Title: Losing Hope is Freedom
Author: Blackheart Dracon
Fandom: LotR
Characters: Denethor & Sauron
Genre: Missing scene
Summary: Set before the Siege of Minas Tirith.
Rating: T (just for cause)
Disclaimer: The characters are not mine.
The stillness of the darkness was disturbed by a single ray of light out of the Tower's window. It blazed for a second and then faded away.
In a semicircle stone room one half of which had no walls and ended off into a bottomless black precipice two figures were standing opposite each other, their features smoothed by the blind night.
"What for did you come here again?" the first one spoke. "You know there is nothing you can do"
"Yes" answered the second. "That I know. But nothing can stop me to see that what is"
The first figure gave a short quiet laugh.
"So what?" he shook his head, "What does it give you?"
"Readiness"
"Readiness? I can change my plans right away…"
"I will see them too"
The first figure chuckled.
"You are stubborn, son of Ecthelion"
Brief silence.
"There is no hope left for you" the first one started once more. "Your country will die, Denethor, Steward of Gondor, like your White Tree had withered. Nothing can save you now. The only thing you could…"
"Nay, Sauron, you are not stupid," Denethor said in an iron voice, "you can't think Gondor to side with you"
"In this you are right" sighed Sauron. "So why did you come tonight if not to make allies?"
"I came to see" said the Man.
Sauron shrugged.
"At the next dawn," he said, turned and walked to the none-existing wall, "you will be no more"
Denethor flinched.
"It is not yet certain" he said.
Sauron turned his head, the black strands of his hair half-covering his face. His grey eyes, glowering in the darkness, looked straight into the same coloured eyes of the Man.
Denethor went pale but held his gaze.
"You are strong, Man" Sauron turned his eyes away. "Why don't you want to ally with me? You need me for your country to be safe. And I… I need those like you"
"You don't need allies, Sauron" Denethor sighed. "You need only servants"
"You don't understand" Sauron smiled ruefully. "Peace can be reached by many ways"
"The 'peace' that you offer is not peace" Denethor said. "It's slavery"
"Aren't you slaves now?" Sauron raised his dark brows "Slaves of the Valar?"
"No" said Denethor unshakably. "We might have been, but it was only our own fault"
"And what about Numenore?"
"Oh, don't you start" Denethor said in disgust.
Sauron laughed.
"You see?" he said. "I don't make you suffer for your discourteous speeches"
"Because you are no Lord to me" replied Denethor calmly.
"No" Sauron passed his hand over his brow pushing the strands of his hair away. "Because I like you. No one man save you have ever dared to glance into the palantir. Even the Kings did not. They were weak Men, weak creatures… but you! You could have ruled over Middle Earth with me. I could have granted you with immortality!"
"For me to become alike with your Nasgul?" Denethor permitted himself a bitter laugh. "No, Sauron, for how many times should I tell you this – I will never side with you"
"Then you will die" said Sauron indifferently. "And all that you love will die with you. And that will be your fault. You will be the one who has doomed his own country"
"So be it" Denethor answered quietly.
"Oh, fool," whispered Sauron, "You fool"
If Denethor looked into his eyes he would have seen true pain in them.
"Farewell, son of Ecthelion" Sauron took a step away. "May you never regret your decision"
With those words he faded.
Denethor started from his sleep his hands still clutching the palantir. His head ached and he felt weak from the long contact with the Seeing Stone.
"Tomorrow" he whispered to himself. "Tomorrow everything will be gone"
He rose and walked out of the room.