abnormal tragedy

Chapter 32: gone

The women and children soon approach Helm's Deep. "Helm's Deep!" The villagers cheered as they reached the deep. Èowyn however, couldn't think straight. She was extremely worried, she knew the riders were greatly outnumbered, something definitely was wrong. She could feel it in her gut. "Where is the rest?" She questioned as she saw the remaining soldiers riding back into the deep. Very few soldiers. "This is all we could save, my lady." An old man replied.

"Take it to the caves." Èowyn ordered as the riders return to Helm's Deep. Suddenly a loud voice boomed across the deep Èowyn turned to face a guard. "Make way for the king! Make way for Théoden. Make way for the King!" Èowyn hurried to meet them. "So few. So few of you have returned." She whispered. "Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives." Wit that response she knew that something went completely wrong. There wasn't enough time to loose loads of men especially as they were on the brink of a war. "My lady..." Gimli said as he walked towards her interrupting her thoughts. "Lord Aragorn, where is he?"

"He's AraGONE!" Gimli smirked before he was sharply nudged in the side by Legolas. His face then turned pale and upset, "He fell.." Èowyn looked shocked and looked at Théoden in disbelief as he walked past not making eye contact. "Lady Rowan... is she gone too?" This time Legolas answered, "She was held captive by the Uruk-hai leader in Isengard.." He replied displaying no distinct facial expression. Èowyn knew they were friends but she didn't know how close they were. "We have to get her back!" She demanded looking towards Legolas and as he walked away Gimli. "It's too late, she's probably gone, my lady." Gimli murmured looking at the maiden. Then he to followed Legolas, "Probably..?" But her question was left unanswered as she heard her uncle shout, "Draw all our forces behind the wall. Bar the gate, and set a watch on the surround."

"What of those who cannot fight my lord? The women and children?" The guard asked. "Get them into the caves. Saruman's arm would have grown long indeed if he thinks he can reach us here." The King ordered. Èowyn then raced to the wall and looked over into the distance at Isengard. "Rowan.." She whispered to herself through mouth falls of tears.

...

Aragorn is floating in the river and washes ashore and Arwen is lying on her bed in Rivendell. Dreaming, Arwen kisses Aragorn on his lips and murmurs, "May the grace of the Valar protect you." Soon after that Brego, Aragorn's horse, arrives and nudges Aragorn until he awakes. The horse kneels down and Aragorn slowly gets on its back and rides away.

Back in Rivendell, Arwen lies on her bed and her father enters the room. "Arwen. Tollen i lû. I chair gwannar na Valannor. Si bado, no círar." (Arwen. It is time. The ships are leaving for Valinor. Go now, before it is too late.) "I've made my choice." Arwen replied sternly looking harshly into her father's eyes. "He is not coming back. Why do you linger when there is no hope?" "There is still hope." Arwen replied softly. "If Aragorn survives this war, You will still be parted. If Sauron is defeated, and Aragorn made king and all that you hoped for comes true... you will still have to taste the bitterness of mortality." Her father pleaded. "I just want the best for you, Si bado, no círar."

Arwen enters a trance and sees Aragorn lying dead in his casket, she's standing next to him, crying. "Whether by the sword or the slow decay of time, Aragorn will die. And there will be no comfort for you. No comfort to ease the pain of his passing. He will come to death. An image of the splendor of the kings of men in glory, undimmed before the breaking of the world. But you, my daughter, you will linger on in darkness and in doubt. As night falling winter has come without a star." Arwen is now walking alone in empty woods, dressed in black. "Here you will dwell, bound to you grief, under the fading trees, until all the world has changed and the long years of your life are utterly spent." Tears fall from Arwen's eyes and she gasps as she breaks away from the trance like dream. "Arwen... there is nothing for you here, only death." Her father pleaded.

Lord Elrond sits next to his daughter and holds her in his arms. "Ah im, ú erin veleth lîn?" (Do I not also have your love?) "Gerich veleth nîn, ada." (You have my love, father.) Arwen cried. Arwen left Rivendell that night with other Elves leaving her father alone with his thoughts, looking out into the night sky.

"I amar prestar aen. Han mathon ne nen, han mathon ne chae a han noston ned wilith." (The world is changed. I can feel it in the water, I can feel it in the earth, I can smell it in the air.) He hears Galdadriel said in his mind. "The power of the enemy is growing. Sauron will use his puppet Saruman to destroy the people of Rohan."

"Isengard has been unleashed. The Eye of Sauron now turns to Gondor. The last free kingdom of men. His war on this country will come swiftly. He senses the Ring is close. The strength of the Ringbearer is failing. In his heart, Frodo begins to understand. The quest will claim his life. You know this. You have foreseen it. It is the risk we all took. In the gathering dark, the will of the Ring grows strong. It works hard now to find its way back into the hands of men. Men, who are so easily seduced by its power. The young captain of Gondor has but to extend his hand to take the Ring for his own and the world will fall. He is close now, so close to achieving his goal." Elrond heard his fellow elf say.

"For Sauron will have dominion over all life on this Earth, even until the ending of the world. The time of the elves is over. Do we leave Middle-Earth to this fate? Do we let them stand alone?"