Disclaimer: If I owned any of this "Lord of the Rings" stuff, I wouldn't be sitting here, writing fanfiction. I own Arwith. Steal her for your own use, and I'll send small, furry animals to eat your socks.
I'd like to thank teinesamoa for her review, and apologize for my stupid computer having some stupid virus, delaying the entire writing process.
I'd also like to mention that the whole "walking like queens" thing done by Mella was based entirely on one of my nieces, who came up with this when she was almost five. And wasn't she just so cute. Plus, Pippin's "beauty and goodness" line was a quote taken from one who was obviously a very wise man. Leo Tolstoy sure knew what he was talking about.
The room was silent as Gandalf's declaration sank in. Aragorn was the first to rise. "What? What have you found?" Gandalf came forward, sat down, and began alternating between speaking, drinking, and gnawing hungrily on an apple. "I've found chug chew a document that gulp chew might give us a clue to gulp chug chew the identity of our captive. gulp Congratulations on recapturing her, by the way," he added before snatching seven slices of ham from Sam.
He brandished a tome that was literally falling apart at the seams. "I found it at the back of a medical record, dating back to the first war of the Ring. The first was the most obvious, but there were a few others. Here, open it to the third to last entry, in the back." Gandalf continued eating as Aragorn turned the book on its face and opened it from the back, carefully the turning the thin, dusting pages. Gandalf pointed to the specific entry when he saw it and took the book from him, now more calm and pulled-together. He sat it on his knees and began to read aloud, his voice steady and grave.
"The fate of Leniol, one of the elvish general's elder sons, has finally been determined. We base our decision on the testimony of a human man who's regiment fought alongside that of Leniol in the battle against the orcs of Sauron two days ago This man, Menethis, was found in the infirmary with a side wound and a concussion. When questioned, he replied calmly and with complete reason. His exact words were as follows:
'The battle was going against us. The orcs were upon us like a swarm of locust descending on the crops of a harvest. Many men fell. Many good men… I was caught in the side, just south of my ribcage, and I hit my head on a rock. I couldn't see too well from where I was, so I heaved myself up and sat with my back against a boulder.
I saw the elf, Leniol was his name? He came across my sight just as the edges of my vision were starting to get fuzzy. He was battling someone in a long cloak. I was surprised because the cloak looked elvish, but they didn't. They were both handling their swords and didn't notice me. Leniol swung his sword to the left and the cloaked figure dodged it. They swung their sword down across the right, slashed Leniol across his stomach, and he fell to his knees. They came behind him, jerked his head back and slit his throat. They slew many others who came their way, elf and man alike. Then they turned around.'
When asked as to the nature of Leniol's killer, Menethis's exact words were thus:
'She stood up straight. She was thin, despite her many cloaks. She was too tall to be short and too short to be tall. By all accounts, she appeared quite normal. Then she turned. I've never seen the like of it before.
'She was like an alabaster statue, with skin as white snow. Her hair was darkest brown, fiery with its orange and golden regions, resembling a forest fire. She had the ears of an animal, perhaps a fox. Her eyes were silver and Selenic, alert and wide with adrenaline. She peered dead into my eyes and I shivered. Her gaze was strong, piercing and possessed less than all the warmth from the light from the moon. She stared at me and gave off no sense of emotion, no life whatsoever. It was an icy glance that would chill your soul. But she stood upright and proud, a towering figure of power, surrounded by the corpses of those she had slain. She was like the lightning, both terrible and magnificent, victorious over her enemies, who now lay lifeless on the ground, withered trees that the lightning had struck, dark and horrible and yet somehow still possessing a beauty that could not be hid by their twisted fate, but rather, was defined by it. I do believe that lightning struck the sea and mountains tumbled into their valleys, that afterward the whole earth was stilled and silenced for just a moment, when she entered into the world. Some might say that for all her wretchedness, she was beautiful. I say it her wretchedness that made her all the more beautiful.'
It was after this that Menethis could remember no more. When we left him, he was still muttering, 'Wretched and beautiful…' Despite Menethis's condition, it is through his testimony that we have concluded Leniol's fate. We must regretfully give news of his death to his father.
Additional note: Late this afternoon, several hours after his questioning, Menethis died of blood loss and infection. According to the other patients, his final words before death were, 'Horrid and lovely… I shall never forget…'"
Gandalf sighed heavily and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. Aragorn took the tome and scanned the words. Frodo and Pippin both appeared to be contemplating what they had just heard and both nodded. "Truly, it is she."
"How can it be the same person though?" Merry asked. Gimli nodded in agreement. "He's right. It can't possibly be the same person. No one could live that long." Added Legolas softly, "Yes… No mortal could possibly live that long." Sam glanced in his direction. "You think that she's immortal, like the elves?" Faramir took the book. "It would certainly explain how she managed to be in the first war of the Ring and still be alive. And if she was in league with Sauron, it would explain what happened yesterday, on the balcony." Everyone nodded, agreeing. "But if she is with Sauron," asked Pippin, "why did she help that solider when the orc attacked it? Why didn't she just let it finish him off?" "She didn't even need to help him afterward," added Frodo, "She could have just let it finish him off." "Or killed the orc and not bothered to help the solider," put in Merry.
While everyone was speaking, Gandalf dragged his hands down his face, and paused. As the hobbits finished speaking, he rose and walked toward the door. Everyone watched him. Aragorn called out to him. "Where are you going?" Gandalf turned, about to walk through the doorway, and answered, "Down to the cells, to ask the girl herself." "But she won't answer you. She wouldn't last time," mentioned Pippin. Gandalf responded sarcastically, "Thank you for informing me," and closed the door behind him. Everyone paused before Aragorn and Faramir stood and quickly followed, with the remainder of the congregation in tow.
The company made their way down to the dungeons below and, en route, met a small group of young soldiers arriving at the door of the cells. They bowed and saluted smartly as Aragorn and Faramir passed and relaxed when the gesture was returned. "What are you all doing here?" asked Faramir. One of the elder boys answered, "We were, well…" Another piped up, "We went to thank the girl who killed the orc and helped Elias." Aragorn looked at them questioningly. "Were you? And what did she say?"
The young men looked somewhat awkward. The elder answered again. "She, uh, didn't say anything. In fact, she barely even looked at any of us." "It's true," another added. "She just kept staring into space. She hardly even blinked." "She looked at us once, though," put in a third. "She rolled her eyes over to us." He shuddered a bit as he continued. "It was creepy."
Faramir, who had been listening absentmindedly, leaned forward. "Were you not all in the same class as cadets?" The lads nodded, chorusing a "Yes, sir." Faramir continued to scan the lot. "And Elias, he was also in your class?" The boys nodded as Faramir surveyed them. "Where are Hanel, Sammus, and Clorenus?" "They were with us at the battle today. Sammus is in the infirmary." Aragorn raised his brow. "Hanel and Clorenus?"
The young men's faces fell and they glanced mournfully at the floor. They didn't need to say a word for the men to understand. The eldest spoke softly. "We just came from telling Clorenus's mum. Hanel knew him best, so he stayed with her. We told Rowena too." "Clorenus fancied her," added someone. "But she never gave him a chance. She seemed a little upset when we told her." Faramir nodded. "I knew Clorenus. He was never a very good soldier, but what he lacked in skill he made up for in enthusiasm." There was an awkward silence before Aragorn spoke. "Why don't you go visit Sammus in the infirmary?" The young men nodded. "We were going to, sir." They left without saying very much.
Gandalf led the procession down to the cells, now considerably quieter. The walls were high and wide. The air was arid initially, but as they descended, the air grew significantly more dank, and it began to smell more of breath. What few torches dotted the walls gave off little light, the caliginous atmosphere absorbing the illumination.
The group took a turn that led to one of the higher cells. They stopped at when they came to the cell with a guard on either side. The two drowsy-looking guards did their best to snap to attention, but could not manage it. Aragorn understandingly chose to not berate them and walked through when they opened the door.
The girl sat calmly in a cross-legged position on the floor against the right wall, staring straight ahead. Her face was calm, relaxed, and impassive, her hands folded neatly in her lap. Gandalf sat down in front of her, mimicking her posture. Aragorn and Faramir stood behind him while the rest of them lingered in the doorway.
Gandalf wasted no time with formalities and presented the tome, opening it to the page he had read earlier. "This manuscript has been found in the archives, dating back to before the first war of the Ring. It contains within its pages a recounting of someone matching your exact description. Were you in the first war of the Ring?"
The young woman stared at him for a moment before grasping the text and taking in her lap. She scanned the article, then opened it to the front cover and glanced at the date on the first page. She began to flip through the pages with her thumb and middle finger, using the speed and determination of one who is used to flipping through books. She paused on one page and scanned it quickly. Then she picked the book up, turned it around and held it out for Gandalf, her finger pointing to one of the dates.
Gandalf took the book and stared at the date to which she was referring. Aragorn leaned over his shoulder. "Well?" Gandalf handed him the tome and pointed out the date to the two men, who stared at it. Legolas was leaning past the doorway. "Well?" Both men handed him the manuscript and stared at the entry. Gimli and the hobbits stood on their toes, trying to the book. "Well?!" Legolas lowered the book to them and their eyes widened at the written date. Sam whistled in amazement. "Now that was a long time ago." "A very long time ago," added Frodo. "This was before the first war of the Ring," mentioned Legolas, taking the book to again marvel at the date.
Gandalf snapped his fingers to get the elf's attention and motioned for the book. He took it, turned, and looked at the girl sitting placidly in front of him. "What is that date?" he asked, holding it out for her to see. "What is its significance? Is this when you were born?" She answered by receiving the manuscript and placing it in her lap. She turned to the first page and began reading the entries with interest.
She was about halfway through the first when Gandalf retrieved the tome, set it aside, and questioned her again. "Were you the personage mentioned in the article? Did you fight alongside orcs in the first war, killing humans and elves?" The tension in the room was building and Gandalf was struggling to control himself. "Why won't you answer?" he demanded. She responded only by lifting the corner of one eyebrow.
Before Gandalf could acknowledge this lack of communication, another solider arrived at the doorway. "Sire," he said, trying to get Aragorn's attention, "The elf lord Elrond has arrived, sir." Aragorn nodded. "Ah, and ahead of schedule, I see. Very well, I shall be right up. And if you would be so kind as to tell her majesty that her father's here, if she hasn't found out already." The soldier hustled up the stone steps and was followed by the hobbits. Faramir followed Aragorn out the door and stopped behind him when he paused in the doorway. "Gandalf, do you wish to stay?" The elderly wizard stood. "I think I will accompany you." The group walked calmly up the stairs, leaving the prisoner locked in her cell, silently scanning the medical record they had left behind.
When they reached the front, Arwen was found hugging her father and grinning in girlish delight. Elrond admired her protruding stomach in such a way that only a reluctant, but happy grandfather-to-be could. He left her momentarily and she hugged her younger sister as they both began chattering rapidly in elvish, both in a most unregal fashion. Elrond stepped toward Aragorn and stood before him, taking him in the way one examines an object they are trying to sum up. Neither said anything, but after a moment, the elf lord stepped forward and smiled. They embraced and pulled away, both pleased. "It's good to see you, Aragorn," said Elrond. "And you," said Aragorn. "I'm also glad to see that my daughter in such good health, both in body and in disposition."
Gandalf approached the pair. "Elrond. It is good to see you after so long." He put his arm around Elrond's shoulders. "It has been too long. We have much to discuss." "You have no idea."