The Return of the King and Queen

Chapter 31: It Is Time

Amdiriel looked around as Rohal rode onward slowly along the path of the forest. The wind was light and the sun was shining through the trees. Amdiriel looked down, seeing she was in a dark blue dress, her black hood on her head, the elves around her all walking in silence in the same direction. 

Amdiriel could feel her heart sink, knowing she was heading toward the port, to a boat to take her to the Grey Heaven, never to return. Suddenly a child, a young boy caught her eye. He ran through the trees as the scene around her had changed. The boy ran into the arms of a man, who was looking over a balcony, a woman standing beside him. The man smiled and picked up the boy and giving him a kiss. The man then passes the small boy to the woman who then placed a kiss on the cheek of the little one. The man then placed a kiss on the woman's lips as they then turned to look back out over the balcony. 

Amdiriel could feel her heartbreak, she recognized the man, the man she loved, the man she lost, the man who should be king. The woman standing beside him was herself and in her arms would have been their son, around his neck the token she had given to Aragorn when she pledged herself to him. Amdiriel could feel a tear fall down her cheek as the scene in front of her added just like her hope did that day when everything fell apart. 

"Lady Amdiriel." said a voice. Amdiriel turned to find one of the guides standing before Rohal. "We must not delay." He told her. Amdiriel was about to continue on but the doubt that she thought she had been rid of had returned. If she left would she regret it? Had she suffered enough? According to her uncle, yes. Could she endure more if she had to? Yes. Would she regret and wonder what could have been if she left? Yes and now she knew that. 

"Take us back, Rohal." she whispered to her horse who then neighed and turned back to Rivendell. "My Lady!" called out the guide but Amdiriel did not turn back. She rode forward with new determination, she would stay and she would endure if that even meant that there was a glimmer of hope that she could have a happy ending.  

Amdiriel rode hard all the way to Rivendell, not stopping until she found where her uncle sat, reading which was out on one of the porches that overlooked the garden. Immediately, Amdiriel descended her stead and ran across the grass, unclasping her cloak, letting it fall to the ground as she ascended the stairs. "Tell me what you have seen." Amdiriel demanded. Elrond rose to his feet in shock. "Amdi." he said as he stood at the top of the stairs. "You have the gift of foresight. What did you see?" Amdiriel tired again. Elrond could see the hope in his niece's eyes, he hated to say what he saw but he felt like he had to in order to protect her.

 "I looked into your future and I saw death." he told her as he stared down at her. "But there is also life." She challenged. Elrond knew there was so he guilty turned away. Amdiriel picked up her dress as she climbed the stairs. "You saw there was a child. You saw my son. You saw me and Aragorn's son." She stated, knowing that he did. 

Elrond stood with his back still turned to her as he rested against the rail and sighed "That future is almost gone." He told her. "But it is not lost." She replied. Elrond seated himself in the chair he was once sitting in. "Nothing is certain." He stated. Amdiriel knelt beside her uncle who still refused to look at her. "Some things are certain." She whispered to him and then raised her hand to cup his cheek and turn his head so Elrond would look at her. "You and mother always said that I was the hope to help end this war. That must have been certain for you to say that. I know that you are doing this to help protect me. I know that you promised her that you would." Amdiriel referred to her mother. "But she would not run, not now, not ever. She would stay and fight till the last breath and so will I because if I leave them now, I will regret it forever." Amdiriel told him. "Amdi-" Elrond tried to argue but she cut him off. "There is nothing that you could say or do that could change my mind nor is there a ship that could bear me across the sea. Promise me, uncle. Promise me, that no matter what happens, whether I am there or not. When the time comes you will reforge the swords and go to him, tell him to reclaim the throne. Promise me you will, when the time is right." She begged him. Elrond let a tear slip down his face. "I promise." he whispered to her before he wrapped Amdiriel in his arms.