Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, and Eomer, stood in the throne room and listened as Mariell told them of what she had seen in
Mordor.
"How can you be sure of what you saw?" Eomer asked her. "How can you be certain that the Ring bearer still lives"
"If Sauron had the ring we would know it," Aragorn declared. "But Frodo still has to get to the mountain of fire"
"If what Mariell says of the conditions of Sauron's armies is true it will be impossible for Frodo to get to the mountain undetected,"
Gandalf said. "I've sent him to his death"
"There must be something we can do," Mariell said desperately. She could not believe that they had all come so far only to fail now.
"We attack the black gates," Aragorn said. "Draw the armies away from the mountain. We keep the dark lord unaware of what goes
on by keeping his eye on us"
"A diversion," Legolas declared. "We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms, " Eomer stated.
"Not for ourselves," Aragorn agreed. "But we can give Frodo a chance." Mariell's mind was racing. An direct attack on Mordor.
Could such a thing be accomplished? Could they possibly make it happen?
"Certainty of death. Small chance of success," Gimli said. He paused and everyone turned to look at him. He grinned.
"What are we waiting for?"
With trembling hands Mariell donned the uniform of a Gondor soldier. It was just as Theoden had said. Rohan was her past and
Gondor was her future. Now if she could just be certain that she would have a future.
"You will eventually have to start wearing gowns," Aragorn said from behind her. Her breath caught as she looked at him. He looked so
different. His hair was pulled back from his face and his torn muddy clothes had been replaced by the colors of Gondor. It seemed she
was not the only one who was putting her past aside.
"Gowns?" she asked him wrinkling her nose.
"Well, just for formal occasions." She smiled and he pulled her close. He ran his hand along her neck to where her pendant still hang.
"The pendant's power is fading," he said. "I know," she whispered.
"You are no longer invulnerable," he said.
"I know"
"Soon the pendant will not shield you from Sauron"
"I know. But I'm going anyway. You cannot ask me to stay behind"
"I wasn't going to. Mariell, promise me that if things look bad you will run"
"You know I cannot," she said as tears fell from her eyes. "I do not wish to die Aragorn. I want to live. I want to grow old with you and
have children with you and rule this land in peace by your side. But if it is my fate to die this night, fighting by your side, then I will meet
that fate without fear." He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently. "My brave wife," he whispered. "You have always been so
strong"
"I wish I didn't have to be," she said.
"I know," he said kissing her. After a moment she pulled away and wiped her tears.
"We'd better go," she said. Aragorn nodded and offered her his arm. Together they walked to the gates where the combined soldiers of
Rohan and Gondor stood waiting for their King. Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf, and the hobbits stood in front.
"What are you doing out of bed, Meriadoc Brandybuck?" Aragorn asked the hobbit sternly.
"We're going to help Frodo," Merry told him, the look in his eyes daring Aragorn to tell him them they could not. Aragorn looked at her
and she shrugged. If her husband meant to make them stay here he would get no support from her. As far as she was concerned both of
them had the right to go.
"You'll have to send us…" Pippin started.
"Home is a sack to stop you," Aragorn finished for him. "Well, get on your horses then." Aragorn climbed onto Hasufel while Mariell
mounted Alkiar. They could have ridden any horse of their choosing but they had both felt it was only right that these be the horses that
saw them through this final battle. The entire army was silent as they marched toward Mordor. The closer they got the more determined
Mariell became to see this through to whatever end. It was late in the day when they arrived at the black gates. Mariell reached up and
touched her pendant.
"Your ancestors would be very proud," Gandalf said beside her. Mariell smiled. "There's something rather poetic about my being here
at this moment, Gandalf"
"Indeed," Gandalf said. They stared up at the black gates that loomed before them. Aragorn rode closer followed by Mariell, Gandalf,
Legolas, and Eomer. He stared up at the gates as though making a decision.
"Remember," Mariell said to him. "You still have to give me a proper wedding." He looked at her and smiled.
"We call on the keeper of these black gates. We challenge you to come out and fight us!" Aragorn yelled at the gates. For a few
minutes nothing happened. Then, like a crack of doom, the gates began to open. They turned their horses and quickly rode back to
where the army waited, with spears drawn. Everyone but Aragorn dismounted from their horse. Mariell took her position between
Gandalf and Legolas. Aragorn rode in front of the army just as Theoden had done. "I never thought I'd die side by side with and elf,"
she heard Gimli mutter.
"What about side by side with a friend?" Legolas asked him. "Aye," Gimli said. "I could do that." Mariell felt the icy chill go up her
spine as she saw the army of orcs coming toward them from the gate. There was a feeling of great fear radiating from the army.
"I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me," Aragorn addressed the army. " A day may come when the courage
of men fail. When we forsake our friends, and break all bonds of fellowship; but it is not this day. This day, we fight!" Everyone drew
their swords and cheered. Mariell's heart swelled with pride as she watched her husband step into the roll he was born to play. The role
of a king. Looking ahead of her she could see the tower of Barad dur. Her heart pounded and her knees trembled as the eye turned its
stare on them. "Selendil," she heard the hiss in her head. She looked down at her pendant and knew that its magic was spent. Sauron
could see her.
"Maybe you shouldn't be here," Legolas said beside her. Mariell squeezed her pendant hard.
"No," she said. "I am exactly where I am supposed to be." That's right ancestor, she thought. Turn your eye to me. The army of Sauron
marched toward them. Aragorn jumped down from his horse and took his place in front of the army. He drew his sword. He turned and
looked at them, a faint smile crossing his face.
"For Frodo." With that he lifted his sword and charged toward the orcs. With a great cry they all followed him. Mariell charged into the
army hacking and stabbing at every orc she could. All fear she felt was quickly replaced by rage.
"That's for Frodo!" she yelled as she stabbed an orc through the throat. "That's for Sam!" as she sliced off a head. "My mother! My
father! Theoden! Boromir! Eowyn! Faramir!" The names of those who had suffered echoed in her head as she fought one orc after
another. She was aware of nothing except the orcs as she killed one after another. She did not know pain, or weakness, or fear. She
only knew justice. Justice for all those who had lived in fear for too long. Her head pounded as the dragons of the Nazgul screeched
above her head. Oh no! They couldn't possibly bring them down. She saw one swoop toward Gandalf. The wizard closed his eyes in
acceptance. But just as the dragon was about to kill Gandalf it was knocked away. Mariell watched in amazement as she saw eagles
drop from the sky to battle the dragons. Suddenly she heard Legolas's shouting Aragorn's name. She turned her attention to her
husband and saw him being overpowered by a troll. She ran to help him, cutting down every orc that got in her way. The troll had
Aragorn pinned down with his foot and was preparing to crush him. Mariell raced toward the troll and slashed it across the belly. It was
not enough to kill it, but it did lift its foot. Mariell grabbed Aragorn beneath the arms and pulled him back. The troll was bearing down
on them preparing to crush them both.
"Leave me!" Aragorn yelled at her.
"No!" Mariell yelled back as she dragged him away. She knew that her death was swiftly approaching. But she would not leave her
husband. This was how she wanted it. She would stay by his side even to the death. She squeezed him hard and shut her eyes waiting
for the troll to crush them. Suddenly a great rumbling was heard. The troll that had been about to crush them suddenly turned and ran
back toward the black gates. The entire army of orcs ran back to the black gates. The earth opened up and swallowed the orcs as they
tried to flee. Mariell pulled Aragorn to his feet as they watched Mordor crumble. "Look!" someone yelled pointing to the tower. They
watched in amazement as the eye fell with the tower, bursting into flame. It was done! The ring was destroyed.
"FRODO!" Merry yelled. Mariell could barely breathe. Frodo had done it, the ring was gone, Sauron was destroyed! Her joy turned to
horror as Mount Doom began to erupt and collapse.
"Frodo!" she screamed. He was still in there. He would be trapped. She closed her eyes and let her body fall.