Disclaimer: I do not now, have not and unfortunately will not ever own Lord of the Rings. (I am a bit obsessed though, with the story not individual people)

38.

I love how Fangorn seems to sparkle in the sunlight. The light falling down from between the dense leaves and branches of the trees, creating small pools of golden light upon the ground. The trees were very irritable though, and would not often let sunlight through to the ground. It was always refreshing when they were cheerful enough to let in the sun and dispel some of the perpetual gloom which dwelt here. I love the ancient trees of Fangorn; I would not want to live anywhere else. How could any other forest be as magnificent, how could any other place have as much feeling and life as Fangorn? The trees sang to me, songs of their many years living upon this earth, songs of their lost guardians, songs of life and hope, and songs of intense anger. The trees had a strong hatred of orcs who brought death and destruction to them; it was a hatred that I share.

Tharadain has told me that I must be vigilant and not allow orcs into our forest. I always assured him that I would not let any orcs enter Fangorn. It was funny and slightly annoying that even after all these years, he still insisted on treating me as though I could not handle the simplest of things. He seems to think that I will become distracted by a passing bird, or perhaps become so consumed with speaking to the trees, that I will not pay attention as I should. He thinks that I do not notice him following me in the shadows, yet there is very little that I do not see. I am older than some of the saplings, yet he still behaves as though I were a tree who does not yet know where it belongs.

Though Tharadain is often exasperating, he is my friend, he helped me learn how to express myself. He showed me what it is to live as both an Elf and as a tree. He has shown me so much, been there through everything, and I am falling for him. He would show me hidden paths which led to places that no one had ever seen before. It was Tharadain who had first shown me the Ents and told me how the elves had taught them to walk and to speak. He told me what I was—how I had been sung from one of the ancient trees by an Elf—he helped me hone my skills which the trees could not help me with. It was Tharadain who had helped me discover that I could make plants grow. Tharadain who had shared all the glorious sunlight as well as the gloom of Fangorn with me, Tharadain who had first taught me how to love someone.

I sat high up in a tree, looking down at the forest floor, and waiting for Tharadain to find me. I hope he hurries, for I found a place I want to show him. Unless he found it first. Why does he always know where everything is in Fangorn? It makes it hard to discover anything he has not seen before. I got to my feet, standing upon the tree limb which I had been sitting on and searching for any sign of him. I had lost track of just how long I have been up here and it is starting to worry me.

A voice calls to me from somewhere. The voice is faint as though it is far away, yet I recognize it though I cannot place it. It calls my name over and over, asking me to find it and go with it. I find myself unable to resist its call. I leap down from the tree, landing lightly on my feet, and run in the direction the strangely familiar voice is coming from. I walk through the forest, growing confused as the trees around me change from the ancient ones of Fangorn, to young trees that let in light. There, a few trees away from me, stands a man. A man with a star upon his head, a man who exudes power, a man I know from somewhere. He holds his hand out towards me, his voice pleading when he speaks.

"Raven, come back with me. It is not yet your time. You still have much to do. Raven, take my hand so I may lead you back. Back to the waking world."

I can only stare at the man, trying to remember where I knew him from. His words are confusing to me, why would I want to leave this place? Why would I want to go back to wherever it is that he is from? Why would I want to leave this most beautiful forest, this forest where I felt so at home? I shake my head and back away into the shadows and gloom of the ancient forest.

The man's face becomes distressed and he attempts to step forward, yet he is stopped by some invisible barrier. His voice is strained when he speaks again.

"Please, Raven. Please come back with me. Raven…please."

I look back at him, and feel something shifting inside me. I struggle to see past the brightness of the star, and when I do I recognize him. I remember who he is, and I remember being swallowed up by darkness. How could i ever have forgotten him? I run out from under the cover of trees, out of the gloom and beauty of the forest. I run and grasp his hand, he smiles down at me and I return the smile with one of my own. Aragorn is here, Aragorn came for me. Aragorn is alive!

He keeps a hold of my hand and leads me out of the forest, across a vast plain and into a city I recognize as Minas Tirith.

My eyes slowly open and I stare unseeing at the stone ceiling far above me. I blink to clear the confusion at my surroundings. I feel a hand clasped around mine and I slowly move so I can see whose hand is around mine. I find Legolas sitting at my side, his hand holding onto mine and a relieved smile upon his face. I attempted to smile back, but I do not think that I managed it. Legolas smiled a bit wider and gently squeezed my hand, then he stood and hurried out of sight. It was difficult to keep my eyes open, and it was a battle that I soon lost.

When I next opened my eyes, it was Aragorn who was at my side. His previous expression of worry changed to one of relief and happiness when he saw I was awake. He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it softly, then he lay my hand back down and stroked the back of it with his thumb. Aragorn's blue-grey eyes found mine and gazed into them, he almost seemed to be trying to memorize every detail of my eyes and face. His voice shook slightly when he spoke.

"I thought I had lost you. You collapsed after the plants shot out of the ground and wreaked havoc upon the armies of Sauron. We could not wake you, and you did not move." Aragorn's hand stroked my cheek, and he continued. "You have no idea how worried we all were about you. What you did helped turn the tide of the battle; you spared many lives of Men by doing what you did. Promise me that you will not do that again…at least not on so large a scale. Please, Raven. Promise me."

I do not think that I could do something like that again. I can help plants grow, but I do not think that I can do what I did upon the field of battle, ever again. I looked at Aragorn solemnly, and nodded. I would never do that much all at one time, it was far too dangerous. I opened my mouth to promise him, when Gandalf walked into the room and stopped beside my bed. I pushed myself into a sitting position and looked up at the wizard's worried expression.

"Aragorn, the army will be ready to leave at first light. Those who are to remain behind await your orders."

Aragorn withdrew his hand from mine, stood and said. "I shall go and give them their instructions then. Thank you Gandalf. Raven, I know it is pointless to ask you to remain behind. However, if you are not able to march with us at first light, then you must remain behind. Even if I have to station guards around your room. I shall return later this evening. Rest well, Raven."

Then Aragorn turned and left the room, leaving me alone with Gandalf. The wizard watched me with a faraway look in his eyes, a look of sorrow and of pity. I once more felt as though he saw something which no one else could, and I had to wonder what it was that made him so sad. He reached into his robes and pulled out a familiar circular object. Gandalf stepped forward and placed the circlet—which I had worn in Rohan, upon my head. His voice was solemn when he spoke to me.

"You should wear that, Raven. It was made for you to wear always. Always remember that you are important, and you are worthy of such an object. It completes you. Rest well, Raven, for you will need all you can get." Then he too departed. Leaving me entirely alone with my thoughts, and a strong determination to be rested enough to ride out with the army at first light.

The next morning found the assembled armies of Gondor and Rohan, marching out of Minas Tirith and towards Mordor. I had grudgingly been deemed sufficiently rested to join them, and I rode at Aragorn's side. We marched to the Black Gates, in one final attempt to give Frodo enough time to destroy the Ring. In one final march for the freedom of Middle-Earth and all who lived here.

Please review and I hope that you have enjoyed reading this so far.