Three days later, it was time to march to the Black Gate. Legolas and Leila had decided to tell no one about their engagement until all was over, and they would actually be able to get married. Everyone was saying their goodbyes to their friends in Gondor, and Leila found herself saying a particularly hard one to Soriel.
"You are my dearest friend," Leila told Soriel. "You saved my life on that mountain which I never thought I would survive. I will never forget you."
"Nor I you," Soriel tearfully replied. "Your strength has changed me forever."
They embraced. Leila tried to put as many unsaid things into the hug as she could before Legolas led her to their horses. As they saddled up, Leila continued to cry a little. Goodbyes never got any easier. She hoped she would not see many more. In three more days, they arrived at the Black Gate.
Leila had to admit that she was frightened. The Gate was extremely intimidating. It loomed in front of her, large and dark, and behind it were all the horrors of the world. She felt herself shiver at the sight of it. Aragorn motioned for some of them to follow him to go closer. Unfortunately, Leila was one of those people, and she groaned as she urged her horse forwards. Going with her were Legolas and Gimli on one horse, Eomer and Merry on one horse, and Gandalf and Pippin on another.
"Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Let justice be done upon him!" called Aragorn when they halted at the very front of the Gate. At first nothing happened, but then the Gate opened, slowly and loudly.
Out of it came one rider. He was a giant of a man, if a man was even what he was. He was so heavily armored that Leila could not see his face. His horse moved slowly, weighed down by its Master. Leila's eyes searched behind him to see what they might expect to follow, but she could see nothing. The Gate opened only just enough to let this man out, then it closed behind him. After what seemed like several minutes, it spoke.
"My Master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome," he said, showing exceptionally large teeth that were practically rotting out of his head. His lips were sliced, and it seemed there was a gross moisture all about him. The sight of him made Leila want to vomit.
"Is there any in this rout with the authority to treat with me?" the thing asked, his mouth quivering with an evil grin.
"We do not come to treat with Sauron, faithless and accursed," Gandalf said. "Tell your Master this: the armies of Mordor must disband. He is to depart these lands, never to return."
"Aha! Old Greybeard," it said, with another grin. "I have a token I was bidden to show thee." From underneath his black garment, he pulled out mithril. They all recognized it to be the same that Frodo once wore in Moria. Leila gasped. Her heart sank, and she began to feel hopeless… was all of this just a waste of time?
"Frodo…" whispered Pippin, obviously crushed.
The thing threw the mithril at Gandalf, which he caught. "Frodo!" Pippin called again, louder.
"Silence," commanded Gandalf.
"No!" Merry cried, from behind Eomer, causing the thing to look at Merry.
"Silence!" commanded Gandalf once more, silencing the Hobbits. Leila wanted to comfort them but thought better of it.
"The Halfling was dear to thee, I see," said the warrior, chuckling. "Know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host." The helmet swiveled around to look at all of them reacting to his words. "Who would have thought that one so small could endure so much pain." Pippin began to shake with rage. "And he did, Gandalf. He did."
Gandalf's head fell. It was the first time Leila had ever seen the wizard shed tears for anyone. She felt as if something was dragging at her heart. All seemed truly be lost, for even Gandalf had given up, but suddenly Aragorn rode to meet the Mouth of Sauron.
"And who is this?" asked the Mouth. "Isildur's heir? It takes more to make a King than a broken Elvish blade-"
He might have said more, but Aragorn promptly cut his head off, silencing him for good. Leila breathed a sigh of relief. She was not sure she could have heard much more of what he had to say.
"I guess that concludes negotiation," said Gimli.
"I do not believe it," Aragorn told them. "I will not."
The gates opened once more, and Leila saw what she had missed. Thousands of orcs were marching right for them. Aragorn commanded them to ride back with the rest of the men, and so they did. As they approached, Leila could see her own fear reflected in everyone's faces. The men shifted and many of them looked as if they might take off any minute.
"Hold your ground!" Aragorn called. "Sons of Gondor! Of Rohan! My brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails! When we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day!" Leila felt hope return to her. Adrenaline began to rush through her veins at his noble words and she was ready to draw swords. "An hour of wolves and shattered shields when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight!" The men around her began to change their attitudes. They were now more inspired, and many of them started to draw their weapons as well. "By all that you hold dear, on his good earth, I bid you stand! Men of the West!" Aragorn held his sword high, and everyone followed suit.
In no time, the armies of Mordor began to surround them, and they company decided to rid themselves of their horses. Leila had never seen such an army. Every orc in existence had to be coming to meet them. Leila shivered with fear and met Legolas's eyes.
"Never thought I'd die side by side with an elf," Gimli said suddenly.
"What about side by side with a friend?" Legolas replied, smiling.
Gimli met his gaze. "Aye," he agreed. "I could do that."
Now Legolas looked at Leila. "I love you," he told her.
"I love you too," she replied, and he kissed her hard.
Aragorn stepped forward, and turned around to look back at them all. "For Frodo," he said simply and took off full speed toward the thousands of orcs. Merry and Pippin were next. They shouted and ran as fast as their Hobbit legs would carry them after Aragorn. The armies of Rohan and Gondor followed the Hobbits into battle.
Leila's heart was racing as she ran towards a waiting army. Sweat formed on her brow as she swung around several times to slice the orcs around her. She also kicked, punched, and elbowed her way through. She felt blood spatter across her several times as she slit throats and hacked off limbs, but she did not care. In her mind, she saw her life flash before her. She remembered her childhood, her first love, her first heartbreak, her parents deciding to go to the grey havens, her humiliation in Ithilien. Then she thought about the mountain and meeting Soriel and Legolas and the Hobbits. She thought about the unfairness of the world and she used this to fuel her fighting.
She ran and orc through with both of her swords in its stomach. It fell and she swiftly pulled her weapons out once more, turning around to slice another all the way from above its eye, to its stomach, releasing its insides. She yelled as she drilled through another's eye socket. She then heard the terrifying shriek of the Nazgul. She looked up to see the Eagles, meeting them in the sky for battle. It was several moments later when Leila heard a shriek come from within Mordor. The Tower of Barad-dur, and the great Eye on top was crumbling to the ground. The orcs all around them began to flee. This could mean only one thing: Frodo was successful. The ground around them formed a sinkhole. The Back Gate, and everything near it, fell in to its doom. They began to celebrate, chanting for Frodo, and cheering. Leila began to cry tears of joy, and started to search for her friends. Then the sides of Mount Doom began to explode, sending lava cascading down the side. Despite all the noise around them, the Earth seemed to fall silent. There was little hope for Frodo and Sam.
Leila ran to Gandalf. "Gandalf!" she cried, and he looked at her. Tears stained his cheeks. "Summon the eagles, we must try to find them!"
Gandalf seemed dazed, and he looked at Merry and Pippin, who had fallen to their knees crying. "What good will it do?' he asked, hopeless.
Leila looked at Aragorn for assistance. "We must try," Aragorn said, but not enthusiastically.
"Please, Gandalf," Leila pleaded, not able to bear the sight of Merry and Pippin in so much pain.
Gandalf looked at Leila, then at the Hobbits again, and then he whispered into the wind, and the Eagles came to the ground. Gandalf got on one, Aragorn got on another, and Leila got on a third. She figured her elf eyes could see things Aragorn and Gandalf may not. They took off towards Mount Doom. Through the smoke and all the red, Leila scanned for the Hobbits. It was a long while before she actually saw the two shapes of them on a rock surrounded by lava. Both were unconscious, and the Eagles swooped down to gather them. Then they headed back to the field of Cormallen, where they would spend some recovery time before returning to Minas Tirith.
They spent a few days in Cormallen. On the first night, after Frodo and Sam were taken care of by Aragorn, they held grand party. While the Hobbits slept, they toasted to their honor. Leila wished that Soriel could be with them, but she was happy nonetheless. She knocked her glass against everyone else's as they shouted "For Frodo!" Everyone began to roar with laughter and song. Merry and Pippin sang some of Bilbo and Frodo's favorites. Leila felt warm and safe, and she joined the songs when she could remember the words. Merry and Pippin even taught her a dance from the Shire. Even though they were much too short, they had a wonderful time. It was hard to believe that this was not a sheer moment of peace. This was the beginning of the rest of their lives, and Leila had a feeling that the rest of her life was going to be great.