The Mordorien - LOTR/Aragorn Fanfic

III. Two's Better Than One

I slipped through the cracks of the dark mountain into the land of Mordor and the darkness welcomed me back in. Thunder brewed in the black clouds and the echo of Mount Doom erupted across the wasteland. I was making my way through Shelob's lair, and around a corner I met her while she was feasting on old prey. I held up my hand and she just glared at me with all eight of her eyes.
"Are we going to be fair this time around?" I asked.
She slightly hissed, rolled up the body with two of her legs and stalked away from me. I nodded in thanks and continued making my way through the maze of tunnels until I was walking towards the Tower of Cirith Ungol.
I reached my safe space under the foundation and approached my alchemy table. I needed to prepare for this hunt if I wanted it to be successful.
I gathered all my ingredients and began making myself a poison. I was down to my last few ingredients, but it was enough to make at least enough poison for a single orc.
First, I grabbed all the plants and flowers I needed.
"Hemlock." Check.
"Oleander." Check.
"Deadly Nightshade." Check.
"Monk's Hood." Check.
"Ashblossom." Check
"and... a little bit of aged wine." Check.
I crushed up all the plants together in a mortar and pestle, finely grinding up the flowers. I slowly mixed in some wine and water, creating a thickening solution for the poison. I grabbed the buds of an ashblossom and crushed it in my hand, sprinkling it on top of the poison liquid. I transferred the poison to a vile and corked the top to close it. I then shook the vile and stashed the poison underneath my cloak. I then finely ground up some Monk's Hood into a powder and tied it up nice and tight in cloth.
I then grabbed a slingshot and my pouch of steel marbles. The powder of the Monk's Hood I would blow into the face of the orc, slowly paralyzing him and then hit him with the poison. The poison I made would cover the marbles and once I'd hit the orc, the effects of the poison should be almost instant. I nodded to myself as I played out this scenario in my head, and figured out my plan was solid.
I made my way out from the hidden base under the tower, and now it was the time to find an orc. This was going to be the more challenging part because I couldn't get caught by Sauron or too many orcs.
I began to walk behind the far side of the tower, keeping my back to the wall, and slowly approached the front. I didn't see any orcs as I looked around and shook my head in annoyance. I was about to hop over the wall to sneak into the tower when I heard loud footsteps. I ducked back down at the moment two large orcs walked out of the tower.
"Thank you Mother..." I whispered, kissing my fingers and blessing them above me.
Bringing back two orcs to Ecthelion would really show him that I'm serious and someone to listen to. I smiled at the thought of the people of Gondor having to listen to me, and smiled more at the thought of how much Thorongil will hate it.
Once I was out of my thoughts, I began my assault. First, I needed to get them away from the tower and I wouldn't attract any unwanted attention. I looked around me and there was really nowhere to go. I'd just have to get them as far away from the tower as possible, kill them quickly, and get out of Mordor fast.
I quietly stood up from crouching and walked away from the wall, and over to a boulder. I quietly whistled and hummed, and then had the wind surround the orcs with my voice. They began to look around and try to find out where the noise came from. I walked further behind the boulder as the wind came back to me, and the orcs followed it.
I then quickly placed a steel marble in the pocket of my slingshot, poured enough poison on it to cover it, and pulled back the string. A second later the orcs came into view with their weapons drawn and were trying to still follow the noise, which was now gone. They didn't even notice me standing in the shadow of the boulder as they walked ahead and looked over the edge of the mountain.
The orc's armor was too tough to penetrate, but the neck was exposed. I smirked at myself, aimed the marble, and whistled. They both whipped their heads over to me, but before they could move, I let the marble fly, hitting the largest orc in the neck.
It yelled out in surprise and held it's neck, and then started convulsing. The orc fell to the ground in pain while the other ran towards me. I dropped my slingshot and grabbed the pouch of Monk's Hood. The orc came barreling over to me, with its axe raised high, and I held up the pouch in my hand. I pulled the string, exposing the powder, and blew it at the orc. I then stepped to the side as the orc rushed forwards right into the cloud of powder. The orc began swatting the air and gagging, then looked to find me, but the poison was already taking effect. The orc's movements became slower, and soon its arms stopped working and dropped the axe, then eventually dropped to its knees.
Knowing that I won, I slowly pulled out my dagger and walked over to the paralyzed orc. It just looked at me, its grotesque eyes filled with hatred as it saw me.
I then held up my dagger and saw the reflection of it in the eyes of the orc. I then fiercely grabbed the orc's hair and pulled its head up as much as possible. Without a word said, I swung the dagger at the orc's neck and effortlessly cut through the skin. I pulled up the head and the rest of the body fell to the ground. I walked over to the other orc that was already dead and did the same thing, leaving its headless body in the dirt of Mordor. Carrying both orc heads by their hair, I walked away from the mess and back towards Gondor, and picking up my small slingshot on the way out.

~~~~~~~

The trip to Minas Tirith was easy, as I made my way out of Mordor without being seen by any more orcs or the Eye. Before I entered the city in, I placed both heads in a black sac to take back to Ecthelion. The guards let me pass with no issue this time and I made my way up to the Hall of the Kings. Within some time, I now stood in front of the doors the the Hall again, and I proudly looked up at the sun. It was an hour till midday and I simply smiled.
"I'm early." I thought to myself.
I then pushed open the doors into the palace and the noise echoed in the room. The guards turned their heads and watched me, but I looked straight up at Ecthelion, who was still sitting in his Steward throne, and Thorongil who was still standing by his side.
It was silent as everyone watched me with wide eyes as I approached the throne. My cloak rustled in the air around me and my heels tapped loudly against the marble floor. The force around me was strong, and intimidating, even to Thorongil. I knew that— I liked it.
I stopped a respectful distance from the throne and spoke to Ecthelion.
"I return with what you have asked of me." I said.
"And what have you brought?" Ecthelion asked suspiciously, as if he didn't believe me.
I held up the black sac in the air, and they followed it as I tossed it forwards at the steward's feet. When it hit the ground, the two orcs heads rolled out of the bag. Thorongil stared at me as the steward jumped up appalled and stared at the heads.
"The heads of two orcs, fresh from Mordor. As I recall, that is what you've asked for. But I figured, two is better... One less orc to worry about in the future."
Ecthelion was silent as he stared until he finally looked up at me. I locked eyes with the Steward, who had Thorongil fuming at his side.
"Will you accept my offer now, your Stewardness?" I asked cockingly, almost flaunting myself.
Thorongil clenched his fists and Ecthelion muttered under his breath. I smiled to myself as I waited for my official acceptance into Minas Tirith, because this I knew they didn't want to accept. I was unwanted and feared here, and my help is the last thing they wanted— but it was the only choice.