Melting a Heart of Ice

"Aragorn, I'm not sure if it is fear, or grief that strikes me. I lived so long among our Fellowship it seems I can't fathom a day without having you all near. I don't want to leave, but I can't abandon my people." Triina sighed as she paced the stable where Vesi awaited impatiently.

"You may be parting from us for a time, but ours is a fellowship that will never break. We are bound to each other." he smiled and pulled her into an embrace that spoke volumes. She clung to him like a frightened child for a moment before righting herself just as the others joined them. The only missing faces were Gandalf and Aedán. Aedán's fear of Triina's departure left him tearful while Gandalf sat with him to rekindle his faith and confidence.

"Lass, do be careful out there. I'm not sure what use you'll be without this dwarf looking after you." Gimli joked, but the sadness in his voice was clear as they said their goodbyes. The hobbits all stood beside him and gave their farewells in turn but it was clear that they were unhappy with the decision that she would go without them.

"I'm prepared to ride with you." Legolas nodded firmly as her hands found his, but the moment their eyes met he knew that something was terribly wrong.

"You mean for me to stay." he stated plainly.

"I mean for you to follow later, with the others. Stay, recover your strength, and aid our friends here. I will ride with my people to our homelands and begin the fight. I'll be waiting for you to join us, my love, but I leave too much worry here to bring you with me. Knowing you are here to help, and safe, would ease my heart."

Legolas would have argued against her had Lelir not appeared behind her to give a warning glance against it.

Before he had time to question the ghostly elf stepped forward and offered new gems of Til'Arin to each of the fellowship members. "Each of you carry a crest of a different color. Sillis Triina, you will find this bracelet bears a gem to match each of theirs. Your foe is cunning and a master of lies and illusions. So long as these gems are unbroken, know that your friends are safe and well." he explained happily. "And you, so long as your gems are unbroken, know that she is the same. You can call for aid to one another by shattering your gems, a call will be sent to the others in your Fellowship."

The fellowship bowed their thanks as Lelir moved to accompany one last addition to their small farewell party as Gandalf brought Aedán to bid his farewell. He walked slowly to her and held up a crudely carved horse of Rohan for her to carry with her. He had painted the mane to match Vesi's and marked the belly with his name.

"I will cherish it always, Aedán." she smiled sadly and pulled him into a tight hug. Though he hid his tears she could feel his sorrow above all others in their company and as he pulled away to stand beside Legolas, Aragorn stepped up again to embrace her.

"Don't worry for the boy. He'll be watched over; I'll care for him myself if need be." he assured quietly. She nodded, unable to speak, and turned to Legolas one last time to bid their heartfelt farewell before mounting Vesi and riding to the gates of Gondor.

As she passed her people they followed in a tide of colored hair and horses, like a river flowing from the White City back to the North. Above them the great T'sharai serpents flew through the clouds, only seen by those who recognized them from battle.

The journey was long and rest was only had when necessary. By the time they reached the Til'Arin lands Triina and her forces were near the point of exhaustion. However Triina stood as strong as ever as she dismounted Vesi to step forward and gaze from the cliffs near her city and take in her kingdom.

The city was vast, and filled with finely crafted buildings of stone with many arches and twisting pillars. Where most cities were lit by torches and fires, her kingdom was aglow with magnificent glass orbs of illuminated water. She remembered her awe as a small child the first time she saw them, and the wonder she held upon learning that the glow came from small, glowing fish that lived in the orbs. The more fish in the orb, the brighter the glow. However, they had to be covered during the day, as the sunlight would kill the fish.

The sting of grief struck her again as she realized that she would be returning to her mother's hall to find it empty. Sillis Arrine would not be waiting to greet her daughter as always. She would not be sitting proudly in the throne room. It took all her strength to push back her tears and lead her forces to ride from the cliffs back through the gates of their city.

"At last! The Queen returns! Hail, Sillis Triina! Queen of all Til'Arin!" Eevalin announced proudly from the top of the gates as Triina passed through them. All around her the city's citizens cheered her return, and knelt their respect. It was the coronation in Gondor all over again, but this time she faced the crowded emotions alone. What she wouldn't have given to have her fellowship beside her as she made her way to the throne.

Her throne.

She barely had time to take in her home when commanders and councilmen came with maps and talk of war and battle plans. The faeries had returned to the lands and brought with them all help they could offer. The Sirens were restless and causing a stir in the waters around the city. Wraiths had been seen all around the city, striking terror in the hearts of her people. The worst news however, was that the Dark Sorceress had made an appearance, and leveled an entire fishing village in a show of power against her and her army. The bodies had been left along the road as a challenge to the new queen.

Triina was overwhelmed with her new place among her people and felt nothing but loneliness facing this weight without the guidance of her friends and love. Until her return to Til'Arin she had always known that there was someone to turn to in her weakest moments. Aragorn's advice, Merry and Pippin's jokes, Gimli's jesting support, Legolas' song and loving embrace, and Gandalf's wisdom and guidance. All of them kept her standing when she felt too weak to do so on her own, but now she stood on a high balcony overlooking her homelands with no one by her side. Only a weathered arrowhead, worn river stone, and gem laden bracelet to remind her of those who she would turn to.

"I hope you're well, my friends," she sighed, turning her gaze south to the kingdoms she had left behind. "Please be well, my love."

"Oh they are. The same wishes are sent to you from Gondor." Eevalin answered, suddenly appearing beside her and startling Triina enough to leave her seated in the corner fighting to regain her composure.

"Pure evil is on its way. Even Sauron feared to leave this foe unchecked. It seems that this was one battle you were aligned in." she continued not waiting for Triina to stand again.

"Eevalin, tell me. What makes our home so special against this evil? Why does it fear a union between Elves and Til'Arin? In all the vastness of Middle Earth we aren't the most powerful to fear."

"Not alone, no. There is a strength between the magic known to our people and theirs, and beyond all other things this enemy fears and envies love. As you know, the elves love with a great care and passion, and that is a powerful strength. Legolas would lay down his very life for you without a moment's consideration, and you would do the same for him. This means each of you would stop at nothing to see this threat destroyed to assure safety to the one you love and even worse now you hold a deep love for the others in your fellowship. A threat to the Shire, or to Gimli's home, or Gondor, Rohan, Rivendell, Lothlorian… Triina the alliances you've formed are a far greater threat than any bond Lelir and I could have formed.

"This prophecy isn't about two hearts and a wedding, it is about uniting Middle Earth."

Triina sat quietly as she thought of the friends she had left behind in the lands Eevalin had mentioned. If the call for aid from any of them had reached her, she would send whatever forces she had available to be sure their call was answered, and was confident that at many would do the same through the bonds of their fellowship's journey.
"Have I doomed us, by ordering the others to stay?" Sudden fear struck her heart as she looked to the ghostly woman beside her for an answer, but Eevalin only laughed and shook her head.

"No, in fact you thwarted the plan of your enemy by doing just that. An ambush was planned to separate you from your fellows the same way Lelir and I were separated. That illusion could not take place as you had chose to willing separate yourself from them and so the sorceress was unable to weaken your heart."

Triina stood and went back to looking out over her city.

"They're safe then." she nodded firmly and turned to find Eevalin gone and herself alone once more.

Far south in Gondor Aragorn was pacing while Arwen sat in silence, watching him walk from one side of his hall to the other. Aedán was beside her with a brush and parchment, practicing Elvish script by her occasional guidance only to keep him occupied.

"My love, calm yourself. You're scaring the child." she sighed finally, speaking in her own tongue to prevent Aedán from more worry.

"How can I be calm when so much danger still surrounds us all? Do we know yet where our friends have gone? Legolas rode out after her not a day after she left. I worry now for two dear friends, while remaining here and unable to aid either."

"You do aid them, by caring for this child. When the time comes you will ride to them with your men and you will lend aid. For now, my love, rest and be calm. Find peace.

"Look, his writing rivals my own."

She turned the subject to Aedán's paper, forcing Aragorn to smile and kneel beside him to admire the work. "If I had not seen your lessons myself, Aedán, I'd believe that was by Legolas' hand."

Aedán's eyes lit like stars as he smiled up at his king in thanks for such a compliment. "I hope to write to him in his own words. I have trouble speaking elvish, but I can write in much easier. Lady Arwen is a much better teacher than Gandalf."

"Oh?"

"Mmhmm. She's nicer. Gandalf is confusing when he teaches, Lady Arwen tells me directly what to do."

Aragorn laughed openly and placed a hand on Aedán's shoulder. "There is much wisdom in the riddles of an old wizard."

Though the amusement never left his eyes he stood and left Aedán and Arwen to continue their lesson and retired to his room. Not wanting to allow the boy to see more worry than he already had, he continued to pace and watch the lands to the north. He had great hopes and plans of attending the wedding of his closest friends, but now feared a funeral in its place. He knew that if one should fall, the other would follow. No matter the cost, both Triina and Legolas had to survive this new war. Peace would only be known in Gondor for a short while before he followed after his friends with his forces in tow.

"Lady Arwen," Aedán spoke anxiously, "you know why he's like that, don't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Pacing and watching the windows. He had the same look in Helms Deep before we first fought together. He knows we are going to fight another big battle, but I think he wants to hide it from us. Don't let him know that you know, it helps him to think we can't tell."

"You've hidden your knowledge from him before?" Arwen set the calligraphy aside and turned all her attention to Aedán as he nodded and stared off through the wall across from them.

"In Helms Deep, before the battle when we all thought we would die. He was arguing with Legolas, I couldn't understand them but I knew they were fighting. He yelled in words I could understand, that he would die as one of us. He passed me as he left, but I only smiled at him and said hello. He smiled back and I could tell he just needed to think that I believed we would be all right. He was scared. I'm never going to tell him I heard him yell that night.

"Before the last battle he had the same look. He was worried, and Triina was worried. Legolas told me they were occupied with responsibilities to their people but I'm smarter than that. So I played with Triina, and I asked Aragorn to teach me new things with a sword.

"I need to think of something to do to make him worry less now. Maybe he can help teach me how to say things in Elvish."

Arwen smiled down at him with tears in her eyes and pulled him to stand with her. "You are so young, Aedán, but you take the responsibility to your fellows of one who is grown many years beyond you. You inspire me."

"My father said that when you're inspired by someone you should go on to inspire others."

"Then let us do that. Together we will sooth your king's worries and inspire him to his old confidence."