The Morning Star of Rivendell

Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Still don't own Lord of the Rings. If I did, the Ring wouldn't just turn people evil and make you invisible of all things. I mean, yeah it's useful in some cases, but invisibility won't defeat a fire-breathing dragon or disintegrate Ring-Wraiths.

Review Responses:

I luv Milarion 1201: Oh. I actually didn't know that...well, I edited the chapter and included it anyway. Haha, yeah, she pretty much fits Yavi for the most part. Moria is not in this chapter, my bad. I started writing and it never got to that point. Next chapter, though.

Furionknight: Sorry to keep you waiting...but thanks for your review!

MsRose91: Thanks! Oh trust me, you'll love what happens next (hopefully). Sorry for the delayed update.

AlishaCorral123: Thank you, I appreciate your review.

Guest: Thanks a lot! I'll do my best.

mchap1154: Sorry...but necessary. Yeah, they aren't exactly friends yet, but still kind of irritating about them fighting right? But hey, they'll be friends eventually, so just hold on until then. Thank you! I'm glad you're so excited, haha.

Guest: Thank you, glad you liked it! Thanks, I'll keep up the varying POVs then. So...I do plan on making a Hobbit fic with Yáviën in it, but it'll be after the LOTR trilogy. Sorry, it'll be a little while...

Guest: Ah, apologies but it's a little late for suggestions :/ Wasn't Miranda Kerr married to-oh, I see. Well, she doesn't fit the physical description as well as Katie McGrath. But I appreciate the suggestion anyway.

Quick Author's Note: As you may have noticed, I now have a cover title!

Thanks to I luv Milarion 1201, but if any of you want to make some fan art or a cover art for the next fic (because there's no way I'll be able to fit all three parts in one fic), go on ahead and PM me! I have a deviantart account, so if you have one just let me know and I'll check it out!

And I must apologize to Wolf's Dark Rose Angel, who also made a cover art, but never really contacted me back. I really wanted to see what you came up with.

Also, I wrote a one shot based on the prank vaguely mentioned in Chapter 2. It's called Slimey Shoes (weird name but I was reaching), so check it out if you're interested.

Yáviën's POV

Attempting to cross the pass of Caradhras meant trekking through knee-deep snow and resisting the wintry gales that seeped to the bone. And the Fellowship was not exactly equipped to stumble on through such depth.

Well, everyone except Legolas and I. Due to our elven nature, our steps could become so light we could walk across the surface.

In addition, due to the harsh conditions, we were forced to bid our horses farewell, though I stubbornly attempted to keep Than by my side, everyone rallied against me in the end. However, I ordered Thangannas in Sindarin to keep himself and the other steeds nearby in case this passage was unable to cross.

And it just might, considering there were sometimes horrific snowstorms on Caradhras that made it near impossible to scale and pass. Unless you were either insane or an elf. We had both in this company.

Thus, we had to bear the frigid climate on foot. And everyone was in low spirits as a result. Tired, hungry, and cold, most did not even bother to speak as we carried on. I certainly enjoyed a break from an earful of resentment from a certain rude dwarf, but now I would instantly trade it back to get out of this terrible storm.

The hobbits had it the worst. Pippin and Merry became so cold they had stopped complaining, even with their extra cloaks and snow-adept shoes. Frodo lingered behind most frequently, and often stumbled about when he struggled to find proper footing.

I decided to take the rear to help him press onward. So, when he finally slipped and began tumbling backward, I was there in an instant to help pick him back up.

"Frodo!" Aragorn exclaimed, aiding me in helping the halfling to his feet.

The Ring lied in the snow, having been dropped in the midst of Frodo's fall. Gloved fingers plucked it off the blanket of snow, dangling in the air before sky blue eyes.

Everyone stared cautiously at the human, knowing what might transpire, though we all dreaded the very thought.

"Boromir." My fellow ranger called in tense apprehension.

"Tread carefully, Human." I murmured with a stony edge.

Snowflakes stuck to his lashes as the whipping gales sent his chin-length blonde hair flying. Ignoring our warnings, he continued to gaze at the golden band in a trance-like state.

"It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing. Such a little thing."

"Boromir! Give the Ring to Frodo!" Aragorn demanded.

With a hand wrapped around the hilt of one of my daggers, I kept my own eyes trained on the said human.

"It would be wise to comply, son of the Steward of Gondor." I added, my tone now taking on a deadlier note.

At last he snapped out of his enchantment, startled so greatly it took him a moment to process. Then, slowly, he handed the Ring back to dear Frodo, who ripped it out of his grasp.

With a smile, he replied, "As you wish. I care not."

He ruffled Frodo's wild chocolate curls, then turned back to continue climbing after adjusting the large shield on his back. Aragorn and I released our holds on our handles.

The two of us glanced at each other worriedly.

"His will is weakening. Should anyone fall to the Ring's temptation, it will be him first." I whispered carefully as Frodo began to march ahead.

"But he still returned it to Frodo. Give him advice and support, not a doomed fate, Yáviën." Aragorn murmured back.

I opened my mouth to protest, though he cut in before I had the chance. "Men are not so weak as you imagine, nor as your father does. Boromir is misguided right now, he merely needs someone to show him the right path."

And with that, he strode past me.

"Perhaps, but all it takes is one moment of walking down the wrong path for even the mightiest to fall. If you keep believing in a person like Boromir, you will only experience disappointment and loss, Elessar. I should know..." I muttered bitterly, wrapping my opaque cloak around myself.

With the Fellowship

The higher they climbed up the mountain, the fiercer the glacial winds became until the snow that accompanied them made it difficult for them to see.

All, of course, but Legolas and Yáviën. For their sight was exceedingly better than anyone else's in the Fellowship, even with the blinding blizzard.

Legolas started to take point while Yáviën aided anyone struggling, which was just about everyone.

"Rhaich! Why must it be the time of year when Caradhras is at its absolute worst when we must pass?! This is the most horrible timing ever!" The brunette elleth yelled, frustrated by their slowing progress.

Although it was just angry ranting, every member of the Fellowship, even Gimli, had to agree with her.

Legolas strained his ears to hear what seemed like a voice chanting.

"Cuiva nwalca Carnirasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya!" (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your horn be bloodstained!"

"There is a fell voice on the air." The elf stated loud enough for his companions to hear over the raging winds.

"It's Saruman!" Gandalf exclaimed, snow beginning to blanket his beard so it no longer appeared grey, but white, much like the rest of the males with facial hair in the Fellowship.

A loud cracking and rumbling erupted above them, prompting the fellowship to throw themselves toward the mountainside in order to avoid certain death, or in the least severe injuries, from the plummeting rocks that followed.

"He's trying to bring down the mountain! Gandalf, we must turn back!" Aragorn shouted, but his plea fell on deft ears.

"No!" The wizard barked stubbornly, taking a step forward out of the snow.

"Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho, i 'ruith!" (Sleep Caradhras, be still, lie still, hold your wrath!)

Saruman countered with the same spell from before, adamant on making life harder for the band of travelers.

"Cuiva nwalca Carnieasse; nai yarvaxea rasselya; taltuva notto-carinnar!" (Wake up cruel Redhorn! May your bloodstained horn fall upon enemy heads!)

Lightning struck the top of Caradhras, in effect causing a second avalanche with less rocks and more snow. Nevertheless, Yáviën's instinct to protect controlled her body.

"No!" She cried, grabbing the hobbits and pushing them against the cliff using her body as a shield.

Legolas was the first to pop his head out of the snow, looking around in concern for his elven companion. Yáviën emerged a few minutes later, dragging out the halflings and setting the blonde elf at relative ease.

She was muttering vulgar Sindarin words and cursing out the avalanches, as well as occasionally mentioning Saruman.

"We must get off the mountain! Make for the Gap of Rohan and take the west road to my city!" Boromir demanded, and for once the dark-haired elleth in company did not roll her eyes at what he said.

"The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isengard!" Aragorn pointed out.

None of them really desired to be so close to a demented, corrupted white wizard.

"If we cannot pass over a mountain, let us go under it. Let us go through the Mines of Moria." Gimli said, voice bellowing over the fierce winds.

Gandalf hesitated, regarding the dwarf with a worried expression.

Flashback

"Moria. You fear to go into those mines. The dwarves delved too greedily and too deep. You know what they awoke in the darkness of Khazad-dûm: shadow and flame." Saruman spoke, pouring over old texts with the gray wizard.

Gandalf glanced at his fellow wizard in knowing concern when the pages stopped at a face shrouded by fire.

Present

"For Valar's sake, if you do not decide soon Gandalf, I will!" The snow-covered she-elf exclaimed, shaking the white power off of her leather jerking and cloak.

"Let the Ring-bearer decide." Gandalf replied, eyes landing on Frodo.

Of course, the hobbit was unsure of what to do. Having such a decision thrust upon him in this situation was most boggling.

Merry, Sam and Pippin were all looking deathly pale, tinges of blue tracing the edges of their lips.

Boromir was doing his best to keep Pippin warm. "We cannot stay here! This will be the death of the Hobbits!"

"Frodo?" Gandalf murmured loud enough for him to hear, wise grey eyes searching for an answer.

"We will go through the mines." The curl-haired hobbit answered, and the wizard's face fell in dread.

"So be it."

They turned back, eager to leave the mountain but still lacking the energy despite the new motivation. Yáviën was overly elated to reunite with Thangannas, who had done a decent job of keeping the other horses and ponies in the vicinity.

"Yáviën, are you alright?" Legolas queried, nearing the brunette beauty and her feisty steed.

"Y-yes, w-wh-why?" She stuttered, pearly white teeth chattering in response to such a long exposure to the freezing, harsh temperatures of Caradhras.

Her hair, damp and stringy from the snow, was pulled back into a simple ponytail to avoid looking like a deranged homeless person. For that was exactly what she'd look like if she'd kept it down.

"Because you look cold. Are you sure you do not wish to wait a moment to warm up? The hobbits certainly need it, too." The blonde replied, glancing from the hobbits to his childhood friend.

"I w-will be fine. W-we can warm up as we journey to Moria. It took us but a day to attempt to pass through Caradhras from Eregion, we can probably make it back by nightfall if we hurry." Yáviën answered, as her symptoms of suffering from the cold began to dissipate.

"Come along all, we must press on if we want to make it back to Hollin by nightfall!" She called to the others, mounting her beloved old mare.

Legolas moved to the side, looking up at her for once instead of down. He was naturally several inches taller than her, which she hated.

"Do not push yourself. You need rest just like everyone else. It's okay to entrust a responsibility to another, even if it is only rare instances." The prince warned, giving Than a friendly rub on the neck with his hand.

The ranger scowled. "I do not-"

"Yes, you do push yourself. We don't need our physician for this journey fainting because she neglected her own health." Legolas cut in, a small smirk on his face.

"Just mount your horse already, you spoiled prince." Yáviën retorted, though the makings of a smile were pulling at her flushed lips.

He chuckled, leaving her side to return to his own horse. They rode at full speed for a few hours, soon making it back to Eregion.

Sam was a wonder at getting a fire started, so Yáviën decided to try and hunt down some game with Aragorn even though there was not much to look at.

"So, are you and Legolas doing well?" The Dunedain asked, his dagger drawn and eyes flickering from every direction.

She glanced at him in annoyance. "My relations with others, especially Legolas, is none of your concern. How did you even meet, anyway?"

"I do believe that is none of your concern, either."

Grey-blue irises rolled at the use of her own words against her. "Fair enough. I don't want to talk about it."

"I know you don't, but obviously you desire to speak of something because so far neither of us are seeing anything to catch and when we last camped we were positive there was no game here considering the lack of plants and water. So, why are we really out here?" Aragorn questioned, stopping in his tracks.

The brunette sighed. "I am not going to flirt with Legolas, or make overly-loving eyes, or follow him wherever I go. The hobbits come first, as does this journey. And he does not feel that way for me anyway."

"Is there something else you are hiding?" The ranger quirked a brow, knowing her far too well to know that was it.

She sat down on the dry grass and hard soil, just then realizing the grime on her person had been cleaned away for the most part by the snow. It was nice to be relatively hygienic again.

"I am still mad at him."

Aragorn stared at her, curious about the details of the matter. "You never told me what happened on the quest."

"Because you were too young to know at the time. I'd never let you hear what happened after..." Her throat caught, a tightness constricting her chest.

"After what? The misty mountains?"

She shook her head. "No, it was after the door to Erebor was opened did it all spiral down into absolute chaos. I could not sway Bard's decision to wage war, nor Legolas's father. And then, of course, Thorin and-"

It was like the name choked her unseen by the naked eye. She could not continue, could not bear to recount those vivid, awful memories. Her rosy lips wobbled in despair, sewing shut to silence upcoming sobs.

Yáviën lowered her eyes to the ground, her long lashes nearly touching her high cheekbones as she encircled her lengthy legs with her arms.

"Elessar, I cannot court Legolas when there is such a large history behind us with so much pain. That war, that bloody, pointless war, is the reason why people I cherish is not here today, nor ever will be. And Legolas is part of the reason why those people are gone, but I mostly blame myself."

"And you believe that if you cannot forgive yourself, you cannot forgive him, either. But you already know that. So, are you simply going to just let him keep believing there might be a chance to be with you? Or will you voice to him your concerns?" Aragorn queried, eager to leave this conversation.

He had not intended to give advice on relationships when he initially teased her.

"I do not know. Is there a chance? Do I even want to? I am so focused on protecting the hobbits I know not if I desire romance in my life, now or ever." The elleth answered, chewing on her lower lip so violently it started to bruise a little.

Aragorn stood, prompting the she-elf to do the same. "Whatever you decide, it can be whenever you feel ready. But this quest is perilous, and you are right when you said could receive the cold strike of death at any time. If you have doubts, take a chance and regret nothing. I sense you already have enough as it is."

They walked back to the campsite in silence, because Yáviën realized he was entirely right. She couldn't help but stare at Legolas's youthful, handsome face-when did it become so attractive?-and wonder if her feelings for him went deeper than friendship.

It was scary. She'd never courted before, so the thought of courting Legolas of all people made her nervous. In her head, it was like she was being stripped of her hard-earned independence.

He caught her stare and smiled over the firelight, the flickering flames casting slight shadows over half of his face. They lighted up his cerulean blue eyes that now glittered like warm gems.

She forced herself to break the locked gaze, looking to Frodo and partaking in some light conversation. It was too terrifying to face Legolas and their relationship.

Whatever Yáviën decided, it would be later, when she was ready. Hopefully that was when this journey was over and they were all still alive to retell the tale.

A/N: Aaaand done! Going to bed. You know what to do; review, favorite, and follow! I'll update ASAP, sorry guys. It's been a nightmare this week.