Ok, I will admit that this may not be a chapter worthy of praise but there were some things I wanted to clarify so just bare with me. I was going to have Lath as a talking wolf but that just seemed really lame so I decided against it. There probably won't be an 8th chapter for a while so be patient. :)
Birds trilled in the sighing branches of the trees that hung over the path. A tall, dark elf strode slowly over the worn stone paths that wound their way around the deep, secluded valley. Rhov had been in Imladris for two weeks and yet, even though it was more home than any he had had before, The urge, the need to see other places and people was again calling to Rhov, perhaps his name had something to do with it. Lath had been accepted as part of Rivendell almost quicker than Rhov had. It was a strange sight to see a large wolf padding alongside Arwen Undomiel as she took her evening walks, or see the same animal jumping up and down in front of his master for a stick that was held tantalizingly close to his muzzle. All in all, Rivendell had become a safe, sweet refuge for two outcasts of Middle-Earth, making them glitter with life and health.
To Rhov's delight, he found the elves of Imladris to be cheerful folk who told him stories of long ago that no one in Middle-Earth knew. His memory being exceptional, Rhov could remember each story exactly as it was said and repeated it to others with no effort on his part. The stories he had learned from Galadriel about Valinor and the First Age were welcomed greatly as Rhov was also an excellent bard. He could sing the songs of long ago, songs of Mirkwood, songs of Sauron's defeat, and songs of the Valinor that Galadriel had learned and passed onto her adopted son.
Having never needed to show off his musical skills in Mirkwood, Rhov found he enjoyed singing and, after all, Legolas' expression was enough to make Rhov decide to sing next time he saw King Thranduil. Now, Rhov was to bid farewell to one of his dearest and most beloved friends tomorrow. Legolas was to leave for Mirkwood and Rhov felt that somehow, the next time he saw the woodland elf, things would never be the same between them again. Although it filled him with a quiet sorrow, Rhov felt that this was the time for moving on, going new places, meeting new people and the chapter of his life that had been Mirkwood was now closed forever. His footsteps slowed as he neared the Last Homely House and the wafting smells of supper being prepared, he didn't want to say goodbye to the dark wood that had been his home for so many years nor the elf that had been nearer than brother had. Change had never been easy for Rhov and the tugging of the strings on his heart, begging to be cast off, were so very, very hard to cut.
"Why this woeful expression, my friend? You shall be well rid of me tomorrow, something you have frequently told me would be the ideal reason for celebration!" Legolas shouted from his vantage point on the balcony above Rhov's head. "Hurry up or there will be no food!"
Rhov smiled weakly and pulled himself by the railing of the balcony, ignoring the path that wound to a convenient and far more proper stairway. Legolas grinned as he watched his friend heave himself up and over the railing, it wouldn't have looked half so funny if Rhov hadn't been wearing the regular attire of Rivendell elves. Flowing robes had never appeared very becoming on Rhov and now they looked downright stupid as he yanked them into some semblance of their former selves.
"You were never very good about your clothes, Rhov. Perhaps you should revert to your usual hunting gear."
"Laugh all you like you vagabond but 'twas I who saved you from that big spider two years ago!"
"And what does that have to do with clothing? Always you must change the subject, or, possibly, it's a mere tangent that your strange mind takes. Whatever it is I have no idea, but supper is swiftly growing cold and I have no doubt Orophin will have eaten it all before we get there." Legolas grabbed Rhov's elbow and they both charged into the House and raced to the dining room where Legolas' farewell meal was just starting.
They burst into the room and hurried to their vacant seats, intent to fill them before the other. Rhov won, as Legolas' chair was right next to Orophin who had surreptitiously set his foot on it and it took Legolas several minutes to heave the stubborn elf's foot off. When they finally were all seated, Rhov glanced around the room chuckling at the different faces everyone was making. Arwen seemed amused, Elrond surprised, Haldir annoyed, and Orophin was grinning wider than the strange man next to Elrond was.
"Can you never arrive quietly and with grace?" sputtered Haldir with the usual amusement and annoyance that plagued people who knew Rhov.
"Let him be, Haldir." Arwen said softly. "Too many of us are serious; a little gaiety does not go amiss."
Legolas was now looking slightly shamefaced, an expression that clashed horrifically with the lingering mischievous smile. However, he brightened up as he spotted the man seated across from Rhov. Legolas lost all shame and nudged Rhov, pointing to the man. "That's Aragorn or Estel as most elves call him."
"Elfstone?" murmured Rhov more to himself than to Legolas.
"Yes. He is the heir of Isildur and a great man. I believe you would like him very much, he too is set apart from everyone else."
Rhov stared at his friend with astonishment. Legolas was no fool but he rarely knew what Rhov was thinking or feeling and this small insight into Rhov's psyche was extraordinary to say the least. But the woodland elf said no more and turned to his dinner with the smallest of smiles on his now blank face. His curiosity piqued, Rhov peered covertly at the man, wondering in what way he was an outcast among his own kind. Not liking the name of Estel very much, Rhov began to think of him as Aragorn but even that wasn't to his liking. His thoughts flew back to the day Gandalf had arrived at the foot of the Lonely Mountains and had given him the message from Galadriel. Could Aragorn be the friend that Galadriel had spoken of, or was it someone else?
Supper was over with and they had all adjourned to the Hall of Fire to hear songs and tails of old. Rhov did not feel like singing let alone dance or become the storyteller for the night, so he slipped out to a small bridge that he enjoyed immensely as it was secluded. There were no railings so Rhov sat down on the edge of the bridge and stared into the crystal clear water below, humming a small tune to himself as he sat. A cold, wet nose pressed against his ear; Lath had come to see what ailed his usually cheerful master. Rhov pressed his face into Lath's thick, silky hair and murmured words of his own tongue an elven tongue that not even Galadriel knew. Somehow, the dark-elf been able to speak Moriquendi even though he had never heard it. No one knew how such a thing could be but it did not bother Rhov in the least, as it had become a frequent comfort when his cheerful manner would desert him for darker, sadder thoughts.
Soft footsteps sounded on the bridge, someone sat down next to Rhov, and Rhov felt he knew who it was. Aragorn had followed him to the bridge and was now contemplating the water without speaking, waiting for Rhov to speak first. Not feeling like talking, Rhov kept his silence and the pair of them sat in a companionable quiet with no tenseness whatever. Lath broke the peacefulness when he began to bark at two approaching horsemen who had just crossed the main bridge and had now entered the courtyard.
"Who are they?" asked Rhov. The two had dismounted and were leading their mounts toward the stables but one had waved to Aragorn before dismounting.
"Eladan and Elrohir, Elrond's two sons. Great huntsman those two and perhaps a little wilder than most elves." Aragorn slid his eyes toward Rhov who had suddenly straightened and was now watching the pair with more than the usual interest.
"My mother has spoken of them often, She told me they have sworn vengeance on all orcs for the torture their mother was inflicted with." How vividly Rhov remembered his mother's face as she told him the story of her daughter's capture and subsequent torture by the hands of foul orcs and goblins of the mountains. After being rescued by Eladan and Elrohir, Celebrian had left for Valinor unable to live on in Middle-Earth for she had never been able to recover completely, even after Elrond had healed her of her outward hurts. Galadriel missed her precious daughter terribly and the memories of that time had never really left Galadriel, plaguing her always.
This time Aragorn turned fully to face Rhov and nodded, looking very interested, "Aye, but no doubt your battle for the Lonely Mountain has cleaned the mountains very well. Those two shall not forgive you for ruining their sport, my friend." Aragorn's face suddenly broke into a wide smile. "What a battle that must have been! You must tell me all that you remember, I do not enjoy tale brought by hearsay and the story from the lips of one who was there will be far more satisfactory."
Rhov had told no one about the Battle of the Five Armies except for Elrond because Arwen was not interested in what had happened as long as Rhov had come out alive and whole without injury. Therefore, with a large stone to mark the mountain and twigs broken from the surrounding weeds for the different positions of the armies, Rhov was able to recreate the scene to Aragorn who was very interested about the whole thing, interrupting now and then to ask a question. By the time the battle had been re-fought twice over, Elrohir turned up and wished for a repetition, which Rhov did gladly. When he finished, the two sat for a moment digesting the information until Elrohir burst out with a cry of outrage that had Aragorn sniggering in the background.
"And why were we not invited? I dare say you lot have swept the northern mountains of goblins and my brother and I shall have no kind of action until they have repopulated! We cannot go to the southern parts of the Misty Mountains as we are needed nearer home otherwise I should not be so provoked!" Elrohir's face was one of righteous indignation, which Rhov had only seen once or twice on Lindwen's face.
"He has you there, my friend. An invitation would have been most welcome to those of us who like a good fight." Aragorn said.
"Aye!" said Elrohir, nodding his head.
Rhov shook his head, with his first real smile of the day creeping across his mouth, refusing to be put down. How very like him these two were, perhaps he would find more than just one good friend here. Slowly their discussion turned to the politics in the south, Gondor especially, and then Rhov was told more about the White Council that had met in Imladris while Mirkwood was busy with the dwarves and then the battle. After much speculation on what the Council would decide about the Ring if it ever came into their possession, Elrohir bid goodnight to the Aragorn and Rhov and went to his much-needed bed.
After some silence, Aragorn said, "I have a favor to ask of you, Rhov. Arwen is your adopted sister is she not?" Rhov nodded his head and Aragorn continued, "What I will say next, no one knows except Elrond and Galadriel. I met Arwen two years ago in the forest in the south of the valley and fell in love with her. She seemed very cool and slightly amused when I first spoke to her there but then in Lothlorien, I met her again and she no longer was amused or cold and after some time of talk we agreed to meet again." Rhov smiled as he correctly guessed at what would come next. "After some time we fell in love and pledged to someday marry. Elrond was not pleased with us and swore to me that I could never marry Arwen unless I was king in Gondor." Aragorn stopped apprehensively and waited for Rhov to speak.
Not very surprised (Rhov was rarely surprised by such things merely taking them in stride, a very obnoxious habit to some of the more excitable elves he had known), merely stared into the water wondering what kind of favor Aragorn was going to ask of him. Hopefully it wouldn't be anything as ludicrous as secretly giving messages back and forth or something equally ridiculous. Three hundred years in the relative isolation from the rest of the world had sometimes imposed such overly bored ideas to the more romantic elements of the Elvenking's palace, giving Rhov a healthy dislike of love letters, which he had been obligated to carry several times. However, it was nothing of the sort.
Aragorn, seeing that this strange elf was waiting for him to finish, hurriedly finished his roundabout request. "Anyway, Arwen told me tonight that you would doubtless want to be leaving soon since you have a wandering urge that is very hard to quench. She begged me to take you with me when I leave to join my men on the outskirts of the Shire. I leave in four days time; would you like to come?"
Rhov thought for a minute. Elrond had told Rhov that word had come to him that Gandalf and Bilbo had decided to spend the winter with Beorn and would not be in Imladris until springtime. He supposed he could always make his way back to Rivendell when he heard of Bilbo's arrival and if what Aragorn said was true, then Rhov could always pop into the Shire to visit Bilbo. Feeling as if his decision would be changing the rest of his life, Rhov answered with one word, "Yes."
Aragorn seemed slightly surprised at Rhov's decision but he did not say anything else until they heard a call from Legolas who was looking for Rhov. Apparently, they had need of a good song, Legolas wanted his favorite one, and only Rhov knew it. Rhov and Aragorn smiled at one another and then stood up to walk back to the Last Homely House.