Emma had been unusually quiet since the council began, and Thranduil gazed at her with concern as she sat silently between him and Glorfindel. The witch had not said a word since she had sat down, and it was clear that she wished she were anywhere but at the council. Emma was not alone in her sentiment. The elves who were there dreaded being in the presence of the ring, which was known to be filled with great evil and wickedness.
The meeting began shortly after Frodo, the only hobbit Emma had not met before, entered alongside Gandalf. Frodo was unusually quiet compared to his joyful travel companions, but who could blame him after everything that had happened on the way to Rivendell? It was clear by Elrond's words that the hobbit had nearly passed, and the meeting had been held as soon as Frodo could stand on his own two feet. The hobbit looked too young to be carrying such a burden, and his intense blue eyes showed just how heavy the responsibility of the ring had been for him.
The reaction of the council to the nearness of the ring was immediate. The elves groaned collectively in discomfort as if they had all gotten a massive migraine. Emma felt her head spinning as if she had to vomit from the sheer force of evil that emanated from the ring. She did not need to see the ring, or touch it, to feel its incredible evil, and her instincts were telling her to run to the hills as she tried desperately to control her heartbeat.
"Are you all right?" Gandalf asked Emma quietly as he stood before her, his hand touching hers and feeling how cold it was. The witch looked horrified, and the wizard was relieved that Emma showed no interest in the ring that had tempted many through the ages. The last thing they all needed was for the witch to take hold of the ring. It would be a terrible disaster for everyone in Rivendell.
"It's horrible Gandalf," Emma whispered, shivering with dread, her instincts telling her to depart from Mirkwood as soon as possible. There was no question that the ring was far worse than Emma had ever imagined, and the witch was worried that it would destroy them all.
"Get through this, and then you never have to be around it again. I promise you that," Gandalf whispered to her, and Emma sniffled loudly before nodding in agreement, hoping the meeting would be speedy.
"Thranduil and Glorfindel will safeguard you," Gandalf said and immediately, two warm hands grabbed hers to give her strength. Emma nodded again, and the old wizard gave her a gloomy look before sitting next to Frodo, who looked so dreadfully young and vulnerable to the ring's evil.
"Don't shy away even if you feel uncomfortable. Say what you have to say," Glorfindel whispered in her ear, and the witch replied slowly, "I will".
The elf squeezed her hand reassuringly before looking at Thranduil with a worried frown. Neither liked that Emma had been asked to be there; she was sensitive to the ring due to her magic, and it clearly pained her to be so close to it.
Emma took a deep breath and slowly managed to zone out the ring to the point where she could look around to see who was there. There were many different races there sitting in a circle. Some she had seen before the meeting, others she had not.
The witch nodded to those she knew and noticed that Boromir looked at her with surprise as if he was wondering what she was doing there. Emma ignored him, her gaze landing on the little hobbit with bright blue eyes. Frodo, Bilbo's nephew, whom the old hobbit loved dearly.
Emma did not hear much of what was said at the meeting, but she got comfort from the two elves who held her hands so tightly, trying to show her that she was not alone suffering from the evil presence of the ring. The witch appreciated it, as it took a tremendous toll on her to sit close to it.
When Frodo placed the ring for all to see, Emma felt it in the air. Pure evil sprang from the ring. It was smothering her, and she could hear whispers in the air. Her fingers soothingly stroked over Thranduil's hand to calm her nerves. Emma realised then how difficult it would be to destroy such a thing that seemed like a living creature created only for wickedness and destruction.
The meeting quickly turned into arguments, Boromir being the loudest, and Emma felt she was in a daze. Frodo had offered to carry the ring, and a fellowship had been formed along with the three little hobbits she had met moments earlier in the dining hall. Perhaps it would be good to have them along as strength for Frodo, who seemed to suffer so.
Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli, Gandalf and Boromir would go as well. Emma's heart was heavy to see so many she cared about going on a quest that seemed doomed to fail, and her heart bled for Thranduil, who would see his only child leaving on such a quest.
"Perhaps we need a different perspective. One from the magical world," Elrond said, his voice tired of listening to the squabbles of the meeting attendees. His grey eyes looked towards Emma, who looked as if she was suffering greatly at the meeting, and the elf wanted her input before the meeting turned into chaos.
"Emma, please tell them a little about yourself and what your instincts are in connection to the ring," the elf said in a warm voice, and Emma rose and looked around. She was the only female at the meeting, and even if many brushed her off as a mere girl, quite a few had heard of her and how she had returned from the Halls of Mandos.
"I come from another world, a magical world. I had a husband there and a daughter. One day my daughter found a magical necklace in the forest around my home, and we, her parents, rushed to her side moments before we all disappeared, never to return. As we travelled through space and time, I lost grip and fell away from them, never to see them again. Some of you have heard of them, but they travelled further back in time than I did," Emma said, her voice getting stronger with every word she said. Rivendell was her home, she loved many in Middle Earth, and the witch wanted the ring gone just as much as the others.
"The elves saved my life and helped me to find purpose again. My magic was dormant; such was the shock of losing my family. Not long ago, I was travelling with Glorfindel when orcs attacked. We were separated, and an Uruk-hai got his hands on me. My magic appeared again, but it was too late. I travelled to the Halls of Mandos only to be sent back here. The eternal light was set aflame in my soul, I was once human, and now I do not know what I am really."
Emma cleared her throat, trying to remember what she wanted to say, "back where I grew up, I got extensive education in magic and how to wield my powers. An evil wizard fought to destroy everything we loved, and we fought, many to their deaths, to protect what was good in the world. I learned that fighting is the most important thing you can do when it feels like there is no hope."
"What do your instincts tell you about the ring?" Gandalf asked curiously to the witch, who looked so uncomfortable to be so close to the ring. Still, her confidence had shined through; Emma Winter wanted all at the meeting to understand her point of view. She spoke with the assurance of someone that had seen much in her life and lived to tell the tale.
"The ring must be destroyed for the sake of us all. Just standing here is almost too much for me to bear. The evil is making my skin crawl. No person in Middle Earth will be able to wield it, it will always seek its master, and it will annihilate everyone in its path to do so."
There were murmurs everywhere at her words, and Emma looked around, her eyes glued on the young hobbit that she pitied so for the burden he had accepted. Boromir stared at her tight-lipped as if he didn't agree with anything she had said, but Emma didn't care. In the end, what mattered was that the task would be accomplished with the understanding of those going on the quest that they might not return.
"As you said, Elrond. Sending it into Mount Doom is most likely the only way. I suspect that Sauron has put a part of his soul into the ring; that way, he can live on even if he is killed. An evil wizard did that in my world. He split his soul into parts to make it more difficult to destroy him. If Sauron only split his soul into two, the ring must be the only other object where a part of his soul resides. I say that as many of you here have lived many centuries, and certainly would know if there was another object as powerful as the ring. If Sauron's soul is only split in two it would make it much easier to get rid of him. The split souls are called Horcruxes, and they must be destroyed. The fate of us all depends on it. But make no mistake. This ring is evil. I admire Frodo greatly for deciding to be the ring bearer, I admire you all for accompanying him, and I am so sorry that this task is upon you all."
"Do you wish to join us on our quest?" Gandalf asked intriguingly. It would certainly be an addition to get the help of a witch on their travels, especially one that had been returned from the Halls of Mandos.
Emma shook her head in refusal. Unknown to her, Glorfindel and Thranduil took breaths of relief behind her. Even if the witch could have done whatever she wanted, it would have been a heavy burden for the Elvenking. It was already painful for Thranduil that his son wanted to go on behalf of Mirkwood, if Emma would join the Fellowship Thranduil would be distraught with grief.
"No Gandalf. The evil seeping from this ring is too much for me to bear. Do not ask me what I cannot give, please."
"The witch should stay here, this quest is no place for a young woman," Boromir said, refusing to acknowledge Emma in any way except to not so subtly tell her she was not wanted on the quest. It was not that the human refused to understand that she was a powerful witch, but such evil was no place for a young woman. Boromir had always been a gentleman, raised to protect women and children against evil. He would not stand by and allow a young woman to come on the quest, no matter how gifted she was.
Emma rolled her eyes at Elrond, who grinned teasingly at the witch before saying, "thank you for your input, Emma Winter. We appreciate your words and are grateful to have been able to hear your experiences."
Emma nodded and sat down, her mind zoning out for the rest of the meeting until she whispered to Thranduil, "I'm sorry that Legolas is going even though I know he will do well."
Thranduil took her hand and gave her a sad smile before murmuring, "I am proud of him."
Emma glanced at Legolas, who was looking at his father with such emotion that the witch realised that the young elf had not often heard such a thing from his father. Legolas gave Emma a small smile before turning to Elrond, who spoke for a moment before the meeting ended.
The witch waited for Frodo to take the ring, put it around his neck and leave. A few moments later, she breathed a sigh of relief that she felt guilty for. Being around the ring for a few moments had put her on edge, while Frodo accepted the burden of carrying the ring without flinching.
"Are you coming, beloved?" Thranduil said as he stood with Elrond, and Emma shook her head in denial, "I will sit here a moment longer."
"I will sit with Emma and escort her to the hall when it's time for lunch," Glorfindel said warmly. The elf was happy for every moment he got with her as Emma's departure from Rivendell was imminent.
"Can you remind me to stop by my chambers just before lunch? I need to get chocolate for Pippin," Emma said, her voice so far away that her friend looked at her concerned. Being around the ring had been very difficult for her, as if she could feel its evil even more with her magical powers.
"Of course, my friend," Glorfindel said warmly as he sat beside her waiting for the witch to return to her senses after the ring left. Emma sighed and stared into the horizon, deep in thought. She appreciated Glorfindel's company; having her friend beside her was comforting.
"I'm afraid Glory. I worry for them all, for us all," Emma murmured as she was huddled over, her gaze locked on her shoes as if she did not have the energy yet to face the world. The witch had felt the ring calling out to her, which was a terrible feeling. The quicker she could leave, the better. Nonetheless, her heart was heavy as she knew she would have to leave Rivendell, her beloved home.
"I share the sentiment, my friend," Glorfindel said quietly before sitting in silence with his friend, who looked so forlorn after feeling what they were up against. The elf placed his arm around the witch, and Emma put her head on his shoulder before sighing deeply.
Boromir had been very upset after the meeting and drowned his worries by sipping on wine. When it was time for lunch, the man was well intoxicated on the Elvin wine he had never tasted before. The man was feeling very uncomfortable in Rivendell. To him, the atmosphere was antagonistic even though Boromir could not put his finger on why he would think so. Everyone was chatting happily and laughing quite a bit. Even the witch, who had told the strangest tale at the meeting, had hugged the smallest hobbit tightly after giving him something that had made the young hobbit very happy.
The Steward's son felt like a fish out of water in the halls of the Last Homely House. Elrond, the legendary elf, had been gracious to him and had shown him around Rivendell, which had mesmerised Boromir, who had never seen such beauty before.
Boromir had hoped he would find an ally in Emma, that she would understand that the ring belonged in Gondor, where it would be used to thwart off the evil that had besieged the city for a long time. However, his dark thoughts returned after the meeting, and he couldn't shake the feeling that the witch didn't like him in the slightest. She didn't try to converse with him before lunch like most others. Even the dwarves had made her laugh, which burned Boromir more than he could admit.
However, by Emma's words, it was clear that she supported destroying the ring, and Boromir felt like he had lost an ally he had never really had. No matter how magical the witch was, she was still human, and Boromir didn't understand why she wouldn't stand with her kind at the meeting. In his dark mood, it felt as if the witch had betrayed her kind, and when it was time for lunch, Boromir was fuming with anger and felt the need to lash out at the elusive witch.
"Why are you so frosty and haughty towards me? I don't understand why! Answer me witch!" Boromir finally snarled drunkenly towards Emma, trying to get her attention, and the hall got quiet at the outburst from the human. Whispers were heard from the dwarves who were looking with a concerned frown at Steward's son. No one knew better than the dwarves how easy it was to rile the elves up, and it was almost impossible to get their forgiveness if they were angered. A prime example of such unforgiveness was sitting next to Emma, his icy gaze never leaving Boromir.
Emma was quiet, and it only served to rile Boromir up more, and he spat drunkenly, "it's almost as if you have decided to ignore your kind for these ... elves! You have forsaken your kind for a race known to not care about our fate!"
"Boromir, this is no way to speak in my halls. Emma has been nothing but gracious, and is that any way to speak to the widow of the Wolverine?" Elrond said, his voice booming through the halls of Rivendell, showing just how tired the Elvin lord was at the constant outburst of the man whenever Emma Winter was around.
Boromir gasped, finally remembering that he had wanted to thank Emma Winter for what her husband had done for his family back in the day. The man said before thinking, "the famous Wolverine that killed hundreds of enemy orcs, saving villages including my family, before a poisonous arrow slaughtered him."
"Boromir!" Glorfindel hissed as a warning, his temper flowing out of him at the pain he could feel oozing out of his beloved witch. Boromir, however, didn't seem to listen and continued as if he was telling everyone a fairy tale and not an event that was very much remembered by so many in the halls of Elrond.
"It was said that the Wolverine had suffered terribly. The last words from his lips before he died was the name of his wife, who had been lost for many years," Boromir said, his mind coming to at the utter silence in the hall. The man looked around and noticed that Elrond was looking back at him with a thunderous expression, and then his eyes went to the witch not sitting far from him.
Emma had winced at Boromir's words as if he had slapped her. Tears were prickling her eyes as Boromir's words played over and over in her head. The elves had never told her the details of Logan's death; they had only said he had passed from a poisonous arrow. The witch realised they had not divulged details of her husband's death as she had been too fragile to hear the devastating details of his passing.
Boromir looked around, the elves were looking at him wide-eyed in shock, and even the dwarves looked highly uncomfortable by his words. The silvery-haired elf murmured something in the woman's ear, who nodded before her dark eyes burned into Boromir, who could feel the great hurt he had caused with his words.
Finally, Boromir understood; the family he had been speaking so flippantly about had been her family, and she had never known the exact details of her husband's death. The elves had kindly spared Emma where he had not. Boromir felt crushing guilt wash over him at the unnecessary pain he had caused simply because he felt drunk and angry. The man shook his head, confused, as if shaking off some wicked cloud on his mind, and his blue eyes were filled with pain when he looked at the witch.
"Forgive me, my lady. My words wounded you," Boromir said, begging for forgiveness but realised that Emma would find no reason to forgive him for his words. Some things were too painful to overlook, especially regarding family. The Steward's son had been too exuberant to connect with the woman and too blinded by her humanity to realise that nothing was as it seemed in Rivendell. Even humans living in Rivendell had a legendary backstory, as did the woman that was looking at him with great hurt.
"I have been known through the ages for my disdain of humans, but whenever I am around your kind, I am reminded why I dislike you so. Have you no heart?" Thranduil hissed at Boromir, who stared shocked at the legendary Elvenking from lore, who looked furious. Thranduil, the king of Mirkwood, was formidable on a good day, but when protecting his soon-to-be queen, it was apparent that the elf was lethal. Boromir turned his gaze to Emma and tried to apologise for his insensitivity.
Boromir felt guilt chew at his insides. Why was he so cruel to the woman that hadn't done anything to him? Elrond must have been right; the ring had to be affecting him and clouding his judgement which usually was excellent. The man looked around and saw nothing but angry Elvin faces glaring at him in disdain. None were more enraged than the two large males that were always glued to Emma's sides, and Boromir knew he had to try somehow to apologise for the hurt he had caused.
Boromir swelled nervously and said, his voice shaking with emotion as he tried to apologise again, "My lady ... forgive me. I overstepped ... "
"Leave her alone!" Thranduil roared before slamming his fist violently onto the table. The elf's goblet fell to its side before rolling down to the floor, and startled gasps were heard around the hall. The Elvenking was quick to anger, but everyone would understand if he challenged Boromir to a duel over his words. The human had gone too far and shown great dishonour to the memory of Emma's family.
Thranduil glared at the human, his icy gaze boring into Boromir's as if he was ready to fight to defend Emma's honour, "they call me cold; they call me wicked, but I would never have uttered the words you said. Boromir, son of Denethor, you are an embarrassment to Gondor and the race of humans."
"My lady, forgive me. Your husband died an honourable death…"
Finally, it happened what Elrond had been dreading ever since the two humans met; Emma lost her patience with Boromir from Gondor. He had finally pushed her too far, and the witch lost control of her temper in the halls of Elrond for the first time.
The elves could sense her magic in the air seconds before it burst out of her, the heightened cinnamon scent in the air and how a current went through their bodies like lightning just after the witch pointed her wand at Boromir.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Emma cried, and white light shot out of her wand before engulfing the startled human, who looked at her in shock before his arms and legs snapped together. Then Boromir rolled off his chair stiff as a board.
As Emma walked towards the human, Boromir looked at her, his eyes moving around, but he was unable to say anything as his jaw was shut closed as well. None stopped the witch, and the elves stared in great curiosity as the witch walked over to Boromir, magic crackled angrily in the air, and there was no question that the witch was, at that moment, incredibly dangerous.
Emma kneeled next to Boromir, her eyes blazing with anger, before pointing her wand under his chin. The expression on her face was fierce as she hissed at the terrified man, "if you ever mention my family again, I will end you."
Boromir's wide, blue eyes stared at her in shock. The witch meant every word. He could feel it in his bones and how her dark eyes stared into his. The witch's beauty had distracted Boromir from the truth of Emma Winter. She was lethal when pushed too far. How he could not have seen it earlier, the man didn't know, as it was evident that the woman was in no way a withering flower but a formidable force of nature that could destroy everything in her path if she so wanted.
A dark thought crept into the back of Boromir's mind. If the witch wanted the ring, no one in Rivendell could stop her. Something had to be done before Emma would take the ring for herself and leave Gondor in ruin. The witch did not need protection, but perhaps the people of Middle Earth needed protection from her devastating powers that could destroy them all if the ring got a hold of Emma's mind.
Boromir tried to shake the dark thoughts entering his mind. He knew it was illogical in his heart as the witch had never shown anything but kindness to those around. The man knew he deserved Emma's wrath for stepping over the line with her family. Her hurt underneath was apparent to Boromir as he shook the influence of the whispered words at the back of his mind.
Thranduil stood up and walked to where Emma was kneeling over Boromir's body, "come, dear one, he is not worth it."
"This has gone far enough Elrond; we will depart for Mirkwood at first light," Thranduil said to his old friend, who nodded in agreement. Emma and Thranduil had both had enough, and Boromir's constant attacks agitated the witch to the point where she was about to slay the Steward's son. It would be best to let the pair go, even though Elrond would do so with a heavy heart. The elf had grown fond of Emma through the years, and he would miss her undying curiosity.
Emma nodded in agreement with Thranduil, her hands automatically reaching up for him to help her stand up. The elf wrapped his long arm around her waist before walking tall and proud out of the halls of Rivendell with his beloved Morwen by his side. As the couple left the hall of stunned elves and other people, the blinds that held Boromir unleashed, and he gasped, trying to get oxygen into his terrified body.
"The witch has a temper. Nay, Boromir, you shall not be leaving right away to clash with Emma in the halls. That would be the end of you," Elrond said quietly as Boromir stood up from the floor, his eyes glued to the door where the witch had walked through.
"I didn't mean to hurt her," Boromir said, his gaze full of tears and regret as he looked at the Elvin lord. He felt a deep pain in his chest at the events that had occurred since he met the witch. He had been so enthralled with her but, at the same time, had been hurtful to the point where Emma finally lashed out. Boromir knew he deserved her anger, and he was sincerely regretful. Everything about the witch had confused him, and his suspicion was not typical for him. Something was wrong; something was whispering wicked things into his mind making him distrust everyone and everything in Rivendell.
Boromir's thoughts had been blurry ever since he came to Rivendell, and the anger that bubbled inside of him seemed to burst out of him whenever the witch was near. The man felt heartbroken; the only person in Rivendell he had wanted to connect with, he had injured to the point where she had wanted to end him. Boromir wanted to apologise to her, to make Emma understand that he was a good man and that he desired upon all else to gain her friendship. However, deep inside, he knew it would be impossible after his painful words to the witch.
"But you did injure her, my friend. You went too far," Elrond said in the fatherly tone that had worked with humans and elves alike for thousands of years. The warmth in his voice and his understanding made Boromir feel even worse about what happened between him and the witch.
"I am deeply regretful. More than I can ever begin to explain to any of you," Boromir said, his voice gruff with emotion. The man never thought he would come so close to losing his life in Rivendell, let alone by the hands of the woman he had been so enchanted by and still was, even after what had happened.
The fierceness Emma had shown had endeared Boromir even more to her. Emma Winter was no withering flower; she was more than capable of taking care of herself. Emma was not living under the protection of the elves; she was very much part of their existence. The witch had clearly seen many battles and been through incredible pain to be as strong as she was, and Boromir admired her greatly.
"Remember that for us; it's been almost a thousand years. For Emma, it's been only a few years, and the pain of her loss will follow the witch forever," Elrond said again with that understanding tone that was close to breaking down the little that was left of Boromir's defences.
"On top of hurting my dearest friend, you now have the Elvenking to worry about, and he does not forgive easily," Glorfindel added forcefully to Elrond's words before adding, "and neither do I."
The elf's bright blue eyes were glued on the man for the longest moment as if he were contemplating whether he should drag the human outside and throw him in the river. The elf was furious. Because of Boromir, his beloved Emma was leaving Rivendell for Mirkwood in a sudden rush.
Glorfindel had hoped for a few more days with her, a few more moments of laughter and basking in the sunlight of their extraordinary bond. Boromir of Gondor had stolen those moments from him. Finally, Glorfindel excused himself to Elrond and left the hall in the direction where Emma and Thranduil had gone.
"Are you ready to start a war between Gondor and all of Elvindom because you cannot leave Emma Winter alone? The witch has done nothing to you, and still, you continue to badger her. Now at the hour of our need, we need to stand together or fall apart into ruin!" Elrond warned Boromir, hoping that what he said would finally make the man understand the severity of the situation. No one understood why the man was so after Emma, but perhaps the ring was riling him so much up.
Boromir gave Elrond a teary gaze, "forgive me, my lord, I don't know what is coming over me here in Rivendell."
"It's the ring, Boromir. Its evil seeps into everything. Emma is particularly concerned that you cannot finish the task at hand," Elrond said and saw how the man's face fell in despair at his words. It was clear that the elf's words rang true to the man, and Elrond wished that Boromir trusted any of them enough to at least admit as much.
"But why does she say that?" The Steward's son asked while rubbing his face and feeling despair in his soul. Behaving so irrationally was not who he was. Usually, Boromir was a joy to be around and why he would go so after the beautiful woman whose only fault was that she was not interested in him.
"Emma says the ring is affecting you," Elrond said apprehensively to the human that looked so shocked over the events that had taken place. The elves could see the frightful glances the man gave them all, and they realised that the witch had been correct in her conclusion.
"That's merely because she wants the ring for herself!" Boromir snarled, and Elrond sighed deeply with regret at the man's outburst.
"It seems Emma is right. What you just said verifies that the ring's evil has already begun to taint you."
Boromir threw his goblet on the table and finally rushed to his quarters. Perhaps he would feel better after resting. Then he would apologise to Emma Winter and Elrond, whom he had offended with his words and actions ever since he arrived in Rivendell.
