Though this be madness...

[Saeros]

He gave rope swift, but not to quick and Aragorn could hold himself in distance of the rock with his feet. He nearly walked downwards until the pit opened into a gallery tunnel and reached the ground. He hold onto the end to pull straight and Saeros just hooked his Arms and legs at the rope and glid down to him into the darkness.

[Envin]

Aragorn nearly rapelled downward as the pit descended into the rock of the mountain, Saeros playing out his good Elven rope with doughty hands, and when the pit widened suddenly into the chamber below Aragorn was soley at the mercy of his companion. He kept descending slowly as Saeros let him down, many thousands of feet into Moria from above. They had feared at first that they would reach the end of their line ere Aragorn found the bottom, but, as luck would have it, apparently they were directly above the topmost level, and the floor was nearer than they had thought. Suddenly Saeros felt the line go slack, and also three sharp tugs from below, their signal that the bottom had been reached. A moment later the good Elf hauled the rope quickly back again, to find the end unharmed and uncut, and so dropped it down once more and began to descend. Aragorn had not wished to force Saeros to make the free-climb, but neither did he wish for him to be alone against he knew not what below, and so took what seemed the more difficult of the two choices.

As Saeros clomb down the rope, Aragorn glanced about the room. It was quiet inside, with nary a sound to be heard save the silent tread of his footfalls upon the stone. His drawn blade caught the glint of the sunlight above and glanced it about the room, and he saw that it appeared to be a study, or a room for quiet thought, as it seemed, for there were many tables and chairs, and books upon the walls. He put his ear up to the only door as Saeros neared the floor, and awaited his comrade.

[Saeros]

He reached ground and scanned the room in surprise. A study room was the last he had expected on the end of a pit. The air was fresh and some light fell down from above. Saeros didn't took time to get closer to the shelfs or even have a look at the books. He realized that Aragorn stood at one door and that it was the only door in the entire room. He quickly went to his comrade and looked at him questioning.

[Envin]

Aragorn welcomed Saeros after his harrowing climb and stationed him by the door, and went back to the rope. He coiled up the end and hid it upon the top of a bookshelf in the shadows, do that to see it one would must needs be looking straight at the rope to see it. Then he returned to the door. He laid him down upon the ground and felt and listened with his ear, remaining thus for some few minutes, then sprang up and carefully opened the door.

[Saeros]

There was no tone outside, but Saeros was certain so high below ground level, there had to be somebody surround. And this fact made the silence outside even more suspecious. And Saeros was certain, that Garland would have set out spys and guardians, if he had to hide something. He layed his hand on Aragorns arm and shoke his head warningly.

[Envin]

Aragorn was not deceived by the unnatural silence outside of the room, and nodded knowingly when Saeros wisely held him back. Instead, he pointed to the top of a bookcase which even a tall man must needs have a chair to see over, and with a puzzled look the Elf complied, climbing up onto the top of the shelf and lying completely still, so that he could not be seen at all. Aragorn with skill silently pushed open the door less than even a handspan, and caught up a piece of plaster which lay upon the floor nearby, and climbed onto a bookcase himself. He would draw out any enemies that lay in wait, that their nature and numbers might be known, while remaining out of their line of sight in the doing. With practised aim he let fly the plaster-piece, and it landed perfectly just outside the door, appearing as though it had fallen from the ceiling and bounded outside. The he silently lay flat upon the bookcase, his eyes lifted slightly above the rim, but ready to drop out of sight in an instant.

[Saeros]

Nothing happened. The silence tore on Saeros nerves and he started to think it would have been mor efficiant to come right through the front door and just to ask Garland if he don't mind to give them a tour through the mines. He climbed down from his shelf and walked over to Aragorn. "Two chances," he whispered. "We go out there anyway what awaits us or we go back and try another way."

[Envin]

Aragorn nodded to the first of Saeros' suggestions, and therefore pushed the door further open, wide into the hall. Then he crept out of the study and into the open expanse before him, Saeros close behind. Their swords were drawn as they remained near to the wall that they might keep in the shadow, but little enough of any foe could they see. They walked down the hallway, ever listening.

[Saeros]

This part of Moria, even silent now and assumingly abandoned, looked less like a mine than more like the Khazad Dum of old. The Hallway was lightened with many crystallin candelabers. But between the islands of light, shadow spread and so the two comrades could easily keep their shapes in the twiligth. They searched for stairways downwards, since it was much more reasonable to have a look into the more hidden parts of the mines. Every now and then the walls of the halllway were broken and stairs went up and down or tunnels crossed.

[Garland]

A scout had watched the pair as they had scaled the mountain and repeled into the mines. He watched silently from above as the pair meandered around in the study before deciding to move forward. They had picked a useless place to enter Khazad-Dum; an area that had changed little since the days of old and was not even used by Garland or his troops. When the pair left the room the scout let down his own rope and repeled silently in. He crept down the corridor behind the pair untill he came to another corridor which they had passed. Knowing the mines well, he took the corridor and was quickly gone to inform Garland and the guard. Garland smirked at the scouts repot and had a troop assembled to greet the guests.

The troop approached the pair from three flanks, ensuring there was no corridor for them to slink down and avoid discovery. As they surrounded the pair the captain bowed, then rose giving a curious look to Aragorns drawn sword. "My lord welcomes thee to Khazad-Dum and bids you to visit his chambers." The captain grinned as he watched Aragorn's movements.

[Envin]

Aragorn and Saeros halted, and though for an instant the face of the Elf was horrified, Aragorn was impassive and showed an absence of all emotion. Then next moment he burst into a great sigh of relief, and clapped his arm on Saeros' back, wringing the guard heartily by the hand.

"Good my man, good sir, all thanks be unto thee! Thou knowest not what horrors hath come against us in these tunnels, two weary travelers innocently seeking to visit an old comrade. And now we are saved! By Eru!" With joy in his face his sheathed his sword and looked for a moment as though he would embrace the captain for sheer gladness. "We had thought to drop in, so to speak, upon good Lord Garland and so take him by surprise, for he will be glad of our visit and welcome us with heart, but we fear that we have lost our way in these labyrinthine passages, and evil things have attacked us. Please, naught at all in this world could give us more pleasure than to be led to habitable places where we may greet our friend! Lead on!"

[Saeros]

Saeros grinned but in his heart he cursed the Captain of Lord Garland and tried to calm down his heart beat. For a moment his fingers had itched to long for the sword and cut their way through, but now they would be led to the more interesting parts of Moria.

[Garland]

The captain dismissed the guards and led the pair upwards through several passages untill they came to Garlands chambers. He opened the door and bowed to them, "The master awaits you." He shut the door behind them as they entered the room.

Garland was sitting on his throne as they entered, but rose and walked forward to greet them. "Helllo and welcome good fellows. It is good to see you again Aragorn. By all means though, such an honored guest is always welcome at the front door." He turned to the elf, extending his hand. "And who might you be?"

[Saeros]

Saeros smiled. "My lord, I am your new neighbour, Saeros of Imladris. Nice to meet you. I apologize for our sudden drop in, if it is inconvenient for you." He bowed.

[Envin]

Aragorn gripped Garland's hand and warmly shook it. "Garland, it is a pleasure to see thee again. As thy servants likely have informed thee, we have come into thy realm by an alternative route, with the intent of surprising you and having a general laugh. But the dark corridors of Moria held more dangers than we had thought possible, and it was with gladness that we espied thy guards. Ah, this is Saeros, the good fellow I told you of during the ballin Rohan. If, as I recall, thy offer of hospitality still holds, I had thought to bring him along to meet thee and view the Dwarrowdelf."