A Shattered Life (LOTR/Legolas Fanfic)

Chapter 22- To the Edge of Night

"Faramir! Faramir, wait!" Amara caught up with Faramir and grabbed hold of his arm.

"If you're trying to stop me from going to battle, it is useless. I cannot go against my father's orders."

"I'm not trying to stop you." Amara said. "I'm going to ride out with you."

"You can't-"

"I made the mistake if not sticking by your brothers side until the end. I don't want to see that happen again."

Amara saddled up her horse, brushing her fingers through her mane to calm the restless animal. The knights around her cast wary glances towards her, as if questioning whether or not she belonged. Faramir walked up with his own horse and passed her a blue tunic with the white tree of Gondor sewn into the front.

"What is this for?" She asked.

"The men need to know you belong here. What more of a way to do that than declare yourself a soldier of Gondor." Faramir explained. Amara passed the tunic back to him.

"I am no soldier. If I die, I did as myself. Not something I was forced to be."

"Very well. But keep it with you. It was Boromir's during a simpler time." Faramir mounted his horse and rode way. Amara folded the tunic neatly and placed it in her saddle bag before mounting her horse and galloping after Faramir.

The soldiers of Minas Tirith began to leave with Faramir leading. The citizens of the city lined the stone road, throwing down flowers. The horses trampled over them as the men forced themselves to look forward. Women sobbed as they watched their husbands m
arch towards their deaths.

"Faramir!  Faramir!" Gandalf shouted, pushing through the crowd towards him. "Your father's will has turned to madness.  Do not throw away your life so rashly."

"Where does my allegiance lie if not here?  This is the city of the men of Nëmenor.  I will gladly give my life to defend her beauty, her memory, her wisdom." Faramir said emotionlessly.
 Gandalf watches as his horse walks away.

"Your father loves you Faramir." Gandalf called before lowering his voice to himself. "He will remember it before the end." Amara rode by turning her head to look Gandalf in the eye.

"Take care of Pippin for me, he will not understand." She called, watching the old wizards eyes fill with fear.

"Amara! Amara, no you can't go!" He began fighting the crowd to follow her as she turned and rode out of the city. The gates slammed closed behind her.

The men formef up in a long line to attack Osgiliath, walking forward steadily. Amara moved up beside Faramir, who nodded in her direction.

"They will follow you, Faramir. Until the end."

"That's what I fear."

They break into a gallop as they approach the outpost. The orcs saw their approach and quickly formed a defense, spitting out battle cries.

Amara's ears rung with the sound of the oncoming battle and she reached out her senses to try and block out the awful sound. Her ears picked up a faint voice on the wind. One that brought tears to her eyes. Pippin.

"Home is behind, The world ahead," They drew closer to Osgliath.

"And there are many paths to tread, Through shadow, to the edge of night" Faramir screams out the charge, his words silent to Amara.

"Until the stars are all alight." The Orc archers draw their bows in readiness.  

"Mist and shadow cloud and shade, All shall fade, All shall..." The Orc leader shouts the order to fire and the Orcs release their arrows. Amara shut her eyes as she felt a sharp pain pierce her shoulder. Her horse fell below her and she was tossed to the already blood soaked floor.

"Fade..." Pippin's voice falters. Amara let out a breath and the world around her fell away as she faded into darkness.

She dreamt of Legolas...

Amara wandered through the forest that she had become familiar with after the nights where she had walked with Kili. A flash of blond hair caught her eye and she spun around, her eyes training in on the elven Prince. She followed him quietly.

He ran through the forest, his footsteps quiet and light on the leaf strewn floor. Amara's foot caught on a unearthed root and she fell forward, the crash echoing through the empty forest.

Legolas whirled around and drew his bow, nocking an arrow in one fluid motion.

"Who's there?" He called. Amara rose to her feet and stepped out into the open. Legolas lowered his bow, his eyes wide.

"Amara? What are you doing here?" He asked. Amara suddenly became aware of the pain in her shoulder. She looked down to see an arrow embedded next to her heart. She looked back at Legolas.

"I think I'm dying." She said, her voice steady.

"W-what?" Legolas stuttered. "This must be some kind of cruel nightmare." He muttered. Amara shook her head.

"No...this..this is the place where the living and dead may walk together. If we are here together...one of us must be dead. Or in this case...dying." Legolas ran forward and grabbed her shoulders.

"No no. This can't be true." He said frantically. Amara looked into the elf's  blue eyes.

"I trust you are on your way to Minas Tirith." She said quietly.

"Yes. Though we are on a different road from the Rohirrim." He answered. The sound of an Orc growl made Amara turn her head quickly, staring into the dark forest.

"What is it?" Legolas followed her gaze.

"Did you not hear that?" Amara asked.

"No...?" Suddenly the voice of Aragoen echoed in his ears.

"Legolas! Legolas, wake up!"

"Aragorn..." Legolas murmured.

"The waking world is seeping in." Amara said. Another Orc echoed in her ears and her breath caught I  her throat as the arrow in her shoulder seemed to twist on its own. "We don't have much time."

"What do you mean?" Legolas asked.

"Legolas you must leave me here."

"I won't."

"You have too. Please Legolas, I don't know what's going to happen. But I don't want you to see me die. Please." Tears came to Amara's eyes. Legolas searched her eyes for an answer but all he could find was fear.

"I'm sorry." He burst out. "For everything. Please, Amara forgive me." Amara shook her head.

"No, you have nothing to be sorry for. It's I who should be sorry. I'm sorry I was too late." She choked out."I love you...Legolas."

She stood up on her toes, cupping Legolas' face in her hands. But just as their lips were about to touch, she faded from his sight. Legolas stumbled forward before turning quickly in a circle, searching for the elf-dwarf.

Tear filled Legolas' eyes. He felt his heart break all over again. The pain made him scream out, his voice echoing against the trees and into the night sky.

"Legolas! Legolas, wake up!"

The elf jerked awake as the sound of Aragorn's voice. He looked around to see he was no longer in the mysterious forest.

"What happened?" He asked.

"You were crying out in your sleep." Aragorn explained, a hand on his shoulder. "What nightmare plagued your mind?" Legolas racked his mind for an answer as the dream began to muddle together and lose all sense.

"Amara." Was all he could say.