Hey guys! Sorry for this long wait, I had lost inspiration and by the time I found it, my computer had broken down. I had to take him to the computer breakdown. I am delighted to have been able to finish this chapter.
Thank you for everyone who has reviewed this fic.
I had planned a previous story that involved Klaus and Hayley in Middle-Earth, but the first chapter displeased me a lot and finally, I decided not to do it. Too complex and with my job taking all my energy, I don't have the strength to write a story that I can't write. So I'd rather focus on Hope and the Hobbit. And I'm so glad to be able to move on with my story.
Good reading.
Chapter 7: Rivendell
The Company began to follow the path. It quickly became rather narrow, allowing to move only in single file. Bombur found navigation in the rocky confines particularly uncomfortable. Hope looked up and saw that the path was actually more of a crack between two high cliffs. However, it was something else on the way that caught his attention. She felt a power that she had never known.
"Gandalf, what is this place?" she asked.
"You can feel it?" asked Gandalf, smiling.
Bilbo, standing near them, spoke in turn:
"Yes. Uh… It feels like… well, like magic."
"That's exactly what it is," the wizard went on. "A very powerful magic."
"Yes, it's very powerful," added Hope, who was taken aback. "I'd never felt such magic before. Even in the world I come from. I can't describe it."
"I feel it too," said Alaric, also shocked.
Whatever that powerful aura was, it made them feel safe.
"There's light ahead," said Dwalin.
The path led to a ridge where the Company stopped. A smile of wonder appeared on Hope's face as she saw it. In front of the Company lay a sparkling valley of golden sun surrounded by beautiful woods and waterfalls. A rainbow was clearly visible in the background. Yet the valley was not unoccupied. On the other side of a narrow stone bridge was a colony of magnificent wooden structures, the largest being a sumptuous house. Hope felt the same magical aura, at the same time a deep sense of peace and security. Even the sheer beauty of this place intrigued Alaric. He had never seen such a beautiful and peaceful place.
"Oh my God!" he murmured, moved and marvelled.
"Beautiful," added Hope, who was amazed and radiant. "What's this place?"
"The Valley of Imladris." replied the wizard joyfully. "In the common tongue, it's known by another name."
"Rivendell." added Bilbo, with a slight smile growing on his face.
"Here lies the Last Homely House, East of the sea." said Gandalf, always smiling, delighted to see the effect of the Valley on his new friends.
While Hope and Alaric were charmed by the great beauty of the Valley, Thorin showed a deep anger. Apparently, he was insensitive to the magical aura.
"This was your plan all along," he exclaimed to the old man as he approached him.
To their great displeasure, the acerbic tone of the Dwarf succeeded in drawing Hope and Alaric from the show that Rivendell offered them. Though smaller than the wizard, Thorin didn't hesitate to give him a furious look as he continued to speak with the same angry tone:
"To seek refuge with our enemy."
"You've got to be kidding!" replied Alaric, now annoyed. "What kind of enemy can there be in a place as beautiful as this?"
Even Hope was furious that Thorin was taking away the best feeling she had ever felt in her life.
"You have no enemies here, Thorin Oakenshield." replied Gandalf furiously to the leader of the Dwarves. "The only ill-will to be found in this valley is that which you bring yourself."
"And a lot of ill-will, if I may," Hope replied firmly.
But Thorin ignored the Tribrid and continued with the same acerbic tone:
"You think the Elves will give our quest their blessing? They will try to stop us."
"Of course, they will." replied Gandalf, agreeing with this argument. "But we have questions that need to be answered. If we are to be successful this will need to be handled with tact, and respect, and no small degree of charm, which is why you will leave the talking to me."
"I'm losing faith in you." Thorin replied in a grumpy tone. "First you bring with us a child who turns into a wolf, and now you send us to the Elves!"
"Hey!" said Hope, frustrated. "He didn't know about me. So don't blame him! And I'm not a child!"
"I wasn't talking to you, wolf-witch!" said the Dwarf King, who was always angry.
"Thorin, Hope helped us get rid of the Orcs and Wargs," Balin recalled. "She's one of us, just like Gandalf."
"Not for me!"
"That's enough," replied Gandalf firmly. "We have to go there so that we can get answers to our questions. Let me talk to them and everything will be fine."
"Hope and I are strangers," said Alaric, smiling. "We'll let you handle it."
Gandalf shared a friendly smile with the two visitors, then waved to the Company to follow him and led them on their way to Rivendell.
All followed the winding path that descended into the Valley. They crossed the narrow stone bridge leading to the main courtyard of Rivendell. In front of them was a large staircase where two heavily armed elves sentries stood guard. With the exception of Gandalf, no member of the Company had been to Rivendell before. Bilbo, Hope and Alaric looked around. The beauty of this place was breathtaking. The architecture of Rivendell included gardens, courtyards, sunny terraces and buildings that inspired wonder and pleasure. The whole place seemed to be suspended in an eternal state of tranquility. Hope wanted a place like this to exist in her world. She so wanted her parents to be able to admire the extraordinary beauty of Rivendell. Would her father have been so amazed by all this beautiful place?
Everyone felt at peace. Finally, with the exception of the Dwarves, due to tensions between the two races.
Thorin and the Dwarves stopped in a small circle at the end of the bridge. Gandalf looked around, seeming to be waiting for someone. Hope and Alaric stood by the magician, contemplating all the beauty of Rivendell.
"I might as well live here," Hope told her Headmaster.
"I don't think we are at the end of our surprises," replied Alaric, amused. "I wish Lizzie and Josie could see this."
"And Landon," replied the Tribrid, regretting that her boyfriend was not with her to share the extraordinary aura that this city had.
Soon after, they all noticed a black-haired male Elf coming down the stairs to greet them. With the exception of Gandalf, it was the first meeting of one of the Eldar's for the people of the Company. He was dressed in a purple dress and wore a silver tiara on his forehead. And long hair down to the shoulders. He looked very majestic. Hope's attention was focused on his thin, pointed ears, realizing that she was meeting Elves for the first time in her life.
"Mithrandir," greeted the Elf warmly the wizard, which made the two visitors understand that «Mithrandir» must be another name of Gandalf.
"Ah, Lindir," said the wizard kindly.
Lindir smiled and bowed respectfully towards Gandalf. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he spoke in a sweet language unknown to the Tribrid and her Headmaster. They assumed he had to speak elvish.
The elvish tongue sounded like a beautiful melody. Hope was very curious to learn more about the language.
Coming to the point, Gandalf then asked Lindir in a language that everyone could understand:
"I must speak with Lord Elrond."
The two visitors looked at each other with the same thought. This Lord Elrond was to be the master of the place and the person who could translate the runes of the Erebor map.
"My Lord Elrond is not here." replied Lindir, speaking for the first time in english.
"Not here? Where is he?" asked Gandalf, frowning.
It was then that they heard a melodious horn nearby, the same one they had heard while hiding in the cave, and they turned to see a cavalry riding towards them. Hope recognized them as the horsemen who had chased the Orcs when she was in her wolf form. The Elves wore bronze armor and helmets while wearing swords, spears, bows and banners.
However, the Dwarves were wary of the arrival of the Elves horsemen heading towards them.
"Ifridî bekâr!" ordered Thorin to his followers to prepare their weapons. "Close ranks!"
Hope and Alaric stayed close to Gandalf, feeling no hostility from any of the Elves, while the Dwarves instantly obeyed the order of their king. They formed into a tight defensive circle with weapons pointing outwards. Bilbo was caught off guard as Bofur dragged him into the circle to protect himself. The Dwarves cast resolute steel glances as the Elves mounted on their horses encircled them like a school of fish. The cavalry held its position while a rider separated from the main group and stopped in front of Gandalf. The Elf had long black hair and blue eyes possessing a wise and noble look. His face was ageless. Not young, not old. And unlike Lindir, his tiara was made of gold.
"Gandalf," he greeted the magician with a royal gaze.
"Lord Elrond," said Gandalf, respectfully greeting him.
Then the wizard began to speak in elvish:
"Mellonnen! Mo evínedh?" (My friend! Where have you been?)
Elrond replied in the same language:
"Farannem 'lamhoth i udul o charad." (We've been hunting a pack of Orcs that came up from the South.) "Dagannem rim na Iant Vedui." (We slew a number near the Hidden Pass.)
And he shared a brief, almost fraternal embrace with the Magician. Then he handed his sword to Lindir in a language that everyone could understand:
"Strange for orcs to come so close to our borders. Something or someone has drawn them near."
"Ah, that may have been us." replied Gandalf, amused.
"And even stranger, we saw a white wolf scare them away," replied Elrond with an enigmatic look. "In my long life, I had never met such a wolf."
At these words, Gandalf shared an amused look with Hope, who began to blush.
"It was also us," replied the wizard.
It was then that Elrond noticed Alaric and Hope and stared at them with curiosity. Gandalf then went on with pride:
"Lord Elrond, may I have the pleasure of introducing you to my newest friends. Hope Mikaelson. A young witch full of surprises. And Alaric Saltzman."
Hope blushed even more at the old man's compliment, while Alaric bowed respectfully.
A personal introduction from Gandalf was enough to convince Elrond that neither visitor posed a threat.
"Welcome to Rivendell, Hope Mikaelson," he said, taking the Tribrid's hand and kissing it in a rather courteous, formal and respectful manner.
After receiving the kiss, Hope began to blush again, embarrassed and moved. She wondered if it was Elrond's noble charm or the peaceful atmosphere of Rivendell that made her react like that.
"Uh… hello… thanks…" she stammered, feeling like the seven-year-old child she had been when she first met her dad.
Then Elrond greeted Alaric royally with a nod.
"Welcome to Rivendell, Alaric Saltzman."
"Thank you… my lord," replied Alaric gently to his host.
Then the Elf Lord noticed Thorin. He stared at his host with a hostile look.
"Welcome, Thorin, son of Thrain." said Elrond, greeting him from one leader to another.
"I do not believe we have met." replied the Dwarf King in a cold voice.
"You have your grandfather's bearing." continued Elrond, apparently not offended by Thorin's little politeness. "I knew Thror when he ruled Under the Mountain."
"Indeed? He made no mention of you." Thorin laughed unpleasantly.
For a few moments, Elrond looked at Thorin calmly and began to speak in elvish:
"Nartho i noer, toltho i viruvor. Boe i annam vann a nethail vin."*
When he was finished, Thorin's followers began to look at him with hostility.
"What is he saying?" grunted Gloin accusingly. "Does he offer us insult?"
The other Dwarves accepted warmly, wanting to defend the honor of their suzerain.
"No, Master Gloin," replied Gandalf gently, wanting to avoid a conflict. "He's offering you food."
Hope noticed that Elrond was not at all angry at the Dwarves' suspicions. Rather seemed somewhat amused.
The Dwarves quickly regrouped, mumbling among themselves. A few seconds later, they turn to Elrond while Gloin says, as if they had all understood the offer of the Elf Lord from the beginning:
"Well, in that case, lead on!"
The Dwarves began to follow the Elves. Stunned, Hope turned to Alaric, who shrugged his shoulders at the Dwarves' lack of politeness and respect. She understood that the Dwarves were not on good terms with the Elves, and this was well before the fall of Erebor.
"Other world," said Ric, shrugging his shoulders.
Elrond proved to the whole Company his reputation as a respectable host. The Dwarves had several separate bedrooms. Hope hadnot felt so "at home" since she jumped into Malivore. Her room was also spacious and wooden with ornate furniture and tapestries everywhere creating a peaceful atmosphere. She felt great comfort there. For her, Rivendell was Heaven. For the first time, her emotions didn't overwhelm her. It looks like she didn't need to turn into a wolf. She had never felt so good in her entire life.
After she received a new Elven wardrobe from Elrond, she took a bath in a very relaxing water. Finally, she could wash after spending several days in the company of the Dwarves. As she bathed in the relaxing waters of the bath, she envisioned Rivendell on Earth. She imagined with amusement the reactions of Lizzie and Josie to the quiet atmosphere of this place. She regretted that Landon was not with her at the moment.
When she had finished her bath, she took a blue Elven dress with long sleeves, which gave her a very luxurious feeling and brushed her hair with a pretty Elven comb. She left the room to join the others for dinner. Bilbo and most of the Dwarves were in an open courtyard, sitting around two rectangular tables. Elrond had insisted that he personally escort Gandalf, Thorin, Alaric and Hope to dinner as special guests. Hope was flattered, as she was to be the special guest of a majestic and noble Elf Lord.
She noticed that Alaric was leaving his room, dressed himself in a dark Elven dress.
"You look so fine," said Hope kindly.
"Thank you. So are you," he replied. "I find you much more ecstatic than before."
"Elrond welcomes us as special guests for dinner. Isn't that kind of exciting?"
"Yeah, yeah. But I don't think that's the only thing that makes you feel this way."
Hope breathed a soothing sigh before responding:
"This place has an effect on me. I feel fulfilled. In peace with myself. I've never felt that way before. It's amazing. Can you feel it?"
"I also feel a sense of peace that I had never felt before," said Alaric, smiling.
Then they were joined by Elrond, Gandalf, Lindir and Thorin. They noticed the new dress of the two visitors.
"I'm glad that the clothes we have provided are suitable for you," compliments Elrond.
"That's very kind of you," said Alaric, nodding his head.
"Don't hesitate to ask if you need more," added the Elf Lord.
"You gave us more than enough," Hope smiled.
Then she noticed that the Dwarves were not very satisfied with the dishes they were served. There was only salad and vegetables.
"However, you could bring meat to the Dwarves," she asked the Elf Lord seriously. "Unless you want them to starve."
Elrond and Gandalf had a laugh of understanding. It had been so long since Rivendell had received any Dwarf visitors that he had almost forgotten their eating habits. Lindir immediately went to the kitchen to solve the problem.
Gallant to the end, Elrond extended his arm to Hope, who took it without hesitation and headed towards the court.
"I regret that my daughter is not here," said Lord Elf. "I'm sure she'd get along with you."
"Where is she?" she asked out of curiosity.
"At her grandmother's,in Lothlorien," replied Elrond, walking.
"Kind of you to invite us." said Gandalf, following them behind. "Not really dressed for dinner."
"Well, you never are." replied Elrond, with amusement.
"You are perfect, Gandalf," replied the Tribrid, amicably.
"Thank you, Hope," said the wizard with gratitude.
A group of Elven musicians played a gentle and soothing melody while they ate. For the Dwarves, however, it sounded like the music played at a funeral. Oin, not loving the sound, stuffed a towel in his auditory trumpet, and was delighted to no longer be able to hear the music. The discomfort of the Dwarves was momentarily forgotten.
Elrond, Gandalf, Alaric, and Thorin waited until Hope sat down first before making them themselves. Unlike the Dwarves, the Tribrid found dinner much more pleasant. The others at his table began to eat, then Thorin passed his sword to Elrond.
The Elf Lord looked at her and immediately recognized her.
"This is Orcrist, the Goblin-cleaver. A famous blade forged by the High Elves of the West, my kin." (He gave the sword to Thorin.) "May it serve you well."
Thorin accepted the sword with a nod.
Elrond continued with the other swords found in the Trolls' den.
"And this is Glamdring, the Foehammer. Sword of the King of Gondolin." he exclaimed with astonishment before handing it over to Gandalf.
Then it was Hope and Alaric who handed their swords to Elrond, who examined them before returning them.
"These swords were also forged by my kin. They don't have names. You can name them as you see fit."
The two visitors resumed their swords with a look of gratitude to the Elf Lord.
"These were made for the Goblin Wars of the First Age." said Elrond, somewhat surprised. "How did you come by these?"
"We found them in a Troll-hoard on the Great East Road shortly before we were ambushed by Orcs." Gandalf replied.
"And what were you doing on the Great East Road?" asked the Elf Lord with curiosity.
Thorin glanced at the master of the elven places and replied bluntly:
"Before I answer that, I'd like to know more about these two." (He pointed to Hope and Alaric.) "Who they are, and why they are there."
"Thorin," the wizard rebuked him.
"No, it's fine, Gandalf," said Hope. "He's right. You deserve to know about me and where we came from."
Although she did not like the Dwarf King, Hope understood that she had to be honest about her. It might make it easier for her to get back into her world. And Elrond had been kind enough to offer them a place to bathe and eat. He deserved to know.
Elrond then looked at the two visitors with interest.
"Gandalf told me you're not from Middle-Earth. That you came from another world." (He looked at Hope with curiosity.) "I had never seen a witch so young. And apparently, you're more than that."
"You're right, my lord," replied Hope honestly.
Alaric cleared his throat before explaining:
"We come from a different world than yours with different supernatural creatures. Witches, among others. The most popular are vampires and werewolves. Do you have that kind of creature in Middle-Earth?"
Gandalf nodded:
"Long time ago, werewolves were fierce beings possessed by terrifying spirits, serving a powerful Dark Lord, formerly known as Sauron. This goes back thousands of years. After his fall, we never saw any more."
"And during this ancient period," added Elrond. "We also had vampires. They were bat-like creatures that served Sauron. There was especially a female vampire who was known as Thuringwethil, the Woman of the Secret Shadow. She was once Sauron's messenger. She could turn into a bat. She died a long time ago during the battle of Morgoth's fortress. What does that have to do with you?"
Hope seemed fascinated by these discoveries and hastened to reply:
"In our world, vampires are a race of supernatural and immortal beings created by my grandmother Esther who also created the spell of immortality. They feed on human or animal blood. To become one, they make their victims drink their blood, kill them, and then the victims come back turned into vampires after drinking human blood."
"Vampires also have superhuman strength," explains Alaric. "A superhuman speed. A superhuman agility. They also have the ability to turn off their emotions, such as joy, sadness, anger… Their senses are amplified. And they can also control the mind of a human being or erase memories. And their blood has a gift of regeneration."
Hope then went on to say:
"In our world, werewolves are a supernatural race that emerged five centuries before vampires. It's a curse cast by a witch named Inadu to punish the people who killed her. From this curse was born the Seven Werewolf Packs. Werewolves are people who turn into wolves from the full moon. A person can be a werewolf only if they were born to at least one werewolf parent. A hereditary gene. The werewolf curse is triggered by taking a human's life, intentionally or accidentally, in order to gain access to his enhanced physical abilities. They have a lot of pent-up anger in them. Sometimes they lose control and become violent, aggressive."
Thorin looked at the two visitors with astonishment, following these revelations, while Elrond and Gandalf were fascinated and curious.
The Elf Lord frowned and said:
"But then… that wolf I saw pushing back Orcs into the Hidden Pass…"
Hope swallowing before replying with an embarrassed smile:
"Lord Elrond, that wolf you saw was me."
Gandalf smiled friendly as he looked at Hope, while Elrond looked stunned.
"So you're a werewolf and a witch?" he asked.
"The blood that runs through my veins isn't human." said Hope after an inspiration. "My father was one of the earth's Original Vampires."
"Was?" asked Gandalf, frowning.
"Yes," replied she, with a sad voice signifying the death of her father, whom the wizared dared not ask. "Turns out even Immortal beings can find a way to die eventually. My father was Klaus Mikaelson: The Great Evil. He wasn't very popular in our world."
"Which doesn't seem to be your case," remarked Elrond. "I see no evil with you, Hope Mikaelson."
"Thanks," said Hope, with gratitude, before resuming. "My mother was a werewolf alpha. Someone good."
"Was again?" replied Gandalf, before bowing his head with compassion.
"The people I care about have a tendency to die on me." said Hope with a gloomy look. "I try not to get close to people anymore. Even if Mr. Saltzman wants to convince me to make friends. "
"Rejecting others is not the best way to be happy," Alaric says nicely.
"He's right, Hope," approved Gandalf with a sympathetic look. "It is hardly wise to be alone in the saddest times."
"I am very sorry for your losses, Hope," said Elrond, with kindness and gentleness. "May your family rest in peace with all the will of the Valar."
Hope didn't understand the term Valar, but assumed that they were ancient beings on Middle-Earth.
"My paternal grandmother was a powerful witch," she said. "Esther, the witch who turned my father and his siblings into vampires. So, all of those things passed down, making me a creature called a Tribrid."
"A Tribrid?" asked Thorin, stunned.
"A hybrid of three different creatures. Witch, Werewolf and Vampire. I'm all three at once. I unleashed my curse. Which makes me werewolf. Unlike others, I can transform at will. And I control when I turn. Which is what I was doing with the Orcs in the Hidden Pass. I'm the only one of my kind. I tend to get restless easily. If I don't train or let out my magic or shift, I could lose control of my magic. Though that usually only happens if something extremely emotional has happened, and I cant handle it. Mostly though, it just keeps me up at night sometimes until I tire myself. Right now, I'm just a witch and a werewolf. I'm missing the vampire side. If I die, my father's blood would turn me into a vampire. And I'll be the full Tribrid."
"A dangerous transformation," said Gandalf, with a wary look. "It could have disastrous consequences, given what you just said about yourself and your emotions."
"You have a gift that should not be taken lightly, Hope Mikaelson" said Elrond, with wisdom and distrust.
Thorin then added to Hope with a cold look:
"What you just said… first, I'm sorry for your parents. I lost my own. I know how you feel. However, what you said about you scares me a lot. But so far you have fought for my Company and protected my kin. (He looked at Alaric.) So have you. (He turned his attention to Hope.) So, whether you are this powerful Tribrid, you have given me no reason to doubt you so far. As long as you keep your darkest urges away from mine, I will trust you."
"Thank you," said Hope, surprised that Thorin accepted her into his company.
Elrond looked at her for a while, then turned to Alaric.
"What about you? What is your story? What about your connection to Hope?"
Alaric then recounted his former life before the supernatural. The disappearance of his first wife led him to want to kill the vampire Damon Salvatore who had ended up becoming his best friend. His meeting with Jo Laughlin who was to become his wife until she was stabbed by her twin brother Kai Parker. The birth of his daughters Lizzie and Josie. The creation of the The Salvatore Boarding School for supernatural creatures and for Hope after the death of her family. Then he finally tells how he and Hope ended up in the Shire.
"So you would have come here through a portal that opened up in your world and brought you to Middle-Earth?" asked Elrond, intrigued.
"That's right, Lord Elrond," replied Alaric with a respectful nod.
"Do you think you can help us?" asked Hope nicely.
"Not yet, I'm afraid," replied Lord Elfe, with a voice tinged with regret. "But I will help you as best I can."
"Thank you very much," replied Alaric.
Hope bowed her head royally with gratitude.
Elrond then turned his attention to the Dwarves eating at the other table, while discussing with Gandalf.
"Thirteen Dwarves, a Halfling and two visitors from another world… Hm. Strange traveling companions, Gandalf."
"These are the descendants of the house of Durin." replied the Magician. "They're noble, decent folk. And they're surprisingly cultured. They've got a deep love of the arts."
Alaric rebuked a laugh, remembering the arrival of the thirteen Dwarves in Bag End. According to him, cultured would not be the appropriate term to describe Thorin's companions.
A female Elf played the flute around the tables where the Dwarves ate. But the sweet music of the Elves hardly seemed to be to the liking of the Dwarves, when Nori said with a disapproving pout:
"Change the tune, why don't you? I feel like I'm at a funeral."
"Did somebody die?" asked Oin, always with his towel stuffed on his auditory trumpet.
"I heard Hope's parents died," Bofur said in a low voice. "That's what music is for. I say we cheer up our new friend. There's only one thing for it."
Immediately, the Dwarf stood on the table, unceremoniously, then began to dance and sing, interrupting the music of the Elves.
"There's an inn, there's an inn, there's a merry old inn
beneath an old grey hill,
And there they brew a beer so brown
That the Man in the Moon himself came down
one night to drink his fill."
Then the other Dwarves began to sing with him, while throwing all the food they had on hand in all directions, to the great stupor of the Elves and Gandalf. Alaric and Thorin were amused, then Hope got up from the table and went to join the Dwarves who were singing happily.
"The ostler has a tipsy cat
that plays a five-stringed fiddle;
And up and down he saws his bow
Now squeaking high, now purring low,
now sawing in the middle.
So the cat on the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,
a jig that would wake the dead:
He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune,
While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:
'It's after three!' he said."
Then they laughed and threw food everywhere. And to everyone's surprise, Hope began to laugh in turn, joining the Dwarves. She loved more and more the company of the Dwarves that made her smile.
Gandalf and Elrond noticed that Alaric was troubled.
"You seem surprised," remarked the Elf Lord.
Alaric nodded, nodding, with her eyes fixed on Hope, who was joyful, which was rare.
"This is the first time I've seen Hope laugh and have fun like that. She didn't do that until she came to your world. Her life has not been peaceful. She suffered the repercussions of her family's enemies. And when she lost her parents, she completely shut herself in. She's isolated herself from the others. Several times, I try to convince her to make friends. Right now, it's going pretty well. But she can be very stubborn at times."
Gandalf laughed and took a sip of his wine.
"She isn't the only one," he said jovially, thinking of the stubborn people he had already met.
"You're like a surrogate father to her," Elrond wisely added. "Right now, that's what she needs most."
"I don't know how to help her," said Alaric, always watching Tribrid play with the Dwarves.
"You are here for her," remarked Gandalf, with kindness. "That's more than enough. And I'm sure Hope is grateful. Even if she doesn't necessarily show it."
Even Thorin was moved by watching Hope laugh with his family and companions. He was upset when she mentioned the loss of her parents. Having lost his grandfather and father himself, he understood the girl's grief. Seeing her amuse himself, he had the impression of seeing a happy and innocent child rather than a terrifying creature similar to what she had just revealed about her.
Night fell on Rivendell. While most of the Dwarves had gone to bed, Thorin and Balin had gathered with Gandalf, Elrond, Bilbo, Hope and Alaric in a large room lit by the moon. Gandalf had decided that the time was right to ask Elrond for help in deciphering Erebor's map. But much to his anger, Thorin was not eager to accept the help of the Elf Lord. He didn't hide his refusal to cooperate, which had the ability to annoy the wizard.
"Our business is no concern of Elves." Thorin furiously grumbled.
"For goodness sake, Thorin!" exclaimed Gandalf, frustrated and annoyed. "Show him the map!"
"It is the legacy of my people." replied the Dwarf King categorically and insistently. "It is mine to protect, as are its secrets."
He was still convinced that the Elves would try to prevent him from taking back his Realm.
"Save me from the stubbornness of Dwarves." retorted Gandalf, at his wits' end, finding it difficult to remain calm. "Your pride will be your downfall. You stand in the presence of one of the few in Middle-Earth… who can read that map. Show it to Lord Elrond."
Seeing that the Wizard was about to become angry, Alaric hastened to intervene:
"Thorin, I don't think you can find anyone else who can read this map anytime soon. If Lord Elrond is able to translate it, you'd be stupid to refuse his help. Especially since he lets you know the location of the Hidden Valley. So he trusts you. In that case, trust him with the map."
"What guarantee do I have that he will not reveal the secrets of this map to others once we are gone?" asked Thorin always sinister.
"The same one he has for you not to reveal the secret path to this place," added Hope, wanting to support her Headmaster.
"Exactly," Alaric nodded.
Thorin found himself in conflict with the words of Hope and Alaric. Despite his differences with them, they had been with the Company from the beginning, and Hope had protected them in her wolf form, and even confided in her true nature. He felt he had to trust their judgments.
He finally gave in and handed the card to Elrond, who examined it.
"Erebor," he wondered in a neutral tone. "What is your interest in this map?"
The Dwarf King was about to respond, but it was Gandalf who spoke for him.
"It's mainly academic. As you know, this sort of artifact sometimes contains hidden text."
Elrond walked away looking at the map, while the wizard glanced at Thorin. Then he turned his attention to Elrond.
"You still read ancient Dwarvish, do you not?"
Elrond gazed at the moon that lit up the dark room and looked at the map again.
"Cirth Ithil."
"What do you say?" asked Hope, confused by the unknown language in her ears.
"Moon runes, of course," replied Gandalf, looking at Hope, Alaric and Bilbo. "An easy thing to miss."
"Well, in this case, that is true." replied Elrond. "Moon runes can only be read by the light of a moon… of the same shape and season as the day on which they were written."
"Can you read them?" asked Thorin, with little excitement.
Elrond nodded and took them all to an open area outside on the side of a cliff with waterfalls all around. They headed towards a large crystalline table.
"These runes were written on a Midsummer's Eve by the light of a crescent moon nearly two hundred years ago. It would seem you were meant to come to Rivendell. Fate is with you, Thorin Oakenshield. The same moon shines upon us tonight."
While Elrond placed the map on the stone table, the moon emerged from behind a cloud. The moonlight shone directly on the edge and bright white runes appeared at the bottom of the map.
Hope was stunned.
"Woh! Can you read what just appeared?"
"Absolutely, young Hope," replied Elrond, reading the runes. "Stand by the gray stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole."
"Durin's Day?" asked Bilbo.
"It is the start of the Dwarves' new year, when the last moon of autumn, and the first sun of winter appear in the sky together." replied Gandalf.
Thorin seemed quite alarmed. This news didn't please him at all.
"This is ill news. Summer is passing. Durin's Day will soon be upon us."
"We still have time." reassured Balin with confidence and hope.
"Time? For what?" asked Bilbo.
"To find the entrance," replied the old dwarf. "We have to be standing in exactly the right spot at exactly the right time. Then, and only then, can the door be opened."
Despite all their paranoia, Thorin and Balin had just revealed the purpose of the trip of the Company of Dwarves to Elrond who didn't hide his confirmation:
"So this is your purpose, to enter the mountain?"
"What of it?" exclaimed the Dwarf King in a gruff tone.
"There are some who would not deem it wise." replied Elrond gently, as if to convince Thorin of the danger of their quest.
He gave the card back to him, while Thorin put it dry on him.
"What do you mean?" asked Gandalf, in confusion.
"You are not the only guardian to stand watch over Middle-earth." said Elrond, speaking directly to Gandalf before taking leave.
Hope noticed the Wizard's troubled face and asked him:
"What did he mean?"
"Some old friends," replied Gandalf, uneasy. "The Wise of the Middle-Earth do not all have the same will or the same purpose."
A pack of Orcs had gathered at the top of Weathertop, with their Wargs all sitting nearby. The Orcs who had tried to drive out the Company were a detachment of this larger pack.
Yazneg and Fimbul then entered the ruins, looking around them, seeing with anguish the Wargs growling as a large white Warg growled towards Yazneg, which had advanced forward.
There was a large pale Orc behind this white Warg, facing outward.
Yazneg spoke to the Pale Orc in the black language of evil:
"The Dwarves, Master… we lost them."
The Wargs were growling around him, reinforcing his fear of being eaten by the great wolves. He continued, stammering:
"Ambushed by Elvish filth, we were…"
"I don't want excuses!" replied the Pale Orc in the same language, turning around.
Thus, the suspicions of Balin and Gandalf were well founded. Azog the Defiler was still alive.
His lost left forearm had been replaced by a metal claw, reminiscent of his humiliating defeat against Thorin Oakenshield.
For a long time, the Pale Orc was preparing its terrible revenge.
Oakenshield and his clan were too well protected in their refuge in the Blue Mountains. It was for this reason that Azog had waited for the Dwarf King to attempt to retake Mount Erebor to attack him. Outside the Mountains, Oakenshield and his Company were vulnerable. He would have personally killed Thorin Oakenshield with his hand, but his new Master, a superior power, had ordered him to lay low for the time being. That's why he sent Yazneg and his Orcs to capture those Dwarf-scum. And he was angry to learn of their failure.
With a menacing step, he approached Yazneg, caressing his monstrous white Warg, and replied harshly, Black Speech:
"I want the head of the Dwarf King!"
"We were outnumbered…" Yazneg with anguish. "And a girl attacked us…"
"A girl attacked you?" Azog laughed with anger and scepticism.
"She wasn't a girl like the others… She turned into a wolf… A white wolf, like I've never seen! She attacked our Wargs! She drove them away! She even killed a lot! Our archers couldn't touch her! That strange wolf was stronger than us! There was nothing we could do. I barely escaped with my life."
Azog was stunned to learn of the existence of this girl who had turned into a wolf who would be allied with Oakenshield. But this didn't ease his anger towards his subordinate.
"Far better you had paid with it." he coldly announced, caressing Yazneg's head.
Then he lifted him by the throat with his metal arm and threw him against the pillars on his side as the Wargs attacked Yazneg, devouring him.
The other Orcs watched with terror as Azog walked away.
With total indifference to this feast of giant wolves, Azog turned away from the Wargs, while speaking in Orc language.
"The Dwarf-scum will show themselves soon enough. Send out word, there is a price on their heads!"
The Orcs instantly jumped on the Wargs to execute Azog's order and escape his wrath. Fimbul swallowed nervously when told to wait. The Pale Orc had more in mind than killing him.
"Send a message to Dol Guldur," said Azog. "The Master must know that the Tribrid is in our world in the company of these Dwarf-scum. Go and tell him right now!"
And… there you go. Hope and Alaric met Elrond, and they revealed everything to their new friends. Everyone knows that Hope is a Tribrid.
*A little anecdote: when Elrond speaks elvish to the Dwarves, where Gloin thinks he's insulting them, the words he says are: "Light the fires, bring forth the wine. We must feed our guests." Source: The Hobbit An Unexpected Journey.
For the record, in the Tolkien universe, there were vampires. Tolkien presented them as bat-like creatures, but little is known about them. There was one who was a Maia woman with a human form who served Sauron. Moreover, Sauron had turned into a vampire during the travels of Beren and Luthien.
There have also been werewolves in Middle-Earth. Except they weren't presented as humans turning into wolves during a full moon. The information about them is very limited but one can assume that werewolves are a special breed of wolves, perhaps with human characteristics.
Nothing to do with the universe of TVD, TO or Legacies.
I hope everyone has enjoyed this chapter. See you soon for a new chapter.