Though Lúthien could be content to stare down at Rivendel in awe all night, she knew she could not. Her butterflies returned, stronger than ever. She felt giddy and lightheaded. This was all so exciting. Urging Gilleth onward, they continued to follow the trail to reach Rivendel. It was only a few minutes later when two figured stepped out in front of her, seemingly from no where. They were armored with long, dark hair reaching down to their shoulders. They did not act threatening, so she continued towards them.
The two guards had been engaged in a quiet conversation until they heard approaching hooves. Hearing only one horse's hooves, they felt at ease enough to let themselves be known. When they stepped out, they saw a lady riding an elvish horse, and assumed she must be an elf. When she came close enough that they could make out her face in the dark, they were stunned. Never before had they seen such a beautiful lady. Until that point, they had thought Lady Arwen to be the most beautiful elf in existence. They had not thought it possible for anyone to be more beautiful that she, but this approaching rider had changed their minds.
"Do you see what my eyes cannot believe?" One asked, speaking in Elvish.
"I see it, Gonnon, but my eyes do not believe it, either." The other responded. "We must have fallen asleep at our post and strayed into dreams."
When Lúthien was only 10 feet or so away, the one named Gonnon called out to her. "Hail, my lady. I have never seen your like before. May I ask your name?"
So these were elves? She could not see their ears beneath their helmets. They certainly were handsome, of that were was no doubt. Lúthien did not understand Elvish, but she recognized a question when she heard one. She assumed he was asking who she was and what she wanted.
"Hello, good sirs. My name is Lúthien. I come here seeking one by the name of Gandalf."
The two guards looked at each other, a bit shocked. An elf speaking Westron instead of their native tongue when given the choice was odd enough, but the truly shocking thing was her name. She had said her name was Lúthien. The Lúthien they knew of was said to be the most beautiful elf to ever live, even more so than Arwen, but she no longer existed in these lands. They looked back to her with widened eyes. Could this be the legendary Lúthien? Gonnon was the one to speak, again, this time in Westron.
"My lady, do my elfin ears deceive me, or did you just now say that your name is Lúthien?"
Lúthien nodded. "Yes, dear sir. My full first name is Lúthien Arwen. Most know me simply as Lúthien, but you may call me by one name or the other if you find it to be easier."
The two guards exchanged another glance. The other elf with Gonnon spoke up.
"My name, my lady, is Tirithon." he said, taking off his helmet and setting it on a large rock. "You say you come here seeking Gandalf the Grey. I am most regretful to inform you that he is not here in Rivendel."
Lúthien's heart fell. Had she traveled all this way for nothing? What if it had all been for nothing? The guard soon regret his words at seeing the disappointment in her eyes.
"Come. I will take you to Lord Elrond. Perhaps he can offer you some help." Tirithon suggested.
Lúthien's mood improved, a bright smile lighting her face. Tirithon felt a smile spread over his face at the sight of her brilliant one. He looked to see that Gonnon was smiling as well.
"My lady, your smile is contagious."
Lúthien's smile brightened, a slight blush creeping into her porcelain cheeks. Lúthien began to climb from Gilleth's back. Gonnon stepped swiftly to her side with amazing grace.
"Let me help you, my lady." He said, holding a hand out to her.
She slipped her tiny hand into his larger one. He pulled her towards him gently, placing his other hand around her tiny waist. She found herself being pulled from Gilleth's back ever so gently. By Valar, he was certainly strong! She hadn't expected someone so slender to lift her with such effortlessness. She found herself wondering if all elves possessed this kind of strength. When she felt her feet touch the ground, she found herself staring up at Gonnon. He had to be at least a full foot taller than her! He let go of her waist, but continued to gently hold her hand.
"By Valar, she is tiny!" Gonnon said, speaking to Tirithon.
Tirithon nodded his head. "I agree. She is quite small, even for a lady."
It was true. All elf ladies were tall, at least reaching a height of 5'7". Lúthien would be lucky to reach an inch above 5 foot. She didn't understand what they were saying, and found herself wishing she could speak even a little Elvish. Gonnon gently slipped her hand into Tirithon's waiting one.
"Tirithon will take you to see Lord Elrond, my lady." Gonnon spoke.
Lúthien nodded her head to Gonnon in a polite gesture. "Thank you greatly, good sir ."
"You are greatly welcome, my lady." Gonnon responded.
With that, Lúthien placed her free hand on the side of Gilleth's neck as Tirithon lead her down the path. Gilleth followed close, never breaking the contact with Lúthien. Tirithon lead her down the path, her left hand in his and his right hand placed gently on the small of her back. His grip on her hand was gentle and his touch on her back was light. Lúthien could not think of the two elves she had met so far as anything but perfect gentlemen.
"If you do not mind my asking, my lady, what brings you here in search of Gandalf the Grey?"
Lúthien looked at him, the light of the moon behind them shining in her large, grey eyes. Tirithon found this to be strange as well. Every elf he had met had bright blue eyes, yet her eyes were grey as slate.
"To be honest, it was a dream that led me here."
"A dream?"
Lúthien nodded. Tirithon looked down at her. He did not find it odd that she carried a sword. She would be crazy to be out in the wilderness with out one these days. What seemed odd to him was that she wore human clothes. He debated for a while whether to ask about them or not. After a while, he could no longer stifle his curiosity.
"If I may be so bold, my lady. May I ask why you wear those clothes?"
Lúthien was a bit shocked. Had he noticed she was still a bit uncomfortable wearing her mother's dress?
"After I had the dream telling me to come to Rivendel, I had to part company with my parents. We were being pursued by orcs at the time, and in our haste, I took the travel sac containing my mother's clothing." She said honestly.
Tirithon looked at her a bit oddly. "Why would your mother wear human clothes?"
Lúthien smiled up at him humorously. "Because my mother is human." she said, a bit of laughter in her voice.
Tirithon was shocked. "So you are only half elf?" His voice showing his surprise.
Lúthien laughed merrily. "I am not an elf at all." She said, smiling charmingly.
In disbelief, his hand left her back, moving to brush back her hair. He hesitated.
"May I…"
She nodded, tilting her head toward him in encouragement. He brushed back her hair, ever so gently, to uncover a tiny, perfectly rounded ear. He was stunned. How could someone so beautiful be human?
"Gonnon and I had thought you to be an elf, my lady." Tirithon said, finally recovering from his shock.
Lúthien smiled up at him. "So did the orcs. I realized it was probably because I rode Gilleth." She said, motioning to the mare at her right side.
"My lady, I would have thought you to be elf kind, whether you rode an elvish mare or not." He said, looking down at her. "I never thought someone so beautiful could be anything but an elf." Lúthien flushed deeply. Tirithon, noticing her embarrassment, quickly made to correct himself. "Forgive me, my lady. I've spoken too boldly. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable."
Lúthien's blush deepened. "It's quite all right. I am not uncomfortable. You have been nothing but a perfect gentleman, and I am very happy to be in your company."
Now it was Tirithon's turn to blush, a radiating heat rushing to his face. Lúthien looked up to smile at him until she noticed something.
"Your ears… they look red." She said, squinting her eyes as she inspected his ears with more scrutiny. "They are." She said, amazement in her voice as she watched them seem to go from a bright red to a darker red before her very eyes.
Tirithon cleared his throat uncomfortably. "It is the way elves… blush, my lady." His voice faltered a bit.
Lúthien laughed. "On no! Now it is my turn to apologize for making you uncomfortable." She said, smiling brightly.
"There is no need for apologies." He said warmly, stopping in front a beautifully lit street. "This, my lady, is the home of Lord Elrond."
Lúthien looked at the beautiful houses in awe. She had been so concentrated on her conversation with Tirithon, she hadn't even noticed when they entered into the city. Elaborate and beautiful dwellings were everywhere for the eye to see. Wonderful gardens were littered everywhere. She could tell their colors were vibrant and lively, even in the dark of night.
"It's so beautiful." She said, awe filling her voice. "I thought it was too beautiful for words even from far away. Not even in my dreams could I think of such beauty."
Tirithon smiled down at her. "I am very happy you approve, my lady." Lúthien smiled at him warmly, squeezing his hand in a friendly gesture. "Come. We will bring your horse to the stables before going to see Lord Elrond." He said, leading her to the left, his hand on the small of her back guiding her.
Lúthien smiled happily when they reached the stables. Even they were beautiful. Tirithon left her side, walking forward quickly to open the gate for her. Elfin men were such gentlemen! This place was just so amazing. Lúthien found that she would be very happy to spend the rest of her life in a place like this, with people like this. They entered the stable. The first thing she saw were many beautiful elfin horses.
"They are beautiful." She said, slightly breathless.
She knew elfin horses were beautiful, but never had she seen so many in one place. She immediately walked to the closest stall, holding out her hand to the grey stallion inside.
"Hello. My name is Lúthien. May I ask yours?"
The stallion made a lengthy whinny, ending with a grunt. The stallion came forward, nudging her with his nose. Tirithon walked to her swiftly once he realized what horse was in the stall.
"My lady, it would not be wise to go near him. He does not take kindly to humans, and I am not sure how he would react to you." He said, gently trying to lead her away.
Lúthien placed her other hand on Tirithon's, stopping him. "You give Dagorgon far too little credit, dear sir."
Tirithon stared at her, stunned. "How did you know his name?"
Lúthien smiled at him. "He told me." She said, gently stroking Dagorgon's cheek. "Animals may not always be able to understand your words, but they know your intentions. They know whether you mean them harm or not. Human intentions are not always clear, which is why animals do not trust them easily. Humans are unpredictable and destructive creatures." she said, smiling as Dagorgon nudged her again. "Even though we speak different languages, we can understand them if we listen with our hearts. They will understand us, as well, if we open our hearts to them."
Tirithon was surprised. He had never heard a human speak that way.
"Are you sure you are not an elf, my lady?" he asked, laughing.
Lúthien laughed as well. "I could only dream to be an elf. Then I would live in a beautiful place such as Rivendel."
They smiled at each other for a moment before Gilleth broke the moment. She could take no more, watching that stallion get so comfortable with Lúthien. She walked forward, moving between Lúthien and Dagorgon. Dagorgon pulled his ears back slightly, insulted by Gilleth's action.
"You have terrible jealousy, my friend. I was merely getting to know him."
Gilleth nickered.
"I promise. You will always be my best friend.."
"My lady." Tirithon said, breaking them up. "It grows steadily late. We should hurry before Lord Elrond retires for the night." He said, leading Gilleth to a stall near the back.
Lúthien nodded. "Of course. You are right. I had not intended to cause such a delay."
It took him only a minute to secure Gilleth in the stall. Once he was finished, he walked back to Lúthien, taking her hand and leading her as before. He walked her back out of the stables, leaving her for only a moment to open the gate for her and led her through. Leading her through street after street, Lúthien tried to take in all she could. Everything was so beautiful. They would sometimes pass the occasional elf, earning her very curious gazes. Lúthien began to feel very self conscious. The stares weren't bad, per say , just very intense. She made sure her ears remained covered by her hair. She felt nervous about being the only human in a city full of elves, especially with all the stares she was receiving.
Tirithon, looking down at her, noticed her uneasiness. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. She responded by squeezing back, and he could see her relax a little.
"All my life, I've been told what wonderful people elves were. Since as far back as I can remember, I've not heard one bad remark about them." Lúthien said, looking up at Tirithon. "Now that I stand here, I begin to see that every word has been true."
Tirithon smiled proudly. "We elves are good people, my lady. We are all bound by our honor, and happy to be so. We have no laws, no jails, and our worst punishment is to be banished. We do not need laws and jails. We live by our honor. When someone does commit a foul act, their shame is usually enough punishment. Should someone do something truly unforgivable, they are banished from the cities of elves."
Lúthien looked to him with slightly widened eyes. "What becomes of the ones who are banished?" She said, avoiding the stares of another elf.
"Some live their lives in the wilderness. Others live among humans in their villages. Still others…" he said, trailing off, "their fate is the worst of all. They become orcs, my lady."
Lúthien looked to Tirithon in shock. "Orcs?" She asked, disbelievingly. "Those twisted creatures that have been hunting me so relentlessly were once elves?"
Tirithon nodded sadly. Lúthien lowered her eyes sadly. What insanity would possess someone to turn from the most beautiful and elegant creature in all of Middle Earth into a horrible creature like that? It was a truly disheartening thought.
"My lady, you say they've been hunting you?" Tirithon asked suddenly, breaking her sad reflections.
Lúthien nodded. "For 3 days, they've been pursuing me, intent to kill me." Tirithon looked bothered. "Is something the matter?"
"Would it be possible they followed you to Rivendel, my lady?"
Lúthien suddenly understood her folly. "Oh no! I've put everyone here in danger!" She said, about to go back to the stables to get Gilleth. She would not put these good people in danger.
Tirithon tightened his arm around her waist, stopping her from going anywhere. He could see in her eyes that she was planning to do something. "Do not be upset, my lady. Rivendel is a haven for those seeking safety. While you are within Rivendel, you are under our protection. Let our guards take care of whatever danger there may be. It is our duty."
Lúthien nodded solemnly. Tirithon continued to lead her until they came to rest in front of a large, beautiful elfin house. Had Lúthien not been so concentrated on her thoughts of the possibility that the orcs had indeed followed her to Rivendel, she would have been wowed at its size and beauty. Tirithon left her side, knocking gently on the large, exquisitely carved door. After a moment or so, a fair elfin lady opened the door.
"Good evening, Lady Siriowen. I wish to have words with Lord Elrond."
"Let him enter, Lady Siriowen. You may also retire for this night."
Lady Siriowen opened the door wide, staring in surprise at Lúthien. Lúthien shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, looking away from those intense blue eyes as Tirithon led her in the door. As soon as they were in, Lady Siriowen let herself out, still casting glances at Lúthien's back before the door closed. Tirithon placed his fist against his chest and bowed low to Lord Elrond in respect. Lúthien bowed her head as well.
"Tirithon, what business do you have for me this night, and who do you bring with you?" He asked, staring intently at Lúthien. Never before had he seen someone fairer than his daughter, Arwen.
"My Lord, I bring Lady Lúthien Arwen. She comes seeking Gandalf the Grey." Tirithon spoke.
Lord Elrond was a bit taken back by the name, but did not show it. He had never seen nor heard of anyone like her. Who was she and where was she from? Lúthien shifted uncomfortably under Lord Elrond's gaze. She had been a bit unnerved by the stares she had been receiving from other elves, but his gaze seemed to peer right into her very soul. She knew they were talking about her, because she heard her name. It was the only part of their conversation she understood.
"Also," Tirithon continued, "there may be possibility that a group of orc heads this way. They come in search of Lady Lúthien Arwen."
"How great in number?" Lord Elrond asked.
"I know not, my Lord, though Lady Lúthien Arwen may."
Lord Elrond turned to Lúthien. "How many orc pursue you, Lady Lúthien Arwen?"
"My Lord," Tirithon spoke, "I do not intend disrespect, but I must interpolate. She does not speak Elvish."
Lord Elrond was slightly surprised. "What elf does not speak Elvish?"
"She is not an elf, my Lord. She is human."
Lord Elrond looked to Lúthien in surprise. She looked every part of an elf, though she was tiny and her eyes were grey as stone. He did not think it possible for a human to be so beautiful.
"So you are a human, then, Lady Lúthien Arwen?" Lord Elrond asked, speaking in Westron.
"Yes, my lord." She said, lowering her eyes.
Lord Elrond smiled. He could tell she was nervous. "I would like to welcome you, personally, to Rivendel, Lady Lúthien Arwen."
Lúthien looked to him. "Thank you, my lord."
"Now, can you tell me how many orcs you believe are heading this way?"
"No more than 10, my lord. They were some hours behind me. I am terribly sorry to have brought such trouble to your door." She said, guilt in her voice.
"Tirithon," Lord Elrond said, turning to the other elf, "go alert the guard to be on the watch for orcs."
Tirithon bowed low, his fist to his chest. "Yes, my Lord." With that, he turned on his heel and let himself out.
"Do not worry about the circumstance of your arrival, Lady Lúthien Arwen. I am only relieved you arrived safely." Lord Elrond said, moving towards her. "Now, you say you come looking for Gandalf the Grey?" Lúthien nodded. "I must apologize, but he is not here. Perhaps I can help you in his stead?"
"I hope so, my lord." She said. Then she began to explain her situation. She told him everything, from the very beginning, starting with the invasion of her village and ending with her arrival in Rivendel. Lord Elrond looked at her, quite surprised.
"So you say you can sense danger?" Lúthien nodded. "And in these dreams, you see a great, fiery eye?" She nodded once more. "Most curious" He said to himself before addressing Lúthien once more. "I have a strong feeling that there is great importance to this. I would like for you to stay in Rivendel, at least until I can find meaning to what you are experiencing."
Lúthien nodded her head. "Yes, my lord." She should have been overjoyed that she was being invited to stay in a beautiful elfin city, but the seriousness in his voice made her joy pale in comparison to concern. What was it that made him look so worried? She very much wish she knew.
"Come. I will take you to a room where you can spend the night."
Lúthien nodded, following close behind him as he led her back out into the street. They walked through the streets in silence, Lúthien earning more curious stares from the elves they passed. What was it that made them stare? She knew they were watching her. She could feel their eyes upon her, even though she never caught their eyes when she looked at them. Was it just her imagination, her nervousness about being in a strange, new place? No. Just like she knew when the orcs were coming, and she was heading the right way to Rivendel. She just knew. After a while, they reached what appeared to be a small house, though still very beautiful.
"This is the quarter in Rivendel where guests are housed." Lord Elrond said, gesturing to the tiny houses all around. "This dwelling will be yours." He said, indicating the house before them. "You will find everything you need inside, including wardrobe. Breakfast will be brought first thing in the morning. Around noon, I will send someone to bring you to me. I would like to discuss more about your dreams."
Lúthien nodded once more. "Yes, my lord."
Lord Elrond smiled down at the tiny woman. "Rest well, Lady Lúthien Arwen."
With that, he walked away, leaving her by the door. She watched him walk away for a while until he was eventually out of sight. She hoped tonight would bring her good dreams. With thoughts of a restful sleep, she let herself into the tiny house and prepared to bed for the night.
Cerulean Sage
"Well this is the sixth chapter, I think. I believe I've lost count. The only thing I want to discuss is the use of titles. When addressing a man of higher rank or a lord, like Lord Elrond, titles such as 'Lord (name)' and 'my lord' are used. There's only a small difference when I use the term 'my lord'. For elves such as Tirithon, it is 'my Lord' because Elrond is his lord. Whereas when Lúthien addresses him, she addresses him as 'my lord'. This is because he is not her lord, but it is still used as a title showing respect. If an elf of higher status speaks to a male elf of lower rank, he does not need to address him with a title.
When addressing a lady, the title is either 'Lady (name)' or 'my lady'. A lady will be referred to as such, no matter what her status. This is so because of a thing called chivalry, a thing which no longer exists. When using 'my lady' the lady must either be of high rank or a stranger. If a lady is lower status than the one who speaks to her, she must still be given a title, but her title will be 'Lady (name)'. The only time when a title is not required when speaking to a lady is when the lady and the speaker are on familiar terms.
One last thing about titles. Each time a high ranking elf or lady is addressed, they must be addressed by the appropriate titles. This means that if the speaker is interrupted, he must address the person to whom he is speaking by their title again.
Ex.) "Lord Elrond, I must speak with you."
"About what?" asked Lord Elrond.
"About matters concerning the orcs, my Lord." Replied Tirithon.
The only instances when there is a slight breach of protocol is when someone of very high rank is addressing a lady. He still has to address her with the proper title, just not every single time he speaks to her. The other instance is when a woman speaks to any man not of high rank. She, as well, does not have to address him every time she speaks to him. Also, when a lady first meets a man, she is given the option to forgo the title of 'my lord' and address the man in any variant of 'sir'. Addressing strangers as 'my lord' is reserved for formal settings, such as gatherings that involve many prominent figures.
With that all said and done, I've explained anything I think that might need explaining. The only thing left I want to explain is that I will be writing this story based on the movies more so than the books. They do not coincide well, but they are both still wonderful, if only in their own ways. I am going to write this according to the movies for two reasons. The first is that I'm sure many more readers with be able to envision and be familiar with the movies, rather than the books. Also, I feel that it is not so sacrilegious to change the movies as it would be to change the books.
Anyhow, if you have any questions, comments, or anything to add, feel free to review. I have also made a picture of Tirithon, Lúthien, and Gilleth as they make their way into Rivendel. I managed to scan it properly this time, meaning in one piece. The link is below.."
www.angelfire. com/clone/3menchisaga/images/Scan10005.JPG