Daughter of Arathorn

A Diversion

               After calming herself, Elia stood in the now empty throne room with Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, and Gandalf. "Frodo has passed beyond my sight," Gandalf said. "The darkness is deepening."

"If Sauron had the Ring we would know," Aragorn answered.

"It is only but a matter of time," Gandalf said, "He's suffered a defeat, yes, but behind the walls of Mordor our enemy is regrouping."

"Let him stay there, let him rot, why should we care?" Gimli asked.

Legolas moved his hand up and down Elia's back as she leaned into him. "Becaue 10,000 orcs now stand between Frodo and Mount Doom," Gandalf answered. The wizard was silent for a moment. "I have sent him to his death."

"No, there's still hope for Frodo. He needs time and safe passage across the plains of Mordor. We can give him that," Aragorn said.

"How?" Gimli demanded.

"Draw out Sauron's armies, empty his lands. Then we take our strongest and march out onto the black gates," Aragorn replied.

"We can not achieve victory through strength of arms," Eomer said.

"Not for ourselves, but we can give Frodo the chance if we keep Sauron's eye fixed upon us," Aragorn said.

Legolas nodded his head slowly. "A diversion," he said.

"Certainty of death, small chance of success...what are we waiting for?" Gimli asked.

"Sauron will be expecting a trap. He will not take the bait," Gandalf answered.

"Oh I think he will," Aragorn said.

Elia nodded in agreement. "What else do we have to lose?" she asked as she stepped forward, "We have to at least try." She turned to Aragorn almost immediately. "If you ask me to stay I will tell you I will not. My place is here, with all of you," she said firmly.

Aragorn smiled at his sister. "I have learned by now that attempting to get you to stay behind is next to impossible," he said. Elia gave him a slight smirk.

As Elia went to prepare for their journey to Mordor, she saw her brother in the throne room. He was knelt on one of the steps and he was holding his hand over the Palantir. He grasped the stone and lifted it up so it was eye-level with him. She could see over his shoulder Sauron's eye staring back at him. The Black Speech filled the room and Elia looked around as the room grew darker. "Long have you hunted me. Long have I eluded you, but no more," Aragorn said. He held his sword up to the stone. "Behold the sword of Elendil!" Aragorn said.

Her eyes were wide when a vision of a reincarnated Sauron appeared in the stone, holding his own Palantir. The image change from Sauron to Arwen lying pale and seemingly dying on a chaise. Elia covered her mouth and she watched as Aragorn dropped the Palantir, but then the Evenstar necklace fell from around his neck and shattered all over the floor. Elia approached Aragorn and the siblings stared at each other. She saw the fear in his eyes, and she reached up, resting her hand on his cheek. "She will live," she said.

"Elrond told me she is dying," he said.

"She will not die," she answered. Aragorn grasped his sister's hand that rested on his cheek and rested his forehead against hers. "We will win this," she said, "We will help Frodo reach Mount Doom, the Ring will be gone and Sauron will be defeated." He was silent. "He knows your weakness, just as he knows mine. I have seen him in my dreams, brother. He's hunted us both, but it will be his end one way or another."

"You are a mightier noblewoman than I, dear sister," he said.

Elia chuckled lightly. "Being a Prince's wife, I have had the experience in royal court just a little longer than you," she quipped. Aragorn chuckled lightly with her and they embraced each other tightly.