Disclaimer: I don't own The Lord of the Rings or any of its characters. I only own Leûra, Aearion, Undûme, Cassiopeia, Balanidhren, Aefaradien and any other original characters – so no stealing. However, I don't own Cuiviénen. That place belongs to J. R. R. Tolkien, but the stories of it in Chapter 1 and 2 are all mine.
Chapter 4: The Council of Elrond
It took me forever to sneak into Rivendell.
Guards are posted at every corner, most likely because leaders of the different Races are arriving. Balanidhren, just after we landed in a secluded plain, told me that if I wasn't careful in my request to speak with Lord Elrond, that I would either be locked up or killed. His warnings were useless though; I already knew that the guards wouldn't believe me if I told them who I was, much less if I showed them Naneth's pendant.
Besides, I promised myself that, before entering, I wouldn't trust any outsider so easily. I am sure they would do the same to me. And, if that doesn't work, I will fight whomever I have to, to get the information I have to Lord Elrond.
I must have been hiding in the garden, the most beautiful and amazing garden that I've ever seen, for a few hours. I can't be too sure though. There were a few close calls, like when an elleth with dark brown hair, like Naneth's, passed through with some ellon, all of which had the palest blonde hair I've ever seen. She was beautiful; I've never seen another elleth, besides my mother's image, match her. It looked as though she was giving them a tour. All of the ellon wore their hair back into braids, something I've never seen. It's odd to see ellon with hair so long; most ellon of my city, even Aearion, leave their hair short. Only Adawould look like he belonged with this group. (A/N: Just for reference, Leûra sees Arwen, Legolas, Glorfindel, and the twins, Elladan and Elrohir.)
Once they'd gone and I was certain I was alone, I left the safety of the bush of white flowers. I walked around aimlessly, hiding in corridors every now and then, until I heard voices. I slowly made my way to where they were at, still skulking in the shadows, and found the Races together for Council – just as Aearion said would happen; just as I saw. It is a strange sight indeed.
I've only read about Dwarves, Hobbits and Men; they are such curious creatures. Their lives are so fragile and rushed, but they have something to live for at each dawn; to live each day to the fullest, knowing it could be there last. They don't know how lucky they truly are.
Elrond, even though I can't see his face, is easy to make out. He speaks about the threat of Mordor, in which Middle-earth stands upon the brink of destruction. He tells everyone that none can escape it, and all gathered would unite or fall. He says that each Race is bound to this fate, this one doom. I have seen this doom with my own eyes, and I only pray that these men are wise enough to listen to Lord Elrond.
As I listen intently, I'm distracted a bit by the two Hobbits with me. They don't see me for my mother's cloak, from her home in Lórien, renders me invisible to them. I merely look like part of the pillar to them as they badger one another silently to keep quiet. The smaller of the two is quite amusing!
A Hobbit named Frodo rose from his seat rather hesitantly – how nervous he must be! –and places something of a small stone pedestal in the center of the One Ring! Valar! He walks back to his chair and sat down next to an old man, who gives him a reassuring glance. The old man is obviously one of the Istar; his staff gives him away. Lord Elrond continues. The Elves gathered either did not notice the two Hobbits eavesdropping with me or chose to ignore them. I doubt the latter, but I suppose it is wishful thinking for them.
Everyone, including myself, begin to hear whispers in the room. I know whose voice it is all too well. It is the Ring, and it is hissing about the doom of Man. But the strangers look from the Ring to their surroundings, highly suspicious of one another. They heard the voices message, too! They must have! One of the mortal Men, who I learned earlier whilst skulking the corridors, was the son of the Steward of Gondor, states that the Ring is a gift. He couldn't be more wrong; the Ring is a curse and the bane of all that exist on Middle-earth! He then suggests that they use the Ring against Sauron by giving it to Gondor.
What an utter fool!
"You cannot wield it. None of us can," a man with shaggy brown locks and facial hair protests with a heavy sigh. Finally, a man of reason and sanity! "The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master."
"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" the Gondorian, name of Boromir, taunts the Ranger menacingly, showing his obvious dislike of him. Perhaps these two know each other outside of this Coucil?
"This is no mere Ranger," Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood, protests as he stands up to face Boromir. I remember him from the garden, when his name was mentioned in passing of my hiding place. I cannot deny he is handsome. But that is all he is; he's probably as stupid as he is handsome. "He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
"Aragorn?" Boromir whispers in astonishment. "This is Isildur's heir?"
"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas finishes with a more threatening tone. The Ranger is to be a king? Well, I suppose stranger things have happened. Like an entire city sinking into the ocean, but surviving without a scratch.
"Havo dad, Legolas," Aragorn orders calmly with a wave of his hand. Being that I've never seen a mortal Man before, I'm very shocked to hear one speak my tongue so fluently. I thought for sure anyone who tried to speak it would fumble over their words. Boromir, a man I am slowly learning to distrust, looks at Legolas with the same look my father has given me many time as he walks back to his seat.
"Gondor has no king," Boromir states to Legolas, directed at Aragorn, and then looks at the man himself. "Gondor needs no king." He sits down and once he has done so, Legolas follows suit. The Wizard proceeds to change the subject quickly, saying that Aragorn is right, that they can't use it. Another voice of reason! Perhaps this will go more smoothly. Elrond tells them they have one choice: that the Ring must be destroyed. I thought that much was obvious!
"Then what are we waiting for?" one of the Dwarves shouts and rises up, picks up his ax, and rushes over to the Ring.
He raises his ax on high, and hits the cursed Ring hard with a yell. But, on contact, his ax broke and he fell backwards to the ground. No one but I noticed the Hobbit flinch when the Dwarf's stroke fell. I watch as he begins to pant and sweat, as if under pain of death. I remember that feeling all too well; it was when I saw the Eye. When the Dwarf failed in his attack, Frodo must have seen the Eye as I had! At least I am not the only one now; I can take some small comfort in that.
"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess," Elrond states as Gimli is helped to his feet, rather embarrassed by now I gather. "The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this."
No one speaks for a long time, nor do they seem to want to. I can't believe that these men, great leaders of this world, can be such cowards! It hurts me; it physically hurts me, and makes me ill. All my ideals of this world are a sham, a foolish dream! Great leaders, what a joke!
"One does not simply walk into Mordor," Boromir stresses with a sigh; he obviously can't believe what he's hearing, what's being suggested. "Its Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand Men could you do this. It is folly."
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas questions the men furiously as he rises to his feet again. He thinks them deaf, as do I. "The Ring must be destroyed!" he reiterates forcefully, but this makes Gimli rise and question the Prince's motives. Boromir begins to question what would happen if they fail, what they would do then, what they would do when Sauron took back what was his.
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!" Gimli shouts furiously, ax in the air. What does that mean exactly? Yes, Aearion has told me of the feud between our kin and the Dwarves, but I did not know it was this bad. Why does this feud even exist? Why? It makes no sense to me!
At this point, everybody at the meeting is standing up and arguing; everybody but the Wizard, Aragorn and Frodo. I notice the Wizard sighing with disappointment and disgust, rolling his eyes. I can't help but do the same; this is getting out of hand and ridiculous. I look at the two Hobbits near me and their eyes are wide with intrigue. I'm not sure if it's in amazement at the spectacle, or just sheer enjoyment.
The Races of Middle-earth can never form an alliance; this was true days ago and it remains true now.
"Never trust an Elf!" Usquen Naugrim! He is lucky I don't come out right now and remove his head from his body.
"Do you not understand? Sauron's power grows!" the Wizard shouts at Gimli's final words as Legolas holds back his kin, stopping them from killing the Dwarves. "None can escape it! You'll all be destroyed!" He moves to his feet to join the arguments with the others, but the voice of the Ring fills the air, speaking in the Black speech once again.
It grows louder and louder, and with that voice and the men added to it I feel as though my mind is caving in. I can take no longer! If that Hobbit, Frodo, had not stood when he had, I would have run in and shut them all up at the edge of my brother's knives. One of Ada's lessons: peace can only be gained as the tip of a sword, face-to-face with your enemy, not with a bow in the distance. Perhaps that is why we became tamers of Drakes, the brute force of them?
"I will take it!" Frodo states, standing up, but no one hears him; they just continue to argue like the stupid men that they are. "I will take it!" I can see the Wizard close his eyes sadly and turn to Frodo. I can only guess that they're friends who are very close, maybe like father and son; it's obvious by the pain written on his face. "I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though…I do not know the way," he added sheepishly, and I stifle a chuckle at his innocence. In all honesty, it's rather refreshing to see one so pure be so courageous.
"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," the Wizard announces, and walks over to Frodo, standing behind him. Aragorn rises from his chair. My breath catches in my throat. Can they actually work together?
"If by my life or death I can protect you, I will," Aragorn says shortly, and walks over to Frodo, just as the Wizard had, and knelt down in front of him. "You have my sword." Aragorn stood up and moved him.
Legolas, who told him he had his bow, stood behind Frodo as well. Gimli walked over to Frodo as well, stating he had his ax, and stood next to Legolas. I watch as the two look at one another distastefully, then back at Elrond. Both of them sigh with disdain.
"You carry the fate of us all, little one," Boromir states quietly as he slowly walks toward Frodo. I still don't trust this man as he finishes, saying that if the small alliance is the will of the Council, then Gondor would see it done, and joins the group.
"Hey!" another Hobbit, one I did not see, shouts as he runs in from the bushes. Another stifled laugh as he nearly trips over some branches. "Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!" he states, arms crossed proudly, while standing next to a now smiling Frodo.
"No, indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret Council and you are not," Elrond points out with a wry smile, making Sam feel a bit ashamed for a moment, but Elrond smiles at him all the same. Hearing this though, the two Hobbits with me poked their heads out from the pillars. They just looked at each other, amazed, and smiled. Running out, the small one of the pair nearly tripped over my invisble feet.
"Wait, we're coming too!" the Hobbit on my left shouted, causing Elrond to whip around. He gave them both a stern look as they ran in past him, and stood on the other side of Frodo. "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," the one that tripped on me states, and his friend crossed his arms proudly. "Quest…thing." The smarter one of the duo, the pride in his friend gone, said that his comment clearly ruled him out.
"Nine companions," Elrond sighs with a smile. I exhale softly taking that to be my cue to come out.
"Ten companions," I state from behind him. Everyone turned to see me, hood still raised but I am no longer invisible, and I can tell they're not pleased.
"This is a secret Council for the leaders of the Races. For warriors," Elrond states coldly.
"In other words, men only," I mock, moving towards Elrond. My heart is beating so fast, I can't believe I'm standing before him. "Besides, Lord Elrond, if this is a secret Council," I continue, lowering my hood, "then how is it that these three Hobbits gained entrance?" I'm not sure what shocked the group of men more: that I am a woman in men's clothing, or that I am carrying weapons.
"Who are you? The Elves have already been represented?" Frodo asks me innocently, changing the subject rather quickly to save Lord Elrond the embarrassment.
"Not all of them, Aier," I tell him with a kind smile. "I am Leûra Ithilelen, daughter of Undûme, the one and only King of Cuiviénen and Leader of the Dragon Knights." Elrond visibly stiffens as he hears my father's name and I stare at him. It's perfectly understandable considering the past he and my father shared.
"Cuiviénen departed into the sea in a fiery destruction at the hand of Sauron thousands of years ago," Elrond states bitterly over the hushed group.
"My home did sink into the sea, but not in destruction," I correct him with a small smile. "We were merely waiting for the opportune moment to return." I feel a little guilty lying about what really happened, especially to Elrond. He is not one to be toyed with, but at least what I say is partly true.
"I thought the Dragon Knights long to have been extinct," Aragorn muses aloud. Yes, most of the people of Middle-earth believe that and I don't blame them.
"No, Lord Aragorn, we are very much alive. My brother has sent me to aid you in anyway I can in the war against Sauron."
Elrond lowers his head solemnly as I mention Aearion. Our parent's history with him was not all Aearion told me. Everyone else, with the exception of Elrond and the Wizard, seem to believe this though they are baffled and in disbelief. The two elders are probably wondering how I know of the coming war and Sauron's appearance. If only I could tell them here and now.
"What is it you really want, She-Elf?" Gimli demands with venom, making it obvious that he completely hates and despises Elves.
"Master Dwarf, I merely wish to accompany young Master Baggins on the journey to Mordor to protect him."
"You are a woman," Boromir states and I stare at him. "You put the entire quest in danger. We cannot be bothered protecting you whilst protecting the Halflings!" My trust and patience with him shrinks with each passing moment.
"If you think that I need you to protect me, you are sorely mistaken," I argue, my tone rising. "I can fight just a well as any man here."
"This is no task for a woman! You could die!" Legolas points out and I sympathize with him. The last thing the races need is a princess, from a resurrected and very powerful yet deadly race, to die and cause another war.
"If I die, I would die in battle defending all of Middle-earth, and my Drake would finish what I could not," I state factually with a glare at Legolas. I know here and now that the two of us won't get along, not without some work anyway.
""Drake"? As in a Dragon?" Frodo asks with a hit of excitement and I nod respectfully.
I doubt he's ever seen a Dragon or he wouldn't be so excited. Most people believe them to be evil by nature, but with the proper training they can be quite kind and loyal beings. Boromir practically gasps before a grin grows on his face. He chuckles and I glare at him, ask him what is so amusing. He tells me that there haven't been any Dragons on Middle-earth since Sauron first appeared; that they are gone and mere stories from the Dwarves about the jewels they harvest from caves are stolen from them. A small grumble from Gimli and the other Dwarves does not go unnoticed to me.
"Perhaps the Dragons of the First Age are gone, but my people's Dragons remain. My own is hidden in the sky above us now, cloaked from your eyes. If you wish to see him, all I need do is blow this horn," I explain in the simplest terms so he's sure to understand, gesturing slightly to my white horn. "He will reveal himself if he hears its call. I assure you, he would have no problem showing you just how real he is."
"Is that a threat?" he asks, taking a step towards me but Legolas holds him back. I just smile mischievously, as if I know something he does not.
"ENOUGH!" Lord Elrond shouts and I turn my gaze to look at him. "You shall not call your Dragon into my city. Furthermore, I cannot allow you to go on this journey," he said more sympathetically then angry. He merely worries for my safety; it would be sweet if I didn't know how to defend myself.
"Lord Elrond, I assure you that I have other means of protection besides my Drake. If you worry that I need these men to protect me, then you are wrong."
"Milord," the Istar interjects, "I believe you have misinterpreted this young lady. She may be of use." I glance at the old Istar and smile ever so slightly, bowing my head to him in both respect and thanks. I watch as both the Istar and Lord Elrond exchange glances before the ellon looks at me.
"Lord Elrond, my brother said I could count on you," I coax him quietly. I'm not pleading, though it may seem that way. I don't plead or beg, not for anything or anyone. I can't believe I'm actually behaving as a proper lady. I hope it doesn't last too long.
"Of course, I knew him well." I smile while the others, excluding Istar, seem a bit shocked at the news. "But I cannot decide this. It up to them." Elrond looks at the others, waiting for their decisions.
Aragorn simply nods and I return it respectfully. Gimli voices that it is fine that I come, as long as I didn't cower and cry when the time to fight comes. Didn't he hear me say I didn't need my Drake or them to protect me? Can't he see my knives at my waist? Ignoring him for that brief moment while I question his intelligence, I just roll my eyes and nod to him.
"If Aragorn and Gandalf—" Oh, that must be the Istar! "—find her suitable, than so do I," Legolas says with a smile and bows his head ever so slightly.
Boromir states that I should keep up because he won't hesitate to leave me behind. I take this as a fair warning and look to the Hobbits. All of them seem to want me to go; I can see it in their eyes. Frodo looks to Elrond and shakes his head "yes". I am accepted. Finally, one step is complete. I walk over to Aragorn to stand next to him, doing anything to avoid Legolas and Boromir. I can't afford to be distracted by a handsome face, or risk killing a foolish mortal.
"So be it, you shall be the Fellowship of the Ring," Elrond states resting his hands together with a small smile. All four of the Hobbits smile happily and look at each other. The Hobbit in front of me crosses his arms, shaking his head in approval.
"Great!" the Hobbit that tripped over me before exclaims, giving a big smile. "Where are we going?" His friend uncrosses his arms and looks at him with disappointment, as do the rest of us. Can one person really be that dense?
No matter, I've completed my mission and am part of the Fellowship. Even though I am intrigued by the beings around me, I cannot become attached. If I do, I could get them or myself killed. So, it's settled then. I distance myself from the others when not fighting and keep myself from failing. I reveal nothing about my visions or past to any of them.
This is for the best. I'm sure of it.
A/N: Yes, Leûra's epessë (nickname or honorary title) is a variation of my own creation using Arwen's as a model. Arwen is known as "Arwen Evenstar" or "Arwen Undómiel" (dusk/evening-star) so I made Leûra's moon-star. The only real difference is that Arwen's epessë is in Quenya and mine's in Sindarian. I tried about several others and none of them sounded right. And, no, Ithilelen is not the same as Gondor's Ithilien.
Havo dad: Sit down
Aier: Short One
Usquen Naugrim: Smelly Dwarf
Ithilelen: Moonstar (ith-ill-ell-en)
P.S.: Eight pages total.