Outside Minas Tirith, she sat, waiting.

  They were here.

A green elvish cloak was pulled over her distinct hair. She shivered. As she looked up, something landed on her nose. It was flaky and white. Ash. From Mount Doom.

This has to end she thought. She had seen armies preparing. Armies to murder every being on this Earth. To get to Minas Tirith, they'd have to go through her.

The Lady Galadriel was here as well. Celeborn and Elrond were with her.

She heard a rustling behind her. She spun around, and saw naught. But then a twig snapped. She got up, bowstring taut.

"I thought that servants stayed with their masters." came an icy voice from the shadows. "I am not your servant." she said, voice shaky. "Get away from me."

The icy voice laughed. "Or else? Or else what? It's not like you'd stab me or anything."

Despite the danger, she smiled. "You are ever the same as when I last saw you. Just put down the act, and reveal yourself."

"I cannot, ma'am." the voice said, lighter now. Footsteps walked away. She frowned. He'd reveal himself, she'd make sure of that.

()()()()

Legolas was wide awake, listening to the words of Galadriel, Elrond, Celeborn and Gandalf. Arwen stood silently.

"Eldarion clearly can work serious magic." said Celeborn.

"Eldarion could not do this. He is but a child." said Galadriel. "He has help."

"But why did the pain start when he shot the animal?" asked Elrond. They all thought Legolas was asleep. He listened. Dawn was shivering in her sleep.

"I have an answer, but it may seem foolish." said Gandalf.

"Gandalf, your words are never foolish." said Galadriel. "Speak."

"Eldarion, or whoever is behind this, has set up a network of magic over the land," he began. "Stealing energy from all souls that die in Middle-earth."

This earned a stunned silence. "That is impossible." Elrond said. "No one being could have that much power without the Ring, Eldarion or not."

"The Ring is destroyed, Elrond. This is our point." Celeborn said. "Instead of the Ring as a power source, they use energy of all souls that die."

Arwen let out a sob. "No! I will not let that be true!" Elrond ran to his daughter. "It is the only explanation, Arwen." he said.

"I will not have my daughters be fuel for my son!" she cried. "It is evil!" Tears wet her cheeks.

Legolas was horrified by this thought. It was also the only logical explanation, like Elrond had said. He hated the idea. How cruel could this new Dark Lord be?He knew the 'Dark Lord' they spoke of was Eldarion, which was even worse.

Dawn had stopped trembling. Her eyes shot wide open. No one but Legolas saw. Though he hated her, he put a finger to his lips when she opened her mouth to speak. She nodded, and closed her eyes, making her breath even.

()()()()

Outside the discussion room, Eowyn and Faramir sat with the hobbits.

"What is happening inside there?" ashed Fifi, who was sitting by Haddy.

"I do not know exactly," Faramir said. "But I can guess they discuss Legolas and Dawn." Eowyn stiffened at the mention of Dawn. The hobbits, as usual, wondered why Eowyn hated Dawn so much.

"Dawn can freeze with naught but her cold heart in that room." Eowyn muttered. Faramir looked at her, shock in his eyes. "What is this, Eowyn?" he asked. "You must learn to forget."

"I cannot forget death, Faramir." she said. "Do not ask me to." He looked at her. "Aye, no one can forget death. You must."

Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin sat a ways off, talking to each other. "I do wonder what caused her to be in that state, Mr. Frodo." Sam commented. Frodo was just staring into the distance, spaced out.

"Dawn must've done her a right injustice." said Merry. "I cannot imagine being angry like that."

Fifi came over to Merry. "Father, I am lonely." she said, her eyes clouded with worry.

"Maybe if you hadn't climbed in the wagon with Haddy." he began. "You would've done just the same!" Sam said. Fifi looked at Frodo as if seeing a ghost. "I have heard an awful lot about you from Uncle Sam." she said.

"Uncle?" Frodo asked.

"I am, in one way or another." Sam said. "Everyone in the Shire is related."

"She looks just like you, Merry." Frodo said. Merry smiled. "Aye, but she looks up to old Pip here." Pippin, who was eating an apple, snapped into conversation. "What? Who? Oh yeah, she does."

"Serafina Brandybuck. What had you choose the name?" Frodo asked.

"Named her after an elf." Merry said. The hobbits fell into silence.

()()()()

Astrida and Ledolorn were at the overhang, just watching everything. Their white robes blew. Astrida's long black hair was braided. Darkness would have settled in, but the fire from the mountains kept everything in a perpetual red glow.

Behind them stood Sildion, with his red hair loose. His eyes roamed the city. He walked to the edge, and looked down, his stomach feeling sick instantly. He had never liked heights.

Ledolorn looked at Astrida. The two were in love, and there was no denying it. And they kissed, neither one caring who saw. They had not kissed in years. A blink in the eyes of an elf, but still a long time. They had each been busy with their own struggles.

Astrida broke the kiss. She looked around, her eyes wide. "Something is amiss." she said. Sildion walked over. "Whatever it is, I don't care." he said. "Unless it harms you."

Ledolorn gave him a look. Mount Doom hissed. 

The wind picked up, blowing away some shadow, or so it seemed. Dawn emerged from behind them, and Ledolorn jumps slightly. "How are you so silent, even for an elf?" he asked. Dawn shrugged. "I learned from the best." she said bitterly. This made all three elves flinch.

She wore a black shirt and black leggings instead of a robe. She had hidden them well, but underneath her shirt there were two daggers. Her hair was down.

Astrida looked over the edge again. "Something moves down there." she said. "An elf."

Dawn now was the one who looked fearful. She and the others dashed out to meet this elf. They found her almost up the steps. She had a hood pulled over her head, but a strand of her distinctive hair fell out. They all knew who she was. Sildion took a step forward, daring to speak her name.

"Tauriel?"