"Ride to war, Daerundros! Ride! Fly!"
Stunned and surprised, I gazed around myself to see a figure seated on a chair. A fireplace chimed happily behind her, and the walls were covered in a pleasant green color, like the forest. She stood up from her odd seating position and straightened herself, dusting off a few stray specks of dirt that had gotten into her clothes. The chair slowly turned to Daerundros, and within it, was an odd... something...
It was an Elf with golden hair and soft grey eyes peering at her. She had the same long nose as Daerundros, the same eye shape, and her hair was cut in the same neat style in which Daerundros had kept her hair in. It seemed to be yet another version of Daerundros.. yet more pleasing and more... purity emitting from her.
"You are my counterpart again?" Daerundros groaned. Due to the dim light it was hard to tell the Golden hair apart from the rest of her features. One might have assumed that it actually was Daerundros if it were not for those grey eyes that gave away the other Elf's identity.
"No... I am technically also a part of you..." The Elf began loftily: Daerundros groaned once more, but the other Elf smiled widely, "I am your subconsious."
Subconscious? This was getting more ridiculous every single minute.
"What...?" Daerundros trailed off, and she almost jumped back in repulsiveness.
"Daerundros, you must ride to war. You cannot leave your brethren alone." She says. Daerundros meekly sat down again, bewildered--
Cuinichereth reared and neighed as Daerundros grodgily woke up from her meditative sleep, rather annoyed.
"Shh! Cuinichereth! Shhh!" She whispered. It was the cover of night and they were camping near the spot where Daerundros had found an injured Minyelaire. The trees were still as tall as ever, the needles of the pine trees exactly straight like the last time they were here... The stars shone in the same way as well. She regarded this place as important: It was the place where she and Minyelaire bonded and became close friends, and she held those memories dearly. Any sensible Elf would have passed the Gates of Imladris right away, without stopping, but Daerundros knew better: It was best not to disturb the guards at night and face their wrath. However, sensing Cuinichereth's questionable anxiety gave her no choice: She had to call out and dodge a few quick arrows before the guards stopped, recognizing the leaf-shaped ears in the moonlight.
"Who are you?" The female archer yelled back.
"Daerundros Ivlireth, with my steed, Cuinichereth!" Daerundros yelled back.
"Ah, the rather cheeky warioress again." The other archer smiled. Daerundros grinned as well.
"What news in Imladris? I had heard some things occured while I was away with Minyelaírë." She asked. The Guards snarled at the mention of Minyelaírë; It seemed they knew her as well.
"War.. War in the North." The other replied, after a long and empty silence. Daerundros froze.
"Battle?" She asked, rather eager.
"Yes, Lin Giliath is under siege from the Yrch in Dol Dínen." The male guard said limply.
"I would suggest you talk to Lord Elrond first before setting off like the reckless swordmistress you tend to be.. with that Avar... the Lord was... expecting you." The female guard sarcastically rolled her eyes saying "reckless swordmistress" and "Avar" but her face turned serious mentioning the audience with Lord Elrond.
Daerundros playfully waggled her finger, but her face was grim, "Now now... no arguments about Loteriel."
"You even gave her a Quenya name?" The female asked bewilderedly. However, ignoring the mutterings, Daerundros simply whistled for Cuinichereth to follow and set off down the path to the Last Homely House, leaving the two guards to stand sentry again.
Taking Cuinichereth to the stables first, Daerundros walked to the paths to the Last Homely House rather bemused: What would Lord Elrond require of her?
Daerundros passed the great doors to the main hall curious: Elves whispered here and there, very little of them regarding her and giving her any attention at all. She went up the paths to his library, opened the door, and stepped in.
In a rather Minyelaírë-like fashion, instead of using the stairs, the Noldor simply let herself dangle off the edge of the balcony, before landing in a graceful heap in front of Lord Elrond, who was watching her in amusement. She bowed.
"My child, that Avar has already marked you with so many things." He remarked. Daerundros smiled.
"She is amazing, is she not?" She said rather affectionately.
"Yes... amazing in a few ways more than I would like..." He muttered. However, Daerundros pretended not to hear and instead and gazed at the mighty Peredhil with a questionable look in her eyes.
"You required my presence, lord?" She asked.
Elrond nodded, "I have heard a few tales of your prowess, Daerundros, and I would like you to ride to the aid of those who are presently camped within Lin Giliath. The journey for Harad can wait later." He added, as Daerundros opened her mouth to protest slightly. She closed it again, confused.
"My lord.. how did you...?"
"I think everyone had heard Minyelaírë's statement during that meeting a few weeks ago." He said grimly. Daerundros blinked: Ah, Minyelaírë and her loud statements. There was no point in arguing with her about it, however, so Daerundros simply nodded.
"Do not worry about not seeing Minyelaírë. She has ridden with the host as well." Lord Elrond smiled.
"Umm...." Daerundros trailed off. What would she say?
"I have my ways of finding things out." Lord Elrond said simply. Daerundros meekly nodded again.
"Go now, Daerundros. There is a stack of supplies outside waiting for you. I am sure Cuinichereth can carry them on her own. May the blessings of the Valar guide you on this journey."
Daerundros nodded once again and bowed herself out of the library, however, she hesitated and turned back to Lord Elrond.
"My lord... may I at least... take my armour...?" She inquired. Elrond sighed.
"If you insist."
Daerundros firmly nodded for the fourth time before striding out of the door. Once she was out of the house, she broke into a run, taking a quarter of the supplies with her and turning to a small cottage along the road to the stables: Her small house in Rivendell, which she resided in during those visits to Imladris.
Running inside and discarding the packs and her own bag, she hurriedly opened a small closet and gazed inside, coughing slightly as she dusted off an old, cloth covered bundle. She carefully took it out of the closet and set it on the small, quaint bed, before unwrapping the cloth bundle and looking steadily at the piece of armour concealed within.
It was light, supple chainmail medium armour, the same which she had worn during the Siege of Eregion in SA 1697. She examined it with a proud look in her eyes: It was still in the same condition in which she had left it in Imladris during TA 2443. It still shone bright white, no specks of dust visible save for the cloth in which it was wrapped in. Her most beloved garment of armour, a piece of history from the days in which she would go about defending the innocent and slaying any orc she met.
Proudly she took off her muddy brown hauberk and took onto herself the Armour of Eregion: The light feeling it brought was still as present as ever, and once she looked into the reflective mirror hanging on the chimney, there was no trace of the neutral, indifferent Daerundros which so many had met before: The Daerundros in the reflection, was fierce, mighty, and beautiful. Her eyes, dark blue, gleamed with something more than the old longing of battle; It gleamed with the pride of the Noldor, and the power of the Eldar.
__________________________
Unstabling Cuinichereth and setting the packs, Daerundros galloped in front of the Last Homely House, taking the packs she left at the front door. Dragging them back to the Horse, Cuinichereth looked at Daerundros with bemusement.
"I know that you do not wish to carry these now, but this is a dire time. Please, Cuinichereth?" Daerundros whispered into the horse's ear. Cuinichereth examined Daerundros with a fire in her eyes, which told her that Cuinichereth could handle it.
"Thank you." She said.
Saddling Cuinichereth, she rode up the slopes slowly, looking tall and Majestic, as she rode off into the night. She would be going back to where she had left off: Battle and Vengeance.
