A Strange Twist of Fate: Chapter Fourteen

-Erin-

"So you know nothing?" I pressed the tips of my fingers together, steepling my hands under my chin as I sat before the lord of Rivendell later that night.

Elrond shook his head. "I have no knowledge as to where the Dunedaín may be."

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "That's all right. I'll find them somehow." I smiled warmly at him. "And thank you, again, for being such a gracious host."

He nodded in response. "May our paths cross again, Lady Erin. It is always a pleasure to welcome you to the valley."

"Thank you," I repeated, standing up and bowing my head. Elrond rose as well, signaling my dismissal, and from there I made my exit from the grand office-like room. Lavishly decorated, filled with stacks upon stacks of books and parchments...you know, typical Elrond.

As I left the room, I frowned. In truth, I'd hoped Elrond would've been more helpful. A tinge of worry briefly passed over me as a thought came to mind - what if I couldn't find them again? But I shook my head. Don't be ridiculous. You'll find them again. After all, how hard can it be? Just two girls trying to track down a group of rangers. No big deal. I paused as I climbed the stairs leading up to our guest room. ...Make that two highly inexperienced girls tracking down a group of rangers. A group of stealthy, agile, secretive...professional...rangers. I sighed as I came to the top of the steps. "Oh boy." What have I gotten myself into?

But a moment later, I was shaken from my thoughts. Again, I frowned at the noise I heard softly traveling down the hall. Was that...crying? I stopped, holding my breath to listen. There it was again. That definitely sounds like a muffled sob. Then I realized where the noise was coming from and sprinted down the remainder of the hallway, slowing only when I reached the doorway to our room. I stumbled inside, taken aback at what I saw. "Kathryn?"

Sure enough, there she was. My best friend, curled into a ball on her bed, knees drawn up to her chest...crying. Her head snapped up when I called her name, and immediately she tried to recollect herself. "E-Erin," she stuttered.

"What happened?" I rushed over to her, also taking a seat on the bed as I rested a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

She sucked in a breath, shuddering. "Erin...they found out..."

I blinked, confused. "What do you mean, 'they found out?'"

"I-I don't know how, it just..." She stopped for a moment, wiping at her face. "I was out walking after dinner, and...and all of a sudden, I just started hearing these whispers..." She looked back at me, fresh tears still on her face. "And then someone...I don't even know who it was, but they just walked right up to me and said I was an abomination."

My jaw dropped. "Excuse me? Who do they think they are? Why-"

"Erin." I stopped, noticing the serious hurt in her dark eyes now. She took another deep breath, then shook her head. "They know."

That's when it hit me. My entire face went blank. "...Oh my God. Are you serious?" I whispered.

She nodded, and it felt like my heart cracked straight down the middle. "More elves said things," she went on. "They said I was disgusting, that I would never - never find love here..." She stumbled on her words, sniffing. "...I don't even want to tell you some of the shit I heard."

With every word she spoke, my anger grew. This was unacceptable. This was...this was infuriating! "Tell me who it was, Kathryn," I said lowly. "I'll beat the shit out of them."

"I don't know, Erin," she shook her head again. "There were so many people. I've never even seen half of them before in my life."

"I don't care," I snapped. "I'll tear through every single elf in Rivendell if I have to. No one gets away with saying shit like that to you."

"Erin, no, just..." She paused again, breathing hard. "Can we just go? Get out of here?"

I didn't even hesitate. "Absolutely. We're leaving tonight."

She blinked. "Tonight? Are you sure? Do you even know where we're going?"

"Yeah," I said. "We're going back to Lothlórien." I stood up, and she followed suit. "Get your stuff together, okay? I'll go see if I can track down Arwen real fast; she's the last person I can think of who might know where Aragorn is."

She looked shocked at my willingness to take action so quickly. "Are you sure?"

"Kathryn, I'm not going to make you stay here in a place that's unsafe for you." I gave her arm a gentle squeeze. "Trust me, it's no big deal."

She still looked hesitant, but in the end, shrugged in acceptance. "Okay. As long as you're sure."

"I am."

"...Thank you."

I nodded. "I'll be right back, okay?" Kathryn returned the nod, and I quickly spun on my heel, darting out the door and down the steps again. It was getting late, but hopefully Arwen would still be up for me to have a short chat with her. I'll admit, though, the burning rage which now consumed every inch of me would've caused me to still barge into her room and start talking, even if she wasn't awake. I was so pissed. Scratch that, I was beyond pissed. I was livid. All I could think about was how badly I wanted to wring the neck of whoever had so much as frowned in Kathryn's direction. I can't believe this. The fact that this is happening is appalling, and...and despicable, and...Christ, I don't even want to be here anymore. I feel sick. God forbid I ever figure out who started this, because I -

...Oh my God. Elladan.

I froze in my tracks. Of course. It must've been him. I hadn't told anyone else about Kathryn's sexuality; who else would've had the nerve to start such a thing? My hands were curled into such tight fists, I could feel my nails digging into my palm. That coward. That disgusting son of a bitch. My jaw clenched. I'm going to rip him to pieces. He unleashed all hell onto my best friend. I could strangle him. I could beat him unconscious. I...I could kill him. I will. I will kill him, the bastard. I growled as I sped through the halls, wishing he was standing right in front of me so I could rip his vocal chords out through his teeth. NO ONE does that shit and gets away with it. Not on my watch. He will pay for it. The thought solidified itself in my brain as I drew nearer to Arwen's private chambers.

He will pay.

–

Within an hour, Kathryn and I were on horseback, coming up to the peak of the same hill we'd arrived at earlier in the day when coming into Rivendell. It had been easy enough for us to gather our things, grab our trusty steeds, and slip out of the elven colony unnoticed, and I was grateful for such luck. The last thing we needed was another bullshit conflict to slow us down.

I glanced over at Kathryn as we quickly descended the hill. She still looked shaken, and it hurt me to see her so distressed. "You doing okay?"

She nodded, but kept her gaze on the path. "I just needed to get out of there." A pause, and then she spoke again. "...Thank you for doing this."

"Don't worry about it," I reassured her. "We'll be back in Lothlórien before you know it."

"What about Legolas?" she asked. "Did you find out where he is?"

I nodded as we hurried around a bend in the trail. "Arwen said they were likely still near the Shire. I'll start looking there first." I looked her way again. "And you're sure you'll be okay hanging out in Lórien without me for awhile?"

Kathryn nodded, brushing some of her dark hair out of her face. "Yeah. It's not like you'll be gone forever."

I cracked a smile. "Unless I die somewhere along the way."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't even start with that shit. I've suffered enough for one night."

I laughed. "Okay, okay. Sorry." As we came to a point in the trail overlooking Rivendell again, though, the laughter died in my throat. The valley was only a small cluster of light in the distance now, but the same white-hot anger still burned just as fiercely in my heart. Elladan's smug face appeared in my mind, and my blood boiled as I realized I would have to wait awhile before I got the opportunity to bash his face in. I took a deep breath as trees suddenly blocked my view, concealing Rivendell from us for good. Someday I'll get my revenge. Someday.

–

-Kathryn-

It wasn't until several weeks later that we reached the borders of Lothlórien, and I for one had never been happier to see the familiar tall trees on the horizon. The journey from Rivendell hadn't been crazy or anything, but I was still exhausted from traveling so much in such a short amount of time. I still wasn't fully used to the rugged, wild lifestyle Erin had gotten accustomed to after so long in Middle-Earth. My back was killing me, my legs were sore, and I was desperate to get a full meal in my stomach. In short, crossing into Caras Galadhon again was a relief. I welcomed the sense of familiarity in an area I knew so well. I'd be lying if I told you it still felt exactly the same, though. It was strange, but I still felt tense and uneasy being in an elven settlement again, even if they weren't the same elves from Rivendell. Maybe I was just too paranoid. I don't know. I knew I was safe here, but then again...how fast did word get around in this world? Erin kept telling me it wasn't going to be the same here, but to be honest, I wasn't sure how much I believed her.

At this point, though, I didn't have much of a choice. Part of me resented Erin for leaving so abruptly - she was my only real friend, after all - but I knew she couldn't stay. I think I almost envied her prior obligations in Middle-Earth. Here I was, sitting on my ass and getting bullied, and Erin was off making friends with princes and kings...on a mission to reunite families and other noble causes. But deep down, I was content to stay in one spot for now. Erin could handle a new life full of adventure. I still had to adjust to a new life in the first place.

I stood off to the side, watching as she secured the saddle to her horse. "How soon do you think you'll be back?"

"Hard to say," she replied. "I'm thinking it'll take me about a month and a half to reach the Shire. From there, it's a long ride to Mirkwood; at least two months, I'm guessing. I don't know how long Legolas will want to stay in Mirkwood, but then it'll probably be several weeks until I can get back here from Thranduil's kingdom."

I ran over everything in my head, piecing it all together. "So...you'll probably be back by the end of the year."

She paused. "December...yeah, I think so."

"Make it back in time for Christmas," I said with a smile.

Erin returned it. "I'll convince Legolas to come with me so you can meet him."

I laughed. "That's the perfect Christmas present."

She turned away from her horse, exhaling as she looked me over. "Well, I think that's everything." There was a brief moment of silence before she dove in for a hug. "I'm going to miss you, Kathryn."

"I'll miss you too," I said quietly. More than you know.

"You'll be safe here, I promise," she whispered. I nodded, and she let me go, stepping back so we could look at each other again. There were no tears, but I could still see the sadness in her hazel eyes. "...I...I should get going."

I nodded, and she turned to mount her horse. "Ride fast," I called out.

Erin swung herself up into the saddle, and I stepped back. "See you soon." She gave me one last hopeful smile before digging her heels into Rick's sides, sending him into a steady trot. I stood there, in the midst of the trees, watching as her form grew smaller and smaller in the distance. And in that moment, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd just made the biggest mistake of my life or not.

–

-Erin-

By the height of the summer, Lórien was far behind me. The town of Bree was now in my sights, and an odd mix of excitement and tension stirred in my gut. I was eager to see Legolas and Aragorn again, but the worry that they might not even be near the Shire anymore was still present. Even if Arwen had been right in the information she'd given me, I'd spoken to her months ago. For all I knew, they could be having a party over by the Anduín by now. I hardly slept throughout the night I spent at my favorite inn, lost in thought and anxiety for hours as I lay in bed. What am I even going to say to Legolas once I find him? 'Hey, sorry you haven't heard from me in months. I was busy talking to your dad you haven't seen in sixty years.' God, that's going to be weird. I kept thinking about Thranduil a lot, too. I couldn't imagine how strange it was for him, waiting for months to see if I'd actually turn up in Mirkwood with his long lost son at my side. Several times, I'd even questioned myself on the matter - was I seriously going to do this? But a promise was a promise, and I'd given Thranduil my word. I wasn't about to back down on it now.

So, the next morning, I rose with the sun and prepared to hit the road one last time. Bree was just beginning to draw itself out of slumber as I paid the innkeeper and slipped out the door, finding Rick and tossing a couple carrots his way. Before long, I was off, the tension manifesting in my coiled fists as I gripped the reins tightly. I observed the sunrise as I rode, my thoughts drifting to Kathryn. I hoped she was doing all right. In truth, I deeply regretted leaving her alone in Lothlórien again, but I knew she needed some time to readjust. She was safe there. It would've been too stressful to drag her along with me for the rest of the journey. At one point, I'd almost tried asking Galadriel to keep an eye on my dark-haired friend, but in the end I decided against it. Kathryn could handle herself just fine. I didn't need to be a mother to her, I just needed to be a friend.

By the time I started drawing closer to the borders of the Shire, the afternoon sun was beginning to fade. My heart was pounding as I turned off the path and coaxed Rick into an easy trot through the wooded area near the Barrow Downs. In my mind, the easiest solution was to go back to the spot I'd found Aragorn in the last time I'd been over this way. If I was lucky, either he or someone else I knew would still be in the area. Once I felt we'd gone far enough, I slowed Rick's pace to a crawl, trying to be as silent as possible as I watched for any sign of life. I straightened up in my saddle, craning my neck. "...Strider?" I called softly, not daring to speak his real name. No response. "Halbarad?" Still, nothing. "...Anyone?" I dropped the reins as Rick came to a stop, raising my hands in a gesture of peace. "It's Erin. I mean you no harm."

That's when I heard a rustling off to my right. My head immediately snapped towards the sound, and I watched as the figure of a man seemed to melt out of the thick brush he'd concealed himself in. As he came forward, I smiled. I knew this one. "Lady Erin!" I'd never learned his true name, but the face was still familiar. He was one of the older men, hair graying slightly in some spots, with salt and pepper stubble coating his chin. "I certainly was not expecting to see you in these parts again."

"I know, this is unexpected," I agreed. "How have things been? Quiet?"

He paused, choosing his words carefully, which I found odd. "...Some would say, yes. But as I take it, quiet is better than chaos nowadays."

I laughed to myself, dismissing his somewhat cryptic answer. "That is true."

"What brings you here?" His gaze was now curious, scanning my supplies in an attempt to read me. "You've traveled far?"

"Yes," I said with a nod, "from Lothlórien. I was...visiting a friend. But, as a matter of fact, I've actually come to speak with Álarcon. Is he nearby?"

The ranger nodded, turning and pointing behind him and to the south. "You'll find him by the Brandywine, near Sarn Ford. Last I heard, he was stationed there."

I grinned. "Thank you."

"You are quite welcome, Lady Erin. I hope your journey here was a peaceful one." With a short nod, he turned and disappeared into the trees again, and I quickly steered Rick in the direction he'd given me. Again, I felt my heart pounding in my chest as I headed south, finding the river and skirting along its edge for an hour or so. As the sun began to threaten disappearance, I grew anxious. What if I don't find him before sundown? Oh God, I don't want to get lost out here in the dark by myself.

So I started calling for him again. "Álarcon!" I whisper-shouted, unsure whether I should use his real name or not. Silence. "...Álarcon, it's me! Erin!" More silence, and I continued to trot along. I narrowed my eyes, scanning the treetops. "I know you're up there somewhere," I hissed as I dismounted my horse. "You may be an elf, but you're not that good at hide and seek." Even more silence, and my frustration grew. "Legolas, come on! You've got to be around here somewhere - OH CHRIST!" I screamed as an arrow suddenly shot through the air, landing two inches in front of my feet and burying itself in the dirt. I whirled around, my sharp gaze deadly as the perpetrator dropped down from his hiding spot in the trees. "Really, Legolas? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

The elf smirked, trying to conceal his laughter as he walked up to me. "Would you not have done something similar?"

A grin split my face, and I laughed. "Yeah, I would've. Good to see you again, man."

Legolas nodded, withdrawing his hood and veil. "I am pleased to see you as well, my friend." He had cut his hair again recently, I could tell. It only reached to just past his chin again; shorter than the last time I'd seen him.

"How's ranger life been treating you?"

"Well enough, I suppose," he mused. "There has been little activity, and for that I am grateful."

"Cool," I said with a nod. "Is Aragorn still around?"

"Yes. He is not far from here, just on the outskirts of the southern entrance to the Shire." But then I saw the questioning gaze pass over his face. "Why have you come?"

I took a deep breath, pulse quickening. "Well...funny you should ask that," I said with an empty chuckle. "Uh...You know how I said I was going to Lórien for awhile?" He nodded. "Yeah, I didn't do that. Or at least, not right away."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I, uh..." Come on, just spit it out. "I actually went to Mirkwood." I watched him, trying to read his expression, but couldn't. "And while I was there, I was able to speak with your father."

I noticed his blue eyes widen in shock. He went rigid. "My father?" he repeated.

"Yep." I bit my lip nervously. "And...oh, Legolas, I have so much to tell you. Thranduil's doing well, he really is -" Legolas' jaw tightened "but he misses you. He said it himself; he wants you to come home. He told me to tell you that you would always be welcome there."

But as Legolas spoke, any courage or confidence I'd once had turned to ash in my mouth. His tone was absolutely venomous. "You...you spoke to my father...about me?"

I nodded, but hesitantly now. "Yes, I did. Look, don't be mad, okay? I said that I knew you, that you were doing well over here with the northern rangers-"

"You informed him of my location?!"

I choked on my words. Shit. He's pissed. "Y-Yeah, yeah, but listen, Legolas! He wants you to come home! Your father loves you!"

"Do you have even the slightest idea what you've done?" he hissed. "You..." He took a breath, collecting himself, but I could still feel the anger radiating off of him in waves. "You have risked everything. My father knows where I am. Perhaps I did not make this clear to you, Erin, but I did not want him to possess that information for a reason!"

"It's not a big deal, Legolas!" I shot back.

"You do not know what he may do with that knowledge," the elf said hotly. "He may have dismissed members of his guard to come for me the moment that you left those halls!"

I shot him a skeptical look. "You're acting like he's coming to kidnap you and throw you in prison! He's your father, he's not going to do that!"

"How do you know?!" His words were sharp, and I drew back. This was not how I'd expected things to go at all. Legolas was legitimately angry. He paused for a moment, then turned on me again, eyes blazing. "I gave you my trust, and you betrayed me," he said lowly. "Clearly I was mistaken in naming you a friend."

No...Oh God, no! "Legolas, I'm sorry," I said. "I was only trying to help-"

"This was not any business of yours to be concerned with," he cut me off. "My past is not yours to tamper with, nor is my future."

All I could do was stand there, watching as any trace of companionship we once had crumble into dust. Now I realized my mistake. I've ruined it. I've ruined everything. "Would you at least consider going back-"

"Never." He moved around me to rip his lone arrow from the ground, sticking it back in his quiver without turning to face me again. "I will not go back; certainly not on the word of a liar."

I waited, staring at his back for a moment, utterly torn. His words stung, but what hurt the most was knowing there was truth to them. "I'm sorry," I said again, moving to mount Rick once more. "I didn't mean..." I trailed off when he gave no reaction, realizing empty words weren't going to do me any good now. But what do I do? I can't go back to Lothlórien...if I leave them now, who knows how hard it might be to find these guys again. And I made Thranduil a promise...Oh, Jesus. Lord help me now. I didn't say another word before kicking my horse into action and heading back the way I'd come. My heart ached as I left Legolas alone by the riverside, knowing I'd just destroyed the friendship we'd formed entirely. I'd betrayed his trust, and now we were back to square one again. Back to the Legolas who was guarded, cold, and not entirely himself. I'm an idiot, I thought, pushing Rick into a faster gallop as I began to desperately seek out the only other person here I could call a friend. I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot...God, what am I going to do?

–

"So now I'm stuck," I said, hanging my head and clasping my hands together as I finished explaining the Legolas incident. I nudged one of the small pieces of wood in our humble campfire, sighing as my eyes followed the sparks shooting into the air. "Legolas hates me, my best friend is half a world away, and I feel like I can't do anything to fix either of these problems."

Aragorn, god bless his soul, had been listening intently for the duration of the hour it took for me to explain everything that had happened since Gundabad. Night had fallen by now, and he'd graciously allowed me to spend the night with him, seeing as I had nowhere else to go. "This may not be what you wish to hear, but I can tell you that it will take a great deal of time before Legolas will trust you again."

"I figured that," I groaned.

"However," he continued, "I do not believe it to be a lost cause entirely."

At that, I raised my head. "Really?"

Aragorn nodded. "I have known Legolas for many years, and yet he has never confided in me some of what he has confessed to you. Given enough time, I would expect him to remember why he trusted you so deeply in the first place."

"I don't know," I muttered. "Apparently I screwed this one up pretty badly."

"Perhaps," Aragorn replied, "but you did not do so intentionally. Legolas will understand that it was only a mistake - he has made plenty of those himself. He will be angry for some time, yes, but eventually he will forgive you."

"Guess I'll just have to work really hard at earning his respect back in the meantime," I said.

Aragorn nodded, then looked up at me in question. "So you intend to stay here?"

Again, I sighed. "I feel like I have to, at this point. Finding you guys this time was a stroke of luck; I don't expect it to be that easy a second time around. I mean...even though it may have been wrong for me to meddle, I just feel like something's not right between Legolas and Thranduil. I mean, I know something's not right, but I feel like it's not something that'll just resolve itself, you know?"

The ranger seemed to understand what I was getting at. "You care for him," he said simply.

"Yeah!" I nodded, then actually thought about what he'd said. "...Yeah, I guess I do." But then I frowned. "Am I doing completely the wrong thing here? I just ruined a friendship through meddling, but I'm still sitting here saying that I feel like I need to meddle more."

Aragorn smiled at that. "I do not believe that your desire to help is wrong. It is possible, though, that you are going about it in the wrong way."

"What do you mean?"

He withdrew a pipe from his bag of secret ranger gear and lit it, taking a long drag before answering me. "Earlier, you said that you had been growing closer to Legolas slowly, uncovering one small piece of his past at a time." I nodded. "It would be wise to continue with that approach."

I thought about that. "Yeah, that kind of makes sense. I guess going directly to Thranduil and telling him everything all at once was kind of a bad idea. Too drastic."

Aragorn nodded. "Legolas will return to his home when he is ready, but he still needs time."

"I understand," I said. "I just rushed everything. I need to take a break for awhile and let him play catch-up, basically."

I don't think Aragorn got my phrasing, but he just agreed anyway. "Do promise me that you won't give up on him, though."

I blinked, looking at him oddly. "How come?"

Again, he shrugged. "I've seen change," he said simply. "He is not the same elf I met sixty years ago. It was incredibly bold for him to travel to Gundabad, and you were the one who inspired him to do so." A small smile stretched across his face. "You are helping him, Erin."

I also couldn't help but smile. "...Thanks. That's actually really reassuring." He chuckled lowly, and I turned my attention towards the fire again. "But yeah...looks like I'm not going anywhere for awhile. Legolas refused to go back to Mirkwood, and until he comes out of his shell again and agrees to go with me, I don't want to leave him." I stretched my arms outwards, hearing my shoulders pop. "He seemed pretty adamant about staying put, so it might be awhile."

Aragorn was silent for several seconds, and when he spoke again, his tone was surprisingly somber. "...He gave you no reason as to why he wished to remain here?"

I frowned, looking up at him again. "Not really...I assumed it was just because he was mad at me." Aragorn was suddenly refusing to meet my gaze, which worried me. "Why? Is there a reason?"

Another long stretch of silence, until the man finally exhaled and dared to look at me. When he did, I was shocked and deeply unsettled by the wary look in his eyes. "Not long ago, the wizard Gandalf came to meet with Halbarad. He gave strict instructions to have all in our company remain here and keep a close watch on the Shire. He believes it to be under threat."

My eyes widened. "From what?"

Again, Aragorn hesitated, as if unsure whether or not he should be telling me such things. "How much do you know about the seven seeing stones?"

"The palantír?" I asked. "I...feel like I know a pretty good amount about them. Why?"

But first, he held up a hand. "Erin, you must swear to me that you will share this information with no one else. It must remain secret."

I nodded. "Absolutely."

He took a breath, then continued. "There is rumor that they have been passed into the hands of those that would use them for dark purposes. Gandalf has reason to believe that they have been... tampered with, to say the least."

Immediately, my mind turned to Saruman. Has he crossed over to the dark side yet? When does that happen in the movie's timeline? "How so?"

But Aragorn shook his head. "He did not say. Only that they may now be at work in a conspiracy to unleash foul things into this world."

Dude... I stared at the ranger in disbelief. "And Gandalf thinks that this is putting the Shire in danger?"

"It would seem so."

My mind was racing. The Ring...this has to be tied to the Ring somehow. There's no other reason why Gandalf would be paranoid over the safety of the Shire. But this business involving the seven palantír bothered me. That definitely wasn't something they talked too much about in Lord of the Rings until the third movie...so why was there a concern about it now? "...Interesting," I said. "So you guys are being asked to stay here and keep an eye out for any suspicious activity, essentially."

Another nod. "I heard news that Gandalf made plans to return to Halbarad soon and discuss the matter in great detail, but I do not know for certain when that will happen."

"I see." Gears were turning in my head, and I wanted so badly to tell Aragorn all I knew about Saruman and his double-crossing. But I couldn't, I knew. It could drastically upset the events of the future, and I certainly didn't want to shake things up too much if I could help it. I can still help them, though. If Saruman is the one behind all this, I could maybe...drop little hints to point them in the right direction as they try and figure things out. "Do you think this is going to evolve into anything serious?" I peered at him through the flames.

Aragorn's expression was uncertain, but I could still sense the air of worry about him as he spoke. "Hopefully not. But in this age, nothing is certain anymore."