Daughter of Arathorn

Elia's Vow

Elia's lungs burned as she fell to her knees, gripping the grass underneath her. She held her waist and gasped in pain as the tears burned her eyes. "Foolish woman," an Uruk-Hai laughed as he stood over her. Elia looked at her waist to see an arrow sticking out of her. "The halflings will die knowing that you were too weak to save them," he said. She chased the Uruk-Hai for hours, well into the night. Just when she thought she was gaining on them when an arrow flew through the night air and struck her. Now she was on the ground, bleeding and struggling to stand up. The Uruk-Hai kicked her sword from her reach and she let out a whimper. "We will enjoy fresh female flesh," he said, raising his sword. Before it could come down on her head, an arrow flew and embedded into his head. The Uruk-Hai fell to the ground dead and Elia laid on the ground, holding her side. "Over here!" a voice called out. Elia's eyes rolled when she saw a torch above her head and there were two men standing above her.

"Over here!" a voice called out. Elia's eyes rolled when she saw a torch above her head and there were two men standing above her. "Get your horse," one voice said. She felt hands lift her up and she was taken away.

When she opened her eyes again it was because someone was tugging on the arrow. "STOP!" she screamed, "STOP, STOP!" She gripped the person's wrist. "Not out!" she cried out, "Not out! Push it through!"

The man stopped and stared at her. "I am a healer, if you pull it out you will cause my damage," she said, "You must push it through and then break the head off on the other side."

Elia laid back on the bed she was on and breathed in and out slowly as the man gripped the arrow again. She gripped his shoulder and nodded her head to him. As he pushed it through she let out a blood curdling scream. She saw a young girl by the door watching with wide eyes. "Freda! Get away from the door!" she heard a woman call out over her screams.

The child was pulled away and the door was closed. The arrow pierced through her other side and she nearly passed out. The tears sprung up in her eyes and the man snapped the arrowhead off. The rest of the arrow was easily removed and a woman entered the room. "She is ready for you," the man said.

"My pouch," Elia said, "There's a pouch on the chair, it has my healing draughts."

The man retrieved the pouch and handed it to Elia. With shaky hands, she found the vial that Galadriel gave her and drank the draught. She felt almost near immediate relief and laid back again as the woman cleaned and dressed her wound.

"You must not move for at least a week," the woman said.

"With the healing draught I should be ready to leave in a few days," Elia replied, "I have to go to Isengard."

"Isengard, that's suicide!" the woman said in disbelief. Elia closed her eyes and breathed out slowly. Her husband's face appeared in her mind as sleep took over her.

When she came to, the sun was high in the sky. A little girl was on the edge of the bed staring at her with a small smile. "Hello," Elia said.

"Hello," she answered, "My name is Freda."

"My name is Elia," she said as she slowly sat up.

Freda smiled. "Mama left you food," she said, gesturing to the tray, "It's not a lot, but we can share."

"You and your family are kind," Elia said.

"Are you an elf?" Freda asked.

"Her ears are not pointed, Freda, how is she an elf?" a boy asked as he walked in.

"She is dressed like one though," Freda replied.

"Elves raised me," Elia replied as she sat up slowly. She tilted her head back but then the tears welled up in her eyes when the realization with everything sunk in. She was so overcome with rage over Boromir's death and the enemy taking Merry and Pippin that she didn't even stop to think about Aragorn and Legolas. "What have I done?" she asked herself.