Chapter 5

"What's this?" a beautiful voice asked in a mocking tone. "A Ranger? Caught off his guard?"

It was Arwen, daughter of Elrond, atop the fastest horse in Rivendell, Asfoloth. Aragorn's heart leapt. Arwen was always so graceful, so beautiful. He just wanted to grab her and kiss her. But he chased that thought away quickly.

Strider ledArwen to where Elizabeth and Frodo lay and Elrond's daughter, was alsosurprised to find that a young human child had been among the injured.

As she entered the clearing, Elizabeth and Frodo saw her as an angel from the Valar, coming to help with all her radiance. So peaceful and pretty she looked. Her appearance made you just want to pause time there and watch her forever.

She kneeled down next to the two injured and spoke her native language, which seemed to calm them a bit.

"Im Arwen. Telin le thaed. Lasto beth nîn, tolo dan nan galad. (I am Arwen. I've come to help you. Hear my voice, come back to the light.)." She said to Elizabeth and Frodo. Frodo turned away from her, while Elizabeth's eyes stayed locked on the beautiful elf.

Arwen went to Elizabeth's side first and bit off some Kingsfoil. She lifted the little girl's cloak and pulled back her t-shirt to stick the Kingsfoil into the wound. This caused more pain, but it would slow the poisoning. Strider stayed with Frodo and administered the Kingsfoil in the same manner.

"They're both fading. They won't last. We must get them to my father." Arwen announced. She carried Elizabeth over to Asfoloth, while Strider carried Frodo. "I've been looking for you for two days. There are five wraiths behind you. Where the other four are, I do not know."

Strider put Frodo behind Elizabeth on Asfoloth and spoke to Arwen in her native language.

"Dartho guin Berian. Rych le ad tolthathon. (Stay with the Hobbits. I will send horses for you.)" Strider commanded.

"Hon mabathon. Rochon ellint im. (I'm the faster rider. I'll take them.)" Arwen protested.

"Andelu i ven. (The road is too dangerous.)" Strider argued.

"Frodo han lîn fîr. Ae athradon i hîr, tûr gwaith nîn beriatha hon. (Frodo and the child are dying. If I can get across the river, the power of my people will protect him.)" Arwen said. "I do not fear them."

"Be iest lîn (According to your wish.)" Strider agreed, taking Arwen's gloved hand.Strider stepped away to allow Arwen to mount Asfoloth.

"Arwen, ride hard. Don't look back." Strider commanded.

"Noro lim, Asfoloth, noro lim. (Ride hard, Asfoloth, ride hard.)" Arwen commanded.

As Arwen rode away with Frodo and Elizabeth on front of her, she head Sam yelling. Obviously he had never seen how fast elven horses rode.

"What are you doing? Those wraiths are still out there!" Sam shouted.

Arwen rode over the long prairie as fast as she could, hoping that the wraiths would not catch up with her. As she rode through a small, open stretch of land that was cluttered with trees, the wraiths finally caught up.

When Arwen finally rode into open land, the wraiths formed their half circle behind her so that she could only go fore wards and not side to side. When the land became scattered with trees again, Arwen rode in and out of the scattered trees, avoiding the wraiths each time they made a grab for her. Asfoloth made a jump over a log and Arwen directed him down the gentle hill and across the shallow flow of the river. The wraiths, not willing to come across the river and cross into elvish territory just yet cried out to Arwen.

"Give up the Halfling, she-elf!" one hissed.

"If you want him, come and claim him!" Arwen taunted, drawing her sword. The nine Nazgul also drew their scary looking swords.

So, answering the dare to cross the river, the wraiths cautiously began walking their horses across the river. Arwen, knowing she had the magic of her people, wasn't as worried as anyone else might've been.

"Nîn o Chithaeglir, lasto beth daer, Rimmo nˆn Bruinen dan in Ulaer! Rimmo nˆn Bruinen dan in Ulaer! (Waters of the Misty Mountains, listen to the great word, flow waters of Loudwater against the Ringwraiths! Flow waters of Loudwater against the Ringwraiths!)" Arwen commanded.

And to her great word, the waters of Loudwater came crashing towards the Ringwraiths. They rode away from the water, further down the river, but were caught by the angry water and washed away. Arwen, slightly proud of her own self, did not immediately notice the heavy gasps of air that Elizabeth and Frodo were taking.

"No, no." Arwen pleaded, setting both bodies gently on the ground. "Do notgive in, either of you!"

She hugged their heads close to her and prayed to the Valar. Hopefully the Valar would spare them.

'What grace is given me, let it pass to them.' Arwen thought. 'Let them be spared. Save them.'

Elizabeth gasped for more and more air, but slowly, her gasping slowed she saw a whitelight cloudher eyes and wondered if she'd ever see her mother and father again. As if on cue, she saw her mother and father's faces before her.

'Mommy? Daddy?' she called. They smiled sadly at her. 'What's wrong, mommy?'

But Mommy didn't answer and neither did Daddy. And Elizabeth faintly wondered why they were so sad. A pang of grief in her heart caused her to feel an unfamiliar feeling of homesickness. An elf's face appeared in her mind and she then wondered if Frodo could see him too.

'Lasto beth nîn. Tolo dan nan galad.' He told her.

'What?' she thought.

'Come back to the light, dear child.' The elf said.

'I want my mommy.'

The elf seemed to look upon her with pity.

'I am sorry, my child. I do not know how to take you home. Now come to the light.' The elf answered.

Elizabeth opened her eyes. "Gandalf?"

"He'll be here in a moment, dear," a voice said. It was the same voice that had spoken to her in her mind.

Elizabeth dared to open her eyes. It was the same elf. She edged away from him, just in case he decided to be cruel like a wraith. You could never be too sure at the age of seven. Wait. Today was her birthday. She was eight now.

"I will not harm you, my dear, but I must ask you some questions. Can you answer them?" the elf asked gently.

"One problem," she said.

"What might that be?" the elf asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Mommy says I'm not s'posed to talk to strangers." Elizabeth suddenly thought of her mother. She'd have to remember to ask Gandalf how she could see her.

"You speak to Gandalf." The elf replied. "Why not speak to me?"

"Gandalf's my friend."

"I could be your friend too." The elf said.

"Maybe." Elizabeth said, forgetting all about her homesickness. "What's your name?"

"I am called Elrond. And You?" Elrond asked. Elizabeth gave a little ooh and aah.

"The pretty lady told me about you. She said I could talk to her through you." Elizabeth said. "Her name's Gala-Galadoral. Or was it Galadirel?"

"Galadriel?" Elrond asked, being helpful.

"Ya! Her, she told me that I could talk to her through you." Elizabeth said.

"Perhaps, but I must verify that you are the one she told me about. What is your name?" Elrond asked.

"Elizabeth and today I'meight years old." Elizabeth answered proudly.

"She said you'd be seven." Elrond frowned.

"Today's my birthday. Bet she didn't tell you that." Elizabeth announced proudly.

"Today's your birthday, is it?" Elrond asked. Elizabeth nodded. "I'll have to do something about that. How about a feast tonight in honor of you?"

"With dancing?"

"With dancing." Elrond agreed.

"And in honor of Frodo and Sam and Merry and Pippin, too?" Elizabeth asked excitedly.

"In honor of them also." Elrond agreed again. "Now, about my questions. Are you willing to help me answer the rest of them?"

Elizabeth nodded cheerfully.

Elrond transferred Elizabeth from her place in the over-sized bed to his lap, where he placed his hands on her pressure points of her head.

"What are you doing?" Elizabeth asked.

"You are going to answer my questions without words. I shall gaze at your memories on my own." Elrond explained.

"Will it hurt?"

"Probably not."

"Ok."

"Close your eyes, Elizabeth, empty your mind except for the recent events that have happened. Think of how you got here." Elrond whispered as he searched her mind.

Images flashed in Elrond's own mind. A storm. A tree. Lightening bolts hitting the tree. The home of Bilbo Baggins. Gandalf's wagon. The Dragon Firecracker. The ring that Frodo carried. The Ringwraiths. The blade embedded in her shoulder. A great deal of pain shot through both Elrond and Elizabeth's shoulder at the same time. Considerable amounts of pain coursing through their shoulders—

Elizabeth's scream brought Elrond out of her mind. She was gasping for air. Obviously, reliving the pain had been too much for her young, weakened body.

Elrond's attention was immediately on Elizabeth and how after several gasps for breath, she'd passed out again. He laid her on the bed and felt for a pulse. When he felt a weak, but steady one, he felt her forehead and found no temperature. Elrond was relieved for the moment. But, Elizabeth had been left with not enough power to stay awake after reliving the pain of the Morgul blade.

Elrond heard rushed footsteps slowing and he turned to see Gandalf entering the room.

"The wound is as Frodo's. It will never heal and since she obtained it at such a young age, I do not know how it will affect her." Elrond explained, answering Gandalf's unvoiced question.

"Why did she scream?" Gandalf asked.

"She allowed me to gaze at her memories. I should not have asked her. She experienced pain when she remembered the Morgul blade. I brought the memory back too soon." Elrond sat down in an armchair and rested his forehead on his hand.

"It was not your fault, my friend, she did not know any better than to say yes. At her age, everything is sugar-coated." Gandalf explained.

"Sugar-coated?" Elrond asked, looking up from his position.

"It's a human expression. Don't ask how I know it, I just do." Gandalf said.

"Her birthday is today. Such a terrible thing that she is scarred for like on the eve of the day she was born." Elrond said.

"She still has something to look forward to." Gandalf replied.

"Yes, I know, I promised her a feast with dancing. She told me it must be in the name of not only her, but Frodo, Samwise, Meriadoc and Peregrin." Elrond said.

"Perhaps we should take this opportunity to plan that." Gandalf said. "I'm sure Samwise can watch over her, since Frodo is with Bilbo."

Elrond nodded. "Yes, let's go and plan the feast."

That said, the two men left the room.

((author's note: thanks to everyone who reviewed.

silvery-white-blue-eye-kitsune: The kitsune…you must enjoy Japanese mythology. Anywho, thanks for your review and thanks for the encouragement. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

elvinscarf: thanks again for the encouragement and constant review. I believe that you are one of the few who review almost every time.

Iloveelves: I'm glad you like the verse context. Thanks for reading and please keep reviewing by all means. And thanks for the compliments concerning Elizabeth. I've read many LotR fanfics and not one of them that I've read has had a kid go on the Fellowship, so I thought that'd be cool.

Soccer-Bitch: Thanks, I quite like the way this story is going myself. But there will be some unexpected events in the near future. And that quote you liked—it's one of my favorites too! Thanks for reading!

Fireside Sisters-Fear us: I love your pen name! It's just so…cool! Anywho, thanks for the compliment concerning the title. It's really corny actually, but it gets the point across.

Juniper87: thanks so much for reviewing! And worry not, friend, I shall update soon!

IrethAncalime3791: Yes, I was babysitting at my neighbor's house and found out that their eight year old daughter still watched Barney. Actually the way Elizabeth acts is based on my little neighbor friend. Coincidentally, I sometimes call her Emily or Elizabeth even though her name doesn't even start with an E. Thanks, by the way, for the help on Elizabeth's character. I have made some of the changes you specified and you will see them soon.

freelance beatnik: thanks and don't worry, I shall update soon. Interesting pen name you have, by the way.

hope ya liked that! Please review!))