They had been traveling for three days since the horrific incident at the watchtower and Frodo was steadily getting worse. He shivered almost constantly and was continuing to turn a sickly shade of green. Day and night they traveled, only stopping for short rests and to make Frodo more comfortable. Ivy never left his side staying near him and watching over him at all times. The group was silent and the hobbits did not once complain about their frequent meal skipping, even Pippin which surprised Ivy. The sounds of the Nazgul continued to grow ever closer, reminding them how close danger was and how lucky they had been to escape. The plants were quiet, not wishing to draw the attention of the dark riders to themselves or to Ivy.
On the sixth day, they stopped for a longer rest. To allow the hobbits, especially Frodo to try and have a few hours of sleep. Everyone was becoming doubtful that they would make it to Rivendell in time to save Frodo; even Strider's resolve was beginning to waver, which bothered Ivy greatly. If this warrior of the wilds was nervous, what hope was there for the rest of them?
"What will happen to him, should we not reach Rivendell?" asked Ivy.
"He will become one of them, a wraith," said Strider, closing his eyes in defeat, "We shall rest here for a while"
"Ivy?" asked Strider, after they had stopped and settled in a small clearing, "Do you know the Altheas plant or kingsfoil?"
"Well…" said Ivy slowly, not understanding.
"It may help to slow the poison; can you help me look for some? Sam? Can you stay here and watch over Frodo, we need someone to defend him, should the Nazgul find him"
Ivy nodded and jogged off into the woods; she called out for the kingsfoil and received a whispered nervous reply. She ran over to the base of a great tree and knelt before it. She whispered, "Friend, I have the greatest of favors to request, can you spare some of your leaves to save my friend?"
Ivy heard its rustle of approval, glad to be of use to her and bursting with pride that it had been selected above all others in the woods. Strider left the hobbits; he too was searching for the plant that would ease Frodo's pain, though he need not have bothered. He had not travelled far when he suddenly felt a blade at his throat.
"What's this? A ranger caught off guard?" said the sweet and melodious voice.
Strider turned and faced his attacker.
"Arwen?" he asked.
"I have been searching for you. There are eight behind you, but where the other is, I do not know."
They reached the group in the clearing. Merry and Pippin were fussing over Frodo, talking to him and trying to draw him back to them and out of the wraith world that threatened to take him.
Arwen walked over to Frodo and called him back, speaking beautiful elvish words that were much more effective than the hobbits nervous ramblings. Ivy watched her in silence. She was an elf. She had only heard of elves in the stories that Gandalf had told her when she was a young girl. Ivy also noticed that Sam too was watching this elf curiously.
Arwen turned to Strider.
"He needs elvish medicine. I must take him to my father"
"It is three days ride from here, he will never make it" Strider spoke in elvish.
"I will take him, I am the faster rider" She replied, also in elvish.
"It is too dangerous"
"I do not fear them," She said as she lifted Frodo onto her horse and climbed on herself.
"You can't just take him! What if you are attacked!" Ivy complained loudly panic clutching her as the strange she elf took her beloved Frodo away.
Arwen ignored Ivy's plea and she leant forward whispering some elvish words into her steed's ear and they took off at a gallop through the forest. Now all the rest could do was follow in their wake.
Arwen raced through the forest, the Nazgul close behind her. Ever closer they galloped, closing in around her. She dodged them as they hounded her, always managing to out run them.
They reached the Ford of Bruinen and the borders of Rivendell. Arwen crossed the river and waited for the Nazgul to catch up to her.
They rounded the bend and stopped just short of the water, none of them having anticipated what lay before them.
"Hand over the half-ling she-elf" an eerie, raspy voice called out across the ford.
"If you want him, come and claim him," cried Arwen, brandishing her sword and a rebellious look in her eye.
Under her breath, she whispered an elvish spell and the waters of the ford began to flood. The Nazgul tentatively entered the water and made it safely halfway across when a rushing sound came from around the bend, the Nazgul were swept away by a large wave, conjured by Arwen's spell.
Arwen dismounted her horse and gently laid Frodo on the ground. He was writhing in pain and turning a deathly shade of white.
"No! Hold on Frodo!"
She picked him up and placed him back on her horse, they turned and galloped into the realm of Rivendell, and toward the healing houses of her father Lord Elrond. In the forest a days ride behind them Ivy felt Arwen's powerful magic controlling the great river and sighed with relif. They had made it to the elvish sanctuary.
Sun shone across the stiff white sheets as Frodo awakened, in Lord Elrond's healing lodge. His head was pounding and his left arm was stiff. His eyes came into focus and he saw that a familiar friend was sitting in the chair opposite the bed.
"Gandalf?" said Frodo, as he sat up.
Gandalf smiled.
"Good Afternoon. You are in the house of Elrond, master healer. It is the 28th of August"
"Where were you Gandalf?" asked Frodo.
"I am sorry I did not meet you in Bree, Frodo my dear friend" said Gandalf, "I was delayed"
Gandalf appeared lost in thought when Sam entered the room.
"Mr. Frodo you're awake!"
"Everyone has been worried about you," said Gandalf.
Frodo smiled uneasily as Merry, Pippin and Ivy entered the room.
"Where is Strider?" Frodo asked.
"He had some business to attend to" said Ivy, smiling, "Well, come along hobbits. We should leave Frodo be. We too have some business to attend to."
Ivy loved being in Rivendell, everything here was so alive. The trees had long ago been awakened by the elves and they spoke to her with wisdom and love. They whispered to her of her mother who they had loved dearly, she pressed them for details but they always refused. Ivy, Pippin, Sam and Merry made their way to the dining hall, leaving Gandalf and Elrond to discuss the pressing issue of the ring and Frodo to get some much needed rest.
"Food!" exclaimed Pippin, returning to his usual hungry self.
Ivy looked about her as she walked down the open hallway that led to the dining hall. She had never been to Rivendell, but she already felt at home here. More at home than she had felt in the Shire.
She looked across the courtyard and noticed for the first time that people were arriving. There were Men, Dwarves and Elves gathering in the courtyard and making their way in. Ivy stopped and watched them all closely, trying to block out the sounds of the plants in Rivendell. Her mind had not had a rest since she arrived at Rivendell, given all the plants around her, yet she could not deny she loved them all.
The Men entered in first, tall men, all looking as though they would rather be somewhere else. One in particular stood out from them. He was tall and had longish honey brown hair and a muscular build. He seemed to be the leader of the group of men.
Then came the Dwarves, short they were, and all had red hair colouring. They were of a stout build and small in size, though a good foot taller than the hobbits, they were laughing merrily amongst themselves.
Ivy noticed that Strider was walking, not towards the Men, but was walking to the group of elves that were dismounting their steeds. He stopped at an elf, which he greeted most heartily with a brotherly embrace. Ivy guessed to be a member of their royal family for he was wearing a silver circlet on his fair blonde hair. His back was towards Ivy as he talked to Strider. They turned around to come inside and the elf's eyes caught Ivy's and she felt a shiver go through her. Suddenly the plants went quiet.
"Ivy?" asked Pippin, "Are you alright?"
"What? Yes, yes I'm fine" Ivy replied, turning back to the courtyard to see if he was still there,
Ivy entered the cavernous dining hall, her mind still on the blonde elf she had glimpsed in the courtyard earlier. She wasn't watching where she was going and nearly bumped into Pippin, who had stopped and was gazing around at the many tables groaning under the weight of the food, they were holding. A smile of pure hobbit delight spreading across his small face.
"Food!" she heard him whisper excitedly to Merry.
"Yes, Pip I see" he whispered back, barely able to contain his excitement.
"Come on you lot." Ivy said, from behind them, "Let's go and sit down"
They made their way over to their seats, Ivy still admiring the hall. It was large and wide enough to accommodate all the elves in Rivendell, and their honored guests. The sun reflected off of the intricately carved wooden arches that made a wall like structure around the hall. The floor was made of stone, which looked as though the dwarves may have created it many years ago. When they had been friends of the elves, not rivals. There were also two long tables set on either side of a space in the middle that Ivy guessed was for dancing, her heart skipped a beat at the thought of the handsome elf asking her for a dance, but she pushed the thought aside, the only man likely to request her presence on the dance floor was Pippin. Who as if, reading her thoughts, sat silently in the chair next to her. Elves were still milling around, chatting to one another, when Lord Elrond appeared and cleared his throat.
"Please find your seats, I have a few announcements before we all begin to eat" His voice boomed across the hall. There was a scurry of movement as the remaining elves found their seats. Ivy sat down next to Gandalf, and looked down the table to see if she could see the blonde elf again. Surely he would be here, she thought. After scanning the seats on the table they were seated at and she still could not see him, she returned her gaze to Lord Elrond.
"Some of you may notice," Elrond called out, "That we have some very special guests with us this evening. I would like to make welcome, Boromir of Gondor and his many companions."
Several of the elves clapped and looked around as Boromir and his friends stood up. The plants began their mindless chatter again, causing Ivy to place her hands over her ears.
"Please, "she thought desperately, "Please, Leave me alone"
All the plants went suddenly quiet. Ivy looked up to see the blonde elf, taking his seat, right opposite her.
"Ivy" whispered an urgent voice, "Stand up"
Ivy realized that all eyes were on her, her face turning a distinct shade of scarlet.
"Oh"
Ivy stood obediently with the rest of her companions and tried to ignore the amused gaze of the blonde elf opposite her.
"And lastly, I would like to make welcome, now that they have joined us, Prince Legolas of the woodland realm and his companions"
The blonde elf across from Ivy stood and tipped his blonde head to the elves that were applauding him.
"Now that all the introductions are made, you may go and enjoy your meal"
Ivy stood and made her way over to the tables laden with food. A Prince! She should have known. A Prince would never show any interest in her, a country dwelling girl from the far reaches of Hobbition. She felt her sprints drop.
She made her way back to her seat and started to eat her meal. Despite her present bad mood she felt herself beginning to enjoy herself, due to good food and excellent company. She laughed out loud at something that Merry said off to her left. She let herself relax into the evening, which might have had more than a little to do with the two glasses of strong elven wine she had consumed.
She looked up as she felt eyes on her and from across the table saw Prince Legolas eyes gently resting on her, a warm smile playing on his mouth. She smiled back and he nodded ever so slightly. She looked around hoping no one else had noticed.
Time drifted past and once the meals were eaten and cleared away, a troupe of attractive musicians began playing music for dancing. A few songs passed, and then, as she had predicted, she felt a little hand rest on her forearm. She turned her head and smiled at Pippin. Ivy stood up elegantly and crossed over to the dance floor. It was here that she noticed her problem. Pippin was really too small for dancing, as he was only three feet inches. Whilst Ivy towered over him at five feet, nine inches.
She took his hands in hers and they started dancing in a lively and vivacious way. After a few songs she was out of breathe and her back was beginning to ache from having to bend so low and excused her self to the table to get a glass of water. She sat back down at her place on the table and smoothed out her dress, taking a sip from her water. She felt herself regaining her composure, and then she lost it again as she felt a tall figure appear next to her.
"Excuse me, my lady. Would you honor me with the final dance of the evening?"
Ivy's breathe caught in her throat and she found it hard to breathe all of a sudden. She turned towards the tall figure and nodded silently, momentarily lost for words. She stood and he grasped her hands, leading her to the dance area. She was grateful to him, for not releasing her hands because she felt, if he let go, she would turn and run back to her seat.
He led her to the very centre of the dance floor. She could feel everyone's eyes burning into her. The whispers of jealous elven maidens behind jeweled hands. She looked at her own cradled gently in his strong soft masculine ones. They were rough and her fingernails were jagged and ill kept from her work in the gardens. She felt tears welling in her eyes. He pulled her closely, gently and they danced slowly together.
"Don't worry about them, "
She smiled weakly mentally thanking him for his kindness.
"Why did you ask me for this dance? When all the other maidens were more willing."
"Because you're the only one who has not chased me, its refreshing not to be craved for my title,"
She sighed and stepped away as the music stopped and they stood looking at each other for what was only a moment but seemed stretched out like all eternity