THROUGH THE EYES OF AN ELF
I am an Elf. An Elf from a Woodland Realm of Mirkwood, ruled by my father. Like him, I am one of the high elves, yet inhabited by a vast majority of wood elves. By right I am a Prince, but yet I'm rarely at my father's court. Instead, I am one of the forest guards patrolling the boarders of our homeland for any intrusion. Even after all of the events that have happened since the beginning of the Quest for Erebor, things in Mirkwood have not changed. Only a more-developed conscious and a friendship with a Dwarf, the latter of which I've been keeping to myself. Some Elves may still hold the Dwarves in low regard. While my involvement in the Battle of the Five Armies was the first major battle I've ever been in, it was nothing compared to what has happened after that.
It all started when I first met Aragorn, who wandered inside the woods at only the age of 35 but was fairly young because he is one of the Dunedain. I didn't know who he was at first until I noticed the Ring of Barahir on his finger. He was Isildur's Heir, fated to claim the long-empty throne of Gondor. Most of my people did not trust any outsiders but somehow I warmed up to him quickly, much to my own surprise. Despite the gloom and bitterness that surrounded him, under the exterior belies a good heart. During the first meeting, he brought a strange creature called Gollum which he and Gandalf have hunted for days into our midsts in hopes of its rehabilitation. This Gollum was once a Hobbit named Smeagol, who came from a clan of the riverfolk. The One Ring somehow drove him mad, becoming a creature that he was then. After a short time, Gollum disappeared from the woods, never to return. Aragorn and I remained friends in the days that followed, and I was among the first to respond to the summons of Lord Elrond. It concerned the One Ring, and it had to be destroyed.
Thus, the Fellowship of the Ring was made. The Nine Walkers to match the Nine Ringwraiths, who have long pursued the Ring. Aragorn, Gandalf and myself were included. Our Quest was to destroy the Ring before Sauron could reclaim it to begin his rule over all of Middle-earth.
There were also the four Hobbits. Frodo is one of them, a reluctant volunteer to bear such a big burden. Then there are his three friends from the Shire: Samwise, Meriadoc and Peregrin. Frodo, Merry and Pippin were all of noblity while Sam is from a working class who served Frodo as his Gardener. These four adventurous Hobbits were are raised in the comforts of their home, probably caring little of the happenings of the outside world. I've grown very fond of each of them, and that fondness is lasting even today.
Also included in the Fellowship was Boromir of Gondor, who we all immediately suspected of attempting to take the Ring and claim it for himself. Overtime, however, Boromir has proved himself a valiant man but had some deep flaws within him as well. It was after Boromir was tempted by the Ring's corruptive powers that he fell in battle, pierced by many arrows defend Merry and Pippin who were taken captive soon after. Further explanation from his brother Faramir reveals that it was their father Denethor, not Boromir himself, who wanted the Ring only for the defense of Gondor.
Then there's... Gimli. He's the Dwarf who is the son of one of the thirteen we've captured over sixty years back for only a brief time until their escape with the help of another Hobbit - Bilbo, who is really a distant cousin of Frodo's and happens to share the same birthday with him. Due to the long animosity between our races, the initial interactions between Gimli and myself were mostly hostile. It wasn't until the fateful events of Moria, including Gandalf's supposed death, that things got better between us. We no longer regarded to each other as enemies, but companions fighting for the same cause. I'm still not sure whether his courtly love with Lady Galadriel has helped - he even kept three locks of her hair. The competitive streak was still there, however, as Gimli and I have found a new way to get off the steam. Aside from a drinking game, there was a sport in which we compete on whoever kills the most orcs or otherwise. By the war the War of the Ring ended, Gimli and I became inseparable. I've decided to abandon patrolling so we can go sight-seeing all over Middle-earth, exploring lands that we've not yet reached.
As of now, there's a rather large amount of 'Elf Envy' that's especially aimed towards me - not only from Gimli but from every being of the outside world I have come across over the years. Aragorn had often teased me whether or not I've had my hair brushed. Even the Hobbits grew to envy me, especially two of them in particular, albeit different reasons. Pippin has recently taken up archery and has surprisingly gotten better within the first few lessons. It's not that I doubt Pippin's strength but I suspected part of the reason was due to 'Elf Envy'. Frodo was quite envious of me as well, and to my surprise was the first Hobbit to admit it. It was envy alright, but we both knew it was because Frodo had often felt like he was the weakest compared to the rest of the Fellowship and he finally wanted to break out of it, wanted to make those who had pursued him for the Ring pay. Each of us had done our part in protecting Frodo, who in turn felt like it was time he does the same. As for me being the first to appear in Frodo's vision through the Mirror of Galadriel, maybe I'm intended to be the first to fall to the Ring? It wasn't likely, though my grandfather Oropher and his battalion of soldiers being the first to fall during the Last Alliance might have something to do with it. I knew my father had been bitter about that event for years, though he did not tell me of his feelings. Looking back on it, I feel like I was on Faramir's position, patrolling the boarders while maintaining little contact. Faramir and Eowyn are to be married, by the way. They've met in Minas Tirith and I can only hope for the best in their long recovery.
After what each of us had been through during the War, we are finally getting a second chance at life.