Chapter 11: Darkness and sadness
The company continued for hours in the darkness. Morril climbed the dwarves steps with ease.
‘Your friend seems to like Moria!’ Aragorn said to Kal.
‘She seems at ease.’ Kal corrected. ‘I think that she feels protected.’
‘How could an elf feel protected down here.’ Legolas said quietly.
‘Morril is different…all Silme elves are.’ Kal said looking at Morril. ‘These mines are works of art…not just dwarves digging and digging. Even if they did dig to deep to strive for this beauty.’ Kal said looking back at Legolas and Aragorn.
‘As to your friend, we better keep a stricked watch on her. She wanders off in the darkness. The Darkness is not our friend. I have told Gandalf of this. Morril seems to be distracted at times. Almost like someone is talking to her.’ Aragorn said.
‘She has always been like that, even in Silme.’ Tintil said quietly. ‘The hobbits are asleep. Sound asleep after much debate on if there could be a bed time snack.’ Tintil smiled.
‘Has she ever talked to you about being talked to a voice?’ Aragorn said.
‘No. She would drift off into a daydream and snap out of it.’ Tintil said. ‘Why do you think something is wrong with her?’ Tintil asked worried.
‘No, just concerned with one of our ring bearers.’ Aragorn said looking at Morril, than back to the group of elves.
‘Let us continue. For I do not want to spend idle time in Moria.’ Gandalf said to the Company after a few hours of rest. Tintil and Kal awoke the sleeping hobbits, Aragorn and Legolas called for the dwarves to join the group. Morril, Boromir and Gandalf were waiting at the lead. Morril walked close to Gandalf looking around in the darkness. Morril stared into Gandalf’s staff, the white light grew to a dull gray than to black. Morril was enclosed in a embrace of darkness.
‘You are coming towards a friend of mine. He will lead you to me. Moria, you enjoy it? The Darkness will consume all! Your friends are already bending toward the darkness. The dwarves are used to it, but the elves….ahhh, they hate it. With torture they will become great orc warriors. Warriors that will protect US on our thrones. Yes….you desire the feel of power. You have only had a taste of it in Silme. Telling Kal, Tintil and Oin what to do! You will have that power over ever single race in Middle Earth! To help me, my lovely, you can lead them on with dark thoughts. The blooming friendship between Prince Legolas and Kal could be lead to misery and agony. Lead Kal to believe that the Prince is a playboy and lead Prince Legolas to believe that Kal is a whore! As for the hobbits, hit close to their hearts. To someone they look up too. You think that you are someone they look up to? Don’t! For Gandalf and Aragorn or Boromir are the targets to aim for. Yes…aim…aim for the heart…..’
Morril saw the light of Gandalf’s staff peirce throught the darkness like the star Earendil. Gandalf had stopped and was talking to Morril. Only she couldn’t hear, nothing came through. Only the voice telling her to aim for the heart.
‘Put it down Morril.’ Gandalf’s voice entered the darkness that still surrounded her. Morril looked around and saw that she had her bow and an arrow aimed at Aragorn’s heart.
‘Put it down, Morril.’ Gandalf repeated.
‘Aim for the heart.’ the voice echoed in Morril’s head.
‘Aim for the heart.’ Morril repeated and drew the bow back farther.
‘Nooooooooooo!’ Merry and Pipin cried out loud. Pipin jumped forward to intersecpt the arrow before it hit Aragorn. Titnil was the first to react to the young hobbit’s actions. Tintil jumped forward, pulled Pipin back. As she jumped forward she fell into the line of fire. Morril let the arrow fly, as Tintil fell.
‘AHHHHH!’ Tintil cried as the arrow pierced her through her heart. Tintil fell to Aragorn’s feet with Morril’s arrow in her heart.
‘What did you do!?!’ Sam cried out as he ran towards the fallen elf. Morril stood with her bow lowered towards the ground, staring at the scene in front of her. Gandalf and Aragorn were trying to save Tintil as she lay dying. Kal was holding the crying hobbits, as she cried herself. Boromir was holding back Gimli and Oin, so they wouldn’t advance upon Morril. Legolas was also keeping a watch on Morril, to make sure she didn’t attack another member of the company.
We can do no more.’ Gandalf said after an hour of trying to bring the life of Tintil back. ‘She has passed.’
‘No…she can’t!’ Kal whispered.
‘I’m afraid so, Thaloinkal. Tintiloss is with us no more.’ Gandalf said looking up with misty eyes. Kal broke down crying kneeling next to Tintil’s body. Morril was still standing in her stance that she had held for the past hour.
‘Do you not mourn for the loss that you have brought upon us?’ Boromir asked Morril. Legolas and Boromir had switched positions.
‘What loss? She was just baggage, wasn’t she? Anyways, there was no use for her anyways.’ Morril stated.
‘You act as if killing a friend was no big problem.’ Boromir said.
‘Elves, Humans, Hobbits, Dwarves die everyday. Why should she matter anymore than the others who die? Darkness will fall upon the world and the first thing the races of Middle Earth will wish for is death. We should be happy that she fell so soon.’ Morril said. ‘Shouldn’t we be going, Gandalf? You said you did not want to spend any idle time in the Mines of Moria? Isn’t this idle time?’
‘Idle time?’ Kal asked. ‘How could the death of YOUR friend be idle time!’ Kal yelled.
‘Kal, mellon, do not yell.’ Legolas said as he tried to calm her down.
‘Precious time is wasted here in the Mines. We need to press on.’ Morril said.
‘Do you show no compassion!’ Boromir asked.
‘Alas, Morril is right. We must press on.’ Aragorn said to Gandalf who was leaning against.
‘Yes, we must. For the commotion we stirred here will bring any creature to us. We must move.’ Gandalf said.
‘What about Tintil?’ Merry asked. Merry was the first hobbit to speak since Sam. They were in shock that Morril….their Morril! Would do something like this.
‘We will bring her with us. For this is no spot to leave the fallen. Morril, under the circumstances that you have brought, we will have to keep you under watch and you will give up all weapons you possess.’
‘My weapons you may have.’ Morril said staring into the darkness.
‘Well done my lovely…well done.’
