Forgotten Allies: part vi
by: McJen


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"The whole course of human history may depend on a change of heart in a single solitary, even humble individual. For it is within the soul of the individual that the battle between good and evil is waged and ultimately won or lost." - Thoreau
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A sliver of the waxing moon had risen high into the sky while Legolas and Kate sat upon the wall. Legolas could not remember the last time he had been able to share tales of his friendship with Gimli, and made the most of the opportunity. Kate was a perfect audience. She listened with rapt attention and laughed in all the right places. The sound of Legolas' laughter joined hers, though his was tainted by sadness and Kate had not the heart to ask of Gimli's end. On this night, Legolas told stories of only happiness, hoping to ease Kate's mind of troubles and in part, to heal his heart that had mourned for Gimli everyday anew.

In the distance, they saw the front door open and a shaft of light pierce the darkness. Gandalf was waiting. The time for uncertainty was over. Kate stood and with a newfound determination strode purposefully towards the house. Gandalf smiled at her warmly as he held the door open for her and she walked inside. Elrond was seated by the fireplace, staring into the burning embers, lost within his own thoughts.

"I am sure you have many questions." Gandalf said.

Kate nodded. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the note Elrohir and Elladan had given her father.

"The note was from me." Gandalf said. "Though, I have now spent many nights regretting that I ever sent it."

Kate sat down upon the couch, and listened as Gandalf spoke.

"It said, `Evil is growing, as I feared it would. Its presence can be felt upon the shores of Valinor. I have sent you two companions. Colin must take them to see the source of this evil. Only their eyes will be able to distinguish if this mortal is Sauron taken new form, or if he is simply a mortal, doomed to play the role of evil in this lifetime. Great haste is needed, for the evil grows stronger by the day. I will return when I can." Gandalf folded the letter and handed it back to Kate.

"Elrohir and Elladan, my sons, accompanied your brother." Elrond said.

"When the planned date of their return came, they were not there. For two weeks I waited," Gandalf said. "But they never arrived."

"Then you don't have any idea where they are?" Kate asked.

Gandalf shook his head. "The last time I saw them they were in occupied France. Being aided by the resistance leaders, upon my request."

"And they had to see Hitler." Kate said, at a whisper, the horror of the reality was much worse than whatever trouble she had imagined for her brother.

"Do not give up hope, child. I did not send them into the face of evil with no hope of return." Gandalf said. "Elrohir and Elladan are two of the greatest warriors, if there was

trouble to be had, they would not go without a fight." "That's not comforting." Kate said. "Are we going to go look for them? Is that why you're here?"

"No, whatever paths their road takes them on, it is their own. And we will not walk it, at least not that I can foresee." Gandalf said. "Our road lies elsewhere."

"It has something to do with the body, beneath the tree." Kate said.

Gandalf nodded. "That was your many times great-grandmother. Arwen Evenstar."

Kate gasped, her eyes turned to Elrond. "If that is true, then she. . . .she is your daughter."

Elrond nodded.

"If I had offended you in any way. I am sorry." Kate said, her head hung in shame.

"It is no fault of yours. You were protecting her honor and for that I am grateful." Elrond said.

"But what were you looking for?" Kate asked.

"My race is immortal." Elrond said. "But for my family who is half- elven, we must choose which path to take. That of the mortal life or to remain immortal. The choice is contained in a pendant she wore since birth. When she made her decision, to remain mortal, the pendant should have been destroyed in a ceremony. However, she gave hers as a token of her love to Aragorn. It was a time of war and she felt……….she felt wearing the pendant would return him to her alive. After the war was over and my people were leaving Middle-Earth, we took all remnants of our power with us. I should have insisted the pendent be destroyed. In my weakness of spirit, I allowed her to keep it. Our parting. . . . .was not on the best of terms." Elrond said. He closed his eyes, willing the emotions back, after thousands of years recalling this memory was still almost more than Elrond could bear. Silence fell upon the room, and for a long moment all that could be heard was the crackle of the fire. Eventually he opened his eyes.

"But in our parting, I allowed her to keep it, in the vain hopes she would take it back and reconsider her decision to remain mortal. I was wrong. And my decision has come back to haunt me. Should this new evil that is rising within Middle- Earth, come into possession of this pendant, they will be granted immortality. And against that sort of strength, your people have no hope of prevailing." Elrond said.

"What. . . .what must we do?" she asked.

"Since the pendant is not here, it must be within Aragorn's grave." Gandalf said. "We will leave at sunup."

"That's all we have to do? Dig up another grave?" Kate asked. "That shouldn't be hard."

"I hope you are right." Gandalf said. ************************************************


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