One Day You'll Know

Chapter 35- The End of All Things

The next morning after the debate, the hosts of the West, Rohan, Gondor, the Fellowship, set out on their journey to the Morannon, Elvish for "The Black Gate." Noelle got to have Flash back as company for their suicide mission. After the Paths of the Dead, the three horses had fled back to the Rohan camp and tagged along with the Rohirrim to Minas Tirith.

"I won't go into details with you how I survived the battle," the horse had said to her when Noelle asked how he had even gotten here in the first place as she prepared to mount him up. Someone else had gotten him ready, given that Noelle had to get into her own , which was a female version of Gondor's armor.

"No need, Flash," she had replied. "I already know you're an incredible horse. You wouldn't have made it this far already."

"That's good to know," Flash mumbled.

The Fellowship along with Éomer, rode at the head of the line. Gandalf with Pippin on Shadowfax, Legolas and Gimli on Arod, Merry with Éomer, Noelle and Flash, and lastly Aragorn on Brego, ready to take his rightful place and return as the king of Gondor.

The white horse on green and the white tree on black banners flew high and mighty behind the company as they marched for one week from Minas Tirith to the Black Gate of Mordor, hoping to give Frodo and Sam one final chance to get the Ring into Mount Doom.

For most of the week Noelle was plagued with more dreams about Anakin. Flashbacks from the Clone Wars, the events that had occurred when she and Ahsoka had been on Mandalore. They only made her more determined of her decision to go back.

Noelle could tell Legolas had the feeling she had been trying to avoid him- well, not exactly. More like unresponsive. It wasn't like Legolas wasn't constantly around her, checking up on her. She was always constantly reassuring him that she was ok, even though they both knew it wasn't true.

She loved him so much, but she was so frightened of the day she would have to tell him she was leaving him. She knew he wouldn't have it. He would do everything in his power to make her stay. Noelle was just going to have to be prepared emotionally to deal with his response- and her own.

She was emotionally damaged. The way she sometimes irrationally responded to certain events over the past six months that reminded her of the Clone Wars had shown her that. She needed healing for herself. Going back to save the past, what she had failed to do before, was the only way. She had failed to save her friends the first time. She had been warned about the Jedi beforehand, but she had stayed. Maybe if she had done something about it sooner, Sidious wouldn't have taken over the galaxy. The Chancellor had been the Sith Lord all along. Maybe if she had listened to Maul, none of this would have happened. They could have saved Anakin sooner.

Noelle had to fix her mistake.

Sniffing she wiped her eyes, as she suddenly had a feeling someone was outside her tent. Noelle had been sitting huddled up on the ground with her knees to her chest trying to get some sleep (which was a constant struggle). She automatically knew who it was anyway.

"Noelle," Legolas whispered from outside. "May I come in and see you?"

Noelle wasn't in any position she shouldn't be. She was just in her Mandalore shirt, and navy blue leggings she wore underneath her armor. She looked like she had on her last day in a galaxy far, far away: disheveled and broken. Taking a deep breath, she glanced up at the entrance of her tent. "Yes," she replied in a small voice.

The Elf silently entered, closing the curtain behind him. Noelle felt her heart tighten in her chest as he sat down on the ground beside her and held her close. She rested her head on his shoulder.