Lord of the Rings Fanfic- The Tale of Evelyn

Passwords and Ugly Squids

"Ughhhh, how far do we have to go?" I groaned.

"We are nearly there," replied Gandalf calmly.

My mood had been considerably lower than usual and although we were free of the wretched snow, we still had a long tramp ahead of us. The fact that Gandalf said that we were nearly there did not exactly help improve my temper either.

When a wizard says that we are nearly there, they are actually saying, "Shut your mouth and stop complaining," and, "There is still a long way to go, and I don't want to hear your annoying voice anymore."

The only good thing was that nobody dared to talk to me while I was in a bad mood. Even the ridiculously noisy hobbits were silent for much of the journey. When we went a substantial distance, I inquired if anyone wanted to stop right now and recheck our map. I got no replies, and I knew that as much as they wanted to, we couldn't.

Sighing rather loudly, I blew a wisp of hair off my nose and walked at a faster pace until I was even with Legolas. He looked at me in surprise and we walked in a companionable silence together. I stared at my feet. Was I the only one who couldn't look him in his face? The answer to my question was of course "yes."

"Frodo, help an old man, will you?" came Gandalf's voice.

I shook my head in bewilderment and looked at Gandalf quizzically. Was this man really Gandalf or is he an imposter? I didn't know Gandalf that well, but I knew that he wasn't the type to talk like this at all.

Shaking my head once more, I separated myself from Gandalf once it was clear that he was going to talk about the ring. My curiosity was insatiable, but I knew that it was not my place to take part in their conversation.

I rubbed my necklace, seeking comfort from the warmth of it. Nearby Larein tossed her head and huffed at me. A smile tugged at my lips as I realized what she wanted. Plunging my hand in my pouch, I took an apple and handed it to Larein. The fruit itself was bruised a little and a thin layer of frost covered it, but it was still edible.

Larein made a noise and then gobbled the apple, spraying us all with juice. Pippin eyed her warily and stepped away. I raised one eyebrow. I didn't know he was obsessed with cleanliness. Well, you learn something new every day.

Suddenly, Gimli gave a gasp. "The Walls of Moria," he half whispered.

I stared in awe at the huge expanse of rock. It loomed before us, dark and intimidating.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gimli said while clanging his axe against the walls.

"Yes, Gimli, their own masters can not find them if their secrets are forgotten," responded Gandalf gravely.

"Why doesn't that surprise me," Legolas said softly. I laughed and then tried to stifle it by coughing.