It was a day's ride to Dunharrow. When they arrived Mariell was pleased to see that several men were already there. Three
hundred had come from the north, five hundred from the south. The grand total was six thousand. Mariell was distressed at this number.
She knew it would not be nearly enough.
"We cannot wait," she heard Aragorn say to the king. "We must ride tomorrow." Mariell saw her uncle nod. As darkness fell over the
camp she approached her uncle. He stood with his back to her, looking over the encampment. Her words to him were piercing her
mind like a spear.
"Uncle," she said moving toward him. He turned and met her eyes. She'd never seen a man look so tired.
"Six thousand men," he said. "Less than half of what I'd hoped"
"Uncle," she said unable to meet his gaze. "What I said to you before, I wish to apologize"
"No," Theoden said. "You were right. My pride has kept me from acting, as I should have. Were I to die today I would go to meet my
father's with a great shame over my head"
"There is no shame in trying to protect your people"
"By hiding behind my crown," he said. "But I will hide no longer. No matter what our fate, we will meet our enemy with swords drawn"
"Uncle, I fear my words to you may have spurred this action"
"Yes, they did. But do not feel guilty for doing what you must for your country"
"Rohan is my country," she said.
"It is your homeland. The land of your past. You are the future queen of Gondor. And you will be a great queen." Mariell looked down
at her feet. Theoden lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.
"When I look at you, I am reminded of Thendilen. You have his strength, his courage, his devotion. Seeing the woman you have
become, gives my heart great joy. I couldn't be more proud of you than if you were my own daughter. " He leaned forward and kissed
her forehead.
Mariell made her way through the camp. She laughed as she saw Merry emerge from Eowyn's tent, fully garbed in the armor of a
Rohan soldier, and brandishing his sword. Eowyn followed him, laughing.
"To the sword smith with you, go," she said shoving him gently. Mariell chuckled at the affection her cousin showed Merry. Since
Gandalf had departed with Pippin, Merry had been very downhearted. She was pleased to see him cheerful again. Eowyn had done an
excellent job of lifting the hobbit's spirit. She still chuckled when she remembered what Merry had said to Eowyn the other day.
"Well if you and Mariell are cousins, and Mariell is Frodo's sister, and Frodo is my cousin, then that must make us relations." The look
on Eowyn's face had been priceless. But she very politely had agreed.
"You should not encourage him," Eomer admonished his sister. Eowyn looked at her brother with a scowl. Mariell could not help feeling
a bit annoyed herself. With the exception of Aragorn and Boromir, she had yet to meet a man who did not look at hobbits with scorn. If
these men had any idea what hobbits were capable of they would not be so quick to judge.
"And you should not doubt him," Eowyn shot back. "I do not doubt his heart," Eomer said. "Only the reach of his arm." Mariell became
very annoyed as Eomer and Gamling laughed. She moved out of the shadows and silenced them with a cold stare.
"You should watch what you say, Eomer," she said. "That hobbit is my family just as much as you are. And he has more than proved his
mettle on several occasions." "Forgive me cousin," Eomer said sincerely. "I do not doubt that the hobbit has courage. But there is no
place for him in this war." Mariell sighed and walked away.
"Why can't Merry fight for the ones he loves?" she heard Eowyn demand. She did not hear Eomer's answer. She was exhausted. She
went to her tent and laid down on her bedroll. A bit later she heard Aragorn come into the tent and lay down beside her. She snuggled
into his embrace as his warm breath on her cheek lulled her to sleep.
Aragorn watched in horror as the eye of Sauron stared at him.
"Elessar!" it hissed. "They are mine!" Aragorn saw his friends being marched into Mordor their hands bound, a large orc whipping them as they went. Suddenly one being was grabbed by their hair and flung in front of him. Aragorn gasped as he saw it was Mariell. His reached out to touch her but was pushed back as his hands encountered flame. "No," he cried as Mariell's pendant fell from her neck and shattered. "She is mine!" the eye hissed.
"No!" Aragorn screamed as Mariell was engulfed in flames…
Aragorn drew his knife as he bolted upright in bed. A dream, it had been a dream. He turned to look down at Mariell beside him. She
was still asleep. He reached out his hand and gently pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. His hand moved down to the pendant
around her neck. He took it in his hand and studied it. It seemed to be growing dimmer, the silver looked tarnished and the stones didn't
sparkle as they used to. It could just be the light, but somehow he knew it wasn't. He whipped around as the flap of their tent was
pushed open. It was one of Theoden's guards.
"Your presence is requested," the guard said. Aragorn nodded. Carefully, so as not to wake Mariell, he got up and followed the guard
to Theoden's tent. The king stood talking to a figure whose face Aragorn could not see. Theoden looked up as Aragorn entered.
"I take my leave," he said. The king left the tent and the cloaked figure stood and removed his hood.
"My Lord Elrond," he said bowing before his foster father. Elrond stood in front of him and looked deep into his eyes and beyond.
"I know what you dream," Elrond said. "For the same visions are in my mind." Aragorn felt as though a cold hand were choking him.
"Will she die?" Aragorn asked.
"Mariell's fate is uncertain at this point. But I know this. The pendant's power is fading. Soon it will cease to shield her from Sauron and
his minions. Mariell will not survive if you are defeated"
"The defeat will not be ours," Aragorn said with determination. "It will be his"
"Estel," Elrond said, his voice lowering. "You cannot win against this foe. You need more men"
"There are none"
"You must go through the mountain. There are those that dwell there." Aragorn knew exactly whom Elrond was talking about. He'd felt
the chill go up his spine when he'd stared down the mountain pass that led to the Paths of the Dead. It was said that none who ventured
there ever returned. And he wasn't too eager to enlist the aid of those that dwelled there.
"Murderers," Aragorn said. "Traitors. You would have me enlist their help"
"They will fight for the one who bears this," Elrond said flinging back his cloak. He reached to his side and pulled out a sword. Aragorn
knew that sword. The last time he had seen it, it had been in pieces. But it was remade and Elrond was giving it to him. He took the hilt
and pulled it from the sheath, holding it in front of his face.
"Sauron will not have forgotten the blade of Anduril," Aragorn said thoughtfully.
"This is your test," Elrond said. "Every path you have trod through, wilderness, through war, has led to this road. Put aside the ranger,
become who you were meant to be." Aragorn stared at the elf that had raised him from the time he was a child. The son of Galadriel,
sister to the woman who had born Sauron's child and begun the line that ended with the woman he loved. His dream had shown him
what would happen if Sauron found his heir. He knew what he had to do. It was his destiny.
"I give hope to mankind," Elrond said.
"I keep none for myself."
After Elrond had departed he went to his tent. He hated to leave Mariell here but he knew he could not take her with him to the Paths of
the Dead. He knelt beside her and gently shook her awake.
"What? Aragorn…" he placed his hand over her mouth as she stuttered awake.
"Shh," he whispered. "I don't have much time." He explained about Lord Elrond's visit and where he now had to go. He did not tell her
about the dream or Elrond's confirmation of its seriousness.
"The Paths of the Dead?" she said in shock. " Aragorn, no one who has ever gone there has returned. You're going there on the eve of
battle, alone? It's crazy"
"I know it seems that way," he said. "But you know we cannot win this battle. We need help"
"You're going to ask a bunch of dead betrayers to help us?" she asked. "They will do as I command," he insisted. "I have to do this,
Mariell. For Gondor." Mariell stared at him in disbelief for a long time and then her expression softened.
"For Gondor," she whispered. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her long and hard. "I must go now," he said when they separated.
She nodded. "I love you," he said.
"I love you," she said.
"I will return," he said. "Go with your uncle. He will need you." He kissed her one final time and turned and left the tent. He moved
quietly through the camp to where Hasufel was tied. He had the horse saddled and was ready to depart in less than a few minutes. He
made his way towards the mountain passage.
"Where do you think you're going?" a gruff voice said behind him. He turned and saw Gimli looking at him expectantly. Aragorn sighed.
Mariell must have told him about his decision. And now the dwarf was expecting to come along. But Aragorn could not let his friends
take that risk.
"Not this time," he said. "I make this journey alone"
"Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of dwarves?" Legolas said coming up to them, Arod already saddled. Mariell was
behind him. Aragorn shot her an accusing look.
"You only said I couldn't go with you," she said with a shrug. "You might as well face it," Gimli said. "We're going with you laddie."
Aragorn was about to protest when Mariell put her hand on his shoulder.
"I won't be able to focus on what I must do if I'm worried about you," she said. Aragorn looked into her eyes and was shocked by
what he saw in them. Fear. Not for herself, but for him. He looked at Legolas and Gimli and nodded.
Mariell took Aragorn's arm and walked with them to the beginning of the mountain pass. Mariell faced them with tears in her eyes. This
was harder than she thought it was going to be. It wasn't only Aragorn she feared for. It was all three of them. They were her family.
Since leaving Rivendell she had been with them. Now they were leaving her and she didn't know if she could bear it.
"Well my friends," she said. "We've come a long way from Rivendell together. But now we must go our separate ways"
"You'll be all right lass," Gimli said. Mariell smiled at the dwarf and leaned down and kissed his cheek. A blush stole across his face but
he only huffed and attempted to get onto his horse. Legolas moved to stand in front of her.
"Be careful nin mellon," he said to her.
"You as well, nin Kingori," she said. He smiled at her. She clasped her hand over her heart and touched his shoulder. He returned the
gesture then pulled her into an embrace. He released her and went to help Gimli onto the horse. Aragorn reached up and brushed the
tears from her eyes.
"It will be all right," he said. She nodded and tried to smile. He pulled her against him and kissed her hair.
"Remember, I still have to give you a proper wedding"
"Never mind the wedding," she whispered into his shoulder, "just come back safe." He lifted her chin and kissed her. She pulled away
and he got onto his horse. She watched them disappear into the pass. Behind her she heard the mutterings of the men.
"Aragorn is leaving," the muttered. "He leaves because there is no hope"
"No there isn't," Theoden's voice broke out over the rest. "but we ride tomorrow morning, regardless." Mariell smiled in spite of
herself.