Hey all. I wish I could say that the next chapter will be up next Sunday, but it won't. The only reason why this and the last chapter made it out on time is because I had written them far in advance. Real life has reared its ugly head and I haven't written anything in weeks. Plus, I'm way behind on Christmas. Look for the next chapter on the 26th. Sort of like a late Christmas present for ya. :)
Review Responses:
harmoni, glad you liked Ginny and Draco's little talk. I'm not through with torturing her yet, but it will be easier for her for a short while. My Thanksgiving was ok. I had that day off but I've worked pretty much nonstop since then. I'm exhausted.
John, I see where your confusion is. The Paths of the Dead are just beyond Edoras at a place called Dunharrow, which is where Théoden is going, but he's taking a much slower path than what Aragorn is. (Why Théoden is going slower is explained in the next chapter) Aragorn's group is not splitting up to reach the others faster, they are going to stop another force that is going to march onto Minas Tirith. He saw the enemy's plan of attack in the palantír which is why he changed their path. I hope that cleared things up. If not, feel free to ask more.
Jewel34, thank you so much! I'm glad to cheer up your Mondays somewhat. :)
LOTR Notes:
ada - Elvish for father
Anduríl - the name of Aragorn's sword
Special thanks to my beta, PuNKyCoWGiRL!
A/N: Because fanfiction. net seems to have issues in allowing special characters used in these fics. When they are speaking Elvish it will look like this. When telepathy is being used, it will look like this.
Because fanfiction. net seems to have issues in allowing special characters used in these fics. When they are speaking Elvish it will look like When telepathy is being used, it will look likeChapter Twenty-Eight
Paths of the Dead
Dawn pulled her horse up next to Elrohir. How did you know what to say last night so I could sleep?
It was Estel's idea.
What does hope have to do with it?
The dark haired elf laughed. Aragorn is Estel. Father named him so. Gilraen, Aragorn's mother, brought him to Rivendell when he was but a babe to hide him from the Shadow. He carried that name for many years and continues to as far as Elladan and I are concerned.
Oh, guess that explains it. Her brow furrowed in confusion. How did he know what was wrong?
He remembered that you were unable to sleep your first night here until you slipped into your mate's sheltering embrace. Estel believed your restlessness was due to your lack of insurance that you were safe.
And he told you to take care of it. She said a little sourly.
Nay. Elrohir said with a shake of his head. He moved to do so himself, but I volunteered and insisted that he get some rest himself.
Elrohir said with a shake of his head.She smiled. He does tend to run himself to the point of exhaustion at times.
He has ever been so. Elrohir grinned. He was also quite the troublemaker as a child.
"Only because you and Elladan placed me in the middle of your schemes," Aragorn said riding up between them. "Don't listen to him, Dawn. He will tell the most outlandish tales."
"And all of them true," Elrohir added quickly. "First, you must hear how he ended up in the small brook that ran through the garden."
"I was seven," Aragorn protested.
"That he was," Elladan said with a laugh as he joined them. "He had been busy climbing trees that morning..."
"Estel was pretending to be an elf," Elrohir said. Then he added in a conspiratory tone, "Twas his favorite game."
"I really wish you wouldn't," Aragorn began.
"But you were so adorable," Elrohir said.
"And the look on ada's face when you dripped mud and water over his favorite rug was priceless," Elrohir laughed.
Aragorn's chin rose in slight defiance. "I wouldn't have fallen out of the tree and into the brook if the two of you hadn't startled me."
"It was a bird," Elladan said.
"Was not."
"A sparrow as I recall," Elrohir said.
Dawn was laughing so hard that tears were rolling down her face as she pictured a young Aragorn being scared by a bird. The man seemed so grim and calm that she had never imagined his childhood contained anything of this sort.
"I think we should pick up the pace," Aragorn said gruffly and he moved forward to tell the others.
"It was a bird," Elladan said.
"Of course, we sent it up there for that exact purpose," Elrohir added without a trace of mirth on his face except in his eyes. It only caused Dawn to laugh harder.
scenebreak
Giles removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Never in his whole career as a watcher had he ever felt as helpless as he did at that moment. Even when they had learned that Buffy was to die at the hands of the Master, did he feel this way. This time his slayer wasn't even in the same dimension as he, but he still felt as though he was failing her.
They had exhausted nearly every avenue of possible solutions with no success. Things were not looking good at all. Every demon contact they had, every human, wizard, and mage contact, none of them knew anything about two lost hobbits. He thought that by now the ring's pull would have attracted the attention of at least a dozen demons, but there was no indication of that happening.
Things were looking decidedly bleak and two girls that he thought of as his own children were stuck in another dimension until he figured out how to find the hobbits.
There had to be something he was missing. Some tiny shred of information that had been placed in his lap that he hadn't recognized its significance yet. Or even several pieces that when put together painted a whole picture. But there was nothing that he could think of.
It was beginning to look as though he had failed his slayer. Something he had feared from the moment he had read the prophecy of the Master.
scenebreak
Dawn barely suppressed a shudder as they stared at the entrance into the mountain where the Sleepless Dead resided. Human skulls were imbedded in the rock on either side of the opening. Strange markings were cut into the rock above it. She thought it might be writing, but it was unlike any she had seen before.
"The way is shut," Legolas read aloud. "It was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut."
"Inviting," she murmured as a blast of chilly air came from the cave. She glanced over to the twins. Even their normally cheerful demeanor had turned somber.
"This is an evil door," Halbarad said softly, "and my death lies beyond it. I will dare to pass it nonetheless."
Everyone dismounted and led their horses through the opening. Arod and Léofa, Dawn and Legolas' horses, refused until Legolas wrapped a cloth around their eyes. The temporarily blinded horses reluctantly entered the dark cave.
Gimli stood last and viewed the path with trepidation. To himself, he said, "Well this is a thing unheard of. An Elf will go underground where a Dwarf dare not!" He shook his head and began moving forward. "Oh, I'd never hear the end of it."
The cave was so dark it seemed to press down upon the company. Aragorn, who was in the lead, carried a torch while Elladan carried one in the rear. But they barely held back the oppressive darkness.
"The very warmth of my blood seems drawn away," Gimli whispered as he stumbled forward.
"Is there a problem, Amaureä?" Elrohir asked as Dawn kept looking anxiously around.
"Can't you hear the voices?" She asked.
He concentrated for a few moments. "Nay, what are they saying?"
"I don't know," she said in frustration. "But they aren't happy about something. Probably us being here."
"Let's hope they don't do anything about it," Gimli grumbled.
They continued to walk through the seemingly endless dark. Hours passed before they reached a huge hall where the floor fell away on one side to reveal a deep chasm.
"Aragorn, stop!" Dawn called out.
"What is it?" He asked as everyone came to a halt.
"They're here."
"Who?" Gimli asked.
"The dead," she whispered as she pointed to a sickly green apparition just beyond Aragorn.
The ghost looked as if its skin was rotting off its non-existent bones and its clothes were in tatters. Dawn assumed it was the king since it wore a dented crown.
"Who enters my domain?" The king asked in a hollow voice.
"One who would have your allegiance," Aragorn said, moving to stand before it.
"The Dead do not suffer the living to pass."
"You will suffer me," Aragorn insisted.
The king laughed and it reverberated through the chamber, chilling the company to their bones. From behind them there was a rush of noise and they all turned to see a ghostly city forming across the chasm before their very eyes. Shades floated over the air until they encircled the entire company.
"The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead and the dead keep it. The way is shut," said the king. "Now you must die."
Legolas released an arrow and it flew through the king's face without damaging him. The arrow clattered onto the floor behind him.
"Just like an elf, always thinking with their bow," Dawn muttered. Louder, she said, "They're ghosts, Legolas. Arrows can't hurt them."
Aragorn drew himself up. "I summon you to fulfill your oath."
"None but the King of Gondor may command me," said the King of the Dead. He swung his sword to cut Aragorn down, but Aragorn blocked it with Anduríl. The king's eyes widened as he saw the sword and he said in surprise, "That line has been broken."
"It has been remade," Aragorn said as he grabbed the king by his throat. "Fight for us, and regain your honor." He released the king and looked at the others who surrounded them. "What say you?"
"You waste your time, Aragorn!" Gimli said, nervously watching the surrounding host. "They had no honor in life, they have none now in death."
"I am Isildur's heir! Fight for me and I will hold your oaths fulfilled! What say you?"
scenebreak
Faith eyed Remus as he gingerly walked out of the Great Hall. Then she looked over at the plate of food he had left behind on the table and frowned. He had barely eaten a thing, but had only drank something foul smelling from his glass.
Grabbing a roll to take with her, she stood and headed out of the Great Hall to find out what was wrong. "Yo, Remus!" She said as she reached the hallway.
The man stopped and turned. "Yes, Faith?"
She lightly jogged to catch up with him. "You alright? You ain't lookin' so hot."
"I'll be fine in a few days."
"Ya sure? 'Cause seriously, you're not looking so good," she said a bit skeptically.
He smiled softly. "The full moon is tonight."
"Oh yeah, that werewolf thing you've got going on. For a slayer, you'd think I'd pay more attention to the moon ya know," she said as they started walking. "Does it always do this to you? I don't remember Oz gettin' like this."
"I had a long talk with Willow one day. There are several strains of lycanthropy. Mine's a little different from his," Remus explained.
"Ah, gotcha. So what was that nasty stuff you were drinking at dinner?"
"Wolfsbane potion. It helps me stay in control while I'm in wolf form. That way I'm no danger to the students."
"Really," she said in surprise. "That's cool. Oz could have used that brew a few times."
They continued to walk in companionable silence while Faith ate her roll. She had no real clue of where they were headed but wanted to stay in his presence a little longer.
"Do you need anything?" She asked after finishing her roll.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know. Like someone to sit with you, to keep an eye on ya, or even for company."
"No, I should be fine," he said, stopping beside a portrait of a teenage girl holding a stake.
Faith blinked in surprise. "This your room?"
"It is." He turned to look at her. "You haven't been over here yet have you?"
"Nope. Just didn't know you had a slayer guarding your room. It's kinda cool."
"How did you know she was a slayer?"
"Stake was kind of a dead giveaway. And she's a girl."
"I ain't no girl," the portrait said in a thick cockney accent as she placed one hand on her hip. "I'm a vampire slayer."
"Yeah, got that," Faith said with a chuckle. "Little easy to recognize us at times."
"You must be the current one," the girl said.
"Sort of. It's a long story."
"Name's Liza." She turned to Remus. "You want in or what?"
"Uh...yes."
"Know the rules, Remus. Even though I know ya, I can't let ya in withou' a password."
"Interlunium."
The portrait swung open and Faith fidgeted slightly.
"Would you like to come in for a minute?" He asked.
"Sure," she replied and followed him inside.
A faint smile appeared on Faith's lips as she walked into a small living room. There wasn't one thing that she could point out to define the space as Remus, but it felt like the werewolf through and through.
She moved over to the mantle over the fireplace to look at all the pictures he had sitting out. "These Harry's parents?" She asked, pointing to one that had a young man with messy black hair and glasses hugging a woman with red hair and startling green eyes.
"Yes, James and Lilly."
"Cute couple. Harry definitely looks like them."
"It is quite remarkable," Remus agreed.
"Sure you don't want anyone to stay tonight?" She asked as she continued her exploration of the room.
Remus hesitated. He detested his monthly forced change. To him, anyone who saw him at that time saw him at his weakest. If he allowed her to be present, he would be revealing a large part of himself.
In just over three weeks he had fallen for this brash, yet compassionate young woman and it scared him. He had no right to chain her to such a useless man who could easily endanger her life.
But as he felt the change coming nearer, his senses also increased. He could smell her nervousness and wondered what the cause was. He watched her move about the room and she stopped next to a chair that had yesterday's robe draped over it. Her hand rested on top of the fabric and he swore he could see her rubbing it slightly.
Was she nervous about him changing into a werewolf? Or was she just nervous around him? He continued to watch her moving about the room and lightly touching his possessions.
Remus wondered if she really could be attracted to him, but quickly dismissed it as a foolish notion. His attraction to her was an old man's last grasp at a youth he never really got to experience. But she had so much more going for her than the wishful thinking of an old man with a disease.
"It wouldn't be a problem," she was saying. "I helped keep an eye on Oz several times back in Sunnyhell. 'Sides, you know me, I only need a few hours of sleep as it is."
Her nervousness was definitely growing stronger and he thought he detected a hint of a blush on her cheeks. "What about the training session?" He asked.
"I could cancel it."
"Those kids depend upon you," he reminded her.
"'Kay, so I come over after the training session. What else do I have to do? I don't grade papers, there are enough people researching, the forest went forever without a slayer patrolling it so missing one night won't hurt."
He chuckled softly. "I will have transformed by the time you'd get back."
"So? I'll knock on the door and warn ya before comin' in. It's not like I don't know your password now."
"Very well," he said, finally giving in. "You can stay if you'd like."
A grin spread across her face. "Alright Wolfie. I'll be back in a few hours."
"Are you sure you're fine with this?"
"Five by five," she said before slipping out the door.