Chapter 36
A warmth in the sun.
I held my wife as she helped me back on my feet and heard Mithrandir speak.
"A trap and we must save them". The room felt silent until a shocked little sister spoke up.
"What is all of this? I hear elves speak of the arrival of Mithrandir, Tauriel being healed, and Elwen speaking of wanting death and what do I find? My sister putting a blade to my throat and then getting cast into the wall?!"
"Arwen…" Nana said and moved to my sister and my wife looked at me with sadness in her face for Arwen's comment of death. "Elwen and Tauriel were sick… nay not sick… taken under darkness from a great evil on the other side of the mountains. Mithrandir has aided them to be well again" She hugged her saying so.
"Is this true?" My little sister asked and looked at the wizard. "You wish for death?" Tauriel then said her eyes locked on me.
"It is my lady and for Tauriel's question, nay Elwen do not wish for death. It was the demon of Sauron that spoke those words" He responded with what I expected to be a smile under that beard and I nodded to what he said before I looked at my sister.
"Arwen…" I said and moved towards her yet her eyes shot towards me Tauriel let go of me though not wanting to.
"Nay stay away!" she said with fear in her voice.
"Sister… Mithrandir said…" I tried to speak but she cut me off.
"I know what he said. A moment ago you had a blade on my throat Elwen if that is indeed you!"
Hearing this Tauriel came up beside me and held me.
"This is her Arwen. Elwen is back with us." She said as her head rested on mine.
"But are you my sister-in-law? Or do you try and fool us?"
Her fear rose in her voice and I did not blame her. I could see the actions the spirit had done while in control of my body had hurt her deeply. All I could do was give her time and let it sink in… as I saw the knife on the floor, I walked over to it and picked it up. Handing it to my sister the handle towards her and the blade towards me. The room was deadly silent.
"If it makes you feel safer sister, point this at me. I will never hurt you nor can I hurt you as long as I am me." Her eyes followed me closely as I did all this and she pulled the knife towards her too quickly for me to let go of the blade and I felt the steel slide into the palm of my hand. I let out a hiss and she pulled away some more with my blood dripping on the floor.
"Elwen… I am sorry" I heard from her as she turned and walked out of the room the knife hitting the floor. "Arwen!" I cried after her and Nana also cried her name and rushed after her.
"let me see it" I heard the voice of my wife and I turned and handed her my hand. "It's not too deep. It will heal nicely if not disturbed.
"Sadly that is not possible," I responded, looking at her and back to Mithrandir sitting at Ada's desk.
"I wish I could let you rest from all of this my ladies… but I need you both to ride north with all haste…" he said his face saddened.
"Tell us all you know Mithrandir!" I said Lindir turned and found a map of the northern lands around the area of where Carn Dum now lies.
"From what Radagast told me the birds and beasts of this area have seen the forces of the lieutenant of the foul fortress.
"Morgomir," I said and shook my head.
"Yes…" Mithrandir said. "And the other force from Gundabad…" I looked up at him.
"They were not supposed to come to his aid at the battle!" I said with fear in my voice.
"My love," Tauriel said "They would come forth. Many a time have we fought orcs from that foul mountain in the Greenwood. It was only a matter of time before they were to come here…" she tried to explain as I stopped her.
"No Tauriel my love." I said. "There were to be no more reinforcements for the black captain. It was only to be Morgomir and the troll I killed at the siege of Imladris… We were only supposed to fight Angmar at Carn Dum…" I looked at both her and Mithrandir.
The room felt silent for a moment. All three of us thinking of what to do. How could we fix it? Was our power too great and the lord in the east fearing us and wanting to destroy as much of us as he could?
"So things that are now in motion cannot be undone Elwen… No matter how much we wish for them to be" The wizard said while looking at me.
"Mithrandir is right Elwen," Tauriel said and looked over the map. "Their forces will take the old mountain roads from the northeast down southwest and close around the elven host."
I smiled to myself as she took charge like she would never have done before. I loved the elleth in front of me more than I could ever tell her and the pride of her achievements too.
"I agree," I said as I also leaned over the map. "But we do not have enough forces left in Imladris to challenge a host of Gundabad alone I would say. Did the messengers from Radagast say something about their size?" I asked and looked over at Mithrandir.
"Thousands" He stated simply.
"I see" I responded and thought for a bit.
"We have our company, or rather. What is left of it? The valley guard that we cannot take and two companies of Cavalry that guard our borders. At worst, we can take them?" Tauriel spoke loudly to share her ideas.
"There are also those that have started their training," Lindir said. "But they are not fully trained in the arts of war and are still quite young at under a hundred years of age" A look I sent him before I spoke.
"Those we cannot take. They are too young and have no experience, let them instead help the valley guard and the unit of cavalry we leave behind." To my words, he simply bowed his head.
"Yes my lady," he said unsure, and it was written all over his face.
Quietness fell over the room again. Worry and dare I say fear.
"259 elves… we are to ride out with 259 elves." My wife said in that moment. Fear was clearly in her voice.
"If that is what we have that is what we will take. We should not leave the valley with just the guard and young. Why We will take a company of cavalry with us, but that is it." I said still thinking numbers.
"Could we ask Arnor for aid?" She then asked me and Mithrandir.
"I fear not…" He responded to her. "What little strength that is left in that kingdom needs to be kept there. For our plans to not utter fall apart. Your Ada and Glorfindel must be saved…"
"So it is settled then," Tauriel said looking at me.
"It is… no matter how little I wish for this," I said looking at Lindir who waited on my word.
"Assemble the force by the morning as have been said here" He hesitated for a moment.
"What is it Lindir?" I asked
"My lady… My ladies. You have both not been well and it has been well known in Imladris. I do not know if another ride so soon will be taken well. No matter its cause." He said.
Tauriel looked up at him as well as Mithrandir.
He was not wrong. But this was not the time for such talk or debate. Nana was the highest ranking Elf left in Imladris and I would not challenge her if she did not agree with our plan I doubt she would be knowing we did it for Ada, Glorfindel, and the elves that had gone.
"I will inform my nana about such plans as have been made. If she feels others are capable to ride out I will not stand in their way…" I said "But I will go alone if so must be"
"Never alone!" I heard Tauriel say as she came over to me. "We have pain and suffering to return to the black captain and he will not take us off guard again. I am sure he is behind what fell over us, my love!"
"Him or someone more terrible to imagine!" Mithrandir said from the side of it all and gave us both a look over. "My dears you're both so brave, but you two cannot do this alone," he said before he stopped himself from talking. We then bowed our heads to him and noticed for Lindir to be off. Mithrandir was also tired after a long ride and healing us both so he bid himself good night. Whatever would come ere the sun rises the next morning we all would need to be rested. But there was still work that needed to be done and a Nana to talk to.
We left Ada's study not long after the others and asked the servants and any others we could find for the location of Nana. But none knew. We got some worried looks from most as last they had seen either or both of us we had been possessed to call it so. We walked down several halls and looked in all the rooms we could think of before we ended up in the hall of fire and my frustration overtook me.
"Please have none seen my Nana?" I said out loud in desperation and it could be seen as something out of anger. Several elves looked at each other and one we had not seen in a long time came up to us.
"My ladies," Nuriel said and bowed. She was not as cheerful as she had been the last time we had seen her, but how could we blame her for it?
"Nuriel, dear Nuriel," Tauriel said and held out for her hands, but she did not take them.
"I saw my lady Celebrian follow Lady Arwen to the peak over the valley not long before you entered the halls," she said, her eyes locked on the floor.
"Can you not look at us as you speak?" I asked with sadness in my voice and I did not need to look at Tauriel to know she felt the same way.
Many others looked at the floor too as we looked at them.
"We understand how you feel… we will not take up your joyous time any longer," Tauriel said and reached for my hand.
I took it and looked at Nuriel again. "Thank you Nuriel," I said and she did not answer me, yet I saw her mouth move as if she would like to.
We both hurt as we walked out of the room. It seems the soul or souls that had possessed us had done great damage to our kin and their faith and trust in us.
"So so my love. We will make them trust us again. One day. No matter how long it takes" My wife said as we walked and it hurt for each elf moving away from us. Not out of respect or to give way, but out of fear. Seems how Mithrandir healed our bodies had come out and of how much it drained his body.
"I know… I know my love… I said as we walked. But it hurts still so much seeing those we care for fear us like they now do…"
Her arm then came up and around me.
"It is the enemy's fault and we will make him suffer as he never has suffered before," she said to me in a whisper. Her silvan blood boiling and I could feel it. "But there might be a time for us to not stay in Imladris and let it heal without us" she then added and I stopped for a moment. My heart breaking and she saw it. "And if it is so we will manage and one day we will return!" she said holding me to her. "For we have each other and that is all we need!" her smile all over her face as she lifted my face with her finger and kissed me like the first time we ever kissed so long ago.
"I love you!" she said and my body screamed to say it back "And I love you!" I said before we started walking again. Her arm around me.
That was when we heard them.
"They had no control over their action Arwen… Your sister and her wife love you more than any can understand. Do not say so about them!"
"But what if it happens again? Nana… What if Elwen and Tauriel get put under such magic again?"
Nana from what we saw as we walked up stood for a moment of thought.
"Mithrandir said it would not be possible due to the spell he used to remove such spirits. That and they are strong Arwen. They now know what to look for and stand against it.
Arwen looked at the sky and to the north.
"I wish Ada was here…" she said lowly.
That is when I spoke up to them both.
"So do I sister… Nana" I said and we bowed to her.
"Elwen…" Arwen said as she turned looking at us. "Tauriel…" her face dropped and she took a few steps back.
"We will not come for you sister," I said looking at her with what smile I could muster.
"If the lady approves we will take our company and ride north with a company of cavalry," I said looking at my Nana.
Nana's face grew dark and came over to us. "Why ask for such? I would not deny your wish to help Ada" she said and smiled.
"You may not, my lady. But the elves speak of us with no favor anymore. Why we ask for your permission and wisdom in our plan."
Her face was sad and she looked at Tauriel as she spoke and back at me.
"You do not deserve it… how they speak of you… if only Mithrandir had come sooner to remove what did you so cold and dark in their eyes…" We both took her hands and shook our heads.
"We do not blame them, Nana. Nor do we blame Arwen for how she feels. See sister we do not blame anyone. We are only sad it happened yet we still need to go…"
That's when we saw her eyes tear up.
"I knew it would come to this… You are both warriors and I was foolish to hope to keep you here… You have my permission to go and my blessing….."
Feet then ran up the stairs and two not-so-little elven lords cried.
"WE WILL GO, SEND US IN THEIR STEAD!" they cried.
All of us turned towards them and without thinking I said "No. You two will not go!"
They stopped at the top of the stairs looking at me and Tauriel before looking at Nana.
"Nana tell them, they are in no shape to go on such a mission with all they have been through."
Her gaze turned to us and it seemed like she agreed with their reasoning.
"Nana, you must let us go. I know what would have happened and I can adjust to what now is happening!" I said and pushed my reasoning.
Not that Elladan nor Elrohir heard it.
"Sister you have both been possessed by evil spirits, fought in many a battle, and held the line around our home. Let us do this!" they pleaded at me their voices sounding like one.
Tauriel wanted to speak but held back for a moment. Until her tongue could hold no longer.
"We will ride out with just over a company of cavalry… Our company got decimated at the human camp across the mountain… Nay it is our duty to go. If any elf will follow us." She said looking at Nana.
Her face then changed from a choice made to fear all over her face.
"How many will you take? What did Mithrandir say?" she asked.
"We will take what is left of our company and a company of cavalry from the border patrol. The rest we will leave behind." I said looking at her. "For what Mithrandir said a host of Gundabad is marching to the aid of Angmar and the lieutenant of Carn dum is waiting with another force to the west. All we hope is to separate the forces for our elves to flee back south… Nana… Elladan, Elrohir. This is not a glorious fight or a simple fight." I said cutting myself off.
Nana's face turned white and my brother said little.
That's when my sister walked up to Nana's side and looked at us where we stood.
"You are riding out knowing you might die?" Her soft voice returned to her even when looking at me.
"We are," Tauriel responded as I did not find my words.
Nana then shot forward as my siblings all froze.
"Nay I will not allow you to go, any of you. My children will not go to die!" she said loudly.
I grabbed her in a hug and embrace as did Tauriel. When I whispered in her pointy ear.
"We must, Nana if not we condemn Ada, Glorfindel, and the rest to death. They will have little to no warning…" I stopped as I cried some and Tauriel took over. "We may just come in time to break their lines and rescue them…" she said and then Elladan and Elrohir came over holding us too.
"So let us go with you. You need every sword you can get!" they both said.
"You will stay!" I shot out fiercely at them.
They were both taken aback by it and gave me strange looks as did Nana.
"Elwen…" she said in a hushed tone.
Arwen moved closer to Nana again and I tried to hold myself together.
"I cannot have more of you to worry about. Tauriel. Ada. Glorfindel. There are too many I care for at-risk already!" I said with a lump in my throat.
Thankfully my wife saw where it was going and stepped in.
"That and we need great warriors to hold Imladris in our absence. Few may return if any and long you two can hold this last heaven if all goes ill!" she said and put her hand on Elladan's shoulder while looking at Elrohir.
"Please, brothers!" I said my eyes locked on them both.
It was quiet for a moment and they came and hugged us hard.
"We will hold it, you return safely. Both of you with Ada and as many others as you can! And each other!" they both said at once so it was hard for us to know who spoke at that moment.
Nana stood there thinking and as the twins let go of us she came and hugged us tighter than they had done.
"Go, bring Ada home!" she said with a shaky voice.
"We will" Was all we said as quietness came over the high peak over Imladris. Arwen had gone while we hugged the twins and Nana and she could not be found so we slowly walked to our room late as it was.
"The door is repaired," Tauriel said with curiosity.
"It was broken?" I answered and she looked at me.
"Yes, When Mithrandir came to me his magic…" she stopped herself as the door slowly opened.
There we saw the face of Estelwen. She was peeking out.
"My ladies?" she asked carefully.
We both smiled at her and rushed in hugging her tightly and kissing her cheeks.
"Yes our dear friend," we both said out loud. Her face lacked emotions and looked low on us and she even pulled away from us as we hugged and kissed her cheek. Something was wrong yet she did not say it.
"So my ladies will go?" she said emotionless.
"We will" We responded as one.
She nodded looked at the armor stands and went for the drawers with our bedclothes.
"You two will need time alone. Shall you bathe first or after?" she asked with a smile on her face. She knew us so well and we looked at each other.
"After" Tauriel responded and she leaned in for a kiss I returned it and her presence felt like the sun on my face yet again.
