The Road East

The Race for Aragorn

*This is a very short chapter, but mostly important. By the way, it always bothers me that in the book the Elf Glorfindel came for Frodo not Arwen as the movie portrays.*

Lorania's POV

A knock resounded on my chamber door. I'd been waiting for this knock for quite some time. I set down the book I had randomly selected to cure boredom on my desk and rushed to open the door. Sliding the bolt out of place I flung the door open in an uncontained excitement. There stood Arwen ceremoniously dressed for what I had already guessed.

She breathed out, "My Father calls us to the council. Are you suitable?"

I glanced over my blue night robes and grimaced as images of the disgusted faces of many men and women appeared in mind as I pictured myself running up late in my indecent clothing. Before I rushed out the door with Arwen, I seized a thick brown shawl and what was once my mother's light blue circlet. I hastily fixed them on me as we blew through Rivendell like a gust of wind.

We met two guards in front of the council doors. They bowed and opened the doors upon sight of us and our great hurry. If not for the seriousness of the occasion I would have laughed at my good friend. In the moment she looked quite unladylike for her and it is quite rare that you would catch her at such a time. I myself had only had the liberty of experiencing it twice.

The instant we set foot in the sacred room we were enfolded into powerful hugs. I cleared my throat in a pathetic attempt to ward away the ungainly moment. 

"Who am I embracing at the moment?"

"Do you not remeber me," the recognizable voice pouted.

My hands clasped around the slim figure as I eagerly exclaimed, "Forgive me Elrohir! I hadn't seen you come up!"

His hearty laugh reverberated throughout me and I chuckled with it. Elrohir set me down and looked me over once. 

"You've gotten taller," he teased.

I ruffled his uncut lengthy hair and retorted happily, "You've gotten shorter!"

 A loud booming noise resonated throughout the quiet, tiny space. Gandalf the wizard had crashed his staff against the marble floor. His eyebrows were creased and I overall got the feeling that he was very worried. If Gandalf was worried about something, it was most likely a forced to be reckoned with. Lord Elrond stood beside him scowling and my father beside him, my father had a dreamy expression and I wondered if he was in his right mind today.

Lord Elrond bellowed at his sons, "Elrohir, Elladan, may we please get to the pressing matter at hand?"

The identical twins bowed and went silent. Elrond's scowl lessened and he nodded to Gandalf.

Gandalf's tone matched his grim expression as he spoke, "Those of you here know that a few days ago I set out to find a hobbit carrying a valuable token. Such a token that if found in the hands of the enemy we would face annihilation, which is why we have been as secret as viable. Two days ago I encountered the Nine."

He paused and watched the expressions of some Elves as they gasped before continuing, "The hobbit I sought after was being led by none other than Aragorn son of Arathorn who was instructed to meet me at Weathertop. I arrived at Weathertop and waited for as long as I could, I was driven out, however, by the Ringwraiths. Aragorn is now on the run from the enemy as we speak I assume. We know not where. I trust his judgement and his skill, but I do doubt the amount of time we have before our hobbit is captured by the eney along with what he carries. A party must ride out and find them for the fate of the world as we know it."

Whispers sounded around the small area and I had an unpleasant feeling creep inside me giving me goosbumps and turning the air around me cold. I shivered and chattered my teeth, clutching the shawl around my shoulders as if it were my lifeline. 

Around ten Elves stepped forward, all men, to go and seek this hobbit. Among them were Elladan and Elrohir, the chief of the House of the Golden Flower whose name was Glorfindel, an old childhood friend named Inglor, and the rest I could not tell.

Elrond looked around the room fiercely, "The ten of you will remain, the rest are dismissed."

Arwen flowed out of the room so soon that I barely noticed her leave. Hiking up the end of my robes and clasping my shawl together I took my leave and went after her. Only then did I realize I was barefoot. I almost laughed aloud. 

I finally caught up to Arwen all the way in her chambers. She was sat on her bed looking quite upset. I sat next to her quietly. 

"Arwen?"

Her face was emotionless as she replied in a monotone voice, "I have a foul feeling about this quest."

My face fell, "As do I."

"I am worried for my brothers who have only just returned and for Aragorn who on the verge of capture and torture or death as we speak."

I merely nodded in agreement, deep in thought. We sat in silence for a few moments before Erestor, Elrond's advisor, fluttered in hastily. 

Arwen and I gave him our attention and he spoke, "They are about to depart."

I stood to follow him and stopped to look back at my friend, "Will you not see them off?"

She shook her head, "I will not."

I nodded and followed Erestor in his quick footsteps to the gates of Rivendell, wishing that I had not come as well.