Chapter 9
Arianna was taking one of her "breaks". Mostly, it was vomiting water in her corner of an abandoned courtyard. When she was finally done, she sat down on a stone bench and buried her face in her hands. She felt someone pull her hair back. Her braid was coming completely undone. Fly-a-ways were plastered to her clammy skin. She shivered a bit and turned her head to see Legolas and sighed.
"What are you doing here?" she croaked.
"Looking for you."
"Well congratulations, you found me." her sharp tone held no real hostility. Legolas knew she was tired, and being unwell never helped anyone's temper. He was right, and he noticed she was struggling to keep from dissolving into tears. He sighed sadly and took her into his arms, allowing her to bury her face in his neck. He rested his cheek on her hair and softly rubbed her back.
"It's alright." He whispered to her. She shook her head and spoke, her voice muffled by his shirt.
"No it's not. Look at me. I'm a fighter. My life involves killing for a living. And I can't even do something like this." She sighed and turned her head a bit so he could hear her more clearly. "I always felt that after taking so many lives, I should try and help others to keep them. Maybe to…keep the scale balanced. I'm so good at hurting things, just…not at helping." Legolas smiled a bit.
"You simply need to help in other ways." He told her. "Do you feel guilty about killing those who fight for Sauron?"
"No."
"Exactly. So the scale remains balanced. You can still help people, simply…not in the healer's ward." He suggested, the smile evident on his voice. Arianna gave a weak chuckle.
"True enough." She admitted.
"You're all right then?" she sighed but nodded.
"Good…let's find something for you to do. I would suggest getting some food-" he stopped at her glare and chuckled. "I know I know. But sleeping in a bed will do wonders." He took her hand and led her back through the House of Healing, but before they could exit, someone else came in.
"Pippin!" Arianna exclaimed. Pippin was leading someone along and Arianna looked to see who. It was a rider from Rohan, and he was carrying "Marina!"
"Arianna! Please, she's cold…and she won't wake up." Pippin told her, his eyes pleading. Legolas was already taking Marina out of the other man's arms and Arianna led them to a nearby cot. Arianna inspected Marina's body, coming to the same conclusion she had with Èowyn.
"The Black Breath." She left Legolas to explain what it was to Pippin as she got more Athelas from the stores and made another tea. It worked in much the same way, a Marina woke up a few minutes later. She looked around in fear, wondering where she was.
Pippin's face entered her view and she turned to look at him. She was afraid that if he left her sight he might disappear. He smiled down at her and thanked someone on her other side. She made herself look to her left, and she saw Arianna and Legolas. She looked back at Pippin and smiled softly. And then, knowing she was safe and surrounded by her friends, she fell asleep again.
Arianna hushed Pippin with a smile as he panicked. "Don't worry." She told him. "She must be exhausted. She needs her sleep. Let's find you both a room to stay." Pippin looked dead on his feet himself. Legolas picked up Marina once again and they went off to find themselves beds. Everyone could use a good night's sleep.
Marina groaned and rolled over. As she did so, she realized that she was comfortable. For the first time in weeks, she was sleeping in a real bed. She slowly opened her eyes to see a stone ceiling. She looked down at herself. She was…filthy. The clean sheets she'd slept in were now filthy as well. A heavy blanket of dark blue lay on top of the sheets. She'd been grateful for it as she slept, the night had been chilly.
She sat up and looked around. The floor and walls were also stone, but carpets littered the floor in an attempt to warm up the room. In the wall in front of her was a door and behind her was a series of windows, all open archways. For a moment she almost panicked, unsure of where she was. But she looked to her left and saw something which made her fears all go away.
Pippin.
He was as much of a mess as she was, his pillow smudged with dirt that had been on his face. He was hugging it tightly, as if he couldn't bear to let it go. Marina felt herself smile and she lay back in bed. But though she lay there for ages, she couldn't fall back asleep. She felt like she'd slept for days already, she was fully rested.
The female hobbit sat up once again and stretched. That hurt though. Her right arm still tingled painfully. She held back a gasp and hugged her arm close to her chest.
"Let's take this slowly." She said to herself in a whisper. She slipped out onto the floor, feeling her legs tremble a bit. That settled it; she must have been sleeping for ages if her legs were unused to supporting her weight. She made her way to the door and slipped out, closing it silently behind her.
She'd already been walking for a while when she realized she was completely lost. The halls she traveled were a mix of white and black marble, and all looked the same. She couldn't find her way back to the room anymore. She shrugged and continued on, searching for some sign of life. There had to be someone around, this was the city of Minas Tirith after all. Finally she reached a courtyard with gravel paths and potted plants. Marina instinctively knew this was the closest she'd get to nature while she was in this city of stone, and she decided to stay put. She went to the far edge which overlooked the steep slope of the city and over the fields of Pelennor.
It was a dreadful sight. The fields were dotted with funeral pyres burning the dead, their smoke filling the already hazy air before the city. The city itself was a mess. Buildings had been crushed and rubble littered the streets. Still…the city seemed devoid of all life. Suddenly Marina felt like a ghost, a lonely inhabitant of an empty city. She sank down onto a nearby stone bench and sighed. Where on earth was everyone?
It was Aragorn who found her. He sat beside her on the bench without saying a word. Marina looked at him a moment, then went back to looking out over the city.
"Everyone is resting. It's early yet." He finally said.
"How long have I been asleep?"
"Almost four days."
"No wonder I can't sleep anymore…" she said as she shook her head. "Where can I get a bath?" she asked him.
"Head back down the hall and go down two flights of stairs. There's a bathhouse there, you'll be able to find it easily."
"Thank you." She stood and smiled at him. "Your majesty." She skipped off before she could see his reaction, but he only smiled. It was a title he had yet to get used to.
Marina followed the soon to be King's directions and was able to follow her nose the rest of the way. A few short hours later, she was clean and refreshed, and wearing some clothing which had quickly been trimmed to her height by a helpful seamstress. It was just a plain blue dress of rough cotton, so Marina used her belt and necklace to spruce it up a bit. When she made it back to her room, she arrived to find Pippin kneeling on the floor to look under her bed.
"What in Middle Earth are you doing?"
Pippin spun to see Marina standing in the doorway, her hands on her hips and an eyebrow raised in amusement. He hopped to his feet and ran to her, hugging her tightly. Marina hugged him back just as hard, not wanting to let go. She'd only seen glimpses of his face as she'd drifted in and out of consciousness since she'd watched him ride away from Edoras. Being able to touch him and make sure he was safe was like a dream come true. Finally, she giggled a bit and he pulled away, his cheeks pink.
"So…what were you looking for?" she asked in confusion. His blush darkened.
"You.."
"Me? Why?"
"I woke up and you weren't in bed. I was afraid maybe you'd…I don't know…fallen." Now Marina burst out laughing.
"You thought I'd fallen out of bed?"
"Well…it was a possibility." Pippin said defensively. Marina bit back another smile and patted him fondly on the cheek.
"Oh Pip…this is why I missed you so. You manage to make everything better no matter what." Pippin just grinned and pulled her into another hug, only to push her away a moment later.
"You smell amazing, and I certainly don't. I'm going to go get washed up. Don't wander off!" he dashed from the room before his cheeks could flare their deep red color. He heard Marina chuckle as he left and smiled to himself. It was good to have her back.
Arianna sat perched on the steps leading to the dais where the white marble throne. She had out her dagger and was using it to clean out the grit from under her fingernails. After a day and half of helping out in the hospitals, she'd finally been kicked out to be useful elsewhere. Arianna had left happily, preferring to help with the hard labor of building new homes for the people than being stuck surrounded by death and sickness. Now, she was filthy and happily so. She'd worked hard and had made a difference. She wasn't just getting in the way of others.
Gimli sat near her, in the Steward's throne of all places. He puffed on his pipe, grumpy as he'd been dragged from his supper to come to the meeting. Erynion sat at the top of the chair, looking down at Gimli's head as if considering sitting there instead. Gandalf paced the floor, Aragorn stood off to one side, and Legolas and Èomer stood to the other. They'd all come together in council to discuss the goings on in Middle Earth, and what they needed to do next. As Arianna had expected, Frodo was the beginning of the discussion.
"How can we know where the hobbit is? Or if he has failed?" Èomer was asking.
"Gandalf has the power to see him. Or sense him somewhat." Arianna offered. But Gandalf was shaking his head.
"Frodo has passed beyond my sight. The darkness is deepening."
"If Sauron had the ring we would know it." Aragorn pointed out. Arianna nodded her agreement. If he'd gotten his precious ring back, they'd have been wiped off the face of Middle Earth already.
"It is only a matter of time." Gandalf said pessimistically. "He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping."
"Let him stay there." Gimli said gruffly. "Let him rot! Why should we care?"
"Because ten thousand orcs now stand between Frodo and his destination." Arianna said in worry, realizing what Gandalf was getting at.
"I've sent him to his death." The wizard said sadly.
"No." Aragorn said, finally turning to face the rest of them. "No. There's still hope for Frodo. He needs time, and safe passage across the Plains of Gorgoroth. We can give him that."
"How?" Gimli asked suspiciously.
"Draw out Sauron's armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate." Aragorn said, his head raising in confidence.
"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms." Èomer said as he came forward. Arianna was thinking along the same lines. What good would it do Frodo if they were all dead on the plains in front of the Black Gate?
"Not for ourselves, but we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's Eye fixed upon us. Keep him blind to all else that moves." He said mysteriously. Arianna smirked a bit. It looked like her twin had a plan.
"A diversion." Legolas said with a smile of his own.
"Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?" Gimli said sarcastically. Arianna just laughed and cuffed him across the shoulder.
"We've had plenty of practice in situations like this by now." She pointed out. "We're the perfect ones for the job!"
"Sauron will suspect a trap. He will not take the bait." Gandalf was saying to Aragorn. Arianna looked over to see her brother smile knowingly.
"Oh I think he will." With that, Gandalf gave a sharp nod and stalked out of the throne room, his staff tapping the floor with every other step. Èomer bowed to them all and followed. Gimli hopped down from his chair and left through a side door, most likely heading back to his evening meal. Legolas looked at her and she nodded at the door, telling him with her eyes that she'd be there in a moment. He nodded and left as well, leaving her alone with her twin. The hooting Erynion didn't really count.
"Aragorn…what exactly are you planning?" she asked, pulling out a whetstone to sharpen her dagger. He came to sit in front of her on the steps with a sigh.
"We needed bait."
"Yes, but what bait is going to be tempting enough to make Sauron himself lose focus?"
"Me." Arianna's eyes widened as his idea clicked in her mind.
"You're going to use the Palantír!" she accused. He only nodded, his shoulders slumped. "No! Aragorn, you can't! It's far too dangerous!" She saw his back stiffen, as it often did when he was worried or determined. And right now, he was probably both. Arianna sighed, slipping her dagger back into its sheath with a click. She knew he knew the consequences…and she knew there wasn't much else that could be done. "I know there's not much choice…but it does not mean I have to like it." She stood and was about to walk away when she was pulled into a tight hug. She squeezed her eyes shut, burying her face in Aragorn's shoulder.
"I have to…" he whispered. Arianna only sniffed and he pulled away. "Are you…crying?" he asked in disbelief. She shook her head, sniffing again.
"No!" she insisted, but a tear escaped anyway. "Alright yes, I am. Aragorn…I've lost you once already, I don't want it to happen again." She explained in a soft voice. He pulled her back into the hug, shushing her gently like he had when they were children.
"You never lost me before, and you never will." He insisted. "Even if I don't survive the battle, I will live on. Though Legolas's faith, through Gimli's strength, and through your heart. I can do all I can, but it is those around me who give me the power to go on." Arianna pulled back to look him in the eye and sniffed again.
"You need a shave." She teased. Aragorn burst into laughter, the seriousness of his speech drifted from the room as if it had never been there. Erynion, aware of the fact, came over to sit on Arianna's shoulder.
"I don't know, I think I rather like the beard." He said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they strolled towards the door.
"Arwen certainly will." Arianna teased, laughing when his cheeks turned pink. "She always liked men with beards…she told me she couldn't wait till you finally grew yours out." Aragorn glared down at her, though his eyes were sparkling.
"Well if you keep courting the elf you won't have to worry about beards." Arianna felt her cheeks warm as well, but she smiled at the same time.
"I know!" she said cheerfully. The two of them exited the throne room in good humor, and Legolas raised an eyebrow. He'd been standing beside the door waiting for Arianna to come out; it was odd to hear such laughter considering what was happening. But he couldn't help but smile at the sight of her shining eyes, which lit up when she noticed him. She clapped her brother on the shoulder and came over to him. "I hope you're hungry, because I'm starving and I want to eat before Gimli cleans us out entirely!"
The next few days were spent preparing for the coming battle. Aragorn was distant to everyone, and for some reason he no longer wore the Evenstar pendant Arwen had given him all those years ago. He refused to say why, but Arianna suspected it was something involving that horrible Palantír. Something had happened that night, besides Aragorn revealing to Sauron who he was. But he refused to say a word, so Arianna threw her energy into work rather than worry in an effort to remain useful.
Finally, the day to ride out came. Everyone was up before dawn making last minute preparations and saying their final goodbyes to their loved ones. Marina stood in her room looking out the window, worry filling her eyes. That was how Pippin found her when he came into the room all dressed in his Tower Guard uniform.
"Mari? What's wrong?" She turned to smile at him, but the sight of his armor made her tear up and she turned away again. "Mari?" he asked again, coming up behind her. She spun and flung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest. He could feel her shaking, she seemed close to bursting into tears! "Mari, it's alright, I'm here." He whispered into her hair, pulling her close.
He was stronger than he used to be…she could feel his muscles even through his mail shirt. And the way he held her now…it was nothing like the Pippin she used to know. He was strong, confident. He'd grown up. And here she was doing just the opposite. She pulled back, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, trying to smile in reassurance. It didn't work; she knew he could tell she was pretending. That was one of the worst parts of being so close to someone, they could see right through you.
"Mari…"he said, almost sternly. "Come on, what is it?" Her eyes filled with tears again but didn't overflow.
"I'm scared." She said in a whisper so soft he almost didn't catch it. But he did, and it threw him for a loop. Marina was scared? But…she'd always been the brave one of the two of them! Pippin was terrified himself, but…Marina had always been so strong, even when it came to fighting. He took her hands and led her to the nearest bed, sitting her down and taking a seat beside her.
"Mari…I'm scared too." He told her, putting a finger under her chin and making her look him in the eye. "Terrified actually. I don't want to go into battle so soon after the last one. Or ever if I can help it." She smiled a tiny bit and he took it as a good sign. "Mari…you've always been the fighter of the two of us. What changed?"
She sat in silence for a moment. It wasn't a simple answer really…not as simple as she would have liked it to be.
"I'm not frightened for myself." She finally said. "I'm frightened for everyone else. I could go and fight all day and night and not be afraid. But…I'm terrified that I'll lose friends. I lost too many in the last battle, I don't know if I can handle losing any more." By the time she was done, her voice was softer than a whisper again. "I'm afraid of losing Aragorn and Arianna, Gimli and Legolas…but…" she bit her lip and looked down.
"But…?" Pippin prompted. She finally looked him in the eye, her eyes over-bright with tears.
"But I'm most frightened that I'll lose you Pip." She shook her head as a single tear fell. "I don't know what I would do without you." She blushed a deep red and looked down at her lap once more, but Pippin only smiled. He cupped her right cheek with one hand and kissed the other gently.
"You'll never be able to get rid of me." he told her softly. She blinked and looked up at him, her cheek tingling where he'd kissed it. "No matter how hard you try." He finished with a smirk. She smiled back and threw her arms around his neck once more.
"I'm going to hold you to that promise." She whispered in his ear.
Oh lordy...don't kill me! *ducks behind desk to avoid possible thrown objects* I swear I didn't forget to update, I just haven't had time! I would have updated thursday, but I was preparing for the trip I took (and am still on) for my Thanksgiving break...I'm not kidding, i've been so beyond busy this is the first time i've gotten on the computer before midnight in days! Apparently I have a social life when I visit people in other states, lol.
It's been a wonderful trip, despite the busy schedule. The only bad part is that all my friends are at least an hours drive away...to put this into perspective, I've driven over 1000 miles by my myself since I've gotten here. And that's not including the drive to get hee in the first place! It's been a very very busy week. I drove 6 hours today alone, lol.
Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed the chapter. Please review it'll mean tons! And you have every right to throw sharp and/or heavy objects at me... *winces*
Your humble authoress,
Whisperwings
