I'm sorry you guys had to wait so long for an update! This chapter was just really hard to write for some reason. I also had to go back and change a couple of things from earlier chapters, as I slightly changed my mind on how the next few chapters are gonna go. The only major difference is that Eredhel did not experience flashbacks on the field of Pelennor! I don't know if you guys will notice the rest of the changes I made, as they were mostly for continuity and my own personal satisfaction! Anyways thank you SO much for the reviews they made me so happy! I get so excited when you guys like how the story is coming along! Enjoy the chapter and hopefully I'll get another one up soon!
Eredhel was silent for a moment, remembering her experience within Saruman's tower. Across from her Legolas leaned forward, his jaw clenching. "It poses far too great a risk," he said. It was at this moment that Elladan and Elrohir decided to appear, walking side by side into the
room. Their conversation halted when they realized that the room was silent and they noticed Legolas' darkened eyes.
"What's going on?" asked Elladan cautiously, looking at Aragorn for an explanation. The man sighed, regretting not waiting to bring it up until he had gotten the elleth on her own.
"We want Eredhel to use the palentir to see into Mordor," he explained warily. Immediately the twins' shoulders stiffened and they rested their palms on the table.
"You want her to look into the orb that Sauron is controlling?" asked Elrohir slowly, his voice betraying a hint of skepticism.
"Yes, our time is limited, we have no other options," answered Aragorn, trying to convince them.
"We would not ask it of her unless we had to," added Imrahil. Legolas shot him a scathing glared but the man did not notice, his attention on the twins. Eredhel however, did see it, and she felt a spark of annoyance, unsure if Legolas' anger was a product of Imrahil's support of her using the palentir or his own male ego.
"Well why does she have to be the one to do it?" demanded Elladan. Eredhel shot him a warning glare but he ignored her, his eyes intent upon the wizard and the Ranger across from him.
"Her foresight abilities as well as her previous experience with the other palentir make her the best candidate," replied Gandalf. "Anyone with a feeble mind or weak will would easily fall prey to Sauron's motives."
"Well then why not one of you?" suggested Legolas, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Because I was sent back only to perform my specific tasks, Master Greenleaf, and if Sauron was to overcome me, my power and knowledge would be his. As for Aragorn, the Dark Lord does not yet know for certain that this Ranger he has heard of is Isildur's heir, nor that he is an enemy to be reckoned with. Revealing Aragorn's strength to him too soon could be disastrous, for both our cause and his own life."
"So what you're saying is that you can afford to lose her should it go wrong," said Elladan, his eyes narrowing.
"Elladan," growled Eredhel but he waved her off.
"No, we have no intention of losing her. It is simply a matter of calculated risk," explained Gandalf.
"You know what it did to Saruman and Denethor when they attempted to use the palentir," argued Elladan, "I do not consider my sister's well being to be a calculated risk!"
"Neither do I," added Legolas. "Sauron preys on people's minds, he uses their fear and doubts against them. We have no control over what he may say or do while she is using the palentir. There is no way she is doing it." At his words Eredhel stood, finally fed up with being ignored.
"That is not for you, or Elladan or Elrohir to decide," she snarled. "If it needs to be done then I will do it."
"No you won't," snapped Elrohir. Eredhel started at the anger in her calmer brother's voice. Elrohir had always been the more levelheaded of the two, but the fire in his eyes matched that in those of Elladan and Legolas. She glared at him until someone coughed loudly. Looking around, the companions noticed that Gimli had entered the room, and he now stood awkwardly to the side. He looked between the two groups, Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas at one end of the table and Eredhel, Aragorn, Imrahil and Gandalf at the other. Gimli awkwardly cleared his throat, taking a seat in the middle so as not to take a side in the apparent argument.
"Should I ask what's going on?" he asked gruffly, his bushy eyebrows raised. Legolas turned towards him, tearing his gaze from Eredhel.
"We are debating whether or not Eredhel should use the palentir to discover what Sauron is planning," he explained, his voice regaining its usual rich, calmness when his eyes fell on his friend.
"Ah, I see," said Gimli. "And I'm guessing the lass wants to do it, but the three of you don't think it's a good idea," he continued.
"You are correct," responded Elrohir before he returned his attention to his sister.
"Will you please leave us for a moment?" he asked.
"Not likely," Eredhel growled, a scowl lining her face. Elladan rolled his eyes.
"Eredhel, will you stop being so damned stubb-"
"No," she sharply interrupted him, losing her patience with him. "Because it is my choice and my choice alone. I am older than all three of you so do not think you can order me around like a human child," she snapped and despite the tension within the room she saw the corners of Aragorn's mouth twitch. She would do anything if it meant seeing him sit on the throne, they had been through so much together and she loved him just as much as she did her two brothers.
"Fine," challenged Elladan. "If you will not leave then I will simply say it with you here. You are in no condition to expose yourself to such evil. He will see what lurks within your mind and he will use it against you. I do not doubt that you will be successful, I am concerned about the toll it will take on you."
"If that is the price of victory, I would be more than happy to pay it," she retorted.
"Valar Eredhel, at least act like you care about your life!" exclaimed Elrohir. "Do you have any idea how much it pains us to see you in danger? To come home from an evening ride and be told you've returned to the valley wounded and fading?" His eyes were dark and his voice cracked as he spoke. Eredhel's heart ached when she realized the hurt and worry she had caused them and she felt a wave of regret wash over her.
"Elrohir, I am sorry. I did not know-"
"I know you didn't, nor would I have you feel guilty for it." He sighed, his face softening. "From what was said last night, Gondor's situation is dire. We will say no more of your decision to use the palentir because it is your choice to make, despite us not liking it." Elladan nodded in agreement with his brother's words. Eredhel's shoulders sagged in relief that she no longer had to argue with them. But when she looked to Legolas she found that his gaze was once again hard.
"I know you do not agree with it," she said silently.
"No, I don't," he confirmed, his cool blue eyes boring into hers.
"Is there anyway I can convince you?"
"No. There is absolutely no way you could ever get me to agree with letting you put yourself in such danger," he answered.
"Legolas, you know I have to do it."
"No, you don't have to do anything, just like I do not have to witness you risking your life yet again. In fact I think it is my turn to be in need of some air. " He abruptly stood, startling everyone else in the room. They had known he and the elleth were having a silent conversation and they guessed it had not gone well. Legolas turned on his heel and exited the room, leaving an uncomfortable silence in his wake. Eredhel stood frozen, shock apparent on her face. Elrohir laid a comforting hand on her shoulder and at his touch her face became neutral, though it took several moments before the darkness left her eyes. She turned towards Aragorn, her face now grave.
"Let's get it over with," she said wearily. The man hesitated, feeling responsible for the rift between her and Legolas. It was quite unusual for the pair to be at odds, and even more so for Legolas to become so angry.
"Eredhel, you do not have to do it, I didn't mean for it to-"
"No, Aragorn it's fine. Where is it?" she insisted, dismissing his apology with a shake of her head. The man sighed and rose, opening a door into an adjoining room. He returned several moments later with a cloth wrapped bundle identical to the one Gandalf had taken from Isengard. Eredhel sank into a chair and he placed it on the table in front of her. Elrohir and Elladan stood on either side of her, ready to intervene if they thought she was in danger. She rolled back her sleeves but hesitated. "How will I stop him from controlling what I see?" she asked, looking at Gandalf. The wizard pressed his fingertips together, his brow heavy with thought.
"You simply have to look around as you would if you were actually there," he explained. "Do not let your fear paralyze you, though you may feel pain he can do you no real physical harm. I do not know what he will do for sure mellonin, Saruman never subjected me to the same torment as he did to you. You may see things but you must remember that they are not real, and do not hesitate to retreat if the task becomes too dangerous." Eredhel nodded grimly, gathering her thoughts. She could not help but remember what had happened in Saruman's tower and she involuntarily shivered. Pushing the thought away, she inhaled deeply and placed her hands on the glass orb.
Immediately the council room vanished and she was surrounded by fire. The flames licked her skin but she could not feel them, focusing on what she was seeking. Moments later the inferno subsided and she was once again inside Barad dur. Though it was morning, little light entered the room, the sun blocked out by the thick smoke that pervaded the sky. Looking around the room she found it empty, the only sound being the crackling of fire in a brazier to her left. Eredhel breathed a sigh of relief. This meant that she was truly seeing the inside of the fortress, not simply a vision within Sauron's mind. She did not know how much time she had before his spirit became aware of her presence so she started towards the window, intending on getting a view of the activity below. She had almost reached it when her world again erupted in fire, this time the flames causing her to yelp in pain. She heard a loud hissing and Sauron's voice thundered in her ears.
"Ah, so the elleth returns. It would seem Saruman failed to kill you, though I see that he did have some fun." Eredhel felt the scar on her wrist burn and she clenched her fingers in pain. "You may have won the battle elf but you will lose the war. What you saw was only a taste of the forces that I will unleash upon the world of men. Their homes will burn, their women and children will scream, they will all beg for mercy before the end. But they shall receive none." Eredhel struggled, trying to force herself from his mind.
"I'm guessing you never found your Ring," she snarled, closing her eyes against the heat of the flames. Sauron growled, the sound making the very air around her shake.
"I will retrieve it, and when I do there will nothing left to stand in my way. Not the elves, not men, and especially not halflings," he hissed. Eredhel hoped that he was not aware of the two hobbits that had ventured into Mordor, praying that his despisal was simply fueled by Gollum's tale of Bilbo.
She sucked in a breath, setting her focus on getting the information she needed. She mentally pushed against his consciousness, trying to break the connection. It felt as if a thin rope was attaching them and if she could only apply enough force she might be able to control the palentir herself.
Eredhel grit her teeth, fighting against Sauron's presence and focusing on that which she needed to see. She felt the pressure on her mind lessen and she was suddenly looking out over the fortress of Barad Dur and the lands below. Eredhel's breath caught at the sight that met her eyes.
The land was crawling with orcs. They swarmed over every hill and valley like ants escaping from an anthill. The heavy stomp of marching feet and the clamor of shifting armor assaulted her ears as she took in the grim sight. They would never be able to defeat that many enemies, there were thousands of them. Nor would Sam and Frodo be able to reach Mount Doom, with so many watching eyes. Eredhel felt her pulse quicken and she heard a morbid laugh, once again sensing Sauron's thoughts pushing against hers. "Do you see now?" he hissed. "Pelennor Fields was but a petty victory. You cannot hope to overcome my forces, they will march on the cities and burn every last one of them to the ground. Not even the Valar will save Middle Earth from my wrath and destruction. They will quail in their high seats in Valinor, they will feel the world shake from far across the sea. The eternal age of darkness shall come, and never again will any living being see light. And after I will see to it that you rot in the darkest corner of Barad Dur, for your insolence. All that you know will fade and you will long for something so kind as pain!" His last word thrummed in her ears, making her entire body quake. She could feel the venom in his threat and she immediately recoiled from his mental contact. Eredhel felt vulnerable and exposed, but before she could break her mind from the grasp of the Palentir, a vision flashed in front of her.
A great battle was waging before the Black Gate. The fighters of the Free Peoples were combating Sauron's forces but they were greatly outnumbered, their enemies closing in from all around them. There were not only orcs but trolls and wargs, as well as many other foul abominations that had been bred in the pits of Mordor. Eredhel suddenly caught sight of her brothers, fighting back to back in the thick of the battle. Elrohir was injured, and he limped as he struggled to keep up with the quick strokes of the orcs he was fighting. Behind him, Elladan looked over his shoulder at his brother in concern, compensating for his injury by killing any enemy that approached his brother from the side. Eredhel felt her chest constrict as she watched them, their blows growing more desperate.
Suddenly she heard thundering footsteps and she was on another part of the battlefield. A enormous troll was smashing its way through the Gondorians, its crude black armor spattered with blood. It had a giant, curved blade, and the plates of its armor ended in spikes. Black, beady eyes glared down at its prey as he approached his next victim. He swung his weapon but it was blocked, the man stumbling as he absorbed the force of the blow. It was then that Eredhel realized the man was Aragorn. The troll roared and swiped at him, throwing his sword from his grasp. Aragorn retreated from the monster but it grabbed him, pinning him to the ground. She cried out to him but as she got closer the vision began to recede. She had almost reached him when she returned to the council room, and was staring into the startled face of the ranger.
Eredhel's eyes widened, and she suddenly gasped for air as if she had resurfaced from beneath water. Immediately Gandalf threw a cloth over the palentir and swept it from the room, returning after he had replaced it in the adjoining chamber. His face was grave as he sat down next to the elleth, allowing her the chance to breathe before he questioned her.
She could feel a cold sweat on the back of her neck and her muscles felt sore and tired. The lanterns of the room seemed bright after the darkness within Mordor and beside her Elladan had a firm grip on her arm. Had the vision been a product of Sauron's trickery or had it been a foretelling of what was actually to come? Eredhel temporarily pushed the images from her mind, focusing on what she had seen inside of Mordor. "How long was it?" she asked.
"Almost ten minutes," replied Aragorn, his eyes heavy upon her. His brow was bent in thought and he was regarding her with grim contemplation. "What happened? All seemed well until moments ago, when you began to stir. Right before you wakened you called out my name."
"It was the same as before, I was within Barad Dur," she explained. "But Sauron was aware of me, everything turned to fire. He spoke of the end of all things, and he mentioned halflings. He knows that a hobbit still carries the Ring but I do not think he knows what they plan on doing with it."
"Did you learn anything of what he plans to do next?" asked Gandalf. Eredhel could feel their eyes on her and inhaled deeply, once again thinking of the swarms of orcs.
"Yes, his forces are still innumerable, tens of thousands of orcs, trolls and wargs. He will also still have some of the Easterlings, and their weaponry. I do not think he knows where the Ring is, though he longs greatly for it. His recent loss has not swayed his will, and he lusts still for the destruction of the Men of the West." Her news turned the men's faces grave and the twins each sank into a chair. They had seemed to win their greatest victory but now it was vanishing before their eyes. Their forces were weakened, and they had no allies left to call on for aid. Sauron would soon unleash the rest of his forces and wipe out any resistance that remained.
Aragorn ran a rough hand over his face, feeling tired and worn. Their victory now counted for very little, as the fate of Middle Earth and the Ring was now unsure. He immediately thought of Arwen, and the words of Lord Elrond at Dunharrow. Her spirit was fading, and every day that they did not achieve victory she grew weaker. The thought of his beloved dying was enough to make him want to march on Mordor on his own, if only to save her. He looked at the twins and Eredhel, wondering how many battles they had fought in that were not their own. They had lost and sacrificed so much and now it seemed as if it had been for nothing. "Why did you call my name?" he asked, trying to distract himself from the morbid thoughts. Eredhel looked at him, her fingers tapping against her knuckles.
"Just a ploy by Sauron, I believe he wished to frighten me," she explained. "Nothing to worry about." She did not want to tell him it had been a vision, as she was unsure whether or not it would come to pass.
"So you're alright then?" asked Imrahil, concern lining his face.
"Yes, yes. Quite fine," she answered. "I would assume that we have some decisions to make."
"Indeed we do," agreed Aragorn. "It would seem that hope is now lost, and I fear what will become of Frodo and Sam."
"As do I," added Gandalf. "Much is now uncertain but one thing we do know is that we cannot be idle, not while the Enemy continues to move against us."
"We must simply decide whether to take an offensive or defensive stance," said Elrohir.
"It will take much time and resources to rebuild the city's defenses," acknowledged Imrahil. "If we sit here and wait, we will allow Sauron to organize his full strength and march on us as he pleases."
"Then we must not give him anymore time than we already have," declared Eredhel. "Our move must be an offensive one."
"Aye, that would seem like the only option," agreed Aragorn.
"So what is it that you plan on doing?" asked Gimli suddenly from the other side of the table. The man stared at him for a moment, deep in thought. An attack on Mordor would be a desperate move, and yet they could not wait for Sauron to act against them. The only reason he had not yet taken the city was because he did not possess the Ring. So much relied on Frodo and Sam, yet their location and progress was unsure. Perhaps, if Frodo and Sam managed to reach Mount Doom... His train of thought was interrupted by loud footsteps coming from the hallway.
Each of the companions turned their gaze towards the door as Eomer came running into the room, his cheeks shining with tears. He had eyes only for Aragorn as he came to halt and struggled to regain his breath. "What is it?" asked Aragorn, realizing that the man was obviously distressed. He thought of Eowyn in the Halls of Healing and worry tightened in his chest.
"My sister, Aragorn, the healers tell me she will not last the day. Please, the halflings told me you healed one of their friends of such a wound. You must help her," he begged. The bravehearted man was shaking with grief, he had lost his mother, father, cousin and uncle, and it now seemed as if he would lose his sister as well. Aragorn rose to his feet, pity welling in his eyes.
"It was a sacred herb that healed Frodo, if I can find some then I may be able to save her. Either way I will do what I can," he promised. Eomer's face was overcome with gratitude, as he released a deep sigh. Aragorn turned to the others, his face grave. "We will continue this later, I will rejoin you when I finish in the Halls of Healing." With that he turned, and followed the other man out of the room. Once they had gone the tension in the air lessened and the others relaxed.
"It would seem that we cannot hold counsel for more than a few hours at a time," noted Imrahil.
"Indeed. And though Aragorn has left for a just cause, we do not have much time to waste," added Elladan.
"But the decision is all but made," said Gandalf, lacing his long fingers together as he looked at all of them pensively. "We cannot sit and wait for Sauron to make his next move, therefore we must strike first. Aragorn and I discussed it earlier, and we both believe that Frodo and Sam still move towards Mount Doom. If the Dark Lord's lands were to empty, it may provide them with the advantage they would need to reach their destination."
"You want us to give him cause to do such a thing," realized Eredhel, understanding entering her eyes.
"Yes, but it will require a very bold move on our part. If we were to march towards the Black Gate it would draw out Sauron's legions, and divert his attention from within Mordor," explained the wizard. At his words Imrahil's and Gimli's eyes widened, a strangled sound escaping from the dwarf's throat. To attack the Enemy on his own territory, with the complete might of his forces against them would be suicide. Eredhel had said that tens of thousands of Sauron's servants were held within Mordor, and their own forces had sustained heavy casualties in the recent battle.
"Do you really think it could work Gandalf?" asked Elladan slowly, his eyes trained on of the maps spread over the table. The parchment was cracked and heavily worn, showing its age. It depicted Numenor, when it was a peaceful island inhabited by mighty and wise men. That was before Sauron the Deceiver worked them to his will, and made them turn against the Valar, thus causing them to be cast into the sea. And now they were planning on striking at such an enemy, one who had seen the darkness of Melkor and learned from it, gaining power from his master.
"Yes, and it is our best bet to have the Ring destroyed."
"But no man would ride into Mordor of his own free will, how do you expect to convince the men to ride for that blasted place?" questioned Gimli gruffly, leaning back in his chair.
"They have no other choice Master Dwarf," answered Gandalf. "To wait for Sauron to move is to condemn themselves to doom, and if he retrieves the Ring of Power there will be no place in Middle Earth that will be safe from his wrath. If they wish to save their homes and families, they will ride towards the Land of Shadow, they will march on the Black Gate."