All Shall Fade (LOTR-Wattys 2014)

All Shall Fade - Chapter 37 - The Penny Drops

All Shall Fade

Chapter 37

The Penny Drops

I opened my eyes, instantly realising that I was dreaming when I recognised the familiar room I had stayed in back in Rivendell. I sat up, knowing that now would be a good time to ask Arwen about something that had been plaguing my brain ever since the day I had met Saruman in person. I swung my legs out of the bed I had woken up in, and walking out of the balcony, knowing I would find Arwen there. I smiled when I found her looking out at the forests below us.

“Hey.” I murmured, leaning on the delicate rail beside her. She smiled and turned to me.

“Have you been well since we last spoke?” She asked softly, and I nodded slowly.

“Uh, yeah.” I mumbled, confused by the small-talk, until I realised she knew I needed to ask her something, and was trying to provide a platform for this. “Um, Arwen?”

“Yes?”

“Do you… Do you know why I’m here?” I asked hesitantly, “I-in Middle Earth I mean?”

She turned to look back at the forest and sighed quietly, “You were brought here by the Valar child, and are being guided by them.” I nodded, staring intently out at the forest. “But to be correctly guided you must first understand your purpose here.”

“Yeah… That’s kinda why I’m asking you.” I half-laughed, but she only smiled.

“To find the answers you seek, you must look to your dreams.” She said and I frowned.

“But I am looking to my dreams!” I cried, “This is a dream, and I’m seeking answers! This pretty much fits the bill!” She gently put her hand on my arm and I exhaled heavily.

“Calm yourself child, if you do not you will blind yourself to the answers you so desperately need to find.” She murmured soothingly, “Do as I say and you will understand in good time.” With those words, her image began to fade.

“Arwen! Wait!” I cried, reaching out for her, but my hand fell through thin air and my surroundings faded to a dim white light.

I blinked awake, finding myself staring at a dark nothingness, and I realised that it must be the middle of the night. I could hear Eowdrin’s soft breathing as she slept across the room from me. I rolled onto my back and tried going to sleep again, but I couldn’t get my dream off my mind. What on earth could she mean by look to my dreams? The only dreams I’d been having recently were about a now-deceased wizard, her, and my reoccurring nightmare…

Oh my God.

My nightmare.

My nightmare.

“Oh my God.” I sat bolt upright, “I am so thick.” I felt like slamming my head against a brick wall – why hadn’t I seen it before? I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could, making sure not to wake Eowdrin as I dashed for the door. I didn’t know why, but I needed to tell Aragorn. I just knew it couldn’t wait until morning, it was like I was still dreaming, and I needed to get the words out to someone as soon as I could, before I woke up and forgot. I crept out into the dark hallway, feeling my way along until my eyes adjusted to the gloom and I was able to run along with some element of freedom, even though I only had a vague idea of where the room Aragorn shared with Legolas and Gimli was. When I breathlessly arrived at the dark form of the wooden door that hopefully belonged to him, I found myself at a loss. Did I knock and risk waking everyone in the room, and face the possible embarrassment of finding myself at the wrong room? Or did I just creep in and find Aragorn? I decided it was best to creep in, so I carefully opened to door, wincing at it creaked, and breathing a sigh of relief as I heard Gimli’s loud snores. At least I had the right room. I tiptoed across the room to Aragorn’s bed. I’d worked out it was his by process of elimination. For one thing, he wasn’t snoring, and it was pretty easy to tell where Legolas was, as even in the darkness his blonde hair shone like a beacon. I knelt by his side and gently shook his shoulder. “Aragorn?” I whispered as quietly as I could, “Aragorn?” I repeated his name over and over, gradually getting a fraction louder and shaking him a little more roughly, until on the other side of the room Legolas sat up with an irritated groan and none-too-quietly said: