It'll Take A Human Life Time

Chapter Eight

Our horses clattered into Rivendell and I jump off Malundome and let her go freely to the stable. Galadriel smiles apologetically and says, "Go. Release Elrond of his burden. Let him go now, that he may return quicker." She walks away with her horse to lead her to the stables.

I run off to Arwen's rooms to find her sleeping peacefully. Elrond sits on a chair by the head of the bed, and one hand strokes his daughter's hair. "Elrond? Is she better now?"

He sadly shakes his head. "No. But there is nothing to be done. She has made her choice." He stops stroking her hair and stands up.

"I understand." I close my eyes, but a tear slips out anyway.

Elrond steps closer to me once I open my eyes. "Galadriel told me about you."

I hang my head. "Oh."

"Do not despair, child. He is an elf. He will not die." He attempts to comfort me. But he does not know the pain Haldir's death caused me.

"THAT DID NOT STOP HALDIR FROM DYING!!!!" I barely ever raise my voice. To anyone, especially not my foster father. I am ashamed of myself. "I am sorry."

"No, no. You are quite right. But I believe Legolas has more in him. He will survive. Haldir had no one left in Middle Earth for him other than his brethren. He died fighting for his people. That is a good death for him. He did not waste away in solitude."

"You are right. It would have been worse to see the effects of time on him."

"Do not despair, child. Now, I must go if I am to return. Keep my Evenstar bright." I bow my head and he's gone.

I sit down in the chair Elrond had been using, and I look at Arwen. Tears drip down my face, because suddenly, I realise, that if she doesn't survive this, Aragorn will be torn, and there will be no future for the world of Men. But if she does survive, and Aragorn doesn't, well, the elves will be ripped apart. But somehow, I believe that both will survive or both of them won't. And suddenly I'm begging Arwen to recover her strength so that Aragorn will gain his Kingdom, and Legolas will survive.

"Arwen, please, wake up!  ..........  Arwen Undómiel, Evenstar, get better!  ............  Wake up!  ............ For the good of your people and the good of Aragorn's you must get better!  .............  For me.  ............  For your grandmother, Galadriel and your grandfather Celeborn!  ............  For your mother and father!  ............  So many love you, Arwen.  ..........  For them, please........." I call to her for a long time.The tears fall faster as I plead with her seemingly life-less body. "Arwen, for Aragorn. If for no one else. For Aragorn." It is my last resort, to call on her love for Aragorn. And, because that is who she has changed for, her eyelids flutter and open. "Arwen! Oh, thank goodness."

"Orosoroniel. I am fine." Arwen says, smiling at my worried face. She has a faraway look in her eyes.

I am so excited to tell her about my realization and what it means for her that, "Aragorn will live!" blurts out of my mouth.

"How do you mean?" She looks confused about my certainty.

"While you were ill, I realized that either both of you will survive, or neither of you." I hope she believes me.

She smiles, and she looks so beautiful when she smiles. If only Elrond could see her like this. He only ever gets the I-will-love-him-despite-what-you-say-and-despite-the-fact-he-is-mortal face. Her smile falls and she reaches up and wipes the tears off my face.

"Orosoroniel, you never cry. What happened?" She asks.

"Did Elrond not tell you?" She shakes her head no so I continue. "Haldir died in the battle at Helm's Deep. I thought it was a sign that Legolas was not coming back. I withdrew into myself for 5 days. It felt longer. Your father sent a letter to me requesting I look after you while you were sick and while he is away, giving Aragorn his rightful sword, like you asked. So I agreed and came here with Galadriel, and now-"

Galadriel herself cuts me off, scaring me as I didn't know she was in the room. "And now, three days later, your father has returned. And with good news."