Dark Light
"Master Haddock!"
Hiccup set aside the heated blade he was working on, and turned to face the speaker. The man in the entrance to the forge was someone who was familiar but whom he had not spoken at any length with before.
"Master Eomer, how may I help you?"
Eomer strode inside, holding a long spear.
"I have heard you have some skill in the forge. Would you please work on this for me?"
Eomer handed over the spear. The weapon was a fine one with a brass tip and wooden handle with engravings.
"Sure, what's wrong with it?"
"The tip is dented. Hard to kill Uruks with a blunt weapon."
"I will get right on it."
Eomer slightly nodded to him and then turned to depart.
"Excuse me, Master Eomer, can you wait a moment?"
"What is it?" Eomer came back and stood before him.
"I just wanted to hear your thoughts about... everything going on here in Edoras and Rohan."
"You mean the dragons," Eomer pointedly asked.
"Yes."
Eomer crossed his arms and frowned.
"What do you want to know?"
"Well, what do you think about them? I know you're a leader."
Eomer was silent for a few seconds before answering.
"I am a soldier and commander, charged with protecting the realm. I see the dragons as dangerous foes or powerful allies. It is good that they are our allies. That is all."
Practical. I like it.
"It can be frustrating when people don't want to give them a chance, but everyone's coming around, slowly," Hiccup explained.
Eomer grumbled and looked around the forge at all the weapons there to be repaired. He took back his spear and idly twirled it.
"The first time I saw them flying above Helm's Deep, I was most unsure. Mithrandir reassured me that these dragons were deserving of trust. Having them live here with us and aid us in daily life, such as they are, is a... change."
"It definitely is that."
Eomer shrugged.
"As far as I am concerned, it is a good change: one that I will preserve when I am King."
Eomer's remark reminded him that Theoden had no direct heirs of his own. Not anymore. Apparently, Eomer was the next in the line to succeed.
"How does that work: you becoming the next King?"
"Theoden King will rule as long as he wishes, but I am the next in line to rule after him. He has already told me that I shall take over when he steps down," Eomer explained.
"His son died, right?"
"Yes, Theodred was as a brother to me. I brought his body back here to be buried with honor... only to find that my King had fallen further under Saruman's spell. I still wish I had gutted Grima when I had the chance!"
Eomer fumed silently, clutching his spear tightly before relaxing.
"But that is all in the past now."
Hiccup took back the spear and inspected it again while thinking over what he had heard. He had picked up whispers of what had happened, something about the King being under a spell that kept him idle, but it felt improper to ask about that.
He ran a finger over the notches on the spear.
"How did these get here?"
"We ran into a rogue band of Uruks yesterday. Wings-Of-Ice found them and brought word as well as his flame. We killed all the Uruks without any casualties of our own. He aided us from above."
Hiccup was pleased by this good news but also surprised that he hadn't heard about it yet. Though, he probably would have heard about it if anything had gone wrong.
"Good to hear. I'm sure that seeing him help protect you all was impressive."
The usually stern Marshal barely cracked a grin.
"Never had I imagined we would be glad to see dragonfire. He probably killed half the Uruks with his first pass. We charged in afterwards to finish the ones that remained."
Hiccup grinned.
"You remind me a lot of the Vikings where I'm from. They're also very stubborn and brave fighters."
Eomer shrugged.
"We must be."
"You both love your ales and feasts too," Hiccup added.
"Who doesn't? We would be a sorry people if we lacked those essentials," Eomer smiled.
"True. Well, I should probably get to work. When do you need this by?"
"I will be in council with Theoden King. I have a couple days here in Edoras before I go out on patrol."
"Understood. I will have it repaired by then."
Eomer bent his head and then departed, leaving Hiccup to see to his work in the forge. As usual when he had repetitive tasks to attend to, he let his thoughts wander to what had recently happened.
The entire pack had been very relieved when Gwaihir and Elrond flew away. Gwaihir had not done anything aggressive or threatening to any of them, but the Eagle's presence alone had been worrying them. Everything had gone back to normal after Gwaihir's and Elrond's departure yesterday.
There were no pressing matters more important than ensuring the peace, moderating any slight disagreements or misunderstandings, and spending the rest of his time working in the forge, tinkering with his wings, or practicing his archery.
But there was still a sense of some lingering threat, hopefully far off in the future. Elrond's words about Sauron's forces being active everywhere else were ominous, though Rohan enjoyed relative peace for now.
Toothless purred in reassurance to Moonbeam as he and she walked through Edoras. She was still reluctant to enter human dens, but she was willing to do so if he was with her.
His soul-fire burned hotter for her every time he saw her do another brave thing to step even further out of the past. Every small fear-making part of life that was grounded and flown out of left her stronger.
Which was why he asked her to enter the Golden Hall den with him to have the evening dinner ceremony with Hiccup and the Fellowship. Mystery was flying with the Alphas and the other fledglings on a practice hunt at night.
Oddly, the Elf, Legolas, was standing by himself outside the den while staring up at the sky from under a dark hood. His gaze almost looked into another world entirely.
"Greetings Burning-Star, Moonbeam," Legolas whispered without glancing at them.
"Greetings, good Elf. Are you worried about something?" he asked.
Legolas was silent a while longer as he stared out into the night.
"The stars are veiled. Something stirs in the East. A sleepless malice. The Enemy's Eye is moving."
He growled at the mention of the eye of fire. He had only seen it a couple times, and neither of those occasions had been good at all.
"Where is it looking?"
"I know not. I only feel that his will is close now..."
He grumbled and stepped away from Legolas. Moonbeam nudged his shoulder after they paused outside the den's doors.
"How can the Elf feel the bad thing when we cannot?" she asked.
"I do not know. I hope that you never feel that Eye looking at you. I did, and it was... very bad."
Together, they entered the Golden Hall den. The entire Fellowship looked to be present plus Hiccup and several of the Rohan leaders. Alpha-King Theoden and Gandalf were sitting nearby each other. Eomer, Eowyn, and Aragorn were at a table together while Gimli, Merry, and Hiccup were at another table. Various human foods were on the tables, but Hiccup also had a couple large plates of meats set aside on the end of his table.
How thoughtful of him. So that's why he asked me to bring her tonight!
He and Moonbeam padded over to that table to join them. Hiccup saw them approaching, waved, and smiled at her.
"Hello Moonbeam, good to see you here with us."
She stepped up to the table and purred softly after sitting down.
"Is this food for us?" she asked.
"Sure is! Help yourselves!"
They watched over her as she nibbled at the various meats. Something smelled familiar about the food.
"Merry, did you help with the food?" he asked.
The Hobbit smiled widely.
"I sure did. Found some herbs and seasoning to make it taste just right as Sam taught me. It's almost like I was cooking back at home in the Shire."
Moonbeam stared curiously at Merry.
"What is your home like, little human?" she asked.
"It is very warm and green and filled with all kinds of growing things: summer barley in the lower fields, hills of strawberries, pigs, cows, sheep, and many flowing rivers. I wish I was there now," Merry sighed.
She hummed.
"I understand that. The range where the pack lived was very warming... in some ways. But I am home wherever I am with my kin. This range is much warmer also."
The tap of a staff on the ground announced Gandalf's abrupt approach.
"Master Meriadoc, do I hear you wish to see the Shire again? The last I remember seeing you in the Shire was when you were covered in soot and doing the dishes after you were caught misbehaving."
"Alright, the fireworks was my idea, but Pip thought that we should... Pip?"
Merry glanced to his side, saw the empty chair, and shrugged.
"Oh well, anyway, I still regret that I got caught."
"Not that you were doing it in the first place?" Gandalf frowned.
Everyone had a laugh at that, though Moonbeam was confused since she did not understand the joke.
"You young rascals!" Gimli grumbled, "Feasting, smoking, and making trouble; that is what you are good for!"
"We do our best," Merry smirked.
Toothless laughed at the antics and warmth of Hobbit soul-fires. Then he realized that Moonbeam likely hadn't met the Wizard yet.
"Have you met Gandalf yet?" he whispered to her.
"No, I have not," she answered and turned to the Wizard.
Gandalf warmly regarded her.
"I must say, Moonbeam, you are a fine and beautiful dragoness. Fierce too, if that mark is any indication."
He gestured at her visible scar as she held her head proudly.
"My first encounter with your Burning-Star was very memorable," Gandalf added.
"Was it?" she asked.
"Oh yes, he tried to burn off my beard and my head."
"Only because I thought you were attacking Hiccup!" Toothless exclaimed.
"Because I thought you were ensnaring him!"
Toothless grumbled.
"How much truth is in that story? Can dragons truly twist a human's thinking if the human looks into our eyes?"
"Sadly, it is true. Some of the greatest tragedies in history have come from those who were under the dragon-spell," Gandalf answered while puffing on his pipe.
Hiccup spoke up at that.
"You mentioned one of the first dragons, Glaurung, and that it did something important long ago. What happened?"
"Aye, a story would be nice," Merry agreed.
Gandalf frowned.
"Not this one, I assure you. Everyone dies and the evil dragon gets the final victory over his slayer, Turin. All because of a few words uttered before the end and bad luck long ago. Trust me, you don't want to know the details."
Those ominous words cast a pall over the entire Hall.
'What is this?'
Toothless grumbled.
"I do not understand it. How could a dragon control the thinking of another? I know that it happens with big dragons controlling smaller ones, but how?"
"The nature of that ability even I cannot fathom. It comes from the Great Enemy, Morgoth. He had that power himself," Gandalf explained.
Toothless shared a solemn, trusting glace with Hiccup across the table.
"I do not think I have that power, and even if I did I would never use it."
"You may not have the power but..." Gandalf's voice faded as Toothless heard nothing more.
Gandalf was speaking, but he could not hear anything over the pounding that began growing in his head.
'Tell Saruman that this dainty is not for him.'
A building pressure and thumping. Was it his heart racing faster for some reason? Was it a shadow slithering in the dark? Was the fire itself fading?
'What is your name? No answer? Wait...'
He blinked.
'I. See. YOU!'
The flaming eye flashed in his thoughts and reached out in a roaring of phantom flame.
He reared back from the table with a cry of open alarm at the same instant that several things happened.
His pendant shone brighter with pure white light on his chest. Gandalf's staff began glowing brightly from its tip as the Wizard grasped his staff. Legolas flung open the doors to the Golden Hall den and yelled something he could not hear. Sound then returned as a screaming began echoing from one of the main side-halls where the Fellowship did most of its sleeping.
Everyone flew to their paws in a chaotic din and started running toward the screaming. Gandalf was the first to throw open the doors and dash inside with a shout.
"Fool of a Took..."
"Pippin!" Merry cried as he was pushed aside in the rush to enter.
Toothless scrambled inside and got out of the way with Hiccup and Moonbeam at his side.
Pippin was lying on his back on the ground. His paws were still held out before him, locked in place, while he stared blankly at the ceiling. Gandalf was kneeling beside him while holding a palm to his brow and holding one of the Hobbit's paws.
Rolling on the ground a few paces from the motionless Hobbit was a dark rock ball. It appeared to be moving or swirling inside as it came to rest.
From within its dark, fathomless depths stared a flaming eye, and he knew what it was.
The eye of Sauron cast swirling shadows on the ground and the walls of the den, even now in the darkness of night.
It stared at him, so he bared his teeth and snarled openly at it. But it or the presence in the air and shadows only felt amused as the slither of an echoing laugh crept around him and danced in the dark.
'Agh burzum-ishi krimpatul...'
Then he heard something even worse than its whispering. Moonbeam was whimpering, almost as if she was in pain at his side. Her eyes were closed as she shook her head softly and whined.
Her pain, whatever it was, clawed at his soul-fire as nothing had before, so he lay a wing over her back and nuzzled her neck.
Stronger, more protective, and more furious than he had been in a very long time. A faint blue glow began growing in the darkness. Then Hiccup came over to stand beside him and Moonbeam, a hand on both of their necks in reassurance. That blue hue being cast over everything only grew brighter.
Then everything around him went dark.
'You should thank me, lost one, last of your kind from that world.'
Was he truly the last one? There was no way to know if that was true...
'Brought here to fulfill your purpose. You and your kind will serve me!'
Malicious laughter pounded on his thoughts with the force of a storm and a great, rushing wind.
'No dragon can resist my command and my strength of will!'
It was so strong. Not even the Queen-Monster in all her command felt as wild, dangerous, and powerful as this. A wave of malice, pride, and strength that beat against his thoughts, searching for a crack, a weakness, an entry into his soul-fire where it could then grow and spread its rot. Where it could destroy and corrupt him.
It was not nearly as strong as the Ring itself had been, though they were very similar.
He wanted a precious hoard, just like any other Middle-earth dragon. True. He did deserve a much bigger hoard. That would be good and a sign of his strength. A large hoard on which he could sit in warmth in the dark and sleep while dreaming dreams of gold and kill anyone who came to threaten him and...
And then the shadows retreated.
He weakly growled and then watched as Aragorn strode out before him, knelt beside the stone, hesitated for an instant, picked up the rock ball in a paw, and held up his new sword in his other paw.
Everything else faded as the dark, flaming eye focused only on Aragorn, apparently in surprise. Sweat dripped down the man's brow as he stared into the stone.
The whispering presence faded from his own thoughts.
"Long have you hunted for me. Long have I hidden from you. No more!" Aragorn growled.
Aragorn held up his sword and showed off the blade which flashed in the torchlight and light from the pendant.
Did a faint scream of pain echo off the walls of the Hall? Did the shadows retreat further at the glint of the sword and the jewel?
"Behold the sword of Elendil! I see your fear! You are right to fear me now!"
Did the flaming eye flash and wither slightly?
He blinked.
A dead, white tree was surrounded in flames as smoke curled into the sky above a dead, white city.
Aragorn, visibly pained, still stared into the stone in his trembling paw. The dark stone almost dripped with dark light.
"Begone, servant of Morgoth!"
A distant wail echoed in the shadows. The flaming eye in the stone was torn apart, as if by a gust of wind. The torches and the fireplace in the Hall were killed, leaving them all in darkness except for Gandalf's staff and his own pendant.
Everything went still, quiet, and peaceful.
Until Pippin gave a great heave, gasping for breath and staring up at the top of the Hall or maybe at Gandalf in total fear.
"G... Gandalf... f... forgive me..." Pippin gasped.
Gandalf shook Pippin's shoulders.
"Look at me! What did you see? Speak now!"
Pippin breathed heavily without saying anything for a while.
"A tree. I saw a white tree in a courtyard of stone. The tree was dead, and the city was burning. And I... I saw... him! He... asked..."
"What did you say? Speak!" Gandalf shouted in alarm.
"He... asked me my name. I said nothing. It hurt."
"Did you tell him anything about Frodo or the Ring?"
Pippin paused and stared up at Gandalf.
"No. He... never asked."
Gandalf frowned and remained crouched at Pippin's side while glaring at him. Then the Wizard relaxed and stood up.
"I see no lie in your eyes, Peregrin Took. Get up."
Gandalf helped Pippin to his feet. Merry immediately went to embrace Pippin.
"You idiot! Just had to meddle in a Wizard's affairs..."
Gandalf then glanced around at everyone gathered there and who had seen or heard everything: the entire gathered Fellowship, himself, Hiccup, Moonbeam, and Alpha-King Theoden.
"Theoden King, would you please close the door," Gandalf requested.
Theoden, still in shock of his own, complied, fumbling to close the door.
"Burning-Star, you will need to explain more of the truth to Moonbeam because of what she saw and felt here tonight," Gandalf said.
He nodded in agreement, completely agreeing that she deserved to know the truth.
"I will."
"What did I see and feel?" she gasped.
"That fire-eye is the Enemy we are fighting against: the Enemy that would make us all thralls. I will tell you everything later," he whispered to her and nuzzled her neck.
Gandalf then addressed everyone present in the magical light.
"Pippin is a fool, but he is an honest fool. He told Sauron nothing of the true mission, though he would have if Sauron had only demanded that knowledge of him. We were very fortunate. Pippin saw in the Palantir a glimpse of Sauron's plan. We learned where the Enemy will strike next with his greatest strength: Minas Tirith."
A long, tense silence followed that. Hiccup leaned over and whispered to him.
"That is the biggest city of all humans. From what I heard it is much bigger than Edoras."
Gandalf continued.
"More than learning where the strike will fall, we have also provoked him while sowing the seeds of doubt. He knows now that his puppet, Saruman, was defeated at Helm's Deep and at Isengard. He knows that the peoples of Gondor and Rohan are not as weak as he thought. There is still strength and courage to challenge him still. He knows that he has dragons as enemies also. Doubt gnaws at our Enemy, and now the heir of Elendil has challenged him openly and directly."
All eyes went to Aragorn. The former Ranger looked very weary as he sat down on his sleeping-bag. Anduril was sheathed now, and the perfectly calm and dark Palantir was in Aragorn's paws. The stone looked perfectly unremarkable except for its shape.
"Aragorn has claimed the Palantir for himself and can, more or less, use it now. Sauron believes he knows our plan also, and we will keep it that way. He will not risk the peoples of Middle-earth uniting together as they did at the end of the Second Age. He will raze Minas Tirith to the ground before he lets a King reclaim the throne of Gondor!"
"How long have we until he moves on Gondor?" Theoden asked.
Gandalf grumbled and began pacing.
"That depends on how swiftly he can marshal his armies and how great his fear is. No less than three weeks, I would say, for his armies to travel and begin the siege if he has not already moved them. I will ride for Minas Tirith, first thing in the morning, and you, Master Took, are riding with me. No questions from you now!"
Pippin meekly nodded and looked away.
Gandalf then addressed Theoden.
"Rohan must be ready for war if the beacons are lit."
King Theoden frowned and crossed his arms.
"I have not forgotten the Oath of Eorl, but my lands here are still in peril. We are weak. If it were not for the dragons who joined us, we might not have survived Helm's Deep at all."
"True," Gandalf frowned, "much is owed to our new allies. Masters Haddock, Burning-Star, Moonbeam, what do you think the pack would do?"
They glanced at each other.
"We would need to talk to them first. We are very lucky that none of us died at Helm's Deep," Hiccup answered.
Toothless grumbled.
"Yes, we are few. Any one of us dying in fighting would be worse than one more human dying," he explained.
He knew that it sounded very uncaring and dismissive, but it was still the truth.
Gandalf paced and looked from Hiccup to Theoden.
"The dragons are free powers in this world, and it is not my place to give them orders. They must do what they believe is right. Them and the Rohirrim both."
"I," Theoden paused, "will speak with my commanders and see... what we might be able to do if there is a summons."
Theoden then departed and closed the door behind him.
"And I must go think under the stars about what we have learned," Gandalf added as he too swept out through the door and vanished.
His departure left behind a deep silence. Merry went and sat down next to Pippin.
"Pip, you alright?" Merry whispered.
"Yeah..."
"What were you thinking?"
"I... just wanted... to see the Shire again..."
"You fool. Why do you always have to look?"
"I don't know. I can't help it..."
Merry ruffled Pippin's hair.
"You never can, cous..."
Aragorn got up, still holding the Palantir.
"I will go with Gandalf and take his council on what we have learned."
Aragorn left, and Legolas went with him.
"Well, I'm going to bed then!" Gimli said, laying his ax down by his bedroll.
What the Dwarf thought his ax would have done against Sauron... Toothless was not sure.
Moonbeam then turned to leave also. Her head was hung and her tail dragged behind her.
Hiccup nudged his shoulder and whispered.
"We should probably go with her."
"Yes, we should."
He, Hiccup, and Moonbeam left the Golden Hall den and walked out into the clear and peaceful night air. There were no wings in the sky, the entire pack likely being asleep or settling down.
She hopped down from the steps and then bounded over to the top of the ledge above where the pack slept. They joined her there and sat down with her. Out away from any other eyes that might see weakness, Moonbeam gave a very deep whine. Hiccup immediately went to hold her neck.
"It's okay now. You're fine."
Toothless stepped over to her other side and lay his tail over hers.
"We are here for you, my dear mate."
She purred softly and lifted her head. There was still a shadow of fear in her wide purple eyes.
"What was that thing in the rock?" she gasped.
Hiccup answered.
"It is a... soul-fire of a life that lived long ago and wanted to control all life as a great Alpha. Its name is Sauron. He is the enemy of all free life."
Toothless also nudged her head.
"Did you hear it, my dear mate? Did you hear his twisted, rotted words?"
"Yes, I did. That thing felt... very, very bad. Is it gone now?"
"It is gone from here and from the rock, but it is not dead," he whispered.
"And it wants to make us thralls?" she snarled.
"All of us: dragons, humans, and everyone else," Hiccup answered.
The night was cool, calm, and dark as the stars slowly spun overhead. Most of the rest of the pack looked like it was asleep in peace.
"I do not know what I can do to help, but I will help fight against that bad thing," she growled.
Hiccup whispered to her.
"Someone once told me that even the smallest people can change the future. Whatever happens, we will face it together."
Toothless growled.
"Yes, we will. All of us as one flight."
Hiccup awoke at dawn and made his way up to the Golden Hall. Gandalf and Pippin planned to leave shortly after breakfast to ride to Minas Tirith.
He wanted to meet them one last time before they left.
Unsurprisingly, Pippin was awake, eating simple porridge at a table while Merry sat with him. He sat down with the Hobbits, both of whom looked very miserable.
It was not surprising that Pippin would still be upset after what had happened to him just the previous evening.
"Morning Pip!"
"Hiccup..." Pippin stirred the porridge without eating.
"What is this? A Hobbit not eagerly eating first breakfast?"
"I'm going with Gandalf, but Merry is staying here in Edoras."
"Oh, I understand. Any reason why you aren't going, Merry?"
Merry shrugged.
"Gandalf and Shadowfax can only take one passenger, and I guess I'm the one who hasn't caused... trouble..."
"I won't do it again. The burned hand learns the lesson best. I saw him, and I never want to cause trouble again," Pippin whispered.
"If I may, Pip, what did you see when you... saw him? Only if you want to say..." Hiccup asked.
Pippin winced and looked away, visibly pained by the question.
"I... it looked like he was hiding in shadows. I could just... feel him and... knew what he was. I don't know how Aragorn beat him and took back the stone."
"Is that what he did? He took it away from Sauron...?"
Merry nodded.
"Yes. His being the true heir gives him power over the Palantir, or something like that. Legolas said something about the Stones being from an ancient kingdom of Men that was lost under the waves."
"That would be Numenor," Aragorn said as he entered and sat down with them.
"What happened to that place? How could it be lost under the sea?" Hiccup asked.
Aragorn paused before speaking.
"The Numenorians were faithful Men aided the Valar and the Elves against the Great Enemy in the First Age. For their loyalty, they were given a land out in the sea to be theirs. Numenor was great, beautiful, and near the Blessed Realm. One rule only was laid upon the them: they were not allowed to set foot in the Blessed Realm. They lost their way in time, though they remained powerful. One of their Kings, Ar-Pharazon, even captured Sauron himself."
"What?" "I don't believe it." "Wow."
"Yes, his armada was so great that all the servants of Sauron fled him. But Sauron was cunning. He pretended to have given up and even praised the King's greatness, eventually becoming Ar-Pharazon's trusted adviser. Sauron corrupted the island and had the people worshiping the Great Enemy as a god, even sacrificing people in Morgoth's name. He finally told the King to take his entire armada, the greatest one the world has ever seen, and lay siege to the Blessed Realm itself."
"Why would the King do that?" Pippin wondered.
"Because he feared death, and Sauron told him that a mortal living in the Blessed Realm would be immortal. That is not true. The Undying Lands of the Blessed Realm are only named so because those who are naturally immortal live there. A mortal living there would age and pass on when it is their time."
"What happened?" Hiccup breathlessly asked.
"The King landed on the shores of Aman; he was the first true mortal to do so in a siege, and when he did... it changed the world forever," Aragorn whispered.
"How?" Hiccup asked.
"The Valar called on the Creator, Illuvatar, and the whole world was changed. The entire armada was lost under the waves; the whole of Numenor collapsed and fell into the sea, killing everyone on it; and Aman was removed from the world. Anyone not permitted to go there would sail into the West and would emerge in the East."
Then Aragorn gave the faintest of smiles.
"While all of Numenor was lost, there were the faithful, Elendil and his people, who were spared and fled to Middle-earth because they heeded the warnings they were given and left before the disaster. They were my ancestors. They brought with them seven Palantir, gifts of the Elves, and a single seedling that grew into the White Tree of Gondor."
Hiccup started as he was again reminded that Aragorn was connected to Gondor.
That is his Kingdom. Actually...
"Are you going with Gandalf to Minas Tirith?"
Oddly, Aragorn shook his head.
"No, not openly. Not yet. Gandalf explained that there is another, secret path that I must take if I do go South. I would meet up with a company of my kin and bring them to Gondor's defense."
Merry frowned.
"But why aren't you going there to be King now?"
"It would be too disruptive. There is a Steward who rules in place of a King, and transition could be... problematic in the middle of a war."
That makes sense.
"You'd be a good King," Merry added.
"I agree, you're not at all what I've heard of Kings being like," Hiccup said.
"Exactly. How many Kings have lived in the wild? Probably none," Merry chuckled.
Aragorn solemnly smiled.
"I am glad that you think so highly of me. I only hope that we do not arrive too late and find that Minas Tirith has fallen."
"What will they be against?" Pippin whispered.
Aragorn frowned and rested a hand on his new sword.
"That depends on how long Osgiliath can hold."
"Osgiliath?" Pippin asked.
"The true capital of Gondor, though the city is in ruins now. It lies on the Anduin river and is one of Minas Tirith's last defenses. The Enemy might send hundreds of thousands of his slaves to war."
Hearing about how large the Enemy's army might be was terrible. But there was a detail about it that didn't make sense.
"How? How can he provide for so many? I thought that his lands in Mordor are barren and dead," Hiccup asked.
"His western lands are indeed as you say, but the east is far more fertile. His influence is also strong in lands east of Mordor, and they send tribute, soldiers, and slaves to his service."
Both Hobbits slumped and frowned.
"It sounds hopeless." "What can any of us do?"
Aragorn looked between all three of them. He looked grim and defiant at the same time.
"Despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not. Also, the more that the Enemy is focused on us, the better it is for anyone else who has... a secret mission..."
Yeah, that's the real mission that matters.
As he thought about Frodo and Sam off on their own in the world and on a mission to sneak into Mordor itself, he felt very humbled at how brave Hobbits could be. They were the smallest people of Middle-earth, and yet they might be the bravest. Hopefully he would get to see those two dear Hobbits again.
Toothless and Hiccup followed the Hobbits out to the stables as Gandalf led the way. No one was being particularly talkative.
Hiccup gently patted Pippin's shoulder as they walked. The Hobbits were understandably glum because they were having to part ways for a while.
Then they arrived at the stables and waited outside because of Toothless. The horses were still very uneasy around any of the Furies.
For the most part.
Gandalf led out from the stable a proud stallion. The stallion's white coat glistened in the morning light and his mane flowed at his stride.
The great horse saw Toothless, whinnied loudly, and strode straight up to him with a defiant glare in its eyes. Then it huffed in his face.
"Gandalf, what is wrong with your horse?" Toothless grumbled.
Gandalf laughed and then whistled softly.
The white horse trotted back to Gandalf's side and received a stroking on its proud neck.
"Nothing is wrong with Shadowfax. He is the greatest of all horses now, and he fears nothing. Is that not right, my friend?"
Shadowfax snorted, tossed his head, and stood still as Gandalf hopped on his bare back. The Wizard bore nothing except a small pack, his staff, and his white robes.
"Where is the saddle?" Hiccup asked.
Shadowfax neighed at that and beat at the ground with a single hoof. The horse also glared his direction.
"Shadowfax will have no saddle or harness. None ride him; rather, he will consent to bear someone, or he will not. If he will, it is then his job to keep his passenger on his back," Gandalf explained.
Toothless huffed.
"I approve of how this horse thinks."
Hiccup scratched Toothless's neck.
"So do I," he whispered.
Merry then stepped forward and offered Pippin a small pack.
"What is this?" Pippin asked.
"The last of the Longbottom leaf. You smoke too much, Pippin."
"Merry..."
The Hobbits embraced, neither wanting to let go.
"It is time," Gandalf whispered.
Gandalf then offered a hand to Pippin and lifted him up in front of him.
"How far is it to Minas Tirith?" Pippin asked.
"Two days ride for us," Gandalf answered and then looked to Hiccup and Toothless.
"Farewell, until we meet again. I fear that it will be under the shadow of the greatest battle of this Age. I hope that Rohan answers the inevitable summons."
"I believe he will. Theoden is a good King," Hiccup offered.
Gandalf gazed up at the Golden Hall.
"He knows the reasons why it is necessary. Yes, I believe that Rohan will ride to war. Still, I cannot help but think that we have missed an important detail."
"What do you mean?"
Gandalf frowned and then stared off at the mountains.
"We have been too fortunate: finding dragons willing to aid us; winning a victory at Helm's Deep; even our unexpected use of the Palantir. Everything has worked well for us."
The Wizard stared into the distance until he remembered himself.
"Maybe my fears are unfounded. I pray that is so. Away now, Shadowfax, to Minas Tirith! Fly like the wind!"
Shadowfax whinnied loudly and sprang forward into a gallop, racing out of sight down the path toward the main gate.
Merry ran off toward one of the nearby watchtowers and got Aragorn's attention as he ran. Hiccup jumped on Toothless's back, and they flew up to the slope by the Golden Hall. Shadowfax was already far out on the rolling plain by the time they landed.
"That is one very fast horse. I wonder if..." Hiccup chuckled.
Toothless rolled his eyes and stretched his wings while clawing at the ground.
"It is still only a horse..." he huffed.
"Yeah, no chance he is as fast as you, bro."
"No, there is not."
They settled down and silently stared over the plain, watching as Gandalf, Pippin, and Shadowfax raced in what looked like a tireless sprint.
The warm wind flowed around the hill as Edoras bustled with activity. A few Furies were aloft, gliding on the wind or flying somewhere on a task. Others they knew were gone and helping with the herds, on patrol, or other labor. Rohirrim children and a couple Fury cubs were playing tag down among the homes while their guardians followed, keeping watch over the play.
"Bro, did you ever think you'd see anything like this?" Hiccup waved a hand across all that they could see down below.
"No, I did not. We still need to talk to the pack about the fighting that might happen."
"We can talk to them tonight. Do you think they... we will want to do that?"
Toothless huffed.
"It is the same as the fight at Helm's Deep. The reasons are no different. We fight against the Enemy not only for humans and Elves but also for ourselves. Yes, we can convince the pack that we should fly to the fight."
Hiccup nodded.
"Speaking of flying, what do you say we practice some more later today? I feel like I'm getting the hang of spins."
"How you do spins without a tail, I do not know!"
"I'm just that amazing."
"Yes, you are," Toothless grinned.
Together, they looked off into the southeast along the mountains. A faint white dot was just barely visible far off on the golden plains.
The sky on the distant horizon looked darker than it should be. It was as though there was a storm hidden beyond the horizon.