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A Meeting Of Great Ones
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In the morning the king obliged his kinswoman and called a meeting of the leaders to discuss the escaped enemy. They sat in a circle set in a space among the huts and houses in which they were living for a while. From not far away came the muted sounds of sawing and pounding and chipping down in the lowland fields by the waters of the gulf, which glittered like white firelight in the bright morning sun, as the builders worked to erect fair new halls for their high leaders, and new docks and piers and ships for the mariners. Around them in the foothills of the Blue Mountains shining in the greens of high summer a remnant of the master smith elves, those folk who were called the Noldor that still remained in Middle-earth, quarried stone for the new buildings. And along the River Luhn which led into the inlet of the gulf, foresters driving many carts laden with lumber harvested from the thick vast woods nearby came laboring toward them from the southeast.
But in the circle Cirdan the Shipwright, held to be the wisest and most foresighted of his people the mariners, was the first to speak. "Lords, ladies, high king," he said. "In the aftermath of the long war and great battle we will indeed enjoy a good long while of peace here in Middle-earth, that much I foretell. But as the wise Galadriel has pointed out, Sauron, Morgoth's most fearsome servant in all his long wars against us, fled from the judgment of the gods after the end of the battle, and could not be found."
"Yes," said the king, "and I would gladly rally my knights and hunters, to avenge the torment and demise of my great-uncle King Finrod in the dungeons of Tol Sirion tomorrow if I could. But I would not know where to lead them. Where now do you think he hides?" he asked.
"In the distant East, would be my guess," answered Galadriel. She now sat quiet and grave, remembering the cruel fate of Finrod, her brother. "Those places were always the safest to the servants of Morgoth, his lord and mentor. There many mortals swayed into his service remained, few coming to the western lands with the true-hearted mortals friendly to the elves. Certainly, cousin, I would not expect you to abandon your new realm, on a wild goose chase without clue or lead or hope of finding what fortress deserves such an assault. He may yet be just a shadow lurking and ruminating on his losses in hidden corners at the far reaches of the world."
"Then what course would you suggest?" the king replied.
"Well," said Galadriel, "My brothers and I first came to Middle-earth desiring to each establish fair realms of our own to rule and manage and protect. My brothers are gone now, all perished in the war, but the flame of this desire still dwells in my heart."
"At some point when our peace grows more uncertain," she continued, "I think it would be good if we had more such realms as the one you have here, inland havens in their own right. Refuges in which our kindred out in the wider lands may come to dwell in safety. These may also serve as outposts from which we might keep a watchful eye on the lands and peoples of Middle-earth for any signs or clues that need heeding."
King Gil-galad nodded. "Wise counsel indeed lady," he said. "For I know you two, Elrond and Elros, also have a desire to lead such realms. As you will one day, but not for a while yet, as you are yet young and have much learning of lore and experience yet to do before you are ready for such a task."
"Yes," said Círdan, "but when that time comes, there are two passes through the great mountains which I remember from when my people passed through the area long ago, for which it is my counsel to take heed. Each pass would be a good place from which to gather news. The northern pass is higher and a more dangerous climb, and is less used. But in the western foothills below it, there is a fair valley where a gathering of folk may dwell relatively hidden. It also lies along the ancient dwarf trading road."
There were a few grumbles and sighs of dismay at this. Then Galadriel smiled and added, "I know some of us are ill disposed toward dealing with the dwarves, but they travel and traffic much between their far-flung realms, from the Blue Mountains near to us here, all the way to the Iron Mountains far in the east. If we would keep apprised of news in the wider world, it would be good to maintain some level of contact with them."
Celebrimbor now chimed in. "Speaking of the Blue Mountains, I will soon depart for that place with some of my kin. I will ask the dwarves of Belegost for any news they might have that may aid us in our watchfulness."
"Perhaps then we shall wait until Celebrimbor returns," said Galadriel. "And bring us what news he can find. It may influence our next choices."
To this notion the attendees gave their praise, and shortly they concluded their meeting. And soon the master metalsmith Celebrimbor prepared to depart for the mountain caves to the south.