A.N.: This is the last chapter of this book. Next book already uploaded.
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Chapter 12: Anticlimax
" If you had one shot
one opportunity
this is everything you ever wanted
would you capture it
or just let it slip?" Lose yourself, Eminem.
Minas Tirith, Gondor. March 22nd of 3019.
Much to the antarians chagrin, the Stewart's demise prevented any martial activity until the ruling of the city was a solved matter. Aragorn, being Aragorn, immediately clarified he would not threaten the country's stability by claiming kingship whilst they were so fragile, and so Faramir was proclaimed Steward of Gondor.
And the day was spent re-arranging the government. And tending the wounded.
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Arien did not know whether she'd meet her husband in their park or in their secret place. All day long, she was assembled with captains and lieutenants, redefining the strategy, calming people down, and reassuring them she had pretty much everything under control.No easy feat when one of your closest friends is defying your authority and capability. And even harder when you have to keep everyone shut out of your mind – it wouldn't do for them to find out about a certain fair haired elf, for example. The whole thing was just downright mad.
And now that the euphoria had passed, Arien seriously doubted the wisdom of the event. She'd be charged for High Treason, at the very least.
'Well,' she thought, 'it's something of a family tradition, isn't it?'
Sitting cross-legged in the middle of her tent's living room floor, the redhead stared at the papers scattered around her with a blank expression and even blanker mind.
Damie was a very powerful wizard –she'd trained him herself. She knew his strength and his weaknesses – he was extremely good at Charms and Hexes, but unexplainably not-so-good at Transfiguration. She knew the way his hand made an involuntary flourish before the actual spell's flick-and-switch of the wand. She knew he was a talented orator, with the technique and the insight to capture an audience's attention that was pure art. She knew he was extremely cunning and had the mind of an natural investigator. She knew he could be blind to things other than his goals and beliefs, and that he wouldn't hesitate in removing whomever might be in his way of achieving said goal, and may God have mercy of the poor soul who threatened what he was protecting.
Once he learned of her and Legolas, they were both in trouble.
'Good Lord, what have I done?'
She had almost a thousand fully trained wizards who would all be very angry once they learned she was 'turning sides'. The moderate wouldn't help her and the radicals would have her loins in a silver plate. And Legolas...
'He's innocent, god damn it!'
Why on earth had she been so reckless? Why did she not wait more before going around teaching magic? Now she was alone and it was unlikely she'd be heard. Specially when she was lost the second any of the Comyn found her out –while Arien could shut her mind, Legolas could not.
Pulling herself together, she reached for her journal and started to write furiously.
She had a plan.
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Legolas had to struggle very hard not to grin to anyone who passed him by. It was amazing, this feeling of completeness, of rightness.
It felt like coming home.
Elladan also had a beaming face, not even minding when his brother teased him mercilessly about his lady. Aragorn was nowhere in sight, but Gandalf was, and they sat contentedly side by side enjoying the very rare event of having some time.
She'd be with him in a few hours.
"The army of Mordor is diminishing," the prince of Mirkwood said as greeting.
"Yes," Gandalf answered, "There are yet forces at work that are stronger than darkness."
'Diminishing' was wistful thinking, the army of Sauron was yet a good one hundred thousand strong, instead of two hundred and fifty thousand.
"We will be able to free the city in a few days," Legolas said, glancing down at the tens of thousands valiant soldiers who kept the orcs and barbarians away. It was amazing. Certainly the Valar were with them, strengthening their hearts, protecting the soldiers, confusing the enemy.
"I should hope so. My heart is restless."
Gandalf the White did not go restless over petty things, and Legolas returned to his usual state of alertness. Was it Frodo, was it Aragorn, or the Wizard had something else in mind?
"I sense a storm, Legolas, and it's coming straight to us. But not from Mordor," the wizard lowered his voice, "There is a shadow within the city. I can feel its rage growing, but I cannot see where it is. Or who. There are great perils in this world, and treachery is not the least of them."
"Ai! These are dark days, when one should be wary of his own friends."
"Yes. But let us keep faith. The Company is still true."
Hope remains while the company is true.
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The little fool!
Damon had never felt so enraged in his whole life. Now he knew the reason why Arien was so bent on defending that godforsaken city –it was the elf. The elf! Had she lost all sense? Had she no pride?
Why? Why?
Damon almost drew his sword there and then, when Legolas passed through him with that sickening almost smile plastered in his face –but enraged as he was, Damon knew he should not do it in full view.
She fell in love with him.
She was deserting them. In no time, she'd be teaching the elves, and that was something he couldn't allow to happen. They could not be given that power. They would be equal to antarians.
The elf would be killed. Arien would have her memory charmed. They'd have their Headmistress back, and everything would be as it always had.
Arien was theirs.
For his plan to work, nobody could know, what ruled out him telling anyone. Hexing another wizard was a very serious crime, and he did not wish to explain it to the Council. He would approach her alone, and off guard. Damon had very little time.
Legolas would be killed as soon as they went off to battle the next day.
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Arien was alone when Damon entered her tent.
"I was wondering when you'd come," she said evenly.
"You know I cannot be in bad terms with you for long." Damon replied, approaching her carefully. She was dressed in her uniform, standing near the table with a big mug of black coffee in her hands, which she gracefully placed down on the table.
"So, Damon. What do you have to say?"
"I have to say, Arien, that I am really sorry." No sooner than the words escaped his mouth, he was thrown against the wall and his wand flew off to Arien's hand.
"You are a remarkable wizard, Damon, you truly are. And how could you not be, when I trained you to?" the girl said, walking past him. "However, you made a great mistake. You underestimated me."
His angry stare was the only answer Arien got.
"You really did not pay attention when I told you I hunt wizards for a living, did you?"
"You are doomed, Arien. They'll never forgive you."
"Valkyria told me the same thing when I stunned her counsellors," she said with a small smile, and Damon's eyes turned wide. "But I managed quite well."
"WHAT ON GOD'S GREEN MIDDLE-EARTH IS GOING ON HERE????"
"He tried to attack me," Arien said, and in the same moment Damon yelled that she had hexed him.
Selton stared at both of them, wands at ready, throwing daggers with his eyes. "Drop your shields, both of you. NOW!"
Selton could be quite persuasive when he wanted. Arien did as she was told, but Damon did not. Selton gasped and fell rather forcefully on the nearest chair.
"Good God, Arien, when you get in trouble, you get in TROUBLE." The Gryffindor said.
"So I figured."
The trio stood motionless for a few moments, as Arien watched Selton for any bad reaction, Damon waited to see if the Gryffindor would deliver them both to the ministry of Magic or what and Selton tried frantically to make some sense of the whole situation.
"Are you sure this will work?" the blond elf asked at last.
"There are no guarantees. But it has worked before."
"Then go." He said quietly, startling the woman.
"Excuse me."
"It is crazy, Arien. But that's why I trust it. Don't ask me any more questions. Just go, and do what you have to do. Time is running out."
Damon and Selton glared at one another.
"It is folly. We will all be killed!" Damon reasoned, furious because everything was falling apart. Antar was falling apart.
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When Arien arrived at the park, he was there.
"Hello, Arien."
"Hello yourself," she answered, seeking refuge in his embrace. In a few moments she'd be alone again, a long road ahead of her. But it'd be alright.
"What happened?" Legolas asked, sensing the tension in her embrace. She was troubled.
"I was charged for High Treason."
"WHAT?!?"
"I was charged for High—"
"I heard it," he answered stonily. "I just cannot accept it."
"Neither can I." Arien said, looking straight at his eyes. "I need time, but I don't have any."
"Gandalf will testify for you—"
"Gandalf cannot help me, Legolas."
She pulled him down onto the grass, and laid her bag down. It was going to be a hard talk.
"Arien, dear, what can we do?"
"I have to ask you something, Legolas." Her hand run through what hair of his was not braided. It all came down to him, although she could think of many other things tat had to change as well. "What made you decide to marry me?"
His mind relived the last few days. "I just knew."
Arien let out her breath. "I thought so." They both smiled. "You know I was smitten by you from the day we met?"
"I had a feeling," he said with a sly grin, but turned serious again," but Arien, now we need to discuss what we must do to clear you name."
"There is nothing to do –now. I have to undo several mistakes, and that will be hard. But I want you to know that I will come back to you. Do you trust me?" her face was serious and anxious. Legolas took her face into his hands.
"I trust you, but I want to know what is going on!"
"I have told you as much as I can."
"I am your husband! I have a right to know!" he stated, utterly serious.
"Legolas, listen to me," Arien turned his face so he'd be looking straight into her eyes. "Remember the Lady Galadriel?" He nodded. "Some of the antarians in this city can do the same. They can see your mind. If I tell you, my plans will be revealed and I'll be executed without a trial. And so would you."
"But they can't, you did nothing wrong! And I won't let you face them alone!" the prince exploded.
"They'd see it as a proof that I'm a traitor. It's not fair, but life is not often fair, melanîn. If I tell you, we are both doomed. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."
Legolas stood up abruptly and begun to pace. She'd never seen him like that before.
"Legolas, please."
"Be careful." He said at last, still not facing her.
"Legolas?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm scared."
He turned then, and swept her to him in a tight embrace. "I'll always be on your side, milady."
"Wish me luck," she said, stepping back and getting her bag.
"You're leaving?"
"Yes and no. Stay close to Gandalf, he'll protect you."
After a final quick kiss, the Ravenclaw left the park, and disapparated when she was out of view. She'd only just heard the first waves of enraged screaming coming from the first ring.
Within minutes, her plan was put in action.
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@ Ered Mithrin, Middle-Earth, July 26th of 2910 of the Third Age.
Arien was lost.
She had something utterly important to do there, she knew. She was risking everything in that move, and yet she could not remember why it was that she was there at all.
A huge, metallic thing went in her direction at high speed. My trunk, she thought, not knowing from where that knowledge had come.
"I lived this all before," her clone had said to her, taking a deep breath. "I do not know how much you remember now but you will remember some of your experiences at the War of the Ring in the next few hours. However, you will not remember exactly what happened before you turned time back for the first time. It does not matter because most of it is written down in your journal," she tossed the disoriented girl a leather covered book. "What is not written will remain for ever a mystery, I'm afraid. All you need to know is that it was necessary to make the travel and change a few things in the future. Do you follow me?"
Arien opened her bag and retrieved the book. It was there. The last written page had a decidedly frantic handscript, as if someone was in great hurry while writing those thins down. At the same time, she saw a girl – her clone – walking quickly towards her. Her clone was trembling, and pointing a woody stick in a menacing manner. A wand.
"She will kill me," she stated. "The younger and the older self cannot meet. It's the main rule of time travelling. It's against the laws."
"She will not kill you. All you have to do is tell her to look into your mind. She will know you're not foe, and that something terribly serious happened, serious enough for you to break the rules. She will take care of you until you recover enough of your memory to draw a plan with your other self and you'll work it out from there. Here, take this backpack. You'll have everything you'll need in here –your journals, your wand, your first aid bag, some books and a couple of clothes. Your weapons you already carry with you –but remember to lower them to the ground when you meet her, it is important she does not sense danger from you. Do you understand me?"
Arien slowly lowered her backpack to the ground, also dropping her wand ( she just remembered in which pocket she kept it), her bow and arrow and her short swords. Her clone wavered slightly at her actions.
"I broke the rules," Arien said quietly, not wanting to startle an upset witch with a wand appointed to her. This was the most critical of times, the younger self might kill the older, and vice versa. How do I know it? "because it was important. If you'd be so kind, I'll lower my mental barriers now, and you'll see for yourself if I'm a friend or a foe."
"Open your mind then, and let's see it." Her clone had said. She obliged.
"Holy crap," the clone said when she saw Arien's mind –what was not blank, that is. "How come that you've lost your memory?"
"I'm not sure." Arien replied quietly. She was getting dizzy, the northern hemisphere was having an extremely hot summer that year. Arien remembered they'd also have an unimaginable cold winter sometime soon, the Deadly Winter it'd be called.
"Of course you're not sure, silly me. Oh, hell just what I needed: Sauron, a Ring of Power, an army built to destroy the world of men, my own country after my blood and an infatuation with an elven prince. Could I get any more fucked up?"
"We have work to do." Arien stated, ignoring the clone's rambling. Was she really that stressed in the past? It was a wonder anyone had put up with her.
"I cannot deny that," the clone accepted. One thing at least was in her advantage, Arien's younger self recognised danger and would not run from it.
"I think the first thing we'd do was to choose ourselves names." Arien said.
"We can do that while you recover. God damn it, this changes everything! Get in the car, I'll drive us somewhere safe, somewhere we can hid until you're healed. We can read that journal and try to figure something out then."
"Stella. That was my name- that'll be your name. Mine will be Solene. I remember that."
"You do realise we have a hell of a problem with the Time Paradox, don't you?" the clone said. "Come on in. We'll talk when you can keep your eyes open."
Solene entered the trunk, and Stella started the engines. She drove north, to the wild woods of the far Northern land, the lands from where her father's tribe had come. They needed shelter, and they needed to be away from the people of Middle earth for a while. They had to make a plan.
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A.N.: The next part will be called The Renegades: Double Jeopardy. It would be too twisted a plot to keep going from here, I think.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for listening (yet again). If you have any suggestions,
comments, doubts, please email me. Or review!