2. Council of Elrond

HALDIR:

Came back from Dr. Elanesse's place. Silly twit was no good whatsoever. I felt really low when I got back to my closet, yes, my closet.

No matter how many times Elrond calls it a 'room' the fact has to be said: My 'room' is a closet. There's space for a bed, and some miscellaneous furniture, but only 1 square metre of walking space.

My life here in Rivendell has been nothing but hell ever since I came here, two weeks ago. Nevertheless, it has greatly improved from my talan in Lothlorien. You just can't compare trees with Imladris.

I slumped down on my bed, which sagged and under the weight. Nothing free from Elrond is of good quality. But it was better than the hammock that Galadriel gave. I really wanted to cry a little, just bring some tears to my eyes, but I couldn't. I had a strong mind, which would not succumb to weakness.

After what seemed like hours, I got up again. Outside, it was still daylight, and some Elves were walking past my window, talking loudly and excitedly. Being the curious, gossiping thing that I am, I went to follow them. They were headed for the House of Elrond.

~~~

Many Elves had come to the second, not-so-formal, Council of Elrond. It was not a secret meeting, for many elves were invited. Elrond was seated, as usual, at the head of the Council, Glorfindel the Golden-Buttocks seated at his right, and where his twin sons usually sat, was Arwen. This was a surprise. Usually, she took no heed to matters of politics, but I suppose she came when she heard that they were discussing Aragorn's fate.

I tried to avoid her the best I could. On my first day in Rivendell, she had caused me severe injuries (which her father had to treat later on), when I recited to her the contents of a message that read: "ARAGORN IS GAY". When I saw her, my left eye, the home of my former bruise, started throbbing uncomfortably. I tried to hide my face under my hair when walking past her, but then remembered that I had the rare blonde hair that had given me distinction in Rivendell. Basically, she recognised me immediately.

"Haldir," she called to me, when I walked past, a sheepish smile on her face, "Er...how are you?"

Ever since she gave apologised after hitting me, she thinks she has to TALK with me every time we meet. I think I preferred her violent side.

I cleared my throat. " I am well enough, and yourself, my lady?"

"Err .yes. I am well enough. Of course it is very lonely without my brothers and Aragorn, but soon I will be joining them down south, when the war is over."

"Oh, really.." I tried to back away, to get away from her. My instincts told me, if I didn't end this conversation now, I may find myself to be her new confidante and all round shoulder to cry on. I shuddered at the thought.

But I needn't, because at that moment, Elrond pronounced the assembly open.

"Friends of old, Elves of Rivendell, you have been called here today to hear some miraculous news." He started, his voice booming round at the assembly, "I come before you today to tell you..."

There was a long pause filled with silence, and Elrond took a deep breath.

"The Ringbearer has fulfilled his quest"

The whole congregation erupted as everyone started talking at once. All knew about the Ringbearers' quest by now, for those who didn't had the whole story drummed into them by Elrond himself. Sometimes you had to pretend you knew what they were talking about.

No one could hear anything because everyone was talking at the same time. This was big news for it meant that Sauron, enemy of the free peoples of Middle Earth, was finally defeated and the Darkness gone. Mordor was officially overthrown.

Elrond raised his hand to silence the crowd, but no one paid him any attention; so he took up a long pole and whacked it several times against the floor. Then the congregation finally shut up.

"As I said before, the Ringbearer has fulfilled his quest, the One Ring is destroyed and Sauron defeated. Here shall end the Third Age, as the Second Age ended with the victory of the Last Alliance against Barad-Dur. "

He paused and sighed sadly, then taking another breath he said,

"The time of the Elves on Middle Earth is ending. Those who will sail West, should go now. I am leaving tomorrow at first light, and Arwen with me. We are heading to Gondor, for the Celebrations. After that, I shall return to my home for a while and settle my affairs before crossing the Sundering Seas."

The murmurs spread across the assembly. I didn't know what to think. The damned quest was finally over. The war was ended. Maybe it really was time for me too to see the land of my forefathers. Aman, Valinor, Tol Eressea, the home of the Valar and the Calaquendi; was it time for me to go there?

I didn't talk to anyone for a while, because I was seated next to strangers, but also because I was thinking to myself. I didn't hear anymore of Elrond's pre-prepared speech, for my mind was a blur.

Arwen had been very quiet during the assembly. I knew what was bothering her. She would not be sailing West, she had forsaken her Elven heritage for Him. Glindir told me. The kid knows everything. He's a bit of a gossipmonger.

Soon, the congregation departed, and I went my way too, but then, as I was walking out of the hall, I saw Her.

Her hair, though it was dark, shone like moonbeams, her laughter like clear fountains splashing against stone and her dark eyes were midnight pools. I stood there, gaping and mesmerised for a moment, gazing at her face before I came to my senses and realised I was looking at the wrong woman.

I directed my eyes to the young girl walking next to her and my heart started pounding like thunder. She was even more beautiful than her sister, at least in my eyes. I had to admit that the Evenstar was the fairest in the land, but in my mind, Marien Telemnar, daughter of Erestor, could rival her.

I hardly noticed Glindir coming up behind me and tapping me on my shoulder. He sighed wearily when he saw who it was I was staring at.

"Go and talk to her for crying out loud!" he spoke into my ear.

Now this is one of the reasons I don't like Glindir. Sure, he's a nice boy and a good friend, and he did help me when I couldn't walk, but when he says things like that? It's just annoying listening to him. And he also seems to think that talking to girls is as easy as learning Quenya. He's a genius at Quenya (another reason I hate him). For, unlike him, I'm hopeless at Quenya and I'm hopeless talking to members of the opposite sex.

I'd rather go shoot some orcs. No, actually, I wouldn't. After my last battle, I kinda developed a phobia of them.

"I don't want to." I replied to Glindir simply. I really didn't.

"Why not?" he said, folding his arms, "hurry, she's leaving now."

I wish I never told him my feelings for her. Now all he does is interfere and try to match make.

"I'm not in a very romantic mood." I said, walking past him and out into the streets of Rivendell. He ran out after me.

"Oh, come on! She's right over there! I saw the way you look at her! The way you gazed at her! Personally I don't know why you even like her, she's not special, and she's not exactly like the Evenstar. She's not even that beautiful!"

"She is to me." I whispered quietly, stopping in my tracks.

"Face it, son of Nunaur, Nariel far surpasses her."

I looked over at Nariel, who was talking with her sister as they walked home. The evening was fresh and crisp, and very warm. Glindir spoke the truth. Nariel was fair among Elves. But I far preferred her sister to her. Nariel disliked me ever since I came to Rivendell, and she had a fiery temper. She was also a handmaiden to Arwen, and probably helped invoke her rage for me.

No, I did not like Nariel.

I walked the rest of the way home to my small bedsit with great speed, and in the end, Glindir could not be bothered to catch up with me and walked back to his own house.

~~~

When I got to my closet, I slumped down onto the bed, until sleep overtook me. I had a dream that I sailed to Valinor with Marien and lived happily ever after, but then awoke with the sad reality that it was a dream. It was along time before I fell asleep again.