Eleniel had been travelling towards Rivendell for a few weeks now. Now that she was travelling alone and outside of the borders of comfort that Lothlórien provided her, she was always alert. Not once did her mind rest nor did her eyes waver from her surroundings, only finding rest when she felt that it was safe. Although she knew that the trees and the plants would tell her if something dangerous was coming. As of yet, they had nothing to tell her so she kept riding, allowing herself a minuscule amount of leeway as her thoughts drifted away from her. She hoped that everyone was okay especially Merry and Pippin, now that she'd entrusted them with something just as important as the One Ring. She also thought about a certain group comprised of an Elf, Dwarf and two Men. I hope Eru Ilúvatar is smiling down on you my friends and will protect you all in your upcoming battle.
She had just stopped for a small lunch and rest a few kilometres from the Ford of Bruinen when she felt and heard the change in the air. The plants and trees spoke of a dark evil approaching prompting Eleniel to abandon her lunch and jump aboard Atamir, her horse and a great friend of hers. "Noro lim, Atamir, noro lim." (Run swift, Atamir, run swift) she told her friend, urging the horse to run as fast as she could to Rivendell. Looking behind her she saw three of the nine chasing after her. Eleniel gasped as her eyes looked upon her ancient foes, urging Atamir to go faster. She couldn't draw any of her weapons nor was she focused enough to be able to use her powers so she chose to just run and hope that she made it to Imladris before they caught her.
She was a few paces away from Bruinen when a dark shape appeared next to her. Taken by surprise, she only had her fast reflexes to thank for being able to dodge the strong blow aimed at her neck. Having no choice but to defend herself, she lifted her right hand which lit with hot flames and threw the flames at the Ringwraith. It's high pitched shriek made Eleniel want to sever her own head from the rest of her body with how annoying and slightly excruciatingly painful it was to hear. The other two Ringwraiths briefly glanced at their fallen partner but kept chasing her. Unloyal bastards.
Unsheathing her sword, it met the blade of her next opponent. "We meet again she-elf," The Ringwraith said as it blocked her blade from connecting with where its head would have been if it had one.
"It seems so and just like all our other battles, you won't come out victorious." She spat back at it. Risking a glance up, she saw the Ford of Bruinen right in front of them. She sighed in relief in her mind when Eleniel felt a hot scorching pain run through her body. Glancing down, she found a blade embedded in her side. Glaring at the two Ringwraiths, she lit her sword with her flames and stabbed at the both of them. Their shrieks of pain was music to her ears as Atamir crossed into the borders of Imladris, the wraiths not daring to venture into the waters after last time. Looking down at the blade in her side, Eleniel reached down and removed it. A hiss of pain escaped her lips before she put the blade into her pack to inspect later.
Knowing that she was not going to make it to the front gate before she passed out, Eleniel sheathed her sword to her side and urged Atamir to hurry, the effects of her wound slowly draining her strength. The beautiful archway was just in view when her body became too weak and numb. She saw the surprised looks on the Elven guards faces before she succumbed to darkness.
When Elrond woke this morning, he did not think that this was how his day would play out. Arwen had refused to leave for the Undying Lands, claiming that if her family was to stay and very well perish in Arda then she would aswell. His Evenstar absolutely refused to be parted from them. He could not fault her for loving them so much that she would rather die at their sides than leave for the boat to the West. Although he also thought it had something to do with a certain Elf Prince of Mirkwood but he'd keep that little piece of information to himself.
He was walking towards his office, the once filled hallways of Imladris not as packed as it once was. Many of his people had decided to leave for Valinor although there was some who decided to stay behind like the Elves that were currently running towards him.
"Ada, you're needed in the Healing House." His sons, Elrohir and Elladan told him before grabbing onto the sleeve of his robes and actually pulling him towards the Healing House. He tried to remove their grip on his sleeve but after awhile of pointless manoeuvring, he let them guide him to their destination.
Opening the door, Elrond gasped when his eyes found the sight of a body laid on the bed. Rushing towards the she-elf, he immediately looked at her wounds before thinking over what he should do. He shouted for everyone to leave and immediately got to work. The Elf Lord stayed in the room for several hours. Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen and Glorfindel sat outside the room awaiting news of their guests condition. The siblings were worried for the health of the stranger but it seemed that the appearance of the fair and beautiful she-elf had made even Glorfindel crack his usual impassive mask.
"Glorfindel," Arwen called to the Elf to get his attention and hopefully stop his incessant pacing. "You know of who this elleth is?" She was curious of who the stranger was when her brothers had first arrived with her body in Elladan's arms but she was now very curious after seeing the reaction of her Ada and Glorfindel.
The Elf nodded his head at the lady's question, his mind thinking on the many years of separation between him and his dearest friend. "Yes, I know of who she is," he answered Arwen and her now listening brothers before continuing to speak, "It has been many a year since I last saw her."
He had not seen his friend since...since the Fall of Gondolin. It had been many years since that time. A time where he had lost everyone he loved and even his own life before being re-embodied. He was indeed worried and hoped that she would pull through. Elladan opened his mouth to ask him another question when the door opened to reveal a tired looking Lord Elrond. The questions of her health started flying at the Elf Lord straight away. "Silence!," The tired and frustrated Lord of Imladris bellowed to the group, his usually put together appearance ruined by his unruly hair that looked like he had tried to remove from his scalp out of frustration. He nodded for all of them to enter the room for some privacy. "Ada, who is this woman?" The twins demanded as soon as the door closed.
Elrond sighed before muttering something about needing peace and quiet and having a headache. He flopped quite unceremoniously on the chair beside the bed of the elleth and reached out to hold onto her hand tightly. Glorfindel repeated his actions. The Elf Lord stared at the elleth for several minutes before answering his children, "This is Eleniel. The Star of Finwë and the Noldor. She is your grandmothers Aunt." His children gasped before looking at Eleniel in shock which soon turned to glee and awe.
"She is beautiful." Arwen said reverently as she moved closer to the woman laying on the bed before allowing her hand to move of its own accord until it rested comfortably on her leg as a way to give her comfort. Elrond could only agree with the words spoken by his daughter. Although many thought of his daughter as the most beautiful Elf to grace Arda, he knew that title belonged to Eleniel for many who looked upon her felt as if they lost a part of themselves to her. "Indeed she is. It is said that the beauty of Eleniel could stop an army from advancing for her beauty would be too distracting."
"Many sought to have her love and beauty by their side. No such Man, Elf, Dwarf nor any other creature can claim to hold such a gift," his children were enraptured with his words as he spoke of the woman. He spoke of the many battles she had fought in, including that of the First War against Sauron.
After speaking for almost half an hour on all that he knew of the fair lady, Arwen finally voiced her thoughts on something that had been bothering her. "You do not open that door until everything you have done for the injured has been accomplished, yet she still sleeps..."
Elrond sighed after hearing the words of his youngest. He had healed her, that much Elrond knew but there was something wrong that he did not know how to heal. Something was blocking the medicines from working fully and he feared that she would not wake. "I have done all I can but there is something wrong," He told the group and an especially pensive looking Glorfindel. "Something is blocking the medicine from working. We can only hope that the Valar will bless her and she shall wake."
The once smiling and happy group now looked destroyed especially Glorfindel. There was a chance that she would not wake and although they did not know the fair lady personally, the children of Elrond wished to get to know her and it seemed like their chance would never come. Arwen, Elladan and Elrohir left the room to leave their Ada and Glorfindel to watch over the beautiful maiden. They hoped she would survive but understood that her chance of survival was slim.
While her friends sat at her bedside in Imladris, Eleniel found herself back in Lothlórien. Looking around, she found the beautiful night sky greeting her. "At least they let me land on my feet this time." Eleniel swore she heard the sound of Irmo laughing before she found herself tripping over strategically placed tree branch in her path, making a scowl appear on her face as she silently cursed the Ainur.
She was walking amongst the trees, trying to figure out what it is that the Valar wanted from her when she heard Varda's voice in her head, speaking to her. "He needs you right now, my dear. Go, to your clearing and you will find him." Knowing who it was that she spoke of, Eleniel rushed towards their clearing with vigour, a certain happiness in her step.
Once almost upon the clearing she stopped, her eyes falling upon the dark haired Ranger sat upon their bench. She smiled brightly and went to walk towards him when she noticed his hunched over body that looked as if the weight of the world rested upon his shoulders. "Estel?" Eleniel stepped into the clearing, his clear blue eyes snapped up to meet hers. The she-elf ran towards the man as soon as she saw the deep pain and frustration clear in his eyes.
"Minlû pedich nin, i aur hen telitha." (You told me once, this day would come) He said, his arms encircled around her waist as she sat beside him upon their bench. Her hands grasped his face gently, her fingers caressing the sure signs of stress that he felt.
"What is it that you speak of, meleth nin?" Eleniel asked her love curiously.
"The forces of Isengard and Sauron march for Helms Deep," He told her, although it was not news to her. "He has decided to strike the world of Man and I am in the middle of it. Many of the Men even the King look to me for strength. I do not know if I can carry such a burden." Eleniel sighed. She never could understand why the Ranger couldn't see himself the way she and everyone else saw him.
"Dolen i vâd o nin." (My path is hidden from me) His words pierced the haze in her mind as she saw that this was not a fear of being who he truly was but a fear for the people of Rohan. A fear that despite his best efforts, that he will not be able to save them. Eleniel lifted his head to force him to look into her eyes. "Fear is good. It means you care. You know what it is that you must do. Lend the Men strength and hope for it is hope that can save a soldier in battle."
"Si peliannen i vâd na dail lîn. Si boe ú-dhannathach." (Your path is laid before your feet. Do not falter now) She told him strongly. She saw as the resolve in his eyes tightened to a fierce determination. Eleniel knew then that the people of Rohan would survive the coming battle.
"I miss you. I do not know how long I can endure my grief at being parted from you."
Her hands tightened their hold on his face before she slowly pressed her forehead against his and breathed in his familiar scent. Neither of them spoke for awhile, only basking in each other's presence. Eleniel hated that she had to endure this aswell. While she knew that she would see Estel again, she still felt the emptiness as if she truly was back in Valinor instead of Middle Earth. Sometimes she feared that the Valar had given her no second chance and she'd wake to find herself back in Valinor with her family and her people.
"But I thank Eru, Irmo and the Valar for allowing me to see you in my dreams, your dreams, whoever dreams they belong to," Aragorn told her, his hand holding her chin as he wiped her tears away. "I am not some all powerful being that knows everything." He told her jokingly. Eleniel had to laugh at his attempt at lightening the mood. The mood soon returned to its somber self after his next words.
"I only know that if this is a dream, I shall hurt the man that dares to wake me." Her sobs soon filled the space between them, her tears once again staining her cheeks. Eleniel leant towards him, her face moving closer to his until their lips met in the middle. She poured everything she felt into their kiss. Her love, her anguish, her frustration and pain. Everything. Their lips moved as one until breathing became a necessity. Pulling away from each other, she leant her forehead against his chest, allowing herself and him to catch their breath.
Once she had her breath back she looked back up at him with a bright smile on her face which he returned. She pressed her ear against his heart, the soft sound lulling her to sleep. When she next opened her eyes, it was to an unfamiliar ceiling in an unfamiliar room.
"You're awake!," A voice exclaimed on her left. Looking to her bedside, she found two familiar faces and three unknown ones. The three unknown Elves gasped when she smiled at them before she looked at the other two.
"Nae saian luume, Elrond, Glorfindel." (It has been too long) she greeted them with a grateful smile to both of them for saving her. Her friends smiled at her before embracing her tightly. It almost felt like they were trying to break her ribs if she was being honest.
"Welcome to Imladris, my friend."
So she's in Rivendell and now we just need to see what's going to happen lol. If you follow my other book then yes, I know I promised an update this week and you will be getting one lol. Anyways as you can tell the battle for Helms Deep has not happened yet but no, don't even think that she'll make it to Helms Deep before the battle has started or anything because she won't haha. By the way, who else was going to cry during the dream scene? I really need to stop listening to these sad songs while I write because it turns me into a sap but at least we saw how Eleniel was feeling about everything that is going on. Even though she has the Valar on her side doesn't mean she doesn't feel the fear, frustration and pain that the others do. Also have you listened to the Opening Theme for Lord of The Rings at night because it actually makes me feel like I'm in a horror film whenever I listen to it before bed but I like it lol. Is listening to the opening theme before I go bed just feeding my obsession? Probably but I'm not complaining. A new cover because I got tired of the old one lol
Hope you enjoyed the chapter xx