Chapter 5
A New Chance at Life

'Oh, my head.'

Pain, all she felt was intense pain. Auranor's head was throbbing, and she felt sick to the stomach. She tried to open her eyes, but they refuse to obey. Her body felt incredibly weak, as if she had been trampled by a herd of horses from the Riddermark. The only thing she could focus on was the great pain. She wished it would subside, but the more she wished, the more she hurt. 'If only the ground would stop moving and wasn't so wet, I may feel a little better,' she thought.

'Wait. The ground is moving and it's wet. Where am I? Am I on a horse? Oh, no! If I am on a horse, I can't be leading it if I can't even open my eyes. The beast is riding on without command of a rider. Where is it taking me? I will be lost somewhere in Middle-Earth without the slightest idea of where I am or where to go.' Panic was sinking in. 'Uggghh! Come on eyes, open!"

Auranor finally managed to open her eyes, and see that her assumption was correct. She was on a brown horse that was running at a speed that even Moragil couldn't meet. It was raining and she could hear thunder in the distance. Her eyes searched for the reins, but saw that there was already a hand clutching to the thick leather strap. Auranor also notice that a strong hand was around her waist, holding her close to a strong, warm body and preventing her from falling off the horse. She opened her mouth, wanting to protest the hand around her waist, but her head began to throb again, only much more intensely. She felt cold and become dizzy. All around her became a big blur, and she passed out.

"She is in incredibly bad shape," said a Nestellon. "You have arrived just in time. Had you delayed, and she may not have made it this far. She is lucky to be alive."

"She needs help now or she won't be alive for much longer. The light of Earendil was just barely in her when we found her, and is growing weaker with every delayed moment," said Legolas. "She needs medicine. The orcs were looting her belongings when we arrived. We found athelas wrapped in this brown cloth on the ground beside her. It may be of some help, but she may be beyond the healing powers it provides." Again, Auranor became dizzy and fainted.

'Mmmm… that smell…honeysuckle, lavender, lilies. So warm…mmmm…these blankets are so warm and cozy. Wait, blankets? Where am I?' Auranor opened her eyes and found herself encircled in a beautiful room with gray stone pillars, open to the outside atmosphere. She noticed that it resembled her own room in Rivendell. Yes, it was indeed her room, but how did she get there? She looked around, this time noticing a dark-haired elf sitting in the chair beside her bed. He sat with his head resting in his hand, appearing to be asleep, his glazed eyes open and unblinking, as Elves slept.

"Nestellon, what are you doing here? What happened?" she said to him.

He blinked his eyes and shook his head as he awoke, with a smile across his face at the sight of her awake. "Auranor, you are awake," he said as he bent over her with a warm embrace. "How do you feel?"

"My head is a little sore but I feel fine," she answered, gently rubbing the lump on the back of her head. "What happened?"

"Good," he said, ignoring her question. "Then I will not feel guilty for scolding you."

"Why do you scolding me?" she asked in disbelief.

"For your foolishness in insisting that you go out as a scout!" he yelled.

"But what happened? How is it that I got back here without knowing it?" she asked, angry, but hurt at his statement.

"You were attacked by orcs, and I am guessing you were not the victor," he recounted from what Auranor's rescuer's had observed.

"Yes, I remember," she said. She told him what she remembered of the event.

He shook his head at her, still appalled at her insistence to go out against Elrond's and his own judgment. "You are just lucky that Aragorn and Legolas were traveling through that area," he said with cross eyes. "Had they not found you, you would have died for certain."

"But I did die," she said, remembering the two elves in Eldamar. "At least, I think I did." She told Nestellon of how she woke up in Eldamar and what the two elves had told her. "I think they were my parents," she said sadly.

Nestellon looked at her with understanding. He put his hand on her shoulder kindly and said, "Perhaps you hit your head harder than shows, and it was all a dream. But if you feel that strongly about it, then follow whatever feelings your heart has."

"Does this mean that I still can go with the Fellowship?" she asked.

"As I told you before, I do not favor the idea, but I will not stand in your way, even after this incident." He answered.

Auranor looked at him gratefully. "Hannon lle," she said. Nestellon sighed and smiled back.

"You should rest now," he told her. "You have a long, treacherous journey ahead of you, and you need all of the strength and courage you can muster." Nestellon looked down at her with a relieved smile before he turned for the door. "Would you like me to send up some dinner for you?" he asked as he paused in the doorway.

"Yes," Auranor said. "I would be grateful to have some food."

"Very well, someone will be up soon," he said, then left the room.

Auranor lay there thinking about her vision. 'Was it a dream? No, it couldn't have been. It was too real. I died. A task; what will I have to do? They said I would know when the time came, but it worries me that I haven't an idea of what to expect. I just wish…' her thoughts were interrupted by a light tap at the door. "Yes, come in," she replied.

Into the room strode Aragorn with a tray in hand, closely followed by Legolas. Auranor looked at the two welcomingly, happy to see friendly faces.

"We heard that you were awake and wanted to see how you were doing," Aragorn said as he placed the tray on her lap.

"I am doing well," she said. "But my head is still a little sore." Again she rubbed the lump on the back of her head.

"After what you went through, it surprises me that you are doing as well as you are," Legolas said.

Auranor looked up at her two friends with a smile. "Please, sit down. I wish to know what exactly happened. My memory of the event is very vague."

The man and elf pulled two chairs next to Auranor's bedside, and sat down comfortably. "First, I think it would help us understand the entire situation a little better if we knew what it is you were doing alone in the wilderness when danger is so close," Aragorn said with a sly, almost mischievous grin.

Auranor guiltily looked down at her food, knowing she was, indeed, foolish to do as she had done. "Well," she began, "I felt like a waste of flesh just sitting around Rivendell all day while the rest of you were out scouting. Aragorn, you know my biggest intention on our quest after protecting Frodo. I suppose I became impatient and felt that I needed to begin my duties sooner than time was allowing." Aragorn looked at her understandingly, yet his furrowed brow told Auranor that he thought her decision was unwise. Legolas looked on at her with confused eyes, clueless as to her "biggest intentions" and their reasons. Auranor ignored this, as she did not wish to relive her past again, not after her vision.

"I see," Aragorn said, his gaze not leaving Auranor, pressuring her silently to continue on with her recounts. She told the two what had happened; of the search for athelas, the orc encounter, and, at last, her final battle.

"The last thing I remember is extreme pain where the lump on my head is, and then everything disappeared as I was consumed by darkness." As she finished, she looked down at her food, which was cold by now, waiting for a reaction. Silence. Uncertainly, she looked up at Aragorn and Legolas.

To her surprise, she did not find angry looks on the faces of her friends. Auranor was greeted by smiles, nay, laughter. She snickered and shook her head in disbelief and confusion. "I don't understand. What is so funny? Why are you laughing?"

"I'm sorry Auranor," Aragorn said, attempting to abate his laughter. "But the way you handled those orcs…haha!" Auranor stared at him, even more confused than before.

"Yes, what a brilliant idea," Legolas said with a wide smile. "Splitting them up and slaying them one by one! I had no idea that you were so well versed in battle strategy." He looked at her with a playful sincerity. Auranor now understood.

"Nay did I," Aragorn said. "I knew you fought well, but your skill amazes even me. You have learned much since I have been gone." She saw the amusement in his eyes grow as he sighed and shook his head. A moment of silence passed, then Aragorn spoke again. "Indeed, you do fight well," he paused, "for a woman." His eyes flickered with mischief, knowing full well what he had done.

His words lit a flame of competitive anger within Auranor. "Now wait just a moment," she said, pushing the tray from her lap, preparing to stand up and defend herself. Legolas looked on in amusement.

Aragorn stood up and put his hands on Auranor's shoulders, pushing her back down onto the bed. "Now, now, my lady, sit down. There is no need to strain yourself. I was only poking fun at you." Auranor rested back as she previously had been, thankful that she didn't have to waste the little strength she had. "There now, we all know you could hold your own against the best of warriors. You fight better than many of the battle-worn men that I have fought." He sat back down where he had been and sighed lazily.

"I should like to see this amazing skill at its best in a friendly competition sometime," Legolas suggested competitively to Auranor.

"I accept your challenge good Prince," Auranor said confidently, as if she were ready to get up and fight at that very moment. "Um…" she hesitated, "as soon as I have regained my strength and am feeling myself again." All three laughed joyously as Auranor's face turned a light, rosy pink.

"Well, now that I have told you my half of the story, I believe you should enlighten me as to your part in this tale," Auranor said as she picked up a piece of toasted Elvish sweet bread from her tray and began to eat.

"Let me see," Aragorn began. "We had been traveling through the area west of Rivendell to see if the Wraiths still lurked near. I last saw them at Amon Sul when Frodo was stabbed. There was no sign of them from north of Weathertop to as far south as the South Downs. They must have returned to the Black Lands to regroup, but we have not seen the last of them."

He paused for a moment, and Legolas picked up the tale. "We were traveling back to Rivendell from the South Downs and needed to pass through the area where we found you in order to return to the road. While we were traveling through the woods, I could sense danger. I told Aragorn to keep alert, but no sooner had the words escaped my mouth, and I saw the orcs off in the distance. They were looking for something. Aragorn and I slowed down and remained as quiet as our horses would allow. Then, I saw you jump out of the tree onto one's shoulders and kill it. But then you become stuck and unable to defend yourself. That was when the orc's sword hilt smashed down onto your head. At that point, Aragorn and I rode on as fast as we could. By the time we had reached you, the remaining orcs had found pleasure in beating you repeatedly and rummaging through your belongings."

"He had your sword in his hand when Legolas's arrow soared through his eye," Aragorn continued. "We finished off the other three orcs and returned to you. We thought you were dead. Those cursed orcs had beaten you badly. Your arms, face, and clothes were blood-stained and bruised, and you skin was cold." His eyes wandered to the ground sadly, as he relived the moment.

Legolas looked at Auranor with concern showing in his blue eyes. "What little light was left in you was fading fast. Had we delayed at all, and you would not have made it. After Aragorn helped me secure you to my horse, he rode on ahead to Rivendell to inform Lord Elrond of the incident. I rode with you and arrived shortly after Aragorn. I did not think you would make it until you regained consciousness for a moment. Even after you fainted again, I knew you would make it at least to Rivendell. It takes a very strong spirit to resist death when it is upon you."

"When Legolas returned with you, Elrond and Nestellon had already prepared a bed and medicine, and worked well into the night to revive you," Aragorn continued. "By morning, you were stable, but not yet awake. Nestellon stayed by your side for the following three days until just now when you awoke."

Auranor sat in silence, trying to take in all that had just been said. Without warning, in one quick, yet shaky movement, Auranor shoved her tray aside and pushed herself to her feet. Both Aragorn and Legolas stood up quickly to assist her, but before a word could escape their mouths, Auranor had one arm wrapped around each of their necks in a warm embrace. The two were equally surprised at her reaction, but returned the hug, supporting their still weak friend.

"Hannon lle," was all that Auranor could manage to whisper to her saviors. "Hannon lle an edraith nin cuil."

Response to Reviews

Forensic Photographer711 – Thanks! I'm glad you like the story! I hope to update more often since schools out now. Keep reading!

PrincessofRain – not necessarily science stuff, just whatever you choose to do in life. Can't wait to read your first story! Definitely let me know when you are done.

Crecy – Master is better that boss, but the commanding orc wasn't really the slave driver of the others. I watched the movie and they only referred to their equals as scum and Morgual rats. It never really said anything about the higher ranking orcs. In the book, they don't really refer to each other as much more than that or their names. Maybe the name will have to do. What do you think?

Seyyada – Thanks! I'm glad you like it. Sure, I'll review your story. I'll warn you now…I'm in AP English, and tend to nit pick on things. Don't be discouraged or too overwhelmed if I pick on the little spelling and grammatical errors. I just try to help. But I will be honest with it. I know how it is when writings sound like the other stuff you read. I had that problem with a few things, and I just scrapped them. It's hard for stories not to sound like stuff that's already out there, especially with fantasy, because there are many, many authors out there that have been inspired by the same works. Look how many of us have been inspired by Tolkien and Rowling. The result, even of original fiction, almost always has some sort of similar item, weather it be a similar plot line, similar characters or races, similar little details, etc. But I'm really flattered that you think my story is good enough to ask me to review yours. I feel special! Thanks again, and keep reading!