The Uninvited She-Elf

Laranei had stopped counting the days that had passed. They had switched from the south pass to the snow covered mountain, only to have Saruman try to bring the mountain down. Now they stood at the gates of Moria, the dwarf's dwelling. She looked at it with unease and stepped to Boromir, whom she had grown to know and love in this short time. He looked at her in delighted surprise and gently took her hand in his.

"What is it Laranei? You are uneasy this day."

She glanced around, a hand on his arm stopping him.

"We should not be here, Boromir. Something stirs. Something foul."

"What? What do you see?"

She paled and stepped back, trying to distant herself from the emotions filling her heart..

"Death."

Boromir tugged her into his arms, placing a gentle kiss to her cheek.

"Worry not, my beauty. We will handle whatever comes together."

She looked into his eyes, feeling lost for but a moment before laying a gentle kiss to his lips, murmering; "Cin gar limb hun, Boromir." (You have much heart)

Seeing them locked in an embrace, Legolas stiffened and stepped between them, sending Laranei off towards the others with a swat on the behind and a growl. Boromir turned to Legolas, brow raised.

"Is it just me that you have a problem with, Legolas, or is it all men aside from Aragorn?"

Legolas frowned. "I am glad you have befriended my sister, but she is young and foolish. I would not see her hurt by you."

"I have no plan to hurt her, Legolas."

Legolas nodded. "Just go slow. We all need both of your focus more on the journey and less on eachother."

Boromir nodded then moved to Lara and grabbed her hand in his.

The group stopped beneath the entrance to the mines as Gandalf placed his staff against the opening and muttered the password to get in. The stone did not budge. Two hours had passed and Laranei grew quite nervous waiting. Merry and Pippin were skipping rocks in the water, before Aragorn stopped them.

"Do not disturb the water." Aragorn said.

Boromir stood behind Aragorn watching the water intently. Legolas stood by Laranei, watching her as she skittishly moved about the rocky shoreline. Her words from just a few minutes past haunted him still.

"One of us will fall behind here, Legolas." she had said. Now he worried of who it was going to be and when. Frodo moved to stand in front of the entrance repeating the saying across the door.

"Speak friend and enter. It is a riddle. Galdalf, what is the elvish word for friend?" he turned to the wizard as the Gandalf stood, speaking clearly.

"Mel-lon." The door open loudly and the group was herded inside. Boromir's voice shook as Gandalf lighted his staff.

"This is no mine. Tis a tomb."

Bodies lined the once great halls. These dwarves had been still for a very long time. Laranei's eyes widened as she turned towards the hobbits. Frodo entered the great hall, and caught the concern in her eyes, and looked at her confused. His eyes widened as she made to run towards him, her bow drawn. A long coil had been rapped around Frodo's ankle as the creature of the lake tried to take him into the dark abyss. Sam, Merry and Pippin clashed thier swords against the over-sized octopuss, calling out for Aragorn.

Aragorn and Boromie were able to free the small hobbit from the creature's grasp and Laranei shuddered as the walls caved in, blocking the only exit.

"We have no choice. We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard. There are older and fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the world. Quietly now. It is a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed." Gandalf said.


The fellowship traveled through the mines, everyone unusually quiet until the dwarf looked into an opened room and cried out in disbeleif. He ran to a tomb and knelt beside it crying. Gandalf glanced over, reading the writing upon the stone and found it belonged to the Lord of Moria. For awhile, the dwarf silently grieved for his kin, while the others looked about. Gandalf read from the falled dwarf's journal, stopping only when Pippen accidently knocked the head of a skeleton into the well.

All waited, their breaths held as the crashing came to a stop.No sound was made until everyone seemed to let their breath out at once, hoping that no one had heard that crash.

Gandalf glowered at Pippin. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupity!" Peregrin look ashamed and Laranei patted his shoulders giving him a gentle smile. She knew it had been an accident, but in this deathly place, they could afford none. Then she froze, turning towards the well.

Aragorn and Legolas froze as well, as thier exteneded hearing ears picked up the slightest sounds from inside the well. Boromir ran to the door peering outside only to miss an arrow that almost pierced his head. Aragorn ran to the door helping to close it.

"They have a cave troll." Bormir said disbelievingly.

Laranei, Legolas, Aragorn and Boromir stood in front of Gandalf and the Hobbits, swords draw and bows armed as the Orcs beat against the door. Laranei closed her eyes before snapping them open and attacking the nearest Orc.

When all had been slaughtered, everyone hovered above Frodo, who had been stabbed by the cave troll. To everyone's surprise, he had an undergarmet of methril, which saved his life. The group hurried out of the chamber towards the bridge as they heard more Orcs coming down the hall.

Soon they were surrounded on all sides, weapons drawn. Legolas's eyes widened as the mindless creatures scattered to the four winds. He turned with Boromir and seeing the growing fiery light moving towards them he looked at Gandalf.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked.

Gandalf closed his eyes and gasped. "The Balrog. A demon of the ancient world. Its foe is beyond any of you. Run!"

The fellowship followed him down a flight of stairs and Boromir would have tumbled over the short stop if Legolas had not pulled him back. Murmering thanks, Boromir quickly turned following the stairs against the wall, tugging Laranei behind him.

Legolas jumped the gap on the bridge and motioned for the others to do the same. Gandalf and Laranei jumped together, then Boromir with Merry and Pippin. Aragorn stepped back as the peice Boromir and the two young hobbits had been on broke apart creating more of a gap between him, Gimli, Sam and Frodo and the others. Picking up Sam, he tossed the hobbit to Boromir then moved towards Gimli.

"No one tosses a dwarf." Gimli said and jumped the distance landing ont eh edge and having Laranei grab his beard to bring him in. The fire creature was drawing close and the stones beneath them shook. Aragorn threw Frodo back and jumped back with him as part of the ceiling came down crashing into the bridge behind them. The steep rock they stood upon swayed with the impact and finally leaned forward enough for Aragorn and Frodo to safely jump into the arms of Legolas and Boromir.

The fellowship ran across the rest of the bridge, firing arrows at the orcs upon the side. Laranei almost sighed in releif as she saw the small passage up ahead. She stopped at the entry looking back in shock, screaming "Gandalf!!!"

The wizard stood in the middle of the bridge, the fire creature in front of him shouting "You shall not pass!" His staff was slammed to the ground and the section the fire creature stood upon fell into the dark below. Her breath caught as she saw the fire creature's whip snap one last time, grapping Gandalf from behind and pulling him down with it. Boromir caught Frodo holding him back as they watched Gandalf lose his footing.

Gandalf looked at them moment uttering three words before falling into the darkeness. "Fly you fools."

Legolas jumped in front of Laranei as she sought to ran for Gandalf, pushing her back towards the passage.


Aragorn herded everyone into the passage and the rest of the fellowship ran outside. Sam sat on a boulder crying, Merry sat holding Pippin as they both grieved and Frodo wondered a short distance away from everyone else. Aragorn took a few calming breaths, glanced at Legolas, who held Laranei. Laranei and Legolas, being immortal, had no dealings with death before this. It was a strange feeling, one they did not like.

"Legolas get them up."

Legolas looked at Aragorn in disbelief, but moved towards Merry and Pippin, helping them up. Boromir turned sharply to Aragorn,

"Give them a moment, for pity's sake." he said.

"By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs. We must reach the woods of Lorien. Legolas, Boromir, Gimli..get them up." Aragorn replied. He reached towards Sam helping him to his feet.

"On your feet Sam." Then turned searching for the ringbearer. "Frodo? Frodo!" He spotted the young hobbit a few yards away. Gathering the fellowship close, he quickly set them on thier way.
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" Stay close young hobbits" Gimli motioned them forward. "They say a great sorceress lives in these woods. An elf witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell and are never seen again."

Frodo glanced around, hearing a women's voice inside his head. He glanced at Laranei to see if maybe it was her, but her attention was on Boromir, like usual as of late.

"Well here's one dwarf she will not ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox. " he grew to a sudden stop seeing an arrow pointed to his eyes. A quick glance around showed similar predicaments to all the fellowship.

A blond haired elf stepped forward. "The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark." Legolas grinned, knowing this elf.

Aragorn bowed slightly to the elf. "Haldir of Lorien. We come here for help. We need your protection."

Hearing who it was, Laranei squealed with delight, knocked the pointed arrows away before launching herself at the elf. Haldir blinked in surprise as he caught the flying blur. He then smiled as he recognized her, pushed her off him and stood. He nodded to Aragorn and Legolas, then lifted the small elf maiden for a hug before setting her upon the ground.

"Laranei, you should not have done that. What if I had pricked you with an arrow?" Haldir said lovingly.

Laranei blushed only for a moment at the small scolding she had received before saying quietly "Well then I would have an arrow prick you back, Haldir."

Boromir seethed below the surface at the display of affection between Laranei and Haldir. He did not know who this elf was, but he did not want the elf to touch his woman. Legolas leaned over whispering in his ear that Haldir was family. Boromir hid a sigh of relief behind a cough and glanced around as the arrows were still pointed in thier direction.

Haldir smiled and tried to hide a laugh, before returning his attention to the dwarf who was making a ruckus.

"Aragorn these woods are perrilous. We should go back. " Gimli answered.

"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the woods. You cannot go back. Come. She is waiting." Haldir turned and lead the group to the Lady of the Wood.