Disclamer: Ok I don't own LOTR ect. ect. (but I would not mind owning Aragorn) **************************************************************************** ************* The thorn and moss covered rocks of Isenguard loomed into view as Aragorn crossed into the Isen valley. The walls had been destroyed in the War of the Ring though the great black tower of Orthanc had remained standing, its heights casting a long shadow across the land. Night was falling, throwing an eerie gloom across the grounds. The moss and brambles casting odd shadows, reminding him of the dead marshes.

Searching for a moment he found a suitable place to make a temporary camp. A moment later and he had a suitable fire going. Thankfully he did not have to worry about Orcs, the Riders of Rohan had cleared most of them from the land, the few that still remained roamed near the borders of Mordor and Mirkwood. He smiled at the thought of Mirkwood, his friend Legolas was to meet him on midsummer's eve at Isenguard, from there they were heading Bree to help clean out any rumors of Orcs and trolls roaming about.

Absorbed in his thoughts he did not notice two shadowy figures moving along the crumbling wall above him.

**************************************************************************** **************** The two Elvin ladies placed themselves on the rock above the person who had intruded on their camp. One stood, bow notched and aimed to fire if needed. The other was crouched down next to the edge of the rock face, a sword held in her hand.

The crouched one looked to her companion, a silent signal passing between them. Carefully she jumped down behind the intruder, her feet landing noiselessly on the moss. The archer followed just as quietly. The two moved one on each side of the man. The archer waited a moment then stepped into the ring of light slowly and calmly.

The man jumped up immediately, sword in hand, pointed it at the archer. A moment later the other woman stepped into the light, sword also in hand. The man looked back and forth between the two, his eyes sizing them up in a few glances.

They were both Elvin and wrapped in Elvin cloaks. The one with the bow seemed to be a Half-Elf, her brown hair bright in the firelight. The other though was strange, her hair was the deepest black, her eyes matched, and when the firelight caught them they glinted like they were filled with stars.

"My ladies," he said calmly lowering his sword slightly. "Will you grant me the pleasure of knowing what crime I have committed before I am executed?"

The two women looked at each other before the archer spoke. "WE are simple investigating who or what came into our camp uninvited." She said, her voice soft but still strong.

"I am nothing but a simple traveler who has stopped for the night. I mean you no harm, I am just waiting for a friend."

"Tell me about this friend of yours and your errand before we let you go."

**************************************************************************** **************** Aragorn explained that he was waiting on a friend, by the name of Legolas and that the two of them were on their way to the city of Bree to check up of rumors of Orcs. The two Elvin stood as silent as marble statues as they listened.

When he had finished the archer looked at the other and nodded. Both put away their weapons but the sword bearer did not loose the stance of a cat ready to pounce.

"If you are on your way to Bree with the Prince then I suppose we have no choice but to trust you." AS she spoke her eyes darted sideways for a moment then returned to him. When he looked around the other woman had vanished from his sight. Before he could ask any questions the archer answered his questions.

"She is a wander and does that quiet often." Her voice lighter and her fact turned from warning to friendly.

**************************************************************************** ****************

"Lady you have to tell me something to call you." He asked of the archer.

"I am sorry, you may call me Taurdae, my friend is Avari." She said nodding to Aragorns left.

When he looked over the other elf was standing on a rock looking up at the sky. He had not heard her return so he did not know how long she had been standing behind him. It unnerved him that she could move so silently that even he could not hear her coming. He sat looking at her for a few minuets, she was different than any elf he had ever seen, and something about her was dragging his interest in her direction. A moment later he realized she was staring back at him, her eyes colored with annoyance. He lowered his eyes and turned back to look at the fire.

Avari looked at him for a moment longer them turned back to the sky. She had never been fond of company especially humans, Taurdae was fine, for she was just as different as Avari was so the two had enough in common to be friends. The human though was odd, there was something about him that should not have been. He seemed to know more about the ways of elves than any human she had ever met, that unnerved her.

She looked back at Taurdae another silent message passing between the two. She jumped nimbly from the rock and climbed gracefully to a higher outlook, she had slept that night so she took the first watch.

**************************************************************************** **************** As the sun crawled above the horizon, its golden claws reaching across the land, Taurdae and Aragorn were awoken by what sounded like a shrill falcon call. Taurdae was up quickly and climbed up to where Avari stood. Aragorn saw them conversing, but could not make put what they were saying.

"A rider approaches, I think it is this Legolas he spoke of." Avari said to Taurdae as she pointed across the plains.

Both could see a rider on a gray horse making straight for the tower. It was an Elf, his golden hair shining in the early morning light. His green tunic matched the surrounding grass well but not enough to fool Elvin eyes.

Taurdae looked back down to Aragorn "Your friend, I think, approaches. He should be here within moments." She said, her soft voice carried down to Aragorn on the wind without loosing volume.

**************************************************************************** **************** Moments later the chiming click of hooves on the pave stoned signaled the arrival of the rider. Aragorn left the camp sight to meet his friend.

"Legolas my friend you are early." He said as Legolas slid from the horses back and ran a hand through his hair to straighten it.

"Yea I heard more pressing news. Lord Elrond is looking for two elf women that should have arrived in Rivendell two days ago. He bid me to look for them before I made my way to Bree." He said as he followed Aragorn to the camp.

Aragorn lightly laughed. "Well my friend I think I have beaten you to that, look what I came across last night." He pointed where the two were still stranding. Avaris hair shining black, her eyes piercing both of them. Taurdaes hair now glowing as golden as Legolas' where the sun hit it but brown as an oak tree in the shade her eyes the brightest green.

Legolas gasped quietly s he looked at the two. "I did not believe it when the letter said that one would look like she came from both High and Half- Elvin blood, and the other like she had fallen from the night sky."

The two women jumped lightly down and walked slowly toward the two. "Hello Lord," Taurdae said "I am Taurdae and this is Avari," at her name Avari nodded her head. "We are glad Elrond was worried but were only delayed be a small band of Orcs." She looked at Avari and Aragorn could finally see the silent language the two shared worked with small hand signals and gestures. "We shall clean up the camp." With that the two women went to work leaving Aragorn and Legolas to talk. *************************************************************************** ***************** Aragorn and Legolas moved away from the ladies to talk. The walked toward the tower, the clover covering the ground crunching lightly under their feet. Aragorn found a slightly curved rock and sat while Legolas stood gazing across the valley.

"What do you make of them Aragorn?" The elf said after a moment looking back to his friend.

"I do not know what to make of them. Taurdae I think is a messenger of something but what I do not know. Avari though is a complete mystery to me. I have never seen one such as her. She moved as though she was trained as a warrior since she could walk." Aragorn said as he looked toward the camp where he could see the Elvin women moving about.

**************************************************************************** **************** Taurdae looked at her friend as she picked up things with a grim determination on her face. It was a look Taurdae had come to know that said Avari was thinking about something. "Avari why the grim look, what is bothering you?" she said as she laid their cloaks on a rock.

Avari looked up from the remains of the fire pit to her friend. "It is that man, Aragorn. He unnerves me, every time I move I feel his eyes on me. HE seems strange though I do not know why."

"My friend." The archer laughed. "He probably finds you strange also, but I know enough about him to know he is no threat."

"I still do not like it." Avari snorted as she looked toward the two men. She watched as they made their way back to the camp.

**************************************************************************** **************** Aragorn and Legolas arrived back at the camp just as the two ladies finished. The campsite had been so well cleaned that Aragorn could not tell where it had been exactly.

"Avari, Taurdae. I have a question to ask the two of you." At their nod he continues. "Since Legolas was sent to find you and Rivendell is on the path it Bree we would like to accompany you."

The two women exchanged a silent word and Taurdae looked back to Aragorn. "That would pose no problem to either of us and it might even be advantageous since Orcs are still roaming the land between here and the valley." Avari nodded as her friend spoke but voiced nothing herself.

**************************************************************************** **************** The traveled the North-South road deciding to turn north when they reached the River Bruinen, that would keep them far enough from the root of the mountains that hopefully no Orcs would cross their path.

Avari and Taurdae took most if the night watches, the two seemed to need less sleep than most elves. Taurdae kept up light conversation with Aragorn and Legolas but Avari never spoke except to her friend. The only sound she ever made were the occasional snort or small laugh.

She unnerved both Aragorn and Legolas to no end. Both found it odd that she would just wander off and return with out a sound. Taurdae was not much better, she never asked about what Avari did nor questioned her, and never revealed anything.

Both men know something was going to happen that involved the two Elvin ladies but they could not guess what it was. They only knew that the two had some big part to play in the fate of Middle Earth yet.

**************************************************************************** **************** The trail along the Bruinen was dreary, storm clouds hung threateningly in the sky and the dying grass did nothing to help the atmosphere. The treeless expanses of the Dunland gave little shelter so they were on extra guard.

Now and again Avari would vanish into the grass, neither Aragorn nor Legolas could tell where or how she did it without anyone knowing. "Taurdae, do you know where she goes." Legolas said as Avari disappeared once again.

"No I do not, but do not worry she has always done that." She said as she looked back at Legolas. He had never really gotten a good look at her eyes, when he did he felt as though her was going to drown in the green pools. Had she not turned to look back toward the road he might have. He shook his head and looked back to Aragorn. The Ranger was looking across the land with the watchful eye he was famous for.

"What are you looking for?"

"Avari, she once did this before in my presence with out my knowing. I would like to catch her this time." When he had finished he heard a soft snort from his left.

He looked over and found Avari walking just ahead of him. She looked at him a moment then her head snapped to the east. Her gaze stayed glued to the spot for a few moments then the turned in the direction of Taurdae. She made a call like a falcon, the one Aragorn had heard at Isenguard, Taurdae immediately turned and came running back.

As she reached them Avari spoke. "Orcs to the east, I think they already know we are here." She pulled her sword from its sheath when she had finished. The blade gave off a golden light in the afternoon sun.

Taurdae quickly got her bow in hand and notched an arrow. Aragorn and Legolas followed suit as they waited for the Orcs to reach them.

**************************************************************************** **************** The Orcs closed in a circle around the four companions and stood waiting for them to make a move. "Well, well." One said, "What do we have here, three elves and a Ranger. Must bee out lucky day."

"It shall only be lucky if the lot of you wish to die." Avari growled at the Orc.

"My we have one with a big mouth, well little girl you shall see what my band of Orcs can do." The whole band laughed, the grating sound echoing across the vast plains.

"Yes we shall." Avari said and nodded to Taurdae. Before the Orcs ha time to register the movement the lead Orc was falling back, an arrow between its eyes. Without their leader many had no idea what to do and others just wanted to kill the Elves. The battle began as one jumped at Taurdae and was met with Avaris sword.

The Orcs closed in and all that was heard was the sound of clashing steal, the twang of bowstrings, and the screaming of Orcs.

Aragorn was surrounded in a maze of black faces and bodies. His sword seemed to be doing nothing to put a dent in the numbers. He watched as a huge Orc with a double-edged ax took a swing at him. He ducked but he didn't know how long he could keep ducking the ax.

He looked up as the blows to him stopped. He saw a golden flash then the huge Orc fell to the ground. Behind him, black Orc blood gripping from the sword blade stood Avari. She looked completely in her element, her body tensed to take any surprise. She looked down at him and nodded.

"Your welcome now get up and help." She said as the turned back to the fight.

**************************************************************************** **************** Legolas had been pushed back almost to the river. He had long ago lost sight of the others in the mass of Orcs. His arrows were gone and he had been forced to use his long bladed fighting daggers.

He felt his boot slip on the muddy slope, startled his other foot slid down the bank pulling him with it. He landed on his back in the cool water his knees getting lost in the mud. He began to cures, as he thought he was going to be killed on a riverbank by a bunch of Orcs.

Legolas closed his eyes and waited for the deathblow, which never came. He paused and his eyes snapped open when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Taurdae looked down at him then hauled him to his feet.

"You should be more careful my Lord, and falling into the mud does not become you." She laughed as he tried to brush the mud from himself, though he only succeeded in rubbing it into his shirt.

"The Orcs have left, at least those that could run." Avari said as she walked up behind Taurdae. Aragorn followed behind her and he was in no better shape then Legolas.

Avari and Taurdae nodded to each other and Taurdae looked at the man and the elf. "We should leave as soon as we can, those Orcs that got away will bring more soon." As she said this both she and Avari put away their weapons and turned back in the direction of Rivendell.

**************************************************************************** **************** The cool misty waters of the ford splashed musically over the rocks. The cold foam lapped at the banks as the river ran swiftly by on its way to the ocean.

Avari, Legolas, and Taurdae sprang lightly across the water, the soles of their shoes barely getting wet. Aragorn walked at a slower pace grumbling to him self about elves and their incessant need to show off.

Legolas laughed as his friend reached the other bank, "Maybe you should take some lessons from us on how to cross a river." Aragorn glared at the elf, and before Legolas could see it coming, Aragorn grabbed his collar and threw him in the cold water.

As Legolas came up sputtering Aragorn laughed. "And maybe you should learn not to laugh at a Ranger my pointy eared friend."

Taurdae sighed as she looked at them and the tried to roughly shove the image of Legolas drenched in water out of her mind. She had no right to be thinking about him like that. 'Nor could he ever think anything of me other than that I exist.' She thought to herself as she looked back at Avari.

Avari was standing in a tree looking toward the valley of Rivendell. She stood as still as the tree itself. Only her hair fluttered lightly in the slight breeze.

"Taurdae," Aragorn said as he came up next to her. "Has she always been like that?"

"Yes from what I know. She was slow to trust me also." She said as she looked back toward Legolas who was ringing the water out of his tunic. "We should be going." She walked off as she said this.

Avari did not stir until Taurdae was directly under the tree. She jumped lightly from the tree, never pausing in her movement. The moment her feet hit the ground her stride matched that of Taurdae.

Aragorn and Legolas started after them as they moved under the cover of the trees "May the Gods help up us both." Legolas said as they followed the women. **************************************************************************** **************** Ok PLEASE PLEASE read and review. No one likes doing that for me and my muse is getting angry. And when he gets angry I get odd ideas. =^.^= Lady