There Is No Time For Fear (Aragorn x oc)

nineteen

Aragorn POV

I walk forward to face the palantir. I breath deeply and then pick it up. The eye of Sauron fills the stone and begins to speak in black speech.

"Long have you hunted me. Long have I eluded you. No more! Behold, the Sword of Elendil!" I hiss at the eye. I draw my sword and gold it up for him to see. The picture in the palantir morphs and I see Sauron before an image of Iston appears. He's dead, laying burned and bloody on the fiery rocks of Mordor. I see the land of Gondor overwhelmed with orcs and I know that we have lost the fight with the dark forces of Sauron. I know he's is trying to show me the future that awaits us. The pendant that hangs around my neck falls to the ground in front of me and I stare down at it. I reach down and pick up the silver flower. Its chain has broken. I slip it into my pocket. I step back from the palantir and the images of Sauron fade.

I leave the room with the palantir in it in a rush. Iston stands outside, waiting for me, a concerned look on his face.

"I saw him." Is all I can say.

"And he saw you. As you intended." Iston says, trying to comfort me with my success. But I can't get the image of him dead out of my head.

"What did he show you?" He asks me softly. He steps closer to me and takes both my hands.

"The end of this war." I answer. "You were dead."

"He's just trying to scare you. Sauron is never easy to deal with once he gets in your head. But he does not show you reality."

"I know." I pull him closer and hug him.

"Come. We must go."

As we walk through the halls of Minas Tirith back towards the rooms that have been set aside for us, I happen to look up just in time to see Legolas standing out on one of the balconies with Eomer. Eomer takes he elf's hand. Elvion smiles out at them.

"You knew about this?" I ask him as we step away to give them privacy.

"Yes," He says.

"How?"

"They both told me."

"You have too many people who trust you far too much."

"Thank you." He says sarcastically.

Armor and a leather shirt bearing the crest of Gondor have been laid out for me. I run my hand over the stitches of the white three and seven stars. I change into the armor and can't help but feel like my destiny has come full circle.

"Aragorn son of Arathorn, heir of Isildur, King of Gondor." I look up to see Elvion standing in the doorway. He's wearing the gold armor of rivendell, the white cloak of lorian hangs on his shoulders. I see the ring I gave him on his hand wrapped around his staff, the ring from his mother sits on his other hand.

"Yes." I say, fastening the last gauntlet to my forearm. I reach for my sword but Iston holds it out to me.

"It is time." He says and I smile. I'm not sure why except that I know that this is always what was to come, that it was always going to end like this, and I am glad we are together. 

We ride from Gondor. I lead, flanked by Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf with Pippin and Eomer with Merry. We've rallied every troop we can. The elves flank the soldiers on either side. Elvion rides in front of the ones on the right, his brothers take the ones on the left.

When we reach the gates, our army assembles. We stare at the black gates of Mordor and the darkening sky behind them. Elvion rides towards us and stops next to Gandalf. His brothers meet us in the middle as well. There is no separation between men or elves in this battle. Here, we will fight together.