Note from Nikki

I think most people know about my dad but I was unable to get a hold of a few of you. My dad was in an accident and he's got some pretty serious brain injury. I don't really feel like talking about it so that's as detailed as I'll go for now. Because of this I have been unable to update (I was in a hospital in Colorado all week and am home now only because my mom literally forced me to come home) and I'm now updating on the single purpose that I had this chapter written already and I feel guilty for not updating. As for an update this weekend, I don't think it's going to happen, though I won't say for sure. I'm having a hard time with school right now and I can't even tell you how far behind I've gotten. So school is my main priority (after my dad of course) and then I will work on writing a chapter. I hope no one gets mad! I'm sure most of you will understand.

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Aurora glanced over her shoulder nervously, trying to find some sign of the thousands of ghosts that were following them. There was nothing but the darkness of the night and a few swaying trees.

"Where are they?" Aurora whispered to no one in particular.

"We're everywhere," a voice whispered in her ear.

Aurora shrieked and nearly fell off her horse but managed to grab a hold of the horses mane, much to his displeasure. Aurora galloped so that she was riding next to Aragorn, her arms shaking. "How much further do we have to go?" she moaned.

"We are very close to the river now," Aragorn answered, not even seeming to care that ghosts were invisibly following them, surrounding them.

"Remind me what we're going to do again," Aurora asked nervously.

Aragorn sighed. "Aurora, how many times do you want me to go over this?"

"Well! I need to make sure that I've got it down right. What if I do something wrong and ruin everything for everyone?"

"We will reach the Anduin river soon and there we will take over Corsair ships from Umbar as they travel to Minas Tirith."

"And the purpose of that is?"

"The enemy will not expect us to do that," Aragorn replied. "We may be able to surprise them and gain victory for Gondor."

Aurora nodded. "Sounds like a good plan."

"It is," Aragorn replied.

Aurora fell back and rode beside Gimli and Legolas, who, Aurora had taken notice, had become quite good friends. "What do you guys think of all this?"

Gimli shuddered. "I'm not too happy with the ghosts."

Aurora nodded abruptly. "Me either. They're everywhere! I just can't see them."

"They will help us," Legolas offered.

"How do you know that?" Aurora asked. "They betrayed Gondor once before, what's stopping them from doing it again?"

Legolas shrugged. "They will help."

"I sure hope you're right," Aurora whispered.

A breeze blew across her face and Aurora grunted. "You can stop that now!"

The breeze stopped abruptly and Aurora smiled. Maybe they would listen to her after all. Just as she thought this she was nearly blown off her horse as an enormous torrent overtook her, threatening to blow her completely away.

Legolas had a small, tight lipped smile on his face as he searched for the source of the sudden wind while Aurora shrieked about terrible ghosts and idiot elves.

"You're so naive Legolas! They don't want to help us! They want to torture us," Aurora bellowed angrily.

"No," Legolas corrected with a smirk, "they wish to torture you."

Aurora's eyes narrowed but she couldn't help but take note that Legolas looked incredibly good when he smirked. Shaking off the feeling, she glared at the invisible ghosts behind her. "Leave me alone!"

"Why?" a voice hissed somewhere to left of Aurora.

Aurora's heart quickened but she wasn't about to let the ghosts know that they had gotten to her. "Because it's incredibly rude," Aurora replied defiantly.

Laughter filled the glade around her. Aragorn glanced back at her, smiling at her discomfort. "Just ignore them Aurora," he said almost boredly.

"Easy for you to say oh high and mighty King of Gondor!" Aurora retorted.

Aragorn laughed, though it was short lived, and returned his focus to the path ahead of him. Aurora turned to Legolas and felt a wave of uneasiness cross her stomach again. She groaned inwardly. Now that Scott was gone she could feel the old Mary Sue feelings returning and she hated it very much. She loved Scott. Legolas looking perfectly clean and dignified did nothing to encourage those feelings though.

"Aurora?" Legolas asked.

Aurora snapped out of her thoughts, realizing she had been staring at Legolas for the past few minutes. "Hmm?" she asked.

"Are you alright?"

"Uh. . .no. Yes. Maybe," Aurora said nervously. Great! She was beginning to get the nervousness back too! She forced herself to think of Scott (who was attractive, though incomparable to Legolas) and found small comfort there.

"Quiet!" Aragorn called back to them.

Aurora was immediately silent and the ghosts, she knew, were waiting expectantly because the trees had stopped moving. Everything was completely quiet but for the small chirping of distant birds or the buzzing of insects.

Aurora listened carefully and heard the roar of the river, realizing that they had finally reached the Anduin. Aurora could already feel her nerves tighten up but, oddly, it wasn't in fear. She was excited. The thought puzzled her but she brushed it away, watching Aragorn expectantly.

Aragorn leapt off his horse and crept forward, peering between thick branches of shrubbery. He signaled for the others to come by and so Aurora carefully slid off her horse, struggling to make no noise at all. Legolas leaped off and yet no sound came from his feet hitting the ground.

Aurora gazed through the shrubbery and saw several ships, black flags billowing in the wind. Men scuttled about on the decks, laughing and preparing to set sail. They were oblivious to them or to anything on shore, so concentrated were they on the river before them.

"King of the Dead," Aragorn whispered. Aurora would have thought he was talking to himself but she knew the King must be around somewhere and Aragorn was addressing him. "Take your men and attack them blindly. If myself, Legolas, Gimli, and Aurora attacked they would have time to set sail and we would not catch them. Ensure that they are unable to leave the land and we will come to your aide."

Aurora felt a chill creep up her arms as the presence of the ghost passed by her. It was very eerie to know that they were there but to not see anything.

Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Aurora waited in baited breath as they watched the ships from Umbar from their hiding place. Nothing happened until a moment later when screams and shouts of confusion filled the first ship. Aurora gazed on perhaps the oddest thing she had ever seen in her life as men were thrown invisibly in the air.

"Let's go!" Aragorn called.

Aurora grinned and drew her sword as the four of them leapt from their hiding places yelling wildly. She ran across the sand and followed Aragorn's lead by climbing up the side of the ship. She leapt over the top and was suddenly struck with a nauseating wave of fear.

These were men on the ship. They were men, not monsters like the Orcs. Could she kill a man? She'd never done it and though she knew they were her enemies, she was terrified. She couldn't worry about it for too long though because she was suddenly attacked by a short man who sliced across her stomach. Aurora gasped and did the only thing she could do, she stabbed the man in the chest and watched as he fell lifeless to the ground.

Aurora froze as she held onto her bleeding stomach, not sure of what to do. Legolas came up behind her and asked, "Are you okay?"

Aurora nodded. "Yes, I'm fine."

She had to move on. She had to help. Her wound wasn't that deep so she picked up her sword and stepped over the man she had killed, dashing to help. She couldn't worry about a man she had killed, she'd learned it. Though it was different, these people deserved to die. They were power hungry and she knew they would kill her without a second thought.

So she attacked with a vengeance, not knowing who she killed, not wanting to know. Her mind had one mindset and that was to gain this ship so they could get to Gondor. So they could save Aragorn's kingdom. So they could save Frodo and rescue the world from darkness. But most of all, so she could get back to Scott. So she could see her brother again and make sure that he was okay.

Slowly the men on this ship began to dwindle and Aurora couldn't find anymore of them. She glanced around, searching for signs of life and found none. Her hand trembled but she brushed it off, ignoring her guilt. She peered over the side of the deck and saw that other ships were completely deserted but for an occasional wild shriek as a man was flung overboard by an invisible force.

Aurora reached Aragorn and together they surveyed the ship, they were all dead. The ghosts were doing an excellent job in cleaning the deck up. The other ships were all empty, though Aurora knew there were probably ghosts on them because she could see faint green lights every once in awhile.

Aurora smiled. "Looks like we got it Aragorn."

Aragorn nodded but didn't smile. "Yes we did."

Aurora sighed, suddenly feeling very tired. She could feel a dull pain in her stomach where she had been cut and so she sat down abruptly on the deck.

"Are you okay?" Aragorn asked, concerned.

Aurora nodded. "Just a little worn."

Aragorn nodded and reached for his pack. Out of it he pulled a beautiful white banner with beautiful sparkling jewels. On this flag was a White Tree (which Aurora had learned was the symbol of Gondor) and about this tree were seven stars and a high crown on the very top.

"It's beautiful," Aurora whispered. "What does it mean?"

Aragorn didn't answer, only walked and lowered one of the black flags, tearing it off. He put the new, white standard on the pole and raised it into the air, it billowing proudly in the slight breeze.

"What does that mean?" Aurora asked Legolas.

Legolas was smiling and he looked incredibly proud. "It is the sign of Elendil that has not been seen for years beyond count."

Aurora suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pride. "The King of Gondor has returned."

Legolas grinned. "Indeed he has."

Aragorn cut loose the anchors and Aurora felt the gentle rocking of the ship as it swayed beneath her feet. Suddenly a great gust of air filled the ship and it took sail, the flags billowing proudly on the air.

Aurora gripped the side of the rail, unable to suppress a grin. The ghosts and their annoying winds were going to be very helpful after all.

Aurora stood by Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli at the stern of the ship, the wind whipping her hair behind her. The King of Gondor was coming to regain his throne and he was doing it in the least expected way. Gods have mercy on the souls of the forces of Mordor.

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A/n: I had to put the flag! I love this part in the book and it was hard for me to go according to the movie when there is so much more detail in the book! I wanted to bring Elrohir and Elladan and the Rangers and everything but it wouldn't fit with this story because it goes according to the movie. *sighs sadly* but I did bring his wonderful little flag with the pretty jewels that Arwen made. It'll have to do!

Please review!