They all sat and waited while Gandalf tried password after password with no avail.
Brenna dozed lightly against Legolas's shoulder but he wasn't fooled he knew she could go from sleep to combat ready at a moment's notice.
Mary and Pippin were throwing rocks into the water until Aragorn stopped them with a soft warning.
"Do not disturb the water" he whispered loud enough the hobbits heard him but also Legolas.
He too had been about to warn them but with his dark beauty resting on him it made moving almost a disappointment for it would wake her. He looked up in time to see Gandalf toss his staff down and mumble that it was useless nothing was working.
But then the ring bearer stood up. "It's a riddle."
Legolas felt Brenna jerk a little and wasn't surprised to see her eyes open. What did surprise him was that her eyes were on the water not the hobbit speaking.
"Speak friend and enter. What's the Elfish word for friend?" Frodo asked.
Slowly Brenna stood up reaching almost casually for her sword watching the water ripple.
"Mellon" Gandalf said. As he did the doors opened at last. Slowly everyone got up to go inside Brenna waited until everyone was inside before giving the water her back.
"Soon Master Elf you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This my friends is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine a mine!" the Dwarf told them.
Gandalf's staff lite up spreading much needed light for there was bodies all over the floor.
"This is no mine. It's a tomb" Boromir spoke softly. The hobbits started to panic the Dwarf was crushed with grief. "No...no!" he cried out with grief and anger.
Legolas quickly pulled an arrow out of a body to inspect it, "Goblins."
Just as fast everyone drew their weapons Brenna's was still out.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan we should never have come here. Now get out of here get out!" Boromir shouted as the hobbits all stumbled to get out.
The others watched the mines for danger but Brenna watched the water so before Frodo was even pulled down she was dashing forward sword drawn.
"Strider!" Sam called for Aragorn.
If the hobbits would move Brenna would have cut the tentacle holding Frodo but the risk to him them was too high. However Sam himself surprised her by drawing a sword and cutting it himself.
Quickly the other realized the bigger danger was outside the mine and rushed to their aide. Even though the tentacle was cut five more sprang out of the water one grabbing Frodo the others knocking Brenna and the hobbits off their feet.
As she looked up there was at least ten tentacles thrashing about one had an arrow in it from Legolas already. Aragorn was knee deep in the water slashing and stabbing anything he could. Then the creatures head broke the surface it was huge and it held Frodo above it.
Jumping to her feet Brenna whipped out her bow after sheathing her sword and began to hunt for a weak spot to hit. The creature opened its mouth preparing to eat Frodo until Boromir chopped off a long tentacle.
It reared back pulling most of its tentacles back with it. Aragorn took the chance and cut the one holding Frodo who fell right into Boromir's arms.
"Into the mines!" Gandalf yelled.
"Legolas!" Boromir called for cover fire.
He got it from both Legolas and Brenna. Legolas got the lucky shot right into the creatures eye but it kept coming they retreated into the mines still firing. The creature seemed to try and pull itself out of the water but the doors broke the rocks sealing the door behind them.
It also stopped the creature but it meant that they also couldn't get back out. Surrounded by darkness that not even the Elves could see in Gandalf spoke as his staff once again lite up.
"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."
The two Elves were behind Gandalf and the two men brought up the rear leaving the hobbits safe in the middle.
"Quietly now it's a four day journey to the other side let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed" Gandalf said softly.
So into the mines they went.
