FIRST KNIGHT BY ASHA DREAMWEAVER

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Summary: BtVS/LotR. Buffy gets sent to Middle Earth to help bring down Sauron. Her duty, like the Istari, is not to confront Sauron directly but to help those fated to face him bring him down. More specifically she's to help the King of Gondor get on his throne. Will Arwen and Aragorn's love stand against the shadow? Will Legolas be able to keep a secret, that if revealed, could shatter the lives of those he cares for? Will Buffy be able to fulfil her duty? Will Denethor be able to put aside his animosity for the man who would supplant him? Will the ringbearer reach Mount Doom, or will he be cut down before he reaches his goal? And will Boromir resist the lure of the ring?

Author's Notes: okay, I've posted two chapters at once in this go as it was originally one chapter but got too big for comfortable reading so I split it in two, both being posted at the same time for readers enjoyment. Enjoy! Asha D is being merciful for once. :)

The vote:

I think I started a war! The Glorfindel vs. Arwen debate is obviously a minefield. But the votes have been counted and so one character is set to meet the Hobbits and Aragorn and get them across the Bruinen.

And the results of the vote (drum roll please): the winner is Glorfindel! By an overwhelming 38 votes to 4!

Review responses:

Allen Pitt - Aragorn going to Harad? He will visit there but so far I've planned no chapters that are set there.

Anna - Sauron? Disappointed wouldn't be the word I'd use. More like 'murderous' in my opinion. Yes, the twins will have much mocking material. And good ideas on the Hobbit/ranger pick-up. As for Buffy, wait and see. Thanks for the feedback!

Anon - Yes, she did call him by his real name but as she was yelling at the time, he didn't really notice, also she's now glaring at him, and very obviously knows what she's talking about. No slip of the tongue here.

Anonymous - True. Very true.

Arkee - You're the first person who told me not to update so quickly! The Elrond victory dance thing is too funny! As for Sauron trying to recruit Buffy, that's a few chapters away. And I believe Buffy already contested her claim upon Glorfindel's 'Balrog Slayer' title. Thanks for the review! I hope you're not comatose!

Athene Saile - hmmm, you might have an idea there… As for love and hate, comradeship and one-man-up-manship can also be thrown in there.

Batgirl Beyond - You flatter me really!

Boo - Yes, Buffy could have borne his weight. But he's about a foot taller than her and a lot wider which would mean his legs and arms would be tripping her up. So urging him to go faster was really the only option besides dragging him at slayer speed, which would have meant big pain for Aragorn.

BuffyandDracoLover - I'm not gonna skip it out to the War of the Ring. That would be too rushed for my tastes. And as it's 2980, and the War of the Ring starts in 3018. It'll be about 38 years but don't worry, I'm not gonna write a chapter for all of that! I will be skipping ahead in years here and there, just not in one big great forty year leap.

ChibiChibi - It is thirty-eight years from this chapter to the War of the Ring. As for the ageing, Aragorn is the Heir of Isildur, a Númenórean Lord, and they age way slower and live longer than other men. In Númenor, the coming of age for a boy was ninety! In the books, Aragorn lives to be 210 years old, so at the War of the Ring, he was a sprightly 88/89, but with all the vigour of a man fifty to sixty years younger. As for Buffy, her ageing will be explained but for the moment, she still looks twenty-two. And yes, I've seen 'A Knight's Tale' but I haven't taken my threats from it!

Claudia - you really want the Hobbits to suffer, don't you?

deFox - How can I be original if I copy the books? (laughs) But yeah, I get your point. Thanks for the review! And I was a bit shaky on the whole 'warrior-princess' thing myself.

DragonStar - He's not totally stupid. He's a man, and in my experience, (especially with my darling, note my sarcasm, brother) Men are Stupid at times. Note the capital S.

Dreamer Child - Two reviews! Thanks! Yes, Gandalf will have his role, it's coming up in about two chapters. And yes, this story is scheduled to go all the way to the RotK. But my beta and I have been thinking about sequels so don't worry! Besides, by the time this is finished I'll have to cut off there anyway just so the number of chapters don't start spiralling out of control. At last count, there was thirty-seven but as I plan them out in detail and write them, the chapters seem to have a will of their own and keep running away on me into these massive chapters that have to be cut in half to keep them at a reasonable length! And you're not the first person to tell me to get them together soon, but I promise, in the next chapter there will be plenty of angst action. (grins evilly and rubs hands together in glee) And yes, Buffy and Gimli camaraderie will be funny. Those short people with a love for axes must stick together! And Aragorn will realise how great Buffy is. Eventually. Someone will give him a good kick in the arse to get him moving and then we'll see how things go. But complications will arise in the next chapter. Watch that space… And she's called him Aragorn only once before, in the heat of a fight so this is the first time she's intentionally called him by his birth name. And yes, now he's wondering how she knows and how much she knows!

Eámanë Aldaríon of Rivendell - Mae govannen! Awww, thanks! And the gem of Isildur was the Star of Elendil too, just the original version. Tolkien said that when Aragorn emptied Orthanc, he found the original Elendilmir there, obviously having been kept by Saruman. The one Aragorn was chasing in the last chapter, was the copy made for Isildur's youngest son, Valandil and it was silver instead of mithril. (god, I sound like a stuffy bore so just ignore that last part if you want!) And thanks for the compliments! Lady Dagnir? Complicated? Understatement of the century. Sauron's first move is in this chapter so I won't say any more about that. And given thought to your questions? Thanks to those, you will get to find out what happened 'deep in the bowls of Khazad-dûm to frighten Aragorn so'. The Aragorn and Legolas question is also answered in this part as well. Happy reading! Námarië!

Fallenadieu - This chapter.

Haley - thanks! Interesting? Definitely! Yeah Balrog Boy and the Slayer… along with Aragorn and a bunch of fretting, angry, cold, scared and hungry Hobbits. What a trip that would be? Can anyone say 'migraine'?

Herald-Mage Brianna - yes, Aragorn's family, not gonna take well to the whole visiting Mordor thing.

hey hey hey!!!! - the movies and books are going to be mixed together.

immortalwizardpirateelf-fan - Your suggestion is duly noted! :) Thanks for reviewing!

Imp17 - keep Aragorn and Arwen apart? Just you wait for the next chapter!

Jania - of course he'd remember her! Ego-bashing is always remembered!

JeanB - Two reviews? Thanks! Most of Aragorn's possessions are currently orc fodder. It's about thirty-eight years until the Fellowship is formed, which works out at about five or six chapters in my story. The Buffy ageing dilemma was sorted out somehow and is explained further in this chapter, but ten years to a Númenórean was very little. They used to live to be about two hundred at least so it took quite a while for them to show any signs of ageing. That's kind of what I'm leaning towards for Buffy rather than Elvish immortal, but Galadriel and Arwen will explain it better than I could. And a ninety year old Dúnedain by the name of Aragorn looks pretty hot in the movies. And about your list of eligible bachelors, it was interesting reading!

Jedi Buttercup - The entrance may have been Sue-ish but there's only so many ways one can be dumped into a different dimension! (at least that I can think of) but the zillion originality points you gave me were cool. And by the way, in LotR, Book 6, Chapter I, is called 'The Tower of Cirith Ungol'. The name was lent not only to the pass but to the fortress that guarded it as well. Minas Morgul 'Tower of Sorcery', formerly Minas Ithil 'Tower of the Moon', was situated in the Morgul Vale, which is a bit away from Cirith Ungol. The Nine did reside there but it was a separate city. Cirith Ungol was a fortress unto its own. The Tower of Cirith Ungol, was a stronghold made by the Men of Gondor after the Last Alliance to keep watch on Mordor but Mordor took it back over.

Jenn - Glorfindel was indeed robbed and we the movie viewers were denied another hottie to look at.

Jennzabell - no, he'll have seen, and been in the middle of, Slayer vs. Balrog Boy interaction. (chuckles) 'Buffy flavoured can of whoop-ass'. That's a great line. Yes, Buffy's spilling the beans, along with her anger. And no, poor Buffy doesn't know much about the Buffy-dar yet. Buffy has very little idea on it at the moment, and could she break it, wait and see…. Thanks for all your wonderful compliments! :)

Jess S1 - thanks for reviewing! Aragorn won't be around for the Witch-King's return visit. Arwen thing is next chapter so the suspense is nearly over. And Legolas meets Buffy in this chapter! The heirloom thing is explained in this chapter as well.

Kurt - good idea but I think Fireball would be dead from old age by that point.

Lady of the Wood - (smiles) Flirting? Read on and see… And there's about five/six chapters left until the Fellowship starts.

Lunawolf - (nods sagely) It's more than slightly frustrating for Buffy too. Hope you enjoyed your holiday.

Mari - The Lady of the Wood's warning is coming up, as for what Buffy will tell Aragorn, read on and see.

Martinelli88 - thanks for the flattery!

Marybeth - It seems many people didn't like the Arwen for Glorfindel substitution.

me - Sorry, but there will be no Spike in this fic. Ever.

Mj - confrontation hmmm? Are you psychic? And no, Buffy is not strong enough to get in and out of Mordor without a scratch. However she is quite capable of being blind to some of the more finer nuances of Evil Plans. The Witch-King is a lot smarter and tougher than she gave him credit for. Read on to find out Buffy's BIG mistake when dealing with the Witch-King.

Nefertare - True, but as Arwen was Elrond's daughter, it can be assumed that she could have made the river rage, sans horses of course. As for Buffy being there, my lips are sealed.

Pam - Jack Sparrow is absolutely brilliant! A genius portrayal by Johnny Depp and I can't wait for the sequel! :) Friends in high places? Yeah, I suppose that's true and smart guess on the Rohirrim. And your comments left me super hyper! Thanks! P.S - the Dark Lord's a sneaky little snake… watch this space….

Restive Nature - Yeah, Buffy's going to have a few words about Women's Lib to our unnecessarily chivalrous Aragorn. And the Elven blade with its enchantments, was what Shelob feared in the book so here she is fearing it in my story too. Good on you to pick up on that. Issues about the Nazgûl? Perhaps Buffy won too easily? Not so, read on and found out… (cackles madly)

Samarakerina - I hope you're ok. Bad news sucks. Glad I could help! :) Sauron's interest in our favourite slayer will hopefully be a BIG surprise. 'The Talk' is in this chapter so Aragorn will take his punishment like a man. So he hopes.

Shadow Master - (blushes madly, dabs at eyes with handkerchief) Awww, thanks! And thanks for all the ideas on the Hobbit and ranger pick-up. The Buffy idea is an interesting one.

ShawThang -the Witch-King is more devious than he appears… (cackles madly) Who says Buffy won that fight? Oooh, the triangle/square will be all systems go in the next chapter. Yes, Arwen/Legolas is a pairing with Legolas having the burden on unrequited love while Arwen moons over Aragorn.

Shimmyontherooftops - The Dreaded Return to School is looming and striking fear in the hearts of students and teachers alike. I hate school! And it's always nice to know you're not a stalker! :)

Star - Nah, hanging around Mordor wouldn't have been very fun for our duo. Yes, plenty of Buffy banter opportunities, with her criticising everything from his outfit to his horse. Thanks for the comments! :)

And major thanks to:

Amy (thanks! :D) Anyanka of the Ocean, Cataclysmic ,cotytto, Delphine Pryde, Dina, Freya Elise Raine, gaul1, gregdoreza, lilyCAT, Little Red Rabbit, Night-Owl123, pans, RedsLover03, Tkiwi, Wild320, Yllyana,

And MAJOR THANKS to my beta: Iceflame55!

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CHAPTER ELEVEN: CALLINGS

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Ithilien, 2980 TA, Narvinyë (January).

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As the silence stretched and the tension grew, Buffy took a deep, calming breath and decided to bite the bullet, "So I guess we're due a talk, aren't we?" she said.

Aragorn only stared at her like he could figure out the mystery surrounding her through sight alone.

"Are you not going to answer, Aragorn?" she asked and watched as surprise flickered across his face.

"Twice now you have called me by that name," he replied calmly, "Am I supposed to answer to a name not my own?"

"Don't give me that," Buffy said silkily, she was not going to let him wriggle out of this one, "I know your name is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, directly descended from Isildur. You're the current Lord of the Dúnedain, foster son of Elrond of Rivendell who called you Estel, and one major pain in my ass. Have I forgotten anything?"

Aragorn's face was truly a picture and Buffy really wished cameras had been invented in Middle Earth. This definitely would have been one for the photo album! "Y-you what?!" Aragorn managed to exclaim. "How do you know this?" he asked, knowing that if she knew that much there was no point in denying it.

"A flock of birdies told me," Buffy said cryptically, "Let's just say that I know craziness runs in your family, both mortal and immortal branches."

He eyed her carefully, weighing her up with his gaze, "Need I ask why? I thought they had more concern for my continued life than to tell a stranger."

"I guard your back," Buffy said equably, "Like I said before, but you didn't seem to be listening. Too busy plotting how to get rid of me, hmmm?"

Aragorn held back a wince at her biting tone, "Regarding that…" he began but Buffy stopped him from going further.

"Not now," she said, "We can talk about that later once we've got the introductions out of the way. And believe me, ranger boy, I've got plenty to say to you on that little matter. But for now, we need to get our, by now, not so secret identities out of the way. Starting with you, seeing as I know more about you than you do about me, including embarrassing childhood incidents."

"How can I trust you?" Aragorn said suspiciously, "You could have planned to gain my trust and then turn me over to the Dark Lord when it suits you."

"If I was working for Sauron, you neurotic idiot, I would have left you to enjoy the hospitality of the Witch-King."

He seemed bemused by that, so Buffy ploughed on, "Now that we've got that out of the way, this game we're gonna play is very simple. You spill your true identity and then I spill mine. And after that, we spend the next half an hour threatening each other not to reveal the other's secrets under pain of a messy death. Got it?"

He nodded, so Buffy said brightly, "Great! 'Cos you're first one up."

"I think that is hardly fair when I do not know anything about you," he said.

"Ahh, but you'll get to hear all the information you want, along with a good portion you didn't want, after you're done. So, c'mon, let's hear it."

"I am the Heir of Isildur," Aragorn began, "Chieftain of the Dúnedain. I was raised by the Elves, and I have spent the last few decades learning the ways of Men."

"Well, I knew all that!" Buffy said, "One of the advantages of staying in Rivendell was hearing about all of your misadventures, courtesy of the twins."

"You stayed in Rivendell? And adar {father} never told me?" Aragorn said somewhat annoyed, thinking of the letter he had wrote and the reply received.

"Yeah, but we're not talking about me here, remember?" Buffy pointed out, "You're only telling me what I already know."

"You will hear nothing else until I have heard your story." Aragorn said stubbornly, folding his arms across his chest, and wincing as they jostled his bruised ribcage.

"Fine," Buffy said, "You can dish the dirt later but do you care to enlighten me on why you felt the need to visit Mordor, land of all evil?"

"I went to recover an heirloom of my house," Aragorn answered after a moment's silence, "And because my heart urged me to go."

"You must be the only guy I know, besides one, that hankers after pain." Buffy said bemusedly, "You didn't think a vacation in Mordor might not have been the best idea?"

"I have spent my adult life being told what I must do if I wish to reclaim the Kingship. I chose exile but I still must know the enemy I work against if I am to be any way effective at helping to bring him down. And there was something I had to reclaim ere it was lost to Mordor."

Buffy flopped onto her back, lazily staring into the fire as she listened to the ranger speak, "Here's a hint," she said helpfully, "Next time you feel the urge to sneak around your enemy's fortress, don't get caught. I'm not bailing you out for the rest of our existence you know. You'll give me wrinkles, and that furrowy-brow thing that Elrond does so well."

"He raised the twins," Aragorn said, amused at her description of his foster father.

"Too true," she agreed, "Those two are enough to give anybody wrinkles! So, was it worth it? Did you find what you were looking for?"

Aragorn shook his head, "I never recovered the Elendilmir," he said sorrowfully. "'Twas only part of the reason I came to this forsaken land but I was not able to recover it and so it shall join the treasuries of Mordor."

"What is the Elendilmir? You know, besides an heirloom thingy." Buffy asked curiously, wondering what trinket could be so important that he'd trek into Mordor for it.

"A priceless heirloom of my house," Aragorn answered, annoyed at Buffy's blasé attitude, "A silver coronet passed down through nearly forty generations of Chieftains."

Buffy's expression changed, causing Aragorn to look at her curiously. Buffy rooted in her pack for a moment, and then held something aloft, "You mean this pretty little bauble?" Buffy asked innocently. "I thought it had that kind of 'Tiffany's' look about it so I picked it up. It's so hard to find good diamonds here when you're a person like me."

Aragorn snatched it out of her hands, confirming that, yes, this was the Elendilmir. "How in Eru's name did you get this?" he demanded.

"One of those grubby little orcs was trying it on for size when I was on my little 'rescue you' jaunt. I killed it and took the pretty thing as a keepsake," Buffy said, nose wrinkling in disgust at the memory of the orc playing dress-up, "If you're planning on wearing it, ever, I would recommend sterilising it or you'll probably get lice. Or fleas. Talk about yuck!"

"You are a strange woman, Eliza. But I would know your true name and purpose ere I talk with you more," Aragorn said and Buffy gulped.

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"Right, I guess it's my turn then," Buffy said uncomfortably. "Well, to put it bluntly, I'm a Vampire Slayer."

She held up a hand to forestall the barrage of questions Aragorn looked to be wanting to throw at her, "Stay quiet while I explain my heritage, 'k? It's hard enough as it is without you butting in every two minutes."

His curiosity more than a little piqued, he sullenly agreed.

"Ok, my real name is Buffy Summers. Where I come from we have last names too," she said, trying to explain what Galadriel, Elrond, and Gil-galad had all instinctively understood, "If you're still talking to me after this, you can call me Buffy."

"As for where I come from… that's a little trickier so if you could just bear with me here?" she said, "I'm not from this world originally. I wasn't born in Middle Earth, and no I'm not like an Istari before you ask. If you don't believe me or want a more detailed explanation, ask your father. I'm not sitting here for the whole day trying to explain this to you. Now, as to what I am…"

She took a shaky breath, hoping that Aragorn didn't decide to hate her for being quite a bit more than human, "As I said a minute ago, I'm a Vampire Slayer. And that's not in reference to the lovely winged monsters Morgoth had in the First Age. Where I come from, vampires are demons that feed on peoples' blood. They are ruthless, soulless walking dead monsters who feed off the living. They don't breathe, their heart doesn't beat, but sunlight burns them. Now, these demons are only one breed amongst many, and because they felt like having us humans for dinner, the Powers, um, I mean the Valar-like people, decided to even the score just a teensy weensy little bit."

Aragorn looked at her somewhat blankly and she idly wondered was he labelling her a basket case, "Basically, they created a warrior from someone demons wouldn't generally have suspected; a girl. The story goes like this; into each generation the Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One. One with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires and to stop the spread of evil. When one dies, another is called to take her place, with the Slayer powers transferring to a new slayer the second the previous one dies. I am a Vampire Slayer."

Uncomfortable with the silence and with the taken aback expression Aragorn was currently wearing, Buffy soldiered on, feeling cold all of a sudden, I was called when I was fifteen. I've been a slayer ever since, fighting demons and evil. When I'd been a slayer for eight years, a new evil came to town, one that I couldn't stop on my own. The Valar offered me a deal; they'd deal with the demon if I came here and protected you. I had no choice but to agree. Literally. I spent some time in Lórien and Rivendell, training with the Elves and learning how this kooky world worked. And then I went to Gondor. After that, you know pretty much what I've done since then."

"What… powers does a slayer have?" Aragorn asked after a pregnant silence.

"Super-strength, rapid healing, more stamina, enhanced senses and agility, the ability to detect evil, instinctive skill with weapons of all types, and some type of foresight. And oh yeah, it takes quite a bit to kill one of us." Buffy said, rattling them off. "I can beat pretty much every human around, including you. Though to assuage your undoubtedly bruised ego, you're the best non-slayer human fighter that I've seen."

Aragorn stared at her for a long time, processing everything she had said, before speaking, "That would explain a lot of things," he said at last, "And I thought my heritage was a burden. Yours must weigh on you like a mountain."

"Not so much since I came to Middle Earth," Buffy said evenly, "Not too many demons here and a hell of a lot more armies. Though you, buddy, have been one major pain in my ass. So far I've had to rescue you from Corsairs, your own pride and Mordor. Not to mention, stop your assassination. Twice. You've been one annoying charge to keep track of, Aragorn."

His face fell for some reason, taking on the look of a wounded deer and Buffy's stomach clenched, what had she done now? Or was he hurt so badly that he couldn't hide it anymore?

"So you befriended me because it was your duty," Aragorn said, surprised at how much it hurt.

Buffy's eyes widened and she hurried to reassure him, "NO! By the Valar, no! That's not it at all! I really like you, even if you are kinda crazy and all skulky. I didn't do it because I had to. I did it because I wanted to. Now, could you please let me look at your wounds before you fall down?"

He nodded his assent, his ribs feeling like they were on fire even as a strange sort of elation filled him at hearing Buffy's words of reassurance. He did not want to analyse exactly why he would have been so hurt if she had only been a friend to him because she had been forced to do so.

He yelped when he felt her hands probe the tender, purple and blue skin of his back, "Ai! Your hands are like ice!" he exclaimed, as the freezing hands probed and prodded his wounds.

"Sorry," Buffy said without pausing in her ministrations, "Slayers don't get that nifty little resistance to cold and heat thing that the Elves get."

After a few minutes of repetitive wincing by Aragorn, Buffy gave her diagnosis, "Well, you've got two cracked ribs, enough bruising to try out for a clown position, a few gashes and grazes. All in all, you got off lucky. Though you're going to be uncomfortable for the next few days."

"I think we should get some sleep," Aragorn said, "I need some time to think on where I stand so I will take first watch."

Buffy watched him carefully, trying to figure out what was up, but then shrugged, "As long as you remember to wake me up. I only just saved your suicidal ass. The last thing I need is you passing out from exhaustion." She stifled a yawn, "Though I have to admit, bed sounds fun. G'night!" she mumbled as she lay down and pulled her blanket halfway over her head.

Seated by the fire, the light from the flames casting shadows on his features, Aragorn watched her as though her form held the answers to the universe.

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Ithil had risen fully when Aragorn broke from his reverie (he had been thinking about the day's revelations of course), and noticed that all was not well with Eliza. No, it was Buffy now, he reminded himself.

Buried under the covers of her bedroll, she was shivering from a non-existent chill and mumbling in a restless sleep. Walking over to her, he gently shook her shoulder but she did not stir in the slightest.

His hand brushed her skin and he flinched back in surprise. He had teased her about having cold hands earlier but now, touching her skin was like touching ice.

Worried now, he again tried to wake her but even the hardiest shakes or a light slap across her cheek were not enough to rouse her from her foul slumber.

He felt his chest tighten with panic when her head lolled limply against his arm. Where was the vivacious, lively woman of a few hours ago? Forcing himself to think as a healer instead of an anxious friend, he tried to think if she could have caught a chill so fast. But had not she herself mentioned that she was a rapid healer?

With an abrupt snap, it came to him. This woman had barged into Mordor to rescue him, with nary a thank you from him. She had been pitted against wraiths and orcs and won. She had even challenged the Witch-King himself. Surely she could not have passed through all that unscathed?

Cursing himself for not thinking to see if she had any wounds that needed tending, he hurried to check to see if there were any open wounds. Orcs and wraiths were notorious for coating their weapons with poison. Even the smallest scrape could be fatal if left untended when orc poison was festering within.

Ignoring his small sense of embarrassment at searching her in such a manner, he rapidly checked her over and soon he found what he had expected.

There on the soft flesh of her upper arm, there lay a shallow gash. He pressed it cautiously and black blood oozed from it. Buffy stirred at the pain of the poison where she had not done so for him, "Aragorn?" she murmured sleepily, "What ya doin'?"

"Buffy, did any of the Ringwraiths land a strike on you? Answer me!" Aragorn asked anxiously, noting the blurred hazel eyes of his companion.

Buffy looked at him blearily but at his urgent tone, answered, "Nah, he didn't stop me. Got past him." she muttered, cuddling into his furnace like warmth.

"Of course the Witch-King did not bar your path!" Aragorn exclaimed, oblivious to the fact that she was too sleepy to care if he was mad, "They'll track you through your wound! A Morgul blade! I have not the skill to heal this!"

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Cirith Ungol. 2980, TA. Buffy's rescue mission. Scene: Buffy vs. the Witch-King.

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And crossing the stone courtyard, Buffy went to meet the Witch-king.

The feared Witch-King quickly sized up this new rival. As she lunged at him first, he felt like mocking her. The youth were always so impetuous, and this new woman seemed to think him little challenge.

She was fast, quick and deadly, but he would die by no man's hand. Only the death of his Lord would allow that, and this little fair-haired sprite, doubtless the latest pathetic offering from the increasingly desperate Elves. Her pride would cost her dearly.

"Do you fear to face me Wraith?" she taunted him, her flushed face stony, "You should! You should consider me death. More specifically, yours."

"Give it up, girl," the Witch-King hissed, he would teach her who she mocked. "You can not leave this place alive." Or at least, not living. Dying would do just fine. The chase was always the best part of the hunt. Especially with such interesting prey.

"Says who?" she answered, landing a strong kick on him. He smiled beneath his heavy hood. That's it, come on, come closer little girl, he silently urged. And to his malicious delight, she did.

Deliberately looking off balance, he wordlessly coaxed her to press her advantage and they went tumbling down the hill to Torech Ungol (Shelob's Lair). As they went flying towards Shelob's Lair, he stealthily moved his Morgul blade, his most prized weapon, into position and while the foolish mortal was busy keeping them on track, he sliced open a cut in her arm.

Even as the sticky webs she believed would hold him snagged him momentarily, as if Shelob frightened one who could not die, he laughed, a cold, high, mocking laugh.

The girl was his now.

She would be a prize for his Lord indeed….

A foolish little girl if she thought she would be the one to kill him after so many millennia….

After all the Witch-King didn't need to defend against Buffy when he'd already landed a hit on her. All it took was one scratch of a Morgul blade…

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Aragorn felt despair hit him abruptly. The only one who could possibly save her was his father, too far away to help them now. To have the poison effect her so fast, chances were she would be dead or a wraith by morning. How could he expect her to fight against this magic she would not understand if she was truly not of Middle Earth?

Noting that she had fallen back into slumber, he pressed a soft kiss to her head. She would die or have a fate worse than death because she had come after him. His eyes felt suspiciously wet but he blinked the tears away. He had thought he had kept her safe, yet it seemed that she had still suffered for his folly.

Her revelation from earlier explained much and fuelled even more questions. Whatever lay in her past, he could tell it had been painful and he knew better than to pry. She would tell him in time, if she wished. Now she would not live to do so.

He cared not about what she was, only that he could trust her with his secret as he hoped she had been able to trust him with hers. He had been denying it to himself so often of late, that it hit him now with all the force of a blunt club to the stomach. He cared for her. 'Twas why he felt such sorrow that so bright a life would die because of him.

He couldn't even help her as his healing supplies were lost to the orcs.

Uncaring for decorum, he clutched her to him, and held her tightly to him throughout the night.

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Having fallen into a light doze, Aragorn jerked awake when he felt Buffy shift against him. Remembering his discovery of the night before, he checked her condition. He felt her forehead, once, twice and then three times, unable to believe this was happening.

Her forehead was slightly cool but nothing like the icy feeling of last night. Checking again, he found that she had transformed from being trapped in the coldness of one passing over into the shadow world into one who, while slightly cold, was no more near to death than he was.

Unable to believe this turn of events, he pulled back the torn cloth covering the gash and to his amazement found that it had scabbed over. Poking at it in shock, he saw that red blood welled instead of black. How was this possible? He thought staring at her in wonder. Even an Elf would not have been able to throw off a Morgul wound overnight! And she had had no healing herbs of any sort!

He thought back to her words of the day before, 'it takes quite a bit to kill one of us.' Could it be that being what she was had saved her?

There could be no doubt about it, Buffy was an extraordinary woman but he would have to wait for her to wake ere he could interrogate her about how she got this way and how she had once more done the impossible.

He knew not how long they lay there, perhaps one or two hours, ere she moved at all. And what she did was something that would bother Aragorn for years to come.

Snuggling closer to his warmth as a brisk breeze blew through their camp, carrying away the ashes of the cheery fire from the night before, she cuddled herself against him. To his horror, he found that however his mind screamed about propriety and that he was only sharing body heat to keep her warm after her ordeal, his body quite liked having a beautiful woman curled up against him.

Trying to will away his lust, he stiffened as Buffy shifted again, her breath ghosting past his ear. Still asleep, she cuddled closer and kissed him in her slumber, inducing feelings of both horror and delight.

Her mouth was hot and sweet, and lusciously soft against his. And almost against his will if his common sense screaming 'stop!' was any indication, he responded, slipping his tongue into her warm mouth.

A few minutes later, when she rolled over in her illness-heavy sleep, he was shocked and horrified with himself. Gently pulling away, he mentally berated himself. She trusted him to guard her sleep when they had set the watches and now he had taken shameless advantage of her in her repose!

He was not the sort of man that preyed on women and he now felt disgusted with himself. How could he betray her in such a manner?

And he was the man Elrond said could be King? He thought darkly. Isildur's weakness flowed through his veins. He could feel its taint. If the High King of Gondor when the Dúnedain had not yet waned, could fall for lust of power, why should it surprise him that he would fall victim to his own lust? And dishonoured a close friend by doing so.

That was it, he decided, he could not face her for much longer. First chance he got, they would separate. He did not know how he was going to look her in the eye. Trust in the strength of Men, Gandalf would always say to him.

Bitterly, he disagreed. What strength was there left in Men?

---------------------

And so it was, that when it came time to part ways for a while, Buffy on Fireball and Aragorn on foot, that they agreed to meet again. Aragorn was to go to Rivendell to see his family and he would bring a letter from Buffy to them. Of course, he didn't know that he was effectively handing over to his foster father and brothers, a detailed account of all his near death hi-jinks and subsequent wounds.

Buffy was to go to Lothlórien, to visit Galadriel and obtain the answers to a few questions she had been wanting answers to for the last few years.

In truth, both were grateful for the time apart. For some reason Buffy couldn't fathom, their relationship had been very stiff and stilted during this last stint of travelling from Ithilien and a break would do them both some good.

And so they arranged to meet in Bree in a few months time, in Viressë (April)…

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On the road to Lothlórien. 2980, TA, late Narvinyë (January).

The Witch-King had not been idle since his poison failed to bring his foe down. He had followed her and the ragged Dúnadan 'til they had taken different paths. The girl seemed to be heading for that accursed wood, probably to plot with the Elf-Witch.

With him rode the Mouth of Sauron and two more of his fellow wraiths. For the Mouth himself to ride with them spoke of the importance of this mission. Whatever the significance of this girl was, he did not yet know but he knew his master wanted her to either join him or be killed for defying him.

He personally hoped she would refuse. He had been so sure that he could track her through his poison but this girl had either encountered an Elvish healer of great skill or had the most uncanny look he had seen in this age. Whatever had happened, he had been left to look a fool.

As the Mouth of Sauron broke away from them to take shelter in a deserted cave, to prepare for the arrival of their prey, the Witch-King led his fellows out on the path to Lothlórien.

Doubtless the Elf-Witch would sense them and send her cursed Elves out but by then it would be too late.

The wraiths would not engage the woman they hunted. They knew better than that now after the debacle in Cirith Ungol.

He studied the drug filled darts they all carried with them.

He had underestimated her before.

He would not do so again.

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They struck under the cover of nightfall and Buffy, tired from many days hard riding, did not sense them until it was too late.

There were three of them and while she was skilled, she was unable to avoid the dart that she did not see coming.

The drug inside was swift-acting and even though Buffy's slayer constitution tried to resist, she eventually succumbed to the blackness that took her.

Having hauled her up on his dark mount, the Witch-King allowed himself a triumphant sneer. Whatever power this girl possessed that had attracted his Lord like honey drew flies, she was still mortal flesh and blood.

She had the same weaknesses as the rest of her race and though she had bested him once, he had evened the score.

He truly did hope she refused his Lord's most generous offer.

He would enjoy making her scream…

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A/N: So? Opinions please! Please READ and REVIEW!!!! Please take a look at the QUESTION AT THE END! Please!

Elvish:

Narvinyë - Quenya for January

Adar - father

Viressë - Quenya for April

Dúnadan - Man of the West

Dúnedain - Men of the West

Imladris - Rivendell

Cirith Ungol - Translates as 'Spider's Cleft'. The name was lent not only to the pass but to the fortress that guarded it as well. Cirith Ungol was a fortress unto its own. The Tower of Cirith Ungol, was a stronghold made by the Men of Gondor after the Last Alliance to keep watch on Mordor but Mordor took it over.

Gil-galad - Last High King of the Noldor. King of Lindon. Died during the final battle of the Last Alliance.

Númenor - Land of the Star. Translated 'Westland'. When Elros Half-Elven, Elrond's twin, chose to be of the Race of Men, the Valar granted him an island to rule over. It was prepared by the Valar as a dwelling place for the Edain after the First Age. Elros, granted a longer lifespan because of his Elven heritage, and the rest of the Edain who followed him were long lived as well, became Elros Tar-Minyatur, first King of Númenor.

Osgiliath - Was once the capital of Gondor. But during the War of the Kin-Strife (a rebellion during the time of kings around the 1430's.) it was laid siege to by the rebels and burned to ruins in 1437.

The Elendilmir/Star of Elendil - an heirloom of the House of Elendil. It was a single white gem (assumed to be a diamond) on a fillet of silver, worn on the brow. The Elendilmir referred to in this chapter is the second one to bear the name. The first being lost with Isildur. The second Elendilmir was made for Valandil, Isildur's youngest and only surviving son, after Isildur and the original Elendilmir, made in Númenor, were lost. The second Elendilmir was born by each of the Chieftains of the Dúnedain, all the way down to Aragorn II.

Torech Ungol - Shelob's Lair,

Another QUESTION: since you darling reviewers were so vocal about Glorfindel and Arwen, I decided to give you another chance to rewrite history. The Choice is does Boromir LIVE or DIE? With Buffy's help he could be saved, and on the other hand it could make his death more hasty. What's it to be?

And if the answer is LIVE, what should happen to FARAMIR?