apter 9: The journey to Moria
Near the end of December, the company of the Rings were packed and ready to leave for the long and deadly journey to destroy the Rings.
Strider, as most of the Company, except for Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf, called him, was first waiting for the company to leave. The hobbits minus Sam came next. Merry and Pipin were joking trying to cheer up Frodo. Frodo felt bad. Why did he have to be one of the Ring bearers? He thought to himself many times that morning. Morril, Tintil, oin and Gimli came next they were talking. Oin had convinced Gimli that not all elves were bad and to become friends with the she-elves of Silme.
‘Good moring, Morril.’ Frodo said to Morril. Morril smiled. Frodo had become one of her closest friends over the two months. Morril would stay away from Kal, Tintil and everyone else because she was afraid of what she would do to them, if given the chance. Kal and tintil would try to talk to Morril but she would get mad and yell at them to go away before she would hurt them. Kal and Tintil had become worried. Gandalf had told them not to worry and that the best they could do was always be there for her.
‘Strider, will we be stopping for second breakfast?’ Pipin asked.
‘Pipin!’ Merry nudged his younger cousin.
‘I was just asking.’ Pipin shrugged.
‘No, we will not, Pipin.’ Gandalf’s voice cut in. Kal smiled and laughed. ‘Here are Legolas and Boromir. Where is Samwise?’
‘I saw him near the stables, Mithrandir.’ Legolas spoke.
‘The quiet one speaks.’ Gimli sneered.
‘Gimli! What did I say about elves?’ Oin grunted.
‘You said that the elves you knew, meaning Morril, Kal and Tintil, were nice and not like others. You do not know him.’ Gimli grunted back.
‘Here comes Good old Sam.’ Merry said.
‘I’m sorry Mr. Strider, sir. I couldn’t leave Bill here alone. Besides, he’s come this far, he can make it all the way.’ Sam said patting Bill’s nose and nodding.
‘Alright Sam.’ Strider smiled.
Lord Elrond came up to the Fellowship. They all looked at him as he spoke.
‘There is no bond of word that makes you committed to go on this quest. Any of you may go back to your lands at any time, but with each leaving member, hope will diminish.’ Lord Elrond said.
‘He says that we can leave any time but the makes says it in a way that if you think of leaving you feel guilty.’ Pipin said to Merry.
‘May Valar be on your side.’ Lord Elrond said, with that the Fellowship of the Rings set off. Gandalf started off first followed by Frodo and Morril. Boromir followed, Merry and Pipin came behind Boromir. Gimli and Oin were next talking lightly of dwarf ways. Tintil followed the dwarfs with Kal. Aragorn and Legolas brought up the rear.
‘We will rotate the rear.’ Aragorn had told the elves of the Fellowship. ‘for the most part, Kal, Tintil, Legolas and myself will be in the rear keeping watch. This may change as we head into dangerous lands.’ Aragorn warned them.
They carried little war weapons, for they wished to go unnoticed. The elves carried bows and quivers full of arrows. They carried small blades at their sides. The hobbits carried their swords they received at the Barrow Downs. Frodo carried Sting, which Bilbo gave to him before they set out. Boromir, Gandalf carried swords at their sides. Aragorn carried the Sword-that-was-broken-newly-reforged. Aragorn named it Anduril. Boromir also carried a sheild and a war horn. The Dwarves were clad in dwarf mail and carried axes.
They followed the Misty Mountains south. Soon Gandalf turned east and they started heading into the Mountains themselves.
‘Where are we heading?’ Tintil asked Aragorn. Most of the company was asleep. There were a few that were still awake. Tintil, Aragorn and Sam, who had first watch.
‘We will be heading over Charadhas.’ Aragorn said.
‘Gimli told us that it was a ‘mean’ mountain.’ Tintil said. ‘How can that be?’
‘I think that it is along the lines of Elves thinking that trees are living and some are meaner than others, and other aren’t. Dwarves think the same way as you think of mountains.’ Aragorn explained.
‘Why don’t you go sleep. Even if you were raised by elves, you need sleep.’ Tintil smiled. Aragorn smiled and nodded. He stood up and went to his blanket.
‘Master Samwise, come sit with me.’ Tintil smiled.
‘Lady Tintil, you should get some rest yourself.’ Sam said.
‘Yes, memories come with sleep.’ Tintil said sadly.
‘What’s wrong?’ Sam asked concerned.
‘There was an elf that betrayed Morril, Kal, Oin and I. I loved him….I just can’t help but remember how happy I was with him…how happy he seemed to be with me. Than the betrayal happened…I just don’t know what went wrong.’ Tintil said softly. ‘I miss him.’
‘I miss someone to.’ Sam said looking to the sky, that had darkened quite a bit since he started watch.
‘What was she like?’ Tintil asked.
‘Much like you. Pretty, nice, kind to everything. Her name is Rosie.’ Sam said. ‘I just didn’t get a chance to say how I felt…how I feel to her. Now I may never get a chance.’ Sam said, now looking at the fire.
‘Master Samwise, I have a feeling that you will get back to your Rosie. Make her the thing you live for on this quest…no matter how hard, or dark it gets.’ Tintil said.
‘thank you, Lady Tintil. As my Gaffer used to tell me, ‘Always follow your own advice.’ That’s what he told me.’ Sam said smiling at Tintil.
‘Thank you Master Samwise.’ Tintil said. ‘Do you mind if I stand watch with you?’
‘If you like, Lady. If you like.’ Sam said.
The next morning, Sam and Tintil had a tale to tell.
‘It was towards the end of Master Samwise’s watch, when he saw it. It looked like a cloud at first, than as it came closer…it was Crebain from Dunland, spies of Saruman or Sauron!’ Tintil said worried. Gandalf nodded and he went to talk with Aragorn of their path. Aragorn and Gandalf agreed that the Gap of Rohan was being watched…neither wanted to think of going under the mountain. The only way, as they decided the night before was over Charadhas.
As they climbed, snow came lightly than became steadily heavier. At the end of the first day, the hobbits were chest deep in snow!
‘My feet are cold.’ Merry muttered when they stopped.
‘We know, Meriadoc.’ Gandalf replied. ‘We do not need to be reminded ever five minutes.’
‘Gandalf, soon the hobbits won’t be able to walk in the snow.’ Kal said. ‘We should either find a different route or we will have to carry them, if the snow keeps falling down as hard as it is.’
‘Charadhas is not happy that we are trying to cross him in these times.’ Gimli said. ‘It will only get worse.’
‘Than what shall we do than, Master Dwarf? The Gap of Rohan is being watched.’ Legolas said pointedly.
‘Legolas…’ Kal whispered.
‘We could go under it! My cousin Balin would welcome us…even YOU, Master Elf.’ Gimli said pointedly back at Legolas.
‘Enough you two.’ Aragorn spoke.
‘I would not want to go under the mountains, Gimli.’ Gandalf said shaking his head. ‘We will continue this course till there is no other way than to go back.’
Two more days of battling the mountain. They came to chest deep snow on Gandalf, when they again talked of their coarse.
‘We cannot make the she-elves carry the hobbits much longer, even if they are elves.’ Oin said. ‘Everyone is tired and cold. Charadhas does not like Elves or Dwarves! This is not a normal snow storm!’ Oin grunted madly.
‘Well put, Oin.’ Gimli smiled. Oin nodded.
‘What are we to do, Gandalf?’ Frodo asked. Morril looked around. Her thoughts seemed to be less heavier than usual. The darkness and hoplessness of their coarse seemed to lighten up her spirits. Watching her friends carry the hobbits over the snow seemed to make her smile.
‘We need to go back.’ Gandalf admitted in defeat.
‘Boromir and I are well built and heavy. We can make path back the way we came.’ Aragorn said.
‘That is a start.’ Gandalf said.
‘Mithrandir, can you not burn the snow?’ Legolas asked.
‘If elves could fly they could bring the sun. I can not burn snow, Legolas.’ Gandalf said looking at the elf and thought. ‘Even if he is one of the eldest here, he sometimes is so child like.’
Legolas sat down next to Kal, Tintil, Morril. The hobbits and dwarves were sitting and talking near Gandalf.
‘Legolas, how old are you?’ Morril asked.
‘I will have seen 2931 years.’ Legolas said looking at the she-elves.
‘Will have seen?’ Tintil asked.
‘If I make it through quest.’ Legolas looked down.
‘Don’t talk of such things.’ Kal said putting her hand on his forearm. Legolas looked up at her and smiled.
‘why shouldn’t we talk of things, Kal? It’s mostly likely that none of us will return.’ Morril said glancing at the hobbits. ‘Even if we…elves…can walk upon things without marking them….the dark forces are all around.’ Morril said.
‘That tis it!’ Legolas exclaimed. ‘Let the ploughers, plough! And let those who can walked upon grass or leaf…or snow…to an elf.’ Legolas smiled and ran the way Aragorn and Boromir were ploughing.
‘Be careful!’ Kal called out after him.
‘I think an elf likes another elf.’ Tintil whispered to Morril. Morril glared after Legolas.
‘Legolas Greenleaf…prince of mirkwood. Mirkwood can be yours. Legolas can be yours to order around. You will be happy…Kal will be imprisoned for her happiness. Like the others. Arorod has made Tintil miserable…they will be together. Come to me….To your love…your only love….to Sa---’
‘Morril?’ Frodo whispered.
‘Yes Frodo?’ Morril asked coming out of her revere.
‘I’m cold….’ Frodo said.
‘Legolas went to help.’ Morril said looking mournfully at Frodo.
Legolas did come back soon. Soon after Aragorn and Boromir soon followed. Aragorn, Boromir, Kal and Tintil carried a hobbit and were the first down the mountain. Next was Gimli and Oin and lastly, Gandalf with Bill the pony. They camped not far from the mountain. Again, the subject of their coarse was discussed.
‘WE can not go on the mountain again! The hobbits will die!’ Kal argued.
‘The Gap of Rohan is open! We can get through there and we can make for my city!’ Boromir cut off Kal.
‘Don’t you know, NEVER interrupted a lady!’ Oin poked Boromir.
‘She certain doesn’t talk like a lady. The ladies of my city do what they are told!’ Boromir snapped.
‘So women are only supposed to do what they are told?’ Kal jumped up.
‘they should know what is men’s work.’ Boromir said stepping closer to Kal. ‘They should know what is women’s work.’
‘Which is?’ Kal growled. There was fire in her eyes. Merry and Pipin who thought Kal as a mother, were scared. They had never seen an elf mad, but from the looks of it. They never wanted too.
‘They were put on this earth to make food and bare children…nothing more.’ Boromir growled back.
‘Women were put on this earth to be cherished, not to be ordered around like a dog.’ Legolas jumped up in between Boromir and Kal. ‘You will never find true happiness if you think women are only for ordering around.’
‘Maybe that’s why elves are on the end of their time…they let women run their lives.’ Boromir glared at Legolas.
‘Enough!’ Aragorn yelled. ‘Havo dad, Legolas, Kal. Boromir, stop..sit down. We aren’t here to argue about why women were put on this earth. WE are here to save Middle-Earth so we can have a future. We can not go over or around the mountains.’ Aragorn said. ‘That has been stated…many times.’
‘Let us go under the mountain! The Mines of Moria…’ Gimli said. ‘We will be safe there.’
After another hour of debating the road to take, Gandalf and Aragorn ha decided on Moria. The left the next morning and arrived at the Gates of Moria after a day of traveling.
