(no subject)

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

Who: Legolas and anyone.
What: NEW ARRIVAL ALERT! Oh, and exploring!
When: Oct. 25th.
Where: Just pick a place and we'll make it work. Love to anyone that finds the hippy elf in the forest.
Rating: G!

One moment he had been with Gimli, Aragorn and Gandalf, hearing messages passed to Gandalf from the Lady Galadriel. He'd been armed and ready to go to Edoras, content with the knowledge that Merry and Pippin were safe. Safer. And now he was...

Well, Legolas wasn't entirely sure where he was. He'd seen, in passing, the buildings of Men though never had he entered them. He'd been content enough to remain out of doors or in the forest. It reminded him very much of what he'd seen though. And this only raised the question of how he came to be here. Standing and doing nothing wouldn't answer his questions though, this he knew. Only by exploring could he find what he wanted to know and hopefully that would include a way back. It wasn't long after he started to explore that he realized that he was now also unarmed. His quiver was still on his back but it was empty of arrows and he no longer carried his knife or the bow that the Lady of the Golden Wood had gifted him. Guilt tore at him over the loss of such a precious gift. He knew that he could craft himself another bow but it would never compare to those of the Galadhrim.

Garbed in grey, most will find him, a cloak about his shoulders and unassuming. He was cautious, of course, because who knew if this was some trick of Saruman or of the Enemy.

Comments

[fuckelves]

"The Lady Galadriel," Progress! Thorin referred to her by her proper title even when she wasn't around to hear it - seems he can be respectful when he wants to be.

He takes another long puff from his pipe and blows another smoke ring into the air before continuing.

"And I have yet to meet the castle's master...if it has one at all," Thorin sighed, glancing around them to the stone walls. "It seems the place has a will of its own, and draws people here to torment them when it pleases."

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

It almost stole his breath away, hearing that the Lady of Light is the other in the castle. He could not even think of her willingly leaving Lorien, so by what power could she have possibly been drawn away from her wood? It was chilling to think about.

And still, he could not place a name to this dwarf though he knew that he should recognize him. The thought that he couldn't remember why he seemed familiar was just nagging at the back of his mind, trying to claw to the surface. And with his thoughts distracted, torn between Galadriel being here and trying to place a name to Thorin's face, it was hard to focus on what he said.

"A will of it's own? How? I've never heard of such a thing."

[fuckelves]

"Nor had I," Thorin grumbled.

His deep blue eyes glanced about, as if he feared the very castle itself was listening - which was actually more likely than not.

"It's a living thing, sometimes," Thorin's voice was a low growl. "It watches, it makes decisions, it invites things here to prey upon the residents..."

As if he could forget the Gentlemen...

"When you die here, if it pleases the castle, it will bring you back to life."

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

A living castle, capable of watching them. It was a frightening thought and it sent chills down his spine. It was nothing he wanted to think about and yet the idea was there now. That this castle could get into his head where nobody had a right. As if that wasn't enough, Thorin had to keep talking and Legolas' eyes narrowed just slightly.

"Returning us to life?"

Nobody, nothing, had that right but the Valar and Iluvatar. Whatever this castle was, it was tampering in things it shouldn't.

[fuckelves]

"Aye, as I said, the castle will revive you from death if it chooses to do so," Thorin puffed on his pipe.

It was indeed rather wrong, even in Thorin's opinion. As much as he would enjoy seeing his loved ones again, they were dead and gone and with Mahal in his feasting hall. It was not Thorin's, nor this castle's place to recall them from such a paradise.

"I've seen it - this place can be as cruel as it is euphoric."

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

This couldn't be right. A castle that can revive the dead, that can be cruel or kind at a whim. This wasn't normal. It shouldn't be possible. He would almost think he was trapped in some waking dream but he's not so easily fooled.

"Please. Tell me all that you would of this place, Master Dwarf. I will not be caught unawares here."

He will but preparation is good, yes?

[fuckelves]

Thorin stares for a long moment. He is silent as he continues to puff on his pipe. True, he could leave the Elf high and dry, to fend for himself. He could lie, and tell the Elf false happenings within the castle.

But, Thorin's been of the opinion more and more lately that the residents need to stick together.

...even if that means allying himself with an Elf.

"Well, lad," Thorin sighed. "Where to begin? I have seen a great many things here. I have seen friends turned into animals. I have seen creatures invade that took our voices and slaughtered many."

And potentially the most disturbing:

"I have seen the Ring of Power, that wicked ring from the stories of our world, rear its ugly head here and wreak havoc..."

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

He never stopped finding it amusing when others called him 'lad' but he reigned it in now, trying to be polite while Thorin shared his knowledge. Gimli would appreciate the humor of- well, perhaps not since Legolas had called him and Aragorn children.

"How? This sounds like some dark-"

Ohhh.

No.

A chill ran down his spine. The ring. Here. It can't be. It shouldn't be.

[fuckelves]

Thorin simply nods - everything about this place is dark.

"It masquerades as a paradise for most of the time. But then, once you've acclimated and grown comfortable, it hits you with the darkest magic imaginable!" Thorin puffed on his pipe again.

Ohh yes - the Ring.

"I saw its effects...felt its effects..." and unfortunately had succumbed to the anger drawn from him through the Ring.

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

Dark magic indeed if the Ring could possibly be in the castle. And if it was, it was Legolas' duty to protect the bearer. Even if Frodo had chosen to leave them. This wasn't Middle Earth, after all.

"You are certain it was the Ring? Not a trick of this castle?"

[fuckelves]

"The danger may have passed by now, but I am not certain," Thorin sighed. "And the castle may have brought the Ring here but..."

He glanced up to the Elf.

"I'm a Dwarf, I know a ring of power when I see one, and I know the One Ring when I see it even more so," Thorin's tone turned grave.

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

This was wrong. The only dwarves that should have known about the Ring were those who attended Elrond's Council. No others should have even heard word of it. Especially when it was thought lost for far longer than when Bilbo found it.

"Answer me one question, Master Dwarf. Were you tempted by it?"

He hoped the answer would be no. Please, he prayed silently, let the dwarf say no.

[fuckelves]

And Thorin would not have heard of it, had Bilbo not told him of it. During their first journey together he had called it a present. Perhaps it had been his father's possession of one of the seven rings given to the Dwarf Lords that had made Thorin suspicious of the tale. Still, he had found out soon enough...

"Tempted? No. But I succumbed to my rage far quicker than usual."

Thorin would not lie. Not even to an Elf.

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

He would be surprised to hear that Bilbo told him of it. From what he gathered, ringbearers kept a secret of the Ring and the powers it held. Perhaps it was only Frodo though, he was the only Hobbit that Legolas had ever traveled with to learn anything. Even if it was very little after the Council.

"I am glad to hear that you did not."

And he was. Nobody needed that kind of burden.

[fuckelves]

"No, no," Thorin shook his head even as he took another puff off of his pipe. "I know better than to mess with a ring like that..."

He was silent in contemplation for several minutes before continuing.

"The only place for a ring like that is back into the forge to be destroyed."

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

Would that it could be destroyed in a forge but Legolas couldn't say that. He could say very little of it. Keepers of a secret hope. And even here, he meant to keep that secret. And, hopefully, to keep the secret of it from spreading as it seemed to have.

"I'm sure that there are a great many others who would agree with you."

[fuckelves]

"I should hope so - I would hate to see the man who covets such a ring," Thorin shook his head. "It brings nothing but wickedness and misery. At least it seems so to me."

He knew much about the Ring, but very little at the same time.

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

He was right, it did bring misery. He'd seen what the ring had done to Gollum, how they had hoped to bring him back to himself when he was their prisoner and parted from the ring but it had not worked. And he had escaped.

"I think it may be best, if you will permit me to say so, that we keep this knowledge to ourselves."

[fuckelves]

"Agreed," Thorin nodded solemnly. "But I know not who else may already know. Frodo obviously knows the most about the Ring. And I know not who he may have spoken to about it."

He could very well have inspired someone to desire the Ring, but Thorin did not think Frodo so foolish. He was a fine lad who had fallen into an unfortunate circumstance.

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

"Frodo!"

Apologies Thorin, but once that name was uttered, Legolas had little thought for anything else. The Ringbearer. Here. And Frodo would not openly have spoken of it. He knew the danger that just mentioning the ring could bring about.

"Then I am relieved."

[fuckelves]

Oh, Thorin picks up on that not-so-subtle mood change. He puffs on his pipe and stares at Legolas for a minute.

"You know the lad, I take it?"

That much is obvious, but he's hoping to coax the nature of their relationship out of the Elf.

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

Yeah, haha, nope. Legolas will admit to knowing Frodo but the specifics of how and why aren't coming from this elf. Not now or ever.

"He is a friend. One that I would put my life on the life if it would save his. We were separated and I worried greatly for him."

[fuckelves]

Thorin takes another puff or two from his pipe. So Frodo takes the Company of Elves for friendship.

Typical Baggins. Bilbo had a similar affinity for Elves, if he recalled correctly.

"Your devotion is very uncharacteristic of your kind."

...aaaaaaand back to this again. Thorin's never known an Elf to risk his life for someone else; particularly not when that someone is of another race.

[bow_of_the_galadhrim]

Well. That escalated quickly. He wasn't entirely sure what the dwarf meant. Uncharacteristic? Hardly. Legolas wanted to count this towards the rift between their two races but something felt off about that.

"Uncharacteristic in what way, Master Dwarf?"

Yeah no, Legolas wasn't going to just let it go. He couldn't.

[fuckelves]

"I've not encountered an Elf who would so readily give up his life to Mahal for another living creature," Thorin sighed out another puff of smoke.

He pauses before continuing...though he probably should have left it at that.

"The majority of you lot tend to be rather selfish creatures."

...because Dwarves are just so selfless...