Gah, school is seriously not fun. I already have a paper due in a couple days. Plus, I completely screwed up my knee, so I can't even run or anything. Everyone keeps calling me "Gimpy" and "Hop-a-long"
Izzy: You forgot "Cripple" (snickers)
MN9: (rubs forehead) I seriously don't know why I let you in here.
Izzy: Um…'cause deep down you love me?
MN9: It must be very, very deep down…moving on…
Disclaimer: Cross my heart and hope to die, I do NOT own Lord of the Rings.
Chapter 52 Recap:
"Men are so pitiful. The say they honor courage, and then they plead without shame," Abigail said vehemently.
She raised her daggers and charged at a horde of soldiers, already killing two with one swing of each hand.
Recap #2:
"Let's get ready, like we planned," Aragorn said.
The ghost nodded, and disappeared through the deck.
Aragorn turned back around, standing tall and anxiously wondering what awaited him on shore.
Chapter 53:
The arrival of Rohan had been quite an annoyance in Abigail's opinion, but it was not a move she didn't expect.
Men were often rash, but that bold move had gotten them nowhere. The Mûmak arrived on schedule and was currently tearing the Rohirrim apart. Men on horses were no match for warriors on Oliphants. She could sense it, the death. She felt the souls and minds disappear one by one. Some were mortal, some were orc, some were manners of beast, but all were dead.
"Just how it is suppose to be," she murmured to herself, as she slid through the cobbled streets of Minas Tirith.
No, the Rohirrim were not her concern. She had continued through the levels of the city. It was quite amusing, actually, to see the reactions of some of the soldiers who lived long enough to see her face.
Their confused eyes always had a moment to question what a woman was doing in such a place, before her daggers ran them through.
They still doubted. Still not believing the power she had. Many had been punished for that doubting, and more would be.
The level she was on was eerily quiet, considering it was a battlefield. Up ahead she could hear the clash of weapons on weapons. The orcs had pushed ahead, just as she commanded. She relished how they obeyed her every word.
The street she was in was abandoned. Whether it was abandoned because all the people died, or because they ran away, she could not tell.
'The buildings…they've stopped crumbling,' she thought, looking around.
"It's not suppose to stop…it's got to keep going," she whispered. "They're not allowed to stop unless I say so!" she hissed.
In a craze she sent a wave of telepathy out and made a few pillars collapse, causing a small house to fall apart.
Suddenly, she heard a cough of pain, and she immediately whipped her dagger out to the side, her black eyes glaring.
Her eyes landed on a man, who, thanks to her, now had his arm pinned by a piece of rock.
She wondered why he hadn't moved before. She studied him and noticed he already had a gaping wound in his shoulder, he was only half conscious.
She was about to turn away when she heard his raspy voice.
"My lady," he wheezed. "Why are you here? You should not have to deal with this kind of death."
He coughed again, this time spitting up some droplets of blood.
Before she could stop herself, she went up to him and crouched down by his side. He was an older man, flecks of gray sprouting in his brown beard.
"I should not deal with death, sir? How would you have me avoid it?" she asked, quietly.
His gaze met her dark eyes, and he shuddered slightly. She grinned in return.
"War is death, and-"
She paused momentarily, when an image of a man…with long golden hair and kind eyes…flashed in her mind.
She shook it off, and continued. "War is death…and I am part of war."
And with that, Abigail raised her dagger, and plunged into the man's heart before he could say another word.
Then, she saw in her head that man with blonde hair again, except this time his eyes were lifeless, and his face was bloodied.
When she looked down, she saw this soldiers eyes looked so similar to that vision…and it made her shiver.
Quickly, she put her hand over his eyes and shut them.
"Keep to your own advice. Keep going. There's no need to stop for pathetic fools like him," she chided herself as she stood up and walked away.
Still, for a moment, she could help but feel sad…
But it was soon replaced with a new feeling. She sensed a different presence come onto the battlefield.
She narrowed her eyes, and flew up to see what was going on. She looked out over Pelenor fields, and saw black ships arriving at the port.
"The Corsair ships…it's about time they arrived," she muttered grumpily. But still, something didn't feel right. She looked back over Minas Tirith. The Gondorian solders and orcs were scattered throughout the city, and a couple Nazgûl riders were towards the top of the citadel.
"That should do," she decided, as she left Minas Tirith to investigate.
OoOoOoOoOo
The battle on the fields was in similar shape to the city. The Rohirrim were barely holding their own against the remaining orcs and Mumâk warriors. The lines of standing men got thinner and thinner as the piles of bodies and horses grew.
Abigail was curious, and she decided she wanted to have a little fun herself. Instead of going straight to Osigiliath, she had a little side-trip to the Pelenor battlefield.
She landed gently on the outskirts, and scanned the smoky horizon.
'Now, where to begin,' she wondered sadistically.
The Oliphants were clearing many areas, but there was one spot where it was still hand on hand combat.
She smiled, and using her powers to gain a little speed, she joined the battle.
She was moving swiftly, barely noticed by anyone until her steel daggers met their limbs.
Suddenly, unseen to her, a pair of daggers that looked similar to her own cleanly blocked her.
The figure pushed her back, but she made a fighting stance and got a good look at her opponent.
"Well, well, well," she chuckled. "A little far from home, aren't we?"
OoOoOoOoOo
Elladan, son of Elrond, had never been in a battle like this before. A new type of enemy seemed to appear every hour. He had gone with the Rohirrim to help Gondor, but now as the battle grew longer and longer, he wondered who was going to come and help them.
'Where are you Aragorn?' he thought, concerned for his adoptive brother.
Speaking of brothers, Elladan hadn't seen Elrohir in a while either.
He was pulled out of his thoughts, as an orc took a clumsy charge at him. He jumped to the side and stuck a dagger in the orcs back.
While most elves used a bow and arrow in battle, Elladan had grown more found of using the traditional elvish daggers.
A strange movement to his left caught his attention. A dark figure was moving quickly through the storm of fighting, but it wasn't an orc.
With his keen elven eyes, he followed the strangers' movements and stepped in for a block.
Elladan successfully blocked the figure, but it wasn't phased for long as it moved into a fighting stance.
His eyes widened slightly when he noticed the figure was a lady, though she was clad in black garbs of Mordor.
"Well, well, well," she chuckled. "A little far from home, aren't we?"
"I doubt you are anywhere near home either," he countered. Woman or not, she had a hostile appearance, and he wasn't going to let his guard down.
"Hmph, you are already better than most. Blocking me and not letting my looks fool you. I would expect no less from an elf," she said, a strong hint of disgust in her tone.
Elladan studied her closely, looking for weaknesses. She wore no armor, yet she didn't seem to have a scratch on her.
"I have never hurt a woman in my life, and I do not wish to do so even in battle. I will ask this once, put your weapons down," he said in a commanding tone.
She chuckled again. "Think for your own safety first…that is the advice I give to you."
Without any hesitation, she charged at him, one dagger raised high and the other low.
Elladan stepped forward, and covered her daggers with his, and her pushed them together so the met in the middle, and then he threw her off to the side.
She gave a low growl of frustration when she came at him again, this time her daggers held tightly together, as she thrusted both at he chest.
Elladan sliced his dagger through the two daggers, and again pushed her to the side.
'I have seen these moves before,' he thought to himself.
He took an even closer look at her daggers...then, he understood.
"I see," he muttered lowly.
"What?" she snapped.
He looked at her sharply, forcing himself not to be surprised at her onyx eyes.
"You not only stole Lorien daggers, you stole the steps of the Lorien warriors too," he accused her. "By using them, you are bringing disgrace to the elvish ways. They are not meant to be used by the likes of you."
This time, he was the one to charge. Something about this woman was pushing him; driving him towards anger.
She scoffed, as their weapons met head on. "It matters not to me. Soon all the elves from this earth will be gone, you should be thankful that I'll be here to keep some small remnant of your people alive."
"That can only happen if you make it off this battlefield," he said harshly, enraged.
She simply laughed. "If only you know how much I was holding back."
"I did not ask you too!" he shouted.
"I held back so I can enjoy a fight for once. The others died so quickly; I could have easily done the same to you," she smirked.
He pushed harder against her daggers, but he wasn't making her budge.
He leapt back, and prepared for a different charge.
'Forgive me, Valar, for wishing to harm a woman,' he prayed. But before he could move, he was interrupted.
"Lord Elladan, stop! You know not what you are doing!" Gandalf's voice rang out as he rode towards them.
OoOoOoOoOo
General POV
Elladan could not stop, mid-charge. So his daggers struck against Abigail's block, but he quickly backed up, and looked to Gandalf. It had been quite a while since he had seen his old friend, the wizard, but he still knew that Gandalf's word should be heeded.
"What do you mean?" he questioned, keeping a close eye on Abigail.
"Mitrandir, I was wondering where you ran off to," Abigail smirked.
Elladan raised his daggers slightly. "You have no right to speak to him like that," he glared at her.
"My lord, please. Surely someone told you of Abigail," Gandalf, said, putting emphasis on her name. Shadowfax shifted his hooves with anticipation.
Now Elladan could not hide his surprise. "T-this is Abigail?" he stammered.
'I can't believe I tried to kill a member of the fellowship!' Elladan thought, remembering the unique story told to him by the horse lords. Though he was slightly relieved, because if this was Abigail, then it explained many things.
Gandalf also seemed relieved that Elladan understood the situation, for he saw the elf prince lower his daggers again, and back away slightly.
"I told you not to say my name," Abigail scowled. "I don't know how or why you knew 'Abigail'," she practically spat at her own name, "But she is not here anymore. Both of you will die today, and I don't care who goes first!"
She stormed at the both of them, but once again she became distracted.
Something suddenly passed by them. It felt like a chill of cold air, but it had an odd green tinge to it.
"What trickery is this?" Abigail screamed, as she flew into the air, avoiding anymore contact with the strange sensation.
Gandalf and Elladan looked back, and both could see the black ships in the distance. But unlike Abigail, they knew what the ships had really brought.
OoOoOoOo
Abigail's head whipped around wildly as she studied the scene below here.
'Ghosts!' a voice inside her head screamed. 'Who in seven hells could conjure an army of the dead!'
She floated 50 feet or so above the ground, seething as she watched the orcs fall down in masses, while the ghosts avoided all the mortal soldiers.
"No!" she screamed out loud. This was supposed to be her day of reckoning! The men were supposed to be losing, they were supposed to die!
She desperately tried to stop them with her power, but the ghosts had no physical or even mental part to control.
A Nazgûl on a fellbeast flew up to her side.
"We have been ordered to fall back by Lord Sauron. He says to let the men have their pathetic victory. They may live one more day before their ultimate defeat. It will all be false hope," he hissed, over the steady beating of the creature's wings.
"I will not accept defeat!" she shouted in a rage. "Lord Sauron told me to make them pay. How will I make them fear me by running away?" she snarled.
"These are the orders from our lord! Are you truly going to defy him? It is only because of him that you are here. Is this how you show your gratitude, wench?"
The fellbeast, sensing its riders' displeasure, took a snap at Abigail with its razor teeth.
She quickly raised one hand and stopped its jaw with telepathy, and then with the other hand she made a crushing movement.
There was a loud snapping of several bones, as the fellbeasts leg suddenly went limp. It flapped awkwardly, trying to remain steady now that one of its long legs was completely broken.
"You are as pathetic as the rest," she said, her voice now darker and deeper. "I will finish what I need to do, and a worthless minion like you will NOT get in my way."
She sent a wave at telepathy at the wraith, and he actually stumbled a bit in his seat.
'The girl had never been able to use her power on one of us before,' the wraith thought, shocked.
He straightened up, and waved a clothed hand at her. "Stay then. Either die here from the enemy, or die later by my masters hand. There was never a place for you." At leaving her with that thought, the wraith whipped the reigns, and flew away.
"Then I will make a place. In fact, I'll make my own throne," she threatened, looking down to the field. Many ghosts had moved into the city, and some men remained fighting the orcs that were still alive.
She sheathed her daggers, knowing she would no longer be using them.
OoOoOoOoOo
Gandalf had watched Abigail cautiously in the sky as she 'talked' to the wraith, and now he was ever more wary when he saw he come back down.
'Why would she not leave with them?' he wondered, though maybe he could use this to his advantage. If she stayed, maybe he could try and bring her back.
She landed in front of them again, but she never drew her daggers.
"This is not over…not while I am still standing," she glowered.
Elladan, with his enhanced vision, saw her black eyes were now flecked with a flaming red.
"Gandalf," he warned gently, keeping a steady hand on his weapon.
"Gandalf, I think we're doing it! I think we're winning!" the hopeful voice of Pippin cried.
Gandalf spun around. "Pippin, stay back!" he barked.
"What?" the young hobbit asked. However, his expression soon became a look of horror as he reeled back at the sight. "A-Abigail?" he asked quietly.
"Pippin, I need you to go look for Merry," he instructed slowly.
"Merry? B-but…Abby," Pippin tried to speak, ducking behind Shadowfax.
Gandalf only cast him one stern, but forlorn look. Pippin stumbled backwards as he left, still trying to see if that really could be Abigail.
'The world's gone mad,' Pippin thought, as he walked around with slightly glazed eyes. 'This day…it can't be real. Oh Merry, where are you?'
OoOoOoOoOo
"Come, come Mithrandir. I'm sure the Halfling would have put up a tremendous fight," she jeered.
Suddenly, she flew her hand to her face, and Elladan and Gandalf saw that she had stopped an arrow mere inches from her cheek.
Elladan looked over. "Elrohir," he croaked, having trouble finding his own voice now.
Gandalf looked over as well and he saw three familiar figures trailing behind Elrond's second son.
'Who knows what the outcome of this meeting will be,' the white wizard thought, his mind jumbling through all the options they might be able to use. Though the choices weren't many.
OoOoOoOo
Ugh, I'm not really completely satisfied with this chapter; I'll be honest with you. But I'll let you be the judge.
It's also a shorter chapter that usually, but this really is a complicated scene, though it may not seem like it. This is what I have so far, so I'm going to post it, and hopefully I can work through it better in the next chapter.
Thanks to Reviewers:
Nelarun: I'm glad your understanding of my lateness. I know it gets very long sometimes, but I promise I'll keep posting 'till the very end. It's kind of fun to write 'bold Abby', but evil isn't my strong point. Let me know what you think! Thanks!
Narnian Sprite: Lol, cliffhangers make the world go 'round. Thanks for reviewing!
writin4fun15: Hey, just the fact that you are still willing to review is enough for me. As long as the kudos are there, I will be eternally grateful. Thanks!
QueenieMeanie: Next chapter, I promise you will finally see Aragorn and Abby interact. But today, it fit the plot better to stop here. Just stick with the suspense for a bit longer. Thanks you!
Samantha-Girl Scout: Lol, it's a pretty safe bet Abigail could be classified under the evil category now. Good lord, is your mob and I actually on the same page for once (gasp!)? Thank you!
Valinor's Twilight: Thank you very much, that's all I want to hear!
ArwenEvenstar83: I actually made you gasp? That's exciting! Oh, and your kind of on the right track about Abigail, I guess (I'm not going to spoil it for you), but give me a little more creativity credit than that. As you can see, I'm not taking the easy way out. Thank you for reviewing!
Lady Aphadriel-order of the...: Oh yeah, the twins are back, baby! I think it's fun to have them in these stories, because we really don't see them in the movies or the books. So many possibilities…thank you!
CrystalMind: Next chapter is the dramatic meeting, so be on the look out! I decided not to rush into it right away. I think it's better for the plot. Thanks!
Frodo's girl: (looks around sheepishly) Yeah, I haven't been that great with the updates lately, but now that I have a due date in mind I hope to fix that. I really do want to meet this goal, and after almost 60 chapters I'm sure you're all anxious to read the end, right? Thanks a lot!
SpicyStars: I had some trouble finding an Aragorn romance that I really liked, so that's part of what motivated me to write this. I still support Arwen and Aragorn, but this is my own little creative twist. Thanks, and please review again!
Next Chapter: Reunited at last, but for better or for worse? Maybe even a little 'Black Gate' action. I'm trying really and super hard to update a billion times faster than I just did. Don't give up on me now!
Until next time!
-MysticNight9