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━━━━ »•» act two. age of shadow

15. ancient evils «•« ━━━━

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ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ third age ━━ year 3018

𓇻 eriador; imladris {rivendell}

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SEVERAL DAYS HAD PASSED SINCE THEIR ARRIVAL IN RIVENDELL. Every single morning and evening Elgarain could be found in the Healing Rooms to make sure Frodo was making a full recovery. Right until that very morning, when Lord Elrond had told her the Hobbit had awoken. She'd been eager to speak with him but Gandalf had gotten there first and since she figured he would need his rest, she'd let Frodo be. Besides, now that the Hobbit was awake, Lord Elrond had announced the council would take place that afternoon.

Over the last few days many people had been arriving in Rivendell. Besides the delegation from Mirkwood, several Dwarves from Erebor had arrived yesterday. She'd been eager to see them, hoping there was at least one familiar face among them. Many years had passed since the company of Thorin Oakenshield had come to Rivendell, but she could remember the joyous and loyal Dwarves like it'd only been yesterday. She'd also seen a man, who she assumed to be from Gondor, arrive two days earlier. But she hadn't had a chance to speak with any of them, no matter how curious she was, she'd been too busy with the recovery of the Hobbit.

But now, mere hours away from the all-important Council, Elgarain could once again be found in the gardens. At the very same spot where she'd spend her last peaceful afternoon with Estel. She hadn't even meant to go there but as she'd been walking her feet had carried her there without her mind ordering them to. Her heart ached beneath the weight of the memories and so she tried to focus on what was awaiting her instead.

Whatever was going to be discussed that afternoon, it would be pivotal for the future of Middle-Earth. She hadn't seen the Ring yet, but she no longer doubted the rumors. The wound of the Morgul blade had been all the proof she needed. Besides, she'd never seen such a worried frown on her former mentor's face as these last few days. And so the question she kept coming back to was, if the One Ring was truly in their midst, what would they do with it?

The easiest thing, it seemed, would be to hide it and never speak of it again. But in the end that would only mean postponing the growing evil. Already the spreading might of Mordor was visible and it was harming her people at this very moment. But Elgarain truly couldn't imagine another way. Surely they couldn't destroy it...She wasn't even sure anyone knew how to destroy such a powerful object.

It made her heart ache, the fact that her father, Gyda's father and so many others had given their lives to end the might of Sauron and now they were faced with the very same evil once again. Light had barely been given a chance to flourish before the darkness had come to trample it.

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she gathered herself to return to her room. She wanted to change into a more formal dress for the council, considering she was representing her people and all. A few more hours of respite before the Council would take place and a decision would have to be made... As she turned, a shadow to the right caught her eye. She froze in her step, watching as a human man made his way towards her.

He seemed caught off guard as well, as if he hadn't expected to see anyone here. As he looked at her however, there seemed to be a hint of familiarity on his face. But she couldn't recall every meeting him before. She was about to part with a simple nod when their eyes met and her heart stopped in her chest.

He was much taller now. His hair had grown longer and the lines of his face were deeper, hardened by weather and time. He was no longer clothed in Elvish robes but instead he was wearing the torn cloth of a Ranger. She also noticed he was wearing the Ring of Barahir, two silver serpents circling around a green jewel, connecting him to the long lineage of Kings. It seemed out of place besides his filthy travel clothes. The one thing that hadn't changed about him however, were his eyes...Still grey like a clouded sky. And they still studied her with that same intensity, as though she might disappear if he so much as blinked.

"Elgarain?" He whispered, his voice careful as if he feared he would startle her even further.

Every second she let her gaze linger on him standing in front of her, real instead of a ghost in her dreams, her heart seemed to break further. But, like she'd been practicing for the last few years with most emotions exploding inside of her, she pushed it down and placed her royal mask in place. Until the ache in her chest was nothing but a dull echo deep within her soul.

"Estel," she greeted, managing a small smile.

A silence fell, both of them unsure of how to fill it.

"I did not-" "It's good-" They spoke at the same time but fell silent to let the other finish.

Estel - Aragorn gave her a small nod, indicating she should speak first.

"I did not think I would see you here," she said, which was the truth. She'd expected him to be in the lands to the north, with the rest of the Dúnedain.

He smiled somewhat apologetically. "Gandalf was in need of my assistance."

She frowned curiously. She knew something had happened to Gandalf, if the state he'd arrived in was anything to go by it was something terrible. Which scared her deeply, because something that left Gandalf so wounded couldn't be anything good. Something was brewing the shadows but she could not yet place her finger on it.

"Well, I will see you at the council then," she said with a small bow, about to walk away.

But Aragorn's soft call of her name made her turn back, her heart aching with memories she'd been trying so hard to forget. "It was good seeing you," he said softly.

She smiled, but couldn't find the words to reply and so she simply nodded before walking away.

Her pace was quick as she hurried back to her room, her heart like a battle drum in her chest. She felt sick to her stomach, which was strange considering Elves never got sick. She all but threw the door of her room open, closing it quickly behind her as she hurried towards the bowl with water in the corner of her room. The cold water did little to cool her heated skin. She inhaled deeply before breathing out, repeating it a few times before her breathing finally calmed.

Her eyes fluttered up to her own reflection in the mirror. She looked awfully pale, more so than usual. Honestly, it wasn't all that strange considering she'd been reunited with a ghost...

Breathing out one last time, she closed her eyes for a moment, trying to gather herself. It scared her how bonded her soul still was to him, or else she wouldn't have reacted this way. She should be better than that, more guarded than that. But apparently she'd changed less in the last few years than she would've liked to believe. She was still that same little Elfling beneath all the layers of royalty...

Shoving those thoughts deep down inside, she turned away from the mirror. There were far more important matters to be dealt with than her broken heart.

She chose a white, floor-length dress with wide sleeves and a round neckline. If her mother was here she would've told her to wear her crown, but Elgarain thought that to be a bit much. She settled for a simple band, braided into her hair.

When she looked into the mirror again, she no longer saw a heart broken Elleth but a Tári.

She left the room and made her way towards the council chambers of Imladris. The round room was located out in the open, leaves falling down on the people already gathered in the hall, awaiting Lord Elrond so they could begin. She let her eyes go through the room, inspecting the many people who'd answered Elrond's call. The Elves of Imladris and Mirkwood were speaking softly together. She wondered which of them was Legolas, the prince who'd managed to capture the guarded heart of her friend. Perhaps it was the one Elf speaking to Aragorn, she'd heard of a friendship between the two of them from Elladan. As if Aragorn had sensed her watching him, his head turned to her. Quickly she looked away, unable to bear his gaze.

At the other side of the room, as far away from the Elves as possible, stood the Dwarf delegation from Erebor. She smiled fondly at one of the red haired Dwarves, who she recognized as Glóin, though most of his hair was now gray. So her hope had been correct, there was indeed one of Thorin's company who'd made the journey. He returned her smile with a nod. He'd never fully trust Elves...

Finally she caught sight of Gyda and Galion standing together, talking softly. She walked over to them and couldn't help but notice how Gyda's eyes went to her head. Almost as if she wanted to comment on her lack of a crown as well but Elgarain was glad when she managed to contain herself.

"Quite the gathering of fancy titles," Galion said as she reached them but despite his attempt at humor, Elgarain noticed he seemed more tense than usual.

"The fate of Arda does depend on this moment," Gyda said, eyes going around the room as if she was searching for someone, or more specifically; searching for someone so she knew exactly how to avoid him.

"That it does," Elgarain sighed, more nervous than she liked to admit. As she looked around however she couldn't help but wonder if they weren't missing some very important people. "I do wonder why the other wizards aren't here. They, more than anyone, could provide advice considering this matter."

"A just question," a soft voice came from behind her. As if he'd heard her words, Gandalf had appeared behind them, a warm smile on his face though the usual sparks in his blue eyes were missing.

"Mithrandir," Elgarain greeted him with an equally warm smile. She hadn't forgotten the council the Wizard had given her long ago. There were often times she'd wished she could've asked him for wise words once again but he hadn't visited Lindon in a long time.

"It is good to see you, Tarinya," the Wizard said with a bow of his head. "I've heard Lindon is blooming under your rule."

She shook her head with a smile. "The rumors are true, Wizards truly do possess silver tongues."

He laughed at that and for a moment his eyes seemed to spark once again. "Sadly that is not a virtuous trait in all of us. Which is the reason Saruman will not be attending."

She frowned, waiting for him to explain but his eyes went to Gyda instead, as if he was waiting for her to put the pieces together.

"He betrayed us," Gyda spoke up then, eyes hard.

Gandalf sighed deeply but nodded. "I'm afraid he did. Saruman has allied himself with Sauron. I barely escaped my last encounter with him alive. Our list of allies grows thin."

Elgarain shared a worried look with Gyda and Galion. It was truly bad news that such a powerful ally had betrayed them in favor of serving the Dark Lord. The world was ever growing darker it would seem...

A silence fell over the hall, pulling her from her thoughts. Lord Elrond had entered the chamber, smiling at his guests as he gestured for them to take a seat. Elgarain searched for a seat that was neither close to the Mirkwood delegation, or to Aragorn. She was pretty sure neither she or Gyda would be happy with being seated beside either one of them. And so she found herself next to the man of Gondor, with Gyda at her other side and Galion beside her.

The man greeted her with a warm smile, one that made his blue eyes shine. "I do not believe we have met, my Lady," he said, sounding genuinely curious.

She couldn't help but smile. It was refreshing for once to meet someone who did not know anything about her title and so did not fear to speak to her as if she were an equal. "No, I don't believe we have," she replied. "I'm Elgarain of Lindon."

He bowed his head. "Boromir, of Gondor."

So her guess had been correct, the man had indeed come from the stronghold of men to the south. She wondered what the Kingdom looked like these days, with Mordor right at its border...If Lindon had been experiencing so many attacks, it could only be that much worse in Gondor. Before she got a chance to ask however, Lord Elrond got to his feet and opened the council.

"Strangers from distant lands, friends of old, you've been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite, or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

All eyes in the room turned to the small Hobbit, seated beside Gandalf at the far end of the circle. He seemed small and frightened but at least he looked a whole lot healthier than a few days ago. He got to his feet, reaching into his pocket as he approached the pillar in the middle of the circle. Slowly he placed a small, golden band on it.

Immediately the air in the room seemed to change. A pressure that had not been there now weighed heavy on her heart, almost like a sickness. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, wishing she could look away from the small trinket but somehow it held her gaze captive despite her will.

"So it is true," she heard Boromir mutter beside her.

Finally she managed to tear her eyes away from the golden band and towards the man beside her. It appeared she hadn't been the only one feeling the change in the air. The man of Gondor, so genuinely friendly and warm mere seconds before now seemed to be held completely captive by the small trinket in front of them.

He got to his feet, talking slowly, as if not fully aware of his own actions. "In a dream I saw the eastern sky grow dark but in the West a pale light lingered." Slowly he walked forward. "A voice was crying: Your doom is near at hand. Isildur's Bane is found." He lifted his hand, reaching out. Elgarain wanted to scream but she was frozen in her seat. "Isildur's Bane."

Next to her though, Gyda was halfway up, a worried frown on her face for the man in front of her. Before she could move however, a sudden rumbling tore through the room, shaking Elgarain in her seat. She winced, placing her hands on her ears as her eyes searched for the source of the awful awful noise.

With wide eyes she realized it came out of Gandalf's mouth as he spoke a dark and twisted language. She couldn't understand the words but she could feel the terrifying darkness they spoke off lingering in the air like a dark cloud. The earth seemed to be shaking and even the sky grew dark as nature itself seemed to be poisoned with the filth of the language.

Only when Gandalf was finally finished speaking did the darkness fade, though it echoed through the sky for a while, like thunder rumbling in the distance. Everyone was shaken, including Boromir, who was seated once again.

"Never before has any voice uttered the words of that tongue here in Imladris," Lord Elrond spoke.

"I do not ask your pardon, Master Elrond," Gandalf replied, his voice still thundering through the small glade. "For the Black Speech of Mordor may yet be heard in every corner of the West! The Ring is altogether evil."

"It is a gift," Boromir spoke up as the shock of the Black Speech faded away. "A gift to the foes of Mordor." He got to his feet again, pacing the room as he preached his cause. "Why not use this Ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay. By the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him."

Elgarain frowned, feeling pity for the mighty warrior in front of her. Gondor had seen lifetimes of war with the enemy so close at their doorstep. The situation must've been truly hopeless if it made even the Son of the Steward desperate enough to turn to the worst of measures.

"You cannot wield it. None of us can."

Her heart jumped in her chest at the sound of his voice. She silently scolded herself, fighting to keep her face straight as she turned to look at him. He'd changed out of his Ranger clothes and instead wore a soft, gray tunic. His gaze was focused on Boromir and despite his stern words, he looked worried for the man in front of him.

"The One Ring answers to Sauron alone. It has no other master," Aragorn added.

"And what would a Ranger know of this matter?" Boromir questioned.

A new voice spoke up. "This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance." No other Elf would feel the need to defend him, except a friend. Making the Elf who was currently glaring icy daggers at the man of Gondor, Legolas.

Though, Aragorn did not seem all that pleased with his words.

"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?" Boromir questioned, doubtful.

She could hardly blame him. He'd been on the front lines all this time, leading his people through times of darkness. While the true king, the one who was supposed to be leading them, was nowhere near his people. Elgarain knew like no other of the weight and doubt the absence of a leader could place on a kingdom...

"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas added.

"Havo dad, Legolas," Aragorn spoke.

"Gondor has no king, Gondor needs no king," Boromir said bitterly, as he took a seat again.

A tense silence lingered in the room until Gandalf spoke. "Aragorn is right. We cannot use it."

Lord Elrond got to his feet once again. "You have only one choice. The Ring must be destroyed."

As if the Ring had heard the plotting of its demise, a low whisper seemed to fill the air, warning them against taking such drastic measures. Elgarain felt the urge to sit on her hands so the temptation of reaching for the golden band would disappear. The same question as earlier came to mind, how did you destroy such a mighty object. It appeared at least one of the attendees had an idea...

"Then what are we waiting for?" One of the dwarves grunted as he took his axe. He jumped to his feet and swung the weapon down, against the Ring. But instead of the Ring shattering, it was the ax that broke. The blade shattered into a thousand pieces as if it was made out of glass.

Gyda reacted faster than Elgarain had ever seen her do before, shielding Elgarain with her arm as the pieces of the axe were launched into the air. Even after all this time Elgarain still hadn't gotten used to people sacrificing their life for her but she knew scolding Gyda for it would make neither of them very happy. And so she said nothing.

The dwarf was thrown on his back, staring at the Ring with wide eyes. There wasn't even so much a scratch on it. On the contrary, the gold seemed to glow even brighter, as if the Ring was trying to mock them, showing them all that it couldn't be destroyed that simply.

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess," Elrond spoke up, sounding somewhat amused. But as he continued the small smile quickly disappeared from his features. "The Ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this."

There it was, the answer to her question. A seemingly impossible task that not even the bravest of them would be able to fulfill. The mere suggestion of it sounded absolutely ridiculous. Who would be able to walk into Mordor, the land where shadows came to life, and walk over the burning planes up to the mountain of Doom. If this truly was their only option, Elgarain feared they were all already lost...

"One does not simply walk into Mordor," Boromir spoke from beside her, clearly having been thinking the exact same thing. "Its black gates are guarded by more than just orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep. And the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with 10,000 men could you do this. It is folly."

"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said?" Legolas spoke, getting to his feet once again. "The ring must be destroyed."

"And I suppose you think you are the one to do it!" Gimli joined in, sounding everything but happy with that option.

"And if we fail, what then?" Boromir said, standing up as well. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"

Gimli now got to his feet as well, as if everyone was slowly going insane. "I will be dead before I see the ring in the hands of an elf!" He shouted. "Never trust an elf!"

At this comment, the entire room erupted into chaos. The elves stood up as well, shouting at the dwarves while they shouted their own insults back. All while Legolas continued glaring daggers at Boromir. Even Gandalf joined in, berating them all for being fools.

Part of Elgarain knew she should keep her composure, keep calm and peaceful but she refused to listen to her people being insulted. Not after her father had worked so hard to create peace between the Dwarves to the Blue Mountains and the Elves of Lindon. And so, before she even really knew what was happening, she was on her feet as well, pointing a finger at the red bearded dwarf.

"You dare turn away help from our people and insult us to our faces! We have to work together to defeat this evil. The stubbornness of dwarves will get us all killed one day."

Gimli glowered at her. "And tell me why I should listen to the words of an Elven Queen who cannot even manage to keep her own lands safe!"

This time it was Gyda who sprung to her feet, eyes aflame as she glared at the dwarf, "What has your kin done, but cower in their caves for decades, dwarf."

Elgarain could not manage to get another word in. The shouts only grew louder, thundering over the courtyard. Legolas was holding back the Mirkwood elves from attacking the dwarves, who in turn waved their weapons in the air as they shouted. Meanwhile Gandalf's voice was louder than any of them, shouting about how Sauron would destroy them all if they would not stop bickering among themselves and suddenly Elgarain felt guilty about her earlier words. But there was no time to linger on it because her ears caught the sound of a clear and determined voice, shouting to try and make itself heard above the noise.

"I will take it! I will take it!"

Slowly the shouting died down as everyone turned to the Hobbit, for it was Frodo who had spoken. He did not look all that certain of himself as he stared at all those people surrounding him. But his next words held firm determination.

"I will take the ring to Mordor!" He swallowed nervously. "Though, I do not know the way."

Elgarain felt herself smile at the sight of such bravery. A Hobbit making a decision for the people of Middle-Earth and yet she felt the future of their people had never been in more capable hands.

"I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear," Gandalf spoke, placing a hand on his shoulders as he took a stand behind him.

On the other side of the room, Aragorn got to his feet. She realized then he'd remained seated the entire time the discussion had taken place. His eyes were focused on Frodo as he smiled softly. "If by my life or death I can protect you I will." He crossed the room and got down in front of the Hobbit. "You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," Legolas joined in, stepping towards the slowly forming group.

"And my axe," Gimli spoke, smiling at Frodo.

Elgarain took a deep breath, trying to form the words for what she knew in her heart was the right thing to do. How could she possibly return home, knowing there were people out there risking their lives to save Middle-Earth. Just as her father had once done...

She could feel Gyda tense beside her, as if the Elleth knew exactly what she was thinking. But she refused to let that stop her. She walked forward, kneeling in front of Frodo with a smile on her face. "You have my protection as well, Mr. Baggins. Should you wish for it?"

Frodo nodded at her, seeming grateful for her offer.

"And you'll have mine." Gyda moved forward, crouching down in front of the hobbit with a sincere look on her face. "for as long as you shall need it."

Elgarain refused to meet Aragorn's gaze as she took a stand beside him, though she did catch Gyda's eyes, who did not seem all that happy with her decision to join such a dangerous mission. But it was too late now and Elgarain knew that even if she had not joined, Gyda would have done so anyway. The two Elleth's had many differences but one very important similarity: they refused to let innocent people suffer.

"You carry the fates of us all, little one," Boromir spoke as he slowly walked forward. "If this is indeed the will of the council then Gondor will see it done."

"Aye!" A voice shouted from behind the bushes.

Elgarain watched with an amused smile as another Hobbit came sprinting out of his hiding place and joined Frodo's side.

"Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me."

"No, indeed it's hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not," Lord Elrond spoke and though his words were stern, there was an amused smile painted on his features.

"He is not the only one," Gyda said then. She walked over to the entrance of the room and from behind two pillars she pulled two more Hobbits up by the scruff of their tunics. Protests echoed around the courtyard as she brought them towards the group, their feet dangling above the ground before she dropped them back on their feet. Elgarain tried her hardest to suppress a smile while watching the scene unfold. She had a feeling Gyda had known for a while the Hobbits had been secretly listening in...

The Hobbit in the green jacket threw a concerned look at Gyda, not seeming to know what to do now that he was discovered. But the other one knew exactly what to say.

"We're coming too! You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us."

The one with the green jacket nodded then, seeming to have found his voice again. "Anyway, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission. Quest. Thing."

Gyda scoffed at those words, making Elgarain smile despite herself.

"Well, that rules you out Pip."

Lord Elrond took a deep breath, as if praying for patience. Then he spoke: "Eleven companions. So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."

°∴,*⋅✲✦ ( ♕ ) ✦✲⋅*,∴°

𝕬𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝕹𝐎𝐓𝐄 . . .

Elgarain and Aragorn have reunited! The fellowship has been formed! So much happened in one chapter! I got almost giddy writing this. I finally got to introduce El to the rest of the characters! And I finally got to write my favorite character of this entire francise, Boromir! (Okay he's my fave next to Aragorn and Faramir and I tend to switch between these three so don't quote me on this lol)

ANYWAY I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please leave some comments with your thoughts. And as always, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your endless support. This fic has received so much love and it makes me a little emotional I gotta admit lol.

xx Nelly

ELVISH TRANSLATIONS:

Havo dad ― Sit down