Eliza's Adventure (Aragorn Love Story)

- 9 -

An hour later and we were all filing out of the gates of Rivendell with Gandalf, Frodo, and the hobbits in the front. I had been standing next to Legolas in the rear of the group when I noticed that Aragorn was not following us. I glanced behind me and watched on as he shared one last heart wrenching look with Arwen. I turned back around and tried to keep the hurt from showing on my face as he caught up with us. However, Aragorn is very observant and gave me a strange look when I failed to continue the conversation I had been having with Legolas.

We walked for several hours and everyone seemed to be in a good mood. The hobbits were telling stories that had all of us roaring with laughter and we were walking at a steady pace. Soon, we decided to take a break and I helped Sam make some food as everyone relaxed around some rocks. I grabbed two bowls of stew and walked over to where Aragorn was sitting, watching Boromir train Merry and Pippin with their swords. I handed him one of the bowls and we sat in silence for a while.

"You have been quiet," Aragorn commented.

"I can't always have something wise or witty to say." I jokingly retorted.

Aragorn smiled and the tension that had settled between us in the morning finally faded. We relaxed into comfortable conversation, pausing to shout advice to the hobbits a few times.

Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf were sitting a few feet behind us so I heard when Legolas took notice of the black specks in the sky.

"Crebain from Dunland!" He yelled to the rest of us.

"Hide!" warned Aragorn, as he ran to the fire to pour water on it.

I grabbed Merry and Pippin by their cloaks and threw them under a bush and pushed Frodo behind a rock. I spun around trying to make sure everyone was covered when suddenly somebody pulled me behind a rock. I rolled and landed pressed up against a hard chest. I blushed red as I saw Aragorn's eyes looking carefully at me.

Everyone stayed still and silent for several minutes even after the birds passed. Slowly, we crawled out of our hiding places.

Aragorn got up and held out his hand to help me up from the ground. I placed my hand in his and he was about to pull me up when a searing pain ripped through my skull. I collapsed to the ground, holding my head. Tears were pouring down my face as I closed my eyes and tried not to scream. I could barely hear somebody yelling my name and holding onto my hands. Suddenly, images started to flood my vision. The mines of Moria. Goblins. The Balrog. Gandalf. But the words that kept coming to mind were 'Don't reveal the future. Don't change the course of time.' over and over again.

Then, the pain stopped and I blacked out. When I came to, I was in a grassy meadow and the Lady Galadriel was above me.

"What's happening?" I asked her.

She gave me a small smile. "All will be revealed to you soon, little one. You are already getting small pieces of your memory back."

"Memory? I have no memory of Gandalf falling in the mines of Moria. Gandalf is still alive!"

"You have seen how this story ends in your previous life. You are slowly regaining your memory. However, you can not tell anyone what you have seen. Even the smallest change could have a ripple effect throughout the whole future. You can not change what you have seen. Do you understand?" She said grimly.

I barely nodded, and asked worriedly, "But will these things happen? Will Gandalf fall?"

I started to black out again, the only words whispered were, "Don't change the course of time."

I came to again in somebody's arms. And again, it was Aragorn. I shifted a little and he quickly looked down at me. "She's awake!" He yelled to the group. Everyone stopped and Aragorn carefully set me down in the grass.

Legolas was at my side in seconds. "What happened? Are you okay? What was that?"

I looked at all of them and slowly said, "I had a vision of the Lady Galadriel. She said I am gradually regaining my memories from my previous life. I don't know much more than that."

"So every time you get a memory that's going to happen?" Pippin asked, bewildered.

"I sure hope not Pip," I gave him a small smile and then stood up.

Everyone watched me with concern but I just grinned and yelled, "Forward men!"

Why worry them when this might be nothing?