-1 week later-
"Day 1"
"Perhaps the coming of the Haradrim King will prevent our nations from going to war," Faramir said hopefully as they sat waiting for the arrival of their visitor and his party. A runner had announced that they were making their way through the circles of the city, so the Steward and the King knew they had not long to wait. "I still can't believe they agreed to this meeting – after what they have already done."
Aragorn had agreed to this meeting, even after rumors of the destruction the Haradrim had wrought throughout Gondor's lands.
"He has a lot of explaining to do with regards to the raids on our lands and our people. The trade envoy's that have been destroyed, the outlying settlements that have been burned to the ground." Aragorn stared down the hall, his face an expressionless mask save for the determination in his eyes.
The court stood and waited silently until the large double doors were opened and in strode the large, dark-skinned King of the Haradrim. His herald announced his arrival and listed all of the lands in which he commanded. His guards followed closely and Aragorn could see their eyes darting around the Hall to be sure nothing threatened their King. Advisors surrounded the tall man, clearly standing so close as to be the second line of defense should the guards fail to stop an attack.
Aragorn's royal Chamberlain stood to one side, eyeing the new arrivals warily. When he moved onto the lower step of the dais, Aragorn held up his hand to stop the man from reciting all the lands that Aragorn ruled. The Chamberlain frowned and bowed stiffly, returning to his place.
The King of the West remained seated until the Haradrim King came to a halt at the base of the steps that led to the dais. Aragorn then stood and inclined his head in respect for the desert King that stood as Aragorn's equal. The Haradrim King gave a quick bow, honoring the King in whose Hall he stood.
"It is good that you've decided to meet with us. It is unusual for an audience, with a ruler such as yourself, to go un-granted for such a length of time. My Councilors have had a difficult time advising me in a course of action."
"I was indisposed with matters of state that were unavoidable." Aragorn answered, his tone leaving no room to challenge. He returned to the throne and sat slowly into the cushioned seat.
Aragorn's face remained calm as he changed the subject. "We will dispense with the pleasantries, Lord King. I wish to speak of peace, but first I want an explanation, as do all in my court, as to why the Haradrim have been attacking Gondorian settlements along our boarders and trade envoy's on their way to Gondor from Southern settlements."
The Haradrim King nodded as if he knew this line of questioning would come sooner rather than later. "Yes, I, too have heard of these raids."
Aragorn stared at the foreign King, his face an expressionless mask, as a ripple of gasps filled down the ranks of noble's standing in the Hall.
"Alas, it is not the Haradrim that plaque your boarders, King Elessar, it is the Wainriders and the Variags of Khand."
"Wainriders have not been seen for many generations." Aragorn stood and approached the top of the steps. "They were routed during the rein of King Earnil."
"Yes, but 32 generations of men is a lot of time to harbor hatred and resentment toward your people." The Haradrim King said quickly. "They have many more in their number than I think you realize."
"And have they given up their famous chariots in which they rode to war?" Aragorn asked, surprising the Haradrim King with his knowledge of Gondor's past enemies. "For there are no tracks that would lead myself or my captains to believe these raiders rode anything but stallions of war."
"I do not know. I concern myself with matters of my own lands, rather than with those of Gondor."
Aragorn's chin rose and his eyes narrowed. His gaze swept over the Haradrim King's envoy and then back to the King himself. "Your men will be given a wing within the 6th circle. I must ask that they do not go anywhere within the City unescorted, however. My people are most nervous about this meeting and, I fear, would not hesitate to strike out if they felt threatened in any way."
Aragorn motioned for Faramir and Imrahil to join him and indicated for the Haradrim King and his closest advisors to follow.
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"I have no doubt that Estel will only allow them access to the portions of the City that are necessary." Arwen walked slowly along the cobbled path, talking with her brothers about the highly anticipated meeting of Kings that her husband had risen so early to attend. The path led out of the Citadel and into the sixth circle and they turned to take the direct, and public, route out of the relative sanctuary of the sixth gate. "I am curious about these people however, and I anticipate there will be a banquet within the next few days if Estel is able to come to an agreement with their King."
"Estel is a good negotiator, I think he'll be able to avoid a war with Harad." Elladan said. As they passed through each gate, guards and peasants alike nodded and bowed to the Queen.
"He won't go easy on the Haradrim for the deaths and raids on Gondor's boarders with Harad." Arwen said firmly. "He will demand retribution for such acts of war."
Four sets of eyes stared at the elves as they reached the bustling marketplace spread out in the large courtyard just inside the first circle of the city. So common it was for Arwen, and even Aragorn, to walk among the people, few turned to gawk at the royalty other than to incline their heads or bow in respect for Arwen's station as Queen. With each passing week, the vendors trading their wares in the market grew, until it had spilled outside the first gate all together.
The cloaked figures separated into pairs of two's and watched the elves carefully, waiting for their plan to fall into place. The men whispered to themselves in a language unknown to the majority of the people in Gondor. They would need to work quickly, each movement executed with practiced precision, for their plan to work as designed.
Arwen laughed as a child held up an elegant piece of material for the Queen to see, the child's kin held up mugs and ale to Elladan and Elrohir who kindly examined the goods with a smile.
The cloaked men followed the elves to the end of the courtyard, near where the streets became narrower and buildings, rather than open squares of grass and sand, became prevalent. At the other end of the large courtyard, wagons carried food and other items into the market and still others traveled out of the gates with goods to trade with neighboring settlements. One cloaked man nodded to others who stood by the gate, waiting for the guard to change in the mid-day heat.
Elladan sensed the danger moments too late, as a cloaked figure leapt on top of him and knocked him to the ground. A large cloak covered his head, obscuring his view, and he grunted when a fist connected with his jaw.
Similarly, a leg came out from beneath a nearby wagon and tripped Elrohir, who was unable to right his balance before toppling to the ground. Arwen screamed but her cries were cut short by a hand wrapping itself firmly over her mouth. The large man drew her against his chest and covered her with his cloak to hide the source of the scream. She clawed blindly at him, anything that she could get her hands on, as her cries echoed across the courtyard.
The guards atop the wall, in the middle of their mid-day change, scrambled for their weapons – hearing the scream.
Arrows flew out of a hidden location and struck the guards, downing them from their posts almost immediately. The guards that made it down the stairs were summarily killed with knives to the back, by the cloaked figures waiting for the anticipated reaction.
Elladan procured a hidden knife and sliced apart the cloak that had covered him, in the process, drawing blood from the one intent on keeping the elf away from his sister. The man yelped in surprise and suddenly the weight was lifted from Elladan's back.
Elladan could hear his sister's screams but when he heard a hand impact with skin, her cries stopped and the elf knew his sister had been rendered unconscious.
"Arwen!" Elladan scrambled from beneath the cloak, clutching his knife tightly.
The crowd bean to scatter and scream, having seen the gate guards killed before their very eyes. The cloaked men disappeared into the panicked crowd as Elladan and Elrohir rushed through the people in a vain effort to find their sister.
Keen elven eyes scanned the crowd but could find no one resembling whom they thought had taken their sister. The twins split up in an effort to cover more ground and when Elladan spotted a strange cloaked figure slinking around the corner, he called to his brother and rushed after the man.
Elrohir caught up with Elladan and together they followed the cloaked stranger. Eyes intent upon their sister's captor, they didn't notice an archer take aim from behind. The twins pushed aside anyone who got in their way and just before they reached and rounded a corner, the archer let loose his arrow.
Elrohir cried out and Elladan's eyes widened with fear as his brother sank to the ground, pain etched into his ageless features.
"Go! Go!" Elrohir coughed. "Find her!"
Elladan's eyes were wild with fear as he noticed royal guards racing up the street toward him. He called to them. "Here! Someone has taken the Queen! See to it her brother is taken to the Houses of Healing!" he pressed a quick kiss to his brother's forehead and watched as the younger elf slid into unconsciousness in the hands of a royal guard.
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"All has gone well," The Haradrim King nodded as he walked with Aragorn down the halls of the Citadel. Flanking the men were Imrahil, Faramir and two of the Haradrim's King's own advisors, followed by Citadel Guards. "I hope tomorrow brings such good tidings."
Aragorn led the group outside the Citadel, stopped at the top of the steps, and turned to the Haradrim King. "I have no wish to enter into a war with your people if it can be avoided. We have much more to discuss, but I, too, believe we have made progress today."
Commotion below distracted the men and Aragorn stared down at the Captain of the Guard rushing toward him.
"What is it?" Faramir called and his eyes narrowed as two more gate guards rushed into the courtyard behind their Captain, weapons drawn and ready.
The Haradrim King's one advisor positioned his King behind him with a subtle push of his arm, his hand going to his own hidden dagger. The other advisor stepped forward beside Aragorn.
"The Queen has been abducted from the market!"
"What?!" Aragorn's eyes narrowed and his own hand slipped to the elven knife strapped to his belt. He risked a glance at the Haradrim King, whose face registered as much shock as Aragorn's at the news.
The Citadel guards behind Aragorn quickly unsheathed their weapons and pressed them into the backs of their visitors.
The Haradrim King's eyes narrowed at such an unspoken accusation and as Aragorn turned and raised his hand to stop the royal guards from pressing further, an arrow sailed passed his head and into the neck of one of the Citadel guards.
Imrahil and Faramir reached for Aragorn as the Haradrim's advisor gripped his king and pushed him to the ground. Just then, another arrow sailed into the back of the advisor standing close to Aragorn. He cried out and then was silent.
Two Citadel guards gripped Aragorn's arms and pulled him down amidst his cries to the guards below to find his wife. Another arrow sailed passed Aragorn's head as he struggled out of the Citadel guard's grip and rushed down the steps toward where the three gate guards were still running towards him.
"Aragorn! No!" Faramir cried. He rushed after Aragorn and watched in horror as another arrow took down the King and he stumbled, tumbling painfully down the rest of the stone steps.
"Aragorn!" Imrahil cried as he was pushed to the ground by a Citadel guard. He heard someone call out that they'd located the archer but could not see where this assassin was hidden. Soon, the sching of swords being drawn and bows being fired were the only sounds that filled his ears.
Faramir reached Aragorn at the same time as the three first circle guards. They pushed Faramir to the ground and covered the Steward, who, until the King's injuries were ascertained, was the heir to the throne.
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"Unhand me this instant!" Arwen struggled in her captor's arms, biting at the fingers that covered her mouth. She had just woken from her unappreciated unconsciousness and began struggling immediately, hoping to dislodge the cloak that covered her.
"Quiet, elf witch!" The man's arm tightened around her waist and Arwen groaned in pain as the man pressed a little too deeply on her healing abdomen.
"Shut her up!" She heard another man whisper urgently as they disappeared into a particularly dark, musty building.
A tavern wench siddled up to them, batting her eyelashes expectantly. "What can I get for you, sirs?"
"A room," The first man gruffed, grabbed the wench by the waist, to distract her from the still struggling Queen beneath the cloak of his comrade, and pulled her into his arms for a sloppy kiss.
"Of course." The woman disappeared into the back as the two cloaked men moved to a dark table in the back of the ratty tavern. Arwen continued to struggle in the man's arms and he finally turned to her and removed her from the inside of his cloak. "Silence!"
Arwen sneered and opened her mouth to scream when she noticed they were in a very dark, smelly tavern. One that looked nothing like the buildings in Minis Tirith. Arwen's heart plummeted into her stomach when she realized that she may no longer be in the White City.
The man anticipated her action and backhanded her across the cheek, sending her pretty face into the wall and her consciousness into dark oblivion.