Four days later

Gandalf arrived at Rivendell, two days ago and is sitting with me in the nursery room. We're waiting until Frodo wakes up again. That doesn't take long because we hear him ask.

,,Where am I and what's the time?" He asks out loud, probably thinking he's here alone.

,,In the house of Elrond and it's ten o'clock in the morning." Gandalf explains. ,,It's the morning of the twenty-fourth of October, if you want to know." Frodo looks beside him.

,,Gandalf!" Frodo calls, while sitting up straight.

,,Yes, I'm here. And you're lucky to be here too. A few more hours and you would have been beyond our aid." Frodo lays down again.

,,Where is Sam?" Frodo asks me. ,,And are the others okay?"

,,Yes, everyone is healthy and safe."

,,What happened at the Ford?" He looks at me. ,,It all seemed vague and it still is."

,,Yes, there is no other way. You started to fade. The wound finally started to overpower you. Another few hours and we wouldn't have been able to save you. But you have a lot of strength in you, my dear hobbit! You have slept a long time, Frodo. But don't worry, you're safe here. It is no small achievement that you have come this far, despite all the dangers and still have the ring in your possession."

,,We would never have done it without Neuma." Frodo says. ,,But we needed you. You would meet us at the Prancing Pony, right?"

,,I was held up and it almost became our downfall. But I still don't know just now: maybe it was better this way."

,,I wish you would tell me what happened."

,,All in due time. You are not allowed to talk or worry about anything today, Elrond said."

,,But at least when I talk I stop thinking and asking myself questions, which is just as tiring." says Frodo. ,,I'm wide awake now and I remember so many things that need to be cleared up. What kept you up? That is the least you should tell me and you also owe an explanation to Neuma because you also had an agreement with her."

,,You will soon be told everything you want to know. We will hold a Council meeting once you have recovered sufficiently."

,,Frodo!" Sam runs into the room, grabbing Frodo's hand.

,,Sam barely left your side." Gandalf says and Sam sits next to the bed.

,,We were worried about you, Frodo."

,,Because of Elrond, your shoulder is beginning to heal." I gesture to Elrond, now entering the room. Pippin and Merry hurry into the room after Elrond.

,,Welcome to Rivendell, Frodo Baggins." Elrond speaks to Frodo first before looking at me. ,,And welcome home, Neuma."

,,Thank you, grandfather."

,,Grandfather?" Pippin looks from me to Lord Elrond and we both nod.

,,My father was his son." I tell him.

,,Wait, so you're a princess?" I nod.

,,Yes, I am. You see, my father was Elrohir, son of Elrond but my mother was a human. Neither they felt at home in the human world or the elf world. I'm legally the army of Rivendell, but I don't want to be. I want to travel the world, find my own place to live and be with the person who has my heart." My grandfather clears his throat.

,,Gandalf, a word." Gandalf nods and they leave, conversing quietly to each other.

Frodo recovers soon eventually, after eight days of rest, he's able to get out of bed and walk around. He's reunited with Sam, Pippin and Merry, and even with Bilbo who's much older now. I smile at the encounter and turn a corner, only to see Gandalf and Elrond looking down on Frodo.

,,His strength returns." Elrond says.

,,The wound will never fully heal. He will carry it for the rest of his life." Elrond walks away from Gandalf.

,,Yet, to come so far still bearing the ring, the hobbit has shown extraordinary resilience to its evil."

,,It's a burden he should never have had to bear. We can ask no more of Frodo."

,,Gandalf," Elrond looks at the wizard seriously. ,,the enemy is moving. Sauron's forces are massing in the East, his eye is fixed on Rivendell." He sighs. ,,And Saruman, you tell me, has betrayed us." So, Gandalf couldn't meet me or Frodo because he was at Saruman's? ,,Our list of allies grows thin."

,,His treachery runs deeper than you know. A foul craft, Saruman has crossed orcs with goblin men. He's breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard. An army that can move in sunlight and cover a great distance at speed. Saruman is coming for the ring."

,,This evil can not be concealed by the power of the elves. We do not have the strength to fight both Mordor and Isengard." Gandalf walks away from Elrond and I step into the room closer to the two. Elrond notices me, but doesn't send me away. ,,Gandalf," He says sternly. ,,the ring can not stay here." I notice Gandalf looking down at the entrance of Rivendell and I see a man coming on a horse. ,,This peril belongs to all Middle-Earth. They must decide now how to end it. The time of the Elves is over, my people are leaving this shores. Who will you look to when we're gone? The Dwarves? They hide in their mountains, seeking riches, they care nothing for the troubles of others."

,,It is in men that we must bless our hope." Gandalf says but that doesn't sound right in Elrond's ears.

,,Men?" Elrond turns away from the wizard. ,,Men are weak. The race of men is failing, the blood of Númenor is all but spent. It's pride and dignity forgotten. It is because of men the ring survived." I feel a pang in my heart. I'm half human and now my own grandfather doesn't believe in me? Elrond notices me. ,,I'm not talking about you, Neuma. You're half-elf, which means you are stronger than men." He reassures me before turning back to Gandalf. ,,I was there, Gandalf. I was there three thousand years ago when Isildur took the ring. I was there the day the strength of men failed. I led Isildur into the heart of Mount Doom, where the ring was forged. It's the only place the ring can be destroyed. It should've ended that day but evil was allowed to endure." I see a worried look on my grandfathers face, but also an angry one. ,,Isildur kept the ring and the line of kings was broken. There's no strength left in the world of men. They are scattered, divided and leaderless."

,,There is one who could unite them, one who could reclaim the throne of Gondor."

,,He turned from that path a long time ago, he has chosen exile." I want to react but can't because other warriors arrive. After seeing the first human arrive, another one arrives. Then I see a few Dwarfs arriving and lastly I see Legolas. He dismounts his horse and looks around. His eyes find mine and he gives me a small nod, which I gladly return. Then my eyes find the one I missed for years. She gets off of her horse and looks around for a moment. I remember the way she loved Rivendell.

,,Lostariel!" I yell and the moment her eyes find mine, I turn away from the balcony and run off some stairs until I'm at the main entrance. I keep on running and throw myself into her arms. She holds me tight and I can hear her whimpering, so I rub her back in comfort. When we part again, we lay our foreheads against each other and look into each other's eyes.

,,Im missed cin so limb!" I hear her say, her voice cracking a little bit.

,,Ha's okaui, mín're go- hi ad-" I take her hand and bring her with me to the bridge where I first brought her when I introduced her to Elrond. I know this is the place where I can be alone with her. ,,Renech i lu i erui govannen?"

,,Nauthannem i ned ol reniannen." She reaches up and gently touches the hair at my temples. ,,Gwenin in enniath... U-arnech in naeth i si celich." Lostariel looks into my eyes. ,,Renech i beth i pennen?" She reaches for my hand.

,,You said you'd bind yourself to me." I answer her in the common language.

,,And to that I hold. I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone." Chloe grabs my hand and places something in it. I look down and see her necklace in my hand. ,,I choose a life with you." I look into her eyes.

,,You can not give me this." I tell her and want to give it back to her but she shakes her head.

,,It is mine to give to whom I will, just like my heart." Chloe closes my fingers around the jewel and then closes the distance between us. The kiss is lovely, slow, and sweet but full of passion. ,,I love you, Beca."

,,I love you too, Chloe." And then I can't resist myself. I take her hand in mine, while the other is still close around the necklace and take her with me to my bedroom. Inside we start kissing again and that quickly turns into a long night of making love to each other.