Only Time

Ch. 45 ~ Orthanc

When the children were almost fully grown was when I finally sat down to write the story of my life and about all of the battles and people I met along the way as well as how Legolas and I met and fell in love. I decided that I would write the prologue before leaving Middle-Earth for Valinor. Meanwhile, I had a lot to get in order. Thoughts in my head had to be chronologically organized so I would not miss any crucial details. Neither Legolas nor the children would bother me when I would write in our sitting room looking out at beautiful Rivendell. It was my private time.

On one of those days, I was lost in thought quill pen in hand, when I heard a loud crash come from the back of our land. I immediately ran out of my sitting room and saw dust bellowing from the Rivendell Library. The noise was so loud it echoed throughout all of Rivendell getting every elf's attention. By the time everyone—including Legolas, Gimli, and our children—converged on the library, the archivist was coming out of the dust covered interior, coughing.

"What pray tell has happened?" I asked the archivist, concerned.

"Some of the older bookshelves have collapsed, your highness." He explained, still coughing.

Shaking my head, I waited for the dust to settle and then entered the building along with the archivist to see if the foundation itself was intact. I wondered around and saw what was broken and what was still standing. Thankfully, the vaults were made out of metal and were unharmed but a lot of the older bookshelves were completely splintered with hundreds of books lying everywhere. The building was fine; which was a relief. I then exited it again and explained what I had seen. Legolas then called on Yael to ride to Mirkwood and bring back their finest wood craftsmen to help with Rivendell's own to restore the bookshelves. The job was just too big for 3 of Rivendell's finest.

"We need to restore these bookshelves to pristine condition so that way they do not collapse in another 10,000 years." I said in the common tongue as everyone nodded and Yael ran to the stables for his trip to Mirkwood.

"Agreed." Legolas replied. That is when I looked at Gimli and started to laugh. He was the only one carrying a weapon. I turned to him then and said:

"Gimli, there is no need for your axe. You are not going to slay the books. I think they have been hurt enough."

Everyone else giggled as Gimli looked from me to his axe and back again realizing just how ridiculous he looked. He harrumphed and put his weapon into a holder attached to his back. Afterwards, I told the children to help me take the books out of the library and carefully lay them on the grass. Every elf around was helping out when Altherial raised an eyebrow and asked me:

"But naneth, why do we have to do the work when there are other elves here?" I stopped what I was doing and looked her in the eye as I explained it to her and her brothers.

"Because my dear child it does not matter that we are royal. Both your father and I were raised to help in every situation regardless of our standing or lineage. This library has aided me many a time and because of that among other things that we lend a helping hand with everything. We being royalty does not make us higher or better than anyone else." Gimli was listening to my explanation and decided to add his own story and memories.

"Listen to your mother, child. If it was not for her, a lot of things would have been different in this world. Your father too. It was your mother that was the first elf to treat dwarves with respect right before and during the Battle of the Five Armies. Your father followed her example. Mine own father told me when I was a wee lad that when he and Thorin Oakenshield along with company first arrived in Mirkwood, they were imprisoned by King Thranduil, your paternal grandfather. Your father too, was none too kind to us. One elf named Tauriel fell in love with a dwarf and it was seen as an abomination in her land." Altherial, Angrendir, and Elros' eyes were wide as they listened. Legolas and I smiled at the memories of long ago as we continued to ferry books out of the library; Gimli continued.