There Is No Time For Fear (Aragorn x oc)

seventeen

Iston POV

I'm standing outside when I see Aragorn and Legolas rush past me. I run back through the door in time to see Aragorn try to grab the Palantíri from Pipin's hands. They fight for a moment and Aragorn sips back. I dive forward and snatch the palantir from Pippin. As soon as it touches my skin, I am whipped out of the room and into the landscape of Mordor. I see Sam, Frodo, and the creature Gollum picking their way across the rocks. A voice slips into my ear, I know it's Sauron before I even hear a word.

"I know who you are, Celebrían."

"That is not my name." I say back.

I feel something watching me, looking me over, studying me.

"No, I see. What is your name?"

"That is not for you to know."

It takes all the power I can find within myself to pull myself from that world. It's a fight and I'm not sure who's winning. I keep pushing back. This power, it's unlike anything I've ever seen or touched.

I'm jolted back into reality and my eyes snap open. I find I'm kneeling on the floor, the Palantíri still clutched in my hands. The orange light no longer shines from it. Gandalf kneels on the floor in front of me.

"Is Pippin alright." I say finally looking up.

"What did you see?" The wizard demands. "What did you say?"

"I told him nothing. He thought I was my mother, he knows who I am. But he knows nothing of the happenings of our quest and the ring."

"There is no hiding from him now" Gandalf growls. "He will be looking for you, he will send a servant out to find you. I didn't look to you to be such a fool."

I ignore him. When Gandalf feels fear, he expresses anger. I stand and stumble slightly. Legolas catches my eye as I discreetly steady myself.

"Pippin are you alright?" I look down at his crumpled figure.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." He says looking frightened.

"Good." I say.

"Sit," Legolas says. I know he's right, and there is nothing I can do for Pippin now. The moment I sit, my vision goes spotty and I blink rapidly to get rid of it. "You act as if you didn't just speak to Sauron. Are you sure you are alright?"

"I will be fine." I reply. "I think, now, I would like to get some rest. Please."

***

Iston POV

I walk down the steps of the golden hall and down to where Aragorn stands, facing outwards, looking towards Gondor. As I step up next to him, he offers a hand and I take it. I know we can both feel the world closing in on us. There isn't much time until this ends, whatever way it does.

"Have you been sleeping?" I ask him quietly. In the few days since Gandalf left with Pippin, we've all been feeling uneasy.

"Not as much as I'd like to, or should." He answers, finally looking at me. "Have you?"

"No. He, Sauron, he appears in my dreams. I don't know if he is truly trying to come into my mind or if it is just a dream. But he is there." I only asked him because I was hoping, in some twisted way, the same thing was happening to him.

Aragorn gives me a look of concern. He runs his thumb over my hand and down my palm. My hand looks delicate in his. He reaches for my other hand.

"Your hands are shaking." He points out. They have been. I glance at Aragorn's hands to see if they are shaking too. They're not. He folds both my hands into his and meets my eyes. Then someone thing over my shoulder catches his eye.