Eruwen (Part 1 & 2)

Very Entertaining Conversation

I went with Elrond to the place where the meeting and explanation of the expedition were to take place. Already on the way, I explained that the dwarves were interested in entering Erebor and reclaiming their kingdom and wealth.

Who I was to answer to, however, was not the Lord of Rivendell, but the Lady Galadriel, whom I greeted with great respect.

"I had no idea that Lord Elrond had sent for you," I explained.

"He did not," came a male voice behind my back, one I had not heard in over sixty years, "I did."

It was my father, Saruman the White.

Elrond bowed respectfully towards the powerful wizard as I slowly turned around, thinking of cruel ways to get revenge on Gandalf as I did so.

"Father," I spoke, a false smile on my lips as I bowed.

I knew this wasn't going to be an entertaining matter, but my father's presence suggested it would be an extra waste of time.

"You're really busy, Eruwen..."

I was about to say something ironic but kept it to myself.

"... I thought Gandalf was the mastermind behind the journey."

"I think I'm able to give you answers to your questions."

"Did you both think your plans would go unnoticed?"

"Unnoticed? No," I replied, "Gandalf had in his keeping the key and map to the Mountain, which he gave to the rightful heir."

"And what do you both plan to do with the dragon? Are you going to add it to your collection, Eruwen?"

"For four hundred years we have lived in a hard-fought peace," Elrond interjected, "which we must guard."

"The ogres have descended from the mountains and the area is beginning to swarm with orcs. The group of riders on the Wargs that pursued the dwarves have ventured into your territory."

"But this will not be a prelude to war," Elrond spoke up.

My father downplayed the situation.

"Let her speak," Lady Galadriel interrupted the two men.

"Gandalf believes that something darker and more powerful is growing in Smaug's shadow. Darkness has fallen upon the Greenwood, it has come to be called the Mirkwood. There is talk of a necromancer from Dol Guldur who summons the dead."

"That's absurd," my father responded, "there is no such power in this world. This necromancer is just a mere mortal. A conjurer who plays with black magic."

"That's what I thought too, but Radagast-"

"Don't talk about Radagast the Brown, he's a crazy patron..." He cut her off and started talking about why Radagast was an inappropriate patron.

"If you don't like him, then why did you refuse my entrance into your midst?" I asked because I was tired of listening to him.

"If you don't like the situation in the Mirkwood, then why did you give up the crown?"

I pulled out the sword Gandalf had given me and placed it on the table.

"What is this?" Elrond spoke.

"A remnant of Mordor..." Lady Galadriel replied.

The Lord of Rivendell untied the cloth and revealed the sword of the Black King of Angmar.

"... He was buried with that sword," she added.

"That is impossible," Elrond responded, "those graves high in the mountains are guarded by a powerful spell. They cannot be opened."

"What proof do we have that this weapon came from Angmar's grave?"

"Since I have not yet had a journey past those graves, I have no proof, Father," I replied.

"Because there is none."

"And what evidence do you have?" I responded.

"Let us rather summarize what we know," Elrond spoke up, seeing that our conversation was going nowhere.

"I admit we don't have much direct evidence," I acknowledged, "but I am willing to investigate the situation."

"And then there's the dwarven expedition you're participating in, Eruwen. I am very concerned and doubtful about it. I do not think I could allow such an expedition. If they had come to me, I could have spared them disappointment."

"There is something in that mountain that does not belong to the dwarves. I would like to get it back," I explained.

"Since when do you care about the treasure that attracted the great dragon?"

"I wasn't talking about the treasure."

"Certainly not about the leader of the group, either," my father spoke up.

"The front gate is closed, and the dwarves have a key to the door to the entrance, which is small for a dragon. What lies in that mountain belongs to my brother. Over sixty years ago, I made it my goal to reclaim it, and I plan to keep it."

Lindir interrupted our discussion with the information that the dwarves and the wizard were gone. During the whole debate, I hadn't realized that sunrise had already arrived.