This is a collaborative effort of a whole bunch of us - me, Elanor, Finrod, Gilrean, Holly, Lana, Nimbrethil, Witch King and Wizard. Other than the respective characters ie. me (Laurendil, Mas); Elanor (Elanor, HAldaron), Gilrean (Gilrean), Holly (Holly), Lana (Lena), Nimbrethil (Nimbrethil), Witch King (Beomir) and Wizard (Wizard), we do not own any of the other great Tolkien works. This was originally an RPG we played and have put together as a story. Hope you enjoy it.
As confident as they might have been, they had never encountered before the wrath of the Lord of the Mark. Against a lesser man, they would have surely won, but not King Eomer and his Queen. He faced the three of them: the former King of , a renowed elf healer and his own sister as he said clearly, "My only daughter will not be off on a quest to the middle of Lorien, to Isengard or anywhere else! Even with a group of the best elven fighters, with the King Elessar – who I love as a brother, I might add – or anyone else. She will return to Edoras and be wed. That is my last word. I have lost enough in this world because of orcs and wizards-my father, my mother, my uncle, my dearest friends, and almost my sister."
The Lady Eowyn interrupted, "But you did not lose me brother, I am here and will always be here."
The King would not look her in the face. "Yes, I did. But then you came back. I will not know that grief again. I will not risk my daughter's life."
With that, he turned away abruptly and left with his wife. He had seemed furious, but Laurendil could see under it all that he loved his young daughter fiercely and had been through enough war and death, even in his young years (to an elf) to know pure grief. "Would we try again, Laurendil?" asked Finrod at her side.
"I do not know. I feel that it would take an army to sway his mind but a little. His mind his set and is closed to all other suggestions. I should go tell her..." she trailed off, defeated. Finrod, hating to see Laurendil like this, laughed, trying to ease the situation, "Do not worry my Lady, things will turn out as they should in the end. Maybe this is just how things should have happened... as with my returning to Middle-Earth." Finrod's eyes met Laurendil's at that moment and she shivered.
The moment was interrupted though by the bursting in of Éodan, brother of Elanor. "My Ladies, My Lord." He bowed his head out of respect. "I am off to tell Elanor of my father's decision. Would any of you mind to accompany me?" Laurendil nodded and followed, leaving Finrod and the Lady Eowyn behind.
At that same time, a rider cloaked in grey raiment entered into Imladris. Everything about him seemed to just blend together-his cloak, his dappled grey steed. An elf of the household approached him. "My Lord," he started as the stranger dropped down from his horse. "May I take you to the Lords of Imladris?"
"I am not a Lord," he replied, casting off his hood, revealing dark hair and piercing green eyes. "But I do need to speak with the King Elessar. Tell him that HAldaron, son of Halbarad has come."
"Yes, my Lord", said the elf out of habit, about to go off.
"You can find me in the stables," he said. Then the young man stalked off leading his horse. "Come along, Brandir" he whispered lovingly. "Soon the hospitality of the elves will greet you" He grinned to himself as the horse whinnied and the elf messenger hurried off...
The elf knew where Aragorn was, and headed to the meeting place. Out of respect, he stood by the side as Aragorn addressed the stranger in front of him, ""Who are you?"
The man smiled and said, "I am Liam, my Lord."
Aragorn paused before saying, "I do not know anything about you or your word, but I do know Lena. And since Lena holds you in high regards, I will trust you." With that, Liam bowed and the elf messenger came up to Aragorn.
Liam turned to Lena, he asked, "Will you accompany me to greet the others?" She nodded, turning to go with him. Once they were out if earshot, he said mockingly, "So the king trusts you, does he?"
Lena rolled her eyes and said, "I'm clean now remember?" But Liam just grinned, as if doubting every word.
The next day after they had counseled, Gilrean walked out to the hallway and met Nimbrethil. "Come, we are to meet the others in the Great Hall to discuss what path to take to Lorien." said Gilrean.
They walked out toward the Hall. There they found that Laurendil, Finrod, Aldaron, and Legolas were waiting for them. "Where is Gimli?" asked Nimbrethil.
"He is finishing his breakfast. He will be here soon," answered Legolas.
"We gather here to decide what path is the safest to Lorien," began Laurendil, looking at everyone.
"My Lady," said Gilrean. "We should take the path south through the Misty Mountains to the great river Anduin. It is the safest, and hardest to track."
Laurendil nodded, thinking on Gilrean's words. Truth be told, she was hopeless at charting the 'best and safest' route. She simply took whatever route was her fancy. So she looked to Finrod, wondering what he would have to say. When he began speaking, Laurendil couldn't help but think about what had happened the day before, when she had gone to see Elanor.
As expected, Elanor had not been happy at all with the news that she would have to go back home. At first, she had cried, to which Laurendil found herself holding her tightly as sobs racked the small human form. It was not for long, however, when she seemed to steel herself, wipe her tears and said rather shakily, "So be it. My father will not be persuaded. I shall go and get ready." And with that, she left with hardly a backward glance. But Laurendil, looking at her leave, knew that this was not the end. There was too much of the stubborness of her father in her, and the steely resolve of Eowyn. Laurendil smiled to herself, suspecting that this would not be the last she sees of Elanor.
Laurendil came back to the present. Finrod and Gilrean were still discussing the best possible route
"I agree with Gilrean. The pass through the Misty Mountains will be the quickest, and the easiest. Because we are Elves, we can make it through the pass of Caradhras. Once we have reached the other side, all we have to do is follow the river Anduin," said Nimbrethil.
"Yes. That seems like the best course," Legolas agreed.
"What say you, Finrod?" asked Gilrean, turning to him.
"I am not familiar with this part of the Middle-Earth, for I lived in Beleriand, which is long destroyed. You are born here. If all of you say that the path through the Misty Mountains is the best, then this is the path we will take. Bear in mind, though, that since Saruman is regaining his strength, the Orcs are also in the move. We might encounter them on our way."
He stopped for a moment, looked around, smiled suddenly and said: "But this should be no problem for skilled fighters like us. All agreed then?"
Everyone nodded. Laurendil, however, seemed worried. Finrod, being astute, commented, "It's not the road that worries you, is it? You worry because of Elanor." Laurendil nodded, surprised at his perceptiveness. He smiled softly, saying, "Do not be sad. As I said, things will turn out just as they should." Without waiting for Laurendil's reaction, he turned away and went to Legolas, to compare their bows and to argue about the best ways to kill the orcs with just one shot..
Laurendil sighed. So it starts all over again. Just when she thought there was another side to him … show him a little danger and he is as happy as a child.
Meanwhile, at the same moment, across the area and at bridge, Haldaron stood there, looking out at Rivendell. It was so beautiful... he wished that he could stay here longer. As he stood, his mind drifted to the day before...
After he had stabled Brandir, the elf had brought him to the King. The King was both surprised and happy to see him, as he hadn't heard word of the boy since a few years after the Battle of Pelennor, when he had been just 20-very young for a Dunedain. In theover a dozen years that had passed, Haldaron had grew both in stature, in skill and in knowledge. He was 40-middle-aged for most Men, just in his 20s comparatively as the Dunedain grew. Now he brought word to the King of small bands of goblins and wolves gathering in the North around the edges of Eriador. Nothing that daunted the Rangers or that they could not hold back, but the King should know just the same. The King had actually been quite worried. Haldaron had decided to stay in Rivendell for a few days to rest. Then he was going to ride back North to rejoin his company in guarding the Shire. He stared at a clump of golden flowers on the ground. They reminded him of her hair...
As he had been walking through Rivendell, his eye had caught the glimpse of a young woman – probably no older than 18 – striding along. Her golden hair was tied up, but it shown nonetheless and her hazel eyes spoke to him. She was going somewhere with purpose; with a determined, almost sad look on her face. He longed to know her name, to find out where she was... He sighed and shook his head. Why lose his mind over a woman now? He kicked the bridge and walked away to clear his mind...
Elanor had never seen the stranger, so determined she was. Her mind was set – she would play the perfect daughter, go with her escort homewards… but somehow she would find a way to get back, and find Laurendil, the elf maiden who she owed her life to more than once over. Her wound was healed, but still ached and she tired more easily than before. Yet she dressed in green raiment, painted a smile on her face and acted as if she had repented. No one suspected a thing – except maybe Laurendil, for the elf had grown to know more of the Rohirrim maiden's mind in days then her family (with the exception of her absent cousin) had learned in nearly seventeen years.
At that moment, in rode Béomir on his dark horse and wearing the dark cloak once again. He quickly and quietly put up his horse in the stable and ran to find his father. On the way, he ran into Elanor. When she told him about Eomer, he became furious and went quickly now to find his uncle. By the time Béomir found Eomer, he found that his uncle had calmed down. Eomer decided that if someone could be found for Elanor to marry other than what was planned within two weeks, he would allow it. Although Béomir was still angry with him, he tried to appear as calm as possible as he went to find Faramir. A plan formulated in his mind, but he had to seek his father's counsel first.
A moment later, a much happier – though one could say, also worried – young man came out. There were many things in his mind and his first reaction was to seek out Elanor and tell her the news. But upon reflection, he knew that it would not be a good move and decided that it was best he approached Laurendil. Elanor appears to be close to that elf maiden, and so perhaps she could help him. With that thought, he headed off to look for her.
It was not hard to find her, and he immediately approached Laurendil as Finrod left her side to talk to Nimbrethil. She listened intently as he asked her if she could talk with Elanor. He then adopted a far away look on his face, which was rather serious, but he brushed it aside, saying, that he had something to tell Elanor, but didn't think it was the right time. He proceeded to tell Lauerndil, who nodded, surprised at the news. She placed a hand on Béomir's arm and said, "Do not worry so, Béomir. Finrod was right. Things do turn out the way they should." With that, she left him to look for Elanor.
Elanor, at that moment, was in her room and lying down on her bed in Rivendell, staring at the ceiling. Her thoughts were in a turmoil. She would be leaving in just days.. well, EVERYONE would be leaving! She wondered back though to the stranger she had seen earlier. He had been standing on a bridge just staring out, as she was now... There was something noble about him, and both old and young... and... his eyes. She sighed dreamily and fought the butterflies in her stomach. No.. now was NOT the time to find someone she was attracted to.. for nothing would ever be able to happen. He would probably be riding off with King Elessar and if she DID manage to get away, it would be to go off with Laurendil.. She sighed again, and closed her eyes to imagine her perfect fantasy with the stranger...
Just then Laurendil walked in. She wanted to talk to Elanor, who had no idea what she was about to hear...