Summary: Alternate Universe. A legend of five guardians created by Sauron arises in Rivendell. One of the guardians brings her tale and must return to Mordor to do what's needed to be done but to what sacrifice, she doesn't know. Set after the Council of Elrond but before the fellowship leaves to their journey.
Rating: PG now but PG-13 to R in later chapters
Comments: I never get enough comments, good or bad. Review please. It helps to know what sucks and what sucks less. Lol
Author's Note: As of now, none, but later I may have mentions.
Final Note: This is only undergoing a few drafts, so don't freak about errors.
Five of Five: A Guardian's Tale
Chapter 1: Restless Night
Tossing and turning was all Peregrin Took could do in the complete darkness of his room. It seemed the world was asleep and calm, but something in his mind screamed out in protest to sleeping. The November night was the same as all the others, but Pippin couldn't sleep and had knotted his sheets up in the course of five hours.
He unknotted his sheets and sat on the edge of his bed fumbling to find a candle. With it lit eeriness settled with the candle's flickering flame sending dancing shadows around his room. Rivendell was in itself beautiful, but Pippin felt uncomfortable at night no matter where he was. There was no moon out and so the torches and small lamps didn't illuminate the rooms much. Even his own little candle didn't light all the surfaces nearest to him.
Pippin got up and quietly crept towards the door just as a hand landed on his shoulder made him jump and turn around to gather who could be awake. In the dim candlelight, he saw Sam's face looking sleepy but curious. Pippin relaxed and whispered to Sam.
"What are you doing up, Sam?"
"I couldn't sleep neither. I saw you getting up and came to see where you would be going in this darkness," Sam answered still whispering. Pippin smiled. The greatest snoop of them all was standing beside him.
"I'm going to walk around downstairs. Care to follow?" Pippin asked actually meaning 'I'm going to snoop about; come and join me so, if I get caught, I won't be alone.' Sam looked between Merry and Frodo's bed then turned to Pippin nodding. Both exited the room shutting the door behind them.
Pippin led the small expedition down the hallway and came to a pair of stairs. Halfway down the steps, Pippin's hobbit ears caught the sound of voices and footsteps down below. He turned to Sam, who also heard the noise, and gave him a questioning look. Pippin blew the candle out and set it on a nearby table continuing to walk down, practically blind in the dark, but intently listening with Sam holding onto his arm also blind.
"It'd be a pity now to miss whatever is coming up," Pippin thought and slowed his pace as he walked closer to the bottom. Sam did the same.
When they reached the bottom of the staircase, Pippin ducked behind a chair dragging Sam with him now seeing bright lights flood the room. Three forms entered the room through an entrance opposite of the staircase. Two, from he could tell, were Elven guards he had seen at the gates of Rivendell when they entered. The third had a cloak on obscuring his/her face.
The cloaked prisoner, he thought, wasn't struggling. Their gloved hands were behind his/her back with their arms held by the guards, who had swords drawn. Pippin watched with his stomach knotting slightly at the anticipation of what was to happen next. He felt Sam move to the side of him and whisper something to his ear.
"What if the prisoner escapes!" Sam exclaimed but had his mouth covered for the outburst. Pippin put a finger to his lip signaling to be quieter then let his hand drop from the red head's face. Pippin's mind swirled with possibilities making him almost dizzy.
"Never seen a prisoner in a place like this. I wonder who or what it is! Could it be an orc?!" he pondered now slightly elated at the prospect of seeing something exciting happen. Visiting Bilbo gave him a chance to hear stories, and now there was something new here that had a tale to tell.
The guards stood idly for a moment then started walking off again down a corridor when from what Pippin could tell a messenger came. Pippin got up and followed carefully just as Sam caught his shirt. He turned around and saw Sam's stern look.
"Come on, Sam! This is a chance to witness something extraordinary!" he said quickly with his voice still low.
"Walking around is different from spying, Pippin." Pippin rolled his eyes and sighed. The figures were about to disappear around a corner leaving them in darkness.
"Just pretend your spying on Frodo again, Sam; except this time we're not looking for anything about the ring, and Frodo is now cloaked with an escort of guards," Pippin argued, jerking his shirt from Sam and started running to the group. Sam followed biding him to slow down which Pippin did, but in the darkness neither realized that even if he stopped, Sam wouldn't see him.
Sam crashed into Pippin and for a moment the two remained in the middle of the room trying to not to laugh. Once calmed down the two got up, and Pippin led with Sam behind him gripping his arm. "We don't need to get separated and lost," Pippin thought and started walking slower as they approached the group. They stayed out of the torchlight and kept quiet. Neither of the hobbits had noticed they were traveling down with the corridors accompanying stairs and stairs accompanying more halls. Pippin was lost, and he hoped Sam knew how to get them out of here.
Pippin briefly looked at his friend and noticed him just as dumbfounded as he was. "What was that Gandalf would say about now; oh yeah, that we're 'the blind leading the blind.' " Pippin smiled which caught the attention of Sam, who looked confused on what the joke was. Pippin stopped quickly and watched the guards enter a room that had two windows on either side of the door. Beside the door were crates.
"Perfect!" Pippin thought and raced to the window on the right behind the door and set the crates up in such a fashion that he and Sam could easily stand to peek through the window. Pippin climbed on with Sam reluctantly climbing up to join the snooping. Both hobbits peeked in carefully seeing they had everyone's backs, which came as a relief, then side profiles as they settled.
Directly in front were the two guards from before still holding the prisoner. To the far left were two Elves, a female and male, sitting down in seats with a desk in front of them. If Pippin remembered correctly, the female looked like she was apart of Lady Arwen's traveling group. She had dark blonde hair pulled halfway back and braided down. She wore a fitting dress of deep maroon and hunter green.
"At this time of night who would be that well dressed," Pippin asked mentally and turned to Sam, who looked to be thinking the same thing. The guy wore his hair much shorter than Pippin had seen on previous Elven males with his hair all pulled back in a ponytail. Like all the rest, he had the stark blonde hair, and like the female, wore the elaborate clothes. Whether those were the bedclothes of the royalty, neither of the hobbits knew.
Pippin was disappointed when the two started speaking in Elfish because he didn't know any of the language, and he was pretty sure Sam was about as knowledgeable as he was. After about a minute of conversation between the two leading Elves the guards took the prisoner's bonds off and moved away from the person.
To his and Sam's surprise, the prisoner pulled down their cloak to reveal another Elf. Her stark blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail with some strands in her face. With the cloak still on, neither hobbit could tell if she carried any weapons or even what her outfit looked like. She held her hands out palms forward and let the guards search her. "Aren't they suppose to do that before?" Pippin wondered and watched more intently studying every detail.
Off of her the guards pulled two weapons of dull metal with three blades. She still wore the gloves that he and Sam had seen before, but now they saw an Elven uniform under the cloak but with black tones, not green hues. She stood erect not letting the guards daunt her, but she didn't try and escape either. Pippin looked at Sam, who was just absorbed in the event.
"An Elf caught at night, and so much of a threat, she had to be held back here away from prying eyes and ears--well, except for Sam and mine," he mused and watched as the prisoner removed her cloak and hand it to the guards, who placed it with the weapons. She stood patiently with her hands behind her back.
Why are you here? You are not of this land. the well-dressed Elf maiden asked firmly in an Elven tongue. Pippin whispered to Sam to remember as many phrases as possible to ask Frodo about.
I seek advice with Lord Elrond. the imprisoned Elf answered monotone. Pippin readjusted himself and observed now that the nighttime was ending with dawn approaching slowly over the mountains.
I will give him your message, but you will have to be held here till he passes judgment otherwise. the male Elf said after a while then stood up and motioned for the guards to place the prisoner in the holding cell in the back. Pippin watched the guards grab the prisoner and went into the dark cell. Sam's and his vision could not penetrate walls; they waited till the guards came out with a pile of clothes and gear.
Sam tapped Pippin's shoulder quickly and mentioned something about them needing to hide. Pippin nodded and ducked behind the crates pulling Sam beside him. Pippin looked up and saw the lights in the room grow dim then light again as the people walk out carrying a torch. As soon as the group had passed, Pippin jumped out and headed into the room once again stopped by Sam.
"Come on Pippin; dawn's approachin'. We need to be getting back." Sam said with his voice slightly tense. Pippin sighed and nodded. "Someone needs to come back though," he thoughts argued and started walking back with Sam beside him.