The Return of the King and Queen

Chapter 34: The Black Ships

The Black ships sailed ever so calmly up the river not needing to pay attention to the shoreline on either side of them, knowing they were unrivaled. That was until a voice broke through the silence. "You may go no further." Aragorn yelled. The captain of the ship stood to his feet and made his way to the side of the boat to see where the voice came from. Upon then shore stood a woman, next to a man, both their swords unsheathed and resting against their shoulders, next to them was a dwarf and a blond elf. 

"You will not enter Gondor." said Aragorn causing the ship to erupt into laughter. "Who are you to deny us passage?" growled the captain. "Legolas, fire a warning shot past the boson's ear." ordered Aragorn. Silently Legolas loaded his bow and took his aim. "Mind your aim." Right before the arrow could be release Gimli deliberately knocked the bottom of Legolas's bow, sending the arrow flying into the chest of the mercenary next to the caption. 

"Oh!" Gimli falsely exclaimed as she covers his mouth with his hand in shock while the elf glares down at him and Aragorn just looks curiously at his friend. "One less to kill." Amdireil whispered to herself. "That's it, right, we warned you! Prepare to be boarded!" Gimli announced causing the mercenaries to laugh again. "Boarded? By you and whose army?" asked the captain. "This army." Aragorn whispered. Suddenly the King of the Dead and his army emerged from the mountain behind them, swords at the ready. The four watched as the men yelled in fear and in just seconds they were no more. "As epic as that was I did not entirely like the feeling of a ghost walking through me." Amdiriel shuttered as they climbed aboard the lead ship. 

"Not exactly that most pleasant feeling I will agree." Legolas said as he helped a struggling Gimli climb over the edge. 

"I know I should have asked this earlier but does anyone know how to steer a boat and how exactly do we plan to steer the other two ships?" Gimli asked. Amdiriel looked to the front of the ship, towards their destination. "I do but we won't have to." she said and walked to the bow and leaned over the side to look at the water "Water of my homeland, Life of my people, take us to Minas Tirith. Take us home, to the White City for the King and the Captain have returned."  she spoke softly, the ship then started to move on its own accord causing Gimli to stand there shocked unlike the other two. "You should stop being surprised by what she can do." Legolas told Gimli but Aragorn shook his head "She still surprises me everyday." he whispered. 

Some time had passed and Amdiriel had yet to remove herself from the bow to the boat, she had sat there and sharpened her blades, and arrow heads and was now mindlessly twirling it between her fingers. 

"You know if you keep doing that you'll eventually cut yourself." Aragorn said as he sat behind her causing Amdiriel to lean back onto his chest as Aragorn took the blade from her, placing it on the ground next to them before lacing his fingers with hers as he pulled her close. "I know nervous habit." she replied. "But it is not the battle that worries you." Aragorn stated. "With the aid we bring, the battle seems to be won, I worry for after. It's been 30 years, Aragorn I do not know what the people will think of me and I do not know what my father will do to us." Amdiriel said as she looked down ashamed. 

"Hey, look at me, my love." he told her causing Amdiriel to look into his deep green eyes. "The people will love you as I do because you have always put them first to the point where you defied the laws of its leader because you knew what was right and you were their captain long before you were their queen. As for your father, we will figure that out when the time comes. First, let us deal with the battle at hand but know that I will never leave you nor will I let him ever hurt you again my queen." he said before placing a kiss on her temple causing Amdiriel to hum in contentment and then place a chaste kiss to Aragorn's jawline, making him smile as he looked down at her. 

"I know dreamt of you." Aragorn told her. "What do you mean?" Amdiriel asked. "I started to dream of you about two weeks after I left Minas Tirith and I dreamt of you at least once a week till the day you walked back into my life." "That's a long time. What did you dream of?" Amdiriel questioned. "It started off small, just your smile and your eyes, then I could hear your voice and feel your soft touches. Then it was memories that I cherished, like our late-night meetings by the sea, secret kisses, and looks in the marketplace. And even though I didn't know who you were you gave me hope when I needed it the most" He told her as Aragorn smiled at the memory but kept one to himself. It was the day he would marry her. He knew Legolas would stand next to him as his heart would pound in his chest as he waited for you at the end of the aisle unfortunately he would always wake before he could see what you would look like. He figured he would have to wait for that day. "It looks like we were both each other's hope and no spell could have completely broken our love." Amdiriel said as she snuggled closer. "Never." Aragorn whispered as the sun began to set and the next battle would come when the sun rose. 

The sun had risen bright regardless of the clouds that covered the sky. There was something in the air, a sense of determination and courage as the wind blew lightly through the sails, pushing them closer and closer to the White City. 

It's funny how
The walk of life
Can take you down
Without a fight

So many years
Can leave behind
Regretfully until it's time
To realize the moment
When you turn around.

I'm coming home
To breathe again,
To start again

I'm coming home
From all the places
I have been

With nothing
But a voice within
That calls me...
Calls me home

Back in the day
When I was younger
I was so lost and proud

I've gained the world
But it will never
Compare to what I've earned

In the quiet moment
When the earth holds still

I'm coming home
To breathe again
To start again

I'm coming home
From all the places
I have been

With nothing
But a voice within
That calls me...
Calls me home
Calls me home

I'm coming home
To breathe again
To start again

I'm coming home
To breathe again
To start again

I'm coming home
From all the places
I have been

With nothing
But a voice within
That calls me...

Amdiriel's sweet voice called across the breeze in a soft whisper as she sang from the bow of the ship. What she didn't know was that her voice for a moment could be heard by the soul that needed it the most at that moment, a man who was fighting for his life as he was being attended to by the healers in the House of Healing. "Amdi?" Faramir whispered before he passed out again.