Chapter Three: Return to Middle Earth.
"It was two weeks ago your kinsmen left us, they will have reached Minas Tirith with ease."
Gandalf stood,
"Well Lady, I at least will ride with you, for I have rested well here and I would see Aragorn again." Before Atùvinel could voice her thanks, Frodo, who had been silent ever since Atùvinel had begun to speak, rose also.
"I too will ride with you Lady. For I too wish to see Aragorn again, but also my kinsmen Merry, Sam and Pippin." Bilbo and Elrond both declined the offer, Bilbo on account of his age and Elrond as he said that it was not for him to do anything but give wisdom in this age of Middle Earth. However he took Atùvinel aside and they conferred long into the evening. She emerged into the large room again, a letter folded close in her hand, which she tucked securely into her quiver of arrows. They were long and slender, tipped with silver metal and steadied with grey feathers. The quiver was not unlike the one that Frodo had seen Legolas Greenleaf the Elf bearing on their long quest.
Swiftly she unloaded her horse and left it to graze and roam as he would. She began to make a bed of blankets on the hearth but noon of the companions would allow that, and they showed her into a small room, previously unnoticed, simply containing a bed and small table.
She sat at this for a while, staring longingly out the window towards her homeland. There was some fear and uncertainty in her eyes, for she had no way of knowing whether she would ever see her home or her family ever again, for no one had ever crossed to the Havens and returned.
The next morning she awoke with the sunlight on her face to find that Gandalf and Frodo were ready to leave. After a light breakfast Atùvinel gratefully received provisions which she stored in her horse's packs. When they were ready to bid Elrond and Bilbo goodbye she led her horse over to the group.
"This is Nafalon. We grew up together, his sire Shadowfax waits at the shores of the sea for his master: Gandalf the white to return. None except I and my brother have ridden him since your parting, and then only in jest. For he will bear no other and his gaze in the stable often turns this way." Gandalf nodded, deep in thought and together, he mounted a horse and Frodo a pony. Atùvinel swung up into her saddle last and turned, standing upright in the stirrups.
"Namárië Elrond, Halfelven, Grandfather. Namárië Bilbo of the Shire."
"Goodbye. Bring Frodo back soon won't you? And be sure to add this into that big red book of yours, my boy."
"I will Bilbo, I will."
"Namárië Elf daughter. Namárië."
Nafalon wheeled and together the two cantered down the road, the hobbit and wizard following.
It is said that one journey across the sea is blessed, but the second journey is not so kind. A day and a night they voyaged, sleeping restlessly and anticipating their return to Middle Earth; Atùvinel with the joy that comes with homecoming, Frodo with delight at the though of seeing his friends again, but worry about their role to play, Gandalf thought over what Atùvinel had told them, then slept.
They disembarked and were startled to see a small company of armed men, not in the livery of the tower, but that of the white wood of Ithilien, waiting for them. One man, dressed not in the common livery, that of a green tunic and mail, with silver acorns beneath a white mallorn tree, but with gold acorns, stepped forward, leaving his horse with another rider.
"My Lady." Atùvinel smiled and nodded and she reined Nafalon in.
"Bergil. Lords Frodo and Gandalf; this is Bergil, son of Beregond. My father has ordered him to shadow my every move. He follows me everywhere." She moved among the men, after introducing Bergil, laughing and greeting each as a friend and a long companion. Every man bowed slightly in the saddle as she passed but spoke to her as a niece, not as a Princess.
Bergil explained to the hobbit and the wizard that they would begin riding immediately and would hope to reach the walls of Minas Tirith three days hence. Atùvinel trotted over to them again, leading a great, silver-white horse, with a smooth mane and coat. He bore himself proudly, head high and neck straight. As soon as he sensed his old master he whinnied. Atùvinel leant over from her seat on Nafalon to whisper in Shadowfax's ear. Then, with a pat on his withers, she sent him to his master.
Bergil assembled the company on the path, some ahead of Atùvinel, Frodo and Gandalf, some behind. They travelled at quite a fast pace, but not punishing for the horses. Atùvinel informed Frodo and Gandalf of changes in the realm where her father reigned, for it seemed that she was well versed in the doings of the land and of all it's people. She told of the routing of the Southrons, and the meeting of the rest of the Fellowship. The rest of the journey she spent in conference with Bergil and some other men, who Frodo learned to be Rangers.
The second day travelling east they camped near the fair woods of Ithilien. Atùvinel however did not dismount for long. She cast her saddlebags on the ground and remounted.
"I go to the courier post." She called, "Bergil, Mandmar will ride with me." A tall fair man on a dark roan horse trotted up to her side, he was a ranger and wore the same green and brown garments that Aragorn used to wear, as Strider. Bergil nodded his consent from his kneeling position on the ground, where he was struggling to light a fire.
The men began to prepare for the night, but Frodo and Gandalf drew near to the main fire, and the small group of men huddled there. As they sat on logs, Bergil, clearly the leader of the company, dismissed the other men to go and start their own fires and cook what food they had. There were in total, perhaps ten men in the clearing where they camped.
Frodo broke the quiet,
"So tell us of the Lady Atùvinel. Why do so many Dûnedain ride with her?" Bergil answered easily,
"Because she is the Lady of the Dûnedain, and the sword she bears is the blade of Andar, King Aragorn's great forefather. It is well named Sithelon, -'blade of the wood' in the elf tongue for in the wood it was made and in the eves of the Golden wood she received it.
"The Lady has ridden ever since she could sit upright and is skilled in arms. The Lady of the Shield-arm, Éowyn taught her how to wield a sword and I how to shoot."
A pleasant time passed in this way, Bergil telling the travellers tales of Atùvinel and her brother Eldarion's past.
"She is kind and brave, and although she does not kill readily, she is a warrior I would have at my side in many a battle."
Before another word could be said, a dreadful shriek rent the air. Men swiftly rose to their feet and drew their swords as a creature fell into the firelight. A strange combination of goblin and Southron it seemed to be, dark brown in colour with red eyes and a matted, forked beard. It fell to the ground, a slender arrow imbedded in its back. A clear horn call rang as Mandmar burst into the circle on his horse alone. He wheeled his mount around and raised his sword again to charge.
I know I'm mean to leave you on a cliffhanger like that, but hey, if it keeps you coming back… Please read and review…