Chapter 15
"Do you swear you will do all you can to protect those who serve you and obey your command?"
"Yes."
"Do you swear to be honourable, and uphold all moral values that we hold dear?"
"Yes."
"Do you swear to put the lives of those you command above your own?"
"Yes."
"Do you swear to use your magical powers of the wizard for good alone?"
"Yes."
"Well then I now present to you all here today, Nikerym Balanidhren!" (Captain Ronald) Ron turned around, away from Lord Elrond, to face the crowd, which let out an almighty cheer. The whole of Rivendell was present, they were the army, every single citizen was a warrior. But not only were they present. Professor Dumbledore, Professor Mc Gonagall, Professor Snape, Lupin, Moody, and Hagrid (who looked tearful) were standing off to the side, slightly separated from the rest of the group. Ron stood on a platform with Elrond, Glorfindel, Legolas (who was beaming), and Sircyn (who seemed to fighting the urge to laugh). Legolas stepped forward. He looked amazing anyone could see that. He was dressed in a deep vivid green tunic, and his brown trousers and boots. His platinum blonde hair was pulled back into the warrior braids he rarely wore anymore and his eyes were dancing with great amusement and joy. He stood proud and tall, and his skin gave off a faint glow. He looked all the prince he was, there was no doubt it was noble and royal blood that flowed through his veins. He raised a slender hand and the crowd fell silent. It wasn't often Legolas spoke before such a crowd, he was a reserved and quiet elf.
"In accordance with tradition," he spoke formally, in a way that would have made his father very proud, "it is customary that when a Captain, or Nikerym as they are known in elvish, is given his command in a public presentation, he is given a gift of all new weapons. In Balanidhren's case this will mean he gets his first set of weapons all his own." There were a few titters. Legolas turned slightly to Ron who straightened up a little more. The Prince smiled at him warmly, "Balanidhren, in the short time you've been here you have won the hearts of all here, some more then others." More laughter, Legolas gave a small wink to Cilath who went pink. "You've worked very hard, and you've learned more then any other before you in such a short length of time. You have made us all very proud, and I know in my heart you will continue to do so. Yet I'm afraid that for all the weapons you will be given today, only one of them is new." Ron's jaw went slack and many in the crowd protested. Legolas held up his hand again and the silence descended once again. "It's been many years, even by elf standards, since the fateful day that the fellowship set out to fulfil its quest. We did, but in a way I know none of us expected. Yet the battle against evil is a never-ending one, simply because to acknowledge and fight evil is to realise the goodness within ourselves. Neither good nor evil can exist without the other. The fellowship carried the torch of goodness, loyalty and love, and now you Balanidhren, will carry that torch."
Legolas nodded to Sircyn who turned away and bent down to pick up something. "Therefore it only makes sense that you also carry their weapons with you to help you to protect the torch." Ron tried not to let his jaw drop and gape at the elf before him. Was he serious? The crowd was murmuring in surprise. No one had expected this. Legolas held out his hands and Sircyn passed him a pair of long knives. "In travelling the path of time we carry symbols of the past and we also carry something of our own to add to the path. These long knives, Ron, are fresh form the forge, they represent you, fresh and new and strong." Legolas held them out and Ron accepted them. He admired their white handles and they felt perfect in his hands. He twirled them in his fingers and slid them into the sheaths on his back, once empty, now full. Legolas took a bow from Sircyn. He held it in his hands and smiled at it tenderly. "This was mine, a gift from the Lady of Lothlorien. It served me well the past millennia, but I know that it will serve you better." He passed it to him and Ron admired it too, before he set this in his quiver. Next Legolas held a long sword. Ron recognised it immediately and he couldn't believe he was going to own it. "Andúril, Flame of the West. Forged from the shards of Elendil. Carried by Strider the ranger, Aragorn son of Arathorn, King Elessar, Elfstone. What more needs to be said?" Ron took the sword and watched at the sunlight turned red as it reflected on the newly sharpened weapon. Flame of the West indeed. He sheathed it and took the next gift. It was the gauntlets of Boromir. The one thing not lost to the waters as the man's resting place was carried out to sea. Aragorn had taken them and worn them in honour of the man. He had given them to Farimir when he became king and Farimir had passed them on to Legolas towards the end of his days. They'd been adjusted slightly to fit him right as Boromir had been a lot broader then Ron and his arms a lot thicker. Ron put them on with pride. Next was a dagger, Sting to be exact. "This was carried by Bilbo and Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee. Without it they may not have survived their adventures. It still glows blue when orcs are near by, although they are really the least of our worries." This was strapped to Ron's waist. "I know these are your preferred weapons, but the last one I think it will serve you well." It was one of Gimli's throwing axes. Ron slipped this into his belt. "Ron, if you don't carry their weapons, you carry their characteristics. Your appetite would rival Merry and Pippin's." More laughter. "You possess wonderful magic like Gandalf, and you have the quiet strength and loyalty of Sam. In fact," Legolas leaned in and whispered softly, "I would compare you most to Sam." Ron beamed at him. Legolas stepped back and then he shouted "Nikerym Balanidhren!" and the crowd burst into cheers. Ron bowed to them the weight of his weapons made him feel right. Then as he straightened up he was aware that there was a respectful silence and that the crowd was kneeling down on one knee. On the platform Legolas, Sircyn and Glorfindel also bowed. Elrond didn't kneel, but he bowed his head to him. He felt his face flush slightly, and he wished they'd stand up again. After a minute of the kneeling none showed a sign of rising Ron exclaimed,
"Please don't do that!" They laughed and rose to their feet. Elrond smiled knowingly, then said
"It is customary for the new captain to say a few words or sing a song." Ron grinned bashfully; he'd been warned about this thanks to Earithramir Cilath and Lomli. They'd recommended he sing and had ordered him to sing right there and then. Once he was done they worked to find a song he could sing for the day. He'd had a hell of a time learning it off. He laughed now, and held up his hands. "Ok, ok, be nice, I've never sung a song to an audience this massive before." The crowd chuckled as one. Ron licked his lips, took a deep breath and began to sing,
May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh how far you are from home
Mornië utúlië
Believe and you will find your way
Mornië alantië
A promise lives within you now
May it be the shadow's call
Will fly away
May it be you journey on
To light the day
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
Mornië utúlië
Believe and you will find your way
Mornië alantië
A promise lives within you now
A promise lives within you now
Ron gently let go of the last few notes, and then licked his lips again. The crowd applauded and he saw Cilath beam up at him proudly. He sent her a wink, and she laughed. Legolas came up behind him and said softly
"Good choice young captain, very good choice. Now I believe it is time for the party to begin." Ron grinned at him and then darted forward and leapt off the platform to land in front of Cilath. He laughed at her surprised expression, then swept her up into his arms and spun them both around. Cilath laughed gaily and Ron set her down as a voice boomed
"Yeh did it Ron! Yeh did it!" Hagrid was squeezing his way through the crowd. The elves, tall as they were, were dwarfed by the half giant, and they scurried to get out of his way. Ron grinned at him, the next thing he knew the air was being squeezed out of his lungs and his feet felt like they were miles off the ground.
"Air Hagrid! Air Hagrid! I need air!" he wheezed, squirming in his vice grip. Hagrid released him and set him on his feet again. Ron reached back to make sure nothing was damaged. Thankfully, nothing was. He smiled up at Hagrid who looked like he was bursting with pride.
"Congratulations Ron." Lupin said as he came around Hagrid. "You'll make us all proud." Ron smiled then he looked around. His smile faded slightly, then he shook his head and fixed it back into place.
"Hannon le Remus. I'll admit that I worry about my actual ability but that it will be tested swiftly I've no doubt." Remus smiled wider, then said
"Your family will be very proud of you." Ron's smile turned tender as he thought of his family. How he missed them.
"Have you heard from them?" he asked hopefully, he hadn't heard anything in ages. Lupin looked around and then drew Ron away, obviously wishing to speak more privately. Ron felt a slight concern, was there bad news?
"Well, Ron let me see, the twins are still raging about how their mother is making them finish school, Ginny, Harry and Hermione are keeping each other company but they continually ask me where you are, as do the rest of your family. Considering your hand on the clock has hit mortal peril more then any other has your poor mother in a terrible state. She carries the clock wherever she goes now." Ron rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "What else, oh yes, Bill and Fleur are engaged and your dad got promoted." Ron gaped at him in shock. He wasn't sure whether it was the engagement or if it was the promotion. He decided it was both.
"Yes!" he whooped, punching the air. "Good on them! Excellent! That's bloody brilliant!"
"I see you're disappointed Ron, how sad." Remus grinned.
"Oh Remus, you have to tell them congradulations for me, promise me you will!"
"I promise, I promise." he laughed, "Now come and let us join the party, you are the star of it after all."
"Absolutely mellon nin." Ron turned on his heel and began to run over to Cilath, Earithramir, Lomli and Legolas, when he paused. He grinned and turned back and winked at Lupin who looked at him bewildered. He ran into the forest and made sure no one was watching him. He was fairly sure they weren't. He then closed his eyes and concentrated hard. His skin tightened and tingled and he felt like he was getting smaller inside it. Less then a second later he opened his eyes, and looked around. Everything looked so different from this perspective, much, much bigger, and everything was enhanced, sight, hearing, and smell. He stretched to get rid of the tight feeling he still had and then looked down at what were once his hands. Now they were small red paws. He looked behind him and admired his red and white tail. He was definitely a full fox. He made an odd sounding noise of pride at his Weasley inheritance. All Weasleys possessed this form, despite what their name would lead you to believe. All pure blood families had an inherited animagus form. Ron knew that Gryffindor's family had a lion as theirs, Slytherin had a snake (obviously), Ravenclaw, an eagle and Hufflepuff had a badger in her family. Much to Ron's amusement, the Malfoy's blood animagus was a weasel, exactly what Draco Malfoy called him. Ron's own personal animagus form was a raven, which he'd been initially disappointed about. 'Such a plain unimpressive bird' he'd said, but upon later thought, he'd realised that was perfect. No one would care about a raven flying around anywhere. He now padded out of the forest and snaked his way through the throng. He hadn't told anyone his forms, he'd wanted to surprise them. The elves weren't bothered by the presence of a fox among them, animals were always around them, they wouldn't have it any other way. Ron found Cilath quickly and brushed up against her leg. She looked down at him and her face lit up, but she clearly didn't realise who he really was. Oh ho, this could be fun.
Cilath crouched down and began to pet the beautiful fox that had just come up to her. She scratched behind its ears and it closed its eyes in contentment. As she did she looked up at the others.
"Is it ready?"
"Absolutely." Earithramir assured her grinning.
"And you're positive that Ron hasn't a clue?"
"Absolutely." nodded Lomli. She barely noticed that the fox's ears perked up a little at the mention of Ron's name.
"And you're sure he'll accept Ron?"
"Absolutely." Legolas grinned. She rolled her eyes at the three annoying elves. Honestly, her uncle acted more their age then his own. What happened to the Prince she'd seen on the platform. Maybe uncle Legolas had a twin no one knew about she thought sarcastically. The fox hopped into her lap and cuddled up to her. It was extremely friendly, even towards an elf. She wrapped an arm around it and her other supported it as she stood up, with the fox held to her breast. It let out an odd sigh which made her look at it and it blinked back, then nuzzled against her. She shrugged and resumed scratching it. Legolas looked at it with a raised eyebrow but he said nothing.
"I hope Ron likes his gift." Lomli commented.
"He'd better." Cilath said firmly, "It took me ages and ages to convince Glorfindel, if Ron doesn't like this I will never forgive him."
"Which will officially end any bedroom activities in the near future." Earithramir smirked. Cilath felt her cheeks burn furiously and she looked at Legolas embarrassedly. Legolas was innocently smiling and staring up at the sky as if he wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to them. She glared at Earithramir irritably, honestly, sometimes she thought the elf wanted her to strangle him. The fox had gone oddly stiff in her arms and she gave it another look. Its eyes, which were a curious blue, were wide and horrified, and it was staring up at her pleadingly. She stared at it and then she widened her own eyes in realisation. She slid her hand under its stomach, then stuck her arm out so it was dangling above the ground, then she promptly dropped it. It let out a yelp as it hit the ground.
"Cilath!" exclaimed Lomli shocked. She ignored him and glared at the 'fox' sternly.
"Ronald Weasley! Get out of that form right now or you'll regret it, I promise you." It whimpered, then in a flash, where the fox had once been Ron now stood looking sheepish. Earithramir and Lomli seemed gobsmacked, but Legolas' eyes twinkled knowingly. She made a mental note to smack her uncle later. "Were you happy pressed against my chest Ron?" she asked in her sweetest voice. Ron blushed and shrugged. She waited, tapping her foot. Ron looked in vain for an escape route, but as fortune (for Cilath) would have it there were none. He then shrugged at her again, and gave her a helpless look. She didn't give an inch. Finally he whispered,
"Um, I'm sorry?" She folded her arms across her chest, arching an eyebrow.
"You're sorry, so you didn't like it?" She fought a smile as she trapped Ron. Nothing he could say would save him now. Ron looked around again then suddenly went down on one knee and took her hand and said loudly,
"Oh dearest Cilath, I beg for forgiveness for behaving in such a lewd manner and I hereby swear never to do so again." and he kissed her hand. She blushed crimson and moaned
"Get up!" as Earithramir, Lomli, Frudo and Kuli howled with laughter and clapped their hands. Ron didn't rise, instead he exclaimed
"Not till my lady fair forgives me!"
"I forgive you! I forgive you! Just get up!" she cried, now laughing herself. Ron stood up slowly and grinned at her cheekily. She pursed her lips in amused irritation, but Ron swooped in a kissed them, taking her gesture as an invitation. She giggled to herself and gave a mock sigh. "What will I do with you?" she asked dramatically.
"Only what you have been doing so far, it is most enjoyable." Cilath groaned, boys of any species were so immature. "So dear one, just what were you talking about? Am I to assume I will be receiving another present?" Cilath found it very odd that Ron would be acting so confident, he was being downright cocky and it was beginning to annoy her slightly. Then she remembered the potion and remembered what Dumbledore had said. It boosted your confidence, or, put another way, it added to your already existing confidence. If Ron was now feeling natural confidence because the worst of it was over… then it was twice the amount because of the potion. No wonder he was behaving so oddly! Cilath wanted to kick herself, she should have listened to Dumbledore. He'd said that she wouldn't need it really, but she'd insisted it would be fine. Clearly she'd been wrong. "Well Cilath?" She jumped and realised Ron was waiting for an answer. She raised an eyebrow slyly, and ran a finger over his collar slowly, drawling,
"Oh I don't know, I think you don't deserve anything anymore." Ron pouted and she kissed him. "We'll see later anyway. Now come and dance with me." She held her hand out elegantly and Ron grinned again, he took her hand, brushing a kiss over the back, then pulling her into the throng. He took her into his arms and they began to dance. The whole forest tinkled with the gentle laughter of the elves, mixed with the booming laugh of Hagrid and the muggle music that sailed out of the player (they'd all fallen in love with the device).
"Oh please Cilath! Tell me!" Ron begged her, as she hopped from branch to branch above him. She curled her fingers around a branch and leaned to the side so she was at an angle to the branch she was standing on.
"Oh I don't think I should." she teased, she was loving this. The potion had finally worn off so Ron was back to normal, and he was practically on his knees pleading with her to tell him what his gift was.
"Pretty please with sugar on top!" he wailed,
"Well…"
"PLEASE!"
"Oh alright!" she chirped and jumped down from the tree. She landed lightly beside him and took his hand. They walked away from the near empty clearing. Most people had gone to bed an hour ago, but a few had lingered. She'd already sent Earithramir and Lomli off to get the gift ready. It was from her mostly but they were involved in it so it was also technically from them. "I hope you like this, we've been planning this for ages."
"Yes, so I gathered when I eavesdropped as a fox." She lightly pinched his arm in punishment of his reminder. He smiled at her brightly. She led him to the stables. He furrowed his brow in confusion but she winked at him and led him inside.
Ron wasn't sure what was going on, why were they at the stables? Then he saw a familiar form. The stallion Urúvion, with his mane of fire, and coat of snow. He tossed his head and pawed the ground, he looked magnificent. Ron stared at him, wondering why he wasn't in his pen. Then he realised and he was shocked for the second time in one day.
"Is, is Urúvion the gift?" he stuttered. Cilath left his side and joined Earithramir and Lomli who were grinning at him, she lifted herself so she was perched on the fence, beside Earithramir who was standing on it. Lomli was leaning casually against a wooden pole that supported the roof, his legs and arms loosely crossed.
"If you think you can tame him." challenged Lomli, nodding to the stallion. Ron raised his chin in defiance and he said confidently
"No problem." He strode over to the horse and stared at him, trying not to blink too much. The horse snorted, unimpressed, Ron drew himself up and began to speak sternly to him.
"Ron, Balanidhren eneth nîn. I am the captain of the elven army, and I am now your owner. You will obey me!" With horses you had to be firm and clear. "You and I can be friends, we will be friends." He stretched out a hand and stroked the velvet muzzle gently. The horse sniffed his hand and then nuzzled it slightly. Ron stroked his muzzle as he moved around him to his side. He put his hand on the horses back and then quickly climbed on. The horse started, but then calmed and then stood still waiting for a command. Ron settled himself then he gripped the mane and called
"Noro lim Urúvion, noro lim." At once the horse took off, Ron gripping on for all he was worth. He stared out at the landscape as it rushed past, his eyes watering slightly as they galloped through the forest. He straightened up as they cleared the trees and steered the horse right and left with little effort, the horse seemed to be able to read his thoughts, like the Firebolts. He continued on 'til he was at the top of the highest hill surrounding the valley that the house was nestled in. He had an amazing view of the whole area. The stars were winking at him joyfully and the moon kissed the ground with her silver light. The trees reflected her light and beauty among their own splendour. Ron smiled contentedly, then his brow creased and he narrowed his eyes at something large that was moving towards the forest, over the edge of the south hill. He strained his sight, trying to make out what it was even though his heart began to pound and he felt a familiar feeling of adrenaline starting to flow through his veins. It was a moving mass of creatures, he was sure, but what kind? They lacked the organised march of the Jaffa that made him gulp in nervousness. No this was disorganised and inhuman. It could only be one thing then.
"Yurch!" he hissed and Urúvion shifted nervously under him. Whether it was the word or the tone Ron didn't know. He kicked the horse in the sides sharply crying "Noro lim!", he had to warn the others, he couldn't understand how they hadn't appeared yet, they never let the orcs get this close. Unless there was no lookout! He realised that everyone was probably in bed now, because of the party. They'd let their guard down. Ron could summarise this in two small words
'Uh oh!'