Aleana and Aragorn

Chapter 20

***Aleana POV***

After much walking we finally come to the top of our path, looking at the looming cliff before us. Night had fallen and I could tell the hobbits were getting quite tired.

"The Walls of Moria," Gimli exclaims in awe. Both him and father begin tapping the wall with their axe and staff, listening.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gimli says.

"Yes, Gimli, their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten," father comments.

"Why doesn't that surprise me," Legolas asks and Gimli sniffs with disgust at his comment. I role my eyes at their childishness.

A few minutes into looking, the door finally reveals itself and father and Frodo sit, trying to figure out how to open the door. I move towards where Aragorn was unsaddling Bill the pony that Sam had brought.

"Mines are no place for a Pony," Aragorn whispers to a sad Sam, "even one so brave as Bill."

I step forward and hold Bill's head in my hands, looking deep into his eyes.

"Auta eska [go home]," I whisper in one of the many Elvish languages I knew. Bill turns around and trots off. Sam looks sad still and moves off to stand beside Boromir. I turn to Aragorn shyly, slowly bringing up my eyes to meet his. He is already looking at me, his hair falling in his eyes as he looked down due to how close we were standing.

Before I knew what I was doing, I bring my hand up and push his hair behind his ear and out of his face, my eyes on the lock of hair. Once behind his ear, my eyes move and his gaze is piercing as he looks at me. I feel my face grow hot under his eyes and I drop my hand and my eyes.

"Sorry, I do not know what overcame me," I mutter.

"I do not mind for it allows me to gaze upon you much clearer," he whispers and I bring my head up sharply in shock, my hazel hues meeting his blue ones. His eyes pierce my very soul and I feel my legs go weak as he continues to look at me, standing ever so close. We are suddenly pulled from our daze when we hear a stone being thrown in the lake. Both Aragorn and I turn to the sound and see Merry and Pippin tossing stones into the lake, black rippling rings slowly fan out. Pippin is about to throw another stone, but Aragorn grabs his arm.

"Do not disturb the water," he whispers to him and watches anxiously as the ripples appear to grow. His hand rests on his sword as he turns to see my standing close to the water. In the next second he grabs my hand and pulls me behind him so I was away from the water.

Suddenly we hear doors opening and look to see that Frodo and father had figured out the password as the gate of Moria opens before us, revealing darkness within. We enter the gates warily as Gimli speaks of the great welcome we would receive from Balin. I however do not listen for I feel a great evil within the walls and I gasp when father finally lights his staff, illuminating the chamber.

There were so many dwarf skeletons strewn about, weapons clattered everywhere as if they had been in a war. My hands cover my mouth in shock as tears spring to my eyes. Many of them had been my friends in the past and now they were just...gone. I feel a hand on my shoulder trying to offer a sort of comfort and I know it was Aragorn.

"This is no mine," Boromir says grimly, "it's a tomb."

Poor Gimli is looking around in shock and disbelief as his kin lay dead before him. Legolas pulls an arrow out of a skeleton and we notice it is of the goblins. I pull my bow off my chest and fit an arrow into it as the others draw their swords. We move back, thinking of leaving when suddenly Frodo is pulled to the ground.