Authors note: Yes! I have finally updated! Sorry for the long wait! Please read and review! If you have any other questions or comments, e-mail me.
Golden Hobbit.
Chapter Seven
The Ranger sighed and adjusted the weight on the pack he carried on his shoulders. Darkness was falling swiftly and they still had a long way to reach Rivendell. A few stars were appearing in the sky, the light twinkling. Frodo, who had been walking just behind him, yawned loudly.
"Are we there yet, Mister Aragorn?" he asked sleepily.
"Nearly."
The hobbits were overcome with sleepiness. Gandalf had been urging them to move faster so that of course meant less rests for them.
"Just to the next hill." he pointed out. "There's a shade of trees there where we can spend the night." Gandalf was carefully leading Shadowfax down the narrow path. He rode not too ahead of the group, checking for any dangers and making sure the path was clear. Merry and Pippin walked in the centre of the group and Sam trailed behind with Bill, who was also getting very tired and was trying to walk as slowly as possible.
When they finally reached the top of the hill, all four exhausted hobbits collapsed onto the soft grass and slept. Aragorn sighed. "Looks like I have to do the cooking again."
Gandalf laughed merrily. He had tied Shadowfax and Bill to picket lines, and they were quietly grazing, their intelligent eyes watching the surrounding area and ears flicking back and forth.
"My friend, we have much to discuss with the Elves." he told the Ranger softly so not to disturb the sleeping hobbits.
"The Ring... what had happened to it?" Aragorn asked. He was busy taking out the tomatoes Sam had so carefully saved in little boxes (so they wouldn't get squashed), sausages and gathering dried wood for a fire.
"It has been taken from Middle Earth."
Aragorn nodded without showing and emotion. "That is true. I can sense it. What will happen Gandalf?"
"The tides turn. Good turns on evil, the scales will be unbalanced unfairly." he told him. Leaning his staff down into the wood, he spoke a word, and suddenly, a fire burst into life, crackling and spitting out a few sparks.
The hobbits awoke to the smell of cooking sausages and a tomato soup. It was well dark, and the Ranger had skillfully cooked the food and divided it up into six portions. They ate ravenously, while Aragorn and Gandalf ate last, making sure their other companions were full first.
The next morning, they ate a quick breakfast of dried fruit and bread repacked all the cooking utensils and set off. By mid morning the Ford was clearly in sight. The weary travelers trudged for a long time in silence, until suddenly, Pippin gasped.
"Merry come look! It's Rivendell!" In an instant flurry, all hobbits were peering across the hill to see the beautiful land, talking excitedly among themselves.
Aragorn sighed. "We are nearly there Master Hobbits!" he called back to them. "Keep up the pace."
By lunch, they had reached a group of beautiful houses, nestled among the greenery and mountains. Most of the weary travelers were too awed to speak, and obediently followed Aragorn and Gandalf down a narrow stone path. They were met by a very wise looking Elf dressed in fresh robes.
"Welcome, my friends, to Rivendell." Elrond said gravely.
While the hobbits were changing into fresh clothes and taking their baths, Elrond led the other two travelers to a large cool pavilion.
"Sit down, please." he told them quietly.
Wordlessly, they sat down on a finely carved marble bench. Elrond regarded Aragorn with respect. "The Ring has left Middle Earth." he said heavily. "What its fate is, I do not know."
There was a silence, except for the rustling of the leaves and the sound of a faraway waterfall. Then, Aragorn spoke.
"This should not have happened. Now, the scales are unbalanced. The Light defines the Dark though without reason. Middle Earth will change rapidly and become weak because of how easy the downfall of Mordor was and Darkness itself."
"Things must be re corrected to the way it was before." Gandalf said, heaving a sigh. He adjusted his staff so he was leaning on it.
"But that would be impossible," the Ranger protested. "The past can not be changed! We can only continue on from the present state."
Elrond smiled. "Perhaps. But we do have one hope." He rose suddenly, and left the pavilion. Aragorn and Gandalf followed him quietly out.
They passed behind a grove of trees trying to move as silently as possible. When Elrond finally halted, Aragorn gasped. Before this, he would have thought he knew Rivendell quite well from childhood curiosity, but now, he changed his mind.
The three of them stood in a small clearing. Aragorn used his keen eyes and searched, but couldn't find anything out of the ordinary.
Elrond however, walked towards a large boulder and put one hand on it. Aragorn watched astonished, as it vanished, disappearing into thin air.
"What happened?" he asked, looking at the patch of brown earth where the rock had used to be.
"This." Elrond opened his left hand, and revealed a tiny stone. Gandalf was looking at it with a smile and suddenly he laughed.
"The legends are true then!" he said softly. "This is the Stone of the Havens. Long ago while the Havens were still being built a young elf by the name of Celeblas picked up an unusual stone, unknown was its material. The Stone was taken to the Elders and there, Merendir one of the wisest, recognized it as a Stone of Power, one of the few of Middle Earth. There had been three before, but two have vanished unknown. No dark power has taken it. The Stone of Power was passed to the hands of one of the three Elves who bore one of the three Rings. I never quite found out who possessed it, but now it seems clear."
Aragorn stared at it. It seemed like any ordinary pebble. The surface was a smooth, dull grey colour and had no striking appearance. However, it glowed faintly with a blue light, that could only be seen if you concentrated hard on it.
"What can it do?" The Ranger asked. "What can this Stone of the Havens do to find the Ring?"
"This is no ordinary stone Aragorn, heir to Isildur." said Elrond quite plainly. "The Stone is used for time traveling. It can not go directly to the future but if you went from past, you would be able to return to the present state. Not only this. The Stone of the Havens has great power. Almost enough to match the power of the Ring for it has been known to travel to different worlds."
"But I do not know which world the ring has gone to." Aragorn protested. "This would be an impossible task."
Elrond shook his head. "Someone can help you find that world. She is still here."
Aragorn laughed. "Who could that be?"
"I believe it is an elf you might recognize."
"Thenindiel?" he asked incredulously. "She's a traitor to the elves! What can I get from a fool?"
"She will no much about the ring where it is, and the reason why it was taken. You must find her. She will surely take you to the ring."
"My friend, Aragorn will not be able to trace the Elf." Gandalf said, supporting the Ranger. "Thenindiel vanished at the Prancing Pony and was not seen again."
"She is in Rohan currently, accompanied by the Lady Eowyn."
Aragorn looked horrified. "What poison has she spread already?"
"We shall see. I give the Stone of the Havens to you, Aragorn. With this great power, you must be careful. The Stone shows much, as it has given the current place where Thenindiel is."
Aragorn bowed low. Elrond waited patiently, and then carefully handed the Stone to him.
"Good luck, Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You'll need it."
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! And I'll say it again, please review! A writer gets discouraged if he/she doesn't get any and I need opinions. I accept flames. Thanks for all my reviewers, I'll try to update as soon as I can!
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LegolasGreenleafGil-Estel- You'll know the Eoywn thingy by the next chapter, when I return to Nora's point of view. Don't worry, everything will get clear! Thanks for reviewing!
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