AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
By : mirkwood-elf-2931 & Thala


CHAPTER 18


Landailyn's footsteps ceased on the granite titled flooring, her eyes peering upward at the ceiling. These horns that were blearing from the outside did not sound favorable. Noise of living beings soon erupted from below her and she went to the railing of the open corridor to see that workers from the court had poured into the main hall. Her eyes swept over the panicking group for the only one who could tell her what was going on.

Another day that was just not going well for her.

Tall double doors flew open from the right; Aragorn stepped out with Faramir, Eowyn and Arwen on either side of him.

Landailyn bounded down the stairs and passed through the crowd to get to the emerged four. "Aragorn!" She called above the frightened jumbled talk of the surrounding Humans. "Aragorn, what is going on?"

His eyes set sadly upon her presence and Legolas some feet behind her, who was coming to join them. "I have been informed that Uruk-hai have entered through the Great Gates."

Somehow, no one knew for sure, but somehow these Uruk-hai had passed the two secured walls enclosing the White City and were marching upward to meet with the top level where set the building they knew should be the King's House.


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This group did not feel exactly right to Thalawen in the least. The army was only large enough to accomplish little destruction and chaos, nothing more and certainly nothing less.

She ran from her balcony, gathering her weapons on the way, then out the door of her room, and down the stairs where she met up with her companions. Fear was in everyone's eyes, but in Thalawen's the most.

Upon all returned to the large foyer in the correct armed attire, the five: Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Thalawen, and Landailyn prepared to go out and meet the approaching forces head on.

"Be careful!" Arwen called, still standing with Faramir and Eowyn and now the Hobbits, watching as her friends went to war. She only stayed behind for Aragorn, as he'd pleaded with her to do so once he'd received word of the intrusion. He would do everything possible to keep her from danger.

Legolas eyed Thalawen, who kept her gaze straight ahead as they walked out into the fading evening light. She knew this would happen; this is the fighting she had been talking about a few nights before.

For Thalawen, the vision she'd had replayed in her mind, spreading gooseflesh over her skin. This was it; this is what she had been training in weaponry for a lifetime for. None around her knew what would happen this day, none but her. She wished with all her heart that she too, were ignorant in the coming battle like the rest.

As one, the five stepped onto the front steps of the House and looked down the long lines of Gondor's own gathered forces.

In the distance, everyone could hear them, Elven or not, coming up the tunnel way.

Aragorn's soldiers were spread at the base of the structure, facing the oncoming opponents. They would protect their home and new king, no matter the cost. With a strong encouraging leader to follow, who they trusted, they felt they had enough hope to hold out.

Being swift, he walked down the steps leading toward his captain of arms, having a quick hushed conversation with him. "Hold fire!" The king then called to those who stood in front with readied bows.

The three Elves at the top landing stood side by side; their own bows drawn and knocked, fully ready for the battle to begin. And Gimli stood stoutly next to Legolas with his tall double-edged axe in both hands.

The Orcs and Uruk-hai at last reached the highest part of the grounds, the Citadel, where in the middle stood the White Tower of Ecthelion. They spread out everywhere, still running at full speed, apparently careless that a legion of Humans were getting ready to rein destruction upon them.

Letting them get just close enough, Aragorn's voice filled the warm evening air. "Fire!"

Hundreds of arrows answered the battle cries of the horrendous beings.

Black blood spilled over stone, and soon mortal wounds would open to let red join it.

The Gondorians charged into the mess, and the five companions following were easily separated, swallowed up by the crowding Uruk-hai. It was difficult to see one another. To see passed the bodies, as when one was hewn to the ground, another replaced it within seconds, or it simply got back up for more. This caused every warrior present to fight twice as fast with more force and strength behind it. Those unable to keep up didn't last long.

Though someway, one of them managed the whole time to keep an eye on all her friends, especially the prince; but she would keep them all safe if she could, no matter the cost. But now something drew that attention away.

The Elves could sense them before they came into anyone's sight. Screeching, along with the deep pulsing whoosh of a disturbance among the still air.

Thalawen had no idea it would come to this.


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Within the walls of the House, the Hobbits, Arwen, the Steward and his wife, all listened and waited. The noise from the outside was both tremendous and formidable. Those inside could clearly hear swords clanging, Humans and Orcs screaming and shouting and soon rumbles of explosions and stone crumbling, as parts of buildings were destroyed.

And their friends were out in the middle of it all.

Catching the arm of a passing servant, Faramir gave a few inaudible orders and the woman rushed off. The Steward remained facing the doors, sighing. He knew what perils lay beyond them, but he had no choice.

Turning back, he took in the wondering stares upon him, and began to explain his actions. "I will take the six of you to the White Tower. There you will be safer than in here; then I must come back and see to the rest. Let us go!" Grabbing hold of Eowyn, he opened one of the entrance doors a crack with his free hand, peering out at the scene. Once the path seemed clear, he threw it back and bolted toward the steps. "Come!" He called behind him, as if the rest needed to be persuaded to move to a place of safety.

Nearing the bottom of the stair, Frodo simply stopped where he was, Merry and Pippin almost running into him.

"Mr. Frodo?" Asked Sam, glancing skyward for what had suddenly taken Frodo's watchfulness from the exceedingly dangerous area surrounding them.

"Not again..." He said at average volume and even it was hard to hear. He had thought the Wraiths were gone when the Ring had been destroyed. But it wasn't true; they were here, all on winged beasts this time. But Frodo didn't bother to count them, their presence was enough to frighten the life right out of him and in a panic he did what only he could think of when it came to the sight and nearness of these creatures.

"Mr. Frodo!" Sam yelled, as he had just taken off without them.

But instead of going straight when reaching the last step, he went left; the wrong direction.

"Come back!" Continued Sam, darting down after him.

At the raised voice of one of those he was supposed to be taking care of, Faramir turned back halfway to the tower.

Merry and Pippin were catching up, calling out their trouble.

The Steward then pointed toward the tower, before turning to go aid Sam. "Quickly! Stay in there and hold the doors, all of you!"


TBC …

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mirkwood-elf-2931 :
We know that the Nazgul are all suppose to be gone by this point in time, but we need them! LOL And we have only brought eight into the battle, as we are implying that the Witch King was definitely suppose to be destroyed in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Sorry, I would have posted this chapter yesterday, but we had a huge storm go through and I couldn't get on the net. And then it really made me mad cuz' I couldn't go get the Two Towers extended DVD! :(
And yes, we are getting the chapters up faster now. Like Thala said some time ago, we were just having trouble with the middle of the story like on Shadow in the Trees, but fortunately now that has passed! Also for those wondering how much longer this is gonna be, I can't really say at this time how many more chapters! But it will make it a few past 20, I assure you all!
Oh that's cool, Maya! Congratulations on moving out! I wanna move out of my parent's house so bad! :)