A/N: As always, thanks for all the great reviews! Please keep it up!
Chapter 17: The March on Mordor
Walking through the dark camp, Seven saw Legolas before he spotted her. He was staring distantly over the river, but noticed her after a moment. He smiled broadly as she approached.
"Couldn't sleep?"
"I slept for three hours. I do not require more sleep than that."
"Only three hours? Every night?"
"Yes. My time among the Borg left me…modified. That is one consequence of the modification."
Legolas chuckled. "Sometimes you remind me more of the Elves than Men." A gull crowed, its scream piercing the night. He sighed heavily. "I don't mind fighting this war, but I fear for myself when it is over. I do not want to leave Middle Earth, but I fear I will not be content if I stay here."
"You will go to Valinor?"
"Yes, eventually. It will not be soon, at least as you count time, but eventually, I will leave. All the Elves will leave. The Fourth Age will be ruled by Men. The Elves will fade into the West and the Dwarves will hide in their caves. I imagine even the Hobbits will eventually fade." He sighed. "I suppose I will enjoy Valinor, but part of me still feels bound here. There is more to be done here." Legolas trailed off, staring out over the river.
Seven found herself looking up at the stars. She had looked at them several times since she arrived in Middle Earth, but she didn't recognize any of the constellations. "I used to study the stars," she said softly, changing the subject. "I don't recognize any of these."
"No? Would you like me to show you some of them?"
"I would enjoy that." Seven didn't usually become nervous, but right now she was unaccountably nervous.
Legolas attempted to point out several constellations, but without any external visual enhancement, Seven had difficulty finding the constellations. She had always used a visualizing screen of some sort before. Observing the stars direct was new to her. After a moment, Legolas moved around behind her, slipping one arm around her waist and pointing with the other hand over her shoulder. It took several moments before Seven could concentrate on the stars. Eventually, the fluttering in her stomach quieted sufficiently that she could concentrate, and she was able to find many of the constellations as Legolas pointed them out.
Eventually, they came to the end of the constellations that were visible at that time and location. Legolas dropped the arm he was using to point and wrapped it around her shoulders, holding her from behind. He started singing. After a few minutes, Seven turned in his arms to face him.
"I wish I could understand your words. I am not accustomed to not understanding the languages around me."
"That can be remedied. Would you like to learn my language?"
Seven nodded, and he began teaching her Sindarin. They finally stopped when the rest of the camp began to stir. Like Éowyn, Legolas was awed by how quickly she learned and how much she could take in at one time. He almost resented the dawn when it came because they had to leave each other to begin the new day.
As morning came, Aragorn gently commanded Merry to stay in Minas Tirith. The hobbit wanted to go, but his health was not sufficient. Pippin rode to represent the Hobbits. As ever, Gimli rode with Legolas, and Seven rode a fine horse from Rohan. They arrived in Osgiliath before noon. Workers there were busy rebuilding after the destruction the Orcs had caused. The mounted force left the main one behind and pushed through the day to arrive at a place called the Cross-roads by evening.
In that place where four roads met, there was a statue that once must have been regal, but now an Orc-head sat on its shoulders and the old king's head lay on the ground, crowned with flowers. With the others, Seven helped to wash off the foul markings on it and topple the Orc-head. They replaced the king's head and Aragorn had heralds blow trumpets, proclaiming, "The Lords of Gondor have returned and all this land that is theirs they take back."
The Captains took counsel among themselves, then Seven rode with the rest of the vanguard to look into the Morgul Vale. They did not enter, but looked over the city. The air of the place was thick with hatred and fear. They broke the bridge and burned the fields before leaving. It seemed illogical to Seven, especially destroying the crops, but it would help to contain whatever evil remained there. Leaving a strong guard at the Cross-roads, the army turned north. The way to the Morannon was long, approximately one hundred miles. Nevertheless, it was the northern entrance to Mordor that the army would approach.
The day after that, the army set out north. They traveled carefully, setting scouts ahead and to the sides of the most on foot. Three times daily, the heralds called out their announcement, but Imrahil objected to the wording. "Say not The Lords of Gondor. Say The King Elessar. For that is true, even though he has not yet sat upon the throne; and it will give the Enemy more thought, if the heralds use that name." *
Despite the challenge, they met no resistance until the second day's march beyond the Cross-roads. The scouts were well aware of the ambush, and it didn't take much for the army to rout the ambushers. It was a short skirmish, but it gave Seven her first real taste of fighting on horseback. As with any other new condition, she adapted quickly. The battle was over quickly, and the army continued its march. That evening, the Nazgûl began to fly above them. Only Legolas could see them, but everyone felt the dread of their presence. It wasn't as oppressive as the Paths of the Dead, but it gnawed at the soldiers' hearts. Even the Rangers, who had already walked the Paths of the Dead, felt the weight of the Ringwraiths' presence, and it was almost unbearable to the others.
The day after that, they came to the end of green Ithilien. Beyond it was a desolate desert whose air seemed to seep with horror like a rainforest might with moisture. Some of the men could not continue, but Aragorn dealt with them kindly, sending them to see to Cair Andros, a little ways southwest of the army's current position. He told them, "Keep what honour you may, and do not run! And there is a task which you may attempt and so be not wholly shamed. Take your way south-west till you come to Cair Andros, and if that is still held by enemies, as I think, then re-take it, if you can; and hold it to the last in defence of Gondor and Rohan."** At his words, a few who would have turned back resolved to continue, and the others did as he said and made their way to Cair Andros.
In the evenings when most of the army rested, Seven and Legolas frequently stayed up and talked most of the night. Seven was still adjusting to the idea of a relationship with him, but as time passed she became more comfortable with it. Legolas never pushed her and for the most part kept the conversation away from their relationship. Seven became fluent in Sindarin and started to learn Quenya. She also told Legolas a little about Chakotay, and through the telling finally was finally able to grieve and release the pain she'd been burying. The more Legolas told her about Middle Earth, the more she came to love it. Somewhere on that march, she realized she never wanted to return to the universe she'd left. The realization wasn't a sudden, blinding epiphany, but came gradually, even as they pushed through the wastes north of Ithilien.
With less than six thousand troops, the army advanced, but slowly, expecting attack. They did not post scouts, but kept the army together. Even that night was oppressive, and Seven appreciated her time in conversation with Legolas not only for the conversation itself, but also for the distraction it provided from their surroundings.
Eventually, the road turned east, but the army continued north, then turned and approached the Morannon from the northwest. Finally, they approached the Black Gate. It had two iron doors, closed against them. Enemies lurked in the nearby hills; of that all were sure. Tension was thick in the air. Seven tried to brush it off, but still it clung to her, like damp clothing. She rode close to Legolas, listening to Gimli grumble. Listening to him helped to lighten Seven's mood, and Legolas frequently chuckled quietly, much to the Dwarf's consternation. Even Seven had to fight to keep a straight face.
* p. 168
** p. 169