The Fall of the Evenstar

by trekker2000

Arwen must die. that is all she knows. But she has no idea how soon. But it all comes into perspective when she is shot down by an orc arrow. the rocs from the south are coming for revenge, and the wont stop until the Elven Lords holding the Rings of Prosperity are dead. (I apologize for any inaccuracies) (part 1 of 4) (prelude to "Fall of the Elven Rings")

37. Chapter 37

Arwen (37)

Legolas and Tauriel seemed tense around each other, but if Galadriel was bothered by it, she sure didn't show it.

Arwen was up and about for the first time since the fall of the year before, and it seemed like years to her mortal body since she had gotten shot.

But now she was feasting at the great table of Brydda and Galadriel. Celeborn had died years ago in battle against the orcs for Minas Tirith.

She ate past her fill gobbling down sweet breads with honey comb and fruits from the ripe trees and drinking sweet wine. The eagles had returned, and they were setting out for Rivendell to finish her healing.

The Silven Elves were drinking and eating and laughing, and Gimili had even forgotten his hatred of elves for the beauty of Galadriel. Aragorn kissed her cheek and grinned, taking a sip and bite of comb. Honey made everyone's fingers stick, but the elves didn't seem to mind. For Legolas and the Woodland elves, they seemed almost calmed, as if the honey was the sap of their trees.

The eagles themselves stood on the edges of the eave and ate their catch.

The feast could have never ended, and when the stars began to peek out from the daylight and shine off the silver hair of elves of Lorien, the golden hair of Legolas, and brighten the fire in the hair of the Silven elves, the King of Eagles insist they head off.

"Four days flight will only be made longer by delay. My brethren can hold nearly three elves each. I shall carry the Lord and Lady Aragorn and Arwen, the elf prince Legolas, and the dwarf king Gimili on my back."

Aragorn boosted her onto the back of the eagle king and came up behind her, wrapping his thick arms about her delicate waste. Legolas hopped up on his own, hardly touching Aragorn to stay mounted, and stretched his elven arm down to Gimili. No matter how far Legolas stretched, how close to the ground the eagle king got, and how hard Gimili tried, they couldn't get him up.

Eventually Tauriel and another Silven elf went to their aid, and pushed Gimili up from the ground while Legolas pulled. The Eagle King drew to full height and shook his wings restlessly. Gimili grasped onto Legolas furiously, for if the dwarf felt far from the ground on just a horse, how he must have felt now Arwen could hardly fathom.

Arwen held her breath not out of fear, but of excitement, as the Eagle King flapped his huge wings and took flight out of the still air of the forest of Lorien to the gentle breeze that skimmed the tops of the trees.

If the golden and silver leaves had been breathtaking from underneath the canopy, you had never truly seen the beauty of the forest. Arwen caught her breath as the other eagles came into fall behind their king. The branched from the forest reached out, as if from a hug that's warmth was slowly fading, and the trees didn't want to see them go. The moon was visible, full and rising in the sky, the stars coming out to glisten on the air of the elves and companions around her and the silky feathers of the Eagles.

Aragorn was holding on to her, his chin was on her shoulder, and for a second he nuzzled her neck. Arwen smiled and straightened her back, holding her head high. The cool air blew her thick black hair back and cooled her brow that had been so fevered lately.

She could hear Legolas breathing heavily. He himself was a swift runner and a great rider, but had never ridden an eagle before. The ground was alarmingly far below them. If they fell, they'd die of fright before they even hit the ground.

Gimili was murmuring and breathing heavily and cursing and clutching to Legolas.

A few paces back, Arwen could hear Faramir nearly weeping, but Tauriel was laughing, not even holding on. "Do you need me to sit in the front?" Tauriel teased.

On the ground, Faramir was much more bold, and had insisted to sit the front. By his pale face, Arwen could tell he'd made a grave mistake.

The cool air blowing through her hair and on her face never tired her. She didn't feel scared or alone until one of the guards flew, as if pushed, from his eagle and she saw orc fletching sticking from his back as he fell down, screaming. There was a thump as his body me a snowcapped mountain.

Everything was beginning to fall to pieces, inside of Arwen and outside.