Chapter 73

I was woken in the early morning hours to Aragorn laying a hand on my back and giving me a shake. Blinking in surprise, I gave a low rumbling growl at the man who sighed. He made sure my eyes were open before he spoke.

"Come, something has happened. It's just now dawn," he rumbled.

"What's wrong?" I asked tiredly.

"You'll hear about it in the hall. There is breakfast," he sighed.

I followed him quietly, and turned human once I was inside. They gave me a chance to get ready, before they started speaking. I listened as Gandalf spoke of what Pippin did, and I glanced at him in surprise. I had not realized what he had taken from the hobbit had been so important. As my memory triggered, it was the same thing Saruman had looked into before he had met his untimely death. I narrowed my eyes at the thought, but quickly jerked myself back to the present. Gandalf was discussing war again, and I knew Theoden wasn't exactly thrilled about it.

"If the beacon's of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war," Gandalf said.

"Tell me...why should we ride to the aid of those who did not aid us?" Theoden asked. "What do we owe Gondor?"

"I will go," Aragorn hissed, not happy with Theoden's words.

"No," Gandalf ordered.

"They must be warned," Aragorn protested.

"They will be," Gandalf sighed, and approached the ranger to speak to him in whispers. "Understand this, things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith. But I won't be going alone," Gandalf smiled, glancing at Pippin.

I followed them to the doors of the Golden Hall with a sigh. It was to early in the morning for this sort of thing. That hobbit didn't know how to keep his fingers off things, but at least it gave us a chance to see into our enemies plans. Gandalf turned toward me when we got to the steps, and he had me stop. I tilted my head up toward him when the wizard looked down at me. I sighed quietly, and knew he was about to say something important.

"There are things that must be done," he rumbled. "Stay with them as long as you can. There is something you need to know. Another army has been sent north, toward the Lonely Mountain. Give the men hope, Arina. By using your dragon form you have given them something they thought they'd never get back."

"Another army?" I asked, my voice a whisper. "How long?"

"They will arrive soon," he rumbled. "I'm not sure what is going to happen, but Theoden must ride to the aid of Gondor if the beacons are lit. Stay as long as you can..."

Tension had my body hurting, and I found myself nodding. I stood where I was as he left, and was soon riding from Edoras with all haste. There were too many battles that were going to be fought. If Thane and Akira could help with whatever was coming for them, that gave us more than enough time. I had to aid the men here, but I also had a duty to my people. They were my top priority, but could I live with leaving these men to their fates? I knew my help would give them hope, and it could also save many lives. I found myself wishing Balin was here, and even Thorin. Even Thorin would know what to say.

Turning swiftly, I walked back inside and grabbed something to eat. Theoden was deep in discussion with Eomer and another guard, but I ignored that and finished my food. I wasn't sure what help I could be with this. He was King of Rohan, all I could do was offer advice. The real question was if he would take the advice I would give. Did I even have any advice to give? I sighed in frustration as the thoughts swirled in my head, but I came up with nothing. I didn't even know what was going to happen in the next week! Looking at my empty plate, I glared at it for several minutes.

"Is everything all right, Arina?"

Looking up, I met Theoden's gaze for a second. "Ye..yes everything is fine."

"You look like you are trying to make the plate catch on fire," Eomer comment, an amused look on his face.

"No, I'm just trying to figure out how to be helpful, and I'm failing miserably," I sighed.

That caught the King's attention, and he turned toward me and gave his full attention. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm trying to understand why a King such as yourself would say what you said earlier," I offered, finally getting up. "And I'm trying to figure out how to steer you off that course."

"You are bothered that I will not ride out for Gondor, if they need aid?" he asked.

"Well of course I am," I answered, standing up. "I've been alive a little longer than you have, and to be honest, you are just slightly younger than my son. I mean no disrespect in that, you've become a great man. But what I don't understand is your anger toward Gondor. I've had to deal with an elf who had not come to our aid, and has given me more trouble than I can take, but it was the right thing to do. I am failing at understanding you.."

"Gondor, under the Steward's rule has become nothing but a useless city, filled with greedy people," Theoden rumbled.

"You do realize that if those beacons are lit and you don't answer, you may have doomed us all?" I asked.

"And what gives you that idea?"

"Well, the way I see it is, if Minas Tirith is taken, then that gives…" I trailed off at the sudden realization that hit me.

"What?" Eomer asked suddenly. "What's wrong."

"There is an army in the north, marching toward Erebor," I said slowly. "Mordor will unleash against Minas Tirith. Their goal is to...cut off any chance of alliance between men, or any other race. If they succeed in cutting us all off, and then meeting, we'll certainly have no chance."

"If they defeat the mountain, or Gondor..." Eomer began slowly.

"Then all hope will be lost," I answered. "Excuse me."

Turning swiftly, I hurried outside of the hall and searched the city for a raven. There had been a few that had decided to stay with me, just in case after we had returned to Edoras. Finding one of them, I gave a soft whistle to get his attention. Chief turned his head, and his long beak clicked together as he took flight. Lifting my arm, I let the large bird land.

"My Lady," he murmured.

"I need you to take a message. You must make haste. Tell Thorin an army is coming for Erebor, and they are trying to cut us off. Dale and Erebor need to stand together, strong. They must do what they have to. I will return as fast as I can."

He nodded to me, and immediately took flight. Chief turned north and I watched as he flew off. I clenched my jaw and walked back inside. Theoden looked at me for a second, and I sighed.

"We just might be the last hope for Middle Earth," I said quietly. "We need to show them that we can stand together."

"Thank you, Arina for your council," Theoden sighed. "All we can do is wait..."

Nodding my head, I walked off and for once I decided it was time to go back to sleep. Evil wasn't moving just yet, and I was still exhausted from the night before. I ended up sleeping for the rest of the day, until the next afternoon. It was extremely refreshing to have slept so long without anyone waking me up.

Five days later, I found myself unable to sleep. It was late out, so I decided on going for a walk to clear my head. We had done nothing but plan for the last five days, and I was getting irritated. I hated when we were in the dark. No one knew if Gondor would even call for aid. I figured with Gandalf there, that they would find a way. He always had a way with making things happen, even if someone didn't want to do it.

Sitting on the hill that over looked the land beyond Edoras, I took it in for a good while. For once, it was a clear night and the stars were out in all their glory. Even the Shadow of Mordor couldn't hide them here. As that grew, I found myself losing faith in what we had to do. What about Frodo and Sam? Would the little hobbit even be able to make the journey into that place and give up the Ring? Part of me was worried he'd end up just like Bilbo, but Gandalf told me to have faith. Even if I was feeling like it was all for nothing, he told me to keep on having it.

"Even in the dark, I can tell when you are lost in thought."

Spinning around at the voice, I watched as Thorin walked forward through the night. Behind him, an eagle ruffled his feathers and waited quietly. Shock had me sitting there for a long moment as the King Under the Mountain approached me. I caught his slight smirk as he offered to pull me to my feet.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Getting into obvious trouble," he replied, his voice soft.

Reaching up, I took his hand and let him pull me into his arms. My own snaked around his neck tightly, and my fingers tangled in his hair. For a moment, I couldn't believe that he was here, but as he squeezed me tightly, I confirmed I was truly awake. Tightening my hold on him, I pressed my face into his shoulder.

"I've missed you," I whispered. "But you shouldn't be here."

"I'm very aware of what is at stake," Thorin rumbled. "But after the last message, I couldn't. I had to make sure you were all right. I had to lay eyes on you. Not to mention, our children were begging me to leave to make sure you were alive."

Pulling back, I looked at him for several minutes. Moving my fingers through his hair, I let them brush his cheek and I sighed softly. I couldn't express the joy that had my heart pounding. He knew it though, and Thorin pressed a tender kiss to my lips.

"I wanted to speak with you shortly about what is going to happen," he sighed. "Chief said you knew something."

"Yes," I nodded, "let's go to the Hall so we can talk."

Thorin nodded his head, and I pulled away from him to go over to the eagle who had brought him to me. The great bird leaned down so that I could touch his beak and I smiled at him.

"Thank you. I will only keep him for a few hours?"

"I will keep watch," the bird nodded. "You may stay until dawn, but then we must depart. That is all I can do."

I nodded to the eagle, and watched as he took flight. Turning back to Thorin, I walked with him back toward Edoras and into the Golden Hall so that we could speak. Everyone was asleep, give or take a few guards. I threw a few logs into one of the fires and laid down a blanket of fur. Thorin quietly took off his cloak and joined me in sitting down.

"There is an army coming toward Erebor. Easterling men, and beasts I'm sure of," I sighed, speaking quietly. "Gandalf said there will be a battle for Minas Tirith, and that I must stay as long as I can. I give the men hope, and I may be tipping the battle toward them."

"What is Sauron's goal? To take over all of Middle Earth?" Thorin asked, sighing in frustration.

"He seeks to insure that the people will not join forces. If all of us did join together, he wouldn't stand a chance. If Gondor falls, then there is nothing stopping him from advancing. It's the same if we lose Erebor or Dale. Even if the Greenwood falls, we will not win this."

"So Gandalf returns then?" Thorin rumbled.

"Yes," I nodded. "As Gandalf the White. He has been sent back to complete his task. He is here to help and guide as best he can. It's much more than what we had before."

"Aye, I suppose," he sighed.

I looked at him for a moment, and quietly moved forward. He shifted, and leaned against the pillar that was in front of the fire, and I was able to lean against his chest. His fingers ran quietly through my hair, and I listened to his heart beating strongly.

"I killed Saruman," I suddenly whispered.

Thorin shifted slightly, and I pushed myself off his chest to look at him. His blue eyes shined with worry at what I had just said, and he reached forward and laid a hand on my cheek.

"Gandalf had hoped to get information out of him," I murmured. "But it had been futile."

"How?" Thorin asked softly, looking at me.

"I ripped his head clean off his shoulders," I replied, looking at him.

"You've never killed for revenge," he rumbled. "This journey has changed you."

"I'm sorry," I said pathetically. "I was so angry...so very angry. I couldn't control what happened. I went blank, and just lost it. What he had done to me..."

Thorin's fingers moved across my cheek, drawing my attention back to him. He looked at me firmly, and then pressed a kiss to my forehead. I closed my eyes at the contact.

"What you did, Arina is no different then what anyone else in your position would have done," Thorin rumbled. "Does it upset me? Yes. Only because I wanted to be the one to kill him. I didn't want you to experience that. But know this, you are no different than before. You are still the same woman. You just need to remember that."

"I wish none of this had happened," I whispered desperately. "I just want to go home."

"As I want you home," he rumbled. "But we have a larger part to play in this. You need to stay here for as long as you can. We have a son back home who is powerful enough to protect that mountain if you do not make it back in time. We won't let Erebor fall. Not now. I want nothing more...then to take you home and never let you go. But that would mean changing part of who you are. You will finish this, and you will return to me."

I looked at him again, and took in his words in silence. Leaning back into his chest, I wrapped my arms around him. He always knew what to say, and I was over joyed that he was here with me now. Even if it was for a few hours. I hugged him quietly, feeling his hand run through my hair gently.

"I was not sure what was going to happen," Thorin admitted. "But I had to see you, just in case it was one last time."

"You made me a promise," I murmured. "That you would not fall without me. I refuse to believe this is it."

"You have high expectations," he teased softly. "But aye, I did make that promise didn't I?"

"You said that I was to bring myself safely back to you, and I intend to," I whispered, ignoring the tears that threatened my eyes. "I will not let this be the last time we see each other. We're going to make it. You will not fall in this battle."

"Yes ma'am," Thorin rumbled, his thumb caressing my cheek.

I smiled at that, and let my fingers stroke the skin along his neck and chest. "How do Akira and Thane fair?"

"They do well," he replied, his voice soft. "Thane has been planning with Dwalin and the soldiers, and Akira is training new healers with the help of Fiona and Dis. We will be ready for this."

"Good," I whispered. "And by the way, you are in big trouble for leaving that mountain to see me. It was foolish. The most foolish decision you've made in sixty years."

"What was the first?" he asked, clearly amused.

"Letting me be Queen," I answered, and he chuckled.

Thorin tilted my head up, and moved so that I had to push myself up to look at him. His fingers came forward and stroked my cheek gently, and his blue eyes eased. I couldn't help but lean into his touch.

"Taking you as my Queen was the best decision I ever have made," he rumbled firmly, and I blushed.

Thorin pulled me forward and pressed his lips to my own firmly. I let it continue for several long moments. It was him who pulled away, and I was able to settle back against his chest. I wasn't sure how long we were together, but I ended up falling asleep not long after.

He woke me up just before dawn, and I walked with him out of the city. The sun was not yet rising, but the colors in the sky were starting to change. We went back to the spot where he had found me, and I watched as the eagle landed not long after. Thorin turned back to me, and his arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me to him.

His lips crashed against my own, and I couldn't help the tears that escaped my eyes. When he pulled back, I saw he also had a similar expression. He cupped my cheeks gently, and I grabbed his wrists.

"You come back to me," he whispered.

"Promise," I whispered.

"I love you, more than anything," Thorin murmured, and my heart seized in my chest.

"I love you, just the same," I answered, my own voice shaking.

He smiled. "You are one of the bravest women I know. What ever is coming, you will handle, you can do this. We will be seeing each other."

I nodded to him, and had to step back as he left me. I stood there in silence was he got on the eagle's back. Soon after, they were flying off, and out of sight as the sun began to rise an hour later. I stood there for a long while, watching where they had flown off toward. I wanted to go home.

Legolas joined me awhile later, and I shifted slightly to see him and he gave me a gentle smile. He offered his arm to me, and I gratefully took it. I wasn't sure about the emotions swirling around me, but I did know I was happy Thorin had come here. I had missed him desperately.

"The years have softened you," I murmured.

"Perhaps," he hummed. "I am glad you got to see him."

"So am I," I whispered.

:D

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