Melting a Heart of Ice

A sea of soldiers set out from Minas Tirith under the glow of sunrise. At the front rode Aragorn, clad rightfully with the White Tree on his chest as he led his men. Triina rode beside him dressed deservedly as the Til'Arin queen, regal in all respects. Èomer, Legolas, and Gandalf rode with them each carrying the shorter members of their fellowship. Gimli with Legolas, Pippin with Gandalf, and Merry with Èomer. Jokhi stood proudly on Aragorn's shoulder, holding onto his hair for support as they marched on the Black Gate.

"Are you frightened, Jokhi?" he asked calmly after noticing a tight pull in his hair.

"Yes."

"Of the coming battle?"

"Well yes, but right now I'm afraid of falling off your shoulder. Your armor is slippery!"

As the faerie spoke his foot slipped again causing another sharp tug to Aragorn's hair. The rider laughed and lifted his hand for his passenger to step onto, which he gladly accepted. Aragorn set him on his arm where he could hold the reins as they neared the Black Gate.

"Hold no fear in your heart this day, My Love. Know that I am with you." Legolas spoke firmly as their army prepared for battle.

"And I with you for you are my most treasured fortune."
"Enough sentiments, the both of ya. This is to be a battle, not a betrothal ceremony!" Gimli cut in earning a chuckle from Aragorn as he crossed the empty land where they expected to find an army awaiting.

"Where are they?" Triina muttered to herself nervously but before any answer could be given Aragorn bellowed a command with such confidence that it spread to the others around him like ripples in a pond.

"Let the Lord of the Black Land come forth! Let Justice be done upon him!"

The formidable gate before them opened and a single, grotesque rider came to meet them. Triina shivered feeling the men's fear, staring the ghastly creature down. The armor covered much of its body, save the atrocious mouth of pointed teeth and tar-like saliva.

"My master, Sauron the Great, bids you welcome. Is there any in this rout with the authority to treat with me?"

"We do not come to treat with Sauron, faithless and accursed! Tell your master this: The armies of Mordor must disband! He is to depart these lands, never to return!" Gandalf bellowed. His voice echoed over the silence and Triina had to fight to follow words over emotions this time. Just this one time, it was more important to follow everything in detail. Too much was at stake to allow herself to succumb to the emotions around her now.

She cursed herself for succumbing to her own emotions long enough to miss what this speaker of Sauron had said before throwing something to Gandalf. Looking over to him she saw that it was a finely crafted, and familiar, mithril shirt. Merry and Pippin at once cried utterances of grief as Gandalf ordered both to silence while she stared in disbelief at Frodo's heirloom.

"The Halfling was dear to thee, I see. Know that he suffered greatly at the hands of his host. Who would've thought one so small could endure so much pain? And he did, Gandalf, he did."

The monstrosity's vile words struck the company's hearts like hot steel but even through the grief Triina noticed something that let hope still burn in her soul. There was determination in those evil words, but something didn't quite feel right. He was lying, she had be believe he was lying, and she wasn't alone in that prayer

She gave a shout of encouragement as Aragorn calmly approached the messenger, earning a sinister grin in response as he set his loathsome gaze on her.

"And what do we have here? Isildur's heir, and the lovechild the broken Sillis bloodline? It takes more to make a king than a broken Elvish blade… and you, girl, an unwanted orphan carrying lost blades, you will never be-"
With a quick, hard slice Aragorn cut the speaker's head from its body. His movement was so sudden that Jokhi had to hold onto the sword's cross guard to prevent being thrown by its force. The faerie, uncharacteristically, didn't seem upset by the event. Instead he steadied himself and looked up to Aragorn, giving a strong nod before turning to face the army before them.

"Well, I guess that concludes negotiations!" Gimli stated, peeking around Legolas' body to better see the corpse that lay beside Aragorn's steed.

"Do not believe it!" Triina shouted to her friend but his eyes held more determination and strength than she had ever seen from him before.

"I will not!"

The Black Gates opened behind him revealing a sea of marching orcs as vast as any nightmare that ever possessed the soldiers that faced them. Aragorn ordered his fellows to fall back and led them rejoin their waiting troops bidding they hold their lines.

"Sons of Gondor! Of Rohan! Of Til'Arin! Fae Kingdoms! My Brothers and sisters! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me!"

Aragorn's words reflected the conviction he carried in his heart as he looked into the eyes of trembling soldiers. The men flinched with fear with each footfall of the marching army. Their shoulders were glowing with the frightened flickers of faerie wings. The Til'Arin stood stubbornly but he could see even through their thrill to rejoin the battle for the good of their world, that they too shook in fear of the coming horde.

"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!"

Triina's breath shook as the terror surrounding her became overwhelming. Each sound of the marching feet was like a separate blow to the head and chest for her. Before Aragorn could finish what he was saying she herself was trembling and her breath was locked in a war with her own tears.

"Be strong, Meleth nin. There is hope yet." Legolas spoke gently, reaching from his steed to hers to hold her hand as Aragorn continued.

"An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the Age of Men comes crashing down, but it is not this day! This day, we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand! Men of the West, of the North!"

As he drew his sword, all those around him drew theirs. Courage renewed in their hearts and strength in their eyes. Their fear was unflinching in the light of their renewed vigor but they now stood in spite of it.

"Vesi, ride now from here and find safety. I will call you soon" Triina ordered as she and her company dismounted to stand equally with their troops. In near human understanding her steed seemed to understand and agree before running from the battlefield.

By the time the orcs stopped their march their army that once seemed so capable now seemed to be a handful of men, outnumbered a thousand to one. The orcs surrounded them, leaving their line now a tight circle as they faced death on all sides.

"Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an elf." Gimli grunted, adjusting his hold on his axe.

"What about side by side with a friend?"

Legolas' smile was so calm and lighthearted in the heart of the chaos, it brought Triina back to their walk in Lothlórien for a moment when she first asked how he was always so calm, so beautiful. Now that thought brought tears to her eyes to think of his beauty ending here.

"Aye, aye, I could do that." Gimli nodded with a smile of his own.

Aragorn took a few steps toward the gate and turned to see Legolas grab Triina by the arm and pull her into the most passionate kiss he had ever witnessed. Everything one could ever hope to say to their lover was communicated in that kiss and as they parted he saw his friend smile, and Triina lose her battle against her tears.

Gandalf was watching him questioningly and so he gave his answer short and serene, nearly a whisper.

"For Frodo."

It was Merry and Pippin who charged after him, screaming the most vicious of battle cries. Their cries awakened the very souls of their army, and in an instant the charge set.

The lines of the two armies clashed with brutal force. Shields shattering, men dying, each soldier taking as many of his enemy down with him as he met his end. Above the battle was a cloud of glowing wings sending small poisoned darts into the eyes and throats of the orcish soldiers.

The Til'Arin soldiers moved like the waves in the sea, tides of colored hair pushing and rippling against bloodied, black shores. Triina fought with all that she had but this battle, the emotions it held and the weight of what they fought for, combined with the knowledge that this plan was never meant to include survival, her strength was waning.

"Maetho! Maetho, Meleth Nin!"

Legolas' voice rang in her ears, shaking her from her daze as a shield collided with the side of her head. The pain was excruciating, but was nothing compared to the sight of her love fighting to push through the battle. Frantic but unable to reach her through the thicket of weapons and men all he could do was scream at her to fight.

Pippin was near enough to take notice, and small enough to push through, pulling her by the legs to a -somewhat- safer position and pouring water on her shoulder for her to heal with. "We've each got on. You know, to help when you're hurt." he explained breathlessly

She smiled her thanks and placed an endearing hand on his shoulder before charging back into the fray. She fought twice as hard in hopes that her determination would save at least a couple soldiers from facing death. Soon she found herself fighting side by side with Aragorn.

"Hold fast! We may see the end of this yet!"

"If we do it'll be a miracle!"

Aragorn turned to reply but turned his eyes instead to the sky as nazgul flew down, hunting their men like sport. Though she was behind him he could sense her spirit breaking as she cried out at the sight of the bodies being dropped around them.

"Fight them off! Seek your revenge!" he bellowed, turning and grabbing her by the shoulders and forcing her to look in his eyes. "You are Sillis Triina, you are now queen! You and I, we cannot afford the luxury of defeat before our men! This is the burden we carry now!"

"I can't I-"

"You can, and you will! Now fight!"

He shook her as if to loose the despair from her heart, then turned her to face an opponent and threw her back into battle. Gimli was nearby and fought back to back with her for a short while, attempting to joke but she couldn't afford him the attention. The emotions around her were overwhelming her entirely.

However, just when she thought she couldn't maintain her control, when she felt that she had no choice but to give up, Jokhi shouted in wonderment from Aragorn's shoulder to look at the sky.

"Snakes! There's snakes, there in the sky! Big snakes!"

"And Eagles!" Pippin cheered, "The eagles are coming!"
The eagles were the largest birds Triina had ever even imagined seeing. Their majestic flight was accompanied by long eel-like creatures that swam through the sky, roaring and constricting -or eating- the nazgul in their path. The creatures together were the most beautiful things Triina had ever seen and it was all she had not to weep at the sight.

"T'sharai!" she laughed as tears ran like waterfalls from her eyes, watching the great guardians of the Til'Arin people, thing she always thought to be legend, aiding the men of the west.

As the Nazgul fled, chased by eagles and t'sharai Aragorn once again brought Triina's mind back to the battle by grabbing her by the shoulder and throwing her against him. Behind her was the largest troll she had ever seen, and to make matters better it was fully armored.

"Go!" he ordered, keeping a promise he had made to Legolas that he would do all in his power to ensure Triina's survival. A promise she clearly knew nothing about, as she defied his order and engaged right alongside him.

"Wasn't it you that said… a day may come… when we forsake our friends! What was it you said? It… it is NOT this day…!"

She vexed him between grunts and attacks, earning a chortle of disbelief from her friend before they both took a hit that sent them flying. For the second time during the battle Legolas tried to reach those close to him but couldn't get through the fight. Both Triina and Aragorn were dazed and battered were unable to react when the troll kicked Triina aside placed it's ghastly foot onto Aragorn's chest to crush him.

Aragorn tried to free himself by stabbing into the troll's foot but that alone wasn't enough. As the massive weight began to press the air from his lungs Triina came to but much like Legolas, she couldn't reach him. She could see her beloved fighting not far from her, keeping his eyes on his fallen friend. The fear he held was enough to shatter her heart as she kept pushing.

"NOT TODAY!"

Jokhi's scream was that of a warrior as he cast the one spell that all faerie know, but never use. For just a moment he stood as tall as Aragorn, pushing the troll back and shooting a dart into its throat at the very moment Sauron let forth a terrible roar from his tower.

The vast army that once followed him turned to face the black gates for just a moment before they ran to flee. Even the troll pushed its way through the troops to find an escape.

The Fellowship stood side by side at the front of what remained of their army watching as the tower began to crumble and fall. Triina joined Merry and Pippin's heartened cheers for Frodo as the others around them applauded their surprising victory. As the landscape around them crumbled and claimed what remained of Sauron's forces Triina was overcome with joy and lifted Pippin into the air, spinning him like a child and kissing his head before turning to Legolas to see his eyes sparkling with happiness.

The gaiety was short lived as Mount Doom erupted in a fiery explosion, silencing the celebration before a wave of woe traveled the hearts of the Fellowship.

"N-no, no! No! We… t-they! FRODO!"

Triina fell to her knees in disbelief, knowing that he couldn't have survived that explosion. Beside her Merry and Pippin lay on the ground sobbing with grief. Aragorn stood disbelieving of the sight before him. Legolas placed a comforting hand on Triina's shoulder, offering what little strength he had as tears rolled down his own face, only to be rejected as she brushed him away and stood.

Her eyes flashed an aquamarine light as storm clouds appeared. She stood, one shaking hand outstretched, and sent all the rain she could muster to the flames. Frantically the surviving Til'Arin joined her until their strength gave out and one by one, Til'Arin forces began to collapse.

"Triina, meleth nin," Legolas spoke quietly and forced her to lower her hand, "There are not enough rains in the skies for this fire."

Beside them Aragorn fell to his knees, looking desperately into his cupped hands. Jokhi lay with half-lidded eyes as the light in his wings dimmed and his skin lost its color.

"It is over now, isn't it?"

"Yes, yes little one. The battle is over."

"No crying. Friends say happy things when friends say goodbye. You are my friend. Be happy now."

"I don't understand! He isn't injured! You kept him safe what happened!" Triina demanded as Aragorn battled his own tears.

"He cast a spell and made himself big. We can't do that. To cast that spell you have to give up your life for it to work." Another faerie explained solemnly.

"Why?" Aragorn whispered as Jokhi smiled back up at him.

"You saved me lots. Now I saved you too. Be happy ok? You are, y-you are a good king… good king Aragorn… a-and his friend good queen Triina. My friends.

"Triina and Legolas… lots of flowers w-when you marry, ok?"

"Yeah, yeah lots of flowers Jokhi." Triina nodded, choking back sobs as Jokhi closed his eyes.

"Good friends. Legolas, Gimli… Good king Aragorn…. good queen Triina…"

The light in his wings went out and a group of faeries took his body from Aragorn's hands. Triina's hand rested where Jokhi lay and her head fell to Aragorn's wrists as she mourned the loss of another friend. Aragorn joined her mourning, though far more collected. When they collected themselves again Aragorn led his men home. Gimli rode with him while Triina rode behind Legolas, letting him hold all of her weight having spent the last of hers.