Ok, starting this in the middle of biology class. Here we go, almost done!
*L*
They marched to their doom with grace and blessed silence. If Gwen could have had the ability to hear the thoughts of the men around her, she knew she would have been subject to the last solid, human thoughts on family and life she would ever hear. These men were clearly terrified, the lot of them, the ones who had lost their friends, fathers and brothers over the last few months, or perhaps the pain was still fresh from the battle in the fields that it had no yet manifested in soft sobs or burdened hearts.
Gwen herself was troubled. If there was indeed a way to return home, she'd lost it years ago, along with the family she'd held most dear. Her new family, her elven family, was falling apart, with a sister dying and a father just an inch away from losing all hope himself. Tears threatened to spill over her eyelids and pour down her cheeks, but for the sake of herself and those around she pushed them back.
She took a glance at Merry and Pippin, who were layered to the teeth in armor far too big for them and carrying long blades that were not quite swords. They did not speak, not even the always talkative Pippin who constantly chattered about almost anything, and they had no songs about merry drinking and fellowship. It broke her heart, for them to face death so young in their lives, and to possibly have it ended before they had experienced everything it had to offer. They had been only like small children when they started out, and now they could never go back to the ways of their beloved Shire- not really.
Gimli and Legolas exchanged few words, and the two elves themselves did not speak at all. Gwen supposed if she actually wanted she could have met his gaze, which she knew was constantly upon her. She could not face him now, not to confess anything that she knew would be lost after this night. Yes, she now admitted she loved him, and the feelings Eowyn had confronted her with had grown into more than she could have ever realized until it happened.
She was scared, scared of the fate that awaited her and the life that could come after should she survive. For the first time in a long time she prayed, prayed to Eru Iluvater and the God who had ruled sovereign over her home world. Perhaps they were one in the same, but Gwendolyn didn't know or care. She didn't feel anything now, now the numbness she made for her to protect the heart that would never beat with another's.
Aragorn led the march, his chest plate blazing with a pure white tree signifying his right to rule Gondor. He rode at the head of a column of 500 foot soldiers from Rohan and Gondor, leading them from the ruins of Osgiliath. The rest of the Fellowship rode behind him, ahead standing the dark mountains of Mordor that loomed over them like the plague. They approached the Black Gates and stood resolute, unmoving and solid as a wall. They were only a half mile from the Gates themselves.
Aragorn began to muster the men, riding back and forth like Theoden must have when he riled up his own troops only a day earlier. Around them all was quiet, and enemy unmoving in front of them. Pippin bit his lip and stared up at Gandalf, whose eyes were watching the Gates. "Where are they?"
The White Wizard did nothing, just nod towards Aragorn. The former Ranger motioned towards the rest, and they, including Eomer, rode and pulled up only 50 paces from Mordor. At the top of his lungs Aragorn shouted "Let the lord of the Black Land come forth; let justice be done upon him!"
From inside the black land terrible chanting and the clanging of the armor of thousands could be heard, and it chilled Camaessel to the bone. She managed a look at Legolas, who looked back at her. They held gaze for a moment, a feeling of understanding passing between them. With the sound of tortured metal, the massive gates began to open slowly. Legolas, Merry and Eomer looked on in trepidation. One could practically feel the Eye of Sauron moving around them, and an army of 300,000 Orcs marched out of the gates.
"Pull back, pull back!" Aragorn shouted above the noise, but it was too late. The entire company was surrounded within minutes before anyone had time to relay the message. Gwendolyn could see the soldier's hearts wavering, doubt lace through them like parasites. Aragorn, seeing the same thing as she, spurred his steed over and galloped across the front of his army.
"Hold your ground - hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan- my brothers!" He seemed to lock eyes with each and every man, like a true leader. "I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. The day may come when the courage of Men fails; when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship; but it is not this day! An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the Age of Man comes crashing down - but it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth - I bid you stand!"
And they stayed. They had no other choice, but their hearts seemed to lift suddenly. "Men of the West!" Aragorn challenged, holding his sword high. They waited, waited for the order to fight for their lives, for their world. Gimli surveyed the enemy's ranks. He snorted.
"Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf," he said. Gwen managed a weak smile while Legolas nudged him in the shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "What about side by side with a friend?"
The dwarf looked up at Legolas, with whom he had shared so much. The gruff creature smiled quietly. "Aye," he said. "I could do that." Legolas grasped his friend's shoulder tightly for a moment, but then he looked over at Gwen. She smiled a bit sadly. "It has been an honor," she managed to say, but he silenced her. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead taking her hands into his. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear, gently brushing a string of hair out of her face. "For everything."
Gwen felt a tear slide down her cheek, but she didn't try to hide it this time.
Aragorn took one last look at the ramy before them, and turned to face the Fellowship, who he had led since day one. With one last breath he whispered "For Frodo." He raised his sword high, and without mercy or second thought charged towards the Orcs.
All in immediately range nodded definitely, and Merry and Pippin looked at each other, and as the rest stood they too ran towards the chaos. The army of Rohan and Gondor followed suit, and together they charged into the fray.
*L*
The battle between men and Orcs raged on for what seemed like hours. From Mordor, high overhead, the Nazgul flew out into the fray, screeching and deafening everyone's ears. Many fell, some wounded and some not. Suddenly, as Gwen had just impaled three Orcs and beheaded another, another screech, this one less deathly but still as dangerous, pierced the air. Legolas looked up, and shouted to Gwen "Eagles!"
Indeed, a hoard of giant Eagles swooped down into the battle and with one swoop slaughtered the Nazguls. With one final cry each fell, and that was the last of the Ringwraiths that had plagued the lands of Middle Earth for so long.
Aragorn ducked as a giant troll swung its weapon towards his chest. Legolas dove to try and save him, but he was too late. The troll had already stepped upon the man's chest and laughing triumphantly. Aragorn in one last attempt drove his sword into its foot, how ineffective it was… As Legolas shot down several other enemy soldiers Gwen reached him.
"Distract him!" she pleaded, slaying an Orc with three blows to the chest with her sword and another cut throat. "We have to kill it!" Legolas responded, his voice lost in the wind, but just as he started to move again a strange sound came from Mordor. The troll, suddenly more interested in that than Aragorn, stepped away and ran towards it, effectively released the heir to the throne. Legolas felt the tension leave his shoulders, and he continued to fight. AS he turned to make sure Gwen was already, he found her already gone, disappeared into the fray again. His heart sank, but he pushed forward towards Gimli and vented his frustration on a nearby Orc, pinning it to the Black Gates with an arrow and with a long knife he was given by Lady Galadriel slit its throat.
Another screeching sound echoed throughout the fields, and all froze in terror. Then, as quick as day, the Eye of Sauron started to shake, turning itself inside out. Around them the ground below the Orc army started to open, swallowing up the enemy with a quick sweep, and they were gone. A rumble sounded, and one by one the Black Gates themselves started to collapse and fall apart. A pillar as ash rose up out of the dust, and the reign of Sauron was no more.
In the distance Mount Doom started to erupt, but Legolas didn't care. Gwen was gone from his sight, and fear was started to build up in his gut. As the men of Rohan and Gondor started to celebrate and collapse from joy and exhaustion the elf prince wove in and out of the ranks, desperate to find her. She can't be dead, he thought desperately. It's not possible.
He found her, fallen with a dark gash in her side. Her crumpled form in blue and gold lay against the dark soil and rocks on the battlefield, red staining the ground around her. Legolas fell to his knees and took her unconscious form in his arms, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Gwendolyn, wake up," he murmured, feeling for a pulse in her wrist, and when he found none her neck. "Please wake up. Don't leave Gwen, it's too soon…"
There was nothing, and he cried out in anger. She looked like she was sleeping, not close to or already at death's door, which only made it worse. As the victory shouts of glorious battle went up around them Legolas pressed his forehead against her cold pale one. With the last bit of breath he had left he managed to whisper
"Gwen, please don't die. I was in love with you."
*L*
Oooh, like that cliffhanger? Last chapter is next, so hold onto your hats! Everything you read for and wished about is finally about to happen! Review if you want a happy ending!
Rellimmes