Ahh, the next installment. Makes me feel warm to my bones. Sorry about the
wait, being in year 12 with school nearly over doesn't give me nearly as
much time to post (or write) as I would like.
Part 68.
Once the Grey Company rode out once more, into the North East Arwen was able to put her worries and grievances behind her and rode swiftly, feeling the wind on her skin, flowing through her hair and making her feel truly alive.
As Aragorn who rose beside her drew Brego to a halt Nallahir followed his lead, pulling up several strides ahead of them, turning to face the others and rising slightly on his hind legs, the big gray horse taking care not to unseat his mistress.
"You seem well Arwen." Aragorn told her, laughing, smiling at her wind tousled hair, and rose colored cheeks, her eyes bright and shining.
"I am well, Estel." She called to him, throwing her arms up above her head. "I am alive and racing the wind. How can I not be happy?"
Then she turned Nallahir from them once more, allowing Nallahir's swift feet to carry her as Aragorn rode hard to bring Brego near to her, crossing over her path, and laughing all the while, rejoicing in the fact that they were alive, in love, and as free as the wind if only for a short while.
When they finally rode back to the others, both horses were blowing, and Arwen and Aragorn were both breathless, clutching at their sides from pain of laughter.
"All seems well here, my little ones." Elrond smiled at them, both flushed and smiling happily.
Arwen smiled and linked her arm through her father's. "It's nice to be out here, just riding and enjoying the breeze."
"I think everyone would agree with you there, Arwen." Legolas called to her, riding up from the back of the Company.
"Don't stray too far now." Elrond warned everyone, "We are almost back in Rivendell."
Arwen let go of his arm, riding to the side of the Company. Without warning Nallahir reared up on his hind legs, almost unseating his mistress. Arwen reacted quickly, squeezing her legs, and throwing her weight up onto the horse's neck, forcing him down. The frightened horse dropped to four feet, then reared again, coming closer to unseating her.
"Hush Nallahir." Arwen called to him, using gentle, honeyed tones. "It's all right my friend. Calm down." She drew on the reins, holding them tightly so that the big horse's chin almost rested against his neck, stopping him from rearing up once more, feeling his energy, now driven into fear, like a coiled spring beneath her.
All the rest had stopped to watch, many with their hearts in their throats, frightened for her.
Aragorn made to ride up beside her and take hold of Nallahir's reins, but Arwen would not let him near her. "Estel he is frightened. I don't know what he's going to do. Please, stay away lest he hurts you." She begged, trying to focus both on her horse and on her husband.
"What is frightening him?" Elladan asked, having never seen Nallahir behave this way before.
"I don't know, but I can't calm him." Arwen said, still using gentle and soothing tones to try and calm the fractious creature. "Be easy my dear friend. All will be well. Tell me what ails you? Let me help Nallahir."
As the horse began to settle, the words of his white-faced mistress finally beginning to have a calming effect on him, Arwen called to her husband. "Aragorn leave Brego and walk over to where we were. See if you can find what frightened him so."
Nodding his head Aragorn dismounted and did as she asked, walking toward the place where Nallahir had taken fright. "There is nothing here, just trees and underbrush. Nothing that should frighten him so."
Slowly, carefully he walked over to where Nallahir stood, his mistress still astride the frightened creature. Aragorn reached up to his wife, helping her from the saddle.
Arwen turned her attention to the companion who had seen her through so much, passing a gentle hand over his heaving flanks, and speaking softly to him, using words that Aragorn did not quite understand. Finally she turned to Aragorn. "I cannot suffer him to be ridden now. He has taken a grievous fright, though I do not know the source of it."
"Then ride with me on Brego." Aragorn told her, "He will bear us both."
"Let me finish attending to Nallahir." She said to him, her blue eyes pleading.
"As you wish." Aragorn told her. "It will give the stragglers time to catch us up."
Arwen turned from him once more, opening a blue phial taken from her belt and poured a sprinkle of powder into the palm of her hand, then offering it to the horse.
He sniffed at it and nuzzled into her hand, content to stand there with his mistress. After a time Arwen suffered herself to helped astride Brego by Aragorn, insisting that she lead Nallahir beside them.
The hobbits began to realize that their surroundings were becoming more and more familiar.
"Lady,' Frodo began, "That is, you Highness is it my imagination, or have we been here before?"
"We have been here before Frodo. We walked along there." Arwen pointed to a path not far from their own. "We will be back in Rivendell soon."
"It will be nice to see Bilbo again. I hope he is well." Frodo said to her.
"I'm sure Bilbo will be fine, Frodo. He may yet have finished writing his adventures into his red book. I think he waits for you though, and all of the adventures you have brought home with you." Arwen smiled.
"Are there any Elves left in Rivendell?" Sam asked.
"There are always Elves in Rivendell, Sam. There will always be Elves there." Aragorn answered.
"You are right, Estel." Elrond agreed. "There will always be Elves in Rivendell, for it is a safe haven for my people."
"What do you think people will say when we get back to the Shire, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked.
"Where have you been?, perhaps. What were you doing?" Frodo answered him.
"Before you leave Rivendell Sam, there is something I would give to you." Arwen said to the young hobbit.
"You don't have to give me anything Queen Arwen." Sam mumbled.
"Nonetheless I have something I want to give to you. It may be of use to you one day." She told him.
Sam went red and mumbled his thanks.
Part 69.
It was late afternoon before the company reached the gates of Rivendell, met there by Orphalos and Nalas, two of the Elves who had stayed behind at Rivendell.
"Welcome home, my Lords and Lady! The Grace of the Valar has protected you on your journey!" One of the pair called out.
As he spoke Aragorn dismounted, and began to lead Brego, still carrying Arwen in through the gates.
Out of nowhere a silver blur streaked down from the sky, hovering above Arwen for a moment, before landing on her outstretched arm. She stroked the silver falcon gently, speaking softly to him. Then she untied the message attatched to his leg and offered the falcon a drink of water from her flask. "Well done my friend. You have traveled well. Take some rest now Elessar." She said to the tired bird.
Hours later, all of the weary travellers were washed and rested from their long, wearisome journey.
Elrond had ordered a feast in honor of his daughter's journey to Rivendell.
He held a cup of wine in his outstretched hand, and began to speak. "Much has changed friends of old, since we last sat about this table together. There have been coronations and weddings, many long and toilsome journeys, and many, many dangers faced by those present. Now here we sit together once more. Now instead of waiting for Mordor to come to us we wait instead for the birth of a child. My grandchild. May the grace of the Valar shine upon all who sit at this table, forever and always." He finished.
Aragorn smiled, laying his hand on Arwen's expanding stomach, feeling the new life there.
For two blissful weeks the weary travelers recovered their strength in the beautiful gardens of Rivendell, once tended to by Lady Arwen herself.
In this time Arwen busied herself taking cuttings from her favourite plants, and gathering seeds from those that would bear them. In a large flask she collected water from her fountain, and in small crystal jars she placed soil from the wonderful gardens of Rivendell.
Part 68.
Once the Grey Company rode out once more, into the North East Arwen was able to put her worries and grievances behind her and rode swiftly, feeling the wind on her skin, flowing through her hair and making her feel truly alive.
As Aragorn who rose beside her drew Brego to a halt Nallahir followed his lead, pulling up several strides ahead of them, turning to face the others and rising slightly on his hind legs, the big gray horse taking care not to unseat his mistress.
"You seem well Arwen." Aragorn told her, laughing, smiling at her wind tousled hair, and rose colored cheeks, her eyes bright and shining.
"I am well, Estel." She called to him, throwing her arms up above her head. "I am alive and racing the wind. How can I not be happy?"
Then she turned Nallahir from them once more, allowing Nallahir's swift feet to carry her as Aragorn rode hard to bring Brego near to her, crossing over her path, and laughing all the while, rejoicing in the fact that they were alive, in love, and as free as the wind if only for a short while.
When they finally rode back to the others, both horses were blowing, and Arwen and Aragorn were both breathless, clutching at their sides from pain of laughter.
"All seems well here, my little ones." Elrond smiled at them, both flushed and smiling happily.
Arwen smiled and linked her arm through her father's. "It's nice to be out here, just riding and enjoying the breeze."
"I think everyone would agree with you there, Arwen." Legolas called to her, riding up from the back of the Company.
"Don't stray too far now." Elrond warned everyone, "We are almost back in Rivendell."
Arwen let go of his arm, riding to the side of the Company. Without warning Nallahir reared up on his hind legs, almost unseating his mistress. Arwen reacted quickly, squeezing her legs, and throwing her weight up onto the horse's neck, forcing him down. The frightened horse dropped to four feet, then reared again, coming closer to unseating her.
"Hush Nallahir." Arwen called to him, using gentle, honeyed tones. "It's all right my friend. Calm down." She drew on the reins, holding them tightly so that the big horse's chin almost rested against his neck, stopping him from rearing up once more, feeling his energy, now driven into fear, like a coiled spring beneath her.
All the rest had stopped to watch, many with their hearts in their throats, frightened for her.
Aragorn made to ride up beside her and take hold of Nallahir's reins, but Arwen would not let him near her. "Estel he is frightened. I don't know what he's going to do. Please, stay away lest he hurts you." She begged, trying to focus both on her horse and on her husband.
"What is frightening him?" Elladan asked, having never seen Nallahir behave this way before.
"I don't know, but I can't calm him." Arwen said, still using gentle and soothing tones to try and calm the fractious creature. "Be easy my dear friend. All will be well. Tell me what ails you? Let me help Nallahir."
As the horse began to settle, the words of his white-faced mistress finally beginning to have a calming effect on him, Arwen called to her husband. "Aragorn leave Brego and walk over to where we were. See if you can find what frightened him so."
Nodding his head Aragorn dismounted and did as she asked, walking toward the place where Nallahir had taken fright. "There is nothing here, just trees and underbrush. Nothing that should frighten him so."
Slowly, carefully he walked over to where Nallahir stood, his mistress still astride the frightened creature. Aragorn reached up to his wife, helping her from the saddle.
Arwen turned her attention to the companion who had seen her through so much, passing a gentle hand over his heaving flanks, and speaking softly to him, using words that Aragorn did not quite understand. Finally she turned to Aragorn. "I cannot suffer him to be ridden now. He has taken a grievous fright, though I do not know the source of it."
"Then ride with me on Brego." Aragorn told her, "He will bear us both."
"Let me finish attending to Nallahir." She said to him, her blue eyes pleading.
"As you wish." Aragorn told her. "It will give the stragglers time to catch us up."
Arwen turned from him once more, opening a blue phial taken from her belt and poured a sprinkle of powder into the palm of her hand, then offering it to the horse.
He sniffed at it and nuzzled into her hand, content to stand there with his mistress. After a time Arwen suffered herself to helped astride Brego by Aragorn, insisting that she lead Nallahir beside them.
The hobbits began to realize that their surroundings were becoming more and more familiar.
"Lady,' Frodo began, "That is, you Highness is it my imagination, or have we been here before?"
"We have been here before Frodo. We walked along there." Arwen pointed to a path not far from their own. "We will be back in Rivendell soon."
"It will be nice to see Bilbo again. I hope he is well." Frodo said to her.
"I'm sure Bilbo will be fine, Frodo. He may yet have finished writing his adventures into his red book. I think he waits for you though, and all of the adventures you have brought home with you." Arwen smiled.
"Are there any Elves left in Rivendell?" Sam asked.
"There are always Elves in Rivendell, Sam. There will always be Elves there." Aragorn answered.
"You are right, Estel." Elrond agreed. "There will always be Elves in Rivendell, for it is a safe haven for my people."
"What do you think people will say when we get back to the Shire, Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked.
"Where have you been?, perhaps. What were you doing?" Frodo answered him.
"Before you leave Rivendell Sam, there is something I would give to you." Arwen said to the young hobbit.
"You don't have to give me anything Queen Arwen." Sam mumbled.
"Nonetheless I have something I want to give to you. It may be of use to you one day." She told him.
Sam went red and mumbled his thanks.
Part 69.
It was late afternoon before the company reached the gates of Rivendell, met there by Orphalos and Nalas, two of the Elves who had stayed behind at Rivendell.
"Welcome home, my Lords and Lady! The Grace of the Valar has protected you on your journey!" One of the pair called out.
As he spoke Aragorn dismounted, and began to lead Brego, still carrying Arwen in through the gates.
Out of nowhere a silver blur streaked down from the sky, hovering above Arwen for a moment, before landing on her outstretched arm. She stroked the silver falcon gently, speaking softly to him. Then she untied the message attatched to his leg and offered the falcon a drink of water from her flask. "Well done my friend. You have traveled well. Take some rest now Elessar." She said to the tired bird.
Hours later, all of the weary travellers were washed and rested from their long, wearisome journey.
Elrond had ordered a feast in honor of his daughter's journey to Rivendell.
He held a cup of wine in his outstretched hand, and began to speak. "Much has changed friends of old, since we last sat about this table together. There have been coronations and weddings, many long and toilsome journeys, and many, many dangers faced by those present. Now here we sit together once more. Now instead of waiting for Mordor to come to us we wait instead for the birth of a child. My grandchild. May the grace of the Valar shine upon all who sit at this table, forever and always." He finished.
Aragorn smiled, laying his hand on Arwen's expanding stomach, feeling the new life there.
For two blissful weeks the weary travelers recovered their strength in the beautiful gardens of Rivendell, once tended to by Lady Arwen herself.
In this time Arwen busied herself taking cuttings from her favourite plants, and gathering seeds from those that would bear them. In a large flask she collected water from her fountain, and in small crystal jars she placed soil from the wonderful gardens of Rivendell.