Chapter 20 - Drums in the deep

The eyes were still watching him. He could feel them boring into his back as he walked. Sam Gamgee was one very astute Hobbit. Legolas knew Frodo would never have mentioned the Gollum incident to Sam without everyone else coming to know about it. No. He had worked it out himself somehow.

The Elf was feeling the best he had for several days. Not even Sam's suspicions could cast the shadow back upon him, at least for a little while.

Aragorn had chosen the left-hand passage, and wise it had proved for they had come at last to the upper halls. The claustrophobic walls had fallen away and opened out into a cavernous space.

Great window-shape hollows lined one side of the amazing hall, and through these hollows, slanting beams of light shone downward.

Legolas stepped gratefully into the thin beam of sunshine. Specs of dust floated near him, illuminated by the bright sun above. He felt the golden glow of of the sun upon his skin, rejuvenating him after the days in only darkness. But there was a cold draft in the hall, and the others seemed to want to move on quickly.

"It can't be far to the eastern side now!" Gimli proclaimed. "From here we must get down to the level of the bridge and then out into the sun again!" He gave Legolas a meaningful glance and the Elf appreciated the gesture.

"What bridge do you speak of?" Sam asked, his attention momentarily drawn away from the Elf.

"The bridge of Khazâd-dûm, young Hobbit! The ancient defence of our people." Gimli leaned forward while Sam, Merry and Pippin gathered around him. "The chasm beneath the eastern gate is of a depth immeasurable," the Dwarf began, "and the bridge, it is so narrow that dwarves and enemies alike can only pass across it in single file!"

Legolas felt a rush of gratification to the Dwarf. Sam was so intrigued by the Dwarf's words that he had forgotten to keep his eyes on him. Legolas let himself relax while Gimli went on with his descriptions, sinking into a crouch and closing his eyes. Moria had affected him more than he would have liked to admit. His strength was depleted, and would remain so until the fellowship escaped the mines.

He could not blame Sam for being suspicious. The worst of it was that his suspicions were justified. Legolas had acted foolishly. The Elf had his reasons for wanting to kill Gollum, just as Frodo had to protect him, but the Fellowship had sworn their allegiance to the ring bearer and Frodo's word was what mattered. He would have to tell Aragorn what had happened. There was no other choice.

"Do the storytelling skills of the Dwarves equal those of the Elves?" The voice startled Legolas slightly. His eyes flew open to find Faramir standing over him. The Elf rose quickly, realising just how long he had been crouching. Gimli's story had now become a verse of some sort, and to Legolas' surprise it was quite pleasant to listen to.

Legolas wondered what the man wanted to talk to him about. Upon meeting his eyes, Legolas felt as though Faramir could see right through him. Legolas prided himself on being able to hide his feelings, but with Faramir's undivided attention focused upon him, he felt slightly vulnerable. The Elf shifted his position, uncomfortable under the steady gaze.

Faramir said nothing at first, perhaps waiting for the Elf to reveal what was on his mind. Legolas was unwilling to speak openly of his thoughts, at least until he had spoken to Aragorn. The closeness between Faramir and his King was unsettling to Legolas. He felt he could trust both openly, yet knew that the man who stood before him now was intelligent enough to be a valuable ally . . or a dangerous enemy. So far he had seen nothing to suspect treachery, but it was always wise to keep ones eyes open with dealing with men.

Sensing Legolas was unwilling to talk, Faramir began the conversation himself, "Samwise is unusually quiet today, I wonder what is on his mind."

Legolas tried to remain blank as Faramir searched his face for a reaction. Legolas cursed the man for his astuteness. "Perhaps he is anxious leave the Mines," Legolas suggested.

Faramir paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Perhaps."

"Gimli will be disappointed. You are missing his song."

The man smiled, yet there was a strange twist to the smile Legolas had seen there before. Determination. The Elf started to move away, anxious to be out of the conversation. Faramir's hand gripped his shoulder and stopped him from turning away.

"You do not trust me," the man said, a statement rather than a question.

"I do not," Legolas found himself saying, despite the hurt he could see in Faramir's eyes.

"I would not approach you were I not troubled by what is becoming of our company," Faramir said in a low voice. "The night… that night, I dreamt many things." The man's eyes clouded over and Legolas felt a strange foreboding creep over him. "I dreamt," Faramir went on, "of the rocks that were scattered into the pit when Gimli fell two days ago, I saw him turn his back on us, hammering into the rock - I heard drums, drums in the deep." The words flowed freely, and Legolas could see the doubt in the man's eyes.

"Have you told Aragorn of this?" Legolas asked softly.

"Nay, I do not wish to trouble him further. I have told no one but you."

A cold look came over Legolas's face for a moment. What it all just a trick to make him feel guilty enough to reveal his secret? He looked into the man's eyes. No, sincerity and concern lay behind the gaze. Faramir was telling the truth.

Legolas took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully, "on the night you speak of, I relieved Frodo from his watch. Gollum was watching us from the shadows."

"Gollum? Here?" Faramir hissed, "Then he has followed us all the way through the mines?"

"So it seems," Legolas nodded. "Though I would ask you not to speak of it, at least… at least until I may speak to Aragorn."

Faramir nodded, his forehead creased in worry. "I pray that you do so quickly, our safety may depend upon it. Perhaps you need not tell him all, just as much as you have told me."

Legolas stared after him as Faramir moved back to the main group. How did he guess the Elf had not told him the entire story? Legolas followed the man reluctantly, half expecting the others to begin questioning him. But Faramir was true to his promise and said nothing.

"You did not hear my song!" Gimli complained as the Elf approached.

"I am sorry Gimli. Faramir was telling me of his halls in Minas Tirith, and how they are much finer than those of the Dwarves."

"Gimli's face grew red with indignation, "Is this true?" he demanded, staring up at the man beside him. Legolas held his breath.

"Master Elf mistook my meaning, Gimli," Faramir smiled, his eyes flicking to Legolas'. Again Legolas thought how dangerous this man could be if his intentions were evil. The laughter was put on, and behind the smiling eyes was a stern demand for Legolas to tell Aragorn before the danger could grow any greater. "What I did say," Faramir went on, "was that although the Halls of my father may be grand, they are nothing to the works and skills of the Dwarves.

Gimli puffed out his chest proudly and gave Legolas a haughty look. "You see, Elf? My human friend recognises true architecture when he sees it."

"Over here," a shrill voice shouted, and was immediately joined by another, "look what we've found!"

"Be careful!" Aragorn shouted back, "you do not know what may be inside. Here, I will enter first."

Legolas followed Faramir and Gimli through the northern archway. They found themselves in thin corridor, and following the voices they came to where the Hobbits were gathered around a stone doorway standing half open. Aragorn drew his sword, reaching out to push open the door. Legolas reached for his bow, seeing Faramir do the same from the corner of his eye. The door was old and almost falling apart on its hinges. As it creaked loudly open, dust and webs fell from it in a cloud, starting the Hobbits coughing.

All of a sudden there was a cry from Gimli, and the Dwarf was pushing forwards through the doorway.

"Gimli!" Faramir shouted as the dwarf moved into the room beyond. There could be no telling what dangers lay in the room, nor what had possessed Gimli to enter it alone. Legolas raised his bow and followed Aragorn as the Ranger went after the Dwarf.

The room was bathed in a eerie glow, so bright that at first they had to shield their eyes. Another of the hollows high in the wall cast a beam of light down upon a white stone slab in the centre of the room. Gimli knelt before the stone, one arm across his chest, and tears in his eyes.

"He is dead then," Faramir said softly. The letters on the tomb were unintelligible to the Elf, and he wondered how the man had deciphered them. It was the tomb of someone important, and from Gimli's grief Legolas guessed the one lying dead was known to his friend. He laid a gentle hand on the Dwarf's shoulder, giving what little comfort he could.

"I feared it was so since we entered the Mines," Gimli sniffed, "At first I thought Balin had never come here, but now I see. There has been no sound of Dwarvish hammers here for many months."

The words of Faramir's dream came suddenly back to Legolas.

~I saw him turn his back on us, hammering into the rock~

"We must leave this place," Legolas said quietly. "Something dark approaches."

"Look at this!" Pippin exclaimed, holding up a dusty book that seemed to be the only thing the Orcs had not plundered.

"Show it to me," Aragorn said sternly, relieving Pippin of its weight. The pages crumbled in his fingers as he quickly turned the yellowed pages. "It seems to be a diary of some kind," he said slowly, "and yet, yes, here you see? It just ends with this trailing line of letters."

'They have taken the bridge and the second hall,' Aragorn read slowly.

'they are coming! - drums in the deep'

'we cannot get out! they are coming . . .'

Silence echoed around the room as all the fellowship imagined the deaths of the Dwarves trapped in this very chamber.

"Horrible," Merry said at last, his voice filled with an indescribable terror.

"We must leave now," Legolas whispered, "now, Aragorn, while we. . ."

From far below them, it seemed, though drawing closer every moment, a sound like the beating of drums.

There was a ringing sound as Frodo drew sting from its scabbard. The blade was glowing with a blue fire. "They are coming," Frodo whispered.

"Drums in the Deep." It was Faramir who had spoken, and looking across at him, Legolas saw that the colour had drained from his face. "I should have heeded the warnings," the man said quietly, "and now we are trapped, trapped just as the Dwarves were before us."

"We cannot get out!" Gimli shouted, listening at the door for the sounds of feet rushing up the stairs. "They are coming!"

Legolas suddenly felt his stomach turn. The words, just as they had been written. Drums in the deep, we cannot get out, they are coming . . . Events were repeating themselves. Gimli had uttered to dying words of his cousins, and so too would they be the epitaph of the Fellowship if they did not escape at once!

"Slam the doors and wedge them!" Aragorn shouted to Gimli, obviously fearing a surprise attack from the eastern door.

"No!" Faramir stopped Gimli before the Dwarf could bar the door. "Aragorn, we cannot shut ourselves in! We will be trapped as they were before us!"

Aragorn did not need to consider. "Leave the east door open, we will go that way! Gimli, Faramir, bar the other door. Though I fear it will not hold for long. Ready yourselves, the battle approaches!"

Already the floor was shaking with the pounding of heavy feet upon the stairs below. Legolas felt something black approaching, his heart sank under its evil. He steadied his bow in his shaking hands, knowing that if he faltered, he would die here in the dark, never to see the moon or stars again.