Elven words in this section:
Mankoi- Why
Al- Not
Nin- Me
Arathoniel did her best to process all that Gandalf had told her. A ring. The Dark Lord Sauron rising to power again. A fellowship. The fellowship of Nine. The fellowship of the Ring. Frodo, sweet darling Frodo Baggins, bearing the burden of the One Ring. The ring of power. And the fate of Arathoniel? She would plot a course for the fellowship to follow. Alone. As always. Alone.
"All my life have I trained for this. You have readied me for this, haven't you," Arathoniel felt the heaviness creeping back into her heart, "This I understand. How could I not? But Frodo? Why Frodo? Mankoi al-nin? Why not you? Why not ANY being other than Frodo Baggins?"
Gandalf raised his hand to stop her pained ramblings. "The power of the One Ring is too much. Its power is too tempting for anyone other than Frodo. You know his strength. You know where his strength lies. This task is his and his alone."
"I cannot accept this, Gandalf. I cannot accept that he must take on a task that may lead him to his very death. I cannot. I will not."
"You must, Arathoniel. You shall. All of Middle Earth depends upon this acceptance."
"And if I fail," she whispered towards the horizon.
"You will not fail. We both know this," he watched with concern as she mounted her horse, "There is much peril ahead for us all. Do not lose your faith, nor your hope."