"Grimbold, how many?"
Théoden demanded while examining the soldiers at the encampment.
I was riding slowly behind him with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli besides me as we paced the grounds. The king was watching the men that had come to fight with us, looking for strength, ability.
"I bring five hundred from the Westfold, My Lord." Théoden seemed pleased with his answer and nodded. "We also have three hundred coming from Fenmarch."
This brought small hope in my heart, we have eight hundred more men to fight for us, but Théoden didn't seem to share my joy.
"And where are the riders from Snowbourn?" He asked. Grimbold seemed hesitant to answer. "They have not arrived yet, My Lord."
Théoden swore under his breath before stopping his horse and dismounting, the rest of us following suit.
Rhea pawed the ground and tossed her head, her mane flying. All of our horse had been acting anxious and restless once we had neared the encampment, and despite our attempts, we couldn't calm them.
"Sshhh." I soothed her, stroking her mane and neck. "Everything is alright."
Arod whinnied and snorted, tossing his head as well. "It's no use." Legolas said from my right. "They are scared, as are the men."
He was right, of course, but I was confused as on why they were behaving the way they were.
"I have never seen them act this way." I told him. "Have you?" Slowly, he shook his head, holding Arod's reins.
To our left, Théoden was conversing with Aragorn on our army. "Six thousand spears." The king said. "Less than half of what I had hoped for."
Aragorn nodded solemnly. "Six thousand men will not be enough to break Mordor's walls."
"More will come." Insisted Théoden.
Aragorn sighed.
"Every hour lost hastens the defeat of Gondor. We have until dawn, when we must ride."
Théoden opened his mouth to respond, but Rhea reared on her hind legs and whinnied loudly, drawing their attention.
I grabbed her reins, and pulled her down, hushing her, but it seemed counter-productive.
"Rhea, it's alright." I soothed her, but she ignored me, which was odd for her. She usually responded to my every word.
Next to us, Arod started to whinny again, pawing nervously at the ground. "The horses are restless, the men are quiet." Legolas said to us. "They grow
nervous in the shadow of the mountain." I looked up at the new voice to see Éomer walking towards us.
"The passage there," Gimli said suddenly, "where does it lead to?" Stepping around Éomer, still holding Rhea's reigns, I looked where Gimli had pointed.
And indeed, in the base of the mountain, was a long, thin crack that wound into the rock and disappeared from my sight.
No light entered the passage, but I thought I saw a dark figure move inside and my eyes widened with fear and curiosity.
"That is the road to the Dimholt." Legolas said the Gimli, but I wasn't paying attention.
"None who enter it return. The mountain is evil." Éomer added with a warning tone.
Aragorn stepped forward, staring at the crack in the mountain as if he was searching for something. I followed him after a while, Rhea trailing behind me.
When I got to his shoulder, I looked sideways at his face. His countenance was unreadable, fear? Determination?
Giving up trying to read his looks, I turned back to the mountain pass.
And again, I caught sight of the dark form lurking in the darkest shadows of the rocks. It seemed to be watching us as much as we were watching it.
"Aragorn?" I whispered. "Aragorn?"
"Many creatures live inside the mountain." He said. "They will not come out. At least not while it is light." And with that, he turned and walked back to his horse, leading it to his tent.
So I hadn't been imagining it. Aragorn saw it, but didn't seem worried. So I had no reason to be worried.
I tried to calm myself down a little as I told myself this.
I moved closer to Rhea, feeling her body heat and being comforted by this. She, weirdly enough, wasn't acting restless anymore. I reached up and stroked her mane.
My eyes were still on the figure when I saw it move. I squinted, trying to get a better look at what it was doing. The figure glided forwards, but didn't seem to be getting any closer. Then it stopped. I frowned-what was it doing?
Then it opened its mouth and let out a shriek. The noise lasted for less then a second and was high pitched, not loud.
I jumped back, into Rhea who whinnied, and gasped. When I looked back, it had disappeared.
My heart was beating quickly, and I took deep breaths to slow it.
"Ryanne?" It was Legolas.
He walked slowly over to me and stood behind me. "What happened?
So he had seen me jump, startled.
"Nothing, I just-" I broke off, not wanting to sound crazy.
"You saw something in the mountain."
It wasn't a question, he knew what had happened.
I nodded. "It just startled me." I told him. "What was it?"
"I can't say. There are many beings who dwell in those rocks."
We stood there a while longer, seeing if the being returned, but it didn't. I was disappointed but also relived. It had scared me, which was weird for me to get scared that quickly.
"Come on." Legolas whispered. "Let's go find Lady Éowyn and our Hobbit friend." He took my hand and I took Rhea's reigns in my other one and allowed him to lead me away from the mountain.
~~~<<<~~~>>>~~~<<<~~>>>~~~
"There, now you look like a true warrior of Rohan!"
Éowyn stepped back from Merry and examined him.
He was dressed in armor that looked a little to large, but protected him. He had a helmet on that almost covered his eyes and carried a sword that he held well, but seemed to heavy.
But them again, Hobbit swords are more like letter-openers.
I laughed as Merry's face lit up when she said that. "You do." I agreed with her. "Very terrifying."
He smiled even bigger at that.
Luckily, someone had found Elvish armor for Legolas and I, so I had some comfortably fitted on. My quiver and bow were strapped on my back, my shirt swords behind by quiver and my daggers on my thighs.
Éowyn looked at Merry, then picked up his sword.
"But you will never kill any Orcs with this blunt blade!" She examined. Then, handing it back to him she said "Off to the Smithy! Go!"
The Hobbit turned and jogged out of the tent, carefully holding his sword as he went.
I looked at Éowyn and smiled. "You are fighting with us, I assume." I told her. She smiled back. "My mind has not been changed."
She picks up her own sword from a table by her and strapped it on her waist. Then she followed Merry's footsteps out of the tent and into the cold night air, with me right behind her.
We saw the Hobbit in the distance, swinging his blade around as if there was an invisible enemy attacking him. He ducked and maneuvered, still hacking at the air in front of him.
I smiled and Éowyn chuckled at the sight.
"You should not encourage him." A rough voice said.
I looked up and saw Éomer, clad in armor, siting on his horse.
"You should not doubt him." Éowyn cooly replied.
Éomer chuckled. "I do not doubt his intentions." He told us. "Just the reach of his arm."
Besides him, Grimbold laughed at that, but Éowyn didn't think it was funny.
"Why should Merry stay behind?" She demanded to know. "He has as much right as you do to go to war! Why shouldn't he be able to fight for those he loves?"
Éomer glanced down at her.
"You know as little about war as the Hobbit does." He said, a little unkindly.
"When the screams and blood of the battle take him, will he stand and fight?"
I frowned, not knowing the answer. Merry could sometimes be unpredictable.
"He would flee." Éomer pressed. "And he would have a right to do so. War is the province of men, Éowyn."
"Éomer...." She looked at him, annoyed at his words against Merry.
I stood behind her, wondering if he was also telling us that we should stay behind as well.
Before I could find out, I heard Aragorn begin to saddle up his horse, and I turned to look at him.
Without a word of goodbye to Éowyn, who had launched into a conversation with Éomer that would soon turn sour, I walked over to the Ranger.
Rhea wasn't far away, and when I softly whistled at her, she slowly walked towards me.
Picking her saddle up off the ground, I placed it on her and strapped it into place.
But before I could place the reins on her, Aragorn's hand stopped me.
"What are you doing?" He asked. "Why are you saddling her up?"
I looked a him with an even look.
"Why are you saddling up your horse?"
He dropped his hand and smiled, knowing now what I was planning to do. "It doesn't matter Ryanne." He told me. "You need not come."
"Why not?"
"This doesn't have to do with you."
"But it has to do with you?"
"Ryanne, it doesn't matter."
"Then why can't you tell me where you are going?"
"He's going into the mountain pass."
Legolas trotted up to us on Arod.
"And we are coming with him."
With that, he pulled Rhea's reins over her head and handed them to me.
I smiled at him and swung up on her back.
Aragorn sighed, defeated and swung onto his horse as well.
"If this is how stubborn Elves are, then I can't wait to meet a stubborn Dwarf." He grumbled at Legolas and I, making us laugh.
We followed Aragorn through the encampment, headed to the base of the mountain, but before we got there, Gimli hurried up besides us.
"And where are you three going?"
He asked in his gruff voice.
Legolas and I looked at Aragorn, waiting for him to answer for us.
"Through the mountain pass." He said simply.
Gimli huffed and moved towards Arod where Legolas helped him up behind him.
Aragorn didn't say a word, just shook his head at the three of us.
I smiled, remembering the comment he had just made about dealing with stubborn Dwarves, and we all knew how stubborn Gimli could be.
The four of us now started again towards the pass, and as we walked by the men, I overheard their confusion.
"Where are they going?"
"Aren't they staying with us?"
"Why would they leave?"
"Are they going to come back?"
I honestly still had no idea why Aragorn would be interested in going through the mountain pass, but if he was planning on doing it, it was important.
But I didn't ask yet, I wanted to see what would happen.
I thought off Merry and Éowyn, and knew that they would miss us, but knew that Éowyn would watch over the Hobbit.
But I hoped that he wouldn't have to stay behind as we went to war.
~~~<<<~~~>>>~~~<<<~~~>>>~~
The darkness was surrounding all of us as we followed Aragorn deeper into the mountain.
I had moved Rhea closer to Arod as gripping fear breath against my chest while we walked. Never had I felt this afraid, and I didn't even know what I was afraid of.
My sharp eyes penetrated the darkness, and I kept them peeled for the dark figure I had seen earlier with Aragorn.
To my left, I heard Gimli shudder.
"What kind of army lingers in this place?" He asked, astonished.
"One that is cursed." Legolas replied softly.
I looked at him, confused. I had never heard this story before.
"Long ago, the men of the mountains had sworn an oath with the king of Gondor that they would come and fight with him in a war. But when they were needed, and Gondor was in peril, they fled.
"They disappeared into the shadows of the mountain, leaving Gondor on its own. So Isildur cursed them to never rest until their oath has been fulfilled."
Now I understood why Aragorn wanted to go through here.
"So Aragorn wishes to free the men of the mountains by making them fight with us against Sauron?"
I asked.
Legolas looked at Aragorn, who nodded once. "Hopefully they will not treat us they way they had treated so many others before us."
I didn't bother to ask how they had treated others before us, it would be counter-productive in regaining my bravery.
Our horses continued to walk for many more long minutes, and I had lost track of time when Aragorn stopped us and dismounted.
I followed suit, Legolas and Gimli as well, and walked over next to him to see what he had stopped for.
It was a doorway. There were morbid looking carvings around the top and sides of it, making me wonder what they meant. But there was also words.
"This way is shut. It was made by the dead and the dead kept it. This way is shut."
I read aloud, and when I finished, cold air suddenly blew out from the doorway, making me wince and turn my face.
The three horses reared and neighed, spooked by this sudden event.
Then they turned and ran back they way we came.
"Breggo!" Aragorn called after his horse, but he didn't return.
My eyes went wide as I saw Rhea gallop away, but I knew she was safe and would find me later.
"I do not fear death!" Aragorn yelled, to no one in particular, and started into the doorway. Legolas hesitated for so shortly it seemed he hadn't at all, then followed his friend.
I took a deep breath and went after the two. Behind me, I heard Gimli muttering to himself, then his footsteps grew louder and I knew he had followed us too.
Quickly I caught up with Legolas and Aragorn, Gimli right behind me. Together we walked through the dark, cold hallway leading to somewhere none of us knew of.
Thankfully, Aragorn managed to find a torch and light it, letting us see our surroundings.
There were skulls everywhere, covering the floor and piled by the walls which illuminated the torch light in an eerie green glow.
I grimaced at this sight. That was a lot of dead people.
I walked by the others for only a few more steps when Legolas whirled around, eyes wide.
"What is it?" I asked him. "What do you see?"
"I see shapes of men and horses." He spoke softly.
"Pale banners like clouds and spears rise through a shroud of mist. The dead are following us. They must have been summoned."
I instantly thought of the words I spoke at the entrance, and the cold air that blew around us.
Had that been the dead Legolas was talking about?
I hoped not. I really, really hoped not.
We walked for a while longer, turning corners every so often. I never once doubted Aragorn, I knew he knew where we were going.
I was getting used to the sound of my feet hitting the ground when I took another step, and the ground cracked.
My foot paused in the air and I didn't move.
The others cracked on the ground when they lowered their feet as well.
Aragorn looked down, then sharply up again.
"Don't look down."
He warned us.
I couldn't help it. I looked down and quickly covered my mouth with my hand, jerking my head back and closing my eyes.
Bones.
Not just skulls, every single bone that was in a human body, and probably not just a human, lay scattered on the stone.
We couldn't even see the stone because of all the bones that lay on top.
Slowly, I began to walk again, trying to ignore the cracking sounds every time I put my foot down.
I was thankful for my small body and weight, as Gimli made very loud sounds every time he walked.
But we carried on, wanting to find the Dead and leave as soon as possible.
The bones were starting to bother Gimli, and he looked at the ground for the places with the least bones, and chose to step there instead.
So he was the most grateful when we hit solid stone again.
Aragorn sped up our pace when we had gotten past the bones and he led us through huge halls, turning corners every so often.
When we entered a room, he stopped us. It was the first room we had passed through so far, there were no hallways on the other side. The only way out was to go back.
There was a staircase that was in the center of the room, and on top of it was a throne.
Atop the throne was a ghost.
'Ghost' was the closest thing that described him. He was only semi-transparent and he let off a bright green glow.
His face was distorted and his hair was badly kept. The sight of him stopped me in my tracks.
"Who dares enter my domain!!" He bellowed at us as we entered the throne room.
I jumped at his outburst and slowly walked closer to the rest of us. Walking behind Legolas, so the King of the Dead couldn't see me, I drew one of my short swords and held it by my leg. I wanted to draw an arrow to my bow, it was my first thought, but it would be too noticeable. We would already have a hard enough time getting out of here without the King thinking we were a threat.
"One who will have your allegiance." Aragorn spoke in a calm but demanding tone.
The King of the Dead looked down at us with a look of hatred. "The dead do not suffer the living to pass." He told us.
Aragorn looked up at him with the same look.
"You will suffer me!" He yelled at the King. I didn't happen to think yelling was going to get him on our side, but Aragorn knew what he was doing more than I did.
But to his outburst, the King didn't respond. He just laughed.
His laugh was cold and uncomfortable. It made me feel vulnerable, I hated it.
Behind us, the wind started to pick up, even though we weren't outside.
Turning, I saw men appear out of thin air.
They all had a green glow about them like their King, and they looked at us with crazed grins and faces. They were the King of the Dead's army. The Army of the Dead.
I moved closer to Legolas, letting my hand bump his leg. He looked down at me, and when our eyes met, I widened mine for a split second.
He reached back and pulled and arrow from his quiver and nocked it in his bow.
"This way is shut. It was made by the dead and the dead kept it. This way is shut." The King repeated the words I had spoken earlier. "Now, you must die!"
In a flash, before the King or his army could do anything, Legolas aimed his bow and fired it, his arrow flying through the air.
The arrow flew through the King's chest, but didn't stop. It landed on the floor, feet behind him.
We couldn't hurt them. I realized this quickly, a cold feeling coming over me.
They could hurt us, but we couldn't do anything to them.
But I kept my sword out. Just in case.
"I summon you to fulfill your oath!" Aragorn said loudly, so the whole army could hear him.
But the King didn't think twice.
"None but the King of Gondor shall command me!" He snarled at us.
He drew his sword and started towards Aragorn.
The Ranger stayed still until the King was only a few feet from him, then he drew his sword.
He held the sword of Isildur, the one that separated the Ring from Sauron! I tried to hold back a smile as the ghost stopped dead.
"That-that bind was broken!" The King gasped, surprised, at the sword Aragorn held.
"It has been remade." He answered triumphantly.
"Fight for us!" He called to the army, turning around so he saw them all.
"Fight for us and regain your honor! What say you?"
I didn't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't silence.
The ghosts didn't make a sound as Aragorn looked at all of them, determination clear in his face.
"What say you?" He called again, but received the same response.
"It's a waste of time Aragorn!" Gimli told him. "They had no honor in life, and now they have none in death!" He shot awful looks to the ghost army as he said this, almost daring them to respond.
"I am Isildur's heir!" Aragorn shouted again, not giving up. "Fight for me and have your oath fulfilled! What say you?"
Again, the King nor his army said anything and they slowly started fading away.
Where they really going to leave? They weren't going to fight for their people!
I watched, horrified, as they became more and more distant.
The King was the last to start fading, and before he did, he opened his mouth and laughed.
His laugh rang through the stone room, echoing off the walls. I winced, my sensitive ears hurt by the loud, unnatural sound. I could only assume they were having the same effects on Legolas too.
"Stand, traitors!" Gimli shouted loudly after the retreating forms, but they didn't come back.
The dust around our feet began to blow around us by cold wind and I saw the last of the army disappear.
A huge cracking sound jerked my head up. We all whirled around to stare at the back wall. A large crack ran through it, splitting the stone open.
My heart began to beat in my chest as I remembered all the bones in the passageways. Was this how they all died?
Again, the wall cracked and Aragorn wasted no time. "GET OUT!" He shouted at us.
Obeying instantly, we turned and sprinted to the passageway we had come through.
To my left, the wall split all the way open, pouring down skulls on us, along with parts of stone.
I let out a shriek as the skulls and rocks hit my body and I instinctively covered my head with my free arm that wasn't holding my sword.
I wasn't able to put my sword away while I was running for my life, so I did my best with it in my hand.
The four us ran into the dark tunnel that led to daylight eventually, being chased by the downpour of skulls that would bury us. As I ran, I tried desperately to ignore the constant feeling of the skulls on the back of my boots, reminding me how fast I needed to move to keep my life.
Aragorn and Legolas led us through the darkness, turning corners sharply and pounding through the halls. I was right behind them, Gimli behind me.
I could hear his ragged breathing and heavy footfalls gradually getting slower. "Come on Gimli!" I yelled at him, pushing him to hurry.
My own legs were beginning to burn, my lungs as well. But I didn't dare stop or look back.
And the flood of relief was unimaginable as I saw the first tiny pinprick of daylight ahead of us.
Aragorn picked up his pace, seeing the light as well, as we charged after him.
Breaking free of the dark and closed halls, I stopped running as soon as we hit the fresh air.
Tiredly, I pulled my arm up to slide my sword back behind my quiver and then dropped into a crouch on the ground.
Being an Elf, I wasn't as tired as say, Gimli, and my breathing regained pace soon enough.
Looking up, I saw Aragorn kneeling on the ground in front of me, looking into the distance.
Following his line of sight, all relief that I had felt moments before vanished.
We could see houses being burned and black ships with sails were nearing us.
We had to fight, but with what allies?
I was about to speak when my hair was picked up from my shoulders in a strong wind. I frowned, confused, when I saw green figures appear before us.
The King of the Dead and his army looked at us with strong eyes.
"We fight."
---///---///---///---///---///---///---/
A/N: So, how about we not talk about how late this is?
Is that okay?
Okay.
Yea, I am so sorry for being inactive on here for like, months.
But I'm okay now, everything's back to normal!
I am going to try to update longer chapters, so they probably won't be as frequent as before, but not like this one. It won't be that long. :/
Please please please leave some feedback on how I am doing, I felt like this chapter wasn't as up to par as the others.
And, I love all of you guys, and I love your votes and support!
Bullseyes,
XXbowandarrowsXX