Into the West

A smirk came to Eadlyn's face as she and Iluad darted across the lands, over rock ad hill, crossing the land at great speeds. This land felt like home, Rider had returned to the Riddermark. The wind lifted the she ranger’s hair behind her a flag waving wildly as night was coming down upon her. Her white eyes fixed on the horizon. Her heart beat riotously in her chest; she had not wanted to be traveling through the night alone, though she had done it plenty of times before. Things were different, she had come in tuned with her own weaknesses, and the danger in the lands was greater than it had been in the ages that she had seen. She slid one hand across the sheath of Theodred’s sword as she road on. A small smile came to her face. “Let’s go get your feeble cousin” she said in amusement. Not far now in a short distance she could see a formation of black rocks towering gout of the grassy lands, and in the center of it stood a crumbling statue of a mighty horse, rearing kicking it’s powerful front legs. Eadlyn halted Iluad and searched for any sign of Gandalf. Not seeing him Eadlyn flicked the reigns causing Iluad to go closer to the stone. It was eerily quiet, and her heart filled with warning. “Gandalf?” she asked in a whisper.

She got no answer, slowly and quietly she reached for her bow. Iluad had sensed something was off kilt as well, the great mare fell silent and pinned her ears against her skull. A loud scream echoed across the lands, the deep thunderous beating of enormous wings, shook both rider and steed. Eadlyn looked to the sky, “Nazgul” she thought pulling her hood over her head. She leered at him, as much as she wanted to shoot him right out of the sky; it was a battle she could not win alone. So she stayed still, holding her breath, hoping that he was far too focused on the task ahead of it to take any notice of her. Before long the Nazgul had passed, disappearing from her view. Eadlyn let out a breath and relaxed her body. Some pebbles were shifted around; Eadlyn jumped and aimed her arrow at the visitor. “Gandalf!” she gasped in relief, lower her bow. Gandalf glared at the sky where the beast and its rider had gone. “We must hurry, we have run out of time” He said urgently Eadlyn nodded and as Gandalf and Shadowfax tore into the night, She and Iluad went after.

Meanwhile Aragorn sat watching over the convoy, smoking his pipe. His nerves were on edge and his heart troubled. He held the Evenstar in his hands. "The light of the Evenstar does not wax and wane. It is mine to give to whom I will. Like my heart. Go to sleep." He could hear still her voice in his heart. “From darkness I understand the night, Dreams flow, a star shines” Gandalf’s voice echoed in his head “A star shall rise from the darkness” Aragorn mumbled “Go to Sleep” Arwen’s voice echoed, and sleep took him. He dreamed of the day he left her. “I am asleep. This is but a dream." He said, the elf princess turned to him, they were in Rivendell, she smiled a bit. “Then it is a good dream, sleep” she said softly plating a soft kiss on his lips. "Minlû pedich nin, i aur hen telitha. You told me once, this day would come.” He said now wide awake as he looked upon her. “Ú i vethed. Nâ i onnad. Boe bedich go Frodo. Han bâd lîn. This is not the end. It is the beginning. You must go with Frodo. That is your path.” Arwen said gently, Aragorn sat up and looked at her intently, he sighed and got up walking to her side he drew her close to him, resting his forehead to hers. “"Dolen i vâd o nin. My path is hidden from me.” He said softly. "Si peliannen i vâd na dail lîn. Si boe ú-dhannathach. It is already laid before your feet, you cannot falter now.” She said with a gently sternness. “Arwen” Aragorn breathed closing his eyes, the she elf rested her hand on his heart “If you trust nothing else… trust this. Trust us.” Arwen uttered. Aragorn opened his eyes and gazed down at her, cupping her face he brought her into a kiss.

As the ranger slept a smile came to his face, until his dream was ripped to shreds, the scene melted away from him as a shrill cry came into his mind. Fire engulfed the scene and Rivendell burned into ash. “Arwen!” he called out, but she had faded away. He was left standing alone, in the dark. It was quiet, and cold. Every way he turned all he could see was a thick blackness. The black speech rumbling in a low hum. “Arwen!” He called out again eyes dancing franticly. A orange and yellow hued light shown like a tiny peck in the dark, “Arwen?” he asked as it got closer, and the closer it got the more he could see the light burned with the brightness of Fire, warmth emitted forth from it, the light of the blaze became too bright and he shielded his eyes. Burning white orbs shimmered through the flame. “Elessar” they whispered, within the flames Aragorn could see a small frame, one he had known for so long. “Eadlyn?” He asked, she held out her hand, as she did so the scene began to come into view, starting at their feet, grass began to fade into the picture, then sky, rocks, mountains. Aragorn tore his eyes away from Eadlyn to see they stood on a bloody battle field, Orc and Man, no one stood alive but the two of them. The White city shinning like the moon behind them. Aragorn looked around horrified; his eyes then went up to Eadlyn. “You did this?” he asked. Eadlyn drew back her hand, and stepped back. Aragorn watched her intently. She turned around to face Frodo who faded into the scene. Aragorn watched confused. Eadlyn kissed the Hobbits forehead and the fire around her went out, she fell to her knee’s a smile on her face, and slowly, the dead yellow grass turned green, and those whom had fallen of men, began to wake, their wounds fading away, the Orcs and creatures of the dark burst into flames, reduced to ash. Frodo looked up at Aragorn in Horror, as Eadlyn’s skin began to turn grey. She got to her feat and walked to Aragorn, the stood in the center of the fields, aligned with the path to the gates of Minas Tirith. Aragorn shook his head “I do not understand” He said. Eadlyn smirked at him and then turned her eyes to Mordor a cold hard gaze on her face. The wind picked up her hair slightly and in an instant, as Aragorn looked on in distraught, she turned to stone. However those eyes, those white burning eyes, still looked very much alive. “Be your own light in this darkness, Elessar, You are not bound to loss and silence. For you are not bound to the circles of this world.” Her voice whispered softly “You are not without hope…” she voice faded away. Aragorn touched her face, and searched her eyes his hands moving over her stone body, in disbelief, “Rider?” he called looking back into her eyes. “Rider!” He called again as if he could shake the stone casing off her if he called loud enough.

“Eadlyn!” Aragorn called out as he awoke from his dream, he looked around, to see Legolas wide awake, looking out over the lands, deep in thought. The Elf turned back to look at Aragorn, his stormy eyes where cold, and glazed over. Aragorn watched him, He knew, he knew Legolas had seen her in a dream as well that night. But what he saw, and what she said where unknown to him. “Hope fades into the world of night, through shadows falling out of memory and time. Don't say we have come now to the end white shores are calling you and I will fade, into the world of night. Through shadows falling Out of memory and time, I will turn to silver glass” Legolas closed his eyes as he listened to her voice. He closed his eyes and laid his hand on his heart. A frown came to his face, “May grace be with you” He thought as he opened his eyes looking in the direction of where the She ranger had gone. “It seems none of us can find rest” Eowyn said quietly sanding next to Legolas, he glanced down at her. She had her eyes fixed on the horizon as well. “I had a dream…” she muttered, Legolas nodded instantly understanding. “Promise me…that we shall be friends to whatever end” Her own voice echoed in her head. She could almost feel Eadlyn’s pinkie around hers, her grip tightening “I Promise” She heard her say into the wind.

Eadlyn smiled to herself as she rode along side Gandalf, He looked over at her with a raised eye brow. “I know you’re not the very same wizard that raised me, I know you have changed” she said turning to look at him “But you were the only parent I’ve ever known…It is good to have you back, Gandalf” she said, The white wizard smiled and nodded at her “Indeed it is good to be back child” he said with a fond smile. “But there is something you need to be told” as he spoke his smile turned into a smirk. A smirk that Eadlyn new well, a smirk that usually meant she was about to do a task that she’d rather not. “A time is coming, and I know you know this” He said pausing giving her a stern look “when you will need to except all of who you are, you come down so hard on Aragorn for not taking his true name and place among men” Eadlyn cast her eyes to the ground uncomfortably “because you see in him the very same fear that lies in you” He added, Eadlyn glared at the ground now, holding the reigns tightly. “What ‘tis it you would have me do? What is it you ask?” she said slowly “A time is coming where you take up your birth name as the Wandeel, Aranel of The North, Táriel to those who come after you, Aegliriell daughter of the mountain” Gandalf spoke these words and Eadlyn shivered. “the name you know carry was given to you by the masters of Rohan, Take now your true name, and with it call out the armies you so rightfully command” Gandalf spoke sternly “I cannot…to do so, would take me closer to Sauron than I would ever chose to go” Eadlyn spoke softly Gandalf’s gaze softened “you are not him, you will use your power for good” He said Eadlyn shook her head “how far out, should the Rohirrim be from here?” she asked knowingly avoiding the subject. Gandalf sighed and shook his head “a few more days yet” he muttered, Eadlyn nodded stiffly and the two rode on.

Wizard and Ranger continued on straight through the night, there were no stops, rests, and the way was silent. Eadlyn had hear eyes fixed upon the path in front of her, now she had nothing to focus on, there was no battlefield before her, no villain to be brought down, no objects to find or riddles to answer. Just a long road and her mind began to wander. She looked to the sky and closed her eyes “I hope you are ok master Frodo” she thought, opening her eyes she let them gaze upon the stars. In them she could see the faces of her fellowship, broken they where, yet still she could feel them all. As she gazed at the sky, it began to turn, slowly, into a pale grey. Turning her eyes forward she could see the base of the sky getting brighter, a soft blue with a glorious yellow hue as the sun reached his arms sleepily into the sky. “Remember at first light, on the fifth day” her own voice rang in her ears. The rising sun meant that one day had already been lost, and she new, that Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Eowyn, and Théoden king would need them, no time could be spared. She looked to Gandalf, and in her eyes he knew what she was thinking, “go Shadowfax!” he called with a quick flick of the reigns the king of horses galloped away Iluad taking after him trying her best to keep up with the marvelous speeds of the Mearas.

Daylight, the plains seemed unnaturally void, “it doesn’t look like anyone passed this way in a while” Eadlyn stated as she examined the ground carefully. “With the Rohirrim’s numbers, they should have left a trail of some short” she said focusing hard looking for any tracks “Eomer is clever, and skilled, I do not doubt he has hidden their paths” Gandalf said as Eadlyn stood up, she crumpled some grass and dirt in her hands. “Do you fear the prospect of a wrath or two visiting us in the night?” She asked turning to face the wizard “I can find them, but it will draw attention here” She added, Gandalf thought for a moment and nodded “It will draw Sauron’s gaze away from Helm’s Deep and give Aragorn a chance, and Frodo” Gandalf said his voice letting on he had still been thinking over it as he spoke. Eadlyn nodded, taking a deep breath in she closed her eyes and exhaled, as she did no a small whinny came from her lips. Her eyes opened and she was in the Shadow Realm. She pushed her wrath eyes to see far into the lands, leagues away from here she stood. There she saw an army, Eomer their captain stood upon a hill mounted on his horse, surveying the land and his men, taking count of their numbers. Her focus on them was town away as a loud scream filled the air, Eadlyn hissed as her eyes darted to the Nazgul whom was mounted on his fell beast. She glared as she watched him survey the lands.

“Eadlyn” the deep rumbling voice of Sauron called as the great eye came into her focus; Eadlyn quickly drew herself out of the shadow realm. She laid a hand over her heart, and tried to ignore the pain that throbbed through it, her breathing was labored as she tried to speak “I see them, two days ahead, one and a few hours if we fly” Eadlyn said Gandalf nodded “He saw me” she whispered lowly, she had been very good at avoiding him in the shadow realm, the most she ever had trouble with was the Wraths, but this time. “He is getting stronger” Gandalf’s words were not surprised by the she ranger’s news. Eadlyn however, wasn’t as calm about this, she did not show it, but inside fear grew. “Let’s hurry on” she called mounting Iluad once more, they road on. As they neared the Rohirrim’s camp howls sounded off. The horses looked around franticly and picked up their speed. “Wolves?” Eadlyn asked but inside she knew better “Wargs” Gandalf corrected, Eadlyn nodded and reached for her bow. Soon two Warg Riders were behind them, two more on either side of Eadlyn and Gandalf. A pack like formation, Eadlyn notched a arrow and aimed at the Warg and its rider. The Warg was the first to fall dead, and its rider was stuck beneath its body. Eadlyn smirked as she looked to Gandalf who swiftly knocked the wargs rider off of its furry mount with his staff. Gandalf’s face turned to one of pure horror, loud snarling noises could be heard as a Warg launched its self into the air taking down Iluad and Eadlyn, and the Great horse tussled around with the Warg both riders still mounted on their rides as the two animals rolled around the ground. Eventually Iluad used her large hooves to kick the Warg, landing her blow in its ribcage it howled in pain dropping to the ground, it whimpered. Eadlyn finally freed herself from her horse, as the mare took off into the distance trying to get as far away from the danger as possible.

Eadlyn leered up at the Orc rider, as he sneered at her, holding up his blade. As he lifted it in the air ready to strike her, Gandalf sliced its head off, it rolled at Eadlyn’s feet. “ugh” she groaned as blood shot out of its open neck in a little fountain stream. She kicked the head away from her like a child’s ball and looked around. Gandalf and Eadlyn backed up on either side of Shadowfax, who was now rearing as a warning to the enemies before them. Wizard and ranger found themselves surrounded by a small Warg army. A thought came into Eadlyn’s mind “Gandalf? How far would you say we are from the Rohirrim?” She asked quickly, grabbing her bow Gandalf thought for a moment never taking his eyes off of the wargs. “Miles yes” He said Eadlyn nodded and reached for her arrows. They were not like Elvish arrows, of Wood, and elegance. No here arrows where made of steel barbs and black flights, Morgul arrows. Gandalf watched as her finger gingerly caressed the arrow’s flights. She breathed out before snatching the arrow from its holder and with the speed of lightening she grabbed the arrow head into her side. Snatching it from her flesh she examined the arrow head, its tip was painted in her thick dark blood. She notched the arrow to her bow, and turned towards the direction of the Rohirrim. Gandalf watched her for a moment and then he realized, she now held The Red Arrow. A sizzling sound rang out as Eadlyn sent the arrow soaring through the air. She watched it as it disappeared before readily herself for battle with the war army.