The Daughter of the Moon Volume I

Chapter 11 : The Grave

Elenwë had a fever all night and shivered with cold despite the layers that Aragorn and Legolas added on top of her.

The elf had gone to warn her companions of the young elf's injury and all were surprised to learn that she had not told them.

-So, Boromir, is that enough for you to see that she belongs with us? Said Gimli. She is strong in battle, tenacious and courageous. She never complains.

-I... I admit that I have misjudged her. I am sorry for that.

-Good. I'm sorry. Said Aragorn. You can make it up to her by talking to her tomorrow, I suppose.

-But what...

-Don't pretend, Boromir. We have all seen that you talk to everyone but her.

-That is true. I'll go and apologise to her.

The rest of the night, while the Hobbits were asleep and Gandalf was thinking, Legolas and Aragorn took care of the young elf who, deliriously speaking words of an unknown language.

They were quite worried, she seemed to be cold, but several blankets were not enough to warm her up.

Frodo woke up and went to join Gandalf.

They talked about the Ring, about Gollum, who followed them discreetly, about Bilbo, about the quest they were on, about Sauron, the Dark Lord.

Frodo sighed and said:

-I wish it had not had to happen in my time.

-So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live in such times. But it is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what we intend to do with the time we have. And already, Frodo, our time is already looking bad.

Finally, two hours later, Elenwë opened her eyes.

She immediately saw Aragorn and Legolas leaning over her and she pronounced it with difficulty:

-Aragorn? Legolas? What on earth...

-Shut up, Elenwë.

Shut up!" Huh? she thought. But what did I do to Legolas to make him so aggressive?"

Elenwë looked at the elf with surprise.

-Would it kill you to explain to us why you didn't tell us you were hurt? asked Aragorn, who also had a stern look in her eyes.

-I... I had... forgotten.

-Forgot? S'offusqua Legolas

-As it didn't hurt that much, I didn't think about it any more.

-And when I helped you yesterday, don't tell me I didn't hurt you! Take this one back.

Elenwë saw anxiety in their eyes and sighed.

-I didn't want to be a sissy. We don't need that.

-Sissy? Anyone would have complained of pain. Are you insensitive to it?

-Er... no. She replied to Aragorn.

-The wound was really not a pretty sight. I healed you.

-What? Er... thank you. she said, hoping her embarrassment would go unnoticed by Aragorn and Legolas.

Aragorn walked away and joined the others who had got up and made soup (again!).

He soon brought a bowl back to Elenwë who thanked him and drank it carefully under the inquisitive gaze of Legolas.

"But why is he looking at me like that? It embarrasses me."

-Elenwë?

-Elenwë? Yes?

-Next time you could trust me.

The elf looked a little... disappointed?

-Yes, he did. I promise. I'm sorry I worried you.

He smiled at her and said:

-Oh, that's fine. That's fine.

Elenwë blushes even more.

Legolas stood up and asked:

-May I?

He took a green blanket from the young elf and walked away.

Elenwë saw that Aragorn had also left his blanket with him.

They had given up their blankets for her. She blamed herself a little.

An hour later, everything was tidied up and they were ready to leave again.

When Elenwë got up, there was hardly any pain in her side. She put her hand under her tunic and felt a thin bandage.

She smiled. Legolas had done a good job, even though she was terribly embarrassed that it was him who had treated her.

Speaking of him, he was chatting happily with Gimli. Curiously enough, the two of them ended up getting on well together. In fact, Elenwë thought, they were quite similar.

The company left, Gandalf finally remembered the way.

On the way, they came across a few corpses and everyone realised that Moria had been attacked by killer whales.

Sadly, they continued on their way before arriving at a hall of absolutely gigantic proportions.

Beautifully carved stone columns supported the ceiling, which was at least thirty metres above the floor.

Suddenly, to their right they saw a more modest door leading to a room lit by a few rays of sunlight.

Gimli rushed there, before stopping dead in front of a white marble tomb in the centre of the room.

He knelt down in front of it with tears in his eyes.

He knelt down in front of it with tears in his eyes.

Gandalf approached and read aloud:

-Here lies Bâlin, son of Fundin, Lord of Moria.

Gimli let out a sob.

-Then my cousin died.

All around the tomb lay dead bodies with arrows in them.

One of them held a thick, dusty book in his gaunt hands.

Mithrandir took it and began to read it.

After a while he sighed.

-It is a sinister reading. I am afraid it had a cruel ending. Listen to it!

We cannot get out. We cannot get out. They've taken the bridge and the second hall. Fredon and Nâli fell there. Then four lines are so dirty that I can only read: they left five days ago. The last lines are as follows:

The pond goes up to the wall at the West Gate. The Water Watcher has taken Ofn. We can't get out. The end comes, then: drums, drums in the depths. I wonder what it means. The last thing written is a scribble of elven letters lying around: they are coming. There's nothing more after that.

Gandalf fell silent, observing a pensive silence.

A sudden fear and horror of the room seized the Company.

-We can't get out," Gimli murmured. It has been good for us that the pond has been lowered a little and that the Watcher sleeps at the southern end.

Gandalf raised his head and looked around:

-It seems that they offered a last resistance to the two gates, he said, but there wasn't much left at that moment. Thus ends the attempt to retake Moria! It was brave, but reckless. The time has not yet come. We must now bid farewell to Balin, son of Fundin, I am afraid. He must sleep here in his last sleep, in his fathers' rooms. We will take this book, Mazarboul's book, to examine it more closely afterwards. You will do well to keep it, Gimli, and bring it back to Dain, if you have the opportunity. It will interest him, even if he must be deeply affected by it. Come on, let's go!