*Chapter 12: The Arrival at Minas Tirith*

Merry: Gandalf?
Gandalf: Hmm?
Merry: I think as soon as weÂ’re done eating we should leave.
Gandalf: Yes, Merry, that is the plan.
Sam: (stands up) Well, IÂ’m done.
Pippin: (stands up) Me too.
Frodo: (stand up) Me three!
Gandalf: Well, well, well, look whoÂ’s in a hurry to reach the White City.
Gimli: Well, I agree with the hobbits. (stands up) We canÂ’t waste time.
Gandalf: (glad) Alright then, letÂ’s go!
(Legolas and Gimli go on LegolasÂ’ horse, Gandalf and Pippin go on Shadowfax, and Frodo goes on IsthulÂ’s horse)
Gandalf: Go! (And with that, everyone kicks off with speed, leaving Merry and Sam running)
Merry: (getting tired already)
Sam: Think of it this way, Merry, the faster we get Minas Tirith, the better!
Merry: Right. (gasps for air) Think happy thoughtsÂ… happy thoughtsÂ…

(About 6 hours later)
Legolas: (looks farther ahead) Gandalf, weÂ’re getting close. We must go faster.
Merry and Sam: (extremely tired) FASTER!!!
(Everyone stops riding)
Isthul: Perhaps we should do a switch?
(Frodo gets off IsthulÂ’s horse and Pippin gets off Shadowfax. Merry gets on Shadowfax and Sam gets on IsthulÂ’s horse. They continue riding at a great speed)

(They are approaching Minas TirithÂ’s gate)
Pippin: (overcome with joy he shouts) Here we come, Gondor! Here we come, Aragorn! Open the gate for us!!
(A loud horn has been blown and Arwen and Elrond hear the commotion and run outside)
Arwen: (very happy) TheyÂ’re here! TheyÂ’ve come!
Elrond: Indeed. I sent for Isthul, and he brings not only the Athelas, but the fellowship! (smiles)
(Loud sounds of marching are heard and Elrond looks farther out behind the approaching fellowship. He sees a large army of orcs.) Legolas! Yrch! (orcs)
Legolas: (while riding looks back) Oh no… Gandalf! The orcs! TheyÂ’re here!
Gandalf: All of you! Keep going, IÂ’ll handle this!
(The others keep riding and ride past the gate)
Arwen: (runs down a long flight of stairs to the fellowship) Mae govannen Isthul! (Well met, Isthul!) (Notices heÂ’s hurt) You are hurt!
Isthul: DonÂ’t worry about it, my lady.
Frodo: Greetings, my lady. (kneels down along with the other hobbits)
Arwen: (smiles)
Legolas: (approaches her with the Athelas) Sî I Athelas. (Here is the Athelas)
Arwen: (taking it and running up the stairs to Aragorn, meanwhile Elrond comes down the stairs to the fellowship)
Elrond: Isthul, I canÂ’t even begin to thank you, my friend. (notices he is hurt) You are hurt.
Isthul: IÂ’m alr-
Elrond: Nonsense! Guards! (3 Gondor Guards approaches)
Gondor Guard #1: Yes, my lord?
Elrond: Take this elf up in the bedroom and get him some aid, he is hurt.
(The Gondor soldiers picked him up from his horse and bring him the room)
Elrond: Also, gather up all soldiers, we have orcs approaching us! Hurry!
Gondor Guard #2: Of course. (A loud horn is blown and soldiers from every corner of Gondor comes gathering at the gate)
Gimli: YouÂ’ve managed to get him aid in such short time. We spent the entire journey trying to get him medicine, but he refuses.
Elrond: ItÂ’s just like Isthul to behave so. HeÂ’ll be alright. HeÂ’s only feeling pain. The poison has no effect on him.

(Back to where Aragorn lies)
Arwen: (Is stirring the Athelas in some hot water and then takes it draining most of the water. Then rolls up the leaves into small pieces and places then in AragornÂ’s wound while holding it down)
Aragorn: (groans in pain)
Arwen: ItÂ’s alright, Aragorn. Just bear with me, please.
Elrond: (enters the room) How is it?
Arwen: I just put the Athelas in it.
Elrond: It needs to be in there for a while. Take this cloth (hands her a cloth) and put lots of Athelas into the wound and wrap this cloth around it tight. WeÂ’ll see results in the morning.
(The fellowship too enters the room with great worries)
Legolas: How is he?
Elrond: It will take time to see results. Come, you all must be terribly weary.
Legolas: What about the orcs? We canÂ’t leave Gandalf out there all alone!
Elrond: Look out at the marching army of Mordor, then look at the lightÂ…
Legolas: (Runs outside to see Gandalf holding his staff in the air and a great beam of light shines blinding most of the orcs while the others retreat. Gandalf rides back to the city and runs to Elrond.)
Gandalf: They will come back. IÂ’ve only bared us time. This is war for Aragorn, not us. I have a feeling they here to do more evil treachery.
Elrond: I am most confused.
Gandalf: Come, I will explain all.
Frodo: (to Merry) I canÂ’t believe they caught up to us so fast.
Merry: You know orcs… what else is new?

(Everyone is resting, but the room their in remains totally silent. TheyÂ’re all thinking about Aragorn. Ion runs in all happy to see Legolas)
Ion: Uncle Leggy!!
Legolas: (smiles and laughs) Ion! (Ion runs up to him and Legolas gives him a big hug)
Gimli: (laughs) Leggy! Haha! ThatÂ’s a good one!
Legolas: (looks at Gimli with embarrassment)
Ion: Legolas! Can you teach me archery? Pllleeaasseee?
Legolas: Not now, but I will soon, ok?
Ion: OkÂ… HmmÂ… Legolas?
Legolas: Yes?
Ion: How old are you?
Legolas: (laughs) 2,931 years.
Ion: Wow! YouÂ’re almost the same age as mummy! Will I ever live long too?
Legolas: Well, of course.
Ion: (leaves)
Elrond: (walks in) I can only hope the child will receive the gifts of elves. I hope ArwenÂ’s sacrifice of her immortality doesnÂ’t affect Ion.
Legolas: HeÂ’s so youngÂ… signs will show soon if he does receive them.
Elrond: He will grow in time, hopefully during times of peace. Gandalf has told me everything. We wait till morning to see if Aragorn is well, but he wonÂ’t be able to recover his strength so fast. Who now will lead the Gondor army against the orcs wanting to reach inside these walls?
Gimli: YouÂ’re looking at them, Master Elf.
Legolas: (smiles) Another match? (laughs) YouÂ’re too much, Gimli.
Gimli: I could bet my life IÂ’ll get more kills than you, Legolas.
Legolas: WeÂ’ll see.

(Soon after, night falls and everyone is asleep, thinking anxiously about AragornÂ’s well-beingÂ…)

TBC