Here's the next chapter. Guys I cannot handle all the reviews, I'm always terrified someone is going to tear apart this story but you guys just have such nice things to say! I'm having a bit of problem deciding on a couple different ways to go after they get to Pelennor Fields so if someone would be willing to help me with that please let me know!
Amsim: *Blushes* *Covers face* *Sobs* I can't even describe the sound that came out when I read all your reviews! Haha thank you sosososo much! I love that you left reviews specific to the chapter and they were just so nice and oh my gosh thank you!
Black. That was the only way to describe the path beneath the Dwimerberg. Eredhel looked past the massive solitary stone marking the entrance to the cave and shivered. In the forest there was life, though the trees were grim and gnarled they were still growing things. Inside the mountain there was only rock and darkness. She suddenly felt a presence beside her and Legolas laid a hand on her arm. She turned to face him, subconsciously wrapping her arms around herself.
"I am sick of dark tunnels, and the foul beasts that lurk in them," she grumbled. Legolas chuckled at her grouchiness and took her face in his hands, pressing his forehead to hers.
"As am I. So I do not think about them, instead I think of what is come once the beasts are vanquished and light once again prevails. After we have finished our task you should come to Mirkwood with me. We can climb above the forest to gaze at the stars, sit by the river with the finest wine and listen to as many thunderstorms as you wish melethen." He breathed in her smell of thyme, allowing himself to momentarily get lost in thoughts of what would happen once they overcame Sauron. Her presence filled him with longing and Eredhel smiled at her words. "Stay close to me in the tunnels," he murmured before wrapping one arm around her. A moment later they drew apart, making their way back to their companions.
Halbarad, the twins and several other men now carried torches, having been lit proudly by Gimli from his tinderbox. The horses were being led by the reins, often needing a strong pull to get them to approach the cave. As they passed the marking stone a strong gust of stale, cold air rushed forth, carrying the voices of those within. "Doom, death, cursed," the hoarse whispers echoed off the rock walls. The steady horses of the Dunedain fidgeted uneasily.
"I do not fear death nor the cowards that lurk within these halls," declared Aragorn. "Come, lead the horses in. We will have need of them once we come out on the other side for many leagues will lie between us and Gondor!" He urged his horse inwards, holding his torch aloft. His friends soon reluctantly followed after him, with the Dunedain taking the rear. It was only through their loyalty for their masters that the horses of the Dunedain entered the caves, but Arod halted, refusing to go any farther. Legolas dismounted and stroked his nose, murmuring to him in elvish. After a moment the horse calmed, and allowed himself to be led into the tunnel.
Within moments of stepping inside total darkness fell around them and they lost the light of the entrance. Eredhel felt Legolas fall into step beside her and she allowed her gratitude to wash through their connection. The other elf smiled, pleased that he was able to comfort her. He noticed that she often threw glances at her brothers, whose troubled faces were evident in the torchlight. "What is wrong?" asked Legolas with a frown.
"Elladan and Elrohir have always been uneasy in such small spaces. It was only their anger that drove them into the caves of the Misty Mountains to search for our mother." She sighed, remembering the grief they had gone through. She spoke with them in their minds, hoping she could offer some comfort. The state they had found their mother in had been enough to push all fear of the confined, dark tunnels out of their mind. Eredhel spoke to Elladan and Elrohir of rescuing their mother, not wanting their thoughts to dwell on their current path.
Rage had burned through her veins as she led her brothers through the dark tunnels. They had found the bodies of the elves accompanying their mother near the pass and it hadn't taken them long to track their murderers. They had killed the scouts and guards without a sound, their blades gleaming with black blood. Soon Eredhel's sword was glowing a faint blue, guiding them towards their quarry. They could hear them scuffling around and grunting amongst themselves. When they saw torchlight Eredhel had indicated for brothers to continue down the passageway while she would take the orcs by surprise from a side entrance. They had been wary to part from her but even more so to disagree with her in her state of fury. She had snuck along the dark side corridor, stealing into the main room and killing several of the orcs seated around the fire before she was spotted.
They were not the strong, sturdy orcs of Mordor. They were lean, and pale, living off what they could find in the mountains. When Elladan and Elrohir had seen they had found her they leapt into the room, swinging their blades in a flurry of deadly blows. Every time they pierced flesh their anger only seemed to grow until only one orc was left in the room. Eredhel had him by his throat and he clawed at his neck, gasping for air. Judging by the tracks they had seen at the pass they had slain 3/4 of the group of orcs, meaning the rest had to be with Celebrian. "Ack, here for the pretty little bird are you?" he gasped with a cackle. "Oh we made her sing we did, sang right-" His neck snapped and Eredhel through him to the floor in disgust. Elladan and Elrohir followed her down the passageway until they came to the last room. Their mother was tied to the rocks in the far corner, curled into a ball and trembling. The orcs were jeering at her, laughing madly as they poked her with their weapons. At the sight of Celebrian the siblings had lost it. They spun between the orcs, their eyes alight with fire and their swords burning with a cold flame. In moments the orcs were dead, their blood staining the stone floor. Elladan was the first to reach their mother, breaking her bonds and pulling her into his arms.
"Naneth?" he stroked her hair as his brother and sister knelt beside him.
"Elladan?" Celebrian's voice was weak as her eyes fluttered. Her once beautiful dress was now ripped and torn, in many places covered with blood. Her golden hair was tangled and hung limply around her pale face. A cut on her arm caught Eredhel's eye and she moved towards her mother, gently pulling the cloth away.
"Raich!" she swore. "They poisoned her, boe de nestad (she needs healing)." The twins nodded and Elladan picked up his mother, wrapping his cloak around her. Their departure from the mountains had been swift, and they had traveled almost none stop to reach Rivendell. All the while their mother barely said a word, rarely eating and refusing to sleep. Eredhel had rode ahead when they reached the valley, to send healers out to fetch her mother and prepare her father for the heartbreaking sight that awaited him. When she had arrived his face had first been glad, relief evident in his features. His expression had changed however when she explained Celebrian's state and what she had endured. He had tried everything to heal his beloved wife, staying up night after night to keep the horrors from entering her mind. In the end his attempts had been fruitless and less than a year later she had sailed for Valinor.
Eredhel shook her head, ridding her mind of the memories. From behind her Gimli saw the movement and he chuckled, mistaking the motion and thinking she was having difficulty seeing in the tunnel. "What's wrong with ya lassie? What good are elven eyes if they cannot see in the dark?" Eredhel turned to look at him over her shoulder, scowling.
"I can assure you Master Dwarf, my eyes are more than capable of discerning everything in the-" her foot collided with a large rock and she stumbled forward, doubling over. A laugh erupted from Gimli's mouth as he watched her regain her balance. Even Legolas chuckled mirthfully, breaking the silence of the eerie cave.
"Ah yes discerning everything but that which is right in front of you," snorted the dwarf smugly. Eredhel glowered at him, falling silent as she tried to regain some dignity. Beside her she could see that Legolas was fighting to hold back a grin, his eyes betraying his amusement.
"It's not funny," she growled but her tone only seemed to make his task harder. Legolas shook his head, finally managing to suppress his emotion. Soon quiet fell once again upon them and the grim company continued on. The tunnel was narrow, only wide enough for two or three to walk abreast. Above them it extended higher than they could tell. It was cold and dry, no sound of water could be heard. It was Aragorn who broke the silence, starting to hum and then quietly singing.
"Over the land there lies a long shadow,
westward reaching wings of darkness.
The Tower trembles; to the tombs of kings
doom approaches. The Dead awaken;
for the hour is come for the oathbreakers;
at the Stone of Erech they shall stand again
and hear there a horn in the hills ringing.
Whose shall the horn be? Who shall call them
from the grey twilight, the forgotten people?
The heir of him to whom the oath they swore.
One who comes from the North with great need
he shall pass the Door to the Paths of the Dead."
An unnatural gust of air blew through the tunnel. But it did not pass them by, instead it seemed to circle around them, the sound of it rising to a roar. It was the elves who were the first to realize that it was not a breeze at all but the voices of the Dead. Eredhel's head swiveled from side to side as the air seemed to press against her, tugging at her hair. "Such a pretty thing, come down sweet elleth, let us show you the paths in the dark," they whispered before laughing madly. She felt Legolas protectively wrap an arm around her, a growl escaping his throat. The others seemed to be having similar experiences. Poor Gimli kept turning around and around, trying to find something to attack. After a few moments the voices receded, fading down the tunnel. The company paused for a moment to compose themselves and many of the men swatted at their clothes as if spider webs were clinging to them. Legolas walked over to Gimli and put his hand on his shoulder, causing the dwarf to jump. His eyes were swinging from left to right to the ceiling above them. He gave the elf a gruff nod as he turned his axe over in his hands. "If they weren't dead I'd bloody well kill the whole lot of 'em and be done with it!" he said gruffly.
Ahead of them Aragorn chuckled at his words, raising his torch to indicate they were moving on. The dwarf reluctantly rose from where he had been leaning against the wall and held his axe in front of him. A short while later they starting going down roughly hewn stone steps. At the bottom they came out into light, there was neither ceiling above them nor walls around them. The rock beneath their feet was now grass and there were several mounds to their left and right. The air here was still and cold, and a presence could be felt. When he came out from the staircase Gimli froze, his nerve failing him. Eredhel noticed this and went to his side opposite Legolas. "Fear not Master Dwarf, Aragorn has the sword which will command them," she said softly.
"What makes you so sure they'll just submit and obey?" questioned Gimli.
"They have been left between life and death for over three thousand years. I dare say they have grown tired of it. I think they will serve Aragorn in order to be at peace," she answered.
"And if they don't care for eternal rest? What will we do then?" asked Gimli. Legolas and Eredhel shared a look, there was very little one could do against an enemy that could not truly die.
"Let us not worry about such things until the need to deal with them arises," said Legolas. The dwarf muttered something in dwarvish to himself, setting a determined frown on his face.
"Very well, let's get down there and get it over with then," he decided. The three of them continued out into the center of the room, joining Aragorn and the others. In the far corner they saw a gleam of gold and Aragorn handed his torch to Elladan as he approached it. The remains of a man lay glimmering on the floor. He had been clad in fine armour and even now the leather in it was still preserved by the dry air of the cave. Garnets and gold decorated his belt and his head was set with a proud golden helm. Before him was a great stone door, tightly shut. The man appeared to have been trying to open it and his sword had been cast aside as if in anger.
Eredhel stooped to pick up the sword as she, Gimli and Legolas joined them. The blade was notched and scratched, but when she ran her thumb along the edge she drew blood. "It seems that time passes slowly here," she said grimly, tossing it to the floor.
"Indeed," agreed Elladan as he gazed back at the path from whence they had came. A stirring could be heard, as if there was a great host coming towards them. Aragorn stared at the door for a few moments before straightening, his face sombre.
"I do not think that any of the living shall know what lies beyond. Thankfully our errand does not take us that way." He suddenly drew his sword, casting a glance around him. "To the Oathbreakers! Come now, I summon you to the Stone of Erech!" His voice echoed through the open air. Another gust of chill air could be felt sweeping past them. Aragorn mounted his horse and the others followed, passing through a towering archway to their right. Now a great rustling could be heard behind them, and when Legolas looked behind him he could see the pale outlines of horses and men bearing banners. His eyes fell uneasily to Eredhel. She was riding beside Elladan, at the back of the Company. The two of them seemed unnerved, murmuring to each other as they rode.
The evening sky could be seen in the break in the cliffs above them and they realized they had been inside the eerie mountain paths for almost an entire day. Soon however they came suddenly out into starlight, with the last golden rays of the sun sinking beneath the horizon. A great vale lay before them, with green hills and a rushing river to their left. The fresh air was a welcome change and the elves especially seemed to drink in the scent of grass and growing things. "Where are we?" said Gimli, peering from behind Legolas at the lands below.
"We are near the mountain beginnings of the Morthond, or Blackroot as Men call it," explained Eredhel softly, startling him. She and Elladan had approached them silently and now stared down at the settlements dotting the landscape. "From here it flows to meet the sea near Dol Amroth. Many people live below, they will shiver at our coming."
"We must ride on!" called Aragorn from the head of the company. "We must reach the stone before the day leaves us and it is not a short ride. Come, we must leave our weariness behind!" So eagerly they rode on, for the dread of the caves and dark was now forgotten and the Dunedain were ever a strong and enduring people. They rode like hunters, soon coming to a bridge and a cobbled road which wound its way through the countryside. The Dead followed silently behind them, their weathered faces grim. At every town the people fled from the riders in terror, locking their windows and puffing out candles.
"The King of the Dead has come to claim us!" They would cry, before falling silent as the group passed through their dwellings. Finally their path began to lead upward, and now night was fully fallen. At the top of the hill they found the stone, a black orb, half buried in the earth. Legend told that it had been brought out of Numenor and laid their by Isildur himself. Here Aragorn dismounted and once again drawing Anduril raised his voice, though no other sound was heard on the hilltop. The Dead were gathered around the company, watching them with their cold eyes.
"Oathbreakers, what reason have you for coming?" he asked. One of them stepped forward, a crown topped his head and his hair hung in strands about his face.
"We come for the one who carries the ancient blood of Numenor, of the High Kings," he said. "For he can grant us peace."
"That I can. I am Elessar, Isildur's heir of Gondor. We ride to Pelargir, upon the river Anduin. Follow us and rid these lands of Sauron's evil and malice. For this I will hold your oaths fulfilled and grant you the eternal rest you seek. Will you aid me?" His eyes scanned the gathered men, waiting for his reply.
"Indeed we shall." Aragorn nodded his head solemnly, sheathing his blade. The Dead withdrew, gathering at the bottom of the hill.
"We will rest here, but only until the sun awakens. A journey of great haste lies before us and I fear we will be weary before the end," said Aragorn. So the Dunedain dismounted, finding seats upon the hilltop. Even though the fear of the Dead was heavy upon them many slept for their travels had been long and they knew that those that lay before them would be longer still. Aragorn however remained awake, staring towards Gondor thoughtfully. His friends came to sit beside him, Gimli finding a soft patch of earth and soon falling asleep. Legolas and Eredhel sat side by side, studying the Ranger thoughtfully. They had already noticed a change in the man and his brow was burdened.
"So comes the greatest battle of our time," said Eredhel grimly. The man looked at her, his eyes dark.
"Aye, and even if it is won, many shall not live to see the victory."
"For many, it shall not feel like victory," said Eredhel softly. She did not know what would happen in the midst of battle. When she had been practicing on the archery field at Dunharrow she had even experienced a moment when she was no longer aiming at a target, where she had been aiming for a hulking orc. It had troubled her, she hadn't experienced such a thing since they had been traveling through Hollin. But fear was beginning to settle in her heart, fear for what the battle would take from her. She was so focused on controlling her emotions that she did not feel the other elf's eyes on her, his gaze hard. Though she looked quite calm he noticed her jaw clench and a moment later she rose, claiming she was going to retrieve some water from her saddlebags. Once she was gone, Aragorn turned to Legolas.
"Has she been alright?" he asked quietly.
"She has not mentioned anything to me, though I doubt she would. She refused to sleep in Dunharrow, so I do not think the fear has left her."
"I thought as much. I fear for her Legolas, when were in Hollin and she was sparring against Boromir there was a moment where she was back at the Battle of Fornost. If the same thing happened to her on the Fields of Pelennor it could cost her her life."
"All she does is repress them, she cannot hope to keep them at bay forever. I do not know what to do." Aragorn stared at his friend sadly. He could only imagine how frustrated Legolas was. He was a deadly warrior, skilled enough to kill any enemy and yet helpless to help the elleth he so deeply cared for. Aragorn sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Well mellonin, you are going to have to watch over the one who's responsibility it is to protect everyone else."