Reviews
B127
I'm glad
Ranmaleopard
I will carry on.
Shadowpawzzz
You're welcome.
NazgulBelserion
Hermione will need to be more ruthless when she returns home.
Team Builder.
Part 21
Rivendell. Eriador.
Destroying the One Ring had not been enough to allow Hermione and I to leave this world despite how it changed the timeline and altered the fates of many people. Even if they might never know it.
Not that surprising considering that my mission was to establish a significant presence within this world, to put myself into a position where I had a lot of influence over its people.
Due to the secrecy involved in claiming and then destroying the One Ring very few people knew about me and even fewer knew the One Ring was anything more than a legend.
Only a handful of elves and the wizards knew that it had been destroyed when Mount Doom went off or that what was left of Sauron's kingdom got destroyed along with it since people tended to avoid going near Mordor.
Although I imagined the people of Gondor might have already realised that something major had down since their cities were close to Mount Doom.
I'd realised that Gondor could be for a harsh winter if enough ash got into the air and began blocking out the sun, but they'd survive and the future would get better for them I felt sure since they didn't have a dark lord as a neighbour.
Staying here wasn't a bad thing as while I was eager to gain more points to spend so as to increase my power there was still much I could do while here in Middle Earth.
Knowledge to acquire and skills to practice. I had plans to set myself up as the man who shaped the future of this world even if few people who ever understand just how much influence I'd had over them.
Slaying Smaug would be different. People would know about it. I'd become a famed dragon slayer, a hero, folks would sing songs about me and maybe raise a few statues in Dale and within the Lonely Moutain to honour me.
Until then I would keep my head down and focus on crafting some great works.
Thanks to the use of portkeys it hadn't taken long for us to return to the home of Lord Elrond and when we returned I saw that without the power of the Rings the elves were already having trouble holding back the ravages of time. Summer was ending and as the Starks were known to say 'Winter Is Coming'.
If I wasn't able to forge new Rings of Power the elves here would either have to sail across the sea to join the Valar or radically change their lifestyles.
The elves who lived in the Greenwood had no Ring of Power to shield them, but they were different from the elves who lived under the command of Elrond and Galadriel. I'd be unhappy if they become more like the Woodland elves.
I suspected that Galadriel, who must have given a lot in the fight against Sauron if she was unable to go to Mount Doom with us to see to the One Ring's destruction, would also be suffering due to the loss of her ring.
While I'd not noticed it at the time, looking back it became clear to me that she had been tired. Yet despite my concerns for the two elven leaders, the creation of new Rings of Power could not be rushed.
I didn't even have the knowledge I required to make them. Even if I had I lacked the right materials or the proper equipment for the forging.
To help with that Gandalf had gone to the capital of Gondor, a city that has its own vast library containing lore that the Gondorians had amassed themselves during better times, along with what they had learned from other races over the centuries.
He had promised to copy what he could and join us later. Hermione had thoughtfully provided him with a portkey that should bring him to the road we'd first used to enter Rivendell when he was done in Gondor.
Saruman was hopefully doing the same with the books he kept in his tower. I'd recalled hearing a theory about him working on his own Ring of Power, but I'd not gotten into the lore enough to know for sure.
What mattered was that if he had been working towards that goal then he must have acquired a lot of knowledge on the subject. This knowledge he would hopefully share.
If that knowledge was combined with the help of my mentor in crafting Dammion, who had studied under Celebrimbor, then I felt confident that we could recreate Celebrimbor's greatest works. Since we were recreating it shouldn't take too long.
"I've finished!" called out Hermione.
Currently, I was in my outdoors forge/workshop that the elves had kindly provided me so that Dammion could teach me the practical skills he wished to pass on.
Not long ago I'd finished creating two mirrors and then let the elf smiths create fancy frames for them before Hermione did her enchanting work.
Despite providing transmuted materials for the frames myself, the elves had still taken days to finish them when they didn't need to be that fancy at all.
The mirrors had a practical purpose, although in part I had created the mirrors to test my growing skills as a craftsman. Glass is actually quite hard to produce when you're not working within an industrialized society.
"Good work" I praised.
The mirrors were important for another reason. They were a combination of elvish crafting methods and wand magic.
Not that the elves called it magic, and what mattered was that I'd imbued a sense of permanency into the mirrors so that they shouldn't lose their lustre over time or even require much polishing.
We'd made them in part to see if the different kinds of magic could work together and hopefully, they would, and we had created something beautiful as well as very useful.
Hermione's part had been to place certain charms on the mirrors that could only be successfully cast by witches and wizards with some skill in charms. A witch who'd not even completed her Hogwarts education should have found it much more work than Hermione did.
"Will you now explain the point of these mirrors?" requested Dammion.
I'd wanted it to be a surprise.
"Hermione," I said to the mirror near me.
Suddenly her face appeared in the mirror as if she was looking through a window at us when she was in fact out of sight while remaining within range of my hearing.
Since she wasn't that far away when she spoke I heard her voice both close up and in the distance. It was not a comfortable experience.
"Hold on. I'll move further away," Hermione said as moved into a different part of Rivendell.
My crafting tutor being a clever elf quickly realised what was going on.
"You've created something akin to the palantír" he whispered in awe.
A palantíri is one of several supposedly indestructible crystal balls that play an important role in Tolkien's world. The word comes from Quenya (the elf langue) it is a combination of palan 'far', and tir 'watch over'.
In times past the palantírs were used for communication and to see events in other parts of Arda, and even allowed glimpses into the past if the lore was correct.
The palantírs were made by the Elves of Valinor back in the First Age. By what the locals considered modern times, the end of the Third Age, a few palantírs remained in existence.
They are used by Sauron, Saruman, Denethor the Steward of Gondor, and two members of the Fellowship of the Ring, Aragorn and Pippin.
They weren't like the crystal balls used by Seers in Hermione's world. You couldn't just stare into them and be granted a vision. It took great strength of will and focus to make use of a palantíri.
Also, the stones were somewhat unreliable since you might not be able to tell if an event you are witnessing is the past or the present and if you don't see enough you might get enough context to understand what you are seeing.
This could lead to someone taking a poor course of action because they misunderstood what the crystal showed them.
For example, you might see what you think is the murder of someone you care about when actually they could have just been two people rehearsing a play. Imagine avenging that murder only to find out it was all just a performance.
Another risk was that users with sufficient willpower could choose what to show and what to conceal from someone using another of the Seeing Stones.
By this point in the timeline, one of the palantír had fallen into Sauron's hand making the usefulness of all other existing stones questionable.
Given that Sauron was gone the remaining Seeing Stones should be safer to use, but Saruman had one and he could turn evil, as such while I was interested in making my own palantíri one day, for now, we would be better off making use of a different kind of magical item.
"Not exactly," I said before addressing the image of the witch "Hermione would you explain how these mirrors work".
She got on that right away.
"This is a two-way mirror," she told Dammion "I've got the other one of the pair and they are magically linked to each other. If you need to speak to the owner of the mirror yours is paired to then you just speak their name to the mirror. Your image will then appear in their mirror no matter where in the world it is".
In the Order of the Phoenix book, Harry Potter is given one of these mirrors by his godfather. If he had used it rather than Dolores Umbridge's fire to contact Sirus Black then Kreacher would not have been able to lie to Harry about where Sirius was, and thus Harry would never have gone to the Department of Mysteries to rescue his godfather and Sirius would not have died.
"The idea is that one of a pair could be sent to every leader in Middle Earth" I was now saying "That would allow Lord Elrond to speak with any other leader whenever he wished as long as they accept a mirror and since they are paired there's no way, at least that we know of, to magically spy on the communications".
You'd still have to worry about being overheard, but that was true with any sort of verbal communication. Letters can be stolen and messengers captured.
"The frames would have to be improved they are far too plain for such important items" stated my teacher "Other than that the only problem I can foresee is the difficulty in transporting the mirrors".
They are known to be fragile and that whole seven years of bad luck might not just be superstition.
"I've placed charms on them to help with that" Hermione told the elf.
Transporting the mirrors over such distances would still be a chore, but well worth it if the other leaders of Middle Earth would accept the mirrors.
"Now we just need Lord Elrond's approval to link a few to him," I said.
"They sound like an impressive use of your talents," said a voice.
I turned to see that Elrond as if summoned by the use of his name, was now heading towards us, and I could tell that he was pleased.
"My compliments to you Master Marek and Mistress Hermione" he went on to say "These mirrors of yours will be of great use to us. I know that in the future the Free People of Middle Earth will need to be able to coordinate their efforts as much as possible".
That had been the biggest factor when deciding to create these mirrors. Communication is very important at all times, more so during a war, and it could make a big difference when the next dark lord begins his conquest.
"As such, I would like to commission the creation of two sets of mirrors to link myself to Lady Galadriel and Lord Saruman" he requested.
While their homes were not that far away when you looked at a map the mountains made reaching them harder than it might seem. Even without the distances involved sending a letter via a messenger wasn't always reliable as this could be a dangerous world.
"That shouldn't take too long" stated Hermione.
Producing the glass wasn't too hard even without the tools of my world since I had magic to help, and the enchanting part while not easy wasn't exactly time-consuming either. The elves making the frames took by far took the longest.
"And this will be a good way to practice your growing skills" stated Dammion.
If I was going to forge Rings of Power I would need to level up my smithing and unlock new perks, to put it in gaming terms. That meant exploring new ways to use my skills and to keep using them.
"While I have your attention, my lord," I said to Elrond "I need your help with something".
He seemed interested in hearing what I had to say.
"I need you to contact the best dwarven smith you know of and request that at least one of them come here" I informed my host "I can pay them out of my own pocket, but I need someone who can't be ignored to invite them here".
While Rivendell was important the elves here lacked the population or desire to threaten anyone, yet they were powerful enough to be respected.
Elrond was listened to and was on friendly terms with many groups. Even the Hobbits in the Shire had heard of Rivendell and spoke of it with admiration.
The elf lord didn't question my request. No doubt he'd already deduced my reasoning or at least some of it. He understood how well-suited he was to aid me.
"Why would you need a dwarven smith?" questioned Dammion "They work stone better than anyone and have a great talent for metalwork, but you require delicate hands to complete your tasks".
I had my reasons and I would share them.
"Numbers are going to be important in forging the new Rings of Power," I told the elves "Three smiths to forge seven rings will ensure that the new rings work better together".
Hermione had assured me that this made sense. Many rituals had three components or were performed by one, three or seven people because it increased the chances of success.
"Having a dwarf work with an elf and a human to forge will help with their purpose to bring unity to Middle Earth during times of strife" I then added.
I wasn't a native of this world or even fully human, but didn't matter much according to Hermione because people would see the rings as the result of members of the three main races working together. That did matter and my working with a dwarf and an elf would help to give the rings more than mere symbolic power.
"My friendship with the dwarven people is not what it once was," informed Elrond "Yet I should be able to convince someone with the talent you require to aid us".
That would take time, and that was fine as I wasn't ready to begin my work. I just hoped that the elves didn't suffer too much by waiting until I was prepared.
Team Builder.
Part 22
Rivendell. Eriador.
To my disappointment, when checking my awesome map I sadly discovered that all the lesser rings of power had vanished from Middle Earth.
It had taken me a few moments to realise that they hadn't actually disappeared, rather they'd lost their power as the greater rings had recently done.
Sauron must have used his ring to connect his existence to all of the magical rings forged under his guidance, not just the greater ones. He really had been the Lord of the Rings.
Without that power, the lesser rings were just round bits of metal. No different than a thousand other pieces of jewellery worn by people all over the world.
They might have value as something to trade, but since I got an allowance from the CYOA and I had the means to forge my own rings, the former lesser rings of power were worthless to me.
This was sad for a few reasons. One of which was what I'd wished to collect a few for myself and for the elves as I'd hoped that they could the power of the lesser rings to cover for the lost greater rings for a time.
It hadn't seemed very likely, but it had seemed worth trying. With Hermione's portkeys and elven guides, it wouldn't have taken us long to go out and find some of the lesser rings.
Since recovering that the lesser rings were no longer worth anything, I'd devoted myself even more to the forging of the new Rings of Power.
As the weeks went by I'd absorbed every bit of lore that my allies could provide and taxed the patience of the elves who were willing to discuss such matters with me by pestering them with questions.
Many of them had been there when the rings were forged and remembered little bits of the overall story. During my investigations, I felt more like a historian than a craftsman.
Saruman had proved true to his word and aside from copies of at least some of the information he'd amassed over the centuries, having been sent to us via messenger, he delighted in using his new mirror to call up Elrond when he had something of interest to share that he must have found in his own library.
It seemed odd for such a powerful and ancient being to delight so much in the communication mirrors, but upon thinking about it I deduced that since he'd been on Middle Earth for centuries he was likely bored a lot of the time.
He must have been everywhere, read every book he could find, seen every invention, and figured out how it all worked. Having something new to play with would make his life more enjoyable.
Perhaps Hermione and I should create a few more enchanted items for him if only to keep the wizard distracted for a while. I would ponder that idea more at a later time when I wasn't so busy.
I wondered if that was a factor in him coming under Sauron's sway, at least partly. The Dark Lord could have tempted the white wizard with bits of knowledge that Saruman didn't already possess.
It would explain why Saruman knew less about the forging of the Rings of Power than I'd hoped. He might simply be holding back, or maybe he didn't know much and was simply doing his best to help.
Due to being loyal to me and also hungry for knowledge, my witch had remained at my side, filling a notebook with the information she deemed worthy of recording.
Because she was good to me I'd decided to forge a lesser ring of power for her. One meant to boost her magical powers and make her spells more effective.
This prototype might not even work, but sooner or later you had to put theory into practice and unlike Celebrimbor I didn't have centuries of life ahead of me, or at least I didn't think I did. I certainly wasn't to be here in Middle Earth for that long.
For now, I needed to focus more on my work. I'd gotten the gold required for the lesser ring by melting down Hermione's galleons, what they called gold coins in the Wizarding World, and while doing so I'd discovered that they didn't contain much gold at all.
A witch or wizard can't use the magic of Hermione's world to create gold unless you have the Philosopher's Stone, you can however increase the volume of something you have with magic, including gold and the goblins had done that with their coins.
While that explained the exchange rate of about five British pounds to the galleon it was bad for me because I had to melt down most of the contents of Hermione's money pouch, but sacrifices had to be made and I needed to use gold from her world for the ring as it should help her content to the ring.
The Rings of Power are tied to this world and might not work outside of them, at least according to my research, but I should have found a way around that by having Hermione sacrifice her wealth to make the lesser ring.
I watched as the gold, now in liquid form due to having been melted, was poured by me so that it flowed into the mould after moving some channels that had been carved into a large stone apparatus.
The molten metal would have already begun to cool as it entered the mould, and the mould was exposed as this process of casting as it was called, let the air cool the metal rather than dipping the metal into water.
This was a very crude way of making jewellery and the ring wouldn't even fit Hermione if it weren't for the fact that elvish-made rings resize to fit the wearer. I would imbue that power into the ring as I worked upon it.
There would be much to do once the metal cooled. I'd have to file the ring, to even it out and remove the access material. Then would come the polishing and the inscribing of the name.
Names had power and each of the elven rings had a special name I knew, and so did the others more than likely. The Elven Rings were called Narya, Nenya and Vilya.
I knew that Nar was an elvish word for fire so that ya part must mean ring. Since I was making a ring of magic it would be called Gûlya.
Despite not using it themselves the elves do have a word for magic and it is golo, which in time became gûl, as seen in names like Morgul 'black magic' or Dol Guldur which means 'hill of dark magic'
As such the Ring of Magic would be Gûlya. Being a lesser ring it would only boost the power of the spell cast by the wearer rather than grant new abilities, and given that we should be going up against a dragon she would need the boost.
I could have just enchanted any old ring using Elder Scrolls magic to get that effect, but this ring would have more features. It would when finished resize to fit the wearer and be far harder than a simple band of gold should be.
Also, it was an essay in the craft. My attempt to mimic Celebrimbor's work. I longed to be able to talk to that elf to know his methods.
I'd even considered using Call of Valor Shout to try to summon his spirit, but elf souls don't work like human ones and I didn't want to risk offending the Valar by messing with the afterlife.
Time passed by as I worked. The day became night and I noticed the coolness in the air as I poured a little of myself, giving willingly of my spirit to aid, another as I used my mithril alloy tools, which were themselves enchanted objects, to create something of true beauty.
While it wasn't much power it was still a little of myself, but I'd learned of ways to renew the spirit, and as such, I wasn't concerned about losing too much of myself.
When I was done I'd turned a pile of coins into something of true value. Compared to the One Ring this was a mere trinket, but it would still boost the power of any magic user who to wanted to throw around some spells.
"Hermione!" I called out.
She came over and inspected the gift. The ring was light and smooth to the touch, with the elvish writing being barely visible. I didn't know how to hide writing until it was exposed to fire, a shame as that was an interesting feature.
"What does it say?" Hermione asked.
She could not read elvish, and neither could I, I'd just copied what Dammion had written down for me.
"It says: This is the Ring of Magic, use it well," I told her "It's called Gûlya".
Given the look on her face, you'd think I'd proposed when giving her Gûlya. The reaction wasn't unexpected, all the rings of power, greater or lesser, were more than mere rings. The power within them could be felt.
"May I inspect the ring?" requested Elrond.
My witch wasn't the only one here. I didn't realise it,
but Elrond had dropped by again, perhaps he had sensed my efforts here, and he looked as if he was concerned about something.
"Is something the matter?" I asked.
Gûlya seemed fine to me. It shouldn't corrupt anyone it was pure in its purpose and gifted to someone I cared about.
"I have no concerns with your work, this ring is a fine start," said the elf lord as he gave Gûlya back to Hermione "There are other matters you need to know about".
Elrond took a seat.
"Winter will soon be upon us," he said "I've sent messages out to the dwarves requesting the aid of a master smith and the promise of generous pay for their time. I still have ties to a few important dwarves who will send someone, but they won't travel until the spring".
I wouldn't be ready before then to even try making the Rings of Power.
"Gandalf might remain in Gondor for the winter," said our host "He'll wish to find as much of the knowledge you seek as possible and he will want to monitor any conflicts the Gondorians have with the orcs to ensure that they have become as unorganised as they should without a leader".
I didn't think that they would rally to the next dark lord anytime soon. Not if fate had it planned out so that Aragorn would lead the charge against that evil. However, I'd proven that fate could be changed so it would be best not to assume much.
"Winter is my concern for now," said Elrond "Without Vilya I fear the Rivendell might not survive the winter".
Vilya, also known as the Ring of Sapphire, the Blue Ring, or the Ring of Air, was one of the Rings of Power made by the Elves of Eregion. Like those Rings, it had special powers.
It provided the ability to heal and preserve. It also granted some power over the element of air, and Elrond used it to spare Rivendell from the ravages of time as well as the elements.
Without it, Rivendell would not be sheltered from time or the elements, a problem once the cold winds began to blow and the snow fell.
"What do you need?" I asked.
He hadn't come here just to chat.
"We are preparing as best we can by insulating our homes and rationing our supplies," said Elrond "But we need food and warmth. We do not cut down trees we can only collect fallen branches to use as fuel and even if we had time to prepare more fields for growing food the growing season has passed".
If this were the spring they'd have time to prepare and by next winter they could be, however, they might not survive the winter if something was done.
"You can purchase food from Bree," I said "I have more money than I need and we've imposed as guests for long enough".
I'd destroyed the One Ring so I doubted Elrond would ever consider that debt repaid I was just trying to make it sound as if I was bailing them out of trouble. To be fair they wouldn't be having this trouble if I'd never come to this world.
"I can enchant clothing with warming charms" offered Hermione "We'll need to make some winter coats for me to enchant them spells on".
That would keep her busy for a while and perhaps a trip to Bree for supplies would be a good idea. I could do with a break from my studies and I would have all winter to work on the Rings.
I would talk with Elrond some more and make the arrangements for a trip to Bree to purchase as much food as possible and materials for winter clothing. I could certainly afford to buy what was needed and I wouldn't mind securing some pipeweed as well as I'd been meaning to find out exactly what it was.
Team Builder.
Part 23
The Prancing Pony. Bree.
Hermione Granger felt glad to be back in this village and to be sitting in an inn that felt familiar to her. She liked Rivendell well enough, but there was something about Bree that made her feel as if she wasn't as far from home as it seemed.
Perhaps it was the families going about their lives or the people in this tavern simply chatting as they drank. They talked about their lives and played games to pass the time after a hard day's work.
This seemed normal to her even with some dwarves and halflings around. The Leaky Cauldron had hosted members of magical races as well as humans.
Her life had been rather hectic recently and there had been a lot of travelling as well as a great deal of fighting. She'd seen more action in the last few months than during entire years spent in the Wizarding World.
As such, being able to sit back and relax in a somewhat familiar setting after all that made her feel good. Marek had been right to bring them both here for some time away from important matters.
Not that she minded helping to defeat a dark lord before he could return to power, or living in Rivendell, it was just that very little of her life had been simple since they'd arrived here.
She was glad that she'd helped to defeat Sauron, as if nothing else their victory spoke well of their chances of being able to deal with Voldemort, who wasn't that scary when you've been attacked by the spirit of a fallen angel.
Voldemort might seem barely human, yet if his Horcruxes were destroyed he could die like a mortal man. She looked forward to that day.
Hermione had worried about finding the Horcruxes and defeating Voldemort without Harry being involved because of the prophecy, but if Marek could alter fate in this world he should be able to do so again while in her reality.
She was sure that the Dragonborn would defeat more than one dark lord before their adventures came to an end as all adventures did.
They'd had allies when facing Sauron, and so Hermione hoped that they would do so again, however, she didn't worry about that too much as she understood that they would both be a lot more powerful when they made it to her world than they were now and Marek was already very impressive.
He was a man that shouted at the world and made it obey him. He faced dark lords and monsters. He even recreated magical objects that seemed as if they should only exist in legends.
The young witch wondered what else her lover would do as they travelled together and how much she would change as the years went by.
Hermione already felt much stronger than she had when she'd been separated from Harry during their hunt for the Horcruxes.
That was not just because the CYOA granted her certain boons in the form of protection, or even because of her training, it was the experiences she'd had over the last few months that had really changed her, and it was for the best.
During their travels, her spells had become more lethal when fighting the orcs, and not because she'd started enjoying killing, but rather because she'd come to realise that sometimes you have to kill to survive and to protect others.
By killing Sauron, or coming as close to it as you can when dealing with a fallen angel, they'd prevented a war that could so easily have resulted in Sauron gaining dominion over all of Middle-Earth.
Okay, so there would be another war anyway because of some divine plan, but that wasn't Marek's fault and he was helping the people of this world to prepare for the coming conflict.
Hermione's eye was again drawn to the magical ring that the Dragonborn had made for her. It was such a small thing and yet it meant so much to her.
Not only because it made her spells more powerful, although that was something she liked, and its attractive appearance was also just a nice bonus.
No, what mattered to her was that Marek had forged it for her as a gift. Even going as far as to imbue the ring with some of his own power. He'd made it for her before anyone got one, and she couldn't help thinking that it was proof of his real affection for her.
She'd been obedient and loyal to Marek since they'd met and she'd been okay with that because she'd made to be okay with it, and it wasn't as if she'd had anyone else. At some point, she'd developed a real love for the Dragonborn.
Hermione had not admitted her feelings to anyone and to her the ring was to her proof that Marek cared about her beyond what she could do for him.
Some might say that perhaps she read too much into the act, but she knew what was involved in making even a lesser ring of power. It wasn't something you did on a whim.
Looking over at the Dovahkiin she saw that he was still in talks with some local merchants as he had been for a while as these deals were important even if they weren't on the same scale as destroying the One Ring.
Marek was working to ensure that the elves would have all they needed come winter and this was important because Rivendell would not be sheltered from the season as it had been for centuries.
The elves simply hadn't been prepared for the sudden change in their circumstances, and in her view, it was a good thing that they had Elrond as a leader as he had taken action swiftly enough that the elves should survive the coming winter.
Hermione had noted, and not for the first time, how people seemed to accept the authority of the Dragonborn as if some part of them understood that he was some sort of superior being.
He was supposed to be at least partly divine having the blood of some god called Akatosh, a being Hermione knew very little about other than him having dominion over time.
Even Elrond, a powerful leader in his own right who had centuries of wisdom, sought Marek out for his opinion on matters and the merchants listened as he organised the supplies that would travel from Bree to Rivendell.
He didn't demand anything, and he offered to pay a percentage of the cost in advance, and people accepted this, choosing to follow his plan with minimal fuss or discussion.
Hermione knew that was smart, but she wasn't a leader, she worked better in a support role doing research, creating the needed tools, and offering advice when people bothered to listen to her. She could do that for Marek and it was enough for her.
The more she watched Marek work to save the people of Rivendell from a harsh winter the more she hoped that he would be done soon and that he would return to her.
They'd set up the tent, the closest thing they had to a shared home, in a rented room and she wanted to go up there with the Dragonborn and get some attention from him.
She finished her simple meal while thinking about what Marek might want to do to her later on, and she was deep in thought she didn't even notice when Gandalf entered the inn.
The Prancing Pony. Bree.
I'd been so busy making arrangements to make sure that Rivendell would get the supplies it needed that I'd almost missed Gandalf entering the inn.
To be fair, there was a lot to arrange. The elves needed a large supply of food and fabrics in order to ensure that they would survive through the winter and while the food wasn't too hard to sort out, there were plenty of details to hammer out.
The harvest in the Shire and surrounding areas had been a very good one due to the pleasant spring and long, warm summer, and the Hobbits did do some trade with the outside world via Bree so the merchants here had food to sell.
However, buying so much meant the demand was higher, which increased the prices, and if I brought too much, others couldn't. I had to get as much as the elves needed without going overboard.
This resulted in bargaining for quite some time as the merchants would need to purchase food from different sources, and then transport it for me all the way to Rivendell before winter set in.
What we could transport ourselves was limited. The elves who'd come on this trip weren't used to bartering since they didn't use money and until now they'd not needed to do much in the way of trading.
It was good that this world had moved past the medieval stage as while the humans of this world hadn't become industrialised, and this was in ways a good thing as meant no overcrowded cities and excessive pollution, they did have decent agriculture and this resulted in the production of more food than was required to sustain the population.
"So we have a deal?" I asked as I handed over some more silver pennies to the traders I was meeting with "Lord Elrond will pay the full value of the goods when you arrive and I will pay the agreed-upon amount now".
They needed to be paid a bit in advance as they would have expenses to cover before they even left Bree.
"The road is long" commented a human merchant.
It should be safe as the rangers patrolled and I'd had no trouble either time I'd used the road.
"The memory is elves is longer" I reminded the group "They'll remember those that came when they needed them and those who turned their backs".
I was not threatening I just pointing out that having good relations with the elves could be of benefit to these traders in the future.
"Aye," said another merchant "And I wouldn't mind seeing Rivendell for myself".
Elves were aloof, but they did understand the importance of hospitality, and Rivendell was still a beautiful place despite time starting to catch up with the elves.
"It's agreed then" stated a third "We'll take your silver now and receive payment in gold when we reach Rivendell".
I could transmute metals and I received shipments of iron so I always had some spare gold if I needed to make a deal.
"And the pipeweed seeds?" I asked.
Pipeweed was a plant native to Middle-Earth that is grown in great amounts in the Shire and enjoyed much by the hobbits. I'd wondered if it was some sort of cannabis, as that would explain a lot about the halflings, but it was actually a type of tobacco only much more pleasant smelling than I was used to.
I'd been thinking about trying to introduce it while in other worlds I visited, as long as it wasn't dangerous to do so, and for that, I'd need a lot of seeds. It might not lead to anything, but I had more money than I needed so I wouldn't lose much if the idea failed.
If nothing else I might take up smoking pipeweed. I had brought a pipe to help me blend in while here in Bree, as people always felt better doing business with someone who seemed to be like them.
Simply holding the pipe and pint of ale made it so I blended in better despite my armour and weapons.
"That I'll take a few days" I was told "But you'll have what we can spare".
With my business done here, I headed over to the table that Hermione and I shared. Gandalf soon joined us. He seemed relaxed, but I didn't think this was a chance meeting.
"Hello, Mithrandir" I greeted, "Lord Elrond told me you'd be wintering in Gondor"
Gesturing to the tavern wench, ordered food and drink for the wizard intending to treat the Maia to a meal as he looked as if he needed it. Gandalf lit his pipe before speaking and began to visually relax.
"I made use of the portkey provided to me by Miss Granger to quickly return to Rivendell" he explained "I plan to spend my winter in the Shire. I have been feeling more tied of late and I need some rest".
The portkeys were proving to be a great boon and as for Mithrandir's tiredness, it made sense since he didn't have his Ring of Power anymore.
From the lore, I knew that wizards like the elves only seemed to age as men do when they became weary of the world.
Although accounts stated that they always take the appearance of wise men so only the elves would ever notice the difference as centuries passed by. I wondered if I was the same since I wasn't truly mortal even if I did look like one.
With Sauron defeated Gandalf's purpose here in Middle Earth was finished. He could return to the Undying Lands with his head held high knowing that he'd completed his work and deserved to go home.
Yet I knew he wouldn't leave these lands until Smaug was slain and perhaps he would endure until Aragon united mankind.
"Soon as I dropped off the information on your project that I found in Gondor with Elrond, I rushed here to Bree to see if I could assist you" mentioned the wizard "I see there was no need".
While I was used to everything having a fixed price since I'd established myself as a trader here in Bree a while back as a cover, it hadn't been hard to carry on with that role.
"It's all been sorted," I said "The first shipment of supplies will be heading to Rivendell in a matter of days".
Gandalf looked pleased. I'd taken a weight off his mind.
"I'm glad," he said as Gandalf's food and drink arrived "Now all I need to do is tell you that when the weather permits I will travel to the Blue Mountains to seek out Thorin Oakensheld. I hope that before spring's end that we will be in Rivendell to meet with you while en route to the Lonely Moutain".
I recalled something about the secret entrance being accessible only on the last light of Durin's Day or something like that, but I had my special key and if we going to fight Smaug rather than sneak around we might as well go in through the front door.
"My plan is to be done with my project by then, "I said.
No sense in letting people know about the new Rings of Power just yet, and I had some other ideas to look into before we went dragon slaying.
There were certain weapons suited to dragon slaying that I could forge and spells that needed to be practised before we faced Smaug.
Hermione enquired about what Gandalf planned to do in the Shire as we ate our food and finished our drinks before retiring.
Gandalf would soon be heading west while we would go east. So I invited him to join us for breakfast so we could go over anything we might hav missed and he agreed.
As for tonight, I got the sense that Hermione might want some attention.
Team Builder.
Part 24
Rivendell. Eriador.
"This has been a successful festival," stated Elrond between taking small sips of wine "It is almost a shame that will not celebrate like this again".
I wasn't sure that my plan to lift everyone's spirits over the winter period by having a sort of Christmas was really working out. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but the reality was disappointing, a lot like every other Christmas I could remember.
Perhaps I just couldn't read the expressions of elves very well, as while no one looked to be depressed they didn't look at all jolly. Even the little hats didn't make them seem festive.
At least the food was being enjoyed. When in Bree I'd purchased and then carefully stored away enough provisions for a big fancy meal as feasts such as this are good ways to bring people together.
It had cost me quite a few silver pennies to afford it all, but it wasn't as if I had a lot of expenses while living here in Rivendell since either my hosts or the CYOA supplied my needs.
"Are you sure?" I asked from my seat near the lord of Rivendell "Everyone seems rather sedate to me".
I'd gotten the idea to have a midwinter festival before leaving Bree as I'd been thinking a lot about how humans dealt with the issues of that season when I'd been bartering for supplies.
Dealing with winter wasn't all about avoiding the cold or keeping your larder stocked, as winter can also be a rather depressing time of the year. The bad weather and lack of sun can make the world appear to be a bleak place.
While in Bree I'd discussed it with Hermione, who'd thought it a grand idea, and we did have lots to celebrate what with Sauron no longer being able to return to Middle Earth.
It hadn't been hard to set up once we had Elrond's approval, and if nothing else, planning the event was a nice change of pace from my studies and the practical work that consumed so much of my time.
Normally the elves did their dining and celebrating outside with trees to shelter them and cool breezes, however, Rivendell did have its main hall for formal audiences and such. Not that Elrond ever used it for that purpose.
Today it was a well-decorated space as were the few evergreen trees they had here. The elves of Rivendell had done well in making the hall very colourful.
Hermione had worked hard to conjure up some sort of fire that provided warmth and light without burning anything that had been contained in a number of jars. I thought it was a nice feature.
"The feasts of elves are stately affairs," said Elrond "We don't celebrate events as the dwarves and humans will do. Well, not when at home with our own kind, but we do make exceptions when visiting others. Before I married I had quite a few wild nights with my dwarven and human friends".
I was amused by the idea of a younger Elrond attending a noisy dwarven feast or getting drunk at a human party. I wondered if Gandalf was doing something like that with the hobbits he cherished so much.
"Everyone liked the idea of making each other presents" reminded Hermione.
Elves do like their fancy robes and jewellery, but aside from that they aren't the kind of people to fill their homes with things they don't really need, and they don't trade unless it's with outsiders as such they don't have shops. Therefore everyone had chosen to make presents for one another.
I'd explained to Elrond about how this one-time celebration (I hoped to have a new Ring of Power that would return Rivendell to normal ready by the spring so that they didn't have to worry about next winter) should be about giving and having an enjoyable time together as a community.
Aside from that and the celebration of Sauron's defeat, it was about increasing morale and making sure that the people in Rivendell wanted to stay here rather than sail west or move to somewhere with a more pleasant climate.
Hermione and I were no longer considered guests, we were residents and not the only humans around who were staying in Rivendell. A very young Aragorn had become Elrond's ward and I'd not interacted with him since I was quite busy. He was being groomed for his future role as king from what I understood.
I'd watched the exchanging of gifts with interest when it happened a bit before dinner. Clothes had been gifted for the most part. Robes made of thicker material than normal had become quite popular in Rivendell as autumn gave way to winter.
When it came to giving gifts I'd selected Hermione, I'd forged for her a bracelet made from a gold/mithril alloy that like her lesser ring of power would be rather hard to even damage and it changed its size to fit the wearer, but other than that it was simply a fancy decorative item.
Hermione had spent quite of her time using how to fashion a material called Hithlain which was used by the elves to make ropes that were very light, slender, and flexible, yet extremely strong.
They could be unknotted at will by their users due to rope having some sort of magical properties and despite feeling as soft as silk to me, it would cause discomfort to any corrupted being that came into contact with it.
"I imagine that the poetry reading will be more lively than normal" commented Elrond "And the choir has been working on a new song just for this event. In fact it looks as if they are ready to begin ".
Elvish songs dragged on quite a bit longer than human ones, and when it was over I decided to excuse myself with the excuse of having drunk too much wine at dinner.
Hermione followed me of her own accord and once we got back to the tent I decided to have some fun with my gift from her.
"I want to do something a bit kinky with you," I told Hermione.
Given how much of our time the both of us had devoted to research and the learning of elven crafts, it wasn't surprising that we hadn't spent much time together doing something sexy since we'd gotten back from Bree, and that had been weeks ago.
I intended to have some fun with my witch and remind her that she belonged to me. She was here for me and would obey me.
As I put my arms around Hermione and began groping her I wondered how many hours of my life had already been spent playing with her tits, licking and sucking on her perky little nipples.
However long it had been, the young Miss Granger didn't seem to mind at all. She still had a smile on her face when she felt me begin to touch her like this.
"Undress for me" I ordered.
Hermione did so without delay, exposing to my hungry eyes her young and slim body. She'd long since lost any modesty she had around me and she had no problem letting me admire her form.
If anything she still enjoyed the attention as she desired my approval and praise. I made sure to compliment her mind and body, but right now I was interested in doing something else.
I moved behind my witch and began to use the gift she'd gotten to restrain her as best I could. Soon it became impossible for the mage to move her arms.
"You fiend" she teased "I'm going to be totally helpless. You're going to advantage of me. Have mercy, I'm just an innocent girl".
I took what I wanted from her whenever we had sex, this was just going to be more fun than normal.
"You're going to be a good girl for me," I told her "Aren't you, Hermione?".
Soon her sensitive nipples were being held by my fingers and I began to treat them rather badly as the poor witch stood naked and constrained in the middle of our tent.
She was helpless, she didn't have her wand and no one would hear her scream due to the many protective enchantments placed around the tent.
This only made things more exciting for her. I could hear her breathing and how she shivered in my gasp, yet she wasn't scared, or at least not afraid in a way that would result in her trying to escape.
She was anticipating what I would do to her helpless form. No doubt she was imagining where my hands would go and what positions I would force her to take.
"Yes,
Master" she whispered.
I let a hand move between her legs. She was very warm down there and already getting wet. I began to rub her cunt and she soon had problems staying standing up so with my free hand I held onto her arm so she wouldn't fall.
"Good girl" I praised.
She didn't just stay still as I touched her. She moved her hips and once I had a finger inside she began humping my hand. Was she putting on a show or really getting into this? Perhaps it was both.
I stopped before she could reach orgasm and she made very adorable whining noises when I stopped touching her.
"Please, Master" she pleaded.
She knew that I enjoyed such shows of subservience. They were highly satisfying and I sometimes wondered why the likes of Sauron, Palpatine or Voldemort would care to rule people they would never even meet.
Why bother ruling distant lands when they could focus on having someone they actually knew bowing before them willingly and not out of fear?
I had the brightest witch of her age, at least according to some, willing to perform deviant sexual acts for me with a smile on her face. This was an example of real power, made all the sweeter by her eagerness.
"Please what?" I asked as I let my hands roam over her youthful body "I want to hear you beg".
She might have dropped to her knees if I didn't have her within my grasp.
"I need to be fucked" she admitted "Please fuck me".
It amused me to think how shocked her friends would be if they ever knew what a kinky little thing Hermione Granger turned out to be. Would they even recognise the naked and bound witch?
"Please, I want to feel you inside of me" she begged.
I couldn't resist her when she spoke like that. She did have some power over me and she'd figured out how to use it. She could entice me into certain actions in subtle ways.
After being her over I made sure that she wouldn't fall and I pushed my cock inside her eager cunt. I slipped in with ease, enjoying the feeling of warmth and feeling pleased by how soaked she felt down there.
I ignored any words or sounds that came from the witch's mouth as I began to use her for my own pleasure. I soon got to fucking her at a good pace. She even tried to push back against me. Not easy given that she was tied up and would have fallen over if I hadn't been supporting her.
Despite me not being a gentle lover, I knew she enjoyed me fucking her like this as she always had a grin on her face afterwards and a desire to latch on me as if breaking contact with me was something that needed to be avoided.
There were no sounds from either of us aside from that made by our bodies and the odd noises that came out of Hermione's mouth that sounded as if they came from a savage animal rather than a thinking being.
By the time I was done with her, and her little pussy had been battered by my cock before being filled with cum, she couldn't even try to stand on her own.
I left half on the bed and half on the ground. I would have to clean up the mess as there was no way she could and I had no intention of freeing her until I was ready to sleep.
Poor Hermione would just have to endure it if I felt like fucking her or making her crawl over to me before she began giving me a blowjob.
Team Builder.
Part 25
Rivendell. Eriador.
The new Rings of Power were the result of much research, some experimentation, the use of priceless mithril, and a lot of hard work, as well as the surrendering of some of my spiritual strength so as to aid others.
Thankfully as the Dragonborn, I had far more spiritual power than even an elf lord and there were ways to renew my spirit so I wouldn't be damaged by the creation of the new Rings of Power. Rather I'd just be weakened for a time.
Over the winter I'd put finished putting together the required knowledge that I'd gotten from many different sources.
I had used what I'd learned from forging the prototype to create the new Seven Rings of Power as the spring began. This made sense as spring was a time for the renewal of old things, for life to flourish once again.
During the winter I'd created another lesser ring of power called Tanoya, the Ring of Crafting, Tano being an elvish word for craftsmen. I'd made the ring for Dammion to aid us in our project and to test my growing skills. He wore it gratefully.
Along the way, there had been a few mistakes, such as when I'd made a ring of invisibility and ended up with a ring that was invisible and therefore very easy to keep losing.
It didn't make the wearer invisible and I'd ended up losing the ring twice. The first time it had amused Hermione, at least until she stepped on it while she was barefoot.
The timing of the project's completion was good as Hermione and I had recently been sent a letter by Gandalf telling us that he would be meeting Oakenshield in the Shire during the spring.
Via that letter, the wizard had also assured us that he should be able to convince the dwarf to come to Rivendell to recruit Hermione and me in person.
If I remembered the coming events correctly the company of Thorin would need to come here to Rivendell anyway so as to read some runes on a map, or something like that.
I assumed that Mithrandir wanted Thorin Oakensheld to hire me like he would Bilbo for my expertise in dragon slaying. I was the closest thing this world had to an expert, at least outside of legends.
As for Hermione, her portkeys would greatly reduce travel time and her wand magic could be useful in many a situation. She even had potions that could come in handy.
My thinking was that we'd be re-enacting at least parts of the Hobbit story and Bilbo still had a part to play. Since the One Ring had been destroyed I'd thought to make the halfling a lesser ring of power that would make him invisible.
My mistake was due to misunderstanding the nature of this world. The One Ring hadn't made people invisible strictly speaking, rather it took them to the spirit realm a place that few can see into.
The Nazgul for example were part of the realm, hence why the Witch-King had been able to see Frodo well enough to stab him without outright killing him.
From that mistake, I'd learned to better plan out exactly what I wanted for the rings and to look more into the nature of this world so that the new Rings of Power would not be flawed.
Now the new Rings of Power were finished and each had a clear purpose. These rings would be nearly impossible to destroy unless you were a dragon, or a Ringbearer decided to throw one in a volcano for some reason.
They would also change their size to fit the wearer as while that wasn't that impressive compared to their other powers, it wouldn't do to have one slip from a finger and be lost.
As the new Rings of Power were seen together for the first time Elrond said something that I didn't understand due to it being spoken in the elven language, but given the tone of his voice, it wasn't hard to tell that he was in awe of what we had created.
On the surface, they looked to be nothing more than rings of high quality, yet they were so much more. Anyone who wasn't a total Muggle would be able to sense it as together they were at their most powerful.
"They are so beautiful" stated Thrad.
Yes, they were. Each of the rings was made from a gold/mithril alloy that came from local sources. The original elven Rings of Power and some other bits of jewellery had provided the mithril and the gold came from the dwarves.
No two of the rings were exactly alike, each had its name engraved in elvish and each had a small gemstone embedded within. The gems were very important as they did more than merely symbolise the purpose of each ring
The molten metal used to make these rings had carefully been purified by Thrad, a dwarven smith who specialised in crafting rings of a more mundane nature that were prized even by kings.
Just as carefully the gold/mithril alloy had been purified and poured into the moulds, running through special grooves carved in stone so that each mould was evenly filled with little of the metal ending up wasted.
That had been the easy part and the end of Thrad's involvement since he didn't know how to imbue an object with spirit, or rather he knew only the dwarven methods of doing so as they seem to do something similar for their great works.
Thrad's role might seem minor, but no one other than a dwarf could have perfected the gold/mithril alloy and purified it, so as to ensure that the rings were made from the best materials we could use.
Also, his presence here was important because I wanted three smiths to work on the seven rings, and for each smith to be a different race, with me standing in for a human of this world
This was part of the plan to make the rings more unified than the others. They would be stronger together and should help the people of Middle-Earth to defend their homes.
The dwarf had carefully watched without saying a word as I'd worked for hours to file and polish the rings so that each was smooth and even.
During that time I'd put part of myself into the rings, remaining focused on their purpose, as I worked to make each ring as perfect as possible. It had been tiring in ways that went beyond mere physical effort and mental focus.
Dammion's part as a jewel-smith was to carve the gemstones and to ensure that they were all fitted properly. Each ring was made from the same alloy and had a different gem so they couldn't be mixed up.
Each ring did have a small mark on it that you'd have to look close to see. I used crowns to mark the rings meant for Aragorn and Thorin, stars for the wizards and leaves for the elves.
"We have the replacements for the Three," I said.
Gandalf wasn't here to take his so it would be protected by Elrond who would take his ring when I presented it to him.
Named for the three elements of fire, water, and air, the original Three Rings of the Elves were the last to be made before Sauron's solo creation of the One.
While Celebrimbor forged the Three Rings alone in Eregion many centuries ago, they were still moulded by Sauron's craft and were bound to the One, but far less so than the others since the dark lord had not been present at the forging.
Despite this, only after Sauron's defeat, when the One Ring was cut from his finger at the end of the Second Age, did the Elves begin to actively use the Three to ward off the decay brought to their homes by time.
"Narya, the Ring of Fire, set with a ruby," I said to everyone "For Gandalf".
Elrond took that ring, it would be kept in a box in a secure place until Mithrandir could claim it. Ruby jewellery is believed to make the wearer more aware, more focused, and remain alert. It should also help him to keep going despite his weariness.
That had been the intent when forging all of the rings. My purpose was what mattered most when it came to enchanting this way.
"Nenya, the Ring of Water, set with an aquamarine stone," I said.
Aquamarine represents happiness, hope and everlasting youth. Well suited for Galadriel I'd thought when selecting the materials for this project.
She seemed to be ageless and there was a sadness about her that I wondered if the ring might help to heal. As for hope, that would be needed when the next war against evil began.
Galadriel had used the original Neya to protect and preserve the realm of Lothlórien this new Nenya would do the same.
The elf lady took the ring and put it on. Right away she was pleased with the new Nenya. If only because it had no connection to Sauron, whom she despised.
Once she returned home she could once again protect and maintain her realm by using her Ring of Power. Her people had suffered this past winter as well.
Even if these rings didn't last for thousands of years I was confident that the rings would work as long as they were needed as that had been my purpose when making them.
Next came Vilya, the Ring of Air, the original was the mightiest of the Three, but the Seven were meant to be equal. This ring had a sapphire and it was a symbol of honesty, and purity, it would work to build trust.
He thanked me and put on the new ring. His smile let me know that he was already feeling it begin its work. Rivendell would again be protected from the ravages of time and its more physical enemies.
"Radagast this is your ring," I told the wizard who loved nature so much "Cuilya, the Ring of Life".
I wasn't sure if the translation was correct, but Cuil meant life and ya meant ring so Ring of Life, just as Nar was a word for fire.
The emerald represented love, rebirth, and fertility. For some reason, the wizard decided to put the ring in his mouth and taste it before putting it on. Testing for corruption perhaps?
Then he showed it to the bear he had brought along because from what I'd heard he'd been hibernating with the animal. I tried not to think too much about his sleeping habits.
"This is Calaya," I told the white wizard who come over to claim it "The Ring of Light".
Saruman's ring held a bit of citrine, a bright yellow gem meant to symbolise the sun. It was meant to protect from evil thoughts and negative outside influences, to keep away the darkness. The ring should also help to ensure prosperity and success.
The other two rings were just as special. They would not be worn yet, Aragorn was too young for such a powerful item and Thorin would only get his ring if was at least willing to work with the elves.
Should he prove worthy in my eyes he could be given Caumaya. Cauma meant protection, in the sense of a shield or shelter. It was embedded with an Amethyst, and it was called the Ring of Protection as its purpose was to protect, but just the body it would guard the spirit as well.
I'd originally meant to make a different ring for Thorin, something meant to symbolise stone, but while planning I'd remembered how sick he'd get when he started getting obsessed with treasure. Best to do so something to counter that now rather than have to take drastic action later.
Last of all was Aranya, the Ring of the King, it had a diamond for its gem and it was meant to grant strength of purpose, initiation, and clarity. All valuable attributes for a king to have.
"Seven rings, forged by three smiths of different races, at the end of an age," I said "Two for the elves, a lord and lady, three for wise men to guide us, and two for kings who have yet to be crowned".
Not exactly epic poetry, but I was no Tolkien and someone else could write this into the history books. Alas, the Three Wise Men reference wouldn't make sense to anyone other than myself and Hermione.
Despite this being a historic moment and a great achievement there was no clapping or cheering of any kind. If anything this was a solum time.
I'd imbued the rings with a sense of responsibility, they were a boon to be sure, but also a burden as those that wore these new Rings of Power would be driven to use them in defence of Middle Earth.
Upon returning to my tent I felt the sudden urge to check the magical book that served as something of an interface between myself and whatever system it was that ran the CYOA the R.O.B. had decided to make me take part in for reasons I apparently wouldn't understand.
According to it, I'd completed my mission of :
Legacy -For every world, you travel to you must establish a significant presence i.e. organization, city, etc.
Forging the new Rings of Power must count as me having a significant presence in this world, and it made sense. Word of the forging would get about, I'd be remembered for a long time and my work would influence events for centuries.
I could just pack up, select the next world and leave. However, I had promised Gandalf that I would slay Smaug, and it was important for the future of this world since the natives didn't need a Balrog and a dragon fighting it out for the mantle of the dark lord.
Besides, I would be doing myself no favours if I didn't discuss this with Hermione first. We weren't ready to go to her world, and we needed to prepare, as such, we would need to make careful choices.
We would need to select a world that contained magical objects that might be useful to us, or maybe useful allies, or magic we could learn. At the very least it should have some useful resources.
Also, I was interested in setting up somewhere remote so that I would be able to devote some time to understanding more about what I could do with my growing powers.
I didn't wish to try out necromancy and daedra summoning in this world, not where the wizards and elves would protest or risk the Valar getting upset.
No, I would sit down with Hermione and make plans. I would rest and prepare for Gandalf's arrival. I needed to renew myself as forging the new Rings of Power had taken a lot out of me.
But right now I was going to sleep for at least twelve hours. I was that tired.