Title & Chapter Number: War of Daenova 6/?
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 Six: The First Steps of a Journey
It was a cold, gray day near the end of December. The East wind blew cold through the trees, and ragged clouds scudded overhead, bringing with them the threat of unpleasant rain. The Company was to set out at dusk, for Elrond had counseled them to travel under the cover of night as often as they could, until they were far from the borders of Rivendell.
Legolas examined his bow for any defect, for if he were to set out on this perilous journey without being confident in his own weapons, it meant only his own downfall. After finding that his weapons were in perfect condition, he raised his head to watch the others. Aragorn was sitting alone, his head bowed to his knees - only Elrond knew what this hour meant to him. He was clad in rusty greens and browns, like a Ranger of the North, and he only had Anduril with him - the Sword of Elendil Reforged. Boromir had a sword with him as well, like to Anduril but of less lineage. The Hobbits carried with them their barrow-swords, while Frodo had Sting for a weapon - a parting gift from Bilbo.
Caelis stood in another corner of the room, quietly talking with her compatriots in the soft, breathy tones of the Daenovan tongue. She was clad in browns and greens as well, eschewing the white and silver that were the colors of her customary garments. Her hair, once a brilliant star-and-moon silver, was now a dark brown-black - dyed, he supposed, so as to make her stand out less - and tied back in a single braid that began at the back of her head and ended just above the small of her back. At her waist was girt a sword, thin and light, with a slightly curved blade. The scabbard was of dark, polished wood, and glistened where curving, spidery runes of an unknown origin were inlaid in bright silver.
She was still speaking with her colleagues when Ereinion walked into the hall. Legolas watched with amused interest as he drew closer to Caelis, and spoke a few words to her in low, yet audible (to Legolas) tones.
"A word with you, My Lady?"
Caelis nodded her assent, and after saying a few more words to her companions, followed Ereinion to another part of the courtyard some distance away. Once more, they were within earshot of Legolas, and he listened in to their conversation.
Ereinion's voice seemed regretful. "So you have dyed your hair, as you told me yesterday."
"Yes, I have My Lord," Caelis replied. "As I told you, it is necessary. I will stand out too clearly if I do not color it."
"But I certainly miss the silver of your hair," Ereinion said wistfully.
Caelis laughed. "I knew that you would say that. Here." There was a momentary pause, and there was the soft, melodic tinkling of metal against metal. "Keep this, as a memento of me."
There was silence again for a moment, and then Ereinion spoke, his voice laced with awe and deep affection. "I am grateful for this gift, My Lady. I shall treasure it as I have treasured all the other gifts that you have given me."
Caelis laughed once more. "And I shall treasure your friendship, My Lord." And with that, she drew away from Ereinion to stand beside Legolas instead. Ereinion, in the meantime, walked away once more, and disappeared in the shadows of the interior.
At that moment Elrond came out with Gandalf, and he called the Company to him. "This is my last word," he said in a low voice. "The Ring-Bearer is setting out on the Quest of Mount Doom. On him alone is any charge laid: neither to cast away the Ring, nor deliver it to any servant of the Enemy nor indeed to let any handle it, save members of the Company and the Council, and only then in gravest need. The others go with him as free companions, to help him on his way. You may tarry, you may come back, or turn aside into other paths, as chance allows. The further you go, the less easy it will be to withdraw; yet no oath or bond is laid on you to go further than you will. For you do not yet know the strength of your hearts, and you cannot foresee what each may meet upon the road."
"Faithless is he that says farewell when the world darkens," said Gimli.
"Maybe," said Elrond, "but let him not vow to walk in the dark, who has not seen the nightfall."
"Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart," said Gimli.
"Or break it," said Elrond. "Look not too far ahead! But go with good hearts! Farewell, and may the blessings of Elves, and Men and all Free Folk go with you. May the stars shine upon your faces!"
Dives, the only other female Dragon in Caelis' company, stepped forward then. "We are not of the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth, but we pray that you will succeed, for the safety of Honored Race and Exile alike. Go with the blessings of the Children of the Star, Moon, Storm, Sea, Flame and Mountain. May they keep you safe and strong, and light your way down the Road of Shadow."
"And may they keep you safe and patient in Times of Waiting," Caelis responded. Catching Legolas' inquiring gaze, she smiled, and murmured, "That was a traditional Blessing Before Departure among my people, when translated into the Common Tongue, and I returned the traditional Response."
Legolas nodded, and smiled in response. "A pleasant tradition it is, My Lady, and one that strengthens the heart."
Frodo turned, and led the Company out of the main complex of Rivendell. Just as they were about to cross the threshold of the gate, Caelis stopped, and turned around. Legolas watched, and heard her murmur a few words in Daenovan.
Legolas waited until Caelis had joined them once more, before he spoke. "What did your words mean, My Lady?"
Her face seemed sad, her eyes wistful and longing as she stared at the ground in front of her. "If I tell you what they mean, My Lord, do you promise not to speak of it to anyone?"
"I promise, My Lady."
There was a momentary pause, before she looked up at him, her eyes resembling miniature starscapes. "My words mean this: 'I will dream of you, until I return'."
Legolas wondered to whom the words referred to, but then a flash of insight came to him, and he knew. He nodded, and spoke no more as the Company left Rivendell behind them.
~*~*~*~
He watched them depart, following their progress for as far as his eyesight would allow. When at last the outlines of their bodies had become indistinguishable from the shadows that surrounded them, he sighed, and tore himself away from the window.
He had not known that this moment of parting would be so difficult. He had not thought that it would pain him so, to watch as she went on a Quest from which there was no definite chance of success. It was a far too dangerous road, one where she might easily fall prey to the cold hands of Death.
And what then? She would be torn away from him forever. She was not an Elf; he would not be able to meet her once more in Valinor, and she could not come back the way he had. If she died, she would be lost to him for eternity.
He sighed heavily once more, and glanced down at his clenched palm. And I would merely fade away or die from heartbreak and the loss of the will to live. I lost her once. I cannot find it in myself to lose her again.
He opened his palm, gazing at the object that lay therein. It was a locket made of silver and engraved with a seven-rayed star, surmounted by a crown decorated with six gems. He pressed the catch on one side of the pendant, and the lid of the locket snapped back, revealing its contents. On one side were scribed letters of a strange script that he could not understand, and on the other, held in place by a clip, was a lock of bright silver hair.
He closed the locket once more, hearing a click as the catch fell back in place, holding the locket firmly shut. All he could do now was hope, and pray that the Company made it back alive.
~*~*~*~
The Company had been a fortnight on the way when the weather changed. The wind suddenly fell and then veered round to the south. The swift-flowing clouds lifted and melted away, and the sun came out, pale and bright. There came a cold, clear dawn at the end of a long stumbling night-march. The travelers reached the low ridge crowned with ancient holly-trees whose gray-green trunks seemed to have been built out of the very stone of the hills. Their dark leaves shone and their berries glowed red in the light of the rising sun.
Caelis felt pleased with the place they had chosen to make camp for the day and the rest of the night. It was a small plateau that rose above the rocky plains around them, giving them a clear view of all the lands around them. It was a place that was easy to defend and difficult to attack. We shall be safe, at least for the night.
She turned around, and glanced at the others all around her, watching as they prepared for the coming night. Frodo and Sam were talking quietly with each other while eating some of the food that the latter had prepared, while Gimli and Gandalf seemed to be debating with each other. Legolas stood apart from all the rest, his sharp eyes (Elvish eyesight, it seemed, was the same no matter what world they might have been in) scanning the land around them for potential threats. Aragorn was smoking his pipe, watching while Boromir taught Merry and Pippin how to fight with their swords.
This Caelis found to be an amusing sight. After all, it is not everyday that one sees such wee folk, with their equally small swords, holding their own against such a tall son of the race of Men. It is almost like watching a pair of Seloffs fighting against a member of the Vesham elite! Her smile became broader as another thought occurred to her. Of course, the Small Folk usually have strengths that those of the Big Folk do not possess.
Clambering over the large rocks that were littered around their campsite, Caelis moved over to sit beside Gandalf, letting her legs dangle over the face of the boulder. ~*Spirits still seem to be running high. I feel that we may yet succeed in this quest after all.*~
Gandalf chuckled, and turned his eyes to her. ~*It is good that you feel that way. Though we still have a much longer distance to travel, remember that.*~
~*I know. And I remember.*~ Caelis turned away from Gandalf, and instead watched as Boromir continued his lessons with the Hobbits, and a smile broke onto her face as she continued to watch them.
Merry looked up at her, and a bright grin appeared on his face. "My Lady, do you wish to try your hand with us?"
Caelis waved her hand in dismissal. "I thank you for the invitation, Master Merry, but I do not wish to try my sword hand unless there is an absolute need for it, and your swords are not suited for the fighting style I have known all my life. Master Boromir is an excellent teacher for you already."
"I believe that the Lady speaks rightly," Aragorn said as he nodded in her direction. "Better that she should save her strength for when we need it the most."
Caelis looked at him, laughter twinkling in her eyes mingled with curiosity. "And where comes this confidence in my skills, My Lord?"
"I have spoken to the sons of Elrond," Aragorn replied simply. "They have told me how you held off a group of strange riders the day you arrived in Imladris with Gandalf." He smiled slightly. "They also told me that you would not let them fight with you."
"I had my reasons, My Lord, for not letting them join in the fight," Caelis replied. "All Serpentines have magic at their disposal, but the Shadow Dragons know spells of great cruelty and evil, and do not hesitate to use these spells when they so wish. It was better for them to have kept out of the battle than to have risked their lives in it."
"I can only hope that we do not encounter any of these Shadow Dragons that you have mentioned," Boromir remarked as he sheathed his sword. "If they are as strong as you claim them to be, My Lady, then we do not stand a chance against them."
Caelis shook her head. "They will not come. If they do, they will aim for the foothills of Caradhras, where our realm is secreted away. They will not choose to go after us." She smiled. "And I doubt if they would recognize me without my silver hair."
Just then, she sensed a prickling at the nape of her neck - a sure sign that something evil was abroad. She looked sharply over her shoulder, and looked to the south. A dark patch appeared, and grew, and drove north like the flying smoke in the wind.
She stood up slowly. This is not right, she thought. That cloud is moving too swiftly, and it is moving against the wind. She squinted, trying to peer at the smudge on the sky to identify what it was. After all, it was not only the Elves who were blessed with superior eyesight.
As they drew closer, she managed to pick out what the smudge was. Flocks of birds, flying at great speed, were wheeling and circling, and traversing all the land as if they were searching for something; and they were steadily drawing nearer.
"Aragorn," she said, lifting her finger to point at the smudge. "Do crows really fly in such a manner? I sense great evil from those creatures, such that I do not feel in normal crows."
"And for good reason!" Legolas cried. "Those are crebain from Fangorn and Dunland! They are headed this way!"
"Hide!" Aragorn shouted.
Caelis looked around, and dove into a cluster of bushes that covered a small niche in one of the boulders. Spinning onto her back, she looked up to the sky, and watched as many black-feathered wings darkened it. She could feel their eyes searching, looking for something that they knew was supposed to be there but was now gone. She closed her eyes tight, and prayed to the Sentients for them to let the crows move on swiftly and not see them.
After what seemed to be an eternity, the cawing and the flapping finally stopped. She opened her eyes, and realized, much to her relief, that the sky was clear once more. She counted five heartbeats before she finally sat up. She saw that the others were emerging from their hiding places, and she joined them.
"Regiments of black crows are flying all over the land between the Mountains and the Grayflood," Aragorn said, "and they have passed over Hollin. They are not natives here. I do not know what they are about: possibly there is some trouble away south from which they are fleeing; but I think they are spying out the land. I think we ought to move again this evening. Hollin is no longer wholesome for us; it is being watched."
"And in that case so is the Redhorn Gate," said Gandalf, "and how we can get over that without being seen, I cannot imagine. But we will think of what we must. As for moving as soon as it is dark, I am afraid that you are right."
Caelis sighed, and she tightened the end of her braid. Then there are only two more paths left to take, she thought, and neither is one more wholesome than the other. Caradhras will make for a terrible passing in winter, and I have no desire to pass through caverns.
Still, she added to herself, better to pass through snow than through shadows. She glanced at Gandalf then. "Gandalf, let us go to the Foothills of Caradhras before we scale the mountain itself. My people would be willing to provide us with whatever supplies we may need for the harsher journey that will certainly lie ahead."
Gandalf smiled at her grimly. "Your suggestion has merit, My Lady, but I deem it too dangerous. If the Shadow Dragons catch us unawares, then this quest shall be lost." He shook his head, and turned towards the high pinnacle of Caradhras. "Nay, we must try to avoid contact with your realm as much as we can. Though I know that your people will aid us in any and all ways they can, I cannot risk the Quest. So you must forgive me if I turn down your hospitality, My Lady."
"It is all right," Caelis murmured as she shouldered her pack. "You are right, as always." She turned her gaze upwards, looking upon the snow-covered peak of Caradhras with anxiety. "If we must scale Caradhras, let us do it as soon as we may. Winter will swiftly fall upon us, and if it catches us on the mountain, it shall be a hard and bitter climb for us all."
~*~*~*~
Seloffs ~ one of the many races inhabiting Iraxa. Rather diminutive in size, they often look like children, though they live up to two hundred years of age. They tend to be Hobbit-size, and this combined with their childlike looks make them look very innocent. However, they are also possessed of a strong urge to steal things – sometimes without even intending to.
Vesham ~ the main kingdom of Men in Iraxa. It also refers to Vesham Castle, the seat of the High-King of Men in Iraxa.
~*~*~*~
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