A/N: Hey there beautiful! Hope that everyone is happy and blessed. I know that I've been uploading much later than usual these days but with hardly anytime to spend on even sleep. I hope you guys understand and thank you so much for your patience and continuous support. It's because of you guys that I actually find the will to complete the chapter every time. :) :)
MissCallaLilly: Haha, then I gotta add those escapades for you. Hope you continue to love the story. Enjoy reading!
Dr Zimmerman: the thing about the ships is that they're a mystery. Even for me. But I think that I've planned it out well and am in the process of incorporating the scenes because it started as a no rom fanfic. You'll just have to wait and see the surprise ;) Hope you continue to love the story. Enjoy reading!
Tibblets: The maybe element is too strong in some instances. Hope that you keep enjoying!
tshong ma I: The second part of the fanfic is officially off now. Enjoy reading :)
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Hope that you all Enjoy the chapter! RR.
Chapter 23: Many Meetings (I).
Entering into the wings of Elrohir, we were greeted by the fast pace of Aragon, leaving by the door. He spared a look at us and with a fleeting smile left the area, his troubled eyes making me falter. I hesitated a moment before pushing into the room, with Calyniel hurried steps following in my wake.
Their conversation halted at the sudden interruption but before Elladan could open his mouth to comment, Calyniel was caught into an embrace with Elrohir. I shook my head at them, happy for their joy and instead focused on Filvendor. Masking the relief at their safety, I pouted over at him,
"You're still alive." I drawled out, shaking my head in mock disappointment, all the while ignoring the subtle roll of Elladan's eyes. The grin that etched on Filvendor's face was fleeting before he arranged his own expression in solemnity.
"Sorry to disappoint."
"How come you all are back so early?" my question was met with the same exchange of looks as I had received before and the sudden spark of irritation bubbled on my throat. Huffing out, I rolled my eyes,
"Fine don't tell me."
Filvendor was just about to comment, perhaps to dissuade the hostility I was feeling when Calyniel's voice cut across our conversation,
"Filvendor, Lord Glorfindel has been waiting for you in the Hall of Flame. Gwestofiel and Teralin are present along with the guests from the East."
With a weary heave and a promise of later conversation, he departed through the door. My gaze shifted to Elladan and he as if realising my question, inclined his head,
"We are to leave again at the morrow."
I wasn't that successful in hiding my disappointment and the fleeting sense of fear that always engulfed me at the promise of the unknown. So rather I shifted my eyes across the room, which even after knowing the guys for a while now, I've never visited. My eyes fell on Calyniel and Elrohir and Elladan's voice mirrored my thoughts,
"Let us-"
"Yeah." I finished for him before moving out. The soothing yet chilled air of the autumn night filtered across the hallways as we walked towards the gardens. With the elves in the Hall of Fire and the general public hoarding the great hall, the peaceful abode of Rivendell was quiet to a lonely extent. I felt as if it suited the theme of autumn, the lonely quiet and the increasing sense of foreboding and a walk with a friend that reeked too much of another long goodbye. My eyes shifted to his figure, trekking beside me, his hands clasped regally at the back and head tilted a bit towards the heavens, the shine of the moon highlighting the strong line of his jaw. His eyes traced the sky until they met my open gaze and our pace shortened to a halt. His eyes that were for a moment confused closed forlornly that I wondered what was displaying on my face. The earlier irritation had long vanished and now the tears of frustration burned at the back of my lids, making me realise how inept I was that I could do nothing but stay here safe and warm in someone else's land while they had to scout out every day. Every moment of their life marked with a question of what if. Every new adventure showing them the very dark edge of this world. I blinked back the frustration, my eyes for a moment dropping to the grass beneath our feet but the magnet of his look brought them back up to match the silver gleam of his own.
Trying to change the atmosphere I trodded on the first subject that came to mind, which coincidently was their departure,
"So, you guys are going to leave so soon."
"Our work is cut out for us," he said, a moment later. I could see his eyes working out a response and the defeated sigh as he decided to let my despair drop, for which I was ever grateful,
"I'm guessing something happened." I murmured, not expecting a reply.
With the things as they looked today and every bit of information, these three were trying to hide from me, I had to wonder whether what I knew was too much. How to tell them that I was aware of the lore that Lord Elrond had written, with his own hands and had saved down in the library. But most of all, how to tell them that I knew of the deception of the one ring. From the heartfelt letter of Eugene to the things that I had seen with my own eyes. All of that was jumbled up in my mind and I was still struggling to come to terms with the world as all of them already knew.
The breeze picked up, and I tightened my coat around my figure, wondering whether I should've brought the cloak. Looking around, my gaze fell to the area that we were in and for the first time I realised that it was the Tarwa Zair, the abode of love and heartache as called by the elves of Imladris. The life and times of Lord Elrond and his wife, their tale of beauty, compassion and love associated with every petal that bloomed here and the tragic end to that beauty still made the air heavy with its magic. There was something different about the valley of elves, their feelings and imprints were so deeply associated with each place that even centuries after their absence the world still reeked of their essence, proving warmth and solace as in Hollin, or longing and heartache, with a promise of reunion as in this garden. Ironically, today, with a heavy heart and buzzing mind, both of us ended up in this area despite our consciousness.
Sparing another glance at Elladan, whose eyes now held a sadness and longing that was always associated with his past. I moved to face him, putting a hand on his arm and felt his muscles tense as he regained his composure. I would've sighed a month ago, at his ever-present need to make himself strong, but now, even though a sadness bubbled in my chest at that, I accepted that as something he needed and let the subject drop.
It was an hour of pure silence as we sat on the grass and I leaned my head back at the willow, rising to the moon. There was something nice about his company, a sense of comfort and safety that I had associated with home, or perhaps it was just the sweet scent of the nightengirth, which made me drift off into a slumber.
I woke a while later, with the night still as dark as when I had slept and had to apologise to him for keeping him from his dinner. He laughed at my embarrassment, a rich masculine sound that I had not heard before and trying to hide the smile on my face I swatted at his arm before instructing him to get up and follow me to the small dining area associated with the kitchens. The food was abundant today and at the hour of the night, even the kitchens were quiet and empty, providing enough safety for me to broach the topic I had been toying around with.
I contemplated over the information I knew as he engrossed his meal. Perhaps I shouldn't, I thought but the idea was soon squashed because I wanted to hear his side too.
It was when we had already left the kitchens and our conversation had dried into silence that I found the courage to mention the topic.
I looked around once and leaned forward and then back to see if someone was around, but this near the waterfall not many were allowed to venture. Elladan raised his brow at my sudden movements and I hushed him when a smirk fought its way to his face.
"I saw the one," I said, and the effect was prompt. The smirk dropped off his face and the sudden intensity of his gaze touched my expression. He still remained quiet, though, tilting his head for elaboration, "When I was trying to treat Frodo."
His eyes widened a fraction, in a realisation that I wasn't playing here. I knew that people wouldn't know of its strength and malice until they had seen it with their own eyes and I was sure that even Elladan hadn't yet.
"What did it..." he started, his voice taking on the same detached quality that I had learned to hate.
"What can it show?" I snapped back, stopping his inquiry mid-sentence. The words worked wonders as he seemed to find the answer himself and the cold stone in his eyes softened. He inclined his head in what I knew was an apology and I could do nothing but nod along with him.
The silence that was not long ago nice and companionable was now taught with a strange anxiety and tension. I shifted on my feet, my eyes now fixed on the shimmer of the waterfall as the rays of the moon lightened its surface.
"Why does he need it? The ring, I mean."
"His strength, his power resides in it," he replied and his answer brought back the memories of the nightmares. I saw the moment when I gave him the ring and that mistake played over and over until I felt sick. It could've been like that, something in my head said, had I not been in the hands of the better side.
Shaking my head, I tried to rid myself of these thoughts,
"Then what are you going to do with it? Surely, you can't keep them here, with all the things lurking about."
"It needs to be destroyed." he said with a finality that was fearsome, "It can degenerate only in the deepest depths of Mount Doom."
"Mount Doom." I murmured, the map of the land filtering across my mind. I started when I realised what he was pointing to, "Are you kidding with me? How are you even gonna get there?"
He looked into my startled gaze and there was a deep contemplation in his expression. As if he already had already been thinking over this problem.
"It is not impossible."
I snorted at that. Remembering the battles that had been fought at the borders of Gondor, seeing all the people taught with worry whenever their loved ones returned, always dwindled in their numbers, I could say that this was a million in one game. To go to the heart of the enemy territory, while bearing the tinker that the enemy needs the most, in an effort to destroy it without the dark lord's knowledge was foolhardy. Even in my own noob eyes.
"Yes but, to go that deep into enemy territory. You'll need at least an army." I said. His expression did not change and I digested the thing he was referring to,
"The war is inevitable. No matter what becomes of the ring now." His words had a domino effect, with my stomach perhaps, as I felt sharp pangs of anxiety hit my abdomen, one after the other. I tried to maintain nonchalance, and spoke, trying to hide the vibration in my tone,
"When?"
"Soon enough."
The thing that terrified me about the war was, that even if I was dead scared of the bloodshed, even if I've heard it only on the news and even if I would never want to see it on will. I knew that I was going to be there at the spot. The future that Lord Elrond saw for me, and the fact that I had always stopped moving was perhaps something that had scared me and now knowing that me staying in Rivendell meant death inside the valley, I had the will to move on, to be productive and to make sense of the prophecy that was laid out for me and to do that I needed to do, which left me back to square one, much to my frustration.
"You know of what Lord Elrond saw of my future, right?" I asked, suddenly remembering the suspicion I had. He looked at me and a look of wonder passed his eyes. At perhaps the fact that how was suddenly aware of all the things that I perhaps shouldn't be,
"He said that it was all when I stopped moving of my free will. So perhaps-"
"You should stay here." his voice, suddenly cold and tense, cut across my sentence. I looked at him in surprise, wondering how he was saying that after the knowledge of the foretelling.
"What?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I didn't know the reason for the shift in the mood but there was an anger and frustration in his gaze that made me step back in surprise.
"There is going to be a war fought at every front. Rivendell is going to be the safest place of them all." he continued, a moment later, jaw still locked in place and eyes looking far over my head onto the onslaught of the waterfall.
I couldn't help but huff in annoyance.
"You know what he saw for the third future." I started, trying to get his eyes to make contact with mine, "Rivendell is the last place I want to be right now."
"It is the safest."
"Safety is the last concern of mine-"
"Well, that is why you ought to stay here." he snapped. His eyes flickered to my face, and I took a step back in surprise at the fierce look that had settled there, "leave the war to us men."
In the past two years in Rivendell, there had been many looks I've got, many scoffs I've heard and much constraints I've felt but this was something that fell as a slap of cold reality to me. Perhaps, the friendships and all the days spent in Rivendell had dulled my mind of the true reality of the steps I wanted to take. I remembered the sentence that Eohere had first said. That all people will not be as open minded as him, that me being who I was was something people didn't want to take seriously. I remembered, suddenly, where I stood on that social ladder and was filled with depression and indignation. The anger that bubbled in my throat was nothing short of pure rage and I gulped in a gasp of air, trying to pacify the effects.
"Elladan." I started but my voice was too sharp, the words gritting out of my teeth and Elladan realised what had ticked me off. He sighed, as if tired of some long fight, and replied,
"I don't say this because I don't trust your talents. I say it because you're a-"
He halted his words and looked at me as if he needed to say no more.
"Complete that sentence, Elladan" I spoke and this time my voice was calm to a frightening extent, "I dare you to. I'm a what?"
Something twitched in his expression and for a moment he looked to be unsure of his comments but it was too fleeting for me to care or for it to make a difference.
"We both get the gist."
"You don't perhaps." I snapped back. Inhaling a sharp breath I looked up into his eyes, the two pale orbs shining in the light of the moon.
"I'm not just a woman, Elladan. I'm Lanette. Lanette Anderson."
He opened his mouth to say something but by now I was not in a mind to listen to his tirades.
"I'm-"
"I'm me. The same person you've been training and making strategies for the past half year. Out of all people, I thought that perhaps you three won't hold me back on that front." I finished and took a step back from him. The silence that extended was painful and I had made up half my mind to just turn back and let him be,
"Look." he started, this times his eyes were softened and held perhaps a bit of desperation that I in my anger couldn't see.
"I don't say that because I think that you're weak."
I scoffed at that, crossing my arms in front of me,
"Then what."
He heaved a sigh in frustration and for the first time in my stay in Rivendell I had seen him so unsure and desperately short of words. One of his hands ran through his hair in vexation, messing up the straight bangs from their neat place. For a second his jaw tightened and when he looked back at me the determination in his eyes was staggering, all of his expressions mostly were. Perhaps that is why he was not usually expressive because when he did express it was intense and a bit of breathtaking.
He took a step forward, his long stride covering the few feet between us and I had to lean back to look at his height.
"I just. I say that because-" his tirade, frustrated and desperate was cut off by the voice of Lady Aria. She stood a bit sideways, her gaze curious and irritated, was shifting between us. It must've been a sight too, I realised belatedly, with the dishevelled (for elves) appearance of Elladan and the flush of anger coating my cheeks.
"Lord Elladan, your dinner is served."
I took a long breath and stepped back. Enough to put a respectable distance between us. He had already eaten but none of us had the heart to speak the fact, the words of his still stuck to my mind.
"I'll leave you to it then," I said. My voice was clipped and cold, much like he usually was and I saw the effect this had on him. Lady Aria was leaving, albeit slowly down the corridor and I made the move to go down the opposite direction. Elladan's hand shot out at the last possible moment and the hold on my upper arm froze me in place. In the light of his recent comments, the look that I have his hand was fleeting and hateful and he dropped it as if it burned my flesh.
"Don't. I beg your pardon if my words made a wound." I listened to him, all the while looking at the many expressions displayed on his normally stoic face. The irritation still bubbled in my throat but his desperation made me bite my tongue. My mind drifted back to the society that I was currently in and a small part of me knew that the fact that I was even allowed to be myself was my luck because like majority of the womenfolk of Middle Earth I could've been strained in a house, with or without my will and I perhaps wouldn't have anything to do against it. The thought dwindled my anger like a cold fountain until the only feeling left was a sense of disappointment that destroyed my mood and a stone of dread and loath that settled in my stomach.
"Let us not part ways in such a mood at a night that might not be achieved again, for a long time," he said again. His eyes probing for an answer. That sentence brought me back to the present and the thoughts of war that I had forgotten during this little spat were again magnified. I sighed and after casting another disappointed look his way, nodded my head. My gait was hesitant as I followed him down the path to the Hall of Flame and my hand on his arm stopped us in the middle of the hallway. The laughter and rumble could be heard not far from where we stood and he waited patiently while I collected my thoughts. I took one look at his apologetic expression and spoke again
"Look, Elladan." I started, ignoring his intense concentration at my words, what I knew was his way to try and patch things up,
"The thing is not that I want to jump into such trouble. I feel this to be a duty despite myself."
At that, he looked surprised, if just for a moment but I continued regardless the words tumbling out of my mouth, one after the other
"I'm more learnt in this art than those mere children that will be forced to fight. If they are going to be there, cold and taught with fear, yet standing resolutely against the forces then I can too. No, then I must too."
Elladan's face turned towards the sky, his eyes tracing the path of the stars and the next time he looked down there was a strange expression in his gaze,
"This world isn't your duty, my lady. Not yet anyway."
"I want to make it," I replied. Remembering the promise that I had made. The hurdles I've faced and all the sacrifices I had made for this world. The faces of all my loved ones shifted across my mind, blurred and not so clear anymore and I felt the pang of longing, something that left me sad and dizzy. I had given up so much for the people of this world because I had seen their kindness and compassion all along the way. So now I couldn't see this world crumbling in front of my eyes when I could stir even one leaf for the safety of this land.
"I promised myself that I will stay happy. That I'll grow old and weak and when I look back at those memories I will be looking at a life well lived, not a life wasted in fear and solace."
Elladan's expression turned thoughtful. A look of defeat passed his gaze but he smiled, nonetheless how strained that expression was,
"War is just another name of heartache."
"Then let's not cause each other heartache which the war will provide enough," I replied, raising my brow for the effect.
"I didn't mean to." he murmured, his face hiding all the emotions swirling beneath his lids and I wondered what he was thinking for saying all that today. What was wrong with him that he was acting so strange today?
"Yet you did. I ask not much, only that you respect the decisions I make for myself, by myself." I said finally, catching up to his pace to the Hall. He smiled at that, a genuine smile that extended to his eyes, the same smile that softened the hard planes of his face so much that I Had to return the favour,
"Respect is something that you've earned a long time ago."
I chose not to comment as the lights and sounds of the great hall engulfed my senses and instead made out the face of Filvendor as he pointed us over to the crowd.
The next day dawned bright and the cheerful warmth of the sun was dulled by the chilled breeze, rising with each day. A day of the council, I thought as I laid in my bed staring at the ceiling above. Filvendor and Elrohir had been surprised when I had told them of the ring and it was because of how much I already knew that they were willing to reveal what they had kept hidden. My mind drifted to the council, that was inevitable today and the sudden fear that coursed through my body caused me to wake fully and get out of the bed.
I was halfway towards the great hall when my paths met with Filvendor. He took one look at the worried set of my shoulders and whisked me away to the kitchens instead of the place I was opting for.
Our conversation was light and uninterrupted. We spoke of the times before and everything and anything that didn't pertain to the war raging around us and for that I was immensely thankful to him. Not long after settling down with a vegetable sandwich and a cup of tea was I laughing along with his exaggerated tale and had the chance to tell him of the embarrassing situations that I had previously been in.
We finally caved when the cook gave us another look from under his lashes and decided to meet in the grounds for the practice that I had been lagging.
By noon I was dirty, sweaty and tired and the cool breeze of October did nothing but to rake chills through my body. Smacking Filvendor on the chest, for his ever-increasing smirk, I decided to take a nice warm bath and meet those three for the dinner. The change in Filvendor's gaze was unsettling and a feeling of uncertainty passed my senses knowing that they'll probably be leaving soon. Still, the conversation with Elladan rang through my brain and I couldn't help but lt groan. Why did he have to make the things awkward between us at such a moment? These were not the times for friends to be uncertain around each other but it was something that I couldn't help, this rigidity whenever I saw his face now.
Dragging my feet through the courtyard, close to Lord Elladan's study I wondered if I should borrow some book. I shook my head at my own thoughts, my thoughts wandering to the pile just by my bedside. I was halfway across the courtyard overshadowed by the balcony when I heard the voices from the balcony above. Belatedly I realised that this was where the council was taking place. Despite my better judgement, my feet carried me closer to the area. 'It's in my way!' I told myself but couldn't help the racing heartbeat as the voices became clear enough to be heard.
"... The nine, the seven and the three, each had their own gem but not the one... "
I listened into the story of Gandalf for a while, my back resting against the pillar and arms crossed over my chest. My mind raced with each and every word, trying to connect it with the information I had garnered already.
Suddenly the conversation took a defiant turn and the words uttered by Gandalf were ominous and powerful, much like the ones I had heard from the ring. The sky darkened and the heavy air that settled around caused my mind to race back to what the ring had shown me. The blood and gore flashed across my lids and I gasped in desperation. Slapping my hands over my eyes, I strained to hear Lord Elrond's voice as it cleared the atmosphere and returned the semblance of peace in the abode of Rivendell.
I straightened and hurried away, not looking back a fraction, the guilt of hearing things I perhaps shouldn't have prevalent in my mind.
The day passed slowly, with the hours dragging past until we three, minus Elrohir, sat down in the table amidst a painful silence. The fork scratched across the china as I dragged the half eaten food across my plate, looking at the alert figures of Filvendor and Elladan from the corner of my eye. A painful stone settled in my stomach, making it hard to swallow the salad resting on my plate.
My talk with Elladan was put at the back of my mind, the magnitude of his words becoming minute in the light of the recent events. I couldn't help but let my anger melt away as I passed another look at their hands, curling so hard around the cutlery to make their knuckles white. My wandering gaze met with that of Elladan for a moment and couldn't help but stare, wondering what that multitude of emotions ringing in those chilled orbs meant. It always annoyed me, how I could never tell what he was thinking, despite how well I wanted his emotions to be displayed openly. Filvendor broke the silence, mumbling in his anxiety and in an effort to hide it. Not trying to show, how obvious he looked, especially when he ran his hand messing up his elegant bangs more than once, I braved a small smile as I listened to his Tirade. Elladan and Elrohir were to follow Aragon in a mission that they were pretty subdued about. Filvendor himself, being one of the favourite soldiers of Lord Glorfindel, due to his knack of emergency strategies and ease with which he could carry through with turbulent times, not to mention his skill in the art, was travelling beyond the mountains towards the forests beyond on the insistance of Gandalf. I raised my eyebrow at that, wondering how they'll be travelling the path there and back again before the end of the year when it took me almost three to just go across the one side. Filvendor laughed at that, the tension in his shoulders easing and his hand reached to mess up my hair. I slapped it away, with a pout of my own and couldn't help the smile extending on my face as I saw the lines of hardness ease a bit from Elladan's face.
It took not even an hour for them to saddle their horses and stand huddled together in the courtyard, about twelve of the best, as Lord Elrond spoke his farewell, warning them of the dangers they might face and against the turbulent shadows that were inevitable in their paths, his gaze lingering for a moment too long on Elladan, enough to make his jaw tighten in anticipation.
The look, however, was shortlived and soon they walked with the horses to the end of the valley, in even smaller groups than they began with and I sat on the steps of the cottage, in which I had once treated Filvendor, the presence of so many of them making it fine to traverse this far into the boundaries of the valley without a weapon.
Goodbyes with Filvendor and Elrohir were not easy, I had much to say but the words were tied on my tongue and I gulped down the array of emotions bedazzling me at the moment. So, l instead settled for a hug with both of them and let Filvendor mess the knot on the top of my head. His hand instead of the sharp ruffles he did once, patted down my hair and lingered a moment too long that I had to look up at his face. The strained look he gave me was anxious and for once I wanted to smack the smile off of his face, the one he always had to prove that things weren't serious, especially when they were.
I turned to Elladan the last, for he and Elrohir had to leave at the end with Aragon and for a moment we stood in silence as we saw Filvendor's scout turning across the plateau and vanishing down the mountains.
"I hope that-", he started, his voice a bit strained and jaw tightening in perplexity. His orbs traced the path that the riders vanished down a few moments before, his eyes looking everywhere except into my own.
"It's fine." I finished for him. Waiting for the silence to extend a bit more.
"You were insensitive. Yes, but can I really blame you for it?" I said, my voice inquiring with myself and knowing that I just couldn't see him in a bad light because of this, I shook my head, "No, I can't."
He opened his mouth, perhaps to say something about it when a lingering look of mine stopped him, "Drop the subject Elladan. It's not important right now."
These words were the most successful ones yet in shutting him up and for a second his gaze softened, perhaps realising what I was feeling and for the next twenty minutes we sat in companionable silence and I gave them a smile, strained and perplexed but still a great attempt, as their backs vanished down the same road.
For the next few days, I could only think of the shift in the emotions of Elladan's gaze when he had turned to look back, just before turning and vanishing for another long time. For the first time, I found adoration mixed with the fear and desperation in his gaze and I found that more perplexing than most things in the monotonous life here that I was spending.
But that monotonous life was soon disrupted when I was practising my sword practice two days later. Swinging at the air in front of me, I huffed at the lack of response, threw Agnaria near the tree and leaned back at the bark. The breeze was strong, and the cold colliding with the sweat on my brow sent chills through my spine.
After a while of rest and with the increasing restlessness of something to do, I broke away the parchment from my journal and begun scribbling down all the information I had garnered about the situation by now. The journals I had read in the library, the things that I had heard from the council and those that I had the chance to come across. The reasons why he wanted the ring, the reasons why it was so dangerous and the effect all it would have on the middle Earth. The war that was brimming on the horizon and the scouts that were being sent out. The people of the world uniting yet no help to Gondor from Rohan.
All the information, the bits and snippets of what I knew rang across my head until I wasn't aware of my surroundings anymore. Hunched over the brown leaf of my journal and trying to connect all the dots desperately, I couldn't help but groan in annoyance. Just when things began to make sense somehow they did not. All this talk about the power and significance of the one ring, the army of orcs, the dark power and magic were still so superficial that half of my heart didn't just agree with it. Even though I had felt the malevolence of the ring and seen its power with my own eyes, even though I've felt the magic filtering across the room when I had met with my prophecy, still sometimes my heart and mind just couldn't agree with what it was. Just like I was in a big dream waiting for someone to strike me awake.
"It's queer how heart is not willing to believe what it sees in the front." the voice of Gandalf, low and amused brought me back to the present with a snap. I turned with a gasp, a hand flying to my heart as I saw his eyes twinkling down at my aghast face. But before I could say something, the look turned serious and he continued, his words making my eyes drop to the grass crunched in my free hand,
"I'm sure you felt the power of dark and light yesterday."
My eyes traced the pattern, the guilt of that encounter eating up my stomach.
"I didn't mean to" I mumbled in a small voice. He stayed rooted, the silence becoming thick and suffocating and I felt the words tumbling out of my mouth themselves.
"I know that things are spanning a bit too out of control but I was wondering what I was supposed to do," I said, hoping to convey my honesty. Because in the past many months, that is what I've been truly trying to do. To make out what I should do. Or perhaps what I can do to help.
"Trying to make sense of the prophecy," he mumbled and I nodded my head, looking at the sky stretching beyond him.
"It never makes sense until it happens and then it's like everything's again in the open," I replied, my words mixing with an absent air as my mind drifted again to what I was doing before. The silence stretched for a moment and I again snapped to the senses as the smoke of the weed filtered up my nose.
"A company to leave with the ring?" I asked, my question, so abrupt that it even caught me off guard. I took a look at the curiosity filtering across Gandalf's expression and continued, knowing that perhaps I was digging my own grave.
"Is that what's gonna happen?"
His eyes, for the first time, focused on the journal open in my lap and with every passing second his eyebrows raised a fraction. I fought the urge to cover the scribbles with my hand and wondered if I would look suspicious if I ran away right now.
Instead, I opted to explain, stumbling and tumbling over my words to make things comprehensive,
"No one was willing to keep it, and you wanted it destroyed and Elladan said that it can only be destroyed in the depths of Mount doom but you aren't willing for an army... "
My voice trailed off in an awkward whisper and I could do nothing but peek at his stony expression from under my lashes,
"You are more perceptive than I gave you credit for." he finally replied, after what seemed like an eternity and I hustled to come clean,
"I didn't mean to snoop around"
He looked as if he didn't even want to believe me but opted to not voice his thought leaving me more guilty than before.
"Who'll be in it? The fellowship" I asked, realising that perhaps I was too deep in the Marsh for my own good but the curiosity lending my tongue a mind of its own.
He looked at me and perhaps saw the challenge in my eyes. For the past two days, I had done nothing much productive than to think and then over think over every look and voice that I had seen or heard and to say the least I was pretty damn sure that the ring was still with Frodo.
Gandalf gave me a sharp look, his eyes stony and boring into my soul as he next spoke,
"Frodo will be carrying the ring, Samwise is his loyal guard. The rest.. ." he finished his words by stroking his beard,
"And the war? "
"Gondor will fight it." I gasped at that. My mind drifting to their dwindling numbers that I had seen more than a year ago. Gondor to fight alone? It will surely fall. Especially without their beloved captain...
"Alone? That's impossible."
Gandalf's brow taught with worry which he successfully hid a moment later and I asked the thing that had been bothering me for a while now.
"Rohan won't help?"
"Rohan is long taken by the darkness," he replied. His expression for once held a touch of sadness, enough to make his company realise that things weren't promising at all.
"But you need to alert them."
"Their king won't listen, it's a gamble to go there not knowing whom to trust."
"But don't you know the people there, surely you can!" I replied. My voice rose in frustration and I struggled to get hold of my heart that was pattering thunderously in my chest.
"Those times have long gone when I was a friend of their house."
His tone held an element of regret and a touch of finality that ended the interrogation on the tip of my tongue.
"There are things that demand my attention much more than the war."
"Trust..." I murmured a moment later, my eyes tracing the lines of my hand that was twisting in my lap,
"Can't I do it?" I asked suddenly. The idea that was suddenly in my head didn't seem ignorant anymore.
Gandalf seemed to disagree, for his expression turned sour and twisted in disbelief,
"Child what talk is that? Who do you know in Rohan to say such."
His voice was loud and commanding and he continued his tirade as if dealing with a child that he can't just come to terms with,
"There need be someone from the higher members of the court, a person whom we can trust, who could be the bearer of the secrets and a prompt responder ."
I waited for him to take a breath, the idea still filtering across my mind,
"I went to Rohan with a ranger." I started and hid a small smirk as I saw his eyebrows raise,
"He was a man of Rohan, dressed in the garb of rangers."
Gandalf shook his head at that, leaning back on the tree and letting out a long draught of smoke,
"A ranger is not someone who'll have the power to dissuade the men of Riddle Mark. And no nobility will have the heart to listen to the tirades carried by a foreign woman. You might be burned at the stakes with how it is going"
His words were harsh and uttered in a tone that spoke of no-nonsense. Making Elladan's words again filter across my mind. I bit my tongue to help a snark comment and instead focused on what I was saying,
"But a Lord from amongst themselves would be, perhaps. A soldier, a leader from within them."
That coaxed a surprised look out of him and he sifted his head to stare straight down at my eyes. His expression was kind and fatherly but with a quality to not cross him but his eyes, looking straight into mine seemed to know the very thought filtering across my head.
"Who is this ranger you speak of?"
"I don't know much of him. I did travel with him I mean but I wasn't aware of his nobility till the day after we parted ways." I replied, remembering the information I had got out of Ehara once we both had parted ways. Irritation still bubbled in my throat at the mystery of the man I knew so much of and still nothing of importance. It was laughable to think that I trusted him, still, with my very life but didn't even know who was truly the person that I trusted.
"A ranger that is of nobility." he murmured and took a long swig letting another draught escape past his lips. I nodded at his words, continuing my explanation,
"Enough to be called Lord by the people. A bachelor among the ranks of the Riddle mark, I hear."
"Eohere Freeman, he called himself."
Suddenly a look of understanding passed through Gandalf's gaze and when he murmured Eohere's name, his voice was mixed with an element of formality that left me surprised,
"I see."
"Perhaps I can transfer your message to him if I find him not taken up by the darkness." I offered up again.
"I won't be the one suspected to carry out the deed, for he out of all know that I'm not of this world."
Gandalf still shook his head, looking above at the birds chirping at the latter branch,
"Times are not so for a woman to travel alone."
"Times are not so for you to discriminate on gender." I huffed, my voice snapping in annoyance. He shook his head impatiently and I tried to make sense of the words I was uttering,
"I travelled from Gondor to Rivendell on my own, not even a year ago."
"Times are darker now."
"And I'm stronger," I said, my voice taking on a seriousness that even I was surprised of.
"This is something that perhaps I can do Gandalf. We both know that I wasn't supposed to just stay in the valley."
"I just can't," I said again. The desperation was visible in my voice and I stepped forward with a hand on my chest, probing him to listen to my words, with my plan solidifying in my mind.
"We cannot allow this in normal circumstances." he started a moment later, his head tilted in thought.
"But the world hasn't been normal for a while now." His eyes looked down at my tense figure and a twinkle, light and mischievous found its way in that gaze.
"Eohere Freeman." he murmured again and then continued in a much serious tone, "Allow me to ponder on this a while. There is nothing to be done until the fellowship departs."
"I hope that you can think on it well. I'm more than willing." I finally caved, knowing that he'll make the decision taking in all the odds.
"But are you more than ready to partake in this!" he asked suddenly. The air became taught with a dark energy, the area darkening in the wake of his tone. His ringing voice made me take a step back and I looked up at his domineering figure, my heart suddenly pattering in my chest,
"Are you strong enough to carry yourself, alone, in face of such danger to Rohan. Are you trustworthy enough to be allowed for such an ordeal?"
His eyes bore into mine and I gulped, blinking back the frost that had taken over my mind. I looked down once, to settle my emotions, and by the time I stared back, my voice was free of the anxiousness I was feeling inside,
"I might not be strong enough but I am unimportant enough to pass through the shadows. And I might not be trustworthy enough but I've got nothing to gain."
"Not even a life back there," he asked, an eyebrow-raising for effect.
"The fate was sealed a long time ago," I replied, remembering that fateful day and closing my eyes at the sudden onslaught of painful memories.
Gandalf departed without further ado, his voice ringing in the air behind him,
"Fate plays itself in thin lines, vanishing and reappearing in the minute notice of a second."
I listened to the words and my heart sank a bit more. It wasn't until his back had vanished from my line of sight did I find my voice again.
"Fate is all I'm clinging too, Gandalf. All I've placed my hopes on here." I murmured, hoping that the air filtered my thoughts before they even reached my own ears.
The days continued to dawn and before I knew it a week had passed, amidst encounters and revelations that perhaps would lead to friendships strong and long, if proceeded accordingly. Bilbo, being extremely worried and suave was trying to make this month or two exclusive for us all. Or perhaps was just trying to remove his worries, who was to say. Just three days after the council I was dragged down with the hobbit to the balcony where Bilbo had arranged a huge second breakfast, and despite my voices of concern about already having eaten, I was shushed and my plate piled with delicious biscuits whose aroma left all my concerns wavering. That was how I was actually introduced to the hobbits, all of them looking surprised, yet no less respectful and the conversation flew well among us. Bilbo, being the eternal host he was, took it on himself to lead the talk, disclosing even the stories I had told him before, with me contributing a few words here and there. Altogether I stayed on the sidelines, my eyes shifting amusedly between Merry and Pippin as they recalled a tale from their stroll down the old Berrywort's farms during one spring night.
It was after the conversation had settled to an amiable silence and all the goods were almost eaten off of the plates that I excused myself from the bunch, with a smile of promise to finally tell Merry how I came about to Rivendell. Halfway down the corridor, I was stopped by Frodo, his small frame scurrying behind me. I looked at him in question, again surprised at the depth of pain and turmoil I saw in those sky orbs of his. He looked young, a teenager even, until one got to look into his gaze and saw all the pain hidden behind a veil of cheerfulness that left the one observing sad and with a bitter taste in the mouth.
"I heard what you did for me, I sincerely thank you, my lady, " he said, as he caught up and I couldn't help but smile at that.
"I didn't do much Frodo. You should thank Lord Elrond if you feel the need." I replied, keeping a companionable smile on his face. His eyes dropped to the ground for a fraction and for a moment, perhaps tingled with the shadows falling across his face, he looked to be old, tired and a deficit of all the life and joy on the world. My expression softened at that and I nudged him with my elbow, ignoring his surprised look. "Though with the pain you're carrying you perhaps don't even need that." I said, and continued a moment later, with a smile directed down at him, "You're much stronger than you believe Frodo."
The smile that he gave me was genuine, the one that makes you feel that perhaps you've done well in this world.
"Bilbo was right," he said, a moment before turning around and going back towards the three fellows that were waving to him to follow them, "you do have the ability to make people trust you." and I could do nothing but state at his back as it vanished down the corridor, surprised but no less pleased at his words.
The next day passed painfully slowly. My mind was continually filled with the conversation with Gandalf and his lack of positive response. The crawling hours and the calming abode of Rivendell gave me enough time to go over whatever was happening currently, not only in my life but also around me. I knew that the biggest priority of the time was to diminish the danger of the ring and for that the fellowship, whoever those poor people will be, would have to leave in the earnest but the fact was, that while they all did the deed secretly, the world wasn't going to stop rotating on its axis. No one would wait for them and the forces of the enemy will bear down on the people with bigger force than they had shown before. People were now aware of the two very clear-cut sides and they were starting to take the side that seemed to be benefitting to them so it was pretty inevitable that while the fellowship went about for the ring, the war brimming on the horizon will break out.
I remembered the few months that I had been in Gondor, and while my eyes were fixed on the domestic problems and the purpose with which I went there, it was pretty impossible to ignore all the effects of the war. Even with the festivals and with the celebrations of victories it was impossible to overlook those tears that fell in the remembrance of the fallen. It was impossible to forget how every celebration was tinged with the sadness of death, the fear of destruction and the stress of annihilation. The way Lord Dervorin had looked, every time he returned from a meeting with the Lords, or how my few encounters with Lord Boromir had left an impression of not only royalty, courage and passion but also of a deep-rooted hate and fear in the depths of those silver orbs.
With that, I was damn sure that Gondor, when fighting a full out war, with the brimming forces of Mordor and Dark Lord's Allies, will require all aid that they can attain. Rohan being the first on the list of that list.
I could see the point of Gandalf, that no Lord will ever listen to the news carried by a woman (no matter how much I despised to think like that), and if even Gandalf was not welcome in the Halls of Rohan, then any message from him would also not be welcome. I perhaps, by doing this will be signing the certificate of my own death.
But there was this ringing sensation in my head, the voice at the back of my mind that told me that I needed to leave. That I must go to Rohan and find Eohere. The world was changing rapidly and people along with it but even though it has been almost two years since I last heard from Eohere or saw him, even though I did not know much about him, there was this sense of trust that I couldn't help but associate with him. People had instincts and even if I didn't feel like trusting mine most of the time, now I was perhaps sure that he, Eohere, wouldn't be the one to turn against the truth and wellbeing of life. There were different people in the world and some of them, those that bore all the pains and turmoils of this world and turned out to be kind and compassionate, those kindled spirits were not the ones to exploit people's pain and destruction. And Eohere, in that memory of him sitting by the fire, surrounded by smoke and lost in thought as the moon shined on those tinged ocean orbs was not the look of hate but of peace and compassion, of a man in terms with nature and with a love of all things pure and impure.
That was why perhaps I was sure that if I got to find him and if I made him listen to some sense he would be will willing to help. Everyone knew that Gondor was the stronghold of men against the Dark Lord and the fall of that one wall meant the inevitable fall of Rohan at the hands of both Mordor and the swirling lines of Isengard. Eohere being the ranger and warrior that he was, would perhaps be the best option for that. He was not too caught up in the politics of Rohan, at least not until I had known him, and he would be the one most likely to choose sense over some twisted sense of fidelity with the king that was lost to the deceit of enemy, as Gandalf had said.
Looking back at the time, I had told Eohere's name to Gandalf and the sudden look of thought that had overtaken his expression, I somehow felt they Gandalf knew who Eohere was and perhaps he was not expecting me to be aware of him. That look of acceptance was enough to make sure that Gandalf knew and accepted Eohere as a good enough candidate.
The only problem, as left, was the fact that it was me who gave the idea. The thought, of a single person, a woman at that, travelling across the misty mountains towards the decaying society of Rohan, alone in such turbulent times would be ludicrous to anyone at that moment and I felt that Gandalf thought the same.
I couldn't help but groan in frustration, slamming my hands down on the table and making Merry jump in surprise, effectively cutting off the tirade he had been on with for half an hour now. I gave him a sheepish smile, a moment later, as I came about my senses and focused my eyes on the lunch sitting untouched in front of me. The great hall was nearly empty today, with the time is not yet appropriate for lunch but with the insistence of Bilbo to not fill up the head with the gibberish that makes your hair turn white and with a polite inclination of Frodo to eat with them, out of politeness or as thanks who was to ask, I had followed them to accompany their lunch group.
Bilbo threw a worried glance my way, his eyes probing to ask what was the problem and I, trying to act natural and not wanting to divulge my fears when he had his own worries to think about, excused myself from the table.
The outside air was chilled, a contrast from the warm environment of the Great Hall and I drew the short coat around my figure, the one that Filvendor had gifted to me a few months back when I had explained to him what type of clothes I would miss the most from my world. I was taken by a pang of loneliness as I missed his company terribly and couldn't help but stare at the pale leaves falling from the trees, a feeling of loneliness eating me up from the inside.
It was surprising, how we had come together in such a short span but I found soon enough that he was a person I could connect to the most openly, someone who could probe anything out of me and in front of whom I was not scared to lay bare my soul because the compassion in his eyes reflected that he thought the same. We had never actually said it, how easily we connected or how many secrets we knew of each other or how much we cared for each other but some things were just self-explanatory and I felt that every time we met again, words were not necessary to convey what we were feeling when it could be felt with one look, or hug or even messing up the knot that I had on, most of the time.
Instinctively, my hand travelled to the blob of hair resting on top of my head and I stopped myself, willing to snap out of this feeling of helplessness and moping that I had taken on for the past few days.
Realising that I had stopped my studies midway, I made my way to the library, hoping to take my mind off from the matters for a small while. My stay in the library was short lived however and after taking a scroll from the shelf I decided to extract the effect of the plants mentioned there and made my way to the wards
The crisp air of the autumn mixed with the scent of the hospital made for a professional environment that I felt the most comfortable in and before long I was rummaging through the numerous drawers to find the right herbs for an antiseptic I had been experimenting with. Knowing that we needed a bit of the modern medicine and if I was to make a difference in the war then I needed to see the effect for myself so I can help in the medical ward with the command over the medicines of the middle earth, perhaps providing my own touch to renew their effect. It took me a few hours to concentrate the mixture into a thick paste and I was quite glad of the effects. The anaesthetic effects of the heartwood, mixed with the healing effect of Kingsfoil and the antiseptic effect of Hemawaire (a sort of plant Lord Elronf was keen to use.
With the prompting of Lord Elrond I had taken to experiment with the stuff because, with all the knowledge that man had, it was so easy for him to not even test the drug but still know the effect the mixing of the plants would have. Or sometimes he took the testing to himself and I got the report, a full-fledged with all the detailed effects of the drug, but not one semblance of knowledge where he tried it on.
"This looks the most promising out of the ones constituted till now, my lady" came his voice, cutting sharply across the quiet still of the lab and my heart nearly jumped out of my throat. Placing a hand over my heart and wondering how I could go to deliver the message when I was being such a scaredy cat in front of the person I needed to convince of my talents, I settled for a small nod.
His gaze, perceptive and with a hint of curiosity, turned from the inspection of the paste to my face and a look of understanding passed his features. A moment of silence stretched and suddenly, I was asked to follow him to the hill where he cultivated his weeds. We stopped near the end of the patches, where the vegetation was scarce and the grass, now grey and cold, was waving in the soft breeze. There was only one plant, that was shrivelled and dried up, perhaps in the welcoming of autumn and I couldn't help but stare at the back of Elrond, wondering why we were here in the barren area.
Moments passed in silence and I couldn't find my tongue to say something.
The sun had already set, and the slight hues were fading into the purple of the evening when the flower before us seemed to come to life. Its shrivelled roots developed without any means and within moments the dried mess was blooming into one of the beauties of nature, its strange petals glistening in the diluted rays.
I gaped at the plant and at Elrond's back while he still stood looking down at it.
"Heratwreath," he said, his voice soft and proud seemed to mould with the cool breeze, "a plant with the ability to lend life or suck it out in a mere moment."
I stared at him in surprise, the wheels in my brain churning to find where I had read it and gasped when it finally clicked,
"Is this?"
"A plant, merely whose essense makes the heart beat, for a whole day. " he completed the sentence for me. His head tilted a bit backwards and I came to stand by him, looking curiously at the delicate petals. My mind was not yet willing to accept all the magic that I had heard about it.
"I thought that it was a myth." I murmured, squatting down to take a better look. The scent of the pale lilac was engulfing and intoxicatingly sweet, a scent that could lull the man into the abode of evil due to its beauty.
I leaned back when I head Lord Elrond shift to walk back, again towards the library and left my position to follow him, wondering why had he wanted to show it to me.
"It is a plant that I had seen only once in my life. During the days of adolesce that I cannot remember well enough."
I cast a surprised look his way, taking care to steer clear of the patch, my ears trained on every sound he made.
"It has always been thought of significance, a plant signalling life, hope and prosperity in exchange of a huge responsibility." he then stopped to look at me and I wondered where he was getting to.
He just looked into my eyes, a thoughtful expression on his face before he said,
"It is a plant you should study the effects of, Lady Lanette, there need to be people who can use it when the time is right." and without hearing another word, he turned and left me gaping. Wondering what the heck was happening. What was this secrecy and why did he bring me here, only to stay quiet and to give me even more details to overthink about, I shook my head walking back to the library, in hopes to take up his advice and get all the scrolls that explained about Heratwreath in his personal library.
I was just walking back from the library with two scrolls in my hands when my paths crossed with the one person I had been avoiding quite effectively for the past many days. Lord Boromir's head, buried in a scroll, with his brow furrowed in concentration and his hands clutching the paper a tad bit too tight, strolled through the hallway. I quietened my steps and was thankful to see that he hadn't looked up and just as I was going to congratulate myself on the stealth, his head snapped up and eyes trained on mine, the intensity and anger melting away into surprise and curiosity. I gave him a small smile, with an awkward nod of the head and was about to carry on my way when his inquiry stopped me in my tracks. I turned to look at him, wondering how did I always end up in such twisted situations,
"Miss, do I-" he asked and was interrupted mid-sentence by Merry bouncing on his feet and waving as he ran over,
"Lady Lanette!" Merry called jovially and I held myself back from smashing my head against the marble pillar just by my side. I wanted to avoid the Lord because he didn't know who I was and he had seen me working there in Lord Dervorin's home as a maid. I didn't want to explain, how a lowly maid all the way from Gondor could've found her way to the Last homely house of elves and was staying there, not only as a friend but a student of sorts of Lord Elrond. Also being a person with status enough to be called a lady. Because even I did not know why I was called this, when I had nothing to contribute to my name.
Lord Boromir's gaze intensified, his eyes travelling between the approaching visitor and my taught figure and I tried my best to ignore the question situated in them,
"Bilbo asks if you'll join us on the tea this eve_" Merry was saying but suddenly stopped as he saw Lord Boromir standing beside me. His gaze went between us and as if suddenly coming up with something gave a sheepish smile,
"Oh a company, I'll come later to hear your response."
My heart dropped a bit at that and I had just called out to him when his steps, too quick to be normal, carried him around the corner and out of my sight,
"No, wait. I-" my words died on my tongue and I cursed him for his cunning. Inhaling a sharp breath I could do nothing but turn towards the man in front of me.
"Lord Boromir," I said as politely as I could muster and inclined my head. He looked thoughtful for a moment before the expression was wiped out by one of professionalism as he replied, "Lady Lanette." His greeting was without any compassion and seemed more of like a cold command and I realised that this was the first time I was actually talking with the Lord. All of our encounters were ambiguous and I was surprised still, that he had the ability to remember me. He took a step forward and inclined his head to the path spread out before us,
"There are things I must ask, if the time perhaps is right with you," he said. The deep baritone of his voice was smooth but rough at the same time. Formal, of a man of royalty but with the coldness of a strong headed warrior and a passion that reflected his leadership in all he did. I wondered whether I should make an excuse and bust away but knowing that things only got worse if left to sag I nearly sighed in defeat and nodded in confirmation,
"I see. Of course."
We walked for a while in silence and I couldn't help but click my tongue as it dragged to become painful. I didn't know what it was about today but suddenly there were no words and the silence of the moments that conveyed to me a deep sense of wanting to just crawl in a hole and combust, just to escape this awkwardness.
I stopped the pace, as we reached halfway through the courtyard. There was no one around, in our sight and if he wanted to talk then it was the right time.
"You should ask away, what you want to ask." I prompted him and he turned to face me, a sudden flash of emotions passing through his intense gaze before it became solid again, reminding me a bit of Elladan. His stoic, nonchalance was changed into the intense command, that stood in front of me in the form of Lord Boromir and my gut told me that it was not off to a good start.
He took a step forward and shrivelled up the distance between us into a companionable one. His hands were clasped at the back and the head a bit tilted as he looked down to face my height.
"There was a woman of Gondor, of the house of Lord Dervorin, I once saw." he started, a challenge brimming in the deep rumble of his tone with his eyes continually staring into mine to gauge the reaction. I was proud of myself when my face remained cool and passive and I inclined my head as an indication for him to continue, relishing the spark of annoyance that shuffled through his expression,
"A maid, that climbed the ranks to become the Lady of the house, soon enough." he continued, "A lady, whose name bespoke much concern for Lady Funaria for the rest of the winter."
He finished his words with a slight frown and I coked my head to the side, acting out a look of pure innocence,
"I wonder if she really was a Lady of Gondor." I murmured in reply, a moment later, seeing his expression change into one of curiosity barely tied with courtesy to not delve into a stranger's matters.
"I wonder who else she would be."
"Perhaps from the West," I said, my voice sounding more like a suggestion.
His brow raised at that and he searched my face for something before shaking his own,
"Her colouring, her attire and accent didn't match those of the Rohan."
"You never had a chance to be with her, to know," I answered. My voice held a challenge that I wasn't sure I was comfortable with igniting and wondered why I wanted to pick a fight so much today, perhaps the stress was really getting to my nerves
"But there were those under me that had to gauge something out of the people beside her," he said finally. And I felt my eyes go a bit wide. When leaving from Gondor I hadn't thought what would become of those that had helped me and looked at Lord Boromir. The nonchalance was wiped out and was replaced with a frown and a bitter taste of restlessness settled in my mouth,
"Even those might not know who she really was." I tried again, the calm of my voice teetering on the brink of breaking
"They truly didn't, perhaps. For they hadn't seen her now," he said again, looking pointedly into my eyes and I stopped myself from snapping at his darned majesty,
"I don't see how it is of concern to you, my lord."
His look of amusement was wiped out and suddenly he was serious and intense,
"A woman of Gondor is traversing in the halls of the elves, as a lady and an old companion. It makes it my concern."
"I'm not a woman of Gondor, my lord. Never was and never will be." I replied to him, my hand coming to rest on my hip. How bold of him to assume that I was his business, I thought. A huff stuck in my throat and I saw his expression change for a moment but couldn't decipher what he felt,
"You ask me to be blunt."
"Be blunt and honest rather than moving around in circles."
His gaze seemed to uptake the challenge and the tone of his voice turned south,
"What was your purpose that you had to rummage through the records of our warfare?"
"They were not just the warfare, it was the past of men I was interested in." My reply was prompt and clear leaving no room for dishonesty and as if he was expecting me to excuse, his eyebrows rose in surprise at my blatant acceptance,
"My reasons are mine alone." I finished.
"How do I know that you were not involved with the Haradrim to mark Gondor's demise?"
It was now my turn to be confused and I raked my brain to see if I had heard this word before. Nothing came to mind and I looked at him with confusion and a bit of frustration packed into the bunch,
"Haradrim?"
He looked astonished at my question but complied, his tone slow and careful,
"The people of the North. You said that you are from there."
Realising the trap I had fallen into, the wheels of my brain began to churn and I hoped that the panic was not visible on my face. Already too many people were aware of my dilemma and I didn't want others poking their nose where it shouldn't be, especially this certain Lord.
"I never said from there. I talked of the North of Bree."
"Bree is the topmost settlement of people. There are no nobilities that North," he said and there was something in his expression that left me stranded. Finding my voice I tried again,
"I never said that I was noble."
"Yet you claimed the title of 'a lady'" His reply was prompt and taxing, making me bite my tongue in thought,
"Titles can be for respect too." His eyebrow rose at that and for a moment he seemed to wonder at the meaning of my words,
"You've done something to garner the respect of the elves."
"I haven't done something. They are the people I live with now." I murmured, all the debate was getting squeezed out of me and I felt that with every word I was becoming more and more deficit in answers,
"It's been close to half an hour since we have started talking. Yet nothing you say reveal anything more than what I already know," he said after a long moment of silence, a note of frustration creeping into his carefully controlled tone. I huffed at that, giving him a dirty look before replying,
"That is because I do not need to reveal the things that you know not yet."
"Do you know what was the cause of the meeting yesterday?" he asked suddenly and the question was so out of nowhere that it threw me for a loop. My instinct was to look down in guilt and when I looked back up, his expression had hardened again,
"You say that you are not nobility yet you want me to believe that Lord Elrond would tell of the meeting to a mere woman?"
"I wasn't present at the meeting." I murmured in my defence although it was quite irrelevant,
"So tell me that I'm wrong when I say that you're aware of the details."
When I remained quiet he shook his head, a chuckle of disbelief passing by his lips.
"First an heir of Isildur and now a woman that has more say in this land than I do." he murmured, more to himself than to me and I could see his hands curling into the fist on his side.
"Heir of Isildur?" I asked in a tentative manner and he looked up with cold humour,
"So you're not aware of something too."
"Who's the-" I asked again and the look he gave me cut me off quite effectively. Of course, who else would be? The house of Lord Elrond was not exactly brimming with the men of importance. The only one aside from Lord Boromir was of course,
"Strider. Aragon. Of course." I murmured, finally piecing together his importance, another aspect of the picture becoming clear to me at that moment.
I sighed at the look I was awarded, suddenly feeling drained of energy and words,
"Lord Boromir, it wasn't my intention to lie, and neither I did. Even though you must've felt otherwise." I started, hoping my voice didn't sound as tired and done with the world as my expression probably was. I continued still, hoping to clear up this mess and just leave, "There are things in this world that I don't know the answer to. There are people that I can't know all about."
"Of course the case is with you too." I said motioning to him, "I'm not a woman of here. I perhaps never truly will be." I said and held up a hand as he opened his mouth to cut the speech tumbling out of my mouth, "There are peculiarities that you've seen now. There will definitely be others that you'll see later on, for as long as you'll see me."
I shrugged then, appearing nonchalant and cold as I said,
"That is something I can do nothing about. But if you ask me to change myself to fit the description you men have of the women here, then I'm sorry but it's never going to be that way."
Suddenly all I could focus on was the taunts and words of the past week. The spat with Elladan, the jabs of Gandalf. The sudden anger burned in my throat and at that moment I could only see one man in front of me and he annoyed the rest of the sanity out of me,
"If me being here, irritates you so much then let's not meet ways anymore. The valley is big enough that it'll give both of us space to be ourselves." I snapped and turned on my heel, to leave him hanging like I've been played so many times now. Not for a moment wondering if my actions and words were irrational and directed at the wrong person.
He watched her back, disappearing in the cold autumn night, with her words still ringing in his ears. His indignation bubbled at the impudence but he couldn't deny the string of curiosity that passed his mind at her peculiarities.
A woman that wore pants was one of the things he never thought he would see but he felt that all those things were meagre because talking to her forced one to look at her gaze, that could warm into a bed of compassion or could burn with the intensity of molten lava. He was intrigued and strung, he would admit, to see a woman like her. A woman that showed to him something more than the demure and docile mannerisms with emotions hiding under a veil of submission as the ladies of the court preferred.
He was a leader, a commander and a warrior. A man who was used to being followed and the challenge he saw in the eyes of another human, of less regard than him, and of a woman caused his blood to stir in surprise.
He stared long and hard at the space where she had disappeared into and couldn't help the smirk of respite that took hold of his features,
'I never said that her being a woman irates me.' he thought a moment later, his expression souring at her blatant assumption.
"You are more intriguing, Mis- Lady Lanette, than people give you credit for" he murmured as he slipped into the shadows, following down the path opposite to where the woman had left from, his mind fixed on the way the eyes had burned in a ball of fire with the least of the sparks his words had provided.
To be continued...