Hope - A Lord Of The Rings Chronicle

Gil and Galad

When Arwen heard about what Aragorn was going to do, she was slightly fearful. He was going to Mordor after all. But when she heard that they were dragging Raina in with them, well she was terrified.

"Tell me it is not true?" She asks to her father, as she joins him in the dining hall, where he is with Gandalf and Aragorn.
Elrond looks up in expectantly. He knew the Council's decision would not sit well with everyone,   including his daughter. "Arwen..." He begins
She rushes up to him.
"You cannot possibly send Raina to Mordor Ada!"
"She's no older than you were when you killed your first orc."
"That was different!" She protests "I had years of training she has not had days!"
"We will train her on the way." Aragorn adds. That is why the meeting had been held between the three of them. To discuss how to look after Raina "Once her leg is better."
She turns to him
"And what if her lack of experience causes her to perish, what then?"
"Arwen, I'm sure it will not come to-" her father begins.
"She is not from here, you said it yourself. She has to go back to where she belongs some day and if we deny her the right-
"Arwen?" Aragorn calls
"Then we will be some of the worst-"
"Arwen?"
"Worst people on earth."

She looked up into his eyes, tears glinting. He took her hands in his.
"Raina will be fine." He nods and his grip tightens "I promise you."

Slowly, she squeezes back and nods.
"Av-'osto Arwen. I will look after her like a brother. She will never leave my sight."
*****
As I sat in bed, my hands couldn't help but tremor with excitement. Tomorrow would start it all. My journey to Mordor. Or, wherever it was that I was supposed to end up. I was about to blow out the candle when a knock sounded and Arwen's face appeared.
"Arwen.." I smile, patting beside me. She smiles back, but something about her eyes tell me that she's hurt. I've never seen such deep fear and pain flicker through them. Oh wait. Did Aragorn just break up with her? No..that can't be it. Doesn't he do that in the morning? She perches on the edge and takes my hands between her own.
"Belegurben told me what happened," she shook her head sadly "Raina, you cannot seriously be considering going to Mordor?"
Oh. The counsel.

I grip hers tightly. She's afraid for me. She doesn't need to be. At least, I hope so.
"I am. I'll be fine."
I smile, attempting to reassure her. Though, if I was being honest her fear made me second guess my decision.
"But what about your family?" She asks me "What will they do if you do not come home?"
I fall silent.
Here comes the type of question I've been dreading.
"I..I have no parents." I mumble.
I sigh, gaze falling down to the bed. I fiddle with the duvet, before looking up into Arwen's eyes.
"Do you promise not to tell?"
She nods
"You have my word."
I sit there to Arwen, and tell her my backstory. I struggle against the tears, the pent in emotions that threaten to boil over, and by the end I'm silent weeping. I look up to Arwen who gazes at me  haunted, eyes glistening and I wipe mine, ashamed.
I've known Smithie for two years, I've never told him this. I've known Arwen for five days, and I've told her the story of my life.
"Oh Raina," she breathes heavily. Arwen draws me into a hug. I feel something cold slip down my face, that I know is not mine.

"Is there not someone who loves you?" She sniffs "Anyone?"

I smile softly, remembering Oscar, my foster brother, and Smithie and Caroline...maybe.
"Just a few."
"Well," she kisses my head before placing her chin on top of it "Now, you have me." And squeezes tighter.
I'm ashamed to say that that acceptance and love made me cry harder. I didn't deserve any of it. I knew that.
Tears streamed for a long time, they just wouldn't stop. Arwen stays with me. She never leaves, never strays from my side.
Her soft arms envelope me, and with each sob I breathe in her heavenly scent of flowers. Her arms rubs my back, and she whispers soothingly to me.
Its beautiful to have that. It really is. Because if I'm being honest, without it, I won't last long.

Arwen wakes me up. The room is dark, the breeze flowing steadily. Pinks and soft yellows decorate the sky, as dawn begins.
"Raina." She says.

The birds are singing as shakes my shoulder gently.
"It is time." She whispers into my ear.

I stretch out, yawning, feeling anxiety drop in the pit of my stomach. I pause, realising that this was the last time I'll sleep in a bed. Already I'm missing it. I drew back the covers and swung my legs over the side.
Arwen was already standing, watching me with folded arms as I turned to face her, scratching my eyebrow. She wore a soft blue gown with a purple cape on top, and had upon her a look that suggested she had been up for a while.
"What time is it?"
"It is five thirty in the morning."
"This early?" I groan slightly, before heaving myself upward and walking round to my wardrobe yawning.
I open the cupboards and find a thick blue shirt with a white under layer and crisscross string across the front. I place on the brown trousers and my boots, where upon Arwen draws a bluish grey cloak around my shoulders. Before I leave I remember to stuff my fanny pack and radio inside my bag, and then I'm ready.
As we leave the room, I ask Arwen if I can stop by the dining hall for some food.

"Yes." She smiles, "But be quick, we are already running late."
"Did I over sleep?" I ask
"And I." She nodded, opening the door
"I'm sorry."
"There is nothing to be sorry for, Muin nín."
I blink. Did Arwen just call me dear?

For one of the last times, I walk through the halls of Rivendell. I take in every book, every painting, every blop of paint, until my eyes fill giddy and my stomach knots up with anxiety. I suddenly have the urge to pee, but now that we've started heading to the dining room I don't think Arwen wants to make a trip to the little elves room.
I walk into the room and grab and butter two slices of toast and add a few rashers of bacon too. Arwen waits for me as I munch hurriedly and silently on sweet buttered toast. When I finish, regrettably without tea, we reach the doors Aredhrel first dragged me in by, what seems ages ago, but are blocked from leaving by none other than... the twins.
"Elladan and Elrohir?" Arwen says in surprise "What are you doing?"

Elladan has his hands behind his back, and Elrohir looks on smugly.
"Nothing sister." Elladan smiles cheekily
"We just wanted to give the lady who bested us a nice parting gift." Elrohir adds. I look at Arwen worriedly, it's not a water bomb is it? Or bugs? Have they learned from Belegurben that I'm a sufferer of Arachnaphobia?

But, much to my surprise, Elladan gets down on one knee, and holds out a sheathed sword to me.
Its sheath is brown with carvings running up and down the leather. The sword itself has a navy blue handle, with silver swirls rising up and down. Attached to the sheath is a belt, with a metal buckle.
"Galad." He said holding it out to me.
Warily, waiting for a ferret to jump out of nowhere, my fingers wrapped around the brown leather.
"Forged with my own hands. It has served me well, and I pray it does the same with you."

I nod subtly.
"Thank you." I proceed to tie the sword around my waist with its belt with Arwen's help, and then Elrohir bends down next. He takes something that was hidden behind a nearby plant pot. A glimmering white bow, with a stock full of arrows. My mouth almost drops at the beauty of it. Elvish runes and letters trail up and down the bow, meeting a pale brown grip.
"Gal." He hands it to me with a stock of brown arrows with white feathers. I take them, my fingers tracing the runes delicately.
"Huorë hirina ná úsenwa nómessen." Elrohir explains to me "Its means that courage is found in  unlikely places."
Arwen places the bow and the quiver inside my pack carefully. The twins, as if they've spent 10 minutes chorepgraphing this, rise up simultaneously.
"These are now yours." Elladan says
"Bare them well." His brother finishes.
I unsheath the sword, every eye watching me. Half of me expects there to be that proverb from Narnia to be there. But no, instead there's nothing but the glimmer of a sword, like a light in the darkness.

I sheath it, grinning.

"I will."