Chapter 13 Through the Mine

They sat outside the walls of Moria. Gandalf sat trying to think of the password that would open the doors. Mariell was afraid to go into

the mine. She'd never liked dark places. The thought of being underground terrified her. She looked down at her hands and found that

they were trembling. She quickly clenched them into fists lest any of the group see them.

"I know what you're thinking," a gentle voice said beside her. It was Legolas.

"Elves can read minds?" she asked. Legolas shook his head.

"I know you don't want to go in there because I don't either. You don't like the dark do you"

"No," she said shaking her head. "Is this yet another elven trait"

"Most likely"

"It's a riddle," Frodo suddenly said. "What's the elvish word for friend"

"Mellon," Gandalf said. To their surprise the door opened. Legolas looked hard at Mariell.

"Looks as though we don't have a choice," he said. " Will you be all right"

"I'll manage," she said. They walked into the mine. Mariell blinked a few times trying to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Gimli was

saying something about the dwarves.

"They call it a mine. A mine!" Suddenly a light from Gandalf's staff illuminated the room. Mariell gasped as she saw the skeletons of the

dwarves.

"This is no mine," Boromir said, "it's a tomb. We make for the gap of Rohan. We should never have come here. Get out!" Before Mariell
could move she saw something black snake its way toward Frodo and grab his ankle. Before she could shout a warning Frodo was being
pulled back. She raced forward and grabbed his hands trying to pull him back into the mine. Someone who she couldn't see grabbed her

from behind. They pulled hard but the creature was strong. Suddenly, another large tentacle came out of nowhere and hit her in the

stomach sending her sprawling backwards. She struggled to her feet and grabbed her sword. She raced into the water chopping at the

tentacles that held Frodo. She saw Aragorn and Boromir were with her. The creature suddenly released Frodo who dropped into

Boromir's arms.

"Into the mine!" someone yelled. Mariell ran with Aragorn close behind her. They got into the mine as the walls crumbled sealing them in.

"We have but one choice now," Gandalf said. "We must face the long dark of Moria. It is a three-day journey to the other side. Let us

hope our presence may go unnoticed." Mariell followed along as Gandalf led them deeper and deeper into the mine. The deeper they

went the harder it got for her. Though the mine was vast with high walls she felt as though it was closing in on her. She was finding it

harder to breathe. Legolas noticed this as did Aragorn. While attempting to climb a particularly steep wall some of the gravel came loose

and fell into Mariell's face. She started coughing as the dust got caught in her lungs. Aragorn was at her side in an instant.

"Are you all right?" It was a moment before she could answer him.

"It's getting harder to breathe," she said. Aragorn took her hand and gently pulled her up the wall. "Don't worry, little one. We'll be out

of here soon enough." He offered her his arm and for once she let her pride rest. They continued walking until Gandalf stopped.

"I have no memories of this place."

Mariell sat with her knees folded to her chin. She was tired. In her entire life she could not recall a time when she felt more tired. Her

entire body ached. She glanced over at Frodo who was talking to Gandalf. Her brother looked beaten down. She knew the ring was

pulling on him and she prayed that he'd be able to resist it. Her spine stiffened as Boromir came to sit near her. The man already made

her nervous but after seeing his reaction to the ring she was more afraid of him than ever. "Your skills with a blade are most impressive,"

he said to her now. "Especially for someone with so little training." "Thank you," Mariell said stiffly.

"It is a shame that these dark days force women to fight. Especially one so beautiful as yourself." Mariell shuddered at the compliment.

"Perhaps when this quest is finished you could visit Minas Tirith. The white city is a much more fitting place for a lady like yourself. I think
you would like it very much. They would treat you like royalty. You would have servants attending to your every wish, wear beautiful

gowns, and never have to do a thing." If Mariell's face were any hotter she would have smoke coming out of her ears. Who did Boromir

think he was to assume he knew what she would like? If he knew her at all he would know that the kind of life he was describing seemed

revolting to her.

"I don't think I will ever have the chance to see Minas Tirith," she said as politely as possible. "Excuse me," she stood up and went over

to where Frodo and Gandalf sat.

Aragorn frowned as he watched the exchange between Mariell and Boromir. He did not like the way the Steward of Gondor's son had

been looking at Mariell since they had left Rivendell. Judging from the expression on the woman's face as she moved away he knew that

she didn't like it either. Aragorn sighed. It wasn't that he really blamed the Gondorian. How could he when he had been taken by her

from the first moment he saw her. It wasn't just that she was beautiful. It was her courage, her spirit, the way she put the ones she loved

before herself. He was in love with her and it frightened him. He'd seen the look in Boromir's eye when he'd picked up the ring. It was

calling to him. It was only a matter of time before it took him completely. Aragorn knew that Boromir was dangerous and that eventually

he would have to protect Frodo from him. But that was not what worried him most. If the ring took him, the rings evil could drive him to

hurt Mariell. Aragorn knew that Boromir was a good man who was raised with morals. While he might be a little too forward in his

attentions towards Mariell, Aragorn trusted that Boromir would not do anything bad to her. Under the ring's influence there was no

guarantee. And if that was true for Boromir it was no less true for him. He wished so much that Mariell had not come with them. He no

longer worried that she couldn't handle herself against orcs. No, he worried for an entirely different reason. He wanted her. In his dreams
he saw her. He saw her beneath him moaning and crying his name as he made love to her, her eyes wild with desire for him. He could not
even look at her without wanting to grab her and kiss her like mad. He had to stop these thoughts. For the ring was calling to him. He

recalled what Arwen had said to him as he stood staring at the picture of Isildur.

"You are Isildur's heir not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate"

"The same blood flows in my veins. The same weakness"

"You will face that evil and you will defeat it." Aragorn could only pray that Arwen was right and that he would not make the same

mistake that his ancestor had made.

"Ah," Gandalf said suddenly, "it's this way"

"He's remembered," Merry said.

"No," Gandalf said. "But the air doesn't smell so foul down here. When in doubt Meriadoc, follow your nose."