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THE FELLOWSHIP WERE WALKING ALONG THE FAR SHORE OF THE DARK LAKE directly below great looming cliffs, the environment was familiar to Maristela who had visited the Mines of Moria once before. "The walls of Moria!" Gimli exclaimed in awe. Gandalf touches the smooth rock wall between the trees, slowly, faint lines appear like slender veins of luminous silver running through the stone. "Itidin... it mirrors only starlight and moonlight," Gandalf announced before glancing at his daughter who moved forward and pressed her hand against the stone wall.

Maristela turned her head to the sky, the moon rose over the mountains like a dog under command reflecting off of the stone causing lines to grow clear and bright forming a glowing arch of interlacing ancient letters and symbols that amazed the Hobbits. "It reads 'The door of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter'," Gandalf explained to the others. "What do you suppose it means?" Merry questioned the wizard. "It's quite simple. If you are a friend, speak the password and the doors will open," Gandalf answered him while Maristela smirked, she knew how to open the door but refused to comment as she enjoyed the entertainment.

Gandalf raised his arms before chanting, "Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen!" The cliff towers into the night, the wind blows cold as Frodo shivers before noticing that Maristela holds an amused smirk. "You know how to open the door?" Frodo asked Maristela softly. "Indeed, I do," Maristela whispered back with a wink, Legolas and Aragorn shared amused smiles. "Considering the urgency of the situation, shouldn't you just tell him?" Aragorn asked her. "Aragorn, you must always remember that life has fleeting moments where you can enjoy something to make memories with the ones you care for. The journey to Erebor was filled with them," Maristela expressed to her son.

"Even in the urgency?" Frodo asked with curious eyes. "Absolutely, Frodo. If you spend the entire quest worried and concerned only for the end of the journey, then you will lose sight of the beauty that lingers in the world awaiting your watchful eyes. Like this..." Maristela trailed off as she spotted a rare gem sitting under some stones. "A Twilight Stone," Aragorn breathed out once he had seen what Maristela picked up. "A very rare stone that Dwarves typically hold no care for... A mistake in my eyes as they are incredibly powerful and very much worth a pretty penny," Maristela explained to the Hobbits who all were listening as Gandalf attempted other chants.

"Pippin," Maristela turned to the young Hobbit, "Here. Trust in the gem and it will show you the one thing you need most." Pippin hesitantly took the small stone into his hand, admiring the mixture of purple and blue before tucking it into the inside pocket of his coat. "Thank you, Maristela," Pippin said softly. Maristela moved away from the small group, brushing her fingers across the wall as Attica walked towards her. "Head to Lothlorien. I believe we will end up in those woods very soon, friend," Maristela whispered to Attica in Elvish.

Attica purred as Maristela rested her head against his, "See you soon, Attica." The Wolfhound let out a low growl before he took off in the shadows to make his way to Lothlorien. "Will he be okay?" Sam asked, his eyes filled with worry. "Do not worry about Attica, Samwise. Attica has been alive for a long time," Maristela assured Sam as she motherly fixed his hair. A splash distracted Maristela, she turned her head to see Merry and Pippin tossing stones into the lake causing black rippling rings to slowly fan out over the dark lake. Pippin is about to throw another stone when Aragorn grabs his arm, "Do not disturb the water."

Aragorn and Maristela watches anxiously as the ripples appear to grow, the former exchanges a look with Boromir. Maristela places her hand on Aragorn's shoulder as he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. Frodo peers at the Elvish inscription before glancing at Maristela who knew he was working out, his face breaks into a smile of comprehension. "It's a riddle..." Frodo says causing Gandalf to raise his eyebrows. "Speak, friend, and enter. What's the Elvish word for friend?" Frodo asked Gandalf. "Oh... mellon," Gandalf answered him.

With that, the rock face silently divides in the middle and two great doors swing outwards revealing a blackness deeper than the night. Maristela felt an uncomfortable shiver up her spine as she tried to pinpoint the lights that once shone bright as a sign that the Dwarves were alive and working; Even the silence made the woman feel small. As the fellowship enter the dark, something in the water stirs but none seem to notice as they wandered warily into the darkness of Moria; a dank cavern with winding steps leading deeper into the mountain.

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"So, Master Elf, you will enjoy the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves; roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone. This, my friend, is the home of my cousin, Balin... and they called this a Mine... A Mine!" Gimli rambled as Maristela rested her hand against the wall. "What is wrong?" Legolas asked her after noticing the fear in her eyes, the misty look struck his heart. "Not a single vibration of pick hitting stone nor a rumble of Dwarven machinery," Maristela told him, turning her head to the Woodland Elf, "Something is wrong." Legolas looked away from her in alert, his eyes scanning the area as a glow from Gandalf's staff suddenly lights the chamber.

The Fellowship recoil in horror at the sight of many Dwarf skeletons strewn about, clearly the dead of some old battle; The rusting armour and shields are peppered with arrows and axes. "This is no mine... it's a tomb!" Boromir exclaimed. "No... no... no... no!" Gimli pleaded in horror at the sight of his perished kin. Legolas pulls a crude arrow out of a skeleton, "Goblins." The Fellowship draw swords and back away towards the entrance of Moria. "We make for the Gap of Rohan. We should never have come here!" Boromir exclaimed to the others.

Suddenly, Frodo is pulled to the ground by a long sinuous tentacle around his ankle, dragging him towards the lake. Frodo cries out as Aragorn and Boromir rush forward; Aragorn severs the tentacle holding Frodo and pulls him to safety. Boromir hacks at the other writhing limbs before twenty more tentacles ripple out of the lake. The dark water boils as the hideous beast lashes out at the Fellowship. Again, the creature grabs Frodo and pulls him to the lake, Frodo is flung in the air as the Fellowship battle the creature. Maristela swings her sword down on the tentacle freeing Frodo before she stepped forward, "Shut your eyes!"

The Fellowship cover their eyes as Maristela produces a bright light that blinds the creature sending it whimpering back, the Fellowship quickly rush back into Moria per Gandalf's orders. The light fades as Maristela stumbles back, Legolas taking the exhausted Elleth into his arms before rushing them into the mine. Legolas spots the creature reaching for Maristela with a vengeance, even without its sight it seems to sense the power of her and the ring in Frodo's possession. The Fellowship hurriedly back away from the creature, retreating into the Moria Chamber as many coiling arms seize the large doors.

With a shattering echo, the creature rips the doors away creating a rockslide that crashes down the cliff face. Within seconds, tons of rock seal the doorway throwing the Fellowship into pitch black. Legolas holds Maristela close to him as she blinks away her exhaustion, her power use against the necromancer on Caradhas and then against the beast in the lake had been too much for her in such a short time. "Are you alright?" Legolas whispered softly to the Elleth. "I will be," Maristela replied as she looked up at him, their faces mere inches apart causing Legolas' heart to race while she seemed to be lost in his eyes; fear coursed through her at the familiar warmth in her chest and she backed away from Legolas.

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A faint light rises from Gandalf's staff throwing a creepy glow across the old wizard's face, he turns to the tired Fellowship with a grave expression. "We now have but one choice... We must face the long dark of Moria. Be on your guard... there are older and fouler things than the Orcs in the deep places of the world," Gandalf warned the Fellowship. Maristela moves ahead to walk with her father as Aragorn stepped up next to Legolas having witnessed their small interaction, "She'll be okay. She's suffered against far worse." Legolas looked at Aragorn before moving forward, he hoped he hadn't overstepped.

The Fellowship cross a precarious bridge above deep mine workings, Maristela frowns at the silent presence of death within the mountain caverns. "Quietly now. It's a four-day journey to the other side. Let us hope that our presence will go unnoticed," Gandalf informed the Fellowship. They continue up a steep stair, passing through a Dwarf cemetery however the graves are despoiled. Dwarf skeletons are strewn about, and Goblin graffiti is scrawled on monuments in dried Dwarf blood that made Maristela feel sick to her stomach fearing the worst.

After some time, the path splits into three passages, each disappearing into dark tunnels and Maristela cannot remember the right path as the one time she had visited the Mines of Moria, she had been led around the place by Ori who excitedly showed her the main rooms of the mountain home they had created. "I have no memory of this place," Gandalf muttered with a frown, Maristela sighs as she moves away from the others, leaning back against the wall. "Ma?" Aragorn's soft tone catches Maristela's attention. "I'm fine, Aragorn. Do not worry about me," Maristela assured him. "You're my mother, I will always worry about you," Aragorn replied as he leaned against the wall watching the others.

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Maristela groaned as she pulled her sword out of the Orc, pushing him aside to rush towards the camp that had been destroyed. "ARATHORN!" Maristela shouted as she and her legion of Elves fought through a large hunting party of Orcs. "ARATHORN!!" Maristela screamed as she finally reached the man she had been searching for. Her heart broke at the sight of Arathorn's body lying on the ground, an Orc arrow through his eye. Maristela fell to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks as she brushed her fingers across his cheek.

"May you rest easy, Arathorn..." Maristela whispered in Elvish before she removed the arrow, whistling for Attica who tore through the Orcs to reach her. "Take him to Rivendell. Fast, friend," Maristela instructed the Wolfhound after she had placed Arathorn on the large hound's back. Attica howled before he rushed towards Rivendell, Maristela turned the remaining Orcs with a deadly gleam in her eye. Not one Orc made it out alive on that day, their blood stained the field to the point that even years later; nothing had grown.

Upon returning to Rivendell, Lord Elrond approached Maristela, who frowned deeply and shook his head. "No..." Maristela rushed past Elrond towards the chambers of Gilraen. Her heart broke at the sight of the woman who was once a joyful presence in the Elleth's life, she slowly approached her and bowed her head. "I'm so sorry, my friends. I will do my very best for Aragorn, that is my promise," Maristela whispered under her breath before walking out of the room. Lord Elrond organised the proper burial for Arathorn and Gilraen Elessar while Maristela was given the responsibility of raising their two-year-old son, Aragorn -- Now named Estel.

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Rosemary Speaks

And we have another chapter!
I changed Gilraen's fate, she died in Rivendell from an illness rather than returning to her people and dying later of grief.

Poor Maristela is not ready for the next chapter...

I hope you had a good holidays/Christmas!

Your thoughts on this chapter?

See you in the next chapter!