Happy Easter! I am gifting you all with an early posting of a chapter. I do hope that you enjoyed the Rivendell events. So now we are on the road with the Fellowship.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Hobbit or LOTR. Only my OCs.
Early the next morning, Inara enters the courtyard where the rest of the Fellowship will be meeting up before leaving. She is the first one to have arrived, and wastes no time to mentally prepare herself for the long road ahead. Her dark brown hair is pulled back into a half braid while the rest of her hair flows freely. Inara's marriage and status braids are left loose to hang just in front of her ears to frame her face. At the ends of each braid, she has tied a few feathers to the beads.
Inara's clothes aren't her normal traveling clothes. Late in the night, Arwen had brought Inara two sets of elven traveling clothes which she had taken in and shortened to fit the Queen of Erebor. The first one is a close fitting, soft slate blue color top with wrist length sleeves and buttons down the front. There is a white linen tunic to wear underneath it. There is a pair of black pants and soft leather boots to go with the top. The second set is one that Inara is currently wearing. It is comprised of a brown, elbow length, button down top and an ivory colored tunic for underneath. The pants are dark brown, as is the knee high leather boots, which house her two Sais. Underneath it all, Inara has on chest bindings to wear instead of a corset.
"Inara?" Kili's voice says as he comes up from behind Inara.
"Kili." Inara answers in a gruff voice.
"I wanted to apologize for last night." Kili moves so that he is standing in front of Inara. "I was out of line to push you into seeing the healer. I apologize."
Inara shakes her head as she lets out a sigh. "No Kili, you weren't. You had a concern that you wished to address with me, and the matter was solved. No harm, no foul. But for future reference, please keep yourself out of my private business. The only dwarf who has that right is Thorin."
Kili chuckles and nods his head. "That is who I was thinking of when I confronted you to see the healer. He tasked me with keeping you safe, Inara, and I plan on following his orders. I don't think Thorin would want you going on this kind of a quest if you were, by some miracle, with child."
"He would come for me personally if that were the case." Inara says jokingly to Kili, but in her mind she thinks. 'I am at the end of my child bearing years. There will be no more, unless it is by some miracle or will of the Valar.'
"So when will the others be arriving?" Kili asks, trying to pull Inara out of her thoughts.
He knows what she is thinking about the miscarriage she had suffered a few years ago. While at the same time having to deal with the possibility of losing Thorin as well and Dis's death as well. It amazed Kili that Inara had kept sane through it, but he knew why Inara didn't falter when others had expected her to. Fili. Both Inara and Fili had sought the comfort one might look for from family, or a dear friend, in each other. During those dark days after Dis's death and the uncertainty if Thorin would live, they had leaned on each other. Yet, there were rumors that flowed through the servants, and Kili had heard them and stopped the rumors from being spread. Upon hearing the rumors, Kili had confronted Fili about the accusations that were being said. Fili denied them, and had told Kili about Inara's miscarriage. It was then that Kili realized that Fili was the only one Inara could talk to about the loss. That day, Fili made Kili promise not to tell anyone, and to keep Inara safe if she ever became with child again.
"Hell if I know. Aragorn was hoping to leave just after first light. But it looks like that isn't going to happen." Inara says to Kili. She noticed that his face has gone from one of mischief to one of deep thought. Yet she won't ask him why.
"Well. That means that we get to have some kind of breakfast then." He says coming out from his thoughts. Kili pulls his small pack off of his back and begins digging through it. He pulls a pain of black pants while rummaging. He is already wearing one of his dwarven sets of traveling clothes, which look an awful lot like Thorin's did over sixty years ago. His bow rests over his shoulders, the quiver rests against the left side of his upper back, and a broadsword rests at his waist.
"Did Kili loose something?" Tauriel asks as she comes towards the pair via a walkway. She is in her old Woodland Realm guard clothes, which looks to have been cleaned and tears sewn up. At her waist sits her two daggers, while she holds her bow in her right hand. Her red hair has three braids on either side of her head, which is pulled back and braided together into a single, thick plait. The third braid on either side have their dwarven beads in them to mark her as Kili's wife and royal status. The rest of her hair is left loose.
"No, he is just looking for breakfast." Inara says, giving Tauriel a smile.
"But he already ate." Kelda says as she enters the courtyard, via the stairs, with Gimli at her side. In her hands is a heavily wrapped package. "We all did."
Kelda is wearing a similar outfit design to Inara's, but in the colors of Durin's line. Her auburn hair is pulled back into a single, thick braid that is tied off with a leather string. On her back is her own pack, a bow, and quiver. While at her waist rests two short swords on either side. If she has any other weapons on her person, no one would know till it was too late. Like Fili, Kelda has a habit of carrying multiple hidden knives within her clothes.
"I took the liberty of picking up your weapon, Inara, from the elven smiths. They were very intrigued by such a weapon." Kelda tells Inara as she hands the wrapped weapon over to her. "They wanted to know how it worked, and how you came up with such a concept. I told them that you would demonstrate for them once the quest is done."
Inara chuckles as she unwraps her weapon. Out of all the weapons that Inara has had Balder, Thorin, or Fili make for her, this one is her pride and joy. Once the wrapping is free from the weapon, Inara lifts the bat'leth into her hands, while leaving a few of her tomahawks in the wrapping. Being careful of her surroundings, Inara tests the weight of the bat'leth before doing a few practice moves with it.
"What kind of sword is that?" Boromir's voice echoes as he comes down the stairs with Legolas following behind him. The elf is keeping a close eye on this particular son of Gondor.
"It isn't a sword." Inara says as she moves fluidly so that her weapon looks like an extension of one of her limbs. "It is called a bat'leth. Where I come from, these are heavily prized and seen as something to admire. Especially if you can keep from injuring yourself while using it."
'I blame my father and his love of anything Star Trek for showing me this weapon. Though it does look menacing and might cause any enemies to stop in fright.' Inara thinks to herself as she keeps moving like how she remembers seeing a character in an episode doing.
"How good is it with killing orcs?" Boromir snickers, thinking that Inara has never once used such a weapon in combat.
"It causes them to run before she can kill them." Kili growls out to the blonde man. He had seen her, with Balder and Thorin, when she tested out several previous versions. But it was this final product, made by Fili, Thorin, and Balder, that she had decided upon. Balder and Thorin melted mithril and iron to make the blade lighter for Inara to hold. While Fili added to the curved, sharp edge two other points towards the middle of the long arc of the weapon. All three had etched into the weapon Khuzdul symbols as well as symbols from Inara's heritage.
"May I see it?" Legolas asks politely. He had seen the smiths admiring the weapon last night, and was curious about it as well. It was a strange weapon to be sure, but it was awe-inspiring as well as deadly looking.
"As long as you don't hurt yourself." Inara says as she comes to a stop in her practice movements. She flips the bat'leth so that its sharp edge is facing her, but still has proper hold of two out of the three handles. Holding the handles towards Legolas, Inara holds it out towards him. "Go ahead."
Legolas dips his head to Inara before taking hold of the handles of the bat'leth. He steps away from everyone and moves the weapon around awkwardly. For such a deadly weapon, he thought that it would be heavier, like a long sword. But it was amazingly light and well-balanced for the queen.
"Move it like you would a staff with a sharp blade embedded in its side." Inara vocally offers to Legolas once she sees his confusion on how to handle it. "It takes a while to get used to, but once you get the hang of it, you become a deadly foe to your enemies."
Legolas starts to whip it around at Inara's suggestion of treating it like a staff. He is amazed with how well he can control of the weapon while moving as he follows Inara's instruction. He becomes more confident in his movements, and quickly stops moving when he hears the four hobbits and a pony coming into the courtyard.
"Thank you." Legolas says to Inara as he hands her back the weapon. "Perhaps, while on this journey, you can teach me how to master this weapon."
Inara gives Legolas a grin as she gently takes her weapon from him. "If we have time and if I have the patience to teach."
Shortly after the four hobbits and their pony arrive, Gandalf and Aragorn join the group. Gandalf quickly speaks to the hobbits as he helps them tie everyone's packs to the pony. Everyone decides to keep their weapons on their person in case of running into trouble.
Soon, the courtyard fills with a few elves, and Lord Elrond steps towards the group to speak.
"The ring-bearer is setting out on a quest to Mount Doom. And you who travel with him, no oath not bond is laid to go further than you will. Farwell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all Free Folk go with you." Elrond says solemnly to the group.
"The Fellowship awaits the ring-bearer." Gandalf says, as if to signal to Frodo that it is time to leave Rivendell.
Frodo gives Rivendell one last look before turning to walk out the stone arch of the courtyard. Following Frodo is: Inara, Kili, and Tauriel. Behind them is Kelda with Pippin, Merry, Sam, and the pony. Everyone else follows after as they leave the courtyard.
"Go left." Inara whispers to Frodo as she hears the two words being whispered in the breeze by an unknown voice.
Frodo heads off to the left at Inara's suggestion. He isn't sure how Inara knows where to go, but he will not question her reasoning. He continues to lead the group out of Rivendell, after Gandalf made his way to stand near Inara and Frodo.
The group walks for several days after leaving Rivendell. They pass by old remnants of a stone building along a rocky ridge, and oven hilly terrain covered by knee high grass and pine-like shrubs. With the Misty Mountains on their left, the group travels through the rocky foothills for two weeks. Stopping only at night for rest, or for quick private breaks to relieve themselves.
"We must hold this course, west of the Misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds, the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there, our road turns east to Mordor." Gandalf says to Frodo and Inara one day as everyone is taking their time to eat and rest upon a rocky hilltop
Boromir is teaching Merry and Pippin how to use a sword as the others watch on from their places on the top of a few boulders. Aragorn is smoking his pipe, while Kelda is looking uncomfortable watching the practice.
"Two, one, five. Good! Very good!" Boromir says with pride to Pippin after finishing a set of blocks with the hobbit. He is going over the beginners points of blocking and attacking with the two hobbits in case of enemies attacking on the road.
Boromir goes at Pippin again, while Aragorn makes a suggestion as the hobbit blocks again.
"Move your feet." Aragorn says as he puffs away on his pipe. He finds it funny that these two hobbits want to learn to fight. Though, he will not argue against one who wishes to learn to defend themselves.
"Good, Pippin." Merry says from the side.
"Thanks." Pippin says as Boromir leaves him alone to work with Merry.
"Move faster." Boromir says as Merry blocks his attacks with slow movements.
Inara, noticing that Kelda seems a bit on edge while watching the two young hobbits learn sword fighting from Boromir, heads over to the young female.
"Is there some reason that you seem on edge?" Inara asks as she looks carefully at the young female while settling herself down next to Kelda.
"I promised Toril that I wouldn't allow any harm to fall on those two boys." Kelda whispers to Inara as one of her hands twitches for one of her hidden blades.
"I see." Inara has a smile on her face as she thinks about why Toril would ask that of her sister.
"If anyone was to ask for my opinion," Gimli shouts from where he is seated a few feet away with Gandalf. "which I know that they won't. I'd say we were taking the long way 'round. Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin would give us a royal welcome. Especially with Prince Kili and Queen Inara in our group."
"What's this about Moria and Balin?" Kili asks as he makes his way back from relieving himself several yards away.
"I was telling Gandalf that we should go to Moria. Balin would welcome us there." Gimli says to his cousin.
"No, Gimli, I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice." Gandalf says.
"Why not?" Kili asks, wonder why Gandalf wouldn't want to see one of the former members of the company again.
Gandalf doesn't get the chance to answer before Tauriel, who is standing on top of the rock that Gandalf is leaning against, calls out to Legolas. Legolas hops onto the boulder that lays in front of Gandalf, Kili, and Gimli as he looks out to where Tauriel is pointing.
The others don't take notice of the two elves till Sam asks a serious question.
"What is that?" Sam asks as he too looks to where the two elves are looking.
"It's just a wisp of clouds." Gimli says, acting as if it is nothing to worry about.
By this time, everyone's attention is now focusing on the dark mass that is approaching where the group is among the boulders.
"It's moving fast. Against the wind." Boromir says as he tries to focus his eyes to it.
"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas shouts out to the group once he figures out what the mass is.
"Shit." Inara growls out as she quickly moves to get up. She rushes to grab her things before heading towards a large crack that a large boulder has in it.
"Hide!" Aragorn shouts to everyone as he tries to direct everyone to find places to conceal themselves.
Everyone else rushes to gather their things and to find places to hide themselves. Gimli and Kili hide together among the stones with Gandalf and Tauriel not too far away from them. The hobbits hide with Aragorn and Boromir who are closer to where they are. Legolas, who noticed that Kelda was moving a bit slow on finding a hiding place, pulls her with him to a brush covered hiding spot. He guides her down to the ground, so that she is lying on her stomach, before placing his upper body over hers.
As the Crebain fly around the area, Kelda is trying hard lift up in an attempt to push Legolas off of her which would blow their cover. She isn't sure why he is doing what he is doing, but Kelda knows that if her adad were to see this he would get the wrong idea. Kelda shivers slightly as Legolas's hands tighten their grip her upper arms. The left side of Kelda's face is laying on the ground, so she can see the brush and if she tries hard enough, one of Legolas's hands on her arm.
Soon the sound of the Crebain leaves, and Kelda notices that Legolas has yet to rise up off of her. His breath, which is gently moving a few strands of loose hair near the top of her head, has Kelda wanting to reach up and swat at the moving hairs.
"You're squishing me." Kelda whispers harshly to Legolas.
This causes Legolas to jump slightly, as if he had forgotten that Kelda was there underneath him. He lets go of her arms, and moves his upper body off of hers. "I apologize." He says to her as he moves to sit back on his haunches.
"Just be thankful that adad didn't see you or you would be a dead elf." Kelda growls out as she rises from their hiding spot and begins to brush the dirt off of the front of her clothes and face.
As the others come out of their hiding places, Gandalf begins to speak with a serious voice.
"The spies of Saruman. The way south is being watched. We must take the Path of Caradhas." Gandalf says as he turns to look at the Misty Mountains.
"You have got to be kidding me." Inara sighs in annoyance. She really doesn't want any more delays than necessary on this quest.
"No, I am not." Gandalf replies. "It is the only way to go. Quickly, now. We must hurry."
The group pick up their things and following Gandalf, head off deeper into the Misty Mountains.
For three days the group make their way up the path, and all the while Inara is keeping herself on high alert. Boromir and Aragorn notice Inara's anxiety and only one of them is brave enough to ask why.
"What has you so worried?" Boromir asks Inara with a grin on his face.
Inara scowls at him before answering. "Last time I was on a quest and going through the Misty Mountains, I found myself and my companions being entertained by goblins."
"It won't happen this time." Kili says as he comes up to walk next to Inara. He takes hold of her hand and gives it a squeeze. He remembers what happened to Inara in Goblintown, and that she still bears the whip marks on her back from it.
Another two days pass by, and now the company is walking in the snow covered mountain pass.
While they are walking, Frodo has been lagging behind. Falling into the snow, and rolling down a bit, Aragorn is quick to stop Frodo from rolling any further. Aragorn helps Frodo to stand up in the snow so that the hobbit can get his feet under him. Brushing the snow off of himself, Frodo notices that the ring is gone. However, Boromir finds it and picks it up via the chain. This causes everyone to stop and turn to watch.
"Boromir." Aragorn says as he cautiously watches the man.
"It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing." Boromir says softly as he looks at the ring like a one would a lover. "Such a little thing."
As he goes to touch the ring a sharp, a weapon comes up and gently presses against the underside of Boromir's chin.
"Give the ring to Frodo if you want to live." Inara growls out as she holds one of her tomahawks under Boromir's chin.
"Inara." Gandalf shouts wearily to the queen.
"Please." Inara says with a hint of malice in her voice. She can't explain it, but seeing the ring in Boromir's hands makes her skin crawl.
Boromir looks at Inara with contempt, but doesn't seem to care that she has a tomahawk against his skin.
"Boromir." Aragorn says warningly. "Inara."
Hearing Aragorn's voice pulls Boromir out of whatever trance he was in before. He steps around Inara's hand that holds her throwing axe, and walks over to Frodo. As he hands it to Frodo he speaks. "As you wish. I care not."
Frodo takes hold of the rind and places the chain that it is on back around his neck. He watches as Boromir stalks off to join the rest of the Fellowship. However, Frodo can see that Inara was ready to kill Boromir if his thoughts went dark. Deciding to keep walking, Frodo keeps himself near either Inara or Aragorn. Though he often stays by Inara's side the most for he trusts her judgement.
A day later, the Fellowship find themselves making their way through blizzard-like conditions against the mountain side. Gandalf is out in front, leading the group through the snow. Nearly everyone was moving slow through the deep snow. However, Legolas and Tauriel, who are at the rear of the group, are walking on top of the deep snow.
Legolas keeps walking past the others, while Tauriel stays near Kili and Kelda. The blonde elf makes his way towards Gandalf with some worry in his gut. Something seems off about this storm, and it has his senses flaring up in warning. He focuses his hearing into the snow filled winds that are whipping through the mountains. Listening very closely to the winds, Legolas hears something mixed in with the wind.
"There is a fell voice on the air." Legolas says, but his words are barely heard by the others.
"It's Saruman!" Gandalf shouts after hearing what Legolas said.
A loud crackling sound followed by rumbling echoes off of the mountain side. This causes everyone to look up and see falling rocks and snow coming down towards them.
Kili, Gimli, and Kelda jump the best they can towards the mountain side with Tauriel following them. Inara takes hold of Merry before leaping towards cover. Boromir sees Pippin to safety, as Aragorn does the same for Frodo and Sam. Gandalf and Legolas move at the last minute as the rocks fall upon the path where they were standing mere seconds ago.
Snow and more rocks keep falling down upon the path as Gandalf tries to interfere with whatever spell Saruman is using. Yet, there is a hidden message getting through to one of the groups' members.
As Inara tries to shield Merry from the falling debris, with her body, a voice in the wind whispers her name over and over in her ears. She closes her eyes and tries to block out the voice as the rose colored quartz stone of her pendant begins to feel hot against her skin. Radagast and Gandalf had once told Inara that the stone would heat up to alert her of a possible mental attack thanks to the protection spells that were placed upon the stone.
'Inara. Mine.' The voice says in Inara's head with malice and glee in it. It keeps repeating the words over and over.
"Damn it." Inara growls out near Merry's ear. With the weight of the snow bearing down upon her back, it has forced her body to press against Merry's back.
"Inara?" Merry asks cautiously, though he is unable to move thanks to the snow.
"It's nothing." Inara says back as she tries to push up and away from Merry. The snow shifts enough for her to slowly move it, but it still difficult to break through without help.
"Inara! Merry!" Tauriel's muffled shouts can be heard through the snow.
"Here!" Merry shouts with force so that he is heard through the snow.
The digging of the snow can be heard by Merry and Inara as Tauriel and a few of the others try to help their comrades. It only takes a minute till a blast of fresh air hits Inara and Merry in the face. The fresh air is welcomed by both, but it isn't exactly the temperature that they wanted.
"Merry!" Pippin calls out from near Boromir.
"I'm alright Pip." Merry calls back.
"Inara?" Kili asks worriedly as he pulls Inara towards him to check her over. "You aren't hurt are you?"
"No. I am fine." Inara replies as she looks about for Gandalf. She wants to speak with him about the voice.
"Gandalf let Frodo decide on what to do next. The pass is not safe to travel. So it looks like we are headed to Moria." Kili says as he tries to guide Inara back down the path.
"Okay." Inara says as she begins to shuffle through the snow again. She smacks Kili's hand away from her elbow, where he was trying to guide her. "I can walk on my own, Kili. I am not an invalid."
"Uncle told me to keep you safe. So that is what I am going to do." Kili growls out at Inara.
"Stubborn dwarf." She counters using a very low, menacing growl.
"Stubborn female." He replies in the same fashion that Inara addressed him.
Kili and Inara bicker between themselves the whole way back down the mountain path. This causes everyone to become a bit short-tempered for the next couple of days. The amount of time it takes them to go down the path moves quicker than it did going up. So with Frodo being the one to decide to head towards Moria, Gandalf leads the group through the foothills of the Misty Mountains till they reach the pathway that will lead them to one of Moria's many entrance gates several days later.
Mist shrouds the tall mountains as the group walks along the path. Gandalf is leading the group, though he has been quiet. The only time he has really spoken is when Inara told him of the voice she heard during the avalanche.
"It was Saruman. He was trying to find you no doubt." Gandalf had told her three nights ago by the fire.
"Why would he want me? Is there something you aren't telling me? Gandalf?" Inara had seen the fear and pain pass over Gandalf's face before going back to a neutral expression.
"If you wish to know, I would suggest you ask Thorin." Gandalf had said to her. "Or perhaps Kili or young Kelda. All I can tell you is that you should keep that pendant on at all times. I do not wish to see you fall under Saruman's will."
As she comes out from her memory, Inara keeps starring at Gandalf as she walks beside Kelda. Soon a broken structure appears out of the mist as the group gets closer to the entrance.
"Frodo. Come and help an old man." Gandalf calls out from the front of the group.
The young hobbit passes Aragorn and Sam as he makes his way to Gandalf's side. The wizard wraps an arm around Frodo's shoulders and brings him closer to his side.
"How's your shoulder?"
"Better than what it was."
"And the ring? You feel its power growing, don't you?"
Gandalf and Frodo come to a stop as Gandalf turns to look at Frodo more closely.
"I've felt it too. You must be careful now. Evil will be drawn to you from outside of the Fellowship and, I fear, from within." Gandalf warns Frodo.
"Then whom do I trust?" Frodo asks after Aragorn, Kelda, and Inara walk by the pair.
"You must trust yourself. Trust your own strengths."
"What do you mean?" Frodo asks worriedly.
"There are many powers in the world, for good or for evil. Some are greater than I am and against some, I have not yet been tested." Gandalf says cryptically to Frodo.
Gimli lets out a gasp that catches everyone's attention. He points a finger towards a stone wall and speaks.
"The Great Walls of Moria." Gimli says with pride.
The group continues walking on the path that will lead them to the entrance while Gimli speaks out loud with pride.
"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli taps his axe against the rock as if searching for the door.
"Yes Gimli. Even the makers of the doors cannot find them." Kili says and gives the hobbits and men a cheeky grin. "Sometimes."
"Only if the dwarf doesn't pass down that knowledge to others." Inara growls out to Kili. "Need I remind you that you weren't there when the door into Erebor was opened?"
Kili gives Inara a scowl before replying to her. "Can't help that I laid dying in Laketown thanks to a morgul shaft."
This bit of information peaks Frodo's interest. The hobbit makes his way towards Kili and Inara. "You were a victim of a morgul blade as well? What happened?"
Kili turns to look at Frodo and gets a grin on his face. "The company had escaped the elven prisons thanks to Bilbo. We used the empty barrels to float along the river till we can upon a closed gate over the river. A pack of orcs attacked and I climbed out of my barrel to get to the lever to open the gate. As I was fighting a few orcs, I was shot in the leg just as I was pulling the lever down."
Inara and Tauriel let out a snort of laughter at Kili's description of events. This caused everyone to look at the two older females.
"That is not what happened Kili." Tauriel says as she tries hard no to laugh.
"Oh? You question my memory of the event?" Kili asks her.
"You were reckless for going to the lever without a weapon to protect yourself. I had to save you that day before you were hit by the arrow." Tauriel says with a smile and mischievous eyes. "I also was the one to heal you from the poison of the morgul shaft, which was just about to claim you. So one might say that you owe me several life debts."
Kili chuckles before replying. "That is why I married you."
"Knock it off you two. You can keep flirting with each other after Balin has given you a private room." Gimli grumbles out as he walks past the couple.
"Is there any after affects that you suffer from?" Frodo asks softly to Kili so the others would not hear.
"Sometimes if gives me pain that causes my leg to give way. While other times it will cause me to walk with a bit of a limp. It will never fully heal if that is what you are asking, Frodo." Kili says seriously to the hobbit. "I would not wish for anyone to suffer an injury from any kind of morgul weapon."
Frodo gently places a hand where he was stab, and begins to rub the area. This movement caught Kili's attention, and so the dwarf places a hand on Frodo's shoulder.
"It is a burden to bear, but if you find someone who is willing to care for you," Kili whispers to Frodo before looking towards where Tauriel and Kelda are walking. "it becomes easier to handle."
"Keep moving." Gandalf says to the group from a short distance. He seemed a bit ruffled that Frodo and Kili are still talking instead of walking.
Continuing onwards, the group keeps walking as the path sits between a body of water and the rock wall. Being careful, each member of the Fellowship tries hard not to let their feet hit the water. However, one foot from a hobbit slips on the path and touches the water before coming back onto the path.
Gandalf comes to a stop and begins touching the wall before him. He mumbles to himself as the rest of the group comes to a stop. As the clouds break, the light of the moon causes the hidden door to appear before Gandalf.
"It reads, 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria, speak friend and enter.'" Gandalf says to the group as he points to each word carved in the stone with his staff.
"What does that mean?" Merry asks out loud.
"Oh, it's quite simple." Gandalf replies. "If you are a friend, then you speak the password, and the door will open."
"It can't be that simple." Kelda whispers to Inara as Gandalf begins to speak Sindarin. "Can it?"
"I guess not." Inara whispers back once the doors fail to open for Gandalf.
"You never know. Mithrandir might get it." Tauriel whispers to Inara and Kelda as Gandalf tries another series of words in a different tongue.
"Perhaps on the next try." Kili whispers as yet again the doors fail to open for Gandalf yet again.
"Nothing's happening." Pippin says from next to Kelda.
"I once knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men, and orcs." Gandalf says softly.
"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asks Gandalf.
"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took. And if that doesn't shatter them, and I am allowed a little peace from foolish questions or remarks, I will try to find the opening words." Gandalf answers with a short temper. He isn't at all thrilled that the doors haven't opened for any of the words he has spoken.
So the group takes their rest along the water's edge while Gandalf tries to find the right words to speak. The hobbits are sticking together, as are the dwarves. The only ones not grouped are Boromir, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf.
Kelda and Tauriel are talking as they nibble on a few snacks. Gimli and Kili are standing next to the barren tree by Kili's wife and child. They whisper back and forth together about the inside of Moria. The only one not by the group is Inara. She is watching the water for any signs of life in it, but a feeling in her gut is causing Inara to wonder if the water is cursed. A splash in the water startles her into pulling a throwing axe from where it rests at her waist. Looking to her right, Inara notices Merry tossing stones into the water. She charges forwards and stops Merry from throwing another one into the water.
"Stop." Inara says as she catches Merry's arm with her hand.
"Do not disturb the water." Aragorn says as he too has come up to Merry.
"Something is not right with the water. It is too still." Inara says to Merry and Aragorn.
"It is useless." Gandalf's voice echoes softly along the rock wall.
Inara, who had heard the words, lets go of Merry's arm and makes her way over to Gandalf. She knows that the wizard has tried just about everything at this point to open the doors. And from the way the wizard just moved to sit down, away from the doors, Inara wonders if he is giving up.
"Would you like some help?" Inara asks Gandalf as she walks over to the where he is sitting beside Frodo.
"I do not know how you could help." Gandalf replies as he begins to mutter to himself.
Frodo, who has been looking at the door, seems to have come up with something. He stands up from where he was seated and moves towards the doors.
"It's a riddle." Frodo says out loud. "Speak, friend, and enter. What's the elvish word for friend?"
"Mellon." Gandalf says as he answers Frodo's question with a curious look.
The doors begin to creak as they unlock by the answer to the riddle. Frodo, Inara, and Gandalf watch in amazement as the doors open before them. However, the rest of the Fellowship isn't paying attention to the doors, but to the water as ripples and small waves move towards them.
"There is something in the water." Kelda whispers as she stands to look out at the water.
Kili, who like Gimli heard the doors to Moria open up, grabs his bag off of the ground and begins walking towards where the wizard, the hobbit, and his queen are standing. Tauriel notices Kelda's preoccupation with the water and gently takes hold of Kelda's hand.
"Come. The doors have opened and your adad will be wanting to rush in to see his cousin." Tauriel says as she tugs on Kelda's hand.
Kelda turns her back to the water as she reaches down for her own pack and picks it up to sling it across her shoulder. Like Inara, Kelda has a feeling deep in her belly that something bad is going to happen.
The Fellowship move to follow Gandalf into Moria as the wizard places a stone atop his staff as a means for a light source. While he is doing this, Inara and Kili have moved to stand directly behind Gandalf to be available if they are greeted by dwarves. But with lack of guards or any source of light, both Kili and Inara feel that something is off.
"Something isn't right." Kili whispers to Inara as they walk further in. "Balin would have had guards posted here."
"If he knew of this entrance, yes he would have." Inara whispers back. "But I fear there is something going on here that we are not aware of, Kili."
"Agreed. Stay close to myself or Tauriel, Inara. Mahal knows if anything were to happen to you that Uncle will surely have my arse." Kili replies back quietly.
"Soon Master elf, you will see the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves." Gimli says to Legolas as they come inside. "Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone. This, my friends, is the home of my cousin Balin and they call it a mine. A mine."
As Gandalf's staff lights up the area, everyone can see bones of the dead laying on the floor and stairs. Kelda lets out a gasp at the sight and Tauriel pulls Kelda to her so that she may hold her daughter close.
"This is no mine." Boromir says as he too sees the bodies of dead dwarves. "It's a tomb."
"No." Both Kili and Inara gasp as they finally come to realize that the bodies are of their dead brethren.
"No." Gimli says in shock before wailing out. "No!"
Legolas steps towards a fallen dwarf and pulls an arrow out of the body. "Goblins." Legolas knocks an arrow with his bow.
Boromir and Aragorn also draw their weapons in case of attack. Kili draws his bow as does Tauriel and Kelda.
Inara, however, moves towards one of the dead bodies, and inspects it for any signs as to how long it has been decaying. Before touching the body, she whispers a small prayer for the dwarf's spirit to be at peace. Then she gently touches the clothes, armor, and eventually the decaying flesh.
"How long?" Kili asks as he walks over to Inara with an arrow still drawn. "How long, Inara?"
"Long enough that their spirits still have not realized that they are dead." Inara says as she lets herself open up to the spirits. Closing her eyes, Inara sees flashes of the attack as the spirits of the dead show her what happened. Just as the death blow is about to happen to one of the dead, a flaming creature growls out at Inara. This causes her to close herself off from the spirits and her eyes fly open in fright.
"No." Inara says as he gasps for breath and tears begins to trickle down her cheeks.
"Inara? Are you trying to put yourself in danger?" Gandalf shouts as he rushes to Inara's side. He isn't happy that Inara has tapped into the spirits because he felt her spiritual energy leave the safety of the protection spell in her pendant. However, seeing the fear and sadness in Inara's eyes as he looks into her face, he can't help asking. "What did you see?"
Inara's eyes lock onto Gandalf's and she says one word that he doesn't recognize. "Aagawaateshinong aadisookaanag." Inara is so shocked that she spoke in the native tongue of her ancestors.
"What did she say?" Boromir, who was listening in, growls out to Gandalf. "And what language is that which she spoke?"
"I don't know what she said, but the language is that of her people." Gandalf replies before trying to coax Inara to speak again. "What did you see, Inara? Use a language that we know."
As Inara starts to calm her breathing she tries to speak again. "Shadow Spirit. They cannot move on because it keeps them here. It is feeding off of them."
Gandalf's eyes open as he realizes what it is that she is speaking of. "My dear, you have become a target now." He whispers to Inara. "Going through Moria may cause your death."
"I can't let it keep them here." Inara whispers back as her breath becomes more stable.
Kili, who has stayed by Inara's side for the whole conversation, gives Gandalf a worried look. Inara's spiritual abilities are well-known to the royal family, members of the former company, and to certain others who wish Inara harm.
"What do we do now?" Kili asks Gandalf.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan." Boromir says. "We should never have come here. Now get out of here. Get out!"
As the Fellowship begin to back out of the entrance, Kili helps Inara to her feet and keeps an arm wrapped around her waist.
"Let me help you out of here." Kili whispers to her as they turn to walk out.
Inara looks up from the ground. As she lifts her dazed eyes up to see the group, her eyes focus on Frodo. Just as she is about to call out to him, Frodo falls to the ground and is pulled away from the others.
"Frodo!" Inara screams out before the others realize what has just happened.
The other hobbits start to call out Frodo's name and attempt to reach their friend. They scurry after him as Frodo is pulled to the edge of the water. Sam pulls his little sword from his belt and begins to hack away at the tentacle while calling out for Aragorn. Yet, Sam is successful in cutting the tentacle and it slithers back into the water. Then several, larger, tentacles burst from the water and knock the other three hobbits away from Frodo as another tentacle pulls Frodo to the water.
"Help them." Inara says to Kili as she pushes him away from her. Even though she feels weak, Inara knows that Frodo is in need of more help than she.
"Tauriel!" Kili yells, not wanting to argue with Inara, as he again notches an arrow and lets it fly at one of the tentacles.
Tauriel, hearing Kili's yell, turns to face where the tentacles are and lets her arrow fly to its mark. Both arrows hit the same large tentacle, and a third arrow joins the other two. Out of the corner of her eye, Tauriel sees that Kelda too had sent an arrow flying to this creature.
As the tentacle that holds Frodo lifts him into the air, Legolas sends an arrow flying in an attempt to free the hobbit. This however enrages the creature and it comes to the surface completely exposing its head.
Aragorn and Boromir head into the water and begin to shack away at the creatures' tentacles. With each slicing off of the tentacles, the creature bellows and Frodo calls out for help. Finally, the creature becomes fed up with Aragorn and Boromir's attacks that it drops Frodo. Thankfully Boromir was able to catch him.
"Into the mines!" Gandalf shouts as he tries to get everyone to safety.
"Legolas! Shoot it!" Aragorn yells as he, Boromir, and Frodo head towards the entrance.
Legolas sends an arrow at the creature as it begins to chase after the group. Tauriel and Kelda both send arrows as well as Legolas and Kili.
The rest of the Fellowship moves further into the mines, with Gandalf helping Inara to stay on her feet. As they all keep going, the creature follows them inside. However, the slapping of the tentacles against the stone causes too much strain, and the entrance collapses onto the creature.
With the entrance collapse, the Fellowship is overcome by the darkness of the mines.
"We have but one choice." Gandalf says as he lights the crystal at the top of his staff. "We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard."
Tauriel steps towards Inara. "Are you well?"
"I will be." Inara replies as she steps away from Gandalf. "I just needed a short time to rest is all."
"Be on your guard. There are older and more fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world." Gandalf says as begins to walk further into Moria. "One of those things is what Inara encountered only a few minutes ago."
Following behind Gandalf is: Legolas and Kelda; Inara and Tauriel; Gimli and Kili; Sam and Frodo; Pippin and Merry; and finally Boromir and Aragorn. They subconsciously paired off as Gandalf began to lead them into Moria.
Some of you might wonder as to Inara's ability to sense the dead or as Native Americans call it "tapping into the Spirit Realm". Inara has this "shaman or holy man" ability since it runs deep within her family heritage. So I wanted to add it in even more into her character and the LOTR events. We did see it in the Hobbit events, though it was mostly muted or left to "spirit possessions". So I have expanded it.
I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter.
Reviews are welcomed and well-loved as well. So please leave one if you want to.
Selene