Lady of the Elves

Chapter 2

The loud report of splintering wood drew my attention to the gate. They, the Nazguls, had run it down. Four of the nine riders galloped over it; where the rest were, I did not know. They rode through the streets not heeding anything that stood in their way.

It took all my strength not leap from the roof and challenge them then and there for the wrongs they had done against me. Before I had time to the Ringwraiths dismounted their steeds and stalked into the inn.

I leapt swiftly down to our room and let myself in. Strider stood, nearly knocking his chair over and stared at me, "Are they here?"

"Yes," I said as a sudden angry scream ripped through the town. The Hobbits woke with a start and looked to us, terror etched into their features.

"Excuse me," I said climbing out the window and up to the roof, where from my elevated position I watched the four glide from the inn, mount their steeds, and gallop from the town.

I returned to the room and reported to Strider what I had seen. "Strider, they are gone and very angry." Then I paused and asked, "Will you tell me what did you do to trick the Black Riders?"

He frowned and said, "I made dummies in the Hobbit's beds. I'm only glad they bought it." I nodded in agreement, relieved that no one had been harmed. He then surprised me by asking, "Aelia, are you going to sleep tonight?"

"Yes, though not inside, good night," I leapt from the window and landed gracefully on the ground. Strider's head looked down at me from above, concern visible in his features. I laughed and waved up at him before turning and running into the night.

Eventually I found a large tree that reminded me of home. It had been years since I had last been in Mirkwood. I climbed into the tree and leaned against the trunk, staring at the stars. In time I nodded into a half-sleep, waking an hour before sunrise and making my way back to the inn, completely refreshed. I returned to my position as lookout on the roof and stayed there until Strider and the Hobbits stepped from the inn.

"Strider," Pippin asked nervously, "Where is Aelia?"

He smiled, but looked obviously worried, "She said to me last night: 'Do not look for me, I will find you in the morning,' so I am sure we will meet again before time."

I leapt from the roof, startling the pony Strider had bought for supplies. "You were right to trust me, thank you for that," I said, "Come now mustn't we be off?"

We walked, each step taking us farther away from Bree. I stared out with my far-seeing elven eyes into the distance and was comforted to see no Ringwraiths in the distance.

"Where are you taking us?" Frodo piped.

"Into the wild," Strider responded. The Hobbits obviously were annoyed with Strider's brief answer.

The Hobbits lowered their voices into a private conversation, evidently they did not know about the powerful hearing of the elves. "How do we know this Strider is a friend of Gandalf?" asked Merry.

"And what of Aelia? She won't even give us her real name," Pippin added.

"Aelia is alright, she said when we first met her she was a friend of Gandalf," Sam said.

"But Sam, we can't be sure," Pippin said uncertainly.

"We have no choice but to trust them," Frodo returned.

"Pippin," I called, "come here." He looked at the others in shock, but consented. "Why do you not trust me? Sauron stole my brother, my sisters, my parents, all my family. I am the last living in my family. He stole my old life, no one I once knew knows I still live.