Chapter 75

Flashback

I woke to the feeling of kisses trailing along my shoulder. They were slow, as if he was pausing and kissing each patch of skin to remember the way it felt beneath his lips. I laid there for a few more minutes, just to enjoy the feeling of his lips on my skin. He hummed softly, and then a soft rumbling chuckle left his throat.

"I know you are awake," he said softly. "You can't fool me."

"You just know me too well," I replied, sleep still heavy on my voice. "And I was enjoying that."

Thorin chuckled again, his voice deep and husky as he turned me over. He pressed a kiss to the side of my neck, causing me to hum. Reaching up, I wrapped my arms around his neck and let my fingers run through his hair.

"I never said it had to stop," he rumbled, and slipped out of my grip.

He moved down, and I couldn't help the sigh that left my lips as his kisses trailed lower and lower. We spent the morning loving each other, and for whatever reason it was different. There was a battle going on out there, and this was possibly the last time we were going to see each other. I had to leave, but he wasn't going to let me leave without his scent upon my skin.

At the end of it, I sighed softly and ran my fingers through his hair as he pressed a few more tender kisses to my belly. I ran down to his broad shoulders, and for a moment I was too choked up to speak. Sensing it, Thorin looked up at me and his blue eyes looked at me intensely.

"You will return to me," he rumbled softy.

"I will."

My eyes opened quietly to the early morning fog that rolled down off the mountain. The memory had left me silent, and wishing more than ever that I was back home. I rose before the others, and grabbed something to eat. In silence, I found a horse that had been given to me, and saddled him up.

At first light, we were riding from Harrowdale, and toward Gondor. I decided to ride with them as a human, giving us the element of surprise for when I had to transform. We rode at a quick yet steady pace, and only stopped for the horses to rest briefly. I had noticed the men were ready, and fired up for what was to come. They had a new sense of strength amongst them, and it gave them what they needed to carry on.

Riding to the front of the group, I came up alongside Theoden and Eomer. The King looked at me, and he nodded.

"When we arrive, I will be moving to the back of the group, and showing myself after the charge. Let them have the time to think they might stand a chance," I smiled, tilting my head.

"You can be extremely dangerous when you wish to be," Theoden remarked, looking at me.

"Funny, my husband says the same thing," I chuckled, and my heart reached out to Thorin.

"You will see him at the end of this," Theoden rumbled. "I've heard it is extremely difficult to kill Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain."

"Oh, aye, it is," I chuckled, thinking of him. "Even a dragon couldn't kill him."

We rode as far as we could for the first two days, with little sleep. The men were all extremely restless. I rode beside Theoden until we found a place to stop and rest. The horses needed to drink, and the men had to get out of the saddle. We took a break as Eomer rode forward to get news on what lay ahead.

I stood with my gelding as he ate some oats from my hands. I allowed him to graze for a little while, until Eomer returned. He rode forward quickly, and came over to Theoden. We both looked up at him.

"Scouts say that Minas Tirith is surrounded. There are enemies on all sides. The first floor to the city is on fire," he reported.

"We must make haste," Theoden hissed. "We cannot linger here any longer."

"Get ready to move out!" Eomer yelled.

I swung up into the saddle immediately, and glanced down as Theoden threw his reins over his stallions neck.

"We must ride through the night," he rumbled. "Move out!"

The horns sounded, signaling our departure. I rode forward with Theoden and thought things over. I was trying to decide the best course of action when it came to this battle. Theoden glanced at me after a bit of riding.

"You are thinking."

"I have no doubt that with the superior numbers, that their archers are going to try and cripple your numbers," I answered, tilting my head. "My main goal is to keep as many of your men alive as I can. I will keep you safe from the sky. The beginning of the battle is the most important. I do believe they will not be expecting the numbers...or this army at all."

The ride through the night gave us even more strength, even the horses seemed to move faster. At dawn of the third day, we came to the hill that over looked the fields before Gondor. Horns sounded our arrival, and it was a glorious sound. I listened to a fell beast that roared loudly in the distance. I rode forward to see what we were up against, and took it all in. The sheer numbers were much greater than our own, but the men had something our enemies didn't. Hope. I came up alongside Eomer, and looked over the army beside him. His horse shifted, and he glanced at me for a moment.

Theoden turned, and rode by us, giving instruction on what to do and where to take their companies. He was becoming the King he was supposed to be. Theoden was one of the few men that knew how to bring people together. The men were loyal to him, just as the dwarves were to Thorin. He then turned and rode up and down part of the army.

"Arise, arise riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken! Shields shall be splintered! A sword day! A red day! Ere the sun rises!" he yelled, and it caused shouts to ring out.

Soldiers in the front line lowered their spears, ready for the charge. I could feel the air change around us, charged with the tension that battle usually brought with it. Many of them however, suddenly looked ready. Courage. They all had courage, and they knew they may not make it. A warrior that isn't afraid of death is one of the most dangerous. Riding down the line, Theoden drew his sword and let it hit along the spears.

"Ride now! Ride now! Ride to ruin, and the world's ending! DEATH!" he roared, and his horse reared at the shout.

"DEATH!" the men screamed.

"DEATH!" Theoden continued.

I looked at the battlefield one last time and glanced at Eomer who gave me a nod. I took a calming breath and readied myself. At the screams of the men, it gave me what I needed. Turning my horse swiftly, I galloped forward and began my path to the back of the group. It was a long ride, with the numbers we had, but I managed to get there quickly. Once I was there, I took everything off the gelding I had been riding.

"Go home, and run free," I murmured, and watched as he galloped off.

The horns of Rohan sounded then, giving the signal that they were moving. I watched as the large army of men rode forward, and I decided it was time. I was going to have a grand entrance, one that was going to send fear through the lines of Mordor. That made me chuckle. The dramatics of it all. I sure loved making an entrance. My humor gave me the burst of confidence I needed.

Men were not going to fall this day. This was not going to be the doom of our time. Pushing my transformation, I got enough space to fly forward as the men charged the Orc ranks. Spreading my wings wide, I glided across the ground before I got to the hill.

With a mighty pump of my wings, I came up over the hillside and lifted high into the sky to present myself. I felt the fear ripple through the army before us as I gave a war cry of my own. Arrows shot into the sky, and I snaked my head down and aimed my fire toward them. I swept across the army of men, burning the arrows that were meant to kill them, and cripple their numbers. The more that survived the better. At the charge of the Rohirrim, Orcs began to run from them. They were not expecting so many warriors.

I roared again, and set my aim toward the catapults. Releasing my fire, I burned them, and let it sweep through the Orcs who were fleeing from the Rohirrim. We didn't have greater numbers, but that didn't seem to matter. Spears were thrown at me, but they bounced off, and I roared in laughter. Spinning around, I ran my claws through the Orcs, spearing them. Our sheer aggression in the attack had sent the Orcs fleeing toward the river.

When I looked, I saw exactly why. There was a huge army of Oliphants that were coming forward, and the line they formed would crush our numbers. Smoke shot from my nostrils. This was why I had to stay. Growling, I watched as Theoden reformed the line. Men rode forward and gathered desperately, and I saw the worry in their gazes.

"NO!" I roared, surprising them all, and I landed in front of the Rohirrim. "Let me deal with the beasts. They will decimate your numbers. If you should charge, do not charge blindly. Stay away from their tusks and feet!"

Opening my wings, I took flight again and gave a loud roar of rage. The animals who were marching forward by order of their masters faltered suddenly. I roared again as I flew, and thought hard. These beasts were not made for war. They were made to roam free, without being ridden the way they were. Some chose the evil of their masters, but I could tell that there were many who didn't want to be here.

"FLEE!" I roared, taking on their own tongue. "RUN AND KEEP YOUR LIVES!"

Their trumpeting drowned me out, and I swept low, and took the carriers from their backs. I burned them, and noticed that the ones I set free fled toward the river. Those who didn't were so low in number that as the Rohirrim charged again, they were able to take most down. Diving down, I snapped my jaws on a great beast, and closed my eyes tightly against the weapons of the men. My eyes were soft, but protected. Snarling, I ripped back and threw the great animal to the ground.

A familiar screech had my ears hurting, and when I lifted into the air, I came face to face with the Witch King. His little pet serpent did not look like he wanted to be facing me, and he growled at me. I opened my mouth and let out a mighty roar, making the animal shudder. The Witch King laughed softly, his voice reaching my ears, and he screeched again. I felt my mind pulse with his power, and the pull that he still had. The beast rumbled in me, but I had fought too much to protect my mind. I closed him out, and turned my rage upon him. Rage to try and control me. Roaring again, I sent forward a tongue of flame and heard him and his pet cry out loudly. Theoden's shout pulled me toward him, and I was turning and flying off as quickly as I could.

"To me! To me!" Theoden cried, as we took the upper hand.

Lashing out with my tail, I stuck down another Oliphant, ignoring the tusk that tried to slice open my belly. It was unable to go deep enough, and only resulted in a scratch on my scales. Hissing, I lifted up when I heard the familiar screech of a Nazgul again. Roaring, I turned and found I was too late. The Fell beast grabbed Theoden, and threw him. On his back, the Witch King snarled in mirth. I rumbled loudly, and came down toward the field. He couldn't kill me this time, so he had gone for the next best thing.

A soldier had run in front of Theoden's body, trying to protect him and I roared at the Fell Beast who took his eyes off the human in front of him. The soldier took the opportunity and killed the beast as I landed. The battle was swift, and as the Rohan soldier fought the Nazgul, he took off his helmet, to reveal that it was Eowyn, and not a man. I pushed my transformation to human, and dropped down next to Theoden who was gasping for air. He glanced at me, and I grabbed his hand quietly.

"There is nothing you can do for me, Arina," he whispered, his voice fading. "You've proven to be a great ally. Thank you...go...don't stay here..."

I blinked back my tears, knowing that we were losing a great man. Leaning down I kissed him on the forehead. "You were a great King," I whispered. "You brought the people together. You took them to victory here. Rest well, my friend."

I had to move back when Eowyn collapsed next to him. I couldn't look at her when she looked toward me. Instead, I had to move away and take my dragon form again. Unable to help them, I had to continue my assault on the few Oliphants that were left. Fire spewed from my jaws in anger, and I took out another. Growling to myself, I narrowed my eyes over the battlefield. We were winning! With the help I had provided, we had kept a majority of our men.

Landing again, I stomped on a few Orcs and blew a straight line of fire at the group before me. Beside me, Eomer rode forward, with many other men as cheers were shouted. I glanced down at the man who reached up and patted my front leg. There was gratitude in his eyes, and I dipped my large head. It was then that I noticed that suddenly something was different. I saw a huge ghost army sweep onto the battlefield and take over Minas Tirith.

You will know when to leave.

A ghost army, that could not be killed. That had to be my time to leave, and I roared and lifted high into the sky again. I left the battle and those I had cared for behind. There were others that I loved that needed my help. I wasn't sure how long it would take me, but dragons were much faster than any other animal. My wings carried me for many miles with just a single pump. Agonizing worry had me pushing myself that much harder, because I had no idea what I would find.

Review!