The rest of the night passed by too quickly for Emerald to pay any mind. After finding Beven and waking him, she told him about the poem and recited it, though he knew little more than she did. Frodo came looking for Emerald because he couldn't sleep and she hadn't been in her room; Sam came looking for Frodo. Alagedh was awoken by the opening and closing repeatedly of Emerald's door and searched with slight panic until finding her in the library with a growing crowd. Others were awaken by the noise and wandered, and while Emerald and Beven would say nothing before Elrond and Mithrandir figured things out, it was obvious great, if terrible, things were about to happen. The entire House was up before the sun, awake to see the first rays of light crawl over the untouched snow.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Hergest asked, his hands gripping the cold railing of the balcony as the sun rose. Emerald smiled to see Hergest more relaxed and at peace than he had been in ages. Usually borderline neurotic, he looked serene with the grey light slowly warming his face. Beside him, Tegryn scoffed at his admiration, but it was a half-hearted scoff. The grey morning seemed to sum up everything that was daunting and heartless at the moment, and the knowledge that the nine would soon be revealed hung over everyone as the executioner's knife. Each hoped for the glory of being one of the nine; each hoped for the luxury of staying home.

The sun finished rising and the smell of food began weaving its way through the twisting halls of Imladris, but Emerald and her party didn't move. The hobbits stayed staring at the sunset between the bars as Alagedh, Hergest, Tegryn, Beven, and Emerald stared over their heads. There was something transfixing about the sunrise this morning.

"Emerald?"

"Hm?"

"What's that song you used to sing," Hergest encouraged. "You know, the one about the white dove . . ."

"Don't you know that I have seen a long and winding road ahead of you?
It's stretching on as far as the eye can see.
But though the dark of the night has the heat of the day on its tail,
For now the snow is pure and the sun is holding you.
Come with me, follow me, take my hand, hold tight
Alone we are nothing but together we're all
That is right, that is good, that is pure and warm
So come with me and we will follow the white dove home."

"It's beautiful," Sam sighed, tearing his eyes away from the sunset to glance admiringly up at Emerald.

Frodo frowned, "It's sad."

"I like it," Pippin assured Emerald, reaching up to pat Emerald's hand. "You have a lovely voice."

Emerald smiled and began to thank him, but the entrance of others to the balcony made the entire group turn, the hobbits pushing their way between the elves in order to see. Lord Elrond had stepped out into the morning light, his hands clasped beneath his robes and his eyes clearer and sharper than usual. He liked having things figured out. Mithrandir stood beside him, as did Lord Aragorn, Lord Boromir, Glorfindel, Gildas, Legolas, Elrond's sons, Gloin and his son Gimli. It was quite a collection, and Emerald felt her heart pick up its pace at the serious expressions everyone bore. There was no doubt in anyone's mind as to the severity and importance of such a quest, nor to the heavy burden those Nine Walkers would bear.

"Frodo," Lord Elrond began, making firm eye contact with the hobbit. Frodo had never felt so small in his life as he did now, surrounded by so many large creatures and large problems. Sensing his fear, Emerald reached a hand subtly forward and rested it against his back; she felt him lean back against it ever so slightly.

Lord Elrond repeated, this time adding, "Frodo, it is time that the Ring should begin its journey to the fires of Orodruin, where it was made and shall now be unmade. Do you still hold to your word to bear this ring, Frodo?"

Frodo felt the breath catch in his throat and his cheeks flushed, but still he managed to choke out, "Yes," and nod as bravely as he possibly could. Emerald felt her heart melt and wished with everything in it this was not Frodo's role. He deserved to live out the rest of his days peacefully in the Shire home he had painted so vividly for her.

"Then there is nothing I can do to dissuade you," Lord Elrond nodded. "I can only offer you my services so long as they will carry. I will send messengers to those I know along the way whom may be of service, but the servants of the enemy are many and it is possible you will have only you and your companions to rely on, and at times not even they. But for this, I will appoint to you eight companions to accompany and serve you so far as fate and fortune will allow them."

Sam suddenly stepped closer to Frodo's side and insisted, "You said I could go with 'im!" The outburst lightened the mood the slightest bit, and Emerald thought she saw even the faintest of smiles on Lord Elrond's face.

"Yes, Sam, you are among those chosen. Perhaps the Valar knew to mess with such loyalties would be a travesty. As for the other seven, Gandalf shall go, for such is the result of a lifetime of his works, and he knows much that will help you along the way." Emerald could feel Frodo's shoulder sag a little with relief as Mithrandir stepped to the side and nodded to Frodo.

Elrond continued, "Lord Aragorn will go, for to him the Ring of Isildur is of great concern."

"Strider, you're going!" Frodo outright smiled at that. "I had hoped you would."

Aragorn nodded, "Yes, Frodo, I offer my services to you again."

"I thought you were going to the White City, though, with Boromir."

"That I am, but our paths are intertwined for many hundreds of miles, and so he too will accompany us so far as our paths are met. He is a valiant man," Aragorn answered, nodding as Boromir and he both sidestepped the dwarves to join Mithrandir.

"Still the free peoples of the earth must be represented–"

"You mean to appease the elves and dwarves," Tegryn muttered under his breath, and Emerald had to bite her lip to not laugh. It was very true, what he said.

Lord Elrond didn't notice the snide remark and continued, "And so for that, I send Legolas of Mirkwood for the elves and Gimli son of Gloin for the dwarves." Gimli gave a wide grin as he stumbled to join the Walkers, but Legolas remained serenely composed, serious in his charge. Emerald's face fell at his name and her frown deepened when he didn't even bother looking at her. Was he still angry at her for their dispute? Or perhaps simply unhappy about being chosen for this quest. Emerald worried for him, though, in a way she didn't feel was necessary for Aragorn or Mithrandir. For whatever reason, they were strong in her mind. Brave, bold, battle-hardened. They knew what they were doing. Legolas and Frodo and Sam . . . what right had the Valar to wrap them up in all this? Or was this all Eru's doing?

Emerald caught Gildas' eye and saw his glare –not at her, but in that he had not been chosen to go along. Gildas was all about glory and proving himself and fighting and would no doubt have loved nothing more than to be right in the thick of things. Well he could very well still get his chance.

That still left two, though Emerald knew who both were. When Merry pointed out, "Hey, that's still enough room for me and Pip!" Emerald felt like at any moment her heart would shatter into a dozen tiny pieces. This wasn't fair at all! Saving Middle Earth should be left to the adults who had watched it get this way –to the Lord Elronds and Mithrandirs and King Orwigs of Middle Earth. Wars weren't for the young like she and the hobbits and Legolas! Let those who wanted to fight and those who didn't . . .

But wasn't that precisely what was happening? Elves were fleeing to the Grey Havens, and in doing so very likely sacrificing all their fellow Middle Earth neighbors to death or worse.

Lord Elrond motioned to the new third group on the wide balcony, to these Nine selected by who knew and condemned by Emerald opening her big mouth. She could have kept quiet and just let those who wanted to go volunteer. Gildas would have gone, and Lord Aragorn, and Mithrandir. Maybe she would have gone, too, if it meant Frodo didn't have to– but no. She was a coward. She would never have taken the ring. She was too scared to even own up to being the one who condemned these Nine to their fates.

As Elrond opened his mouth to introduce the Nine Walkers, to quote Emerald almost exactly, she turned and fled from the balcony, not even making it to her bedroom before the tears bled down her face. She kicked the door shut and threw herself on the bed, squeezing her eyes shut until they hurt, and cried into her pillow until her throat was raw and her lungs were aching for a steady breath. Who was she crying for? For herself, for the hobbits, for Gildas and Legolas, for Middle Earth, for her mother and father, for Arwen and Aragorn, for the elves leaving Middle Earth, for the knowledge that the world would never be the same again, no matter what happened. For the knowledge that fighting might be pointless should Eru decide to destroy them all the same.

There was no way to know how long she lay there. Even long after her tears had quieted, she remained stretched out on her bed, her eyes gazing out the window at the sun's reflection on the snow, at the black tree branches groaning under the weight of the frost.

A knock came at the door, and a moment later Hergest slipped in, not waiting for an answer. Wordlessly, he lay down on the bed behind her.

Several minutes later, he finally spoke, asking, "Remember when we would do this when we were young? Tegryn would make you mad and you would stomp off and then I would have to run back and forth between you two so that neither of you would think I was picking sides and get mad at me."

Emerald sighed and rolled onto her back to see him better as she nodded, "Yes, I remember. It's still like that." She looked sideways at him, studying his profile against the backdrop of the dark wood wall. At times the urge to tell Tegryn, Hergest, and Alagedh was unbearable, to just tell them everything and let them handle things as they saw fit. "So trivial in the grand scheme of things, isn't it?"

"Maybe," he shrugged. "Or maybe it's my job, you know? I'm still just your dumb monkey. I don't mind, though, being your dumb monkey."

"You aren't my dumb monkey, Hergest."

"I really don't mind. And you don't have to tell me anything, but I just want to know one question. You don't have to if you don't want to but–"

"What's your question?"

"You aren't going to follow them, are you? The Walkers?"

Emerald gave him a small smile, "Why does everyone keep thinking that?"

"It's a very Emerald thing to do . . ."

"Maybe it is," she laughed. With a gentle smile, she assured him, "No, I'm not going with them."

"Okay, good. Because I was going to say, I mean, I wouldn't stop you. I just, I would want to go with you, you know?"

"You wouldn't want to go with, Hergest!" Emerald laughed, sitting up now. "You don't want anything to do with the war. You're a lover, not a fighter," she teased, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

He grinned, "Yes, but you're my baby sister. I'd fight for you." Emerald looked down into his face and felt new worries bubble up inside chest. She didn't want Hergest fighting for her, nor Tegryn or Beven, or even Alagedh. She wanted all her loved ones to be locked up in a safe little cell until things were over. And perhaps that was why she was so upset, because she was watching her new loved ones walk right into danger's den.

"Have they left yet?"

"Not yet. Soon, though."

"I should go say good-bye."

Hergest nodded, "They would appreciate that, I think. The hobbits and that Legolas fellow were all asking about you. I think you scared them something awful."

The hobbits were easily found, congregated on the balcony with Mithrandir and Bilbo, obviously doing their best to remain calm. Pippin and Merry seemed fine, but Frodo looked as pale as could be, and Sam was taking on some of his worries. They smiled to see Emerald, though, and even managed to laugh when she forced herself to be cheerful and upbeat, telling some jokes to lift their spirits. They didn't ask about her running off and she didn't mention it.

Slowly the rest of the Walkers arrived, first Lord Aragorn and then Lord Boromir. Still the dwarf and the elf were missing, and it suddenly occurred to her that perhaps she had something for Frodo that could give him some enduring encouragement that he would need for the journey ahead.

"Oh, Frodo, I have something for you!" she gasped, jumping up. "I'll run get it. Don't leave before I return!" she called over her shoulder, already off towards her room. There she yanked it up from the table and raced back down the hallways. Just as she rounded a corner without looking first, though, she slammed right into Legolas, nearly knocking both to the ground.

"Aye, Princess, are you all right? Still in a hurry, I see?"

Emerald composed herself and, taking deep breaths to refill her lungs, nodded, "Oh, yes, yes, I'm fine. I just didn't want the Walkers leaving without me, but then . . . but then they won't leave without you, will they."

"No, I should hope not."

"Do you really hope that?"

Legolas hesitated, weighing his options before giving Emerald his sincerest look and insisted, "Yes, I hope it. This is the role that I have been allotted and I would not wish to defy my–"

"Please don't say fate. You were going to say fate, weren't you?"

He nodded and explained, "Such were the words of Lord Elrond. The Valar have chosen me to be in this fellowship and I would not defy them."

"But . . . if you don't want to go, you don't have to. We make our own fate–"

"Then I will go to make my father proud."

Emerald paused as well, unsure how to argue with that. It was a valid point for a male child, though unfathomable to her as the daughter of a king. To her, love and pride were unconditional, not earned by daring deeds of bravery and stupidity.

"The elves are leaving, Legolas. You will be fighting to save a world that your people are abandoning."

Legolas gave her a small smile, "Are you trying to convince me to abandon the fellowship before we have even left Imladris, Princess?"

"I'm not trying to convince you to do anything. I just . . . it's not fair that you and the hobbits are fighting this war that doesn't even concern you!"

"How does it not concern us?" he pressed gently, and she could have smiled for having made the same argument to Lord Elrond some months ago. The tables had turned, however, once the roles were reassigned. "We and our loved ones will die alongside the men and their families and the dwarves and their families if the ring is not destroyed."

Emerald shook her head, "Not if all your loved ones have fled to the Grey Havens. If there are no elves left in Middle Earth then yours is a thankless job. Which loved ones are you fighting for if everyone that's yours has left or is leaving for safety?"

"Are you going to the Grey Havens?" he returned with the same cool firmness. "Your father will take you, no doubt, and your brothers."

"Not if I can help it."

Legolas shook his head, "I wish you would go, Princess. Go to safety, and in the meantime, until you have left, there will be at least one for whom I am fighting."

"You're being completely illogical. You could just go to Grey Havens, too."

"That is not the advice you have given any other elves," Legolas pointed out. "Which means you have either lost all faith in the war or all faith in me. I don't know which I prefer, my lady."

"I–" Emerald began, but Alagedh suddenly appeared in the hallway, never far away.

"Lady Emerald," he called, walking quickly towards her. "The hobbits sent me. They are about prepared to leave, as soon as Legol– ah," he interrupted himself, stopping short as he saw Legolas beside her. "I see you have already found him." He glanced quickly between the two of them, muttering, "My apologies, I–"

Legolas nodded to both, giving Emerald the faintest of anxious smiles, "It is time, then." Emerald frowned but had no choice to silently follow them to the entrance of Imladris where the rest had collected. There were Frodo and the other hobbits, craning their necks that Emerald should be back soon because they really couldn't force the party to wait. When she knelt down to be on Frodo's eye level, the other three crouched close to see what she had.

"Here, Frodo," she offered, holding the golden rose out to him, laid across her hands the way one would a sword. "A very good friend of mine gave this to me, but I think it's best I pass it along to you, now."

"It's beautiful," he gasped, gingerly pulling it from her hands. "But I'm afraid I'll–"

"Oh, you won't break it," she assured him with a laugh. "If I couldn't break it, you won't be able to. Just . . . hold on to it. Who knows if it might come in useful in the near future. Know your friends, Frodo." He nodded seriously, then quickly tucked it into his bag and gave her a tight hug.

"Thank you, Emerald."

"No, Frodo, thank you for being the bravest of us all. May Eru guide your path," she smiled, kissing him on the forehead. Of course, if Frodo was going to get a hug and a kiss, Pippin, Merry, and Sam sure didn't want to be left out. So Emerald hugged them and kissed their foreheads, and hugged Mithrandir and Lord Aragorn despite the impropriety of it. Aragorn promised to collect stories for her for when they met again.

When she reached Legolas, she opened her mouth to begin but he interrupted, insisting, "Forgive me, lady, if I don't wish to say farewell. Only promise me you are not upset with me and tell me that we'll meet again in happier times."

"Why would I be upset with you?"

"I–"

"All is forgotten. Just . . . take care of the hobbits. They don't really know what they're getting into . . . not that any of us do." Legolas nodded, then opened his mouth, but Emerald cut him off with a smile, nodding, "And yes, we'll meet again, in much, much happier times, Legolas, I'm sure of it. If you don't go do something stupid."

"The same can be said for you, Princess," he returned with a smile of his own, then turned to perform the customary Elven farewell gesture with Arwen to Emerald's left. Emerald sent Sam another smile and blew Pippin a kiss, finding it easier to be more cheerful with all the excitement of their departure. She could convince herself that everything would go as planned. No one would die. Death was impossible.

Still, when Arwen took Emerald's hand and gave it a tight to squeeze to help hide her own tears as Aragorn walked off with only one glance back, Emerald knew that just because she couldn't understand something didn't mean it didn't exist. Death was a very real threat, regardless of race, and Emerald felt selfish for how grateful she was that none of her brothers were among the Walkers. She quickly took Hergest's hand on her right and passed the squeeze along as they watched the fellowship round the corner and head up the valley.