Chapter Twenty-Five

The morning was rather chaotic. It seemed that not only were Legolas, Gandalf and I leaving, but so were the Hobbits and many other guests as well.

I said my good byes to the Hobbits as they rode off on their ponies. They were all eager to return to the Shire, wanting nothing more to do with any adventures out in the big world. Little did they know that their little home would never seem the same again.

Faeron approached Legolas as I stood there watching the Hobbits head off. "My Lord, when would you like to leave?"

"As soon as Gandalf is ready." Legolas replied.

"Is the White Wizard to return to Mirkwood with us?" Faeron asked with his hands delicatly folded together infront of him.

"We're not going to Mirkwood, or rather I'm not. You, Faeron, will be. With this." He handed a letter to the surprised elf.

"Your father will not be pleased, My Lord."

"Well, it's a good thing that I don't live my life according to what my father will be pleased with. Because if I did, then I wouldn't have fallen in love with Daniyel; I wouldn't have been apart of the Fellowship; I wouldn't be here in Minas Tirith right now; I-"

I brought my hand to my lips, trying to stifle my giggle.

"Legolas, don't chastise the poor messenger!" Gandalf said, joining us at the gate.

Faeron stood still, uncertain of what to do. He held the letter in his hand and swallowed hard. "My Lord?"

Legolas smiled kindly, "Just give the letter to my father. Everything is in the letter."

Faeron bowed his head, "As you wish, My Lord."

Only minutes later, Faeron was on his horse with the other elves from Mirkwood Forest and heading out of the gate.

Aragorn, dressed in his usual attire, joined us. Arwen was with him. "When are you three leaving?"

"Here shortly." Gandalf said.

"Well, I can't say that I am happy to see you leave. I can actually say I've enjoyed having my friends with me." Aragorn said.

I smiled, "We'll always be here if you need us, but you have Arwen with you know."

"I know." Aragorn said holding onto Arwen's hand. "I will still miss you all."

Legolas placed a hand on Aragorn's shoulder and sqeezed it gently, "We will miss you too."

Aragorn smiled and released Arwen's hand to wrap Legolas in a brief embrace. "You are always welcome in Minas Tirith, my friends."

Gandalf said his good byes after Legolas was done. Together the two of them went into the stables to get our horses.

I wasn't too fond of good byes and found myself standing there trying to hold back my tears.

Arwen wrapped her arms around me. "I was overjoyed when my father told me that we were cousins. We've always been close, almost like sisters, but to know that you were infact, family..." She kissed my cheek, "We'll see eachother soon. There are two weddings that need to happen."

I nodded, unable to form words.

Aragorn stepped forward and embraced me after Arwen. "Good luck finding your father." He kissed me briefly on my cheek, then let me go.

Legolas and Gandalf returned with our horse. "We're ready, my dear." Gandalf said kindly, knowing I was never good with good byes.

Legolas held my horse's reins as I got in the saddle. "Are you certain that you are ready to leave?"

I inhaled deeply, "If I stay any longer, I will not want to leave."

"Good bye my friends." Aragorn said to us once we were in the saddle.

Gandalf lifted his chin up, toward the hall. "Perhaps we should wait here just a bit longer."

I followed Gandalf's eyes and saw Elrond descending toward us. Only moments passed and Elrond was standing beside Arwen.

"I am glad that I caught you before you left. I just recieved word from Lady Galadriel. We know where your father is!"

I almost fell off my horse. Luckily Legolas was there and able to steady me on my own feet. "Truly?"

"Yes. It seems that your father has traveled to the Undying Islands." Elrond responded.

"So he's alive?" I asked with joy filling me. My head felt weird and foggy. My thoughts were all muddled

"Very much so. He should be arriving in Rivendell within a fortnight." Elrond said with a smile.

Relief flooded me. My father was alive. I still had family and that meant all the world to me. While I was overjoyed at this news, for some reason something just didn't feel right.

Legolas had his hand around my waist holding me up.

Gandalf slid off Shadowfax and faced us. "Well, item one of your to-do list is done. What next, my dear?"

I remember Gandalf's eyes widening with worry and then I was on the ground. All my friends were around me asking what was wrong. Legolas was frantically asking Elrond and Gandalf what was happening, while they just looked at eachother with growing concern.

I couldn't focus on anything and I could hardly breath. I almost felt like I was choking. I held onto Legolas' tunic with a death grip, afraid of what was happening. My fear made my heart beat faster and my panic rose. I felt like I was in water and something or someone was trying to drag me down and I was trying to kick to the surface.

Eventually, Aragorn grew tired of everyones lack of action and he hefted me into his arms and started carrying me toward the hall.

I started to sweat and it suddenly felt like I was surrounded by fire that was slowly starting to lick at my body. I felt the pain of fire burning my flesh and screamed. I startled Aragorn, who was still carrying me, so badly that he almost dropped me. He laid me down on a bench, afraid that he had been the one to hurt me.

I still couldn't form coherent words. "It burns!" Was all I was able to whisper out.

I felt it on my arms and legs.

"What does she mean 'it burns'? What burns?" Arwen asked.

Aragorn sniffed the air and then gently moved my sleeve up my arm. Through my flickering vision I was able to see a scorch mark in my flesh and suddenly I was able to smell what Aragorn had: burnt flesh.

Arwen gasped and covered her mouth.

"There isn't anything that she could have burnt herself on." Aragorn said in shock.

My head began to feel heavy and I almost let myself fall asleep, but the flames returned and licked at my flesh. Again I screamed, looking down at my arm I could see the skin burn before my eyes, without any flame.

The others all saw it also.

"Gandalf, how is this possible?" Elrond asked, at a loss for answers of his own.

"It cannot be!" Gandalf nudged his way to my side and laid his hand on my forehead.

I stiffled a scream as more of my flesh was scorched.

Gandalf muttered a few words and suddenly my pain was gone, my body felt weightless and I drifted off to sleep. I left all my friends behind as they worried about me. I wanted to say that I was fine, the pain was gone and that I just wanted to sleep, but I couldn't say anything. I just fell asleep.