Aralas Love Story

Book 3 Chapter 4- The Ghost King

I just finished getting Shadow set up for our ride to Dunharrow. I saw dad walking with Ada, Gimli, and Haldir who had their horses. I walked up to them and dad looked at me.

"No. You're not coming." he said and I looked at him with Spirit in my arms. "I'm coming with you whether you like it or not." I said firmly.

"You're dying. You need rest." he told me and I stared at him "I joined the Fellowship, and have helped to get this far. You need me. The fellowship needs to stay true until the very end and if I quit now it means I'm giving up and I'm not giving up." I argued and we stared at each other.

I launched myself at him "I'll be ok." I said as everyone watched on. I heard dad sigh. "Don't look at me. She's your daughter." Haldir said.

I giggled and got on Shadow. Dad went in the lead, then Ada and Gimli, then me with Luna next to me, and in the rear was Haldir.

As we rode in through the mountain side I heard people questioning where we were going and people calling our names. 

We ride along a barren mountain pass. The pass is eerie and cold. "What kind of army would linger such a place?" Gimli asks "One that is cursed." Haldir answers

"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 Gondors need was dire they fled vanishing into the darkness of the mountain and so Isildur cursed them never to rest until they fulfilled their pledge." Ada explains.

"Who shall call them from the grey twilight? The forgotten people. The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the north he shall come, need will drive him, He shall pass the doors to the paths of the dead."  Ada, Haldir, and I chanted.

We reached the Dimholt door and I noticed that it was aligned with skulls. "The very warmth of my blood seems stole away." Gimli says in a shaking voice.

Ada looks at the glyphs above the door "The way is shut. It was made by those who were dead and the dead keep it. The way is shut." Ada translated.

Wind and noise came from the door scaring the horses. Shadow stuck with me although he was scared. "Go ahead. I'll call you when I need you." I said to my horse and he ran off. 

Dad calls after his horse "Brego!" when Brego didn't come back he turned around facing the entrance "I do not fear death." he states and enters the mountain.

Ada follows soon after. Haldir looks at me and I look at him sweat shining on my pale face. "Well.... come on." he says and taking my hand leads me into the mountain.

I heard Gimli say to himself "Well this is unheard of! An elf will go underground where a dwarf dare not! Ah I'd never hear the end of it!"

A few moments later Gimli joins us in the tunnel.

***

We move inside past piles of skulls. I lean on Haldir for support. The paths of the dead seem to be draining my energy.  "What is it? What do you see?" Gimli asks unsettled "I see shapes of men and horses." Ada answers

"Where?" Gimli asks "Pale banners like shreds of a cloud. Spears rise like winter- thickets through a shroud of mist. The dead are following. They have been summoned." I say as I look ahead.

"The dead? Summoned ? I knew that. Very good, very good. Legolas!" I looked behind me to see that Gimli had been left behind. He ran on his short legs to keep up with us.

"Do not look down." dad warns and I look down before quickly looking back up making Haldir chuckle "He warned you." was all he said and I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him.

We enter a underground hall with a large doorway. I look around warily until a eerie voice echoes around the chamber "Who enters my domain?"

A green ghost appears with a crown upon his head. The ghost king. "One who will have your allegiance." dad says boldly.

"The dead do not suffer the living to pass. " The ghost king says as he glides across the floor so that he's right in front of dad.

"You will suffer me." dad says fearlessly. The ghost king laughs and a dead ghost army appears around us, trapping us.

The king approaches dad and Ada shoots a arrow at the king, but it goes through him. I raise my eyebrows at that. "I summon you to fulfill your oath." dad says "None, but the king of Gondor may command me." the king of the dead declared.

I smirked as dad pulled Anduril out. The king swings his sword at dad and he parries the blow. He drives the sword into the kings neck. The king looks surprised "That bind was broken!" the king gasps

"It has been remade." dad retorts. He then shoves the ghost king back and looks around at the ghost army. "Fight for us and regain your honor. What say you?" dad asks. No one answers "What say you?" he asks again. "You waste your time Aragorn! They had no honor in life, they have none now in death." Gimli states.

Dad ignores Gimli "I am Isildurs heir. Fight for me and I will hold your oaths fulfilled! What say you?" dad asks once more.

The king of the dead smirks and he and his army disappears. His laughter fills the chamber. "You have my word! Fight and I will release you from this living death! What say you?" dad shouts desperately

"Stand you traitors!" Gimli shouts. Suddenly there is silence and the ground begins to shake. Skulls roll on the ground. We turned to face the doorway only to see thousands of skulls flowing out of it. "Out!" dad yells.

We start running, but are nearly swept by the skulls. We fight our way through the sea of skulls and escape outdoors. They doorway we excited lead to a mountainside and in the distance I can see the black ships.

Dad falls to his knees and Ada goes over to him placing a hand on his shoulder. Dad kisses Adas hand and out of the corner of my eye I see the Ghost king. I gasp bringing the attention to me.

The Ghost king looks at dad and said two words which brought relief to me "We fight!"

Vote and comment please :). We're also nearing the end of the book.