Chapter Three: Gondor, Unexpected Truth
*****One month later*****
"I don't believe this" Merry said happily "I'm as tall as an elf!"
"I know Merry look at me, no one will be calling me a child anymore!" Pippin said happily
"Will you two please be quiet!" Limalo said
"Sorry" Pippin apologized
"We are almost there and all you two can talk about is your height"
"Well excuse me but we're hobbits! We don't just grow to 6 feet in the night" Merry said
"Well were entering the city now so act normal" Kilikai said as they walked in threw the gates.
"I can't wait to see strider," Pippin cried
"Calm down Pippin" Merry said trying to hold in his excitement.
"I can't!"
The two boys almost squealed but Kilikai slammed a hand over both of their faces. "SHH!"
Suddenly a horse, white as snow, burst down the lane. Kilikai had barely enough time to jump out of the way with the boys.
"Watch out!" yelled the horseman back to them. Kilikai made a rude gesture, and then walked back to Limalo.
"Do you have any idea where they were going?"
"No, but I could find out."
She got down on her knees and pressed her ear to the soil. "Their up on the hill by the castle."
"Then that's where we go."
"What?"
"I have to have a word with that horseman," she shouted back to them, dashing off into the crowd. Limalo followed, but not before grabbing Merry's hand.
"Come on!"
Pippin stood air headedly, and then ran after her. He was still confused at how tall he was, even after one whole month and a half. He could actually see over people's heads instead of into their knees. He finally caught up to Limalo, but instead passed her and ran to Kilikai who was sprinting at top speed.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Possibly to arrest, but I'm going to have a word with that horseman," she said as they dashed through the gates of the palace. Kilikai ran up to the nearest guard and stopped him.
"I'm sorry to disturb you but I'm wondering if you could tell me where the horseman that just rode here went."The guard was surprised at first.
"He.he went to see Lord Elessar."
"Thank you."
She ran off towards the castle doors, then ignored the guards and threw the doors open. The horseman who was kneeling with Aragorn turned.
"You!" shouted Kilikai. "Come here!"
He stood. "I must apologize milady, I was only in a hurry, and I did not mean to run over you and your companions."
Kilikai was taken aback. "Apologize?"
"Yes milady," he said with a smile.
Pippin glared. Was this man trying to get on her good side, or was there something more?
The horseman turned back to Aragorn. "My lord, she is in bad condition. She may not make it through the night."
Aragorn leaned back and sighed. "She has to make it. Are you sure the best healers are attending her?"
"Yes, my lord, I saw to it myself. Lady Ifina has not left her side."
"Thank you Verik."
He bowed, then turned and walked away. As he passed Kilikai he stopped and kissed her hand.
"I apologize again, Milady."
"You are forgiven."
"Somehow I don't think an apology is enough. Would you allow me to take you and your companions for nourishment?"
Kilikai smiled. "Of course, kind sir."
Pippin ripped the edge of his cloak angrily.
"Then let us go." He turned and left, not casting another glance at anyone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"...Strider?" Merry walked into the small clearing where an empty basin stood on a pillar of stone. "Strider?"
"Meriadoc Brandybuck?"
"Yes, it is I. Who are you?"
"I am Lady Arwen Evenstar." The voice was muffled.
"Why are you here and not with your people?"
"I chose not to go. But now I fear I should have." Arwen emerged from the shadows, her face fair in the dark, but also pained. She wore a long white dress with a cloak around her shoulders. Her stomach was bandaged as if she had received a horrible wound.
"Lady Evenstar, what happened to you?"
She felt a tear slip down her face. "I am very sick. I was riding here to Minas Tirith when my group was assaulted. I was hit with a poison tipped arrow, and they have not yet found an antidote. And to think: this is the exact same thing that happened to my mother, Celebrian."
Merry didn't know what to say. "That's dreadful."
"The poison will eventually kill me, and they do not think I will make it through the night."
Merry walked to her and took her hand in his. "My lady, for the sake of you and all of middle earth, I hope that you find the cure."
She smiled through her tears. "Thank you Merry."
He bowed and then slowly left as Arwen slumped down onto a bench and buried her face in her hands.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Limalo sat in the café with Pippin and slowly chewed her bread.
"Do you like lembas, Pippin?"
"Yeah!"
"How much did you eat?"
"4 pieces."
"Ouch." Limalo turned to call over the waitress who had been taking their orders for lunch.
"Excuse me?" she called.
"Yes?"
"I need a glass of water over here."
A rugged black haired man suddenly entered the café. The waitress turned to look at him, and a longing formed in her eyes.
"Miss?"
She turned back to Limalo."What was that, sweetie?"
Limalo growled. "Water. Now. Please." The half-elf waitress turned and walked away, a smirk on her face.
"Okay, don't get all hot under the collar!"
She smiled at the black haired man that Limalo suddenly recognized as Elessar. He ignored her, instead turning and looking straight at Pippin who was seated beside Verik, much to his dismay. Verik met eyes with his king and pityingly smiled. Kilikai ate as if she had not eaten for months, making Verik laugh.
"You remind me of a hobbit, Kilikai. Your love for food rivals only your love for your country." She laughed despite the fact they were talking about her.
Limalo growled again when the waitress came back and set down a glass of water half full.
"There you go girlie," she said, patting Limalo's head. Then she turned and walked away.
"What a Pain! Oh I don't believe her.just cuz she's more well-endowed than I am doesn't mean she has to go flaunting it all over the place!" She self- consciously folded her arms over her non-existent front.
Without thinking, Pippin remarked, "I don't know. She may be.bigger.but you're gonna live forever. Who's more fortunate?" The table shared a laugh, including Verik.
"Is anyone sitting here?" the dark-haired man said as he sat down without waiting for an answer. Limalo took another chunk from the meat she held."I can't stand people like her."
Just then the waitress, a Ms. Ifina, returned with a menu for Aragorn. He waved her away."I came here not to eat."
Ifina looked as if she was about to say something, but Aragorn and begun ignoring her again. She looked away dismayed and finally left.
"I think petty distractions like this make me only feel worse."
"My lord, she will be fine," said Verik, taking a drink of his water.
"I fear for her life, Verik. She is so weak."
Kilikai turned to Verik. "Whom are we talking about?"
Verik looked at her. "We are speaking of the Lady Arwen Evenstar of Rivendell."
Pippin perked up. "Arwen?"
Aragorn turned to him. "My, Pippin, how you've grown."
"Long story. What's wrong with Lady Arwen?"
Aragorn looked down sadly. "She is not well. We fear for her life even."
Pippin looked at him shocked. "She may-"
"Die," finished Aragorn.
Verik cast all of them a comforting glance. "Let us hope for the sake of everyone she does not."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Arwen gathered her cloak about her and stepped into the café. She slithered along in the shadows until she reached the table where they sat.
Aragorn stood concerned. "You shouldn't be out of bed!"
"It is just poison, Aragorn. I will slowly die, not on the spot."
He sighed and helped her sit. Limalo still angrily watched the waitress bustle back and forth. Ifina walked by and purposely spilled a bit of water on Limalo's head. She growled and snatched at her, but she was already half way across the room.
"Who's that?" asked Arwen.
"The waitress that treats me like a child"
"I see."
Kilikai stifled her laugh. She knew Limalo was upset over her lack of frontal width and was not as blessed as others.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing at all."
Ifina walked over to the table and poured Limalo another ale.
"Enjoying your beer?"
"Go away."
She sniggered and turned to Kilikai."Oh, you must be her little sister."
Kilikai stood and knocked her pitcher of beer away. "If you think you can push her and I around as you are, you have another thing coming."
"Really?"
She raised a dagger to Ifina's stomach, and out of the watching eyes of the café's occupants. "Really." Ifina swallowed. "Fine. Enjoy your meal." She walked away angrily, retrieving her empty pitcher.
Ifina walked to the kitchen and set down her pitcher. After a moment she raised her hand and blasted the thing away with a burst of magic.
"She comes in here as if she owns him. He shouldn't love her, he should love me," she whimpered, beginning to cry.
*****One month later*****
"I don't believe this" Merry said happily "I'm as tall as an elf!"
"I know Merry look at me, no one will be calling me a child anymore!" Pippin said happily
"Will you two please be quiet!" Limalo said
"Sorry" Pippin apologized
"We are almost there and all you two can talk about is your height"
"Well excuse me but we're hobbits! We don't just grow to 6 feet in the night" Merry said
"Well were entering the city now so act normal" Kilikai said as they walked in threw the gates.
"I can't wait to see strider," Pippin cried
"Calm down Pippin" Merry said trying to hold in his excitement.
"I can't!"
The two boys almost squealed but Kilikai slammed a hand over both of their faces. "SHH!"
Suddenly a horse, white as snow, burst down the lane. Kilikai had barely enough time to jump out of the way with the boys.
"Watch out!" yelled the horseman back to them. Kilikai made a rude gesture, and then walked back to Limalo.
"Do you have any idea where they were going?"
"No, but I could find out."
She got down on her knees and pressed her ear to the soil. "Their up on the hill by the castle."
"Then that's where we go."
"What?"
"I have to have a word with that horseman," she shouted back to them, dashing off into the crowd. Limalo followed, but not before grabbing Merry's hand.
"Come on!"
Pippin stood air headedly, and then ran after her. He was still confused at how tall he was, even after one whole month and a half. He could actually see over people's heads instead of into their knees. He finally caught up to Limalo, but instead passed her and ran to Kilikai who was sprinting at top speed.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Possibly to arrest, but I'm going to have a word with that horseman," she said as they dashed through the gates of the palace. Kilikai ran up to the nearest guard and stopped him.
"I'm sorry to disturb you but I'm wondering if you could tell me where the horseman that just rode here went."The guard was surprised at first.
"He.he went to see Lord Elessar."
"Thank you."
She ran off towards the castle doors, then ignored the guards and threw the doors open. The horseman who was kneeling with Aragorn turned.
"You!" shouted Kilikai. "Come here!"
He stood. "I must apologize milady, I was only in a hurry, and I did not mean to run over you and your companions."
Kilikai was taken aback. "Apologize?"
"Yes milady," he said with a smile.
Pippin glared. Was this man trying to get on her good side, or was there something more?
The horseman turned back to Aragorn. "My lord, she is in bad condition. She may not make it through the night."
Aragorn leaned back and sighed. "She has to make it. Are you sure the best healers are attending her?"
"Yes, my lord, I saw to it myself. Lady Ifina has not left her side."
"Thank you Verik."
He bowed, then turned and walked away. As he passed Kilikai he stopped and kissed her hand.
"I apologize again, Milady."
"You are forgiven."
"Somehow I don't think an apology is enough. Would you allow me to take you and your companions for nourishment?"
Kilikai smiled. "Of course, kind sir."
Pippin ripped the edge of his cloak angrily.
"Then let us go." He turned and left, not casting another glance at anyone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"...Strider?" Merry walked into the small clearing where an empty basin stood on a pillar of stone. "Strider?"
"Meriadoc Brandybuck?"
"Yes, it is I. Who are you?"
"I am Lady Arwen Evenstar." The voice was muffled.
"Why are you here and not with your people?"
"I chose not to go. But now I fear I should have." Arwen emerged from the shadows, her face fair in the dark, but also pained. She wore a long white dress with a cloak around her shoulders. Her stomach was bandaged as if she had received a horrible wound.
"Lady Evenstar, what happened to you?"
She felt a tear slip down her face. "I am very sick. I was riding here to Minas Tirith when my group was assaulted. I was hit with a poison tipped arrow, and they have not yet found an antidote. And to think: this is the exact same thing that happened to my mother, Celebrian."
Merry didn't know what to say. "That's dreadful."
"The poison will eventually kill me, and they do not think I will make it through the night."
Merry walked to her and took her hand in his. "My lady, for the sake of you and all of middle earth, I hope that you find the cure."
She smiled through her tears. "Thank you Merry."
He bowed and then slowly left as Arwen slumped down onto a bench and buried her face in her hands.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Limalo sat in the café with Pippin and slowly chewed her bread.
"Do you like lembas, Pippin?"
"Yeah!"
"How much did you eat?"
"4 pieces."
"Ouch." Limalo turned to call over the waitress who had been taking their orders for lunch.
"Excuse me?" she called.
"Yes?"
"I need a glass of water over here."
A rugged black haired man suddenly entered the café. The waitress turned to look at him, and a longing formed in her eyes.
"Miss?"
She turned back to Limalo."What was that, sweetie?"
Limalo growled. "Water. Now. Please." The half-elf waitress turned and walked away, a smirk on her face.
"Okay, don't get all hot under the collar!"
She smiled at the black haired man that Limalo suddenly recognized as Elessar. He ignored her, instead turning and looking straight at Pippin who was seated beside Verik, much to his dismay. Verik met eyes with his king and pityingly smiled. Kilikai ate as if she had not eaten for months, making Verik laugh.
"You remind me of a hobbit, Kilikai. Your love for food rivals only your love for your country." She laughed despite the fact they were talking about her.
Limalo growled again when the waitress came back and set down a glass of water half full.
"There you go girlie," she said, patting Limalo's head. Then she turned and walked away.
"What a Pain! Oh I don't believe her.just cuz she's more well-endowed than I am doesn't mean she has to go flaunting it all over the place!" She self- consciously folded her arms over her non-existent front.
Without thinking, Pippin remarked, "I don't know. She may be.bigger.but you're gonna live forever. Who's more fortunate?" The table shared a laugh, including Verik.
"Is anyone sitting here?" the dark-haired man said as he sat down without waiting for an answer. Limalo took another chunk from the meat she held."I can't stand people like her."
Just then the waitress, a Ms. Ifina, returned with a menu for Aragorn. He waved her away."I came here not to eat."
Ifina looked as if she was about to say something, but Aragorn and begun ignoring her again. She looked away dismayed and finally left.
"I think petty distractions like this make me only feel worse."
"My lord, she will be fine," said Verik, taking a drink of his water.
"I fear for her life, Verik. She is so weak."
Kilikai turned to Verik. "Whom are we talking about?"
Verik looked at her. "We are speaking of the Lady Arwen Evenstar of Rivendell."
Pippin perked up. "Arwen?"
Aragorn turned to him. "My, Pippin, how you've grown."
"Long story. What's wrong with Lady Arwen?"
Aragorn looked down sadly. "She is not well. We fear for her life even."
Pippin looked at him shocked. "She may-"
"Die," finished Aragorn.
Verik cast all of them a comforting glance. "Let us hope for the sake of everyone she does not."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Arwen gathered her cloak about her and stepped into the café. She slithered along in the shadows until she reached the table where they sat.
Aragorn stood concerned. "You shouldn't be out of bed!"
"It is just poison, Aragorn. I will slowly die, not on the spot."
He sighed and helped her sit. Limalo still angrily watched the waitress bustle back and forth. Ifina walked by and purposely spilled a bit of water on Limalo's head. She growled and snatched at her, but she was already half way across the room.
"Who's that?" asked Arwen.
"The waitress that treats me like a child"
"I see."
Kilikai stifled her laugh. She knew Limalo was upset over her lack of frontal width and was not as blessed as others.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing at all."
Ifina walked over to the table and poured Limalo another ale.
"Enjoying your beer?"
"Go away."
She sniggered and turned to Kilikai."Oh, you must be her little sister."
Kilikai stood and knocked her pitcher of beer away. "If you think you can push her and I around as you are, you have another thing coming."
"Really?"
She raised a dagger to Ifina's stomach, and out of the watching eyes of the café's occupants. "Really." Ifina swallowed. "Fine. Enjoy your meal." She walked away angrily, retrieving her empty pitcher.
Ifina walked to the kitchen and set down her pitcher. After a moment she raised her hand and blasted the thing away with a burst of magic.
"She comes in here as if she owns him. He shouldn't love her, he should love me," she whimpered, beginning to cry.
