Authors Note
So firstly, I have searched across a number of sites but I couldn't find a definitive answer as to who Legolas's mother is and when exactly she died. So I've created my own character.
Secondly I know many of you have probably wondered this, but no. Harry and Draco don't know what's going to happen before it does. There weren't any works by Tolkien in their world.Any changes they make or have made, they do so because they want to. Not because of fate or destiny or anything like that, as they themselves will make clear.
Finally, if you haven't already guessed, they are going to change many things in Middle Earth. I don't see the point in writing fanfiction, if all you're going to do is rehash what the author originally wrote. Tolkien was probably the best fantasy author there was, but he was pretty prejudiced towards many things, as you can find out if you understand the subtext in his works.That being said, I'm writing this story to create the world as I want to see it. Enjoy.
They had decided that on the return journey, they'd travel along the coast. They truly meant it, when they told Minardil that they wanted to see more of Gondor.
They were however on a bit of a deadline. The discovery of the Witch King meant that they were anxious to help the people of Arnor. Or rather, what was left of it. The Kingdom of Artherdain.
Artherdain was weak though. It barely had the strength to fend off Angmar. Even with Harry and Draco helping, victory was impossible, unless additional aid was solicited.
Where to find that aid is a problem though. Gondor suffered a blow with the Great Plague as it came to be known. While thanks to us, things were not as bad as it could have been, it will take a century or two for it to recover to pre Plague numbers.
Artherdain doesn't have such time. Which leads us to the only other peoples that can help. The elves and the dwarves. The elves would be the easier of the two to convince, but only slightly.
Still, from what we've learnt, the elves have suffered massive casualties in the conflicts against Sauron, but unlike with humans, they cannot replenish their numbers.
They have far too few children. No wonder many of them think that their only option is to flee Middle Earth. Fortunately, we just might have a solution. Draco's fertility potion.
Now don't get me wrong, neither of us actually believe it will work on an elf. Not as is. The potion requires a catalyst of incredible magical potential. The blossom of a tree that is descended from Telperion however, fits the bill as it were.
It is fortunate that we are in possession of two blossoms. It would have felt like sacrilege to remove a blossom from the White Tree Gildor as it is now.
We plan on trying to recreate the tree using one of the blossoms. Even if an exact recreation with its glowing blossoms are beyond us, we are perfectly happy to settle with a tree as Gildor was before it died.
Now we just need to find elves willing to drink the potion. As we travel, we speak of it. We decide that we're going to Mirkwood first.
The elves there have the largest population in Middle Earth, so the results should be the most promising.
We pass through the provinces of Lossarnach and Lebennin before we reach the coast and Belfalas. From there we travel westwards.
There is a small coastal city by the bay, home of the Swan Lords. We however have come to enjoy traveling through the wilds so we pass it by.
Three months after leaving Minas Arnor, we enter a forest near the coast of Belfalas. As we sitting by a fire later on in the night, voices ring out around us.
We stand quickly but are struck momentarily speechless. Elves. About a dozen of them surrounded us wielding bows.
" Be calm my friends. We mean you no harm. " They gasped. It seems they aren't used to humans that could speak Sindarin. I frown internally. There's no records in Minas Arnor or Osgilliath that elves live in this area.
"Follow us humans, if you try anything, we'll shoot. " We packed our bedrolls and saddled up our horses. We followed the elves and the horses followed us.
They led us for an hour, right into the heart of the forest. One of them had long since rushed ahead of us. It's fortunate that there was a full moon tonight to guide our path. No need to show our magic just yet.
There's a small clearing where we stops. I can faintly make out structures above in the trees. The only reason I can see them is because of the faint movement of elves above. Talan my mind supplies the name of the structures.
There's dozens of elves that I can make out. There's a dark haired elf that steps forward. He addresses us then. He, just like the other elf that spoke earlier has a faint accent.
It makes me realise that these are probably Silvan elves. They have a language of their own, the tomes in Gondor say. It wasn't recorded there though. Apparently these are the supposed lowliest elves.
" Why are you two humans in our forest ? Usually, your kind land on the shores from ships and harrass us and cut down the trees of the forest. "
My eyebrows climb as he speaks. From what I gather, it seems that when Corsairs raid the coast, they also ravish the forest and attack any elves they find.
Draco steps forward to speak then. The elves tense with his movement. " You are speaking of the dark ship men. We are no friends of theirs. In fact, a few years ago we fought a battle against them. "
" My companion and I are wizards. We fight against evil. " They look slightly puzzled. I can guess why. Draco looks at me and I nod.
With a mental nudge, a faint light starts glowing from our staffs and it steadily grows, until the entire clearing and surrounding trees are lit up.
Gasps and cries ring out. Draco and I don't move though. Slowly, the light diminishes until only the clearing is faintly lit. We look around. The elves look amazed, some look wary though.
The elf with the dark hair, Beleg cautiously invites us to spend the night with them. Things flowed smoothly from there on out. We didn't leave them the next day. We stayed.
Before we knew it, we'd spent a decade in the forest with them. By then, we'd learnt from them how to speak Silvan, we in turn taught then Westron.
We also taught them some healing and recent history. In the time we were with them, we learnt their history. They called themselves the Falathrim or elves of the falas in Westron.
We learnt there were about a hundred of them. There used to be thrice that number, but depredations from the Corsairs whittled their numbers down.
We also learnt that they were all fairly young for elves. None of them were older than a thousand. Their parents were all dead.
We also learnt something very interesting. They were evenly split between male and female and they were all paired off.
Draco and I, around about the time we've been here for nine years, started to try and persuade them to come with us. It wasn't safe here after all.
They were highly sceptical. They had lived here for centuries after all. When we told them about the ents though and their massive forest which nobody enters, they became deeply curious.
When Draco told them about his idea for the fertility potion, they finally agreed. Only after he demonstrated its effects on a few forest animals though.
The elves were amazed and more than that, excited. They hadn't ever seen an elfling other than themselves obviously. Turns out that they had a tradition.
When a female elf, an elleth falls pregnant, she and her spouse move away from the group temporarily, to bond alone. Temporarily for an elf here however, meant years.
It takes an elf fifty years to reach full physical maturity. Mentally,they mature faster than any of the other races though.
After we successfully convinced them, we set out. Because they were on foot, it took us a year to reach Fangorn Forest. Finally, the ancient boughs were in sight. We left in the year 1601 and returned in the year 1648.
We had managed to convince the elves to live inside the walls of the Fortress of Angrenost. Or Orthanc as it's also called. Of course before we head to the fortress, we must greet the Lord of the Forest.
The elves with us have never met any ents before. All they had was stories passed down the ages. It's understandable then that they are excited.
They've been amazed by the outside world. None of them have ever left the forest, other than to walk along the shore. They wept when we walked through fields of wildflowers.
It's the first time they've come across anything like it. It was almost like leading a bunch of children. During the day, we had them wearing hoods, so as not to draw any attention.
Draco and I had birds spy for us and see if the paths were clear. There were a couple of close calls, but we were able to hide in time. Nobody would believe afterall, that this was a passing merchant caravan, because of the lack of goods or pack animals.
As we passed towns and villages by, we bought horses. It would have looked suspicious otherwise, so Draco and I were only able to buy two at a time. We also only bought the finest horses. By the time we reached Fangorn, we were only able to purchase twelve.
As soon as we entered the forest I cast Expecto Patronum and had Prongs carry a message to Fangorn, both to inform him of our return and to tell him of the elves who are accompanying us.
Three hours after we've entered, a welcoming party approaches us. It's Quickbeam and a dozen of the human sized ents.
Draco and I greet them happily. The elves are looking in wonder at the forest and at the ents. Quickbeam, to their surprise, addresses them in Silvan.
They happily converse as all of us head deeper into the forest. After hours of walking, in a large clearing, are all the ents. From the smallest to the largest and at the head of the gathering is Fangorn.
He happily greets our party and welcomes the elves to his forest. Immediately after a celebration is thrown by the ents, which lasts for days.
During that time, we tell Fangorn of our travels, as well as the fact that the King of Gondor granted the valley next to the forest to Draco and I. We tell him that we'd like to fill the entire valley with trees.
He's greatly pleased by this and promises that he and the ents will help us. The next day, Draco and I set off for Orthanc. We tell the elves, we shall return in a week for them. They agree, and we set off.
As we look up at the fortress, from the gates, it takes our breath away. We haven't seen anything like this so far in our travels. The tower in the centre reaches five hundred feet or one fifty metres into the sky.
The next week is spent frantically preparing the place. Nobody has lived in the tower in over a century. Fortunately, getting rid of dust and the slightly stale air is easy to accomplish.
We're also happy to note that many of the trees inside the ringed walls are fruit bearing trees. Draco and I surmised that these elves wouldn't feel that comfortable living inside the tower, so we've come up with a novel solution.
From what we've read, elves in Middle Earth live in a number of different kinds of dwellings. Talan/Telain, flets in Westron, are platforms that are built up against the trees by various means.
Then there are the Mirkwood elves who live partially underground, the elves of Rivendell, who live in fine homes of wood and stone, and then what remains of the folk in the Mithlond who live in stone towers.
What we are doing now is using growth potions to greatly increase the size of oak trees to beyond their natural limits. It's fortunate that the oak here are already fully grown, it makes it easier.
Here are about a hundred oak trees, they are all about forty metres tall and thirty wide. After throwing five drops of growth potion on them, within five days, their dimensions double.
They are incredible. Slightly more than half the height of Orthanc, they dominate the landscape. We aren't done yet though. Using animation charms, we make the trees move their branches and connect to each other, forming bridges.
Next, we charm the interiors of the trees. We create stairs and bedrooms and furniture on the inside. We also create entrances at the base of each tree. The amazing thing is, the trees aren't harmed by this at all.
The end product is, homes that are alive. Infact, you'd have to look more than once to actually notice the trees are homes.
As a result of the incredible thickness of the trunks, the newly made forest inside the walls are very dense. Next, just to add dramatic flair, we coax wild flowers to grow on the trunks and branches of the trees.
The end result is very... elvish. When I say that to Draco, he casts a tickling charm on me.
That isn't the only change though. The other thing we did was a lot harder. We widened the pinnacle of Orthanc. Doubled it infact.
It now looks like the tower has a crown. We had to carve runes onto the base of the pinnacle, and use a hybrid of three charms. Engorgement, expansion and Geminio.
As we've said earlier, expansion charms on its own is not possible in Middle Earth. We also moved the stairs that lead up to the pinnacle. Instead of opening up at the centre, it opens up near the edge.
There's a reason for that. We have something else in mind for the centre. We create a depression in the pinnacle, in the very centre, and fill it with earth.
It was incredibly hard. We had to cast in unison, with the full force of our magic, to do it. The material this tower is made of is incredible. We've since realised, that because the pinnacle is so smooth, it's the weakest part of the tower.
Our Confringos had no effect on the tower, except to create a gong. After our painstaking work, we plant the blossom and Draco pours the growth potion on it.
We waited till night of the sixth day to do it. It quickly starts growing. Before it can finish growing though, we both touch it, with hand and staff and close our eyes thinking of our love for our new home.
Expecto Patronum we both say loudly. Silver light illuminates the entire fortress, then dies down after a couple of seconds.
We open our eyes. The tree is the same height as the one in Minas Arnor, with a silvery sheen. It's twice the height of a man and thus, the same height as the spikes on the pinnacle.
For a moment, nothing happens. Then it blooms, and light bursts from them, so bright, most of the valley is lit up. It's not quite all the blooms like the tree back in Gondor though.
Still, it's better this way. We both laugh, and as I see the light reflected in his eyes I kiss him deeply.
" I love you my dragon. I'm glad I could start this new life with you. " His eyes are soft. " I love you too. "
We stay up on the pinnacle for hours, him in my arms as we gaze out at our valley.
As we're about to head down though, movement near the gates catches our attention. After a moment, the silhouettes become visible. It's all of the elves.
Wonder is in their eyes. Draco and I move towards the edge and transform. We then fly towards the gates. Just out of sight of the elves we transform back.
They appear startled at our sudden appearance. " Eladar, Tuilalcaron, what is this marvel of a place? " So we explain the story of the White Tree.
As we talk, we lead them towards the giant oaks, who are clearly visible. As they see their new homes, they laugh and cry and dance around us.
After they have calmed down, Draco tells them the name of their new home. Caras i-Ngelaidh. City of the Trees in Westron.
The years go by after that and the elves settle in well. After being here for a year, Draco presents them with the potion. A year later, fifty new elflings are born.
We hold a large celebration with the ents also in attendance. The years following, true to his word, Fangorn and his people help us fill the valley with trees.
The valley is then given a name. Imlad Istari. The Valley of the Wizards. A fitting name Fangorn tells me.
Draco and I have gotten ansty though. Nine years since we've taken up residence, I use the Palantír of Orthanc for the first time.
I turn my gaze toward Mirkwood. It immediately becomes clear to me, that using this stone is easier than the one at Minas Ithil.
From my understanding, there's likely two reasons for this. One is distance. When I used the Ithil stone, I was looking thousands of miles to the west of Middle Earth.
The second reason, is ownership. The King, whether unintentionally or not, didn't make us the caretakers of Angrenost. He gave it to us, alongside this valley and everything in it.
The stone is this tower must have long since passes from the memory of the Kings of Gondor. Draco and I own this Palantír so it obeys our will.
It isn't supposed to be able to pierce shadow, but at my command it can. As long as my power is greater than the shadow's creator I'm assuming.
What that says about the Witch King, I'm not sure. Regardless, I only skim through Mirkwood. I need to find out exactly where the elves are.
It takes a moment, but I eventually find two elves standing guard before a bridge. I exhale. I do another cursory scan and frown.
Large spiders in significant numbers. None are the size of the monster above Minas Ithil but it's still troubling. Just as I'm about to stop, I see movement near the spiders.
The next thing I know, light flashes in bursts and the spiders start dying, pretty soon the survivors flee. I focus my will and take a closer look.
It's a man. An old man, wearing shabby brown robes. With a staff in hand. My eyebrows raise. So this is Aiwendel the Brown Wizard as Fangorn once told me.
Seems we'll have to pay him a visit as well. I cut the connection and relax my shoulders. I leave the room and set out to find Draco, to tell him what I saw.
Ten years to the day since we took up residence in the tower, we leave. Just the day earlier, Draco gave the elves another dose of the potion. When we return, we'll probably be neck deep in elflings. The thought makes me smile.
We leave our horses behind. Once again, we fly on Sirius and Regulus and head towards Mirkwood. We fly for eight hours at a time.
On the third day since leaving home, we land by the Gladden Fields. While the hippogriffs rested, Draco and I wandered around.
This marshland was where Isildur was killed. It's easy to see how someone can be caught up in an ambush here. The reeds are very tall.
We keep our guards up, casting revealing spells every so often. After an hour we split up. Here's something at the edge of our senses here, but we cannot perceive what it is.
I hear rustling in the bushes next to me. I don't hesitate. My staff strikes out. I hear a cry. I hesitate. It sounded like a man. Cautiously, I cast a non verbal shield spell and peer between the reeds.
It's...I'm not sure what it is. It looks like a man, but it's very short. I'd say it's a dwarf but it has the wrong build. It's cursing. I don't understand what it's saying.
I think it's a he, because he has a beard. It seems I only struck a glancing blow. Still, this is troubling, that he was able to sneak up on me. I see his little boat in the distance, fishing net strewn about.
I cautiously move backwards and silence my footfalls with a spell. I then rush towards our campsite. Draco isn't back yet so I pace.
After a while I coax the hippogriffs to stand. I no longer want to stay here. After waiting impatiently, Draco returns. A peculiar expression on his face.
Wordlessly, he raises his left hand. I gasp. I recognise it from a history tome in Osgilliath. It's the Elendilmir. A star shaped gem set in a fillet of mithril.
" I found it buried on the bank of the river further back, a revealing spell showed it to me. When we finally reach Artherdain, we should present it to the King there. "
I nod my head. I told him of my discovery. He looks surprised, but he agrees we should leave. We fly for half an hour then, and make camp in a field.
The next day, the beginning of a giant forest becomes visible in the distance. We don't fly nearer though. We'd already decided that we wouldn't fly over the forest.
We fed the hippogriffs a draught to give them extra vitality, thus we fly through the night, and the morning. A week after we left our valley, the Old Forest Road becomes visible.
Our mounts land, but we don't move any closer. We're about a mile away from the edge of the forest. The hippogriffs immediately rest after we dismount.
We go to sleep as well, after we've eaten. We cast protective enchantments around our camp though. Can't be too careful. We sleep right through to the next morning.
It's still dark. Draco makes us breakfast, while I go hunt some rabbits. I eventually catch a dozen, and after rousing the hippogriffs I feed them. Then we rest and wait for dawn.
We don't sleep though. As soon as the sun peeks over the horizon, we send our mounts back home. Then we make for the forest.
As soon as we enter, there's a faint feeling of malice. Not unlike the houses of dark families back home. It doesn't scare either of us though.
It seems the road is well maintained. Can only be the elves. We walk briskly. Neither of us wants to sleep out in the open here if we can avoid it.
To make sure nobody gets the wrong idea, neither of us wear our hoods. We walk for five hours in the forest, before breaking for lunch. Then we carry on.
It's three hours after that, when we feel eyes on us. They don't feel malicious, but they're not friendly either. We trade glances. We carry on walking. After a few minutes, a voice carries out in slightly accented Westron.
" Halt strangers. Don't go any further. " We stop and turn around. It seems like twenty elves surround us in the trees. The lead speaker has blonde hair. They're all pointing bows at us.
I speak then. " Is this the welcome the Elvenking gives his visitors? " They look shocked at me speaking. The blonde elf then looks at our staffs closely.
" Who are you two strangers and what are you doing here? " I glance slightly at Draco. He takes the hint. " I am Tuilalcaron and he is Eladar. We are wizards come to speak with Thranduil. "
They appear surprised. The blonde one, who is probably the leader replies then, " very well, follow us. But choose your words wisely. "
That said, were lead for three more hours in the forest and shadows have begun to creep. Draco and I light up our staffs and gasps are heard from the elves.
Soon we arrive at a bridge and cross it. Two guards are standing at the entrance. The blonde elf, who still hasn't introduced himself, quietly speaks to the guards.
They let us in and we're lead inside. Draco and I slow our walk and take everything in. It's beautiful. Carved stone in delicate bridges and arches, with plants growing here and there.
Eventually, we cross another narrow bridge and some stairs and then we see him. An elf with long blonde hair and a crown of twigs and berries, sits upon a throne of roots. The Elvenking Thranduil.
Draco and I bow our heads. Beside him, on a smaller chair, covered in vines and flowers is an elleth. An elf woman. She too has long blonde hair, it's done in elaborate braids.
Upon her neck is a necklace of mithril, studded with white diamonds that glitter and shine with faint white light in the gloom of the palace.
Thranduil speaks then. " Who are our guests Legolas. " So that's his name. " They are Tuilalcaron and Eladar father. Wizards they said. " The king arches an eyebrow.
" Wizards? I have only met one of your kind. A seemingly old man garbed in brown. He dwells on the edges of my kingdom. "
" We have nothing to do with Aiwendel the Brown, Elvenking. He and the other four elder wizards have their own purpose. "
" We are not in the business of words and counsel. We are beings of action. We are actually here with a proposition for you. We would like your aid with something, in exchange, we shall give you the greatest gift your people have ever had. "
I could see I had the attention of all three of them now. " Aid? What kind of aid and what gift is this? " Draco moved forward now. " A potion of my creation. One I tested on the elves who dwelled at the falas. A potion that will allow you to beget elflings as soon as it is drunk. "
" From my understanding, your people have suffered heavy losses over the millenia and you have not been able to replenish those numbers. "
" Tell me Elvenking, how many married couples are there in your kingdom? " They all have differing expressions. Thranduil looks sceptical, his wife looks hopeful and his son looks amazed.
" There are one thousand, seven hundred and eighty married pairs in this kingdom. " Draco nods his head. He then explains that after ingesting the potion, all the elleth will fall pregnant after consummation.
There's silence for a moment, then the queen stands and moves next to Thranduil. They two of them whisper rapidly to each other.
We wait. After a few minutes they finish and Thranduil speaks. " What is the price for this miracle of yours? " I speak then. " Your army. Or rather I should say, one thousand of them, to take part in the coalition we are forming to destroy Angmar. "
He looks like he's bitten into something sour. He doesn't refuse though. Yet. This must seem like it's all his dreams coming true.
" I require a few days to deliberate on the matter. Until that time, the two of you shall be our honoured guests. Legolas shall escort you to our guest quarters. I shall inform you when my decision is made. "
We incline our heads then and follow Legolas. He leads us through a number of passages. As we pass through, many elves watch us, murmuring.
Finally, we're lead to a suite of adjoining rooms. Legolas shows us in, but to our surprise, he doesn't leave. He steps in after us and closes the door.
" Is it really true? Can this potion of yours work such miracles? My people have long been in decline. " He looks painfully hopeful. If I had to guess, I'd say he's atleast a thousand years old.
In this moment however, he looks very young. Draco takes a step towards him. " Hope is a lovely thing is it not, Legolas. It is true. My potion does have such power. The former elves of the falas can attest to it. "
He leaves hurriedly then. No doubt to press his father. I smile at Draco, who returns it. Soon I muse, we'll have built a strong enough coalition.
Only three days later, Thranduil calls on us. We aren't in the throne room though. We appear to be in part of his private quarters. He, his queen, who I've come to learn is named Idril, as well as their son Legolas are here with us.
" I have decided to accept your offer. The granting of my soldiers will only happen once I have seen with my own eyes, that your potion works. "
We nod our heads. It's not an unreasonable request. Draco speaks then. " Very well then Elvenking. Let us move towards the throne room. I shall brew the potion and your wife shall be the first drinker. "
" Thereafter, all the married females must come forward to drink as well. " He gives the order to Legolas to summon all the mentioned women and we move on to the throne room.
The day blurs as excited elleth wait in line. It's surreal for me. It seems the elves too, realise what a novel experience this is. After everyone has had theirs, all that's left to do is wait.
We actually spend the next five years in Thranduil's realm. In that time, all the elleth have given birth, including Idril. Draco and I marveled at the change we saw in the Elvenking's personality.
His wife gave birth to twins. Two fair haired girls. Aredhel and Elanor were their names. Their parents and brother were overjoyed.
A massive revel was ordered by Thranduil, in celebration of all the new births. It was the first time Draco and I became drunk in Middle Earth.
Good things don't last forever though. Once the five years were up, we left. Strangely enough, we weren't alone. Legolas asked if he could accompany us for awhile.
He had long wished to see the world outside of the forest. His father had refused though. With Thranduil being so pleased lately though, Legolas took his chance and his father agreed.
Only on the condition that Legolas accompany us. We agreed. Having an elf with us who can vouch for us, will make things easier.
Before we left though, we gave Thranduil a silver hand mirror studded with pearls. Telling him to keep it at hand.
Our next stop was Lothlórien or Lórinand in Silvan. It was an elven realm ruled by Amroth. Luckily, we didn't have to walk. Legolas brought three of his people's horses with.
It took us two weeks to reach Lórien, and it became immediately apparent, that this forest was different. It was beautiful. The most beautiful forest we have seen in Middle Earth.
We travelled for a few hours under the boughs, when we were accosted by elves and brought before the King. We did not even get to make our offer though.
The King, a Sindarin elf, held a deep love for a Silvan elleth. Nimrodel. She held a deep distrust of strangers. She bade Amroth to send us on our way. To our astonishment, he did.
He wouldn't even hear Legolas out. It was frustrating, but we left. Our new destination however soon distracted Legolas. He was uncomfortable, but he insisted on still accompanying us.
We agreed beforehand that he'd leave the talking to us and not respond to any taunts if they were offered.
By horseback, it only took two hours since leaving the forest, to arrive at the East Gate of Khazad-dûm. There were eight guards standing by the gate.
As we came in sight, one of the dwarves rushed inside. Before long, we had reached the gates and then dismounted.
The lead dwarf bade us to stop and wait, while someone higher ranking was fetched. Eventually, an old dwarf in fine clothes appeared.
Nari, an advisor to King Durin V. After we had informed him that Draco and I were wizards and that Legolas was a prince, he allowed us to enter.
He agreed to take us to meet the King. He told us the horses wouldn't be able to enter the mine proper, but we informed him we had our ways.
That's when we came across a ridiculously narrow bridge. The dwarf looked amusedly at us. No doubt thinking us fools for doubting him.
He informed us it was called The Bridge of Khazad-dûm. It was built so narrow purposely, to stymie any attacking force. I lead my horse forward.
In full view of the dwarves, hundreds had gathered on the other side you see, I tapped my staff against the flank of my horse and it rose slight from the ground.
The horse whinnyed in discomfort and the dwarves gasped, but I slowly floated the spooked animal across. We then did the same to the other two horses.
Then Nari led the way over the bridge. He looked grudgingly respectful. We looked around in wonder though. The sheer scale of this place was ludicrous.
Nari puffed out his chest in pride. Saying this place was the Second Hall. There were four Halls on our level he said. In total there were ten levels. The lowest two being where they delved.
He said they were currently delving an eleventh level. Legolas fidgeted slightly then but he said nothing. In truth I was also uncomfortable at the idea of being so deep underground, but then again I wasn't a dwarf.
We were currently on the sixth level. We were being taken to the fifth level. That is where the throne room was. Once we got there, we were astonished. Even Legolas gasped.
It took up an entire Hall and the wealth displayed was staggering. The pillars were inlaid with mithril and globes of crystal hung from the ceiling.
It caught and reflected the light that were beamed into them from silver mirrors. Braziers made of black marble with a gold inlay lined the walls.
The fires in them lit up the entire Hall. Hundreds of dwarven warriors lined the entire path towards the throne. I wasn't sure if that was done purely for our sake, as intimidation or if it was always like that.
At the foot of the throne we bowed. King Durin V was a middle aged dwarf. Black hair with strands of grey in his beard and by his temples. He looked strong though.
His voice rang out then in accented Westron. " It has been centuries since we've had such noble guests in the home of my fathers. Who are you strangers? "
" I am Eladar the Red Wizard. My companions are Tuilalcaron the Green and Prince Legolas of the Woodland Realm. My fellow wizard and I are here to strike a bargain with you, Your Majesty. "
His eyebrows raise as he hears me speaking. " A bargain? What is it that you want ? " Despite myself, I'm slightly nervous. I hope he's not a fool like Amroth.
" Warriors King Durin. Two thousand dwarven warriors to join the coalition we're forming. A coalition to deal with Angmar. Once Angmar is dealt with, the orcs at Gundabad will stand alone. "
" In exchange for your help, we offer a potion. When imbibed, pregnancy is guaranteed. We offer enough potion for all married females dwarves of childbearing age. "
Gasps ring out in the Hall. Murmurs spread. The King looks astonished. I don't blame him. It must seem like it's too good to be true.
I preempt what I know he's going to to say. I motion Legolas forward and he then relays the story of the effectiveness of the potion and how his own mother birthed twins.
As it turns out, the dwarves themselves were in decline. Less children are being born to them and food was an issue. Because of the depredations of orcs, the humans who lived near the Misty Mountains were driven away.
They supplied the dwarves with the bulk of the variety in their food. In Khazad-dûm, the only thing that grows easily is mushrooms and a couple of herbs. Thus, despite their wealth, they have a poor diet.
It consists of mushrooms, either eaten as is, or dried and ground into flour, and breads and such are made from it. They haven't been able to procure real flour in over a century.
For meat they either eat their goats, the fish which are found in the lakes and streams around the mountains, or game that they manage to catch.
The King tells us, despite the fact that nothing, not even more mithril, would please them more than to have more dwarrows, they simply cannot support a large population.
He tells us that if we present a solution to both, he'd double the amount of soldiers we're requesting.
We tell him we need to think on it for a few days and he allows us to stay as his guests. We're then led to guest suites, which seem to have been hurriedly cleaned.
We clear out the stale air in the rooms by letting athelas soak in bowls of hot water. Legolas then holes himself up in his rooms.
The next few days, as we're shown around, Draco and I brainstorm a few ideas. It's actually not as hard to come up with a solution as the dwarves believe.
On the third day since arriving, I ask to speak to the King again. This time, I'm led to what seems to be council chambers. Draco left the mountain this morning, to procure what we need.
A dozen elderly dwarves are there besides Durin. We explain our idea then. To create hanging gardens. Tiers of stone that's filled with earth. Piping that carries fresh water for the crops.
They naturally must devise how that will be done. I don't doubt that the idea has occurred to them already over the millenia.
The problem they no doubt ran into though, is light. The light they can generate in this place is insufficient. I also doubt they'd be able to procure the massive quantities of glass needed to build greenhouses to feed tens of thousands.
That leaves us with Draco and my idea. Runes engraved in clusters of crystal. The crystals will ' steal ' for lack of a better word, the heat and light of fire.
After a period of ' charging ' they will be ready to be used. Massive quantities of crystal will be needed though. Fortunately that's one thing the dwarves don't lack.
That and space. They agree to empty an entire level for this. Once my idea is explained, the dwarven engineers immediately set to work.
It's not a fast process. Draco returns in two weeks with bags of seeds, but the dwarves are still in the planning stages of construction.
This whole undertaking has lit a fire in the dwarves. They've even stopped delving for mithril. The miners are being put on construction duty.
In the end, it takes three years for construction to be completed. During that time, Draco, Legolas and I explore the entire mountain. All three of us climb Durin's Stair and reach Durin's Tower at the top of Zirakzigil.
In the end it's decided an entire Hall will be used for wheat. Another is used for a dozen different vegetables. The third is used for various birds in pens and for a small breed of pig we've found living in the wilds.
The final Hall is where the massive fire pits and crystals are stored. It takes a week to ' fill ' the crystals and they last for about a week. The dwarves luckily have the equipment to handle hot things.
The fourth year that we're in Khazad-dûm, King Durin finally takes us up on the offer for the potion. We end up staying an additional six years.
Turns out, the potion is even more effective on dwarves than elves. Not a single new dwarrow was born in isolation. They all either came as twins or triplets.
It was chaos in the mountains. Draco found it all terribly amusing. The dwarf population almost doubled in a single birth cycle.
When we first arrived, here were about fifty thousand dwarves. Of that number, ten thousand were married females of childbearing years.
They gave birth a combined number of over twenty thousand. The King, true to his word, promised us four thousand of his troops.
He gave something else we weren't expecting though. We were each given a shirt of mithril, with a spare one for Thranduil.
Truly a kingly gift. Legolas's help was instrumental, for he taught the dwarves how to care for their new crops. Durin was so pleased, that his generosity knew no bounds.
Before we were shown out of the West Gate though, I gave him a replica of the mirror I gave the Elvenking. I explained that it's how I shall contact him.
As the Gate closes behind us, we all take deep breaths. It's now the year 1673 of the Third Age. I feel like time is running out. We therefore make haste to our new destination. Rivendell.