Thank you very much, Lauren Stargazer, Kat aka SongsOfSpring, Lintered, amaris1234, Lady Minuialwen, Wolveskey, DraggonflyMaiden, Kathyrn-of-Lorien, zebra-scarf, Askarlover, MoonDemon36, and the new Faves! Reviews make me happy! So so Happy!

Well, I apologize profusely for the tardiness of this chapter. I also warn that it is short. Please forgive me!

Vanwamin and Haldir were sitting with Rumil in the healing talan listening to his heroic tale for the third time that day. How he had cut down dozens of orcs in true elvish fashion, rivaling even the Balrog Slayer himself. While Vanwamin did not know who the Balrog Slayer was she had decided that his tale was far fetched. As they laughed at the appropriate time a knock sounded at the door and a thin young elf dressed in courier attire entered the room.

"Marchwarden, Captian, My Lady," He greeted them each in elvish. "Your presence is requested by the Lady Galadriel, Marchwarden. She says it is urgent." Haldir rose from his seat, confusion creasing his brow.

"Stay," he said to Vanwamin as she moved to get up as well. "I will not be far." Vanwamin glared at his tone of voice.

"Not a dog," She muttered as he left the room.

He returned nearly an hour later looking serious.

"What did the lady have to tell you?" Asked Rumil.

"The Lords of Rivendell and Lady Arwen will be arriving within the month." He said a frown set upon his features. "They will be traveling to Gondor with Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn for the union of Aragorn and Arwen."

"More happy news," Rumil said grinning foolishly.

"Indeed, I am to lead the party to Gondor," He said distractedly.

"How?" Asked Vanwamin and Rumil as one.

"You are to travel with us Vanwamin," He said casting his gaze out the window. "The Lady was animate about that."

"Is that such a good idea?" Asked Vanwamin.

"I should think not," Said Rumil his brow furrowed.

"I do not think it will be such a hindrance. No rogue orcs would be foolish enough to attack a traveling court."

"A valid point."

"So we travel to Gondor then," Haldir said a smile lighting his features. "I am Marchwarden once more."

Over the next few weeks Vanwamin found herself completely amerced in texts about healing. Nestarion had come to the conclusion that her powers lie in death. That the patient had to be close to dying for Vanwamin to be able to heal them. Considering there were no willing participants to explore this theory, she was now up to her chin in tomes about it.

Haldir had become cold and stoic when ever they were together, but she chalked it up to being macho warrior man again. He loved his work, she realized, it was what made him live. Though he took it entirely too seriously.

The day the Lords of Rivendell and Lady Arwen were to arrive came upon them at an unusually fast rate, Rumil was almost completely healed, though he would not be joining them in Gondor, and events had been set in motion for his and Marrowyn's union. It was settled that it would be a privet affair, a meal with family, the exchanging of rings, and speaking of the great name.

"I do think you should wait until spring," Vanwamin said, the four companions were sitting on the balcony of a city watch tower basking the sun's departure into the western sky.

"I love when the leaves change their color though," Marrowyn insisted.

"Then we shall have it this coming fall," Rumil said finitely. Marrowyn smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

"Doesn't it just make you sick Haldir?" Asked Vanwamin jokingly.

"Undoubtedly so," he answered in ill humor.

"When will you return from Gondor?" Asked Rumil ignoring their jabs.

"Early July," Haldir answered casting a sideways glance at Vanwamin.

"July?" She asked incredulously. "What are we doing, moving in?"

"Vanwamin," Marrowyn said gently. "It not unusual to stay in someone else's home for months if not years here. We all live far away from each other and the time spent together is always far shorter than that spent apart." Vanwamin bowed her head, embarrassed by her outburst.

"I just wish you would have told me we would be gone that long," She said to coldly to Haldir.

"It did not occur to me that it would matter."

"Of course it wouldn't," Vanwamin said crossing her arms.

"Would you two stop your nonsense," Marrowyn said bitterly. "Haldir you are being unfair and crass, Vanwamin your acting like a child! I feel as though I should sit both of you in a corner until you can play nicely." She rounded on Vanwamin fully now, her blue eyes full of malcontent. "He is not going to abandon you just because he has been called back to duty, he cannot abandon you! It is quite impossible!" She turned to Haldir who was mollified. "And you! Just because you have been chosen to lead the court to Gondor does not mean you have to be Godrid The Ice King! We will not look upon you an less the hero you are if you enjoy yourself!"

Three sets of eyes watched Marrowyn warily waiting to see if she would continue on her tirade. Her cheeks were stained red and still held herself in a commanding posture.

"You can stop looking at me like that," She said quietly bowing her head. Everyone looked away muttering apologies and clearing throats.

"I think we've had enough of this," Rumil said taking a decanter of wine from its spot on the floor.

"Indeed," Haldir said standing up. "We should be off, tomorrow dawns early."

And early it did dawn, too early in Vanwamin's opinion. The birds sang loudly as if they knew of the upcoming events and the sun peeked rosy over the tree tops. It was a beautiful morning.

She and Haldir joined a gathering of elves in a courtyard surrounded by blooming bushes. In the center of the courtyard stood two elves that surpassed all others in beauty and power. She had to assume that they were the Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, the eternal rulers of this land. She shifted from foot to foot, intimidated by the large group of elves that had gathered here. She felt inferior and out of place in her short, cherubic body. She was of average height for a human but she was dwarfed by the elves, they were tall and graceful, some almost lacking in distinguishing features, but lovely all the same.

Vanwamin turned from her admiration of the Lord and Lady when the horns began to blow in the distance. The company from Rivendell approached. They were a dozen strong, beautiful dark haired elves that held a contradiction of arrogant yet kind countenance. Vanwamin wasn't sure if she should gawk in awe or bow in appreciation. Instead she stood mutely focusing on a pair of small birds harassing one another. Words were spoken by silver tongues and a party of six adjourned to the gardens of Galadriel.

Vanwamin had every intention of returning to her room in the talan but then her intentions were always thwarted. Haldir took her by the elbow and they followed the party of six into the fragrant gardens.

Vanwamin found herself not only comfortable but amused in the presence of the Rivendell elves. The son's of Elrond, despite their most serious nature, seemed to have some hidden agenda and a extraordinarily dry sense of humor. Lady Arwen, while sweet, seemed to be more distractable than a young child, though there was reason for it. Lord Elrond himself, who's humor was brittle at best, was the most congenial. She did not spend much time with them however, they were briefly introduced then Haldir spoke quietly to the Lords. They took their leave without much hesitation and returned to their talan.

It seemed like only hours had passed since the Rivendell company had arrived in Lorien not hours. Vanwamin had become comfortable in Lorien and did not wish to leave it behind for so long. Pushing away her qualms she focused on the good this journey would bring. Haldir would feel useful and she would be among humans, maybe some that could tell her who she was.

"You will write," Marrowyn demanded as they stood in the court yard saying their goodbyes.

"I will do my best, I find writing letters tedious and droll," Vanwamin said mocking the seriously arrogant air Haldir and Orophin had about them.

"If I do not receive at least one letter I shall have to come to Gondor myself to be sure Haldir has not lost you to the orcs." Rumil said in too loud a voice necessary. Haldir sneered at his youngest brother.

"Could we please not upset your brother?" Asked Vanwamin glancing over her shoulder. "I'm the one who has to deal with him."

"All the better for me," Rumil said leaving them to harass his brother more.

"Oh that it, he's not getting any souvenirs." Marrowyn raised her eyebrows at the expression. Vanwamin's speech was becoming stranger and stranger.

Saying one last goodbye the small company of elves, and one simple human, set off from the gilded woods of Lorien.

They traveled half of their journey resting only for short periods, Vanwamin was growing weary and her legs had long become numb. When they finally stopped on the fifth day as the sun broke the horizon, she knew it was entirely because of her. She did not mind much as sleeping on a moving horse was near impossible. Haldir had to help her from Andaer's back and still she stumbled unable to feel her legs.

"How much longer do we have?" She asked sheepishly as he helped her to a flat stone surrounded by dead brush.

"Nine days," Haldir said pulling a blanket from one of the pack horses. "Here get some sleep, we move again at sunset." Because the elves could see just as well in the night as they did during the day it was easy to move at night. Had they not had Vanwamin with them they would travel endlessly, cutting their passage in half. But as it were, it was safer to rest while the sun was high.

Vanwamin tucked the blanket Haldir had given her under her head and settled into the dry plain grass. Rohan was stark and dry, Lorien had been an oasis of lively plants, fresh and green in the spring and a rich emerald as the summer bloomed. Rohan however seemed dead, naught but brittle brown prairie grass grew, broken here and there by misplaced boulders. With macabre visions dancing in her head she slipped into sleep.

Everything around Vanwamin was smoldering, trees, the ground, even the sky was an unearthly smoke color. In the remainder of what had once been a forest the miserable sound of a child crying sounded. Far way and with no specific direction. Vanwamin wanted to stop the noise, to comfort the child. She ran as fast as she could into denser trees, blackened by fire. They reached and grabbed at her like clawed hands, snagging in her hair and tearing at her clothes.

"Mommy!" The childs voice rang out in the silence, eerie in its endless echo. Without warning the corpse of a totaled minivan engulfed much of Vanwamin's sight. It too smoldered and was black with ash. "Momma!" A small white hand reached out the shattered window bloody and broken.

Vanwamin woke up herself up screaming in terror. Immediately she was surrounded by pale, elvish faces contorted by concern.

"Hush," Haldir said, his fair brow furrowed in confusion. "You will call every Warg from here to Mordor with your screeching." Bile rose in Vanwamin's throat as the visions of her dream haunted her waking brain. Everything had been so real, she could smell the smoke, feel the dread in the air, hear the child's voice. What had it said again? The visions began to blur, had it been daylight or night time? Was it a car or a van, maybe a truck? As dreams often do it blended into her conscious and she could not pick out details any longer, just the sickened feeling she had.

She pushed Haldir away, angry at herself for no real reason. She glanced around, avoiding the curious gazes of the Rivendell elves. The sun was far into the west now, she stood up and smiled sheepishly at Haldir.

"Spiders," She lied. "I spiders."