I have no excuse for the delay other than my weekend was a little crazy. Sorry it took so long! I hope you like this chapter and I'll do my very best to update soon for you all!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 40: Is it Over?

Ana rode on top Mildburh behind Aragorn, Éomer, and Gandalf and in between Legolas with Gimli and Haldir. "Are you sure it was wise of you to ride with us lass?" Gimli asked and Ana turned her attention from the road ahead to the dwarf at her left.

"What do you mean Gimli?" she asked.

"Well with your record . . .," he trailed off but the smile and teasing tone in his voice she knew he was only jesting with her, trying to lighten the serious mood that surrounded them. Ana smiled at him and laughed quietly.

"I assure you, my friend, that my record shall prove false very soon," she said and Gimli chuckled.

"It better," Haldir said and she turned her head and looked at him.

"It will as long as your record holds true," she replied and Haldir nodded his head as his eyes met hers.

"It will," he said and Ana gave him a small smile before she turned her eyes ahead. She took a slow deep breath when in her sight came the large Black Gates of Mordor. Destiny was about to be made.

Soon, the men were and looked at the gate. "Where are they?" Pippin asked quietly as he sat in front of Gandalf. Aragorn sighed and urged Brego forward. A banner guard followed him as did Gandalf, Éomer, Legolas, Haldir and Ana.

"Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Let justice be done upon him!" Aragorn called out and all eyes remained focused on the gates as they slowly opened. The creature rode on top of a black horse that looked a great deal like the horses described in the books she had read about that the Nazgul rode.

"The Mouth of Sauron," Haldir hissed he whisper and Ana stiffened her posture.

"My master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome," the Mouth of Sauron said, his voice deep and sounding as though he had a major frog in his throat. He smiled and Ana winced at the disgusting black ooze that seemed to leak from his mouth. "Is there any in this rout with authority to treat with me?"

"We do not come to treat with Sauron, faithless and accursed. Tell your master this: The armies of Mordor must disband. He is to depart these lands, never to return," Gandalf said. The Mouth of Sauron hissed at him and Ana glared at him. However, as he was about to speak, his head turned a little more and looked at Ana.

"Aha, the chosen one, it is a pity you are not needed anymore," he said and Ana's glare only deepened as his attention looked to Gandalf. "I have a token I was bidden to show thee, Old Greybeard." He pulled a silver shirt, it looked to Ana like mail, but it seemed different finer than any she had ever seen in Middle Earth.

"Frodo," Pippin said and Ana looked to the small hobbit before she looked back at the creature before the. Her heart sank and she shook her head with a frown. The Mouth of Sauron tossed the shirt at Gandalf and the wizard caught it before Pippin took it into his hands. "Frodo," he whispered with tears in his eyes. The Mouth of Sauron laughed and Gandalf put his hand on Pippin's shoulder.

"Silence!" Gandalf said and Pippin sniffed.

"No!" Merry exclaimed and Gandalf looked over at him.

"Silence!" Gandalf said once more.

"The halfling was dear to thee, I see. Know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host. Who would've thought one so small could endure so much pain?" the mouth asked and Ana felt the tears come to her eyes and she shook her head again as she looked down at Mildburh's mane. "And he did, Gandalf. He did. Ahah." Ana heard a horse move and she looked up and saw Aragorn urging Brego over to the Mouth of Sauron with a look of pure and utter hatred and loathing on his face. "And who is this? Isildur's heir? It takes more to make a king than a broken Elvish blade." Ana griped the reins of her horse but her mouth hung open when she watched Aragorn decapitate the Mouth of Sauron.

"I guess that concludes negotiations," Gimli said quietly and if they would have been in a different situation Ana would have laughed.

"I do not believe it. I will not," Aragorn stated firmly and Ana nodded her head. In her heart she did not believe it anymore than he did. She looked up when she heard the gates opening once more and the others' eyes turned back to the gates as well. Orcs and trolls were marching towards them and Ana swallowed the lump in her throat. "Fall back! Fall back!" Aragorn exclaimed and the small party quickly rode back up to the other men.

The men looked frightened as the orcs began to stream from the gates and most took a step back but Aragorn rode Brego in front of them and as Ana watched him, she though he never looked more kingly then he did that very moment.

"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!" Ana smiled at him as he turned and raised his sword in the air. The atmosphere around the men had changed just by his words. The air was charged and she knew that no matter what fate the men around her met, they would face it without hesitation.

They had dismounted their horses and stood before the men as they orcs continued to push through. Ana looked further into Mordor and that was when she saw it. The fire that had haunted her in her dreams when she first came to Lothlorien and that had haunted her until she bound herself to Haldir. The eye was focused on her and she on it and her attention remained there until she felt Haldir's fingers lace hers. She turned and looked at him and he looked down at her.

"No fear, no doubt," he told her gently. "We will see each other alive and well at the end of this fight." She smiled up at him and squeezed his hand.

"We will, my love," she said softly and he slowly let go of her hand and both of them turned their attention ahead once more.

"For Frodo," Aragorn said and he met her gaze briefly. She gave him a teary eyed smile and he returned it before he charged. Merry and Pippin soon followed. Ana took a deep breath and with the rest of the men charged on.

Ana cried out as she battled orc after orc. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as they fought. She pulled her sword from an orc and turned her head when she heard Legolas call out to Aragorn. She gasped when she saw the troll charge after him. Ana looked to Legolas and saw that he was fighting to get to him, but was being held back. She looked around and saw Haldir focused and engaged in battle with two other orcs and she charged over to Aragorn to help him.

The eagles were helping too, flying over head, but she didn't know if she would make it to where she needed to be in order to help Aragorn. The troll tossed him and her eyes widened she went after him but was stopped by another orc. She cried out and countered the orc's blow and hit him with one of her own. His blade ran down her arm and she screamed out before she brought her left hand back and punched him square in the face and ran him through with her sword. She pulled her sword free and looked to where she last saw Aragorn and the troll's foot was pressed down on his chest.

Suddenly, all goes still and everyone stops and looks into Mordor. The tower of Barad-dur starts to crumble and the orcs, trolls, and all the dark lord's minions. Ana looked on in wonder as the tower that held the eye crumble her breath was labored and she found herself smiling as they eye disappeared forever.

"Frodo, Frodo!" Merry exclaimed as he held up his sword. Mount Doom exploded and Ana gasped.

"Frodo," she said quietly and closed her eyes. "Sam." She shook her head and felt the tears fall from her eyes as she opened them and looked at the Mountain. All she wanted was for them to have made it out before the explosion. That they were safe and that she would see them again soon. Her shoulders shook gently as she cried and shook her head a hand was on her shoulder and she looked up to see Haldir stained with blood and dirt and she knew she looked similar to him. "Haldir . . ." she trailed off and he shook his head before he wrapped his arms around him.

"It's alright Ana, don't worry. We'll find them safe, trust in me," he whispered as he held her tightly and she nodded as she raised her head and looked to Aragorn and he sighed and looked down. Ana looked up at Haldir and she didn't need to speak. He knew what she was asking him. Ana nodded and slipped from his arms and rushed over to the man that in her mind was her brother.

Aragorn looked up at her and she wrapped her arms around him. He sighed and did the same thing. The pair just held onto each other for a moment and she looked up at him. Gandalf shook his head and walked over to them.

"I do not feel they are lost," he said and Ana looked up at the wizard with hope filled eyes. Aragorn pulled back from Ana and looked at the wizard. "The eagles will take me into Mordor. I will find them and bring them back." Aragorn nodded and composed himself and Ana did the same thing. The wizard moved away from them and climbed upon one of the landed eagles and he took off followed by another eagle.

Ana wiped an injured soldier's forehead with a damp cloth. "You are lucky," she told him quietly and he smiled.

"I am my lady to be tended by an elf," he told her tiredly. She laughed softly and shook her head.

"I meant that you were lucky your wound it not too serious. You should be back on your horse in time for our return to Minas Tirith," she told him through a smile. The man returned her smile and nodded his head.

"My wife shall be relieved." Ana nodded her head as she sat the cloth aside.

"That she will. Now, take rest. You need to gather your strength for the ride ahead of us at the dawn." The soldier nodded his head and Ana stood and glanced around. Most of the wounded, including herself had been well tended to and the casualties were accounted for and would be placed to rest once they returned to the city. Ana sighed and walked over to the small campfire where Aragorn sat with Legolas, Gimli, Éomer, and Haldir. She sat down next to Haldir and took his hand. She laced her fingers with his and stared into the fire as she rested her head against his shoulder listening to the soft chatter around them, but oblivious to what was being said. It was done. Sauron was destroyed and soon, peace would surround them, at least she hoped it would.