Okay, I've gotten several reviews mentioning the reoccurance of names from the War of the Ring. There is a reason for that. For clarification, you can go to chapter one where Gandalf and Glorfindel are talking about Aragorn being the hope of Feywen which is what the king said before he died. So, without further ado, here is the new chapter. Enjoy!
He cut off the head of the last of their attackers and looked at his companions. The Elf and the wizard hadn't even broken a sweat. "These are what we are going to have to fight to get Feywen back?" He pointed Andúril at the dead bodies around them.
"These are Dark Elves, Aragorn." Glorfindel said, not bothering to hide the sadness that was in his voice. "These creatures make up the whole of Morgoth's army. The Orcs you have fought cannot hope to compete with these new creations of Morgoth."
"You are out of practice, Aragorn. But, with time, you will be as sure as your ancestor and namesake." Gandalf said as he strode to Shadowfax. They were eight weeks out of Rivendell and they had been besieged at every turn by Orcs. This was the first time that they had encountered Dark Elves. But they were near the Gap of Rohan where word of them was thick. Gandalf suspected that they had taken refuge in Isengard, the once home of Saruman the White.
"Come, we cannot delay." Glorfindel said as he mounted Asfaloth. Aragorn sheathed his blade and mounted his waiting mount and the three of them rode into the Gap. As they rounded the hillside, the skies became dark and Isengard came into sight. The trio stopped and watched the bodies that milled about in the fire light. "They are seeking to invade Eriador." Glorfindel said after a moment. "They will throw themselves against Feywen's shields until they are either all dead or they succeed."
"Will they succeed?"
"That is yet to be known." Gandalf answered. "We no longer know the state of the shields Feywen placed now that she is bound the Enemy. It may let his creatures in when they could not before."
"Eriador is safe for the most part." Glorfindel replied. "Feywen's shields will hold as long as there is power in the land."
"That does not inspire hope for the rest of Middle Earth." Gandalf muttered.
"The last time I came this way, I did not feel Feywen's shield. It felt of your magic, Gandalf. But it is gone now. I don't know if Feywen was able to place shields in Rohan and Gondor. Nor can I tell where they are at."
"She would have placed them where the people would be safest. Helms Deep and Edoras and Minas Tirith."
"Listening to the two of you is giving me a headache. Are we going to Gondor or not?"
"We are." Glorfindel decided and turned his horse into the gap.
"Ho! Gandalf!" Gandalf looked and saw a young man running towards him. Glorfindel and Aragorn looked at him, wondering how he had been recognized.
"What can I do for you, young man?" He asked, ignoring the look the Elf was giving him.
"King Éomer wishes your presence in the golden hall. He seeks your council as he knows how you helped his family of old." Gandalf looked at his companions.
"Do what you must." Glorfindel said. "That is always what you were meant to do. Aragorn and I shall ride to Gondor with all haste. He will be seated by the time you arrive." Gandalf nodded and followed the boy. Aragorn and Glorfindel raced out of the city and to the west. They didn't stop until they reached the border and gave their steeds rest. Glorfindel looked at the skies and was troubled to see that Eärendil was still absent from them. Aragorn said nothing. The next morning, they rode on, reaching Minas Tirith within two days. They were let through the gate where they were stopped.
"What is your business in Minas Tirith, Elf?"
"Our business is with the steward and the steward alone. Let us pass." Aragorn looked at the Elf lord and was surprised to see some amount of calm about him. The guard moved out of the way and the two continued their journey, not stopping at any of the other gates, word having been sent ahead of them. They reached the gate of to the seventh tier and dismounted. Their steeds were taken to the stables and the two were let in to the top tier. Glorfindel moved confidently down the walk and to the White Tree where Aragorn stopped.
"Why do they guard a tree?" He asked. Glorfindel stopped and looked at him.
"That is the tree of the king. King Elessar went out and found the sapling and brought it here to signify the rule of the king. If you look on their banners, you can see that it is their standard just as Rohan's is their horse on a green field. Come, we must greet our host." The two continued walking and were shown to the throne room. Aragorn immediately noticed the two thrones. He quickly examined the large white throne atop the steps. At their foot rested a smaller throne where an aged man sat. Though it was warm outside, he wore a furred mantle. A staff rested near his hand and a sword was on his belt. "Hail Denethor, son of Faramir, Lord and Steward of Gondor." Glorfindel greeted. He bowed his head while Aragorn bowed at the waist.
"Who are you?" Denethor demanded.
"I am Lord Glorfindel of Rivendell. My companion is Aragorn of the Dúnedain. We have come to speak with you of a delicate matter."
"And that matter would be the Lost Prince." Denethor said. "Do you honestly believe that I thought the prince to be dead? I know he is alive and that he is near. I saw him taken from the city when I was just a young man. Know this, I will never let some man usurp me. I am the Lord of Gondor! I rule this realm! Not some prince that was sent away to live in peace." He hissed. "If I could, I would destroy these shields we cower behind and let the Enemy attack us. I am no fool. I know what the tremor meant last year. I know that she is now bound to her enemy. I refuse to let someone keeps us behind a traitor's shields."
"She is no traitor. You've no idea the sacrifices she has made for you and all of Middle Earth."
"And you do, Elf Lord?" Denethor laughed. "You are a fool."
"Father!" A younger man entered the room. He looked about the same age as Aragorn. He looked much like his father with dark hair and gray eyes. "That is enough. Can you not see that they have come Eriador to treat with you?" He turned to Glorfindel and Aragorn. "Come, this way. You have traveled long and far and must rest."
"This is not over, Boromir!" Denethor called after them. Boromir ignored his father and led the two to a set of rooms.
"Is it true, you have come to place the king?"
"How much do you know, Boromir?" Glorfindel asked.
"Very little, my Lord. My father tells me nothing. He became more of a recluse after my mother's passing. But there seems to be nothing he doesn't know about." Aragorn and Glorfindel stayed silent. They couldn't say much until Aragorn had been placed on the throne and was king. The crown had been buried with the king and the steward held the keys to the crypt. Nothing could be done until they could convince Denethor of Aragorn's claim. After some time, Boromir left them and Aragorn laid on the bed.
"Is he the one my father was afraid of using me?"
"Among others. But his being steward poses a problem. The Steward holds the keys to the crypt where your father's crown rests. Since he died while you were only a babe, it was buried with him and now you must retrieve it."
"And he won't let me?"
"He has Gondor in his iron grip. Even if we could say the other influential member of Gondor, he still over rules them as he rules Gondor in the King's stead."
"But I am here."
"You are not king yet. And he does not know that you are the infant he saw being taken by the White Wizard almost fifty years ago. You have been blessed with the blood of Númenor, Aragorn. That means that you will live a much longer lifespan than ordinary men. You do not look as old as you are and so Denethor does not suspect."
"Something is troubling you."
"It is what Boromir said about his father always knowing everything going on. He must have one of the palantír. With it, he can see the events of Middle Earth as they happen."
"And that is troubling?"
"There are seven of these. There was one in Minas Ithil long ago. When the city was taken, the palantír was lost and the city named Minas Morgul. There was a third one in play during the War of the Ring. The white Wizard Saruman had it in his possession. However, so did Sauron. The Dark Lord was able to corrupt the Wizard's mind through the palantír and use him."
"And you fear that Mogoth will do the same with Denethor."
"That is exactly what I fear. It was through the palantír that Saruman was able to control King Theoden's mind from Isengard."
He smiled as he watched his unwilling servant become power mad. It had been easy to take command of the man's thoughts and turn him against his fellows. But he knew that Elf. Lithwen had described him perfectly to him when she arrived. It was Glorfindel, Feywen's first husband. He knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to place the King of Gondor. Only the King of Gondor had the might and strength to rally the men of the west to fighting his armies. Once the king was placed, it wouldn't take long for them to decide to attack Mordor in the hopes of saving their lost champion.
He looked at her. She was sitting on the window seat, her legs curled beneath her, the dress hanging off the side of the seat. The Silmaril he had placed on her head was brighter than his, but that was because of her own light that was straining to show through his darkness. She was bound to him forever through their marriage. She looked at him a moment before turning back to the window. It was the one that faced west, toward Gondor. He wondered if she knew that he was there. They were so close to each other, but too far to touch. He turned his attention back to the palantír and watched the battle.
His blade crossed with Denethor's and they pushed against each other. Denethor had learned that he was the prince whom he had watched leave Gondor almost fifty years ago. How it had been done was no small mystery. The steward had spies everywhere and they had heard him and Glorfindel talking. When they had been taken before Denethor to be judged, Aragorn had done the only thing he knew. He challenged Denethor to the Trial by Arms for the throne. He knew that if he lost, that would be the end of his line. Denethor would be able to go to his father's tomb and take the crown of Gondor and declare himself king. To prevent that, he had to make sure he didn't falter. One wrong step would kill him. "I can't lose. Feywen is counting on me to help her. I can't lose."
Glorfindel watched from among the guards that had forced him and Aragorn from bed. Boromir stood next to him. Glorfindel had hoped to avoid bloodshed while returning the king to his throne. But that wasn't to be. Denethor's spies had overheard them talking the night before. Glorfindel had attempted to talk their way out of death, but Aragorn had challenged Denethor to a Trial by Arms and now they fought. Everyone present knew that the trial would only end when one of the fighters were dead. The sound of sword striking sword was heard again and Glorfindel knew that it would be a long fight.
Gandalf hurried up the circles to where the throne was. He had heard about the dual the moment he had entered the gate. He had thought that Glorfindel had had enough sense to place Aragorn without bloodshed. But then, Glorfindel was not known for his tact. "Though, I doubt this was Glorfindel's idea. What is going on here?" He left Shadowfax at the stables and hurried into the throne room where the two fighters were circled by the city guard. Gandalf pushed his way to where he saw Glorfindel watching. "What happened?"
"Denethor had spies watching was. They overheard me and Aragorn talking about his becoming king. We were dragged out here this morning and Aragorn, when questioned, challenged Denethor to a Trial by Arms."
"To the death?" Glorfindel nodded. Gandalf watched, troubled at the turn of events. "You will have to explain your suspicions of Denethor when this is over."
"When we first arrived, we were told there was nothing happening that he didn't know about."
"A palantír?" Another nod as the sound of clanging metal echoed through the hall again. "So the enemy knows."
"Only what he can see." They watched as another blow by Denethor knocked Aragorn back. The old man sprang at him. Aragorn twisted to the side and took advantage of the opening Denethor had left. There was no sound as the old man's body slid to the floor. Not even Boromir tended to his father, knowing that he was already gone. The old man breathed his last and lay still on the floor. Aragorn looked at the Elf lord. "Captain Boromir, the keys to the crypt if you will."
And so Aragorn becomes king of Gondor. Hehehe, can you feel it? The end is near. Thanks for reading and please review.