Chapter 11.
On the day of their departure the sky was clear, the rays of sunlight filtering down onto the land, illuminating the dew that had fallen, making the grass sparkle like it had been strewn with diamonds.
Arwen looked out over the lands as she lifted Asfaloth's saddle onto his back, then focusing her attention back to the task at hand, drawing the girth strap and adjusting several items in her saddle bags so that the big grey horse was comfortable.
"Are you ready, Arwen?"
She looked up, into her father's face, his gentle voice a soothing balm to the wounds on her soul.
"I am ready Ada." Her voice was resigned as she spoke, the weight that the journey to Gondor imposed, echoed heavily in her voice.
"Be still little Evenstar. All is well." He tried to reassure her.
"All is not well." She told him, placing one foot in the nearest stirrup and swinging up into the saddle. "Pass Luthien up to me." She requested, steadying the horse with the reins in one hand, reaching down to take Luthien with the other.
"Are you sure you can handle her Arwen?" Aragorn asked worriedly, holding his own horse by the reins.
"We are both fine." She told him, leaving no room for argument.
"As you wish then, Lady." Aragorn placated her, as Arwen heeled Asfaloth forward, setting off towards Bree.
Sighing Aragorn mounted his own horse, he and Lord Elrond following behind her, the hobbits Frodo Baggins, and Merry Brandybuck bringing up the rear.
*******
As they rode, Arwen kept to the side of them, slightly away from both Aragorn and her father, a deep piercing pain coming over her. She held Luthien close, protecting the little girl, though Arwen was unsure what she was protecting her daughter from.
The small group travelled swiftly, unhindered by darkness, light, or sleep.
It was dark by the time they rode into Bree, though the watchman let them straight in. At the Inn of the Prancing Pony, where Arwen and the hobbits had stayed on their way to the Shire, the group was met by an escourt of Dunedain, Rangers, the elite guard of Gondor, the king's most prized soldiers.
"King Elessar! Long have we waited for you to return. Did your business in the Shire bode well?" One of the Rangers called to Aragorn.
"All is well Halbarand, son of Halbarad." Aragorn answered to him. "We will stay tonight at the inn. Go and ask Butterbur if he can spare four more rooms."
"Yes my lord."
As they dismounted, one of the Rangers lead Asfaloth off to the stables, promising to bring Arwen's and Luthien's things into the inn.
"Come now Arwen." Elrond told her. "You and Luthien are both safe here." He took her gently by the hand and lead her into the inn.
In the parlor, Arwen stripped off Luthien's wet cloak and vest, placing the child onto one of the large armchairs while Arwen removed her own wet things, pushing the hood of her cloak away from her face.
As she unclasped the broach at her throat, another pair of hands removed the sodden garment from her shoulders. She turned to see Aragorn standing behind her. "I do not ask these things of you, Aragorn. All I want is for you to leave me in peace." She told him.
"My apologies." Aragorn bowed his head to her.
"I will take Luthien upstairs now. She should have a bath and get warmed up." Arwen told him.
Aragorn nodded, his expression pained. He turned away from her. "Butterbur? Would you take Lady Undomiel to her room please?" He called to the barman.
After they had left the inn, Arwen spoke little to the others, remaining aloof, though she reluctantly surrendered Luthien to Aragorn for a short while, riding alone at the edge of the company, Asfaloth restless beneath her.
On the day of their departure the sky was clear, the rays of sunlight filtering down onto the land, illuminating the dew that had fallen, making the grass sparkle like it had been strewn with diamonds.
Arwen looked out over the lands as she lifted Asfaloth's saddle onto his back, then focusing her attention back to the task at hand, drawing the girth strap and adjusting several items in her saddle bags so that the big grey horse was comfortable.
"Are you ready, Arwen?"
She looked up, into her father's face, his gentle voice a soothing balm to the wounds on her soul.
"I am ready Ada." Her voice was resigned as she spoke, the weight that the journey to Gondor imposed, echoed heavily in her voice.
"Be still little Evenstar. All is well." He tried to reassure her.
"All is not well." She told him, placing one foot in the nearest stirrup and swinging up into the saddle. "Pass Luthien up to me." She requested, steadying the horse with the reins in one hand, reaching down to take Luthien with the other.
"Are you sure you can handle her Arwen?" Aragorn asked worriedly, holding his own horse by the reins.
"We are both fine." She told him, leaving no room for argument.
"As you wish then, Lady." Aragorn placated her, as Arwen heeled Asfaloth forward, setting off towards Bree.
Sighing Aragorn mounted his own horse, he and Lord Elrond following behind her, the hobbits Frodo Baggins, and Merry Brandybuck bringing up the rear.
*******
As they rode, Arwen kept to the side of them, slightly away from both Aragorn and her father, a deep piercing pain coming over her. She held Luthien close, protecting the little girl, though Arwen was unsure what she was protecting her daughter from.
The small group travelled swiftly, unhindered by darkness, light, or sleep.
It was dark by the time they rode into Bree, though the watchman let them straight in. At the Inn of the Prancing Pony, where Arwen and the hobbits had stayed on their way to the Shire, the group was met by an escourt of Dunedain, Rangers, the elite guard of Gondor, the king's most prized soldiers.
"King Elessar! Long have we waited for you to return. Did your business in the Shire bode well?" One of the Rangers called to Aragorn.
"All is well Halbarand, son of Halbarad." Aragorn answered to him. "We will stay tonight at the inn. Go and ask Butterbur if he can spare four more rooms."
"Yes my lord."
As they dismounted, one of the Rangers lead Asfaloth off to the stables, promising to bring Arwen's and Luthien's things into the inn.
"Come now Arwen." Elrond told her. "You and Luthien are both safe here." He took her gently by the hand and lead her into the inn.
In the parlor, Arwen stripped off Luthien's wet cloak and vest, placing the child onto one of the large armchairs while Arwen removed her own wet things, pushing the hood of her cloak away from her face.
As she unclasped the broach at her throat, another pair of hands removed the sodden garment from her shoulders. She turned to see Aragorn standing behind her. "I do not ask these things of you, Aragorn. All I want is for you to leave me in peace." She told him.
"My apologies." Aragorn bowed his head to her.
"I will take Luthien upstairs now. She should have a bath and get warmed up." Arwen told him.
Aragorn nodded, his expression pained. He turned away from her. "Butterbur? Would you take Lady Undomiel to her room please?" He called to the barman.
After they had left the inn, Arwen spoke little to the others, remaining aloof, though she reluctantly surrendered Luthien to Aragorn for a short while, riding alone at the edge of the company, Asfaloth restless beneath her.