Chapter 19
Six thousand cavalry, and five hundred foot soldiers from Rohan and Gondor stood behind the horses of Aragorn and Pippin, Eomer and Merry, Legolas and Gimli and Gandalf and Adrianna. Aragorn wore a breast plate emblazoned with the White Tree of Gondor, signifying his claim to the throne, and he wore it proudly as he led everyone to the Ruins of Osgiliath.
The cavalry and the soldiers stopped half a mile away from the Black Gates, with the Mountains of Mordor looming over them. All was quiet and there was no sign of the enemy.
"Where are they?" Pippin asked warily.
Gandalf looked watchful and alert, knowing that they would have to ride closer to the gates. He nodded encouragingly towards Aragorn, who moved his horse forward. Legolas, Gandalf and Eomer followed behind him, and when the eight of them stopped in front of the Black Gates, Aragorn spoke.
"Let the lord of the Black Land come forth; let justice be done upon him!"
There was an eerie squeal of metal as the Black Gates opened, only enough to allow one lone rider to leave the confinements of Mordor and address those awaiting. He was riding upon a black horse, with crimson eyes and bloodied hooves. The figure was covered head to toe in a pitch black cloak - similar to the ones of the Witch King. On his head was a sharp metal helmet, covering even his eyes. The skin around his mouth was grey and cracked, his lips black and his teeth rotten and pointed like those of an Orc.
This was the Mouth of Sauron.
"My Master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome." His voice was deep and croaky and Adrianna grimaced when he flashed her his teeth in a fake welcoming grin.
"Let's kill him and go!" Adrianna whispered to Gandalf pleadingly, gently tracing her fingers across the dressing and bandages covering the sore, healing wound on her shin.
"Is there any in this rout with authority to treat with me? Or indeed with wit to understand me?" He scoffed at Aragorn.
"We do not come to treat with Sauron." Gandalf replied bravely. "Faithless and accursed. Tell your Master this, the armies of Mordor must disband. He is to depart these lands, never to return."
The Mouth of Sauron laughed disjointedly, "Old grey beard, I have a token that I was bidden to show thee." He snatched up a piece of material and thrust it out towards Gandalf. Upon realising it to be Frodo's mithril vest, Adrianna bit back a sob and hid her face in her hands as both Merry and Pippin cried out. The Mouth threw the vest at Gandalf who caught it with one hand.
"Frodo..." Pippin whispered.
"Silence." Gandalf murmured to the young hobbit.
"No!" Merry exclaimed.
"Silence!" Gandalf stated more demandingly.
"The Halfling was dear to the others, I see." The Mouth of Sauron snickered. "Long has he suffered, greatly, at the hands of his host. Who would have thought one so small, would endure so much pain?"
Adrianna's tears slipped down her cheeks upon hearing the sadness and sorrow in the hobbit's voices. She closed her eyes, anger flooded through her body and she gave the Mouth the most sinister, deadliest look she could possibly manage. He caught sight of her and faltered in his saddle which did not go unnoticed by Legolas and Gimli. The elf steered his horse closer towards Shadowfax, and he rested and calming hand on the Faye to comfort and sooth her sorrow with gentle touches of his fingertips against her pale cheek.
It was then that Aragorn rode forwards, "And who is this?" The Mouth asked. "Isildur's heir? It takes more than a King to hold the broken Elvish blade-" With a battle cry, Aragorn decapitated the Mouth of Sauron.
Gimli nodded in approval, "I guess that concludes the negotiations."
"I do not believe it." Aragorn demanded, staring deeply at Merry, Pippin, Adrianna and Gandalf. "And you will not."
The terrifying chanting and clanging of thousands of Orcs could be heard from behind the Black Gates, and Adrianna held onto Gandalf's cloak tighter. With the sound of tortured metal, the massive gates began to open and they all looked on in trepidation. The Black Gates of Mordor swung open and Sauron's army of three hundred thousand Orcs began marching out.
"Pull back!" Aragorn commanded, "Pull back!"
Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas and Eomer galloped back towards their small army as the Orc masses slowly marched towards them. Behind them, the Eye of Sauron was directed towards the armies. Aragorn's men began to waver as the Orcs encircled them. Some backed away; beginning to lose their nerve as the atmosphere began to look bleak.
Aragorn galloped in front of his army to address them, "Hold your ground - hold your ground! Sons of Gondor - of Rohan . . . my brothers!" He fixed each and every one of his men with his eyes. "I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. The day may come when the courage of Men fails; when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship; but it is not this day - an hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the Age of Man comes crashing down - but it is not this day!" His voice rose, meaningful with each and every word he said. "This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth - I bid you stand!" The Ranger drew his sword, Anduril, high above his head. "Men of the West!"
The army was now completely surrounded by over thirty thousand Orcs poised for the order to attack.
As Adrianna, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, Legolas and Eomer dismounted, the dwarf surveyed the army of Mordor, "Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf."
Legolas turned to face the dwarf, and replied quietly, "What about side by side with a friend?"
Gimli looked up into the blue eyes of Legolas, whom he had shared so much with over the past few months. The gruff dwarf gave a small smile, "Aye - I could do that." The elf dropped his hand on Gimli's shoulder before slowly turning to face the enemy.
Aragorn and company watched on as they became surrounded by a tide of Orc. The Ranger raised Anduril above his head once again and stepped forward before turning to face the others. A quiet resolve was written across Aragorn's face as he looked into the eyes of the remaining members of the Fellowship, lingering softly for a second on Adrianna and thinking about what she had told him whilst they were on the ship.
"It's not too late." He whispered softly, gesturing subtly towards the elf at her side. He then turned to face Gandalf and spoke in the same soft voice, "For Frodo." Aragorn suddenly turned, sword raised and charged forward.
There was a short moment of silence, and no one else moved before suddenly a shout was audible, shortly followed by another one. Legolas and Adrianna looked down in front of them to see Merry and Pippin charging off with their swords raised. Then the entire army copied the two hobbits and followed.
Aragorn crashed head on into the line of Orcs, his blade flashing in the light as he hacked at them.
The battle between men and Orcs raged on, and as soon as Adrianna met with the front line of the Orcs, she immediately went on the offensive. She swung her father's sword here, there and everywhere! Capturing Orcs in the neck, the arm, the leg and the gut. An arrow whizzed past her fair face, and upon turning momentarily, she caught sight of Legolas dancing gracefully and beautifully with his bow and blade.
She ignored the pain in her leg and fought bravely against the enemy.
From Mordor, high overhead, the Nazgul flew into the fray. Hideous screeching filled the air, causing the men to cover their ears. Adrianna ducked when one of the Fell Beasts flew low towards the ground, his sharp black talons reaching out and snatching men and Orc in its grasp. The Princess shrieked when she felt something tear at the skin on her arm, and she grit her teeth. She fought on bravely, quickly slaughtering the Orc who had injured her arm.
Another screech filled the air, this time, one more friendly. Adrianna took a quick look up and was amazed at the sight of the beautiful, golden Eagles coming to the aid of man. One of the giant Eagles smashed its body into the one of the Fell Beast, its claws ripping into the hideous monster's neck.
"Eagles!" Pippin exclaimed, disbelievingly. More and more eagles began to appear until at least, five of the grand creatures were flying overhead. "The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!"
With a storm of wings, the Nazgul wheeled around and hurtled towards Mount Doom, and in that moment, the Fellowship knew that Frodo had been spotted. Adrianna fought harder and harder, more Orcs going down, although she was receiving more cuts and wounds on her arms and a few on her face. The Faye heard an almighty roar close by, one too close for comfort and immediately turned around to see a huge, angered armoured Troll standing a few soldiers away behind her, swinging an enormous mallet at Aragorn.
The troll stomped his huge foot on Aragorn's chest, pinning the man onto the ground. Adrianna drew her bow and arrow and fired. The arrow soared through the air - lodging ineffectually into the foot of the creature. The Faye looked on in despair as the troll raised his weapon.
The troll stopped, and turned his eyes towards Mount Doom. Whilst the troll was distracted by the sounds emanating from Mordor, he turned in terror and ran off - leaving Aragorn alive, yet slightly injured. Adrianna limped over and knelt at the Ranger's side at the very moment when Legolas arrived at the other.
As soon as they had helped Aragorn onto his feet, they turned to watch the massive dark tower of Sauron shake itself to pieces. Towers fell and walls crumbled; vast spires of smoke and spouting steam billowed up into the sky as the fountains exploded. The Black Gate collapsed into a huge cloud of ash and Orcs fled in all directions as the very foundations of Mordor collapsed.
The company watch as Mount Doom exploded, fire belching from the summit sending lava streaming down the sides of the great rock like a volcano. Everything was chaos as the many Orcs fled from the Black Gates, dodging past the men and cavalry from Gondor and Rohan.
Adrianna felt tears falling down her cheeks and she turned away from the sight. In her heart she knew Frodo had just destroyed The Ring...but she also knew that the hobbit would never be able to survive the cataclysm.
"Frodo..." She whispered. A hand encased itself around her own and the Faye looked up with sad eyes into the sorrowful ones of the elf Prince. She threw her arms around him and sobbed quietly into his chest, shaking her head to rid her thoughts of Frodo perishing in the flames of Mount Doom.
A/N: So... that almost concludes 'The Return of the King'! Only or two chapters left and then we shall see what happens ;)
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