A/N Who's ready for claustrophobia, Ring psychosis, and literal demons because why not have Gandalf fighting one of his old college buddies in a mine? TIME FOR MORIAAAAA.
Josephine was able to ride the high of surviving her first battle for most of the day, at least until they came to the lake. Then again after the wargs, the watcher in the water seemed a bit less worrisome. Still, she kept her distance.
"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli told them, tapping along the rock face.
"Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas drawled, as much as Legolas could drawl anyway.
While Sam unloaded their bags from Bill with Aragorn's help, Josephine came up beside Gandalf while he passed his hand over the stone. She wanted to see the doors light up for herself, there was no way she was going to miss this.
"You have not offered us counsel in this," He said quietly, glancing at her over his shoulder. "So I will take it as a sign that we are walking the correct path."
He wanted her to give him a different answer, anything to keep them out of Moria. If she had one, she would've given it in a heartbeat. "If it wasn't, I'd stop you. But when I say I'm not excited about this, don't take it lightly."
"Very well." He cleared his throat and continued searching, finally finding what he was looking for. "Ithildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight."
The clouds parted and the moon came out. She stepped back and watched the doors appear, shining in the dark. Moments like these weren't happening as much for her anymore. After Bree and Rivendell, the novelty of it all was being lost. It was too real now, too important to fawn over childhood obsessions. But the doors of Moria…seeing it tugged at her heart.
"It reads, The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak friend, and enter."
Merry wandered up next to her and stared. "What do you suppose that means?"
"Oh it's quite simple. If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open." He placed the head of his staff in the center and began reciting different opening words.
She was about to reach out and touch the wall when the wind broke a small wave against the rocks in the lake behind her and she spun around, half expecting the watcher to come lunging out early.
There was nothing there but the jump it gave her put her on edge. Where the hell did that thing even come from to begin with? How did it get in there? Didn't matter, it would show up, they'd slice off some tentacles, and then she'd see her last glimpse of the sky for several days. And then they'd be out and Gandalf would be dead, though at least his would be temporary. But the Fellowship wouldn't know that.
What if they blamed her? Sure, she'd had that conversation with Aragorn, but when you're grieving a friend and the person who gave you the most hope of completing your journey, you're not going to be happy with the person who knew it was coming.
Her gut twisted and she sat down on one of the tree roots by the wall, watching as Merry threw a stone into the water, doing nothing to stop him. When Pippin tried to follow suit, Aragorn grabbed his arm.
"Do not disturb the water." Once Pippin dropped the rock back onto the ground Aragorn turned to her. "Something troubles you." He had begun to notice during their journey when her concerns deepened. Her glances became keen and piercing, watching every word spoken without surprise. The way her head snapped around to stare at the lake was a bad sign, and Aragorn knew it.
"Something's always troubling me, aren't you used to it by now?" She asked in an attempt to make light of it.
"I hope to never become used to such things." Sitting with her he leaned forward on his knees. It would take many troubles indeed for him to get used to seeing her that way and not ask after it, and he could not entertain the idea that she would ever see that many. "I passed the Dimrill Gate once before, but though I also came out again the memory is very evil. I am not pleased to enter Moria a second time." Perhaps if he spoke of his, she might share hers.
Josephine wondered what he'd seen, or maybe heard, or both when he was there. Thinking back on her nightmares about Moria, she laid her hand on his back. "I've been dreading it since the moment I agreed to come." She added dimly. "I forgot you'd already been here."
He pursed his lips, leaning ever so slightly into her touch. "Indeed. The darkness is deep and the footing treacherous." Finally he looked over at her, a question on his tongue. "I bid you stay close to me, if you would."
It wasn't a question of caution, she knew that look from him by now. This was more fearful, a request he only seemed to make out of worry. "Won't mind that, it'll probably make me feel a bit better if we're being honest here." Bilbo's words rang back in her head and she withdrew her hand awkwardly. Maybe she was saying too much, but then again he had been the one to ask. Maybe…no. It wasn't that kind of story that she was dropped into, she certainly had no more part to play in it all than this. Aragorn was kind and compassionate, it was only normal for him to look after his friends.
"It's a riddle. Speak "friend" and enter. What's the Elvish word for friend?" Frodo pondered by the door.
Any second now, it would come. She clenched her hands around the straps of her pack to keep them from shaking and tried to ignore the ripples forming in the water.
"Mellon." Gandalf answered.
A grinding noise harkened the correct answer and the doors swung open. The only one of them who wasn't scared to step beyond the threshold was Gimli.
"Soon master Elf you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone! This, my friend, is the home of my cousin Balin. And they call it a mine. A mine!"
"This is no mine." Boromir cautioned them as Gandalf's staff illuminated the stairs and revealed the bodies of the fallen Dwarves. "It's a tomb."
Next to her Aragorn stiffened and Gimli cried out. Preemptively she reached for her sword.
Legolas looked at one of the arrows and grimaced. "Goblins!"
"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here. Now get out of here! Get out!"
Panic stirring the Hobbits backed towards the door.
"Frodo!"
Sam called for Aragorn and they crowded into the doorway as he hacked at a tentacle that pulled Frodo towards the water. Several hits later it was severed and it retreated, but only for a moment. Tentacles shot out of the water, more than she could count, and pulled Frodo into the air. Aragorn and Boromir pushed past her, swords drawn and slicing at the beast left and right.
She tried to keep back and avoid getting dragged towards the water herself. If the timing was messed up they might get caught in the cave in as the watcher pulled at the door. So she grabbed for the rest of the Hobbits, hauling Pippin by the pack into the mine, then Merry, and finally Sam who fought her until Boromir caught Frodo and they began to retreat.
"Into the cave! Run!" Aragorn came behind them, shoving Boromir ahead and urging them deeper into the darkness.
He didn't have to tell her twice, she half dragged the Hobbits with her as the room rumbled and shook. She didn't dare look behind her to see how close the rubble was falling and covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve until the dust settled. It was total darkness, disorienting and thick as ink.
Lighting his staff, Gandalf took a tally, looking grim. "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. Quietly now. It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence may go unnoticed."
"And you knew all along." Boromir grumbled at her, a darker look in his eyes that she didn't like. "Why not simply tell us we must take this road? Why allow us an encounter with that creature? To fight through the mountain's storm?"
"Boromir." Aragorn warned. "She cannot warn us of such things."
"Can she not? Would you not follow her counsel if she gave it freely?" He continued, fear coloring his eyes. "Or does she have you so bewitched you care not to question her silence?"
She held up her hand for Aragorn to be silent and Gandalf watched her patiently, waiting in case he was needed. Boromir was slipping, and his fear of Moria was feeding the Ring's power. Still jumpy from the fight, she grabbed the collar of his tunic and gave it a sharp jerk. "Look, I have one job on this lousy trip, and it may seem stupid to you but I'm gonna fucking do it. If that means we have to fight a giant squid monster we're gonna fight a giant squid monster. We're gonna save Gondor so you're gonna do what I say and I don't give a flying fuck if you like it or not!"
He pulled back from her grasp sheepishly, seeing that no one else had joined his side. Shouldering his shield stiffly he turned to face the dark passageway ahead, waiting on them to begin moving.
The only upside of that speech was her getting to quote Galaxy Quest and nobody even knew it except her. Boromir was slipping and it was happening faster than she'd anticipated. She hadn't imagined he was going to turn against her too, but it stung to realize he would.
"Well," Merry said, sidling up to her as they started walking. "You sure told him off." He chuckled and nudged her with his elbow.
"Like to see him try that again." Pippin added.