Media: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (book)

Timeline: Book II, Chapter IV: A Journey In the Dark

Genres: Angst, Brotherhood, Fantasy, Filler, Friendship, War, Whump

Summary: Gollum's frustration in being unable to take the Ring, so close to his grasp, with an Elf in the Company. Legolas senses Gollum, too.

Notes: Gap filler for The Fellowship of the Ring: How did Aragorn know of Gollum when Frodo and Sam did not? Also emphasizing Gollum's hatred for Elves, especially the Wood-Elves. *Fan art not mine.

The Precious was near. We curses its closeness and whimpers its distance. We could smells them. Men, a Dwarf,—the mines reeks of his kind—a Wizard, Hobbits—curse them!—and an Elf.

We slinks closer. Yes, we sees them now. The Wizard lights the way with his staff. He stands tall and confident as he leads the others through the mines. The rest of the Company struggles behind on the steep and crumbling path. We recognizes him. Yes, he asks us questions, he did. About the Precious.

We can hears it now. Humming, calling to us. We growls as our hands grasps at empty space as if squeezing the dark haired Halfling's throat. We grasps for the Precious. So close! So close!

Yet so far. We snarls at the Wood-Elf. He stays just within the protection of that awful bright light, scanning the vast darkness with those keen eyes. We hides behind the rocks. Yes, we remembers him. He hurts us, he did. Tries to poisons us with Elf food, he did.

But he was kind to us, wasn't he, precious? He lets us outside and gaves us fish.

They traps us, fool! Remembers? They ties us with Elvish rope and tries to feed us Elf food! It burns us! And Elf food poisons us, gollum!

Yes... Yes... We hates Elves!

We snarls again, snapping strong jaws in the Elf's direction as if it could kills him. A white hot hatred boils inside us. He was in the way. He can sense us. We cannot steal back the Precious with him in the way, no. No, he is too aware, too fast, and too skilled with his arrows. Gollum, gollum!

We must follow them, yes. We follow them and wait.

* * *

Legolas loathed the darkness. He couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched. Something lurked in the bottomless black depths. The Elf shivered as a lingering chill traveled down his spine and he stepped further into the protective borders of Mithrandir's light. The yawning void behind him, so still and cold, made the hair on his neck stand on end.

Gimli would call it paranoia, and maybe he was right this time. Legolas wondered if the supposed dread that hung over him was biased because of his dislike for caves, especially Dwarf ones.

A hand touched his shoulder lightly and the Elf jumped.

"Mellon nín, what is it?" Aragorn asked, his soft voice below a whisper so as to not worry the Hobbits.

"You know me, Estel. I do not like caves."

"Yes, but this is different. If you sense something, please tell me or Gandalf."

"I'm certain Mithrandir senses it as well," Legolas continued, gripping his bow tighter as his blue eyes scanned the darkness. "There is an evil here, deep within the mines."

At that moment, faint hisses caught Elven hearing and he stopped.

"What is it, Legolas?" Aragorn whispered worriedly, drawing Andúril out of his belt slightly when the Wood-Elf put an arrow to the string. Andúril did not yet have a scabbard, so the future king had to take extra care that the open blade did not injure him or anyone else.

"I hear something. And I sense a darkness out there, but it is different than before."

To Legolas' dismay, Gandalf had not noticed the Elf and Ranger pause and had continued leading the Company, taking the light with him and plunging them into darkness.

"Can you see what it could be?"

Legolas squinted into the blackness. "Follow me."

With the Ranger behind him, Legolas crept closer to a mound rocks resting just at the edge of his vision. He paused as he heard scrambling and scratching of fingernails against rock. He could smell fish and rotting flesh. As they moved closer, Legolas could hear the whimpering and hissing much clearer and could even catch a few words.

What he heard made his eyes widen and he froze. Aragorn, whose senses were not as strong, bumped into the Elf.

"What is it?" the Ranger hissed under his breath.

"Quick! We must report to Gandalf before he notices us," Legolas hissed back urgently. Latching onto Aragorn's arm, the Elf dragged the confused man towards the speck of light in the distance. In the darkness, the Elf was not as surefooted and stumbled over hidden obstacles in their path. As they ran, the white light grew larger and brighter.

"Where is Strider and Legolas?" Pippin was asking when they burst into the light. Startled, Boromir and Gimli reached for their weapons, but relaxed after recognizing them.

"What is it?" Gandalf demanded, singling out Aragorn with his sharp gaze.

Aragorn shook his head as he inhaled deeply, not quite out of breath as they were not too far behind the others. "I do not know. You have to ask Legolas."

The Wizard's intense blue eyes shifted to the young Elf, wordlessly asking the same question.

The one in question shook his head, blond locks reflecting the light. "Not here. The shadows are listening and what I have found is too near. I will tell you the next time we make camp."

Many in the Fellowship raised curious eyebrows at that, but did not argue as they continued on. Legolas remained in the rear as usual, but now he held an arrow against a loose bowstring and his eyes darted at any slight noise. Aragorn was at least comforted by the fact Legolas had forgotten his discomfort in favor of protecting the Ring-bearer.

After hours of marching in the eerily silent mines, the Hobbits finally requested a respite. Gandalf the Grey agreed, too eager to hear what Legolas had discovered to push until it was absolutely necessary to rest.

Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin plopped onto the hard ground and began whipping up some food. The Wizard pulled Ranger and Elf aside, away from the pointed ears of Halflings.

"I found him, Mithrandir," Legolas began in a low voice. "The creature Gollum. He must have been hiding here since he escaped my father's realm."

"Gollum?" Gandalf repeated, digesting the news. "That is troubling."

"He must be following us in hopes of taking back the Ring from Frodo," Aragorn realized.

"What do you suggest we do, Gandalf?" Legolas asked, adjusting his grip on his bow.

"Do? Why we shall do nothing!"

"Nothing?!" Legolas cried softly. "Sméagol will kill Frodo if he gets the chance! We lost almost an entire patrol to the creature's malice, despite showing him the kindness and pity he did not deserve! Surely you do not still think there is hope for him?"

The calm on the Wood-Elf's face masked his anger, yet his bloodless fists shook, betraying his true emotions. Aragorn placed a calming hand on his shoulder, but Legolas shrugged it off. The Wizard's silence confirmed his answer.

Legolas shook his head in disbelief. "There is no redemption for the creature. You were not there."

"Nevertheless, Gollum still has a part to play, wether for good or ill, I do not know." The Istar's usually intense gaze was distant and dull.

Legolas closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. When he opened them, the iciness had dispersed from his brilliant blue orbs.

"Very well. I trust your judgement."

Legolas walked back to the others, his head bowed in deep memory. Aragorn and Gandalf watched him for a moment before following.

* * *

"I understand the importance of the task, but why must we be the ones who does it?" Caldir whined to another, glaring with distaste at the miserable creature in the hold. He spoke quietly so his captain would not hear, only he did and smiled smugly as his blue eyes sparkled with mirth.

"Believe me, mellon nín, if it were up to me, each of the patrols would take turns guarding the prisoner. But it is King Thranduil who stationed our patrol to this duty."

"Apologies, hîr nín. I mean no disrespect."

"There is nothing to forgive, Caldir," Legolas assured him. "For I am weary of this task as well. I feel that our skills may be of better use in the front lines."

Hisses and growls filtered through the bars of the cell, the words spoken full of hate and malice. Legolas and his fellow guards frowned and tensed as they listened.

"What had it got in its pocketses? It wouldn't say, no precious. Little cheat. Not a fair question. It cheated first, it did. It broke the rules. We ought to have squeezed it, yes precious. And we will, precious!"

"What black and murderous thoughts," Caldir mused. "Although the Dúnedan insisted Sméagol would be more comfortable in here, I fear he is falling back into his dark state."

Prince Legolas mulled over this. Mithrandir hoped for Sméagol's insanity to be cured, but being locked up under the earth was not helping any. His soldiers were also uncomfortable being in the darkest part of the dungeons day and night. An idea occurred to him, and he almost dismissed it because of the chance that Gollum had aid. And yet...

"Have you fallen asleep, mellon nín?" Caldir teased although concern softened his brown eyes. "You have not rested since the creature first arrived. We can watch him just as fine without your supervision."

Legolas smiled and shook his head. "I am fine, I was just thinking. The weather is fair. I will ask my father if he will permit us to let Sméagol outdoors with us to watch him. That way, he will not succumb to his black thoughts and we can return to our beloved nature even for only a few hours every day."

King Thranduil gave his consent. Legolas and his patrol led Sméagol out of the dark hole into the outdoors during the cool of the evening. Sméagol complained, but the Mirkwood Elven Guard under Legolas were pleased with the arrangement.

Until Gollum found a tall tree and climbed it.

"Let him," Legolas ordered when his warriors attempted the stop their prisoner. "Set a guard around the tree's foot. The free air may do him some good."

But as the sun sank below the horizon, Legolas Greenleaf was forced to climb up after him and rip the creature of the branches.

"Why did I have to be the one to fetch him?" Legolas groaned. Gollum had resisted the Elf and, on their way down, kicked off the trunk and sent them both crashing to the leaf-carpeted ground.

"You are the youngest and best climber out all of us old Elves," Caldir replied cheekily, offering a hand to his prince. The others snickered behind their hands as they secured the rebel. Gollum snapped and lashed out, but he was no match for a Woodland Elf.

"Tauriel is younger than me," Legolas muttered, naming the only Elf he could think of that was of fewer years than himself.

"Ah, but she is not here, is she?"

When the weather was fair, Legolas' patrol continued to escort Gollum outside during the summer months. Each day, the creature climbed up the tree and refused to climb down, resulting in one of them (usually Legolas) to follow him and drag him back down. Sméagol was learning. He began to cling to the branches with his feet as well as his hands. It took much strength, time, and scratches to finally pull him off.

"Whose turn is it to fetch him this time?" Caldir yawned as they stared up at the shriveled being.

The prince's warriors were exhausted. Shifts were far too long and rests far too short. Only half of the guard was present, the other half resting while they could. Some overworked themselves, one of them being their captain. Legolas gazed at the tree and slumped with discouragement, already feeling the soreness in his limbs and the scratches on this face.

"Let us wait him out," Legolas decided. "He cannot stay up there forever. He will want his fish."

So the tired group sat by the tree far into the night.

The thick canopy of Mirkwood usually blocked out any light from seeping through, but there was no stars or moon to be seen through the cracks between leaves. The forest was silent, but that was not unusual. The shadow over Mirkwood chased out the creatures, leaving behind only sickness and a few crows.

"Lasto!" Caldir hissed, sitting up suddenly. Heavy boots crushing leaves caught his hearing. Then a foul smell filled the air that Legolas was all too familiar with.

"Orcs!" Legolas cried to warn his warriors.

Something whizzed by Legolas' face and struck a tree, quivering before his eyes. The beasts of Sauron swarmed the clearing, black shapes against the darkness. They snarled and their eyes glowed in the night.

Battles were a mess when you fight something you can barely see. After shooting a few arrows, Legolas quickly switched to his long white knife, slashing at any black shape that moved. The Orcs were many and some even managed to cut him with their crude weapons, but Legolas quickly realized these Orcs were from the mountains, unused to the forest. They ran uncertainly over the terrain, tripping over roots.

The prince of the Woodland Realm slashed the throat of an Orc, spraying himself with black blood. The body fell to the ground with a thump and there was silence. Legolas scanned the battlefield in surprise. Mere moments ago, it seemed as though they would have been overrun!

Caldir rose shakily from where he had been kneeling over a fallen comrade. "Where... where did they go?" he panted.

"They retreated, melting into the shadows," Legolas answered gravely. Exhausted, Legolas slowly limped to a fallen comrade, knelt beside him, and closed his lifeless eyes. He knew his name: Toron. Valiant and loyal to the very end. Aglaron and his younger brother Belton were among the slain too, as were also Cúon, Adasser and Gyril. Legolas, Caldir and Glaweth were still standing.

"Where is Emlygil, Bregon and Húron?" Glaweth gasped as she clutched her arm. Blood seeped through her fingers.

"They must have been taken," Legolas theorized grimly, "along with Gollum." He spat the name with venom.

"We must follow them. Perhaps we can get our people back."

Legolas shook his head. "No, Caldir. I'll track them. You and Glaweth return to the palace and report to my father what has happened. He can send out another patrol after me while both of you heal."

Caldir tried to argue. "But you are injured as well."

Legolas instinctively covered the arrow wound on his thigh. The darkness had obscured from his vision an Orc bowman who had tried his luck against the distracted prince. Legolas shot him between the eyes five seconds later.

"I will be all right. Go before I loose the trail." Without waiting to hear the protests, Legolas shot into the dark like one of his own arrows.

Legolas failed to recapture Gollum. Weary and injured, he fell far behind the Orcs until he ran into another patrol, which happened to be Tauriel's. They resumed the hunt while another Elf escorted her wounded prince home. When the trail led to Dol Guldor, they ceased the pursuit as it is still a very evil place and they do not go that way.

"I will report to the Council of Sméagol's escape," Legolas informed his father as he and his Sindar escorts packed their horses for the journey to Rivendell. A grey, travel poncho covered his green and brown warrior clothes.

King Thranduil looked at his son with sympathy. "It was not your fault the creature escaped."

Legolas' movements stilled. Guilt tormented him as he dreaded the moment he would have to tell Aragorn that he failed his trust.

"If it was my fault or not, I was there. We... I lost many warriors to Gollum's schemes. Some lost their lives in battle while others will be tortured till slow death. The story must be told right in their honor."

Author's Note: This one shot is strictly bookverse, but I added Tauriel for the joke and one of all those Mirkwood Elves could have been a badass red head. I also added my OC Caldir from The Heirs of Middle-earth. Originally, I was going to end this differently, but this took so long I forgot my ending, lol.

Translations:
Sindarin:
Mellon nín - My friend
Hîr nín - My lord
Dúnedan - Man of the West
Lasto - Listen!