𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 | 𝐋𝐎𝐓𝐑

Chapter 36

The morning warmed me with its light, and the Rohirrim started to prepare to depart to Minas Tirith. Éomer and I haven't spoken to each other since last night, though I can feel his eyes on me all the time. I shook my head and walked towards my cousins. "Morning. Anything I missed?"

"Not really, (Y/N). Unless you mean Aragorn." I furrowed my eyebrows in concern and looked at Adán, his expression showed hurt, maybe guilt. Although, it wasn't directed at me. "What do you mean?" Adán purses his lips as he mounts his Fénmod. "Aragorn was looking for you. He looked worried... Or at least until he found you and Éomer hugging." I sighed heavily at that. "I have never seen such a broken expression in a man." I felt the anxiety rising in my chest. Imagining the hurt Aragorn felt even if I didn't do anything in the first place.

"Little hobbits do not belong in war, Master Meriadoc." The king's voice made me look back, Théoden was looking down at Merry and his pony. It was obvious to say that Merry was disappointed. "All my friends have gone to battle. I will be ashamed to be left behind!"

"It is a three day gallop to Minas Tirith and none of my riders can bear you as a burden." Adán and I sighed heavily at the cruelty of the king. He didn't need to say something like that, even less when Théoden was the one allowing him to come with us. "I want to fight!"

"I will say no more." Théoden rides away, leaving a disappointed Merry to stand and watch riders stream past him. Éomer looks at me one last time before riding away, and I decide to go to Merry, but I was stopped by the view of a rider snatching Merry onto his horse, or her horse. I stop the horse with a whistle, and both Éowyn and Merry look back at me.

I flew without hurry, stopping next to the horse. "Please, lady (Y/N)... Please let me do this." The lady of Rohan begged, Merry was staring at me with tearful eyes, I just smiled at them. "I just wanted to warn you that war can change people, but I am no one to stop you, none of you." I unsheathed the knife that once belonged to Ace, and I gave it to Merry. "Be careful, and good luck, riders of Rohan." The both of them smiled brightly, and with a strong yell, Éowyn followed her uncle and brother.

Adán and Ágo galloped past me and I followed them as I flew up. "Form up! Move out!" Éomer shouted, and the king reunited all the riders in the camp. "Ride! Ride now for Gondor!" In less than a minute, a column of riders flows out of the encampment.

'(Y/N)!' I huffed, stopping in the air and closing my eyes as I listened to Gandalf. 'Haco is suffering the same destiny as Adán, he is being trapped in powerful ice magic that only you can break. Come to Minas Tirith at once!'

I widened my eyes, feeling my breath turn heavier as I watched the riders of Rohan galloping away. '(Y/N) what's wrong?' I glanced down to look at my cousins staring at me worriedly. I gulped, parting my lips. 'Haco is being trapped in the same ice magic...'

They averted their eyes in horror, but Adán's expression turned to an angry one within seconds. "Fly towards Minas Tirith!! Go (Y/N)!! I looked at Ágo and she nodded slightly. My body shined, and I flew quickly to Gondor. I won't let Haco suffer.

// Timeskip //

Mordor's strength grew, and that strength was augmented by new allies: the man who now commanded in Minas Morgul, for one. Denethor needed to learn more about him if he was to continue to counter the threat of Mordor. For Gondor's sake.

The White City of Minas Tirith stood bearing great wounds, its walls and many buildings barely standing. Grey smoke stained the white walls as fires spread throughout the City. Cries of its people echoed through the streets as women and children ran away with fear. Bodies were strewn throughout the city, hundreds more buried beneath the rubble. Yet outside the Great city, there was more death, corpses of men, horses, Oliphants and Orcs covered the plain, just less than a thousand men managed to escape the clutches of death, well only less than a few hundred men stood alive and battling against the approaching army.