A/N: Thanks to Clarenova for your review on Ch. 11.
Ch. 12: There, and Back Again…
I didn't attend the council, but I heard about it later from Glorfindel. I had to laugh at Sam sneaking in uninvited. He was so unassuming, but also so loyal to his master. Also amazing was the fact that he went "unnoticed," which is to say, unhindered. Hobbits aren't capable of being quiet enough to go unnoticed by Elves. The hobbits spent most of the afternoon amongst themselves talking about who know what. They really were amazing. They were almost comical, in their own way, with their quaintness and their size. So small, yet bearing a weight as great as any Elf lord might.
The next few days passed uneventfully. Glorfindel and I spent as much time together as we could, finally enjoying a sort of honeymoon. We went riding a lot, enjoying the time alone. Neither of us really minds company, but there are times when it's nice to be alone. I finally got reacquainted with the countryside around Rivendell. It truly is an incredibly beautiful place.
The Fellowship left a few weeks later. Life in Rivendell went on as usual. Not much happened of note. Renée and I helped Arwen sew a banner for Aragorn, and we generally just got acclimated to life in Middle Earth. It was the first time Renée had done any embroidery, but she caught on quickly. We also spent hours and even days pouring through history books, and asking the oldest of the Elves the "annoying questions asked only by the young," as one of them put it, before chuckling and telling us what we wanted to know.
Weeks and months passed without much notice. Such is the way of the Elves. We were all eager for news of the Fellowship, but none came until word came from Galadriel, summoning the Dúnedain. Elladan and Elrohir went with thirty of the Rangers. It was occasion for another spate of worrying, but, as always, life went on. We didn't hear any more until the word came that the ring was destroyed and Aragorn had taken the throne of Gondor.
Renée, Pete, Glorfindel, and I traveled with Elrond and Arwen to Minas Tirith. When we came to Lothlórien, Lady Galadriel and her party met us. Renée's jaw dropped as she stared not at the Lady, but at one of the guards. He returned her stare with a puzzled expression. Obviously not trusting her voice, she reached into her cloak and withdrew a photograph. The man in the photo was the guard. He looked a little different dressed in traditional Elvish clothing, but I couldn't doubt that this was her father. Suddenly the whole thing dawned on him, too. After all, who else in Middle Earth would have his photograph?
Through many tears from all, their story emerged. Renée's real mother had died just after her birth, so, on Saruman's advice, Galadriel had sent her and her father, an Elf named Calador, to the other world where the baby would be cared for by an Elvish woman living there—the woman Renée regarded as her stepmother. Calador's ties to Arda were so deep that he was eventually pulled home against his will, but Renée had been so young when she came that she wasn't pulled back. Both Galadriel and Calador had thought Renée dead, and he had almost died of the grief of losing both wife and child.
Renée's world started to make more sense, too. Her stepmother had told her some things that, while untrue, had allowed her to live a normal life. The lie had been effective for Renée, but Amanda had been unable to escape her boyfriend, though, because she could never get enough good-paying work. When she had gone to the other world, she'd had trouble with many of the details. She didn't have a birth certificate or Social Security number, and no legitimate employer wanted to deal with that. She could have gone to a less developed country where it wouldn't have mattered, but life there would have been much more difficult for Renée, so Amanda simply put up with the beatings. Unfortunately, the darkness Amanda had lived in had reached out to Renée, as well, and she too had fallen into an abusive relationship. As the story finally came out, I rejoiced for Renée. She had found her father, and knew the stories of both her mothers. She had a family again.
Whatever the turmoil for a few Elves, life went on in the rest of the world. I stood beside Arwen as she married Aragorn. He never showed it, but I knew Elrond had to be suffering immensely. Arwen was his only daughter, and he would never see her again. It was a strange time—bittersweet, but hopeful. Aragorn had taken the thrones of Gondor and Anor, and the third age had come to an end. The fourth age had begun, and the Elves would soon pass out of Middle Earth.
I was surprised when Lady Galadriel asked that Pete, Renée, Glorfindel, Gandalf and I return to Lothlórien with her. Renée wasn't bothered by it—this was more time she could spend with her father. She and Pete were content to delay their wedding plans while she and her father got reacquainted. We spent a few days resting in Lothlórien. The days blurred together in the way of that place. A while later, Galadriel brought us all to her mirror.
"Gandalf, give me your hand. Nenya loses strength with the loss of the One Ring, and your power will allow me to open the Mirror again." She poured water from a pitcher into the Mirror.
"Renée, look into the Mirror. It may yet grant you peace about your mother." She had realized what no one else had: that Renée, even through all that had happened, was deeply worried about her stepmother. Gandalf, for his part, was shocked that Galadriel could still open a window between the realms, especially as Nenya continued to lose power.
As Renée continued to gaze into the water, her face became a mask of pain. Galadriel spoke once again. "Do you wish to go to her? The gate you came through once can bring you – and her – back, but I cannot call her from here. The Mirror will serve as a portal for you to go to her." Those of us looking on could only guess that "she" was Renée's stepmother.
"Yes." There was no hesitation in the girl's voice.
"I will not send you alone. Who will go with her?" Pete, Calador and I immediately volunteered. Even Glorfindel chimed in. I had my doubts about that. He's picked up a few of our expressions, but I really didn't think my husband could fit into that world. Galadriel, however, didn't see it as a problem. Of course she didn't—she had never been there.
"Hold her hands or arms, each of you. Renée, touch the water. May the Valar guide you."
Ch. 12: There, and Back Again…
I didn't attend the council, but I heard about it later from Glorfindel. I had to laugh at Sam sneaking in uninvited. He was so unassuming, but also so loyal to his master. Also amazing was the fact that he went "unnoticed," which is to say, unhindered. Hobbits aren't capable of being quiet enough to go unnoticed by Elves. The hobbits spent most of the afternoon amongst themselves talking about who know what. They really were amazing. They were almost comical, in their own way, with their quaintness and their size. So small, yet bearing a weight as great as any Elf lord might.
The next few days passed uneventfully. Glorfindel and I spent as much time together as we could, finally enjoying a sort of honeymoon. We went riding a lot, enjoying the time alone. Neither of us really minds company, but there are times when it's nice to be alone. I finally got reacquainted with the countryside around Rivendell. It truly is an incredibly beautiful place.
The Fellowship left a few weeks later. Life in Rivendell went on as usual. Not much happened of note. Renée and I helped Arwen sew a banner for Aragorn, and we generally just got acclimated to life in Middle Earth. It was the first time Renée had done any embroidery, but she caught on quickly. We also spent hours and even days pouring through history books, and asking the oldest of the Elves the "annoying questions asked only by the young," as one of them put it, before chuckling and telling us what we wanted to know.
Weeks and months passed without much notice. Such is the way of the Elves. We were all eager for news of the Fellowship, but none came until word came from Galadriel, summoning the Dúnedain. Elladan and Elrohir went with thirty of the Rangers. It was occasion for another spate of worrying, but, as always, life went on. We didn't hear any more until the word came that the ring was destroyed and Aragorn had taken the throne of Gondor.
Renée, Pete, Glorfindel, and I traveled with Elrond and Arwen to Minas Tirith. When we came to Lothlórien, Lady Galadriel and her party met us. Renée's jaw dropped as she stared not at the Lady, but at one of the guards. He returned her stare with a puzzled expression. Obviously not trusting her voice, she reached into her cloak and withdrew a photograph. The man in the photo was the guard. He looked a little different dressed in traditional Elvish clothing, but I couldn't doubt that this was her father. Suddenly the whole thing dawned on him, too. After all, who else in Middle Earth would have his photograph?
Through many tears from all, their story emerged. Renée's real mother had died just after her birth, so, on Saruman's advice, Galadriel had sent her and her father, an Elf named Calador, to the other world where the baby would be cared for by an Elvish woman living there—the woman Renée regarded as her stepmother. Calador's ties to Arda were so deep that he was eventually pulled home against his will, but Renée had been so young when she came that she wasn't pulled back. Both Galadriel and Calador had thought Renée dead, and he had almost died of the grief of losing both wife and child.
Renée's world started to make more sense, too. Her stepmother had told her some things that, while untrue, had allowed her to live a normal life. The lie had been effective for Renée, but Amanda had been unable to escape her boyfriend, though, because she could never get enough good-paying work. When she had gone to the other world, she'd had trouble with many of the details. She didn't have a birth certificate or Social Security number, and no legitimate employer wanted to deal with that. She could have gone to a less developed country where it wouldn't have mattered, but life there would have been much more difficult for Renée, so Amanda simply put up with the beatings. Unfortunately, the darkness Amanda had lived in had reached out to Renée, as well, and she too had fallen into an abusive relationship. As the story finally came out, I rejoiced for Renée. She had found her father, and knew the stories of both her mothers. She had a family again.
Whatever the turmoil for a few Elves, life went on in the rest of the world. I stood beside Arwen as she married Aragorn. He never showed it, but I knew Elrond had to be suffering immensely. Arwen was his only daughter, and he would never see her again. It was a strange time—bittersweet, but hopeful. Aragorn had taken the thrones of Gondor and Anor, and the third age had come to an end. The fourth age had begun, and the Elves would soon pass out of Middle Earth.
I was surprised when Lady Galadriel asked that Pete, Renée, Glorfindel, Gandalf and I return to Lothlórien with her. Renée wasn't bothered by it—this was more time she could spend with her father. She and Pete were content to delay their wedding plans while she and her father got reacquainted. We spent a few days resting in Lothlórien. The days blurred together in the way of that place. A while later, Galadriel brought us all to her mirror.
"Gandalf, give me your hand. Nenya loses strength with the loss of the One Ring, and your power will allow me to open the Mirror again." She poured water from a pitcher into the Mirror.
"Renée, look into the Mirror. It may yet grant you peace about your mother." She had realized what no one else had: that Renée, even through all that had happened, was deeply worried about her stepmother. Gandalf, for his part, was shocked that Galadriel could still open a window between the realms, especially as Nenya continued to lose power.
As Renée continued to gaze into the water, her face became a mask of pain. Galadriel spoke once again. "Do you wish to go to her? The gate you came through once can bring you – and her – back, but I cannot call her from here. The Mirror will serve as a portal for you to go to her." Those of us looking on could only guess that "she" was Renée's stepmother.
"Yes." There was no hesitation in the girl's voice.
"I will not send you alone. Who will go with her?" Pete, Calador and I immediately volunteered. Even Glorfindel chimed in. I had my doubts about that. He's picked up a few of our expressions, but I really didn't think my husband could fit into that world. Galadriel, however, didn't see it as a problem. Of course she didn't—she had never been there.
"Hold her hands or arms, each of you. Renée, touch the water. May the Valar guide you."