They climbed the carven stone steps that wound their way up through the underground citadel. They at last reached an upper room where a balcony opened up out over the town below. All manner of maps and plans were displayed across the walls and tables. A small forge and a small workbench were located at one side of the hall-like room. Gimli pulled out some chairs from various tables and set them around the largest one. Yet still a few had to stand.

"I apologize for the lack of seating," Gimli frowned slightly. "Had I known you all were coming along with Lord Elden, I would've made arrangements."

"Nonsense, Gimli," Eldarion laughed. "It is fine."

With a nod Gimli continued. "Now. I know why you are here, Lord Elden. I have drawn up plans already for the new town walls you have requested. Shall we start with that?"

Elden shook his head with a smile, standing. "I have a feeling that the more important matters lie with my Prince and his company. If there is somewhere I may wait, I shall let them speak first."

The dwarf lord nodded. "Of course. Frorin should be outside. He can show you to a room."

With a bow, Elden bid them farewell and left the room. Gimli turned back to the others.

"It is good to see you," he nodded with a strained smile. "Yet I think I can guess somewhat the purpose of this visit. For I was here when the news of Lady Tinneth's disappearance arrived."

Eldarion sighed but affirmed his suspicions. "Indeed. One part of our quest involves my cousin."

"Aragorn is sending you North then?" Gimli looked at them in surprise. "All of yeh?"

Again, Eldarion nodded. "This quest is dangerous. My father used the Palantír of Minas Tirith to gaze North. He suspects that there is evil growing swiftly in the North and he is sending us to investigate."

"Could he not just ask the Wardens of Annuminas. After all, don't they have the other surviving Palantír?" Gimli looked somewhat confused.

Aderthon frowned and answered. "Unfortunately, some years ago the Palantír of Annuminas was stolen by a man cloaked in black. He overpowered the guards with sorcery and took it into Angmar. In fact, Tinneth's last visit South was to relay that information."

Gimli pursed his lips. "Well now. That's unfortunate. So communication North and South is crippled. That is bad."

They all frowned and nodded. It was bad. It was difficult enough ruling a two part kingdom, but it was also at least a two month journey between the two lands.

"So. Why do you need my help?" Gimli asked them. "Why did Aragorn send you to me?"

"We are hoping to travel... under the mountains." Círeth explained.

Gimli shut his eyes in painful memory but he nodded and looked at them. "Moria is still a dark place, children. It will be dangerous."

"But Lord Gimli, aren't the dwarves there, recolonizing it?" Barahir asked in concern.

"Lord Barahir, correct? Son of Eowyn and Faramir?" Gimli looked at him in scrutiny. "Aye, they are. They've taken the Twenty-First Hall and many of the upper levels. But there are still thousands of goblins in the deeps."

"At least the Balrog is no more," Aderthon pointed out.

"True." The dwarf nodded. "But neither is Rivendell. There will be no waiting, no healing until you reach as far North and West as your destination."

"If it were not already Fall, we could perhaps take the High Pass," Eldarion mused, pacing back and forth. "Yet the Beornings are not as friendly towards strangers as they were in Grimbeorn's day, according to my father and uncles. Also the winds and the storms will be heavy that high in the mountains."

"Why not go up through Dunland?" asked Gimli.

Eldarion sighed and shook his head. "My mother and sister, Amdirien. They are too deep in treaty and peace negotiations with Dunland for us to risk jeopardizing that by trespassing."

"The Pass of Caradhras will have the same problems as the High Pass." Gimli murmured to himself. "Well. Moria it is I suppose."

For several moments, each was lost in his or her own thoughts. But soon enough, Eldarion drew them out of their stupor when he spoke.

"Gimli, great friend of my father." He bowed his head in respect. "May we ask of you a favor?"

"Of course," he nodded. "Name it."

"Will you give us some sort of ...document that approves our passage through Moria?" Eldarion frowned.

With a smile, Gimli nodded immediately. "Of course. It will be ready in the morning. Now. I insist you stay here in the Glittering Caves today and tonight. Please, be our guests."

With smiles and nods they all agreed instantly. Helm's Deep had hardly been the most comfortable of places to stay.

And so they explored the underground town all the rest of that day. Gimli was mostly busy with Lord Elden, but he had entrusted them into the care of his son, Nim.

Nim was a young dwarf, only 30 years of age. His beard had yet to grow in more than stubble and his eyes were bright with enthusiasm, something he shared with his father. His mother, who the company had yet to meet, was Nora, he told them. She had grown up with Gimli under Erebor.

They enjoyed their little tour from Nim, but soon it came time for sleep. The dwarf lordling showed them to their houses for sleeping and bid then goodnight. They slept soundly.

Except for Eldarion.

After tossing and turning for a few hours, Eldarion tiptoed out of bed, past Aderthon, slipped on his cloak and some shoes, and made his way out into the city. It was quiet and the crystal lamps were dimmer. He sighed and walked down the stairs to the road.

Aglarond was beautiful. This certainly was true. But he had much to think of other than how incredible the light looked bouncing off the gems and precious metals in the walls. He had to think about the future, and that always made him unsettled. For he was gifted, cursed perhaps, with the gift of foresight like his grandfather, and to a lesser extent his father. He could not see the future, he could not see all ends.

What he did know, what he felt rather than saw, was that there was blood and war to come. Something bad was waiting for them in the North, and he could tell. Just as his father must've known. It was not Moria they needed to worry about. It was Arnor. It was the North.

"Eldarion?" A voice came from behind where he stood at the edge of the road, looking down where the town wove beneath him.

He turned and saw Gimli standing therein concern.

"Gimli," nodded Eldarion with a thin smile. "What are you doing awake?"

"I was about to ask you the same, lad." He beckoned for Eldarion to follow. "Come, follow me. You look mighty troubled."

The two walked side by side up the stairs the Prince had been led earlier. At the top they reached the room he'd been in and Gimli told him to continue on in.

"Sit." Gimli told him to do so as the dwarf grabbed to tankards and filled them will ale from a keg before plunking himself down across from Eldarion and passing one over. "What's the matter."

Eldarion sighed. "There is much that is the matter. Not least of all the trouble that awaits us in the North."

Gimli smirked as he drank his ale. "You're just like your father. Always worrying. Always dreading the next heartache. Admirable, but foolish."

"Oh?" Eldarion raised an eyebrow as he too took a sip.

Gimli nodded. "Aragorn was always so... troubled. He would often stare off into the night thinking of the dangers tomorrow would surely bring. Now. I don't doubt that's important in a good leader, it is! But you need to take a step back."

Eldarion downcast his eyes and nodded. "I know. But I worry for my friends."

Gimli smiled softly. "I know. But they are warriors, just like you are yourself. You arent children anymore, except maybe that Rohirric princeling. You are a great leader of men!"

Eldarion smiled lightly. "Thank you, Lord. You do me great honor."

Gimli scoffed. "Also like Aragorn, you are maybe a bit too honorable."

They laughed together and drank their ales. Eldarion very much enjoyed Gimli's company. He always had. He remembered Gimli coming to visit Minas Tirith as a child and throughout his teenage years, before the dwarf had settled down completely in Aglarond.

"Now. It is, as you say, very likely that danger and death lies before you in the North." Gimli nodded to him. "But there is naught you can do but face it with a stout heart. So do not trouble yourself today."

Eldarion nodded lightly and looked at his ale. He knew Gimli was right. All of a sudden his eye landed on a framed piece of art above the mantle of Gimli's main desk.

"What is that?" he asked the dwarf lord.

Gimli beamed with pride but his eyes were sad. "That is the gift your great grandmother gave to me when we departed Lothlorien. Three strands of her golden hair."

Eldarion looked at it in amazement, getting up and approaching it. "I wish I'd known her."

"She was very wise. She would likely tell you the same things I just did," Gimli said, laying a hand on his arm. "Now. Get some rest, Prince of the Reunited Kingdom."

And so he did.