Chapter One
Arwen smiled at her young son. His father had taken up to his chambers to go to sleep for it was well past his time to be asleep. However, tonight, he would not retire. Arwen sat on the edge of the bed, touching her son's forehead, brushing away his dark curls from his eyes.
"Eldarion, why will you not sleep? You must be very tired my son. You have had a long day out with your father and you will have another one tomorrow." Arwen asked him.
"I am not tired." he replied. Arwen smiled at his innocent answer. "What will help you sleep my son?" she asked him. Eldarion thought there for a moment, with his brow crinkled from thought. His eyes suddenly got wide and he smiled.
"Will you tell me a story mother?" he asked eagerly, sitting up in his bed. "An elvish tale?" Arwen looked at her son. He usually asked Aragorn to tell him a story, for he loved to hear of his father's adventures with Gandalf and Frodo. He had never asked her to tell him a story unless it was about one of her husband's adventures.
"Of course. Have you heard the tale of the Silver Star?" Eldarion shook his head, and looked at his mother expectantly.
"Well there is a story among the elves of the girl that was born of starlight that lived among our people. Many believe that this is not true, for they believe that stars stay in their place and never fall from the heavens, but this is not true, for I have seen the star with my own eyes." Eldarion's eyes grew big at the comment. "Yes, for me and the star were friends." Arwen said with a smile. "The tale begins many years back."
Laughter filled Lord Elrond's halls. The lord of the house smiled to himself, looking up from the scroll he had been reading over. He sighed, he didn't like this, not one bit but he knew she would want to go. He was happy that the girl in question had grown comfortable with Rivendell. Not only that, but Arwen had finally found someone that she could easily relate to. Elrond got up from his high backed chair and walked out of his study with the scroll he had been reading only moments ago in his hand, following the laughter of the two girls. When he finally reached Arwen's room, he looked in to see them both sitting on the bed, weaving vines and branches together. After being there for only a moment he heard,
"Come in father. I know that you are there." Elrond smiled as he pushed his daughter's door open, knowing very well that she knew he was there. "Hello my dear." Arwen quickly got up off the bed and ran to give her father a hug. The other young girl stayed on the bed, fiddling with one of the sticks they had been weaving only moments ago. Elrond put his daughter down and walked back to the bed with her. "How are you fairing today Arirua?" he asked the girl. Arirua smiled up at him with her silver eyes.
"I am fairing well. Thank you for asking Lord Elrond." she said. "What brings you to Arwen's room, may I ask?" The high elf just smiled. She was always curious about things.
"I came looking for you." Arirua's ears pricked up; usually he came looking for Arwen, not her.
"How may I be of service my lord?" she asked. "I wish to speak about this in private, would you excuse us for a moment please Arwen?" Arwen nodded and gracefully walked out of the room.
"Arirua, I have a letter for you. From Mithrandir." Arirua looked at him. Gandalf the Grey? "He will be taking a long journey with a company of dwarves and he wishes for you to join them. He believes that it would be good for you to see the world outside of Rivendell. I do not like the idea of it, but I cannot forbid you from going. Arirua, would you care to join Mithrandir on his journey?" She looked at him with wide eyes. How could he think she would say no?
"It would be my honor Lord Elrond. To both serve you in the matter as well as Mithrandir. I must go and prepare to depart." She got up off the bed and began to walk to the door. Elrond stood up, watching her go. When she got to the door, she placed her hand on the handle and quickly turned around and walked back to the bed, giving Elrond a hug.
Elrond didn't know how to react, for the young girl had never done that before; Arirua never liked showing emotion, always scared that someone she trusted was going to betray her. "Thank you." she whispered, "Thank you for caring for me. In your halls I have found a home. Thank you for believing in me and never giving up on me." With that, she left the room quickly, only to find Arwen outside the door, waiting.
"Will you help me pack?" Arirua asked her only friend. Arwen smiled. "Of course, come." she said.
"Why did he let her go mother? Didn't he know that she might not return to Rivendell?" Eldarion asked Arwen.
"He trusted her to protect herself. Arirua was not one to go down without a fight. She may not seem like a warrior, but Arirua was always one of the best warriors Rivendell had ever seen. She had many years to study the fighting techniques of our people." Arwen explained to her small son.
"Don't stop, please. Continue the story. What happened next?" Eldarion asked his mother. Arwen sighed; he was never going to sleep if she did not finish the story.
"Arirua…."
"Do you have all the supplies you will need?" Elrond asked Arirua as she began to mount her steed, Elenduriel.
"I do believe I have everything." Arirua assured him.
"Before you leave, Arwen and I would like to present you with a gift." Arwen came up with a bundle in her arms and a smile on her face. She passed it to Elrond who then in turn gave it to Arirua. Arirua looked at them; they had treated her like one of their own and now they presented her with gifts. Her people didn't do that. They stayed in their place, never interacted, unless they were supposed to. She pulled away the leather that was wrapped around the item; inside was a beautiful silver sword with that was beautifully detailed. On the hilt she saw a shining gem that looked as though it was a star from the sky.
"It….. It's beautiful." Arirua breathed.
"It is named Lalar." Arwen informed her. "Night Shine. It is a gift from us and all the people of Rivendell. We wish you luck on your journey and safety. May the stars watch over you." Arirua smiled at Arwen and placed her hand on the young girl's head.
"You are going to be a wise and beautiful woman one day Arwen; the stars have always known that." Arirua told her. Arwen bowed her head and quickly left, not wanting to watch her dear friend leave.
"May your journey be blessed my child." Elrond said to Arirua. She nodded to him.
"Do not worry. My people watch over me, they will not let me fall and I will not let anything make me fall." She promised him. Arirua then attached Lalar to her saddle and nudged Elenduriel. "Goodbye my Lord." And with that, the Silver Star left the border of Rivendell for the first time in many years.
"Arirua traveled for many days and nights, not wanting to stop. She wanted to see the world but she also did not want to be late. She rode long and hard, only stopping when it was necessary." Arwen continued as she told her son his story.
"Where was she going mother?" he asked her.
"Arirua was never sure. She just knew that if she was looking for a company of dwarves and Gandalf the Wizard, there would be talk of it. She listened closely when she was at inns and market places, listening for word of their travels."
Arirua pulled her hood closer to her face, hiding her almost white hair from the onlookers. Pale hair was not common in these parts, and she did not want any unwanted attention. She quickly walked up to one of the vendors that were selling fruit.
"I will take two." she told the woman behind the cart, not looking her in the eyes. The woman nodded and picked out two of the fruits, trading them with the money that Arirua passed her. She smiled. "Thank you kind lady." she said as she noticed that Arirua had given her more then was needed. Arirua just nodded. She began walking back to where she had tied up Elenduriel, when she was stopped by something she heard.
"Have you heard of the dwarf company traveling towards the Great East Road?" one of the men said.
"No, can't say that I have." the man who was listening told him.
"There is talk that they are being accompanied by a wizard as well. A strange mixture of beings if you asked me." the man replied. Arirua quickly turned to them.
"Excuse me sir, but how far is the Great East Road from here?" Arirua asked. The men looked at her.
"A good couple of days ride from here lass. It's not an area one should travel alone as well, especially by a woman as young and weak as you." the man that had been telling the story said. Arirua's hands closed into fists; she wished to show the man how strong she truly was, but she knew better. "Thank you." was all she said. She quickly walked off.
"Lass, where are you going?" the man yelled after her.
"I have a wizard to find."
Arirua never went to the Great East Road. Instead she traveled more away from it, knowing that they had not gotten to the Great East Road yet. It had been several days and Arirua was growing tired. She was traveling through a more elevated area of the land when she saw the campfire and Elenduriel whined the way she did when there were other horses nearby. Arirua smiled to herself; she had found them.
