Prequel to my version of The Lord of The Rings trilogy

Caras Galadhon Lawn

Gimli, Legolas, Liv, Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and Sam found solace in a pavilion nestled among the trees near the fountain. They reclined on soft couches as mournful singing drifted down from the trees above.

"A lament for Gandalf," said Legolas, his voice tinged with sorrow.

"What do they say about him?" asked Merry, his eyes reflecting the pain of loss.

"I have not the heart to tell you. For me, the grief is still too near," Legolas replied softly.

Liv rose from where she was sitting, her eyes carrying a weight of understanding. "I know what you mean," she said gently.

"What do you mean?" asked Legolas, turning his gaze towards her.

"I lost my grandfather a couple of years ago. I wasn't able to talk to anyone about it at first, but now it doesn't bother me when someone mentions him," Liv replied, her voice carrying the reassurance of healing.

Legolas nodded, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Perhaps in time, it will be the same for us," he murmured, finding a glimmer of hope amidst the lingering sorrow.

Together, they sat in the pavilion, finding comfort in each other's company, their shared sorrow forging bonds that would endure beyond the pain of loss.

Boromir sat alone, his thoughts heavy as Aragorn approached him.

"Take some rest; these borders are well protected," Aragorn said gently, noticing the trace of tears catching the moonlight on Boromir's face.

"I will find no rest here. I heard her voice inside my head; she spoke to me of my father and the fall of Gondor, and she said to me, even now there is hope left. But I cannot see it. It is long since we had any hope," Boromir confessed, his voice thick with despair.

Aragorn knelt down beside him, his expression filled with empathy. "My father is a noble man, but his rule is failing, and our people lose faith. He looks to me to make things right, and I would do it. I would see the glory of Gondor restored," Boromir continued.

"Have you ever seen it, Aragorn? The White Tower of Ecthelion, glimmering like a spike of pearl and silver, its banners caught high in the morning breeze. Have you ever been called home by the clear ringing of silver trumpets?" Boromir asked, his voice tinged with longing.

"I have seen the White City, long ago," Aragorn replied, memories flashing through his mind.

"I would like to see the White City," said Liv, rising from her spot and walking towards them, joining the conversation. "You like ancient cities," Aragorn observed.

"Of course, I do. Old cities are rather interesting," Liv replied with a smile.

"What ancient cities are you interested in?" Aragorn inquired, intrigued.

"Mostly ancient Egypt," Liv replied, catching Aragorn by surprise.

Boromir scoffed. "What do you know about ancient Egypt?" he asked skeptically.

"I happen to know a lot," Liv replied confidently.

"And why is that?" Boromir pressed further.

"Well, I happen to be Egyptian," Liv replied calmly.

"Are you really Egyptian?" Aragorn asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Well, half Egyptian on my father's side," Liv clarified.

"What about your mother's side?" Aragorn asked, delving deeper.

"She's Canadian," Liv replied, her tone light.

"So, you're half Egyptian and half Canadian," Aragorn summarized.

"Well, technically I'm full Canadian and half Egyptian," Liv corrected with a chuckle.

"It's getting late; I should probably go to bed," said Liv, returning to her spot, leaving Boromir and Aragorn to their conversation. The night settled in, heavy with unspoken worries and unfulfilled dreams, yet tinged with the promise of hope.

Later, the fellowship lay asleep on their beds. The serene silence of the night was disrupted by Gimli's thunderous snoring, which echoed through the pavilion, causing Liv to stir uncomfortably. With a gentle nudge, she elbowed Gimli in the ribs.

"Gimli, would you quit snoring? You sound like my Tepig," said Liv, her voice carrying a hint of exasperation.

Gimli snorted, shifting in his sleep, but the snoring only diminished for a moment before resuming its rhythm. Liv sighed, resigned to the fact that she might not get much sleep with such a noisy companion nearby.

Beside Liv, her Tepig stirred. The small Fire-type Pokémon, usually sound asleep, lifted its head with an indignant snort, clearly disturbed by the noise.

"Sorry, Tepig, did I wake you?" asked Liv, reaching over to gently pat the Pokémon's head.

"Tepig, Tepig," the Pokémon replied, its voice tinged with irritation.

"Looks like Tepig wants Gimli to be quiet too," observed Merry, stifling a chuckle.

"More like he's upset with Liv," Pippin added mischievously.

Liv rolled her eyes, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I'm sorry, Tepig. I'll try to keep him quiet."

Tepig grunted softly in response, seemingly appeased by Liv's apology.

Merry, now partially awake, mumbled, "Is Gimli building a new tunnel in his sleep?"

Pippin, also stirred by the commotion, added with a grin, "More like summoning a cave troll."

Frodo, trying to stifle a laugh, whispered, "I think we should all invest in some earplugs."

Gimli, undisturbed by the jests, continued to snore softly, lost in dreams of stone halls and ancient dwarven kingdoms.

Legolas, who had been awakened by the noise, finally spoke up. "What's with all the noise?"

"Sorry, did we wake you?" asked Liv, feeling a twinge of guilt.

"Don't worry about it," Legolas replied, sitting up on his bed. "Is Gimli really snoring that loud?" he asked.

"Yeah, he even woke up Tepig, who looks like he wants to fry Gimli right about now," Liv replied with a chuckle, her eyes glancing over at the disgruntled Tepig.

The night settled back into a peaceful silence as the fellowship drifted back to sleep, finding solace in each other's presence, even with Gimli's thunderous snoring providing an unexpected soundtrack to the night.

To be continued