Disclaimer: I'd love to own all of them, but I don't. Gladhên belongs to me though, that innocent kid ;) His name means "wood-child" literally, but I prefer to call him "Child of the Forest" =)
Author's Note: Okay, finally onto the 'proper' story... Well, it will be a mixture of the movie and the book from now on, but I'll try my best to stick more to the book - only those movie parts that I kind of like then I shall put it in.
I'm taking Arwen out of the parts where Glorfindel should rightly be in, because I think it was not quite fair to rip the poor prince's part out (not that I don't like Arwen, I like them both)
________________________________________________________________
Chapter 5: Rivendell
'Dwarves,' Legolas thought with distaste, as he watched a couple of stunted beings sauntering towards the gates of Rivendell, 'what are they doing here?'
As his company from Mirkwood rode nearer, the last dwarf in line glanced up towards him and mimicked his thoughts. "Elves," he grunted, as though the word were a curse. The dwarf spat on the ground, rolled his eyes and strode away.
Legolas' eyes narrowed. "Such uncouth beings." he muttered, "Why in the name of Valar were they created?"
A young elf, Gladhên, frowned and made an attempt to spit back at the dwarf, but Legolas stopped him in time. "Gladhên," Legolas gave a slight shake of his head, "we will not trouble ourselves with an entirely undignified species."
Legolas dismissed the other elves, stroking his horse's nose as he stood in thought. 'How am I going to answer to Estel? Or Mithrandir? How could I tell them, that I lost the trust they placed on me?'
"Maer aduial, caun Legolas." A clear voice rang out from behind him. Legolas turned to see Glorfindel resting at the doorway, smiling at him. Legolas bowed, returning the greeting.
"Lord Elrond invites you to join the others in his hall." The other prince spoke, gesturing towards the stable's exit. Legolas hesitated for an instant, before following Glorfindel out.
"Legolas?" A deep resonant voice called out.
Legolas froze. Very slowly, he turned around to face his good friend.
"Aragorn..." Legolas started, his heart thumping against his chest, unsure whether he should explain Gollum's disappearance right there and then. "I - "
Legolas didn't get any further than that, because the rugged ranger had embraced him in a tight hug.
"Legolas, my friend, it's good to see you again." Aragorn smiled at the elf, his eyes speaking a thousand words. Legolas grinned back, genuinely glad to see the ranger once more, but he quickly sobered as he remembered his failed task.
Legolas barely opened his mouth to speak, when Aragorn suddenly broke from the embrace, his hands clasping Legolas' shoulders, and his care-worn eyes were glittering with joy.
"We parted from Rivendell, and we meet in Rivendell again." Legolas stared at the ranger awhile - Aragorn's mortal face had already creased with age, his laugh lines appearing as he grinned. Legolas gave a tight smile, but felt pained as he was once more reminded of Aragorn's mortality.
"Arwen," Legolas said knowingly. Aragorn nodded, beaming in response at the mention of the Evenstar.
"And now I am due to meet her," Estel said, half-apologetically.
"Then be off with you now." Legolas smiled, grabbing the ranger by his shoulders and shoving him to the other direction. Finally those two blockheads are together, Legolas thought, grinning to himself.
But even as Aragorn walked away, an uneasy feeling still remained, tugging at Legolas' conscience.
As Legolas drew near the Hall of Elrond, he began to be aware of a soft strain of music played from an elven lute:
ir daw danna
am i dôr
i calben êl
o Eldamar
sila ah pân
ha claur
ha aglar
ir Fuin danna
Um can
ir pân thia pen
helch heleg
gar le ôl
drega i faer
heb le bronwe
Legolas entered the hall, and abruptly the singing stopped.
"A - "Gladhên's fingers paused on the lute strings, as he rose from his seat and bowed. Legolas' other elven companions followed suit.
The other foreign elves then realised his status, and greeted him respectfully. Half-embarrassed, Legolas returned the greetings, and as he passed Gladhên he spoke to him in an undertone.
"Really, Gladhên, did you need to make such a big fuss about this?" Legolas chided in a mock stern tone.
Gladhên grew wide-eyed and quickly apologised, "I'm sorry, nîn caun, I didn't mean - "
"It's all right, don't worry about it," Legolas immediately reassured the youth, giving him a disarming smile. Gladhên visibly relaxed, and with an encouraging nod from Legolas, continued his song.
Legolas chuckled, and turned to find a seat when he was confronted by a small figure.
"He still has a lot to learn, doesn't he?" the figure said, echoing Legolas' own sentiments.
"Bilbo!" Legolas exclaimed, hurriedly kneeling down on one knee to hug his old friend. The two had met during the war waged against the Goblins, and had long since grown fond of one another.
"Hello, son of Thranduil, how has the Elvenking been?"
Both hobbit and elf conversed for a short while before Bilbo began to drift off in his own thoughts, mumbling some newly invented poetry. Legolas thought it best to leave him alone.
Elrond and another halfling then entered the hall, and all rose to greet them. Legolas stared at the younger hobbit for an instant - the other foreign elves had been speaking of a halfling and a feast this night in his honour - this must have been the one they have spoken of. He then caught Elrond's eye, and Elrond nodded slightly to acknowledge Legolas' arrival.
As the hobbit began to look around in awe, the elves resumed whatever they were doing, and Legolas began to browse the shelves of the Hall. The young halfling approached Bilbo, who was still "pondering over his verses" ("More like sleeping," Legolas chuckled.), and Elrond woke the elder hobbit up.
After some time, an unnatural silence crept over the visitors of the Hall, and Legolas looked up from his book. As Legolas turned to look at the two hobbits, he was stunned by the look on Bilbo's face - it was one of nothing but pure greed. Legolas followed Bilbo's gaze to a small glittering object - a ring - that hung upon a chain around the younger hobbit's neck.
All of a sudden, Legolas heard a stranger's voice, one so dark and ominous that it hurt the elf physically to hear it: "Ash nazg..."
In that instant, Legolas knew and understood what evil was concentrated in the artefact that was now once more hidden from view by the shirt of the younger hobbit.
Legolas backed away as Bilbo regained his composure, and laid his book down on a table. The elf quickly grabbed a goblet of wine, and slipped out of the Hall into the night.
"The Mirkwood prince, I hear," a voice spat venomously behind Legolas. Legolas turned to look, tearing his gaze from the splendid view of Rivendell.
"A dwarf, I see," Legolas stressed dryly, "with not much a title to speak of." Already troubled enough, Legolas ignored the dwarf and turned back to stare at the scenery as he took another gulp of the red wine.
"Ha! So Mirkwood elves are still as rude and unbecoming as the years before." The dwarf shook his red beard a little and snorted, as he began to stride off.
"Well, perhaps," Legolas' patience was growing thin, "But not as uncultured as a certain race who goes around spitting at others. Why don't you go away and find yourself a nice counterpart to spit at?" But the dwarf had already gone.
Legolas gulped down the remaining liquid in his goblet and set it aside as he stared unseeing at the dark skies. He thought of the elves that went into Dol Guldur and never returned; of how the orcs had been grown increasingly daring in recent years; of how evil seemed to be manifesting itself...
And he thought about Ôlion, and how he had died trying to defend a task that the prince of Mirkwood himself failed to complete.
A new hymn had begun in the Hall of Elrond:
"A Elbereth Gilthoniel
silivren penna míriel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chared palan-díriel
o galadhremmin ennorath,
Fanuilos, linnathon
nef aear, sí nef aearon!"
Legolas buried his head in his hands as he shuddered, and remembered the ring bore by the young hobbit.
"O Elbereth," he whispered, "help us all."
Translations:
Glorfindel's greeting - Good evening, prince Legolas
Gladhên's song (really badly translated) -
As night descends
Upon the lands
The elven star
Of Eldamar
Glows with all
Its splendour
Its grandeur
When Darkness falls
Depravity calls
When all seems lost
As cold as frost
Hold your dreams
Shun the wraith
Keep your faith
And -
Elbereth's Hymn (really really badly translated) -
And Elbereth Gilthoniel
Glittering white, slanting, sparkling
Glory of the stars of the high heavens!
Having gazed afar to make
The tree-woven of Middle-earth
Faunuilos (?), I will sing
On this side of the sea,
Here on this side of the great sea
________________________________________________________________
Oh no. I think I'm in trouble. 1 entire month of not writing… Oh boy, I must have just succeeded in chasing away all my readers *sniff*
I am awfully sorry... Writer's block has been clouding my mind for this chapter for a very long time, this chapter is awfully short and guilt has made me shun fanfiction.net for sometime... (Apologies especially to littlefish and TreeHugger, I know I haven't been reviewing your stories for sometime, I will soon!)
The next chapter will be about the Council of Elrond and thus the Fellowship's adventures will truly begin... Once again I apologise for the lateness of the chapter, but sincerely hope that you guys (and gals :) will bear with my slow writing and continue to support me =) thanks all of you!
Jevvica - Sorry! Not very much of Gimli yet, but a little... I don't really know if the readers will still like my story especially after that agonising lengthy writer's block I have gone through... Hope I haven't lost my touch *gulp*
Gabrielle Lawson - Thank you so much for reviewing again! =) Hope you like this (eh, rather short) chapter and I hope you will continue to support me! Thanks! :)
JastaElf - Hotel Dol Guldur? *grin* If that is the case, it must be a -3 star hotel =) Thank you for your wonderful review too *beam* and hope you continue supporting me heh
Rogue Runaway - *ducks head* OK, I am awfully sorry to you too... You've been chasing me for another chapter ever since I posted the last one, and I have given you nothing till now. I'm so sorry... Hopefully I'm gonna garner more reviews now, though this chapter is super short.
Littlefish - I've gotta apologise to you (and TreeHugger) the most. I haven't been reviewing your chapters, and I haven't been updating my own for so long... This chapter is mighty short, but I'm working on it, and I will be reviewing your chapters soon... I am awfully sorry, and I hope you'll forgive me. And continue to support me *hopeful grin*! Heheh
TreeHugger - I'm awfully sorry, haven't been following your story either... =( And haven't updated for so long, instead made all of you wait for an entire month. I am so sorry... Hope you forgive me, and continue to support me - I will try my best to write more soon and I'll be reviewing your story soon as well (*gulp* I've missed lots of chapters haven't I *sheepish look*)... Sorry!
Frigia - Thanks for reviewing! I hope this chapter is as cool as the rest! :)
Jocelyn (the other one) - Yeah I wanted to do something about Legolas growing up too, but I thought better of it, since I often have writer's block and that is really shitty sometimes - at least for this one I have the book as reference you see heheh. Thanks for giving such a lovely review and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.
Princess of sMirkwood-Mrs ArWe - Thanks for reviewing! =) Heh hope you like this chapter too!
Matt - Eh, sorry, didn't quite get what you meant... what exactly is this "same thing" that happened to you?
Author's Note: Okay, finally onto the 'proper' story... Well, it will be a mixture of the movie and the book from now on, but I'll try my best to stick more to the book - only those movie parts that I kind of like then I shall put it in.
I'm taking Arwen out of the parts where Glorfindel should rightly be in, because I think it was not quite fair to rip the poor prince's part out (not that I don't like Arwen, I like them both)
________________________________________________________________
Chapter 5: Rivendell
'Dwarves,' Legolas thought with distaste, as he watched a couple of stunted beings sauntering towards the gates of Rivendell, 'what are they doing here?'
As his company from Mirkwood rode nearer, the last dwarf in line glanced up towards him and mimicked his thoughts. "Elves," he grunted, as though the word were a curse. The dwarf spat on the ground, rolled his eyes and strode away.
Legolas' eyes narrowed. "Such uncouth beings." he muttered, "Why in the name of Valar were they created?"
A young elf, Gladhên, frowned and made an attempt to spit back at the dwarf, but Legolas stopped him in time. "Gladhên," Legolas gave a slight shake of his head, "we will not trouble ourselves with an entirely undignified species."
Legolas dismissed the other elves, stroking his horse's nose as he stood in thought. 'How am I going to answer to Estel? Or Mithrandir? How could I tell them, that I lost the trust they placed on me?'
"Maer aduial, caun Legolas." A clear voice rang out from behind him. Legolas turned to see Glorfindel resting at the doorway, smiling at him. Legolas bowed, returning the greeting.
"Lord Elrond invites you to join the others in his hall." The other prince spoke, gesturing towards the stable's exit. Legolas hesitated for an instant, before following Glorfindel out.
"Legolas?" A deep resonant voice called out.
Legolas froze. Very slowly, he turned around to face his good friend.
"Aragorn..." Legolas started, his heart thumping against his chest, unsure whether he should explain Gollum's disappearance right there and then. "I - "
Legolas didn't get any further than that, because the rugged ranger had embraced him in a tight hug.
"Legolas, my friend, it's good to see you again." Aragorn smiled at the elf, his eyes speaking a thousand words. Legolas grinned back, genuinely glad to see the ranger once more, but he quickly sobered as he remembered his failed task.
Legolas barely opened his mouth to speak, when Aragorn suddenly broke from the embrace, his hands clasping Legolas' shoulders, and his care-worn eyes were glittering with joy.
"We parted from Rivendell, and we meet in Rivendell again." Legolas stared at the ranger awhile - Aragorn's mortal face had already creased with age, his laugh lines appearing as he grinned. Legolas gave a tight smile, but felt pained as he was once more reminded of Aragorn's mortality.
"Arwen," Legolas said knowingly. Aragorn nodded, beaming in response at the mention of the Evenstar.
"And now I am due to meet her," Estel said, half-apologetically.
"Then be off with you now." Legolas smiled, grabbing the ranger by his shoulders and shoving him to the other direction. Finally those two blockheads are together, Legolas thought, grinning to himself.
But even as Aragorn walked away, an uneasy feeling still remained, tugging at Legolas' conscience.
As Legolas drew near the Hall of Elrond, he began to be aware of a soft strain of music played from an elven lute:
ir daw danna
am i dôr
i calben êl
o Eldamar
sila ah pân
ha claur
ha aglar
ir Fuin danna
Um can
ir pân thia pen
helch heleg
gar le ôl
drega i faer
heb le bronwe
Legolas entered the hall, and abruptly the singing stopped.
"A - "Gladhên's fingers paused on the lute strings, as he rose from his seat and bowed. Legolas' other elven companions followed suit.
The other foreign elves then realised his status, and greeted him respectfully. Half-embarrassed, Legolas returned the greetings, and as he passed Gladhên he spoke to him in an undertone.
"Really, Gladhên, did you need to make such a big fuss about this?" Legolas chided in a mock stern tone.
Gladhên grew wide-eyed and quickly apologised, "I'm sorry, nîn caun, I didn't mean - "
"It's all right, don't worry about it," Legolas immediately reassured the youth, giving him a disarming smile. Gladhên visibly relaxed, and with an encouraging nod from Legolas, continued his song.
Legolas chuckled, and turned to find a seat when he was confronted by a small figure.
"He still has a lot to learn, doesn't he?" the figure said, echoing Legolas' own sentiments.
"Bilbo!" Legolas exclaimed, hurriedly kneeling down on one knee to hug his old friend. The two had met during the war waged against the Goblins, and had long since grown fond of one another.
"Hello, son of Thranduil, how has the Elvenking been?"
Both hobbit and elf conversed for a short while before Bilbo began to drift off in his own thoughts, mumbling some newly invented poetry. Legolas thought it best to leave him alone.
Elrond and another halfling then entered the hall, and all rose to greet them. Legolas stared at the younger hobbit for an instant - the other foreign elves had been speaking of a halfling and a feast this night in his honour - this must have been the one they have spoken of. He then caught Elrond's eye, and Elrond nodded slightly to acknowledge Legolas' arrival.
As the hobbit began to look around in awe, the elves resumed whatever they were doing, and Legolas began to browse the shelves of the Hall. The young halfling approached Bilbo, who was still "pondering over his verses" ("More like sleeping," Legolas chuckled.), and Elrond woke the elder hobbit up.
After some time, an unnatural silence crept over the visitors of the Hall, and Legolas looked up from his book. As Legolas turned to look at the two hobbits, he was stunned by the look on Bilbo's face - it was one of nothing but pure greed. Legolas followed Bilbo's gaze to a small glittering object - a ring - that hung upon a chain around the younger hobbit's neck.
All of a sudden, Legolas heard a stranger's voice, one so dark and ominous that it hurt the elf physically to hear it: "Ash nazg..."
In that instant, Legolas knew and understood what evil was concentrated in the artefact that was now once more hidden from view by the shirt of the younger hobbit.
Legolas backed away as Bilbo regained his composure, and laid his book down on a table. The elf quickly grabbed a goblet of wine, and slipped out of the Hall into the night.
"The Mirkwood prince, I hear," a voice spat venomously behind Legolas. Legolas turned to look, tearing his gaze from the splendid view of Rivendell.
"A dwarf, I see," Legolas stressed dryly, "with not much a title to speak of." Already troubled enough, Legolas ignored the dwarf and turned back to stare at the scenery as he took another gulp of the red wine.
"Ha! So Mirkwood elves are still as rude and unbecoming as the years before." The dwarf shook his red beard a little and snorted, as he began to stride off.
"Well, perhaps," Legolas' patience was growing thin, "But not as uncultured as a certain race who goes around spitting at others. Why don't you go away and find yourself a nice counterpart to spit at?" But the dwarf had already gone.
Legolas gulped down the remaining liquid in his goblet and set it aside as he stared unseeing at the dark skies. He thought of the elves that went into Dol Guldur and never returned; of how the orcs had been grown increasingly daring in recent years; of how evil seemed to be manifesting itself...
And he thought about Ôlion, and how he had died trying to defend a task that the prince of Mirkwood himself failed to complete.
A new hymn had begun in the Hall of Elrond:
"A Elbereth Gilthoniel
silivren penna míriel
o menel aglar elenath!
Na-chared palan-díriel
o galadhremmin ennorath,
Fanuilos, linnathon
nef aear, sí nef aearon!"
Legolas buried his head in his hands as he shuddered, and remembered the ring bore by the young hobbit.
"O Elbereth," he whispered, "help us all."
Translations:
Glorfindel's greeting - Good evening, prince Legolas
Gladhên's song (really badly translated) -
As night descends
Upon the lands
The elven star
Of Eldamar
Glows with all
Its splendour
Its grandeur
When Darkness falls
Depravity calls
When all seems lost
As cold as frost
Hold your dreams
Shun the wraith
Keep your faith
And -
Elbereth's Hymn (really really badly translated) -
And Elbereth Gilthoniel
Glittering white, slanting, sparkling
Glory of the stars of the high heavens!
Having gazed afar to make
The tree-woven of Middle-earth
Faunuilos (?), I will sing
On this side of the sea,
Here on this side of the great sea
________________________________________________________________
Oh no. I think I'm in trouble. 1 entire month of not writing… Oh boy, I must have just succeeded in chasing away all my readers *sniff*
I am awfully sorry... Writer's block has been clouding my mind for this chapter for a very long time, this chapter is awfully short and guilt has made me shun fanfiction.net for sometime... (Apologies especially to littlefish and TreeHugger, I know I haven't been reviewing your stories for sometime, I will soon!)
The next chapter will be about the Council of Elrond and thus the Fellowship's adventures will truly begin... Once again I apologise for the lateness of the chapter, but sincerely hope that you guys (and gals :) will bear with my slow writing and continue to support me =) thanks all of you!
Jevvica - Sorry! Not very much of Gimli yet, but a little... I don't really know if the readers will still like my story especially after that agonising lengthy writer's block I have gone through... Hope I haven't lost my touch *gulp*
Gabrielle Lawson - Thank you so much for reviewing again! =) Hope you like this (eh, rather short) chapter and I hope you will continue to support me! Thanks! :)
JastaElf - Hotel Dol Guldur? *grin* If that is the case, it must be a -3 star hotel =) Thank you for your wonderful review too *beam* and hope you continue supporting me heh
Rogue Runaway - *ducks head* OK, I am awfully sorry to you too... You've been chasing me for another chapter ever since I posted the last one, and I have given you nothing till now. I'm so sorry... Hopefully I'm gonna garner more reviews now, though this chapter is super short.
Littlefish - I've gotta apologise to you (and TreeHugger) the most. I haven't been reviewing your chapters, and I haven't been updating my own for so long... This chapter is mighty short, but I'm working on it, and I will be reviewing your chapters soon... I am awfully sorry, and I hope you'll forgive me. And continue to support me *hopeful grin*! Heheh
TreeHugger - I'm awfully sorry, haven't been following your story either... =( And haven't updated for so long, instead made all of you wait for an entire month. I am so sorry... Hope you forgive me, and continue to support me - I will try my best to write more soon and I'll be reviewing your story soon as well (*gulp* I've missed lots of chapters haven't I *sheepish look*)... Sorry!
Frigia - Thanks for reviewing! I hope this chapter is as cool as the rest! :)
Jocelyn (the other one) - Yeah I wanted to do something about Legolas growing up too, but I thought better of it, since I often have writer's block and that is really shitty sometimes - at least for this one I have the book as reference you see heheh. Thanks for giving such a lovely review and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.
Princess of sMirkwood-Mrs ArWe - Thanks for reviewing! =) Heh hope you like this chapter too!
Matt - Eh, sorry, didn't quite get what you meant... what exactly is this "same thing" that happened to you?