Glorfindel was headed from the infirmary, the little injured hobbit had woken up for a moment, and the elves had sighed in relief. Aragorn had already arrived hours earlier with three hobbits, so everyone who travelled out of the Shire had arrived in Rivendell.

The elf was tired, it had been long days, and he looked forward to meeting Emma at the feast later in the evening. It was clear that the feast was well on its way if the sounds of laughter and music were any indication.

Glorfindel met Arwen when he was about to enter Elrond's large house while the elleth was leaving her father's building. The elleth shone like the brightest star in the sky, and she gave Glorfindel a broad smile before saying, "Emma was looking for you. Have you seen her yet after you returned?"

"No, not yet. I will stop by her quarters before I head to the feast," Glorfindel replied, knowing that humans could never keep up with the festive elves for too long. Chances were that she was already in bed as it was close to midnight.

The elf had looked forward for days to returning to Rivendell and continuing the fiery conversations with the witch.

"Make sure you knock on her door," Arwen said and smiled widely at Glorfindel, who looked surprised before asking, "why?"

"Father's maid made the mistake of walking into Emma's quarters this morning and …," Arwen laughed before adding, "she got an eyeful of Emma and Thranduil in the throes of passion."

"What?" Glorfindel hissed angrily, "did they decide to have their binding here in Rivendell?"

"No, not yet, but as close as possible, and they shine with happiness. So much so that Aragorn and I..." Arwen stopped before blushing crimson. She hadn't wanted anyone to know, but keeping quiet in her joy wasn't easy.

"What about you two?" Glorfindel snarled, but the elleth didn't notice Glorfindel's mood change, for she was too excited for the evening with Aragorn that would set her up for a lifetime of humanity.

"That Aragorn and I will bind to each other this evening. We don't wish to wait any longer, but of course, we will also have a human ceremony as soon as possible," Arwen admitted to Glorfindel, who had been her friend for the longest time.

"What about your father?" Glorfindel asked shocked. He was confident that the Elvin Lord wouldn't be happy with the news, no matter the love that Arwen and Aragorn shared.

"Father mustn't know yet. After all, it is our choice to make, not his," Arwen said stubbornly, and Glorfindel struggled with the fury that coursed through him like wildfire. His darling Emma and then Arwen, double bad news, all on the same day.

Arwen looked behind Glorfindel, and the elf turned only to see Aragorn standing a little while away, waiting for his beloved.

"I must go. See you later," Arwen said warmly before walking past Glorfindel to the man she loved.

Glorfindel was utterly heartbroken over Arwen losing her life eventually and understanding that Emma was also lost to him. Elves were ancient beings that hated disruptions to their carefully constructed lives. Glorfindel struggled to understand how Arwen, the favourite of her people, would pass, and Emma had slipped through his unknowing fingers.

The elf strode to his quarters, where he lost his temper. While he destroyed everything in his path, the sounds of merriment could be heard in the distance.

In the end, Glorfindel held a carved horse made by Emma years earlier as a present for her trainer and friend. It was a terrible carving of Asfaloth that looked more like a cow than the beautiful stallion that Glorfindel cherished so. For a moment, Glorfindel held the carving close to his heart before hurling it to the wall, where it exploded into splinters.

Then Glorfindel decided to leave Rivendell and go orc hunting to get over the devastating heartbreak that was ripping him apart.


When Emma got to her quarters, she was tired after dancing and feasting all evening. The witch adored the pure happiness that could radiate from elves, it was magical, and anyone around was swept into their tremendous joy. Nevertheless, the night was not over, and she fully intended to accept Thranduil's marriage proposal when he arrived at their shared quarters.

In the distance, she could hear the merriment of the feast; laughter and music echoed through Rivendell. Emma sighed as she sat down to remove the shoes from her aching feet, but before she could, the witch heard loud crashing noises coming down the hall where only Glorfindel resided.

Emma rushed towards her door to see what the commotion was. On her way out, Emma grabbed the harness with the two swords Glorfindel had given her years ago when she started her training in Rivendell. The witch tied swords to her back without a thought. It was a movement she had done every day for years under Glorfindel's watchful eyes, who wanted the activity to become automatic to the witch. Whenever there was a sign of trouble, the human would reach for her blades without a second thought or hesitation.

As Emma closed the door to her quarters, the loud banging continued down the hall. She hurried to Glorfindel's door and knocked on it without an answer. After knocking a few more times, the witch grew increasingly concerned before her hand reached out to open the door hesitantly.

Glancing around Glorfindel's quarters was clear that there was no one inside, but the apartment was completely destroyed. Every single thing that could have been broken had been ruined. What met Emma's eyes made her gasp in shock.

The large window in the living room towards the balcony was open, and Emma ran to it. From the balcony, the witch could see the golden-haired elf running at great speed to the stables where Glorfindel's white steed Asfaloth was kept. Emma looked around, unsure what to do before taking a decision that would, unknown to her, change the course of her future. Emma climbed over the balcony and jumped into the courtyard to try to catch her friend, as there was clearly something wrong. Before Emma reached the stables, Glorfindel rode bareback through the courtyard towards her at great speed.

The elf's face was thunderous with wrath, and Emma realised that her usually good-natured friend was livid with fury. For what she did not know, Emma felt obliged to find out just what had happened to her usually happy friend. Old legends told stories about Glorfindel as a force of nature, and the witch could finally see that side of her friend. The elf swept towards her, and for a moment, Emma wondered if Glorfindel hadn't noticed her and would run her down with his horse.

"Glorfindel, please stop!" Emma shouted as the elf rode past her, and for a moment, she thought he was ignoring her. That was before the elf turned his horse around, taking a narrow circle around her and riding aggressively towards her.

At the last possible moment, Glorfindel reached out, and Emma was startled when he wrapped a strong arm tightly around her waist. The witch was whisked away and placed in front of Glorfindel on Asfaloth. Before Emma even understood what was happening, the elf was already riding at great speed out of Rivendell.

Emma closed her eyes tightly and held onto Asfaloth's mane for her life as Glorfindel rode for hours during the night. The elf refused to speak, and his bright blue eyes burned with uncontrollable fury and the witch decided to wait until they would finally stop before she would try to talk to her friend about what happened in Rivendell.

When the light of dawn came up over the horizon, Emma realised that they were headed towards the Misty Mountains that rose ominous and dark into the sky. Due to his divine powers, the twice-born could travel much quicker over terrain than others. In a few hours, he could have travelled anywhere in Middle Earth without any problems, but clearly his mind was set on the Misty Mountains.

Emma's friend didn't utter a word during the ride, and the witch didn't push him as she understood it had been difficult enough for him to allow her to come with him. It wouldn't be until noon when Glorfindel finally stopped his exhausted horse to rest, his bright blue eyes still filled with a burning anger as he helped his human companion down. They were high up in the mountains, having gone off the wider mountain path hours before and were on a much narrower, perilous one. A large river ran by them, and not too far away was the highest waterfall Emma had ever seen in her life, with cliffs on both sides.

There was silence for the longest time until Emma asked quietly, "where are you going?"

Glorfindel turned, his face set in a deep frown and anger brimming from his eyes before he growled, "I'm going orc hunting."

Emma tried to be patient before finally pushing again, "what happened last night?"

Bright blue eyes burned into hers, and for a moment, Emma thought that Glorfindel would lose his temper before he growled at her, "Arwen and Aragorn are now one. She lost to us all."

Emma felt his anger, not only towards the couple but also towards her, as if the witch was somehow directly responsible. The human had nothing to do with the two falling in love, as it had happened decades earlier under the watchful eyes of Galadriel in Lórien.

"I'm sorry Glorfindel, I know you care greatly about Arwen," Emma said, her eyes begging him to understand, but the elf was unreceptive. His hurt was too deep to accept comfort from the one he loved the most, who was trying her best to make him feel better.

Glorfindel finally lost hold of his temper after trying so hard not to blow up, "Sorry! He is of your blood! Aragorn is one of your own!"

Emma stared at the elf in shock before asking quickly, "Are you saying it's my fault that they fell in love?"

"Perhaps if your daughter hadn't married into Aragorn's line, this would never have happened," Glorfindel said, his voice full of venom as he looked at the human in front of him with great dislike, as if she was a thorn in his side and not someone who he cherished greatly. The twice-born elf was trying so hard not to confess the real reason he was so upset, but it was getting harder to be in control around the witch.

"What? Why are you saying this?" Emma muttered bewildered, as Glorfindel wasn't making any sense to her. With every word, the elf was stepping closer to hurting her feelings. She could feel it in the air, and it was clear the elf needed to lash out at someone. Unfortunately for Emma, she was the only one around, so all of Glorfindel's anger and hurt were automatically targeted toward her.

Glorfindel narrowed his eyes and snarled, "You have a taste for elves, and Aragorn inherited that from you!"

Emma gasped in dismay, and already she could feel the hurt starting to well up in her chest as her friend tread on thin ice towards the family that Emma had lost forever, "Don't say things you don't mean and don't drag me into something that I have nothing to do with!"

"But you do have something to do with it. Your blood runs in his veins. The magic in you, there is a small part of it in him. It charms those around and binds the unlikeliest creatures to you both!" Glorfindel snarled viciously, his face set in a deep frown as he looked down at her with so much scorn that Emma felt hurt explode in her chest.

"Don't take it out on me that Arwen fell in love with someone else and not with you! It has nothing to do with me!" Emma boomed and then sighed deeply before adding, "I'm sorry you are hurting. I'm trying to help you. Can't you see that?"

Glorfindel took a deep breath, trying to contain his hurt but to no avail. Quickly his anger was targeted at the witch, and he snarled at Emma, "Thranduil has destroyed your reputation!"

The venom in Glorfindel's voice startled the witch, who had never seen the elf so furious. Emma sighed deeply before asking sadly, "what do you mean?"

"To be caught in bed together naked. I heard the rumours, and I was appalled. Are you mad?!" Glorfindel snarled. He was so angry and hurt over what had happened. The elf certainly knew that Emma had deep feelings for Thranduil, but Glorfindel had always hoped that somehow, he would be able to prevent the two from becoming one. Hearing the chambermaid's story had horrified Glorfindel, and he realised that the witch was lost to him. The hurt burned in his chest at the thought.

"What's wrong with us being in bed together?" the human spat defiantly, and Glorfindel wanted to weep with exasperation. Emma didn't understand how much he loved her, and Glorfindel tried his best not to spell it out for her. The witch had made her choice, and it was clear that she would soon bind with Thranduil.

"The affection of elves lasts a lifetime," Glorfindel spat. It hurt to admit it aloud when he knew that the dark-eyed witch would never feel the same for him.

"We love each other!" the human firecracker yelled at the elf, who looked shocked when he felt her anger and frustration. Emma told the truth, which hurt more than Glorfindel could ever admit.

"Your reputation is in tatters. Thranduil has destroyed you unless you marry him!" Glorfindel growled and felt his patience was leaving him. The elf had told the witch that her reputation had been hit by rolling around naked with the Elvenking. Instead of being embarrassed, Emma didn't seem to care at all.

"You never asked what I was doing in my room," the witch said so quietly that Glorfindel's curiosity was instantly awoken. Whatever it was had been important.

Before he could stop himself, the elf asked, "what was it?"

"I was going to accept Thranduil's proposal and his ring," Emma admitted to the elf, who looked at her with blazing eyes as he completely lost control of his temper.

"You are mad! You are no better than Arwen and Aragorn!" Glorfindel hollered at the top of his lungs before adding, "You and Aragorn are the same. You are bringing two legendary elves to their doom! Two elves that willingly are throwing their lives away because of you!"

"Why are you so ruthless to me?" the witch asked while tears gathered in her eyes. She had hoped Glorfindel would rejoice with her, but the elf was furious.

"Because you should know better than this! You have loved and lost, and it nearly killed you! Still, you wish for the same fate to befall Thranduil!" Glorfindel roared before walking back and forth angrily. The elf knew that soon he would have to leave before he would say something he would regret. He had tried so hard to be supportive of Emma's love for the Elvenking, but he had always hoped that she would change her mind.

"My relationship with Thranduil is none of your damn business. I thought you were my friend, and still you tear into me like this because I dared to love again!" the young human said bravely, and Glorfindel stopped in his tracks. Emma Winter might be young in years, but she had the heart of a lion to stand up for herself against a furious elf.

"So quickly after Logan?" the elf said hurtfully as if Emma was supposed to grieve for a thousand years. The problem was the witch was human and didn't have a long life to live. Glorfindel knew that, and using Logan to hurt her was low. The elf knew that, but he couldn't help himself.

"Quickly? Logan has been in his grave for almost a thousand years," Emma said so upset that Glorfindel knew that he had stepped over the line with the witch. To use her dead husband and Glorfindel's great friend as a weapon against her was cruel.

But Emma was not done, "you want me to be alone here? To constantly refuse the one I love? You want me to sit here and grieve for my family until I depart from this world?"

"No, I want you to love me as much as I love you! How do you think it feels for me to love you so much and see you so happy with the blasted Elvenking!" Glorfindel raged, his painful secret finally out. The elf had tried so hard to keep it to himself, but the bottled-up feelings had finally been too much for him to take. The painful part for the elf was that he knew his confession wouldn't change anything; the witch was absolutely in love with Thranduil of Mirkwood.

"What? You said Arwen was ... " Emma sobbed when the puzzle finally came together. She had unknowingly been hurting her dearest friend. She had never realised that Glorfindel had love in his heart for her. He had said so many things against human and Elvin relationship. Emma finally realised that Glorfindel had been trying to convince himself, not her.

"I hid behind the ghost of a childhood affection I had for Arwen because I didn't want to admit to myself how much I care for you," Glorfindel said with a sigh. Seeing the witch so shocked was pulling at his heartstrings. Emma had never tried to lead him on; she had never suspected anything about his feelings.

"I'm sorry Glorfindel, but I don't want you to have any hope of us ever becoming anything but great friends. My heart belongs to Thranduil," Emma sobbed, and Glorfindel knew that to be true. The witch never liked to play games, especially when it came to love. She was direct on the best of days, and the argument showed that side of her even more.

"I know this to be true," the elf sighed so heartbreakingly that the witch walked closer to him, wanting to hug him. Emma was beyond sorry for everything but didn't know how to tell the emotional elf, that looked like he was about to burst with the torrent of emotion he felt inside.

Glorfindel stopped her immediately by hissing, "stop trying to make me feel better!"

"Glory," Emma sobbed so heartbreakingly that the elf's heart softened for a moment but then everything came back to him. The witch was marrying someone else and leaving Rivendell. They would meet much less, and things might get awkward after his love confession.

"Nothing you can say or do can help me," Glorfindel said dismissively before turning away from her as if he couldn't be bothered to continue the conversation with the woman trying so desperately to get through to him.

"Glorfindel?" Emma snarled and grabbed his arm to stop him from walking away from her as if she were nothing and not trying her best to get through to him. They were high up in the Misty Mountains, and it couldn't be that Glorfindel would leave her there, wearing a gown in the cold.

The elf didn't say anything but pushed the witch roughly away, and she stumbled before hitting her back against the rocky mountain. Emma felt tears spring into her eyes as she saw the elf walk quickly away from her with determined steps, not looking back once in her direction.

"Glorfindel! Wait!" Emma called as the elf ran up a narrow path beside the waterfall and up the cliff. The witch stared at him as he climbed impossibly fast up, and Emma knew she wouldn't be able to keep up with him. Glorfindel had always been too fast for her. Seeing his quick moments, Emma realised that the elf had always been holding back. The true him was formidable in strength and unearthly in his power.

A nagging doubt came into her mind a moment later, and she had a choice between two options. Emma could ride Asfaloth to Rivendell to get help from Elrond, or she could climb after Glorfindel, hoping to talk sense into the furious elf before he got himself into trouble due to his broken heart.

Emma realised that few in Middle Earth could beat Glorfindel in battle. However, his heart was wounded, and he was likely to make mistakes he otherwise wouldn't. The elf was hurt because of her. Unknowingly she had wounded him, and Emma was so sorry for his pain.

The witch took a deep breath, tried to forget how afraid she was of heights and never stopped to wonder how she would get down the mountain if she didn't find Glorfindel. The footpath was far more dangerous than Emma had imagined. Halfway up, the sun set, and it became pitch black. Emma didn't dare to move, so she sat with her back against the cold cliff, feeling terrified that at any given moment, she would fall to her death.

It was then that Emma admitted to herself that she had made a grave mistake trying to follow her heartbroken friend. Chances were she wouldn't find him, and there were far greater chances she would fall to her death trying to climb down the mountain herself. It was better to ascend than descend. Emma knew that she would continue upwards by dawn as there was no chance she could get down again unless Glorfindel would help her.

For hours she sat in the darkness, her hands on the hilts of the swords Glorfindel had given her years earlier. The witch rose the following dawn feeling cold to the bone and exhausted from the lack of sleep. Emma moved her tired and sore body around, trying to warm up a little before continuing her climb. She placed her swords back in the harness and looked up at the cliffs that looked just as frightening as the day before.

"I'm such an idiot. What on earth was I thinking?" Emma murmured angrily as she took the first steps upwards again, her knees shaking in pure terror with every step she took as she slowly ascended towards the top of the cliff.


Elrond had invited Thranduil for a glass of miruvor shortly after Emma left the feast. The two old friends enjoyed their time together away from the loud music, where they could sit and talk freely away from everyone.

"Arwen and Aragorn bonded tonight," Elrond spoke softly to his friend, and Thranduil looked at him with a frown. He couldn't criticise the two even though Thranduil was very sorry to feel the pain of his old friend. Arwen, the most beautiful Elvin lady in Middle Earth, had willingly bonded with a human and, by doing so, had sealed her fate.

"Without informing you?" Thranduil asked, but he knew they hadn't. Elrond knew everything that happened in Rivendell, good and bad. The Elvenking was sorry that Arwen hadn't informed her father first, but he knew how impulsive humans were. Especially Emma and Aragorn, who were, after all, kin.

"Aye, it seems that seeing the happiness of you and Emma was what made them decide to do it," Elrond said, and Thranduil shuddered. The elf had been so focused on his love life that he hadn't thought of the terrible heartbreak that Elrond must have felt.

"Us? We have nothing to do with their decision, I assure you Elrond," Thranduil said, and Elrond smiled at his friend. Clearly, the Elvenking didn't want to be associated with what had happened between Arwen and Aragorn. Understandably so.

"I know that intentionally it's not so. You and Emma are following your hearts, and now Arwen and Aragorn have decided to do the same," Elrond said with evident pain. There was nothing he could do. His daughter had chosen and was happy. Even though Elrond knew that Aragorn would love her until the day he died, it still caused the Elvin lord great sorrow to think that his only daughter would perish one day.

"I'm sorry Elrond, I truly am. I never wished such fate for Arwen," Thranduil admitted to Elrond, who looked with great sorrow at his friend. One day Thranduil would pass as well; what a terrible loss for all of Elvindom.

"Know I feel the same way about you, Thranduil, even if I support your decision," Elrond said, and Thranduil nodded in understanding.

"My fate is interlocked with Morwen's, and I have long since accepted that," Thranduil said utterly at ease. He would give it all away for a mere day at Emma's side. She had shown him a different world where love reigned, and it was a world he had never experienced before.

"Where is Emma? She left the feast a while ago," Elrond said curiously. There were not many moments that the turtledoves weren't together when Thranduil was in Rivendell.

"Morwen went to prepare a surprise for me. I think she is about to accept my proposal formally. That was an hour ago, so it's time for me to join her," Thranduil said and grinned widely at his friend, who chuckled merrily.

"I must take my leave. A beautiful witch is awaiting me," the Elvenking said with such happiness on his face that Elrond couldn't help being happy for the two loners that had found love in each other.

"I will go in your direction. I wish to see if Glorfindel is well. He must have heard about Arwen and Aragorn by now," the lord of Rivendell said but didn't mention that the more brutal blow might have been the rumours going around Rivendell about Thranduil and Emma. Glorfindel was a unique force of nature, but his heart was incredibly soft regarding the witch. Elrond wanted to stop by and ensure that the twice-born elf was doing well even though he suspected it not to be the case.

The two ancient friends strode down the hallway when they noticed the doors on Emma's and Glorfindel's quarters open, which was highly unusual. The Elvenking looked frantically around Emma's room, but there was no sign of her. Elrond called his friend over and pointed inside Glorfindel's room.

"Everything has been destroyed," Elrond said worriedly, and Thranduil rushed to the door to peek inside. There was nothing unbroken inside, and the Elvenking gave a worried hiss before asking, "an attack?"

"I doubt it. Glorfindel must have found out that Arwen is lost to Elvendom. He must have lost his temper," Elrond murmured with a worried frown. He knew it was almost impossible to explain to Thranduil the turmoil Glorfindel felt at the news that Emma was lost to him.

Thranduil looked around with a deep frown, "Glorfindel destroyed everything here. Do you think Morwen is with him?"

Elrond nodded, his sharp grey eyes studying the Elvenking, who looked like he was putting things together by himself. The Lord of Rivendell explained, "they care greatly for each other. Likely, Emma came here hearing the sounds of him breaking everything."

"I don't like this. Morwen is fragile now that her magic is gone. We must find them!" Thranduil snarled at Elrond, who agreed with the furious Elvenking. If nothing else, Elrond knew he had to be there when Thranduil would find Glorfindel, as he was confident it would not end well for the twice-born elf.

"We will leave immediately," Elrond replied, and the two elves jumped over the balcony and rushed to the stables. A few moments later, the two were riding quickly out of Rivendell.


Much later, Emma finally got to the top of the cliff. She crawled over the edge and laid down, gasping for air and feeling every muscle in her body protest. A shiver of exhaustion went through her, and Emma wrapped her cloak impossibly tight around her trying to get some warmth into her tired body. A little later, the witch felt better, and she sat up to view her surroundings to see if Glorfindel was anywhere around, even though she doubted it very much as the elf had been impossibly quick ascending.

The river flowed by her side before cascading down; the sound was booming and smothered out any other sounds. The mountains looked even more ominous, with dark clouds surrounding their tops. Everything was barren, and no vegetation to be seen as Emma was too high up for anything to grow. Emma shivered with cold; being dressed in an Elvin ball gown and dancing shoes had not been the best choice for the spur-of-the-moment journey she had taken with Glorfindel.

A movement close to the river startled the witch. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw a small band of orcs creeping toward her. Counting quickly, Emma could see five small orcs heading her way. They had gotten so close to her that the witch could almost see the colour of their eyes, and she jumped up and whisked out her swords. Her wand was tucked up her sleeve, even though it had been entirely useless to her since coming to Rivendell years earlier. Without her magic, Emma would have to rely on what she had learned through her years in the Last Homely House.

All of Glorfindel's lessons had not been in vain, as Emma would soon find out as she fought bravely for her life against the terrifying creatures. The witch stabbed, punched, and kicked anything she could to win against the creatures that horrified her. One of the orcs had managed to nip at her temple with his sword. The wound was deep enough for blood to pour down Emma's face as she continued to fight.

At last, the witch stood victorious, and when the last orc fell, Emma wiped the blood off her temple with the back of her shaking hand as a sob burned in her chest. Learning to fight physically was utterly different from using those lessons, especially when the others had perished so she could live. It still hurt no matter who they were, and Emma realised she was no fighter; she had never been one.

"Emma!" Glorfindel howled from a great distance above, and the witch looked up, startled. The elf that was frantically pointing towards the side of the mountain where a gigantic, dark creature roared and started running towards her at great speed.

All of Emma's courage disappeared after seeing the creature. Even if she could take orcs on, the witch was no match for one of the Uruk-hai. They were the lethal creatures that the elves had told her so much about. She sheathed her swords and turned toward the cliff overlooking the waterfall.

There was only one choice for her, as Glorfindel was too far away to help her. The creature would kill her long before the elf could ever reach her. In the distance, Emma saw Glorfindel climbing down at an incredible speed towards her. The witch looked at him tearfully before closing her eyes and jumping off the cliff. Glorfindel's terrified screams were the last thing Emma heard before the sound of the waterfall took over.

Emma felt suspended in time for a few seconds as she flew through the air down to the river below the waterfall. At last cold water engulfed Emma, her tired body trying to fight the overwhelming current from the cascading waterfall. The need to gasp for air was almost unbearable, as it felt like it took forever for her to reach the surface. Her dress weighed her down and hindered her movements in the water.

Finally, Emma's head broke the surface of the water, and she gasped desperately for air before swimming to shore, where she collapsed on the riverbed, wholly spent of energy.

The witch had only been on the ground for a second before a gigantic hand wrapped itself around her throat and pulled her roughly up. Emma faced the same creature that she had run away from by jumping off the cliff. Defeat filled her chest, and the witch was sure it was the end as the frightening creature roared at her showing gigantic white fangs that were created to tear into flesh.

Emma sobbed as the beast growled at her. His bright yellow eyes never left her face as the witch cried in pain. Tears of pain gathered in her eyes as sharp claws cut into her throat, not enough to kill her but sufficient to wound her greatly. There was no way she would ever be able to get out of her bind. The only question was how long the witch would live, and Emma was sure it would only be a few moments.

Her dark eyes looked up the cliff, hoping to see Glorfindel one last time before the end. To Emma's relief, she could see her friend sprinting to the cliff's edge, his golden hair moving in the breeze. The elf jumped off the cliff a moment later in a frantic attempt to help her, but Emma knew it would be too late as the beast roared angrily and tightened its hand around her throat even harder while terror ripped at her soul.

Then she felt it, wild magic coursing to the surface in her being and Emma screamed in excruciating pain as a burst of flames came out of her and engulfed the Uruk-hai. The beast roared in agony as the fireball destroyed him and everything else in its path. Emma's consciousness had long left her when her body fell to the ground, and a great hush filled the surrounding area.


Glorfindel was deep in the water, headed to the surface, when a great ball of fire burst over the water. The elf waited until the flames died out before coming out of the water to see what had happened to his beloved Emma.

When Glorfindel surfaced from the water, the fire was gone, and it was eerily quiet around. Magic filled the air with burned flesh mixed with a strong cinnamon scent. The elf looked desperately for the witch, and when his eyes locked in on Emma's body on the ground, Glorfindel gasped horrified before swimming quickly to shore.

There was his precious Emma so deathly still. Her body was soaking wet from the water while the ashes of the Uruk-hai blew in the breeze around the witch

"Emma!" Glorfindel howled with emotion as he ran towards the witch, who looked as if she had passed already. Guilt tore at his insides as the elf threw himself down next to her, trying desperately to find any sign of life from the woman but finding none.

"No!" Glorfindel gasped in despair when he couldn't hear Emma's heartbeat. The elf grabbed his beloved into his arms and sobbed loudly, heartbreak and guilt tearing at his soul.

"What have I done? Valar, what have I done!" Glorfindel cried into the crook of Emma's neck. The elf pulled her lifeless body tighter to his chest while imploring the witch to return to him from the halls of the dead.