Chapter 24

Elanor stood in her tent, going over the plans in her mind. Braen had just left and she knew that she should sleep as they had been riding for so long to get there, but sleep would not find her. So instead she paced around, wringing her hands together.

Tomorrow they would be at the Black Gate. They would draw out Sauron's army in the hopes they could give Frodo and Sam the fighting chance that they needed. But there was no way to know if it would work. It was a fool's hope, she knew this. But it was the path they must take.

It was their last hope if they wanted to win this war and save Middle Earth.

"Elanor."

She stopped and turned, seeing Legolas stepping in through the front flap of the tent. He wore his weapons - they all did when out on the chance they might be attacked being so close to Mordor. But as he walked in, he took them off, leaving them on a table. They regarded each other a few moments before Elanor strode to him, wrapping her arms around him.

She cared not that she was dressed in only breeches and a loose tunic. All she wanted was to feel his arms around her.

She did not wish to think that this could be her last time in his embrace. Their last chance to be alone. That after tomorrow, one or both of them would be gone.

Legolas guided her to look up at him, gently caressing her cheek.

"No tears, Elanor," he whispered. "Not this night."

"But tomorrow-"

"We will face whatever awaits together," he said softly. He then lowered his lips to hers, stealing her breath away with that one kiss. She gripped the front of his tunic, feeling as though she would fall apart if she let go of him. If he let go of her.

When he stepped back, staring deep into her eyes, Elanor saw a fire burning in their depths. A fire that matched her own.

"Stay," she whispered. "Stay with me tonight." He looked away and she could see the fight in his eyes. He wanted to, though wished to follow the traditions of their kind. There was a time when Elanor herself would find the suggestion unseemly, but these were not normal times.

She cared not what they did, only that she could at least go into battle having fallen asleep in his arms at least once. Perhaps they would win and they could spend the rest of their years discovering each other on a completely new plane. Or perhaps they would die and all they would have was this one night.

She could see in his eyes that he felt the same, though he would fight it.

"Elanor," he said, the strain clear in his voice, still not looking at her. She guided him to look at her.

"We do not know if we have more than this night… stay," she asked, her eyes urging him to do her bidding. He sighed and bent down to her, pressing a heated kiss upon her lips.

"I will stay," he murmured. A smile broke across her face as she walked backwards, leading him to her cot.

"For if I do not live through tomorrow, at least I die knowing that I stayed with you this once…"

Legolas knew not the time, but could tell that the camp around them had long grown quiet. If Gimli had wondered why he was not back to the tent they had been sharing all week, he certainly did not come searching for him. Though knowing the dwarf, he had likely guessed his whereabouts and did not come looking for that very reason.

He stared down at Elanor, now slumbering deeply at his side, her head resting on his shoulder with her long, golden curls splayed out behind her. He knew that it was improper. Coming to her in the night. And that he would not be able to say no if she asked him to stay, which he knew that she would.

But at the same time, he could not help but think that this was right. That he was where he needed to be. And part of him still could not believe that she was currently lying here in his arms.

Sure his father would be put out, but Thranduil had long made it known that he wished for the two to unite their two families in marriage. And the king could deny Elanor, nor her mother Fraeya before her, nothing, so his anger would be tempered that they had not followed tradition.

Reaching out, Legolas tenderly brushed a loose curl out of her face, a content sigh leaving her lips as she snuggled closer. A smile came across his face as he watched her sleep.

She was finally his.

After years of pining from afar. Of misreading every situation. Of carrying the guilt over the words he had said to her that day, pushing her away from him. Thinking he had lost her forever. She was now here in his arms.

For the moment, he forgot about tomorrow and the battle they faced. He forgot about everything but the elleth in his arms, her body molded to his as though they were created solely for the other.

"You are staring at me," she said sleepily, her eyes still closed.

"You are so beautiful, I cannot look away," he said, leaving a soft kiss on her nose.

She opened her eyes, looking up at him, a small smile on her face.

"You should sleep," she said.

"I will. But for now I am enjoying watching you," he replied.

"And now you have awakened me," she said, shifting slightly.

"I am sorry. I did not mean to," he said softly. Elanor reached up, her thumb gently caressing his cheek.

"Promise me," she said. "That we will survive tomorrow." He frowned slightly, knowing this was not a promise he could make. For he was unsure if he could keep it. But he wanted to give her everything. The stars and sun and moon. Anything to see her happy and smiling.

"I will do my best," he vowed. She smiled sadly, knowing it was the best he could give.

"Then at least promise me that you will sleep," she said. He bent down, his lips brushing against hers.

"I will do my best…"

Elanor watched stoically as Aragorn spoke with the Mouth of Sauron. Though they were a distance away, she could clearly hear every word. She did not look around, wanting to appear at her strongest before her company.

She had given them a choice. They could ride for Lothlorien and aid in guarding the borders, stay in Minas Tirith, or follow her into battle. They had all - not to her surprise - ridden out with her, determined to fight and potentially die at her side.

So there they stood at the front next to Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf and Aragorn before he rode forward. Merry and Pippin were there as well, though Elanor worried about them. But the two hobbits had insisted they come as well. She had given some of her soldiers orders to watch over them and she would do her best to do so as well.

So there they all stood, waiting to see what would happen. There was no doubt in Elanor's mind that Sauron would not back down or surrender. They would fight this day.

Aragorn then rode back to their army - only 6,000 against who knew how many inside. As soon as he neared them, he launched into a rousing speech that had even Elanor filled with determination.

She looked over at Legolas, meeting his eyes as he reached down for her hand, leading it up to his lips. While normally her cheeks might flush, thinking back to last night. But instead, she felt a fierce determination to win and survive. To get through this battle with her love at her side.

Whatever consequences that might come, they could face later.

She turned back to face Aragorn. Just behind him the large, black gates were slowly swinging open, revealing the terror that lay just behind them. Elanor straightened her back.

"This day we fight! By all you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!" Aragorn shouted.

A roar went up throughout the army as they lifted their weapons. Elanor found herself doing the same. She swallowed her fear and worry, focusing on the fight ahead of her. She did not know what outcome they would face, but she would not go down so easily.

Legolas let loose two arrows, felling an orc that was farther away just before it got close to Gimli.

"Ye blasted elf! I had that!" the dwarf shouted. Legolas smirked, then quickly slung his bow on his back, pulling his swords out just in time to kill another as it neared where he was fighting with Elanor. For a moment, he could not help but watch as she spun and twirled, moving at a rapid pace, a bright presence among the darkness of the orcs. A determined glint was in her eye as she quickly felled two, but did not see the third coming up just behind her.

"Elanor!" he shouted.

Without looking, she ducked, allowing him a clear shot. He sank an arrow in its head, watching as the foul creature fell to the ground. Elanor glanced at him, a smirk on her face, as she quickly moved on, her sights set on the next foe. He moved quickly to follow her.

It was like old times almost. The way they instinctively moved together. Fought together. Words were not needed as she watched his back and he hers. Though a century had passed since the last time they fought together, it felt as though it were just yesterday.

Legolas skid to a halt as the spider in front of him squealed and reared up before collapsing on its side. He turned to look behind him, finding Elanor already dashing towards him, her bow still in hand.

"Your shot has gotten better!" he called to her. She managed a smirk before stopping and loading her bow again. Just as he looked ahead, more spiders poured into the clearing, though the first squealed and fell back, arrows lodged into its head.

He ran forward, Elanor at his side, now pulling her sword out. Without a word, he slid to a stop just in front of her, putting out his hands. She deftly used them as leverage, launching herself into the air and bringing her sword up and then plunging it into the midsection of the spider as she landed, the creature attempting to buck her off, though she held on tightly for dear life.

Legolas slid underneath it, plunging his sword up, the two of them felling it together. He jumped out of the way before it collapsed on top of him. Elanor leapt off, landing lightly at his side. Together they moved forward, taking down spider after spider. Together.

When it was all said and done, Legolas took stock. None of theirs were injured, but they had cleared out another nest. He looked over at Elanor, who was cleaning her sword. She the looked up at him, flashing a smile.

"Job well done, I should think," she said, sheathing her weapon. Legolas could not speak at first, only watch her. She had stolen his words and his breath momentarily. She then turned her bright blue eyes to him and he had to look away a moment to gather his thoughts.

"Yes. Father will be pleased," he managed to get out. Elanor laughed, drawing him to look at her.

"Aren't you pleased with yourself?" she asked lightly.

"I could not have done it without you," he said, his voice faltering slightly. Elanor only smiled in return, reaching out to grasp his forearm.

"I will always be at your side. Watching your flank," she vowed. "For you did teach me everything I know." He nodded, a warmth flooding through him.

"Legolas!"

The two turned as Tauriel bounded up to them, the spell broken as the smile faded from Elanor's face at the appearance of the captain of the guard.

"The nest is empty, but I worry there are more nearby," she said, a pinched look on her face as she surveyed their work.

"I as well," Legolas replied.

"Then we should keep going," Elanor interrupted, looking deep into the forest.

"We must make camp. Rest," Legolas said calmly. Elanor looked at him, a fire flashing in her eyes.

"We should move now why we have the advantage," she said. She then looked to Tauriel, Legolas following suit. The captain looked uncomfortable, coming between the two friends.

"We do not know where they are. If we continue now, we may be too tired to fight if we come upon them," she said rationally.

"Then we make camp," Legolas said. He looked to Elanor, who huffed in impatience.

"Fine," she said, already walking away. Legolas frowned as he followed her progress, watching as she walked over to Fenris.

"Will you just tell her?" Tauriel said, her voice strained. Legolas looked at her, slightly angered. "It wears thin on all of us." Legolas returned to watching Elanor, who was now laughing at something Fenris said.

"I will… not now, of course. But I will," he said. Tauriel sighed and began walking away.

"Sooner rather than later, please," she muttered. Legolas frowned as he looked to her.

"I will…"

Elanor pulled her sword out of another orc and looked to her side, expecting Legolas to be there. Her heart clenched in fear when she did not see him. She looked around frantically, searching for him.

He had been there only moments ago. Just how had they gotten separated?

"Legolas!" she shouted.

Her heart began pounding in her ears as she turned in circles, trying to find him in the chaos to no avail. She breathed heavily. An orc roared, advancing on her. She made quick work of it before returning to her search.

"LEGOLAS!"

She then found him, through the thick of battle, not far off. For a moment, she was relieved. But then she saw him battling three orcs, with another closing in from behind that he did not see.

Elanor found her limbs frozen as her eyes widened. The blood rushed through her head as she willed herself to move. But she would not. All sound faded away.

ELANOR!

FENRIS!

Her sight faded in and out. She saw Fenris lying on the forest floor. Then Haldir - the light leaving his eyes.

But just as suddenly, the visions stopped as she forced her left foot forward, then her right.

She was no longer the scared, weak elleth that she was. She was a warrior. And she was not about to watch the love of her life die at the hands of orcs. They killed her mother. They killed Fenris. They nearly killed Haldir.

No more would anyone she loved die at their hands.

A mighty roar left her mouth as she bounded forward. No one stood in her way as she felled one after another and then launched over an orc, her sword up. Legolas stopped for a moment, surprised by her sudden entrance to his fight, but he quickly moved out of the way as she landed on the orc that he did not see coming, her sword sinking deep into his flesh.

She quickly pulled it out and set upon another nearby, Legolas quickly joining her. It was as though something had possessed her as she fought, killing orc after orc, her pale skin and armour now painted in their blood. There was no mercy in her eyes as she continued.

Onward they fought, side by side, never stopping. Never tiring. The only thought going through Elanor's mind was that she needed to protect Legolas. Keep the enemy distracted. Help Frodo and Sam. But part of her couldn't help that with every orc she killed, she felt as though she was finally killing her own demons.

This was for all that she had lost and all that she had nearly lost.

"Elanor!"

She looked over to Legolas as the ground shook beneath their feet. She reached out to him, unsure of what this meant. What new, evil magic Sauron was to unleash upon them. They clung to each other as the fighting began to stop and the enemy started its retreat.

"What is this?" Elanor shouted.

The ground continued to shake around them as the ground started to give way. Elanor stumbled, her eyes wide as she looked around, watching as caverns opened in the ground, swallowing all of the enemy that remained. With a loud roar, they both turned to watch as Barad-dur crumbled and collapsed. Overhead, she could hear the cries of the eagles, who had flown to their aid.

"They did it," Legolas breathed. Elanor turned to him, her eyes wide with unshed tears. She struggled to breathe as shouts of triumph went up. All she could do was lean against him, her head resting against his cheek.

It was over.

Part of her could not imagine that it was over. While she had not been in this since the beginning, it felt as though years had passed since the Fellowship first arrived in Lothlorien, shaking her from the empty shell that she had surrounded herself with. But she knew deep down that she was not the same elleth that she had been. She was not even the same elleth that she had been before everything.

She felt Legolas' hand on her cheek and she looked up at him, smiling. An immense joy filled her.

They had survived.

But just as he was bending down to kiss her, there was another roar and the ground shook yet again. They both turned, seeing Mt. Doom explode, hot ash and lava pouring out. Elanor's heart seized in terror, for she knew that Sam and Frodo were there.

She gripped Legolas tightly, her mouth falling open.

"No," she whispered. "No… no."

She turned, burying her face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. Sobs broke forth from her lips. He said nothing, just held her.

"Elanor…" he said gently. She shook her head, burying her face deeper. "Elanor… look."

She finally looked up into his eyes and then her eyes drifted over, looking up to the sky. The pierce of eagle cry flew through the air. Elanor's eyes widened as she saw the large birds quickly making their way to the mountain.

"Have faith, Elanor," he whispered in her ear. "Have faith…"

Apologies that it took me a bit longer than expected to post this chapter (and the next – last – chapter). Had a busy weekend and honestly, I just couldn't muster up the motivation or inspiration to write or edit. I haven't actually written anything in a week, which is super strange for me. But I'm on vacation this week and finally getting my mojo back. Hoping to make some headway on my original fiction (which I'm now posting on Wattpad – message me if you're interested and I can send you my username) which I have been sorely neglecting lately. Side note – I'm also FINALLY fixing up my home office so I'll have a clean, organized space to write, sew and do other crafty things. I'm so proud of myself for this project…

Also, I wanted to rework this chapter a bit (and the last chapter a lot). I made it a bit more overt what happened the night before the battle (it wasn't R-rated or anything, just… a bit more obvious but still within the realm of PG) but then I thought about it and didn't really think that was something that would happen – or maybe it could? Eh… I wasn't comfortable making it overt, so I decided to make it more subtle and you guys can decide what happened.

Tohka123 – Thanks so much! I'm glad that you like it!

x3sunnydaay – Hahahaha! I mean, I have been known to throw twists at the end, but yea, they do always end happy. I have written stories where the main couple doesn't end up together, but they still had a happy ending. Not sure I have it in me to write a not-happy ending. May do something open-ended and vague, but yea… I'm a hopeless romantic…

Thanks for reading and following! One more chapter left!