When I Needed You *

Chapter Five: No Fate

Where, where were you
When I needed you most
When I needed a friend
~Erasure~

Evidently Aragorn remembered her warning from the inn, because this time he did not leave them. She felt better for her decision to help Frodo with this obvious choice from Aragorn. He did however still allow them to have a fire, which she asked him about privately.

“Strider, why do we have a fire? Won’t that draw trouble?” she whispered while the hobbits were worrying about with the fire.

“Yes and no. They are already close by on our trail, so yes. The fire will probably draw them to us. But if we can fight them off and defeat them here, their spirits go back to Mordor, so we might gain ourselves more time. The fire is the best way to defeat them. They can’s stand fire,” he whispered back.

“That’s why you’ve been carrying those sticks all day? For like a torch or something?”

“Aye, if they come near, we light them.”

A few minutes later the screaming started. Nazgul screams chill your soul. The hobbits where terrified and looked to Strider to tell them what to do. He took charge immediately.

“Okay, everyone grab a torch and light it,” he said. “Quick now there is no time to waste,” he had to hurry them along as even Renee was frozen in terror at the screeching. Aragorn gave the hobbits all small swords hoping they would not need them but thought it better to be prepared.

When all the torches were lit he had them form a semi-circle around Frodo, with their backs against the stone wall. Frodo held his torch high in the air as to not burn his friends. Sam stood directly in front of him with Merry and Pippin to either side. Renee was terrified of facing a wraith but stood her ground next to Aragorn. She gripped her sword in her right hand and the torch in her left. Then they waited.

They didn’t have to wait long as the first of the wraiths slunk into the shadows. The wraiths seemed to bring the winter with them as the air grew colder. The very presence of them offended nature, four dark creature made as if from the void itself crept silently towards them. Renee’s heart thudded in her chest but she stood her ground.

As the first of them reached the fire in the center of the clearing Aragorn stepped forward and battled it with sword and fire. Another circled around the other side of the fire attempting to avoid the fight, so intent was he on getting the ring he didn’t notice the elf girl rush up to him.

Renee knew it was now or never. If he got any closer to the hobbits they would have next to no chance at defending themselves. She rushed forward with her sword held high. Her first swing sliced the wraith from collar to side then she thrust her torch deep into the fathomless hood. The screeching was horrible but she had managed to surprise the creature and wound him badly. His empty cloak fell to the ground and turned to ash. She almost had time to feel proud of herself before being rushed again. It seems that the creatures are rather fond of each other for no sooner had the cloak turned to ash when the another wraith grabbed her arm.

The cold was the first thing she noticed then the feeling of total despair came over her. Never would she be able to combat this creature, she might as well give up now. She didn’t belong in this world, she should just give in to the inevitable now and let him kill her at least he would make it swift, no more pain.

No! She jerked her arm away, and brought the torch up and jammed it into his face. If her father couldn’t defeat her and make her wish for death, no bodiless, soulless minion would either. She was stronger than that.

She stepped back, ready to fight when a sword poked through the creature from the back. Another cloak fluttered to the ground and turned to ash. Merry stood there, sword in hand with a look of utter terror on his face. He took a deep breath and composed his features then turned back and resumed his position in front of Frodo. Renee turned back to find the last wraith. He was slinking along the wall on the far side of Aragorn, deep in the shadows. He was almost to Frodo and no one could see him! Renee ran over and placed herself right in front of it, brandishing her torch.

She could feel the group behind her shift a bit but did not look back. Suddenly there was two more torches pointed at the wraith. She remembered the wraiths would effect Frodo and he would put on the ring, she called out to Sam.

“Sam, make sure Frodo does not put on that ring!” She screamed. Finally Aragorn finished with his wraith and rushed to her side.

“That was the Witch King, he is the strongest. This one should flee soon, we must not let him flee,” he called out as he circled the dark figure. The wraith, seeing that he was alone, rushed Renee, trying to get to the hobbits. Three torches struck him at the same time a sword entered him from the back. With a flurry of ash the creature was gone.

For a moment everyone was silent then a great whooping sound from Merry and Pippin as they jumped up and down celebrating the defeat of the Nazgul.

“The rest are still out there, there were four here. That leaves five still out there hunting us. We must move on tonight,” though her words were harsh her tone was light and she was grinning. Her eyes met Aragorn’s and held for a moment. She then looked over to a healthy if scared Frodo and back to her bonded brother. Her grin got even bigger.

“We did it!”

“Aye, we did. That means it can be done. Thank you, Aewnaur,” Aragorn touched his heart and bowed his head.

Renee was touched and blushed but she returned the gesture.

“By the way Renee, the answer to your question is no,” he smiled as her blush deepened.

They both remembered her embarrassing question from Bree. She bit her lip trying to stifle her laughter as she remembered him spitting out his drink.

Aragorn turned to the hobbits. “We rest for a bit and finish eating then we must move on tonight. Renee is right, this will draw the others. From now to Rivendell we move fast.”

*

The journey to Rivendell was uneventful for a few more days. The group moved fast barely stopping when the hobbits were almost dead on their feet. One night when they heard the Nazgul screams Aragorn refused to stop. They put Frodo and Pippin on the back of Bill the pony and she carried Sam while Aragorn carried Merry. They walked on.

On the sixth day after Weathertop, when spirits and energy was low the hobbits began to sing and chatter once more. That night having heard no sign of the wraiths for a day Aragorn let everyone finally rest. Then three more days of almost non stop travel.

Renee stopped counting the days as they were all blending together but finally she heard a horse approach. They had moved from the woods and were now back on the road. She grew nervous, was it Arwen or Glorfindel, would they know she was not a real elf? Would they accept her? She glanced down at the mark on her thumb. Aragorn knew the truth and he accepted her. That would have to be enough. She couldn’t believe they had managed to save Frodo from the Morgul wound, what would be changed by such an action? So many doubts. Would Lord Elrond or Gandalf say that she should not have changed anything? Should she tell them, would Aragorn tell them. She didn’t even notice when she quit walking. She was too lost in her thoughts.

Aragorn stopped when he heard the horse approach.

“That is an elf shod horse, that sound brings much hope to my heart! Come everyone!” he called out then looked over his shoulder. He noticed right away that Renee had fallen behind. He walked up to her silently trying to figure out what she was staring at. She had her glove pulled halfway off. She was staring at the mark the Valar had given her. Ah, she heard the horse before I did and now she worries. He sighed and reached for her.

His left hand covered hers just like when they had bonded.

“Muinthel, sister, do not worry. All will be well,” he promised. He smiled softly when she looked up at him and threw herself into his arms. It was the first time she had hugged him.
He almost laughed but knew now was the time for reassurance not laughter.

“I know Arwen will love you just as I do. Nothing else matters. No matter what else happens you will always be my sister. You see for yourself. The Valar approve of the match,” he whispered to her as he returned the hug. They simply stood there, him giving her comfort and her soaking it up like a man dieing of thirst, until the rider approached.

“Ai na vedui Dunadan! Mae govannen!”

Renee stiffened as Aragorn released her. She pulled her glove back up and her sleeve down low. This was one elf she did not want to touch. If the stories she had heard about him were true she didn’t know if she would be able to survive the touch.

Aragorn turned at the greeting and spoke quickly in elvish. They laughed together for a moment before the conversation started to sound serious. Finally they turned back to the group, Aragorn introduced the hobbits and last urged her forward.

“Glorfindel, mellon nin, I would like you to meet my bonded-sister Aewnaur, also called Renee,” Aragorn smiled at the shocked look on Renee’s face.

Why had he introduced her that way? She blushed and turned to Glorfindel. Here was a living legend, this elf had killed a balrog, he had fought in the great alliance. This was the last great king of the elves, she was really beginning to feel out of place and small. She tried to greet him but could barely look up let alone speak. She fell back on her trusty stand by. She looked at the ground and nodded.

Glorfindel was entranced, this girl had the dark hair of a Rivendell elleth but she was so young. He looked to Aragorn for an explanation on the girls behavior. Aragorn shook his head, he had no clue why she suddenly would not look up. He was about to speak when Glorfindel stepped forward.

This young one is injured inside, Glorfindel thought. He felt an incredible need to look into her eyes. The eyes could tell a lot about a person. Sometimes you could read their soul through a persons eyes. He reached out to tilt up her chin and force her to look at him. He was going to be gentle, she flinched when he touched her and he instinctively tightened his grip.

He was not at all expecting the reaction he got. Aragorn tore his hand away from the girl and tried to push him back. The hobbits all swarmed around her and Aragorn, they were all talking at once. Two of the hobbits set about berating him for touching her while Aragorn and the other two small ones were talking to Renee. Who if he was not mistaken was either asleep or deep in a trance.

~Pain. Loss. Grief. Joy. Desire. Peace. Anger. Happiness. Every emotion one could experience she went through. One emotion on top of another not flowing but raging. Faster and faster they came, a flood of feelings two lifetimes worth. Images of battles, of lands far away, glowing figures, dark creatures. Flashes of a life lived to its fullest. Death, rebirth, loss of identity, too much too much. Black oblivion.~

“Damn it!” Aragorn swore.

“What did he do that for?” one of the hobbits cried out.

“Don’t blame him, he didn’t know. He just wanted her to look at him. He couldn’t have known,” Aragorn sighed as Renee slumped forward into his arms. He slowly lowered her to the ground.

“Aragorn, would you care to explain?” Glorfindel asked.

“Why did you touch her? If she didn’t want to look at you, you shouldn’t have made her,” Pippin questioned again.

Frodo moved closer to Aragorn. “Strider, why didn’t she want to look at him? He’s not her father is he?” Frodo asked timidly.

Aragorn looked up sharply, “No, and don’t bring that up again. I don’t know what was wrong, but there is no help for it now. She will probably be out the rest of the evening. We need to keep moving and we will need to fill out water skins up at the next crossing,” he sighed.

“Right she had a mighty thirst last time, she did,” Sam commented.

Glorfindel stood silently with one eyebrow arched high staring at Aragorn, waiting for an explanation.

Aragorn stood with her in his arms, “I’ll hold her and ride. You can walk with the hobbits,” his voice was frosty as he spoke to the elf. It would take a long time for him to forgive his old teacher. At least five minutes, maybe even six, he thought to himself as he held back a grin. He loved seeing Glorfindel standing there with his mouth open like that, it was priceless. If only his brothers Elladan or Elrohir could see this!

They made camp late that night and Aragorn had to explain again to Glorfindel about Renee and her gifts. He had been wrong, it had taken almost ten minutes to forgive the elf for her injury. He explained briefly about her abilities but it seems the first explanation wasn’t quite in depth enough for Glorfindel. But really Aragorn didn’t know what else to tell the curious elf. He had told him everything he knew. Now they would just have to wait for morning. That night the Nazgul screams came again and Aragorn sent Frodo off with Glorfindel on the horse. The most important thing was to get the ring to Rivendell and safety.

The next morning Renee again awoke dehydrated and hurting. This time Aragorn made her drink the bitter willow bark tea. They continued to walk ever onward towards Rivendell. Their pace had slowed considerably after Glorfindel had taken off with Frodo.
They were a bedraggled and beleaguered group that finally stumbled into Rivendell nearly a week later.

*

The city was beautiful, the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, but she was almost too nervous to enjoy it. They were stopped at the gates by two elves shoving arrows in their faces. There was a lot of elvish spoken and Aragorn sounded like he was getting upset. Renee moved to stand behind him and gripped his belt. Finally she felt safe. Directly behind Aragorn was probably the safest place in the world right now. Her movements did not go unnoticed however.

‘You see Elfaer, now you have scared her. They don’t need the show. We are tired and we need a bath.’

‘Well, we can’t have them thinking that just any scruffy looking human can come into the city, now can we,’ Elfaer replied. ‘Besides she is an elf, why can’t she understand us?’

‘That is none of your concern. If Lord Elrond wants you to know then he will tell you, not I. I say again. Let us pass.’

‘Very well. You are getting grouchy in your old age.’

Tuval the second elf finally laughed and lowered his bow, ‘Besides, he stinks. Let them go and bath. Does she ever leave your shadow Estel?’

Aragorn rolled his eyes and walked through the gates, trying to pull her up to walk beside him. “Renee, they are elves they would never hurt you. He was just giving me a hard time. No need to worry.”

He ushered the hobbits and his sister across the open field up to the main entrance of the last Homely House. There they were met by Lord Elrond himself.

“Mae Govannen! Welcome to Rivendell, young hobbits,” Lord Elrond spoke eloquently, if with a dramatic flair. He then turned to Aragorn and nodded, “Aragorn, who else have you brought to us?” Lord Elrond bowed and tried to reach for Renee’s hand but she moved behind Aragorn again. He cocked an eyebrow but straightened up and lowered his hand.

Aragorn moved and pulled her up in front of him, putting his hands on her shoulders. “Ada, may I present Aewnaur, also known as Renee. My sister.”


tbc...