AN: Sorry for taking so long to update! Too many things going on at once. This is the result of my sixth viewing last night, in honor of the great 11/11 win at the Oscars. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I am considering that if I do indeed continue the story, it will be one more chapter and it will be in third person, somewhat like an epilogue. Please tell me your thoughts on this, for I never really intended this inkle to go much further than this. Anyway, thank you all for reading and commenting, and enjoy the next chapter!
Keeping
As we crested the last hill my heart sank into my boots. The battle was in progress, and the city was taking quite a beating. The entire lower ring was on fire, and the second was just beginning to burn. In front of me I heard Merry's breathing quicken as well as the city came into view. I held him tighter against me, hoping to give him what little strength I had left.
"Courage, Merry," I whispered, "courage for our friends," for now I have none.
Suddenly Uncle began to speak, rousing the men and causing a great cheer to go into the heavens that would have caused even Orome or Tulkas to quail in fear. Suddenly I heard a strong, fierce cry coming from the hobbit in front of me and the little pride and courage in my heart was set aflame. I raised my sword and cried out for all I was worth, putting all my anger and fear and dread into that sound.
The cheering died down and Uncle again started to speak, but this time I knew we would ride into the battle within moments. I could feel Merry shaking under his armor, suddenly aware of this also. Again I held him tighter, and leaned forward to whisper to him. "Whatever happens, stay with me." He nods his understanding and I sit back with a sigh.
"Ride now! Ride for ruin! For the world's ended!" With the thunder of thousands of horses we rode down the hill into the battle. It didn't take long for the Orcs to get organized and begin firing arrows at us. I rode with growing fear as riders all around me were struck down. At the speed we were going at, even a non-fatal arrow striking a horse could mean the end – the horse would falter with pain, stumble and then get knocked over and trampled by other riders, unable to veer out of the way. It was a horrible and cruel way to die, and I tried not to think about the fact that it could happen to me at any moment.
We finally made it down the hill and crashed into the enemy. With the strength and speed of our riders, many Orcs were killed just by being trampled by the horse's hooves. Nevertheless, Merry and I drew our swords and held them high as we rode. This would be our battle. No one could tell us to stay home anymore, now we can truly fight to defend those we love. Merry had told me his cousin had been taken here, and was most likely in the city. He would fight for him. I would fight for my family who are all here with me, and my beloved, who I know must be somewhere out here on this field.
We fight for what seems like forever. Orcs are all around us and their numbers seem endless. They drop easily under my sword, but where one falls two more replace come and attack. Merry does well with his own sword and we move swiftly through the crowded plane. Hours pass and still there's more work to be done. I feel almost on the brink of exhaustion, but just as we begin to think we're making progress I hear a call that freezes my heart in my chest. Another battle horn sounds over the planes.
We all turn to see a second army arriving, reinforcing the already massive army of Orcs. My heart stops beating. There is no way we can beat them now. This army, who I'm told is the Harradrim, is not only men on foot, but also the great Mummakil. These huge beasts swipe at anyone on the ground with their barbed tusks and huge trunk, clearing a wide path in front of them.
My first instinct is to run, but Uncle calls for us to reform the lines. With a wavering heart I do so, for even in fear, I still serve my King. The charge is sounded and we take on these foul beasts with swords drawn. At first it seems impossible, but soon it's discovered that the huge beasts have a weakness- if their legs are injured, they will collapse, taking hundreds of their masters with them. With this strategy firmly in place, we begin riding in among the forest of thick legs, striking them where we can.
Merry and I ride through the legs of one Mumak, striking all four of its legs as we do and causing it to collapse in pain. The huge thing comes crashing down and I barely escape its massive weight alive. As it is my horse is crushed, ending its life swiftly. Suddenly I sit up. I cannot see Merry anywhere. I call for him but receive no answer. With a heavy heart I hope against hope that he had escaped the impact of the huge beast somehow as I get up and prepare to fight again.
More Orcs swarm the area and I am soon desperately fighting them off. I fight long and hard, putting every bit of training I'd ever received to use in this hour. Suddenly a horribly shrill piercing cry enters my soul and caused me to crouch in fear. A Nazgul flies overhead causing even the Orcs to cry out in terror. I manage to pick myself up in time to see the huge beast bowling into my Uncle and pin him to the ground. The massive dark shape looms over him, its mouth salivating over the thought of eating man-flesh. With a mixture of rage and fear I run as fast as my legs could carry me and plant myself between Uncle and the huge jaw.
"I will kill you if you touch him!" I cry. The words sound braver than my heart feels, but I raise my sword in challenge anyway. The dark rider hisses words at me that I don't hear so much as feel in my soul.
"Do not come between a Nazgul and his prey!" it seethes. The fear redoubles in my heart, and suddenly the head of the beast comes frighteningly close. Without thinking I raise my sword and sever the foul head with one stroke, the body falling limp and useless to the ground. A small victory, and I feel a little of my bravery return to me, enough to have the sense to pick up one of the discarded shields from the ground in frond of me. The massive dark figure rises from the body of its steed to glare at me, though I see no eyes. Only then do I see the great spiked weapon it bears in its hand. It looks heavy enough to crush a man with a single blow, and now it was going to use it to crush me. I raise my shield as it begins to swing its weapon in the air.
The weight of the weapon makes his movements necessarily slow, and so I have plenty of time to dodge each attack, but soon his speed picks up and I am fighting to stay ahead of him. The last hit shatters my shield and I realize I'm in trouble. I fall back onto Uncle's prone form as the Nazgul approaches me. His great iron-clad fist clamps around my throat, lifting me off the ground.
"You fool!" it hisses. "No man can kill me! Die...now...." As it speaks I can feel the cold seeping out through its hand, infecting me with its chill. 'So this is what it feels like to die,' I find myself thinking. I feel its hand tighten around my throat and the life draining from me. Suddenly the hand is released and I am dropped unsteadily to my feet. Behind the black shape I see Merry fall to the ground clutching his sword-arm in pain, and I realize that he had stabbed the fell creature to free me. With no time to feel grateful I pick up my sword from the ground triumphantly. Lifting my helm from my head I turn to face my enemy with a grim smile.
"I am no man!" I cry before burying the cold steel into its head as far as I could. As soon as the metal touches my foe I feel an excruciating pain, followed closely by numbness, flow up my arm and through my body. Suddenly understanding Merry's reaction I fall to my knees, even as my enemy crumbles into a pile of rags and twisted metal. Pain such as I have never known assaults me and I fall, praying the agony would stop. I don't know why, but I begin to crawl. I don't see where I am going, but feel that I must get away from where I had felled my enemy. Thoughts of Merry and my Uncle swim in my head, but they are pushed aside. For now all that mattered was to get away from that twisted metal heap that was once one of the most feared enemies of all the free peoples. When at last my strength is completely spent, I fall to the ground in an exhausted heap and let the blackness take me.
The next thing I remember, someone is calling me. I hear my name, and it sounds beautiful, but I can't get to who is calling for me. Try as I might, they're too far away to even see. I realize belatedly that I am dreaming, or at least unconscious. I try opening my eyes but they feel so heavy and sore that even the thought of opening them causes my mind to hurt. Suddenly, a strange sensation. Something invading my body, causing a harsh rasping pain in the center of my being. Air...someone is forcing air inside me, but why? I have gone beyond the need to breathe. If I breathe it will hurt, and so I do not try. Again and again the harsh feeling of my chest expanding and contracting can be felt, until finally my body responds and forces the harsh painful breaths in on its own. I am alive, for now.
With air now in my lungs I finally have the strength to open my eyes. Before me I see a vague shape that seems to shine with an ethereal light in the darkness around it. My eyes begin to focus on it and I can make out the basic shape of a person. This person tries to draw away, but somehow my hand finds something to anchor to and with all my strength I pull back, forcing the somewhat comforting presence to stay. The blurriness dissolves and I find myself looking up at the most dirty, beat up elf I have ever seen. His face is heavily lined with pain and worry, and suddenly in my mind I hear a thought, in a voice I do not recognize as either his or mine.
'You look horrible!' it says. I look up into his now grey eyes, pleading with me to live. How I'd longed to look into them all these past days we were separated. Now that I finally could, I feel I have not the strength to do so. With the most excruciating agony yet, I will my mouth to open, and words come out. They sound harsh and raspy in my ears, causing pain to them as well, but just the act of speaking to the fair being above me made all the pain worth it.
"Don't leave me," I say pathetically. With all my energy spent, I feel my spirit slipping away again. I try to clutch onto him, to grip his arm tighter, but I've no energy left. I hear his voice in answer, soft and melodious in compared to my own broken words, soothing and comforting all my hurts, causing peace in my heart.
"I will never leave you," he says. With that I finally give into the darkness. He will take care of me, there is no reason now not to sleep, and forget all my hurts. I feel the thick blackness roll over me as my eyes flutter closed, and just before I fall away into forgetful dreams, I feel his lips upon mine, and am loved. My protector, my elf. Mine.