I apologize it's taken me so long to update, I've been dealing with a lack of time and focusing on some other stories, but I will be making this story more of a priority from this point on.
After eating, the group set off once more, beginning to make their way through the mountains.
"So where are we going?" The Doctor inquired as he walked next to Gandalf.
"The mines of Moria!" Gimli exclaimed happily before Gandalf could answer. "It's the home of my cousin Balin and his kin. They shall give us a royal welcome!"
From the look that crossed Gandalf's face, The Doctor had an uneasily feeling that the Mines were not the safe haven that Gimli seemed to think they were. Subtly, The Doctor glanced at his companions to see if they had noticed it as well. While Amy lingered behind, oblivious as she happily talked with the Hobbits, River had a grim look on her face while Rory wore a look that expressed even more caution than Rory usually did.
The three of them caught each other's eyes and nodded, silently agreeing they had a bad feeling about this.
After a few hours, they finally reached their destination. Having climbed along the side of the cliff, they all paused as Gimli pointed towards something that seemed to be protruding out of the cliff.
"The Walls… of Moria," Gimli said his voice soft with reverence.
"How are we supposed to get in? It's called the Walls of Moria, not the door of Moria," Amy pointed out as they walked along a narrow path towards the door.
"Well you see Miss Pond, Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gimli explained.
"Gimli is right. Even their own masters cannot find them when they are forgotten," Gandalf agreed.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas asked sarcastically and Gimli let out a low growl.
"Let's not fight amongst ourselves right now," Rory said with a look at Legolas.
Any response Legolas had was interrupted by the sound of Frodo's foot slipping into water. He looked at it startled before walking on. After a short walk, the group reached a smooth section of the wall that was flanked by two trees.
Gandalf walked over ,brushing off some dust as he muttered to himself. He looked up as the moon shined down on them. The Doctor looked at it; silently noting that this world's passing of days mirrored Earth's.
"Doctor!"
At Amy's exclamation, The Doctor turned back to the wall, staring stunned. The moonlight had caused the smooth section of the wall to glow, revealing an archway with a language The Doctor had never seen before.
"How is it doing that?" River asked in surprise.
"I'm not sure. Perhaps some material built into it made it so it's only visible in the moonlight," The Doctor muttered.
"It's some kind of Dwarf magic," Legolas said and The Doctor resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"I don't believe in magic Legolas. But something is afoot here," The Doctor muttered, wishing the TARDIS translation matrix was working.
But just like the TARDIS itself, it appeared he was without it in this world.
"It reads, 'The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. -Speak, friend, and enter,'" Gandalf said, running his staff across the runes.
"What do you suppose that means?" Merry wondered.
"Oh it's quite simple. If you are a friend, just speak the password and the doors will open," Gandalf said.
"I somehow don't think that the Dwarfs made it that easy," Rory said dryly.
Gandalf made an attempt to figure out the pass word, speaking a word that meant nothing to The Doctor or his companions. Nothing happened, so Gandalf tried again. Once more, nothing happened.
"Nothing's happening," Pippin pointed out.
"Yes, I think he realizes that," Amy said, putting her hand on Pippin's shoulder and leaning down. "You are not helping."
Gandalf then tried to force his way in but had no success, to his frustration.
"I once knew every spell in the tongues of Men, Elves and Orcs," Gandalf grumbled.
Pippin opened his mouth to speak again only for Amy to place a hand over his mouth.
"I think you've helped enough for now," Amy told him warningly.
Seeing this, River smiled fondly, remembering many such moments as Mels where Amy had tried to keep her out of trouble just as she was doing for Pippin now. With a glance at her father, River saw that Rory was remembering the same thing by the slight grin that had crossed his face.
Catching River looking at him, Rory looked at her curiously but River merely smiled before turning her attention back to The Doctor. The Doctor walked up to the archway, pulling out his screwdriver and scanning it. Looking down at the scans, The Doctor frowned in confusion, as the screwdriver said it was just ordinary stone.
"Just what are you?" The Doctor muttered as he looked at the archway curiously.
Some time had passed; Gandalf still had not been able to figure out the password. Rory turned his head away from Gandalf, noticing Aragorn and Sam were loosening the reins around Sam's pony, Bill and removing Sam's bags from him.
"Mines are no place for a pony, even one as brave as Bill," Aragorn told Sam gently.
"Bye-bye Bill," Sam said sadly as Aragorn removed the reins.
"Go on Bill, go," Aragorn said, lightly pushing Bill, who quickly fled back down the path. "Don't worry, Sam, he knows the way home."
"In my experience, horses always know the way home," Rory noted, remembering many times he had ridden a horse while guarding the Pandorica. "I'm sure Bill will be fine Sam."
Aragorn nodded his agreement before noticing Merry and Pippin were throwing rocks into the water. Walking over, he grabbed Merry's arm before he could throw another one.
"Do not disturb the water," Aragorn warned as he, Boromir, Rory and River noticed some ripples.
Away from them, The Doctor was pacing back and forth, mulling over the words on the archway when suddenly, the truth washed over him like a bucket of cold water.
"It's obvious now," The Doctor muttered as he turn towards the archway. "It's a riddle."
"Speak friend and enter," Frodo muttered, realizing the truth at the same time. "What's the elvish word for friend?"
"Mellon."
Barely had the word left Gandalf's mouth when the archway opened up, revealing it was a door.
"At last! Patience is for wimps!" The Doctor declared as they began entering the doors.
"Soon, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves. Roaring fires, malt beer, ripe meat off the bone!" Gimli boasted happily.
Silently, Gandalf added a crystal to the top of his staff, blowing on it. It lit up, revealing the inside of the mines.
"And they call it a mine," Gimli laughed.
"Gimli," The Doctor said lowly, drawing everyone's attention to what the light had revealed.
Everyone stopped, staring in horror at the skeletons all around them.
"This is no mine, it's a tomb," Boromir said grimly.
"No," Gimli said, running around and looking at the scene in horror. "No!"
Gimli fell to his knees, wailing in grief and horror. A few feet away, Legolas yanked an arrow out of a skeleton, examining it.
"Goblins," he said grimly.
Legolas notched an arrow in his bow as Aragorn and Boromir drew their swords. Seeing by their reactions that this was bad, River drew her gun as Rory picked up a nearby axe from the one of the skeletons before he and The Doctor stood proactively in front of Amy and the Hobbits.
"We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here," Boromir said grimy.
"Tell us something we don't know," Rory said darkly.
"Now, get out of here. Get out!" Boromir barked.
Frodo then yelped. Amy and the other Hobbits whirled around to see a tentacle had come up from the water outside and had wrapped itself around Frodo's ankle, dragging him in.
"Doctor!" Amy shouted in warning as they grabbed onto Frodo, preventing him from being pulled in.
The others turned towards them and saw what was happening. Before anyone could make a move, River fired her gun, getting the tentacle just above where it had Frodo. They heard a wail of pain before it let Frodo go. This was no relief however as almost immediately after, several other tentacles burst from the water. Amy and the Hobbits were knocked down before they grabbed Frodo, lifting him into the air.
"Mr. Frodo!" Sam cried out in horror.
The others all rushed out, River almost firing at the tentacles but hesitated, unsure she could hit one without hitting Frodo. Legolas fired, easily getting the tentacle that held Frodo. The creature twitched but it still held Frodo in its grasp. Frodo screamed in terror as it emerged from the water, opening its mouth to reveal razor sharp teeth.
Aragorn, Boromir, and Rory rushed into the water, using their swords and axe to cut the tentacles while River fired at the creature itself. She got it dead center and the creature wailed before letting Frodo go. He fell through the air before being caught by Boromir.
"Run!" The Doctor shouted.
"Into the mines!" Gandalf added.
The group made their way back to the doorway, Legolas firing an arrow and getting the creature as it attempted to go after them. They ran inside but the creature ran after them. As it struck the door, it burst into the mines, causing boulders to ran down from the ceiling, smashing the creature, killing it but also blocking the way out.
For a moment, they were in complete darkness before the crystal on Gandalf's staff lit up again, allowing them to see.
"We now have but one choice. We must face the long dark of Moria," Gandalf said grimly as they began walking again, following after Gandalf lest they be left behind.
"As long as we're away from that thing, I think it could be worse," Amy muttered and Gandalf looked back at her, shooting her a look.
"Be careful of your words Amy Pond. There are older and fouler things than Orcs...in the deep places of the world."
With those words, Gandalf began leading the group down, The Doctor exchanging a grim look with his Companion, all four of them wondering what they had just gotten themselves into.
Still kind of on the short side I know, but I wanted the mines to be their own separate chapter.
Hope you guys enjoyed it anyway.