We're off to Thorenhad! Enjoy!

Chapter 17

We took a short break to rest the horses and eat a quick lunch, before continuing on. I spent some time riding under the canopies of the trees, trying to find solace in their presence. I could have sworn some of the branches lightly brushed against me, as if they sensed my distress and wished to comfort me. I did not stray far from the road, and my companions thankfully gave me the space I wanted. I began to feel calmer and more at peace. Nothing seemed to help more than simply being in nature, likely related to being a wood elf.

About an hour before sunset we approached Thorenhad. We were briefly questioned by one of the guards, but once they recognized me, they let us inside without difficulty. Thorenhad was not much more than a long-abandoned outpost, but it served its purpose as a safe haven on the road to and from Imladris. It was a central point in the Trollshaws and easily reachable from almost every established stable in the region. I was acquainted with some of the people stationed here, but did not know them well. Whenever I had been here, I had spent most of my time with Elladan and Elrohir, the sons of Lord Elrond. We had worked together multiple times to combat some minor threats in the area, and had known each other for hundreds of years. I found their company to be very entertaining as they both had a good sense of humor and liked to joke around. They reminded me of my brothers, which made me both smile and feel the familiar ache of their passing.

After greeting the stablemaster and settling my horse, I wandered over to the blacksmith and inquired if he could sharpen my knives. He assessed them briefly and said they looked to be in excellent condition, but offered to look them over more closely anyway. I nodded my thanks and gave him some coin for his trouble. There were already several tents set up for visitors, as the outpost hosted many travelers who were passing through, so we decided to keep ours packed away.

I found a bench and spread out our map, thinking about our next steps. I felt Candaith come up behind me, peering over my shoulder. I could feel the warmth of his body on my skin, even though he was not directly touching me. I moved over slightly so he had more room to see without needing to look over my shoulder, and felt a strange sense of both relief and disappointment at the distance. I cleared my throat and pointed out our current location and traced a line east, "We will go back to the Great East Road, and follow it to the Fords of Bruinen. This will be our most exposed location, and the river may be swift to cross."

Candaith nodded, and I continued, "I know of a few cases where orcs had ambushed those trying to cross. Recently there was an altercation with multiple Nazgul on horses, but they were washed away by powerful magic, and Lord Glorfindel escorted the party being attacked to Imladris with speed. There is always a risk, so we must be cautious."

Saeradan had wandered over by that time and was listening intently, his brow furrowed, "If we are to be attacked, where will we find cover? As you say, it is very exposed and once we are in the middle of the Ford, we will be in danger."

I shrugged, and considered our options, "There is no other way to get to Rivendell without going south out of our way and doubling back, or climbing the cliffs above the falls, which are almost impossible to scale."

"If I may make a suggestion?" Candaith asked. I nodded in acceptance and he continued, "We should approach the Ford cautiously, and if we see a sign of an enemy presence, we will turn south and cross where it is safe. Climbing the cliffs is unrealistic, and we would have to leave our horses behind. Gwinthilnel, if it is possible, could you could ask the trees to keep a close watch and warn us of any dangers before we get too close? It would be helpful."

"Of course, that is what I was thinking as well," I replied, giving him a small smile. "I would imagine Lord Elrond would prefer we get to Imladris safely while taking longer, rather than have us injured trying to take the fastest route." I knew Elrond had a strong sense of what was happening in the Trollshaws at any given moment, so I hoped if there was a sizeable enemy presence somewhere, he would send out forces to eliminate it if possible. "We will set out at first light; if we can cross the Ford before nightfall, it would greatly increase our chances of escaping trouble."

Saeradan smirked and said, "Trouble has a tendency to follow you Gwinthilnel, so I would not be surprised to run into it."

I raised an eyebrow; it was true I seemed to run into enemies more frequently than I would like, "Well, if people would stop sending me out to prevent it, perhaps it would stop accosting me." I sighed, "However, that has not been my lot in life."

"Gwinthilnel, I did not mean to imply-"

"It is quite all right Saeradan, I know you meant no offense. It is nothing personal, I promise," I replied. Forcing a smile, I rolled up the map and placed it safely into my bag. "We should get some sleep."

I offered to keep watch but the guards assured me they had things under control. Secretly I was pleased; I hoped to find some rest. I settled myself under the covers and let my eyes go unfocused; my mind drifted to happy times and I wished for good dreams.

Luck was with me, or perhaps Elbereth answered my prayers, for my reverie consisted of walking in a field of wildflowers, looking at the stars and seeing them shimmer on a pond in front of me. The moon was shining brightly and I could see elflings chasing fireflies and laughing merrily. Others were dancing to music around a bonfire, where I could hear someone playing a fiddle.

A dock appeared in front of me and I sat down, dangling my legs over it so my feet were in the cool water. Colorful fish were swimming and their scales glittered. I smiled and closed my eyes, feeling more at peace than I could remember feeling in a long time.

Suddenly I felt someone sit next to me and their fingers interlacing with mine. I turned and looked into the bright eyes of my oldest brother Fernden. "Muindor (brother)?" I choked out, tears falling down my cheeks.

He reached out with his other hand and wiped them away, "Gwinnie, it is good to see you again," he said softly, smiling at me. "I have missed you."

I took a shuddering breath and felt a smile form on my face, "I have missed you too, more than I can ever say." I touched his face, "Are you really here?"

He nodded, "In a way. In dreams we are sometimes able to wander, but not frequently. It seems the Valar felt you needed a little encouragement."

I looked at him quizzically "Encouragement?"

He nodded, raising his eyebrows, "You have been quite busy since I have been gone penneth (young one/child). I never could have imagined the trouble you would find yourself in!"

I laughed and shrugged, "What can I say? It seems to follow me."

His smile faded. "You doubt yourself, and your strength."

I faced forward and placed my head on his shoulder. "It is difficult; Middle Earth is in turmoil, and I feel responsible for making it better again. People are relying on me to make things right."

He pulled me into his chest and stroked my hair. I breathed in his familiar scent of grass and trees. "This is not something you can do on your own. You must accept the help that is offered. There are many who care for you and would lay down their lives to make sure you were safe."

I pulled away briefly and looked into his eyes. "But I don't want them to have to lay down their lives. I am not worthy of that kind of devotion, and I can take care of myself," I said stubbornly, but settled back into his arms again, craving comfort.

"Yes, you can take care of yourself, but you do not have to," he replied softly, and I felt myself calm as I listened to his heart beat.

"How can your heart be beating when I know it is not?" I questioned.

He looked down at me grinning, "Perhaps it is."

I pulled back and looked at his face, not daring to hope, "You have been released from the Halls?" I gasped.

He nodded, and I threw my arms around him. "Oh Fernden, how I have missed you. I cannot wait to see you again, in real life!" I sounded like a giddy child, but that was how I felt in this moment.

He squeezed me back tightly before moving to look at me, tucking some hair behind my ear, "I feel the same way." He had a strange expression on his face, but before I could investigate it, he smiled once more.

We watched the moon go across the sky, and I noticed him pull away from me and stand up. I stood up as well, and furrowed my brow as he began to walk away from me. "Muindor? Where are you going?"

"It is time to wake up tithen pen (little one). I love you, and you are ever in my thoughts. Perhaps we shall meet again in dreams before we are finally reunited."

"No, please, don't go!" I cried, running after him, but he was fading out of sight. The last thing I saw was him smiling and waving before everything faded to black.

In case you are unfamiliar with what Gwin was referring to when she mentioned Fernden being "released from the Halls", it refers to the Halls of Mandos, or the Halls of Awaiting. If an Elf dies, their soul goes there, and the Vala, Namo, is its keeper. After a period of self-reflection, an Elf can be reincarnated into a body identical to the one they had in real life, and dwell in Valinor. A very small number of them, Glorfindel included, returned to Middle Earth. So, Fernden is now hanging out in Valinor, along with his mother and sister, and perhaps his brother and father if they were also reborn.

Thanks for reading! I wanted to bring in someone from Gwin's family, as I haven't really talked too much about them. Leave a review if you'd like!