Muted protection

Chapter 18

"Frodo has passed beyond my sight." Gandalf pauses before he continues. "The darkness is deepening."

"If Sauron had the Ring we would know it." My father says as he looks at Gandalf.

"It's only a matter of time." I snort, earning a glance from those around me. I shrug and continue twirling my knife as Gimli chuckles beside me.

"He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping." Gandalf continues ignoring my un-elf like behaviour.

From beside me Gimli speaks up. "Let him stay there. Let him rot! Why should we care?"

"Because ten thousand Orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom." The wizard looks sad as he continues. "I've sent him to his death."

Aragorn shakes his head as he speaks. His tone hard. "No. There's still hope for Frodo. He needs time, and safe passage across the Plains of Gorgoroth. We can give him that."

"How?" The dwarf question and I silently agree, still twirling my knife as I glance up as Legolas and Eomer. Both are standing silent and grim and I look back at my dagger as I spin it in my hands.

Aragorn answers him, turing to both of us, giving me a pointed look. "Draw out Sauron's armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate."

Eomer speaks up for the first time. "We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms."

"Not for ourselves, but we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's Eye fixed upon us." My father answers. "Keep him blind to all else that moves."

"A diversion." Legolas says and my eyes flicker to him as his eyes flicker to me. I turn away and stop twirling my knife.

"Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?" Gimli says sounding excited.

Gandalf muses as he speaks. "Sauron will suspect a trap. He will not take the bait."

My father smiles before retorting. "Oh, I think he will."

I look at him and I frown, already not enjoying the ideas he's forming. I rise and step towards him but stop when he faces me. I take a step back and shake my head, my mouth turning down further. My eyes pierce through his and he pauses to collect his thoughts.

"Linwaethiel, I have never asked this of you before but I want you to-" He begins.

"No." Silence passes over the room when I interrupt him. I feel some eyes fix on me in surprise, unused to my voice. But I know father will ignore me if I use my hands and I am to angry to use my mind. Taking a step towards him my grip on my knife tightens as we glare at each other.

"Linwaethiel..." He starts again but he trails off as I bring my hand up to silence him. Any excuse he can give will only make me angrier. I step forwards again and he straightens. Never before has he tried forcing me to leave a battle be. I feel the others shift uncomfortably and Gandalf watches on in silence, watching the disagreement play out. My dark blue tunic moved smoothly under the leather chest plate. I stopped in front of father and looked up into his blue grey eyes that clashed with my golden ones.

"Never have you tried to force me to leave a battle alone. Why now?" I glared into his eyes, knowing the reasons would make me angry but simultaneously knew he needed to voice them. He looked down at me, his expression softening.

"You were shot by multiple arrows. You have watched friends die. Let yourself take a break, don't come with us to this last one, we will return." I knew that was not all the reasons and the last angered me. I paused before speaking needing to know the unspoken reason. Reaching into his mind quickly I picked out the reason and my anger flared. Aragorn flinched at the contact but remained solid as my eyes burned into his, my anger clearly recognisable.