FIRE AND FATE¹ ━ legolas greenleaf

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄, black magic

RAELYN REMEMBERS THE first time she saw Rivendell, or the Valley of Imladris. The Last Homely House East of the Sea was well named, she thought. There was no place more homely than the bronze-gilded city. The elves were peaceful masters of war, the best artists and craftsmen, the most beautiful. Immortal, graceful, they were perfect. 

And Raelyn had always wanted to be perfect. 

"How is Frodo?" Gandalf asks, shaking her from her thoughts with a briskness that is quite unrivaled. The wizard has changed from his tattered, bloody  robes into something more civilised, befitting the nature of Elrond's study. "He's been through an ordeal."

"Yes," Raelyn agrees, glaring at Gandalf slightly. She has not forgiven him just yet;  a few years ago, he suddenly cut off all contact with her, without an explanation. Then, out of the blue she receives a message, asking her to find Frodo. Why? "Perhaps he wouldn't have had to, if you had explained this earlier. How long has Bilbo had that ring, Gandalf? How long have you been aware — "

Gandalf stiffens, shaking his head at her in warning. His eyes are cold; not warm like they used to be. Why? "If I had thought it necessary to warn you, I would have. You knew what you needed to know."

"No," she shakes her head, feeling something stirring inside her. Ever since Weathertop, she can feel it's presence; magic. She pushes it down — magic is dark, evil. Why is it inside her? "I knew what you needed me to know."

They settle into an uncomfortable silence; Gandalf has no answer, it seems. Over the years, Raelyn has become closer with Elrond — now she can speak her mind in his presence without fear. 

"His strength returns," Elrond says, after a pause. "He has not yet regained consciousness."

"That wound will never fully heal. He will carry it the rest of his life." Raelyn winces at Gandalf's words, for she of all people knows how deep wounds like that run. His blood must now be coursing with black poison, the same kind that once ran through Kili's veins. 

Elrond exhales for a moment, measuring his next words carefully. "And yet to have come so far, still bearing the ring, the hobbit has shown extraordinary resilience to it's evil."

Raelyn furrows her eyebrows, unsure of what he's insinuating. Perhaps she does not want to believe it. Gandalf understands quicker. "It's a burden he should never have had to bear. We can ask no more of Frodo."

"Gandalf," Elrond insists, pointing at a map he has laid onto his desk. Elven forces are white, they are spread few and far between. Dwarves and men; grey, densely cluttered in cities and under mountains, avoiding the fight. Orcs and goblins; black, covering the lands with a coal-black blanket, spreading over every land. Not one place remains untouched. "The enemy is moving. Sauron's forces are massing in the East — " he jabs his finger at Mordor, a place where all the black seems to ooze from. "—his eye is fixed on Rivendell. And Saruman — " he points at Isengard, dripping with black. "— you tell me has betrayed us. Our list of allies grows thin."

"What about the other wizards?" Raelyn offers, pointing at the forested greenery where Radagast usually resides. "Radagast, Alatar, Pallando. They could help us, surely?"

Gandalf nods. "They could, but Radagast is missing, and the Blue Wizards are too afraid of Saruman to fight back. They will wait until the fighting is over, before declaring for the winning side."

Clever. Typical.

"We are entirely alone," Elrond says, nodding his head sadly. "Rivendell has always been strong, but we are fading."

"Saruman's treachery runs deeper than you know." Gandalf warns. "By foul craft Saruman has crossed orcs with goblin-men, he's breeding an army in the caverns of Isengard, an army that can move in sunlight and cover great distance at speed." Raelyn stifles a gasp. He is removing the orcish and goblin weaknesses to breed a master-race of killers. How can they hope to fight these? And the Nine Riders, they cannot be killed. This is a lost cause. "Saruman is coming for the Ring."