It had been days they had rode on. So many days Juniper was loosing count and they all just seemed to run together. The monotony was getting to her and she often wandered in the evenings, looking to nature to make her feel more right. She had felt wrong all this time as well. Thranduil was fearful and angry. Then she could feel the rage. He was in battle. Many many battles.
Elthian was growing concerned for her. How she seemed to be withdrawing into herself. She spoke so little anymore. Often just quietly curling up against him at night in her silence. He didn't know what to say or do if there was anything to say or do about it. He just tried to be as supportive as he could. In the meantime her anxiety would grow with a building sense of dread.
Even the other elves had taken notice of her behavior. Curufin was deeply concerned for her. Especially since it was getting closer to where he and his group must depart. Elthian was watching her sit under a tree silently. A group of the smaller creatures of the forest had gathered around her. Tiny furry ears and twitching little noses, their beady little eyes lifted and looking up to her. Even the animals were concerned.
"We will depart soon Elthian. Whatever road lies ahead she needs to be strong and not loose hope. I am unsure of how to keep her spirits up but you need to find a way mellon." He pat Elthian on the shoulder before he drifted off towards the fire.
Minol kept his distance. Ever since the moon he had not come near her. Had something happened between them? She never said anything so Elthian pushed all that to the back of his thoughts and sighed. He walked towards her slowly. The critters around her soon scattered and he lowered down to sit with her. No sooner than he had settled she was curled up in his lap.
His arms wrapped around her and his head lowered to rest atop of hers. "You are scaring me Melamin. All of us are worried for you. Will you not tell me what troubles you?"
"Everything feels wrong. I do not know how else to explain it. I don't know why. It all just feels wrong." She whispered her words to him and slipped her slender arms around him.
"Is there a way for me to make it right?" He asked.
"I don't think so. I don't think you are the reason. When I sit here with you like this, I feel better." She did not want to tell him their King struggled. There was no need for him to feel as she did.
"Soon it will be time for our friends to depart and go their own way. Wouldn't you like to spend some time with Curufin maybe play some cards? I think Hurin and Beleg would like to play as well. They have been learning from Curufin. I think he has taken just about everything of value from them the past week."
She began to giggle softly. "He has been teaching them to gamble." She lifted her head and looked up into Elthian's eyes and her giggles trailed off. "Elthian, I need to tell you something." He lowered his lips to hers and kissed them softly. "You want to tell me you are with child."
Her eyes widened and she gasp softly. "How did you know?"
"I have known for sometime now Juniper. You forget I know you very well. I have watched over you since you came to us. I am also aware that your tea was lost with everything else before we even reached Cuivienen. You have been starving until recently and now even with you not feeling like eating, when you do it's mostly meat. I know you want to know how I feel about it. I am thrilled Juniper. It is proof of our love. Not just between you and I but Thranduil as well. There is no doubt in my mind that he will feel the same about this one as he does Orist and Melian. I wish it wasn't happening as he go to face the most evil thing to ever exist. I also know that you will not let it stop you from doing what you must. Then we will go home and You will make me an Adar again."
"Don't tell anyone. Do you think the others would be willing to leave if they knew? I would love to ride with them to the end but I know they have to go their own way." She looked off towards their companions.
"No they would not leave." He whispered to her. "Curufin is already worried for you. They all are. They know something is amiss. Go and spend sometime with them before they depart. Put their minds at ease."
He watched as she bounced up. The sun against her back making her golden hair sparkle with flecks of silver. SHe inhaled deeply and looked him in the eye as she put on a wide smile and exhaled slowly. Her body twirled around on the tips of dainty toes and she was bounding off with her hair fluttering behind her like a golden banner. One he followed faithfully. He pinched himself and grinned because it was real. He was going to be a father to a child from himself.
While he sat there watching her get the ancient elves and their somewhat human companion involved in a serious game of old maid, Minol watched him. Of course Minol knew their secret. It was something he had not foreseen. He could only surmise that it was because Elthian was an anomaly himself. However, this news did not change their path nor her purpose.
That Evening just as the sun was setting she bid fair well to her friends. Curufin hugged her so tightly it made her squirm. "I will see you at the end mellon nin." He whispered to her. "I will be there." She whispered back.
Celegorm's and Minol's good byes were non-chalant. At simple wave and one last look before He mounted his horse and turned about. Juniper just shrugged. Their whole affair was curious to say the least and perhaps she would grill Minol over it later. She watched as the elves with Hurin disappeared into the darkness. The moon was on its way to becoming new again and its light was dim upon them.
The dream was a familiar one. One he had seen many times. The light in the darkness, doing battle against it. Then suddenly he was pulled from that dream and thrust into a place he had never seen. It was calm and peaceful here. A pool of water steamed before him. It was surrounded by well manicured plants and short green grass and while he knew the moon was almost new he saw one full and bright reflected in the dark steaming pool before him.
Jeven spun around once he felt like he was no longer alone. He saw the deceptively old face of her, the Orthae J'nesst. She smiled to him and spoke in a low smooth tone. One that seemed to pull him deeper into the dream. "Dosst draeval uriu doer. Yutsu ulu udossa lueth zao udossa. (Your time has come. Return to us and teach us.)
He awoke and sat up. Tauriel sleeping soundly next to him. He looked over her bare shoulder and exhaled a deeply held breath. Then slowly he left the bed and slid on his elvish clothing then outside he went into the darkness of the camp. His mind filled with thoughts of having to leave and what about his wife? He drifted towards the blaze of a freshly stoked fire to get some tea.
He filled a metal cup and stood in the warm glow to drink it. His mind no longer in the present.
"I sense a troubled mind." It was Gandalf who now stood beside him and went about filling himself a cup of tea as well. He saw Jeven nod from the corner of his eye. "Tell me young Avanati. Tell me what has you troubled."
Jeven shifted his weight from foot to foot and shook his head gently then finally be began to speak. "I am being called away. I must go see Orthae J'nesst she says I must teach them."
"..and you do not know if you should leave in the middle of all this?" Gandalf spoke and smiled to Jeven. "Something tells me you should pay heed to your wise woman Jeven. Your part in all this has not truly been revealed." He paused then after a few moments of silence he asked, "Can you still feel her? The Queen I mean, how does she fair?"
"I feel her but I do not hear her. She has grown very quiet and is unsettled most of the time. Yet, I get this sense of determination from her."
Gandalf smiled and nodded. "Harummph. Well I suppose I could not ask for better."
Jeven looked back towards the tent he had been occupying with Tauriel. Not a single thing went unnoticed by Gandalf. "She will not stay behind and if you try to leave her she will follow Jeven. Such is your bond."
Jeven nodded to the wizard then looked at his wrinkled and haggard looking profile. "You should come too Gandalf. I believe she would be quite interested in meeting you. One that comes from another place and time. Much like herself."
"Oh she and I will meet, now though is not that time." Gandalf smiled then looked over his shoulder. "Good morning Tauriel. Would you like some tea?"
She nodded to him and stopped beside Jeven. "I just had the strangest dream."
Gandalf and Jeven locked their gaze and Gandalf smiled before turning to get Tauriel some tea. " Do tell us my dear."
In the early morning hours Thranduil sat alone in a quiet tent. On the table before him was a rather detailed map that showed every single nook and cranny of the terrain he would soon traverse. He needed to know his hiding spots. He needed to know were the high ground was and he needed to be quick. Even if this was one called a worm, Gostir was a name that was not unknown to him or the damage such a creature could do.
His hands pressed to the table and he pushed himself up. His cold gaze down on the map sweeps up towards the rise in the land. Taking the high ground, he just shook his head and turned from the map. His stride was firm and sure as he left the tent without a word and turned off towards where his mount was waiting. His companions where gods. It had come to this. He took a few moments beside Belegund, His hand calmly sliding along the powerful neck of the beast. He was going to ask this mount to do things he was not going to like at all.
He found his thoughts drifting off to her. Knowing what he must do and surviving unmarred might be impossible. Even with the gods on his side. This was all for her, "I can assure you, young lord, she is doing well." Those words shook him from his thoughts and he looked towards the sound of the voice. Eönwë was looking down on him with a gentle smile, he sat astride his marvelous steed and reassure the King. Thranduil nodded to the maia before he turned his meara towards Tulkas who awaited them ahead.
"Do not follow me General, You have responsibilities other than me." He looked towards Feren who stood several steps away.
"You will always be my responsibility My Lord." He answered back, "That being said I have my orders. I will see you on the battlefield." He bowed gently to Thranduil.
Thranduil rode off towards Tulkas and Eönwë, Elrohir stood watching them leave. He held his breath as the silver hair of the king disappeared into the darkness and finally exhaled slowly as he turned to find his brother watching him.
"I have seen this look in your eyes few times but when I have seen it you ended up with a broken heart." Elladan said as he casually leaned against a trees rough trunk. His arms crossed over his chest.
"I can not help how I feel, or whom I feel so towards. I however do know that how I feel ends with her. Who knows, maybe someday I will find I feel the same for her." He shrugged a bit then laughed. "The world is wide opened Elladan. Can you not feel the change on the breeze. Love and Light will reign after we turn this ground black with the blood of whatever is over that rise." There was a bit of a twinkle to Elrohir's eyes when he walked towards his brother and paused a moment until Elladan pushed away from the tree and began to walk with him. That twinkle was something he had never seen. 'What insanity awaits me?' Elladan asked himself.
The air was cold against his face. His sword in his hand . It sliced through the orcish scouts as they rode passed them at full gallop. His focus was singular. It was on his target and nothing would stand in his way and certainly not a few stinking orc. Behind them in the distance they could hear the loud call of the troops. Then the horns and drums of the orc army. He reached his mark and gently veered away from the gods. They heading to their places. He rode out towards the thunderous roar that shook the land.
The clash of metal on metal echoes around him. The armies were engaging. The dark form of the dragon visible through the smoke. The orc seemed to stay away from the dragon and the space between them was empty. His heart began to race as he drew his other sword . He leaps from the horses back and the beast turned away keeping at full gallop. Thranduil slid to stop and planted his feet. He lifted his right sword and called to the dragon.
"You foul creature. Returned from the void. Look at me. I Killed your brother. I still walk the arda and I will kill you ."
Gostir turned his massive body, his long thick tail passing before Thranduil giving the King his first real glimpse of the power of this worm. "The Elf King? Oh I have been expecting you." The dragons voice rumbled across the ground. "You have meddled in our business long enough."
Thranduil watched the slight shift in the smoke laiden veil and the dragon within it and quickly moved back as the tail snapped out before him and moved away. He was quick as he ran for the boulders he knew to be to his right and there in the smoke he found them. Crouching low The dragon spun around and then power of thick hide and muscle hit the boulders and set him forward.
He then darted from his spot and ran for the next hiding place. 30 wide strides that was all he must do. He found himself thrown to the ground by a heavy gust of wind then felt the ground shake with a step. He pushed himself up and threw himself forward. His own powerful legs carry him towards the out crop.
At least he was keeping the dragons attention. Now he found himself cowering and pushing in against that hard cold stone. This was supposed to be a worm. A powerful dragon but cold. The bright flame and heated air told him differently.
Juniper began to struggle against Elthian. Taken from her sleep by some terror, "Let me down I , I need down please," She cried and struggled viciously until Elthian let her down.
She fell to her knees at first then struggled to her feet where she staggered off to the trees. Minol had already turned and come back to her, Leaping from his horse before it even stopped. Elthian was dismounting and rushing towards them. Minogos had stopped as well but stopped himself from dismounting. Someone had to stand guard. He looked to a wide eyed Vorondil and motioned with his head.
"I feel it too Little Flower. It is not happening to you, calm down." Minol had reached her first and had wrapped her in his arms and his wings.
"Feel what? I feel uneasy." Elthian said as he stopped near them. "It's Thranduil isn't it?"
Minol looked to him from over one of his broad shoulders and gave him a single nod. Juniper trembled against his chest and then her legs gave out and she crumbled towards the ground. Minol following her path.
"Heat and pain, fear the fear is crushing me." She cried.
Elthian gasp and looked into the distance. "It's a dragon." His voice barely lifted above a whisper.
Minol positioned himself to sit on the ground and pulled her straddling him . His hands on her small tear stained face. "Look at me Juniper. Look at me please." He begged her to lift her eyes to his and in the moment they locked she stopped struggling. "Commune with me."
Elthian watched as their foreheads met and then the still surrounded them. The breeze did not blow, no animal made a sound. "What do you see?" He asked softly
She was there, Thranduil cowering under stone that smoked and was turned black. She could see the dragon turning. "RUN! RUN NOW!" She screamed at him.
Thranduil opened his eyes and ran, she followed him. Her eyes on the dragon, "Faster." He gasp and found strength in his legs to go faster and he was down on the other side of a ridge and out of sight for the moment. "That was good." She said and watched as the dragons tail hit the outcrop and shattered it .
"I smell you elf. You are very close. I smell your fear, You did not realize I am no longer cold. What's this? Who are you?"
Thranduil peeked his head up just a bit to see the dragon looking away and talking to someone but not seeing who. He could see the glow through the smoke. The golden arrow that struck the thick dragons hide and pierced it. The dragon howled in pain and spun towards the direction of the arrow. "Now! Run!" He heard her it was her and he looked around but .."RUN!" He pushed up then and came over the rise . Tulkas' fist met the side of the dragons head as he turned towards Eönwë, sending the dragon to the ground hard.
The dragon righted himself and spun around hitting Tulkas with his tail sending the Vala flying into the distance. The wind from it knocked Thranduil to the ground and sent him rolling back. He stopped face down and she was right there. "Get up. You need to get up NOW Melamin!" He pushed himself up and despite the pain and the fear he was smiling as he wiped blood from his face and began to run again. Belegund finally began to run towards him. Coming to a stop just long enough for him to pull himself into the saddle and charge forward.
Eönwë had taken up the cause now. Having pierced the dragon with 2 more arrows before he was bathed in the fire while the blast was not directed to Thranduil he felt the heat from it and hissed as he lowered his head turning his Mythril helm to it. Belegund's own armor giving him some protection but the horse would not be able to tolerate much more. Then out of the fire came another golden arrow this one striking the dragon in the throat.
"Go left." He heard her say and he guides the horse left. Tulkas' laugh heard as the dragon flew back and hit on his side. Victim of another punch from the Vala. When Thranduil turned he saw the dragon lying where he had been moments before and now his target was exposed.
The dragon knew fear in those moments. Wounded and near breathless. He faced the champion of the gods and Eönwë the servant of Manwe. He lashed out at them with fang and claw. Drawing blood from Tulkas who laughed heartily about it. Thranduil shifted in the saddle and pushed himself up to crouch low and then as he came along the back of the dragon He threw himself onto the tail and crawled up along it. Even as it thrashed about he clung to the thick scales.
The going was hard up along the dragons spine. Every movement he made would send Thranduil off his footing. It was only now that he realized he was bleeding from under his armor. Broken ribs one protruding from his flesh. He felt no pain. "Keep Moving. Don't you dare stop." He smiled and pushed himself along. "Yes Melamin." He spoke aloud to her. "I have a promise to keep do I not." He spoke to her with each step. "I will give you forever, I will give you the life you were promised. " He was almost there. "We will watch our children dance in the sun." He said as he lifted his sword . The deadly tip facing down. The dragons weakness right below it. "For you Melamin." He plunge the sword into its mark. The blade finding the flesh between the scales and sinking deep. Through the top of a lung and piercing through to the heart of the beast.
A secret that Eönwë had told him. The secret he had learned from the one that had tried to slay this very worm and lost before he even made it to the dragons back. Thranduil smiled as he collapsed on the thick rough back of the dragon. "You will not die here Thranduil. Minol said so." She was beside him. her hand on his cheek and all he could feel was warmth and see light around him. "You will keep your promise."
He has drifted off, giving himself away to the call of the darkness. Now he was opening his eyes and he saw Feren. "I thought I told you not to follow me."
"I didn't my Lord. I said I would see you on the battlefield. " Feren smirked.
Now his gaze shifted over the Elrohir who was tending to his ribs. "Is the battle over?"
"Indeed my Lord. The strangest thing happened." Elrohir looked to Feren.
"It was looking rather bleak My Lord." Feren began to Thranduil now looked to him. "There were many beasts in with this army. They were efficient at killing. That was when an army from the south joined us. The one named Grah arrived and that's when the tides began to turn. Then we had Tulkas join us."
"I see and our losses?" Thranduil asked.
"I am not sure, I am going to say great though, considering what I have seen." Feren said softly.
Minol lay on the ground before her and she would not leave his side. They had made camp right there and the demon had been made comfortable. Elthian sat near by in the darkness. They did not dare to build a fire. Minogos kept watch from nearby and Juniper lay cuddled against Minol.
He was awake now but weak. His eyes looking deeply into those eyes that haunted him for so long. "Why did you do that?" She asked and tenderly caressed his cheek.
"You would not have been able to calm down until you know he was alive. Do not worry about me so much. I will be fine." He assured her.
Elthian stared out into the darkness. His thoughts were rather heavy at the moment. Thinking about her and the child she now carried. There was still so much mystery about how this all worked.
"You do not seem to be sulking so I am guessing the look on your face is for some other reason." Minogos said softly and stepped beside him before crouching down to rest.
"No I am not upset that she is comforting Minol. After what I witnessed today, how could I be?" Elthian began then sighed. "No my thoughts are elsewhere."
"Well, one could guess what they are. I do not need to know. What I do need to know is if she will make it. How strong is she really? Minol is getting weaker. He does not want me to tell her."
Elthian's gaze leveled on Minogos. His eyes narrowing. " What do you mean weaker?"
Minogos just laughed. "Do you think he was a god? All the power he had amassed is being spent everyday. It will run out. Can she go on without Minol if she had to?"
"You have no idea how tough she really is. I do not doubt her." He nearly hissed. "Why didn't you tell us he was finite. He built himself up to god status."
"Did any of you think to ask?" Minogos sighed.
Elthian had no answer for that. He went silent then.
"Father believes in her. I have been raised to believe in her. You believe in her and I know my duty. I hope it is enough." He rose then and wandered off into the darkness leaving Elthian there with his own thoughts.
Vorondil had stayed far from this. He patroled with Minogos and kept an eye on Elthian. He did not approach his friend. Not now, he could tell he needed a moment alone. Being as ancient as he was, he had picked up a few social cue's. He still marveled at the world he had been brought back into. How much things had changed and how much things had stayed the same.
Thankfully the night was quiet. The fading moon cast little light upon them. The breeze rustled the limbs of trees some on full bloom and others just budding but ever place the Queen had walked sprung to life with green grass and small golden flowers which slowly spread out from the points of contact.
Something he had seen happen where Orome's wife stepped in her garden. Yet the rebirth and life he saw her bring into the world was breath taking. The more she saw the more he believed that she would heal the arda.