Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with LOTR.
Anyway, here is the next chapter! It is a little shorter thanks to me splitting the battle into two chapters, but I hope you enjoy reading it all the same!
...
Kate's POV
I approached a tense Aragorn as he stood on the deck of the boat, looking out to the plains that surrounded us. Slowly, I reached up and placed my hands on his shoulders, massaging away the knots and tight muscle that had bunched up beneath his tunic. He closed his eyes and hung his head forward, leaning into my hands.
Around us, the sun blazed bright behind us, yet I could sense the lingering black clouds that were clinging to the mountain tops in the far distance.
Mordor.
I closed my eyes and looked down to the floor, pushing all negative thoughts out of my mind. Especially those evolving around two little hobbits somewhere out there as they journey to destroy the key to all our problems.
"How are you?" I asked Aragorn quietly, knowing that it was a bit of a stupid question, but wanting to build up somewhat of a normal conversation.
"I am well, for I have accepted my fate." He said just as softly
"Your fate?" I asked, confused.
"Yes. I have decided to become who I was born to be. I am Isildur's heir, but not Isildur himself. We are going to defeat this evil, and live in peace." He said firmly as he turned towards me.
"We? So...you're not going to attempt to make me stay behind then?" I asked, raising one eyebrow
"Is there really any point?" he asked with a sigh. I reached up and touched his cheek, smirking.
"No. You know me well" I said, before becoming serious "I am proud of you"
"Your support means everything to me" he said, before he paused "Where will you go after this is all over?"
"I don't know yet" I said, trying to avoid embarrassing myself in any way "I was kind of hoping I could stay with you..." I trailed off, looking towards the floor.
I looked up when I felt two gentle fingers under my chin as Aragorn forced me to look him in the eye.
"Please do" he whispered, resting his forehead against mine "I need you"
"Oh please, you have it all under control" I teased, poking him in the stomach.
He smiled slightly, before kissing me gently and tucking a strand of loose hair behind my ear.
"I still need you" he whispered, before dropping a kiss on my cheek as he stepped away, just as the others came above deck.
"We're almost there laddie" Gimli said, clearly excited. He swung his axe around wildly, causing us all, minus the ghosts, to take a hurried step backwards.
"Indeed Gimli" Aragorn replied. "And yet I fear that what greets us may not be a desirable sight at all"
"All the more reason to smash their skulls in I say!" Gimli commented loudly, clearing having spent too much time around Emma and me.
We all chuckled and the others wandered off to find the correct something or another to stop the boats. It is unfair really, Aragorn said he has never done any form of sailing before and he is already better than me.
"Kate" a voice chided me, bringing me out of my daze.
"Yes?" I asked absently
"Do you think she is alright?"
"Who?" I finally looked up, my senses clearing. I knew at once who he was talking about.
"Yes...I really hope she is" I said with a grim note to my voice.
The elf in front of me did not look well at all. His face was pale, more so than usual, and his eyes dull. He couldn't remain still for more than thirty seconds at a time and he remained silent most of the time, as if considering something the entire time. I shook my head, knowing what was happening.
"You worry about her" I stated. It wasn't a question but he nodded anyway, looking up into my eyes.
"Just imagine if Aragorn went away, into a battle that it is unlikely most will survive. Your duty laid elsewhere, and now, you sit, you wait. There is nothing you can do to help him, and you know full well that he could be lying, bloody and broken, surrounded by strangers. Left to die a painful death alone." Legolas said, his voice flat, yet rising slightly towards the end.
I felt my stomach roll at the thought of Aragorn going away like that, but pushed it down quickly and placed a comforting hand on Legolas' shoulder.
"She knows what she is doing. She has more survival skills than you give her credit for. If she were dead, you would feel it in your heart" I said, trying to make it sound convincing.
I epically failed.
Legolas opened his mouth to most probably tell me that, but closed it again when a cry rang out over all three of the boats.
We had arrived.
Those orcs and other questionable people better watch out. We have a whole ghost army on our side.
I swallowed thickly as the boat creaked to a halt, and Aragorn sent me a look, before jumping off. Now, I think that look was a mixture of 'I love you' and 'please stay on the boat'
The first one I can listen to...the second?
Ha! Yeah right.
I swung off the boat and landed with a heavy thud on the ground, thanks to it being a lot further away that I originally thought.
"There's plenty for the both of us. May the best Dwarf win!" Gimli cried at Legolas, who smirked slightly and strung an arrow.
No Gimli. May the best girl win.
And with that thought, we all ran forward, feeling the cool breeze of ghosts run behind us.
These orcs are going down!
Emma's POV
Everything was in chaos.
All around me was death, and limbs, heads, and more death. The whole place reeked of flesh and the dying bodies that lay scattered over one another in my path. My hair clung to the nape of my neck with sweat as I swung my sword wildly, ducking as an arrow came flying over my head.
Haldir and I had fallen from our horse as it took an arrow to the neck. Luckily it was a quick and painless death for it, and we both managed to scramble away from the oncoming horde of orcs. Unfortunately, we both got separated in the rabble, and I now have no clue where the hell he is.
Honestly, he goes on and on about how I am not allowed more than five metres away from him at a time, and then he leaves me.
Though it is technically not his fault.
Mind you, he was worse than a mother telling the rules of walking to her four year old child. The amount of 'always stay within my sight' I have had the last few hours.
I lost count at about thirty.
I spun around and lashed out at a random orc that got too close, before turning and stabbing another. It is amazing what adrenaline does to you, I am scared stiff yet I have never felt more alive.
My muscles clenched as one of my daggers clashed against an orcs, forcing me to use the others to create an 'x' formation. It pushed harder down, causing me to grunt and almost give way under the pressure. It would be so easy just to drop my arms as they began to scream with protest, my left shoulder cracking as too much weight was put onto it at the wrong angle.
I screamed out loud, before using the last of my strength and using my legs to push the blades back up and stab at the orc. Annoyingly, it blocked it.
We stared one another down for a minute, before it started to laugh.
"Pathetic woman. You are weak" it snarled.
That's it.
I growled and threw another move which it blocked easily. It smiled, showing off its black teeth; completely missing my fist as it came swinging towards its jaw.
I heard a massive crack as my closed fist connected, and it staggered back, only to receive a knife to the stomach.
"Weak am I?" I asked it as it slid to its knees "I'll have you know I've got one hell of a right-hook"
It never replied.
A wise choice.
I turned once again, clutching my shoulder which was screaming in agony, and my eyes widened when I saw one soldier fall to his knees, having just received a nasty stab from an orc.
The worst part was, the soldier hadn't died, and the orc was actually having fun taunting him. My anger boiled over at the disgusting creatures, and I took an arrow without processing my movements, before losing it and sending it sailing straight into the orcs neck. I was actually surprised at the accuracy of my shot. The one time I have actually done something right when I needed to.
The orc in question staggered back, before it fell, still twitching, to the ground. I quickly made my way over to the soldier that was on his knees, hissing as one orc managed to cut me down my left forearm as I passed. Great, so my stronger arm is now completely useless.
My blade whistled through the air as I cut its heard clean off, the vibrations ringing up and down my arm as I heard the thud of its body hit the ground.
The sheer weight of what I was doing hit me all at once and I doubled over, feeling the desperate need to throw up somewhere. This is so far away from my life in England.
I found myself having to force down those feelings as I crawled over to the soldier, blood from my arm creating a trail on the floor behind me.
"Um., Sir?" I asked, dreading him already being dead.
"Help...me" he croaked back. Something about the voice made alarm bells go off in the back of my mind, but I ignored it, and instead focused on helping the person.
"I will take you to the main grounds. We will find a doc- ugh, healer. Hold on" I said desperately as I hovered above him and took off his helmet. The sight that met me made me clamp my hands over my mouth and scuttle backwards slightly.
"B-Beofrith?" I asked, my eyes travelling over his blood soaked form.
"Yes...My lady, please help" he said, his voice growing weaker.
I looked over him again, feeling slightly horrified. I shook my head to myself and pulled myself together. He may not deserve any form of forgiveness, but he does deserve to be helped.
"Can you stand?" I asked him, knowing there wasn't a hope in hell of me lifting him.
"I-I think so" he said, sounding weaker than I have ever heard him be before.
"Come" I said as I supported him into a standing position, gritting my teeth as he applied more pressure to my already injured shoulder. We began to stagger forward, me watching out for any orcs. Suddenly, Beofrith went rigid, his eyes huge.
"Am I dead? There is a ghost!" he said, raising a shaking hand "Ghost!"
I bit back a snort. Of course there aren't any ghosts, do you see any ghosts?
Oh...
So...that army of ghosts are the ones he was talking about. Ohhh...you can almost see through them! They are more green than anything else. Blimey they're pretty scary!
Wait...this means it is almost over!
I yelped as I tripped over a body, and forced back the bile that once again rose up my throat. I can't throw up here! How embarrassing would that be?
Probably not very in everyone's current state, but that's not the point.
Plus I wouldn't be able to kiss Legolas...who is actually no-where in sight.
Brilliant.
Beofrith and I began to stagger across the fields towards the White city, which now had a green haze to it as the ghosts took over. So close.
"Emma" Beofrith gasped as he suddenly fell to his knees, clutching his stomach. I knelt down beside him, my stomach rolling and the ground seemingly swaying.
"No! Not now! Come on, the city is so close!" I cried, grabbing hold of his arm and attempting to pull him forward.
"I'm sorry. For everything. They were right" he panted "What I did was despicable, and I have never been so ashamed. At least now I can pass and the Gods can do what they will with me"
I remained silent for a moment, mulling over what he said through my fog filled brain. Everything's so confusing.
"Please...I know I do not deserve your forgiveness, but you must know that I am truly sorry" he continued, his eyes begging.
"I know" I said quietly "And I cannot speak for everyone...but I...I forgive you"
It is the least I can do in his current state. Right now, I really mean it.
I watched as the man's face lit up, before he coughed suddenly, spitting up blood. That is when I realised. The knife had punctured his lung, and by the look of it, was poisoned.
No one deserves this fate. Not even Beofrith.
"Thank you" he said, before he collapsed back, his chest taking one last shuddering breath.
I took a deep breath, before I pulled myself to my feet, staggering slightly, my arm still dripping with blood. I have probably lost a lot of the substance, if the trail of the stuff is anything to go by.
"Rest in peace, Beofrith" I said, before I turned and attempted to walk forward, only to stop when the whole world seemed to brighten dramatically. The sky became an unnatural shade of blue, and the sand beneath my feet turned the colour of mustard. It seemed to wriggle and convulse as I looked at it.
Carefully, I looked at my arm, my eyes widening at how deep the cut actually was. Oh...so I have probably lost way, way, way too much blood.
I can't find the energy to care.
"Emma!" A voice suddenly shouted. I looked around wildly, trying to find the source of it. I have no idea how long I searched for, but I eventually found it, and my face broke out into a smile. I think.
Kate.
She began to run towards me, only for her face to drop when I didn't move, and the world seemed to sway dramatically.
"Legolas!" she screamed as she sprinted forward.
Ah Legolas...
My elvish angel.
And it was with that thought that I let my daggers slip from my grasp and I fell down, smacking my head against the floor in the process.
'Smart move Emma' was my last thought, as my vision tunnelled and I was dragged down into the murky pits of unconsciousness.
...
I'm sorry! Another kind of cliff hanger, but I really couldn't think of anything more to write for that bit...but yeah...
I would say that there is only another few chapters to go of this story, and I would like to thank you all so much for your support and reviews/favourites/follows.
I really love hearing from you all, and the reviews really make my day and give me the inspiration to keep writing.
Keep them coming and please let me know what you think about this chapter. I'll update soon!