The Shape of Shadows [2]

Rivendell

When Amara regained consciousness, she realised she was laid in her own bed. She sat up with a groan as pain shot up her right arm. Greyish lines were crisscrossed across her pale skin from her hand all the way up to her shoulder. She shivered slightly as she was only dressed in a sleeveless tunic and leggings. She reached over and pulled on a cloak as she walked over to her window. Rivendell was spread in front of her in its entirety. She had chosen this room specifically because of the view it presented; showing her the valley and all the muted colours of Rivendell itself set against the vibrant colours of nature.

A knock sounded on the door. "Come in."

"I trust you know whom you stabbed." Elrond's voice echoed slightly around the room as he walked in. He watched his eldest carefully as she did not turn to look at him.

"The Witch King; Angmar." Her eyes continued to rake across the land in front of her.

Elrond moved to stand next to her. "Those marks will fade but it will take time." He gestured towards her arm.

"How is Frodo?"

"He got here just in time; I was able to bring him back. He has not regained consciousness yet, but it is only a matter of time. However, a wound like that, it will never truly heal."

Amara breathed a sigh of relief. "Is Gandalf here? He failed to meet us in Bree."

"He is. It seems that Saruman has betrayed us. He has been helping Sauron since you set out to help a company of dwarves reclaim Erebor." Elrond said sadly.

"What is to be done about the ring?" Amara finally turned and met her father's eyes.

"What should have been done four thousand years ago; it must be destroyed." Elrond gazed out at the valley laid before them. "I have sent word to Mirkwood, Gondor and Erebor. I have implored them all to send representatives to attend a council."

"The one I saw all those years ago." Amara murmured.

"It would appear so." Elrond said gravely. "I wish to reforge the sword of kings."

"He will not accept it." Amara said. "He has never wanted that path."

"That is why I want you to talk to him. Try and convince him that it is what needs to be done."

"I will try, but I cannot promise anything." Amara told him before they were interrupted by another knock on the door.

"Come in!" This time Amara turned to face the door.

Lindir walked in. "Mime ladime, mime héru . (My lady, my lord.)" He bowed. "Frodo is awake, Gandalf has requested your presence, mime héru."

"Hantalyë, Lindir. (Thank you, Lindir.)" Elrond bowed his head to the other elf and Lindir left the room.

"I will expect you at dinner later so we can discuss this further." Elrond told her before leaving.

Amara watched him go and turned to look back out of the window. She sighed and quickly changed into a deep blue gown, before deciding she might as well try to find Aragorn or her sister.

She found Aragorn first. He was in the gardens knelt in front of his mother's grave, gently removing the leaves that had covered it. Amara still remembered the day that she had come across Gilraen and her two-year-old toddler in the woods just shy of the misty mountains. She had been out scouting for orcs with her brothers when she had come across the terrified woman holding her son close. She had immediately alerted Elladan and Elrohir, and together they escorted them both to Rivendell.

Amara knelt down at Aragorn's side in the soft grass. He turned to look at her with a sad smile. "We would have never made it here if you hadn't found us that day. Thank you."

"I have told you before, you have no need to thank me." She smiled at him. "My father wishes to reforge the sword of kings. The skill of the elves will see it done, but only you can wield it."

"I do not want that power. I have never wanted it."

"You are the last of that bloodline, there is no other." Amara reminded him.

"It is not the path I wish to take." Aragorn said and Amara knew she would not get a further response.

"Have you spoken to Arwen?" She changed the subject.

"Not yet, I have not found the words." He ducked his head and focused on the rings that adorned his fingers.

"Talk to her. She will not care if you are no poet." Amara smiled and Aragorn returned the smile. "Now you must excuse me, I have to find four hobbits." She rested her hand on his shoulder. "Talk to her."

Amara heard cheerful voices floating through the hall that led to the portrait gallery. She smiled as she remembered when she had found Bilbo in the same room sixty years prior. The hobbits were moving through the room discussing the various portraits that hung on the walls. Some they joked about (even Amara had to agree with some of the things they were saying about the kings of old) and others they admired.

"It is good to see you all smiling again." Amara said as she lent against the door frame. "I found Bilbo in this same room when he first visited Rivendell."

"I remember it well." Bilbo smiled at her as he appeared on the other side of the room. "And I still think it is my favourite room here."

"Bilbo was telling us some of the stories." Frodo said looking at the portrait of her mother and then the one of all Elrond's children.

"Will they be included in your book?" Amara asked the old hobbit.

"If that is okay with you, my dear?" Bilbo smiled.

"Of course, Mellon."

"We heard rumours of a council." Bilbo said as Amara took a seat in the centre of the room.

"Ever the inquisitive hobbit." Amara smiled. "You were there, sixty years ago, when I saw it for the first time."

"Ah yes." Bilbo recalled as the other three looked on in confusion.

"You bear the gift of foresight?" Sam asked excitedly.

Amara smiled sadly. "I do, Mr Gamgee, but it is more of a curse than a blessing. I do not always want to see some of the things that I do. Unlike my father, I cannot merely glance into a specific person's future, my visions seem to manifest whenever they please and show me something that may be of no importance, or the greatest importance." The clock chimed in the room and Amara remembered the promise she had made her father. "Now, we must depart to the dining hall before my father sees fit to have me banished." She smiled and led them out of the hall.