Author's Note in response to Jasmin: I'm not going to lie I wrestled with the seven year jump even as the writer, but after a lot of thought and weighing out the options it seemed better for my characters… let's face it; the natural maturity difference between 18 and 25 is monumental. Most of the answers to your questions are plot points in this part of the story because I found they were easier to work into the Lotr series than use up extra chapters just for exposition purposes. I will address one of your concerns specifically though: "And at which point did Anita figure out that she actually loves Legolas?" She didn't, she never did. While as a reader you know that she reciprocates these feelings, she never came to that conclusion on her own before her and Legolas were forcibly split up. Legolas was the only one capable of admitting his feelings, and while Ani does feel something for him she never came to the conclusion of love.
Chapter 23: Castle of Glass
Leila's short steps swiftly carried her across the flagstone pathway, through the courtyards and gardens, past the fountains and streams, towards Rivendell's front gate to greet the newcomers. Her dress swirled around her running legs like a cloud of color and fabric, giving the illusion that she was floating. Coming to a halt just within the city's limits, the fair blond elf was given only a moment to compose herself before the four figures the guard had told her were approaching entered the gate.
"Aragorn," A smile broke across her face as she recognized the familiar figure, no hint of being flustered on her serene features. "Welcome home. I see you have brought some friends with you."
The Ranger stepped forward and the two exchanged a friendly hug in greeting. "Lady Leila, may I introduce Samwise Gamgee, Peregrin Took, and Meriadoc Brandybuck, three upstanding Hobbits from the Shire. Gentlemen, this is Lady Leila of the House of Elrond."
Lei smiled down at the three small men, " What an absolute pleasure to welcome you all here to Rivendell. You look like you are in need of some rest and nourishment, and you are welcome to plenty of both here. Please follow me."
"Beggin your pardon ma'am," The hobbit Aragorn had indicated as Samwise stopped Leila mid-turn as she went to lead them. " But if you wouldn't mind, I would like to see Frodo first."
Lei was touched at the level of caring shown by this little man. It broke her hear that after the three of them had traveled this far, she could only greet them with bad news about their friends condition. On the flip side of that coin, she supposed, considering how near death the Hobbit had been when he showed up in Rivendell…any news had to be better compared to death.
Aragorn could clearly see the hesitation in Leila when Sam asked about Frodo. "How is he?"
"He hasn't woken up yet," She replied quietly, sadness filling her eyes. "I wish I had better news to give you, Bilbo continues to ask me about Frodo's condition too, but so far there is no change. I have hope though, my grandfather is a very skilled healer, the best, Frodo is in very good hands."
"All the same…" The hobbit meekly said.
"Of course Master Gamgee, follow me." Adjusting the packs on their back, the three newcomers fell into step behind the tall elf, while Aragorn matched her stride to continue conversing. "Whole place has been in an uproar for the past few days, the guard has been doubled on patrol and there has been a constant stream of messengers coming and going ever since Gandalf returned. Grandfather isn't being overly generous with information, but you need to have eyes to know that something is going on. As it is I have been placed on hospitality detail and am in charge of greeting everyone that comes through those gates and trying to find a place for them to stay. "
"Seems you will be very busy the next few weeks."
"Well between that and trying to care for one unconscious hobbit, yeah I'm going to be busy." Entering the house, Aragorn came to halt letting Leila and the three hobbits continue on without him, he had other business to attend to. Noticing his departure from the group Leila called to him over her shoulder, " The men are in the study!"
Aragorn waved his thanks to the girl before starting in the direction of Elrond's study along the familiar paths of a place he considered home. Entering the hall where Elrond's study was located, Aragorn was surprised to see a familiar shape patiently waiting outside the room. Standing with her back resting against a pillar and her legs crossed in front of her, Anita was the very picture of boredom. A shiny glint caught his eye and the Ranger could see a tiny throwing dagger was expertly weaving its way between the girl's fingers, never cutting skin. Not turning her head to look at him, her arm suddenly swung in his direction, releasing the dagger which arched perfectly as it sliced through the air and bedded itself in the pillar not half a foot from his head.
"Your skills improve daily," Aragorn said as he retrieved the small knife from its mark in the pillar. His compliment drew a smile to her face as she turned to look at him. Walking the short distance to close the space between them he returned the blade to her possession. "Tell me why do you lurk outside of doorways? Isn't there a stable you could be burning down?"
"It didn't burn down," Ani replied to his teasing, "it was just some hay that caught fire. And it was an accident." She mumbled defensively. " Besides I'm waiting on Glorfindel…woulda swore he would be done by now."
Aragorn knew better. With all that had happened in the past few days, everything that had come to light, Glorfindel's time was going to be in very high demand. That was after all one of the joys of being in charge of the cities Guard, not to mention he had been alive and at Elrond's side when the Ring had been cut from Sauron's hand almost three thousand years ago. No, Glorfindel wouldn't be done with theses secretive meetings anytime soon, and Aragorn was a little surprised given the relationship between the girl and the elder that he hadn't told her as much.
The older man sighed. " I think perhaps you should find some other way to employ your time, young one. There is much to be discussed and I can assure you that not all of it will be discussed within the confines of today. Perhaps Leila would appreciate your help in finding rooms for the three Hobbits that accompanied me here."
"Good lord you brought more of them?" Ani didn't wait for his response before she pushed off the pillar she had been leaning against and uncrossed her legs to stand up. "I promised Bilbo I would help illustrate his book, guess now is as good a time as any to fulfill that promise. See ya 'round."
Sliding the throwing dagger into a sheath on her belt, Anita turned gracefully and receded down the hallway in ghostlike silence. Aragorn marveled at the change that had taken place in just a few years. All traces of her human form were gone, and both Anita and Leila could hardly be mistaken for anything but Elves. Shaking his head, the ranger turned his attention back to the task at hand and entered the study. When Leila had announced 'the men are in the study', Aragorn hadn't realized she mean all the men of the household were in the study. Elrond, Gandalf, and Glorfindel had their heads bent over an enormous map that covered the entire length of Elrond's desk and extended further past it, causing the edges to hang limply over the sides. Elladan and Elrohir were methodically skimming their way through a stack of ancient texts.
"You should allow that girl to patrol independently." Aragorn didn't bother to announce himself to greet the company as he entered, everyone was already focused on their work and there was no need to draw their attention for the sake of exchanging pleasantries. Instead he directed his statement at the golden haired ancient elf bent over the map.
"The decision to prevent Anita from taking on her own patrol was not made by me." Glorfindel only tore his eyes away from the map before him to cast a pointed glance over his shoulder at Elladan. Anita's father didn't even bother looking up from the book he was thumbing through to respond to Glorfindel's accusation.
"My daughter is neither old enough nor experienced enough to take on the responsibility of her own patrol."
" Anita never will be experienced enough if you continue to have me coddle her day and night. A sapling cannot grow in the shadow of an oak tree." As the tension between the two Elves grew, Aragorn realized he had hit upon a source of agitation, adding yet another subject to that ever growing list. Ever since Ani had been placed in Glorfindel's charge and the Elf had taken over as her handler, these little altercations about how best to deal with the girl were fast becoming commonplace in the house. Elladan tossed the dusty old tome he had been looking through onto a side table before standing up and stalking over to the desk where the far older elf had turned his attention back to the map.
"A sapling cannot grow at all if it is dead," Elladan's harsh statement drew everyone's attention away from their work. "Need I remind you that the Nazgul tried to cross over our borders not but yesterday?"
"Tried and failed." Gandalf's calm insertion into the conversation did little to defuse Elladan's growing irritation.
"No disrespect to you Mithrandir, but that spell was not meant to stand against all of the agents of the Dark Lord. I'll not have my daughter marched out there like a sheep for slaughter to be picked off by some rabble of orcs."
"I am not asking you to sacrifice her, Elladan, I am asking that you have a little faith in her abilities."
"Gentlemen," Elrond's voice broke up the ensuing disagreement between his son and the guard captain. "If perhaps you do not mind I think we should get back to the task at hand." The elder elf gestured to the map laid out on the desk.
Glorfindel scoffed rudely, a tic he had picked up after several years of mentoring Anita. "There is naught to be done. There are no surviving decipherable texts about the lands of Mordor, therefore my lord unless you plan to walk the Ring back to the fire of Mount Doom yourself there is little here to be done."
It dawned on Aragorn what the reason for this secret meeting was; they were trying to find a way to smuggle the Ring back into Mordor to be destroyed. It was a bold plan, and borderline insane. The ranger obviously wasn't the only one who thought so.
"Glorfindel is quite right indeed," Elrohir, always a man of few words and quiet observances, finally pulled himself away from his stack of books to add to the conversation. "First you have to convince one of the ambassadors you summon to council to accept the task of bearing the Ring to Mordor before we can discuss sneaking through that hideous wasteland."
"We have no choice, the Ring cannot stay in Rivendell." Elrond's commanding voice took control of the conversation. "We do not have the means to summon an army to defend this land against Sauron's hoardes, and we cannot live under the constant threat that Sauron will summon back his full strength and return to conquer the earth, the Ring must be destroyed and I will do all in my power to see that those summoned here understand that. I have had a difficult enough time trying to hide the fact that the Ring is here, I cannot conceal it forever."
"And if the girls do not suspect something is amiss already, they soon will." Aragorn was loathe to add to the mounting stress by the twins into the discussion, but for how hard Elladan tried to shield them from the worst parts of the world, they were going to have to consider how the Ring being in Rivendell effected them.
"Yes, well, since the subject has been brought up," Elladan cleared his throat awkwardly, "My father and I are in agreement that news of the Ring and Sauron would be best kept far away from my children's ears."
Glorfindel slowly drew his eyes upward from the map again to stare at Elladan, an obviously incredulous look written on his fair features. "Are you asking us to lie to your daughters?"
"No, certainly not." Elladan abandoned his spot by the table and moved toward the window, out of the path of Glorfindel's scrutinizing gaze and looked out at the rooftops dotting along the tree line. "My daughters will not understand. They struggled to adjust to life here, especially Anita, and I will not have the resurrection of some great evil disrupting that. Perhaps it would be best if the mention of Sauron, the Dark Lord, or the Ring of Power ever graced their ears… no need to lie about it if they do not know about it."
The room fell silent following Elladan's speech. Aragorn glanced around at the other faces, and he could see the same thought plaguing the forefront of his brain was reflected in those around him. If none of them were going to say anything, then the Ranger knew it was his duty to speak up.
"Do you really believe he will not say anything about it to Anita?" By the way Elladan's face soured when Aragorn referenced the young prince, he could tell it was something the elf had given far too much thought.
"I sent a letter to Thandruil specifically requesting that he send someone other than his recreant hellion of a son."
Elrohir laughed at his twin brother, "Well brother I certainly do hope you worded it a little more gently…"
"Oh come off it!" Glorfindel pushed away from the table to challenge Elladan. " Thranduil does not much like being given orders, he would send Legolas here simply to spite your request. And the harder you try to push your daughter away from him the harder she will fight to have him. Why can you not leave well enough alone?"
"Do not tell me how to raise my child!"
"I think we have done all we can for today," Gandalf again interjected to calm down a tense situation, the wise old wizard had a knack for it. Glorfindel and Elladan ripped their hateful glares away from each other to turn their attention to the man who warranted their mutual respect. "We shall discuss these matter again when we have gathered together all those who were summoned to decide the Ring's fate. Until that time, I am going to watch over Frodo."
The two elves did not return to their squabbles after the wizards departure, Gandalf having effectively deflating the blossoming argument between them. Glorfindel instead followed example and stalked out of the room only a few paces behind Gandalf's lead. The four males left in the room silently watched the departures, tension continuing to keep the air thick.
"They have become good friends over the past few years," Aragorn said quietly, "Glorfindel is doing what he believes is best for Anita."
"As am I." Elladan said, irritation fused into his voice. "For how much of a villain the captain of the guard paints me as, I am truly looking out for my daughter's safety. I am doing what I know will protect her. Anita may not understand that what I do, I do for her. To protect her from the Ring, from Sauron, and from her own foolish, impulsive, childish desires. Even if Thranduil should choose to send Legolas as ambassador in his stead, I will do everything in my power to prevent the scandal that tarnished these halls seven years ago from ever happening again."
Castle of Glass- Linkin Park