To Whatever End: Chapter Thirteen
-Kaia-
I hate the dark.
I hate the dark.
I hate the dark.
That was the only coherent thought running through my mind as we wove our way through the mountain's tunnels. Everywhere I turned, there was nothing but never-ending darkness, broken only by the dull glow from a lone torch Aragorn had picked up at the start. But it wasn't enough, it wasn't strong enough to banish the looming shadows which felt ready to devour me any second. Every muscle in my body was wound impossibly tight as I trudged forward, following closely behind the ranger and just trying to keep breathing. I can do this. I can do this. Just keep looking at the light. One foot in front of the other. It's fine. I'm safe. I'm safe. For as much as I repeated it in my head, though, it didn't seem to help much. Probably because in my gut I knew I wasn't really safe at all down here. It reminded me too much of the cells in Orthanc. Cold, dark, and reeking of death.
It was absolutely silent as we wove through the maze of tunnels, save for our soft footsteps and breathing. The further down we went, the smaller the tunnels became, feeling like they might collapse on us at any moment. The walls were a rough, harsh stone, ice cold to the touch, with the air so thick you were almost inhaling pure dust. Aragorn stopped short as he rounded a corner, reaching what appeared to be a dead end, and I paused just behind him, peering over his shoulder. As soon as the light of the torch revealed what was in front of us, though, I regretted my curiosity, feeling my stomach turn. Dozens... no, hundreds of human skulls piled waist-high to fill an entire room, completely blocking the pathway. "Oh, God." I cringed, quickly turning my head. Why can't it just be an empty hallway? Christ.
Aragorn chose not to linger and walked off to explore elsewhere, and I followed, also not keen on sticking around longer than I had to. But Legolas stepped even closer to the decaying skulls, staring at them with wide eyes. "What is it?" came Gimli's nervous whisper from behind. "What do you see?" He dared to step another foot closer to the elf.
"I see shapes of men..." Legolas answered, "...and of horses." He turned away, but his gaze was distant, and he spoke as if entranced.
"Where?" asked Gimli.
Legolas only ignored him, now glancing about as if these visions were emerging from the stone to surround him. "Pale banners like shreds of cloud... Spears rise... like winter thickets through a shroud of mist."
"Okay, seriously Legolas," I said, white-knuckled fists clenched at my sides. "Cut it out."
But that was when I heard his steps falter behind me. "The dead are following." I turned, and chills ran down my spine as he looked me dead in the eye. "They have been summoned."
"Shut the fuck up!" I hissed, closing my eyes tight as Legolas quickened his pace to move past me. I tried to keep walking, but in that moment I couldn't, I just couldn't. I shut my eyes and suddenly all I could see was the cell, cramped and cold and dark, endlessly dark, and there was no light for me, nothing to pull me out, nothing to keep me from collapsing in on myself-
"Kaia." I nearly jumped five feet in the air at Aragorn's voice, and my eyes flew open as he laid a hand on my shoulder, a deep concern in his gaze. In an instant, my own hand reached up to latch around his, trying to calm my shallow breaths as he bent down to rest his forehead against mine. "You are safe here, Kaia," he said. "We are with you. No being neither living nor dead will bring harm to you, I swear it."
I nodded, feeling myself slowly relax as he let me go. "Thank you," I whispered. He nodded, and we continued on without another word.
The next several minutes went by uneventful as we followed the twisting tunnels, winding deeper and deeper into the mountain at a steady pace. I continued to keep my focus on the back of Aragorn's head, repeating mantras over and over again to remain grounded as he led the way. At one point I spared a glance over my shoulder to make sure the other two in our party were still with us, but froze when I saw the elf. There were hands on Legolas. Hands made of mist. Ghost hands crawling up his body. He swatted them away, looking up at me in confusion and fear. I then looked down at myself and clapped a hand over my mouth, stifling a scream as thin smoky hands started creeping up my own legs. They felt cold, even through the fabric of my clothes and the leather of my boots. "Aragorn!" I squeaked, absolutely frozen in place. "A-Aragorn!" Finally, I came to my senses and beat them back, watching with wide eyes as they simply dissipated, then reformed again seconds later. "Oh my God, what the fuck is this?!"
The ranger was also eying ghostly limbs swirling around him, rising up out of a thick layer of mist covering the ground. "...They are harmless. Come." But even he seemed slightly on edge now.
Just then, I stopped at the sound of someone huffing and puffing from behind, turning to see Gimli unsuccessfully trying to blow and fan the wispy hands away from him. In any other situation, I would've lost it, but being in the midst of it was too unsettling for laughter. I grabbed him by the arm, quickly dragging him along so we wouldn't lose him. "Come on, Gimli."
Aragorn nodded and turned to take another step forward, but froze mid-step when something crunched beneath his boot. He dared to glance at his feet for a split second, but his face fell as he looked back to us, a sickened look in his eyes. "...Do not look down." Another crack was heard as Gimli and I moved forward a bit. I felt something crumble under my feet, and though every part of me knew not to look, already knowing what it was, I couldn't help myself. When I did, it took all I had not to scream.
Bones. We were stepping on rotting human skulls. Again, my stomach churned at the sight, and I sucked in a breath. Oh shit. My head snapped up as I shut my eyes against the image, now wishing I hadn't been so damn curious. Gimli let out a barely audible gasp from beside me as the realization hit him as well, and even Legolas looked visibly unsettled by now. But we had to keep going. There was no other choice. Slowly, the four of us started walking across the skull-covered floor, though I had to force back bile with every step. This is so nasty. Oh my God. Who the hell thought this was a good idea? Oh fuck, fuck, shit damn it shit fuck! Fuck my life. Fuck. My. Life. My steps were at first slow and calm, but eventually sped up faster and faster with every crunch that grated against my ears. Gimli couldn't handle it either, letting out short gasps of fear as he almost hopped like a rabbit to the end of the room. When my feet finally touched solid ground again, I let out a deep sigh of relief, bending to rest my hands on my knees as I shuddered. "Oh God... this is horrible." As Aragorn came up beside me, I cast him a desperate look, knowing we still weren't out of this yet. He only returned the knowing glance, lips pressed into a thin line as he started forward again, and I groaned, matching his pace to avoid being left behind in the darkness.
–
-Erin-
The first thing I remembered was warmth.
A faint, flickering warmth starting in my toes and slowly creeping upwards through every inch of my body, banishing the numbness and the chill from my bones that had seemed to sit there for an eternity.
And then I took a breath, and my eyes opened. And everything became doused in light.
That was all I could see at first. Blurred shades of cream and grey, loud and abrasive as I squinted against them. Every muscle in my body felt like it was a thousand years old, cracking and creaking from lack of use as I stirred. A pained grunt passed my lips as I shifted ever so slightly. I could never remember another time in my life when my body had felt this heavy. But... I could feel my body. My heartbeat. I... I was alive, somehow.
"...Erin?"
A familiar voice sounded from my left, and against my better judgement, I opened my eyes again, my vision now focusing in on the smooth white stone above me. I turned my head, surprised to see the face of the man standing there, looking down at me with an equally shocked expression. Shocked, but relieved. "Faramir." My voice cracked, rough as sandpaper as I coughed. The steward's son immediately reached for a glass of water set nearby, extending it to me as I took a careful sip. As the seconds ticked by, my senses returned to me, eyes now roaming the area to determine where I was. I was propped up at a comfortable angle, gently laid on a soft bed in a plain room which I could only guess was somewhere within the Houses of Healing. For a moment, I was silent, Faramir waiting patiently as I struggled to reach back and grasp at my most recent memories. But then they came to me. Fire. Burning blue fire. And I... I fell... and there was so much pain... Slowly, I turned my gaze back to the man at my bedside. "...I should be dead."
He nodded. "Yes, by all accounts, you should be." A pause. "But you are not."
"I'm not." The words felt hollow and strange in my mouth. My gaze drifted back to the ceiling, struggling to come to terms with such a simple fact. "...Why am I not?"
"Because young Captain Faramir is a loyal friend." My head turned at the sound of a new voice, eyes widening as I found Gandalf emerging from another doorway across the room. There almost seemed to be a slight mirth sparkling in his eyes as he spoke. "And for that alone, your life was spared."
My mouth hung agape as I glanced between them. "What?"
Gandalf's mouth twitched in a smile, though his words retained a serious air as he stepped closer. "When the palantír burst, anyone within a hundred miles of the citadel could've seen it. The blast was fierce, and of course, all guards within the Tower of Ecthelion rushed towards the source of it immediately." He nodded in Faramir's direction. "Lucky for you, Faramir was one such man. Thank the stars he found the guards pulling you from the wreckage and took it upon himself to carry you out. I don't like to imagine what the others might've done with you if not for him."
Faramir shook his head, smiling at the wizard's embellishment. "You exaggerate." Then his gaze returned to me, softer and sincere. "You had not returned at the time of the blast like we'd planned. I could only assume the worst, and feared you had not escaped in time." He stopped for a moment, frowning slightly. "The men I intercepted, they were... almost appearing pleased as they carried you down from the Tower. They did not seem to have your best interests at hand, and you were severely wounded, so I dismissed them and brought you to Gandalf as quickly as I could."
"And not a moment too late, I might add," said Gandalf, his gaze abruptly intensifying as I looked back to him. "You must understand... When Faramir brought you to me, Erin, you were mere moments from death. It was truly miraculous in itself that I was able to restore your body at all with the damage the palantír dealt to you." His old blue eyes bored into mine as he spoke. "You owe Faramir your life."
I stared at him, stunned into silence as I slowly turned back to Faramir. It all seemed so unreal, and my mind struggled to catch up with everything I'd just been told as I fumbled for words. "Thank you," I whispered. It was all I could think to say.
He offered a small smile. "Any man would've done the same for one he considers a true friend."
Despite my weakened state, I still managed to smile back at him before turning to look downwards, slowly drawing away the sheets covering me from the waist down. I wasn't wearing my normal gear anymore, just a loose fitting tunic and comfortable pants. As I lifted my shirt, though, I drew in a sharp breath - the sheer amount of bandages wrapped snugly about my midsection was unsettling. I hadn't seen the wound itself before passing out in the tower, and now I didn't think I ever wanted to. Especially not after thinking about how much blood there'd been. Slowly, I pulled my shirt back down and hid the evidence from view. "How long until it heals?"
It was a simple question, and I'd entirely expected a straightforward answer. But the silence that followed instead was chilling. My head snapped up to look at Gandalf, and I did not miss the uneasy look that passed between him and Faramir. "What is it?" I asked, feeling a dull panic bubble in my chest. "What's wrong?"
Gandalf turned to meet my gaze, but when he did, there was a deep pain within it that hadn't been there before, and all traces of levity vanished from his face as he spoke. "I did everything in my power to save you, Erin. Every healing spell I knew, even some I had not uttered in a thousand years. But-" He paused, as if the last thing he wanted to do was finish his sentence. "...The palantír dealt you deep wounds. Not all of which could be undone."
Something inside me twisted and clenched, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from his. "...Gandalf?"
He stared at me for a moment longer in grief before shaking his head. "I am sorry, Erin, but... because of this, you will never be able to bear children."
I could've sworn my heart stopped as the words left his mouth, like my whole body had suddenly turned to ice. ...What? All other thoughts in my mind disappeared instantly, and I could only stare, eyes wide as I searched Gandalf's for even the slightest trace of a hint that he was lying. But there was nothing. Only a bitter, somber truth that stung like I'd been slapped across the face as I saw the same thing confirmed in Faramir looking shamefully to the floor. But I... I saw him... My son. I was supposed to have a son. An image of his face flashed across my mind, and I felt a shaky breath escape me as a deep pain surged in my chest. Thalion... I barely even registered Faramir getting up to leave, or Gandalf following soon after. If they said anything to me, I didn't hear them. I just sat there, staring blankly forward as the future I'd once thought was mine crumbled away, words turning to ash in my mouth. That had been it. That vision of Thalion had been my one hope - an assurance of potential, and a life beyond this war where I had a family. A purpose. And just like that, it was gone.
My future was gone.
–
-Legolas-
I followed diligently after Aragorn as he led us forward through the endless maze of tunnels, eager to be rid of this foul place. At first, I had not feared it - it appeared no more treacherous than the Mines of Moria. But the deeper we progressed into the mountain, the more I began to realize the true nature of our surroundings. This did not feel like Moria at all. This place felt far more sinister, and I could not shake the feeling now that we were walking into a trap. But I said nothing to dissuade Aragorn from his course, continuing to trail behind him as we rounded a final corner in our path. Suddenly, the ceilings opened up to stretch far and wide over our heads, and I looked on in wonder at the large, spacious chamber we had stepped into. It easily spanned at least a hundred yards at its widest point, though halfway across the floor dropped off at a deathly sharp angle, leaving nothing but a bottomless black abyss to be seen below. A large structure carved from the stone itself grew from the opposite wall, cracked and crumbling as with everything else. To any other man, it would appear entirely deserted, but from the first steps I took into the room, I sensed an immediate and foreign presence flitting at the edge of my consciousness. I looked everywhere, feeling it but seeing nothing, as if it were no more than wisps of smoke floating just out of reach. But it was there, enough to spark a feeling of unease in my mind. We are not alone here. My gaze flicked to Aragorn, and I started towards him, pressed to give him warning.
But I had barely taken a step before there was a shift in the air, stopping all four of us instantly. And then, from both everywhere and nowhere all at once, there came a deep, haunting voice that filled the entire chamber. "Who enters my domain?"
I turned with the others to the chiseled staircase behind us, and for a moment my breath was stolen away as a ghostly green figure materialized out of nothing before my very eyes. An aged golden crown sat atop his head, the skin of his face mottled and ragged as if eaten away by maggots to reveal skeletal features underneath. Shreds of unkempt hair dangled from his chin and beneath his helm, and piercing white eyes stared back at us from their sunken place in hollowed sockets. His body was no more than brittle bone cloaked in what might've once been a regal red coat, but now reeked of wear and decay. My eyes narrowed on the figure, almost unable to believe he was truly there. So the legends are true... The King of the Dead, and the Men Beneath the Mountain.
Aragorn did not falter as he raised his torch to face him. "One who will have your allegiance."
"The dead do not suffer the living to pass," he rasped.
"You will suffer me!" Aragorn matched the undead man's stare with a fierce glare of his own. Beside him, I saw Kaia's hands instinctively twitch toward her blades.
But the King of the Dead only laughed at him, a low, rumbling cackle as his jaw unhinged, the skin of his face shrinking back even tighter against his skull. His laugh was answered by dozens of others from behind us, and I turned back towards the gaping pit as an entire city formed from the green mists swirling within it. My grip on my bow tightened as I watched hundreds upon hundreds of other ghostly figures pour from its walls, gliding on air towards us and echoing their king's mocking laughter all the while. I drew back, bumping against Kaia as they moved steadily closer.
"Aragorn..." Kaia whispered fearfully, gripping his arm as her dark eyes darted back and forth amongst the sea of undead.
"The way is shut." The King of the Dead's eerie drawl drew our attention back to him, and an unnatural chill passed over me. "It was made by those who are dead... and the dead keep it." More and more of them were appearing now, closing in and encircling us from all sides before any of us could react. Gimli's axe was drawn, though he was all but frozen in place, wide-eyed and fearful. My eyes were everywhere, now growing desperate as my pulse quickened. There was no way out. Within a matter of seconds, we had been surrounded. "The way is shut," the king repeated, slowly stalking towards us. "Now you must die."
In that moment, a jolt of true fear struck me, and without thinking I tore an arrow from my quiver, firing it straight and true at the king's forehead. It passed through him, clattering to the ground uselessly, and he continued forward unfazed. I froze, my heart dropping into my boots like a stone as Gimli gripped his axe tighter to his chest.
But Aragorn persisted. "I summon you to fulfill your oath!"
"None but the King of Gondor may command me!" The King of the Dead increased his stride now, closing in on the ranger with malice. Aragorn drew his sword up before him, and I turned to him first with a look of terror as the king drew his own weapon. But then I caught the glint of a familiar string of runes carved into Aragorn's blade. With a cry, the King of the Dead swung his phantom sword in a high arc, ready to decapitate Aragorn in one swift blow.
And then the harsh clash of metal against metal rang through the room, a sound no one had expected, every set of eyes rooted to the two crossed weapons in shock as the king's attack was parried. Aragorn forced his weapon down, and my eyes widened as I remembered the familiar sword I had seen him carry out from within Théoden's tent.
None seemed more stunned than the undead king himself. "That blade was broken!" he spat in disbelief.
Aragorn took the ghostly man by the throat, shoving him back and holding Andúril, the Flame of the West, to his neck. "It has been remade," he hissed. He released his hold on the king, who stumbled back, the whole of the undead army now looking to Aragorn in wonder as he spoke with commanding authority. "Fight for us, and regain your honor." His steel gaze met that of every being around him. "What say you?" But the dead gave no answer. He stepped forward, moving through them and around them, Andúril still firmly in his grasp. "What say you?" he repeated.
Gimli scoffed, sneering at those surrounding him. "You waste your time, Aragorn! They had no honor in life; they have none now in death."
Aragorn ignored the dwarf, pressing them further. "I am Isildur's heir. Fight for me... and I will hold your oaths fulfilled!" He now faced the King of the Dead again, holding him at the point of his sword. "What say you?"
For a moment, the mountain itself held its breath in anticipation, and all was still. But it was broken then as the King of the Dead only laughed at him, the unsettling cackle deepening and ricocheting off the stone. In a rush of air, the army began to fade away, vanishing from sight as they too echoed their king's mocking laugh. I turned this way and that, feeling powerless as I had no way to stop them. No, they cannot leave. We need them.
Aragorn's pleas grew frantic and desperate. "You have my word! Fight, and I will release you from this living death!" he shouted. "What say you?!"
"Stand, ya traitors!" Gimli bellowed.
But they were already gone, and that was when I felt it. A rumbling in the stone beneath my feet.
Just as the last of the spirits disappeared, there came a gust of wind, stirring the air as a sudden groan rang out overhead. A great cracking and creaking, as if the mountain itself meant to collapse on us, and I turned to Kaia as she cast a fearful look towards me. Fearful, but knowing. Knowing what was meant to come. Dirt and dust rained down upon us, and I tensed, first looking to the ceiling in fear it would cave in. But then I saw Kaia shake her head out of the corner of my eye, and when I glanced back to her, she nodded to the floor. I followed her gaze, and only then did I notice what she'd seen. Skulls rolling across the floor to our feet. First two, then three more. The cracking grew louder, and I met her gaze again, the horrible realization settling in. Another earth-rattling groan to rival all those before it was heard, and I turned just in time to see the walls begin to give way, caving in on themselves as they crumbled and fell to the ground. And from behind them came thousands more skulls, pouring from the gaps like water and rushing straight towards us.
Aragorn's shout cut through the chaos. "OUT!"
None of us needed further prompting, turning to dash for the exit as fast as our legs would carry us. But we did not get far enough in the few precious seconds we had, and the skulls slammed into me with such force that my legs nearly buckled beneath me. A scream sounded from behind, and my hand shot out to grab Kaia by the arm, barely reaching her before she was swept away in the current. My grip on her tightened as I clenched my jaw and pushed forward, swimming through the rush of bones cascading over my head. I heard Aragorn call my name ahead in urgent fear. We're falling behind. The sheer force behind the pouring skulls was almost impossible to fight against, like a raging river assaulting me from every angle as I pushed harder, blindly shoving through the madness as best as I could. Just when I thought I would never see the end of it, however, I felt myself step onto solid ground again, and threw Kaia in front of me to get her out before following close behind. Together we ducked under the archway just as the stone around it began to collapse, sealing the room behind us forever as we escaped a gruesome end.
Kaia finally relinquished her hold on my arm as we all burst forward into broad daylight, stumbling out from within the mountain in shock and no small degree of fear. I stopped just behind Aragorn, the panic slowly receding as I caught my breath. Kaia squinted against the brightness of the sun, bending over and gasping for air before sparing a glance in my direction. "Thanks."
I nodded, but my focus was soon drawn elsewhere as Aragorn suddenly dropped to his knees before me, looking to the river in sorrow. My face fell at the sight of black ships trailing through the Anduin, leaving blackened and burned villages in their wake as they passed them by. Dark smoke rose into the air behind them, and I stepped up to lay a hand on the ranger's shoulder in comfort as he hung his head in defeat. ...It was all for nothing. I stared out at the Corsair ships in bitter silence. We have no force to stop them now. We failed.
But just as I began to think all hope was lost, the wind stirred behind us, and I turned as Aragorn got to his feet, eyes widening at the sight of who stood before him. The King of the Dead appeared out of the mountainside, and for a moment, he paused, holding Aragorn's gaze as a twisted smirk split his face. "We fight."
–
-Erin-
I smiled at a young girl as I moved aside to let her pass, dismissing her mumbled "Sorry, m'lady" as she hurried down the street, wild auburn hair bouncing as she ran. She tore past in the blink of an eye, drawing several stern glares from others nearby, but I couldn't help chuckling to myself as she vanished. I could remember a time when I'd been in her shoes all too easily. My eyes turned back to the grey skies overhead, dreary and dull, and I drew my shawl tighter about my shoulders as I walked. It was cooler now than it had been, and the weather was bleak, but I couldn't resist the chance to get some fresh air. It had been days since I'd last been outside.
My wounds were healing steadily. Slowly, but steadily nonetheless. A full week had passed since the destruction of the palantír, and five days since I'd awoken. It would be some time before I was entirely back to normal, but for now, I'd at least built up enough strength to stand and move around on my own. Yesterday I'd been moved back into my shared suite with Gandalf and Pippin, which had been a nice change of scenery, but not enough to satisfy me. I hated being bedridden for so long. And so, with Gandalf's permission, I'd decided to go for a walk today. Not far from the citadel, only on the sixth level, and I was careful not to aggravate my wounds too much. But it was beyond refreshing to breathe in the crisp fall air, even if only for a little while. I sighed in contentment, shoulders relaxing as I moved through the quiet, murmuring streets. It was an entirely different atmosphere here than in the bustling markets - this part of Minas Tirith was much calmer, which I appreciated. Maybe I'll make it down to the markets another day. I turned a corner onto a slightly busier street, ducking past a group of elderly ladies engaged in their afternoon gossip.
As I lifted my head, though, I paused, faltering for a moment when I found myself staring straight into the dark eyes of a man several yards ahead. Almost immediately, he turned and briskly walked off, and I frowned as I watched his cloaked form quickly slip out of my sight. Why was he staring at me? Do I have something on my face? Hesitantly, I started forward again, though there was something else in the back of my mind that bothered me about him. Do I know him? He didn't seem familiar... My gaze swept back and forth as I continued down the street, hoping to catch another glimpse of him somewhere.
Then I saw a second man.
If I hadn't been looking, I would've missed him. But there he stood, off to the side of the road in the entrance to a dingy alleyway, concealed by cast shadows. Tall and dark haired, with a slate grey cloak about his shoulders. This one I did recognize. I'd seen him in the citadel, casting scowls my way whenever I passed him in the halls. Yeah, he's... wait. That was when it hit me, and my expression shifted into one of trepidation. He's one of Denethor's men. My steps slowed ever so slightly as I tore my eyes away, retaining a calm facade as I passed him. But now my eyes danced everywhere, an uneasy twist in my gut as I spotted a third, fourth, fifth man throughout the thin crowd. They're all Denethor's men. And I'm alone with no weapons within reach. I cast a subtle glance upwards to one standing on a balcony as I passed beneath it. Suddenly these streets felt much more claustrophobic than before.
But I kept going, forcing myself to move at an even pace and feign a pleasant expression despite the eyes I could feel digging into the back of my head. I have to get out of here. Back to the citadel as quickly as I can. But I need to know where these guys are at first. With that in mind, I stopped at the next small shop in my path, turning aside and smiling as I blandly engaged a seller out on the doorstep. In truth, I couldn't have repeated a word of what he said to me, for my attention was instead fixed on the three tall, dark forms at the edge of my peripheral. I glanced up into the shop's window, ignoring the jewels on display and instead taking note of the reflection of the fourth man standing on the other side of the street. Okay. Three tailing me, one in the wings, and the fifth is on the balcony. Politely declining the salesman's offers, I wished him well and continued on my way, watching the road ahead as I attempted to plan an escape route. The only problem was that I wasn't at all familiar with the sixth level, and to return to the citadel I'd have to turn back and head in the opposite direction. Which meant I'd have to lose all the guys behind me first. I picked up my pace a little, trying to search for an alley I could duck into. Come on, there's got to be somewhere I can go... I kept my ears trained on sounds from behind, the hairs on the back of my neck sticking up as I felt the foreboding sense of imminent danger grow stronger. I picked up my pace again, almost speedwalking by now.
Not two seconds later, though, I heard a woman's gasp and the sounds of scuffling feet from behind, and that was all it took for me to bolt. In the blink of an eye, I was running for it, darting between a young couple just in front of me and spitting out a rushed apology as I shot forward. There were more shouts from behind now, though I didn't dare look back, I just kept running and running as fast as I dared, praying I wouldn't tear my stitches as I looked everywhere for an exit. I veered right towards the first side street I saw, whipping around the corner and leaping over a large crate in my path as I gasped for breath. Now I spared a glance over my shoulder, eyes widening at the sight of two of the men barreling down the narrower street after me. I looked forward again just in time to dodge a cart rolling across an intersection as I blew through it, nearly crashing into a woman with a basket full of oranges and sending them flying. "Sorry, sorry!" But I didn't stop, I couldn't. If I did, those men would kill me.
I took another hard right, now in a narrow alleyway that was a straight shot back onto the open road. I looked back again - the same two were still giving chase, and I pushed myself to run faster, desperate to make it back into the open as I splashed through puddles and sludge. But I didn't get far before another tall, dark-haired form suddenly appeared at the other end of the alley - the third man had come around to cut me off. I skidded to a stop, my boots sliding in the mud as I wildly reached out to grab hold of an archway, whipping myself into another passageway on the left. Dirt gave way to white cobblestone as I cut between two impossibly tall buildings, stumbling back out into the open street and scattering a bunch of chickens clustered nearby to eat. But I couldn't stop, I barely had time to think at all as I took off again, pushing people aside as I ran wildly through the streets in desperation. "Move! Get out of the way!" My pulse was pounding in my ears as I rounded a bend and rushed up a shallow set of stairs two at a time, taking a flying leap over a stray dog trying to scurry across them. I stumbled as I hit the ground, catching myself before I fell completely, and again I took a chance to look behind me. A small wave of relief washed over me when I saw no pursuing men in sight - I've lost them - but I knew now wasn't the time to slow down. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the dog disappearing into a shadowed alleyway and followed after it, needing at least a moment to catch my breath.
I slipped into the musky alley and almost immediately sunk back against the wall, my lungs burning as I tried to calm my erratic, heavy breathing. Gingerly, I reached down to touch my abdomen, thankful to neither see nor feel any sign of bleeding. I'd dropped my shawl almost as soon as I'd started running, so that was long gone, but aside from mud splattering my boots, everything was fine. Silently, I thanked the Valar I'd decided to switch back into my old Fellowship gear today instead of wearing a dress. Lord only knows what a disaster that would've been. As my gaze trailed back to the outside streets, however, my heart sank a bit. I had absolutely no clue where I was by now, or how to get back to the citadel from here. And on top of that, I now had to do it in stealth mode to avoid running into any of Denethor's goons again. Great, I thought with a huff, brushing hair out of my face as I straightened up again. This ought to go well.
But then a strong hand snagged my arm from behind, and before I could even turn something hard connected with my skull, sending a flash of pain through my head before I crumpled and knew no more.
A/N: My favorite thing about this entire chapter is that the title is a pun. B) Also DANG Erin just cannot catch a break, can she? I guess that's what happens when you become a controlling dick and sorta kinda murder someone, idk. Oh well. Vengeance? (I did warn y'all she was gonna go through some shit lmao)
Anyway, happy 2018, friends! And here's something that's truly worth celebrating: as of this chapter, we're officially at the halfway point of this final book! Wowza!
At one point in time, I'd planned to have the rewrite of this series finished by mid March, but... well... you've seen my updating schedule recently, right? Yikes
