~ The Black Gate ~
The two vast iron doors of the Black Gate under its frowning arch were closed. Upon the battlement, nothing stirred. All was silent but watchful. They had come after days of travel to the end of their folly and now they stood halted in the grey lands under the early chill grey skies, forlorn and uncertain. Every one of them knew the hills and rocks about the Moranon hid their foes, and the shadowy defile beyond were bored and tunnelled by teeming broods of evil things. Nazgul gathered together, hovering above the Towers of the Teeth like black vultures. They knew they were watched, but still the enemy made no sign, no movement. Frodo, we are all counting on you. Aragorn sent a silent plea to the small but courageous hobbit before turning Brego to face the silent army behind him, as each Captain came to stand to the front, awaiting command. His command.
"These rocky hills, we can set archers upon, and lines of defence before them. Our first line of defence will be in spearmen." He looked to Éomer and the new King of Rohan nodded. "Beside each Rohirrim will stand a swordsman. Imrahil nodded. Between those hills we will have a third line of remaining archers. Elrohir, Elladan you will command a hill each. Taurorn, watch over the archers on the ground." The two Imladris Lords nodded as too did the young ranger Aragorn had watched grow into a man. "Imrahil lead your Ithilien and Dol Amroth men, and Bregon, the city guard." He then turned to Halbarad, and he nodded, no words needing to be spoken between them.
Finally, he looked upon the faces of the six who had become his dearest friends over the past four months. Merry and Pippin's small faces were pinched with tension, yet there was a determined gleam in their eyes. Gimli, as usual, looked ready to sink his great axe between the eyes of the enemy, and Gandalf demeanour was wistful as he gazed steadily towards the gates. There was a fire in Aerlaer's eyes he had not seen before as she stared defiantly towards the closed gates, and Legolas beside her gazed too at the gates, a wariness in his dark depths. The elf, as if feeling his gaze, turned to him, and gave him a sad smile.
"My friends, we have come this far, will you fight beside me?" Aragorn asked them softly, and six faces turned to him and nodded solemnly. "Then come all and dismount your steeds so Aerlaer may send them to safer grounds." He commanded, and the entire army collectively dropped to the wasted ground as Aerlaer shifted and trotted down the line. Horses followed her in a stream of creams and bays, blacks and greys and chestnuts and duns. The entire army watched them leave, led by the warrior elfhorse princess and the lord of the Meara.
"If I should fall I will remember this sight, for nothing can rival the beauty and grace and freedom of a horse." Imrahil murmured and there were many nods in agreement as the last tail swished, disappearing over the rise a quarter of a mile behind them. Soon, a single horse galloped swiftly to return to them, and the men gasped and the fellowship looked in wonder as the overcast skies cracked and pure sunlight cast down upon the creamy horse with a mane and tail the colour of autumn leaves and fire.
"She is a beacon of light." Gimli commented with deep awe, and he heard Legolas sigh beside him.
"All will be well, mellon nin." He said to the elf, but it was empty reassurance. Grey clouds choked out the sunlight. Yet, a light glow lingered upon Aerlaer, fading as she reached them and shifted. Aragorn turned again to the men. Their spirits were low, but it seemed Aerlaer's return had stirred something within them and so he drew in a deep breath, and addressed each and every man who stood before him.
"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." His gaze swept over his six companions from Imladris. "But it is not this day!" He cried out defiantly for all to hear. "There will be an hour, an hour of wolves and shattered shield and fallen blade when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day!" There was a return of determined light and hope in the eyes of the men. "Today we fight!" He cried out. "By all that you hold dear on this good earth, our earth, I bid you stand, men of the West!" There was a collective battle cheer which rose to a deafening crescendo to shake the very lands of the enemy, and then each commander was rallying their men into formation.
"And now we knock on the wolf's door." Aragorn said to the six of the fellowship who stood around him.
…
It took just over six hundred strides before the foreboding black gate loomed up before them. Legolas had counted each one. Aragorn bade them to halt a few strides before it.
"Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Let justice be done upon him!" Aragorn called out strong and commanding. Legolas grasped Aerlaer's hand.
"Whatever happens, whatever the outcome; you must trust me." He hissed urgently to her. She looked at him, eyes wide in shock.
"Legolas what do you mean?" She searched his eyes with her own now filled with worry.
"Just trust me, no matter what." He pleaded and after a moment she nodded. The gate cracked open and Aerlaer gasped in horror as a black-clad figure rode forth on a black and bloodied horse, its eyes rolling, and red froth at its mouth as it chaffed at its brutal bit. Legolas was more preoccupied with the creature which sat astride the horse. He—well he supposed it was a he—wore his hood up, swathed in his black cloak, but it was his face which gave Legolas pause. He wore a harsh metal helm, leaving only his greatly disproportionate maw open. Many yellow, pointed teeth bordered by blackened lips, contrasted against the sickly white pallor of his overstretched jaw.Was this creature once an elf, now tortured beyond recognition?
"He was a man once of a renegade race, the Black Numenoreans." Gandalf said, answering Legolas's silent question.
"I am the Mouth of Sauron." He declared in a harsh but deep voice, and it seemed he assessed them all. Legolas wanted to shoot him down, an uneasy feeling settling within him. The Messenger laughed, a harsh, degrading sound. "Is there anyone in this rout with authority to treat with me? Or indeed with wit to understand me?" He looked them all up and down, a sneer upon his wide black lips. "Not thou at least!" He mocked as he turned his attention to Aragorn with scorn. "It needs more to make a king than a piece of elvish glass, or rabble such as this. Why any brigand of the hills can show as good a following!" He laughed again and Aerlaer and Gimli seemed to bristle simultaneously, for a low warning growl came from the dwarf and Aerlaer's hair sparked copper. Do not draw such attention to yourself. Legolas thought desperately and tightened his grip on her hand, hoping to reassure her.
"I am a herald and ambassador, and may not be assailed." Aragorn spoke with clear authority as he stared down the Mouth.
"Where such laws hold, it also is custom for ambassadors to use less insolence. But no one has threatened you. You have naught to fear from us until your errand is done. But unless your master has come to new wisdom, then with all his servants you will be in great peril." Gandalf bluffed. The Mouth assessed him a moment and Legolas's unease grew.
"So thou art the spokesman, old greybeard? Have we not heard of thee at whiles, and of thy wanderings, ever hatching plots of mischief at a safe distance?" The Mouth smirked knowingly. "But this time thou hast stuck out thy nose too far, Master Gandalf; and thou shalt see what comes to him who sets his foolish webs before the feet of Sauron the Great. I have tokens I was bidden to show thee. The Mouth shifted in his saddle, and unbundled a pile of material. He tossed it un-caringly to Gandalf, who caught it in surprise.
"Dwarf coat, elf cloak." He said in a bored tone as Gandalf unravelled Frodo's mithril chain shirt and Lothlórien cloak.
"No!" Pippin cried out in anger and made to rush forward. Gandalf grabbed him. "Silence!" He hissed. Gimli had a firm grip on Merry who showed plain anguish.
"Ah, the Halfling was dear to thee I see." The Mouth said in mock care as Legolas stared disbelievingly at the garments Gandalf held. "Know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host." His great mouth morphed into a grotesque smirk. "Who would have thought one so small could endure so much pain?" Legolas's stomach roiled, as if he had drank rotten wine at the thought of Frodo's fate. This was it, the end.
"You lie!" Aerlaer cried out viciously, hand on her sword hilt, and made to rush forward. Legolas quickly pulled her back, holding onto her as her body shook in anger.
"Aer, hush." He murmured soothingly, and she stopped fighting, but her hair still sparked irately. The Mouth twisted its head to them both and smirked evilly.
"Ah little elf horse, the Dark Lord is looking forward to meeting thou. His predecessor claimed the jewels of light, and now he will claim you, and you." He looked to Legolas as Aragorn strode forward and lifted Andúril high, and with one swift arc, sliced the Mouth of Sauron's head clean off. Silenced, the head rolled to rest before Gimli, who stared down at the abomination.
"Well, that concludes negotiations." He said with dry satire, but no-one laughed.
"Frodo is not dead; I will not believe it!" Aragorn seethed as tears trickled down both hobbits cheeks. Legolas hoped he was right, that Aerlaer was right in accusing that horrid unnatural creature who was once a man, of lies. He turned her in his grip to look at her, eyes full of anguish and a burning anger met his.
"He has not got Frodo or Sam and he will not get us." She said in a dangerously low voice, which surprised him. There was the sound of creaking and groaning and he looked up as the two black gates swung outwards and away from one another and his eyes widened, for as far as he could see in the widening gap was legion upon legion of the enemy marching forth.
…
"Run, run!" Aragorn cried. "Aerlaer!" Swiftly she shifted to horse, as two hobbits were thrown upon her back, barely grasping hold of her mane and neck. "Take them back to the line." He commanded, and she shot forward, keeping just ahead of the others as they too raced back to their designated positions to take up arms. As they reached the line, Aerlaer found Éomer and slid to a halt beside him, shifting even as the hobbits tumbled to the ground.
"There are a few to knock off, is there?" The Rohan man asked casually.
"At least a full day's work." She replied, keeping the conversation light, a contrast to how she felt inside. The words which the Mouth had spoken had settled a dark fear in her heart she did not understand. Drums rolled loudly from the opening gates and then Legolas was beside her. They drew their bows as Gimli hefted his axe.
"Well, I never expected to be dying beside two pointy ears." Gimli joked and Legolas turned to him with a soft smile.
"How about beside friends?"
"Aye, I could do that." He replied, humbly.
"We are not dying." Aerlaer grit out, and Legolas suddenly turned and kissed her.
"Remember, trust me." He said, pulling away and again she nodded, unsure what he meant, but there was no to ask. There was no time now for anything but to fight. Fight for their freedom. Fight so Frodo, who had to be alive, could complete what they had all set out to do four months earlier.
As the gates opened to their full breadth, they were assailed with a fiery, foreboding light, which near blinded them all. The eye of Sauron had turned, in all its evil power, towards them. Aragorn stood to her other side and together, the six of them and the entire army behind them faced the oncoming orcs. It seemed, even though the enemy's drums beat and their heavy feet shook the very ground as they advanced, that there was a collective breath of silence in which Aragorn said two words which lit a fire within their hearts.
"For Frodo."
And as if they had wings, the Fellowship of the Ring charged forward to meet the enemy; the Army of the West on their fleet heels.
Thank you for last chapter's reviews! great to see those familiar names popping up!
blasttyrant - Hey, hey, right back at ya! :D Yes, I did get your HoG review, I need to pop another chapter up over there, aye! All shall be revealed next chapter on the secret weapon! :D
zikashigaku - Thank you! Those lil together scenes are so fun to write! 3
mystarlight - Oh thanks! Hopefully this one brightens up your end of week! :)
Katara Melody Starlight - Thank you! x
PrettyRecklessLaura - Thanks! :D