Disclaimer: see chapter one, part one.
Chapter twenty five: The Council of Feavair.
She walked along the terrace above the castle garden. Fair flowers bloomed below her, slanting in the silver mist of morning. The dew upon the leaves were glimmering and the woven nets of gossamer twinkled in every bush.
Of yellow leaves and gossamarIn autumns that there were
With morning mist and silver sun
And the wind upon my hair.
She hummed softly and stopped for a moment. Birds were singing and peace lay over the garden. For a moment, she wondered if perhaps Lord Laivindur had been right, that safety lay in now knowing.
Feavair turned the corner; the faces that were turned to meet her as she entered were serious. They rose as they saw her.
King Aragorn was there and seated next to him was his Queen Arwen. Several others were seated about them silence about him. The Lady Galadriel, Lord Celeborn, Elrond, Faramir, Glorfindel, Gimli, Gandalf and Frodo. There were three elves and four men she had never seen before.
King Aragorn presented her to the company saying: "This is Caldor of an Elf from the Grey Havens and of his household and counselor is Vorfir and Elvebrindir." Vorfir and Elvebrindir bowed deeply, but Caldor remained vigilant.
"There sits Hàma counselor from Rohan and Legilan of the Western land. They have both questioned what and why this happened. I told them here they could find answer" The two men acknowledged her with gentle nods
"This is Gwelif and Frilald they will be writing down the words spoken today," King Aragorn said. Gwelif and Frilald bowed deeply before they sat down next to a table and dipped their quills in ink.
"Where is Lord Laivindur?" she asked.
"We could not find him," said Gandalf.
Feavair sat down in the empty chair, completing the circle. She looked at the writers again; they were holding their pen inches above their parchments. On the table lay a red book. Laivindur's journal.
Gandalf opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when he saw that Feavair rose from her seat, walked over and grabbed the journal. Without a word, she returned to her seat and flipped through the book. They watched her in silence and then she read out loud.
Yenerasira 1600 Second Age*
Today Ithil'quessir passed away.
Before she died, she approached me in confidence and told me, the tale I would whished I had never heard, but it weighed heavily on her spirit and she asked for forgiveness something I did not have the heart to deny her.
In the months of the blossoms she was traveling to Lothlòrien when her company was surprised by orcs. They threatened to kill her protectors if she did not follow them to Mordor. "
She did not tell me much about what happened in Mordor. A man approached her and told her that she had to bind his Spirit unto the Ring, so that his spirit could never die.
-I know it does not justify what I did, but I could not let him harm my daughter, I made sure of that. As I wove, I took a part of him and carried it with me, one part that I gave to my newborn daughter, making sure she would be forever protected by the evils of the Dark Lord. "And then she died, leaving the last Spirit Weaver with me, leaving me with a child that was bond to the Dark Lord Sauron. The Ring and this child is…..""
She stopped reading, closed the book and stared at it, her hands trembling. Then she rose again and threw the book towards Aragorn. He ducked and the book flew over his head, over the railing and down in the garden.
Frodo jumped to his feet rushed over to the railing and stared down into the garden where he could see the book pages blowing across the grass in the wind.
"You shall forget what Lord Laivindur has written," said Feavair "and you shall forget the stories you have heard, they are nothing but lies. The Spirit Weavers have told me what I now will tell you, and that is the truth" she paused
"The truth about the last Spirit Weaver and who you are to blame for the suffering of your people. Though in the end, I hope you can give forgiveness"
They were silent once again only the Lady Galadriel dared to meet her gaze and as she did, she nodded her head slowly urging her to continue to tell them what she had learned and what she had seen in her mirror.
"It is a story of treachery, broken promises and greed for power" and then she sat down and started to tell.
"Seven Spirit Weavers were sent down to aid in the War of Wrath. Melkor passed away and the Dark Lord Sauron prepared for his return. The Spirit Weavers' powers lay in healing, even when life was in death's grasp. Each time they healed, their spirit became tainted by darkness, their dreams turned to haunts by shadows and whispers. They tried to fight it, but it was too strong. They were weakening and became vulnerable to disease and wanted nothing more to be free of the pain.
All, but Ithill quessir, she embraced the darkness.
Ithill brought her sisters and brothers to the Dark Lord Sauron. She had told them, that he could end their suffering. He imprisoned them in his towers, and there the darkness consumed them, it drove them mad and they killed each other."
She paused. The writers were scribbling furiously.
"Ithill' quessir thought she would be rewarded but Sauron had yet another task for her to do. He had seen Melkor overthrown and did not want the same thing to happen to himself. That was why he made the One Ring, and that is why I was born. In the fires of Mount Doom, he made the One Ring to rule them all and he got Ithill quessir to bind all his evil and menace to it.
Then he seeded her with a child that would carry half his spirit. Even if, beyond his wildest dream, the Ring was lost, he could still draw power through the child. He wanted no harm to come to his child, so he protected her from all the evils in the world, from his evil.
Lord Laivindur raised me and when the time was right, he would send take me to Mount Doom. War was upon the world again; Elves and men formed a Last Alliance. Sauron was weakening and I sent towards Mordor. But it was to late. When I arrived in Lothlòrien, Isildur had already cut the Ring from the Dark Lord's hand and he was defeated."
She paused again briefly, to allow the writers to finish. Then she looked at the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn wanting them to back her up. Lord Celeborn cleared his throat and rose.
"We did not tell Feavair about her origin or what she was. The Dark Lord protected her against harm and her sacrifice had to be willingly. With the Ring lost, we saw no reason for her to journey to the mountains." He paused and looked towards Gandalf. The White Wizard rose and Lord Celeborn sat down.
"The Ring moves with a will of its own, it abandoned its human owner and for 2500 years it was lost until it was snatched up by the most unlikely creature. Dègol the Stoor, found the One Ring and was murdered by Smègol. We know that at some point Smègol made his way to the Misty Mountains and that he kept the Ring for 500 years. Then the Ring forsook him, sensing its Master calling for it. Then something happened what the Ring had not intended, it ensnared a new owner. Of all the creatures of this World, a hobbit was the last owner the Ring had intended.
Bilbo Baggins picked up the Ring, not knowing of its power and Sauron returned in secret to Mordor." Gandalf sat down and turned his head towards Feavair. She rose slowly from her chair and he could see that her body was trembling.
"My dreams were haunted by nightmares about a nameless shadow that was growing stronger. I looked in the Lady Galadriel's mirror and I saw what had been, what was and what would be the future. I read Laivindur's Journal and I learned what I had to do. Together with Haldir we set out to find the Ring so that I could bring it to the Mountain.
I could not find it. Sauron began to gather power in Mordor and he began the rebuilding of Bara-dûr. The shadows in my heart grew stronger and I was frightened"
Her legs were unable to support her anymore and she sat down in the chair. She ran a hand through her hair and Frodo could see that her eyes were blank with tears. He touched his heart, looked at her, and smiled. She met his gaze and smiled sadly.
"I was frightened and I hid thinking that perhaps the Ring was lost forever and that my nightmares would disappear. My name remained me whom I was and the stars told me I could not change my destiny. Therefore, I waited until news of the Ring was brought to me. The Ring was found but its whereabouts was kept a secret until…." She paused and looked down in the floor, then she continued.
"With the aid of Saruman, the forces of Sauron had grown stronger and his mind was set on the Ring and to find me, and my strength weakened.
I dwelt in Mirkwood until last year's June. King Thranduil of the Woodland realms was attacked and in the battle, I was injured and lost in the darkness. Orcs like to play with their victims may they be dead or alive. I was….." she swallowed " I do not know when I did or how I did it, but I make my way to the city Bree"
"It was on the nigh of the 29th September" said Frodo and rose. "She was found at tavern Prancing Pony. She had no memory of whom she was and it was decided that she should be taken to Rivendell. 30th September we left Bree. 6th of September we were attacked on Weathertop by the Black Riders who had hunted us since we left the Shire" He sat down again.
Then King Argorn continued, telling them about how she saved his life, and how she fell ill after slaying the Black Rider. Then Lord Elrond told about his discovery and the Journal. At this point, he cast a glance over his shoulder and towards the garden where the book pages were still dancing in the wind.
"I knew the sacrifice had to be made freely. Perhaps with the Ring gone, perchance Men could triumph" he turned towards King Aragorn and his daughter.
"You keep talking about this willing sacrifice" Faramir said and rose from his seat "the future of the world depended on her death. Why could we simply not take her to Mordor and throw her into the fires like the Ring. What is one life against many?"
"How come we where not told about this" said Hàma "Why were we not warned about the coming of the Dark Lord. Why did Elves keep this a secret from Men"
"And dwarf" Gimli shot in.
"If we had known that destroying the Ring would only weakened his power, then perhaps people would have been more willingly to use the Ring against the Dark Lord. Maybe so many lives would not have been lost"
King Aragorn raised his hands and the quarreling stopped. "Perhaps a small break is in order," he suggested.
" I will have my answers now" Hàma said "and not give you time to make up more lies."
"What answer then can I give you, that would satisfy you" Feavair answered.
"I want to see evidence of this power you speak so highly about, the one that has caused you so much suffering"
"But am I not evidence enough" cried Frodo "she saved me, even when death was upon the door to my soul"
"You do not need to look for creatures of legends to find healers," said Elvebrindir " you speak of raising the dead and that is indeed black magic, the approbation of the Necromancer."
Feavair swallowed and clenched her fists. " I will not raise the dead," she said slowly.
"You will not!" cried Hàma "yet Frodo Baggins spoke of you saving him."
"His time….." she began, but Hàma cut her short by yelling "do not speak of time. My son was slain by Uruks. He was only thirteen winters old, was it his time?" he spat.
"I can not call back all the lives lost" she tried
"Why not?" Legiland spat "perhaps then you would pay retribution for what you have done." They started to talk again, everybody at once, their voices echoed through the room until it was one thundering discord. Frodo covered his ears with his hands and closed his eyes. It was the Council of Elrond all over again.
"Enough!" cried Aragorn. "This will stop this instance, and we will all leave the room. Perhaps when we have calmed down, then we will think clearly." Hàma was about to protest, but then he bowed under the will of the King. He started to mutter to him self, then he waited until Lord Elrond, the Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn had walked out, then he followed. Legilan waited and watched as Gandalf, put his hands on Frodo's shoulder and steered him out, followed by Gimli. The two writers looked at King Aragorn, he nodded and then they walked out as well. Caldor, Vorfir and Elvebrindir rose slowly and then they left, followed by King Aragorn and Queen Arwen. When they had gone Feavair sank to the floor.
Silence was draped over the room as a curtain and only the singing from the birds in the garden broke through. Feavair lifted a sleeve to her eyes and wiped away the moister in them.
Hàma was right. What power did she have to decide who lived or died? She had brought people back for her own selfish reasons. Boromir so that he could save her life in the end, and Frodo so that he could save her from the torment in the Tower. She had saved the Lady Galadriel and Lord Thranduil so that people she cared about would not have to face grief. She knew that if Legolas had fallen in battle, she would have saved him as well.
But she did not save Hàma's son, or the brothers, wives, sisters, fathers, mothers and husband to those who fell defending their family.
"I see you have learned that people are not so friendly and willing to understand when they are filled with sorrow and anger"
"They are looking for something to blame, they are angry they do not see clear, it is all so difficult…" she whispered.
"And are you not to blame?"
She swallowed and nodded.
Feavair did not turn around to see who spoke to her. She knew the voice.
"This is what I tried to protect you from. This is why I told no one who you were" The voice paused "you could have been strong. You could have done like your mother and embraced the darkness in your heart." The voice stopped again, and she could hear the speaker draw a deep breath "what do you have to face now? The anger of people, a life in weakness. You cannot be killed, you will only wither away until you can do nothing then lay in a bed, and even then, you will not die. You are the daughter of the Dark Lord, his blood run through your veins, no matter how much you try to deny it he will always be a part of you. No ship will carry you across the sea."
Her eyes filled with water and she turned around and saw Caldor stand before her, but it was Lord Laivindur's voice that spoke. Caldor lifted a hand and drew it across his face, his features changed. His dark hair turned to silver, his chin grew narrower and his eyes darkened.
"Laivindur" she whispered.
"Ah yes, my dear Feavair. It has been to long since last we met"
"What…..what are you doing here?"
"I needed to see what you were up to. I never thought that after all you had been through that you would tell people the truth. What they do not know, can not harm them." He said.
"But it did." she answered.
"Even if they had known, nothing would have changed," said Laivindur. He walked over to the railing and looked down into the garden, he could see some of the king's servants pick up his journal. Feavair watched him intently.
"Why did you write what you did in your journal? Why did you want me to believe that what my mother did, she did because she wanted to protect me" asked Feavair.
"If you had known that your whole existence had no other purpose then protect the Dark Lord's spirit, that your mother wanted nothing more out of you then power, then you would have grown up in anger." Laivindur leaned against the railing.
"Anger turns to hate, and hate turns to darkness. If you had reached to the darkness inside you, you would have connected with the spirit and you would have become more powerful then the Dark Lord Sauron. " Laivindur turned around.
"He wanted you weak so that you could no oppose him. I do not understand what made you find strength in fighting the darkness"
"My friends." She whispered "and my love. It is through friendship and love we find real strength."
"A noble thing to say for one who are about to lose her friends. Your friends will turn on you, their anger will turn into hate"
"Why did you leave me in Lothlòrien, why did you not take me to Mordor" Feavair asked.
Laivindur walked slowly towards her and then he kneeled down in front of her and gently lifted her chin with his fingers.
"You have your mothers beauty." He said softly "she was the fairest of them all. In your eyes, I saw the light of the world. I still see it, but it has grown faint. Beauty is so easily corrupter." he stroked some hair away from her face.
"You were the father I never had, did you never care for me?" she whispered and gazed into his steel eyes, tears running down her chin
"I tried to bring you to the mountains once, but I could not let you go. I cared for you when you were but a child, but when you grew and I saw your mother in you. I knew you would be the downfall of us all." Said Laivindur.
"He is gone, his spirit is dead, and I did…. Boromir did what I had to do" her voice was nothing more then a hoarse whisper. "What more can I do, I can never undo my errors, I can never pay retribution to all the lives lost. I just want to go home and start living my life. I thought they would understand…."
"They will never understand because they do not want to understand why the people they loved died. There is nothing you can do to calm their anger and grief. You believed that you could escape what you are by death, but you cannot escape it unless you face it and concur it. Unless you live" Lord Laivindur said, then he rose and offered his hand to her, hesitating she took it and he pulled her to her feet.
"When I felt that you were still alive, nothing made me happier, and nothing had ever scared me more. I feared that in the end you had surrender and joined with the darkness." Said Laivindur and then he wiped some tears away from her face and said.
"You have faced all the evils of this world, you can face the their doubts and fears. Show them the light inside" then he started to walk away.
"Wait" she said "please, do not leave me again I….." She did not want to lose the last family she had.
Laivindur turned around and smiled "We shall meet again" then he walked away.
Feavair watched him leave, and then she closed her eyes and started to gather her strength.
When she opened her eyes again, the room was filled again, only Lord Caldor's chair was empty, but non seem to question his absence. King Aragorn rose from his chair and said "Then we start again, and perhaps this time it will be a little calmer"
Hàma rose and said "Now I ask again….." he started. Feavair rose from her chair and walked slowly towards him and before he had a chance to finish his sentence, she said.
"If you are willing, then I will show you," she said softly. He raised an eyebrow and snorted. "Show me what? Your magic tricks?"
"Yes" and then, she grabbed his hands.
Hàma opened his eyes and spun around. He seemed to be in a room with no walls, no floor and no ceiling all he saw was white. In front of him, a small blue light burned faintly. He could feel his body been drawn towards the light, and as he drew nearer the light grew larger. It started to stretch and take form and in front of him appeared his own son.
"Haleth" he exclaimed and opened his arms. The child did not move, but he smiled.
" Father" he exlaimed, but did not move. "Why are you doing this daddy?" Haleth asked.
"What do you mean?" Hàma asked, "Why wont you come to me?"
"Father" Haleth laughed " I had done what I was suppose to do"
"What….what do you mean?" he repeated.
"We are alive for a reason. Fate gives us some time, and it is our choice what we do with the time given to us. No matter what we do when our time is up we leave"
"I….." he trailed off.
"I was finished with what I did, so I left you. If I returned and my business was finished, then I would never be able to leave." The light started to fade.
"But what was it you did?" cried Hàma "Why did you come and leave me after such a short time"
"I came to give you thirteen years of love and happiness, and I left so that you would understand and so that you can help them understand and move on. Anger leads to hate and hate leads to darkness."
"I do not want you to leave me," Hàma cried, the boy laughed again.
" As long as I am in your heart I will never leave you"
The light started to flicker, he tried to grasp it, but the spirit of his son disappeared between his fingers. He was left in the whiteness again and now shadows appeared. He did not move as the darkness crept over him.
"You must return" he turned around and saw the Spirit Weaver was standing behind him.
"What for?" he muttered " I have nothing left" Black spots emerged under his feet.
"Why did you show me my son?" he asked.
"I showed you nothing, he chose to come here" Feavair said the shadows closed inn on them, she paused
"How can you believe that your talks and stories would make all better?"
"I did not believe it would, I just wanted you to know. Somebody once said to me that nothing but peril arrives in unawareness" she paused.
"If you stay, I do not know if I have the strength to save you"
"Pah" he snorted, "if I die, then they will see who you really are"
"Then you are willing to sacrifice your self?"
"Of course I am I….." he stopped talking.
"You are right" Hàma said quietly. " Our time is not given to us, but the choice is what we do with it, in the end the stars are already written"
"Stars can change"
He was sucked back to life. He opened his eyes and stumbled backwards. Around him the members of the council stared at him. Legilan grabbed his arm, supported him, and then asked. "Are you alright?" Hàma nodded and wiped a hand across his face.
He stared at Feavair, she was swaying slightly and drops of sweat had appeared on her forehead, she lifted a hand to her head and he cold see that she was trembling. He tugged his arm free form Legilan's grip and then kneeled in front of her.
"Please, forgive my ignorance" he said. Feavair shook her head and said, "Forgive me." Then her knees buckled under her, and she fell.
Thank you for reading and for your review.