Chapter 18: Feanorian Runes
A/N: I finally got my schedule for school and I got Pre-Engineering Manufacturing Industry. In other words, a class nobody has ever heard of. I wanted Theatre, how hard is that? God! Oh well, it may help for Aeronautical Engineering, but I'm going to change it. I don't REALLY want to be an aeronautical engineer, do I? I'm a writer, for God's sake!
Disclaimer: See chapter one, that one lays it down nice and simple-like.
…
The talk turned back to Moria, and Gimli stayed silent, with a strange fire alight in his eyes.
"There is even a chance that Dwarves are there," said Gandalf, assuring the rest of the possibility of no Orcs. "And that in some deep hall of his fathers, Balin son of Fundin may be found. However it may prove, one must tread the path that need chooses."
"I will tread the path with you, Gandalf!" said Gimli, finally speaking up. "I will go and look on the halls of Durin, whatever may wait there--if you can find the doors that are shut."
"The question is: if will follow me, if I lead you there?" Gandalf asked, after many said they would not like to enter Moria for a first (or in Aragorn's case, second) time.
"I will," said Gimli eagerly. *He will forever regret it,* thought Aila.
"I will," said Aragorn heavily. "You followed my lead almost to disaster in the snow, and have said no word of blame. I will follow your lead now--if this last warning does not move you. It is not of the Ring, nor of us others that I am thinking now, but of you, Gandalf. And I say to you: if you pass the doors of Moria, beware!"
"I will NOT go," said Boromir, "not unless the vote of the whole company is against me. What do Legolas and the little folk say? The voices of the Bearers surely should be heard?"
"I do not wish to go to Moria," said Legolas. He looked at Aila, almost pleading with her to magically find another way. The hobbits said nothing, they all looked at Frodo, willing him to be their ambassador.
"I do not wish to go," he said; "but neither do I wish to refuse the advice of Gandalf. I beg that there should be no vote, until we have slept on it. Gandalf will get votes easier in the light of the morning than in this cold gloom. How the wind howls!"
"How the wind howls!" Aragorn leapt to his feet. "That is no wind. The Wargs have come west of the Mountains."
"It is as I said. The hunt is up! Even if we live to see the dawn, who now will wish to journey south by night with the wild wolves on his trail?"
"Then let us start as soon as it is light tomorrow, if we can. The wolf that one hears is worse than the orc that one fears."
"True," said Aragorn. "But where the warg howls, there also the orc prowls." The Company ran to a nearby hill, that was crested with a circle of rocks. In the center of this, they built a fire, knowing there was no hope of silence and darkness hiding them from the hunting packs. After only a few more minutes, a great warg stood at a space between two rocks. A shuddering howl escaped his throat, as a captain calls his company to the attack.
"Listen, Hound of Sauron!" Gandalf cried, holding his staff aloft. "Gandalf is here. Fly, if you value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to snout, if you come within this ring."
The wolf snarled in response and took no heed of his words. As the warg leapt into the circle of rocks, Aila heard a sharp twang from behind her. Legolas had loosed his bow. The great beast shuddered and fell with a thump to the ground, an elven arrow piercing his throat. Aragorn and Gandalf strode forward into the darkness, but the hill was deserted. All of the wargs had fled the carcass of their captain.
…
The night had grown old and without warning howls erupted from all sides of the circle. It seemed that wargs had gathered around them in the night and were now attacking from all angles.
"Fling fuel on the fire," Gandalf cried. "Draw your blades, and stand back to back!" Aila reached to her side, where her scabbard was placed. However, Gandalf stayed her hand and gave her a different sword. "Use this sword, Aila. Do not use the Sword of Light just yet. They will know of your presence." Taking his sword, Aila turned and stood alone, Gimli having joined Legolas, Aragorn with Gandalf, and the hobbits together. She held her back to the blazing fire and fought with all ferocity. However, she noticed that if more than one warg came at her at once, they would fall with arrows in their throats.
She had killed a good many, their blood running down her sword and onto her hand. Her arm wearied from holding the heavy sword and longed for her own lighter sword, given to her by Elrond. Suddenly, she felt Gandalf grow beside her as he fought with the wolves. He grabbed a blazing branch from the fire and strode out to mean the wargs. He flung the blazing bough high into the air and chanted a spell unbeknownst to Aila. What happened next did not surprise her. She knew it was about to happen. The trees about them set ablaze as the great warg chieftain came forth with her pack to the assault. Legolas, noting that he was their leader, sent an arrow flying into his heart, which caught fire while it was in the air. It drove itself, burning, deep into the warg-chieftain's heart, still ablaze. Seeing the burning carcass of their chief, the wargs howled and retreated like only wolves could.
When the full light of morning had finally come, Legolas scouted across the hillside to recover what arrows he could. He cried aloud in shock to find that there were no wolf carcasses scattered across the ground--just arrows. All of them perfectly in tact, save one that lay with only its tip, the wooden shaft seen with only charred remains.
"It is as I feared," said Gandalf. "These were no ordinary wolves hunting for food in the wilderness. Let us eat quickly and go!"
"We must reach the gates by sunset," Aila said, knowing that the others knew what she said. "Or we shall not reach them at all. It is ill fate to be trapped between wall and wolves. Let us push forward. Lead on, Gandalf!" They Company went forward with a will, not wanting to be caught in the open night again with the wargs. After many hours of traveling, the sun beginning the set, the Company was worried, but Gimli, who had traveled on ahead of them in his eagerness, cried aloud to them.
"Ah! Here it is at last," said Gandalf. "This is where the stream ran: Sirannon, the Gate-stream, they used to call it. But what has happened to the water, I cannot guess; it used to be swift and noisy. Come! We must hurry on. We are late."
…
Footsore and tired, the Company trudged doggedly on, knowing they could not stop. The day was drawing to an end and Sam tearfully said good-bye to Bill, who obviously could not come with them into the Mines of Moria. After they had crossed the stagnant, slimy creek to the other side of the lake, they heard a swish followed by a faint plop. Turning quickly, the Company saw ripples expanding outwards from a point far out in the lake. A bubbling noise ensued and there was silence. Aila clapped her hand to her mouth in horror.
"The Watcher," she whispered to herself. Pippin, who was nearest to her, faintly heard her whisper, though he could not make out what she had said. However, knowing that she knew the future, Pippin felt a shudder of horror go through him. If Aila was worried and fearful, so should the rest of them. Sam tearfully unloaded the packs from Bill's back and Gandalf spoke words of guard to the pony.
"Do not worry, dear Sam," said Aila. "He will get back to Rivendell safely and become fat and happy. You will return to Rivendell and you will be rejoined with your pony." The entire Company looked at Aila as she said this, heartened by her words that the pony and Sam at least would survive. Also, that Rivendell would. Knowing she shouldn't have said what she did, Aila didn't care anymore about that. "Everyone must be on their guard in Moria. Gandalf most of all."
After sending Bill off, who seemed happy to be leaving the rock side, the Company wandered about the mountain-side. Gimli was tapping the stone with his axe at random places and Legolas was pressed bodily against the wall, as if listening.
"Well," said Merry, frustrated. "Here we are and already, but where at the Door? I can't see any sign of them."
"Dwarf-doors are not made to be seen when shut," said Gimli shortly.
"But this Door was not made to be a secret known only to Dwarves. Unless things have altogether changed, eyes that know what to look for may discover the signs." He walked about the wall, passing his hands lightly over them, muttering words under his breath. "Look! Can you see anything now?"
The moon was shining upon the gray face of the rock, but in a few moments they could see that faint lines appeared when the wizard's hands had passed. Steadily, the lines grew broader and outward, becoming clearer by the moment. Upon the doors was writ in elfish characters. The outline of a hammer and anvil surmounted by a crown with seven stars. Beneath these again were two trees, each bearing crescent moons. The clearest emblem of all, however, as a single star that shone with many rays.
"These are the emblems of Durin!" cried Gimli, hardly able to curb his excitement.
"And there is the Tree of the High Elves!" said Legolas.
"And the Star of the House of Feanor," said Gandalf. "They are wrought of ithildin that mirrors only starlight and moonlight, and sleeps until it is touched by one who speaks words not long forgotten in Middle-earth. It is long since I heard them, and I thought deeply before I could recall them to my mind. The runes say only: The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. Underneath it is of even less importance."
"It is plain enough," said Gimli. "If you are friend, you speak the password and the doors open."
"Do not you know the password, Gandalf?" asked Boromir.
"No!" cried Gandalf, and the others looked dismayed. Aila looked worriedly at the darkening sky and turned to her companions.
"If I may spare your mind some trouble, Gandalf? But the night is deepening and I fear wargs, not to mention this stagnant lake. I know of what tidings it brings and I wish to escape it. What spells you will try to open these door will not work, for upon the doors is writ a riddle, if you will: Speak, friend, and enter. The runes are Feanorian, therefore you must speak Feanorian to pass through them. The doors should say, to make it more obvious: Say Friend, and Enter."
A/N: I finally got my schedule for school and I got Pre-Engineering Manufacturing Industry. In other words, a class nobody has ever heard of. I wanted Theatre, how hard is that? God! Oh well, it may help for Aeronautical Engineering, but I'm going to change it. I don't REALLY want to be an aeronautical engineer, do I? I'm a writer, for God's sake!
Disclaimer: See chapter one, that one lays it down nice and simple-like.
…
The talk turned back to Moria, and Gimli stayed silent, with a strange fire alight in his eyes.
"There is even a chance that Dwarves are there," said Gandalf, assuring the rest of the possibility of no Orcs. "And that in some deep hall of his fathers, Balin son of Fundin may be found. However it may prove, one must tread the path that need chooses."
"I will tread the path with you, Gandalf!" said Gimli, finally speaking up. "I will go and look on the halls of Durin, whatever may wait there--if you can find the doors that are shut."
"The question is: if will follow me, if I lead you there?" Gandalf asked, after many said they would not like to enter Moria for a first (or in Aragorn's case, second) time.
"I will," said Gimli eagerly. *He will forever regret it,* thought Aila.
"I will," said Aragorn heavily. "You followed my lead almost to disaster in the snow, and have said no word of blame. I will follow your lead now--if this last warning does not move you. It is not of the Ring, nor of us others that I am thinking now, but of you, Gandalf. And I say to you: if you pass the doors of Moria, beware!"
"I will NOT go," said Boromir, "not unless the vote of the whole company is against me. What do Legolas and the little folk say? The voices of the Bearers surely should be heard?"
"I do not wish to go to Moria," said Legolas. He looked at Aila, almost pleading with her to magically find another way. The hobbits said nothing, they all looked at Frodo, willing him to be their ambassador.
"I do not wish to go," he said; "but neither do I wish to refuse the advice of Gandalf. I beg that there should be no vote, until we have slept on it. Gandalf will get votes easier in the light of the morning than in this cold gloom. How the wind howls!"
"How the wind howls!" Aragorn leapt to his feet. "That is no wind. The Wargs have come west of the Mountains."
"It is as I said. The hunt is up! Even if we live to see the dawn, who now will wish to journey south by night with the wild wolves on his trail?"
"Then let us start as soon as it is light tomorrow, if we can. The wolf that one hears is worse than the orc that one fears."
"True," said Aragorn. "But where the warg howls, there also the orc prowls." The Company ran to a nearby hill, that was crested with a circle of rocks. In the center of this, they built a fire, knowing there was no hope of silence and darkness hiding them from the hunting packs. After only a few more minutes, a great warg stood at a space between two rocks. A shuddering howl escaped his throat, as a captain calls his company to the attack.
"Listen, Hound of Sauron!" Gandalf cried, holding his staff aloft. "Gandalf is here. Fly, if you value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to snout, if you come within this ring."
The wolf snarled in response and took no heed of his words. As the warg leapt into the circle of rocks, Aila heard a sharp twang from behind her. Legolas had loosed his bow. The great beast shuddered and fell with a thump to the ground, an elven arrow piercing his throat. Aragorn and Gandalf strode forward into the darkness, but the hill was deserted. All of the wargs had fled the carcass of their captain.
…
The night had grown old and without warning howls erupted from all sides of the circle. It seemed that wargs had gathered around them in the night and were now attacking from all angles.
"Fling fuel on the fire," Gandalf cried. "Draw your blades, and stand back to back!" Aila reached to her side, where her scabbard was placed. However, Gandalf stayed her hand and gave her a different sword. "Use this sword, Aila. Do not use the Sword of Light just yet. They will know of your presence." Taking his sword, Aila turned and stood alone, Gimli having joined Legolas, Aragorn with Gandalf, and the hobbits together. She held her back to the blazing fire and fought with all ferocity. However, she noticed that if more than one warg came at her at once, they would fall with arrows in their throats.
She had killed a good many, their blood running down her sword and onto her hand. Her arm wearied from holding the heavy sword and longed for her own lighter sword, given to her by Elrond. Suddenly, she felt Gandalf grow beside her as he fought with the wolves. He grabbed a blazing branch from the fire and strode out to mean the wargs. He flung the blazing bough high into the air and chanted a spell unbeknownst to Aila. What happened next did not surprise her. She knew it was about to happen. The trees about them set ablaze as the great warg chieftain came forth with her pack to the assault. Legolas, noting that he was their leader, sent an arrow flying into his heart, which caught fire while it was in the air. It drove itself, burning, deep into the warg-chieftain's heart, still ablaze. Seeing the burning carcass of their chief, the wargs howled and retreated like only wolves could.
When the full light of morning had finally come, Legolas scouted across the hillside to recover what arrows he could. He cried aloud in shock to find that there were no wolf carcasses scattered across the ground--just arrows. All of them perfectly in tact, save one that lay with only its tip, the wooden shaft seen with only charred remains.
"It is as I feared," said Gandalf. "These were no ordinary wolves hunting for food in the wilderness. Let us eat quickly and go!"
"We must reach the gates by sunset," Aila said, knowing that the others knew what she said. "Or we shall not reach them at all. It is ill fate to be trapped between wall and wolves. Let us push forward. Lead on, Gandalf!" They Company went forward with a will, not wanting to be caught in the open night again with the wargs. After many hours of traveling, the sun beginning the set, the Company was worried, but Gimli, who had traveled on ahead of them in his eagerness, cried aloud to them.
"Ah! Here it is at last," said Gandalf. "This is where the stream ran: Sirannon, the Gate-stream, they used to call it. But what has happened to the water, I cannot guess; it used to be swift and noisy. Come! We must hurry on. We are late."
…
Footsore and tired, the Company trudged doggedly on, knowing they could not stop. The day was drawing to an end and Sam tearfully said good-bye to Bill, who obviously could not come with them into the Mines of Moria. After they had crossed the stagnant, slimy creek to the other side of the lake, they heard a swish followed by a faint plop. Turning quickly, the Company saw ripples expanding outwards from a point far out in the lake. A bubbling noise ensued and there was silence. Aila clapped her hand to her mouth in horror.
"The Watcher," she whispered to herself. Pippin, who was nearest to her, faintly heard her whisper, though he could not make out what she had said. However, knowing that she knew the future, Pippin felt a shudder of horror go through him. If Aila was worried and fearful, so should the rest of them. Sam tearfully unloaded the packs from Bill's back and Gandalf spoke words of guard to the pony.
"Do not worry, dear Sam," said Aila. "He will get back to Rivendell safely and become fat and happy. You will return to Rivendell and you will be rejoined with your pony." The entire Company looked at Aila as she said this, heartened by her words that the pony and Sam at least would survive. Also, that Rivendell would. Knowing she shouldn't have said what she did, Aila didn't care anymore about that. "Everyone must be on their guard in Moria. Gandalf most of all."
After sending Bill off, who seemed happy to be leaving the rock side, the Company wandered about the mountain-side. Gimli was tapping the stone with his axe at random places and Legolas was pressed bodily against the wall, as if listening.
"Well," said Merry, frustrated. "Here we are and already, but where at the Door? I can't see any sign of them."
"Dwarf-doors are not made to be seen when shut," said Gimli shortly.
"But this Door was not made to be a secret known only to Dwarves. Unless things have altogether changed, eyes that know what to look for may discover the signs." He walked about the wall, passing his hands lightly over them, muttering words under his breath. "Look! Can you see anything now?"
The moon was shining upon the gray face of the rock, but in a few moments they could see that faint lines appeared when the wizard's hands had passed. Steadily, the lines grew broader and outward, becoming clearer by the moment. Upon the doors was writ in elfish characters. The outline of a hammer and anvil surmounted by a crown with seven stars. Beneath these again were two trees, each bearing crescent moons. The clearest emblem of all, however, as a single star that shone with many rays.
"These are the emblems of Durin!" cried Gimli, hardly able to curb his excitement.
"And there is the Tree of the High Elves!" said Legolas.
"And the Star of the House of Feanor," said Gandalf. "They are wrought of ithildin that mirrors only starlight and moonlight, and sleeps until it is touched by one who speaks words not long forgotten in Middle-earth. It is long since I heard them, and I thought deeply before I could recall them to my mind. The runes say only: The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. Underneath it is of even less importance."
"It is plain enough," said Gimli. "If you are friend, you speak the password and the doors open."
"Do not you know the password, Gandalf?" asked Boromir.
"No!" cried Gandalf, and the others looked dismayed. Aila looked worriedly at the darkening sky and turned to her companions.
"If I may spare your mind some trouble, Gandalf? But the night is deepening and I fear wargs, not to mention this stagnant lake. I know of what tidings it brings and I wish to escape it. What spells you will try to open these door will not work, for upon the doors is writ a riddle, if you will: Speak, friend, and enter. The runes are Feanorian, therefore you must speak Feanorian to pass through them. The doors should say, to make it more obvious: Say Friend, and Enter."