Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the Lord of the Rings.

Note: Thanks for the reviews. This will take place in Dimholt in the Rohan camp when Elrond comes to see Aragorn. Let's begin.

Castiel raised her hood as she looked about the campsite. There were many lights lid in the encampment below but they themselves were standing on a big ledge. A steep road led up to their camp and she did not wish to walk down that path with her horse.

The night was nearly moon less, darkness more heavily then only given by the waning of the day. The trees around them had been cut away to give room for the massive army that they had raised. Castiel wondered if they could defeat the army that currently held Minas Tirith in its grasp.

She only heard rumours about it, but the situation had been enough for Gandalf to leave on a hasty mission with Pippin. This had been the hobbits own fault for Pippin had found the Palantir that Gandalf had confisticated from Saruman, who had fallen high from grace. She had seen the weary look on the faces of Aragorn, Legolas and Gandalf, not even to say anything about Merry, when they found Pippin.

The hobbit had told them nothing but both she and Legolas had felt the strong presence of the eye. It had taken every ounce of her reserve to hide herself from him. It had pained her greatly for her strength had not fully returned yet. The wound had nearly cost her, her life and she knew that it might take a long time before she was back as the elf she used to be.

She did not look forward to coming home after the war. Glorfindel was bound to be very angry with her and when her father was angry, he did not voice it out loud. There was a smouldering gaze that would surely pass her way when anyone mentioned her name of the fact that Elrond would probably say that Glorfindel could light a whole room full with candles with the heat radiating from him.

Glorfindel had been angry at her before but probably never anything like this. She snored at imagining his face when he learned that she had left. That must not have been a pretty sight.

She once more looked out into the valley before turned back towards the tent she shared with Eowyn. The two women had been chatting all day when they were riding close together and Castiel had asked Legolas if it had been alright if she shared a tent with Eowyn. The elf had given his consent, saying that as long as it was not Eomer then he was content.

A rider had arrived a few hours go but while he had seemed vaguely familiar she knew not who he was. She put it out of her mind as she walked past the fire where Eomer sat with his men. "Castiel?" Her name was called and she turned to find Eomer catching up with her.

"Yes, Eomer?" She asked softly. The light was too dim for her to see him properly. But she could see the smile on his face as he said. "It gladdens my heart to see that you are here as well…."

"Eomer, perhaps I have not made myself clear enough. I am married to Legolas. I think it is best if you do not try to persuade this further. It cannot be in the way that you wish for it, Eomer. I am sorry." She sighed before she walked away, not looking back.

It broke her heart more then she dared to admit but she steeled herself. She sighed mentally; if she had allowed this to go further then Eomer might even be more hurt. She had not even known what the man's intend was. She had seen the look he had given her and it frightened her. It frightened her because it had been the same look that she had sent Legolas' way in the past few weeks.

When the elf had called her meleth nin, her heart had wept with joy. Only her father had ever called her that but only when she had been wounded and he had been keeping a vigil by her bedside.

Her mind once more flew to Legolas and what she knew of the Mirkwood prince. She knew that the Silvan elves were stiff necked and arrogant sometimes. They did not easily accepted strangers and she knew why. Too long had the people of Thranduil fought the darkness without any aid from the other elven realms.

They did not have any magic rings to aid their realm against the darkness and when Dol Guldur in the south had been a constant source of darkness, the woods had begun to die. She had heard of it many times from Glorfindel.

Finally she managed to step into the tent. The tent was small but it was large enough for two cots to be placed on the ground for the two women to sleep upon. Her pack was lying at the end of the cot and with the weapons in it. Weapons that she needed desperately now she came face to face with the hooded figure in her tent.

She cursed out loud, wondering if she should take her changes and run. Yet she frowned when she thought that she probably would not get very far. "My, my, I did not know that the daughter of Glorfindel knew such soul langue."

The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end and she froze at the familiar voice. Yet she could not place it but she had heard it before. "How do you know my father?" She forced out, inching backwards to find some sorts of weapon.

She could not pretend now that Glorfindel was not her father for the stranger had seemed quite certain of his affairs. "For he has been one of my most trusted friends through out my life. When I first met him, he brought along a small Elfling with blond hair. Since then I have kept her safe when he asked me to."

The voice sounded sad now but Castiel relaxed immediately as she called out. "Elrond?" The figure reached up and pushed the hood back. It was indeed Elrond and the elven lord smiled at her, saying. "I am so glad that you are safe, my dear."

"But how did you get here?" She moved closer, accepting the embrace that Elrond offered her. She rested her head for a moment on the half elf's shoulder, comforted by his presence in more ways then one. Elrond had acted as her father on several public occasions when it would be too dangerous for Glorfindel to claim her. Like on her coming of age ceremony when she had to choice her profession. She knew Glorfindel had been very proud of her when she finally said that she wanted to be a warrior.

He had given her the necklace that she wore now. "I came here to give Aragorn news of Arwen and to bring him Anduril, flame of the West. I also bring you word of your sire."

Elrond pulled back to look her in the eye and said softly while his arms still held her by the shoulders. "He is asking for you to return with me if you are able. This is the last change that we may get to travel to Rivendell before the forces close in around us. The riders of Rohan leave for war and Aragorn must travel another path. Events have been set into motion that cannot be denied any more."

She sighed, breaking lose of the easy grasp that Elrond held her in and walked to the bed. Castiel sat down and hid her face in her hands for a moment as she said. "I wish it were so easy, Elrond. I cannot simply return anymore. Too much has happened. I have a duty to these people and to myself to see the end of this war."

"That may be so but think of what Glorfindel will do if you were to fall in this war? If Sauron regains the ring, I will not hesitate to send my children over the sea. The passage to the west cannot be held open then and many of the elves shall be forced to flee. Glorfindel himself will fight, but you already know this. Glorfindel has told you so. For what do you stay behind, Castiel? Is it worth disobeying your father for?" Elrond looked at her rather with pity and she steeled herself.

She met his gaze without flinching and said. "I stay behind for love. I went to war because I believed that I could fight. I should have died that day but I did not, Elrond. I still walk this earth. Glorfindel understands this. He knows that I cannot abandon the people now. Even when I can barely fight."

"You were wounded in the battle?" Elrond stood closer but she had seen that he had looked away first. "Yes, I was slashed across my back. Riding and fighting still pain me." She hid a smile, knowing that Elrond could not persuade her to come with him if she did not want to.

"Allow me to see?" Elrond came closer and she nodded, relieved for the elven lord was still the greatest healer in Middle Earth.

Elrond gently removed the bandages, hissing softly when the filthy wraps did not come off very easily. The wound had nearly cost her life and now he wondered if some divine intervention had aided her. She could have died easily then as Aragorn could have.

The wound had closed and healed well; considering the circumstances but Elrond could understand that the blade had sliced through the layers of muscles as well. That would take time to heal, more so then skin. She had been very lucky to have been near Gandalf, for without the aid of the wizard, she would have died.

Elrond cleaned the wound, gently rewrapping it after he put some ointment on to prevent any infections from forming. "It will heal but the scar shall not be pretty, Castiel. Is there any way possible for me to persuade you to come back with me? Glorfindel shall not be happy."

Castiel rose and she looked at him with those green eyes as she said. "But he will understand, Elrond. If the Valar will permit it, I shall see you at the end of the war. If not, then bear my love to my sire and beg him for forgiveness. Tell him that I stay behind for a change of perhaps only once in a lifetime."

Castiel appeared sad and Elrond reached out to place on hand on her cheek as he said. "Very well then. Be careful, my dear. I will give the news to Glorfindel. May the Valar keep you safe."

She nodded, a last fleeting love before Elrond was gone. Castiel felt tears sting her eyes as she thought of the change she had allowed slipping by. To go home and be reunited with her father but she would have regretted it more if she had not stayed behind. She stayed behind for Legolas, for the change that might be given to them.

She collected her weapons just as a soft hand touched her upon the back. She spun around, weapon raised high as she found herself looking in Aragorn's face. The man was dressed for battle and she wondered about that different road that he was to take. "I see that you remain behind. Elrond could not persuade you to stay behind then. If you are willing, and mind you, this road shall be dangerous, and then travel further with us."

"What road do you travel then?" She asked, stepping outside with him as she took her pack with her.

"The paths of the dead." And no matter the hope on Legolas' face, she could not shake the feeling of dread.

Trouble ahead. So what should happen? Please review. The next update will be in the next month because I am going on vacation.