Chapter 18
From her spot on the main deck Adrianna could see the Orc's awaiting the ships to arrive at the docks of the Anduin River, close to the city of Minas Tirith. Large black shadows of the ships slid across the docks as the sailing ships approached, leaving the Orc's shrouded in darkness.
The ship Adrianna, Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli were on, glided into the docks, the other ships containing the army of the Dead sailed along behind.
"Late as usual!" The Faye could hear the angry voice of the Orc commander, "Get off your ships, you sea rats! There's knife work here that needs doing."
Aragorn leapt off the leading ship, and charged across the docks, a battle cry roared from the top of his lungs as he was closely followed by Legolas, Gimli and Adrianna. The Orc's were surprised to see four people charging towards the thousands of them.
"Plenty for the both of us...May the best dwarf win!"
The army of the Dead suddenly flew straight out of the sides of the ships and charged across the surface of the water with frightening speed. They overtook Aragorn, and sent the Orc's into a screaming frenzy at the sight of the five thousand spectral warrior forms. The Dead swarmed into the flank of the Orc army with raging blood-lust; climbing over the top of each other to try and reach the enemy first. The Orc's weapons were defenseless, therefore, they were slaughtered quickly.
They quickly made their way through the trees and were immediately swarmed into the battle of Minas Tirith. Adrianna swung her sword at many of the Orcs that stood in her way, she narrowly dodged an oncoming sword from an Uruk-Hai and impaled her own into his gut. She stood on his chest to gather the strength to pull her blade out of his body and when she did, she turned and screamed at the sight of an Uruk holding a cleaver above his head.
The enemy suddenly dropped to the floor and was replaced with the ghoulish face of the King of the Dead. Before the Faye had time to thank the King, he had floated off towards his next group of victims.
The Princess began fighting two more Uruk-Hai, and another few Orcs after those had been slaughtered. Adrianna had to change between her elleth size and her fairy form to be able to dodge arrows and blades and attack all at once. She was most certainly out of breath!
"Adrianna!" That was Legolas' voice. She turned to look for the elf, meeting the blade of an Uruk's with her own as her eyes darted around the battlefield. "Ade! Look out!"
A large shadow loomed over the Princess. Both the Faye and the Uruk-Hai looked up to see the gigantic foot off a Mumakil about to stamp on them. The moment was a slow motion blur and Adrianna shrieked with fright before pushing the Uruk-Hai out of her path as she darted away from the huge beast. She heard a cry of pain behind her as the Uruk-Hai was stomped on and the Faye turned around to give the creature one last glance.
There she saw the golden blonde hair of the elf, standing on top of the beast. The large tent on top of the beasts back had toppled to the ground below - sending the Easterlings to an early grave. Adrianna turned around and continued to run as soon as two arrows were released from Legolas' bow into the head of the Mumakil.
The Mumakil came down with an almighty roar, just before the body could fall onto the Faye, she felt an arm around her waist seconds before she was pulled off her feet. Adrianna clutched onto Legolas tightly as he slid down the trunk of the great mammal skillfully. She opened her eyes when she heard the Mumakil fall in defeat with an almighty thud behind her.
Adrianna stared at the Prince with mixed emotions. She quickly threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek before being put back on her feet. The blonde smiled before turning to face the dwarf, his face challenging.
"That still only counts as one!" The dwarf exclaimed, enraged. "Rescuing Princesses isn't part of it either, stop getting distracted lad!"
Adrianna blushed as she raised her sword to meet one of an Uruk's. It growled fiercely, and roared a battle cry in her face. The Faye grimaced slightly at his bad breath before pushing him away with a swift kick to the gut and running him through with the sharp edge of her father's sword.
The ones that were all-talk were so much easier to kill.
The Uruk-Hai around her fell one by one to their knees, and she was just thinking about how well she was doing when a white hot pain seared through her shin. She screamed, crying out in pain before looking down at the damage. A blade protruded from her leg and she whimpered as she turned to look for her attacker. She made to move, but almost collapsed into a heap on the ground. The Faye formed into her fairy size before flying around the battlefield, forming into her elleth size to give a quick death to the Uruk's that crossed her path.
Black dots began to cloud her vision and she held a hand to her forehead. Closing her eyes for a second so that she could steady herself. She opened her eyes again slightly to see Orcs running towards her, then everything went black.
Pelenor fields fell strangely silent as the orcs fled into the trees. Debris from the battle and dead bodies stretched out as far as the eye could see. The freed army of the Dead evaporated into the air in front of Aragorn as blinding gold sun rays broke through the low clouds.
Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli and Pippin all looked around, "We are two short." Gandalf pointed out solemnly.
"Adrianna?" Legolas whispered. "Merry?"
Despair flooded through the five as they turned back and fourth. Legolas looked at all the faces of the soldiers walking around checking the bodies of the dead, and upon not spotting the Faye Princess or the Hobbit he began to walk away from the others, and towards the lifeless Mumakil he had slaughtered as that was where he had last seen her.
Aragorn also left to go in search of the faye, and Gimli went to go in search of the hobbit with Gandalf.
Pippin turned from the others in sadness as he looked around at the devastation the battle had caused. His eyes then fixed on something, and he dashed through the ruin of the battle and towards a small figure slumped on the ground.
"Merry?" Pippin asked, unsure. Merry stared back at Pippin, unseeing. Horror and shock were the only emotions on the hobbits face as the memories of the battle, death and torture erased the happy and joyful ones in his mind. Tears began to fall down Pippin's face, and onto Merry's. "Merry, it's me," The hobbit started to weep, scared that he may have lost his friend. "It's Pippin!"
Merry came around, slightly groggy in his awakened state, "I knew you'd find me." He started. The hobbit then turned a little disorientated and asked: "Are you going to leave me?"
"No Merry," Pippin chuckled in relief. "I'm going to look after you." He covered his friend with a blanket to keep him warm, and slowly helped him onto his feet. "We can't find Adrianna." He stated, "Everyone's looking for her among the bodies, you know," His voice faltered, "In case..."
Merry shook his head fiercely, "No." He stated, "Don't say it! She can't be..." Merry sniffled, "We said we were going to..."
"I know, Merry." Pippin replied, "I know." The hobbit looked towards the elf out in the battlefield, "Merry...I think Legolas has found her!"
Adrianna felt herself being shaken gently, and she slowly opened her emerald eyes to come face to face with the ones of despair from the elf hovering over her. "Ade!" He let out a sigh of relief as he helped her into a sitting position. The princess leaned on him for support, the loss of blood made her feel weak. He continued to support her as he checked her over and upon finding the blade in her shin, his fingers gently grazed across the flesh around the wound. Adrianna whimpered, causing the elf to retract his hand.
Upon hearing no battle cries, yells of pain and anguish or clashing weapons, she looked around to see that all was silent. "Did we win?" She asked.
Legolas nodded, "And Aragorn kept his word, releasing the Dead."
"That's good." She mumbled, her eyes fixed on the blade in her shin. "What do I do with it?"
"Do you want me to pull it out?"
She shook her head, "Leave it there. No one is to touch it."
"Ade, it will become infected."
She opened her mouth to retort something, and as her anger reached the tip of her tongue and got ready to release, the elf quickly wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the blade and pulled it out quickly. Adrianna cried out and shut her eyes tightly from the pain, and bit her lip to stop herself yelling anymore. A tear slipped down her cheek, but before she could wipe it away the elf beat her too it.
"I'm sorry I caused you pain." Legolas' thumb ran gently under her eye to catch the small trickle of water, his clear blue eyes meeting her watery emerald ones tenderly.
Adrianna was too mesmerized by his eyes to reply. Slowly, her soft gaze trailed from his eyes towards his lips, before moving back to capture his eyes again. Without breaking eye contact, the elf helped her to her feet, keeping her supported even when she had to put her weight on him to stop herself from crumbling to the ground. The Faye shifted all her weight onto the uninjured one before the same thing happened again. Her eyes trailed from his eyes to his lips, and this time, they remained there.
Adrianna desperately wanted to seize the opportunity and kiss him. The Faye raised onto her tiptoes so she was the same height as the elf before she began slowly leaning in. She hesitated. And upon hearing someone approaching, she placed a small, meaningful kiss on his cheek.
"I told you there was something." Merry stated cheekily from behind the Faye.
"Aye," Pippin replied. "And I said so first when we were in the Golden woods."
Adrianna turned away from Legolas's unreadable gaze to face the hobbits. "And what are you two fine warriors still doing here?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"We were looking for the fair lady," Pippin explained. "A little heartbroken to see her in the arms of a Prince to be honest." Adrianna blushed as she shot them both murderous looks.
"Well we had a lovely chat," Merry began. "But I think it's best we returned to Minas Tirith along with everyone else. Oh look, here comes Aragorn and Gimli."
The Ranger and the dwarf sighed with relief when they spotted the young hobbit and the faye. Aragorn placed his hands on each of their shoulders as he came to stop beside them both, "You gave us quite a fright, you two." He stated, "But I'm glad to see you both alive."
"Frodo has passed beyond my sight. The darkness is deepening." Gandalf stated as he came to stand with them, turning to face Gimli, Adrianna, Legolas and Aragorn. Doubt and a fear edging his voice.
"If Sauron had the Ring, we would know it." Aragorn replied. The Fellowship were soon joined by Eomer and a few of the Rohirrim riders.
"It's only a matter of time." Gandalf added, his voice still troubled and worried despite Aragorn's reassurance. "He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping."
"Let him stay there. Let him rot. Why should we care?" Gimli huffed.
"Because ten thousand Orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom." He replied, his face ashen. "I have sent him to his death." He spoke lowly to himself.
Aragorn turned around suddenly. "No." Gandalf looked up sharply. "There is still hope for Frodo. He needs time and a safe passage across the Plains of Gorgoroth. We can give him that."
"How?" Gandalf asked.
"Draw out Sauron's armies - empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate."
Gimli chocked on his pipe, and Eomer stepped forward to speak, "We cannot achieve victory from strength of arms."
"Not for ourselves," The Ranger corrected. "But we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's eye fixed upon us."
"A diversion." Legolas stated, nodding in agreement.
"To keep him blind to all else that moves." Adrianna added in understanding. "Even Frodo."
Gandalf spoke low to Aragorn, "Sauron will suspect a trap. He will not take the bait!"
"Certainty of death." Gimli stated, ignoring the wizard. "Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?"
A/N: So, did you all enjoy the fluff? ;) Please review xx