These Lovely Scars (Lord of the Rings Fanfic)

Under

The descent down the mountain is easy after all that just happened. With every step we take downwards, our limbs thaw out a little bit more and our teeth chatter less. It becomes warmer and clearer, and soon we're back where we started, at the base of the mountain.

We travel south, and soon enough we find ourselves passing along the ruins of an old aqueduct. I can't help but admire the beautiful architecture: the bridge looms high over us as we pass under the channel. The ground is still a bit wet from when water ran through here, though I don't know how long ago that was. Merry and Pippin linger behind, playing in the puddles. "Come, young hobbits," Gandalf calls back to them. Pippin has proceeded to fling a slop of mud onto Merry, who looks annoyed and no longer in a mood to play. "We cannot afford any time to play. Frodo, come help an old man." Frodo goes up to him, and the two talk quietly.

Aragorn and I soon fall step in step. "How are you doing?" He asks.

I smile at his protectiveness. "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"Good," he says. We are silent for a while, and then he says, "Have you met Legolas yet?"

"Actually, I have. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." He says, then gives me a knowing smile. I frown.

• ⧫ • ⧫ •

By dusk, we reach the entrance to Moria. Looming over us is a dark cliff face, sticking jagged out of the ground. "The Walls of Moria," Gimli says in awe. I'm not as awestruck as him, though. I'm pretty sure no one is. All I can see is the dark tunnel ahead of us.

"Are we, um...going in that?" Pippin asks, reading my mind.

"Yes, Peregrin Took," Gandalf replies. "So I would keep up and not get left behind." Pippin gulps and looks at Merry, who shrugs at him and follows the rest of the group, although I am sure he's just as afraid as well.

"Ladies first," Aragorn says to me with a flourish of his hand.

"Ha." I punch him on the shoulder and step inside, letting the darkness swollow me up. It's pitch black inside; I can't even see my own hand in front of my face. I take baby steps, not wanting to trip over anyone or fall over a cliff.

"Hold onto the person in front of you. No one shall get lost in these gloomy caves," I hear Gandalf's voice from the front. I'm happy he suggested that, because I'd wanted to do that as soon as I first set foot into the tunnel.

I reach my hands out and feel for the person in front of me. My hands come in contact with a quiver of arrows and a bow. Legolas. Instinctively I draw away a little bit, but then my fear overpowers my will. I wrap my arms around him. "Hey," I whisper. "It's Adrianne."

I immediately recognize how awkward this is. I wait for his response almost anxiously. "Don't let go," he says, and I feel a smile ease its way to my face in the darkness. "I'm scared of the dark." Although I hear the playfulness in his voice, and I know he is joking when he says this last part, I still feel better. I don't feel like such an idiot for putting my hands all over someone I hardly know.

I doubt all of the members of the fellowship are doing this (*cough cough* Gimli and Boromir), but I don't care. It makes me feel better. Once Aragorn's hands are secured around my waist too, there's nothing to be afraid of.

• ⧫ • ⧫ •

After some time of walking around in the darkness, we reach an area where shafts of moonlight peek in through holes in the weathered rock, illuminate the dark cavern. We all let go of each other. "This isn't so bad now," Pippin says.

"Pip, we're not even in Moria yet," Merry says.

I mutter to Aragorn, "What does he mean 'We're not in Moria yet'?"