Title & Chapter Number: War of Daenova 4/?
Author(s): - Author's Index
Fandom: LOTR Crossover with Legend of the Swords
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: "Lord of the Rings," "The Silmarillion" and "The Lost Tales" belong to J.R.R. Tolkien, and I'm borrowing them without permission. They will be returned when I am through. Legend of the Swords (LOTS) is owned by the Chroniclers of Khaenna, and I borrowed that with permission. This is a non-profit piece of fiction, so all you lawyers can just bugger off and find someone else to swindle.
Warnings: Character resurrection (Ereinion Gil-galad); the very fact that this is a crossover.
Betas: None
Cast: Major players in the Trilogy; characters from LOTS
Timeline: War of the Ring for LOTR; AU for LOTS
Spoilers: A lot of things from the Trilogy, particularly ROTK. If you've only seen the movies, then stay away from the middle parts of the fic until you've seen all three.
Summary: LOTR AU CROSSOVER. Gandalf has brought in strange new guests for Elrond's Council. They are a mysterious group of people who hid from the Free Races of Middle-Earth - until now. In the lead of their Queen, Caelis, they have decided that it is time to lift the veil over their existence and fight alongside Elves, Men, Dwarves and Hobbits for the freedom of Middle-Earth. But the War of the Ring is only the beginning of another War, for in the realm of Khaenna, Caelis must rise up to claim her birthright and lead her people in a bitter struggle to wrest their lands from the darkness of the Shadow.
Notes: Mostly bookverse, though there will be times when it will occasionally slip into movie-verse - but mostly when the two coincide so seamlessly that it is possible for one to have occured in the other. Thoughts will be written 'like so', and dialogue will be written "like so". Also, many of the conversations in Elvish will be written ^like so^. Many of the conversations in Daenovan will be written ~*like so*~. Any words/phrases that are written in their original, whether Elvish or Daenovan, shall have asterisks beside them and then they will have translations at the bottom of every chapter. Same thing goes for unfamiliar terms.
Chapter Four: The Council
The Council of Elrond commenced the following morning after the feast, taking place on the terrace where Frodo had met his friends the previous night.
One by one, those who had been invited to be present at the Council arrived. First was Elrond, his sons and his counselors, along with Ereinion, Aragorn, Galdor of the Havens, and Legolas of Mirkwood. Next were the Dwarves: Gloin and his son Gimli. Next was another Man -Boromir of Gondor, eldest son of the Steward, Denethor.
After Boromir was seated, Caelis and her party entered the council area, flanked by Urima and Rishkon, while trailing behind her were Dives, Tirmin and Forwil, respectively. She and her companions were no longer clad in Elven garb, but in more foreign outfits - like robes but with wider sleeves that almost brushed the ground - made from a cloth akin to silk, but more delicate than that, and covered in intricate embroidery of the sort that was not done by Elves or Men or Dwarves. They also wore their hair differently. All the males tied their hair back at the nape of their necks (save for Tirmin since he had short, cropped hair), while the females left their hair flowing down their backs, with hardly any ornamentation save for a strand of pearls like a circlet upon their heads - Dives' were pale moon-blue, while Caelis' were the rare black pearls.
~*~*~*~
Boromir stared at them as they walked past him to take their seats near Elrond and the other Elves. 'Who are these gods that walk upon mortal lands, he wondered in awe as he looked at her and her companions. The lead female exchanged a few words with Elrond and another dark-haired Elf, before she finally sat down, and spoke in hushed tones with her companions.
At that moment, Gandalf the Gray entered, and with him was what Boromir took to be a child, but realized was a Halfling, those small folk of which many childhood tales tell.
After these two were seated, the council began. Boromir listened with interest to the tales that were told: how the Dwarves of Erebor sought to reclaim Moria but failed; how the black-clad messengers from Mordor had threatened the kingdom of Dale; and how both kingdoms were given an ultimatum.
Following this was Elrond's tale of the War of the Rings and the creation of the One Ring of Power. He spoke of Celebrimbor and the other Rings of Power, how the Three Rings of the Elves were hidden away, but the Seven Rings of the Dwarves were either stolen or lost, while the Nine Rings given to the Men turned their wearers into Ringwraiths. He also spoke of the Last Alliance, of the great war that should have seen the fall of Sauron, but failed to when Isildur kept the Ring for himself.
"So that is what became of the Ring!" Boromir exclaimed then. "If ever such a tale was told in the South, it has long been forgotten. I have heard of the Great Ring of him that we do not name; but we believed that it perished from the world in the ruin of his first realm. Isildur took it! That is tidings indeed."
"Alas! yes," said Elrond. "Isildur took it, as should not have been. It should have been cast then into Orodruin's nigh at hand where it was made. But few marked what Isildur did. He alone stood by his father in that last mortal contest; and by Gil-galad only Cirdan stood, and I. But Isildur would not listen to our counsel."
"And so the Bane of Middle-Earth was not unmade, and allowed to live on," murmured the silver-haired woman who sat amongst the Elves. As Boromir looked at her he watched as she closed her eyes, as if remembering something. "When I received word that Gil-galad had fallen and that the Ring was not unmade, I feared that we had done too little. And so my people lived beneath an ever-present shadow of dread, knowing that the Shadow of the East would rise sooner than we thought, and we were plagued with guilt and remorse, for we felt we did too little."
The dark-haired Elf who sat beside her shook his head. "No My Lady, you only did what you could to aid us. Without your assistance, then we would not have had as much success as we did during that time."
Boromir looked at the silver-haired maiden and at the dark-haired Elf. "Pardon me, My Lord, My Lady, but I do not think I know who you are."
Elrond smiled slightly, gesturing to the Elf. "This, My Lord Boromir, is the one whom many songs speak of: the wielder of Aeglos; friend of Elendil; one of the greatest leaders in the Last Alliance; last High-King of the Elves. Before you sits Ereinion Gil-galad."
The dark-haired Elf chuckled. "Enough Elrond, enough. That is all in the past. I am merely Ereinion now. Let us leave the legends behind as a part of the past, a part of history. The role I am to play here in this lifetime will not be as glorious as the one I played in my previous life."
The lady beside him chuckled. "True, My Lord, but no matter how small your role might be, it will be just as important as the one you played three thousand years ago."
"Pardon me My Lady," Boromir said, "but I am not familiar with you, either. You do not seem to be an Elf, but I am not certain if you are just a mortal, either."
"She is neither of the Quendi nor of the Edain," Elrond said solemnly, "though she is as immortal as any one of those who belong to Elven kind. She is the Lady Caelis, and these are her companions: Lady Dives, Lord Urima, Lord Rishkon, Lord Forwil, and Lord Tirmin. They are the representatives of the Six Royal Households of the Dragons, who once ruled the realm of Daenova, in the far-off world of Khaenna."
~*~*~*~
Frodo's eyes widened at the revelation that Elrond had just given. 'Dragons? Caelis and her companions are dragons? But how can that be? Aren't dragons supposed to be great lizards like Smaug?
It seemed that the rest of the members of the council, save for Elrond, Ereinion, Gandalf and Strider, were quite surprised and taken aback by this information. The Dwarves suddenly seemed very much on-edge, fingering their weapons as they eyed Caelis and her companions warily.
"That is impossible!" Gloin exclaimed. "Dragons?! These fair folk?! I mean not to offend, Master Elrond, but that is something I find extremely difficult to believe!"
Caelis smiled as she stood up gracefully, the silks of her robes flowing around her in a gleaming cloud of white. "Please, Master Elrond, sit. It is my turn to explain." She turned to all those gathered at the council. "While many of you, particularly Master Gloin, find this information rather difficult to grasp, I can assure you that it is the truth.
"Many of you here know of dragons as great reptiles that can fly and breathe fire," Caelis began. "You also know them as creatures of great evil, greedy and drunk on their power. I tell you this now: we, the Serpentines of Khaenna, are nothing like those vile creatures. While we can change our forms to assume a shape that is reminscent of the things you call dragons, it is not something we often do because of the amount of energy required to achieve the transformation."
She gestured then to Dives, who stood up, and it was only then that Frodo noticed the small, ornate wooden box that was nestled in the latter's hands. Dives lifted the lid, and revealed a round, sparkling crystal the size of a large apple.
Caelis took one of the spheres, and lifted it up for all to see. "Here, within this crystal, is contained a map of Khaenna, and many of the lands encompassed by it." As she spoke, she placed the sphere down on the pedestal in the middle of the council area, where it glimmered like a star.
"How can a map be placed within such a sphere?" Glorfindel inquired curiously.
"It is but a small part of the powers that we of Dragonkind possess," Caelis replied with a smile. "And now, behold the lands of Iraxa and Daenova in the world of Khaenna."
As she spoke, she hovered her hand over the crystal, which began to glow with a soft, muted light. A moment later a beam of light burst forth from the top of the sphere, opening up to reveal an amazing, three-dimensional map of a foreign land that occupied almost the entire center of the council area. It seemed as if Caelis was a giant walking amongst the lands and cities of a miniature world.
Bilbo stared in awe as a ring of mountains drifted by his nose. "Impressive!" he murmured. "I wonder how they can make it to be like this? How can they store all of this inside that crystal?"
Caelis spoke then. "These are the lands of Iraxa and Daenova. The mainland is known as the continent of Iraxa, and is home to many of the races of Khaenna. I shall not speak of the races of Iraxa, but speak instead of my homeland, Daenova, called the Dragon Isles by the people of Irasa."
The entire map seemed to tilt slightly, and focused on a small group of islands to the east of the mainland. There was a momentary flash, and then it seemed that they were closer to the islands now, and Frodo could see mountains and fields and deserts - and even two cities floating in the sky.
Caelis' voice was soft and nostalgic as she spoke. "You see before you our homeland, Daenova, at the height of its power. The two chief cities are the ones that you see floating in the sky: the Holy City of Revanarsil, City of the Moonstone Spires; and the Capital City of Dragonis, City of the Starlit Turrets. On the ground, the only city that is not hidden is Soulous, which stands on the edge of the highest cliff of the Northern Fences. The rest are hidden from your eyes. Oriemel stands beneath the ocean waves; Irsimil is to be found within a volcano; and Urtielus is hidden deep within the caverns of the Northern Fences."
Frodo pointed to what looked like a fortress in what he assumed was the southern area of the map. "What is the name of this fortress?"
"That, Master Frodo, is the Fortress of Zireshekel, home of the Shadow Dragons," Caelis replied. Here her voice seemed to harden with anger, and yet there was a deep, underlying sadness. "They are the one kin, of all the Seven Households of Dragons, who are sundered from us, for they are the greatest enemies of the Six True Households of Dragons of Daenova. It was they, in the lead of their Overlord Ximtarien, who caused the fall of Daenova, and our expulsion from our home."
Suddenly one of the floating cities - the one that Caelis had called Dragonis - burst into flame, and then crashed down into the ground of the map. A sudden dimness fell upon the world, and Frodo could feel the deep weight of evil upon the the world that was spread out before him.
"With the fall of Dragonis, which once we thought an impenetrable fortress, came the fall of the rest of the Six True Households," Caelis murmured as she waved her hand over the crystal again, causing the map to fade and disappear. She picked it up, and placed it back in the box that Dives held. "With the death of the High-King Skyevola, who was slain in the very entrance hall of the palace, came the death of the order that was once held in those lands. Many of the leaders and rulers of the various cities, as well as a great majority of the Star Dragons, escaped through the world-gates and went here, to Arda, to Middle-Earth, where we now live as exiles.
"We arrived here during the rise of the Numenoreans, when they were establishing the great realms of Arnor and Gondor. We came here without knowing where we would live and how we would fit in with the other races of this world. But, thanks to the kindness of the Wizards Gandalf the Gray and Radagast the Brown, we were able to make out homes in the foothills around the mountain Caradhras. There our realm has remained hidden to this very day."
"How could you have accomplished that?" Elrohir asked curiously. "My brother and I have been to that area many times when out on errantry with the other Rangers, and yet we have found no evidence to suggest that anyone lived in that area."
Dives smiled. "We have cast many spells and wards of hiding over our realms, as well as building deep within the forested areas and craggy cliffs. It is very powerful magic that makes our realms invisible to the eyes of many of the races of this world. The only way to lift the spell is to speak a word in our language, which we have taught only to Gandalf and to Radagast, who have proven themselves true friends and allies of our kindred in this world."
"But even the most powerful wards and magic spells have not been able to keep our realms hidden from the eyes of the Orcs," Tirmin said quietly. "Ever since we arrived here, we have constantly battled against the Orcs in an attempt to keep them at bay. Many of our kindred have fallen in the eternal struggle we have had against those foul creatures, and our numbers have dwindled severely since we first came.
"That is why I have supported My Lady Caelis in her decision to speak before this Council and tell the whole of Middle-Earth about our existence. It is time we joined the struggle and put an end to this evil once and for all."
A heavy silence hung over the council for a moment. And then:
"This is madness."
Frodo looked up at Boromir, who was staring at the six Dragons with suspicion and wariness.
The Man stood up. "How can we be certain that these...Dragons...are truly who they claim to be? Could not this be an elaborate, complex lie, sent to us by the Evil One in Mordor to bring ruin upon us?"
One of the Dragons - the one named Rishkon - suddenly stood up, and Frodo thought he could see tongues of flame leap from his form. "Foolish mortal!" Rishkon cried. "Who are you to say what is true and what is not?! Who are you to claim that we lie?! Do you dare say that My Lady Caelis would lie?! How dare you speak of my Queen with such impudence!"
"Rishkon speaks truly," said the one named Forwil, who looked at Boromir with a baleful glance. "I will not stand idle when my liege-lady is insulted the way you have insulted her. You do not know how great a sacrifice she has made by coming to this council to speak before all of you." His eyes narrowed. "I could kill you for your insolence."
Urima, the blue-haired Dragon, stood up then. "Please, My Lords, cease and desist. There shall be no blood spilled here. We came to make allies, not enemies. Rishkon, please sit down." He turned to Boromir, and bowed. "Forgive them for their sudden outburst. However, I do have to admit that it galls me that you can speak of my Queen in such a disrespectful manner."
Frodo stared at Caelis. 'A Queen?'
Dives, the only other female Dragon, smiled sadly at him, perhaps noticing his incredulous look. "Indeed, Master Frodo. She is Caelis, daughter of His Majesty Skyevola, last High-King of Dragonis, and Melusine of Revanarsil, who was my mother's elder sister. She is the first and only child of her parents, and thus, is the last High-Queen of Dragonis by direct descent from the mighty Dragon-Kings in the Childhood of Khaenna - the Silver Flame who is the hope of all who are exiled here in Middle-Earth."
"A Queen, yes," Caelis interrupted then, "but only by birth, not in actuality. Until we return to Daenova and reclaim what was once ours, I cannot call myself a Queen and constantly tell my companions so."
"If I may ask, My Lady," Bilbo said then, "but how come you have not gone back to your world and tried to take back your throne? Surely as Dragons, you have the strength and the power to do so..."
Caelis shook her head. "Alas, Master Bilbo, I wish it were as easy as you say. True, the Six True Households of Daenova may have greater strength together when compared to the Shadow Dragons, but against deceit and treachery we have no defense. And we have no allies to turn to except to ourselves."
"What of the other races of your world?"
Rishkon snorted in derision. "Other races? How can we rely upon them when they are plagued by their own troubles? The Avalonians are torn by internal strife between the De Veshel and Dianathe lines. The Elves are mistrustful of each other and break out into quarrels that result in constant bloody skirmishes along the borders of their lands. The Katafels and the Nel'thows are engaged in their eternal struggle against each other, with the Katafels having internal problems of their own. And the race of Men...even if they were to let us have their entire havezen fleet at our disposal, we would never be able to take back Dragonis with those alone. The other races - the Centaurs, Minotaurs and Gargoyles - owe their allegiance to other races or to none: the Centaurs to the Green Elves; the Gargoyles to the Red Elves; and the Minotaurs are their own masters."
"Perhaps if we were to find the Sentients - the great Dragon gods of old who now slumber eternally somewhere in Khaenna - then we could, perhaps, have some measure of chance," Urima said. "But all attempts to find the Sentients have either ended with the deaths of those who seek them or have turned up nothing. Lord Kalendias and his sister Yuqi, my dearest friends and two of My Lady Caelis' favored kinsmen, went into Iraxa a year or two before the fall of Daenova, and have not been successful. They had hoped to find any trace of the Sentients, and while a part of their quest has not been in vain, they have not been able to approach the Sentients themselves. These are the reports that we have received from Daenova."
Caelis spoke once more. "As you can see, Great Lords of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth, we are quite helpless in the face of evils, Dragons though we may be. I feared coming to this council and declaring the existence of my people, afraid that we would meet only with condemnation and prejudice. But Master Gandalf has pressed this point upon me, and it is for this reason that we have lifted the veil that has screened my race from the sight of Middle-Earth. We offer at the moment, perhaps not our military strength, but our wisdom and whatever skills we may possess. We know what it is to suffer at the hands of a Dark Lord. Ximtarien and Sauron are not all that different. Perhaps our knowledge and wisdom from experience could aid you in your struggle."
She paused, and glanced at some of her companions. "Dives and I are healers, though Dives has more skill than I; being a Moon Dragon, that is her specialty. Rishkon and Urima are skilled fighters and strategists. Tirmin has a special gift when it comes to the gathering of information, and he can help in this aspect. And as for Forwil, he is the finest smith of Daenova. He knows how to make weapons both keen and true. We will put all of our talents to use and at your disposal - if you would accept them."
There was some silence for a while, and then Elrond stood up, and spoke. "We thank you for your offer of aid, My Lady, and it is duly accepted." He smiled at her. "With the aid of the Serpentines of Khaenna, this war has come ever closer to success."
Caelis curstied to Elrond. "We shall do what we can to help you and the rest of Middle-Earth." With that, she returned to her seat, and the Council proceeded once more.
~*~*~*~
Caelis sighed as softly as she could, so that Elrond wouldn't hear it. 'Laying the truth in front of other people can be a very tiring business.'
She jerked slightly when she felt warm fingers close around her own beneath the fold of her sleeve. When she looked, she gazed into Ereinion's eyes, noticing the concern and sympathy in their depths.
The Elf tightened his grip ever so slightly, attempting to reassure her. "It shall be alright, My Lady," he murmured quietly, so that only Caelis heard him. "Your journey here has not been in vain."
Caelis nodded her head imperceptibly, and it looked like just a twitch in the neck. She slid her glance towards Rishkon, and noted that the Flame Dragon was glaring ferociously at Ereinion. Caelis narrowed her eyes at her companion, telling him with her gaze that he would not do or say anything at the moment.
A sudden hush overcame the council then, and Caelis looked up, wondering why those gathered had suddenly fallen silent. She watched as Frodo walked forward from his seat, and placed a small metal object on the pedestal in the middle of the council area.
"Behold Isildur's Bane!" said Elrond.
Caelis gazed at the Ring, the One Ring of Power, the item that Sauron was so intent on recovering. There was nothing special about it -merely a simple band with no ornamentation. But she knew that this Ring, this simple Ring, had contained within it the power to sweep all of the races of Middle-Earth off the face of this world.
Boromir's eyes glinted as he gazed at the golden thing. "The Halfling!" he muttered. "Is then the Doom of Minas Tirith come at last? But why should we seek a broken sword?"
"The words were not 'the doom of Minas Tirith'," said Aragorn . "But doom and great deeds are indeed at hand. For the Sword that was Broken is the Sword of Elendil that broke beneath him when he fell. It has been treasured by his heirs when all other heirlooms were lost; for it was spoken of old among us that that it should be made again when the Ring, Isildur's Bane, was found. Now you have seen the sword that you have sought, what would you ask? Do you wish for the House of Elendil to return to the Land of Gondor?"
"I was not sent to beg any boon, but to seek the answer to a riddle," answered Boromir proudly. "Yet we are hard-pressed, and the Sword of Elendil would be a help beyond our hope - if such a thing could indeed return out of the shadows of the past." He looked again at Aragorn, and doubt was in his eyes.
Caelis noted then that Bilbo, the only other Hobbit present at the council, shifted uncomfortably - or perhaps in annoyance. It was quite obvious that he was angry for Aragorn's sake. Standing suddenly up he burst out:
"All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken: The crownless again shall be made king."
"A good verse, Master Bilbo," Urima said appreciatively. "It is concise and accurate, and solidly grounded in lore."
"I agree with Urima's remark," Caelis said as she smiled at the Hobbit, who seemed to blush to the whites of his eyes. "I am a lore mistress amongst my people, and the ability to turn lore into verse is a much-admired and respected skill amongst my kindred."
She looked at Boromir, and schooled her features into as neutral an expression as she could. "I may be from another realm entirely, My Lord, but I have maintained a special interest in the lore and history of Middle-Earth. It is in history that we learn the mistakes of the past, that we may take measures to ensure that those mistakes are not repeated in the future. This is the wisdom I wish to impart to all the peoples of Middle-Earth: learn from past mistakes, that they are not repeated in the future and thus jepoardize the lives of many.
"I do not doubt Aragorn's lineage, and it would do you much good not to doubt either." Here she cast a small smile in the Dunadan's direction. "We know very well the troubles and the hardships they have had to endure. For the Silver Tower and the walls of Gondor are certainly not enough to keep out all evils that emerge from the East. There are other ways, many other paths, that do not pass through Gondor on their way to the West. It has been the responsibility of Aragorn and his people to ensure that the lands in the west, including the lands that my people inhabit, are as safe as they can be. And for that I am very much grateful to him and to his kin."
Aragorn bowed his head. "Your gratitude is highly accepted, My Lady," he said quietly.
The Council proceeded as usual, and at last it came to a critical point: the time to decide what was to be done with the Ring. Some suggested sending it across the Sundering Seas, while others argued that it should be unmade by sending it to the fires of Mount Doom.
At length, Gandalf turned to Caelis, and asked, "My Lady, what do you suggest should be done?"
Caelis looked up, and gazed at each of the council members in turn. She sighed, and replied, "If only ridding Daenova of our own Dark Lord were as easy as destroying a ring, then we would have done it, regardless of the risk that was involved. Nothing is as simple as it seems. Even this quest to rid Arda of the One Ring of Power is laced with complications.
"You suggest that it be sent to the entity known as Iarwain Ben-Adar -Tom Bombadil. You also suggest that it should be sent West across the Sundering Seas, to Valinor, the Land of Immortality were only Elves can go. But I say to you now: neither of these courses of action should be taken.
"You cannot pass on responsibility of the Ring to someone else for mere safekeeping. As long as the Ring exists, so shall the power of the Shadow exist. And as long as the Ring remains in existence, so shall the Shadow continue its pursuit for it. And as long as it continues to hunt, it shall continue to wreak destruction in its wake." She shook her head slowly. "No, there is only one proper course of action, and that is to destroy the Ring."
"But that is not something so easily accomplished," Boromir muttered from his seat. "One does not just walk into Mordor. It is far too dangerous a place."
Caelis smiled at him slightly. "Yes, I know of the dangers that Mordor poses. All too often, during the Last Alliance, I ventured deep into Barad-dur to procure information that I would then send as letters to Gil-galad, to aid him in his strategies for the ongoing war. I only ceased my 'visits' when the Dark Lord sensed my continued presence and began to take measures to hunt me down. It was no longer enough for me to disguise myself - I had to leave, or be slain."
"Then how do you propose we destroy the Ring?" inquired Galdor, an Elf from the Gray Havens - a representative of Cirdan the Shipwright. "To do what you propose - send the Ring into the fires of Orodruin - we would need to send someone deep into Barad-dur, and hope that this person can throw the Ring into the fire and unmake it.
"But who would be able to accomplish such a task? Who would be able to withstand the temptation of the One Ring? If Isildur, one of the greatest Numenoreans, was tempted by it, who can withstand its persistent call?"
Elrond nodded. "The Dragon Lady speaks truly, as does Lord Galdor," he said. "The road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the wise are elsewhere."
"Very well, very well, Master Elrond!" said Bilbo suddenly. "Say no more! It is plain enough what you are pointing at. Bilbo the silly Hobbit started this affair, and Bilbo had better finish it or himself. I was very comfortable here, and getting on with my book. If you want to know, I am just writing an end for it. I had thought of putting: 'and he lived happily ever afterwards to the end of his days.' It is a good ending, and none the worse for having been used before. Now I shall have to alter that: it does not look like coming true; and anyway there will evidently have to be several more chapters, if I live to write them. It is a frightful nuisance. Where ought I to start?"
Caelis smiled at the Hobbit. She knew how much courage it must take, to abandon his life of comfort here in Imladris to go forth on what could end up becoming a fruitless journey, but Bilbo seemed to understand the consequences of his actions. When he found the Ring it had become his responsibility, and since it was his responsibility, he was bound to be the one to destroy it.
"Of course, my dear Bilbo," said Gandalf. "If you had really started this affair, you might be expected to finish it. But you know well enough now that STARTING is too great a claim for any, and that only a small part is played in great deeds by any hero. You need not bow! Though the word was meant, and we do not doubt that under your jest you are making a valiant offer. But one beyond your strength, Bilbo. You cannot take this thing back. It has passed on. If you need my advice any longer, I should say that your part has ended, unless as a recorder. Finish your book, and leave the ending unaltered! There is still hope for it. But get ready to write a sequel, when they come back."
Bilbo laughed. "I have never known you give me pleasant advice before," he said. "As all your unpleasant advice has been good, I wonder if this advice is not bad. Still, I don't suppose I have the strength or luck left to deal with the Ring. It has grown, and I have not. But tell me: what do you mean by THEY?"
"The messengers who are sent with the Ring."
"Exactly! And who are they to be? That seems to me what this Council has to decide, and all that it has to decide. Elves may thrive on speech alone, and Dwarves endure great weariness; but I am only an old Hobbit, and I miss my meal at noon. Can't you think of some names now? Or put it off till after dinner?"
Silence descended on the council once more. Caelis recognized the trepidation of the Council members. They did not know who to send. And she knew that it was not in her place to volunteer, because she was not actually a true member of this Council. She was only here to advise, and to guide. Nothing more.
At length, Frodo stood, and in a small voice, he spoke, "I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way."
Elrond raised his eyes and looked at him. "If I understand aright all that I have heard," he said, "I think that this task is appointed to you, Frodo; and that if you do not find a way, no one will. This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who among the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck?
"But it is a heavy burden. So heavy that none could lay it on another. I do not lay it on you. But if you take it freely, I will say that your choice is right; and though all the mighty elf-friends of old, Hador, and Hurin, and Turin, and Beren himself were assembled together, your seat should be among them."
"But you won't send him off alone, surely, Master?" cried Sam, unable to contain himself any longer, and jumping up from the corner where he had been quietly sitting on the floor.
Caelis looked at the Hobbit with an amused and charmed smile 'Such loyalty to a friend would result in him being showered with gifts and given the name of soulfriend, were he born in Khaenna.'
"No indeed!" said Elrond, turning towards Sam with a smile. "You at least shall go with him. It is hardly possible to separate you from him, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not."
Caelis laughed softly along with the rest of the council, and after a few more words had been said, the council was ajourned, and everyone dispersed.
~*~*~*~
Serpentines ~ the "classification," so to speak, of Dragon to which Caelis and her people belong.
Dragonis, Revanarsil, Soulous, Oriemel, Irsimil, Urtielus and Zireshekel ~ the principal cities of the Seven Households of Dragons in Daenova, with Dragonis as the capital. Each belonged to the Star, Moon, Storm, Sea, Flame, Mountain, and Shadow Dragons, respectively.
Northern Fences ~ immense mountain range in Daenova
Avalonians ~ the Winged People of Khaenna (think angels). Named after their principal city, Avalon, which is the only floating city in Iraxa
De Veshel and Dianathe ~ two of the ruling houses of the Avalonians. Traditionally, the Queens of Avalon come from the De Veshel family, while the Kings come from the Dianathe line.
Katafels ~ Cat-people of Iraxa.
Nel'thows ~ Wolf-people of Iraxa.
Havezens ~ giant robot-type bodysuits that are used in war and piloted by the nobles of Vesham (the principal kingdom of Humans in Iraxa). For those who are conscious of Japanese animation, look at the guymelefs of Vision of Escaflowne and you will get an inkling of what they are.
Sentients ~ these are the ancestors of all Dragons in Khaenna. Unlike the Serpentines, they are not possessed of the ability to change into a human form, and remain permanently in their draconic shape. Nevertheless, they are revered as gods by their descendants, and are reputed to hold powers beyond even the capacity of Dragons.
Soulfriend ~ a title bestowed upon persons of non-Draconic descent who are held in high regard by the Serpentines. Something like the title of "Elf-friend" that the Elves of Middle-Earth used for the three houses of Men who stood by them in the First Age, only the title of soulfriend is bestowed upon individuals instead of entire groups of people.
~*~*~*~
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