Chapter 15 - Speak friend and enter

The towering cliffs of Moria frowned down upon the company, shadows streaking their grim and silent faces. Two great trees, twisted and gnarled, crept a long way up the wall. Before they had reached the sheer cliff, the trees had looked little more than average size, but standing under then now was like looking up at the size of a dragon.

Gimli had wandered around at first, grumbling about his sodden boots and looking warily at the lake, dim and stagnant.

"A strange thing indeed, Aragorn," Faramir said in reference to the dark water, "no reflections, not even the sunset mirrors on the water."

"I do not like it," Gimli growled, "the Sirannon was a fine river in its time, it grieves me to see it this way. I wonder who or what dammed the river."

"I don't think I want to know," Pippin said with a shiver, "the lake . . . it frightens me."

"The lake is less frightening than the sound of the wind," Merry added and everyone fell silent to listen. Sure enough the wind was howling over the rumbling of the clouds above, it seemed as though they were in for another rainstorm.

"Cursed weather!" Gimli muttered angrily, "and the howling of the wind, Merry is right, it is almost too much to bear!"

Aragorn's head turned to look at the Dwarf but the Ranger did not speak, he seemed to be listening. "It is not the wind," he said slowly, "it is . . ."

"Wolves!" Legolas finished, "although they are quite far away."

"Not far enough away for my liking!" Gimli growled, hefting his axe and feeling its comforting weight.

"We must find the door before they get too close for comfort. We do not want to be trapped between the wolves and the wall."

Aragorn and Faramir searched the wall with their hands and swords, trying to find any crack or sign of the door. Gimli paced slowly, tapping the wall every so often with his axe. He was sure that by finding the place where the wall sounded hollow, the door would be revealed.

The Dwarf was slightly worried about his elven companion. Hardly a word had Legolas spoken all that night and now the Elf stood away from them, leaning against the cold stone of the wall, as if listening.

Gimli went over to him. "Does the stone speak or do you simply wish to avoid our company?" The comment was intended to get a rise out of the Elf but Legolas just looked up slowly as if he had not hardly heard Gimli speak. His eyes were distant and slightly glazed over.

"Does your injury still trouble you?" Gimli asked in a low voice, touched with concern.

Legolas didn't focus on him as he spoke, "I should ask you the same. Has Aragorn taken a look at your leg?"

"You're changing the subject," Gimli said angrily, "Here, let me take a look at your shoulder."

Legolas could have stopped Gimli pulling back his cloak if he had tried, but the Elf only made a mild protest, telling Gimli in a distant voice that there was nothing really wrong with him.

"I'll be the judge of that." Gimli made Legolas undo the top few buttons on his shirt and pull it to the side, revealing his right shoulder. Gimli could see nothing to alarm him, only a long white scar and some dark bruising that marred the skin and thanks to the Elf's unnatural healing, that too should disappear in a few days.

Gimli frowned. In a way he had hoped it had been the injury that troubled his friend. A scratch on the surface was preferable to the deep scaring beneath. Gimli was not clueless, and in his heart he knew what troubled the Elf.

"Rest it up," he said, pushing Legolas' shirt back into place, "it wouldn't do to strain it before it is fully healed." Gimli took a quick intake of breath, not quite sure how the Elf would react to his next words. "You will not be alone this time, you know," he said gruffly. It was all very well to comfort the hobbits who were small, but giving reassurance to someone more that a foot taller, let alone an Elf whose every step was perfect, that was almost laughable. Gimli was glad to see Legolas' eyes finally focus on him. "Aragorn will see us through the mines, all right." 

But the Dwarf had worried for nothing, for almost at once Legolas straightened up and smiled, "I do believe you are blushing, Master Dwarf."

"On the contrary, I do assure you. I am simply red with rage at your downright rudeness all through this night."

There was a small commotion back near the walls as the Hobbits cried out in delight. Gimli and Legolas quickly made their way back over to the main group.

"Ah, how did you do it, Aragorn?" Legolas' voice was filled with awe as he gazed at the faint silvery lines that had somehow appeared upon the vertical cliff face. They shone brightly in the moonlight and grew stronger so that they could make out a pattern.

"In truth, it is a mystery. Faramir and I were trying to find an opening and one of us must have touched a place that revealed the writing."

"The emblems of Durin!" Gimli cried, as he recognised an anvil and a hammer outlined by the silver lines.

"And the tree of the high elves!" said Legolas.

"What do the letters say?" Sam asked, and it took Aragorn and Legolas a moment to decipher the silver writing.

"Ennyn Durin Atan Moria: pedo mellon a minno," Frodo read the larger letters aloud and Gimli noted the surprise on Legolas' face that the Hobbit's Elvish pronunciation was so good.

Faramir also looked at the Hobbit with admiration. Gimli smiled as he was sure he knew exactly what was passing through his curious friend's head. Gimli did admit it was a pleasant language and especially useful for the songs Legolas continually annoyed him with, but perhaps Elvish had a greater attraction to the ears of men.

"The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend and enter. The words are written in the language spoken by the Elves in Western Middle earth more than an age ago," Legolas told them.

"But what does it mean?" Merry asked, slightly disgruntled that although they had found one answer, it just provided another puzzle.

"That is plain enough," Gimli said, proud of his common sense that neither man, Elf or Hobbit seemed to possess, "If you are a friend, speak the password and the doors will open. Simple . . . if we knew the word . . . Aragorn?"

Everyone looked hopefully at Aragorn. The man didn't react.

"You do know the word! Surely you have not brought us here with no knowledge of how to enter?" Gimli's voice sounded harsher than he meant it to and all the Hobbits started looking desperate.

Legolas quickly put his hand on Gimli's shoulder. "You said, Aragorn, that you had passed through the mines before."

"My memory of that journey is dark and little do I remember of password or door."

"What are we to do?" Sam asked angrily, "Just sit here till the wolves eat us?" Behind Sam's anger was the tearful realisation that Bill the pony would not be able to follow them through the mines.

"We have a little time at least," Aragorn said. "Merry, Pippin, could you help Frodo and Sam to sort the packs and keep only bare essentials - food supplies. Take Bill's load and divide it among us and try not to get everything wet. You will have to move further up the path to where the bank is dry."

Sam lapsed into quiet tears and went over to hug his favourite pony. Gimli watched as Faramir had a quiet talk with Sam while Legolas spoke a few words to the pony, apparently giving it advice.

The man and the Elf lifted the four Hobbits over the large dead tree that blocked the path, onto the drier shore.

Gimli did not like leaving the Hobbits on the other side of the tree. If the wolves surprised them with an attack, the only way around the lake was through the place the Hobbits now sat. He doubted Faramir and Legolas could get all the Hobbits and baggage back over the barrier in time but did not like to doubt Aragorn's judgement.

They returned to the wall and Aragorn and Legolas proceeded in trying many different words and phrases that they hoped would serve as a password. Nothing worked. Eventually Legolas gave up and wandered back over to where Gimli was standing.

"Perhaps we should help the Hobbits, "Gimli suggested."

"It was enough trouble getting you over the tree the first time," Legolas smiled. "I refuse to do it again." Gimli noted that the Elf's mood had improved, and he put this down to their failure to enter the mines. He was sure Legolas would prefer to face a host of wolves than enter Moria.

Legolas suddenly looked up towards the horizon, concentration wiping away his smile.

"What is it?" Gimli whispered. But he did not have to wait long. A great howl split the air and dark shapes appeared on the horizon.

"The wolves!" Gimli yelled and heard Aragorn draw his sword. Legolas was already pulling Pippin over the dead tree and heaving the newly sorted baggage Sam passed up to him. Gimli glanced quickly over his shoulder and was surprised to see Faramir hadn't moved - he was still staring up at the letters on the wall.

"Faramir! Come and help us!" Gimli yelled in frustration and ran back to the head of the cliff. "What are you doing?" He tugged on the man's arm. "The wolves are coming down the valley!" Faramir did not respond. His brow was creased and he was deep in anxious thought.

Gimli let out a growl of frustration and turned back to the path. Aragorn was dragging much of the baggage towards him, Merry and Pippin on his heals. Gimli grabbed the remaining pack and swung it onto his shoulder, taking Sam by the arm and puling him along too despite his protests.

He dumped the bag by the cliff and turned back to help Legolas and Frodo. The Elf was in the process of lifting Frodo over the tree and Gimli moved forwards. Suddenly, he felt a wave of freezing water wash over his feet and he looked down to sea the lake was bubbling, no longer peaceful and stagnant.

Frodo's cry reached his ears and he looked up just in time to see the water close to his friends explode into the air and some kind of creature reach out for the Hobbit. The many-tentacled creature seemed to be guided by an unknown force for it seemed to want Frodo alone. The tentacle closed around Hobbit's legs, dragging him towards the water. Legolas was thrown backwards as another of the creature's arms struck out at any resistance.

Gimli rushed forwards and dragged the Elf to his feet. They looked up together to see the Wolves had almost reached the natural barrier and would be on the company in seconds. Aragorn was quick to react and the leading wolves were felled by perfectly aimed arrows before they got within metres of the tree. Gimli heard Adúril being unsheathed and Aragorn went calmly forwards to meet the enemy.

As Aragorn somehow managed to hold off the wolves by himself, Gimli and Legolas waded out into the horrible water and struck out at the creature holding Frodo.

Legolas continued to fire at close range, his arrows piercing the tentacles. Gimli was amazed at their accuracy - he had not yet seen the Elf in battle. The Dwarf found it hard to get close enough to get a clear swing at the creature for it was constantly moving, and with each assault of one of the Elf's arrows, it reared and bucked, still not letting go of Frodo.

The creature knew it was being attacked and it struck out at the two friends, catching Gimli's already sore leg and sending him crashing into the water. The pain was terrible and for a moment Gimli did not think he could stand again, but Frodo's frightened cries gave him the strength to try and rise. He heard Legolas fire two more arrows and heard the creature's howl of pain. The Elf's hand closed around his arm and began to haul him back to his feet.

Gimli wasn't sure what happened next, there was a swirl of water and a cry close to him as he was thrown back into the black water, trying hard not to swallow any. The grip on his arm had gone and Gimli rose to his knees, spluttering his friend's name.

One of the giant tentacles had whipped out of the water, aimed at himself and Legolas, and while the Elf had been trying to help him up, it had attacked.

Gimli struggled back to the shore, dragging his injured leg behind him and feeling great relief that he had not been standing at the time. Legolas had been thrown, or carried back and smashed into the cliff face, and now he was trapped between the rock and the creature's arm that held him there. Gimli reached his friend's side and seeing the crushing strength that held the Elf against the wall, he swung his axe downwards and cut deeply into the creature's flesh.

A screech of pain an anger came from the water, and the thing withdrew it's arm. Gimli caught the Elf before he fell to the ground.

"Thank you, nin mellon," Legolas panted, holding his crushed ribs. Gimli reached forwards and picked up the Elf's bow from the muddy ground.

"Mellon." 

Gimli's head turned at once to the sound of Faramir's voice, and saw a crack split the door to the mines. A great creaking, groaning sound was heard and the door swung open.

Faramir was at his side in a second, his bow raised and aimed at the creature's body.

Legolas had ceased firing as the doors swung open, but now he returned to the attack. "Shoot for the centre of the body!"

Faramir obeyed the Elf's command and Gimli realised that he could be of no use here. He ran to help Aragorn.

The man and the Hobbits were surrounded by a pile of dead wolves, each with either arrow wounds or deep sword marks in their flesh. Pippin and Merry had been working together and it seemed to be working quite effectively for neither were injured.

Sam was not even noticing the battle with the wolves and he was trying desperately to stab the thing which held his master. Tears were running down his face and Gimli noticed there was no sign of Bill.

Gimli stepped up to Aragorn's side and raised his axe. "The door is opening," he said quickly and was pleased to see Aragorn's worried face turn upon him a look of sheer wonder and disbelief.

"Get inside!" Aragorn shouted to the Hobbits and Merry and Pippin turned at once.

"What about Mr Frodo?" As if in answer to Sam's call, one of the Elf's arrows pieced the centre of the creature's body and letting out a cry of pain, it dropped the Hobbit to fall from a great height.

Faramir rushed forwards to catch the Hobbit bodily in his arms. Stumbling half into the water with the weight.

The all fled together towards the entrance with the wolves and the creature close behind. Gimli tumbled through the door, colliding with the other bodies that had leaped out of the way of the reaching arms. There was a tremendous crunching sound and they were plunged into silent darkness.