Drops of moonlight fell softly onto the floor of the room. A warm breeze lifted the white curtains off the ground and gently towards the bed like fingers reaching out to Arwen's face. Peaceful snores came from Aragorn as he slept, but Arwen was not so peaceful. She tossed and turned, a small yelp passing from her lips ever so often. She opened her eyes, fear eminent. Her silver blue eyes scanned the darkness and over to Aragorn's sweet face. It had been several years since Aragorn had come to the throne of Gondor, and yet his face hadn't aged a bit. She smiled at her husband, the fear leaving her eyes for a slight moment, but the moment soon left and the thought of her dream floated through her head once more. Gently she pulled herself off the bed and over to the curtains and looked at the city below. Moonlight illuminated her face and gave her the soft white glow that had always been about her. Slowly she closed her eyes and let her thoughts drift.
"Why do you hide in the shadows of the night?" Aragorn tenderly asked her, his voice gravely, yet strong, after just waking up.
"Why do you think that I hide?" Arwen stared up into the night sky the stars reflecting in her eyes.
"Because I feel the fear that you have. You are my loved one, and I know when there are changes in your ways." He answered, his voice muffled by a pillow. "You have not slept soundly in nights."
"Amin gorga kaima." She admitted into the warm night air. The last few leaves of summer began to fall to the ground, as fall began to take over but the days were still warm.
"Why do you fear sleep? Sleep has been a faithful friend to us for many nights." He lifted himself off the bed and over to her. The moonlight lit up her small frame, and he was mesmerized by his wife's beautiful looks for the millionth time of his life. Tenderly he put his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. She smiled at him, feeling comfort and at peace.
"Aragorn a dream haunts me. It has for many nights now. A ship passes through the Shire. There are screams, fear and then silence. I see you at your throne, and you cry! Two figures stand the top of a green hill and a fire burns the forest below." She shuddered as the last words dropped of her tongue like poison. Tears began to form in her eyes as the dream flashed once more through her head. Aragorn reached up with his strong hand and wiped away the shimmer as it began to descend down her face.
"Do not fear this dream Arwen. This kingdom will not fail. I made that promise to Boromir so long ago." Aragorn looked away from her beautiful face in shame. Anger still raged through him at the thought of Boromir's death. He fought so hard to save him.
"Aragorn there is nothing that you could have done to save him. Each day we make sure that the lives of those that were lost are remembered. Those are our hopes and dreams. And it is not this kingdom that I fear for. I lose sleep for…" Arwen was interrupted by a man that stood watch of the tower of Gondor.
"My Lord, Lady," he said bowing low before them, "you have visitors and they say that it is urgent!" the young soldier said bowing as he walked out the door.
"My wish is that they wouldn't treat me so!" Aragorn looked at Arwen, her wide eyes shining brightly in the moonlight again. "Perhaps this is our young friends Legolas and Gimli with good new." He smiled at her once more before kissing her softly on the lips. "Come, let worry be no more before us."
Aragorn pushed open the broad oak doors ahead of him and began to make his way into the large Great Hall with Arwen at his side. He had dressed in a soft midnight blue tunic and black leggings. Sword at his side, he grabbed for Arwen's hand. She had dressed in a dark blue, crushed velvet dress to match him, her long black hair gently pulled off her face. She smiled as she entered the room and looked at her guests.
"Long has been the hour, Lord Aragorn, that we have waited for you to emerge from the shadows and you take a shower!" Gandalf's booming voice echoed through the hall. His long white hair was pulled back into half a ponytail. He was dressed in his usual white robes and carried his staff, which never left his side.
"Should you prefer me to come in smelling like horse?" Aragorn laughed as he walked over to Gandalf taking the man into a bear hug.
"If you smell like horse as you sleep I shall pity your wife!" Frodo smiled, walking out from behind Gandalf. The small hobbits face had aged quite a bit in the few years that he had been gone. The grey ship had taken him west and it looked like the Grey Havens were very kind to him.
"Frodo! Gandalf! What bring you two back here? How long has it been since we have last me?" Aragorn asked taking the hobbit up in his arms.
"Too long, but I fear Aragorn, we do not come here for idle chat." Gandalf said, his face becoming dark and he looked wearier than ever.
"Come, we shall sit and speak!" Aragorn smiled at his friends leading them into a small chamber off to the side of the Great Hall. They took up seats around a large wooden table where food and drinks were laid before them. Elves that had chosen to stay with Lady Arwen prepared the food and handed it to them as they sat. Frodo and Gandalf ate steadily for a while before starting into their story.
"Tell me Gandalf, why have you come?" Aragorn said after there had been much eating, drinking and reminiscing. The smile faded from the old withered mans face, and he looked at Aragorn, tired.
"The ships carried us for quite some distance. We saw the shire fade from view a little ways from where we ourselves had left. Frodo's excitement to see the Grey Havens and to be with Bilbo was staggering, rest the poor old Hobbits soul. That's when we saw them." Gandalf stopped as if he was finished with a very good story.
"Bilbo passed away some days into the journey and we laid him to rest at sea. The elves made the funeral very wonderful. I should perhaps that my funeral be so grand." Frodo thought aloud after Gandalf's pause in his story.
"Blessed was that hobbit, and all hobbits." Aragorn smiled at Frodo. He still marveled at these creatures. They were so small, yet the fate of the world rested upon their small shoulders for a time, and they came through magnificently for Middle Earth, and the world of men.
"Come Gandalf, what did you see on the distant shore?" Arwen asked, her vision once more playing through her mind.
"I saw what you know." He told her taking a swig of his drink. Arwen grabbed onto Aragorn's hand and gripped it as hard as she could. Aragorn looked at her then at Gandalf.
"What did you see? What is happening in the west?" Aragorn asked his face becoming tense. He took Arwen's second hand and gave them both a good squeeze.
"Hobbiton is no longer safe. A large band of Orc are gathering from all over Middle Earth. What is worse is some Uruh- kai lived through the final battle. It was thought that they were all killed, and yet some run wild through the forests. They are coming after the hobbits. I am not yet sure who is leading them, but they are planning an uprising. They are to start with the hobbits. They know that Frodo of the Shire is the one that brought their master to doom and they have nothing left to fight for now. It is unclear when the battle is to begin and we must take action soon. Hobbiton will not be able to defend themselves against a battle. They are a peaceful people who don't much venture outside of their little world. They don't even have an Army." Gandalf told them, a solemn look crossing his weathered face.
"Hobbits are quiet. They drink, eat and grow marvelous gardens, and brew fine ales. It is their life. I don't think that there are any left in the Shire that still carry a sword, beyond Sam, Merry and Pippin." Frodo added, the same look in his eyes.
"Ever so often a few extraordinary hobbits are brought forth, but I should like to think that the last call for the brave hobbit was at the final battle of the ring. Aragorn we must be swift in making our way to Hobbiton. Time is short I fear, for these Halflings." Gandalf shuddered at the thought of the Shire being destroyed. "We have come back from the Grey Havens for the battle of peace!" but Gandalf's speech was interrupted by the door to the small room bursting open. In the door way stood a dwarf wrapped in armor and a large axe in his grubby hands. His red hair was wild and messy from what looked like a long journey and his brow was thick with sweat.
"Gimli!" Aragorn raced over to his friend's side with a glass of ale in his hands.
"Aragorn! They have taken him!" Gimli started, his breath short.
"Taken who?" Aragorn asked, the answer already in his mind.
"Legolas! I lost him amongst a clan of thousands, no millions of Orc! They came from out of the forest and chased us. We were coming to warn you of what we saw! The next thing that I knew he was gone!" Gimli sat down in the chair next to Frodo. "I am truly sorry."