Chapter 12:
Years passed and the Lady Arwen grew tall and beautiful, her long hair and white face bringing tales of her beauty throughout Arda, especially to the Elves scattered around Middle Earth. There was often talk of her being troth-plighted to a Prince, though nothing ever came of it. Elrond and Celebrian refused to marry their daughter off. But as she grew ever graceful, she would often be asked about marriage. But Arwen was too high-spirited to agree to marriage to a stranger, Elrond knew and they eventually dropped the subject. It was just as well, for the next week came bad tidings from Lorien.
Celebrian had been visiting her parents in Lothlorien for some time and Elrond was getting lonesome for his wife. She told her husband before she left that her visit would not last longer that a few weeks. As the days went on without her arrival, Elrond began to worry and worry. He had made sure she was armed with an escort that was comprised of his best soldiers, for there had been rumours of orc activity near the Redhorn Pass. But a letter from Lorien made him worry about her. It had been from her mother Galadriel, stating that her daughter had not arrived at the correct time. This was not like his wife, so he sent for Elladan, Elrohir and Morié and paced as the three entered breathlessly from the archery butts.
Outlining the situation, he saw the twins eyes go wide in shock and then narrow at the word orcs. Morié said nothing as she stood there, simply watching her uncle pace and fidget. As the twins departed, she walked over to Elrond and whispered something in his ear. Nodding, Elrond watched her walk out with her back straight and sighed. Then, he set about his office and opened his cupboard., There, hanging in the closet was his armour from the Last Alliance and he took it down with a sigh. Smoothing the metal, he smiled as he opened the box beside it and took out a sword engraved with ancient runes, the blade still as sharp as it had been centuries ago. Laying it on the bench, he walked out regally and left it sitting there...
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Morié sat straight in the saddle of her stallion Eriador as they rode towards the Redhorn Pass, her breast covered in the armour Elrond had given her from his chamber. Next to her thigh sat the blade, its sheath shining in the sun and her daggers clicking together in the armour. As they stopped at the entrance, she squinted her eyes and saw a body on the ground. Riding past the others, she entered the Pass and stared in shock as the twins rode up beside her. The Pass was littered with elven bodies, all bearing the armour and standards of Imladris. Hopping off her horse, Morié bent down to check the pulse of the warriors and began to chant a death song as she felt no movement.
Then, her gaze was caught by a flash of white near the end of the Path. Running to it, she saw the crumpled body of her aunt, lifeless and still. Sobbing, she fell to her knees and cradled the body in her arms, stroking the hair away to see her aunt's mouth still moving. Smiling through her tears, she yelled out to the Riders "Nan Belain, Elladan a Elrohir! He cuinar!" As the twins raced over and knelt by their mother, she signalled to the warriors and told them to prepare the litter for Imladris. As two ran over with the litter, she lifted her aunt in her arms and laid her gently on the material. Then, she yelled out to the warriors the command "Tolo. An Imladris" as the litter rose and they began to march back to the Hidden City. As they marched, Morié looked around carefully with the bow resting on her knee in readiness for any skirmishes...
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Morié stood weeping as the pale form of her aunt stood on the boat taking her to the Grey Havens a year later. Waving, Celebrian faded into the distance and the elves watched the boat until the speck disappeared into the horizon. As Elrond took the arms of his sons and began to walk back to the carriage, Morié turned to see the young Arwen standing there with her eyes fixed on the horizon. Bending down on her knees, the taller elleth planted a kiss on her cousin's head and then led her towards the carriages.
Looking back as they walked, a tear rolled down Morié's cheek as her gaze lingered on the horizon but she ignored it and turned back to her cousin, whispering the words "Oltho vae ne fuin hen ned naneth nin, Arwen. She will watch over you in your dreams each night and you will see her one day."
Then, she stepped into the carriage and watched the landscape fly by as the silent carriage rode towards their Elven home and the new life they had to face without her...
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Nan belain, Elladan a Elrohir! He cuinar - By the Valar, Elladan and Elrohir! She lives
Tolo. An Imladris - Come. To Rivendell
Oltho vae ne fuin hen ned naneth nin, Arwen - My you dream well tonight of your mother, Arwen.