𝐈𝐋𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐄̈ || A.

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟕

..••°°°°••..
.·:*¨༺ 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 7 ༻¨*:·.
°°••....••°°

THE LAND OF SHADOW

After the battle of Pellenor Fields, Aragorn and Legolas had been searching for Iladya. She was nowhere to be found. Aragorn waited at their rendezvous point but she never showed up. Legolas is convinced his sister hadn't died, but Aragorn couldn't feel anything than the void inside of him. Aragorn enters the great hall of Minas Tirith and seeing Gandalf set off a thought in his mind. ''Gandalf,'' Aragorn breathes shakily. ''Aragorn,'' Gandalf replies and sees the desperation in his eyes. ''Oh,'' the old wizard sighs. The two Hobbits look in confusion as they look at Gandalf. ''She hasn't returned, has she?'' Gandalf questions carefully. Aragorn shakes his head as he starts building up his armour. He needs get it back together or this quest will fail. He lets out a shaky breath and tries to gather his emotions. ''She was with you, wasn't she?'' Aragorn questions. Gandalf thought back of the moment she sent them away. "Gandalf, Pippin, go!" Gandalf seemed to hesitate but Iladya glanced over her shoulder. "GO!" she roared.
Gandalf sighs and closes his eyes. The old wizard opens his mouth but it is not his voice to speak. ''She sent us away,'' Pippin remembers, ''she sent us away, so we could save Faramir's life.'' Aragorn turns to the Hobbit, ''sent away from what?'' ''A Nazgûl,'' Gandalf whispers, realising how foolish it was to let her face it alone. Aragorn closes his eyes and lowers his head. ''A Nazgûl,'' he whispers. ''The Witch King did say one thing,'' Gandalf continues and quotes its sayings, ''take the she-elf.'' ''She has been captured?'' Aragorn questions. ''I am afraid so,'' Gandalf replies silently. ''She should never have left Edoras,'' Aragorn grunts, ''I should have stopped her and none of this would have happened.'' ''Nothing could stop her, Aragorn,'' Legolas steps in, ''you may be close to my sister but I have spent countless human lifetimes with her. She did what she thought was best.'' Aragorn casts a glance aside and realises Legolas is right.
''Frodo has passed beyond my sight,'' Gandalf announces, walking across the hall. ''The darkness is deepening.'' "If Sauron had the Ring we would know it," Aragorn speaks. "It's only a matter of time. He has suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping," Gandalf answers. "Let him stay there! Let him rot! Why should we care?" Gimli says, smoking his pipe. "Because 10,000 Orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom.'' Gimli ponders Gandalf's words. "I've sent him to his death," Gandalf sighs. Aragorn turns to him. "No. There is still hope for Frodo. He needs time and safe passage across the plains of Gorgoroth. We can give him that," Aragorn says. "How?" Gimli asks. Iladya's fate is now tied to the fate of the ring.
"Draw out Sauron's armies. Empty his lands. Then we gather our full strength and march on the Black Gate." Gimli chokes on his pipe. "We cannot achieve victory through strength of arms," Eomer steps in. "Not for ourselves. But we can give Frodo his chance if we keep Sauron's eye fixed upon us. Keep him blind to all else that moves," Aragorn reasons. "A diversion," Legolas says. "Certainty of death, small chance of success, what are we waiting for?" Gimli grunts. "Sauron will suspect a trap. He will not take the bait," Gandalf says. "Oh, I think he will." Aragorn walks away with Anduril in his hand. His grip around the hilt tightens, his knuckles withdrawn off blood.

Aragorn stands alone and uncovers the Palantir. He closes his eyes, picks it up in one hand and holds it up in front of his face. He opens his eyes and looks into it, facing the Eye of Sauron which is speaking in Black speech. "Long have you hunted me. Long have I eluded you. No more!" He puts Anduril up in front of the Palantir. "Behold, the Sword of Elendil!" Sauron appears in the pupil of the Eye. He shows Aragorn Iladya in the tower of Cirith Ungol, chained, beaten up and left to die. Aragorn is horrified and steps back from the Palantir. The pendant falls from his neck and shatters on the ground.
Aragorn covers the Palantir and kneels on the floor. His hand reaches for his neck, feeling the warm pendant on his chest. He lets out a sigh of relief and closes his eyes. The moment he closes his eyes, he sees the image of the one he loved. He could not see whether she was alive or dead, but that image has been burned into his mind. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees her in that tower. If she only knew he would come and rescue her.
"I will save you. I promise." He punches the floor with his fist. ''I promise, Adoness nîn.''