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On with the story.
For it was truly a revelation like none other.
Their remaining days in the Galadhrim were swift in passing. With the birds once again blessing them with their early morning songs, the Fellowship found themselves standing on the banks of the river, preparing to depart the Elvish haven and return to their quest.
But as they stood on the banks, the air about them was somber. The company was still missing its Wizard and Elf Prince, and a Marchwarden of Lórien was now standing among them. Truthfully, none of the Fellowship had opposed Galadriel's assignment in having Haldir accompany them on the remainder of their journey; his help would be much needed after the loss of Gandalf and now Legolas. But each of them still ached how ever much or little in their own way, knowing that they had lost another one of their company.
But Eina had, by far, had been the most off-put at the Prince's departure. While she still easily could laugh and smile among the company of the Fellowship, when left alone to no one but her thoughts, her mind would wander and fill with sorrow, her heart always falling back to the Prince who had departed.
While she took what everyone had said about not blaming herself for the Prince's departure to heart—for they all had resolutely concluded that his leaving was something beyond her control and there was no reason she should dare blame herself for it—Eina still found that her heart continued to throbbed in a painful manner.
"And for you, Poikaer…" Lady Galadriel was suddenly before her. Eina blinked stiffly, leaving the mirrored world that rested behind her eyes and came to face another pair of blue orbs before her.
"Pure One, my Lady?" Eina questioned softly.
The Elf-Witch's expression was soft, "A befitting name for one as light as you." Those present couldn't help but feel their lips turn upwards at the positive endearment towards their friend.
The Lady continued, the conversation now private between their minds. 'Your heart is still heavy at Legolas's departure. But do not sorrow. He will return to you.'
'But he was so defeated even after we spoke, and all the more certain of his decision to leave… and he's so stubborn… I'm not sure that he will ever change his mind.' Eina's eyes began to grow with hot tears as she reminisced.
The Lady brought gentle hands up to Eina's shoulders as the younger hastily made a move to keep her tears at bay. 'A mind is not so difficult to change. Speak what it favors, and it will sway.'
'What do you mean?'
A ripple of mischief overtook the Lady's eyes. "All in time." But with a blink, that ripple had vanished, leaving nothing more than cool blue pools in their wake. Galadriel continued. "But for now, I gift you with this: a Bow of the Galadhrim," the Lady stepped back, her hands then coming to present a bow and quiver to Eina, "may it protect you and your company for the remainder of your journey."
Eina carefully took the gift, slinging the loaded quiver over her shoulder and taking the intricately carved bow into her hands. Her eyes roved over the silvery wood, admiring the vine-like tendrils and the exquisite level of detail. The bowstring itself even seemed to be made of Elf hair, for it glistened a fair gold in the early morning sunlight.
"Thank you." Eina said breathlessly, her eyes wide at having received such a marvelous gift.
"There is one last thing." The Lady stated. To the curious surprise of all, Galadriel reached into the pocket of her dress. Her fingers emerged, clearly encasing some small and clearly precious object. The Lady gestured to Eina upon asking, "your hand, please."
After putting the bow over her shoulder, Eina extended her right hand. With nimble fingers, Galadriel then placed a very small silver ring onto Eina's little finger. As she did so, the ring let out the softest, and yet most melodious of sounds.
To this, Eina's eyes turned wide in surprise, "a bell?" She inquired, bringing her hand closer to further examine the ring. It's silver band was like woven vines that elegantly grew in thickness as they encased the smallest of silver bells that was inlaid on the top of the ring. The bell itself was impressively small, for even a drop of water would still be larger. But the fact that it still let off such a clear sound for being so little was remarkable.
The sound of the bell in itself was something to be awed upon, for it rung out so beautifully and clearly despite being so small. But it's sound was not like that of an ordinary bell. The 'ding' it gave off was as peaceful as a temperate summer breeze on a cloudless blue day: warm, comforting, and somehow soft. It was like nothing she had ever heard before...
"Do not worry of it causing trouble on your quest, "The Lady added, anticipating Eina's concern, "it has been properly enchanted."
To her words, Eina smiled brightly. "Beautiful would not be enough to describe how truly wonderful these gifts are. I am so grateful for these blessings. Thank you." The younger then bowed deeply to her elder.
'It would do you well to tell them.' Galadriel added, taking Eina's hands within her own. Eina knew that the Elf-Witch was speaking of her recently regained memories. Of course it was best to be truthful, especially during times like these. But Eina herself was still trying to come to terms with them, and they were nothing short of difficult to manage.
'I know…" Eina answered timidly.
'You are afraid,' Galadriel began, 'but dare to have faith in others as they have had faith in you.'
With their hands still gently joined, Galadriel then turned her attention to the entire Fellowship. "My these gifts provide you aid on the remainder of your quest and your journey filled with fortune. But now, the boats await; let us hope the enemy is still far off."
With these last words of parting, the Fellowship climbed into the boats, and they were soon drifting along the river, leaving the safety of Lórien far behind for the dangers of the outside world.
To the surprise of all, their travels down the river were uneventful. They chatted amongst their boat members, Eina having found herself with Haldir and Gimili for the journey. Even despite their journey along the river overnight, which all of them was certain something would stumble upon them, nothing stirred against them. Before long, night gave way to day, and come late afternoon, the Fellowship had beached their little white boats along the shore.
They all hastily clambered out of the boats, each stretching their muscles that ached for having been sitting for so long. As they did so, Aragorn proclaimed they would set up camp for the time being, and depart again that evening across little bay.
"Can't we just leave now?" Pippin inquired, looking across the river to the opposite shore.
The façade of the hardened ranger returned. "Those shores are patrolled by orcs." Aragorn answered. "We shall wait for the cover of darkness."
The Halfling huffed, kicking a stone. "Well, I'll go gather some firewood then, seeing as how there's not much else to do." The Halfling then began to aimlessly trek into the forest.
Eina couldn't help but laugh as she began to walk after him. "Pippin, wait!" the Halfling stopped as she walked up to him, "it's dangerous to go alone."
"So you'll be joining me then?" He inquired. She nodded, to which Pippin puffed his chest up, and extended her his arm, assuming an air of gentlemanly grace. "Then let us be off, my lady." Eina giggled at yet another one of his never-ending attempts at romancing her. But regardless, she played along, and took hold of his raised arm.
As they strode off, a voice called out to them. It was Boromir. "Keep a wary eye out at all times!"
"Yes, brother!" Eina hollered back listlessly.
"And don't wander too far!" He called again.
"We won't!" Her words harbored a tinge of exasperation, and she could hear him trying to shout more words at her, but fortunately, they were out of earshot.
"He worries about you a lot doesn't he?" Pippin said as they continued in their walk, their feet crunching on the leaves around them.
She nodded. "He means well, but his over-protective behavior makes me want to throttle him some times."
"Family's good for that." Pippen said, breaking their linked arms to pick up a fallen branch. "Does everyone else in your family act like that as well?"
"Yes, actually." Eina admitted, silently mortified. "Especially my father; he's almost worse than Boromir."
To that, Pippin laughed whole-heartedly. "Now that'd be a sight to see."
They continued to chat pleasantly with one another as they filtered about the forest in their quest for firewood. As they walked, they exchanged tales of their families' and loved one's, happy to reminisce on pleasant memories with one another.
Before long, the piles of wood in their arms grew large. "I suppose this'll do." Pippen said, shuffling his armful of brances.
Eina nodded, her arms also loaded with firewood as well. "We seem to have gone uphill," her eyes then scanned around them for an instant, before finally coming to a stop, "but I can see the river from here. Let's go to it, and walk back to the others from there."
"Righty-o!" Pippin said gaily, beginning to walk down the slope towards the river.
But they had not gone 20 paces before Eina halted them in their tracks. "Wait," she commanded.
Pippin turned her, his face clearly puzzled. He could see that her gaze was fixed on something farther off between the trees below them.
"Something's wrong," she said gravely. Then, with much haste but quiet care, she knelt down and deposited her firewood before beginning to creep lowly from tree to tree down the hill so as not to be seen. As she dodged her way around, her eyes never strayed from their place between the trees that they were now so fixated on.
Pippin, who was now quite perplexed at his friend's sudden behavior, hastily dropped his own firewood and scampered off after her. "Eina!" He called, quickly coming up behind her. "What's wrong?" He asked after finally coming to stand behind her as she crouched at the base of a large tree.
"We are not alone." She gestured down the slope towards a mass of running figures.
Pippin's eyes turned to horrified saucers, "Uruk-hai."
A thick paste had overcome Eina's mouth as she watched them jog along. They moved with surprising stealth; much like ants, relentless in their quest that had been given to them by their master. Eina grimaced, "they'll have the others entirely surrounded in minutes."
"Then we must warn them!" Pippin urged, beginning to run down the slope again.
Eina went after him instantly, quickly grabbing him by the arm and pulling him behind another tree. "We'd be cut to pieces before we even got halfway back to camp!" She whispered harshly.
"Then what do we do?" The Halfling stressed. His eyes suddenly shot over to Eina as she continued to peer down at their enemy. "Eina, you could shadow jump to them! Warn the others that way!"
Her eyes snapped down to him in surprise at the suggestion. But her gaze was quick to turn fearful. "I'm not sure that would be wise. It may break the spell… and I don't care to test the power of its seal if I can help it."
"But what choice do we have?" He argued, "you said so yourself: we can't fight our way back to them; we're entirely outnumbered! It's our only option," he then took one of her hands and held it within his own, "and I have faith in you," he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "you won't break the spell!"
She looked at his little hands as they held hers—which, together, didn't seem so small—and she let out a sigh. Eina knew he was right. She then brought her other hand up to his, and together, they gave each other an encouraging squeeze. "Ilúvatar, please help keep the spell from breaking."
"You can do it." Pippin said, offering her a comforting smile as their hands fell apart. "I know you can!"
With these last words of encouragement, she took a breath, closed her eyes, and vanished into the shadow of the tree. Not even the breeze seemed to have noticed her disappearance, but upon her leaving, Pippin's eyes instantly trailed back towards their campsite as he anxiously awaited Eina's return.
Much to Eina's surprise, the jump wasn't nearly as catastrophic as she though it would be. Granted, there was an undeniable throb now coursing its way through her at the spells obvious protest of the jump, but the feeling soon faded away to nothing. 'Well, at least now I know that jumping won't completely destroy the spell… for now.' With this as a trailing thought, she quickly assessed her surroundings. She then realized that she had reappeared on the precise border between the woods and the shore, and the rest of the Fellowship was only paces away.
With careful haste, she stepped from the shadows and went to them.
Some of their company acknowledged her as she approached. "Eina!" Boromir spoke. But his brow was quick to furrow. "Where is Pippin?" To his words, all other eyes all fell on her as they waited for an explanation.
"He's safe, for now," she started quickly, "but I came to warn you: there's a large troop of Uruk-hai fast approaching; they'll be upon these shores in minutes." Upon her words, the others reflexively began to ready themselves for battle.
As he swung his quiver over his shoulder, Haldir spoke, "how did you get here without them noticing?"
"I had to jump." She answered curtly.
To her words, all of her comrades shot her a look of great worry. "But the spell…" Boromir began, walking towards her.
"It disagreed with the jump, but it still holds strong." She insisted. "It was the only way to warn you."
"Just do not make a habit of it." Aragorn added.
"I have no intention to." She finished. Her gaze then picked back to the dark woods. "But I must return to Pippin."
She then began to stride towards the nearest shadow. But a hand gripped her should and stopped her before she could vanish. It was Boromir. "Be safe, sister." He said earnestly.
Eina looked to him and smiled, gripping his arm in return, "I will." Her eyes then shot back across all of the Fellowship, trying to engrain all of their faces into her memory should the worst come to pass, "and all of you as well!"
Aragorn rested a hand on the hilt of his sword. "We will see you when the fighting ends." He concluded before drawing his sword. The ground around them began to stir; all eyes snapped towards the now suffocating shade of the trees as the ground continued to rumble ominously. The Uruks were almost upon them.
"I must go." With that, Eina vanished into the shade of the tree.
By some miracle, Pippin hadn't wandered from the tree in which she'd left him. "I knew you'd be able to do it!" Pippin cried triumphantly the instant she reappeared.
Despite the undeniable throb that was coursing through, she grinned sheepishly back at him. "Everyone has been informed." The ache lasted a bit longer this time, but not by much. When it finally reduced to something more manageable, Eina focused her eyes back towards the camp she'd just departed. Her face was resolute, "there will be no escaping this battle."
"Well if that's the case, we'd best join them." Pippin said, grasping at the small blade at his side.
She smiled determinedly down at him, quickly coming to knock an arrow to her bow. "Indeed we should. But let's give them a surprise attack, shall we?"
Eina then rose and took a deep breath, recalling Galadriel's words to her before they had departed. They echoed distinctly across her mind as she held her bow at the ready. 'While you may not remember it, the magic will. Trust it. It will not lead you astray.'
Then, curiously enough, something sparked within her. It was a magic that she had no recollection of ever wielding, yet it felt so familiar. It was warm like a fluttering bird, but it was also remarkably strong. And the grandest part of it all was that it was not dark magic, but light. It began to seep through her, trickling to every corner of her being until it somehow, as if already knowing where to go, filled itself into the knocked arrow of her bow.
As she stood there with her arrow heavily infused with light magic, a rush of memories returned to her; or perhaps, not memories, but old knowledge she once knew. And it was all knowledge on how to wield this newfound light magic that had reawakened within her: protective barriers, sacred arrows, spells of purification… more an more of these long forgotten powers continued to rise like vanishing islands out of the once vacant sea of her memories.
As it all came back to her, Eina somehow knew no matter what happened henceforth, spell or no spell, she would not forget any of the knowledge she had regained. For it was truly a revelation like none other.
She then let out a breath, and let her arrow fly. The instant her finger let released the arrow it erupted with a pale lilac colored light, and shot at dangerous speeds towards their enemy.
For an instant, the Eina and Pippin could only stare utterly flabbergasted at what had just occurred; anything that had been in the path of the arrow had been reduced to a pale pink dust and was now floating carelessly among the breeze.
They both blinked, jaws hanging open and eyes riddled with astonishment. Pippin broke his stare first. "So much for subtlety," he teased.
Eina scoffed at his cheeky response. "They'd have found us eventually!" She huffed, before leaping around the tree and beginning to move down the hill.
Arrow after arrow she fired, continuing to reduce their enemy to dust. But the distance between them and the Uruk-hai soon closed, and Pippin and Eina quickly found themselves in the midst of close-quarter combat.
But it was upon a commanding wail of a particularly brutish looking Uruk-hai the Eina felt her blood turn cold. "Seize them! Sieze the woman and the Halfling!"
Eina's eyes turned wide before whipping around to find Pippin. He had not wandered far, perhaps twenty paces or so and was holding his own fairly well. But he too had heard the proclamation for their seizure. Neither of them had the time to wonder why. But for an instant, their eyes locked and they scrambled to be nearer to one another in better efforts of defending themselves.
But with his back turned, an Uruk-hai swept up from behind, and grabbed Pippin at the cloak. The look of sheer panic in his eyes was so great as he stared back at her…
Eina hardly registered the motions it took to let another purification arrow fly. It hit the beast that had tried to claim Pippin right between the eyes. Like all the others, it was reduced to soft pink ash. The instant he was free, Pippin ran towards Eina. He grasped her pant leg in sheer panic. He was sure his heart was going to explode from his chest at have nearly been captured.
Eina then rammed her sword into the dirt, and clapped her hands in front of her chest as if about to began a prayer. But her eyes suddenly flickered with a pale purple hue, and dome of similar colored light appeared around them. Any Uruks that were already in the dome were vaporized instantly, but those from beyond it continued to rush them. But when they hit the barrier, each let out an agonized cry before disintegrating as well.
From inside their protective barrier, Pippin couldn't help but feel awestruck. "Since when could you do this?!" Pippin said, clearly amazed at the sphere around them.
"I always could," she answered, not moving from her concentrated pose, "but I've only just remembered how." But their enemy was relentless, now choosing to strike at her barrier with their swords and cleavers, and sending arrows into it as well. A sheen of sweat had quickly begun to form on her brow at the exertion.
"What're we going to do?" Pippin asked, "you can't keep this up forever."
Pippin was right. Eina knew that keeping the barrier up while they were being attacked like this was draining her, and quickly. She thought quickly, "Pippin, can you see the river from here?" She eventually asked.
The Halfling searched in the distance for a moment. "Yes! I can." He proclaimed, then looking up to her.
"Good," she gulped, focusing on the barrier for a moment before continuing, "on my count, I'm going to expand the barrier. With luck, it'll fry more of these unsuspecting bastards. In their confusion, we'll make a run for the river. Alright?"
"Yes!"
"Okay. We move on three. One…two…" both of them tensed, "THREE!" The barrier then let out a shockwave of power that was at least double its already impressive size. As Eina predicted, those who were too close were reduced to ash, and those remaining were so disoriented from what had happened to realize that their quarry was making a break for it.
The leaves slipped under their feet, flying out from behind them as the duo rushed down the slope. Neither of them dared look back, for fear of seeing their enemy fast on there heals. So instead they moved like the wind down the hillside. Neither daring a backwards glance until they finally reached the riverside.
They came to a momentary stop, both huffing lightly at the exertion. By some stroke of luck, their enemy seemed to have entirely lost track of them, for no one had followed them down the hill. In the distance, they could still hear shouts, yells, and the clatter of metal against metal as the fight carried on elsewhere. But for the moment, they were out of harms way.
Eina pointed down the bank. "The boats!" The pair then began to hastily make their way down the shore, keeping to the ominous tree line and carefully moving about so as to not be seen. They were soon upon the beached little crafts, hovering only for a moment before ducking low behind a large thorny shrub to develop their next plan of action.
"So what do we do now?" Pippin asked, hand back on the hilt of his sword.
Eina glanced back into the trees; she could see Uruk-hai running about, but none heading directly their way. Eina looked back to him, "we need to find the others."
There was a moment's pause. "You could jump again," Pippin suggested.
"No," she responded instantly, "I don't want to make a habit of it. And I don't know exactly where they are, so I couldn't even I wanted." She also didn't want to trouble him with the knowledge of how after her last stunt with the barrier, her magical resources were limited, and she desperately did not want to test the seal's power knowing that fact. No. They'd have to find another way.
Before they could decide anything further, they both caught a familiar voice yelling across the air. It was Sam. "Run, Mister Frodo! Go!"
The voice of Merry broke out as well, "yeah, we'll hold them off for ya!"
Without warning, Frodo burst through the trees nearly running Eina and Pippin clear over. He stumbled and fell, but instantly tore himself up from the rocky shore and went to one of the little boats, beginning to heave it back into the water with all his might.
"We must help them!" Pippin said instinctively, beginning to rise.
Eina quickly brought a hand up to his shoulder, pulling him back down. "Wait!" She quickly drew one of her last arrows from her quiver, and knocked it silently. "This time, we will show these brutes the true meaning of surprise." Upon her words, she let the arrow tear through the shrubbery, and purified all of the Uruks that were so closely tailing Merry and Sam.
The unsuspecting Halflings looked up for a moment in shock at the surprise aid they'd received. But upon seeing Eina and Pippin step into view, they couldn't help but smile in relief.
"Run little ones!" Eina yelled, firing off another arrow and killing an Uruk who had appeared behind them. Sweat was now falling freely from her brow; so much extensive use of this long-forgotten power was taking a heavy toll on her. But she would not relent.
Only when all four of the Hobbits were on the shore did she turn her back on their enemy. Pippin had already gone to help Frodo with the boat. They had managed to get it into the water. Frodo was already perched in the little craft, and Pippin was keeping it from drifting away.
The others were upon them in an instant, the Halflings all encircling her. Eina urged, "Sam, go with Frodo. We'll stand guard on the shore while you—"
But she was cut off, for it was in that instant that an arrow shot out of the forest and imbed itself deep in her shoulder. She lurched forward, letting out an anguished cry at the now tearing pain that was seeping across her back. Fortunately, the Halflings instantly reacted, clutching onto her arms to keep her from tumbling to the ground.
Sam turned to look back into the forest. "Oh no," he said, still holding onto Eina's arm. His voice was clearly panicked, hearing the once again familiar rumble of the earth beneath their feet as the Uruk-hai drew ever nearer.
Pippin's face suddenly turned resolute. "Sam, listen to Eina: go with Frodo." Sam obeyed, not daring to argue with a serious Pippin. He carried on, "cross to the other shore. We'll stay here with Eina while you two escape. Merry, come on," he gestured to his friend to help him launch the little boat off the shore.
"But we can't just leave you here to die!" Frodo objected, making a move to jump out of the boat.
"No one is going to die!" Eina said, finally returning from her momentary shock of having been so unexpectedly wounded. She grit her teeth, "I'll make sure of that." She stood at her full height, and while it was not much to boast, she did not flinch. In fact, her eyes held newfound ferocity that matched the look Pippin had about his eyes.
She looked to Frodo and Sam, clasping either of their shoulders, to which they returned the gesture, already knowing what was to come. She spoke sincerely, "remember the promise you made with Gandalf, Sam. And both of you: have faith in each other, and let it be your guide through any dark times you may face. Now, off with you!" With these last words she, Merry, and Pippin shoved the little white boat as hard as they could off the shore and into the dark rippling water. The pair drifted for a moment before Sam found the oars, and together, Frodo and Sam began to row towards the opposite shore.
Eina looked back up into the woods; their enemy would soon be upon them. "Pippin, I need you to take the arrow out of my back." She kneeled down in front of him. For once, the Halfling did not hesitate, and swiftly did as told. The arrow let out an awful sound as it released its hold on her flesh. To this, Eina flinched, biting the inside of her mouth to keep from crying out. But upon feeling the arrows release, she let out a breath, and quickly turned to take the arrow from him.
Despite her pale face and sweaty brow, she smiled. "Good," she looked at the arrow tip, "it's still red." She said, commenting on the blood.
"Lady Galadriel's spell holds strong." Pippin supplied, to which she nodded.
"So it does," she then took the very arrow that had pierced her and loaded it within her own bow. As she did so, the two Halflings at her side swiftly drew their own blades. They stood their ground with newfound courage. "Whatever happens, we cannot let them reach Frodo and Sam." Eina commanded.
"Right," Merry and Pippin replied in unison.
The ground shook further. Leaves began to flutter off the trees. "Remember what you have learned little ones!" Eina said. It was in that instant their enemy broke through the tree line. Eina let her arrow soar. Their battle had begun.
There was the clash of swords, whizzing of arrows, and unrelenting war cries. Despite the pain that now coursed down her back, Eina did not yield. She fired arrow after arrow, obliterating their enemy to ash until her quiver had been entirely emptied.
But the same guttural voice from before had spoken out again, still hiding in the trees, "Seize them! Take the Halflings!" The instant these words roared across the open air, Merry and Pippin were engulfed in a wave of every Uruk-hai in sight.
'No!' Eina thought, coming to charge the last remains of her magic into her open palms. She then rushed the crowd of Uruks, a pale purple glow now emanating brightly from her hands as she quite literally plowed her way forward, reducing all those in her path to dust as she went. Hardly an instant had passed before she found herself at the center of the ring. But whatever hole in their forces she had made was swiftly refilled, which left the trio completely surrounded.
Strangely, though, none of them advanced. They all stood, weapons at the ready, but not near enough to land a blow. For an instant, a strange hush fell over them all.
But the sound of another whizzing arrow caused Eina to duck to one side. The arrow soared past, barely missing her right shoulder. It instead planted itself in the gut of an unsuspecting Uruk-hai, who let out an agonized squeal before toppling over. Their enemy danced around them at the event, but still they did not advance.
As a trio, they were rapidly running out of options. They were now entirely surrounded and all near exhaustion. 'But these bastards are still close,' Eina thought determinately. She clapped her hands together in front of her chest once more, 'llúvitar, give me strength.'
She then cast out another protective barrier, which, as before, instantly killed off any of their enemy who stood too close. Every inch of her was screaming at the overexertion, begging to stop, but she would not relent. Eina squeezed her eyes shut tightly in focus, gritting her teeth in one last blast of power before the barrier finally flickered and died.
Eina stood panting, her hands now at her knees as she tried to keep from collapsing. There was now an odd silence about her ears. She was indisputably drained of all energies, both magical and physical. Her eyes, while opened, her fogged momentarily. She blinked hard, and as her vision cleared, Merry and Pippin were grinning up at her and nearly bouncing. Her last attack must have worked, and apparently very well considering her comrades reactions.
Her eyes then flicked up between her raven black bangs and towards the opposite shore. Frodo and Sam had made it to the other side, and were now smashing their fists in the air with joy. She couldn't help but grin as she looked to them. For in that one moment, she found there to be hope among them. Hope that everything would be all right and that they somehow stood a fighting chance against the dark forces that so relentlessly hunted them.
The silence had dissipated, and she could now hear all of them, Frodo and Sam included, shouting joyously at their victory. Her grin only widened as she came to stand at her full height.
But it was in that instant that another sound invaded her ears: it was that of an arrow tearing it through the air. But this time, she was not so quick to avoid it. Again, she felt herself lurching forward, taking a harsh breath as she fought to remain standing as a second arrow impaled her. The silence had again returned, but this time it was different. The Hobbits had abruptly ceased their victory cries, and their eyes turned wide with shock. For a moment she forgot to breathe, and all she could hear was the soft trickling of the river.
She then dropped to her knees, head falling to her chest in efforts to not fully collapse, for her adrenaline rush begun to fade away. Her consciousness was also slipping. She could still register that two sets of small hands had grasped her, and muffled murmurs were passing through her ears, but she could not fully hear what was being said. Darkness was beginning to creep at the corners of her eyes.
But as suddenly as the hands were they, they vanished. It was within that instant that a voice suddenly managed to bring her back to the world. It was Pippin.
"EINA, PLEASE! HELP US!" He cried, tears practically pouring from his very words. She visibly jolted, her head snapping up in time to see two Uruk-hai dragging a now unconscious Merry and struggling Pippin away from her. Pippin was still so close that she could see the tears welling up in his eyes.
She made a move to rise, but fell hard into the stone bank of river. Her eyes were fogging again, and she was quite certain she had sliced her brow open. Through the midst of it all, she tried to blink the haze away as she finally came to stand without falling. She then took a few steps towards the brutes that had dared taken her friends. She would die before she let them be captured.
But then Eina felt herself jolt for a third time. She registered a sprouting pain as it erupted from her back, this arrow landing in nearly the exact same location as the first. Again, Pippin's cries fell silent as he watched her fall, again, to her knees. For a moment, their eyes locked, their eyes pouring with fear and sorrow. She somehow managed to speak, "I'm sorry Pip," her voice had shattered, tears finally beginning to fall from her own eyes before she finally toppled forward utterly spent. Pippin's anguished scream was the last thing she heard before her world once again fell silent.
For a moment, she laid there, her mind hazy, and her eyes half lidded. She had fallen, again onto the stones of the riverbank, hear gaze looking out across the river. She could see Frodo struggling to return to the boat, but Sam pulling him away. 'No.' She thought weakly. 'Please, I beg you, do not come back here. Flee. While you have the chance.'
She then saw that there was a moments struggle between them. Sam had grasped Frodo hard by the shoulders, shaking him. The duo then stilled. Then, to her insurmountable relief, they cast one last glance across the river towards them, before running into the forest.
Eina let out a deep sigh of relief, her vision further darkening as exhaustion continued to claim her. As it did, she could vaguely hear the sound of heavy foot falls moving towards her across the pebbled ground. But despite the darkness within her mind, she could still see the Hobbits, each with their horrorstruck faces, looking at her, each fearing what was to come.
She felt a tear fall from her eye, this time her heart aching. 'Please forgive me, little ones.' She felt herself slipping further into unconsciousness. 'I was unable to protect you.' All sound then ceased, and her world grew dark as she slipped entirely into the black oblivion.
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or Lord of the Rings. They belong to their respective owners.
Wow… it's taken five years, but here we are at the end of Book One. Admittedly, I cut a terrible amount out of this chapter, but it will all be put back in later. If you want more details as to why I cut out those details, the future of this story, the UPCOMING HIATUS, and why it took me so long to give you this update, please check out my profile for further explanations! And as always, please let me know what you think in your reviews!
Until later.