Eternally Bond

The Golden Halls Of Meduseld

20. The Golden Halls of Meduseld

Arriving in Edoras proved an interesting occurrence for both hobbits and Arwen as citizens stepped out of their houses to watch the group of riders as they rode past. Many of the simple people smiled up at the members of the fellowship and their gratitude shone clear in their eyes, as if they had been given hope anew by the foreigners.

When the riders reached the stables and dismounted, Théoden swiftly stepped over to the half-lings to properly greet them. He had heard much of them from the others in the fellowship and knew they deserved to be treated with as much honor as the rest of them, despite standing only half as tall as the others.

"Welcome to Edoras, my small friends," the king said and warmly smiled down at them. "I welcome you to my city now and promise you that you will always be welcome in the future, should you ever wish to return."

"Thank you very much, my lord," Merry said as Pippin bowed his head.

"Come now, let me see if I can offer you a light meal after our journey," with those words, Théoden started leading the way up the hill with the two hobbits close by his side.

Arwen moved to follow when a hand on her sleeve stopped her. She stopped and looked up at Legolas by her side. The blond elf wordlessly held out his hand for her and Arwen looked down at Hadhafang in his grip. With a distant smile, she gratefully took it back from him.

"Hannon le, Legolas," she said solemnly as memories of the day she had lost it flashed through her mind. "I thought I had lost it forever..."

"Come now," Gimli huffed and pushed on the two elves to move forward. "I am hungry and do not want to miss this chance at food since I did not get any salted pork like some of us did..."

Boromir, Legolas, Gandalf and Gimli walked off to follow Théoden up the hill and as they walked, their conversation turned to matters of peace and friendship.

Arwen conspicuously glanced at Aragorn still inside the stables who was talking with lord Éomer about the horses. The elf maiden noticed how peaceful her ranger looked, more so than she had ever seen him before. For many years she had grown accustomed to his worry and need for exile, but all that seemed to have vanished from him now. There was a new-found confidence in him and Arwen knew what it was immediately; Aragorn had finally come to peace with his destiny and begun to accept it.

Without waiting for the two men, Arwen followed her friends and headed for the large building atop the mount. As she walked up the stairs, she allowed herself a second to look inside herself for the shadow within. Since she had laid eyes on Aragorn, she had noticed the shadow had not stirred within her. However, Arwen feared that was only temporary. She was drawn from her dark thoughts as she felt something squeeze the palm of her hand and as she turned she saw Aragorn had caught up to her.

She smiled at him and looked down at their joint hands, "Was it something you wanted?"

There was an unspoken question in his eyes as he searched her gaze for something. "You looked like you were a million miles away in spirit. Tell me, what was on your mind just now?"

"Nothing which cannot wait 'til an other day," she smiled. He nodded, and together they entered the Golden Halls of Meduseld.

Arwen looked around the vast throne room and was amazed, it was so different from Imladris still held a beauty of its own. In the middle of the rustic room stood a large fireplace with cold ashes from previous nights in its center. Far on the other end of the room was the wooden royal throne.

Over on the side, Théoden was talking animatedly to Pippin and Merry about something while the others were gathered around a table beside them. Arwen moved to join them but stopped mid-step. She felt a presence approach them which she had not met before but still sensed she somehow recognized. She turned to an open doorway further away as a woman with golden hair walked into the room. She wore a white dress and her hair loose and flowing around her slender body. The woman stopped as she beheld them all and then smiled as she walked over to her uncle and brother to welcome them back home.