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Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. I only own the OC Liante.
After dinner was done, Liante didn't go straight to his room. Instead, he went for a wander around Rivendell, keeping to his thoughts. He would have taken the chance to have Arwen accompany him, but she returned to her room to have a bath and get ready for bed.
Before long, he came across Bilbo, who was stood in front of a stone plinth. On the plinth were several blade fragments. "The Shards of Narsil," He said, announcing his presence. Bilbo jumped quite violently, turning his head sharply to face him. He seemed relieved when he saw who it was, letting out a loud breath. "This is the Blade That Was Broken, perhaps one of the last remaining remnants of men from the Second Age."
"The Blade That Was Broken?"
Liante nodded as he walked over to him. "During the Great War against Sauron, this was the sword of Elendil, the King of Gondor. Sauron was defeated by the combined efforts of Elendil and Gil-Galad, though both also perished in the fight." He gestured to the painting behind the hobbit. Bilbo turned around and gazed at it in awe.
It was the painting that displayed the scene of Isildur with Narsil and Sauron, reaching for the Prince of Gondor with the hand that possessed the One Ring.
"But what happened after that?"
Liante's look grew slightly dark. "Upon Sauron's hand was the One Ring. Isildur, the King's son, took it, and in the end it betrayed him. Isildur was killed."
"Killed?" Bilbo frowned. "Does that mean, then, that he has no heir? Who rules over Gondor now?"
Liante glanced at him. "You don't know the tale?"
Bilbo shook his head. "No, we hobbits don't often get involved with the affairs of Big Folk. I know about Sauron, of course - I expect there are very few who don't - but what happened in the aftermath remains a mystery to me."
Liante hummed thoughtfully. "The rule of Gondor was taken over by a line of stewards. After Isildur came many sons and nephews of the crown, before the line of Kings ended with the disappearance of Eärnur, son of Eärnil. For nearly a thousand years Gondor has had no true King."
"And heirs?" Bilbo asked. "Are there none left?"
"Not that I know of nor have met in my life." Liante said, crossing his arms. "Perhaps there is an heir out there, but it is not yet time for them to reveal themselves."
Bilbo was silent as he stared at the broken sword before he looked at the other paintings, one of which caught his attention. "Is that... Morgoth?"
Liante's head snapped to it upon hearing the name of his father and he saw what Bilbo was looking at. The painting that displayed the malevolent form of Morgoth, and before him was the giant, terrifying form of the primordial Spider, Ungoliant.
"Yes. Sauron's master alongside the primordial Spider, Ungoliant." Liante said blankly. It's been... so long since he has seen this painting of his parents. "Two of Middle-Earth's greatest threats before Sauron rose to power years after Morgoth was banished into the Void, though it has been prophesised that Morgoth may someday return."
Liante didn't know how to feel about that. He knew one thing, his parents would be revolted and disgusted with what their son had become.
Bilbo got the sense Liante wanted to be left alone, and wandered off to see more of Rivendell, leaving the son of Morgoth to remain staring at the painting of his mother and father.
Eventually he walked away, coming across a familiar, moonlit garden. This was one of his favourites, because if you went far enough, you came across a white, marble fountain. As he walked across the fresh grass, Liante began to think beyond the end of this quest. If he survived it, where would he go next? Gondor? Rohan? Or should he investigate this Necromancer and find out why Shelob's brood is under it's command?
"You are troubled." Arwen's soft voice said behind him, causing him to turn and see Elrond's only daughter dressed in a nightgown with a thin but modest robe over it. Her hair was wet, indicating she had come out of a bath not too long ago.
"Aren't I always?" Liante asked softly as he looked away from her to stare ahead. Arwen came to stand beside him, looking in the same direction he was looking.
"Your parents' painting, I take it?" Arwen inquired.
Liante gave a blink. "Kind of. But there's other things that trouble and concern me."
He didn't elaborate, and Arwen knew not to push. He'll talk when he feels like it. Experience has taught her that.
Liante glanced at her. "You should go to bed. You'll be up early in the morning for your training to continue."
Arwen stared at him for a moment before nodding. Then she leaned up and pressed her lips against his cheek in a soft kiss. "Goodnight." She whispered, her breath tickling his ear before she walked away and Liante stared after her, mesmerized by how she looked in the moonlight.
He turned his stare out to the moon and stared at it for a good long while before deciding to turn in for the night.
It was early morning now, and Liante stood in a small courtyard with a small stair case not too far away on one end that led to a small pond with a waterfall pouring into it gently. He was staring out at the slowly rising sun, his sword in one hand as he waited for Arwen to arrive so they can begin her training, well resume it since Liante did start training her in swordplay the last time he was here.
"I hope I'm not late."
Speaking of the Elf-maiden...
Liante turned and saw Arwen standing there, dressed in the Eldar equivalent of training clothes of some sort. In her hands was a beautiful Elvish made sword that glimmered in the early morning light.
"You made it here in time." Liante said as he faced her. "You came prepared."
Arwen raised an eyebrow at him. "Did you really think I'd come without my sword?"
Liante said nothing, but his lips twitched as he unsheathed his sword and placed the scabbard against a bench which had a towel on it. He twirled his sword in a circle several times as he and Arwen began to circle each other.
Arwen was the first to strike as she swung her sword but Liante blocked it, holding his blade with just one hand while Arwen had both hands around her sword's handle. Liante threw her a small smirk as she narrowed her eyes before they backed away.
"I hope you didn't forget the lessons I taught you the last time I was here." Liante said as they circled each other again.
"I didn't." Arwen reassured him.
"Good." With that, Liante swung and Arwen ducked before blocking his next attack, but Liante used his boot to kick the sword out of her hands and caught it in his other hand, lining both blades up with her neck. "And that is another thing you will need to be careful. An experienced warrior will attempt to knock your sword out of your hands, catch it and use it on you."
"Noted." Arwen nodded as he tossed her sword back to her and she caught it.
"Always be ready in a fight, remember that." Liante said seriously.
Arwen nodded before she got into a fighting stance her father taught her, ne Liante recognized as he smirked and got ready.
"Now, let's begin..."
Sorry there isn't much in this chapter.