Elmarion Falls Prey
On day Elmarion was riding her horse, Mithril, around Bree and the surrounding lands. She was trying to help Aragorn find Gollum. She was on her way back to her father, Thranduil, when she was suddenly attacked by orcs. She managed to escape but barely because one of their arrows caught her in the back of her arm. This was bad, for many a filth encrusted arrow has taken down a good elf. She was so tired from fighting and disoriented from the pain that she wandered until she finally fell off her horse. Kneeling next to her mistress to keep her warm, Mithril let out a long whinny in hopes of a friend hearing it.
Aragorn and the sons of Elrond were a few miles away when they heard a distant sound that resembled a horse whinny.
Aragorn wondered aloud, "That's strange. I thought there was no one living in this area."
Elladan replied, "Well, let's go and see. Maybe they have some information on Gollum."
The three turned their horses in the direction of the sound. When they found the source of the whinny, they were astonished to a Mithril sitting next to her badly wounded mistress.
Elladan bent over her to look at the wound. "She is still alive but I'll need to remove this arrow. Where is her brother, Legolas?"
Aragorn replied, "Last I heard, he was still searching for orcs hiding in Mirkwood.
"Looks like he missed a few."
Then Elrohir said, "Lets lay her over here."
While Aragorn fetched athelas from a saddle bag, Elladan and Elrohir carefully laid Elmarion next to trees that were nearby. Aragorn and Elrohir started a fire and boiled some water while Elladan removed the arrow as gently as possible. As sweet aroma filled the air as he then applied the boiled athelas leaves to the wound and covered it with a clean cloth. They kept the fire going as night fell to keep Elmarion warm.
Aragorn then said, "We should ride to Rivendel in the morning. That orc arrow looked very strange to me."
"Let's alternate watches tonight. The orcs that attacked Elmarion may still be around," Elrohir suggested.
Elladan volunteered to take the first watch. Aragorn and Elrohir rolled themselves in their cloaks while Elladan added another stick to the fire. About four hours later, Aragorn took over for Elladan and checked Elmarion's wound. Mithril, who was very worried for her mistress, let a soft, plaintive whinny.
"Do not worry, Mithril. Elmarion will be all right." Aragorn then noticed that Elladan had left.
Elrohir stirred at the sound of Aragorn's voice. "What is it?"
"I don't know except that your brother is not here. He may have heard something."
About half hour later, Elladan returned. "I found the band of orcs that attacked Elmarion. From what I overheard, they sustained a quite a loss from her before she escaped." He then added wryly, "They're all dead now so I don't think we will have surprises tonight."
Aragorn finished his watch and then Elrohir took his. Early the next morning, he woke Aragorn and Elladan. While he untied the horses, Elladan checked Elmarion's wound and Aragorn put out the fire. When they mounted, they rode three abreast. Elladan carried Elmarion while Elrohir led Mithril. Twilight ebbed away as they stopped later that day.
"We made good time," Aragorn said as he dismounted. "We should be there by tomorrow evening.
As Elladan redressed Elmarion's wound, he saw that her face was a little pale and tight like she was in pain. After he put more athelas on the wound, her face relaxed but remained pale. Elrohir took first watch that night, then Aragorn who consoled Mithril. Elladan then took the final watch until morning. Early in the morning, he checked Elmarion's wound; then quickly woke Aragorn and Elrohir.
"We must leave quickly. Elmarion is worse. Her face is deathly pale and she is very cold."
Aragorn then looked at Elmarion, he expression turning very worried. Her face was beyond pale, ghostly, and she was cold to the touch. "Let's go, quickly." The last time Aragorn had seen someone look like this, that person had died. They mounted their horses and rode hard all day.
Around nightfall, Elrond saw them ride in. "What happened?" They walked quickly down the hallway, Elladan carrying Elmarion.
Aragorn answered, "She was attacked by orcs and received an arrow in the shoulder. Her wound though is worse than when we found her."
Elrond led them through a doorway and told Elladan to lay Elmarion on the bed. Deep concern was etched on Elrond's face as he looked over the wound carefully. After about an hour he finally found a tiny sliver of the arrowhead that had buried itself deeply. When he dropped it into a vessel of water, the sliver dissolved and turned the water completely black. After they left the room, Elrond then said to them, "She should be fine now. That sliver came from a Morgul arrow. If you three had not found her, she would eventually become like one of the wringwraiths."
Elladan paled at the thought. "Will she be all right?"
Elrond looked at his son. "Wood elves are very hardy, so I believe yes. The next few days will tell. Your sister will check on her later. In the mean time, word must be sent to her father."
A messenger was sent to Mirkwood that evening. When Arwen checked on Elmarion early the next morning, she found that her brother had fallen asleep the next to the bed, his hand inches away from Elmarion's.
"Elladan," Arwen said, gently shaking her brother.
Elladan lifted his head, looking very bleary-eyed. When his sister came into focus, he got up, flashed a sheepish grin and quietly left. Arwen smiled and shook her head as she watched her brother leave.
As Elmarion slowly regained consciousness, she noticed that her shoulder felt extremely sore. "That's better than it feeling on fire like earlier." Groaning, she opened her eyes and saw Arwen attending her shoulder. Groggily, Elmarion said, "How did I get here?"
"What do you remember?"
"I remember being attacked by orcs and that I escaped. But after that, it's like I've been in a dense mist. Nothing is clear."
"Aragorn and my brothers found you. You were wounded by a Morgul arrow."
"Was someone else here? I felt this sensation playing on the edge of my mind that there was." Elmarion felt her eyelids wanting shut.
As she closed them, Arwen said quietly, "It was Elladan." She then left the room.
Elmarion slept a lot over the next few days and more often then not, when Arwen would check on her, she would find Elladan either by the bedside or hiding around the corner waiting for her to leave. As soon as Thranduil received word of what happened to his daughter, both he and all her siblings traveled to Rivendel. The morning they were to arrive, Elmarion, though still very weak, was walking in the garden, enjoying the sunshine. She wore a long, flowing dress that matched her grey blue eyes. As she rounded a hedge corner tying her blonde-streaked hair back with a leather cord, Elmarion found Elladan sitting on a bench reading.
"Hiril nin Elmarion." (My lady Elmarion.) "How is your shoulder today?"
"Better than it was."
Elladan got up from his seat. "Would you like me to walk with you."
"Yes, I would like that very much mellon nin." (My friend.)
A few minutes later, as they walked along one of the balconies. Elmarion heard the lilting voice of her sister, Novyandowen. Looking over the edge, Elmarion saw her, her father, and her two brothers, Legolas and Letelas.
"Ada." (Father.) Elmarion walked as quickly as she could down the steps. She reached her father first and embraced him. Her siblings gathered around and hugged her as well. They stayed for a few days so that Elmarion's could regain more of her strength, then they all traveled back to Mirkwood.
The day after they left, Arwen found Elladan in the garden, a sad expression on his face. Knowing what was eating him, she said, "Elmarion will be back sooner or later. She won't stay away forever." She rubbed her brother's shoulder.
THE END by Elmarion Greenleaf.
