7-1-03

Hello!  I have reposted this today because I found an error in it, which has now been corrected.  Thanks all!

8. The Black Standard

The next two days passed swiftly for Eleriel; she had not realized how nice it was to have a break from the patrols in the forest. She did not bring up the subject of a hidden destiny again to her father, and he did not mention it either. She spent her time practicing her archery and knife-work (she avoided the sword work whenever possible), and she walked in the gardens with friends and family. Unfortunately, she was also forced to spend some amounts of time with Galdor.

During the afternoon of her second day in Imladris, Galdor came across Eleriel reading in a secluded part of the gardens. "Eleriel!" he cried. "How are you today?" He bowed politely.

Eleriel sighed, but put her book down and stood to acknowledge Galdor. "I am well today, my Lord."

"Excellent! Then would you walk with me today? It is beautiful weather, and I have not looked at these gardens in awhile."

Eleriel had in fact seen him walk through these gardens just the day before while she had been with Arwen, but she forced a smile onto her face and took his arm, because she knew it was what was expected of her. They wandered the gardens for a good two hours, and Eleriel was forced to endure Galdor's mindless chatter.

"You've missed quite a bit while you've been gone down in the Golden Wood. I don't know if you knew about it but your father held a big council here some months ago... people attended from all over Middle Earth, even hobbits from the Shire. I was there, of course... I can't speak of it to you, but it's just one thing that happened in your absence." Eleriel knew he was talking of the council that decided to send the Fellowship to Mordor, but she let him talk, because it was what he seemed happiest doing. He chattered on about everything but nothing at all, and Eleriel let her mind wander.

Her mind went to Legolas. She found herself thinking of him sadly, wondering what he was doing at that moment (boating down the Anduin, most likely). She also found herself wondering if he was thinking of her. Eleriel shook herself. Stop that! she said to herself, but her mind almost immediatly went to Lissiel's words just a couple of days before. Who was lying? Lissiel or Legolas? Eleriel sighed and looked mournfully at a rosebush with vivid red blossoms. The most wonderful thing about Imladris was that it seemed to be springtime all year round. The red roses only reminded her of her brief marriage to Legolas, and once again her thoughts returned to Lissiel's comment. Even if it is a lie, she admitted to herself, Lissiel is right. Eleriel blushed just thinking that, and her thoughts were interrupted by her forgotten companion.

"Why do you blush, dear Eleriel?" Galdor asked, and Eleriel realized that he was offering her a bright red rose. She blushed even harder, because she knew he thought she blushed because of his attention.

"Oh, Galdor! How lovely!" she lied through her teeth. It was, in fact, no different than the hundreds of other roses in the garden.

Eventually she managed to pry herself away from Galdor. She went to retrieve her book from the bench where she had left it, and was surprised to see her father there with Arwen and the twins.

"Elladan! Elrohir! When did you return? I thought you were out with the Rangers!" Eleriel cried, rushing to greet her brothers.

They both stood and hugged her. Elladan grinned. "We just got back a few minutes ago, Eleriel, and found Father all flustered."

"Flustered." Eleriel didn't believe it, and turned to Elrond. "Flustered, Father?"

"I was not flustered," he snapped. "We've been waiting for you... Arwen said this is where we could find you. Sit."

Eleriel sat obediantly. Elrond pulled out a letter, and read it aloud to them:

Aragorn has need of his kindred. Let the Dunedain ride to him in Rohan!

There was a silence. "What else does it say?" Arwen said finally.

Elrond shook his head. "That's it."

"Grandmother must have sent that," Eleriel said slowly. "Who else would know where he is?"

"But the question is," said Elrohir, "why is he in Rohan, of all places?

Another silence met this comment. Finally Elrond spoke again. "That matters not. All that matters is what the note says. If Aragorn will need his kinsmen, then we shall send them to him." Elrond turned to his sons. "Elladan, Elrohir, can you gather as many of the Dunedain as possible in the next week? I know you have just returned, but..."

"It's alright, Father," Elladan said, cutting his father off. "We don't mind."

"But we'll only do it if you let us go with the Dunedain to find Aragorn," Elrohir added, and his brother nodded.

"Of course I'll let you," Elrond said. "You're grown elves now; it is not my choice to make."

"Then you'll let me go with them as well?" Eleriel said quietly, and everyone froze.

"Eleriel," Elrond said slowly. "You are my daughter, and my first child. Yours is an entirely different situation."

"Father, I was going to leave in a few days anyway."

He sighed. "Very well. But I do not like it!" Elrond turned to Arwen. "The time is drawing near," he said solemnly. "He will have to choose, soon."

Arwen nodded. "He will accept the crown," she said. "But I do not understand why he must be a King."

"Because," Elrond said, more harshly than he had intended, "you are giving up everything-everything!-for him, and I will not have you do it for anything less than a King." Eleriel glanced at the twins, sensing the tension in the situation. It was obviously a common argument, but Eleriel and the twins wanted nothing to do with it. However, when they tried to sneak away, Elrond called them back.

"Elladan, Elrohir, I expect you to gather the Rangers as soon as possible, and be back here in a week, if possible." The twins nodded, and departed silently. Elrond turned to Eleriel. "Will you remain until the twins return?" She nodded, and Elrond dismissed his daughters.

Arwen and Eleriel walked towards Arwen's chambers. Arwen broke the silence and said, "I have been making a gift for Aragorn in my free time."

"Indeed? What is it?" Eleriel asked, curious.

"I will show you." Arwen entered her chambers with Eleriel on her heels. She opened a drawer and pulled out a magnificent black standard. On it was embroidered a silver tree and stars, the symbol of Gondor.

"Oh, Arwen!" Eleriel breathed. "It's beautiful." And it was. It was not quite completed yet, but Eleriel knew that it would be before the twins returned.

"Will you give it to him, Eleriel?" Arwen asked ernestley. "It's ever so important to me."

"I think it would be better to have one of his kinsmen do it, Arwen," Eleriel said. "I am flattered that you ask me, but perhaps having one of the Rangers do it will remind him of his duties more."

Arwen nodded, and carefully returned the banner to its drawer. "Eleriel, you haven't said much about this. Tell me honestly, are you happy for me?"

Eleriel looked at her sister in shock. "Arwen! Of course I am!" She said quickly. Arwen looked at her, and Eleriel shrugged uncomfortably. "Well, I am not happy about the fact that... that you will die. I am happy for you, but I..." her voice trailed away as she thought of her beautiful sister, the Evenstar, fading away, aging, her skin wrinkling and her wonderful dark hair being marred with streaks of gray.

Arwen shook her head. "I understand, Eleriel. It was not a fair question."

The talk turned away to more comfortable topics, until Eleriel returned to her own chambers late at night.

After changing her clothes, Eleriel gazed out the window. She looked into the sky at the bright stars twinkling in the black sky, and picked out a single shining star: the north star. She remembered standing in a garden with a certain elven prince, standing hand in hand with him and gazing at the star above.

Flashback:

"Look, Eleriel! The north star! I used to spend hours as a child watching that star."
"Did you? I watched for Eärendil."
He laughed before kissing her tenderly. "It's hard to believe we have barely been married for a few months."
"But Legolas," she reminded him, "we have yet to go through the official ceremony.
He sighed. "Yes, I know. But Father's been putting it off... I don't know why exactly, but I think he must be extremely busy... he normally wouldn't just put it off."
"Of course. I understand." She reached up and pulled his face back down for a kiss, the stars in the sky forgotten for the moment.

In her window in Imladris, Eleriel sighed and went to bed.

The next few days passed swiftly in the House of Elrond. Preparations were being made; horses prepared, provisions packed. Arwen worked feverishly on her banner, insistent that it be perfect in every way. Elrond had actually asked Eleriel to take time off from the preparations to practice her weaponry; Eleriel knew that this was because he would worry about her safety while she was traveling. Even though she was an extremely talented warrior, she was, after all, his daughter, and he would worry.

When a week came and went, Elrond started to worry about the twins as well. He sent out scouts to search for him, and in the end it was a total of nine days before the twins returned. They brought with them thirty Rangers.

"I am Halbarad," one of the men said, introducing himself. "I lead these men in the absence of our leader Aragorn, son of Arathorn."

Elrond bowed and pleasantries were exchanged. The thirty Rangers gathered in the Great Hall of Rivendell with Elrond and his children. Elrond explained to them that they had heard word that Aragorn was in need of his kinsmen, and that he was in Rohan at this moment. The men were solemn, and Elrond sent them off to bed, because they would depart early in the morning. Eleriel and the twins were also sent away, and Arwen stayed up late talking with her father.

The next morning the company departed. Arwen pressed the banner into Halbarad's hands, and said words to him that Eleriel could not hear. Elrond took Eleriel and the twins aside and reminded them that they we're going with the Rangers for support, and it was not their place to interfere. "This is a test for Men," Elrond explained, "and they must learn to deal with their problems on their own, as we all must. So, if you can help it, leave the decision making up to them." He then embraced his three children and bid them farewell.

Just as the rays of the sun were breaking over the mountains and extending over the valley, the riders, all thirty three of them, set out away from the Homely House.

"So it begins," Elrond said softly to himself. "War begins for the kingdoms of men. Let us hope that they are strong enough to survive it." He turned and walked into his study, closing the door behind him, leaving Arwen alone in the courtyard, pondering his words.