A/N Happy late Tolkien Reading Day! Only three days off the mark, welcome to the Fourth Age!
Frodo waking up on October 24th, punctually at ten am, brought home the reality that the story was still moving on, and fast. A feast was planned for that night, the Council of Elrond would happen tomorrow, and now that neither Elrond or Gandalf was needed at Frodo's bedside, Josephine was called back to Elrond's study to tell her side of the story in full. She'd been fairly forward with Aragorn about everything that she'd also tell them so nothing really seemed to surprise them. It all felt a lot like a waste of time and she'd been given the less than soothing advice of letting time tell what her purpose was. There was one, somewhat insane idea that had crossed her mind but she was trying not to think about it in case she tempted fate too much. Well, fate, or the Valar themselves.
Disillusioned, she left Elrond's study and poked her way through Rivendell until she ran across the Hobbits. Their spirits were as high as they could be now that Frodo was awake and they greeted her excitedly when she came around the corner and joined them. Their table was piled with food and they all sat around the half finished plates drinking and smoking and all over carrying on just like she'd hoped they'd be.
Sam jumped to his feet and brought over a fifth chair, finding her a place right between Frodo and Merry. "Just in time for elevensies, Miss Josephine."
She chuckled, masking her low mood so she wouldn't have to talk about her meeting with Elrond and Gandalf. Everyone seemed oblivious to her melancholy except for Frodo but he didn't say anything. Pouring herself a glass of juice she snatched a pastry off of one of the plates and leaned back in her chair.
"They're having a feast tonight," Pippin said between puffs from his. "You'll be coming, won't you?"
She most certainly was, it would be a prime opportunity to see all the members of the Fellowship and their kin in one place. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."
The feast began just after dusk and the elven woman who brought her a dress for the evening had graciously offered to do her hair for the occasion. Josephine had to admit to herself that she was a little giddy, she'd been told she'd sit at the head table with Lord Elrond, Gandalf, Frodo, and several others. It was honorific and… also nerve wracking. But, she supposed, she did know a lot of the people at that table already, so maybe it wouldn't be as awkward as she was afraid it would be.
There was a shorter table where the Hobbits sat with several Dwarves, probably from the Lonely Mountain since Gimli was seated with them. Gloin was at the head table beside Frodo and Boromir who'd arrived midday and on foot. She wasn't sure what to make of him so far, he was supposed to either come at night on foot or during the day on horseback. What else would be different about him or split book and movie since his introduction was such a division of the two?
An empty seat stood between Gandalf and Glorfindel and the wizard glanced briefly at the chair to confirm it was for her.
"Good evening, my dear." He said, then leaned in to speak more quietly. "I hope our meeting did not darken your spirits too greatly."
She chuckled, reaching for the goblet of wine that had just been filled for her. Raising it to him in toast she shrugged. "No more than it already was."
A sympathetic smile was given to her in response. "No matter what is to follow, I would suggest you cast your fears aside until the morning and enjoy tonight. Trust me, Josephine, there is light despite them and the darkness can wait."
"Gandalf speaks the truth." Glorfindel added, topping off her goblet to replace the sip she'd just taken. "You and your friends have earned such a respite."
Whether it was the magic of Rivendell's patented anxiety cure, Gandalf's advice, or the wine, Josephine did start to enjoy herself. Eavesdropping on Frodo's conversation with Gloin kept her entertained until they started talking about family lines and she got lost, the Hobbits kept breaking into songs that the Dwarves seemed to pick up after only a couple verses, and the only thing missing was Aragorn.
Josephine hadn't seen him in a couple days, and she knew he was missing the feast to talk with Elladan and Elrohir about what was going on in the Trollshaws and he would be there in the Hall of Fire, but she was missing him. For all intents and purposes he was the person she knew best out of everyone in Middle-Earth and she couldn't help but think the whole feast would be just a bit more comfortable if he was around.
It went on for a while longer, several portions were served and the wine refilled over and over until Elrond eventually stood. He led the procession of dignitaries and visitors to the Hall of Fire at a leisurely pace so even those who were already a little over spirited could keep up.
Elrond took his seat at the end of the hall which was lit only by a few lamps high up on the walls and the large, long firepit in the center. Benches and chairs and steps with cushions offered places to relax and the procession slowly began to find places to settle in as minstrels began to play.
There'd been one person there already, Bilbo, napping quietly in the corner with a cup beside him and he woke at the noise. Frodo went right to his side and she followed, a bit unsure of where else to park herself for the time being.
"Ah! And there is my dear friend!" He said gleefully when she came over and patted the space on either side of him for her and Frodo to sit. "I was working on our song from the other day. I'm afraid I've gotten stuck on a verse or two but unless you are quite familiar with Earendil the Mariner I think we shall have to wait for my friend the Dunedan to arrive and help us."
Josephine definitely wasn't, the only way she'd managed to help him before was because he told her the lore and just needed help with the rhyming.
"He will be found." Elrond assured him. "And then you may go into the corner and finish your task, and we will hear it and judge it before the end of our merrymaking."
Bilbo and Frodo fell into conversation and Sam, not often far away, made sure he was situated close enough to Frodo in case he was needed. The two talked about the Shire and its happenings since Bilbo left. They seemed to forget she was there except for an occasional, kind glance from Bilbo, but she could tell it wasn't her conversation and she stepped away, pretending to want more desert that had been set out despite the fact that she was stuffed from the feast and still had a goblet of wine in her hand.
She'd paced herself well, managing to stay buzzed and not indulging too much. The last thing she needed to do was get plastered and spill all her secrets to the entire room of dignitaries the night before an important meeting.
After a few moments awkwardly looking over the table of treats and not taking anything, the gruff voice of Gloin hollered for her to come over to where he sat with Gimli and three other Dwarves. Glad for the excuse to not actually get anything she went over, was introduced to the five, and offered a seat which she gladly took. Their boisterous manners were putting her at ease and breaking the ice.
"Bilbo told us ye'r a friend of his, and any friend of Bilbo is a friend of our's so make yer'self comfortable." Gloin said welcomingly.
She sat quietly as they told old battle stories and broke into songs, though the words were significantly more slurred than they'd been during the feast. It wasn't long after they finished a version of the Cat and the Moon that Aragorn arrived. He caught her eye as he made his way back towards Bilbo and smiled. She wondered what he'd heard from Elladan and Elrohir. If the book had elaborated on it, she didn't remember. But something had been going on and she had a feeling the Nazgul were involved.
Unaware or uncaring about Aragorn's arrival, the Dwarves kept on, trying to pull her into their songs until Gimli called everyone to stop.
"If the lass doesn't know any of our songs, then she'll just have to teach us one of her own!"
The other Dwarves agreed loudly, encouraging her to share something. She froze, took a large drink of wine, and tried to think. She wasn't too excited about breaking into song by herself in the middle of a hall full of Elves who could hear her singing from every corner no matter how quiet she was, but also it didn't seem like the Dwarves were going to let her off without trying. So she frantically picked a song that would be repetitive enough that she might not have to actually sing much.
And that was how the group reached the point of enthusiastically stomping and clapping as the Dwarves immediately picked up on the only song she's been able to think up on short notice. In hindsight, maybe We Will Rock You wasn't the best option and Elrond didn't seem all that pleased about her choice. But the Dwarves were into it and adding verses left and right in a practice of improv she could only dream of achieving one day.
It went on a lot longer than she'd thought would be allowed but eventually Elrond called them to a stop so Bilbo could recite his finished song. Taking the opportunity, Josephine slipped away back to the desert table. She'd been grateful for the Dwarves' company but she was starting to get tired and their boisterous energy was becoming overwhelming. Trading her wine for water she picked two small cakes about the size of quarters and made her way over to Aragorn to say hi. Bilbo had left him alone on their bench to sit near Elrond where he could be better seen and heard.
"Good evening, Josephine." Aragorn greeted, shifting to give her more space to sit and graciously taking one of the cakes when she offered. "I trust you have enjoyed your evening?"
"Well enough. I didn't expect to be teaching Dwarves how to sing Queen songs but it was nice to hear something from home."
Aragorn had been about to say something else but Bilbo began to recite his song and they both turned their attention to where he sat. It was quite long, at least as far as she could tell, and she got lost a few times having forgotten most of what she'd read about Earendil. At one point it must have shown on her face because Aragorn leaned over and in a low whisper explained the verse with more context. He continued as Bilbo went on, up until the last line. As Bilbo discussed with Lindir whether it was any good and if he could tell which lines had come from him or from Aragorn, she thanked him.
"Remember when I said I'd forgotten most of the history of Middle-Earth that I'd read?"
"I thought as much when you began staring intently at the fire as if it would offer you answers."
The end of Bilbo's song heralded the end of the evening for several of the guests, Bilbo included. She was tired, but knowing what would come in the morning she wasn't ready to let the night go just yet, even as the rest of the Hobbits left. Aragorn didn't appear to be in any hurry to leave either and accepted a goblet from one of the wine bearers that still wandered the hall.
"If you wish to remain a time longer," He said, breaking their silence. "You have yet to finish telling me the tale of the war of the stars."
His continued interest in her very awkwardly reiterated version of Star Wars made her smile and she thought back to where they'd left off. "Right! Let me think, where were we…"
"Master Kenobi was attempting to convince Luke not to leave his training." Aragorn supplied without hesitation.
"Alright, so, that doesn't work, as you could imagine." She pulled her legs up onto the bench, propping her arms up on her knees as she faced him and launched into the scenes on Bespin. More visitors filtered out of the hall as she went on, preparing to drop the real truth on Aragorn.
"And Luke said 'He told me enough! He told me you killed him!' and then Vader says," she put on her best Darth Vader impression. "No, I am your father!"
Aragorn's eyes went wide and she tried not to laugh so she could continue the scene, leaving out a reenactment of Luke's screams of disbelief. But then she realized the hall was almost completely empty. "Wait, what time is it? You have to be at council at nine tomorrow." He did look tired now that she was paying attention, hell, the second she paid any mind to it she realized how tired she was herself.
"It is late, but I was enjoying your company and would have missed the surprise of Luke's parentage had I retired sooner." He said good naturedly.
She was too tired to process him saying he'd been enjoying her company and stood with a yawn and a stretch. "I hope I don't sleep right through it." Had she been planning on sneaking in with Merry, Pippin, and Sam? Possibly. Had she intended to let on that to Aragorn? No. Not really.
"I was not aware Lord Elrond had requested you attend." He said with some confusion as he stood and walked towards the doors of the hall with her.
She cringed. "He didn't…not exactly…"
He gave her a very knowing, accusatory sort of look but didn't press any further. It wasn't like Elrond wouldn't be able to hear her hanging out behind a pillar during the whole thing. The only reason the Hobbits got away with it was because they were supernaturally sneaky. If her listening in would really be a problem then both she and Aragorn knew Elrond would put a stop to it. "Then I will bid you goodnight, since you too have obligations in the morning."
She mouthed a silent thank you to him and yawned again, the excitement of the evening coming down on her at full force. She wandered back to her room, had just enough wherewithal to change into a night dress, and fell face first into bed.