A Dark Shadow is Stirring

Lorien hadn’t heard of Mordor before, but a poisonous place didn’t sound like a place he’d like to visit either. He pulled out a whetstone and began sharpening his blade. “So out of all the places you’ve been, what’s your favorite?”

Lorien sharpened his blade carefully while looking over in Serethiel’s direction occasionally.

Serethiel thought carefully about Lorien's question. It was a difficult question to answer. She had seen many beautiful places during her travels, but two in particular stuck out in her mind.

"I have two because I don't think I could honestly pick between them." She reached into her bag and pulled out a well-worn map of Middle Earth. She unrolled it and laid it out so Lorien could see it. She pointed to an area in the Northwest corner of Middle Earth. "The first is a place called The Shire. It is filled with grassy, green rolling hills and a race of beings called "Hobbits". They are halflings and they are filled with joy and innocence. They are hard-working and determined and enjoy their ale and food. I have only been there a few times, but when I do I feel at peace and wish to remain forever. The other place is Lothlorien," she told him as she pointed to another area on the map. This forest was just north of Fangorn on the edge of the Misty Mountains. "This is the home of Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel, the parents of Lady Celebrian. I wish I could describe to you how beautiful this forest is, but I could not do it justice. It is tranquil and serene and one can feel a power following through it. It is just a magical place."

Lorien looked at the map, taking note of Lothlorien and the Shire as Serethiel pointed them out. The forest of Lothlorien looked quite small next to Fangorn. From the way Serethiel described it, it sounded like somewhere he’d like to visit. Lorien always had the impression that the other forest were reserved for the elves, he wondered if he’d be welcome there.

He didn’t know what to think about the Shire. Lorien had never met a halfling, it was hard to imagine. Still though, it sounded like a peaceful place. He hoped he would have a chance to see it one day.

Based what he observed of the countryside and marking similar locations on the map, and also seeing the size of Fangorn in relation to everything else, he began to get a sense of the size of middle earth. It was bigger than he imagined. He noticed Mordor on the bottom right, and something about the sight of it unsettled him. Maybe the size of such a poisoned land, or maybe how it was completely isolated. Lorien wasn’t sure, but he already didn’t like the place.

With her next to him, he couldn’t help but put an arm around her slender waist. “Maybe having a home would have it’s benefits, but there’s so much to see. I want to see it all. Then, once I know for sure the site of the most beautiful place we can find, I want to build a home for us there.”

He kissed her cheek, hoping his wish would come true. There was a lot to do before then, but at least he knew what he was fighting for.

Serethiel smiled at Lorien's thought. A home. A real home with him. She wasn't sure she would quite know what to do with herself after all this time of travelling. However, the thought of having a permanent place to call their own filled her heart with a sense of joy. It would mean the end of this coming war...but they would have to get through it first.

The following morning they set out early once again. It was late afternoon when they crossed over the border into Gondor and within the hour they found themselves at the small village. The inn where they were supposed to meet Strider was the "White Stag". It was one of two inns in the small village and Serethiel and Lorien were able to locate it easily due to the large carved, wooden sign hanging out front. They stepped inside and Serethiel's eyes scanned the room and quickly fell upon Aragorn's form, sitting in the back corner smoking a pipe. She could see him looking past her, at Lorien, and she began to wonder how he was going to react to her bringing him here. The dining area was all but empty, but Serethiel knew that it would fill up fairly quickly. Already there was a fire burning in the oversized fireplace. She indicated to Lorien that he should stay back for a moment while she approached Aragorn. It had been several months since they had last seen one another and it was always a relief after they had been separated for a time to find one another alive and well.

"I'm glad to see that you are alright my friend," she said to him in Elvish.