*。☆。
★。＼｜／。★
˚ ₊ ♡ ❰ BALLAD OF BROKEN SWORDS ❱
*✧ ─── ❝ ❪ SOMETHING FOUL ❫ ❞
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˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ACT TWO  ── audentes fortuna iuvat 🏹 ⁺⑅

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CHILDREN OF ARDA DUOLOGY  ⋆ ☄
. ♯ ❝I LIKED A LIE ❞
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
˚ ₊ ♡ the third age ─── year 3019
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━━ ˚ ₊ ♡ 🏹
❝ 𝘪 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝘰𝘧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵
𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 ❞

*✧ ─── CARADHRAS ROSE BEFORE THEM, A MIGHTY PEAK, TIPPED WITH SNOW LIKE SILVER. THERE WAS A BLACK LOOK IN THE SKY AND THE SUN WAS WAN. The wind had gone now round to the north-east. Gandalf had snuffed the air and had spoken in hushed words that winter was deepening behind them. The words had sounded ominous to Gyda's ears as she had shared a worried look with Aragorn, for the Hobbits were not meant for such drastic weather.

There were no footsteps left behind as Gyda marches at the back of the line, silently with Legolas by her side as they watch over the company while Gandalf leads the fellowship forward. There hangs a tension in the air, one Gyda cannot completely blame on the crows somewhere behind them. Gyda has not dared a glance sideways, though she can ever so often feel his pale blue eyes on her.

She tries to swallow the uncommon nerves that flutter through her body and instead she focuses on the struggling Hobbits up ahead, and Elgarain—who is watching the white landscape that stretches out in front of them.

"Gy—"

She cuts him off, ears straining. "Do you hear that?" She questions instead, peeking over her shoulder into the distance.

Legolas hesitates a moment, contemplating to finish his first words before deciding against it with a shake of his head. He follows her pointed gaze. Drifting between the trees at the bottom of the mountain shadows move unnaturally.

"Wargs." Legolas whispers and Gyda nods, finally daring to meet his gaze.

There is a moment of silence before she nods, "They won't follow us up the mountain." She contests, unclenching her fist, cold fingers stretching. When had she done that?

"Gyda." Legolas tries again after a moment.

"Yes?" Curt and direct.

"It was never my intention to lie to you."

Gyda knew he would bring it up again, she had prepared for it the moment she had laid eyes on him in Imladris, but still hearing the words spoken out loud makes her breath hitch in her throat.

"I should have known who you were." Gyda replies stoically, "Aryon of Mirkwood." She goes to move away, picking up her pace, but fingers clasp around her wrist.

Warmth blossoms her skin, but she shakes away the thoughts as she looks up expectantly.

There is something genuine in his eyes she cannot decipher as she waits for him to speak. "Our time spend together was no cruel jest Gyda." He presses.

Gyda bites the inside of her cheek, but when she does not reply, Legolas releases her wrist from his hold. She goes to move again, before turning to look over her shoulder at him once again. "Perhaps. But lying made it so."

"It was never my intention." He echoes his earlier words again. "All I know is that I liked being with you, and I know you liked it too."

"I liked a lie." She denies, "it's best to pretend we've never spoken."

"If that is what you wish."

She hesitates, "it is." Gyda faces ahead again, when a startled yelp can be heard. Worried hazel eyes watch as Frodo slips and falls in a thick layer of snow. Before the Hobbit can tumble down further down the mountain, Aragorn manages to catch him and place him back on his feet. 

Frodo brushes the snow from his jacket, though his hand lingers on his neck and panic flashes through his eyes. Frantically he searches his pockets for the ring he was supposed to carry but someone else had spotted it first.

Gyda watches with bathed breath as Boromir walks forward as if in trance. The Ring lay gleaming in the light, a startling contrast of color against the snow-ridden landscape. He picks up the chain and holds the ring before his eyes, observing it.

"Boromir," Aragorn speaks sternly.

But the man of Gondor didn't seem to hear him. He hardly seems to be breathing as he stares at the weapon of destruction in his hand. "It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing," he mumbles.

Instinctively, Gyda reaches for her sword, fingers wrapping around the hilt.

"Such a little thing," Boromir whispers softly, possessed by the promises the ring whispered, unheard by them all except to him.

"Boromir!" This time the warning in Aragorn's voice was enough to shake the man from his trance. "Give the ring to Frodo."

Boromir swallows uneasily before walking forward, his steps slow, as if he was held back by an unseen burden pulling at him. He reaches the Hobbit and held out the ring for him to take.

Frodo snatches it back as though it was the very thing that provided him with air to breathe.

"As you wish," Boromir replies and he chuckled softly, though to Gyda's ears it sounded haunted "I care not." He ruffles Frodo's hair before turning around and continuing their climb up the mountain.

"It's okay." Legolas' words startle her out of her thoughts, as she feels his fingers rest upon her own, still clutching her sword as if her life depends on it.

Gyda coughs, as she let's go of the hilt, her hand falling limply beside her.

The rest of the journey up the mountain was spent in silence and not only because of the tension still lingering within the Fellowship. The snow was growing thicker as they climbed. The journey became even more difficult when the wind grew louder. Gray clouds formed in the sky. It seemed their luck had finally run out and the weather had finally turned against them. It started with a few wandering snowflakes but soon enough they were caught in a storm. It was hard to see anything but the person walking right ahead of her.

Gandalf had ordered them to walk in single file. He himself was in the front, forcing a path through the snow with his staff. After him came the Hobbits, poor Sam struggled with both moving himself and Bill forward. Then came Gimli, who'd been muttering under his breath in Khuzdul ever since the snow started falling. Elgarain walked after Gimli. Behind her walked Boromir, then came Aragorn while Gyda and Legolas closed the line.

It felt as though they'd been struggling their way up the mountain for weeks instead of hours. The howling wind grew ever louder in strength, only adding to the freezing cold settling in their bones. At times.

Gyda watched worriedly as Elgarain spoke to Boromir, her eyes never leaving the shivering and trembling Hobbits as they struggled to keep moving forward. She could only watch as the two men in the middle each took two Hobbits under their arms, helping them move forward against the harsh and unforgiving wind whilst Elgarain reached for Bill, taking the reins of the pony in her hand while stroking its neck.

"Something is wrong." Gyda says in a hushed whisper to Legolas, the two elves sharing a worried look at the sight of the unnatural sky.

"There is a fell voice on the air!" Legolas shouts, gaining the attention of the others.

"It's Saruman!" Gandalf shouts in warning.

At that very moment, thunder hit the mountain above them, bringing down rocks from the mountainside. Everyone hurried out of the way, watching with panicked eyes as the rocks smashed against the path they were following, breaking away pieces of rock and stone, making the path even narrower and the edge to the abyss closer.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain!" Aragorn bellows out, struggling to make himself heard above the wind. "Gandalf, we must turn back!"

"No!" The Wizard counters, then he raises his staff and spoke his own spell, hoping to calm the mountain and force the White Wizard to withdraw.

The group was slowly huddled closer together, and Gyda notices Elgarain's frown.

"What is it?" Gyda asked as she came standing beside her.

"I have the strange feeling we're being followed," Elgarain whispers, her guard standing close enough to catch her every word above the storm.

Gyda's eyes hardened. "You mean the Wargs?"

"You've heard them too?"

"Legolas and I became aware of them while we were climbing up the mountain. Not to worry, they won't follow us through the storm."

There was another lighting strike, so loud it was as though the sky was splitting open. It hit the mountain above them, setting the snow that was gathered there free. It came falling from the sky, barely giving any of them to prepare for its impact.

Panic flared through Gyda as the snow came rolling down the mountain, the impact so strong it pushed both her and Legolas backwards.

One moment, her feet where planted on the snow covered rocks and next, the air brushed past her and she fell backwards. 

Flailing her arms, Gyda tried to grab something, anything. Her fingers kept slipping, skin being cut open by the jagged rocks and when she truly thought there was no way out, a hand clasped her own.

Her body fell still, the sudden halt sending a shockwave of pain through her and scared hazel eyes look up to see Legolas above her. Pale blue eyes filled with worry and fear. Gyda was breathing heavily, before clasping her other hand around his forearm, in a vice grip.

"I got you." Legolas whispered, assuring.

"Gyda!" a voice shouted, above them, and Gyda recognizes the fearful tone of Elgarain. "Legolas!"

"Below!" Legolas shouted, fingers tightening when he felt Gyda slowly slip from his grasp.

Gyda felt relief flash through her at the sight of Elgarain unhurt from the avalanche  "Rhaich!" Elgarain shouted, letting herself drop on her stomach and stretching out her hand. "Grab my feet!" She ordered Boromir, who was standing right behind her. He didn't doubt and did so immediately. Impatiently she wipes the strands of hair that escaped from her braid, out of her face. Then she reaches forward once again, making sure she didn't lean too far over the edge, and grabbed a hold of Legolas' arm.

Gyda took in a deep breath as she waited for Legolas to release his grip on the rock they were dangling from to grab Elgarain's outstretched hand.

For a second they fell again, but then they were hauled up, grunts of the fellowship echoing above them as they struggled to bring them to safety.

Aragorn appeared next to Elgarain, taking a hold of Legolas' arm as well as he helped her carry the weight.

With one final pull, Elgarain, Boromir and Aragorn finally manages to pull Legolas to safety, soon enough followed by Gyda. But before Gyda could find her footing again, the sheer force of bringing them up, made Elgarain stumble, feet slipping in the snow and releasing the hold she had on Legolas.

The Elf fell down in the snow, seconds too late to let go of Gyda, the two falling right on top of each other.

Gyda coughed from the force of the impact, eyes fluttering open and they connected with Legolas'—they were so close, their noses were touching. For a moment, Gyda could not breath, but as the familiar sound of Elgarain's bubbling laughter brought her back to reality, she pushed herself of the Ellon in a hurry.

"We must get off the mountain." Boromir shouts towards their party leader. "Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!"

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn argues and Gyda nods after she manages to calm her racing heart down.

"We cannot pass over the mountain," Gimli intercepted. "Let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria."

For a moment Gandalf looked torn, before finally speaking: "Let the Ring-Bearer decide."

Frodo looked between his friends, doubt clearly plaguing him. Until his eyes settled on Sam, shaking from the cold, lips turning blue. The sight was enough to make up his mind. "We will go through the mines."

Gandalf's blue eyes hardened. "So be it."

But making their way back down proved more difficult than they anticipated. So much snow had fallen that it had formed a layer too thick for any of them to trudge through. It had been thrown around by the wind so much it had formed hills of white crystals.

"If Gandalf would go before us, he could melt a path with a flame," Legolas suggested.

"If Elves could fly, they might fetch the sun to save us," Gandalf replies sarcastically. "But I must have something to work with. I cannot burn snow."

"The strongest of us could make a path through the snow, force a way for the others to pass through," Boromir suggests.

It seemed like the only option they had.

"Then let us make a path," Aragorn agrees.

The two men got to work, using both their strength and weight to wade a path through the snow. In some places the snow even reached their breasts, creating a rather comical sight as it looked like both men were swimming through the white blanket surrounding them.

For a while, Legolas watched them with a small, somewhat amused, smile, then he spoke: "I shall scout ahead for them to make sure no one else tumbles off a cliff." He turned to look at Gandalf. "Farewell. I go to find the sun!" Then he walked away, leaving no footprints behind.

Gyda rolls her eyes at the spoken words, before facing Elgarain, the High-Queen, despite their dire odds, still smiling.

Soon, both Boromir and Aragorn had also disappeared out of sight, leaving the rest of the Fellowship with no other choice than to wait. Gyda had decided to perch herself on a small rock, sword on display as she let it rest on her lap, keen eyes waiting for the return of the others. From the corner of her eye, she could see Elgarain retrieve something from her back, and handing it to the Hobbits.

"Drink some of this. It will renew your strength."

With chattering teeth, Pippin took a sip, then handed the flask to Merry. A new light seemed to shine within the eyes of everyone who drank. A pleasant, warm glow heating their tired, cold bodies.

"Can I stay with you?" Gyda turned around to look at Pippin, the Hobbit looking at her with hopeful eyes. She chuckled, moving her cloak a little aside so he could huddle closer to her body.

"Thank you."

"Close your eyes Pippin, there's still a long journey ahead of us."

An hour, maybe more, went by as they waited huddled together, for the three members of the Fellowship to return. Pippin had fallen asleep against Gyda's arm by the time they finally did. The head of her Guard slowly woke the Hobbit while Elgarain offered the three warriors some of the drink as well before putting it back in her bag.

"Well," Legolas says as they prepared to leave. "I have not brought the sun. She doesn't seem to want to show herself today. But I've brought good news. Beyond this cliff the snow is less thick and even the Hobbits will be able to walk through it."

"Then let us hurry," Gimli grumbles. "My toes are freezing in my boots."

They had survived the storm, but Gyda knew for certainthere would be worse ahead.

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ELVISH TRANSLATIONS

aryon— heir