Kitra stirred from her slumber and found herself no longer on the cold, unforgiving mountain but rather approaching the ominous mines of Moria. At first, she was met with the faint sounds of footsteps and murmurs in the distance. The steady beat of a heart thumped against her ear as she realized someone was carrying her. She could also detect the distinct smell of Aragorn, a mix of sweat and dirt, but oddly enough it brought her comfort.
As she slowly regained full consciousness, she nuzzled further into his chest, signaling that she was awake. "How long have I been out?" she whispered softly, not wanting to alert anyone else to her awakening.
"About half a day. We have reached the walls of Moria," Aragorn whispered back. Kitra could feel him preparing to set her down, but she clung onto his tunic tightly, not yet ready to be separated from his warmth and protection.
The word "don't" escaped her lips in a soft whine, the sound barely audible over the pounding of her heart. Her legs trembled beneath her, unsteady and unreliable after the recent ordeal. She couldn't even trust them to hold her up just yet. With a gentle chuckle, he readjusted her weight in his arms, his touch comforting and reassuring.
"I was worried you weren't going to wake up," he admitted quietly, his voice laced with concern. "You need to be careful with your body. You can't keep pushing yourself so hard." His scolding tone was met with a pang of guilt in her chest - she had caused him to worry about her well-being.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she turned to look up at him, feeling small and vulnerable in his arms. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
The towering walls of Moria rose before them, casting a looming shadow in the faint moonlight. Gimli gasped in awe at the sight and explained to her that they only needed to get around a pool of water to reach the entrance of the mines.
"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," he said, tapping his ax on the stone wall. The loud ringing of metal echoed into the night, adding an eerie feeling to their surroundings.
Gandalf chimed in with a piece of information, "Yes, Gimli! Even their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten!" She could sense Gimli's scowl at Gandalf's words.
As they made their way to the other side of the water, Alana quietly approached Aragorn. Her heart raced in anticipation as she stood beside him, her cousin Kitra joining them with a smile and a teasing remark for the wizard.
The air was thick with excitement and tension as they prepared to enter the mysterious halls of Moria. The ancient stones seemed to hum with secrets and danger, sending chills down Kitra's spine.
"Good to see you are still with us," Gandalf's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, though his attention was on Kitra and Aragorn. He gently placed Kitra back on her feet after carrying her across the water, and she couldn't help but wobble for a moment from the sudden change. Aragorn's strong hand steadied her, and she looked up at him with a grateful smile.
"I'm alright," she reassured Gandalf as she regained her balance. Aragorn kept his arm around her waist, his protective presence comforting and reassuring. With one last look at her, he hesitantly let go of her and joined Gandalf ahead.
"You're looking for the Ithildin veins, are you not?"
Alana's voice cut through the tranquil moment, her excitement palpable as she spoke. Kitra couldn't help but chuckle at her cousin's eagerness. They had poured over countless books and articles on dwarf culture and secrets, and this was one of Alana's favorites.
"Ah yes, the elusive Ithildin veins," Gandalf replied, his aged hands running along the rough surface of the mountain wall. His eyes were fixed on a spot just out of reach.
"But you're not high enough up," Alana interjected, striding around the wizard to stand further down the bank of the lake they were standing beside. She pointed to two trees that seemed to outline a space in the rock face. Kitra watched with fascination as Alana ran her fingers over the stone, revealing a shimmering vein that glinted silver in the moonlight. "It only reflects starlight and moonlight, so on a night like this, the door should appear any..." Alana trailed off as if on cue, as the clouds parted and the full moon emerged from behind them. The entire wall seemed to come alive, glowing with an otherworldly light. "Second," Alana finished with a triumphant smirk, turning to face them with an air of pride.
Gandalf couldn't hide his surprise at Alana's knowledge and nodded approvingly. "You've certainly done your fair share of reading while trapped in Fornost."
Alana's gaze remained fixated on the glowing wall as she spoke again, "I had plenty of time to study during my years there."
The ancient door was adorned with intricate carvings, depicting scenes of battles and mythical creatures. Alana and Kitra stood before it, their eyes wide with awe and curiosity. In bold letters, the words "The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria, Speak Friend and Enter" were etched into its surface. As Kitra read the words out loud, Alana shot her a playful glare.
"Way to steal my glory brat." Alana huffed, but couldn't help but smile at her younger sister's enthusiasm. Kitra stuck her tongue out at her in a teasing manner.
"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked, breaking the silence.
"Oh, it's quite simple," Gandalf said confidently as he approached the doors. He lifted his arms and staff and began chanting in a different language. "Annon Edhellen, edro hi ammen! (Gate of the Elves, open now for me!)" The air seemed to still as everyone held their breaths in anticipation. But nothing happened. Gandalf tried again, his voice ringing out in determination. Still, the doors remained shut.
With a heavy sigh, Gandalf turned to the rest of the group. "It seems we will need more time to figure this out." The distant sound of water trickling through the cavern echoed in the background as they continued to contemplate the mysterious password.
"nothing is happening." Pippin's small voice whispered to Legolas, who gave him a stern look. The forest was still and silent around them, the only sounds being their soft footsteps and the occasional rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze.
"Obviously," she mumbled to herself, her eyes scanning the trees for any sign of movement. Aragorn chuckled beside her, and she jumped slightly, not realizing that she had stepped back towards him.
"I once knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men, and orcs," Gandalf muttered, his weary voice carrying through the quiet clearing. She felt sympathy for the old man, knowing the weight of his knowledge and responsibilities.
"What're you going to do then?" Pippin asked innocently, only irritating the wizard further.
"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took!" Gandalf snapped, his frustration evident. "And if that does not shatter them, and I'm allowed a little peace from foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words." She took that as her cue to find a place to sit and rest her eyes for a bit. As she settled onto a nearby log, she couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of their surroundings - the ancient trees towering overhead like sentinels, the dappled sunlight filtering through their branches. It was a peaceful oasis amidst their chaotic journey.
"Haven't you had enough rest?"
Alana plopped down beside Kitra, her teasing tone a clear indication of her annoyance. Kitra, with her eyes closed and a hand supporting her chin, replied without missing a beat.
"I'm not resting. I'm thinking." Her voice was calm but distant, as if she were lost in deep contemplation.
"What is going on with you? You have been acting strange since the council meeting. You have been avoiding Frodo and you hardly talk to me. What is it you're not telling me?" Alana's frustration was palpable as she confronted Kitra about her behavior. Kitra let out a heavy sigh, realizing that now was the time to finally tell Alana about her true identity and the reason behind her recent actions.
"It's not an easy explanation, but I'll try my best. Do you remember the fire that killed your father and my parents...it wasn't an accident." As Kitra began to reveal the truth, a cold shiver ran down her spine and she could feel Alana's eyes widening in shock next to her.
"What? What are you talking about?" Alana asked suddenly worried about what she was about to tell her.
"My parents...betrayed our people. They made a deal with Sauron to have everlasting life and protection." Kitra explained, hoping that what she was saying was making sense.
"What do you mean? What deal?" Alana was getting impatient.
"Sauron, as he is right now, is without a body. But he can take over the body of someone with the Amulet of Nare, which my father was in possession of. My father exchanged the Amulet for invulnerability, but he was deceived and is now a Red Wraith." She explained.
"A Red Wraith? What is that?" Alana asked.
"I don't know. But apparently he is alive. The night of the fire my father was trying to use the Amulet on me to give Sauron a body to walk Middle Earth. My mother stopped him but at a cost. He had brought orcs with him and they burnt the village down." Kitra explained.
"What does all of that mean?" Alana asked, confused.
Kitra took a deep breath, preparing herself to reveal the full truth to Alana. She turned to face her cousin directly, her eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and determination.
"It means that I am the key to Sauron's return," Kitra said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "If he gets his hands on me and the Amulet of Nare, he can use my body as a vessel to regain his physical form and power. That's why I've been keeping my distance from Frodo and the Ring - I fear the ring is enough of a bridge for him to take over."
Alana stared at Kitra in stunned silence, trying to process the weight of her revelation. She reached out and grasped Kitra's hand tightly, offering silent support and understanding.
Alana's voice was laced with frustration as she asked, "Why did you wait until now to tell me this?"
Kitra's eyes darted around nervously before she finally responded, "I needed time to process it all. It was a lot to take in." Her tone was apologetic but firm.
Alana's brows furrowed in confusion. "But how does Aragorn know?"
A sadness flickered across Kitra's face as she revealed, "Lord Elrond told him." The weight of her words hung heavy in the air, like a dark cloud threatening to burst with secrets and emotions.
Alana's voice trembled with fear as she asked the question that had been haunting her since they set out on their quest. "What will happen when we destroy the ring? Will killing him, kill you?" She froze, her mind reeling at the thought.
Kitra paused, considering Alana's words. The possibility had not crossed her mind either, too consumed with the task at hand. "I guess it could be possible," she finally replied, "but I hadn't even thought about that. For me to die, he would have to take over my body. And as long as that doesn't happen, I believe I am in the clear." Kitra's uncertainty was evident in her tone.
"But I do not know for certain," Kitra continued, breaking the silence. "There is so much about this that is uncertain." Alana nodded slowly, her mind racing with all the potential consequences of their mission. The weight of responsibility pressed against her chest, but she knew they had no choice but to carry on.
Alana's eyes bore into hers, concern etched on her face. Worry lines creased her forehead as she asked the question, "Are you okay?"
A heavy sigh escaped her lips before she could stop it. "Not really," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked down at her hands and clenched them into fists, fighting back tears. Only Alana and Aragorn had bothered to ask how she was doing. Gandalf and Elrond seemed to have dismissed it as if it were inconsequential, something she could handle on her own.
The quiet splashing of water nearby caught their attention, and they turned to see Merry and Pippin throwing rocks into the river. She jumped up from her spot on the ground and hurried over to them, fear gripping her heart. She couldn't bear the thought of losing anyone else. Aragorn was already there, his strong presence comforting and reassuring
"Do not disturb the water," Kitra warned, her voice low and filled with warning. "There is an evil that lurks in these waters. Let's hope you didn't wake it up." She scolded both of them and they gave her a fearful look, their eyes wide with concern. The surface of the water rippled and churned, disturbed by the rocks that the hobbits had thoughtlessly thrown in. Kitra could feel the presence of the guardian awakening, its dark energy lurking just beneath the surface.
Ignoring the conversation between Gandalf and Frodo at the entrance, Kitra focused all her attention on the water. The ripples continued to grow stronger, a foreboding sign of the danger that was about to come. Fear began to ripple through her chest as she prayed for the wizard to open the door soon.
As she stood there, her cousin Alana came to stand beside her. "Is it just me or do those waves seem...unnatural?" Alana asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she gazed at the unsettling movements of the water. Kitra nodded in agreement, her eyes darting over to where Boromir stood in the corner of her eye. She couldn't help but notice a slight discoloration on his cheek, a reminder of when she had punched him.
Kit's eyes were fixated on the water as she heard Frodo's exclamation. The previously calm surface now rippled and churned, quickly forming into powerful waves that crashed against the shore. She gave Aragorn a worried look, her hand unconsciously reaching for her weapon.
Pippin gazed up at Kit with a concerned expression, prompting her to usher him away from the dangerous waters. "Speak friend... and enter. What's the Elvish word for friend?" Frodo's voice brought her attention back to the task at hand. Gandalf answered with a knowing smile and just as he did, the doors before them began to react.
A loud crack echoed through the area as the imposing doors slowly swung open. Kit and the others hastily gathered around, eager to enter before any guardians could show their ugly faces. She kept a watchful eye on the water behind them, ready to react at a moment's notice.
Gimli's enthusiastic words about the dwarven mines brought a chuckle to Kit's lips. At least someone was excited about entering this underground world. As they made their way inside, she couldn't help but feel uneasy about being enclosed in such tight spaces. "This, my friend," Gimli announced proudly, "is the home of my cousin Balin, and it is known as a Mine!"
As Gandalf's staff lit up, illuminating the dark caverns, they were met with a chilling sight. The entry stairs were littered with skeletons, their bones picked clean and impaled with arrows. Through the dim light, she could make out the distinctive fletchings of goblin arrows. It was clear that if they were to continue through these mines, they would be walking right into danger.
"It's not a mine," Boromir muttered in horror, "it's a tomb." Gimli's cries of anger and grief echoed through the chamber as he ran around, frantically searching for any signs of his people. Legolas crouched down among the bodies and pulled an arrow from one of them, his face grim with realization. Standing back up, he swiftly notched an arrow on his bow, ready for any potential threats as the other men drew their swords.
"We must make for the gap of Rohan," Aragorn declared urgently. "We should never have come here. Now hurry and get out before it's too late!" The urgency in his voice only added to the sense of impending danger and they wasted no time in fleeing from this cursed place.
With the hobbits tightly clinging to the back of her cloak, she cautiously backed out of the dark, musty mine. Her sharp senses were on high alert, and she quickly unsheathed her dagger from its hiding spot in her boot. Though there was no immediate threat from the lurking goblins, she wanted to give her companions a sense of security by holding her weapon at the ready.
Suddenly, a desperate cry from behind her jolted her into action. She spun around to see Frodo being snatched away by one of the writhing tentacles of the monstrous guardian lurking in the murky lake.
Without hesitation, she handed her dagger to Sam and darted after Frodo, determined to rescue him. With all her strength, she grabbed onto his wrists and pulled with all her might. But as she struggled against the creature's immense power, another tentacle shot out of the water and wrapped itself around her waist.
Before she knew it, she was lifted off the ground and thrown through the air like a ragdoll. The beast's grasp on her didn't last long before it flung her towards the cavern wall with tremendous force. Her head struck the rough stone with a sickening thud before she crumpled to the ground with a pained groan.
She lay slumped against the cold stone wall, her body wracked with pain. Fiery tendrils of agony shot through her back, and she knew that the bruises would be deep and dark by morning. The warm, sticky liquid trickling down the back of her neck confirmed her suspicions - blood. She had barely caught her breath before another thick tentacle snatched her up again, causing her to let out a guttural cry of surprise and fear.
The creature's movements were wild and erratic, tossing her about like a helpless rag doll. Her stomach churned with each jarring movement, threatening to expel its contents. Through bleary eyes, she could see Legolas firing arrows at the beast while the men battled with their swords, but she feared it would not be enough to bring down this monstrous creature before it devoured them all.
But then, in a moment of heroism, Boromir sliced through one of the tentacles, freeing Frodo from its grasp and catching him in his arms as he fell. With swift precision, Aragorn followed suit and freed Frodo from the second tentacle. Meanwhile, Legolas took aim and released an arrow at the tentacle gripping her, finally freeing her from its grasp.
As she fell towards the unforgiving water below, she braced for impact but instead found herself caught in the strong arms of her beloved. He didn't even pause to set her down as they quickly retreated into the safety of the mines, heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through their veins
"Into the Mines!" Gandalf's voice echoed through the cavern as they all sprinted for safety.
"Legolas!" Boromir's urgent cry rang out above the chaos of their retreat. As they neared the door, Kitra caught a glimpse of Legolas, his bow drawn and ready to fire another arrow. But before she could fully register his tense stance, more tentacles shot past them, latching onto the stone walls with a sickening thud. The creatures thrashed and pulled, tearing at the sturdy doorframe. With a final, devastating blow, the doors gave way and they were plunged into darkness.