Lonely Dragon {Legolas x Reader}

Shadows in the Shire

The wind whispered softly through the trees of Rivendell, carrying with it the scent of fresh pine and the sound of a distant waterfall cascading through the valley. (Y/n) stood at the edge of a balcony of her room, overlooking the serene beauty of the Elven haven. Yet, despite the calm that surrounded her, her heart was heavy, a storm of emotions brewing within.

For sixty years, she had carried a secret—one that had gnawed at the edges of her conscience. She had known ever since Bilbo first found it in the depths of the Misty Mountains. But she had kept her silence, unwilling to face the truth of what that small, unassuming piece of gold meant for Middle-earth... and for her.

She sighed deeply, gripping the stone railing as if it were the only thing anchoring her to this world. So much had changed since those days. She had fought alongside Thorin's company, braved Smaug's wrath, and helped secure Erebor's future. But in the end, it was Bilbo, with his quiet courage and that accursed ring, who had always lingered in the corners of her thoughts.

"Why didn't I say something sooner?" she muttered under her breath. The darkness that had haunted her dreams was growing stronger, pressing in on her from all sides. She knew that it was no longer just her burden to carry.

Behind her, a quiet footstep echoed in the hall. She didn't turn around. She knew who it was—Elrond.

"You've been restless since your arrival," came his calm, familiar voice.

(Y/n) nodded slowly, her gaze still fixed on the distant mountains. "I should have told you long ago, Elrond. About the Ring... Bilbo's Ring... since he first stumbled upon it. I watched him carry it out of the Misty Mountains, watched him keep it all these years. I knew what it was... but I couldn't face it."

Elrond's brow furrowed as he stepped closer to her. "You've known all this time? The One Ring?"

She finally turned to face him, her expression filled with a mixture of guilt and sorrow. "Yes. I knew. But I chose not to speak of it. Bilbo was... is... a dear friend. I couldn't take away the life he had built, the happiness he found. He had endured so much already. And when he went back to the Shire, when he chose to live a quiet life, I thought... perhaps it was best to leave him in peace."

Elrond's face softened, though the weight of her words hung heavily in the air. "It wasn't an easy choice to make," he said gently. "But in your heart, you must have known that peace was fleeting, especially with such a powerful object in his possession."

(Y/n) closed her eyes, the memories of the past flooding her mind—Bilbo, with his laughter and cheer, oblivious to the true nature of the thing he carried; her own inner turmoil, knowing what that ring represented and the dark power it held. She had watched over him from afar, knowing that one day the truth would catch up to them all.

"I knew that one day he would leave it behind," she whispered, more to herself than to Elrond. "He left it in the Shire, for Frodo."

"Frodo?" Elrond's tone held a hint of curiosity.

She nodded, her voice soft. "Bilbo's nephew. I've never officially met him, but I know of him. Frodo is kind and brave—like Bilbo in many ways. He's kept to his quiet life, unaware of the storm brewing around him."

Elrond's gaze shifted toward the distant mountains as well, as though seeing the threads of fate begin to weave together. "And now the Ring has passed to him."

(Y/n) felt her heart tighten. The Ring was no longer in Bilbo's possession. It had chosen its next bearer.

"Frodo has no idea what he carries," she said, her voice laced with concern. "The Nine Riders... they will come for it. I saw them in my dreams. They are relentless, and they will stop at nothing to retrieve it. Frodo is in grave danger, and he doesn't even know."

Elrond was silent for a moment, the gravity of her words settling between them. Finally, he spoke, his voice calm but filled with urgency. "You did not come to Rivendell only to seek refuge, did you?"

(Y/n) shook her head, her gaze falling to the stone floor beneath her feet. "No. I came because I cannot stay silent any longer. The time for keeping secrets is over. The Ring has resurfaced, and Sauron's power grows. I had hoped to avoid this, but it is unavoidable now."

Elrond studied her for a moment, his sharp eyes taking in the weight she carried. "What do you seek from me, (Y/n)? What counsel do you hope I can offer?"

She hesitated, the question hanging in the air like a thread waiting to be pulled. "I... I don't know," she admitted quietly. "Part of me wonders if I'm even strong enough to face what's coming. For so long, I thought I could escape Sauron's shadow. But now I fear that shadow has found me once again."

Elrond's gaze softened, and he took a step closer to her. "You are not alone in this fight. Nor should you face it alone. Your strength has always been greater than you give yourself credit for. You were strong enough to turn away from Sauron once... you can do so again."

(Y/n) nodded, though the doubt still lingered in her chest. "It's not just me that I worry for. If Frodo falls into Sauron's grasp, if the Ring is taken... all of Middle-earth will fall."

Elrond's face darkened, and a heavy silence settled between them. He knew, as she did, that the fate of their world rested on the decisions that would be made in the coming days.

"Then we must act swiftly," Elrond said after a moment. "I will summon a council. The leaders of the free peoples must come together, for the time has come to decide the fate of the Ring. And of Middle-earth."

(Y/n) felt a surge of relief, though it was tinged with the bitter knowledge of what lay ahead. She knew this council would not be an easy one. Decisions would have to be made—decisions that would shape the fate of all they held dear. And her role in this unfolding battle was far from over.

Elrond turned to face her fully, his gaze steady and filled with understanding. "You did not fail, (Y/n). You protected Bilbo as long as you could. And now you've come forward when it mattered most. That is no small thing."

She smiled faintly, though her heart still ached with the weight of her knowledge. "I only hope it's not too late."

Elrond's gaze softened. "Hope remains, as long as there are those willing to fight for it."

(Y/n) nodded, her resolve slowly strengthening as she realized that the time for hesitation had passed. She had carried the weight of the Ring's secret for far too long. Now, with the council summoned and the truth revealed, there was no turning back.

As she turned to leave, her thoughts drifted to Frodo, the young hobbit she had never met but whose path was now so intertwined with her own. She could only hope that when the time came, he would be strong enough to bear the burden of the Ring... just as she had been strong enough to finally face the truth.