It takes some days for the hobbit to recover enough for him to find the strength to open his eyes. And within these days, others arrived; three more Hobbits and with them a man of great decent.
As the first hobbit's strength grows, they reunite with their former companion and are able to enjoy the riches the Last Homely Home holds. For a moment, they are able to forget the fears they encountered on their way to this peaceful settlement. They were left unaware of the plans that were made by their host.
"They should arrive any day now." Lord Elrond speaks, his voice echoing through his study.
Ithilae scowls. She made it clear before that she did not entertain positive feelings of summoning a company that will be present for a council, one to discuss the faith of the One Ring. Strategically speaking, the less people know of it, the better. But the Elf Lord and Gandalf insisted that the other peoples of Middle-Earth have just as much say on its future as them. It is safe to say that she was outnumbered.
"I shall pass this by Frodo once they have. He shall be present." Gandalf states, puffing on his pipe in leisure. His eyes however betray that he is deep in thought, plotting the future.
"I still feel like you should take it off of him, before he grows too attached to it, or it to him." Ithilae huffs, gazing outside with narrowed eyes.
"And leave it where? Will you carry it?" Gandalf nearly scoffs.
Ithilae bristles at the suggestion. "It might be your best bet! It is not fair to the youngling to subject him to such a burden for so long. You know it will try to destroy him!" she counters rather haughtily.
Gandalf sighs and pauses his smoking, his face placid for a moment. He does feel guilty to have Frodo carry the ring, for every second of it, but it is unwise to let it pass through more hands before they reach a decision. And besides…. "He is remarkably resilient, you might not prove to be." he tells Ithilae.
She scrunches up her nose, readying herself to rebuke his words, but is cut off by another voice hissing through the air: "Dár. (Stop.) Do not be arrogant child." speaks the one appearing next to her out of thin air.
Ithilae glares at the white translucent figure, but stays silent. "If you were to carry that ring, he would finds us, and use us. We have managed to elude him for this long, do not let the effort go to waste." he continues before turning to the other two present in the room.
"We will do whatever is necessary. Whatever will be decided on in the council, we will see it through. Hopefully, it will give the both of us the peace we need." he vows.
Lord Elrond nods in appreciation. "Hannon Ile. (Thank you.) We hope for the same result Celebrimbor."
"All I hope for is the Dark Lord's end; he who summoned you to return from the dead and cursed my very existence, grandfather." Ithilae mutters darkly, eyes on the elf that is has been caught between the death and living for many ages. He has been left a Wraith.
Celebrimbor narrows his eyes at the woman. Her snide words make him feel unwanted, but that is nothing new to him, but the sting of them is ever present. Despite that, he too craves for the end of the Dark Lord. Revenge has long been on his mind.
After a moment of tense glaring, Ithilae steps away from the window and makes for the door. "Where are you planning on going?" her grandfather asks her, recognizing the brisk stride of the elleth.
"Hunting!" she states. "Do not worry, we will return on time." she spits as an after thought, making the Elven Wraith sigh in distain before disappearing. He knows when it is useful to argue and when it isn't.
Ithilae returns to her room and takes on her gear, ready to find a prey and release some of her frustration. She will not spend her anger on some poor animal though. She plans to find some unfortunate Orcs.
"Randir!" (Wanderer!) she calls once outside, making a pale palomino steed raise his head in the distance before he come trotting towards his master obediently. He has already been saddled as she requested him to be readied before meeting with Lord Elrond and Gandalf.
"Come friend. Let us spend our day on the planes and empty our heads while relieving the enemy of theirs." she tells the beast as she mounts him before spurring him into a quick gallop, steering him out of Imladris, her platinum blonde hair whipping behind her.
Not long after, a few Orc scouts dash across the planes as if death is chasing them. It very well might be so.
Ithilae halts her horse on top of a slope, watching them run for a moment before slinging her bow off her shoulder and whipping out an arrow. She knocks it before taking aim. The string of her bow creaks in protest as she pulls it back, resting her hand by her jaw.
Releasing the tension in her fingers, the first arrow is send flying, effectively piercing the base of the neck of one of the Orcs, making it keel over, dead. It spurs its comrades to run harder.
Ithilae repeats the motion twice before all three of them lie for the crows to pick them clean. She nods satisfied, seeing the distance her arrows flew. "Might be a new record Randir." she tells the horse who snorts in reply before swiveling his ears back when a sound catching his attention.
Ithilae looks back to see a group of unknown Elves ride in the direction of Imladris about a mile away. She is quick to deduct that they must be here for the council. She looks away uncaringly as they pass by her, some glancing her way.
The council… Why must they go trough such politics? Her mind goes back to the discussion she had earlier with the Elven Lord and wizard.
She didn't really mean it when she suggested she'd take the ring and take care of it herself. That was just her temper speaking. To be honest, she's not sure if she could do it.
Celebrimbor is right; it will draw attention to them that she'd rather not have on them. Once found out by Sauron, working her way to Mordor would be like swimming upstream in a rapid river while boulders and tree logs are being carried along with it. She would be washed away most probably.
She wishes she could go and destroy it, she wants it to be destroyed so badly, but at the same time, that tiny magical piece of jewelry scares her beyond anything. And not just her; her grandfather as well. It is partly responsibly for the death of his beloved wife and he told her he does not wish for his family to be subjected to the wrath of Sauron any more, numerous times. Hence the hiding from his prying eye.
Ithilae herself is more afraid of it getting a hold of her mind and drive her to madness. She's already not the most mentally stable due to having to share her mind with someone else who has the cunning ability to butt in on her life at any time of the day, let alone have an inanimate object messing around with her mind as well…
Maybe… maybe this council will produce a solution. Perhaps she should see what comes of it after all. What other choice does she have?
Ithilae roams the plains until dusk, watching people come and go in the distance on occasion, before she returns to Imladris in a leisure pace.
She places her horse in the stables for the night, making sure he is comfortable before starting on her way to her room. She is slightly startled however when a small figure runs right into her.
She blinks down at the familiar dark haired hobbit curiously. Hobbit's feet are surprisingly silent despite their size. She never heard him coming.
"Oh, my apologies my lady." he quickly says, blushing in embarrassment.
"Don't mind it." she finally tells him after staring at him a bit longer, making him visibly uncomfortable.
His eyes widen slightly and his mouth opens and closes a few times before he stammers, "Your voice… Have we met before my lady?" he questions, recognizing it from somewhere.
Ithilae knows of what he speaks. He must have been more aware while he was sick than she thought.
"No, we have not. Not formally." she reveals plainly.
He surprises her when he suddenly smiles. "You were there, when I was sick! I felt your hand on my head…" he says before blushing slightly at his own forwardness. "It…it was quite soothing. Thank you." he finishes, his voice lowering to a near whisper, his eyes on the ground.
Ithilae looks down upon him for a moment longer, not sure how to react. "Hmm." she finally hums before turning and walking past him.
She glances back at him as she notices him following behind her silently. He startles as he finds her gaze on him. "S-sorry. I've gotten a bit lost." he excuses. He hopes that if he follows after her, he will find someplace more familiar.
Ithilae lets him follow her for a bit longer before coming to a halt. "I believe your friends are in that hall." she tells him, pointing towards an entrance from which she hears voices.
Frodo looks where she is pointing before turning back to the elleth who has already started to part from him. "Thank you again!" he calls after her before rushing towards the hall and indeed finding his companions gathered there.
As he joins them, he can't help but think back on the woman. There is just something about her. She may act indifferent, but he can tell that she is feeling far from it. Her tone when she first spoke to him while caring for him told him so. He wonders if they will meet again. Next time, he will be sure to ask for her name.
