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Diana looks up at the steep walls on either side of the pass and sighs. She definately doesn't like this place. She glances over at Aragorn and cringes at the tension she sees etched on his face. His decision is weighing heavily on his mind.
She reaches out and places her hand over the bracer on his arm. Tears threaten to fall as she thinks about Boromir but she's able to fight them back. Araogron looks down at her hand and then up at her face. "Aragorn, Boromir knew that you would make a great king. The three of us would not follow you so readily if we did not have faith in you, nor would Theoden and his soldiers. So why do you have so little faith in yourself?"
"I feel I am not worthy of such a title," he admits softly.
"Aragorn, I have not seen a man in this world or the one I came from that is as worthy of the title as you are. We see it, Gandalf sees it, Theoden sees it, Boromir saw it, Lord Elrond sees it, your mother saw it, Awen sees it" she says softly. "Now it is time for you to see it. Look deep inside yourself." She narrows her eyes at him. "And I will not talk to you again until you see the yourself for the noble man that you are." She pulls Gelmir up short and drops back to ride next to Legolas and Gimli, leaving Aragorn to his thoughts.
Legolas, having heard their conversation, smirks at her. Gimli, unaware of what happened, looks around in distaste. "What kind of army would linger in such a place?"
"One that is cursed," Legolas answers. "Long ago, the Men of the Mountains swore an oath to the last King of Gondor to come to his aid to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountains. And so Isildur cursed them never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge."
They continue on in silence until they finally reach the door that leads into the mountain. They all dismount and look at the doorway in dread.
"The very warmth of my blood seems stole away," Gimli mumbles and Diana nods in agreement.
Legolas notices the runes above the door. "The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead. And the dead keep it. The way is shut," he says reading it to them.
The horses get spooked and pull out of there hands. "Brego!" Aragorn yells as the horses take off.
"Coward!" Diana shouts after Gelmir and he whinnies as if to say 'damn straight'.
Aragorn turns back to the door and straightens his shoulders. "I am not afraid of death," he says and strides through the door. Diana and Legolas slowly follow him in.
Gimli stands alone at the doorway afraid to go in. "Well, this is a thing unheard of. An Elf will go underground where a Dwarf dare not?" he says, angry at himself. "Oh, I'd never hear the end of it." He takes a deep breath to calm himself and then runs in after them.
Aragorn lights a torch and they begin searching through the passages until they come across a large cavern.
"Who enters my domain?" A eerie voice booms. Diana watches with wide eyes as a ghostly figure appears before them.
"One who would have your allegiance," Aragorn states.
"The Dead do not suffer the living to pass," the ghostly King tells him.
Aragorn steps forward. "You will suffer me," he demands. The King laughs and they look around as hundreds of ghosts appear.
"You know, a year ago I would have found this strange," Diana whispers and Gimli chuckles despite his fear.
"The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead. And the dead keep it," the figure says and the ghosts surround them. They all draw their weapons as the King approaches them. "The way is shut. Now you must die."
Legolas releases an arrow and it goes completely through the King's head. Diana rolls her eyes at him. "What part of ghost do you not get? The part where he's already dead? Or the part where he doesn't have a solid body? You can't kill a ghost!"
Legolas rolls his eyes and Gimli chuckles but Aragorn ignores her outburst. "I summon you to fulfill your oath."
"None but the King of Gondor may command me," the ghost king attacks Aragorn, who blocks with his sword. "That line was broken," the King says in surprise.
"It has been remade." Aragorn says. "Fight for us and regain your honor. What say you?" He walks through the ghosts. "What say you?" He is met with stunned silence.
"You waste your time, Aragorn. They had no honor in life, they have none now in death," Gimli says.
"I am Isildur's heir. Fight for me and I will hold your oaths fulfilled. What say you?" Aragorn asks angrily.
"We will fight," the King tells him.
After taking over the enemy's black ships they head for Minas Tirith. Diana is standing on the bow when she hears a sea gulls call. "Oh no." She closes her eyes as the sea calls to her. Diana knew is was coming and she dreaded it more than anything. The sea-longing has be awoken within her and she would no longer be completely content until she crossed the sea.
Diana bites her bottom lip and turns to look at Legolas who was talking to Aragorn further back on the deck. Her eyes meet his and she knows that he feels it too. He walks over to her and pulls her to him. "The sea calls to you, also. I can see it in your eyes," he says worriedly.
"Yes, but I will not leave these shores until you are ready. My love for you is stronger than the call of the sea," she says and kisses him softly. "And I do not want to leave my friends yet, either."
The black ships stop at the docks. "Late as usual pirate scum," they hear from below them. "There's work here needs doing. Come on you sea rats! Get off your ships!"
Diana steps between Aragorn and Legolas. "Boy are they in for a suprise," she snickers. Aragorn grins at her before jumping over the edge of the ship. Diana and the other two follow suite and the look on the orcs faces is priceless.
"There's plently for the three of us." Gimli grips his axe tighter. "May the best Dwarf win."
They charge at the orcs who try to flee in fear when the dead army appears behind Aragorn.
Between her sword and her powers Diana flattens any orc that is unfortunate enough to get to close to her.
Diana is fighting near Aragorn when he yells at Legolas. She looks up to see something that looks like an elephant on steroids heading straight for Legolas. "What the hell is that?" she asks wide-eyed as she watches Legolas climb up on it.
"Mumakil," Aragorn answers as he continues to cut through orcs. He shakes his head as an orc is thrown away from her even though she never moves.
"Earth has elephants that look similar to them," she says as she beheads an orc. "But it would take fifty of them to make one of these creatures."
"welcome to Middle-Earth," Aragorn says as he slices through another orc.
Diana grins at him. "Hey, you stole my line."
Aragorn chuckles. "I borrowed it." He stops and looks at her with a grin. "I thought you said you weren't talking to me anymore."
Diana ducks to avoid a sword that was meant to take her head and then kills the swords owner. "Oh yea, I did say that."
"That still only counts as one!" Gimli huffs. Diana looks over to see Legolas proudly walking away from the dead Mumakil. She shakes her head and laughs at their antics.
After the battle is over the army of dead gather in front of Aragorn. "Release us," the Ghost King demands.
"Bad idea. Very handy in a tight spot, these lads, despite the fact they're dead," Gimli says ignoring the Ghost King's glare.
"You gave us your word," the King reminds Aragorn.
Aragorn nods at him. "I hold your oath fulfilled. Go. Be at peace."
Diana smiles at the relief on the King's face at finally being able to rest in peace. The ghost army disappears from their sight and Diana sighs as she looks out over the battlefield. A tear slips down her cheek.
Aragorn steps up next to her. "I ask not of what is to come but of how our friends fared in this battle," he says softly.
"Merry is hurt but will recover quickly. Eowyn has a broken arm and Eomer is fine," she tells him and then bows her head. "Theoden King is dead," she says sadly.