Remains of the Banished | Aragorn || Lord of the Rings

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The fellowship ran quickly across a meadow, looking to either side of them as they did so. Eadrid took in the beautiful trees as she entered the woods behind Aragorn, the rest behind them. They walked quietly and carefully as Aragorn led them, and he kept an eye on everything around them.

"Stay close young hobbits." Gimli gathered them behind Eadrid. "They say there's a great sorceress who lives in these woods. An Elf-witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell... Well! Here's one dwarf she won't ensnare so easily! I have the eyes of a hawk and ears of a fox!"

Suddenly, the fellowship was surrounded by elves, arrows pointed to every face. 

Eadrid quickly held up her hands along with Aragorn, who met her eyes with the hint of a smile at the familiar memory.

"The dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark." One of the elves stepped forward and Gimli grunted. 

As evening began to set, the fellowship approached a great tree.

The elf, Haldir, turned to face them. 

He greeted each of them in elvish. "Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil."

"Our Fellowship stands in your debt, Haldir of Lórien." Legolas smiled slightly.

"And Aragorn of the Dúnedain, you are known to us."

 "Haldir." Aragorn bowed his head.

"Eadrid, of Rohan, welcome back to Lothorian."

Eadrid smiled at Haldrid.

"So much for the legendary courtesy of the Elves!" Gimli scowled. "Speak words we can all understand!"

Eadrid's head whipped to the dwarf, giving him a look.

"We have not had dealings with the Dwarves since the Dark Days." Haldrid said, looking down upon him.

"And do you know what this Dwarf says to that? I spit upon your grave!" Gimli said, clearly reciting a sentence of elvish known to most dwarves.

Eadrid hit Gimli's arm. "Gimli! They have welcomed us in, be courteous."

Gimli gruffed. "Sorry my lass."

Haldir ignored Gimli and walked to stand in front of Frodo. "You bring great evil with you." Haldir looked at Frodo for a moment and finally turned to the rest waiting. "You can go no furthur."

Eadrid sighed, the hopes for a bed and a hot meal receding from her grasp. 

Aragorn and Haldir began to talk, and Eadrid found a tree to lean on, closing her eyes for a moment. Eadrid could pick out a few words from Aragorn's soft arguing as he tried to convince him to let them pass.

Finally the arguing stopped, and Eadrid opened her eyes.

"You will follow me." Haldir said grudgingly, but led them nevertheless.

They took another path through the woods until they made it to the top of a hill.

"Caras Galadhon. The heart of Elvendom on earth. Realm of the Lord Celeborn and of Galadriel, Lady of Light." Eadrid noticed Haldir's smile as he looked upon his city, and as she looked upon it herself she became slowly lightened, going with a new ease down the path.

They entered Caras Galadhon, and walked up a winding stairway amongst great trees. Eadrid stared in awe at the city. It was as beautiful as it was many years ago when she traveled here with her father, another attempt to show her that there was other things in the world than battle. Great statues and buildings spotted the trees, everything basked in a cool blue light. The fellowship ascended to the top to the grand court of Galadriel and Celeborn. There was a glow around them as they descended a stairway, hand in hand.

The beauty of the elves still could not vanish from Eadrid's mind as she saw them. They were so regal and so beautiful, walking in an ethereal light. 

"The Enemy knows you have entered here." Celeborn said in a soft voice. "What hope you had in secrecy is now gone. Nine that are here yet ten there were set out from Rivendell. Tell me where is Gandalf? For I much desire to speak with him. I can no longer see him from afar."

Galadirel found her answer in the eyes of the fellowship. "Gandalf the Grey did not pass the borders of this land. He has fallen into Shadow."

"He was taken by both Shadow and flame." Legolas said. "A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the net of Moria."

"Needless were none of the deeds of Gandalf in life. We do not yet know his full purpose." She turned her gaze on Gimli. "Do not let the great emptiness of Khazad-dûm fill your heart, Gimli, son of Glóin. For the world has grown full of peril. And in all lands love is now mingled with grief."

"What now becomes of this Fellowship?" Celeborn asks. "Without Gandalf, hope is lost." 

"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true." Galadriel met eyes with Eadrid for the first time, and Eadrid was filled with overwhelming contentment that seemed out of place.

Galadriel smiled at her. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace."

Eadrid smiled softly at the words, the contentment falling away from her as Galadriel looked away.

The fellowship was led to an area prepared for nine, beds and pillows, a set of clothes perfectly tailored to each member.

Eadrid was led by an elf to a stream surrounded by trees and bushes, and given perfumes and oils. Eadrid set her things down and stepped into the warm water. She waded over to the wall the stream fell down where there was a small waterfall and an area just the right size to stand underneath it. She peeled off her clothes, laying them on a rock on the bank and stepped under the water. 

She let the water flow over her, soaking her hair. She saw dirt streaming down her coming from her face and hair, and stayed till the water was long clean.

She stepped out of the water, wringing out her hair. She stopped as she heard a song start, flowing from everywhere around her. It was beautiful, but had a sadness behind its tune.

Eadrid dressed in the gown given to her, it was dark green and flowed around her ankles and had long flowing sleeves that fell long past her hands. She began back to the camp for the fellowship, taking her time.

Eadrid found the rest of the fellowship sitting in their bed or already asleep, but looking much cleaner than they had upon their arrival.

Eadrid found her bed next to Legolas' and close to Aragorn's. Legolas was sitting, legs crossed at the edge of the bed, his eyes closed as he listened to the elves' song. Aragorn sat with his back against the tree that their beds laid under, watching as Eadrid sat near him.