I moved from the tree root I had been sitting on and stretched out in the soft grass. Moments later I felt someone settle next to me.
"He is right, you are not who you were when you denied the Crown all those years ago." Galadriel said softly.
"Perhaps, but is this really what I was meant to do? To take up this Crown?" I asked.
"The Frost are a strong people, but not even they can remain leaderless for much longer. Already they are beginning to spiral down and soon they will become no more than a mindless hoard. They need you." I was silent as I looked up at the star filled sky and thought over her words. Was I really ready for this? To step into that desperately needed position?
"I have never sought power, I have always run from it."
"That is why there can be no other for that Crown. Because you did not seek power where it was offered you have become the best choice to lead them. You will be a just and fair Queen, unlike any other in all of Middle-earth."
"I think...that perhaps you are right. I have spent so long running from this that I do no know how to stop. I look at Frodo and I wonder how I can do any less than him. He had the chance to walk away from all of this and return to his warm and safe home, but he did not. He accepted this charge and has born it with great courage. It is time that I do the same. I want to be better than my father, not hindered by his same weakness." I told her and stood.
"Gandalf wanted me to accept this and I think he would be proud to see that I finally am. I just wish he was here to see it." I told her sadly Galadriel stood as well. She looked at me with all the pride of a mother and I smiled, yes I was doing the right thing.
"Very well. Let us begin." She said and I took a deep breath before speaking in a strong clear voice.
"I Elseath, daughter of the Frost Queen Beria and Aragorn, heir to the Throne of Gondor, Crown Princess by birthright to the Frost Throne do here and now accept that which is mine by blood and bone. I do now at this time pledge my life and service to the Frost people whose needs I will always place above my own. By the price of blood I take the Crown, to be mine forever more until the world shall fall into nothing." As I started the words a freezing cold descended into the woods of Lothlorien as the Frost people passed into the woods to witness my pledge. Their whispers whipped through the woods and rose to a roaring sound as I took the silver knife offered to me by Galadriel and used it to cut a deep line across my palm. As the blood touched the ground under me it froze and turned white. I felt a deep chill move through me and settle into the very depth of my soul. I watched as my skin lost its tan color and turned the color of new snow. Icy blue patterns etched themselves into my skin in swirls. My eyesight sharpened ever more, as did my hearing and a weight settled onto the top of my head. I knew it was the Frost Crown and I wondered what it would look like. Mother had told me that when I took over the Throne my Crown would be different than the one she had, as each ruler was different. She also told me that my hair and eyes would change color. I already knew what color my hair would turn. When I had taken possession of my mothers sword the jewel in the pommel turned from white to sapphire blue. I felt my wounds completely close and my clothes shattered off me in frozen pieces to be replaced with a silvery-blue gown that fell around me and pooled on the ground. It had a deep V that went nearly to my navel and showed off more of the swirling patterns. It had no sleeves and instead had thin straps that went down the length of my back, exposing all of my back. My nails had also lengthened enough to be deadly should the occasion call for it. The whispers became excited as the transformation was completed and I saw hundreds of thousands of swirling figures bow to me followed by their whispers.
"The Queen is come."
"She has returned to us."
"We are saved." And various others of that nature. Galadriel also bowed low to me and stood with a beaming smile on her face.
"I Galadriel, Lady of Light have witnessed the vows spoken and the ascension of the new Queen of the Frost, by what name will you be known to us?"
"I am Rhew." I told her and was surprised to find that my voice had also changed. It has always been beautiful, but now it was absolutely stunning.
"Long may be the days of Queen Rhew, may she be a fair and just Queen." I nodded to her and turned to face my people and bowed low to them. The whispers turned to a shriek of delight and joy as they rejoiced. Moments later they faded away and warmth and quiet returned to the woods of Lothlorien. I reached up to pull the crown from my head so that I could look at it. It was a combination of small ice covered branches woven together and had longer blue branches woven through it so that they stuck out at odd places and were even woven together at some places. It was stunning and not large and gaudy like it could have been, it very much suited me and I smiled as I gazed at it.
"It suits you well Rhew." Galadriel told me softly and I smiled at her.
"Yes I think it does." I turned to the nearby pool of water and saw that my eyes and turned from lilac to a silvery color that looked very much like Mithril. I was stunned by my appearance, I had never thought myself overly beautiful, but I had to admit that I was stunning to look at. The pallor of my skin made the scar through my eyebrow and eyelid look blood red and my lips were the color of the reddest rubies. I was both beautiful and deadly, just like the Frost that I commanded.
"Will you return to the others?" She asked me.
"Yes. I am still a part of this quest and I intend to see it all the way through." I told her straightening from the pool side. As I walked back to her I noticed that the ground under my bare feet turned to frost and I left a trail of it behind me. We walked back through the trees toward the clearing where the others were and just before we reached it Galadriel stopped and bowed to me before leaving. I could hear the others talking about the frigid cold that had suddenly descended into the woods and then left just as suddenly. I moved through the trees and into the clearing where all conversation ceased. I noticed with some shock that Haldir was standing with the others. The moment he saw me he dropped to his knees and bowed. Legolas was quick to follow while the others were looking at me confused. I motioned for Legolas and Haldir to stand and they did so with some reluctance.
"Lady Queen. It is good to see you." Legolas said. I smiled at him and gave a lilting laugh that had all the men slightly leaning toward me.
"I have yet to address you as Prince in the course of the journey, and I doubt I will start now. There is no need for you to address me so formally Legolas." I told him and saw that he was now smiling.
"I am glad that you have taken my words to heart Elseath, or have you a different name now?" He asked.
"I do. I have been given the name Rhew." Legolas nodded as did Haldir.
"I can only assume that you were the cause of the cold that filled the woods of Lothlorien a little ago?" Haldir asked.
"Yes. My people came to welcome me and watch as I accepted my Crown."
"I was concerned when Legolas returned and you did not, so I remained. Now that I have seen you well I will take my leave and allow you to rest." He bowed once again and moved away.
"Haldir." I called stopping him. "Thank you." He bowed again and left.
"You mean to tell me this is the same lass that has been with us the whole time?" Gimli demanded. "She looks nothing like the other one." He added.
"I shall be more than happy to explain things, but for the moment I would like to speak with Aragorn and Legolas alone." I told them. Immediately Boromir gathered the hobbit and dragged Gimli away muttering about going to find some food, leaving the three of us alone in the clearing. Aragorn was staring at me like he was trying to fit the pieces of a puzzle together and was unable to.
"I do not understand. Your appearance has changed and you wear a crown upon your head, but I do not understand how." Aragorn said. I settled myself on a tree root and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. Where my body touched the tree a covering of frost appeared.
"My mother was a very special woman, not that you seemed to care. She was a Maia who had taken a human form. She was Beira the Frost Queen." I told him bluntly. Aragorn blinked and looked to Legolas who refused to meet his gaze.
"That is not possible. She was a human woman, a woman of considerable magical ability, but human none the less. Her name was Carris."
"Oh, so you remember her name? I would have figured that you had forgotten all about her when you killed her." I said calmly. Aragorn flinched. Legolas was now glaring at Aragorn with a look that said he would be more than willing to hit the Ranger given an opportunity.
"Did you care?" Legolas demanded.
"Care about what?" Aragorn shot back.
"What would happen to Carris when you chose Arwen?"
"Yes Aragorn, did you even spare a thought for the pain you would be putting my mother through when you tossed her aside like she was nothing?" I asked softly. He did not answer and refused to meet our gazes.
"She loved you more than her own life. She loved you enough to die for you. She never once hated you or felt anger for what you did to her, and now because of you. I will never see my mother again." I told him in the same soft voice. He jerked his head up and looked at me with confusion.
"What?" He asked.
"Aragorn, she was an Elemental Monarch. They do not go to Valinor when they die. They fade back into the earth. Through your careless actions you killed the Frost Queen. I would be well within my right to kill you for such a transgression, but your life is not mine to take. You answer to the new Frost Queen." Legolas snapped. Aragorn flinched at his words but would not meet my gaze.
"Legolas is right. Your life is mine to do with as I please. My mother loved you and were you not also my father I would strike you down, the fate of this quest be damned, but you are far too important to kill. It is a mark of highest dishonor for one of the Frost people to kill their parents, and I will not dishonor both myself and my people by taking your life." At that Aragorn looked up and met my gaze. I saw tears in his eyes, but they were not in fear that I would kill him. They were tears of regret. In his eyes I saw that he truly had loved my mother and did deeply regret what he had done to her, but more than that I saw how deeply he regretted having never known and been there for me. I stood and glided down from the tree root until I stood in front of him. He did not flinch or back down. He simply gazed at me with tears in his eyes. I lifted my hand and lightly traced the line of his jaw. Where I touched him a line of frost spread out and though he flinched at the painful cold he did not move away.
"You truly did love her. I can see the regret in your eyes, how this has haunted you all these many years." I murmured.
"Yes." He choked out.
"Then be free of your burden and guilt. She lived loving you and she died loving you and with a smile on her face." I whispered and pulled my hand away from his face. He fell to his knees and began to sob.
"Come Legolas, let us go and see if the others found something to eat." I walked out of the clearing with Legolas trailing behind me and was met by Haldir.
"The rest of your companions are dining with the Lord and Lady. Would you like to join them?" He asked.
"Yes. Some food would be good." I answered. Haldir led us a staircase to one of the platforms and long before we reached it I could hear the laughter of the Fellowship as they ate. This was sure to be one of the more interesting dinners they would ever attend. Galadriel was right, it was time I stopped hiding myself and my past from everyone. It was time they knew the truth of who I was.