Lady of the Elves

Chapter 10

*I ask you to read the authors note at the bottom as it explains something I have been asked.

Aragorn's POV

"Ah!" cried Gimli in delight, "The walls of Moria!" he pointed up at the sheer cliff that overlooked the thin forest just beyond the rocky valley that we had taken so long in traveling across. "Dwarf doors are invisible when closed!" he added tapping the wall with the hilt of his axe, hunting for anything that might expose it.

"Yes Gimli, Their own masters cannot find them, if their secrets are forgotten," Gandalf answered his eyes scouring the cliff face.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?!" Legolas added smugly, a slight frown snuck onto my face, the rivalry between dwarves and elves had killed many, and I found myself looking forward to the day they would once again live in peace.

Gandalf moved his hand gently across the stone of the cliff as dirt fell from the wall revealing cuts in the stone, "Ah... now let me see... Ithildin, it mirrors only starlight..." Gandalf touched the tip of his staff and the clouds moved away revealing the moon, "And moonlight." A single beam of moonlight flowed through the trees that surrounded us, catching on a carved star placed that stood just above Hobbit's heads. From this point the light flowed out through the star and twisted and turned until the doors were revealed to us, I could scarcely hold back my gasp of wonder.

Gandalf raised his staff and traced it along the elvish writing, his voice was light and delighted as he spoke, "It reads "The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria, Speak Friend and Enter"

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

"Oh, it's quite simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open," Gandalf answered as he held the tip of his staff to the star saying, "Annon Edhellen, edro hi ammen!" (Gate of the Elves, open now for me!) Gandalf cleared his throat after several seconds of stillness. "Never fear, I must have spoken the wrong phrase. Fennas Nogothrim, lasto beth lammen!" (Doorway of the Dwarf-folk, listen to the word of my tongue.)

Stillness ensued once again as Gimli grunted in annoyance and Aelia sat down, her back against a rock silently displaying her ignorance. "Nothing is happening." Pippin whispered to Legolas.

Gandalf pressed his hands on the door and pressed, though it would not open, "I once knew every spell in all the tongues of elves, men and orcs."

"What're you going to do then?" Pippin asked, his voice a little to bright for Gandalf's obvious liking.

Gandalf responded with a voice like nails, "Knock your head against these doors Peregrin Took! 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." Gandalf sat down with a huff and the rest followed, as I made my way over to Bill.

Sam followed me as I began to remove the bags from Bill's back, Sam's face was downcast, he had grown to love the once malnourished pony, "The mines are no place for a pony, even one so brave as Bill."
"Bubye Bill," Sam said with a sniffle.

"Go on, go on," I patted Bill gently as he began to move, "Don't worry Sam. He knows the way home."

A sudden figure materialized behind us as Aelia spoke, "I have called upon Ami, she will meet him, and lead him to somewhere further down our path. I promise you Merry that she will take care of him."

"Ami?" Sam asked.

"Yes, she is one of the Mereas, we are forever in one another's debt, I saved her when she was a foal, and she saved me from a goblin attack," Aelia responded, her voice distant.