THE RED RIDER ; lord of the rings {legolas} ✔

Chapter VII

Chapter VII

Several days passed as we spiraled further up the mountain across the thick snow. Occasionally I'd attempt to glance down to try and get a glimpse of Guldurelon, but the clouds were always too thick to get a good look. Legolas would always pull me away from the edge before I could make out any forms below them.

The fifth time he did this, I huffed slightly. "I can handle myself, Legolas, but thank you." I tried to make sure I sounded gratefully annoyed, but I was mostly annoyed and I knew he would pick up on it.

"I don't want your death to be caused by your peering over the mountainside looking for the horse you know you won't be able to see as we go higher up," he said shortly.

I sighed, and glanced behind us. The rest of the Fellowship was several paces behind, for we often found ourselves ahead of them because of our ability to walk lightly across the snow. "Just because I am female does not make me weak," I said firmly, and brushed passed him as the Fellowship came closer to where Legolas and I were waiting.

I groaned inwardly at the way my temper had spoken for me. I wasn't mad at him, merely annoyed that he was so worried for my safety when he'd seen me in battle; he knew I was strong enough to handle myself. Though the cold and the hunger had gotten to me, I knew that was no excuse for my words to the prince. It had been fifty years since I'd truly worked with a real team, and even then I had been the one giving the orders to my troops, or taking orders from Elrohir and Elladan. We had never had a full sit-down as though we were a family with them; sure we worked well together, but that didn't make me friends with the rest of the army. I was going to have to get used to it, though, because I had already lost track of the days and we weren't even a quarter way to Mordor yet. I made up my mind to apologize to the elf at night when the rest of the Fellowship was asleep; I knew they wouldn't have been able to hear our argument through the harsh winds and thick blizzard and I didn't want them involved.

We traipsed for what must have been several more hours until I lightly elbowed Legolas as we walked side by side just behind Gandalf and just in front of Aragorn and Mireclya.

"Do you hear that?" I said quietly, only loud enough for him to hear. It was harsh speech, undoubtedly a spell, but it was steadily getting loud enough for a normal being to hear if they listened hard enough.

Legolas lifted his head and nodded. Its volume escalated even more, at which point the prince called, "There is a fell voice in the air!"

Gandalf, who had also been looking around, suddenly realized - "It's Saruman!"

A large section of rock above us came crashing down just in front of the narrow trail, taking some of the rocks down as it fell. We got showered with snow and hurriedly pressed up against the mountainside as to not create any more weight on our rock.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn shouted through the wind. "Gandalf, we must turn back!"

"No!" the wizard yelled back. Though we had all pushed up against the cliff face, Gandalf took a small step out on the ledge. "Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho I ruith!"

The malestrom weakened slightly, but the faraway chanting continued, and the storm soon became ferocious. An avalanche came rocketing down the mountain face and seemed to slow in midair. Aragorn dove in front of Sam and Frodo, protecting them from the bulk of the snow, while Mireclya and Gimli shielded Pippin and Merry. I pressed closer to the rock, the snow piling on top of us like a wave. Just before I shut my eyes to avoid the snow getting in them, I saw Legolas pull Gandalf away from the edge and towards the mountainside.

When I felt the avalanche subside and then stop, I reached my hands up and out of the snow and pulled myself out. It wasn't far, but for Gimli and the Hobbits it would have been several feet on top of them. The rest of the Fellowship pulled themselves out of the snow and Aragorn and Boromir dug the Hobbits out quickly while Mireclya checked on Gimli. Legolas and I threw a glance at Gandalf, but he was back on his feet and waiting for us. The Hobbits, now shivering under Boromir's and Aragorn's shield from the wind, glanced at Gandalf.