Returning to Rivendell



After http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sm0i7g http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sm8p9o and http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sn3d65

Anvari and Elennárë go to speak to Aelin, then to Bilbo.

@AnvariShadow @SilmarilNaro @SilmarilAndrast @Gyrfalconsheart
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Anvari

It felt strange and good at the same to be almost along again. After traveling with a large group for weeks and having lived in war-camp during winter Anvari felt like he could fly as he led the horses across the rolling hills of Eriador. This was home... this was what he was used to.

They had reached the hidden settlement a week ago, and their return had caused quite a stir to say the least. Having Kíli return with them had made many wary at first, until they realized to their shock that Kíli was like them, one of the dead, only that he had chosen a different path. Thoralfr certainly had been distrustful about the white mountains too, but Anvari had seen him come around. He trusted Thirán and would always support and protect him. Anvari had missed his family being together.

Kíli's intention to meet up with some Erebor dwarves had caused Thoralfr to become rather outspoken, and warn him not to go. All he could expect was an attack, was death if he was lucky. Once an Orc-plaything, always one... at least in their eyes. Anvari wondered what it was inside Kíli that allowed him to face up to that. Eventually it became clear that Kíli would go, and while he did Anvari had offered to take Elennárë to Rivendell.

So now they were here, approaching the side entrance to the hidden valley, and the few days they had traveled together had been good. He turned and looked up to the lady on the back of the tall horse. She looked radiant, even in traveling gear. "We are almost there, beyond the brook between the trees, is the entrance."


Elennárë

For the last half hour Elennárë had been slightly distracted, listening to the sounds around her, but not everything she was listening to was just the sounds of the wind and trees and birds. Elven protections could sound very musical for those who could hear them, and Elennárë had been listening to them as they approached.

"They know how to keep it hidden in plain sight, the way in. Too much one way or another..." she smiled slightly. She held up a hand as if to feel the power there. "It feels... oddly familiar..." she frowned for a moment before shrugging.


Anvari

"I do not have the slightest clue how they manage to hide like that," Anvari admitted. "I tried to theorize about an artifact once, but Aelin gave me that look, that means I better stop asking questions and I did. It's their secret to have." He stepped closer to the horse, tilting his head to look up to her.

"When the guards ask, I will admit you are a Lady from Gondor, seeking advice regarding an ancient heirloom which in turn came from Arnor most likely, or even across the sea. Your escort met a sticky end and I offered to escort you here and back again safely. Elves rarely intrude on family matters and they *like* being asked for advice, so they will not wonder too much if I take you right to Aelin's forge."


Elennárë

Elennárë nodded as Anvari told her the story he would use. "In the long run, that could be considered not too far from the truth, though exactly what sort of artifact is something I would not reveal." There were several artifacts she could name, a good few that frankly did not exist in this world, came to mind. What would an Elf of Rivendell make of the name Andraste, except perhaps that it sounded like nothing from western culture?

"I will try my best to play suitably respectful and in awe in front of them."


Anvari

Anvari laughed. "Don't try too hard. Especially not when we are past the guards and in the trader's court. Too much bowing and scraping makes old Noldorin distrustful." There was a humorous sparkle in his blue eyes, as he walked on and towards the valley's entrance.

The patrol appeared out of nowhere before them, like they often did. They were lead by Ildramar, one of the younger, more humorous patrol leaders Anvari knew. "Anvari," the elf greeted him. "I am glad to see that the rumours about your demise were untrue. Whispers spread that you and your family fell to a raid."

"And let me guess, the first to claim that would be proper dwarves," Anvari replied with a grim smile. "No - some business kept us away for the best part of a year. I hope Aelin did not wander off in search of us?"

Now Ildramar laughed. "He likes you, but not that much." he replied. "and whom are you bringing with you?"

Anvari could see the curiosity in their eyes. "You may call her the High Lady Elenna," he replied, indicating that she was traveling under an assumed name. "a grave family matter regarding her former House of the North forced her on this journey and I offered my service to assist her."

With another patrol leader it might not have been enough, but Ildramar only grinned. "Aelin really beat some chivalry into you, Anvari - miracles do never cease. Go on to the trader's court and seek whatever help it is you need."


Elennárë

As Anvari said, Elennárë did not make her apparent attitude seem overly obvious, but did put on an air of soft wonder, watching the guardsman with curiosity. It was not all pretend either, as she found herself wondering how many younger Elves currently resided in the Hidden Valley. She did know that Arwen was counted amongst the younger and yet could count well over two thousand years since her birth.

But with Ildramar's ushering them off towards the trader's court, her mind turned instead to studying how much the place remained the same as Elenaria knew it. Elves did not change things once they had something they counted as elegant enough to live with long-term.


Anvari

Anvari led the horse down the path, to the right was the high bridge that led to the Palace quarters and the High Seat of Rivendell, a place any stranger might only enter by invitation or not at all. The graceful white buildings looked like grown from beautiful branches, but terribly fragile.

They went left, towards the trader's court, situated in the lower vale, where the caravans stopped and the elven crafters had their workshops. The two glassblower's stood side by side, flanked by the lapidary's home and a few others followed. Towards the end of the trader's court, where the other hidden entrance way ended, sat a mighty forge - built from dark grey stone, and while graceful in form much more solid than other buildings here. Outside Anvari could see a tall Noldorin elf with long black hair, who just now turned around and looked at them.

There was a smile on the bladesmith's face. "and a dwarrow he came riding....
riding...
riding...
a dwarrow he came riding up to the olden door...." He had a melodious voice even when speaking.


Elennárë

Elennárë could not help but stop for a moment to just stare at Aelin as Anvari approached him. It had been a long time since she had seen him and perhaps it was the recent memories of the spirit in the White Mountains, but one of several impressions to strike her was how much he looked like his father.

An old song came to her mind, a children's melody she had grown up with and she could not stop herself from softly humming it under her breath.


Anvari

Aelin had approached them, to greet Anvari and his Lady companion when he picked up the tune she was humming. It was a song that went all the way back to his own childhood and youth in a land now forgotten and lost like a dream that will evaporate before dawn woke behind the hills.

He looked at her, she appeared to be a human woman - maybe a bit too beautiful for one of the second born.

"Aelin, may I introduce the Lady Elenna..."

Aelin only vaguely heard Anvari's voice, for there was a presence he felt from her - one that he did remember from other days too. From days Maitimo would bring the Dawnstar out for a day far from Tirion. Elará, the dawnstar... Elenna... Elenarien. "Dawnstar?" he asked huskily in the tongue he usually was forbidden to speak, when not among his own kind.


Elennárë

Dawnstar... one of Maitimo's nicknames for her, Elennárë remembered, a fond smile crossing her face. "I liked to hide in bushes and ponds, but I knew well enough they could never fully hide me, as my light gave me away too easily," she spoke, recalling those days out in the inland hills, southwest of the Calacirya. They were fun days when she did not have to think about what her father would say and she could simply be the child she really was.

"I have been living in Gondor for the last twelve years, since I found my way free of the fire."


Anvari

Aelin looked at her still marveling, he well remembered the shimmering light in the rustling leaves by the silvery brooks, where they had played hide and seek with her, and where they had gone as far as they dared into the mountains. The bright shimmer had dimmed, shaded now and grown stronger, even as she now stood before him in flesh and blood. Her face did not seem to have a family semblance... except for the eyes. Those who had known the Lady Nerdanel would recognize those eyes.

He stepped up to her and in spite of it being poor form, embraced her. "You are alive," he said softly, "you are still alive."


Elennárë

"Father knew what he was doing, when he crafted my shell, The fire was bad... but it could still not get through." Elennárë spoke softly as she leaned into his hold. I many ways Aelin felt just as much a brother as any of Fëanor's sons had been. Often out with Maitimo, not to mention the almost fatherly way Ravenér had treated her and her sisters.


Anvari

"He made you to not be harmed by any force known to world or Vala alike," Aelin remembered his father and Fëanáro on that theory, long before diverging friendships and the presence of a dark Vala would change their lives forever. "and now you are here." He stepped back, pointing towards the forge. "Let us go inside, it will be more comfortable to talk." and with less prying ears.


Elennárë

Elennárë nodded, pausing for a moment to take Anvari's hand as they stepped into the forge.

It was warm inside, as she expected a forge to be, even when nothing was being directly worked on and the fires were low. Still she could see all the familiar equipment and a good few things she remembered as far back as Valinor, like the tool with wire threads, used for fine carving work that came from her father's invention, back when he was making the palantíri. She had at one point wondered if he had used the same when shaping her shell, but like much of that process, he never revealed exactly what he had done.


Anvari

Anvari knew the forge well, he had learned much of his art here, after his father had deemed that he needed another teacher. After working in Kíli's forge for the last winter, he can see certain details that differ and some that are similar, traces of where the arcane crafter and the common smith diverge in paths.

Aelin led Elennárë to a simply carved wooden chair, where she could sit down. It gave him time to calm down a bit. "Anvari, I take it you found a convincing lie to bring her past the guards?" he asked his student. If only one Sindar guessed her identity... not that they would guess a human woman could be what they sought.

"She is here in case of an heirloom that came down from her Northern Line..:" Anvari replied. "Aelin which guard would guess I bring anything of import into this vale?" There was an advantage to being of the Dead, no one assumed that the Dead were of any importance.

"Makes sense," Aelin agreed. He was curious how the transformation had happened, but right now was not the time for his curiosity. They had sought him out, so they needed him. "How can I be of assistance?" the question was directed at Dawnstar.


Elennárë

"Anvari mentioned at one point you had some contact with a certain redhead who lives further north, apparently with some blond dwarves?" Elennárë's lips quirked in a grin. "I was hoping you would be able to contact him, ask him to come south, to meet. Not here in the valley - I suspect some of the folk here still think badly of him - but somewhere away from too much notice."

She paused for a moment, debating internally whether to ask he second question too, eventually deciding it better to say straight away. "I also gained an impression I should head west, for the coast across the Ered Luin from where Cardemir once was. That I might find something important there, something I know is protected... but I think they would let me through, since I would never mean harm..."


Anvari

Aelin smiled, knowing where she might have heard some of these stories. "Yarion... Maitimo comes here at times, not openly so, but most people simply pretend not to see him, for the Lord of this Vale wishes for him to come and go undisturbed," he explained. "he and his two dwarven friends that is. Usually they haunt the northern reaches of the Misty Mountains enjoying the trouble the are getting into." If Maitimo could see her again, see her and understand that she was alive, it would do wonders for him, Aelin was sure.

"As for going West... I best give you a sign for Egandír, or he might strand you in a nasty place, simply because he is very protective of the person you seek."


Elennárë

"I would like to think I could convince him that I would never do her ill... but I like knowing she is protected, even from those who seem harmless." Yes the idea her sister had fierce protection was a reassurance, their Little Star was always the one she and Lossanárë defended the greatest.

The thought of Lossanárë stuck in her mind and she closed her eyes, reaching out, trying to see if she could act as a channel for her to appear. It was an odd time of day for it, Eärendil could still very well be in dock right now.


Lossanárë

A faint whisper passed through the forge, growing stronger and with it a faint ghost of a form. "Yes... it is good she has guardians... our Little Star." The voice was still faint, more heard in the mind than by the ear.


Anvari

Aelin could see her close her eyes and he did not need to guess of whom she was thinking. Her other sister... the Star of the Night. If those who had followed Fëanor across the sea had failed in anything, it was to reunite the three sisters.

He was that short of reaching for her, be it in silent support or to offer her strength, when she appeared. A radiant, red-headed apparition, faint but visible before them. Aelin reacted with the speed and thinking of a man too long used to having to think on his feet. "Anvari, iron chest, the star crystal... make haste." he ordered his student. The crystal had been made for another purpose entirely, one that had not been necessary in the end, but it might serve as an aid... or even anchor here.


Lossanárë

Lossanárë turned to watch as Anvari followed the order. At this distance, even with what Ravenér had taught her sister about an alternate way of reaching her, Lossanárë knew it was a strain on Elennárë to make this link, at this time.


Anvari

Anvari obeyed as swiftly has he knew Aelin expected it, retrieving a clear blue crystal from the iron chest. It shone in an inner fire and was intricately carved like a flame, he almost burned his hands touching it. Hastily he handed it to Aelin. The elf nodded. "Stay with Dawnstar, support her." he said, setting the crystal down on the floor.

Anvari could not make out the words Aelin was speaking, they sounded like elven, but were not Quenya, and he shuddered when Aelin cut his hand open and touched the crystal with a drop of elf blood. Elven blood, Anvari knew was a powerful substance, and.... it did not disappoint.

The crystal shone like a star in the night, and even with his senses not attuned to the skies, Anvari could feel it's pull, like an anchor rattling down on the shores. Suddenly the red-headed lady seemed much more real....


Lossanárë

Lossanárë felt her awareness of Elwing's tower vanish entirely as she was drawn almost totally to her sister's side by the crystal Aralaimé had. "That... is a curious piece of crafting, something I would not might knowing more about." She moved to sit next to her sister's knees, leaning against Elennárë's leg.


Elennárë

With the crystal taking a lot of the strain of the contact off her, Elennárë was able to turn her attention outward again and absently slipped her fingers in the long red hair that felt mostly solid now. "Always the craft-minded, Losá," she murmured fondly.


Aelin

Aelin felt a jolt of jubilation when he saw her take form, her presence here stabilizing.... it truly worked. Years of searching, of re-reading forbidden notes scribbled in the margins of half-burned books, years of conferring with Egandír on his dreams... by the time the crystal had been done Egandír had already done the crazy thing, entrusting himself to Ulmo's mercy he had dived down into the deeps and following the song he heard in his dreams, had brought the Little Star back to the shores. But now the crystal that should have been used to bring her back, helped her sisters.

"Maybe later," he said in response to her question. "I think your sister will want your attention first..."


Lossanárë

Lossanárë nodded, turning to Elennárë. "I know my stoneform is still in the West, I hope Eärendil and Elwing are not upset that I may be unresponsive... but they have long known how I missed you, Firestar." She held out arms to her sister, inviting her in.


Elennárë

Elennárë moved, almost collapsing out of her seat and into Lossanárë's hold, letting herself really feel for the first time one of the things she knew her alternate, Elenaria, would have gained. "I know what you've said about them, I'm sure once you tell them, they will understand your need to be here."

They settled in a comfortable position, with Elennárë resting her head on Lossanárë's shoulder. "I think Elenlossë will be pretty surprised by this. She would have been by the link we already had, but this is something even better."


Anvari

Amazed Anvari watched the sisters, remembering how he had watched Elennárë speak to the stars in the ruins of Osgiliath. It seemed almost impossible to see two of them reunited, even if it was only for a time. He felt Aelin's hand on his shoulder. "Give them some space," the Noldorin warrior said. "this is about family..."

Anvari understood that well, and retreated with Aelin closer to the fire on the other side of the room, where they could talk without intruding.


Lossanárë

"...So first we go check on the hobbit while we're here... then go meet our wayward eldest brother? I wonder how much of a surprise he will get, with me being able to be there as well?" Lossanárë murmured into her sister's hair. The words did not really matter so much, it was more the underlying trade of emotions through their sibling bond that had the greater meaning. Lossanárë knew she had always been the one who grounded her bouncy, emotional sister and being able to truly do that for her Firestar again... Well had to thank whoever sent this blessing, Valar or even Ilúvatar Himself.


Aelin

Aelin had caught the words, looking up. "Elenarien could easily take the crystal with her, thus making it easy for you two to move about." he said. They had planned on making the crystal easily movable, in case they needed to trek up and down the entire western coastline.

Still he cast a glance at Anvari. "You want them to meet Bilbo?" Aelin knew that many things were unsaid, and that Anvari used his status as one of the Dead to not having to notice certain details of the old Hobbit's story. Or maybe he had never quite heard it... but it was certainly not a story easily spoken of. And with the news of his Uncle Kíli being alive... Aelin could think of a few ways this would cause a stir among the dwarrow and certainly it would affect the old Hobbit deeply.


Elennárë

Elennárë looked up. "I have a need to see him - the same event that gave me the link through which I could speak to Losá involved a look into a different life, one where I was on the quest, with Kíli." She waved a hand, vaguely. "Something about those memories stays with me, bothering me, and it has to do with Bilbo. Perhaps if I may see him in person, I can come closer to working out what it was."


Anvari

Anvari looked at Elennárë, wondering what it was that bothered her. He knew little of the quest, except of what was told nowadays and that was far from the truth in some aspects. Kíli himself had not talked about it, and that Anvari understood well. In the end comrades had turned on him, and his family had been killed. He had avoided the topic for most of his life, true to the Dead Ones credo, "let the past have it's ashes" and "the dead are dead and must be forgotten, only thus the others can bear to go on." Pragmatic views on things that could not be changed.

"I can bring you to him," he offered. "he taught me most of what I know about good cooking... and he'd certainly like to meet a lady of scholarly erudition."


Elennárë

Elennárë sat up, nodding. "I would like that. Maybe I worry over little, but I would like to put it to rest, if I can." She looked to Lossanárë, then towards the star crystal. "You may need to go back and let Eärendil know what is happening?"


Lossanárë

"Perhaps not this very moment, but I should do so soon. I can imagine my being as unresponsive as Andraste's stone is not exactly reassuring." She referred to one of the downsides their Others had once experienced in Thedas, the fact that while in control of a body, they could do almost nothing in their stoneforms.


Anvari

Anvari rose, to not waste the time they had, waiting for Elennárë to take up the crystal, and then they could leave to find Bilbo. Aelin could easily get them past any problems should someone ask why they were headed to upper Rivendell.


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Anvari

Anvari led Elennárë through the outer edges of upper Rivendell. He was not a total stranger here, and very few people paid them any heed as they walked. Bilbo's home was set in a comfortable corner between the gardens and the brook. The elderly Hobbit sat outside on a bench and had been penning industriously at a book before him. When he looked up and saw Anvari there was a wistful smile on his features, before they brightened.

"Anvari, dear lad," he greeted him. "I have missed your sneaking by all of last year." He rose to his bare feet to properly greet them. "Who is the mysterious Lady in your company?"

"Bilbo, this is Lady Elennárë;" Anvari supplied the proper introductions. "she has traveled far from her homeland to find this place. Elennárë, this is Bilbo Baggins, son of Bungo."

Bilbo bowed and politely greeted Elennárë in Adûnaic.


Elennárë

The Adûnaic brought a slightly embarrassed smile to Elennárë's lips. "You do me an honour I feel a little unworthy of, since my own study into the language of Númenor is not precisely the best," she spoke in the old tongue, though she knew her grasp of it meant she had a few mispronunciations and a terrible accent. Switching to the easier Westron as she sat down, she continued. "I admit I have heard word of you from Anvari... and could not help but wish to meet the hobbit he has mentioned." She had to keep from mentioning Kíli as well, as she did not want to spring that news on him straight away. She could see just how much he had aged since the journey to Erebor, though it was perhaps not as much as could be expected.


Bilbo

The old Hobbit smiled and for a moment there was an impish glint in his eye. "If Anvari mentioned me, he either mangled the root stew or did it too well." he replied, with light humor in his voice. "And I am more than happy to meet you, dear Lady. Let us sit down and let me make some more tea." With that he hustled off and soon after brought a new teapot, pouring deliciously smelling hot tea for them.


Elennárë

Laughing softly Elennárë said, "I think he did it very well, something he was quite willing to say came as a result of your teaching." She gave Anvari a grin before accepting a cup of the tea. "Though truthfully I have also heard more than Anvari's word about you, a friend of my brother spoke of having met you years ago, when you traveled with dwarves."


Bilbo

"That was long ago," Bilbo replied, his mien shuttering, closing off the vivacious expression it held before. "though I am a bit confunded nevertheless. Your language, your inflection... the way you comport yourself, tells me you are from Gondor, and from a well educated House I might add." He tilted his head slightly. "How any friend of your brother's could have heard of me, would make me wonder. Except they met on sword's edge... and I should not hope so."


Elennárë

"yes," Elennárë acknowledged. "I suppose I am from a high family, though I grew up outside Minas Tirith." She absently looked into the warm teacup. "There are a few dwarves who pass through the White City, and a few who reside there on a regular basis... even some who manage to escape the sword."


Bilbo

Bilbo's eyes widened for a moment and it seemed almost clear that he had understood what Elennárë was saying to him. His eyes went back to Anvari and there was a restlessness that crept into his entire demeanour. "If some live so far south, then I am glad to hear it," he said after a moment in a shaky voice.


Elennárë

"Yes, I find it a happy thing to have those I know living in Gondor... or soon shall be..." Elennárë shook her head. "Though some of the tales I have heard of that quest you ventured on were... incomplete at best, and it was not just the events on the mountain that I never heard about either."


Bilbo

Again Bilbo's eyes strayed to Anvari, then back to the Lady sitting opposite of him. "I doubt there was that much to tell," he said eventually. "it was an ill-fated quest... under an unlucky star, if you get my meaning. Many things happened... and nothing quite came as we had hoped it might. The story would only serve as a tragedy, young lady, and I dare say we have enough of those in the world nowadays."


Elennárë

Elennárë glanced towards Anvari, frowning at Bilbo's apparent distraction. "I suppose I hope to make sure no more tragedy comes about, to anyone involved... especially those whose family were badly damaged already. I..." she set the cup down and gave a sigh. "I would confess I know something remains out of place after that quest, and it was not directly to do with fallen princes and kings... but something to do with you, Mister Bilbo..." She frowned, looking closer at the hobbit, not just the outer shell but deeper in. "Scars on your soul..." she could not help but mutter in Quenya.


Bilbo

Bilbo picked up her words easily enough, his long time as a scholar had taught him much. "I made too many mistakes back then, dear Lady. I did not understand the implications of my actions... nor did I fully understand my comrades' sense of honor. And when it was already too late, I did say something, in hope to help... or to acquire help, only to learn my words helped condemn a man. And... I have to live with that outcome."


Elennárë

"I believe he would forgive you, Kíli never laid blame on you for what happened at the end..." Distracted a bit, Elennárë moved out of her seat, reaching out a hand to rest it on Bilbo's cheek. Direct contact could make reading a person's spirit somewhat easier and doing so allowed her to better feel the strange twists and dark marks she sensed. "There was something that had it's grip on you... for a long time, far longer than the quest... something that does not want to be noticed, but wants to be kept, desired... seen as... precious?"


Bilbo

Bilbo had been about to protest, he knew that Kíli - if he had survived - would never forgive that he had been betrayed. Dwalin had said as much. But all the words fled him when Elennárë touched him, her words laying bare secrets that he had hidden deep within his soul. He nearly jumped. Precious... "Do not ask!" he said hastily. "It is gone... it is past. Do not ask." his hands curled into one another.

Shocked Anvari saw the change in his friend, reaching out for Bilbo. Whatever this was... it went far beyond whatever had transpired on this quest long ago.


Elennárë

"She saw it... and stopped thinking on it after it was out of sight..." Elennárë found herself murmuring. Turning to look at Bilbo with a piercing gaze, she had to ask the hard question. "Where is it now?"


Bilbo

Bilbo sighed. "I left it with my nephew, in Bag-End." he replied. "Gandalf knows and he will keep an eye on Frodo... two whenever he can miss them."

Anvari scowled, he well remembered the one argument of his father with the wizard, he had witnessed. He had been a child back then, small, a dwarfling only... but even then he had understood, that it was the wizard's fault that the Dead ones would never go home. He focused on Elennárë, on being constructive, anger helped no one - not the Dead, and not the Living. "How big is the danger?" he asked her softly, knowing that if she deemed something dire, something would need to be done. And there was no doubt he'd help.


Elennárë

Elennárë leaned back, thoughtful. "I do not know which ring it could be, legend speaks of any number of rings that were forged, lesser and greater, but for one to have such an effect it would have to be one of the greater rings... all of which are very dangerous." What with Gondor's history, she knew a fair bit of the official stories, especially the tale of Isildur... "I would have to see it for myself before I know exactly which it may be... it is a pity Telpë seems to be gone, he is the one person who would know the most about the rings."


Bilbo

"No one knows much about that accursed topic," Bilbo replied. "Gandalf certainly stood before the same problem. He said most writings were gone, lost when Ost-in-Edhil fell.." He sighed. "I sometimes wondered what Thorin's family might have known, they were powerful arcane smiths..."


Elennárë

"Thoraine is not talking..." Elennárë murmured. She shook her head, "No, I was already intending to head west as it was. My reason for coming north, besides keeping Anvari company," she gave Anvari a quick smile, "was always going to take me to the coast. I could make my way back via the Shire and look in on your nephew and assess the ring for myself... though if you were willing to write a missive to him, it might make the matter easier, at least giving me reason to be visiting Bag End on my way through."


Bilbo

Bilbo hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I will give you the missive, dear Lady... I still hope that the ring is not of great harm, but another look cannot hurt." His shoulders sank and he looked older now. "When you meet your brother's friend again... tell him I am glad he is still alive."


Elennárë

"He will be glad to know you think of him, I believe, and I will do whatever is in my power to protect your nephew as well." Elennárë spoke in a kindly tone, reaching out to to touch his hand as she did, some of her warmth in the touch, to make up for the strain asking him about the ring had put him through. "If you ever do write an account of the quest, tragic as it was, I would wish to read it."


Bilbo

Bilbo closed his aged hands around hers. "I... I did write it down," he said softly. "and be it only to keep the truth somewhere... the whole truth, all that happened, maybe to hold myself accountable for what I'd done..." he blinked rapidly. "No one has ever seen it."


Elennárë

"Then I would leave to you to decide if you wish to share it," Elennárë said softly. "and I want to believe as much as you did back then, you could not control everything." She wanted to sooth a little of Bilbo's pain, but she knew it would never be as easy as her words.


Bilbo

"Control?" Bilbo snorted. "you cannot control dwarrow, it's like trying to control the rise of the moon. And once their confusticated honor gets involved..." He shook his head. "Come see me these next days, dear lass.... I shall show you my journal. Maybe it holds something to help poor Frodo at the very least."


Elennárë

"I would like that," Elennárë nodded, an amused smile at Bilbo's talk of dwarven honour. "And maybe we will be able to talk on easier things while I remain."

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