Chapter 27

Elizabeth looked at the city around her as she, Pippin and Gandalf rode to save Faramir. Giant trolls (ew) were swinging their hammers at soldiers that were less than half their size. Orcs were running amuck through the city putting their swords in any living thing they could find save themselves.

She hugged Pippin tighter, afraid to fall off Shadowfax and be left behind. Elizabeth wanted to see Gandalf kick Denethor's butt just as much as she wanted to kick Sauron's.

"Stay this madness!" Gandalf shouted. Elizabeth leaned around Pippin and Gandalf and looked at the room they were in.

Though she'd already been in there, she hadn't gotten a thorough look at the tomb. Denethor stood upon the once bare stone in the middle. Wood surrounded it and Faramir lay in front of Denethor's feet. Four soldiers were standing in the four corners of the room, looking quite confused. Should they obey the steward or the wizard?

It was quite warm in this room and Elizabeth tugged on her cloak to perhaps let some refreshing air under her shirt. She peered around her two friends once more. Denethor now held an iron thingy with fire at the top of it. If he dropped it, Faramir and he (who were covered with oil) would soon burn to death as well as the wood around them.

"You may triumph in the field of battle for one day," Denethor said. Elizabeth shuddered. This dude was crazy. "but against the power of the Dark Lord, there is no victory."

Elizabeth folded her arms and pouted. What rubbish. What exactly had this goon been doing for the last year? Now that she thought of it, perhaps it was Denethor who needed the bath and not Minas Tirith. Maybe when Denethor was clean, the city would clean itself.

She heard something suddenly flame up and peered around Gandalf with her arms still crossed. Denethor had dropped the iron torch-like thing. Pippin looked quite surprised. Gandalf promptly grabbed one of the spears that was currently held by a guard at the door and took off.

Because she wasn't holding on to anything, the impact of Shadowfax moving again caused Elizabeth to slide off Shadowfax's rear and fall flat on her back. The guard, who was still quite stunned, was just watching Gandalf. Elizabeth stood up and watched the scene unfold before her eyes.

Gandalf, using the spear just like he would his staff, knocked Denethor off the rock. Pippin jumped into the flames and pushed Faramir off. He quickly put out the fire on Faramir's clothing. Elizabeth ran forward as she saw Denethor coming up behind Pippin to grab him.

She pounded away with her fists on Denethor's oily, fur covered back until he turned around and grabbed her. He held Elizabeth in front of her, like a child holds a teddy bear, but his hold was tight and restraining.Pippin looked worried and reached out to Elizabeth.

"My lord," Pippin said cautiously, "Give Elizabeth to me, and you can do whatever you wish."

Denethor laughed and kept Elizabeth locked in his arms. "You are taking my son from me, Hobbit. So in return I shall take your dearest friend from you and the wizard."

Pippin made a grab for Elizabeth but Denethor grabbed him by his collar with his free hand. Elizabeth screamed along with Pippin. Gandalf rode up and just as Denethor was thrown backwards by Shadowfax, Elizabeth bit down hard on his hand. He released her and fell into the fiery grave he'd created.

"Elizabeth," Gandalf murmured. Elizabeth looked up at her dear wizard friend. He beckoned to her to join him on Shadowfax. She climbed onto the horse and settled herself.

Elizabeth peered around Gandalf when she heard Denethor's last word. He whispered the name of his son in complete happiness and than, he burned. The steward ran out of the tomb and threw himself over the wall.

"So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion." Gandalf murmured. He looked down at Elizabeth when he felt a tug on his robes.

"Where'd he go?" she asked. Gandalf smiled.

"To a far better place than here," he answered. Elizabeth accepted the answer well.

"That's good, cuz this place wasn't doin' him any good at all, right Gandalf?" she asked.

Gandalf nodded. "That's right."

Pippin climbed onto Shadowfax. The soldiers hurriedly put the fire out when they saw Faramir was alive and their steward was not.

"Take him back to the Houses of Healing," Gandalf ordered. The soldiers immediately began carrying Faramir back towards the Houses of Healing.

Gandalf sighed and spurred Shadowfax into a gallop. He rode with Pippin and Elizabeth towards the gate where the remaining soldiers were stationed. Whispering into Shadowfax's ear, Gandalf sent the horse back to the stables to remain safe for the time being.

Gandalf returned to Pippin and Elizabeth and sat down with them as they waited for the orcs to break down the doors.

"I didn't think it would end this way," Pippin said softly. Gandalf looked at him curiously.

"End?" Gandalf asked, studying Pippin. "No, the journey doesn't end here."

"Ya," Elizabeth put in. "How can you believe that dumb old parrot that calls himself a Witch King?"

Gandalf and Pippin laughed. But Gandalf and Pippin grew serious once more. Their smiles had faded just as quickly as they'd appeared.

"Death is just another path, one that we all must take." Gandalf continued. Elizabeth looked up at Gandalf fearfully.

"But-But not everyone dies, right?" Elizabeth asked. Gandalf shook his head.

"No, the elves are immortal unless killed in battle or their hearts break." Gandalf said.

"No, I mean people, not elves." Elizabeth said. "You won't die, right Gandalf?"

Gandalf was hesitant to answer and this worried Elizabeth even more. Her worried expression became even more worried and tugged on Gandalf's sleeve.

"Gandalf?"

Gandalf looked down at Elizabeth and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

"As long as you have faith in me, I will survive." He said simply. In his heart he knew it was not totally true and he hated having to lie to Elizabeth. But if he had told her the truth, he would have broken her heart.

Elizabeth lay her head on Gandalf's lap and sighed, partially in relief and partially from fatigue. She listened to Gandalf tell Pippin of the after life of white shores and a swift sunrise.

"Well," she heard Pippin say once Gandalf was done. "That doesn't sound so bad."

"No," Gandalf agreed. "No it doesn't."

Suddenly the door was banged on once more by the giant troll outside. For some strange reason only one had made it to the door. Gandalf looked towards the door and nodded to Pippin. He shut his eyes tight, wishing that it was all a dream. But when he opened his eyes, he realized it was not. Gandalf helped Elizabeth to her feet and took a step towards the door.

"Now both of you stay close to me…" Gandalf started to order, but his voice was getting farther and farther away from Elizabeth.

Suddenly, she saw Théoden, rallying his troops outside the city. He called for them to rally before him but they were all busy watching the flying Witch King that approached behind him.

The look on his face plainly said "oh shit". Elizabeth wanted to reach out and help him and she did reach out. But her hands did not find Théoden. They only found another pair of hands. She suddenly noticed Gandalf's face before hers, speaking to her and yet she could not hear him.

Théoden and his horse were flung around by the beast which the Witch king rode and when they landed, the dead horse landed on top of Théoden. His body was broken. A soldier looked simply horrified. But this was a very familiar looking soldier. This was no male, it was a female! Eowyn had disguised herself!

She stood between the Witch King and her uncle. Elizabeth opened her mouth and spoke the words that Eowyn spoke at that very moment.

"I will kill you if you touch him."

Elizabethsaw Gandalf's features darkenand he saw that her eyes were faraway. He shook her gently once and found no reaction.

Elizabeth focused on the current events she was seeing in her mind. With two swings, Eowyn cut off the Witch King's beast's head. The Witch King stood to his feet, not defeated. Eowyn picked up a shield.

Elizabeth was horrified. She just had to do something! But what could she do?

'You could fly.'

Elizabeth frowned causing Gandalf to study her in her entranced state. Humans can't fly and even if they could, Elizabeth had never flown in her life.

'Yes you have. You must let me help you, though.'

Elizabeth knew it was her only way to get to Théoden and Eowyn. She closed her eyes and felt half of her brain lose its conscious control. Someone else or something else was controlling half of her. The other half had been left awake to show her that she could trust whatever it was that was controlling her.

Elizabeth was in awe of the voice that spoke to her as her feet lifted off the ground. She was flying!

'You want to go to the human king and his niece.'

The voice was right. Elizabeth was astounded. How could a voice do this?

'It is not me, it is you. You, child, have the power alone to do almost anything you want. I am simply utilizing your skills for you, since you are too young to control them properly.'

Again, Elizabeth was amazed. She had this power? How could she learn it?

'As you grow older, you will learn. Believe me, the time is coming where your power will cease to grow, but you will have to continue to learn to use and control it. Ah, here is your king and his niece. I believe that the Witch King is yours to slay with the help of Eowyn. I leave you now.'

Elizabeth blinked. "But…"

Elizabeth shut her mouth as soon as she opened it. Before her were Eowyn and the Witch King. Eowyn's neck was in the Witch King's hands and Elizabeth did not want to make any sudden movements that would alert the Witch King of her presence. Elizabeth pulled out her sword and ran forward, stabbing the Witch King in its side.

The Witch King made a grab for her leg and caught it. He pulled Elizabeth and her sword away from him and struck her across her arm with his long black sword. Seeing that she had not been considerably weakened, the Witch King took the hilt of his sword and struck her head with it. She fell to the ground, bleeding and crying softly, for she was losing consciousness fast.

"Foolish child," the Witch King hissed. "Your destiny is not for me, it is for the Dark Lord himself."

Elizabeth looked up at the Witch King with a look of surprise and hate. She had not known that it would hurt this much to be alive and be wounded. She had been fortunate in her time in Middle Earth to fall unconscious straight away after she was wounded. The most pain she'd ever felt was when the Nazgul had stabbed her shoulder and when he flew over her, his beast screaming and his blade leaving a fresh feeling of pain in her shoulder. The other time was when she'd held the Palantir and Sauron had hurt her.

The Witch King had since dropped Eowyn. But the Witch King was significantly weakened. He was on his knees. He slowly climbed to his feet only to feel the blade of Merry the Hobbit in his back. Merry felt the burning sensation and pain course through his arm and his blade disintegrated. He fell back, moaning. Elizabeth wanted so badly to help him, but she knew what she needed to save her strength for.

"Fool," the Witch King said, "No man can kill me."

Eowyn got to her feet with her sword and pulled off her helmet with the same hand that held her sword.

"I am no man." She said plainly and then pierced the Witch King's black face with her sword.

The Witch King then, well, blew up. That, at least, would be the best way to describe it. Actually, he imploded. He gathered air into himself and then crumpled into a ball of black cloth and steel. Eowyn was already pulling herself towards her uncle's fallen form when Elizabeth thought of what she needed to do. So, she began pulling herself towards the two of them.

Eowyn did not seem surprised to see that Elizabeth was still awake and alive as she watched the small girl drag herself towards them. Eowyn looked down at her uncle.

"Look, uncle," she whispered, trying to get her uncle's mind off of dying. "Elizabeth has come to join us."

Théoden stiffly turned his head and looked at Elizabeth who was now peering down at him with Eowyn.

"We are going to save you," Eowyn said.

"You already did," Théoden whispered.

"No I didn't," Elizabeth whispered back. "I can bring you back."

"It is too late, child." Théoden said. "My body is broken."

"Than I'll fix it." Elizabeth said. She closed her eyes and began chanting before Théoden could stop her.

Laying her hand on Théoden's forehead, she began to glow. The glow spread to Théoden and disappeared from Elizabeth. She stepped away from the dying king and continued chanting. Théoden, in turn, continued glowing. He breathed hard and smiled. He could feel himself returning.

Meanwhile, Eowyn still knelt beside her uncle, staring at his glowing form with her jaw wide open. Suddenly, the glow vanished and Théoden gasped. He took a moment to blink and convince himself that he was not dead.

He sat up and Eowyn embraced him. He embraced her in return, but stopped short in doing so. She had gone limp in his arms. Her wound had finally caught up with her. Théoden looked over to Elizabeth, who'd received her wound first and saw that she'd already collapsed onto the ground.

The King of Rohan stood up to go for help, but found that he was in considerable pain. Elizabeth had not healed everything. He had a single stab wound in his side. Feeling the flow of blood return and seeing the red liquid in his hands, he too fell to his knees and gave into the darkness.

"Release us," the ghost king hissed.

Legolas fought the urge to say, 'say please'. Gimli, on the other hand, though it unwise to give the ghosts their peace.

"You gave us your word," the ghost king hissed.

"And to that I keep." Aragorn said. "I hold your oaths fulfilled. Go now and rest."

'What is your name?' Elizabeth asked.

'I am called Keshavan. I am the Prince of Faeries.' The spirit answered.

'Will you stay with me?'

Keshavan shook his head. 'I am to be banished from your guidance. I healed a mortal that was destined to die at the battle.'

'But you didn't heal him. You said I did all those things.'

'Aye, you did, but I helped you utilize your powers. I must leave you now, forever. But I will see you again.'

'You will?' Elizabeth asked, looking hopeful and wiping away the single tear that had threatened to fall.

'Aye, I shall.' Keshavan answered. 'Many times.'

'Promise?'

'I promise, my dear Elizabeth. And I will always watch over you until we meet again. Goodbye little one'

'Wait! Keshavan…' Elizabeth sniffled and began to cry. 'I just met you.'

He was just like her parents. He had gone away. Her parents, too, had gone away and now she would most likely never see them again. But Keshavan had promised her that they would meet again. Perhaps that would sustain her trust of him for now.

Haldir of Lorien had lost a good deal of his soldiers in the battle. But a good deal of them remained also. Much more than he had expected. But where was Elizabeth? He looked to Gandalf and found the wizard looking among the fallen as most were.

Haldir was bewildered. Surely Gandalf had not allowed Elizabeth to fight outside of the city!

"NOOO!"

A cry of agony filled the air as all turned their eyes on Eomer. He ran forward and dropped his sword. The lord of Rohan fell on his knees and picked up a fallen soldier, cradling his head in his arms. But as Haldir looked closer, he saw that it was no soldier that Eomer held. It was his sister, the Lady Eowyn of Rohan. She had disguised herself as a soldier and had fought. Lord Eomer's eyes were wide open with tears and he cried openly and out loud. His sister still lived though. Haldir's "sister" was no where to be found.

Suddenly, another agonized cry escaped into the open battlefield. Haldir was surprised to see that it came from Aragorn this time. He did not cry openly as Eomer had, but he simply went to the body and bowed his head, his body wracked with silent sobs.

Haldir, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf went to comfort Aragorn on the loved one he had found. They pulled Aragorn off the face of the unconscious or dead loved one and were all thunderstruck to see that it wasn't just a fallen comrade.

Aragorn had found Elizabeth. They all wanted to help Elizabeth. But when Aragorn stood to his feet with Elizabeth's body in his arms and walked towards Haldir, they knew that he'd chosen.

"Hannon le, mellon nin," Haldir whispered. He took the unconscious form of his 'sister' and walked slowly back to Minas Tirith's Houses of Healing. At the moment, only they could help Elizabeth.

((WOW, what'd you think of that? I'm kinda at a standstill for this story at the moment...I don't know how I should continue, but I can't reveal anything either...that would ruin it...oh well...I'll just consult my plot and listen to some Lord of the Rings soundtrack music to help me brainstorm...PLEASE REVIEW! thanks so much to my consistent readers and reviewers!

Silent Watcher, 1st Fury))