The Perian

Edge Of Night

There wasn't much argument, It wasn't my place to speak against Aragorn and my father. Before I knew it, I was already on a horse headed to, Rahna with Aragron. Elrond said it was for my own protection, and that Aragron would be along side me most of the time as well as Gandalf the Gray, but I couldn't grasp the fact that I'm still leaving.
Elrond told me that Rahna is a land where Perian's are supposed to live, that it's a place of saftey for the Perian's, so they can live along side their own kind. I'm a Perian, a halfling, but the only one of my particular kind.
The journey to Rahna took 3 days. We rode up to the gate, It was made of old decaying wood but with incredible craftsmanship carved in. The entire gate was surrounded by a mountain of rock, an entire wall protecting the town. I began to think whether it was to protect the town, the people, or to keep others from seeing what's lurks inside.
Aragorn swung one leg over on one side of the horse and planted his feet on the dirt ground. "Stay here Amara, I just need to speak with the gate keeper." I nodded and he headed towards the gate. He knocked on the gate, and before the third knock, an old man opened a small square window, only big enough to fit his face through. "Who comes banging on my gate at this late of an hour?" He spat the words out like he ate a bad dinner. "A man? And a. . .Perian?" He was looking directly at me now, eyes blazing. Aragorn stepped back slightly to avoid getting spit on. "I am Aragorn, and I bring with me a new resident to Rahna, this is Amara." Aragorn looked back at me, giving me a reassuring look, while the gate keepers eyes still stay fixed on me, studying me. Gaze unfaltering, the gate keeper says "I wasn't told to expect a new comer this night." Aragorn was looking at the gate keeper now, "We are friends of Gandalf the gray, I'm sure you let him pass through no longer than a day ago." The gate keeper was looking nowhere in particular now, just thinking. "Gandalf, Gandalf. Ah yes! Gandalf, tall, carry's a staff, long gray beard. He should be waiting for you at the new cottage that was built on the edge of Rahna. Come in, come in." The gate keeper retreated from the small square window, and began to open the gate. Aragorn walked back over to the horse and got back on. He pulled the horse onward as the gate opened. As we passed the gate keeper, he bowed and stretched his arm towards the town, then shut the gate behind us.
As we went further and further along the now cobblestone path, the fog began to clear and I could see the faint outline of Rahna as we got closer. It was very late, so there weren't very many lights on, but there were enough to see the tall stone buildings as we passed. Some of the buildings looked old enough that if you barley touched the stone walls, they would turn to dust. But they stood strong under the dark shadows of the rocky mountains that towered over the town.
We traveled through the entire city before reaching the beginning of the forest. A small path lay in front of us next to a stream that ran straight through the town. without hesitation Aragorn lead the horse onto the small path and into the forest. "Where are we going Aragorn?" I asked, voice shaking. Aragorn slightly turned back to me, just enough for me to see the side of his face and said, "To your knew home." The path curved around a well aged tree, then a beautiful cottage emerged from the forest trees. It sat right along the resting place for the stream. The stream connected to the River from the outside world that wrapped around Rana and back out of the city by the front gates. The Cottage was made of the same stone from the rest of the town, but looked younger than the rest.
My eyes lit up as we came closer to the cottage, everything about it was beautiful, the stream, the stone, the trees surrounding it, everything. Something flickered at the corner of my eye, I turned to look and saw that a small candle had been lit on the porch. Someone stood at the doorway, the black figure was very tall and was holding a staff.
Gandalf.
We reached the doorway of the cottage and Aragorn got off the horse again, but this time bringing me along. The moment my feet touched the stone path, I ran straight to Gandalf. "Gandalf!" I screamed, He pulled me up into his arms and welcomed me with an incredibly warm hug. "It is great to see you again, Amara." His smile was twice as big as mine, and he leaned in to kiss me on the forehead. With me still In his arms, he looked towards Aragorn who still stood at the bottom step of the entryway. "Come in, we have catching up to do." Gandalf said, Aragorn smiled and came up the steps and walked with Gandalf and I inside the Beautiful cottage made especially for me in Rahna.