Disclaimer: I own EVERYTHING! The world, Lord of the Ring's, Tolkien. I even own you!...You're not convinced are you? *sigh* Fiiiiiiine...I own nothing but my own creations: Arienel/Kaia, Morroch, Haiawen, Edinon, Ethon, Edonar and Lohinon. I don't even own the main plot! How pathetic is that?

A/N ~ Thank you to everyone who reviews! It keeps me motivated to write more! This chapter is REWRITTEN.

Bold is mind-speech.


Echuil ~ Awakening

Morroch's head sank down onto his rider's stomach once more in exhaustion. He'd been connected to Arienel's mind for an hour now, but the shape-shifter knew it had been worth it. He could feel the thread that linked their minds, weak and small as it was at the moment. It was a relief on his heart and the wolf licked the elleth's hand gently with a sigh. It had taken almost everything he had to get to Arienel's mind, all of his courage to enter the void of darkness and he hadn't been sure that even that would be enough. She hadn't woken yet, but Elrohir had joined his vigil shortly after the shape-shifter's own entrance and the elf had fetched Gandalf and Aragorn when Arienel's breathing had stabilized, her temperature decreasing. The two had come in and after the Maia checked her over, declared that she would be fine with relief.

The wolf sighed again and yawned, not minding when Elrohir rubbed his ears in an almost fond way as the elf blinked with his own tiredness. They had the elleth back and that was enough for them both at the moment. The shape-shifter rested his head more comfortably on his makeshift pillow and closed his eyes. He was soon fast asleep.


Arienel stirred sometime in the afternoon and this time, when her sky blue eyes opened, they were clear and alert. The elleth blinked, frowning at the ceiling. Where was she? She turned her head carefully, looking around slowly. She took in Morroch lying beside her, his head on her stomach. He was deeply asleep and not likely to wake unless someone truly tried to make him. She knew this by the deep, relaxed thought-pattern in his mind, but what she didn't know was why he'd be so tired. The elleth looked around again, her sky blue eyes resting on Elrohir this time as the elf was sitting in a chair by her bed. Memory came flooding back. She was in Rohan and she had been sick, that much she knew. Where exactly in the Realm of the Horse Lords she was or why she had been sick, the elleth could not figure out.

Elrohir, even in sleep, seemed to become aware of the fact that someone was watching him and started awake. The elleth watched as he immediately looked toward her, his attention on the person that had kept him in here and up all night. Relief entered his brown eyes and something else Arienel thought she should be able to identify, but couldn't at the moment. She looked away, unsure about the flutter of something in her heart. The elleth took a breath and gathering her courage, tried to speak, but found that her throat was very dry, making it difficult. She started slightly when Elrohir moved swiftly, grabbing a cup by the bed and filling it with water from a pitcher. The elf moved from his chair gracefully, despite the tired air around him and sat on the side of the bed carefully. He reached out slowly and helped Arienel sit up with his free hand. He held the cup to the her lips with care and practice.

"Drink." was the soft command.

The elleth did, keeping her eyes downcast the entire time. Her courage seemed to have fled, though, she wasn't sure why she felt the need to have it in the first place. Elrohir wasn't an enemy, but he was a challenge all his own. There was no denying that she felt strange around him, but those feelings weren't exactly unwelcome. It confused her. Finishing the last of the water and feeling better for it, Arienel tried once again to ask her question, though she did it while still not looking at the dark-haired elf. "Where am I?"

Elrohir frowned, suddenly worried again. She didn't know where she was? He answered gently. "In the room provided you. You are in the Golden Hall of the King." The elf watched her nod and stilled his hand before he could reach out and tilt her chin up. He wanted to have her look at him, to know that she was all right, but he did nothing yet.

"Where is my family?" If she'd been sick they would have been here. Maybe she'd just dreamed everything? No, that didn't make sense otherwise Elrohir wouldn't be in her room... The dark-haired elf chuckled softly making her feel comforted for some reason she didn't understand. "Legolas is with Aragorn and your human family is asleep. When they heard that your fever had gone down, they checked on you and then went back to their own room. They said to inform you that they would visit when you awoke and were ready for company." Arienel gave him a look and the son of Elrond smiled. "And they said that only after Gandalf talked with them and convinced them of the logic in this plan."

He enjoyed the small smile that crept onto her face as she nodded. "That makes more sense knowing my father and brothers." the elleth said quietly, letting her hair fall around her face as she looked down at her hands and at the wolf-head on her stomach. Elrohir found himself reaching out impulsively once more and this time he didn't catch himself in time. The hand that brushed Arienel's wild, red hair out of her eyes to tuck it behind her ear did not seem to be his own. The dark-haired elf watched, almost in fascination as the same hand lingered near the elleth's cheek, touching it lightly with its fingertips. Elrohir's gaze left his hand to find the sky blue eyes of the female watching him. Arienel was stunned, but her skin also heated beneath his touch in a way she'd never felt before. Her emotions seemed to spin out of control and she wasn't sure what to think. Some part of her was warning against this because it was unfamiliar, but another part...another part of her didn't want him to stop.

Elrohir watched as her sky blue eyes clouded with confusion, cleared slightly and then gained a different look, a look almost like longing, contentment. The elf felt his heart jump almost painfully and moved his hand away, feeling it start to tremble. He saw Arienel start, a blush sweeping its way over her cheeks in a deep red hue. The son of Elrond closed his eyes. What was he doing? This was not an appropriate way to be behaving, especially without a watchful chaperon. Morroch usually took that position, but the wolf still slept. The elf opened his mouth to apologize when there was a knock on the door.

To their credit, the two did not start guiltily, but Elrohir did lift himself from the side of the bed and Arienel took a steadying breath as she licked her lip and brushed her hair back behind her ears. She risked a glance at Elrohir to see that he appeared trouble. Her heart threatened to sink, but she pushed the emotion away for the moment, grateful when Morroch started awake and her mind was immediately flooded with his presence. She took the shape-shifter's head in her hands as his gold eyes met hers and the two didn't even notice when Gandalf, Legolas and Pippin came into the room. The elleth and wolf were momentarily lost in each others thoughts, emotions and memories. It took but a minute for them to go over what had happened, about what the other had felt, seen. Linked minds were strange to understand. A mind conversation between the two could last for but a minute but be lengthy. This was accomplished by the fact that it was not just words that they used, but emotions, images and thoughts as well.

Arienel finally opened her eyes, smiling and blinking away the fog that had come over them. She looked up and her smile widened as she caught sight of Pippin. The hobbit looked at her and then looked down, shuffling his feet and moving forward when Gandalf gave him a nudge. He stopped by the bed, took a breath and then looked up once more, his eyes sad, an emotion she didn't like on the hobbit's face. It wasn't supposed to look that way.

"I am sorry for endangering you, milady."

The elleth blinked. What? "Pippin, there is no need for you to apologize. Your decision was unwise, but my reaction was my own and neither of us could have foreseen this happening." She wasn't quite sure what had happened exactly, but it obviously had not been pleasant for anyone. Gandalf looked pleased by her answer and Pippin sniffed, looking up hopefully. "Are you well now?" Arienel laughed softly, leaning over to hug the hobbit. "I feel fine, master hobbit." She ruffled his hair as Morroch pushed the small being with his nose.

"Why don't you go eat. You look to be starving." the canine suggested and Pippin's eyes lit up at the mention of food. He was out the door and on his way to find Merry quicker than a squirrel. Arienel shook her head and sighed, turning her attention to the much taller males in the room as she ran a hand through her red - once again tangled - hair. "What happened? I remember grabbing the sphere from Pippin, pain...and then the next thing I recall is my own mind, waking there." She wasn't sure how to describe the last part.

Elrohir looked like he would speak, but stopped and Legolas gave him a searching look before answering himself as Gandalf moved to sit on the side of the bed. "You fell into a fever and you wouldn't wake. Mithrandir says you were dying." The elven prince's voice had gone quiet at the end and Arienel bit her lip as the Maia next to her laid a hand on her forehead, checking her temperature. "Am I fine now?"

Gandalf 'hmmed' and nodded, smiling reassuringly. "Yes, pen neth. You're fine now, though, I would speak with you about a matter of importance. I should have done so sooner, but there were so little time." The elleth eyed him warily, but nodded. She hugged Legolas as the elf came over. "Please tell my father and brothers that I am well." The elven prince laughed and ruffled her already wild hair with a shake of his own head. "You are more like father than I thought." He merely grinned at his sister's confused look and left. Elrohir started for the door, but looked back toward the bed. His eyes were not on Arienel though, but Morroch.

"Shape-shifter, may I have a word with you?"

Morroch's gold eyes narrowed, but he nodded before looking back at Arienel. "I will be back shortly." He studied her with left over worry and the elleth rubbed his ears fondly. "I'm fine and I will call if I need you. I promise." The wolf growled low, but jumped off the bed, slipping out the door with the elf and leaving Gandalf and Arienel to talk alone.


The wolf looked at the elf intently for a moment once they were both in the hallway. The canine would admit that he didn't exactly hate the elf anymore and they had been there for each other the night before, but that also didn't put Elrohir in the same place Arienel was in his mind either. He sat down slowly. "What do you want?" He wasn't purposely trying to be rude, but Morroch was the way he was and that wasn't going to change.

Elrohir sighed, running a hand through his hair, it was tangled and in need of a good brushing from all of the messing with it he'd done all night in stress. "I want to ask about Arienel." He watched the black wolf tilt his head, gold eyes almost suspicious. "What about her?"

The elf growled under his breath in frustration, causing an unexpected reaction of laughter from Morroch. The canine's tongue lolled and he stood, starting down the hall. "Come, elf. Perhaps if we are in a less closed in space my answer will be favorable to your question." Clear amusement was in his voice and Elrohir stared after the shape-shifter before running after him. "If we are going out of Edoras I need to retrieve my weapons." Morroch snorted, but nodded and followed the elf back to the his room.

Both were silent as they made their way from the city. Morroch had decided to change into his dragon form for faster movement and safety purposes. They'd defeated Saruman, but there was a good chance that stray orcs could still be running around Rohan. Elrohir rode Talagor, the chestnut stallion uneasy around the dragon, much to Morroch's delight and the dark-haired elf's frustration.

They'd gone some distance from the city before Elrohir finally broke the silence, making Morroch look over with surprising attentiveness. "I would like to have your permission to court Arienel." The elf had decided to just be blunt. Morroch was blunt and the shape-shifter seemed to respond better to that manner of speaking. It didn't come naturally to the dark-haired elf, but he was nervous and anxious for an answer. The black dragon stopped walking and regarded him silently for awhile and it took everything he had for Elrohir not to fidget like a child caught doing something wrong.

"I would know how you feel about her."

The son of Elrond blinked and for a moment was unsure what to say. What did he feel for Arienel? He knew it was something great, for his desire and first thought was to court her, but...what WAS that feeling? Morroch was quiet as they began walking again, letting the elf have the time he needed. The shape-shifter already knew the answer. He wasn't blind, but he wanted Elrohir to know it, too. He didn't want his rider hurt. Elrohir finally closed his brown eyes and his answer was quiet, but sure. "I love her."

"As do I."

The dragon watched the elf turned white with surprise and rumbled in a questioning way. "What is wrong?"

Elrohir seemed to steady himself and swallowed. "I did not know." He stopped Talagor and the stallion snorted. The elf almost glared at the shape-shifter. "If you love her, then why do you not change into an elven or human form to be with her? You have known her longer than I, and even though it would break my heart, if she favors you then I will fade out of her life and wish you well with her. I would ask that you not raise my hopes only to shatter them, dragon!" Elrohir knew he might be acting in an almost childish manner, but in his heart he now knew that hope was lost for him. If the shape-shifter loved Arienel than the feelings must be returned, for with the bond the two shared Morroch would not have been able to keep it a secret from her.

Morroch's head went back in surprise at the words and tone of the other male, but he quickly saw the humor in the situation and a deep, rumbling laugh came from his chest as his gold eyes gleamed with mirth. He finally spoke as Elrohir looked at him in the greatest of confusion. "Are all male two-legs as stupid as you? I do not love Arienel in the way you assume! Do you honestly think I would even be here, knowing what you wanted from the beginning, if I were in love with her?" The dragon blew a small cloud of smoke, making Talagor shy with a snort of annoyance. The dark-haired elf blinked and his face suddenly colored, much to Morroch's amusement. The black dragon finally decided to take pity on the elf.

"You ask for my permission, my blessing elf and I tell you that I could not withhold it. I care for Arienel too much and she has begun to care for you. I would see her happy, but I must warn you, if you break her heart I will take vengeance." The shape-shifter's teeth had bared and his eyes flashed dangerously as a savage growl sounded low in his throat with his warning. Elrohir nodded, his eyes wide and a smile of joy on his face as he realized he'd obtained the one consent he'd been dreading having to acquire. Morroch stopped growling and shook his head in what could have been disgust. The amused glance he cast the elf belied the gesture, though. That other male wasn't that bad if he had to admit it.

Elrohir finally seemed to snap out of his happy trance and reached out to touch the dragon's hide. "Thank you. I understand and I promise you that if she accepts me, you will never have need to take vengeance." His voice was quiet, but entirely serious and Morroch appreciated it as he nodded. "Then I think we shall get along fine, two-leg."


Arienel and Gandalf's conversation - happens in the same amount of time that Elrohir and Morroch's talk did.


Arienel leaned back against the two pillows behind her as Morroch left and looked at Gandalf with a worried expression. She had told her brother, Pippin and Elrohir she was fine, had even managed to keep Morroch from being overly concerned, but the truth was that while she felt fine - if tired and weak - she wasn't sure she was as fine as she thought. Something seemed to have changed, felt off to her...

"What did that sphere do to me?"

"Palantir." Mithrandir corrected first and Arienel nodded, storing the name away. The Maia sighed. "It almost killed you. It was not the Palantir itself that endangered you, though, but a combination of Sauron's presence and the inheritance that lies dormant in your own mind." Arienel frowned, eyes narrowing. "What inheritance?"

"A power. The unique gifts of a Maia. Arienel you ARE part of the Maiar race. This part of you has laid dormant, unknown and unneeded in any great quantity for years. Sauron's attack on your mind awakened it. That is what triggered the fever. The shock and pain along with the awakened part of you is what almost sent you to the Halls of Mandos."

"I was not ready to die." It was all she could say at the moment, trying to wrap her mind around what Gandalf was telling her. Sky blue eyes closed as the elleth took a steadying breath and let it out slowly. Her fingers gripped the blankets around her nervously. "What awakened?"

"I do not know. I know it will be the power of a Maia, one of the gifts Eru has granted our kind, but what form that will take I cannot tell you." The Maia took one of her hands, noting how it shook in his own. "Arienel, this is not a bad thing, though, at first it might seem overwhelming and confusing. Your power is a part of who you are and it can be used as you would use any other tool at your disposal. Power does not control one's decisions. It enables a person to make choices that will benefit others."

Arienel nodded, but she felt almost numb and Gandalf regarded her with sympathetic eyes. She was young and so new to the world around her, but this was something he could not change. The Maia rested his hand on the elleth's head as he stood and then quietly departed, stepping aside swiftly as Morroch came bounding toward him, the wolf slipping through the door and to the aid of his rider.


Arienel had been walking around aimlessly for about an hour outside among the villagers, getting her strength back. At first it had been hard walking, her limbs protesting against movement and exercise. Her eyes made the same loud protests to sunlight, but Arienel ignored them, needing to be moving and unconfined by walls. The elleth rested her arm on the back of the stallion next to her. Morroch had shifted for two reasons, the first being that she needed something bigger than a wolf for support and the second being that Arienel had asked him not to make the villagers anymore nervous than they had to be. A horse was a lot less noticeable in Rohan than a dragon or wolf.

The stallion shook his mane out and looked at his rider as she walked next to him. "Do you think that door in your mind was the 'room' that kept your power dormant?" Arienel sighed and nodded. "I think so, but what I don't understand is the color changes that appeared on the walls or the flash of light I saw." She leaned heavily against the shape-shifter. "I wish I knew how it was going to show itself." Morroch nickered in agreement, but their conversation, silent as it appeared to others, was cut short as the stallion noticed Pippin coming toward them. The young hobbit came right up to Arienel and slipped his hand into her larger one.

"I wanted to thank you, my lady for what you did. It was very brave." A curly mess of brown hair and a warm smile looked up at her, and the elleth suddenly could find no regret in her for what she'd chosen to do. Helping the hobbit had been worth it and the elleth vowed in her heart that protecting the people more helpless than she would never be something she wished she hadn't done. No matter what the consequences. Arienel smiled.

"Pippin, I didn't even think about what I was doing. I just did it. I couldn't let you be hurt. You are welcome, though. I'm just glad you're safe." The elleth gave the hobbit's hand a gentle squeeze and they continued to walk, Morroch pushing the hobbit playfully when Pippin least expected it, causing the three to laugh when he stumbled and Arienel caught him. The companions continued that way, their hearts lightened until Arienel heard footsteps approaching. When the elleth looked up and discovered it was Haldir, she was surprised and Morroch eyed the elf. "I'm not sure if we are surprised because it is Haldir or because your heard an elf's approach."

"For me it is both."

"Lady Arienel, Master Pippin; Mithrandir requests your presence in the throne room." the elf announced and Morroch laid his ears back at the oversight to his presence. The elf's gray eyes regarded him for a moment, before the being bowed his head slightly. "I would thank you for your actions during the battle. My life is indebted to yours, dragon." The shape-shifter's ears perked, but he merely nodded.

"Thank you for informing us, Lord Haldir." Arienel said softly and the elf nodded curtly before departing. "I do not think he likes owing his life to another." she observed silently to the horse, but Morroch's answer surprised her. "No, he just doesn't like owing his life to a race not his own." The stallion sighed through his nose. "Let us go see what it is Gandalf wants now."

The three arrived just in time to hear the Maia finish explaining the encounter between Pippin, Arienel and Sauron to the Rohirrim and the King. The elleth stood quietly by a pillar, Morroch the cat perched on her left shoulder, listening while Aragorn, Gandalf, King Théoden and Éomer discussed what to do. The elleth and shape-shifter took this time to look around and figure out where everyone was. Legolas, Elrohir and Elladan were standing together, the elves obviously supporting Aragorn's argument. Gimli was with the two hobbits, talking with them quietly - about what she didn't know. Haiawen was not present, once more volunteering her time at the infirmary. Her heart was one of a healer. Arienel saw naught of her brothers or father, but hadn't expected to. They were not Lords or generals. They didn't belong in this world...and neither did she as far as Arienel was concerned.

The elleth yawned, but then turned her head sharply at something Gandalf said, her sharp ears suddenly catching the words that came from the older Maia. Look to the black ships? What does that mean? Arienel's thoughts, her very body froze then and Morroch let out a hiss, not liking the way his rider's eyes went gray and her mind seemed to be covered with a thick mist. Her mind was still visible and felt by him, but he viewed it as if from a distance. Legolas and Elrohir looked over at the shape-shifter's distress - he must have hissed or made a noise - and both elves started to approach the red-head.

Arienel didn't notice. She wasn't seeing the Hall or the people in it. The elleth was barely aware of Morroch's presence, that she was breathing or even what her own name was. All that she noticed were the vivid images running through her mind, demanding attention and giving her no choice to but view silently.

(vision) She found herself looking down from a mountain at a fleet of Corsair ships sailing down the wide Anduin River toward Minas Tirith. The water was red and it was soon clear why as she looked toward the shore. Villages were in flames and the river reflected them, silently giving witness to the destruction not far from its strong flow. Villagers were either dead or fleeing in terror, uncouth men following behind with swords in their hands and death in their eyes.

The scene then changed. The elleth was on the shore by the water now. She knew that she wasn't alone as Arienel could sense people on either side of her, though she could not see or hear them clearly. Faint voices echoed on the air, garbled and Arienel realized that the people beside her and a man in one of the ships were speaking, conversing. Try as she might the elleth could not make out the words and so she shrieked briefly in surprise as one of the companions on her right shot an arrow. It buried itself in one of the pirates behind the speaker in charge. (end vision)

The elleth came back to reality in confusion, feeling painful pricks of fire her shoulder that refused to go away. The vision had lasted only a few seconds, but it had seemed like much longer. Arienel's eyes cleared and she finally noticed the worried faces of Elrohir and Legolas approaching her and the way Morroch's cat-claws were digging into her shoulder in his fear. The female steadied herself and took care of the two elves first, shaking her head and smiling. She knew they weren't fooled as they both gave her looks that said so, but the males backed away, casting her glances every few minutes after that.

"What was that?" The voice startled Arienel so much she almost jumped. Regaining her composer and trying to calm her racing heart, the elleth stroked Morroch's furry head gently, while shaking her own. "I don't know." She didn't know, but she had a strong suspicion that someone in the room could tell her. The elleth looked toward Gandalf to find him looking at her. She quickly tried to think about what the Maia had been saying and came up blank. She gave him an apologetic and questioning look all in one word. "Yes?"

Gandalf raised a brow, but didn't comment on her odd behavior. "I must ride for Minas Tirith, and you and Pippin are not safe here." It took a moment for Arienel to grasp what he was saying, but when she did the elleth shook her head "No." she said simply, but forcefully and Morroch laid his ears back, agreeing. He said nothing, though, learning little by little that Arienel WAS capable of defending her own decisions. He was just the teeth and claws that backed up those decisions on occasion and the shape-shifter was fine with that.

"Arienel..." began the older Maia, but he didn't get far as the female interrupted, not pausing to wonder where this bold or maybe stubborn will was coming from. All she knew was that she was tired of changes she didn't expect. "No, I'm not going."

Gandalf sighed. Why does everything have to be so difficult? "Sauron knows you are here. If he wants you, he knows where to look. We have to get you and Pippin out of here for your own safety." He was trying to be patient, but it was wearing thin and they did not have the time for this. He knew what would happen if he pushed too hard, though. Sometimes the elleth truly did remind him of Mírelen, her grandmother.

The female watched the older Maia's face and she knew she was frustrating him. It gave her no joy and she wished that she could just consent knowing it would be easier, however, she wasn't about to back down. "I know why you want me to go, but I can't." The elleth had switched to mind-speech without knowing it and the people around them looked between the two, unsure why they appeared to merely being frowning at each other. Morroch tightened his claws again, feeling something new. He knew Arienel was mind-speaking. He could feel it, but he could hear nothing.

Gandalf was bit surprised at the change in communication as he hadn't known she could do that yet. He'd suspected it was possible as he often saw both Arienel and Morroch behaving as if they knew exactly what the other wanted and had reasoned that they had to have been communicating in some fashion. The Maia answered back in the same way, amused at the way the elleth's sky blue eyes widened. "Why not?"

Arienel looked almost cautious now, earning her a few worried looks from her friends, but replied once again in mind-speech, almost to see if she even could. "I can't really explain it. It just isn't what I'm supposed to do. Besides, if Sauron really wants me that badly, do you think he would stop searching or spare the people here if he didn't find me in Rohan? I am as safe here as I am anywhere else. I'm not going to Gondor, Gandalf." She wasn't trying to be stubborn anymore as something - a small instinct she was quickly learning to listen to - in her told Arienel that her path did not lie with Gandalf's at this time. Another part of her screamed that she could not leave her family. Not yet!

The Maia finally glared at the elleth, but she glared right back, not backing down. They stayed that way for a moment, but Gandalf eventually sighed. "Are you sure?" he asked aloud as he rubbed his forehead, hoping that she might change her mind, but unwilling to argue anymore. It was a waste of time anyway.

"I'm sure."

"Very well. You shall stay." the older Maia reluctantly agreed.

Arienel offered a small smile. It was not one full of gloating or one of triumph, but one of gratefulness. She knew the Maia could have forced her, but he hadn't and she was thankful for the fact. Morroch 'mrrowed' softly and she scratched his head, letting his mind enter her's to see the conversation in her memories. The shape-shifter relaxed after a moment. Gandalf just shook his head ruefully.

Everyone in the Hall looked between the two. They had not heard anything, but they had seen the body language, the glares and had felt the crackling in the air. All these signs had warned them that whatever it was the two were discussing, it wasn't a pleasant conversation. They didn't ask, though, thinking it wiser not to. The dispute seemed to have been settled anyway. Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn and the two hobbits followed Gandalf as he headed toward the door. On his way out, the Maia walked by Arienel and pausing for only a moment, laid his hand gently on her right shoulder before continuing on.


Arienel: "You like to confuse me, don't you?"

Kaisaan: "Yep!" *grins cheekily* "It brings me joy."

*a shriek is heard, some scuffling and Morroch blinks after the two females* "Yeah...umm...reveiw and I might get out of this nightmare more quickly. Thanks." *the shape-shifter listens to someone in the background* "WHAT! Kaisaan has TWO sequels planned and I'm in BOTH!"