Disclaimer: Although it's been forever since I updated anything, I still have not managed to inherit a single thing from Tolkien or the Star Trek people. Darn them. Oh, well, read on.
Chapter 5
Up and Down.
Wesley was abruptly surrounded by a sea of congratulations from all over the council. He was so busy saying "thank you very much" and "it's wonderful to meet you" that the young man didn't notice that Bilbo had slipped away from the council. He glanced at Q, who was taking this celebrity treatment quite well. As a matter of fact, Wesley was almost certain the situation would quickly go to Q's head, as he was already looking overly pleased with himself.
"I propose that we all get to know each other through a nice camp out right here in Rivendell," Q yelled above the rest of the ruckus. Instantly, all eyes turned to the entity.
"I'm not sleeping here. I would be safer at the heart of Mordor itself," Gimli objected. Legolas angrily strung his bow, but was stopped by Q.
"You two will have to learn to trust one another," he said, sounding verymuch like a school teacher. The dwarf growled and Legolas promptly strode away to the other side of the fellowship. The Hobbits were already planning the food for the camp out, which was quite amusing to Wesley. It seemed they were all famished.
"I'm sure the elves have very excellent mushrooms," Merry, one of the blonde haired ones, commmented. His cousin Pippin licked his lips, while Frodo's eyes lit up. Wesley himself thought this camp out idea was one of Q's better conceptions. Gandalf and Elrond didn't look thrilled, but couldn't bear to disappoint the Hobbits.
"Perhaps this relaxing event will clear Frodo's mind," Gandalf suggested, sighing. Elrond nodded slowly.
"You won't be sorry, master Peredhel!" Q exclaimed, cartwhelling through the air to Elrond's side. Pippin and Merry burst out laughing at the expression on the elf's face, which was a mixture of distrust and disgusted annoyance. Frodo, too, had to stifle a laugh.
"I'll keep him under control, atar," Aragorn promised. Q mockingly barked like a puppy dog and ran in circles around the ranger, tripping Legolas in the process. The elf looked murderous for a moment, but lightened up at the sound of laughter. To even the score, Q jumped on Gimli, knocking the dwarf at Merry's feet. The young Hobbit promptly lept on the dwarf and did a victory dance while Pippin surprised the entity and jumped up on his shoulders.
"I want a piggy-back ride! We've been walking all the way from the Shire and my feet are broken," he complained. Q obliged, not the least bit unpleasant about his new occupant. Merry looked longingly at Gimli, but the captive dwarf shook his head.
"Not on your life, laddie." Merry, pretending to be cross, sat down roughly on his captive's back.
"Merry, help!" came a frightened voice from overhead.
"Pippin, where are you?" Merry screamed, leaping off Gimli's back.
"Up here." Sure enough, in a tree high above the council was a very frightened Hobbit, who looked as if he might slip at any moment. Without thinking, Wesley dashed up the tree as fast as he could. He must have scurried up at least twenty or thirty feet before he reached the branch to which Pippin clung. The young man cautiously inched his way out to where the Hobbit was. Pippin was shivering with fear and his eyes were as wide as saucers.
"Don't look down," Wesley whispered, partially to himself and partially to his companion. Soon he was close enough to extend his hand to Pippin. Closing his eyes tightly, Pippin reached out and grabbed it tightly. Now all they had to do was get down.
"Wesley!" came a shout from below. An arrow whizzed close to the pair. Attached to it was a strong cord.
"Thank you, Legolas," Pippin whispered under his breath. Wesley grasped the cord tightly with both hands while Pippin clung fearfully to his shoulders. Slowly, but surely, the couple descended to the courtyard.
"How in the world did you get up there?" Merry questioned after he had embraced his cousin.
"Well, I was riding on Q's back when lord Elrond summoned him. For some reason, he dropped me off in a tree."
"For which I apologize greatly, Master Peregrine," Q appeared, bowing to the Hobbit. Pippin smiled importantly.
"Your apology is accepted, Q, as long as you give me another piggy-back ride." Q hoisted the Halfling onto his shoulders.
"By the by, Wesley, Bilbo would like you to meet him in his quarters when it is convenient," the entity said as he began circling around various members of the fellowship. Assuming he would not be needed for a while, Wesley made a discreet exit between the elves, who were beginning to disperse. He retraced the path he had traveled earlier in the day to the staircase. From there he followed the path past his own room and continued wandering, for he realized he did not know where Bilbo's room was. He turned a corner and entered what appeared to be a library. It was huge, at least as large as the bridge of the Enterprise. On the walls were glorious paintings. In a darkened hallway stood a statue that seemed to draw Wesley towards it. As he drew nearer, he saw that it was sculpted in the likeness of a beautiful maiden. She seemed very wise, as if she had seen many ages of the world and not forgotten a single detail. For a while, Wesley just gazed into her eyes, almost feeling as if she could tell him his destiny. Just as it seemed he could see a picture in his mind's eye, he heard a voice behind him.
"Those who seek guidance will surely find it," a woman's voice said. It took Wesley a moment to realize it was not the statue that was speaking to him. Almost reluctantly, he turned around in an attempt to find the speaker. Nearby, hardly 2 meters away from him, was a gorgeous woman with flowing black hair and a silky white garment. To Wesley, she seemed to be the statue incarnated in flesh and blood. He found himself at a loss for words and merely stared, awestruck.
"You are Wesley Crusher, I presume," the sultry voice washed over him as he nodded a response. "I am Arwen, daughter of Elrond. You are well met. Bilbo has been searching for you. He will no doubt be here shortly. He cannot avoid this place for long for his love for knowledge is well known here in Imladris."
"How long has he lived here? Er, does he live here?" Wesley felt foolish. Arwen laughed briefly, but smiled liberally to show that this was not a stupid question.
"My people sometimes forget that time is measured. For us, it is irrelevant, something made by man that serves no purpose to us. I believe, however, that Bilbo has dwelt with us for seventeen or eighteen of your years," Arwen continued speaking, but Wesley's attention had been drawn to the statue again. He had not noticed it before, but now a certain detail about it seemed to demand his rapt attention. It was the pieces of a sword, which the lady held in her outstretched hands. Wesley could sense some power within this seemingly ruined thing. It had to be significant or it would not have been given a position in such a marvelous place. Arwen noticed the look of wonder on his face.
"These are the shards of Narsil, the blade that cut tho one ring from the hand of Sauron," she answered the lad's unasked question. "Come. Bilbo has been too long in returning. Let us search for him." Wesley followed the elf through the library, seemingly in a trance from the glorious place. He had been in several alien worlds, but this one was the most amazing and beautiful. Deep down, at the center of it, seemed to be both magic and wisdom. He thought about this as he followed Arwen, but still could not come up with an explanation for the magical sensation of Rivendell.
Before long, Wesley found himself walking beside Arwen through the halls of Rivendell Every now and again, he would see a painting or a statue and would inquire about its meaning. Arwen would tell him, but other conversation was limited as Wesley was still in awe of his surroundings. Also, he was unsure of what he could tell her, if anything, about his past, and his future was even more uncertain. And he was trying to remember where he had heard her voice before, for he was certian he had. Just as he was about to inquire about a nearby statue of a man with one hand and a elf maiden, Wesley heard a familiar voice mumbling.
"I sit beside the fire and think of people long ago and people . . ."
"Bilbo!" Wesley reaced toward the Hobbit.
"Mae govannen," Arwen addressed Bilbo. Then something clicked in Wesley's head.
"Last night. You were with a man outside! I heard your voices, but I couldn't tell what you were saying, most of it at least." Arwen smiled.
"Have we one of my father's spies here?"
"Not at all, my lady. I was lost and happened upon the most amazing thing I have ever heard," Wesley said, jittery, and a bit embarrassed at having revealed that he was eavsdropping.
"Very well. I shall leave the thief and the lost spy together and see what will become of ennorath," she laughed kindly and left them.
"What did she mean by that?" Wesley asked.
"Mordor is quite a long way from here," Bilbo said staring at the map in front of him. It seemed he had not heard Wesley's question. "I'll have the elven smiths forge you a mithril coat and a sword, but I'm afraid there won't be enough time or resources to furnish everyone with them. If only I weren't so old, I would come along myself." He sighed. "By all rights, it should be me going. I'm the one who found the ring in the first place." Wesley took Bilbo's arm and guided him to a chair.
"Why didn't I just leave the ring there in that slimy cave with Gollum? Who would've gotten it then? No one, that's who. Gollum would have kept his precious untill the end of his days, and then it would have stayed there, lost in the dark. If that would have happened, there would never have been this problem with the dark lord. If only Bilbo Baggins had left what was well enough alone!" WEsley put his arm around the Hobbit as he began to sob.
"Sauron would have gotten the ring, eventually, had you left it in Gollum's cave. Since the ring survived, so does Sauron. The blame is not yours, uncle," Frodo's voice came from behind them. Bilbo turned to face him.
"I'm sorry, Frodo. I'm so sorry," the elder Hobbit wept. Frodo embraced Bilbo and for a while, the three of them just stood there together. It seemed to Wesley that they were becoming a strange sort of family, the like of which he hadn't experienced since he left the Enterprise. He was grateful, now, for every second he spent with Bilbo and Frodo. It seemed as if he was as familiar with the older Hobbit as if they had known each other for an eternity and Frodo was the older brother he had never had. He felt safe within the bond between the three of them and was certain that everything would turn out fine for everyone.
