...

~ Southward ~

As they prepared Elraen often joined the Wizard and the Ranger in Elrond's libraries, for she was eager to learn more of the wider world and most especially of Gondor the land of her forebears. At times she would wander the valley, or talk at whiles with some of the Elves, but more often with the hobbits once her friends from the Havens had departed.

Along with the reforging of Narsil the elves took also her sheath, and to the names inscribed on the scabbard they added 'Princess Elraen' to the end, the only maid listed besides Miriel.

She wondered at Elrond's words with Gimli on the subject of oaths. The conversation seemed to stir some deep memories she couldn't quite grasp, and as they set forth she was working on whether Lord Artamir may have once given her a lesson on the wisdom of oath taking.

When they left the road Elraen worried, for she knew there were many fell things west of the mountains, but Aragorn assured her the land stretching out from Rivendell should be empty for a long way. She had given an account to the Council of some of her adventures which would be relevant (including Radagast's judgment that the wolves they encountered were not quite Wargs), which Gandalf had her add in every so often during his story. But the wizard deemed any Orcs and wolves were likely employed by Saruman and unlikely to be found this far north.

They reached the region of Hollin, where Aragorn grew disturbed by the oppressive silence.

"Maybe the Riders had to pass through here on their way back to their master," Elraen suggested. The wizard and the Ranger looked at her, pondering the idea. "Their terror may have frightened all the beasts away," she continued.

"Perhaps," replied Aragorn. "That could be it. However, if they did pass through here, it would have been several weeks ago. The animals should have returned by now, I would think."

She walked along quietly most of the way, eventually picking up a suitable walking stick. They trudged along each night and camped each morning, and she set down her things a little apart, to maintain as much privacy as she could afford and accomplish some small level of ablutions.

This however ended upon starting up the Redhorn Pass. There it was the first time Elraen tried to stop the wind rather than start it. She met with some success at first, but it did not last long. As they huddled together against the cliff wall she clasped at the wand where it hid clung to her arm, and tried to fight the fell winds and snow, but found she was no match for this mountain.

The snow piled high and the cold grew intolerable. Elraen stood by the hobbits, pulling up Pippin before he could faint, just as Boromir picked up Frodo who had already fallen and was slipping into a stupor. For herself she could no longer control her shivers and was now shaking visibly.

"This is grown too dangerous! What do we do now?" she shouted, and was followed by the Boromir who voiced a similar sentiment, concerned over the hobbits.

At last they each received a sip of the miruvoir Gandalf carried, and were able to warm a little by the pitiful little fire. Elraen even managed a short doze amid the snow and cold - while standing up, as an indication just how weary she had become by that moment.

When they finally descended to safety, Boromir protested bitterly at the mention of Moria, as did most of the Company. Boromir asked for the rest of their thoughts on it. Elraen had also heard evil rumors and legends about Moria, but strangely she felt rather ambivalent on the matter.

"I will go," she said, after Legolas. "There seems no better road to choose. They all lead to a peril and evil of some sort. It may be warmer there at least."

After the first Warg attack, Elraen found she could not sleep. She sat upon a pile of her things, leaning against a tree, gazing out at the darkness. Suddenly the attack returned in full force, and she found herself facing a beast with a curious patch of white across his brow - this had to be the same one she encountered months ago a ways south of here. 'So he is a Warg, after all, or working with them,' she thought to herself. 'Perhaps I will have the chance to report that to Radagast someday.'

And now he was here to finish what he started, for almost too late she noticed he was already crouched for an attack. She jumped to her feet with only time to pull her dagger, for he was already flying through the air. The young princess was tackled to the ground, but there her fight with him ended, and the beast went limp - she pushed him over and found she had landed a direct hit deep in his chest.

But that was just the beginning. She again found herself wishing she had a shield, but at last she pulled her sword and felled a few more. Finally Gandalf set the ring of trees afire and the battle finally ended.

Late the next day at last they found the western wall of the mines. They came to the great holly trees, proud and ancient sentinels guarding the great gate, and Elraen stopped and stared at them for a long time. The sight of two such strikingly large trees standing alone together stirred something in her heart, reminding her of the tapestry in Elrond's library, though she still could not have put thought let alone spoken words to the feeling.

Elraen helped Sam unladen the poor pony, remembering her own dear steed that she had to turn aside not too long ago. Along with the others she turned her attention to the doors as Gandalf tried to work out the riddle. She was struck again, this time by the sight of the Elvish lettering, though now she assumed it had simply stirred in her memory some childhood lessons on high Valinorean.

"Speak, friend, and enter?" she wondered aloud, staring intently at the door, after Gandalf had ceased his attempts in frustration. "Speak, friend, and enter," she repeated, her brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand," she muttered aloud to herself, "why make such a grand and beautifully permanent door with no hint to the password? Such an un-secret door should have a hint."

As the evening drew on Elraen could not begrudge Boromir his frustration, she had begun to feel much the same at the moment. In vain she tried too late to keep him from throwing the stone into the water. Then the lake's rippling and the wolves' howling both grew closer, and she cast the flap of her cloak over her shoulder, wary and listening, her hand ready to reach for her sword.

Gandalf had at last solved the riddle, (for which he gave credit to both Merry and the young Princess) and not a moment too soon. Elraen had just picked up her pack when the attack by the Watcher came. She now had only time to draw her dagger in that instant, pack in the other hand, but suddenly the Company was stirred by Gandalf's call. Before they knew it they were trapped in the stuffy gloomy blackness of the mines.

Elraen then sheathed her dagger, slung on her pack, and trod along the hallways in line. The light taps of her footfalls sounded heavy against the barefooted little steps of the young hobbits marching in front of her, but soft against those of the Company's two large warriors following just behind her.

The first sound of the drums came when they finally stopped to rest. "That is not comforting," she muttered quietly, though it echoed about the room for all to hear. The mines hadn't bothered her too terribly as yet, but now she began to worry.

On the third day came the attack upon the records room. Elraen went up to help Boromir in jamming the door, handing him broken swords found scattered around the room, before retreating to the far end of the room and pulling her weapons.

'Now my childhood training is put to the test!' Elraen thought to herself, pulling out both her blades, and they glimmered in the shafts of morning sunlight stabbing down from the high windows.

To her surprise fighting Orcs was easier than she expected, for they were disorganized and poorly trained. Putting both blades to use, Elraen soon slew two. Again she found herself wanting a good shield. But the Orcs didn't seem much interested in attacking her where she stood at the far wall from Frodo. Suddenly the orc-chieftain burst in and bore down against them.

"Boromir!" she cried and sprang forward with a swing of her sword, managing a slash at its knee. The chieftain let out a yelp, yet this did this little more than distract him for a moment. For her efforts she received a backhand swing of the chieftain's great arm diagonally across the ribs, so swift and powerful she flew stumbling back several feet into a bank of weapons stored against the wall. Thankfully the stored weapons were all extremely old, and most were dulled and brittle, and cracked and crumbled at her weight, and she received only an array of light cuts and scratches upon her neck and arms. But her garments snagged on the edges and when she got up nothing she wore was not half covered in little rips and tears, even her boots. She picked up her weapons and turned to help Legolas pull Gimli away from the tomb of Balin.

At last they passed through the eastern exit. Then Elraen could feel it through the closed door - something not unlike the fearful air that surrounded the Ringwraiths, but more deeply rooted it felt, and more powerful. "Do you feel something? What is it?" she wondered aloud in a whisper, catching her breath.

Gandalf looked at her curiously for a moment, but just then Frodo came to, and the wizard bade them all go on ahead to which Aragorn protested.

"I can help you!" Elraen insisted, again. She was not sure what she could do to help down here in the mines, but perhaps whatever new enemy behind the door might also be nervous about her, too.

"Go! This is beyond all of you!" he declared sternly.

"It's not!" she protested again.

The wizard was now thoroughly perplexed. "I have no time to argue. Go!" he insisted, looking to Aragorn for help.

"Come away, child, please," said Aragorn, also pondering her assertions, as he tugged gently at her shoulder. Reluctantly she moved off down the stairs where they waited, until their leader came flying down after them, and the Company continued their flight. Eventually they halted for a short break, where he at last explained what had happened.

Soon afterwards in the great hall Elraen was standing by Legolas when the great foe appeared. She bent down and picked up the arrow the elf had dropped, ready to hand it back, but before she knew it they were rushing across the bridge. They paused, turning to face the shadow of terror, and the terrible sound of Boromir's great horn shook the room.

But now Gandalf turned back, heading back across to hold off the creature, the two men not far behind him. There was naught to do but watch the altercation helplessly. She stared at the barely visible form of black shadow wreathed in flame and wondered why something about the scene felt familiar. Every move the wizard made the enemy seemed ready to counter with its whip, and the two seemed stuck in stalemate.

"This is hopeless!" cried Boromir over to Aragorn. "There is neither fighting nor running!"

Trapped. Elraen wondered what now could be done, and she began to wonder if she should urge the hobbits out the door, for the quest still had to go on. She touched the wand against her arm. The arrow was still in her other hand. Then an idea came to her. The young princess couldn't have explained what put it in her mind to do or say as she did, but she knelt down and untied the case and took the wand out, and with a strap of its little pouch she bound it to the arrow.

She stood up. "Legolas!" she called to the elf, shoving the arrow at him, "shoot it!"

He looked down and saw the silver rod, very faintly giving a soft glimmer. It caught him so by surprise he stopped a moment and stared at it in wonder.

"Shoot it!" she cried again. The prince took the arrow and dashed a few steps forward, and in an instant it was sailing through the air with a trail of glittering light. Then with a bright flash the arrow bearing the wand buried deep into what appeared to be the creature's chest.

It let out a deafening shriek. It was weakened. And for the blink of an eye it was distracted. At last the wizard had his advantage and smote the bridge. And then suddenly, down he was pulled, and into the chasm the two fell.

The young princess stood there stunned, weakened with the horror of what they had just lost. She almost swooned, about to fall to her knees, when Aragorn appeared, and grasping her up he pulled her along, calling out to everyone to keep going. She then stumbled along in a daze, too aghast to weep, struggling to focus on swinging one leg out and then the other, and to keep from tumbling down the steps beyond the gate outside.