She stopped suddenly. She had been riding for the whole night and part of the day, without sign of tiring. This was not a mere rest for Arwen. Something had just then hit her, something dark. It had finally found its way to him, and struck him hard. Aragorn did not now have much time left, for death was very close. So close, that she could feel the bitter taste of it inside her mouth. She closed her eyes, and could now sense him, and all the pain that was driving into him. But there was a change in the wind patterns. Aragorn was no longer with what remained of the fellowship. He had been left behind. Though closer he was now than previously she had expected, there was still a long was to go, and Arwen had to quicken her pace. The many wars of men and elves had now begun.
Arwen whispered softly to Asfaloth, and swiftly they turned east. "May the grace of Valar protect you" she said in a soft, hushed voice, kissing her fingertips gently and pressing them against her ring. With a strong picture of Estel and the Evenstar in driving her, she sped off into the cold, lonely woods.
Water surrounded him everywhere. In his mouth, his ears, weighting his whole body. It was a miracle in itself that Aragorn had survived the fall, let alone the fact that he had not drowned. But the worst was not yet over. Not over by a long shot. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness, and any of his remaining strength had been spent keeping his head above the water; so much so that he was not able to conduct the movement of his limbs to lift himself out of the water. Even if he could, there was doubt in his mind that he would be able to keep a hold of himself mentally long enough to do so. In the midst of his delirium, he thought he heard a voice call out to him. He felt a soft kiss against his lips, and the wind whispered "May the grace of Valar protect you." That was not the voice of the wind, but rather, the voice of a woman he had known long ago. Arwen's voice. Aragorn struggled to cry out to her, for her. But no sound again came from the air, and the voice was gone. Feel helpless and despaired, Aragorn once again gave into the darkness that had seized his mind.
It was not until sometime later that Aragorn felt a soft nudging against his back. He tried to ignore it, but it would not leave him be. He groaned a little, and opened his eyes. Silence and light were all around him. There was something else also, something he had before known. "It cannot be!" He whispered.
Arwen whispered softly to Asfaloth, and swiftly they turned east. "May the grace of Valar protect you" she said in a soft, hushed voice, kissing her fingertips gently and pressing them against her ring. With a strong picture of Estel and the Evenstar in driving her, she sped off into the cold, lonely woods.
Water surrounded him everywhere. In his mouth, his ears, weighting his whole body. It was a miracle in itself that Aragorn had survived the fall, let alone the fact that he had not drowned. But the worst was not yet over. Not over by a long shot. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness, and any of his remaining strength had been spent keeping his head above the water; so much so that he was not able to conduct the movement of his limbs to lift himself out of the water. Even if he could, there was doubt in his mind that he would be able to keep a hold of himself mentally long enough to do so. In the midst of his delirium, he thought he heard a voice call out to him. He felt a soft kiss against his lips, and the wind whispered "May the grace of Valar protect you." That was not the voice of the wind, but rather, the voice of a woman he had known long ago. Arwen's voice. Aragorn struggled to cry out to her, for her. But no sound again came from the air, and the voice was gone. Feel helpless and despaired, Aragorn once again gave into the darkness that had seized his mind.
It was not until sometime later that Aragorn felt a soft nudging against his back. He tried to ignore it, but it would not leave him be. He groaned a little, and opened his eyes. Silence and light were all around him. There was something else also, something he had before known. "It cannot be!" He whispered.
