Hiding in Plain Sight

Chapter Eleven: To Dunharrow, Elrond Comes and Sends Us to the Paths of the Dead

(A/N: Find the Narnia reference!!!!)

Four days after Vithrendir left, Aragorn and I were sitting outside watching for the beacons, I saw a light spring up and we shot up and ran into the Great Hall. We burst through the door with Aragorn shouting.


"The beacons of Minas Tirith! The beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid."


Theoden thought for a second,


"And Rohan will answer!" He turned to Eomer, "Muster the Rohirrim. Assemble the army at Dunharrow, as many men as can be found. You have two days. On the third, we ride for Gondor, and war."


Eomer bowed, and left.


"Gamling."


"My lord!"


"Make haste across the Riddermark. Summon every able-bodied man to Dunharrow."


"I will."


We left the hall and I found Cy, Wyn, and Thia with the horses.


"We are leaving, come."


"Now is the hour, Riders of Rohan. Oaths you have taken. Now fulfill them all, to Lord and Land!"


***


We rode for a few hours until we came to Dunharrow. There was already a camp when we got there, which was nice. Thia and I noticed a horse nearby the mountain, a pass was cut into it. A ghost of a man was standing there, watching me with hatred burning in his eyes, and then suddenly disappeared.


"Did you see that ghost, Gyana?"


"What did he look like to you?"


"Sad. Pitying."


"He looked angry to me."


"Perhaps that is because you are more closely related to him, than I am, or because Magyana and her gyana are there."


"I think you may be right."


"Or maybe it's because he knows that you haven't told someone that he has a child."


"Are you hinting at something or do you really believe that?"


"Yes?"


I sighed.


Our tent was next to Aragorn's, who had his own.


We stayed awake, not wanting to sleep, and settled for trancing.


About an hour later, a soldier opened the curtain,


"Ma'am? King Theoden awaits you, my lady, and your daughter."


We got up, and followed him and Aragorn to Théoden's tent. There was a hooded figure standing there with the king. Theoden looked at the person, then at us.


"I take my leave. "


The person turned after he left and removed the hood. Lord Elrond.


We all bowed, "Lord Elrond."


"I come on behalf of one whom I love. Arwen is dying. She will not long survive the evil that now spreads from Mordor. The light of the evenstar is failing. As Sauron's power grows, her strength wanes. Arwen's life is now tied to the fate of the Ring. The Shadow is upon us, Aragorn. The end has come."


"It will not be our end, but his."


"You ride to war but not to victory. Sauron's armies ride on Minas Tirith, this you know. But in secret he sends another force, which will attack, from the river. A fleet of Corsair ships sails from the South. They will be in the city in two days. You're outnumbered Aragorn. You need more men."


"There are none."


"There are those that dwell in the mountain."


"Murderers, traitors. You would call upon them to fight? They believe in nothing. They answer to no one."


"They will answer to the King of Gondor." Elrond pulled a sword out from under his robes, and held it out to Aragorn, "Andúril, the Flame of the West, forged from the shards of Narsil."


Aragorn took the blade from him.


"Sauron will not have forgotten the sword of Elendil. The blade that was broken shall return to Minas Tirith."


"The man who can wield the power of this sword can summon to him an army more deadly than any that walks this earth. Put aside the Ranger. Become who you were born to be, Ínen i-Estel Edain." (I gave hope to the Dúnedain)


"Í-chebin Estel anim." (I have kept no hope for myself.)


He sheathed the sword and left. Elrond turned to Thia and I.


"You must follow him, Zhyraenzia. He will need your support. Hyacinthia, however, must stay with Théodwyn and Cylarixiene. The Dimholt is not a road for a young elleth."


"I think I could be brave enough."


"It is not that you are not brave enough, it is that you have not yet come into your heritage. Your great-grandmothers, your mother and her mother are exceptionally powerful elleths. You will join them once you are older. To have both of his descendants on the same path is dangerous. You are allowed to fight in this battle, but you must stay with Cylarixiene, at the least."


Thia nodded, "Alright."


"I have to speak with your mother alone, now."


"I'll wait back in our tent, then." Thia gave us each a hug, and left.


Elrond turned back to me after listening to Thia's retreating steps.


"You know who waits for you in the mountain."


I nodded mutely.


"Do not despair, Zhyraenzia, your family has not and will not abandon you. You are the key to the lock. Aragorn's lineage may not be enough to attract his eye. Especially if you are allied with him, his own granddaughter and the heir of Elendil. The greatest threat he will ever face,"


He smiled.


"You need to go, soon, as do I. I will see you again, though. Farewell."


"Farewell."


I left the tent and headed to mine.


"Thia?"


"Gyana?"


"I'm leaving with Aragorn, now. Would you like me to get Wyn or Cy?"


"Sure. Stay safe, Gyana."


"You, as well, Thia."


I grabbed my stuff, and headed out. Seeing Cy otherwise occupied, I asked Wyn to stay with Thia, and she happily obliged.


***


I found Aragorn and Gimli,


"Just where do you think you're off to?"


"Not this time. This time you must stay Gimli."


"Hmmmm..."


He walked up beside Aragorn, leading his horse, "Have you learnt nothing of the stubbornness of dwarves?"


"You might as well accept it. We're going with you laddie."


***


We rode from the camp along the Dimholt road.


"What kind of army would linger in such a place?"


"One that is cursed." He said, "Long ago the men of the mountains swore an oath to the last King of Gondor to come to his aid, to fight. But when the time came, when Gondor's need was dire, they fled vanishing into the darkness of the mountain. And so Isildur cursed them, never to rest until they had fulfilled their pledge."

"Who shall call them from the grey twilight, the forgotten people?" I remembered, "The heir of him to whom the oath they swore. From the North shall he come, need shall drive him. He shall pass the door to the Paths of the Dead."


***


A few minutes later, two figures dropped down, seemingly out of nowhere, a few yards ahead of us.


Their eyes locked onto mine, they beckoned me forward. I walked slowly towards them.


"Eih! Ne riwen-asfur heali roia!" (Come! We don't have much time!)


"Ne hevren-qiyen riu i-hule weru!" (They don't even know who you are!)


"Ne hevren-qiyen riu i-hule weru!" (They don't even know who you are!)


I frowned. "Gieyn. Erteq jen-asfur kiy. Mor. Er xios-hule fes Raenzia." (Fine. But we talk here. Now. And you call me Raenzia.)


They nodded, and dropped their hoods and masks. They nodded to me, and I dropped mine. Sure enough. Zhyrenza and Zhyraniel. My Grandmother and Mother. I beckoned for the others to come to us without looking behind me.


"Riwes-hule ne veri hi gid?" (You haven't told him yet?)


"Nei." (No.)


"Raenzia, ados-hule veri hi!" (Raenzia, you must tell him!)


"Ne fri mor!" (Not right now!)


The others reached us.


"What's going on?"


"Just a little family reunion. Why is Thia not here?" My mother asked, her accent as sharp as I remembered it.


"Her great-uncle said no. She can't meet you until she has come into her heritage."


"Gieyn. But she will soon, I can tell you that much." Grandmother said. "This war will make her grow up fast." (Fine)


"I know."


"Your Rakyada will fall, but only if you are part of the distraction. The ring will be destroyed. Elendil's heir will sit upon his throne." (Grandfather)


"Gyana, you are doing it again." (Mother)


"I'm sorry. His rise to power has made me confused at times. That is why we came here. And because we knew Raenzia would take this path eventually."


"Which reminds me, Once he knows, he will try to get you on his side. Or destroy you. We have refused too many times, and we aren't as powerful. You have the Lady's blood in your veins. You are even more of a threat. Use your bloodline against him."


"And once he is destroyed you may feel pain. It is a curse he placed on his blood family, but it will pass away after a few minutes. We will feel it, too. After he is gone, we will come out and find you."


I grimaced. "Zeyan, erteq adon-asfur nim." (Sorry, but we must go.)


"Kiola, jader-lir." (Goodbye, my daughter.)


"Kiola, Gyana." (Goodbye, Mother.)


"Kiola, Raenzia." {This should be obvious.}


"Kiola, Magyana." (Goodbye, Grandmother)



"Who were those women?" He asked.


"My mother and grandmother." I answered, shortly. He took the hint and said nothing more.


Even though we had horses, eventually we started to walk, leading our horses by the reins, because they refused to carry us, especially after meeting my mother and grandmother.


"The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away."


We reached the doors. He read the inscription above the door.


"The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead and the dead keep it. The way is shut."


Something came out of the door towards us at a rush. It spooked the horses, which pulled on the reins and ran away from us.


"Brego!"


Gimli looks alarmed.


"I do not fear death!" Aragorn walked through the entrance, the elf close behind.


"Well this is a thing unheard of. An elf will go underground, where a dwarf dare not. Oh. Oh, I'd never hear the end of it." Gimli ran after them, with me after him.