CHAPTER 5
IN DREAMS
Millie's POV
It was night and our quartet was clambering over rocks and stones trying to get into the shelter of a gully. I almost slipped as Frodo, Sam, and I eased ourselves up to it. Gollum peered over the lip, "The dead city, very nasty place, full of….enemies." he said, "Quick, hurry."
We quickly scampered from our hiding place, in the shadows, towards Minas Morgul. It was a massive dead city, set upon a rocky knee at the edge of Morgul Valley. It was loathsome and dark, glowering in and eerie glow. I stared at it with wide eyes. I jumped when Sam tapped me on the shoulder.
"Hurry, hurry!" Gollum was saying, "Quick, quick, or they will see us! Come away come away, look, we have found it!" Sam and I followed Gollum. Frodo, Sam, and I looked, astounded; a long, dark, steep stairway was carved into the rock face. "The way into Mordor, the secret stairs, climb!" Suddenly, Frodo staggered across the road, as if some mysterious force was working, drawing him toward the bridge.
"No!" I exclaimed.
"Frodo!" Sam added.
"Not that way!" Gollum exclaimed, desperately.
Without thinking, I ran out, closely followed by Sam, after Frodo, I caught him as he stumbled. Sam and I dragged him from the bridge.
"They're calling me." Frodo said, disoriented. He fell to the ground. At that moment, the ground trembled, and a great rumbling noise rose across it and echoed in the mountains. The cold, dull valley was suddenly fierce as an uprising flame sprung up from Mount Doom. A flare of lightning, a blue flame, sprung from the tower. At that moment, Sam and I led Frodo and we all headed towards the stairs. "Hide! Hide!" Gollum exclaimed. A bloodcurdling shriek pierced the air and I slammed my hands against my ears, wincing. The long shriek ended, to silence. We slowly raised our head to see the lord of the Nazgul rise up to the battlements of Minas Morgul and looked around as him sensing the Ring. Frodo broke out into cold sweat, clutching his shirt. "I can feel his blade!" he gasped.
I looked ahead, eyes wide in terror, pressed against the rocks, watching as the gate of Minas Morgul opened and a huge army of seventy-five thousand orcs marched out in ragged columns. The Nazgul soon swooped down to join his army and vanished into the gloom. Gollum peered out form his hiding place, "Come, must climb." We began to slowly climb the stairs.
Elizabeth's POV
The night Samantha left, I went to bed earlier than usual. After I had gotten back with Aragorn, I had bathed and changed my clothes into a white silken nightgown. I ate nothing but a piece of bread, a slice of cheese and some water before I settled down. I fell asleep quickly.
I was walking alone in a beautiful garden, looking up at a beautiful white city. I was wearing a white silken dress with sleeves that came to the crook of my arm and opened up. My feet were bare. I walked along the path looking up to the sky, thinking, daydreaming. This was my last morning I would spend in Middle Earth and I wasn't ready to go home yet. Tears began to fall again.
"Elizabeth?" came a soft voice behind me. I turned, Boromir stood before me. He was dressed in a dark green tunic with the White Tree symbol on it. Underneath the tunic was a lighter green long-sleeved shirt and he wore black pants and black boots. I looked at him and smiled weakly.
Boromir walked over to me and lifted my chin up, "Why do you always cry?" he asked gently.
I sniffed and wiped my tears, "I'm not ready to leave yet. I wish I could stay here forever."
"I wish that to, but you belong with your family and friends in your world." He replied. "But do not be sad about it. If you ever decide that you want to come back, I'll be here, waiting for you. I promise. I love you." I didn't say anything; I just stood there and looked up at him. He gently took my hands and pulled me closer to him. He then spun me around and his lips touched mine. I put my hands around his back and neck, and kissed him back. He stopped kissing me and at once the setting began to fade away, as well as us.
I jerked off my pillow, "I love Boromir!" I exclaimed. I thought of him, in Minas Tirith and of Samantha before lying back down and falling asleep, dreaming no more.
Samantha's POV
I awoke early the next morning to a bright sky. I looked at the makeshift beds on the floor, all empty, that is, except Boromir's, he was still asleep, turned on his side, breathing softly. Should I wake him? No. I'd let him sleep. I opened the curtains. I rummaged through my pack until I found my dress. I made a face as I put it on, I hated dresses, but I was going before the Steward to "Apologize for my rude behavior." I mimicked Gandalf. (Dang!) I put on my boots that I had arrived in and headed out the door. I ran into Gandalf. "Oh, hi." I said.
"Going to apologize to Lord Denethor are you?"
"Yep." I answered.
He smirked and his eyes twinkled mysteriously, "You're going the wrong way."
I looked at him, puzzled. "The Hall is that way." He pointed straight ahead. "Here, let me take you there." He led me up to the hall, he peered in, "Go right ahead, no one is in there but him." He gave me a slight shove and I headed in. I turned back to him, "Wish me luck." I mouthed. He nodded.
"Consider it done." He answered and winked at me. I headed in, I looked back before entering the throne-room, but he was gone. I sighed deeply again.
Denethor was sitting in his chair, like yesterday; his gaze seemed to harden as I approached. "Lord Denethor, uhh, I just came to…..apologize for my…rude behavior yesterday." He did not reply, "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"
"Well, I have been needing a new servant." He gave a jeering smirk.
"Oh no…."
He sat back in his chair and crossed one leg over the other and put his folded hands on his knee, "Someone to keep me company in this lonely hall."
"Umm, well, if that's all….."
I ran into my room carrying a uniform of the Royal Guard in my arms and slammed it down on the dresser. "Boromir!" I threw a pillow at him and he jerked out of bed, "Whoa, whoa! Sam, Calm down!"
"I can't, I just got sworn in service of your father as a punishment for my behavior!"
Boromir face-palmed and sighed, "Well, what can I say?" he stood up and ruffled my hair, "Good luck, and I mean it." He took off his nightshirt and put back on his normal clothes.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
He looked back, "I'm taking Mikayla for a ride, and hopefully going to find out what has become of my little brother, as a start, good luck to you, and see you soon." He left the room.
I eyed my new garments before I put them on. I sat on the bed, thinking about what to do next. I took my book out of the knapsack, started to read it but threw it down. "Been there, done that." I said, as the book was the Fellowship of the Ring. I had been rereading the series, but it seemed pointless to me, since I was part of it now. I took Lizzie's dagger from the dresser and studied it closely. I lay back down on the now-made bed and closed my eyes, laying the sheathed dagger on my chest and gripping the handle. I held it close, I loved this thing, and it was all I had of Elizabeth. I sighed and began to sing.
Well I've heard there was a sacred chord
David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do ya ?
Well it goes like this:
The fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to her kitchen chair
She broke your throne, she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Oh baby I have been here before
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor
You know I used to live alone before I knew you
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
And love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Well there was a time when you let me know
What's really going on below
But now you never show that to me do you
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Well maybe there is a God above
But all I've ever learned from love
Was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
And it's not a cry that you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
I drifted off.
I was laying on a feather-bed, I had woken up to a bright sunlight and I sat up and yawned.
"Awake at last." Samwise was standing in the doorway, wiping his hands with a dishtowel. I smiled at him. "I made us breakfast."
"Aww, you're so sweet." My smile widened as he took my hand and helped me out of bed.
"That's the proper thing for a new husband to do for his beautiful wife, ain't it?" he asked with a warm smile. I looked at myself in the mirror; I was considerably older, twenty-two by the looks of it.
"You're ridiculous." I smiled, meaning that in a good way.
"I know." We gave each other a quick kiss before heading out into the dining room.
A voice cut into my dream, "Samantha."
My eyes shot open and I sat up swiftly, the dagger flying off and hitting the wall, falling to the dresser, "Aww, really!" I exclaimed. Boromir was standing at my bedside giving me a "WTF" look. "Oh, hi Boromir."
"Umm, I don't know what that was, but my father calls for you."
I sighed deeply and got out of bed. I put on my boots and headed to the Denethor's hall, but before I arrived I heard a soldier call, "The beacon! The beacon at Amon Din is lit!"