The Whispers of Valinor

The Shadows Of Rivendell

POV: Althaea

The air in Rivendell was heavy with the weight of decision.
The breeze carried the faintest hint of autumn, rustling through the golden leaved trees and whispering through the marble corridors.
Althaea adjusted the silken folds of her midnight blue cloak, her moonlit hair cascading over her shoulders as she walked toward the council chamber.

The summons from Lord Elrond had come swiftly, his words steeped in urgency.
The One Ring had resurfaced. Althaea felt the weight of its shadow like a chill in the air, as if the light of the moon itself dimmed in its presence.

"Are you ready for this?" came Aurêlia's voice from behind her.

Althaea turned to see her sister, radiating in the soft golden light of the morning. Despite her usual fiery disposition, Aurêlia's sharp gaze betrayed her unease.
She wore a shimmering dress of sunlit hues, her braided hair adorned with tiny golden flowers, but her fingers twitched as if longing for the hilt of her sword.

"As ready as one can be to witness the fate of Middle earth decided," Althaea replied. "And you?"

Aurêlia smirked, though it didn't reach her eyes. "The world has a way of surprising me, sister. I'll decide if I'm ready once I see who sits at this council."

The youngest of the sisters, Ithara, walked quietly beside them, her delicate features framed by loose curls of earthen brown.
Though she had always been the gentlest of the three, there was a steadiness in her emerald eyes that even Althaea admired.

"I can't help but feel this is just the beginning of something much larger," Ithara murmured, her voice soft yet certain. "Something none of us are prepared for."

POV: Legolas

The council chamber was an open amphitheater surrounded by cascading waterfalls and towering Elven architecture.
Legolas stood at Elrond's right hand, observing as representatives of all free peoples took their places. The gravity of the moment weighed on him as his keen eyes scanned the attendees: Dwarves, Men, Hobbits, and, to his surprise, the three sisters of Valinor.

Althaea moved with an ethereal grace, her expression calm but watchful.
Aurêlia, ever the warrior, sat with her arms crossed, her eyes burning with quiet intensity.
And Ithara, the youngest, seemed almost out of place among the gathered warriors and lords yet Legolas could see the quiet strength in her.

He gave Althaea a brief nod as their eyes met.
She returned it, though her expression remained unreadable.

It was then that Frodo Baggins stepped forward, placing the One Ring on the pedestal.
A palpable tension filled the air, as though every living being could feel the evil radiating from the golden band.

POV: Althaea

When Frodo revealed the Ring, the room seemed to shift. Time slowed, and the air thickened. Althaea felt its presence like a shadow creeping over her, whispering insidious promises.

She gripped the edge of her seat, forcing herself to remain steady.
Her connection to the moon had always been her strength, but here, in the presence of such overwhelming darkness, even she felt small.

Elrond's voice broke through the silence. "The Ring cannot remain here. Its power is too great, its corruption too vast. It must be destroyed."