Estateillio

Flight to the Ford

• They walked quickly for four hours and normally the hobbits, who were not used to travelling, would have complained about the hard tempo Estateillio had set, but the worry for their friend pushed them onwards.

• "There should be some Athelas growing here", the elf said when they stopped at a small glade and she put Frodo down, and added as an afterthought, "You would know it as Kingsfoil."

• This explanation sent Sam looking around for the white flowers, though it was Strider who found them first. The injured hobbit had fallen unconscious at one point which was good, for the use of the herbs would still cause a small amount of pain.

• And when Estateillio applied the Athelas to the wound, the quiet sound of hooves appeared in the distance, but the elf was not worried, for there was no dread rising in her and so it could not be the Nazgûl.

• "Will he be alright?", Sam asked and she told him: "Yes." And then she sent out a thought and guided the Evenstar to their location.

• And Arwen arrived, carried by Asfaloth who was the companion of Glorfindel but had taken a liking to the daughter of Elrond, and she dismounted and knelt down besides the hobbit to inspect his physical state.

• "He's fading", she observed and Estateillio nodded: "I did what I could, but I am no healer." "He's not going to last. We must get him to my father", she urged and Strider picked up Frodo and lifted him onto the white horse's back.

• "I've been looking for you for two days. There are five wraiths behind you, where the other four are I do not know", Arwen told them and the blind elf replied: "I think Illúmdil found them and is currently chasing them around. That is what he told me he wished to do before we last parted ways."

• "Linta roquen nál, Lithir, nai te colil [You are a swift rider, Lithir, you should take him]", Strider suggested and Lithir answered: "Te úcoluvan, Asfaloth ni col únaike. Arwen, nai lelyal, pan grith nahterya mauravas ecal. [I will not, Asfaloth would not carry me. Arwen, you should go, for you can help with his wound if need be]"

• "Tirítë nával [I will be careful]", the Evenstar promised her lover and the ranger replied: "The roads are dangerous, ride hard, do not look back." And determined the daughter of Elrond mounted the noble steed and cried out: "Tyelca noral, Asfaloth! [Run fast, Asfaloth]"

• And they disappeared into the woods and Sam exclaimed: "What're you doing? Those wraiths are still out there!" "That is why I'll be leaving you as well. Hurry, the quicker you are the faster you'll be safe", Estateillio told them and then too vanished into the night.

• And alone Strider and the hobbits continued their journey to Rivendell, Arwen with Frodo already far ahead and the other elf somewhere behind and holding off the Nazgûl.

• That was not, as one would expect, a valiant fight, more of a race that the elf was almost losing against the five Ringwraiths on their horses and she did not dare shoot them, for once the Nazgûl could no longer properly pursue Frodo or would turn and attack her and that would slow her down.

• So her plan was to gently steer them away from Arwen's path, but her efforts were rendered void once the other for Nazgûl joined the group and Illúmdil chased them and Estateillio jumped on his bare back and now they ran abreast and the elf took her bow and without hesitation shot ones of the Nazgûl's horses and it fell and when the wraith had come to its feet again, they already were far out of its reach.

• But its companions now saw her as a threat and the one closest to them drew its sword and slashed at them and Illúmdil jumped aside and Estateillio had to duck to avoid being hit by a branch and though the fell beings still pressed onwards and chased after Frodo, they now closed in on her with swords drawn and the elf only managed to shoot one more arrow, before being forced to draw her swords and block the blows the seven remaining Ringwraiths tried to deal her.

• They could not stop, she knew that. A part of the group, maybe two or three, she would manage to keep busy, but the others would simply continue their chase as her goal was to fell as many of them as possible and so when she next for the opportunity, she slashed at the neck of the horse closest to her and yet again one of the cloaked figures fell to the ground.

• But for that strike she'd had to lean to the left and for a second was off balance and when the next blow came it almost hit her, the poisoned blade scratching her vambraces and she cursed in dismay.

• She knew that, ahead of them, the Bruinen would soon come into view and she also knew that Arwen, for all that she had hurried, was also not too far ahead and so she urged Illúmdil you go quicker and lent him some of her strenght and through that brief connection channelled her intent and the seasoned war horse quickened until they ran about 25 yards ahead of the Nazgûl.

• And then the mighty horse halted and turned and two silver blades glinted in the light of the afternoon sun and red blood dripped to the ground, accompanied by the heavy thud of falling bodies and only four Nazgûl remained on horseback and Illúmdil veered around and with a cry Estateillio released a wave of power and the other horses stumbled and slowed and the elf used that moment to stab two more and one of the fallen Ringwraiths was trampled into the ground by the horse from Valinor.

• And in that moment she perceived that Asfaloth had carried Arwen and Frodo safely across the Bruinen and she let the two last mounted Nazgûl escape, knowing that the protective wards of Imladris would take care of them and instead faced the others.

• Four there were and a fifth was approaching swiftly and Estateillio opened her mouth and sang and the air started vibrating with power and when the ire of Bruinen was awoken she used some of its energy that was flowing untamed through the air and directed it onto her opponents and they too were destroyed, but the surge of power alarmed all in a radius of many miles who knew what the mortals call magic.

• And then horse and rider retraced their steps to find the last two Ringwraiths and slay them as well, so that Strider and the other hobbits might travel safely.

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Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoyed!
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