Gondor
Night
While their friends began to making their way towards Gondor, The Doctor, Gandalf and Pippin watched the night sky from a balcony.
It had been a quiet day since the beacons had been lit. Boromir was off preparing the defenses of Gondor for the inevitable battle, so he hadn't had much time to talk. On one brief occasion where he had been free, Boromir had supplied Pippin with armor and a sword small enough to fit him.
"There's no more stars. Is it time?" Pippin asked softly.
"Yes," Gandalf confirmed with a grave voice.
"It's so quiet," Pippin said softly.
"It always is, my friend," The Doctor said with a sigh.
"It's the deep breath before the plunge, Gandalf said grimly.
"I don't want to be in a battle...but waiting on the edge of one I can't escape is even worse," Pippin said uneasily.
"Only the foolish long for war," The Doctor told him kindly and Pippin smiled weakly.
"Is there any hope, Gandalf, for Frodo and Sam?" Pippin asked.
"Only a fool's hope," Gandalf admitted.
"You'd be surprised at what a fool's hope can accomplish," The Doctor said with a smile. "I've seen great things accomplished on just that."
"I do not doubt it," Gandalf said with a chuckle before turning grave as his eye turned towards Mordor. "Unfortunately, my dear Doctor, things are much worse than you realize. Our enemy is ready, his full strength gathered. Not just Orcs, but Men as well. Legions of Haradrim from the south...mercenaries from the coast. All will answer Mordor's call. This will be the end of Gondor as we know it. Here the hammer stroke will fall hardest. If the river is taken, if the garrison at Osgiliath falls...the last defense of this city will be gone."
"Then we'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen," The Doctor said firmly.
"But we've got the White Wizard and The Doctor. That's got to count for something," Pippin said optimistically before noticing Gandalf's grave expression. "Gandalf?"
"What is it, my friend?" The Doctor asked and Gandalf was silent for a moment before answering.
"Sauron has yet to reveal his deadliest servant...the one who will lead Mordor's armies in war. The one they say no living man can kill."
"Who is he?" The Doctor inquired, paling as he imagined someone worse than The Master, The Daleks and the Cybermen put together.
"The Witch King of Angmar." Gandalf said before glancing at Pippin. "You've met him before, Pippin. He stabbed Frodo on Weathertop."
Pippin paled as he remembered this and The Doctor's eyes narrowed. Aragorn had described to him, River and Rory what had happened while they were on the trail of the Uruks that had taken Amy, Pippin and Merry.
"Who is this Witch King?"
"Once, a man, just like everyone else. But Sauron gave nine rings of power to Men, transforming them into monstrous shadows of themselves. He is the lord of the Nazgul...the greatest of the Nine," Gandalf said darkly.
Further conversation was interrupted when, from Mordor, a green beam of light shot up into the sky. They trio paused, staring at it in bewilderment and dread.
"We come to it at last. The great battle of our time," Gandalf said grimly. "The board is set. The pieces are moving."
"He is right," The Doctor looked almost, almost not even surprised to see Tara standing beside him. "The battle that will decide the fate of Middle Earth is about to begin. Prepare yourself, Doctor. They will need your guidance once more before it is over."
Tara then disappeared, leaving The Doctor wondering if she had been there at all.
Dunharrow
Next day
Théoden and his company arrived at the encampment, where several people shout out greetings to Théoden, who waved in greeting.
"Grimbold, how many?" Théoden called out as he saw his general.
"I bring 500 men from the Westfold, my lord," Grimbold said as they rode passed.
"We have 300 more from Fenmarch, Théoden King," Another Rohirrim General added.
"Where are the riders from Snowbourne?" Théoden asked.
"None have come, my lord."
Théoden was silent as they rode passed, the news clearly not what he wanted to hear. Aragorn exchanged a grim look with Rory. It was not what they hoped, but it was still better than nothing.
Later, as Aragorn spoke with Théoden, Rory, Legolas, Amy and Gimli walked the camp, noticing how uneasy the horses were, the men struggling to rein them in.
"The horses are restless, and the men are quiet," Legolas noted, in close rang to Eomer.
"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain," Eomer explained, gesturing off to the side.
The four of them followed his gaze to see a pathway leading deeper into the mountain. Amy hugged her arms around her med-rift, unable to help the shudder that came over her.
"What is that?" Amy asked.
"Nothing good, I think," Rory noted, an uneasy feeling coming over him.
"It is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain," Legolas told them softly.
"None who venture there ever return. That mountain is evil," Eomer added ominously before walking off in order to attend to his own duties.
"Well, that was cheerful," Rory said sarcastically.
A few feet away, Aragorn was staring into the pathway, paling, mesmerized as he saw what seemed to be a ghostly figure, staring at him. The figure seemed to raise its hand towards him.
"Aragorn?"
Startled, Aragorn whirled around, seeing River looking at him in concern.
"Are you all right?" River inquired.
"Yes. Yes, I am fine, River," Aragorn assured her, looking back into the pathway to see the figure had vanished.
"Aragorn, River," Gimli called out as he approached. "Let's go find some food."
Aragorn nodded, although River noticed he cast one last look at the pathway before following Gimli out, in search of some food.
That night, Amy helped Eowyn fit Merry with armor small enough to fit him.
"There. A true esquire of Rohan," Eowyn said with a smile once they were finished.
"I'm ready!" Merry said, excitedly bringing out his sword as Amy and Eowyn backed up.
"Oi! Be careful with that, you could hurt someone," Amy pointed out.
"Sorry." Merry apologized, looking down at his sword as Eowyn and Amy laughed at his antics "It isn't all that dangerous. It's not even sharp."
"Well, that's no good. You won't kill many Orcs with a blunt blade. Come on," Eowyn said, leading him out of the tent.
They exited the tent, Merry continuing to swing wildly as Eowyn and Amy laughed at his antics.
"To the smithy. Go!" Eowyn told him and Merry walked off.
"You should not encourage him," Eomer said from where he sat with Gamling and River around a fire.
"You should not doubt him," Eowyn told him.
"I do not doubt his heart. Only the reach of his arm," Eomer said snidely and Gamling laughed.
"Tell me, Eomer, do you doubt Rory?" River asked as she saw how upset Eowyn was getting.
"Of course not," Eomer said, looking at her as though she'd gone mad.
"What if I told you it wasn't that long ago that Rory knew as much about fighting as a newly trained recruit?" River asked, smiling slightly as Eomer looked at her in disbelief. "Oh yes, I'm sure you'd get a big laugh out of seeing Rory then. But he's a very different man now. Anyone can turn the tide in a fight, whether that be a fully trained warrior, a woman or even a tiny Hobbit. You would be wise not to doubt Merry. Or your sister."
River then walked off, exchanging a smile with Eowyn on her way as Eomer tried to process River's words.
Later that night, in their tent, Amy slept in Rory's arms as he laid awake, unable to sleep, fears about the coming battle keeping him up. Rory was startled when the flap of his tent opened and Gamling poked his head in.
"Apologies, Master Centurion, but the king wishes to see you," Gamling said and Amy roused from her sleep.
"What?" Amy asked sleepily.
"Apparently, I'm being summoned. Go back to sleep," Rory told her gently as he untangled himself.
Thankfully, Amy did so without complaint. The last few days must have truly tired her out, Rory mused as he exited the tent, finding Aragorn waiting outside.
"Do you know what this is about?" Rory asked and Aragorn shook his head as they made their way toward Théoden's tent.
When they entered, they were surprised to see Théoden talking to a cloaked figure, who was sitting down.
"I take my leave," Théoden said before departing.
Once Théoden was gone, the hooded figure rose and removed his hood, revealing an elf male with long, brown hair and matching eyes. Upon seeing him, Aragorn immediately bowed.
"My Lord Elrond," Aragorn said respectfully and Rory's eyes lit up in recognition, having heard about the Elf from Legolas, Aragorn and Gandalf.
"It's an honor to meet you, Sir," Rory said, bowing slightly.
"The honor is mine, Master Centurion. But I have come with a purpose," Elrond said, taking Rory aback. "You have separated from your beloved only to reunite. But you must separate one more time before this can end."
Rory frowned, confused before Elrond turned to Aragorn.
"I have come on behalf of one I love. Arwen is dying," Elrod declared and Aragorn looked like the wind had been knocked out of him. "She will not long survive the evil that now spreads from Mordor. The light of the Evenstar is failing."
Rory didn't know who this Arwen was, but one look at Aragorn's face told him all he needed to know. He loved Arwen, the same way Rory loved Amy. Neither could truly live without the one they loved.
"As Sauron's power grows, her strength wanes. Arwen's life is now tied to the fate of the Ring. The Shadow is upon us, Aragorn. The end has come," Elrond said ominously.
"It shall not be our end, but his," Aragorn said, although Rory wondered privately if he was trying to convince himself or Elrond.
"You ride to war, but not to victory." Elrond argued as he walked over to Aragorn and Rory. "Sauron's armies march on Minas Tirith, this you know. But in secret he sends another force which will attack from the river. A fleet of Corsair ships sails from the south. They'll be in the city in two days."
"Seems like our luck," Rory with a glance at the horrified Aragorn.
"You are outnumbered. You need more men," Elrond pointed out.
"You feel like lending any? Because we've found every man we can find," Rory argued.
"Not all of them. There are those who dwell in the mountain," Elrond said and Aragorn looked at him in disbelief as a breeze of wind suddenly blew through the tent.
"Murderers, traitors!" Aragorn argued a look of disgust on his face. "You would call upon them to fight? They believe in nothing. They answer to no one."
"They will answer to the King of Gondor!"
With that declaration, Elrond pulled a sword in a sheath, presenting it to Aragorn.
"Anduril, the Flame of the West, forged from the shards of Narsil," Elrond said as he held it out to Aragorn.
"Sauron will not have forgotten the Sword of Elendil," Aragorn said before retrieving the sword, drawing it from its sheath.
Rory silently examined the sword, impressed. It was about four feet long with elvish writing on it. It was very impressive, Rory noted.
"The blade that was broken shall return to Minas Tirith," Aragorn declared.
"The Man who can wield the power of this sword can summon to him an army more deadly than any that walks the entire Middle-earth. Put aside the Ranger. Become who you were born to be. Take the Dimholt road," Elrond pleaded with him
Elrond and Aragorn then said something in Elvish before Aragorn placed the sword back in its sheath, he and Rory exchanging a glance. It was time.
Amy was woken by the sound of Rory gathering his sword and armor.
"Rory? Is it time to go?" Amy asked as she sat up, seeing Rory putting on his armor.
"No. But Aragorn and I received some…advice that might help us turn the tide in this fight. We're going into the mountain," Rory said and Amy was now wide awake.
"The mountain Eomer said no one ever returns from? Are you mad?" Amy exclaimed.
"I might be. I followed you into the box of a madman," Rory joked but Amy was in no mood, glaring at him. "Amy, there is no other way. If we don't do this, Sauron wins. And then we all die."
For a moment, Rory was sure Amy was going to throw something at him. Instead, she did something that completely took him by surprise. She walked over and threw her arms around him. Rory wrapped his arms around her waist as she buried her head in his shoulder and Rory heard her crying softly.
"Come back to me," Amy whispered softly.
"Always," Rory said, moving his hands from her waist to her face and making her look into his eyes. "You and me, always."
"Good. Because I'll be cross with you if you leave me standing at the altar," Amy said and Rory smiled slightly.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Rory said before they shared a kiss.
And then, Rory untangled himself from Amy, kissing her on the forehead one last time before grabbing his sword and departing from the tent, Amy staring after him with tears falling from her cheeks.
On his way to his horse, Rory met River, who was watching him with a look that made Rory feel like she knew what he was up to.
"Look after her for me, will you?" Rory asked as he saddled his horse.
"Of course. And Rory…be safe," River said and Rory smiled.
"Of course," Rory said before getting on his horse.
River watched him go with a worried look on her face. Sometimes, she thought her father had as much of a hero complex as her husband. They always seemed to involve themselves in dangerous situations.
Not long after, Aragorn, Rory, Legolas and Gimli left camp on their horses, heading into the mountain as the rest of the camp watching, wondering why they were leaving.
"Lord Aragorn!"
"Master Centurion!"
Neither Rory nor Aragorn responded, heading into the mountain and vanishing from sight along with Legolas and Gimli.
"Why does he leave on the eve of battle?" one of the men wondered.
"He leaves because there is no hope," Gamling said in despair.
"He leaves because he must," Théoden said as he walked up to his men.
"We cannot defeat the armies of Mordor," Gamling pointed out.
"No, we cannot," Théoden acknowledged. "But we will meet them in battle none the less."
Rory joins Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli on their journey into the mountain on the eve before Theoden leads his men towards Gandalf.
Hope the inclusion of Rory and his goodbyes were okay.
And next chapter, Faramir returns to Gondor before the Siege of Gondor begins.