The riders of Rohan were getting ready as fast as they could, to go to Dunharrow, where all their strengths had been summoned, before they leave to Gondor, and war. Two days later, the Rohirrims' army will face its enemies in the fields of pelennor, as Theoden had announced it, a few hours sooner.
Tauriel led Fengel out of the stables and stopped next to Arod, who was already carrying Legolas and Gimli on his back. As she was getting on her horse, she heard the dwarf grumble :
''Horse-masters ! I wish I could muster a legion of dwarves, fully armed and filthy ! ''
She met Legolas' gaze, and she immediately knew he had the same dark thoughts than she had. Their enemy was perhaps ready to attack them in Gondor, but his underlings were everywhere, so every people in Middle Earth was in danger. In fact, the probability for the war to be already in the north lands was quite big. She hoped Mirkwood would be well defended.
''Your kinsmen may have no need to ride to war. I fear war already marches on their own lands'', Legolas said.
''Let's hope they are ready to fight'', she whispered.
As they were heading to the city exit, she saw, on the stairs that led to the palace, Merry knelt in front of the king, his sword pointed to the ground. Theoden made him stand up and announced something to the hobbit, who left, smiling and happy. Tauriel sighed. Merry had sworn allegiance to the king, to Rohan. He would have to fight, without a doubt because he felt useless, as Frodo and Sam were walking to Mordor and Pippin with Gandalf in Minas Tirith. He was going too to face danger, in the front line.
She made Fengel move on, and he docilely followed Legolas' horse. Behind her, Aragorn got on his mount, and walked behind her stallion. She saw at the corner of her eye, Eowyn on a beautiful brown horse, that looked like Ithil, her own mare she had left in Rivendell with Arwen. The red-hair elf was surprised to see her joining them, but she immediately understood when she noticed a little bump on the saddle of the young woman. Eowyn was not here to say goodbye, but to fight, and the sword hidden under her saddle was a proof.
Riders began to gather near the city exit, listening to Eomer's exhortation, who was brandishing the flag of his people, flying in the wind :
"Riders of Rohan, oaths you have taken ! Now fulfill them all ! To lord and land ! ''
Fengell crossed Edoras gates, followed by Arod, that carried Gimli, who was still complaining. The poor dwarf was tired of riding...
The king led his troops in the plains in front of the city, the high chin and the proud gaze, wearing his beautiful armor, his sword attached around his waist. The army followed him with a thunder of hooves, raising a big cloud of dust. Men were going to war, and they will do everything to give back to their homeland its freedom.
**********
In the middle of the afternoon, the army that had left Edoras in the morning, reached Dunharrow, and joined the men that were already waiting there, below the White Mountains. The camp could looked enormous for some, Tauriel was not dupe : they were not enough to have a chance against their enemy.
They crossed the camp, the king asking his generals the numbers of spears he had. With only the sound of his voice, without even seen his face, she could tell he was disappointed, and that he was expecting more from his people. However, he kept moving and refrained from making a comment.
The plain on which they were galloping was huge, and thousands of tents covered it, ready to host soldiers. They crossed this part without slowing down, and took the road that led to the mountain. At half-way, they stopped at a sloping ledge where some tents were already set up. Tauriel got down of Fengel, and put off his saddle, as the others were doing around her. The grey stallion snorted, relieved to be free again.
But his nostrils stayed dilated and his ears were shaking. Even his eyes were showing fear, whereas he had always moved on without hesitation. She looked around her, and noticed that his horse was not the only one to be scared. Men too seemed touched by this wave of fear. But Tauriel did not feel it. She had no idee where this sudden change was coming from. However, she was certain that men in the plain were acting normally.
She walked to the place where all the saddles had been gathered, finding in the same time Gimli and Legolas. The dwarf, without being touched by the fear, was hitting nonchalantly his axe against the ground, where the elf was looking around him, suspicious. He had doubts too. Eomer approached, a heavy saddle in his hands, and Legolas made the observation :
''The horses are restless and the men are quiet ''.
Eomer looked up, and Tauriel could say he was tensed too.
''They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain'', he simply answered, and his gaze went on the mountain walls.
The red-hair elf followed his look, and noticed a little fault in the rock, where a strange white and smoke was coming out, very mysterious, but she saw a sinuous path that was getting deeper in the mountain. Men around this fault were carefully avoiding it. Suddenly, a horse that was standing just in front the rift arched his back, almost rousing itself from its rider's hands. Where did this path lead to terrify at that point both horses and men ?
''This road, where does it lead ? ''she asked, showing the path with her gaze.
She was expecting an answer from Eomer, but Legolas answered for him. She did not he had the knowledge of the place.
''It is the road of Dimholt, the door under the mountain'', he explained, looking to at the path.
''None who venture there ever return'', added Eomer with a voice that showed his distress. ''This mountain is devil''.
Without saying anything else, he turned back and headed to the big and white tent, leaving the three friends looking suspiciously at the path. In Tauriel's mind, an idee was growing up, and she was certain the two others will not appreciate it. She had just remembered Gandalf's words.
''You will come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river. Look to the black ships...''
Legolas turned to her, surprised, and frowned.
''Where does this path end ? ''she asked him.
''In the other side of the mountains. Near the Morthond river, if I am not mistaken'', he declared.
And suddenly, as he was realizing what she was implying, his beautiful blue eyes became wide opened, and he looked her right in the eye. Tauriel swallowed as discreetly as possible, and looked away. Since their discussion in Edoras, she was trying to avoid him, afraid to cede to her desire. Who knows if they will get out of this hell ? She had avoided during all the journey to become too close to him. The heartbreak will even bigger, once the reality would come back. Perhaps was it just a dream, finally...
''You thing it is the path Gandalf asked Aragorn to take ? ''
''Anyway, this is very likely''.
''Well ! I hope you don't have the intention to go there ! Did you hear Eomer ? ''asked Gimli, who was slowly understanding what was happening between the two elves, and who was beginning to panic, against his will.
''Justly, Sauron will be surprised if we take this path'', Legolas told him.
Clever. Very clever. But they still did not know what was waiting from them behind the mountain. For no man to venture into them for centuries, they must contained a very deep secret, of which Tauriel had no knowledge. However, she was still ready to follow Aragorn and the others, to stop the black ships Gandalf had talked about.
**********
As the night was falling, the two elves were getting the horses ready, to follow Aragorn, which they had seen few instants before packing up for leaving. Sooner, an unknown silhouette wrapped in a red velvet oak had climbed the slope to reach the command tents, and asked to talk to Isildur's heir. Even if Tauriel did not saw his face, his elegant figure and his way to move told her what she unconsciously knew : Lord Elrond was the mystery visitor. She did not know what they talked about, but she was certain she will know them soon.
Gimli had sit on Aragorn's way, to hold him while the elves were getting ready. As Legolas was saddling the grey stallion, Tauriel filled their quivers with new arrows and sharpened their daggers. She put the last arrow in his quiver and gave it to him. Their fingers grazed.
The red-hair elf turned away, but a strong hand held her by her twist. Her eyes got lost in the beautiful and blue gaze of Legolas, and she stopped moving.
''Don't go away, Tauriel. I know what you think, but it is too late to turn around. ''
His hand took her's, and she looked at their intertwined fingers, in a natural way, with an overwhelming tenderness that only her people possessed.
''Don't you thing it's just a dream, Legolas ? '' she asked, her voice shaking. ''It's impossible, otherwise.''
He made a step toward her, and his gaze became much more deeper.
''No, a dream is not that perfect. And everything is possible, you should know that better than I.''
''But what will happen when we will go back to Mirkwood ? ''she said and he immediately became more tensed.
''That won't change anything'' , he told her, shaking his head. ''And we are not forced to go back there.''
She frowned : Mirkwood was their house, why did not he want to go back there ? What did hold him to return where they were coming from ? They had lived there since their birth, besides their journeys, that were not very long compared to their lifetime until this moment, and that was not close to end. Even the elves needed to go back to their homeland, at a time or another. Except if...
And suddenly, she understood. Everything seemed obvious.
''You have heard the call of the sea...''
''Yes'', he answered, and he looked down. ''Since many years, now. However, I will understand if you want to stay here for a while, you're younger than I am. Nothing forces you to follow me. ''
Touched, she came closer too, and kissed swiftly but tenderly his cheek, sweat and warm. Surprised, he looked up.
''On the contrary, everything. But do not trouble our minds now. Aragorn is coming. ''
''You're right'', he smiled. '' Middle Earth can not wait longer. Let's go. ''
He gave her Fengel's reins and he took Arod's ones, making his way through the camp, to the place where Gimli was supposed to wait, sat on his armchair. But when they arrived, the dwarf was standing, his hand on his axe, in front of Aragorn and Brego, that carried blankets and food, and a new sword, without a doubt a gift from Elrond, attached on the saddle.
''Not this time. This time, you must stay, Gimli'' he told him.
The dwarf raised his eyebrows, dissimulating with difficulty the smile reaching his lips. The two elves arrived behind the ranger, and cut him on his road. Startled, he turned to them.
''Have your learned nothing of the stubbornness of dwarves ?'' laughed Legolas.
''We're coming with us, Aragorn'', she added.
''You might as well accept it'', Gimli said, coming closer.
Defeated, Aragorn let a smile stretch his lips.
***********
The only thing that could be heard when they approached the mountain was the noise of their horses' hooves. Some men looked up at them when they passed next to them, stunned. But no one stopped them.
They let Aragorn at the head of the column, and walked between two big rocks, before diving into the haze and taking the road of Dimholt, going step by step deeper in the darkness. Behind, the men's whisper slowly disappeared.
They rode a long time, without a noise, just following the path in front of them, which seemed to have no end. Slowly, as the sun was rising, the fine path became larger, and they found themselves in a big canyon, with high and white faces and small brushy boskets.
''What kind of an army would linger in such a place ? ''
''One that is cursed'', answered Legolas. '''Long ago, the men of the mountain swore an oath to the last king of Gondor, to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled, vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they have fulfilled their pledge''.
A strong blast echoed against the whitish walls, giving to the elf's words an even more mysterious side. Tauriel trembled at its intensity.
''Who shall call them from the great twilight, the forgotten people ? The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the north shall he come. Need shall drive him. He shall pass the door of the Path of the Dead.''
This time, the blast that hit them was far more stronger than the first one, pushing in the air her long red hair. Legolas' words, like a prophecy, seemed to have waking up the said Dead, that attracted the four companions to them. In the distance, the blast was becoming whispers, then uncertain voices. Dead were calling them.
They kept moving on in the growing darkness, and finally reached the end of it. In the hollow of the walls, on a muddy path, an entrance made of stones was standing out, revealing an even darker way. Dead trees, without leaves, were inclined from both sides, menacing. The four companions got down of their horses and came closer, holding their reins, wary. The cold blast they had felt sooner was nothing compared to the one the place was releasing.
''The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away'', whispered Gimli, holding his axe against his chest.
However, he kept approaching, like the three others, before stopping just in front of the entrance. On the rocks above it, inscriptions were carved in the stone.
''The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead. And the dead keep it. The way is shut'', Legolas translated.
A new blast, far more cold and strong, as if it had just come out of the deeps of the mountains, hit them, and their horses, terrorized, escaper from their masters' hands and fled away. Aragorn called them, bit it was already too late. So, tightening his hand around his sword, he faced the Door of the Dead, and declared, chin up :
''I do not fear death''.
Without even looking over his shoulder – he must knew they will follow him- he went into the mist and disappeared in the darkness. Legolas hesitated, then glared at Tauriel. The said slowly nodded, her hand on her daggers, and the two elves crossed the door together. Behind them, Gimli was lingering.
''Well, this is a thing unheard-of ! Two elves will go underground where a dwarf dare not ! I'd never hear the end of it. ''
Suppressing a grumble, he finally went through the haze and followed his companions underground. Everything became silent.