The storm has passed and so the Fellowship moved on from the depressing ruins of what could have been Durion's home had the fates spun their thread a bit differently. The days after were warm and they did not have to search for any caves they could camp at. So through Eregion hills they traveled and the elf found himself enjoying the company of Boromir, seeing in the man desiring peace for his people above all else. He talked about his younger brother, sharing the mischief the two got up to in their youth. Durion, in return, recalled how he snuck into the Lake Town's vault to steal the last of the black arrows and returned it to Bard's father, to whom it rightfully belonged.
"Bilbo also told me he and you snuck into the Lonely Mountain after he gave the Arkenstone to the men and elves. Is that true?" Frodo asked and Gandalf turned sharply at Durion.
"Wha- Bilbo is not only a thief but a snitch as well." Gaped the elf.
"So it wasn't Alfrid who I ought to call troll-witted." The wizard grumbled and Durion huffed.
"That slimy bastard got what he deserved and we both know it. And in the end Bilbo was fine. A little bump on the head at most." The elf shrugged and got up from the ground he was lying on. "Come on, Merry, Pippin. Let's teach you how to use those swords of yours." The two hobbits excitedly hopped up and Boromir stood too.
"I think we should start with some defensive maneuvers, don't you think?" The man asked and Durion nodded.
"At first just watch. Then we'll work on your posture and all that." Hummed Durion and unsheathed his sword. "Offense?" He pointed at Boromir.
"If you think your tiny rapier will be able to handle that."
"Ha!" Laughed Durion and taunted the man with a wiggle of his finger. "One, two, three and slide." Durion called out each word as their weapons met. With the last word he let Boromir's sword slide off of his and as the man stumbled, the elf prolonged the distance between them. "Always keep one foot in front of the other, ready to move, knees slightly bent." The elf told the hobbits. "Keep distance in mind and don't think too hard about what will be, but focus on what is. Now you two, come on."
"Get away from the blade, Pippin, on your toes... good, very good. I want you to react, not think." Boromir encouraged the hobbit as he, much more slowly, attacked.
"Should not be too hard..." Sam mumbled and Aragorn smirked.
"Move your feet." Durion reminded.
"Quite good, Pippin." Merry clapped.
"Thanks." The clanging of swords resurfaces and then Pippin lets his sword fall with a yelp.
"Sorry!" Boromir calls with worry but then is viciously attacked by two feral hobbits. Durian quickly stepped out of their range.
"For the Shire. Hold him, hold him down Merry!" Aragorn, who was sitting by and watching, stood up and went over to help poor Boromir.
"Gentlemen, that's enough." He laughed, but then the two hobbits each grabbed one of his legs and threw him backwards onto the ground. Durion covered his mouth as a loud laugh burst out of him.
"What is that?" Sam's worried tone stopped them from the scuffle.
"Nothing, it's just a wisp of cloud." Gimli said.
"It's moving fast.... against the wind." Boromir whispered, squinting into the distance.
"Crebain! From Dudland!" Legolas, who was perched on one of the higher stones, called out.
"Hide!" Shouted Durion and pushed the two hobbits into a bush. Then he rushed to hide their things from sight.
"Hurry!"
"Frodo! Take cover!" At the last moment, Durion slid under another bush and laid completely still as he watched the birds soar above them. They emerge from their hiding spots only when the Crebain are but spots in the distance.
"Spies of Saruman. The passage south is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras." Gandalf said darkly and they all turned to look at the snow covered peaks.
***
"Frodo!" The yell stopped the company in their tracks as they made their way up the base of the mountain towards the Pass. Frodo stumbled and rolled down a few feet, being caught and helped up by Aragorn. Durian, who was at the moment leading the company, lightly jogged down when Boromir picked up the Ring from the snow. "Boromir!" Aragorn shouted at the man.
"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing, such a little thing..." Boromir mumbled, his other hand raising up to touch the wicked thing. Durian sped up.
"Boromir!" Aragorn's voice rose, snapping Boromir out of the trance the Ring had him in. "Give the Ring to Frodo." The man did so, hesitantly dropping the Ring into Frodo's awaiting hand.
"As you wish. I care not." Smiled Boromir and ruffled the hobbit's hair, ridding it of snow. Durion's arm slung over the man's shoulders, pulling him away and directing his mind elsewhere.
"Come, friend, let me tell you about the time I was almost eaten by a dragon."
***
As they ascended into higher altitude, the snow reached up to their chests. The hobbits were carried by Aragorn and Boromir, Gandalf led the way, Legolas was scouting ahead and Durion watched their backs while Gimli, it looked like, fought for his life in the freezing blanket. As Durion watched the Fellowship with pity, he was truly glad for his elven lightness. Even Gandalf seemed to be annoyed as Legolas walked by him on top of the snow. As the wind increased in strength, Durion was forced to tie his hair out of his face with a piece of string. Then Durion's and Legolas's elven ears caught some whispers carried by the wind.
"Wake up, cruel Redhorn! May your horn be bloodstained!" Durion recognised the comforting elven language of Quenya, but the deep rumble of it sent chills down the elf's spine. Durion quickly ran to Legolas.
"Do you hear that too?" Durian asked him and the prince nodded.
"There is a fell voice in the air!" Legolas called.
"It's Saruman!" Gandalf yelled and Durion's heart quickened with fear. Legolas, who felt the slight tremor through the bond, pressed his side closer to the other elf.
"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf! We must turn back!" Aragorn yelled over the howling wind which seemed to only increase its power.
"No! Sleep, Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!" Gandalf chanted back in Sindarin.
"Wake up, cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!" Saruman's voice summoned a bright flash of lightning that fell on the stone above them, the deep echoing noises of falling rocks and snow being their only warning.
"Back!" Screamed Durion and pulled Legolas away from the edge just moments before the avalanche fell on their backs. For a while, Durion saw nothing, the only sensation holding him in reality was the death grip Legolas had on his biceps. Gathering all his strength, Durion pushed up and broke through the layer of snow towards the air. Picking out the snow that fell into the eye holes in his mask, he looked around for the rest of the Fellowship. A quick headcount proved that miracles exist, for not one was missing.
"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" Boromir yelled while pulling the hobbits from the show.
"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Durion yelled back, hoping to never step foot into the fortress again.
"If we cannot pass over the mountain, let us go under it! Let us go through the Mines of Moria." Gimli told Gandalf.
"Let the Ring Bearer decide." The wizard said at once and all eyes turned to Frodo.
"We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the hobbits!"
"Frodo?" The hobbit looked around them nervously.
"We will go through the Mines."
"So be it." The tone of the wizard's voice left no one at ease.
A bit shorter chapter today, I hope you don't mind. The end just felt right.
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In the Ruins//Legolas
FanfictionDurion's heritage is painted in mystery. Being the last elf born in the Second Age, with his mother dead and his caregivers nowhere to be found, he battles with what his future holds in store for him. What reason would a mother have for naming her c...
