18. Last March of the Ents
Darkness. All around her. There was a frost in the dark that she never had sensed before and it seemed to bite its way into her very core. Except for the chill she felt nothing, nor did she see or hear anything. Slowly fears awoke inside of her and the shadows crept closer. She knew in her heart that she was powerless and could do nothing to escape it.
"Do not worry, Arwen. Stay strong in your beliefs and all will be well. Trust me, dearest child..." Arwen frowned at the sound of a voice within her head. It had been nothing more than the whisper of the wind yet it was both familiar and long forgotten. It had sounded almost like... But it was impossible!
As she pondered it, another strong voice broke through the shadows and echoed through the deep abyss of darkness, "Open your eyes, Arwen."
She did as this second voice had told her and opened her silver eyes to gaze upon the world.
The fear within subsided and was replaced by confusion for she realized that she was back home in Rivendell. Above her, she could see a dark, clouded sky without the rays of the warm sun that she was so used to seeing. With a frown she sat up and realized that she was on a daybed on one of the open balconies. She looked around and saw that leaves had fallen from the trees and lay golden on the ground and bed around her. She saw them shimmering in and out of focus as if Rivendell was clouded in shadows and not just its skies. It seemed the land of the elves was lost to the evil of the deep dark.
Arwen's heart beat furiously in her chest as panic gripped her throat once more. Was Rivendell truly lost? She had thought it was the last place that would be conquered by any evil but now it stood without hope against a waning horizon.
"We are not doomed, child…" It was her father's voice and she turned as her eyes searched for him.
Glimmering in a silvery light, he walked towards the daybed and the elf maiden knew that at least her father had not succumbed. In his wise face she saw both grim awareness and vague hope.
"Ada?" she asked in confusion. "What is happening? Why am I in Imladris?"
"Your thoughts are clouded, Arwen. I led them to this place. This is not the real Rivendell but merely your vision of it," Elrond explained in a gentle tone as he sat down on the bed next to her.
"Ú-chenion," she said with a frown and watched her father intently. (I do not understand.)
"Our home is clouded to you, my daughter, because of a fixed darkness within your mind. It is nested deep inside and has begun to obstruct your thoughts."
Arwen sat in silence and looked up at her father after he finished. Cautiously she asked, "...What must I do? What must I do to be rid of this shadow?"
A small, warm smile spread across Elrond's lips. "Come home, Arwen."
Her eyes widened as she beheld his grey orbs. Elrond's eyes shone with an open, honest fear and looked at her without faltering.
"Man?" she asked. (What?)
"Arwen, telin le thaed," Elrond said. "If you do not come home now, there is a chance you never will." (Arwen, I have come to help.)
The elf maiden turned her face away and a frown spread across her features. She tried to clear her thoughts but felt confusion obstruct her attempts and she sighed in defeat. She was reminded of their parting in Rivendell as the fellowship had set off and she knew her father had always wanted her home. He had never accepted her will and she wasn't entirely surprised he wanted to change her mind once more. Either way, she had to try and understand the reasons behind all this and so racked her brain for ideas.
"If this is about my arrow wound then you need not worry," she said at last. "It is healing, albeit slower than I thought it would. Nevertheless, I am not dying. There is no darkness... Ada, you know I can defend myself."
"Ú-bedin o gurth ne dagor," Elrond said gravely. (It is not of death in battle that I speak of.)
Arwen felt her heart stop for a second upon reading the severity in his features. She wet her lips slowly as if attempting to buy time, before finally asking, "O man pedich?" (Of what do you speak?)
Her father inhaled as if to strengthen himself before he explained, "I see only death in your future here."
Arwen frowned and stared off into the distance, "We have had this talk before.. I thought you would have grown to accept my decision since then."
Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Elrond nod his head grimly. "I do understand it... And I have come to accept it, despite of what you might think. But now you must listen to what I am saying. I feel helpless here with all my children separated from me. And I fear for you the most... as I have always done. I wish to aid you but the only way for me to do so is if you come back to me. Bado na Valannor, no círar." (Go to Valinor, before it is too late.)
"I cannot," Arwen said and turned her gaze back to Elrond. She willed her father to read the sincere apology in her eyes, "I cannot leave Aragorn."
Elrond shook his head and sighed. "You do not understand, child. You do not understand what shadow I speak of."
"I think I do..." Arwen lowered her eyes. "I think you are hurting, Ada. The shadows that currently lurk in Middle Earth hurt us all. They threaten to tear us apart, but... It will be better. Allwill be well. I must tell you... I heard mother's voice."
The elf lord's eyes widened as he gazed at his daughter. "When?"
"Just now, before you woke me. I was unsure earlier, but now I feel it for sure. She told me to trust in myself and be strong. She talked to me... she gave me strength. I miss her, father, but even being apart from her, she supports my decision to remain here. It is her will. I can feel it."
Elrond looked away for a long minute before eventually nodding. "Perhaps you are right, child. But I must repeat myself... There is a shadow within you that has taken such a hold of you that I do not know what will happen to you next. I fear the darkness will make you fade away from Middle Earth... If you do not sail to the Undying Lands you will die because of it."
Arwen shook her head as she felt unable to grasp his words. "Ada...-"
"Do you not see?" Elrond interrupted his daughter. "You must listen to me for this is serious. If not for me, then for him. If you die and Aragorn is present, forced to watch you succumb to a faith he may not see for many long years, he will be helpless. He will never be able to rule his people then. And do you believe he will be able to live on? He would be more pained by your death than your parting to Valinor. Just as I and all of our kin would be."
The elf maiden said nothing but felt her eyes dim with un-shed tears. Elrond sighed as he watched his youngest child finally grasp his words.
"After Galadriel told me we would part in pain, I was afraid. When we were separated, I thought the worst was over. I don't know, maybe we have stronger storms to weather up ahead... But I am no longer afraid. For I know that if anyone can help me survive this, it is Aragorn. I cannot succumb to fear now, when I am so close to being reunited with him."
The elf lord shook his head. "I know you told me that you would regret leaving him. And yet I do not believe you understand the effect your death would have upon us you go to Valinor, you can save us all the heartbreak. That is the only way for you to survive and for him to be able to create a new life. If you do not you will both succumb and I will have to grieve not only a daughter but also a son."
Arwen turned back to her father as his chosen words made her wonder. "Did you send me that vision then?"
Elrond frowned as if unsure how that was relative and shook his head. "It was sent to you, my child, but not from me. It was your grandmother's doing."
"Why?" Arwen breathed.
"So that you would know how Frodo was doing with his journey and could relay the news to Gandalf and anyone else it may concern."
It was the lady's turn to frown back and slowly she asked, "That was the first vision but I meant the second..."
Elrond seemed as shocked as Arwen as his worried eyes looked down at her. "Second one? You had another vision?"
"I am sure it meant nothing, I am sure it was just…" Arwen searched for the right words but found none to describe the feeling of seeing her beloved with his arms around another woman. "I cannot tell what I saw, the memory is painful still..."
"Arwen, I was not aware of a second vision and my ignorance troubles me," Elrond said and placed his hand on her sleeve. "I am too far away to help you at this time but I will see if I can contact Gandalf and see what he knows on the matter. Perhaps he can help when you are reunited. Whatever you saw, Arwen, has me even more concerned for you now. I think it is of utter most importance that you do come home before you are beyond anyone's help."
"Ada…" she began as silent tears streaked down her cheeks. "I can't leave him…"
Elrond placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "He wants you to endure even if your ways are parted. We both wish only for you to be safe. If you wish to stay then there is nothing I can do for you but hope all will be well in the end. However, I still beg of you to reconsider. Especially after hearing this…"
Arwen remained silent in her thoughts. Finally, she asked, "There is one thing you have not told me yet ... Why is this happening to me?"
"There are many things involved with this, Arwen, that I would not know where to start or how to explain. Indeed, I might know less that I thought," Elrond said while he drew a shaky breath. "I wish I could explain it all to you, but I will leave the rest to the one man who knows more than me in this case."
"Mithrandir?" the maiden asked.
Elrond nodded and then took her hand in his with a silent plea in his grey eyes. "Please, take my word of caution. Feel for the shadow within you, Arwen, and you will know it is real. I ask that when you do, you remember what I have said and consider my plea."
Arwen serenely touched her forehead against her father's and then moved back again to face him. "I will, father."
Elrond moved his hand to her cheek as he gently said, "Open your eyes, Arwen."
--
Arwen's eyes fluttered open and she looked up at the dark night sky above. Branches covered parts of the skies and twinkling stars up ahead. She was definitely back in Fangorn. She quickly took in her whereabouts and found she rested on the ground by a large root with one of the hobbit's jackets as a make-shift pillow beneath her head. She felt disoriented for another second before she recognized the place as being on Quickbeam's lands and she could hear a spring trickle nearby and the sound of entish reached her keen ears from further away.
"How long was I unconscious?" she asked into the night as she cautiously sat up. Her arrow wound stung more than earlier but the pain quickly faded away as her mind cleared.
Distantly she heard hurried footsteps rustle the leaves and Merry and Pippin were soon in her line of view. Both of them looked relieved as they stood over her.
"Milady, you're awake," Pippin smiled. "You've been unconscious for almost a day. We could not wake you before."
"I am fine, Peregrin. There is nothing to worry about," Arwen assured him with a distant smile as she slowly stood from the ground and brushed leaves off her shirt. "How are the Ents doing in their discussion?"
Merry huffed lightly and said, "They're still talking, of course. But I believe some change might come at daybreak for Quickbeam has been standing over to the side a long while now just waiting for something… I hope they have decided to attack Isengard, for if they have not I promise that I will give them a piece of my mind!"
Arwen chuckled. She still felt a bit dizzy and leaned back against a tree. The hobbits exchanged a worried glance before they wordlessly seated themselves on the ground by her side. They looked up at her but saw that she was lost in her own thoughts and so they chose to remain silent for now. If she wanted their help, they hoped she would ask for it.
The elf maiden found her thoughts wandered back to her conversation with her father. It had been a fair warning of a grim future but she did not wish to despair at the thought of what it implicated. She didn't want to bother the hobbits with her personal problems when their spirits were already down.
Still, she could not fully ignore Elrond's words to her. Arwen focused her thoughts and tried to look within herself. Somewhere deep inside she could feel a darkness lure and a shadow at the back recesses of her mind that she had not realized was ever present. Her father had been right, then. This could mean that she would fade from Middle Earth for reasons she still could not understand. Within her mind she cursed the fact that she remained parted from Aragorn, for there was still a risk that she would die before being reunited with him. At least she knew he was safe from when her mind had wandered to his and found him washed up on the shore. Hurt, yes, but safe.
Eventually, her thoughts shifted to the vision of Aragorn and his happy family. Could her father be right that Aragorn could have that future if she left for Valinor? Maybe that was the reason she had had the vision in the first place. To see what she could do for Aragorn. She knew within her heart that if the roles were reversed and he died, she would not want to keep on living.
She leaned her head back against the trunk of the tree and sat down beside her friends. She wished she could see another solution to all this but dreaded that she would only have one choice in the end. To go to Valinor and be parted from Aragorn. She knew she would never find peace in Valinor but maybe her beloved could still grow a prospering future. Even if it meant without her.
For a while longer, Arwen, Merry and Pippin sat silent by the trees as a new morning's light spread through the forest.
The sun had yet to rise when Merry broke the silence, "I really do hope they make up their minds soon. Earlier today Quickbeam told us he had been close to Orthanc the day before yesterday and heard trumpets playing a foul tune and seen all of Saruman's soldiers leave. He said he saw at least ten thousand soldiers marching away from the dark tower."
Arwen turned to look at the hobbit, "So Orthanc is for the most part unguarded?"
He smiled up at her with a knowing smile. "Indeed it is, my lady."
"Think about it again, Meriadoc," Arwen said. "Perhaps you ought not be so happy about this news. The soldiers of Saruman don't just walk away from their dwelling without purpose and surely not in such quantity either."
"So you mean…?" Merry began but his words trailed off.
"Strider and Gandalf… and…" mumbled Pippin slowly, "They're all in danger, aren't they?"
Arwen nodded when suddenly she heard strangled battle cries in her head. It sounded so close she almost expected to be attacked where she was but knew whatever it was was far away. She could hear swords clash together and arrows strung to bows. She pushed up from the ground and turned to look south at the sky which had yet to illuminate by the sun. The hobbits watched her curiously.
"There is a battle in Helms Deep, the fortress of Rohan. Blood is being spilled this night. Elves, Men and Uruk-hai are dying there. So they went straight for the world of Men…"
The hobbits were even more somber by these news and their faces fell into grave expressions.
"I hope Strider, Gimli and Legolas will be safe," Pippin mumbled.
"They will be, Pip," Merry tried to reassure. "They are all strong warriors, they'll be alright."
"No matter the outcome of this battle, this new dawn will surely bring with it great change," Arwen said.
At that moment, Quickbeam turned to them with a smile upon his tree-like lips. Arwen, Merry and Pippin wondered why he was so joyous when suddenly they all heard a loud entish sound that echoed far and wide through the forest. It sounded like someone was both singing and shouting at the same time.
"They have decided," Quickbeam spoke as he walked towards the hobbits and the elf. He lifted all three of them to sit on his branches and quickly walked through the woods towards Derndingle.
Quickbeam soon reached the other Entmoot and with his fast steps quickly caught up with Treebeard who was walking in the lead.
"Quickbeam," Treebeard greeted, but before he could say another word Merry spoke up.
"Please tell me we are marching towards Isengard? Because if we are not, I have a few things I would like to tell you!"
Slowly Treebeard waved his arm and Merry waited impatiently for the Ent to answer.
"The Ents are going to war, little hobbit. It is likely that we will face our doom and that this might be the last march of the Ents." Treebeard then reached out a hand towards Merry and Pippin and asked, "For old times' sake, would you two young hobbits go with me on this march?"
The two hobbits quickly climbed into Treebeard's waiting hand and the Ent merrily lifted the two and put them on each of his shoulder
Arwen looked down at Quickbeam's face and said, "I can walk, you know. It is very kind of you to carry me but I can walk if I am a burden to you this way."
"Walk? Burden?" Quickbeam asked and his wooden voice sounded almost offended. "Oh no, not after what happened to you yesterday! You will remain safe with me, my lady."
Arwen bowed her head and then turned to Treebeard. "Fangorn, there is something you ought to know. The Uruk-hai of Isengard have journeyed to the human fortress Helm's Deep; there is a heavy battle there at this hour. I do not know for how long they have fought but I do know that they could need help."
Treebeard glanced at her and nodded slowly, "The sun has risen here, and will soon do the same over Helm's Deep. With a sunrise comes new hope. I know what it is you ask and I do believe it will be wisest to send some Huorns to aid them. I will do so as soon as we reach Isengard."
"And when will that be?" Pippin asked.
"Oh, with our wide steps it ought not take too long, master hobbit. But then again, we do seem to have different perspectives of the term 'long'," Treebeard mused.
"No matter how long it takes," Pippin began and a small smile finally played on his lips, "I am positive you can defeat the wizard, Treebeard."
"We, master Peregrin. We can defeat him," Treebeard said and then suddenly seemed lost in thought. "You know, much has happened in my long life but I never thought it would lead to this. I wish I could have seen Fimbrethil once more. I do wish with all my heart that she had been here with me, in case this turns out to be my last march."
They marched onward and more and more Ents joined the lines behind Treebeard, and soon many hundreds of Huorns accompanied them as well. A while later they finally reached the land of Isengard and looked up at the wall around it.
Quickbeam shouted, "The tree-killer! The tree-killer!" and started running towards the gate. Arwen bounced up and down with the Ent's wide steps and looked down as she saw the white-clad Saruman hurry to escape inside his safe tower. Unfortunately, the wizard made it in time and Quickbeam stopped below the tower to guard it so that the wizard could not sneak out.
Behind them the Ents had already begun to break apart the gate and threw huge rocks at it as well as destroying the machinery of the tower's outer defenses.
"Release the river!" Treebeard's rumbling voice echoed across the grounds as Orcs ran around with torches in a desperate attempt to kill the trees around them. The river's blockage was forcefully removed and the waters instantly flooded Isengard and its underground tunnels. Whatever fires had burned beneath the ground were forever extinguished and no more darkness could be created within them.
Saruman's reign over Isengard had finally come to an end.