I'm sorry that this section of the story is moving so slowly, Rivendell and Estel were harder to write than I had expected. I estimate that the next chapter will have the Company leaving Rivendell. The Ogham symbols come from: od/thecelticogham/ig/Ogham-Symbol-Gallery-/ the Rite of Apology was made up by me and doesn't come from Celtic culture.
My Sindarin Translations come from: .
Chapter 5
Bilbo was sitting with Elrond in his study enjoying a glass of fine Elven wine when a young boy, no more than twelve years old ran in and threw himself a Elrond, "Ion, you are home early," Elrond said smiling down at the dark-haired child.
"I missed you too much, Ada. Rhîn Galadriel said I could come home with her."
"Lady Galadriel is here?" Elrond asked.
"Uhuh, she said she's going to talk to Mithrandir," Estel looked up at Bilbo, "What are you?" He asked with the curiosity that only children could get away with.
"Estel!" Elrond reprimanded while Bilbo laughed.
"It's alright, my people don't leave our lands very often I am a Hobbit."
"Estel I would like for you to meet Uilliam Took-Baggins, My adoptive nephew. Bilbo, this is my ward, Estel."
"It is a pleasure to meet you Estel." Bilbo said inclining his head.
"It is nice to meet you also," Estel said, "Will you please tell me about your people?"
On their third night in Rivendell the Company was invited to dine with Lord Elrond. After everyone was seated Bilbo stood and walked to the high table, "I wish to complete the Apology Rite of my people to King Thorin," after a nod from Lord Elrond Bilbo stepped up to the Dwarven King, who was seated at Elrond's right hand, and threw himself at his feet. Bilbo rested his head on the floor between the King's feet, "As per tradition the first part of the Rite must be performed in my native tongue, but I will translate at the end. Is mian liom le leithscéal a ghabháil do chailliúint rialú de mo fearg, bhí sé mícheart de dom a chur faoi deara tú dochar fisiciúil nuair a ba chúis tú hamháin dom an dhochar mhothúchánach. In the Common Tongue this means: I want to apologize for losing control of my anger, it was wrong of me to cause you physical harm, when you only caused me emotional harm." Bilbo sat up when it became clear that King Thorin was not going to kick him away. Bilbo looked up at the stunned king and smiled, "As per tradition I have crafted five Soithí, Vessels to represent our conflict and its resolution, you as the wronged party may choose to either accept or reject each individual Soitheach, Vessel. I have chosen to craft the Soithí in the form of beads, as they are small and will not take up much room. First I present a Spindle Wood Bead inscribed with the Ogham symbol Oir, which stands for the Family Honour which was insulted and began our conflict." Bilbo held out the bead and waited for King Thorin to take it.
Once Thorin had taken the bead there was utter silence. After about thirty seconds Gandalf leant over and whispered to King Thorin, "A verbal acceptance is required, otherwise it will be considered that you rejected the bead and its meaning."
There was a soft, "Oh!" from King Thorin and then he said, "I accept this bead and its meaning in the spirit it was given."
Bilbo felt the muscles in his shoulders relax and smiled, "Next I present to you an Elder Soitheach-Bead inscribed with Ruis representing the awareness that comes with experience, to show that I have learned from our conflict."
King Thorin took the Bead from Bilbo's out stretched hand and examined it, "I accept this Bead and its meaning and wish to say that I have also learned from our conflict."
Bilbo nodded and continued with the Rite, presenting two more Beads (Birch with the symbol Beith for new beginnings and Aspen with Eabhadh for conflict resolution and justice.) before presenting the final bead made of Pine inscribed with Iphin for alleviation of guilt. When the Rite was complete dinner was served and Bilbo returned to his seat between Ori and Estel, who had token a shine to Bilbo and the dwarves. Ori started asking questions immediately, "Aunty Bilbo, what was that all about?"
Bilbo noticed that Ori had his journal out and had been taking notes of the Rite, "That was the Apology Rite, sometimes it is called the Rite of Apology. We only perform it when a simple 'I'm sorry' is insufficient."
"But why did you use it on King Thorin?" Estel asked.
Bilbo noticed that all of the Dwarves, including King Thorin, were listening in, "I used it because I hit King Thorin when I had no just cause."
Young Estel looked very confused, "Why?" He asked.
"Aye I'd like to know that too." Bofur said from across from Bilbo.
Bilbo sighed, "King Thorin implied that I was making my way through the whole Company using each for my own pleasure without regard for everyone's feelings. This was a grave insult to me and my family and I lost my temper and bopped him on the nose."
"Oh," Young Estel said and continued to eat his dinner, "he was probably jealous you weren't sleeping with him."
At the High Table the Dwarven King choked on his drink and Elrond looked torn between laughing and reprimanding Estel.
"William, you will be late!" Bungo Baggins called as he knocked on his son's bathroom door.
"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Bilbo called back. It was his first day of Secondary School and Bilbo was very excited but also very nervous, he was going from being in the top grade into the bottom grade. Bilbo dashed out of the bathroom and grabbed his bag. Bilbo kissed his parents good bye and took some toast to eat on the way.
Bilbo made his way to the Town Hall which concealed the local entrance to Cheilt Ar Shiúl, he meet his Deartháir-Col Ceathrar Sigismond Took, who was only a month or so younger that Bilbo.
"William! I though you weren't coming!" Sigismond said when he saw Bilbo running up to him.
"I'm here, let's go, we don't want to be late."
The two young Hobbits entered the Town Hall and took the two minute elevator ride down to the Hobbiton Transport Station, where they waited with all the other school age children. When the train came all the Hobbits rushed forward to get a seat, Sigismond and Bilbo found seats with all the other thirteen year olds. The train sped along the track at three hundred miles per hour, everything outside the window was a great blur, it didn't take very long for that train to arrive at the station near the school Bilbo and Sigismond stuck close to each other whenever they had the same class, though Sigismond was in a different level in maths and economics than Bilbo.
NOTE: Sigismond Took is a real Hobbit and was the son of Hildibrand Took. The Mother is not mentioned. Hildibrand Took was Belladonna's older brother by three years. This information came from: /wiki/Took_Family
Translations:
Sindarin:
Ion= 1. son 2. by ext., scion, male descendant
Ada= father, daddy
Rhîn= rîn I *S. [rˈiːn] (rhîn N., rhien N.) n. and adj. 1. crowned 2. as a noun, by ext., crowned lady, queen
Green Tongue:
Is mian liom le leithscéal a ghabháil do chailliúint rialú de mo fearg, bhí sé mícheart de dom a chur faoi deara tú dochar fisiciúil nuair a ba chúis tú hamháin dom an dhochar mhothúchánach=I want to apologize for losing control of my anger, it was wrong of me to cause you physical harm, when you only caused me emotional harm
Soithí=Vessels
Soitheach=Vessel
Cheilt Ar Shiúl=Hide Away
Deartháir-Col Ceathrar=Brother-Cousin