The Eye of Sauron bared down heavily upon the events that were taking place in front of the Black Gate, his attention drawn away from the small glimmer of hope that passed through his lands unseen.
~~~~~
Meanwhile, the orcs were marching forward whilst Aragorn and Salandiel rallied the soldiers.
"Hold your ground!" ordered Salandiel, riding to meet the soldiers, "Hold your ground!"
Seeing the fear in their eyes, Salandiel turned to Aragorn, urging him to speak to his soldiers and lift their spirits.
"Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers," shouted Aragorn, gathering the attention of his army, "I see it in your eyes, the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day."
His voice was clear and powerful, ringing all the way to the very last soldier, stirring something deep within them. He continued;
"An hour of wolves and shattered shields may come when the age of Men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day we fight!"
A cheer rippled throughout the men.
"By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!"
Everyone withdrew their swords to stand ready. From where she was standing, Salandiel also unsheathed her sword, standing tall and proud, ready to follow her King into battle.
The army of orcs grew larger, eventually surrounding the Men. The orcs stood waiting, holding their weapons in their hands and licking their lips.
Salandiel could hear Gimli speak softly to Legolas.
"Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an elf," said Gimli.
"What about side by side with a friend?" asked Legolas, looking down warmly at Gimli.
"Aye! That I can do," smiled Gimli.
Despite the fear that they felt, the soldiers looked at one another, their brothers in arms, and felt the heart of Man beating strong within them.
Salandiel stood by Aragorn. Not caring what others would think, Aragorn wrapped his hand around Salandiel's, giving it a gentle squeeze. His warmth seeped into her and Salandiel turned her head to look at Aragorn.
As she gazed into his eyes, she saw all their memories flash before her eyes; when they first spoke together in that garden, their journeys, their battles, that kiss...
His gaze held nothing but love; a love that Salandiel would never find again.
As Aragorn looked into Salandiel's eyes, he saw a changed woman. The woman he had met in that garden was not the same woman standing before him but despite everything, he loved her with all his heart; he loved her passionate spirit, her hot temper and her beautiful kindness. He loved her in her entirety.
Salandiel took a deep breath, drinking in every small detail of Aragorn's face.
Knowing that time was running short, Aragorn reluctantly turned his face away from Salandiel and looked back to the company.
"For Frodo."
Looking forward, Salandiel drew in a deep breath.
For him
Aragorn raised his sword and ran forward, straight into the Orc army. Pippin and Merry, ready to fight for their friends, let out their battle cries and followed after Aragorn. Their courage inspired everyone else and with that, the Men stormed into battle.
YOU ARE READING
The Captain of Gondor (A LoTR/Aragorn fan-fiction)
Fantasy"I swear an oath to protect my people, to serve my people and to fight for my people, until I am released by my lord or death do take me" What does it mean to be a soldier of Gondor? As the first female Captain she was revered by many, loved by few...
