(( I'm back! By 'popular demand!' Only... not. I've always felt bad about abandoning this, especially since I've finished the story, in all it's horrid splendor. SO! I promise to finish posting it again by the end of August 2004. To new readers: ignore this, and read. It's boring. To old readers: I'm so sorry! Don't leave me! Please! Bear with me and keep reading! I beg you! The ending isn't perfect, but I love you! And you care, I know you care! breaks down into tears, then slaps self Mm, better... Anyway. Sorry. Enjoy! I'll be good this time! ))

The True Greate Jorney By Ara E R Took

Chapter 1 - The Calling

Agarwaenloth Darkwind was bored out of her mind. She leaned out of her window, long spun gold tresses waving as a gentle breeze tousled them. Ever since her return from Gondor, she had been confined to the palace. Now that her father had sailed across the Sea, and Gimli with him, Waen was confined expressly to her room.

The breeze picked up a bit, evolving into a light wind. Waen watched as trees began to rustle softly, their strong limbs tossed by the moving air. Then a small patch of red caught her eye. She turned ever so slightly and saw that it was a rose, bright red and small enough to be lifted by the breath of wind. It fluttered to a halt just before her on the sill. Agarwaenloth -- a bloodstained blossom.

Waen gently lifted the flower, twirling it by the stem. In that instant the wind caught at it, tearing its petals from the stalk. Waen's eyes followed the petals until they disappeared into the trees. Then she put the bare stem down, climbed out of her window, and began to follow the petals.

They lay in a path as if meant to lead her deep into the Wood. Every few meters she would stop and take up the petals that lay before her, as though they had been meticulously placed for her to gather at ease. It was all unconscious as she moved slowly forward, trance-like; mentally, she was still at her window with the unbroken flower.

Suddenly Waen realized where she was, in the forest bending to retrieve the last petal from among the dirt and dead leaves of the woodland ground. As her fingers curled gently around it, her eyes rose to look before her and she gasped. Before her, as she brought the last petal into contact with her fair smooth skin, from thin air materialized a man who had once been great and walked in Middle Earth. A man who had been dead for years.

(( yay! I'm writing the sequel! Well, this -is- the sequel. Okay, shutting up now... ANYWAY! Who is this mysterious man, hmm? Who indeed?? Bwah hah ha! You'll have to wait for the next chapter! -- which I'm going to post now, since this one was so short. Love you all! Please R&R!! ))