In the Shadows I Stay

Chapter Twelve - Persuasion

'Elbereth, they do not care for you, the Elf would kill you when he got the chance. They do not care for you, they want you gone I have seen into the Hobbits mind. Join me and we could rule Middle-earth together' I shook my head

"No, you do not share power, I will not leave them, and they may not care for me. They may want me dead but I will protect them for as long as I draw breath. You are a fool to not see that"

'If you had joined me, your horse would still be alive. Nobody would have died because of you" I Shook my head

"No, if I had joined you even more people would have died, you only want the wolves and they will never serve you." 'You will change your mind after a little torture" Sauron stated and my body was wracked in pain, I whimpered gently.

Legolas's P.O.V

I saw Elbereth pull the ball from Pippins hands and shiver in pain for a few seconds before speaking.

"No, you do not share power, I will not leave them. They may not care for me. They may want me dead but I will protect them for as long as I draw breath, you are a fool to not see that" She paused as if listening to a hidden voice "No, if I had joined you even more people would have died, you only want the wolves and they will never serve you."

She fell to the ground after she told the ball this, yelping in pain, Gandalf moved towards her and knocked the Plantir out of her hand wrapping it in cloth before moving to Pippin who lay still, not breathing.

Elbereth's P.O.V
I lay in the darkness thinking over what I had said. Suddenly a light hit me and I tried to climb towards it, but I was too sore. I refused to give up and my eyes began to flutter I looked at the faces over me and scrambled up, I ran I no longer desired company.

I pushed open the door and strode past the gathering of people getting hard looks. I moved to a corner and began to mutter to myself "I have had enough of people. I would love just to go back to my cave and worry about keeping just my pack safe. But alas I cannot I promised to help Frodo and I shall, by keeping his friends alive while he is gone" I felt someone sit down next to me "People are overrated" I mumbled into my hands ignoring whoever sat beside me and continued my ramblings eventually they left and I saw that it was Legolas, I growled and continued to mutter obscenities under my breath.

I stood and walked out of the grand hall. Clambering onto the roof of a nearby building I slept. Days later I had not come down, not that anyone cared.

I was watching the hills when movement caught the corner of my eye, I turned and saw Aragorn running like the very flames of Smaug were behind him, turning my gaze to the hills again I thought of only one thing that would get him running that fast, and sure enough a small flashing fire flickered on the hill side, Gondor had called for help, Gandalf had succeeded.

I swung down, scaring a young woman as I hung from the eaves, and skipped towards the king's hall, I waited at the bottom of the stairs as I had no wish to enter. And sure enough my patience was rewarded everyone came pouring out, alarms were sounded and an army was assembled I stood next to Merry, Gimli and Legolas.

Now is the hour, Riders of Rohan, oaths you have taken. Now fulfil them all. To lord and land" I heard Eomer call, then we rode, I ran next to Merry in my wolf form. To Gondor!

We had reached camp before sundown and now I dug into a deer while sitting on the edge of the cliff watching for foes, it was time like these that I was glad I didn't need as much sleep as others, as I watched a stranger clad in dark travelling robes rode past me.

I stood and trotted by his side, watching him intently, I could recognise his scent but could not place it to a name, I followed him into the king's tent and went to stand protectively between him and Théoden, the stranger removed his cloak's hood for a fraction of a millisecond to allow me a glimpse to who he was, I hurried into a bow in my wolf form.

"I need to console with Aragorn" Lord Elrond said simply taking a seat, Théoden nodded and sent a soldier to fetch him, then began a conversation that I was only half-heartedly listening to as I lay on the fur covered floor.

Aragorn entered the tent a curious expression on his face.

"I take my leave" Théoden said leaving the tent, Aragorn looked curiously at Lord Elrond whose face was still covered with his hood I stood phasing into my Elf form and started towards the entrance of the tent.

"I will return to my duties now Hir nin" (My Lord) I said turning and bowing.

"Stay" He commanded and I turned on my heel and took a place by a table the brown haired Elf lowered his hood which cause Aragorn to bow slightly in surprise.

"My Lord Elrond" He muttered "I come on behalf of one whom I love" Elrond stated and Aragorn looked shocked I glanced between him and Elrond "Arwen is dying" He said. I understood now "She will not long survive the evil that now spreads from Mordor. The light of the Evenstar is failing as Sauron's power grows her strength wanes. Arwen's fate is now tied to the fate of the ring. A shadow is upon us Aragorn, the end has come"

"It will not be our end but his" Aragorn said determinedly.

"You ride to war but not to victory" Elrond said sadly "Sauron's armies march on Minas tirith as you know but in secret he sends another force that will attack from the river" I heard a noise outside and went to investigate before returning just as a strange gust of wind blew past me and into the tent.

"Murders" Aragorn growled "Traitors.... You would call upon them to fight? They believe in nothing, they answer to no one"

"They will answer to the king of Gondor" Elrond spat drawing a sword from beneath his cloak "Anduril the flame of the west, forged from the shards of Narsil" He declared as Aragorn walked forward entranced by the blade, he took it in his hands.

"Sauron will not have forgotten the sword of Anduril" slowly he wrapped his hand around it and in a swift movement he pulled it from its sheath, it glittered gently in the moonlight "The blade that was broken shall return to Minas tirith" Aragorn declared. I began to nod off the sleepless nights catching up to me.

I felt a nudging in my side and shot up pulling my sword from its sheath and nearly ripping Elrond's robes he handed me a letter and began to speak "You have a different quest"