Angel From Another World

Chapter 40: Palantír Problems

I fall asleep curled into Legolas's side. A few hours later I wake up, the other side of the bed being cold. It was still dark but Legolas wasn't there. I get up to go and look for him. I wrap a blanket around my shoulders to protect my scarcely dressed form. Walking into the hall I see Aragorn tending to Èowyn. She stirs slightly.

"What time is it?" She asks Aragorn not opening her eyes.

"Not yet dawn." He answers gently. He looks up at me and smiles nodding towards the door slightly, then begins to walk away. Èowyn grabs his hand and stops him in his tracks.

"I dreamed I saw a great wave, climbing over green lands and above the hills. I stood upon the brink. It was utterly dark in the abyss before my feet. A light shone behind me but I could not turn. I could only stand there, waiting." I look to her in sympathy. Such dreams should not trouble her mind.

"Night changes many thoughts. Sleep, Èowyn." Aragorn says tucking her in again. "Sleep... while you can." He leaves and I follow him silently. We exit the hall. Aragorn looks to his left; I follow his gaze to see Legolas standing alone. We walk towards him. Aragorn stands at his side while I stand behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. His cloak was warm so I nuzzle his back slightly. He holds my hands against him as he begins to speak to Aragorn and I.

"The stars are veiled. Something stirs in the East. A sleepless malice. The Eye of the enemy is moving." He says quietly as he stares into the night sky. "He is here!" Legolas says quickly staring straight at Aragorn. I jolt as I feel a stabbing pain in my head. I stumble back and grab my head in pain. Legolas turns quickly and grabs me before I fall over. "Nymira!?" He says worry lacing his tone.

"Palantír." Is all I get out. Legolas whisks me up and then runs with Aragorn to the communal sleeping area. Everyone suddenly wakes up. I manage to see Aragorn grab the orb from Pippin's hands before I pass out from the pain.

"Nymira? Nymira?" A faint voice calls to me. I slowly open my eyes as the voice gets louder. "Nymira, are you alright meleth nín?" (My love?) Legolas's sweet voice comes to my ears.

"Ow, my head hurts" I say rubbing my temples. Legolas chuckles.

"Oh, meleth nín. I'm so glad you're okay. Pippin had the Palantír and it seemed to mess with your head a bit. How do you feel?" (My love.) I groan as I try to sit up.

"My whole body hurts." I say tiredly. Legolas helps me to sit up.

"Hey there Sister you doing, okay?" I hear Aragorn as he walks in. It seems that I had been transferred to my room after I had passed out.

"Yeah, I'm just in pain everywhere. I feel like I've been run over by a stampede of horses." I say groaning in pain again.

"Here drink this." Aragorn says sitting on the other side of the bed as he passes me a cup filled with warm water and a few leaves.

"Elvish medicine?" I ask, both Legolas and Aragorn nod. I sniff the contents of the cup and grimace. "It smells weird." I say trying to hand it back to Aragorn.

"Drink. It will make you feel better." He says pushing it back to me. I make an "ew" face as I look at the cup. Legolas chuckles.

"Drink meleth nín. I want you to get better. Please? For me?" (My love.) He asks rubbing my leg slightly. I roll my eyes in amusement.

"Fine." I say before pinching my nose and draining the cup of the liquid. "That tasted bad." I say sticking my tongue out in disgust.

"Here, have some water." Legolas says giving me a glass. I chug down the cool liquid quickly. "Better?" He asks smiling.

"Yeah." I say moving closer to him and resting my head against his chest. "What happened while I was out, also how long was I out for?" I say still nuzzling Legolas's chest.

"Nothing much yet, Gandalf was about to hold a meeting. And you were only asleep for a few hours. The sun has only been up for an hour or two, so not very long." Aragorn says gently. I feel him begin to rub circles on my back.

"Don't, I'll go back to sleep." I say drowsily pushing Aragorn's hand away. He chuckles.

"Awe, but I thought you liked it." Aragorn pouts.

"Yeah, when I want to go to sleep, I do. But not after having been passed out for a while." I say glancing at him. Legolas chuckles.

"You're so cute Nymira. Honestly, I can't get enough of you when you act like this." He says wrapping me in a cuddle. I snuggle into him more as he pulls me onto his lap.

"You said Gandalf's holding a meeting. We should probably go." I say to Aragorn quietly.

"Okay. If either of you need anything, just give a holler and I'll come running." He says then leaves me and Legolas in peace.

"I should probably get dressed huh?" I say yawning.

"Want any help?" Legolas asks. I nod tiredly.

Legolas helps me up. We slowly walk over to my stuff and grab out something that isn't too technical to get into. I end up choosing a loose shirt, black corset, and a half-up-half-down black skirt

"Come. We are late." Legolas says giving me his arm. I link my arm with his and we begin to walk out to the main hall.

"There was no lie in Pippin's eyes. A fool... but an honest fool he remains. He told Sauron nothing of Frodo and the Ring." Gandalf says as we enter the room. Legolas helps me to sit on the floor next to Gimli. The Elf checks that I'm alright before kissing my forehead and standing up. He only moves a couple of feet away from me to stand between Gimli and Aragorn.

"We've been strangely fortunate. Pippin saw in the Palantír a glimpse of the enemy's plan. Sauron moves to strike the city of Minas Tirith." Gandalf continues. "His defeat at Helm's Deep showed our enemy one thing: he knows the heir of Elendil and the heir of Ilúvatar have come forth. Men are not as weak as he supposed; there is courage still, strength enough perhaps to challenge him. Sauron fears this. He will not risk the peoples of Middle-Earth uniting under one banner." He says glancing to me. "He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he sees a King return to the throne of men. If the Beacons of Gondor are lit, Rohan must be ready for war." He finishes.

"Wait, why is he afraid of me being around? He's surely known of my existence for years now? Hasn't he?" I ask a little confused.

"He had thought of you as dead. He initiated the swarm of Orcs on you in the Battle of Five Armies, all those years ago. He had thought his rabble of Orcs had been successful since he had not seen you go to help Thorin." Gandalf says gently.

"Oh." Is all I say. I look to the marble floor.

"You alright lass?" Gimli whispers to me.

"No, I still don't understand why Sauron would be afraid of me? I mean sure, the whole daughter of Ilúvatar thing has something to do with it, but why? Is it because of what happened with Morgoth all those years ago? Does he think that because I was created using The Secret Fire that I could possibly destroy him?" I say still confused.

"That all seems like a reasonable explanation to me." Gimli says quietly patting my back.

"Tell me... why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours?" Thèoden asked. "What do we owe Gondor?" He finishes with a hint of malice in his tone.

"Because the Steward of Gondor is a right old fool, whose mind has been twisted over and over again by one of those damn Palantír's. They need our help." I say angrily getting up. Legolas rushes to my side to steady me. I was still a little off-balance from my blackout.

"I will go." Aragorn says stepping forward.

"No!" Both Gandalf and I shout in unison.

"They must be warned!" Aragorn says urgently.

"We know." I say gently, placing a hand on his arm.

"They will be. You must come to Minas Tirith by another road." Gandalf says quietly moving towards both me and Aragorn. "Follow the river and look to the black ships." He says looking at me with a knowing glance. "Understand this: things are now in motion that cannot be undone. I ride for Minas Tirith." He finishes. "And I won't be going alone." He looks to Pippin and Merry.