Journey to Mordor (By SUV)

Disclaimer: I think you would know if I owned anything except my character, Tess, and the plot. Dolly, Mary, Kate, and Emily all belong to their originators and are being used with permission.

Chapter Thirty-nine: Battle Plan

Tess was still steaming when they got back to Minas Tirith. She refused to talk to Aragorn or to anyone. But Aragorn called a meeting and he requested that she attend. She stuck her tongue out at him but cam anyways. Everyone crowded into the Citadel and the discussions began.

"You have all been called here to discuss what to do about the threat of Mordor. We won the battle of Pelennor Fields but the enemy is still here. I need your help deciding what to do about them," said Aragorn.

"We can't risk the lives of any more men. We have lost many men already and cannot afford to lose any more," said Eomer.

"But what about our friends?" protested Pippin. "They're still out there! Are we supposed to let them fail?"

"Well, yeah! No one cares about your friends!"

"We need to help them get to Mount Doom! If we don't and the quest fails, then it will be all our fault!" cried Tess, speaking for the first time since trying to runaway.

"We still can't afford to lose any more men!" said Eomer.

"But we also can't afford for the quest to fail," said Aragorn. "We need to formulate a plan."

"A plan for what?" asked Legolas. "A plan for better hair care? Because, Aragorn, you and Tess look like you haven't washed your hair in a long time, not to mention bathing…"
"Shut up, wig wearer, before I kill you," hissed Tess, in Legolas's ears as she touched her sword. Legolas gulped.

"No Legolas, what we need is a plan for battle," said Aragorn, not noticing his daughter's threat.

"And what do you recommend we do?" questioned Eomer. "Get ourselves killed?"

"We should march on the Black Gate. Doing so will get Sauron's eye on us…"

Snickers were heard coming from Tess and Emily. Aragorn glared at them and Tess responded, "Sorry, but all Sauron is, well, all that he is, is an eye!"

"That maybe so but we still need to keep his attention on us and doing so will allow the others safe passage to the mountain. Keep him blind to all else that moves."

"A diversion!" cried Legolas cheerfully, jumping for joy.

"You are just soooo smart now, aren't you Legolas…" grumbled Tess sarcastically.

"Yes I am!"

"Legolas, this is the first time that you have ever really said anything smart lately! You wanna know why?

"Why?"

"Cause you aren't freaking smart!"

"Well RARR!"

"Bite me, Elf!"

Legolas, not understanding that Tess had really meant not to bite her, bit her on the neck when she turned away from him. Tess jumped when he bit her and she turned around with her dagger out and slashed several chunks of long blonde hair off the Elf. Legolas shrieked like a girl as he grabbed the falling pieces of hair.

"That fucking hurt, you asshole of an Elf! I was just being sarcastic! Can't you take a joke?" grumbled Tess, rubbing the bite on her neck.

"My hair!" cried Legolas. "My beautiful hair! It is all ruined now! Waaaa!!!!!!!"

"Laddie, it was only a wig!" said Gimli while laughing at Legolas who looked quite strange with his uneven hair cut.

"No it was not a wig! It was real hair!"

"Oh you prissy Elf! Go buy another wig and shove it! Or better yet, go crawl in a hole and die, WIG WEARER!" yelled Tess.

Legolas ran off crying loudly, holding large chunks of long, fake, blonde hair in his hands. Tess rolled her eyes and sighed as she turned back to face her father who was shaking his head and trying very hard to keep a straight face and not laugh.

"What?" asked Tess, clearly confused by Aragorn's behavior.

"Oh nothing, nothing at all! Um, do you think we could possibly get back to the battle plan now?"

"I don't see why not!"

"Okay, now what we need to do is to gather weapons and people and march on the Black Gate. We cannot win this battle for ourselves but we can at least give them a chance to destroy the Ring."

"Sounds like fun! When do we go get killed… I mean leave? I feel like kicking some major Orc ass!"

"MOO!" agreed Emily. "I want to poke the eye! Poke!"

"No Tess, you and Emily will not be coming with us to fight this time…"

"Well why the hell not?"

"You will both be staying here, at Minas Tirith, where it is safe."

"Ada! Are you crazy?"

"Tess, we can not win this battle and this you know better than anyone else. You know that many of us will fall and most will never return. You have to stay here and be safe."

"But you need my help! You always do! You know it too!"

"I'm sorry…" said Aragorn softly as he walked out of the room and two guards came and dragged Tess, kicking, screaming, cursing, and threatening, off to her rooms.

Emily followed Tess, who was shoved into her rooms as the outer doors were locked on the outside, preventing Tess's escape. Tess pounded on the doors many times and screaming but nothing happened. Finally, she gave up and sank into the window seat.

"Ada! When I get out of here, and you know I will, you are soooo going to wish you were dead!"

"Moo…" said Emily sadly.

Tess huffed as she watched her father ride away, wearing the clothes of the King of Gondor. It was like Aragorn wanted to be a target. He might as well have put a bullseye on himself and a sign that said, 'Kill me, I'm Isildur's heir'.

Tess didn't get much time to think about this because just then, the main door to her room was unlocked and the door swung open. Tess drew her sword and aimed it at the intruder. But the intruder was none other than Mary, who was wearing a black sweater, so Tess quickly sheathed it.

"What are you doing here? Where's Faramir? He's still alive, right?" questioned Tess, knowing that Mary would find it hard to leave Faramir's side.

"Yes Faramir is still alive but there are some slightly more important things for you than what's going on with Faramir."

"Such as?"

"You need to go to the Black Gate. You are need there so I came to free you. And if you want me too, I'll ride with you."

"But why would I need to go to the Black Gate? Don't get me wrong, I wanted to go there but why is it suddenly so important that I be there?" asked Tess, completely confused by the course of events.

But a sudden, sharp pain to her head, which brought her hand to her head and she closed her eyes and her questions were answered by a vision.

Aragorn was fighting at the Black Gate. Suddenly, he was knocked over and held down by an ugly, disgusting troll's foot. The troll raised its weapon and brought it down towards Aragorn. Legolas cried "Aragorn!" as he tried to get to him but he was too late. Aragorn was hit directly in the chest. A fatal wound which, brought a look of pure shock to his face.

"Tess… Arwen…" he gasped. "I never got to say good-bye one last time… I'm so sorry…"

Legolas appeared at his side. "Mellon-nin," he cried looking at the dying Aragorn, knowing that he could not save him.

"Legolas, you have to let me go. You need to watch over Arwen and Tess for me. Don't let Tess blame herself for my death was my own mistake. Have her take my place on the throne. And tell them how much I love them," said Aragorn as he closed his eyes for the last time.

"Damn it Aragorn! You shouldn't have died! Now Arwen will sail to the Undying Lands and your daughter will probably kill herself and allow Gondor to fall into ruin!"

Tess came back, her head spinning. She looked to Mary quickly, her mind made up. "Let's go!" she cried as she ran from the room.

Emily and Mary followed her as she led the way down the hall and then she snuck into her father's rooms. She quickly grabbed his old Ranger clothes. Then she ran to the stables to get her horse, Mary and Emily close behind.

Author's Notes:

I'm so sorry about the delay! This chapter was almost finished being typed up when my computer deleted the whole thing late last night. I was pissed and way to tired to type it up again so I started and finished it this morning while eating breakfast. Chapter 40 should be up later today. Once again, I'm very sorry but my computer is screwy. That's what I get for forgetting to save my writing every few sentences.

Reviewers!

(Chapter 1)

Lilan – Glad you think it's so funny! Well, let's just say my friends and I are short a couple of screws and are wacky like that and I'm also on drugs which make me act crazy and they are just normally meds and they don't work for me.

(Chapter 37)

Jak - Having fun with the dead spider? poke

(Chapter 38)

Laer4572 – Maybe she can be happy at some point but right now she's still dealing with a lot of stuff. She wants to fight in battle, but her father doesn't want to risk her life. Kate, Dolly, and Emily still want her to come with them even though they've stopped asking. And Elrond is still scheming to get rid of either her or Aragorn or both. And Tess is just confused.

rose-eye-blonde91 – Glad you like the story! Field hockey is great because it gives you an excuse to chase people around with sticks! Such a violent sport! Glad you like Emily's moo too!

A Darker Side of Light – Yes 'Lost' is so kick arse! Dom does an excellent job as Charlie! That's cool that your sweater is your Charlie sweater! Certainly it was short, but yeah it did add to story like you said. Suspense is good though, isn't it? Faramir will be up and about in 41, which should be up tomorrow.

Jak – Glad you still like it.