The world is darkening
The last few years that were before the war of the ring got slowly darker, and the roads of the world got more and more dangerous. We spent it with the Dunedain Elladan and Elrohir. Hunting orcs and goblins, helping out the free people in Eriador whenever we could.
Some elves had begun to leave for the undying lands, but it was not as many as I got the indication would do so in the works I had read thousands of years ago. The valley was full of life, laughter, and love in whatever way it came. For even if the world was darkening we would not let it win.
Mithrandir and Estel came and went on various missions and tasks. Both come to consult me or Ada and sometimes both. But little did we want to give them except for the simple hope they needed at times.
Until the day came when a hobbit would decide the fate of us all.
"Elwen, Tauriel" We heard the voice of Glorfindel as he rushed towards us.
"What is it? What is wrong?" we asked him as he stopped by us and said in a very low tone.
"Elrond got word from Mithrandir that Estel will make his way to the valley with a most valuable trinket. He has asked that we ride to meet them and that you might know where they are" he said in somewhat distress.
I looked at him and Tauriel and asked for the date "It is October the 10th" Glorfindel said and my face got some pale ness to it and they both saw.
"Hurry we need to leave," I said and grabbed my wife's hand, and rushed to our room. Estelwen was there putting away our washed clothes and wondered what was going on. I couldn't say much, but she understood it was of great importance. We did not go with full armor, but the ranger gear we used when we went out with the Dunedain. Simple leather cloths and cloth covered with light metal vambraces and leggings.
Estelwen handed us both parts when we had put on another and last but not least our weapons. Swords would have to be enough and we smiled at her and ran out the door screaming goodbye. Our handmaiden stood there wondering what had just happened and we could see it on her face.
By the stables, Glorfindel stood with a few stable hands with our horses ready and we jumped on them. Ada and Nana came to the door just to see us rush out over the bridge and out the gate.
We did ride hard, taking only the brakes we absolutely needed for us and the horses. The further west we got the more dread did we feel. Like we had when we helped the white council attack Dol Guldur many years earlier.
"They will be close to the road even if it is not wise, but it is the reason we find them" I cried out to Tauriel and Glorfindel. All three of us looked as well as we could see if we could spot them. Cries came from in front of us and our sides. It was no doubt about what it was. Nazgul and at that moment a man jumped out in front of us hands up to get us to stop and it was indeed the man we were looking for.
"Estel" I cried in happiness to see him.
"Elwen, Tauriel and Glorfindel. You all ease my heart and fill it with happiness" he said as he gave us all a hug.
"How is he," I asked worried, and looked into the clearing.
"He got stabbed by a Morgul blade as I am sure you know, he is drifting towards the world of the wraith and I have tried to stop the poisoning with Athalas, but I am not sure it does more than to slow it down."
He said as we hurried over to the hobbits.
"Who are they" Two hobbits cried, clearly very scared from the encounter with the Nazgul and worried for their friend.
"They are elves" another responded and I guessed it was Sam and the other two must then be Merry and Pippin. But I had no time for them now.
In elfish, I started to talk to Frodo with Tauriel. "Hello Frodo Baggins, I am Elwen and This is Tauriel we will help you and get you to safety and healing. Come back to the light and fight the darkness" and she added "You are strong, do not let the world of nothingness become your home" Frodo looked at us in wonder and gasped at it and we felt the other hobbits do too.
We looked over the wound and Estel had done a very fine job with it. Nothing more could we do, but to get him to Ada. As the blade had clearly broken off inside or at least a shard of it.
"We will take him" Glorfindel commanded and lift the limp body of Frodo onto his horse and we all mounted ours again.
"What? Are you letting them take him? What about the wraiths? They will surely overtake them and take him?!" the remaining hobbits cried.
"We have fought them before Master Gamgee," I said and I drew my sword. "We will not allow them near your friend" Tauriel added and drew hers and then we were off. This time there was no time for brakes. Nazgul shot out from all sides towards us. Our horses cried, but these were elven horses. Trained by the finest breeders in Imladris to be able to handle the terror of the nine.
We did our best to interfere with the Nazgul and keep them away from Frodo and Glorfindel. Many times our horses had to turn quickly to get out of the enemy's grasp and never before had I been so happy for our elven steeds. They truly were amazing.
The river was now in view and we pushed Glorfindel to ride as hard as he could toward home and help Frodo as we stopped our horses in their tracks just on the edge of the shore as the Nazgul appeared on the other side. He had tried to refuse it, but he knew Frodo desperately needed help.
"Your road ends here lord of Angmar" I cried and I felt his eyes on me.
"Give us the Halfling she elf's and we might let you live" a hissing and disfigured voice said.
"We have defeated you before, we will do it again" Any taunt we could use we did to get them into the river and it worked. They drew their swords and their horses set out into the waters and when they came to the middle a huge wave came down from upstream the Nazgul cried and their horses panicked and set off downstream and so they were washed away.
We seethed our swords and hurried up towards the valley and left our horses in the hands of the stable boys and told them the horses had done miracles and deserved only the best food and snacks. To which the horses cried in happiness.
We ran into the healing ward and saw Frodo in the same room I had been placed in during my arrival so long ago. He was resting now and Glorfindel told Ada about the shard I had mentioned.
"Come," I said to my wife and she looked at me as we turned towards the hallway and I nodded to ada to come with us.
He entered the hallway after us and shut the door.
"Ada, has Mithrandir arrived?" I asked worriedly, I just needed to know I had not messed up anything with Saruman.
"He has, he arrived just after you and Tauriel left looking for the hobbit," Ada said.
We nodded and Tauriel could not keep waiting any longer and asked him straight out.
"What of Saruman, has Mithrandir mentioned anything" He looked at her and in a dark tone responded "Yes he has. The white wizard has betrayed us and joined the enemy…" he cut himself off.
"Good I said and smiled and took a breath of relief" Ada gave me a very curious look as I did and as he was about to speak I started telling him why I said so.
"Saruman as I know was always meant to betray us. He will be a part of what will happen in Rohan and for better or for worse it is the part we must play to keep the story as intact to my knowledge as we can" I added and he nodded to it. Even though I saw in his eyes he was worried about the fact the white wizard had fallen.
"Have you called for a council?" Tauriel then asked, she is as worried as I was I think.
"I have but it seems I didn't need to, never before have I got so much out of you Elwen nor has your wife ever opened up either. I take it you have told her everything?" I nodded somewhat. "It was a heavy burden to have alone and I trust her with my life…" I said before he stopped me.
"I am not scolding you for telling your wife and having her share in your burden Elwen, I am happy you did. For knowledge as you have carried for so long is a heavy burden and is better shared if one has a trusted mate" he said with a smile and kissed us both on the foreheads under our circlets.
"Now come, we are having dinner with Mithrandir and Nana. You have traveled hard and it's best for you to rest and have some food" he said with a caring smile we nodded and took each other's hand as we followed him down towards the dining area of the house.
As we walked I could not think of anything but the fact we had come to it, the quest that would either save the world or start a new age. The age of men where all other magical creatures would diminish and fade with time or forever leave the shores of middle earth, never to return and only be a memory of those that remain until their time is over. For even if we were to be written off in books and scrips it would for a time be real to the reader, but as time passes on it would only become a legend and then simply a myth. Sad I felt with knowing the time of the elves would truly be over in this world and I looked at my beautiful wife and kissed her on the cheek as we walked down the hall.
She gave me a look and smiled.
"What was that for?" she asked and slowed down a little.
"No reason other than you being my beautiful wife and I wanted to kiss on you," I said with a smile as I held her hand firmly as she turned towards me. She smiled so ever wide with her beautiful smile of hers and a little blush on her cheeks.
"If that is the case I will let you know one thing," she said in such a low voice.
"What?" I said and tilted my head a little.
"Do it right" she added and before I knew she was kissing me on the mouth, ever so deep. No holding back even if we stood in the middle of the hallway and she did not care. Tight she held me and her lips and tongue ever as eager did not stop until we got an eh hem from ada.
"I see you two are hungry" He grinned with a smile and I could not but blush as he turned and I looked back at Tauriel who blushed a little too I quickly gave her two more kisses and we followed ada again.
Even if we were to survive the war would we go to Valinor together and in Tauriel and my family there I could ask for nothing more.