Thank you all for letting me know that Chapter 46 wasn't as bad as I thought it was. I guess I just wasn't happy with it. I am happy with this chapter. I hope you enjoy it and as always your reviews are welcome. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings. It all belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien and the movie producers I only own Amaris.

Number 47: Battle is Upon You

They rode for the black gates and every soldier was silent the entire way. Gimli rode behind Legolas and he was the only one who dared to speak through out their journey. "Have I ever told you how much I dislike riding a horse?" Gimli asked Legolas with his usual gruff tone. Amaris smiled to herself.

"Only every time you've ridden behind me," Amaris heard Legolas say. Amaris' eyes went wide and she looked at him.

"Legolas!" She exclaimed in a whisper and he looked at her.

"What is it, meleth nîn?" Legolas asked. Amaris furrowed her brow at him.

"Why did you say that?" She asked so quietly only Legolas could make it out. Legolas was confused and furrowed her brow at her.

"I said nothing." Amaris was definitely confused.

"If you didn't say anything, then what did I hear? I was certain I heard you say something," Amaris thought to herself and Legolas looked sharply at her.

"Amaris, can you hear me?" Legolas asked her in his mind. Amaris sighed.

"Of course I can hear you. I am, after all, riding right next to you," She said keeping her eyes forward. Amaris heard Gimli huff and laugh.

"Who are you talking to lass? No one said anything to you," Gimli said with a smile. Amaris looked at him and then at Legolas who was looking at her with a smile.

"Our bond is stronger, meleth nîn, we can communicate with each other through our minds if what we say we wish each other to hear," Legolas spoke to her. She smiled and shook her head.

"Sorry, Gimli. I guess I must be hearing things," Amaris said. Gimli just let out a little laugh and shook his head.

"Elves!" Gimli exclaimed causing Amaris to let out a laugh and everyone to look at her. She felt every pair of eyes on her except for Legolas and once again, she was thankful her blush did not show.

"Sorry," Amaris said quietly. "Legolas, can you hear me?" Legolas chuckled to himself.

"I can," came Legolas' reply. Amaris smiled.

"How is this possible? I thought only Lady Galadriel could communicate telepathically."

"She is the only one who can speak to everyone and search others' minds. However, when two elves are bound, they share a common link, just like we can feel what the other is feeling."

"You said our bond is stronger. When we made love last night, did that strengthen our bond?" Legolas glanced at her with questioning eyes but returned his eyes to the path ahead.

"Made love?" Amaris smiled to herself.

"I know I've been forgetting things about where I am from, but I am only forgetting things related to Middle Earth. Where I am from, when two people bond it is called 'making love' because most people only bond with a person that they love and want to share a very intimate part of themselves with their partner. I was never really in love, which is why you were my first." Amaris explained and hoped Legolas understood. He smiled.

"I understand. I do believe that I like your term for bonding." He paused and then continued. "Last night when we 'made love' we did strengthen our bond it now runs deeper then ever before, so, we are able to communicate to one another telepathically." Amaris smiled.

"I like being able to communicate with you this way. No one can hear what we say and no one will know our secrets." Legolas glanced over at her and she at him. They shared a knowing smile before they stopped talking and just continued on their ride.

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A day and a half passed and they reached the gates. Amaris rode forward and turned Marisal around slightly. "I will ride ahead. I will communicate with him," Amaris told Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and Eomer.

"Be careful, meleth nîn,"Legolas told her and she smiled as she rode.

"I will be fine," Amaris told him. "Le melin (I love you)." She rode ahead but closed out her mind so she could no longer hear Legolas but she could still feel him. She reached the black gates and closed her eyes. She searched out the evil she felt trying to get to her. When she found it she hesitated to open it but did. "Sauron, open your gates." She heard the black speech and then suddenly felt very warm and with her eyes closed she looked upon him and she was ready to face him.

"You have brought your friends to their death," Sauron said causing Amaris to feel even more anger.

"You are wrong. I have brought them to your destruction!" Amaris paused when he laughed. "Open your gates and face your defeat."

"You are fool to believe that your mere group can defeat my army. They will be slaughtered in seconds and you will be brought to me."

"We will defeat you Sauron. However, before your destruction, I have a question for you."

"What is that?"

"Why do you want me? You know nothing of me. Why would you want me to be the one to produce your heir?" She heard him laugh once again and her anger was once again mounting. "Well?"

"I know more than you think about you. You came to Middle Earth before this battle began and became a part of the group that was set to defeat me. You are fearless and pure something I very much admire." He started to laugh again but a smirk crossed her face.

"How can one be pure when they are bound to another?" His laughter stopped immediately and Amaris smiled. "What is wrong?"

"You will pay!" Amaris felt her head jerk and she opened her eyes only to see Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf, Eomer and Gimli around her on their horses. Her hands were wrapped tight in Marisal's mane so untwined her fingers.

"What happened?" Gandalf asked. Amaris took deep breaths and reconnected herself to Legolas before speaking because she felt the panic radiating off of him.

"I think I just made him angry," Amaris said as she looked at them. "He didn't like what I had to say to him." They just looked at her with concern as she regained her composer. Aragorn turned Brego around and rode him up to the gate the others followed.

"Amaris, are you alright?" Legolas asked.

"I am fine Legolas. Do not worry," Amaris answered.

"What did you say to him to make him angry?"

"I asked him why he wanted me and he said because I am fearless and pure and he admired that." Legolas looked at her briefly and raised an eyebrow causing Amaris to laugh to herself. "What made him angry was when I asked how could someone be pure when they are bound to someone else." Legolas smiled to himself and continued ahead.

"Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Let justice be done upon Him!" Aragorn called out to the gates. For a moment all is still and quiet when the gates slowly start to open. Amaris sighs when the sight of Sauron comes into view and she glares in his direction. Her eyes follow downwards and land on the heard of orcs heading their way. Amaris' eyes widen at the sight but she is ready. Aragorn turns Brego around. "Pull back! Pull back!" Everyone turned their horses and rode up to the soldiers who slowly began to back away. "Hold your ground! Hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan. My brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me! A day may come, when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of Fellowship, but it is not this day! An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you, stand, men of the West!" Aragorn exclaimed the last sentence and turned to face the approaching orcs as he raised Andúril to the sky and the air around the soldiers seemed to have lightened and they were ready to fight.

They all dismounted their horses and let them go before standing before the men as the orcs marched upon them. Amaris removed her bow and placed it in her left hand and squeezed it tight. Legolas held his bow in his right hand, for the moment. She reached out and clasped her hand in his.

"Legolas, be careful," Amaris told him through their connection. He gently squeezed her hand and smiled at her.

"You too Amaris." It took all he had not to lean down and kiss her but now was not the time. Amaris smiled at him and wanted desperately to feel his lips on hers one more time but his eyes were already darkening for battle. She smiled at him and released his hand. He took one last long look at her before he turned his attention back to the approaching hoard.

"Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an elf," Gimli said. Amaris' heart went to her throat. She could not imagine any of them dying. If one did, she did not know what she was going to do. She looked at the two beside her. Her love and dear friend and prayed that they both would be alright come the end and that all of her friends and those that she held dear to her heart survived.

"What about side by side with a friend?" Legolas asked with a smile. Amaris just watched the exchange.

"Aye, I could do that." Gimli's response was quiet but they both smiled at each other. Amaris would not let herself think of any of them dying for if she did she would not be able to stop her tears and a battle was about to begin and there was no room for tears.