Hello all! It has been some time since I wrote fan fiction, but I am excited to be back at it. I hope that you will all enjoy the concept behind this tale as much as I have enjoyed writing it thus far! Of course, I own nothing beyond a few original characters, the rest belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien himself. This fic is primarily based around the Lord of the Rings trilogy by Tolkien, with some ideas from the Peter Jackson's films. Forgive me if I get my facts/information wrong. I am doing my best to check dates, ideas, and language, but I'm by no means perfect! Please read & review, happy reading and thanks for being here:)
It was, she realized with tremendous sadness as she glanced around the dais at the people seated around her, the last gathering of great beings that Middle Earth would ever receive again. Elrond led the council, seated in an elevated chair before the arrayed crowd, his face long and grave in its eternal youth. His wisdom and healing had been a stalwart to Middle Earth throughout the ages, and it was to him and Imladris that the free peoples had turned to now in this dark hour.
To his right was Glorfindel, the elf lord, and his left, Arwen Undómiel, his daughter, whose beauty was striking even to Adelaide, who in her long life was accustomed to great beauty. Gandalf the Gray Pilgrim was slumped in his chair down the row of nameless elves after Glorfindel and the sons of Elrond, his sparking eyes contrasting with the apparent age of his body. He was a familiar presence to her, and she felt that he might give her the bravery to say what must be said, when at last the time came.
The other races of Middle Earth were represented also. Of dwarves, Gloin and his son Gimli had traveled from Erabor the Lonely Mountain. Adelaide had not seen Gloin since their venture to the mountain, and had been pleased at their reuniting only a few days prior to the council, however, it was her first time making the acquaintance of Gimli.
To Adelaide's left was Legolas, her traveling partner, life companion, and representative of the Mirkwood elves, and to her right was Boromir, captain of Gondor in the East across the Misty Mountains. His head rested in his left hand while his right gripped a white war horn firmly; the tension in his body would have snapped a thousand bowstrings.
Beside Boromir the four hobbits sat, finishing with Bilbo then Frodo the Ringbearers, and beside him was Aragorn son of Arathorn, Isildur's heir. Aragorn's dark hair hung in wavy sheets on his cheeks and lips were pressed together in a grimace – only a trained eye would notice the almost imperceptible tapping of his sword hilt with his left pointer finger. Adelaide had met the ranger only once before on a brief visit to the Woodland elf kingdom, and their acquaintance had been short then.
She knew from the uncertain glances that were intermittently cast in her direction, that she was the mysterious figure in the circle. That will change at the conclusion of this council, once I have spoken my part she thought to herself, but she hid her nerves behind a stoic face. Beyond the people gathered here currently, only Galadriel Lady of Lorien with her partner Celeborn and Círdan of the Gray Havens were persons of great notoriety missing from this gathering. And Bombadil I suppose, although he would never leave his Goldberry.
She was broken from her considerations by the voice of Elrond.
"Bring forth the ring, Frodo," he commanded, although his eyes were soft when he looked upon the hobbit. To her right, Frodo stood and approached the plinth. His bare footsteps made hardly a sound against the marble stone floors, and after a moments hesitation he set the ring in the center of the plinth and hurried once more back to his seat, his chin tucked to his chest. Around her, Adelaide could hear much rustling and a few mutters from the crowd as they all took in the small golden circle set before them. Elrond, Aragorn and herself alone were the only persons who did not utter a sound, or in fact make any move at all.
For her part, Adelaide felt a weight grow on her right pointer finger and a sense of burning, as if her skin had been held long under steaming water, but she ignored the sensations despite the discomfort it caused her. The council waited with baited breath, and to much surprise, it was Gloin who spoke first.
The dwarf stood as he told of the growing of dark days under and beside the Lonely Mountain, and of the appearance of black riders from Mordor to both King Dáin and King Brand of Dale.
"Already war is gathering on his eastern borders. If we make no answer, the Enemy may move Men of his rule to assail King Brand, and Dáin also," Gloin finished, taking his seat and looking expectantly towards Elrond.
"You have done well to come," said Elrond. "You will hear today all that you need in order to understand the purposes of the Enemy. There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it. But you do not stand alone. You will learn that your trouble is but part of the trouble of all the western world. The Ring! What shall we do with the Ring, the least of rings, the trifle that Sauron fancies? That is the doom that we must deem."
"That is the purpose for which you are called hither. Called, I say. though I have not called you to me, strangers from distant lands. You have come and are here met, in this very nick of time, by chance as it may seem. Yet it is not so. Believe rather that it is so ordered that we, who sit here, and none others, must now find counsel for the peril of the world."
After this declaration, Elrond launched into the tale of Sauron and forging of the great rings of power in the Second Age. He spoke of the nine Kings of Men who succumbed to Sauron's dark will to become the Nazgul, and of the Elves rings, three of which were hidden from the Dark Lord and therefore not corrupted. He spoke of the Last Great Alliance of Elves and Men, and recounted how he watched as Isildur cut The One Ring from Sauron's hand with the shards of Narsil.
To many in the crowd, Elrond's tale was completing their own fragmented story, or otherwise entirely new, but to Adelaide, who had been there for all aspects of the journey, the tale was a familiar one.
Boromir spoke next, interjecting at the conclusion of Elrond's speech to speak of the troubles of Gondor and Minas Tirith, and of his dreams that warned of Halflings and Isildur's Bane. Aragorn for one answered on behalf of the heir of Isildur, and the ring on the plinth before them all was Isildur's Bane, that much was evident to even Boromir. Adelaide felt a seed of impatience begin to bloom in her stomach as she took in Boromir's doubtful eye as the son of Gondor sent an appraising eye up and down Aragorn's form.
Accompanying her impatience, nausea began to well within her too. She had never before told her tale, and not even Elrond, oldest at the council, nor Legolas, her closest companion in this age knew a whisper of what she intended to reveal. In fact, no one knew why she was there, or even if she had been invited. Adelaide had been invited, although only out of courtesy for hers and Elrond's many years of friendship, and no one was expecting her to add to the tale.
She hardly listened as Gandalf picked up the story where Elrond's knowledge failed and spoke of Sméagol's finding of the Ring, nor as Bilbo recounted his own tale of riddles with the creature Gollum and the passing on of the Ring to Frodo. Yes, yes I know she wanted to shriek. Bile welled within her throat and her blood moved like lead through her veins and she wondered if she would be sick. Now that she had committed herself to finally revealing her tale, she longed to be free of the burden she had carried with her for so long. How the rest of the council would respond, she could not guess, but her desire to speak outweighed her fear of being ostracized.
Frodo and Gandalf finished the tale, Frodo speaking briefly of their flight from the black riders, and Gandalf of the recognizing the true nature of Bilbo's ring and of Saruman's betrayal.
With the conclusion of the story of the One Ring, the council sat back, pondering the information that they had just received. The hobbits looked exhausted, and Boromir troubled. The rest of the assembly was able to better hide their emotions, but Adelaide felt a cold bead of sweat roll down her back. It was almost time for her part.
"And now what remains is this: what is to be done with the Ring?" Elrond spoke, sending a piercing gaze around the circle below him.
Adelaide drew in one breath, and then two. For one moment alone, which seemed to stretch on for many in her mind, she considered holding her tongue, but her heart won out and she stopped the shaking in her legs to stand. Around her, the company turned to her in surprise, and Legolas, who's blue eyes softened when they came upon her, raised himself halfway out of his seat before she motioned for him to remain seated.
To the people gathered at the council, those who had taken no notice of her before now sent her an appraising eye. She was tall, with honey colored curls that stretched to the middle of her back, and green eyes that glistened in the mid-afternoon sun. Her skin was tanned and toned, and her dress was of a fine, black, flowing material. It had a plunging neckline and loose flowing skirt, with a pattern of leaves made by gold stitching adorning it so that when its layers ruffled in the breeze, it appeared as if autumn leaves were falling around her. At her waist was a broadsword, narrow for her build and slightly shorter than a man of her stature's might have been. On her, the weapon did not appear out of place. Of her age, she appeared in the full bloom of her youth and beauty, but her green eyes held an ageless mist in them that gave her the sense of timelessness.
Her gaze, however, was not fixated on the people staring at her, but instead at the ring in the center of the circle. To everyone gathered there, they saw a flash of grief on her face, and heard a small sigh escape her lips, but none could see any of the nerves she felt boiling in her stomach.
"Lord Elrond," she began, her voice soft at first, but growing strong as she continued. Her right hand felt heavier than ever and the fire that had started on her first finger now stretched up her arm due to the proximity of the Ring. I am being laid bare, and how painful it is she mused before continuing.
"We have spoken of how the Ring came to be, and the events thereafter, but I believe that I have a light to be shone on the story, one that none here nor any on Middle Earth is familiar with." Behind her she could feel Legolas's eyes boring into her back and she felt a twinge of guilt. They had lived together for the past many years, and on his part there had been no secrets between the two of him. I am sorry, nin mel she thought, sending him an apologetic look. His love for her was strong, but she knew he would be angry tonight when at last the council concluded.
"And who, if you do not mind me asking," said a curt voice from behind, "are you? And what can you add to this tale that the wise masters Elrond and Gandalf have not shared with us?"
Turning, Adelaide saw Boromir's face was cold and she knew the question had come from him.
It was her turn to be surprised when Gandalf, Legolas, and Aragorn all stood in her defense. It was Legolas that spoke next.
"This is Adelaide, Erui Adaneth, the Great Wanderer. She is that of no lineage, yet with blood richer than all the races of the lands of Arda combined. She is of the first, and will be of the last. The Ú- Gwedhi, and someone to whom you owe your respect," Legolas toned in a clear, ringing voice. His voice swelled with pride as he spoke of her, and as he sat down, again his blue eyes met with Adelaide's green and their gaze burned for a moment before she turned back to the center.
"Ú- Gwedhi," Boromir whispered in wonder, and it seemed that for the time being he was content to listen to her.
"Speak on, Adelaide. I for one, would like to hear your tale. Take heed to leave no part out, especially as it concerns the Ring," Elrond instructed. Adelaide bowed her head to him.
"My tale does closely concern the Ring, although not how it was made, for that history has already been laid bare. Instead, I am standing here to speak to you of why the Ring was forged. Elrond and Gandalf have only guessed part of the reason why, and it is of course for the dominion of all living things on Middle Earth, but there is much more to the story. I do not know if the information will be of any aid, but it will help paint a clearer picture of our enemy, and what we are to face in the months and days ahead."
Around her was silence, and Adelaide felt her last drop of fear receding out of her. Inside her, a new fire was burning. The spark perhaps was justice, but there was something more too it now. A desire to give understanding she realized. The understanding I desperately craved so many ages ago.
