Chapter 1
Buffy sat at home in Italy staring out the window at the dark city of Rome. She loved it here. The city was beautiful and full of history. There was a time in her life that she had hated that word: history. But she and grown up and moved on from that stage of her life. Now being alone with nothing to do but stare at the beauty of a historical city was actually a form of fun for her.
“Oh, who am I kidding?” Buffy shot up off the couch and grabbed a stake. As she headed out the door, the Slayer paused and decided to upgrade her weapon. A quick search through her weapons chest and the longest living Slayer grabbed her favorite broadsword and her new favorite toy: her scythe. “Time for the real fun now.”
After an hour of patrolling and no action, Buffy sighed and started to move on. Maybe she could finally get a hold of Willow and catch up on things in England.
“Chosen One…..” A voice echoed all around her. It was female.
Buffy turned in a circle, looking for the origin of the voice, but there was no one there. No movement anywhere. Maybe she was hearing things in her advanced age. Or maybe she’d found a shy…..
The ground dropped away and Buffy fell through a blue glowing abyss. She landed hard on a dirt and leaf covered ground. “OW!” She looked up and found tall, beautiful trees above her where a dark, star-filled sky should’ve been. “What the…..”
“Chosen One.” A male voice said behind her.
Buffy shot to her feet and found a tall, handsome man with long blonde hair and dark eyes standing there studying her. But he wasn’t really a man. His ears….. They were pointy. Like an elf. “Ooook.”
“Forgive me. I am Haldir. The Lady Galadriel has requested your presence.”
“Who?” Buffy looked at the other pointy-eared guys standing behind Haldir.
“Come quickly, you are needed and daylight draws near.” With that, Haldir turned and started to walk. Buffy figured she’d better follow if she didn’t want to get lost. So, she followed. They led her through an immense forest that was just... Well, beautiful. But the sight of their dwellings took her breath away. They were in the trees and seemed to glow from an inner light. Haldir waited for her to join him and then he led her up the stairs.
"So, uh... Why am I here?" Buffy asked.
"All in good time, young Slayer."
"I hate it when someone says that to me."
Haldir smirked. "From the things I have heard about you, I thought you would be... bigger."
"Nope. Not me. But you're not the first person to say that."
"I suppose I wouldn't be." Haldir motioned for the other Elves following them to leave before he continued on.
"So, uh, what have you heard about me?"
"The Lady Galadriel has told great tales of you. How you have died twice and yet you still walk the Earth. There are even rumors that you loved the enemy which almost cost your world its life."
"Wow, how'd she know about all of that?"
"Our Lady is very mysterious. She sees and knows all."
"How fortune teller of you."
Haldir stopped in front of a large garden. "She is here."
"Where?" Buffy turned, but Haldir had walked away. When she turned back, a tall, beautiful woman stood in front of her. She had long blonde hair and she also seemed to glow from an inner light like the buildings. It was her eyes that really caught Buffy's attention. They seemed to have thousands of little, tiny sparkly lights trapped in there.
"I am Galadriel." She said. "Come, there isn't much time."
Buffy sat staring at the fading image in the mirror for a long moment before looking at Galadriel, the queen of the Elves. Apparently a group of eight (two humans, an elf, a dwarf, and four, um, hobbits) were in the woods and the queen had searched for a way to give them more help to finish their mission since Gandulf, a powerful wizard, had been killed. Galadriel had come to find tales of Buffy the Vampire Slayer of an advanced plane of existence. The powerful Elven queen had summoned her here to help.
“Come.” Galadriel said. “The Fellowship needs you.”
Still finding all of this a bit on the absurd side, Buffy followed the beautiful queen. The Fellowship was gathered by the river and was preparing to leave. Buffy was forced to stand back and wait as each member was given a gift. She noticed the elf staring at her. He was cute. No, he was hot.
“Chosen one.” Buffy looked up at Galadriel. “Come forward.” The Fellowship, which consisted of not one girl, stared at her. She definitely had their attention. Little tiny blonde chick coming to join them and slow them down. “This is the Slayer. She is the most powerful of her kind. A human at first glance, but so much more. She comes from an advanced plane of existence and I have summoned her to aid you in your journey. With Gandulf no longer among your ranks, you will need a powerful companion.”
“She is but a woman.” The dwarf said. He looked like he was shocked by his own outburst.
“You will soon find the error in those words, Master Dwarf.” The Elves crowded near Buffy and strapped weapons to her. Her broadsword, her scythe, four knives, and a bow with a quiver of arrows. “She is a warrior by nature and a descendant of the Elves themselves.” Galadriel took Buffy’s hand and guided her to their leader. The Elf, Legolas was his name, continued to stare at her.
Aragorn bowed low. “I am most honored by your presence.”
“Watch over her, Aragorn. She is the key to many great things.” The Elves departed and left Buffy with the Fellowship.
Gimli, the dwarf, walked up to her. “You are but a girl. How are you a warrior?”
“You’re just a midget with an ax. How do I know you can even use it for fighting instead of chopping wood?” Buffy shot back.
Aragorn laughed. “Do you have a name Slayer?”
Buffy eyed him for a moment. Human. Not hard on the eyes either. He had that scruffy warrior guy look she only saw in historically accurate movies like ‘Braveheart.’ “Buffy.” She said. “My name’s Buffy.”
“Such an odd name.”
“Thanks ARAGORN.” He just looked at her. “Never mind.”
The other human, Boromir, stood next to Aragorn. “Do you know how to use those weapons, or shall I give you a few lessons?”
“I think I’ll be the one the one giving lessons when it’s all said and done.”
“I like her! Watch your back, Boromir, she could prove to be more valuable than you and we will have to dispose of you.” Aragorn exclaimed, clapping Boromir on the shoulder.
Buffy looked over at the hobbits, more precisely Frodo. She knew it was Frodo because there was a great power emanating from him. A great and EVIL power. It was the ring Buffy had been told about. Frodo was so adorable and he seemed to be sweet-natured and Buffy had the utmost respect for him. Galadriel had explained the poor hobbit’s burden to her and Buffy knew what he felt. Being the Slayer was quite the burden too.
He walked over to her and held out his hand. "Hello Buffy, my name is Frodo."
She kneeled in front of him. “I know who you are, Frodo." She smiled and shook his hand. "I’m sorry I can’t carry your burden for you, but I promise that I’ll do my best to help make it easier. It’s not an easy thing to carry that much power.” She smiled. “Here.” Buffy took off her cross necklace that Angel had given her. It was a symbol of her power and now she put it around Frodo’s neck. “For strength and luck.”
“Thank you.” Frodo said, looking at the cross. “It’s beautiful.”
“A friend gave it to me to remind me of my strength and now I’m giving it to you to remind you that no matter what, that same strength is in you too.”
Someone cleared their throat behind her and Buffy turned to find the other three hobbits. One held out his hand to her. “I’m Samwise Gamgee. My friends call me Sam.”
“Well, hi there Sam.”
“This here’s Marry and Pippin.”
“Hi. I’m Buffy.” Buffy smiled at them. They looked like adorable little kids.
“That’s a real pretty name.” Pippin said.
“Yeah. It’s not odd like Aragorn said.” Merry added.
“Well, thank you. I like my name too.” Buffy said.
“Merry, Pippin, into the boat with you.” Boromir called, smiling at Buffy. The hobbits looked back at Buffy and she nodded. They waved and ran to Boromir. Sam led Frodo to the boats and Buffy was left to meet Legolas. He had stood there, silent and watching her out of the corner of his eyes.
“So, you must be the quiet, shy one, huh?”
“No.” Legolas said, looking her in the eyes.
“And stoic. Very nice. I know a couple of guys like that. Dated one of em actually.”
“Dated?”
“We were….. Involved for a while.” Still nothing. “We were a couple.” And more nothing. “Oh! He courted me for a long time, but it never got to marriage.”
“I am sorry.”
“Don’t be. He’s still around, but we’re not like that anymore.”
Legolas seemed to start to smile at that, but Aragorn walking up cut the would-be smile short. “Legolas. Buffy will ride with you and Gimli. She is light in weight and will not be a threat in your boat.”
Legolas nodded and held out his hand to Buffy. “Come, I’ll help you into the boat.” For the first time, he smiled completely and Buffy felt totally at ease with the Elf.
Buffy listened to Gimli tell stories of his early days and of his cousin. She kept stealing glances back at Legolas. He watched her closely, studying every move she made. Normally she would have given him a piece of her mind, but for some reason, she felt protected under his watchful eye. Not to mention she liked watching him too. The fluidity of his movements enchanted her and she found herself lost in his rowing of the boat.
"Does Gimli bore you?" Buffy looked over to see Boromir rowing up beside their boat. "His tales can be quite boisterous, but they tend to stay on the side of dullness."
"No. It's fine. I was just... The river is so pretty." Buffy said.
"Now go away and let me finish." Gimli said. "I'm entertaining the lady now. You'll have your turn." Boromir just laughed.
Pippin, who was in the boat with Boromir, offered Buffy some type of bread. "Here. Legolas says that one bite should fill you up. I've had twelve already and I'm still hungry."
"Where do you put it all?"
Pippin looked confused. "In my belly, of course."
Buffy laughed. "Thanks Pippin, but I'm not hungry."
Pippin looked at Legolas. "Boromir's getting tired, so we're not going to be able to keep up with you. Do you have some bread left?"
"Yes." Legolas said. Boromir's boat started to drift behind them.
"Good. Don't let her starve." Pippin said.
"I promise I won't." Legolas smiled at Buffy and she smiled back at him.
Boromir watched the beautiful Slayer closely. Only two days had passed since they had first met her and set out from Loth lorien. She hadn’t said much, but her actions suggested that she was a trained warrior. He suddenly found himself thinking of his return to Gondor after this long journey. What a return it would be: Him glorious in victory over evil with the ring and a beautiful warrior wife at his side.
Buffy sat at the edge of the water watching the current flow. She enjoyed the lulling sound of it. It had been a long time since she’d had anything to do with nature other than the sight of a battlefield or her slamming onto the fresh cut grass of a cemetery.
“It is beautiful, is it not?” Boromir said behind her.
She looked up. “I haven’t seen a river like it before.”
“It will never compare though.”
“To what?”
“To your beauty.”
“Oh.”
Aragorn glanced over at Boromir. He was moving in on Buffy and Aragorn sensed that Legolas wasn’t happy with the competition. The elf seemed smitten with the lovely Slayer.
“Where did you learn your skills?” Boromir asked her.
Buffy was a little confused. “My skills?”
“In battle.”
“Oh. My Watcher and my ex-boyfriend. A lot of its instinct though.”
“I look forward to seeing you in battle.”
“You’re expecting one?”
“I believe one is inevitable.”
“Ah.”
“What enemies have you faced?”
“Vampires, demons….. You name it.”
“And what of Orcs?” Aragorn asked from behind them.
“What’s that?”
“The enemy that follows us even now.”
“Never faced one. Are they easy to kill?”
“Cut off their head, stab them to death…..”
“Your basic kill then.” Buffy nodded. “I can handle that.” She stood and walked off.
Merry and Pippin ran over to her. “Are you hungry?”
“Not really guys.”
“You have to eat.” Pippin said. “Everyone has to eat.”
“Pippin…..”
“Come on!” Merry said. They each grabbed one of her hands and pulled her to their little fire. Aragorn chuckled to himself. The hobbits had taken a liking to Buffy.
Frodo scooted over so she could sit next to him. Sam, on Frodo’s other side, handed her a plate and smiled. “It’s good for you. It’ll put meat on your bones.”
“Are you saying I’m too thin?” Buffy asked.
“Oh no, ma’am. I’m just…..”
“He just worries that you could be easily hurt should something happen.” Frodo said.
Buffy smiled and patted Sam’s hand. “You don’t need to worry about me, Sam. I’ll be perfectly fine. I promise.”
Aragorn glanced at Legolas. The elf smiled at the Slayer. He had been watching her move about and interact with the others and had found himself nearly speechless when she interacted with him. A part of him sensed that Boromir had developed an infatuation with Buffy. And for some reason, that upset Legolas. He would just have to try harder to keep Buffy’s attention when he had the privilege of having it directed at him.
Chapter 2
Buffy had decided to take a stroll while everyone was asleep. Two days ago, she had been brought to Middle-Earth to help the Fellowship. That afternoon, Boromir had hit on her and it was flattering, but she wasn't really into dating guys from other dimensions. Says the Slayer who fell in love with a vampire. Middle-Earth was beautiful. She had never seen anything like it back home.
"Do you always wander off by yourself in unknown lands?" A voice said behind her.
She turned to find Legolas standing behind her. "Legolas. I didn't hear you come up."
"I did not mean to startle you."
"You didn't. Just saying. And the answer to your question is not usually because I don't usually end up in unknown lands."
"May I speak freely?"
"Sure."
"If what Galadriel says is true, that you are the warrior of your people..."
"Yeah?"
"Why are you not bigger?" Buffy stared at the Elf for a moment, then began to laugh. "What?"
"Nothing. I just found that really funny. I actually get asked that a lot. For some reason... Having it come from you makes it a lot funnier." She took a deep breath. "Sorry. I couldn't tell you why I'm not bigger. But I am a Slayer."
"And what does that mean?"
"Super strength. Super speed. Super hearing. Super seeing."
"Like an Elf?"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Interesting."
"I get that a lot." After a minute of uncomfortable silence, Buffy looked at Legolas. "So, would you like to join me?"
"You want me to walk with you?"
"No, I want you to skip next to me and sing a Backstreet Boy's song." He stared at her. "I'm kidding. Yes, I want you to walk with me."
"That would be nice. I would love to escort you."
"Whoa. No escorting. This isn't the prom and I'm not a damsel in distress."
"I'm sorry."
"It's ok. I'm not used to your speech either."
He smiled at her and she smiled back. "Shall we?" He let her begin to walk and then followed suit.
They walked on in silence for a while and then Buffy asked, "So how old are you, Legolas?"
"I am 2931 years."
"Oh my God."
"What?"
"Um... Wow. That's... wow. Are you serious?"
"Yes. Quite. What is wrong?"
"Nothing. You just... You don't look your age."
"And how old are you?"
"Twenty four."
"Hmm."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You said 'hmm.' Why'd you say 'hmm?'"
"Nothing." He looked down at her. "I promise. I was trying to think of something to say, but the words fell short of my lips."
"Oh. Ok then." They walked on in silence for a few more minutes and then perched on some rocks. "So, what do you do?"
"What do you mean?"
"Job wise, what do you do?"
"I'm a prince."
"A prince? Really?"
"Yes. A prince of Mirkwood."
"Wow. Never hung out with royalty before."
"What do you do?"
"Well, I'm no princess. I'm just a Slayer. And I don't really have a real job."
They went on like that all night until the sun began to brighten the horizon. When they made it back to camp, everyone was packing their things. "Where have you two been?" Boromir asked.
"I was escorting Buffy through the woods. I did not want her to get lost." Legolas said. "It would have been unchivalrous of me to allow her to wander alone in unfamiliar territory."
"Yes. Quite unchivalrous of you. It is good you were there to watch her."
"I don't need to be watched." Buffy said. "I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."
Aragorn chuckled to himself and shook his head. If Boromir wasn't careful, he would lose the battle for Buffy's heart to Legolas. He smiled at Buffy as she went over to collect her things. This was going to be an interesting journey.
Buffy shook her head and laughed at Pippin and Merry. They were singing and dancing in front of the fire, providing much needed entertainment. Aragorn had gone to fetch more wood to keep the fire going and Legolas sat on the other side of the fire checking and re-checking his arrows. Frodo sat near Gimli to Buffy's left and clapped for Merry and Pippin, and Sam poked the meat in his frying pan. Boromir walked over to Buffy and sat down next to her, handing her a cup of water.
"Oh, thank you." Buffy said.
"You are most welcome." Boromir said. He smiled at her. "I am disappointed that I have yet to see you in battle."
"I'm not. It's a nice reprieve from fighting night in and night out. Besides, the entertainment is way better."
"Your speech is so strange, yet it is intriguing at the same time."
"My English teachers told me the same thing."
"Oh, so your native tongue is not the one you speak now?"
"Huh? Oh! English is what we're speaking now. It's my original language."
"And you've had schooling?"
"Yup. Twelve years of forced learning and one and a half years of extremely expensive college."
"College?"
"Advanced schooling."
"I see. Well, I applaud your efforts and am most honored that I sit beside such a studious warrior woman." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles, then stood up and headed towards the woods. Buffy shook her head and looked back at Merry and Pippin. She couldn't help but notice Legolas sitting on the other side of the fire pretending to be interested in his arrows. She smiled and waved at him and she was surprised to see him smile and wave back at her. They watched each other for a moment before Sam came up to Buffy and handed her a plate.
"Here you are, Miss Summers. Hot and delicious." Sam said.
"Sam, how many times do I have to tell you? Lay off the Miss Summers thing, ok? It's Buffy."
"Sorry Miss... Buffy. Once a polite hobbit, always a polite hobbit."
She smiled. "Well, this looks and smells great, Sam. Guess I was hungrier than I thought." She looked back across the fire, but Legolas had gotten up and moved away somewhere.
After a long day of traveling on the river and listening to Gimli's stories, Buffy was almost exhausted. Aragorn pulled out a blanket and prepared to cover the little Slayer as she slept. “Let me.” Legolas said. He took the blanket and went to Buffy. As the warmth covered her, Buffy woke up. Only she wasn’t in the same place….. And it was daylight. “What the…. Where am I?” She looked around. “Legolas?” No answer. “Aragorn? Boromir?”
“Boromir is no more.” A deep voice said behind her. She spun to find a very large and very ugly beastie. It had a white handprint on it forehead. “He will not last to see another sunset.” The thing’s mouth wasn’t moving.
“What do you mean?” The thing stepped away to reveal Boromir’s body. There were three arrows sticking out of him. Buffy dropped to her knees. “Why?”
“Your presence here has interrupted the balance. An exchange must be made.”
“There was already an exchange! Gandulf….” Before her, half the thing’s torso fell and Buffy shot up, startling Legolas. Dawn had broken.
Legolas caught her in his arms and held her. “Buffy…..”
“Where’s Boromir?”
“What?”
“Where is he?”
“I am here.” Boromir walked over to them and crouched in front of Buffy. “What is the matter?”
“No arrows.” She looked him over. “Not dead.”
“Not yet. What is this about?”
“It was just a dream. Please let it be just a dream.” Legolas and Boromir helped her to stand and Buffy pushed her hair back away from her face and looked at Legolas. He smiled tightly at her as if her concern for Boromir had wounded him.
Buffy stared into the woods and reached out her senses. Something was wrong here. Something was coming. After ten days of traveling on the river, the Slayer had been fully updated on what was going on. They were being followed by these things called Orcs sent by an evil wizard called Saruman that was working for a big, fiery eye named Sauron. The Fellowship had been formed to protect Frodo who carried a ring that contained all the evil in Middle Earth and they were on their way to Mordor to throw it into a big volcano or something like that. She had also learned things about each member of the group. Most of all Legolas and Boromir.
Speaking of….. “Your senses are as strong, if not stronger than mine. You must feel the same.” Legolas said.
Buffy nodded. “We need to keep moving. There’s trouble a’brewin.”
“I agree.” Legolas moved over to talk to Aragorn and Buffy stayed near the trees..
“Where is Frodo?” Merry asked.
Buffy turned and did a quick inventory of everyone. “Where’s Boromir?”
“I shall go and find them.” Aragorn moved off into the woods and disappeared.
Buffy was still worried. Her senses were going haywire. Legolas put his hand on her shoulder and watched the woods with her. Something clicked and Buffy heard a voice yell, “Find the halflings!” She glanced at Merry and Pippin. Sam was missing. He had probably gone after Frodo with Aragorn. “Merry, Pippin.” They ran over to her. “Run.”
“What?” Merry asked.
Buffy pulled out her sword. “Go!” With that, she ran into the woods. Legolas and Gimli followed. They found Aragorn locked in a heated battle with these really nasty beasties like the one from her dream. There were clad in serious armor and toting major artillery. Without a seconds hesitation, Buffy went to work fighting off what could only be Orcs. She noticed Legolas shooting arrow after arrow in quick succession and taking down one or two Orcs with each. Damn, She thought. He’s good. Before she knew it, all the Orcs were gone and a horn sounded in the distance.
“The horn of Gondor.” Legolas said.
Aragorn ran past. “Boromir.”
“Yay! More fighting. I was just getting started.” Buffy followed Aragorn, switching to her scythe to do more damage, but she lost sight of him as more Orcs surrounded them. “Legolas?”
“Yes?” He called back.
“You got this?”
“Go!”
Buffy ran and used her scythe to dispatch Orcs quickly as she went. She found Aragorn fighting off a HUGE Orc that was preparing to throw a knife at the downed warrior. She threw herself in front of Aragorn and caught the knife in midair. She kept the momentum going and swung the knife right back at the Orc. It caught the thing in its upper right arm. It didn’t stop him though. He pulled out a massive looking sword and came at her. She held the scythe at the ready and took the Orc head on. Moving the scythe in circular motions around her body, she managed to block the blows and chop off the same arm she had thrown the knife into. Looking up, she smiled cruelly at the thing and then realized it was the ugly beastie from her dream. This one had killed Boromir. With a savage scream, Buffy chopped the Orc in half much in the same way she had done Caleb. Aragorn moved behind her and she turned.
“I’m all right.” He said.
“You don’t look it.” She helped him to his feet and he looked over her shoulder.
“No.” Aragorn ran over to the fallen Boromir. He had three arrows sticking out of him and he was fading fast.
Buffy covered her mouth and hung her head. “No.” She felt Legolas behind her and she turned into his embrace. Out of the eight left in the Fellowship, Legolas and Boromir had vied for her attention the most. She had spent the most time with them. Boromir had been a worthy fighter and a great man. Pulling away from Legolas and dodging Gimli, Buffy kicked the dead Orc in the head so hard, its head ripped off its body and bounced off a tree. Her three remaining companions stared at her as she made her way back to the river. Sam’s things were gone and one boat was missing. She saw movement on the other shore and knew it was Frodo and Sam.
Legolas glanced at Buffy sitting with her back against a tree and her knees up to her chest. Gimli sat on a rock and Aragorn stood a little ways away collecting his bearings. They had sent Boromir’s body down river as a matter of respect to their fallen comrade. Legolas knew that Sam and Frodo had gone to the other shore and he pushed the boat into the water.
“Hurry! Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore.” He paused and noticed that no one made a move to follow. “You mean not to follow?”
“Frodo’s fate is no longer in our hands.” Aragorn said.
“Then it has all been in vain.” Gimli said. “The Fellowship has failed.”
“And I guess I’m no longer needed.” Buffy said, getting to her feet and dusting herself off.
“You are wrong, beautiful Slayer.” Aragorn said. “If we are true to each other, we will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment of death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We’ll travel light. Let’s hunt some Orc.” Aragorn turned and headed into the woods. Gimli laughed and followed.
Legolas looked at Buffy hopefully. She smiled. “Can’t turn down an offer like that.” Legolas smiled and followed the Slayer and the others.
Chapter 3
Buffy watched Legolas pace back and forth as Aragorn and Gimli slept. He was always restless and rarely slept. But then again, so was she. After a long moment, Buffy stood and walked over to him.
"You should sleep." He said without turning.
"Never was one for sleeping when you’ve always got a demon looking to kill you." She retorted.
"What’s it like where you come from?"
"A WHOLE lot different from this place." Buffy looked around. "There’s lots of buildings and people and lights. I almost forgot what stars look like."
"Why?"
"Pollution and smog block it out."
"What are….."
"Bad side effect of evolution." She smiled. "I was born in the wrong era."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I for one enjoy nature a lot more than being in a bustling city where you can’t see the stars."
"What about your friends? Won’t they be looking for you?"
She snorted. "They’re so wrapped up in their own lives….. I think they’ve forgotten me."
"I doubt that." He looked at her. "You seem like a hard person to forget."
She smiled. "I’ll take that as a compliment."
***"Their pace has quickened. They must have caught our scent." Aragorn said. "Hurry!"
Buffy and Legolas ran up the rocky hill after Aragorn. Legolas looked back. "Come on Gimli!"
"I should have been a track star instead of a cheerleader." Buffy said as she continued to run. "What was I thinking?"
They ran down into a gully and Aragorn stopped to inspect something on the ground. It was a leaf pin that the Fellowship wore. "They may yet be alive." Legolas said.
"Less than a day ahead of us." Aragorn ran ahead.
Legolas encouraged Buffy on as he called back to Gimli, "Come Gimli! We are gaining on them." They reached the top and Legolas mounted a tall rock.
"Rohan." Aragorn said.
"What’s that?" Buffy asked.
"Home of the Horse Lords." He looked at the vast plain. "There’s something strange at work here. Some evil gives speed to these creatures. Sets its will against us."
Without another thought, Buffy dropped down the small cliff and moved forward. Legolas followed. He paused. "What do you see?" Buffy asked.
"The Uruks turned Northeast." Legolas looked up at Aragorn. "They’re taking the hobbits to Isenguard!"
"Saruman, I’m guessing."
"Yes.
"Then why are we just standing here? I’m not out of breath." Buffy smiled playfully at Legolas and took off running again. After a while, she dropped back next to Gimli and said, "Keep breathing. The key is to keep breathing."
"I don’t need a woman’s help. The Elf probably sent you back here." Gimli said, obviously out of breath.
Buffy just smiled and caught up to Aragorn. "You ok?"
"What?" Aragorn asked.
"Are you all right?"
"I’m alive. And you?"
"At the moment." She ran ahead and caught back up to Legolas.
"You do not tire?" He asked.
"Please! I was built for this."
***The next morning, Aragorn stopped and looked at the ground. He motioned for them to get behind a large boulder as a thundering roar caught up to them. It was a large group of men on horses riding by. Aragorn moved out and yelled, "Riders of Rohan!"
Legolas helped Buffy to her feet as the riders all turned around. "This can’t be too good." Buffy said the riders surrounded them and pointed their spears.
The apparent leader rode up. "What business does an Elf, a woman, a man, and a dwarf have in the Ridimark? Speak quickly."
"Give me your name, horsemaster, and I shall give you mine." Gimli retorted.
The leader jumped off his horse. "I would cut off your head, dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground."
Legolas drew an arrow and pointed it at the man. "You would die before your stroke fell." All spears were now pointed at Legolas.
"Legolas!" Buffy moved the arrow down and looked at Aragorn.
"I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn. This is Gimli, son of Gloin, Legolas of the woodland realm, and Buffy, the Slayer who is not of our world. We are friends of Rohan and of Theodan, your king."
"Theodan no longer recognizes friend from foe." The leader removed his helmet. "Not even his own kin." The spears were withdrawn. "Saruman has poisoned the mind of the king and claimed lordship over his lands. My company are those loyal to Rohan and for that we were banished. The White Wizard is cunning. He walked here and there they say. There’s an old man, hooded and cloaked, and everywhere his spies passed our nets."
"We are not spies. We track a body of Uruk-hai westward across the plain and they’ve taken two of our friends captive."
"The Uruks have been destroyed. We slaughtered them during the night."
"But there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli asked.
"They would be small." Aragorn said. "Only children to your eyes."
"We left none alive." The leader said. "We piled the carcasses and burned them."
"Dead?" Gimli asked.
"I am sorry."
Buffy laid her forehead on Legolas’s shoulder and he touched her back, hanging his head.
The leader whistled and called over three horses. "May these horses bring you to better fortune than they did to their masters. Farewell.” The Riders started to slowly depart. "Look for your friends, but do not trust a hope. It is forsaken in these lands. We ride north!"
Aragorn looked at Buffy. "Can you ride?"
The Slayer hopped on with ease and grace. "Since I was six." She didn’t wait for the others as she guided the horse to the smoking pile of Uruk bodies. "Merry! Pippin!" There was no answer. She called a few more times as Gimli sorted through the burned bodies.
Buffy dismounted and stood next to Legolas as Gimli held up a burnt and charred….. Thing. "It’s one of their wee belts." He said. Legolas murmured something in Elvish and Aragorn kicked a helmet, letting out a scream of frustration and dropping to his knees. "We failed them."
"No, I don’t think we did." Buffy said, spotting a glimmer of hope. She picked up a cut piece of rope. "Look!"
"She is right." Aragorn said, staring at the ground. "A hobbit lay here. They crawled, their hands were bound….." Aragorn moved over to Buffy. "Their bonds were cut….."
The Slayer looked around and spotted foot prints. "They ran over here." Buffy closed her eyes and whispered a spell that Willow had taught her. It allowed her to see the recent memories of a place. "Something grabbed them. It took one of their belts and they ran away from the battle….." She opened her eyes and turned. "Into that forest! They escaped into that forest."
"Fanghorn Forest." Aragorn said, moving to the edge of the trees.
"What madness drove them in there?" Gimli asked.
"Let’s go!" Buffy started to go in, but Aragorn and Legolas grabbed her.
"No." Aragorn said.
"What’s wrong?"
"These woods are perilous. Not like Loth lorien. The White Wizard roams these woods."
Buffy looked at them. "It’s Merry and Pippin. We can’t just leave them to rot in there."
"And we won’t." Legolas said. "Let us go." With that, he led the way in. He looked at Buffy. "Do you sense anything?"
Buffy sniffed the air and allowed her super keen senses go on overdrive. A certain tang was in the air. A familiar tang. "Here." She pointed to a small bush.
Gimli touched a leaf and tasted. "Uck! Uruk blood."
Aragorn moved ahead, apparently following hobbit tracks. He stopped. "These are strange tracks."
"Is it just me, or is the air alive?" Buffy asked.
"This forest is old. Very old." Legolas said. "Full of memory….. and anger."
There was a loud groan and Gimli drew his ax as Buffy prepared to grab her scythe. "What….."
"The trees are speaking to each other."
"Trees can do that?"
"Gimli." Aragorn yelled in a whisper. "Lower your ax."
"They have feelings my friend." Legolas said.
"Explain that to me." Buffy said.
"The Elves began it. Waking up the trees, teaching them to speak."
"Talking trees?" Buffy smiled. "This place is way better than home."
"What do trees have to talk about?" Gimli asked. "Except the consistency of squirrel droppings."
"The sun….. and the moon….. and the stars." Buffy said. "I bet they like being able to see the stars."
Legolas moved up next to her and said something in Elvish in her ear. When she looked at him, confused, he just smiled playfully and moved ahead. Buffy noticed Aragorn smiling. "What? What did he say?"
"He said ‘your eyes are more star filled than a galaxy, your skin’s glow rivals the moon’s, and your hair is more radiant than the sun’s golden light.’" Aragorn patted her arm. "I think you have bewitched Legolas."
"Not me! Willow’s the one that does the….. Oh. You meant he likes me." She paused. "He likes me?" Buffy noticed Legolas slightly looking over his shoulder at her with a smirk.
"Indeed."
Legolas paused and then moved up a small hill. "Aragorn." He said something in Elvish again.
"He’s not talking about me again, is he?" Buffy asked.
"Legolas said something is coming." Aragorn said as he and Buffy followed. He started to speak to Legolas in Elvish, but stopped and said it in English for Buffy. "What do you see?"
"The White Wizard approaches." Legolas motioned over his shoulder.
Buffy’s hand gripped the hilt of her sword as she and the others prepared to attack. "Do not let him speak." Aragorn said. "He will put a spell on us. We must be quick." Buffy and Aragorn drew their swords, Legolas pulled back the arrow in his bow, and Gimli hefted his ax as they turned. Gimli threw his ax, but the bright light deflected it. Legolas shot his arrow, but the light parried it too. Buffy and Aragorn dropped their swords because they were becoming white hot in their grips.
"You are tracking the footsteps of two young hobbits." The light said.
"Where are they?" Aragorn yelled.
"They passed this way, the day before yesterday. They met someone they did not expect. Does that comfort you?"
"Who are you? Show yourself!" The bright light diminished around the wizard and revealed an old man in flowing white robes, a white beard, and long white hair. "It cannot be."
"Forgive me." Legolas said, dropping to one knee. "I mistook you for Saruman."
"I am Saruman." The wizard said. "Saruman as he should be."
"You fell." Aragorn said.
"Through fire and water….. From the lowest dungeon to the highest peak I fought with Balrog of Morgoth until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time. The stars weaved overhead and everyday was a strong life age of the earth, but it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I’ve been sent back until my task is done."
Aragorn moved forward. "Gandulf….."
Buffy looked at Legolas. "That’s Gandulf!?" He nodded.
"Gandulf?" The wizard asked. "Oh, yes. That was what they used to call me. Gandulf the Gray. That was my name. I am Gandulf the White. And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.
"Now I get it!" Buffy said. "A trade must be made. I thought it was you for me, but it was….." She noticed Gandulf staring at her. "Oh, hi!" She gave him a small wave.
"Your friends are searching for you."
"What? You….. You saw them?"
"The witch….. I saw her spells and I heard her cries. Her call for you is powerful. It echoes across dimensions and time."
"They’re looking for me?"
"Buffy?" Gandulf moved aside to reveal the red headed witch who was Buffy’s best friend. "Oh Buffy!" The two friends embraced tightly. "Dawn said you weren’t picking up your phone and no one had seen you for weeks! I did spell after spell, but I couldn’t find you! Then a voice told me where you were and I found a way to get here where this guy, I think he was the voice, said he knew how to find you….. Are you ok?"
"I’m ok. How’s Dawnie?"
"She’s worried sick." For the first time, Willow noticed the three guys with Buffy. "What’s going on? Who are these people? Are they people?"
"Sort of. Willow, this is Aragorn. He’s a human. This is Gimli. He’s a dwarf. And this….. This is Legolas. He’s an Elf. Guys, this is Willow. She’s a really powerful witch."
"What’s happened? How’d you end up here? You know better than to jump into random portals."
"Actually, I was called here for help. The Elven queen called me to help get this ring destroyed that carries all the evil on Middle Earth. We kinda got separated, and this is all that’s left."
"I’m not totally clear on all of this, but can we just go home now? I know a spell to get us back and….."
Buffy shook her head and moved back next to Legolas. "I’m not leaving."
"What?"
"I can’t just leave now. Not when I’m still needed here."
"Are you sure?" The Slayer nodded. After a moment, Willow sighed. "Well, I’m not leaving without you, so I guess I’m going with you."
Buffy stared at Willow’s resolve face. "Ok, and on that note….." Buffy looked at Aragorn.
"The lady may ride with me." He said. "But we must keep going. Uruks are still on our trail."
Willow looked at Buffy, but the Slayer held up her hand. "Big uglies. Lots of armor and weapons. Lots of grunting. I’ll explain everything later."
"Where’re we going?" Willow asked.
Chapter 4
Buffy held Willow’s hand as they trotted alongside Legolas. They were following Gandalf through the forest. "One stage of your journey is over." He was saying. "Another begins. We must travel to Edoras with all speed."
"Edoras?" Gimli asked. "That is no short distance."
"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king." Aragorn said.
"Yes, it will not be easily cured." Gandalf said.
"Then we have run all this way for nothing?" Gimli asked. "Are we to leave those poor hobbits here in this horrid, dark, dank, tree infested….." The trees groaned.
Willow tightened her grip on Buffy’s hand. The Slayer smiled. "It’s ok. The trees are telling Gimli to shut up." Legolas smiled at her. "That or their getting a jonesing for dwarf meat."
"I meant….. Charming….. Quite charming forest."
"It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fanghorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains." Gandalf said.
Aragorn stood next to him. "In one thing you have not changed, dear friends. You still speak in riddles." The two men laughed.
"A thing about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days. The Ents are going to wake up and find that they are strong."
"Strong?!" Gimli asked. "Oh, that’s good!"
"So stop your fretting, Master Dwarf. Merry and Pippin are quite safe. In fact, they are far safer than you are about to be."
"This new Gandalf’s more grumpy than the old one."
"I think he’s kinda neat." Buffy said. "He’s like….. Giles and Willow all wrapped into one."
"I’m not cryptic." Willow said.
"I meant the magicky part."
"Oh."
Gandalf let out a long whistle as soon as they reached the edge of the forest where their horses were waiting. A beautiful white horse came galloping up.
"That is one of the Mearas." Legolas said. "Unless my eyes are cheated by some spell."
"Shadowfax." Gandalf said. "He is the lord of all horses and has been my friend through many dangers."
A few minutes later, the six were riding away towards Edoras.
***While Willow and Gimli slept and Aragorn talked with Gandalf, Buffy and Legolas walked a little further away from their makeshift camp. They had traveled for two days non-stop.
"Willow’s going to be ok here. She’s tough." Buffy said. "She’ll be a real big help in the magick department."
"I’m glad you didn’t leave." Legolas said.
"Legolas….."
"Not just for my own personal wants, but I feel your services will be needed in the coming times." He smiled sadly. "Let us talk about happier things. Our time together is limited."
"Yeah."
"Your friend….. Willow….. She is skilled in the magicks?"
"You name it, she can probably conjure it. When she went evil a couple of years ago, she sucked up all the magick books and became an uber witch. Almost destroyed the world."
"Why would she be evil? She seems to be such a gentle person."
"Her….. Soul mate was shot and killed in front of her. She was seriously grieving."
"She won’t….."
"No! No, of course not. She’s learned to control the magicks a lot better."
"That is good."
Buffy looked back at the camp. It was extremely far away. "Wow, maybe we should start heading back. I have a feeling Aragorn will want to leave when the sun rises and that’s not far off." She looked at Legolas who was staring intently at her. "What?"
"Forgive me if I am out of line."
"I don’t….." Then Legolas’s lips pressed against hers gently, silencing her. He pulled back and looked at her shocked expression.
"I’m sorry. That was….."
Buffy couldn’t stop herself. She moved forward and kissed Legolas back, wrapping her arms around his neck. At the camp, Aragorn smiled at Gandalf who laughed sadly. They had seen Buffy and Legolas’s attraction to each other grow. Especially Aragorn.
"It’s sad to see." Gandalf said. "The Slayer must return to her home when this journey ends and Legolas must stay."
"Do you think their passion for each other will lead them together again one day?" Aragorn asked. Gandalf just smiled at him and walked away.
Legolas looked at Buffy, stunned. "Oh...."
"I am so sorry!" Buffy said, looking around for the best way to bolt out of there.
"No!" He grabbed her hand. "It was.... You were.... I have never.... kissed anyone.... Like.... like that before. That was...."
Buffy watched him stutter his way through his mini-speech and found herself smiling at him. "You're ok." Legolas looked back at her. "It was nice."
"It was more than nice. It was like nothing I have ever experienced before. It was wonderful."
Buffy laughed. "It was just a kiss."
"A kiss that will echo in my mind for all eternity." He pulled on her hand, bringing her closer to him, and wrapped her arm around his waist. She brought her other arm around and embraced him tightly. He held her to him and breathed in the soft scent of her hair, kissing the top of her head. They stayed like that for a long while, just holding each other.
***Buffy and Legolas rode side by side with Aragorn and Gandalf leading in front of them. Gimli rode behind Legolas and Willow behind Aragorn. They made their way up a hill and stopped. There was a large hill with buildings and a castle-like structure at the top.
"Edoras and the Golden Hall of Medseld." Gandalf announced. "There dwells Theodan, King of Rohan whose mind is overthrown. Saruman’s hold over King Theodan is now very strong. Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here."
They moved forward towards the gates. A flag with a horse on it fluttered to the ground in front of them. They entered Edoras where everyone was quiet and even the wind seemed to hush.
Buffy looked at Legolas. "I think I’ve patrolled graveyards happier than this place." He reached out and touched her hand gently and she squeezed it gratefully.
Leaving their horses, the six walked up the stairs of the castle-thing and were greeted by knights. The one with no helmet said, "I cannot allow you before Theodan King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame. By order of Grima Wormtongue."
Gandalf nodded at the others and Buffy, Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn stripped themselves of their weapons. Buffy pulled off her scythe and handed it over. "Anything happens to that, you’ll be singing a higher note when I’m through with you."
"Your staff." No-Helmet said to Gandalf.
"You would not part an old man from his walking stick." Gandalf said.
No-Helmet stared at him for a minute and then turned, leading them inside. Buffy noticed the icky, black snake-like man at the front and grabbed Legolas’s arm. "What is that?"
"Grima Wormtongue. Agent of Saruman. Legolas whispered.
"He sure lives up to his name."
"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Theodan King." Gandalf said.
"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" The king rasped. He reminded Buffy of a decomposing zombie.
"Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear." Worm Boy said. "Lathspell name him. Ill news is an ill guest."
"Be silent." Gandalf ordered. "Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm."
"His staff. I told you to take the wizard’s staff!"
The knights began to attack and Buffy, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli fought them off.
"Theoden." Gandalf bellowed. "Son of Thengel, too long have you sat in the shadows." Buffy and Legolas each shot up an arm and knocked a guy out trying to tackle them from behind.
Willow slammed Worm Boy on the floor and pinned him there with magick. "Stay down, Wormy."
"Hearken to me! I release you from the spell."
The king began to laugh. "You have no power here, Gandalf the Gray."
Gandalf threw off his gray cloak and revealed his bright white robes beneath. "I will draw you Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." A girl with long blond hair ran in and tried to run to the King, but Aragorn held her back.
"If I go, Theodan dies."
"You did not kill me, you will not kill him."
"Rohan is mine!"
"Be gone!" Gandalf seemed to whack the king with his staff and Theodan fell back. Aragorn released the girl and she ran to Theodan. Before everyone’s eyes, the king began to drop years off rapidly.
"Better than Botox." Buffy muttered.
"I know your face." Theodan said to the girl. "Eowyn."
"Who’s that?" Willow asked, still holding down Worm Boy.
"Theodan’s niece." Aragorn said. "Her name is Eowyn."
Theodan looked up. "Gandalf?"
"Breathe the free air again, my friend." Gandalf said.
Eowyn helped the king to stand. "Dark have been my dreams of late." He said.
"Your fingers would remember their old strength better if they grasped your sword."
No-Helmet brought a large, elaborate sword to the king. Theoden grasped the hilt and pulled the sword from its scabbard. He looked over menacingly at Worm Boy. Two knights grabbed him and hauled him out, tossing him down the stairs. Buffy, Legolas, Willow, and Gimli watched from the top of the stairs as Worm Boy was thrown out of the hall and down the stairs.
"I've only ever served you, my lord!" Worm Boy said.
Theodan advanced towards Worm Boy, holding his sword firmly in his hand. "Your leechcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!"
"Send me not from your side."
Theodan raised his sword to kill Worm Boy, but Aragorn held him back. "No, my lord! No, my lord. Let him go. Enough blood has been spilt on his account." Aragorn offered Worm Boy his hand, but Worm Boy just spit on it, scrambled to his feet, and pushed through the crowd saying, "Get out of my way!"
"Hail, Theoden king!" The crowd kneeled in homage before Theoden. Aragorn kneeled also. Theoden turned to go back into the hall and looked up. "Where is Theodred? Where is my son?"
***Buffy and Willow sat away from the funeral procession on a hill. They felt they weren’t a part of it, even though their friends were down there.
"How many of these do you think we’ve witnessed in the past nine years?" Willow asked.
"Too many." Buffy answered.
"I stopped counting after Tara."
"I stopped counting after mom. It just seemed so, I don’t know, pointless."
"Yeah….. Pointless."
Buffy stood and headed back towards the Great Hall. She was tired of watching death take loved ones. She hated seeing people in pain. Unfortunately, in her line of work, death and pain were common. She headed into the room that Eowyn had given her and sat on the bed, staring at the candle on the table by the bed. The door behind her opened and she turned to see Legolas walk in.
"Are you all right?" He asked, quietly shutting the door behind him. "I saw you leave and...."
"Oh, I'm fine." Buffy said. "Just.... I didn't want to watch anymore. Funerals are depressing."
"And something that reminds you of pain that you harbor close to your heart."
"How'd you guess?"
Legolas smiled softly. "Would you like to talk about it?"
"Not sure."
"Well, would you like someone to sit with you until you are sure?"
She smiled up at him. "Now that would be nice." He sat down on the bed next to her and watched the candle flame. After a few minutes, Buffy said, "I've been through a lot of death, but the one that really got to me was my mother's. It wasn't like any of the other death's I'd encountered. Vampire bites, demonic possessions, you name it.... But mom's death was.... Normal. She'd had a brain tumor and the doctor's removed it. We thought everything was going to be ok, but one day.... I walked in.... She was just lying there on the couch. I thought she was sleeping, but her eyes were open. I buried my mother when I was only 20 years old."
Legolas wiped a tear from her cheek "Grieve no more, I am here to hold you until you can smile once more."
***Buffy stood next to Legolas and watched the two refugee kids eat. Eowyn stood. "They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the wild men are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go. Rick, cot, and tree."
Aragorn glanced at Legolas from his seat at a smaller table. He, Gimli, and Willow were eating soup there. Buffy had just gone for a piece of bread. She wasn’t exactly hungry.
"Where is mama?" The little girl asked.
"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron." Gandalf said to Theoden. "Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fiht."
"You have 2,000 good men riding north as we speak." Aragorn said. "Eomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king."
Theoden stood. "They will be 300 leagues from here by now. Eomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want of me, but I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."
"Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not."
"When last I looked, Theoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan."
"Then what is the king’s decision?" Gandalf asked
Chapter 5
Buffy, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Willow followed Gandalf to the stables. The king had ordered everyone to flee to Helm’s Deep.
"Helm’s Deep." Gimli huffed. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?"
"He’s only doing what he thinks is best for his people." Aragorn said. "Helm’s Deep has saved them in the past."
"There is no way out of that ravine. Theoden is walking into a trap." Gandalf said. "He thinks he’s leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre. Theoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold."
Buffy walked up next to Aragorn. "And they will. If I know anything about fighting, it’s getting my troops out of a trap. Aragorn won’t be alone in his stand."
Gandulf smiled at the little Slayer. Despite her appearances, he sensed a true strength about her. Aragorn patted her shoulder and looked at Gandalf. "The defenses will hold. We will make sure of it."
Gandalf nodded. "With luck, my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at the first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east."
"Go."
With that, Gandalf rode out.
***Buffy and Legolas were once again alone together. The Slayer used a whetstone to sharpen her broadsword while Legolas checked his arrows. They were heading into battle. Both of them knew the seriousness of it, but despite the extreme circumstances, the two kept stealing glances at each other.
Finally, Legolas laid down his arrows and looked at her. "Do you not fear death as I do?"
Buffy looked startled. "What?"
"For the first time, I fear death. Not my own, but yours and the others. Before the Fellowship came together and you joined us in Loth lorien, I was certain of my skills and the skills of my kin. Now I am not. Promise me you will not die. Promise me you will protect your life and the lives of our companions. For if you promise me this, my certainty of my skills will be restored."
"Legolas….. The best I can do is promise that I’ll try my best."
"Then I shall do mine."
Buffy smiled and placed her hand on his cheek. "Why couldn’t I have met you on my world?"
"Our destines were not yet interwoven as they are now." He leaned forward and kissed her gently.
Willow watched the two from a hallway. She had been searching for Buffy and found Legolas in the process. Her heart broke for her Slayer friend. The poor girl could find the most decent guys in the world, but they were never able to stay around very long.
***Buffy, Legolas, Aragorn, Willow, and Gimli rode with Theoden and the entire town of Edoras behind them. They had traveled a long way and camped a couple of times for rest. Legolas had left Gimli on the horse and moved ahead of everyone on foot. Buffy watched him closely, sensing trouble just like he must be.
"Buffy….. Are you even listening?" Willow asked.
"Sorry, what?" Buffy asked, not looking away.
"I’ve been talking to you for a while. What’s wrong?"
Buffy looked at Aragorn. "We’re not safe. Something’s coming."
"What?" Aragorn asked.
"I don’t know."
Suddenly, Legolas disappeared over the hill when a scream sounded. There was a commotion and Legolas yelled, "A scout!"
Buffy rode for Legolas while Aragorn went to warn Theoden. "Willow!" She called back. "Go with the people of Edoras! They might need you." The Slayer rode past Legolas and drew her broadsword.
"Buffy!" Legolas yelled. He began to shoot down Orcs on giant hyena-looking creatures with his bow and arrow with deadly accuracy. The men of Edoras and Theoden rode up behind her. Legolas jumped on his horse while it was still galloping.
The giant hyena-things with Orcs riding on their backs came at them full speed. "Bring it on!"
The first Orc got its head sliced off and the second lost its right arm. One of the hyena-things jumped at her and she planted a hand on the saddle, jumped, and kicked the thing in the snout. Leaving one foot on the saddle and one hand holding the reigns, she kicked and slashed at the Orcs and hyena-things. Just as she plopped back down in the saddle, an Orc jumped off its hyena-thing and tackled her off the horse.
The air flew out of Buffy’s lungs and she saw a bright white light as her head slammed against the ground. "Buffy!" Aragorn shouted. The Orc was pulled off of her and she was lifted to her feet. "Are you all right?"
The Slayer shook it off and stabbed an oncoming Orc behind Aragorn. "Never better."
Fighting back-to-back, Buffy and Aragorn took out Orcs and hyenas in quick succession. One hyena with an Orc on top barreled toward them. Aragorn grabbed on and mounted the hyena, taking out the Orc. Buffy lost track of him as she pulled an Orc off a hyena and beheaded the hyena. The Orc tried to get back up, but Buffy stabbed him through the throat.
Before she knew it, the battle was over. She found Legolas and Gimli, but not Aragorn. "Where is he?" she asked.
"Aragorn!" Legolas called.
"Aragorn?" Gimli yelled.
The three made their way to the edge of a cliff overlooking a rapid moving river. Behind them, an Orc laughed. The thing was clearly dying. Buffy bent over the Orc. "Where’s Aragorn?" The Orc managed to gurgle a laugh. She dug her boot heel into the thing’s gaping chest wound. "Tell me what happened or I’ll make your death seem like an eternity."
"He’s….. dead." The Orc said. "He took a little tumble off the cliff."
Legolas grabbed the Orc. "You lie!" The thing died.
Buffy sunk to her knees at the edge of the cliff. She looked below at the river as Theoden joined her, then Legolas. "It can’t be. Not Aragorn." Legolas gently touched her hair and she laid her forehead against his thigh.
"Get the wounded on horses." Theoden ordered. "The wolves of Isenguard will return. Leave the dead." Buffy and Legolas’s heads shot up. Theoden helped Buffy to her feet and touched Legolas’s shoulder. "Come." He walked away leaving Buffy, Legolas, and Gimli staring over the cliff.
***"Make way for the king!" A man yelled as they rode into Helm’s Deep.
Buffy saw Eowyn and Willow run up as they approached. "Buffy!" The Slayer dismounted and Willow hugged her tightly. She noticed that her friend barely responded. "What’s wrong?"
Legolas came up behind Buffy and took her hand, placing it over his heart while he held it. "Aragorn." Buffy said. "He fell."
"Oh no."
"I lost track of him and….." Buffy looked away.
"I’m sorry."
"He’s not dead."
"What?"
"He can’t be."
"Buffy….."
"She is right." Legolas said. "Aragorn is strong. He will find his way to Helm’s Deep." With that, he led Buffy away. They managed to find a tiny room that was empty and secluded. Legolas took off his cape and folded it, laying in on the ground in front of him for Buffy to sit on. She sat down and then leaned back on his chest, listening to his heart beat. She didn't realize how tired she really was and found herself drifting off to sleep in Legolas' arms.
***Legolas gently shook Buffy awake. "Come, meleth. I hear rumors of Aragorn's return." Buffy looked up at Legolas and then they hurried out of the room. They hurried to the main hall. People were saying that Aragorn had arrived. Sure enough, he walked in, heading straight for them with his head down. He stopped and looked up just before he ran into them. Legolas said something to him in Elvish and then said, "You look terrible." Aragorn laughed.
Buffy hugged him tightly. "We knew you weren’t dead."
Aragorn smiled and hugged her back. "It is good to see you too."
Legolas handed Arwen’s necklace back to Aragorn. "You dropped this. I thought that you might like to have it returned to you."
"Thank you."
Legolas smiled. "You are welcome."
"So what happened?" Buffy asked.
"My sleeve became tangled in the beast’s saddle and it took me with it over the cliff. Come. There are much more dire things to talk of in front of the king." He started to walk.
"Like what?"
"There are ten thousand Uruks heading this way."
"Ten thousand!?"
"At least that. And they come for war."
***"A great host, you say?" Theoden asked.
"All Isenguard is emptied." Aragorn said.
"How many?"
"Ten thousand strong at least."
"Ten thousand!?"
"It is an army bred for a single purpose: To destory the world of Men. They will be here by nightfall."
Theoden turned and walked away. "Let them come." Buffy, Legolas, Willow, Gimli, and Aragorn followed. "I want every man and strong lad able to breat arms to be ready for battle by nightfall. We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping Wall or set foot inside the Hornburg."
"This is no rabble of mindless Orcs." Gimli said. "These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad."
"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own Keep." Theoden walked up to the outer wall. "They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman’s hordes will pillage and burn. We’ve seen it before. Crops can be resown, homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them."
"They do not come to destroy Rohan’s crops or villages." Aragorn said. "They come to destroy its people down to the last child."
"What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance."
Buffy had had enough. She moved up beside Aragorn. "Don’t you get it? Remembrance won’t mean anything after this because there won’t BE anyone to remember it."
"Buffy….." Legolas tried to pull her back for fear of the king’s wrath.
"No! Do you think Saruman and Sauron will give a damn about Theodan’s last stand at Helm’s Deep? The Uruk-hai will have one hell of a party on your bones if you don’t send for help."
"Who are you to give orders to Theoden King?" Theoden asked. "You are just a woman."
"I wish. I’m a Slayer. I’ve been through more battles with things you couldn’t possibly imagine or want to imagine. And I’m still around because I wasn’t afraid to ask for help."
"She is right." Aragorn said. "Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid."
"And who will come?" Theoden asked. "Elves? Dwarves? Witches and Slayers? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead."
"Gondor will answer."
"Gondor!? Where was Gondor when the West Fold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gon….. No, my lord Aragorn, we are alone."
"You’re not alone." Buffy said. "You’ve got me and you’ve got one powerful witch too."
Theoden stared at her and then walked away. "Get the women and children into the caves….."
"Egotistical man!" Buffy growled. "He’s let power go to his head." She looked at Willow. "Get with Legolas and figure out a way to call for help magickally. He’ll know who to send the call to. We’re going to need all the help we can get. Find Haldir or Galadriel and tell them that the Slayer and Aragorn ask for help. I need to find a new shirt."
***Buffy watched the people prepare for battle all around her. She had managed to get a dress and modify it so she could fight. She had cut a large slit down the front of the skirt so she could still use her legs. The sleeves were long and reminded her of the dresses at a Renaissance Fair. The entire thing was black velvet and had a collar that scooped and clung to the middle of her shoulders. She still wore her black leather pants and boots. Eowyn had helped her pull her hair back enough to keep it from flying in her face.
Her belt hung around her hips and she was loaded with her four knives, two swords, her scythe, and her bow and arrows. She looked like an Elven goddess to Legolas. Buffy didn’t feel like a goddess, though. She felt like a Slayer going into battle with an army that was highly unprepared.
"And Haldir didn’t respond?" Buffy asked.
"If he did, I couldn’t hear it." Willow said. "I’m sorry, Buffy."
"It’s….. ok. I mean, I’ve gone into the Hellmouth with an army of less than twenty five teenage girls facing a cavern of thousands of Turok-Han ready to mangle us and rip the flesh from our bones and, hey, I still came out alive. This time I’m facing ten thousand Uruk-hai with an army of young boys and old men. How hard could it be, right?"
Aragorn walked over to them. "Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers."
"Most have seen too many winters." Gimli said.
"Or too few." Legolas added. "Look at them. They’re frightened. I can see it in their eyes." He and Aragorn exchanged a few phrases in Elvish ending with Aragorn yelling, "Then I shall die as one of them!" And walking away.
Legolas tried to follow, but Gimli stopped him. "Let him go, lad. Let him be." After a minute, Legolas walked away in the other direction.
Buffy followed. "What was that all about?"
"I am ashamed of my actions. They were rash." Legolas said.
"Ok, but what did you say?"
"I lost hope and said all of these people were going to die. I have shamed myself and hurt my friend."
"You were scared. It’s ok. I’m scared too." Buffy touched Legolas’s cheek and forced him to look her in the eyes. "You asked me before if I feared death and the answer is yes, I do. I’m terrified I’m not going to get to see my friends grow old and my sister grow into a woman. But I don’t let that fear stop me from doing my job because I know in my heart and soul that if anything happens to me, they’re all gonna be ok. I know this looks hopeless now, but have a little faith, Legolas. Something tells me the fates are on our side.” She gently kissed his lips and then walked away to find Aragorn.
Chapter 6
A horn sounded and Buffy and Willow ran to see what it was. They ran into Legolas and Aragorn on the way over. "Are they here?"
"No." Legolas said. "That was no Orc horn."
They made it to the main stairs to find Haldir and an army of Elves. Aragorn walked up and hugged Haldir. Haldir turned and looked at Buffy. "I see you have become well adjusted to this world."
"I try." Buffy responded. "Even managed to get a little help too. Haldir, meet Willow. She’s a witch."
"Yes, I heard her call for help. I am honored to fight by your sides." Legolas paid his respects and then the Elves looked at Theoden. "We are proud to fight alongside Men once more."
***As everyone prepared for battle, Buffy and Haldir walked around, watching the men and Elves as they talked. "Galadriel sends her best wishes to you."
Buffy smiled. "I'm happy to hear that."
"She senses a change in you."
"Really?"
"And I sense a change in Legolas."
"Oh, I see."
"See what, may I ask?"
"About me and Legolas."
"Is it true?"
"I want it to be. But this isn't my world."
"Isn't it?"
"Ok, what's with all the questions to answer questions?"
"I only wish to provoke a truth in you."
"What truth? I wasn't born here, so it's not where I belong."
"And what makes you believe this? Maybe all that you have done in your life before has led to your life here. It could be that your time on your world is over and your time in this world has only just begun."
Buffy punched Haldir's arm playfully. "Stop being cryptic. Did Galadriel say something about me?"
"Only that she sensed a change in you. Nothing more, nothing less. I only take of it what I see here before my eyes." Haldir saw Aragorn and walked over to him, leaving Buffy to stare dumbfounded after him.
***Buffy stood with Legolas and Gimli at the wall. They were surrounded by Elves and they were waiting for war. Haldir had placed unwanted complications in her mind about her relationship with Legolas. She wanted it more than anything. Here she was normal, just another warrior among many, and it felt wonderful to feel that way. But a part of her knew she had a sacred duty back home that she couldn't ignore no matter how much she wanted to. Besides, that's where Dawn was. That's where she was needed.
"You two could have picked a better spot." Gimli said, pulling Buffy out of her thoughts. She almost laughed out loud when she saw that his head barely reached the top of the wall.
"You'll get your chance to fight Gimli." Buffy said. "I promise I'll leave one or two for you to kill."
"I wouldn't mock me, woman. I'll show you who's the better fighter. The one with the most kills after this is over will be the winner. And you can't die, either."
"I'll try not to."
Aragorn walked over to them. "Willow is with the king. She said to wish you luck and that she will do everything she can to protect the Keep."
Buffy nodded, watching the approaching Uruk-hai. "Good."
"Well, lad, whatever luck you live by, let’s hope it lasts the night." Gimli said.
A flash of lightning lit up the very large army of Uruk-hai. "Your friends are with you, Aragorn." Legolas said.
"Let’s hope they last the night."
Aragorn moved away. Legolas glanced at Buffy. She was standing at the ready. Obviously a trained fighter, but something in her eyes showed she was scared. He reached out and gripped her hand as the rain started to fall. The commanding Uruk ordered the troops to stop, but to Buffy it sounded like a long groan. She almost giggled.
Gimli bounced up and down, trying to see. "What’s happening out there?"
"Shall I describe it to you?" Legolas asked. "Or would you like me to find you a box?" Gimli laughed.
Suddenly, the Uruk-hai began to pound their spears on the ground and their chests, challenging their opponents. The Elves and the human archers got their bows ready. Buffy and Legolas held theirs steady. To their right, an arrow flew and slammed into an Uruk. The thing fell, dead, and the Uruk-hai grew silent. Aragorn yelled, but Buffy had no clue what he said.
"Hold." Legolas said.
"I am!" Buffy protested.
The Elf smiled. "That is what Aragorn said."
"Oh."
The Uruk-hai growled and yelled, then they began to march. Buffy glanced back at Willow and then at Legolas as he spoke in Elvish. Then to her, he said, "Their armor is weak at the neck and beneath the arm."
"Oh good."
Aragorn yelled, "Release arrows!" in Elvish. He had told Buffy what it had meant.
An amazing onslaught of arrows shot into the Uruk-hai. Buffy managed to track hers all the way into the eye socket of an Uruk, who fell with the others that had been hit. "Bulls eye!"
"Did they hit anything?" Gimli asked.
More arrows flew, taking out Uruk after Uruk. They kept coming, though. The Uruk-hai had crossbows and Elves began to fall around her. The Slayer caught one out of the air that almost impaled her chest. Legolas looked impressed. She shrugged and tossed it away.
Ladders began to appear and the Uruk-hai started to climb. Buffy dropped the bow and pulled out her scythe, waiting. The first Uruk to come within range lost its head. The next, most of its torso. Uruk-hai began to fall as Buffy threw herself into a deadly ballet.
"Legolas! Two already!" Gimli said.
"I’m on seventeen." Legolas said back.
"You boys suck!" Buffy said, taking out another Uruk. "I’m on twenty seven."
"What?! I’ll have no pointy ear or woman outscoring me!" Gimli said.
Buffy sliced and diced, making her way to Aragorn. "How you doin?"
"I am alive." Aragorn said. Simultaneously, Buffy and Aragorn stabbed their weapons by each other’s heads and killed two Uruk-hai.
"Stay that way." Buffy noticed shields with white hand on them moving in a tight group up the bridge to the main gate. "Aragorn!"
He ordered the Elves to aim at the Causeway. Uruk-hai fell, but it wasn’t enough. In the ranks of the Uruk-hai below them, something was happening. The crowd parted and a single Uruk ran towards the wall with a torch in hand.
"This isn’t the Olympics!" Buffy knew something bad was going to happen. "Legolas! Bring him down!" Legolas shot, but the Uruk kept going. "Kill him!" He shot again, but the thing kept running. It dove and the wall beneath Buffy and Aragorn exploded. She flew into the air and landed hard on the ground, unconscious. Aragorn landed not far away from her, also unconscious.
"Buffy!" Legolas yelled.
The Slayer groaned and looked around her, but her vision was still a haze. She tasted blood and realized she had a gash on her forehead where a rock from the wall had caught her. Her neck burned and she figured it was probably a little bit burned. Aragorn helped her to her feet and she realized they were facing the mass of Uruk-hai. Gimli dove into the fray from the wall.
"Gimli!" Aragorn yelled.
The Elves had regrouped behind Buffy and Aragorn and he ordered them to fire. Uruk-hai fell and then Aragorn ordered the charge. Buffy stomped on her scythe and it flew into her hands. She ran at the Uruk-hai, slamming into them and fighting with all her might. They started to overpower her, taking her down in a dog pile, but then Legolas was there fighting them off. He grabbed her waist and helped her to stand before drawing his twin blades. They fought side by side and Buffy felt a deeper connection to Legolas than ever before. Their moves became almost synchronized.
"Aragorn!" Theoden yelled. "Fall back to the Keep! Get your men out of there!"
The Uruk-hair tried to stop them, but they were shoved back by an invisible hand. Buffy saw Willow’s concentration and knew she was buying them time to get out of there. Aragorn and Legolas grabbed Gimli. "What are you doing? What are you stopping for?" He protested.
They made it just in time to see Haldir get cut down. "NO!" Aragorn broke away and he and Buffy ran to Haldir. Buffy shut Haldir's eyes and Aragorn laid the fallen Elf down. More Uruk-hai attacked, not caring about their grief over their fallen friend. Buffy grabbed Aragorn's arm and they hopped on a ladder, riding it down into the fray behind the wall. They raced to the gate, catching up with Willow and Gimli.
"Where’s Legolas?" Buffy asked Willow.
"At the wall. He’s on the wall." Willow said.
"Aragorn….."
"Go." He yelled.
Buffy raced to the wall, looking for Legolas. She yelped and ducked as a giant grappling hook grabbed the wall beside her, almost taking off her arm. Legolas grabbed her waist and pulled her to him as they ran. To their horror, the Uruk-hai swarmed onto the ladders and rode them up. Buffy pointed to one of the ladders being slowly raised up. Legolas drew an arrow and aimed at one of the ropes on it. Buffy fought off Uruk-hai as he made the shot. The rope severed and the ladder of Uruk-hai fell back, crushing them and other Uruk-hai below. Buffy and Legolas grabbed another big hook and pulled with all their might. Another ladder went down.
"Oh my God!" Buffy pointed at Aragorn and Gimli at the Causeway fighting off swarming Uruk-hai that surrounded them. "Legolas!"
He grabbed a rope. "Aragorn!" Legolas tossed it down and Aragorn grabbed it, holding tightly to Gimli as Buffy and Legolas pulled them up and over the wall. The king ordered the retreat and they ran to the Keep.
***Day was breaking outside and the sun was starting to come up. Helm’s Deep was still under heavy attack and things weren’t looking up for the good guys.
Theoden looked up as Buffy, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli ran in. "The fortress is taken. It is over."
"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it." Aragorn said as he and Legolas helped barricade the doors. "They still defend it. They have died defending it."
Buffy walked up to Theoden. "Is there another way out of here? We have to get the women and children out of the caves."
"There is one passage." The king’s general said when the king would not speak up. "It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many."
Aragorn walked over. "Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance."
"Send Willow with them. She can protect them." Buffy said.
"No. I'm needed here." Willow protested.
"They need you, Will. They can't make it."
"So much death." Theoden said. "What can Men do against such reckless hate?"
Buffy turned from Willow and grabbed Theoden’s shoulder, forcing him to look at her. "Those are your men out there. If you lose hope, they lose it too. You’re their leader. Their KING. So start acting like it."
Aragorn walked up and placed his hand on Buffy's shoulder, looking at the king. "Ride out with us. Ride out and meet them."
"For death and glory." Theoden said.
"For Rohan. For your people."
"The sun is rising." Gimli said.
"How many days has it been since we left Edoras?" Buffy asked.
"Five. Why?" Willow asked.
"Gandalf." Aragorn said, catching on.
"Yes." Theoden said. "Yes. The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep one last time."
"Yes!" Gimli said.
They mounted their horses. "Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath, now for ruin, and a red dawn!" Gimli sounded the horn. "Forth Earlingas!"
Riding hard into the invading Uruk-hai, Buffy sliced, diced, and ran over anything that looked ugly. Her horse shoved Uruk-hai off the Causeway and the things fell to their death. Others were kicked off as her powerful legs caught them in their torsos and heads. Buffy looked to the rising sun and saw Gandalf with the Riders of Rohan she, Aragorn, and Legolas had gotten their horses from.
The Uruk-hai’s attention turned towards Gandalf as the riders and him charged down the mountainside. Buffy just knew victory was theirs as she fought harder than ever before. As the battle thinned, Buffy saw the remaining Uruk-hai running away and Theoden cried victory. She rode behind them with Gandalf and Legolas.
"Stay out of the forrest! Keep away from the trees." Eomer yelled.
As Buffy watched, the trees began to move of their own volition and the Uruk-hai screamed. "That’s new."
"The trees." Legolas said.
"Talking AND walking trees. I love this place."
"You’re hurt." Legolas touched the spot on her forehead.
"It’s nothing. Already closed."
"You must have that looked at when we return."
She smiled gently. "Only if you insist."
Chapter 7
Back at Helm’s Deep, Willow greeted her best friend with a bear hug. "You’re alive!"
"Of course I am." Buffy replied. She looked at Legolas. "I made a promise to an Elf."
Willow hugged Legolas and then Aragorn. Buffy and Legolas walked around the bodies of Uruk-hai and found Gimli perched on top of one.
"Well….." He prodded.
Legolas toyed with his bow cockily. "Final count: forty-two."
"Forty-two? That’s not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling. I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three."
Legolas drew an arrow and shot the Uruk under Gimli. "Forty-three."
"He was already dead!"
"He was twitching!"
"He was twitching because he’s got my ax embedded in his nervous system!" For emphasis, Gimli moved the ax and the Uruk twitched violently.
Buffy crossed her arms. "You boys are pitiful." They looked at her. She shrugged. "Sixty four." Their jaws dropped. "But I would keep that to yourselves. Wouldn’t want anybody finding out a GIRL beat you." She smiled and walked off to find Eowyn to thank her for helping with her hair. It was messy, but never once fell in her face.
***Buffy, Legolas, Willow, Gimli, Aragorn, Theoden, Gandalf, and Eomer rode on, headed towards Isenguard. "Sauron’s wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift." Gandalf said. "The battle for Helm’s Deep is over. The battle for Middle-Earth is about to begin. All our hopes now lie with two little Hobbits somewhere in the wilderness."
They rode carefully through Fangorn forest. Isenguard was drawing near and possibly another battle. Buffy glanced at Legolas and he smiled at her gently.
"You two are going to make me ill." Gimli said.
Aragorn looked back at them and laughed. "Leave them alone, Gimli. Passion blooms in the midst of war." Buffy blushed and Aragorn laughed again. He dropped back to ride next to her. "It is not strange that you have fallen for him. I find myself in the same circumstance."
"Arwen." Buffy said.
"Yes." Aragorn looked away sadly.
"You know, you don't have to let her go. I've been there before. Legolas isn't the first immortal being I've been with."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Fell in love with a vampire. Yes, the very thing I was sworn to kill. But he was different. He had a soul. And he loved me and I loved him, but that was the problem. See if we.... you know, did IT he would lose his soul, revert to his evil self, and go on torturing and killing me and my friends."
"I am glad you didn't do IT."
"We did. That's how we found out. Since then, we've been on eggshells around each other. But we're not together. I haven't talked to him in a while now."
"Isenguard nears." Legolas said, trotting up on Buffy's other side. To their surprise, they found Isenguard in ruins and Merry and Pippin lounging on the fallen wall. They laughed and waved.
Merry stood. "Welcome, my lords and ladies, to Isenguard!"
"You young rascals!" Gimli called. "A merry hunt you’ve led us on and now we find you feasting and….. and smoking!"
"We are sitting on a field of victory enjoying a few well-earned comforts." Pippin said. "The salted pork is particularly good."
"Salted pork?"
Gandalf shook his head. "Hobbits."
"We’re under orders from Treebeard, who’s taken over management of Isengard." Merry said. "We’ll take you to him."
They followed directions from Merry, riding with a rider, and Pippin, riding with Buffy, to Treebeard.
Buffy watched in awe as the giant tree.... Ent.... talked to Gandalf. "Young Master Gandalf." The tree said. "I’m glad you’ve come. Wood and water, stock and stone, I can master, but there is a wizard to manage here, locked in his tower."
"Show yourself." Aragorn whispered.
"Be careful." Gandalf said. "Even in defeat Saruman is dangerous."
"Well, let’s just have his head be done with is." Gimli interjected.
"No. We need him alive. We need him to talk."
Buffy whispered to Legolas, "I could make him talk. Just give me two hours, some rope, and a knife." He just smiled and patted her hand.
"You have fought many wars and slain many men, Theoden King….." A deep voice, Saruman, said. "And made peace afterwards." They looked up to see Saruman on top of the tower. "Can we not take counsel together as we once did, my old friend? Can we not have peace, you and I?"
"We shall have peace." Theoden said. "We shall have peace when you answer for the burning of the Westfold and the children that lie dead there. We shall have peace when the lives of the soldiers whose bodies were hewn even as they lay dead against the gates of the Hornburg, are avenged. When you hang from a gibbet for the sport of your own crows, we shall have peace."
"Gibbets and crows? Dotard! What do you want, Gandalf Greyhame? Let me guess. The Key of Orthanc. Or perhapds the Keys of Barad-dur itself along with the crowns of the seven kings and the rods of the Five Wizards!"
"Your treachery has already cost many lives." Gandalf said. "Thousands more are not at risk. But you could save them, Saruman! You were deep in the enemy’s counsel."
"So you have come here for information? I have some for you." Saruman held out a big, black, glowing marble thing. "Something festers in the heart of Middle-Earth. Something that you have failed to see. But the Great Eye has seen it. Even now he presses his advantage. His attack will come soon. You’re all going to die. You know this, don’t you Gandalf? You cannot think that this Ranger will ever sit upon the throne of Gondor. This exile, crept from the shadows, will never be crowned king. Gandalf does not hesitate to sacrifice those closet to him, those he professes to love. Tell me, what words of comfort did you give the Halfling before you sent him to his doom? The path that you have sent him on can only lead to death."
"I’ve heard enough." Gimli said. "Shoot him. Stick an arrow in his gob!"
"Gimli." Buffy said. "Calm down."
"And this little girl you all call a warrior." Saruman scoffed. "She will only bring more death to you all, and yet you still let her prance among your ranks as one of you. She will die with the rest of you as I watch and laugh."
Legolas reached for an arrow, but Buffy stopped him. "He’s just talking now." Buffy said. "Buying time. He doesn’t know one thing about me."
"Come down, Saruman." Gandalf said. "And your life will be spared."
"Save your pity and your mercy. I have no use for it." Saruman pointed his staff and shot a massive fire ball at Gandalf. Willow held up her hand and said, "Protect!" A shield of yellow light shot up around the group and they watched as the fire swirled around them, but never touched them.
"Saruman," Gandalf said. "Your staff is broken." Saruman’s staff shattered in his hand. Worm boy walked up behind Saruman.
"Grima, you need not follow him." Theoden said. "You were not always as you are now. You were once a man of Rohan. Come down."
"A man of Rohan?" Saruman said. "What is the house of Rohan but a thatched barn where brigands drink in the reek and their brats roll on the floor with the dogs? The victory at Helm’s Deep does not belong to you, Theoden Horse-master. You are a lesser son of greater sires."
"Grima, come down. Be free of him."
"Free? He will never be free."
"No." Grima said.
"Get down, cur!" Saruman slapped down Grima.
"Saruman!" Gandalf said. "You were deep in the enemy’s counsel. Tell us what you know."
"You withdraw your guard and I will tell you where your doom will be decided. I will not be held prisoner here!"
Suddenly, Grima was there with a knife. He stabbed Saruman in the back repeatedly. Legolas pulled an arrow and shot. Grima fell with an arrow in his chest. It was too late for Saruman, though. He fell off the tower and landed on a spike on a giant wheel. The spike jutted out of his chest and he lay still, dead.
"Send word to all our allies." Gandalf said. "And to every corner of Middle-Earth that still stands free. The enemy moves against us. We need to know where he will strike."
The wheel began to move and Saruman’s body was plunged under the water. "The filth of Saruman is washing away." Treebeard said. "Trees will come back to live here. Young trees. Wild trees."
Pippin suddenly hopped off Buffy’s horse and waded through the water. "Pippin." Buffy scolded. "Come back here." He picked up the shiny black Orb thing that Saruman had dropped. There was fire glowing in the middle of it.
Gandalf rode over to him. "Peregrin Took. I’ll take that, my lad. Quickly now." Pippin reluctantly handed it over and Gandalf hurriedly wrapped it up in his robes.
Buffy held out her hand. "Come on, Pippin. It’s time to go." She helped him onto the horse in front of her. "You ok?" He nodded slightly.
Soon, they were galloping back to Edoras.
***In the Great Hall, everyone was gathered to celebrate victory and honor the slain. "Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country." Theoden said, glass lifted. "Hail to the victorious dead!"
"Hail!"
Buffy stood back with Legolas and Willow. She had opted not to drink, but refused to miss the dinner. Afterwards, there was music, dancing, and more drinking. The Slayer had been given a new dress and this time she wore it without cutting it to fight in. The dress was similar to the one before, but the skirt had more length and intricately detailed fabric to it and it was red velvet with a gold and black suede belt around her hips. She had allowed her hair to dry naturally and it was in loose waves down her back.
"No pauses." Eomer said, handing a glass to Legolas. "No spills."
"And no regurgitation." Gimli said.
"So, it’s a drinking game?" Legolas asked.
"Last one standing wins!"
Eomer offered one to Buffy, but she declined. "I had a bad experience once. No more excessive drinking for Buffy." She kissed Legolas’s cheek. "But good luck with that."
Legolas held up the mug and sniffed while Gimli began to chug his. Buffy giggled and Legolas started to drink.
Across the room, Gandalf stood with Willow. "That was quite the display of power today."
"Yeah. I didn’t think I could do it." Willow said.
"Where did you learn that?"
"Well, I didn’t actually. I sort of, well, I sucked it out of a book." Gandalf stared at her. "It’s a long and highly complicated story."
"I see."
"Listen, I know Buffy’s got feelings for Legolas."
"Yes. They seem to be more than just feelings, though. Don’t you think?"
"Yeah. Well….."
"Willow, I know that you love your friend, but she is a woman capable of making her own decisions. She will do what is right for her in the end."
"That’s what I’m afraid of." Willow looked over at Buffy smiling up at Legolas.
Legolas was chugging just as fast as Gimli now, but the ale was having no effect on the Elf. Buffy glanced at the nine or so glasses on the table and then over at Gimli’s thirteen or so. The Dwarf was getting to the point of passing out by the looks of him.
"It’s the Dwarves that go swimming with little, hairy women!" Gimli announced.
Buffy stared at him, one eyebrow lifted. He belched and began to drink, slower this time.
"I feel something." Legolas said, staring at his hand. "A slight tingle in my fingers." He looked at her, seemingly alarmed. "I think it’s affecting me."
"Nah." Buffy said. "Gimli’s almost gone. Keep going."
"What did I say?" Gimli asked. "He can’t hold his liquor." With that, the Dwarf passed out, falling to the floor.
"And that’s the game folks!"
Legolas took Buffy’s arm and slipped it through his, glancing at Eomer. "Game over."
From across the room, Merry and Pippin sang louder, dancing on a table. They had the crowd laughing and clapping.
Buffy laughed at them. "They’re quite a show, huh?"
"You are quite the sight." Legolas replied as they walked outside.
"Really? I used to wear dresses all the time. None this pretty, but….." She trailed off.
"What?"
"Eventually it became pointless. Always fighting, never really getting to live life. Even when I went out, I had to be prepared to fight. Always a Slayer, never a normal girl."
"And now?"
Buffy lifted her skirt slightly to reveal she still wore her leather pants. "And I’ve got a knife ready to cut the skirt if something happens. But this is honestly the first time I’ve felt like this in a long time."
"Like what?"
"Well, you’re going to think I’m crazy."
He touched her cheek gently. "Never meleneth (my love)."
She smiled. "I feel normal, but different at the same time. Like being a warrior is the normal thing and I’m completely accepted no matter what." She looked out at the night and the mountains. "This place is so beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you."
"Oh, I forgot about that." Legolas gave her an inquisitive look. "I forgot what it was like being wooed."
"Wooed?"
"You know, complementing a girl….. helping her out, without wanting anything but her affections in return."
"And is it working? The wooing, I mean."
Buffy took his hand and laid her head on his shoulder. "You had me at hello." She sighed and fell deeper into his warm embrace. "I think I’m falling in love with you."
"I think I loved you before I met you." He laid his cheek on top of her head and breathed in her beautiful scent. It was a scent that would never leave his mind or heart again. It was a scent that every time he breathed it in, he would remember this moment, holding her close to him…. Fully being there for her like he had been there for no one else…. And his love for this tiny woman would swell beyond the boundaries of this heart and he thought he would explode. It was a feeling he never wanted to lose.
They sat on the wall, Buffy leaning against his chest, and spent most of the night outside talking. After everyone was asleep, or passed out in Gimli’s case, they still stayed outside enjoying the company of each other and watching for danger. Aragorn walked outside and began to light a pipe.
"I thought you’d be asleep with the others." Buffy said, startling him.
"Buffy. Legolas. I was wondering where you two had disappeared to." He said.
"Just watching for signs of trouble."
"And what do you see?"
"The stars are veiled." Legolas answered. "Something stirs in the east. A sleepless malice. The Eye of the enemy is moving."
"Sauron?"
Legolas nodded. Buffy actually sensed what Legolas sensed. A minute passed with nothing, but then something stirred inside the walls of the building. "He is here."
There was a commotion inside and the three ran to the men’s sleeping quarters. Pippin was on the floor thrashing with the now flaming orb clutched in his hands. Aragorn grabbed it and began to thrash himself. Buffy kicked it out of his hands and it rolled away. Gandalf threw a blanket over the thing. "Fool of a Took!" He said.
"Pippin!" Buffy ran to the comatose Hobit. "Wake up."
Gandalf came over and covered Pippin’s eyes, muttering a spell. Pippin gasped and came back to this world. "Look at me."
"Gandalf, forgive me." Pippin said.
"Look at me. What did you see?"
"A tree. There was a white tree in a courtyard of stone. It was dead. The city was burning."
"Minas Tirith? Is that what you saw?"
"I saw….. I saw him. I could hear his voice in my head."
"And what did you tell him? Speak!"
"He asked me my name. I didn’t answer. He hurt me."
"What did you tell him about Frodo and the Ring?"
Chapter 8
Buffy walked into the Great Hall with Pippin where Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Willow, Theoden were waiting. "Poor thing’s scared to death, but he’ll be ok." She sat Pippin down with Merry and joined Legolas. "What’d I miss?"
"There was no lie in Pippin’s eyes." Gandalf said. "A fool, but an honest fool he remains. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring. We’ve been strangely fortunate. Pippin saw in the palantir a glimpse of the enemy’s plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith. His defeat at Helm’s Deep showed our enemy one thing. He knows the heir of Elendid has come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed. There is courage still, strength enough perhaps to challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle-Earth uniting under one banner. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a king return to the throne of Men. If the beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war."
"Tell me," Theoden said. "Why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours? What do we owe Gondor?"
"I will go." Aragorn said.
"No." Gandalf ordered.
"They must be warned."
"They will be. You must come to Minas Tirith by another road. Follow the river and look to the black ships. Understand this: Things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith and I won’t be going alone." Gandalf looked at Pippin.
"Sauron thinks Pippin has the Ring?" Buffy asked.
"And Pippin shall go with me to Gondor."
***Buffy watched from the top of the steps of the Great Hall as Gandalf rode away with Pippin. Merry was so sad that his friend was gone. Buffy wondered if that’s what her friends had felt when they found out she was gone. Obviously they hadn’t thought she was dead. Willow had done spells to find her. At least, that’s what Gandalf had said.
Aragorn walked up the stairs. "You look troubled."
"I do?" Buffy looked over at him as he came to stand next to her.
"You don’t have to return."
"What?"
"After this war is over, you don’t have to return to where you came from. You seem to belong here. You became quite comfortable quickly in the first few days here. And it was not just our friend Legolas."
"You want me to stay too."
"I cannot deny that. You’ve become somewhat of a sister to me."
Buffy sighed and looked out of the beautiful horizon. "I love it here, but I can’t stay."
"And what holds you to your world?"
"My duty. My calling."
"Forgive me, but I seem to remember you telling me about a spell that created more like you. You are not the only one anymore."
"But see, I created them, so they’re my responsibility. I have to train them and guide them. I’m their teacher. I can’t just abandon them. And then there’s my sister to think about."
"How old is she?"
"She’ll be twenty soon. And I know where you’re going with this, but you’re wrong. It’s different where I come from. She’s just starting out. She hasn’t finished school yet and she needs me."
"And what of Legolas? What of the family you’ve built here over the past months?" Buffy was silent. "If you don’t fully believe in the thrall this world holds over you, then why do you not leave it? Willow has the power to take you back."
"I’m part of this now. I can’t leave until it’s finished."
Aragorn stared hard into her eyes. "But you said this isn’t where you belong. Why do you care so much about the ending of it?" Before she could answer, he turned and walked inside the Hall.
Buffy hadn’t realized it before, but he was right about the sister thing. He was pushing her buttons like only an older brother could. Unfortunately he was right about the rest of it too. She just didn’t have the guts to admit it. But it was more complicated than that. She had friends, a sister, Slayers to take care of. They needed her, didn’t they?
***A few days later, Buffy stood with Legolas and Willow in the Great Hall when Aragorn ran in. "The Beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid."
"And Rohan will answer." Theoden said. "Master the Rohirim."
A few hours passed and the Slayer was back in her fighting dress and arming herself. "Buffy….." Willow started.
"Will, this is the big one. It’s too dangerous."
"But my magick….."
"Won’t even come close to being enough. Not this time."
"And where will I go? I won’t stay here."
"You can go to the encampment, but that’s where you get off this little wagon to war. I can’t risk you. Somebody has to make it back home to let the others know….."
"Don’t. Don’t say you’re going to die. Not here."
"Didn’t say I was going to die. You know the way home. If you died, I’d be….." Buffy paused and looked away. "I’d be stuck here."
"Would it be that bad?"
Buffy’s eyes snapped back to Willow. "What?"
"You’re barely there back home. No one hears from you unless we call you. And now you’ve got Legolas….."
"That’s none of your business." Buffy hefted her sword and glared at Willow. "And don’t talk to me about not being there. How many times do any of you actually call me? We’ve all got our own lives to live."
Legolas walked in. "It’s time to go."
Buffy nodded at him and then turned to Willow, sheathing her sword. "I’ll deal with my life and you deal with yours." She turned and walked out with Legolas. A few minutes later, they were riding out of Edoras.
***The encampment was larger than Buffy had imagined it would be. Not even the Renaissance Fair had been like this. Of course, there were no evil warlocks, witches, banshees, or guys made of dirt here that she knew of. Just guys covered in dirt ogeling the blonde warrior girl as she passed. The king’s people made their way up the mountainside to a smaller, separate encampment.
A knight led Buffy to her huge tent. It wasn’t her caza in Italy, but at least she had a nice bed instead of a few blankets on the ground like all the other times she’d camped out. Eowyn walked in behind the Slayer. "Oh, hi."
Eowyn smiled. "King Theoden wanted to find a way to thank you, but….."
"Thank me for what?"
"For helping his men in battle and being honest with him when everyone else bit their tongues."
"Oh. He could’ve just said thank you."
"He wanted you to have a tent as comfortable as circumstances would allow."
"It was nice of him." Buffy smiled. "Oh, and thank you too…. You know, for helping me out with my hair and clothes."
"It was my pleasure. After all, you are a heroine of great magnitude. It was the least I could do."
"Thanks." Buffy sighed and looked around. "Hey, you wouldn’t happen to know where Willow is, would you?"
"She is staying in my tent."
"Good. She’ll enjoy the company while I’m gone."
Eowyn nodded and left. Buffy thought about taking off the long, hooded cloak, but decided the air was too chilly for that.
There was a commotion outside and the Slayer walked out to investigate. A horse at the back of the encampment was freaking out and his rider was trying to get control of him. She spotted Legolas and Gimli walking by the horses and went to catch up.
"The horses are restless and the men are quiet." Legolas said.
"They grow nervous in the shadow of the mountain." Eomer said.
"That road there," Gimli asked. "Where does that lead?"
"It is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain." Legolas said.
"None who venture there ever return." Eomer said. "That mountain is evil." He walked away.
"Doesn’t look too evil." Buffy said. "Looks like a regular old creepy mountain pass to me."
Legolas smiled at her. "Shall we take a walk?"
"In there?"
"No."
"Ok. Good."
Gimli walked away to find Aragorn while Buffy and Legolas walked around the encampment. Eventually they made it back to her tent and she invited him in. They sat down on the chairs that were in the tent and looked at each other.
"If you don’t mind me asking, what happened at Edoras?" Legolas asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Between you and Willow. You looked angry…. And you were holding a sword in her direction…."
"Oh, she was just throwing some stupid stuff at me. It’s water under the bridge and over the dam…. Or however that saying goes."
"I don’t mean to pry, but….."
"But you just have to know. Did any one ever tell you that curiosity killed the cat?"
"No. Forgive me. I am sorry. I did not mean to make you angry."
"You didn’t. And I was joking." Buffy sighed and rubbed her temples for a second. "Willow was angry that I won’t let her go to Minas Tirith and help us. She threw something in my face that really upset me."
"What was it?"
"You. Us."
Legolas started to get up. "I do not want to cause friction between friends."
Buffy stopped him. "You’re not. Really, you’re not. Friction was already there, we were just ignoring it. She was just looking at excuses to make me feel guilty about not going back with her. She really has a knack for picking sensitive subjects to fire away at."
"You’re not going back?"
Buffy sighed sadly. Of course not! I love you and I’m staying with you forever. Is what Buffy was dying to say, but instead she said, "I have to. I have responsibilities back there that I wish I could ignore, but I can’t. I started something that I need to….." She shook her head. "No, you know what, let’s not talk about that. We’ll deal with it when it’s time." She stood and slid onto Legolas’s lap, laying her head on his shoulder and breathing in his scent. "Let’s just enjoy the time we have right now." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead, neither wanting the moment to end.
Chapter 9
Buffy was asleep in her bed, dreaming. She didn’t know what she was dreaming, but she felt terrified. Something passed through her and she shot up in bed. She clutched the covers to cover herself and looked around the dark tent. There was nothing. She got up and quickly got dressed, walking out of the tent as she threw her cloak over her shoulders.
"Buffy." Legolas said behind her.
She turned to find him sitting in front of her tent. "Legolas….. What are you….."
"I was guarding your tent." She smiled. "I was also pondering if I should wake you."
"Why?" Didn’t you come join me? She mentally added.
"Aragorn prepares to leave."
"Leave? What do you mean? Where?"
"Into the mountain."
"The cursed one?" Legolas nodded. "Well, he’s not going alone. I’ll get my weapons."
"And I shall go get the horses ready."
A few minutes later, they heard Gimli talking with Aragorn. "Just where do you think you’re off to?"
"Not this time." Aragorn said. "This time you must stay, Gimli."
"Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of Dwarves?" Legolas asked, walking up with Buffy.
"Yeah, you know…. You really can’t bargain with them." She said.
Gimli stood. "You might as well accept it. We’re going with you, laddie."
Without another word, Buffy mounted her horse and followed Aragorn to the mountain with Legoals and Gimli to her left. There were murmurs as they passed, but then all was silent as they entered the mountain.
For a while, there was only darkness and the literally dead silence, but then they entered a HUGE ravine and the sun, which had come out while they were riding through the pass, shone down on a deserted, dreary wasteland, making the beautiful rays seem dull and gray. "What kind of army would linger in such a place?" Gimli asked.
"My thoughts exactly." Buffy said, feeling the weight of her scythe on her back and the sword on her hip.
"One that is cursed." Legolas answered.
"Well, that seems to be the only kind nowadays."
Legolas smiled at her. "Long ago, the Men of the Mountains swore an oath to the last king of Gondor….. To come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor’s need was dire….."
"Oh I know this one…. Lemme guess, they bailed."
"Yes. They vanished into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them…. Never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge."
"Never to rest…. As in they’re-all-dead-but-their-ghosts-are-stuck-until-Aragorn-here-releases-them never to rest, right?"
Legolas nodded and his eyes went distant as he started to recite what sounded like a prophecy. "Who shall call them from the gray twilight? The forgotten people. The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the north shall he come. Need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead."
Buffy looked at Legolas and shook her head. "Drama queen."
He stared at her, bewildered, but she just smiled and shook her head. Finally, they came to a narrow passage and dismounted their horses, walking them through. Ahead was a doorway that was made of stone and led to pitch black beyond.
"The very warmth of my blood seems stole away." Gimli said.
"You can say that again." Buffy quipped.
"The very warmth…."
"Figure of speech, there, Gimli." He glared at her for a minute, but returned his attention to the creepy doorway.
There was writing above the door and Legolas read it aloud. "The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead. And the Dead keep it. The way is shut."
The doorway breathed and Buffy grasped the hilt of her sword, ready to draw it and lop off something’s head. The horses freaked, broke free, and ran.
"I do not fear death." Aragorn said.
Buffy watched as Aragorn walked through the doorway and then she glanced at Legolas. "Well, you know, I’ve died twice…. Do you think they’ll be comfy around me?"
"Let us find out." Legolas grasped Buffy’s hand and they passed through. Not long after, Gimli came running in after them.
The passage was long and Aragorn managed to find a torch. He led the group through the passageway, but stopped as something caught his eye. He moved his torch in front of it. Legolas and Buffy came over to look too. It was a large crevice filled with human skulls. Aragorn moved on.
Buffy shook her head, not able to look away from the gruesome sight. "That’s happy."
"Turn your eyes, meleth. It is no sight for a lady."
"And yet my eyes refuse to look away once again. Stupid eyes." Legolas took her hand and pulled her forward, away from the skulls.
"What is it?" Gimli asked. "What do you see?" He looked into the crevice, but it was dark and he wasn’t quite tall enough.
"I see shapes of men. And of horses." Legolas said.
"EW! That’s what that was!?" Buffy asked. "Horses?"
Gimli held up his ax. "Where?"
"Pale banners like shreds of cloud." Legolas said, gripping Buffy’s hand protectively. "Spears rise like winter-thickets through a shroud of mist. The Dead are following. They have been summoned."
"The Dead? Summoned? I knew that. Very good…. VerygoodLegolas!" Gimli ran after them.
Buffy was about to comment on Legolas and his cryptic messages when they suddenly walked into a greenish fog. She quickly realized it wasn’t a fog when ghostly hands reached up and grabbed her. She batted them away, emitting a yelp. "Hey!"
"What?" Legolas and Gimli asked, turning abruptly.
"One of them grabbed something they shouldn’t have."
"Don’t scare me like that, woman!" Gimli said.
Buffy shrugged. "Sorry."
Aragorn crunched on something with his feet. "Do not look down."
"Why?" Buffy couldn’t help herself. She looked down. "Oh." They were walking on human skulls. "Ew. You know, when you say things like that, Aragorn, you should expect them to look…." Then, Legolas swept her off her feet. "Whoa!"
"A lady should not walk on such foul things." He said. She started to protest, but he cut her off. "Not even a Slayer."
Gimli crunched behind them. "And what of Dwarves?"
"They are already foul." Legolas glanced back at Gimli with a grin.
They came to a large cavern that looked like a castle’s main hall where the throne should be and Legolas set Buffy down. Only this was inside a mountain and not quite as homey.
"Who enters my domain?" A voice boomed all around them as a really creepy-looking ghost king appeared.
"One who will have your allegiance." Aragorn said.
"The Dead do not suffer the living to pass."
"You will suffer me."
Dead Guy laughed and hundreds, maybe even thousands of creepy dead guys appeared, surrounding them.
"Seriously wishing this was just a ride at Disneyland." Buffy said.
"The way is shut." Dead Guy said. "It was made by those who are dead. And the Dead keep it." More extremely dead guys appeared. "The way is shut. Now you must die." Legolas shot an arrow, but it passed right through Dead Guy’s forehead.
Buffy slapped him in the arm. "That’s a ghost! Non-corporeal, sweetie. Don’t piss him off more."
"I summon you to fulfill your oath." Aragorn said.
"None but the king of Gondor may command me." Dead Guy said as he and his army moved in. Aragorn held up his….. Whoa! That wasn’t Aragorn’s sword. Dead Guy took a swing and Aragorn blocked in. "That line was broken."
Aragorn grabbed Dead Guy’s throat and held his sword up. "It has been remade. Fight for us and regain your honor. What say you? What say you!?"
"You waste your time, Aragorn." Gimli said. "They had no honor in life, they have none now in death."
"I am Isildur’s heir. Fight for me and I will hold your oaths fulfilled. What say you!?" Dead Guy began to laugh. The other dead guys started to back up. "You have my word! Fight and I will release you from this living death. What say you!?" The dead guys disappeared.
"Stand you traitors!" Gimli yelled.
A wind blew away the fog at their feet and the ground began to shake. "This can’t be good." Buffy said. Rocks fell on their heads from above. Buffy got whacked on the shoulder with something that was definitely not a rock. "Ow!" It was a skull. Hundreds of skulls began to fall out of the walls, then thousands.
"Out!" Aragorn yelled. "Run!"
They were getting buried quickly and Buffy was having trouble running. Legolas grabbed her and carried her on his side. "This is no time to be a gentleman!"
"Shut up!" He lifted her up and ran.
They ran out into the open air. Aragorn stopped when he saw the black ships sailing away from the burning villages down the river. He dropped to his knees and cried, burying his face in his hands. Buffy and Legolas stood next to him watching the ships.
Behind them, Dead Guy appeared. "We fight."
***The four stood on the shore and watched the ships move closer. "You may go no further." Aragorn said. "You will not enter Gondor."
"Who are you to deny us passage?" One pirate asked.
"Legolas, fire a warning shot past the boson’s ear."
"Mind your aim." Gimli said as Legolas drew an arrow. Just as Legolas shot, Gimli tapped the bottom of the bow and the arrow shot down a fat pirate next to the boson. "Oh!" Legolas glared at Gimli. "That’s it! Right. We warned you. Prepare to be boarded."
"Boarded? By you and what army?" A pirate shouted.
"This army." Aragorn said quietly.
The dead guys ran through Aragorn, Gimli, Buffy, and Legolas, attacking the ships.
***Buffy glanced at Legolas as the ship they had commandeered sailed into Gondor. They had fought and defeated Sauron’s forces with the help of their dead army and taken over the ships. Now the four of them were ducked down behind the side, waiting. He smiled warmly at her and gave her the thumbs up sign that she had taught him a while back.
"Late as usual, pirate scum." Someone yelled. "There’s knife work here needs doing!"
"Come on you, sea rats!" Someone else called. "Get off your ships!"
"Let’s give em what they want then, shall we?" Buffy jumped over the side with her scythe held at the ready. Beside her, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas landed next. The….. Orcs, maybe….. looked shocked. "Surprise!" She twirled her scythe menacingly. "I really don’t appreciate being called scum or a rat. Cause, unlike you, I bathe."
Gimli looked at Buffy and Legolas as they moved towards the Orcs. "There’s plenty here for the three of us. May the best Dwarf win!"
"I will."
They charged towards the still stunned Orcs with the ghostly army appearing behind them. Some of the Orcs started to scatter, but the dead army took them down easily. Within no time, they were headed for the main battle where the Uruk-hai were fighting the soldiers of Gondor and the men of Rohan. The whole time, Buffy counted every kill, loving the sport of it. "Thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four….." She sang to herself.
"Buffy! Legolas!" Aragorn yelled.
They turned and found a giant….. HOLY CRAP!…. Elephant?! "What the….."
"Are you ready?" Legolas asked.
"For what?"
He looked at her and she caught on to his plan. She quickly sheathed her scythe on her back and they both ran at the elephant. He took one tusk, she took the other and they jumped on, flinging themselves up and to the legs. Buffy was really pushing her Slayer abilities to the max and she was loving every second of it. She managed to catch one of the large tethers holding the tent thing on top and she climbed up.
"Hi, guys! Mind if I join the party?" Some jumped from their seats towards and she pulled out her broadsword and gracefully chopped at the whatever-these-things-were while she balanced on the moving elephant thing. "Forty-two, forty-three, forty-four….. Oh! And seven!" Suddenly, the tent thing started to slide with her on it. "Gotta run!" She ran across the sliding tent, knocking away bad guys and dove just as the tent thing slid off and Legolas slid up the other side. He grabbed her hand and held her tightly as he swung her to her feet on the elephant’s back. Then, with three arrows, he shot the elephant in the brain. It went down for the count and Buffy was thrown off in an ungraceful heap. Legolas slid down the trunk and caught her in his arms.
"That still only counts as one!" Gimli yelled.
"For each of us, right?" Buffy asked.
Legolas had set her down, but he still held her tightly to him. "Are you all right?"
"That was the coolest thing I have EVER done!"
Legolas suddenly flung her around and used her feet to knock an oncoming Orc in the head. As he turned, he set her back down, scooped up her sword, handed it to her, and they turned and fought back-to-back. It was amazing how skillful they were separately, but together, they were definitely a deadly ballet to be reckoned with. Then, all around them, the bad guys started to flee. Some of the soldiers gave chase, but for the most part, the battle was over. The good guys had won for now.
Buffy and Legolas made it over to Aragorn and Gimli as The Dead King Guy talked to Aragorn. "Release us."
"Bad idea." Gimli said. "Very handy in a tight spot, these lads, despite the fact that they’re dead."
"You gave us your word."
Buffy touched Aragorn’s shoulder. "Let them rest." She whispered, knowing slightly how they felt. "They deserve that much."
Aragorn touched her hand gently, knowing how she was feeling, and then looked at the King. "I hold your oath fulfilled. Go. Be at peace." The Dead Army seemed to sigh and they disappeared.
The four of them turned to find Gandalf, Pippin, and Willow standing behind them. "Buffy!" Pippin ran up to her and she dropped to her knees to hug him tightly. "Have you seen Merry?"
"He’s here?" She asked. "I thought he was supposed to stay at the encampment like someone else I know."
"He was fighting…. I lost him. I have to find him." Pippin ran off.
Buffy looked at Willow. "I thought I told you….." Willow hugged Buffy tightly and the Slayer temporarily forgot for the moment how pissed she was. "You know what?" She pulled away. "I’m just glad you’re ok."
"Me too." Willow said. "I’m happy you’re not dead….. Again." She looked at Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli. "Good to see that you’re still standing too." She looked at Legolas in particular now. "And it’s good that you watched out for her."
Legolas nodded. "I do what I can for the ones I love."
Love? Willow thought. It’s already love between them?
Chapter 10
Legolas, Buffy, Aragorn, Eomer, and Willow stood watching Gandalf while Gimli sat in the steward’s throne. They were inside Gondor now in the Great Hall. Buffy had sustained a nasty bruise to her right jawbone, but other than that, she, and everyone else, was ok.
"Frodo has passed beyond my sight." Gandalf said. "The darkness is deepening."
"If Sauron had the Ring, we would know it." Aragorn said.
"It’s only a matter of time. He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor, our enemy is regrouping."
"Let him stay there." Gimli said. "Let him rot! Why should we care?"
"Gimli," Buffy interjected. "You should know by now that it is never that simple."
"She is right. 10,000 Orcs stand between Frodo and Mount Doom. I’ve sent him to his death." Gandalf said.
"No." Buffy shook her head. "There’s gotta be hope for Frodo." She looked at Aragorn, hoping he would catch on and help her out. "He just needs time and a way to get to Mount Doom safely. There’s gotta be a way we can give him that."
"How?" Gimli asked.
Aragorn knew what Buffy was getting at. "Draw out Sauron’s armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate." Buffy smiled at him proudly.
"We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms." Eomer said.
"Not for us, no." Buffy said. "But I think we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron’s Eye fixed on us. You know, keep him blind to everything that’s going on behind him." Aragorn looked at her proudly. There was definitely sibling love and friendship between them.
"A diversion." Legolas said.
"Sauron will suspect a trap." Gandalf said. "He will not take the bait."
Buffy smiled. "Oh come on, we’re playing my kinda odds here. It’s a damn good plan." Gandalf nodded in agreement. "So what are we standing around here just talking about it for?"
***From a hallway across the room, Buffy silently watched Legolas gather his arrows and prepare for the next battle. "Hey." The Slayer turned. It was Willow. "You ok?"
"Never better." Buffy said, turning away.
"Listen, about earlier, you know, what I said about Legolas….."
"No, you were right. I’ve been leading sort of a Spartan life. I haven’t kept up with you and the others."
"And you were right too. We haven’t either."
"You just don’t get it, Will. I once told Angel that being a Slayer makes me different, but it was my fault I stayed that way."
"You’re not different anymore."
Buffy shook her head. "Who are you trying to kid? Me or you?"
"Buffy….."
"I was called here because I’m different. No other Slayer was called. I was. And I think it wasn’t just Galadriel that brought me here."
Willow looked at Legolas and the way Buffy looked at him. "You think….."
"Does it matter what I think anymore? When this is over, I have to go back. End of story." With that, Buffy pushed past Willow and walked out of sight.
***They rode out of Gondor towards Mordor with what was left of their army. Willow had come along, but she was strictly there in a magick way. Legolas glanced at Buffy. He was terribly worried about her. She hadn’t spoken much since they had been gathered in the main hall of Gondor. Something about her demeanor had changed. As if she’d given up on something. And something told him it was not the coming battle.
Buffy looked straight ahead. She didn’t have to look at Legolas to know he kept stealing glances. It was a huge possibility that she was going to die for the third and final time. But even if she didn’t die, she wasn’t staying here. She couldn’t. She forced herself to ignore the pull and thrall Middle-Earth held over her. She had to go back to the world she had come from because she had duties there. She had responsibilities to the new Slayers….. And her friends.
At the gates of Mordor, Aragorn, Buffy with Pippin, Eomer with Merry, Legolas with Gimli, and Gandalf rode forward. Willow had dismounted from Aragorn’s horse and stayed with the soldiers.
"Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth!" Aragorn yelled. "Let justice be done upon him" The huge gates began to open. It wasn’t an army though, it was a creepy looking guy with a gaping mouth full of sharp teeth and a tall, funny looking helmet thing on his head.
"My master, Sauron the Great, bids thee welcome." Creepy Guy said. Then it…..um….. smiled at them. "Is there any in this rout with authority to treat with me?"
"We do not come to treat with Sauron, faithless and accursed." Gandalf said. "Tell your master this: The armies of Mordor must be disbanded. He is to depart these lands, never to return."
"Old Graybeard, I have a token to show thee." Creepy Guy pulled out a little silver chain-mail shirt.
"Frodo." Pippin said. Creepy Guy threw the shirt at Gandalf. "Frodo!"
"Silence." Gandalf said.
"No!" Merry cried.
"Silence!"
"The Halfling was dear to thee I see." Creepy Guy said. "Know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host. Who would have thought one so small could endure so much pain? And he did, Gandalf. He did."
Buffy noticed something fall out of the chain-mail shirt. She got off her horse and picked it up. It was her cross necklace she had given Frodo. She glared up at Creepy Guy. "You’re going to die." She said calmly, her voice betraying the wrath on her face. "And I’m going to watch with a smile on my face."
"Poor little Slayer. When this is over, Sauron will take you to the deepest dungeons and he will break you of that wit and watch as you go from a gallant little warrior to a simpering fool. You will make a fine little servant whore to him."
"Keep talking, monkey boy. It’ll only piss me off more and keep you alive longer." She started to move forward, pulling on her sword, but Aragorn placed his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. He rode over to Creepy Guy.
"And who is this? Isildur’s heir? It takes more to make a king than a broken Elvish blade."
Aragorn pulled his sword and sliced off Creepy Guy’s head. Buffy looked down at its head that had landed near her feet and smiled. "That’s for Frodo." She kicked the head towards the gates and put the necklace on, jumping back on her horse.
"I guess that concludes negotiations." Gimli said.
"I do not believe it." Aragorn said. "I will not." The gates began to open and the army of Orcs and Uruk-hai became visible. "Pull back!" They rode back to their army, which was starting to back away. "Hold your ground! Hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the hearts of me. A day may come when the courage of Men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!" The army drew their swords.
Buffy, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Willow, and Gandalf dismounted and sent off their horses as the evil army surrounded them.
"Never thought I’d die fighting side-be-side with an Elf and a woman." Gimli said. Buffy smiled and rolled her eyes.
"What about side-by-side with friends?" Legolas asked.
"Aye. I could do that."
Aragorn turned and looked at them. He stared at them for a minute, lingering on Buffy. She had helped him plan this. She had been sort of a driving force behind him…. A little sister who was slowly learning to push him further. She had been brave and held strong even when others faltered. And he was so proud of her. Galadriel had been right. She was the key to many great things. He smirked. "For Frodo." And with that, he charged.
Merry and Pippin took off yelling at the top of their lungs and then everyone else followed. Buffy laid her best into the Orcs and Uruk-hai, taking down two, sometimes three at a time with her sword. Dragons flew overhead and then from nowhere, huge eagles came and fought the dragons in the air. This is too crazy! She thought as swords came at her and she blocked them with her scythe. It twirled and glistened around her as she used it to slice and block. Somehow, she lost Legolas and was left to fight off Uruks by herself. They circled around her and charged. She easily dispatched them one after the other.
Then she saw some huge monster fighting Aragorn. She saw him fall and the monster stepped on Aragorn, preparing to kill him. With more intensity, she fought her way to him. "Aragorn!" She raised her scythe to chop at the monster, but before she could reach it, she felt a fire in her side and looked down to see a large knife embedded there and am Orc smiling down at her.
"Buffy!" Legolas screamed. He killed the Orc as Buffy ripped the knife out of her side and tossed it away. Aragorn killed the monster and made it to Buffy. The blood flowed quickly and they found their hands soaked with her blood. Legolas held her to him as she started to shake. Shock was setting in. Aragorn jumped to his feet and protected her from the Orcs. Legolas rocked her and kissed her hair. "You promised this wouldn’t happen. Do not break your promise, meleth." A tear fell down his cheek and landed on hers.
"You know," She said weakly. "I don’t even know what that means."
"Love. It means love."
Suddenly the Eye shifted and a wind blew. As they watched, the tower collapsed and exploded. The Orcs and Uruks around them started to flee, but they were swallowed up by the Earth and Mount Doom exploded. Buffy began to cry as she held onto Legolas. She knew Frodo was dead. He had destroyed the Ring, but he had also destroyed himself. Legolas brushed her cheeks and kissed her hair. Willow rushed over and dropped to her knees next to her friend. Buffy closed her eyes as she felt warmth envelope her.
***When she woke up, she was riding on a horse into Gondor. There was a large strip wrapped around her stomach. "We’ve made it." Legolas said from behind her. She realized she was riding with Legolas.
"What happened?"
"Willow, she….. She fixed you."
"Huh?"
"She said something in another language and then your blood slowed."
"Why do I still feel stabbed?"
"Because I was just trying to get you back to Gondor to patch you up better. With your Slayer healing, you’ll be better in no time." Willow said, riding with Aragorn.
"We thought you had left us." Aragorn said.
"I almost did." Buffy replied. "Almost." She laid her head back on Legolas’s shoulder and nestled her face in his neck as she fell back to sleep.
***In Gondor, Buffy was taken to the Houses of Healing where Aragorn and Willow worked to fix Buffy. After that, she was given the royal treatment. She was cleaned, bandaged, dressed in a beautiful light blue velvet dress, and her hair was done with flowers woven in. Legolas never left her side for a minute. The women that had given her a bath had given Legolas a hard time when he refused to leave, but in the end the stubborn Elf had won and he had stayed with her, whispering words of love and comfort in Elvish.
Chapter 11
Aragorn and Legolas stayed at her side, each holding an arm and making sure she was ok as they made their way to Frodo’s room. He and Sam had been rescued by Gandalf. He looked so happy to be alive with his friends and to see them at the door. They stood at the edge of the bed, smiling. Legolas held her hand and laid his other, closer one, on her back to hold her up. She laid her head on his shoulder. Behind them, Sam walked in and smiled.
"Frodo." Buffy walked to the bed where Merry and Pippin helped her to sit. She took off the cross necklace and put in around his neck gently.
"Buffy, no. This is yours." Frodo said.
She refused to take it back. "That’s yours. That’s your strength now. Don’t ever forget that you have it in you."
***Buffy stood with the Elves with Legolas at the head. He was a prince after all. They watched Gandulf crown Aragorn the new King of Gondor.
"Now come the days of the king." Gandulf announced. "May they be blessed."
Aragorn turned and the crowd cheered. "This day does not belong to one man, but to all. Let us together rebuild this world, that we may share in the days of peace."
Rose petals fell all around as Aragorn walked forward. They all bowed and Legolas walked forward. He held fast to her hand and forced her to walk to Aragorn with him. The two touched each other’s shoulders and Aragorn spoke to him in Elvish. He glanced at Buffy, and she knew he was talking about her.
Buffy smiled and she and Aragorn embraced. "You are a worthy champion, Buffy Anne Summers. I will always hold a place in my kingdom for you."
She kissed his cheek. "Thank you. I’m truly honored that I could be a part in all of this with you."
"As am I." Aragorn bowed towards Buffy and was confused when Buffy and Legolas stepped away, revealing Arwen, Aragorn’s Elven love. She bowed her head, obviously uncertain of how he still felt about her, and he kissed her deeply, dispelling all doubts in her mind. Legolas squeezed Buffy’s hand and smiled down at her. She smiled back up at him, both of them ignoring the fact that she would be leaving that very night.
Aragorn moved to Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. They bowed, but he stopped them. "My friends, you bow to no one." He in turned bowed to them and everyone followed suit.
***Later that day, the Fellowship was gathered in the Great Hall to bid farewell to Buffy and Willow. Buffy shook Gandalf’s hand. "I am most honored to know a woman such as yourself." He said. "May there be more like you."
"You’re pretty cool yourself Gandalf. I hope you take you care of yourself."
"I shall try my best."
Buffy bent in front of Gimli and kissed his cheek. He blushed. "You are a true warrior, my friend. Don’t lose your spirit."
"Aye, I won’t lass. Don’t worry you’re pretty head off about me." Gimli said.
Merry and Pippin ran over and hugged her tightly. "We don’t want you to go!" Pippin said.
"Stay here and visit the Shire. You’re always welcome there." Merry said.
"Maybe someday I’ll be able to return, but I have to go back." She kissed their heads and hugged them again. "Look out for each other." She moved to Frodo and Sam. "You two are a lot braver than I am. I’m truly privileged to have known you guys."
"And we you Miss Summers." Sam said.
"Buffy. You can still call me Buffy, Sam."
"Sorry. You just make sure you take care of yourself, you hear?"
"I hear you." She kissed his cheek and looked at Frodo.
He hugged her tightly. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being my friend. For believing in me. And thank you for the necklace. I’ll cherish it forever. You stay beautiful and strong, ok?"
"I’ll try." She winked at him and ruffed up his hair.
Aragorn bowed. "Safe journeys, sister."
She smiled and laughed, hugging him tightly. "Don’t be a dictator. Rule as a king with a heart and a brain. And definitely don’t let power go to your head, or I’ll come back and beat the crap out of you, brother." Finally, she turned to Legolas. He looked completely heart broken as they moved away from everyone else. She held him tightly to her. "Please don’t make this harder."
"I do not want to let you go." Legolas whispered, weaving his fingers in her hair as she looked up at him.
"Then don’t. Keep me in your heart forever and I’ll keep you in mine." She touched his cheek. "Please don’t ever forget me Legolas."
"I could not, even if I wanted to." He bent down, pulling her closer and kissed her gently, neither of them wanting to let go.
"Buffy." Willow said behind her. "We have to go."
With one last kiss, Buffy turned, wiping away tears, and walked towards Willow. She couldn’t bring herself to look back.
*** Buffy sat in her room at Giles’ compound in England. She had been forced to move there since she had been gone so long, her rent was way over due and she didn’t have the money to pay it back. She looked at the beautiful English countryside and smiled. It reminded her of her journey with Aragorn, Gimli, and….. Legolas.
God, she missed him so much. It had been two months since her return and she couldn’t help but wonder what might have been between them if they had been given more time together. It was more than just physical attraction. For the first time in a long time, she had found someone who had touched her heart so deeply. She had found what she had once had with Angel again. In fact, she had felt so guilty about it when she thought of it, she had gone to Angel to apologize.
"You can’t apologize for your heart, Buffy." He had said. "It makes its own decisions and doesn’t give us an option in who we fall in love with."
"At least you’re not going all Dawson on me this time."
"Don’t get me wrong. If I ever meet him, I’ll probably punch him." He smiled. "At least he’s not dead, undead, or evil."
"Nope, just an Elf."
"Jeez, Buffy, what is it with you and falling for immortal beings?"
"I think it’s my curse."
A knock on her door startled her. "Come in!"
"It’s just me." Willow said, walking in. "You ok?"
"Not really."
"Whatcha doin?"
"Thinking."
"About Legolas."
"I miss him. I miss all of them."
"It’s not your world there."
"Where is? Here? I haven’t felt like this is where I belong for quite some time now. And it isn’t you or the others….. It’s me." Buffy sighed. "For the first time in my entire life, I felt like I truly had a place in the world…. I was somewhere where I was needed. Here I have to hide who I am and be careful because the law could be watching and one wrong step….."
"That world, those people….. Buffy, I know you feel sad now, but….."
"Willow, I didn’t have to explain my differences away. They accepted me, no questions asked. Because everyone is different there. I was what I’ve always wanted to be: normal, but different at the same time. You can’t know what that’s like."
Willow looked up, tears falling. "You’re my best friend. The best I’ve ever had. I don’t want to say goodbye." Buffy stared at her. "I’m really going to miss you."
"Will….."
"I’ll explain to the others somehow, but I doubt they’ll understand why you wanted to go back like I do. They’ll probably be really mad at me. Especially Dawn."
"Dawn…."
"She’ll be fine. In the end, she’ll understand. She’s grown up now and starting her own life. And if she misses you as much as I know she will….. I’ll bring her to visit you one day. I know my way back there."
"Thank you Willow. Thank you for everything." Buffy hugged her best friend tightly. "I’ll never forget you."
"Oh, you know I won’t let you."
***"Legolas!" Aragorn called from his horse as he dismounted. "Where are you going, my friend?"
Legolas turned. "Aragorn?"
"Why are you leaving?"
"My time here is over. I sail to the Undying Lands with my kin."
"Your time here has only begun."
"Are you mad?"
"No! Of course not. I came to stop you from making the greatest mistake of your long life."
"Aragorn….."
"Just wait." Aragorn summoned a group of guards. At his command, they parted and there stood Buffy dressed in a flowing blue dress the same color and material as his tunic. She was beautiful and she was smiling as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
"Buffy…..?"
"Hi." She said as they walked towards each other. "You’re not planning on getting on that boat and making my trip back here a waste, are you? Cause if you are….." Legolas grabbed her and kissed her deeply, holding her as a drowning man clings to a life raft. "…..I’d be stuck. Um, wow." She smiled.
"You came back."
"I had to. I realized even before I left that this is where I belong….. with you."
"Why did you leave?"
"I had to be certain. I had to know you were the one. I had to know that this is really where I belong."
"Are you certain?"
"Well, it really depends on you. Do you want me here? But before you answer, just know that I gave up a lot to come back here. I have to know that you want me here….. with you."
"More than anything." Legolas smiled and held her face gently. "I will not make your sacrifice be in vain."
Buffy hugged him tightly. "Good." She smiled. "Good."
THE END