Lord Of The Rings
Flight Of The Nine Nazgûl
Chapter Five
The Return Of The King
The word's of Arwen Undomiel brought light back into his life. Aragorn stirred and waking he saw the face of his loved one. Arwen. He looked surprised, and couldn't fathom out why he was here. Then he remembered. He had been poisoned with the knife of the Nazgûl. "My love." he whispered.
She smiled at him and took his hand in his. "Rest and heal. I'll be here." Arwen said. She kissed Aragorn gently on the forehead and then watched as he closed his eyes and peacefully slept for the next day.
Aragorn woke the next day feeling a lot better. His whole body still hurt, but he was able to get up and move around. Everyone around him was going to war, while he wasn't. Legolas and Gimli were the few who were staying, while the rest journeyed to war. Aragorn protested that they should go; for Legolas was one of the best bow-men in the army and Gimli was one of the best fighters.
Merry and Pippin were taken back to the safety of Minas Tirith when the rest of the company rode off to the city. Gandalf, too, rode off, but before he left, he pulled Aragorn to the side and said: "This is you time. Do not forget the prophecy. The king must come riding forth into battle."
Then the white wizard left.
For the next few days Aragorn healed himself. It was a struggle, but he managed to overcome the poison with the help of Arwen. They had strength together. And it showed strongly when they were together.
On the eve of the fourth day, Arwen found Aragorn mounting a horse and she said: "Do you have to leave?"
"Yes," Aragorn answered. "I have to ride into battle. It is inevitable. One way or another, I have to do this. I am the king and my destiny leads me to Minas Tirith in time of war. You must stay here. I promise I will return, but I will return as a king, not as a ranger."
"Be careful my love." Arwen said. She watched as he loved one rode into the distance, with Legolas and Gimli mounted another horse. She waited till they were distant specs on the horizon. Then she wept.
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For more then three days the three remaining people of the Fellowship, rode to Minas Tirith. As they neared the city, they could see smoke billowing from behind the gates. The Orcs were attacking and bringing the city to it's ruin. All around them, people were running past, holding swords and weapons and hopelessly trying to defend the people from the Orcs.
One by one the men began to fall. And the city burned.
The three travellers stopped and looked up at the great city. "This is my city." Aragorn murmured. Then with a cry, "Elendil!" he rode into the city, pulling forth his sword and swinging it where ever there was a stray Orc. By the time they reached the doors of the great hall, Orcs were swarming all over the place, but the men of Minas Tirith and the men of Rohan were bound together and would not let the Orcs come any further into the city.
They rode up to where Gandalf was standing, holding his sword and sitting on Shadowfax. When he saw Aragorn; he greeted them. "Glad that you could come! Now we can defend together!"
The Orcs attacked and the battle for Minas Tirith had begun.
Up above them was the nine Nazgûl, all mounted on flying steads. Then as the Orcs attacked, the Nazgûl took flight and fled from the battle, their shrieks echoing in the air. Then the Orcs then too fled.
Aragorn stepped forward, holding his sword. He looked up into the darkened sky, and towards the land of Mordor. Gandalf came next to him. Then from the air came two birds, one was Gwaihir, the lord of the eagles, the other was a smaller bird, of whom I do not know his name. They landed and Gandalf bid them to take him and Aragorn to Mordor, to the very heart of Mount Doom, for he felt they were needed there.
Sitting upon one, Aragorn and Gandalf were bourne into the Land of the Shadow. Below them thousands of Orcs were rushing towards Mount Doom, each screeching the word: "Master!"
"Something terrible has befallen the dark lord of Mordor!" Gandalf cried. "We must make haste!"
Faster and faster the top of Mount Doom spurned towards them. As they neared the mountain, they saw two small figures, crouched against a cliff wall, with Orcs running towards them. One of the small figures held a sword in his hand; and from afar Gandalf to make out it was Sam.
As they neared, Gandalf sent a jet of white light speeding towards the approaching Orcs, sending many scattering across the plain. The two hobbits were unaware of Gandalf and Aragorn's approach by air as both of them were far more content in fending of the Orcs that were coming their way.
The eagles swept lower, and gripping Anduril, Aragorn jumped from the eagle and landed in the horde of Orcs. The Orcs attacked him at once, but he fended them off. High in the air, Gandalf was swept down to Frodo and Sam, who stood watching Aragorn. As soon as Gandalf landed, he ran to Frodo.
The hobbit shrunk back against the wall, thinking he was seeing a ghost, but the call Gandalf gave to the hobbit, warmed Frodo's heart. Tears were streaming down the hobbits cheeks.
"Gandalf. Though I find it hard to believe that you yet live, I find great joy in seeing you." Frodo said.
Gandalf smiled. "Has the quest been fulfilled?"
"Yes," Frodo answered. "It was a long, dark journey, but I prevailed and destroyed the ring."
"Wait here," Gandalf said. "I must tend to some Orc."
Gandalf turned to face Orcs that had made there way past Aragorn, despite his efforts to stop them, and the wizard said, in a loud, commanding voice: "You shall not pass by me! You will go back to your holes and dwell there, until the Land of the Shadow is renewed!" With this Gandalf slammed his staff onto the floor, and sent forth a blinding flash of light. Sensing the power of the wizard, the Orcs left, running past.
Many more were killed by Aragorn. But for the most part many escaped.
"Strider!" Frodo shouted, when he glimpsed Aragorn through the mists that were beginning to surround them. Frodo, pulling free from Sam's hand, ran towards his friend, and Aragorn and Frodo embraced.
"Come," Aragorn said. "We must leave this land." Then he heaved Frodo up onto the bird he had come on, while Sam rode with Gandalf. As they crossed out of Mordor, Frodo looked below him. Just below, the flying travellers could see Orcs making their way back to Minas Tirith.
The city was barred off and so far the remaining army had kept the Orcs out, but they kept trying to force there way in. The eagles landed within the city walls and let their passengers down. Then they both took flight.
Frodo looked around and his shone as he saw Merry and Pippin running towards them, both of them clad in silver armour. They embraced and behind them came Legolas and Gimli. They too were greeted. Frodo and Sam were led of by Merry and Pippin, while the rest ran to the front gates that were now beginning to fall apart as the Orcs began to push through.
Within in an hour, all the Orcs had been defeated with the help of Gandalf's magic. Minas Tirith was no longer burning, and the city, though battered and bruised had survived, and the great victory came not from the people but from the fact that the King had returned to aid his people.
The Orcs that had escaped the wrath of Aragorn and his men were hunted down and slaughtered. Then Aragorn returned to Minas Tirith and took his throne as King of Gondor.
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Frodo listened in wander to his friend's many adventures from when he and Sam had left the Fellowship at Amon Hen. When at last, Legolas had finished the tale, Frodo said: "You all seemed to have many adventures. You've heard my tale and none lives up to what you've done."
He looked around at his companions. Neither Strider or Gandalf were there as they were elsewhere, helping to organise the city.
"We may have fought in battles, Master Frodo, but you are the true hero." Gimli said. "Going to the cracks of doom and still making it alive! None have ever returned, apart from you!"
"And Sam." Frodo put in.
"Yes, but you went through great peril to get to where you are today." Legolas put in. "You survived, what none other person could've hoped to achieve. I myself did not believe that a small hobbit would get as far as you did, and still no be possessed of the ruling ring."
"I didn't want to destroy," Frodo muttered. "I could've doomed us all with my foolishness. If Gollum hadn't wrenched the ring from me, then the dark lord would have his ring."
"Yet you still had the courage to go on and try and escape, even when you thought that hope was lost." Gimli pointed out.
Frodo smiled. "I still say Strider did the most in the war, even though he didn't tread the Paths of the Dead, which was foretold for him."
The End
Crappy ending, I know, but then this was how I planned it. Please, please, please, do me all a big favour and review. I would like to know your overall opinions to my first attempt at LOTR story. - Strider's Girl.