Frodo wandered into a large hallway with Gandalf, the sound of laughter filling his ears as he walked in.
"This is the Hall of Fire," said the Wizard. "Here you will hear many songs and tales – if you can keep awake. But except on high days it usually stands empty and quiet, and people come here who wish for peace and thought. There is always a fire here, all the year round, but there is little other light."
As Elrond entered and went towards the seat prepared for him, elvish minstrels began to make sweet music. Slowly the hall filled, and Frodo looked upon many fair faces. Two, in particular, caught his eye.
They were both girls, and very lovely ones at that. Frodo had seen them during the feast, talking with Arwen and the other Elves, and he had learned from Gandalf that they were Ladies Camille Selvitar and Elisabeth Carnahan, two of Elrond's guests-of-honor. Gandalf had known and conversed with Lady Elisabeth for much longer than any of the other guests, and he claimed that though she may seem perpetually serious, her spirit was light and cheerful. But as for the other one, Lady Camille, Gandalf said he didn't know much about her, since she was only supposed to have arrived that very same day with the group from Mirkwood.
Frodo gazed at them as they took their seats with some Elves, but in a position close to Elrond, Arwen and Strider, who had almost miraculously appeared from out of nowhere. If it were not for their ears and their eyes, he wouldn't have been able to distinguish them from the other Elves around them. For they were as fair as Elven-maids – fairer, if that was possible – and the only thing that gave away their true identity was their ears and their eyes.
Suddenly, a dark-haired, gray-eyed Elf who had been sitting next to Lady Elisabeth stood up, and walked to the center of the hall. The Elf bowed to Elrond, then said, "Everyone, may I have your attention for a moment!"
Every single person in the hall stopped whatever it was they were doing, and looked at the Elf. He grinned, and said, "With your permission, I would like to propose a contest of singing skills between Lindir, the best minstrel in all of Rivendell, and the Lady Elisabeth Carnahan!"
That caught everyone by surprise, though it was a pleasant surprise. Frodo was just confused. This doesn't seem right.
Beside him, a strange figure lifted its head, and spoke. "Aha, at last, the long-awaited challenge comes. Now we shall see who is the better singer."
Frodo was struck by the familiarity of the voice. He turned to look, and was overcome with joy to see a familiar Hobbit. "Bilbo!" He embraced his uncle, who returned the gesture with a hearty laugh.
"Well met, Frodo! It is truly good to see you again!" He pulled away from Frodo then, and turned his attention to the planned contest. "Watch this, Frodo my lad. You will not see another event like this for a long time to come! It is not everyday that a mortal is called to challenge the minstrels of Rivendell."
Frodo did as his uncle told him, and looked just in time to see another Elf – apparently Lindir - get up, and stand in the middle of the circle, a harp in his hand. His long fingers touched the strings of the harp just as he opened his mouth to sing.
The beauty of the melodies and the interwoven words in Elven-tongues, though Frodo understood them little, held them in their spell. Lindir had truly earned his reputation as Rivendell's finest minstrel.
The song ended soon, and there was applause from those gathered. Frodo clapped his hands as well, and waited.
A girl rose from one side of the circle, and walked to the middle. Frodo recognized her as the Lady Elisabeth. She was clad in an Elven-dress of white that flowed over her body like moonlight over the clouds, and it made her look like a veritable Queen amongst the Elves. Her dark hair was pulled up and away from her face, and held in place by pins tipped with sparkling stones.
She smiled slightly at those gathered. "If you will permit, I wish to sing a song in Japanese, which we speak where I am from. I will sing it again in Westron when I am through, for I am certain no one will understand its meaning."
"What is your song about then?" asked an Elf from the other side of the room.
"About a gentle breeze…and love. It is a song entitled 'Awai Kaze'; 'Faint Breeze'." With that, Frodo watched as Eli glanced at Arwen with a smile, then began to sing…
Anata wo shitta hi kara kono mune no naka wo
Awai kaze, setsunage ni fuki tsuzuketeru
Namida ga fui ni kobore aitakunattari
Tsunoru yume tokimekase atsuku naru no
Machi no keshiki ga marude chigau kore ga koi na no?
Hitomi, mitsumete yasashiku tsugetai
Suki desu. dare yori zutto
Kokoro ubatta anata wo
Suki desu. soshite watashi no
Kokoro mitsukete kuretara...
Nemurenu yoru no naka wo hitori samayoeba
Awai kaze, setsunage ni kokoro yurasu
Kazoeru hodo monai anata no omoidetachi wo
Watashi, nandomo omotta...
Suki desu. eien sae mo
Tookunai hodo an ata wo
Suki desu. soshite watashi wo
Itsuka saratte kuretara...
Suki desu. dare yori zutto
Kokoro ubatt a anata wo
Suki desu. soshite watashi no
Kokoro mitsukete kuretara...
Suki desu.
"Because I knew from that day that you were in my heart,
Faint breeze, painfully keep blowing
Tears suddenly overflow when you aren't here
The shared dream makes my heart flutter, and I become hot
The street looks completely different--Can this be love?
Eyes, gently tell me what I'm gazing at
"I love you. From someone whose
Heart was taken by you
I love you. And now my
Heart has found this out...
"In a sleepless night, I wandered alone
Faint breeze, as my heart painfully trembled
I count my innumerable memories of you
That I, so many times, so many times, remembered...
"I love you. Even to forever
No matter how far away you are
I love you. And now I
Will one day be taken by you...
"I love you. From someone whose
Heart was taken by you
I love you. And now my
Heart has found this out...
I love you."
The song ended then. Lady Elisabeth curtsied, and turned back to her seat. For a while, all sat silent, stunned, but then, the silence was broken when a rousing applause echoed throughout the hall. She had sung with no instrument to accompany her; the plain beauty of her voice was enough.
But then more Elven voices were to be heard, and this time, it was the Lady Camille Selvitar who was pulled to the middle. She too was dressed in a white Elven-gown, but hers had no sleeves, and a silver shawl covered her bare shoulders. Her hair was also pulled up and away from her face, but instead of sparkling stones, pearls were woven through her hair.
Bilbo smirked. "They're really cajoling her to do this, they are. But I wonder…"
After a long while, Lady Camille was left alone on the floor. She curtsied to Lord Elrond, and said, "Since my 'friends' have requested it, I too shall sing. Like Lady Eli, I shall sing first in Japanese then in Westron. The title of my song is 'Hikari to Kage wo Dakishimeta Mama'; 'Embracing the Light and Shadow'. It is about dreams, and wishes, and wanting to protect love." She lifted her gaze to the starry skies beyond the hall, and sang…
Mune no oku de furuete'ru
Hikari to kage wo dakishimeta mama
Sutekirenai yume wo oikakete
Hokori takaku ai wa yomigaeru
Yuuyake no iro ga
Setsunaku kirei de
Tozashite-ita kokoro no umi ni koboreta
Namida
Kagayaki wa nido to modoranai
Ashita fuku
Kaze no you na jiyuu ga hoshii
Mune no oku de furuete'ru
Hikari to kage wo dakishimeta mama
Sutekirenai yume wo oikakete
Itsuka mitsuketai
Hateshinaku hirogaru mirai wo
Tatakau mainichi
Surechigau Hello, Good-bye
Kizitsukenai you ni aruite yuketara
Ii no ni
Sora ni hourinageta kibou ga
Ameagari nanairo no niji wo egaite
Mune no oku de furuete'ru
Ai ga koware-sou ni naru toki mo
Inoru kimochi wo wasurenaide
Itsumo todoketai
Shinjite'ru mienai mirai wo
Kimi ga oshiete kureta
Sono hakanasa mo sono tsuyosa mo
Mune no oku de furuete'ru
Kanashimi wo koete shimaitai
Yowai kokoro ni makenai you ni
Ai wo mamoritai
Mune no oku de furuete'ru
Hikari to kage wo dakishimeta mama
Sutekirenai yume wo oikakete
Hokori takaku ai wa
Yomigaeru kagayaku mirai ni
"Embracing the light and shadow
That are trembling within my heart
Chasing the dream that I can't throw away
The proud love is resurrected.
"The colors of the sunset
Are painful and beautiful and
In the sea of my closed heart are tears
That have overflowed.
"The brilliance will never return again.
Tomorrow, I want
Freedom like the blowing wind.
"Embracing the light and shadow
That are trembling within my heart,
Chasing the dream I can't throw away,
Someday, I want to find
The eternally outspreading future.
"Everyday that we fight,
We miss each other in passing. 'Hello, Good-bye'
It would be nice if we could keep on walking
Without hurting each other.
"The wish cast into the sky
After the rain, draws a seven-color rainbow.
"When the love trembling in my heart
Becomes broken,
Without forgetting the wishful feelings,
Always, I want to deliver them.
Believing, in the future I can't see.
"You taught me
This transitoriness, this strength
"I want to pass over
The sadness trembling within my heart.
So that I don't lose to a weak heart
I want to protect love
"Embracing the light and shadow
That are trembling within my heart
Chasing the dream I can't throw away.
The proud love is resurrected
In the glittering future."
With that, she ended her song, and curtsied again. For the second time in the night, the audience was stunned, and applauded loudly and appreciatively for the singer.
Bilbo smirked. "It seems that Lindir will have some stiff competition from now on. And from a mortal, do you believe that?"
Frodo laughed at what Bilbo said, and settled down to a long chat with his uncle, telling him of the news about the Shire.
Just then, however, Lord Elrond appeared behind them, and placed a hand on Frodo's shoulder. "Bilbo, if it is alright with you, I wish to speak with your nephew for a moment."
Bilbo shrugged, and nodded. "Do as you wish, Lord Elrond." With that he returned his attention to the new minstrel who had started to sing.
Frodo stood up, and followed Elrond towards a smaller antechamber nearby. When he walked in, he noticed two other figures in the gloom. One was Gandalf, and the other was Strider. He turned around to Elrond, who was closing the door behind them at that moment. "Lord Elrond, I don't want to be rude, but why have you brought me here?"
Lord Elrond's face was grave as he took a seat beside the fire. "There is something you must know about the two girls who sang tonight: Lady Camille and Lady Eli."
Frodo blinked, trying to clear his head. "Whatever do you mean, Lord Elrond?"
Gandalf sighed, and he looked over at him, his eyes glinting beneath his bushy brow. "What Lord Elrond means is that Lady Camille and Lady Eli are not of this world."
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Mwahahaha, CLIFFHANGER!!!!! AT LAST, the truth has been told!!!! What will Aragorn and Frodo do now that they know? And what does this have to do with the One Ring? Read the next chapter to find out! Oh yeah, and the songs I used here were lifted off the anime series Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP. As y'all can probably tell, I'm an anime fiend, and you'll find more anime songs as the story goes on.