Beauty and a Beast

"Gilraen, Onen i-Estel Edain, ú-chebin estel anim. I gave Hope to the Dúnedain; I have kept no hope for myself."

Aragorn reached out, pulling a clump of moss from the grove of a letter, wiping leaf-litter and mud from an edge of the stone, he pulled free entwining branches gathering over the smooth, stony hands of a statue. Aragorn and Arryn, were both kneeling, they gaze into the solemn eyes of the statue, a woman in a cloak and hood. Aragorn touched her face.

“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.*

Arryn turned around to see Elrond appear, he was walking towards the both of them.

“In her heart, your mother knew you'd be hunted all your life. That you'd never escape your fate.” Elrond said, speaking directly to Aragorn

“The skill of the Elves can reforge the sword of Kings, but only you have the power to wield it.” He continued.

Aragorn looked up at Arryn, and then he looked up at Elrond uncertainly.

“I do not want that power. I have never wanted it.”
Aragorn said, firmly

“You are the last of that bloodline. There is no other.”

“There is another. We may not be related by blood, but the other is of great help on this journey…” Aragorn did not mention a name, but Elrond knew of who he spoke of.

A few hours later, in a glade beneath an old stone arch, the Fellowship gathered to bid farewell to Rivendell. Elrond speaks to them, gazing sternly at the faces before him. Frodo stands, listening, slightly apart from the others; leaves flutter to the earth. Arryn stood beside her brother, taking in one last gaze at her home for so many years.

“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. Farewell. Hold to your purpose. May the blessings of Elves and Men and all free folk go with you…”
Arryn felt her heart flutter, at the thought that she may not be returning from her journey, but she tried to keep a little optimism, she would return, so would all the other members of the Fellowship. She looked up to see her father, after so many years, spread his arms, and she bowed her head, along with Legolas, and Aragorn.

“The Fellowship awaits the Ring-bearer.”
Gandalf said.

Arryn watched as Frodo turned and he began to walk forwards, with a look of uncertainty in his eyes. The path before him wound away to either side.

“Mordor, Gandalf, is it left or right?”
Frodo whispered, softly to Gandalf.

“Left.”
He responded

Arryn watched as the Fellowship departed underneath an old arch of lichen-encrusted stone. Arryn and Aragorn remained where they stood, and they turned to Arwen. Arryn noticed that across the path between them Aragorn and Arwen gaze into one another’s eyes. Arwen‘s face is sorrowful; Aragorn smiles faintly, and nods a farewell. He walks out. Arryn looked to her sister, and she nodded her farewell, before she too, turned and followed her brother out of Rivendell. Arwen breaks off her gaze, looking down; solemn, alone.

They traveled through the woods, over open plains and hillsides. They paused on a hill in the wild, for a quick rest.

“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 said, his voice echoing through Arryn’s ears.

A few days later, they paused for a rest.
Sam was cooking sausage and other food over a fire, he climbed up onto a rock besides Frodo. They were resting on an outstretched arm of the mountains.
Boromir was sparing with Merry and Pippin, tutoring them on sword fighting. Arryn watched attentively as Boromir battled with Pippin.

“Two, one, five. Good. Very good.”
Boromir said to each move of the sword. Arryn sat down beside her brother who was smoking a pipe.

“Move your feet!”
She said, encouragingly.

“You look good, Pippin.”
Merry said.

“Thanks!”
Pippin beamed

“Faster!”
Boromir said. As the Hobbits continued to spar with Boromir, Arryn turned to see Gimli approach Gandalf.

“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.”
She heard him say

Gandalf took the pipe that he was smoking away from his mouth. She could see faint surprise registering in the old wizard’s eyes.

After a long moment, he finally responded.

“No Gimli, I would not take the road through Moria unless I had no other choice.”

Arryn turned her attention back to Boromir has he continued to fight Pippin.

“Come on. Good.”

He said, encouragingly. Arryn gasped, as Boromir accidentally nicked Pippin’s hand.

“Aaaah!”
Pippin shouted in pain.

“Sorry!”
Boromir apologized. She smiled as Pippin kicked Boromir on the shin.

“Get him!”
Merry shouted.
Arryn’s smile grew as she watched Boromir go down in a mock battle. Boromir, and Aragorn, laughed with the Hobbits.

“For the Shire! Hold him! Hold him down! Merry!”

Pippin shouted. Arryn watched her brother stand up, and he walked over to them.

“Gentlemen, that's enough.”
He laid a hand on either Hobbit's shoulder. Pippin and Merry grab his legs, pulling him down on his back. Arryn laughed, Aragorn looked to his sister, and he smiled. His sister barely smiled, let alone laughed.

“You’ve got my arm…you’ve got my arm!”
Pippin said, still in mock battle. Arryn smiled, until her cheeks hurt. She turned to her left, and she saw Legolas, as he continued to look to the south. In the sky, she saw a strange black cloud appeared. Sam also took notice of the cloud

“What is that?”
Sam asked, curiously.

“Nothing, it’s just a whiff of cloud…”
Gimli scoffed.
She turned to see Boromir stand up from the ground, with a hand on Merry and Pippin’s shoulders.

“That’s impossible. It’s moving too fast to be a whiff of clouds…”
Arryn said.

“It’s moving fast…against the wind…”
Boromir added.

“Crebain from Dunland!”
Legolas shouted. Arryn’s eyes widened.

“Hide!” Aragorn shouted.

Before Arryn could move, she felt a pair of sharp claws grab her by her shoulders.

“Aragorn! Aragorn!” She screamed.

“Arryn!” He called back up to her.

“Arryn!”

He couldn’t do anything more, the Fell Beast, *the dragon’s that the Nazgûl ride* flew away.

"Arryn!!"