Chapter 10
A Family Madness
Unlike his Companions, Bilbo was actually enjoying the view of Rivendell. One sight was a painting with some men fighting. Then in the black-armored man's finger was one golden ring, and Bilbo was intrigued by the ring more. After more traveling, there was beauty everywhere and birds flying by.
Then, he was alone on the balcony, enjoying the summer breeze, not even journey."
"Indeed? I've heard that Hobbits are very resilient." Elrond said something that Bilbo never expected. He looked at the Lord of Rivendell in surprise.
"Really?" They were silent until Elrond spoke again.
"I've also heard they're fond of the comforts of home."
Bilbo whispered, "I've heard that it's unwise to seek the council of Elves, that they will only answer with 'Yes' and 'No'."
Elrond looked skeptically at Bilbo. Mister Baggins was at first insecure of himself, and then Elrond smiled again. This action caused Bilbo to chuckle.
Elrond places his hand on Bilbo's shoulder before leaving, and offering, "You are very welcome to stay here, if that is your wish."
Then, he left, leaving Bilbo to ponder a while.
"The kitchen's under enormous strain, we are almost out of wine," Lindir complained to Elrond while they walked alone. "How long do you think they will be with us?"
"That has yet to be decided," the Rivendell Lord answered.
The air in the breeze actually had Violet have chills appear on her amrs. The most terrifying thing she saw on this quest this bad were the dwarves were nude.
"OH MY VALAR!" she screamed.
The dwarves were now ashamed at her looking at them. She quickly ran out of the fountain area. Then Lord Elrond appeared.
"So sorry, I—I saw the unexpected.
"I am sorry that I can't control your dwarves. So am I Violet agreed. The Elven lord smiled at her and pet her on the shoulder. You're a fine souldear Violet, You remind me of your mother.
"You know my mother.""
"Yes, Marah Cauliflower."
Violet nodded. "Yeah, that's my mother.
"She like you was very shy, but high spirited and you are more than welcomed to stay."
He touched her shoulder lightly before turning and walking away. She thought of it for a moment, but then Bilbo came into mind, deciding to search for him. Instead she would find Thorin watching her. She didn't even know he was there until he spoke.
"So will you take his offer?" Thorin wondered.
"Do I have to answer?" she asked.
"Yes, Miss Greenhill, it is," the dwarf said, towering over her (since towering over her was the only way to talk with him in her personal space).
"Um…"
"That's not an answer."
"No, I'm not going to. If you'd think that Bilbo and I would leave each other behind, it would never happen. He won't ever abandon me. We're like family, and family never abandons family."
"Then let's hope he never does stay without you, or think about it," Thorin said. "Good day, Miss Violet."
"Good day," Violet said skeptically before walking away.
Bilbo still was exploring Rivendell from the afternoon into the evening. Then, he stopped on the staircase. Bilbo heard Elrond and Gandalf talking as they walked. Bilbo was curious and stopped to look and watch them. Bilbo made sure that no one else would see him eavesdrop. He didn't mean to eavesdrop (or maybe he did) and listened to them speak.
"Of course I was going to tell you," Gandalf was saying. "I was waiting for this very chance. And really, I think you can trust that I know what I am doing."
"Do you? That dragon has slept for 60 years. What will happen if your plan should fail, if you wake that beast?"
"What if we succeed? If the Dwarves take back the mountain our defenses in the east will be strengthened."
They went unaware that they had audience. Bilbo was listening to their entire conversation. He looked behind him to see that Thorin was overhearing them as well. He made no move and just allowed Bilbo to listen.
"It is a dangerous move, Gandalf."
"It is also dangerous to do nothing. Oh, come, the throne of Erebor is Thorin's birthright. What is it you fear?"
"Have you forgotten? A strain of madness runs deep in that family. His grandfather lost his mind. His father succumbed to the same sickness. Can you swear Thorin Oakenshield will not also fall? Gandalf, these decisions do not rest with us alone. It is not up to you or me to redraw the map of Middle-earth."
Thorin and Bilbo said nothing to each other. They stared at each other silently.
"Might I ask why you're so far away from Ms. Greenhill, Master Baggins?" Thorin asked.
"We just wanted to be alone for the day," Bilbo answered as he walked down the steps, taking it Thorin wanted him "safely" in their room.
Gandalf was saying, "With or without our help, these dwarves will march on the mountain. They're determined to reclaim their homeland. I do not believe Thorin Oakenshield feels that he's answerable to anyone. Nor for that matter am I."
"It's not me you must answer to,"
"Lady Galadriel," the Istar answered and smiled as she turned to them.
"Mithrandir," Galadriel says with a smile. "It has been a long time."
"Age may have changed me, but not so the lady of Lorien," Gandalf says in Elvish. "I had no idea Lord Elrond had sent for you.
"He didn't. I did," a deep voice said. This made Gandalf turn to Saruman.
"Saruman, Gandalf said as he looked to Saruman.
"You've been busy of late, my friend," Saruman said with a smile.
Later as Dawn broke…
"Tell me, Gandalf, did you think these plans and schemes of yours would go unnoticed?" Saruman asked.
"Unnoticed? No, I...I'm simply doing what I feel to be right," Gandalf answered.
"The dragon has long been on your mind," Galadriel realises.
"It is true, my Lady. Smaug owes allegiance to no one. But if he should side with the enemy, the dragon could be used to terrible effect."
"What enemy? Gandalf, the enemy is defeated," the White wizard reasoned. "Sauron is vanquished. He can never regain his full strength."
"Does it not worry you that the last of the Dwarf rings should simply vanish, along with its bearer?" Gandalf asked the Counsil. "Of the seven Dwarf rings, four were consumed by dragons two were taken by Sauron before he fell in Mordor. The fate of the last Dwarf ring remains unknown. The ring that was worn by Thráin."
"Without the ruling Ring of Power, the seven are of no value to the enemy," Saruman rebuked. "To control the other rings he needs the One. And that ring was lost long, long ago. It was swept out to sea by the waters of the Anduin."
Elrond: Gandalf, for four hundred years we have lived in peace. A hard won watchful peace.
"Are we?" Gandalf asked. "Are we at peace? Trolls have come down from the mountains, they are raiding villages, destroying farms. Orcs have attacked us on the road."
"Hardly a prelude to war," Elrond said.
"Always you must meddle. Looking for trouble where none exists!"
"Let him speak," the Lady of Lothlórien requested.
"There is something at work beyond the evil of Smaug, something far more powerful," Gandalf explained. "We can remain blind to it, but it will not be ignoring us, that I can promise you. A sickness hides over the Greenwood. The woodsmen who live there now call it Mirkwook, and...uh, they s...they say..."
He stopped himself.
"Well, don't stop now, tell us what the woodsmen say?"
"They speak of a Necromancer, living in Dol Guldur, a sorcerer who can summon the dead."
"That's absurd. No such power exists in this world. This Necromancer is nothing more than a mortal man. A conjurer dabbling in black magic."
"And so I though too. But Radagast has seen..."
"Radagast? Do not speak to me of Radagast the Brown. He's a foolish fellow."
"Well, he's odd, I grant you. He lives a solitary life."
"It's not that," Saruman snapped. "It's his excessive consumption of mushrooms. They've addled his brain, and yellowed his teeth. I warned him. It is unbefitting one of the Istari wandering the wood...
"You carry something. It came to you from Radagast, he found it in Dol Guldur," Galadriel says to Gandalf.
Yes, Gandalf answered.
Show me she demanded.
Gandalf brings out the sword Radagast gave him wrapped in cloth.
"What is that?" Elrond asked, looking at the bundle full of cloth that Gandalf had just laid down.
"A relic of Mordor," Galadriel said, befor Elrond even touched the cloth. He eventually unfolded it to refeal the sword that Radagast had seen in Dol Guldur.
"A Morgul blade," Elrond said.
"Made for the witch-king of Angmar, and buried with him," she explained. "When Angmar fell, the men of the North took his body, and all that he possessed and sealed it within the high fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock they buried him, in a tomb so dark it would never come to light."
"This is not possible," the Lord of Rivendell says. "A powerful spell lies upon those tombs, they cannot be opened."
"What proof do we have this weapon came from Angmar's grave?" inquired Saruman
"I have none," Gandalf answered.
"Because there is none. Let us examine what we know. A single orc pack has dared to cross the Bruinen. A dagger from a by-gone age has been found. And a human sorcerer who calls himself the Necromancer, has taken up residence in a ruined fortress. It's not so very much, after all. The question of this dwarvish company however, troubles me deeply. I'm not convinced, Gandalf. I do not feel I can condone such a quest. If they'd come to me, I might have spare them this disappointment. I will not pretend to understand your reasons for raising their hopes—"
The White Wizard's voice zoned out as Gandalf heard Galadriel talking telepathelically to him.
"I'm afraid there's nothing else for it," Saruman says.
"My Lord Elrond," Lindir interrupted the meeting. "The dwarves, they've gone.
~V~
Dawn was almost breaking. Bilbo saw Violet but said nothing as they walked up the path.
"Be on your guard, we're about to step over the Edge of the Wild," Thorin warned his company. Then he softly smiled at Balin. "Balin, you know these paths, lead on."
"Aye." Balin said as he led the company.
"Hey, are you awake?" Violet said as she went next ot Bilbo's side.
"Yes I am" Bilbo assured.
Vi offered Bilbo a smile before continuing on the road. It was just easy to say Thorin was watching Bilbo with his hawkeye. He probably knew Bilbo would want to stay.
"Master Baggins, I suggest you keep up," Thorin said.
And Bilbo glanced at the Last Homely House one last time.
~V~
You will follow them," Galadriel said but not in a question form. " You are right to help Thorin Oakenshield. But I fear this quest has set in motion forces we do not yet understand. The riddle of the Morgul blade must be answered. Something moves in the shadows, unseen, hidden from our side, it will not show itself...not yet. But every day it grows in strength. You must be careful."
"Yes," Gandalf said as he stepped off to the steps and started walking away.
Then her voice stopped him.
"Mithrandir." the Lady of Light said. "Why the Halfling?"
"I do not know. Saruman believes that it is only a great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I've found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keep the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins and Violet Greenhill? Perhaps it is because I'm afraid and they give me courage."
"Do not be afraid, Mithrandir," Galadriel said as she grabbed Gandalf's hands gently. "You are not alone. If you should ever need my help, I will come." With that Galadriel was gone leaving Gandalf alone.