Elrond sighed as he sank down into the chair behind his desk. The young hobbit, Frodo Baggins, was resting after being healed. It wasn't the healing that had him feeling weary but the thought of the ring once again being brought into play. War would come soon now, no matter what route they chose. He had already sent out the summons for a council meeting to take place. He had also arranged for all the rooms to be ready as many should start showing up soon.
What troubled his mind was that Arwen and Aragorn had both disappeared to apparently talk alone and he was very nervous. Her love had seemed to wane for the ranger but she was so hard to read. He only hoped that he would not be losing his daughter here soon. His heart was already heavy from being separated from his wife. He did not know if he could stand to be parted from his beloved daughter as well. Aragorn seemed to not have been aging for many years but still he knew that the man's place was here where he needed to take up his place as king. If his daughter stayed then she would not sail with them to the Undying Lands when the time came.
What had him even more worried was that Gandalf had showed up and informed him of the treachery of Saruman the White and how he had already joined the enemy, Sauron. But where they had lost one powerful wizard they had gained the help of another powerful being.
Neither Gandalf nor Elrond knew what to call the young woman that had been held prisoner with Gandalf and freed at the same time. All they knew was her name was Kagome and in order to stop the evil from gaining a powerful jewel they knew nothing about, she had swallowed it and transformed into something new.
Gandalf's recollection of the event was something Elrond was still trying to process. When Gandalf had found himself imprisoned atop the tower a woman was already there. She had obviously been tortured and beaten yet there was a fire in her eyes that showed she was not broken or beaten. In fact she was downright pissed and had vowed Saruman would never get what he sought, no matter what. When she had realized that Gandalf was a prisoner as well she had told him that she was captured because she held onto a powerful object and that Sauron had ordered Saruman to retrieve it from her in any way possible.
Saruman had only one rule given to him from Sauron and that was that Kagome not be stripped of her purity. He wanted that right as his own. Even then, Gandalf believed that would not have broken the apparently strong willed woman.
Saruman had taunted both of them with the knowledge that the ring of power had been discovered to exist and would be found soon and then all would bow. Kagome's response to that had been anything but ladylike. Her response was to tell the White wizard to fuck off and go be an orc's bitch. Saruman had then unleashed a powerful spell on her which had thrown her into the tower breaking the ground she landed on leaving her in a small crater.
Gandalf stated that Saruman had left only after seeing her breathing with the comment that she should learn her place. Kagome had woken up to find that she finally had something sharp. The broken pieces of the tower were exactly what she needed. She had looked straight up at Gandalf, "He will never get what he wants. I will do what should have been done in the first place." She had then brought the piece of rock into her side cutting deep. He had rushed to her side wondering why she did something so foolish when he saw it. A small jewel had fallen out of her side. He held her as she coughed up blood.
"Please," she had stated, "Put the jewel in my mouth. Hurry!"
He was so shocked that he did as she asked. She had then clamped down hard on the jewel and he had heard it shatter in her mouth. She then glowed so bright that the whole sky had lit up. When the light cleared she lay in his arm changed from how she was before. Her hair was longer, to at least her waist he guessed, and her ears had grown points. Bright blue eyes blinked up at his form, "The eagles are coming. Saruman will not get what he wants." She had then passed out in his arms.
He had held her to him tightly when he heard the scream from Saruman.
"What have you done you stupid woman," Saruman screamed out storming onto the top of the tower. His staff radiating power in his fury as there was no mistaking the blast of power Kagome had given off when absorbing the jewel. So great was his fury that he hadn't realized how close to the edge both Gandalf and Kagome were.
Gandalf noticed though. He still had the young woman tucked close to his chest. At the next blast of Saruman's power, he let it throw himself and Kagome off the tower. The eagle had caught both of them on its back and they swooped up quickly into the air and away from the tower will all the haste the bird had.
As they crossed the mountains and got closer to Rivendell, Kagome began to stir slightly. "Are we off of that cursed tower?" She asked.
"Indeed we are. It seems none were expecting your actions. Saruman was quite upset my dear. I do believe you surprised him and pissed him off," Gandalf answered with a small smile her way. She had barely moved herself but he didn't expect her to. The amount of magic she had used would leave anyone immobilized for quite a while.
Kagome couldn't help but smile at that. "I told that bastard not to underestimate me. Where are we going now?" she asked. She already seemed to be drifting off into unconsciousness. It seemed as if only the thought of knowing if they were going to safety or not kept her awake along enough to find out the answer.
"We are going to the elves, Kagome. We can find healing and shelter there," Gandalf was quick to answer. He could sense her ability to stay conscious was costing her. She nodded her head just the slightest and a small, brief smile was on her face before she was once again unconscious.
There were many elves ready once he arrived. Lord Elrond and Glorfindel had been the first two to see them when they landed. He had explained what he could before Glorfindel picked up Kagome to take her to be healed. His golden power was already working on her before they were out of sight.
Elrond gave out orders for a rider to be sent to find the hobbits and for Gandalf to be seen to as well. He then turned and went to help heal Kagome and to see what he could make of her. While healing her he did not find out much and neither could Glorfindel. Both had concluded though that she didn't feel or seem evil. She looked like an elf but felt closer to an Istari but all Istari had been accounted for and she did not seem to be one of the blue wizards.
They could feel her magic and knew she was strong but perhaps not stronger than Gandalf and not stronger than Glorfindel. It was Glorfindel who said he would stay behind until Kagome woke up and once she talked to him then he would report back to Elrond with what he found out. It was also to ensure someone was available for when she woke up so she would not panic and think she had been captured again.
Arwen had rode as hard and fast as she could. It was luck that she spotted the ranger when she did. Once she had the injured hobbit secured on the horse with her she had set off as fast as she could. The Nazgul were right on her tail and she knew she would have no rest until she crossed the river where the power of her people would stop them.
She continued to dodge them as she directed her horse to dodge them as they got closer and closer. She managed to evade them but just barely as they weaved themselves through the trees. She urged her mount on faster as they cleared the forest and the river was ahead.
She had made it almost across when she turned drawing her sword as she did. Her arm tightened on the hobbit in her grasp. "If you want him," she spoke with strength and a hint of teasing in her voice, "then come and claim him." Her smirk was meant to draw the Nazgul into charging her.
Their answer was to form a line and then draw their swords. They let loose a horrible screeching sound as they began to slowly advance. It was as if they were trying to intimidate the she-elf with just their appearance alone.
Arwen couldn't drop the smirk if she wanted to. If these Nazgul thought to scare her then they would have to try a whole lot harder than that. She heard the beating of the waves before she saw it. The Nazgul only had a moment to turn their heads before they found themselves washed away in great waves that seemed as thundering horses.
She allowed her horse a few moments of rest before she turned and headed back to Rivendell. Frodo was fading and she had to hurry. A whole company of elves were waiting for her arrival. She took Frodo herself to a room where her father and other healers were waiting and left her horse to the others who had been waiting on her.
Once the healing was over, Arwen and her father left the room. She followed him to his study where he informed her that summons for the council meeting had already been sent out. Preparations were being made right now and he wanted her help later on with making sure everything was ready. She gave her consent as a servant came in and informed them that the other hobbits and the ranger had arrived. Someone had already been sent to inform Gandalf of the news.
Arwen shared a look with her father that seemed to speak volumes. She was pleading with her eyes to go and speak with Aragorn.
Elrond found himself giving in as he knew it would happen no matter what. "Go to him, Arwen. I will see that lodging and food is prepared for the other hobbits. They will all want to know of the fate of Frodo as well." She gave him a grateful look and rose to give him a kiss on the cheek. She then hurried out the door to speak with Aragorn.
She found him standing in front of the shattered sword of his ancestors. A sigh passed her lips as she well knew his thoughts by then. Her steps were light though she knew he had heard them. "You are not your ancestors, Aragorn." She stopped a few feet from him and waited for him to turn to her. She did not have to wait but a moment before he turned to her.
"Arwen," her name was but a whisper as he got a good look at her. Here he was not hurried by hobbits, injuries or Nazgul. He waited for the beating of his heart to increase or for his breathe to falter but neither happened. His keen eyes also caught the fact that the same was true for her as well.
"It is good to see you are safe," he said even as he came forward and laid his hand across the small scratch she had sustained on her race home. "I trust Frodo made it as well," he asked sincerely. He had cupped her cheek but let his hand fall quickly back to his sides. He had felt none of the old stirrings and she had not reacted either. Somehow he found this okay though.
Arwen gave him a sad smile full of wistfulness as she noticed his reactions and noted her own. It seems they had both come to the same conclusion as the other. There was peace to be found in that though as now one would not leave behind the other.
"We made it back just in time. Father has already called for a council meeting. When everyone gets here it shall take place. You will have a few days to rest," she told him as both moved to head toward the gardens.
"Have you heard any news of Gandalf?" Aragorn asked just as they walked into the gardens.
She was not sure of what all her father wanted her to reveal but he had not cautioned her on any censorship so she felt safe in telling him. "Gandalf has come with grave news. The White wizard has betrayed Middle Earth and joined forces with Sauron. He was held prisoner but he managed to escape with the help of another captive by the name of Kagome. She is something my people have never come across," she told Aragorn who look confused at that.
The elves were an ancient race full of knowledge. For them to not know something was quite unusual. "Is she a threat?" was his first question.
Arwen looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. "Gandalf nor father think so but she is still asleep. From Gandalf's recollection of the event, she had been captured for an object of power which was a jewel. She had been tortured but refused to give into Saruman. In order to stop Saruman, Gandalf said that she absorbed and destroyed this jewel. Nothing else will be known about the female until she wakes up. Glorfindel will be with her until she wakes," she said answering his question.
During the conversation they had moved to where they were holding hands. Both looked nervous and not knowing where to start. Aragorn decided to start the conversation first by giving Arwen a tender kiss on the forehead. "It seems that our previous feelings have waned in both of us and yet our friendship remains strong," Aragorn stated. He had a gentle smile on his face.
Arwen answered his statement by giving a tender kiss to Aragorn's forehead. "I believe you speak the truth Aragorn. Our paths while they were together for a while have now seemed to go different ways. You are still a dear friend to me though."
Neither knew where they would go from here but they knew that they would always remain friends and would cherish what they did have while they had it. They embraced each other tightly almost as if it was a last farewell to their feelings. When they released each other it was a new beginning for both of them. Arwen Evenstar and Aragorn were now on separate paths.
"I will go and speak with my father. You should find Gandalf," Arwen stated quickly and left quickly.
Aragorn watched her go with a bittersweet feeling but glad to have an understanding between them and a mutual one at that.