Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Rings just my own characters.
The Ring of Stars by Shelly
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Lillisandra slowly pulled on the clothes she had come here in, Boromir there to help her whenever she needed it. A few days had passed since she had been brought here, days she barely remembered except for the intense pain she had felt in her shoulder and the strange voice she had heard in her dreams. She soon learned that the voice had not been a part of her dreams, but had been a part of the waking world.
During her recovery, she had dreamed of many strange things. She saw a gold ring that bore four stones of different colors: sapphire, ruby, emerald, and adamant, but the stones seemed to be lacking the gems' usual glint. This time she heard a different voice speak a different riddle.
One for Air
One for Fire
One for Earth
One for Water
One for the four Elements
Brought together
Seek for it in the ruins
Of a city laid to waste
Lest all be destroyed
And the world filled with hate
She was able to make out that it was a ring that the voice spoke of, but where was the city laid to waste? Her dreams of the following nights had provided her with some answers as she saw a great city that had been founded long ago, filled with elves that crafted many beautiful pieces of workmanship that was the envy of many. She saw many rings being forged, the rings soon fading and showing the single gold ring of her earlier dreams, the band engraved in an ancient elvish script, and a voice whispering:
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to rule them all and in the darkness
bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
Then her dreams would shift to see orcs and other evil creatures destroying the city and everyone in it except for a few that managed to escape. She would wake at that point, her cheeks wet with tears and a terrible sadness in her heart that remained still.
She was soon finished dressing and felt Boromir's arms come around her, careful not to touch her injured shoulder. She awkwardly returned his embrace and, strangely enough, found little comfort in it.
"Lilli, I have never been so afraid in all my life," he whispered in her ear.
She pulled away from him but still held his hand. "I'm sorry if I scared you," she replied.
"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing her distracted manner.
She attempted a heartfelt smile. "Nothing. I've just had some weird dreams while I've been asleep, that's all."
He touched her on her cheek. "Need to talk about them?" he offered, not wanting her to shut him out of her life.
She shook her head. "I'll be fine, Boromir," she assured him.
He started to say something else, but was stopped by a knock on the door. He left to open it and saw the strange elf that had come before to save her life. "I see that you returned as you said you would," he said as he stepped aside to let him in.
"I always keep my word," he replied, walking in and promptly dropping down on one knee before her, taking her hand and touching his lips to the back of it. "My lady, it is good to see you feeling so much better."
She gazed at the elf kneeling before her, feeling that she should know him especially as his voice sounded familiar to her, and not just from her dreams. "Who are you?" she asked.
He rose to his feet. "My name is Dairuin, my lady," he introduced himself.
"Dairuin," she whispered. "For some reason, your name sounds familiar."
He smiled, his blue eyes alight. "I should think so. The last time I saw you was when you were young, although I didn't stay long as my duties keep me from doing so." Then his eyes became more serious. "We should leave soon," he said. "Are you able to ride?"
She nodded. "I think so, with Boromir's help."
They quickly prepared their horses then set out in the direction that Dairuin led them in as they still headed towards the north at a swift pace, leaving the others to wonder why it was he hurried so. After riding for two days they crossed the Glanduin River and turned sharply east to follow the river for roughly half a day's ride, finally arriving at what appeared to be a ruined city from many years ago. The light of the evening set the countryside ablaze, illuminating ancient buildings that had been destroyed, bringing awe to their eyes as they rode through the ruins and saw the remains of walls that once towered above them.
Lillisandra gasped as she suddenly remembered what this place had once been. "Are these the ruins of the elven city of Ost-in-Edhil in what used to be Eregion?" she asked, hearing the singing of the birds that had taken residence here, the sound placing her soul at peace.
"Indeed it is, my lady," he answered. "During the Second Age the city was founded by the Noldor that had traveled from Lindon. One among them was Celebrimbor, who was perhaps the greatest jewel-smith that lived except for his grandfather Feanor. It was here that the Rings of Power were crafted, Rings that would prove to be the doom of those that wore them." He stopped before a door that led into a room that had been spared the same destruction that the rest of the city had suffered. "You may rest on the bench there. I will return shortly." Then he disappeared into the room, the door shutting behind him.
Boromir refused to rest, his eyes darting all around as he surveyed their surroundings. "You're welcome to sit with the rest of us," Aldarion offered.
The man shook his head, his hand resting not far from the hilt of his sword. "Still, something does not feel right here," he said.
Lillisandra rose and touched the rock of the wall with her hand. "This place is protected, Boromir," she assured him as she walked near to him and placed a calming hand on his arm. "There is nothing to fear here."
"Maybe not," he answered. "But what is it that needs protecting? And why is it that he is the only one here?"
"Good questions indeed, Lord of Gondor," Dairuin replied as he returned to them. "You all have many questions I am sure, so I will endeavor to answer them as best I can by telling you some of the history of this place.
"As I spoke before, the Noldor founded this city as they wished to stay in Middle Earth after most of the elves had passed west over the sea into Eressea and Valinor from where the Firstborn came. At that time Sauron wished to devise a way to enslave the elves as he wished to enslave all peoples of Middle Earth. Together with the smiths they crafted the nineteen Rings, but Sauron withdrew to the Mountain of Fire and there forged the One Ring, the Ring that held the power to enslave all those who wore the other Rings. Once Sauron wore the One Ring, the elves realized their folly and removed their rings, hiding the three most powerful that had been made for them. Celebrimbor then forged two more rings, one of which I wear, called Ardya, the Ring of Earth, and one that was meant to be worn by his descendant when the Dark Lord rose once again, called Elenya, the Ring of Stars.
"This ring is by no means to be used directly against the Dark Lord himself, for if it is then it is quite possible that the whole world would be destroyed. It holds the power of the other four rings combined and is almost as powerful as the One Ring which is why they must not be brought near to each other. As for my part in this, when the city was destroyed by Sauron, Celebrimbor entrusted to me Ardya and bid me to use it to guard Elenya until the rightful owner comes to claim it."
Dairuin's eyes rested on her as he finished, and she heard her heart pounding loudly in her chest, her throat so dry at first she was unable to speak. "And who is the rightful owner?" she nearly whispered, afraid to hear the answer but asking the question anyway.
He saw her fear and drew closer to lay his hands on her shoulders. "You are, Lillisandra of Silmarion."
******************
I apologize if I was off when relating the history of Eregion, but I'm hoping that I didn't mess it up too much. Thanks for reading and please review!
The Ring of Stars by Shelly
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Lillisandra slowly pulled on the clothes she had come here in, Boromir there to help her whenever she needed it. A few days had passed since she had been brought here, days she barely remembered except for the intense pain she had felt in her shoulder and the strange voice she had heard in her dreams. She soon learned that the voice had not been a part of her dreams, but had been a part of the waking world.
During her recovery, she had dreamed of many strange things. She saw a gold ring that bore four stones of different colors: sapphire, ruby, emerald, and adamant, but the stones seemed to be lacking the gems' usual glint. This time she heard a different voice speak a different riddle.
One for Air
One for Fire
One for Earth
One for Water
One for the four Elements
Brought together
Seek for it in the ruins
Of a city laid to waste
Lest all be destroyed
And the world filled with hate
She was able to make out that it was a ring that the voice spoke of, but where was the city laid to waste? Her dreams of the following nights had provided her with some answers as she saw a great city that had been founded long ago, filled with elves that crafted many beautiful pieces of workmanship that was the envy of many. She saw many rings being forged, the rings soon fading and showing the single gold ring of her earlier dreams, the band engraved in an ancient elvish script, and a voice whispering:
Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to rule them all and in the darkness
bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
Then her dreams would shift to see orcs and other evil creatures destroying the city and everyone in it except for a few that managed to escape. She would wake at that point, her cheeks wet with tears and a terrible sadness in her heart that remained still.
She was soon finished dressing and felt Boromir's arms come around her, careful not to touch her injured shoulder. She awkwardly returned his embrace and, strangely enough, found little comfort in it.
"Lilli, I have never been so afraid in all my life," he whispered in her ear.
She pulled away from him but still held his hand. "I'm sorry if I scared you," she replied.
"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing her distracted manner.
She attempted a heartfelt smile. "Nothing. I've just had some weird dreams while I've been asleep, that's all."
He touched her on her cheek. "Need to talk about them?" he offered, not wanting her to shut him out of her life.
She shook her head. "I'll be fine, Boromir," she assured him.
He started to say something else, but was stopped by a knock on the door. He left to open it and saw the strange elf that had come before to save her life. "I see that you returned as you said you would," he said as he stepped aside to let him in.
"I always keep my word," he replied, walking in and promptly dropping down on one knee before her, taking her hand and touching his lips to the back of it. "My lady, it is good to see you feeling so much better."
She gazed at the elf kneeling before her, feeling that she should know him especially as his voice sounded familiar to her, and not just from her dreams. "Who are you?" she asked.
He rose to his feet. "My name is Dairuin, my lady," he introduced himself.
"Dairuin," she whispered. "For some reason, your name sounds familiar."
He smiled, his blue eyes alight. "I should think so. The last time I saw you was when you were young, although I didn't stay long as my duties keep me from doing so." Then his eyes became more serious. "We should leave soon," he said. "Are you able to ride?"
She nodded. "I think so, with Boromir's help."
They quickly prepared their horses then set out in the direction that Dairuin led them in as they still headed towards the north at a swift pace, leaving the others to wonder why it was he hurried so. After riding for two days they crossed the Glanduin River and turned sharply east to follow the river for roughly half a day's ride, finally arriving at what appeared to be a ruined city from many years ago. The light of the evening set the countryside ablaze, illuminating ancient buildings that had been destroyed, bringing awe to their eyes as they rode through the ruins and saw the remains of walls that once towered above them.
Lillisandra gasped as she suddenly remembered what this place had once been. "Are these the ruins of the elven city of Ost-in-Edhil in what used to be Eregion?" she asked, hearing the singing of the birds that had taken residence here, the sound placing her soul at peace.
"Indeed it is, my lady," he answered. "During the Second Age the city was founded by the Noldor that had traveled from Lindon. One among them was Celebrimbor, who was perhaps the greatest jewel-smith that lived except for his grandfather Feanor. It was here that the Rings of Power were crafted, Rings that would prove to be the doom of those that wore them." He stopped before a door that led into a room that had been spared the same destruction that the rest of the city had suffered. "You may rest on the bench there. I will return shortly." Then he disappeared into the room, the door shutting behind him.
Boromir refused to rest, his eyes darting all around as he surveyed their surroundings. "You're welcome to sit with the rest of us," Aldarion offered.
The man shook his head, his hand resting not far from the hilt of his sword. "Still, something does not feel right here," he said.
Lillisandra rose and touched the rock of the wall with her hand. "This place is protected, Boromir," she assured him as she walked near to him and placed a calming hand on his arm. "There is nothing to fear here."
"Maybe not," he answered. "But what is it that needs protecting? And why is it that he is the only one here?"
"Good questions indeed, Lord of Gondor," Dairuin replied as he returned to them. "You all have many questions I am sure, so I will endeavor to answer them as best I can by telling you some of the history of this place.
"As I spoke before, the Noldor founded this city as they wished to stay in Middle Earth after most of the elves had passed west over the sea into Eressea and Valinor from where the Firstborn came. At that time Sauron wished to devise a way to enslave the elves as he wished to enslave all peoples of Middle Earth. Together with the smiths they crafted the nineteen Rings, but Sauron withdrew to the Mountain of Fire and there forged the One Ring, the Ring that held the power to enslave all those who wore the other Rings. Once Sauron wore the One Ring, the elves realized their folly and removed their rings, hiding the three most powerful that had been made for them. Celebrimbor then forged two more rings, one of which I wear, called Ardya, the Ring of Earth, and one that was meant to be worn by his descendant when the Dark Lord rose once again, called Elenya, the Ring of Stars.
"This ring is by no means to be used directly against the Dark Lord himself, for if it is then it is quite possible that the whole world would be destroyed. It holds the power of the other four rings combined and is almost as powerful as the One Ring which is why they must not be brought near to each other. As for my part in this, when the city was destroyed by Sauron, Celebrimbor entrusted to me Ardya and bid me to use it to guard Elenya until the rightful owner comes to claim it."
Dairuin's eyes rested on her as he finished, and she heard her heart pounding loudly in her chest, her throat so dry at first she was unable to speak. "And who is the rightful owner?" she nearly whispered, afraid to hear the answer but asking the question anyway.
He saw her fear and drew closer to lay his hands on her shoulders. "You are, Lillisandra of Silmarion."
******************
I apologize if I was off when relating the history of Eregion, but I'm hoping that I didn't mess it up too much. Thanks for reading and please review!
