I traced my hand over the large wooden door. It was carved with depictions of the stories of the Fellowship of the Ring as told by my grandfather. He was my hero throughout my life, and now it was my turn to be his.
Eldarion, was the first born of Aragorn and Arwen, and was to inherit the kingdom of Gondor and sit upon the throne at Minas Tirith. He had a son, who he named Aragorn after his beloved father. The two of us had been raised together until my mother decided to relocate our family in the city of Pelargir to escape her brother with whom she often quarreled. My mother, Corrine, was the second child of my grandparents, and never accepted the idea of being under the reign of her brother one day. She had lived in Minas Tirith, married my father, Loren, and once I was sixteen years old, she moved us away from her brother, and unfortunately, from my favorite cousin.
From the time I was eight years old, I had been trained in sword mastery. By the time I was fourteen, my grandfather believed I could be one day be the best swordsman in Middle Earth. I worked hard to live up to his expectations and could see that he was pleased with my accomplishments. He was the only one I ever sought approval from. My whole childhood was filled with his tales of adventure and excitement. I could rehearse his whole journey from his meeting the hobbits at the Prancing Pony, to his crowning at Minas Tirith. My dreams were filled with the images his words created in my mind.
It was told to me repeatedly once I reached the age of eighteen, that I greatly resembled my grandmother when she was young. My dark hair was slightly wavy and my eyes were a steely grey, that turned an almost crystal blue color when I had any strong emotion. My ears had a slightly elvish point that wasn't as prominent as it was in my mother. I had gotten into the habit of hiding my ears behind my hair when I was young, as I would play with the other children in Minas Tirith who had pure human blood.
Aragorn, my cousin, had looked like his father the last time I had seen him before I left, though he had the blonde hair of his mother. At the time he had been nineteen years old, and already being groomed to become the King one day. I was the only one he confided in. He told me of his fears of being ruler and his annoyance that he was never allowed to go do the things he wanted to do. He learned swordsmanship and horse riding, though he was never allowed to venture out alone on a ride as my parents had allowed me to do. I found that I missed him nearly as much as I missed my grandparents once I was living in Pelargir. He had written to me once he was married four years later. I was overjoyed that he was able to find someone he loved, but grieved that I wasn't able to attend his marriage. I had been worried that I wouldn't see Aragorn again until he was King, but a few years later, my fears were put to rest.
I was twenty-four, still living with my parents, as I never attempted to find a decent husband, although my mother had. Late one night, a rider awoke my family in our house with an urgent letter from Eldarion. I heard the frenzy downstairs and wrapped a shawl around my nightgown, then ran down to my family. My mother was pacing the floor, staring at the letter in her hand.
"Father, what has happened?" I asked when my mother did not acknowledge my presence.
"A letter has arrived from Minas Tirith with grave news from your uncle."
"Mother, read the letter please." I begged
She finally looked up at me and sat in a large chair. "Sister, I have waited to tell you this, as we have waited a few weeks to be sure. Nearly a month ago, our parents set out together to a secret destination. I urged them to take a group of servants and swordsmen with them but they refused. They had told me that I should not worry and they would be back in two weeks. Once two weeks had passed I sent the most skilled trackers in the city to find them, even Bretaine could not find where they had gone. I have enlisted the help of a wizard Durendain, who knows people that may be able to help us. He has enlisted the help of hobbits, elves, and dwarves to aid us. Their task will be dangerous as we have no idea where they may need to go to find our parents and how dangerous it is there. I know you may not consent as it is very large risk, but I ask if Marielle would be willing to join this new Fellowship to find our parents. Your daughter may be the most gifted swordsman in Middle Earth and can be of great use to the party. I will understand if you refuse, as relations between us have not always been so warm, but I ask your family to consider my plea. The Fellowship will soon be assembled at Minas Tirith, and will leave in one week. I hope for your answer soon. Your brother, Eldarion."
The second my mother finished the reading I spoke, "I will go."
My parents stared at me for a moment before my mother spoke. "Marielle, it is too dangerous, and he said that they already have the help of many."
"If he had enough men, why would he write to you to enlist my help?"
"He had to inform us of your grandparents." My father said.
"I do not care. They are in danger, and if there is any way I can help, I will do it."
"You do not understand, there might be orcs, trolls, or other evil things out there that will kill you given the chance. You have never fought anyone when death was on the line…I will not allow you to join the Fellowship."
"Mother, your parents' lives are in danger, and you will not assist your brother in finding them?" I was becoming angry. No matter what she said, I would find a way to join the Fellowship.
"We will wait until the Fellowship has left Gondor, then we will go to Minas Tirith to stay with Eldarion until they are found." She folded her arms across her chest and I couldn't understand how she could be so emotionless about her parents.
"I am going back to bed, I hope your mind changes in the morning." I said and stomped out of the room. I felt like a foolish child and I waited outside the door a moment before climbing the stairs to my room. I sprawled out on my bed and finally tears escaped from my eyes. My grandparents were missing, and they were no longer young and strong. I feared that something could easily happen to hurt, or more likely kill them. I hadn't seen them in so long and had already been depressed by their absence before the arrival of the letter.
When I awoke, the tears had dried on my face and my eyes hurt. Servants came into my room and informed me that breakfast was to be served in a quarter hour. I dressed and washed my face. Before I left my room I traced my hand over the large wooden door. It was carved with depictions of the stories of the Fellowship of the Ring as told by my grandfather. He was my hero throughout my life, and now it was my turn to be his.
At breakfast I hardly spoke a word, and when I tried to persuade my mother, she silenced me on the subject. I began to plan in my mind an escape. I could make it to Minas Tirith in about two days if I went alone and paced my horse correctly. I would have to plan my escape perfectly to give me a head start, and ensure that the Fellowship would leave before my parents reached the city and stopped me from joining them. In the following days, I rode the horses in the stables to see which had the most stamina. I settled on a beautiful black and grey mare named Moonstone. Along with her stamina, her coat would work well to conceal me in the night. I would allow myself two nights of sleep and a few breaks to rest the horse and to eat and drink. I spent a lot of time getting Moonstone used to me and letting my mother believe I had abandoned my hope of joining the Fellowship.
Three days before I knew the Fellowship would leave, I was extra obedient to my parents, and once I had done everything asked of me, I sat with my mother, and embroidered a handkerchief with leafy designs.
"We are leaving for Minas Tirith in four days." She said without looking up from her work. "I had some pants and shirts made for you to be more comfortable on the journey there…they are in your room. I know you have worn dresses all your life, but I think you will find that these garments allow for more freedom and mobility."
I smiled to myself as I thought of how my mother had accidentally aided me in my plan. "Thank you."
I set down my needlework and poured myself some water. I brought my hand up to my head and groaned. It was getting late and I knew my mother would not be leaving the house until the next day.
"Are you feeling well Marielle?" She asked, worried.
"I feel a little queasy, I think I will retire early tonight."
She rested her hands in her lap and looked up affectionately at me. "I hope you feel better in the morning." She stood and approached me. "I love you." She smiled then embraced me. I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her. The thought finally entered my mind that this could very well be the last time I would see her. I knew that there was a good chance harm could come to me on the journey.
"I love you mother." I had to fight back a tear that threatened to escape and she finally released me.
"Goodnight Marielle." She kissed my forehead and I smiled at her before leaving for my room.
Once in the privacy of my room I examined my new clothing. I put on the light grey pants along with a grayish blue shirt. It felt strange to wear something that clung to my legs and didn't move around when I did. In the back of my wardrobe I found a dark green cloak that my grandfather had brought with him on one of his monthly visits to Pelargir. He claimed that he had obtained it from Galadriel, the grandmother of my grandmother. I wrapped it around my shoulders and secured the brooch in the front. The rest of the new clothes I placed in a bag along with my favorite two dresses. In order to avoid suspicion, I used only the blankets in my room, rolling them up and securing them with some thin rope. I made sure to place anything else that would be necessary in the bag, including some food I had just snuck into my room.
As the sun began to set, I took out a length of rope from underneath my bed and tied it to my solid bedpost. With my bag securely slung over my shoulder I climbed down from my window and quickly made my way to the stables. Moonstone whinnied when I approached and I had to quiet her. I had already put her saddle on just before supper. I filled two feeding bags full of oats, drew them closed, and attached them to the saddle along with my bag. I took my sheathed sword that I had hid earlier out from behind a barrel, and secured the belt around waist. I patted Moonstone's neck, "Are you ready?" She nuzzled her face into my neck and I chuckled. "All right, girl. Let's go." The sun had gone down and I led her out of the stables, making sure to go around the back to not be seen from the house. I made my way through the city and was let out at the Eastern gates. Once outside I nudged her into a gallop and we raced toward Minas Tirith. The wind blew my cloak out behind me and rushed past my ears.
My face began to get cold and as we crested a hill I slowed Moonstone to a stop. I reached into my bag and tied a scarf around my head, leaving only my eyes and nose revealed.
We began to run again, I wanted to cover a lot of distance before we had to rest, and the sunlight would heat Moonstone's coat quickly and tire her out. I stuck to the AnduinRiver, riding northeast, knowing it would lead me straight to Minas Tirith. We stopped once for an hour near a stream and Moonstone drank. After the rest we pushed on, putting distance between ourselves and Pelargir. As the first light of day shone in the East, I could see the White Mountains where Minas Tirith was concealed. There was a small cluster of trees with denser foliage, and I guided Moonstone underneath them. I tied her to a tree, and tied the sack of oats around her head, and climbed to the top of a hill that gave me a perfect view of the valley. I took out my brush and untangled my hair, then tied it back with some ribbon. This gave me new energy and after a few hours of rest I set out again at a slower pace. I had removed my cloak and spread it over Moonstone's rear to provide some protection from the sun. I made sure our pace didn't tire her out so we wouldn't have to use one more break than anticipated. At noon I found another tree and tied her there and used the oat sack that I had filled with water to quench her. We stayed there for some time, waiting for the intense heat of day to be replaced by the cool evening. About an hour before the sunset, I continued on, scouting for somewhere that would provide a decent shelter for the night. An outcrop seemed to be the best option and I prepared to sleep. I made a small fire just outside of an overhanging rock, and laid out a blanket underneath it. I let Moonstone drink again, and then secured her close by. That night I found it difficult to sleep, as I anticipated seeing my cousin again and meeting the Fellowship.
Even the few hours I was able to sleep seemed plenty for me, and I energetically prepared to ride out, feeding Moonstone her second bag of oats. I brought Moonstone to a canter once we set out again, as I knew the Erui River was just ahead. We rested a short while there, then a ferry took us across to the other side. We rode on through the day until noon, when we rested again. Once we where again energized, we rode out, a bit quicker than before. Not long after, we followed the bend of the Anduin past Harlond, the port of Minas Tirith. As we approached the southern edge of the city I slowed Moonstone to a trot and we skirted along the edge, beholding the magnificence of the gleaming city. My heart leaped as I thought of seeing my cousin again. It had been eight years; he was now twenty-seven. As I rounded the front of the city some servants had come to take my horse to the stables.
"My name is Marielle Aetherian, I am the granddaughter of King Ellesar."
A servant bowed and gestured for me to dismount. I did as instructed and took back my cloak. A carriage pulled up beside us and servants unloaded my things from Moonstone and placed them in the carriage. Then they took my mare to the stables to be cared for. I stepped into the roofed carriage and wrapped my cloak around my shoulders again. I removed the ribbon from my hair and brushed it out. I wanted to change into a dress before meeting anyone but knew I would need the help of a servant to lace it up.
Through a window I saw various markets and crowded areas. I watched the people going about their daily activities and missed being a part of this city. When the carriage finally reached the Hall of Isildur I stepped out of the carriage and was led into the building.
"The Fellowship is in a meeting, Aragorn will want you in there immediately." The servant informed me.
I nodded and my heart raced. The Fellowship was right through the door, along with my cousin. I would finally meet hobbits, dwarves, and elves. The door was opened for me and I walked into the great hall.
I know this was kind of short, but the chapters will most likely be a little bit longer in the future if I get a good response. Please let me know what you think! This is my first fanfic and I am pretty new to all of this so your review would totally help. :) Thanks!