Chapter 18

A shadow from the south

The twenty-five miles or so from where we had met the shadow and been assaulted by orcs took just about an hour to ride home to Imladris. The Guards saw us and blew their horns to announce our arrival in the valley. Several guards met us and took our horses as Tauriel and I jumped off and thanked them as we ran up the stairs towards the last homely house. At the door, we just about ran into Ada as he opened it to see what was going on.

"Ada!" I cried out in relief and hugged him.

"My lady," Tauriel said and hugged Nana. Even if we both were covered in orc blood.

"Why are you here? What has happened?" Ada asked and Nana looked over us and saw the dark blood.

"Are you hurt? Or any of your company?" she asked quickly and looked over our shoulders after she had quickly looked us over.

"None is injured or killed Nana," I said quickly. "But we need to talk to you both at once and not out here!" I said pushing them inside.

"What has happened Elwen?!" Ada looked at me as we rushed them inside and into Ada's office and Tauriel shut the door.

"We rode out early as you had told us and we crossed the bruninen about three hours ago. A few miles after the sun was still not up and a mist came into the road. From where we know not!"

Tauriel then took over.

"It was not grey like a normal mist my lord, but dark almost black to see, the air became cold, our horses got distressed and the younger elves got worried, and then we saw it…"

She cut herself off.

"What did you see? Tauriel? Elwen?" Ada asked and Nana looked worried.

"The shadows of a man came into the road in front of our horses about twenty yards or so," I said. "But he was not in the land of the living. Had we not been of the eldar I do not think we would have seen him at all, only the mist around him and the coldness in our bones" I added.

Tauriel saw I stopped and took over for I had been too focused on the shadow to think of much else.

"I then tried to get Elwen's attention, but she was locked in place and orcs came out of nowhere. It felt like the foul beasts followed the shadow as a guard to make sure none would notice it. But we did. We killed them all easily enough, but the shadow moved off after it faced Elwen with its red glowing eyes…" Then she stopped herself.

Ada seemed worried and looked at me as he came over.

"You are not injured or hurt?" he said worriedly.

"No Ada" I responded simply. "I used the skill you and Nana taught me of the enemy and called for the star of Elbereth to watch over us. The light dissipated the shadow and it stopped the shadow's movement towards us.

"Did it speak or say anything towards you?" He asked then worriedly.

"Nothing. Just looked at me and when the orcs came it ran to the north I think. It was not one of the living world Ada. I know it!" I said and looked into his grey eyes.

"Do you know what it might have been?" Ada then asked.

"I know not for sure, but I have my ideas," I said and looked at Nana too, and then Tauriel.

"speak your mind daughter," Ada said and Nana nodded to it.

"I think it was one of the nine. In a very weakened form. It was barely a shadow of itself. But it was on a mission to the north and if I am right then the buildup for it started sooner than I believed." At this, Nana seemed worried and Tauriel sat with her and comforted her while Ada only wanted more information.

"One of the nine? This is grave news. Still, you are not injured or hurt in any way?" He made me turn and looked me over yet again.

"No Ada, I am not hurt. But the shadow has gone northwards. To the hills, I am sure of it".

From there we spent a long time in his study. Not even able to take our weapons off as I told the tale of what I had seen that Angmar would become. Not the full story of the war I had seen with Arnor or the outcome I believed would be. But enough and that it had to happen for the song I knew and what was to come that I had seen in images and in the books twisted into a story they were not intended to be.

"This is indeed concerning Elwen…" He said thinking long and hard. "But as far as you know it will be a long time before anything starts to happen?" He asked me yet again.

"Yes, Ada." I simply responded. At this point, Tauriel got a little anxious listening to us and I could see her silvan blood catching fire.

"So what are we to do about them? We should hunt them down and eliminate them should we not?" She asked very forwardly.

At this, I did not respond nor did Ada.

"Elwen? My lord? My Lady?" Tauriel then asked to get us to respond.

"Even if it is the threat I think it is… I do not know… of what I know is so far off" I said and bowed my head.

At this, she seemed shocked and looked at me with a look she never had before.

"So are we to let them pass by our border… I am sorry, your border. Not even thirty miles from this very spot and we are to do nothing about it?"

"Tauriel!" I said and then looked at her.

"Are we to leave those that cannot defend themselves to these creatures? Are we only to sit in our corner of the world protected and safe while others suffer?" She seemed not able to stop herself and she had lost so much to the enemy so how could I blame her?

"My love…" I said before she stopped me.

"Please do not say so… if you are so indifferent to the suffering of others I might not be your love…" she said and got up and out the door tears down her eyes as she ran off.

"TAURIEL!" I cried out as she ran with me starting to follow her and Ada stopped me.

"Stay Elwen!" Ada said and Nana rushed after her. "she does not know the full reach of your knowledge and I feel with her. If not for you and her going out when you did on the trip to be just the two of you, we might not have known of them at all. Or when you left for the Arnorians we might not have known of the shadow moving north. Is this right?"

"It is right Ada…" I said with tears in my eyes and he came to sit where Tauriel had sat just moments before.

"Then I will send riders to the Arnorians and have them and our kin patrol the borders and realms of our peoples. But we are not to do more. For if we do what you know to be our victory over the enemy might not happen at all…" He said taking a deep breath. "Saying that I think we should do what we can to safeguard as many of their kin as we can in our lands when that war comes… for it will come will it not?"

Again I just nodded and looked at him

"Yes, Ada. It will. Arnor I have seen fall and few will survive the campaign to destroy the Dunedain of the north if we do little." At this, he put his arm around me.

"Long has the fight against darkness been. Long will it still be and many will die. But you give me hope daughter of a time of peace" He said and smiled. "Now go, daughter. Get out of your armor and have some food. I will speak to Tauriel." He said and tried to comfort me.

"She was so disappointed Ada…" I said thinking of what she said as she ran off.

"She is, but the blood of her elven kin is in her and they are a tempered people. You know this" He said and smiled at me. "It will be well daughter, now go." He said as he gave me a hug.

How could Elwen be so cruel to those living outside the valley and those of the Arnorians? Is this how she truly is? Was all I could feel in that moment.

Servants bowed to me as I rushed passed them and tears were down my cheeks. Several tried to talk to me but none could stop me.

The house felt small and suffocating. The hall of fire and the large porch outside it was so liberating to me and none were there at this early time.

How could she be so cold? How could she not care? Was it because they were men and not our kin? Should we not stand up against evil no matter what? Tears came down my cheeks as I heard a soft silver voice behind me.

"Tauriel? Why did you run off like so?"

As for why I knew not and stood there tears down my cheeks.

"I just felt so helpless, so shamed if we are to do nothing for the edain of this land. Are we not a part of this world as well? Is Elwen this cold unless it is our kin?" I asked and the Lady came towards me and held me yet again.

"Dear Tauriel." She said and dried my tears off. "It is a long story with Elwen and the Edain… but she will not let them suffer needlessly. She as my husband has a gift of sorts when it comes to foresight. She may know what will happen, but not if too much is changed."

I listened as she spoke and knew of the foresight of our kin, but I did not truly understand it.

"Does it mean we can do nothing because of what she or lord Elrond has seen?" I then asked her.

"Ney it does not mean so, but it means we need to be careful with what we do and how we do it. There will be a time for sword use and a time for thinking. Who says we will do nothing? Maybe we will do less than you hope, but little is better than none over the many years that are to come. To fight the enemy can be done in many ways and it does not always need to be with a sword, bow, or spear."

Holding me tight and not caring if her dress got covered in orc blood.

"I am a warrior; it is how I have lived my life…" I said dropping my head.

"and now you are also a lover, a leader, a guide for others. Your work is now of several roads each with its own time to be used. Elwen knows this and so do you need to know. For you are to be her wife and her partner, of that I have no doubt. But you will also be a leader of our people and yes it is our people. I heard you call it our borders and it is ours. Yours as well daughter by my daughter's love."

Her warmth was clear to me and her words wise. For I had indeed only been a fighter. Now as the tutoring by lord Elrond was on its way I was more. I needed to see more ways and more outcomes than just from a single mission or single task.

"May I ask a question, my lady?" I then asked looking up at the lady.

"Sigh will you ever call me by just my name?" she said and smiled. "Of course, you may sweet Tauriel"

"I know my silvan blood made me say some horrible things in lord Elrond's study to Elwen, but you think I may ask of her hand?" I said as I could not look at her if she said no.

"If you ask for my blessing to ask for my daughter's hand you have it, but you need to make up with her first. She was hurt by your comment. Do not fear it Tauriel, she loves you deeply. Of that, I have known since the first time she and you came to me for the mid-day meal."

At this, I looked up tears in my eyes and hugged her hard yet again. "Thank you, my lady" was all I could say as I heard the door open and there she stood. The most beautiful elleth in all of Imladris. _

After Ada told me to go and change out of my armor I could not stop thinking of Tauriel and how she ran off. It deeply hurt me when she asked me to not have her want me to call her my love, for she is my love.

I was just happy Nana had gone after her and as I moved down the hallway several of the servants gave me looks and nods towards the hall that led to the hall of fire and as I entered the room I saw them there. Nana and Tauriel. Hugging.

Her eyes locked on me the moment I entered the room and they did not move off me, she only smiled and let my Nana go. At this, Nana turned too and smiled.

"Elwen" Tauriel said and I smiled as she did not move away as I walked to her.

Nana smiled and walked past me whispering "Be kind to her, she only cares for others and you too" At this, I simply nodded and gave her a quick hug as she left the room for us.

"I do not say or do what I do to be cruel or indifferent to their lives… I just do not want to ruin this world and a future I know to be true…" At this, she simply raised her hand.

"I know my love. Your Nana told me of your gift more and that of your Ada. I am sorry I said what I said. But my old king always chose to defend those who could not defend themselves. This I also believe and the fear of you not caring about others as I do… made me say things I did not mean as I know you care deeply for others. I see it with your brothers. Sister and the elves around us. Please excuse me from my foolishness and rash judgment of you my love, my sweet, sweet noldorin love."

At this, I was taken aback as her arms came around me and held me firm.

"There is nothing to forgive my love" I simply said and held her firm. "I was not clear and you do know not my full story, I will tell you soon, just give me a few days to prepare myself… but for now all I want to say is yes I do have foreknowledge from several ways… I do not wish the Edain to suffer, but also I have mixed feelings for them… It is complicated, but please do not see me as heartless."

She then gave me a deep stare into my eyes and slowly leaned in and kissed me. She was warm and loving in her kisses and did not let me go.

"You are not heartless, nor are you as cruel as I thought for a moment. You are a lady of the Noldor and you care for your people and that of the Edain. But you also have foreknowledge and do not want to risk a future you know will come true. So we will do what we can in what might seem a lesser way. To not change what is to be and what must come to pass"

She then smiled and kissed me one more time.

"But there is one thing I want to ask thee, lady of the Noldor. A year has almost passed since my return to the valley and I must ask before I lose my nerve in it. Your Nana seemed to accept it and now that I have you here alone for a moment as our days are full of study, tasks, and chores…" I put my finger on her lips as she spiraled out of her way and did not truly come to any point.

"What do thee need to ask me daughter of the forest?"

I asked her as official as she started to talk to me.

"Elwen…" she said and I could hear her swallow hard. "Ever since you came into my life much has changed. I have left my king and my people, I have traveled far alone and together with you and yours. I have spent time in the mines of the dwarves and in combat with the enemy. I have seen the stars of your forebearer and what light of the evergreen land in you. I have seen a future of my own in my dreams I knew not was for me." She then stopped and I could feel her arms shake as she held me.

"Tauriel?" I asked as she stopped. "What is it you want to say?"

"Please listen first" she then said.

"I know there will be dark times ahead and much we need to make right in this world. But if anything is to happen and I have not done this I will regret it forever even when we meet again…" Again she stopped.

"Please ask it" I said ever so low.

"Elwen… will you be…" She swallowed hard yet again.

My eyes started to water up as she took a deep breath after her swallow.

"Will you do me the honor of being my…" Again she took a deep breath her eyes watering up as well.

"Wife" she finally said it. She finally managed to ask me.

Here we stood in the halls of fire. In armor, orc blood all over us, and she held me tight. The most beautiful elf I had ever seen asking me the question I had longed since we met and now she asked it. Finally, she asked it and I guess I took too long to answer as we heard two voices from behind me.

"Yes is the answer sister. Just say yes!" Elladan cried out.

"What are you waiting for? Do not let your lady wait!" Elrohir added.

"Why do you two have to disturb us" I turned and looked at them and they pulled back some.

Tauriel looked at me with some worry as I did not respond at once.

"Yes, I will marry you yes I will my love" I then said and kissed her and jumped on her which she did not expect and we both fell hard to the floor, with me on top of her. Kissing her lips and holding her firm as I sat over her. Thankfully Elven armor was strong, but not that heavy or restricting in our movements.

She did not get to respond at all as my kisses were overwhelming her and we did hear a gasp from a few others as my brothers screamed out in happiness and before we knew Ada, Nana, little Arwen, and the twins were all around us. We had felt them enter, but we did not care. We were all too busy showing each other love at that moment. Then Tauriel opened her eyes and saw my family around us smiling and she stopped kissing me as I saw them too when she hinted at me looking up.

"Seems my blessing for you two was needed sooner than I believed," Nana said holding onto Ada

"I could not help myself my lady," Tauriel said as we got up from the floor. "She was there and we talked of what was to come and I do not wish to meet all those challenges not being her wife" She responded as she blushed.

Ada then gave us a look and smiled.

"I for one am amazed it took you two this long. After she arrived and I saw you two getting close I had expected this much sooner." He said before the twins took over.

"us too ada" Elladan started. "Tauriel showed much more restraint than we believed when we had our talk with her at the archery range after she arrived" Elrohir added.

"I have?" Tauriel responded. "Maybe I have as of your talk with me, I did not want to rush her or force myself onto your sister. After all, we had been apart a long time" She said looking back at me and smiling the moment her eyes met mine.

"As if I could ever say no to you my love" I responded kissing her yet again. "For my feelings for you never lessened, they only grew even if you were not here. I still can't believe you are back with me!"

"Now she's back forever dear sister," the twins said at the same time and I could not be happier with it.

We knew our news would be hard to hide and that the valley would know sooner rather than later so Ada hurried off to send riders to the Arnorians and those that were already there that we would not join them.

Tauriel and I spent some time with Nana and had a few talks about what it would mean for us to be wives and Tauriel's new role in Imladris. The twins had promised to not tell anyone at least for a day, but we doubt they would be able to. They were so proud and happy they were like two stars beaming so proudly.

Ada then joined me, Tauriel, and Nana in our family room and he had a box I knew what it meant, Tauriel looked over at me and then confused as she got it in her lap.

"Open it," Nana said as she sat with Ada and they held each other as I held Tauriel.

Her gasp was clear and loud as she saw a ring like mine, a necklace like mine, and then the circlet. She looked at me and saw mine on my head and it was identical, for we were not above each other in station or rank. We were partners in life in station and love.

Ada then spoke the words of her becoming a true lady of Imladris and with the sign of his house. There was no doubt anymore of her role and place. I took the ring and placed it on her hand as well as the neckless around her neck. Then as I took the circlet they came over too and we all sat it on her head and named her for full and officially Tauriel, Lady of Imladris, and my wife-to-be.