Here it is! I hope everyone is having a lovely spring break! This chapter is very long, so I hope you enjoy this chapter. PLEASE vote and comment! ILYSM<3
The morning peeked over Middle Earth as Gandalf strides swiftly through the city, followed by Pippin and Tauriel. Gandalf looked at the beacon then placed a hand on Pippin's shoulder. "Peregrin Took, my lad, there is a task now to be done. Another opportunity for one of the Shire-folk to prove their great worth. You must not fail me."Pippin had a look of understanding on his face. He ran off in the direction of the beacon tower. Gandalf looked back at Tauriel muttering in a soft tone, "You must ride out to Rohan. On the journey there will be someone who will join and guide you to wherever King Théoden makes camp." Tauriel leaned in and questioned, "may I ask who might this guide be?" Gandalf only smiled as he breathed, "ah, my Tauriel. You must have faith in me. Have faith in the world." She questioned why Gandalf haven't given up yet. How he could see the little light of good in this world. The light had to be so small, so delicate that it would flicker. A little bit of wind could put it out.
Tauriel brought out her horse and rode out of the city. As she traveled across the massive field she looked back to see the beacon lit. She heard, "The beacon! The beacon of Amon Dîn is lit!" She smiled and thought to herself, what if having faith is what we need. She looked down knowing she needed it.
Tauriel road into the forest until she heard a sound. The ruffle of the leaves echoed into the air. She knew someone was following her, someone on horseback. She slowly took an arrow from her quiver and turn to the side ready shoot. "Who may you be." Tauriel questioned as she pulled the string farther back. The man took off his hood to reveal, lord Elrond. She placed her bow down, "my Lord Elrond. You never traveled back to Rivendell?" Elrond road closer to her, " I have been following you Tauriel. Keeping a wether eye." He breathed, "I received word from Mirthandir to accompany you in your journey to Rohan. I as well have business in attended there." He gracefully gestured his hand to the path ahead. "Shall we?"
Aragorn sat down on a chair smoking a pipe in Edoras. He leaned in and noticed the beacon in the distance was lit. He sucked a breathed in and rand to the Golden Hall and threw open the doors, shouting. "The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid!" Théoden looked up from a map. Éowyn ran to stand next to Éomer. Everyone watched Théoden's reaction. This decision, to aid or not. Théoden paused and then calmly proclaimed, "And Rohan will answer. Muster the Rohirrim!" A person rang the gong on top of a tower as Théoden traveled out of the Golden Hall in his armor. "Assemble the Men at Dunharrow. As many Men as can be found. You have two days. On the third, we ride for Gondor and war. Gamling!" His lead soldier looked back at his King. "My lord." "Make haste across the Riddermark. Summon every able-bodied man to Dunharrow." Gamling nodded his head in agreement, "I will."
Aragorn gazed upon Éowyn as she led out her horse. "Will you ride with us?" Side by side Éowyn turned her head replying, "Just to the encampment. It's tradition for the Women of the Court to farewell the men." Aragorn lifted up the saddle blanket of her horse to reveal her sword. Aragon slightly smiled, a brave soul. He thought, Éowyn reminded him of Tauriel. Reckless, head strong, and brave. They both will not follow orders that keeps them at bay. Éowyn quickly snatched it back down to cover the sword again. She looked at Aragon, "The men have found their captain. They will follow you into battle, even to death. You have given us hope." She turned away as Aragorn contemplates her words.
Legolas and Gimli sat on the horse waiting for the men. " Horse-master. I wish I could muster a legion of Dwarves, fully armed and filthy." Legolas only repiled, "Your kinsmen may have no need to ride to war. I fear war already marches on their own lands." Legolas's memory of The Battle of the Five Armies was not vague. He remembered every single moment of it. The moment where he saw his Tauriel almost killed before his eyes. The moment where he thought Tauriel was in love with another. The moment where he left her.
The Rohirrim riders road off as Merry tried to get his pony to go. "So, it is before the walls of Minas Tirith, the doom of our time will be decided." Éomer looked back at all the riders, "Now is the hour! Riders of Rohan, oaths you have taken. Now fulfill them all! To lord and land!" The Rohirrim road out of Edoras, including Merry on a small white pony.
Théoden, Aragon, Legolas, Gimli and other riders rode into the camp. "Make way for the king. Make way! The king is here. My lord. Hail to you, sire." Théoden looked around, "Grimbold, how many?" Grimbold shouted back, "I bring five hundred Men from the Westfold, my lord." "We have three hundred more from Fenmarch, Théoden King." Another claimed. Théoden breathed, "Where are the riders from Snowbourn?" A soldier looked up, "None have come, my lord."
Théoden and Aragorn stood on the edge of the cliff and looked down at the troops from above. Théoden sighed, "Six thousand spears. Less than half of what I'd hoped for." "Six thousand will not be enough to break the lines of Mordor." Aragon simply repiled. Théoden patted Aragon's back, "More will come." "Every hour lost hastens Gondor's defeat. We have till dawn, then we must ride." Théoden nodded.
Nearby, a horse begins rearing and neighing. Legolas walked closer, "The horses are restless and the men are quiet." Éomer looked at Legolas, "They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." Gimli frowned and pointed to a road. "That road there, where does that lead?" Legolas looked into the path, "It is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain." Éomer sighed, "None who venture there ever return. That mountain is evil." Legolas could feel it. As did Aragorn as he watched the Dimholt road from behind a rock and saw something like green smoke forming into a face. A ghost. His face worried. Gimil shouted which made his heart leap, "Aragorn!" Aragorn jerked around as Gimli patted him, "Let's find some food."
Éowyn and Merry stood inside a tent. She dressed him in the armor of the Rohirrim and smiled, "There. A true esquire of Rohan." Merry breathed in joy, "I'm ready!" Merry draws his blade as Éowyn jumped back startled and laughed. "Sorry. It isn't all that dangerous. It's not even sharp." Éowyn grabbed the blade and smiled, "Well, that's no good. You won't kill many Orcs with a blunt blade. Come on." Merry ran out of the tent, wielding the sword, as Éowyn followed. Éomer and Gamling sat in front of a small campfire and watched. Éowyn pushed Merry, "To the smithy. Go!" Éomer muttered, "You should not encourage him." Éowyn looked back and replied in a strong voice. "You should not doubt him." Éomer shook his head, "I do not doubt his heart, only the reach of his arm." Gamling snickers as Éowyn commanded, "Why should Merry be left behind? He has as much cause to go to war as you. Why can he not fight for those he loves?"
Éomer walked up and faced his sister, "You know as little of war as that Hobbit. When the fear takes him and the blood and the screams and the horrow of battle take hold, do you think he would stand and fight? He would flee. And he would be right to do so. War is the province of Men, Éowyn." Looking down from Dunharrow there was two mysterious figures, cloaked all in black who road a horse up the winding path. They both road past the stone Púkel-men that squat by the road. Aragorn slept restlessly that night. He dreamed of Arwen lying listless in her bed in Rivendell. Her eyes opened as her voice echoed, "I choose a mortal life." A single tear fell from her eye. "I wish I could've seen him...one last time." Arwen gently closed her eyes. Aragorn snaps awake and drew his elven knife. His forehead was wet and his heart raced. A Rohirrim guard stood at the entrance to his tent. "Sir? King Théoden awaits you, My Lord."
Aragorn entered Théoden's tent. Théoden stands in front of a hooded figure as he walked out, "I take my leave." Aragorn slowly approached, as the figure stood up and removes the hood, revealing Elrond. Aragorn wide eyed bowed muttering, "My lord Elrond." Elrond breathed in a soft but saddened tone. "I come on behalf of one whom I love. Arwen is dying. She will not long survive the evil that now spreads from Mordor. The light of the Evenstar is failing. As Sauron's power grows, her strength wanes. Arwen's life is now tied to the fate of the Ring." Then he paused, "my niece's life is tide to the fait of the ring. But her faith cannot be escaped." Aragon frowned as he walked closer, "May I ask who you speak of." Elrond sighed as a figure came behind the drape, "Tauriel?" Aragon breathed. "Tauriel father was my wife's brother, son of Galadriel." Aragon confused, "that is not possible." "It is. But yet we are here. Aragon when Tauriel was young a fraction of Saruron's soul went into her body. It is growing, they wanted to kill her before the soul grows and takes over her. But now comes the time where if she dies, he dies. But if you defeat him, Tauriel will die." Aragon's face saddened. "There must be hope! There must be a way? I will not stand this!" Aragon commanded, Tauriel looked up whispering , "two many lives have been taken the world is crumbling. The Shadow is upon us, Aragorn. The end has come."
Aragorn shook his head, " It will not be our end, but his." Elrond sighed as he faced Aragon, "You ride to war, but not to victory. 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. You're outnumbered, Aragorn. You need more Men." Aragorn breathed, "There are none." There was a silence before Elrond said, "There are those who dwell in the mountain." Aragorn pondered this and saw a vision of the King of the Dead. "Murderers... traitors! You would call upon them to fight? They believe in nothing! They answer to no one!" Elrond raised his voice, "They will answer to the King of Gondor!" Elrond sweep aside his cloak and pulled out the reforged sword. He presented it to Aragorn with pride. "Andúril, Flame of the West, forged from the shards of Narsil." Aragorn breathed out, "Sauron will not have forgotten the Sword of Elendil." He looked at the sword before him, and quickly draws Andúril from the sheath. "The blade that was broken shall return to Minas Tirith." "The man who can wield the power of this sword can summon to him an army more deadly than any that walks this earth." Elrond faced Aragon. "Put aside the Ranger. Become who you were born to be. Take the Dimholt road."
Elrond smiled, "Ónen i-Estel Edain."(I give hope to Men). Aragorn nodded and breathed, "Ú-chebin estel anim."(I keep none for myself.) Aragon looked over Elrond's shoulder to see Tauriel closed eyed facing the ground. She does not deserve this. Aragon thought.
Tauriel walked out of the tent to see Legolas right outside. "Tauriel, why didn't you tell me. " Tauriel sighed as Legolas walked closer, "you will not die. I won't stand for it!" Tauriel face saddened. She now sees that even Legolas has hope when there is none. "It is done." Tauriel turn to walk away when Legolas grab her forearm to face her, "just because is done doesn't mean it should be done." He whispered. Legolas and Tauriel are two different souls. One who believes in hope but does not see the good in the world. And the other who believes there is good in the world but not hope. Tauriel realized that she need him and he needed her. Legolas sighed, "promise me you aren't going to leave. Promise me you will stay. For me. For Aragon. For your family back over the horizon." "I promise." But as she walked away she knew something. Do not make promises you cannot kept.
Aragon walked his horse through the camp before a voice shouted," Just where do you think you're off to?" He turned his head to see Gimli. "Not this time. This time you must stay, Gimli." Legolas walked up with his horse followed by Tauriel with hers, "Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of Dwarves?" Legolas smiled and Gimli got on to his feet. "You might as well accept it. We're going with you, laddie."
They rode off into the mountain as all the soldiers looked over, "What's happening? Where is he going? I don't understand. Lord Aragorn! Why does he leave on the eve of battle?" Gamling sighed, "He leaves because there is no hope." Théoden walked out commanding, "He leaves because he must." Gamling shook his head, "Too few have come. We cannot defeat the armies of Mordor." "No, we cannot. But we will meet them in battle nonetheless." Théoden looked to the pathway.
Tauriel breathed again and knew the promise she kept for Legolas. But also knew, do not make promises you cannot kept. She will try for Legolas, but she knew the world will not.
There it is! It's so sad, Tauriel will try to kept her promise but she knows that her path is already there. Laying in front of her feet. Well the next chapter with be published on a very special day. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! PLEASE vote and comment! ILYSM<3xx forever1912