Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, ideas or anything else from Lord of the Rings. I do however lay claim on Elrond's twin daughters as Tolkien never wrote about any twin elven girls anywhere in his books. Everything else though, as much as I wish it, is not mine and belongs to the Estate of J.R.R. Tolkien (a wonderful, wonderful man). Except for a 2-year-old toddler by the name of Estel (forever called tithen min by his siblings) who needs looking after.
AN: Well, this ended up WAY long than I intended. I kind of got a little carried away. But I was basically following book-verse, with a few movie aspects thrown in, as well as a few of my own inventions, and the chapter is 40 pages long. So I guess 4 pages for this isn't bad, right?
If you've read the books, you'll notice nearly all the dialogue from this is directly from the books. Tolkien owns it, not me, but I just love this chapter so much; I didn't have the heart to write my own version.
You'll also note you're getting this early. Anyone have a problem with that? No, didn't thinks so.
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When they were four years old Dúnë had fallen out of the ancient tree that grew over their father's council chamber.
Rómë wasn't sure why that particular memory had suddenly sprung to mind, but it somehow seemed an appropriate one at that very moment. Because the twins, as well their very proper older sister, were currently ensconced in that very same tree, eavesdropping on the "secret council" their father had quite clearly stated they were not to attend. But then, eavesdropping did not really count as attending, at least not in Rómë's mind; though she was certain it would in her father's.
In all honesty, she was well aware Elrond knew of their presence, and always well aware there was no way he could do anything about it without being noticeable. She would deal with the lecture later, as always, but not being at the council seemed quite unfair. After all her brothers (all three of them) and Glorfindel were in attendance, so why should she and her sisters not be allowed? The council's decision would affect them too.
Rómë was also quite aware, from her high perch, that the three daughters of Elrond were not the only uninvited guests. She could see Samwise, Frodo's servant, kidding in the bushes only a few feet from his master. And she'd caught a small hobbit sized figure peering around one of the columns in the study; Peregrin she guessed, but where he went, Meriadoc would be too. And Bilbo and Frodo were at the council of course: they had been invited.
So far nothing interesting had been said, or at least nothing she hadn't already heard long before. The dwarves had spoken for a time after introductions were made, but she had barely spared a though to that. And her father's recounting of Rings was interesting, but not new to her.
It was, coincidently enough, Frodo's voice that brought her attention to the circle of people below her.
"You remember? But I thought…I thought that the fall of Gil-galad was a long age ago."
It seemed a harmless question, and one she had heard asked of her father before by other mortals. But she had not often heard his answer, nor the sadness within his voice as he explained to Frodo how many years he had truly seen, and how much death and loss he had been subject too.
And she listened too as he told of the failure of Isildur, and glanced at her youngest brother in sympathy. It was always difficult for Aragorn to be reminded of his ancestor's weakness, but to have it brought to light in front of the representatives of the free peoples would be even harder if any there discovered who he truly was.
The man from Gondor, Boromir she recalled, spoke at length of his purpose at the Council, and she paused in surprise as he echoed words of a poem that had once haunted her visions as well. She saw the look in her father's eyes, as for the first time he glanced up into the tree. He knew of course; she had told him those same words many years before, when the last child of the Dúnedain was born. But to hear them uttered by another, and a mortal at that, seemed to add weight to them.
But neither Rómë nor her father had much time to dwell upon the significance of this, because Aragorn did something then they would have counseled him against, had they been aware of it ahead of time.
Rising, he drew the broken hilt of Narsil from its sheath and cast it down onto the table before Elrond, following a second later with the other half of the sword. The entire room descended into utter silence, except for the gasp that escaped Boromir's lips and the unheard cry from Arwen, which only Elrond marked.
But Boromir was not speechless for long. He had come a great distance seeking answers, and here was the greatest one of all.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
Estel would have said something then, had Elrond not done so first. But the revelation to the Council of the Ranger's identity seemed to cause and even greater stir than the sword had.
Not least with Frodo. A gleam of understanding came into his eyes, and without a seconds thought he sprang to his feet, and cried "Then it belongs to you, and not to me at all!"
Whisper spread around the room, for few understood of what Frodo spoke, though many could guess.
"It does not belong to either of us, but it has been ordained that you should hold it a while," Estel explained. Boromir glanced sharply between Aragorn and Frodo at this, perceiving suddenly what it was they spoke of.
But Gandalf had had enough guessing games for one day. "Bring out the Ring, Frodo!" he said.
Though few but the elves marked it, there was a moment of hesitation in Frodo's eyes, and Rómë knew suddenly how dear to him the thing already was. How much more dearly would it become, if the Halfling were allowed to keep it?
Hand trembling, Frodo set the golden thing upon the table, so that it lay near to the sword and Elrond cried "Behold Isildur's Bane!"
Boromir's eyes glinted as he gazed upon it, and there was something akin to greed in them. But Rómë did not hear his words, nor her brother's that answered. She was gazing upon the Ring as all other were, but seeing more in it's depths than any other could.
Visions assailed her mind of battles long ago; of golden rings set with stones; of great lands and greater kingdoms. She saw the Valley of Imladris before ever the house was built; Eregion before it was laid to waste, and she caught a glimpse of Celebrimbor at his forge; she saw a older man of seeming beauty and wisdom, but knew there was darkness underneath as she saw him denied entrance to Lindon; she watched Gil-galad marching at the head of his army, and saw her father beside him; and lastly she watching Isildur cut the Ring with one hard stroke from Sauron's hand, and take it for his own.
The last vision failed, and the Council below her came back into view, leaving her gasping for breathe. Elrond glanced sharply up at his daughter, worry etched across his face as he realized what had happened. Dúnë reached out a hand and took her twin's, offering what strength and calmness she could. Rómë was thankful for it, but the horror was already fading to memory as she mastered her breathing. She nodded at her father, assuring him with a glance she was well.
But much had passed below her in the agonized minutes of her vision, and she heard now only Aragorn's announcement that he would go to Minas Tirith. She nearly lost her breathe again, and knew that Arwen had as well. This day had been long in coming; so long in fact, that a part of her had believed it would never come, and was content with that.
But Estel's acceptance of his heritage seemed to have passed over the heads of many below, save his family's. Already Bilbo was recounting his part in the story, small though it was. Rómë barely listened to it, having heard it many more times than she would have liked. But Frodo's tale was wholly new to her, for he had been awake only a day now, and she had not yet spoken with him. But Gandalf's tale was the most upsetting, though some of it she had guessed or overheard before. But the words of Isildur's scroll were the most startling of all, and she saw the look of sadness again cross her father's face. And the shame in Aragorn's.
When Gandalf read the fiery letters of the Ring she wanted to cover her ears and weep, but it did not drown out the words, nor stop the darkness they seemed to call. But it passed quickly, for even the words of the Black Tongue could not long interrupt the peace of Imladris.
The news of Gollum's escape was a hard blow, though she felt no anger at Legolas. Indeed it would have been from over kindness, if anything, for though Glóin would argue it, the elves of Mirkwood were not mean folk.
But of Saruman's betrayal she had heard not even a whisper, and it shocked her most of all. Grievous news was it, more so because she knew how powerful he was, and how dangerous he could be. And he was another enemy to fight, in a war that already had too strong an opposing side.
It seemed hopeless when her father announced there was not option but to send the Ring to Mordor and Mount Doom. There journey itself would be nearly impossible, but none would be able to enter the lands of Sauron without capture.
They argued long over the decision, and over who would take it, but Rómë barely listened. It seemed to her that Frodo was fighting an internal struggle with himself, and she wondered what it was. He did not keep her waiting long.
"I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way."
The Council hushed. The silence was not even broken by bird song. Indeed it seemed the entire Valley had quieted in order to hear.
Elrond was the first to break the silence. But it his declaration caused a spark of uncertainty to appear in Frodo's eyes. It was one thing to say he'd go, and quite another to actually be going.
Samwise obviously thought so too. "But you won't send him off alone surely, Master?" he cried as he scrambled from the bushes. Frodo seemed to relax slightly with Sam's presence.
"No indeed!" Elrond said. "You at least shall go with him. It is hardly possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."
Rómë stifled a laugh at the look of embarrassment that crossed the hobbit's face. Frodo smiled wryly at his servant, and relaxed further.
"We shall take a meal, for the Council has been long. Please, go and rest, for nothing shall be decided for some time." Elrond quickly dismissed the attendants, and they were quick to take his advice.
Rómë thought they shouldn't complain; they hadn't been ensconced in a tree for the entire thing after all.
Arwen climbed down first and practically ran into Aragorn's arms. He glanced once at his father before leading her off. Gandalf nodded at Elrond as Rómë and Dúnë climbed down, and took his leave, no doubt to find Frodo.
Elrond was looking at his daughters expectantly.
"We're sorry adar," they chorused together.
"I'm quite certain you are. Dúnë, I should like to speak with your sister alone."
Andúnë looked about ready to argue, but thought better of it.
She had barely disappeared through the study, leaving her father and twin alone, when Elrond grasped his daughter's hand and drew her close.
"Are you well, iell nin? And do not lie." She knew well she could not, for his healer's senses would tell the truth.
"I am well now, ada, I swear. They are always hard, but I recover quickly."
"And what did you see?" He seemed to know the answer already.
"Battles, Kingdoms, the history of the Rings." She smiled slightly. "I saw this Valley as it was when first you came here. I like it better now."
Elrond chuckled. "I agree. Come, you should eat something; you are still weak from the seeing."
She didn't argue; with or without a vision, she had still spent the entire morning stuck up in a tree.
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