"We must be aware that darkness is coming. We need a Head, someone to look to for direction," Galadriel pointed out for what seemed like the thousandth time. Would these men never get it through their heads that their life as they knew it could possibly be wiped out?
The men continued to bicker between themselves, gesturing with their hands wildly, ignoring the two seats that had remained silent until now. Their voices raised, calling out this fact or that this or that rumor was correct and trying to make sense of all the 'signs'. They couldn't seem to slow down and listen to the wisdom that the High Elf was trying to bring to their attention.
"Enough!" A silvery voice shouted, the figure standing from her throne-like chair, those arguing quieting at her outburst. "Thank you. We have come together to form this council, and all we have done is argue and bicker like small children over things that could eventually destroy our peoples. We need to choose a Head for this Council, and we need to do it before we get any further. Who shall it be?"
"I believe that our friend, Mithrandir, is a good choice. He is wise, he has a knack for seeing the potential in other people, and he is powerful when it comes to the gifts that the Valar have given him," Galadriel stated, feeling that he truly was the best person, or wizard, for the job.
"I am of the same opinion as my Grandmother, Mithrandir has shown time and again that he is reliable, and trustworthy, though you are quite meddlesome when you want to be," Thennil smirked, while the said wizard blushed a little.
"Nay, I will not take such a job, though it is kind of you to think of me," the wizard spoke, puffing on his pipe.
"Why ever not?" Cirdon questioned.
"I like to meddle to much for my own good, among other things, I would not be a good choice."
"Mithrandir-
"Nay, my friend, there is a time and a place for that position, and I do not wish for it, I have never desired power like that."
"Saruman then, will you be the head of our council?" Elrond asked, steepling his fingers before him as he rested his elbow on the table.
"Of course, it would be an honor," the white wizard uttered, though he seemed slightly put out that he was their second choice.
"Then it is decided, Saruman shall be our head, what is the first matter that we must discuss?" Galadriel pronounced, though she was sorely disappointed that Mithrandir had not chosen to take the seat as the Head of the Council, she knew that he would have been the best, even for his meddlesome ways.
"I have heard that Sauron has returned to Dol-Guldor," Mithrandir spoke, a ring of blue smoke floated out and up on the breeze as he blew it forth from his bearded mouth.
"Aye, I have as well, we may have need to actually fight in the near future, the darkness looks to be returning," Saruman stated, leaning forward on his white staff, it's crystal glowing.
Rolling her eyes, Thennil wanted to groan aloud,"Since when has there ever not been an issue with that fortress? The orcs and their smelly wargs tend to make it their home before we drive them out again. This has been happening for centuries, and need I remind you that it was I who did most of that driving out? I have been protecting the people of Middle Earth from East to West for longer than they remember?"
"Lord Elrond, is it really necessary for your daughter to be at this council? She is still young, and does not know the ways of the world, along with her attitude, it does not make for a pleasant conversation." Saruman sighed, leaning back into his seat, rubbing his forehead in irritation. The young Elrondian was granting on his nerves, her insolence is reprimanding them earlier was still fresh in his mind.
Before her father could speak, Thennil raised her eyes from the marble floor and looked straight into the old wizards eyes,"Forgive me, Saruman, but I will speak as I see fit. I have seen many of these worldly things of which you speak, and they are not beautiful in any way, they disgust me to no end. Until I see you arming yourself and walking into battle, please do not ask me to hold my tongue. I know the horrors of this world." Along with the fact that you are a power hungry old man who is jealous of Mithrandir, which you do have some cause for because he is more pleasant that you. She finished in her mind. He did not fully trust Saruman, he greed for power, though small now, could be his undoing in the future if he did not reign it in.
"Thennil!" Her grandmother warned, tone low in reprimand, her hands gripping the arms of her throne.
"I will not take back my words, because they are true. I for one do not wish to be apart of a council were a person cannot speak their own mind. I have seen and experienced what holding your tongue can do, and I will not participate in such a twisted thing as this could become," she spoke softly, knowing that her Father and even her Grandmother had some of the same trepidations about the wizard as she did, though they seldom voiced his concerns.
"There is some wisdom in the youths of Earendil's line," muttered Mithrandir, stroking his grey beard, pride shining in his eyes.
Saruman was not as impressed,"I think that this council is best left to those who are older, but you may remain if the other's prefer."
Those seated around them nodded their heads in agreement, she could stay, though it would not be pleasant.
Hours later
"How can you not see that his strength is gathering? The ring has been lost for a millennia, but if he has returned then he anticipates that it shall reappear! Would it not be best to find this ring and stop him from further action? It could and would save so many innocent lives," she argued, very passionate about keeping those around her safe.
The council had spoken of many topics, picking them apart, examining them, and making calculated assumptions about ways to snuff the evil out. Everyone seemed to be avoiding the topic of Sauron, dancing around it like one would dance around a rabid dog, wary, and yet curious at the same time. After what seemed like centuries she had finally guided the conversation back to what worried her most, an old enemy whose whole plan was to bring every people to their knees before him. Being ignored by those who had more years to their name, but who had chosen to discard their wisdom was provoking her to no end.
"If Isildur had thrown it into Ordain, then we would not be having this conversation, but since he did not, you must pester us when there are other things at hand that are important!" Saruman huffed, beyond feeling any remorse for his tone when addressing the daughter and granddaughter of his companions.
"Isildur wanted no part of that, he felt that he could use it for good, but a thing crafted by such an evil being and for such an evil purpose cannot be redeemed so easily, if at all. I could not convince him to part with it once it was within his reach, though it pained me to do so," her father whispered, eyes glazed over as if he were reliving the moments over again.
"Since you were with him, and knowing the faint hearts that men have you would have been better to have taken it from him and tossed it in yourself or pushed him into the fires," the wizard growled, cracking his boney knuckles.
Everyone inhaled sharply at the wizards rude remark, though they were not totally fazed by his actions, he was very blunt and to the point when he was faced with what he felt was the foolishness of those around him, even if it was in face not as foolish as he thought it be.
"You would have had my father push the King of Gondor? His flesh and blood but distantly? It would be like murdering my cousin!" Thennil was shocked and angered by his words, especially because she remembered how much her father had loved his brother and the decedents that came after him.
"If it could have saved us from what is likely to come, then yes," the wizard stated.
She held her tongue, keeping her from saying anything in anger, but inside she was seething like a pot with a lid that contained the boiling water which at any moment could explode. And he is said to love all living things, that even the life of the smallest insect that he steps upon and kills brings him great grief. How wrong those stories were! He disgusts me.
She spoke no more words during the continuation of the meeting, offering no insight where she really could have, her mind occupied with the things that had come out of Saruman's repugnant mouth.
Arwen jumped as a door slammed, and the normally imperceptible sound of her sisters feet was amplified, they slammed into the marble floors like a rockslide. Whirling around she came face to face with her sisters grumpy form. If she could have chosen one word to describe her sister it would have been either livid or out-raged. Her normally pale face was red with a fierce anger and her whole body was tense, like a stiff board. Thennil immediately went to her wardrobe and began to pull out tunics, jerkins, trousers, and the like with a furious flourish, tossing them onto the bed.
"What's going on?" she asked, worried by the actions before her.
"Oh, I just need a break from wizards that don't know how to be serious and actually think about things, oh, and he doesn't seem to care either!"
"So...?"
"I'm going on a sabbatical, which I have already let Glorfindel know about so that he doesn't schedule me for any patrols."
"Where will you go?"
"Who knows, but I just need to get away, breath a little before coming back and having to deal with him again."
"How could Mithrandir make you this mad, you get along so well with him," Arwen panicked.
"It's not Mithrandir, or at least not directly, it's Saruman who I have a bone to pick with."
Arwen sat on the bed, extremely puzzled by her sisters use of words,"Pick a bone with?"
Thennil paused in her rapid movements, recognizing the look on her sister's face,"It means that I'm frustrated at him for something he won't do."
"Ohhh, it's one of those strange sayings from among men, right?"
"Yeah, you'll get it one day."
I hope so, she uses so many of them it's like she's one of them! Arwen thought, running her hand through her black hair.
"When will you be back?"
"No clue, probably not for a while."
"Will you write?"
Thennil began to shove the clothing items that she planned on bringing into a satchel, "I'll try, but you know that getting it to you through reliable means is not very likely."
Arwen nodded before standing to help her older sibling pack, choosing one of the dresses that her sister could actually could stand wearing.
"Why are you packing me that one? It's not like I'll have an occasion to wear it," she shook her head, copper locks shining in the pale light of the sun filtering through the curtains.
"Who knows, maybe you'll end up in the halls of King Thranduil, or with Grandmother at some point. You'll want to look your best! I have heard that the prince of the Greenwood is very handsome..."
"Yes, and blonde, no thanks, I don't need a man hanging on me," she shuddered.
"There's nothing wrong with blonde, I rather like that color, don't you like the color of Glorfindel's hair?" Arwen sighed dreamily for effect.
"On him, it works, but in general I don't prefer blonde, it's more likely to look like a silvery white because he's Thranduil's son."
"But he's a prince!"
"And I'm way older than he is, not going to work, stop trying to set me up. I doubt there's a elf out there who would have me anyway, so enough with matchmaking!" Thennil scolded, though their was no real threat in her tone.
"Whatever, one day someone is going to come in and sweep you off your feet, and you'll end up in love, but you won't know what to do with yourself," Arwen said seriously.
"I seriously doubt it, and I believe that you can never be wise and in love at the same time, it just doesn't mix. You get distracted, you mess up or make a mistake, and they end up dead or you end up heartbroken, no love is for those who don't have to make decisions that impact many people."
Thennil pulled the strap of the satchel over her shoulder and hugged her sister,"You can find love, Arwen, don't be afraid of it like I am."
Arwen nodded, though she did not agree, holding her sister tightly, a single tear leaking out from the corner of her eye as they parted. Thennil left the room in a hurry, probably taking the quickest and most untraveled way to the stables in her effort to get away unnoticed. Moving to the window after nearly ten minutes of watching the door through which her sister exited, she waited for the glimpse of her sister's dappled grey stallion to disappear through the gate. She did not have to wait long, there was a flash of grey and copper as the horse galloped out through the open gate and into the valley.
"You'll find love someday, and when you do you'll know its love because all you will want is for the other person to be happy, even if you keep yourself from being that things that brings them the most joy. I hope you realize that."
Hey guys, here's another chapter, which my muse just dropped in my head...so yeah, enjoy and review please!
Robin