"The Return of the Light"
by AndromedaM13Titan

disclaimer: j.r.r tolkien is one of the best authors, his books are best, and all his characters are great. this fan fiction is about legolas, though i do not own him, anyo f the characters, or half of the places in this story. the only characters new to this tale is Adriel, also called Erimas, the daughter of the Elven-Warlord Eldroln; and the other is the Elvenprincess Halardrin, also called Aletia, daughter of Colodrin... and any other person they meet in Southeast Mirkwood (because i made up that kingdom); Sagorim son of Bafrog-Him; Bafrog-him and his council; and Deowar.

a/n: part 2 is at last up. it will be about their stay in southeast mirkwood, where they meet the princess haladrin and her father colodrin.
la la la. i have no other notes.

*Temrbanil is the name of Adriel's sword (i made up the entire story of her family, her legend, the "prophecy", the sword, and the story behind the sword)


lord of the rings is NOT a trilogy, according to tolkien, it is ONE book with 6 books in it.

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Part II: Mirkwood Stronghold

Demril and Shadowfax rode speedily ahead of the rest of the fellowship as the sun began to rise. It was the third rising of the sun since their departure from Rivendell, and they seldom took any rest for their horses or themselves. Meager meals were fed and little draught was given, but Adriel felt that peril lay behind the gates of Mirkwood, and beyond the battles outside its walls. According to the light haired elf, the elvenking Colodrin had a hidden city deep within the eastern most part of the wood. There was where she hailed from, and where she had once befriended the princess Haladrin. As Adriel spoke of Haladrin, Legolas seemed to sigh, roll his eyes, and disregard whatever she noted of the princess.


At last the borders came close into view. Adriel held her long hand up, telling the others to halt. Demril reared his head up high before stopping, and giving out a loud cry that Shadowfax answered to. There was a sudden sound in the bushes and trees, and as the Company looked up they noticed arrows pointed straight to their faces. The leader of this group was a fair elf with blonde hair and shimmering blue eyes, who stood tall high above Gimli, even as he rode upon his horse.

"Prince Legolas?" said the leader as he looked in a baffled sight first to Legolas. "And Mistress Adriel!"

Adriel seemed to laugh. "I am not a mistress anymore, Deowar," replied Adriel. "Come! Do not point your arrows to us; this is Gandalf the White, known to us as Mirthrandir. This is his Company, which has run over many lands for the purpose of one small item, capable of doing great things," even as Adriel spoke Deowar knew what she was talking about, "and for the sake of the ring-bearer, who is a hobbit by the name of Frodo. Deowar, I must stay in Mirkwood until the Orcs are driven from these borders; I felt a horrible burden lie heavy on my heart, but this Company shall also be staying for their path takes them through Mirkwood."

"Absolutely," answered Deowar, "anything for the Prince of Mirkwood and for Adriel Woodleaf. Surely your keen ears serve you well, Adriel, for there have been Orcs spying on us about our gates. We have done all we could to keep them at bay, all includes your father... until he was injured, which does happen often, you must divuldge--"

"--My father?!" cried Adriel. "When and how did he get injured! You must take me to him now!" The fair face of Adriel was once again troubled by news of her home and her family in turmoil, and she demanded to be taken to her father's side at once.

"Peace, Adriel!" shouted Deowar. "You shall see him soon enough! For now we must take shelter within the confinements of the Grand Palace, and Mirthrandir's company must be taken care of. It is to the king we must go, and immediately if you wish to see your father." Deowar and the others loosened their grip on their bows and walked silently into the wood. The Company and Adriel remained on their horses, trotting in by only the sound of their horses soft hooves. The elves walked without noise at all, for their feet were light and their boots like feathers. At last they came to the doors of the Grand Palace, which looked so dim and dark now that the Shadow of Mordor grew quicker. Adriel and the Company dismounted their horses and were brought into the palace.

The palace hall led directly to the throne, where a single light shone upon it: a great a marvelous throne of wood and beside it a smaller one where Haladrin the princess sat. Colodrin sat on the large throne, his face still showing his everlasting youth and upon his head a small crown of beads. His daughter was even fairer than he, and her long, platinum blonde hair fell well past her shoulders. She looked down as Legolas stepped foward to introduce himself, as he did. Colodrin's face suddenly became grave and cold as he saw the prince.

"Where is my father, Lord Colodrin?" asked Adriel impatiently. "I must see to my father! If I do not I surely will be burdened with yet another horrible tiding. I pray that I be freed of your presence, for I have served many loyal years for you, and now I wish to be repaid with one thing: see my father if he may be dying, so that before he dies I may see his fair face once more; however, I must ask: how did an elf such as father become so heavily injured?"

Colodrin sighed and got up from his throne. "Wounds from Ringwraiths and of Orcs are the worst," said Colodrin, "even for an elvenwarlord. Your father lies peaceful and asleep at this moment, in the deeper chambers of this palace. Deowar, please escort her to her father's chambers. See to it that she is left alone with him and that none disturb her." With a wave of his hand, Colodrin sent Deowar and Adriel to Eldroln's chambers.

Adriel walked slowly into the dark room, lit only by the candles and the setting sun out the doors. There was a large bed in the center of the room where Adriel could see a pale figure sleep. She walked to the bed side and saw her father. Her heart was wrenched of all tears; she could not weep for the moment was much too horrible. Eldroln had gashes upon his long, once fair arms; cuts upon his once beautiful face, and wounds deeper than chasms. Deowar shook Eldroln awake. His eyes fluttered open and at once he saw his daughter. His eyes teared and his smile quivered.

"Lovely," said Eldroln to Adriel. "My lovely daughter back from the pass at Rivendell. It has been many months since I've last beheld you in my eyes, these eyes which are so young and childish, but at the same time passing my very life before my eyes. How goes it, Adriel? How is Elrond?"

Adriel smiled. "Better than before," she replied. "I fear no longer the darkness of night, or the trembling of the grounds, nor do I feel harmed when I sense my bow far away. Temrbanil* ((see author's note)) is always loyal and at my side, protecting me since it is you whom I cannot fight with. I have joined the Company of Nine, father, and I have joined Mirthrandir, but I have not the heart to destroy the ring-bearer."

"Why is that?" said Eldroln with a suddenly cross face. "I told you that you must!"

"I know, father," she replied; "But he is a hobbit, a halfling, and his name is Frodo Baggins. He is of the Shire, and is the nephew of Bilbo Baggins. Master Frodo is not the master of the ring, but the ring-bearer. I cannot destroy him, I will not, not with even the strongest of rings could I destroy him. Frodo is precious to this world and as a halfling precious to the future. The elves are diminishing and there are seldom any pure of hearts running about in Middle-Earth. I will not do it, but I will aid his company to the lands beyond Minas Tirith and to the lands of Mordor."

"You will get yourself killed, Adriel," snapped Eldroln. "I shan't let you do it. Swear upon my deathbed you shan't do it!"

"Nay, father!" cried Adriel. "I will do as I must and as I will. I alone know the pathways to the hidden gates of the hells of Mordor; I alone can aid Mirthrandir. Yes, he is a mad wizard and yes, perhaps I shall get myself killed; but I am doing this for Frodo, for the elves, for Middle-Earth! I must destroy Mount Doom, father, that is my calling. If it is any benefit to your worries: Legolas shall be riding along as a representative for elves."

Eldroln's face softened. "Legolas Greenleaf?" said Eldroln. "Does Thranduil know of his departure?"

"Yes," said Adriel. "Now he does."

Eldroln was reluctant to heave a sigh and led his daughter go. "It is settled, then," sighed Eldroln: "for the world, Adriel." He opened his arms and welcomed an embrace, his daughter kissing his brow and then walking out. "She is too ambitious for her own good. That will of hers will some day destroy her." Then Eldroln sighed once more and went into a deep sleep, never waking, even as Deowar shook him with fury.


Adriel entered the throneroom as Colodrin and Haladrin had finished with the Company. They now sat separately, each thinking of their journey, about the various walls and crevices.

"How goes your father?" asked Colodrin in a very sympathetic tone. "Is he..."

Adriel slowly nodded. "It shall be all right," she said with newfound courage upon her face; it was fair again. "He died protecting a home he loved wholly, with all his heart, so it was not in vain. It is sad that I must live so long upon this fair world without a father and mother, and now I must ask myself: to whither shall I go? I fear the Mountain of Doom without the spirit of my father present upon this land; I fear the dark winds that evil fancies to whisper in my elven ears. Is there anyplace now that I've any right to go? I know I must venture to the Mountain of Doom, but I daresay that I have strength enough to do so right now; I am weary in heart as I am in spirit."

Colodrin shook his head. "You need not go yet, Adriel," he said. "You may stay in Mirkwood and rest up until you have the will to once again walk the many leagues to Mordor. The rest of the Company shall receive chambers of their own, and until you feel you can leave our stronghold they will not depart. I bid you all well for the day." With that, Colodrin bid everyone to stand as he exited the hall. Adriel walked off to one of the windows, Gandalf out on the porch to smoke his pipe, Aragorn and Pippin out on the other porch, and Legolas and Gimli left on the green out front.

"So when shall we depart for Mordor?" cried Pippin to Gandalf. "We cannot stay here forever, even I know, for the black shadow grows thicker every day! Pray, Gandalf, what shall we do?"

Gandalf continued looking out towards the horizon. "Wait until Adriel is no longer weary," he said as Legolas and Gimli came towards them. "Our Company includes her for the time being, until she rides foward to the Mount of Doom and destroys it. Then, I do not know where she shall go, or what she shall do. But her destiny differs greatly from ours, it is best we leave her be."

"Why do you note her so highly, Gandalf?" asked Pippin. "You do all she bids us to do, you listen to all she says, and she is the only one whom you will not flame! Tell, Gandalf, is there a secret about Adriel we've not known?"

Gandalf glared at Pippin but slowly nodded. "Perhaps," he said, "there are some things you do not know, as you are young Master Meriadoc. Like Aragorn, Adriel is not all whom she seems. To the eye, Adriel is a fair, patient, calm elf; however, underneath all her fairness and beauty she is an elven warrior, one who has seen hundreds of years, many wars, and many kings. In the early days of Elrond came from one of the earliest first born Emanor, the forefather of Eldroln. He was a mighty elf with the strength of many men, an elf with a heart of gold, and the will of a beast. He had faught alongside Elrond after Eldroln was birthed and much older, but was killed in battle by Sauron.

"His sword, of the most precious silver and crafted by the most skilled of elves was named Temrbanil; this is the same sword which Adriel wields by her side. It is the same sword that slew the righthand soldier of Sauron, and destroyed the many forces of the Dark Lord. From Emanor sprung Eldroln, through his marriage and love with the Elvenlady Eonir. The son of Emanor was even more stronger and more blessed than himself, and when Eldroln inherited the sword, great things came about through him. It was not long before he was revealed the legend behind the sword and behind the fortelling of a great child that would one day wield the sword following him."

"What would that story be, Gandalf?" questioned Pippin as he eagerly sat on the green now. For a young hobbit he was quite the more curious, and quite a listener, though he was not always of help.

Gandalf smiled for once. "Before even Emanor," said Gandalf, "in the earliest years of the elves and of the first born there was Celbranir, the first of the warrior elves and the greatest. In the days of old he was called to build a sword for his king, a grand sword that, since Celbranir was also greatest of smiths, was to be created with all the will and strength Celbranir had. Thus he did, but when his king passed on at a horrible battle, having been slain by the predecessors of orcs and before Sauron's time, Celbranir inherited the sword. It filled him with mighty strength, even after its hilt had been chipped and when its face had lost shine. He made it to be an heirloom in his family, that all might remember their true blood through it, and that all would become warriors. There were only some instances where the elvenchildren decided that they should not become warriors, but the sword went on.

"Before Emanor it came to his grandfather: Agras son of Halbras. Agras was equally powerful to Celbranir and to his grandson Emanor, but his story is more of a lovestory of sorts. Like many elves in the days past, such as the father of Elrond, Agras caught in his eye a human woman: the Princess Acrelin of one of the many old realms that no longer stand. Agras' sword was taken from him by his father Halbras when his love was discovered, and it was thrown into the ocean. Temrbanil was never to be found again, nor to be sought after. As he always did in his early days, Agras disobeyed the word of his father and went on a search for it. When his feet at last became weary and when at last he had journeyed to the ends of the earth, he fell to the ground, crying: 'O Elebereth! O Glindoniel!' And cried out for his princess. When at last Acrelin discovered his whereabouts, it is said that her heart's will and strength retrieved the sword, and she returned it to its owner. It was then Acrelin was betrothed to Agras, and the two married.

"Emanor, Eldroln, and thus Adriel," began Gandalf, "are part of the small race of the half-elven. Emanor was given a chance to choose what race he wished to belong to, and thus he became elven. Eldroln did as well, and so Adriel. It is no doubt that they chose to be elven by cause of their unimaginable lineage. It is in their blood that they be rulers of a hidden city, Emanor, Eldroln, and Adriel, but it is the city that does not wish for their return."

"But you said the city is gone," said Pippin.

"Surely it is, Peregrin Took! As sure as the seasons drift it has been gone from the eyes of men and elves for thousands of years!" Gandalf replied, his eyes widened and a tint of green shining in them. "True, I did say that Princess Acrelin was of human kin; however, the city from which she hailed and the city in which she ruled was built by elven hands. Truly this city is of elven ruling, and it is only an elf that may take its reigns. Only one can restore the beauty of this destroyed city and bring it back from the depths of death. That person is whomever weilds the sword and makes it sing again. When Temrbanil had lost its shine it had lost its soul and spirit, bringing no strength as it had to Celbranir. Whomever the one makes it sing once more is the true heir to Celbranir and to Acrelin and Agras' kingdom. Whomever so chooses to fulfill the reign will become king, and will reign until the days of the elven deaths draw near."

"That day is soon, I fear," whisepered Legolas. "I feel it in the wind blowing through the trees." He sighed and looked foward to the horizon. He had heard stories of Celbranir, and since he had known Adriel for her entire life, he had seen the power of Temrbanil. He knew the enormous strength, he knew the legends, and he knew the stories from beginning to end. It did not matter whether or not Adriel was the true heir: the elves were perishing because of men, and soon they would all disappear into the Grey Havens; every single one.

Adriel suddenly came from the window and looked foward. She stood still as though she was being watched. She sensed the hands of darkness groping their way through the Mirkwood forest, and she feared that at last the fall of Colodrin's city was to come. She passed Gandalf a glance, and without any words she walked swiftly into the hall. There she saw Colodrin and Haladrin conversing and Colodrin said: "What troubles you, Adriel?"

"You must send Haladrin away," she said, "and possibly yourself. There are Orcs and Ringwraiths all over the wood, and they are stampeding their way here. Do as I tell you, Lord Colodrin: you shall be safer if you flee, and your kingdom will never end if you send your daughter to Lothlorien with Lady Galadriel or even to Rivendell with Lord Elrond. You must see to safety! They come quickly!" Colodrin nodded and sent for his men. Gandalf and his company came in with distressed looks upon their faces.

"Mirthrandir," said Adriel with a stern and cold sounding voice, rather than a fair one, "come, we must move towards the borders."

"What is going on?" shouted Gimli. "Ere we arrived here the Orcs were leagues away! What is going on?"

"They may have been leagues away in the ere last eve," replied Adriel, "but they return now and with hearts held high, if hearts are what they hold in their chests. Come, will you wield your axe and aid us, or are you going to dwell in the house of Colodrin until death is nigh? Let it be a reminder to you: life is hard and wearisome, but death comes more swiftly than the hours of day." With that, Adriel and Gandalf walked out to the hills, with Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli close behind. Pippin dared not to move.

Gandalf turned and looked angered: "Come, Peregrin!" he shouted. "You fool of a Took! You'll get yourself killed if you stay here any longer!" And so he grabbed Pippin's wrist and pulled him foward. The Company walked into the vast forest that lay large before them, dark and mysterious, and they knew that it was Sauron's work. No longer was Mirkwood a place of peace, but a desolate forest used by the Dark Lord himself in the Third Age.

Adriel's hands lay on her bow and arrows as they walked further; Adriel and Legolas on their light feet, Pippin on his bare feet, and the others walking as quiet as they could. Legolas also readied his bow, as he could also sense what was to become of them. All their hearts were heavy, with the exception being ofcourse Legolas and Adriel. Then the Orcs and Uruk-hais appeared.

"Ach!" cried Adriel as she saw them. "Mirthrandir! Mirthrandir! Charge onward!" And so Adriel loosed her arrows and Legolas did the same, then Aragorn and Gandalf unsheathed their swords, charging towards some Uruk-hais and Orcs. Pippin shook as he held the sword Lord Colodrin gave him, too frightened to attack. Adriel saw this: "Take my sword!" she threw to him Temrbanil. It was heavy in Pippin's hands, though it was made of the lightest silver. "Wield it well, and do not let it fall! Be truthful to it and it will serve you well." She smiled and took some more arrows, and loosed them into the hearts of the Orcs.

continue to part III

-boring? its mostly the history of where adriel actually comes from. nice? yes. more fighting and happiness later. ^_^ the legend of temrbanil and the story of adriel's family is all my creation, the places maybe not... but whatever. the first born are creations of tolkien, however, and some of them are people such as lady galadriel, lord celeborn, etc etc....