Gilraen paced the floor in her room, grey eyes worried. There was so much
to organise and arrange! The route was obvious but messengers had to be
sent to alert the races at the key points, the elves of Rivendell, the
dwarves of Moria, the Rohirrim.
A knock on the door made her turn from her blank eyed contemplation of the view. "Come in." She called softly and the door opened.
A tall man entered the room, a smile creasing his sun lined face.
"Good day to you Princess." He greeted, humour dancing in his dark blue eyes.
"Lord Beren." Gilraen curtsied. "But since we are going to travel together, please just call me Gilraen."
"Beren then please Pri...Gilraen." he responded.
Gilraen studied the man that would, if Aravals's story was true, become her husband. She could see his ancestry clearly in the planes of his face, chiselled deep. She had seen him at court, and knew that her father used his advice fairly often seemed unaware of her scrutiny, and continued to speak.
"Our fellowship is coming together. Four hobbits have asked if they could accompany us as we travel. One of them wishes to follow in the footsteps of his relatives. He's a Gardener."
"Descended from Frodo Gardener, son of Samwise?" Gilraens attention was caught. Beren nodded. "Indeed. Merimac Gardener. The adventurous blood seems to run in his veins from what his friends were telling me. They also want to accompany him. Their names are Robin Bolger, Olo Heathertoes and Morro Hardbottle."
Gilraen smiled. "They would be more than welcome to travel with us."
"Exactly what I thought." Beren said, before he bowed again and withdrew. Gilraen turned back to staring out of the window.
"Soon our feet will be upon the road, treading where our forefathers before us trod as they sought to achieve their quest. Will we face the same dangers as them, or will new perils await us?" she murmured softly to herself.
------------
Gilraen strode through the passages of the kings home, heading for the rooms where the weavers worked and kept their cloth, to discuss with them travelling outfits.
She stepped past an intersection which loomed dark on her right. She was about to carry on her way when an unfamiliar male voice speaking her name drew her attention. "Sir?" she queried.
From out of the shadows stepped a tall elf, grey hair braided back behind pointed ears. Dark brown eyes were deep, the mind behind them steeped in the wisdom of all the ages that he had seen.
"My Lord Cirdan." Gilraen curtsied. She had met the lord of the Grey Havens once before, and had been left in awe.
"I would like to make a request of you Lady." He spoke.
"Of course my Lord. How may I aid you?" was her reply.
"I would like to accompnay you and your fellowship as you travel."
"Why?" the question was blurted before she could consider how appropriate it was or censor it.
A soft smile touched the stern face of the elf Lord. "I find myself growing weary of the world. One last ship still waits, and when it departs, the last of the Eldar will be gone from this world. But I would see Arda once more before I go."
Moved, Gilraen curtsied, words failing her for a moment till she gathered herself again. "You would be welcome my lord and we would be honoured to have you with us." "My friend would also travel with us, as he departs for Valinor presently and would see the world at peace before he leaves."
To have another elf in the group would spoil the symmetry that they were trying too create, but Gilraen did not want to offend.
"And his name would be?" she asked.
"Radagast the Brown." And Cirdans eyes sparkled with his pleasure at his surprise. "Thus the symmetry remains."
Gilraen looked rueful. "I should have remembered that nothing escapes your notice my Lord."
Cirdan chuckled. "Indeed. I remember an incident with your brother and yourself, when you were practising your hunting skills by stalking people."
"You succeeded in stalking us." Gilraen remembered the incident well, having received a rather strong scolding for that. "Radagast would be as welcome as yourself. Tonight, there is to be a meeting held for all of us travellers, the second hour after sunset. Is that convenient?"
"Myself and Radagast will be there." Cirdan said, before disappeared into the shadow of the passage again. Gilraen continued on her way, her exultation in this coming together briefly showing itself in a peal of laughter.
----------
The small reception room had been set aside for the meeting, and set out with nine chairs. Beren was already there, and rose as Gilraen entered.
"Are the rumours that are crackling around true? Lord Cirdan and Radagast the Brown are accompanying us?" he asked.
Gilraen nodded. "They are indeed," and her smile escaped her control. Beren returned it, before some emotion flickered in his eyes and he turned his head away. Gilraen frowned but was saved from having to question him by the entrance of four hobbits, all looking fairly nervous.
"Welcome!" Gilraen called in greeting, and saw from the corner of her eye Beren turn with a friendly smile. Perhaps he too welcomed the interruption. "Merimac, Olo, Robin and Morro I believe?"
Each hobbit nodded as she said their names, and Gilraen blessed her memory that allowed her to match faces to names and nearly always remember them.
"Lady Gilraen." Merimac spoke up.
"Please, just Gilraen, since we're all travelling together." Gilraen quickly interrupted them, before blushing apologetically and gesturing for Merimac to continue.
"Thank you for letting us accompany us. Its amazing to think that we are actually going to be travelling in the footsteps of our grandparents."
The hobbits settled themselves in four of the chairs, and Gilraen and Beren joined them. They were deep in conversation about family trees when the door opened again.
Expecting Cirdan or Radagast to be arriving, Gilraen was surprised to see a familiar Dwarven figure enter.
"Ambassador Fundin!" she declared as the ambassador from the Morian Dwarves to the court of the King entered.
"Gilraen." Fundin said with a bow, having knowing Gilraen since she was a child, formality had been dispensed with between the two. "For the honour of the dwarves, and in memory of Gimli son of Gloin, I have come to ask if I may join with you."
"Welcome." Beren said simply, rising to shake Fundins hand.
"And now our fellowship is complete." Gilraen laughed as Cirdan and Radagast entered. Gilraen for the Dunedain. Beren for Gondor. Merimac, Olo, Robin and Morro for the Shire. Fundin for the Dwarves. Cirdan for the Elves. Radagast for the Istari.
A dream conceived in the dark of night had borne fruit, and was about to flower.
A knock on the door made her turn from her blank eyed contemplation of the view. "Come in." She called softly and the door opened.
A tall man entered the room, a smile creasing his sun lined face.
"Good day to you Princess." He greeted, humour dancing in his dark blue eyes.
"Lord Beren." Gilraen curtsied. "But since we are going to travel together, please just call me Gilraen."
"Beren then please Pri...Gilraen." he responded.
Gilraen studied the man that would, if Aravals's story was true, become her husband. She could see his ancestry clearly in the planes of his face, chiselled deep. She had seen him at court, and knew that her father used his advice fairly often seemed unaware of her scrutiny, and continued to speak.
"Our fellowship is coming together. Four hobbits have asked if they could accompany us as we travel. One of them wishes to follow in the footsteps of his relatives. He's a Gardener."
"Descended from Frodo Gardener, son of Samwise?" Gilraens attention was caught. Beren nodded. "Indeed. Merimac Gardener. The adventurous blood seems to run in his veins from what his friends were telling me. They also want to accompany him. Their names are Robin Bolger, Olo Heathertoes and Morro Hardbottle."
Gilraen smiled. "They would be more than welcome to travel with us."
"Exactly what I thought." Beren said, before he bowed again and withdrew. Gilraen turned back to staring out of the window.
"Soon our feet will be upon the road, treading where our forefathers before us trod as they sought to achieve their quest. Will we face the same dangers as them, or will new perils await us?" she murmured softly to herself.
------------
Gilraen strode through the passages of the kings home, heading for the rooms where the weavers worked and kept their cloth, to discuss with them travelling outfits.
She stepped past an intersection which loomed dark on her right. She was about to carry on her way when an unfamiliar male voice speaking her name drew her attention. "Sir?" she queried.
From out of the shadows stepped a tall elf, grey hair braided back behind pointed ears. Dark brown eyes were deep, the mind behind them steeped in the wisdom of all the ages that he had seen.
"My Lord Cirdan." Gilraen curtsied. She had met the lord of the Grey Havens once before, and had been left in awe.
"I would like to make a request of you Lady." He spoke.
"Of course my Lord. How may I aid you?" was her reply.
"I would like to accompnay you and your fellowship as you travel."
"Why?" the question was blurted before she could consider how appropriate it was or censor it.
A soft smile touched the stern face of the elf Lord. "I find myself growing weary of the world. One last ship still waits, and when it departs, the last of the Eldar will be gone from this world. But I would see Arda once more before I go."
Moved, Gilraen curtsied, words failing her for a moment till she gathered herself again. "You would be welcome my lord and we would be honoured to have you with us." "My friend would also travel with us, as he departs for Valinor presently and would see the world at peace before he leaves."
To have another elf in the group would spoil the symmetry that they were trying too create, but Gilraen did not want to offend.
"And his name would be?" she asked.
"Radagast the Brown." And Cirdans eyes sparkled with his pleasure at his surprise. "Thus the symmetry remains."
Gilraen looked rueful. "I should have remembered that nothing escapes your notice my Lord."
Cirdan chuckled. "Indeed. I remember an incident with your brother and yourself, when you were practising your hunting skills by stalking people."
"You succeeded in stalking us." Gilraen remembered the incident well, having received a rather strong scolding for that. "Radagast would be as welcome as yourself. Tonight, there is to be a meeting held for all of us travellers, the second hour after sunset. Is that convenient?"
"Myself and Radagast will be there." Cirdan said, before disappeared into the shadow of the passage again. Gilraen continued on her way, her exultation in this coming together briefly showing itself in a peal of laughter.
----------
The small reception room had been set aside for the meeting, and set out with nine chairs. Beren was already there, and rose as Gilraen entered.
"Are the rumours that are crackling around true? Lord Cirdan and Radagast the Brown are accompanying us?" he asked.
Gilraen nodded. "They are indeed," and her smile escaped her control. Beren returned it, before some emotion flickered in his eyes and he turned his head away. Gilraen frowned but was saved from having to question him by the entrance of four hobbits, all looking fairly nervous.
"Welcome!" Gilraen called in greeting, and saw from the corner of her eye Beren turn with a friendly smile. Perhaps he too welcomed the interruption. "Merimac, Olo, Robin and Morro I believe?"
Each hobbit nodded as she said their names, and Gilraen blessed her memory that allowed her to match faces to names and nearly always remember them.
"Lady Gilraen." Merimac spoke up.
"Please, just Gilraen, since we're all travelling together." Gilraen quickly interrupted them, before blushing apologetically and gesturing for Merimac to continue.
"Thank you for letting us accompany us. Its amazing to think that we are actually going to be travelling in the footsteps of our grandparents."
The hobbits settled themselves in four of the chairs, and Gilraen and Beren joined them. They were deep in conversation about family trees when the door opened again.
Expecting Cirdan or Radagast to be arriving, Gilraen was surprised to see a familiar Dwarven figure enter.
"Ambassador Fundin!" she declared as the ambassador from the Morian Dwarves to the court of the King entered.
"Gilraen." Fundin said with a bow, having knowing Gilraen since she was a child, formality had been dispensed with between the two. "For the honour of the dwarves, and in memory of Gimli son of Gloin, I have come to ask if I may join with you."
"Welcome." Beren said simply, rising to shake Fundins hand.
"And now our fellowship is complete." Gilraen laughed as Cirdan and Radagast entered. Gilraen for the Dunedain. Beren for Gondor. Merimac, Olo, Robin and Morro for the Shire. Fundin for the Dwarves. Cirdan for the Elves. Radagast for the Istari.
A dream conceived in the dark of night had borne fruit, and was about to flower.