This story was inspired by the quote at that I put at the bottom of the
page.
Taking the Stone
Aragorn closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was time. He had the right to take this and he believed he had the strength. He sat down before the palantir. He squared his shoulders and reached out. His hand rested on the Stone. Immediately, it seemed to him that he stood on a wide plain. Something horrible and strong pulled him towards a dark, shadowed part of the plain. He heard a fell voice speak. "Another." The voice- Sauron- said. Aragorn did not respond, but pulled back, fighting the pull of evil, but he heard a horrible laugh. "No man can stand against me."
Aragorn did not respond. He would not speak to this creature. He turned to face the darkness, where he judged Sauron would see him. The laughter died. "You live." Sauron said, his voice tinged with surprise, and hate. Aragorn bowed his head in a nod, but did not respond otherwise.
"You will be mine, heir of Isildur!"
Aragorn narrowed his eyes and drew his sword, allowing Sauron to see Andúril. All was silent, though Aragorn could feel the dark mind attempting to bend the hidden- though now reveled- king's will.
If any had entered the room at this point, they would have seen Aragorn sitting before the Stone, his hand resting lightly on it, his face drawn and tense. But Aragorn did not know this, enmeshed as he was in his struggle.
In his mind, Aragorn could see Sauron standing over him. "You cannot win." The Dark Lord said. Aragorn smiled slightly, for he knew that the palantir belonged to the Dúnedain, not to Sauron.
Aragorn closed his eyes and summoned his strength. He would not lose. He would not fail, for if he did, all would come to darkness. He knew it. With a mighty effort, Aragorn pulled the Stone to his will. It was a bitter struggle, and Sauron fought to regain control at every step. Aragorn opened his eyes as something snapped, and the Stone was turned to his will. Aragorn heard an enraged howling before he lifted his hand from the Stone. He stared at it for a long moment before he placed his hand on the Stone again. He needed to learn the Enemy's plans.
This time, Sauron was there, but he could do nothing to Aragorn. Aragorn gazed into the Stone and saw many things, but above all else he saw ships- Corsairs from Umbar. He saw and he knew what his task was. Elrond had said "Remember the Paths of the Dead." He let his hand drop from the stone- and to his surprise he saw that it was day.
He covered the Stone and placed it in his pack before he headed out. He staggered and nearly fell from weariness. He leaned against the wall as if it could renew his strength. Eventually, he forced himself to stand and he left the room.
He blinked as he saw the small gathering near the door. Elladan and Elrohir waited, as did Halbarad and Éomer. "Is aught wrong, my lord?" Halbarad asked when he saw Aragorn.
"Nay, kinsman, save that I have wrestled long and hard in my mind." Aragorn would not explain beyond that at the moment.
The five of them went down to the courtyard. As they did so, many eyes watched them, and many minds wondered at the weariness that showed on Aragorn's face, but he would not revel what had happened- or not then. He had more important things to worry about.
"I am the lawful master of the Stone and I had both the right and the strength to use it, or so I judged. It was a bitter struggle and the weariness is slow to pass. I spoke no word to him, and in the end I wrenched the Stone to my own will. That alone he will find hard to endure. And he beheld me. Sauron has not forgotten Isildur and the sword of Elendil. Now in the very hour of his great designs the heir of Isildur and the Sword are revealed; for I showed the blade re-forged to him. He is not so mighty yet that he is above fear; nay, doubt ever gnaws him." Aragorn, The Return of the King, pg 57-58.
Taking the Stone
Aragorn closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was time. He had the right to take this and he believed he had the strength. He sat down before the palantir. He squared his shoulders and reached out. His hand rested on the Stone. Immediately, it seemed to him that he stood on a wide plain. Something horrible and strong pulled him towards a dark, shadowed part of the plain. He heard a fell voice speak. "Another." The voice- Sauron- said. Aragorn did not respond, but pulled back, fighting the pull of evil, but he heard a horrible laugh. "No man can stand against me."
Aragorn did not respond. He would not speak to this creature. He turned to face the darkness, where he judged Sauron would see him. The laughter died. "You live." Sauron said, his voice tinged with surprise, and hate. Aragorn bowed his head in a nod, but did not respond otherwise.
"You will be mine, heir of Isildur!"
Aragorn narrowed his eyes and drew his sword, allowing Sauron to see Andúril. All was silent, though Aragorn could feel the dark mind attempting to bend the hidden- though now reveled- king's will.
If any had entered the room at this point, they would have seen Aragorn sitting before the Stone, his hand resting lightly on it, his face drawn and tense. But Aragorn did not know this, enmeshed as he was in his struggle.
In his mind, Aragorn could see Sauron standing over him. "You cannot win." The Dark Lord said. Aragorn smiled slightly, for he knew that the palantir belonged to the Dúnedain, not to Sauron.
Aragorn closed his eyes and summoned his strength. He would not lose. He would not fail, for if he did, all would come to darkness. He knew it. With a mighty effort, Aragorn pulled the Stone to his will. It was a bitter struggle, and Sauron fought to regain control at every step. Aragorn opened his eyes as something snapped, and the Stone was turned to his will. Aragorn heard an enraged howling before he lifted his hand from the Stone. He stared at it for a long moment before he placed his hand on the Stone again. He needed to learn the Enemy's plans.
This time, Sauron was there, but he could do nothing to Aragorn. Aragorn gazed into the Stone and saw many things, but above all else he saw ships- Corsairs from Umbar. He saw and he knew what his task was. Elrond had said "Remember the Paths of the Dead." He let his hand drop from the stone- and to his surprise he saw that it was day.
He covered the Stone and placed it in his pack before he headed out. He staggered and nearly fell from weariness. He leaned against the wall as if it could renew his strength. Eventually, he forced himself to stand and he left the room.
He blinked as he saw the small gathering near the door. Elladan and Elrohir waited, as did Halbarad and Éomer. "Is aught wrong, my lord?" Halbarad asked when he saw Aragorn.
"Nay, kinsman, save that I have wrestled long and hard in my mind." Aragorn would not explain beyond that at the moment.
The five of them went down to the courtyard. As they did so, many eyes watched them, and many minds wondered at the weariness that showed on Aragorn's face, but he would not revel what had happened- or not then. He had more important things to worry about.
"I am the lawful master of the Stone and I had both the right and the strength to use it, or so I judged. It was a bitter struggle and the weariness is slow to pass. I spoke no word to him, and in the end I wrenched the Stone to my own will. That alone he will find hard to endure. And he beheld me. Sauron has not forgotten Isildur and the sword of Elendil. Now in the very hour of his great designs the heir of Isildur and the Sword are revealed; for I showed the blade re-forged to him. He is not so mighty yet that he is above fear; nay, doubt ever gnaws him." Aragorn, The Return of the King, pg 57-58.