DISCLAIMER:
I only own Torwen. All other characters, places, and all canonical events belong to the late, great J.R.R. Tolkien.
The woodsy scent ensnared her as she passed silently across the mossy forest floor. She threw her head back and reveled in the beauty and wisdom of the ancient trees. Oak, Birch, Pine. Many were accounted for, and they were all whispering. She had only to reach out and touch them to know they were calling for her.
"For many years we have waited for you, Maiden." One whispered slowly as her fingers grazed its bark.
"Your journey will be long, and arduous... But fear not, for the Prince will accompany you." Another informed her as she passed.
This information both confused and unsettled her. She knew not of any Prince that the trees would be concerned with.
Suddenly aware of another being in the forest, she turned and saw an ellon most fair. The green of the leaves all around them cast a strange hue to his porcelain skin and pale hair. She felt her heart swell with the feeling of his fëa filling her. As her cool blue eyes drank in his face, his noble features quirked up into a smile.
"Come," He instructed. "I fear there is much work to be done." He continued, holding his hand out to her.
She took his hand happily and walked alongside him without question, for she knew now of whom the trees had spoken. And she knew that she would follow him to the end of Middle Earth if she must.
Torwen had never known why the Valar had gifted her with her sight. She had never been well versed in understanding her visions as many of her kin were.
But she thought idly to herself that she wouldn't mind so much if more of her visions were as pleasant as the one she had just woken from. For often times, her visions bore her ill tidings of death and despair. Most especially in the gathering darkness of recent times.
Despite how pleasant her vision had been, as she ate a quick breakfast of berries and readied her horse, she had a gnawing feeling in the back of her mind.
Though it was pleasant, I fear that is goes ill soon. She thought pensively as she nudged her horse into a trot.
She turned her horse North, towards Rivendell. It had been nearly one hundred years since she had set her eyes on the river valley of her Elven kin. But this visit was not to be a pleasant one, her heart was heavy with the dark news she carried with forces of the Enemy were growing restless, and she sought council with Elrond, the Lord of Rivendell.
She rode easily for most of the day, in no hurry to reach her destination, for she knew she would reach it by night. She had been traveling for nearly three weeks, and her horse was weary.
Early in the afternoon, she heard fell screams on the wind that chilled her to the bone. Torwen drew her bow as she spurned her mare into a gallop, her long golden hair billowing behind her much like the banner of her steed's mane and tail.
After a short time she pulled her mount to a halt on top of a wooded ridge, where it stamped its hooves and tossed its head nervously at the scene below. Nine riders clad in black armor and billowing cloaks sat astride black horses. The horses pawed nervously at the water of the Bruinen.
"Give us the Halfling, She-Elf." The Witch King of Angmar demanded in a low rasp, pushing his ragged horse into the ford.
Torwen's eyes darted to the far side of the river where she saw Elrond's daughter Arwen atop her gray warhorse, clutching the small figure of what Torwen knew to be a Hobbit in front of her.
Torwen grimaced and clenched her fist around her bow, knowing there was nothing she could do to help.
So it has begun. I was too late to warn them. She thought helplessly as Arwen drew her sword and brandished it at the Wraiths.
"If you want him, come and claim him!"
As the wraiths splashed into the river, Arwen began to chant desperately in her native tongue. Before the foul beasts had made it halfway across the shallow ford, there was a great rumbling and the Bruinen swelled, the water coming to life. Taking of the form of a herd of horses, the river washed the Wraiths away, their spectral screams filling the valley and haunting Torwen's ears.
Within an hour, Torwen had made it to the other end of the valley, and nestled against two high walls of rock sat The Last Homely House in the East.
She clicked her tongue, urging her horse into a quick trot as she took in the splendid view before her. Rivendell was settled on many different levels of carved stone, with waterfalls all throughout, plummeting to the River Bruinen below.
As she passed through the stone arch on the entrance bridge, a ward stepped forward to retrieve her horse. Torwen vaulted lightly from the saddle and handed the reins to the elf, giving the chestnut mare a pat.
"Elrond?" She questioned of the ward.
"He sees to the Halfling." He replied, turning to point up, near the top of thevalley.
"Hannad" Torwen nodded curtly before continuing up the path to the Healing House.
Torwen nodded politely to everyone she met on her way. but such was her haste that she didn't speak a word to a single person until she reached the Healing House.
She was not surprised to find Elrond and Arwen, as well as his two sons, Elladan and Elrohir. Nor was she surprised to see the wizard, Galdalf the Grey. All were standing around the bed of the Hobbit, who still seemed lifeless, but Torwen saw the rise and fall of his chest and noted that his cheeks held a healthy pink flush. All turned to face her when she entered and she bowed her head as she placed her right palm over her heart, greeting them respectfully in the custom of her people.
"He did not pass?" Torwen asked, raising her head to peer at the small form of the Halfling on the bed behind them.
"We were able to save him from the shadow, but only just." Elrond replied after greeting Torwen in the same fashion of respect that she had shown him.
"Herdir Elrond, I would speak with you and Mithrandir."
"Can it not wait, nethpen? Surely you are weary from your journey." Elrond replied, his wise eyes examining her worriedly.
"I fear it cannot." Torwen said, shaking her head. "It is fell news that weighs heavy on my heart."
"Very well, come."
"It is a relief to us all that young Frodo did not pass into shadow. Though it grieves me that you did not reach us sooner." Elrond stated, bracing his arms on the ornate stonework of the balcony railing before him.
"It is not so easy to travel uninhibited as it once was. The shadow grows and my horse was weary." Torwen replied quickly, trying to hide the defensive tone in her voice.
"You must not think I place any blame upon you, hína." The ancient elf lord chastised, turning to face her.
"Indeed, if Aragorn had not been with the hobbits in my stead... I shudder to think of what may have happened." Gandalf interjected, leaning heavily on his staff.
"Aragorn? Where is he then?" Torwen asked, taken aback at the mention of the ranger.
"He is still traveling here with three more of the Shire-folk. They should reach us within two days time." Elrond informed her.
"So my sights were true then? The ring is here?" Torwen asked, looking from the dark haired elf to the grey wizard.
"Yes. I am afraid your sight is as keen as ever." Elrond finally replied.
"But then... What shall we do? The ring cannot stay here! We cannot tempt the shadow into the valley."
Unbidden, an image came to Torwen's mind of Imladris broken and in flames. It's waterfalls running red with the blood of her kin. So few of them remained in Middle Earth, it would be a devastating blow to their diminishing race if the Enemy sent his forces to march on Rivendell.
"No. Already I have sent messengers to all of the free peoples of our land." Elrond intoned, flashing an angry glance at Gandalf. "There will be a council held in three weeks time."
Torwen noted Gandalf rubbing his temples as he lowered himself onto a stone bench, and she knew this was a subject of much grief to him. Surely he thought the ring would be safe within the valley. And perhaps it could have been for a time, had the Wraiths not found Frodo before he reached safety.
"You may rest here as long as you wish, Torwen. Only let me know before you depart so that you may bear my tidings to your aunt and uncle." Elrond continued, pulling Torwen's attention from the wizened man in the corner.
"If it please you Herdir, I should like to remain for your council." She implored, bowing her head to him, awaiting his decision.
He seemed to consider her for a moment before nodding his fair head.
"Go now, hína. Get some rest.
AN:
hína- child
fëa- soul or spirit
nethpen- young one
Hello all! This is my first LOTR story, though I've wanted to start one for quite some time! I hope you all enjoy! Let me know if you want me to continue the translations in the authors notes? Or perhaps you'd like them in text? Or maybe you don't want them at all! Let me know! I think I've written up to part five so far, but there will probably only be one more post until after Christmas, just due to a busy schedule! Please review and let me know what you think! I look forward to your reviews!