For two days we rode through the Riddermark, resting only twice to sleep, before we came to Dunharrow, where many tents had been set up... I was still not pleased with the numbers.
"Make way for the King!" a warrior shouted out as we rode into the camp. I felt many eyes on me as we rode through. "Make way! The King is here." Theoden raised his hand to the warriors who spoke to him.
"My Lord."
"Hail to you sire!"
"Grimbold, how many?" Theoden asked.
"I bring five hundred men from the Westfold my lord." One said. I raised my eyebrows. Five hundred from one place isnt bad... I thought, but still not enough.
"We have three hundred more from Fenmarch, Theoden King."
"Where are the riders from Snowbourn?" Theoden asked.
"None have come, my lord." I looked down and shook my head when we came to our tents. Together the four of us got off and took out packs into our tents. I walked into mine and dropped my pack onto the cot covered in blankets that was laid out for me. Pulling off my helm I tossed it down and walked back out. Aragorn was approaching Theoden as he stood near a cliff, looking down into the ravine below, filled with tents all in single file.
"Six thousand spears." Theoden said and I shook my head "Less than half of what I'd hoped for."
"Six thousand isnt enough to defeat the armies of Mordor." I said, coming to stand by Aragorn. Theoden looked at me.
"More will come." He said and patted Aragorn on the shoulder, giving me a warmer nod than I deserved and a smile.
"Every hour lost hastens Gondor's defeat." Aragorn said, "We have till dawn, then we must ride." Theoden paused a moment before nodding.
The horses behind us reared and neighed nervously. I felt a hand on my arm and looked to see Legolas.
"The horses are restless." He said. Gimli nodded. "And the men are quiet." Eomer stood beside him.
"It's the mountain." I said quietly. Eomer nodded.
"They grow nervous in the shadow of it." He said. I followed Legolas, Gimli, and Eomer to the lines where the horses were kept.
"That road there," Gimli said, pointing to a crevice in the mountain, a road going through it. "Where does that lead?"
"That is the road to the Dimholt, the door under the mountain." I replied. Legolas looked at me worriedly frowning.
"None who venture there ever return." Eomer said, "That mountain is evil." I looked again at the road, Aragorn now standing by the entrance, moving his head to try to see where it lead.
"Aragorn." Gimli cried from a few feet from where we stood. "Let's find some food." Legolas and I smiled and took each others hands, walking through the camp, Aragorn behind us, his face thoughtful.
I rested my head on Legolas's chest as we sat in his tent, the night wind blowing the sides of it gently, the candle sitting beside us to light the tent fearfully about to blow out. We said nothing, only rested in each others arms.
"Lady Alandia." A voice said from the door of the tent, and I started, looking up at the very uncomfortable warrior. With a blush I crawled from Legolas's arms and stood.
"Yes?" I asked.
"There is someone here to see you." He left. I closed my eyes as Legolas stood.
"Someone to see you?" he asked and made to take out his bow and arrows and to follow me. I shook my head.
"No, Legolas." I said, "I will go alone." The elf made to protest but I shook my head and patted my belt. "I am fine." I said sternly and walked out of the tent, following the guard to a tent that I recognized as King Theoden's. Inside Theoden spoke to a man in a deep blue hood. Aragorn came in right behind me.
We exchanged glances as we walked inside, both curious about the man sitting in the chair before Theoden.
"I take my leave." Theoden said and turned, walking out of the tent. My eyes followed him to the outside. The figure in robes stood and I smiled lightly as he pulled of his hood.
"Lord Elrond!" I exclaimed and bowed low.
"My Lord." Aragorn did as well.
"I come on behalf of one whom I love." Elrond said sadly and Aragorn looked at him, his face unmoving though troubled. "Arwen is dying." I could find no breath in my lungs to gasp. Aragorn looked at him in a "please it cannot be true" way.
"She will not long survive the evil that now spreads from Mordor. The light of the Evenstar is failing." I looked at Aragorn's neck, and at the necklace around it and looked back upon Elrond again. "As Sauron's power grows, her strength wanes. Arwen's life is now tied to the fate of the Ring. The Shadow is upon us, Aragorn, Rhasslairiel. The end has come."
"It will not be our end but his." I said quietly but fiercely. Elrond turned his eyes to Aragorn.
"You ride to war, but not to victory." He said sadly, "Sauron's armies march on Minas Tirith this you know. But in secret he sends another force which will attack from the river." I let out my breath and closed my eyes. "A fleet of Corsairs ships sails from the south. They'll be in the city in two days. You're outnumbered Aragorn. You need more men."
"There are none." Aragorn said forcefully. Elrond swallowed.
"There are those who dwell in the mountain." He said slowly. The wind picked up.
"Murderers, traitors!" he said lowly, "You will call upon them to fight? They believe in nothing, they answer to no one." I looked at Elrond and he nodded to me.
"They will answer to the King of Gondor." I said. From under Elrond's cloak came a sword that he brought out swiftly, holding it before Aragorn.
"Anduril, the Flame of the West, forged from the shards of Narsil." He said, holding it out and walking closer to Aragorn until they were only inches apart. Aragorn hesitated a long moment before grabbing the sword.
"Sauron will not have forgotten the Sword of Elendil." He said, pulling it from its sheath, the blade longer than any sword I had ever seen. "The blade that was broken shall return to Minas Tirith."
"The man who can wield the power of this sword can summon to him an army more deadly than any that walks this earth. Put aside the Ranger... become who you were born to be." I looked at Aragorn and smiled, "Take the Dimholt road." Aragorn looked at the sword and let it hang down, trying to make the biggest decision of Middle Earth.
"Onen i-Estel Edain..." (I give hope to men) Elrond said. Aragorn looked down.
"U-chebin Esten anim. (I keep none for myself). I put my hand on his shoulder.
The sword was pushed into the sheath and Aragorn bowed to Elrond before turning and departing from the two Elves behind him.
"I take my leave, Lord Elrond, also." I said and turned to follow Aragorn.
"Wait, Rhasslairiel." I turned back to Elrond. "Long have been the years since I asked you to call me father." He said. I looked down.
"I love another, Elrond." My mother had said that faithful night, "There is nothing for me here that I cannot get there as well." I was only a child Elf and stood between my parents, tears brimming in my eyes. Elrond looked down at me.
"What of Rhasslairiel?" he had asked and my mother smiled.
"She will stay with me." She said and I looked down.
"Long have also been the years that it has taken me to accept that you wanted me to." I replied, "I have lived in tears and misery... forgotten only when I am with my company... and in battle. Perhaps that is why I crave for these things. Perhaps that is why I chose to be the Elf-Ranger and turn away from you..." Three lonely tears ran down my face and Elrond tipped my face up, brushing them away.
"I would have raised you like I did Arwen." He said, "Like I did your younger half sister who wore the same necklace that was given to you, which is now in Aragorn's care." Elrond pushed the sides of my tunic away, revealing nothing but the leaf necklace that Legolas gave me.
"You do not wear it." He said and I shook my head, reaching into one of the pockets on the inside of my vest, pulling it out.
"I keep it by my heart." I said, "I have had not the heart, though, to wear it on my neck." Elrond took it from my hand and hung it from my neck, pushing my hair aside to see it hanging beside the leaf of Mirkwood. He smiled sadly.
"I would not have been able to live the life Arwen lives without leaving." I said to Elrond. "I could not live a court life."
Elrond let his breath out in a chuckle.
"I have come to warn you." He finally said. I frowned.
"Warn me of what?" I asked. Elrond looked down but back up at my face.
"Frodo Baggins is not the only one that Sauron seeks." He said. I looked at him, my eyes wide but not fearful. "He wishes, when Middle Earth is taken, to take you as his Queen. He believes that you will accept his offer freely if given the choice... or if your friends or family are threatened. He desires for you to rule by his side with the gentle hand, while he brings down the whip." I took a step away from my father, tears brimming in my eyes as I shook my head.
"Me?"
"He has seen the courage that you have shown in many feats and foes and the determination that you show for those you love. He finds this an honorable trait in a Queen. He will not stop until he has you and the Ring... then no one can stop him."
"No." I said, backing away further, "He will never have me! I will die before then." Elrond put his hand on my cheek...
"You may have to meleth nin." He said and turned, leaving the tent. I stood there for a moment before turning around and running outside of the tent.
"Ada!"' I cried but no answer came. I ran to the road that snaked down the mountain and saw Elrond, riding his white horse back down through it, his hood drawn back over his face. I reached to my chest and touched the Evenstar necklace that hung around my neck and nodded. I knew what I had to do.