Into the West

Eadlyn ran at great speeds through the halls, Slipping and tripping over her gown, her long hair flying in the air behind her as she was at great speeds, unnatural speeds. She ran to the edge of a balcony and it halted her, she held onto the railing and looked down closing her eyes she panted and tried to catch her breath. If it had not been for that barrier she would have ran until her legs gave out. “Mordor” She breathed, the very thought of returning…to the cracks of doom, and it’s various caverns…her birthplace. She couldn’t bare it; the thought wracked her very soul. She had escaped as a young child and wanted never to return. As she began to calm down she frowned “He needs you” something within her called out. “Prove yourself to them…prove yourself to Sauron…you are more” It said. Eadlyn looked up into the distance. The sun was setting over the mountains, and mist from the waterfall filled the air. Eadlyn looked down at her hands…they where graying a silvery cold color, her hands looked like that of a Drow. But the life filled Ebony tent was still there, faintly. She could hear foot steps behind her. “Eadlyn” Frodo called timidly she turned to face him. “Legolas…Boromir, Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli…Merry, pippin, and Sam are going with me…we’re going to Mordor..” He said slowly and slightly out of breath as if he had ran there. Eadlyn looked at him blankly. “but I…” He said looking down at his hands holding out the ring in his palm “I cannot do it without you…I need you to see me through the Shadow…” He said looking up at her. Eadlyn walked slowly as if she was being pulled by the ring. Her hand hovered over it in his palm trembling lightly. Frodo looked up at her intently. Eadlyn’s face filled with determination as her eyes left the ring and saw Frodo’s eyes. She folded his fings around the ring gently and smirked and fire flickered in her eyes “Through Shadow, Fire, Ice, Rock, and Steel….” She said smoothly her eyes flashed Red Dragonic Eyes. Frodo gasped Frodo then smiled at her and she looked back at the setting sun. “I’m coming Home” She muttered darkly.

Night had come, Eadlyn stood in a watch tower in the middle of Rivendell’s forests. She let the cool winter breeze tug and play at her air. She loved the night, under the stars and the moon she felt at peace, they where lights in the darkness, they gave her hope. In the night she could be seen better than on the brightest day. It was her element; the night was nothing but a large shadow, a time hidden away from the judging light of the sun. As she stood there she was in deep thought. All that she had become accustomed to was changing, all that she knew shifting. “he is chasing me” She thought looking into the full moon. “he’s been chasing me my whole life…and now..now I’m heading right for him…”She sighed and closed her eyes “will I lose my self…would I forget who I am…” She whispered “what strength have I left…” she added softly casting her eyes to the sky. “mother…..have you not yet deserted me” she thought.

Meanwhile down below Aragorn walked through the forests, searching, a statue lay cover in the under growth, neglected and uncared for. He gently traced the runes on a pale slab of stone. tenderly so, He pulled a clump of moss from the grove of a letter, wiping leaf-litter and mud from an edge of the stone, pulling free entwining branches gathering over the smooth, stony gracefully carven hands of a statue. Above him them morose face of a woman looking down upon him. “ 'Gilraen', it reads. 'Onen i-Estel Edain, ú-chebin estel anim.' I gave Hope to the Dúnedain, I have kept no hope for myself” the winds seemed to lull the words written on the stone. Aragorn looked down into the woman's eyes and Kneeled down with her, and touched her face softly rubbing her cold stony cheek with his thumb. "Anirne hene beriad i chên în. Ned Imladris nauthant e le beriathar aen. She wanted to protect her child. She thought that in Rivendell you would be safe.” Elrond called emerging from the tree’s like a spirit. Aragorn did not remove his eyes from the statue. "In her heart, your mother knew you'd be sought after all your life, that you'd never escape your destiny." Elrond said watching the ranger’s reaction. "The skill of the Elves can reforge the sword of Kings, but only you have the power to wield it." Elrond added in, Aragorn sighed heavily and removed his hand from her face. "I do not want that power. I have never wanted it." He said his voice was detached and void of real emotion , he looked back into his mothers eyes "You are the last of that bloodline. There is no other." Elrond said determined to shake something into Aragorn about who he was. The wind blew softly and a cloud parted from the moon, it’s light beamed down upon the statue, Aragorn turned his eyes to the sky, and was the watch tower. Eadlyn stood under the moons light giving skyward, Aragorn watched her as the moon seemed to make her glow a ghostly white. “No….there is yet….still one other….” He said lowly almost under his breath. Eadlyn sensed eyes on her and looked down at Aragorn. They stayed there gazing at one another, before the female ranger turned sharply ad left the tower. “There is still one…”Aragorn repeated getting to his feet, he brushed pasted Elrond.

Eadlyn stood in her room, in the dark, only seeing by the light of the moon. She packed her bags, and sharpened her Elven blades, across her bed there lay arrows, her bow, two spears, an axe, and various assorted daggers. There was a light knock at her door. “come” Eadlyn called. The door slowly opened revealing Arwen, she looked down at the bed and her eyes grew wide out of shock “wow…” she mouthed looking up at Eadlyn with a slight fear. The Ranger did not look at her but focused on her swords “I will not harm you..or your people…rest yourself, these are for the journey” she said deprecatingly. Arwen nodded stiffly and walked further into the room. “This journey rests on a thread…I beg of you….not to go” Arwen said cautiously. Eadlyn stopped sharpening her blades but never looked up. “You will bring them to ruin…Sauron will track you…he will take you, and he will wield you…Sister to the ring…he see’s through your eyes” Arwen said a bit darker. Eadlyn looked up at the she elf ad sighed. “and just as he see’s through me I can see through him…The ring does not show its self if it does not wish to be found…nor shall I, He cannot control me anymore than the plight of death can control you” Eadlyn said coldly never taking her eyes off of the Elf. She stood up and walked over to her bed, laying down her blades, and took a small cloth and unwrapped it, tinny throwing knives made of pure ivory it’s handle made of Methril. Arwen watched her carefully “Your kind…all kind, fear me because…I was not seen created…no Iluvitar forged me….you fear the shadows because you know not what lingers there in…I’ve seen it all…I’ve seen through the darkest vales…and believe me” Eadlyn paused and looked up at the she elf “you want me…on the side of middle earth…I fight two battles at once…I will not turn away…Besides…my loyalties lies only in a Halfling, anyone else may turn against me….but I shall see him through to the end…I fight for Frodo...to keep safe this earth….whom do you fight for?”Eadlyn asked as she packed the rest of her things, she mounted her blades & spears crisscrossed on her back, placed her pack over them and harnessed her axe on her hip. Swiftly walking past Arwen and out the door. “wait!” Arwen called out, turning to face the ranger, whom had her back to her. The elf’s eyes lined with tears. “You will be the end of him….I saw a Black Rider under a blackened sky, her steed road as death, and on her blade lay the fate of a battlefield, dripped in red from a crimson river…and she wrote in the land Greed & Wrath…Daughter of the Shadow…” Arwen muttered. “Without the darkness…there would be no light…I bring not a crimson river…to none but my maker…Unlike your heart’s desire I will not forsake my people…My real” Eadlyn said the word real was drawn out “people…you know of whom I speak” She added before leaving the elf in the room alone to her thoughts.

Eadlyn walked swiftly through the halls, a door cracked open behind her as she glided past it. Frodo’s head peeked out of the door, he set the Methril shirt down on a chair “I’ll be back Bilbo..” He called running after Eadlyn. She was leaving out of the halls and heading for the stables. “Wait!” Frodo called out, Eadlyn halted and turned to face him. Frodo walked to her looking up at her. She kneeled down to his level “what is it master Frodo?” she asked. “You Promise…not matter what happens….you’ll stay with me…” Frodo asked his eyes looks slight afraid. “They all say you’re a wrath…bred by Sauron…just like the orcs….they all say you’ll turn against me….” He said softly, Eadlyn stood up and tried to mask the hurt she felt, but it showed through her eyes. Frodo shook his head “no, no I didn’t mean” He stammered, “I mean…” He said his voice trailing off “I’d give you my life to hold…without a second through…I just…I need to know you’ll keep it….If I can’t be safe with you….who else will protect me…if even you can’t fight the ring…anyone I know can fall to it” He added. Eadlyn’s gaze softened “Frodo…If I felt the slightest urge…to harm you, I’d end myself…the only purpose I have left in me is to see you through this…and set free middle earth…” She said frigidly Frodo nodded as she kneeled down “I can not promise I will be the perfect shield or stronghold, I will stumble and I may fall down…But I can promise you one thing” Eadlyn said touching the Halflings face, “to whatever end….I will not be moved” She said Frodo laid his hand over hers and closed his eyes as he nodded “then neither shall I” He said opening his eyes to looked into hers.

The Fellowship began to gather in the glade beneath the great stone arch. Eadlyn stood waiting for them, packed and read, holding Iluad’s reigns. Upon seeing her Frodo smiled ad jogged to get to her faster. She smiled down at him peering over her nose as she held her head high a smirk on her lips. Frodo smiled wider, this was the Eadlyn he knew. Her eyes turned to the rest of the fellowship that traveled behind him, she gave a warm smile to the hobbits whom she can come to know and love, and then to Gandalf who nodded at her in approval. Legolas matched her smirk, and walked next to her “this shall be exciting…” he said lowly to her , her eyes wandered to Strider who looked at her as if he was trying to see clear through her. Elrond stood in front of all 10 of them, his gaze was stern and grave.

"The Ring-bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On you who travel with him no oath nor bond is laid, to go further than you will." He said, Frodo looked at him with uncertainty, that is not what he wanted to hear, the thought of maybe having to take the journey alone, was heart stopping. Eadlyn rested both of her hands on the hobbits shoulders, Frodo looked up at her and then to Sam, who nodded slightly, his eyes when went to his cousins and Gandalf, he knew…he’d never be alone through this. He was ready. "Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all free folk go with you." Elrond said before spreading out his arms to the Fellowship giving them his blessing, the blessing of the elves, Aragorn and Legolas laid their hands on their hearts, bowing ever so slightly out of respect. Legolas looked up to see Eadlyn had turned her back to Elrond, he sighed and sat up straight. “do not blame us few whom are good, because of the many…who have shunned you” He whispered to her. Eadlyn stood rigidly still. "The Fellowship awaits the Ring-bearer." Gandalf called as everyone was gathering under the arch, the exit out of Rivendell. Frodo looked around with ambiguity he walked forward and stopped Gandalf at his side and Eadlyn behind him. Two paths were before him, both winding and long. The other members of the fellow ship stood at a fair distance from the three. “"Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?" He asked. Eadlyn smirked yes indeed he was ready “and if he is ready…than so shall I be” she thought. “Left” Gandalf said simple. Frodo began to walk down the path. Iluad snorted and shook her mane as Eadlyn lead her on behind her. As the fellowship departed from Rivendell’s gate, Aragorn lingered still where he stood, and turned to Arwen. Across the path between them they watched one another's eyes. The She Elf’s face held great sorrow; Aragorn with a faded smile Aragorn nodded to her before leaving after the others, Arwen drew in a sharp breath before casting her eyes to the ground.