Not All Who Wander Are Lost (a Star Wars/Lord of the Rings crossover)

Let me see if I can come up with something brief, just in the interest of posting something other than "up."
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Anakin had slept in caves, on rocks, and, on one occasion he'd rather forget, under a Hutt's dais. But the tree defeated him. Every time he closed his eyes, he had paranoid thoughts that he would roll over in his sleep and fall out, possibly grabbing Padmé to catch himself and pulling her out and hurting her as well. That would bring him all the way awake, and after a long time, maybe an hour or a little more, he figured out that he wasn't going to be able to sleep at all.

So he wrapped himself up in the blanket Legolas had given him, and sat up. The wood-elf was also still awake, looking at him with bright eyes. "You should sleep," he said. "Mortals need to do so, as I understand it."

Anakin shrugged, and went to sit closer, so they could talk without waking anyone else up. He almost asked, _Then you're not mortal?_, then realized that it would probably be another of those questions he was supposed to know the answer to, which would make Padmé's story harder to keep telling. "Is it always this cold here?" he asked.

"It's only early autumn," Legolas told him. "It gets significantly colder."

"Oh. It's warm where I'm from."

"I see."

Legolas didn't say anything else on his own, and Anakin really wanted to try not to bother him, so he pulled out the little japor snippet he'd been making for Padmé. It was pretty much done, but maybe he could make it better. "Hey, Legolas," he said.

"Yes?"

"Do you have a knife or something that I could carve with? I lost mine."

Legolas looked at him curiously, then reached into his pack and pulled out a small silver knife. "You enjoy artwork?"

"It's not really art, just playing, and -- Whoa!" He took the knife and just looked at it, glimmering in the moonlight. The handle was etched silver, and it was the best silver Anakin had ever seen. It almost glowed by itself. The design was some kind of feathers, and it was perfect. "This is really great," he said. "My knife's just plain. Did you make this?"

Legolas smiled. "No. It was made by a craftsman in my father's kingdom. I rarely use it, and if it pleases you, you may have it."

"I couldn't... " Anakin tried to say, but he knew he could. It was such a neat thing. "Could I? Really?"

"Yes, of course. Will you show me what you have carved?"

Anakin held out the japor snippet, feeling very clumsy and bad after seeing what Legolas was used to. "It's not very good. I'm only just starting to teach myself and -- "

Legolas examined it. "It's good work, particularly if you only beginning to learn, and have no teacher. The work you saw was done by someone who apprenticed himself for many decades to learn the art. I do not recognize this wood. Is it native to your home?"

Anakin nodded, figuring that it couldn't hurt for their "island" to have japor bushes. "Yeah. It grows in cracks in the rocks. You can't build anything with it, but it makes nice jewelry."

"Yes, it does. You're making it for your friend there?"

Anakin blushed. "Yes. I mean, no. I mean, yes, I'm making it for her, but she's not my friend. She's my sister."

"She's very pretty."

"She sure is. But she's, you know... "

"A sibling. It's good to see the beauty in one's family and wish to honor it."

Anakin sighed with relief. That had almost blown it, but Legolas didn't say anything more, so maybe it really was normal here for brothers to mention that their sisters were pretty, or to make them things. He held out his hand, and Legolas returned the pendant. A few shaves with the knife were enough to convince him that the craftsmanship didn't stop with pretty etchings -- it was sharper and better than anything he'd ever used. "Your father is a king, then?" he asked.

"Yes. His name is Thranduil. It was unwise of you to come into Mirkwood without knowing the name of its rightful sovereign."

"I bet we do lots of unwise things before we're done."

Legola

 

Good post! I'm going to post this afternoon or evening since I'm off of school (power outages cut off power to the schools and the heating didn't work there) today!

--Mr. P

 

?Which direction is the river in?? Panaka asked again, glancing around through the trees. //Where are those... things? There are probably more of them...// He fidgeted, and kept his hand on his blaster. ?We don?t have a map or anything, you know. We?ve been walking for almost half an hour... we must be only a kilometer or two from the edge of the forest.?

?I think it was in that direction,? said Eirtaé, pointing to the west. ?I kind of lost my bearings, though, when we landed...? They were standing in the middle of a clearing, and could see millions of stars. Rabé was mesmerized by them, cranking her neck up to see them. All of them had always been near the lights of the civilized galaxy and had never seen anything like it, even out on the plains of Naboo or the rocks of Tatooine ? something was different here.

?We might as well start out in that direction,? said Sabé. ?It seems like the forest starts thinning in that general direction.?

* * * * * *

_We might as well start out in that direction..._

Ric Olie sighed. He wasn?t much interested in where this river was ? he had seen many, many rivers while landing the ship. He just wanted to get out of this forest. Ric Olie walked a few metres away, to take a look in one of the trees surrounding the small clearing. The stars framed it, making it look almost serene, but he had an odd feeling about it. His instincts told him to stay away, but his curiosity drove him on. He approached it, and took a closer look.

* * * * * *

?What do you think, Olie?? asked Panaka, hand on his blaster. The sounds of the nighttime forest were starting to come out, and he looked around impatiently. Where was Olie?

?Ric?? Sabé said. She turned ? Ric was gone. He had disappeared.

?Where is he?? asked Rabé. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air. One moment he was there, one moment he wasn?t. It was as if he was Anakin!

?I don?t know...? said one of the techs, speaking up. ?I saw him walk away, towards the edge of the clearing...?

?This isn?t good!? exclaimed Panaka. ?Those... things probably got him! We?ve all got to stay together, or else--?

He was interrupted by a shrill scream off to the south-east. It rang through the air for a few moments, and disappeared into the darkness.

?I think we should go in the exact _opposite_ direction of that,? said Eirtaé.

?I concur,? said Panaka.

* * * * * *

Ric Olie felt like he was drunk. He couldn?t see, everything was black ? pitch black, darker than anything he had ever experienced before. He wanted to go to sleep. Perhaps if he did, he would wake up and he wouldn?t be here ? they would be on their way to Coruscant, and this would all have been a nightmare.

He tried to move his arms, but they seemed to be cemented to his sides. His eyes wouldn?t open, either. But he heard rustling, and felt like his feet were being stretched out, like he was being dragged along the forest floor. Every once in a while, he also felt something pricking into his side, and let out a scream. Perhaps someone would hear him. He didn?t like that feeling.

He only remembered images ? the giant hairy black thing, jumping out of the tree, grabbing him and spinning that awful sticky webbing around him. And then, he had been dragged into that blackness that was the forest, and he had been battling sleep ever since then.

Ric was able to breathe, fortunately. Maybe not. He wished he would go unconscious. If he did, he would most probably not feel the ordeal that he thought was coming.

He seemed to be moving across the forest for forever. Ric totally lost his bearings. //Where the hell am I heading?// he thought. And then suddenly, they stopped. He felt a number of probes poking along his body, and then the webbing began to peel off. He couldn?t move his arms or legs, still ? they were asleep. And the most disturbing image came before him. A great number of large obsidian eyes were overlooking him like the court of the Queen to their food before they began to eat at a formal dinner.

Olie let out a scream as he realized He did

 

Cool, Mr. P! Reminds me of Stephen King (from _It_, actually: "He awoke only once: when... It began to feed...")

I'm psyched for this story.

Hey, Skysong... jumping in?

 

Thanks! I never read _It_... I probably should...

This fic is so much fun!

I really ought to get off to bed now... I was just really sticking around for the 1,000,000th post.

--Mr. P

 

For the sake of readers taking a recommendation -- _It_ is graphic (in several ways) and gory (though a terrifically entertaining read if you've got a strong stomach). But I must admit, it's as a writer that I really love it. Just incredible use of structure, great flow of the timelines -- the story is told concurrently in segments a couple of decades apart -- evocative language, and a fairly sophisticated symbolic system that critics are only starting to recognize as typical of King.

Okay, okay. Digression over. What can I say? I think I found the common thread among my favorite contemporary authors -- they're all Tolkien-ites.

I'll see where I can move them next.

 

Sabé walked on moodily. Her inclination was to go back to the southeast and find Olie, though she was as aware as any of them that the scream didn't auger well. It just didn't seem *right* somehow. Some security expert she was turning out to be.

"I hear the water!" Rabé exclaimed suddenly.

The group stopped, and Sabé didn't think she was the only one holdint her breath. The night was perfectly still... but in the stillness, she heard it, too: the steady rush of a river, just ahead, where the trees ended.

"Come on," she said. "We'll need to find a ford or a bridge."

"Or a campsite," Panaka suggested. "Once we're out of these trees, it might be a good idea to get some sleep."

"Yes, but be careful. Those aliens who were marching before aren't to be toyed with, either."

"Point taken."

But spirits were higher and steps were quicker as the group made its way out of the shadows of Mirkwood, into the moonlight along the grassy slope of a wide, clean river. "Make camp," Sabé ordered, wondering if the techs were still buying her as Amidala.

Whether they were or not, they took the order cheerfully, and started setting up the emergency shelters they'd brought from the ship. At some point, Eirtaé thought to camouflage the metal domes with leaves and vines -- an intelligent idea -- so groups went carefully back to the edge of the forest and brought them back.

When all was complete, Sabé looked around the small campsite with some degree of satisfaction. It would do. They had survived.

Except for Olie.

She had to find a way to get him home.

But not today. They couldn't afford such a luxury yet.

She ducked into the shelter she was sharing with Eirtaé and Rabé, and gratefully laid aside the last headpiece she'd need to wear today. She was combing her hair when Panaka came in.

"What is it, Captain?"

"We need to talk about the Queen. We'll need to find her."

"Of course. She's not carrying a comm-link -- the Jedi Master is the only one in their group who is. I wasn't able to raise him."

"It may be malfunctioning."

"Or he may be in a position where he can't answer."

"Or he may just be *trying* to annoy us." Panaka shook it off. "The point is, our responsibility is to get to her. But we don't know which direction she went in. Do you have any theories?"

"The road we saw is obvious, but it also seemed to be controlled by hostile forces, and I doubt the Jedi would deliberately choose such a path. I'd guess she would make for the river, as we have. A river will always lead to civilization somewhere."

"That's probable. But would she follow it upriver or down?"

Sabé considered the question carefully, then shook her head. "I don't know. Rabé? Eirtaé?"

Eirtaé looked north. "There seems to be a pass in the mountains to the north, upriver. Cities frequently arise in such a place."

"But river traffic tends to make more settlements downriver..."

Sabé sighed. If Yané and Saché had been along, they would no doubt find reasons that Amidala should have gone east or west as well. In the end, it would come down to Sabé's choice, and she just didn't know.

She turned to Panaka. "Captain, we may have to split the party. Eirtaé and Rabé and I will go south; you and the technicians can seek the north. I saw a mountain standing alone, to the northeast. Such a place is a likely one for settlement -- landmarks always are. You should strike out for that place. We will merely follow the river."

Panaka nodded gravely. "Cross when you can, Sabé. I don't know why, but I don't like this shore. I think you'll be safer on the other side."

"I was half-expecting you to argue with me."

"I should. It's foolish to split the group. But it seems the best way to find the queen and the Jedi." He clenched his teeth. "I have a thing or two to say to the Council about the way this Jinn behaves. But that can wait until we are all reassembled, and on the way home."

"Yes, Captain. It can."

"Meanwhile, let's all get some sleep. I'll take the first watch.

 

Good! I might be able to write tonight (no math because exam is done=more time!), but don't count on it. I also owe a post in my other thread, and I didn't post there yesterday when I could, so... anyway, I like where you're going, JG! This will be interesting...

--Mr. P

 

Was I going somewhere?...


Okay, okay.
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Amidala awoke --

*Padmé*! she reminded herself, thrusting her arms out into the cold air to bring herself fully awake before she mumbled something or made another mistake in her thinking. The blanket she had been in flew off of her and fell down to a lower limb of the tree.

"Do you always awaken so violently?" Legolas asked.

"Only when I'm sleeping in trees." Padmé looked around anxiously, suddenly realizing that the space Ani had been in was empty. "Where is... my brother? Where's Ani?"

"He's gathering kindling. I thought you and your companions might enjoy something warm to drink before we start into the pass. It will be a strenuous walk today."

"Yes. Thank you. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"Forgive me, Padmé Skywalker, but you seem to 'snap' frequently."

She barely noticed the use of Ani's name with her own, taking it as a matter of course. It wouldn't occur to her until many years later that there was anything odd about that. "I'm weary of traveling," she said, as kindly as she could. "And anxious about matters at home."

"Understandable. Your other companions are waking up now. Perhaps you should seek out your... brother" (did she hear a pause there, or was she being paranoid?) "and help him with the morning's fire."

She felt another irritated snap coming on, and quelled it. She was not a queen to Legolas, and he was treating her as he woudl treat a child. Any romantic notions of how simple and nice life would be if only she were a normal girl were shattered. She was suddenly, unreservedly glad to have chosen a more unusual path for her youth. She climbed down from the tree, and found Ani in a patch of scrub beside the road, gathering up thin branches and piling them on to his blanket.

"I think that might be enough," she said.

"Oh. Good morning, Padmé." He smiled at her shyly. "I just didn't have anything else to do, so... "

She bent down and started wrapping the blanket around the wood, to carry it. "He's an odd one, this Legolas. What do you make of him?"

"I like him fine. He told me a story about when the wood elves got in with a bad guy, and they kidnapped a bunch of dwarves. They're really sorry about that now." He smiled. "He gave me a knife, too, so I could finish something."

"Finish something?"

Anakin nodded, and drew something from one of the leather pouches on his belt. A light-colored pendant on a dark string dropped from his closed fist. "I made it for you. To remember me by."

She took it. It was simple and plain, but the marks were all sure, and the wood of the pendant was smooth and pleasant to the touch. There was a kind of delicacy about it that called to her. She put it over her head, and slipped it under the cloak Legolas had found for her in the cave. "It's lovely. Really it is. But how could I ever forget you? It's been an eventful few days in my life, you know."

"Mine, too."

"Ani... we're playing brother and sister."

"I know. I almost messed that up, but Legolas believes it, I think. I couldn't remember your last name -- "

"Naberrie."

" -- so I gave him mine, and I guess you're kind of stuck with it. Sorry."

"It's alright. I like your name. I can live with it."

"Good. Then I guess we better get back."

----------------

More soon. I should sleep at some point tonight...

 

Good... I'm going to get something written tonight, promise! Skysong, you here?
Gotta run...

--Mr. P

 

?What is that river called?? asked Anakin. They had made it through the pass, and were now out of Mirkwood. Anakin blinked in the bright sunlight. It was much brighter than it had ever been on Tatooine, and the contrast of the colors that were before him stunned and shocked him. The sun was high in the sky, and Anakin needed a rest.

Before them lay a great valley ? green plains covered much of the valley; none of it was tilled. In the middle of the valley lay a slightly meandering river ? a giant river. It looked to be at least a kilometer wide (at least that?s the way it looked to Anakin), and the light of the sun reflected off of it in waves of gold. It stretched for as far as the eye could see, to the north and the south. Small tributary streams fed the river every once in a while, going down the valley in slow slopes.

Across it lay the Misty Mountains. That had been what Legolas had referred to them as, and Anakin didn?t like them ? the peaks were incredibly high, and they seemed to be shrouded in the clouds. The snow-capped tips fed streams out of the mountains, and the forested yet rocky slopes of the mountains were of a vibrant green that Anakin had never seen before.

?That is Anduin,? said Legolas. ?Across is the Misty Mountains, and,? he pointed, ?there is the High Pass. That is the path we will take across the mountains.?

?Why do we have to go over the mountains?? asked Obi-Wan. ?Can?t we just go around them??

?It is too far out of our way,? said Legolas. ?We would have to glance the _Ered Mithrim_, the Grey Mountains, as well. The Council of Elrond is not a thing to play with. I have word that this is very important, and that the fate of this portion of the world may be at stake ? time is of the essence.?

That answer seemed to satisfy Obi-Wan. ?How far is it?? asked Qui-Gon. ?To the river, I mean.?

?Maybe twenty leagues,? said Legolas.

Anakin said, ?A league ?- ?

?Cannot be defined right now. We don?t have the time to discuss it.? Legolas turned back to Qui-Gon, and said, ?It is not more than one or two days? travel.?

?What will we do about shelter and food?? asked Padmé. ?We do not have any bags or food, and there does not seem to be much shelter between here and Anduin.?

?I have an idea that may save us much time, if it works,? said Legolas with a smile.

?And that would be...? said Qui-Gon.

?The Carrock. Beorn used to live there, but now it is run by Grimbeorn and the Beornings.? Legolas pointed to a speck of brown on the plane of bright green, near the river.

?Who are they?? asked Anakin.

?Shape-shifters. Very, very powerful. They are men who can change their skin into that of a bear. If we are taken in, we would receive food and bags. Perhaps ponies to ride. They would be helpful in crossing the mountains... They may not take us in, as I am a Wood-Elf. But if we have an interesting story to tell...? he said, looking at Padmé.

They _could_ tell the Beornings the story of the Queen?s people. Changed a bit, at least. But that would compromise their secrets quite quickly if they were asked the right questions. ?I?m afraid we cannot tell any of our stories...? said Padmé.

?We could talk about being attacked by those Orcs...? said Qui-Gon.

?There are many such stories of being attacked by the soldiers of the Enemy,? said Legolas.

?We might as well go there,? said Anakin. ?It?s on the way to the river, and we?ll be passing that way anyway.?

?That is truthful...? said Legolas. ?We could ford the river there, too. It is near the Old Ford ? which is right on the road to the High Pass. Very well. On to the Carrock. We should reach it the day after tomorrow. Perhaps today, if we move fast enough.?

 

up!

 

Forgive me all; I got a bit confused on Middle Earth geography (I'm a good hobbit -- I know the Four Farthings pretty well, but the rest of the world is a bit sketchy from time to time ), so everything is a bit vague. I'll see if I can get them straightened out by inventing a tributary to Anduin that didn't quite make the maps.
--------------

Sabé sighed. On waking, the river looked further away than it had last night. The place they had camped wasn't on the great North/South river she'd seen from flight -- she could see that gleaming in the distance, now that the sun was out. They were on a tributary that ran vaguely northeast/southwest. It would be a walk of a day or more to reach the river.

"What do you want to do?" Panaka asked.

"What we planned last night. You go north. Cross when you find a place, then follow the big river. Don't spend any time in the forest if you can avoid it."

"Is that an order, your Majesty?"

"It's a suggestion, Captain. Yours, I believe."

"And you and Rabé and Eirtaé will go south?"

"Yes."

"I'm not sure how I feel about the three of you girls traveling alone. We don't know the situation here."

"We can take care of ourselves. I'm not sure about the techs."

Panaka shook his head. He had little patience with the technicians, who had specialized too much, in his opinion, to be of any practical use. "All right. Let's go."

It took about an hour to get everything put back together, collapsing the shelters and splitting them into the back carriers. Panaka and the techs took two of them; Sabé and the other handmaidens took one.

When everything was ready, they hesitated, standing in two groups.

"Do we have a commlink?" Rabé asked at last.

Panaka grimaced. "We have *one*. The comm equipment was on the ship. The Jedi had one pair. They have one with them. I have the other."

"And they're not answering," Sabé finished.

"One commlink isn't going to do us much good," Eirtaé put in.

"Sabé?"

_And why is this *my* job?_ She rubbed her temples. "All right. We are going south, and staying on flat lands. It's less likely that we will encounter a natural disaster." (Nonsense, of course, but there had to be *some* kind of reasoning here.) "You take the commlink."

"Hmmmph." Panaka shoved into the pocket of his jacket unceremoniously. "For all the good it's doing with Jinn on the other end of it, we may as well throw it in the river."

With that, the two groups split off from one another, and set off into the vast unknown places of this world.
---------------
Well, it's brief, but we'll get there. I just can't finish it and get them to their places in one post.

 

Good! OK... I'll start writing a post tonight... you won't get it until tomorrow, though...

--Mr. P

 

up!

 

Oh, my....you've got to bring Gollum into this! If Obi-Wan thought Jar-Jar was a pathetic lifeform, I would love to see his reaction to Gollum! <<yes, my precious, gollum, gollum>>

 

More story!

*************

?Is that it?? asked Anakin, pointing off to a large wooden house in the distance. The cool wind was blowing across the plains, and Anakin liked it. It was better than on Tatooine; when it blew _there_, one got inside faster than a junk dealer got to a podwreck. Besides that, it was refreshing. Across the plains were flowers, the most beautiful that Anakin had ever seen. They appeared to have been placed there on purpose, clumped together.

What looked like small kiosks were scattered across the fields, around the thin, winding road that led to the Carrock. Small insects flew around them, to the flowers and back, and Anakin wondered if they were Toydarian larvae. ?That is the Carrock,? said Legolas. ?We had better approach slowly. Are any of you wearing any fur of any kind??

Anakin said, ?No, it is all synth -- ?

?I do not believe we are,? interrupted Qui-Gon. He eyed Anakin, and whispered, ?Watch what you say, young Anakin. They may not have synthetic materials here. We must keep up the façade that we are from Gondor.?

?Good. The Beornings do not take it lightly when one walks into their presence with the skin of a wild being on them. Come. We aught to get going; the sun is already behind the mountains, and we are not even to the bee-pastures.?

* * * * * *

Padmé smiled. She loved this world, even though she had been here less than a standard week. It was so beautiful, and it was so different from anywhere she had ever been before. And the flowers ? they reminded her of her home, a farm in the pastures of Naboo?s highlands, living with her grandmother.

Two four-legged animals walked up towards them, but stayed at a safe distance. They were brown with scattered white spots. They seemed to be observing them, and were watching them quite attentively when Legolas whispered, ?Grimbeorn?s horses. They will tell the Beornings of our arrival. Do not do anything too startling.?

The horses, or whatever Legolas had called them, neighed loudly. The voice echoed across the pastures, and they ran off.

* * * * * *

It was a large courtyard, Qui-Gon realized, when they got close enough. A house surrounded it on three sides, with two wings. It was a large wooden house, and smoke billowed out of chimneystack like mist from one of the waterfalls of Theed. It?s edges were inhabited by groves of beautiful flowers of greens and blues and reds and purples ? incredible colors that Qui-Gon had never ever seen before.

?Ah! Here they are,? Grimbeorn said to the horses. He was a giant man. He had a thick black beard, and stood propped against an axe, which was lodged into a large oak trunk fell on the ground. ?You can be off,? he said to the horses. ?Who are you and what do you want??

?I am Qui-Gon Jinn, Je -- ?

?Never heard of him,? grunted Grimbeorn.

?You shouldn?t have,? said Legolas. ?He comes from far away, from Gondor.?

?I have less reason to believe you than him, _wood-elf_.?

?We were attacked,? said Obi-Wan. ?By a group of... Orcs?? He looked at Legolas, who nodded.

?Was that a question?? asked Grimbeorn. He smiled and said, ?The Orcs have been very active lately. What do you want? I am not in the talking mood today. Many bees to attend to.?

?No, it was not a question,? said Legolas. ?We lost all our supplies when we were cut off from them, and do not have any food or shelter. We are in need of help, and advice, perhaps. We were wondering if you would perhaps take us in for the night before we continue on our journey.?

?I do not trust wood-elves much,? said Grimbeorn. ?The others talk in a strange dialect, but do not look too dangerous ? but you, a wood-elf. I do not trust you one bit. You cannot stay under my roof. I do, however, pity you. You lost your supplies, and I do say that it is an interesting thread you spin. I would take you in to tell it to me, if you did not have the elf with you. Either way, I will send you away with food. No doubt, you can sleep on the ground??

?Of course, Sir,? said Legolas.

?Very well. I will have honeycakes and othe

 

Well now Mr. P can't say that I've never read any of his stories.

 

I'm glad Herman posted... Mr. P, I almost missed it! I don't know where my head is. Good scene; I like Amidala's warming to the world. It's been awhile since I've read The Hobbit -- I'll have to brush up on my Beornings...

I'll get something together tomorrow.

 

Wow, this must be one of the best round-robins I've read!!!

 

Thanks! Herman, I'll email you. JG, I'll be looking forward to that post...

--Mr. P

 

Sabé came up from under the water, sputtering in the noon sunshine. Further downstream, she could see Eirtaé pulling herself up on a rock, her pack high above her head. Rabé was already crawling up onto the western bank of the big river. "Good choice, Sabé!" she called, smiling wickedly. "'Cross here. It's narrow!'"

Sabé rolled her eyes. Further downstream, they'd all seen the forest starting to curve back out. For a week now, they'd been traveling south, seeing nothing, and the encroaching forest was enough of an impetus to convince Sabé that it was time to break the entropy. Besides, she had no idea whether or not the river would get any more passable before it reached the trees.

Eirtaé jumped, then splashed up onto the shore. Sabé trudged after her, tossing her pack onto the grass as soon as she hit dry ground. "We made it."

Rabé nodded emphatically, and started to unpack the shelter. "To dry off in," she explained.

"No." Eirtaé was looking west, at the grey mountains that rose a few miles to the west. "I don't like their shadow," she said. "Something is wrong there."

"Something is wrong everywhere here," Sabé said. "We need to camp somewhere. But perhaps you're right. We can be seen from that citadel -- " She stopped, realizing what she was saying. It wasn't exactly a citadel, more like a high, arching window, but it was definitely *made*. "That's not a natural formation. There are tunnels in that mountain."

"Perhaps we should go to them, see if they can help us."

"We don't know whether or not they're friendly."

"Well, they're not shooting at us," Rabé said. "That's usually a good sign."

Sabé grinned. She'd found many black arrows on the far side of the river, but no one seemed to have dared come close to their shelters. Perhaps the use of stainless metal frightened them in some way. "I suppose so. Let's make our way over."

"I really think that... "

But Eirtaé knew she didn't stand a chance. Sabé wanted company, a guide... perhaps yonder tunnels

(mines)

would be home to the wise of this world.

She struck out toward the west, going deeper into the shadow of Moria.

---------------------

Halbarad drove the horse southward. Seeking Aragorn had never been an easy task, and it was more difficult than ever with the mysterious errands he'd been on with the wizard Gandalf.

Lorién, perhaps. It would not be easy to gain admittance in these rough times, but Aragorn had found favor here before.

He thundered into Dimrill Dale, trying to avoid the cold shadow of Moria. He might have missed the running girls if the blonde one hadn't run back for something.

"Hold!" he commanded. The horse stopped. The girl did not. "You, girl!" he called. "What business have you in yon graveyard?"

She stopped and turned, eyes wide. That was when he looked behind her, and saw the other two. The three looked a great deal alike, enough to be sisters, though one was dressed in elaborate finery, suggesting that she was firstborn, perhaps a princess. All were soaked. They had clearly crossed the river. Princesses belonging to the East wandering around Moria as if it were their destination...

Halbarad didn't think he would trust them out of his sight. Still, they were young girls. It would require a certain amount of diplomacy.

The finely dressed girl took charge, striding across the grass of Dimrill Dale with the third girl in her wake. "We are travelers," she said. "We seek only safe haven."

"From whom do you seek safety?"

"From this entire conflict. It is not ours."

"You side with neither good nor evil? Who are you, and from whence do you come?"

"I am called Sabé," she said. "My... my sisters and I traveled from the forest on the other side, where we were pursued."

"By what manner of creature were you pursued? There are those of light as well as those of darkness in Mirkwood now."

"By creatures," one of the others said. "Dark black things with many legs."

Halbarad relaxed slightly. The spiders were known to attack Orcs,

 

Good post! I'll start working on mine...

--Mr. P

 

Now why is JediGaladriel taking us to Lorien?

Who could there be in Lorien that she wants to write about?

I'll need to think about this for a few hours.

 

up! I'm still working on my post... I'm off school after tomorrow, so I'll be able to write more frequently.

--Mr. P