Fiction GotG Chapter 04

Title: Gamble Of The Gods

Author: Restive Nature

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either J.R.R. Tolkien’s "Lord of the Rings" universe, nor David and Leigh Edding’s "Belgariad".

Rating: PG

Genre: Crossover of LotR and The Belgariad

Type: WiP

Timeline: LotR- The beginning of the Fellowship (follows the movies mostly.)

The Belgariad- post books. Beldaran is a young woman now, about seventeen now.

Summary: In an effort to encourage the Fellowship, help is brought into the world in the form of a young woman whose world has already seen the end of its own war.

Chapter Four

The following morning dawned cool and clear. Crisp autumn was in the air. Beldaran woke in the comfortable bed, but was unnerved when she didn’t recognize it immediately. She reached out with all her senses and discovered the innate peace, but with an underlying sense of urgency and fear. She slowly recalled where she was and why she was there. A soft knock on the door made her sit up. She called out and the door swung open. The servant, who’d attended her yesterday, Alasse, stepped into the chamber, pleased to see that her charge had woken up well.

"Good morning my lady," she greeted softly and moved to place her tray on the table.

"Good morning to you Alasse," Beldaran replied. She pushed back the blanket and swung her legs over the edge. She stood and straightened the flowing night rail over her body modestly.

"I have brought fruit to break your fast with," Alasse told her. "And if my lady wishes, a bath as well."

"Oh, that would be wonderful," Beldaran sighed as she sat at the table. Alasse nodded, liking this young girl despite the long held prejudices of her people against the other races.

"I will prepare it then," she said simply. She disappeared from the room on silent feet and Beldaran attacked the fruit with relish. She was nearly done when Alasse returned, leading the same servants that had brought her bath the evening before. Once done, Alasse shooed them out the room, preferring to attend the lady herself.

As Beldaran sank into the copper tub provided, she saw that they had returned her green dress from the day before. Alasse was carefully shaking out the folds to ensure that there were no wrinkles. She laid it on the bed, then turned back to the girl. "The lady Arwen would like to talk with you later, if you are agreeable."

"The lady Arwen is…?" Beldaran asked. She couldn’t recall the name.

"She is Lord Elrond’s daughter," the servant supplied the information.

"Oh, that is not a problem then," she decided. "Will she come to me, or do I need to go to her?"

"My lady Arwen will come to you when her morning tasks are attended to," Alasse informed her.

"She is the lady of the household?" Beldaran asked wisely. The other girl simply nodded. They continued preparing for the visit and later, the council. By the time Arwen arrived later that morning, Beldaran was pleasantly pampered, coifed and waiting.

Arwen, who had heard of the girl from her father and various servants, was curious to see the manner of woman who could so easily slip into her father’s good graces. She knocked on the chamber door and was immediately allowed entrance. Alasse nodded and gestured to the balcony.

"She is outside, my lady," the servant told her. Arwen nodded, catching sight of the petite form.

"Thank you," she smiled. "You may leave us." The servant nodded and gathered up her tray and slipped from the room. Arwen moved to the balcony, but something alerted the girl and she turned, a broad, welcoming grin on her face.

"Lady Arwen," she greeted softly and gave a small curtsy. Arwen smiled despite herself. But before the girl could see, she quickly slipped her face back to the regal bearing she presented to the outside world.

"Lady Beldaran," she returned. "I am pleased to welcome you to Rivendell." She studied the girl, as everyone referred to her. But, with a female eye, took in that she was no mere girl. She was a young lady. She was dressed exquisitely in a deep emerald green gown that suited her well. Alasse had styled her fiery red hair so that while most of it was pinned atop her head, there was also a large curl that lay draped down her right should, curling at the end just below her collar bone. She was tiny, but endearing and Arwen found herself hoping that she liked the woman.

"My thanks," Beldaran chuckled. "Males tend to sometimes forget the basic precepts of polite company."

"Oh, has anyone been rude to you?"

"Oh no," Beldaran shook her head carefully, not wanting to dislodge her hair. "It is just an observation that I have made in my life that always seems to hold true, but for a few occasions."

"Ah," Arwen understood. She hesitated only a moment before broaching the subject she’d come to discuss. "I understand that you are here because of the Ring?" Beldaran studied her for a moment. She understood that the races of the world tended to protect the women of their society. So for Beldaran to join the company of men, it was a little of an insult and problematic situation.

"If I had a choice," Beldaran sighed, "I would be safe at home. But I can not turn away when I am needed."

"And you are needed here?" Arwen surmised. Beldaran simply nodded. "Come, let us walk until you are summoned to council." She led the girl out of her room, intent on bolstering the girl’s spirits by showing her one of the things she would be fighting for. Another servant found them an hour later, apologizing for interrupting. Both females waved away his concern. They knew it was time for the council.

Legolas sat calmly in the seat he’d occupied in the council chamber the previous day. Even though he managed to maintain the facade that all was well, it wasn’t. Thoughts of Beldaran had stayed with him all night. He mulled over the possibility that it was the spell she had done before she came that made him feel the way he was. The thought tumbled through him until all he could do was resolve to wait and see if the feelings faded as she had assured them they would. He did not like being manipulated and was slightly angry with her for doing so. He knew it was irrational, especially since it hadn’t seemed to affect the others as it had him.

So it was to his surprise that he reacted as badly as he did when his keen Elvish hearing brought to him the whispers from the men of Gondor. One of them had caught sight of the girl on her walk with Arwen and was now making rude comments about her. The blondish leader of the trio was laughing about ways the girl could keep him warm at night and fill his needs, as he wanted. Legolas was halfway out of his chair, ready to chastise the man with his fists if necessary before another hand caught him. He glared down at his Elven brethren. He knew that he had caught the whispers as well.

"Why the concern, Legolas?" he questioned softly in Elvish. Legolas fell back to his seat automatically. He glanced around the room, slightly embarrassed at his reaction. "She is just a woman. One we need not concern ourselves with." Legolas clenched his jaw, hurt by his friend’s words, even though he had often voiced the same sentiment.

"She is a lady," he muttered softly, also in Elvish. "They should not insult her like that. They do not even know her." His friend shrugged a delicate shoulder.

"And neither do we."

Legolas was prevented from answering as Elrond made his way to the council chamber, Beldaran on his arm. His breath deserted him as she stepped softly into the room. If he had thought her lovely the evening before, well, now in his current state, he knew her to be breathtaking. He had to forcibly restrain himself from going to her side. Elrond moved forward and bade her sit at his left hand. Normally, that was where his guard would have sat. But another chair had been provided for the warrior and he took up his position behind and slightly to the left of Beldaran. It was a move that everyone present understood. Beldaran was under the considerable protection of Elrond himself. Any insult to her would be an insult to him. Legolas relaxed slightly as he took this in.

Beldaran glanced about the room, knowing the shocked looks on the faces before her were partly due to her change in appearance and the rest to Elrond’s silent warning in his actions. She pulled her attention back to him as he began to speak.

"I have the distinct honor to present Lady Beldaran," he addressed the room at large. "She has been sent to aid us in this time of darkness." He let that settle in, then turned back to the hobbit. "Now, to the business at hand. It is time for the Ring Frodo."

Beldaran watched as the halfling shuffled to the pedestal in the center of the room and reluctantly placed the Ring in its exact center. She shuddered delicately as she felt waves of evil emanating off it. She turned away from it in distaste; her attention caught by one of the men leaning forward, a strange gleam in his eyes. She continued to watch him carefully as he began to speak slowly, telling them all of a dream he had had. Prophetic now, it seemed, of the Ring’s return. Something seemed to call out to the man and he neared the pedestal, his hand stretched out to the Ring.

"Boromir!" Elrond barked the name, fearful of the man’s ill-advised action. Gandalf flew swiftly out of his chair. He chanted heavily, words rolling distastefully from his tongue. Beldaran saw the elves flinch as if one and looked to see Elrond falter. She was out of her chair immediately, supporting him. As Gandalf gasped out the last word, Elrond finally relaxed and smiled gratefully at the girl. She nodded once and returned to her seat, shooting a sympathetic look to the other elves. She caught sight of Legolas, barely catching the tear formed in the corner of one eye. He glanced away, embarrassed that the hated words of Mordor affected him so visibly. Beldaran listened with one part of her mind as Elrond chastised Gandalf, but the wizard was unrepentant.

To Beldaran, the conversation was unimportant. She knew who would take the ring, but at the moment, she needed to get a sense of the fellowship along for the ride. So, as Boromir and Legolas argued, she took in their auras. She found what she had already suspected in Legolas. He was a stalwart friend, true. His love for his home spurred him to protect it. He held to some of the prejudices of his people, but his travel and friendship with a few outside his race had softened the edges of that a bit. The other one, Boromir, was a proud man. He too had a great love of his home and people. But it was his pride that spurred him on, making him slightly dangerous. She knew that in his vanity, he would be an easy target.

She turned next to Aragorn, as Strider had just been revealed as. She already knew this, and so was not as surprised as some of the others. Aragorn commanded Legolas to sit down, wary of the attention thrown his way. He glanced at Beldaran and was surprised to see merely a contemplative look on her face. Aragorn appreciated the fact that she wasn’t making an issue out of his deceit, as he knew most women would.

Beldaran could almost read Aragorn’s thoughts as he glanced at her. He was embarrassed and fearful of his true self. He feared that the blood of the betrayer was too strong in him to overcome. She knew that was why he ran from his destiny. He was as strong, stronger even than Legolas and Boromir combined in his love of his people. And it was that strength that made him sacrifice his place as leader. Not wanting to be the downfall of those he could lead. Beldaran grimaced inwardly as she imagined the time she’d have weaning him of that notion. She turned her attention next to Gimli, son of Gloin, the dwarf. He responded to Elrond’s command that the Ring must be destroyed, in simplistic dwarven logic. Beldaran had to quickly suppress her grin when he shattered his axe upon the Ring and flew back a good four feet.

Legolas glanced up just in time to catch the fleeting grin and gave one of his own. Truly, she was marvelous, seeming to him more Elf than human in that moment. Beldaran blushed, knowing that the Elf had caught her and turned her attention to the Dwarf struggling to rise from his abrupt connection between the ground and his back. He was truly a Dwarf through and through. He was also a little impulsive, as he had just shown. Thought became action with barely a moment’s breath between them. She knew that that would definitely lead to trouble.

The arguing continued between Boromir and Legolas. Then Gandalf joined the fray. Finally Gimli yelled that he would be dead before he saw the Ring in the hands of an Elf. There again was his impulsiveness. It set everyone off this time, the Elves leaping forward to defend their friend, the dwarves echoing their friend’s sentiments. The human’s trying to force their opinion through and Gandalf telling them all the truth of the matter, not that they listened. Each one convinced at the supremacy of their own race and ideals.

Beldaran heard the whispers coming from the Ring. She turned to study the last member of the group. She felt she knew him best, having watched him longer than the others. Frodo, the simple Hobbit who had already carried the Ring through more danger than he should ever have known. The still young Hobbit, who’d once dreamed of sharing adventure with his Uncle Bilbo. But now, in the realization of what adventure really was, longed for nothing more than peace, the peace he had known before the Ring.

Beldaran moved from her chair to kneel beside him, tears in her eyes. She knew the same longing for peace, having carried it with her many lifetimes over. Frodo looked down into her eyes, sensing the recognition of his feelings, the knot of fear and revulsion in his stomach.

"How can they think to overcome the power of the Ring, if they can not even overcome their own pride?" she asked softly, for his ears only. He stared at her, dumbfounded. "How can they seek peace, when they know it not in their own souls?" The words made a strange sense to Frodo and he nodded at her.

"I will take it," he told her. She smiled tremulously at him through her tears. Something clicked in her when he uttered those fateful words. She knew instinctively that the right choice had been made.

"And I will be there, in the darkest hours, that you may rest your weary heart in my hands, child of light," she replied, filling her words with as much hope as she could. Frodo squeezed her hand in thanks as he stood, and she followed behind him.

"I will take it!" he shouted. Gandalf stiffened and closed his eyes, as if in pain. This was what he hadn’t wanted to happen. The rest of the group stopped their shouting, Frodo’s words finally penetrating their anger. "Though I do not know the way," Frodo stammered nervously. Gandalf smiled tiredly and moved to stand comfortingly by his young charge.

"I shall help you bear this burden, as long as it is yours to bear," he told the halfling. Beldaran smiled graciously up at him. She turned to stare full into Aragorn’s eyes, silently commanding him. He was moving forward before he even knew it. There were bonds on him that he could not and would never shake loose. He knelt before the trio, addressing Frodo.

"If, by my life or death, I can protect you, I will," he swore fervently. "You have my sword." He stood and took a place beside Beldaran as she included him in her smile. Legolas, seeing which direction things seemed to be going, swiftly acted. Where Aragorn led, he would follow.

"And my bow!" he called out sprightly.

"And my axe!" Gimli grunted, not to be outdone by the Elf. He joined the group, glaring warily up at his enemy now turned companion.

Boromir eyed the group thoughtfully as he carefully approached. "You carry the fate of us all little one. If this is the will of the council," he glanced around for acknowledgement and found it, "then Gondor will see it done."

Beldaran saw Elrond about to speak and she shook her head quickly at him, something no one else noted. Elrond narrowed his eyes, wondering what she was trying to convey, when there was a loud rustle in the foliage behind them. Samwise Gamgee ran forward and took up a protective post beside his master. He declared his intent to follow Frodo and Elrond taunted him about his inability to even stay away from a secret meeting. He then eyed Beldaran again and she shook her head again. He sighed; longsuffering as two more little shouts were heard. This time Merry and Pippin came forth, their little mouths flapping as good-natured babble poured forth.

With a roll of his eyes, Elrond glanced at Beldaran one last time and she nodded. "So be it then," Elrond announced grandly. "You shall be the fellowship of the ring." There was a sigh of relief, now that the decision was made. And then they heard Pippin pipe up.

"Great!" He looked around. "So where are we goin’?"

Alasse=Joy

Chapter Five