Chapter 18: The March and War
A/N: Okay wanted to thank Crinkle for reviewing very kind. Okay well here's the next chapter and I'm saying now be prepared to wait because I'm getting writers block here. ************
The next day, two days after the council, an army set out from Minas Tirith. It was seven thousand strong. Arway rode her horse in the group with Gandalf, Aragorn, Éomer, and others. Before her, on Celeb, was Pippin. He quietly talked to her about his adventures and people in the Fellowship. Boromir was a name that he repeated often with honor. When the Vanguard reached Osgiliath near noon, she had him tell her all about Boromir, though she knew very well of him. The young Hobbit enjoyed talking, but as the Vanguard marched closer and closer to Mordor, he became quieter and almost smaller.
Five miles outside of Osgiliath the Vanguard stopped. All on horses continued on to the Cross Roads. Here they spent the night.
Arway stood looking in the direction of Osgiliath, behind her the small group unrolled blankets and prepared for rest. But even when the fingers of sunlight retreated behind the trees, she stood.
"I'm sorry for the tone of my voice in Minas Tirith."
"You have nothing to be sorry about Legolas. You merely said what was truth, your tone was what you were feeling."
"Why have you given in to the telling? They are but words and actions change words everyday."
"True, they are just words, but they have been in my heart for a long time and have become memory. I don't know what to do right now and they are there, set in stone. Why fight them when I can fight things that are real?"
"You do not sound like an Elf."
"Well, I am not truly one now am I?"
"Arway why are you doing this?"
"You know I once fought underneath Boromir. It was in Osgiliath when the force of Mordor was attacking. He told me that the hardest thing to fight was not the opponent but yourself. And sometimes you have to put off fighting yourself so you could fight the opponent."
That night, the last of the Fellowship lay together with the others around them. Arway lay at the very edge of the group. Not quite belonging, but yet not, not belonging. And as thoughts of war and Mordor, and the prediction crept through her mind, a piece of advice came to her. A person that she loved said it long ago in a peaceful place.
'No matter what occurs in the Wilds beyond or the halls within, what happens in reality or in your mind, you are Elven and nothing can change that. You will always have somewhere to turn, somewhere to go. You're blood may differ from all the rest, but that does not change the fact that you are Elven. There is power and knowledge within, beauty and grace without. The years will change and the Wilds evolve, Men will be born and die, and through all this you will remain the same, ever watching. The blood with in will remain strong, and what you have captured inside will not diminish. Though some things need to grow and change throughout time, others do not. That does not make them less special, but more.'
Elrond had spoken these words to Arway before she had left Imladris for the last time. They had once been told to him when he had picked the harder of two paths that were placed before him.
And when the day came, Arway parted the Cross Roads with not so heavy a heart but with a full mind.
It was the third day after leaving the Cross Roads that any sign of the walking evil was seen. A group of Orcs and Easterlings had tried to sneak up on the Vanguard. But scouts had warned the Vanguard long before the enemy was aware. The group was easily destroyed. But instead of giving courage to the men, despair was seen. This also brought a greater shadow among the captains, for they knew the Vanguard was being mocked and led on by Sauron.
After the small victory, Arway felt the darkness growing in her mind. They had passed into the desolate lands the day after the small fight. She knew soon the Pass of Cirith Gorgor would be upon them. And next Mordor itself. Nothing could cheer the Elf. A doom was all around them and nothing could cure it. The pounding of feet on the ground became a constant reminder of their deed and sacrifice. It began to tease them saying that the plan would fail. Nothing could save them now.
These feelings got to a number of men who could no longer march towards the evil. The horror had fully penetrated their hearts. Aragorn looked upon them and released them, knowing that it was a hideous dream that they walked. Some left to the task, taking and holding Cair Andros, that Aragorn had lain on their shoulders. Others continued on, embarrassed with their acts and shamed because of the reaction of mercy from the King.
Then six days in the journey from the Cross Roads they came to find Morannon. In the grey light of early morning, the Vanguards came to look on the Black Gate. All was in a quiet trance. Nothing moved no sound was made. Raw nothing whipped around them and rode through the ranks, touching the hearts of mortals and sent shivers down the immortal.
The captains moved all to two hills of blasted stone and earth. When all was in order, the captains rode towards the Black Gate. Gandalf and Aragorn, Elrohir and Elladan the sons of Elrond, Prince Imrahil and King Éomer; Legolas, Gimli and Pippin were beckoned to come. And instead of passing Pippin off like a piece of baggage, Arway went also. When close enough to the gate trumpets were sounded and the heralds announced their arrival. Then, they waited.
Again, the silence covered the emptiness like unseen fog. Long the silence hovered while the group waited. But the moment passed and the captains turned. The announcement had fallen on dead ears, twisted ears. The Nazgul stood ominously where they had before on the gate, but nothing new had joined them. The moment before the heal was set in the side of the horse, the silence broke from Mordor and evil spread. Celeb was the first horse to turn, Pippin and Arway the first to see. The Mouth of Sauron sprang from the gate on an evil horse. The evil perforated around the being.
Aragorn sat where he was and the being halted paces from the group. In its clutches, Arway saw a small bundle of clothing. Clothing that five of the group recognized, Hobbit sized clothing. And before her Pippin shuddered and was afraid. Arway looked but did not feel the evil waiting for them. Rather something was leading her from the evil to another happening. There was no time to question, so she let her sense fallow. And there in the mists of evil she felt it, she felt the hope.
Leaning close to the Hobbit before her, she whispered, "Do not be afraid young Hobbit. The darkness may press in but that does not mean there is no hope." As she whispered these words Legolas turned and looked at her. "There is always hope unless you, yourself give in to the darkness. There is light forever in this world you need only to look in the depths of your heart to find it."
The young Hobbit looked at her, the expression on his face lightened a little, "How do you know?"
"Life gives one a great portion of knowledge and experience helps it grow."
When she looked back to Gandalf and Aragorn, they had turned from the Mouth and were planning on returning to the Vanguard. Drums rolled and fires sprung up all around. From the Black Gate flowed an evil host. The captains spurred their horses and raced back to the Vanguard. They had enough time to ready the men and give orders then, the onslaught began.
Arway loosened her weapons and retrieved her bow. She set Pippin on the ground beside her. Then, she retrieved an arrow from her quiver, which was full to nearly the bursting point. Every second that she could spare on the journey was made into crafting arrows. Even a time or two she had ridden off by herself to collect materials and then had to ride Celeb hard for a quarter of a day to catch up.
She waited, an arrow poised in her bow. When the command was called, she shot. The arrows flew one by one, half second by half second. She jumped from the back of Celeb so that he would not be injured. This also gave her more freedom to protect Pippin. It was only a short while until Arway had to turn her back on the Hobbit.
Once she did, she did not catch glimpse of the troll coming towards the small being. The brave Halfling stuck his sword into the troll, but could not get out of the way of it. He was crushed under the troll and fell unconscious.
Arway cut down uruk-hai after uruk-hai with her sword. But each time that the Vanguard made a dent on the number of evil, more beings would appear in greater strength. Turning around the she-Elf saw a troll on the ground. From under it, she glimpsed a large hairy foot. Standing above the two fallen as an orc. Arway grabbed her dagger and threw it at the orc. It caught the orc in the throat, and he fell, dead. Each time she advanced towards Pippin an enemy would appear before her. She was traveling through a forest of evil beings with no way out. Time after time, she would cut one down and another would appear in its space. Finally, soaking with black blood she reached Pippin. At this time, he had ceased moving.
Arway inhaled deeply and everything slowed around her. Loosening the sheaths of her dagger and knife-they were empty for she had used them-she took them off placing them next to her. Then, she took one glance at Aragorn, one at Gimli, one at Legolas, one at Éomer, and lastly one at Gandalf. But her eyes turned to Legolas one last time and there was a tug at her heart. She pulled her eyes away. She could not stop now.
The enemy finally left her alone, almost sensing what she was doing. She reached under the troll and found Pippin's head. After a few seconds of groping, she placed her index and middle fingers on one of his temples. While kneeling on the earth in the mists of fighting, she placed her other index and middle fingers on her own temple. She closed her blue-green eyes. And at that moment, when she was unguarded and vulnerable, a Nazgul passed over her.
The battle was one of confusion and awkwardness. When the fighting turned and became in its darkest hour, all stopped. The Eagles had come. They sped towards the Nazgul. But, before the Eagles reached them, the darkness fled into Mordor. The enemy was weakened with the flight of the Nazgul, and all men advanced.
But Gandalf stood bearing his gaze upon the mountains of Mordor and commanded, "Stand, Men of the West! stand and wait! This is the hour of doom."
The ground quaked and Middle-earth groaned. Nature fought back against the evil. The quaking of the ground destroyed the evil fortresses; gates so dark and forbidding were cast down to ruin upon the ground. Evil fell from its window of power. Sauron was defeated and destroyed.
Orcs, Trolls, and Uruk-hai ran. Some slain themselves, while others threw themselves into pits. But the men of the South and Harad stood; they were Men of both pride and honor. This would not save them though. All were killed fighting for an evil that had left Middle-earth. The hatred had clouded their minds and so, choked the breath from their very throats.
********************* A/N: Yay! I finished this part now what are you doing reading this review review!
A/N: Okay wanted to thank Crinkle for reviewing very kind. Okay well here's the next chapter and I'm saying now be prepared to wait because I'm getting writers block here. ************
The next day, two days after the council, an army set out from Minas Tirith. It was seven thousand strong. Arway rode her horse in the group with Gandalf, Aragorn, Éomer, and others. Before her, on Celeb, was Pippin. He quietly talked to her about his adventures and people in the Fellowship. Boromir was a name that he repeated often with honor. When the Vanguard reached Osgiliath near noon, she had him tell her all about Boromir, though she knew very well of him. The young Hobbit enjoyed talking, but as the Vanguard marched closer and closer to Mordor, he became quieter and almost smaller.
Five miles outside of Osgiliath the Vanguard stopped. All on horses continued on to the Cross Roads. Here they spent the night.
Arway stood looking in the direction of Osgiliath, behind her the small group unrolled blankets and prepared for rest. But even when the fingers of sunlight retreated behind the trees, she stood.
"I'm sorry for the tone of my voice in Minas Tirith."
"You have nothing to be sorry about Legolas. You merely said what was truth, your tone was what you were feeling."
"Why have you given in to the telling? They are but words and actions change words everyday."
"True, they are just words, but they have been in my heart for a long time and have become memory. I don't know what to do right now and they are there, set in stone. Why fight them when I can fight things that are real?"
"You do not sound like an Elf."
"Well, I am not truly one now am I?"
"Arway why are you doing this?"
"You know I once fought underneath Boromir. It was in Osgiliath when the force of Mordor was attacking. He told me that the hardest thing to fight was not the opponent but yourself. And sometimes you have to put off fighting yourself so you could fight the opponent."
That night, the last of the Fellowship lay together with the others around them. Arway lay at the very edge of the group. Not quite belonging, but yet not, not belonging. And as thoughts of war and Mordor, and the prediction crept through her mind, a piece of advice came to her. A person that she loved said it long ago in a peaceful place.
'No matter what occurs in the Wilds beyond or the halls within, what happens in reality or in your mind, you are Elven and nothing can change that. You will always have somewhere to turn, somewhere to go. You're blood may differ from all the rest, but that does not change the fact that you are Elven. There is power and knowledge within, beauty and grace without. The years will change and the Wilds evolve, Men will be born and die, and through all this you will remain the same, ever watching. The blood with in will remain strong, and what you have captured inside will not diminish. Though some things need to grow and change throughout time, others do not. That does not make them less special, but more.'
Elrond had spoken these words to Arway before she had left Imladris for the last time. They had once been told to him when he had picked the harder of two paths that were placed before him.
And when the day came, Arway parted the Cross Roads with not so heavy a heart but with a full mind.
It was the third day after leaving the Cross Roads that any sign of the walking evil was seen. A group of Orcs and Easterlings had tried to sneak up on the Vanguard. But scouts had warned the Vanguard long before the enemy was aware. The group was easily destroyed. But instead of giving courage to the men, despair was seen. This also brought a greater shadow among the captains, for they knew the Vanguard was being mocked and led on by Sauron.
After the small victory, Arway felt the darkness growing in her mind. They had passed into the desolate lands the day after the small fight. She knew soon the Pass of Cirith Gorgor would be upon them. And next Mordor itself. Nothing could cheer the Elf. A doom was all around them and nothing could cure it. The pounding of feet on the ground became a constant reminder of their deed and sacrifice. It began to tease them saying that the plan would fail. Nothing could save them now.
These feelings got to a number of men who could no longer march towards the evil. The horror had fully penetrated their hearts. Aragorn looked upon them and released them, knowing that it was a hideous dream that they walked. Some left to the task, taking and holding Cair Andros, that Aragorn had lain on their shoulders. Others continued on, embarrassed with their acts and shamed because of the reaction of mercy from the King.
Then six days in the journey from the Cross Roads they came to find Morannon. In the grey light of early morning, the Vanguards came to look on the Black Gate. All was in a quiet trance. Nothing moved no sound was made. Raw nothing whipped around them and rode through the ranks, touching the hearts of mortals and sent shivers down the immortal.
The captains moved all to two hills of blasted stone and earth. When all was in order, the captains rode towards the Black Gate. Gandalf and Aragorn, Elrohir and Elladan the sons of Elrond, Prince Imrahil and King Éomer; Legolas, Gimli and Pippin were beckoned to come. And instead of passing Pippin off like a piece of baggage, Arway went also. When close enough to the gate trumpets were sounded and the heralds announced their arrival. Then, they waited.
Again, the silence covered the emptiness like unseen fog. Long the silence hovered while the group waited. But the moment passed and the captains turned. The announcement had fallen on dead ears, twisted ears. The Nazgul stood ominously where they had before on the gate, but nothing new had joined them. The moment before the heal was set in the side of the horse, the silence broke from Mordor and evil spread. Celeb was the first horse to turn, Pippin and Arway the first to see. The Mouth of Sauron sprang from the gate on an evil horse. The evil perforated around the being.
Aragorn sat where he was and the being halted paces from the group. In its clutches, Arway saw a small bundle of clothing. Clothing that five of the group recognized, Hobbit sized clothing. And before her Pippin shuddered and was afraid. Arway looked but did not feel the evil waiting for them. Rather something was leading her from the evil to another happening. There was no time to question, so she let her sense fallow. And there in the mists of evil she felt it, she felt the hope.
Leaning close to the Hobbit before her, she whispered, "Do not be afraid young Hobbit. The darkness may press in but that does not mean there is no hope." As she whispered these words Legolas turned and looked at her. "There is always hope unless you, yourself give in to the darkness. There is light forever in this world you need only to look in the depths of your heart to find it."
The young Hobbit looked at her, the expression on his face lightened a little, "How do you know?"
"Life gives one a great portion of knowledge and experience helps it grow."
When she looked back to Gandalf and Aragorn, they had turned from the Mouth and were planning on returning to the Vanguard. Drums rolled and fires sprung up all around. From the Black Gate flowed an evil host. The captains spurred their horses and raced back to the Vanguard. They had enough time to ready the men and give orders then, the onslaught began.
Arway loosened her weapons and retrieved her bow. She set Pippin on the ground beside her. Then, she retrieved an arrow from her quiver, which was full to nearly the bursting point. Every second that she could spare on the journey was made into crafting arrows. Even a time or two she had ridden off by herself to collect materials and then had to ride Celeb hard for a quarter of a day to catch up.
She waited, an arrow poised in her bow. When the command was called, she shot. The arrows flew one by one, half second by half second. She jumped from the back of Celeb so that he would not be injured. This also gave her more freedom to protect Pippin. It was only a short while until Arway had to turn her back on the Hobbit.
Once she did, she did not catch glimpse of the troll coming towards the small being. The brave Halfling stuck his sword into the troll, but could not get out of the way of it. He was crushed under the troll and fell unconscious.
Arway cut down uruk-hai after uruk-hai with her sword. But each time that the Vanguard made a dent on the number of evil, more beings would appear in greater strength. Turning around the she-Elf saw a troll on the ground. From under it, she glimpsed a large hairy foot. Standing above the two fallen as an orc. Arway grabbed her dagger and threw it at the orc. It caught the orc in the throat, and he fell, dead. Each time she advanced towards Pippin an enemy would appear before her. She was traveling through a forest of evil beings with no way out. Time after time, she would cut one down and another would appear in its space. Finally, soaking with black blood she reached Pippin. At this time, he had ceased moving.
Arway inhaled deeply and everything slowed around her. Loosening the sheaths of her dagger and knife-they were empty for she had used them-she took them off placing them next to her. Then, she took one glance at Aragorn, one at Gimli, one at Legolas, one at Éomer, and lastly one at Gandalf. But her eyes turned to Legolas one last time and there was a tug at her heart. She pulled her eyes away. She could not stop now.
The enemy finally left her alone, almost sensing what she was doing. She reached under the troll and found Pippin's head. After a few seconds of groping, she placed her index and middle fingers on one of his temples. While kneeling on the earth in the mists of fighting, she placed her other index and middle fingers on her own temple. She closed her blue-green eyes. And at that moment, when she was unguarded and vulnerable, a Nazgul passed over her.
The battle was one of confusion and awkwardness. When the fighting turned and became in its darkest hour, all stopped. The Eagles had come. They sped towards the Nazgul. But, before the Eagles reached them, the darkness fled into Mordor. The enemy was weakened with the flight of the Nazgul, and all men advanced.
But Gandalf stood bearing his gaze upon the mountains of Mordor and commanded, "Stand, Men of the West! stand and wait! This is the hour of doom."
The ground quaked and Middle-earth groaned. Nature fought back against the evil. The quaking of the ground destroyed the evil fortresses; gates so dark and forbidding were cast down to ruin upon the ground. Evil fell from its window of power. Sauron was defeated and destroyed.
Orcs, Trolls, and Uruk-hai ran. Some slain themselves, while others threw themselves into pits. But the men of the South and Harad stood; they were Men of both pride and honor. This would not save them though. All were killed fighting for an evil that had left Middle-earth. The hatred had clouded their minds and so, choked the breath from their very throats.
********************* A/N: Yay! I finished this part now what are you doing reading this review review!
