Here we are, at the end of Book 1! This has been quite the ride, but do not fear this is the end, for there will be much more to come in Book 2!

Everyone has returned to camp, and Gwin updates Halbarad on what happened. Read on to find out more!

Chapter 85

Everyone was excited to see us return, but Halbarad fielded off the many questions everyone wanted to ask by stating he personally needed to 'debrief' with us first. It took some time, but Halbarad listened patiently and saved his questions for after our story was finished.

"This was quite the tale, I must say," Halbarad said, a flicker of amusement on his lips. "I am glad all of you survived and are well."

"As are we," I replied gratefully. "May I speak with you privately?"

Halbarad nodded and he took me into his tent. "How may I help you, Gwinthilnel?"

"First, I want to thank you for all of your help. Elrohir and I…we were not in a very fit state to be as useful as we would have liked."

"There is no need to thank me," Halbarad said, looking a little uncomfortable. He sighed heavily and lowered himself onto a bench, and I hesitantly sat beside him. "You should be angry with me, not thankful."

"I was angry, at first," I said quietly. "I wanted to blame you for everything bad that had happened. I wanted to rage at you." He looked dejected and guilty. "However," I hastened to explain. "I know now that it was not your fault. You could not have known the Oath-breakers would attack in such a manner, nor assume anyone was left alive." I took his hand and held it tightly. "You used your judgement to make the best decisions you could, and I do not blame you for Candaith or Elladan's injuries. Only the Oath-breakers are at fault."

"Do they blame me?" he asked, looking ashamed. "For I certainly blame myself, despite what you say."

I sighed, "I cannot answer for them, but my heart tells me they do not begrudge you for what happened. In fact, I think they would be the first to insist what you did was honorable. Aragorn is your chieftain, and I know he would be proud of our efforts to aid him with more soldiers."

He squeezed my hand, and it seemed as if a huge burden was lifted from his shoulders. "I thank you for your words, Gwinthilnel. I will do my best to heed them."

"Gwin, Halbarad," I said with a smile. He looked at me quizzically. "It is what my friends and family call me."

He lips quirked in a small smile, "Very well, Gwin." I grinned, and he chuckled before becoming more serious. "Aragorn made me promise to look after you, when we last spoke." I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Yet, I would have done so anyway. With my sons…gone," he began, clearing his throat. "I have valued you as…well, almost as a daughter to me." His cheeks reddened, and he would not look at me. "It is silly, I know."

I was touched and surprised. His two sons had perished in an ambush of orcs while scouting Nan Wathren; it was one of the most dangerous enemy strongholds in the North Downs. It took great courage to venture there, and I recalled they had sacrificed their lives to help the others in their party escape.

"Halbarad, look at me," I said softly, and he seemed surprised to see the sincerity on my face. "My father passed away many years ago. Lord Elrond looked out for me, but he was never quite what I needed. I guess it was not until the two of us started working together so closely that I realized how important you were to me." I shrugged. "Not until now do I have a name for it."

A rare, true smile bloomed on Halbarad's face, and he took both my hands in his. "Hannon le."

I did not reply, and he was surprised when I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him. He chuckled and gave me a brief squeeze before releasing me. "Now," he began, becoming more business-like, "We must decide what to do next."

I nodded, noticing him slip back into his comfortable role as the leader of our mission. "What are you considering?"

"We need to continue south as quickly as we can. I sent one of the others up to visit Nar and Frithgeir, and he made an alarming discovery. It seems the mysterious stranger Nar had spoken with was in fact Saruman."

I sucked in a breath, feeling dread settle in the pit of my stomach. "Saruman? How?"

"It is said he is cunning and can remain unseen, even able to disguise himself as an entirely different person. Nar and Frithgeir both were deceived by his magic," Halbarad said gravely. "Even once Saruman revealed his true identity to Nar, it became clear Nar had known Saruman for hundreds of years. He considered the wizard to be a 'friend of the family'; therefore, he had no qualms about giving Saruman maps and answers to his questions."

Halbarad still looked troubled, and I knew he had some other information he feared to say. "Halbarad, what aren't you telling me?"

He sighed. "You remember when Nar spoke his strange words in the mine?" I nodded, and wondered where he was going with this. "It seems Saruman was…well, he was speaking through Nar."

My eyes widened in shock. "What? How can this be?" He was controlling him from afar? It sounded so unbelievable. "How do you come to know this?" The words echoed in my ears, as clear as if I had just heard them: "I know your road, sons of Elrond. That way lies death. Treachery! Treachery and deceit! You who walk the Paths of the Dead, beware!" The only answer I could think of was that he saw something in his Palantir; Gandalf had mentioned it back in Imladris. Had he only seen the twins, or was he aware of all of us?

"Frithgeir mentioned it had happened before, but had not made the connection until he realized Saruman's deception. He said his voice would change its tone and the words would be rational, but when Frithgeir would ask for more details, it seemed as if Nar was unaware of what he had just said," Halbarad explained. "When Saruman visited them last, and Frithgeir heard his voice, he figured it out."

I felt my stomach drop. This was grave indeed. "We must flee from here, and with speed," I replied anxiously. "He could accost us with a significant force of Uruk-Hai or enemy Dunlendings."

Halbarad nodded, "Preparations were being made even before we heard this information, and the pace has picked up. We should be ready to ride south in a matter of hours."

"I will gather my things and aid where I can," I said firmly. Clasping a hand on Halbarad shoulder, I continued, "We will succeed on this mission, despite what has happened."

With this hopefully reassuring statement, I made my way outside. Sure enough, even during our short conversation, much of the camp had been dismantled. I was grateful to avoid what would be an onslaught of questions from the others because they were all busy helping.

I made my way to the healing tent, where Calenglad was rapidly gathering and reorganizing his supplies into various satchels. He greeted me with a smile and an arm clasp, "It is good to see you and the others well again, mellon nin."

"We would not have survived without you, I fear," I murmured sincerely. "We are truly grateful."

Calenglad blushed and looked a little uncomfortable with the praise, "I did what anyone would do."

Deciding not to keep showering my gratitude like I wished, I changed the subject, "Can I help you in any way with your work?"

He seemed relieved at my shift in topic, and together we made short work of it. Herbs and salves went in one pack, with linens and other bandages in another, along with suturing materials. He had a handful of blood replenishing and athelas potions left, and I knew Elladan would whip up some poison cleansing ones on the way, as they were easy to make if you had the skill.

I loaded them onto Calenglad's horse before spotting Candaith. I could not help the grin on my face as I appraised him; he looked healthier than I had ever seen him, even before the journey to the Forsaken Road. Perhaps the time spent in the Hall of the Huntsman had done more than heal his physical injuries. My heart lifted as he laughed at a joke Radanir was telling, and I was glad to see there was no awkwardness between them.

As though he sensed I was looking his way, he turned his head and gave me the special smile he only reserved for me. He excused himself with a clap on Radanir's shoulder, and a few moments later he took my hands in his and kissed them both before intertwining our fingers. "Hello, meleth nin," he said softly.

I blushed at the love in his tone, and replied, "Suilad," before kissing him lightly. It would be difficult to prevent myself from being too clingy; after our painful separation, I felt like I needed to touch him to convince myself he was really there. It was silly, but I couldn't help it.

His smile settled into something that flickered with remorse, "I am sorry for the pain-"

"Hush now," I interrupted, putting a finger on his lips. "Let us speak of this no longer, at least for now." I gave him what I hoped was an encouraging smile, "I want to focus on the happiness of finding each other once more."

Candaith's lips twisted into a familiar, rueful grin. "Very well Gwin." With that, both of us made our way to my horse and loaded her up with my things, which Candaith had helpfully placed nearby. I gave her a pat before encircling my arms around her neck. It seemed silly to miss a horse after a few days, but we were close since I became her rider. She had replaced the one I lost on the day I met Candaith, and we had been through much together. "Hannon le, mellon nin," I whispered, and she nuzzled me in response.

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Halbarad had decided our large group would divide into two; one of them would take the route through Trum Dreng, which was to the west, and the other through the Bonevales, which was straight south from our location. Both had their own dangers to face, and it made sense to have smaller parties to make it easier to pass through without detection.

Luckily, the rangers in my group were some of whom I was closest to. These included Calenglad, Corunir, Lothrandir, Radanir, Halbarad, and the twins. I had hoped Golodir would join us, but as we had chosen to take the Bonevales route, he had declined. "I fear the darkness of that route would be too difficult to bear," he admitted to Halbarad quietly, and I was near enough to hear it.

"Your sense of direction will aid the others through Trum Dreng," Halbarad replied. "There are many villages to avoid, and the forests are thick; your ability to sneak through the shadows is to be commended." With this encouraging statement, a flicker of a smile appeared on Golodir's face; it was nice to see after so much toil while in Angmar. It was true he had found some peace in Imladris, but it could not erase the shadows of his past.

Despite my experience in defeating the undead, I was worried. The last time I had faced such enemies, the strange darkness had surrounded me and affected my behavior. I remembered the weakness I felt after the encounter in Lhaid Ogo, and how terrified I had been.

As if they could read my thoughts, the twins sidled up on either side of me. "Do not worry Gwin, we will keep you safe," Elladan said softly, putting an arm around my shoulders. "Let us keep the shadows far from you."

"While I appreciate the help, you cannot always do so, especially since you will face them yourselves," I replied cynically.

Elrohir frowned, "Despite what you say, it is our duty to protect you."

I raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

Both of them looked a little flustered. "Because you are our sister," Elrohir mumbled.

While my heart warmed at their endearment, I did not want them to have to bear such responsibility. "How about we all look out for each other instead?" I countered. "Is it not what siblings do?" I remembered telling Nona something similar, when she doubted whether or not Wadu felt the same.

Speaking of Nona…

"Why do you deny me?" I heard her shout, and we all turned and observed her heated exchange with Halbarad.

"This is not open for debate," Halbarad replied firmly, and I could hear the undercurrent of anger in his tone.

"I must avenge my brother, and Galtrev is my destination," Nona bit back stubbornly. "We would be going the same direction for a time." I knew it was also to be our final destination, but wanted to stay out of it. "Do you not remember promising I could accompany you when I agreed to help be a guide to Lhaid Ogo?" This was true, but it was before Nona had the strange glint in her eye I was now seeing.

Halbarad seemed to sense the same, for his eyes hardened, and his gaze was steely, "The Dunedain are not a people of vengeance. I will not allow someone seeking such a thing to come along with us. I must refuse."

Nona was shaking with frustration and rage, and if it was anyone but Halbarad, I would have worried for their safety. However, I knew he would hold his own. "I…I will follow you!"

I saw Elrohir roll his eyes and whisper, "She is acting foolish." I decided not to mention their own quest for revenge after their mother's capture. They had ridden around for hundreds of years, dealing death and destruction to any orc or goblin they could find. We were all young then, and I did not yet know them well, but it broke my heart to hear of it. When my father and brothers died, I had also felt a similar urge, but knew I needed to stay behind and guard our village instead. Even when I officially joined the Guard, I kept myself in check; falling into the red haze of revenge only lead to mistakes.

Halbarad looked frustrated, and I was close enough to see his knuckles were white as he clenched his fists. "We both know the Brenin of your village denied your request to join us, as he believes it could bring trouble on your people if other tribes see you with us. As we are Duvodiad, you are fully aware of how people distrust us; as our ally, it could put both you and the other Uch Luth in danger."

"I care not for my own life!" Nona proclaimed, but I heard a tremor in her voice.

"How about the lives of your people?" Halbarad hissed, having come closer to Nona. "Do you care for theirs?"

"Of…of course I do," she replied, but her voice was softer now. I could clearly tell she was hurting. "It is why I must fight against the tribes which would do us harm. Not only to avenge Wadu, but to protect my people."

As much as Halbarad seemed to understand Nona's plight, I knew he would stand firm in his decision. "I am sorry Nona, but I still must refuse." He put a hand on her shoulder, but she shook him off.

"I am free to go where I please. I need no permission from you or anyone else to walk these lands that belong to me and mine," Nona said through gritted teeth. "I only asked out of politeness and the hope of companionship. I will go alone if I must." She stormed away, clearly looking for solitude.

I sighed, "I wonder if she will indeed follow us."

Elladan shrugged. "It is her choice to make, but I hope she makes the right one."

"There are only two known ways to get into Dunland, but there could be secret paths only the Dunlendings are privy to," I murmured, thinking hard. Ergothorn's map only had the two routes, but as a man who looked like a Rohir, he may not have discovered any others. "Do you think I should speak with her?"

"If you wish, but I do not know if it would be welcomed," Elrohir answered uncertainly.

Deciding she perhaps would want to be comforted, or at least listened to, I steeled myself and made my way over to the large boulder, where she had settled herself. As I approached, I called out to her, "Nona?"

Her shoulders tensed. "Go away Gwinthilnel. I do not need your meaningless words of comfort."

It stung to hear her say such things, but I understood it. "Perhaps not need, but want? They would not be meaningless."

She turned and glared at me. "You are Duvodiad. I am not one of you."

My face fell, and I knew my eyes were sad as I said, "I would hope I at least could be considered more than an outsider." Despite my pleas, her expression did not change. All I felt and observed from her was hostility and anger. I sighed, "I hope someday you will feel the same."

As I turned to leave, I almost abandoned her command to stay away when I heard her start to sob. Yet, she made it clear she did not desire my company, and I could not force her to listen to my words.

Candaith frowned as he approached me, and I settled into his open arms. "I am sorry she did not want to see you," he said softly. "You did what you could."

"Yet it was not enough, I fear," I mumbled into his shoulder. "My heart tells me we shall meet again, but I worry she will be much changed, and not for the better."

"There is little else you can do," he replied, moving his hand in small circles on my back. "We must continue on with Halbarad, and let Nona take her own path."

"I know," I whispered, before pulling away and placing a hand on his cheek. "Hannon le, meleth. I needed your comfort."

He gave me a small smile, "Always."

END OF BOOK 1

I am so happy you all have joined me on this journey. When I first began to write this, all I knew was that I had to save Candaith. Then somehow it turned into the story we have today. I've worked so very hard to make this not only something I enjoy, but also a story others can find entertainment in.

The next portion of the story will be a little more complicated (if you can believe it!), so try and have a little patience with me as I figure it all out!

There will be a few week long break in this story because I'm posting another, much shorter story I've been working on (only 8 chapters)! It's totally unrelated to this, and is called "An Unexpected Meeting". It's a Lord of the Rings story with many Silmarillion references. In short, it is about Elrond and Maglor (his foster father when he was a child) meeting again after many thousands of years, how they deal with it, and what comes after. There's Elves being dramatic, and complex feelings about what family means, and I'm proud of how it turned out; I hope you enjoy it too.

If you want an alert for when I post it, please add me to your author's alters. It will also give you a better sense for when I will be posting the next chapter of this.

So, after this long author's note, I will see you in a few weeks for the next installment of "A Ranger and an Elleth". Namarie!