Anything in parentheses (words) means it's in Elvish.
Captured in a Dream
Chapter 32
Last Chapter:
–Dawn–
Eowyn watch the sun rise, as she wasn't able to sleep at all last night. She slightly touches her lips, remembering the still warm feeling of the passionate kiss Alejandro gave her. Theoden walks from his tent and walked past Eowyn.
"I have left instruction. The people are to follow your rule in my stead." Theoden turns to his niece. "Take up my seat in the Golden Hall. Long may you defend Edoras, if the battle goes ill."
"What other duty would you have me do, my lord?" Eowyn asks in a monotone.
Theoden frowns at his niece's attitude. "Duty? No." He shakes his head and walks forward. Theoden takes her hands in his. "I would have you smile again, not grieve for those whose time has come. You shall live to see these days renewed," Theoden takes her head and puts his forehead to hers. "And no more despair."
–Alejandra's tent–
At the crack of dawn, Eomer stirs awake. He frowns as he looks around the unfamiliar tent, but a sigh of content made him look down. In his arms was a sleeping Alejandra cuddled up to him. Eomer smiles as he remembers the previews night. He moves a strand of Alejandra's hair from her face and kisses her fore head lightly. Her response was a smile and scooting closer to Eomer. Smiling as well, Eomer kissed her lips, Alejandra kissing back as well. Breaking away, Alejandra hums, blinking open her eyes.
"Will, that was a nice wake up call." She whispers, closing her eyes once more. "Now, I'll just go back to sleep."
Eomer chuckled and slid his hands under her shirt. "We'll see about that, my lady." He whispered back huskily, kissing her once more.
Alejandra put her hands around Eomer's neck, just as he rolled on top of her, fully aware of his nudeness still. Eomer starts to kiss her neck, his hand massaging Alejandra's sensitive skin. Alejandra shudders in delight, Eomer smiling in triumph.
"This isn't fair, my lord." Alejandra whispered breathlessly. "You know my secret, but I have yet to learn yours."
Eomer placed one last kiss at the base of her collar bone, and looked into Alejandra's honey eyes.
"I thought it was obvious." He whispered, his smile widening.
Alejandra blushed, her right hand trailing from behind his neck and down his arms.
"We must get out of bed. We should be riding to Gondor soon."
Eomer nodded, kissing her once more.
–Path of the Dead–
Legolas, Aragorn, and Alejandro rode in silence through out the night. Dawn was passing and soon was turning to the afternoon. Gimli suddenly broke the haunting silence, Alejandro grateful for it.
"What kind of army would linger in such a place?"
Alejandro was about to answer but suddenly stopped as he could no longer remember.
"One that is cursed." Legolas says in a almost whisper. "Long ago, the Men of the Mountains swore an oath to the last king of Gondor to come to his aid to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled... vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge."
Aragorn looks briefly back at Legolas, than started to look around, as does Legolas. When he talks once more, Legolas' voice sounded as an echo, haunting, yet enchanting.
"Who shall call them from the grey twilight? The forgotten people. The heir of him to whom the oath they swore," Aragorn frowns, looking down. "From the north shall he come. Need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead."
–Rohirrim–
Soldiers have been running around at the crack of dawn. An hour has pass since than, and now they mount their ready horses, taking down camps as fast as they can, putting any armor left for the upcoming war. Eomer strode out of Alejandra's tent and went to his own to get ready, before going over to his uncles to talk over the strategies. During that time, Eowyn walks into Alejandra's tent, who helped her get ready in her disguise for the war.
"You may want to stay close to me. But I will be going to Eomer's group, so you stay with your uncle, I know you will be alright." Alejandra told Eowyn, as she put on the helmet.
"Are you sure they will not recognize me." Eowyn asks, exhaling slowly.
"I am positive, Eowyn. Now, I know I promised my cousin I will take care of you, and trust me, I will. But I have a feeling we will be separated during the battle, it always happens. So stay strong, and calm your nerves. And make sure to look away incase you are too close to your uncle or your brother." Eowyn nodded. "I must take my leave, so stay here a longer if you like or you can go get your horse ready. And I'm thinking Theoden won't let Merry come to this war, so..." Alejandra trailed off, smiling to the woman in front of her, who has become friends with.
Alejandra walked out of her tent and made her way to where she believed Shadow was, hopefully ready to leave. On her way, she sees Theoden walking out of his tent, fixing his gloves, Eomer following behind.
"We must ride light and swift." Theoden tells Eomer. "It is a long road ahead. And man and beast must reach the end with the strength to fight." Theoden looks to Eomer and stops in front of his ready horse.
Nodding to each other, Theoden gets on his horse, as Eomer walks over to his own. Once they are mounted, Theoden rides towards the path that leads down to the bottom. Though, Theoden stops next to Merry, who was trying to get on his pony, and looks down at him.
"Little Hobbits do not belong in war, Master Meriadoc."
Merry stares in disbelief. "All my friends have gone to battle. I would be ashamed to be left behind."
"It is a three-day gallop to Minas Tirith. And none of my riders can bear you as a burden." Theoden tries to reasons with him.
"I want to fight."
"I will say no more."
Theoden rides down to the path, Merry watching him disappear. Alejandra rode after a few men, winking over to Merry, which only confused. Merry is than grabbed from behind, startling him. He was lifted and set in front of a rider, who leans into Merry's ear.
"Ride with me." Eowyn whispers.
"My lady!" Merry smiles.
Down below, Eomer yells to the soldiers, as some ride behind their king.
"Form up! Move out! Form up! Move out!"
"Ride!" Theoden yells. "Ride now to Gondor!"
Hours has past. The crack of dawn now the afternoon. The pounding of the horses hooves and their rapid breaths was becoming unbearable for Alejandra. She rode just behind Eomer and Theoden, as a disguise Eowyn rode with Pippin just a few feet away behind her. Looking around, a song came into her mind, and she thought of Aragorn, as it kind of related to him. She missed her cousin, Alejandro, having never really been apart from him for so long. Except for the time she got captured.
Not wanting to feel the loneliness in her heart, nor hear the quietness. Alejandra deiced to sing the song in her mind, hoping to ease hers, as well as the other soldiers, thundering hearts. So as loud as she could, Alejandra started to sing.
"I can remember / The very first time I cried /
How I wiped my eyes / And buried the pain inside /
All of my memories / Good and bad that's passed /
Didn't even take the time to realize /
Staring at the cracks in the walls /
'Cause I'm waiting for it all to come to an end /
Still I curl up right under the bed /
'Cause it's takin' over my head / All over again /"
–Path of the Dead–
The group reaches to a more narrowed path, forcing them to dismount their horses, taking the burden of them holding the weight for much longer. Looking into the path, it looked almost closed in from the mountain side. By leading their horses by the reins, they walk froward, Aragorn holding his sword out just in case.
"Do you even know who you are/
I'm guess I'm trying to find /
A borrowed dream or a superstar/
I want to be a star /
Is life good to you, or is it bad/
I can't tell anymore /Do you even know what you have/'
Aragorn looks around, feeling nothing but confusion and uncertainty. Alejandro looks over to the Ranger of the North that he has become close and admired to. He knew how Aragorn was feeling right about now. Aragorn didn't want to be king. He didn't think he would be such a good ruler over the people. Aragorn was afraid of the people rejecting him, as Boromir did at first.
'Lying awake / Watching the sunlight /
How the birds will sing / As I count the rings around my eyes /
Constantly pushing / The world I know aside /
I don't even feel the pain / I don't even want to try /
I'm looking for a way to become /
The person that I dreamt up / When I was 16 /
Oh, nothing is ever enough /
Ooh, baby it ain't enough /
For what it may seem /'
But even so, Alejandro knows he would get past his fears. He would take the crown and rebuild Gondor to it's peaceful city as it once was. Walking next to his friend, Alejandro put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Aragorn turned to him in confusion.
'Do you even know who you are/
I'm still trying to find /
A borrowed dream or a superstar/
Everybody wants to be /
Is life good to you, or is it bad/
I can't tell anymore /
Do you even know what you have/
No /
Sorry girl / Tell a tale for me /
'Cause I'm wondering / How you really feel /
I'm a lonely girl / I'll tell a tale for you /
'Cause I'm just trying to make /
All my dreams come true /'
Alejandro merely smiled, nodding. "You'll be a good ruler, my friend. Don't worry."
Aragorn looked down and than straight ahead over to an open way in the mountain. Aragorn felt a bit comfort, but the uncertainty was still there.
'Maybe I should flee after all this is over.'
'But you cannot run forever. It will always be in your path of life. No mater where you go.'
'Great. I am now hearing voices in my head and arguing with them.'
'Just accept who you are. Gondor needs a king! You will be able to give them hope once more!'
Aragorn sighed. He knew this was true. Oh, how he despeartly wished he was born to be someone else and not a king who has to rule over a kingdom.
'Do you even know who you are/
Oh yeah, yeah /
A borrowed dream or a superstar/
Oh, I wanted to be a star /
Is life good to you, or is it bad/
I can't tell, I can't tell anymore /
Do you even know what you have/
I guess not, oh, I guess not /"
–Rohirrim–
Eomer looked over his shoulder and slowed his horse a bit to ride next to Alejandra. He paid attention to the words and frowned.
'Why is she confused of who she is?' He thought, as Alejandra smiled to him.
"Do you even know who you are/
Oh, I'm trying to find /
A rising dream, or a falling star/
Oh, I have all these dreams /
Is life good to you, or is it bad/
I can't tell anymore /
Do you even know what you have/
Oh, no, no /
Fades-
Do you even know who you are/
A rising dream, or falling star/
Is life good to you, or is it bad"
Alejandra stopped singing and tilted her head to the side.
"My lord?" Alejandra teased.
Eomer smiled. "You sing beautifully." He looked around his men. "I believe you calmed them a bit. I know you calmed me." He looked down to her.
"That was the point. I would have chosen a different song. But I had this one in my mind, and I couldn't get rid of it."
"Either way, it was fine."
Alejandra smiled, as Eomer rode next to her the rest of the way.
–Paths of Dead–
The group walked up to the two stone frames, looking at the horizontal one on top that had scripture of writing.
'That looks like Egyptian... sort of.' Alejandro thought, tilting his head a bit.
"The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away." Gimli whispers.
Legolas studies the writing, frowning. "The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead. And the dead keep it. The way is shut."
An echo of someone exhaling was heard coming from within the doorway, as air blew towards the group. Arod, Brego, and Lighting all go onto their hind legs, pulling the reins from their master's grip. Once they loosened the reins, the horses ran the other way.
"Brego!" Aragorn yelled, looking after his horse.
Gimli holds his ax in front of him, looking around, Aragorn turns around, shaking his head to remove his hair out of his eyes as the wind continued to blow towards them.
"I do not fear death." Aragorn states and walks forward
Alejandro walked after him without a second thought. Legolas hesitates but goes after them, his face determine.
"Well," Gimli starts, looking after them. "This is a thing unheard of. An Elf will go underground where a Dwarf dare not? Oh." Gimli sighed and looks down briefly. "I'll never hear the end of it." Gimli jogs forward, disappearing into the darkness.
–Gondor–
Ailish jogged to the second level and in-between her brother and Gandalf, looking out in front of them. More than tens of thousands Uruk-hais and Orcs chant loudly for all to hear. They make their way towards the front of the city, the black colds helping them shield away from the sun.
"There are too many." Faramir breathe out, standing on Gandalf's left.
"And yet we will defeat them." Damon whispered.
Ailish squint her eyes and glared at what she saw. On top of a Warg dressed in black and red was Saul, sitting tall next to a Uruk-hai who's left side of the face was all smashed together. Ailish's breath came in gasps, as she gripped the stone railing until her knuckles turned white. Damon looked at his sisters hands and looked up to her.
"Ailish?"
Gandalf and Faramir turned at Damon's worried voice to them to see what was wrong.
"Lady Ailish?" Gandalf asks, frowning.
Ailish, though, does not hear them. She continues to stare at Saul, her throat going dry as tears start to form. Her chest heaved up and down quickly, having trouble breathing.
"Ailish." Faramir says alarm, walking next to Gandalf.
'Por que? Why did you betray us, Saul?'
The pressure getting to her, Ailish let go of the railing and turned around. But her knees weakened, as she couldn't stop herself from trembling. Both Faramir and Damon caught her before she fell. Ailish's breathing did not seize to calm down, nor her tears from falling or her heart from thundering so loudly.
"We must get her to a healer." Faramir suggested.
"No. She must go to her room and rest. Take her away from the view of the traitor." Gandalf tells them, turning back to the front to glare at Saul.
"No." Ailish said, holding on to both her brother and Faramir.
"But-" Faramir started but Ailish shook her head.
"No. I need to stay. I just still--I can't believe he betrayed us." Ailish said, her breathing now in small gasps.
Both Damon and Faramir looked at each other, deciding to let her stay.
"We must get the woman and children up to the seventh level. I'll have to go up there. I need to talk to Pippin."
Faramir nodded, and looked to the soldiers. "Round up the woman and children! Take them to the seventh level!"
The soldiers did what he was told.
–Paths of the Dead–
Aragorn looks at the two different tunnels, holding a torch. He moves to the left, the light showing skulls. Legolas looks in, both friends looking at each other. Aragon than decides to move to the left.
"What is it? What do you see?" Gimli asks.
Legolas walks to the right with Gimli. "I see shapes of men. And of horses."
Gimli looks around. "Where?"
"Pale banners like shreds of could. Spears rise, like winter-thickets through a shroud of mist." Legolas tells them, his eyes widening. "The Dead are following." He frowns in thought. "They have been summoned."
Gimli turns around, looking about scared. "The Dead? Summoned?" Gimli nods. "I knew that." He turns around again. "Ver good. Very good!" Seeing neither of his friends around, Gimli's eyes widen and run forwards. "Legolas!"
Gimli caught up with the rest of the group, walking through a waist high mist. Which turned out to be hands reaching out to them. Legolas turns in circles frowning, as he wisped away the misty hands with his bow. Aragorn only turns, looking down at the hands in confusion and wonder. Alejandro, though, had the hardest with the hands, for they all tried to hold on to him.
'Damn... stupid... ghost!...' He cursed them in his head, swinging about his bow as well.
Gimli carefully walked behind him, seeing a misty hand reaching out. He eyes it for a while. When it comes to grab him, Gimli starts to blow, moving to the right. When it disappeared, another comes along and Gimli starts to blow harder. Soon all the misty hands start to reach for him, so he blows and blows, waving his hand about. Legolas turns and turns, watching the hands try to hold on to him, as Aragorn takes a step and stops.
Looking down, his eyes widen and looks back up. "Do not look down." He tells them, continuing his walk.
Gimli stops in mid blow whin his foot crunch's down on something. He looked as if he wanted to cry. Slowly, he looks down to see many skeletons all around him in the path. He carefully starts to walk slowly, hearing the crunches echo. Than Gimli starts to jog away, the crunches becoming louder. Finally, the group jogs out of the path and into a clearing. A stone-ruin building to their right could be seen, as a never ending pit was in front of it. They all look around, walking in front of the building.
"Who enters my domain?" The Ghost King asks, his voice echoing.
Aragorn turns around, as will as the others to see a half-skeleton, see through ghost.
"One who will have your allegiance." Aragorn says loudly.
Alejandro gulping down the anxiety he was feeling. Legolas narrows his eyes, looking about the clearing.
"The Dead do not suffer the living to pass." The Ghost King tells them coldly.
"You will suffer me." Aragorn tells him.
The Ghost King laughs, ghostly buildings on the other side of the pit start to form behind them.
"The way is shut." The king says, as Aragorn turns, wide eye. "It was made by those who are dead. And the Dead keep it."
Ghostly figures come out of the buildings and towards the group, who turns around to look at them with wide eyes. The ghosts surround them, the group all having their weapons out.
The Ghost King walks towards them. "The way is shut. Now you must die."
Legolas lets an arrow go, but it only goes through the Ghost King's head. Gimli holds up his ax defensively, as Alejandro only looks around at the ghost, knowing full well that they won't do anything... yet.
"I summon you to fulfill your oath." Aragorn says, walking forward as well.
"None but the king of Gondor may command me." The Ghost King says, his sword out ready to strike.
Aragorn holds his sword vertically, and once the Ghost King attacks, Aragorn blocks it, then twist it around.
"That line was broken." The Ghost King says disbelieving.
Aragorn grabs his neck and puts his sword to his neck. "It has been remade." Aragorn pushes the King back and looks around. "Fight for us, and regain your honor. What say you?" Aragorn stars to walk forward, the ghost moving out of the way. "What say you?"
"Don't waste your time, Aragorn. They had no honor in life, they have none now in death." Gimli tells him, but Aragorn only ignores him.
"I am Isildur's heir." Aragorn turns and points his sword at them. "Fight for me, and I will hold your oaths fulfilled." Aragorn puts his sword down and takes a step forward. "What say you!"
The Ghost King laughs, all the ghost backing away.
"You have my word!" Aragorn tries yelling once more. "Fight and I will release you from this living death! What say you?"
"Stand, you traitors!" Gimli shouts.
The ground than starts to shake, a couple of skull heads falling down. Aragorn looks at them and looks up, holding his sword in both hands. A cracking noise is than made and they all turn. Legolas turns slowly back to the building, the rocks falling down. Aragorn shakes his head slowly, knowing what is coming. Many skeletons fall from the ruin building in front of them in waves.
"Out!" Aragorn yells.
The group turns right and run, in hopes of trying not to slip on the skulls that fell upon them.
"Legolas!" Aragon yells, looking behind him.
Once they reached solid ground, they ran as their lives depended on it... which was true.
"Run!" Aragorn yelled.
Legolas quickly stopped, takes Gimli by his left shoulder and pushes him forward, running behind them. The skeletons closing their path back to the clearing, along with rocks. The group runs out from the mountain side, dust coming from the small doorway. Both Aragorn and Alejandro down to see houses on fire and a few dozen ships on the river. Aragorn gets teary eye and falls to his knees, as Alejandro bows his head in respect before he and Legolas walked forward and putting a hand on each of Aragorn's shoulder.
Aragorn closes his eyes, looking down. Legolas takes a dep breath and sighs in defeat, looking over to Alejandro, who looks back concern. Gimli leans on his ax, sighing as well. A wind from behind them is felt, and Aragorn turns around, standing up just as the Ghost King walks from out of the mountain.
"We fight."
–Gondor–
Faramir, Damon, Gandalf and Ailish all walk up to the seventh level, as Denethor walked out of the throne room, and looks down to see the enemy.
"Rohan... has deserted us." Denethor whispers to himself.
Ailish looks around for Pippin and sees him a little ways from behind Denethor. As so, the enemy catapults rocks, hitting some of the buildings on the second level, soldiers running from beneath the rubble.
"Theoden's betrayed me."
More rocks are catapulted.
"Abandon your posts!" Denethor roars.
The soldiers below were startled and looked up to Denethor. Ailish, Faramir, and Pippin look to each other. Ailish walks over to Denethor.
"Flee! Flee for your lives!" Denethor turns around slowly.
He was startled to see Ailish, who pulls back her right arm and punches him across the face, than once more. Ailish turns around and looks at Faramir.
"Sorry, but I've been wanting to do that for a while." Ailish sighs.
Faramir chuckles, as Gandalf smiles, Damon shaking his head. Gandalf walks over to the edge and yells down to the soldiers.
"Prepare for battle!"
"Go back to your posts and prepare for battle!" Faramir yells.
Gandalf rides down to the lower levels, yelling to the soldiers. "Hurry men! To the wall! Defend the wall! Over here! Return to your posts!"
The soldiers stop as Gandalf pasts them, and start to run after him. On the second level, Gandalf rides up the stairs and looks over to the enemy.
"Send these foul beasts into the abyss." Gandalf tells them, as soldiers catapult of their own ruins walls back to the enemy.
"We need more rubble!"
"Watch out!"
"Down to the lower levels. Quick!"
"Double up, men!"
Up on the third level, making her way towards Gandalf, Ailish holds on to the hilt of her sword, her eyes flashing in anger at the sight of Saul looking out of place in the middle of the Uruk-hai's. Nine Nazgul screech, flying down low to grab Men, dropping them to the lower levels, and destroying buildings.
"Hold them back! Do not give in to fear!" Gandalf yells, as the soldiers let go of arrows to the enemy below.
"Hit the trolls! Bring them down!" Ailish yells, as she takes her own bow and lets arrows loose at the trolls.
"Stand to your posts! Fight!" Damon yells to the men.
The first tower nears the wall, the door falling down. Uruk-hai's run out, as the fighting begins. On the bottom of the level, Uruk-hai's try to bring down the door with a long log, but not succeeding.
"Fight them back!" Gandalf, Ailish, and Faramir yell.
When Gandalf swings around his staff and sword, he sees Pippin looking about the fight.
"Peregrin Took! Go back to the Citadel!"
"They'd called us out to fight."
The other towers reaches the wall and more Uruk-hai's run out. One of them sees Pippin and run towards him. Pippin's eyes widen and walks backwards unconsciously. Faramir sees this and runs in front of the Uruk-hai's path and kills him.
"This is no place for a Hobbit!" Gandalf tells him, turning around, slamming his staff against the Uruk-hai, as he stabs another with his sword.
"Go back to the seventh level, Pippin! Make sure Denethor does not do anything stupid!" Ailish yells, as she tries to keep back the Uruk-hai's from getting to Pippin, but not seeing the Uruk-hai behind her.
Pippin saw the Uruk-hai and so he runs forward, taking his sword out. When he was close enough, Pippin stabs the Uruk-hai, Ailish turning around surprised. She gaps in disbelieve.
'My mind is too clouded with anger and emotions!' Ailish thought, trying to calm both her breathing and heart. She puts away her sword and takes out her double swords.
"Guard of the Citadel, indeed." Damon says with a smile.
"Now, back, up the hill. Quickly. Quick!"
Pippin nods at Gandalf and runs. The group could hear the Uruk-hai's chanting.
"Grond! Grond! Grond! Grond!"
Ailish turns in a circle, her double swords out. Going to a fighting stance after she made a complete circle, she held the right sword above her head, horizontal. As she held the left sword in front of her, also horizontal. But before she can continue fighting, Ailish falls down in pain, crossing her arms in front of her chest, the blades sticking out.
"No." She whispered. "Not now."
Pippin runs the opening of the sixth level... The Ringwraith king takes his Nazgul low... The Ringwraith grabs Pippin by the back of his shirt... The Ringwraith flies away with Pippin... Towards the tower of Sauron... Pippin is dropped into the hundreds of Uruk-hai's near Mount Doom... Pippin is killed by a sword at the side of his head...
"No! Pippin!"
A/N: I hoped you liked it! Please review!