Yay! Here is the next chapter! Hope you love it!


Maltök and Tónby hovered in the sky while Legolas climbed on Mayleea's back. She took off into the sky, almost throwing Legolas from her back. Luckily he was securely placed in front of her wing joint. Mayleea roared happily as she and her dragons soared over the newly destroyed landscape of Mordor. She heard Tónby's higher pitched roar behind her just as Legolas leaned forward over her neck.

"Imagine how this will look 100 years from now," he said.

Mayleea shook her head. When the dust settled and the lava cooled, Mordor would be a monument frozen in time. It would forever show the struggle of hundreds of men and dragons against an unimaginable foe. She and her dragons would be remembered for the rest of time as the beasts that fought alongside the men and elves and dwarves, and helped save the two Hobbits who destroyed the One Ring. Middle Earth would now be propelled into a new and prosperous generation of love and cooperation between races with no looming black cloud drifting from Mordor.

Mayleea turned on a down draft and headed for the mountain. The lava was sending heat and sulfur thirty feet up into the sky as Mayleea, Tónby and Maltök flew over the surface.

"Where are they?" Legolas asked Mayleea.

"Close," she responded as she rounded the mountain.

Tónby dodged a flying bolder and some lava as part of the mountain exploded.

"Watch yourself," Mayleea warned.

Tónby's chest rumbled.

"Thank you," she hissed.

Legolas and Maltök laughed and Mayleea snorted just as they came out of the smoke and saw them. The three dragons folded their wings and descended, one after the other. Mayleea landed next to the unconscious Hobbits and Legolas jumped off her back. He checked both of them.

"They are alive," he stated.

Mayleea dropped her face to sniff both of their furry heads. They smelled of sweat and sulfur and blood. Their darker haired Halfling was bleeding from several places on his face and the finger on one of his hands was missing. His lips were cracked and both sides of his neck were rubbed raw. Mayleea purred quietly in his ear and moved to Sam. The moment she laid her golden eyes on him, she felt the connection they shared the few times they'd talked strengthen almost as much as hers and Legolas'.

She ran her gaze over the little stout body. His face was soft and gentle even covered in soot and blood. His lips were also chapped and cracking and his face was wet. Mayleea licked his cheek softly and tasted salt. He'd been crying. Her chest rumbled and she nudged his face with her nose and to her delight, his eyes opened slightly.

"You are safe little one. We will get you home," she said quietly into his mind.

"Are you Mayleea?" he asked hoarsely.

She nodded her big head and nudged him again, this time in the shoulder.

"I am," she said.

"I feel as if I know you… from… a dream."

"It was like a dream. Sleep now little one. You will be safe in no time."

Sam's eyes fluttered twice, then stayed closed. Mayleea swung her head around to Legolas. She grunted and he jumped up on her back. She pushed off the rock just as part of it slid into the lava river on either side. Maltök dropped onto the rock after she was in the air and slid one giant, plated front foot under Sam. He lifted the little Hobbit gently and Tónby took the other Halfling. They climbed into the sky on the updraft and headed for home.

Mayleea felt Legolas lean back and stretch out along her spine. She grinned and banked to the left. He was not surprised and rolled to the right, off her wing and down to her back leg. Startled, Mayleea over corrected and threw him from her foot, where he landed squarely on Tónby's back. The other dragon grinned and grabbed him by the cloak and tossed him back up to Mayleea. She caught him with her front feet and roared. Legolas hooked his left foot on one of her talons and put both his arms out. Mayleea held him up with her other front foot and roared happily. The joy was short lived however because out of nowhere she was knocked out of the sky.

Legolas flew off her leg just to be caught by Maltök as Mayleea and another dragon were falling to the ground fast. Mayleea was becoming very accustomed to having to throw dragons off her back. She reached back with her left front foot and yanked the smaller dragon over her shoulder and threw her toward the mountain.

"Take the Hobbits back to Minas Tirith! Keep them safe!"

"We will help!"Legolas yelled.

"GO!" she responded as the other dragon came back up at her.

The dragons turned without another word, respecting her word, but Legolas continued to yell. Mayleea ignored it and dodged the dragon. She was small and a pale blue. She almost looked white in the darkness of Mordor.

"The battle is over!" Mayleea shouted. "Come home with us!"

"I WAS HOME!" she screamed.

Mayleea recognized the voice all too quickly.

"YOU. RUINED. EVERYTHING."

It was Kópa's mate.

"I am sorry, but it was YOUR mate who was in the wrong! He was holding everyone against their will!"

She roared and climbed back up in the air swiping a clawed forepaw halfheartedly at her face. Mayleea dodged her and pushed her down toward the ground with her back feet.

"Why don't you let your mate fight his own battle?" Mayleea growled at her, dodging a jet of fire.

"I am."

Mayleea turned just in time to get hit in the side by a dragon body. Kópa had come out of nowhere and taken her out of the sky. Kópa seemed to be on a suicide mission. As long as she died, he didn't seem to care if he lived. Mayleea could hear his mate screaming at him to let go, but he didn't respond to her. Mayleea glanced over her shoulder at the fast approaching ground and she knew something had to be done quickly. She kicked out with her left back foot, effectively spinning him in the air. She then had a chance to get out from under him and she took it. However, once on top, Kópa still held onto her. He had both front foot claws dug in behind her shoulders.

Together, they hit the side of the mountain and bounced off. Kópa screeched. His tail had landed in lava. Mayleea smelled the charred flesh immediately. They were airborne for another few seconds before they hit another rock and rolled over and over each other down the mountain where they finally came to rest on a small outcropping of rock. Kópa's claws had come out of her shoulder as they rolled and now they were separated. Mayleea had hit her head on one of the rocks and the lava had splashed on her back and neck as they rolled down. She growled and stood up, testing her bones. Finally she shook her head and tried to extend her wings, but only one was still intact. The bone in the second joint of her left wing was snapped in half. She growled. She wasn't going to be able to do much fighting like this, but as she turned to meet Kópa, she realized she wouldn't have to. Kópa was lying with the lower half of his body over the edge of the rock, in the lava.

Mayleea stepped back as Kópa began sputtering. He was still alive. Mayleea crept forward slowly and looked closer.

"Mayleea," he whimpered.

"I'm here," she said as she turned back to an elf.

It was painful, but she managed. The broken wing bone turned into a broken shoulder bone in her elf form and she couldn't lift her left arm. Kópa opened a large eye to stare at her as she knelt beside him. She propped his head up on her knees as she tried to keep her eyes averted from the sickening image of the lower half of his body being eaten away. He was still in his dragon form. There would be no use to change back to a human. The lava came up to just under his chest; just below his heart. Mayleea knew he wouldn't be long for this world.

"Shhh, its alright," she cooed gently. "Why did you do it Kópa?"

He snorted and yanked his head away from her. She fell back against the rock, surprised.

"Do not pity me," he growled. "You are NOTHING. This was your doing."

Mayleea frowned and shook her head. Kópa would never change. She was sad for him, but she turned her back on him. Just as she did a screech filled the air and Kópa's mate came out of the sky. Mayleea jumped just in time so she wouldn't get smashed by the dragon, and landed on the next rock down. His mate screamed and cried as Kópa breathed his last few raggedy breaths. Mayleea knew that if she was going to get away, now was her chance. She jumped a few more rocks away from Kópa and his mate before she ducked behind a large boulder. She rested for a moment trying to breath normally and take stock of her injuries.

He head was pounding and blood was beginning to seep through her hair from a small gash on the top of her head. Several cuts on her face were already beginning to heal and her bare arms were showing signs of a fight as well. The burns on her back and neck were most prevalent however. She turned around and in the newly rising sun, she inspected a large burn covering most of her right hip. Her pants were creating a very painful rubbing, so, with all the effort she could muster, she phased back to a dragon. She peeked over the rock and Kópa's now widowed mate was in her human form, sobbing by her husband's large head. Mayleea took her leave.

Not able to fly, she hopped from one rock island to the next. In her weakened state she almost fell into the lava several times, but managed to make it to the river below the mountain. The lava was making for very slow going down the mountain, but at the river, the water was steaming. She didn't have to touch it to know it was boiling. As much as she hated the idea, she had to wait for the water to cool down before she could cross. Since she only had use of one wing, flying wasn't an option. She found a crevice hidden at the edge of the river where she shrunk as small as she could and smashed herself inside. Her body ached and all she wanted to sleep safely. Kópa's mate was still screaming but from above. She was looking for Mayleea, but her little cave left her safe enough for now. She assumed Kópa's mate was too distraught to concentrate hard enough to find her anyway. She laid her head down facing the opening, protecting the rest of her body.

About an hour into her stay in the little crevice by the boiling lake, she closed her eyes and drifted into kind of half sleep. She subconsciously explored her mind, sending tendrils of herself out to anyone close enough to sense her, but for some reason she was blocked. From everyone. She let out a slow breath. She must have hit her head harder than she'd thought if she couldn't even use her mindspeaking.

"Legolas," she breathed before drifting off into a deep coma.


Mayleea was groggy. Everything hurt. Her eyes were refusing to cooperate with her mind. Finally she was able to slowly lift her head. It was dusk outside her little hole. She could no longer smell the burning gasses from the lava so she cautiously poked her head out. Nothing was moving so she squeezed her body out of the rocks. Every single one of the muscles in her legs and back protested and her broken wing screamed at being moved. Finally outside she stretched carefully and shook off before she realized how thirsty she was. Before she moved forward any further, she checked the sky for Kópa's mate, but there was no one around, so she made her way to the water's edge. She sniffed it tentatively, but he smelled cool; fresh even. She looked at Mt. Doom behind her and was fairly astonished to see that there was no more ash or smoke coming from the top. There was nothing. It had calmed down and was silent. In fact in the quickly fading light, she could see stars coming out above her. The air was clear and the night crisp.

'How long have I been asleep," she asked herself as she leaned forward and stuck her nose beneath the water.

She drank deeply. She could feel the water as it ran down her esophagus and into her stomach. It was cool and wonderful and it seemed to seep its way into every part of her. It renewed her enough that she slipped off the bank and into the water. With her whole body submerged, it took all the strain off her muscles and she could finally relax. She drank a little more and let the water carry her downstream. The current was slow and the steady dragging of her back foot on the bottom of the river was strangely calming. She rolled over on her back and let the water wash the grime and blood off her back and clean the still large burn on her hip. It didn't seem to be healing. In fact, now that she thought about it, none of her wounds were healing the way they should be. She was weak and unable to fly, but perhaps her mindspeaking would work now.

As the current sped up a little and took her between the mountains that created a wall between the outside world and Mordor, she closed her eyes. At first she couldn't feel anyone, but then there was a mind. Someone she had connected to before. She couldn't quite access his mind, but with the remaining effort she could muster, she send out a jolt of electricity, then passed out again.


Faramir had been in the tower with Eyowén when the first lights came over the hill from Mordor. Neither Faramir nor his new bride to be knew if they were lights from the enemy or returning comrades. Just as quickly as the thought entered their minds however, the cry of a dragon took it away. Another dragon answered and a jet of fire appeared out of the darkness and reflected briefly off the silver helmets of the men of Gondor. Faramir looked at Eyowén and together they went to meet their friends.

Gandalf and Aragorn reached the gate first followed by Eómer and the rest of the company. Close behind were the two dragons carrying a furious Legolas.

"We just left her there!" he was screaming.

"She ordered us to leave," the lean female was saying as she dropped one of the Halflings into the waiting arms of a healer.

"I would not have left her so easily. You say you love her and you-" but he was cut off as Tónby stood on her back legs and slowly began to change.

In a moment it was no longer a dragon standing in front of him, but a dark haired elf. She was clad in dark battle armor with the sign the orcs wore painted on the front. Everyone stepped back quickly to give her a wide birth.

"I'm not going to hurt you," she said, her tone harsh then turned to Legolas. "I didn't want to leave her."

"You are an…"

"Elf yes. Very good observation. I didn't want to leave her."

By then Gandalf, Aragorn and Gimli had come up behind her. Maltok watched them and eyed Tónby carefully.

"Who are you my dear?" Gandalf asked her.

She turned her dark eyes on him.

"She is Tónby. Last living daughter of Solaris, Princess to the throne," Maltok said shedding some light on the situation.

Gandalf watched her in awe.

"Yes I am, and my mother needs our help. Maltok contact Kára. Tell her what is going on. Have her bring Pallando back for a search."

Maltok nodded and closed his eyes.

"It will take them at least a day to get back here. We have to go back now," Legolas protested.

"She is still alive," Tónby said turning to him. "I would feel it if she wasn't. You have seen my mother on the battlefield. She will be fine."

Legolas looked like he might explode.

"All the same if she is not back by the time Kára and Pallando get here, we will search for her. For now, everyone needs to rest and tend to their wounds."

She looked at Gandalf, and he nodded.

"She is right. Mayleea is a strong fighter, and none of us have been left with no wounds."

Legolas glared around at everyone then turned on his heel and stormed away up toward the top level of Minas Tirith. Gandalf sighed and Gimli stepped up.

"I will go talk some sense into that boy," he said with a grin and followed the elf (with some difficulty because he was moving so quickly.)

Faramir, who up until that point had been standing in the back, came forward. Aragorn greeted him with an easy smile.

"How was the battle My Lord Aragorn?" he asked clasping hands with the ranger.

"We would not have lasted long without our dragon companions," he answered as he watched Maltok stretch his wings.

Faramir smiled.

"I wish nothing more than to have watched them fight. Was it marvelous?"

Aragorn's dark eyes took on a dreamy clouding.

"War is never an interesting thing to witness my friend."

His gaze met Faramir's.

"But it was something I'll never forget. Mayleea was a great leader."

"How many of them were there?" Faramir asked.

"There had to have been at least 150," he answered.

Faramir could see in his eyes that he was reliving the moment when they all came over the mountain to meet the armies of Gondor and Rohan. How Faramir wished he could relive it as well, but instead he turned Aragorn's attention to another matter.

"I have decided to go back to Osgiliath."

Aragorn seemed to be ripped from his memory prematurely.

"For what reason?" he asked

"I wish to see it for myself. The enemy has abandoned it and I feel the need to start rebuilding. Even if it is in my own mind."

A knowing look crossed Aragorn's hard features, softening them considerably. He put a hand on Faramir's shoulder and squeezed.

"If that is your wish, it is mine. Just be cautious. There could still be enemy there taking shelter from their recent defeat."

Faramir nodded .

"I will be careful. There is not much to fear now."

Aragorn nodded then glanced at Eyówen.

"Will you be taking your bride to be with you to the fallen city?"

Faramir snickered.

"This is not a trip for her I am afraid. I must do it alone. This time anyway."

Aragorn showed a grin of understanding.

"Besides," said Faramir patting Aragorn a little harder than necessary on the shoulder. "I'm sure she is dying to hear about how you defeated the enemy."

Aragorn shook his head and gently pushed his friend away from him.

"Go. And be careful."


Three mornings later, Faramir woke, kissed Eyówen on the cheek and headed to the stables. Most of the horses from the battle had been killed or injured so Faramir was forced to use a horse of Rohan. They were built different than the ones from Gondor. The Rohan horses were stockier and lower to the ground. They didn't run as fast, but they were much harder to kill. They were made for long distance riding. Their chest's were bigger to accommodate larger lungs and heart. Their legs were thicker; as were their hindequarters with their tails and manes naturally short. Their eyes and ears were big; able to take in as much of their surrounding as possible. They were all around a different animal than Gondor horses.

Faramir had mourned the death of his horse for a short time, but there were still things that needed doing, so he found himself on a horse of Rohan winding through the streets of Minas Tirith. He found that the horses of Rohan were much more spirited than the animals he was used to riding. Eventurally he made it to the gate and started the long journey through the masses of dea Orcs, Wargs, Tolls and once in a while an Olyphaunt. Horses littered the battlefield as well as Men of Rohan. Faramir tried to keep his horse from stepping on anything as it made its way to the river.

After what felt like hours of picking his way through bodies, he was at Osgiliath. He dismounted and tied his horse to what was left of a broken flagpole and began walking. Once or twice he saw a few mangled faces he knew and had to look away. He came to the staircase where he had first met Mayleea. He remembered their first meeting. As soon as he saw her face, he had known who she was. It was odd, now that he was thinking about it. In his mind, her voice had seemed so soft and kind. Almost like the worn leather of his grieves or the grip of his sword. It had been almost comforting, if not a little frightening at first. Then he had seen her face and just known. He touched the stone walkway and closed his eyes. He remembered hers first.

They were a dark green color. Like the trees just as the sun disappears from the sky. He remembered how pained they were. A broken rib would do that to you. And her hair; once done up in the elegant fashion of the elves he assumed, was then a mess. Thrown every which way. It was the color of the crows that he had thrown rocks at as a child. He had yet to see her as a dragon, but he wished. He wished more than anything to be able to see her other form. All of a sudden he felt a tickle at the back of his mind, then, without warning, a shock so powerful it knocked him over.

As he sat on the ground, stunned, there were suddenly strange pictures in his mind that weren't his. He felt water around his body. He was floating. He groaned. He was in so much pain. His ribs, his head, his muscles and skin. Everything. And worse yet, he felt weak. Too weak to do anything but sit there. The feeling passed after a moment and he was able to open his eyes. After a minute, he stood up and he felt the intense need to go to the river, so he did. He stood up on the bank watching the rising sun shining off the water. He watched the water splash against some kind of debris. Perhaps a log or mast from a boat, but then something came above the water as it rolled.

"What is that?" he asked aloud.

It continued rolling and it came above the water again. It was triangular shaped and almost see through. Then it hit him.

"No," he whispered. "It can't be."

He splashed into the water to get a closer look as it passed and he saw a front foot. He knew who it was immediately. He dove into the river without another thought and got to her just as she passed where he had been standing. As he got to her, her dragon form was disappearing and her elf body changed right in his arms. He snaked an arm around her middle and propped her head on his chest so her mouth and nose wouldn't slip under the water, and together, they made their way back to shore.

Once there, Faramir drug the elf on the bank. There he checked for breathing. It was shallow, but it was there. Mayleea was waterlogged and there were cuts and bruises all over her exposed skin. Most, if not all of them looked infected.

"Mayleea," he cooed softly brushing a sticky strand of hair out of her eyes.

He gently shook her, but she didn't respond. He patted her cheek harder and her eyes fluttered but did not open.

"Alright," he said. "Come on."

He lifted her into his arms and made his way back to his horse. He propped her up gently and climbed up after her. He took the reins in one hand and pulled her against his chest with the other. He turned the horse and as they began out of the city. Once again he was thankful he was on a Rohan horse. It took them a little longer to get back, but eventually they reached the gate. The soldier who opened it for him saw surprised to see an unconscious elf.

"Go get Gandalf and Aragorn. Send them to the healing chamber."

The soldier nodded and ran off. Faramir took her to the castle. Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas met him there.

"Mayleea," Legolas whispered as he touched her face.

Once again, she didn't respond.

"Come," Aragorn said. "We must get her to Lord Elrond."

"Elrond is here?" Faramir asked.

"He got here two nights ago. He has been in with Frodo. For most of two days. It seems he will have another patient."


"How long must we wait," Legolas muttered.

Mayleea had been in with Elrond, Gandalf and Aragorn for the better part of the day. Dusk was approaching and Legolas was wearing a trench in the stone from pacing.

"Sit down Laddie," Gimli said patting the stone wall next to him.

Legolas ignored him and continued pacing and Gimli rolled his eyes. Merry and Pippin looked at each other just as a roar came from the field below. They all looked over the wall and watched several dragons rise out of the others and glide up to where they were. Kára, Tónby, Paladin, Pallando and Maltok landed lightly behind Legolas. Everyone but Maltok turned back into their other halves.

"Any word on my mother yet?" Tónby asked.

"None yet I am afraid my dear," Gimli answered.

"But if something had gone wrong they would have told us," Pippin said hopefully, then looked at Merry. "Right?"

"Hush Pip," he said distractedly.

"Perhaps there is something we can do for our queen," Pallando said stepping forward and unfolding his fingers.

"Like what?" Kára snapped.

Pallando glared at her and was about to answer, but the door to the throne room opened, drawing everyone's eyes. Gandalf stepped out into the setting sun causing everyone to rush to meet him. Legolas got there first.

"How is she Gandalf?"

The Wizard put up a hand to stop them all.

"She is strong, as most of you know. But she has sustained many injuries."

Gandalf's face was strained with worry and exhaustion.

"She is in a sleep like death. Nothing Lord Elrond or I do can wake her up. We have healed her. Now she must wake up on her own."

"May we see her?" Tónby asked quickly.

Gandalf met her eyes and his face softened.

"I'm sure she would be very happy to wake to her daughter's beautiful face."

Gandalf kissed her hand.

"It is an honor to meet you Princess."

Seeming to remember her manners, Tónby bowed slightly and nodded to him.

"You as well Gandalf the White."

"Go now. See your mother. I need some rest of my own."

He bid them all farewell, leaving them with strict orders to call him if something changed. They all hurried down the hall into the healing chambers. They found Mayleea's room quickly. Aragorn was sitting by her left side, gently wiping her face with a damp cloth and Sam was by the window. They both turned as the party came in. Merry and Pippin ran to Sam and threw their little arms around his neck. Las time they had been to the healing chambers, Sam had been unconscious as well.

Tónby rushed to the other side of the bed and gently took her mother's hand. The rest of them filed in behind her. Legolas came to stand next to Aragorn, who relinquished his spot by her side.

"What can we do for her?" Paladin asked standing at the foot of her bed.

"Nothing I am afraid," Aragorn said. "She must navigate her way back to us on her own."

"I could help," Pippin said leaving Merry's side and climbing up on the bed next to her left hip. "May I sing for her?"

Everyone stared at the fluffy haired Halfling for a moment.

"Maybe if she hears me, she can find her way back."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea little one," Maltok said from the doorway

Pippin took a deep breath and looked at Merry and Sam; both who had stepped forward to the end of the bed on either side of Paladin. The three began singing together.

"upon the hearth, the fire is red,

Beneath the roof, there is a bed;

But not yet weary are our feet,

Still round the corner we may meet

A sudden tree or standing stone

That none have seen but we alone.

Tree and flower and leaf and grass,

Let them pass. Let them pass

Hill and water under sky,

Pass them by. Pass them by."

Pippin took Mayleea's hand and they continued.

"Home is behind, the world ahead,

And there are many paths to tread

Through shadows to the edge of night,

Until the stars are all alight.

Then world behind and home ahead,

We'll wander back to home and bed.

Mist and twilight, cloud and shade,

Away shall fade. Away shall fade."

Pippin bent over to her ear.

"Come back to us Mayleea."


Ok guys here it is! Hope you love it! Review!