Death of a Dream

Kheled-zâram. 

Long ago, Durin stood on its bank and peered into the lake's blue depths.  Despite the daylight, seven stars appeared atop the encircling mountains' reflection, seemingly like a crown.  Durin's kingship was proclaimed.  Mountains of a distant bank would hold the dwarves' greatest kingdom.

No dwarf can pass without seeing that hallowed lake.

Standing where his ancestor stood, Gimli sees Durin's Crown in Kheled-zâram's reflection.  He looks not at the distant bank though.  Gimli refuses to gaze there for he knows what the mountains hold.  They hold not the great Khazad-dûm.  They hold the corpses of family and friends.

1/19/2005

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A/N:  Written for the water challenge posted on LiveJournal's Tolkien_weekly community.