Author's Notes: Hullo everyone. This is my first attempt at posting Middle Earth fiction here.. so I hope you all find it satisfactory. This little blip came to me when I was listening to the LotR soundtrack – if you don't have it you should get it, the music is excellent, I think. Anyway, I was listening to the music for the Bridge of Khazad Dum and the very end is sad and melodic. I remembered the look on Legolas' face and decided to write about it here. So.. Huzzah. I'm not sure if I'll write more for the rest of the Fellowship. We'll see. Please Read and Review. I much appreciate it.

- A

Ps: If anyone knows how to change the format on FF.net.. your help would be greatly appreciated -.- I'm not web site literate yet.. Thank you!

Last Thoughts of Moria

            He was gone. Mithrandir, our guide and the pillar upon which we leaned was gone - taken by an ancient darkness that only I understood. I could do no more than stare back at the fateful path over which we had fled. The great gaping mouth of Moria appeared so dark against the gray stones of the outside world. Grief of this nature was not new to me, but I had not felt it in so long a time. A choking grip on my throat, a tearing claw in my heart, a great rip in my soul. I would have wept and I could feel the tears stinging my eyes and blurring my vision, but my face remained dry. I forced myself to turn away, surveying the damage. Aragorn looked lost, confused, and I could understand some of the anger I saw in his gray eyes – leadership fell on him now, a burden he had not been prepared for. Boromir, the other man, looked very much the same, though he lacked the anger and instead there was regret. His strength was focused on holding back Gimli. The Dwarf's anger was clear and evident - the stout creature wished for revenge and perhaps he sought his own death to end his grief. The Hobbits, though, I feared for them the most. The friends Meridoc and Peregrin sat together, Pippin beside himself and Merry doing his best to offer comfort. It was then I realized that Samwise sat alone, covering his face with his hands. Where was Frodo? My fear grew that the Ringbearer had wandered, but I soon caught sight of him, away from the rest of us. He, more than any of us, looked lost and frightened. Gandalf the Gray had been this Halfling's torch in the darkness, a light which none of us present could ever hope to replace.

            An anger I could not understand swelled with in me. Why had the wizard fought for us? Why had he placed himself on the bridge when any of us would have faced the Balrog? We would have perished, surely, but the wizard would have remained to guide the rest of the company. My heart burst with emotions I could not contain. And then, Aragorn - our new leader - spoke to  me.

            "Legolas, get them up."

            Surely he was mad? We had only just escaped Moria and still suffered from the loss of our guide and guard.. surely he could not mean for us to be on the move again? Even I was not ready to go on. The Man spoke the command again and I knew he meant for it to be done. Boromir let go of Gimli to argue, asking that we remain "for pity's sake." But I had already roused Merry and Pippin, Aragorn raised Sam to his feet. He called to Frodo, snapping him out of his trance, and explained to us all that we must leave these hills - Orcs would be upon us by nightfall. I saw the logic in his decision and, for the time, I put my grief away and buried it deep in my heart. I knew that I could safely bring it back when we reached the Golden Wood of Lothlorien.

            I cast a fateful look back to the Mines of Moria - I would have fought in your stead, dear Gandalf, with all the might of my great people I would have fought for the sake of the Fellowship. And now I will go on and fulfill this quest for the sake of Middle Earth.

A Olórin i yáresse

Mentaner i Númeherui

Tírien i Rómenóri

Maiaron i Oiosila

Manan elye etevanne

Nórie i melanelye

Mithrandir, Mithrandir, A Randir Vithren

ú-reniathach i amar galen

I reniad lín ne mór nuithannen

In gwidh ristennin, i fae narchannen

I lach Anor ed ardhon gwannen

Caled veleg, ethuiannen

Translation:

Olórin, who once was..

Sent by the Lords of the West

To guard the lands of the East

Wisest of all Maiar

What drove you to leave

That which you loved?

Mithrandir, Mithrandir, O Pilgrim Gray

No more will you wander the green fields of this earth

Your journey has ended in darkness

The bonds cut, the spirit broken

The Flame of Anor has left this World

A great light, has gone out

-Lament for Gandalf-

Verse One is Quenya

Verse Two and Three are Sindarin

Written by Phillipa Boyens and Howard Shore