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They sat in silence while they waited. She was seated next Glorfindel with the other Elves. Across from her, in a corner, was Aragorn. Near him was a man of Gondor, though the reason for him being present was a mystery to her. Gandalf and Frodo entered the patio and Elrond seated Frodo between himself and Bilbo. Gandalf took a seat next to Feywen. Elrond introduced the others to Frodo, including her. At her name, the Gondorian started.
"Pardon, Lord Elrond. But what is this woman, a lady of the Elves, doing in a war council?" Feywen looked at the Gondorian. His clothes were travel worn and his silver collar had a white stone set in it. She did not miss the ivory horn across his knees.
"May I speak, Lord Elrond?" He nodded.
"You may, Lady Feywen. This is Boromir of Gondor."
"Well, Boromir, you wish to know why I am here."
"Indeed."
"I am here to represent my house, the House of Celebrant. The matter at hand concerns me as much as it does you."
"The House of Celebrant?" One of the Elves asked with sudden interest.
"It does not matter which house you belong to. You are a woman and you do not need to be present in a war council." Boromir responded.
"I will be present if I wish to be!" Glorfindel placed a hand on her shoulder to keep her from rising.
"Do not rise to his taunts." He whispered. She nodded and sat back, glaring at the Man. She saw Aragorn trying to suppress a laugh. She frowned. She listened to the talk of the rumors of the land. Much of it she had heard from Wind and Earth. She listened with great interest to Glóin's tale. The call of Moria had once again come to the Dwarves. Yet they had feared it for they had woken a nameless fear many centuries ago. Balin heeded the whispers and went to Moria. Ori and Óin and many others had gone with him. It had been thirty years since then. Then a messenger from Mordor arrived at the Lonely Mountain. Feywen shuddered at the name. It brought evil and chill to her. Glorfindel noticed and gave her a quizzical look. She shook her head, a clear sign that they would talk about it later.
"He wished we find this 'thief' who had stolen the least of rings. He promised to return three rings of old, given to our sires. He also promised us Moria. He only wanted news of the thief. In return we would gain his eternal friendship. The messenger has come twice and says he will come a third. I have been sent by Dáin to warn Bilbo the he is sought by the Enemy. I have also been sent to seek the advice of Elrond for the messenger also went to King Brand."
"You have done well to come, Glóin. You will hear what you need in order to understand the Enemy's purposes. The Ring, the purpose you were called hither. But first, I will begin the tale that others must end." Feywen kept her gaze on Elrond as he spoke. She had only heard snippets of this tale. But Elrond had been there in the final battle and at the forging of the Rings of Power. As the day passed, he spoke and talked of the banners and Isildur.
"You remember?" Frodo asked, astonished.
"My memory reaches back to the Elder Days. I have seen three ages of defeats and victories. I was herald of Gilgalad. I beheld the last battle on the slopes of Orodruin where Gilgalad died and Elendil fell and Narsil broke. Sauron was defeated and Isildur cut the Ring from his hand and took it for his own."
"So that is what became of the Ring!" A voice cried. Feywen looked and saw that it had been Boromir. "We believed that it perished from our world in the ruin of his first realm. Isildur took it. That is tidings indeed."
"Yes, he took it. It should have been cast into Orodruin's fire that night. He took it to treasure it as wergild. It led to his death." Elrond responded. Feywen fell into thought as Elrond began speaking at length again. She began to wonder again, why Saruman wanted her. Did it have to do with the Ring that she was now in proximity to? She did not register that Boromir was speaking until she heard him chanting.
"Seek for the Sword that was broken: In Imladris it dwells; There shall counsels be taken, stronger than Morgul-spells. There shall be shown a token that Doom is near at hand, For Isildur's bane shall waken, And the Halfling forth shall stand." Feywen now listened with interest. It had been long since Rivendell had been named by its Elven name.
"And here in the house of Elrond more shall be made clear to you." Feywen looked at her brother as he drew his sword and cast it upon to table. "Here is the Sword that was Broken!"
"And who are you and what have you got to do with Minas Tirith?"
"He is Aragorn, Son of Arathorn. He is descendent of Isildur and Chief of the Dúnedain in the North." Feywen spoke again. Elrond looked at her in amazement. Never before had she spoken of her brother to formally.
"Then it belongs to you and not to me!" A voice cried in amazement. Feywen and Aragorn looked and saw Frodo standing.
"It does not belong to either of us."
"Bring out the Ring, Frodo." Gandalf demanded. "It is time Boromir understand the rest of his riddle." Frodo drew it out and the chill fell on Feywen again. She could see the loathing for the Ring in Frodo's eyes.
"Behold, Isildur's Bane." Elrond spoke. Bormir began speaking again. Aragorn spoke and revealed the meaning to the Gondorian. Feywen could see the doubt in his eyes about her brother. She was not the only one. Bilbo stood suddenly and began to chant.
"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be the blade that was broken: The crownless again shall be king." Feywen suppressed a little laugh at her friend and his boldness. "If you need more beyond the word of Elrond. It was worth a journey of a hundred and ten days to hear, you had best listen to it." He sat down with a snort. Aragorn began speaking in his own defense. Feywen couldn't help but smirk as Bilbo begged for lunch before he told his tale. Elrond requested it be brief. He spoke an apology and then began his tale. Feywen had heard it before, the true version from Bilbo himself. She listened with interest when Frodo began his tale. Aragorn had not spoken of it to her.
"I last remember seeing a second white figure that did not grow dim." Frodo finished. "I ask only this, who was it?"
"That was me, Frodo." Feywen said. Everyone looked at her except for Elrond, Gandalf, Glorfindel, and Aragorn. Only they knew that she had been at the Ford when they arrived. "I was waiting at the Ford should anyone need immediate healing. I kept the Nine in the water, to keep them from getting to you before the flood waters came."
"Do you not know your place as Lady of the House?" One of the Elves spoke. Feywen looked at him. "Pardon, Lady Celebrant, but should you have not stayed in Rivendell?"
"The choice was mine." Feywen said sharply. Glorfindel looked at her, wondering if she would begin yelling again. He knew many questioned why she was present.
"Enough about Lady Feywen's intentions. I am more concerned about how we may know for sure that this is the Great Ring. And what of Saruman? Why is he not among us?"
"Gandalf." Elrond said and all fell quiet. Gandalf spoke at length of his findings about Sauron.
"I was lulled by the words of Saruman the Wise." Feywen looked up sharply at the name. That was the name of the man who wanted her captured all those years ago.
"We were all at fault and but for your vigilance, the Darkness maybe would already be upon us."
"From the first my heart mis-gave me. I desired to know how this thing came to Gollum and how long he had possessed it. I set watch for him, guessing that he would come forth from his darkness to seek his treasure. He escaped and we kept watching. My doubt was wakened once again. Where did the Hobbit's ring come from? I soon became aware of spies around the Shire and my fear grew. I sought help from the Dúnedain and opened my heart to Aragorn."
"I counseled that we hunt for Gollum. It seemed fit the Isildur's heir should labor to repair his fault." Feywen listened with great interest as Gandalf spoke of their hunt.
"So this is why he was gone at such length."
"Listen." Earth counseled.
"I remembered the words of Saruman. The Ring would show itself. The Nine, the Seven, and the Three had each their proper gem. Not so the One. It was unadorned, as it were one of the lesser rings. But its maker set marks that the skilled could still see and read. I forsook the chase and went swiftly to Gondor. I was permitted to search among the hoard of scrolls and books. There I found a scroll written by Isildur." Gandalf cleared his throat and spoke again. "The Great Ring shall go now to be an heirloom of the North Kingdom; but records of it shall be left in Gondor, where also dwells the heirs of Elendil, lest a time come w hen the memory of these great matters shall grow dim.
"It was hot when I first touched it and my hand was scorched so that I doubt I will ever be free of the pain of it. Yet, even as I write, it is cooled and seemeth to shrink," Gandalf recited what he had read. Feywen had to suppress a shiver. The chill had not lifted from when Frodo had shown the Ring, which was still in sight. "I received messages out of Lórien that Aragorn had passed that way and that he had found Gollum. I went first to meet him and hear his tale."
"There is little need to tell. I followed tracks along the skirts of the Dead Marshes. He was covered with green slime. I was not gentle for he bit me. I had him on a halter before me, driving him towards Mirkwood. There, I gave him to the Elves. I hope to never see him again."
"I learned that the Ring came out of the Great River nigh Gladden Fields. I learned that he had possessed it long for his life had been lengthened beyond their span." Feywen's mind began to drift. Suddenly, the chill deepened and a shadow was over the sun. She looked at the wizard in fear for his voice had become harsh and menacing.
" Never before has any voice dared to utter words of that tongue in Imladris, Gandalf the Grey." Elrond spoke as the shadow passed. But for Feywen, the chill remained.
"And let us hope that none will ever speak it here again." Gandalf responded. "Nonetheless, I do not ask pardon, Master Elrond. For if that tongue is not soon to be heard in every corner of the West, then let all put doubt aside." Feywen ignored the rest of what Gandalf had to say. Glorfindel noticed her sudden change and held her hand. She felt the heat in his hand as it warmed the chill the evil brought with it. She was silent until Legolas spoke.
"The tidings that I bring must now be told. Sméagol, who is now called Gollum, escaped."
"Escaped?" Aragorn cried. "That is ill news indeed. How came the folk of Thranduil to fail in their trust?"
"Not through lack of watchfulness. But through over kindness. We fear that the prisoner had aid from others and that more is known of our doings than we could wish. We guarded the creature day and night at Gandalf's bidding. Gandalf bade us hope for his cure, and we had not the heart to keep him ever in the dungeons under the earth, where he would fall back into his old black thoughts."
"You were less tender to me." Glóin muttered audibly.
"Do not interrupt, my good Glóin. That was a misunderstanding long set right." Gandalf said kindly. Glóin stood and bowed.
"In the days of fair weather, we led Gollum through the woods." Feywen half listened and spoke with her friends.
"Have you news of this creature?"
"No we do not, Elfling. He has long escaped our gaze as we did not think much of him." Earth spoke softly. She thought as Legolas continued his tale. Then Gandalf spoke again.
"Now I will answer Galdor's other questions. What of Saruman? At the end of June," Feywen's mind began to wander again. She paid attention when he got to his encounter with Saruman. She was interested that the White Wizard was upset at his title. This part of the tale interested her greatly. It would answer her question. She listened as Gandalf spoke of Saruman's offer and Gandalf's imprisonment on Orthanc. A pit formed in her stomach when Gandalf told of seeing Wolves and Orcs housed under Saruman. The words of Gandalf's escape barely reached her ears as she battled the rising fear. She didn't see Glorfindel look at her nor did she see the worry in his eyes.
"This is grievous news concerning Saruman." Elrond's voice brought her back from her thoughts. "We trusted him and he is deep in all our counsels. It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the enemy, for good or ill. But such falls and betrayals have happened before." Feywen began to wander into her own dark thoughts again until Glorfindel spoke.
"In any case, to send to Ring to him would only postpone the day of evil. And if we could send the Ring to him, soon or late, the Lord of the Rings would learn of its hiding place and bend his power towards it. Could that power be defied by Bombadil alone? I think not. I think that in the end, if all else is conquered, Bombadil will fall, Last as he was First, and then Night will come."
"Glorfindel is right. Power to defy our Enemy is not in him, unless such power is in the earth itself."
"Which it is not." Earth snorted. Feywen had to suppress a smirk.
"What power still remains lies with us here in Imladris or with Círdan at the Havens or in Lórien. But have they the strength, have we here the strength to withstand the Enemy, the coming of Sauron at the last, when all else is overthrown?"
"Then what shall we do?" Feywen finally spoke. Glorfindel's touch had driven away the chill and lit a fire in her that she had felt only once before. "Do we run to the sea and Valinor or do we destroy it?"
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I promise that you will know of the reason feels a chill whenever she is in the presence of this evil.
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