I reached Minas Tirith in five nights. Gandalf had rode ahead of me, and it was he who told the guards to let me pass into the stone city. He led me up to the Houses of Healing, and into a small room, which had a door leading out into the gardens and to the stone road which led to the topmost level of Minas Tirith.
After shutting the doors and lighting a small candle, I disrobed. I pulled on a light sleeping gown. I carried the candle with me to a window, connected to the wall of the city. I stared out to the north.
" Legolas," I whispered. Would I ever see him again? Would I live out my days waiting for him to return, or would he be doing the waiting? I had escaped sorrow, but an evil seemed to possess Osgiliath, and was reaching it's arm towards Minas Tirith. I walked back to the bed, blew out the candle, and fell asleep.
Gandalf woke me when the sky was still dark.
" Gandalf, please, just one more hour. Dawn hasn't even come over the mountains," I said. Gandalf pulled the covers off me, saying, " Dawn had already passed. A dark cloud from Mordor blocks out the sun." I jumped from the bed, grabbed a coat from my bedside, and ran out into the gardens of the Houses of Healing. I pulled it on as I gazed around. The Pelennor seemed to be swarming with black figures. The air smelled bad, and the heaviness of it's wicked origin weighed me down. The day seemed to be covered in a dark fog...and I could only make out the dark outlines of our enemies, advancing on the city.
" Wait here," Gandalf said. " I don't need to watch out for anyone else. Pippin, I want you to make sure she stays here." Pippin swallowed hard. I lit a candle when I had returned to my room, Pippin trailing.
" Gandalf, what of Captain Faramir?" Pippin asked. Gandalf turned, saying, " I'll tend to him. But you must stay here!" With that, the wizard left. I dressed, after convincing Pippin I couldn't go anywhere if he was standing at the door, outside. Blowing out the candle, I fled the room.
" Where are you going?" Pippin yelled. I looked around, trying to find where I was.
" Pippin, lead me to the second level, I have an idea," I said. Pippin reluctantly led me to the guard house next to the second level's entrance gate. The guard had run to defend the gate, for the enemies had broke through the first.
" Pippin, cover your ears," I said. I saw the black winged creature come from far off, even before I could hear the horrible screams that issued from it's cursed mouth. The beast landed inside the second level. It thrashed and picked up several of the guards, throwing them into the air, smashing them into the stone walls. A Black Rider dismounted.
" The Witch King," Pippin muttered. He hid under a table. I drew my sword, stepping between the Lord of the Nazgul and the scared little hobbit.
" Death to the little Halfling, but for you," he said. He gripped me with a stone cold hand, and a searing pain obstructed all reason, and I dropped my sword, hearing it clang to the floor. I was pulled out into the courtyard, where the gate had been broken, and a small but very valiant battle was being fought for the city's second level. I was thrown to my knees.
"...a slow death," the Witch King said. He kicked me onto my back, and I grabbed for my sword, but it was back in the guardhouse. " Don't you remember, all your pain? You family is dead. Soon, everyone you love will perish, or leave you to die alone, to rot away in a mortal's world."
" You lie." I stood with considerable trouble. The Witch King towered over me, but his mace was slow in striking accurately. It hit against the wall, and, once or twice, hit a passing Orc. I dashed to the guardhouse, where several Orcs were hovering around the table where Pippin was hiding. I slew them, then turned. The Witch King was in the doorway. As he stepped in, I said quietly, " Run in the shadows, Pippin. Get Gandalf." The hobbit was very stealthy in escaping, and was considerably quick for his short legs. The Witch King, stepping over the dead Orcs held up a long, slender blade, stained dark red, with either poison or dried blood. I held my weapon in front of me.
" Rohan has come, and perished. Now, everyone will die as well. Nothing could help you now," the Witch King said. Just then, I heard the horn calls, and knew he was wrong. They were still numerous, and had reformed a charging line. The Witch King lunged and missed. I swung, hit the metal of his armor, and then ducked as he retaliated, swinging angrily and forcefully.
" You can't win," he said, his words seeming like a his in my ear. His stroke fell, aiming for my heart. The sun broke through the glass of the guard house, and I turned my head, while trying to dodge the Witch King's stroke. I fell back against the table. His blade had missed my heart, but nonetheless pierced my side. I gripped it as he pulled the blade out.
" A slow death to you," he said. He walked out and remounted the nazgul. I fell to the floor, and prayed that no Orc would come into the house. I closed my eyes, and saw my parents, dressed in all white, beckoning to me. My mother was more beautiful than when I had remembered. My father stood tall and proud.
I envisioned my hugging them, and talking to them. My mother cried, exclaiming, " You've wasted away! I pray it wasn't by our fault. Live, daughter, and enjoy what life you have!" What caused me to, I could never tell, but I said, " It s your fault. Tell me, mother, what is it that you wish I had rather than a phase of sorrow?"
" I wish you had love, and I wish you had bore a love," she said, then they began to disappear.
Legolas:
I wiped the blood from my long knives as I walked up to the top hall of Minas Tirith. Gimli rode on Arod, at my side. Gandalf was talking with Aragorn, and Pippin stood beside them. I looked around, and looked in the gardens, and finally asked Pippin, " Where is my Lady?"
" I'm so sorry, Legolas! Come, I'll lead you to where she last stood. The thought of her has just returned to my mind!" With that, Pippin led me down to the second level of the city. The bodies of Orcs lay everywhere. Pippin walked to the entrance to the guardhouse, then stopped, his mouth gaping open. I walked next to him. In the midday's light, I saw Seraniel, her back to me. I sprang to her side, and pulled her into my arms. She was hurt, a small puddle of blood was on the floor and her dress was covered in it.
" Pippin, go outside and call Arod," I said. I heard the halfling call for the horse, and in no time the beat came. I lifted Seraniel up onto the saddle with me, her head lolling. She was cold and limp, with hardly a breath escaping her. I spurred on the horse, and he was surprisingly quick climbing up the levels.
I dismounted and carried Seraniel into the Houses of Healing. The healer in charge motioned to a room. I laid her on the bed, fixing her head towards me. The healer examined her, but looked up, and said, " There is nothing to revive her. She'll soon be dead." He began to pull the bed sheet over her head, but I grabbed her in my arms, sitting on the bed.
" She's alive, and Mithrandir can heal her. Call for him!" I yelled.
" There is nothing to do but wait for her to die!" the healer said. Merry ran into the room, his arm in a sling.
" Get Gandalf!" I screamed at him, and the hobbit ran off. I cradled Seraniel in my arms. She couldn't die, I wouldn't let her. I had not passed over the land where the Dead lay to come to find my love dead.
" Seraniel," I whispered. She couldn't leave me, to wander the world in search of another love. I refused, I could never leave her.
" Let her go, Legolas," Gandalf said as he and Aragorn stepped into the room, followed by Pippin and Merry. I reluctantly let her rest back on the pillows. Gandalf peeled the shreds of cloth away from the area around Seraniel's wound. A sword had passed completely through her body, missing her heart, thankfully. But, the sword was that of the not destroyed Witch King. Anything he touches is poison. The blade obviously was, seeing how Seraniel would have bled to death if it were a regular injury. The edges around the cut were purplish, and the rest of her skin was pale white, besides the places where blood had set. Gandalf examined the wound, more extensively, and finally said, " I can only draw the poison, not heal the wound."
" Do it, then," I said. I couldn't believe how they could just leisurely look over Seraniel as if she merely had a thorn stuck in her side. Gandalf called for bandages after he said some kind of forgotten spell.
" The poison could only be extracted by magic, seeing how magic is what put the poison to the blade." Gandalf left, going to tend to other patients, the Lady Eowynn of Rohan among them. I stayed by Seraniel's side, sitting in a chair positioned by her bed. I held her cold hands. As the night drew on, Aragorn decided that a distraction be made for Frodo. I desired not to go, to not leave my Seraniel's side.
" But someone needs to represent the Elves," Gimli said.
" Elladan and Elrohir can take my place."
" Legolas, there is nothing you can do to help her."
" What if she wakes? What if I'm not here and she leaves?"
" I will make sure she doesn't. I'll leave word with the healer in charge and the guards. She won't leave the city," Aragorn said. I looked long at Seraniel, noticing how some color had come back to her cheeks. It might have been from my own body heat, but it seemed her hands were warming.
" I'll go," I said. I hadn't even thought of not escaping alive. All the legions of Mordor would be against an army of six and a half hundred men. I got up, and laid down in another bed, put in the room for another patient. I watched Seraniel for a while, then finally exhaustion got the best of me.
After shutting the doors and lighting a small candle, I disrobed. I pulled on a light sleeping gown. I carried the candle with me to a window, connected to the wall of the city. I stared out to the north.
" Legolas," I whispered. Would I ever see him again? Would I live out my days waiting for him to return, or would he be doing the waiting? I had escaped sorrow, but an evil seemed to possess Osgiliath, and was reaching it's arm towards Minas Tirith. I walked back to the bed, blew out the candle, and fell asleep.
Gandalf woke me when the sky was still dark.
" Gandalf, please, just one more hour. Dawn hasn't even come over the mountains," I said. Gandalf pulled the covers off me, saying, " Dawn had already passed. A dark cloud from Mordor blocks out the sun." I jumped from the bed, grabbed a coat from my bedside, and ran out into the gardens of the Houses of Healing. I pulled it on as I gazed around. The Pelennor seemed to be swarming with black figures. The air smelled bad, and the heaviness of it's wicked origin weighed me down. The day seemed to be covered in a dark fog...and I could only make out the dark outlines of our enemies, advancing on the city.
" Wait here," Gandalf said. " I don't need to watch out for anyone else. Pippin, I want you to make sure she stays here." Pippin swallowed hard. I lit a candle when I had returned to my room, Pippin trailing.
" Gandalf, what of Captain Faramir?" Pippin asked. Gandalf turned, saying, " I'll tend to him. But you must stay here!" With that, the wizard left. I dressed, after convincing Pippin I couldn't go anywhere if he was standing at the door, outside. Blowing out the candle, I fled the room.
" Where are you going?" Pippin yelled. I looked around, trying to find where I was.
" Pippin, lead me to the second level, I have an idea," I said. Pippin reluctantly led me to the guard house next to the second level's entrance gate. The guard had run to defend the gate, for the enemies had broke through the first.
" Pippin, cover your ears," I said. I saw the black winged creature come from far off, even before I could hear the horrible screams that issued from it's cursed mouth. The beast landed inside the second level. It thrashed and picked up several of the guards, throwing them into the air, smashing them into the stone walls. A Black Rider dismounted.
" The Witch King," Pippin muttered. He hid under a table. I drew my sword, stepping between the Lord of the Nazgul and the scared little hobbit.
" Death to the little Halfling, but for you," he said. He gripped me with a stone cold hand, and a searing pain obstructed all reason, and I dropped my sword, hearing it clang to the floor. I was pulled out into the courtyard, where the gate had been broken, and a small but very valiant battle was being fought for the city's second level. I was thrown to my knees.
"...a slow death," the Witch King said. He kicked me onto my back, and I grabbed for my sword, but it was back in the guardhouse. " Don't you remember, all your pain? You family is dead. Soon, everyone you love will perish, or leave you to die alone, to rot away in a mortal's world."
" You lie." I stood with considerable trouble. The Witch King towered over me, but his mace was slow in striking accurately. It hit against the wall, and, once or twice, hit a passing Orc. I dashed to the guardhouse, where several Orcs were hovering around the table where Pippin was hiding. I slew them, then turned. The Witch King was in the doorway. As he stepped in, I said quietly, " Run in the shadows, Pippin. Get Gandalf." The hobbit was very stealthy in escaping, and was considerably quick for his short legs. The Witch King, stepping over the dead Orcs held up a long, slender blade, stained dark red, with either poison or dried blood. I held my weapon in front of me.
" Rohan has come, and perished. Now, everyone will die as well. Nothing could help you now," the Witch King said. Just then, I heard the horn calls, and knew he was wrong. They were still numerous, and had reformed a charging line. The Witch King lunged and missed. I swung, hit the metal of his armor, and then ducked as he retaliated, swinging angrily and forcefully.
" You can't win," he said, his words seeming like a his in my ear. His stroke fell, aiming for my heart. The sun broke through the glass of the guard house, and I turned my head, while trying to dodge the Witch King's stroke. I fell back against the table. His blade had missed my heart, but nonetheless pierced my side. I gripped it as he pulled the blade out.
" A slow death to you," he said. He walked out and remounted the nazgul. I fell to the floor, and prayed that no Orc would come into the house. I closed my eyes, and saw my parents, dressed in all white, beckoning to me. My mother was more beautiful than when I had remembered. My father stood tall and proud.
I envisioned my hugging them, and talking to them. My mother cried, exclaiming, " You've wasted away! I pray it wasn't by our fault. Live, daughter, and enjoy what life you have!" What caused me to, I could never tell, but I said, " It s your fault. Tell me, mother, what is it that you wish I had rather than a phase of sorrow?"
" I wish you had love, and I wish you had bore a love," she said, then they began to disappear.
Legolas:
I wiped the blood from my long knives as I walked up to the top hall of Minas Tirith. Gimli rode on Arod, at my side. Gandalf was talking with Aragorn, and Pippin stood beside them. I looked around, and looked in the gardens, and finally asked Pippin, " Where is my Lady?"
" I'm so sorry, Legolas! Come, I'll lead you to where she last stood. The thought of her has just returned to my mind!" With that, Pippin led me down to the second level of the city. The bodies of Orcs lay everywhere. Pippin walked to the entrance to the guardhouse, then stopped, his mouth gaping open. I walked next to him. In the midday's light, I saw Seraniel, her back to me. I sprang to her side, and pulled her into my arms. She was hurt, a small puddle of blood was on the floor and her dress was covered in it.
" Pippin, go outside and call Arod," I said. I heard the halfling call for the horse, and in no time the beat came. I lifted Seraniel up onto the saddle with me, her head lolling. She was cold and limp, with hardly a breath escaping her. I spurred on the horse, and he was surprisingly quick climbing up the levels.
I dismounted and carried Seraniel into the Houses of Healing. The healer in charge motioned to a room. I laid her on the bed, fixing her head towards me. The healer examined her, but looked up, and said, " There is nothing to revive her. She'll soon be dead." He began to pull the bed sheet over her head, but I grabbed her in my arms, sitting on the bed.
" She's alive, and Mithrandir can heal her. Call for him!" I yelled.
" There is nothing to do but wait for her to die!" the healer said. Merry ran into the room, his arm in a sling.
" Get Gandalf!" I screamed at him, and the hobbit ran off. I cradled Seraniel in my arms. She couldn't die, I wouldn't let her. I had not passed over the land where the Dead lay to come to find my love dead.
" Seraniel," I whispered. She couldn't leave me, to wander the world in search of another love. I refused, I could never leave her.
" Let her go, Legolas," Gandalf said as he and Aragorn stepped into the room, followed by Pippin and Merry. I reluctantly let her rest back on the pillows. Gandalf peeled the shreds of cloth away from the area around Seraniel's wound. A sword had passed completely through her body, missing her heart, thankfully. But, the sword was that of the not destroyed Witch King. Anything he touches is poison. The blade obviously was, seeing how Seraniel would have bled to death if it were a regular injury. The edges around the cut were purplish, and the rest of her skin was pale white, besides the places where blood had set. Gandalf examined the wound, more extensively, and finally said, " I can only draw the poison, not heal the wound."
" Do it, then," I said. I couldn't believe how they could just leisurely look over Seraniel as if she merely had a thorn stuck in her side. Gandalf called for bandages after he said some kind of forgotten spell.
" The poison could only be extracted by magic, seeing how magic is what put the poison to the blade." Gandalf left, going to tend to other patients, the Lady Eowynn of Rohan among them. I stayed by Seraniel's side, sitting in a chair positioned by her bed. I held her cold hands. As the night drew on, Aragorn decided that a distraction be made for Frodo. I desired not to go, to not leave my Seraniel's side.
" But someone needs to represent the Elves," Gimli said.
" Elladan and Elrohir can take my place."
" Legolas, there is nothing you can do to help her."
" What if she wakes? What if I'm not here and she leaves?"
" I will make sure she doesn't. I'll leave word with the healer in charge and the guards. She won't leave the city," Aragorn said. I looked long at Seraniel, noticing how some color had come back to her cheeks. It might have been from my own body heat, but it seemed her hands were warming.
" I'll go," I said. I hadn't even thought of not escaping alive. All the legions of Mordor would be against an army of six and a half hundred men. I got up, and laid down in another bed, put in the room for another patient. I watched Seraniel for a while, then finally exhaustion got the best of me.
