Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings is property of Tolkien and there are many references throughout to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I only own what you do not recognize. The character Chinky is not meant to cause offence and is named after a real horse whose name has been shortened from a Fiat Cinquecento (Chinky – Chento).
Chapter 20: White Wizard Approaches
Legolas sighed as he watched over the Auduin. Something was following them; Gollum. Though that was not what he was worrying about, something was watching them, not from the eastern shore, but the western. He had tried telling Aragorn that they should move, but to no avail, the ranger believed them safe here. Screwing up his hand into a fist he tried to regain his emotions, if they did not move now something bad was going to happen, he was sure of it.
"Aragorn, we must move now." He said turning to his friend.
"No, we are safe here," he said. He said this and looked over at where Frodo should have been. His heart stopped as he noticed the hobbit was missing.
"Boromir," Aragorn cried.
Legolas looked with him and noticed that both the hobbit and the son of Gondor were gone. He gave Aragorn an, 'I told you so look' before shaking Gimli awake and pulling out his bow.
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Amy sat on Chinky's back just outside Lothlorien looking over the Misty mountains when she heard the sound of soft feet approaching.
"What do you want Haldir?" She said without even looking over her shoulder.
"I have come to apologise." He said walking and standing in front of her, keeping out of the way of Chinky's hooves.
"Well you're a bit late now. Can't you ever control your temper?"
Haldir looked down and suddenly the swirls of dirt on the ground seemed very interesting.
"Look at me!" She ordered. "How is your stomach?"
Haldir grimaced, the pain in his stomach was starting to subside, even after two days he could still feel it, a dark bruise had been formed just above his hips where the prince of Mirkwood and placed his fist.
"Oh Haldir, why can't you understand that it's Legolas I love?" She said exasperated.
"I just didn't think he could love someone like you." He said. Once again biting his tongue, why did he open his big mouth?
"Like me? Tell me Haldir, what am I? Am I no elf? I am defiantly no human. So then what am I? Oh I know, I am nothing but a demon. I get it. Get away from me." She hissed.
Haldir had tears forming in his eyes as he slowly backed away. "Amy I am so sorry. How can I make it up to you?"
"When the time comes you will fight, you will fight for me and with me. Do you understand? Now go. Leave me be." She said shutting her eyes. The truth is she wanted to accept his apology, but she could not. His words to Legolas had hit her heart, she was a demon. No elf should be able to wield her power; no elf should have black eyes.
Her throat knotted as a last thought came into her head. She pushed it away as the tears flowed freely down her cheeks. No matter how hard she tried to push it away, it kept coming back. No elf was destined to die.
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Legolas looked helplessly at the falls of Rauros, the boat that was playing on the waves held the body of Boromir. He sighed and looked away. Aragorn was fitting his bracers to his arms with a look of lost hope on his face. The fellowship had failed. Frodo and Sam were on their way to Gondor alone, Boromir was dead, Gandalf had fallen into shadow and flame and Merry and Pippin had been carried off by the remaining Uruk-Hai.
"Come, we will not leave Merry and Pippin to torment and death, we are going to hunt some orc." Aragorn said leaping up, "Leave everything that can be spared we travel light."
Legolas and Gimli shared a smile as they raced after Aragorn. Legolas smiled as he leapt nimbly over a large fallen tree, he turned and laughed out loud as he saw Gimli struggle over it.
"Come Gimli," he called before racing off to catch up with Aragorn. All he hoped was that Amy was safe in Lothlorien. Little did he know.
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Amy had waited three days and three nights before she saw any sign of Gandalf. She looked up in the air to see a huge eagle flying towards her, upon his back Gandalf. As the eagle landed she jumped off Chinky and bowed low to the beast. Throwing a cloak to Gandalf she helped the tired Istari off its back.
"Thank you my friend." He said to the eagle before it flew off.
"Gandalf, you do not know how much it cheers me to see you alive!"
"Yet you do not seem surprised and are even waiting here for me. I will not question you further. I am too weary, I fear I may fall." Gandalf said leaning on Amy.
"I have my ways, but come we must hurry to Galadriel; we have important news to discuss. If you do not mind, climb on Chinky, she will bear both of us at a decent speed." Amy said already helping the exhausted Wizard onto the Mearas, before jumping up behind him.
"Thank you Amy. Now tell me, what is the news?"
As Chinky cantered towards Lothlorien she explained the Fellowships departure and her feelings that it may have broken. "I feel that Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli will follow Merry and Pippin. We must catch up with them; they cannot fight this battle alone."
"I will not ask how you know this, but we must help them. Are your powers strong enough for this?" Gandalf said.
"Of course, I could beat you and the other four Istari any day!" She said with a grin.
Gandalf laughed lightly at her comment yet he knew in his heart it was true. Nothing could beat her now. The only thing she had to fear was herself.
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Two days had passed since Gandalf had arrived in Lothlorien and now they were preparing to go. Chinky had arrived back earlier that morning with Shadowfax in tow. Amy had sent her out to find her father as soon as she got Gandalf to Galadriel. They were going to need all the speed they could get and the two Mearas were the fastest horses' in Middle Earth.
Amy walked over to her door as she heard a light knock.
"Hi, when are we leaving? I was just going to come looking for you." She said to Gandalf.
"I would like to leave within the hour. Take your weapons and a small pack of lembas, we travel light." He said before shutting the door.
"Right," Amy said to herself, "weapons." Smiling she gathered her bow and quiver, her sword and long knife and put them on her bed. Pulling on a pair of light breaches she cursed as she realised she would have to wear boots. Sulkily she pulled the soft knee high boots on telling herself it would be better in the long run. She pulled a light blue shirt and tunic over her head and fixed her quiver and bow to her back. She had already pulled back her hair in the traditional elvish fashion, half up half down with the sides braided to keep it out of her eyes. Fastening her belt to her breaches she slid her famous dragon marked sword into its scabbard on her left side and the ivory hilted knife into its scabbard the other side.
Fastening a length of rope around her waist she opened the door and was about to step out before shutting the door and walking back over to her bed. Crouching down she pulled out what looked to be a bundle of tightly wrapped material. Sighing she opened it and unrolled it. It was a banner. Her fathers to be exact, the banner of the dragon. The red material had been made by the finest elven weavers of his time. In the centre was embroidered a large gold dragon. Its large wings stretching a good way down the banner. A small head upon a large neck, and each foot was marked with three long clawed toes.
Sighing she rolled it back up and carried it out of her talon. Gondor needed Rohan's help, but the land was too proud to admit it. Yet with this banner and her sword she hoped she could unite the two nations, and make them win the battle against Mordor together. Well this is what she hopped. She just prayed that they recognised it, and her.
Walking down the steps she slipped the bridal over Chinkys head and mounted her. Her thoughts drifting back to when she was sixteen and she was setting off on her first adventure then. She could never have dreamed she would end up in Middle Earth being the only hope for the place.
"So good of you to finally make it!" Gandalf said sitting high on Shadowfax's back.
"Sorry, I had to get something." She said urging Chinky to follow the white stallion while she tied her cloak round her.
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The whole of Lothlorien was standing at the borders ready to see them off. Every elf ranging from the servants, to the lords, from the old to the young, all standing waiting for them. Galadriel and Celeborn before them.
"Amy, we have enjoyed your stay in Lothlorien and we can only hope that you return, your talon will be awaiting you." Celeborn said.
"My child it is time." Galadriel said.
Amy grimaced, this was it the moment she had been dreading. It was all very well people knowing what you are but the unveiling of the banner would prove to the elves that she was the one. Unsure of their reactions she embraced her power and weaved thick ropes of air to hold the banner in its place. She tied the ropes round Chinky's belly and then round her chest, so that the banner would fly though the air as they galloped, held by ropes that were invisible to all but Amy.
Sighing she threw the banner up into the air, it caught the wind, the gold dragon appearing to fly across the sky. Reluctantly she turned her face back to the elves. Shock caught in her throat as she saw all the elves on their knees with their heads down.
"Hail, Amy daughter of Onlee." Celeborn said as he too kneeled down.
Amy turned to Galadriel.
"If that isn't proof of what you are Amy, nothing is. You will not have the same fate as my brother. Your friends will see to that." She lightly walked up to Amy and kissed her cheek. "Go now child of the dragon, you have much to do."
The smile present on Amy's face was easy to interoperate. No matter what happens she was not going to have the same fate as her father. She passed a fleeting look at Haldir and saw that he had his head down in a bow.
"We ride south!" She called to Gandalf.
The two Mearas galloped off, all she could hear were cheers, though amongst the cheers she could have sworn she heard Galadriel say; "It has begun."
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They galloped through the day and through the night. Not stopping once. The golden dragon flying out behind them like a bird in the wind. Leaning over Chinky's neck she could feel the power coming off the mare, each strong stride bringing them closer to their destination.
By sunrise the next morning they were already past the half waypoint of their journey. They took a quick rest and allowed the horses to drink at a near by river. Chinky and Shadowfax gulped down the water willingly, their flanks were heaving and both were a few shades darker due to sweat, but they would get up and gallop another day if they were told to.
Lying down on the soft heather Amy sighed, her back was aching from galloping all day yet she could do nothing about it. She had taken the weariness away from the two horses and Gandalf but she could do nothing for herself. Though it had to be done, she didn't want to wear the horses out knowing that they would be having a long journey to Edoras after they had reached Fangorn. Shutting her eyes she fell into a deep dreamless sleep.
"Amy, you must wake, we must be on our way." Gandalf said shaking the elf.
"Sorry how long was I asleep for?" She said groggily.
"Three hours."
"I am sorry, but relieving people of weariness takes a lot out of me. But it must be done. I can't heal my self though. No problem I will rest when we reach Fangorn." Amy said sitting up and wiping her eyes.
The next day passed in a blur of heather and trees, but before night fell the borders of Fangorn could be seen. As soon as the first tree came into sight the relief was present on Amy's face. Her weariness was taking over and she didn't know how much longer she could sit upright on Chinky's back.
Once in the shadow of the trees Amy practically rolled off Chinkys back and landed on the soft mossy ground, within moments blackness enveloped her.
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Gandalf slid off Shadowfax's back and looked over at the girl on the floor. He was very thankful; they wouldn't have been able to make it here this fast if it hadn't been for her. Their need for speed had been immense. He sighed, she had known how much it would take out of her to relieve them of their weariness, but she had done it anyway, sacrificing herself.
"Chinky, Shadowfax. Stay with her, if she wakes make sure she lies back down, I have someone to meet." He said to the two horses.
Although he may not be able to talk to them like the elves could, they could still understand him, and with that he walked quickly off into the woods in search off a few friends.
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"Be gentle with her." Gandalf said as a tall Ent lent over to pick her up.
"Do not fear, I know her power. I will be careful, come I will take her to a safe place." The Ent said.
Gandalf sighed in relief. After leaving Amy he had gone in search of the Ents. Eventually he had found Treebeard with the two small hobbits. Once he was sure they were safe he set about looking for another Ent who could carry her deep into the forest where they could wait for Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli.
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"The tracks lead away from the battle." Aragorn said jumping up. "And into Fangorn forest."
A smile lit Legolas' perfect face. He had always dreamed off entering the forest and walking with the Ents and now he may have a chance to do so. He and Aragorn walked in slowly, followed by a very reluctant Gimli.
The further they walked into the forest the more Legolas got uneasy; they were being watched.
"Aragorn, the white wizard approaches." He said to the man next to him.
"Get ready to fight, do not let him speak he will cast a spell on us. Ready? Now." Aragorn yelled.
They turned round and a bright light filled their vision, so much so that nothing could be seen. Aragorn and Gimli raised their weapons and Legolas fired blindly into the light. As soon as he had shot the light died down slightly. His arrow hung in the air a good five feet in front of him. Aragorn's sword was raised in the air just above his head out of his reach, the same as Gimli's axe.
"Who are you?" Aragorn demanded.
Finally the light died down enough so that two figures could be seen in front of him. One was holding a staff and the other was leaning back with her arms crossed across her chest.
"What a brilliant reunion this is. Mind you I preferred our last one personally; you didn't fire any arrows at me that time." Amy said.
Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli didn't know where to look next. The girl they had left little more than a week ago or the Istari they thought had fallen.
"Gandalf you fell." Aragorn asked with a hint of disbelief.
"Yes but I come back to you now at the turn of the tide. We must ride to Rohan. This land needs our help and with the Child of the Dragon, I think we can win." He said placing a hand on Amy's shoulder.
"So you are finally going to proclaim yourself then?" Legolas said walking up to her.
"Uh, huh!" She said before kissing him.
"Come we must go quickly." Gandalf said breaking the two apart.
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At the edge of the forest stood the four horses. Shadowfax and Chinky standing tall with Arod and Hasufel to each side. Running Amy vaulted onto Chinky's back laughing as she watched Gimli try and mount Arod.
Finally the dwarf had hauled himself on and was now sitting comfortable behind Legolas. Though Amy did notice how tightly he seemed to be holding on to Legolas' cloak.
Turning Chinky towards Edoras she urged her on. The mare set out at a flat gallop followed by the three other horses. All of which would have run to the end of the earth with her at their head.
Legolas' breath caught in his throat as he saw Amy gallop Chinky on. Though it wasn't the horse and rider that caught his breath, it was the red banner flying out behind them. Urging Arod to follow he heard Aragorn gasp as well.
She may not have wanted the power to begin with, but like Aragorn she had a destiny to fulfil.
