Eruwen (Part 1 & 2)

The Wizards of Middle-earth

A few days later...

It was a very rainy and cloudy day. We were driving through the forest and the road turned into one long muddy wading pool under the influence of water.

I wore a raincoat to keep from getting wet. I saw that Thorin had no cloak, so I conjured one for him, and then for all the others who didn't.

"Mr. Gandalf, can't you do something about the flood?" Dori asked after about half an hour since the rain wasn't letting up.

"It's raining, Master Dwarf, and it will continue to rain until it stops. If you wish to change the weather, seek another wizard."

"Are there any?" Bilbo wondered.

"Who?"

"Other wizards?"

"There are five of us. The highest of our order is Saruman the White and then there are 2 blue wizards. I forget their names."

"The first is called Alatar and the second is Pallando," I echoed.

"And who is the fifth?" Bilbo asked.

"That would be Radagast the Brown."

"Is he a great wizard or is he more like you?"

"I'd say he's a great wizard, in a way. He's a good soul, he likes the company of trees and animals. He oversees the vast forests far to the east, and that is a very good thing, for evil is always trying to infiltrate our world."

"Every wizard is powerful, Mr. Baggins," I informed, "they can do different things and what Gandalf has shown you is only a fraction of what he can do."

"You have quite an insight," the hobbit stated.

"Eruwen applied for a place in our ranks," Gandalf mentioned, "She had the disposition to do so, but the final say was up to the White Wizard. He was of the opinion that Eruwen was not worthy of the position."

"For what reason?"

"He wanted me to sit on the royal throne, rule the elves, and preferably marry an elven prince. I relinquished the crown to my younger brother, which infuriated him, and this is how he showed his displeasure with me."

"That doesn't seem like a valid reason to refuse when the others agreed," Balin shared his opinion.

"My mother was the first-born descendant of an Elven king, and after she married the Elven crown prince, my stepfather, the two realms merged. She gave birth to a son, my younger brother, and a dispute arose as to which of us would sit on the throne, and who would rule whom. I relinquished the crown to my younger brother, as he was more suited to the position of king than I was and had greater ambition. My father was furious, and as a punishment, he rejected my interest in joining the wizards."

"Father?" Bilbo spoke up, "Your father is a wizard?"

"Saruman the White himself," I stated, "he made my horse out of a star," I added, "but don't expect help from him. I haven't spoken to him in over sixty years and I don't plan on changing that."