Into the West

The Fellowship trekked through the forests of Rivendell, all were quiet. Frodo looked at the road ahead, uncertain of his future, but knowing it was too late to turn back now. Eadlyn fell back to the rear, Gandalf had the lead covered, she wanted to offer more protection from behind. “When the cold of winter comes Starless night will cover day In the veiling of the sun We will walk in bitter rain But in dreams I can hear your name And in dreams We will meet again When the seas and mountains fall And we come to end of days In the dark I hear a call Calling me there I will go there And back again.” Eadlyn sang softly to herself “there and back again…” she muttered to herself as a vision of Mordor flashed through her mind.

Dawn faded into Mid day, and the Hobbits sat around in a circle around the fire, along with Gimli and prepared the cook ware to fix something for the fellowship to eat. Eadlyn watched the party as they settled down for a short rest beneath the trees of Rivendell. She walked over to Iluad and grabbed her Bow, “I will return…” she said shortly before heading off into the trees. Aragorn watched her go before following after her. Eadlyn walked through the woods and spotted a small doe. Her readied her boy and took aim. Aragorn went to speak to her but quickly closed his mouth as he saw the doe and Eadlyn in deep focus. She drew back her arrow slowly taking better aim. With a quick flick of her wrist the arrow was sent soaring through the air it struck the deer and she fell motionless. “you have much skill” Aragorn said. Eadlyn jumped slightly she hadn’t known he was watching her. He chuckled “I’m sorry” He said. Eadlyn huffed and picked up the deer tossing her over her shoulders. “what did you want Strider” She asked harshly Aragorn looked slightly taken back. “ what has sorcned you towards me” He asked. Eadlyn looked at him dully. “you left your people…behind…never returned for them, they waited for you…they still wait for you, and you run…If you returned they’re arms would be open…that’s something I will never know…you…you are lucky….you will…and yet…you waste it” Eadlyn said shaking her head as she went to return to the rest of the fellowship. Legolas spotted her and went to her, taking the deer from her shoulders and into his arms. “it’s for dinner later” Eadlyn said walking over to the hobbits “catching our meals will save our rations on the journey..stretch them farther” she added. Aragorn crossed his arms and stood next to Legolas as Boromir and Gimli worked on skinning the deer to wrap it up for later in the night. “Maybe I under estimated her will” Aragorn muttered to him. Legolas watched Eadlyn as she talked with the hobbits. “Perhaps you did…” he replied walking to sit at her side.

Eadlyn watched over the fellowship while they slept, they were wearing the end of the forest and exiting out of the protection of the elves. She stood in the branches of the tree her eyes scanning the area. In the dark she could see far better than those there below her. A how could be heard in the distance. Frodo awoke from his slumber startled as he looked around Eadlyn jumped from her tree, landing in front of him, she reached beneath her shirt and into her bra, pulling out the ivory throwing knives, Aragorn watched her movements and readied his bow, Legolas lowered the rangers arms “no watch” he whispered Aragorn looked at him skeptically but did so and lowered his bow. Three wolves ran out from the bushes, they looked starved and set their eyes for the small hobbits. Eadlyn held three throwing knives in her fingers, with a forceful movement her tossed them at the oncoming wolves, two knives made direct contact with two of the canines necks, the third one missed and the wolf aimed for Merry, Eadlyn reached and drew a spear off of her back, backing away she jousted the spear at the wolf, it yelped at impact and fell dead. Eadlyn pulled her weapons from the remains and cleaned them before gathering the wolves bodies. “She is more than what you think” Legolas said walking back to where he had set up for the Night. Aragorn walked over to Eadlyn whom was skinning the animals “what are you skinning them?” he asked She looked up at them, and then to Legolas who simply nodded and smiled “for coin…if we reach a small city, merchants will pay well for furs…I’ll clean them in the river…” Eadlyn muttered. Aragorn nodded and took a knife from a pouch on his side, twirling it around he sat next to Eadlyn taking a wolf, he started to skin it. She eyed him carefully but let him help out. “save to bone…if we are going through Rohan they will pay well for it…maybe we can barter for room in an Inn…the hobbits cat sleep on the ground forever” She added. Aragorn looked up at her and smiled at bit. She wasn’t so different.

Eadlyn & the fellowship had finally exited the forests, the wolf pelts laid across Illuad’s back. Frodo looked at them and then back to Eadlyn “I never knew that you knew had to do so much” He said Eadlyn smiled down at him, you’ll find there’s more to me than my magic tricks from the Shire, master Frodo” she said turning her gaze back ahead of them. "We must hold this course west of the Misty Mountains for forty days. If our luck holds, the Gap of Rohan will still be open to us. From there our road turns east to Mordor."Gandalf instructed from the head o the group. “forty days” Sam muttered wide eyed, Eadlyn patted his back “won’t be so bad…I’m sure you’ll find new herbs and such to share when you get back to the shire along the way…” She said with a small smile. Sam thought on it for a moment and nodded. Aragorn watched her as she interacted with the hobbits.

My noon the party stopped and made came for rest. In a smooth stone encircled patch of the mountain. Sam started up the fire, and the smell of sausage filled the air Frodo sat up on a rock and watched as Legolas approached Eadlyn. He took out his elven blades and held a smirk on his face. “For old times sake?” He asked Eadlyn shook her head and turned her back to walk away, Legolas smirked and swung at her, Eadlyn quickly snatched her blades out and blocked him holding him back. Frodo clapped his hands from up on his rock and smiled. Twirling under Legolas’ arms as if they were dancing she went behind him and swung, he blocked, and their blades clashed loudly. Aragorn took a seat near where to two sparred, He rested his chin on his enter locked hands and watched. Eadlyn and Legolas twirled around each other, in blocks and parries, a smile slowly came to Eadlyn’s face as she fought with him, Legolas chuckled as one of his blades got knocked from his hand, Eadlyn stopped fighting and dropped her second blade to make it even “You gotten much better….then again it’s been so long” He said taking a battle stance, Eadlyn ran at him, the two blades clashed with so much force they sent sparks. The sparring went on and it seemed it would be endless. “May I cut in?” Boromir said with amusement Legolas stepped to the side and Boromir took a battle stance “when you are ready” he said with an playful grin, Eadlyn was taken back but smirked and launched herself at him. He blocked her and swung, she blocked him. But his sword was bigger and knocked her blade from her hands; leaping backwards she quickly caught it and blocked his next attack. Frodo had stopped clapping and watched then intently now, Eadlyn’s foot movements and placement as she fought where ill at ease yet very prompt.

Within a few minutes Boromir was simply out of breath. Aragorn took up his blade and swung it at Eadlyn, she blocked him and he smirked, with one forceful movement he pushed her back and away from him, She landed on her feet but glared slightly Aragorn dashed at her , she blocked him, locking a chip in her blade into a chip in his blade she hit the blunt side of her sword with her palm this sent Aragorn's blade flying out of his hands, it landed on the ground with a thud, and Eadlyn held her blade to his neck, to close for comfort. Everyone's attention was now on them, Frodo stood up not knowing what she was going to do. Gandalf stood as well, Eadlyn slowly lowered her blade and walked up the hill and sat down next to Frodo. The hobbit sighed in relief and sat down next to her. Aragorn picked up his blade and sat back down on his rock. Boromir turned to the hobbits and decided to give them a few lessons in sword fighting. Eadlyn watched them from where she sat, and a smile came to her face, merry & pippin where quick learners. "Two, one, five. Good. Very good." Boromir called coaching them in their movements, “good, good, but move your feet!” Aragorn added in as he watched them. “you look good Pippin!” merry called out, a proud smile came from the younger cousin’s face “thank you!” he called out “faster, now” Boromir called picking up and speed of his swings. Pippin was struggling a bit now.

Gimli walked to Gandalf who seemed to be in deep thought, the dwarf looked less than pleased. "If anyone was to ask for my opinion, which I note they're not, I'd say we were taking the long way round. Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin, Balin, would give us a royal welcome." Gimli said, Eadlyn’s ears caught the word Moria and she turned her head to look at Gandalf, the wizards eyes met with hers, it was as if they were thinking the same thing. "No Gimli, I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice." Gandalf said somewhat surprised by Gimli request, Eadlyn pushed herself to her feet and walked over to Legolas whom seemed to be preoccupied with something in the distance. “What is that?” Sam asked watching the two, this gathered everyone’s attention. "Nothing, it's just a whiff of cloud." Gimli said dismissing it, "It's moving fast… against the wind." Boromir muttered getting up from the ground. Eadlyn backed up and ran to Frodo grabbing his hand "Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas called leaping off of the rock he was standing on to see and running to gather some of the camp supplies. Eadlyn snatched all of the supplies off of Iluad’s back to make her look like a wild horse and through them into some bushes “Hide!” Aragorn called out running to hide some of the other camp supplies “Hurry!” Boromir instructed ushering Merry and Pippin under some bushes before hiding himself. Eadlyn pulled Frodo behind her, and then took him under a large patch of bushes, she hovered her body over his, as her dark skin & hair made great camouflage. Aragorn doe into the bush next to them and used his hand to push the two down lower. Everyone was fairly well hidden; the sound of deafening flapping and screeched crowing came over them as the birds flew through the area. So many fowl filled the air that they blocked the sun. Everyone held their breath waiting for them to pass over them.

The noise died down, Eadlyn raised her head, and looked around, She looked at Aragorn arm and them back at him. He looked confused for a moment but then quickly removed his hand from the small of her back. Eadlyn rolled over allowing Frodo to crawl out from under her. The Fellowship emerged from their hiding places and looked around. "Spies of Saruman! The passage South is being watched." Gandalf called bitter and infuriated, Eadlyn frowned and dusted herself off. Oh how smug Saruman must have been, having sided with Sauron…she knew he thought he was an unstoppable force now. There was no magic trick he would not pull on them now. "We must take the Pass of Caradhras." Gandalf said looking at his companions, he pointed to a great White Mountain crest. The hobbits looked less than thrilled. Eadlyn walked over to where she had hidden the supplies that where on Iluad. Before packing them back on the horse she took the wolf pelts. “Find a way to split these between the four of you….You’ll be needing them” She said.