I stood beside Aragorn and Gimli, watching as the three massive ships of the Corsairs of Umbar approached us. On the decks, I saw the crew hoisting ropes and climbing up the Jacob's ladders. Some, though, were peering at us, shouting at their fellow shipmates in a language I didn't understand.
When they got closer, Aragorn shouted, "You may go no further. You will not enter Gondor."
Laughter came up from the ship, and I couldn't help but smile at their blissful ignorance.
"Who are you to deny us passage?" one shouted, his black hair tied up in messy dreds and braids.
"Legolas, fire a warning shot past the boson's ear," Aragorn said, not even turning his head to look at Legolas.
I heard the sound of the elf pull an arrow from his quiver, and the sound of him drawing his bow back.
"And mind your aim," Gimli muttered, and I saw the streak of the arrow fly through the air, but I lost it as soon as it hit the ship. The shout that followed was enough information for me.
I looked over and saw Gimli put his hand over his mouth.
"What did you do?" I asked the dwarf.
"I didn't do nothing!" he argued. "It's the prince who has a bad aim." I looked up at Legolas and saw him glaring at Gimli. I turned back to the ship, and I saw the closest one swing towards us.
"Welp, we warned them," Gimli continued, squaring his shoulders. "Now prepare to be boarded!"
"Boarded!" one of the men laughed. "By you and whose army?"
"This army," Aragorn smirked, and I felt something akin to a cold breeze pass through my body. The army of the dead ran through us and right towards the ships with a blood-curdling battle cry. The shouts of the Corsairs of Umbar mixed in with the roars of the Undead, and I chose not to imagine what was happening on the ships.
"It's nice to not have to fight them," I pointed out as the sounds of the battle began to fade.
Aragorn turned to look at me. "You wouldn't be getting tired of this, now are you?" he smirked.
I laughed. "Not quite yet," I said as the closest ship was run ashore near us, and we all climbed aboard. The Undead were disappearing again, and I took notice that the bodies of the Corsairs of Umbar were gone. They must have been thrown overboard.
"I wonder if there's any food on this blasted boat," Gimli grumbled, and I watched as he crawled below deck, with Legolas close behind. Aragorn went up to the spinnaker, and for a second, he looked more like a pirate than a ranger. I sat down on the deck, watching as the boat pulled away from shore once more and joined the other three on the river.
"About how far?" I called to Aragorn.
"You can see the city about a mile ahead," he replied. "Not too long."
I nodded, feeling the wind starting to pick up again. This time, it blew my hair right into my face, and I groaned, hearing Aragorn laugh in the background.
"Not funny," I growled, trying to gather my hair in my hands. I first tried to tie it back with a cord, but the ends still blew back into my face. I was quite frustrated at this point as I desperately wanted to tie it back in a braid, but because of the wind and all that had happened previously, my hair was a tangled mess.
"Would you like some help?"
I looked up and watched as Legolas sat beside and behind me.
"If you're brave enough," I grumbled, earning myself a deep chuckle from the elf.
"I will try to be," he replied as he took up my hair in his hands.
I leaned back on my hands and listened as the sounds of the river filled my ears as a comfortable silence fell upon us. Aragorn, who was ahead of me, was now talking to the King of the Dead in a low voice, and below, I could still hear Gimli stomping around and muttering to himself under his breath. It was the calm before the storm, and I wasn't sure how to feel about it.
"You've been meaning to tell me something since Helms Deep," I heard Legolas say, breaking the silence. "Do you mind telling me now?"
I couldn't stop myself from tensing up. I thought that conversation dropped weeks ago. I'm not emotionally prepared to bring it up again!
"It's not that important," I shrugged, hoping that Legolas would trust my lie.
"It didn't sound like that."
"I... um..." I trailed off. Nothing came to mind, so I decided to speak the truth. "I'm afraid," I muttered.
"Afraid? Why would that be?"
"I'm afraid that I'll sound like an idiot..." I laughed, leaning forward now so I could cross my arms on top of my knees. "...and of what you'll say."
Legolas let my hair drop, and I reached back to pull it over my shoulder, seeing it was now a beautiful braid made from many. I smiled a bit when I saw it. How on earth did he do that so perfectly?
"Adolpha, I wish to know."
He said it so softly, I barely heard it. I swallowed thickly and closed my eyes. 'Amin mela lle,' I said as loud as I dared.
I heard Legolas inhale softly at that, but he didn't give any indication as to what he was feeling. I winced at the silence, regretting everything that I had said.
'Amin mela lle acca.'
I perked up at that, finally making myself turn to see Legolas smiling.
"Really?" I breathed, a warm feeling rising in my chest.
"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it, Arwenamin," Legolas replied.
I laughed a bit, feeling my face grow red, especially when Legolas gently reached up and cupped my cheek. I leaned forward into Legolas' hand, which simultaneously brought me closer to him.
"At last!"
I quickly pulled away in shock to see Gimli stomp up the stairs, triumphantly holding up an old loaf of bread. "I have found the only edible thing on this bloody ship!"
Through my annoyance, I couldn't help but laugh slightly. "You have forgotten that we still carry Lembas bread."
"Bah!" Gimli laughed, sitting down beside Legolas. "I'm done with that elvish cur! I want some real food."
I glanced up at Legolas, shooting him an apologetic look. He only shook his head at our boisterous friend.
"We're almost upon Gondor," Aragorn called out to us as he walked forward. "We better get out of sight."
We all nodded, and I quickly shifted into a wolf before I walked to the starboard end of the ship, laying close to the ground with the remainder of my party, I watched as Aragorn drew his sword and Gimli pulled out his axe.
As the sounds of the battle drew closer, one being the sound of a large animal I didn't recognize, I grew even quieter. As we drew close to the shore, I heard orcs shout at us: "Late as usual!" and "Pirate scum!" I looked to Aragorn, and he gave a nod of approval before he swung himself off the deck, and the rest of us followed.
I landed with a soft thud on the stone below, and I saw the shocked faces of the small army of orcs before us.
"There's plenty for the three of us," Gimli laughed. "May the best dwarf win."
I growled my response, and I felt the same cold sensation pass through me as the dead joined us. Bounding forward, I quickly got three in before the entire group was mostly cleared out by the ghosts.
We ran forward, but I paused when I saw a massive creature before me—an Oliphaunt.
I had to swerve out of the way of its massive foot, and I watched for a second as the Undead quickly climbed the monstrous beast and brought it down, a feat which seemed to shake the entire earth.
I continued on, joining up with my comrades. "Eight!" I called out.
"Twelve," Gimli replied, pausing long enough to give me a cheeky grin. I scrunched my face at that. I wasn't going to lose after my victory at Helms Deep!
A sword grazed my ear, and I yelped before I quickly got the throat of the orc who dared attack me, crushing his friend beneath the first as I did so. I got three more in similar fashions, bringing me to a total of thirteen.
"Legolas!"
I perked up when I heard his name and saw Aragorn gesturing to the massive Oliphaunt heading right towards us. Legolas, who was in front of me, ran forward and swung up onto the Oliphaunt's tusk before jumping off that and scaling it's leg instead. Bodies fell from the back of the beast before I saw the entire tower upon it fall, and Legolas run to be upon the Oliphaunt's massive head.
Three arrows through the head, and the beast cried out and fell. Legolas slid down the trunk and landed perfectly right before Gimli and me.
I somehow fell even more in love.
"That still only counts as one!" Gimli roared.
Legolas gave a small nod, and I fought beside him until the area we were in was cleared, and the remaining troops being hunted down by the massive Army of the Dead and the few Rohirrim surrounding us.
Breathing heavily, we all gave one another tired smiles. Aragorn patted Gimli on the back. "We fight another day," he muttered. Light began to shine upon us as he said that, and the clouds covering the battlefield started to disappear above us.
From the city and the field of bodies around us, the Dead Army formed ranks and stood before us. The King stepped forward, tired and angry.
"Release us," he hissed to Aragorn, who stood straight upon being addressed. He let out a tired sigh.
"Bad idea!" Gimli hissed. "Very handy in a tight spot these lads-" the King of the Dead turned his harsh gaze upon Gimli "-despite the fact they're dead."
The King bared his teeth, and the air around him crackled as he shuttered. "You gave us your word!" he snarled.
Aragorn nodded, and a small smile appeared on his lips. "Go, and be at peace."
The wind picked up, and the army slowly faded along with it in a great cloud of mist, the smile on the King's face being the last thing we saw.
I stood close to Legolas now, letting my arm brush up against his. He looked down upon me, and I gave him a tired smile before I rested my head on his shoulder.
Today we live to see another day.