Raised by Hobbits

Chapter Seven~The White Council

The next morning Gandalf and Elrond walk up a flight of stairs and into a pavilion. "With or without our help, these dwarves will march on the mountain. They are determined to reclaim their homeland. I do not believe Thorin Oakenshield feels that he's answerable to anyone. Nor for that matter am I." says Gandalf "It is not me you must answer to." says Elrond. 

Gandalf looks and sees a tall, beautiful, female Elf standing framed against the sunrise. She slowly turns around. It is Galadriel. "Lady Galadriel." says Gandalf "Mithrandir. It has been a long time." she says "Age may have changed me, but not so the Lady of Lorien." he says Galadriel smiles. "I had no idea Lord Elrond had sent for you." she says. 

A voice sounds out of the darkness. "He didn't. I did."

Gandalf turns and sees Saruman the White; he bows to him. "Saruman." he says "You've been busy of late, my friend." says Saruman. 

The White Council, composed of Saruman, Elrond, Galadriel, and Gandalf, are in the pavilion. Gandalf and Saruman sit at a table; Elrond and Galadriel stand or walk about. Dawn is slowly breaking. "Tell me, Gandalf, did you think these plans and schemes of yours would go unnoticed?" ask Saruman "Unnoticed? No, I'm simply doing what I feel to be right." explains Gandalf "The dragon has long been on your mind." says Galadriel "This is true, my lady. Smaug owes allegiance to no one. But if he should side with the enemy, a dragon could be used to terrible effect." says Gandalf. 

"What enemy? Gandalf, the enemy is defeated. Sauron is vanquished. He can never regain his full strength." says Saruman "Gandalf, for four hundred years, we have lived in peace. A hardwon, watchful peace." says Elrond "Are we? Are we at peace? Trolls have come down from the mountains. They are raiding villages, destroying farms. Orcs have attacked us on the road." says Gandalf "Hardly a prelude to war." says Elrond "Always you must meddle, looking for trouble where none exists." says Saruman "Let him speak." says Galadriel "There is something at work beyond the evil of Smaug. Something far more powerful. We can remain blind, but it will not be ignoring us, that I can promise you. A sickness lies over the Greenwood. The woodsmen who live there now call it 'Mirkwood'. and they say..." starts Gandalf. 

"Well, don't stop now. Tell us about the woodsmen say." says Saruman "They speak of a Necromancer living in Dol Guldur, a sorcerer who can summon the dead." says Gandalf "That's absurd. No such power exists in the world. This...Necromancer is nothing more than a mortal man. A conjurer dabbling in black magic." says Saruman. 

"And so I thought too. But, Radagast has seen" starts Gandalf "Radagast? Do not speak to me about Radagast the Brown. He is a foolish fellow." says Saruman "Well, he's odd, I grant you. He lives a solitary life." starts Gandalf "It's not that. It's his excessive consumption of mushrooms. They've addled his brain and yellowed his teeth. I warned him, it is unbefitting of the Istari to be wander in the woods..." says Saruman. 

His voice fades away as Galadriel focuses on Gandalf, and speaks to him in his mind. "You carry something. It came to you from Radagast. He found it in Dol Guldur." says Galaderia telepathically "Yes." says Gandalf telepathically "Show me." she says Gandalf lifts Radagast's package, which he had in his lap, and places it on the table. It lets out a dull thud. "...or I'd think I was talking to myself..." says Saruman "What is that?" ask Elrond "A relic of Mordor." Galadriel says. 

Elrond, who was reaching out to unwrap the package, draws his hand back. He then reaches for it again and opens it, revealing the sword Radagast took from the spirit in Dol Guldur. 

The White Council members look upon it in shock. "A Morgul blade." he says "Made for the Witchking of Angmar, and buried with him. When Angmar fell, men of the North took his body and all that he possessed and sealed it within the High Fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock they buried them, in a tomb so dark it would never come to light." says Galadriel "This is not possible. A powerful spells lies upon those tombs; they cannot be opened." says Elrond "What proof do we have this weapon came from Angmar's grave?" ask Saruman "I have none." says Gandalf.