Three guess as to what I don't own, and the first two don't count.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three days later...

"Durian!" a strong hand shook his shoulder, to which he turned on his side and faced the wall of the tent. "Durian!" the shaking became more urgent.

"Hu-what?" he groaned, glaring at the intruder through slitted eyes.

"Get up fool! Sauron's army is within a mile of the City!" Tristan shook him harder. "Gandalf says we have but a few hours before his catapults are in range! We must ready the men!"

At the mention of Sauron's name, Durian snapped to full wakefulness. "Sound the company assemble. Where's my dratted armor?"

Stumbling around his tiny tent in a half-drunken stupor, he dunked his head in a bucket of water to clear it. Slapping his armor and weapons on haphazardly, he became aware of the roll of giant drums in the distance, echoed by the screams of the citizens of the White City. Cursing, he flew outside, to find his horse Telumehetar already saddled and waiting for him, Tristan holding the reins.

"Thanks," he grunted as he swung into the saddle. "Tell the men to form up at the Gate."

Tristan gave him a salute, the grabbed his leg. "Durian, watch yourself. The Eye is upon us-"

"Do not worry about me." He snapped, rubbing his right arm absently. "Just take care of yourself. I'm going to find Gandalf."

His second sprang back as he spurred his ebony mount towards the teeming city. The roll of drums sounded louder, more intense. To his left, the pillar of energy pulsed in time to the beats. As the stallion worked his way through the crowds, he looked for anyone who might be able to help him find the Wizard. In the center of the city though, he found the one person he had tried the hardest to avoid the past few days.

Elentàri stood in her stirrups, her pale mare prancing nervously underneath her as she shouted commands to her archers as they arrayed themselves along the breaking wall. Seeing no other alternative in sight, he nudged the stallion towards his nemesis.

"Lady Elentàri," he called over the din, keeping from flinching as her hate-filled eyes caught his own. "My men are ready to fight. Where is Gandalf?"

"Seventh level," she pointed up to where a figure stood silhouetted against the beacon lit by Pippin days before. "We can't reach him, the crowd is too thick."

"Then how do you know what-" he stopped when he saw the look on her face. "My men are at your command."

"We can't open the gates, it's too dangerous. But there is a tunnel that we can use to get our calvary out."

"Any word from Rohan?"

"None. But Gandalf is sure they will come."

"And my brother?" he saw her face fall slightly. "What?"

"Gandalf has lost sight of him." She turned away. "All we can do now is hope. Bring your men to the far side of the wall; there is a small tunnel through the rock. We will come up on the army's left flank." Wheeling her mare around, she disappeared into the crowd. Durian stared after her, her russet hair waving like a banner in the growing wind that surrounded the city.

"Blast." He snarled, reining in his stallion sharply and heading back to his camp. A half hour later, Sauron's troops were already close enough to begin bombarding the walls of the White City with their catapults. Over the din of Orc growls, troll moans and the screams of the city dwellers, Durian and Ari tried to form their ranks of Rangers and Elves into some semblance of a legion.

"Ari, we must go before they block the entrance," Durian pulled up next to her. "We haven't much longer."

She closed her eyes as if listening to far away music, then faced him. "Gandalf will cover us for as long as he can. I would watch yourself if I were you though princeling, you never know when a stray arrow will find its way into your back."

"Dammit Ari," he snarled as she rode up the flank of her warriors. Cursing, he rode down his own lines calling out instructions. As the tiny host moved into the stone corridor, he spared a final glance at the Elvin princess.

"This is not how this was supposed to end," he shook his head. "Elebreth protect her."

Spurring Telume, he raced to the head of the line and led his Rangers into the Battle of Pellanore Fields.