AN: The story is mostly bookverse. As we all know the journey of the Fellowship by heart I will focus on what is different from the events and/or dialogues in the book. There will be lots of Silmarillion references. I will try to cover them in AN at the bottom, but if I miss something, then Google for it or use your link to the Tolkien Gateway or Encyclopaedia of Arda. Almost all Silmarillion events will be canon.
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To his surprise Boromir noticed that one of the elves attending the council was an elleth. She was sitting to his left and he was well positioned to study her. The elf-maid was fair, as all of the Fair Folk were. Her head was covered by a wimple, with no hair visible. Dismissing the irrelevant issue of headwear from his mind he moved on to more visible and prominent matters. She had a bust the likes of which the Gondorian Knight had never seen before and it was some time before his attention moved away from thoughts of closer contact with said bosom to the rest of her figure, any attention to the droning of the Lord Elrond fleeing his mind like Orcs before an Eored of Rohirrim. A rather generous figure, with no wasp like waist, long, long legs ... her skirts had ridden and bunched up as she was sitting cross legged. That stance in Gondor would have been outrageously improper, being beaten out of girls of breeding by their tenth birthday. The elf-maid, however, was comfortable in that position and Boromir – squinting for a better look – could swear that he spied a flash of white skin above her black stockings. He squirmed in his seat trying to find a comfortable position in his current state. And an even better angle. It was unseemly behaviour, to gape thus at a lady of high standing, and he really should not, but the Captain General of Gondor found his will wanting and his eyes drifted towards her again ...
He tried not to look at the most interesting bits and thus looked anywhere but there, so he noticed that she had slipped the heel of her slipper off her heel, and made little circles in the air with it, the shoe revolving around her big toe. Her foot looked easily the size of his own. Yet its smooth, white skin made him yearn to touch, to caress it ...
Then his will succumbed to temptation again and his eyes drifted back there ... As the elleth shifted her position she accidentlay made eye contact with him and saw where he was looking. He was flummoxed when – deadpan - she turned to face him and winked. At that moment he also noticed that her previously hidden left cheekbone bore a livid-red scar. As did her neck – another red scar of raised flesh running all around her throat, like a collar.
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Later, when food was served, Boromir discreetly craned his neck around looking for the elf-maid. He finally spied her in the company of several elves. Chiefly warriors, if he were to guess. They had an air of veteran soldiers about them. One of those ellyn, a blond, was more glowy than average. The mysterious elleth evidently felt well in their company, animatedly talking and laughing often and loudly. The effects of laughter on her cleavage reminded the Captain of Gondor of tidal waves surging up the Mouths of the Anduin from the Bay of Belfalas. And made him gape with his mouth slightly ajar. A polite cough at his side startled him. His boom companion, one of the Sons of Elrond, grinned mischievously at him.
- Huge tracts of land, eh?
Blushing at being caught the Heir to the Rod of the Steward coughed on his pork chops.
His host's son enthusiastically pounded him on the back to clear his respiratory tracts. And slipped in a word of advice:
- This is held true by the wise of the Eldar that Breguril has the largest breasts in Elfdom, so looking is understandable, but try not to drool ...
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Over the next few days Boromir never caught sight of the mysterious elf-maid. His discrete inquires produced the astonishing news that she had ridden out with the warriors and rangers to scout out the lands around Imladris. Seeing his surprise his informer, a distinguished looking elf named Erestor, simply said:
- The Lady Breguril is a law onto herself.
His further words:
– Warrior maidens among the Calaquendi are all but unheard off, but not so amongst the Moriquendi*.
Made the Captain feel stupid and lacking in education.
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- Try and deny me - Breguril glared at Elrond. She had decided to go on the Quest and only very good arguments could dissuade her. And the mongrel was supplying none – just a "no".
The Lord of Imladris returned the glare and locked his eyes in a contest of will with the wilful elleth. He was the first to break eye contact.
- Heh. I've seen the Light of the Trees, whelp. Don't you ever forget that. Even with One of the Three* you have no power over me.
- If you allow, Lady and Lord ... Gandalf interceded in the pissing contest.
Both turned their burning slate eyes to the Istar*.
- As the leader of this little ... expedition I believe I may have some say over its composition and organisation. To have your sword with me would be a great boon. However, I have to impose one condition.
- Which is – Gandalf felt impaled by the gaze of the elf-maid.
- You must submit to my authority... and Aragorn's ...
She continued to look down at the wizard with hard eyes. Suddenly her mien softened. Breguril slapped Gandalf's arm and said:
- I can live with that. That Dunadan is promising.
With that she left the chamber, rudely not acknowledging Elrond's presence.
She stopped by the door and threw over her shoulder:
- I still don't understand whatever Celebrian saw in you. She could have married Thranduil, you know.
Once she had closed the door, not too gently, Elrond rubbed his eyes.
- Always so stubborn ...
- She doesn't like you - Gandalf had a moment of insight into the female soul.
- No – Elrond snapped.
- Any particular reasons?
- She considers me a turncoat, a Noldo murderer bootlicker. Breguril threw that insult into my face more than once. She was at the burial of Elured and Elurin*, you know ... of what remained of them. To her for me not to hate Maedhros and Maglor is unthinkable. The way she sees things I should had slit my throat instead of letting Maglor raise me and Elros*.
The Peredhel paused.
- She tolerates me only as Celebrian's husband, although she had tried to talk her out of marrying me. Very loudly. Breguril is fond and protective of my children, however.
The Elf lord made a pause, wondering whether to share his thoughts with the wizard.
- Her mind is still half in Beleriand*, dwelling on who did what to whom. She puts that aside only when fighting. Something gnaws at her soul, something denies her peace of mind ...
Elrond did not tell Gandalf – as that was no concern of his – that just as Breguril had never forgiven him his love for Maedhros and Maglor, he also had never forgiven her for killing Maglor.
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And thus was Fellowship of the Nine Walkers formed – one for each of the Nine Riders, under the leadership of Gandalf – the Istar aiding the Free Peoples against the Fallen Maia.
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At the farewells in the Hall of Fire one could had noted the close hugs between the Lady Arwen and the Lady Breguril. Luthien Reborn disappeared in Breguril's arms just as she did in those of Isildur's Heir, the elf-maid and The Dunadan being of similar height.
True to her warlike disposition, Breguril was dressed in men's garb and armed with a sword of similar fashion to Aragon's and Boromir's. It was sheathed on her left hip, while a wicked forward curving short sword partnered it on her right. She also wore a hauberk of fine elven mail reaching the middle of her thighs, with short sleeves to her elbows. A helm was attached to her backpack. When all was said they moved out.
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Once on the trek the irrepressible Pippin kept glancing at the elleth's headdress. A simple yet elegant in design wimple. In a rare case of mental illumination, the young Hobbit understood that its fulvous colour set off her complexion nicely yet would blend in amongst the moss covered rocks they were passing by. And he could discern fine embroidery work, breaking up the garment into irregular areas of different shade and hue. Something else about wimples came to his mind and was – as was his wont – on his tongue immediately.
- Amongst the Men of Bree a wimple means that a woman is married. Does you wearing one mean that you married, Lady Breguril?
- No. It means that I am sensible. It is cold.
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AN:
* Calaquendi and Moriquendi - these are, respectively, the elves which had seen and not seen the Light of the Two Trees in Valinor, the sources of light before the creation of Moon and Sun. The Calaquendi in Middle Earth are almost all Noldor.
* Elrond was the user of one of the Elven Rings of Power
* Istar - the sing. of Istari, the Wizards sent by the Valar to Middle Earth. They are Maiar, hence in the same power range as Sauron and Balrogs.
* Elued and Elurin - the twin sons of Dior and brothers to Elwing, Elrond's mother, i.e. his uncles. The boys were left to die in the woods at the age of 7, by the Sons of Feanor, including Maedhros and Maglor.
* The Sons of Feanor raided the settlement of the Mouths of Sirion, killing many elves, forcing Elrond's mother to commit suicide. Maglor and Maedhros uncharacteristically did not kill Elrond nor Elros but raised them instead.
* Beleriand - the location of all the exciting events of the 1st Age. Now under the sea, like Doggerland.
