Shaking off the strangle little creature, that was Pippin the hobbit. I take a look around the tunnel.
Skeletons are strewn about, clearly the dead of some old battle. . .the rusting armor and shields are peppered with arrows and axes.
"This is no mine. . .it's a tomb" Boromir says grimly as I put my hand over my mouth to try and calm myself after seeing such a horrific scene.
"Oh no-no-no!" Gimli says in horror, I look over to Legolas pulling an arrow out of a skeleton.
"Goblins" Legolas and I say in unison, we they begin to draw out their swords and there is no way out now.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here" Boromir says, I look over to him nodding in agreement.
"We now have but one choice. . ." Gandalf said to the group "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. . . there are older and fouler things than the Orcs in the deep places of the world" He said ominously.
We continue to walk over a bridge above deep mine workings.
"Quietly, now. It's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence will go unnoticed" Gandalf said quietly, everyones steps became lighter.
We continue up a steep stair, passing through what seemed to be a dwarf cemetery. The graves are despoiled. Dwarf skeletons are strewn about and Goblin like Graffiti is scrawled on monuments in dried Dwarf blood.
We've made our way to a tunnel fork, the path splits into three passages each dark tunnels.
"I have no memory of this place" Gandalf says frowning.
I sat on the steps, looking over to Gandalf, still, sitting staring intently at the 3 tunnel mouths, in some sort of trance.
I look over to Frodo, he turns at the sound of a faint noise down the tunnel behind us.
"Are we lost ?" Pippin asks tiredly.
"No. I don't think we are. Shhhh, Gandalf's thinking" Merry says, pointing towards Gandalf.
"Merry!" Pippin says exasperated.
"What ?" Merry asks slight annoyance in his tone.
"I'm hungry" Pippin answers, Merry and I roll my eyes earning a small laugh from Sam. Hobbits are strange creatures.
I can tell from Frodo's stance that he is nervous approaching Gandalf.
"There's something down there" Frodo whispers.
"It's Gollum" Gandalf answers quietly.
"Gollum!" Frodo says shocked
"Yes he's been following us for three days" I say nonchalantly, polishing one of my arrows to pass the time.
Frodo looks back quickly at Gandalf and I.
"He escaped the dungeons of Barad-dur ?" Frodo asks disbelievingly.
"Escaped. . .or was set loose" I said, not wanting to think of the torture they put him through.
"And now the Ring has drawn him here. . .he will never be rid of his need for it. He hates and loves the ring, as he hates and loves himself. Smeagol's life is a sad story," Gandalf says, he catches Frodo's look of surprise "Yes. . . Smeagol he was once called. . .Before the ring came to him, before it drove him mad" He continues, Frodo looks over to me, the same shocked expression on his face.
"It's a pity Bilbo didn't kill him when he had the chance" Frodo says grimly.
"Pity," I say almost in disgust "Do not be so quick to judge those who do and do not deserve it" Gandalf looked at me nodding with agreement.
"Well put Meldamiriel, It was pity that it stayed in Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo ?" Gandalf asks,Frodo frowns "Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. . .even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill, before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many" Gandalf said, Frodo looks over to me and then at Gandalf again.
"I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened" Frodo said sadly looking at the golden ring that was in his palm.
"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us," Gandalf says a note of finality in his voice "There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the ring. In which case, you also were meant to have it. . .and that is an encouraging thought," He says, there is sudden brightness "Ah! That it's that way!" Gandalf points at the right hand tunnel, everyone scrambles to their feet.
"He's remembered!" Merry says relieved.
"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down there," Gandalf says in a humours way "If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose," He says laughing "Yes"
YOU ARE READING
Across Kingdoms
Fanfiction"One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep and the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust..." Boromir addresses...
