Arwen Undomiel, the Evenstar of her people had never felt such worry over someone since she had met Aragorn. He had been a mortal, and as such fragile and destined to live a short life. She had fallen in love with him and there was not a moment where she did not worry for his safety. With the girl, Willow, it was worry for her sanity and happiness. She knew better than to question her Maker, but this sudden change in the young red-head's life would not be easy on her. She was now forever ripped from her world, never to return to her family and friends. Arwen could not imagine what could have happened to make someone wish away their lives in such a way, but Iluvatar would surely not entertain the wish had He not recognized it as a justifiable want. The young woman would need time and support, and Arwen was determined to be there for her. At the moment she really desired to go and comfort Willow.

"I know what you are thinking, and you must resist your maternal instinct for a while. Willow has asked to be alone, and any interference at the moment I fear, may drive her over the edge. We must not push her away." Elrond smiled taking his daughter's hand in his own.

"Yes father, but I feel awful for her."

"She will need this time by herself to make sense of her hurts and the new obstacles being brought upon her, but she is strong Arwen."

"Poor soul, I know she had been hurting before coming to us. Now, she must face worse it seems. Can she have no peace?"

"Dear one, if the ring is not destroyed, there will be no peace for any."

"How cruel that it is to happen so soon. To thrust her into such danger seems wrong. She has to be ready to fight for a cause not her own. But the ring is very near to being here in our midst, in our very own Rivendell."

"She will be ready. Eru Iluvatar has ordered her involvement, He has His own divine plan. The combined strength of all who will fight for good is what I believe will save us." The dark elf assured his daughter, patting her hand. And his very being told him it was so.

Willow sat slouched over on her bed, elbows resting on her knees and head in her hands. :: How is it that I always manage to screw myself over like this? I know what Buffy would say, that I never think of consequences when it comes to my actions. I selfishly do what I want. And that I shouldn't wonder why they can't trust me.::

This assessment of what Willow believed would be Buffy's reaction maddened the slight girl. Her friends *always* accused her and blamed her for making mistakes, as if she had deliberately made them. She never meant to hurt anyone, and she knew that was no excuse, but they were her friends. You shouldn't have to beg your friends to understand you, or kill yourself trying to gain their forgiveness. :: So maybe there was nothing on Earth for me, nothing but pain. No one to understand me. And God….*God* answered my insignificant prayers. He sent me somewhere so I would be happy. I'll be damned if I disappoint God, or make him sorry He did this for me!::

With this newly formed conviction for making the best of the situation, Willow decided she would attend the feast that night. Yes she would miss the people she had formed relationships with, but she would treat that as a past life. This was her new beginning.


That night Willow was welcomed by the entire population of elves inhabiting Rivendell. Elrond introduced her blessed by Nienna herself, and sent to Middle Earth by grace of Eru. She was to be their special guest, this former mortal granted reprieve from what they called 'the doom of men,' she would not die from age. She managed to convey her gratitude for their hospitality, and the rest of the night she enjoyed sitting amongst these beautiful beings. The sang songs and made merry. She was honored to be accepted as one of them.

At some point during the festivities Willow was introduced to Bilbo Baggins. She had been shocked at first upon meeting a 'hobbit.' He was one of the separate races Elrond had mentioned and she only had to converse with him for a few moments before thinking the small person adorable and charming. Her stay in Rivendell brought her closest to Bilbo and Arwen. They filled her in on the impossibly involved history of their world, and answered her questions about her purpose there.

Willow was told that there would be a counsel held in Rivendell at some point in the coming months. It concerned a ring of power. Apparently it could negate the powers of all others, the ones Elves, Dwarves, and Men held. The trinket could aid its master in conquering the known world. Sounded like a routine Apocalypse to her. That was until she found out the necromancer Sauron could make Glorificus look about as dangerous as a kitten. As an Istari, he was roughly the equivalent of a fallen angel and apparently Glorificus was no more a god than he was. Just a a maniac with a hyperactive ego. She had been a 'glorified' demon, and Sauron was second only to the Lucifer figure in this world's mythology, Melkor. Willow couldn't imagine going up against someone with that much pure evil as a part of their being. She fleetingly wished Buffy was there, maybe she would know what to do. The truth was she wouldn't be able to handle this if half of what she heard about Sauron was true. He had been defeated once, but not killed. To finish him would mean a quest, a journey that might take months and nearly impossible odds blocking the progress of any who attempted it.

::I'm going to be a part of it. Like being in an epic, maybe someone will even write a song about me.:: Willow smiled.