Queen Naehlara (LOTR, Legolas love story)

Chapter 10

Naehlara felts uneasy as the fellowship reached the bottom of the Mountain and started down the path towards Moria. It took less time to travel down the mountain than it did up, either because of the urgency to reach the mines or because going down hill was easier than going uphill. Gandalf and Frodo are at the front of the group whispering, while Naehlara, Legolas and Gimli were in the middle of the group with the hobbits behind them and Boromir and Aragorn in the back. On either side the Mountain rose high into the sky, the path they are traveling was skinny barely fitting two people on it, with a lake to the right of them.

The lake felt dark, something lurking within the waters, watching them. Without realizing it Naehlara had grabbed onto Legolas' hand looking for comfort. Naehlara glanced up to the sky unable to see the stars and it left her feeling cold, colder than she ever was up on the mountain in the blizzard."There is something out there." Naehlara whispers to Legolas, who nods in agreement, looking to the lake.

"Speak a language all of us can understand." Gimli grumbles, running his hand across the stone of the mountain as they walked closer to the door of Moria.

"I can speak however I wish." Naehlara stated, eyes narrowed towards the dwarf. She couldn't believe how rude he had been towards her this whole time. It angered her greatly, especially when thinking about the friendship she used to have with the dwarves during the first age.

Gimli looked back, "What did you just say?" He questioned, his hand falling to the hilt of his axe. Naehlara just crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked away from the dwarf.

"She spoke in a language neither of us understand." Legolas says, to the dwarf. "Let it go, she won't tell you what it means."

Gimli grumbled, turning back towards the front of the group when his eyes widen and a smile breaks across his face. "The walls of Moria." Up ahead the walls came together creating a dead end. With every step they were having to be careful, the cobbled path was slick with running water, coming from the melting snow at the top of the mountain. Naehlara's hand tightened against Legolas' as the two elves could hear howling in the distance. She wasn't normally easy to scare, but this place had her on edge. She couldn't help to think she was walking to her death.

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed." Gimli says as the fellowship comes to the end of the path. Naehlara groaned as she looked over the wall for any sign of where the door could be.

"Yes Gimli, their own masters cannot find them if their secrets are forgotten." Gandalf says, running his hand over the stone of the mountain.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas quips, causing Naehlara to laugh, as Gimli rolls his eyes.

"Isildin, it mirrors only starlight and moonlight." Gandalf says, pulling his hand away from the stone and looking towards the sky. The clouds finally seeming to move as the moon comes to view, lighting the whole area. Naehlara couldn't help but think Gandalf had somehow made the clouds move.

Between two twisted trees a light started to shimmer. Blue lines out lining a door growing brighter, with an inscription in elvish above the door. It was eerily beautiful, Naehlara thought. "It reads, 'The door of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter.'"

"What do you suppose that means?" Pippin asks. Naehlara looked to the door, eyebrows brought together. Speak friend and enter? She questioned, and why was it written in Sindarin and not in dwarvish.

"It's simple. If you are a friend, you speak the password and the doors will open." Gandalf explains, raising his arms. "Gate of the Elves, open now for me!" Nothing happens, and Naehlara can't help but sigh as she moves away from the door and the lake to sit on a rock. Legolas quickly following her and joining her on the rock, both over looking the lake and the night sky.