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I do not own Lotr. I only own Ayesha, Haromir, and Rowan.
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Chapter 10
"Quietly now, it's a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed." Gandalf spoke once more as they lined up to continue their journey.
They journeyed up the stairs; the only light was Gandalf's staff, emitting a glow that served a single purpose of finding what was directly in front of them. There was nothing to see on each side of them of course, but Haromir did wonder what the place once looked like in its grander days. They refrained from speaking above at Gandalf's command, at the least the Hobbits did.
Hushed tones of: "Don't step here. Follow this path. Careful on these rocks", were the only things heard from the taller members of the Company.
When they stopped at the top of the two hundred steps, they paused for a small break. Each of them were still a bit shaken from the attack only moments ago so Gandalf gave them each another sip of the heated liquid from the flask as he had on the mountain top. He warned that there wasn't much left and also to keep a watch on the water supply. Though there were wells and such inside the grand halls, they dared not touch it. When Gandalf had caught his breath they started again.
They traveled in the dark for many miles and many hours, crossing through great caverns that were too high and too wide for any of them to see the end of, narrow bridges that were often cracked and were obviously unused and soon came upon unused mines that if rocks were accidently knocked off into one, would seem to go on forever. One a particularly slender walkway, they paused when Gandalf stopped walking.
"The wealth of Moria is not in gold, or jewels, but Mithril." He informed them, running a hand along a wall before moving his lighted staff out above the crevice. The Fellowship took in the sights of many mining areas that went down, down into the dark.
When they were on the move again, Gandalf half turned to them again. "Bilbo had a shirt of Mithril that Thorin gave him."
"Ah, that was a kingly gift." Gimli stated and Gandalf nodded.
"Yes. I never told him, but its worth was greater than the value of the Shire." The group was in awe of that, but one spoke. They passed the chasm of mines and deep holes to where a high, flat looking place was and when they had reached the start of the very steep steps, Gandalf nodded his head.
"There we shall rest for the night, whatever is left of it and I am weary as I am sure you all are." He started up the steep steps first. The rest of them followed, the Hobbits having to climb using their hands and feet, like climbing a great tree. They still needed precaution for the steps sometimes cracked and pieces would break off. Boromir suddenly had to use his shield to screen himself and those behind him when a rain of rocks fell upon them.
"Pippin!" Merry scolded quietly and the youngest Hobbit turned to give him a sheepish grin. The Hobbit had tripped a bit, almost tumbling to the back into those behind him. The Valor only knew how long it would take for them to get back up from such a fall.
"Keep going, little ones. You can both have a rest when we reach the top." Boromir stated and gently pushed them on. Haromir had fallen behind his brother, keeping quieter than usual. He did not like this place and desperately wished that they were already out. He felt trapped like a mouse with no escape from a circling hawk. Aragorn watched Haromir jump at the slightest noise, the young man's head turning this way and that, the way Legolas' often did when hearing an unfamiliar sound. It was an uncanny resemblance and he determined to inquire about it later.
Boromir showed none of these jumpy qualities. He moved on without glancing much at his surroundings, though he really couldn't see much to begin with.
Finally they came to the flat, yet rocky plain and there they stood for a moment.
"I have no memory of this place." He murmured, eyeing the three archways. The groups' shoulders slumped and some of the Hobbits looked frightened that Gandalf had idea where he was.
"Do not fear." Aragorn whispered to them as Gandalf stood in front of each one in deep thought. "I have been with him on many a journey and he has yet to lead us astray. Let us be leave him be now and let him think." The group dispersed then as Gandalf went to sit on a high rock, overlooking the crevices below.
"Are we lost?" Pippin asked for the umpteenth time.
"No." Merry toned giving his friend a peeved look. Pippin went on anyway.
"I think we are."
"Shh." Sam shushed from the other side of the fire. "Gandalf's thinkin'."
"Merry?" Pippin whispered as Gimli poked at the fire again. Haromir looked over at the Hobbits this time with a slight amused look at Pippin's ramblings.
"What?" Merry whispered back with a frown.
"I'm hungry." Pippin stated simply. Haromir snorted quietly unable to hold it back, and turned his head with a grin at Aragorn's own compressed snicker. Gimli rolled his eyes and poked at the flames again shifting over when Samwise appeared at his side.
"Well, Mister Pippin, I have something here. It's not much." Sam murmured and handed the young Hobbit a small bit of bread. "There that ought to do you for now."
"Thanks." He said with a mouthful of bread, crumbs spewing from his mouth and getting all over Gimli who happened to be closer to him than Merry or Sam was. Haromir practically fell over in silent laughter as the dwarf dusted his beard off in a slight offended manner and even Legolas gave a brief laugh from where he was standing, making Gimli grumble curses under his breath at them. They sat in silence for a while longer. Harry was listening to one of the Hobbit's stories when someone poked his shoulder.
"Walk down a tunnel with me." Gimli toned softly as he could with his deep voice and Haromir looked up in shock at his sudden appearance.
"Sure." Haromir stood, taking his bow and followed the Dwarf down the last tunnel. The dark swallowed them from sight and Pippin strained to see them.
"They'll be back won't they?"
"Of course. Probably went to check on something." Merry reassured his friend, though he started looking too.
"You wanted to talk to me." Harry guessed when Gimli suddenly stopped or he assumed that Gimli stopped since he could no longer see. He did hear Gimli's footsteps fall silent though, his breathing the only indicator that he was even still there.
"Aye, laddie. You caught me." Gimli murmured hesitantly and then the Dwarf fell silent again. Harry stifled a sigh. Apparently he was going to have to make the Dwarf tell him whatever it was he wanted to tell, like peeling layers off an onion.
"What is it? Have I done something wrong?"
"No, no." Gimli murmured and again a heavy silence fell.
"Did….Legolas say something?"
"When does he not?" The Dwarf guffawed and then Haromir rubbed his temple in the dark.
"Did someone else say anything?"
"No."
Finally it hit Haromir what the Dwarf was avoiding saying and realized that it apparently made him uncomfortable to talk about it.
"Is this about what I said earlier?" He questioned and without waiting for an answer kept talking. "I'm sorry Gimli. I have yet to apologize for the way I spoke to you. It is as I told Legolas, I was only angry. I did not mean to speak to you like that and I-"
"Hold it." Gimli grunted making Haromir stop talking. "I do not blame you lad…if anyone should apologize it is me. The Elf and I have been at each other for days now."
"I know why that is now."
"I must thank you for making us come to our senses. You are a good one, laddie."
"No, I-"
"Really you are." Gimli insisted, talking over the young man's sentence.
"I'm not as-"
"Don't say it." Gimli growled, though it was dark, there was some light from the fire outside the tunnel to show the Dwarf's glinting eyes. "Don't even think about it."
"You don't understand." Haromir sighed. "All my life I have been training for one task…now it is time to put it to the test, yet I do not think I am ready."
"I've seen you with you blade and your bow. I do not see any reason to doubt. What task are you talking about?"
"To protect my brother. At all costs."
"Your brother is more than capable of fighting his own battles."
"I know, but I swore an oath to my father that I am bound to keep. One way or another my brother must live so the Steward has spoken." Gimli fell silent at that, unable to work out what to say to ease Haromir of his trouble. It was indeed a burden for him to have so young and yet it made Gimli more at ease to know exactly why Haromir eyes held something sad in them and why Boromir was watching him constantly; though Gimli was sure that Boromir's oath was more personal than anything. It all boiled down to the father.
"You are a good lad, don't argue with a dwarf, you won't win." Harry laughed. "Might as well get used to it."
"I'll remember that." They started to walk up the tunnel then and back towards the light.
"You'd better, don't want to have to remind you." Gimli walked out first, then Haromir who lingered by the tunnels, his eyes taking in everything there was to see and his mind not really registering what he was seeing.
"I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened." Frodo said sadly and Haromir turned his eyes towards him and Gandalf. The wizard looked at both he and Frodo.
"So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." Gandalf directed this side of the speech towards Haromir who only nodded and walked away.
"Oh! It's that way."
"He's remembered!" Merry said happily and got up with the rest of the Hobbits to follow Gandalf to the entrance of the first archway tunnel.
"No." Gandalf corrected him. "But the air doesn't smell so foul down here. If in doubt, Meriadoc, always follow your nose."
"Where have you been?" Boromir asked, coming to stand next to his brother once the young man rejoined the group by the fire to gather the rest of his things. "Why did you leave?"
"I only went to talk to Gimli no more than that."
"He was back before you. Was something said? Are you all right?" Haromir shook his head at his brother's worrisome questioning.
"I am fine, Bor. It is nothing."
"Nothing? I don't think so, but far be it from me to make you speak." Boromir's tone was sharper than Haromir expected and the young man turned back to his brother.
"Don't get angry." He stated, frowning slightly. "I was only gone for a moment."
"A moment is all it takes." Boromir said flatly. "I won't have you disappearing on me."
"Okay, okay." Haromir stated, frowning irritably now.
"And keep away from that Elf. I think he's up to something." Boromir gave Legolas a nasty glare before stalking off and Haromir growled at his brother's back. What was his problem now? A troubling thought came to him instantly at that thought and the young man searched for Boromir's back among the Fellowship. Was it the Ring? Or was he truly angry about something?
"Keep up, mellon nin." Legolas murmured to Haromir when the young man came to follow the rest of them and fell into step beside him.
"My brother does not trust you." Haromir said after a moment. Legolas nodded. He had heard.
"Do you?" The question was not meant to be as sharp as it sounded and Aragorn frowned at the tone.
"Yes." The young man said sincerely. He didn't seem offended by the Elf's sharp tongue. "With my life." He met the Elf Prince's eyes levelly. In the look Haromir could tell that Legolas had heard the conversation he had had with Gimli earlier and if the look in his eyes were telling the truth the conversation he had had with Gandalf as well.
"Your brother means well." Aragorn spoke up then, sensing that Legolas and Haromir were having a silent conversation. He wasn't sure what it was about, but the way it was looking it was something that bothered the young man a lot.
"I know this. I only wish that he directed his attention elsewhere."
"You mean that you do not deserve to have it?" This surprised Aragorn. As far as he knew, Haromir and Boromir had gotten along just fine. Perhaps there was a deeper explanation.
"I have not yet earned it."
"Earned it? That is not something to earn."
"It is and I refuse to take it until I fulfill my oath." Haromir walked away from the two of them, waiting no more of the conversation and instead, walked along side Pippin.
"You know of what he speaks?" Aragorn questioned though he really needn't. Legolas often heard things even when he tried to shut out the voices in courtesy.
"He has sworn an oath to protect Boromir. I do not think he will let it fall." The Elf murmured and Aragorn frowned.
"To his father, the Steward?" Legolas only nodded once and Aragorn looked at Boromir who was talking to Gimli.
"Aragorn." Legolas called and the Man looked at him. "I fear that Harry would die to protect Boromir. I do not think that is wise. There is something there, Estel, something not of good nature and it chills my heart." Aragorn knew better than to ignore a warning from his life-long friend and sighed.
"You think he will harm the others?"
"Perhaps not….But already his perception of friend and foe is wavering. It will not be long before he will not be able to tell the difference." They spoke no more as they came into a vast chamber and stood at the top of the stairs.
"Let me risk a little more light." Gandalf's voice drifted from the ground. His staff emitted a far brighter glow and the group gasped in awe. "Behold…the great realm and Dwarf-city Dwarrowdelf."
"There's an eye opener and no mistake." Sam murmured and the other Hobbits nodded.
"It's beautiful." Haromir murmured. "I wish to have been able to see it before hand."
"Aye, that would have been a glorious sight." Gimli murmured back.
They walked along the mighty passage, the pillars that were mountain high looming above them and disappearing into where the light could not reach. Haromir had to keep an eye on Pippin who was trying to look as far up as he could without tripping over something ahead of him. Suddenly Gimli took off at a run away from the group.
"Gimli!"
Mellon nin- My friend.
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