Chapter 2
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New Chapter, read, enjoy and review
This story started with a lie and so an apology must be made to you dear readers. Eilif knew where to go and Eilif knew where she came from. It was just that Eilif didn't want to go where she has to go and she didn't want to acknowledge where she came from. And it's true people never really knew what she was but Eilif knows. Eilif was born of the union between a human and a dwarf. This Unusual union took place sixty years ago. Meldadiriel came from the Rohan, tall, blonde and green eyes. She loved going on adventures so when Gandalf the Grey came to her and offered her to escort a company of thirteen dwarves to the lonely mountain; she accepted. Melda, as her friends called her, never expected to fall in love with one of the Durin's son. And none other than the King under the mountain, Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain. Thorin Oakenshield, King under the mountain, died during the battle of the five armies. Melda; grief stricken; fled to the very west of Middle Earth and lived there away from the world. When her daughter was born Meldadiriel decided to teach her daughter how to fight and told her everything she had to know about the world and especially the dwarves. And thirty years later she joined the man she loved in the afterlife.
Since that day, Eilif has been alone. She could have gone to the Lonely Mountain and revealed that she was the lost daughter of Thorin Oakenshield. But for what? To live among people she barely knows. How to live among people at all when it has been only her and her mother? She couldn't do it. She wasn't strong enough, not confident enough. So, in spite of knowing where to go, she walked the lands aimlessly. She never came across the lands of the dwarves or elves and she avoided to go in the lands inhabited by men as much as she could. She mostly spent her life in the woods or in the plains. And when sometimes she came to meet the Rangers, she would stay on her own and that's why they called her Eilif because even when she's surrounded by people she's always alone. It was fate that brought her to Bree that night and fate has great plans for her. Eilif, just as you dear readers, doesn't know her destination. But the greatest part of a story is not so much the final destination, where everything comes to an end. No, the greatest part is the road that leads to it. Because on the road, you can meet friends and live great adventures and eventually you grow up. And if you're reading this story, it's because you all want to know what will be going on, on the road. You all want to know how Eilif will grow up. Well, be happy then, because this is just the beginning. So, let's the past be in the past and let's all focused on the future.
Dwarves, Elves and Men arrived at Rivendell for a council that Lord Elrond has summoned. Eilif has been invited to the council. She was supposed to leave Rivendell that day, early in the morning. But a Grey Wizard has been able to convince her to stay and she stayed. She was sitting next to Strider. She wasn't prepared for what she is about to face. None of them are. However, she might have some answers to her never ending flow of questions that go through her mind.
"Strangers of distant lands, friends of old…"Elrond started. "…You've been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall." Eilif glanced between Strider and Frodo who was sitting next to the grey man. If she has to be honest, the Grey Man wasn't so unfamiliar to her. Everyone on Middle Earth has heard of this grey man. He goes by several names but everyone knows him as Gandalf; Gandalf the Grey. "Each race is bound to his fate, this one doom." Elrond turned to Frodo. "Bring forth the ring, Frodo." Frodo stood up and walked to the stone plinth. He took a small gold band from his pocket and put it on the plinth.
"This is why they were after him." She whispered to Strider. Strider didn't answer her but nodded confirming to her that was exactly the reason why the Black Riders were after the Hobbits. "It must have been a heavy burden for such a small person." Eilif wondered as she saw Frodo breathed in relief.
"So it is true." She heard one of the assembly murmured. "In a dream I saw the eastern sky grow dark" The same man continued. He had blonde-red hair and wore a red shirt under a leather jerkin all of this over a chainmail. "but in the west a pale light lingered. A voice was crying: Your doom is near at hand, Isildur's bane is found." He walked slowly to the plinth, his hand moving to take the ring.
"Don't!" Eilif surprised herself by standing up wanted to stop the man.
"Boromir!" Sir Elrond yelled in his turn. Gandalf started to spoke in a language that sounded like gibberish to her. His words seemed to have brought darkness upon Rivendell for a short moment. Boromir sat down and Strider laid a hand on Eilif arm, inviting her to do the same. "Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris." Elrond said angrily to Gandalf.
"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond…" Gandalf replied. "…for the black speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The ring is altogether evil."
"It is a gift. A gift to the foe of Mordor." Boromir disagreed. "Why not use this ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him."
"You cannot wield it. None of us can." Strider said next to her. "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."
"And what would a ranger know to this matter?" Boromir snarled.
"This is no mere ranger." A blonde elf said standing up. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." Strider was in fact Aragorn, the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor. Just like our dear Eilif, Aragorn knew where to go but didn't want to; fearing that the mistakes made by his eldest in the past would be made again by him. Eilif was surprised to hear that she has helped the King of Gondor.
"Aragorn. This is Isildur's heir?" Boromir said in awe.
"And heir to the throne of Gondor." The blond elf added.
"Havo dad, Legolas." Aragorn said to the blond elf.
"Gondor has no king. Gondor needs no king." Boromir said lowly. Boromir's reaction to Aragorn, heir of the throne, reaffirmed to Eilif, that the dwarves may have not welcomed her really well. It reaffirmed to her that she was right in not going to Erebor and claiming to be Thorin's daughter.
"Aragorn is right. We cannot use it." Gandalf continued.
"You have only one choice." Elrond said standing up. "The ring must be destroyed." Silence fell upon the assembly.
"What are we waiting for?" A redhead dwarf said getting up. He took his axe and hit the ring. He was thrown to the ground, his axe destroyed but the ring was still intact. Frodo winced as if he was suffering. His reaction didn't escape to Eilif neither it did to Gandalf.
"The ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin…" Eilif recognised the name of Gloin. Gloin has travelled with her father to the lonely mountain. See, dear reader, life is surprising in less than a few days she came across at least three people who has personally knew her parents. Eilif never knew that by helping those four hobbits she will come to face her past more than she has in these last thirty years. "…by any craft we here possess. The ring was made in the fire of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade." Elrond paused. "It must be taken deep in Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this." Silence fell once again upon the assembly.
"One does not simply walk into Mordor." Boromir said breaking the silence. "Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. The great eye is ever-watchful. It is barren wasteland riddled with fire, and ash and dust." Boromir described. Eilif stared at him thinking that if you want to hope for better days in Middle Earth, you shall not go to Boromir. "The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with 10,000 men could you do this. It is folly."
"You haven't even tried, yet." Eilif spoke up. "You're already given up before even starting."
"And who are you?" Boromir asked her. Eilif hesitated slightly. Shall she say her real name? Or shall she be honest? She looked at the people around her and her choice was made.
"Who I am doesn't matter. We need to decide who shall take it to Mount Doom." Eilif has decided to remain silent for now.
"Haven't you heard what I said? No one can walk into Mordor." Boromir snapped.
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas questioned standing up. "The ring must be destroyed."
"And I suppose you think you are the one to do it!" Gimli exclaimed.
"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir questioned standing up in his turn.
"I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf!" Gimlin continued. Every elves, every men and every dwarves stood up and started to fight completely forgetting the matter at hands. "Never trust an elf!" Aragorn, Elrond and Eilif just sat there waiting for them to finish.
"I will take it!" A voice rose in the assembly. "I will take it!" Frodo said getting up. "I will take the ring to Mordor." They stopped their bickering and all turned to the Halfling. Eilif smiled and was amazed that such a small person was braver than the people of this assembly. "Though, I do not know the way."
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins as long as it is yours to bear." Gandalf said laying a hand on his shoulder.
"If by my life or death I can protect you. I will." Aragorn declared standing up. He walked to the hobbit and put one knee down. "You have my sword."
"And you have my bow." Legolas said.
"And my ax." Was Gimli promise.
"You carry the fates of us all, little one." Boromir started. "If this is indeed the will of the Council then Gondor will see it done."
"Hey!" Sam shouted from behind a bush. "Mr. Frodo is not going anywhere without me."
"No indeed it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned and you are not." Lord Elrond stated.
"Hey. We're coming too." Merry shouted while his cousin and him ran past Eilif to join their friend. "You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."
"Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission." Pippin continued. "Quest. Thing." Elrond seemed to consider them and seemed satisfied with what he was seeing. But one more member made herself known.
"My name is Delaina." Eilif that you now know as Delaina said walking towards the group of men. "I will use my sword to protect you and your friends as I did before." She placed herself next to Aragorn.
"Took you long enough." Gandalf whispered to her.
"Ten companions." Elrond began. "So be it. You shall be the fellowship of the ring."
"Great." Pippin exclaimed. "Where are we going?"
They left Rivendell at dawn accompanied with the last words of Elrond. Frodo took the lead and his nine companions followed him. Delaina and Aragorn walking in the rear. Delaina witnessed the unspoken farewell between Arwen Undomiel and Aragorn as they left Rivendell.
"Don't worry, Aragorn. You'll see her again." Delaina spoke as they were trekking through the woods.
"I'm afraid not." Aragorn replied forlornly. "She's leaving Middle Earth with her kin." Delaina glanced up at him. Grief was apparent on his face.
"I am sad to hear it." Delaina said sympathetically.
"It is for the best." He answered. "She'll be safe and she won't have to wait for someone who might not come back."
"Are all of the people from Gondor pessimist?" Delaina said as an attempt to lighten the mood of their conversation. It worked. Aragorn laughed and she joined him in his laughter.
Maybe I shouldn't have give her origins right away but I felt like should be cleared up for the readers. As for the characters, they will know a bit later in the story. Or you'd rather have me to reveal it to the others in the next chapters.