LOTR - The Fellow Ship (fan fiction - Aragorn love story)

Chapter Six

The group are moving further into the mines quietly. They are trying to crawl there way up a set of steep stairs. Pippin slips into Ariel who was right behind him. She puts her finger to her lips to signal for him to be quieter. She helps him stand back up.

Ariel feels a soft tap on her back. She looks back at Aragorn and Boromir who were behind her. Boromir motions for He to move aside slightly. She does so, Aragorn keeping his hands on her back to keep her from slipping.

Boromir moves past them, up to behind pippin who he starts to help climb the stairs. Aragorn motions for her to follow. He stays close behind making sure she was managing the climb.

They all finally reach the top of the stairs only to stop when they see 3 different door ways. Gandalf is looking between the doorways with a confused look on his face. "I have no memory of this place" he says quietly to himself.

Legolas tells everyone to rest while Gandalf tries to figure out which way to go. Boromir starts a small fire to warm the group as a few of them are still wet from the lake. Aragorn sits down beside Boromir, looking up to watch the hobbits and Ariel all huddle together on the other side of the small fire, trying to get warm.

Aragorn smiles to himself as he watch's her. He feels a nudge against his arm and looks at Boromir who is giving him a smirk. Boromir ask's quietly so only Aragorn can hear him "courting?". Aragorn puts his head down shaking it slightly saying back "no...there is no time for such a thing." Boromir looks up at her, seeing her giggle as gimili says something to her.

"Don't be a fool. It's clear to everyone here how you too feel, even if you are both trying to hide it from each other. Your doing a bad job at that I might add. There may not be time for courting but we are on a dangerous path. Any one of us could lose our lives at moment. Do not hold back, enjoy your time with her or you may live to regret it." Boromir says looking Aragorn straight in the eyes. Aragorn nods his head slightly before replying "what you say makes sense but may not be so simple".

They both look up as they here Ariel giggle again. Ariel replies to pippin "your always hungry". They all laugh quietly. Ariel sees Frodo looking behind them seriously. She watch's him get up and rush over to Gandalf. She too gets up and joins them.

Ariel ask's "what's wrong Frodo?" He replies mostly to Gandalf "there's something down there". Without even looking back, Gandalf replies "it's Gollum. He's been following us for 3 days." Frodo looks at him shocked "he escaped the Dungeon of barrack-duel.

The mention of a dungeon makes Ariel start to shake. Gandalf and Frodo notice. Gandalf reaches out and claps her hand gentle squeezing. Ariel nots before turning around and walking back to the group, not wanting to here anymore as the memories come rushing back.

She stands beside Legolas staring out into the darkness. They all turn around when they hear Gandalf speak up "oh... it's that way". Merry jumps up "he's remembered". Everyone stands, grabbing the belongings. Gandalf replies "no, but the air doesn't smell so fowl down here. If in doubt, always follow your nose".

They start to descend the stair case through one of the door ways. When they reach the bottom, it opens into a wild open area with large pillars' Gandalf mumbles and then lights the area a bit more. Gandalf walks forward "be hold, the great realm of dwarf city of Dwarrowdelf".

They all look around in aw. Ariel feels Aragorn slip his hand into her's as they continue to look around. Gimili all of a sudden takes of towards a door way to the side. Ariel pulls Aragorn by the hand to run after him.

They enter through the door only to see gimili kneeling beside a tomb, crying. Ariel stops immediately. Aragorn pulls her to the side so everyone else can enter the room. She feels him slip his hand from hers before putting them around her waist and holds her close.