One Ring to troll them all

The White Council

I had expected meeting Saruman to be nerve-wracking. Now, as I gazed at the white wizard's extremely shocked expression, I wondered why I had been so nervous while I struggled to suppress a burst of laughter at his face.

Now that I thought about it, though, why was he so surprised, anyway? Didn't Elrond say that they had informed Saruman about what truly happened on the day I essentially committed Sauron-cide?

Perhaps he didn't expect me to return. Well, too bad for him.

"Mairon," the elderly-looking man almost spat out, obviously showing no interest in being respectful. I could have understood his attitude if I were still Sauron, but he already knew that wasn't the case, so what the hell? Besides, wasn't this the guy who turned to the dark side - which he hadn't done yet and maybe wouldn't do now that Sauron was dead, but the point still stood - to follow that madman anyway? "Why are you here?" he asked rudely.

I pointedly took the seat farthest away from him, causing Elrond to sigh, likely developing yet another headache from my antics. The meeting with Thorin before hadn't exactly helped the elf lord's peace of mind either.

"Hello to you too, Curumo. What a wonderful day we are having, is it not?" I asked cheerfully, ignoring Saruman's double take and the pointed look Gandalf threw my way as he took a seat next to me, unfortunately giving him a front-row view of Saruman's arrogant face. Poor guy.

"It is Saruman now," the man growled, clutching his staff tightly. Seriously, couldn't they just leave those things on the floor or against the wall when they had to sit somewhere? Did they really need to hold them all the time?

"Is it?" I retorted cheekily, and I had the urge to giggle like a kid when Saruman's face turned a furious shade of red.

He was about to say something else, likely an insult directed at me, when he suddenly fell silent and deflated. His gaze shifted past my shoulder to someone, who, by all appearances, had just entered the room. Already suspecting who that person was, though, - I mean, who else could it be, really? - made me believe that they had probably been there from the very beginning.

A strange tingle in my head prompted me to turn around and smile at the last people to join us.

Glorfindel stood there in all his golden-haired glory, accompanied by a beautiful elleth who couldn't be anyone else but Galadriel. And she was staring right at me.

'Well, hello there,' I thought in the forefront of my mind, giving her the impression of wiggling my fingers in a cheeky greeting.

Galadriel's eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment, but she quickly returned to her usual calm expression. I didn't know whether she was more shocked at my presence there or the fact that I had felt her read my mind - wait, did she even read it or was there some sort of mental bullshit involved? Don't tell me I also had a mental wall or something like that! What even-?!

Elrond stepped forward then, no doubt wanting to make the introductions - never let it be said that he wasn't a great host - and I wondered if Galadriel had ever known who Sauron really was when he arrived in Eregion under the guise of Annatar. She must have, though. Maybe not during those years, but later on.

Oh boy. I really hoped that wouldn't ruin her impression of me.

"May I introduce Lady Galadriel, the Lady of Lorien," Elrond said, addressing me first. "And my Lady, this is Mairon."

Galadriel's gaze was steady as Elrond made the introductions, and her piercing eyes seemed to probe deeper into my very soul. She inclined her head gracefully in greeting. "Many are the tales I have heard of your story, yet I find myself in doubt as to whether they hold truth in them. Dark were the days of old," she said, and while Saruman scoffed in derision, I felt pleasantly surprised when I noticed that Galadriel wasn't looking at me as if I were an enemy.