They walked along the large rock wall of Moria beside the black, shallow
pool. The sight was amazing, but there was an eerie feeling in the air.
"Frodo, come and help and old man," Gandalf said as they all stumbled over the boulders in the path. Frodo immediately rushed over to the wizard and offered his arm.
"How is your shoulder?" Gandalf asked as they trudged along.
"Better than it was," Frodo replied.
"And the Ring?" He spoke where only Frodo could hear him. The hobbit gave an uncertain look toward the wizard.
"You feel it getting heavier. I feel that there is a threat growing within the Fellowship," Gandalf spoke cautiously.
"Then who do I trust?" Frodo asked.
"Trust in yourself," Gandalf answered as his eyes softened.
"The walls of Moria!" Gimli pointed as they neared the gate.
Anarrima walked into a small garden in the middle of Lothlorien where there was a beautiful staircase leading away from the main talan high above the illuminated city. There standing beside a basin stood the Lady Galadriel, shining like an evening star. She was tall and slender and her hair was of gold.
"Anarrima of the Dunedain, I am glad you have come," the Lady spoke, her words flowing from her lips.
"My lady, I came because..."
"I know why you have come," Galadriel interrupted, pouring water into a basin by the waterfall. "But I wish to show you something, something I think you should see for yourself." She gestured for Ana to look.
Slowly, cautiously Ana walked toward the basin, giving Galadriel a small uncertain glance. She reached the basin and looked in. There was nothing, the water stood without ripple or movement; clear and unmoving. "I see nothing," she said quietly.
"Look closer," the Lady said watching Anarrima intently. Ana watched and concentrated carefully. Suddenly the water went black and everything came into focus. She watched wide-eyed at the scene unfolding.
" Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gimli said as he tapped his battle axe against the stiff, hallow walls of Moria.
"Yes Gimli, even their masters cannot find them if their secrets are lost," Gandalf replied as he searched along the wall to find the doors.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas mocked rolling his eyes. They could have been ANYWHERE but here, he thought. He protested for them to take the road to Lothlorien but told that it would take them too far off course.
"This door mirrors only starlight and moonlight," Gandalf whispered as the moon showed above, and the silver lining slowly took form. The Fellowship stood in wonder at the sight.
"It reads," the wizard began reading the elvish above the door, "the doors of Durin, Lord of Moria, speak friend, and enter."
"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked.
"Well, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open."
He grabbed his staff and spoke and ancient curse to the door. Nothing. He spoke yet again. Still nothing.
"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked suddenly.
"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" Gandalf replied impatiently. "And if that does not shatter them... Now if you allow me a moment of peace, I am trying to find the opening words."
Legolas stifled his laughter as Gandalf tried for hours to open the doors. But as the hobbits were standing by the water, the waters near the gate began to move as if something was there, watching.
"It's a riddle," Frodo suddenly realized and stood up. "Speak friend, and enter. What's the elvish word for 'friend'?"
"Mellon."
The doors swung wide open, and the darkness of Moria poured out, not revealing what dangers lay ahead of all of them. 'A day where a hobbit outwits a wizard,' Legolas thought, 'and a day where an elf enters the City of the Dwarves... strange days these are.'
A cloaked figure walked slowly into the chamber. The chamber was black, lit only by the torches that encircled the room. A palantir stood on a pedestal, in front of a throne of strong steel. On the throne sat a creature of pure darkness. His face was unseen and his posture unmoved.
"Ah Daedeloth, you come to me with news," the creature on the throne spoke, his voice low and evil spilled from every word. His hands that clutched the arms of the throne were clawed with iron.
"Indeed I have brought you news, Lord Sauron," The cloaked figure said and pulled back his hood and bowed to Sauron who sat on his seat of evil.
Anarrima's eyes stung with tears as the figure revealed himself. A small gasp escaped her throat as she felt herself go numb. "Father."
"I bring you a mighty gift, my Lord."
Sauron gazed at the elf in question. "A gift? What gift?"
Daedeloth grinned at the Dark Lord's curiosity. "Your bride... my daughter's hand in marriage; your Dark Queen."
"Frodo, come and help and old man," Gandalf said as they all stumbled over the boulders in the path. Frodo immediately rushed over to the wizard and offered his arm.
"How is your shoulder?" Gandalf asked as they trudged along.
"Better than it was," Frodo replied.
"And the Ring?" He spoke where only Frodo could hear him. The hobbit gave an uncertain look toward the wizard.
"You feel it getting heavier. I feel that there is a threat growing within the Fellowship," Gandalf spoke cautiously.
"Then who do I trust?" Frodo asked.
"Trust in yourself," Gandalf answered as his eyes softened.
"The walls of Moria!" Gimli pointed as they neared the gate.
Anarrima walked into a small garden in the middle of Lothlorien where there was a beautiful staircase leading away from the main talan high above the illuminated city. There standing beside a basin stood the Lady Galadriel, shining like an evening star. She was tall and slender and her hair was of gold.
"Anarrima of the Dunedain, I am glad you have come," the Lady spoke, her words flowing from her lips.
"My lady, I came because..."
"I know why you have come," Galadriel interrupted, pouring water into a basin by the waterfall. "But I wish to show you something, something I think you should see for yourself." She gestured for Ana to look.
Slowly, cautiously Ana walked toward the basin, giving Galadriel a small uncertain glance. She reached the basin and looked in. There was nothing, the water stood without ripple or movement; clear and unmoving. "I see nothing," she said quietly.
"Look closer," the Lady said watching Anarrima intently. Ana watched and concentrated carefully. Suddenly the water went black and everything came into focus. She watched wide-eyed at the scene unfolding.
" Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gimli said as he tapped his battle axe against the stiff, hallow walls of Moria.
"Yes Gimli, even their masters cannot find them if their secrets are lost," Gandalf replied as he searched along the wall to find the doors.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas mocked rolling his eyes. They could have been ANYWHERE but here, he thought. He protested for them to take the road to Lothlorien but told that it would take them too far off course.
"This door mirrors only starlight and moonlight," Gandalf whispered as the moon showed above, and the silver lining slowly took form. The Fellowship stood in wonder at the sight.
"It reads," the wizard began reading the elvish above the door, "the doors of Durin, Lord of Moria, speak friend, and enter."
"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked.
"Well, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open."
He grabbed his staff and spoke and ancient curse to the door. Nothing. He spoke yet again. Still nothing.
"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked suddenly.
"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" Gandalf replied impatiently. "And if that does not shatter them... Now if you allow me a moment of peace, I am trying to find the opening words."
Legolas stifled his laughter as Gandalf tried for hours to open the doors. But as the hobbits were standing by the water, the waters near the gate began to move as if something was there, watching.
"It's a riddle," Frodo suddenly realized and stood up. "Speak friend, and enter. What's the elvish word for 'friend'?"
"Mellon."
The doors swung wide open, and the darkness of Moria poured out, not revealing what dangers lay ahead of all of them. 'A day where a hobbit outwits a wizard,' Legolas thought, 'and a day where an elf enters the City of the Dwarves... strange days these are.'
A cloaked figure walked slowly into the chamber. The chamber was black, lit only by the torches that encircled the room. A palantir stood on a pedestal, in front of a throne of strong steel. On the throne sat a creature of pure darkness. His face was unseen and his posture unmoved.
"Ah Daedeloth, you come to me with news," the creature on the throne spoke, his voice low and evil spilled from every word. His hands that clutched the arms of the throne were clawed with iron.
"Indeed I have brought you news, Lord Sauron," The cloaked figure said and pulled back his hood and bowed to Sauron who sat on his seat of evil.
Anarrima's eyes stung with tears as the figure revealed himself. A small gasp escaped her throat as she felt herself go numb. "Father."
"I bring you a mighty gift, my Lord."
Sauron gazed at the elf in question. "A gift? What gift?"
Daedeloth grinned at the Dark Lord's curiosity. "Your bride... my daughter's hand in marriage; your Dark Queen."
