Chapter 31: Confrontations
In the throne room, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Elantari, Pippin, and Gandalf were pondering how they could give Frodo some more time to get rid of the Ring.
"We could reveal ourselves to Sauron," Elantari suggested. "Let her know that Aragorn is willing to take the throne."
Aragorn blinked in surprise. "What?"
"Even if it is just to stop her."
"But it is up to Aragorn, Elantari," Gandalf said sternly. Once he said that, he turned to Aragorn. "It's up to you, Aragorn."
"Very well," Aragorn said, his faced sculpted into a mask of thought. "If we tell Sauron of my existence, he—"
"She, Aragorn," Gandalf said. "I thought I told you this already: Sauron is a woman."
The group stared at him.
"Shall I go through this again? Sauron was a friend of mine from school, we were both respectable…well, she was a respectable student. But she turned against all that she was taught and became who she is today."
"Okay then, Gandalf, relax. As you said, it is Aragorn's descision," Elantari said. He turned back to Aragorn. "As you were saying, my leige."
Aragorn nodded. "If we tell her about my existence, she probably would be willing to have a meeting. Maybe we could distract her long enough to allow Frodo to get the ring into the fires of Doom. I'll go, on my own."
"No, Aragorn. I'll confront her as well," Gandalf said. "What we will both witness will probably be her in her true form, not the Eye exactly. It might be good if I'm with you to keep her from trying to kill you."
Aragorn sighed, but agreed.
An hour later, the throne room was cleared and Aragorn, with Gandalf beside him, headed toward the Palentir.
"I've got your back, Aragorn."
"Pardon?"
"I'm here."
"I wasn't scared, Gandalf."
"What you will face will probably be the most frightening thing you'll see in your lifetime."
The palentir came to life and Aragorn bared Anduin. Gandalf was surprised, to say, that the sword was repaired.
The room around them turned into a room of fire that touched them, but never burned. It wasn't even hot.
A woman emerged from the flames. Her eyes were red, her nails long and black, her hair was long and curly. Brown. Her skin was pale white. She was dressed in black steel and a black cape dressed her shoulders.
"And who might you be? I know you, Gandalf. But who is this?"
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn," Aragorn stated proudly.
"Well, Aragorn son of Arathorn, do you wish death?"
"No, Sauron," he said, then brandished Anduin. "I am not just Aragorn son of Arathorn. I am also the heir of Isiuldur."
At that moment, Sauron let out an earsplitting shreik. Then she stopped, and Aragorn stepped back, more out of surprise. Her eyes were like flames, the iris could hardly be seen amidst the flames.
She approached them, but stepped past Aragorn and slapped Gandalf smartly across the face.
"So you never intended to join me?"
"Sauron," Gandalf began, but she slapped him again.
"I offered you all the power in the world! I never offered it to Alistar! I never offered it to him! All I ever wanted was your power! Yours! With you by my side, I could have been the most powerful Dark Lord in all of Middle Earth! Now I see: you are just like that fool, Dumbledore! You were his pawn, just like everybody else! Everybody but me! Yet you help bring the one thing that will destroy me!"
"Sauron! Calm down!"
"Why? Bring your army to Mordor. I had hoped our freindship could have been renewed. That we could have worked together again, like in the DA," Sauron said, sadly. "But I see now that it will never be renewed. I will await your pitiful army. Bring your strongest warriors. It won't be enough."
The flames diminished and the Palintir broke. The image of the woman vanished. Gandalf fell to the ground, clutching his forehead as the blood ran down. Aragorn stared at the wizard in bewilderment.
"Gandalf?"
Gandalf only stood and wiped the blood away. His heart felt heavier and more burdened than before. "I'm a fool, Aragorn. You would think that after four thousand years, you would learn to leave a hopeless cause such as her."
Aragorn shook his head, though Gandalf got the feeling that he didn't fully understand what he meant.
"Prepare your armies, Aragorn. In three days, we go to Mordor."
