Return to our Destiny.

20. The Watcher in the Water

The Fellowship passes south, along the misty shadow of an aqueduct's ruins. Thilia has returned to a more manageable size and walks at the front of the party. Gandalf is right behind her and everyone else is after him. "Frodo, come and help an old man." Frodo moves up from behind Gandalf to offer his shoulder as an extra support to Gandalf. "How is your shoulder?" he asked looking down at the dark haired hobbit. 

"Better than it was." Gandalf nods, "And the Ring?" Frodo doesn't answer, his silence is enough of an answer that he doesn't need to speak. "You feel its power growing, don't you? I've felt it too. You must be careful now. Evil will be drawn to you from outside the Fellowship. And, I fear, from within." Frodo frowns, "Who then do I trust?" he asked looking up at the wizard. "You must trust yourself. Trust your own strengths." he answers. 

"What do you mean?" Frodo is confused by Gandalf's advice. "There are many powers in this world, for Good or for Evil. Some are greater than I am. And against some I have not yet been tested." "The Walls... of Moria!" Gimli called from the middle of the group, Thilia isn't impressed by the structure and stays quiet. The Fellowship stands and looks upon a vast cliff face. "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Thilia rolled her eyes.

"How reliable of them," she snipped sarcastically. Gimli grumbled before turning his attention back to the wall, he knocks his axe against a rock. The Fellowship moves along the wall, searching for a door. "Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them, if their secrets are forgotten." Legolas looked up at the walls. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" Gimli grumbles, but says nothing.

A foot splashes into shallow water. Frodo gasps, pulling his leg back. A great pool sits beside the rock face. Gandalf approaches the rock between two trees, and runs his hand over the cliff face. "Now... let's see. Ithildin —" Beneath his hand run spidery silver lines, faint beneath the dirt. "It mirrors only starlight... and moonlight." As he looks up at the black night sky, the moon appears. The silver lines grow bright,

Outling a door formed of two columns beneath an arch, with a star in the center. "It reads 'The Doors of Durin — Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'" Gandalf explains and Merry enthralled by the lights and the door asks, "What do you suppose that means?" "Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password, and the doors will open. Annon Edhellen, edro hi ammen!" (Gate of the Elves, open now for me!) Thilia squints in mild annoyance.

The Doors remain closed. "Why would he ask the elves to open a dwarf door? Obviously it won't work. You'd think the wizard would know that." she said mostly to herself but Boromir had been next to her and was listening, "Maybe he's going to try everything he can think of, that wouldn't be a bad idea." he said giving the wizard the benefit of the doubt. Thilia shrugged. "Whatever, that's too much even for me," she said then moved over to sit for a bit. 

She rubbed her shoulder having hurt it by protecting the others from the falling stone earlier. "Did you get hurt?" Boromir asked as he had been standing off to the side watching Gandalf. "Not really, just a bit sore." she said making light of it. "May I check?" he asked and she didn't mind, shrugging off her outer tunic and then tugged up the back of her shirt. She didn't take it off completely to keep everyone from freaking out. 

When he looked, he was surprised to see that she has a huge tattoo in dwarven style of a dragon, it's head went up her shoulder and sat on her collarbone while the wings and body covered her back, it's tail trailed down into her trousers. But the large cuts and scrapes from the hits she took quickly take his attention from the tattoo. With some supplies from his pack he applied oils and ointments to treat any of the cuts and scrapes. 

When it was done he bandaged her up and helped her lower her clothing and then held her outer coat for her to slip back on. "Thank you Boromir, I didn't know you knew how to treat wounds," she shrugged humbly, "Just the bare minimum. I only know some to help my men when we fight orcs near the borders of Gondor," he said and she smiled. "That sounds very useful anyway," she said and he blushed bashfully.