Chapter Thirty-Two: Revelations and Revolutions
A/N: Okay, I'm not exactly sure why I added revolutions, but there is actually some bandying fightin' words in this, so yeah. Okay, you guys actually think I'm going to let Aila stay behind while precious Legolas goes off to war? Ha ha ha, you guys REALLY don't know me, do you? Enjoy this chapter, I sure did. Nice place to end it to. Have fun.
…
Leaning heavily against the battlements, Aila began to make plans, plotting her movements with Eowyn, as they would be joining the riders, assuredly. She watched Legolas' retreating back, knowing he wouldn't be very pleased, but that didn't matter to her much anymore. She didn't want to be left behind like a little girl while the men went off to war. But just as she saw Legolas pass, Gandalf came towards her and she smiled at him weakly, wiping the sadness from her eyes.
"Aila," he began, "after I was lost in Shadow, and returned, there is much that I have learned about your predicament." She raised her eyebrows slightly, wondering exactly what he was trying to say, or if he was going to say anything of importance at all, but simply leave her wondering. "Due to the fact that when you pass through the mirror and leave your time," he said, getting straight to the punch. "Yes, you do live in the future, and this is far in the past, a lost realm of the Dark Ages, and since you are from the future, but you travel back in time, your time ceases to exist and 'freezes' if you will, do you understand?"
"Vaguely."
"Since your time ceases to exist and you are from that time, you yourself cease to exist, but since you can't very well disappear, you remain unchanged, as if you just died and remained the same. You are able to continue 'living' in this time, but because you are from the future that doesn't exist while you are here, you stay the same as you were when you left your time. You won't grow any taller and your hair won't grow any longer or your nails."
"So that explains it …" she shook her head at Gandalf, to tell him it was nothing as he looked quizzically at her. She gestured for him to continue.
"There is one technicality now, though. Because you are from another time and you have spent so much time in this … 'age' …"
"You mean I can't go back?!" she asked, horrified, jumping to conclusions.
"No, no," said Gandalf hurriedly, waving his hands. "Not at all, if you didn't go back, your time would never continue to exist and it would be frozen forever. That would not be good at all, that would mean there would be absolutely no future at all. Time would cease to exist. No, no, that would not be good at all. You MUST go back, but since you have spent so much time in this age, you have imprinted yourself into it, and if you ever return, you will resume the body that you inhabit now."
"You mean that even if I go back and I turn eighty, and I come back through the mirror, I'll be 18 again?"
"No," Gandalf shook his head, contemplating. "You would still be eighty, but in an 18 year old girl's body. Do you understand?"
"Yes, but what's the technicality?"
"That is the technicality."
"Nice!" she smiled. "And I always thought technicalities were bad."
"So you did," mused Gandalf, smiling as well.
…
Later that very day, Aila went with the rest of them, sadness in her eyes, to see them off. She knew they weren't going directly to the wars of Gondor, and Legolas knew that as well, but however much she asked him if he was sure of his choice, his affirmed, Aragorn standing dutifully behind his companion. Frustrated, she took in the sight of the two men standing before her.
Aragorn stood kingly, in mail and helm, the ringlets sparkling in the afternoon sun. Legolas stood more breathtaking than usual, his blonde hair falling straight down his back where ringlets also glimmered, but with more shine than that of the man. She gave each of them a hug and wished them luck, before she wandered over to Gandalf, who sat wisely upon Shadowfax, dressed in pure white, his gray beard having turned white as well.
"Behold the White Rider!"
"Our King and the White Rider!" the horseman shouted around her. "Forth Eorlingas!" Surprised, Aila stood where she was as horses whinnied and neighed around her, thrusting their forelegs into the air before they took off toward the horizon, following Shadowfax and the king's horse, Snowmane.
Her hair whirled around her in the wind caused by the thundering horses as horse and horseman alike charged past, cutting the ground to her left and right. Some came within mere inches of her body. She stood resolute, however, watching wide-eyed as they charged away. The last rider stopped at her side and she looked up to see Legolas gazing down at her, astride on his horse.
"I'll miss you," he said, and then thundered off to join the rest of them, leaving Aila behind to simply watch him go. Turning back toward the city, she was surprised to find Eowyn watching her.
"Why didn't you go with them?" she asked, her beautiful face full of question, but docile.
"Legolas wanted me to go with you to Dunharrow," replied Aila, walking toward the city walls and Eowyn began to walk with her. She heard Eowyn sigh next to her.
"I will not be staying in Dunharrow long," her sentence trailed off as Aila cut her off.
"I know. That's exactly why I agreed with him to stay. I would be going with them. I am going with you to Gondor when you leave."
"Won't Legolas be angry with you?" she asked, raising her eyes and stopping so that Aila had to stop and turn around to look at her. Thinking for a moment, Aila responded.
"He will, I suppose. But it doesn't matter that much, he can only get mad at me. He doesn't control me, anyway."
"Oh," replied Eowyn, beginning to walk again, pulling Aila along in her wake. "I thought he meant more to you than that. Like you would want to please him and that's why you stayed behind, not just to disobey him."
"Meant more to me? Like what?" Eowyn seemed mildly surprised and she turned to face Aila once more, just outside the gates of the city.
"Don't you love him?" she asked, truly believing that she did. Aila was surprised by this and took a step backward, lowering her face to look at the ground. She started to walk once more, passing through the gates, Eowyn trailing unsure behind her.
"I don't know if I do."
"That is good, I suppose," said Eowyn and Aila was left again to question her what she meant. "Because I believe my brother has taken a liking to you, Lady Aila. Come, we must prepare the rest of the Eorlingas to travel to Dunharrow, before we can make our own preparation. Luckily, there are two horses that remain for us."
Upon these horses Eowyn put the four most elderly people of Rohan, and the rest gathered their belongings and what they would need and began to travel on foot to the near hold of Dunharrow. By the end of the day, due to the slowness of the elderly, they had made it to the stronghold of Dunharrow. Eowyn beckoned Aila to come with her as she sought a private room to talk with her.
"When do you want to leave?"
"They will not go directly to Gondor, but will go to Helm's Deep and battle there. Then they will return for a short respite with us at Dunharrow and then they will travel down to Gondor. When that time comes, I say we disguise ourselves as men and travel in their company, leaving one of the wise Eorlingas to govern the rest in your absence."
"We will wait then. It will be a few days, as battles go. Make ready your manly garb and sharpen your blade, Lady Aila, and we will go forth to battle with the mightiest of them!"
"Yes," said Aila with a determined air. "We will, and quite an impact you, at least, will make upon it!"
…
After days of waiting, many of her hours spent sitting impatiently, standing up and pacing, talking to Eowyn and making ready her garb, she was apprehensive for the company of riders to come to Dunharrow so that she could be off. The waiting, but knowing exactly what was happening, ate away at her soul and she longed for Legolas to comfort her as he always did. When she was out in the holds of Dunharrow, pacing its wide halls, wandering aimlessly and lost in thought, she was confronted by Eowyn, whose face held excitement.
"They are coming!" she cried, her face joyful. "Their horses are quickly thundering towards us."
"The day has come finally!" breathed Aila. "Come, we will greet them with the rest and then change into our guises and join them. We must be secretive and hasty, but we will do it!" With that, she hurried out to the front gates of Dunharrow. Within minutes the host of riders were streaming forth through the gate; Eowyn and Aila parted, both going to seek their own parties and interests. Eowyn sought out her brother and uncle, while Aila went search of Aragorn and Legolas.
She walked around slowly at first, looking at each man's face to find her three friends that had traveled forth, but her search came up fruitless. Her hands flexed impatiently at her sides and her face creased with anxiety. Her paces quickened and her eyes darted, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Hoping it was Legolas, she turned smiling, but the joy was quickly wiped from her face when she saw it was Eowyn's hand on her shoulder, Eomer and Theoden behind her.
"Aila," Eowyn began, not daring to meet her gaze. "Aila, your friends have gone through the paths of the dead." Aila's faced showed neither fear nor worry as she nodded solemnly, casting her eyes to the ground.
"I had hoped I could see them once more before they went there, but I will see them again, I trust." The three standing before her looked quite surprised as she showed no remorse for the paths of her friends. "Don't be so shocked," she said lightly, upon seeing their faces. "I know what goes on in middle earth better than most. It's quite a long story involving elves, books, and prophecies …" The two men nodded and went to brief the riders before they set out once more. Eowyn looked meaningfully at Aila.
"Now is our chance."
"Let's go," Aila said and the pair passed silently into the halls of Dunharrow. They stole off to their separate rooms and met back again wearing the garb of men. Cleverly they were disguised and each put a hood over their heads to hide their feminine hair and faces.
"We must not be seen together once we join the throng of riders," Aila warned, "or they will think something wrong of two mysterious hooded riders together. It will be strange and questionable. Dearly I wish that I could have gone with my companions to the halls of the dead, but that cannot come to pass, since they know exactly who is coming with them to their paths, and I am not one of them. Let us ride!" They went together, to collect their horses and then split apart, but kept each other in their gaze, as they joined the host of riders, allowing their steeds to paw nervously at the ground.
Aila's steed was a strong stallion, courageous but with a calm nature, obedient and logical. She sat upon Geo, which was his name, amongst the other men of Rohan, with her bow upon her back and her sword at her side. Several questioned her on her bow, as very few men in Rohan were archers, but she replied that she had learned at a young age in a deep undertone and left it at that.
A day into their traveling, she was watching Eowyn, sitting alone just outside the fire's light. A small figure approached her and they spoke for a while, before she hid the figure under her cloak. Aila smiled under her hood, used to it being there after her long stretch with it on in Rohan. Her hand flew to her mouth and she began to bite her nails, a nervous habit that she did not know when it had returned.
"Ride on! Ride on!" Eomer cried from the front of the group. She flinched at his voice, afraid he would recognize her, and shrunk further into the saddle of her horse, giving herself a brooding look. "Too late now to turn aside. The fens of Entwash must guard out flank. Haste now we need. Ride on!" With that the entire company charged forward, most heartened by Eomer's words, but Aila took heart in the coming battle, the chance to keep her mind from her troubles, an old tactic she had always used.
Thankfully, the other riders left her alone, and she was allowed to think in relatively peaceful solitude. Her horse plowed onward loyally and with strength she marveled at.
…
Many days passed as the Eorlingas traveled to the wars of Gondor. And late one night, before they were ready to make camp, they came upon a brightly lit field, thousands of flames were burning fires in the field outside Minas Tirith and the horseman gathered around Eomer and Theoden, Aila joined the throng, though to the outskirts, so she could just barely hear what was going on.
"There are great fires, lord. The City is all set about with flame, and the field is full of foes. But all seem drawn off to the assault. As well as we could guess, there are few left upon the out-wall, and they are heedless, busy in destruction."
"Now is the hour come, Riders of the Mark, sons of Eorl! Foes and fire are before you, and your homes far behind. Yet, though you fight upon an alien field, the glory that you reap there shall be your own forever. Oaths ye have taken: now fulfill them all, to lord and land and league of friendship," cried the King. The noise that ensued was horrendous, spears and swords were thrust against shields, the ringing metallic sound waving pressure through the air so that Aila had to put her hands to her ears under her hood to keep her eardrums from popping at the tumultuous noise.
"Strike wherever the enemy gathers. Other plans we cannot make, for we know not yet how things stand upon the field. Forth now, and fear no darkness!" continued the King when the cheering had subsided, but it was a vain speech, for the riders were already charging forward, in their small details to attack the flanks of the army. Theoden and Eomer charged forward with them, unknowing that also with them charged Eowyn and Aila, whom they had forbidden to come.
The company charged forward to the Gate of the river and Aila found herself galloping alongside Eowyn, but she didn't care anymore, and neither did the Lady, for their drew their swords and prepared for the forthcoming battle, as orcs made ready their weapons as well. The Lord and the King were only a few horses ahead of them, and they watched the horrible scene unfurl like a skull and crossbones before them, poisoning the very air with the bitter sweet facts of war.
Just as King Theoden smote down the captains of the orcs that were nearest them, a winged creature fell screeching from the sky, diving upon them, it's long snake-like neck supported a scaly head, framed with feathers, a sharp beak and orange eyes glared evilly at them, only mal-content showed. Great bat-wings spread from its back and horse's hooves served as its feet, while the tale of a lion swept the air behind it, and upon its back rode the epitome of evil: the King of the Nazgul.
Horses screamed with fear around them, hurling themselves onto their back legs, kicking their forelegs with all their might, throwing their riders, who screamed with fear as well. The King's own horse, Snowmane, was shot with a dart that the Nazgul shot, and it reared as well, throwing the king to the rocky ground, falling upon him in its pain. Crushed beneath his horse, the King of the Mark was quite alone, to face the fury of the Nazgul and its perch. The hideous creature screamed as it landed, its hooves pounding the dirt beneath.
But just as the king was giving up, his horse having rolled off him in its agony, he was unable to move at all, a young rider of his company stood before him, shielding his beloved king from the Shadow Wraith. From the corner of her eye, Aila saw Merry, crawling in the dirt towards the hooded Rider.
"Begone, foul dwimmerlaik, lord of carrion! Leave the dead in peace!" the rider shouted to the shadow that stood before him.
"Come not between the Nazgul and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in they turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shriveled mind be left naked to the Lidless eye."
"Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may." A sword rang loudly through Aila's ears, having been thrown from her horse as well, she lay prostrated upon the ground, feeling the bruises form on her side, but she was heedless to them. She knew this Rider of the Mark and she wanted to do all she could to aid her in her battle with the wraith. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, recalling her mind wraiths to her. There was a new breed which came to her, in this time of need. Four ran to her and she immediately knew that four would be all she could use for this conquest.
…
A/N: Nice place to stop huh? Kind of shorter than the last one, about 3 pages shorter, but just about my normal length now. I thought I would stop here, so I'll leave you in suspense of this new breed of mind wraiths. Exciting huh? I can't believe you guys thought I would actually LET her stay in Dunharrow. HA! I laugh. I laugh hard. Chad is finally back, he was having trouble with his appendix, so I just go around saying it explodes, but he got it removed, and he's got a huge cut in his middle, it's funny. It's great he's back though. Everybody's all like "He's our best driller!", which is all right for me to say, because I'm naturally not supposed to boast, but I AM the best driller of all of our TITAN flight. But he is REALLY good. He wants to be a Marine, though … and he should know it's all about the Air Force … ^_^
A/N: Okay, I'm not exactly sure why I added revolutions, but there is actually some bandying fightin' words in this, so yeah. Okay, you guys actually think I'm going to let Aila stay behind while precious Legolas goes off to war? Ha ha ha, you guys REALLY don't know me, do you? Enjoy this chapter, I sure did. Nice place to end it to. Have fun.
…
Leaning heavily against the battlements, Aila began to make plans, plotting her movements with Eowyn, as they would be joining the riders, assuredly. She watched Legolas' retreating back, knowing he wouldn't be very pleased, but that didn't matter to her much anymore. She didn't want to be left behind like a little girl while the men went off to war. But just as she saw Legolas pass, Gandalf came towards her and she smiled at him weakly, wiping the sadness from her eyes.
"Aila," he began, "after I was lost in Shadow, and returned, there is much that I have learned about your predicament." She raised her eyebrows slightly, wondering exactly what he was trying to say, or if he was going to say anything of importance at all, but simply leave her wondering. "Due to the fact that when you pass through the mirror and leave your time," he said, getting straight to the punch. "Yes, you do live in the future, and this is far in the past, a lost realm of the Dark Ages, and since you are from the future, but you travel back in time, your time ceases to exist and 'freezes' if you will, do you understand?"
"Vaguely."
"Since your time ceases to exist and you are from that time, you yourself cease to exist, but since you can't very well disappear, you remain unchanged, as if you just died and remained the same. You are able to continue 'living' in this time, but because you are from the future that doesn't exist while you are here, you stay the same as you were when you left your time. You won't grow any taller and your hair won't grow any longer or your nails."
"So that explains it …" she shook her head at Gandalf, to tell him it was nothing as he looked quizzically at her. She gestured for him to continue.
"There is one technicality now, though. Because you are from another time and you have spent so much time in this … 'age' …"
"You mean I can't go back?!" she asked, horrified, jumping to conclusions.
"No, no," said Gandalf hurriedly, waving his hands. "Not at all, if you didn't go back, your time would never continue to exist and it would be frozen forever. That would not be good at all, that would mean there would be absolutely no future at all. Time would cease to exist. No, no, that would not be good at all. You MUST go back, but since you have spent so much time in this age, you have imprinted yourself into it, and if you ever return, you will resume the body that you inhabit now."
"You mean that even if I go back and I turn eighty, and I come back through the mirror, I'll be 18 again?"
"No," Gandalf shook his head, contemplating. "You would still be eighty, but in an 18 year old girl's body. Do you understand?"
"Yes, but what's the technicality?"
"That is the technicality."
"Nice!" she smiled. "And I always thought technicalities were bad."
"So you did," mused Gandalf, smiling as well.
…
Later that very day, Aila went with the rest of them, sadness in her eyes, to see them off. She knew they weren't going directly to the wars of Gondor, and Legolas knew that as well, but however much she asked him if he was sure of his choice, his affirmed, Aragorn standing dutifully behind his companion. Frustrated, she took in the sight of the two men standing before her.
Aragorn stood kingly, in mail and helm, the ringlets sparkling in the afternoon sun. Legolas stood more breathtaking than usual, his blonde hair falling straight down his back where ringlets also glimmered, but with more shine than that of the man. She gave each of them a hug and wished them luck, before she wandered over to Gandalf, who sat wisely upon Shadowfax, dressed in pure white, his gray beard having turned white as well.
"Behold the White Rider!"
"Our King and the White Rider!" the horseman shouted around her. "Forth Eorlingas!" Surprised, Aila stood where she was as horses whinnied and neighed around her, thrusting their forelegs into the air before they took off toward the horizon, following Shadowfax and the king's horse, Snowmane.
Her hair whirled around her in the wind caused by the thundering horses as horse and horseman alike charged past, cutting the ground to her left and right. Some came within mere inches of her body. She stood resolute, however, watching wide-eyed as they charged away. The last rider stopped at her side and she looked up to see Legolas gazing down at her, astride on his horse.
"I'll miss you," he said, and then thundered off to join the rest of them, leaving Aila behind to simply watch him go. Turning back toward the city, she was surprised to find Eowyn watching her.
"Why didn't you go with them?" she asked, her beautiful face full of question, but docile.
"Legolas wanted me to go with you to Dunharrow," replied Aila, walking toward the city walls and Eowyn began to walk with her. She heard Eowyn sigh next to her.
"I will not be staying in Dunharrow long," her sentence trailed off as Aila cut her off.
"I know. That's exactly why I agreed with him to stay. I would be going with them. I am going with you to Gondor when you leave."
"Won't Legolas be angry with you?" she asked, raising her eyes and stopping so that Aila had to stop and turn around to look at her. Thinking for a moment, Aila responded.
"He will, I suppose. But it doesn't matter that much, he can only get mad at me. He doesn't control me, anyway."
"Oh," replied Eowyn, beginning to walk again, pulling Aila along in her wake. "I thought he meant more to you than that. Like you would want to please him and that's why you stayed behind, not just to disobey him."
"Meant more to me? Like what?" Eowyn seemed mildly surprised and she turned to face Aila once more, just outside the gates of the city.
"Don't you love him?" she asked, truly believing that she did. Aila was surprised by this and took a step backward, lowering her face to look at the ground. She started to walk once more, passing through the gates, Eowyn trailing unsure behind her.
"I don't know if I do."
"That is good, I suppose," said Eowyn and Aila was left again to question her what she meant. "Because I believe my brother has taken a liking to you, Lady Aila. Come, we must prepare the rest of the Eorlingas to travel to Dunharrow, before we can make our own preparation. Luckily, there are two horses that remain for us."
Upon these horses Eowyn put the four most elderly people of Rohan, and the rest gathered their belongings and what they would need and began to travel on foot to the near hold of Dunharrow. By the end of the day, due to the slowness of the elderly, they had made it to the stronghold of Dunharrow. Eowyn beckoned Aila to come with her as she sought a private room to talk with her.
"When do you want to leave?"
"They will not go directly to Gondor, but will go to Helm's Deep and battle there. Then they will return for a short respite with us at Dunharrow and then they will travel down to Gondor. When that time comes, I say we disguise ourselves as men and travel in their company, leaving one of the wise Eorlingas to govern the rest in your absence."
"We will wait then. It will be a few days, as battles go. Make ready your manly garb and sharpen your blade, Lady Aila, and we will go forth to battle with the mightiest of them!"
"Yes," said Aila with a determined air. "We will, and quite an impact you, at least, will make upon it!"
…
After days of waiting, many of her hours spent sitting impatiently, standing up and pacing, talking to Eowyn and making ready her garb, she was apprehensive for the company of riders to come to Dunharrow so that she could be off. The waiting, but knowing exactly what was happening, ate away at her soul and she longed for Legolas to comfort her as he always did. When she was out in the holds of Dunharrow, pacing its wide halls, wandering aimlessly and lost in thought, she was confronted by Eowyn, whose face held excitement.
"They are coming!" she cried, her face joyful. "Their horses are quickly thundering towards us."
"The day has come finally!" breathed Aila. "Come, we will greet them with the rest and then change into our guises and join them. We must be secretive and hasty, but we will do it!" With that, she hurried out to the front gates of Dunharrow. Within minutes the host of riders were streaming forth through the gate; Eowyn and Aila parted, both going to seek their own parties and interests. Eowyn sought out her brother and uncle, while Aila went search of Aragorn and Legolas.
She walked around slowly at first, looking at each man's face to find her three friends that had traveled forth, but her search came up fruitless. Her hands flexed impatiently at her sides and her face creased with anxiety. Her paces quickened and her eyes darted, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Hoping it was Legolas, she turned smiling, but the joy was quickly wiped from her face when she saw it was Eowyn's hand on her shoulder, Eomer and Theoden behind her.
"Aila," Eowyn began, not daring to meet her gaze. "Aila, your friends have gone through the paths of the dead." Aila's faced showed neither fear nor worry as she nodded solemnly, casting her eyes to the ground.
"I had hoped I could see them once more before they went there, but I will see them again, I trust." The three standing before her looked quite surprised as she showed no remorse for the paths of her friends. "Don't be so shocked," she said lightly, upon seeing their faces. "I know what goes on in middle earth better than most. It's quite a long story involving elves, books, and prophecies …" The two men nodded and went to brief the riders before they set out once more. Eowyn looked meaningfully at Aila.
"Now is our chance."
"Let's go," Aila said and the pair passed silently into the halls of Dunharrow. They stole off to their separate rooms and met back again wearing the garb of men. Cleverly they were disguised and each put a hood over their heads to hide their feminine hair and faces.
"We must not be seen together once we join the throng of riders," Aila warned, "or they will think something wrong of two mysterious hooded riders together. It will be strange and questionable. Dearly I wish that I could have gone with my companions to the halls of the dead, but that cannot come to pass, since they know exactly who is coming with them to their paths, and I am not one of them. Let us ride!" They went together, to collect their horses and then split apart, but kept each other in their gaze, as they joined the host of riders, allowing their steeds to paw nervously at the ground.
Aila's steed was a strong stallion, courageous but with a calm nature, obedient and logical. She sat upon Geo, which was his name, amongst the other men of Rohan, with her bow upon her back and her sword at her side. Several questioned her on her bow, as very few men in Rohan were archers, but she replied that she had learned at a young age in a deep undertone and left it at that.
A day into their traveling, she was watching Eowyn, sitting alone just outside the fire's light. A small figure approached her and they spoke for a while, before she hid the figure under her cloak. Aila smiled under her hood, used to it being there after her long stretch with it on in Rohan. Her hand flew to her mouth and she began to bite her nails, a nervous habit that she did not know when it had returned.
"Ride on! Ride on!" Eomer cried from the front of the group. She flinched at his voice, afraid he would recognize her, and shrunk further into the saddle of her horse, giving herself a brooding look. "Too late now to turn aside. The fens of Entwash must guard out flank. Haste now we need. Ride on!" With that the entire company charged forward, most heartened by Eomer's words, but Aila took heart in the coming battle, the chance to keep her mind from her troubles, an old tactic she had always used.
Thankfully, the other riders left her alone, and she was allowed to think in relatively peaceful solitude. Her horse plowed onward loyally and with strength she marveled at.
…
Many days passed as the Eorlingas traveled to the wars of Gondor. And late one night, before they were ready to make camp, they came upon a brightly lit field, thousands of flames were burning fires in the field outside Minas Tirith and the horseman gathered around Eomer and Theoden, Aila joined the throng, though to the outskirts, so she could just barely hear what was going on.
"There are great fires, lord. The City is all set about with flame, and the field is full of foes. But all seem drawn off to the assault. As well as we could guess, there are few left upon the out-wall, and they are heedless, busy in destruction."
"Now is the hour come, Riders of the Mark, sons of Eorl! Foes and fire are before you, and your homes far behind. Yet, though you fight upon an alien field, the glory that you reap there shall be your own forever. Oaths ye have taken: now fulfill them all, to lord and land and league of friendship," cried the King. The noise that ensued was horrendous, spears and swords were thrust against shields, the ringing metallic sound waving pressure through the air so that Aila had to put her hands to her ears under her hood to keep her eardrums from popping at the tumultuous noise.
"Strike wherever the enemy gathers. Other plans we cannot make, for we know not yet how things stand upon the field. Forth now, and fear no darkness!" continued the King when the cheering had subsided, but it was a vain speech, for the riders were already charging forward, in their small details to attack the flanks of the army. Theoden and Eomer charged forward with them, unknowing that also with them charged Eowyn and Aila, whom they had forbidden to come.
The company charged forward to the Gate of the river and Aila found herself galloping alongside Eowyn, but she didn't care anymore, and neither did the Lady, for their drew their swords and prepared for the forthcoming battle, as orcs made ready their weapons as well. The Lord and the King were only a few horses ahead of them, and they watched the horrible scene unfurl like a skull and crossbones before them, poisoning the very air with the bitter sweet facts of war.
Just as King Theoden smote down the captains of the orcs that were nearest them, a winged creature fell screeching from the sky, diving upon them, it's long snake-like neck supported a scaly head, framed with feathers, a sharp beak and orange eyes glared evilly at them, only mal-content showed. Great bat-wings spread from its back and horse's hooves served as its feet, while the tale of a lion swept the air behind it, and upon its back rode the epitome of evil: the King of the Nazgul.
Horses screamed with fear around them, hurling themselves onto their back legs, kicking their forelegs with all their might, throwing their riders, who screamed with fear as well. The King's own horse, Snowmane, was shot with a dart that the Nazgul shot, and it reared as well, throwing the king to the rocky ground, falling upon him in its pain. Crushed beneath his horse, the King of the Mark was quite alone, to face the fury of the Nazgul and its perch. The hideous creature screamed as it landed, its hooves pounding the dirt beneath.
But just as the king was giving up, his horse having rolled off him in its agony, he was unable to move at all, a young rider of his company stood before him, shielding his beloved king from the Shadow Wraith. From the corner of her eye, Aila saw Merry, crawling in the dirt towards the hooded Rider.
"Begone, foul dwimmerlaik, lord of carrion! Leave the dead in peace!" the rider shouted to the shadow that stood before him.
"Come not between the Nazgul and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in they turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shriveled mind be left naked to the Lidless eye."
"Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may." A sword rang loudly through Aila's ears, having been thrown from her horse as well, she lay prostrated upon the ground, feeling the bruises form on her side, but she was heedless to them. She knew this Rider of the Mark and she wanted to do all she could to aid her in her battle with the wraith. Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply, recalling her mind wraiths to her. There was a new breed which came to her, in this time of need. Four ran to her and she immediately knew that four would be all she could use for this conquest.
…
A/N: Nice place to stop huh? Kind of shorter than the last one, about 3 pages shorter, but just about my normal length now. I thought I would stop here, so I'll leave you in suspense of this new breed of mind wraiths. Exciting huh? I can't believe you guys thought I would actually LET her stay in Dunharrow. HA! I laugh. I laugh hard. Chad is finally back, he was having trouble with his appendix, so I just go around saying it explodes, but he got it removed, and he's got a huge cut in his middle, it's funny. It's great he's back though. Everybody's all like "He's our best driller!", which is all right for me to say, because I'm naturally not supposed to boast, but I AM the best driller of all of our TITAN flight. But he is REALLY good. He wants to be a Marine, though … and he should know it's all about the Air Force … ^_^