An Unexpected Companion
Chapter 9
Riddles and Runes
Tiki opened her eyes. She was not in Rivendell.
She was in a field. Grass swayed around her, tall and wispy, dry and frail. A faint smell of smoke sat in the wind, making her nose wrinkle as she sat upright, puzzled. Her green hair fluttered in the breeze, thin strands brushing over her face as her emerald eyes flicked around her.
To her left, in the distance, ran a river, broad and strong. It rushed through the rolling, dry fields, carrying gray, foamy water towards the ruins of a city that straddled its banks. Smoke rose from the city, but she could not see any flames. Perhaps they were already doused?
A sharp crack of thunder sounded to her right, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She whipped her gaze right, and her eyes widened.
Towering mountains rose not too far away, their peaks blackened with ash, reminding her of coal. Storm clouds rumbled over those jagged peaks, each cloud as dark as midnight. Thunder rumbled within them like the growls of an angry beast. No lightning accompanied them.
Carefully, Tiki rose to her feet, her brow furrowed as a cold wind swept from those mountains and brushed around her. Her emerald eyes closed. A shiver ran up her spine. Something felt wrong.
A whisper hit her ears. Soft, simple, seductive even, but in a language she did not understand. Despite the gentleness of the voice, the words had a harsh undertone to them. As if merely speaking the sounds required grated on the vocal cords of the speaker. As the words hit her pointed ears, she stayed frozen where she stood, her eyes closed, trying to detect where the voice was coming from.
The words grew in volume, drawing closer. Tiki gasped, her eyes shooting open as he prepared to defend herself.
Only to find an elvish-looking figure standing across from her. Her hands lowered, fists relaxing.
He was one of the fairest elves she had ever seen. Platinum hair, locks practically shimmering in the gray sunlight, ran in silky rivers from his head and over his shoulders. He was not a broad figure, or terribly muscular. He was tall though, and reedy, his robes giving him more mass than he likely had. Every facial feature of his was sharp, and his gaze could cut stone. He gave Tiki a curious look, then hummed.
"You are not one of Illuvatar's firstborn," He said, his voice drowning out the grating chant that had been rising in Tiki's mind.
Tiki tilted her head. "I assume you mean to say: I am not an elf."
The elf chuckled. "Right. I forget that some things are not as well known to those not familiar with them."
His laugh was strange. It seemed warm, but, at the same time, there was a chilling undertone to it. Tiki hesitated to think it was mocking. The smile the elf wore appeared too genuine for him to be mocking her. Everything about him seemed so regal. It was almost like he was trying too hard.
That appearance reminded her of someone from Archanea. An old enemy who had a flair for robes and displays of grandeur. A certain High Priest from the land of Plegia.
The elf's smile wavered. "Are you afraid?"
Tiki grimaced. "No, I am cautious. I know not where I am or who you are, so why should I be relaxed?"
The elf nodded. "Understandable, I suppose. I cannot harm you here though, as we are not actually standing in these dreary plains." He said, his pale hand giving the landscape around them a dismissive wave. "As for my name, you may call me Annatar."
Tiki furrowed her brow. "Very well. You may call me Tiki."
Annatar hummed. "A curious name for an ever-growing curiosity." He pressed his fingers together as he observed Tiki. "Do you know where we are, Tiki?"
"Should I?"
"Well, you are in Imladris still," he said, a slight smirk twitching over his pale lips. "This is, after all, merely a dream. An apparition. A vision, perhaps. That is for you to decide. As for me, well, I am not here, nor there, but also not everywhere."
Tiki uttered a frustrated huff. "What is it with Elves and riddles?"
Annatar barked out a laugh. "They convey multiple meanings. Riddles are efficient, and I appreciate that." A weary sigh left him, he glanced over his shoulder at the black mountains in the distance. Tiki swore she spotted a wistful smile. One Annatar erased as quickly as it came. "I do know this, Tiki. Eventually, we will meet face to face. I look forward to that time."
Tiki raised an eyebrow. "Where should I expect this meeting?"
"In due time," Annatar answered. His evasive answers were beginning to grate on Tiki's nerves, but she held her tongue. "For now though, I think I shall keep my eye on you. It's not often something new happens in Middle-Earth. I'm curious to see what happens."
The world around Tiki rippled. The black peaks in the distance behind Annatar stretched then yawned, warping as the dream began to dissipate. Blackness swarmed the edges of the vision, creeping toward the center until their tendrils clawed over Annatar's form. For a split second, Tiki heard the gnashed chanting, quiet and subtle, again.
Then, her vision went black.
When Tiki's eyes fluttered open, she wasn't greeted with the rising sun, signaling the dawn of a new day. Instead, she found herself staring up at the darkened ceiling. The drapes from the nearby window billowed into the room as a warm breeze filtered in. Pale, blue moonlight cast dim shadows throughout the room, some of them yawning tall up the white walls.
It's not often I wake up in the middle of the night. She swung her legs from the bed, not even feeling the urge to yawn. Strange.
Her mind wandered to the vision that remained implanted in her mind. Annatar… who was that?
Her brow furrowed as she hummed to herself, fingers tapping the mattress beneath her. With a shrug, she hopped out of bed and glanced at the other beds within the room. None of them were occupied. The dwarves, Bilbo, Gandalf, were all already awake.
Puzzled, Tiki made her way out of the room and into the softly lit corridors of Elrond's home. As she strolled down the hall, she glanced out of one of the openings in the corridor. A full moon sat high over the valley, bathing Rivendell in comforting, pale light.
When her eyes fell from the moon, she spotted the short silhouettes of the dwarves gathering near Gandalf and Elrond atop a long balcony. Curious, Tiki made her way there.
Right as she stepped onto the balcony, she froze, detecting magic rushing through the air. Her pulse quickened as the magic coalesced near a pedestal Elrond stood at. A scrap of paper sat on the pedestal, pinned down by Elrond's hands.
The map of Erebor. Tiki realized.
"Your ancestors, Thorin, son of Thrain, practiced great concealing magic. They learned much of this from my kin, and they were diligent with their application of it." Elrond ran a hand over the map, then flicked his eyes to the sky as a sliver of moonlight passed over the pedestal. "Moonlight was always the preferred method of revealing the unseen. For, how else could anyone see in the darkness?"
A light gasp left Tiki's lips as she watched glowing glyphs appear on the map, revealed by the moonlight. Sounds of shock and alarm came from the dwarves as they crowded closer, only for Gandalf and Thorin to hold them back.
Thorin stepped toward the pedestal, his heavy brow furrowed as he studied the glyphs alongside Elrond.
"Moon runes," Elrond said. "As they read now, they speak of a hidden passage in the Lonely Mountain. One unseen and unused for many years."
"What do they say?" Thorin asked.
Elrond arched an eyebrow. "I am surprised you do not know the writing yourself. Nevertheless, I shall translate." Elrond exhaled. "Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day shall shine on the keyhole."
"Durin's Day…" Thorin hummed.
"Not much time," Gandalf admitted. He glanced over his shoulder and spotted Tiki lingering near the balcony entrance. "I believe the last member of our party is awake again."
The dwarves glanced at Tiki, as did Bilbo. The hobbit gave her a smile as she drew closer, her green eyes carefully looking at the map as the light of the moon began to fade away. When the last drop of light passed on, the runes disappeared back into the parchment.
"That is all the information," Elrond said, sliding the map from the smooth pedestal and handing it back to Thorin. "From what it appears, you must make some swift headway to reach the Lonely Mountain by Durin's Day."
"Indeed," Thorin admitted, his tone bitter. He looked at Gandalf, then at his companions. "We leave tomorrow morning at dawn. Get rest while you can."
As Thorin marched back to the house, he paused next to Tiki. He gave her a hard look, specifically glaring at her ears, then sighed and kept walking. Tiki said nothing, as her eyes followed him, watching him retreat back to the room they were staying in. The other dwarves eventually followed him, with the older ones not really acknowledging Tiki. Kili and Fili though gave her warm smiles, which she returned.
Bilbo yawned as he paused next to her. His eyes were heavy, but she saw genuine excitement in his gaze.
"Liked the magic?" She asked.
Bilbo exhaled. "Thrilling," He smiled. "But, Thorin is right. I need some sleep."
"Go get some then," Tiki nodded. "Otherwise, I may just be throwing your unconscious body over the back of my horse."
"That would be most embarrassing, yes." Bilbo took a couple of steps forward, paused, then flicked his eyes back to Tiki. "Make sure you rest as well. You were sleeping rather fitfully before coming here."
Tiki blinked. She wasn't sleeping well? That was unlike her.
She did not say anything more as Bilbo wandered back to the room, another yawn fading with him as he disappeared down the corridor. Tiki remained where she stood on the balcony.
Tiki turned to look at Gandalf and Elrond as they spoke near the moon pedestal. Neither of them looked weary. Then again, with how regal the elves behaved, Tiki wondered if they ever allowed themselves to look tired. Did they even get sleepy? Do they sleep? The presence of beds suggested they did, but Tiki had not seen it yet.
"I hope I was able to provide enough assistance, Gandalf," Elrond said.
Gandalf nodded. "It will be enough." The wizard folded his wrinkled hands behind his back.
Before the wizard could turn to leaven, Elrond grasped him by the arm. Tiki's eyes narrowed and she strained her hearing. She had to fight back a curse when she realized that despite being able to hear them, she could not understand Elvish.
Elrond is being extra cautious around me. Why?
When Elrond was done speaking, he let go of Gandalf's arm, allowing Gandalf to leave the balcony. When he passed by Tiki, he gestured for her to follow him. Tiki flicked one more glance at Elrond, who met her gaze with a stern glare of his own, then rushed after the wizard.
"Is everything alright?" She asked.
Gandalf paused once they were away from the balcony. He tucked his chin, his bushy beard bristling as he pursed his lips.
"Elrond is worried about trusting you."
Tiki frowned. "Have I not proven myself trustworthy?"
"As I said before, fear makes powerful people do strange things," Gandalf sighed, his eyes showing the first hint of weariness Tiki had ever seen from him.
Her mind drifted to the vision she had. Perhaps changing the subject would help get Gandalf's mind off whatever Elrond just told him? It seemed to weigh on the old man.
Then again, all she would be doing was asking him to interpret her dreams. That wouldn't help. Not now. No, she needed clarification more than anything else. She needed to know why Elrond did not trust her despite her truthfulness regarding who she was and where she was from.
"Gandalf," Tiki folded her arms, "tell me about the history of Elves and Dragons."
Gandalf shot Tiki a sharp look. Half of his face was hidden in shadows as the moonlight moved behind some clouds. The expression he gave Tiki was grave and sorrowful.
"It is not something that can be told in a single night," He muttered.
Tiki shrugged. "I already slept. And, if I'm going to be helping, then I need to know what I'm dealing with, that includes whatever animosity exists between my kind and the elves."
Gandalf hummed as the moonlight shifted again, revealing more of his face. He shuffled away from the wall toward the window, his gaze focusing on the valley and the many rivers and waterfalls flowing through it. Tiki joined him by the railing, resting her arms on the smooth, wooden finish as she took in the beautiful sight. The moon reflected off of the water, giving them a softer shimmer than during the day. More like diamonds found in a cave than the kind sported on rings or jewelry.
"Dragons," Gandalf began, "were created by the Dark Lord Morgoth during the later days of the First Age. The first and father of their kind was a beast by the name of Glaruung."
Tiki grimaced. The darkness with which Gandalf spoke that name told her much already. He was speaking of an evil creature. Someone who might be as vile and corrupt as what an old dragon like Medeus became.
"It was only through great bloodshed and strife that Glaruung was finally slain. But, Morgoth saw the power of his creation, and so, he forged more. The dragons wreaked terrible havoc on the Elven people of old, slaying thousands of them on the battlefield and in their sacked cities. The gravest of these defeats came with the fall of Gondolin, when Morgoth unleashed his Fire Drakes for the first time." A grim, pensive look came over Gandalf's face. "Few survived that day."
Some realization settled into Tiki. The Elves and Dragons didn't just dislike each other. They hated each other. They fought wars, spilling so much blood that even someone as wise as Gandalf and Elrond was sorrowful over the events thousands of years later.
"It took the intervention of the Valar themselves to drive Morgoth and his horde back, during what became known as the War of Wrath. In a last desperate attempt to defeat the Valar, at the gates of Angband, Morgoth emptied his pits and unleashed the winged dragons. Among them was their chief, Ancalagon the Black." Gandalf gained a distant look as he said that name with fear and respect. "He was mighty and frightfully powerful. It was only thanks to a miracle, and the might of brave Earendil, that he was defeated. When he died, he shattered the peaks of Thangorodrim."
Tiki's eyes widened. "He crushed mountains when he fell?"
Gandalf nodded. Tiki swallowed hard.
"He sounds like Grima," She breathed, shuddering as she recalled the Fell Dragon's impossible size and power.
"If that is what you and your companions face in your home, then you have my deepest sympathies. Perhaps, knowing this, you understand Elrond's fear of you. He was alive for those last battles in the War of Wrath. He witnessed many friends and family die at the hands of Glaruung and his spawn."
Tiki nodded. Yes, she could understand that. From what Gandalf just described, it sounded like the Elves endured their equivalent of her ruined world many years ago. They survived, barely, and only thanks to the intervention of the Valar: whoever they were. Unlike the Elves, though, Tiki's prayers to her mother were never answered. Now, she was here. And her friends were all dying, as far as she knew.
Her heart sank. "I should apologize to Elrond for misunderstanding where he was coming from."
"There is no need, Tiki," Gandalf replied. "Elrond knows what is causing his distress. He is trying to put that past behind him, but the memory of the elves is long and deep. It will take time, that is all." The wizard blew out a long breath, then pushed away from the railing. "It is late. We must rest. Thorin will want to drive a swift pace tomorrow. Perhaps we may reach the Misty Mountains by the end of the week?"
Tiki nodded. Gandalf was ready for the conversation to die, and she was content to let it do so.
"Is that good progress?" Tiki asked, walking with him down the dimly lit hall toward the room.
"Decent enough."
As they walked, Tiki flicked her eyes to the wall and caught a glimpse of a painting she had not noticed before. It was one of a black dragon, wings of gargantuan scale spread out wide, blotting out the sky. Its maw gaped wide, portraying a roar that could crack the sky. But, flying right at the dragon without fear was a small, blue silhouette of a boat.
Earendil flying at Ancalagon. Tiki smiled a little. They may be afraid, but they are also courageous people. I think I may just grow to admire the elves.
Her thoughts drifted back to the war against Grima. The war she needed to return to.
Hopefully, I have as much courage when I do return to the fight.
And chapter! It's back! Yeah, I took a little while off from this story; mostly because I've been so focused on Rigged from the Start and commissions. But, seeing as Rigged is nearing an end, I figured I'd get back to this story a little bit, and play in this sandbox for a little while. It's fun playing with the elements of Tolkien's work like this. I'm excited to see where this story goes!
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it. Have a nice day!
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