When Darkness Falls
"This place looks strangely familiar," said Sam, trailing behind Frodo.
"That's because we've been here before," said Frodo. "We're going in circles!"
"Mr. Frodo look!" said Sam, pointing through the fog. For a brief instant they saw the figure of a woman, walking silently along the rocks. Then she was gone.
"We're not alone," said Frodo.
That night, while camping under some rocks, they heard someone scrambling down the side of the cliff. Someone jumped down just in front of them and they jumped on the person. They knocked her to the ground and Frodo sat on her chest, his sword pointed at her neck. She held her hands up, showing she had no weapons except for the exquisite bow upon her back. They noticed she had pointed ears. The two hobbits looked at each other and then back at the elf they had trapped. She had long dark hair and pale skin. The hobbits thought her face looked familiar. She smiled showing white teeth.
"What do you want?" asked Frodo.
"You're Frodo?" she asked. They noticed her eyes were colourless.
"Yes," he said. "This is my companion, Samwise Gamgee."
"I'm Etharel," she said. "Are you going to let me up?" Frodo got up. She stood up. She was at least twice the height of the hobbits. She bowed to them. "You are being tracked."
"We know," said Sam. At that point, Gollum appeared out of nowhere, attacking Sam and Frodo. Sam was wrestling with the creature when Etharel grabbed Gollum by the back of the neck and pulled him off.
"Listen to me and listen well," she said. "You will not harm these honorable hobbits and if you do you will pay with your life. Do you understand?" Gollum snarled but submitted. She let him down and Sam tied a piece of Elvish rope around his neck. "This is from Lothlorien," she said, examining the rope.
"It is," said Frodo. "How did you know?"
"I came from Lorien," she said.
"Why'd you leave?" asked Sam.
"It's not a story I like to tell," she said. "Maybe another time." She started off but looked back when she found the hobbits with Gollum weren't following. "Frodo. Sam. There are two things you need on your journey: a guide, that you have right there, and a protector, I can do that." The hobbits knew she was right. "Coming?" They followed her however Gollum was putting up a fight. He was screaming that the rope was burning his neck. Frodo let the rope go but Sam was unconvinced that Frodo was making a good choice. Etheral was neutral on the release. They soon had made their way out of Emen Muil and were crossing stinking marshes.
"There are faces in the water!" cried Sam.
"Yes," said Gollum. "All from an ancient battle. Men, Orcses and Elveses alike." Etharel knelt by a small pool and stared at the face of a dead elf. She reached out to touch the surface of the water but Gollum slapped her hand. "Don't follow the lights!" he snarled. He crawled off. Frodo seemed distracted. He was staring into a pool when suddenly, he fell into it.
"FRODO!" Etheral called. Gollum leapt into the pool and pulled out the drenched hobbit.
"Don't follow the lights!" he repeated. They walked on. That night, while Frodo, Sam and Gollum were sleeping, Etheral stayed up staring into the moon, fingering her bow, strung with a swan feather fletched arrow. She looked into the full moon and remembered a night from her past. She buried her face in her hands.
"Something wrong Etheral?" came Frodo's voice.
"I was banished fifty years ago on this night," she said.
"Banished?" he said, sitting beside her.
"I did something," she said. "Something unforgivable. Galadriel banished me from Lothlorien and disowned me. She robbed me of the gift to see colour."
"You're related to the Lady of Light?" he asked.
"She's my mother," she said. She bowed her head. "I went to Mirkwood for a time. I met someone there who didn't care about what I had done. He was a real friend."
"Who was he?"
"Legolas Greenleaf," she said with a smile.
"I know him!" he said. "Sam and I travelled with him for a while."
"I stayed there for a while before I had to leave. I was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Elves were sending assassins after me. I left and came to Emen Muil." She sighed. "Get some sleep. We leave at dawn." Frodo got up and went to stand by Gollum. Etharel sighed.
Morning came and the small company started off. The elf-maiden walked ahead just behind Gollum. The creature stopped. Etharel knew why. A Nazgul was coming.
"Get down!" she said. They ducked under a shrub and watched as the Fell Beast flew overhead. She clenched her jaw and gripped her bow. The Nazgul left with a final shriek and the group crawled out of hiding. They continued on and made their way out of the marshes. "Trees!" Etharel cried. "I haven't seen trees in years!" She climbed right to the top of the tallest tree and looked out at the surrounding landscape.
"Etharel!" called Sam. "We must be going." They travelled onward to the Black Gates. When they reached them, they hid behind a rocky outcrop and stared at the Gates.
"There is no way we are getting through those without being seen," said Etharel.
"We've got to try," said Frodo. She looked doubtful. They saw an army of men marching towards the gate. The gates opened and the army marched through. As the last of the men filed through the gates shut.
"There is another way," said Gollum. "A dark way." They started off again, following Gollum through the forest.
One day, many days later, Gollum came bouncing up to Frodo with two hares in his mouth.
"Look what Smeagol finds!" he said. "Eat them, crunch them!"
"There's only one way to cook a bunch of hares," said Sam, taking the hares from Smeagol. He had soon made a delicious smelling stew.
"Smells good, Sam," said Etharel. The hobbit smiled at the elf.
"You're not like other elves," he said. She smiled. "Mr. Frodo? Frodo?" Etharel looked around and saw that Frodo had gone. She saw the tracks leading away from the camp and followed them. They found Frodo lying on his stomach staring out at Oliphaunts and men marching past.
"Wow," said Etharel. She flinched as arrows flew from nowhere, hitting the men and Oliphaunts, killing them all. Frodo and Sam were hauled off their feet by men. They were dressed in dark green and brown. A tall man with auburn hair stepped forward.
"What are two Halflings doing so far from the Shire?" he said. "And where are the other members of your company?" Frodo and Sam were confused. Etharel was right beside them but she wasn't now. In her place was a single pure white flower.
"Etharel?" Frodo whispered.
"Etharel?" said Faramir. "Who is that?"
"My protector," said Frodo.
"Look!" said a ranger. "A rare flower!" He knelt down to pull it from the ground when the flower shimmered and changed from a flower to an elf-maiden.
"Who are you?" asked Faramir.
"Etharel," she said. "I'm travelling with Frodo and Sam."
"She's our protector," said Sam.
"She is your guard?" said Faramir.
"Don't underestimate her," said Frodo. Etharel smiled. Faramir looked doubtful. He took them back to his ranger's hide out in Ithillien. It was right behind a waterfall.
"This place is beautiful," she said.
"It's a hideout," said Faramir.
"It's still beautiful," she sighed.
Faramir took an hour questioning Frodo and Sam. Etharel sat next to the waterfall. She peered out from their cave and down into a pool.
"The pool is forbidden," said a ranger. She smiled at him. Faramir and Frodo walked past and Etharel followed, wanting to make sure no harm came to the hobbit. They arrived at a ledge overlooking the forbidden pool. Etharel looked out into the full moon and as Frodo looked at her, he thought she looked lovelier than any woman he had ever seen. Her pale skin gave off a star-like glow and her eyes captured the moon's light.
"Look down," said Faramir. They looked down and saw Gollum diving in and out of the pool. Etharel's eyes caught sight of many rangers aiming their bows at Gollum.
"No," said Frodo. "He is my guide." Frodo went down to Gollum and attempted to coax him out of the pool. He came out with a half-eaten fish in his mouth. "Come on, Smeagol. Trust master," he said. Just as Gollum crawled out of the pool, rangers grabbed him and Frodo and dragged them back to the hideout. Etharel followed. After beating up Gollum, Faramir had found out about the Ring and was going to take Frodo, Sam, Etharel and Gollum to Osgiliath. They walked for days until they reached the ruined city of Osgiliath where they found it at battle with orcs. The charge was being led by a Ringwraith. Its Fell Beast let out a piercing shriek and Etharel, with her heightened senses, let out a cry and blocked her ears. Etharel noticed Frodo standing on a bridge, the Ring in hand, in front of the Wraith. Etharel loosed an arrow and it pierced the beast's nose. Sam pushed Frodo out of the way as Etharel ran forward.
"Frodo," she said. "We have to go. It's not safe here." Faramir came up to them.
"I have wronged you," he said. "The Ring can't help Gondor, only destroy. I know a way out!" He led them to a sewer. "This will lead you to outside the city. But I must ask: Where are you going?"
"We are going to Mordor. Smeagol knows a secret way," said Frodo.
"The stairs of Cirith Ungol?" said Faramir. Gollum looked guilty. The company left, Faramir staring after them.
Once outside Osgiliath, they continued onwards to Mordor. After another week of travelling they arrived at Minas Morgul.
"We are here," said Gollum. "The Endless Stair."
"It's huge!" said Etharel. "Let's get a start on it." They had just started climbing when the gates to Minas Morgul opened and out poured legions of orcs. Etharel was the first to start climbing, leaping up the stairs showing exceptional balance and skill. Gollum followed her, followed by Frodo then Sam. Etharel climbed without tiring. After hours of climbing, they settled down for the night. Etharel went ahead to check if the stairs were going to get any harder. When she got back, Frodo was yelling at Sam and Gollum looked triumphant.
"GO HOME!" said Frodo.
"Frodo!" said Etharel. "You don't mean that."
"You too!" he said.
"You know I can't!" she said.
"Just leave!" he said.
"FRODO!" she said, tears forming in her colourless eyes. Frodo and Gollum left, leaving Etharel to comfort a broken and upset Sam. They started down the stairs. Suddenly, Sam slipped and fell down the stairs. "Sam!" She helped him up and she saw a packet of Lembas bread.
"Etharel," said Sam. "What did you do to get you banished from Lothlorien?" She sighed.
"I cut a flower," she said.
"That's it?"
"It was a sacred flower," she said. "That's why I turned into a flower when Faramir ambushed us. I was blessed when I was born: to be able to turn into a flower."
"If you could turn back time," said Sam, "would you stop yourself from doing that?"
"No," she said. "If I hadn't done that, I wouldn't have met Legolas and Frodo and you. Everything happens for a reason."
"We have to go save Frodo from that wretch!" said Sam. Etharel nodded and they began the arduous climb back to the top.
"Urgh," said Etharel. "It smells disgusting." Sam nodded. They walked through the caves. The walls were covered in a sticky web. They made their way out and saw a huge spider holding up a cocooned Frodo. Etharel strung her bow and aimed it at the spider.
"PUT HIM DOWN!" yelled Sam. The spider dropped Frodo and advanced on Sam and Etharel. She shot her arrow and it pierced the spider's eye. It let out a shriek. It backed off and into its caves. They ran to Frodo's limp body.
"No," said Etharel. "I've failed him."
"No," said Sam. "You haven't."
"I have," she sobbed. "I was supposed to protect him and now he's dead." They looked up as a yell was heard. They ducked behind a boulder and watched as a small group of orcs came down.
"Look," said one. "Shelob's been having a bit of fun. Taken another one again."
"No," said another. "This one's not dead. She sticks them with her stinger. That paralyzes them."
"He wasn't dead?" whispered Etharel. They watched as the orcs picked up Frodo and carried him up towards Cirith Ungol. "We have to save Frodo. If they get the Ring it'll be over."
"They won't get the Ring," said Sam and pulled it out. She sighed.
"Let's go get Frodo," she said. They ran up the steps and came to a hill overlooking Cirith Ungol. Yells and cries came from inside then silence.
"What happened?" asked Sam.
"They were fighting among themselves," she said. "They're all dead." They ran down the hill and into the old Gondorian base. They reached the top and found Frodo. Sam handed over the Ring and they continued onwards. Etharel, Sam and Frodo put on orc armor so as not to be discovered. "This stuff stinks!" she said. She was in a bad mood because she had to leave her beloved bow in Cirith Ungol. "How am I supposed to protect you without my bow?" Frodo, in reply to that, handed her a long sword with a curved blade. She swung it around, showing skill with a sword. "It'll do." They started off and came to the top of a large hill. There were at least a billion orcs between them and Mt. Doom.
"Let's go," said Sam. They slid down the hill. All of a sudden, they saw an army of orcs.
"We'll just join in," she said. They slipped into the crowd and walked along until they were ordered to halt for an inspection. Frodo began to feel light-headed because the Ring was too heavy. Sam started a fight and they escaped through the commotion. They were travelling along a barren plain when Frodo fell to his knees, Etharel alongside him. She clutched her forehead and grimaced. "Being this close to Sauron, it hurts my head." They shed their heavy armor and kept going. When she stumbled and fell to the ground, her head hurt too much to get back up.
"Come on, Etharel," Sam said. "We're almost there." She stood up and they kept going but it wasn't long until Sauron's eye swept across the plains. Sam fell to the ground behind a ledge but Frodo and Etharel got a full blast of his gaze. She let out a bloodcurdling scream as her headache got worse. She fell to the ground and Sam and Frodo saw that she had changed into the single white flower. She looked so out of place there. A perfect flower sitting in ash and dirt. Frodo fell to the ground and stared at the flower, willing it to turn back into the elf. After hours, the eye looked away and Frodo and Sam got up. They knelt beside the flower.
"Etharel," said Frodo. "Please turn back." The flower shimmered and turned back into the elf girl. She was standing but swayed slightly.
"Ow," she said. "Let's keep going." After walking on for another hour, they reached the foot of Mt. Doom. They began their ascent. After climbing for what seemed like forever, they finally reached an entrance to Mt. Doom. But Gollum was waiting for them and jumped on Sam. Etharel threw a large rock at him and followed Frodo into the volcano. She saw Frodo standing at the edge of a rocky cliff. He was holding the Ring over the chasm. "Frodo! Let us be rid of it! All of it! Let it go!" Sam ran up beside her. Frodo seemed to be having trouble letting go of the Ring. He turned to them. "FRODO! Don't give in to it! Think about the Shire! Think about your friends! Sam and I will be here with you until the very end because you're our friend and we care for you! DON'T GIVE IN!"
"The Ring is mine," said Frodo and put it on his finger. As it made contact with his skin, Etharel got a big headache. She screamed and fell to her knees. Gollum leapt over them and jumped onto Frodo's invisible body. Frodo came back into visibility as Gollum bit his finger off. The two grappled and they both fell over the side. Gollum and the Ring fell into the lava but Frodo was hanging onto the edge of the cliff and Etharel and Sam ran to the side. Etharel reached over and hauled him up. They ran from the volcano as it erupted. The destroyed Ring was sending earthquakes through Mordor. The trio leapt up onto a large rock to be safe from the lava. Etharel collapsed. "Etharel!"
"The heat," she murmured. "It's too much." They sat there for hours before eagles were seen in the sky. Frodo and Sam were asleep but Etharel was awake and waved them down.
"Why, Etharel," said Gandalf. "I didn't expect to find you here." He smiled. "Jump on." She leapt onto an eagle. The others picked up Sam and Frodo and they flew back to Minas Tirith. Gandalf led Etharel to a bed inside a small room. She collapsed on the bed and fell asleep.
"Etharel!" said Sam's voice. "Get up! Frodo's awake!" Etharel jumped out of bed and they walked to Frodo's room. She heard laughter coming from the room and peered inside. There, in the bed, sat Frodo with two other Hobbits on top of him. Gandalf was standing at the foot of the bed, beside him was a dwarf named Gimli, beside him was the future king of Gondor, Aragorn, and beside him was an Elven prince by the name of Legolas. Etharel ran forward and jumped on Legolas' back.
"LEGOLAS!" she laughed. "I'm so glad to see you!" He laughed.
"Etharel!" he said. The rest of the Fellowship was surprised. They'd never heard the elf laugh so freely, if at all. He attempted to get the maiden off his back. She let go and hugged him. "We have much to talk about." She nodded. A healer came in and pushed everyone out saying that Frodo needed more rest. Etharel and Legolas walked to the top of Minas Tirith. Legolas sat down on the grass and motioned for her to sit beside him. She sat down and laughed.
"So long!" she said. "It's been so long since I've seen you."
"Do you remember when you first came to Mirkwood?" he asked. "I was out for a ride when I lost control of my horse and it reared up and struck you. I remember how guilty I had felt."
"And I muttered my name so quietly you thought I said 'Arel'," she said. "I was so stunned to be talking to a prince I barely spoke." She laughed.
"But you soon lost that," he said. "You became this outgoing, slightly hyperactive maiden who was my best friend."
"I remember riding through Mirkwood at the speed of light, going places I'd never seen before, doing things I'd never done," she said. "It was the best time of my life. It broke my heart to leave without saying goodbye. Just a note and a flower." She choked a sob. "I am so sorry."
"Don't be," he said. "Where did you go?"
"Emen Muil," she said and told him what had happened between meeting Frodo and Sam and Mt. Doom.
"And now you're back!" he said with a smile. "I missed you!"
"I'm going to ask my mother for forgiveness," she said. "Fifty years without colour. I have forgotten the look of cool blue, soft green and bright yellow. I want colour. I want to be able to see the colour of your eyes." He smiled.
"You're so sure of yourself," he said. "You're very brave to travel into Mordor."
"The war involved all of us," she said. "I did what I could to help destroy the Ring." They spent the afternoon just sitting and talking until the sun set. Eventually, they left to get ready for Aragorn's coronation the next day. In Etharel's room, there was a quiet knock on the door. Etharel opened the door and there was Arwen Udomiel.
"Etharel!" she said.
"Arwen?" said Etharel to her childhood friend. "Why are you here?"
"Just thought you might need a suitable dress for the coronation," she said and held out a silver dress. Etharel smiled and thanked her friend. Etharel took the dress and Arwen left.
The next day, Etharel got into the dress and went up to the citadel for Aragorn's coronation. She stood beside Legolas. She turned around and nodded to Frodo and Sam. Merry and Pippin waved.
"I'll be back," she said to Legolas. She walked over to the hobbits where she was introduced to Merry and Pippin.
"I see you've recovered well, Frodo," she said. He smiled at her.
"So you're really Galadriel's daughter?" asked Pippin. She laughed.
"Yes," she said. "Though, I haven't seen her in a while." Everyone quieted down and the ceremony began. Aragorn walked around, bowing to people and when he reached the hobbits and Etharel, he stopped them from bowing.
"My friends," he said. "You bow to no one." He knelt down and bowed his head. The whole of Minas Tirith followed. Etharel stepped in front of the hobbits and with a smile, knelt to them and bowed her head. The ceremony ended and Etharel went and packed to go back to Lothlorien. There was a knock on the door and Legolas stepped in.
"I'm coming with you," he said. She smiled.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," she said. She finished and while, Legolas went to bid goodbye to Aragorn and Gimli, Etharel went to find Frodo and Sam. "I guess this is goodbye," she said. "Thank you, Frodo, Sam."
"Why are you thanking us?" asked Frodo. "I should be thanking you."
"It's been an honor travelling with you," said Sam.
"We may not meet again," she said. "But you'll always have a special space in my heart. I'll always be there for you if you need me." She bowed to them and burst into tears. The hobbits hugged her. She pulled herself together and left. She met Legolas at the gate. Aragorn had given her a pure black horse. They rode from Minas Tirith and followed the river Anduin until night fell. They stopped at Cair Andros.
The next day, they travelled hard and fast upriver until they reached Rauros Falls.
"We should arrive in Lothlorien tomorrow," she said. "I hope my mother will forgive me."
"She will," said Legolas. There was silence. "Do you hear that?" he asked.
"No," she replied. "It's silent."
"That's not good," he said. An arrow suddenly thudded into the ground by Etharel's foot. She leapt out of the way of a second arrow. Legolas drew his knives. "Where's your bow?"
"I had to leave it at Cirith Ungol so I didn't get recognized as an elf," she said. He handed her one of his knives and ducked to avoid being struck by an arrow. Orcs burst into their camp and attacked them. Etharel and Legolas cut down half the orcs. Suddenly, an orc grabbed Etharel from behind and pressed a knife to her throat. "Legolas," she said. The elf turned to the orc.
"Release her," he demanded.
"Drop your weapons," the orc said. Legolas dropped his knife. Etharel drove her knife through the orc's armor and into its side. It growled and cut her across the shoulder as he dropped to the ground. This orc was obviously the leader because the rest of the orcs fled. Legolas went to Etharel who was gripping her shoulder.
"Let me see," he said, gently pulling her hand away. He pulled out a bandage and wrapped it around her shoulder and under her arm. She flinched. "Sorry."
"No," she said. "It's fine." He smiled at her. She hugged him. They continued on through the night until they came to the edge of Lothlorien. "Here goes nothing." They walked through Lothlorien, they noticed how no elves were coming to greet them. They arrived at Calas Galadhrim.
"It's so quiet," said Legolas.
"That's because almost everyone's left for Valinor," came a voice from behind them. They turned and saw an elf. He bowed to them. "My lady, Etharel," he said. "Welcome back."
"I'm looking for my mother," she said. "Where is she?"
"She's left for the Grey Havens," he said.
"We need to go," said Etharel. "Thank you for your help."
"My pleasure to give you help," he said. "I look forward to your return." The pair of elves left Lothlorien and rode for days to the Grey Havens. They finally got there and, to their surprise, they saw the hobbits and Gandalf.
"MOTHER!" cried Etharel. Galadriel stopped and looked surprised at her daughter's appearance. "Mother!" Etharel ran to Galadriel and knelt in front of her. "Mother, I know I've done you wrong, but I beg your forgiveness. Please, mother, I am so, so sorry. Please forgive me." She had tears streaming down her face. Galadriel smiled.
"My daughter," she said. "I forgive you." Etharel stood up and hugged her mother. To the surprise of the hobbits and Legolas, Etharel began to glow. The glow grew so bright that they couldn't see her. The glow faded but didn't entirely go away. Her skin was giving off the faint glow that was pulsing like a heartbeat. Her eyes had regained colour and were a startling blue. She gasped.
"Colour!" she laughed. "It's beautiful!" She turned to Legolas. "Legolas! Your eyes! They're so blue!" He stepped forward with a smile. "Everything is so bright!" She hugged Legolas. He pulled back slightly. Time slowed down as he leant forward and kissed her. She blinked in surprise but then closed her eyes. He pulled back.
"From the moment I first met you," he said, "I have been in love with you. I love you Etharel. And I would be honored if you would be my wife." She smiled.
"Yes, Legolas!" she cried and kissed him.