A/N: Hello, hello! I just have to say a huge thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I give you all virtual cookies! I really like Moria, so much happens! I just hope I do it justice! Please review! By the way. Elvish is in italics, while Western is regular.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings...shame...

Chapter 4

Anariel jumped lithely from rock to rock. If she was going to go through Moria, she was going to at least have a little bit of fun first. At the moment she was having a contest with Merry and Pippin. All three were jumping from one slimy green rock to another, each determined not to slip. The others watched in amusement and Anariel saw Aragorn roll his eyes and Gandalf shake his head. She also could have sworn she saw Gimli smile, but knew she would never get him to admit it.

"Which one do you want me to jump to?" Anariel asked Pippin, and she grinned as he pointed to one that was close to twenty feet off.

"That one," he pointed.

"Pippin that is too far," Merry argued.

"No, I think I can make it," Anariel teased. "Can I get a running start?" she asked.

Pippin considered this. "Okay, but not a big one."

Anariel smiled and took two quick steps back before launching herself into the air. She landed as only an elf could, gracefully. She spun and grinned triumphantly. "Ha! Beat that my little friend!"

"Can someone toss me?" Pippin asked warily, looking to Aragorn who just shook his head. He sighed in defeat. "Fine, you win this time Anariel."

Anariel laughed and skipped back to Legolas. She preferred his company to the others, aside from Merry and Pippin. It was because Legolas was the only other elf in the fellowship, or at least that was what she told herself.

Legolas himself enjoyed Anariel's company. He liked having another elf to talk to, and guessed that it was much the same with her. He tried to work out why he seemed to be growing more and more protective of her as the journey continued. Was it simply because she was a woman and a friend? He wasn't developing feelings for her was he? Wait…feelings? No. No that is most definitely not the reason.

You are very good with them. Legolas said smiling.

In dark times like these, it is always nice to have a laugh. Anariel shrugged.

Indeed it is. I'm sure that the rest of the fellowship appreciate it. Legolas said quietly.

What about you? Do you appreciate me acting like an elfling? Anariel asked laughing.

Legolas chuckled. If I didn't know that you were older than an elfling, I would worry.

Anariel scoffed playfully. Face it Legolas. I brighten your day.

Legolas laughed, but neither confirmed nor denied it, and Anariel smirked. The fellowship soon turned the corner and saw a large looming cliff face. The company skirted around the edges of the black, daunting lake that sat in front of the doors.

"The walls of Moria," Gimli breathed in awe.

Gandalf went up to the wall and placed a hand on the stone, searching for the door.

"Dwarf doors are not made to be seen when shut," Gimil announced proudly. "They are invisible, and their own masters cannot find them or open them, if their secret is forgotten."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Anariel said sarcastically to Legolas who chuckled.

"But this door was not made to be only a secret to Dwarves," Gandalf murmured. "One simply must now what to look for."

Anariel watched as faint, silver lines began to appear in the rock at his touch. "Ithildin…it mirrors only starlight and moonlight," Gandalf said quietly.

Anariel looked up at the sky and watched as the moon peaked from behind the clouds, shining down on them. She looked back at the wall and saw the once faint silver lines were now clearer and more luminous. They created ancient symbols that twisted to form an archway. Even Anariel had to admit that it was beautiful.

"It reads: The door of Durin, Lord of Moria, speak, friend, and enter," Gandalf announced.

"What does it mean?" Merry asked confusedly.

"It is quite simple," Gandalf said confidently. "If you are a friend, speak the password and the doors will open." Gandalf raised his arms, "Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen!"

Nothing.

The man tried the words in a different order, and then another, but the doors did not open. The wizard huffed. "What are you going to do?" Pippin asked, seemingly oblivious to the aging wizard's foul mood.

"Knock on the doors with you heard, Peregrin Took," said Gandalf irritated. "But if that does not shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will seek for the opening words."

Pippin, looking appropriately abashed, went away to where Merry was shaking his head. "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves or Men or Orcs," Gandalf said wistfully. "Pity I cannot remember them all now."

The rest of the company knew that it would be awhile, so they all went off in their own separate directions. Anariel and Legolas sat on a rock by Aragorn, who looked up at their approach, but did not do anymore to acknowledge their presence. Aragorn's mind was filled to the brim with his thoughts. He did not like going through Moria anymore than the Elves did. Though they had yet to utter one word of complaint, he knew that they were not looking forward to the journey underground.

This also brought him to another train of thought. He wasn't sure if anyone else had noticed it yet, but Legolas and Anariel were steadily growing closer. Perhaps Gandalf had noticed. Aragorn most certainly had, but perhaps it was because he knew them both so well. Aragorn had known Anariel all his life, and he had not once seen her show any favoritism to one elf aside from Elrond, Arwen, and the twins.

He also knew Legolas. Legolas had never been a romantic. He valued his duty as Prince of Mirkwood and spent all of his energies in fulfilling that role. Now however, the elf was almost constantly with Anariel, and there was always a subtle protective look about him. Where one was, the other was close behind. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. The best part was that the two Elves didn't even realize.

He was drawn however from his thoughts when he heard Legolas say quietly in Elvish, I do not like the look of that water.

I agree. Anariel replied warily.

Aragorn once again studied the water. He too had an uneasy feeling about the water. His gaze drifted from the water to where Sam stood with Bill the pony. Aragorn sighed and got up, making his way over to the pair.

"Mines are no place for a pony, even one as brave as Bill," he whispered and he started to unsaddle the pony.

Once the pony was free from its load Sam whispered, "Bye, Bill."

"Go on Bill," Aragorn told the horse before turning to Sam. "Do not worry Sam. Bill knows the way home," he said before slapping the horse on the rump, sending the horse into a trot.

"Goodbye, Bill," Sam said softly.

SPLASH!

Anariel and Legolas looked up when they heard the splash. Merry and Pippin were throwing stones into the water. Both elves rose to stop them, but Aragorn beat them to it. Just as Pippin was about to toss another stone, Aragorn grabbed his arm. "Do not disturb the water," he said ominously.

Legolas and Anariel watched uneasily as the ripples seemed to grow. Legolas was about to warn the others when Frodo's voice distracted him, "It's a riddle," the hobbit said quietly. "Speak, friend, and enter," he explained. "Gandalf, what is the Elvish word for friend?"

"Oh," Gandalf said surprised. "Mellon," he said and the rock face divided down the middle, creating two large doors that swung outwards.

Legolas and Anariel looked into the darkness, but even they could barely see. Anariel shuddered and Legolas put a comforting hand on her shoulder. The elf maiden smiled up at him in gratitude and he returned it briefly before they followed the wizard into the darkness.

"So master elf," Gimli said to Legolas. "You will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the dwarves; roaring fires, malt beer, red meat of the bone. This, my friend, is the home on my cousin Balin…and they call it a mine!"

Gandalf's staff emitted a light and the fellowship gasped in horror. Anariel looked around. Everywhere she looked she saw a dwarf skeleton, clearly the remnants of an old battle. Many held rusting swords or shields or both. The shields were peppered with arrows and axes.

"This is no mine," Boromir exclaimed. "It is a tomb!"

Gimli was clearly horrified, "Oh no…no…no…no…"

Legolas pulled an arrow out from a nearby corpse and examined it, "Goblins," he said spitefully, throwing the arrow away, and the fellowship began to retreat back out the door.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan," Boromir said. "We never should have come here!"

Suddenly, Anariel heard a terrified scream. She whipped her head around and her eyes widened. A great tentacle had Frodo by the ankle. Sam and the other hobbits were furiously hacking at the tentacle to sever it, but they were not strong enough. Aragorn and Boromir rushed forward, and Anariel was not far behind them. Aragorn cut the tentacle that held Frodo and led him to safety, while Boromir continued to hack at the tentacles that sprang from the water. Anariel heard the twang of Legolas' bow as she ran to the other three hobbits and ushered them to safety. Once they were safe she turned back to see that once again, Frodo was in the clutches of the monster. Aragorn jumped and severed the tentacle and Frodo fell, only to be caught by Boromir.

"Into the mines!" Gandalf yelled.

"Legolas!" Boromir cried and Legolas fired an arrow into the creature's ugly head, giving Aragorn and Boromir a few seconds to get Frodo and themselves to safety. The creature clawed at the door with its great tentacles, the force of which created a rockslide and the fellowship watched as the way was shut.

"Well, there's only one way out now," Anariel said to herself in the darkness.

A faint light appeared again at the top of Gandalf's staff. "As Anariel said, we now have but one choice," he said ominously. "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard, for there are fouler things than the Orcs in the deep places of the world. And keep quiet," Gandalf added. "It is a four day journey to the other side. Let us hope our presence goes unnoticed."

The wizard led them on for hours, but the others did not mind. All of them, except Gimli of course, wished to leave the mines, and as quickly as possible. Gimli walked by Gandalf, his head always looking this way and that as he admired the work of his kin. Behind him walked Frodo and Sam, and Anariel, Legolas, and the rest of the hobbits walked behind them. Boromir followed sullenly behind the Elves and the hobbits. He did not wish to be trapped in the darkness, but he said nothing. Finally bringing up the rear was Aragorn, who was even quieter and more grim than usual.

After several hours of walking, Gandalf stopped. "We shall rest here for the night."

Legolas laid his cloak beside Anariel's and lay down. Being an elf allowed him and Anariel to go for days without sleep, but they had not slept in two days and the past few days had been wearisome and both elves were as tired as their companions. Gandalf took the first watch, seeing as how he had the light.

Anariel lay down and tried to sleep, but she was so uncomfortable in the mines. If only the twin's could see her now! She wouldn't have been able to survive the teasing. The Fearless Anariel scared silly by the dark. She hated how there was no noise except for the sound of their breaths, or their footfalls, or the occasional drip of some unseen water. She hated this place.

Anariel jerked up when she heard a dull thump and her eyes stared into the blackness. Alas, it was only Gimli who had plopped down on the floor. She felt a strong hand take hers and she instantly recognized it to be Legolas. She lay back down slowly and gave his hand a gentle squeeze to show her thanks and he returned it. It was like this that Anariel was finally able to drift off to sleep.

Boromir woke up to the shuffling of feet, and he opened his eyes to see the vague outline of hobbits, no doubt Merry and Pippin. Boromir sat up and the darkness seemed to lift slightly as Gandalf moved in his direction. He looked about. His eyes roved over the still forms of his companions. When his eyes drifted over to where the elves lay he stopped. He looked closely and saw that both elves were facing the other, and each had one hand reaching out to the other. Their hands were nearly touching. Could they have fallen asleep holding hands?

This made Boromir angry. It was bad enough that they had a woman with them, even if she was an elf. Now though, it appeared that she had a lover! It was not the fact that she may or may not be Legolas' lover, but it was the fact that this now jeopardized the quest. He wondered, if faced with the choice, who Legolas or Anariel would save, the other, or Frodo? What about him? What about Aragorn? Or Gimli? Or Gandalf? The hobbits?

Boromir shook his head. It was too early to tell anything. He had certainly seen no other signs. Indeed, he had seen that they were always together, but he had assumed that it was because they were both elves. If he saw another sign of the elves being more than friends, he would take his concerns to either Gandalf or Aragorn. Satisfied with this plan, he roused Aragron beside him, as he'd seen Gandalf start to wake the others.

Deciding that it was time to get a move on, Gandalf had set about waking the rest of the fellowship. When he came upon the still forms of the elves, a small smile lit his face. Judging by their positions, they had fallen asleep holding hands. Darkness apparently can bring people together as sure as it can tear them apart. He nudged Legolas with his staff and the elf jerked awake, sitting up quickly. He looked from Gandalf and then back to Anariel who had also woken.

"It is time to continue our journey," Gandalf said softly and Anariel quickly gathered up her cloak and stood, praying to be out of the mines soon.

"I have no memory of this place," Gandalf announced and Anariel fought back a groan of frustration. She was anxious to get out. She glanced at the path they were following. The tunnels branched three different ways. One of them had to lead them out, but which?

Like they had at the doors of Moria, the group went off on their own, though none of them strayed so far as to be without the little light that Gandalf's staff provided. The wizard seemed to be in some sort of trance, as he stared at the three passageways before him.

After a few minutes Pippin turned to Merry asked, "Are we lost?"

"No, I don't think so. Gandalf's thinking. Shh," Merry hushed.

"Merry?"

"What?"

"I'm hungry," Pippin said and Anariel smiled as she listened to the hobbits conversation.

"Gandalf," Frodo whispered and Anariel's head turned when she heard the wariness in the young hobbit's voice. "There's something down there," he continued.

"It is Gollum," Gandalf answered quietly.

"Gollum!" Frodo exclaimed quietly and Legolas' head snapped up as he listened intently to the conversation.

"He has been following us for three days," Gandalf explained and Legolas' eyebrows furrowed. He had not heard or seen anything that might elude to someone, or rather something, following them.

"He escaped the dungeons of Barad-dur?" Frodo asked disbelievingly.

"Or was set loose," Gandalf replied. "And now the ring has drawn him here…he will never be rid of his need for it. He hates and loves the ring, he hates and loves himself. Smeagol's life is a sad story," Gandalf explained.

Anariel listened to the rest of the conversation, and her heart thudded sadly in her chest when she heard Frodo say, "I wish the ring had never come to me…I wish none of this had happened."

"So do all who live to see such times," Gandalf said gently. "But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the ring, in which case you were also meant to have the ring, and that is an encouraging thought!" The old wizard said suddenly sounding much happier. "Ah! It is this way," he said and Merry jumped up in relief.

"He's remembered!"

"No, but the air doesn't smell so foul down there. If in doubt Meriadoc, always follow your nose!" Gandalf laughed, and Anariel smiled at the sound as she followed the wizard down the tunnel.

After a few more minutes of walking, Gandalf led them under an archway where he stopped. "Let me risk a little more light," he murmured and tapped his staff on the ground.

A brief flash of light seemed to travel down the room, and for a moment Anariel could see a vast hall with an equally vast roof, held up by large pillars of intricately carved stone. The walls were black and smooth. "Behold! The great realm and dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf!" Gandalf announced, gesturing to the hall.

"No!" Gimli suddenly cried.

Anariel looked at the dwarf who was running through busted wooden doors, arrows sticking out from the old wood. "Gimli!" Gandalf reprimanded, but Gimli rushed on and Gandalf and the others had no choice but to follow.

Anariel entered the chamber and to her delight she saw a beam of sunlight, actual sunlight. She smiled, but as she surveyed the rest of the chamber, she noticed that it was misplaced. There were goblin and dwarf skeletons alike strewn about, and in the center of the room was a tomb. Gimli knelt at the tomb and began to sob, "No…no…oh, no…" he mumbled.

Gandalf read the inscription on the tomb, "Here lies Balin, son of Fudin, Lord of Moria." Gandalf sighed. "He is dead then. It is how I feared."

Anariel sensed a growing essence of evil, and her stomach began to tighten nervously. She looked at Legolas and knew that he felt it too. He urgently whispered to Aragorn, "We must move on. We cannot linger."

"He is right," Anariel said worriedly. "I sense that there is danger closing in."

Meanwhile, Gandalf had pried a large, dusty book from one of the corpses and leafed through the pages. He began to read, "They have taken the bridge and the second hall: we have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long…drums in the deep…we cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. Will no one save us? They are coming," he read ominously, and Anariel was about ready to just yell at them to hurry.

However at that moment, a loud crashing was heard and the whole fellowship looked at Pippin as the remnants of a skeleton sent crashing echoes down the well. "Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time and save us from your stupidity!" Gandalf said angrily.

They all fall silent and for a moment Anariel thought that they would get out alright. Of course that didn't happen. A boom sounded in the corridors, steadily growing louder. Boom. Boom. Boom. She heard the scurrying of feet, and horn blasts, then at last angry cries.

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam gasped and all eyes turned to Frodo who unsheathed sting…the blade was glowing blue.

"Orcs!" Legolas said angrily.

Anariel turned to the hobbits. "Get back! Stay close to Gandalf!" she ordered.

Boromir and Aragorn shut the doors and bar them, but the wood was old and they knew it would not hold. "They have a cave troll!" Boromir said and he seemed to be torn between awe and horror.

"Let them come! There is still one dwarf in Moria that draws breath!" Gimli said standing on top of his cousin's tomb.

Anariel unsheathed her sword and stood beside Legolas, who stole one worried glance at her before his eyes reverted back to the door. The pounding on the door grew louder and soon the doors burst open, sending splinters of wood everywhere. Aragorn and Boromir quickly throw themselves into the fray, cutting down the orcs in their way. Legolas was firing arrows so fast that Anariel wondered how it was possible. However she couldn't continue that train of thought as a horde of orcs charged towards her. She was about to cut down the first one when an arrow hit his temple. Anariel threw Legolas an annoyed glare, before she beheaded the orc closest to her. "I could have done that," she muttered under her breath.

She continued to fight, and she found herself moving closer to the hobbits. Gandalf himself had joined the fray, staff in one hand and sword in the other. She was by Sam and noticed that he himself was using two weapons. He held a sword in one and a saucepan in the other. He whacked an orc over the head and it keeled over, much to the hobbit's surprise. He looked up at Anariel, "I think I'm getting the hang of this!" he said as he hit another orc over the head.

Anariel laughed breathlessly at the hobbit, as she beheaded yet another orc. She turned at just the right angle so the blood spatter would not hit her. She was not continuing this journey covered in orc blood. Anariel heard a loud crash and looked up to see that the cave troll had joined them. The cave troll swept its club at Aragorn who stumbled backwards, dodging the blow, but it made him off balance. The troll went to hit Aragorn again, when Boromir's sword came down on its arm, causing green blood to pour from the wound.

Anariel looked for Merry and Pippin and saw that they were being overcome by orcs. She rushed forward and attacked the orcs from behind, easily killing three. However when the others realized she was there, she soon found herself being forced into a corner. In an attempt to keep from being driven into a corner, she leapt forward into the mass and found herself surrounded. Okay, that probably wasn't the best idea she'd ever had, but it was better than being in a corner. She felt a hot slash on her back, but she ignored it and continued to fight through the mob.

Anariel heard the cave troll howl in anger and she saw it set its sights on Frodo. Looking about her, she noticed that all the orcs were dead and the only thing that remained was indeed the troll. "Aragorn!" Frodo yelled helpless as the troll descended upon him. "Anariel!"

Anariel ran as hard as she could, even harder when she saw Aragorn fly into the wall. Anariel watched in horror as the troll lifted Frodo up with his spear, pinning him against the wall. "Frodo!" she screamed and ran toward the troll in a fury. The hobbits joined her as she and Sam slashed at the creature's knees, bringing him down. Merry and Pippin had climbed onto the creature's back and were stabbing it viciously in the neck. The creature reared up and Anariel heard the twang of Legolas' bow. She saw the arrow in the troll's throat and watched as the beast started to sway, as it could not breathe. Finally, it fell over dead.

Sparing only a fleeting glance at the dead troll, she rushed over to Frodo, where Aragorn already was. "Oh no," Anariel whispered and she knelt beside Aragorn. Suddenly, Frodo coughed and drew in a sharp breath.

"He's alive!" Sam exclaimed happily.

"I'm alright," Frodo said weakly. "I'm not hurt."

"You should be dead!" Anariel cried in disbelief.

"I think there is more to this hobbit than meets the eye," Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eye.

Frodo opened the strings of his shirt and revealed the Mithril shirt he wore. Anariel's jaw dropped.

"Mithril!" Gimli said wonderingly. "You are full of surprises, Mr. Baggins!"

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

The drums reverberated in the hall and Gandalf urged them forward, "To the bridge of Khazad-dum!"

Please review and Happy New Year!

ArthursCamelot