A/N: Unfortunately, this is one of those chapters that is pretty uninteresting but is vital to the plot of the story.
The journey to Rivendell took Legolas and his two companions a little over a week. Upon arriving a servant of the Last Homely House greeted them with a low bow.
"Visitors of Mirkwood, welcome to Rivendell. Lord Elrond has been expecting you."
"How did he know we were coming?" questioned Legolas.
"I know not, my lord. But he has asked that I show you to your rooms. Lord Elrond sends apologies that he could not have welcomed you personally, but he is detained by a matter of great urgency at the moment. This way, please."
Legolas found his room to be quite splendid, as was everything about Rivendell. He had visited once or twice before, and was always surprised by it beauty. But this time was different.
This time he missed Elora. He had been apart from her not even two weeks, and already he missed her terribly. He wanted to deliver his message and go home to Mirkwood and his beloved. And yet he had a gnawing feeling in his stomach that he would not see Elora in Mirkwood for a very long time.
He had spent three days in Rivendell before he finally saw Lord Elrond. A young halfling had been pierced by the blade of a Nazgul, and only the high elf's magic had saved him from passing over into the Shadowlands.
"Legolas, Son of Thranduil," Elrond greeted the younger elf. "I am sorry I have kept you waiting."
"Do not worry, Lord Elrond. Three days in Rivendell is a gift, not a burden," answered Legolas politely, keeping his thoughts about returning home as quickly as possible to himself. "I heard you were expecting me. Do you know already my message then?"
The door to the Elrond's chamber opened and a tall, elderly gentleman with a long gray beard entered. He was followed by another man, this one with dark hair and a tough look to him. He seemed very familiar to Legolas, although he could not quite place him. Elrond hardly seemed to notice that these two had entered his private chamber without so much as a knock.
"I know not what news you bring to us, but I knew that representatives of Mirkwood would soon be arriving at Rivendell. There is to be a council here in a few days, for we all have very grave matters to discuss."
"My lord, with no disrespect, but I have been sent here only to deliver the news of my kingdom, which is this: Gollum has escaped."
"So that is how Sauron knew where to find Frodo," the elderly man spoke.
Elrond nodded. "Legolas of Mirkwood, meet Gandalf the Grey, a wise wizard and a powerful ally." He motioned to the other man in the room. "And Aragorn, son of Arathorn."
Legolas gave a short bow to them both. "I have met you once, Aragorn, though I doubt you remember it for it was several years ago, here in Rivendell."
Aragorn nodded. "I vaguely remember you, yes. That was a long time ago."
Legolas turned back to Elrond. "My lord, I thank you for your hospitality and for hearing my message. My father has asked that I seek your advice on the matter, and then I am to return home."
Elrond sighed. "I am afraid, Legolas, that it is not that simple. Gollum's escape is but one thread in an already tangled web. I cannot force you, but I ask that you strongly consider staying for the council. The last of the members will be arriving before nightfall, and as soon as the hobbit is ready..."
"He is ready now," interrupted Gandalf. "I think he is ready to take on his destiny, even though he does not yet consciously realize it."
The older elf nodded. "Good. Will you stay then, Legolas?"
Under the circumstances, Legolas decided he really had no other option. "Of course, Lord Elrond."
Legolas gazed out over Rivendell- its waterfalls, its delicate architecture, its gardens. This was the last night he was to spend here, for he would be leaving the next day.
But not for Mirkwood.
The Council of Elrond was like a slow motion blur to him. He remembered Frodo, the young halfling Elrond had saved, meekly presenting the ring, and then bravely declaring he himself would destroy it. It was at this point that his memory became hazy.
He remembered Gandalf, and then Aragorn, vowing to follow and protect the hobbit. And then he heard his own voice promising him his bow. Legolas hadn't meant to speak; it was almost as if Fate was doing it for him. Yet as soon as he spoke the words, he knew them to be right. Somehow or other it was his destiny to join this Fellowship.
That knowledge, however, did not make it any easier.
"Elora, forgive me," he whispered into the night air of the courtyard.
Behind him he heard footsteps. He turned and saw Aragorn.
"I know what you are feeling," the man said. "This is the great adventure you have your life hoped for, yet now that it is here, you wish only to return to your home."
"Yes," said Legolas. "How did you know?"
"Because I, too, feel this way." Aragorn paused for a moment. "You will come back to her, I promise. We will all comeback to the ones we love."
"But you may say goodbye to Arwen; my love must hear of it in a faceless letter, that I have done the one thing I promised I would never do."
"And what is that?"
"I promised I would never leave her."
"And so you won't. Not as long as you hold her in your heart." He glanced up and saw Arwen sitting at her mirror through the open balcony of her room. Legolas followed his gaze.
"Your lady waits for you, Aragorn. It would be rude to be too late."
"Good night, then, Legolas," said Aragorn. He took a few steps and then turned back. "How did you know about me and Arwen?"
"Everyone knows about it."
"Ah. Well, get some rest. Tomorrow is a hard day. And Legolas- do not fear. You will see her again." With that, Aragorn exited the courtyard.
Legolas stayed a while longer, staring at the stars. "Mother, keep her safe. Help her to understand why I must go." It might have been a trick, but he thought he saw the star twinkle at him.
The journey to Rivendell took Legolas and his two companions a little over a week. Upon arriving a servant of the Last Homely House greeted them with a low bow.
"Visitors of Mirkwood, welcome to Rivendell. Lord Elrond has been expecting you."
"How did he know we were coming?" questioned Legolas.
"I know not, my lord. But he has asked that I show you to your rooms. Lord Elrond sends apologies that he could not have welcomed you personally, but he is detained by a matter of great urgency at the moment. This way, please."
Legolas found his room to be quite splendid, as was everything about Rivendell. He had visited once or twice before, and was always surprised by it beauty. But this time was different.
This time he missed Elora. He had been apart from her not even two weeks, and already he missed her terribly. He wanted to deliver his message and go home to Mirkwood and his beloved. And yet he had a gnawing feeling in his stomach that he would not see Elora in Mirkwood for a very long time.
He had spent three days in Rivendell before he finally saw Lord Elrond. A young halfling had been pierced by the blade of a Nazgul, and only the high elf's magic had saved him from passing over into the Shadowlands.
"Legolas, Son of Thranduil," Elrond greeted the younger elf. "I am sorry I have kept you waiting."
"Do not worry, Lord Elrond. Three days in Rivendell is a gift, not a burden," answered Legolas politely, keeping his thoughts about returning home as quickly as possible to himself. "I heard you were expecting me. Do you know already my message then?"
The door to the Elrond's chamber opened and a tall, elderly gentleman with a long gray beard entered. He was followed by another man, this one with dark hair and a tough look to him. He seemed very familiar to Legolas, although he could not quite place him. Elrond hardly seemed to notice that these two had entered his private chamber without so much as a knock.
"I know not what news you bring to us, but I knew that representatives of Mirkwood would soon be arriving at Rivendell. There is to be a council here in a few days, for we all have very grave matters to discuss."
"My lord, with no disrespect, but I have been sent here only to deliver the news of my kingdom, which is this: Gollum has escaped."
"So that is how Sauron knew where to find Frodo," the elderly man spoke.
Elrond nodded. "Legolas of Mirkwood, meet Gandalf the Grey, a wise wizard and a powerful ally." He motioned to the other man in the room. "And Aragorn, son of Arathorn."
Legolas gave a short bow to them both. "I have met you once, Aragorn, though I doubt you remember it for it was several years ago, here in Rivendell."
Aragorn nodded. "I vaguely remember you, yes. That was a long time ago."
Legolas turned back to Elrond. "My lord, I thank you for your hospitality and for hearing my message. My father has asked that I seek your advice on the matter, and then I am to return home."
Elrond sighed. "I am afraid, Legolas, that it is not that simple. Gollum's escape is but one thread in an already tangled web. I cannot force you, but I ask that you strongly consider staying for the council. The last of the members will be arriving before nightfall, and as soon as the hobbit is ready..."
"He is ready now," interrupted Gandalf. "I think he is ready to take on his destiny, even though he does not yet consciously realize it."
The older elf nodded. "Good. Will you stay then, Legolas?"
Under the circumstances, Legolas decided he really had no other option. "Of course, Lord Elrond."
Legolas gazed out over Rivendell- its waterfalls, its delicate architecture, its gardens. This was the last night he was to spend here, for he would be leaving the next day.
But not for Mirkwood.
The Council of Elrond was like a slow motion blur to him. He remembered Frodo, the young halfling Elrond had saved, meekly presenting the ring, and then bravely declaring he himself would destroy it. It was at this point that his memory became hazy.
He remembered Gandalf, and then Aragorn, vowing to follow and protect the hobbit. And then he heard his own voice promising him his bow. Legolas hadn't meant to speak; it was almost as if Fate was doing it for him. Yet as soon as he spoke the words, he knew them to be right. Somehow or other it was his destiny to join this Fellowship.
That knowledge, however, did not make it any easier.
"Elora, forgive me," he whispered into the night air of the courtyard.
Behind him he heard footsteps. He turned and saw Aragorn.
"I know what you are feeling," the man said. "This is the great adventure you have your life hoped for, yet now that it is here, you wish only to return to your home."
"Yes," said Legolas. "How did you know?"
"Because I, too, feel this way." Aragorn paused for a moment. "You will come back to her, I promise. We will all comeback to the ones we love."
"But you may say goodbye to Arwen; my love must hear of it in a faceless letter, that I have done the one thing I promised I would never do."
"And what is that?"
"I promised I would never leave her."
"And so you won't. Not as long as you hold her in your heart." He glanced up and saw Arwen sitting at her mirror through the open balcony of her room. Legolas followed his gaze.
"Your lady waits for you, Aragorn. It would be rude to be too late."
"Good night, then, Legolas," said Aragorn. He took a few steps and then turned back. "How did you know about me and Arwen?"
"Everyone knows about it."
"Ah. Well, get some rest. Tomorrow is a hard day. And Legolas- do not fear. You will see her again." With that, Aragorn exited the courtyard.
Legolas stayed a while longer, staring at the stars. "Mother, keep her safe. Help her to understand why I must go." It might have been a trick, but he thought he saw the star twinkle at him.