A/N Good news! I'm kind of snowed in...again...Which means more writing time if I can keep up the inspiration.
There is no bad news.
And there is juicy Rivendell drama ahead so enjoy :P
"What right do they have!" Boromir bellowed across Aragorn's study.
In the month and a half since she'd been gone, Aragorn had pressed Gandalf for answers, begged Legolas for counsel, and hung onto every word of Gimli's as he told him the story of the quest for the Lonely Mountain as Gloin had passed it along. Letters had been dispatched to Rivendell and Erebor, a plea for information, and one to southern Gondor where Boromir had been, staying for a time with his uncle in Dol Amroth.
Still wearing his mud stained clothes from travel he paced, taking in the full explanation from Aragorn. "She served her duty, what more could they dare want from her?"
"Of that, we can only guess until she returns to tell us herself."
"Then you believe Legolas and Mithrandir's hope of her return at the battle's end? When they won't breathe a word of her part in their tale?"
"Should I not? Their silence was only bidden by Josephine and I will not forsake my faith in her." He understood Boromir's frustrations and need for further answers, but his patience for it was thin when he had to battle such fears on his own part. "Do you doubt the wisdom of her charge of secrecy?"
Boromir sighed, looking towards the window and pressing his fist to his lips. "No. I dare not."
Aragorn watched from the cold hearth as Boromir walked to the warm sunlight and stared out through the glass. For a moment his shoulders shook and he covered his face with his hand, then he sniffed and turned back around to look at Aragorn with red, glassy eyes.
"She…I taught her as best I could."
"She lived through the War, fighting at our side because of that." He said, to both himself and to Boromir.
His mind was clearly racing as he thought about it. "But…but she still drops her elbow when-"
"Boromir…"
Stilling, Boromir looked at him, a tear rolling down his cheek. "Yes, you are right. We cannot dismay when there is still hope..." He squared his shoulders and nodded. "She will return to us come November and tell of her adventures and we will think how foolish we must have been to doubt her return."
Clasping his shoulder Aragorn took a deep breath. "Indeed, my friend. We must have patience, and hope."
Josephine had wormed Aragorn's lesson times out of Lindir so she could come to the library and be sure he wouldn't be there. She would've been reckless not to utilize the maps held in Elrond's possession and besides, Bilbo was right. She had been moping, and moping wasn't going to do anyone any good, least of all her.
The path they would take through the Misty Mountains was jagged and twisting. She wondered where along that they'd run into the cave outside of Goblin town. She wasn't sure what she was looking forward to the least, Goblin Town or the spiders in Mirkwood. Hilariously enough, Smaug was the least of her problems at the moment.
She'd made a few requests from the craftsmen in Rivendell in preparation for their capture, she only hoped that would do enough to disguise her among the dwarves and, if at all possible, hide Aragorn's knife for when they were disarmed. Josephine hadn't felt prepared necessarily for the war either, but there were a lot less situations of being captured and imprisoned then too. Thinking over things while she poured over the maps strewn across the table in the library, she was beginning to feel like repeated capturing was all that was going to happen to them.
"Down down down in Goblin Town…" She muttered to herself bitterly.
She could avoid it almost entirely, staying back with Gandalf…but the Ring…if Bilbo didn't get the Ring then fuck the entire future. After the change that happened with the trolls, she was hesitant to take her eyes off something so important. If she wasn't there and something was different like he ended up staying with the group, not falling into Gollum's tunnels…It would make destroying the Ring nearly impossible even if it were ever found in their lifetimes.
No, she had to go into Goblin Town and just hope the rumors were embellished.
Balancing her elbows on the table she let her hands support her head and let out a deep breath. "Okay, Josephine, focus. Goblins don't torture people. They're really very nice. Hospitable. They sing you songs and everything." She lied to herself sarcastically. "You squared up with Uruk-Hai and fought in the Last Battle, you can manage a night in Goblin Town." She just needed to stay low and keep hidden and let the dwarves do their protective huddling thing. Best case scenario it all went to plan and they'd be out and Bilbo would have the Ring and she could focus on other things.
Other things, like paying attention to the soft voice that cleared her throat behind her.
Josephine froze, slowly straightening back up.
"I hope I do not disturb you, Lady Seer."
She had to admit to herself, there was a part of her that was glad she'd been caught. The same part that had been sad when she thought she'd never know Gilraen in any form aside from Aragorn's memories of her. It was like a thread stretched between them in the fabric of the story that Josephine yearned to follow. Distance was still the safest option for all of them, but clearly the fates had other plans…or maybe Josephine had let herself become reckless. Regardless, what was done was done. Gilraen had found her, and she couldn't pretend otherwise.
Turning around she faced Aragorn's mother in earnest and tried to hide the heart pounding anxiety of knowing she'd have to lie to her.
"Lord Elrond will speak little of you when I ask, but the elves whisper that you know our futures. That its because you are from a time that has not yet come." She seemed curious but wary, unsure of what to make of Josephine, which was well enough since Josephine wasn't sure what to make of Gilraen.
"Whether I do or not, I can't really talk about it." Josephine tried to shut down a request about Aragorn's future before it came.
"So Lord Elrond told me, but I had to know for myself."
The tension between them showed in both their faces and Gilraen didn't seem too pleased with it. She took a few steps towards Josephine and smiled softly, a tilt to her lips that felt painfully familiar. "That was not the sole reason I came to find you. It has been many years since I've seen or spoken to another daughter of Men. You can imagine given your traveling companions, I'm sure, that it carries some degree of loneliness."
Josephine scoffed quietly and nodded. Gilraen had been there for what…seven years by that point? With no company but the company of elves? They were good company, but not relatable company.
In her slow responses, Gilraen looked disappointed and took a step back. "Forgive me, I am disturbing you after all."
"No-" Josephine said suddenly, before her better judgment could stop her. "I'm sorry. I've just been preoccupied." The best thing would have been to let Gilraen go, they likely wouldn't speak or even see each other again and things would be secured for the future. But Josephine was curious too, and didn't want to give up this chance.
The invitation given, Gilraen looked relieved and came over to the table to look at what she'd been working on.
"A great journey must lie ahead of you." She said when she took in the multiple maps and scrolls. "So it is as the elves say, you make for Erebor?"
It struck Josephine that she and Gilraen were probably very close in age, a peer more than the ghost of her husband's mother. "Don't tell Thorin his super secret mission isn't all that secret here." She said with a smirk. Secret keeping wasn't easy to do with a bunch of keen eared immortals around.
"I will speak of it to no one, you have my word." Gilraen chuckled and lifted the edge of one of the maps to peer at the one below it. "They seem to be a…lively company with which to travel. Are they also as stubborn as the elves say?"
"Stubborn. Quick tempered." Josephine nodded with a sigh. "But some days they're the only reason I crack a smile so I can't be too hard on them. But god damn they're exhausting, it's like traveling with a whole crew of Bor-" She cut herself off with a cough. "Of a friend of mine, like a brother and just as annoying." That had come out too easily, she had to be careful.
"I have no brothers of which to miss, but my father and mother are far from here and my heart aches for their absence."
Dirhael and Ivorwen, still living as far as any of them knew.
"But this is no surprise, I'm certain," She continued. "for I am no stranger to you."
"What?" Josephine bit her tongue and played dumb.
"Why else would you fear me?" She said it gently, without anger or judgment, but she was sure of what she was saying.
"I'm not afraid of you." Josephine scrambled, lying through her teeth.
"I knew from the moment you saw me in the Hall of Fire. I even brought my concerns to Lord Elrond and he assured me you bear no ill will."
Josephine hated that Gilraen had to worry about her. "You're one of the last people I'd ever want to put in danger."
"And my heart tells me to trust you." She stepped forward, closing the space between them, and laid her hand against Josephine's cheek. "I can see that I have upset you, so I will take my leave."
Before Josephine could react to the small, comforting gesture, Gilraen stepped away again and spoke one last time.
"Should you wish for the company of a friend before you depart, I would welcome it."
And with that, Gilraen left, waiting for no answer. Josephine braced her hands against the table and leaned back against it. She'd taken into account the elves, the dwarves, Bilbo…but not Gilraen seeing right through her. She was the mother of a king, a son who's blood alone put him in danger. Of course she wouldn't leave it alone when her gut told her something was going on, Josephine knew she wouldn't if put in the same position. Her eyes would be just as scrutinizing when it came to people who might present a danger to her own children someday.
She thought about Gilraen's offer, unable to help but consider it. Was it a risk, a danger to be near her…or was it a gift? Josephine wanted to talk to her, know her.
She hated her duty to keep secrets and had been glad to be rid of it at the end of the War. As she stood there she found herself imagining bearing some of those secrets to Gilraen, telling her how Josephine knew so well who she was and why. Confessing that they were family and being embraced as a daughter instead of a stranger.
But no matter how much she wanted to, no matter how strong the draw towards Gilraen felt, Josephine was too afraid to tempt fate. She couldn't reach out to Gilraen, and she wouldn't.