Chapter 3: The Paths of the Dead
Valia slowly pulled herself up, urging herself forward step-by-step. She cried out as her hand slipped, nearly causing her to fall. Frodo set a hand on her back to help her steady herself.
"Careful!" Gollum called down. "Very far to fall!" Gollum leapt onto a small landing then looked back at Frodo and Valia. "Very dangerous on the stairs."
Valia pulled herself onto the landing then reached down and helped Frodo up beside her. She leaned back against the mountain, as far from the edge as possible. Frodo sat beside her, breathing heavily.
"How far do we have to go?" Frodo asked.
"This is the first stair," Gollum whispered. "Next is the winding stair and then the tunnel."
Valia sighed weakly and lay down, resting her head in Frodo's lap. "Why does it have to be so difficult?"
"Winding stair is not as difficult," Gollum said.
Both Valia and Frodo just groaned.
Estellia rode with the others, and the men stood as Theoden passed. "How many?"
"I bring five hundred from the Westfold, my lord," a soldier called out.
"I bring three hundred spears," another soldier called out.
"Where are the riders from Snowbourn?"
"None have come, my lord."
Pernn stirred fitfully, and Estellia ran her hand through his mane, attempting to calm him. She spoke softly to him in elvish then looked to Legolas as he came to her side.
"The horses are restless." He set his hand on Pernn's side.
"And the men are quiet," Estellia added.
"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." Eomer walked up.
The three of them looked toward the White Mountains. Legolas set his hand on Estellia's shoulder, and she reached up and covered it with her own.
That night, Estellia woke to Legolas shaking her. She sat up, blinking her tired eyes.
"What is it?" she mumbled.
"Aragorn is trying to sneak away without us." Legolas helped her stand. "Come on. Pernn is ready and waiting for you."
Estellia took the reigns of her horse and followed after Legolas. Gimli was sitting not far from the passageway Aragorn would be taking. Gimli stood as Aragorn stepped toward the mountain.
"Just where do you think you're up to?" Gimli asked.
Aragorn shook his head. "Not this time. This time you must stay, Gimli."
Legolas and Estellia stepped forward, leading their horses. "Have you learned nothing of the stubberness of Dwarves?" Legolas asked.
"Might as well accept it. We're going with you, laddie," Gimli muttered.
The company made slow progress down the path to the Dark Door. It was morning, but the morning was cold and unfeeling.
"What kind of army would linger in such a place?" Gimli muttered, looking around apprehensively.
"One that is cursed," Legolas replied. "Long ago the Men of the Mountain 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 mountain. And so Isildur cursed them: never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge."
"The very warmth of my blood seems drawn away," Gimli whispered as they led their horses toward the entrance.
They stopped at the entrance, and Estellia scanned the words written above it. "The way is shut," she read. "It was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut."
A blast of wind, mingled with the cries of the dead, came from the entrance. The horses reared up and ran.
"Brego!" Aragorn called, watching after them. He turned back to the entrance, raising his sword. "I do not fear death!" He walked in and disappeared within the darkness.
Estellia took Legolas's hand, entwining their fingers. They both took a deep breath then walked inside together. She heard Gimli run in after them. They followed after the dim light of Aragorn's torch then stopped when they reached huge double doors.
"Who enters my domain?" a booming voice called.
Estellia moved closer to Legolas, gripping his hand tightly in her own. They all turned to find a glowing, green spirit of a dead king.
Aragorn stepped up to him. "One who will have your allegiance."
"The dead do not suffer the living to pass," the ghost growled.
"You will suffer me!"
The king laughed, and Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Estellia looked around them. A dead army was slowly surrounding them.
"The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it. The way is shut." The king stepped forward. "Now you must die!"
Legolas let loose an arrow, but it passed through his head and fell to the floor with a hollow clatter.
Aragorn stepped forward. "I summon you to fulfill your oath!"
"None but the king of Gondor may command me!" The king swung his sword toward Aragorn, but the Ranger blocked it with his own sword then grabbed the phantom king by the neck and set the tip of his sword at his neck. "That blade was broken!" the king growled.
"It has been remade." Aragorn shoved the king away from him. "Fight for us and regain your honor. What say you?" The group looked around them; the ghostly army was closing in. "What say you?"
"You waste your time, Aragorn!" Gimli muttered. "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 oath fulfilled!" Aragorn shouted. "What say you!"