#Or as Gandalf would say “I was delayed”

[mirkwoodshewolf]

I belong with my One; Fili x Dúnedain reader

*Author's note*

So this took me a few days to finally get finalized and write down so I hope @futuristicyouthvoid I hope you enjoy this fic. For this fic I've put that instead of Kili getting shot by the Morgul arrow, reader gets shot saving him and ends up getting sick.

Warnings: reader poisoned, near-death experience, some angst and some fluff.

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@waddles03

@psychosupernatural

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@gay-and-ready-to-cry

@queen-paladin

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So much has happened in such little of time.  First Gandalf offers me a proposition for aiding a company of Dwarves, then we’re being pursued by orcs, then get imprisoned by the Elven king Thranduil.  Now we find ourselves at the mercy of the Men of Laketown.

Thankfully another friend of mine Bard was willing to let us stay the night at his house but of course the Dwarves had to screw it all up by going to the armory to steal the weapons and end up getting caught by the Master of the Lake’s guards.  But by some miracle, we were granted the supplies we needed to get us to Erebor to complete the quest before sunset.  Of course I knew it was because of the Master’s greediness that he agreed to help, he never was a good man.

“You do know we’re one short, where’s Bofur?” Bilbo asked.

“If he’s not here, we leave him behind.” Said Thorin.

“We’ll have to, if we’re to find the door before nightfall. We can’t risk no more delays.” Balin agreed grimly as everyone began piling into the boat.  But as I was just halfway over the plank, I felt a hand stop me.

“Not you.” I turned to see Thorin.

“What?”

“We must travel at speed, you’ll only slow us down.” He told me.

“I’m coming with you all to the Mountain. I promised Gandalf that I would.”

“(Y/n), you have been a big help to me and my kin. The first Ranger to truly stand for our cause. But lately you haven’t been up to par on your health. Stay here and rest, rejoin us when you’re healed.” Just because I’ve been feeling a bit sluggish since the river incident, doesn’t mean I’m helpless.

“Thorin—”

“I will say no more on the matter.” Without another word, Thorin went back onto the boat whilst I had no choice but to sit back down on the docks, feeling a chill suddenly come over me.

“I’ll stay with the lass, my duty lies with the wounded.” Oin said as he voluntarily got off the boat and came up to me.

“Uncle, (Y/n) has done more for this company than any other outsider could’ve done for us. You cannot repay her by leaving her behind.” Fili stepped up for me.

“Fili no.” I told him.

“I will carry her if I must!” Fili argued.

“Fili, one day you will be king and you will understand. I cannot risk the fate of this quest for the sake of a Ranger. Even if she were the only one willing to help us.” As Oin began feeling my forehead for a temperature, I soon watched as Fili stormed off the boat but Thorin stopped him.  “Fili, don’t be a fool. Your place is with the company.”

“My place is with her!” he snapped back at his uncle before taking back his arm and came over to me.

“Why did you do that? I thought you always wanted to see Erebor, you told me so yourself.”

“I’ll have plenty of opportunities to see the kingdom in my lifetime, but your wellbeing is more important to me than all the gold in Erebor.” I felt my cheeks grow warm as I softly thanked him.

“And don’t think it’ll just be Fee that’s gonna help you get back on your feet.” We turned to see Kili had also left the boat.

“Kili, you didn’t have to stay behind too.” Fili said.

“Yeah I could’ve gone but it’s my decision too.” He came up to me and stood on my right side.  “You saved my life back in the Woodland realm, I’ll gladly do everything I can to help you now (Y/n).” I smiled and looked at the brothers.

“You guys truly are the best friends I’ve ever had. Thank you.” They both nodded and as the Laketown band played a victorious fanfare to wish our friends luck, a sudden dizziness overcame me. 

My vision was going in and out of focus and as the crowd cheered as the boat with our friends departed from the docks, I suddenly fell forward, the last thing I heard was Fili’s voice calling my name.

*3rd Person POV*

When (Y/n) had passed out on the dock, Fili cried out (Y/n)’s name as Oin came up and began searching over her body for any trace of an infected wound or trace of blood.  Knowing that she had saved Kili from that arrow back when they were trying to escape the orcs on the river, there must’ve been a wound he might’ve missed before they came across Bard.

“OH, did you miss the boat too?” they soon heard the missing Dwarf, Bofur’s voice say.  But the moment he saw (Y/n) passed out, his concern grew as he asked Kili.  “What happened to her?”

“We don’t know. She just—suddenly passed out.”

“Her fever’s spiking lads. We have to get her help right away!” Oin said.

“Kee, help me out here!” together the brothers lifted her up by her arms while Oin and Bofur got her legs and they walked back towards the Master’s manor to ask for help.  After pushing through the guards, Fili cried out. “Please wait! Please, we need your help. Our friend is sick!”

“Sick? Is it infectious?” the Master exclaimed fearfully as he covered his nose with his handkerchief and fearfully cowered behind Alfrid. “Get back! Alfrid, Alfrid don’t let them come any closer!”

“Please. We need medicine.” Oin pleaded.  Alfrid walked closer as he sneered at them.

“Do I look like an apothecary? Haven’t we given you enough? The Master’s a busy man, he hasn’t got time to worry about sick Rangers! Let alone this one right ‘ere. All she’s ever done for this town is ruin the Master’s good name and turn the people against him.”

“She’s helped these people in their hour of need! Are you willing to let her die because of your own selfish needs?!” Kili demanded.

“None of our concern. She’s not a paying citizen here, therefore she’s not our problem. Now off you pop! Less we use more drastic measures.” With that Alfrid and the Master shut the doors and the guards ordered them away.

After being rejected by the Master, they tried going to other people to see if they could help but all of them were either too scared to go against the Master’s wishes, or didn’t have enough supplies to help aid her as well as their own sick family members.

With no other options left, the Dwarves raced back to Bard’s home.  Knowing of their friendship, they’d hope that at least he could help them.  Bofur knocked on the door frantically and as soon as Bard saw them, he sneered.

“No, I’m done with Dwarves. Go away!” he went to shut the door but Bofur stopped him pleading.

“No, no please! Please! No one will help us. (Y/n) is sick.” Bard opened the door further to see his good friend now sickly pale, strands of her hair stuck to her face from the profuse sweating she was doing, and her breathing was now choked gasps.  “She’s very, very sick.” Even with the grievance he had with the Dwarves for risking the safety of not only his children but the entire town of Dragon fire, he didn’t have the heart to turn his dear friend away.

“Bring her in.” Bard stepped aside and the four dwarves quickly piled in while Bard quickly looked around before shutting the door.  “Put her over there. I’ll see what I have.” Bard went to the back of the house as the Dwarves set her down on the nearby couch.  Fili took her hand between his and squeezed it.

“Hang on (Y/n), we’re all here to help you. Just…..don’t go where I cannot follow.” He whispered to her stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.  Kili watched his older brother and knowing of his feelings towards the Ranger, he couldn’t help but feel guilty knowing that it was because of his carelessness that the woman his brother loved got hurt to save him.

As the night overcame the lake, (Y/n)’s health was gradually becoming worse.  Oin did managed to find a small graze just underneath her elbow.  A graze that came from an orc arrow tipped with poison.  Already the wound (even for as small as it was) had already started to become infected and the poison was spreading fast.

(Y/n) was tossing and turning, panting as her body was glistening with sweat.

“Nothing’s working! Can you not do something!?” demanded Fili who was growing more frantic by the second seeing the woman he came to love be in such agony.

“I need herbs! Something to bring down her fever.” Bard soon came in with some more supplies and began listing them off.

“I have nightshade, feverfew…..”

“No, no there no use to me. Do you have any Kingsfoil?” said Oin but Bard told him.

“No. It’s a weed we feed it to the pigs.”

“Pigs? Weed. Right. Don’t move.” Bofur said before leaving the house.  As Kili was continuing to dab a damp, cool cloth across (Y/n)’s face and neck to ease her of her sweating, a rumble was soon heard coming from the mountain.

“Da?” asked one of Bard’s daughters Sigrid.

“It’s coming from the mountain.” Answered Bard’s son, Bain.  Bard had feared the worst, the dwarves had awoken Smaug the Terrible and soon the prophecy would come to pass, the Lake will shine and burn.

“You should leave us.” Fili said as he walked up to Bard. “Take your children, get out of here.”

“And go where? There’s nowhere to go.” Bard told him in defeat.  Little Tilda stepped in front of her siblings and asked her father fearfully.

“Are we going to die Da?” Bard looked at his youngest child and assured her.

“No darling.”

“The dragon, it’s going to kill us.” Bard then turned towards a beam just above the kitchen and gripped a thin but firm piece of what appeared to be black iron.  He pulled it down from the beam to reveal that it was a Black arrow, the very same black arrow that can only be used to kill the dragon.

“Not if I kill it first.” Bard said determinedly.  He then asked his son to come with him while the girls stayed behind with the Dwarves to help take care of their Aunt.

Time passed and (Y/n)’s fever was getting even worse.  Her breathing was sharp and panicked and she was now starting to writhe in agony.

“Durin’s beard where is Balin with that Kingsfoil!?” Fili demanded.

“I have the right mind to go out and look for him myself!” Kili snapped.

“You can’t leave! With the guards on patrol, they’ll arrest you too and aunt (Y/n) will never get better!” Bain said.  “No one is leaving this house understood!?” hearing the young man take a stand against the Dwarves made them both feel shock and admiration.

“Very well laddie. But I don’t know how long (Y/n) has got left, she’s growing weaker by the second.” Oin said to Bain.

“Tilda, Sigrid, come with me to get more rags and water for aunt Hela.” The siblings soon left while Fili gripped (Y/n)’s hand tighter.

“Fi…….li.” she choked out.

“I’m right beside you (Y/n).” he whispered to her.  Slowly opening her eyes she croaked out.

“Fili…..if anything hap-happens to me—”

“Don’t talk like that (Y/n). We’re going to heal you, Bofur’s probably found the Kingsfoil by now, he’s just probably ducking the guards and taking longer. Please don’t give in now.” He squeezed her hand between his.  “Don’t go where I can’t follow.”

Suddenly a scream was heard and next thing everyone knew orcs began dropping down from the rooftop or coming in through the front door.  The dwarves grabbed whatever they could to fight off the orcs but there were too many of them, and with the tightly constricted area the house provided, there was hardly any fighting room.

Kili got the children to duck under the table and fought off any orc that tried to come close to them, while Oin and Fili worked together to fend off any orc that came near (Y/n).  When they thought they were done for, help came from both Legolas and Tauriel who had been tracking down the orcs since they left Mirkwood.

As Fili managed to block an orc’s attack with a kitchen knife, (Y/n) had managed to crawl out of the couch and use a fire-poker to stab the orc through its spine.  But she soon let out a cry of agony as she collapsed to the ground, the poison fully starting to overcome her.  Eventually, all the orcs were either killed off or had begun to retreat from the house.

“You killed them all.” Bain said as he and his sisters got out from under the table after all went quiet in the house.

“There are others, Tauriel.” Legolas ordered but Tauriel was hesitant.  As Oin came down beside (Y/n) and felt around her neck to feel her pulse was slowing down, Fili and Kili came down beside her as Oin said fearfully.

“We’re losing her!”

“Tauriel.” Legolas said to her.  She turned back to her prince and said.

“The Ranger has done no harm to us, is there nothing we can do to help her?”

“She is beyond help. I’m sorry, there’s nothing that can be done for her.” Footsteps could soon be heard racing up the stairs and as the two elves prepared for another battle with orcs, they stopped to see that it was Bofur carrying some Athelas in his hand.

“Athelas,” Tauriel exhaled as she took it from him and admired it. “Athelas.”

“What are you doing?” Bofur asked nervously.  Tauriel looked into the room before looking back at him and said.

“I’m going to save her.” Legolas’ eyes briefly narrowed.

“Tauriel…..”

“You may go if you wish Legolas, but I cannot leave the she-ranger to perish in such agony. Not whilst she still clings to life and that I now have her only salvation.” The young prince took a deep breath then exhaled.

“What would you have me do?” the two elves raced back inside and Tauriel ordered.

“I need water fast. Get her on a solid, stable surface. Lay her flat on her back.” Every in the room reacted quickly.  Tilda gave Tauriel the bowl of water for her to mix the Athelas together, whilst Legolas and the Dwarves worked together to get (Y/n) on the table.

She was screaming and writhing in pure agony, her mouth starting to grow black with the poison.

“Where is the wound?” Legolas asked.

“Underneath her left elbow.” Oin said.  Legolas took hold of her left wrist and raised her arm above.  But when she tried to struggle, he was forced to also grab her forearm to pin it down and there he saw it.  The black graze and he could see the infection had fully spread and blackened her entire elbow.

“Hold her down.” Tauriel said.  Kili and Bofur held down her right leg while Bard’s children held down her left.  Fili held (Y/n) by the shoulders and Oin helped Tauriel brew the medicine.  Once it was brewed, Tauriel cut through the sleeve of (Y/n)’s shirt to get a better access to the wound.

The female ranger appearing like a rapid animal, screaming, grunting and thrashing about trying to free herself.  Tauriel took some of the Athelas and began rubbing it onto her hands as she chanted.

“Menno o nin na hon i eliad annen annin, hon leitho o ngurth.” She then placed her hands over the ranger’s wound and (Y/n) let out an agonizing scream.  Fili softly shushed her stroking through her hair and whispering in her ear all the while Tauriel kept chanting the spell.

Bit by bit, (Y/n)’s animalistic behavior quietened and then she went still.  Her breathing now soft and not as frantic as it had been.  Fili looked down at her worriedly and Kili asked.

“Will she be alright?”

“Athelas has powerful healing properties. With time and rest, she’ll regain her full strength. A few more minutes and she would’ve been beyond even with the aid of the Athelas.” Responded Tauriel.  The dwarves and Bard’s children breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank you.” Fili said to Tauriel.  She gave him a soft but tight smile as well as a soft nod.  Then both she and Legolas left to deal with the orcs.

After her healing, Fili wrapped up (Y/n)’s wound with some bandages and kept vigil at her side.  Never before had he felt so scared than he had felt at that moment.  Fearing that the woman he had come to become fond of—nay love throughout this quest, he wouldn’t have known what to do had she been lost to him.

“She’ll be alright Fili. She’s strong, she’ll be back on her feet in no time.” His brother tried to assure him.

“I know. But seeing her go through all that pain, all that suffering, and who knows if she even knew she had been hit.”

“Even if she did, she’s got the stubbornness of a Dwarrowdam. Perfect woman for a guy like you.” Fili turned to his brother.  “You may try to have hide it from the others but you can’t hide anything from me Fee. I’ve seen how you’ve been looking at her since Rivendell. You care for her more than just as a friend.” Fili sighed and looked down to her.

“I don’t even know how it happened. But after all that we’ve been through, seeing her in a—domestic way. The way she was with her younger cousin, the way the sunlight seemed to reflect off her hair, and the way her eyes shone like jewels in the dark. Kee……I feel as if she is my One.”

“And you should follow through that brother.”

“But would it work? A dwarf and a human? It’s never been done before?”

“Is that what’s really troubling you? Or is it that you fear she doesn’t feel the same way?” Fili remained quiet.

“This quest has shown me that life is too fragile. And at any moment, any one of us can be taken away by any means. I want to tell her my true feelings but—not now. Not while our lives are still in danger. Perhaps when we reach the mountain, I’ll work up the courage to tell her but I—”

“I understand brother. The turmoil that must’ve been stirring in your heart seeing her on death’s doorstep, if you had confessed your love for her beforehand and it be too late to save her……I can’t imagine the pain that would’ve been.”

“She’s too precious to me.” Fili said as he stroked her cheek with the back of his finger.  “I feel like if she had died tonight, my heart would’ve died with her. My body may have continued to live on but my heart would never be full again.”

“Take comfort now that she’s alive and that she’s recovering. No more darkened thoughts need cloud your mind anymore.” Kili said as he placed a comforting hand on his brother’s shoulder, gently shaking it.  Fili turned to his little brother and nodded giving him a soft smile.

“Thank you Kili. I know I’m supposed to be the older brother here but, I’m glad that you were here to be the one to ease my mind.”

“I’m always here for you brother, and I always will be. Together forever right?” he extended his other hand out.

“Together forever little brother.” Fili clasped his other hand with Fili’s as they pressed their foreheads together, drawing in each other’s strength.

*My POV*

 All I remembered was darkness, as well as a voice reaching out for me.  Then a bright light and soon silence.  I don’t remember much after that but I do remember hearing Fili’s voice along with Kili’s.

“This quest has shown me that life is too fragile. And at any moment, any one of us can be taken away by any means. I want to tell her my true feelings but—not now. Not while our lives are still in danger. Perhaps when we reach the mountain, I’ll work up the courage to tell her but I—”

“I understand brother. The turmoil that must’ve been stirring in your heart seeing her on death’s doorstep, if you had confessed your love for her beforehand and it be too late to save her……I can’t imagine the pain that would’ve been.”

“She’s too precious to me.” I felt something graze my cheek with the most gentlest touch.  “I feel like if she had died tonight, my heart would’ve died with her. My body may have continued to live on but my heart would never be full again.”

So did Fili actually feel the same as I have come to feel for him? Oh Fili, I-I love you too. And I do hope that one day I can say that aloud, but for now I was just too weak to even open my eyes.  I soon passed out once again but it wasn’t until the sound of giant wings flying towards us had me opening my eyes.

Smaug was coming for us. And he was out for blood.

[thefirstknife]

Interesting info from today's TWAB (it will never be TWID to me) about the Veil Log quest!

Veil Containment will continue being unlocked for the remaining three weeks of Season 21, and additional entries will unlock at the start of Season 22 and Season 23.

We have three more entries until the end of the season and then two more: 1 at the start of season 22 and 1 at the start of season 23. That will be a super painful wait. I can't imagine what this last entry could possibly be that it would be such a delayed tease.

The narrative team also acknowledged that they made the quest a little too secretive by trying to turn it into something players would have discover for themselves:

Narrative Team: The Veil Containment repeatable activity continues to tell the story of Neomuna’s history with the Veil as introduced in Lightfall. If you haven’t checked in with Osiris and Nimbus yet, you might not be alone. In wanting Veil Containment to be something discoverable, we went a little too far in one direction and made the activity hard to find, even for the lore-hounds interested in digging more into the Veil. (A lesson learned for any future content of this sort!)

And the rest of the stuff on the quest is soooo juicy and I believe they nailed the vibe they intended perfectly.

Writing the story of Veil Containment was an opportunity to dig into the cosmic horror side of Destiny. Creating the encrypted records of Ishtar Scientist Chioma Esi as she and her wife researched an alien force was a chance to bring the essence of things like the SCP Foundation and creepy podcasts like the Magnus Archives into Destiny.

Movies like Altered States and 2001 a Space Odyssey helped inform the tone of the messages you uncovered, all of which are underlined by the emotional story of Chioma Esi and Maya Sundaresh’s lives unraveling in the aftermath of the Collapse and their contact with the Veil. We’ve even seen some keen-eyed players noticing similarities between what Maya attempts with the Veil to what the Witness did in sacrificing its own people, and even what Calus did with the Crown of Sorrows and a pack of Scorn. Those threads and thematic recurrence are intentional guidelines anchoring us to related moments in the past, and help the curious delve into the deeper lore armed with a fistful of useful citations.

The bolded bit is really good! It's something that we've been discussing a lot. I haven't directly mentioned Presage much recently, but it's been on my mind too and I'm super excited to revisit it next season when it returns.

Another source of inspiration during the creation of Veil Containment was the relation between an outside observer and the concept of the Winnower mentioned in the Books of Sorrow. We wanted to explore the relationships people experience to cosmic, otherworldly forces beyond their understanding and how it tears both their own moral foundations and sense of self apart at the seams. As we’ve discovered with Osiris and Nimbus over the past few weeks, the Veil is a cosmic collective consciousness, a psychic network that spreads like a mycelial network through the universe. There’s intentional visual and thematic connections to Egregore there. But also, an allusion to the famous scene in Lord of the Rings where Gandalf warns Saruman about using the Palantir. “You don’t know who else may be watching.”

I assume it should say "Unveiling" instead of Books of Sorrow. Other than that, this is absolutely my fave. That last line gave me legitimate chills. The connections with egregore are important as well and I'm sure we'll get more mentions of that in the future. Again, Presage was our first real exposure to egregore so I'm happy to return next season. Technically, our first exposure to egregore was the Derelict, Drifter's ship, but it wasn't until Presage that egregore was identified and named (and deliberately connected to the same entity that we've previously seen on the Derelict). Really good summary of egregore lore if you want to dig a little! Also throwback to the (I think) first time I mentioned the explanation for egregore, back in February 2021 when Presage was hot off the press. Actually staggering to me right now that this was 2 years before Lightfall's heavy theme of collective consciousness and merging of minds and they already dropped hints to it back then. Wild stuff. Also take a look at Bungie's dive into making Presage (spoilers obviously for those that never played it).

Capturing that sense of foreboding unknown is a staple of cosmic horror. The moment where you realize that your role in the universe is a small one, that the universe itself may be uncaring, and things lurk in it that you have been blissfully unaware of. As our cast is pushed through these harrowing experiences, it also sets the stage for the future in The Final Shape and beyond.

So true bestie. I am absolutely thriving with this lore and development. Cosmic horror is literally the only thing that matters to me and the sheer scale of how this is presented in Destiny with the Veil, Veil Logs, the Witness and its origins and everything around that has been the best thing in Destiny lore for me tbh. I've always been most interested in researching Darkness and this exploration of it as a cosmic force of consciousness that drives people to incomprehensible actions and spreads like a mycelium network is an absolute blast.

[midnight6089]

Hidden Pleasures

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Nsfw warning! Don't like it don't read

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Walking up the steps to the white council. Linder at my side looked rather tense. For engaging into a serious discussion between the guardian's of middle earth. In which the two of us weren't summoned to come. Could disrupt the natural order, and anger Lord Elrond himself. Yet that was the least of my problems. Fear ran its course through my bones and every step felt heavy. If he finds out, I would be suvearious punished. With that thought in mind I reached out to take Lindiers arm. Knowing of my consequences, but that quickly came to an end the moment we reached the dome like structure, our footsteps carried out. Sending out echoes disturbing the meeting, and most of all, him. Too late to turn back now, I was the first one to step out from the shadows. Presenting myself to everyone, but Linder was the one to delay the news to Lord Elrond. Who seemed rather curious and surprised by our presence. "My lord Elrond, the dwarves, they're gone." He informs and the room suddenly goes quiet. 

Not surprising Elrond had kept a restful face as usual but his eyes spoke the truth. Bluntly turning around to look at Gandalf, Elrond took a deep breath to settle his nerves. Not wanting to lash out in front of Lady Galadriel and Lord Saruman. All the same the wizard tensed up in his chair and avoided Elrond's heated gaze. Knowing the look and whatever words Elrond wanted to say was for him. I could only stand here in silence. 

"Pardon me my Lord, and Lady." Elrond spoke as he stood from his chair and took off. His hands clutching at his sides, his feet stomping down the steps. We were quick to follow. "I want all the guards on watch last night brought to me and bring forth any servant that may have seen anything." Elrond demands as he cuts across the gardens and into the west wing of the house. "The dwarves couldn't have done this on their own." He let on as his robes shuffled and wiped around as he walked. The sight alone made me want to curl up into a ball and hide under a rock. But I knew keeping it a secret would make it worse. 

 

Stopping midway and havening over the thought of it. I took a deep breath and, "that won't be necessary, my lord." I admitted while holding myself tighter. Both Lord Elrond and Lindir stopped, turned around and gave me a stern look.  

"Do you know who's responsible?" Lindir asked. 

"Yes," holding my breath and biting my tongue. I gripped my sleeves as tight as I could. "It was me." I confess, "I was the one who helped the dwarves escape through the secret passage. I'm the one held accountable." At that moment I looked at them but mostly at Lord Elrond. His stare alone made me want to flee. His face was calm and collective, but his eyes were burning with rage. Slowly he starts to walk up to me. His feet drawing near, my heartbeat pounded to the sound of every step.  Just as he towered over me I brace myself for his lecture, the same ones he gives his son's. But to my surprise he placed a hand on my shoulder and with a firm grip, his face edge near mine as he debated on something.

"Why?" His voice cut deep like a knife as he asked. Pondering on his question I couldn’t think of an answer myself. 

“I…don’t know,” I replied hesenltly. “I thought I was doing the right thing. 

“Yet you disobeyed me.”  

"Yes." His hand lingering for a moment but was gone. His eyes studied mine and then he took a long and perlongative breath. 

"Curse that ignorant Wizard." Elrond said as he walked past me. On the verge of shedding tears while biting my lip, Lindir pulled me into his arms. It felt nice for a moment but then Lord  Elrond said something in elvish that made Lindir jump and  followed after him.  

With no choice in the matter I walked back to my chambers. Hiding my emotions the entire way there. That is until I stuffed my face into the pillow and was unable to hold back the tears. As I layed there crying on my bed a hand rubbed at my back continuously yet I was not strong enough to face whoever it was. "I know it was a difficult decision to make and I'm sorry it had to be you but you will always have my gratitude." Gandalf's voice ringed off the walls and into my ears. I turned my head to look at him. 

"I know in my heart I did what was right, but it still hurts. I never wanted to betray him but if I didn't the dwarfs would've never left. Or probably be sent back to work for the humans." After saying this Gandalf combed his fingers through my hair and smiled. 

"That is why I trusted you with this difficult task." Helping me to sit up so that he could wrap his arms around my frame Gandalf patted my back. "Give him time to forgive you sweet girl." Wiping my tears away with his calesd thumb. "You are a kind soul after all."  

Some time has passed and It hurt to see Gandalf leave so soon but I knew he had a mission to carry out. The dwarfs are more likely in need of help knowing them. With that thought in mind I went back to work. A stack of books in my hands as I reorganize every cover in alphabetical order. Groaning tirelessly as my arms aced from the weight of holding onto old relics for hours. Walking up to the table and plopping them down. The sound carried and Elrond glanced up from his work. I of course didn't notice his intense stare as I walked to the next book self and started pulling books. 

So busy with the task at hand the scratching sounds of the quil scribbling on parchment paper escaped me as it halted. Or the sound of Elrond getting up from his chair and walking along the cobblestone. All these echos went through one ear and out the other. The only thing I could recall was pulling a purple book cover off the shelf.  Dropping it with the others as my body whirl around and was dragged off by the arm.  Whisked away to a secure and private place. 

As we approached his chambers my flight or flight response kicked in and if it weren't for his hand holding me back I would've sprinted down these halls.  Holding my breath as I was shoved inside. I tripped over my dress and landed on the floor with the door slamming behind me. Looking back only to meet his gaze he took one step and I flinched and immediately jumped to my feet. Putting as much distance between us as I could. "You went behind my back, little one."    

Suddenly grabbed once more and was tossed onto the bed. He was on top of me now pinning my hands above my head. Elrond didn't so much as bat an eye as he ripped my dress. The sound of fabric tearing made my heart sink as the realization suddenly struck me. Watching in horror as his hands pulled apart my blose. My breast, visible and exposed to his eye.  On edge and fidgety and a sharp intake of breath. I choked as his hand slipped through the rip material fondling my mounds with tenderness.  His hands are gentle and warm, surprising me. Narrowing down on my body and placing kisses along my neck to my collar bone. His weight constricted my own. Unable to move or breathe. My hands disenthrall from his grasp. I could only cling onto his shoulders as he forced my legs open. Spreading them so that his hips could sink into mine.  

Clenching my jaw in one hand and taking my breath away in a fiery kiss the other went down there. Touching me with passion that is until he forced a muffle moan from my throat.  

That next morning the smell of sex clung to the air. Waking from a restless sleep. Sore and tired I moved to crawl out of bed but his hand came up and cast itself around my torso. Restraining me from making any further movements. "No, stay nin meleth." Elrond slurs as his mind is still asleep.  

"Nin Meleth?" I question while trying to get comfortable. Turning around in his arms and snuggling into his chest. "I don't know what that means?" 

"My love," Elrond answers as his fingers traced down my side. "But if you prefer I can call you hervess." 

"Hervess?" I repeated. "I….I don't know that one either." 

This made him chulke as his eyes blinked open. Looking into mine with fondness. "Wife," he said while smiling slightly. Shocked and surprised it was my turn to get on top. Straddling his hips and crossing my arms over my chat and looking down at him with a stern face.

 "Wife," I presume while slightly rocking my hips, but not enough to do much, " what kind of proposal is that?" I watched as Elrond's brow arched as his eyes narrowed in on mine. Then his hands came up to grab my hips but I quickly smacked them away. Soon he got the message and his mouth formed an o-shape. 

"My apologies," he said while shifting his weight a little. Getting himself comfortable in this position. Holding onto my leg for security as he reached over and pulled the drawer to his night stand open. He pulled out a small piece of cloth and unfurled it. Holding out a ring for me to see. Its silver band glinted in the sunlight as the rich dimensions sparkled. "Y/N will do me the honor of becoming my wife. " 

Lost for words and unable to speak. I could only shake my head yes as I bent down to him. Tears fell from my eyes as he wrapped his arms around me. "Yes, a thousand times yes!" I let out while holding onto him. Combing his fingers through my hair and kissing my temple. He stopped for a moment to slip the ring onto my finger. "I love you my hervess." 

"Nin Meleth." I said back and Elrond smiled so much it looked like he was on the verge of tears. Pulling me down to lock lips. Let's just say things got a little heated after that and you were late for breakfast that morning. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

p.s. Elrond you owe me a new dress

Elrond smerks and walks up to you from behind. Casting his arms around you. "I prefer you out of one then in one my dear." He teases while trying to strip you of your clothes. 

You quickly manage to slip from his grubby hands and make a b-line to your chambers. Elrond accepts the case and runs after you. Cursing the entire way in elvish you made it in time to shut the door and lock it behind you. Only for you to realize the guard outside has the extra set of keys. "Oh shit!" 

(Roll for initiative)

[alleksistrash]

The Stone On The Wall

Chapter 12 of (?)

Previous Chapter:

When Bilbo woke up for dinner, he was surprised to see the entire company crowded in the tent. They looked as confused as he was, and it wasn’t until Tauriel stood up from where she was sitting by Kili that he put the pieces together. He watched as the dwarrow all went stiff, uneasy around Tauriel still. She cleared her throat and bowed deeply to all of them, before straightening her back to address them.

“I would like to start by apologizing to you all, as I know you are each very busy trying to get Erebor back on its feet. But I would also like to thank you for coming, as I have something.. Important to tell you all.” She looked amongst them, seemingly calm and collected even when some of the dwarves grumbled at her. “Earlier, I accompanied Bilbo on his daily walk, and we saw Hûredhiel, the elf who was here when Master Oakenshield first brought Master Baggins to us. As you all may know, she didn’t quite..” Tauriel hesitated, trying to come up with the best way to convey what they already knew. Kili squeezed her hand, a quick motion to show he was there to support her. “She didn’t think it was necessary to save him. I cannot speak for her as to why as her reasons are her own, however inappropriate they may be. I did, however, speak to King Thranduil regarding the matter, and he personally dismissed her from her position. Bilbo asked me to tell you all this, as he doesn’t want any.. Harsh treatment towards her.” 

All eyes turned to Bilbo at this, a mixture of perplexment and fondness on their faces. He started fidgeting with the furs covering his legs, unsure of what to do or say. He was still collecting his thoughts when Thorin began speaking, drawing him out of his short spiral. “If that is what you wish, Bilbo, then we shall abide by it. Hûredhiel will receive no harsh or unfair treatment from the company, but I cannot promise the same for the other dwarrow once they have learned what she has done.” Bilbo looked even more confused by this, not knowing what Thorin had meant. Why would the other dwarrow even care, when they don’t know him?

Nori picked up on Bilbo’s confusion and stepped towards his cot, a soft expression on his face that Bilbo normally only saw directed at Ori. “Word has spread of your actions, Master Burglar. I would be surprised if there were any dwarf, man, or elf who does not know of what you did for us. You have earned our deepest respect, and as our king has said, we shall abide by your wishes.” The pointy-haired dwarf bowed deeply at the waist, and Bilbo was shocked as everyone else in the tent bowed as well. Fili and Kili had stood up at one point and were bowing, while Thorin bowed as best as he could from his cot. 

Bilbo could feel himself blushing in embarrassment, his ears burning as he tried to think of something to say. He couldn’t believe that he had done any good for them, at least nothing to garner this reaction. He may have saved them all a couple times, but those moments had long since passed. He didn’t think him getting the Arkenstone was much, as it was still with Gandalf as far as he knew. He shook his head, awkwardly laughing, “Thank you, really, but I don’t deserve this. I haven’t really done much but act as recklessly as a fauntling. I’m just a hobbit from the Shire, nothing special.” Bilbo hadn’t expected the outcry from this, least of all from Thorin. 

Bilbo turned his head to face the dwarf king as he spoke, his blue eyes piercing through him with a mixture of sadness and adoration, “You are no mere hobbit Bilbo, at least not anymore. You are special, and braver than you know.” Hearing Thorin use his name again sent butterflies through his stomach, his heart beating faster. He could count on one hand the amount of times Thorin had called him Bilbo during their journey, and having it happen twice in one day almost felt like a dream. 

Bilbo looked down at his lap, still fiddling with the furs. He managed to stammer out a soft response, just loud enough for the company to hear. “I suppose you’re right. Thank you, I appreciate it.” He didn’t look up to see their responses, even as they started to chat amongst themselves. It wasn’t until he got fed up with the feeling of eyes boring into him did he look at the offender. Green eyes met blue, and the butterflies in Bilbo’s stomach started slamming into his chest. They sat there, holding unblinking eye contact. Bilbo could see the flush creeping up Thorin’s neck and into his cheeks, and was certain his ears would melt off from how hot they felt. They both started to say something, cutting each other off, causing them both to giggle. Bilbo’s was higher pitched, sounding like birds singing, while Thorin’s was a low rumble, like thunder rolling over the hills of the Shire.

Much to their chagrin, they were once again interrupted by Bombur clearing his throat. “Well, I think we’ve all earned a good hot meal after today. I’ll go scrounge up some soup and we can all eat together!” He nodded his head to himself, taking delight when Bofur offered his help as the others cheered. It had been awhile since the company ate together, and it would be nice to catch up with everyone. Bilbo hadn’t been told much about the progress made in Dale and Erebor, and was curious to see what had been done since the battle. He also hoped for news of friendship between the different races, or at least more tolerance. He knew it would take awhile for the dwarfs and elfs to get along fully, but maybe they could start seeing eye to eye and work together to rebuild.

He chatted idly with Balin and Ori, listening as they told him of the different agreements made between Dain and Bard, with the occasional input of Thranduil. Apparently Balin had been appointed as leader for the company while Thorin healed, as the old advisor already had experience working with men and elfs while keeping his calm. Bilbo tried to contribute to the conversation, but his mind kept wandering back to his small moments with Thorin. He wasn’t sure how long he had been spaced out until Ori had inclined his head at him, asking “Well, Master Bilbo?”

Bilbo shook his head, a sheepish grin on his face. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that? I’m still a bit.. Dazed, I guess you could say.” He watched as the two dwarfs exchanged smirks, a mischievous glimmer in their eyes that he hadn’t seen before. Balin patted his knee, chuckling at the hobbit.

“Not to worry Bilbo, we’ll let you get some rest before dinner. It seems you’ve got somethin’ else on your mind.” With that, the two dwarves took their leave from Bilbo’s cot. His head was swimming, trying to process what little information he took in from the conversation. Apparently Bard and Dain had set up a schedule of sorts. Three days would be spent focusing on Dale, three days would be spent focusing on Erebor, and the final day would be optional for either rest or wherever people wanted to work that day. Thranduil agreed to have elfs stay to tend to the wounded, so that the men and dwarves could focus on their repairs. They were hoping to be able to have people start moving into the mountain before the weather became too severe, and it seemed that it would be possible if they kept up their hard work. Bilbo didn’t know much about the winters this far east, and he felt fear seize his heart for a moment as he remembered the Fell Winter. 

He began fidgeting with the furs again, trying to distract himself from his racing thoughts. Logically, he knew they should be fine as long as they rationed properly, as Dain had brought a large caravan of supplies. It was the small fauntling still trapped inside him that was panicking, desperate to break free and run back to Bag End and his pantry. He became angry with himself, he couldn’t just abandon his friends! Besides, Bag End never felt truly like home after his parents had died, and even less so after traveling halfway across Arda with this band of dwarves.

Next Chapter:

[poedameronwifey]

A true home(The hobbit Fanfic)

Chapter 18

Hey everyone. Sorry this is so late. Been busy celebrating also I know this is a bit late but Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to all. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas. I know I did. we had Lunch at my house. Let's just say the tension was high. I got to spend the evening with my family and got a lot of money from my aunts. Shame my baby cousin wasn't there cause he was sick but its okay. I also got to spend time with my dads family. So that was amazing. I haven't seen in a long time. I hope everyone had an amazing time and enjoy this lost day if 2023. Because tomorrow is 2024. I'm not ready😅😥. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter and again I'm sorry for being a bit late.  Anyway Onwards Readers.

________________________________________________

Third Pov

The girls were getting ready to meet the White Council. Gandalf explained to Thorin that it would be best if the girls went with him. He wasn't happy about that and neither was Bilbo, because they were their daughters and they feared what could happen. The girls reassured them and the rest of the company that they'd be fine and they would be with Gandalf and Lord Elrond. 

Fili was scared to be parted from his love but Kate reassured him that it wouldn't be forever and they would be reunited soon. He knew she was right but still didn't like it. The others didn't know of their relationship so they went to the fountain where they confessed their love for one another. They shared a passionate kiss, Fili putting all his love in the kiss so that Kate knew how much he loved her and she returned it with just as much love. He put his forehead to hers, whispering in Khuzdul that he loved her. When they parted and returned to the group, she gave him a reassuring smile. She hugged the others goodbye.

Meanwhile with Renee, she reassured the group that they would delay the council for as long as possible. She gave them a reassuring smile, knowing they were not happy about it. They had come to love the girls as their kin. Plus they were the babies of the group so they hated it even more. Kili wasn't happy about it. He hated that they would stay back. He wanted them with the group, he wanted Renee with him so that he could protect her and put his mind at ease, knowing she was safe by his side but he knew that this was the best option. Renee noticed that Kili was extremely quiet, which was very weird considering how much of a menace. She walked over to him and sat down next to him.

"Are you okay Kee?"

"I just wish there was another option, one where you all come with us but Gandalf's right. This is the best option."

"Hey, it's not forever. We'll be together soon. All of us. Besides you guys need us so much that you'd probably unintentionally insult someone if we weren't there to put you in your place. But I mean it, I won't let anything keep us apart. Not even death."

"You better. I can't lose you, Renee. Or Kate or Lili. Mainly because one is my family and the other will become my sister...hopefully. "

"Yea, they thought they were subtle. But I'm happy for them. Kate deserves to be happy."

"They do. I'm happy to call Kate my sister and Lili my cousin."

"And me? What am I to you?"

Kili looked Renee in her eyes. She looked so ethereal and beautiful. She had the most beautiful doe eyes he had ever seen. She looked almost innocent. He couldn't tell her, fear of rejection. He loved her. He put his hand on her cheek, rubbing his thumb on her cheek with a soft smile.

"I don't think I can say just how important you are to me. It would take forever."

He leaned down and kissed her forehead, whispering something in Khuzdul that she didn't understand before walking away. She just stood there, not sure what to think. He kissed her. Could he- No he can't. He can't love her. He's a dwarf prince. It would never work. She watched him talking to Ori. She knew she had fallen for him. And she fell hard. She looked around for her sisters and saw Lilith standing next to her father. She felt her chest tighten. She wished her father was still here. She missed him so much. And her mother. She wanted her parents back.

Soon it was time for the girls to leave with Gandalf. Renee quickly hugged Kili with the reassurance that they would be together again soon. They walked behind him as they made their way to where Lord Elrond was waiting for them. They walked behind Gandalf and Lord Elrond as the two spoke. As they spoke they made their way to the meeting place of the White Council.

"With or without our help, these dwarves will march on the mountain. They're determined to reclaim their homeland. I do not believe Thorin Oakenshield feels that he is answerable to anyone. Nor, for that matter, am I."

"It is not me you must answer to."

There at the edge of the cliff stood the Lady of Light herself. Lady Galadriel had her back towards them, hair flowing down like golden waves of water. Her dress was so long it went down the stairs where she stood. She had a beautiful silver circle on her head, with patterns resembling roots intertwining with one another. She looked breath taking. The girls gaped at her beauty.

Lilith's Pov

Holy shit my great-grandma is hot as fuck. Now I know where I got my beauty from. Seriously though, she's gorgeous. I wanted to look away so I didn't seem creepy but I couldn't. I immediately snapped out of my trance and hit my sisters' sides, causing them to snap out of their trance and turn to glare at me. We turned our attention back to the others.

Lady Galadriel turned around and I noticed her circlet had blue gems on it, possibly sapphires. I looked at her face. She looked so young, no wrinkles or lines anywhere. You'd find it hard to believe she was 8,372 years old. She looked like she was in her late thirties. I wonder what the secret is. Gandalf finally spoke.

'Lady Galadriel."

"Mithrandir. It has been a long time."

"Age may have changed me but not so the Lady of Lórien."

Damn, dude's got moves. Lady G smiled at him and Grandpa just looked at him in amusement. Renee was chuckling at him while Kate was trying not to laugh.

"I had no idea lord Elrond had sent for you."

"He didn't."

"Hmm?"

"I did."

Gandalf closed his eyes as if he had just been caught stealing. I looked towards the sound of the voice and there stood the one person I've been wanting to give a piece of my mind to, Sauron's Cockwarmer aka Saurman the White. My sisters and I glared at him so hard that if looks could kill, he'd be dead 100 times. This man is a traitor and a coward. I hate him with everything I have. Gandalf turned towards him with a fake smile.

"Saurman"

"You've been busy of late, my friend."

He turned his attention to us.

"And who, pray tell, are they?"

I let Renee handle this because if I spoke I'd probably be in so much trouble with Kate and lose the remaining brain cells I have left.

"What are you fucking blind or something? We're ladies, the ones who are not afraid to insult you if you don't stop glaring at our wizard like that. The name's Renee, that's Kathrine but Kate will do and that's Lilith, Lord Elrond's granddaughter. Well I mean we're all his granddaughters because Lilith is our sister, Anyway that's done."

"Surely that's impossible. Lord Elrond's children have not married yet."

"Well obviously someone needs the birds and bees talk. His daughter Elenor, our mother, fell in love with a dwarf and she got pregnant and left through a magic cave. 9 months later, a baby girl was born, this one here. Any questions? No? Great. And before you ask, no Kate and I are not her biological daughters. She adopted us when we were 6. All caught up now? Now Lilith I know you want to rip him a new one so I'm going to let you get it out of your system here and now because you look ready to burst. Everyone else, just watch the drama unfold and can we get some snacks by any chance? I'm starving!"

I could see the steam coming out of her ears. Everyone just stared at her for a few minutes after a long minute or two and looked at me.

"Okay, first of all, It is lovely to meet an old friend of my Grandfather, Lady Galadriel. I hope that we can become well acquainted and I hope to hear your stories about my mother. Second of all, Reni, thank you."

I said while looking at Lady G and gave an evil smile. One that would rival the Grinch's.

"Now...You."

I said slowly turning to the little bitch- I mean Saurman the white with a calm smile on my face. I could see the fear shine in his eyes. I remember that Lady G can communicate telepathically.

Lady Galadriel?

Yes, child?

I need to show you what is going to happen in 60 years, we come from a world where Middle Earth is a novel. Anyway, there is The Hobbit, which takes place now and The Lord of The Rings, which takes place in 60 years. In short, Saurman turns his back on everything and goes to work with Sauron. He tries to get the ring so he can give it to his master and tries to kill Gandalf. The thing is we have reason to believe that he has been secretly working for him for a while now. Why else would he be against the Dwarves getting their rightful home back?

That is a lot to take in, child. But I believe you, myself, have been suspicious of him for a while now as well. What do you plan to do?

Oh, I plan to expose him.

Well then, your friend was right, we will be needing snacks.

"Tell me, Saurman, why don't you want my father and his people to have their home back? And don't give me 'It's not the right time' or 'It's too dangerous' shit because we both know that's not it.-"

"Excuse me, don't talk to me like that you little brat!-"

"And don't you fucking interrupt me you old sleaze bag!

I was so ready to expose him but then of course Kate just had to ruin all my fun. As usual.

"Lilith enough. I know you want to go off but please not now. And Renee, stop encouraging her. We are guests so behave yourself both of you. Let's just get this over and done with then you can go nuts. I promise."

I groaned but I knew if I didn't do as she said, I'd be in so much trouble. I glared at him before moving to where my sisters stood. Gandalf sat down and across from him sat Saurman. We decided to stand behind Gandalf while grandpa stood off to the side and Lady G walked around. Renee and I hated the fact that we had to wait to expose that fucking bastard.

"Tell me Gandalf, did you think these plans and schemes of yours would go unnoticed?"

"Unnoticed? No, I-I'm simply doing what I feel to be right."

"The dragon has long been on your mind."

"That is true, my lady. Smaug owes his allegiance to no one. But if he should side with the enemy, a dragon could be used to terrible effect."

"What enemy? Gandalf the enemy is defeated. Sauron is vanquished. He can never regain his full strength."

"Gandalf, for 400 years, we have lived in peace, a hard-won, watchful peace."

"Are we? Are we at peace? Trolls have come down from the mountains. They are raiding villages, destroying farms. Orcs have attacked on the road."

"Hardly a prelude to war."

"Always you must meddle, looking for trouble where none exists."

"Hey. You better watch it. I don't care who the fuck you are but no one disrespects our wizard."

"Renee enough."

Renee looked ready to fucking kill him and strangle him with her hands. Luckily Kate stopped her before she could. I can't believe this asshole. Lady G interrupted.

"Let him speak." I smiled at her in thanks. She returned it with a nod.

"There is something at work beyond the evil of Smaug. Something more powerful. We can remain blind to it but it will not be ignoring us, that I can promise you. A sickness lies over Greenwood. The woodsmen who live there now call it Mirkwood. And they...they say..."

"Well? Don't stop now. Tell us what the woodsmen say."

"They speak of a necromancer living in Dol Guldur. A sorcerer who can summon the dead."

'That's absurd. No such power exists in this world. This necromancer is nothing more than a mortal man. A conjurer dabbling in black magic."

"How would you know? Did you investigate? Or are you so prideful that you can't admit that maybe you missed something and could be very wrong? What do you think girls?"

My sisters nodded, agreeing with me. I smirked at him. I knew he would deny it. He's already fallen to the dark side. I just have to get him to admit it. Besides Lady G seems to believe me.

" I thought so as well. But Radagast has seen-"

"Radagast?! Do not speak to me of Radagast the Brown. He's a foolish fellow."

"Well, he's odd, I grant you. He lives a solitary life"

"It's not that. It's his excessive consumption of mushrooms. They've addled his brain and yellowed his teeth. I warned him. It is unbefitting one of the Isatri to be wandering the woods-"

Renee's Pov

I've had enough of this bitch.

"I'd stop talking if I were you. Lilith looks ready to blow."

"Oh I am. Who the fuck do you think you are, insulting others? Radagast is an amazing wizard and yes he's odd but that is what makes him unique. Not everyone can act like there's a stick up their ass. And also the way you insult and belittle Gandalf, he is a much better wizard than you are. He actually cares about this world while all you care about is power and staying on top. I've seen men like you and I hate them with a passion. I despise people like you. The Isatri are supposed to watch over and protect middle earth but you just blatantly ignore the evil that is trying to return. Damn you're worse than Thorin. I ought to wring your fucking neck but then Kate would kill me and Id like to not die just yet. Thank you for your time." MIC DROP

While Lilith was talking or more like threatening Saurman, Gandalf seemed lost in thought. I guessed that he was having a conversation with Lady G telepathically. I could hear them discussing something in my head and I knew immediately that it had to be about the blade. My guess was right when he reached in his robes and took out the blade that Radagast gave him before they were chased with orcs. He placed it on the table, drawing everyone's attention. Lord Elrond uncovered it, revealing the morgul blade. I could feel the darkness surrounding it, making me groan. It felt like someone was calling for me, seducing me to the dark side. I looked away from it, unable to handle the pain anymore. I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw Lady G looking at me with a soft smile. I returned it, letting her know that I was okay. I felt her enter my mind.

My child you have great power within you. I sense a power that has been lost for a long time.

That explains why I got affected when I saw the blade. Do I have darkness in me? Can you help me make sense of this?

My dear child, you hold an ancient and strong power. You hail from an old race, one that was said to be wiped out long ago. I can feel your confusion. Do not fear young one, there is no darkness in you. Have faith, my child.

My attention went back to the current problem.

"What is that?"

"A relic of Mordor."

"A Morgul blade."

"Made for the Witch-king of Angmar and buried with him. When Angmar fell, the men of the north took his body and all that he possessed and sealed it within the High Fells of Rhudaur. Deep within the rock, they buried him. In a tomb so dark, it would never come to light."

"Damn, it sounds like my kind of place. No too mention, no people that can talk back. Ooh sign me the fuck up. And not to mention mystery. Oooh this is giving me ideas for a story. I can't wait-."

Kate hit the back of my head, shaking her head while Lilith rolled her eyes at me. They were so done with me.

"This is not possible. A powerful spell lies upon those tombs. They cannot be opened."

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

"I have none."

"Because there is none. Let us examine what we know. A single orc pack has dared to cross the Bruinen. A dagger from the bygone age has been found. And a human sorcerer who calls himself the Necromancer has taken up refuge in an old ruined fortress. It's not very much, after all. The question of this Dwarvish company, however, troubles me deeply. I'm not convinced, Gandalf. I do not feel I can condone such a quest. If they'd come to me, I might have spared them this disappointment. I do not pretend to understand your reason for raising their hopes..."

He just kept going on and on. I swear does he ever shut up? I mean seriously, I'm surprised I haven't cut my ears off with how annoying he is. I just looked at him with a bored expression, Kate was emotionless but Lilith? She was seething with anger. I mean who wouldn't. Dude literally disrespected her father, I literally do the same. Plus he insulted Gandalf. More of a reason to hate him. I heard footsteps and turned to the entrance to see Lindir walking towards us with a panicked look.

"My Lord Elrond, the dwarves, they've gone."

I looked at Gandalf and gave him a small smirk. He gave me a wink. The girls looked at me and we smirked. Now they can't stop them from reclaiming Erebor Soon Lady G came up to me. My guess, to tell me how I was able to sense the darkness surrounding the blade.

"My dear, tell me, have you heard of the Kharonn Clan?"

"No, never."

She then explained who they were. They were a race that had fire powers and could manipulate it to their will. They could sense and feel darkness which often came in handy, they had phoenix abilities, even transform into one but only the truly skilled and powerful were able to. They got visions which would explain a lot considering that I've been having visions a lot lately. But they also had another secret, they had dragon magic running through their veins. They had the strength and power of a dragon. They were even able to transform into one on command. I was in such shock that I started walking backwards until I hit the table, leaning against it. This was a lot to take in. But what I didn't understand was how I could be one of them. I wasn't born in Middle Earth nor did my parents have any magic.

"But that can't be. I wasn't born in Middle Earth. Neither of my parents possessed magical abilities."

"Who were your parents?"

"Um, my mom's name was Aurora and my dad's name was Ragnar. I just thought he had an ancient heritage so I didn't really look into it. I had a brother Tommy but he died four years ago."

" I know Those names. I knew your mother well. In fact so did Gandalf, better than anyone. She was indeed also from the Kharonn clan. He was a very powerful warrior. Her power could rival the dark lord. I always wondered what happened to her and her family."

"My mother was a Kharonn? I never knew that. She died when I was four alongside my dad. They never told us anything about it. They didn't get a chance. But how did they...wait that's it, of course, they went through the portal. I must have still been in my mothers womb. Like Lilith and mama. What I'm still trying to understand is how You knew my parents Gandalf? Were you good friends of theirs?"

"Yes I guess you could say that. They were very important to me."

"You must tell her Mithrandir. She must know."

"I must know what?"

"My dear child, your mother was the most important person in my life. My wife and I loved her so much. When she left, it broke my heart."

He put his hands on my shoulders as I listened to him speak. I'm still so confused. I looked at him in confusion until my eyes widened in realisation. He. He's my Grandfather. Gandalf the Grey is my Grandfather. I had a family. My eyes teared up as I looked up at him. He looked at me with a soft smile.

"Yes My dear. Your mother was my daughter. You are my granddaughter. I figured it out that night in Bag End. I just didn't know how to tell. I'm sorry for keeping this a secret my child."

I stepped back before literally screaming:

"Holy shit!!!! Gandalf the Grey is my grandfather?! I have a wizard for a grandfather!!! Whoa didn't see that coming, Ah but that explains why I was always so comfortable and safe around you. Cool, cool, cool, cool. Okay so let me get this straight (HEHE STRAIGHT), my parents were from Middle Earth, I'm part of an ancient and powerful race, I have fire magic, my grandfather is the greatest wizard of all time, I can transform into a dragon on command and I'm super duper powerful. Ooh plus I'm half wizard. Damn this is the best day ever. I'm so happy you're my grandfather."

I hugged Gandalf, letting my tears fall. He held me in his embrace, rubbing my back in comfort. He placed a couple kisses on my head. I finally pulled back and looked up at him with a smile. He chuckled at my childishness before returning the smile. I looked at my sisters. They were smiling with tears in their eyes, Lord Elrond smiled at me and grandpa with a look of happiness. Lady G came up to me and put her hands on my shoulders. I turned around and hugged, thanking her for helping me find my family. But I still didn't know what race my father was.

"Um grandpa, I know mom was part wizard and part Kharonn but I still don't know what race dad was."

"Your father was a dwarf. He was a dwarf from Erebor actually. Ragnar, Son of Razor. He was a very strong and powerful dwarf. He saved your mother the first day they met. She was fighting a big pack of orcs by herself when he found her and helped her. They ran into each a few times after that before deciding to travel together. They fell in love and he asked to court her. They were courted for about 20 years before they finally got married. Your mother was with child a few years later and had your brother Tommy. A few years later she was with a child again, you. However word got out about your mother being Kharonn. Only her and your grandmother were left so they went after them. They killed your grandma. We decided that it was better if they disappeared completely. We came across the cave and that was the last time I saw or heard of them."

"Motherfuckers killed my grandma. Oh now I have more of a reason to kill those bastards. But what matters is that they didn't kill mom and dad. So I'm a third dwarf, a third wizard and a third Kharonn. That's so fucking awesome. I can turn into a dragon. Yes. All the chaos I can bring. Arson!! Don't worry I won't actually do anything like that. Maybe with orcs but that's it. I'm just so happy. Ooh maybe I can be the one to take on that overgrown lizard. Ooh I can see it now. I can't wait."

I ran to my sisters jumping up and down. I tugged on their sleeves until they eventually hit the back of my head. I groaned and pouted. How dare they hit me.

"What happened to your brother, my child?"

I looked at Lady G and remembered that Tommy will never get to meet grandpa. I immediately felt the mood dampen.

"Tommy...He was killed a few years ago. Some guy tried to take his money and anything valuable. He didn't comply so he ended up getting stabbed. The guy just left him for dead. The police called us a few hours later. We all miss him very much."

She looked at us with a sad smile. I looked at grandpa. I could tell that he missed tommy. I could feel his pain and anger. But I could also feel his sadness and heartbreak. He'll never get to meet his little boy. I hugged grandpa tightly, making him return it and giving me a kiss on my forehead. At least he's still alive in our hearts. Soon everyone had made peace with Tommy's death. I realised that bastard Saurman was still here. He looked completely angry. Not surprised. I turned to Lilith.

"Okay now you can rip him a new one...again. He disrespected my grandpa, our friends and I know that you want to expose him so he's all yours sis. Everyone else, I suggest you take a seat, get some snacks and watch the drama unfold." Kate and I sat in the steps, smirking at what was about to happen. Lady G and grandpa stood next to us and they looked somewhat excited. Lord Elrond just looked at us extremely confused as did Lindir. 

This is where the fun begins.

________________________________________

YAY Renee found her family. And its freaking Gandalf. Who wouldn't want Gandalf as a grandfather. Anyway You're probably super duper confused about the whole Kharonn thing. So I was trying to come up with an ancient race that was supposed to be gone but obviously wasn't. We will dive deeper into Renee's heritage as the story progresses. My co writer Chloe got this idea frim Criminal minds and we just changed it up a bit. So I've had this idea for a long time. I know that everyone is waiting to see Lilith literally tear Saurman apart but you need to wait for the next chapter. I don't know when that will be because soon Ill be going camping with my family and I wont be allowed to bring my laptop. So hopefully within in the next week I can update it before I have to worry about University again. Please bare with me. I'm not the best at time management. Also please let me know if you want me to share pics of my camping trip. And don't be afraid to comment and vote. Well I got to go. See you soon. Byeeeeeeee.  

The parts that are in italics and underlined is Lady G speaking telepathically.

Roxie_Love

[thewitchkingiscool-ace]

Ok the problem with the Witch King is that he has SO MUCH POTENTIAL but never really follows through. His name is the goddamn Witch King, so he's got that going for him. But he never actually does anything sick enough to warrant that badass name. He can't catch 4 fat farmers in the laziest town on the planet, his poisoned knife stab doesn't work, he loses on the Pellennor fields, and then he gets killed by some lady cause he just couldn't stop himself from monologuing. He rides some sort of pseudo dragon, you'd think he'd just be slaughtering bros left and right, but all he does is take L after L.

Give me those sick robes, that badass crown, and a dragon to ride on and you bet your ass I'm just gonna open can after can of whoop-ass on the men of the west. 3 weeks and I'd have conquered Gondor, Rohan, and Isengard. I'd be sitting in the Shire smoking fat blunts of the Southfarthing's finest, while my fat hobbit-slaves tore apart the Elves' road to the Sea.

I'd be such a better Witch King that that bitchmade Angmar

Ok. Thank you for this ask cus im rlly bored rn lol

Imma have to argue with what you said about his morgul blade “not working”. Frodo was literally hours away from dying/becoming a wraith bc of that sword and even Gandalf was surprised at how long he was able to resist “fading” as they call it in the books. He says, and i’ll quote the book exactly, “You were beginning to fade. A few more hours and you would have been beyond our aid. But you have some strength in you, my dear hobbit!” and when i watched the 1978 version of LotR, Gandalf or someone said smth along the lines of “i know many strong warriors who would have easily been overcome by that wound”. And also, the poison was delayed because Aragorn put some Athelas, the healing plant, on the wound.

And also what you said about him not doing anything sick enough to warrant the name. They call him the Witch-King cus he was the king of Angmar for 7 CENTURIES! In RotK he straight-up shattered Gandalf’s staff immediately! Many people call him “Sauron’s deadliest servant”. He was literally Sauron’s second-in-command!

And yes, i do agree with you about what you said about Eowyn killing him, how he was “too busy monologuing” but come on, in a franchise that good with a villain that cool, can’t you just allow him one monologue? Also the reason he allowed himself to monologue in the first place was because he had had his prophecy foretold, and that prophecy stated that he would not be slain by the hand of any man. So, in a battlefield that he thinks is full of men, why would he worry? If he hadn’t been told that prophecy, he would have been more on guard.

Like i said, it’s pretty hard to change my mind on the fact that the Witch-King is the best villain in LotR. He does have flaws here and there but hey, so does Sauron! It’s what actually allows the story to progress.

[ebaeschnbliah]

Is it not a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt for so small a thing?

Wandering aimlessly at first in the wood, Frodo found that his feet were leading him up towards the slopes of the hill. He came to a path, the dwindling ruins of a road of long ago. In steep places stairs of stone had been hewn, but now they were cracked and worn, and split by the roots of trees. For some while he climbed, not caring which way he went, until he came to a grassy place. Rowan-trees grew about it, and in the midst was a wide flat stone. The little upland lawn was open upon the East and was filled now with the early sunlight. Frodo halted and looked out over the River, far below him, to Tol Brandir and the birds wheeling in the great gulf of air between him and the untrodden isle. The voice of Rauros was a mighty roaring mingled with a deep throbbing boom.

He sat down upon the stone and cupped his chin in his hands, staring eastwards but seeing little with his eyes. All that had happened since Bilbo left the Shire was passing through his mind, and he recalled and pondered everything that he could remember of Gandalf's words. Time went on, and still he was no nearer to a choice.

Suddenly he awoke from his thoughts: a strange feeling came to him that something was behind him, that unfriendly eyes were upon him. He sprang up and turned; but all that he saw to his surprise was Boromir, and his face was smiling and kind.

`I was afraid for you, Frodo,' he said, coming forward. `If Aragorn is right and Orcs are near, then none of us should wander alone, and you least of all: so much depends on you. And my heart too is heavy. May I stay now and talk for a while, since I have found you? It would comfort me. Where there are so many, all speech becomes a debate without end. But two together may perhaps find wisdom.'

`You are kind,' answered Frodo. 'But I do not think that any speech will help me. For I know what I should do, but I am afraid of doing it, Boromir: afraid.'

Boromir stood silent. Rauros roared endlessly on. The wind murmured in the branches of the trees. Frodo shivered.

Suddenly Boromir came and sat beside him. `Are you sure that you do not suffer needlessly? ' he said. `I wish to help you. You need counsel in your hard choice. Will you not take mine? '

'I think I know already what counsel you would give, Boromir,' said Frodo. 'And it would seem like wisdom but for the warning of my heart.'

`Warning? Warning against what? ' said Boromir sharply.

'Against delay. Against the way that seems easier. Against refusal of the burden that is laid on me. Against-well, if it must be said, against trust in the strength and truth of Men.'

`Yet that strength has long protected you far away in your little country, though you knew it not.'

'I do not doubt the valour of your people. But the world is changing. The walls of Minas Tirith may be strong, but they are not strong enough. If they fail, what then? '

'We shall fall in battle valiantly. Yet there is still hope that they will not fail.'

'No hope while the Ring lasts,' said Frodo.

'Ah! The Ring! ' said Boromir, his eyes lighting. 'The Ring! Is it not a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt for so small a thing? So small a thing! And I have seen it only for an instant in the House of Elrond. Could I not have a sight of it again? '

Frodo looked up. His heart went suddenly cold. He caught the strange gleam in Boromir's eyes, yet his face was still kind and friendly. 'It is best that it should lie hidden,' he answered.

'As you wish. I care not,' said Boromir. 'Yet may I not even speak of it? For you seem ever to think only of its power in the hands of the Enemy: of its evil uses not of its good. The world is changing, you say. Minas Tirith will fall, if the Ring lasts. But why? Certainly, if the Ring were with the Enemy. But why, if it were with us? '

'Were you not at the Council? ' answered Frodo. `Because we cannot use it, and what is done with it turns to evil.'

Boromir got up and walked about impatiently. 'So you go on,' he cried. 'Gandalf, Elrond - all these folk have taught you to say so. For themselves they may be right. These elves and half-elves and wizards, they would come to grief perhaps. Yet often I doubt if they are wise and not merely timid. But each to his own kind. True-hearted Men, they will not be corrupted. We of Minas Tirith have been staunch through long years of trial. We do not desire the power of wizard-lords, only strength to defend ourselves, strength in a just cause. And behold! in our need chance brings to light the -Ring of Power. It is a gift, I say; a gift to the foes of Mordor. It is mad not to use it, to use the power of the Enemy against him. The fearless, the ruthless, these alone will achieve victory. What could not a warrior do in this hour, a great leader? What could not Aragorn do? Or if he refuses, why not Boromir? The Ring would give me power of Command. How I would drive the hosts of Mordor, and all men would flock to my banner!'

Boromir strode up and down, speaking ever more loudly: Almost he seemed to have forgotten Frodo, while his talk dwelt on walls and weapons, and the mustering of men; and he drew plans for great alliances and glorious victories to be; and he cast down Mordor, and became himself a mighty king, benevolent and wise. Suddenly he stopped and waved his arms.

'And they tell us to throw it away!' he cried. `I do not say destroy it. That might be well, if reason could show any hope of doing so. It does not. The only plan that is proposed to us is that a halfling should walk blindly into Mordor and offer the Enemy every chance of recapturing it for himself. Folly!

'Surely you see it, my friend?' he said, turning now suddenly to Frodo again. `You say that you are afraid. If it is so, the boldest should pardon you. But is it not really your good sense that revolts?'

'No, I am afraid,' said Frodo. 'Simply afraid. But I am glad to have heard you speak so fully. My mind is clearer now.'

`Then you will come to Minas Tirith? ' cried Boromir. His eyes were shining and his face eager.

`You misunderstand me,' said Frodo.

'But you will come, at least for a while? ' Boromir persisted. 'My city is not far now; and it is little further from there to Mordor than from here. We have been long in the wilderness, and you need news of what the Enemy is doing before you make a move. Come with me, Frodo,' he said. `You need rest before your venture. if go you must.' He laid his hand on the hobbit's shoulder in friendly fashion; but Frodo felt the hand trembling with suppressed excitement. He stepped quickly away, and eyed with alarm the tall Man, nearly twice his height and many times his match in strength.

`Why are you so unfriendly? ' said Boromir. `I am a true man, neither thief nor tracker. I need your Ring: that you know now; but I give you my word that I do not desire to keep it. Will you not at least let me make trial of my plan? Lend me the Ring! '

`No! no! ' cried Frodo. 'The Council laid it upon me to bear it.'

`It is by our own folly that the Enemy will defeat us,' cried Boromir. `How it angers me! Fool! Obstinate fool! Running wilfully to death and ruining our cause. If any mortals have claim to the Ring, it is the men of Númenor, and not Halflings. It is not yours save by unhappy chance. It might have been mine. It should be mine. Give it to me! '

Frodo did not answer, but moved away till the great flat stone stood between them. `Come, come, my friend! ' said Boromir in a softer voice. 'Why not get rid of it? Why not be free of your doubt and fear? You can lay the blame on me, if you will. You can say that I was too strong and took it by force. For I am too strong for you, halfling,' he cried; and suddenly he sprang over the stone and leaped at Frodo. His fair and pleasant face was hideously changed; a raging fire was in his eyes.

Frodo dodged aside and again put the stone between them. There was only one thing he could do: trembling he pulled out the Ring upon its chain and quickly slipped it on his finger, even as Boromir sprang at him again. The Man gasped, stared for a moment amazed, and then ran wildly about, seeking here and there among the rocks and trees.

'Miserable trickster!' he shouted. `Let me get my hands on you! Now I see your mind. You will take the Ring to Sauron and sell us all. You have only waited your chance to leave us in the lurch. Curse you and all halflings to death and darkness! ' Then, catching his foot on a stone, he fell sprawling and lay upon his face. For a while he was as still as if his own curse had struck him down; then suddenly he wept.

He rose and passed his hand over his eyes, dashing away the tears. 'What have I said? ' he cried. `What have I done? Frodo, Frodo! ' he called. 'Come back! A madness took me, but it has passed. Come back! '

There was no answer. Frodo did not even hear his cries. He was already far away, leaping blindly up the path to the hill-top.

JRR Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring,  The Breaking of the Fellowship  

[kapildevil]

Bramhastra

This post is quite delayed, I wasn't really sure if I am ever going to post it but what the heck, here I am.

It was really disappointing to see the 2 most interesting plots that could have been a turning point for the Indian Hindi cinema to show case the Ancient Indian Culture in a larger than life manner only if the the direction, dialogue & story writing were given more thought and bit more sincere efforts were put into them.

No that the efforts were not there but could have been way better considering that if I can see it lacking then these experienced directors, script writers must certainly know it well. Here is my take on one of the 2 plots I mentioned earlier

Bramhastra, the very first movie in fantasy genre that relates to Indian mythology/ancient history; the plot was interesting but the presentation, direction, play writing, dialogues & special effects could have been so much better. I am tempted to say about the choice of actors as well but the production house has its lucky charms to follow or is it that they are scared of experimenting with the other talent?

I liked the idea, the way the plot was built up but there were a lot of loopholes else the movie would have been certainly bewitching. Just sharing my thoughts as a audience with common sense, with the expectations that the movies and web series must have some logic despite being the stories to entertain people.

I would like to start with the positive, there indeed were some pleasant special effects but that is all that’s pleasant about it.

I was excited about Mr Bachchan's role in this story; I am sure he must have had researched thoroughly for this character but it seems that probably this was not entirely up to him to decide Guruji’s character portrayal on screen. The mystic, the dominance and the charisma that must have been around him(Guruji) was lacking hugely. Too many words, no foreplay, no build up unlike those similar world famous character of Dumbledore or Gandalf. Of course, I expected too much the director & screenplay for Guruji to be dominating the screen.

Dialogues and play writing were another sore spot, the small budget web series are way more realistic and presentable. Did the writer, directors forgot the normal language they themselves speak or did they not notice their surroundings? If the story is set in the current times, it must have the feel of the current times. On the contrary, it was a disappointing mix of the tone and the words that sounded phoney, made up and unnatural to the environment. The tone in Mumbai must have the local Mumbai feel and the language of the learned and those of the critical characters must relate to their identities. Guruji and the intrinsic characters of Bramhansha must be familiar with the old ways and the use of Sanskrit; the hint of some ancient mannerisms & belonging is expected. An Indian mythical characters with ancient connections using urdu words like Shukriya & Qurbani instead of Dhanyawad, Aabhar or Tyaag or other Sanskrit words was such a disappointment. It would have benefitted the dialogue writer(s) to have visited the people living in Haridwar, Rishikesh and many such parts of India where there are ancient temples or places connected to religious and mythological stories of India; they could have taken a hint from the likes of Osho, Satya Sai and the very much alive and famous founder of Isha foundation Sadhguru.

The scientist and the artist who were the guards of the Bramhastra, must be formidable else they wouldn’t be only ones from the secret group Bramhansha to be responsible for guarding something so precious. Their presence felt belittled, the character Junoon too could be louder and vicious to have overcome such formidable opponents.

The flow and connectivity of the story unfolding is uneven, the dialogues between Isha and Shiva lacks logic and connectivity. There is a failed attempt to display the awakening and unnecessary dialogues between them indicating of growing romance. I would have preferred if the character felt more drawn towards each other by not just attraction but something more spiritual and sort of destined. It would be so much better in expressions, only if the screen play was more intended to present the logical flow of the hints, deductions, explorations and discoveries. A nobody, with a happy go lucky attitude must be crazy to have discovered something unbelievable; the disdain reactions of discovery of his visions being the fact was such a disappointment. The excitement, the fury or the disbelief were not as eminent as they would in such a state. This chemistry and the build-up were lacking in the dialogues rather than screen play.

Everyone must have worked hard and it feels really disappointing if the ones related to such a big project were lacking in sincerity. For how long are we going to watch international movies and praise them while the people in industry can themselves make the stories they could be proud of watching themselves.

There is no dearth of the actors to play the desired characters, or the directors who can visualize the story and the scene they want to display. I remember the onscreen magic of the religious mythological stories from the iconic Arvind Trivedi and soft spoken, ever smiling Arun Govil who owned the characters of Ravan and Ram in BR Chopra’s Ramayan; not to forget the humble Hanuman who could only have been play by the beloved Dara Singh. Long story short (not that short considering the length of this blog) , the outcome is not as pleasant as I had expected but I do hope that this will improve with the sequels and if this could become or inspire India’s first ever parallel to the Marvel & DC universe

[bob-surrunkel]

'Gildor was silent for a moment. 'I do not like this news,' he said at last. 'That Gandalf should be late, does not bode well. But it is said: Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger. The choice is yours: to go or wait.'

'And it is also said,' answered Frodo: 'Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will both say no and yes.'

'Is it indeed?' laughed Gildor. 'Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill. But what would you? You have not told me all concerning yourself; and how then shall I choose better than you? But if you demand advice, I will for friendship's sake give it. I think you should go now at once, without delay; and if Gandalf does not come before you set out, then I also advise this: do not go alone. Take such friends as are trusty and willing. Now you should be grateful, for I do not give this counsel gladly. The Elves have their own labours and their own sorrows, and they are little concerned with the ways of hobbits, or any other creatures upon earth. Our paths cross theirs seldom, by chance or purpose. In this meeting there may be more than chance; but the purpose is not clear to me, and I fear to say too much.'

...

'But where will I find courage?' asked Frodo. 'That is what I chiefly need.'

'Courage is found in unlikely places,' said Gildor. 'Be of good hope! Sleep now! In the morning we shall have gone; but we will send our messages through the lands. The Wandering Companies shall know of your journeys, and those that have power for good shall be on the watch. I name you Elf-friend; and may the stars shine upon the end of your road! Seldom have we had such delight in strangers, and it is fair to hear words of the Ancient Speech from the lips of other wanderers in the world.'

- TLOTR: The Fellowship of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien (p. 84-85)

[catofadifferentcolor]

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.

I first read The Hobbit in sixth grade. It had long been one of my mother's favorites, and the fact she delayed so long in giving it to me to read was almost certainly so I could appreciate it fully the first time I read it.

I read The Lord of the Rings a year later and one cannot possibly understate the impression they made on me. I read a lot of books, but only a handful have ever jumped up, grabbed me, and glued me to a seat the way LotR has. Despite that, this is only my third read of the series. The Hobbit movies really did a number on my enjoyment of Tolkien and, well, I read a lot and have a to-read pile taller than I am at all times.

The Two Towers has always been my favorite book of the series, which is a bit odd in retrospect. It's very hard to get middles right. It's also organized in a manner that no modern publisher would allow to print - but it works. Misinformation, uncertainty, and hope in the face of overwhelming odds is what LotR is about. Half of the terror is not knowing if your friends are okay or if the Ring is still on the way to Mordor - even if half a book on wandering hobbits is a bit on the tedious side.

Part III has always been my favorite - Legolas and Gimli shine at the start of the book, as of course does Aragorn; Pippin starts growing into his own; and Eomer is a treat I'd somehow forgotten the extent of. Honestly, if you were to crack open my ribs you'd probably find the better part of this book graven on my heart.

Which isn't to say that Part IV isn't still brilliant - but it wears a little, as the Ring wears on Frodo, and if Faramir wasn't there to add some much needed brilliance (if inexplicable lack of desire for the Ring, which is near unique to him) I'd be driven to madness by much of Gollum's speech.

And yet it works perfectly as a book. Nobody knows what anybody else is doing - especially the all-seeing evil powers, though they think they do. It is a glorious parallel for the state of modern warfare, and the overconfidence of evil. Indeed, the powers of good admit their mistakes. Gandalf, Aragorn, Frodo - over and over again they lament their mistakes - but Saruman alone says inevitable and certainty.

Sigh. I remain truly jealous that Tolkien was able to write something so beautifully full of depth and character and history while holding a full-time job and that I can barely get anything off the ground and often end up hating every word I've ever written. The fact that he managed this massive undertaken - and that it was appreciated by the world - gives me hope in dark times.

As always, The Two Towers stands brilliantly as the picture-perfect middle for an outstanding trilogy. I love and adore it in every way.

[cycas]

To be fair, she does act on Dol Guldur during The Hobbit. She's one of the White Council that drove Sauron out: as Gandalf puts it during the Council of Elrond:

' "...the Council put forth its strength and drove the evil out of Mirkwood - and that was in the very year of the finding of the Ring: a strange chance, if chance it was." '

There are several other mentions that the delayed action on Dol Guldur is down to Saruman. In 'Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age' from The Silmarillion we get this:

"Thus the Wise were troubled, but none as yet perceived that Curunír had turned to dark thoughts and was already a traitor in heart: for he desired that he and no other should find the Great Ring, so that he might wield it himself and order all the world to his will. Too long he had studied the ways of. Sauron in hope to defeat him, and now he envied him as a rival rather than hated his works. And he deemed that the Ring, which was Sauron's, would seek for its master as he became manifest once more; but if he were driven out again, then it would lie hid. Therefore he was willing to play with peril and let Sauron be for a time, hoping by his craft to forestall both his friends and the Enemy, when the Ring should appear." So Galadriel is on a committee for the entire Third Age, and, unlike her rival Feanor, who was notable for acting alone, she was prepared to listen to the expertise of the envoys of the Valar who were sent to help fight Sauron.

One of those envoys was a traitor. But Galadriel did exactly what the Silmarillion elves are often accused of not doing, ie, waiting cautiously and taking advice.

I think this is relevant, from Elrond:

"'The Three were not made by Sauron, nor did he ever touch them... So much only in this hour of doubt I may now say. They are not idle. But they were not made as weapons of war or conquest: that is not their power. Those who made them did not desire strength or domination or hoarded wealth, but understanding, making, and healing, to preserve all things unstained.'"

(Brief pause to weep for Celebrimbor and his hopeful dreams)

So, yes, Galadriel has a Ring, but it's not a weapon.

It's not something she can use to attack Dol Guldur, or Mordor. It's defensive, at most. We can only assume that whatever power she used against Dol Guldur during the two attacks she made on it was her own power as one of the greatest of the Noldor.

I think Galadriel also deserves credit for the fact that Lorien is still *there* by the end of the Third Age. Look at that location!

She's sitting directly between a Balrog and Sauron (OK, she doesn''t know it's a Balrog. But she does know about Durin's Bane as a concept). The mountains north of Lorien are full of goblins, Thranduil's people have been driven a long way north, the Rohirrim think (perhaps due to Sarumanic influence) that Elves are dangerous or possibly fictional, and it's the closest Elf-realm to Mordor. And yet the elves of Lorien are still there. According to Galadriel, that's partly because she is actively defending them, on some plane that is non-obvious to hobbits: "'But do not think that only by singing amid the trees, nor even by the slender arrows of elven-bows, is this land of Lothlórien maintained and defended against its Enemy. I say to you, Frodo, that even as I speak to you, I perceive the Dark Lord and know his mind, or all of his mind that concerns the Elves. And he gropes ever to see me and my thought. But still the door is closed!'"

So it may not be obvious, but she is doing something. Not clear exactly what, but ... something. Something that diverts the Great Eye away from everything else it could be peering at, maybe?

When Boromir asks if Gondor must stand alone, and says it would comfort him to know that "others fought also with all the means that they have".

Then Elrond replies:

“...there are other powers and realms that you know not, and they are hidden from you. Anduin the Great flows past many shores, ere it comes to Argonath and the Gates of Gondor.” I think by that he probably means Thranduil, given that Legolas is present, and maybe Beorn and the people of the Northern Anduin area in general, and perhaps Erebor, even though Erebor is a long way east of Anduin. But again, look at the location: if there's one 'hidden' realm on the shores of Anduin that is actively opposing Sauron "with all the means they have", it's Lorien.

I *think* there's also a bit in Unfinished Tales, which I don't have to hand right now, about Galadriel going to Lorien when Amroth left, to defend it because it was vulnerable. I like to connect this with the earlier bit about her planting Mallorn trees there (I think Gil-galad gives her the seeds in the Second Age?), so that when Amroth leaves in the later Third Age, and Lorien looks like it's going to be depopulated, Galadriel goes BUT MY TREES and moves in to defend them :-D (Doylistically, I'm pretty sure that Galadriel gets less mentions in the early periods because Tolkien mostly wrote those bits before he had invented her. But that's much less fun than wondering what she was up to outside the history books!)

Consider that was where Celebrian - her daughter - was held and possibly tortured... I think we can excuse a little excess rage power on Galadriel's behalf. Like the whole adrenaline-lifting-a-car-off-a-person kind of response rather than just being generally over powered.

Hi Anon!

Well, Celebrían was held and tortured in the Misty Mountains rather than Dol Guldur, but I can see your point about the Superpowered Mama Bear. :) After all, I'm a mom myself and I would unleash unspeakable horrors on whoever might hurt my children.

Your comments were in response to my vent about why it took Galadriel so long to act and help Mirkwood/Thranduil take down Dol Guldur. She stepped in only in the end to "cleanse" it after Sauron had been vanquished.

Honestly, Galadriel's seeming lack of action throughout the history of Middle-earth is baffling to me, and I consider it one of the flaws in Tolkien's works (sorry, Professor!). We're told she's extremely powerful and one of the greatest of the Noldor Exiles. But we have no clue what she actually did during the Wars of Beleriand, or the Second Age, other than traveling a lot and giving advice to Celebrimbor, and taking Nenya (Rings of Power tried to wager guesses, but most fans hated the show's take). She probably saw the most action during the Third Age, but even so, even the little that is mentioned of Thranduil sees him going to war for his people and effectively Middle-earth. Galadriel seems to have mostly stayed in Lothlorien to give advice and defend her own territory.

So yeah, I guess what I'm saying is that is was rather a waste of a character to have her act on Dol Guldur just at the last minute, and we're not given a sufficient explanation why it took so long.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

Always my beloved; Thorin Oakenshield x reader

*Author’s note*

For my first ever Thorin Oakenshield story I hope I did you Thorin fans justice with this sweet little oneshot. So @firestrike004​ thank you soo much for your patience and I hope you all enjoy this fic.  

Not really any warnings just injuries, some fluff, some angst (fairly minor but still some people need warnings).

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things​

@waddles03​

@psychosupernatural​

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels​

@queen-paladin​

@gay-and-ready-to-cry​

____________________________________________________________

We knew the risk of going on this quest, but never did I think we’d come across the bane of Thorin’s family, Azog the Defiler.  We had believed he had died back at the battle of Azanulbizar from his wounds but low and behold there he was astride upon his infamous white warg.  We barely made our escape thanks to our burglar as well as the Great Eagles I had read so much about as a young dwarrow-dam.

Now we decided to take some rest to rest and for Thorin to recover.  The wounds from Azog’s warg were probably the worst I had ever seen and I’ve doctored warg bites before.  But thankfully with both mine and Oin’s help, my beloved should be back to his old strength within a few days.

Aye I did say beloved. Thorin and I are currently in the courting stage of our relationship, and have been for these past 5 summers. He had made a vow to me that once he would reclaim Erebor, we would finally be wed and I would rule at his side as Queen Under the Mountain.

Of course at first when Gandalf had persuaded Thorin to go on this quest, he wanted me to have absolutely no part in it.  In fact he had tried to send me off to live with his cousin Dain in the Iron-hills for safe keeping until the Mountain was reclaimed.  And being the stubborn female dwarf I am, I can be just as stubborn of not more than Thorin Oakenshield himself.

After some heated words, and even a fight to decide my fate, Thorin had kept his word that after defeating him in combat I had a right to go alongside the Quest.  In fact I was one of the first after Dwalin and Balin had agreed to follow Thorin.

I had just changed out Thorin’s bandages as well as flushed out any signs of infections before they could spread and cause his healing to delay or worse make him sick. As I returned to put my stuff back into the pack, I caught sight of Bilbo sitting down to some of Bombur’s stew. I walked over to him and asked.

“Mind if I join you?” he turned to me.

“Not at all (Y/n).” Hobbits truly were polite people.  Even back at his home when I was the only one out of the 13 dwarves to not to help myself to his food cabinet, he graciously tried to offer me something before one of the boys took it for themselves.  I took my seat next to him and he asked, “Do you mind if I—”

“Oh not at all Bilbo, please eat. Mahal knows we’ve been practically starving you since this quest began.” When we were in Rivendell and I caught Bilbo eating both dinner and supper within just a few short hours apart he had told me that Hobbits have seven meals every day.  I took it upon myself to first apologize for starving the poor lad and then when breakfast came that day, I had helped the Elves with serving something not only for the Dwarves but for Bilbo as well.

As he went to his stew, he took a few sips before looking around and whispered to me.

“How’s Thorin?” the lad truly has grown fond of my beloved.  Especially after what had happened along the Misty Mountains.

“He’ll live fortunately. Unfortunately for him, he’ll have to be put on bed rest for the next 24-48hours before he can even move. Warg bites are nothing to sniffle or chuckle at. And believe me getting Thorin to stay on bedrest is a challenge in on itself.”

“No doubt I imagine. I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of it being Thorin’s wife.”

“If it hadn’t been for you, I would’ve been called Thorin’s widow.” He stopped his eating and looked at me.  I placed my hand on his shoulder and continued, “What you did last night Bilbo, it’s something that I can never truly repay you for.”

“There-there really is no need to repay me. I just did what anyone of you would’ve done. Though I don’t know why I did without no skill of a blade it was all just—”

“Instinct. I get the feeling. But I am grateful nonetheless my friend.” I patted his shoulder.  “And if you’re up for it later today, Bofur and I can show you a thing or two about fighting. Same with Fili and Kili.” He nodded.

“I do appreciate it (Y/n).” I smiled at him before standing up and went off to join the others for my own meal.

Truthfully I don’t know what I would’ve done had I lost Thorin last night.  He and I have known each other since we were young Dwarves in Erebor, my father being one of the King’s proudest and strongest fighters but was sadly killed when the Dragon took our home.  My mother tried her best but she too succumbed to grief leaving me with no family, till Thorin stepped up.

He helped support me when we worked in the villages of Men and when we were finally able to make a temporary home in the Blue Mountains, that’s when my feelings for him began to deepen.  And eventually he came to accept he felt the same for me and never did I think Thorin would ever choose a wife, he never really showed much interest in wanting to court anyone, not since we lost our home.

I reached up to the left side of my hair, brought some of the hair that rested on my back to the front but something was missing.  No it-it cannot be! I looked down at my hair and brushed through it with my fingers and couldn’t see the courting beads Thorin had braided into my hair.  Not only that but some of the strand felt uneven (particularly where the braid once rested).

My heart raced as I tried to remember where and when the last time I felt the braid was. Obviously it was still intact at Rivendell, the Goblin tunnels I still had it, when Azog attacked us and—oh makk an E ha’ak!  When I fought alongside Dwalin, Fili, Kili and Bilbo to hold off the orcs from Thorin before the eagles came, one of them must’ve cut my braid off without my knowing!

A million thoughts were racing through my head.  First it was to curse the orc that did this and that I vowed to kill them if they ever show themselves again.  But most of my thoughts trailed back to Thorin.  What would he say? How will he react? Will he still want to be my One? Will he be furious that I lost his courting bead?

In our customs, a courting bead is so precious and is never given away lightly (especially if your One is someone like Thorin is).  By gaining the bead you’ve not only come to accept your One’s feelings for you, but also accept a courtship and eventual marriage to bond the two of you into one. Losing it or returning it is like having your heart getting grind up, slammed with a forging hammer until it’s nothing but tiny little pieces and then returning the heart to the one who gave you the courting bead.

And never have I once undid the braid nor removed the bead from my hair ever since Thorin gave it to me.  Everyone knew where it lied and if they saw it gone……what would the other’s think? I was so focused on my thoughts that I barely registered that I had walked into someone. When I looked up I had seen that I had walked into Gandalf.

“Oh Gandalf, forgive me.”

“No worries my dear (Y/n).” he looked me over and continued, “You seem to be worried about something.” I looked around to see if any of the others were nearby.  When I saw that no one was within hearing range, I asked Gandalf to come closer to my height with my two fingers.  He knelt down and I whispered to him.

“I’ve lost Thorin’s courtship braid.” He separated from me for a bit as I further explained, “It must’ve been that orc I faced off against when Azog caught us along the Misty Mountains. Gandalf, what if Thorin takes notice of it? Or someone already has and will tell him?”

“Now, now my dear, let’s not jump to conclusions.”

“But Gandalf you know what courting braids mean in our culture. You know what losing one’s courting bead means? I—I can’t lose Thorin. Not again, especially not after last night. He’s all I have left in this world.” He placed both of his hands on my shoulder.

“Thorin may be stubborn but I know he would never do that to you. You both have been through far too much to let something like this be the final straw to divide you both. Remember it’s not just him that’s helped you, you have helped him as well.”

He wasn’t lying. After his grandfather’s death and his father going missing, Thorin was practically lost in how to help our people. Whilst I too, grieved over my father I also had to support Thorin for he was hurting just as much as I was.  We depend on each other and support one another, the other’s beacon of light in the dark mines.

“But how do I tell him Gandalf?” I asked uncertainly.

“You’ll know just what to say my dear girl.” I took a deep breath then exhaled.

“Okay Gandalf, I trust you.”

“And you’ve learned to never doubt it.” He gave me a soft wink before going on his way.  I took a deep breath before heading back to rejoin the others.

The day was spent helping Bilbo train with his sword, scouting out for Azog or his orc pack, and helping Oin with Thorin’s wounds.  Which was what was happening right now, I held onto Thorin’s hand as Oin was once again flushing out the slightly infected bites and stitching them back up. Thorin was tense throughout the whole process.

He never did like to show pain whenever he had to get patched up.  Said he was afraid that others would view him as weak.

“Alright Thorin, just continue to not move about so much and those wounds will heal up quickly.”

“Thank you Oin. I know I’m skilled as a healer but I am nowhere near your degree of knowledge.” I told him.

“Do not doubt your own skills milady.” He told me.  “We’ll be lucky to have you as our Queen once we reclaim the throne. The first Dwarf Queen to be skilled in the knowledge of healing that could be rivaled by the Elves.” Him saying that suddenly gave me an uneasy feeling in my stomach.  As much as I do trust Gandalf in his words from earlier, there’s still a lingering shadow of fear that’s clung itself onto my like a thorn that won’t come out.  He soon left Thorin and I alone and I heard my One say.

“He’s right you know.” I turned to him.  “Never before as a Dwarf woman been so knowledgeable about herbs, healing methods and skills as you have my beloved. Erebor will be lucky to have you as it’s Queen.” He cupped the side of my face, “My only regret is that it will take us longer to get there.”

“Your health is what we should be focused on right now. I would rather Erebor have a King in good health rather than poor or worse dead.” I brushed the long strands of hair from his face before I began braiding it.

“Every hour lost hasten Durin’s day.” I rolled my eyes.

“Thorin. Durin’s day is not going anywhere. It lies on the same day as it always does. Not a week before not a week after. As I said, I would rather have you in good health to rule at my side, than you pushing yourself only to make your health worsen. Even if I have to bind you to this tree I will.”

“Reminds me of the time when you did just that to get me to have me teach you how to fight. Is that how you intend on delivering punishments? Bound the prisoners to trees with your tight knots?”

“Only to those truly stubborn enough not to follow either mine or Doctor Oin’s orders.” We both laughed softly before I gave him a soft kiss.  I felt as his hand went from cupping the side of my face to going around the back of my head, right to where I knew he’d always like to stroke his courting braid.

I separated our kiss and quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled it away from my head.  Immediately I could see the thoughts spinning in his head like a spider’s web.

“What is it (Y/n)?” he asked me.

“Nothing.” I quickly said.

“It’s not nothing. Never before have you stopped me from touching your hair.”

“I—I haven’t had the chance to brush my hair yet.” Even to me that was a pathetic excuse.  Thorin’s brow rose skeptically then he asked me.

“What’s really going on?” I sighed deeply and turned my head away from him.

“I cannot say.”

“Why not?”

“I just can’t.”

“(Y/n), amrâlimê.” He lifted my chin up to look into his deep blue eyes.  “What was it you once said to me when we first began courting?”

“That there should be no secrets between us.” I answered.

“So why are you starting now?” I sighed heavily, already feeling the wetness of tears forming under my eyes.

“I’m afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

“That I’ll lose you.”

“(Y/n). These wounds of mine aren’t—”

“It’s not the wounds or in battle that I fear amrâlimê, it’s—” I took another deep breath before I took the section of my hair where he had given his courting bead and showed him how it was now gone.  As I expected his eyes widened in shock as he reached out for the cut strands of my uneven hair and brushed through them.  Almost hoping the bead would reappear along with the braid but it was gone.

“How long has it been missing?” he asked.  His voice stern as I knew he was trying to suppress his anger.

“I only noticed it this morning. My best guess is that it was the orc I was fighting with along the mountainside when Azog ambushed us. I’m sorry Thorin, this is my fault for allowing that foul creature to even graze my hair. I should’ve been more careful I should’ve been more aware of what I was carrying upon my head. I was careless, foolish and—” I was stopped by the feeling of his arms wrapped around me tightly.

“But you are not hurt, yes?”

“No.”

“Then that is enough for me.” I separated our embrace and looked at him in shock, his eyes that were once filled with shock and anger now appeared soft and gentle.

“I don’t understand. Thorin, my courtship braid to you has been severed. Your courting bead lost forever.”

“Mere objects. A new braid can be made, a new bead can be strung into your locks. But there is only one you,” he cupped my face into his hands, his thumbs gingerly stroking the apple of my cheeks just above the strands of my own beard.  “And I could not bear the thought of losing you.”

“You—you still wish to court me?”

“You are my One, (Y/n). Who else would I want as my Queen?”

“I just…..I know how special our courting traditions and symbols are. I was worried if you took notice of your bead and braid missing that you—you wouldn’t want to be with me anymore.”

“Amrâlimê,” our noses softly grazed one another’s as we stared deeply into each other’s eyes, “I would rather share one lifetime with you, than face all the ages of this world alone. You are my One, and nothing will ever change that. As I said, I can give you a new braid, I’ll find you a new bead. A more finer bead once we reach the mountain and reclaim our home. But there is only one of you. And I would be a fool to let someone like you go.”

He then pressed his forehead to mine and I shut my eyes as I felt his love and strength enter me as our forehead remained together.

“I am sorry I doubted your love Thorin.” I said after awhile of silence between us.

“There is no need for apologizes. You are always be my beloved, no matter what the world gives us…..”

“We’ll always be One.” I finished our vows that we made for one another when we first began our courtship together.  He soon moved his lips over mine and once again we kissed.  

His hand going back towards the area where my braid once stood, and I felt his fingers softly brush through those strands of hair and I felt myself finally relax under his touch.

[cycas]

Hello. Can I ask you about timeline of Return to Aman? I would love to know when the separate stories happened. Did Maglor visit his mother soon after they arrived to Aman? Was it in their first year or did he wait some time? How long do they live on Tol Eressëa when the house of Fingolfin was released? When Mereth Aderthad happened? I'm thinking about it every time I read RtA, it's bothering me a great deal. Thank you.

I started cheerily answering this thinking: there are only 15 stories, this will be easy, I don't even need to check my notes! And I got about half way through and realised that yes, I needed to check my notes and also I re-read half of it. Which was fun, but, um, sorry for the delay?

So I've ended up with this loooong timeline post.

Return to Aman Timeline

About 400 Second Age : And the wind as sweet as honey in the mouth (Elrond finds Maglor) It's summer in this one, because the eyebright is in bloom. Probably June: it's not so warm that you don't want something to wrap up in outdoors in the evening.

Third Age:

Late September 3021 Remembrance of Time Long Past (Elrond persuades Maglor to join him on the ship, and Galadriel to go along with it, while the Hobbits have a series of jolly good meals and a chat, and completely fail to notice that Elrond has popped out for a while)

October 3021 :

5th Across so Wide a Sea Elrond goes to see his mother, taking a deeply embarrassed Maglor along with him. On their way back to Tol Eressëa afterwards, they meet Finrod on the ferry.

6th In Avallónë by the Sea : Maglor and Finrod discuss poetry and First Age Beleriand.

10th Love, Politics and Pastries : Elrond and Celebrían, finding their way back together.

15th Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima ; Eärendil, returning from a voyage, takes a day off to visit his son. It's a little unfortunate that he encounters Maglor first but fortunately, Frodo smooths thing over. The first autumn storm hits Tol Eressëa.

November 3021

5th Nov Come Home : Maglor, Elrond and Finrod visit Tirion, manage to prevent the resulting fireworks among Maglor fans from getting out of hand, and visit Nerdanel and Finarfin. Nerdanel's roses are still in bloom but getting a bit tatty.

Mereth Aderthad : Once More: With Feeling begins about 15th Nov 3021, but it has time-skips. Elrond and Gil-galad have seen each other before this, of course, but this is their first chance to have a proper reunion banquet.

Then there is the planning for the really big Mereth Aderthad bash, which will be the celebration for Fingolfin's return. I think the planning scene is probably some time in December.

Elrond is busy researching the appeal to the Valar for the return of the House of Fingolfin (and Lalwen) which isn't fully in the story, partly because I have difficulty imagining anyone at the end of the Third Age in Valinor, up to and including Manwe, being able to look Elrond and Celebrian in the face and say 'no' to whatever they think is a good idea.

Fourth Age Year 1

The first part of this year is taken up with Mereth Aderthad planning and organisation, Elrond and his household visiting everyone, and people visiting them. Maglor is working hard on his Mereth Aderthad songs, and basically avoiding talking to anyone but Elrond, Celebrian and the hobbits. Occasionally Gandalf if he doesnt' manage to avoid him in time.

Fingolfin and his house return from the Halls of Mandos triumphant at Midyear's Day in Year 1 of the Fourth Age. If Elrond seems slightly less than entirely cheerful, it might be because the last big party he attended at midsummer was Arwen's wedding two years previously.

(Cirdan is briefly visiting Tol Eressëa in this story but is still officially resident in Lindon: he can't visit Aman.)

By 3rd July 1 FA the main party is over, and Maglor runs into trouble with his Oath: Seeds of Lies.

Even the Very Wise could be later that same year, but I'm inclined to think it is set in the summer of the next year, 2FA or maybe even 3FA, perhaps June since Lalwen has had time to start planning her new house on Tol Eressëa (so she can spend some time with Gil-galad). Nerdanel finally makes up her mind exactly how she feels about Fëanor.

Shadows Cast by Memory I think is slightly out of order in the sequence: the apples in the orchard are ripening when the heroes of Gondolin turn up, having decided that Maglor is too dangerous to be left to Elrond's supervision. I think this is probably still September 1FA, and follows fairly closely after Seeds of Lies. I suspect there was another conference in Tirion after Mereth Aderthad concluded, at which Turgon had a good deal to say and this led to both the appearance of Ecthelion and friends, and also the visit from Fingon and Finrod.

Sometime between 5 FA and 30FA Among the Ainur and Other Animals : Nimloth visits, then Bilbo & Elrond have a Road Trip to Valimar. Bilbo is well enough for a long horse-ride and debating with the Vanyar, though Frodo is still suffering occasionally from seasonal depression. At some point during this period, Celebrian writes to Manwë about Maedhros.

30 FA Many Meetings: The Night is Passing. Celebrimbor returns from the Halls of Mandos, and then there's a timeskip to :

September 61FA: Sam, Cirdan, Elrohir and Celeborn sail to Aman

Also September 61FA : I Will Not Say the Day Is Done in which Maglor comes to an understanding of a kind with both Ecthelion and Celeborn.

100FA The House of Fëanor : Little Pity Aragorn is still alive, though old at the start of this story. Celebrimbor has been running the Fëanorian Quarter of Tirion for almost seventy years, which gives plenty of time for Finrod to hand over to him and for Celebrimbor to have thoroughly got to know the job.

The meeting with Elrond, Finarfin, Celebrimbor etc is a month before the House of Fëanor are released.

1 month later: Fëanor and his sons leave Mandos and come to Tirion.

12 years for Fëanor to get to know the Noldor, during which Maglor leaves Tol Eressea, and lives in Tirion with his brothers. A transition period during which the House of Finarfin get to start considering where they would actually like to live if they didn't have to all spend their time managing Tirion.

112FA Fëanor takes responsibility, and the crown, and begins to make new plans about what to do with it.

120FA September : Aragorn is dead: Arwen is dying. Legolas and Gimli come to Aman in time for Bilbo's twenty-fifty-first birthday, and Frodo's seventeenty-third. Gimli and Legolas meet Maglor, and then Aulë and Fëanor. Elrond and Celebrian grieve for Arwen. Maglor has complicated feelings about his father. Galadriel manages an entire conversation with Fëanor that is reasonably civil.

Nienna speaks with the spirit of Maglor's wife (and her horse)

Sam and Frodo make their Big Decision, and meet Ulmo.

Fëanor Does The Thing. Amazingly, nobody dies or even gets burnt.

Three years (and a bit) to build the ships.

Spring 124FA The Noldor carry out Fëanor's Plan. Fingolfin becomes Fëanor's regent (and effectively co-monarch) in Tirion. Finarfin finally gets to live in the nice house by the beach with peach trees in the garden that he's been pining for since before the Sun rose.

nine years later:

Summer 133 FA Maglor and Finrod's all-night song-writing barbecue on the beach near Alqualondë is interrupted, and that's the last fixed date in the series because after that it starts to fold out from a calendar into myth.

(The weather in each story is more or less seasonal British/North west European weather, just because I found it easier because that's my weather. )

[rivalsforlife]

FINALLY DONE HOBBIT MOVIE TRILOGY. those sure are movies that did not need to happen. weirdly enough I was more into this one than desolation of smaug, probably because I wasn’t recovering from a fever when I watched it and could do it in one sitting, though there definitely are Problems here. (And again I left this for a few days before actually making it all coherent. So I may have forgotten things.)

I do like sorting things into categories. So I’ll split things up a bit.

THE DOL GULDUR STUFF

thankfully took up less of the movie than I remembered. BUT GALADRIEL. GIRL. AT LEAST GET SOME SHOES. Galadriel wandering around Dol Guldur barefoot and in a white dress and mindblasting orcs set her back years.

Like yes she has some use of “magic” (though she does not use that word to describe it herself. it’s like an art. that all elves are capable of to some degree. and generally isn’t used for MINDBLASTING ORCS) but not to the degree that she won’t get Stabbed. Or rocks in her feet. Like I get the idea of otherworldly powerfulness. And I love Galadriel. But she isn’t Luthien. I don’t see any reason to believe she can do this stuff. Give the girl some armor and a sword because if she is using magic and it drains her this quickly at least having a sword for practical reasons like killing the puny orcs instead of MINDBLASTING THEM is just rational.

Like Gandalf has more Inherent Magical Power (vague term for what would require too much explanation and research) than Galadriel does, but he has a sword, because again, you can’t just magic blast every enemy you come across! god. it annoys me a lot. 

And they do the Drowned Galadriel look again. Again, I get where they’re coming from with the Nenya thing. At the same time, I don’t love the look. She does look terrifying, but not like... ethereally beautiful and powerful and worshipful when she pulls this in the Fellowship of the Ring movie. And it’s arguably worse here. 

Things that AREN’T about galadriel. Elrond’s “you should have stayed dead” comment to the Nazgul IS funny. disappointed great-(x [n]) granduncle vibes. and I do love when he helps Galadriel out and she’s leaning against him after the Sauron thing. It’s very cute. That’s his mother in law.......

Anyways Saruman says “take her to Lothlorien” like... idk it makes sense since that’s close by and also WHERE SHE LIVES like what else was Elrond going to do. sorry mom-in-law we’re going back over the mountains for a bit to hang out in rivendell. tell celeborn to delay preparing dinner a few more weeks?

gandalf is here but he’s just kind of lying there. I had no thoughts on him. “come with me my lady... you don’t even have a sword...........”

THE LAKETOWN STUFF

So this movie starts off with the death of Smaug which is an interesting choice. Weird effect of splitting it into three movies I suppose. They completely changed it though. 

Bard shooting Smaug is completely different. It’s missing the thrush which tells him about the weak spot in the first place! And it also misses the “black arrow I have saved you to the last, if you ever came from the forges of the king under the mountain, then go now and speed well” prayer. Which I really missed. It vaguely reminds me of “O King to whom all birds are dear, speed now this feathered shaft, and recall some pity for the Noldor in their need” which is a VERY IMPORTANT SCENE TO ME FROM THE SILM. but whatever. does it matter to anyone but me? (probably not.) am I mad about it anyway? (yes.)

The kid is an interesting addition though. There is something to be said about Bard having to balance the arrow on his kid’s shoulder to save both of their lives. Though it is a little awkward with the kid having to get the arrow from the boat, which iirc he hid away in the second movie, so anyone who hasn’t like just watched it would probably be confused about how the kid knew where it was or something. Like again obviously a product of unnecessarily making it three movies.

Also, while the son gets his moments of glory, which is good and all... I really kept rooting for his eldest kid (a girl) to have a single moment of valor. Like defending her baby sister from an oncoming orc or something. She didn’t. It was all the son getting the glory. Which is like... idk. I feel you could have spared thirty seconds for that. If you’re going through all the trouble of making a Brand New Warrior Female Character (We’re So Progressive And Feminist Here!) and then just reducing her to a love interest (AND I SURE DO HAVE THINGS ABOUT HOW FAR SHE IS REDUCED IN THE NEXT SECTION) then at least bother to have a single moment of valor in desperate need for the eldest daughter. like, she’s protecting her sister so I’m not expecting her to pick up a sword and start chopping heads off orcs, but at least having a single moment of ingenuity or something where she does try to face off against something to protect her sister would make sense? instead it’s her little brother who gets several heroic moments. doesn’t she care at all about protecting him?

Like they also had this thing. Where the women are in hiding and they’re like “we can’t just leave the men to die!” and they try and like forcibly recruit everyone including what they think is an old woman (really not the point guys. “women are capable of fighting in need” doesn’t mean “ABSOLUTELY EVERY WOMAN EVEN THOSE WHO ARE OLD AND FRAIL CAN/SHOULD FIGHT”). but don’t worry it is actually the single most annoying character. feels like the real purpose of the scene is for the godawful “man in a dress” jokes they made with alfrid. 

Overall that stuff with Alfrid and the Laketown Master was just. bad. It was clearly an attempt at comic relief that was just grating and offensive. Why the fuck did you have to add in another “hey look he’s a man in a dress pretending to be a woman so he doesn’t have to fight” scene when we don’t even get A FUNERAL FOR THE MAIN CHARACTERS in the non-extended edition. like it’s just incredibly shitty.

THE SINDAR STUFF

sigh

Kili and Tauriel are still around. Kili says “you make me feel alive” to her, which... is funny considering he’s going to be dead in a few hours. and also “you make me feel alive” is a weird thing to say about like “I mean literally because you saved my life”. so whatever.

Anyways THRANDUIL IS GOING TO WAR OVER A HANDFUL OF GEMS which was not in the book but admittedly it’s funny. IMAGINE THAT BARD. IMAGINE ELVES. GOING TO WAR. FOR GEMS. WOULDN’T THAT BE AWFUL [cut to a trailer of the silmarillion]

anyways the sindar clearly never learn shit. inviting another kinslaying are we mr thranduil.

my good friend toni pointed out that they kind of swap thranduil and bard in these movies. because thranduil wasn’t really super keen on risking war, but bard desperately needed the money in order to rebuild laketown and find safety for his people. but hey we need more jewels in this thing. 

Anyways. Battle time. Legolas action stunts are just absurd in this one. He fast travels on a giant bat. He runs up a bunch of falling rocks. He also returns Orcrist to Thorin which was a cool move though there is something lost by Thranduil not giving it back to him on his grave.

Soooo okay this “trilogy” has been setting up this Tauriel/Kili thing and has also been setting up Tauriel as a pretty established warrior. We know Kili is going to die. I don’t know about you, but if I were writing a Romance Plotline, and I have a character who is an established warrior, and her Romantic Interest ends up killed by an enemy, who would I want to kill that enemy? Obviously... POINT THREE ON THE LOVE TRIANGLE BABY. TAURIEL FALLS DOWN SOME STAIRS AND CRIES A LOT. BUT LEGOLAS GETS TO KILL THE ORC!

Listen! Legolas is cool and all! But why didn’t Tauriel get this kill? Why doesn’t she get to kill the orc in a bunch of rage but she’s ultimately too late and nothing she does can help bring back the guy she supposedly loves (it was real, apparently) and then cries about it? Like if she wasn’t a warrior, who had supposedly fought for thousands of years, fine. But like... she doesn’t get any cool action stuff outside of some spiders in movie 2... if she’s supposed to be a role model for the little girls watching this then why is the end of her arc “the guy she loves dies and the different guy who apparently loves her gets his revenge while she just cries”? Like maybe I’m being harsh on it. Because I don’t like romance. But god at least let the girl get the kill. That’s my two cents on it. complicated situation when talking about the limited ways you can depict a woman warrior in fantasy when you only have one or whatever but in this instance I say let her kill the fucking orc. why is she even here.

Anyways we also get Legomom lore because she died at Gundabad fighting Angmar I guess. At the end Thranduil says “your mother loved you” like that was somehow in question. Legolas says he can’t return to Mirkwood for some?? reason?? like I guess they’re implying he’s just not coming back until LOTR?????? which he definitely has to be there. for part of it. or else why is he sent to rivendell. anyways Thranduil accepts this and says “Go to the North. Find the Dunedain. There’s a Ranger there you should meet” LIKE ARAGORN ISN’T LIKE FIVE YEARS OLD RIGHT NOW. LEGOLAS YOU MUST MEET THIS FIVE YEAR OLD HE’S SO COOL. which I suppose is them trying to come up with Aragorn Legolas BFFs backstory. which is weird.

He also refers to Aragorn only as the son of Arathorn and says “his true name you must discover for yourself” uhhh his name being Aragorn isn’t a big deal. Calling him the son of Arathorn is a dead giveaway to his lineage which is the important thing. Also with Tolkien naming conventions there’s only like a handful of things a son of Arathorn could be named you just kinda have to mutter it and you’ll probably land on Aragorn sooner or later. anyways it seemed really weird.

Legolas overall felt unnecessarily grim and broody for mr “farewell! I go to find the sun!”. which is a problem with jackson’s elves in particular with them pretending they’re all serene. like anyone believes that. but he’s particularly bad in this one. maybe it’s because he’s so sad his mom is dead and he can never go back to mirkwood? or whatever. (also he’s called Legolas Greenleaf by Gandalf. greenleaf is not a fucking last name. it’s just “legolas” in common. just start listing all the ways you can say “green leaf” in different languages there gandalf.)

HEY. BOOK THINGS.

This whole bargain that Thorin already did makes him look like more of an asshole for going back on his word. I definitely don’t remember that. Though the dragon effect as he’s talking about how he won’t part with a single coin is a cool little detail to add, I think.

Bilbo goes to give away the arkenstone but doesn’t have his conversation with Bombur... it’s kind of a shame most of the other dwarves get kinda reduced to nothing. The only ones with any real interesting things are of course Thorin, Kili, arguably Fili, Balin, Dwalin. Which isn’t like much different from the book where that only changed a little bit. But they took some time to make the dwarves more distinct in the first movie, yet by the third it’s like most of them are just there to stand in the background as the company. When Thorin Fili Kili die, it kinda feels like most of the charm of the company is gone with them.

Thorin has his weird Swallowed By Gold visions. Which made me laugh a lot when I saw them because they seemed so nonsense. These special effects are not something that I’m fond of.

battle starts. were-worms exist. why. Thorin takes a long time to get to battle but forgets his helmet. I get the casting away the expensive armor as a way of showing we are free of the greed over gold and such but guys you kind of need that to not die! 

It is interesting to see how Fili, Kili, and Thorin die since we don’t see that in the book. Though them all dying separately instead of Fili and Kili dying defending Thorin is kind of a shame. Namely, it takes away from Fili a bit - he mainly gets the First Death shock, Kili is doing something with his love interest which took over his entire character, and Thorin is doing something with the orc plot that took over the entire fucking trilogy for no real reason.

Though I did like everything with Thorin’s death. Both his decision to get stabbed so he could stab Azog, which was a cool Heroic Moment to add in, and of course his death scene with Bilbo. I liked how they stuck largely to the important book dialogue (something that I think Jackson forgot a lot!!!) but also adding in their own little touches (plant your trees, watch them grow re: the acorn thing). It was very emotional and honestly the highlight of the movie for me...... sorry Thorin.

But it kind of falls apart after that. It feels very rushed. We say bye to the dwarves we don’t care much about anymore, not seeing any sort of funeral (except in the extended edition apparently! sorry guys we really needed those man-in-a-dress jokes!) and then basically teleport back to the shire with gandalf.

Then Jackson does something which makes me mad. They start with the quote, “You don’t suppose all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck?” which in the book is a tie-in to the concept of Fate or more accurately Greater Powers (Valar, and Iluvatar) at work. A little look into the wider legendarium and/or Tolkien’s religious beliefs. But then this transitions in the movie to “magic rings should not be used lightly” THAT’S NOT THE POINT. THE RING WASN’T THE ONLY THING GETTING HIM THROUGH ALL THIS!!! like god when you finally use book dialogue can’t you at least keep with the general point?

I mean I get it you want to tie it in to the lord of the rings but let the story stand as it is too.

They did keep "you're quite a fine person and I'm rather fond of you, but you are only a little fellow in a wide world after all" but again it was tonally different.

Anyways we’re at the end of the book. But true to the spirit of the movies inserting things, I have a fun Bonus Category for all the stuff I may have conspicuously leapt over in this review/summary.

THE “HEY YOU GUYS MIGHT BE ONTO SOMETHING WITH THORIN/BILBO” STUFF

ok no but seriously. I said in my desolation of smaug review that this movie becomes far funnier if you think that The Leap Of Bilbo (ending of the first movie) is an extremely powerful aphrodisiac and Thorin fell madly in love with him for jumping so far and so powerfully and saving his life, but that Thorin is really bad at processing/handling this. but the third movie takes this to new extremes. Here’s a little compilation of moments.

First: The Infamous Acorn Scene. aka where Thorin wonders what Bilbo is hiding and Bilbo says it’s an acorn and thorin goes “you carried it all this way...” as his face softens and they talk about how Bilbo wants to plant it and Thorin is like “that’s a poor prize to take back to the shire...” and Bilbo says something along the lines of “every time I look at it, I’ll remember... the good... and the bad... and how lucky I am that I made it home” and they stare at each other while smiling (which thorin has not done before in this movie really) and it goes back and forth and bilbo says “thorin, I--” then Thorin’s friend Dwalin walks in and the smile immediately drops off of Thorin’s face and the two look away awkwardly and this scene was also a big part of the general tolkien community on tumblr (obviously tumblr) when I first started lurking around on here so it is inescapable and entrenched in my memory.

this literally came back when I was reading an article about the rings of power before it came out (can’t remember which one but it was like a Proper Site) and the writer talked about how (while speculating) there wasn’t any lgbtq+ romance in any adaptation before except of course for this scene and the link took me to a youtube video of the acorn scene. everyone can see it. and you can too at this link!

anyways for some reason after this thorin decides that HE CAN ONLY TRUST BILBO and all the dwarves he has known for much longer and is related to like half of them are FAKE AND STOLE THE ARKENSTONE. he gives bilbo a silmaril shirt the famous mithril shirt. a very kingly gift ;) he calls it “a token of our friendship ;)” because “true friends are hard to come by ;)”. he then starts talking to bilbo about this oncoming war where the elves and men are trying to take their gold and he’s like “this gold is OURS and OURS ALONE” but he’s not saying it to all the dwarves (who are clearly traitors) just to bilbo. ... dude.

BUT IT DOES NOT LAST. because while thorin was doubting his friends the true thief was BILBO. he stole the arkenstone. and thorin’s reaction to this is “you? :( you would steal from me? :(”. bilbo explains that he’s taking it as his fourteenth share and is willing to let it stand against his claim (of the treasure. for participating in this quest.) and thorin responds with “your claim? YOU HAVE NO CLAIM OVER ME” which is not at all what he was saying buddy. this isn’t about you.

he’s heartbroken. bilbo talks about thorin going back on his word and he’s just like “do not speak to me of loyalty :(” and then tries to throw bilbo off a cliff, but hey every relationship has its problems.

later on when thorin is stuck in his Gold Mind Palace he is running through many quotes from his friends and from gandalf and his own thoughts. but the voice that comes through the clearest? bilbo’s.

they get their chance to reconcile but then thorin has to die. which he does. never knowing if his glaringly obvious feelings are returned! and are they? bilbo apparently has a claim over thorin, but does thorin have a claim over him?

Well Bilbo tries to leave the mountain and is stopped by Balin and they talk about how they’re having more funeral stuff and crowning the new king. and bilbo says something like “I know that is how you must honor him [thorin]. But he was never that [a king] to me. He was... to me... he was... ... ... I’ll slip away quietly” DUDE? HEY? WHAT?

well bilbo goes home and never marries and is a confirmed bachelor for the rest of his life, just saying.

like I remember lurking on here before being entertained by bagginshield but I moved past it because I’m not really into shipping tolkien stuff. but in the universe of these movies? I get it. I truly do. The only thing missing from this is the “WELL? ARE YOU ALIVE OR ARE YOU DEAD? ARE YOU IN PRISON OR ARE YOU FREE? GET UP AND HELP ME OUT HERE” scene from bilbo to a half-drowned thorin to really solidify it.

like it’s genuinely so funny. I forgot so many of these things. I would love to see these scenes but they do thorin’s design differently so that they look like this

see where the fanbase is with that. anyways.

I’ll probably have to do a full “hobbit adaptations” ranking but like... there’s not a lot of competition. there’s the 12 minute version. and rankin-bass (which was good). and I’ll have to make sure I haven’t forgotten any others before I do that. but the juggernaut is down. weirdly I think I would rank them unexpected journey > five armies > desolation, which I didn’t think I would, just because I felt more out of it for desolation and was loving the bilbo/thorin unintentional romance in this one too much.

and I’m listening to the rankin-bass goblin town song again because that was so much fun, and it’s nearly 1 am, so I’ll end the post here. thanks for bearing with me once more.

[frodo-with-glasses]

Thoughts from the last few chapters

A Knife in the Dark

Ah okay phew Fatty Bolger is fine. Scarred for life, maybe, but alive. That’s the important thing.

Butterburr is such a simple man and a good host that even the potential of any of his guests getting hurt, regardless of whether or not they actually were, makes him go >8-O

Aragorn: “We’re gonna be delayed for three hours :-|” The hobbits: “Well at least we get breakfast!”

Tolkien brings the WHOLE STORY to a SCREECHING HALT to assure us that the hobbits’ ponies made it back to Tom Bombadil who eventually sold them to Butterburr and they lived happy lives ever after and I’m not saying Tolkien was a horse girl but Tolkien was a horse girl

One thing we missed in the movies was that ALL OF BREE comes out to watch the hobbits and Aragorn leave and if that isn’t small-town energy then I don’t know what is

Did Tolkien ever visit the American Midwest?? Because those Neekerbreekers sound a whole lot like the hellish half-cousin of cicadas. Not that cicadas aren’t hellish to begin with.

SAM DOES POETRY and we’re all very proud of him

Aragorn: *nerds out about Beren and Luthien* Me: *SNOOOOORE*

Ah yes, Thingol. King Thingol. Turin’s barely-there foster dad, Thingol. Dad Joke Man of Doriath Thingol. ….That Thingol?

FRODO STABBED THE RINGWRAITH LET’S GOOOOO

Flight to the Ford

Sam stands over the wounded Frodo to protect him what a good lad ;-;

Movie!Frodo after being stabbed: *AGONIZED SCREAMS AND WHEEZES AND CHOKING* Book!Frodo after being stabbed: “Ow. Ow. Ooh mountains. Who built that? Can’t see my friends. Ow. :-/”

THE TROOOOOLLS

Weak and wounded as he is, Frodo knows immediately that Sam made up the song about the troll himself, and takes the time to say “well look at you go, I’m so proud of you :-D” they’re so frickin’ cute I’m dead

GLORFINDEL GLORFINDEL GLORFINDEL GLORFINDEL GLORFINDEL

IT’S MY MAN LET’S GOOOOO

Frodo: “I’m not gonna leave my friends in danger!” Glorfindel: “Your friends would be in far less danger if you left! :-)” Frodo: “Oh :-.”

Thinking of the whole flight to the ford with the sound of bells constantly ringing on Asfaloth’s mane makes the whole thing simultaneously funnier and more dire. Here’s a beautiful house, bred in the joy and safety of an elven kingdom, decked out with bells because of course a jolly old elf would put bells on his horse, and now those bells are the only things screaming of joy and happiness and hope in a desperate fight to outrun darkness and death and despair. Kinda poetic, actually. But also DING DING DING DING DING DING DING

Frodo makes it across the Ford by himself! On horseback! Barely conscious! And sits up in the saddle and draws his sword and TELLS THE RINGWRAITHS TO GO BACK TO HELL! GO OFF FRODO, GET IT, KING!

Many Meetings

“A chat with Gandalf” ought to be an idiom for unwieldy amounts of exposition. Seriously, every time Frodo and Gandalf sit down to talk it’s like 5-7 pages of infodump.

Elves can do surgery. This is canon.

Frodo was partly transparent?? Wow. I wonder if that ever lingered in any way……

Elrond made the flood, and Gandalf added horses and boulders just because he’s ExtraTM.

SAM. IS. ADORABLE. But more on that later.

Tolkien: *waxes eloquent about Arwen* Me: *SNOOOOOORE*

Frodo was so surprised and delighted to see one of Bilbo’s old traveling companions that he sat up too fast and scattered all his cushions. And then Gloin helps him pick them all up again. This is the cutest darn thing.

BILBOOOOOO

LINDIRRRRRRR

Bilbo and Aragorn write songs together and Bilbo teases him about his love life this is adorable

The music literally cuts out when the Ring-thirst overcomes Bilbo. This is some big-picture movie stuff and I’m reading a book that was written over half a century ago.

Sam comes to Bilbo’s room to say it’s time for Frodo to go to sleep how homey and sweet I’m done

[canyouhearthelight]

The Miys, Ch. 160

Y’all. I am so excited for this chapter.

I know I say that a lot, on nearly every chapter.. which is fair, because as I hone my writing skills, I get more and more excited for each new thing I think I do well.

But THIS?  This is a type of chapter that this story has only seen once - maybe twice.  Because I didn’t write this chapter...

@baelpenrose did. I just edited.

I am 1000% percent willing to field any questions, but brevity is the soul of wit, so here goes!

(Guest Author: Baelpenrose, Guest Perspective: Arthur Farro)

In movies, I’d have been giving a grand speech as the enemy approached. In films, that’s what you do before a battle to keep troops from freaking out. Maybe they’d have raised their weapons and given raucous cheers as I really got into it and the enemy would have been so kind as to delay their breach until right as the cheering died down.

Yeah, that’s not how life actually works. Not even a little.

Here’s how battles aboard a massive nautilus-shaped starship the size of a city getting invaded by alien slavers actually go: You find out where they’re going to hit about fifteen minutes in advance because you have a computer whiz and a really good navcomputer that figures out the vectors on their boarding shuttles so that all the defenders can be where the enemy are going to breach. You set up the natto barrels, the capsaicin arrows, the mermaid with the opera voice - and apparently another even more violent personality - the probably-a-warcrime-but-who-gives-a-shit-at-this-point hot oil sprayer that was supposed to be used for flash-frying veggies, and you get ready to slaughter the enemy faster than they can run forward.

Then, before you’re really all the way into position, they blow the fucking walls off the place, drop the pressure to what they can handle, burn through the wall with plasma torches. No Gandalf “You’re soldiers of Gondor!” crap, no “HOLD THE LINE” rallying. Just arrival, quick burn, breach, and then suddenly you’re eye deep in eye-wateringly revolting green shrimp-men, wooly berserker rhinos, and hentai horrors, the last of which are screaming in skull-shredding loud tones that make it impossible to think and you have to roar “ARCHERS! CAPSAICIN FIRST! JOKULL, NATTO BARREL! HOLD THE SPRAY FOR NOW!” and hope your team can hear you.

The screaming was horrific, but the clouds of capsaicin erupting in the midst of the breach were causing chaos among the enemy - the rhino-berserkers seemed to be reeling under it as I screamed again “Broadheads, switch to broadheads! Moonlight, start opera, see if you can disrupt whatever echo...FUCK!” 

The enemy were returning fire in some capacity and I found my legs snared with some sort of bolas, quickly dragging me. I hauled my sword and flailed at the cord as quickly as I could even as the tentacles grabbed at my arms, forcing me to abandon my efforts at slashing the rope to focus on the tentacles before the teeth extended enough to rip through the jacket I was wearing over my suit - hell I suspected the only reason it wasn’t through the suit already was the jacket.

I was looking at the ceiling, up at a group of shrimp-men, when Jokull’s roar - fuck that shrieking was still going and those tentacles were still everywhere - interrupted them. The axe Jokull carried swept through, just as the curved blades that Nixe’s violent persona, Moonlight, had strapped to her hands, began shearing through them. I was hauled to my feet with enough force to bruise my arms. “You alright, schoolteacher?”

“I’m fine, lumberjack.” I swept my sword around me in a tight pattern in an attempt to keep the tentacles away, slashing through one viciously as Coffey joined the melee with brutal overhand swings of - was that a rebar club or a hammer? Something had been made especially for him in the workshop, and he and Conor were joining in with absolute relish, hitting savagely against the carapaces of the shrimp-men and cracking the chitin with more force than human beings would have been capable of delivering before the hypergravity of the last few years. Ivan was joining in too, focusing on lower blows with a clear technique with a blacksmith’s hammer, cracking the chitin with brutal efficiency.  It was obvious who had thought to make weapons the two larger men could use while still recovering their sense of balance.

Fuck it. Say what you want about me. Say what you want about sociopathy. Say what you want about violence or human nature, but there was something maddeningly beautiful about this, too. The screeching ached. The clouds of capsaicin were a sensory assault. But I was fighting back to back with a former enemy, the lovers of my friends, and a mad mermaid against alien invaders. All while swinging weapons that had gone out of style centuries ago, in the midst of rank soybeans being used as a bioweapon.  I felt incredibly alive, and I will defy anyone to live through this and say there wasn’t something invigorating about it.

Wait. Right. The rhinos were still reeling, and we were being pressed by the shrimp-men because they were still, sort of, able to press.

Charly’s archers sent in another volley as we slammed ourselves against a bulkhead, even as Moonlight got grabbed by the tentacles and my sword sheared through another one, alien blood staining the ancient blade. “Come on, come on.” We weren’t quite back to the line yet, but they had the sprayer set up now. “DOWN!” 

A barrage of hot oil streaked past us, between us and into the swarm of shrimp-men, towards the nearest of the hentai horrors. We heard the tentacled monstrosity scream in a whole new way this time as they began getting not only flash blinded by the heat but seared and burned by the oil. Collapsing brought them no relief as they writhed on the ground and fell into the sizzling oil, where their wounded, with cracked carapaces, were cooking. 

“Another volley!” We had a moment while the oil sizzled between us, and another wave of capsaicin clouds erupted among the rhinos, limiting further fire exchange. There was a brief moment of calm before the hentai horrors screamed again and began surging over the oil, scalding themselves on it to try to get to us Their slime might have been protecting them or their skin was thicker than I thought - or they were dumber than I thought - but those tentacles were a whole lot closer than they had any business being and Moonlight was charging forward, her mother-of-pearl bodysuit flashing as she howled and began tearing at one of them. The tentacles ripped at her as I brandished my sword and Jokull rushed in with me at the other, savagely hacking at it. A tentacle closed around my calf and I felt the pressure of the teeth on the tentacle, but - 

I grinned underneath the bodysuit over my head, the fangs couldn’t pierce the motorcycle pants that I wore over the fucking body condom. I flicked my sword down to take the tentacle off. “Before they recover, archers, keep up a steady barrage now, keep your capsaicin shots spaced, communicate with each other! Melee fighters, push on the tentacle things! I want the rhinos kept off-balance for a minute!”

 I wanted them strung out so we could focus - fucking hell, where were all these tentacles coming from? There was an unfavorable oxygen-to-tentacle ratio in this fucking corridor right now. I was trying to keep the tentacles occupied and, thanks to the dropped gravity and the endurance training, that seemed doable for now. But it was like fighting six different opponents, all flailing, with no idea what they were doing - which actually made it worse, since it meant I had no idea what they were doing. Defensive windmill sword drills weren’t designed for fighting the humboldt squid or anything else with dreams of animated adult film stardom. 

Jokull was trying to attack one of them while I defended against the tentacles and Moonlight ripped into another one, screaming madly as she did so in a language that...had she fucking invented a language for the mermaid kingdom that existed in her head? I couldn’t be sure over that appalling screaming the squid were still doing, but I was pretty sure that wasn’t any language I had ever heard before. She tore at it with her knives, and the tone it was screaming in didn’t actually get any quieter but it took on a tone that I sincerely hope was actual pain or fear as I began seeing what seemed like fewer tentacles. 

Jokull finally got an upper hand and brought his axe around in a terrifying blow that split the head of the one he’d been fighting. The tentacles spasmed, one of them finally flicking past my defenses and ripping a gash in the hardened leather of my jacket. It finally went still as that awful noise finally went down to manageable levels. “CONOR, COFFEY, IVAN! RUSH THE SHRIMP-MEN! LEAVE THE LAST SQUID TO MOONLIGHT!” 

We heard the mad mermaid laugh like the siren she very much was as she continued savaging the monstrosity she fought, the horrible creature finally going silent as we hit the formation of crustaceans that had recovered from the oil blast, arrows still firing into the midst of the rhinos. The poor things were starting to recover from the capsaicin amidst the stench of blood and natto, still wheezing from the blasts of spice. They had anticipated sound blasts but not chemical warfare, and the shrimps were fighting with some sort of baton-weapon and lobster claws. I found myself braced by one as I brought my sword down, the ancient blade planting between those creepy dead eyes, and wrenched it free and cracking the shell open. I lunged to another before finding my wrist grabbed by the claws that had been favored by evolution - on, apparently, more than one planet - and realized that my jacket wasn’t going to save me from my sword-wrist being crushed, until one of Charly’s arrows impacted an eyestalk. I got my arm back, getting the leverage to plant a kick in its center of mass and send it staggering into Coffey, who proceeded to smash the poor bastard into foul smelling goo.

Jokull must have decided to fuck with me right then, that’s the only way I can explain what happened next. Either that, or that particular class opted to curse me from beyond the grave. “NOTICE ME, SENPAI!” He made eye contact with me from across the battlefield right before he did it, and brought his axe around in a brutal scythe as he took a shrimp man’s head completely off its body and sent it flying off, leaving me howling with laughter as I lunged and cracked another one before heaving its lifeless corpse aside, holding my sword aloft and roaring with defiance.

The rhinos were starting to recover and bracing to charge as the shrimp-men finally started routing in the face of the mad onslaught - only for Charly to, with an almost evil glee in her voice, howl, “CASPACIN ARROWS, ANOTHER VOLLEY!” and send the poor things into another coughing fit. Another set of clouds burst among them and sent them heaving and collapsing yet again, their star shaped noses convulsing this time. 

“Sure, they’re great in melee, shame they’ll never get there…” I wondered, briefly, if it was possible they were going to have PTSD from a battle without ever getting to fight or actually get into the battle proper. 

Something new had come through the breach, though I couldn’t quite make out what it was. But whatever it was it had rallied the shrimp men and seemed to be passing out masks to the Rhinos, which I could not have. “Someone shoot that, whatever it is. Everyone else, get ready to charge…” 

It was wandering around on mechanical parts, and the shrimp-men began charging again before we met them. The newcomer was charging in with a massive wrench, and the Rhinos were starting to get their breath in the face of another barrage of arrows - even as we charged them and began hitting them low and hard with sword, axe, hammer, clubs, and everything else we could before they could get their balance back, hamstringing them with blows we could never have delivered before training in high gravity. We shattered bones, cleaving through muscles and severing arteries in an effort to knock them down as they swung massive, heavy limbs to send us sprawling back. 

No sooner had I found myself on my back, covered by arrow fire than I found myself having to parry a downward swung wrench by that fucking newcomer, who I had started to roll to my feet to slash at before I stopped as Charly and I both recognized what they were. 

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