Once the fellowship started their journey Alvena was sad that she had to be parted from her loving brother, Bilbo. She had to protect her handsome nephew who was more nervous than anyone in the group and of course through out the whole journey, Alvena stood by Frodo's side.
At times, Legolas would walk to Alvena's side to ask if she was all right and her answer would always be that she was fine. She felt flattered that Legolas would not only look after the fellowship but he kept a close eye on her. Ever since Legolas told her that he couldn't lose her they have been together like they were joint to the hip. Strider or may I say that Aragorn kept asking Alvena if they were together but Alvena would just laugh it off.
Also Merry and Pippin would tease Alvena. Resulting to Merry having a black eye when leaving Rivendell while Pippin had a bruise on his cheek. It usually happens when they crossed the line. Frodo would at times tease her but she would just shrug it off since she wanted Frodo to be more playful because he is always reserved, and she thought Bilbo was worse.
***
After traveling none stop for almost a day the fellowship decided to take a break in the middle of a small hill that had rocks and a few bushes.
Sam was cooking for everyone, Frodo and Aragorn were watching Boromir teach Pippin and Merry how to fight with swords, Gandalf and Gimli were talking while Legolas was on watch. Alvena on the other hand was eating her Bacon and fried tomatoes while she was staring off in the distance thinking about that small vision she had back in the council.
"My dear, what is ever the matter that you have isolated yourself from the hobbits especially Frodo?" Gandalf asked as he suddenly sat beside Alvena. Alvena smiled and said "I just... *sighs* I think I had a vision of my past." Gandalf's eyebrows shot up looking as if his eyes were invisible all the time under his silly hat. "What did you see?" he asked gravely but before Alvena could reply and maybe get some real answers about why her parents didn't bring her along to Valinor they heard Boromir's painful shout that made Alvena and Gandalf's head snapped his direction seeing him wounded by the two harmless hobbits.
Soon Merry and Pippin were tackling Boromir and Aragorn interfered. They also started to tackle him and everyone was laughing. "Go Boromir! Kick their bottoms!" Alvena cheered as she stood up with her hands in the air cheering on for Boromir which earned a glare from Merry.
Aragorn looked at Alvena, and Alvena knew what Aragorn was gonna do so before she could run away Aragorn picked her up with ease and threw her over his shoulder and put her in the middle where Merry and Pippin could attack her. You could hear Alvena's shouts and giggles and Legolas was so distracted by the adorable sight that he didn't notice something approaching them until Sam spoke up.
"What is that?" Sam said as he looked towards the clouds.
Legolas quickly looked up towards the clouds along with Alvena who was now a bit relieved that Merry and Pippin stopped. "Nothing it's just a wisp of cloud." Gimli stated as he relaxed with a smoke in his hand. "It's moving fast... against the wind." Boromir said a bit out of breath. Alvena looked closely but couldn't make out what it was.
"Crebain from Duneland!" Legolas yelled.
"HIDE!" Aragorn screamed and suddenly everyone ran around quickly gathering their things and ran. Alvena had no idea what it was but she started running towards Frodo, and Frodo also ran towards her as both of them hid, both held hands hoping they won't be spotted by whatever was flying above them.
Once the flock of birds vanished back into the skies everyone got out of their hiding places suddenly Legolas approached Alvena and held her shoulder as he asked "Are you okay Alvena?"
Alvena nodded in reply. Legolas sighed as he pulled her into a hug and Alvena couldn't do anything but hug him back. She felt butterflies in her stomach as they both held each other.
"Spies of Saruman." Gandalf said gravely.
"The Passage south is being watched." Aragorn said lightly and everyone's eye's were on him.
"We must take the pass of Caradhras." Gandalf said,
***
A week has passed and the journey through the pass of Caradhras has been seemingly peaceful. Nothing has happened yet. Sadly, they were cursed with a blizzard. Legolas scouted ahead, to see for a chance that they may be getting closer to the end of the pass. Gandalf was trudging through the deep snow. Behind him was Boromir who assisted Merry and Pippin. Gimli was struggling through the deep snow as well as Sam. Aragorn was in the back clinging tightly to Frodo as well as Alvena who was half hugging him as if to give his some source of heat.
"There is a fell voice in the air." Legolas suddenly spoke out quickly.
"IT'S SARUMAN!" Gandalf yelled and the mountain began to shake and tremble. This made Alvena's grip on her nephew tightened not wanting anything bad happen to him.
The wind blew around harshly and large boulders quickly fell from the mountain side, someone quickly grabbed hold of Aragorn, Alvena, and Frodo, and pulled them towards the wall of the mountain before a huge boulder could smash them. "Are you both all right?" Legolas asked them, for some reason Alvena looked at him with a new light not only did he saved her life but as well as Aragorn especially Frodo who meant so much to her.
Alvena blushed lightly. "Yes... We are fine..."
"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf we must turn back!" Aragorn yelled as he held on to Frodo and Alvena. Legolas still hasn't let go of Alvena. "NO!" Gandalf yelled as he quickly got up. "Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith." Gandalf chanted loudly, but the only result was a clash of lightning struck the mountain, causing more rubble to fall.
"Get against the wall!" Gandalf shouted and Legolas pressed closer to Alvena while Aragorn pressed closer to Frodo as boulders came crashing down we all lost our balance. Suddenly snow buried them and this made Alvena mad, the snow around her including Legolas since he was the closest person near her started to melt because fire was starting to erupt from her hands.
"Agghhh!" Alvena shouted as she and Legolas' head poked out of the snow, Legolas got out quickly and helped Alvena as they helped the others as well. Alvena quickly trying to find Frodo and the other hobbits, she also even helped Gimli since she could not let anything happen to him or else Gloin will have her head. As Alvena looked over at Legolas he was already staring at her smiling. "What are you smiling about?" she asked still pissed about the snow. "You still look beautiful even though you were buried under snow." he said. She suddenly checked her hair to see there was white snow in her hair and it stood out since her hair was pure red.
Alvena and Legolas didn't notice since they were staring at each other like they were the only two people in the land that Frodo decided to go through the mines of Moria, and Alvena couldn't contain her excitement when Gimli said that Balin was the Lord of Moria and he lives there. Alvena deeply misses her dwarf friend.
***
They made their way to the mines of Moria which was a huge rocky mountain and as Gandalf led the way he spoke. "Frodo, Alvena come help an old man." Alvena and Frodo went up to Gandalf as if they were his own children and looked at him.
"How's your shoulder?" Gandalf asked Frodo.
"Better than it was." Frodo replied. "And the ring?" Gandalf asked gravely, Alvena glanced at Frodo with concern then the three of them stopped walking to talk.
"You feel its power growing, don't you? I've feel it too. You must be careful now. Evil will be drawn to you from outside the fellowship and I fear, from within." Gandalf said in a hush tone for only Alvena and Frodo to hear.
"Who then do I trust?" Frodo asked.
"You must trust yourself. Trust your own strengths. Don't even trust your loving aunt here." Gandalf said, and Alvena nodded in agreement. "What do you mean?" Frodo asked.
"There are many powers in this world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am. And against some I have not yet been tested." Gandalf replied.
"The Walls of Moria!" Gimli said as he is mesmerized by the view like he would never live to see this day. "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli stated as all of them started walking near the walls. "Yes, Gimli. Their own masters cannot find them, if their secrets are forgotten." Gandalf said.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas asked making Alvena stifle a laugh while Gimli mumbled something under his breath.
"Well, lets see... Ithildin It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." Gandalf said as he looked up at the hidden moon.
It did not take long as the moon came out. The moonlight caused the wall to glow, making the door of Moria reveal itself. Gandalf stood back and smiled victoriously as he found the door. Alvena smiled as she admired the door. Frodo stood near her as well as Legolas.
"It reads: The doors of Durin Lord of Moria Speak friend and enter." Gandalf translated to everyone. "What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked as he stared at the wall with amazement.
"Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open." Gandalf said as he put the tip of his staff in the center of a star and said "Annon Edhellen edro hi ammen!"
Everyone waited anxiously for something to happen but nothing happened. Gandalf stood back with a puzzled look playing on his face. Then he tried a different spell but the results were the same, nothing happened. "Nothing's happening." Pippin said. Gandalf then tried to push the doors open but he failed. "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men, and orcs." Gandalf said in complete frustration.
"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked.
"Knock your head against these doors Peregrin Took! And if that does not shatter them and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions I will try to find the opening words." Gandalf snapped at Pippin.
It's been a few hours and it was hopeless, the gate just won't open.
Alvena was staring blankly at the ground remembering the adventure she went on with Bilbo and the dwarves of Erebor, she remembered it wasn't as scary and frightening as this adventure.
"It's a riddle. Speak 'friend' and enter. What's the elvish word for friend?" Frodo asked. Alvena rolled her eyes she has no interest in riddles remembering the nights where Bilbo and Frodo would have battles of riddles against each other but Bilbo would always win no matter what.
"Mellon." Gandalf said.
The wall rumbled loudly and finally the door opened. "I am proud to call you my nephew Frodo." Alvena said as she put a hand on his shoulder. As they walked through the doors of Moria, Alvena's nose was attacked by the smell of thousands of rotting corpses.
"Soon, Master elves, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves! Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone! This my friend is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine, A MINE!" Gimli exclaimed loudly.
"Gimli, you are making me hungry." Alvena said.
"You are always hungry." Merry said.
Gandalf quickly lit up his staff and Alvena walked beside Legolas. Suddenly there was a crunching beneath their feet and as they looked down, skeletons everywhere. Alvena gasped in horror and examined the skeletons of the corpses. Few were of dwarves, and many more were of goblins.
"This is no mine...it's a tomb." Boromir said gravely.
Alvena watched as Gimli looked around the mine gravely, not believing his eyes.
"NO! NOO! NOOOOO!!" he yelled angrily. Alvena could only think of the worst of what could happen to her dear friends who lived here.
Legolas quickly pulled out an arrow from a dead corpse. "Goblins!" he said as he quickly pulled out his bow and arrow, Alvena did the same while Aragorn and Boromir unsheathed their swords.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan... we should never have come here." Boromir said carefully backing out of the mine. "Now get out of here...Get out!" Boromir shouted.
Everyone slowly backed out of the mines, but then Alvena could hear the halflings scream, mainly Frodo. "FRODO!" Alvena screamed out of pure horror as she ran outside the mine to see Frodo flying up in the air by some sort of Krakken.
"Strider!" Sam called out and everyone went to Sam. Alvena tried shooting the Krakken but it was no use, she couldn't get mad because her heart was beating with fear. Fear of losing someone so dearly to her. She could already feel her eyes filling with tears.
Aragorn quickly charged at Frodo to help, just as Sam had cut a tentacle to free Frodo. Then more came out and pushed everyone to the ground and it grabbed Frodo's ankle and hoisted him into the air. Aragorn and Boromir quickly fought off tentacles to try to reach Frodo but it was getting helpless. Legolas had tried to fire an arrow, but only managed to loosen the grip. After Aragorn stabbed it the beast had released Frodo and he fell into Alvena 's arms which also caused her to fall but luckily Boromir was there to help her.
"Into the mines!" Gandalf yell.
Everyone quickly ran for the mine, the gate closed on them which means they are stuck in the mines of Moria unless there was another way. "Well, we now have but one 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's a four day journey to the other side let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed." Gandalf said as he lead them through the darkness of Moria.
***
"The wealth of Moria was not in gold or jewels but mithril." Gandalf leaned forward and looked down the edge. Everyone else did the same as Gandalf made his staff grow brighter, lighting up the caves pits. As he did the bottom glowed brightly. He quickly took his staff back and continued to walk.
"Bilbo had a shirt of mithril rings that Thorin gave him." Gandalf said.
"Oh! That was a kingly gift!" Gimli said next.
"Yes, I never told him but it's worth was greater than the value of the Shire." Gandalf said causing Frodo to look at him with with disbelieving eyes. "By my potatoes, what could have Bilbo done if he knew." Alvena said which caused all the hobbits to stifle a laugh but Pippin laughed which also caused Gandalf to hit him on the head with his staff.
A day has passed and they found themselves walking up steep stairs. It all ended however when Gandalf confronted three doors. A puzzled look play at Gandalf's face until it finally went blank.
"I have no memory of this place." Gandalf said. It was then decided that they would take a break until he could remember the way. Alvena plopped herself on a smooth surfaced rock and rubbed her ankles which were aching even though she was an elf.
"Are you hurt Alvena?" Legolas asked as he sat beside her. "No, just tired." Alvena sighed which made Legolas to chuckle. "What I would give to see your home once again." Alvena said as she closed her eyes and rested on the rock comfortably.
"Maybe after this journey you may accompany me?" Legolas asked but Alvena chuckled and said "Love to Legolas but your father would make sure I'll never see sunlight again." Legolas smiled a bit and said "Sorry about him though, he's just a very cranky grumpy old elf."
Alvena laughed at his words "But we shall visit not as Legolas and Alvena but as just any other elf, we shall hide and not let them see us." Legolas suggested which spiked Alvena's interest she smiled widely until
"Ah! It's that way!" Gandalf said.
"He's remembered!" Merry said as he stood up and made his way towards the middle door. "No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down here, if in doubt Meriadoc always follow your nose." Gandalf said as he walked through the middle door. Alvena chuckled and said "If I had to follow my nose it means that my stomach is also guiding me." which caused another stifled laugh from the hobbits.
"Let me risk a little more light." Gandalf said as he made his staff glow brighter. "Behold the great realm of the Dwarf City of Dwarrowdelf." Gandalf exclaimed. "There's an eye opener and no mistake." Sam said.
"Gimli!" Gandalf shouted loudly as Gimli ran off into another room completely ignoring Gandalf's calls.
"We must move on, we cannot linger." says Legolas beside Alvena as they entered the room that Gimli has run off to, Alvena looks at him and so does Aragorn. Gandalf spots a book in the arms of one of the corpses but as Alvena eyed the corpse she then shouted in pure fear.
"ORI!" As she ran to the corpse with tears in her eyes, Gimli was also in tears as he read Balin's grave which also made Alvena cry more for her two dear friends, Ori and Balin. Legolas tried comforting Alvena by rubbing her back. Gandalf picks it up and flips to the end and starts reading. "They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. We have barred the gates but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes, drums sound in the deep. We cannot get out, a shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out, they are coming." his voice trails off as if foreshadowing the events to come.
Pippin had moved unnoticed by anyone towards a corps that had been balanced over some sort of open large well. Something fell off the corps and down the shaft, making a loud clanging noise. Everyone jumps and looks towards Pippin. The entire corps follows, creating even more noise.
"Fool of a Took, throw yourself in next time and rid us of your stupidity." Gandalf hisses angrily.
Out of nowhere the deep thrum of a drum is felt through the floor. It sounds again, like an ancient heartbeat. Alvena was suddenly scared and she clung to Legolas' shoulder. It increases in tempo, and the sounds of shrieks can be heard. They all turn and look out the doorway into the hall. Frodo pulls out his dagger and it's glowing blue.
"Orcs." says Legolas. Boromir starts for the door to shut them, and an arrow almost hits him in the face. "Get back, and stay close to Gandalf or Alvena." Aragorn shouts to the hobbits.
Aragorn and Legolas help Boromir to shut and bar the door.
"They have a cave troll." Boromir says as he turns to catch an ax that Legolas threw at him to bar the door. Everyone draws their weapons, and prepares for the inevitable battle. Alvena along with Legolas and Aragorn draw their bow and knock an arrow.
"Let them come, there is one dwarf in Moria that still draws breath." says Gimli as he stands atop the stone coffin. "Right back at you Gimli! May Balin, Ori and the rest of the dwarves be avenged." Alvena snarled viciously as her eyes turned red which made the hobbits except Frodo look at her in fear.
As the enemy starts to break down the door small holes start to appear, through those they manage to shoot some arrows. They continued to barrage them with arrows, they then switch to their swords. Everyone jumps into the fray, stabbing and slicing wherever they can reach. Alvena was wild since she jumped from place to place quickly killing orcs as fast as possible but in a gruesome way.
A cave troll was led into the room on chains and this reminded of Alvena's battle from before, it smashed through the door way and roared. It was armed with a giant metal hammer, and immediately starts throwing it around. Sam jumps between its legs. Aragorn and Boromir pull on its chain and force it to back away from the fallen Sam.
The troll picks up the chain and flings Boromir into the wall like he was an irritant bug. For a moment he is knocked unconscious, only to wake to the sight of an orc above him. Alvena knocked an arrow and hit the orc in his chest which instantly killed him.
Legolas had been shooting arrows at the troll; it starts to use the chain as a whip. Alvena was quickly beside Legolas and both of them stuck on a ledge. "Duck!" Legolas shouted and Alvena obeyed. The chain manages to get caught around one of the larger stone support beams. Legolas makes sure it's caught tight and uses it as a tight rope to the creature. He and Alvena climbed up onto the troll's massive shoulders and shoots three arrows into the back of its neck. The creature is momentarily stunned Legolas jumps off but Alvena stayed on and it continues destroying the room with its hammer. Alvena tried stabbing it repeatedly holding on to one of her daggers which was buried deep in the troll.
The troll then corners the hobbits on an upper ledge; it singles Frodo out. Frodo screams for Aragorn's help. "Frodo!!" Alvena shouted as she kept stabbing the Troll also screamed out as Alvena could feel heat coming from her hands, Aragorn grabs a large spear that he found and stabs the troll. The troll smacks Aragorn into the wall, Frodo jumps up from the ground and goes to the limp form of Aragorn.
"Frodo, the spear!" Alvena shouted, he looks over his shoulder then shakes Aragorn. Frodo ducks and turns to face the troll. "No!!" Alvena shrieked but then Frodo gets shoved into another corner and the troll takes the spear and stabs him. Frodo falls limply to the ground.
Merry and Pippin jump onto the troll's shoulders and start stabbing. Everyone focuses on destroying the troll. The troll bears its throat while giving a roar. Legolas uses this to his advantage and shoots an arrow into the troll's throat. It touches the blood that's coming out of its mouth and groans Alvena took the chance as she swung in front of the troll and slices the troll's throat with her sword she fell to the floor in front of the troll, the troll was about to fall on Alvena but Legolas quickly ran and pushed her out of the way right as the troll landed with a thud. Legolas fell on top of Alvena as she turned around to face him she sighed tiredly, "Thank you." But Legolas just put his forehead against hers.
They both then got up and all of them hurried over to Frodo's limp form, Alvena was already crying. "Frodo, please Frodo don't do this to me." she sobbed.
Aragorn turns Frodo over, and to everyone's amazement he breaths. He reveals the mithril shirt that Bilbo had given to him as a gift. "I'm so glad Bilbo doesn't know the worth of that." Alvena laughed with tears in her eyes as she hugged Frodo like they have never seen each other but then they all hurried back out into the hall. The sound of more orcs fills the room. They raced to the bridge of Khazad-dum. The company becomes surrounded by a host of orcs, they crawl down the ceiling and pop up from holes in the ground. Alvena clung to Frodo making sure if ever they attacked they had to go through her. Legolas stood beside her knowing if any orcs tried anything they had to kill him before they lay a finger on her.
The sound of a deep roar fills the hall, at the end it starts to glow with a red light.
"We must hurry." Gandalf said as he nods, the orcs too see the glow and flee as fast as they can. He doesn't move the fellowship, instead he says. "It is a Balrog, a demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. RUN!" he shouts. So all of them started to run to the bridge. Alvena start running as fast as she could.
Boromir runs first through a small doorway, he almost stumbles off and into the abyss, but Legolas grabs him and manages to pull him back from the ledge. Gandalf then said, "Lead them on Aragorn, the bridge is near."
They continue running as fast as they could towards the bridge. They ran down a flight of stairs, everyone stops since it was broken in the middle. Legolas jumps first and gracefully lands, next is Gandalf, as he's jumping orcs start shooting arrows from the walls. Boromir grabs Merry and Pippen and leaps off the ledge, Legolas and Gandalf caught them. Aragorn picks Sam up and throws him into Boromir's arms.
"Nobody tosses a dwarf." Gimli says, and then heaves himself to the other side. His small movement breaks the ledge of the stairs, there was horror in Alvena's eyes and so was Legolas'. Legolas quickly grabs Gimli by the beard. "Not the beard! Not the beard!" Gimli chanted.
The section of stair slowly balances out, although we still pivot on a central part. "Now lean your weight forward by slowly loosening your hips." They do this and they fall into the waiting arms of their comrades. Legolas catches Alvena, and when he sets her down without hesitation Legolas entwined his hand with hers and started running.
They reached ground level, and they all head full speed towards the bridge. The entire fellowship manages to cross the bridge, and then Alvena looked over her shoulder and see Gandalf standing alone in the center.
"Aragorn!" Alvena shouted, this causes Frodo to look out over the bridge.
"You shall not pass!" shouts Gandalf.
"Gandalf!" shouts Frodo helplessly.
"I am a servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark power will not avail you flame of Udune." says Gandalf, they watched helplessly from the ledge. A white ball of light encircles Gandalf. The balrog draws its sword and hits the light, it acts as a shield.
"Go back to the shadows." Gandalf says louder. The balrog advances onto the bridge and brandishes a whip made of flame. "You shall not pass!" shouts Gandalf, and he slams his staff onto the bridge. The Balrog takes another step onto the bridge and it collapses. It appears that Gandalf will survive unscathed, Alvena smiled in relief. Gandalf was about to walk back to the fellowship but the Balrog cracks his whip and it wraps around Gandalf's ankle.
"NOOOOOOO!!!" Alvena shouted at the top of her lungs as visions and memories of her and Gandalf played through her head like a movie. Legolas had to hold her from going to help Gandalf, and Aragorn held Frodo as he yelled "NOO!! GANDALF!!"
He turns and shouts "Fly you fools." With that he slips over the edge into the deep dark pits of Moria.
Alvena's heart was breaking, today she has gone through mini heart attacks as she almost lost her dearest nephew, twice, she found out her dwarf friends Ori and Balin were dead and she wasn't there to help. She didn't even visit them when she told them she would and now one of her greatest memories, Gandalf who played a huge part almost like a father figure in her life was gone.
Legolas carried Alvena out and tears were pouring down her face. They made it out into the light physically. Mentally was a whole other matter for a lot of them. They made it outside leaving Moria behind along with the greatest wizard, the Fellowship all collapsed onto the ground heartbroken. The hobbits were crying, Legolas looked forlorn, Boromir was hugging an angry Gimli, Aragorn was just wiping his sword looking grief stricken, Alvena stopped Frodo before he could walk off but both of them broke down in tears as they clung to each other like their lives depended on it.
"Legolas! Get them up!" Aragorn said.
"Give them a moment! For Pete sake's!" Boromir said.
"By nightfall this hills will be swarming with orcs! We must reach the woods of Lothlórien. Come, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, get them up!" Aragorn said.
"He is right Frodo, we must keep going." Alvena whispered to Frodo, Frodo nodded as both of them stood up.
"Let's do this for Gandalf. Frodo, he asked you to destroy the ring and us to protect you. Let's fulfill his wish." Alvena said one more time as she kissed Frodo's forehead.
Both of them wondering if they could ever make it back alive because their hope was now gone forever.