Chapter 14: To Rivendell

Gandalf opened his eyes and looked around. It was night and his head still hurt from his run-in with the ceiling. Shakily getting to his knees, he looked around. The top of Orthanc was nearly one hundred stories high. Looking over the top of the Tower, he gazed down at the fires below…

What is she planning this time? Gandalf asked himself. He looked around and a moth flew by him. Taking it gently in his hands, Gandalf instructed it to go to the Eagles. Once the moth was out of sight, Gandalf laid his head back and closed his eyes, trying to douse the head ache.

He had worse…obviously…but his head kept pounding. Suddenly, he cried out, feeling ages old pain break out on his scar. Forcing his eyes open, he saw the Eye.

"So…You know about Malfoy being my puppet," A booming voice said within Harry's head. "I wondered if we could have a chat like the old days."

"I have nothing to talk to you about, Hermione," Gandalf said, clutching his scar. Damn, I forgot how much it hurt!

"Painful, isn't it?" Sauron asked. "That is how I feel every day now in these accursed flames."

"You didn't have to condemn yourself to any of this, Hermione."

"I saw an alternate choice the day my body was destroyed, Harry. I could have married you. I could have remained in the light of the world. But I remind myself daily now that if I didn't become evil, than I would probably be weaker than I really am." She paused, her gaze never leaving Gandalf.

"Ron's dead, isn't he," she said, sounding a little sad. "Believe it or not, but you and Ron were my dearest friends, Harry. How long has he been dead?"

"Nearly three hundred years. Elrond was devastated. He valued his father dearly."

"Ron was a good man. A fool; but an honest fool." Sauron said.

Gandalf nodded his head, knowing that she spoke the truth for once.

"Remember when you and Ron were fighting because he was jealous of you? HA! The two of you were acting like Lavender and Pavarti!"

Gandalf's mouth dropped. "We were not! The time I act like Pavarti or Lavender will be when hell freezes over!"

"Believe me, Harry; hell has been frozen for the last four hundred centuries since then. Of course, you made up, but the two of you were acting like girls," Sauron taunted.

Gandalf glared angrily at Sauron as she turned her gaze elsewhere. Gandalf lowered his hand from his forehead and stared at the red liquid on his hand. The scar had reopened and now bled openly.

The hidden door to the ceiling opened and Saruman entered and set Gandalf's staff aside.

Moments later, Gandalf was given a choice, as he floated at the edge of the Tower. Join Sauron or die.

"There is only one Lord of the Ring, Malfoy," Gandalf said, looking towards the sky. Wow…those Eagles are getting faster every day…either that or they were coming this way when they ran into that moth…

"And she does not share power," Gandalf concluded, grabbing his staff and jumping off the tower. An eagle dived and he nearly knocked it out of the air as he landed on its back. (AN: You'd think he'd be used to no brooms by now, but no.)

After apologizing to the Eagle, he went swiftly to Rivendell.

"Gandalf!" Elrond greeted, his sons and daughter close behind him. "What happened? You were to meet the Halflings in Bree, weren't you?"

"Saruman has been shanghaied by the Dark Lord," Gandalf explained. "He held me hostage in Orthanc. Where is Frodo?"

"Resting now. Aragorn was able to lead him far enough, but after that; Arwen brought him here where his company met up with him here. For now, he is resting. But he might not be for long."

"What happened to Frodo?"

"Stabbed by a Morgul Blade," Aragorn explained, coming up to them. Gandalf smiled at the half elf and let him lead him to Frodo.

Gandalf sat by the young Hobbit's side with Sam. "You really haven't left his side, have you, Sam?"

"Just doing what you told me to do, Mr. Gandalf," Sam said solemnly. "The Elves did all they could for him."

"Sam," Gandalf said. Sam looked at him. "Who else is here?"

"Merry and Pippin, Sir."

"Have you spoken to them since you arrived here?"

"Only when they came to check up on Mr. Frodo, Sir."

"How long has he been out?"

"A few hours, since yesterday. It's October twenty-fourth now," Sam answered.

Gandalf smiled and laid a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Go get some fresh air, Sam. Frodo will be alright," Gandalf said. Sam went reluctantly and Gandalf waited an hour, reading through the old texts in the room. Finally, Frodo stirred.

"Where am I?"

Gandalf sat next to him again, "The House of Elrond. On October the twenty-fourth, if you want to know."

Frodo opened his eyes and stared at Gandalf as if he strayed in a dream. "Gandalf," he said, dazed.

"Yes, I am here. And you're lucky to be here too. A few more hours and you would have been beyond the aid of the Elves."

Frodo nodded and looked around, then back at Gandalf. "Why didn't you meet with use, Gandalf?"

Gandalf's smile faltered. "I am sorry, Frodo. I was delayed." He explained his capture in Orthanc and then fell silent. The doors opened and Frodo was glomped (AN: if you do not know what that means…I will for sure pity you.) by Sam. "Ah yes, Sam hasn't left your side. That is true loyalty." Gandalf smiled at the Hobbits and stood. "Now if you excuse me, I have matters to attend to with Elrond."

Gandalf let the Hobbits pass him as he headed out the door. Climbing the stairs, Gandalf met up with Elrond on the balcony. Elrond was watching the Hobbits reunite with solemn content.

"So, the Ring? What do you want to do with it, Elrond?"

Elrond looked at Gandalf and shook his head. "With Saruman against us, we cannot face both Mordor and Isengard. It would just be too much. We don't have that kind of military, Gandalf."

"I don't know what else to do, Elrond. I can't send Frodo to face her alone."

"Yet the Halfling showed amazing resilience to the Ring's power as it is."

"We can ask no more of him, Elrond."

"I am not suggesting we do. All I am saying is that the Ring cannot stay here, Harry," Elrond said. Gandalf smiled at him.

"I thought you didn't know my former name."

"Like I made it seem like I didn't know my father's," Elrond said, a knowing smile on his lips. "But I did take the liberty of sending for a member of each race."