I CAPTURE THE SUN

Pairings: Buffy/Legolas

Teaser: Buffy ends up in Heaven, which happens to be Middle-Earth. But not everything is as heavenly as it seems as she's come in the middle of a war and finds a piece of Heaven worth fighting for.

Rating: PG-13.

Summary: Buffy's version of Heaven is Middle-Earth. When she arrives, she is brought to a clan of fighting women. Seeing this as her eternal reward for fighting and killing on Earth, Buffy is only too happy to return to her roots - until she is captured by the Elves and begins to learn there's a whole lot more worth fighting for... in Heaven.

Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon. The 'Lord of the Rings' book series belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. The plot is (hopefully) my own.

Timeline: The story is currently set approximately fifty years before the start of the Fellowship. Buffy has been in Middle-earth for roughly twenty-three years.

Gratitudes: This is part one of the two-part battle chapter. This one did not have much fighting, but the next part does. I am not an action-y writer, but this part was a delight to write. Buffy doesn't show emotion very well, but that doesn't mean her people can't express their gratitude. I would really appreciate an evaluation in the form of a review at the halfway point of this story. And yes, this story is halfway done. I really hope this story continues to get better.

Part Summary: The villagers leave as the Amazons prepare to fight their way out of the forest. However, the Nazgûl have other plans…

Notes: It has been quite awhile since I last posted, and for this I apologize. A lot has been going on since I last posted and I hope to continue adding to this story on a more regular level. Considering things, this story is now half-done. As another sort of milestone, this chapter pushes my "word" count above two hundred thousand, which is astounding. Thank you for being such patient readers!

x-x-x-x

Part X

x-x-x-x

Mauve stood near the edge of the wood, awaiting word from the guards she had spotted riding towards her. She had sent them out to create a path for the villagers to use in their escape.

The scene behind her was utter chaos. The few men who remained were bringing their stock carts forward and hitching them to the back of horses. Women were rushing from tent to tent, bringing all with them that they could carry. The children were being loaded into the two armored carts as their tearful mothers looked on.

One of the guards came forward, out of breath as she spoke, "There have been no sightings of Orc since we cleared the path, my Lady."

But Mauve would not be deceived. "They are out there," she said with a sigh. "As it is, will you help and assist the others?"

"Yes," the woman said with a slight bow of her head as she disappeared into the nearest tent.

Four younger women came out, carrying between them a sack of grain. Another group appeared with a large flat vat of vegetables. They were carefully separating the different foods and distributing them between the carts to ensure that if one was taken out, the others would not starve to death during this next journey.

There was no mistaking the flutter of excitement that swept through the encampment. After so many years they were finally getting the second opportunity to take the journey home. Many of the elders spoke vividly of the stories of the glamour they would soon see. The children would finally receive a proper education, they said wistfully, speaking of the days of old. There would be a herald of trumpets to welcome them home through gates made of iron and stone. They would be greeted by their King and formally given back their lives, the lives their ancestors had left behind three hundred years and more before.

A few days before, two messengers had ridden into their village, speaking of their Lady's will to prepare for the journey into the west. Since that time, the people had been working tirelessly to do her bidding. They also spoke of a battle that would occur once the Orcs realized they were losing their prey. Although Buffy had been the focus of their attention for years now, not one of them could resist the temptation of hundreds of people moving easily through the forest with little protection.

Mauve knew not what Buffy had planned for this. She would surely gather her Amazons for their last fight before leaving the forest.

Ducking away from her watch, Mauve entered the tent and moved towards Buffy's suite. It was a small room high in the trees. She had few precious possessions, but amongst them were her sword and a large wooden box, antique in its own right, that Edrae had given her many years before.

Stooping, Mauve pulled out the box and stared at the contents inside. Smiling, she took the box and walked out onto the terrace, her hand moving to the wooden post as she gazed at the people moving quickly below.

In the distance, she could hear the sounds of a familiar, low horn. Her smile grew as she made her way down to the ground. From between the brambles, she could see many horses moving forward, led by their Lady. Many people stopped what they were doing and gave cries of welcome, for she had not been seen since before her abduction. Many of the elders looked relieved as Buffy gracefully dismounted her steed and handed it off, brushing the dirt from her hands. She smiled as her people surrounded her, gazing upon her with both adoration and respect. Siri soon appeared behind her, watching the fascination on her people's faces as they gazed at their leader. Buffy appeared uncomfortable, however, and this was something Daire picked up on, as she pulled Buffy aside and allowed Siri to step forward.

"We will leave at sundown tomorrow," Siri said, stepping into the circle and speaking loud enough to arouse the attention of those still working. "Take only what you need and only what you can carry. All of our forces will be spread to protect our people." She glanced over and saw Mauve standing there, looking both distrustful and suspicious. Siri knew she had a reason to be. Mauve had done the right thing to allow the Elves to take Buffy before their King. Although they really hadn't accomplished anything solid, there was a loose treaty with the mightier creatures that would enable their people to safely cross the narrow plains without interference from the Elves.

Buffy stepped forward then, clapping her hands together. "All Amazons, come with me. We have a lot to go over before tomorrow. I have a game plan in mind, but only with all of your cooperation will we even get close to seeing it through. Ladies?" She held out her arm and gestured for the others to come, and slowly the warrior women moved to the other end of the village and Buffy, lowering her arm, followed behind.

Siri stood in place, watching as Buffy disappeared through the underbrush. Mauve, too, had not taken her position behind her captain and kept her gaze on Siri. At last, she turned to move away.

"Do not go," Siri said, seemingly shaking herself from her stupor. "I apologize for my harsh actions against you, Mauve. You were only serving our Lady as her lieutenant and thought in your own discretion what would be best for her. Now things have changed." She gazed directly at Mauve. "Her role in our lives has changed."

"How so?" Mauve asked in a calm tone.

"She will remain behind," Siri said, glancing down at the ground. "She will not accompany us on our journey."

"What say you?" Mauve gasped, bringing her hand to her lips as she swung about, staring off for the small blonde head bobbing up and down in the thicket meters away. "Do not tell me…"

"She is not betrothed to the Elven prince, if that is what you thought," Siri said, coming up beside her. "No, she has made a pact with the King of Mirkwood and she has agreed to remain behind."

"What will we gain in return?" Mauve asked suspiciously. Like Siri, she was not about to trust the Elves so blindly as their leader apparently had.

"Our freedom," Siri said, giving the older woman a callous half-smile. "Seems like a fitting end, does it not? Our Lady will remain trapped in this forest for the rest of her existence while we return home to the glory that awaits us."

"Freedom," Mauve said, a smile breaking out across her face. "It is such a small word for such an amazing gift."

"It is no gift," Siri sighed, crossing her arms. "We must take it in order to achieve it." Seeing that they had been asked to follow Buffy to their gathering, Siri motioned for Mauve to follow her. "Let us go and hear what she must say."

There were hundreds of women gathering around Buffy, most of them seated on the ground and others standing behind them. Buffy was standing before them, looking every bit a general in charge of a great military power.

She had never been very good at speeches, she decided, glancing at each and every one of them. It was time now to make the difference. These women had been forced to fight under her banner since they had been children harkening to defend themselves. Now they fought for her freely, and that in itself wasn't the choice of freedom, it was the choice of survival. She felt distinctly proud of each and every one of them, and she made a mental note to pull them aside individually later and tell them. Otherwise, she would never have that chance again.

"I have asked a lot out of all of you these past few years," she said, watching as Siri and Mauve arrived, hovering in the background. "Every time I see you fight, you defend your people against the oppression of those who would see us extinct. I don't know how I can say how proud of you I really am. We've lost warriors, good and skilled women who have fought for their lives. I'm asking you to put it all on the line to get your people home. This isn't protecting our village from evil. This is fighting to get back what was taken from your ancestors all those years ago."

She turned and saw Daire looking at her. Even as a teenager, she was still beautifully small and innocent, but there was a grave wisdom in her eyes. Buffy knew that since Daire had been raised by a woman who had once been a Slayer had turned her into a war-hardened warrior.

"Tomorrow we're fighting for our freedom," she continued, raising her gaze once more. "Freedom is not just the opportunity to do as we please, and it isn't just the opportunity to choose between the easy roads. There is no easy way to do what we will do. We have made enemies in these woods and most recently, we've made friends. Our freedom is the opportunity to choose what you want and to fight with every last breath in your body for it. Freedom belongs to those that believe in it the most, and the longest. We have been fighting for many years now. I say we're done. We're done fighting the evil that threatens to destroy us. We're done fighting against the Elves, the Orcs and the Rangers. So help me God, we've got our freedom and if I have to destroy every last bit of evil in this world to do it, you will always be free to choose the lives you want."

There was a quiet murmur of determination in their voices now, and many of the women rose to their feet, their hands held out.

Siri stepped forward to stand before her leader.

"You will only be free when we are," she said in a strong voice, trying in vain not to show any emotion to the small woman before her. To her utter amazement, however, Buffy smiled broadly.

"We have always been free, Siri," she said, reaching out to pat her arm a few times before turning to the others. "I have been given my freedom." At this, she cast down her eyes. Not one of them would ever know how free she truly was from the burdens of being a vampire Slayer. In a world without vampires, or at the very least the ones that had pointy teeth and came in large numbers, she had been given the choice to fight for a world she wanted and help defend it, or else live in a world that had both good and evil, both in powerfully large numbers. It had been her meeting with Thranduil that had convinced her that her choice had been for the best, considering she was the most formidable female warrior in these lands.

"I want you to take yours now," she finally concluded, before stepping back. "I want you to know that if you don't want to do what I'm about to ask of you, you don't have to. I believe in each and every one of you. Now, I'm asking you to fight for the protection of our people. There are the old and the very young that can't defend themselves. I'm asking you to do it for them. If you're willing to fight your way out of here at the risk of your lives and the lives of those you love, take one step forward—"

Her voice was cut off as the sound of the ground crunched as every last woman came forward. There were no longer any murmurings. Siri and Mauve were amongst them, and even Daire and her group were in the very front.

"You have given us pride, my Lady," Daire said, bowing her head slightly. "You have shown us your true colors as our leader and captain. We will follow you to the end. You're our sister, our captain and our friend."

"Thank you," Buffy managed to choke out, shaking her head in disbelief at the looks of sheer determination on the faces of those standing before her. "Now, for my plan… this is how it will work…"

x-x-x

Twilight had descended upon their village as many stopped to rest before preparing their journey come the next morning. Siri was resting in her own tent, with Daire sleeping in the cot next to her. Rolling over slightly, she gently pushed her cousin's shoulder. "Daire?" she asked quietly.

"Siri, it is the middle of the night!" Daire moaned, rolling onto her back, her gaze slowly sliding to look at her cousin. "Why can you not wait until morning?"

"I am afraid, Daire," Siri said at last, her eyes glittering as she stared at the younger girl. "We have always wanted the opportunity to journey home, but now that we are…"

"I understand," Daire said, feigning a yawn as she sat up, shaking her head to clear it of slumber. "There are many who would fear what we are about to do. What our lady has intended for us is dangerous at the very least."

"It is, as she called it, a suicide," Siri replied. "She has always been the strongest of us and I know she means us no harm, but if any of us escape what is to come tomorrow's eve, it would be a miracle."

"Perhaps a miracle is what brought our lady to us," Daire said, lowering herself back onto her coverings and turning over to face her cousin. "She has brought us no harm, Siri. Now she will be trapped within the forest."

Siri's mind flashed back on their conversation the previous morning during their travels to the south.

"You know why I must remain behind," Buffy said, steadying her horse under the intense pressure of moving at a very rapid pace through the thickest part of the forest under the cover of daylight.

"You only do as the witch-King asks," Siri had spat bitterly, keeping her gaze carefully averted.

"It would do you right not to use that term, as it is the Witch-King who wishes to make me like him," Buffy had retorted. "The Nazgûl are unforgiving, Siri. They will take me again and I would have been used against you."

"What of the Elven prince?" Siri had asked, desperate to keep the mocking tone from her voice. "Is it true what the others have said? Are you betrothed to him?"

"Uh, no," Buffy replied sarcastically. "If they expect me to betroth myself to anyone, it will be of my choosing and not some King's." She paused a moment. "There are bad things coming, Siri. Very bad things. Many people are going to die in this world and after all the hell you've been through, you do not deserve to be one of them."

"What sorts of things are coming?" Siri asked curiously.

"War," Buffy said quietly. "There is a war coming, and it will be the war to end them all. There are more than just Orcs and the Nazgûl, Siri. There are men, wicked men, who would see the Elves fall. There are few left now, and many have been killed in other great wars over the years." She looked down. "There is a history in this forest that time will never tell. It will be a miracle if Thranduil and his people survive this."

"He has asked you to fight for him," Siri realized.

Buffy nodded. "Yes, he did. And I will fight for him. They need me. You don't. Thus, the story ends."

As Buffy had ridden on, Siri had remained behind, lost in her own thoughts.

Siri glanced across from her own cot to see that her cousin had once again fallen asleep. Putting a hand to her face, she quickly brushed aside the tears. She was about to lose the closest thing she knew to a mother all over again and to think of living her life without that pillar of strength drove her to tears. Buffy had forced her to realize that she was no longer able to sustain them and the time had come for Siri's people to care for themselves.

It was a long while before Siri drifted off to sleep. She knew what her role would be the following day and realized she needed the rest.

Above, in the highest tent, Buffy paced the narrow floor anxiously. She had lost count at around two hundred steps but finally forced herself to sit down, only to leap to her feet and walk around again. She was going over every last suggestion, every last contingency plan. She wouldn't be able to sleep even if she forced herself to. She would sleep peacefully once this battle was over. They had to fight their way out of the forests, meaning they had to leave Mirkwood at first light on the following day.

Bending down, she found her silver cross amongst her few possessions. Carefully winding it around her neck, she clasped it shut and stared at her reflection in the flat bowl of rippling water. The fire flickered in odd angles from the water, giving it a glassy surface. She slowly reached down to touch the shimmering surface, wishing in vain she could speak with someone who would tell her it would be all right. She needed to hear it, and she realized she needed to hear it from Thranduil or even Thranduilion. He was the oldest and wisest man she had ever known and in his despair for the coming war, he had gone to the most unlikely person for help. She had accepted with the knowledge that his people would help hers get out of the forest. They could not help the Elves, she realized. She could. She was immortal now, or that is how she saw herself, as one of these Elves.

Her women were only mortal. They had human weakness, as she supposed the Elves had, but their stakes were much higher than the determined journey across a boring set of mountains. Their entire existence in Middle-earth was waiting on the brink of a knife and Buffy refused to leave them now. They hadn't done anything for her as of yet, but that didn't mean she was going to leave them behind. She had always won against the strongest of evils and she considered Sauron and the one Ring to be enough evil for her to choose to fight against. There were many other allies, as Thranduil had told her. There were the Elves to the south, the ones Legolas had said were from Lothlórien. There were the Rangers that had helped to save her life, she realized, including the one that Legolas had called Aragorn. There was Gondor to the south and even Rohan to the southwest. There were many stacked on the side of good but even with such sturdy warriors, none could compare to the everlasting darkness of Sauron.

He was not the ultimate evil either, Thranduil had quietly confided to her. There had been another and with his reign, Morgoth had brought down entire civilizations of Elves and their kindred. Great kings fell under his swift sword and many died. Buffy was eager to learn more about the Elves despite her dislike of history, but to learn about the evil that could bring down entire nations was beguiling.

Ever so slowly, she noticed the red light on the horizon and walked onto her terrace to watch the sun rise. She only hoped that, wherever they were, the Elves were too appreciating the harsh light of day.

x-x-x

The leader of the Nine was atop his throne at Dol Guldur, his eyes spying the deep red lines in the sky prior to the sunrise. Slowly, a smile grew across his ghostly face. With a small flicker of his hand, he motioned for the Orcs under his command to patrol the forest to the north and south. His mind was on attaining the great prize to Sauron, the one that would tip the war in his favor. With her guidance, the one Ring was as good as theirs, and all light would be gone from the world. Forever.

x-x-x

It was late afternoon when the villagers were finally ready to travel to the northwest. The only missing people were the warriors, who had been called off hours before to prepare for the long black night ahead of them.

Unbeknownst to many of them, Siri had taken a small group of women at daybreak to prepare their encampment on the forest road. They were going to make certain that the road was clear of all enemy foes before the rest of their population arrived, looking forward to resting one last night in the Mirkwood before moving onwards. Daire had insisted she go along with her cousin, but Buffy had denied her that privilege, instead keeping the youngest women by her side, preparing them for what would come.

By afternoon, the youngest were gathered at the edge of the village, firing volley after volley of arrows into the trunks of trees to catch their mark. Buffy walked behind them, occasionally pausing to either admire or assist. After an hour of this activity, she had told them to collect their arrows and to prepare the cart carrying the weaponry. The men were briefed next, saying that they alone needed to arm themselves to stand by the elders and the children. The other women looked fearful as they gazed upon their husbands, Alwyn included. She scooped her young son into her arms and held him for a great time before gently setting him in the cart with the other children.

There was another sound as a great arch was placed over the cart. There were two carts with many children inside, and the older children would remain with their families if it were possible. Buffy dispatched the women to dress in camouflage and turned to the people standing under the guidance of Dalios, a young man she had chosen to lead the people into the woods.

"When Mauve returns, she will start out. You will follow her at her signal, but not before. She is to clear the path of all foes before you attempt the road north. Do you understand?"

The man nodded and Buffy pushed him on, watching the last preparations take place. She was starting to feel more unsettled by the minute and sighed.

Inside the various tents were women dressing for battle. They drew on dark trousers and tunics, latching onto their hips sturdy strips of leather to serve as belts to contain their weaponry. Many tied their hair back with another strip of leather before bending down to tie up their boots.

"This time has now come before us," Buffy said to herself as she turned around, gazing at her reflection in her bowl of water as she bent down to wash her face and arms. "The rest of their lives will be decided by our actions tonight and tomorrow." Rising, she wiped her arms and patted her face dry before casting her towel aside. Taking her revered necklace, she put it on her neck before gazing around her room. There was nothing she would really need, she thought. Turning, she left her room for the last time and came onto the terrace.

Below was the scenes of warriors saying goodbye to their families. Many young women were holding onto their fathers and their mothers and their youngest siblings as their families watched tearfully. There was a dark arrow shot into the sky, followed by several flaming darts. That had been Mauve's symbol to move forward, and, at long last, the caravan began to move, cart by cart, into the forest.

Coming down to the ground, she spied many women standing around, some holding pikes and the others bows. "Alwyn, take the others after the carts," she said quietly, watching as the older woman nodded before gathering her own forces and disappearing quickly into the woods, where the sound of the last cart could still be heard, rickety and distinctly wooden. "Daire, you will remain with me."

The last of the horses were awaiting the final group. Quickly mounting her own steed, Buffy turned to signal Daire to do the same as more than thirty young women all mounted their horses, pulling their bows over their back.

"We will take to the rear," Buffy said, riding forward and swinging her arm in mid-air. As the women rode past her into the forest at a slower pace, Buffy turned one last time to gaze at the home she was leaving behind. For a few thousand people, this had been a peaceful escape from the chaos of the attacks of both the dark Elves and the Orcs. For a long while, she had considered this place her home. And now, for the final time, she was leaving it behind. Tipping her head to the lonely village stretching out before her, she silently thanked the powers for protecting her people thus far. They would need every last hope and thought for a quick victory, she realized, coming about. Riding into the woods, she left her first home in Middle-earth behind.

The journey was long and lasted all through the night. Near midnight, they were halted by a small scouting party that the rearguard was quick to disperse. They were no more than a few thousand feet behind the carts and worked to protect the rear.

She had no idea if Siri was safe. Her thoughts kept returning to her foster daughter, worried for her safety. Siri was the strongest woman besides herself and would surely lead these people home with as few casualties as could be dealt. But they had to cross the valley in daylight and come to the mountains in the evening. They had force enough to keep the enemies at bay, but would have to rest during the day and move only at night. That was their only chance to survive what had to be thousands of Orcs in the mountains.

They came upon the corpses of a larger number of Orcs near the middle of the night. Daire and Buffy both dismounted and moved with their torches to stand over their bodies, which had been partially burnt. Several had been beheaded.

"This looked as though it were quite the battle," Daire said, covering her mouth in disgust as she saw a speared pike with several heads of Orc lining the narrow forest path.

"Much better for us to see with," Buffy said darkly, lowering her torch to set the heads aflame. There had been a rigging set so that suddenly the path before them was lit with the flaming heads of their enemy. "This had to be the doing of Siri."

"She has a dark sense of humor," Daire said in an uncomfortable tone as she re-mounted her steed. "Only one with the darkest of thoughts could bring about a torture such as this."

"That's my girl," Buffy said under her breath as she, too, climbed atop her horse and ordered the group to move forward. The light continued only for a few hundred feet before they were once again plunged into darkness, but the darkest part of their path had been lit for them.

There was a small reason of concern, she finally realized, turning to gaze back at the lines of flaming heads behind them. Every Orc within a hundred miles would have seen signs of human civilization. This was not the best news either, especially as she saw the flicker of torches and her ears alone could hear the low bustle of a horn.

She held out her arm and lifted her torch, emitting a loud cry. Immediately, the younger women turned, fearful. "What are you doing?" one of them asked, riding quickly over to pull her arm down.

"If they want a fight, they've got one," Buffy said in a dark tone as she at last pulled her arm down, despite the younger child's attempts to do so. She gestured to the sky, which was brightening from a deep navy to a dark cerulean. "It is near daybreak. They must be near the road now. We have been traveling nearly ten hours." She glanced over and saw the movement in the trees. "Prepare for battle."

Immediately, there was a murmur of concern between all of the younger women. Some, like Daire, looked eager to show off their new skills. Others, however, looked afraid for their lives.

Buffy took the initiative by lifting her bow into her hands and spinning an arrow from the quiver on her back into her opposite hand. Bending down, she lit the tip of the bow from the light of her torch and nodded at Daire to follow suit. Soon, thirty flaming arrows were lifted, aimed to the east where there was more movement in the trees. Glancing down, Buffy saw a few circles of rock and smirked. This part of the path had too been set up by Siri in the instance that they had fallen under attack.

"Fire!" she cried, and instantly thirty flaming arrows rained down upon the Orc hunting party. There were grunts of pain and squeals of recognition.

"Fall back!" Daire ordered her women as they dropped back onto the path several paces, watching as a larger number of Orcs were suddenly coming to path. "Fall back!"

"Go," Buffy said, undercutting Daire's orders. "Take them and get to the road. Tell Siri she knows what to do. Go," she repeated, seeing the skeptical look on Daire's lovely young face. "You must go if you want to live. Go, now!"

Daire had no choice but to order the warriors to move away. After a few frenzied minutes of a hard ride, there was the sound of a loud explosion behind them. Many gasped and turned about, their horses neighing and stomping the ground nervously.

"No," Daire said quietly, scanning the smoke furling towards the sky.

"We have our orders," a voice quietly insisted behind her.

"I know," Daire said, blinking away tears. "It is just she risked her life for ours, and I did not wish for that to happen again."

"It has already happened!" the voice said angrily. "We must go. The others are counting on us!"

There was still no trace of Buffy once the others had reached the road. Siri was waiting for them, leaning on her sword and looking surprisingly smug. "Did she find my gifts?" she asked in a bold tone.

"We found them," Daire said darkly, riding up to her cousin. "We found them and they found us."

The look in Siri's eyes changed as she scanned the path behind her cousin. "Where is Buffy?"

"She is apparently not here," Daire said crisply. "Is that not what you wanted? She said that you would know what to do."

Siri gave the path a longing look before shaking herself from her stupor. "We must make for the clearing. You have all been told what you have to do. We do this for the freedom of our people and to escape from the Orcs of this damned forest of the final time." Lifting her sword and spinning it in her hand, she glanced at her cousin. "You know what to do. Bring all you need."

To the others, she shouted out, "Prepare for battle. We leave now."

x-x-x-x

To be continued…

x-x-x-x

In the next part, the battle begins as the darkness unfurls its latest attempt to capture the "sun". I think that is the most obnoxious hint as to why I titled my story as thus.

I hope to post before a month passes by, I will assure you. Aside from needing a bit of beta-reading, this story is nearly completed. I do intend to follow canon in the Buffy series, but considering there really is no canon to follow at this point in Lord of the Rings, I will continue this story for a bit longer. Siri will no longer be in the picture past the next part, except for… already I am giving far too much away! I hope you read and enjoy!