Muted protection

Chapter 5

Looking around I don't notice the slithering noise until it's too late. Hearing a cry I whip around to see Frodo being dragged backwards towards the water. The hobbits grab hold of him in an attempt at stopping the tentacle as they cry for Aragorn's help. Seeing the creature just below the surface I shoot and arrow which manages to cut it and it retreats backwards into the water. There is a short pause before it shoots out more tentacles making their way towards us. Grabbing Frodo the creature lifts him into the air. I aim and shot at the tentacle holding Frodo and watch as a second arrow pierces another tentacle. Aragorn and Boromir rush into the water hacking at tentacle as Frodo is keiften above the creatures mouth. Hitting the correct tentacle Aragorn hacks at it, causing the creature to release Frodo, who falls into Boromir's arms.
"Into the mines!" Gandalf shout running back into the mine.
"Legolas!" I hear my father shout as he runs towards the opening I watch as Legolas shoots and hits the creature in the eye causing it to cry out in pain and retreat backwards. I grit my teeth and follow unwilling to show my irritation at my father choosing the Prince of Mirkwoods skill with a bow over mine.
Hearing a noise I turn and watch as the creature grips the edge of the walls and drag itself towards us. Looking up I see a loose rock and shoot an arrow at it. The rock falls pulling more rocks with, causing the opening of the mine to cave in and squash the creature. I turn slowly to see my father watching and turn my face away, pulling my hood further down so he wasn't see my irritation. He doesn't need to know about my jealousy over the woodland elf. He motions with his hand and I wave back, dismissing the conversation. It is not often I chose to not talk to my father as very few people know my hand language. But if I talked to Aragorn he'd see right through any facade and know I was irritated. Sighing he follows the rest of the fellowship as they continue further into the mines.
Keeping to the edge of the wall away from he chasm below us I walked sure footed up the steps careful to stay in the middle of the group not wanting to get lost in the mines. Reaching three doorways we stopped and waited for Gandalf to say which direction to take.
"I have no memory of this place." Gandalf mutters to himself. Realising we weren't moving anywhere, anytime soon the Fellowship rests. Aragorn sits beside Boromir who is leaning against a rock opposite me, watching me wearily.
"Are we lost?"
"No."
"I think we are."
"Shh! Gandalf's thinking."
"Merry?"
"What?"
"I'm hungry." I listen to the three hobbits converse in hushed whispers and glance over at Frodo who staring into the dark. Leaning back I look out into the darkness and pull my cloak closer to myself. Glancing over I see Aragorn watching me with concern. I smile reassuringly and stare back into the dark, careful not to let my thoughts run wild and cause me yet another panic attack. It had been many years ago and Aragorn and I had been on an adventure, in the middle of our four day trip away from Rivendell we were attacked by orcs. Being clumsy I stepped on the wrong rock and fell down causing a rock fall which barred me in until my father managed to dig me out. After that I developed a hatred for dark, damp and dark places. Such as a mine.
I hear Gandalf and Frodo talking in hushed voices before I hear the wizard exclaim.
"Oh! It's that way."
"He's remembered!" Merry cheered jumping up.
The rest of the Fellowship starts down a dark stairway following Gandalf as he puts on his hat.
"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here." Gandalf says leading the way down the dark stairs after resting a hand on Merry's shoulder.
"If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose." I grinned and took one last look at the open space before looking at the dark stairs realising my pause had caused me to lose them in the dark.
Running after them I lightly bump into Legolas after tripping on a rock. Steadying us both he looks at me, smirking slightly and bowing his head in a mocking gesture. I grimaced in the dark happy he couldn't see my grimace and shove away from him. Glancing over I see Aragorn watching us with a frown on his face. Looking around I see an open space with broken columns lying across the floor. Gandalf lifts his staff up, lighting up the hall more and we marvel at the glory of the halls. As we walk forwards we see a chamber lit up with sunlight, hearing an exclamation I look over at Gimli to see him running towards the chamber.
"Gimli!" Gandalf shouted as we ran after the dwarf into the chamber. I stop when I enter the chamber looking around in grim silence. Bodies and weapons scattered about it. The Dwarf stops and kneels by a crypt in the center of the room. A shaft of light illuminates it. Gandalf walks forward and peers at the tomb's surface.
Gimli sobs in front of of the tomb. "No! No! No!"
Boromir walks forwards placing his hand on Gimli's shoulder.
Gandalf translating the runes on the tomb as we all remain silent. "Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.' He is dead then. It's as I feared."
I remain by the door as the other move further into the chamber. Gandalf gives his staff and hat to Pippin, bends down, and takes a large and battered book from a corpse's hands. He opens it and clears the dirt from its pages.
Gimli chants softly, sobbing. "Kilmin malur ni zaram kalil ra narag. Kheled-zâram... Balin tazlifi."
Legolas leans towards Aragorn whispering, "We must move on, we cannot linger!"
Gandalf starts reading, "'They have taken the bridge... and the second hall.'"
Gimli stops sobbing, and looks up blankly.
"'We have barred the gates... but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes.'"
Pippin, still holding hat and staff, backs away looking around fearfully.
Gandalf seemingly unaware of the tension in the air. "'Drums... drums... in the deep.'"
He looks up slowly, and turns the smudged, bloodstained page. The Fellowship begins to glance around uncomfortably. "'We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark.'"
Pippin stumbles back and sees a corpse with an arrow in its chest, sitting by a stone well. He turns towards it.
Gandalf continues. "'We cannot get out...'" He glances at the last, single line, a scrawl fading out at the bottom of the page. Gandalf looks up in the uncomfortable silence. "'They are coming!'"
The silence is broken by Pippin. Curious, he reaches out and lightly twists the arrow in the corpse. I gasp silently and move towards him and try to get his attention before the skull slips off, falling into the well with a resounding crash. I cringe along with Pippin as Gandalf whips around. Pippin turns to face him, looking guilty. As he does, the rest of the corpse slips into the well, dragging with it a chain and bucket. Noise echoes from hall to hall far below. Pippin winces at each wave of noise.
Gandalf slams the book shut. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity!"
I cringe backwards at the harshness in his tone and glance at my father who is cringing at the noise still echoing in the deep. Suddenly in the darkness we hear drums echoing up through the well. I stiffen and start shifting on my feat. Hearing Sam cry out Frodo's name I turned to see Frodo pull out his glowing sword.
"Orcs!" Legolas cries out. And Boromir and I shoot to the door to look out. Boromir quickly jumps back pulling me back just as two arrows bury themselves in the door where my face was. Turning slowly I see a cave troll right before my father joins us.
"They have a cave troll."  Boromir says sarcastically. I smirk under the hood before I feel Aragorn touch my cheek. I shrink back when I feel a sting. An arrow must have cut my cheek as it zoomed past. Legolas starts throwing stuff at us as we barricade the door in an attempt to keep the orcs out.
Brandishing his axe, Gimli stands atop the tomb. "Argh! Let them come! There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath!"
All of a sudden the orcs start banging on the door. I jump backwards landing neatly beside Legolas a couple of feet away, my bow already prepared in my hand. He gives me an odd look before I hear Aragorn's voice in my head.
Careful Linwaethiel, if you want to keep you elven origin a secret you're going to have to be more careful. I look up to see him smirking. We had decided long ago to keep my identity a secret due to the complications that arise when an elleth travels around with a ranger. Suddenly the door splintered as weapons broke through the gaps. I stood ready with my father and Legolas with the bow and arrow pointed the doors. Seeing an orc through a gap and I release my arrow hearing the satisfying thunk as it hit the orc and it cried out. Preparing another arrow, I watch as Legolas and Aragorn shooting arrows through the gaps. Suddenly, the beasts break through and the battle begins. A wave of armor-clad Orcs charge towards the us and we engage the Orcs. Aragorn and Legolas pierce Orcs with their arrows while Boromir smashes another with his sword; Gimli catches one in the stomach. And I swap my bow and arrows for my twin long knives. Swinging them, I slice through an orcs stomach and cause black blood to splurge across my dark clothed legs. I sneered in disgust as my knives clanged against an orc blade kicking forwards I shoved the orc away twirling to clash swords wth the orc attempting to stab me in the back. Hearing a screech I dodge sideways narrowly missing being run through, but the orc blade catches my waist and it tears through. Glare at the orc I swing one of my knives and slice his throat before stabbing the oncoming orc. I glance down and see a shallow cut and grimace. Just as I look up I see an orc fall forwards at my feet with an arrow between its eyes. Looking around I find Legolas firing arrows at orcs a knowing smile on his face as he briefly looks at me. I growl soundlessly and swing my knife around killing two orcs in one sweep. I watch the elf as he narrowly misses being hit by the trolls chain before climbing up the chain and firing arrows causing the troll to stumble. Swinging a one of the knives in my hand I kill an orc that was running towards me. I watched in horror as the troll split up the hobbits and chases after Frodo. I scream I. Silent terror as my father tries to to help and is later flung across the chamber. I start fighting my way across to him but have to stop when orcs start crowding me.
Suddenly I hear a cry from the hobbits and turn to see a spear having impaled Frodo. I pause and watch as Merry and Pippin glance at each other and their faces appear resolved before they leapt onto the beast, stabbing him mercilessly.
Merry and Pippin both let out war cries. "Yaaahh!"
"Frodo?" Sam cried from across the hall and Gandalf stares silently across the room, stunned.
"Frodo!" Sam screamed rushing towards the fallen hobbit. Being knocked out their stupor the others started fighting towards their friend with more ferocity. I paused for another second before swinging my sword, killing all the orcs closest to me in a single swing. The orcs behind their fallen comrades stood looking on before they looked at me in terror. Pulling my hood back slightly exposing my eyes before whispering the word 'run' in their minds. They looked at me in terror before turning and bolting out the door away from me. Covering my face again and glancing around to see if anyone else saw. Luckily they were all too busy fighting. Running over I swiped my sword killing an orc that was behind Gimli. Frodo slumps to the floor, the spear sticking into his chest. Above him the troll flails at its head and grabs Merry, swinging him around and throwing him to the ground. Gandalf and Gimli take turns stabbing at the troll and dodging out of range. Legolas takes aim with Pippin stabbing the trolls head. The troll opens its mouth and Legolas shoots his arrow up into the brain through the mouth of the troll. The troll stops fighting and its hand fumbles towards its mouth where the arrow is. It stares upward, shocked, with a long, pained moan, the troll collapses to the ground, dead. Pippin is thrown against the floor and there's a moment of silence. All enemies are dead or have fled. Gandalf rushes to Frodo, as does Aragorn and Sam walks over slowly.
"Oh no!" Aragorn murmurs, kneeling down and rolling Frodo over. I gasp silently at the sight of Frodo groaning and gasping for breath.
"He's alive!" Sam echoes my gasp.
"I'm all right, I'm not hurt." Frodo gasps out.
Aragorn looks surprised. "You should be dead! That spear would have skewered a wild boar."
Watching the hobbit, Gandalf gets a knowing look in his eye. "I think there's more to this Hobbit than meets the eye."
Frodo reveals his Mithril shirt.  I gasp at its beauty as it glimmers.
"Mithril!" Gimli gasps, "You are full of surprises, Master Baggins."
In the distance we can hear the orcs clambering and shouting I shiver and feel a twinge in my side.
"To the Bridge of Khazad-dûm!" Gandalf shouts and we run out of the room.