Chapter 27
I jump up into awareness like a jack rabbit scared for its life before calming myself. The shared dream/waking reality, while new and unexpected, is not at the top of my list of 'have to figure out' right now. No, that would be LongArm and his kidnapping habits. Sitting up slowly, I stretch my hands up over my head and listen to the delicious pop of cartilage before repacking my sleeping bag. The thin brown material is not the ideal sleeping arrangement but it's better than anything the other inhabitants of this world have, so I'm not going to complain. Rising my eyes to the mountain towering over me, I find it easy to pinpoint where I think the Fellowship might be.
"Those clouds look ominously convenient." I say to myself before pinching the bridge of my nose "Now I'm talking to myself. Great. What would Thorin say?"
The thought of my spouse stops me short and drags me back into a pretty bad mood. 'It's not like I purposefully left Thrain there to suffer but does that matter to Sir GrowlsAlot? NO.' Not that I'd be in a very understanding mood if the roles were reversed. Rubbing the back of my neck in guilt, I pace while watching the clouds dissipate and leave the sky a beautiful clear blue. Oddly enough, I feel a little hopeful looking at the sequence of events.

Someone is always going to come and try to ruin things, be it dark lords or maids, but it will never last. Eventually, the skies will clear and I'll be able to see the beauty in life. Placing my hands on my hips, I nod to myself.
"No more of this. Everything will work itself out as long as I can see the silver lining." tapping my chin, I try to see that little strip of goodness "Somebody used my image before I even arrived on middle earth to save Thrain but they did save him. My kids have been kidnapped but the kidnapper has dropped them off with a relative. Said relative is deranged but Thorin is on the job and I trust him. As long as I do right on my end, it'll all be ok."
I nod again to no one, mostly to reassure myself. Digging in my bag, I pull out a little bit of food and my water canteen. If my calculations are correct, my group of companions should be back by the afternoon so I have a few hours to practice my gifts. Still... With thoughts of them come thoughts of the ring and those are never good. Hence before the tug in my belly from it can get too persistent, I pretend its just hunger pangs. Guzzling my water, I stuff my face with lembas bread. Indulging in the meal holds off the thoughts for a while but it is a quick one and before long my mind wanders again. 'If Gandalf has no idea how to remove the ring's influence and even the guardians seem to want me to avoid it, how am I going to get out of this?' Yes, Gandalf said he wouldn't toss me into the firey chasm but that doesn't tell me what he WILL do, or if he'll do anything at all. I'm not suicidal or anything but regardless of my well being, the ring's entire existence must be destroyed...

I set my bag on the ground and test my jump. I cant get far and I can't feel people so I should try to make a new close range evasion tactic while I think about my situation. What do I know about the ring? Celebrimbor and Elvish jewel makers are dead. Any that lived are probably gone or Elrond would have said something. They did the deed in Mount Doom, so the ring must be destroyed there. Circle of life, I guess. Sauron's power is embedded in the ring and they share a fate; if one survives, so does the other. Elvish ring wearers immediately know if Sauron wears the ring but it doesn't seem like they know if anyone else puts it on. The ring has a will of its own, a sentience of sorts, and can move minutely, such as slipping off fingers and out of pockets. The ring extends your life... no... your existence. The ring can also make you walk between two worlds and alter your ability to understand speech. The more I think about it, the more I can see the similarities between myself and the cursed object. My existence in this world exceeds what is natural, I've walked two worlds, and I understand any language I can hear or read. Still, all that information about the ring could easily be found with a google search. I need to know about the parts of the ring that aren't well documented. Like... can it talk to Sauron? The father, son, and holy spirit can commune. They are one and separate. Are Sauron and the ring like that? If so, what are the limits? Do all of their desires converge or is it like a parent and child? My dark thoughts and practice are thankfully interrupted by Gimli's loud cry of surprise.
"My lady, Queen Thia!" looking up, I see him rushing to descend the mountain but he is still a ways away from me. It would seem that his voice carries well. I'd moved towards the direction of Moria, so I wasn't exactly where they left me. I decided I would intercept them here, so they wouldn't have to backtrack. So no, they weren't looking for me as he puts it. Not exactly "Thank goodness we have found you!"
"I'm sorry I worried you-"
"Gandalf explained everything."

"Oh?"

"Yes! I understand why you would not wish to travel in your condition but you mustn't leave my side! It's not safe." I simply smile, as I have no idea what 'condition' Gandalf has put me in. I glance towards him but he refuses to meet my eyes. My brow furrows in confusion as I find none of the group can look at me for more than three seconds without blushing. My confused smile turns into horrified realization with Gimli's next sentence "All females bleed, there is nothing to be embarrassed about."
"Uh..."
"The heavier, the better! My Amad says that it shows fertility." Why, WHY, WHY is his mother talking to him about this like that? I also don't know if that's true and I don't know how I feel about that. My head spins as he continues proudly "Congratulations, you have righted what is natural! Perhaps... When this trip is finished, you can bear the King another son."
Trying to collect my pride is like trying to collect the ocean by cupping your hands: It's not going to work. Strangely enough, I had been on my monthly during our departure and it had been awful. Especially since I missed it for a year. Still, to have it thrown in my face like a pitcher of water is nearly crippling. I'd curse Gandalf out if he hadn't warned me before he did it. This punishment is a bit excessive if you ask me though. Not that anyone does, so I turn away from the group as a whole to act like I'm unbothered by it all.
"Um... Uh.. SO, since you all are back, I'd assume that passing over the mountain clearly is a no go."
"... We could make for the gap-"
"It's too close to Isengard, which you already know." I cut off Boromir with a wave of my hand without looking back "Besides, Frodo has already made a choice."
"Oh! Um... I.. I thought that... if we c-could not go over or around the mountain, it might be best to go under it..." Glancing at Frodo, I find him studying his feet delicately "I-I-If that's alright with you, Miss."
"If that's your choice, I can only support you in it."
He looks up for a moment with a quick smile before ducking his head again. A collective decision is made to rest for an hour before moving on and I take the time to sit beside Gandalf. He knows I'm seething at the 'excuse' he created for my absence but offers no apology, not that I expected one. I just want to make sure he knows I'm extremely disturbed.

"Was that the BEST you could come up with?"

"It was a quick answer that garnered no questions." he huffs out with not a trace of remorse "It served its purpose."

"Hm."
"... You know why I do not wish to go through the mines of Moria."
"I do." seeing where the conversation is going, I sigh deeply and lay back onto the bent tree "If the leader does not matter and the events are the same, then the dwarves dug too deeply into those tunnels and found something a little... unexpected."
"It has been a time since any have heard from Stonehelm or his men." he drags a weathered hand down his tired face and I can feel the exhaustion rolling off him in waves. I place a hand on his knee lightly; the only form of empathy I can grant him. He glances at it for a moment before patting my hand in return "I do not know what to expect and that worries me."
"Dido." smiling at his clear confusion, I shrug my shoulders "I'm not sure what we'll find either and i can't say i'm optimistic but I'm pretty sure it can't be any worse than what was originally written..."

"A life is a life..."

"True... every life matters but when last I saw these events, it was Balin and Ori's lives. And those are lives I knew."
"... They live, so with a spot of luck, this trip will be better than the one you have foreseen." Huffing to his feet, the old wizard begins to gather the group with a shout "Let us-"

"Wait. One more thing."

"G- wha... Yes?"

"... Mahal came to Thorin and I to tell us that the children were kidnapped by Longarm and Thrain is alive and that someone who looked like me saved him in Dol Guldor after you left him there and Longarm dropped the kids off with Thrain but Thrain is completely out of his mind so Thorin is going to go find them and Mahal doesn't really think I should be on this quest and Thorin is pissed off at me now so everything is on fire and I'm really happy I didn't climb up that mountain with you.."

"..."

"..."

"L... Let us be off!"

"You know..." Boromir saunters up beside me with a sick grin on his face. Everyone had avoided me for most part since we got back together but I guess that peace is gone. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was a distant relative of Alfrid from Laketown. I wonder whatever happened to that guy "Wolves can smell blood."
"That was NOT my fault." We'd been attacked by wolves last night and he's saying its my fault for being a lady in red. He's like an annoying cousin that your parents make you hang out with because you're the same age. Rolling my eyes, I start walking despite him trailing beside me "All creatures can smell blood. It tells them which way to run away from."
"Or toward." Making a show of sniffing around my person, Boromir backs off quickly enough for my fist to miss his face "I just want you to be careful Dragon Queen. We wouldn't want you attracting the wrong kind of attention. Again."
"... I hope an orc takes a liking to your backside and makes you his personal bed warmer."
"Oh my." raising his hands in the universal 'I surrender' pose, the man backs off "The Queen has claws."
"And a mace I'm going to shove right up your-"
"My Queen, look!"
Gimli's shout of triumph saves Boromir from a severe tongue lashing. The dwarf stands on the edge of a lake, not 200 feet from us. We arrived at the dark shore earlier than I thought we would, with just enough time to see the creepy black lake set ablaze by the descending sun at our backs. I never discovered why there is a random kraken in the pool but it will indeed force the group inside, if it still resides there. It would be my guess that if dwarves live here, then they wouldn't want the thing on their front porch. But if the place is empty... Well then it's anyone's bet. Testing the theory out seems to be on Pippin's list before he kicks the bucket, as he picks up a flat stone that has fallen off the looming cliffs above us. With a painful smile I catch his arm just in time before he lets it loose.
"I wouldn't do that if I was you."
"Yeah Pippin, it isn't a good idea." Merry chides in annoyance, failing to discreetly drop a rock of his own without anyone noticing "But... um... why not?"
"A creature lives down there in the deep, sickly in color and old as the river itself; one of the nameless things. When the river was damned this pool got deeper and more stagnant by the day. Something foul exists there now. Some call it the Watcher in the Water but I call it a Kraken and it lives down there. So don't throw rocks at it." I shrug my shoulders as the two exchange fearful expressions before dashing to hide behind me as if I could fight off a creature of the old "I hear it likes to eat naughty hobbits."
"Oh, thank goodness." Merry steps free of my shadow with relief on his face "That means it'll go after Pippin first."
"Hey!"
"I wouldn't be so sure Merry." I say lazily brushing my nails against my tunic as I wait for the others to catch up "A kraken has a couple of arms to spare. I'm sure it could handle you both."
"Stop worrying the young ones, my old friend." A hand on my shoulder has me turning to look up at Legolas "Though... she is seldom wrong, so please steer clear of the waters."
"I'm only half joking." Gazing up at the elf, I can not help but take in his beauty. His platinum blonde hair is half pulled back to reveal his sharply pointed ears. Pale eyes, a mixture between grey and blue, twinkle in mirth matched only by the curve of his undoubtedly soft lips. I sigh at how completely unattracted I am to him "I've never heard of it eating hobbits in particular."

"I see."

Our sham of a marriage would have never worked. Walking away, I wait. I'm more of a tan and rugged kind of girl. Where Legolas is delicate, I'd prefer solid muscle. I'd much rather heated eyes to his cool wise ones. Rough hands instead of soft ones.

'Like Thorin.'

My body flushes both from desire and embarrassment, and I quickly direct my attention away from myself. It isn't until Gandalf is speaking that I realize the thought was not my own.
"Ithildin...it mirrors only starlight and moonlight." I search for Frodo as the clouds part for the moon to begin illuminating our surroundings. Just like the runes on the map to Erebor and the keyhole of the mountain, the night is crucial. Even so, I'm disinterested in the beautiful letterings that appear, simply wishing to be as far from the ring's influence as possible.
You want the dwarf king to touch you... here?
I cover my mouth to stifle the gasp that chokes me at the phantom feeling of hands tracing my belly. Aragorn, who is closest to me now, flicks his gaze to me questioningly but I only muster a smile and shake my head. He frowns but turns away, just missing my silent grimace as something strokes the underside of my breast.
Here? You want him to touch you here?
"It reads, 'The door of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'
"I see." Merry says, nodding his head before shaking it "What do you suppose that means?"
If I thought I could put their guessing game too an end without moaning like a moron, I would. I hate myself for it but it's not the darkness touching me. It's a memory. Ghostly and familiar. As if Thorin were right beside me, touching me, and I feel like I would be with him here. As if my skin remembers, like an after image tingling on my cells rather than a mere touch. Leaning against the nearest wall, I sink onto the floor with the hope that it just looks like I'm resting. Ignoring the ring's attention isn't working, so I ignore my companions instead. Grabbing onto what I can only describe as a spiritual tie, I reach out to the ring.
Stop... Stop it now.
You want this. I can give this to you.
No, I don't want this.
I can touch you like he does, Mommy.
"Hell no." I say so firmly it even slips past my lips "No one may touch me as he does."
When I am as I should be, you will want me. Love me. Worship me.
I won't let you.
Mommy... you do not have a choice.
As quickly as the phantom touches began, is as quickly as they fade. I'm left in a shivering mass on the floor, coming to distantly listen to the conversations. A hand ghosts across my shoulder and I inhale sharply.
"I said do not touch me!" I hiss lowly only to find myself facing a very surprised Frodo "Oh... Oh Frodo. I'm sorry. I thought..."
"You thought I was the ring... It can... touch... you?" I blink at him in surprise before ducking my head in shame "I-I'm sorry... I heard it whispering earlier. It must be horrible to actually understand, let alone FEEL. I don't know what it does or says but... I'm truly sorry that it's bothering you."
"... Thanks. Thank you. It's... Its not your fault though. The sooner we get rid of it, the better." We watch as Merry and Pippin disregard good sense and begin throwing rocks into the lake once more. I do not reprimand them as Aragorn almost immediately stops their fun, knowing they will simply have to learn the hard way. Having spent enough time outside, I offer a hand to Frodo and we walk over to the wall where Gandalf is grumbling "Having a bit of trouble there, Gandalf?"
"Perhaps." he answers in exasperation. He stares at the wall with a glare that could probably crack a less enchanted stone before turning his gaze to me "I suppose if you were in a more helpful mood we'd be inside already?"
"Of course." Returning his sour puss frown with a grin, I pat Frodo on the shoulder "But I brought Frodo along to be fair. What do you think of this, Frodo?"
"M-Me?" he stutters adorably "I couldn't possibly-"
"Sure you can." I reply before he can finish. Though he isn't extremely closely related to Bilbo, all those years spent in his company surely wore something off onto him. Still, the ring's lingering influence prevents me from being as excessive as I could be so I settle for a small smile "I know you can."
"I suppose... I could give it a try..." I nod and the three of us sit down facing the wall for a few silent minutes. I take the time to shake off the last remnants of the dark touch and just begin to feel like myself again as Frodo's face breaks into a grin "It's a riddle..."
"That's a good boy. And a very simple one at that! You'll get it in a moment. " I exclaim with enthusiasm. The boy grins at the praise even as the wizard looks on in confusion "Go on then, explain it to old Gandalf."
"Well, pardon me."
"Speak, friend, and enter." Frodo repeats the phrase over and over until he gets over the last hump of the riddle "What's the Elvish word for friend?"
"Oh..." Gandalf rolls the idea in his mind for a moment, not searching for the word but solving the riddle himself. When he has, his mouth curves in at the corners and he softly whispers "Mellon."
Like magic, because it is, the heavy stone doors pry themselves open to reveal a dark cavern. Of course, they slide outwards, and we all have to step back to avoid being run over by them. If the dam isn't broken, eventually these gates will be underwater but that's not important. What is most important is the dim lights coming from deep inside. What should have been a black corridor that rivals night itself, is simply a dim hall. We stand in the entryway in surprised stillness, no one appearing to want to be the first to enter. Having no other choice, I nudge Gandalf to break the silence.
"Well..." he harrumphs from under his gray beard "We are not going to get anywhere without moving."
"I wonder..." Pippin murmurs softly to himself
"Wonder about what?"
"Well... if these are dwarven halls..." his face scrunches up in contorted disarray, and I become genuinely intrigued "... then why is the secret code an elvish word?"
"Oh, I suppose that's a good question worthy of some history." I respond, looking behind us at the rippling waters tensely "I'll tell you later."