Aragorn woke up on his bed, head throbbing. Arwen looked at him. Upon seeing that he was awake, she laughed, and hugged him gently.

"Aragorn!" she cried. "I feared you would never wake."Despite the pain, Aragorn managed a laugh, weak and faint. "I will always wake up, Arwen. Always."

They embraced for a long time. Legolas and Gimli walked in. "Aragorn!" Gimli yelled. "I'm going to kill you!" Aragorn smiled at his old friend. Legolas was smiling, but there was urgency in his eyes. "Aragorn," he began. "There is someone here to see you."

The doors opened, and standing there, was a woman with sable hair that seemed to be filled with stars. Her face was pale as snow, and her eyes were a dark, sapphire blue. Aragorn recognized her instantly.

"I saved you, Lord Aragorn." she said plainly, walking over to his bed. "I brought you to the Houses of Healing, and saved your life." There was no emotion in her voice. She did not look for thanks, nor praise. She just stood there. Legolas did an awkward sidestep from her.

"Who are you?" Arwen asked, eyes blazing. You could not tell if she was angry, or just overwhelmed with gratitude.

The woman met her fierce gaze. "I am no one, but you may call me Dawn Sapphire." Arwen looked at her in distrust. "That does not sound like a real name." she said. No one was watching him, so Aragorn sat up, though his back hurt.

Arwen spun around. "Lay down!" she exclaimed. "Arwen." he said. "I have fallen off of cliffs, fought the Black Land, and battled Ringwraiths. I'm fine." She backed away.

"Where do you come from, Dawn Sapphire?" Aragorn asked her. He could not help but noticed Legolas' sweating palms, his shocked eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked Legolas. Legolas said nothing, only nodded.

"I cannot ignore you forever." Dawn said to Legolas. "You cannot either." Everyone else was highly confused. Legolas' face was red with frustration. He walked out of the room, fighting to stay composed.

"Never mind him." Gimli said. "Now, why are you here?" he asked Dawn. Her cold eyes met his. "All in good time, dwarf." she said, her voice icy. The fury left her eyes as she spoke again.

"I saved you because I was in the right place at the right time. Simple." Aragorn searched for a lie in her voice, but there was none. "As for why the black land stirs, I can tell you that."

"Tell us!" Arwen cried. But just then, two more people came into the room. Faramir and Eowyn.

"Eowyn! Faramir!" Aragorn said. But Eowyn looked at Dawn, and spun on her heel. "I will not deal with her!" she shouted. "Vile!"

"How rude." Dawn said sardonically. "I was beginning to think we were friends." Still, no emotion laced her sarcastic comment. Eowyn snorted. "Us? Friends? You must be mad."

"Yes, actually, I am." Dawn hissed. Eowyn left the room.

"You said you know why armies are in Mordor?" Gimli asked. "How?"

"The Ring was destroyed by Frodo Baggins." Dawn said. "It is not reforged. Nor is it Sauron. He is dead. I do not know exactly who or what it is. I only know that he will not rest until Middle-earth is his."

"As for Eldarion?" Arwen asked. "Do you know of him?" Dawn shook her head. "Only rumors I will not say. I do not trust them." She turned to the window. Snow fell.

"This is not snow." she said. "This is ash, from Orodruin." Faramir, who had stayed silent this whole time, spoke up now. "What will we do?" he asked. No one answered.

"It is only logical that we fight!" Gimli growled. "I say we march on the Gate!"

"No, Gimli." Aragorn said. "Not this time. I would like to know what I am fighting first."

Dawn's face fell. But no one noticed, for she recovered quickly. Her eyes remained guarded. No one could know what she was thinking.

As Aragorn and Faramir talked, Arwen went to find Eowyn. The two of them had become rather close as Faramir lived in Minas Tirith, and they were married.

()()()()

She found Eowyn sitting on a bed in an extra room. Her face was contorted an anger. "What is wrong?"

"Only that 'warrior'." Eowyn said. "She is evil. Do not trust her."

Arwen was about to ask why, but thought better of it. She changed the subject. "How are Dayomir and Aravaylen?" They were Eowyn's children. Dayomir was seventeen, born three years after Eldarion. Aravaylen was thirteen. She looked just like Eowyn.

"Fine." Eowyn answered. "Dayomir is in Rohan, while Aravaylen is coming here. Well, she was. Now, I want them to stay in Rohan, where it's safe."

"It is no safer in Rohan than it is at the Black Gate." Arwen said. "They both must come here. I assume you left Dayomir in charge of Rohan?" Eowyn nodded. "I would not stay behind. I wanted to see for myself the city, and Mordor. I wanted to see if the rumors were true."

"What rumors?" Arwen asked. Dawn had spoke of rumors, but had not shared them with her and Aragorn.

"That...that a new Dark Lord has risen. And that he is your son."

Arwen fell backwards. No. It couldn't be...

But they are only rumors.

Does Aragorn know?

They are not true.

Arwen's heart cried out in anguish. It was impossible. No way. Eldarion, her ion. He could not fall to the shadow. Her soul was cold, and her eyes brimmed with tears. It couldn't be true. Not her little Evenstar.

A torrent of anger replaced the fear and grief. She ran out of the room, Eowyn following. "Where are you going?" she cried. "I didn't mean to upset you!" Arwen spun around. She had never been this angry in her life. "I am going to find ion nin. Stay if you like. And she was off again.

Eowyn had to warn Aragorn! She ran into the Houses of Healing. "Arwen is running off!" she cried. "She believes Eldarion is in Mordor!" She was silenced when she saw Faramir and Aragorn's eyes. Dawn must've told them the rumor.

"We are going to the Grey Havens." Dawn said.

* Ion nin- My son