Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings

A/N: I'm giving Legolas a line in this that is especially for Orlando Bloom, who was very upset that it got cut from both the theatrical and extended versions of the film.

Chapter 18

The paths of the dead

"Legolas," she said, after a long silence, "You don't believe him do you? That I was only using you for…" Legolas held out his hand and she took it.

"No," said Legolas, "I know he was lying. I could see it."

"I was terrified," she said quietly, "I didn't know what to do. So I screamed."

"Good thing too," said Legolas, "I never would have heard otherwise."

"Eomer was watching, he would have got help," said Tigerlily. Legolas shook his head.

"We met Eomer on our way up," said Legolas, "It's very difficult to get to the main camp from here." He pulled her into his arms and ran one hand through her hair.

"I promise that no one will ever hurt you again," he whispered. He pulled her to her feet and led her back to her tent. She had just sat down when Gimli came running in. "Oh lass," he said, "I just heard what that River tried to do to you. Are you alright?"

"A little shaken," said Tigerlily, "But I'm not hurt." Gimli grunted his approval.

"I've also come to tell you that Aragorn has just received an important visitor," he said, "I think that it may be time for him to follow Gandalf's instructions and look for the black ships."

"He's going to try to go alone," said Tigerlily, "I know him well enough to know that."

"Well, I'm not letting him go alone," said Gimli.

"Hear, hear," said Tigerlily. They all slipped out of the tent and headed towards Theoden's but the guards stopped them, insisting that Aragorn and his guest were to talk in private. A short while later, they saw Aragorn with Brego, preparing to leave. Legolas and Tigerlily went to fetch Arod. "Just where do you think you're off to?" asked Gimli as Aragorn passed him. "Not this time," said Aragorn, "This time you must stay Gimli." Legolas and Tigerlily appeared on Aragorn's other side. "Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of dwarves?" asked Legolas.

"Or the stupidity of elves?" mocked Tigerlily.

"You might as well accept it," said Gimli, "We're going with you, laddie." Aragorn smiled at the loyalty of his friends. Aragorn climbed onto Brego and pulled Gimli up behind him. Legolas jumped onto Arod and pulled Tigerlily up. They rode up to the Dimholt road. The horses went on bravely, despite the eerie chill that hit them as soon as they entered the mountains. They heard the Rohirrim whispering amongst them as they left. They rode bravely through the night and morning swiftly came. Tigerlily had fallen asleep and had slept with her head resting on Legolas' back. From what he could tell, she was having nightmares. She kept moaning quietly and twisting so much that Legolas thought she might fall off the horse. As the sun rose, Tigerlily opened her eyes. The road did not look welcoming. "What kind of army would linger in such a place?" she said, tightening her grip on Legolas, afraid to let go. "One that is cursed," said Legolas, "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 mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge." Tigerlily remembered something from the ghost stories her brothers had told her. "Who shall call them from the grey twilight?" she whispered, "The forgotten people. The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the north shall he come. Need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead…its Strider." Aragorn nodded. "All these years, you've told me that riddle," she said, "And the answer was you. The Ranger from the North! The heir of Isildur! Legolas, if we survive this war, remind me to harm him severely." Legolas grinned.

"Would that be before or after you have Legolas' child?" asked Gimli.

"Him too!" said Tigerlily.

They came to a track leading off the main path. It led into the mountain. Everything seemed to grow cold as if the sun's warmth couldn't reach this dead area. The hairs on the back of Tigerlily's neck stood up on end. She took Legolas' hand. His skin was ice cold. She looked at him. His eyes were dark and were focusing on a stone doorway in the side of the mountain. "The very warmth of my blood seems stole away," said Gimli. They stopped before the door. Aragorn looked up at the symbols above the door. "I do not recognize this language," he muttered. Tigerlily looked closely at them.

"Hieroglyphics," she said.

"Bless you, lass," said Gimli. Tigerlily slapped him on the back of the head. She pointed to the symbols. "Each one of these has a different meaning," she said, "You find the meaning, you can read it." Legolas stepped forward and looked at the beginning of the message. "The way is shut," he said softly. Tigerlily read the rest.

"It was made by those who are dead," she said, "And the dead keep it. The way is shut." A wind suddenly blew. It was so cold that it felt like sharp knives stabbing at them. The horses bolted and ran away. "Brego!" called Aragorn, as his trusted horse ran away. He turned and faced the gate. "I do not fear death," he hissed and he stepped through the door. "To whatever it may lead," said Legolas, stepping in after Aragorn. (A/N: There you go, Orli). Tigerlily looked apprehensively at the door. "Oh, this has trouble written all over it," she said. The sound of Aragorn and Legolas' footsteps began to fade.

"Strider? Legolas?" she said, "Wait for me!" She ran in after them, leaving Gimli on his own. "Well, this is a thing unheard of," said Gimli, "An Elf will go underground where a Dwarf dare not? Oh. Oh, I'd never hear the end of it."

"Gimli, come on," called Tigerlily. Gimli let out a sigh and followed. Tigerlily, Aragorn and Legolas were stood together when Gimli joined them. "This isn't leading underground," he said, "I thought this was leading underground." Tigerlily ventured forward a few steps. "It should lead underground at some point," said Aragorn. Tigerlily suddenly vanished from sight with a small scream. "Tigerlily!" cried Legolas. He rushed forward and found a hole in the floor, which led to another tunnel beneath it. Tigerlily was lying on her back. "Tigerlily, are you all right?" asked Aragorn. She began to laugh.

"I think I've broken something," she said. She reached under her back and pulled out a stick, which was being held together by a thread of bark. Legolas let out a small laugh.

"Seriously," she said, "I'm fine. Just a little bruised." Legolas dropped through the hole and landed on his feet next to Tigerlily, shortly followed by Aragorn. They pulled Tigerlily to her feet. She moved just in time to miss Gimli who fell rather than jumped. "Ow," muttered Gimli, "That really hurt lass, how can you be only bruised?"

"Maybe I'm more resilient to injury than Dwarves," suggested Tigerlily.

"You've been spending too much time with the Elf," said Gimli. They moved through the tunnel, following the light of Aragorn's torch. The light showed piles of human skulls on either side. Legolas' eyes were darting around as if watching something. "What is it?" asked Gimli, "What do you see?"

"I see shapes of men," replied Legolas, "And of horses."

"I've think that ale's gone to your head," said Tigerlily. Gimli however was beginning to panic. "Where?" he said, spinning round with his ax at the ready.

"Pale banners like shreds of cloud," said Legolas, "Spears rise like winter-thickets through a shroud of mist. The Dead are following. They have been summoned."

"The Dead?" said Gimli, panicking now, "Summoned?" He noticed Tigerlily was giving him a quizzical look. He immediately built up a tough façade. "I knew that," he said calmly, "Very good!" He noticed the others had moved on without him.

"Legolas!" he called and ran after them. In the next part of the tunnel, they found themselves wading through a mist. Hand-like shapes kept rising and circling them. Gimli blew them away. Tigerlily noticed curiously that with the other three the hands rose up to their faces but with her they mainly focused on her stomach. What were they doing? Why were they ignoring her head? Aragorn heard something crunch under his foot. He looked down and groaned. "Do not look down," he said. Something crumbled beneath Tigerlily's feet. She looked down. More skulls lined the floor. She shuddered and moved forward. Crunch! Another one and another and another. She looked behind. Gimli didn't like this either and was doing some kind of jog trying not to step on the skulls. They soon managed to escape the skull-lined floor. They were in a large hall like the one in Moria. It was dark and empty. A voice hissed. "Who enters my domain?" A ghostly green figure appeared. It was the man from her dreams. He was the king of the dead. Aragorn answered the ghost's question. "One who will have your allegiance," he growled.

"The Dead do not suffer the living to pass," said the ghost.

"You will suffer me," said Aragorn. The ghost-king laughed. His voice echoed around the hall. Tigerlily suddenly felt an unearthly chill fill the hall. Legolas put a protective arm around her shoulder. More green ghosts appeared and quickly surrounded Aragorn and his company. "The way is shut," said the ghost king, "It was made by those who are dead. And the Dead keep it. The way is shut." Tigerlily walked away from Legolas, towards the ghosts. The ghost king regarded her for a moment before speaking again. "Now you must die," he said. He moved his hand and it easily penetrated Tigerlily's clothes and skin. It settled in her stomach. An icy chill spread through her as if it were freezing her blood. Legolas drew an arrow and fired it at the ghost king. It passed rough him. Gimli tightened his grip on his ax. "I summon you to fulfill your oath," said Aragorn. His voice was shaking as he tried not to resort to violence to free Tigerlily. "None but the king of Gondor may command me," snarled the ghost king. Aragorn raised his sword, Andúril – the flame of the west. The ghost king withdrew his hand from Tigerlily who collapsed on the floor. He raised his own sword and brought it down to kill Aragorn but Aragorn blocked it with Andúril. The ghost king was shocked when his sword didn't pass through Aragorn's. "That line was broken," he gasped. Aragorn took hold of the ghost-king's throat. "It has been remade," hissed Aragorn, he pushed the ghost back amongst his men, "Fight for us and regain your honor. What say you?" He walked towards the ghosts. They moved aside as he walked. "What say you?" he asked again. Legolas hurried over to Legolas and lifted her up as her eyes opened. He helped her stand upright as her legs were shaking. "You waste your time Aragorn," said Gimli, "They had no honor in life, they have none now in death," Aragorn was persistent.

"I am Isildur's heir," he said, "Fight for me and I will hold you oaths fulfilled. What say you?" The ghost king laughed.

"You have my word!" said Aragorn, "Fight and I will release you from this living death." The ghost king carried on laughing. "What say you?" said Aragorn desperately. The ghosts began to disappear. "Stand, you traitors!" yelled Gimli. A wind blew in the cavern. The rocks around them began to crumble. A few skulls appeared. Then ore appeared than Tigerlily could count. It was as if it were raining them. "Out!" cried Aragorn. They waded through the pile of skulls, trying to find an exit. Legolas fell behind. "Legolas!" cried Tigerlily. She held her hand out to him and he grasped it. She pulled him through to her. "Run!" shouted Aragorn. They ran down a narrow passage and found themselves emerging on the other side of the mountains. A river flowed at the bottom of the grassy hill. Corsairs ships were sailing up. Tigerlily could see the crews dressed in black running to and fro on the decks. Aragorn sat down heavily. Legolas placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Tigerlily leaned against Legolas as she panted from running. Legolas put an arm around her and pulled her close. He placed a kiss to her forehead. When the ghost king had had hold of her, he had been scared that she would die. Tigerlily looked over Legolas' shoulder. She reached down and shook Aragorn's shoulder. He turned to see the ghost king emerging from the mountains. "We fight," he said.

A/n: Ok, only two of you out there will actually understand some of the things going on this chap. That's cos I've already told you. If you think you've clicked onto something, let me know. I'll email you if I can and let you know if you're right.