Chapter 12: In Which Luna Goes Beyond the Walls

Luna had never been summoned to Elrond's personal chambers. If the Elf-lord wanted to talk to her, he normally came to find her. Somehow, he always knew what she was up to.

This morning, she was in the stables, grooming Pepper. The day before, Luna and Boromir had been out of Rivendell's gates. Pepper had bore them both and was still quite dusty from the trip. Luna was hardly ever separated from Boromir after that night he had spent in her room. She shuddered to think of what her mother would say if she knew Luna had invited a man to stay with her in her chambers, but Boromir was never anything short of a gentleman. He rested on the chaise in her room while she was in the bed. Regardless, she could see it as no different than their time together on the road. And after those months of him watching over her while she slept, and her doing the same for him, Luna supposed this was a habit they were reluctant to break at this point. She could not get a full night's sleep without him near her. And the Elves cared little for the ongoings of two human strangers, it wasn't even something they tried to hide, and therefore were never ashamed of it.

Elrohir had come to fetch her and bring her to his father. Luna was brought to his chambers promptly. "My lord," she said, entering the library as Elrohir shut the door gently behind her. "This is unusual to meet here in your house."

"I have an unusual request," he said, gesturing to a figure near the fireplace. Luna let out an involuntary gasp, partly because she hadn't noticed a second Elf in the room until Elrond pointed him out, but also, Luna had never seen a creature so fair. All of the Elves were beautiful, of course. Nothing about their features as a race were unpleasant. This Elf however was something else entirely. His hair was yellow and was glowing in the sunlight seeping through the large windows, flowing down to his hips and never covering his handsome face. A sharp and strong jawline led up to eyes that were so full of brightness and joy, Luna could not help but burst into smiles as her own eyes met his.

"This is Glorfindel," Elrond said. "I have just tasked him with a difficult quest."

"Lord Elrond," Glorfindel said, in a voice that was somehow just as beautiful as his face. "Has asked me to track down a small group of travelers. I have already set out after them once, thinking them to take rest at Weathertop, but I had either missed them or they had not yet arrived there. It has been a few nights since, however, and I make to ride out after them again."

Luna stared at Glorfindel for moments longer before realizing the two Elves were waiting on her response. "Oh,' she exclaimed with a small cough. "Are-are these the travelers you have been expecting, Lord Elrond?"

"Some of them. Others will arrive in the coming few days. This party, however, may need some extra aid on their journey to Rivendell."

"And you wish me to…greet them when they arrive?" Luna asked.

Glorfindel laughed and Luna almost dropped her jaw, trying to think of an instrument that could replicate the musical sound he made. "Dearest child," he said. "I was hoping you would accompany me on the road."

"M-me?" Luna stuttered. "Why me?"

"You are a good rider, yes? Your father is a master horseman."

"Well, yes, but-"

"And you are skilled in the ways of healing. I have seen herbs and other plants you have gathered on your short trips outside of the walls. These are skills I will need when I find this party."

"You expect them to be injured?"

Elrond's gray eyes flashed. "There are many dark things on the road. I do not often trust the hope of peaceful journeys in these days of late. And you have evaded the eyes of the enemy on one trip beyond familiar walls. Perhaps your luck will hold."

"Might Lord Boromir come with us?" Luna asked. "I promised my mother and Lord Faramir that I would not leave his side when in the wilds."

"Alas," Glorfindel said. "We must move at a brisk pace. To extend the party from two to three will slow us down."

"Besides," Elrond chuffed. "I want to be near him when he meets the members of this party." The Elf Lord walked over to her side and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Glorfindel will keep you safe beyond our walls. There is no one better."

It wasn't her safety Luna worried about. She didn't want to be parted from Boromir. This quest was more than likely to take multiple nights away from them. She didn't like to think of how his idle mind would wander here in Rivendell without her to distract him. How either of them would find sleep without the other nearby.

"This is less of a request-" Elrond said before Luna interrupted.

"And more of a command? Another command sending me into the wild without my desires taken into account."

Elrond took a gentle step back from her. "I was going to say, an opportunity. The party that I am sending you and Glorfindel after will carry the answers to Lord Boromir's prophetic dreams. I cannot send him. He would not be an asset to the quest. You would be. Of course you are able to say no. I am not forcing you back into the wilds, child."

"Forgive me," Luna muttered, bowing her head. "I should not have jumped to that conclusion, my lord."

He shook his head. "It is no matter. What say you, then?"

"Yes," Luna said, without giving her mind the time to talk her out of it. "Yes, I will go."


"Absolutely not," Boromir exclaimed as Luna dashed about her chambers, packing saddlebags for her journey.

She paused and looked up at him indignantly. "This is the one favor Elrond has asked of me after a month of staying in his house, eating his food, and using his house staff to wash my clothes and tend my cares and needs. I will be going."

"You will not be going beyond these walls without me to protect you. I promised your mother-"

"I also promised my mother. This Elf-Glorfindel-he will not let any harm come to me."

She continued to pack her bags with haste, but Boromir walked up to her and grabbed her wrist. The Elf was not a good enough reason to let her go. If anything, the thought brought a knot to Boromir's stomach, thinking of her out there, alone with one of these creatures. With another man, human or not. He shook his head, casting that last thought aside. "Luna, you swore to my father you would follow any command I gave you."

"Is that what you are doing? Giving me a command? If you are, my lord, I will obey it. But if you are telling me to stay behind these walls for a selfish reason and something happens to this party and I could have helped them, then it will be on your conscience, not mine."

He dropped her wrist. It was true, he did not fear her safety. Really the only thing he feared at this point was his own jealousy. And how could he fault her for this? It was predictable as ever for her to want to help when aid was called. She wouldn't be here with him if that wasn't her instinct. "Very well," he said. "But promise me you will keep yourself safe."

"Of course I will."

"Do you still have the whistle I gave you?"

Luna nodded.

"If you are near the walls and need aid, I will be listening. I understand I am not invited, but I would not ignore your call if it came for me."

She smiled softly, reaching over to give his hand a squeeze. "Thank you, Boromir."


With one look back, Boromir stood at the gates with Elladan and Elrohir. Luna's friend held up a waving hand, giving her one last parting before the sight of him was engulfed by the trees.

"I would have thought," Glorfindel said softly, "That Master Baggins would have come to see you off. As I understand it, you two have grown quite close in your time behind our walls."

"I would have thought too. Perhaps he didn't know I was leaving. It all happened so fast."

"Oh, he knew," the Elf said. "For we go to meet his kinsmen. Lord Elrond told him not long after he sent you to pack."

"Bilbo's kinsmen? More Hobbits?"

"Indeed."

"Could one of them be the Halfling in Boromir's vision?"

"I do not think Lord Elrond would have so hastily sent you if it were any less likely than that."

"Master Bilbo told me that Hobbits rarely venture out from their homeland. The Shire, he called it. And now, we go to meet a whole party of them? That would seem abnormal, even with my limited knowledge of them."

"Strange times we have entered. What was once normal, I fear we cannot rely on any further."

The two continued to chat in such a casual manner, gaining familiarity much faster than she and Boromir had at the beginning of their journey. Glorfindel had an air about him. Of course he was intimidating, as all Elves were to Men. But he radiated a sense of calm that engulfed Luna and kept her at ease, speech simply flowing easily from her mouth. In fact, the time flew by and before she knew it, the sun had started to fall from the sky as twilight took over.

"We should stop and rest for the night," Glorfindel said, slipping off of his horse, his feet hitting the ground silently. "We are still close enough to the Bruinen to light a fire, but I fear after tonight, we shant be risking it again."

"Many a night Boromir and I went without a fire. I can go hunt us some supper if you would like to start one."

Glorfindel laughed that laugh of his, the one that sounded like pure music notes floating through the air. "You do not have to feed me, child. Traveling with an Elf for a companion is much different than Man, you will find. Hunt for yourself if you wish, but we have brought enough provisions for our journey."

"You would let me hunt without keeping two eyes on me."

"If harm comes your way, I will sense it long before it reaches you. There are dangers beyond the Bruinen, but for now, if you seek solitude to catch your supper, I will not deny you it."

And thus, their trip continued with this same freedom Luna had not been afforded since before the war broke out. Glorfindel was pleasant company during the day and in the evenings, she was for the most part left to her own devices. They were only interrupted from their routine on the third day.

"What are those?" Luna asked, noticing new and strange figures crossing their path. She and Glorfindel had come to their first sight of the crest of the River Hoarwell, its bridge well in sight below them as they descended the hillcrest.

For the first time she had known him, Glorfindel's eyes grew dark. "Nazgul," he said in a low voice.

They were clad completely in black, no chance of glimpsing faces beneath their robes. Atop great midnight horses they rode. Though Pepper was too a black horse, these were nothing like her mare. Aggressive and mean they seemed, with eyes that never seemed to end. Dark tunnels leading into an abyss. Never had Luna before met a horse she was scared to approach.

"Nazgul?" Luna knew the name. Servants of the Dark Lord Sauron. Faramir often recounted his fear that the enemy would unleash them on Gondor, and bring a fiercer striking force to the enemy's flanks. He had told her they were abhorrent, terrifying creatures that stemmed from evil. "What are they doing?" Luna asked.

"They are guarding the bridge. They know the party we seek makes way for Rivendell. I can only assume they make to cut off their path and capture them here."

"What do they want with the party?"

The handsome Elf turned his look her way, his eyes growing darker still. "They do the Dark Lord's most important bidding. They seek the One Ring."

"Isildur's Bane," Luna muttered. "So it is true, then? The stories and legends of old?"

"Aye, Luna. It is true. The token your Lord seeks comes to Rivendell in the hands of a Hobbit we are meant to find out here, in the wilds. It would seem, however, we are not the only ones who seek it this day."

"What do we do?" she asked. "If they mean to capture this party, we have to chase them off somehow."

"'We'?" Glorfindel asked. "So eager are you to enter conflict for this cause."

"I have been in conflict for this cause well before I left my home for your lands, Master Elf. Tell me what we must do to clear the bridge."

"I will chase them off," he said. "Only four there are here now. They will not enter conflict without permission from their leader. We will switch horses. Asfaloth will take you towards the party with more haste than Pepper could manage."

"I will not part with Pepper."

"A great bond I sense between you and your steed, but you will need Asfaloth's guidance towards the group. Pepper does not possess the knowledge or training to simply take you there. I will ride Pepper and bring her back to you, I promise."

"I-I promised Boromir I would not part from you. To split up is surely a mistake."

"You would do well to avoid these fell beasts. See the foliage nearest them. See how it wilts and grows decrepit? Like harsh winter or poison draws it towards an early death. No, Luna. You must run as far from these creatures as possible to keep you safe."

Luna did not want to break her promise to Boromir. She knew he would be angry. He was angry enough that she had agreed to go on this mission. However, while she did care about the promise he made to him, even Boromir would not have predicted she would encounter Nazgul on this journey. Surely he would want her to do what she could to keep herself safe, even if that meant separating from Glorfindel. "What do I do when I find the party?" she asked with determination.

"Lead them back to Rivendell with utmost haste. A friend of the party makes his way there now, I can see his prints in the flesh of the earth. Four Nazgul are here for me to chase, but I know not where the other five are. No doubt they are in pursuit of the party."

He held out his hands for Pepper's reins, but Luna gripped them tighter. "You promise no harm will come to my mare?"

"By the Valar, she will be safe in my command." Luna nodded and reluctantly handed over the reins and made to mount Asfaloth. "Go in grace," Glorfindel said. "And in Rivendell we will meet again." With that, he whispered in Sindarin to his white horse and Luna held tight as the larger horse bucked, then took off into the trees. She refused to look back.


The Elven horse rode longer and harder than Pepper ever could without rest. Through the trees of the Trollshaws he took her until they reached another crest of the winding Hoarwell. With a soft whinny and a shake of his head, he knelt by the ground and Luna took this as a sign to descend. Without another sign, the majestic horse took a few last steps to the river's base and began to drink, having well earned his thirst.

Luna knew not what to do with herself. Was she simply to wait here? What if more Nazgul showed up? Her fingers grazed the curve of the bow that was strapped to her back. Could she use it against them? Would she have the heart to shoot at a living creature that was not meant to be her supper?

When Asfaloth had had his fill of drink, he trotted back over to Luna and caressed her with his nose. With a small sigh, she gave the horse a pat and continued to stare into the trees. He was not still for long, though as he began to trot into their line. Luna followed him not far until they came upon a sight Luna had not expected to see.

Three massive statues stood before her in a large clearing. They were solid rocks of ugly creatures standing at least the height of three grown men. Their faces were round and their features small, as if they belonged on much smaller heads. They were contorted into expressions of fear and Luna realized very quickly that this sight was familiar to her. She had never seen it before, but remembered old Bilbo's account of three stone-trolls he had encountered in these very woods many years ago. Indeed, they did seem to be all huddled around what was once a fire pit meant to cook thirteen Dwarves for their supper.

A thudding behind Luna caused her to halt her investigation. Asfaloth was kicking hard at the ground, his nose moving up and down.

"What do you want?" she asked. "Is it time to move?" The horse continued his motions. "Time to rest?" At those words, he stopped and Luna decided this was as good a place as any to take her evening rest. So she began the evening routine, pulling Asfaloth's saddle and pad from his back and resting the supplies against a tree. She never made to gather wood for a fire. Instead, she set up a simple campsite. Her sleeping cot was still strapped to Pepper and Glorfindel packed nothing of that sort for himself. Luna knew he slept, but it was always perched against a tree and never for very long. She would have to make due with Asfolath's saddle pad and her cloak as bedding.

Asfolath carried a bit of provisions from Rivendell and Luna made herself a small meal of dried venison and a peach. The sun had set and she was halfway through her meal when she heard the bushes to her right start to rustle. Every muscle in her body tensed. She had no way of knowing if the party of Hobbits was nearby. If Asfolath had taken her straight to them, or if he simply needed a rest and would take her to them in the morning. And those Nazgul. There were only four at the bridge that Glorfindel had chased off. But there were seven of them in total. Everyone knew that. Seven Nazgul serving the Dark Lord, meant to do his evil bidding. But this could not be a Nazgul. The plants around her were not wilting as they had in the presence of the four Glorfindel had chased off. Whatever was in those trees was still unknown, but certainly no more of a danger than the Nazgul would be.

She dressed her bow with a single arrow, making as little noise as she could. Asfolath had gone still as the stone statues surrounding her. With the soft footsteps of a hunter, she readied to draw her bow, sneaking towards the trees.

A Nazgul it was not. Though hooded and cloaked entirely in black, she could make out his human features as he fumbled noisily through the roots of the bushes, seemingly looking for something. No sooner did she lay eyes on him, however, did he swiftly stand up, pulling a sword from the sheath at his hip. "One does not take kindly to strangers in the dark," he said, pointing his weapon in her direction.

The distance between them was still too far for his sword to reach, however, and her bow was fully drawn long before he finished uttering his words.

"Can't be too careful in these dark times," she muttered quietly.

She noticed the man's eyebrow raise. "A woman? Alone in the Trollshaws? Dark times indeed."

"Do not patronize me," she said, pulling her bowstring tighter.

"I meant no disrespect, young maiden," he said, though she noticed he did not lower his sword. "But even I can see you do not wish to do harm to me. I see your hand quiver at the neck of your bow. Perhaps we lower our weapons and part without another thought."

"You may go," she said, keeping her bow drawn, willing her nervous hand to calm itself. "But I will stay here."

"A determined creature you are," he said. "Then we will both lower our weapons so I may continue my search without a threat to my back."

Reluctantly, Luna nodded and together, their weapons were lowered. "What do you search for?" Luna asked, unable to help herself.

"Athelas," he muttered.

"Athelas is but a weed. What could you want with that?"

"That business is my own," he said, diving back to the ground and filing through the foliage once more. She noticed him pull a small knife from his boot and gently started clipping at the weeds.

She decided her queries to his digging through the plants were best left unanswered. Besides, she had left Asfaloth back at her campsite. Boromir would be fuming mad with her already for leaving Glorifndel's side. He would be even angrier to find her conversing with strange men in the wilds at night.

She made to return to her camp, but her footsteps were halted when a new voice entered the scene. "Strider! Strider!" it called. "Mr. Frodo is looking worser by the minute!"

Luna turned back sharply at the name. Frodo. The nephew of Bilbo Baggins. Her suspicions were confirmed when the new figure that met her eyes was that of a Hobbit. The same height as Master Bilbo, though a bit thicker round the middle. His feet bare, hairy, and dirty. Indeed, he was a Hobbit. Elated that Asfolath had indeed brought her where she needed to be, she nearly dropped her bow, bringing the Hobbit's attention her way.

"I-I mean. Well, that is to say…Mr. Underhill. Strider, he be looking quite a bit paler than when you left him."

"Frodo Baggins?" Luna said, stepping forward. "You travel with Frodo Baggins?"

"Baggins?" the Hobbit muttered, running his hands over his arms nervously. He was obviously not keen when it came to lying. "Don't believe I said the name Baggins. Never met a Baggins, meself. Can't imagine-"

"Enough, Sam." The Man said, sharply. "How do you know that name?" he asked Luna. She noticed his hand had moved back to his sword-hilt.

"I learned it from Bilbo Baggins. He is at refuge in Rivendell in the House of Lord Elrond as we speak, awaiting his nephew's arrival."

"You travel in these woods from Rivendell?" the Man asked. "How do we know these are truths from your lips, and not a ruse set up by the enemy."

"Four Nazgul were waiting for a traveling party of Hobbits at the Last Bridge leading across the Hoarwell. My companion and I separated so he could chase them from your path."

"Who be this companion?"

"Glorfindel, sent on this mission to lead this party to Rivendell."

"And why were you sent with him?"

"Lord Elrond said my skills would be needed."

"And what skills do you possess?"

"I am a trained healer from the Houses of Minas Tirith and Dol Amroth. I am a skilled survivalist and horsemaster. Not terrible with a hunting bow, either."

"Lord Elrond has sent us a healer and a horsemaster?"

"You still do not believe me?" Luna asked, aghast.

"I do," said the Hobbit, pointing behind her. Asfaloth had followed her here, his white coat shining in the moonlight that peeked through the canopy of trees.

"That is the steed of Glorfindel," exclaimed the Man.

"I have told you no lies, sir."

"Indeed," he said. "Come with us."

He took off into the trees, the Hobbit scurrying quickly behind him. Luna followed swiftly. Not too much farther into the trees, Luna found a haphazard campsite. Three more Hobbits were on the ground, one laying completely flat beneath a thin blanket. He was pale and sweaty, sick with some ailment. He seemed to be sleeping, slightly restlessly. The other two sat above him, looking on him with frightened eyes.

"Did you find what you were looking for, Strider?" one of them asked.

"Who is this?" asked the other, pointing at Luna.

She ignored them, and knelt down beside the sick Hobbit. She couldn't help it. Her instinct kicked in before her mind could think to rationalize the situation for this confused party. "What ails him?"

"I fear you would not know anything about this ailment," said the man, Strider, kneeling down beside her. He pulled the athelas he had cut from the foliage and began tearing it apart into tiny pieces.

Luna noticed the Hobbit's veins darkened near his collarbone. She pulled his shirt back, undoing the buttons there to reach his bare shoulder. "What poison is this?" she exclaimed, for the wound was unlike anything she had ever seen. It seemed to rot his skin, turning it black and empty, for there was no blood, even though it appeared to be a stab wound.

"He was stabbed by a Morgul blade." Strider said as he continued with his weeds.

"And the poison?"

"Not poison. Not in the sense you know it, at least." He had finished pinching apart the weeds and started gathering the pieces into a bunch.

"You are sticking that in the wound?" Luna asked. He answered with a nod. "Here," she said, reaching around her back for her satchel, pulling out her mortar and pestle. "You'll grind it finer with this."

Strider gave her a look; hard, but kind at the same time. "It would seem Elrond sent us a gift indeed."

"When you have that finished," she said. "We can move for Rivendell. He can ride atop Asfaloth and we can reach the Elves before he can slow us down."

"We've not had rest for nearly a week," said one of the Hobbits. "Strider said it was still a four day journey to Rivendell on foot. We need rest if we are to make it."

Luna turned to Strider and he nodded reluctantly as he continued to grind the athelas. "They have traveled long and hard these last few days since their companion was injured. We picked this spot to have a rest for the night. There is little good getting Frodo to Rivendell if his companions are dropping of exhaustion on the way."

Luna let out a frustrated sigh. "Very well. We leave at first light."

"Who are you?" the smallest Hobbit asked again. "And who put you in charge?"

"It would seem the Elves put her in charge, Master Pippin," said Strider. "Though who she is, I am still unaware."

"My name is Luna, Daughter of Callum. And yes, I was sent by Lord Elrond and Glorfindel to find you all and bring you to Rivendell with utmost haste. Though I was not told you were traveling with a Man."

"Well-met, Luna. They know me as Strider," the Man said.

"And I'm Pippin," the smallest Hobbit said. "This is Merry and Sam," he continued, pointing first to the blond Hobbit still sitting nearest to Frodo, then to the portly one who she had met in the woods. "And this is Frodo," he said, giving a sad look at his resting companion.

She nodded at them all in as friendly a greeting as she could muster. "I've set up camp in a clearing not far west. We should move there. The visibility is better than being stuffed inside these trees."

Strider agreed and they moved the camp swiftly to the stone-troll clearing.

"Are these Mr. Bilbo's trolls?" Sam asked as they approached.

"Aye, I believe so," Luna said, dropping her bow beside her makeshift bed.

"You know Bilbo?" Merry asked, but Strider stopped her from answering.

"We will have time for pleasantries when we reach Rivendell. For now, rest. This may be our last chance for the remainder of the journey. I cannot predict when the Wraiths will catch back up to us."

"Catch back up?" Luna asked. "You've met them already?"

"Who do you think stabbed Mr. Frodo?" Sam asked.

The Hobbits settled into sleep and Luna returned to her makeshift cot, watching Asfaloth settle by the treeline for his own rest. She would try to sleep as well, but the thought of the Nazgul on their tail…she would not sleep soundly again until she was once again on the safe side of the Bruinen. Better yet, until she was back with Boromir, where she knew she would be safe.