet, Frodo reached for his neck trying to make sure the ring was ok. When he felt nothing he looked up, to see it laying in the snow.

Eadlyn’s trance was broken as Boromir stepped into view, he picked up the ring gently, gazing at it. “Boromir” Aragorn said sternly. Gandalf turned back to watch them, Boromir seemed not to hear Aragorn. He was lost in looking at the ring, he seemed to be in deep thought. "It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt… over so small a thing. Such a little thing." Boromir said softly, Eadlyn glared at him as he reached out to touch the ring. Aragorn looked to Her, Boromir’s words reminded him of something, no someone. Eadlyn wasn’t worried about Aragorn's gaze, thought she was worried about Boromir’s will power against the ring. Eadlyn pulled out her bow slowly ad notched an Arrow, taking aim at Boromir, Frodo watched her calmly. “Boromir!” Aragorn called out loudly, this broke Boromir of his trance, He looked up quickly tearing his eyes away from the ring and looking at Aragorn, then to Frodo. “Give the ring to Frodo” Aragorn demanded, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword as Boromir headed down the slope to the two of them. "As you wish…" Boromir said with a smile on his face as he held the ring out to Frodo, the hobbit quickly snatched it from him, and put it around his neck, tucking it under his shirts. "… I care not." Boromir added, ruffling Frodo’s hair in a friendly way, but neither ranger or Hobbits seemed to like it. Frodo watched him was he turned away. Boromir stopped walking as He saw Eadlyn slowly lower her sword, glaring at him as she did so. He continued to walk ignoring Eadlyn’s gaze that followed him, Frodo walked over to her and rested a hand on her arm. She calmed down and turned to Aragorn, she gave him a sharp nod as he took his hand off of his swords hilt.

Eadlyn forced her body through hip deep snow, she carried Frodo upon her back, Boromir carried both merry and Pippin, while Aragorn took Sam. Gandalf held on tightly to his had as the wind whipped freezing snow and burning ice at the fellowship. Legolas being graced with light foot walked above the sow, peering through the storm to lead the way. "Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya! Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your horn be bloodstained!” Eadlyn herd whispers in the wind, Gandalf looked around as well "There is a fell voice on the air!" Legolas stated looking back at everyone Eadlyn frowned and Frodo’s held her shoulders tighter. "It's Saruman!" Gandalf called through the storm the voice kept carrying the spell was doing it’s wok on the mountains storm the whisperings got louder, and shook the mountain’s face. Boulders and large slabs began to shake free form the mountain. “In coming!” Eadlyn called flipping Frodo over her head, she held him flat against her as she pressed herself to the side of the mountain, he hide his face in her neck and shut is eyes, the Fellowship was mashed against the mountain side tightly avoiding the blitz of falling rock. "He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!" Aragorn called as the party removed themselves from the wall. “No” Gandalf called he climbed out of the snow and walked to the mountain side, He lifted his hands and staff into the air. "Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith! Sleep, Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!” Gandalf called out trying to counter act the storm that Saruman was casting upon them but Saruman was louder still "Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; Nai yarvaxea rasselya; taltuva notto-carinnar! Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!” The white wizard’s voice roared. A large blue bolt of lightning clashed against the top of Caradhras, sending another wave of ice and rock down upon the fellowship. Eadlyn gasped and pushed Frodo against the rock face, using her body as a shield. “Eadlyn!” He yelped and the ice and snow crashed against her body, she fell to her knees over him as a rock clipped her shoulder, she cried out in pain and soon all of the fellowship was buried beneath the snow.

Legolas stuck his hand out of the snow and pulled himself out, quickly digging for Gandalf pulling him out o the snow, Aragorn emerged from the snow next, pulling Gimli out next to him along with Sam. Boromir popped out from the snow with both Merry & Pippin still on his back. “Frodo?!” Aragorn called the hobbit came out of the snow pulling on Eadlyn “help me!” He called struggling. Legolas’ eyes grew wide as he and Aragorn rushed to Frodo pulling the She ranger out of the Snow, blood stained the snow as it leaked from her shoulder. “Rider” Aragorn called moving her face side to side. “Rider” he called again. “Eadlyn!” both he and Legolas called, her eyes opened and a screech escaped her mouth, Legolas quickly covered her mouth as she screamed. “shhh…hush…” Legolas said she looked at him and tried to calm herself down. Aragorn rolled back the torn fabit covering her shoulder, a large gash was scrapped into it, the flesh was ripped away and muscle was snowing. Not only that her arm was dangling out of socket. Frodo looked at her wound horrified. Eadlyn gritted her teeth and looked away as Aragorn set her arm back into the joint and Legolas wrapped the wound, stuffing it with ice to numb the pain. "We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" Boromir called over the snow. “there” Legolas said finishing the patch up “thank you” Eadlyn managed wincing a bit she turned to Aragorn and opened her mouth to say something but nothing would come from her mouth “I know” he said with a small smile “you are welcome” he added looking up at Gandalf. "The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Eadlyn cut in “if you think this was bad…try being in Saruman’s lands…” She said through clenched teeth. Frodo rushed in a hugged Eadlyn as he did so he bumped her shoulder causing her to cringe in pain “I sorry” He yelped pulling back Eadlyn smiled faintly and nodded “it’s fine…it was an accident..no harm done” she said.

"If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it. Let us go through the mines of Moria."Gimli said it fell silent, Gandalf and Eadlyn looked at one another Gravely "The Dwarves delved too greedily and too deep…..what lies there in… what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm….shadow…and flame” Eadlyn thought, both her own eyes and Gandalf glinted with a hidden fear. Gandalf nodded at Eadlyn whom looked down at Frodo, who was huddled into her for warmth. She brushed back his hair a bit "Let the Ring bearer decide." Gandalf said lightly, Eadlyn looked up to see merry, pippin and Sam shivering, all of the hobbits where looking pale, shivering profusely. "We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the Hobbits!" Boromir called. Eadlyn opened up her cloak “come Hobbits…” she called they rushed into her arms, “you’re burning up” Merry commented through clattering teeth. Eadlyn nodded and closed the cloak around all four hobbits; they snuggled in closer to her. "Frodo?" Gandalf asked Frodo looked up at him unsure of his decision but he didn’t want to risk the lives of his friends in the bitter cold "We will go through the mines." He called out before hiding his face back in the warmth of Eadlyn’s body heat. Her heart sank at his words and she closed her eyes, Frodo looked up at her as she exhaled shakily. "So be it." Gandalf said quietly Eadlyn looked up at him vacantly.

Once the hobbits where warm and the snow had become shallow, Eadlyn walked up ahead of the party with Gandalf “Maybe I should take this route the snow and meet you all on the other side….if I go into the mines…it will sense me there….it will awaken…Sauron will know and it will rise…” Eadlyn whispered. Gandalf shook his head, No…we will need you, and we cannot separate..we are stronger in numbers…we stay together” He said. Eadlyn frowned ad stopped walking watching him walk ahead. Eadlyn groaned slightly, she looked back at the hobbits and pulled all of the tack off of Iluad’s back yet again, she packed it all onto her own back and brushed the snow off of the horse. “come” she called asking for Frodo’s hand. He took her hand and she lifted him onto the large draft mare. Aragorn got the point and helped Sam up as well. Boromir followed suit and place Merry and Pippin atop of the horse too. “Wincing Eadlyn adjusted the supplies on her back and lead Iluad through the snow, as they headed for the mines. “hear” Aragorn said grabbing two packs off of Eadlyn’s back and swinging them onto his. She nodded at him slightly before continuing on.

The snow began to turn into mist as they walked along Aqueduct ruins The Hobbits had dismounted from Iluad some time ago, and the supplies where placed back on her back. Eadlyn walked mutely, on her own in deep thought. Legolas followed behind her soundlessly watching her. "Frodo, come and help an old man." Gandalf called, Frodo went to him quickly going under his arm, helping him walk. "How is your shoulder?" Gandalf asked him. Frodo looked up at Gandalf his eyes unsure “better that it was” He said "And the Ring?" Gandalf asked slowly the two looked at one another and stopped walking "You feel its power growing, don't you? I've felt it too. You must be careful now. Evil will be drawn to you from outside the Fellowship. And, I fear, from within." Gandalf said, Eadlyn heard this and flinched closing her eyes she stopped walking. Legolas halted as well and touched her shoulder blade tenderly She looked back at him. Aragorn’s eyes flickered to Boromir after hearing Gandalf’s words and then to Eadlyn. "Who then do I trust?" Frodo asked hopelessly looked at Gandalf. "You must trust yourself. Trust your own strengths." The old wizard said “what do you mean?” Gandalf sighed and looked down at the hobbit "There are many powers in this world, for Good or for Evil. Some are greater than I am. And against some I have not yet been tested." He said Eadlyn shivered as the wind blew at her hair. Looking up she could see warning stone ruins built in the mountain face. "The Walls… of Moria!" Gimli gasped.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli said and he knocked his axe against rock face searching for a door. "Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them, if their secrets are forgotten." Gandalf said in mild amusement Legolas rolled his eyes “why does that not surprise me “he said as he walked by Eadlyn, Gimli grumbled and cursed under his breath “play nice now Legolas” She said to the Elf with a smirk. Frodo’s foot slipped down the slippery mud and into the shallows of the great murky lake. He gasped and pulled it out quickly shaking the mud off. “Careful master Frodo” Eadlyn called He looked up at her and smiled “right” he said lightly looking into the water. Gandalf walked in between two trees that looked like a gateway, he ran his hands over the stone in between them. "Now… let's see. Ithildin” Gandalf called as the top of his staff lit up a silvery beautiful gate way began to glow on the rock face. Shimmering as night had fallen over the party. "It reads 'The Doors of Durin… Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'" Gandalf read, Eadlyn frowned “not a bit of good that did us” she muttered sitting down on a rock. "What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked quiet curious about the door. "Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password, and the doors will open." Gandalf said rather cheerily Eadlyn looked doubtful about his conclusion however. "Annon Edhellen, edro hi ammen! Gate of the Elves, open now for me!” Gandalf called out. Everyone watched silently, yet nothing happened. Pippin smiled in amusement. Gandalf squinted his eyes and tried again Fennas Nogothrim, lasto beth lammen. Doorway of the Dwarf-folk, listen to the word of my tongue.” The wizard called, there was a pause “…Gandalf…” Eadlyn questioned “nothing happening” Pippin pointed out still highly amused, the wizard gave him a sharp glance out of exasperation before pushing on the doors to see if they’d open, they stood fast. "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves… Men… and Orcs." Gandalf said in dismay. "What are you going to do, then?" Pippin asked, Eadlyn snickered, it was funny because he was only asking out of innocence, he truly believed Gandalf could achieve anything. Frodo shook his head at his cousin. "Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took! 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." Gandalf barked. At this Pippin eased back.