Fighting the Odds: The Lionheart Returns (A Lord of the Rings Fanfiction)

Book 1: Into the Depths

After walking for the rest of the day, the Fellowship found themselves in front of Moria. Gandalf had dropped back to quietly talk with Frodo and Ara was walking next to Merry and Pippin. The two were talking amongst themselves, and Ara was lost in thought. Her expression was troubled. She did not like underground places, and that was exactly where they were going. And whatever awaited them in the mines was enough to make even Gandalf uneasy. Not a good sign. The Bender was snapped from her dark thoughts when Merry spoke up.

"Ara, we never did thank you for helping us up on the mountains." he thought aloud. Both hobbits beamed up at her.

"Yes, you did help us quite a bit. I can't imagine it was pleasant for you, though." Pippin added. Ara shook her head, a small smile on her face.

"It is no trouble, my dear hobbits. If I have powers, I may as well use them for something good." she said. Merry and Pippin were about to speak up again, when a gasp from Gimli caught their attention.

"The walls of Moria." he breathed in awe, standing in front of the ancient rock wall. Ara felt a sense off foreboding settling in her stomach. The very surroundings were eery. The dark walls of stone seemed to loom over them and there was a pond filled with murky water to their left. But the doors of Moria were nowhere in sight.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli explained.

"Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten." Gandalf retorted. Legolas shook his head.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" he muttered, just loud enough for Gimli to hear him. The dwarf muttered some unfriendly words and continued to walk on. Gandalf approached the walls and made out the faint outline of the doors in the rock.

"Well, let's see. Ithildin. It mirrors only starlight and moonlight." the aging wizard thought aloud. The Fellowship turned and watched as a cloud that had been covering the moon moved, shining its light on the doors. The outline of the door glowed white, as did runes carved into the stone.

"It reads: 'The doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'" Gandalf told the others.

"What do you suppose that means?" Merry asked thoughtfully.

"Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open." the grey wizard replied. He then began to speak in an ancient language. Nothing happened. Pippin thought it necessary to voice this observation.

"Nothing's happened."

Gandalf shot him a look and began to chant once more. Again, the doors did not budge. The old wizard even began to push on the doors. Ara moved over to the water. The dark atmosphere appeared to stem from there.

"I once knew every spell in the language of the Elves, Men and Orcs." Gandalf muttered from behind Ara.

"What are you going to do then?" Pippin asked innocently, unintentionally angering the wizard.

"Knock your head against these doors, Peregrin Took! And if that does not shatter them, and I'm allowed some peace from your foolish questions, I will try to find the opening words." Gandalf bellowed. Ara thought that these words were harsh, but she was too distracted by the pond to offer Pippin any comfort. Legolas moved over to her, seeing that his friend was uneasy. Ara's curiosity got the better of her and she decided to try something. She held out her palm over the dark water and her eyes began to glow. The water did not move, or bend to her will. She broke her concentration, even more nervous now.

"I can't control the water. Something's not right." she muttered. Aragorn joined them from sending Bill the pony off. Sam had been awful upset, but a pony would not survive in the mines. He caught what Ara said and shifted uneasily. Plop, the three heard and a ripple went acrossed the surface of the lake. Merry had thrown a rock into it, oblivious of the dangers if his actions. Pippin was about to do the same, when Aragorn stopped him.